The National Trust have produced a really great portable notebook where you can make notes of particular varieties that catch your eye as well as planting combinations and ideas. Its a handy pocket size and just ideal for taking with you on those wonderful N.T. garden trips to record your favourite plants or notes. There's a section for house/garden visits and notes, useful addresses, plants to buy and information of NT properties with garden tours, seasonal information and tips for greener gardening. At only £6.99 I reckon no dedicated gardener should be without this excellent little notebook.

Coton Manor Garden have just issued their 2010 programme of courses which take place at the Coton Manor Garden School, Nr Guilsborough, Northants. There is a packed programme to tempt gardeners from all levels including courses on pots and containers; troubleshooting with Helen Yemm, Planting for Succession and Perennials for Late Summer. For details of their programme log onto their website: www.cotonmanor.co.uk

If you haven't checked out our new website yet then please do so - we are adding to it all the time so make sure you check each week to see what's new - www.recklessgardener.com

Congratulations to the Walled Garden at Scampston on being named Visitor Attraction of the Year by the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Awards.

The snow may have gone in some areas but we still need to feed the birds. Garden Bird Supplies offers a comprehensive range of bird food along with a monthly feeding guide so that bird lovers always know the best food to put out for their feathered visitors. You can order on line at
www.gardenbird.co.uk - The website also has information on bird care and nest boxes etc so is well worth a visit.

Tropical

With the temp guage over 4 degrees it is feeling really tropical after the 'big freeze'. The Camellia trees in my garden have still not burst into flower despite flowering just after Christmas last year and two weeks before Christmas in 2008! We wait in anticipation. Very relieved to see that the buds have not rotted due to the frosts and snow so we should get a good show when they finally decide to wake up.

If you are interested in Bonsai you might find 'An Introduction to Bonsai' by John Hanby of value. John has put together this DVD which is a perfect start for any aspiring bonsai artist or enthusiast. The DVD covers pruning, wiring and shaping, keeping bonsai alive and watering. Running time is approx 82 minutes. Details from www.immediaproductions.co.uk

Congratulations to the Walled Garden at Scampston which has been named as Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Awards. Scampston is an RHS Recommended Garden and has received widespread acclaim since the former Victorian kitchen garden was given a highly contemporary redesign by Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf in 1999. The walled gardens open again on Good Friday, 2nd April 2010.

For the first time in the history of the RHS, pak choi, Brassica rapa Chinensis Group, is to be part of the RHS Wisley trials. Made popular by television chefs, this versatile vegetable has become more widely used as a salad leaf ingredient. The new trial will feature 27 different cultivars with both white and green stems including 'Natsu Taiko' and 'Colour and Crunch'. Thompson and Morgan have seen a steady but sustained increase in sales of pak choi due to the introduction of the new F1 hybrids which extend the growing season.

Other trails at Wisley for 2010 include, daffodil; asparagus; carrot and spring cabbage. A full list of 2010 trials for flowers and vegetables will appear shortly on www.rhs.org.uk/trials

Don't forget that Reckless Gardener has changed domain names and you should now log on at www.recklessgardener.com

Happy gardening.

big freeze

There cannot be much gardening getting done around the UK with the present 'big freeze' weather conditions. My garden is under snow and I notice that the camellia trees, which were in healthy bud before Christmas and indeed in years past have flowered at Christmas, are not showing any signs of bursting forth. There is a danger that the arctic climate and heavy frosts may indeed damage budes on trees such as camellias so we will have to see when and if they flower this year at all.

The RHS has announced that new the new sponsor for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is to be M&G (leading UK investment firm). It's good to know that they have found a new sponsor in the present economic climate. Several big names are already lined up for the 2010 show including Diarmuid Gavin, Tom Stuart-Smith and Robert Myers. It will also be interesting to see how many gardens the show hosts this year. Last year saw a reduction in the number of both large and smaller show gardens. However, one good piece of news is that Flemings, the Australian nursery, are back for 2010 - they always bring a touch of sunshine to Chelsea.

We are busy reworking the main website which will now be hosted on www.recklessgardener.com

This will take some time but hopefully before the summer really gets into swing we will be virtually back to normal. The website will look different but will contain all the elements of our original site.

The spread of sudden oak death seems to be getting worse. Conifers have now been hit by the disease for the first time - Japanese larch and Western hemlock, along with beech, birch and oaks, have been found with the pathogen.

Remember during the cold weather to feed the birds and provide some fresh water (which you can keep from freezing completely by putting a floating object or twigs on the top). Now is the time to put up new nest boxes (nest box week is 14th to 21st February).

Not much work getting done in the garden at the moment (well I can't really see it for the snow etc) but hopefully when spring finally does arrive we don't find that we have lost too many plants. This winter has been so severe there are bound to be several varieties of plants in our gardens which basically won't make it. Perhaps if we had the added protection of a nice warm furry coat like our friend here we might feel more like getting out and clearing the snow! He looked very happy anyway when I took this picture.