Win tickets to the Woburn Abbey Garden Show

A great show we have visited before.

Win 3 tickets to the Woburn Abbey Garden Show on the weekend of 23-24 June, when the Abbey will come alive with horticultural inspiration. Remastered for 2018, the ‘Gardeners’ Garden Show’, headlined by BBC Gardeners’ World TV presenter Adam Frost and BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time panellist Pippa Greenwood, has become an important diary date for gardening enthusiasts. Set just over an hour from London in 42-acres of the Abbey’s beautifully landscaped gardens, the show offers unparalleled access to award-winning exhibitors and nurseries that have been handpicked by Woburn.  To win, simply reply to this post telling us why you would like to go and we will select a winner on 19 June. (please make sure we are able to contact you)
 
Show highlights include Q&A sessions with BBC Gardeners’ World’s Adam Frost and Pippa Greenwood, rare access to the Private Gardens of the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, live cooking demonstration by Celebrity Chef Rachel Green, free garden tours with RHS qualified gardeners, live entertainment, artisan foods, shopping, gardening advice, informative talks and a fabulous line up of RHS Medal winning nurseries.
 

To book, visit www.woburnabbey.co.uk/gardenshow 

Read More

Pimp My Deckie

Some of you may recall us mention a challenge a while back to customise a deck chair, Out There Interiors are running a competition to customise one of their deck chairs, never one to shirk from a challenge we decided to enter.

So a few weeks back two brand new deck chairs arrived, and then sat challenging us to come up with something interesting, unique or "Out There". The rules did suggest that the deck chairs could be de-constructed, upcycled or changed and didn't have to remain as a deck chair. 

Our initial thoughts were to maybe take that to heart and perhaps create some sort of performance art, perhaps have a bonfire - a reminder of the large garden fire we suffered in 2013. But we thought that perhaps that wasn't really something to celebrate. My initial suggestion of a phallic image was also quickly vetoed (not fair, I was always quick good at drawing....)

So what to do... Well we wanted to capture our garden in some way, and with us being a pair of bloggers we were sent two chairs, to create one each for the competition. We thought that our two designs should combine somehow into a single image.

But still what should that image be, we considered a floral design, as that's summery right? and likely to attract votes from a wider group of people. But any of you who have read this blog for more than a few posts will have picked up that we are not really floral people.

And then inspiration hit, coming at us like a bolt from the blue! Mark has spent almost every waking moment recently potting on succulents for the patio just by the house. He literally has been out there till after dark, with constant checks to me as to whether this plant will look good in this pot etc

So with me having seen just about every single succulent known to man and probably a few that even the likes of Loree from Danger Garden or  Gerhard from Succulents and More wont yet have seen (I bet that will tempt you to read the future succulent post!) I came up with an idea.

Still with me so far...? Not just any idea but hopefully the winning design kind of idea (remember how modest I am).

So I thought how about an Agave, we could create one half each on our deck chair, checking that the two will come together to make a single image.

Agave 'Sharkskin'

So with a supply of fabric paint that's exactly what we did, and considering neither of us have done much in the way of painting since school we were quite pleased with the result!

 

And now the shameless bit, if you are on facebook please give our entry a "Like", Likes mean prizes! (press like on the photo they have uploaded).

Gaz

Read More

Win Tickets for Gardeners World Live

Gardeners World Live is on again at Birmingham NEC from 11-14 June.

We have 3 pairs of tickets to give away, for Thursday 11 June, Friday 12 June and Sunday 14 June. For more information see the Gardeners World website.


As well as 3 lucky readers, we also have a promotional code to enter when booking tickets for 15% off. Enter code 2MV4 when prompted  https://www.theticketfactory.com/gwl/online.


To be in with a chance of winning tickets please tell us who your favourite star of Gardeners World is and why. Please let us know which day you would prefer to win.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 31 May 2015. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Win a Makita SDS Drill with Anglia Tool Centre

We have another great competition to share with you this month. Anglia Tool Centre are giving one lucky reader the chance to win a Makita HR2300 SDS Drill worth £90!

Anglia Tool Centre are an online tool centre featuring a wide selection of tools and accessories delivered to your door.  

Anglia Tool Centre is a division of the Ridgeon Group. Ridgeons have been in business since 1911 and are now one of the largest independent Family Owned Timber and Builders Merchant in the Country, supplying materials for building homes. They opened Anglia Tool Centre back in 2006 to supply Industrial Power Tools & Accessories to the Trade. Since then Anglia have grown to be one of the largest Power Tool suppliers in the UK and they pride themselves on the service level we provide and the technical knowledge of their staff.

Anglia offer a Free Delivery option on all orders over £50.00 inc vat. Very usefully they also provide a one hour delivery time slot provided on day of delivery.

We have been lucky enough to try out the Makita Drill, as Anglia have sent us one to try out, delivery was quick and without any problems, and the drill itself appears to be tough and durable, we used it during construction of our new koi shed.

To enter complete your details in the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read More

Win a Blagdon Water feature

The beautiful sights and sounds of a water feature can now be enjoyed anytime and anywhere! The unique Liberty range from Blagdon is powered by a revolutionary rechargeable Lithium battery system, meaning set up is instant and hassle-free. When the battery runs down, you can simply remove the battery pack and charge it indoors for three hours in the same way you would a laptop or a mobile phone. The Liberty water features come in five different styles to suit all tastes and types of outdoor space so there’s something for everyone! 

Nathan Ring, from Blagdon explains “Having to dig up gardens, patios and paths to lay cables needed to run power to water feature pumps often puts people off having a fountain. Our Liberty range makes innovative use of the latest Lithium technology to create beautiful water features quickly and hassle-free. As no mains power is needed, the Liberty range also gives people the freedom to position their water feature wherever they want to make the most of their space available.”

Liberty water features can run for a week without additional charging (based on two hours of use per day). The removable Lithium battery system can, however, be taken indoors to recharge, needing just three hours to fully recharge using mains power in the same way you would a mobile phone or laptop. To help make the most of the battery life, a remote control allows you to programme the water feature to run on either 2/3/4 hour basis or continuously. The range retails between £120 and £229.99 depending on the model.

We’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win a Liberty water feature of their choice to enjoy in their garden this summer. We’re also throwing in a solar panel upgrade that runs & recharges the battery at the same time.

To enter tell us which water feature in the range you would want to win and what you like best about it.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 21 April 2014. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Blagdon to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Competition: Win Gardening Tools and Composter

With Spring just around the corner, our latest competition has perfect timing. Argos are offering a fine selection of garden tools and composter to one lucky reader.

The tool selection is a 5 piece Spear and Jackson set, which includes 4 stainless steel tools, with traditional wooden handles and a pair of gloves. Spear and Jackson tools are made to last and should look good and keep your garden looking great for many years to come. 

Along side the tools is also a Rawlinson beehive composter, this stylish composter should look great in any garden, whether a traditional style or more contemporary, and with a treated natural timber finish should last a long time too!

A great prize for experienced or new gardeners alike!

To enter the competition tell us what gardening job you are planning on tacking this spring.

Please share, like, or retweet this competition for an additional entry.

Terms & Conditions:

- Competition ends on 12 March at 23:59, after this time no entries will be counted.
- By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them.

- Delivery will be within 28 days of Argos receiving the winner’s address, and the competition prize may vary at the discretion of Argos.

- The prize as described will be supplied direct from Argos, and there is no cash alternative.

- This competition is open to UK residents only. Should the winner not be based in the UK, there will be a re-draw.

- The winner will be drawn at random from all eligible entries shortly after the closing date.

- The prize may vary if unavailable

- Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Argos to arrange for your prize to be sent to you.

Read More

If Only We had a Lawn...

As regular readers will know we no longer have a lawn in our garden, which combined with our love for gadgets made us wish we still had one when looking at the Miimo, the robotic lawn mower from Honda UK. When we did have lawn - the last section of grass was prior to building the filter house for the koi pond - it was mown the traditional way, by me!

However the Miimo takes over the grass cutting duties, automatically cutting the grass several times a week, providing the weather is good enough. This is not the first robot mower of course, there have been several others available in the UK for a number of years, Husqvarna have had one since the mid 1990's. Where Honda have the advantage is through the use of genuine robotic technology, most people will be familiar with the humanoid robot Asimo that featured on QI with Stephen Fry.

The technology that Honda have been developing with Asimo is not just for publicity such as TV appearances, there is genuine real world applications. One such application is the Miimo, which unlike other robot mowers is able to "see" obstacles and avoid them rather than bump into them and then reverse to go round which is the common approach with most other automatic mowers.

So other than looking good and having some clever technology, is the Miimo actually a god mower. It is still a fairly new product so looking for long term reviews is difficult. However the early indications are all positive. Miimo doesn't collect the grass clippings, instead it chops them into a fine mulch which it spreads on the lawn. Whilst there has always been a debate over whether to rake up clippings or leave them, the Miimo chops them so finely that they fertilise the lawn. From reading a number of reviews of the longer term effect of this chop finely and disperse approach (admittedly reviews of other robot mowers) most agree that this does have a beneficial impact on the health of the lawn.

In terms of cutting the lawn itself Miimo has number of options it is able to cut in a random pattern, which is most best when mowing larger areas that contain a number of obstacles or complex borders. Honda explain that this produces less stress on the lawn which should lead to healthier grass. Alternatively you can tell Miimo to follow a particular directional pattern, which can be used when mowing areas with simple, straight borders and minimal obstacles. Finally the mower can follow mixed mowing pattern that gives a combination of both approaches.

The mower is also weather proof and has its own charging station, where it returns to charge up, its quiet and energy efficient too, one estimate of power usage I read was that the estimated running cost for one summer is in the region of £12. That said this is not an inexpensive gadget, with prices online from £1990, although is competitively priced compared to similar mowers from other manufacturers. 

So now all we need is a robot gardener to do the rest of the chores! 

Competition time

We are giving one reader the chance to win a £50 gardening voucher.

To enter tell us what gardening task you would love a robot to be able to do for you.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 7 October 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Competition: Win a Bouquet of Flowers

The lovely people at Serenata Flowers, an award winning online UK florist & plants shop are offering one reader the chance to win a £40 bouguet of flowers of their choice.

Brightly coloured Dendrobium orchids

You can choose the flowers that you like best, whether thats Orchids, roses or something else. How about a touch of the exotic with the aptly named Amazonia bouquet.

Get your jungle jive on at Club Tropicana - 'cos these showgirl heliconias sure know how to party. Big, bold shapes. Big, bold colours. Big, bold impact.

So to enter, simply tell us your favourite flower and why you like it. The winner will be selected at random from all entries made.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 20 September 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your details to Serenata Flowers to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Win £500 to spend on a LazyLawn installation!

To celebrate the successful opening of the new LazyLawn show gardens in Chiswick, we’re offering one lucky reader the chance to win £500 to put towards their own professional LazyLawn installation.

The new show gardens, which are located on Sutton Lane North, feature a range of contemporary LazyLawn that has been installed to inspire homeowners in to transforming their existing gardens in to a LazyLawn that will be loved by all the family.

The new show gardens are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm and on Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

If you can’t make it to the show gardens, you can view LazyLawn’s impressive product range on their website.


To enter this competition simply follow @lazylawn on Twitter and tweet us with a picture of your garden and why you deserve to win the prize. Don’t forget to include the #alteden

Remember to make sure we are able to contact you if you do win.

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on Saturday 31^st August 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from all entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your contact details to LazyLawn to arrange your prize. 

Read More

Win Yeo Valley Goodies

We are pleased to announce we have another fantastic Yeo Valley Goodie Bag available as a competition

To celebrate the arrival of summer, Yeo Valley have announced another new Limited Edition yogurt that is bursting with tropical flavour!

The Mango, Peach and Passion Fruit big pot yogurt will be available all summer, and contains 0% Fat.

It will only be available in the shops for a limited time only and also includes the opportunity to win a pair of Eden Project garden deck chairs - see the packs for more details.

To tie in with the new product we have another cool bag filled with Yeo Valley Treats to give away.

To enter the competition simply reply to this post and tell us your favourite flavour of Yea Valley Yogurt and why you like that one. Remember to make sure we are able to contact you if you do win.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 14 June 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Yeo Valley to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Get out of the Garden! And into a Spa‏

With Spring finally here and the garden jobs starting, we have teamed up with Experience Days to offer a great prize to one lucky reader, a Marriott Pamper Day for Two. You can experience the luxury and quality of the world famous Marriott venues and a treatment for you and a friend with a pamper experience.

Experience Days describe the prize as follows:

A Marriott Pamper Day is not just about exploring a new place, it is about discovering a new state of mind. Health and beauty treatments will help you do just that as you relax and unwind at the hands of trained professionals. Let your skin breath, let your muscles unwind and enjoy being inside some of the beautiful venues Marriott strives to provide. 

This wonderful pamper experience is available at selected Marriott Hotels & Resorts and the treatments are carried out by professional therapists using top quality salon products such as Decleor, Carita and Espa. A ‘Must-Do’ experience that is about much more than world class beauty treatments.

For more details on the prize see the Experience Days Website.

A Marriott Pamper Day includes a total of two treatments and the use of the club facilities for up to two people. Facilities include the gym, sauna, steam room and the pool. Your choice of two treatments ranges from the following three - a soothing manicure, a refreshing facial or a back-neck-&-shoulder massage. 

These treatments last for approximately 30 minutes each. The treatments are not per person so the recipient can keep their day all to themselves or choose to share the treatments and the facilities with one other lucky person.


The locations that this is available at are :-

Birmingham, Coventry, Chepstow, Derby, Glasgow, Maidstone, Manchester, Norwich, Portsmouth, Preston, Shipley, Southampton, London.

The prize does not include transport, so you will have to make your own way to the location of your choice. 

To enter, simply tell us which treatment you would select and why you have chosen that treatment.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 27 April 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Yeo Valley to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

Karma Camellia

Just before we went off to Singapore we were kindly sent a beautifully packaged Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme' from the lovely folks at Plants4Presents. There is something particularly enjoyable about receiving plants in the post, especially when the box itself is a delight, and on opening the contents lived up to the packaging! A lovely healthy plant, full off buds and ready to burst into flower, along with a smart pot and care instructions.

Camellia 'Kramer's Supreme'

The Camellia itself arrived in great condition, sometimes you do not quite know what to expect when receiving plants in the post, but Plants4Presents sent us a very healthy plant. (thanks guys!!). We now just have to work out where to plant it. As camellia's prefer an acid soil with shelter and light shade we may opt to keep this potted - allowing us to move if harsh weather is expected - especially as they have a habit of producing buds and flowers at the same time as the last few frosts of winter!

Ours is a deep red, but to tie in with mothers day on March 10 (you have remembered haven't you...!!) you can also win a pink flowered plant for your mum (or your own garden if you prefer), with the rather marvelous name of ‘Scentsation’ - yes its a cheesy name, but its a lovely scented pink camellia, and should be in flower in perfect time for Mothers Day.

Camelia ‘Scentsation’

Dont worry if you dont win, as long as you order by 2pm on March 8th you can have the plant in time for Mothers Day. (see here for more details)

To enter simply answer the following question.

What type of soil do Camellias prefer?

a) Alkaline
b) Neutral
c) Acidic

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 3 March 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Plants4Presents to arrange for your prize to be sent to you.  

Read More

Win Yeo Valley Goodies

Its competition time again and we are pleased to have another competition to win a Yeo valley Goody Bag.

To celebrate the launch of their new delicious Lemon and Poppy Seed 0% Fat Yogurt, promotional pots have a competition to win one of 125 Wildflower Gardens from Plantabox, instantly online. They are giving away one a day, and you can personalise yours with your own message. Each comes in a lovely rustic wooden pine crate, with seeds to plant yourself. The seeds are a selection of annual wildflowers including field poppies, cornflowers and corn marigolds. See here for more details.

Plantabox is a great British business, which is based not far from Yeo Valley, they make, personalised crates to brighten up patios & balconies. The boxes all come with different colours and finishes, with a large selection of  planting kits for you to grow yourself.

In addition to the competition on the pots, Yeo Valley are offering readers the chance to win a Yeo Valley goody bag which will include some of the Lemon and Poppy Seed Yogurt as well as a selection of their other lovely yogurts and products.

To enter simply answer the following question.

How many characters can be added to each plant box?

a) 24
b) 48
c) 64

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 27 January 2013. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to provide your name and address to Yeo Valley to arrange for your prize to be sent to you. 

Read More

James Wong's Homegrown Revolution

James Wong's new book is now out which is something of a celebration of growing your own produce. As this is usually an exotic/tropical garden blog you may be wondering why we would be reviewing a book about growing your own food. Well the reason is simple: James' book concentrates on unusual and exotic plants for crops, many of which would make excellent choices as ornamental plants for a tropical style garden, not just on the dinner table!

Decaisnea fargesii, we have grown this for a number
of years but never considered eating it

The book concentrates on 80 or so of the unusual, but edible plants that James has been growing in his own garden over the last couple of years, as he has personally grown and eaten these its his own experiences that come through rather than being a re-hash of other peoples knowledge. Not only that but many of the selections in the book are plants you would not normally consider eating (dahlias, daylilies, dandelions, plus lots of plants not beginning with the letter D as well, such as cannas and even ferns).

Each plant includes a how to guide, with tips and tricks on how to grow as well as harvest and eat the plants, plus a number of more detailed recipes through out the book.

Exotic plants and exotic food in one place... that's a combination I can certainly live with!!

Cucamelons (Melothria scabra)

One of several plants that I fancy adding to the garden next year are Cucamelons (Melothria scabra), a vine from Central America, with a number of fun common names including my personal favourite, the mouse melon. Cucamelons are a little hardier than cucumbers but still should only be planted after frosts have finished. They scramble and climb for up to 2 to 3 meters, and produce plenty of the small mouse melons in the photo. 

I must admit I didn't know that originally Dahlias, were first brought to the UK as a food plant, not for the large showy blooms we now know them for. They were cultivated by the Aztecs as a food plant for many years, and according to the book are still a popular food in Mexico even today. For eating them, James recommends growing the large "cactus" varieties you can get from any normal garden centre. These apparently produce much better tubers to eat. However as a word of caution, many years of breeding them for flowers has meant the taste have been neglected. Some have a Jerusalem artichoke kind of taste and others are simply "rather waters, bland and with a bitter taste".

As for eating there's a variety of ways of consuming dahlias, James suggests roasting them rather like parsnips. To be honest I think I'll stick to growing them for the flowers, but with so many other plants to try I'll give some of them a go.

As well as plants normally associated with their flowers there's also plenty of suggestions of plants more commonly eaten, such as sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas). We have grown these for their foliage before in the garden, and in fact there are a number of cultivars available for interesting foliage.

Another suggestion I think I will give a go next year is the Peruvian mint marigold (Tagetes minuta) which James likens the foliage to the look of marijuana (Cannabis), although I think there are a number of plants more closely resembling that particular 'weed'. However this does have a lovely form and foliage, and I think would look great in our garden next year. To eat this it can be chopped finely and use to accent the flavour of a tropical fruit salad. 

Tagetes minuta (image from Wikipedia)

Whilst the main theme of the book is about growing plants to eat I enjoyed this for the suggestions of interesting plants, many of which were new to me. Most of the plants are not just edible but also extremely ornamental, and being unusual as well would fit right into our garden. Well worth adding to your reading list even if you don't normally grow edible plants.

James Wong's Homegrown Revolution is available from all the usual book shops, but with it being the festive season we have two copies of his book to give away. 

To enter simply answer the following question:

Where did James train?

a) Kew Gardens

b) New York Botanical Garden

c) Singapore Botanic Garden





Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 15 December 2012. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win, as we will need to arrange for your prize to be sent to you.

Read More

Win A Tropical Britain Gift Voucher

Its competition time again and this month we have a £20 gift voucher to give away from Tropical Britain, an online nursery specialising in exotic, rare and unusual plants. The site is run by John Edmiston an experienced plantsman, who grew up in New Zealand surrounded by plants that many of us here now call exotic.

John explains, "Cordylines, Phormiums, Astelias, Pseudopanax, Metrosideros, tree ferns and Nikau palms were all a regular part of everyday life, along with the many species that we could never really hope to grow very successfully in the UK, the Karaka, Kawakawa and Ngaio. I had a great fondness for the New Zealand bush and spent as much time as I could there, learning about the plants and their traditional Maori uses."

Later he travelled to Australia, Java, Malaysia and Thailand before ending up in the UK, living near to Kew Gardens. He visited almost every day over the first winter to escape the cold and be reminded of the tropical plants from home.

Eventually setting up the Tropical Britain Nursery in Surrey John explains his vision "Here at Tropical Britain, I set out to create not only a multi-functional website that is intuitive and user-friendly but also has within it as much useful botanical, horticultural and cultivation information as possible. I am more motivated to create a vibrant community of like-minded souls than a place to just spend money. What I didn't want to do was create just another internet shop, another soul-less supermarket-style website, but rather a place for people who love plants to wander around in - a bit like a garden really - and enjoy yourself, the views, the little corners or larger vistas, the occasional snippet of information that gets you thinking, that inspires you maybe to try something new or different."

As well as the website, do check out Tropical Britain's Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter pages too. 

On signing up to Tropical Britain all new customers can select a free Trachycarpus fortunei with their first order (remember to tick the box!), and automatically receive 200 Palm Points (Which are redeemable against future orders). This is available in conjunction with the competition prize gift voucher and must be selected when placing your first order. 

To enter, please sign up as a new customer on the Tropical Britain Website, put this code into the referral box YWlnK20vTXdiMGNwbTB2bEpBYzZXVXVOYzdrQkw1M2VBaWRBb1VGS0JXRT0= (no purchase is necessary to win) and  answer the following question on the blog here:

Trachycarpus fortunei is named after which famous plant hunter?

a) Francis Masson
b) Robert Fortune
c) Ernest Wilson

The winning entrant will have their account at Tropical Britain credited with the gift voucher.

Extra entries can be made by following us and sharing this competition on Twitter or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook. An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 10 November 2012. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win as we need to pass your details on to Tropical Britain to provide the prize.

Read More

Competition: Win a Chelsea DVD

The RHS Chelsea Flower show is one of the most famous gardening shows in the world, and next year marks an important anniversary in the history of the show. With summer now turning to autumn and the thoughts from this years show now turning to next year we have a DVD of some of the Chelsea Highlights over the years to give away. Chelsea: a celebration is published by the RHS and contains 80 minutes of highlights of the famous show, including the magnificent show gardens and floral pavilions ad well as Royal visits to Chelsea. The DVD also includes a behind the scenes look at the efforts the exhibitors go through in search of the Gold Medal.

Flemings Trailfinders Garden 2012

If you have not been able to get to Chelsea, this DVD is the next best thing!

Crowds enjoying the Chelsea Flower Show

To enter, answer the following question.

What year was the RHS Chelsea Flower show first held? 
 a) 1913
 b) 1863
 c) 1963 

Extra entries can be made by sharing this competition on Twitter (include #alternativeeden) or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook.

An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 10 September 2012. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win.

Read More

Competition - Yeo Valley Goodies

The lovely people over at Yeo Valley are offering one lucky reader a lovely prize of a selection of Yeo Valley goodies (pictured right) to celebrate the launch of their new Limited Edition Damson and Plum Big Pot. See the pots for details on winning one of three fruit trees everyday, the trees all come from a nursery local to Yeo Valley.

I must confess to being something of a fan of the Yeo Valley rice pudding (it never lasts long in our house!).

As well as making great tasting yogurt (and that rice pudding) Yeo Valley is also home to one of just a handful of Britain’s ornamental gardens to be certified organic. They’re the work of Sarah Mead who has spent 18 years turning six and a half acres of land into a diverse, seasonal and absolutely beautiful patchwork of ornamental as well as edible planting areas. The garden is open every Thursday until the end of September.

Holt Farm: Vegetable Garden

For more information about Yeo Valley and their farming practices and products, visit www.yeovalley.co.uk for more information and opening times of the garden visit www.theorganicgardens.co.uk

Holt Farm: Perennial Meadow

To enter, answer the following question.

Which county is home to Yeo Valley?

     a) Wiltshire
     b) Somerset
     c) Devon

Extra entries can be made by sharing this competition on Twitter (include #alternativeeden) or by liking our page and sharing the competition on Facebook.

An additional entry can be made by "following" this blog via Google Friend Connect

Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 5 September2012. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random from the correct entries and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win.

Read More

Exotic Seed Competition from Seed Parade

The lovely people at Seed Parade are offering one lucky reader the chance to win 30 packets of seed each (The selection will include exotic ornamentals as well as unusual edibles).

With Seed Parades garden seeds, you could have strong, healthy growing plants with high yields of delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs. They only choose the finest quality seeds from around the world which are then sent to you in a padded envelope, so they arrive fresh and ready to sow. As well as providing affordable seed, Seed Parade offer first class royal mail postage for only £1.29, by keeping packaging and other costs to a minimum. We have had seed in the past and they were delivered fast and were a great quality, often with very high numbers of seed per packet.

Ricinus

To top it off, they also have a range of thousands of heirloom, traditional and rare varieties of every seed for mere pennies, so you can find your usual choice or try something new!

As well as selling top quality seed, Seed Parade also have an interesting blog and forum that are well worth checking out.

To enter simply follow Alternative Eden and then visit the Seed Parade website and tell us which variety of seed is your favourite. Extra entries can be made by sharing this competition on Twitter (include #AlternativeEden) or facebook (by sharing the post from the Alternative Eden Facebook page).





Terms and conditions: This competition closes at 23.59 on 30 July 2012. Any entries received after this time will not be counted. Entrants must be UK residents aged 18 years or older to enter. By entering this competition you agree and consent to your name being published and by taking part in the competition, entrants are deemed to have read, understood and accepted all of the Terms and Conditions and agreed to be bound by them. The winner will be selected at random and will be announced here on the blog. Please make sure we are able to contact you if you do win.

Read More