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As I write this, wrapped in a fleece with a scarf round my neck and listening to the sound of torrential rain, interspersed with occasional claps of thunder, it’s rather disheartening to look back over last year’s April and May Newsletters and remember what a glorious spring we had then. The phrase “April feeling like August” is haunting me …

However, we must not be downhearted, but instead look forward to warmer times, and try to envisage what a bit of sunshine is going to do to our gardens, which are now wonderfully moist, soft and well watered. I’m convinced that just a little warmth will cause an explosion of growth and colour, the like of which we won’t have seen for years. Are you prepared for that?

Whilst it is rather windswept at present, the garden centre is full to the brim. Currently, highlights in our plant stock include:

• Summer bedding by the lorry load. Almost all varieties of bedding are now available. These are packaged in packs of 6 small plants (or 12, in the case of Lobelia). Some varieties of bedding are available in larger, individual pots. Just a few quid spent on bedding now will really brighten up pots or borders in the coming months.

• Vegetable plants. More and more varieties of vegetables are becoming available each week (in strips priced at £2.50). I’ve been told by several customers that the pak choi they bought from us last year was fantastic.

• Stunning Japanese Acers. These are the ideal ornamental tree for a small garden, especially if you have a somewhat gloomy spot you want to brighten. They like shade or semi shade, and aren’t difficult to keep, as long as you ensure they are well watered, and also in ericaceous compost (which you can mix into your garden soil).

• Camellias … buy one, get one free! An offer you’d usually expect in the supermarket, but we over-ordered and need the space for other things, so if you’ve always fancied a Camellia hedge, or just a couple dotted round the garden, now’s the time to take action. Their foliage makes a lush glossy backdrop, once their flowers have gone over, for other plants.

• Cornus Florida, just starting to flower. I first came across this lesser known variety of Cornus a few years ago in Italy. It likes sun or dappled shade and looks absolutely amazing as its weird flowers start to open, looking at first like alien pods, but changing form and colour as they open until they resemble butterflies resting on the branches. A stunning feature shrub.

• Herbaceous perennials. A customer was in this morning raving about how wonderfully well the Hollyhocks she bought from us a couple of weeks ago are doing. They were from our ‘Hairy Pot’ range, and I must say, we are so pleased to have discovered this supplier. Both the herbs and the perennials are strong plants that seem to do exceptionally well.

• Roses – shrub and climbers. They are starting to romp away now, and will be glorious in a month or two. Just remember that if you get a climber or rambler it is worth ensuring you have good strong trellis erected for it to be tied in to.

Hmm … what else? Oh yes!

• There are lots of newly-acquired items in the Vintage Shed. A recent buying trip paid dividends, and Tash and I are delighted with some of the treasures we found … an amazing Slovakian boot bench, C1810; a simple, narrow pine dresser, with leaded glass doors; an octopus pot; lanterns; and stunning bowls from Rajasthan, to name but a few.

• Kadai (Indian fire pits) are back in stock. These incredibly attractive pieces are brilliantly designed to allow you to comfortably barbeque using the high stand and then transfer the fire pit easily onto the low stand to sit around after you’ve finished cooking.

• True Grace candles are also back in, in all the luscious ‘summer’ scents, including Lemon Tree, Apple Blossom, Grapefruit and the ever popular Rosemary and Eucalyptus

• Childrens’ tools and gloves. Economically priced for small helping hands.

• Chemicals. The rain has certainly brought out the slugs and snails so action must be taken if you are to avoid losing your lovely plants. We have a range of organic deterrents and killers, as well as chemical options. Using copper tape round your pots is particularly effective.

• Plant supports will soon be essential for many of the herbaceous perennials that are growing so fast. Putting a support round them now ensures they won’t suffer as they get taller and heavier, or if we continue to have gusty winds and heavy rain. We have a very attractive new range in of rusted iron plant supports that are weathered and therefore fit comfortably in the garden environment.

• Trellis. We have a wide variety of shapes and sizes, made to a high specification which will last for years and years. At home, I’ve painted my fences and trellis a lovely soft sage green which seems to complement just about any plant.

As always, Sally has put together a useful list of garden tasks for this month. Hope it’s helpful! By the way, are you aware that the last 6 newsletters are always on our website, along with several useful information sheets? Check it out from time to time for up-to-the-minute information.

Warmest regards

Karen

NEWS FLASH !

Newly arrived shop, Jaadu, is teaming up with us and other West Dulwich businesses for a fabulous evening of fashion, food, flowers, fizz and fun on June 13th from 7.00 - 9.00 pm. More information and limited tickets for the event available soon.

   

May Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:30am – 5:30pm Sundays: 10am – 4pm

Tel:020 8670 7788 www.alleynpark.co.uk

Garden jobs for May

It’s been a horrible Spring in many ways, with the cold, wind and seemingly endless rain during April, but let’s hope May will be brighter and sunnier, so that we can appreciate all the good the rain has done. It’s hard to judge what to recommend you do this month in your garden, as there’s such speculation about it being a cold May, but here are some suggested jobs …

General maintenance and planting

• Stake your plants now. Leave it any later than mid May and you will be fighting a losing battle. This is essential for herbaceous plants before they get too tall, or for those, like peonies, that produce heavy blooms. This is particularly relevant this year as downpours of rain can easily damage tall or top-heavy plants.

• Continue to tie in shoots on climbers that are growing madly, such as clematis, roses, honeysuckle, jasmine and rhynchospermum. It is particularly important to tie in the shoots of climbing roses as near to horizontal as possible. This suppresses the flow of sap, therefore encouraging the plant to send out more side shoots. More side shoots equals more flowers!

• Clematis montana can be pruned after flowering to keep it in check, and to encourage another flush of flowers later.

• Plant up troughs, pots and hanging baskets with tender summer bedding plants now. Incorporating water retaining crystals and slow release fertilizer in the compost will help to ensure a continuous display throughout the summer.

• Chopping back perennials in late spring will make bushier plants that flower later on in the season and often flower more prolifically. To do this, cut or pinch back plants by half. Sedum, rudbeckia, echinacea, helenium and golden rod will all respond well to this technique.

• Evergreen hedges and topiary can be lightly clipped to keep them neat. Make sure your shears are clean and well oiled before use. Pick an overcast day, or wait until after the sun has set, to avoid leaf scorch.

• Keep watering any recently planted shrubs, trees or other plants, even if it has been raining! They won’t have had time to get their roots down yet, so are vulnerable to dehydration. And don’t forget to water your containers regularly too.

• Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals. This is best done in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals.

• Sweet peas need training and tying in to their supports to encourage them to climb and make a good display.

• Lift clumps of Forget-me-nots once the display starts to fade and before they set too much seed. They can become invasive if left unchecked.

• Sow biennials now (wallflowers, foxgloves, forget-me-not) for flowering next spring or early summer.

Vegetables

• Regularly check on your potatoes and earth up when they need it.

• All 3 beans (French, broad and runner) can be sown in the open. Ensure climbing beans have strong supports and tie in if necessary.

• Pot on tomato and other young vegetable plants into larger pots and continue to grow indoors.

• Weed, feed and mulch strawberries.

• Devise a routine of feeding and weeding your vegetable garden and containers, and water regularly.

Companion planting

• Companion planting can really help in the battle against pests, and help with pollination.

• Many herbs have nectar rich flowers which will attract beneficial insects to the garden. Try planting sage next to cabbage-family plants to repel cabbage-white butterflies, chives next to apples to prevent apple scab, or next to roses to prevent blackspot.

• Nasturtiums will attract blackfly away from precious crops.

• Carrot fly will start to appear in May. Sow carrots with annual flowers such as Love-in the-mist and Cornflowers in a roughly 50:50 ratio to keep the pesky blighters at bay.

Lawn maintenance

• Continue with your lawn maintenance routine this month, increasing the frequency of cutting as long as the weather allows you to. It can be catastrophic to mow when the grass is wet, so judging when to do it will be key to success.
• If using a ‘feed and weed’ product on your lawn, make sure it has been very well watered in, otherwise it will cause scorching.

Garden pests

• Continue to protect lily, delphinium, hosta and other susceptible plants from slugs and snails.
• Look out for Scarlet Lily Beetle and squish them when you find them!
• Encourage natural predators, such as birds, into your garden. Keep feeders topped up, and put up boxes. Frogs and toads will also eat slugs, and a pond (however small) will encourage these amphibians to take up residence.
• Vine weevil larvae can be a serious pest of plants in containers, and become active this month. Tip out the rootball of suspect plants, and inspect for the creamy, orange-headed maggots, which tend to curl up into a ‘C’ shape. If you find them, take very swift action to eradicate them.
• Aphids can multiply rapidly during mild spells. Remove early infestations by hand, spray with a mix of washing-up liquid and water, or treat with a pesticide.

Wildlife

• Remember to keep feeding the birds as they begin to nest and raise young. Leave water for them too.

Here’s hoping that by the time I next write, we will be basking in summer sunshine! In the meantime, enjoy your garden.

Sally

May Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday: 9:30am – 5:30pm Sundays: 10am – 4pm

Tel:020 8670 7788 www.alleynpark.co.uk