Gardeners at the RHS London Plant & Design Show on 14-15 February were urged to turn neglected alleyways into green havens.
A poll of 231 gardening groups found that run-down areas were problematic due to fear of crime.
But gardens at the event showed how to green-up grot-spots.
One designer said: “A derelict alley can be taken on as a community project.”
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has mocked the nation’s favourite hobby.
An advertisement to promote Jeremy’s new book says: “Dads, gardening is a pointless way of passing the time until you die.”
The ad has been seen by millions of people using the public transport system.
Jeremy is notorious for insulting ramblers, owners of caravans and drivers of Reliant Robins – but this…
A new National Gardening Week aims to get Brits sowing, hoeing and mowing in 2012.
Set to take place on 16 to 22 April, nurseries, garden centres, garden clubs, charities, schools and the media are all being urged to get involved.
The initiative was devised by the Royal Horticultural Society, which will give away 20,000 gardening starter packs with free seeds.
Gardeners will…
Top show garden builder Mark Gregory says it is only a matter of time before a garden designer is sued by a sponsor for not winning their paymaster a gold medal.
Mark (inset), who has won gold medals at Chelsea, and is an RHS judge, said: “The power of sponsorship and media coverage is now too big to not have a…
The Royal Horticultural Society is experiencing a big upturn in its fortunes, according to its boss.
Director-general Sue Biggs told AG the RHS had achieved its highest-ever membership of 375,464.
Sue said it had been a bumper year at the RHS’s four main gardens: Wisley in Surrey, Hyde Hall in Essex, Rosemoor in Devon and Harlow Carr in Yorkshire.
Visitor numbers are up…
Alan Titchmarsh has claimed his new ITV series outperformed expectations, but brushed aside critics’ claims that it’s lightweight on horticultural content.
Speaking exclusively to AG, Alan said Love Your Garden attracted average audiences of 3.5million viewers, peaking at 3.8million.
As well as returning for four episodes this autumn, a second series will run in 2012.
“It’s quite scary to do a new programme,” said Alan.…
Gardeners should consider the environmental impact of every aspect of their hobby, from mowing the lawn to watering the garden.
So says the RHS which has released Gardening Matter: Urban Gardens, a report on the role gardens can play in reducing city warming.
Author Dr Tijana Blanusa said gardening contributed to carbon emissions through use of power tools and the transport of…
He is known for pushing the boundaries of garden design and testing the patience of Chelsea Flower Show organiser the Royal Horticultural Society.
So eyebrows were raised when celebrity designer Diarmuid Gavin unveiled plans to make his Chelsea comeback with a garden in a sci-fi style pod, hoisted in the air above the showground, using a crane.
Speaking at the RHS London…
The royal Horticultural Society has embarked on a fresh round of redundancies, pruning out directors and high-profile managers.
It comes just weeks after new RHS director-general Sue Biggs said: “I’m well placed to say that morale is great within the RHS. We are all facing forwards to an exciting new future.”
The surprise ‘restructuring’ effects eight management posts from the Society’s 751-strong…
