YOUR NEWS FORTNIGHT
Researchers reveal that gardeners love their scent and variety
Bringing you some of the gardening news highlights
The rose has been named the UK’s favourite plant. The unsurprising news was revealed after plant nursery Ashridge Trees used Google Keyword Planner to analyse the number of monthly searches over the past year for 20 of our most common and popular garden flowers. The rose was identified as gardeners’ favourite flower, attracting 126,909 monthly searches on average.
The sunflower came second, with 112,567 searches, beating poppies into third place - they received 111,677 searches.
The keywords searched included gardening terms such as ‘grow roses’, ‘plant geraniums’, ‘how to grow orchids’ and ‘when to plant poppy seeds’. The results are revealed at the busiest time for garden centres and plant suppliers, as everyone is busy planning their plot for the year ahead. Julian de Bosdari, CEO of Ashridge Trees, said: ”The rose being crowned the nation’s number one flower for home gardening may come as no surprise to avid gardeners. They’re adored for their beauty, fragrance and symbolism of love.” He also spoke about the importance of choosing the right plants for your garden, and putting them in the right place.
Julian added: “When deciding which flowers to grow, it’s important to consider the type of flower and the environment it thrives in best to determine whether it’s the right time to plant.
“Most flowers are best planted in spring or autumn due to mild temperatures and moisture in the ground. However, some prefer cooler or warmer climates.”
The top 10 flowers in our gardens are roses, sunflowers, poppies, hydrangeas, peonies, daffodils, tulips, lavenders, daisies and irises.
We would love to compile our own list of AG readers’ favourite garden flowers. Tell us your favourite blooms by emailing editor@amateurgardening.com
Are you involved in community growing projects where you live? Send in your news by emailing editor@amateurgardening.com
Magnolia lost
A magnolia tree thought to be the tallest in the UK has been felled due to fears it could fall and cause injuries and damage. The 60ft (18m) tree had been growing in a garden in Poole, Dorset for more than 50 years and had become a magnet for visitors.
The owner of the garden where it stood had called in experts who discovered extensive decay in the tree, rendering it unsafe. The local council agreed, saying it could cause damage to adjacent properties if it were to fall in high winds.
Too much rain!
The UK received more than 50% more rain than usual in December 2023, w
