News - Page 68

The search for ‘Miss Harrison’ began after a researcher at the RHS’s Lindley Library discovered an old document which had lain forgotten in a box in the Society’s archives since 1898. It concerned a determined and pioneering female gardener, Miss Harrison, who had taken that year’s annual exam set by the RHS and not only passed, but achieved the top marks in the country. Normally, this would have secured her a scholarship, £5000 and the chance to study at the Society’s flagship garden in Chiswick.

Described as the hottest houseplant of 2018, it’s no wonder begonias are having a bit of a moment.

Plant bulbs now to naturalise in lawns and long grass for a quick and easy way to add a boost of cheerful colour in spring, while also providing valuable early nectar for the season’s first pollinating insects.

When you’re putting together a garden, all five senses count. Sight, scent and taste are provided easily with a few pretty, perfumed roses and a vegetable patch: but the senses of touch and sound are often forgotten.

The first of this autumn’s harvest celebrations gets underway next weekend at the Malvern Autumn Show, an extravaganza of giant veg and foodie heaven that will have your mouth watering.

A survey of x000 gardeners found that over 85% agreed that visiting a garden has a positive impact on their wellbeing, with eight in 10 feeling happier after strolling around a garden.