"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, with sweet musk-roses and with eglantine" - A description of fairy queen Titania’s abode in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Zurich Succulent Plant Collection is one of the most impressive of its kind, covering more than 4750sqm and displaying over 6500 plants. We visited the collection and brought our good old 35mm camera.
What an amazing gardening-video, published by "Nowness, for the culturally curious"... Enjoy.
Top tips for keeping that much loved Christmas plant alive. We've tested a plant sensor and mixed it up with some good old gardening knowledge...
I never know how to feel about traditional medicine. On the one hand, it makes sense that if you knew a lot about the properties of different plants and herbs, you would be able to identify which ones would help to cure various ailments. On the other hand, I was once given a prescription by an African witch doctor to cure an ‘evil spirit’ in me by giving away a red chicken and some salt. Even the most tenuous scientific principles would struggle to explain that one.
In winter, I wear bigger boots to keep warm. Then the mud and snow sticks to them. Suddenly, when I look behind me, I’m not sure whether I’m looking at my own footprints or if I’m being trailed by the Abominable Snowman.
If you have a balcony, here are our tips for the top five vegetables to start your urban organic allotment.
With GYO (grow-your-own) becoming a trendy new acronym, those of us in Generation X increasingly find ourselves arguing with our parents about whether it’s really worth it.
There are some facts about vegetables that we were taught when we were children, so we just presume they are true, however, even the world of vegetables is full of myth and misconception...
Dandelions in your lawn can be a nightmare. They're very hard to get rid of and they spread like crazy.
If you love your food hot and spicy, why not grow your own chili peppers? Not only will you have a crop of delicious hot chilis for your cooking, but you'll also have a great looking plant.
If you want an interesting ongoing project then why not plant a pineapple! It's definitely going to require patience as it can take years for you to get fruit, but a pineapple makes an interesting and unusual house plant anyway, the fruit is just a bonus!
Mashed and served with your Sunday roast, or cut into cubes and added to a hearty stew, turnips are a delicious and nutritious root vegetable that grows fast.
For something a little different to add to your salads, chicory could be a good choice.
Fennel, with its' aniseed flavour is an interesting vegetable. You can eat the bulb and the leaves, perfect for adding some extra flavour to a salad or other dishes.
You can't beat the taste of home grown carrots. They're sweeter and more delicious than any you'll buy in the supermarket, and the good thing is that they're not difficult to grow.
Too many courgettes? Our friend Kate on what to do when there are more courgettes than kids in the kitchen.
Vegetables come in and out of favour, so why not grow some old favourites from the past, our grandparents loved them and so do we.
A sunny balcony is the perfect place for growing herbs, and it's a great use of the space. Many herbs are easy to grow and don't need too much maintenance; and of course they're great to eat as well...
It's lovely to eat the gorgeous fresh fruits of hotter countries when we go abroad on holiday, but even for us who aren't lucky enough to get much decent weather, there are still some fruits that will grow in cooler climates if you give them a bit of care and attention.
Why not save a little money and grow your own garlic? It's not tricky.
We love this thrifty method to make one bunch of celery last a lifetime.