Plant of the Week – 17th Aug 2016

Pelargonium – Geranium Other common name: Imperial Butterfly Family: Genaniaceae Genus: Pelargonium can be perennials, sub-shrubs or shrubs, sometimes succulent and mostly evergreen, with palmately lobed or pinnately divided leaves and clusters of slightly irregular, 5-petalled flowers Details: With its lemon-scented leaves Imperial Butterfly’ is a very floriferous, compact cultivar with viola-shaped, large white flowers. The upper petals are centrally

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Plant of the week – 10th Aug 2016

Passiflora ‘Betty Myles Young’ Other common name: Passion Flower Family: Passifloraceae Genus: Passiflora Details: Betty Myles Young is a large, vigorous, very hardy vine that holds on to its leaves well over winter and produces 30-40 lightly scented flowers per day for months on end which stay open for several days. Plentiful large decorative green fruit ripening to yellow

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Clean-up removes suffocating weed from Tottenham River

Floating pennywort was pulled from the River Lee on Sunday (July 3) in a bid to stop the non-native invasive weed choking the water. The weed spreads rapidly feeding on nutrients in the polluted river and the clean-up was spearheaded by water charity Thames21. The charity last week revealed the river is more polluted than

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What’s the hype all about?

Over the past 6 months it has become apparent that people are not receiving mortgages due to the occurrence of Japanese Knotweed within their land. However there is still a small minority of people not believing that a Japanese Knotweed problem will effect a mortgage agreement….. Below is what a Santander spokesman had to say

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Plantwatch: A great year for wildflowers

This has been a fantastic year for wildflowers, and for anyone driving on holiday it’s well worth stopping to look at road verges, where the plants are stunning. Now is the time for the towering spikes of purple foxgloves and pink rosebay willow-herb. The climbing plants are also bursting with flowers, and the heavenly scent

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Ragwort concern for Cheshire farmers

AUTHORITIES in Cheshire are being urged by farming leaders to get to grips with ragwort – a toxic plant which poses serious risks to animal health. NFU’s Nantwich group secretary, Louise Young, added: “Ragwort in south Cheshire is rife and it’s a particular problem in areas adjacent to where cows graze or fields where winter fodder

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Don’t do it!

For those eagle eyed viewers, you may have noted that Japanese knotweed was on T.V last week on channel 4’s ‘Help my house is falling down!’ The occupier had a small amount of Japanese knotweed probable 1-2 metres squared in total surface growth in your average London terrace back garden. The show had appointed a

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Warning to all home buyers!

Further to a recent trip to the south coast I stumbled across a very delicate situation. I met a very well known housing contractor that has been covering up/cutting back Japanese Knotweed and selling the properties without informing the buyers of the situation! This is a bit naughty, so please – when viewing a property

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Call to control invasive weeds on the River Nith

BEAUTIFUL blooms of pink flowers on the banks of the River Nith have been drawing admiring glances from passers-by. But the Himalayan balsam is actually a terrestrial invasive weed and a danger to the river embankment and crops. And Upper Nithsdale Councillor Andrew Wood is calling on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to take

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Worries fewer cuts will allow weeds to spread

Bolton Council’s controversial grass cutting policy has led to an explosion of invasive Himalayan Balsam, it has been claimed. Residents in Breightmet have repeatedly complained to the council about land opposite Somerton Road. The area is now only cut twice a year and neighbours say it looks untidy – with Himalayan Balsam spreading thick and

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