Andrearichter's Outbox

Cliffo, this is a Botanical Gardenin Ventnor on the Isle of Wight, it is a little bigger than your bog standard fence surrounded back garden.
Your information is useful though, perhaps you should write your own blog on it.

The only RHS gardens are
Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Wisley. They are all in England.

There are no RHS Gardens in Northern Ireland or Wales either never mind Scotland!

However, here is a list of RHS Recommended Gardens

The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire
St Andrews Botanic Garden, Fife
Tatton Park Gardens, Cheshire
For colourful stems and bark
Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery, south Derbyshire
The Beth Chatto Gardens, Essex
Anglesey Abbey Gardens, Cambridgeshire
For winter-flowering/winter-scented plants
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
Nymans, West Sussex
Aberglasney Gardens, Carmarthenshire

Two of which are in Scotland. There are Royal Parks, Botanical Gardens and all sorts of societies that have gardens under their umbrella, just because it isn't RHS, why it so important that it has to be?
As long as the spaces provide some sort of enjoyment as well as national collections, endangered species monitoring and research, why get so annoyed?

It froze overnight and all the snow we had on Tues/wed has turned to a solid frozen mass. We have more snow predicted for tonight and services are shutting down again. There is no post or food supplies getting to the Island and the local shops are out of essentials. I'm just raiding my larder and am going to bake bread tomorrow, no builders tea, it's the fruity stuff as I've got no milk!

It could be Corokia Cotoneaster - 'Wire Netting Bush', a New Zealand native

We have it on the IOW. 12 inches or more, all my shrubs and trees have been literally flattened.

It reached the Isle of Wight too, big time. All the plants including an established Coronilla and Eucalyptus have been totally flattened under the heavy snow. We have had 30 or more cm here, All the schools are closed and I can't get into work. My garden is ruined :(

No problem, why not join up and any time you need advice from us or members closer to (your) home you will find some experienced and diverse knowledge.
All the best and happy new year

FFS, all I did was call my cat thick, anyone would think I'd threatened to boil it in oil!

I would cut off the main flower stalk and leave the leaves for a while to photosynthasise. This is when a plant takes the light from the sun to energise for next years growth. I would leave them on for a couple of months then you can cut them off and let the bulb dry out.

Unfortunately cuttings cannot be taken from Yuccas. They grow from one central point, however they may produce off shoots around the main stem which are under the soil level and from the main root system. These can be removed taking root with them and potted on to form another plant, alternatively they will grow around the main stem of your plant.

Do you have one Spritz? I think it can withstand temperatures as low as -15 c, so it may be ok in sunny Cleveland.

Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea is a large shrub which may suit the bill, It grows tall and is evergreen with pink flowers. It is a member of the hop family but not as invasive. They are hardy and I grow them in my garden, I would recommend it.

I can't believe you have taken me seriously Hywel. Someone suggested a spud gun before me and they haven't even got a tut from you! Never mind the bile which has been directed at me
I wasn't being nasty, I was as Seaburngirl said, being tongue in cheek!!
As usual on this site some poor sods (trevor, this is not meant personally) question has been turned into a mud flinging exercise between members. If you want to say something to me, do it by PM!! And keep it off the site

I like all animals but I'm not going to get into an argument with any of you, I do love our cat Jasmine - maybe some of you should practice a sense of humour for a new years resolution, I'm out of here!!

Fair enough but I have an identical plant in my garden, have a look on google images

I have a cat and it does its business in my garden, it is thick!! When I covered my beds with chicken wire, then covered with bark chippings it couldn't dig the garden and it started to s**t in my ginger lillies, which were in pots!! I have even caught it in my greenhouse poising over 9cm pots. I spray it with the hose, as close up as I can!!
I did find that the chicken wire over the exposed soil, then covered with bark chippings was the best deterrant for my beds and plants can still grow through it.
Unfortunately this is an age old problem and until cats become extinct we are stuck with the problem. Heavily planted gardens so there is no exposed soil is the best, but as I said my wretched animal finds the soil in my pots!

This may be helpful. Have a look on google, you may come across something that helps, I found this;

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tropical/msg0211111527029.html

It is known as holly fern - cyrtomium falcatum. It needs damp shady conditions to grow really well, I've got a few in my garden.

Ask at your local tip where people drop off their green waste, they might be able to help. Depending on where you live, you may have to phone the main number, explain your needs then they might be able to help

I can get about a tonne or a metre cubed for £38 - including delivery. I can't imagine how much that would be in comparison to the stuff you can pick up in bags at B&Q. I think the answer is to make your own!!

A sensory garden would be nice, for taste and smell there are many non toxic herbs.

That's what I thought, but if no-one else saw that other post, how would they know!!

Not too sure what your question is? Why not join up and then you can interact with everyone, this is a bit random!!

About topsoil, I have purchased compost, horse manure and topsoil from my local authority. The compost and topsoil have never shown any signs of weed seeds at all. I get more weed seeds from the pre bagged stuff you can buy in B&Q or your local garden centre.
If you can rely on the organic matter and topsoil you can get from your local authority then this is cheap and well worth it.
This is an ongoing debate on this site, but it all depends on your own experience on this one I'm afraid. Mine happens to be positive.

Here is a link to a site which never fails me when it comes to name roses

The company is called Country Garden Roses (www.countrygardenroses.co.uk)

I have found 'Dorothy' on here

http://www.countrygardenroses.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Dorothy&cat=29

In the Botanical Gardens, it is growing over a 3ft wall in a partial shady area, the leaves are on it at the moment and it does flower every year. I will find somewhere protected and warm and see how I go. I'm not a huge fan of honeysuckle as a rule, but with the evergreen large leaves and the flowers are huge and smell like mango. It is similar, but a totally unique specimen of lonicera and I thought I would give it go. Thanks for your feedback A x Happy New Year!!

I would consider raised beds if I was you. I would build them about 2 ft high, digging over the soil below and incorporating organic matter and grit for drainage, then build your raised bed and add your topsoil and muck!

I wouldn't risk it if you are putting it in the ground the soil is too damp and cold.
If you are taking it out of the garden, put it in a pot filled with soil which has been kept in a shed or sunny part of the garden.
Need a bit more information really

i have 3 Alpine Mints in my garden planted this year. I can't believe that a plant can survive for 3 years and not send out any new roots to the surrounding soil. I could understand a fatality after one season, but 3?!
I think I will need to dig mine up in the warmer months and check to see if the root ball is compact. i don't recall it being like that when I planted it, but i put so much stuff in this year my head is spinning!!
I am going to try some Correa next year. I am working full time now and I need someone to look after my garden!

Cheese plants and rubber plants are always used in indoor swimming pools. Anything that enjoys a warm humid climate - look to the amazonian rainforest plants, bromeliads and orchids. A slow growing palm might also be nice, it depends on the size of the space. Let them know to look in the indoor plant section of their local garden centre - or even B&Q and IKEA offer large specimens for a budget price.