The sunshine has been such a treat (but we could do with some rain!)
The sunshine has been such a treat, even if it hasn't been very warm.
It seems ridiculous to complain, but the only problem with all this glorious weather is that we have had next to no rain for the past few weeks.
March was an incredibly dry month and we are busy watering everything in pots outside as well as in the greenhouses.
Diploma students at Barcham Trees (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Trees we planted last year are also getting a regular drink, as are perennials and shrubs we have moved in the past month.
The sun has brought out lots of blossom and the first tulips are now in flower as well as narcissi and hyacinths.
Many trees are greening up as the first leaves appear and spring is well and truly here.
The Diploma students had a study trip to Barcham Trees near Ely this week.
Barcham is a fantastic tree nursery which supplies the trade as well as individuals and they gave the students a great insight into how they work with designers.
We want the students to graduate with a relationship with lots of local suppliers so this is just one of their nursery visits.
After Barcham they had a private tour of the wonderful Fullers' Mill garden in West Stow, Suffolk.
Sam Outing (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) It is a beautifully maintained garden with many interesting plants and design features, so was another really useful visit.
The garden is about to open for the season to the public, so do go if you get the chance.
We have had some great news about one of our first Diploma graduates, Sam Outing, a garden designer based in north Norfolk.
Sam has been invited by the RHS to design and project manage their branded planting at this year's Chelsea Flower Show.
His scheme mirrors the ethos of the RHS and the Chelsea Flower Show - a celebration of the wonderful world of horticulture and garden design, whilst being seasonal, sustainable and environmentally positive.
The focus is on pollinator-friendly, high-impact plants which are at their peak in late May, providing pockets of interest and inspiration for visitors.
If you are going to Chelsea do look out for Sam's work around the RHS hub and in the beds in Ranelagh Gardens.
If you, like us, want to grow the best dahlias you can this year you won't want to miss the Dahlia Workshop on 8th April which shows you how to propagate and grow these gorgeous flowers which last for so many weeks in late summer, giving so much pleasure.
These are a few of the other upcoming courses which have some spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us:
· Dahlia Workshop – 8th April
· Advanced Practical Gardening – 9th April
· Sustainable Cutting Garden – 10th April
· Certificate in Practical Horticulture – 25th April
· Advanced Pruning & Training – 30th April
· Basic Bricklaying – 1st May
· Gardening Under Glass – 14th April
fritillaria meleagris (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Plant of the Week
Fritillaria meleagris or snake's head fritillary, always attracts attention.
No other members of the Fritillaria genus can match this native wildflower for the bizarre and unmistakable colouring of its bell-shaped flowers.
These come in various shades of purple and occasionally white, always with a pronounced checked pattern all over.
They are extremely hardy and trouble-free, and are ideal for growing in a variety of situations including containers, sunny spring borders and in wildflower meadows or areas of long grass.
The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Grow in free-draining soil in light shade.
Allow foliage to die down completely after flowering.
Contact us via www.norfolkschoolofgardening.co.uk or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Yahoo
Who is the public's favourite (and least favourite) cabinet member?
👉Listen to Politics at Sam and Anne's on your podcast app👈 Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. Exclusive polling is announced by Sam and Anne, as they reveal the cabinet's popularity rating according to the public. Also, why is the Home Office today releasing a weather report for weather that's already been and gone? They say warm weather impacts the number of small boat crossings. Is this the Labour government laying the turf, readying the British public for a balmy summer, and with that, days of record Channel crossings?
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
The sunshine has been such a treat (but we could do with some rain!)
On and on and on it goes! The sunshine has been such a treat, even if it hasn't been very warm. It seems ridiculous to complain, but the only problem with all this glorious weather is that we have had next to no rain for the past few weeks. March was an incredibly dry month and we are busy watering everything in pots outside as well as in the greenhouses. Diploma students at Barcham Trees (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Trees we planted last year are also getting a regular drink, as are perennials and shrubs we have moved in the past month. The sun has brought out lots of blossom and the first tulips are now in flower as well as narcissi and hyacinths. Many trees are greening up as the first leaves appear and spring is well and truly here. The Diploma students had a study trip to Barcham Trees near Ely this week. Barcham is a fantastic tree nursery which supplies the trade as well as individuals and they gave the students a great insight into how they work with designers. We want the students to graduate with a relationship with lots of local suppliers so this is just one of their nursery visits. After Barcham they had a private tour of the wonderful Fullers' Mill garden in West Stow, Suffolk. Sam Outing (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) It is a beautifully maintained garden with many interesting plants and design features, so was another really useful visit. The garden is about to open for the season to the public, so do go if you get the chance. We have had some great news about one of our first Diploma graduates, Sam Outing, a garden designer based in north Norfolk. Sam has been invited by the RHS to design and project manage their branded planting at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. His scheme mirrors the ethos of the RHS and the Chelsea Flower Show - a celebration of the wonderful world of horticulture and garden design, whilst being seasonal, sustainable and environmentally positive. The focus is on pollinator-friendly, high-impact plants which are at their peak in late May, providing pockets of interest and inspiration for visitors. If you are going to Chelsea do look out for Sam's work around the RHS hub and in the beds in Ranelagh Gardens. If you, like us, want to grow the best dahlias you can this year you won't want to miss the Dahlia Workshop on 8th April which shows you how to propagate and grow these gorgeous flowers which last for so many weeks in late summer, giving so much pleasure. These are a few of the other upcoming courses which have some spaces available. Let us know if you'd like to join us: · Dahlia Workshop – 8th April · Advanced Practical Gardening – 9th April · Sustainable Cutting Garden – 10th April · Certificate in Practical Horticulture – 25th April · Advanced Pruning & Training – 30th April · Basic Bricklaying – 1st May · Gardening Under Glass – 14th April fritillaria meleagris (Image: Norfolk School of Gardening) Plant of the Week Fritillaria meleagris or snake's head fritillary, always attracts attention. No other members of the Fritillaria genus can match this native wildflower for the bizarre and unmistakable colouring of its bell-shaped flowers. These come in various shades of purple and occasionally white, always with a pronounced checked pattern all over. They are extremely hardy and trouble-free, and are ideal for growing in a variety of situations including containers, sunny spring borders and in wildflower meadows or areas of long grass. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Grow in free-draining soil in light shade. Allow foliage to die down completely after flowering. Contact us via or follow us on Instagram or Facebook.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Householders urged not to ‘scrub moss off garden' or be precious about lawn
Experts are encouraging householders not to scrub off the moss in the garden or be 'precious' about their lawn if the dog scruffs it up. The advice, at a Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) event ahead of the annual Chelsea Flower Show, comes as gardening experts said last year's damp, mild weather had made it the 'sluggiest' on record. But the drier, sunnier weather was proving a boon for pollinators which struggled last year, and was likely to reduce activity from the greatest garden foes, slugs and snails – although there were warnings about managing gardens, and particularly soils, in the face of dry conditions. Hayley Jones, principal entomologist at the RHS, said: 'Last year was our sluggiest on record, because our garden enquiries service has had a greater proportion of slug enquiries than anything else.' She added that slugs did well in damp conditions without extremes of heat or cold. 'Returning to more noticeable seasons, hopefully means that there will be less slug activity this spring if it stays dry and sunny,' she said. Pollinating insects also appeared to be benefiting from the weather this spring, after the damp conditions saw bees, butterflies and flies struggle last year. 'So far this year it's looking really positive,' Ms Jones said, with prunus blossom at RHS Wisley, for example, 'absolutely heaving with bumblebees'. 'It feels like a very bright and sunny and buzzing spring,' she said. Among the gardens at Chelsea this year is the RHS and Radio 2 Dog Garden designed by TV gardener Monty Don, with a dog-friendly lawn at its heart. The lawn has been developed by the RHS to be hard-wearing, rather than immaculate, and features lawn wildflowers including daisies and dandelions that gardeners have traditionally fought as weeds. Gardener Jamie Butterworth, who is working on the garden with Monty Don, said: 'Despite this being the greatest flower show on Earth, we don't want this to be an immaculate lawn, we want this to be a modest and familiar one. 'Despite the weeds, this is not about rewilding, nor is it a meadow, nor is it immaculate bowling green, it is a modest, familiar, authentic lawn you'll see in most homes across the UK.' He said the lawn had been developed to be tough and accommodating of dogs, and added: 'Lawns need not be perfect. If you love an immaculate lawn that's great, good for you. If you don't, that's fine as well. 'You don't need to worry or stress about it, the shaggy lawn is back.' Guy Barter, chief horticulturist at the RHS, said: 'Our ultimate dog lawn is in truth, pretty humble, combining only a hard-wearing grass seed and the stalwarts of the garden – daisies, dandelions and clover. 'It's a reminder that lawns don't have to look perfect to be perfect for our pets, everyday use and the wider environment.' Mr Barter and Dawn Grehan, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home's lead horticulturalist, shared tips for making gardens dog friendly, such as choosing scented plants and flowers in colours dogs can see such as yellows and blues and avoiding species that can be toxic to the animals. And Ms Grehan said: 'I know firsthand dogs love lawns. Try not to be precious about your lawn, it might get a bit scratched up, rolled on, but embrace that – the enrichment benefits they are getting from that are huge.' Ahead of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, gardeners are also being urged to support another humble backyard feature – moss. Zoe Claymore, designer of the Wildlife Trusts and Aviva's 'rainforest garden' at Chelsea which is inspired by the UK's rare and precious temperate rainforest habitat rich in mosses, lichens and ferns, said: 'Moss is a plant, it is amazing. Please don't ignore it and scrub it off the garden.' She said: 'I think it's been overlooked because we get attracted by pretty flowers, and we often overlook the smaller things that don't shine as bright. 'I think a lot of people have forgotten it's a plant, and actually just seen it as something to scrub off, to get rid of, they see it like dirt, and it's actually an amazing plant.' Moss is an 'amazing' air cleaner, holds a lot of moisture which can help absorb water in a damp, boggy garden, can attach to surfaces to green up urban areas and boost mental health, is cheaper than trying to grow plants that do not fit in shady, damp areas and is even nice to lie on, she said.
