If you grow lilies or fritiillaries you will have this bright lacquered red beetle pest. I first saw lily beetles in my garden about 2014. They were more a curiosity, and after I found and killed the two of them, there was no sign the rest of the year. From then I would occasionally come across them doing no particular damage and delete them on sight.
There is a great sense of satisfaction from spending time working in the garden. There are also many benefits for our physical and mental health from being active in the outdoors. For example: Gardening involves many of our critical functions including strength, endurance, dexterity, learning and problem solving, and sensory awareness Some Benefits of Gardening [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas In general, our plants have recovered remarkably from our long drought spell of our Summer and now, our ‘most dry spell’ takes its place in memory. As our leaves are still falling and our days of wind and rain are gaining in numbers: as well as wrapping ourselves up in [...]
The talk on Hellebores and Friends on Tuesday, 23rd October by Dr Julian Sutton was excellent. While there are numerous cultivars of hellebores it was good to learn more about some splendid species and their role in hybridization. I grow a few species and they help me welcome spring with cheerful anticipation. I watch H. x ericsmithii stir into action [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas As our Autumn seems to be tightening its cooling grip on our beloved gardens and as our flaunting Summer blooms fade religiously into a sodden brown mushy mess, we realise our Winter is on its way and our shorter days and first frosts trigger plants to shut down for Winter [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas Our light is softer and kinder in this September month and our heat is generally bone warming with obviously, a little nip in the air first thing in the a.m., when we do a whistle stop trip to our Oxigen bin or the likes. …For some, we still have two [...]
August in my Garden by Philippa Thomas Even in the height of Summer, gardening requires us to slow down, contemplate and appreciate details in life that can easily be missed if running around at full speed. Is gardening not Green Therapy? – It too, can contribute huge benefits towards bereavement, many illnesses and [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas Our longest day of the year is June 21st. Our extra warmth and light encourages our gardens to put on an exuberant burst of growth. The risk of frost has passed but maybe pause a thought for 10/11 weeks ago or so, Our Incredible Dalkey In Our Incredible Snow. And [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas A profusion of buds and flowers and gorgeous wafts of scent and then, maybe somewhere cool green, to sit in. This is what we seem to want from our gardens, patios, balconies in Summer; ‘Seasonality in the garden’, - It’s our season for exotics which may have spent the rest [...]
My Garden by Philippa Thomas March is truly, the first month of Spring and with longer days and rising temperatures, our gardens are coming alive. …Having said ‘This’, March too, can be unpredictable. …March is a busy time of the year in the greenhouse as it’s time to sow many plants. Make sure, you have [...]
