'Willpower & sheer idiocy combine in harmony'
Latest gardening news
DOES the concept of designing a garden fill you with dread?
Now Stephen Woodhams, RHS Chelsea Flower Show judge and gold medal winner, shares his expertise to enable you to design a garden perfect for you in his new book, Garden Design Solutions.
Known for his signature 'inside/outside' gardens, he demonstrates how to make the most of any outside space, whether it is an overlooked urban garden, exposed roof terrace or shady courtyard.
Case studies offer detailed insights into exemplary garden layouts, design choices and planting plans, illustrating smart solutions for accommodating different requirements.
His award-winning designs are best known for their architectural character and lush, elegant planting that incorporates an eclectic mix of textures and colours.
The book would make an ideal gift - and here's my special offer.
The book is available now, published by Jacqui Small. To order Garden Design Solutions by Stephen Woodhams at the discounted price of £20 including p&p* (RRP: £25), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG368.
*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.
On design book by Chelsea gold medallist
SAVE £5
Field poppy seeds to raise funds for SSAFA
THE role played by the Armed Forces charity SSAFA in supporting families on the Home Front during World War One has led to a special partnership with Suttons Seeds.
The gardening firm has launched packs of field poppy seeds to commemorate the World War One Centenary in recognition of the sacrifice made by more than 800,000 men who lost their lives.
Gardeners who buy the seeds will have the chance to sow their own poppy memorials and raise money for SSAFA, formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association.
For each £1.99 packet sold, a donation of £1 will be made to SSAFA.
Proceeds will be used to continue the work carried out by more than 6,000 SSAFA volunteers, who provide face-to-face practical, emotional and financial support for serving military personnel, veterans and their families.
To buy the seeds, visit www.suttons.co.uk. For more information on SSAFA, visit www.ssafa.org.uk.
Picture; Suttons
Lessons in design from university's great gardens
THE gardens of Oxford’s colleges are surprisingly varied in style, age and size, ranging from the 16th-century Mount in the middle of New College to the modernist design which is St Catherine’s.
Regency gardening is represented by the magnificent acreage of Worcester, while the 20th-century vogue for rock gardening is reflected at St John’s.
Founded in 1621, the Oxford University Botanic Garden is the oldest in Britain, and holds one of the most diverse plant collections in the world. From the corners of Corpus Christi to the lawns of Trinity, Oxford’s gardens are full of surprises and hidden corners – not least the fellows’ and masters’ gardens, which are sometimes kept resolutely private but can be enjoyed here.
In this book, Tim Richardson’s elegant, authoritative analysis combines with Andrew Lawson’s glorious photographs to reveal the diversity and discreet charm of Oxford’s college gardens.
Tim is a garden historian and critic of contemporary landscape architecture.
Andrew is widely regarded as England’s leading garden photographer.
The book, published by Frances Lincoln, would make an ideal gift - and here's my special offer.
To order at the discounted price of £32 including p&p* (RRP: £40), telephone 01903 828 503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG356.
*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.
SAVE £8
Save a packet on your flower seeds from Higgledy Garden
BENJAMIN Ranyard is not your traditional, mass-market seed or flower producer. He grows traditional annuals organically in a Cornish paddock, which are available to buy at www.higgledygarden.com and from a few local shops.
He writes one of the most entertaining gardening blogs you'll find, with loads of growing tips and information.
The Higgledy Garden shop sells top-notch annual and perennial seeds, especially for those who love cut flowers - but you can leave them where they are too! Many are sold in collections with fewer seed numbers per packet - at half the price.
He will be growing every variety in the shop, so if you need advice, visit the blog. There's also seeds for wedding favours, which is a lovely idea.
Now the really good bit - you can have 15% off all products with my exclusive voucher code, MANDY15, and there's free post and packing on orders of £10 or more.
Just follow the link and order away!
SAVE 15% ON SEEDS
Ammi visnaga; Chrysanthemum Rainbow Hippy Love Child; Aquilegia Nora Barlow; Cosmos Pied Piper; Bee and Butterfly Friendly Selection.
Pictures; Higgledy Garden
Aches and pains prevent NE over-45s from gardening
THE growing season is well under way - yet a new survey has found that nearly two-thirds (61 per cent) of adults in North East England aged over 45 are being prevented from gardening due to aches and pains.
The survey of more than 1,000 adults over the age of 45 was conducted by natural joint and muscle gel Pernaton.
It found that more than three-quarters (79 per cent) of those questioned said that gardening had caused them some pain previously.
Nationally, this particularly affects women, with nearly three quarters (72 per cent) saying that gardening has caused them muscle and joint pain; compared to 63 per cent of men.
While 41 per cent agree that gardening is like a work out, 77 per cent don’t warm up before they start, leaving them more likely to damage cold muscles.
Some turn to equipment: 34 per cent use a gardening stool and 32 per cent useg long-handed shears and knee pads. However, only 14 per cent use a muscle rub and only two per cent use joint supplements to help maintain mobility.
Nationally, 86 per cent of those over 45s say they are gardeners – with more than 30 per cent gardening at least once a week.
A fifth of men (21 per cent) think being in better physical shape would help to get them out in the garden more often, compared with 16 per cent of women.
When asked what they thought was the hardest gardening activity, half (50 per cent) of those questioned in the North East considered digging the most physically draining, followed by planting/weeding (20 per cent) and more than a tenth (14 per cent) saying cleaning the patio.
More than one in ten (11 per cent) believe that better knowledge of gardening would be most likely to get them out more, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) would not like to take tips from celebrity gardeners including Alan Titchmarsh, Monty Don and Charlie Dimmock.
Louise Lamb, brand manager for Pernaton Gel, said: “It’s clear to see that aches and pains are a real problem when it comes to gardening, and it’s worrying that such a high number of those questioned admit that it has prevented them from gardening altogether.
"Joint and muscle gels, such as natural gel Pernaton, give instant relief to tired and aching limbs.
“Gardening is a very physical activity and treating it like a work-out would also help. Warming up before digging or weeding could be a great benefit; after all you wouldn’t go on a run without stretching before-hand, so why go out in your garden unprepared.”
For further information about Pernaton Gel, visit: www.pernaton.co.uk
Here's some aches and pains I made earlier
RHS Chelsea nominee poc-kit winner from Burgon & Ball
IF you’re a gardening multi-tasker, forever losing or misplacing your essential gardening tools, then you’ll love Burgon & Ball’s New poc-kit™ utility belt.
It's been nominated as one of RHS Chelsea's Products of the Year and I've been lucky enough to trial one - it's great.
Other tool belts tend to flip up and drop their contents, but not so the poc-kit™ - it's light, very durable and I've taken to wearing it when working at home to keep my set of jailer's keys on.
Manufactured in comfortable and waterproof neoprene, the poc-kit™ sits comfortably around the waist to provide multiple storage places. Great for working at height or at distance from the garden shed.
Keys, glasses and mobile phones are safely stowed away and are accessibly placed around your waist, plus there’s space for secateurs, pens, pruning knife, labels even a twine dispensing eyelet.
It has a generous tough webbing belt that extends to 50”. Machine washable and available in six colours - Eucalyptus, Poppy, Moss, Navy, Slate or Gooseberry, RRP £14.95, available from most good garden centres and burgonandball.com.
The winner of the competition is Jessica Phillips, @JessicaAmanda92, of Derby.
Picture; Burgon & Ball
GREENHOUSE Sensation is an online company specialising in gardening sundries - and the winner of the £10 gift voucher is Helena, @hs_parky, of Harrogate.
Whether it's watering kits, pots and planters, tools and storage, greenhouse equipment, hydroponics or insect control, Greenhouse Sensation has a great range of products.
The company also won a Bronze Award in the Best Online Retailer Awards and it prides itself on great customer service.
I had a massive response to an earlier competition to win one of Greenhouse Sensation's garden tools and clipping bag, so that will give you an idea of the innovative products on site.
To find out more about Greenhouse Sensation products, visit www.greenhousesensation.co.uk.
Win gift voucher for Greenhouse Sensation
WE HAVE A WINNER
PROBABLY my most popular competition ever - you lot love your dads!
The prize was a pair of secateurs and luxury gardening gloves from Town & Country.
Ultra-soft leather and suede with a soft fleece lining, the Premium range gloves are strong enough to withstand any challenge, yet supple enough to give unrivaled comfort, plus an elasticated wrist band.
Comfort grip secateurs with a cushioned handle and built-in safety catch makes these cutters extremely easy to use and perfect for light duty pruning.
To find out more about Town & Country products, visit www.townandco.com.
The winner of the competition was Stephanie Llewellyn, @Stephllewellyn, of Shrewsbury.
