Lambing day in Reading plus more things to do this weekend

Looking for something to do at the weekend? Take a look at our suggested events for Friday, May 5 to Sunday, May 7

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/lambing-day-reading-plus-more-12957933

Commentator Clive Tyldesley joins Arborfield fight against huge quarry plan

The voice of English football is part of a group which is enormously worried about the plans from Cemex for a 14 year excavation project

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/commentator-clive-tyldesley-joins-arborfield-12947558

Heston's Michelin starred restaurant reopens with hunting theme

Hind's Head in Bray has reopened following a makeover

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/hestons-michelin-starred-restaurant-reopens-12957367

How to think like a modern plant hunter…

If you google ‘plant hunter’, Michael Perry, aka Mr Plant Geek, will pop up sooner rather than later.

Plant hunters used to be Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian adventurers.

Michael Perry, ‘Mr Plant Geek.’

Kew describes a ‘plant hunter’ as a ‘keen and knowledgeable botanist with adventure in their hearts, someone who will take risks…to seek out the most beautiful and unusual plants.’

What is a modern plant hunter?

Today’s plant hunters actually help create the most beautiful and unusual plants. Michael helps develop ‘plants and plant concepts’ (such as the Egg & Chips plant from Thompson & Morgan). He travels the world, plant hunting, advising, demonstrating, lecturing and filming.

An amaryllis border in Florida. Grown as a house plant in the UK!

He’s currently to-ing and fro-ing from Florida, where’s he’s filming for HSN, the broadcasting and shopping channel (a rival to QVC, where he’s also appeared regularly.)

But a modern plant hunter doesn’t just fly in and out of places. Their noses are always pressed to the window, seeking out plants, new ways to grow plants, new plant concepts…there is always a plant to observe, record or adapt.

The Middlesized Garden rarely takes guest posts, but I’m delighted to welcome Michael’s plant musings from Florida:

Michael Perry says:

‘I remember poring over all sorts of horticultural books as I grew up, marvelling at the full colour picture plates of plants I’d never seen, and didn’t imagine I’d ever see.

Little did I know that almost 30 years later, I’d be half living and working in a neighbourhood where those plants were as common as a privet hedge, a border of petunias, or a fuchsia bush…

Now I’m super lucky to be working for the spring season in Florida, as I present for USA channel, HSN. My ‘hood’ is the St Pete area, which- unlike it’s namesake- is a warm, lush, tropical paradise. It can be hard to get my head straight- am I working or on holiday?? I tend to blend both and sunbathe between TV segments!

Frangipani on the streets of Florida. You can grow it as a houseplant if you give it 5 hours a day of direct sun, plus some humidity.

But, we came here to talk about plants, didn’t we?

So, here in Florida, privet is not a ‘thing’. The hedge specimens of choice are Ixora, Schefflera (only seen in the UK as a HOUSEPLANT!), and Trachelospermum in all shapes and sizes. In fact, I’ve been told Trachelospermum is the smell of spring to Floridians, in a similar way that daffodils are to us (or are they? what smells of ‘spring’ to you?)

A schefflera hedge – once again, it’s grown as a house plant in Northern climates!

And forget hanging baskets with shimmering petunias and begonias, it’s kinda too hot for them and you see them few and far between. Around St Pete, the grand avenue trees often play host to giant hanging baskets with Platycerium (Stags Horn Fern). They are utterly spectacular!

Ruellia simplex, otherwise called ‘wild petunias.’ They’re able to withstand the heat in Florida.

Bedding can sometimes feature Begonias, if in reliable shade, but my main spot is Pentas. A colourful little member that I’d love to see grown in Europe more often, but alas it needs higher light levels than we can provide. Around St Pete, Pentas is the bedder of choice, giving a similar look to those funky little Phlox drummondii we often grow.

Our houseplants – their kerbside thugs

As everywhere is so warm and lush, plants grow QUICK. I am often aghast to see beautiful, tropical specimens trimmed back to keep them behaving themselves. In Europe, we’d be praying they’d grow that much! Exotic ferns, bromeliads and Shell Ginger are all kerbside ‘thugs’, but in the nicest possible way!

Amaryllis in a border rather than a pot – be still, my beating heart…

And, Amaryllis are border specimens. Gosh, I needed a lie down to get over the shock after every exploration!

Shell ginger – a ‘kerbside thug’ in Florida!

Trees are showstoppers too, for example the Banyan Tree with it’s dangling roots. Or how about the graceful Norfolk Island Pine?

A Banyan tree. Believe it or not, you can even get this as a houseplant. Banyan trees as Bonsai anyone? (affiliate link)

Whatever tree you spot, it is often clothed with Spanish Moss too. This ethereal, silvery moss is actually a parasite. It is deceptively difficult to get a good shot of, as that Florida sun is always just behind it..

Spanish moss, a parasite dangling from trees. Now getting popular as a house plant in the UK….see video at the end.

It isn’t ALL exotic though, I have spotted a few rather happy Rose bushes too. In fact, I am told the Americans really admire English gardens and want to grow more of ‘our’ plants!

Could you get the Florida garden effect?

But, can you grow those Florida specimens in the same way in the UK? The answer is mostly NO, I am sorry. However, there are a few ‘get rounds’, for example Amaryllis ‘Sonatini’- an outdoor Amaryllis, Pentas can be grown but with varying success, the best is apparently one called ‘Northern Lights’.

You may find that Griselinia gives a slight ’Schefflera look’ as a hedge though. Hmm, ferns can of course be grown, but may not become so abundant, but a nice patch of Athyrium always pleases! The Stags Horn Ferns are best kept indoors though, although could cope with a few sunny patio days!

The grass is always greener…

Isn’t it so funny how we Europeans wish we could grow the Floridian hot house tropical beauties, yet the Americans ache for the English simplicities of a Fuchsia bush or formal box hedge? Funny old bunch, us plants people!’

Note from Alexandra: Read more here on how to grow exotic-looking plants in a cool climate.

Michael Perry also has a line of t-shirts called ‘Rude Botany.’  They are decorated with slogans such as ‘rubus cockburnianus’ and ‘clitoria ternatea’. All real botanical names!

The Rude Botany T-shirts from Michael Perry.

You can follow his adventures via his blog, Instagram feed, Facebook or Twitter.

Get the Florida look in houseplants:

Here’s a selection of 6 different Spanish moss or Tillandsia available from Amazon (affiliate link – you can click through to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee.)

Or read this for more about the exotic look indoors with orchids.

And for a bit more about Spanish moss or Tillandsia (aka airplants) see this from the RHS Orchid Show in London recently:

Meanwhile, when you go on holiday this year, look at the front gardens. The back gardens. The street planting. (I’ve written a post here for Michael’s blog on how to find private gardens to visit when you’re on holiday.)  The British gardening tradition isn’t just Gertrude Jekyll and native plantings. We’ve always borrowed from all around the world.

The post How to think like a modern plant hunter… appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/travel-like-modern-plant-hunter/

Bluebells are not being "destroyed" by workers in Chazey Heath despite fears

The owners of the estate have explained that this is a routine and the bluebells will regenerate

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/bluebells-not-being-destroyed-workers-12956959

Women in Reading more likely to overdose on drugs than men

Reading is one of just a fraction of areas in England where more women have been taken to A&E for drug poisoning

from getreading - Health http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/health/women-reading-more-likely-overdose-12906027

Sign up for Race for Life in Reading now

The race returns this July to raise vital finds for Cancer Research UK

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/sign-up-race-life-reading-12956930

Win a handmade Oak & Rope Seed Packet Tidy worth £65!

I’ve been given an oak ‘Seed Packet Tidy’ by The Oak & Rope Company.

And I liked it so much I asked the company to give you one, too.

The Oak & Rope Seed Packet Tidy – a handsome and practical way of keeping seeds you sow over the summer.

Many seeds – especially vegetables – need to be sown successionally, or later in the year. I forget about them when they’re tucked away in a box or drawer.

So this Seed Packet Tidy (£65 from Oak & Rope) is great – I can see what needs to be sown next. The seed packets really do prop up easily, and you can fit loads in. And it’s a very attractive addition to your desk or potting shed.

Hand-carved solid wood furniture and gifts

The Oak & Rope Company make a range of hand-crafted gifts and furniture out of oak. Their pieces can be personalised with the message or name of your choice.

And the rest of the garden range includes swings, benches and signs, along with the seed packet tidy, planters and a beautiful teak sun lounger.

Teak sun lounger in the Adirondack style, with a detachable footstool and armrests for drinks. £595 plus up to 80 letters of your choice hand-carved. They also sell a wide range of hand-carved oak desk tidies and organisers.

Oak & Rope Planters: Large ones cost £695 plus up to 60 letters engraved, medium sized are £595 plus up to 60 letters engraved.

These beautiful oak planters have interiors painted with thick rubberised sealant and the bottom is slatted in balau wood for drainage.

If you’re looking for personalised gifts, you can have messages or names inscribed on their products. These are included in the price of some items, and cost extra for others – check The Oak & Rope Company website for details.

To win the Oak & Rope Company Seed Packet Tidy

Either leave a comment on this post, telling us which flowers or vegetables you like to grow from seed.

Or share this post on Twitter. And, if you’re reading this on Facebook, simply ‘like’ the post to enter.

Competition ends May 14th 2017 at midnight.

And good luck! It really is both delightful and useful.

 

The post Win a handmade Oak & Rope Seed Packet Tidy worth £65! appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/win-handmade-oak-rope-seed-packet-tidy-worth-65/

Reading Traffic: Heavy around town centre but no incidents on roads or trains

Your traffic and travel for Tuesday, April 25.

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-traffic-heavy-around-town-12943424

Reading Beer and Cider Festival 2017: All you need to know about food, drink and travel

From tickets and times to beers, we've got all you need to know about the event covered

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/reading-beer-cider-festival-2016-11245282

Berkshire set to be hit by sleet and hail showers

There is no weather warning in place yet, but the forecast is not great.

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-set-hit-sleet-hail-12938895

Bracknell scout leader jailed for child sex offences

William Nodes of Underwood in Great Hollands admitted a string of offences

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/bracknell-scout-leader-jailed-child-12938764

Watch Reading athlete become first woman to finish London Marathon 2017

Non-elite runner Anna Boniface completed a personal best at the London Marathon

from getreading - Other Sport http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/other-sport/watch-reading-athlete-become-first-12934407

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust shortlisted for best care award

Patients at the Royal Berkshire Hospitals rate their experience highly

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/royal-berkshire-nhs-foundation-trust-12915139

'Stupid' teens who threw bag of rock salt onto M4 hunted by police

Police are treating the incident as criminal damage and want witnesses to come forward

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/stupid-teens-who-threw-bag-12933040

M4 and A33 lane closures this week and more Berkshire roadworks

There are also ongoing roadworks in Winnersh and Bracknell

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/m4-a33-lane-closures-week-12931538

Wokingham to hold first film festival next month

It will be the town's first festival of this kind with a number of screenings on offer

from getreading - Film http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/film-news/wokingham-hold-first-film-festival-12922047

Orchid care – how to stop feeling guilty and love your orchid

Do you feel guilty about orchid care?

Have you been given a potted orchid which did look beautiful for weeks?

And do you now have a sad little transparent pot full of dried-up roots, with a stick poking out of it? Outside your back door or on your kitchen windowsill?

Not exactly thrown away, but not going anywhere either?

I thought so. Me too.

Phalaenopsis orchid ‘Vieux Rose’ from Vacherot & Lecoufle, France.

Orchids are the number one house plant purchased world wide. Many of those purchases are gifts.

But orchid care makes us feel guilty

We’ve all probably been given at least one phalaenopsis orchid at some point.

Phalaenopsis ‘Luxor’ – from Burnham Nurseries – almost outrageously beautiful.

The flowers last for weeks. And orchids thrive on neglect. You don’t need to water your orchids more than once a week, if that. I’ve often wondered if orchids I’ve been given were really alive because they stayed looking immaculate for so long.

This phalaenopsis orchid has been looking gorgeous for four months on a friend’s mantelpiece.

But how do you look after it? It’s not like an ordinary house plant, is it? Or is it?

I love the way Vacherot & Lecoufle have filled a big bowl with white orchids at the RHS Spring Plant and Orchid Show. It would be an easy trick to copy with orchids from the supermarket.

For some of us, our only contact with orchids is getting or giving white phalaenopsis orchids from the supermarket as gifts. Our definition of ‘orchid care’ is giving it the odd nervous watering.

At the other end of the spectrum are orchid-lovers who travel the world to see orchids in the wild. Orchids grow everywhere except Antartica, so they can justify going absolutely anywhere. Orchid fanatics often have greenhouses packed with orchids and know all about orchid care.

And there are 25,000-30,000 different varieties of orchid, so this isn’t a hobby where you ever get to the point where you’ve seen it all.

I decided to get a grip…

Baby Bio are sponsoring this post on orchids so that I could compare their new Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist with two competitor mists.

Most orchids don’t need much watering, but you should mist their leaves and any aerial roots regularly. A fine mist is important because the plant can rot if large drops of water get lodged in the crown.

So I decided that this was an ideal opportunity to stop feeling guilty about orchids. They are too beautiful.

I set off to the RHS Spring Plant and Orchid show to hear a talk from Sarah Rittershausen of Burnham Nurseries about Easy Growing Orchids in the Home.

The RHS Spring Plant & Orchid Show in London

Where to put your orchid

Orchids are easy to look after, but you do have to put them in the right place in your home.

Don’t panic. Yes, those 25,000+ varieties each come from a different climate. So, in theory, 25,000 different places in your home, according to each orchid’s nature.

But Sarah simplified it very clearly.

Cymbidium orchids live in the Himalayas, so they think year-round central heating is permanent summer. This stops their flowering cycle and encourages them to produce more leafy growth.

There are five or six types of orchid that we might buy or be given as a beginner. Two will do well in relatively cool houses. They won’t like being in a centrally heated room all year round. Three are ideal for centrally heated homes (although avoid placing an orchid on a sunny windowsill in summer).

The two orchids that like cool winters and moderate summers are ‘cool’ dendrobiums and cymbidium orchids.

A ‘cool’ dendrobium orchid from Burnham Nurseries. It has a thick cane stem with clusters of flowers coming directly off it. It needs to be cool-ish in the winter. That’s around 8-10 degrees C – for example, an unheated conservatory.

Words like ‘dendrobium’ and ‘cymbidium’ aren’t easy to remember (I find!). However, if you buy from a nursery, then you should be able to discuss your home and say where you want to put the orchid. The grower will then recommend suitable orchids. (Or pin this post if you use Pinterest, then you’ll be able to find it again when you need it.)

Cymbidium lowianum – an orchid that likes a cool room in winter, but can live on your terrace in moderate climates in summer.

Orchids for centrally heated homes

Phalaenopsis orchids are perfect for centrally heated homes, which is why we get given them as gifts. If you’re new to orchids, this is probably what you think of as ‘an orchid.’

Phalaenopsis orchid ‘Baldan’s Kaleidoscope’ from Vacherot & Lecoufle

Phaleonopsis orchids don’t like their environment to get any cooler than 15-18 degrees centigrade at night. That’s just about right for most homes.

You can find out more about how to choose and look after phalaenopsis orchids on the website LoveOrchids.co.uk. There is style inspiration, too and other info.

Phalaenopsis orchids from DoubleH Orchids who support LoveOrchids.co.uk

It has lots of fascinating facts and tips, including the warning that you shouldn’t place your orchid too near a bowl of ripening fruit.

Ripening fruit gives off ehtylene gas, which may cause your orchid to drop its flowers. So if your orchid died, maybe that’s the reason.

On the whole, though orchid flowers seem incredibly long-lived.

Other ‘beginner’ orchids include Slipper Orchids (Paphilopedilum) and ‘warm’ Dendrobiums.

Paphilopedilum or Slipper orchids Pinocchio (left) and St Swithin (right).

There is so much variety just within these three orchid types, so you have a lot of choice. They like being in light, warm rooms, but avoid strong sunlight in the summer. So you can put an orchid on a south-facing windowsill in winter, but not in summer.

Orchid care – feeding and watering

Orchids don’t need much food and water, said Sarah. But they will flower better if you feed them. Many of them cling to trees in the wild, or grow in rocky places. They learn to survive on very little.

The reason why you need to use specialist orchid feed solutions and special orchid compost is that ordinary plant feeds and composts will be too rich for orchids. A specially-formulated orchid feed, such as Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist, has the right amount of nutrients to help your orchid flower for as long as possible.

Most importantly, they often grow in humid environments. Many are tropical or semi-tropical, so our homes aren’t humid enough for them.

This is a short video on orchid care:

Sarah says that you should spray the leaves of your orchid 2-3 times a week, or even every day. Avoid spraying the flowers. And don’t let water collect in the crown of the plant.

Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist ready for action on my mantelpiece.

You can just spray water. However, if your water is hard, Sarah said it’s better either to buy a special mister, or buy spring water.

Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist comparative test

Baby Bio asked me to test their Orchid Feed & Mist against two competitor orchid mist sprays.

I added an equal amount of food colouring to all three sprays. Then I sprayed three pieces of plain white paper with Spray A, Spray B and Spray C.

Baby Bio asked me to make sure that I sprayed each piece of paper for just one second. I also needed to make sure that I sprayed from 50cms away each time.

The Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist is so fine that you can barely see it on the paper. But I did spray exactly the same amount, and it had just as strong a dye!

The mist from Spray A was so fine, it barely marked the paper. There were a quite large spots with Spray B. Spray C was more even, but had several bigger spots.

Spray A was the Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist.

Baby Bio didn’t ask me to comment on the spray mechanism itself. However, it’s worth saying that I found the Baby Bio spray significantly easier to use.  It was just a quick squirt. I had to fiddle around with the other two, and they felt clunkier to use.

How to water your orchid

Sarah emphasises that ‘less is more’ when it comes to watering most orchids.

Many orchids are now sold in transparent plastic pots. This isn’t because orchid roots need light. It’s to help you see when the orchid need watering.

Green roots mean the orchids have enough water. Silvery-grey roots mean they’re probably about ready to be watered again. Brown roots mean that you’ve over-watered and the roots are rotting.

She also suggests you get used to the weight of your orchid pot. If it’s relatively heavy, it’s well watered. Once it feels light, you need to water again.

You should never water your orchid more than once a week, says Sarah. Once a fortnight might be better. She has even left some orchids for 3-4 weeks before watering them again.

You can use attractive containers for orchids. But make sure they’re still in their original pots with drainage holes so you can lift them out of their ceramic pots to water and drain properly.

Orchid pots must have drainage. Stand your orchid in the sink and give it a good soaking for a few minutes. Then let it drain thoroughly before returning it to its outer pot or trough.

Stand your orchids in the sink to drain after watering. Orchids from DoubleH orchid growers.

How to feed your orchid

Orchid care means giving it some extra nutrition, but not much. Use a specialist orchid food and follow the instructions. Don’t over-do it or you’ll get lots of leaves and no flowers.

Use a specialist orchid compost when re-potting. Ordinary garden compost will be too rich, and won’t drain well enough.

I’ll be using the Baby Bio Orchid Feed & Mist on my orchids, as it seems the easiest way to give them a balanced amount of nutrients.

When should you re-pot your orchid?

One of the audience at the RHS Orchid show asked Sarah of Burnham Nurseries how often she should re-port her orchid. ‘It hasn’t flowered for three years.’

Sarah asked how long it had been in the pot. ‘Fifteen years’ was the answer.

‘I think it might be due for re-potting,’ she said, with admirable restraint.

The fact that an orchid can flower for 12 years without being re-potted is an extreme example of how hardy orchids are about somewhat bleak growing conditions.

LoveOrchids recommends re-potting phalaenopsis orchids every 4-5 years ‘or when the orchid is practically jumping out of the pot.’

Use bark or specialist orchid compost because ordinary potting compost doesn’t drain well enough for orchids.

Orchid care when flowering is over

Cut off any brown roots or stems. If your orchid is a ‘cool’ dendrobium it will have a thick cane stem where it stores nutrition so don’t cut this down unless it’s obviously dead.

Loveorchids.co.uk warns against cutting the whole stem down on phalaenopsis orchids. You’ll get bigger flowers  if you do, but they’ll take longer to come. ‘Cut just above a node that is below any previous branch or bloom.’

Move the orchid to somewhere cooler (no lower than 17 degrees for phalaenopsis, says Loveorchids.co.uk).

However, don’t put it in a dark corner – it will still want light.

Carry on with watering every week or so, and spraying the leaves and aerial roots 2-3 times every week. And the flowers should be back again.

I feel I understand orchids much better now. They really do seem to offer so much, and ask for so little in return.

Pin this post to refer to it later

 

The post Orchid care – how to stop feeling guilty and love your orchid appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/orchid-care-stop-feeling-guilty-love-orchid/

The Mill at Sonning reveals revamp plans and show line up featuring Brian Blessed

The theatre has submitted a planning application for a revamp and revealed a star directing line up

from getreading - Theatre http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/mill-sonning-reveals-revamp-plans-12926875

Book reveals how the people of Reading became involved in a brutal Victorian murder in Henley

Find out more about the young woman's murder and who from Reading was involved

from getreading - Berkshire History http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/berkshire-history/henley-victorian-murder-kate-dungey-12921131

General Election 2017: the safest Conservative seats in Berkshire revealed

Almost half of voters in Maidenhead voted Conservative in the 2010 and 2015 elections

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/general-election-2017-safest-conservative-12926780

Wokingham school boy freed by firefighters after getting stuck in tree

The school had tried to use butter to help the school boy slide out

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/wokingham-school-boy-freed-firefighters-12928003

Berkshire traffic: Delays in Bracknell

Check our traffic report before you head home this evening

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-traffic-delays-in-bracknell-12927597

Nine places to go in Berkshire on National Tea Day

Keep calm and have a cuppa            

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/national-tea-day-reading-berkshire-11504178

Cathedral Express steams through Berkshire and more news from today

Catch up on the stories you have been reading on Thursday, April 20

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/cathedral-express-steams-through-berkshire-12921627

Watch: Steam train passes through Berkshire

Some of our readers sent in footage of the moment they saw the train whistle through the station

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/watch-steam-train-passes-through-12919796

Berkshire traffic: Roadworks causing problems in Reading and Bracknell

Check our traffic report before you head home this evening

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-traffic-roadworks-causing-problems-12921160

Watch a Cathedrals Express steam train whistle through Reading and Berkshire

See when the train will be stopping at stations in Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/watch-cathedrals-express-steam-train-12915131

Drunk teenager jailed over Reading motorcyclist's death and more news from today

Catch up on the stories you have been reading on Wednesday, April 19

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/drunk-teenager-jailed-over-reading-12916559

Soaring pupil numbers in Reading make it one of the most expensive areas to create primary school places

Reading is set to see one of the biggest rises in primary school places in England

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/soaring-pupil-numbers-reading-make-12902550

Berkshire traffic: Delays in Wokingham and Bracknell

Check our traffic report before you head home this evening

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-traffic-delays-wokingham-bracknell-12909921

Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham voters could go to the polls in snap General Election in June

Prime Minister Theresa May made the shock announcement at 11am on Tuesday, April 18

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/wokingham-reading-bracknell-general-election-12907436

Reading public health cuts slash funding for condom distribution and alcohol screening

Cllr Will Hoskin said the Government needed to rethink its cuts, saying they will lead to an increase in costs in other areas

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-public-health-cuts-slash-12895845

Primary school places in Berkshire: what to do if you didn't get your preferred choice

Parents of four-year-olds find out where their children will be going to school on Tuesday, April 18

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/primary-school-places-berkshire-what-12903715

Go West, OMD and Sister Sledge to play Berkshire music festival Let's Rock The Moor!

See who else will be performing at the event in Marsh Meadow, Cookham and how you can get tickets

from getreading - Music & Nightlife http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/go-west-omd-sister-sledge-12891644

Geordie Shore in Reading and free canoe lessons this weekend

Looking for something to do at the weekend? Take a look at our suggested events for Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23

from getreading - Music & Nightlife http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/geordie-shore-reading-free-canoe-12891148

See bluebells in bloom at this Berkshire farm's family open day

Follow the trail of flowers before taking part in some family fun in the barn

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/see-bluebells-bloom-berkshire-farms-12890380

10 no-time, no-money last-minute Easter decorating secrets

I woke up to Easter decorating rather late this year.

You may already have your spring door wreath, complete with succulents and quails’ eggs on your door.

A spring wreath with succulents and quails’ eggs at Compton Furniture, in Faversham.

And you may already have your Easter egg ‘tree’, your mantelpiece ablaze with beautiful spring bulbs and an Easter table that Martha Stewart would be proud of.

Or, like me, you may be expecting guests, and they may be expecting Easter decorating. Which, somehow, never made it onto the ‘to-do’ list, in spite of us all being urged to think of Easter as ‘the new Christmas’ in decorating terms.

Everything here comes from the garden or the kitchen…pull the labels off your tins of chickpeas or tomatoes and you’ll find this lovely corrugated iron effect.

Here are some super-quick ideas you can do. Most of what you need will come from the garden.

1) Go for bright and light colours

Dig out anything bright or light. Reds, blues, greens and yellows all work well together in spring.

Mix bright and light colours together. I bought the duck napkin rings about twenty years ago, and have just re-found them at the back of a cupboard.

2) Jam jar flowers and weeding the garden

Jam jar flowers are so Easter. If you have jute twine in the tool shed (I have Nutscene in various colours), tie it round the necks. You can also use ribbon, if you have any.

(NB: links to Amazon are affiliate links which means you can click to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee, but it doesn’t affect the price you pay.)

Then fill the jars with anything that you will probably need to weed out over the next few weeks.

Jam jar flowers tied with garden twine and filled with ‘weeds’

In my garden, that’s lamium, smyrmium perfoliatum and a very hairy borage that has just popped up from nowhere.

And some purple kale has gone to seed creating gorgeous racemes of yellow and purple.

The tall flowers in the old bottles are from some kale plants which have finally run to seed after serving us well throughout the winter.

The self-seeded euphorbia could do with thinning out, too, but that’s not a plant to be cut in a hurry. Only cut euphorbia with gloves on, and wash your hands afterwards. You do not want a trip to A&E because you’ve rubbed your eyes with fingers that have been cutting euphorbia.

3) Jam jar 2: make one bunch of flowers go far

You may have time to buy a bunch of flowers. Make them go further by putting separate colours in different jam jars.

I bought this bunch of ranunculus in Faversham market for £5 – it’s the only thing I bought for this post. Divide any mixed bunch into separate colours and separate containers for a contemporary effect.

4) Or take just a few blooms from the garden

I cut only five tulips for the party to use in the bottle below. That means that I haven’t diminished the display in the garden.

These bottles are San Pellegrino drinks bottles or scent diffusers. You can also use beer or lager bottles, and vintage milk bottles are lovely. The water is coloured with food dye.

Down in this corner of England, all the daffodils have baked to a crisp in the heatwave. But there are lots of tulips around. You could cut a few branches of blossom, but I pruned mine into the shape I wanted.

Next year, I may try to remember to leave a few surplus branches on the fruit trees to use in flower arranging.

5) Use food dyes to liven up glass bottles

I only had ten minutes to ‘do the flowers’ for a party recently. Emma Slade, a Buddhist nun, who goes by the name of Ani Pema Deki, was launching her autobiography ‘Set Free’. It’s the story of how she went from a City financier to a Buddhist nun, via a life-changing violent experience.

The San Pellegrino bottles and scent diffusers, filled with dye. Some of the tulips took the dye colour up after about five days, but you don’t need to worry about that for the first 48 hours.

She has now set up a charity ‘Opening your heart to Bhutan’ to provide equipment for disabled Bhutanese orphans, and the book aims to raise money for the cause.

Back to flowers, however. I got five bottles and used a few drops of food dye in the water.

Do this carefully. Food dye stains if it runs onto surfaces and you only need a few drops.

But it’s very easy and creates a dramatic effect.

A mixed pack of coloured glasses are very useful if you like decorating tables. You’re not tied to a colour theme, and they will add life to a plain table or mix in with a coloured one. I’ve bought some from Amazon in the past.

6) Recycle tins and bottles to re-use as vases

Use old tins as flower pots. You’d have to drill drainage holes in them if you want the plants to flourish, but it won’t matter for just a few days.

An old gin bottle plus vintage milk bottles and a few other things. Our friends Rosalind and Robin keep them by the sink and pop in a few stems of whatever’s in bloom all year round.

7) Dig up plants from the garden to use in your Easter decorating

Pot plants are great on tables. If you don’t have time to pop out to the garden centre, grab a trowel.

I dug up some muscari, a primrose and a parsley plant. The parsley had self-seeded in the path, so that’s another nice bit of weeding done!

The parsley in the Golden Syrup tin self-seeded itself in the path.

I’ll probably re-plant the primrose.

8) Paint garden pots to use as planters

I use tester pots to paint standard terracotta pots. They dry quickly, and don’t require any expertise. I am famously useless at any kind of craft, so if I can do it, so can you.

Don’t bother with any special preparation unless you are a perfectionist. I just got a paintbrush and painted the pot. It was dry in a couple of hours.

The primrose was dug up from the garden, and put into a terracotta pot painted with some paint from a discarded tester pot.

9) Use all the same tricks for your mantelpiece

The bunch of ranunculus in four jam jars….

And the same bunch in one jam jar….which do you prefer?

10) Channel the 1950s and 60s…

Spring is a time of fresh growth and hope. But it’s also nostalgic.

Evoke the Easters of the past by finding something you haven’t used for ages.  Wash china, iron tablecloths and give everything a new lease of life by presenting it differently.

My mother used to dye eggs, buy hot cross buns and serve a roast chicken. Before battery hens, roast chicken was a luxury.

However, I must warn you that food dyes will dye your fingers, your worksurface and your sink. But they won’t dye brown eggs very well. Most eggs now seem to be brown.

This eggcup has been in Mr Middlesize’s family since the 1950s. He guards it carefully.

The egg above was a duck egg, which is paler. Use alot of food dye, and it’s difficult to get even.

A moment after I took this photo, I turned my back. The dog ate the duck egg…

You may notice a lack of chocolate eggs in this post. If you are waking up to Easter decorating on the Easter weekend, Easter eggs will be sold out. Round here they go on sale just after Christmas, but are usually out of stock by the Wednesday before Easter.

This post is out early, due to Easter. We’ll be back to coming out on Sunday mornings from Sunday 23rd. Plus look out for occasional ‘Wednesday giveaways.’ If you’d like to get them straight into your inbox, sign up to receive this blog in the box on the top right. Thank you!

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from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/10-no-time-no-money-last-minute-easter-decorating-secrets/

7 beautiful spots in Berkshire to find bluebells

Take a look at where you can walk through clusters of the bright and pretty flowers with the family

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/7-beautiful-spots-berkshire-find-11243342

Theme parks within easy reach of Reading

See our handy guide to the best theme parks and how far they are from Reading

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/theme-parks-within-easy-reach-12884533

The best car boot sales in Reading and Berkshire

Here's all you need to know about the weekly and monthly sales in your area

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/best-car-boot-sales-reading-11352573

Easter fire warning after series of blazes caused by barbecues and bonfires

Crews attended a significant number of incidents related to fire safety outdoors

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/easter-fire-warning-after-series-12881990

Reading traffic: Broken down car transporter causes problems on A33

Your traffic and travel for Wednesday, April 12

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-traffic-broken-down-car-12886305

Wokingham charities must show how council cash is used to qualify in future

A cost-cutting review of grants in Wokingham will see cash go to voluntary groups that really make a difference

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/wokingham-charities-must-show-how-12881460

A33 roadworks, Reading FC takeover and 'inadequate' surgeries: Today's top stories

What you have been reading on Tuesday, April 11

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/a33-roadworks-reading-fc-takeover-12881349

11 great places to eat with the family in and around Reading

From traditional pub grub to Italian, there are plenty of great places to visit for food with the kids

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/11-great-places-eat-family-12876618

Oxford Castle sees Easter takeover complete with egg hunt and dragon themed family fun

Take a look at what's on the programme of events at the castle

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/oxford-castle-sees-easter-takeover-12873403

Sponsored: Gigabit network to help drive growth in Thames Valley

Connected businesses have access to one of the fastest fibre networks in the world

from getreading - Special Features http://www.getreading.co.uk/special-features/sponsored-gigabit-network-help-drive-12848505

Circuit Lane and Priory Avenue GPs surgeries placed in special measures

Care Quality Commission inspectors found huge failings in both surgeries

from getreading - Health http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/health/circuit-lane-priory-avenue-gps-12873711

Drivers face 36 weeks of A33 lane closures as phase two of bus lane project begins

The work is phase two of a plan to improve bus services around South Reading

from getreading - Health http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/drivers-face-36-weeks-a33-12875195

Reading FC takeover: owner admits Thai consortium are struggling with cost of running the club

Lady Sasima says the Thai consortium are struggling as Chinese duo receive conditional approval from EFL

from getreading - Football News http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/reading-fc-takeover-expensive-run-12874831

Locked up: The Berkshire criminals jailed in February and March

Take a look who has been jailed or is spending more time in prison

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/locked-up-berkshire-criminals-jailed-12854863

Thames Valley Police inspector sacked after punching man on train and then lying about it

Inspector Christopher Davidson had falsely claimed self-defence

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/thames-valley-police-inspector-sacked-12868740

13 of the best family picnic spots in Berkshire

Pack up your sandwiches and your rug, it's time to go for a lovely picnic at some of these beautiful spots

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/13-best-family-picnic-spots-11313115

Seven lambing days families from Reading can go to

Here's all you need to know about which farms will be holding lambing days

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/seven-lambing-days-families-reading-12858979

Farrier to the Queen who bullied apprentice wins appeal against work ban

Charles Craig overturned his ban after a judge ruled the committee was wrong to ban him

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/farrier-queen-who-bullied-apprentice-12856081

Help Bucklebury Farm & Deer Safari Park get named as UK's best

Here's all you need to know about the award and how you can vote for the farm

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/help-bucklebury-farm--deer-12859367

Wild Challenge in Berkshire this Easter gets kids spotting bugs birds and bats

The RSPB’s Wildlife Challenge is encouraging children to get off their gadgets and into the great outdoors this Easter

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/wild-challenge-berkshire-easter-gets-12864778

Royal Berkshire Hospital to give baby boxes to new Reading mums

The hospital hopes to educate new parents and help reduce cases of sudden infant death syndrome

from getreading - Health http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/health/royal-berkshire-hospital-baby-boxes-12854368

15 fun things to do in Reading with the kids this Easter holiday

Take a look at some of the top recommended activities and places to visit in the area

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/15-fun-things-reading-kids-12850562

Man found dead in Coley home named and more news from today

Catch up on the stories you have been reading on Wednesday, April 5

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/man-found-dead-coley-home-12851983

Things to do in the school holidays this Easter

There are loads of things to do in Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham this Easter

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/things-to-do-easter-reading-12848519

Friend of teen who jumped onto M4 in Reading pleaded with him before his death

Kamil Paszko died on Tuesday, November 22, four days after he jumped onto the motorway

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/friend-teen-who-jumped-onto-12849536

Win tickets to the Country Living Fair + discount!

You could win tickets to the Country Living Fair, from 27th-30th April at Alexandra Palace, London. We’re giving away four pairs of tickets, worth £36 a pair.

Even if you don’t win, there’s Middlesized Garden reader discount. Tickets cost £18 on the door – you can get yours for £13.50 using the code TR3 when buying your ticket here.

The Country Living Fair is a great place to find crafts, artisan made foods, organic wines, fashion, accessories and gorgeous things for your home and garden.

The famous Country Living Fair has moved to Alexandra Palace. It’s a fab show for craftsmanship and new businesses – I’ll be making a beeline for the Pop-up Market for crafters, makers, designers and artists who create their products at home.

Don’t miss sampling the goodies of the kitchen table bakers, chocolatiers, organic wine producers and traditional farmers.

.

And, of course, there’s the Country Living Garden, designed by Horticolous. Plus there are lots of gorgeous things to get for your summer garden, as well fashion, accessories and homes products.

Silk scarves and cushions

Do drop in on my friend Jacqui Sinnatt, who runs St Agnes Eve silk scarves. She’s on stand H29 -very near the Drunken Duck Champagne Bar!

Jacqui’s photos of winter hydrangeas in her garden.

She’s a fellow middle-sized gardener, who has turned photographs of her favourite flowers, gardens and other things into beautiful silk scarves and accessories.

One of Jacqui’s new ‘Annabelle’ cushions, inspired by the winter hydrangea photo.

Many of Jacqui’s designs are based on flowers in her own garden or on gardens she’s visited. Although she’s turned thrownaway cans on Dungeness beach and jumbo jets in the sky over London into scarves, too.

This year she’s launching her Annabelle cushion collection, inspired by gardens.

A scarf inspired by your own garden?

I think one of her best ideas is her bespoke scarves, an ideal ‘big present’ for someone. This is a scarf specifically designed to reflect the things that are important to you.

One client ordered one for his mother’s 90th birthday present. It’s based on olive trees but
also features her beloved poodle Poupou! The scarf is presented in a gift box with a card telling the story and inspiration behind the design.

Craft workshops and talks

There’s also a programme of workshops and talks – working with chocolate, printing, sewing and needle-felting as well as an Annie Sloan Chalk Paints workshop.

To win tickets to the Country Living Fair 27th-30th April 2017

To win a pair of tickets to the Country Living Spring Fair, worth £36, leave a comment below saying why you would like to go to the fair.

Or share this post on social media via Twitter, using the share button at the top or bottom of this page.

Or, if you’re reading this from The Middlesized Garden Facebook page, then you can enter by simply ‘like’ing the post.

Competition ends Thursday 20th April at midnight, and winners will be notified on Friday. See full terms and conditions below.

And don’t forget that there’s a discount for everyone – get your tickets (worth £18 each on the door) here for £13.50 using the code TR3.

Look out for more giveaways and discounts on Wednesdays in the summer!

The post Win tickets to the Country Living Fair + discount! appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/win-tickets-country-living-fair-discount/

Reading term times: when do the kids break up for Easter?

The sun is shining and Spring is in the air but not all schools have broken up for Easter

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/reading-term-times-kids-break-12842746

Police to take further action after death of Reading officer who was hit by stolen car

PC Gareth Browning died more than three years after being hit by the car being driven by Luke Haywood

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/police-take-further-action-after-12843264

National Trust sites welcome spring with an array of colour

Take a look at these stunning flowers which have popped up at National Trust sites nearby

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/national-trust-sites-welcome-spring-12838840

Berkshire boy wins £4.6 million NHS payout in 'tragic' meningitis case

South central Ambulance Service and NHS England settled in a High Court hearing brought forward by the child's mother

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-boy-wins-46-million-12839122

Thames Valley Police host 999 call handler recruitment tonight

Could you keep calm under pressure?

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/thames-valley-police-host-999-12835603

How to create a brilliant exotic garden in a cool climate

There’s a definite trend towards the exotic garden.

Or even just the exotic border. You don’t have to rip your whole garden out and re-plant with banana palms – you can create a mini-jungle atmosphere in a sheltered corner.

1)  An exotic garden can work with your architecture

Exotic gardens in the UK date back to Victorian and Edwardian times when plant hunters scoured the world. They brought exotic plants back to Britain, the United States and Australia.

And Victorians moving around the world ‘for the Empire’ took their architecture and their gardens with them.

This is a small town garden behind a Victorian terraced house. Exotic works perfectly.

So an exotic garden or border can also be described as ‘traditional’ in the UK, especially if you live in a Victorian or an Edwardian house.

Exotic shapes and colours at the Salutation in Sandwich. It’s an Edwardian house, built in 1911.

A front garden in Whitstable designed by Posy Gentles. Strong shapes and colours make this an exotic contemporary look.

Modern houses and extensions also work well with exotic plantings because the strong sculptural shapes and bright colours contrast well.

2) Pack your exotic garden with plants in layers

I interviewed Australian TV gardening expert Stephen Ryan on how to create an exotic garden in a temperate climate. He has a nursery near Melbourne called Dicksonia Rare Plants.

Stephen Ryan in his garden. It is all plants, paths and ponds. There are no lawns in the jungle! The big leafed plant on the left is Tetrapanax papyrifer, which is fairly hardy in UK winters.

Melbourne is hotter than the UK in the summer, but has some very cool winters, so many of the plants in Stephen’s own garden would work in the UK or North America.

The garden is called ‘Tugurium’, which is Latin for hovel. He bought the one-acre of land with compensation money for losing all his possessions in ‘the 1983 fire’. This was a devastating forest fire that swept through this part of Melbourne, taking 300 lives and destroying much property.

Tugurium – a house and garden created from a bare patch of land. Stephen is proud that ‘nothing ever leaves the propery’. Everything is recycled, composted and waste water is reused.

There was no house or garden – not even any topsoil – when he moved in. He created the garden from scratch. It regularly featured in ‘Gardening Australia’ when Stephen hosted the programme.

Create a jungle ‘canopy’

Everything was created on a tight budget, so he was only able to build a small house. A neighbour commented that it was a shame that such a ‘hovel’ had been built so close to him. So Stephen named the house and garden ‘Tugurium’ as his response.

Stephen’s one acre garden is packed with plants. He actually holds four National collections in the space.

Trees and tall shrubs, many of them hardy in winter, create an upper ‘jungle canopy’. They are underplanted with ferns and smaller plants, just as would occur naturally in the jungle.

Palm trees, cordylines and ferns are planted close to Stephen’s house, creating a jungly feel. The palm is is Livistona australis, the most southern-growing palm (in the Southern hemisphere, this means the most tolerant of cool winters). People report it growing -quite slowly – if well sheltered in the UK. The Trachycarpus fortunei palm tree is considered more reliable in cool climates.

Go for big borders and lots of layers to get the jungle look.

3) Find the tropical corner of your garden

Stephen says that every garden has its own patches of micro-climate. Experiment to see where less hardy plants do well. It’s often much warmer near the house, for example.

‘Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works,’ he says. ‘The worst that can happen is that a plant dies, which will create something that’s very precious in a garden.’ He pauses. ‘An empty space.’

Puya chilensis in Stephen’s garden. This will just about survive outside all year in warmer parts of the UK, but you might want to keep it in a pot and bring it in in winter. Too spiky for fleece! But just experiment – you may have a magically sheltered spot. Puya chilensis is called the ‘sheep eating plant’ as it traps sheep in its sharp spikes. They die and decay and the plant feeds off the decay. Maybe not a plant for those with small dogs, though Stephen has two who have survived fine.

4) Choose plants with big leaves and/or strong shapes

Stephen recommends mahonia as a good shrub for an exotic look. Forget about its suburban reputation. Combine it with bamboos, ferns and other jungly-look plants.

Mahonia and bamboo get jungly together in Stephen’s garden.

Fatsia, seen here against Stephen’s house, is another much maligned shrub which will give a tropical look in a temperate climate.

The totally tropical look in a friend’s garden in Australia: cordylines, tree ferns, rhododendrons and conifers create upper and middle layers. All except the tree fern are hardy in most parts of Britain, and tree ferns do fine in the right spot and with the right care.

Cordylines for sale in Faversham market, Kent. The green varieties are hardier than the red.

5) Combine lush planting with bright colours

Dahlias originally came from Mexico, but are now considered quite ‘traditional’ in English gardens. Take them back to their colourful roots by using them to create exotic garden beds.

Dahlia ‘Mel’s Orange Marmalade’ in the exotic garden at the Salutation in Kent, along with cordylines, Musa banana palms and ricinus.

And cannas will also look good in the exotic garden. Like dahlias, they are reasonably hardy in most parts of Britain, provided you protect their roots/rhizomes with a thick layer of mulch in autumn.

Canna ‘Stephen Ryan’ at his nursery near Melbourne.

Canna ‘Cleopatra’ at Stephen Ryan’s nursery.

Begonias and fuschias are also flowers we take for granted. They,too, can look remarkably exotic in bright colours and the right context.

6) Keep frost-tender exotics in pots

Some exotic plants won’t survive a Northern hemisphere winter, but will do well in pots outside in the summer. You can bring the pots in to an unheated but frost-free greenhouse or conservatory, or protect them with fleece in a sheltered spot.

Aeoniums have a wonderfully tropical feel. Stephen grows them in his garden. If you live somewhere mild, you can try this. Or keep them in pots and protect them in the winter.

Cymbidium orchids will also probably be happy to live on your terrace in a sheltered spot during the summer. In winter, they need to be protected from frost, but cool (8-10 degrees C) and in a light place.

A pot pond with planting in Stephen’s garden. The plant to the right is euphorbia characias – many of the euphorbias have a jungly look to them. This is a Mediterranean plant

7) Contrast leaf shapes

Vary your leaf shapes, contrasting big sculptural leaves with tall slim plants like bamboo, advises Stephen. Bamboo grows well in the UK – sometimes too well. Make sure you don’t buy the spreading type as it will take over your garden.

Big sculptural shapes contrast with the slim stems of bamboo in the exotic garden at The Salutation.

8) Visit exotic gardens near you

Christopher Lloyd re-started the trend towards exotic gardens and borders when he ripped out his mother’s rose garden in 1993. He replaced it with the ‘exotic garden’. It’s planted with cannas, dahlias, verbena bonariensis and the relatively hardy banana palm Musa basjoo.

The exotic garden at Great Dixter – the plants tower over your head. I love the way the light streams in, as this was a particularly sunny day.

Henstead Garden in Suffolk is also an ‘exotic garden’, named as Garden of the Year by Alan Titchmarsh in 2015.

And the RHS has several exotic garden areas, such as those at RHS Rosemoor in Devon.

We’ve even got an ‘exotic garden’ as one of our open gardens on the Faversham Open Garden & Garden Market Day on 25th of June. Mary Mackay, who owns it, says she’s ‘not really a gardener’, but she just loves exotic plants and leaf shapes.

Mary Mackay combines cardoons, cordylines, bamboo and hostas for a jungly effect. Her garden is just a small town garden.

Lastly, pay a visit to a good exotic plant nursery. My favourite is Architectural Plants, which describes itself as the’ home of the tropical and jungly in both big and small plants.’

I find Architectural Plants an inspiring nursery to visit. Plants and arrangements are beautifully presented.

7) Read the best books and blogs on exotic gardens

Before he died, Christopher Lloyd started his last book, Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners. It was finished by his friends, and is considered one of the best books on exotic gardens you’ll find.

Note: these are associate links to Amazon, which means you can click through to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee but it won’t affect the price you pay.

And Will Giles’ book Exotic Plants for Temperate Climes is rated highly. It’s a useful directory of plants that will survive in your garden but will add an exotic touch.

If you’re interested in growing exotic fruit and vegetables, A Taste of the Unexpected by Mark Diacono won the Guild of Food Writers’ Book of the Year in 2011.

And, although it looks as if it may be only available second-hand or on Kindle, Architectural Plants by Christine Shaw is worth getting your hands on.

One of the most popular blogs in Britain is Alternative Eden, an account of an exotic (clearly middle-sized) garden in Luton. Mark and Gaz both have ‘busy professional lives’, but travel as much as they can. Their garden is influenced by their travels – they bring ideas back and try them out. They have a devoted following.

Or you could follow Clive from Alternative Plantings, who is creating a tropical garden in South London for opening to the NGS on September 3rd, 2017.

8) Rock the exotic garden inside your home

Phalaenopsis orchids, bromeliads, cacti, air plants…

Bromeliad ‘air plants’ that don’t need to be planted in water. Aldo Airplants hanging on a rail at the RHS Spring Plant and Orchid show.

Phalaenopsis orchid ‘Surf Song’ at the RHS Spring Plant and Orchid show.

Cacti from Ottershaw Cacti at the RHS Spring Plant & Orchid show.

The ‘jungle’ look is very popular for indoor plants – strong, structural shapes and bright colours look good in modern interiors.

Let me know of any good exotic gardens, nurseries or books near you, and I’ll add them to the list.

And do join us every Sunday morning – subscribe by email in the box on the top right. Thank you!

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from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/how-to-create-a-brilliant-exotic-garden-in-a-cool-climate/