Dede Sophie

Welcome to the enchanting world of soil! Have you ever wondered how a tiny seed can transform into a majestic plant? It's all thanks to the incredible power hidden within the soil. In this article, we will explore the mystical energy that makes seeds thrive and discover the secrets of nature's magic. So, put on your gardening gloves and join us on this journey into the secret life of soil! The Secret Life of Soil: Unleashing the Power to Grow Seeds Nurturing Nutrients : The soil contains a treasure trove of nutrients that act as food for plants. From essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to trace minerals, these nutrients fuel seed growth and development. Moisture Magic : Moisture is the key to unlocking the power of soil. As seeds absorb water from the soil, they activate dormant enzymes that kickstart the germination process. Without water, the seeds would remain dormant, unable to tap into their potential. Soil Structure: A Hidden Powerhouse ...

Orchids are one of the most fascinating and beautiful plants to cultivate. Among the many varieties of orchids, Anggrek, also known as the moth orchid, is highly sought after for its stunning blooms and ease of care. However, successfully growing Anggrek requires a good understanding of the basics, creating the ideal environment, and nurturing the plants with proven techniques. In this article, we will guide you through the essential steps to master the art of orchid cultivation and achieve successful growth of Anggrek. Understanding the Basics: Introduction to Orchid Cultivation Before delving into the specifics of growing Anggrek, it is essential to have a basic understanding of orchid cultivation. Orchids belong to the Orchidaceae family and are renowned for their unique flowers and diverse forms. Unlike traditional potted plants, orchids are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants, such as trees, in their natural habitat. Understanding the orchids' natural habitat and...

Hello there and welcome to another video from the ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. In this video horticulturist Simon will demonstrate how to propagate the Madagascan succulent Bryophyllum from pups. All you need is a modular seed tray, multipurpose compost and a small dibber or pencil. Fortunately, propagating Kalanchoe (Bryophyllum) from pups is super easy but check out the above video for all the information you will need for success. Do forget to subscribe to your YouTube channel so that you won’t miss out on any of out other content.

Welcome back to the ‘Walking talking Gardeners’ YouTube channel. We recently posted Part 1 of our visit to Palheiro Gardens in Madeira. Well hold on to your pants as we have part 2 ready for you. Join English Horticulturists Simon and Lorna as the continue their walk around Palheiro Gardens on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Palheiro gardens is open to the public and is one of the premier garden on the island next to Monte Palace Tropical Gardens and Madeira Botanical gardens. Once a private estate is now house a massive collection of plants from across the world planted in stunning Edwardian pleasure gardens. If you don’t want to miss out on future videos don’t forget to click the like and subscribe buttons.

Stapelia schinzii is a rarely seen (at least it is in the United Kingdom)  clump forming succulent plant grown for its impressively large, ornamental flowers. Native to Namibia, Southwest Africa the roughly star-shaped blooms open to show the largest of all native Stapelia blooms at an impressive 20 cm in diameter! Un the UK the flowering period will be around September Its native habitat is found between 800-2000 meters above sea level yet unlike the majority of cacti tends to be found growing in the shade of other plants. Once established Stapelia shinzii can form a lax clump of approximately 100 cm in diameter. It is difficult to find a specimen to purchase but sometimes propagation material can be found online. Stems should be allowed to callous off for a few days before planting into a good quality, compost. Avoid free draining or specialist cacti composts as these will keep the root system too dry. water regularly over the summer but never leave the compost waterlogged or complet...

Aeoniums are arguably one of our absolute favourite succulents. I think it is because of how the apical rosette of leathery leaves look like exotic blooms. Admittedly under the super-soft environment experienced in the UK the leaf rosettes can become extremely elongated to the point that the stems struggle to support them, but I think that this is a far more favourable ornamental effect that the tight ‘buttons’ of foliage seen in the harsh climate of the southern Mediterranean basin.  Anyway, they keys to the success of Aeoniums is one – how easily the can produce unusual and exciting colour variations. And two – how easy they to propagate vegetatively. So in this video we show you just how easy it is to grow Aeoniums from cuttings and of course that makes them (almost) entirely free! If you would like to watch more content like this then consider subscribing to our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. don’t forget to press the ‘Li...

  It is easy, or at least relatively so, to create a cold-hardy, tropical effect garden, but is it still possible to produce a tropical effect garden if you experience extremely cold winters? By that I mean parts of the world where winter temperatures can drop to around – 15 degrees celsius or 5 degrees Fahrenheit in old money! Well the answer is of course yes, however there will be some more cultural work involved with some of the plants in my following selection to give them a helping hand over the finish line of survival. To promote the effect add canna and dahlias which can be lifted and brought in under protection each year. Also consider growing salvias and tobacco plants as cheap annuals for their vibrant colours and architectural effect.  Palms Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Chinese Windmill Palm’ -15 Celsius Bismarck Palm ‘Bismarckia nobilis’ -9 Celsius (my absolute favourite) Mediterranean Fan Palm ‘Chamaerops humilis’ -12 celsius Bamboo  Phyl...

  The giant ornamental onion – Allium giganteum is not only one of my favourite of all the flowering bulbs, it is one of my favourite plants of all! And why wouldn’t it be with its strongly held, large spherical globe-like blooms it is arguably the best of all ‘drumstick’ style flowers. However the bulbs can be difficult to obtain and then difficult to find ones large enough that will flower in the following year. However there is a low cost option to growing plenty of  giant ornamental onions and that is to do so from seed. So why not check out English horticulturist Simon as he explains the very simple method of propagating Allium giganteum. If you would like to see more content like this then consider subscribing to out YouTube channel – ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. Click on the notification bell and you will be notified of all our future videos

Ahh, Tree Echiums or as I clearly like to call them ‘Giant Echiums’, which of course they are! The problem with growing them on the south coast of England is that they live on the very edge of where they can survive. This means that a harsh winter here can really damage them. So in order to survive into the following season they will need some frost protection – which creates its own problem. When left hidden under cover, it is possible that caterpillars are in there too meaning that they can happily munch on the succulent new growth throughout the winter leaving you with a damaged, poor quality specimen come the spring! No at first sight your specimen my look absolutely fine, and of course these plants really want to grow so will happily produce luxurious side shoots as soon as the weather improves. The problem is that these side shoots are always weakly connected to the main branch. So as they grow upwards to produce the flower spike they will not be able to hold the...

Calla lilies are a beautiful addition to any garden but to get the most out of your plants try to avoid these five mistakes when planting them. By following these tips you will ensure greater success and earlier flowering.  Calla lilies can bring an amazing tropical look to the garden and despite being able to survive a mild winter here in the UK, they will not be able to cope with an extended period of freezing conditions. Of course the garden retailers like to have Calla lily bulbs out for sale as early as February but do not be tempted to plant them outside yet as the chances are that they will rot in the ground before the weather warms up! So check out this video above to avoid wasting your money. If you would like to see more content like this then consider subscribing to our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe instantly at any time.

Germinating tomato seeds can always go wrong so check out these five (5) easy mistakes to avoid when growing tomatoes from seed. Get them wrong and you could lose a batch of seedlings, however these techniques are not just for salad crops these principles are relevant to the majority of seed grown plants. Timing is extremely important, because if you leave sowing your tomatoes too late then you risk not having enough of the growing season left to allow the plant to produced ripened fruit. Sow then too early and you risk having your seedlings damaged or even killed by late frosts! But it doesn’t stop there as the importance of having sterilized equipment and compost cannot be underestimated as you can easily lose a batch of seedlings to fungal infection. For more content like this why not consider subscribing to our YouTube gardening channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is free to subscribe and you can unsubscribe at any time!

The wonderful Star Magnolia – Magnolia stellata is arguably the best of the early, small ornamental flowering trees in the business. Native to the stream-sides and moist, boggy areas of Japan largest island, Honshū, Magnolia stellata is one of the smallest of the magnolia species and is a great addition for the suburban garden. However its most noticeable and ornamental feature are its blooms. It flowers very early on in the spring making it one of the first trees to break flower bud, the flowers are large and conspicuous and it produces its blooms before the leaves break bud which all together make for a very striking show – hence its ongoing popularity. Although not from the Ericaceae family it will require acidic to neutral soil conditions so plant in a deep hole backfilled with ericaceous compost. Plant it in a sheltered position so that the blooms are protected from freezing wind and rain which can damage the petals. The soil will need to be regular damp but well-draine...

Who doesn’t love Amaryllis and wouldn’t want to grow them indoors from bulbs? Well if you don’t then this video is not for you. Monstrous bulbs combined with massive architectural blooms is a heady mix and I for one absolutely love them. So to find out how easy it is to grow them indoors from a bulb I have asked Lorna to share her wisdom. Her secret? The airing cupboard! If you would like to see more content like this then why not consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe at any time. You can find the link to our homepage: https://www.youtube.com/@walkingtalkinggardeners/videos

Welcome to the wonderful tropical greenhouse at Birmingham Botanic gardens with your horticultural hosts Lorna and Zoe. This tropical greenhouse is wonderful surprise housed in the Midlands, making the delights of quality horticulture more accessible to Brummie, like-minded gardeners who would otherwise have to rough it with southern posh-os in that there London! So enjoy this walkround where Lorna and Zoe point out anything that catch their interest. If you would like to see more content like this then why not consider subscribing to our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe instantly at any time.  

Oh my goodness, my orchid cacti have been absolutely fine wintering outside for the past 6 years, then this year they have been absolutely smashed!  If you didn’t know before, Orchid cactus – Disocactus ackermannii is an species of epiphytic cactus that occurs in the cloud forests of Veracruz and Oaxaca, in Mexico. It is a gorgeous, evergreen plant with an arching trailing habit and produces dark green, long, flattened leaves which are only 2-3 inches wide but up to 36 inches long! Usually tough as old boots I like to grow it outside hanging from my trees. This year however a polar vortex descended on the garden and stayed for a couple of weeks, just long enough to kill a lot of my ‘on-the-edge’ hardy plants. Even the back up plan cacti in the greenhouse were frozen to mush! Luckily it wasn’t a complete disaster as you will find out in this video.

The hanging of mistletoe at Christmas to steal a kiss from a maiden may be considered sexual violence in today’s society but please don’t blame the mistletoe. Mistletoe is having a hard enough time! With the ever-dwindling UK apple industry meaning less and less host plants from which to grow on and steal nutrients and water from without giving anything back. So mistletoe are desperate for a helping hand! With this in mind why not consider growing your own mistletoe from seed – assuming you have a suitable host tree and a pair of organic disposable gloves? The best time of year for this is February/March and you should be able to get hold of viable seeds from on-like retailers. If you would like to see more content like this then why not subscribe to our YouTube channel ;Walking Talking Gardeners’? It is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Welcome to the cacti and succulent collection at Birmingham Botanical gardens with your horticultural hosts Lorna and Zoe. In this video they take a walk around the cacti and succulent collection pointing out the things of interest. If you would like to see more content like this then why not consider subscribing to our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’? It is absolutely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you find yourself at a loose end on the Cany island of lanzarote then hire a caba and check out this truly gorgeous, and well thought-out cactus and succulent garden designed by local Lanzarote artist Cesar Manrique. It is a jewel in the crown of this island and I would recommend to anyone who is horticulturally minded. Sited in a disused quarry, the excavated sides and man-made terracing dramatically compliment the specimen cacti and succulents therein. If you would like to see more content like this then check out our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is free to subscribe to and that way you can be notified wherever we publish a new video/

My lemon tree has come through the winter looking like a stack of dead twigs so did I just kill my lemon tree? The answer may surprise you but rather than give the surprise away here you should check out the video instead. Lemon trees are a fantastic addition to the summer garden and are surprisingly robust and easy to grow. What they don’t like however is freezing conditions but there are an increasing number of cultivars that are capable of tolerating cold winters such as the meyers lemon. Last year winter was particularly cold with temperatures dropping to -7 degrees Celsius, far colder than even the hardiest lemons to cope with even with winter protection. So what happened to our lemon when the spring finally arrived? ell check out the above video to find out. If you would like watch more content like this then check out our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free to subscribe to and you can unsubscribe instantly at any time. Click onto ...

So, just what is a ‘Stumpery’ garden? Well, similar to a rockery it is a garden which used old tree stumps to create an artistic design within a garden setting. The first stumpery was built in 1856 at Biddulph Grange and they remained popular in Victorian Britain. We visit one of the best modern stumperys in the UK which was built with in the walls of Arundel castle, West Sussex. So why not check out the video of our visit to Arundel castles stumpery, arguably one of the best examples in the country. Of course it is not just the tree stumps that give ornamental effect it is the planting scheme supporting it to show of these magnificent piece of nature architecture that really make this garden shine. If you would like watch more content like this then check out our YouTube channel ‘Walking Talking Gardeners’. It is absolutely free to subscribe to and you can unsubscribe instantly at any time. Click onto the notification ‘bell’ icon to informed as to wh...