Casual Gardener: Poppy Love

John Manley

EVERY year the poppy debate rages - is Papaver orientale a spectacularly beautiful herbaceous perennial or is it an overrated thug with flowers that barely last a week? More on this divisive issue later but first some botanical qualification.

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Make floral ice cubes and add zing to your summer drinks

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Gardening: A garden designer explains why we should learn to love weeds

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Casual Gardener: Cool cow parsley

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Casual Gardener: Beating the weeds

John Manley 05 Jun, 2021

FOR the most part this column focuses on the things we like to grow in our gardens.

Casual Gardener: Hosta heaven - or hell?

John Manley 29 May, 2021

Hostas have seductive foliage but the slugs and snails love them too...

Gardening: Five easy seeds to grow as a family

By Hannah Stephenson, PA 29 May, 2021

SHORT of stuff to do during the upcoming half term? Or looking for inspiration to do your bit for Children’s Gardening Week (May 29-June 6)? Well, there’s still time to encourage kids to grow a few easy seeds.

The Casual Gardener: Redefining fast food

John Manley 22 May, 2021

IT'S BEEN noted many times in this column how gardening involves delayed gratification.

Gardening: When is it safe to plant out tender veg?

By Hannah Stephenson, PA 22 May, 2021

IT'S just about time to plant out tender veg safely – or is it? The rise and fall of temperatures this spring – April started off warm and dry, but ended up being the frostiest April in 60 years – has left some gardeners in a quandary about when to plant out their tender edibles, including courgettes, tomatoes and chillies.

Gardening: Kids will love sowing seeds during half term

By Hannah Stephenson, PA 17 May, 2021

SHORT of stuff to do during the upcoming half term? Or looking for inspiration to do your bit for Children's Gardening Week (May 26-June 6)? Well, there's still time to encourage kids to grow a few easy seeds.

The Casual Gardener: It's important to feed to feed – but not overfeed – your plants

John Manley 15 May, 2021

PLANTS, like people, need food to survive.

Gardening: How to help bees all year round thanks to a nifty flower calendar

By Hannah Stephenson, PA 08 May, 2021

We are likely to see bees buzzing in our gardens from spring through to autumn, depending on the weather – but your choice of planting can make a difference through all the seasons.

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