Sandy's Blog - Reckless Gardener

Seasons Greetings

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:09:00 +0000

The Reckless team are working hard to try and re-launch the site in time for the New Year so watch out for that. Cumbria has had its fair share of rain this last couple of months and it is really distressing to see the sodden ground as bad as it is. No doubt we will have lost quite a few plants in the garden by the end of the winter.

It was heartbreaking to see so many people flooded and we can only hope that they get their lives back together again as soon as possible. Our thoughts go out to them and our good wishes.

We congratulate our garden expert Martin Fish who has taken over from Roger Brownbridge as Show Director of the Harrogate Flower Show. Martin will be taking over from the Spring 2010 show onwards. Martin is well known for his writing for various gardening magazines, broadcasting and the popular flower show Roadshows. He says: "I have a hard act to follow, everyone knows and respects Roger for his professionalism as a show organiser. I just hope I can follow in his footsteps."

We all wish Martin well in his new position and every success for the future. He has kindly agreed to continue answering your garden queries on the Recklessgardener website when we are up and running again.

Because of the wet ground it has been difficult to get the garden cut back for the winter here but we have now just about managed. Typical Reckless I left the cutting back too late this year because there was still so much colour in the garden in November. Now I know why we should always do the cutting back by the end of the autumn. I won't leave it again.

All that remains on this post is for me to wish you all happy Christmas and a good 2010 with lots of happy and successful gardening.

Reckless website

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:07:00 +0000

Sadly, for the 5th time this year the Reckless Gardener website has been hacked into. We are really fed up with this because we do not seem to be able to block these attacks despite careful protection management.

The website is run on a not-for-profit basis and simply for the enjoyment of other gardeners. However, every time we suffer one of these attacks we have to deal with the malicious code and then rebuild the site and check every one of thousands of pages. This takes considerable time and effort and with such a small team it is becoming daunting.

We have reluctantly decided to take the site off-line until after Christmas to give us time to consider another strategy for dealing with these increasing cyber attacks. We apologise to all our loyal followers (nearly half a million monthly) and we do hope that we will be able to resume in the new year.

The blog will continue to be updated and we will continue book reviews on the blog, so please do keep checking us out.

If we can overcome the problems and resume the site I will let everyone know via the blog.

Autumn leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:04:00 +0000

Autumn is now well upon us and there are some wonderful shades of browns, russets and reds in Cumbria just now. The leaves are dropping however and I suspect it will not be long before allthese lovely colours are lost to us.

Apparently this blog is one of Dobies favourites, so I am quite honoured to be included in their list. I often wonder if there is anyone out there who actually reads it but they must do otherwise Dobies would not know of its existence. So thanks for that chaps, much appreciated.

Following the success of the Big Lunch, the Eden Project have launched The Big Bulb Plant. They have teamed up with the Netherlands Flower Bulb Info. Centre and are encouraging us all to plant our spring bulbs before the end of November. They want communities to get involved as well as individuals. More information on www.thebigbulbplant.com

Congratulations to Martin Fish who takes over as Show Director of the Harrogate Flower Shows from Roger Brownbridge. Roger was a tower of strength over his 15 years as show director and has increased attendances by 35%. We wish him well in the future.

Martin, who takes over from the Spring Harrogate Show in 2010 realises its a hard act to follow but knowing Martin as I do I feel sure he will take the show on from strength to strength and build well on Roger's foundations. Martin is a well known writer for various magazines and is a regular broadcaster. We wish him well in his new venture.

Talking about the Harrogate Show, this autumn saw 34,000 visitors basking in wonderful autumn sunshine. Attendance numbers were up on last year and exhibitors saw an increase in spending throughout the show. For the veggies amongst us you may be interested to know that the Heaviest Onion Comp was won by Peter Glazebrook, third time winner, with an onion weighing in at 14lbs. 10oz. Just big enough for a good stew for the boy scouts camp I would think!

My picture this posting is of a lovely country cottage in the Trough of Bowland which I came across when I went to see a stage of the Cycle of Britain race recently. Picture postcard perfect - I just had to take a snap and thanks to the owner who gave me permission.

winter reading beckons

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:24:00 +0000

As autumn marches on and thoughts of the pre-winter tidy-up are ever present it is good to realise that with winter comes the opportunity to catch up on all those gardening books we have been wanting to read but were too busy for during the summer.

One really delightful little book, published this month, is A Countrywoman's Notes by Rosemary Verey. Rosemary was one of England's most celebrated garden designers and writers. She created gardens for Elton John and the Prince of Wales. In her 'notes' she celebrates the intimacies of a rural world in an idyllic Cotswolds setting but with an eye to modern existence and an appreciation of progress. This informative and entertaining small volume contains engravings by contemporary artists and a personal forward by Prince Charles. Each chapter captures the atmosphere of successive months in her own entertaining and inspirational style.

Ursula Buchan, who writes regularly for the Spectator and Daily Telegraph, is another writer who never fails to entertain. In 'Back to the Garden'. she presents us with a collection of her garden writings, enabling us to appreciate some of the ways in which gardening intrigues, enriches and fascinates her and us. Ursula has a wonderful witty style of writing and this book will entertain us from the agonies of entering the village flower show to the joy of the 'Evelyn' rose. Whether she is discussing lawn-mower maintenance or the discovery that there is more to flower arranging than just putting them in a pretty vase, she touches the nerve of every dedicated gardener who will be able to share her experiences.

Both books are published by Frances Lincoln Ltd., and will make excellent Christmas presents for the gardener in your life.

Did I hear someone say heatwave?

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:18:00 +0000

The heatwave, which really did not materialise at all in the UK this summer, save for a couple of very hot odd days here and there, is now well and truly beyond probabilities. We might yet get a dry autumn but on the evidence of the last couple of weeks I doubt this. We have had so much rain in Cumbria that the conservatory is turning green to match the rest of the garden.

I have mentioned before that sometimes I get quite unusual books coming across my desk and last week was no exception. 'The one-straw Revolution" by the late Masanobu Fukuoka, is a small little green book which has been re-issued from the original of 1978. Translated from Japanese, it is a manifesto about farming, eating and the limits of human knowledge and presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food today.

Probably years ahead of its time in 1978, The One-Straw Revolution has been called the "Zen of the art of farming" but most people who know it already just refer to it as 'The little green book'. It is a spiritual menoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects his deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. Certainly a must for all those guerrilla gardeners out there or the kitchen gardener who is dedicated to slow food cooking. Published by Frances Lincoln Limited its priced at £9.99.

One of the downsides of the rain is the inability to get out in the garden and do some weeding. The onset of autumn together with the excessive wet has certainly hastened the demise of a lot of perennials and it will soon be time to cut them all back. My astrantia plants have suffered considerably which is sad because you can often bet on them lasting right through October and beyond if you are lucky. The roses are still holding their own although the blackspot has made some of them look sorry specimens.

I mentioned in my last blog that Chesters Walled Garden is having to close - this beautiful garden in Northumbria, close to Hadrians Wall, will be a big loss to the area. Susie White, who runs the garden, is urging visitors to go over and see the garden in the next few weeks as the last time to see the garden in all its autumnal glory. This is really a sad situation - I can honestly say that Chesters was one of the nicest walled gardens I have ever seen. We can only hope that Susie can find somewhere else to locate her lovely and interesting plants.

This and That

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:25:00 +0000

Sorry it has been a while since I last did a blog but the weeks have flown and the diary has been fairly hectic.

I recently received an email from a group of profesionals who arrange garden tours around Italy. If you are thinking of planning a visit to see Italy's wonderful gardens or thinking of taking a group you might be interested in what they have to offer. Clalys will arrange accommodation, transport in Italy and entry fees and their tours include some of the most wonderful gardens including Mortella Garden, the Campania Region Garden Tour and Sorrento and Capri (with a visit to some really beautiful villas and gardens). They also offer tours in other parts of Europe. Log onto their website for more information: www.clalys.com/en/index.html

The lovely gardens at the Caserta Royal Palace are pictured above courtesy of Clalys.

Several of our readers are carrying out a trial of some new loppers for Wilkinsons, so look out for their feedback in the coming weeks. We will also be taking a look at gardeners' aches and pains, which we all get after a summer of gardening, and some remedies and helpful hints to prevent strains and injury.

Coming up also some recipes using roses! Yes that is not a misprint, Atul Kochhar will be telling us how to use his latest ingredient, Roses, to make recipes with a culinary twist, while PlantforLife's Chris Collins, will be explaining how to care for our roses.

The weather during July and August did not produce the continued heat-wave we were all expecting and certainly there has been no shortage of water! So no worries about drought then this year. What the autumn will turn out to be like is certainly in the lap of the Gods, but perhaps we may get an Indian Summer and be able to stay out and enjoy our gardens just that bit longer.

I was sad to learn from the current issue of Gardening Which? (September 2009) that Gardener and author Susie White, who runs Chesters Walled Garden in Northumberland, is having to close the garden in May 2010. Reckless visited Chesters last year and we were most impressed with this beautiful organic garden. Hopefully, Susie can find a new home for her National Collections of thyme, sanguisorba and origanum and that she finds fresh inspiration from a new challenge. Our best wishes to her anyway.

Also in the September edition you will find new spring bulbs to whet your apetite and also a feature on what's the best way to create a lawn? Turf v seed.

clemat-is or cle-matis

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:53:00 +0000

A certain frisson seems to have invaded The Times this week - an argument has broken out over the correct spelling of Wisteria. With the government in meltdown, an ongoing credit crunch and very little signs, as yet, of the prolonged hot summer we were promised, I would have thought people would have more to worry about.

I have noticed, in a very long journalistic career, that people get exercised over such things. Personally, I have always spelt it Wisteria and said it the same way, but The Times style guru says it should be Wistaria. So I looked up Plant Names Simplified, which was first written in 1931, to see what they said. Sure enough they have Wisteria, so named after Casper Wistar, "sometimes, but not originally spelt Wistaria." Well that seems pretty clear. Not to be in any doubt I then checked the RHS A-Z Enclyclopedia of Garden Plants. They also used Wisteria but put the spelling Wistaria underneath, while referring to the plant as Wisteria in the text. So there, Reckless has spoken!

We all pronounce garden species in different ways as well, often more to do with regional accent than anything. Clematis is one of the most common, where one can say clem-atis or clemat-is. Neither is wrong, and everyone knows what you are talking about.

During that lovely brief sunny spell we had recently, I popped into Sizergh Castle gardens. They were really lovely and the acers a treat to see. I have reproduced a photo here so you can enjoy the flavour of them as well.

The latest edition of Which? Gardening takes a look at sweet peas - they have trialled 30 varieties to see which will bring the most perfume to the garden. Research found that some of the showiest sweet peas had little or no scent at all. There is also a section on new plants and an item on lunchbox cucumbers! Plus three top jobs for June and a report on whether or not it is possible to grow Asian style herbs in a wet, dull UK summer.

Finally, there seems to be an awful lot of greenfly about this summer, far more than usual, so don't forget to encourage those ladybirds into the garden and if you are or want to be organic, then just use finger and thumb and squash them off!

The sun has got its hat on

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0000

At last, a true taste of an English summer - what joy! The roses are smiling and blooming - what a difference the sun makes to an English garden. Let's hope it continues awhile yet.

We have got quite a few book reviews lined up over the next few weeks so don't forget to check out the website. The National Trust has just produced two new books: 'Allotments' by Jane Eastoe - inspiration and practical advice for would-be smallholders and 'Ponds', Creating and maintaining ponds for wildlife, by Chris McLaren.

Jane's book is full of useful information on how to plan an allotment, crop rotation, how to store your harvest plus some of the best recipes so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Chris invites us to create a wildlife haven in our gardens or plot with a pond - he introduces us to the world of ponds, how to create one and maintain it - how to introduce wilflife to this idyllic pool and help it thrive.

Both books are priced at £7.99 and published by National Trust Books, an imprint of Anova Books. For information log onto www.anovabooks.com

Also on our bookshelf at the moment is "A year in the Life of Greenwich Park" by Anthony Quiney. Published by Frances Lincoln Ltd., - www.franceslincoln.com - this is a delighful pictorial diary of one of London's most popular parks.

Notably the grounds of Henry VIII's favourite royal palace and latterly home to the great dome of the Royal Observatory, the park has recently found itself in the spotlight of a bitterly fought dispute betwen local residents and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games over the staging of equestrian events in the park. The park itself is host to herds of deer, noble avenues of trees and huge expanses of grass - a favourite haunt of South Londoners looking for fresh air and open spaces.

I first encountered Greenwich Park when my daughter did the London Marathon and started in the park, indeed there is a picture of the marathon in the book. The book contains excellent photography which capture the magic and essence of the park throughout the year.

Scotts & lovethegarden.com are launching a big online competition with 1000 Miracle-Gro Liquafeed Starter Kit prizes up for grabs. The comp. runs from 1st to 30th June. The kits comprise an ergonmically designed triple-spray pattern hose and sprayer and one refill bottle of concentrated Liquafeed All Purpose Plant Food. To take part in the competition go to:
www.lovethegarden.com/competitions/09-06-liquafeed.html

Look out for our books reviews on the Gardens of Frank Lloyd Wright, Hidcote and Thomas Mawson, his life. gardens and landscapes on the website in the next few weeks.

Post Chelsea

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:11:00 +0000

Cayman Islands Tourist Board Garden

I understand that the RHS awarded James May a special plasticine medal as a gesture because he couldn't be considered for any other type of medal - the garden did not contain any "real" flowers - I think that was quite nice. Whatever you think of the garden it certainly caused a stir and in many respects that is good because we need to be stimulated and even sometimes shocked. One lady was positively apoplectic when she saw it but the kids just loved it and perhaps they are more of a realistic critic in this case.

I really did like Kate Gould's garden - Kate, founded her company Helios in 1998 and her Eco Chic garden was one of only 3 Gold's in the Urban Gardens class. Her design was clever - to examine the potential of the hundreds of under-used inner-city spaces too often overlooked or simply concreted over by developers. The garden was entirely made from a recycled palette and it really was outstanding. She cleverly used shade-tolerant plants, dramatic green walls and permeable surfaces and positively demonstrated that recycling can be beautiful and indeed chic. The garden really deserved to win best in class.

I liked the Cayman Islands Tourist Board volcanic garden which again was something different and unusual this year. The picture above doesn't really do it justice but hopefully it gives a flavour.

Chic and modernist tended to win out at Chelsea this year - there was less fuss and bother somehow, but there were less gardens. Next year might be tricky as the sponsors of gardens tend to do so a year in advance, and as the economic climate is still less than healthy this could have a really detrimental effect on those designers hoping to get commissions for 2010, only time will tell.

Some gardening pundits are saying that Chelsea 2009 is low key - well perhaps so in some ways it is but in other ways it has given the chance to newer and younger designers to shine a bit more, such as James Wong and David Cumbero with their Canary Islands Spa Garden (pictured) and that is no bad thing. There are also less Gold medals this year but again there are less gardens, so the proportion of Gold to gardens is probably still about right.

I don't think anything earth shattering comes out of Chelsea 2009 but there is more realism and remember if you get fed up tending those roses and pulling those weeds there is always Plasticine.

Chelsea 2009 - the good, the bad and the downright stupid

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:26:00 +0000

6.50am
Join the press line to get into the show early to bag a locker, once done, the first job of the day is to look at the press calls and times and see which of the glitterati are going to turn up today.

7.10am
Out and about - no glitterati this time in the morning - get my first glimpse of Luciano's garden for Laurent-Perrier - have already decided this is my best garden. Totally unfair this and biased but put it down to his Italian influence.

7.30am
Quick sweep of the Grand Pavilion - once again stunning displays - not sure about David Domoney's Qua Hortis display - those piranha look evil - so glad they are behind glass, hope to God they don't break out. The international displays are once again just magic - the vibrancy of the colours brings out the sunshine despite the dull overcast morning. Warm displays from the Jamaica Horticultural Society, Greneda, the City of Durban and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden are add to the international flavour.

7.45am
Catch up with Andy McIndoe on the Hilliers Stand. Once again their exhibit is amazing - this year Andy has chosen the theme 'Losing the Plot' which traces gardening through the various stages of your life. Another exhibit bound to win a Gold and another triumph for Hilliers.

7.50am
Notice that David Austin roses have got a great big chocolate cake for their launch to celebrate 40 years of the introduction of the repeat-flowering varieties of their English Roses. Make mental note not to miss out on that.

8.15am
Back in press tent for a cup of coffee. Julian Desborough manages to spill his tea over the table, over me and the assorted press papers. Fortunately for Julian, the tea is by now luke-warm and I am only moderately discomoded - just as well I am wearing dark colours otherwise he would be dead.

8.25am
We make a sweep of the courtyard gardens - standard is getting better year by year and I just love Entente Cordiale and Demelza. Good to see Cumbria represented with Pottering in North Cumbria - the Fenland Alchemist Garden is just perfect - followed closely by The Pilgrims Rest - can't make up my mind which of these gardens I like best.

Return to the major show gardens and have a chat with the designer on the Quilted Velvet Garden. Tony Smith is doing a garden at all three major RHS Shows this year so he has his work cut out. The garden's hard landscaping has been constructed using 36,000 pieces of slate, which is amazing.

10.00am
What is it about Helen Mirren? The paparazzi trample over each other to get a picture - I am pleased to note that Emma is elbowing her way to the front - she is quite good at this - meanwhile I stand aloof with some distaste at all the fuss. No competition from poor Vince Cable then who is over at the British Beekeeper's Association with Bill Turnbull - doubt there was a camera left in the place that wasn't trained on Helen Mirren.

I am relieved when it is time to leave the scrum and go over to Knoll Gardens stand for the launch of a new initiative with Cleve West and Neil Lucas. More about this in Reckless Gardener later - much more refined behaviour here - David Bellamy joined us and there was no unseemingly scrum.
The glitterati are now starting to appear and Stephen Fry, Jennie Bond and Helena Bonham-Carter have been spotted and over there, yes Joanna Lumley who gives Bill Nighy a big hug. Hmm!

11.00am

By now the champers is flowing - on little breakfast one could get quite squiffy - one nearly does - spot Olivia Harrison and is that Ringo? Spot Bill Nighy again at the David Austin stand - he is with Andrew Lincoln - suspect they might have seen the chocolate cake too.

Cast members of the British production of Calendar Girls line up at the Calendar Girls stand, Patricia Hodge, Lynda Bellingham and Julia Hills among them. Meanwhile, it is all happening at David Austin's - Jasper Conran has turned up with the CEO of Wedgewood, Moira Gavin, to celebrate both the anniversary and the launch of Austin's new roses.

Emma seems to have gone missing - I find her talking to Victoria Pendleton, the Olympic Gold medal winning track cyclist - they are deep in conversation - apparently Vicky has been interested in gardening since she was as small child taking cuttings and growing plants for pocket money - better than a paper round she says! She lets Emma wear her Gold Medal - I am quite impressed by that.

11.30am
Over at Peter Beales they are entertaining singer Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster as well as the head gardener from Highgrove. A new rose is launched chosen by HRH the Prince of Wales and named after his official residence in aid of the Prince's Trust.

We are nearly late for the Hilliers launch - slapped wrist - but make it in time. Temporarily delayed by that lovely man Geoff Hughes - the Royle family's Twiggy - he graciously kisses my hand and we discuss the changes in Liverpool since capital of culture. Geoff loves Chelsea and he comes most years - he has had a sweetpea named after him this year.

12-1.00pm
The sun briefly shines which is just as well because there is a scantily clad model reclining admist a flurry of rose petals on the Quilted Velvet garden. There is also another unseemingly mob around James May's Paradise in Plasticine creation - this has got to be a joke - but no the RHS have allowed him to create a plasticine replica of a garden. I have to say that the colour scheme is brilliant if a little in your face - but it is not a garden. What are they thinking of? It also seems to smell funny. Rather like those sweet cigarettes you used to eat when you were little. The whole thing is either a brilliant masterstroke on behalf of the RHS or a terrible misjudgement - I can't decide which. Mind you, must have taken an age to model each and every one of those plants and petals.

1.30pm
Rumours circulating that Jekka McVicar has had her gnome banned - I ask you - he is only a couple of inches high (left) and we can't have a gnome - dual standards if you ask me.

2.00pm
Legs are getting wary and I dare not risk getting another cup of tea over my trousers so I avoid Julian - people are getting quite excited about The Daily Telegraph Garden - last time Ulf Nordjfell exhibited he won a Gold. This year is likely to be a repeat performance - the garden is graceful if a little too chic for me.

I had not realised how many companies sell conservatories and greenhouses - Chelsea seems awash with them this year - every other stand seems to be selling conservatories - don't they know there's a credit crunch?

2.30pm
I am now seeing lots of celebrities but having difficulty identifying names - they are blurring into each other - this could be the result of too much chocolate cake and fizzy stuff - or it could be that I am bowled over by Luciano's charm. I take one last look at my favourite gardens and consign Luciano's planting to memory.

3.00pm
Time to be ejected before the Royal personages are entertained. We gather up all our notes, copy and tea stained notebooks. It's time to head home - another Chelsea over.

She's in there somewhere!

Flower Show season starts

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 01 May 2009 11:49:00 +0000

I know when it is time to go to the Harrogate Spring Flower Show that spring has really started and the garden season is under way.

Harrogate had some lovely weather this year and it was a real joy to walk about looking at the stalls and exhibits in lovely warm sunshine. Everyone was enjoying themselves - including Tom and Nell Cranny who used to run Brownmoor Nurseries in Crosby, Liverpool and who for many years were regular stall holders at all the major shows including Hampton Court and Tatton. For once they were just out enjoying themselves having retired. It was great to see them and from all at Reckless have a long and enjoyable retirement.

The May edition of Gardeners' World magazine has their free Gardens to Visit guide in it, this is always popular and this year the guide contains 239 gardens and is full of reviews, images and visitor information. Readers also benefit from a very useful 2 for 1 ticket scheme, which I have used in the past. Over 6,000 Gardeners' World readers voted for their favourite garden from each UK region and among the winners were the Eden Project, RHS Harlow Carr and Tatton Park.

The Flower and Plants Association will be spreading the floral word at several major forthcoming shows including BBC Gardeners' World in Birmingham and Hampton Court in July. The Association exists to spread the word of the benefits of having flowers and plants in the home. Look out for them at the shows.

In just a few weeks we will be off to Chelsea - which is the jewel in the crown of the year - and always eagerly looked forward to. What new trends this year I wonder? Will the credit crunch have an effect? We shall see. I have a hunch that somehow this year is going to be a stunner with lots of different gardens and new ideas - there are some interesting designers this year and I think the competition for Best Garden will be more open than it has been for years.

In the meantime get out in the garden, start the weeding, enjoy the spring flowers and remember, little and often - too much gardening all at once can cause aching limbs and for those with disability or health problems, it can be difficult to sustain a period in the garden. Thrive, the gardening charity, have just launched a new website which will help us all enjoy our gardens, despite disability or back problems - log onto www.carryongardening.org.uk and find out all about it.

Just to finish off take a look at the fantastic vegetables at the top - just one of the many excellent stands at the Spring Harrogate Show.

This and that

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Jordans Cereals are running a new campaign called the Big Buzz - the campaign hopes to increase the amount of bee-friendly habitats in the UK and raise awareness of bees and their importance to our environment. Jordans, more than anyone, recognise the vital role bees play in the food chain and through their nature friendly farming already have a stake in helping bees survive. If you want to know more about the campaign log onto: http://www.jordansbigbuzz.co.uk/

If you enjoy the countryside then you might be interested in a blog which hails from bonny Scotland - 'Rural Rambling' covers a variety of information and is highly entertaining. Log onto

http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2646&d=11&h=24&f=46 to find out more.

You may have read in Reckless Gardener recently that the National Trust for Scotland were having to make some difficult decisions regarding some of their less well supported properties. One garden, in particular, Inveresk Lodge Garden near Musselburgh in East Lothian, is one of the gardens threatened with closure - if it does it will mean that the one gardener who looks after it will face redundancy.

Those who have been associated with the garden over the years were planning a big celebration to mark the garden's milestone of 50 years with the NTS - now however, they are joining together with volunteers to ensure that the garden continues to be open to the public.

They have now put up a Facebook page called Friends of Inveresk Lodge Garden on

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=62206931665&ref=ts

and although it is not yet a foregone conclusion that the garden will close, they want readers to register their protest as well as writing to the NTS HQ in Edinburgh. Some supporters feel that if cutbacks are to be made they could be made in other ways than closing small gardens with the consequent loss of jobs and access to the public.

I am one of those people who like weak tea - the tea bag should only have a brief encounter with the water - and I am someone who just loves to drink tea outdoors. I mention this because this Easter weekend was the first time this year I was able to indulge in that pleasure.

Spring is surely here and although there are ongoing cold snaps and windy days, I feel sure that we are on the edge of warmer climes. I hope so anyway. I am sure the bright spell got most of us out into our gardens and what joy to see everything finally growing and pushing through the soil.

Next week I am off to Harrogate - the flower show season is finally here.

Hillsborough

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:04:00 +0000

REMEMBERING THE 96 WHO WENT TO A FOOTBALL MATCH ON A SUNNY SPRING DAY AND DID NOT COME HOME.

You'll Never Walk Alone.

Show season advances

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:48:00 +0000

While our little taste of spring may have disappeared in yet another week of windy, cool conditions, with not a little rain, we are nevertheless advancing towards the show season. Harrogate (from 23rd April) kicks off the season for me, followed by Chelsea.

Chelsea, this year, I think is going to be both interesting and exciting. Although the economic conditions will doubtless cause problems for all the major shows this year, I think the fact that there will be slightly fewer gardens may work to visitors advantage.

There will be more time to absorb and certainly to be entertained by the increasing number of major foreign designers who are exhibiting gardens this year. I am particularly looking forward to the Laurent-Perrier garden designed by Luciano Giubbilei, who has comented that for him Chelsea is a personal and inspirational experience. Swedish designer Ulf Nordfjell will be designing the Daily Telegraph Garden. So just two to look out for.

Over the last few months we have continued to make improvements to the website. We have now linked with The Garden Channel which you can link to from our home page - there are plenty of short snips for you to watch with plenty of gardening advice. Several of you have commented how much easier you find it to navigate the site. We are always interested to hear your views so please let us know if there is anything you would like to see on the website.

We have already started our Chelsea coverage so keep checking out the website for up-to-date news. In the meantime, we can only hope that after this weekend we may yet see the coming signs of spring and be able to enjoy a new season in our gardens once more.

meadows

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:55:00 +0000

I am undone - not because some horrible little snail object has been at my plants already - not because my camellias are smaller than last year's - no the object of my woe is Lark Rise to Candleford. This enjoyable interlude into late 19th century rural life is enthralling and it makes you hark back to simpler days, although they were probably far from simple.

For all Lark Rise fashionistas the cause of the consternation is that stupid woman Dorcas who doesn't know a good thing when she sees it. Looks like the luscious James might croak it in the last episode of the current series and then she will never know what she has missed.

But one thing I do really love about the programme is the views of lovely rolling countryside and that fresh air feeling. So much so that I reproduce above a view of the wild flower meadow at Crome Park in Worcestershire, one of the loveliest sights I have ever seen and very much how I imagine areas around Lark Rise to have been. Just to get you in the mood for spring.

If you haven't checked out the website recently make sure you enter for our competition to win a copy of Toby's new book. Gardeners' World is going to move from Berryfields onto a new site for the next series so the team will be starting all over again.

We will shortly be starting with all our show news so make sure that you check out the site each week.

We have had the odd really good day to get out in the garden so we might now hope to look forward to brighter days when we can really start the season in earnest. A quick check of my clematis and other slightly tender plants this morning brought the satisfaction that all appears well after the harsh winter, so despite the dreaded Dorcas spurning the chance of eternal happiness, I at least glow with satisfaction.

gardening feels the chill of economic downturn

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:11:00 +0000

The National Trust for Scotland has recently announced job losses and changes to the way it will operate some of its properties. This is hardly surprising, as charities, the same as everyone else, are finding it difficult in the present economic climate.

Britain's flower shows will doubtless be affected - the number of major show gardens at this year's RHS Chelsea will be down on last year and there is little doubt that with increasing economic pressures there will be less sponsorship around in the foreseeable future.

Quite how the economic climate will affect garden centres and nurseries is yet to be calculated. A Gardeners' World magazine survey, recently carried out with their readers panel, found that more people are intending to grow vegetables but they were not planning to cut back on flowers as a result.

That can only be good news for our nurseries and flower growers. Certainly gardeners will be looking for value plants as never before, they may buy less rather than not at all. However, the vegetable explosion has been growing apace for some years now and really started well before the economic downturn - as evidenced by the long waiting lists for several years for allotments.

Bringing colour into our lives is important and for many our gardens are not just pleasant places to sit but have real thereaputic properties and are certainly good for your health.

On a more positive note, one of the weekend gardening supplements I saw yesterday, urged gardeners to be bold and plant a hydrangea. Now if you are looking for a value plant there is one in a nutshell. Considered rather old fashioned in recent years, these lovely shrubs can give you years of pleasure, need very little looking after, and make terrific cut flowers.

I think we will see a re-emergence of the popularity of plants such as hydrangers - their second coming will cheer us all. They come in a variety of splendid colours and as the article pointed out, by planting one you will be at the cutting edge of fashion - in fact quite retro!!

The Ice Man cometh

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:53:00 +0000

Most of us in the UK are still in the grip of winter, either under snow, frost or water! It really has been a strange winter, but as older people keep telling me, it is what winters used to be like! I can certainly remember a couple of really cold, snowy winters when I was a child, but do have to admit that they are very faint in my memory. However, I suppose we have been lulled into a false sense of security over the last couple of decades.

So now the wake-up call, and OK this is winter. However, I am still longing for the first really firm signs of spring. Still no camellias yet! Over the winter months I have kept myself busy with the computer, family history or just surfing in general. I look out at the window and pine for the warmer days when I can go outside and do things. With regard to the computer I have just got used to Facebook (yes I have a page but Lord knows why), You Tube (on which one can find endless entertainment!) and now comes along something called Twitter. What the hell twitter is I have no idea. It just looks like a text service to me, but I suppose I will have to have a twitter page now. It is rather like being unfashionable wearing the wrong label, if you haven't got a twitter or facebook page you are somehow out of it. Ah well!

I have managed to get out and do some rose pruning. It is always easier to prune and prune correctly when the rose has no foilage. You can then always give them another clean up when the leaves start growing if you feel you need to. The euphorbias have looked good this last few months but after severe frost, such as we have had, they can look a bit dejected. However, many of them recover but if they are very blackened and sad it is perhaps best to give them a chop and leave them for another year. I have to confess I am not a lover of euphorbia, and I do have a lot spreading around my garden which at times gets a bit out of hand.

At least in the garden things stay the same to some respect and proceed in an orderly fashion. Yes there are changes in garden design and art and form, but generally speaking we do not have to constantly update our knowledge as one has to do with a computer or technology in general. Planting is planting, staking is staking, roses are roses and the seasons - well yes - in general they are the seasons. A time to do things - spring, summer, autumn and winter. The roses don't need a twitter page but they do need a good feed and the time will be drawing near when the ground gets warmer and they will benefit from the first feed of the year.

I tend to spray for black spot around the beginning of March before the foilage gets really well established. It really never makes any difference but I feel better about it. I just accept the leaves dropping off mid July and that is that. I also put down sulphur chippings around the base of the rose, this can help, but again in a climate like Cumbria you really do have to keep the battle up to stop the advance of blackspot. Some of the newer rose varieties are resistent but few really 100%.

So now I am off to twitter somehwere else. Just keep counting-down the weeks because it has got to be spring soon! I hope!

Winter not over yet

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:53:00 +0000

Today is one of those mornings that we used to describe as a "Hangman's Monday", dark, wet, dreary and quite frankly horrible. But hey, I am still alive and that is really what matters. Fortunately, I do not suffer from sad syndrome but when it gets depressing, like today, I tend to put a nice bright picture on the computer screen- saver. of a garden I particularly liked or felt at ease with. And so today, I am posting a lovely pic of William Morris's garden at his home in Oxfordshire - Kelmscott.

Kelmscott is one of those places where you are perfectly at peace, no noise, just the sound of the rooks (who do make quite a racket actually but a nice one). The picture is of an old barn in the meadow just behind the house and I think it just sums up England in the height of summer.

Back in the power house - the Reckless team are planning the garden visits for this year and hopefully we will be able to introduce you to several more of our outstanding gardens.

Christopher Lloyd in his book 'Christopher Lloyd's gardening year' makes the point that February will be influenced by the weather pattern established in January, in temperature and mood. So it will either be a winter month, prolonging the agony he says, or the beginning of Spring. Well, on today's basis I suspect that we will be prolonging the agony a bit longer. Lloyd liked February, for him the month heralded a time when things were on the move in his garden. He also, not without a touch of irony, comments that if the month is a mild one the pessimists will declare that we will pay for it later on, but wisely he points out that there is nothing we can do about it, no matter what happens, and that somehow puts it all into perspective, as only Christo could do.

Gardeners tend to fuss so much about the weather, it is too wet or too dry, too much wind, frost, not enough light and a thousand and one other things. I have to admit I have had sleepless nights worrying over this plant or that, or whether there was going to be a gale or bad frost. In the end the garden knows how to take care of itself, and we have to accept as gardeners, that there will always be some loss - in our case more generally to the dreaded slug than to any weather pattern.

So as we enter February we return to Christopher Lloyd who loved to collect snowdrops this month and place a fistful of stems next to him indoors to that he could inhale their honey scent. So there, what more could you want! Enjoy the simple pleasures of life and savour the magic that February can bring.

Spring is in the air

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Once Christmas passed by, the Reckless website started to come to life again and the emails into the editor and myself began increasing daily. So in the same vein I hope that shortly the firm first signs of Spring will start to come forward. I know it is a few months away yet and we have had a cold winter,but it is always exciting when you reach the end of January and feel the coming gardening season getting nearer.

Already there are some clematis in bud, not always good because a nasty frost can come along and demolish them, but if you find yourself in this situation and are worried about that then you can always protect with some fleece for a couple of weeks.

The snowdrops are coming up and I can see the first signs of daffodils althought he Camellia trees, which flowered on the third week of January last year, have yet to show promise of blooms opening.

You may have noticed that we have done a re-design on the website, which has occupied some of the winter months, and we hope you like what we have done. We are planning to increase the interaction sections on the website and for the forthcoming season, more podcasts and video clips too.

I was not surprised to see that the snail and slug is still top of the RHS pest list. I would not like to be a party to genocide but I always declare war on those little horrors. At the moment they seem to be attacking the wallflowers - and the damp conditions of the summer and autumn will only have aided them in their crusade to denude our gardens of greenery and fresh shoots.

You are supposed to gather them on Valentines day and dispose of them before they start breeding, so its on with the tin helmet in a couple of weeks and armed with a big bag we will go forth and conquer. I hope!

We have put a new section on the website for readers pictures, so if you have a garden you are proud of why not send us a jpg and we will put it up.

By the end of January show news will start to come through so do be sure to check out the website regularly.

Winter wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:39:00 +0000

Great Gladiolus the news today is so much worse - that poor Harry has been kidnapped by the dark side while the fawning and smiling traitor Connie has blown herself up for the sake of mankind.

Well Spooks might be entertaining me at the moment but the thoughts of dealing with all the moss which has been created on my paths and patio by the endless summer rain is not. My paths look like part of the Amazonian rain forest and it is going to take a lot of hard graft shifting the green slime off. Moss is to die for on old stones and pots but on paths it can be lethal.

I have also decided to live on the wild side and have left a number of pots out this winter. As you get older the problem of moving heavy objects gets more difficult - so its bubble wrap and a prayer for me. I have mostly gone over to the the glazed type of pot now as they seem to last better in the Cumbrian weather but I do so love the proper terracotta - which in fact if proper terracotta should not crack - but they are now sadly becoming very expensive and the cheaper versions just do not last.

I also have to remember to water the plants I have put in the garage - I do not possess the luxury of a greenhouse - but feel sure they are safer in there than out in -6 frost.

The weather today, though, is sunny and bright and it is a lovely winter day. We will soon be at the shortest day and then folks its downhill to Spring - can't wait.

Christmas is coming

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:44:00 +0000

Alas all is not well with the world. John Sergeant has left Strictly Come Dancing, while allegedly, somewhere in the UK, Santa has been seen smoking and the Elves swearing in some Winter Wonderland - the ground is covered in some horrible white stuff that has made my Camelias look like they have dandruff and well - phew - we have something called a credit crunch. Not only that, but the Spooks mole turns out to be that likeable and sweet mannered Connie - who would have thought it! I simply cannot cope.

There is one bright spot, however, to this tale of woe. Frost! Frost does the garden good - why? Because it kills off all those nasty little pests who will want to come and devour your garden in the Spring and Summer. It can also make your garden look magical, especially the grasses and left-over stalks from the late autumn flowers.

'Tis also the season for going out to the garden centre and buying in the wreaths of holly and the traditional Poinsettias to deck the halls. I tried to buy my wreaths this morning but the lady had to go and get a chisel so she could separate them from the bench as they were stuck fast. Where is all this global warming I ask myself?

Well I can tell you that if this temperature persists I will not be going for a stroll around my winter flowering cabbages nor will I be carol singing on the Prom. I will, however, be enjoying the wonderful Lakeland fells with their dusting of snow - what a sight - but from the warmth and comfort of the car.

What we should all be doing now, is not moaning about the credit crunch, agonising over Strictly Come Dancing's next evacuee or huffing and puffing at the price of mince pies. What we should be doing is looking out our gardening catalogues, getting out our graph paper and starting to plan the 2009 season.

On the website we will be running a series of garden design features with award winning designer Sarah Eberle - so take a look at the first one - get out those brochures - and enjoy. We might not be able to do much in the garden at the moment but we can take advantage of the breathing space to plan for the new season.

Stop Press: the news is full of the fact that someone thumped the swearing Elves and duffed-up Father Christmas - really, don't they have anything better to write about!

cheer yourself up in the garden!

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:16:00 +0000

What a load of gloom and doom - if the weather wasn't enough to heap the depression on then the financial news certainly would. Which is why I have put on this nice picture of these wonderfully colourful pelargonium (Ashby) taken at this year's Chelsea.Go on look at it and cheer up.

Gardeners are lucky in many ways because it has been proven that to work in a garden helps us health wise - we can get rid of a lot of stress in our gardens - so if it would stop raining long enough I would gladly go out in mind and get some much needed R & R away from the newspapers and t.v.

I was cheered up the other day when a little book called 'The Gardeners' Book for the Gardener who's Best at everything" landed on my mat. It's a lovely little essential handbook that every novice gardener will benefit from, containing tips, advice, quotes and sayings. Written by Diana Craig and Published by Michael O'Mara Books Ltd., it will make a great Christmas Gift.

Thinking of Christmas I have decided to stock in on Porridge because it might be all we can afford to eat when the time comes. Each day the news gets grimmer, the rain falls heavier and the garden looks like it has been hit by a meteor.

We are busy working on the website for a relaunch so my little fingers are worked to the bone but at least I do not have to look out of the window at the rain.

Recently spent a wonderful weekend in Dublin at a family wedding and much enjoyment was had too. The Irish are a warm and friendly lot and needless to say the crack was good too. And you know what? It didn't rain, what joy, even able to walk in St Stephen's Green Gardens and enjoy the colourful flowers. No coat! Just bliss.

We are now looking toward Christmas and will be posting some present ideas on the website so keep logging on. Try not to get too depressed, there is always someone worse than ourselves and every cloud has a silver lining, so they say!

My silver lining this week has been the fact that my geranium cuttings seem to have taken, small pleasures but big satisfaction eh!

creating an ark

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:42:00 +0000

I now know how Noah felt when he began to build his ark. We have had several days of pretty heavy rain in Cumbria and very little sun. I had rashly entered some of my roses in a couple of categories in the Arnside Horticultural Society Show. There had been so little sun I was lucky to get enough to enter. Anyway, not that I am wanting to brag or anything like that! I got first prize for my floribunda so I was well chuffed and just for a little time it brought the sun out - in my mind anyway. I have never entered for a show before so at least it was a bit of encouragement.

I was interested to learn that No.10 Downing Street now has a No 10 in Bloom spot on its website so log on if you want to take a peek at a very lovely garden behind that famous front door. Log onto: http://www.number10.gov.uk and follow the link from there.

Peter Procter and Gillian Cole have a new book out called 'Grasp the Nettle' - making biodynamic farming and gardening work. If you are passionate about gardening organically then you may find this book very interesting and useful. Published by Random House, N.Z., the book outlines how to apply biodynamic methods of farming and gardening to a wide range of conditions.

I have also reviewed Joe Swift's new book Joe's Urban Garden which should be on the website in the book review section shortly. Good book and one with plenty of ideas and suggestions.

The blackspot on the roses has been really terrible this year. I now have some very sick specimens completely devoid of their leaves. This is a real nuisance disease and despite all my attempts with various remedies - yes I've tried the soot - it never really goes away. I was told by one rose grower to rip the lot out as soon as I saw one black spotted leaf, but I feel that is a bit extreme and will continue to get on with it. I still had a wonderful show of roses in the early summer and there are also some nice ones on display now so I will try not to notice the spotted leaves.

The ground is so wet there is little chance of my getting anything done - even cutting back is problematic. Perhaps the autumn will turn out to be one of those Indian Summers - well I can dream on.

Out and about

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:18:00 +0000

I am desperately trying to catch up on my blogging as I have been very 'tarry' lately in posting so I apologise. The days just seem to fly by and I cannot believe that it is August already - where did the summer go and is there any left?

This week we visited the lovely Chesters Walled Garden, near the famous Chesters Fort in Northumberland. You will be able to read all about our visit to Susie White's charming garden in Recklessgardener shortly.

Susie is a real expert when it comes to herbs and I was in awe of her knowledge. Her garden is simply devine and very peaceful, there are plenty of little areas in which to seek solice and her colourful drifts of planting are a delight. I was not surprised when she told me that she was influenced early on by Margery Fish but as with every garden Chesters is certainly a product of its creator and Susie is to be congratulated on cultivating and designing such a heavenly space.

On our way back to Cumbria we happened, quite by chance, to come across Lanercost Priory, which turned out to be a perfect end to the day. The Priory was originally founded by the Augustinians and of course we associate their order and those of the Benedictines and Cistercians with the growing of herbs and flowers for medicinal as well as culinary uses. So all in all we learnt a lot about herbs and their uses on our two visits as well as experiencing two very special places.

Tatton Park

noreply@blogger.com (Sandy) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:49:00 +0000

Our visit to the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show was thankfully a dry one and we managed to miss the downpours. It was not particularly sunny on press day, in fact quite dull and heavy, but there was just enough sun for a pair of sailor's trousers on occasions and the dull weather did not diminish the brightness of the gardens. Below is a pic of East meets West - This fab garden, designed by Dan Sterry of Urban Vision which was really one of the best I have seen at Tatton in several years and really deserved its Gold one of only two large show gardens to win one, the other being the fab Cheshire O8 Year of the Garden.

I also liked Cheshire Al Fresco which I thought deserved more than a Silver but then I am not an RHS judge so I do not know by what criteria the garden was judged.

We were delighted that Pip Probert managed to get both her gardens finished and we really liked her Acqua Life, designed for the whole family, with activity balanced with quiet space.

There were some really lovely displays in the Floral Marquee as well such as the wonderful Alliums (top of page).

It was a very mixed week weather wise so if you went to Tatton I hope you were lucky enough to have some periods of really nice weather. Tatton in the sun is like nowhere else, it really is a great place for a major flower show and hopefully now the end of the first decade has arrived we can look forward to another ten years of really great shows with our own special northern flavour.