It was very good to read Gail Harland’s article on (Peonies and perfection) in the HPS Summer Journal. So, refreshing too to read the comment about the common myth of not moving Peonies, in relation to them resenting the process of transplanting, (nonsense) music to my ears! Gail goes onto…

Referencing this week’s Hort Week news brings a very interesting and important update from the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. An 8-year study by Citizen Scientists to record the UK top pollinators. The scheme is run by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)…

Here’s just a couple of very important wildlife gardening tasks for this month. Gone are the days of denuding all dead stems and seed heads once they’ve gone over and dispersed their seed, it they’re adding form and structure to the art of the garden, just for the sake of…

It’s a great time to plan on some important tasks in the garden if any of these plants apply in your green space. The Salvia involucrata is really in its prime right now, and catches the eye, with any luck it could flower until November, depending on the first frosts,…

Digitalis ferruginea commonly known as the rusty foxglove is a stunning perennial within the Lakeside Garden. This attractive plant belongs to the family: Plantaginaceae, native to Romania, Hungary, Turkey, and the Caucasus. It comprises dense spikes of bronze / yellow flowers with distinct red veined throats that are great for…

The Verbascums are really taking off this year! I’m 6 feet 1 and a half inches tall, and this tallest one nearly matches me for height, (self-seeded) I’ve not been a great lover of these perennials over the years, but I’m really starting to love them after many years of…

Stopped in my tracks at the Lakeside. Kalmia latifolia commonly known as the Mountain Laurel comprises 10 species in the genus Kalmia, belonging to the Heather family: Ericaceae, native to Eastern USA. Kalmia latifolia is a good wildlife value flower for pollinators, rich in nectar to attract bees and other…

With reference to one of my earlier blogs this year, the Skimmia berries of which I collected and extracted/ sowed the seed on February 1st are germinating ! I never fail to feel excited with anticipation from more challenging seed trials,  let alone the simpler plant challenges. I plan to…

Euphorbia mellifera is commonly known as the Canary spurge or Honey spurge in the family of Euphorbiaceae from Madeira and the Canary Islands, there are over 2000 species making it one of the largest genera of plants, commonly known as Spurges. The similar Euphorbia x pasteurii is a hybrid of…

I wanted to share the sight of this beautiful woodland Camellia with all of those at the HPS that read the website, it’s a real stunner, much admired by members of the staff at the Lakeside, and the many visitors, the cameras are constantly clicking. Hopefully this 5-metre beauty will…

Primula elatior: family Primulaceae is a plant I’ve been trialling for a few seasons now and currently featuring on the analysis of the Hort Week Website for Parks and Gardens. Primula elatior, family: Primulaceae (Oxlip) closely related to Primula veris (Cowslip) thrives in nutrient – poor calcium rich soil, its…

This important feature ran the duration last year through Hort Week on the website for an encouraging 6 months, 6 days to be exact, and more recently is featured within the RHS Plant Review Journal, both in different formats, and that being the case here for the HPS. Although not…

Mahonia species commonly known as the Oregon Grape are RHS listed as a shrub for UK wildlife. That’s my focus for the HPS, the environment and nature linking with the plants. Continuing from the interesting article (James Miller): autumn journal, Shrubs Revisited, and my Skimmia blog, let’s move onto Mahonia,…

Following on from (Shrubs Revisited in the HPS Autumn Journal) I love the structure shrubs add to any garden, and with the right design concept, can make a great background addition to hardy perennials. I’m catching up with my gardening tasks right now, later than normal due to moving house.…

Linking in with our plans for Hardy perennials, which is uppermost for the HPS, autumn/ winter bulb planting is an enjoyable and essential task. I’m certainly planning/ ready to plant spring displays in our new home garden. At the Lakeside, I’m well underway, Croci species along the rockery edge, and…

I really love this time of year, preparing the garden for spring. What I really enjoy are ticking off the seasonal tasks, as well as the more Horticulturally focused jobs that really bring the garden to life each spring and beyond. Division and replanting is always high on my list,…

Phlox is a wonderful genus of plants to incorporate within the perennial planting design scheme of a border.  One of the practicalities are how these plants hold their own, upright, and sturdy, with little plant support required.  I love the fragrant scents on a summer evening, a wonderful addition to…

I stepped out into our garden this Sunday afternoon to undertake some planting. I was stopped in my tracks, firstly admiring the small Digitalis purpurea on the grassy bank, secondly, and even more so, admiring the caterpillar colonising the Foxglove. Having undertaken some research,  I’m pretty certain it’s the caterpillar…

A refresher from my article in the autumn journal 2024.  Digitalis purpurea are of great benefit to the wildlife garden. Long tongued Bumblebees are drawn to the nectar and pollen from the flowers.  The unique structure of the flowers’ lower lip allows bees to land and climb up the flower…

Kevin has been writing a blog, 10 years for the Hardy Plant Society, and a member since 2013, this will be his final regular blog. He will continue contributing to the twice-yearly Journal. Kevin plans to put himself forward as a Horticultural Adviser for the HPS in the not-too-distant future,…

One of the spring highlights for me are Camassia leichtlinii cultivars. These hardy perennial bulbous plants add such grace to a naturalised grassy area, or a semi shaded spot of the garden, equally performing in exposed sunny spots. I’ve always found in a good number of gardens, shade brings out…

The flowering spires of the bushy perennial Erysimum Bowles’s Mauve, will enrich the border at the Lakeside garden from late winter through to late summer, possibly into autumn, with the beautiful eye catching subtle violet shaded flowers. Erysimum Bowles’s Mauve is native to Britain and Ireland and is a member…

Rooftop Gardens first became popular in this Country during the Edwardian period. During the late 1800s they were popular in New York City for cooling off. There has been an increasing popularity in rooftop gardens for a number of reasons, (reference my article HPS Journal, autumn 2023) Rooftop gardens also…

It’s that time of year when we’re clearing back areas of the garden in autumn, it also gives rise to seed collection, storage, seed treatment, sowing, whatever the regime may be for a particular genus. Acanthus comprise 30 species belonging to the family Acanthaceae from the Mediterranean and Europe. Commonly…