April flowers

Round & About

Posted on

Gardening

I absolutely love this time of year. The countryside is awash with daffodils, tulips are starting to flower and glorious summer days in the garden really are just around the corner.

Now is the perfect time to:

– Prune shrubs including buddlejas, hebes, mop head hydrangeas, hypericums and winter flowering honeysuckles. Always start by removing any branches which are dead, damaged, diseased or crossing other branches. Established shrubs can be hard pruned to control size

– Direct sow hardy annuals such as marigolds, nigella, poppies, ammi, cerinthe and nasturtiums for lots of summer colour. It’s also your last chance to sow sweet peas

– Beetroot, broad beans, brassicas, onions, parnsips, salad leaves and spinach can all be sown now. Sow little and often for harvesting throughout the year. If you can’t decide which cultivars to choose, opt for the ones with ‘AGM’ after the name.

– Plant second early potatoes by the middle of the month, and maincrops by the end

– Plant snowdrops ‘in the green’

– Protect plants from slugs and snails which are out in force now. There are several ways to control them: beer traps, mulching with grit, or simply by being vigilant and removing them. If you decide to use slug pellets go for the ones based onferrous phosphate rather than metaldehyde to protect wildlife. Apply sparingly

– Create a new lawn by seeding or turfing

– Green up existing lawns by scarifying, aerating, feeding and weeding

– Start mowing regularly

– Apply a general fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 to your borders to give both edible and ornamental plants a nutritional boost

– Protect fruit blossom from late frosts with horticultural fleece

Plants looking particularly good now include:

  • Brunnera macropylla (Siberian bugloss)
  • Chaenomeles × superba ‘Crimson and Gold’ (Japanese quince)
  • Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ (wallflower)
  • Euphorbia amygdaloides (wood spurge)
  • Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell)
  • Lamprocapnos spectabilis (bleeding heart)
  • Ribes sanguineum (flowering currant)

Why not visit some gardens for inspiration?

My top picks for April are

Rooksnest, Lambourn Woodlands, (April 10th)

The Old Rectory, Farnborough (April 14th)

Rookwood Farm House, Stockcross (April 28th)

Chenies Manor, Rickmansworth

Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury

  Call Hannah Fraser, Bloom Gardens on 07768 041929 or visit Bloom Gardens website

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Dreamscape designs

Round & About

Posted on

Gardening

Spring is almost here and now is the perfect time to focus on creating your dream outside space…

Each of us have our own personal idea of a fantasy garden. With the RHS Malvern and Chelsea flower shows on the horizon and croci poking their little heads out of the soil, there is hope in the air.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is encouraging us all to get busy, with tips on how to grow a colourful container and transform suburban and smaller spaces for the nation’s health and the environment. Whether you’re planning a cottage garden or formal city space, signature plants can help you achieve your dream look. Pulling off a convincing Mediterranean garden is a popular aspiration for many UK gardeners – start with a few choice plants and you won’t go far wrong.

A recent poll of Home & Gardens readers uncovered garden-lovers’ ultimate dream garden components (your own private folly, anyone?!). Dreaming big is always encouraged but you can also make a huge impact to your outside space, however small, front and back, by taking some small, practical-minded steps now.

A visit to a friendly local garden centre will be sure to leave you thriving with great ideas, especially for Mother’s Day. Horticultural experts will be happy to discuss your own personal oasis, using what you have as a starting point.

Decorative paving can make a huge difference to your outdoor space, creating the ideal vista from which to admire your trees and planting and perhaps set up a barbecue and dining area in time for the summer sunshine. Perhaps your patio is looking a little tired, weary or discoloured? Whether it be natural stone or concrete, you can transform it with the right treatment but it’s vital to seek expert treatment. Be careful of cleaning products that may contain an acid-based cleaner as these can affect natural stone, especially if it’s limestone. So ask your local supplier who can advise which product is best for your type of paving to make sure it’s looking its best without causing damage.

Also think about refreshing your garden furniture. Alison Chatten, trend expert and head of design at leading British soft seating brand Icon adds: “With evenings growing longer and temperatures starting to rise, spring brings a sense of renewal and revitalisation. The palm house trend continues to be a strong theme, as well as bright clashing Latin American-inspired designs – it’s all about bringing energy to your living spaces.

“Drawing on colours and themes already in the home, and using these outside, will create the impression of more space by harmoniously bringing the two areas together. Brightly painted pieces such as vases complemented with vibrant flowers, clashing colours and patterns are great for bringing life to your outdoor space.”

Wishing you all a fantastic spring!

 Find more of our gardening tips here

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Gardening: Veggie patch

Round & About

Posted on

Gardening

Another year beginning and I can’t think of a better task than to sit in front of a roaring fire scanning the new seed catalogues! I am often asked what veg can I grow NOW?

Make a Plan

Each season is a challenge and often very different from the year before but certain veg need a long growing season whereas others only take a few weeks to reach maturity. It’s important to grow what you like to eat and if you have never grown veg before go with the tried and tested cultivars from seed or buy some already started for you from your local garden centre.

Consider whether you wish to grow in the ground, raised beds or even pots, all are very effective with a little know how.

There is nothing more satisfying than picking and eating your very own produce.

Brassicas If you want your very own sprouts for the Christmas table it is important to start now. Seeds germinated in a heated propagator is ideal but a window sill will do. Brassicas need a long growing season. If you sow the seeds in the next few weeks you are well on your way to picking your own next Christmas! Try to prick out when large enough to handle and then pot up into individual pots before planting out in the Spring. The bigger and more robust your plants are the less they will succumb to pest and diseases. 

Salads There are many varieties of lettuce and radish available, some of which are totally hardy. They do need a little warm to start them off but if you are clever you can have them all the year round.

Onions There are sets for Autumn or Spring planting and seed for Spring sowings. Leeks can be started early and can give you a fabulous winter crop next year.

Roots Need a slightly sandier soil but Spring sowings of Parsnips can be left in the ground to be lifted after frosts, another one for the Christmas table!

Beans and peas This year I have grown pea shoots in the greenhouse which would work just as well on the kitchen windowsill in shallow seed trays or pretty pots. Broad beans are good to go in the ground shortly but you will have to be patient before starting the runners and French because they don’t like the cold!

Potatoes Consider growing these in large pots of multi-purpose compost, can be started early inside or Spring outside.

Sprouted seeds and micro greens So many available to grow on the windowsill all year round!

 

Cathie’s Gardening School Services now taking bookings for Spring

Email [email protected] for more info on Cathie’s Gardening School

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Plots for Pollinators

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Gardening

Alan Titchmarsh is calling on all gardeners to unite to create a refuge for struggling butterflies, moths and other pollinators this summer. Join us in your garden – and online.

The future of our butterflies, moths and other pollinating insects is under threat,” warns Mr Titchmarsh, vice-president of Butterfly Conservation.

The cold start to spring may affect how some butterflies fare this year, as they could have less time to feed and breed. But you can help by creating some ‘plots for pollinators’.
“So many flowers are great nectar sources,” adds the local star, “such as catmint, cosmos or calendula. You could attract butterflies such as my favourite, the Red Admiral,” adds Mr Titchmarsh. “[Your square metre] doesn’t have to be on the lawn – you could create a vertical garden on an unused wall or fence.”

The project encourages you to set aside one square metre to plant a nectar-rich flowerbed or a colourful container garden over the summer.

Pollinating insects fertilise many crops, as well as other plants, trees and wild flowers. Gardens can act as vital refuges for pollinators, which are increasingly under threat from habitat loss, agricultural intensification and climate change. Previously widespread species, such as the Small Tortoiseshell and Garden Tiger Moth, have seen numbers plummet in recent years.

Titchmarsh’s Top Tips

Measure one square metre of outdoor space as a plot of pollinators and fill it with open-flowered, nectar-rich plants. Choose a sunny, sheltered position and group pots on a patio, grow up a fence or wall, or pick a flowerbed patch.

Water your plot regularly – ideally from a water butt which is more eco-friendly. Water soil not the plant; larger leaves can act as an umbrella shielding roots! Remove your watering can’s rose to get nearer the plant base if necessary.

Put a layer of mulch on the surface of the soil around the plants to help prevent water evaporation and suppress weed growth.

Always choose peat-free compost and cut down on plastic. Use recyclable and recycled containers or be creative and turn tins and tubs into pots, drilling drainage holes in the bottom.

Dead-head after flowering for more blooms.

Inspire your neighbours to plant a plot to create a flowery super highway.

Avoid harmful pesticides by removing slugs and snails by hand instead. Night is the best time.

www.butterfly-conservation.org

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Hardy Hibiscus

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

Hibiscus syriacus

  1. Large deciduous shrub with beautiful blue, pink, red or white flowers from July to September.
  2. Same family as mallows, Lavatera and hollyhocks with similar flowers.
  3. ‘Oiseau Bleu’ is a beautiful blue and always in flower on my birthday in August!
  4. ‘Woodbridge’ is deep rose with a dark centre.
  5. ‘Red Heart’ is white with a red feathered centre.
  6. ‘William R Smith’ is pure white and ‘Diana’ has single white petals with crinkled edges.
  7. The Chiffon Series has semi-double flowers and has become popular in recent years.
  8. It needs full sun and well-drained neutral soil but is not really that fussy.
  9. It can be grown alone but also paired with spring flowering shrubs such as Weigela or Philadelphus as it flowers after these or perhaps an evergreen.
  10. One point to note is that it is the last shrub to leaf up in May or June and I’m often asked if it’s died!
Cathie’s Gardening School Services now booking for September.
  1. Horticultural consultancy teaching you in your own garden.
  2. Cathie’s Garden Army to transform your garden following a consultancy.
  3. Professional pruning following a consultancy.
  4. RHS courses. Please ask for details.
[email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

The June Gap

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

Have you got a bald patch in your garden border? Waiting for your buds to reach, full floral potential? Here are ten plants to fill the gaps.
  1. Astrantia always flower profusely in June. They come in many shades of cream, pink and burgundy.
  2. Hardy Geraniums are an all time favourite: there are ones suitable for shade ( G. macrorrhizum ) and those that flower all Summer long ( G. ‘Rozanne’).
  3. Violas come into their own during May and June from the meadow and woodland sweet violets to the plethora of cultivars and colours in nurseries.
  4. Aquilegias (Granny’s Bonnets) are stunning garden perennials that seed freely and grow in most soils.
  5. Iris sibirica come in beautiful shades of blue at this time of year. Often found beside ponds.
  6. Many Silene can be seen in full bloom now and are also known as campions.
  7. Alliums are a delightful onion relative giving architectural structure in the flower garden. ‘Purple Sensation’ and ‘Schubertii’ to name but two.
  8. Nigella are hardy annuals that seed freely and can be grown among perennials or in an annual border.
  9. Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle) has beautiful acid green flowers and is happy in sun or shade.
  10. Peonies are the pinnacle of cottage perennials and a delight to the senses!
Cathie’s Gardening School Services is a horticultural consultancy that can visit your garden for bespoke advice, or help to transform your garden. Professional pruning is also offered. Cathie’s Gardening School Services is now booking for September. If you are interested to learn more, RHS courses are on offer. For more details, email [email protected] Follow on Facebook and Twitter

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Lilacs in May

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

Syringa vulgaris is is the most common lilac available in this country to grow in gardens. The common name ‘lilac’ refers to the colour but there are many available.

Ten lilac tips:

  1. One point worth noting is that if you are particular about the colour it’s a good idea to buy it in flower!
  2. Container-grown plants can be planted at any time of the year but ensure they are well watered before and after planting for several months.
  3. Lilacs can be grown in most well-drained soils and thrive in alkaline, chalky ones which is good to know.
  4. They prefer a sunny site but can be grown alone or in a mixed border.
  5. It’s a true English cottage garden plant that can be combined with other shrubs and under-planted with spring bulbs or cottage perennials.
  6. Prune immediately after flowering, removing the spent blooms and cutting to a strong pair of buds.
  7. Remove suckers when young.
  8. Syringa vulgaris can grow very large so give it room; there are smaller varieties such as Syringa microphylla which can form a compact shrub for smaller gardens.
  9. Feed with blood, fish and bone or a slow release fertilizer.
  10. Don’t forget to pick and enjoy some of the flowers inside!
Cathie’s Gardening School Services include a horticultural consultancy visiting your garden for bespoke advice, Cathie’s Garden Army to transform your garden after a consultancy or professional pruning as well as RHS courses. [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Organic lawn care

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

Why organic?

Many products available focus on quick fixes and chemicals. Lawns are for walking on and enjoying so why poison them to people, pets and wildlife? The solution? It just means thinking about it a bit differently.

Ten points for lawn success

  1. Remove large broad-leaved weeds with a daisy grubber.
  2. Rake out the moss with a scarifier or metal rake.
  3. Aerate to improve drainage using a hollow-tine aerator or garden fork.
  4. Top dress with a proprietary product or mix your own with sieved garden compost and sandy loam.
  5. Sweep away fungi and worm casts regularly.
  6. If you want stripes use a rotary mower with a large roller on the back and mow regularly.
  7. Always remove lawn clippings.
  8. Reseed any bare patches and keep watered.
  9. Feed with blood, fish and bone.
  10. Do not water established lawns.

Cathie’s Gardening school services

  1. Horticultural consultancy visiting your garden for bespoke advice.
  2. Cathie’s Garden Army to transform your garden following a consultancy
  3. Professional pruning following a consultanc
  4. RHS courses. Please ask for details.
[email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Mulch in March

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

A mulch is a soil covering of thick organic matter, such as bark or inorganic membrane, which helps to control weeds, keeps in moisture and retains soil structure.

Why mulch now!?

It looks nice and is better to walk on than bare soil. It also keeps annual weeds at bay (by smothering them) and helps reduce evaporation, keeping valuable moisture in the soil and protecting it from summer sun. Mulching also keeps plants clean (preventing soil from splashing on them in the rain), provides an excellent habitat for soil fauna and can feed the soil (depending upon material). It’s also a great way of recycling and composting and essential for reducing maintenance!

Choice of materials

Think carefully before using weed membrane; it’s an excellent solution for under gravel; large areas awaiting planting like an allotment. But don’t cover your whole garden in it because weed seeds germinate through it and you end up with a bigger problem! Fresh bark and wood chips can rob the soil of nitrogen; it is better to choose products already been composted. Fresh manure can be too strong and burn young stems, so ensure it’s well rotted. Spent mushroom compost contains lime so beware of this around acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons and camellias. Garden compost can spread weed seeds and slugs but we should all be composting kitchen and garden waste and returning to the soil (vis. my November article). All gardens benefit from the addition of organic mulch like manure or garden compost every year, ideally twice a year.

Cathie’s garden army and consultancy

Cathie can spend half a day in your garden identifying plants, advising on planting and design as well as helping you with tasks such as pruning. Lost control? Cathie’s qualified garden army can transform your garden in a day following a consultancy. New for this year, ask Cathie about small and exclusive RHS groups for dedicated students! Email [email protected], visit www.cathiesgardeningschool.co.uk and follow Cathie’s Gardening School on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter:

Irises in February?

Cherry Butler

Posted on

Gardening

Winter and spring

The iris in flower during the winter months is iris unguicularis. It’s low-growing, pale mauve and even scented! During February and March the delightful Iris reticulata and Iris danfordiae come into their own in an array of mauves, blues, creams and yellows. It’s a miniature bulb so perfect for the rock garden or containers. There are many new hybrids available on the market.

Summer into autumn

Iris germanica or the bearded iris is probably the most widely recognised but often in the wrong place. They grow from rhizomes which they enjoy being baked in the sun on poor sandy soil. The range of colours is infinite! Cultivars like Cruise to Autumn, Autumn Princess and Autumn Circus as their name suggests can flower much later in the year so look out for them to extend the season.

Irises in the wet?

The yellow flag iris I. pseudacorus is a familiar sight grown as a marginal in ponds. I. sibirica can be grown in the bog garden. Both make large clumps and can be divided readily.

Surely not shade too?

Yes a few irises will grow wild in woodlands and hedgerows, notably I. foetidissima with its pale flowers followed by bright orange berries. Often called the stinking iris as when you cut it back the leaves are somewhat pungent!

Consultancy & Cathie’s Garden Army

I can spend half a day in your garden identifying your plants and teaching you how to look after them. I can advise also on planting projects and design as well as helping you with tasks such as pruning. If you have lost control of your garden completely we are here to help! A qualified team of can transform your garden in a day following a consultancy.

RHS courses

New for February small and exclusive groups for dedicated students! Email [email protected], visit www.cathiesgardeningschool.co.uk and follow Cathie’s Gardening School on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Get the latest news straight to your inbox

Choose which newsletter: