What the Papers Say
Information for Journalists

We are always keen to spread the word on subtropical gardening and growing rare and exotic plants for the conservatory. On this page you can read some of the things that have been written about us already. And if you are a journalist, broadcaster, producer or editor, we'll be only too pleased to help you with any features you may be preparing on palms and exotics...

Need a Writer? Speaker? Presenter?

Huw Collingbourne is not only the joint owner, chief propagator and grower at Rosedown Mill Nursery. He is also a professional journalist and broadcaster with more than 20 years experience as a writer, editor and publisher.

He's written and presented columns and features for BBC Choice television, AOL (Online) and countless newspapers and magazines. Since 1988 he has written the computer opinion column, 'Rants & Raves', for Computer Shopper and PC Plus magazines. He now edits Bitwise Magazine (a free online computer magazine) which includes Rants and Raves online. He has also edited publications such as the PC Buyer's Guide and the Visual Basic Magazine (UK).

If you need a writer, presenter or speaker, contact Huw by e-mail (see the Contact Page ).

What the Papers Say!

Quite a few magazines and newspapers have written about the Rosedown Mill / Palms By Post sites and nursery and our linked site, Huw's Pleasure Garden. Here are a few snippets.

The Web Sites

"If you've caught the bug for more exotic plants, you'll love Huw's Pleasure Garden, an infectiously enthusiastic site full of tips for growing tropical and exotic plants of every kind... This site is witty yet practical, with lots of step-by-step photographs and helpful suggestions."
(BBC Gardener's World - January 2003)

"The enthusiasm shown on this lively and colourful site is infectious, so prepare to be converted."
(The Garden - journal of the Royal Horticultural Society - October 1999)

"A good exotic is worth travelling for... unless, that is, you save yourself a possibly wasted journey by seeing what the Web has to offer. For more and more plant suppliers are getting wired up, among them being palms and exotics suppliers, Rosedown Mill, near Bideford, Devon... For those after something new, many of Rosedown Mill's Year 2000 additions cannot yet be found in the 1999-2000 Plant Finder."
(Exotic & Greenhouse Gardening, April/May 2000)

"In the dot.com revolution, 'e' as in e-mail stands for electronic. But as far as Huw Collingbourne is concerned you can substitute 'exotic'... Rosedown websites have brought comments from all corners of the world..."
(North Devon Journal, August 17th 2000)

"A very tempting site with plenty of down-to-earth advice and inspiring plant descriptions."
(The Good Web Guide 2001, http://www.thegoodwebguide.co.uk)

The Nursery

"Red campion and burgeoning blackberries - so terribly English - that drape the hedgerows leave you totally unprepared for what's in store around the corner and half a mile down the lane... the range of exotics makes fascinating viewing - Ravenala, the Madagascan traveller's tree; Strelitzia reginae, the bird of paradise and the rare nicolai; fan and feather palms, butterfly, bottle, Canary Island date, Senegal, pygmy and yatay palms and an extensive array of cycads."
(Graham Andrews, North Devon Journal, August 17th 2000)

"An impressive group of nine species of palm have been raised from seed at Rosedown Mill Palms and Exotics in Devon. Described in its late summer newsletter (www.rosedownmill.co.uk) they include rarities such as Sabal domingensis, Ptychosperma sanderianum, Arenga pinnata and Livistona benthamii.
(The Garden, November 2001)

"Exotics and rare plant nursery, Rosedown Mill, now have an enormous range of palms, cycads and trunked succulents just waiting to be sold... [it] is the sole British supplier of 16 exotic plant species. It is also one of just two or three sources of another 31 species so, clearly, it's a rather special place."
(North Devon Journal, August 2nd 2001).

Information For Journalists

We are always pleased to provide journalists and broadcasters with help or information to assist with any features on palms and exotics that you may be planning. Both the owners of Rosedown Mill Nursery are professional journalists of many years experience so we do appreciate the importance of meeting your deadlines!

Dermot Hogan is a technical author and computer consultant. He has written features (predominantly technical in nature) for numerous computer magazines as well as for software publishers such as Microsoft. He is the technical editor of Bitwise Magazine.

Huw Collingbourne has written for all kinds of publications (women's magazines, newspapers, pop music magazines, computer and programming magazines, as well as AOL online and BBC TV ). He has, at various times, been both an editor and publisher.