The Hort Report: 4th April 2025
Deterring buglars with bushes, and more!
Here’s your weekly Hort Report - the round-up of industry news, retail insights, home gardener gossip, influencer spotlights, social media news, and so much more.
Grab a hot drink, and catch up on the latest below…
NEWS FLASH
Met Police advises planting thorny shrubs to deter burglars
During 2024, England & Wales's police forces received nearly a quarter of a million reports of burglary. The Met’s advice? Plant thorny bushes as a “natural defence against burglary”, such as roses, hawthorn and privet.
What do you think of the Met’s gardening advice?
Find out more here.
INFLUENCER SPOTLIGHT
Tarun Nayar
A musician and former biologist, Tarun Nayar hooks up plants and fungi to a modular synth to transform their bioelectrical signals into electronic music. You can hear his incredible beats on his Instagram page as he documents his creations and discoveries!
Visit @taruntspoon on Instagram.
SOCIAL NEWS
Farmer Gracy dolls out dahlia tips
Wondering about the basics of dahlia planting - like how far apart they should be planted, or what sort of compost you should use? Farmer Gracy makes it super easy with their animated tuber!
Watch the video above to find out more.
PRODUCT NEWS
Rainwater Terrace
These eco-friendly modular water butts save water, cut bills and grow beautiful plants! Easy to assemble and use, they come with everything you need to get started, and can be expanded and customised with various accessories to make your garden more lush!
Find out more here.
HOME GARDENER PLANT OF THE WEEK
Cuscuta species (dodder)
This parasitic vine locates its preferred host by sensing chemical signals (hormones) released by the plant. Upon contact, it rapidly attaches and infiltrates the host’s vascular system. Once connected, dodder extracts water and nutrients, often weakening the host plant.
Isn’t that incredible?!
BOOK
Garten fit - Körper fit (Garden Fit - Body Fit) by Karl Ploberger and Toni Klein
Karl Ploberger and Toni Klein’s latest book, Garden Fit – Body Fit, explores the surprising parallels between tending a garden and maintaining physical fitness. Drawing on their 15-year friendship, Ploberger, an organic gardening expert, and Klein, a fitness specialist, highlight how both the body and the garden require care and attention to thrive. The book outlines five key steps to achieving both a flourishing garden and a healthy body, likening muscles to garden planning and the gut to compost.
Buy it here.
WHAT TO DO NOW
The Weird & Wacky Plant Show comes to the Isle of Wight
The Weird & Wacky Plant Show is back - and it’s heading across the Solent!
I’ll be at the Isle of Wight Spring Art & Garden Fair at Northwood House on Thursday 18th April, talking about and demonstrating the world’s strangest plants! I’m so excited, as I used to holiday on the Isle of Wight as a kid, and now I’m going back for the first time!
Find out more here.
WHAT TO DO NOW
Gordale presents Mr Plant Geek Weekend
I’ll be at Gordale Garden Centre in Cheshire all weekend, showcasing the latest plants for your garden, talking about the Weird & Wacky Plants of the world, hosting demos of terrariums and Barakura gardening - and more!
Find out more, including the schedule, here.
QVC PRODUCT PICK
Plants2Gardens 3x Scabious Butterfly Blue
These stunning Scabious Butterfly Blue plants from Plant2Gardens are long-flowering perennials, producing an abundance of lavender-blue, pin-cushion-like flowers on elegant, slender stems. Ideal for pots, containers, beds, and borders, these lovely blooms add a splash of colour to any garden.
Buy them here.