Gardening: the latest gardening news and best gardening advice Gardening news and advice from the Telegraph. Your source for gardening news, advice from our experts and help on how to grow plants and vegetables

Watery scenes at The Watermill in Ixworth 29 Jul 2010 at 7:37am
Visit The Watermill in Ixworth for a serene feel on a parched day, with luxurious grounds and a lilly-covered pond.

Transform an outdoor smoking area 29 Jul 2010 at 6:08am
Helen Yemm suggests the reader take the bull by the horn and transform the smoking area with a large planter.

How to remove rhododendron flowers 29 Jul 2010 at 5:58am
Helen Yemm explains the correct way to remove rhododendron flowers to ensure next year's buds are not damaged.

Of runner beans and herons 29 Jul 2010 at 5:42am
Helen Yemm suggests a reader's runner beans may not be setting due to excessively hot nights and offers another reader tips on how to prevent a heron from stealing frogs and fish.

How to control viburnum beetles 29 Jul 2010 at 5:30am
Helen Yemm advises on how best to manage and prevent viburnum beetles from destroying your plants.


Waltham Place gardens: a jolly good show 30 Jul 2010 at 7:00am
The gardens at Waltham Place in Berkshire reflect a South African's view of an English idyll where nature has its way and even weeds are allowed to flourish.

How to ensure your garden doesn't turn into a desert 27 Jul 2010 at 8:11am
Leaving your garden without arranging that it is watered while you are on your summer holidays could mean returning to somethng resembling the aftermath of a forest fire.

Gardening week ahead: How to split bearded iris 26 Jul 2010 at 12:25pm
It should have been a spectacular season for bearded irises. If your plants weren't on form, it may be time to divide them.

Gardening week ahead: Pond weed tips 26 Jul 2010 at 12:28pm
A range of aquatic algae, including blanket weed, thrive in warm weather.

Gardening week ahead: Wisteria pruning 26 Jul 2010 at 12:16pm
Wisterias are looking unkempt at this time of year. Restricting growth now will create better air circulation and allow sun to reach the base of the young growth.

How to make your garden bloom in summer 26 Jul 2010 at 12:06pm
Advice on how to maintain the plants in your garden during the hot summer months.

Cutting back tree let the sunlight in 26 Jul 2010 at 11:41am
Shade created by neighbour's tree was blocking the sun from shining directly on the plants in the back garden.

Which potato to grow 26 Jul 2010 at 10:37am
Freshly harvested, home-grown potatoes are one of life's little pleasures. Sarah Raven puts classic varieties and newcomers through their paces.


Frank Wilson: How I survived the death of my wife, Elspeth Thompson 24 Jul 2010 at 6:48pm
Elspeth Thompson, The Sunday Telegraph's gardening writer, took her own life in March. Her husband, Frank, tells how he lives with the tragedy.

Keeping chickens: Hen and the art of chicken maintenance 23 Jul 2010 at 11:06am
In a new monthly column Martin Gurdon reports on the antics from his garden chicken coop.

Patio Garden

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

Featured Review: Corn, Chubby Checkers Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Corn, Chubby Checkers Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 4.2 out of 5

Home gardeners should love this bicolor corn since it was bred specifically for them. It has an extended harvest time, a great sugar-enhanced taste and it doesn't need to be isolated from other sweet corn varieties. It's as pretty on the table as it is on the stalk with a nice mix of white and yellow kernels. Ears measure 8½ inches long with 14-18 rows each. Height 6½ ft. Ready to harvest in 72 days. GARDEN HINTS: Plant corn in blocks, at least 4 rows wide, for cross-pollination and well-filled...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
The best!!
December 06, 2009
By lizzy from Waynesville "Grew this for the first time last year, it was great heavy yields, great taste!! We canned it, froze it & ate it fresh!! Very good also great canned! We are still eating it this winter. am reordering for upcoming season. For good germination make sure the ground is warm enough. Thanks."

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Featured Review: Cantaloupe, Sweet 'N Early Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Cantaloupe, Sweet 'N Early Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

Melons do best when grown in clusters (hills). Sow groups of 3 or 4 seeds in groups 2 ft apart when soil is thoroughly warm. One pkt. of seeds will plant 7 groups; one oz. grows 120 groups. Our best tasting early cantaloupe. Ideal for short-season areas. It bears longer than any other melon in our trials. Firm, bright salmon flesh, sweet and juicy. Round to oval, 4½ inches by 5 inches, slightly ribbed with corky netting. Small seed cavity. Resists powdery mildew. Vigorous, productive plants bear...more
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Sweetest melons around
August 25, 2009
By OrangeMonkeyee from Northwest Indiana "These melon vines sprawl across the garden very fast and produce dozens of bright yellow flowers. Honey bees and other wasps seem to love the flowers as they're always around the melon vines. I have eaten three melons already and I planted in April. These turn a nice golden yellow in the rind and prety much fall off the vine when ready. The aroma is absolutely sweet and fragrant. Just having one of these little melons sit on the kitchen table for a day makes the house smell sweet. The taste is out..." more

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Featured Review: Squash, Summer, Gadzukes! Zucchini Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Squash, Summer, Gadzukes! Zucchini Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 4.4 out of 5

Distinctive, dark green Italian-type zucchini with light green ridges. Appears star-shaped when slices are cut crosswise. Sweet taste and crisp texture. Upright, vigorous plants with open habit. Ready to harvest 55 days after sowing seed in the garden. Grows best in full sun and average soil.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Wow! great Zucchini!
August 11, 2007
By adaire "We love this zucchini! We have grown it for 3 years now and it has never failed to produce massive amounts of delicious zucchini. It keeps well and doesn't turn to mush when cooked. The plants are extremely healthy and produce more than you can eat in full sun. The blossoms are huge and the neighbors have stopped by to ask what we are growing. We have kept the neighborhood well-supplied with zucchini. I highly recommend this zucchini!"

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Featured Review: Tomato, Sun Gold Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Tomato, Sun Gold Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 4.6 out of 5

Rapidly becoming the most popular cherry tomato of all time an amazing feat for a non-red variety. But when you taste the sweet/tart flavor you'll instantly know why. The beautiful golden-orange fruits are borne in large clusters. The flavor develops early, so this little tomato is great for snacking a week before fully mature, when it becomes very sweet and delicious.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Absolutely The Best Orange Cherry Tomato
January 08, 2007
By PharmD Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"The Sun Gold hybrid tomato should be heralded as one of the best tomatoes to grow. Whether you are a novice or hold a PhD in botany, this hybrid is extremely easy to grow compared to other tomatoes. The plant matures in about two months to produce buckets and buckets of super sweet little orange tomatoes. The disease resistance is adequate so you won't have to many problems. I highly recommend this tomato."

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Featured Review: Alyssum, Easter Basket Mix 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Alyssum, Easter Basket Mix

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

Unique blend of pastel colors,including lavender,pink,white,deep rosy pink and violet. Tiny fragrant flowers cover spreading plants. Blooms earlier than other varieties. Great for edgings,borders,planters and rock gardens. GARDEN HINTS: Cultivate or mulch to control weeds. For earlier bloom,start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before outdoor planting time. Shear tops of plants in midsummer to stimulate fresh bloom.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Alyssum Easter Basket Mix
October 01, 2006
By plantlady5 from Little Falls, NY Plant performance 5 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"Planted these seeds in April inside and had small flowers by planting time in May. They took right off when planted in my flower beds and produced good sized mounds 8"-10" across of multi hued colors from white to pinks & purples. They are phenominal compored to the standard white or purple and all the neighbors spent most of the spring & early summer looking for these in nursery's in our area then I told them they were grown from seeds and they could not believe it. We live in a colder region where..." more

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Featured Review: Watermelon, Burpees Fordhook Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Watermelon, Burpees Fordhook Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 4.3 out of 5

Best-selling early, with sweet, bright red flesh. Extra-vigorous plants produce many round, dark green fruits weighing 14 lbs. each. Burpee bred. Proven tops for performance, flavor and wide adaptability. After all danger of frost, sow 5 or 6 seeds in groups 6-8' apart.
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Featured Review 4 of 5
Beet Chicago Red
September 19, 2006
By Candace from Las Vegas, NV Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 4 of 5
"This beet is delicious. It is the tastiest beet I've ever tasted. You and your family have gotta try this beet for your meals!"

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Featured Review: Coleus, Picture Perfect Rose 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Coleus, Picture Perfect Rose

Average Customer Rating 4.7 out of 5

Huge, tricolored leaves are luminous and light green around a marbled ruby and rose-toned center. Dramatic, high contrast effects in beds and tubs.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Vigorous, beautiful, big
September 04, 2006
By Vermonter from Burlington, Vermont Plant performance 5 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"I planted 3 each of these Picture Perfect Rose and the similar Picture Perfect Red coleus plants this past spring along the front of the house to fill in around the perennials, shrubs, and annual flowers. They quickly grew to the advertised size & provide wonderful colors, are VERY dense/full, and are very vigorous and low maintenance. What a great addition! Their size makes them somewhat unusual compared to the more usual coleus you see around here & they really look wonderful combined with the..." more

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Featured Review: Lisianthus, Deluxe Rose Cut Collection 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Lisianthus, Deluxe Rose Cut Collection

Average Customer Rating 4 out of 5

With these 3 beautiful varieties planted in your garden, you will have a constant supply of the best cut flowers available for your own flower arrangements.
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Featured Review 4 of 5
Lisianthus flowers are worth the wait
July 22, 2006
By Vermonter from Burlington, Vermont Plant performance 4 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"This past spring was the first time I've planted Lisianthus. I ordered the collection with three colors & all three types have turned out to have really wonderful flowers; but the foliage on the plants is "minimalist", with virtually nothing to recommend about the plant until the flowers begin (which takes quite a while). Burpee wouldn't send them early to get them further along indoors before our relatively short season in Vermont; however, these plants are day-length sensitive so maybe that is..." more

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Featured Review: Cucumber, Big Burpless Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Cucumber, Big Burpless Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

The bountiful harvest begins about 55 days after planting. Superior flavor, jumbo sized, and burpless too! The large size, sweet flavor and excellent disease resistance combine to make Big Burpless the finest cucumber you'll ever grow. Burpee Exclusive. Grow in full sun in average, well-drained soil. For earlier yields, plants can be started indoors several weeks before your normal planting time.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Best of the burpless
May 21, 2006
By Marsha from Lansing, MI Plant performance 5 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"I planted two hills of this amazing burpless cucumber last summer. At the peak of the season, I was picking 8-12 cukes from my two hills almost every day. Not only is this a true burpless cucumber, but the cukes were still crisp and tasty (almost no seeds) even after I found the "hiders" that grew to 14 inches long. Not only did I have plenty for the table, I canned 20 pints of relish and 10 pints of bread and butter pickles. The bushes bore fruit until frost and I live in Michigan. Needless to..." more

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Featured Review: Suncalc (Sunlight Calculator) 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Suncalc (Sunlight Calculator)

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

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. Put your plants where they want to be! Locating plants under the wrong light conditions is one of the most common reasons for plant failure. SunCalc is incredibly easy to use- full instructions are included. SunCalc can be used over and over, year after ye...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: Salvia, Black & Blue 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Salvia, Black & Blue

Average Customer Rating 5 out of 5

Hands down, our test garden's most handsome plant: tall, dark green stems; bright sage green leaves; abundant 1 ½ inches florets of the richest blue with truly black sepals just below the petals. Not only are they gorgeous, but they bloom relentlessly from late spring to early autumn. The tall, graceful plants, 4 ft x 3 ft work beautifully in large pots, but stunningly as borders or hedges.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Salvia blue and black
March 19, 2006
By greenthumbs from Little Rock, AR Plant performance 5 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"I bought this two years ago and have not had one bad thing to say about it. It has been consistent in blooming, as well as coming back. No problems with disease and very heat tolerant which is important as I live in the South where summers can boil you as well as drown you with the humidity. I have already made plans to purchase more as I only have one plant at this time. Would highly recommend this plant to everyone and always have people stopping by to ask about it. Marilyn"

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Featured Review: Zinnia, Burpee's Big Tetra Mix 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Zinnia, Burpee's Big Tetra Mix

Average Customer Rating 4 out of 5

Zinnias add bold, vibrant color to gardens. The more you cut, the more they bloom! Heat-loving and very easy to grow. Space plants of small kinds 8-10 inches apart, taller kinds up to 18 inches apart. Burpee's Big Tetra Mix. Dahlia-flowered blooms, 6 inches across: pink, yellow, orange, scarlet, white, and more. Attracts Butterflies.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
Protect the children!
February 24, 2006
By Doug from Rochester NY Plant performance 5 of 5
Appearance 5 of 5
"Fantastic zinnia plant, but the description's a bit off. 2.5 feet tall? No way. Mine were almost 6 feet high, growing in 75% sun, 25% shade. Prepare to stake them with something much more rugged than the silly twigs they sell in stores as "plant stakes". A 4x4 inch post is more like it. Or, grow against a fence."

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Featured Review: Squash, Summer, Eight Ball Zucchini 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Squash, Summer, Eight Ball Zucchini

Average Customer Rating 4.8 out of 5

Ten years ago we introduced 'Roly Poly', the first round zucchini, to gardeners' great delight. Now rolling this way is 'Eight Ball', a round little charmer that is bold, glossy and with a deep forest-green skin. Loaded with delicious nutty, buttery flavor, 'Eight Ball' makes a fantastic stuffer. Vines are very productive. Size: 3-4 inches x 3 inches.
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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: Squash, Winter, Autumn Glow 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Squash, Winter, Autumn Glow

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 inches fruit with delicious butternut flavor and texture.
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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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Featured Review: Pepper, Hot Salsa Delight Hybrid 26 Jul 2010 at 12:19am



Pepper, Hot Salsa Delight Hybrid

Average Customer Rating 4.7 out of 5

Narrow cayenne type (7 inches x ½ inch), it has just enough heat to tantalize. Excellent disease resistance. Burpee exclusive. Ready to harvest in 70 days from transplanting out in the garden. Start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Space plants 18-24 inches apart.
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Featured Review 5 of 5
My favorite Pepper
January 31, 2006
By Robenator from South Central Indiana Plant performance 4 of 5
Taste 5 of 5
Yield 5 of 5
"I put out 48 pepper plants last year, 16 of them were these. I didn't start the seedlings till May 15th, put them in the garden about mid July. A few of them struggled after transplanting but they all survived and produced very well. Besides being great in salsa my Wife has used them in Stroganof, Chilli, 15 Bean Soup, Stir Fry, etc. These peppers can transform a good dish into one you can't stop eating. "

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