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How to grow Dipsacus (dip-sa-kus) From the Greek dipsao, to thirst, a reference to the water-holding cavity formed by the leaves united round the stem (Dipsaceae). Teasel. Biennial or perennial herbs, stiff, erect, rough plants with spiny or prickly stems and fruits, some of which can be found wild in Great Britain. The heads have long been used to tease […]
There are some people for whom a rose is a rose. I am not one of them. There are some people who get tired of taking care of roses. I am not one of them either. I think it is safe to say that if I could gaze at ‘Buff Beauty’ in full bloom each morning, I would be quite […]
How to Grow Thalictrum Thalictrum (thal-ik-trum) From the Greek thaliktron, a name used to describe a plant with divided leaves, possibly of the same family (Ranuncalaceae). Meadow rue. A genus of 150 species of hardy perennials, herbaceous plants, mainly from north temperate regions but also represented in tropical South America, tropical Africa and South Africa. Those cultivated have elegant, […]
The fact is, I am short. Not extremely short, but short enough so that I require the assistance of a step stool or an obliging tall person to reach high shelves. If I were a garden plant, I would be a good mid-border specimen—not tall enough to dominate the back and not short enough to use as an edger. I […]
Aubergine The egg plant is another name for this vegetable which comes from tropical climates. It is grown in greenhouses in this country, or it may be grown in a frame from May onwards and even outside in a very sheltered position in the southern counties. The fruits vary in size and shape from roundish to sausage shaped and are […]
Trend spotters undoubtedly know it already, but I have just discovered a new and immutable truth—there’s gold in rust. Of course, I am familiar with rust—the shed at our summer cottage is full of rusty implements from my grandfather’s time.We still use them, but I know that if we ever decide to buy something new, we can sell our ancient […]
When I was growing up, my father’s friend, Richard Pastecki, grew lots of eggplant. He did not eat them grilled or in salads, and it would never have occurred to him to use them in something as unfamiliar as ratatouille. Richard Pastecki raised eggplant for only one reason—Eggplant Parmesan. In the Pastecki household Eggplant Parmesan was taken very seriously. Richard’s […]
Common sense would dictate that I do not need any more garden beds to care for. This does not stop me, addict that I am, from having an insatiable desire to create new planting schemes. In fact, my affliction is so bad that I sometimes look covetously at my neighbor’s more generous acreage and dream of what I could do […]
House walls, garden walls, fences, archways, pergolas, trellises, poles, either single or erected tripod fashion and other vertical or near-vertical features, provide the gardener with another dimension in which to grow plants. There are attractive plants available for this purpose, many of which benefit from the extra shelter provided by a wall or fence. Types of plant Suitable plants include […]
Your transplanting success will increase if you’ll observe a few simple rules that take into account the plants’ needs. Basic as they are, simple as they may seem, they are still the fundamentals around which successful transplanting is built, so follow them and give the plants the best of care following their transfer. These are the general rules. Those which have […]