May 2014 Newsletter

I just love this time of year, don’t you? At home the apple blossom has now giving way to fresh green leaf, and as the cerise pink tulips fade against the vibrant lime of the Euphorbia, the Alliums are ready to take their place. Even the simple box hedging has that glorious fresh flush of bright green leaves. Our gardens and outside spaces are practically humming with growth and vitality, and as this fabulous spring continues, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the garden centre looking so full or so lovely. We are bursting at the seams, but it’s impossible NOT to get in all the luscious plant stock now on offer! Here’s just a highlighted selection of what’s on offer:

Perennials: I’m particularly impressed with the quality of our herbaceous perennials (those are the plants that die back above ground over winter, and then leap back up out of the ground each spring) which come from a grower I discovered last year. Like so many of our suppliers, this is also a small family run business (mum, dad and two sons) based in Kent. They grow an amazing array of plants, and I’ve been able to get hold of some more unusual or hard to find ones, such as Cerinthe, Melianthus and Polygonatum.
Roses: The range of David Austin roses we have in is just astounding! Climbers, ramblers, and shrubs. There’s a rose for even the shadiest of corners, or smallest of spaces, so you don’t have to miss out. Nothing lifts the spirits like the scent of glorious ‘old rose’ wafting on a balmy summer evening breeze.
Acers: Blazing burgundy and vibrant green, the leaves on these beautiful trees are at their fullest right now. They are the ideal tree for a small garden, and are very happy grown in semi shade. Their promise of an Autumnal fanfare is what draws most people to them, but I love the way they look during the spring and summer just as much.
Fruit: The range of fruit trees still available is wide, with the newly introduced Pluot (a cross between and Plum and Apricot) sitting alongside the more pedestrian apples and pears. We also have almonds, nectarines and cherries, as well as soft fruit including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.
Trees: There are also some glorious ornamental trees just coming into their own right now. The lovely ornamental pear (Pyrus), with its soft silvery leaves, Cytisus Battendieri (Pineapple Broom Tree) which will bring forth a wealth of gloriously scented flowers in the summer, young slender silver birch, Robinia Frisia with their light green pea-like leaves, the deep burgundy of Prunus Pissardii (ornamental cherry) which have finished flowering but are now showing the rich leaf display that adorns them until they blaze into autumn colour, and the line of standard Photinia Red Robins, most of which are in full honey-scented flower. At home, I wouldn’t be without my Amelanchier , which is the first tree in the garden to flower, swiftly followed by edible berries that ripen a deep purple. We have these gorgeous specimens in stock - both as trees and as multi-stemmed shrubs, either of which is also ideal for a small garden.
Herbs: The range continues to increase as the weather warms up, with a shift to more of the larger Hairy Pots and less of the smaller herbs as the season continues.
Vegetables: The range again is increasing all the time, not only in the strips of small plants, but also now in larger individual pots, including Courgettes, Aubergines, Chillis and, of course, Tomatoes

With so much to plant, we thought we’d help you along the way with this month’s special offer on compost …

BUY TWO, GET ONE FREE on 60ltr bags of Multi-purpose compost
with added John Innes

Unlike the unscrupulous supermarkets, who just increase the price of the individual item prior to putting them on offer, our promotion is genuine. One bag of this compost costs £6.95, and has cost that since we first got it in 3 years ago.

Apart from plant stock, other things you might want to have a look at are the range of rusty iron plant support spirals currently selling fast. These supports blend into the border beautifully (I have 4 in my own garden) and support your growing plants, be they herbaceous or otherwise. I’ve used them on my Peony, shrub Rose and Hydrangeas.

We have listened to you and sourced in a wider range of rose arches, too. You can’t miss the fabulous rusted iron one we have right next to the rose display, but we also have mid- and economy-range alternatives – they are housed up in the brick shed on the upper site … just head up under the Wisteria drenched pergola and you’ll see them on the left.

Robby has sourced some brilliant new planters that are a fibreglass mix, so are lightweight and easy to handle, but look like aged concrete – genius! They are contemporary and stylish, as well as being remarkable value. Of course, we still carry a range of basic terracotta as well as the lovely Yorkshire pots, with a lifetime guarantee.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the new VegTrugs we have in. These V shaped large wooden vegetable planters on legs are ideal for small spaces, or for those with only hard landscaping to work with, but who want to grow edible crops. They are also superb for those who are wheelchair bound, or who struggle to bend. We have the timber VegTrugs in 2 sizes, and also have a smaller metal and felt alternative for those with even less space. Come and see them round by the Vintage and Tool shed.

We’re noticing already that many of you are complaining about the infestation of snails and slugs, which are a major problem this year after the mild wet winter. We have a range of deterrents and killers to deal with them, including ‘Slug Gone’ which is a natural product derived from wool. When laid around susceptible plants it swells in the damp and forms a mat which slugs and snails do not like to move over.

Aphids and other pests are starting to make themselves known too. The quicker you deal with them, the less there will be, so have a solution to hand. There are chemical sprays of course, such as the RHS endorsed ‘Provado’, which quickly dispatches all forms of aphids and beetles, including the notorious Rosemary Leaf Beetle and Scarlet Lily Beetle. An organic alternative is the ready to use spray from the Black Soap range. This solution, used sparingly, clogs the air holes on aphids’ backs, thus suffocating them. (Talking of Black Soap, I’m delighted that so many of you have tried out the concentrated option, and have reported back such excellent results!)

Gosh …. I seem to have rabbited on for a long time, but of course there is much to talk about at this time of year. Sally’s ‘tasks’ section follows, and there’s lots to keep us all busy no matter how small our patch.

The wise gardener always takes some time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his or her labours, though, so don’t forget to do so yourself - and remember that we have lots to enhance your outdoor space for relaxation as well as work! Lanterns, furniture, fire-pits and lots more besides. Come and have a wander to see for yourself.

Warm regards

Karen

Garden jobs for May 2014

What a gorgeous spring we're having, everything as it should be, with trees bursting into leaf, delicate blossoms, and even some roses blooming already. I love the freshness, and promise of so much more to come. There are plenty of jobs to get on with in the garden or on your balcony.

My 2 top jobs for this month

Start a feeding regime. You can boost plant growth and health tremendously with the right fertilisers.
Get rid of weeds. Keep on top of annual weeds with your hoe when they are small. This will pay dividends later. Perennial weeds have stronger, deeper roots and should be dug out or treated chemically.

General maintenance and planting

Stake or support your plants now. If you leave it later than mid-May, 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.
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, which will produce lots of flowers.
Early flowering Clematis such as C. montana C. Alpina and C. armandii can be pruned after flowering to keep in check, and this may lead to 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 fertiliser 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. In large clumps, you could try cutting back one in three stems, or cut the front section down, and leave the back of the clump higher.
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. There are lots of seeds which can be sown directly now.
Sweet peas need training and tying in to their supports to encourage them to climb and make a good display.
When planting Alliums, remember that their leaves often look scruffy before the flowers open. Put them in amongst ground cover plants, in the middle of the border, rather than the front, and enjoy their show.
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.
Deadhead remaining spring bulbs. Give the leaves a feed and let them die back before cutting them.

Vegetables and herbs

Vegetables and herbs can be grown in the smallest of spaces, in the ground or in a variety of pots, trugs and other containers. Find a sunny spot for tomatoes, chilli and peppers, but if sun only reaches an area for a few hours a day, go for a green crop of lettuce, rocket, pak choy, spinach...there are lots of options.
Herbs make attractive container plants. Plant some favourite herbs near the back door, or on the balcony...there's nothing better than cutting a handful of fresh herbs to top a salad. Use Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and thyme in a sunny spot, and mint, parsley, tarragon, coriander and dill in more shaded surroundings.
Lots of vegetables can be sown outside this month, as the temperatures rise. French beans, courgettes, squashes, quick and easy radish, and sweet corn can be sown directly as the temperatures rise.
Pot on tomato and other young vegetable plants into larger pots and continue to grow indoors until the risk of frost has passed. Harden off all young vegetable plants before planting out.
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 are one of the plants which 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 discourage them.

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 is the key to success.
If using a ‘feed and weed’ product on your lawn, ensure 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. Knocking the mollusc population as soon as possible will reduce the burgeoning population over the next months.
Look out for Scarlet Lily Beetle and squish them when you find them.
Viburnum beetle larvae can damage the leaves of evergreen and deciduous Viburnum - keep a sharp eye on 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. I recently discovered that my mint, which has come up year after year, had been decimated underground by these horrible larvae. 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 an soap solution, 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.

We are heading into the season of shows and open gardens, and I hope that you will gain inspiration from visiting new places. Make the effort to walk around local parks too, to see what's in flower. Being outside amongst plants is good for the soul.

Have a good month.

Sally