Isle of Wight County Press Online

Gardening Diary

Recycling can be your garden’s best friend

Recycling can be your garden’s best friend

Friday, February 3, 2012

GARDENINGBEFORE the council came up with wheelie bins, caddies and the like, gardeners had embraced recycling wholeheartedly.

Snowdrops in the spotlight

Snowdrops in the spotlight

Friday, January 27, 2012

GARDENINGSNOWDROPS are the garden portent of weather changing for the better

Pickled onion war hots up

Pickled onion war hots up

Friday, January 20, 2012

GARDENINGTHIS year, the plan is to break my duck and celebrate the tenth anniversary of the annual Pickle Wars, never having quite got there in previous years.

Effects of climate change are blooming obvious

Effects of climate change are blooming obvious

Friday, January 13, 2012

GARDENINGIT DIDN’T take a professor, whose speciality is Living with Environmental Change, to tell Mavis Bishop, or anyone else on the Island, climate change is having an effect on plants.

Topical tips

Friday, January 13, 2012

GARDENINGIN THE kitchen garden, it is time to start the first sowing of salads under cover and broad beans. These can be started in the greenhouse or shed if the ground outside is wet and cold.

New varieties to get the ideas flowing for 2012

New varieties to get the ideas flowing for 2012

Friday, January 6, 2012

GARDENINGTHERE are hosts of new varieties of flowers, fruit and vegetables to look forward to this year.

Sculptor’s praise for the strawberry tree

Sculptor’s praise for the strawberry tree

Friday, December 30, 2011

GARDENINGWHEN wood sculptor Paul Sivell was looking for a suitable name for his business he was faced with panoply of choice.

Plants show effects of climate change

Friday, December 30, 2011

GARDENINGTHE effects of climate change are now becoming commonplace and it is amazing how quickly we come to accept them.

Holly and ivy are not just for Christmas

Holly and ivy are not just for Christmas

Friday, December 23, 2011

GARDENING I MAKE no apology for returning to a well-worn theme at this festive time of year because gardening is very much a moveable feast and things move on quickly in a year.

Be wary with the watering

Be wary with the watering

Friday, December 16, 2011

GARDENINGTWO very different, but intriguing, flowering plants were highlighted to me by readers this week.

Inspired to try a different fruit

Inspired to try a different fruit

Friday, December 9, 2011

GARDENINGAS WE walked through Appley Woods near Ryde picking wild strawberries — the very best kind — my dear old mother warned me about the ‘strawberries’ that grow on trees.
“Don’t eat them, they’re poisonous, you know,” she told me.

Create your own wreath

Create your own wreath

Friday, December 9, 2011

GARDENINGCHRISTMAS wreathmaking takes place at Ventnor Botanic Garden next Saturday, December 17, between 2pm and 4pm in the Echium Room.

Where is Seaview’s missing royal gift?

Where is Seaview’s missing royal gift?

Friday, December 2, 2011

GARDENINGDON’T we all love a detective story? And here is one just down the road from me that I have, so far, been unable to unravel…

Unlikely flower bed fellows

Unlikely flower bed fellows

Friday, November 25, 2011

GARDENINGAT LEAST two continents ‘collide', in Peter Matthews’ garden.
He has an uncommon collection from around the world merrily thriving in that micro-climate that is the Undercliff.

A Christmas bloomer with no sense of timing

A Christmas bloomer with no sense of timing

Friday, November 18, 2011

GARDENINGCHRISTMAS comes but once a year but the so-called Christmas cactus often blooms twice — and not always during the festive season.

More Features

Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday, January 20, 2012

Friday, January 13, 2012

Friday, January 6, 2012

Most Read

  1. New names added to festival bill

    Monday, February 6, 2012

  2. Bin fire caught on video

    Monday, February 6, 2012

  3. Cycle route almost complete

    Monday, February 6, 2012

  4. Bin idea is way forward to new minibus

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  5. More Bestival acts added

    Monday, February 6, 2012