The CD-ROM is designed to help you find plants to suit every aspect of a garden so that you can create a colourful and interesting garden using the right plants to suit your design and garden conditions.

People often ask “Do I need to be a computer expert to use the CD-ROM?”

The answer is “It’s very easy to use” and to prove it I’ve made a demo. The demo is via Youtube so the image quality isn’t brilliant and not full screen, but I can assure you that the CD-ROM is full screen and the text and images are pin  sharp.

You insert the CD-ROM and it auto runs.

You just move the mouse to select plants by any combination of colour, height, month / season, aspect and Latin or common name. The best plants to suit your requirements are displayed within seconds.

Each plant has in-depth plant care and illustrated pruning advice

I hope you find the demo useful.

The CD-ROM can be ordered via my website www.complete-gardens.co.uk

or through the RHS Wisley shop and their website

The pea germinating underground and growing was filmed over a period of about 6 weeks.

Filmed by Neil Bromhall

I’ve made a British interactive plant finder and pruning guide CD-ROM. The software is designed to help you find the right plants for the right place and easy to use.  PC & MAC compatible

For further information please see my web site www.complete-gardens.co.uk

I have also made an on-line version interactive plant finder, identifier and pruning guide web site.  www.rightplants4me.co.uk which I hope you find interesting.

It has over 3,700 garden plants, 10,000 photographs plus time lapse sequences and each plant has in-depth plant care and illustrated pruning advice.

The plant database is continuing to grow.  If you have good quality photographs of garden plants that are not not already on the database I’d like to hear from you with an interest of adding it to the collection.

Contact me on neil@complete-gardens.co.uk

Full Range of Gift Hampers Now Available

Here at The Recycle Works, we know that there’s nothing better than giving a present that’s really appreciated by the recipient and our new range of Hampers are designed to achieve precisely that! No matter what time of year it might be, our gift packs are sure to be a perfect gift for a perfect person as they are supplied as complete sets – so they’re great for reducing your Carbon Footprint!

Alternatively, because these sets are such good value, you can choose whether one lucky person receives all the products or you split them and have lots of separate items to give!

Supplied in an extremely handy Smithy Tub with a gorgeous red bow, let us do the hard work and send you a gift you can give without the need to shop in lots of different places!

To see the full range of hampers available simply click here – there’s something for everyone no matter what their age or interest!

Love Your Environment!

1. Super fun, handcut sterling silver Bumblebee Necklace by Skylark Studios, $85.

2. Envirocycle Composter/Compost tea maker, made out of recycled materials. This ingenious composter is really well designed (just roll it every few days), and features a compost tea collector spout so you get the best of everything. Plus, no assembly required! It’s also good for smaller gardens or city dwellers, $176.28 (shipping included)

3. The self sufficient Earth Box is an easy way to grow vegetables just about anywhere. Made out of recycled materials, the Earthbox is weed free, self waters, and can be moved to a rooftop or placed in sunny spots, for an instant raised bed. $59.95 (includes soil and fertilizer).

4.Terrariums by Greenbriar.  These mossy little garden terrariums will have you seeing green all winter. Plus, they only need to be watered once a month, making it the perfect gift for even the serial houseplant killer (you know who you are). Set of 3, $34

5. Mantis Twin Composter. The cadillac of composters, the Mantis Twin holds huge amounts of kitchen scraps, churning out up to 25 cubic feet of compost. It features a large, double barrel that allows you to add scraps to one side, while the other side composts. $499

6. Grobal pots. Your plants will love these  mod-inspired pots—plus they are self watering! $24.95

7. Champion 2000+ Juicer. The champion makes short work of your bumper crop of vegetables, and is great for juicing carrots, beets, greens and more. Plus, with no pulp tray, it makes cleanup really fast and easy. $275

The bad news is we can’t physically sit next to all our customers and help you choose your festive treats, as much as we would love to. However, the good news is we can provide you with some wonderful gift suggestions that will hopefully prevent several anxious late nights.

This week we’re focusing on the garden lover. Whether it’s your partner, parent or friend, we believe that one of our Garden Trading gems will put a huge smile on your loved one’s face this Christmas. Happy shopping!

Garden Tools in Bag and Secateurs

Our charming tools in bag set are the perfect Christmas gift for that budding or seasoned gardener. The stylish trowel and fork come with their own 100% cotton ‘Grow Your Own’ drawstring bag to collect those homegrown treasures – £18.00.

And for all green fingers, our secateurs are a quality, practical and affordable present. Made of stainless steel with FSC ash handles, these really are a must-have this year – £14.50 or buy the Tools in Bag & Secateurs together for £25.

Compost Bucket & ‘How to Cook Compost’ SetWe all try to be environmentally-conscious in the garden, but sometimes a little bit of help is required. Our Large Clay Compost Bucket & Book is a great, fun way to learn all about composting, and know matter how much you do, you know you’re doing your bit for the environment. And your garden is maintained in the process! A definite grower at £32.00!

To afford your garden and conscience with even more support, our galvanised composter and compost book set will act as the ideal conservation ally. Again with the easy-to-follow ‘How to ‘Cook’ Compost’ book at your disposal. All for a budget-busting £39.00!

Seed Box & String Tin Set and Grow Your Own Seed BoxOur authentic and stylish storage boxes & tins are the consummate gift for either the seasoned gardener, or new kid on the allotment. You can not only fill the box with a host of seasonal seeds, but the string dispenser will help when they’re mature and in bloom – a superb stocking filler at £12.00!

Our hugely popular small seed box now comes with three packs of seeds to kick start growing your own herbs. You can appreciate chives, parsley and sweet basil for adding garden-fresh flavour to your culinary creations! A mouth watering £12.00!

My Garden Journal, RHS Allotment Notebook, Allotment Seasonal Planner & Cookbook

My Garden Journal is a fun book created to grow along with your garden! It provides storage packets and places to make your observational notes as the season change around you. At £15.99 it’s the ideal way to really get to know your garden.

The RHS Allotment Notebook is integral to any avid gardener who owns an allotment. It cleverly illustrates how to maximise space and conditions all in one stunning spiral bound record book. For £12.99 it should be on every green finger’s wish list this year!

The Allotment Seasonal Planner & Cookbook is the follow-up to Andi Cleverly’s bestseller, The Allotment Book, and is the Holy Grail for all potential ‘allotmenteers’! It provides insight on how crops thrive; ensuring a wholesome and successful harvest for 2010. Worth every penny at £19.99.

Wicker Baskets & Garden Gift Hampers

Our wicker baskets come in a variety of garden-based colours, and are superb gifts on their own, or as personalised hampers containing all our individual products. Imagine yourself browsing round a Parisian street market as you fill your basket with delectable cheeses and bread. The perfect garden or shopping accessory at £14.50!

Or, we would be more than happy to fill a garden gift hamper for you with practical and fun goodies, including gardener’s soap, seed box and seeds, wooden dibber and a set of six plant tags with chalk. For £80.00 this is the gardener’s complete Christmas Day surprise!

A wide variety of weather forecasting stations are available so that you know exactly when to turn your drip system on and when to turn it off.

So come visit us at Dripworks to look at a complete listing of our new Gardening Gifts and Gardening Tools.

These lovely Ladies Gardening Gloves are practical and very comfortable – available in size medium, I have average sized hands and they are a perfect fit for me.  Made from cotton and latex they are supple enough to allow the gardener to do the most tricky of jobs whilst wearing them.  At only £5.99 my mum will be getting a pair of these in her christmas stocking.

And for children there are these lovely embroidered gloves.  Priced at just £7.80 they are both colourful and practical for the budding young gardener.

The Willow Trug & Accessories  is a charming gift set and contains scissors, gloves, twines, raffia, dibber and labels.!  Priced at £21 it’s a great gift for any child who loves gardening.

These Willow Herb and Salad Planters look very attractive anywhere and will provide a constant supply of herb and salad crops.  The Herb planter is £15.95 and the larger salad planter is £22.95.  Also suitable for bulbs they will be useful and lovely to look at throughout the seasons.

Gardening gifts are very popular and they are less
expensive than buying something for someone that they
probably would not use.

When you give gardening gifts you can personalize that gift
to suit the interest of the one receiving the gift.

For example, if someone enjoys cooking and eating Italian
dishes, you may want to give them an indoor herb garden
that features herbs such as oregano, basil, and cilantro.

You can add other herbs that would be great to compliment
any Italian dish. This gift will allow them to enjoy their
Italian dishes more because they can use the fresh herbs
instead of the dried herbs bought at the stores.

Another great gardening gift would be to buy a mini
greenhouse and stock it up with plant seeds, watering can
and soil that they can put together when they are ready to
grow their own garden.

They may be able to plant enough seeds to sow an entire
garden for the planting season and your gift may give them
enough food to can and preserve throughout the winter.

Gardening gifts is a great way to let someone know how much
you care about them. It is simple but can last them as long
as they want to grow their own food.

Herbs also have another benefit to them. They can be used
in teas, foods and other ways in order to help heal the
body of ailments that may be causing pain or discomfort.

What better way to add some life to someones home. Gardening
can add to peoples lives. Your gift can be for inside the house or outside
the house. So many things to choose from. Enjoy.

Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”

This is my neighbor’s wonderful Halloween display. He threw some old lace curtains over a lamp post in the middle of a garden setting, secured with some clips.

Underneath, the “face” is quite scary. It is a mask. You can catch a glimpse of it underneath the veil.

I love this kind of display. Very grownup. Very spooky. It also incorporates, of course, the garden.

In looking through blogland, I’ve noticed that readers seem to love the photo blogs. Few words, many many photos. These blogs are absolutely lovely. Some are pure poetry, lyrical. They capture life.

So, my question is this, I wonder. Is the writing over? I still will write, even into the void. I am posting pictures now because they illustrate the words. I can’t not write, after all. But I just wonder whether there has been a fundamental shift forever.

Anyway. On to the next season. You know what I mean. In the style of the new wordless order, you’ll see a bit of it here, in this visual.

If you’re trying to install a raised bed where sod already exists, you will have a slightly more difficult time. You will need to cut the sod around the perimeter of the garden, and flip it over. This may sound simple, but you will need something with a very sharp edge to slice the edges of the sod and get under it. Once you have turned it all upside down, it is best to add a layer of straw to discourage the grass from growing back up. After the layer of straw, simply add all the soil and steer manure that a normal garden would need.

Planting your plants in your new area shouldn’t pose much difficulty. It is essentially the same process as your usual planting session. Just be sure that the roots don’t extent too far into the original ground level. The whole point of creating the raised bed is to keep the roots out of the soil which saturates easily. Having long roots that extend that far completely destroys the point.

Once you have plants in your new bed, you’ll notice an almost immediate improvement. The added soil facilitates better root development. At the same time, evaporation is prevented and decomposition is discouraged. All of these things added together makes for an ideal environment for almost any plant to grow in. So don’t be intimidated by the thought of adjusting the very topography of your yard. It is a simple process as I’m sure you’ve realized, and the long term results are worth every bit of work.
Gardening Gift ideas

If you’re just looking for something to look nice in your yard, you’ll
want a flower garden. These are usually filled with perennial flower.
Perennial flowers are flowers which stay healthy year-round. They’re basically weeds because of their hardiness, only nice looking. Different areas and climates have different flowers which are considered perennials.

If you do a quick internet search for your area, you can probably find a list of flowers that will bring your flower garden to life. These usually only require work in the planting stage – after that, the flower take care of themselves. The only downside to this is that you don’t have any product to show for it.

Another choice for your garden is to have a vegetable garden. These usually require a little more work and research than a flower garden, but can be much more rewarding. No matter what time of the year it is, you can usually find one vegetable that is still prospering. That way you can have your garden be giving you produce almost every day of the year!

When starting a vegetable garden, you should build it with the thought in mind that you will be adding more types of veggies in later. This will help your expandability. Once all your current crops are out of season, you won’t be stuck with almost nowhere to put the new crops. A vegetable garden is ideal for someone who wants some produce, but doesn’t want to
devote every waking hour to perfecting their garden.

One of the more difficult types of gardens to manage is a fruit garden.It’s definitely the most high-maintenance. When growing fruits, many more pests will be attracted due to the sweetness. You not only have to deal with having just the right dirt and fertilizer, you have to deal with choosing a pesticide that won’t kill whoever eats the fruits. Your fruit garden will probably not produce year-round. The soil needs to be just right for the plants to grow, and putting in another crop during its off-season could be disastrous to its growth process. If you’re willing to put lots of work into maintaining a garden, then a fruit garden could be a good choice for you.

So now that I’ve outlined some of the main garden types that people choose, I hope you can make a good decision. Basically, the garden type comes down to what kind of product you want, and how much work you want to put into it. If you’re looking for no product with no work, go with a flower garden. If you want lots of delicious product, but you are willing to spend hours in your garden each day, then go for a fruit garden. Just make sure you don’t get into something you can’t handle!
Gardening Gifts

Gardener Gifts

After a long and successful day working in the garden, give your favorite gardener this awesome gift for relaxing. This soothing combination of shower/bath gel, and hand cleaner will take away the dirt and grime, allowing them to reflect on the beauty of the garden and not the hard work that goes into it.

Shop for more Gardener gifts at Giftys.com

Gardener's Gift

It’s that time of year again. The weather is warmer, trees are gaining their leaves and gardeners are itching to get outside and plant their gardens. Here is a great gift for the gardeners in your life. A great gift basket filled with gifts and goodies gardeners need to make their gardens beautiful.

Shop for more gardeners gifts at Giftys.com

I want to be great at it.

Since I live in a city that is not exactly conducive to gardening… I think about all the things I will try not to kill someday, someplace else. I dream about tulips and hydrangea and overflowing pots of mint perfect for a an afternoon mojito. Yes. Dreams. At least until I move out of the concrete playground. Here’s some inspiration for Spring in today’s WED Favorites, and by the way lovely favors for spring time weddings.

Butter Cream Birdhouses- Greenware Design by Etsy $40

This is so cute. And small enough that I might not kill it immediately. They’re hanging planters for our tillandsias (aka. airplants)… just keep in a warm spot and mist with a water bottle (perfect for bathrooms…the plants love the humidity and moisture left in the air post-showering). Care instructions included. (THANK GOD)

Plantable Favors from Greetings That Grow (Etsy) $5 for 10 tags

The tulip tags were made using sheets of strawberry colored forget me not seed embedded paper, which Anna at Greetings That Grow hand made and cut herself using all recycled materials. Each tag is packaged separately and comes with clear instructions as to how to plant the seed embedded paper once you are done with the card. Really cute idea for a springtime bridal shower.

Japanese Bird Bells- Red Envelope $39.95

I kind of love wind chimes. They can have the creepy factor at times, but then I think about them on porches that overlook oceans and lakes and it seems like it should be ok to hang bells shaped like birds over your window. I like these. They’re a little different, but still pretty fun.

Umbrella Rain Chain- Smith & Hawken $119

Ok. This is not a shower or wedding favor. But it’s very cool, and worth throwing on a registry somewhere. Copper turns green when it weathers, (officially- it develops a mellow patina over time)  which is pretty beautiful. So this copper umbrella chain is perfect for a side yard. Hang above a basin or rain barrel to conserve rain water, or use in place of a downspout to direct the flow of water.  Plus it sounds pretty. 

Free post and packaging to UK and N. Ireland

Special Christmas discount to our blog viewers

The interactive plant database helps find the right plants for every month or season, aspect and soil conditions.

3,500 UK garden plants

Illustrated pruning advice accompanies each plant

Plant care and illustrated pruning advice

9,000 high quality photographs to help with plant identification and seasonal changes

Pests and diseases

Make multiple visual plant lists

Make multiple plants lists with images and names

Plant Lists of Plants I have.  Add notes to individual plants.

Plant Lists plants I want. Print and take with you to the Garden Centre

The Calendar shows you which plants you have and when and how to prune your plants

Plant Finder. Find links UK plant suppliers websites

Garden styles with plants identified

Garden styles for inspiration. The plants are identified to help give you get ideas

Claim your 25% discount for the multi list 3,500 plant advice CD-ROM for PC & MAC

Dustbin lid bird bath with mud and leaves

All animals need water and a very easy and cheap way to help our garden birds is to provide a safe birdbath where they can wash and drink.
Simply turn a plastic dustbin lid upside down. Add some mud and leaves and fill with clean water.
Place in a secure location where the lid won’t tip over
The birds will be able to have a good wash and drink in water which is not too deep or slippery. This is particularly important for chicks that have just left their nest and do not realise yet that they can’t land on water and can drown.
Adding a bit of mud will provide a good foothold for the birds as well as nesting material for Thrushes who line their nests with mud.
Hedgehogs will also visit your waterhole for a drink.
Watching the wildlife in your garden can be observed using a video camera linked to your home.

Cleve has written a review about the Complete Garden plant advice and pruning guide encyclopaedia CD-ROM.

Being featured in a National Newspaper and written by such a respected Garden Designer will be a big boost in raising the interactive, visual plant database CD-ROM profile.

Cleve West Independent review http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st…ow-969471.html

The only information missing from his glowing review are the contact details where to buy the Complete Gardens CD-ROM and that the software is both PC & MAC compatible.

Many people will be unaware that such a product exists, so Cleve’s review will be a great help.

A CD-ROM is disc that you insert in to your computer. The CD-ROM allows the user to request information that appears within seconds by a simple a click of a button.

A CD-ROM can hold thousands of images plus data and illustrations which is easily accessable.

In addition you can add your own notes and print them with images plus make plant lists of plants you have and plant you want and the unique calendar lists reminds you which plants will be in flower and remind you which of your plants that need pruning and how.

The CD-ROM is designed to help you find plants for every area of your garden and season.

With this simple yet basic knowledge, the CD-ROM can help garden enthusiasts whatever level of experience find the right plants for the right time and place in order to create a garden with seasonal colour and interest.

I’ve now made an online version, please see www.rightplants4me.co.uk where I can add new plants, images and time lapses.

How to prune your apple trees

Pruning apple trees can be confusing, but not with the Complete Garden plant advice pruning guide encyclopaedia CD-ROM.

One of the pruning apple tree illustrations from the Complete Gardens CD-ROM.

Each garden plant on the interactive CD-ROM is accompanied illustrated pruning advice and written explanation to help you.

There are over 20 pruning ilustrations for pruning apple trees alone. The CD is the what, when and how to prune resource.

Find the right plants to suit your garden conditions and your garden design needs

The interactive plant database CD-ROM is not only a pruning advice resource. The CD-ROM also helps you plan an attractive garden with seasonal colour by suggesting the right plants for your garden conditions.

 Interactive means that you can select to see plants and advice to answer your questions quickly and easily.

For example you might be looking for plants  to line your path that won’t grow too tall. Simply select a height, the month you want it to be in leaf or flower, a colour, and if the areas is in shade, partial shade or full sun. Click search and the plants to suit your requirements are displayed within seconds.

To be creative you can then find other plants to match your colour scheme and to ensure seasonal change and interest.

In-depth plant care advice accompanies each plant

Each plant is accompanied with photographs to help with identification plus in-depth planting tips, pests and diseases, and garden styles to inspire your creative ideas.

 Interactive, 3,500 garden plant identifier database with 9,000 photographs, displays the right plants for the right time and place within seconds. Helps you select the best plants to suit the conditions and create seasonal colour and interest.

 If your looking for advice selecting the right plants for shade or full sun or any garden condition but not sure which plants will survive, then the interactive garden advice, plant identifier and pruning guide database could be a useful plant resource to assist with your landscaping and garden design needs.
The plant database covers 3,500 garden plants from bulbs to trees and illustrated with 9,000 photographs to help with identification and seasonal changes.
To find the right plants to suit your needs, simply select any combination of month or season, colour, height, soil type, aspect or name and click search.
Within seconds the best plants to suit the requiremnts are displayed. Each plant is accompanied with in-depth planting advice, illustrated pruning techniques, pests, diseases and propagation information.

Each plants is accompanied with in-depth description, images, plant care and pruning advice plus pests, diseases and propagation tips

Each plant is accompanied with in-depth description, planting and illustrated pruning advice.
It’s possible to make visual, printable plant lists for personal use or to give to staff or clients.
The Calendar records the plants you have and reminds you when and how to prune the plants.
Add individual notes to plants and print with images.
The Complete gardens plant advice software has been designed for home use, professional gardeners and Garden Designers who want to find the right plants for every growing condition and seasonal need.
A useful plant resource to help with landscaping and garden design.
The Complete Gardens CD-ROM is the brainchild of Emmy Award winning cameraman / photographer Neil Bromhall. The Times have described the images ‘Stunningly lovely photography’ BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine ‘A Useful plant resource’ and Gold winning Garden Designer Chris Beardshaw wrote ‘This CD-ROM is the next best  thing to having your own private gardener‘
The Complete Gardens advice software is PC & MAC compatible
System requirements 256 RAM. PC Pentium 2 and above Windows 2000, XP and Vista. MAC OS 8.6 and above and Leopard compatible
Free helpline and garden forum to share questions and knowledge. If you have any garden problems put them to our members.
British nurseries should check this out, as their is a ‘where to buy’ link from the CD-ROM to recommended plant suppiers.

Gift for Gardeners

Every gardener loves a gift that will help them further enjoy their favorite hobby. This indoor Italian Herb Garden I found is no exception. Shop for more gardeners gifts at Giftys.com.