The bluebell has many names: English bluebell, wild hyacinth, wood bell, bell bottle, Cuckoo’s Boots, Wood Hyacinth, Lady’s Nightcap, Witches’ Thimbles, and Granfer Grigglesticks . In the past. The stems are squeezed the stems produce a glue so strong that fetchers used it to fix the feathered flights to the arrows. It is against the [...]
Plant out your Autumn sown sweet pea seedlings or sow now direct in their final flowering position. Dependant on the variety hardy annuals can be sown either indoors or outdoors, following the instructions on the packet. Half-hardy flowers can be sown in trays and kept on a windowsill or in the greenhouse. This may be [...]
Q: What do you get if you cross a black and white dog with a rose? A: A collie-flower. Q: What’s the best way to learn about gardening? A: By trowel and error. Q: What’s brown and runs around a garden? A: A fence
While working in a local garden we found this, the fin from a WW2 incendiary bombs which were dropped in their 1000’s in the areas. they were widely collected by boys during the war after raids as they were the only part of the bomb to survive The German air force started the war using the 1918-designed [...]
Pruning and Tidying Cut down old growth of perennials and grasses left over winter. If soil is workable, dig in a layer of compost or manure, and work in a slow-release fertiliser manure, or fish, blood and bone. Weeds will have started to grow, so keep removing them whenever you can. Split polyandrous after flowering. [...]
Spring is on her way! Early-flowering bulbs are starting to fill the beds and borders; leaves are unfurling, and insects are waking up. It’s time to enjoy the first warmth of the sun on your back - but beware the night time frosts! Preparation is key this month. Prepare beds for sowing; organise the greenhouse; [...]
Daffodils are one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring and are often associated with springtime and rebirth. These trumpet-shaped flowers come in a variety of sizes and colours. Traditional daffodils are sunny yellow, but some varieties are white or pastel yellow and some are even pink or green. While the daffodil’s primary [...]
Be a superhero for the day at this year's Herald of Spring! Free entry! Saturday 9 March, 9.30am-5pm, Bourne Hall, Ewell Join in to enjoy free family fun and activities at this annual spring event on Saturday 9 March from 9.30am to 5pm at Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell. Children are invited to come [...]
It is the youngest member of the Brooks gardening teams first birthday Isabella!
February feels like a turning point in the garden. It’s still cold outside, but there are signs of spring’s imminent arrival everywhere you look. Bulbs are slowly emerging from the ground, and the days are getting longer at last. This month’s garden jobs are mostly about getting things ready for the spring. But there are [...]
