My wife was recently given some long whippy fruit canes (with roots intact) by a gardener friend of hers, the bounty from an autumn thinning at a large kitchen garden. The stems are that of the Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), a relative of the raspberry that hails from Korea and China, as well as Japan, and they promise to be an interesting addition to our garden.
Read MoreIt is about now that the first signs of life begin to stir to the garden. With the snowdrops usually reaching their peak around Valentine’s day, our thoughts begin to return to that space outside the back door that has been largely neglected since November. A few sunny days can induce a mild panic and make you wonder about all those winter tasks you had planned and that are still firmly on the to do list.
Read MoreGardeners can be a smug lot. Not only do they derive great satisfaction (mostly) from doing what they do but also they know just how good it is for them to do it (mostly). The media regularly reports on the beneficial impact gardening can have as a form of exercise, particularly for the elderly, and often promotes the therapeutic value of gardening (as a stress reliever, for people recovering from physical or mental trauma or for people suffering from dementia for instance).
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