Grower’s digest - January 2020

Lemon entry, my dear gardener

Fruit-based fun aplenty will be had in Menton, Alpes-Maritimes, from February 15 to March 3 as the annual Fête du Citron sees the seaside town awash with citrus-themed parades and sculptures.

Taking inspiration from this love of lemons, why not introduce a citronnier into your own garden or terrace?

Truffaut sells a four-season flowering plant which is fruitful for eight months of the year, in a 5-litre container for €59.95.

Jardin trend-identifiers going for gold

Gardening trends firm Chlorosphère have their green fingers firmly on the French jardinage pulse.

Their latest predictions for what will be hot in 2020 include a return for military-style camouflage colour clashes, such as very dark and variegated greens set against black screens in your garden.

Their other tip is a return to 1980s-inspired pastel pinks and even golds.

Bag a winter bargain

Thoughts of the sunny days of summer may be long gone, but for bargain-hunters now is the time to trawl websites and garden centres for off-season offers as companies clear unsold stock.

A great place to start is the website of Leroy Merlin, which has a wide range of outdoor furniture and barbecues.

For example, as we went to press this Panama pine hammock/chair was listed at just €99.90, a saving of €79.10.

See leroymerlin.fr and click on Bonnes Affaires at the top of the page.

Insta-jardins

Social media app Instagram is a brilliant way to enjoy other people’s gardens in France, with everyone from chateau visitors to chambre d’hôtes owners posting seasonal snaps and quirky updates from their gardens (users can search using the hashtag #jardins or #jardinage).

This month’s image captures the very essence of Provençal garden elegance, with a stunning Lourmarin terrace spotted by maisonandjardin