David Domoney

Author: David Domoney

  • How to: plant up an old sink, toilet or bidet

    How to: plant up an old sink, toilet or bidet

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    There are three reasons to turn old household objects into plant containers:

    1)      Recycling is good for the environment

    2)      They’re more interesting than your usual plastic and terracotta tubs

    3)      They’re free!

    If you don’t have an old sink, toilet or bidet gathering dust in your garage, you can pick one up at your local tip. They make really quirky garden containers and fit in well with your border or rockery. Plus it’s a hell of a talking point at parties!

    Try half-burying a sink to blend it in with the rest of your garden. Or buy feet from your garden retailer to raise your container and make it a stand-out feature on your patio.

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    Cover it

    You can keep your new container au naturel, but why not give it a faux stone look? Cover the whole surface in PVA glue and let it dry.

    In a bucket, mix one part Portland cement, one part building sand and one part peat with water. Once it’s nice and viscous, smear it all over the surface of your container.

    The PVA glue will help the mixture bond to the surface, while the cement mixture will dry to give the appearance of stone. This also helps plants and moss attach to the container, making it fit in better with your garden.

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    I planted household objects for BBC Gardener's World Live 2009
    I planted household objects like this sink for BBC Gardener’s World Live 2009

    Fill it

    Before you start, move the container to its final position in your garden, because it will get heavy quickly. Now stick some rocks and gravel in the bottom to aid drainage and stop the plughole getting blocked with peat-free compost (take the plug out too!)

    Then add a mixture of peat-free compost and grit, approximately two parts to one.

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    Why not add fish to the toilet bowl?
    Why not add fish to the toilet bowl?

    Plant it

    As always with containers, start in the centre and work outwards. Plant a dwarf conifer in the middle and surround it with a selection of alpines and bulbs.

    You can then add trailing plants like ivy to run over the edges, or add a few small boulders to create a mini alpine rock garden. As a general rule for containers, better too many plants than too few. Add a sprinkling of gravel to finish.

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    For more garden planting ideas, check out my blog:

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    Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:

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  • Gardening demo with Mygrove schools students

    Gardening demo with Mygrove schools students

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    All up on stage for a photo
    All up on stage for a photo

    I took children from Mygrove schools on an exciting tour around the gardens at the Ideal Home Show to teach them how fun gardens and plants can be. And we had a great day!

    See the full gallery here.

    Mygrove is the Prince of Wales’ online competition for school gardening. Students write blogs about their school garden and all the things they’ve learnt – the best one will win a trip to Highgrove Gardens! Find out more here.

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    The kids learnt about how different plants feel
    Learning about the textures of different plants

    Children between the ages of 4 and 12 joined me for a tour of the show gardens from the Young Gardeners of the Year competition. We looked at each garden in turn, talking about our favourite plants and features.

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    The kids choose their favourite features in Askham Bryan garden
    The kids choose their favourite features in Askham Bryan garden

    Then we found some hidden pictures of wildlife that lives in British gardens and discovered some incredible facts about them – did you know butterflies taste with their feet?!

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    Learning all about robins
    Learning all about robins

    Then we headed up to the VIP area at the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre to get our hands dirty in a gardening workshop. First the kids had a go at sowing different types of seeds – from peas and beans to melons and sunflowers.

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    Silence fell over the room as everyone concentrated
    Silence fell over the room as everyone concentrated

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    Dirty hands!
    Dirty hands!

    Next we made some insect hotels so the kids could attract wildlife into their own gardens. They pushed straw into little tubes to create a nice, cosy house for insects to live in.

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    Mygrove demonstration with David Domoney at the Ideal Home Show
    Making insect hotels with straw

    Finally, we had a look  at plants with weird and wonderful smells and textures. The kids were as fascinated as I am by leaves that feel like lamb’s ears and plants that smell of lemon sherbet.

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    Mmm, lemon sherbet!
    Mmm, lemon sherbet!

    There was just time to give out some special ‘grow your own pumpkin’ kits from Suttons Seeds. They should be ready to carve by Halloween!

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    Just time for a parting gift - grow your own pumpkin kits from Suttons Seeds
    Just time for a parting gift – grow your own pumpkin kits

    By the end of the workshop, the room was a tip and there was straw and compost all over the floor. Oops!

    Then it was time for some extra-special VIP treatment – front row seats at the Super Theatre!

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    Front row seats at the Super Theatre to see me perform
    Front row seats at the Super Theatre to see me perform

    I got up on stage to take part in my unusual container planting challenge, but it was lucky I had the kids watching to warn me when I got compost on the floor – I made quite a mess!

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    Compost all over the stage!
    Compost all over the stage!

    Thanks to everyone for coming and making it such a great day. It was lovely to see so many children getting enthusiastic about gardening and wildlife.

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  • Mygrove Schools Gardening Demonstration – Gallery

    Mygrove Schools Gardening Demonstration – Gallery

    Click on the captions to launch the gallery viewer!

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