Undercover With Bob Flowerdew

Every greenhouse should have at least one from this small genus of glorious plants whose blooms so closely rival lilies. For Crinums are robust, reliable and truly sumptuous display plants in either the greenhouse or plant conservatory. They are also … [ Read More ]

Now here’s a greenhouse plant that takes almost no effort whatsoever. Or rather here are a great number of species as this is a big family and the curious collector can amass a large and interesting selection. Mostly from southern … [ Read More ]

For sheer colour in the greenhouse there is little to compare with Coleus or Painted Nettles as they are so accurately described. Indeed these not only closely resemble Dead Nettles but are in fact closely related to them. Now many … [ Read More ]

You can grow cucumbers without a greenhouse but these are poor things by comparison with varieties grown under cover. Outdoor or ridge cucumbers are spiny and stumpy whilst indoor ones are smooth skinned, long and gently curved. Both originated long … [ Read More ]

Both these are hardy fruits and so do not need a greenhouse, however having one gives much earlier and much more reliable crops. Just the protection from frosts, rain and birds is immensely valuable, the earliness is a huge bonus. … [ Read More ]

Tomatoes are the greenhouse crop most often grown. True in sheltered gardens a few varieties crop outside most summers. But under cover you have more sorts for more of the year with much tastier varieties. And what variety, tomatoes come … [ Read More ]

Claytonia / Montia perfoliata, Cuban Spinach, Miner’s Lettuce Almost every greenhouse should have some of this low growing ground covering salad plant closely related to Purslane. Not as an ornamental feature necessarily but for it’s fantastic utility. You see this … [ Read More ]