At Jacks Garden Store we have always been aware that gardening programmes on the BBC have  had a vast number of loyal viewers. Recently Elizabeth Banks the first ever woman president of the Royal Horticultural Society has accused the BBC of “dumbing down” its garden shows such as Gardeners World. Banks went on to express that she felt the broadcaster appeared to be “scared of plants” and came across as rather patronising to the British gardener.

The BBC show chose to use common plant names instead of using Latin names which can cause confusion as the common names can vary in different countries.

The president of the Royal Horticultural Society would love to see the BBC improve its gardening programme focusing more on plants and not to worry about coming across too high brow or snobby. Banks further states that “the plantsmanship, the excitement, the range of plants seems to have gone. I do feel the BBC is scared of plants and plant names.”

A spokesman for the BBC responded to Banks comments by explaining “The BBC works very closely with the Royal Horticultural Society” and “absolutely refute any suggestion that the BBC’s coverage of gardening is in any way ‘dumbing down’.”

Viewing figures for this show are high and consistent. It manages to attract a far larger share of the UK TV audience for a show on at this time on BBC2.

At Jacks Garden Store we would be interested to see what you think……Do you regularly watch the show and feel that it is in any way patronising?

What would you like to see more of on a gardening programme such as Gardeners World?

For more gardening news and useful advice please visit my blog, here you will find information on a wide range of gardening topics as well as great new gardening ideas that you may want to try.

Gardener Jack!

A traditional garden arbour is a sheltered garden seat that includes support for climbing plants to grow up and around.

Materials
Steel Arbours – This type is strong and durable and will require very little maintenance.
Wooden Arbours – Look wonderful in your garden thanks to being produced from natural materials, a timber arbour will blend easily into your gardens backdrop. Some maintenance required you will need to varnish this timber arbour yearly.

Design
There are so many different styles of arbour available, you can choose from apex roof arbours or curved roof arbours, flat backed structures, ones with lots of trellis to grow climbing plants and also the more elaborate corner arbours that are the largest type of arbour available.

An arbour will look great in your garden, it not only provides a place to sit and relax sheltered from the sun, it also acts as an attractive focal point in your garden thanks to it’s design and the ability to grow climbing plants up and around it’s structure. A garden arbour will allow you to add height to your garden design.

Check out the full range of garden arbours available at Jacks Garden Store. If you are considering a slightly larger structure you may want to check out our fabulous range of gazebos. Not only does a gazebo provide a wonderful sheltered area, you can train your plants to grow on the garden trellis attached creating a magnificent focal point in your garden.

Good luck

Gardener Jack!

Why not kick start 2010 by growing your own sprouted seeds, not only good for the body but also for the mind. Sprouting seeds help boost your immune system, bring extra fibre and vitamins into your diet as well as countering stress and improving your digestion. Sprouting seeds are a wonderful superfood rich in antioxidants.

Read my simple growing guide and find out how easy it is to grow this superfood at any time of the year!

Required:
Jam Jar
Sprouting seeds
Sieve

How to grow

1. Firstly put the seeds into a sieve and wash with cold fresh water. Transfer the seeds into a dish with tepid water and allow them to soak overnight.
2. On day 2 drain the seeds and put into a large jar, allowing three quarters of the jar to remain empty. During germination the seeds will swell and increase dramatically in size. Cover the jar with a small square of fabric and hold in place with an elastic band. Fill the jar with water and then drain again.
3. Place the jam jar in a warm dark spot such as your airing cupboard and rinse with clean water twice a day. Jacks top tip – You can use a sunny windowsill if you do not have a warm dark place in your home. Although darker spots create stronger tastier seeds, placing your seeds anywhere warm will have the desired effect.
4. When the seeds germinate, move them to a warm sunny spot that is not in direct sunlight and continue to rinse daily.
5. Harvest the seeds once the shoots are 2-4cm long. They can be kept refrigerated for up to 4 days.

If you are successful in growing your own sprouted seeds and want to try your hand at other great superfoods rich in vitamins and nutrients give, alfalfa, aduki beans, sprouting broccoli, rocket or radish’s a try. Each food will only take a week or so to grow and will taste fantastically fresh and tasty.

For a great variety of different seeds and herb kits check out Jacks garden store!

Good luck

Gardener Jack

Are you running out of space in your home and yearn for a relaxing retreat. Building a log cabin in your back garden enables you to increase your living space at a relatively low cost. Log cabins are fast becoming one of the most popular ways for homeowners to extend their living space.

Top 4 considerations when buying a log cabin

• Interlocking log
  Most timber log cabins are constructed using a technique similar to a 3-D jigsaw puzzle. As with tongue and groove timber structures blocks of wood are slotted together to form the walls of the timber building. This technique creates an impressively strong and sturdy outdoor building.

• Wall Thickness
  Log cabins come in a range of differing wall thickness – typically 28mm log cabins, 44mm log cabins and 58mm log cabins. Remember the thicker the wall the stronger the building. If you are looking for a large log cabin don’t compromise on wall thickness because of price. Although slightly more expensive thicker walled log cabins provide greater strength, stability and greater insulation.

• Size Range
  Log cabins are available in a great number of sizes and depending on your requirements and the space available in your garden  there will be one that is right for you. Before you buy measure the space in your garden and think carefully about the purpose of the building to ensure you buy the right log cabin. If you do have a small garden you may want to conside purchasing a summerhouse instead of a log cabin to ensure that your garden does not become too overcrowded.

• Designs
  Log cabins are available in Chalet styles, traditional styles and a wide range of other designs. You can decide whether you want to make a feature of your timber structure in your garden by picking a beautifully designed log cabin or alternatively pick a simple more traditional structure that will blend safely into your gardens backdrop. As well as thinking about the overall style of your log cabin, hexagonal and corner log cabins are available if you are looking for something slightly different or are a little short on space. The roof can either be Apex or Pent depending on your preferences.

Whether you require the timber cabin for a home office, gym, relaxing retreat or playroom for the kids, Jacks garden store offers a huge range of log cabins and many more timber buildings to suit all requirements.

Good luck

Gardener Jack

Now is the time to begin planning your herb garden.
Although it is still pretty cold outdoors, if you look closely in some gardens you will begin to see new signs of growth in their herb beds. If you don’t mind braving the cold now’s the time to tidy up your beds, pot up autumn cuttings, take root cuttings of some herbs like Mint and you can also begin to sow seeds.

Starting a herb garden
If you have never grown a herb garden before, the first task is to choose a sunny and sheltered spot in your garden for your herb bed. Check that you can access all areas of your chosen spot.  Next you need to think about what you would like to grow, which herbs do you like/dislike or would like to try for the first time?
Once you have your list do take into consideration that many types of herbs including Rosemary, Lavender and Thyme do not like waterlogged soil which can often be a problem during winter in ground level beds. If you know that your soil is prone to water logging  creating a raised bed with horticultural grit in the soil will help to resolve this issue.

Your planting during this month will ensure a fantastic evergreen herbal structure which will be in full flourish by next winter. Your planned herb garden should include some if not all of the following herbs:

• Cotton Lavender
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Sage
• Bay
• Salad burnet
• Juniper

All of these herbs are evergreen so will look and taste fabulous all year round.

Towards the end of February you can also sow the following herb seeds in a cold greenhouse:

• Parsley
• Chives
• Chervil
• Dill

You can view a wide range of herb starter kits at Jack’s Garden Store. Each kit will help you on the way to growing your own fresh produce!

Caution
Do bear in mind that we are still likely to suffer from frost during February. Tender shoots will need to be protected at night. If you are not using a greenhouse a simple way of keeping your plants protected is with a horticultural fleece or alternatively you can use a cold frame. A cold frame acts as a mini greenhouse as is a great alternative if you have limited space or budget.

Good Luck

Gardener Jack