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The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Chelsea tips for small gardens: experiment – and learn from mistakes
The perfectly hewn rocks, babbling brooks and exquisite drifts of flawless flowers of the Chelsea flower show are an out-of-reach dream for anyone without a big-budget sponsor. But this year, tucked away on a short, shaded stretch away from the elite show gardens, were 10 Chelsea newcomers demonstrating what can be achieved in even the smallest of spaces on balconies and containers. Silver medal winner and Chelsea debutant Hamzah-Adam Desai doesn't even have a garden. But in his personal time he has spent years working his green-fingered magic in a communal square in his home in east London. His 'peace of mind' garden at Chelsea impressed the judges with its restful, pared back 'restorative' greens to one side through to the purples and pops of yellow and red on the other, in what he describes as a 3D colour wheel. He trained as a gardener 16 years ago after a bout of seasonal affective disorder but the real education is just doing it. 'It's a constant kind of experimentation', he says, urging amateurs to learn from their mistakes just as the professionals do. 'I live in a square where we had lots of areas which weren't gardened so you know we have areas in share where I have my woodland planting and then sunny areas where I have my herbaceous plants.' One of his top tips for balconies is to 'avoid bedding plants', which he says are less sustainable, only last a year and can be a garden passion killer. Go for 'more shrubby, coastal plants' including heuchera, which 'can have very interesting colours', and grasses that 'are brilliant for movement' such as Stipa tenuissima or 'wind whispers' with spikes of soft plumes that dance in the gentlest of breezes. Gardeners should also remember that in urban areas they are likely to be dealing with microclimates. 'Some balconies have glass so when the sun shines the poor plants are being roasted. It is a microclimate; get to know it and what plants work in that environment,' he says. One of the stars of his garden is an exquisite aquilegia lemon queen, with pale yellow flowers dangling from long spikes. It is a self seeder and was also chosen by his neighbouring designer Ben Strickland and Ben Gifford. He has also created height – a key to creating privacy and visual variety – by lifting his sage green containers behind his seating area, created through clever vertical stacking of slabs. His are custom-made, but the same effect could be achieved by tiles or slabs taken from an old patio. Next door to Hamza are gold medal winners Catherine Gibbon and Jen Donnelly, whose part shade garden was inspired by their volunteering at a walled garden at Amersham hospital. Donnelly's quickfire top tips for container gardens is to go for the single biggest container you can and use it for multiple plants rather than smaller pots for individual plants which are then prone to drying out. Donnelly advises gardeners to buy one pot for four plants rather than four separate pots. Choosing the same colour container throughout your small space will tie everything together, another design trick, she says. Her star tip isrepetition. 'Don't just have one of each plant, have multiples of them and repeat them through the garden.' 'When you go to the garden centre don't buy 10 different things, buy 10 of the same, or five of two different things. It will immediately transform your garden,' she says. Another tip shared by all the designers is to place plants with the same watering needs in the one pot. Don't be tempted to put water loving hydrangea with drought-tolerant lavender, for example. Designwise, diagonals rather than straight lines can be used to create a sense of space. 'Our space here is only 3 metres by 4 metres but it feels a lot bigger because we have gone for the diagonal,' she says, referring to the planters but also the pergola overhead. 'It stretches the space because it draws your eye to the longest line of your garden,' she says. Her garden is testament to the power of shade loving plants, something vital for the hospital's east-facing aspect and shade-creating high walls. Among the most asked about plants is a variety of lady's mantle – gold strike – and anemone – wild swan – that flower earlier than other Japanese anemones and have purplish reverse petals. Donnelly and Gibbon's garden is inspired by their work at Amersham hospital and is designed to help caregivers recharge with a palette of greens and burgundy, creating a harmonious colour scheme by limiting hues to variations within a colour band. Further down the road, crowds are wowed by Freddie Strickland and Ben Gifford's 'a space to read' balcony garden. The star of the show is the magnificent Cornus kousa Milky Way, a small tree in the dogwood family. With their pink and white flower-like bracts they are highly valued in places like Seattle, but are not so common in the UK. The trees can grow up to 12 metres tall in the ground but in a pot they can be show-stopper addition to a small garden, provided they are not exposed to winds, and are placed in partial sun and neutral to acidic soil. 'This can be pruned minimally once a year. It is a lovely tree, a hard-working tree, with three seasons of interest, the flower which lasts for a month, the fruits and then lovely autumn colour,' says Strickland. The two designers took a silver gilt medal for their garden dominated by hues of green set off by a wall of vertically placed tiles to mimic a book shelf and two handmade garden chairs. Strickland's garden is testament to the less is more philosophy. In 15 containers he has 20 plant types with accents of white, pink and soft yellow including ground cover stars such as the palmate leaved Muckdenia rossii and Epimedium 'orangekonigin' with sprays of delicate orange flowers and an evergreen fern, Polypodium vulgare. Other plants delivering height is a delicate grass, Deschampsia sespitosa, which twinkles in the evening light. Strickland, who trained in Cornwall, advises those with high rise balconies exposed to windy conditions to walk around their neighbourhood to see what grows well, or to join a local gardening club: 'Gardeners love to talk about gardening.' To survive in containers belonging to people with busy lives, 'the plants have to work really hard' so choose those with interest, not the brightest thing in the garden centre, he says. 'It's really important to encourage people to embrace maintenance as part of the routine, getting your fingers in the soil is a joyous part of living.' For those without gardens or new to gardening, succulents are a great start, says Jack Drewitt of Surreal Succulents. He advises novices to try anything in the aeonium or echeveria families or an Aloe vera. 'They are ideal for window boxes. People grow them in boots, shoes, just make sure they have a hole for drainage and they are happy in most small spaces and are very easy to propagate,' says Drewitt. Some of the less hardy ones will survive on heating transmitted through glass in the winter and will survive in window boxes. 'They are very forgiving and very accessible and really good for children to start them understanding how plants grow. They are fun,' he added.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Like a hot knife through butter': Fiskars pruning shears are down to $14
If you're a seasoned gardener, you know that having a great set of snippers is non-negotiable. But if you're new to the wonderful world of at-home horticulture, I found a tool that can turn a jungle into a primrose path: the top-selling Fiskars Pruning Shears. Shoppers love them for their ease of use and, of course, sharp blades. Careful! They can slice through almost anything. And speaking of cutting, Amazon just slashed the price of these savvy slicers to $14 (down from $21), so now's the time to pounce. If you have a green thumb, you'll want to add them to your cart ASAP — they're a great upgrade. And if you don't have a green thumb, these shears will help you get one. I lived in a small Manhattan apartment for years, so I didn't have a garden but often displayed flowers from my local market. For years, I tried using regular scissors and I'd get so frustrated because no matter how much force I used, they wouldn't snap flower stems smoothly. After moving to the suburbs and getting a garden of my very own, I thought, "Enough is enough!" and found these fantastic Fiskars shears at Amazon. I've owned them for several years and they work perfectly every single time. They have a soft, nonslip grip and a coating on the blades so they easily glide through even thick stems. They haven't rusted on me, either. Experienced gardeners say they cut like a "hot knife through butter." That makes them easy to handle, even if you can't garden like you used to because of arthritis or decreased grip strength. A self-cleaning groove helps keep the blade from sticking to sap or debris — a big selling point for experienced gardeners. I especially love the easy-lock notch that keeps them closed when I'm not using them. With 38,000-plus five-star ratings, you know you've stumbled on something special. More than 60,000 shears have been bought in the last month alone! "Arthritis has no more power over me," shared a satisfied snipper. "I was unable to use the larger cutting tools because I have nasty arthritis, but with the Fiskars, it's snip and snip and snip, most times for larger diameter plants too. I am ordering another one today. Yes, it's that good." "Excellent pruning shears," added an experienced gardener. "Easy to handle and cuts very well. Works on small and medium branches of numerous plants. Pruning ferns, hosta and arborvitaes. Fiskars products are well-made. In my opinion, the product should be in any gardener's toolbox." "I was looking for a nicer pair of shears after my old ones broke," wrote a five-star fan. "OMG! What an upgrade. These shears are effortless to use. Makes my pruning chores so much easier on my hands. Makes it more enjoyable with less hand fatigue. They are also well built and I expect them to last a very, very long time." "Very sharp, provides an easy, clean cut," said a rave reviewer. "Being able to quickly lock the pruners and slip them into a pocket was very convenient." This peeved planter gave the pair five stars but had one gripe: "The only thing I wish is that they had bright-colored grips because I lay them down in the yard frequently and lose them temporarily." Another agreed: "I keep losing my clippers in the high flora of my native plants [and] find them years later. I now tie yellow danger tape around the handles in hopes of not losing them. Anyway, these are great and not too expensive. I bought two pairs for the reason already stated." If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Home Bargains is selling a £5 buy that makes ‘gardening a breeze' – and will save your back this summer
GARDENING can be a great way to spend a warm summer's day, but it can also quite a laborious activity. A budget buy can save you the back pain of moving pots and other heavier items this summer. So if you're someone with a keen green thumb but have always been put off by the body aches caused from hauling around your materials, don't worry. An affordable item from Home Bargains is guaranteed to make gardening an easier task. The Jardin Planter Caddy With Wheels is available in a set of two for just £4.98. According to the product description, this buy "makes gardening a breeze". "These lightweight caddies let you effortlessly move your heavy planters, giving you more time to style your garden just the way you like it," manufacturers said. You no longer have to strain yourself trying to move your heavy garden planters or pots. Simply place them on the planter caddy and let it do all the hard work. For extra ease, why not place your empty planter on the caddy and fill it to avoid any lifting. This easy step will give you more time to style and select the perfect spot in your garden. The caddy is described as "lightweight" and measures 18 centimetres in diameter, making it ideal for use with most planters. Grow your groceries - how to grow tomatoes from tomatoes! As well as preventing back strain and speeding up the process, these caddies have additional benefits. They can protect surfaces from scratches or leaks, keeping your floors and patios clean and intact. And since back pain is a common complaint among gardeners, especially older people, this budget buy may be just what you need. Home Bargains also has a budget-friendly buy that helps your knees while tending to your flower beds. The budget retailer is also selling a budget buy guaranteed to . Top 5 Spring Gardening Jobs *If you click a link in this boxout, we may earn affiliate revenue Nick Grey, Gtech Inventor and CEO shared the tasks to crack on with as Spring arrives. 1. Clean your garden Make sure to clear away all leaves, soil and plant debris from your patios and flower beds; this creates a healthier environment for new growth, especially as we get into the summer months. Gtech's Garden Safety Kit includes durable gardening gloves and safety glasses; perfect for comfortability whilst tackling those outdoor tasks. 2. Weeding Early Spring is the best time to tackle weeds; if you can introduce some regular weeding into your routine, you can guarantee a tidy garden all year round. 3. Hedge maintenance Spring is the ideal time to tidy up overgrown hedges and shrubs, as regular trimming ensures healthy growth and reduces pest issues. Using a tool like the Gtech Lightweight Hedge Trimmer can help to keep your greenery looking sharp and neat. 4. Composting Starting a compost heap this spring is a pro-active, cost-effective way to harness nutritious soil for your plants and recycle organic waste that will benefit the overall health of your greenery and foliage. 5. Look after your lawn Lawn care is hugely important in assuring your garden stays looking beautiful. Make sure to rake away any excess leaves and trim your grass routinely. Another garden light from the store is described as having a "cute" twist. And shoppers can also pick up a £9.99 novelty decor buy that adds character to flowerbeds. A £7 gardening gadget is also available from Home Bargains and is guaranteed to transform your lawn. Home Bargains shoppers can choose from a variety of 20 plants available for as little as £2.99. 2
