Pyracantha espalier
Nothing is easier to train into an espalier form than the Fire Thorn (Pyracantha). If you want to get in some practise before launching into espalier apples and pears, then this is a good way to start. An espalier is …
Early pastel colours for the dry garden
#rockgarden #mediterraneangarden #drygarden #gravelgarden #pastelshades Here are four less common perennials currently in flower in my new Pond Garden. They are highly floriferous, easy-care and flower for weeks from late April right through May and into June. Amazingly, all four …
Cedar Singles #5 Treating and staining a cedar shingle roof
In this post I will show you how I gave my old cedar roof shingles a new lease of life using a preservative and water-repellant stain treatment.
Cedar Singles #4 How to remove and replace shingles
In this post I am going to show you how cedar shingles can be replaced using only basic DIY tools and a bit of understanding of how cedar shingles are fixed.
Cedar shingles #3
Identifying and preventing damage
As I learned the hard way, cedar shingle roofs can deteriorate prematurely. Here are the problems to watch out for and the maintenance needed to get the best out of them.
Cedar shingles #2 How to clean and restore them
After seventeen years of neglect my shingle roof needed a thorough clean. Here are the techniques that worked for me.
Cedar shingles #1
Weathering, maintenance & longevity
In the first post in this series I look at how cedar shingle roofs have weathered in my garden over 15+ years, and how maintenance could extend their useful life much further.
How to grow onions — for beginners
Onions are a great crop. Along with carrots and potatoes, they are one of the main crops that beginners should try. Why? Because they are relatively easy and can actually replace a significant amount of your annual supermarket onion purchase. …
Double White Hellebore — Photo Study
⇧ I’m not sure of the variety name of this double white oriental hellebore, but it is one of my favourites and has flowered prolifically in my woodland garden for over ten years. The petals start green but gradually turn …