I have long had a fascination with the deepest darkest flowers that are the nearest you can get to black. I don’t know whether it is because they are dark and mysterious, their rarity or whether it is simply the stark contrast between black flowers and the surrounding foliage and blooms. Below I would like[…]
Flowers From The Darkside – Blackest Blooms
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Ornamental gardening May 10, 2022
Product Profile – Codling Moth Traps
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Fruit and veg gardening, Pest and disease control, Product Profile, Spring May 03, 2022
From mid-summer to autumn codling moths tunnel into the fruits of apple and pear trees leaving visible holes in the fruit and damaging the cores. The moths appear in late May to June laying their eggs near or on developing fruits from June to July. Caterpillars emerge which are small and white with a brown[…]
Plantaholic’s Choice – NEW Lavender ‘Twin Summer’
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Container gardening, Cut flowers, Fragrant plants, New plants, Ornamental gardening, Plantaholics choice, Summer, Wildlife Gardening Apr 26, 2022
I just love to be able to introduce new plants to you like this new French Lavender from the Butterfly Garden series. French Lavenders have a longer flowering period compared to our English varieties. They are a little more temperamental in that they love to bake in hot sun and well drained conditions, not cold[…]
Plantaholic’s Choice – Strawberry ‘Sweet Colossus’
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Container gardening, Fruit and veg gardening, New plants, Plantaholics choice Apr 19, 2022
This gorgeous new Strawberry variety is not for those with a smaller appetite! It was originally bred for one of the high-end supermarkets, but, luckily for us, it has been released to be grown by the general public. Strawberry Sweet Colossus produces the largest berries I have ever come accross, with many of them reaching[…]
My Trip to the Keukenhof Gardens in Holland 2022
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Bulbs, Ornamental gardening, Spring Apr 12, 2022
For any of you that are not aware, the Keukenhof in Holland is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in the world where seven million flower bulbs are planted each autumn. This makes for an extraordinary experience for the senses. The Keukenhof is the independent, international showcase for the Dutch floricultural sector with an[…]
Grow Your Own Peanuts
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Container gardening, Fruit and veg gardening, Summer Apr 05, 2022
Some of my readers may be experienced fruit and veg growers, yet there will be few who have attempted to grow peanuts! This tender annual is somewhat of a rarity in the U.K. Not only is it a great novelty to be able to grow these plants, they are also quite decorative with their pea-like[…]
Plantaholic’s Choice – Raymond Evison Boulevard Clematis
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Climbing plants, Container gardening, Ornamental gardening, Plantaholics choice, Spring, Summer Mar 29, 2022
Raymond Evison has dedicated sixty years of his life to breeding and developing some of the best Clematis in the world. Throughout this time he has bred many outstanding varieties and won multiple gold medals for his exhibits at the RHS shows. Here I want to highlight the wonderful Boulevard Clematis, bred by Raymond at[…]
Product Profile – Ready-made Border Designs
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Garden design, Garden styles, Gardening for beginners, Ornamental gardening, Plants for problem places, Product Profile Mar 22, 2022
Many people do not have the knowledge or confidence to be able to carry out planting design for their own borders. They may not know which plants grow well in the site available, for instance do they grow well in sun, shade, clay soils, seaside locations etc. They may not know when each of their[…]
Plantaholic’s Choice – Agapanthus ‘Sea Breeze’
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Container gardening, Cut flowers, Ornamental gardening, Perennials, Plantaholics choice Mar 15, 2022
You may often find a blue agapanthus in the garden centres, sometimes a white one and on occasion even a bicolour one. However I think you are unlikely to find such a gorgeous variety as Agapanthus sea breeze, with its stunning combination of colours. Below I describe some of the best features of this delightful[…]
Plantaholic’s Choice – Tomato Rubylicious
By Mark - Garden for Pleasure Container gardening, Fruit and veg gardening, New plants, Plantaholics choice, Seeds Mar 08, 2022
I wanted to draw your attention to this superb new breeding in tomatoes, which I think is perfect for your gardens and allotments for the following reasons:- Excellent resistance to common tomato diseases including blight. This delicious cherry tomato has the old fashioned tomato flavour that many of us yearn for, and is not always[…]