Our blog is an opportunity for all PlantNetwork members and supporters to contribute to discussions on all aspects of horticulture, botany, gardens and plant collections. If you would like to contribute a blog, contact the PlantNetwork Coordinator.
Mastering your next career step
Find out what it’s like to study for the RHS MHort before applications close on 03 August 2020.
How WRAGs changed my life
Alison Hepworth, WFGA Regional Manager, explains the WRAG Scheme and how it changed her life.
The Hills are Alive
Daniel Jones, Horticultural Student at RHS Garden Wisley, introduces his research project which looks at using alpine plant communities in gardens.
Notes on the Garden – Packwood House
Robyn Booth, gardener at Packwood House, provides a virtual tour of the gardens at this heritage property.
Grow! A Scratchpad for People Developers
Nanette Wraith, 2019-2020 Longwood Fellow, introduces a free resource pack for people developers in horticulture.
A Cambridge Rhapsody in Blue
Richard Gant, Head Gardener at Madingley Hall at the University of Cambridge, considers plants with ‘Cambridge Blue’ flowers.
Managing water in gardens
So far, 2020 has been a year of rainfall extremes. How can we manage water to make gardens more resilient to these extremes? Find out more here.
Punch Bowl Valley Gardens, Windsor Great Park
The Punch Bowl in Valley Gardens in the Windsor Great Park is one of the (many) highlights of the park. Here, Patricia Craven, Supervisor of the Valley Gardens, explains its history and recent renovation.
Growing at home #1: getting started, getting supplies
Want to avoid the long queues at garden centres? Inspired by the first virtual Chelsea Flower Show? This blog, by Kath Farrell, has some hints and tips….
RHS MHort dissertation investigates links to sound and propagation
Find out what it is like to study for a MHort qualification….
Peat-free growing?
There has been much in the press over the last few weeks focusing on peat use in gardening. Peat use in horticulture was due to be completely phased out by 2020 – but it is still widely used. This blog looks at the issues behind the ongoing debate.
New year, old boots…..
Celebrate the New Year with a resolution to carry out at least one greener or more sustainable gardening activity every month in 2020. Ever wondered what to do with your old wellington boots? A recent comment in the PlantNetwork newsletter resulted in this wonderful list from a PlantNetwork member to kick-start the ‘Greener Gardening 2020’ challenge.
New Plant Health Regulations
On the 14th December 2019, the new Plant Health Regulation will be implemented across the EU including the UK. What does this mean for horticulturists? Our quick view key messages provide your ‘need to know’ information.
What is Environmental Sustainability?
We use the words ‘sustainable’ and ‘sustainability’, along with ‘green’, ‘eco-friendly’ and many others, to indicate that a product or service is better for the environment, compared to an unsustainable equivalent. Sustainability is, however, much more complicated than this and very few ‘sustainable solutions’ are truly sustainable. Read more.
Horticulture in graveyards, churchyards and cemeteries
Inspired by a blog earlier this year entitled ‘Britain’s best places to see: Heritage graveyards and cemeteries’ by Sian Belwitt for Museum Crush, PlantNetwork has created a short blog for Hallowe’en looking at graveyards as garden places to visit.
Bursaries, grants and awards
There are lots of funding opportunities available to horticulturists in Britain and Ireland to help support travel and career development. A ‘quick view’ guide is provided here.
Glyphosate – an update
PlantNetwork provides an update on glyphosate in response to ongoing debate and discussion.
An autumn update from Dragonfli
A biocontrol update for the autumn garden by Julian Ives of Dragonfli.
Have you ever had an idea for a horticultural adventure but lacked the finance to achieve it?
There are a number of bursaries available to horticulturists: here, one scheme with a wide remit is introduced.
Horticap: providing training to adults with learning and other disabilities
Horticap provides adults with learning and other disabilities training in horticulture, allied crafts and rural skills. And regularly wins gold medals for show gardens….
Horticulture Explained: Interpretation of horticultural practice in UK public gardens
Read a summary of Sophie Walwin’s Kew Diploma dissertation looking at the use of interpretation in public gardens in the UK, particularly the interpretation of horticultural practice.
Cornwall Professional Gardeners Group (CPGG)
Find out more about this network of gardeners in Cornwall
This gardener’s journey through horticulture: Part 2
Follow one gardener’s career in horticulture: part two.
In Pursuit of Paradise: Tourism & Public Gardens
This study evaluates the demographics of the garden visiting public in Great Britain (GB) in 2018, assessing the reasons for visiting, activities pursued during visits and facilities sought on visits.
Bedfordshire Head Gardeners Network
The Bedfordshire Head Gardeners Network is a Bedfordshire Gardens Trust initiative bringing together gardeners across the county on a regular basis to offer a collaborative approach to caring for Bedfordshire’s green spaces.
This gardener’s journey through horticulture: Part 1
Follow one gardener’s career in horticulture: part one.
Peat or peat-free?
The debate about the use of peat in horticulture seems to have been going for a long time.
On the subject of collaboration
Last year saw increasing debate about collaboration within the horticultural industry.