Category: Planting Advice

Plants for Winter Scent

27/11/2020

With the grey skies and chilly winds we are experiencing at the moment, it can be tempting to shut off from the outside world and hunker down beside a roaring fire, but the garden doesn’t shut itself down completely in winter and it is possible to plant a few things which brighten up the drab days and even add some fragrance to the air to draw you outside.
Despite the fact that most of our pollinating insects don’t venture out on cold days, there are a few who brave the weather, and from that we can benefit. There are shrubs and bulbs which flower during the winter and in order to attract those brave insects they have to go all out the give off the signal that they are worthy of a visit. Scent is a great way of plants to advertise that they are in their prime and have something on offer to those insects.
Winter fragrance can range from heady and intoxicating which you notice from several meters away to delicate perfume which you need to stoop down to experience. As an added bonus winter flowering plants often flower for longer than summer bloomers.

Witch Hazel (A.K.A. Hamamelis) - A showy shrub which is adorned with colourful clusters of filament flowers in the winter months. This shrub can light up an area or border with it’s blooms and also with the fiery coloured foliage in the autumn. Fairly slow growing these plants are good as a solitary plant or within a mixed shrub border. Forming a V shape, they need some space to spread out.

Growing Delicious Herbs in Your Garden

25/9/2020

Chives

As we’ve all been forced to spend more time at home and less time socialising this year, many of us are reconnecting with our gardens and creating tasty food to feed our loved ones. One way of combining the too is to grow your own produce. Herbs must be the best crop if you’re looking for a low maintenance option, where by you have little input but can regularly harvest fresh and delicious leaves as and when you need them.
I love to cook & popping out and pick something to flavour a casserole, curry or sauce is a real treat. I tend to use the hardy evergreen herbs like Rosemary & Sage in the winter months & the softer perennial & tender herbs like Basil, Mint and Coriander in the spring & summer.

Shady Gardens - Making the most of Shady Places

28/8/2020

If there’s one thing that every garden has it’s a shady place! Whether your patch is overcast by mature trees, screened by a building or simply shaded by taller planting in a few places, coping with shade can seem tricky, but with a bit of know how and some handy tips, you can tackle your shady places and transform them from dull spots in to a green and verdant garden.
Shady areas are typically defined by the lack of direct sunlight to the ground. With less light, sun loving plants struggle to establish and become thin and weedy. The ground can be dry too which can cause problems for any new plants in the area as they try to compete for moisture. Despite these less than ideal conditions, there are plants that will happily thrive given the right initial care and attention.
If you have a shady area to tackle it’s worth considering just how shady it is and what the soil is like before visiting a garden centre or nursery for plants, that way you’ll be able to choose the right plant for the right place...

How To Plant Bare-root Hedging and Trees

6/3/2020

Bare-root plants are pretty easy to plant. Choose a day which is frost free and when the soil is not waterlogged. Keep the roots of the new plants cool &moist (not wet) until you are ready to plant.
How to plant a bare-root tree:

Turn the ground adding plenty of compost & fertiliser
Dig a whole large enough to accommodate the spread of the roots
Place the tree in the whole ensuring the roots will be covered and the base of the tree is at the right level. Fan out the roots.
Place a tree stake alongside the stem & between the roots. Tap in to give the tree support & add a tree tie.
Back fill the hole, firming the soil and water the area thoroughly...

Bare-root Tree and Hedging Season is Here!

20/12/2019

When the trees start to lose thier leaves at this time of year it's a sure sign that the dormant season is upon us. It’s the perfect time to transplant bare-root plants – those which have been raised in a field and then lifted & the soil removed. The added bonus of bare-root plants is that they are much cheaper than container grown plants.
Autumn is a good time to plant them as there’s time for them to settle and establish before the warmth of the spring comes. Trees & shrubs are available bare-root and from November onwards they’ll be offered in garden centres, nurseries and online. As the plants are dormant there’s not much to look at but when selecting plants look for undamaged branches & bark to ensure the plants are fit and healthy...

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