Telegraph Gardening Information and advice for gardeners from telegraph.co.uk

Water features 25 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Bunny Guinness explains how to make your water feature a show stopper.

Gardening: Home-grown drinks 25 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Summer cocktails made from the garden. By Elspeth Thompson.

The kitchen garden graduate 25 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
The key to protecting plants is tight marking of small pests, writes Alex Mitchell.

Garden events: What's on (August 23 - 31) 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Your special extended guide to the week's gardening events, including the bank holiday weekend.

How to grow: Scabiosa caucasica 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Val Bourne on Scabiosa caucasica, a delicate flower for the last days of summer.

Gardening advice: sage words 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Gales force the gardener to think differently, says Mary Keen.

Alstroemerias: glamour girls 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Sarah Raven's pick of alstroemerias.

RHS advice for the garden 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
What to do this week to keep your garden in shape. Advice compiled by the RHS.

Gardening: blood, sweat and HLM 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
An experiment in growing vegetables on straw bales became a hotbed of ideas for Christopher McCooey.

Cottage garden roadshow 21 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
These gardeners believe in sharing the beauty of their plots with passers-by. By Vivian Russell.

Gardening: Super grass 18 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Elspeth Thompson on cultivating pennisetums, the fountain or foxtail grasses.

Bonding in the garden 14 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Matthew Wilson on the emotional connection between plants and people.

Gardening: Tips for your allotment 14 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Garden designer and allotment holder Cleve West gives his tips on how to get the best out of your plot.

Gardening advice: Thorny problems 14 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Garden tips and advice from our resident expert Helen Yemm. This week: holiday job and potted canna lilies.

Garden events: What's on (August 16 - 23) 14 Aug 2008 at 8:01pm
Your guide to the week's gardening events, up and down the country.

Patio Garden

Australian Plants online Update Australian Plants online (APOL) is ASGAP's internet magazine. It contains numerous articles on cultivation, preservation and propagation of Australian Plants.

Feature Article: Plant Taxonomy - Part 1 Why was Linnaean taxonomy "...too smutty for British ears"?. (15 August 2008)

Feature Article: Designing for Plants in Small Spaces With careful selection, native gardens can still be enjoyed when space is at a premium. (18 August 2008)

Short Cuts: From Pod to Pod - A Tale of Lomatia It's taken over 10 years but this plant has now completed a "full cycle". (15 August 2008)

Short Cuts: Plants of the John Oxley Reserve Three attractive and unusual species to be found at this reserve in Brisbane's northern suburbs. (18 August 2008)

Short Cuts: Dianella - A Planting Problem Don't worry if your plant is pot-bound. You can easily double the value of your purchase. (18 August 2008)

Review: Australia's Mangroves: Norm Duke Australia's Mangroves is the authoritative guidebook to the mangrove plants found in Australian coastal waters - covering all 'mangrove' States and Territories. Mangroves are a common coastal habitat occupying more than.... (15 August 2008)

Feature Article: Burrendong's Hakeas One of the great success stories at Burrendong Arboretum is the Hakea collection. (13 July 2008)

Feature Article: The Use of Correas in Garden Design Careful selection can produce a colourful display of these bird-attracting plants. (17 July 2008)

Short Cuts: Banks Generate Rising Interest Preserving biological diversity for the future - the world's seed banks. (13 July 2008)

Short Cuts: Plants That Bite! Some rainforest inhabitants can test the patience of the most dedicated bushwalker. (17 July 2008)

Short Cuts: Grevillea 'Golden Lyre' A tropical hybrid that is adapting well to cooler climates. (13 July 2008)

Review: Adnyamathanha and Beyond - Useful plants of an Ancient Land: Neville... This is a most attractive soft covered book of 100 pages, which deals with the native peoples of the northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia, and their adaptation to the plants available as foods, medicines, implements and weapons. It delves into the surges of contact with the.... (17 July 2008)

Feature Article: Wattle It Be? By Seed or Cuttings? Tradition says that wattles can't be easily grown from cuttings. Stupid tradition.... (17 June 2008)

Feature Article: When Native Plants Go Feral They may be native but does that mean we have to love them? (19 June 2008)

Short Cuts: Watering and Grey Water Use Ways to assist plants to survive without regular supplementary watering. (17 June 2008)

Burpee Top Rated Products http://www.burpee.com

Featured Review: Sweet Pepper The Godfather Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)


Sweet Pepper The Godfather Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"It's gorgeous in the garden and delicious on the plate. Plants are loaded with huge, meaty peppers. The best yield and the biggest fruit (7"") you'll get from a frying pepper. Traditionally used green, they're even sweeter when red, about two weeks later. Try some fresh in salads too. Burpee exclusive. Days to maturity, 64, is from time plants are set in garden. For transplants add 8-10 weeks. Space plants 18-24"" apart. Grow in full sun<br>Sorry, state laws prohibit shipping plants to Alaska,...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
A Soldier in the Garden
January 17, 2007
By Saengerin from Bloomington, IN Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"It was a horrible year for the garden. Two freak late frosts, persistent cold nights, and continuing dampness caused real problems. A horrible fungus attacked all my pepper plants, turning them completely black and causing them to wilt to nothing. This was my first year with the Godfather plants. Determined to not lose our investment, my husband stripped the plants completely, leaving just the main stem. Lo and behold, the Godfathers came back with a vengeance, producing huge bushes and inundating..." more

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Featured Review: Tomato - Jolly (1 pkt. 30 seeds)


Tomato - Jolly (1 pkt. 30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 4 out of 5

"90 days.<br> Vigorous plants ripe with petite pink tomatoes in heavy clusters.<br> A long keeper with delicious, sweet flavor.<br> Wt: 1&amp;frac12; oz. Indeterminate.<br>Sorry, state laws prohibit shipping plants to Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, California, Nevada. <br>Plants ship in spring at proper planting time. "
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Standout tomato
December 07, 2006
By Nevadan from Northern Nevada Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"Jolly is the best small tomato ever! In our harsh northern Nevada climate, it performs unbelievably well and is delicious when picked and eaten right off the plant. One year, I grew Jolly in a half-barrel. It kept right on going to nine feet tall. I had to keep adding height to the support cage. This is one beautiful tomato, and I highly recommend it to everyone! It deserves a prominent place on the website."

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Featured Review: Zinnia Envy - 1 Pkt. (50 seeds)


Zinnia Envy - 1 Pkt. (50 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"Green Zinnias in your garden make a dramatic display that words can only partially describe. 3"" double and semi-double blooms look as sensational in the garden as they do in the vase. Try them in fresh arrangements with white, deep blue or pink flowers. Can be sown directly in the garden after all chance of frost, or start indoors 6-8 before last frost for earlier bloom. This annual grows best in full sun in well-drained soil. <br><FONT COLOR=""#67051C"">Plants ship in spring at proper planting...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Love the Envy!
November 03, 2006
By skeezybug from South Eastern Idaho Plant performance 5 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"We grew these Zinnias this last spring (2006) after purchasing our house late in the spring. The west side of the house had almost nothing going on there and I planted a few perennials there, but wanted to put some annuals in to fill in until the perennials did their thing. I planted really late (a week or two after Memorial Day)directly into the ground (had my husband run the tiller over it real quick, that was the only soil prep). We had big fat lime green flowers this summer! They were knee..." more

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Featured Review: Tomato Sweet Tangerine Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)


Tomato Sweet Tangerine Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 4.8 out of 5

"These delectable tomatoes also ripen early for so large a fruit. The determinate plants set very heavy crops, even in hot weather. Strong disease resistance. Ready to harvest in 68 days. Burpee exclusive.<br>Sorry, state laws prohibit shipping plants to Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, California, Nevada.<br> Determinate.<br> <br><FONT COLOR=""#67051C"">Plants ship in spring at proper planting time. ( <A HREF=""http://www.burpee.com/jump.jsp?itemID=46&amp;itemType=CONTENT_ARTICLE"">click here for shipping...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Happy 4th of July
July 04, 2006
By Green Giant from Normal, Illinois Plant performance 5 of 5
"These plants are about ready to produce the best yield of my tomato planting life. These sweet tangerine plants have been a pleasure to grow, and observe, this year. A must for everyone!!"

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Featured Review: SunCalc - Sunlight Calculator


SunCalc - Sunlight Calculator

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"<P>This precision device accurately measures the amount of accumulated light that falls on any specific location on your property, giving you the ability to match a plant's light requirements with the actual light conditions measured by SunCalc.</P> <P>Put your plants where they want to be!<br> Locating plants under the wrong light conditions is one of the most common reasons for plant failure. </P> <P>SunCalc is incredibly easy to use- full instructions are included.</P> <P>SunCalc...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
SunCalc is a Terrific Gardening Tool !
May 20, 2006
By Michigan Gardener from Kalamazoo, MI "As soon as I received the SunCalc, I tried it right away in several locations in my yard and I was WOWed. It was so accurate and helpful in my decisions on where to plant my new plants this season. Previously I only guessed at the amount of sun in different locations of my yard and have been disapointed with poor plant performance because I work 6 days a week and don't get to see what parts of the yard get what amount of sun during the day as the sun moves around the trees' shade. I am very pleased..." more

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Featured Review: Sea Magic Growth Activator


Sea Magic Growth Activator

Average Customer Rating 4.8 out of 5

"Just spray on your plants and watch them GROW! <br>SEA MAGIC contains natural growth enhancers that promote better growth, more blooms and better tasting crops. <br>24% more tomatoes 47% more peppers <br>34% more cucumbers 25% more grapes <p> The secret is in the micro-nutrients, amino acids and growth-promoting and disease-fighting substances stored in seaweed. The seaweed in Sea Magic is harvested from the Cold clear waters of the North Atlantic off the coast of Canada. This fresh...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
It's true!
May 04, 2006
By New Gardener from IL "The description on the package sounds too good to be true, but it's not. It's too early in the season to say whether I'll get the promised 24% tomatoes, but I can say that after just the first application with a spray bottle the following happened (and the Sea Magic is the only change I made): -- My spider plant completely perked up--as if it had stuck it's finger in a light socket. I've never seen it stand so straight -- My squash seedling, which had had an "incident" requiring me to prop up the..." more

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Featured Review: Bush Bean Gold Mine - 1 Pkt. (2 oz.)


Bush Bean Gold Mine - 1 Pkt. (2 oz.)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"Plants yield early and need no support. One packet has 2 oz. of seed unless noted, and will sow a row of about 20'; one pound sows about 160'. Our seed is not treated. New. Gold Mine.ß55 days. Very high yields of crisp, ultra-sweet wax beans are borne on compact and unusually upright plants. The beans grow together in clusters that make harvest a snap. Beans are 5-5-1/2"" long. Burpee Exclusive. Sun."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Pure Gold
April 23, 2006
By TomatoLady from Jamestown, NY Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"I planted two rows of Gold Mine beans in 2005, and I have never seen such a beautiful crop. Each plant seemed to produce dozens of the longest, straightest beans you can imagine. They were absolutely picture perfect. My mother, a Horticulturist who owned a greenhouse for years, commented that there was more bean than plant! They were so easy to pick as they grow in clumps on sturdy stems. I pulled most of my bush beans in August, but the Gold Mines held up well to the dry summer so I just left them...." more

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Featured Review: Tomato Burpee's Supersteak Hybrid (Giant) - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)


Tomato Burpee's Supersteak Hybrid (Giant) - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 4.6 out of 5

"80 days. Our favorite super size tomato - most fruits weigh 2 lbs. Original ""beefsteak"" flavor and meaty texture. Burpee bred.<br> Indeterminate<br> Sorry, state laws prohibit shipping plants to Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, California, Nevada. <br><FONT COLOR=""#67051C"">Plants ship in spring at proper planting time. ( <A HREF=""http://www.burpee.com/jump.jsp?itemID=46&amp;itemType=CONTENT_ARTICLE"">click here for shipping schedule</A> )</FONT> "
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Featured Review 4 of 5
Supersteak Tomatoes
March 16, 2006
By Tomato lover from Hawesville, Ky "In 50 years of gardening, this is our alltime favorite tomato. The texture, flavor and size cannot be equaled.Many tomatoes cause me problems because of excess acidity. Not supersteak, but it has true tomato flavor.I cannot find plants locally but they are worth growing. "

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Featured Review: Bush Bean Roma II - 1 Pkt. (2 oz.)


Bush Bean Roma II - 1 Pkt. (2 oz.)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"Bush form of famous Pole Romano with distinctive robust flavor. Better disease resistance, earlier, needs no support. <br>Heavy crops of stringless, flat green pods, 4-1/2"" long. <br>Cooking hint: blanch, then saute in olive oil with a few sprigs of summer savory. <br>Excellent for freezing. Full sun.Our seed is not treated. <br>Ready to pick in just 53 days."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Bush Bean Roma II
February 21, 2006
By Bushwhacker Bob from Liberty, Missouri Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"My wife and I have a preference for the Italian Romano Pole Beans because of their robust flavor. We also plant the Bush Bean Roma II for the earlier crop and a second fall crop. This extends our bean season. Flavor of the Roma II is very similar to the Romano and that is the reason we grow the Roma II. At the time of this review, I am placing an order for both the Roma II and the Romano beans."

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Featured Review: Cucumber Lemon (Heirloom) - 1 Pkt. (50 seeds)


Cucumber Lemon (Heirloom) - 1 Pkt. (50 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 4.7 out of 5

"65 days. The 3-4"" round and lemon yellow cucumbers are tender and sweet, excellent for salads and pickling. Normal-sized vines yield heavily and for a long time."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
February 13, 2006
By Idaho veggies lover from Twin Falls, ID Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"I love these lemon cucumbers. I had been buying them for years in the markets, the flavors are mild yet tasty and if you have digestion problems these cucumbers will not bother you. When purchasing at a market the costs are high, now I can have as many as I wish. They are delightful in salads. Enjoy!"

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Featured Review: Tomato - BushSteak Hybrid (1 pkt. 30 seeds)


Tomato - BushSteak Hybrid (1 pkt. 30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 4.6 out of 5

"Meet the best of the staked tomatoes - for exceptional taste, size and quantity. <br>This surprisingly compact plant (20-24"") is just loaded with large flavorful tomatoes. <br>Combines big meaty fruit (8-12 oz.) and early maturity on a dwarf plant, perfect for a small garden and patio containers. Determinate. <br>Ready in only 65 days.<br>Sorry, state laws prohibit shipping plants to Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, California, Nevada. <br><FONT COLOR=""#67051C"">Plants ship in spring at proper planting...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
West Texas Gardening
February 08, 2006
By Texas Yankee from Amarillo, Texas Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"I start all of my vegetables from seed in March. In 2005, between the Bush Steak Hybrid and the Fourth of July, we had tomatoes from the end of April to Thanksgiving, even in this arrid climate of West Texas. We are originally from Kansas, where the rainfall was over 30 inches a year, but here, if we get 18 inches we are lucky. The tomatoes were wonderful!"

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Featured Review: Zucchini Eight Ball - Packet (25 seeds)


Zucchini Eight Ball - Packet (25 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"Ten years ago we introduced 'Roly Poly', the first round zucchini, to gardeners' great delight. <br>Now rolling this way is 'Eight Ball', a round little charmer that is bold, glossy and with a deep forest-green skin. <br>Loaded with delicious nutty, buttery flavor, 'Eight Ball' makes a fantastic stuffer. <br>Vines are very productive. Size: 3-4"" x 3"". 55 days."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Eight Ball Zucchini
February 05, 2006
By Farmer Beth from Riverview, FL Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"Last year I planted our first large vegetable garden (1900 square feet) after many years of small urban vegetable gardens. I planted the Eight Ball Zucchini and boy, was I ever surprised. It was probably our most prolific crop. We have fine, well drained soil which we enhanced a bit. The summers in Florida are very hot and we tried to water for 20 minutes every other day. We had so many of these that we gave them away to our friends and coworkers, who were most impressed. Yes,they are on our..." more

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Featured Review: Tomato Burpee's Early Pick Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)


Tomato Burpee's Early Pick Hybrid - 1 Pkt. (30 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"62 days. Fine flavor, gorgeous color, solid flesh! Bears fruits early, bumper crops all summer. Resists verticillium and fusarium wilts. Burpee bred.<br Indeterminate"
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Delicious
February 02, 2006
By Mr. K from Haddonfield, NJ Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"Neighbors are always astonished at the size of the plants and how early I get tomatoes. Even though they don't get full sun untill late morning and that sun fades in the early evening because of tall trees in the west, the first tomato was picked around July 4th last year. (I do start my own plants from seed and give them a head start in a cold frame). I am always asked to give some away and the response I get back from people is that they were the best tasting and meaty tomatoes they ever had...." more

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Featured Review: PotMaker® - 1 PotMaker


PotMaker® - 1 PotMaker

Average Customer Rating 4.9 out of 5

"No more trays and pots to buy, wash and store! This nifty mold turns strips of ordinary newspaper into biodegradable seed starting pots that you plant right into the garden. Hardwood form lasts for years. A real money saver."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Excellent Product
February 01, 2006
By Scott from Murrieta, CA "I wish I had bought this sooner. I no longer have to buy peat pots to start my seeds. It is easy to make the pots, which have no problems holding their shape. The newspaper allows the roots to easily pass through, so transferring to the garden is easy. This is one of the best products I have ever purchased for gardening."

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Featured Review: Squash - Autumn Glow - 1 Pkt (25 seeds)


Squash - Autumn Glow - 1 Pkt (25 seeds)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

"This gorgeous gold-skinned squash also has variegated leaves, green spattered with yellow. Compact 4' vines produce meal sized 8"" fruit with delicious butternut flavor and texture. 80 days."
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Farmer's Market Quality & Size
January 31, 2006
By Deb from Central Iowa "I grew these for my husband. The fruits are perfect for selling as they are about the right size for 2 people. We didn't get a single HUGE fruit like you do with other Butternut Squashes. The flavor is wonderful and makes very good pumpkin rolls!"

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