Latest news with #RHS
Times
8 hours ago
- General
- Times
The natural plant dye found in Tutankhamun's tomb
Felix Green used to be a textile designer but with a flowery twist, drawing botanical patterns for all types of clothing. Then, during Covid, he decided to do something different to pass the time and signed up for one of the RHS gardening courses. 'I never had any interest in gardening before. There was no plan,' he says. For a man without a plan, it's all worked out rather well. He is now, at the age of 42, one of the gardeners at Hever Castle in Kent where, a few years ago, he planted its first 'dye garden'. 'We are going to start with possibly the most interesting but also the ugliest plant,' he says, walking me down to the far end of the dye bed. There I meet the plant known as madder. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that it met me, its sticky leaves and stems not really wanting to let me go. It reminded me of cleavers, aka sticky willie, and indeed it belongs to the same family.
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Garden pro's £3.99 fast-growing flower from Lidl blooms all summer & brings ‘romance' to your outside space
THINK of lush blooms swaying gently, winding soft stone footpaths inviting you to who knows where and the rustling sound of grasses nodding along in the breeze. Butterflies zig zag from scented clematis and roses to foxgloves and jasmine climbing round your door - as water softly gurgles from a fountain. 3 3 3 Sound good? Then you'll probably be a fan of romantic gardens. They've been around for about 300 years - initially designed as a reaction to the strict formal, geometrical designs that went before them. But what's great - and why they're emerging as a serious trend this year - is that they're easy to create in your outside space, look stunning - and promote positive mental health. Garden designer Nilufer Danis is building a romantic garden called 'The Three Graces of Galicia' at RHS Hampton flower show - which starts on Tuesday - and is a big advocate for creating beautiful, serene spaces that evoke a sense of calm and wellbeing but are also designed with the environment in mind. She told Sun Gardening how to create your own. 'Forget about the more contemporary geometric shapes - and think more organic - like winding paths, with shaded covers like a pavilion, pergola, or lots of trellis", she said. 'You're aiming for lots of climbers - like roses, star of jasmine, lavenders and perennials like salvia - and you want scented flowers rather than evergreens and green foliage plants. 'And water fountains - with their nice trickle of water - are not only lovely, but birds and insects like them. 'Pastel colours are really important - they give a dreamy feel - and it's not very clean and neat - it should be more overgrown' Alan Titchmarsh's top 7 plants that 'transform ugly fences with gorgeous flowers & fragrance' & they grow for years From Tuesday, Lidl will be selling an English Lavender collection of three pots, for £3.99. While Crocus has got pots of Salvia 'Victoria Blue' for £3.50 - reduced from £6.99. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) generally blooms from mid-summer to late summer. French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) can bloom in flushes from late spring to late summer, especially if pruned after each flush. Nilufer's Romantic Garden at Hampton celebrates the power of literature, identity, and resilience through the legacy of three iconic 19th-century Spanish women — Rosalía de Castro, Emilia Pardo Bazán, and Concepción Arenal. She added ''I wanted to create a space that celebrates strength, resilience, and the transformative power of ideas. This garden is a tribute to Galicia's rich literary and natural heritage — and an invitation for reflection on identity, justice, and the role of women in shaping the world." Her plant list includes - Camellia japonica - chosen for it's glossy leaves and large colourful blooms are common in Galcian gardens - Hydrangea macrophylla 'Endless Summer' thrives in Galicia's cool, moist climate - Rosa 'The Ancient Mariner' and Rose 'Empress Josephine' - to add fragrance, timeless beauty and a touch of history - Polystichum setiferum - is low maintenance and supports biodiversity - Tall topiary trees (Carpinus betulus) Also in Veronica's column this week News, top tips and a competition to win a Blackstone Griddle outdoor oven NEWS! Families can discover a show themed around 'wonder' at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival - taking place next week. Alongside show gardens, pavilions of roses and thousands of plants there's an exciting schedule of children's activities, workshops and lively music. Visitors will be joined by legendary children's icons, the Wombles - with Womble sculptures and a Womble-themed trail around the gardens, plus costumed characters making an appearance across the Go Wild Family Area hosts an array of family activities to encourage playfulness and stimulates a curiosity for gardening. Exhibits include the Schools Bug Barrels the Skinny Jean Gardener mini festival where Lee Connelly will be hosting interactive workshops and Kingston Forest School will provide hands-on nature-based activities. Children up to the age of 16 go free, students pay a discounted rate of £10.85 and adult full day tickets are £38.85. For tickets visit NEWS! A baobab tree in the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project, Cornwall is flowering in what is believed to be a first for the UK. The Adansonia digitata is native to Africa and is known as the 'Tree of Life' - because it can live for over 3000 years - and for its ability to support both humans and wildlife, providing everything from food and shelter to clothing and medicine. It can grow up to 25m in height and equally as wide in circumference, with spindly, root-like branches protruding from the rotund trunk, coining another nickname – the 'Upside-Down Tree'. WIN! One lucky Sun Gardening reader can win a Blackstone 36inch gas burner griddle - worth £639. To enter visit or write to Sun Griddle competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. July 12, 2025. T&C s apply. JOB OF THE WEEK! Pots and hanging baskets will be struggling in this heat - water them daily. Leave your lawn cuttings to mulch the grass - locking in lawn moisture - keep greenhouses ventilated. For more tips and gardening content follow me @biros_and_bloom
Telegraph
a day ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Ask the head gardener: My buddleia is diseased – can I save it?
Dear Tom, I have several buddleia plants in my garden, some big, and they are all exhibiting signs of being diseased. Crinkly, mottled leaves and flower spikes failing to develop. I am in west Cornwall but a friend in east Devon mentioned that she had a similar problem. Any advice much appreciated! – Liz Dear Liz, Your question is really timely for me. As I sat out in my garden the other evening, enjoying the relatively cool temperatures with a glass of something even cooler, I noticed that a couple of my buddleia were showing the same symptoms. I have experienced unusually high numbers of pests at West Dean this year, exacerbated by the warm, dry spring. This was clarified with a visit from a local fruit group who described an unusually successful year for aphids on fruit trees too. A plant's response to an insect attack will involve a degree of leaf curl – although there may be no insects visible, that doesn't mean that your plant has not been got at. Over the past few years, more and more gardeners are reporting issues with distorted, curled leaves that appear to be virused on their buddleias, and in severe cases, flowers are aborted. From its research and high numbers of member enquiries, the RHS has concluded that the culprit is most likely to be the melon-cotton aphid. Originally thought to be an issue for plants that grow in greenhouses, the distribution of these aphids in gardens is causing some excitement among entomologists at the RHS, so much so that they'd like us to report any damage with photographs to a survey found on this link. When it comes to tackling this issue, the good news is that buddleia is repeat flowering, so by pruning out the worst of the damage at the extremities of the stems, you'll promote fresh growth and flowers in a few weeks' time. These sap-sucking pests will have weakened the plant, so a handful of Growmore or fish, blood and bone around the feeder roots (not the base of the trunk) and a thorough watering will help to encourage that new growth. I have always considered buddleia to be bombproof garden shrubs, with very few pest and disease issues. I would hope that this pest does not change my opinion over the coming years, but my advice would be to stay vigilant. Once you have removed the damaged growth, and fed and watered the shrub, spray the new growth with SB Plant Invigorator, which is soap-based. Spray the new growth only, no need to spray the entire plant, as the aphids are more likely to be found on the soft growth at the tips; do this once a week as a preventative until the end of September and continue to do so as new growth emerges next spring. You may simply remove the damaged growth and hope that the new shoots are not affected; I appreciate that this new level of commitment to your buddleia might not be for everyone. Encouraging more aphid predators into your garden will also help to lessen the damage in future years: ladybirds, earwigs and birds will all help to control numbers. A few blue tit boxes around the garden will not only give you great pleasure but also help to maintain more of a balance.
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- Climate
- South Wales Argus
Japanese Knotweed in 'super growth' across UK expert warns
Rain has returned to the UK recently after a prolonged dry spell, resulting in a combination of warm soil and wet weather. These conditions can result in "growth spurts" for the invasive plant which can cause a plethora of problems for homeowners, Sold property expert Terry Fisher warned. What is Japanese knotweed? Mr Fisher said: 'We've been basking in the glorious sunshine, but now the rain has made an epic return. 'This combination of wet and warm creates the ideal conditions for Japanese knotweed to thrive and even go into a super growth. "Meaning homeowners might unearth a beast in their gardens this spring. 'The invasive plant is a nightmare - it's relentlessly durable, fast-growing and can cause damage to nearby structures.' What does Japanese Knotweed look like? Japanese Knotweed is described as "a persistent, clump-forming herbaceous perennial" by The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Property expert at Saga's home insurance, Anna Thunstrom, added: "Keep an eye out for its characteristic shield or shovel-shaped leaves, along with clusters of creamy white flowers." Poisonous plants found in the UK How to remove Japanese knotweed Japanese knotweed, which was introduced to the UK as an ornamental plant in the nineteenth century, can only be removed with costly specialist treatment. Mr Fisher said: 'Avoid attempting a DIY removal as you could accidentally spread it further. "It requires a multi-pronged approach, often involving herbicides and potentially excavation, depending on the extent of the infestation. "This is all best left to the professionals." Removing Japanese Knotweed from your property can be "costly", the Sold property expert added, especially if you have to pay for repairs for your home, or your neighbours. Removing Japanese knotweed can be a "costly" process. (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Mr Fisher continued: "Your neighbours can seek compensation if it breaches onto their land, and you can be fined if it starts to grow in the wild.' The plant can also spread onto your property from neighbouring land as it tends to grow at an "alarming rate". Mr Fisher said: 'Japanese knotweed can reach two metres in height within weeks, and if it has encroached from neighbouring land, you have the right to pursue legal action against the landowner for compensation, covering both damages and removal costs. 'Whatever the case, homeowners need to act quickly if any signs of Japanese knotweed appear.' The legalities to be aware of around Japanese knotweed when selling a property When selling a home, vendors are legally required to disclose if a property is, or ever has been, affected by Japanese knotweed. Surveyors also have a legal obligation to look for it as part of their report. RECOMMENDED READING: Mr Fisher added: 'If you're buying a house and a survey flags that a property has Japanese knotweed, you could negotiate the price or ensure the seller treats the plant before the sale goes through,' Terry added. 'After that, it's your job to keep an eye on your garden for any signs of the plant returning. It tends to die back in Autumn but starts to grow again in spring. 'Some homeowners don't know about the existence of the invasive plant until they find it in their garden. In which case, it could be that a surveyor was negligent in their duties, or you could have a case for misrepresentation.'
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- Climate
- South Wales Argus
10 of the best plants that can thrive in poor-quality soil
Many homeowners find themselves limited by the soil that's already present on their land, which can prevent them from being able to grow the plants they yearn for. However, there are actually plenty of plants that grow nicely in poor quality soil, look, smell and feel great, and are perfect for a UK climate. To help you out, home and garden experts at Nth Degree have detailed a number of plants that would be perfect for poor-quality soil. Top 10 plants that can thrive in poor-quality soil Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan) Rudbeckia hirta, commonly known as Black-eyed Susan, is a plant suitable for dry, low-fertility soils. Its nickname comes from its bold, bright orange and yellow petals and deep brown centres, which can give a pop of colour to your garden. Echinacea (Coneflower) Echinaceas, or coneflowers, are large, daisy-like flowers which are great at tolerating dry soil. The plant helps to encourage biodiversity in your garden and can have pink, white, red or orange petals. It is noted to make sure coneflowers get enough sun to help them thrive. Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue) Blue Fescue is an ornamental grass with "vibrant ice-blue leaves" which is able to tolerate drought and prefers lean soil. Sedum (Stonecrop) Stonecrop is another drought-resistant plant that is a "sun-loving succulent-leaved perennial". Nth Degree adds: "Poor soils are preferable, as rich soils will encourage soft, leafy stems liable to fall over." Artemisia Aretmisia has "fragrant, icy green foliage", which prefers drier and chalkier soil to be planted in. Heavy and poorly-drained soil is one to avoid for this plant, as it can cause it to die back. Lavender Lavender is a pleasant-smelling plant which can be a colourful addition to your garden if it gets enough sun. Lavender is a plant that's great for attracting bees (Image: Getty Images) Nth Degree adds: "Lavender HATES wet soil and doesn't like to be watered often, making it a good candidate for poor-quality soil." Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) Russian Sage looks a little bit like lavender from afar with its spiking purple flowers, and also attracts bees like its counterpart. Additionally, it is strong enough to handle tough planting conditions and dry, chalky soil. Verbena rigida (Slender Vervain) Slender Vervain has won the Plants for Pollinators award from the RHS in the past, with it being a magnet for bees and butterflies. Slender Vervain prefers a dry and sunny spot to flower (Image: Getty Images) It prefers a dry and sunny spot to flower, and it is great for edging paths where you've got poor-quality soil. Helianthemum nummularium (Rock Rose) Found mainly in the south and east of Scotland, Rock Rose grows perennially in chalk and limestone-rich cliffs and banks. Recommended reading: It can make a great addition to rockeries and walled gardens where you might have lower-quality soil. Stachys byzantina (Lamb's Ear) Lamb's Ear has "velvety, silver-tinged foliage" which can add "an inimitable texture to any planting scheme". It's also perfect for gravelly soil or dry border planting as it's drought-tolerant.
