Care Guides
Care guides by Rupert Foxton-Smythe
426 guides
How to Grow Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas are often grown in clumps up tall twiggy pea sticks in the flower border. On other occasions they are grown on the cordon system up single bamboos and are dis-shooted carefully.
House Plant Glossary
Air layering: A method of propagating a single-stemmed plant which has lost its lower leaves. Areole: A hairy, cushion-like area found at the base of the spines on cacti.
Tulips for Flower Arrangements
Tulips are one of the pillars of flower decoration in the late spring. Reliable, usually stout stemmed, coming in a variety of colors, and always with good, green leaves, they will add color and…
Roof Gardens
Large flower pots, boxes or butts can be used to grow a very wide variety of plants on flat roofs, including a number of shrubs.
Line Flower Arranging
I once knew someone living in the country who was fortunate enough to have a small orchard as part of her garden.
Growing Ornamental Grasses for Cutting
Once you have grown a few ornamental grasses you are likely to want always to have a few plants in the garden. They really can be quite beautiful when seen at close quarters.
Arrangements Using Herbaceous Plants
There are still certain gardens which are expressly designed to have a herbaceous border as their focal point, but today in England the number is decreasing.
Old Garden Roses
Some of the old roses are charming, and others are mildewy old wrecks. This list of the choicest rejects sentiment in favor of performance. The average height is around 4 ft.
A World Without Grass
Grass may seem ordinary, but it is one of the most important plant groups on Earth.
Cucumbers: The Plants That Cheat
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are a favorite in summer gardens and kitchen tables, known for their crisp texture and refreshing flavor.
Growing Pilea
There are about 400 species, but only a few are grown as houseplants. However. these are of considerable merit, and very attractive as foliage plants.
Looking After Plants When You Go Away
It is easy enough, then, to care for our plants when we are able to give them regular attention, but what is to happen to them when we leave home for a holiday or for some other reason?