Hedging – Plants with Feet of Clay

It is all hedging at this time of year…. These yew hedge planting pointers apply equally to almost all other hedging plants as well, certainly anything that needs a well drained soil. You can dig a trench to plant your hedging if the ground is well drained. You can improve the soil as much as… Continue reading Hedging – Plants with Feet of Clay

Fruit Trees at Altitude

We get hundreds of enquiries a year about growing fruit trees in the UK at altitude and our answers usually start off with something like: “Unfortunately your location sounds beautiful but (from the perspective of fruit trees) terrible. Your site is high up and almost certainly windy given that you are south facing and prevailing… Continue reading Fruit Trees at Altitude

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Black elder in flower

Homemade Elderberry Syrup The Recipe: This is our family recipe, and we think it makes the best elderberry syrup we have ever tasted. Pick the berries on a dry day,  (I added pieces of ginger before simmering) You will need: * Loads of elderberries – get a couple of kilos to begin with (take whole… Continue reading Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Photinia Leaf Spot – Don’t Panic!

Photinia Red Robin makes a really photogenic hedge plant, with blazing red young leaves that can be persuaded to reappear all summer with regular trimming and simple but lovely white flowers. However, just as the most handsome face can be marred by acne, the prettiest Photinia bush can can be disfigured by an unpleasant looking… Continue reading Photinia Leaf Spot – Don’t Panic!

Escallonia – A Winter Surprise

Everyone knows that Escallonia gets badly frostbitten. Every book says that Escallonia is a tender hedge plant. Every list of plants that “only grow in the south-west” (it used to be “in the Scillies”) contains Escallonia. Every article says it should only be used as coastal hedging. I even read a piece in a reputable gardening magazine that… Continue reading Escallonia – A Winter Surprise

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