blairs

HELP:Starting from Scratch!!

I would start by writing things down.

What do you want from the garden? Privacy, nice views, impress people, grow food?

Then plan where the sun is, where the soil is dry/damp. What you like or dislike

Basics are fork, spade, trowel, secateurs and mower.

If you could have any plant / tree in your garden

Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) aka Mindanao Gum. Its bark looks like a child has painted it! Not at all hardy alas.

J Parkers let down

Not had a bad experience with J.Parkers. I have had 2 plants fail but were replaced without a problem. Personally they should advise on the site if a plant is in stock or not. I have had no problems with their bulbs - healthy and raring to go! Better than the dried out bulbs in supermarkets and garden centres.

Hardy Tropical or Mediterranean Plants

Hardtropicals (http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/) is the place to get more inspiration.

Verdun's suggestions are spot on though for Palms, the only one provan truly hardy in the UK is Trachycarpus fortunei. Canary Island Date Palm (CIPD)  is not hardy and should be seen as annual bedding apart from fortunate places in coastal Cornwall etc. Otherwise inside a dry greenhouse all winter, but they grow big.

Musa and ensete look the part and canna musifolia are tropical looking and give the jungle look.

Salina's suggestion for Euphorbia is also spot on!

Rodgersia, Ligularia, Rheum, Gunnera Manicata, Bamboo also immediately come to mind.

Alstroemeria

I have them outside all winter. Pots or ground depends of climate (how wet it is in winter) and soil drainage. I have mine in large pots with cherry trees, so the soil dries quickly and is free draining.

Onions from Seed

I love how quickly Onion grow from seed - am always shocked that a tiny seed can grow into a large onion in months. You tranfer the onions into the ground with most of the bulb showing. Take care not to disturb the roots, so dig a hole and plant with all the soil. Sunny a spot as possible and keep watering. Easy.

New EU law to block gardeners collecting and growing from their own seeds.

The proposed legislaiton only seems to be for crop seeds and then selling them. Nothing to do with you colleciting seeds in your garden...

Help identifying please?

Difficult to say - leaves look like Azalea/Rhoddie.

Tip to keep the slug from your hostas.................................

Would be interested in seeing if hair works. I put my Hosts in galvinised-zinc troughs and that works a treat as well. I would liek to put them in the ground and naturalise them but the slugs are too ferocious round these parts.

Weeds in gravel garden

The weed prove how good gravel is at germinating seeds! The trapped heat and moisture is perfect. Good when it happens to wanted plants, not so good when it is weeds.

Agave Seed Germination

Not GWM getting advertised discount @ Crocus

tetrapanax papyrifer seed germination