Oh Dear: Grans hilarious reaction after BBC Gardening expert identifies ?mystery plant? as cannabis
Patricia Hewiston, 65, sent a picture of the “lush” green plant growing in her garden to BBC Radio Devon – she had no idea it was cannabis

A green-fingered Exmouth pensioner was left shocked after she was informed by a gardening programme that she had grown a five-foot-tall cannabis plant. Patricia Hewitson spotted a new species of plant growing in her garden and called BBC Radio Devon’s gardening programme for help identifying it. Source

Bilston optician Eric, 69 retires to focus on gardening
Eric Bateman, sets his sights on retirement as he hands over the shop keys to Chris Heap

IT was the end of an era when long-serving Bilston market optician Eric Bateman set his sights on retirement and handed over the keys of the business to his successor Chris Heap last Thursday.  Eric’s Skwints shop has been a fixture in the busy market for 30 years but now, in his 70th year, he has decided to call it a day and concentrate on gardening at his Tettenhall home, where he has won the best garden in Wolverhampton award four times. Source

Desert Gardening
Chinese college students walk across the Kubuchi Desert in Nei Menggu Zizhiqu, northern China.

They are planning to plant trees for the eighth annual planting event hosted by Korean Air to help reduce the impact of yellow dust and acknowledge Korea-China ties. About 120 people planted desert willows and poplars, adding to a total of 1.2 million trees. Source

Green fingered gardening winners
This year 62 customers entered the Stockport Homes annual gardening competition.

There were beautiful baskets, colourful containers and mouth-watering fruit and veg. Customers could win up to £150 in vouchers for the best garden in the Borough. Prizes for first, second and third in each category, in each area, were vouchers to the value of £50, £30 and £20 respectively. Mr and Mrs Boland from Heaton Norris won best in the Borough. Mr Boland has sadly since passed away. Mrs Boland and her daughter Julie Loftus accepted the certificate and voucher in memory of him. Source

Amersham is blooming proud after getting top honours at a gardening competition
Amersham won the gold award at the Thames and Chilterns in Bloom Regional Award night on Wednesday, September 17.

The town?s efforts included its two floral First World War-themed avenues of remembrance made from poppies, a transformation of the remembrance gardens which now features plants assembled as flags. Source

Gardening calendar: plant snowdrops and harvest sweetcorn
Sarah Raven shares her top garden tasks. This week: why not use up blackberries and apples to make a delicious autumnal gin?

1. Maximum hydrangea
2. Keep clematis
3. Shine a little light
4. Bramble gin
5. Kernels retreat
6. That?s shallots
7. Sward play
8. A bit of all white
9. Late entries
10. Dish of the dahlia

Source

Rogue trader alert! Police warn of cowboy gardening company scam
A company going by the name of Green Thumb Gardening Services has been dropping cards through doors over the last few weeks and then carrying out terrible work.

The business based in Mark Road, Hemel Hempstead, using a 01442 telephone number, but its address is a false one and all payment has been made in cash. The fraudulent firm is not to be confused with Green Thumb Lawn Services, which is a reputable nationwide company. Source

Esperanza a must-have plant for beauty and wildlife habitat
The Esperanza or yellow bells, have truly been outstanding all summer and they just keep flushing with blooms.

In addition to the yellow selections we are also growing at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Garden, Orange Jubilee that has been doing its part to bring in pollinators. By that I mean butterflies and hummingbirds are always found hitting on the blossoms. Whether you can grow these as perennials, or annuals like a petunia, they are must-have plants for beauty and the backyard wildlife habitat. Source

Talented pupils in gardening success
GREEN-FINGERED youngsters from the Rosary School sold some of their produce at Waitrose recently.

The event was part of a national initiative run by the supermarket, which has a store in London Road, Stroud, which encouraged children to grow their own produce over the summer months in the hope they will learn more about where food comes from. Source

Primary school pupils appeal for help after shed fire robs them of gardening tools
SAD schoolchildren are appealing for donations after their shed was gutted by fire. Firefighters were called to Graham James Primary School, in The Sorrells, Stanford-le-Hope.

Students, who take part in gardening club, were left devastated after equipment was damaged. Leanne Willis, mum to eight-year-old Hayden, said: ?My son was gutted. He said he didn?t understand how such a thing could have happen.  Source

Banstead Community School is celebrating gardening awards for the second year
Green-fingered students are delighted to have been awarded a prestigious gardening award.

Banstead Community Junior School received a Gold award from the RHS South and South East in Bloom competition sponsored by Southern Water, for the second year running. The school said it was the only one in the south east to be awarded a Level 4 Award in the South and South East in Bloom ? It?s Your Neighbourhood competition. This award is judged on community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.  Source

Gardening: Longlevens lorry driver keeps on trucking on father-and-son allotment
Paul Fletcher did not have to go far for an allotment buddy when he decided to have a go at growing his own fruit and vegetables.

One year later, and after a lot of hard work, the Longlevens pair are reaping a bumper harvest and have lots of plans for the months to come.?It was Paul?s idea,? says John, who served in the RAF before working as an electrical engineer ?I had plenty to keep me going; I play golf. Then Paul suggested getting an allotment.?The original idea was that he would do the hard work and I would look after the crops. I probably spend about a couple of hours up here a day.?Paul, a lorry driver, says an allotment appealed because he?s keen on eating organically.?I want to know exactly what?s been used on the food I eat,? he says. Source