Garden House Brighton

feed my autumn-flowering bulbs…

editor — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 23:48:45 +0000

Feed autumn-flowering bulbs growing in your lawn or naturalising elsewhere in your garden with a dressing of bone meal.

Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival: Garden House pop-up restaurant…

editor — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:00:05 +0000

Following the success of our first pop-up restaurant back in July – we’re doing it again! Come on your own or bring a group of friends to enjoy outdoor eating at its best. We can promise you great company, a beautiful setting in The Garden House garden (tented if it looks like rain!) – and great food and wine, of course!

We’ve timed our supper party to coincide with The Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival (1 Sept to 7 October 2010). This celebration of the best food and drink to be found in the city and wider Sussex, has producers, restaurants, pubs and bars, retailers, markets & great events firmly at its heart. Check www.brightonfoodfestival.com for other food-related local events.

Cost: £25 per person for 3-course meal with coffee; wines from The Butlers Wine Cellar also available.

Location: The Garden House, 5 Warleigh Road, Brighton BN1 4NT. Starts 7.30pm until late.

Menu:

STARTERS: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with melting Talleggio, OR Roasted Red Peppers with Kent Cobnut and Apple Stuffing

MAINS: Smoked Haddock and Nasturtium Fish Cakes, OR Moroccan warm Carrot and Avocado Salad with Orange and Lemon Dressing. Served with seasonal Vegetables or Green Salad

DESSERTS: Raspberries with Ricotta, OR Pear and Apple Crumble

Followed by Tea or Coffee with Chocolates

Places are limited and must be reserved.

protect my grapes…

editor — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:47:44 +0000

Grapes need to be protected from wasps and birds as they ripen – use fine netting to keep them off.

take cuttings of half hardy shrubs…

editor — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:42:35 +0000

If you are fond of a particular shrub that is not fully hardy, take some cuttings and propagate them in a cold frame or greenhouse over the winter. That way if the shrub does not make it, you should have some replacements.

Visit to Sarah Raven’s Perch Hill Farm cutting garden…

editor — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:03:03 +0000

If you have never been to Sarah Raven’s Perch Hill Farm in East Sussex, it’s a must – and if you have been before, I just know you’ll want to visit again!

The gardens are only open on certain days to the public, or special days for groups like ours – so this is a unique opportunity to see at first hand Sarah’s intensive and vibrant planting.

This is also a great time of year to see the magnificent dahlias, her skill with supports and staking, and all manner of exciting flower combinations and decorative (and edible!) vegetables.

This day trip connects perfectly with our forthcoming workshop ‘A Year in the Cutting Garden’ with Bea Andrews, former Head Gardener at Perch Hill. On Saturday 11 September, Bea will suggest the best plants for cut flower arrangements, discuss timing, nurturing for the best blooms, and staking – and of course, inspire us with colour! Check DIARY for more info.

Cost: £25 – do bring your own packed lunch to enjoy in the gardens.

Special deal: book the garden visit and workshop together for £80 per person

Location: Meet at The Garden House, 5 Warleigh Road, Brighton BN1 4NT. We leave at 10.30am and return around 4.30pm

remove seedpods from my roses…

editor — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:42:41 +0000

Remove seedpods that have formed on your roses, though some attractive hips such as those of Rosa rugosa can be left on to provide a winter display – or even food for birds.

sow half-hardy annuals…

editor — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:07:39 +0000

Time to sow half-hardy annuals in your greenhouse, ready to be planted out next spring. Once you have pricked them out, put them in a cold frame.

eat up my early apples!

editor — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:06:23 +0000

If you have picked any apples make sure you consume them quickly – early apples tend not to last very long.

earth up my winter greens…

editor — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:05:00 +0000

Winter greens such as kale and sprouting broccoli should be earthed up – this means heaping some soil around the stems to prevent them being rocked by autumn gales.

check for broken branches on my plum tree…

editor — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 23:03:40 +0000

If any of your plum tree branches have broken now is the time to cut them back to the healthy wood – this also applies to any dead branches.