Local Heroes
Chelsea Physic Garden: Forget-me-nots
An important and endearing initiative by the Chelsea Physic Garden to support people living with dementia and their families.
Plants
The Caley Brothers: Accessible mushroom growing
Mushrooms are having their moment and on their way to becoming a staple in the gardener’s grow-your-own arsenal.
Events
Plant Health: a glimpse behind the scenes
Exclusive trade event held at Fera’s Plant Health laboratory in York on plant health on the 14th of February 2024.
Gardens
Bumper 2024 National Garden Scheme season
The National Garden Scheme promises a wonderful, expanded portfolio of gardens to visit this year.
Business
Scottish Woodlands appoints peatland project manager
Scottish Woodlands Ltd (SWL) has appointed Dr Erin Stoll as its first Peatland Project Manager, reflecting the growing significance of peatland restoration in the future of the rural environment.
Awards
Botanical black & white photography competition
The first photo project of the new International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) competition is open for entries.
Plants
Lichen survives in space
Attached to outside of the International Space Station, lichen survived 18 months raising prospect life could exist on Mars.
Gardens
Scotland’s Gardens Scheme launches 2024 season
A new season of Scotland’s gardens to raise much needed funds for charities and involving over 1000 volunteers and garden owners.
Health
Sarah Raven on combatting the January blues
Expert gardener and author Sarah Raven is a fierce advocate for spending time outdoors in nature to boost one’s wellbeing.
Plants
Pioneering start-up enlists public as citizen scientists to save Britain’s Ash trees
The biochar start-up, Earthly Biochar, has announced the launch of its government-funded project to try and save Britain’s ash trees.
Health
Eden Project launches Nature Connections Initiative
The Eden Project has announced a number of group activities starting during January which aim to bring people (of all ages) closer to nature and each other.
Worth a read
The world’s ugliest lawn
Tasmanian garden wins prize for world’s ugliest lawn highlighting how people can save water, help animals and free themselves from lawn-mowing
RHS
Sue Ryder Grief Kind Garden
Designed as a safe and peaceful sanctuary, the Sue Ryder Grief Garden offers a place sit within nature to share experiences of grief and quiet reflection.
Media
Channel 5: Secret Life of Trees
Channel 5 has commissioned a new three-part series charting ‘The Secret Life of Trees’, to be filmed over the course of a year, throughout the UK and Europe.
Charity
David Austin Roses donates £10,000 to Grow to Know
The donation by renowned rose breeders is for the West London-based community of guerrilla gardeners, Grow to Know founded in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
Gardens
The Size of Wales Garden
An RHS Chelsea garden inspired by the abundance and diversity of tropical forests, and the works of Size of Wales to prevent the tragedy of their destruction.
Plants
Flowers are evolving to self-pollinate
Findings published in the New Phytologist show that scientists have discovered that flowering plants growing are increasingly depending less on insect pollinators.
Plants
OATA urges retailers to stop selling Gunnera
Retailers are advised to cease stocking and selling Gunnera due to the likelihood that the plant is result of a crossing with the banned Gunnera tinctoria.
Worth a listen
Houseplants on Hort-Talk
Comprehensive podcast about the houseplant market, customer base, drivers & benefits, featuring Jonathan Miller from Hortihouse, Alex and Mike Opperman from Opperman Plants, and Dr. Tijana Blanusa from RHS & Reading University.
RHS
Planet Good Earth Garden
A skateable garden designed by skatepark design and build specialists Betongpark and edible garden specialists Urban Organi, supporting physical activity, positive relationships in a natural setting.
