Landscape Cherry Trees Two main groups of cherries are cultivated for the merit of their fruit, the `sweet’, dessert (Prunus avium) and the `sour’, culinary (Prunus cerasus); a third group, the ‘Duke’ cherries, form an intermediate class. The sweets are subdivided into the ‘black’ and ‘white’ varieties. All fruiting cherries are hardy in the British Isles, though the blossom may […]

Grape Vines Grapes can be grown quite successfully out of doors in the southern part of the country, preferably given the protection of a warm wall. Plant between October and February in a rich, deep soil. Plant firmly and immediately after planting, prune the young plant to within 30cm (12in) from its base to encourage a strong shoot to grow. […]

Chrysanthemums Originating in the cooler northern regions of Eastern Asia, the chrysanthemum responded quickly to the efforts of hybridizers when the first plants were introduced to Europe in the 8th century. Their attraction lies in four main characteristics; flowers may be obtained in various forms and sizes, in virtually every color other than blue; plants grow successfully over a wide […]

The Why, Where and When of Plant Feeding In the cave-man days men were not handsome nor smart, but if you set one out in the wilderness, he would fashion a club and get along. “Men were men!” you say? Maybe, but, more important and to the point, game and food were abundant. It’s the same with plants. ‘Way back […]

Growing Grapes – Care of Grape Vines Grapes can be grown quite successfully out of doors in the southern part of the country, preferably given the protection of a warm wall. Plant between October and February in a rich, deep soil. Plant firmly and immediately after planting, prune the young plant to within 30cm (12in) from its base to encourage […]

Fall planted bulbs for Spring Beauty Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Crocuses … the bulbs of spring … are plants in miniature, having within them the flowers, leaves, etc.. waiting only for warmth and moisture to start rapid growth toward a complete blooming plant. WHERE TO PLANT BULBS: Bulbous flowers can be used in. many places in the garden on the lawn, […]

Black Currants & Red Currants – Ribes Currants Of the three kinds of currants, black currants derived from Ribes nigrum are grown. more commonly than red currants (derived from the intercrossing of three Ribes species) or white currants (derived from red currants). All three are self-fertile, fruit prolifically and take up only a relatively small area. Red and white currants […]

Bulbs, corms and tubers are the specially modified resting stages of certain plants which enable them to live, dormant (e.g. not actively growing), through some adverse climatic condition (usually drought). They all contain a store of concentrated food, and dormant buds, some of which in the bulbs and corms may have embryo flowers already formed inside them, so that when […]

Pears The pear grown in Britain is the European Pear which derives from Pyrus communis, native of the temperate parts of Europe and the western part of southern Asia as far as the Himalayas. In America some varieties are grown which are hybrids between the European Pear (as represented by ‘William’s Bon Chrdtien’, known in America as ‘Bartlett’) and Pyrus […]

Loganberry The loganberry is, perhaps, the supreme bramble type of berry, as it is ideal for stewing, jam- and jelly-making, bottling, canning, juice extraction and wine making. The berries can also be eaten as dessert when fully ripe, but may be too tart for some palates. Opinions are divided as to whether the loganberry is a red-fruiting form of the […]