January/February Newsletter 2018

Happy new year to you! Hope you’ve had a good break and are ready for the new gardening year.

As you know, we are passionate about many things … the quality of our stock, offering excellent customer service, buying British wherever possible, providing you with great information … the list goes on and on. I hope you also know that care for the environment is very important to us too. For instance, our branded bags and boot-liners have always been fully biodegradable, as we knew, even when we started over 14 years ago, that discarded plastic was an environmental and ecological disaster. With that in mind, and with all the recent media coverage regarding plastic, we feel it is time to start charging for our bags and boot-liners, in an attempt to ensure we are doing all we can to minimise our plastic footprint. Even though our bags are fully biodegradable, they still last for several years, and are therefore an environmental hazard, albeit a temporary one.

Of course we want to be fair to you, our valued customer. So, though we are going to charge 10p for each bag or boot-liner that you take (which is less than they cost us), we will replace them, free of charge, when they wear out. Can’t say fairer than that, can we?

It’s now a full year since we moved over to a totally electronic reward system, and we’re very pleased with how it’s working. No expiry date was set on any of your rewards last year, but all good things come to an end, so on the next release of rewards (in March) the 6 month expiry date will be reinstated. The expiry date will be displayed on the email you get notifying you of your reward value.

Please ensure you bring the physical card with you on each visit (keep it in your car, if you normally drive to visit us). If you don’t have your card with you when you visit, we will not be able to look you up on the system to enter the transaction manually during busy periods, so it is really important you have your card with you. If you don’t have it we will, of course, still sign your receipt for you to bring back with your card another time. If you’ve lost your card, we’re happy to replace it with a new one. We can also issue you with a new card if the magnetic strip on your existing one no longer works. And don’t forget to tell us if you’ve changed your email address, or moved house.

Talking of moving house …. now that I’ve moved, I find I miss the Daphne Odora that was just by the back door in my old house. It lifted my spirits during the winter months with its glorious scent and pretty little flowers. I’m resolved to plant one in my new garden, or something else with winter scent – Sarcococca, perhaps, or the lesser known Edgworthia crysantha. Have you got something sweetly scented in the winter in your garden?

I currently find myself constantly on the lookout for signs of spring … they are all about if you have your eyes peeled. The fat glossy buds on a Camellia, and the furry little buds on Magnolias hold much promise. Tightly bunched catkins waiting for some warmth before they loosen and drop to their full length, delicate snow drops, along with other bulbs too. All these tiny signs reassure us that it won’t be too long before we can fully enjoy our gardens and open spaces again.

Stock lines that are either in already, or soon will be, at the garden centre include:

BULBS If you forgot, or didn’t have time, to plant bulbs for early spring colour, you need not fear … we’ve got pots of crocus, narcissi, iris reticulata, snowdrops, scilla, lily of the valley and tulips, so you can ‘cheat’ and plant them now. There will be plenty more coming in over the following few weeks.

PLANTS, SHRUBS, TREES, & CLIMBERS. Current highlights include Cornus, Prunus Kojo-no-mai, Clematis armandii and cirrhosa, as well as some astounding Hellebores. Towards the end of February we’ll be getting in much more plant stock, including fruit trees, flowering Cherry trees, herbaceous perennials, herbs and shrubs.

COMPOST & MULCH. We’ve got the full range of composts in stock to kick the season off, including John Innes 1, 2 and 3, farmyard manure, Abbeymore, various sizes of multi-purpose, as well as potting grit, Strulch and decorative bark. Digging in plenty of manure, along with grit, is the best way to condition our London clay soil.

PEST CONTROL. There may not be any evidence of pests yet, but you know that the moment the weather warms up we’ll be at war with them again. Be armed and ready this year! Tradition has it that Valentine’s Day is the right time to scatter slug killer for the first time in the year. Do so sparingly, and the emerging slugs and snails will be killed and therefore not reproduce, dramatically reducing the overall population in your garden. We recommend using an organic product, which contains a naturally occurring active ingredient, that won’t contaminate the soil or harm other wildlife.

WILDLIFE. Of course, the most natural form of pest control, birds, can be encouraged into your garden in a variety of ways, and it really does pay dividends to do so. Not only will your slug, snail and caterpillar problem be reduced, but you’ll have the pleasure of watching our feathered friends too. I was thrilled to see the large gathering of Goldfinches I get on the Niger seed feeder each day joined by a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Keep your feeders topped up, ensure there is water available, and you’ll be rewarded. Now is the time the birds are starting to look for somewhere to nest, so if you put a nesting box up you might have the added delight this spring of watching youngsters being fed and then later on taking their first flight.

FIREWOOD AND KINDLING. Gosh, we’ve needed all the help we can get to keep warm of late, and you’ll be pleased to know we still have a plentiful supply of slow burning Olive wood, Seasoned Hardwood, kindling and firelighters.

In the shop:

We’ve moved things around!

HOUSEPLANTS: In these quieter months, we decided to give the houseplants centre stage in the main shop, where we can monitor them more easily in the colder months. It’s delightful to now look out from the office onto a swathe of greenery.

CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS: These are currently housed in the Tool Shed, along with the tools (obviously!) and indoor pots.

SALE: Our half-price sale of Christmas stock (decorations, games, Amaryllis bulbs and more) will have to end soon to make space for other things in the main shop. There are still lots of bargains to be had.

HOMEWARE: Valerie and I are attending a couple of tradeshows in the coming weeks, so I’m certain we will find some new lines to bring into the shop, with a view to spring and summer …

Sally is still basking in warmth on the other side of the world, so I’ve penned the ‘Garden Tasks’ section below, and Martyna has also done a piece on houseplants.

Keep warm, and I hope to see you at the garden centre very soon.

Warm regards

Karen

Garden jobs

Many people don’t realise just how much there is to do in your garden in these winter months. If you get a dry day, it can be truly uplifting, not to say invigorating, to get out into your green space and do some work on it! However, be aware of two things when you do so:

Walking on lawns when they are frosted or wet will damage the grass. If you want to access beds and borders to work on them, lay down planks to walk on.

Frosts improve the structure of previously dug soil, but take care not to walk on or work the soil when it is waterlogged, as you will do more damage than good.

Bearing these things in mind, you can now get to work …

General maintenance

• Look closely, and you’ll be amazed at how weeds are often the first things to poke their heads above ground. Get into the habit of having your hoe to hand, so you can quickly chop the little blighters down before they take hold.
• Damp or wet weather can rot last year’s leaves on clumps of herbaceous perennials, thus damaging the new emerging ones. Cut them away to allow air and sunshine in.
• If you can see new growth emerging on ornamental grasses, it’s time to cut or pull out dead leaves which were left standing over the winter. You may need to wait until the end of February or even early March (if we have a cold February) to do so.
• As I mentioned above, our London clay soil really benefits from the addition of well-rotted manure, but you may not feel up to digging. Instead, you can spread as a surface layer over beds. The rain and worms will gradually pull the nutrients down into the soil, thus improving it.
• Clear out the shed or storage cupboard, check over tools and equipment to make sure they are all clean and in working order. Get rid of any chemicals and fertilisers which have been lying around for a long time.
• If snow is forecast, tie up Cordylines, conifers and other plants which may be damaged by the weight of snow.
• Deadhead winter bedding plants such as cyclamen and pansies, and remove any diseased leaves and remember to water them: lack of watering can cause mildew.

Pruning

• Prune deciduous trees, if needed, to keep them in shape.
• Give Wisteria its winter prune by cutting back the current season's growth to within two or three buds of the older wood (see our website for full) details.
• Prune apple and pear trees, gooseberries, red and blackcurrants. Prune autumn fruiting raspberries, cutting each cane right down to the ground.
• Cut back Group 3 clematis (these are the late flowering ones, which flower on the current year’s growth e.g. Etoile Violette, Jackmanii, Gravetye Beauty) to the lowest pair of strong buds, at about knee height, 30cm above the ground.
• Prune summer flowering deciduous shrubs such as Buddleja, Caryopteris, hardy fuchsias, santolina and others. These can generally be pruned very hard, almost to the ground, leaving a few buds or shoots on each stem.
• Prune roses to encourage healthy new flowering stems. Firstly take out any stems that are dead, dying or diseased. Once they have been removed, prune the remaining stems to shape the plant as you want it.
• When you have finished pruning, it’s good practice to give the plants a weak feed with an organic fertiliser and/or mulch with good organic compost or manure.

(Remember that we have a stock of Southwark brown garden waste bags, to fill with prunings, dead leaves etc. Pick up a bundle, free of charge.)

Planting

• Provided the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged, you can plant trees and shrubs, especially if you’ve realised your winter garden is lacking structure. As I mentioned earlier, you could add a sweetly scented shrub, or brightly coloured winter stems, to give your winter outlook more va-va-voom.
• Plant pots of spring bulbs in any gaps in the border for some instant colour.

Seed sowing

• Valerie has got in the first tranche of flower, vegetable and herb seeds, so for those itching to get started, you’re in luck!
• Sweet Pea seeds can be sown indoors in a propagator on a sunny windowsill, and planted out later on. Those sown in Autumn can be potted on, and kept on a windowsill, in a cold frame or greenhouse.
• If the weather improves and the soil gets warm, you can start to sow broad beans, peas, cabbage, beetroot and spinach under cloches.

I hope you enjoy all that there is on offer … the scent of flowering shrubs, the sight of spring bulbs emerging and buds developing on trees and hedges, as well as the low winter sun lighting up coloured stems and casting interesting shadows.

Best houseplants for beginners

Houseplants are a great way to bring the outdoors in, bringing life and colour to your interior. Some plants can make a wonderful and low-cost centrepiece in a room, with the additional advantage of purifying the air in your home.

Here is a list of plants which are low-maintenance, easy to look after and happily adapt to a variety of conditions making for a beautiful room decoration.

• Pothos vine (known as ‘Devil’s Ivy’)
  This heart-shaped leaved plant would make a perfect shelf display or look stunning suspended in a macramé holder, as it trails down. It tolerates indirect light or a more shaded spot and grows beautifully with a minimal amount of care. Give it water only when the top of the compost feels completely dry to the touch. There are varieties with plain green leaves, or speckled with shades of white or yellow.
• Snake plant (Sanseveria or ‘Mother-in-law’s tongue’)
  One of the best houseplants for beginners and a perfect air-purifier. It produces oxygen during the night, making it a good choice for the bedroom. It makes for a sculpture-like decoration, with its thick, leathery leaves patterned in shades of green or with yellow edges. It enjoys bright light but will also adapt to a low light spot. It is a forgiving plant when it comes to watering as long as not overwatered.
• Z-Z plant (Zamioculcas)
  This is a stylish plant with shiny dark leaves that requires minimum attention from its owner. It enjoys bright indirect light but will also thrive in a shadier place. Allow the compost to dry out between waterings. The only thing that makes Zamioculcas unhappy is having wet feet - do not let it sit in wet compost!
• Dracena (‘Dragon tree’)
  This is a popular houseplant, with a long trunk and fanning, upright leaves. Dracenas come in many varieties, all of which prefer to be in bright to moderate light, away from direct sun and regular, weekly watering.
• Rubber plant (Ficus elastica)
  The rubber plant is a tree that naturally grows in warm climates and it makes for a perfect low-maintenance houseplant. This plant potentially grows into a 1.5m tall tree indoors, becoming a focal point of the room, when provided with the right conditions. Find a bright spot for your ficus, without cold drafts, and keep it there - it enjoys staying in one place. Rubber plants come in varieties with dark green leaves or variegated with shades of white and pastel pink.
• Succulents and cacti
  These trendy plants offer a wide choice of varieties and make a perfect plant-friend for those who are forgetful about watering! All they require is a bright spot (for cacti the sunnier the better) and a little bit of water. Just make sure to allow the compost to dry out between the watering.