Lime and liming Lime is strictly defined as a white caustic alkaline substance—quicklime; chemically, calcium oxide (CaO); made by heating chalk or limestone. But in gardening, lime means any calcium-containing material which is capable of correcting soil acidity. Why lime is used The main reason for using lime is to reduce the acidity of a soil that is acid or, […]

Aphids There are many kinds of aphids and they vary greatly in color and in general appearance, e.g., ‘greenfly’, ‘blackfly’, `woolly aphid’, etc. Often the pest is not noticed until large colonies have built up, which can happen very quickly in warm weather. By the time the damage is noticed, the aphids may have migrated, leaving only their cast skins. […]

Archways These are often found in the older type of garden where much of the property is enclosed or divided by walls. Entry into the various parts of the garden is through archways built into these walls. Often the feature is enhanced by a wrought-iron gate, or where privacy or shelter from wind is required, a solid door is used. […]

Certain garden plants are grown more for the aromatic quality of their foliage than for the beauty of their flowers. Their flowers may be insignificant, their leaves may not be particularly handsome, yet the plants are beloved of gardeners because of the scents given off by their leaves, sometimes in hot sunshine, sometimes when the leaves are brushed with the […]

The literal meaning of this term is a fruit wall, a framework upon which fruit trees are supported. A well-constructed espalier has an upright post every 3m (10ft) securely embedded in the ground and standing about 1.8m (6ft) out of it. Horizontal wires are strained at intervals of about 38cm (15in) along the posts, connecting one post to the next. […]

Evergreens have an important role to play in our gardens, particularly during the winter, when their value is so much enhanced by the way in which they brighten otherwise dreary surroundings. It is not, however, at this season alone that they add their lustre to the garden scene. In spring and summer, as well, their foliage, in many instances a […]

Probably from either Lysimachus, King of Thracia, or from the Greek luo, to loose, and mache, strife, hence the common name of L. vulgaris (Primulaceae). This genus, of which most species in cultivation are hardy herbaceous perennials, has some species which have long been cultivated. There are about 120 species in all from temperate and sub-tropical regions of the world, […]

There are several ways in which garden rubbish can be disposed of. Waste material may be incorporated in the compost heap or it may be dug into the ground during the autumn and winter soil preparations. There are, however, many occasions when it is advisable to burn rubbish, and the garden bonfire has an important part to play in routine […]

This favorite American vegetable is really a kind of Morning Glory, botanically Ipomoea Batatas, but in cultivation in the United States it rarely produces flowers. Its wild progenitor is a native of tropical America, which accounts for the fact that the Sweet Potato is a crop that thrives best where summers are warm and comparatively long. Sweet Potatoes may be […]