An Old Friend Visits and Brings Changes…

Now that we’re in #NoMowMay I have been wondering what to do with the 30 minutes or so I’m saving every time I don’t mow the back lawn?

The first ‘missed cut’ I just spent standing there appreciating the last flowers of the native Tulipa sylvatica we planted in the patches last autumn and the Snakes-head fritillary we planted the autumn before. We’ve done the now mow regime since Plantlife first started the campaign in 2019 and, truth be told those patches have only been getting one cut in autumn ever since. Not only does it save time, money, and energy but the benefit for plants and wildlife are huge. Each year we see new native plant species regain their place in a more natural process and have the time they need to grow flower and seed successfully. Not only do the Dandelion, Buttercup, Selfheal, Cow Parsley, Daisy, red Campion and more provide pollen and nectar for pollinators but their leaves along with those of the grasses support a myriad of other invertebrates. 

This no cut showed things growing well, but the Camassia’s weren’t quite out …so what to do with the remaining time? As it happens I unexpectedly bumped into an old friend today, so I’ll spend the time on him.

That’s him there…the 9cm square pot with the gold number 12 on its bottom! When I was leaving college after doing my basic Horticulture courses there was a bit of clear out going on in the storeroom. We all got offered a few old compost bags full of used pots. Having always been a bit of a Womble all my daysI took the “gift”, as well as the one’s a few others turned down.  Among those pots where some with gold numbers on the bottom. I have no idea what then the numbers where for. But I do know every year I see then cycle through the potting shed, sometimes with Veg, sometimes annuals to draw pollinators and predators to the Veg plot, but more often as perennials are potted on. To keep our plants as hardy as possible they all go out at a 9cm pot, to a location that suits their needs and are watched over as they thrive. We don’t sell plants that are not hardy …as we no longer have them (!).

But, back to the 3” pot… the thing is, it’s now over ten years since I was given these pots.  Sometimes I don’t see one for a year if the plant is slow growing, sometimes I see them multiple times a season. And that’s the deal with plastic its incredibly durable and with a little care will retain its original function. But even when this function is prevented by age, breakage or UV degradation it still persists, harmfully, in the environment. Most plastic now on Earth will out-last most Humans now on Earth.

If things don’t improve plastic could well outlast the Human species!

I want my business to have as little detrimental impact on the environment in which it exists as possible. As well as being #Peatfree and Pesticide free this also extends to the plastic that is a pretty inevitable part of horticulture. We only buy in what we must; when we must it is at least recyclable but most often is recycled and re-cyclable. When items are no longer reusable or repurpose-able we ensure they are responsibly recycled. 

As we sell plants to be planted out into the ground, not left in their pots this circular usage can break down and we are therefore making a change in the way we sell plants at fairs, from the upcoming Haltwhistle Plant and Craft fair on 21st of May onwards, to improve our sustainability. If you can reuse the pot your plant comes in, and recycle it once its past usability, you are still welcome to take it. But, if like lots of gardeners you are already up to your potting bench in empty pots we will swop all plants (from 9cm to 2 Litre) into a Posi-pot. You can see these Posi-pots either side of my old friend up there. They are made from cardboard, will last about two weeks, giving ample time for planting out, and can then be recycled or composted.  We hope you support this move and help make horticulture more sustainable.



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New for the Garden…


Last month we had two new species of Moth recorded for the Garden, both beauties.



The Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) is quite small with a wingspan of 30 mm. Adults are on the wing in March and April, feed on willow catkins and rest up spring buds in conifers where they are well camouflaged. The Larvae  feed on Scots Pine needles and other Pinus species.


The Yellow-barred Brindle (Acasis viretata) is usually yellowish when seen but is actually green when freshly emerged like this one. It’s a similar size to the Pine Beauty at about 30mm wingspan and flies from May to June. A woodland / scrubland species, the larvae feed on the flowers of variety of plants including Holly and Ivy. In southern Britain it has a wide distribution, two broods a year, but is still not common. In the North where we are it has only one brood and is still considered scarce. There were a number of siting’s of this moth in Cumbria this year although it is still not clear whether this was due to the dry spring or indicative of the northern movement of many species as the climate warms…dont forget to ask for a Posi-pot or reuse then recycle you plastic ones.