June 2014 Newsletter

The wonderful spring we’ve enjoyed has made our gardens and green spaces look better than ever, so let’s hope we have a fabulous summer too, enabling us to spend as much time out in the sunshine as possible.

There’s lots to tell you about this month, so I’ll crack right on with it.

Firstly, a date for your diary - on 18^th June we are hosting another evening soiree and fashion show in conjunction with Jaadu, based in Park Hall Road. These clothes are gloriously casual for effortlessly chic summer living. The evening of wine, nibbles and a look at the new collection will, I’m sure, be as fun and entertaining as last time …. and with a percentage of proceeds going to charity, you can feel good about attending too! Click here to find out more …. Jaadu fashion show

Before I tell you what’s new in stock, I have a bit of bad news. Our lovely fruit supplier, Blackmoor, discovered that some of their fruit trees grown on dwarf and semi-dwarf root stock suffered during the wet winter, and were victim to root rot. This wasn’t immediately apparent, and – in all innocence – Blackmoor sent me the trees that I’d ordered. Luckily, the problem was spotted and I was able to take the affected trees out of stock, but a few had been sold already. So, if you bought an apple tree from us in early spring and it hasn’t produced leaf, please let me know so that I can made amends.

On to happier topics …
Firstly, we’re all ridiculously excited by the fact that a pair of blue tits have successfully hatched a brood of chicks in the nesting box under our Wisteria-clad pergola. We don’t know how many chicks there are, but they are VERY vocal whenever their busy parents flit in and out of the box with food for them. Of course Basil and Mittens have been most interested, and we’ve had to be quite stern with them on a few occasions. It’s been an absolute delight to be so up close and personal to this little family, and we’re all quite protective of ‘our babies’! It’s brought home to me what joy can be gleaned from ensuring we keep the wildlife in our gardens happy, by providing food, water and a place to nest.

Ok – back to business …. I have stumbled across some growers in Spain who produce gorgeous plants (such a tough job, going out to Spain to find them, but someone had to do it!). Over the next few weeks the stock will be coming into the centre for you …. Figs, Olives, Oleander, Rhynchospernum and more. The standard figs in particular are just wonderful, and if we have a long hot summer they are a variety that will produce not 1, but 2 crops of fruit. I’ll still bring in plant stock from our lovely Italian growers too; in fact Sally and I will be going out to Italy in early July to choose plants to bring back in the autumn, so if you have need of any particular large tree or shrub, let us know and we’ll try to find it for you.

Whilst I search in Europe for the larger and more exotic plants, nothing will ever replace our wonderful growers right here in the UK for our smaller stock. Our herbaceous perennial grower in particular has totally outdone himself this year. We’ve been absolutely delighted with the quality of the plants coming in from the small family run nursery in Kent … it’s not a surprise that they were chosen for the second year running to supply plants for a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, which achieved a gold medal.

Herbs and vegetables are abundant. If you don’t think you have room to grow them in your garden, think again, and check out the ‘Veg Trug’ we have planted up to demonstrate how in a tiny area you can grow a wealth of edibles. This table is great for a small garden, for those with back problems or who are in a wheelchair – a really ingenious idea, and in a range of sizes to suit all.

Frankly, there’s just too much to mention, but a quick summary of the things looking at their best has to include:

Roses – shrub, climbers, ramblers and standards. All looking spectacular!
Cornus – these glorious large shrubs/small trees never cease to take my breath away. There are only a couple left, so don’t dawdle if you want one.
Hydrangeas – in a wealth of colours, these shrubs are bang back in fashion again.
Bamboo – with their new stems arching skyward, they create a wonderful focal point or screen.
Summer bedding – a splash of colour for any part of the garden, or in pots and window boxes.
Fruit trees – we’ve got tiny furry peaches on the peach trees … come and check them out. Amazing!

Of course, there’s lots more I could mention on the plant front, but I want to keep your attention for some of the other stock, such as:

Kadai fire pits – if you don’t have one yet, why not?? They are fabulous to use and look great. Ask one of us about them and we’ll wax lyrical. I’ve had mine for 3 years now and wouldn’t be without it. Of course, we have charcoal, wood, and fat sticks (so much better than firelighters) to ensure your barbeque goes without a hitch.
Balcony accessories – have you seen our faux balcony area yet? The brilliant folding table and balcony planters ensure even the smallest space can be transformed.
Lanterns and tea light holders – long summer evenings are made even more magical by adding some gentle lighting. We have all you need to do so. You can either hang them in existing trees and fences, or buy some of our shepherds’ crooks to hang them from.
Dassi bowls and platters – you clearly like the exquisite items we got in earlier this year, so we’ve extended the range.
Candles and room diffusers – we’ve added to our long standing range of True Grace candles with some from Caroline Gardner, who produces cards, gift wrap and more for many retailers in the high street, but who has kept her small range of deliciously scented candles and room diffusers just for small independent outlets like ourselves, so you won’t find them elsewhere!

I hope this has whetted your appetite to get out in your garden and enjoy it this summer. When you come for a visit, don’t forget to bring any vouchers you’ve received from us, as well as your reward card.

Kind regards

Karen

Garden jobs for June 2014

I've been noticing the lovely long evenings, and we're nearly at the longest day. The extended daylight hours bring the growing season into full swing, with the hope of lush gardens and containers through the months to come. Here are some ideas for things to be getting on with in the garden in the coming weeks.

My top 2 jobs for June

1. The first is multiple advice - feed, weed, stake and water! Regular attention to the basic jobs will help things to look their best for a long time ahead.

2. Now the soil is warm, sow and plant annual crops and flowers - there is such a fantastic choice of summer bedding plants, and lots of shrubs and herbaceous perennials are happy to be planted now.

Plant and garden maintenance

Cut back early flowering perennials such as Geranium phaem, Brunnera, Tellima, Pulmonaria and others hard to the ground once the flowers have gone over, and you will soon have fresh new leaves. Water well and it won't be long before new growth appears.
Remove spent flowers from Euphorbias to keep them tidy, cutting down to ground level.
It's not too late to stake tall herbaceous plants - do it now before delphiniums, lilies, and peonies lean too far with the weight of their blooms, especially after heavy rainfall. If you can't fit a specific support in place, bamboo canes (cut to size) and string will do the job well.
We plant all sorts of lovely things and expect them to look after themselves with a bit of water every now and then. All new compost has sufficient nutrients to feed plants for up to 6 weeks, but thereafter the nutrients your plants require must be added to the soil. This is especially important for plants in containers, which can't send their roots further into the soil. Very old bottles of fertiliser may not have the necessary oomph, so treat the garden to a good fertiliser and your plants will perform much better.
Watering - be aware of the plants which need more water, including those recently planted, young vegetables and plants in containers. If we experience drought conditions, remember that it's much better to really soak plants a couple of times a week than to spray a little water everywhere each day. Small amounts of water encourage roots to come to the surface which makes plants even more vulnerable in dry conditions, so, always make sure water soaks right down to the deeper roots.
We have helped a number of people recently who are gardening in containers, on roof terraces, balconies and patios. Always be aware of the specific conditions of your site. Wind can be a problem, in drying both leaves and compost. Make sure pots and window boxes are secure so that they can't be blown around. If you have invested money in lovely plants, it's worth considering an irrigation system. Larger containers hold more compost and therefore more water, but in hot weather most containers will need to be watered daily.
Trim topiary, to keep it looking smart and to maintain the shape. Choose a cloudy day so that the leaves don't go brown with leaf scorch, and remember to feed and water afterwards.
Many spring flowering shrubs can be pruned now.
Keep on top of weeds. Pulling out or hoeing annual weeds while they are small is well worth it. On a hot day you can leave them and they will wither on top of the soil. Perennial weeds are another matter, and must be removed completely, with nothing left of the root - or treated chemically with a systemic weed killer.
Continue planting summer containers - there are lots of annuals to choose from to make a colourful display until the first frosts, or why not use some perennials which will come up year after year.
Fill gaps in the border with plants which will perform in the next few months. Planted well, they will establish happily.

Edibles

Pinch out side shoots on tomatoes, so that you only have one main growing stem. A few varieties, such as 'Totem', don't need this treatment.
Once the first truss of tomatoes has formed, start feeding with Tomorite or similar high potash feed.
Avoid using insecticides on crops when they are in flower..
Runner beans and climbing French beans can be sown or planted outside, as well as squash, courgettes and sweet corn.
Blueberries and cranberries growing in pots need to be kept moist at all times, preferably with collected rainwater.
Tie in raspberry and blackberry canes.
Don’t forget that there are many edible flowers – an easy place to start is with herb flowers: bright blue borage flowers, any number of thyme flowers, chives, rocket... Nasturtiums, calendula and many more. They make a lovely addition to a bowl of salad.
Watch out for the June drop which is the process of fruit trees naturally shedding surplus amounts of fruit. You should remove any damaged or misshapen fruit, and if there is a lot of fruit remaining after the natural fall, remove some more by hand. What's left will be better quality and the tree will have more energy.

Lawns

It's best to mow the lawn at least once, preferably twice a week at this time of year. The less grass removed at each cut, the healthier the grass will be. If we hit a dry spell, reduce the frequency of cutting and raise the mowing height.

Pests and diseases

Mildew - some plants such as Pulmonaria, roses and honeysuckle are particularly susceptible to mildew. Remove and dispose of all affected leaves and stems. Improve watering, feeding, and, if possible, air circulation around the plant. If necessary, treat with an appropriate fungicide.
Protect vulnerable plants from slugs and snails. Dawn and dusk outings wearing gloves and carrying a bucket, and then dousing the collected molluscs with salt, can reduce the populations dramatically. Slug pellets or bait, should be used sparingly - follow the instructions on the pack.
Keep an eye out for aphid infestations - it's much easier to control if caught early. Squish them, or use an insecticide. Always use sprays carefully, in the evening when fewer beneficial insects are active, and choose a time when there isn't a breeze.
Bright red lily beetle and bronze/green striped rosemary beetle can do a lot of damage in a short space of time, so keep an eye out for them. Provado is the only pesticide recommended by the RHS as effective against these bugs. Read the instructions before using on edible crops.

Wildlife

Birds need constant supplies of food and water as they raise their young, so keep feeders and bird baths topped up.
Don't trim hedges or prune shrubs until you are sure bird nests are empty.

I'm heading off to the Isles of Scilly for a couple of weeks this month, and might venture to the fabulous gardens on Tresco. I hope you get out to some more of the lovely open gardens in the area this month.

Sally

See You next month!