News &c
Malvern that π¬π§ I am getting very excited about the Houseplant Festival with Green Rooms Market at the Malvern show in Worcestershire next month (May 9-12 - I'll be there May 11 and 12). I'll be doing a talk about my book Legends of the Leaf on the Saturday plus hosting the houseplant stage, and I'll have signed copies of Legends plus Houseplant Gardener in a Box for sale. Get in quick - as in, today - and to get 10% off tickets using code HOUSEPLANTS10 when you book here. This code expires at midnight tonight (April 15) so get cracking!
Delivery date πΊπΈ The NYT's Wirecutter has produced a nicely detailed article rating houseplant delivery services, including input from me. They rated five, and from those named Rooted as "the best place to buy plants online when youβre shopping for a gift" and Horti "for beginning to intermediate houseplant hobbyists who are shopping for themselves and want a reliable, affordable online plant shop". I stand by what I say about unboxing in this piece - if it doesn't take you long to unpack new plants, your delivery probably isn't well wrapped.
Manor born π¬π§ Has anyone played Botany Manor, the new plant-based puzzle game made by small games outfit Balloon Studios in the UK? It's had reasonably good reviews but I'd like to know what someone who's really into plants makes of it (that is you, dear reader). As a side note, this portrayal of botanists as posh folk who live in manor houses seems about 150 years out of date. Why are we so nostalgic about the horticultural past?
Pod planted πΊπΈ That's my next podcast listen sorted: houseplant influencer and author Hilton Carter has appeared on Margaret Roach's excellent A Way To Garden podcast talking about his new book on houseplant propagation. The episode is here.
Linear equation πΊπΈ There is lots of chat in US Hoya groups about a lack of availability of Hoya linearis right now - it seems that a major grower of this species has shut down, and left a gap int he market that has seen prices skyrocketing. I haven't been able to find out if this is true, and if so who the grower is, so all intelligence welcome. I do wonder if the reason is that this higher altitude hoya (it grows wild in places like Vietnam and Nepal) doesn't like the warmer conditions that many other lower altitude hoyas crave, therefore don't do well in nurseries. Here in the UK linearis doesn't seem harder to get than usual... for instance Plants For All Seasons are selling big ones for Β£29.99 right now.
Don - no! π¬π§ UK gardening icon Monty Don's been creating more busy work for houseplant growers, suggesting that by misting plants twice a day (yikes) you can make up for a patchy watering regime. Read the whole column here. Mont, pal, you can save yourself a heck of a lot of work by wick watering. Just saying.
Newsletter nudge π¬π§ I sign up for a LOT of plant shops' newsletters, but many disappoint. I know they are trying to sell me stuff, but can't they be a bit less, well, salesy about it? Conservatory Archives - the London plant shop - different. It's always informative and inspirational. I urge you to get subscribed. Sign up at the bottom of their homepage.
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