J Parker's Ideas, Tips & Guides

Image: Newby Hall Gardens. Credit: Newby Hall Gardens.  Wondering what there is to do around Yorkshire this spring and summer? There are plenty of Gardens to Visit in Yorkshire, with lots to see and do — including impressive gardens, glorious stately homes, and much much more!  Here are just a few picks that might tickle your fancy this season.  Newby Hall Gardens Newby Hall and Gardens is located in Ripon, just a 40–50-minute drive from York and Leeds.Their gardens cover 40 acres and includes a whopping 15 areas of interest — including one of the UK's longest herbaceous borders! Not only that, but they also have a miniature railway, boat trips, an adventure playground and more to explore. Perfect for a family-fun day out, whatever the weather. Sheffield Botanical Gardens Image: The pavilions at Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Credit: Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Opened in 1833 and spanning over 19 acres, are the impressive Sheffield Botanical Gardens. They’re a Grade II site of special historic interest, featuring traditional glass Pavilions and sweeping gardens. There’s lots to see and do, including a Mediterranean Climate Garden, a Rock and Water Garden, and even a traditional Victorian Garden display. A must-visit if you’re near the area! Did you know that Manchester once had a Botanical Gardens? There’s even remains of the epic entrance, which can be seen at the front of the White City Retail Park near Trafford. You can read all about Manchester’s Lost Royal Botanical Gardens here. Harlow Carr (North Yorkshire) RHS gardens are a gem of the UK, and RHS Harlow Carr is no exception. This Harrogate-based Garden has lots to do and see throughout spring and summer – a perfect pick for all the family. Their main borders

If you're new to growing daffodils or feel like your display is getting out of hand, then you may be wondering how you store daffodil bulbs and if you even can. Is it worth it? Why would you need to?  All these questions will be answered below by our gardening experts!  What to do with Daffodils after they finish flowering Daffodils are easy to grow, and even easier to care for. Most varieties will naturalise with ease, meaning they multiply when in the ground. This will provide you with a bigger display year after year. So, you might be wondering, why bother moving them then?

Calibrachoas, also known as Million Bells because of their familiar bell-shape, are gorgeous annuals that will fill any basket or patio pot with ease and gusto over the summer months. If you’re wondering what to pop in your new hanging basket this summer, or perhaps are looking to decorate your patios with greatness over the season, then look no further! Calibrachoas are one of our favourite seasonal picks. To help you choose your favourites, we’ve gathered ten of our most popular and our favourite million bell blooms, giving you inspiration for the summer garden. Calibrachoa Black Cherry 

The very first RHS Urban Show was this weekend, and we had a whale of a time. With plenty of plants to shop, stalls to explore, and live talks and tutorials to watch, the whole weekend was a whirlwind.

Wondering what to harvest in April? There’s a fair few things to gather this month, from fresh veggies to forced fruits. Here are just a couple of examples to harvest now or very soon!

if you’re looking to jazz up a patio or fill a few pots with beautiful blooms, then growing dahlias in a container or two isn’t just a possibility – it's encouraged! You can grow almost any compact to medium-sized dahlia in a well-placed pot! Here’s how to grow your favourite dahlias in a gorgeous pot like a professional, with help from our gardening experts. How to Plant Dahlias in Pots

Ahead of our appearance at the RHS's very first Urban Show, we're taking time to appreciate all the firsts that this city has experienced (and there are quite a lot of them!).  As Manchester has been our home for over 90 years, here are just a few of our favourite facts that you need to know about Manchester.  Manchester's Iconic Music Scene Manchester is considered the birthplace of indie music, having produced seminal bands such as The Hollies, Joy Division, New Order, The Stone Roses, Oasis, 1975, and The Smiths. And even today, the city centre is abuzz with local shows, live performances, and clubs.  The Birthplace of the Suffragettes Image: 'Our Emmeline' Statue In Manchester.

Image: Houghton Tower. Credit: Houghton Tower As sunnier days are approaching, it's finally the perfect time to get the family together and have a wander. If you're looking for the best gardens in Lancashire, or perhaps a walking trail or two, then here are some of our top picks to get you out and about – whatever the weather. Gardens & Halls Houghton Tower

Even though our country is small, we have all kinds of climates just a short journey away from each other. Unfortunately, this can make gardening a bit of a guessing game, as some planting advice might not apply to your garden!

Are Dahlia's perennials? We hear this question a lot, and the quick answer is ‘Yes, they are!’. But it also depends on the type of dahlia you’re looking to buy.

Image: West Dean Gardens. Credit: West Dean Gardens May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them. To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’re going to share some of the most influential women within horticulture and their stories.

Having a smaller outdoor space shouldn’t stop you from filling it with your favourite flowers and colours. And when you can’t build outwards… build up! That’s why climbing plants are perfect for smaller spaces, they help you utilise as much available space as possible.

We’ve all heard the accusations: ‘Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday designed to get us to spend more money!’.But, once upon a time, Valentine’s Day was celebrated with enthusiasm! If you’ve ever wondered why Valentine’s Day is celebrated, or better yet, why roses in particular have become the traditional Valentine's symbol, then you’re in the right place. Where it allegedly all began You might have heard of someone called Saint Valentine. Well, the identity of Saint Valentine isn’t officially confirmed – but this historical figure is the influence of Valentine’s Day.

We’ve been to our fair share of local Manchester parks and gardens, that’s for sure! But which do we recommend?

Growing a garden that a florist would be envious of is always the goal when designing a cut-flower display. Zantedeschia (also known as Calla Lilies) should be top of your summer list for this exact reason! These beloved bouquet blooms are a must for any seasonal display, regardless of how new or seasoned you are to gardening. 

Ever wondered what a biennial plant is? Or what makes them different from perennials or annuals? Don't worry, you're not alone. We're here to break down the confusing gardening jargon to make your dream garden become a reality. So, what is a biennial plant? Here's what you should know.  What is a biennial plant? The term 'biennial' is often heard alongside perennials and annuals. But what is a biennial? Biennial plants are classified as such due to their life cycle. Biennial plants have a two year life cycle, producing foliage in their first year, flowers in their second, and dying back at the end of that second year.  This is different from an annual or perennial. Annuals last for just one year, whereas perennials can flower for several years without fault. It's important to know what kind of life cycle your blooms have. For example, if you thought your perennial plant was actually a biennial, you might be disappointed in the lack of flowers in its first year!  Biennials are similar to perennials in that they will reappear after their flowering year. This is because they self-seed, producing more blooms for years to come.  Learn more about annuals in our 'what is an annual plant?' blog.  What plants are biennials? Many biennials are hiding in plain sight! For example, foxgloves are biennials, but you may have thought they were perennials as they're usually grouped with other perennials like delphiniums. Forget me not's are also biennial, but look almost like an annual as they are more compact, like your typical bedding plant.  Biennials to know and grow

Early summer displays simply aren't the same without alliums. Their spherical shape and vivid colours welcome early summer with gusto, adding texture and height to your borders.  These blooms reappear year after year, too! Great for those on a budget. Wondering which to grow in your gardens? Here are our top 10 alliums to grow for summer.  Image In order: Mount Everest, Violet Beauty, Millenium, and sphaerocephalon

Image: Dahlia Waltzing Mathilda Dahlias are one of our top sellers for the spring season, and it’s easy to see why. They’re big and bountiful, adding colours and textures to the summer garden. And, with the new season finally upon us, we have a brand-NEW selection of impressive dahlias for you to know and grow! Here are just a few picks from our range that we’re loving. But, if you’d like to explore our full range or even pre-order your favourites, then visit our dahlia tubers page here. Dahlia Waltzing Mathilda

As 2023 winds down and gardening activities slow down a bit, what else is there to do but dream of what we can achieve in 2024?! Like every year, we’re keen on following top gardening trends to help you grow the garden of your dreams.

2023 marked our 90th year, and what a year it was! Our team have been busy behind the scenes, always making sure that our customers have the best shopping experience, while simultaneously trying to push the boat out further than ever before.

As winter begins to focus in our rear-view mirror, you’ll start to see your garden change. If you have tender summer-flowering plants in your garden, it's time to start thinking about whether to lift and store them or protect them from the harsh clutches of winter.

Alliums are the pinnacle of late spring gardens, providing an elegant backdrop for your borders. They're statuesque, ornamental, and produce amazing flowers for weeks (if not, months!) on end.  If you've got a bag or two of allium bulbs sitting in your greenhouse, and you've just realised with horror that it's suddenly spring and you might just be too late to plant them — fear not! We're going to show you when to plant alliums and when it's really too late. 

You’ve likely come across words like annuals, perennials, and biennials in your gardening adventures. If you’re new to gardening, these terms often cause confusion. Well, we’re here to demystify the term ‘annual’, giving you a helping hand while picking your next seasonal plants.

There's a new plant feed range on the block, and it's scientifically designed to help your plants perform better than ever before! Empathy Mycorrhizal Fungi Rootgrow is a new selection of organic plant feed that uses science to help your plants thrive. But what is Mycorrhizal Fungi? And what can it do for your plants that your average feed can't? Let's find out.

Wondering when to plant your daffodils? Perhaps you have a bag of bulbs that have been left at the back of the greenhouse, just begging to be planted… well, it’s probably not too late! Our plant experts give their advice on when it’s truly too late to plant your daffodil bulbs – spoiler alert, it’s later than you might expect.

Medicinal plants have been grown and foraged for centuries, and it is no new concept. But as a society, we seem to have become almost cynical and mistrusting of plants' medicinal qualities.

Autumn, next to spring, is one of the most popular seed-sowing seasons, especially for flowers. Plants that are native to colder climates are also perfect for autumn sowing.

As Alliums flower over a couple of seasons, this makes them the perfect flower companion to your late spring/early summer flowering plants! If you’re at a loss for knowing what to plant with your alliums, then here are some of our top plants to pair them with for a long-lasting display. Salvia Also known as Ornamental Sage, Salvias are a magnet for pollinators. The juxtaposition between the large globes and spire-shaped flowers is highly attractive. They also help bridge the gap between spring and autumn, as at least one of them will be flowering between this time. Geum Geums are hardy perennials, and as such, make for a perfect partner to the allium. As they can grow to roughly 50cm in height (depending on the variety), the similarity there makes a more cohesive display while offering different colours and shapes. Verbascum Verbascum is a summer-flowering perennial that produces spires of blooms, similar in shape to a hollyhock. They look superb in any seasonal display, and we highly recommend growing them with any of your intended alliums — especially if you're after the classic cottage garden aesthetic!  Carex Carex grasses are often evergreen, producing a range of tufted leaves and varying colours. Carex grasses are ornamental, and look superb in the flower bed, in a container, or even along a walkway. Carex comes in a range of heights, but many will look amazing with your new alliums. Euphorbia Euphorbia, also known as Spurges, is a summer garden staple, adding vibrancy to the display. Their vivid shades look perfect with a selection of alliums and add colour to the summer garden for months on end. Late Spring Flowering Bulbs Many spring bulbs can flower later in the spring months, just like alliums do.

We've partnered with the RHS to bring you this amazing opportunity to win goodies for your garden!  The winner of our exciting competition can expect to win our Mystery Plant Bundle worth £100. This bundle will be full of RHS Award Winning, pollinator-friendly perennial picks for you to fill your garden. You don't want to miss this. To enter our competition, fill out your details via this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2CY93HY

The demand for long-lasting flowers with a rustic aesthetic has come to its peak. This week, we’re talking all about dried flowers, and how this trend has swept the industry up into a Pampas frenzy. If you’re after a bouquet that needs very minimal upkeep, where the flowers last and last, then dried flowers will be right up your street.

With contestants from 15 nations all battling it out to win the Interflora World Cup, it’s easy to say that this year was a nail-biter. But before the winner was announced, our team headed over to Manchester’s Central Convention Complex to see what it was all about.

If you're after a completely free-to-enter garden to relax in and explore this summer, then Manchester's Ordsall Hall has it all — a gorgeous garden, a historic hall, and a lovely allotment. Everything at Ordsall is free to explore, making it a must-visit this season.  Want to find out more? Our team took a tour this summer to show you what Salford's oldest building has to offer.  The Gardens Ordsall Hall has lush sprawling grass to the front of the property… But to the back? This is where you can find their impressive time capsule garden.  The rear garden is designed in a traditional Tudor style knot, similar to what would have been grown back then. Rose bushes stand out among carefully pruned hedging. Lavender covers the flower beds.

Is your garden suffering from a weed takeover? Are you wondering how to get rid of weeds, permanently? Although it’s a fiddly task, getting rid of your weeds sensibly and efficiently will see them off in no time. Here’s how to do it, with help from our gardening experts. First, Identifying the Problem Like any plant, weeds can be annual or perennial.

Wondering what blooms to plant with your new daffodils? There’s an amazing range of seasonal plants to partner with your favourite daffodils and narcissi bulbs.

If you're after a completely free-to-enter garden to relax in and explore this summer, then Manchester's Ordsall Hall has it all — a gorgeous garden, a historic hall, and a lovely allotment. Everything at Ordsall is free to explore, making it a must-visit this season.  Want to find out more? Our team took a tour this summer to show you what Salford's oldest building has to offer.  The Gardens Ordsall Hall has lush sprawling grass to the front of the property… But to the back? This is where you can find their impressive time capsule garden.  The rear garden is designed in a traditional Tudor style knot, similar to what would have been grown back then. Rose bushes stand out among carefully pruned hedging.

Although each plant has specific needs and perfect times to prune, knowing the basics will get you by while you learn about your garden and what's in it. Here are some handy tips to get you started. When to prune shrubs Most shrubs can be pruned from early spring before they begin to regrow their leaves and gointo bloom.