Garden Centre

CISTUS ladanifer

By hugo66 [member]

Readily grows in English Gardens North or South of the Scottish border to five feet or so. The leaves are long and oval in shape and in hot weather exude a sticky gum (Labdanum) as used in the Perfume Industry and used in incenses. To stop the plant becoming leggy, cut out six inches of the leader so that it becomes bushy. The flowers are white and may be two inches to three inches across (in Spain). it has around five reddish-brown dots on the petls looking a little like a five-pointed star. The flowers have hardly any smell, but the gum or resin on the leaves is odoriferous and as the temperature increases - so does its scent from the gum. I have two plants and so far, has had all kinds of weather and wind flung at them and they've come through with little or no affect at all when temperatures have plummeted at night in Northumberland.

star jasmine

By Lin (Spain)

Just purchase two trachelospermun jazminoide to grow against mesh fence to placed into ground for our garden in Mucia, Spain. Recommended by garden centre for evergreen, hardy and perfume. Will keep you posted.

sea holly

By hillsider [member]

I love the sea holly, I have one in my garden at my holiday home by the coast and one in my garden at home high up in the Pennines, they both do well all year round and are stunning from July to September when they turn a beautiful blue. Neither needs much care although I am not sure what to do with them in the winter but reading various documents I believe I just leave them until March but if anybody has any advice it would be gratefully received.

McCULLOCH TITANIUM 46RSD SELF-PROPELLED PETROL REAR ROLLER LAWNMOWER

By Peter Derbyshire (Preston, Lancs.)

This machine is, frankly, rubbish. I have owned mine for two seasons now and am thoroughly disillusioned with it. After one season I had to replace the diaphragm and now the rear drive has gone. So much for reliability. The machine itself? Well, for a start, the blades have insufficient power to push the mown grass back into the box properly. Consequently, on all but the driest days you are left with unsightly trails of mown grass which have dropped from the side of the machine. The solutions are to either cut then go back over the trails to pick up the dead grass, effectively doubling the length of time it takes to mow the lawn, or keep stopping and pushing the grass back into the box by hand. Additionally, the poor design of the rear roller assembly means that, on turning, it digs into the grass and leaves holes. To avoid this, you have to lift the rear roller when turning, and this machine is not light.

I would not recommend this machine to anybody. My advice? either buy a real cheap and cheerful one and push it yourself, or save up and buy a decent machine, like a Honda, which I am now doing.

Pete

black bamboo

By Jack (London)

I bought two of these and have been delighted so far and have planted them in large containers. The bamboos arrived healthy and well packed in upright boxes.