What’s been going on at Rhino HQ so far in 2020?
Did you get the gardening itch as soon as the calendar flipped over to March? Because I did! All over the country, people are hoarding recycled propagators of all kinds – loo rolls, egg boxes, fruit punnets – and looking forward to sowing in earnest. Some of you may have already begun, while others may still be waiting for warmer climes. Completing your preparations means having the right tools ready to go, with lists of “need-to-buys” and “want-to-buys” forming – seed trays, seed racks and maybe even a greenhouse… The storms have passed (fingers crossed) and we look toward fairer weather. But February was a rough month for gardeners.
Storms
We’re still standing!
The country has been hit by every kind of weather in recent weeks, with Storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge wreaking all kinds of havoc. Gardening tragedies have brought down garden buildings and tender young plants have been soaked, flooded and ripped up by their roots.
And in the face of all this, we’ve been hearing from our community that their Rhinos are standing firm.
For those less fortunate, with other brands, greenhouses have been brought dramatically to their proverbial aluminium knees. And now gardeners are looking for a more reliable alternative. Rhinos are some of the strongest glasshouses on the market and come with a 25 year guarantee. So if you’re looking for a replacement, order now to have your brand new Rhino in time for the 2020 growing season.
Rhino Herders
Gill Meller
Chef and award-winning food writer Gill Meller has joined our Rhino cohort and we couldn’t be more delighted. Since his time on River Cottage, he’s had bestselling cookery books. Using seasonal local produce, his recipes are warm and wholesome and darned delicious. Gather and Time are available to buy now and his latest publication, Root Stem Leaf Flower is coming out in May and can be pre-ordered today.
Gill will be sharing some of his delicious recipes and gardening methods with us in the coming year. So stay tuned for more from Gill and his Rhino.
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Erleigh Community Garden
We’re so proud to have another community garden project on our books. The Erleigh Road Community Garden in Reading, Berskhire has a brand new Rhino Greenhouse. I had a chat with Naomi German, one of the key faces behind the creation and maintenance of the garden. They run a variety of groups and workshops, including wellbeing and toddler’s gardening groups, and have plans to run cooking workshops in the future, using the produce grown in their new glasshouse. We can’t wait to see how they get on!
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Sam Marshall
I have been obsessed with Sam Marshall’s fine art prints for some time (along with her mini sausage dog, Miss Marple) and as a Rhino owner too, I was keen to get more involved. I was lucky enough to join one of her workshops a few weeks ago. I’ll be sharing a fuller article, in conversation with Sam, in the future, discussing the connection between her gardening and artistic pursuits.
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Flowers From the Farm
It seems that with every week that passes, we find another Flower Farmer with a Rhino greenhouse! The co-op, Flowers From the Farm, is a collective of UK flower growers and florists. They are dedicated to rejuvenating the flower farming economy, coupled with environmental values - “Grown Not Flown”.
Here’s who we know of so far: English Peonies, La-di Dardy Flowers, Loanda Flowers and Camomile Cornflowers. Are you a flower farming Rhino owner? Get in touch with us for the opportunity to feature on our social media and website.
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Ellen Mary
Our long-time friend, Ellen Mary has returned from an 8-week stint in the US and she was absolutely delighted to be back on her allotment at the beginning of the month. Check out her video tutorials on Youtube.
Other Business
Rhino Raised Beds Coming Soon
The Rhino GrowBed is almost ready! For raised beds with Rhino quality and style, we can’t wait to introduce our new and improved design. Keep your eyes peeled for updates!
Winter Sale Continues
With all the stormy weather disrupting spring preparation, we've extended our sale to give you more time to get your ideal greenhouse in time for the growing season.
Rhino Gardener’s Forum
Have you seen our FB group just for Rhino gardeners?
Show Season Starts Soon
Rhinos on Tour 2020! Will we be where you are soon?
If you're a Rhino Owner with an interesting story to tell, we'd love to hear from you.
You can get in touch with us on social media or you can email us on service@greenhousesdirect.co.uk