Monthly Archives: June 2012

Seed Shop Bee

Posted on June 30, 2012 by

Sewing Bees have developed into ‘Knit and Natter’, ‘Stitch and Bitch’ and now a new variation, the ‘Seed Shop Bee’. Not such a rhythmic title, but equally effective – the idea being to soften a repetitive task with some banter, gossip … Continue reading →

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Build-up Friday

Posted on June 29, 2012 by

Although Build-up for Hampton Court Palace Flower officially starts on June 11th, the last weekend before show opens is when all the magic takes place.  Walking through the Floral Marquee this morning, there were a few plants stacked in Danish … Continue reading →

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We have moved

Posted on June 27, 2012 by

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2012 and the Plant Heritage marquee has moved to a new position in the showground; just past the bandstand on the avenue leading from Pontoon number 2.  We have a central feature on Worldwide Conservation featuring … Continue reading →

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The Laskett

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

‘They who plant a garden, plant happiness’ The Laskett, Sir Roy Strong’s garden in Herefordshire is the largest private formal garden to be created in England since 1945.  It is open to prebooked parties and Wendy Bentall managed to get … Continue reading →

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In the wake of the torch

Posted on June 20, 2012 by

I first met David and Marjorie Goodchild in 2007 when I had just joined Plant Heritage and our Hampton Court Palace Flower Show exhibit was ‘ROSACEAE’.  To demonstrate the breadth of this plant family the display featured  roses, (obviously) along with … Continue reading →

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Plant Heritage at BBC Gardeners World Live Show 2012

Posted on June 18, 2012 by

Our West Midlands group in conjunction with some National Plant Collection holders produced the Plant Heritage display at the BBC Gardeners World Live Show 2012, held at the NEC Birmingham. A dedicated band of volunteers led by Madeleine Jones helped … Continue reading →

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Following the torch

Posted on June 14, 2012 by

Jacobs Ladders and Sky Pilots, romantic names for Polemonium, type genus for the family POLEMONIACEAE.  Along with three other family members, Collomia, Gilia and Leptodactylon and the beatnik grass, Hakonechloa they make up the quintet of National Collections held by Dianne and … Continue reading →

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‘Silverwood’

Posted on June 11, 2012 by

Geranium nodosum ‘Silverwood’ purchased last summer when I visited Rachel Etheridge’s National Collection in Weardale and doing well in my sunny dry garden. Later in the year when I was reviewing the plant list submitted by Joan Taylor in her … Continue reading →

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“Here at Barnsdale………”

Posted on June 7, 2012 by

Can you read that title without hearing the familiar tones of Geoff Hamilton on Gardener’s World?  Presenter on the programme from 1979 until his death in 1996, he was responsible for moving the show’s venue to his own garden at Barnsdale  and … Continue reading →

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Species to cultivar

Posted on June 6, 2012 by

One summer, when gardens were for lounging in, I remember lying listening to a strange cracking noise which I eventually tracked down to the explosive seed capsules of some lupins.  Over the years I have carried on growning lupins but never been so … Continue reading →

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