The Ashridge Nurseries Blog

 

The origins of Halloween are thought to be rooted in the Celtic celebration of Samhain, a festival to mark the season of bringing in the harvests in preparation for winter.

It was thought that on this day, the 31 October, the boundaries between the worlds became blurred.

The dead returned to haunt the living, causing terrible catastrophe and illness.

Many myths and legends surround this day, with various rituals being performed in order to protect people from wandering evil spirits, as well as to predict fortunes and destinies.
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Note to self; order hedging. Seasoned Ashridge customers already know the plus points of buying bareroot trees, hedges and plants. You can carry them around without calling your osteopath. They're (very much) cheaper than container grown plants Bareroot plants also establish better (no disappointment and no waste) They are better...

Here are our suggestions for five brilliant (and easy) things to do with your herbs in the kitchen. Lemon balm pesto - yes really, and probably not for the kids! This has been lifted straight and unashamedly from the wonderful Sybil Kapoor's book, Modern British Food. Put  55 g of...

The quince tree (Cydonia oblonga)  has to be my favourite fruit blossom. It's not quite pink, single flowers are unusually large, five-petalled and are held proud from reflexed, pale green leaves. Stunning. Laburnum trees live up to their common name of The Golden Chain Tree right now. Their extraordinary luminous...

There is no doubt about it but lawns occupy a special place in the hearts of most UK gardeners - especially male ones. That stretch of closely cropped grass sets off herbaceous borders, is the site of vicious games of croquet and more considerate games of bowls. Apparently they have...

Alliums start flowering in mid-May and, depending on your variety, continue to do so from to the end of July with their lovely, frozen firework flowers. Alliums have become very "de jour" because their colours range from steely metallic shades to the deepest, velvety purple and because their perfect circular...

Our Winter 2016 photo competition is now open for entries! Enter today for a chance to win £100 in Ashridge Nurseries Gift vouchers! Fancy bagging yourself £100 in vouchers to spend with us? Well you're in luck as we are giving away £200 in vouchers, £100 to one lucky winner each...

We put wrapping up presents pretty far down the list of essential things to do in December, or at least in daylight hours. It is far more important to keep staggering into the garden and the December focus might well be on fruit trees, and by this we mean fruits...

Another plant that sings for its supper and is also looking good at this time of year are the Cotoneasters. They are a varied bunch, some growing as ground cover, some growing into standard trees but all of them are members of the rose family, all are tough (they are...

If you want a wisp of spring to hang onto at this time of year then invest in a winter flowering cherry tree (Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis').  A slip of a thing, this tree is slender and slightly twiggy. Although it can grow up to 7 metres it rarely does...