Granny's Bonnets?

Good old garden favourite with everyone, except after a few years of self seeding!!
Aquilegia are an easy plant for anyone to grow but dead-heading is essential to prevent a takeover situation and promiscuity on a large scale!!

Aquilegia 'Hensoll Harebell'

Aquilegia 'McKanna Hybrids'

Aquilegia buergeriana 'Calimero'

So who would not enjoy all the variations in size both of the flowers and plants. The jolly colour variations, along with the double varieties as well.

Some come with long spurs, or spurless.

Aquilegia 'Greenapples'

Aquilegia chrysantha 'Yellow Queen'

Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'

Aquilegia 'Ruby Port'

Aquilegia 'William Guiness'

If you do not want to be overrun by young plants do deadhead by cutting off old flower stems before they get dry and brown. this way you will remove all the seed which tends to have a 100% germination rate!!




Old plants are possible to lift and split if you are wanting to keep true varieties. This is best done in autumn if you are on light soils or early spring on heavier soils..
There are alpine varieties which grow only 15-20cm both high and wide which prefer free draining soil and a sunny site. Aquilegia alpina, Aquilegia buergeriana 'Calimero' are just two such plants.
Most of the other varieties are 45-60cm flowering height with a spread about 45cm. These will tolerate part shade and the seedlings will grow anywhere they have not read the book??

Annual Charity Open Day

April 21st 2013
Hardy's annual charity open day in aid of Naomi House Childrens Hospice.
Come and join us and have an enjoyable day.

Here is what it is all about pictures from the 2012 open day.

We don't do the collecting of free change by halves no small collecting tins here a bucket is so much better and our customers are very generous.
In 2012 we raised £1500.00

It is not just the nursery to come and look around, also invite locals who are involved in traditional trades. This young man has used his skills a fencer to do hurdle making and also hedge laying. If you drive up the B3400 from Overton to Basingstoke you will see his work.

Even the sales shed gets bunting to brighten up the day.

Inside our large potting shed everything is not as usual. It has been cleared out to give more space for other interests. This is our village apiarist (Bee Keeper) Mike and he was happily explaining bee keeping and hives to many of our visitors.

Again this shows the space available for the tea and coffee area. also in the background the Naomi house table.
2012 our wettest year but we had a fine day for the open day if a bit cool.

Plenty of visitors buying on the day at our annual discounted rate 10% off all plant purchases.

What is grown in and behind the polytunnels? well open day gives our customers the opportunity to have guided tours.
The chance to see behind the scenes and get a sneaky preview of plants that will be exhibited at the Chelsea flower show.

The tours go on throughout the day and are very popular some people coming around more than once this is all free.

All tours are guided by myself with plenty of inside knowledge divulged.

Then at the end of the day we draw the prize winning ticket. The tickets are free, one per person coming through the entrance. The chance to win 2 tickets to the Tuesday of Chelsea flower show (First day).
Of course the tickets have to be drawn from a large flowerpot!!










hardys-plants.co.uk