Capital Gardens - The Natural Place for Gardening

Decorations at Christmas don’t actually all need to be plastic and glass or powered by batteries. You can add living houseplants into the mix of sparkling tinsel, hanging baubles, and twinkling lights. In this article, we will discover some of the best indoor plants to brighten up your home and to give as gifts. At this time, many of us are out frantically scouring the high street for last minute presents, hardly a relaxing day out. But remember that houseplants also make ideal Christmas gifts for neighbours, teachers, friends and loved ones. And your local garden centre is a much calmer place to browse and shop in! https://bit.ly/3Dtp3YI

Our Festive Opening Hours 🕥 🎄 Merry Christmas from Capital Gardens, and enjoy the festivities. Don't eat too many mince pies! 😉

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸’𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 - 𝗔 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀: 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 Your garden is full of natural wonders, even in winter. So why leave them all outside when they could be enjoyed indoors, too? It’s time to deck the halls, not just with holly but with other bits and pieces from the garden.  They make gorgeous, eye-catching Christmas decorations and are ‘green’ in every sense, involving no carbon footprint from manufacturing or transport and no use of natural resources that can’t be replaced. And those of your decorations that won’t last until next year can be composted. Some of the materials you might use are also aromatic or scented, adding extra festive appeal; think pine, eucalyptus and floral notes. 🔗 https://bit.ly/4gvSYxu

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴: 𝗠𝘆𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀 & 𝗜𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗲 When we think about Christmas plants, fir trees and holly are the first ones to spring to mind. But surely the most unusual yuletide plant people bring into their homes must be the annual bunch of mistletoe. Did you know that there are about 1,500 species of mistletoe around the world? However, the only one you will find festooning trees in the UK is the European mistletoe (Viscum album). I decided to take a trip to find out more about this enigmatic plant. The best place I know to see mistletoe growing in abundance is Myddelton House Gardens in Enfield. And the best person to tell me how it came to be growing here is Bryan Hewitt, gardener and historian. Bryan worked at Myddelton House Gardens for 34 years before leaving in July 2021. Bryan is the author of an authoritative biography of the famous gardener and botanist Edward Agustus ‘Gussie’ Bowles, who lived at the house and created its gardens. 🔗 Click the link to read the full blog. https://bit.ly/49lUnEN

Christmas is only a few weeks away and of course we want everyone to enjoy the festivities with minimal disruption. The last thing anyone needs is a pet drama to add to the possible commotion caused by the realisation that there aren’t enough potatoes or that Aunt Ada has dropped her hearing aid behind the radiator. But it’s also an occasion when there’s a whole world of temptation on offer for dogs and cats, not just because of the number of delicious refreshments available but around the Christmas tree as well.   Dogs are famed for their super-charged sense of smell and as you’ll know if you have a canine family member, they’re often astonishingly food-oriented too. And young dogs can be terrible chewers even if they’re not particularly interested in food. Teenagers and puppies are also full of enthusiasm and ready to embrace anything that looks as though it might be fun. Cats can be playful, love to climb and explore and seem to be drawn to shiny or dangly objects. They also love to sample things that aren’t necessarily good for them!   So to help you avoid unwanted anxiety and trips to the vet, we thought we’d give you a few tips on how to keep your tree – and your pets – safe this Christmas. 🔗 Click the link to read the full blog. https://bit.ly/3Zj96eO

Pot Grown Christmas Trees: A Sustainable Festive Option Arctic winds swept over Britain on Monday night. When I woke, it left in its wake a dusting of snow. My eyelids poising over my eyes summoned up visions of Christmases past. Magical visions their uncovering dispelled. Like the snow, many of the scents I associate with Christmas have also disappeared.  A few years ago, I serendipitously encountered the delicious aroma of chestnuts roasting on a charcoal brazier as I walked towards London’s South Bank for a carol concert. A scent I hadn’t encountered for a couple of decades. I bought a small paper bagful from the vendor, though the expense made me wince. Walking, I pulled hot, sweet, floury flesh from the sharp, brown shells with pricked fingers. The whiff of roasted chestnuts and charcoal on a chilly day was worth every penny. 🔗 Click the link to read the full blog. https://bit.ly/3Z3Xcpe

By late autumn most flowers have faded but their place has been taken by berries, both in the wild and in the garden. They offer much-needed interest in the run-up to Christmas and beyond. As well as the red and white that we associate with the festive season, berries wear coats of many colours including pink, purple, orange and black. Frosted by winter chills they glint and glisten in the low winter light like tiny globes of fruit sorbet. And even on warmer days they spread good cheer like Santa Claus distributing gifts on Christmas Eve! 🔗 Click the link to read the full blog. https://bit.ly/4eA3LoY

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙟𝙤𝙗𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧? As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, there are still some tasks we need to tackle to keep our gardens looking spick and span. From planting tulip bulbs to protecting tender plants from the cold, here are some expert tips to help you get the most from your garden this month. 🔗 Click the link to read this week's blog. https://bit.ly/3YXCzME

It’s the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness once again. At Scotney Castle in Kent most of the apples have now been harvested. But on chilly autumn mornings, the mist still cloaks the surrounding landscape, lifting within the gardens to reveal the ruined medieval castle and moat, emerging ghostlike from the haze. Renowned for their breathtaking views over the Weald, the house and estate combine carefully planted ornamental gardens and sweeping open parkland in the Picturesque style. 🔗 Read the full blog - Click the link. https://bit.ly/3YNlgxI

𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙩𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 If you're looking for a simple way to freshen up your garden, why not take an hour to plant some winter pots? This quick and easy task will breathe new life into your outdoor space and carry it through winter and into spring. In this article, I'll share some tips for creating smart winter planters to brighten any patio, front garden, or balcony. 🔗 Click the link to read the blog. https://bit.ly/40nCl2i