The Garden Minute ⏰: Monday 11 December 2023
☀️Good morning Gardeners. Here is today's gardening round up :)
UK bans giant rhubarb after study finds popular garden plant is invasive species. Plant from South America, also known as Gunnera, found to spread rapidly and choke native flora. The Guardian.
Unearthing the untold stories behind Darwin’s specimens that shaped evolution. Kew’s digitisation project is prompting fresh study of Charles Darwin’s plant collections from his famous trip aboard HMS Beagle. Kew Gardens.
Christmas sorted?
Hellebores: why we should weed out all those seedlings. Rachel the Gardener Blog.
Why you should buy garden-themed gifts for children. Great British Life.
The best time to prune Christmas cactus to 'encourage' blooming period. A Christmas cactus is an unusual but well-loved plant over the festive season, but it can be upsetting if they don't end up flowering and showing off their colour. Daily Record.
Tough plants provide interest throughout winter at Bourton House. In a garden full of borderline hardy plants, there is very little down time for the gardener. As Jacky Rae explains, the team of three works on an annual cycle of lifting plants, dividing, overwintering, taking cuttings and sowing. In spring, the whole cycle starts with planting out. The English Garden.
Joe Swift: festive firs and pines — what to plant now. Forget rampant leylandii, there are lots of attractive coniferous trees that you can grow, even if space is tight. Here are some favourites. The Times. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED.
World’s oldest disease-causing species found: It’s 407mn-year-old fungus. The Natural History Museum of London recently unveiled fossil collections revealing what is being hailed as the oldest disease-causing fungus. WIO News.
New Tube map cover by artist Joy Gregory pays tribute to green-fingered TfL staff. Rail UK.
What Are Stumperies? What To Know About The 2024 Garden Trend. Just like with fashion, garden trends come and go, and this 2024, stumperies are making a triumphant return to the horticulture scene. Originating during the Victorian times, stumperies are making a resurgence, captivating garden enthusiasts with their unique charm and environmental benefits. House Digest.
In local news:
Haslemere Museum needs green-thumbed volunteers to help in its garden.
The special meaning behind Cambridge's iconic and historic bronze flower trail.
Glasgow Council to charge £500 a tree to plant in parks as gift for relatives.
There are still some pretty sights to be seen out in the garden. The Argus.
Five of the best eating apples to grow in your garden. Country Life.
Gardeners' World legend Monty Don on easy Christmas gift everyone can grow in winter. Yorkshire Live.
Robin respite: Wildlife expert urges UK public to help save robins from freezing temperatures this Christmas. Red-breasted robins may be a Christmas icon, but the icy winter season is anything but easy for the tiny birds - and wildlife experts say they need all of the help they can get. National World.
Do you agree?
Good time to line up a new hedgerow. We are fortunate in our mild and green corner of the UK that winter can often be shorter than further north. In a shroud of optimism I've convinced myself that after the solstice we have around eight weeks of winter left. I say this because I've started to notice some daffodils and crocuses powering upwards already. Torbay Weekly.
Cirencester mum publishes third nature book. Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard.
Pick of the crop: This year’s best gardening books. Indulge in a little horticultural-inspired reading with one of these gems. The Irish Times.
Cath Kidston: ‘I love to see things growing all year round. But I’m not a good gardener’. The fashion designer tells the Telegraph how the garden at her Cotswolds house inspired her latest business venture. Daily Telegraph. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED.
Author Peter Fawcett published a book on his lifetime as a gardener and it’s a bloomin’ great read. Huddersfield Hub.
Garden Design and Sizes of Beds and Paths to Maximise Use of Space. Charles Dowding. YouTube.
⏰ Thank you for reading my gardening round up :) Do you have a local gardening story you would like to share? Leave a comment and I will get back to you right away.
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