Flower/Plants

• Prune rambling roses
• Cut back perennials once they have finished flowering
• Collect seed from perennials and store in a cool place
• Take cuttings of lavender
• Cut everlasting flowers and seed heads for use in indoor arrangements

Fruit/Vegetables

• Plant out rooted strawberry runners into new beds
• Sow outdoors: hardy spring onions, lettuces, salads and Chinese cabbages
• Sow parsley in pots for picking in winter
• Plant out Japanese onion sets and garlic
• Cut down raspberry canes once they have finished cropping

Greenhouse

• Pick off the lower leaves from tomatoes to allow light and air to reach the fruits
• Keep poinsettias in the dark for 14 hours a day to encourage colourful bract formation
• Close vents at night as the weather turns cooler
• Keep grow bags well watered
• Start watering indoor cyclamen to promote new growth

General

• Hoe borders to keep weeds down
• Prepare areas for sowing new lawns during showery weather
• Trim hedges and topiary into shape
• Buy spring bulbs
• Order sweet-pea seed for autumn planting

• Make your own Leafmould - Autumn can be a lovely time of year but the work involved in clearing up all the dropped leaves can be a chore each year. However, there is a benefit to be had – they make a fabulous free source of organic matter. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Calamondin Marmalade - Calamondine is probably the most hardy citrus tree available in the UK and due to it’s small size makes an ideal citrus tree for any home. They also make great Christmas present particularly if they are in fruit. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking after your lawn in Autumn - Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the ...
• Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs - Bulb is a general term used for plants which have a food storage organ which allows them to grow and flower quickly once the ideal conditions are available. There are four types of “bulb”: true bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes. The Gardener can find a huge and colourful selection of bulbs for every season of the ...
• Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs - Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring ...

You can eat your produce immediately or keep it to eat throughout the autumn and winter or you can dress them up and hand them to friends for Christmas presents.

The best time to gather your fruit is on a dry day and choose berries which are just under-ripe.

Lakeland have all you need to harvest, prepare and preserve your produce. Everything from the new Berry Picker through to an electric Jam Maker and the humble Jam Jar.

Harvesting and Preparation made easy

Berry Picker	Berry Sieve	Berry Press	Apple Master

Preserving Products

Electric Jam Maker	Maslin Pan	Silicone Jam Funnel	Muslin Squares

more preserving products from Lakeland .....

Do you have a glut of apples or pears? If so you may want to consider pressing, or juicing, your fruit for either drinking, making cider or for freezing for another day.

Harrold Horticulture have a great range of crushes and attractive traditional fruit presses from just £229.95. They are very easy to use and come with an instruction booklet to get you started.

Take a look at this short video to find out more.

• Preserving your Garden Produce - I recently made marmalade from the fruit on my Calamondine plant; click here for the details, but at this time of the year there are lots of produce in your garden which can be preserved. Here are a few recipes to get you going: Share and Enjoy: ...
• Calamondin Marmalade - Calamondine is probably the most hardy citrus tree available in the UK and due to it’s small size makes an ideal citrus tree for any home. They also make great Christmas present particularly if they are in fruit. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Feeding Garden Birds - A beautiful, well maintained garden is a wonderful thing but what makes it special is the birds. You can attract birds to your garden throughout the year with very little effort. Share and Enjoy: ...
• The Pretty way to Compost your Kitchen Waste - Composting is a great way to recycle kitchen scraps that would normally be thrown away with the normal household waste. You can, of course, put your scraps in bowl or bag and transfer them to your compost heap or green bin but the prettier way is to use one of these Compost Crocks from Lakeland. Share ...
• Jobs to do in July - Flower/Plants Sow biennials Divide flag irises Feed baskets and patio pots each week with liquid fertiliser Take cuttings from climbers Pinch out the tips of chrysanthemum shoots to encourage flowers Fruit/Vegetables Water early potatoes if the weather is dry Prune cordon gooseberry plants Sow outside: lettuces, radishes, spring cabbages, endives, kohl rabi, French and runner beans, spinach, ...

Blackberry & Apple Jam

MAKES sufficient for 4 x 500ml Preserving Jars

Ingredients

• 1 kg blackberries
• 375g cooking apples, peeled and sliced
• 360ml water
• 1.3kg granulated sugar

Method

1. Prepare the jars by washing in soapy water and rinsing well.
2. Put the blackberries and 180ml of the water in a pan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until soft.
3. Put the apples and the remaining water into a large pan, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer until soft.
4. Add the sugar and blackberries to the pan of apples and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 25 minutes, taking care not to allow the mixture to boil over.
5. Reduce the heat and test by placing half a teaspoon of mixture onto a very cold saucer, let it cool and then push with your finger. If the surface crinkles it is ready. If not, boil for a further 5 minutes and test again.
6. Sterilise the jars (not the lids) in boiling water, and fill with jam before they cool down. Leave 1-2cm of space at the top, and immediately place on the wax-seal disc. Position the outer metal band over the disc and tighten.
7. Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

top tip: cooking apples could be substituted with eating apples or windfall apples if you have some to use up.

Hot Hedgerow Chutney

Makes 1kg - approx. five 8oz (227g) jars

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 finely chopped red onions
• 2-3cm finely chopped stem ginger, to taste
• 2 de-seeded, finely chopped large red chillis
• 1kg blackberries
• 90g caster sugar
• 60ml red wine vinegar

Method

1. In a heavy-based saucepan or preserving pan gently heat the olive oil.
2. Add the red onion, ginger and chilli and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the blackberries to the pan and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the caster sugar and red wine vinegar to the mixture and stir well, making sure everything is combined.
5. Bring to the boil, and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until reduced and thickened.
6. Whilst still hot, funnel into hot, sterilised jars. Cover with waxed discs and allow the contents to cool before sealing with a lid.
7. Store for 3 months before eating to help the flavours mature and mellow.

Not managed to pick a kilo of berries? Don't worry, this recipe can easily be halved.

If you are new to preserving or if you just want to replace your current tools I think the best place to buy the products you need is Lakeland. I have been shopping online with Lakeland for years now and their products are always of good quality and they have a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your goods.

• Calamondin Marmalade - Calamondine is probably the most hardy citrus tree available in the UK and due to it’s small size makes an ideal citrus tree for any home. They also make great Christmas present particularly if they are in fruit. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking After Cut Flowers - You may have heard the old wives tale about adding sugar to a vase of cut flowers, so here is how sugar affects cut flowers; basically the sugar is a nutrient and can replace those nutrients lost to the flowers when their leaves have been removed so the old wives tale was correct, add sugar ...
• Harvest and Preserve your Garden Produce - You can eat your produce immediately or keep it to eat throughout the autumn and winter or you can dress them up and hand them to friends for Christmas presents. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Fruit and Veg Planting Guide - This guide from Gardening Direct will help you create an amazing kitchen garden, ready for you to pick your own produce. Share and Enjoy: ...
• How to Grow Fragrant Sweet Peas - Sweet Peas are one of the most popular plants for UK gardens. They are annuals so only last the one summer but the display they give is always amazing; lots and lots of colourful, usually fragrant, flowers growing on bright green stems up to 6-7ft in height. Wonderful! Share and Enjoy: ...

My brother bought me my Calamondin Plant seven or eight years ago and it has slowly grown into a lovely specimen for my conservatory. Each summer I put it on my sunny patio and it thrives.

The fruits are edible but they are extremely tart so the only option for them is to make marmalade. My plant flowers and produces fruit a couple of times a year but it can take two years for it to produce enough fruit to pick and produce marmalade.

This year by the time the fruits were ready I was busy so I picked them and put them in the freezer until I had the time to make the marmalade, the end result was the same as when the fruits were not frozen so it is worth considering freezing if you are short of time.

These fruits are too small to peel so use the whole fruit, as long as you strain it well it will be fine. This method produces a smooth marmalade, if you want shreds carefully peel a few of the fruits, cut into shreds and place in a muslin bag. I had 1.8kg of fruit which made 12 8oz jars; plenty for me, the craft fair and for family and friends.

The recipe I used is:

Ingredients:

• 2lb / 1kg Seville oranges
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3lb / 1.25kg white granulated sugar
• 4 ½ pts water

Method:

• Wash the fruit well
• Put fruit, lemon juice and water into a pan, and hang the shreds in their bag in the water
• Cook gently until soft (about 2 hours), removing shred bag after 1 hour
• Rinse the shreds in cold water in a sieve
• About half way through squash the fruits to release the pulp within the fruits
• Put the sugar, jars and lids to warm in a low oven
• Strain the soft fruits through a sterilized sieve pushing gently
• Restrain until the juice is clear
• Return strained liquid to the pan
• Warm the liquid, add the sugar and stir over a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved
• Bring to the boil rapidly, stirring occasionally, until setting point is almost reached
• Take pan off the heat, stir in the rinsed shreds
• Bring to setting point (see below)
• Pot into warmed, clean jars
• Put the lids on immediately while hot, and close tightly
• Leave until completely cold
• Label with type of fruit and date

Setting Point:

• Before you start cooking put a couple of saucers in the fridge
• As soon as the mixture reaches a really fast boil, start timing
• After 15 minutes spoon a little of the marmalade on to one of the cold saucers from the fridge, and let it cool back in the fridge
• You can tell – when it has cooled – if you have a 'set' by pushing the mixture with your little finger: if it has a really crinkly skin, it is set. If not, continue to boil the marmalade and give it the same test at about 10-minute intervals until it does set.

If you are new to preserving I think the best place to buy the products you need is Lakeland. I have been shopping online with Lakeland for years now and their products are always of good quality and they have a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your goods. Click here to see the whole range of preserving products.

A lovely, vigorous plant with bright green, glossy leaves and scented waxy, white flowers from spring to summer. The blooms are followed by small, spherical fruit with sweetish, thin, bright orange peel and sour flesh with few seeds. Unlike most citrus, the Calamondin orange is quite hardy and very resistant to cold but is best grown in a pot and in colder areas should be moved to a frost-free place in winter. In Vietnam the calamondine orange is a symbol of prosperity, and it is often given as a gift of good wishes on important or festive occasions.

Ideally grow in a pot which is easily moved from terrace to conservatory, in soil-based compost. Feed every two weeks with a special citrus fertiliser (there is one for summer and another for winter), and pot on or top-dress plants in late winter. Move outside after the risk of frost has passed to a sunny, sheltered patio. BUY NOW

• Preserving your Garden Produce - I recently made marmalade from the fruit on my Calamondine plant; click here for the details, but at this time of the year there are lots of produce in your garden which can be preserved. Here are a few recipes to get you going: Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking After Cut Flowers - You may have heard the old wives tale about adding sugar to a vase of cut flowers, so here is how sugar affects cut flowers; basically the sugar is a nutrient and can replace those nutrients lost to the flowers when their leaves have been removed so the old wives tale was correct, add sugar ...
• What’s looking good in September - The Gardening Register garden is getting ready for winter but there are still a few plants worth a mention. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Growing and Caring for Fruit - The introduction of container grown fruit trees and shrubs and the availability of dwarf varieties of apple, pear and cherry has meant that every gardener can now successfully grow most fruits in their own back gardens. Not all fruit is easy to grow and careful consideration should be given to the types and varieties suitable for ...
• Our Plant of the Month – Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) - One of the most spectacular plants in January and February is Hamamelis or Witch Hazel with the added bonus of brightly coloured leaves during the Autumn Share and Enjoy: ...

Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the following Spring and beyond.

Mowing

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures begin to fall the rate at which the grass grows will slow, meaning that the lawn will need mowing less frequently. It is also a good idea to raise the height of cut as winter approaches. As always maintain your mower in good condition and keep the blades sharp.

Apply an Autumn Lawn Food

This gives the lawn the essential nutrients it needs to strengthen itself for winter. As autumn progresses damp still conditions can lead to diseases such as fusarium patch. Applying Rolawn GroRight Autumn Lawn Food in early autumn will help combat these by strengthening the grass plants as well as giving your lawn an attractive green colour. You can buy Rolawn Lawn Food online now.

Overseeding

Depending upon the wear and tear which your lawn has received over the previous months you may want to overseed the lawn in early autumn. Rolawn recommends a mix of our Medallion lawn seed with our Lawn Topdressing brushed into the surface of the lawn. The seed will germinate ahead of winter and give a thicker, denser lawn the following season.

Topdressing

If your lawn has become uneven then topdressing will even out any low areas. A rate of 1 - 3 kg per square metre will be sufficient when brushed into the lawn surface especially in lower areas. It is a good idea to add our Medallion Lawn seed to a topdressing to help fill in any thin areas It is always best to carry out topdressing when the lawn is dry. Topdressing also helps break down thatch and aids drainage. You can buy our quality Medallion lawn seed online now.

Aeration

Aerate consolidated areas of the lawn with a hand fork or with a spiking machine. These are available for hire from local garden centres or DIY stores for larger lawns. This will relieve compaction, improve drainage and allow more air into the root system leading to a healthier lawn.

Dealing with worms

Remember worms improve the nutrient content of a soil and are beneficial to the soil structure. Worm casts are best left to dry and then swept or brushed away with a stiff brush. Clear the lawn of leaves and debris As leaves start to fall from the trees use a light rake or brush to keep the lawn free of leaves and debris. Specialist leaf sweepers and lawn vacuums are available for hire from local garden centres or DIY stores for larger lawns.

Scarification

Scarification reduces the build up of dead grass matter, roots and moss which can cause increased stress to the grass plants. Scarification can be done using a spring-tine rake by vigorously pulling the rake through the grass sward. Electric scarifiers are also available for hire from local garden centres or DIY stores.

Broadleaf weed treatment

Broad leaved weeds should be treated using a suitable selective herbicide. Alternatively weed them out by hand or using a knife / mechanical weeder remembering to get the root of the weed out.

Dealing with moss

If moss is a problem on your lawn you will need to scarify it out. You may also consider applying moss-killer product before scarifying. This will help to kill and remove more of the moss, allow the moss to turn brown/black before scarifying. After this it may be appropriate to overseed using Medallion lawn seed if taking the moss out leaves the lawn thin in some areas.

This advice come courtesy of Rolawn Direct

• Looking after your lawn in Spring - Spring is a very important season for looking after your lawn. After the rigours of winter it needs careful attention as soon as the days start to lengthen and the grass starts to grow. Giving the lawn the care it needs now will ensure the best possible results throughout the year. Mowing As the grass starts ...
• Looking after your lawn in Winter - Try to rest the lawn as much as possible during winter. If practical keep off when wet or frosty, as the grass plants are not actively growing; they will not repair themselves if damaged until the spring. Mowing Only mow the lawn if necessary; this will depend upon weather conditions and temperatures at the time. Do not ...
• Lawn Care Calendar - Find out how to look after your lawn month by month Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking after your lawn in Summer - Mowing As temperatures hot up and we move into summer the growth of your lawn may actually start to slow down, mow as and when necessary never taking more than one third of the length of the plant off in any one cut. As always a sharp mower is essential. If temperatures become very hot your ...
• Preparing your lawn for spring - Mowing is the most important maintenance operation for any lawn. Before the first cut in spring, it is important to check the lawn and the mower. Debris, such as twigs and small branches, may have accumulated over the winter. These should be removed prior to making the first cut. Check the mower is in good ...

Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring flowering bulbs which will add additional interest.

There are bulbous plants for lots of different situations but nearly all require good drainage and many thrive in sunny sites. Many bulbous plants are threatened in the wild so it is important to buy bulbs from cultivated sources such as Crocus.co.uk which has a great range of colourful, healthy Spring Flowering Bulbs.

When planting incorporate well-rotted organic matter and a balanced fertiliser. Bulbs generally need planting quite deep; the general rule is three times their own depth. However, if you get the depth wrong most bulbs will pull themselves down into the ground using special, contractile roots. If you're planting bulbs in heavy soil, add grit to the bottom of the hole to ensure good drainage.

A few bulbs prefer shallow planting. Plant Madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) with the tip of the bulb just showing above ground. Lay Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) on their sides so that water can't collect in their hollow centre and make them rot.

Deadhead regularly and apply a low nitrogen, high potassium fertiliser in subsequent years. Lift and divide if they become overcrowded.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium cristophii - Star of Persia
Huge globes of small star-shaped, pinkish-purple flowers appear in summer above narrow, grey-green leaves. In bloom these fabulous globes - up to 20cm (8in) in diameter - have a metallic sheen. The faded flowerheads hold up well in the border and are useful for dried flower arrangements. Perfect for a sunny site, dotted in small groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' - Dutch Garlic
Dense, rich-purple globes held high on erect stems above strap-like, mid green leaves appear in early summer. They look spectacular grouped in a pot, or in a sunny border, dotted in groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium sphaerocephalon - round-headed leek
Small, egg-shaped, claret-coloured flowerheads appear like drumsticks on tall, slender stems above strap-like, mid-green leaves in mid to late summer. Planted en masse in a border in full sun, these diminutive claret flowers look great emerging from a screen of foliage, or against a backdrop of ornamental grasses. They gently fade as summer comes to a close.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Anemone blanda blue-flowered - winter windflower blue-flowered
This is a wonderful plant that produces cheerful, daisy-like flowers in shades of blue and purple in March and April. These are perfect plants for naturalising in a mixed border around the base of deciduous shrubs, or adding spring colour to the edge of a woodland garden. For maximum impact, plant in bold drifts in September or October, and if happy, they should spread quite quickly.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Crocus chrysanthus 'Cream Beauty'
Rich-cream goblets with brown flushes and deep golden-yellow throats, emerge in February and March amid slender, strap-shaped, mid green leaves. These spring-flowering crocuses are perfect for naturalising in sunny, well-drained areas of the lawn. Relatively vigorous, they soon form large colonies, which can be divided in early autumn for use in other parts of the garden.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Fritillaria meleagris - snake's head fritillary
Pretty, pendent, white and pinkish-purple bells with distinctive checkerboard markings on slender stems in April and May. These delightful snake's head fritillaries are perfect for naturalising in a moist woodland edge or wildflower garden. It's essential to select a site where the soil remains moist in summer.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Galanthus nivalis 'Viridapice' - snowdrop
A taller variety with a distinctive, long spathe which looks like the flowers have a hood. This is a good choice for those looking for a slightly more unusual snowdrop, or those wanting to add to their collection as it is still quite rare. Both the inner and outer petals are white, but have green markings which make them look as if they have been painted with a brush.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Hyacinthus orientalis 'Woodstock' - Hyacinth
A fabulous hyacinth with deep magenta-purple blooms that are delicately scented. Plant in mixed beds in the garden or in pots on the patio so you can move them around for best effect. A great colour for mixing with deep purples or plum shades to create a 'bruised' border.

Browse the full range of Spring Flowering Bulbs from Crocus.co.uk

• Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs - Bulb is a general term used for plants which have a food storage organ which allows them to grow and flower quickly once the ideal conditions are available. There are four types of “bulb”: true bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes. The Gardener can find a huge and colourful selection of bulbs for every season of the ...
• How do you grow your own cut flowers? - Buying cut flowers on a regular basis can be quite costly, so why not try growing your own in the garden? They can be grown in their own cutting bed or mixed into a border to add to the display; either way you could raise enough flowers to have a constant supply of fresh blooms ...
• Now is the time to divide your snowdrops - It is always best to plant Snowdrops “in the green”, that is; when they are still in leaf and even flower. In the green is also the best time to divide congested clumps and replant around you garden. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Grow your own Saffron - Saffron comes from the bright red stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Plant the bulbs during August in a nice sunny spot or a pot on a hot patio and they will produce lovely scented blooms during the autumn year after year. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Giant Snowflake – Leucojum Gravetye Giant - The flowers are like large snowdrops and are borne on long bright green stems of about 14ins (36cm); they are a great addition to your Spring display. Share and Enjoy: ...

Leafmould is ideal for use as a soil improver, mulch or potting compost. Here's what to do:

• Fill black polythene bags with wet leaves
• Tie a knot in the top of the bags
• Puncture a few holes in the sides of each bag
• Place the bags behind the garden shed for a year

Next autumn the rich organic material can be used to improve the soil and mulch the surface after planting.

• Grow Your Own Vegetables - Growing your own vegetables, salads and herbs can be extremely satisfying. Not only do they taste much better than shop bought vegetables they are also cheaper and tend to provide us with more vitamins, minerals and nutrients. It is also so much more convenient to pop out to your garden than to trek down to ...
• Make your own Hanging Basket in 8 Easy Steps - Hanging baskets are a wonderful way of adding colour to your garden, particularly if you have a paved garden or yard. Hanging baskets also add height and make the most of the smallest of spaces. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Make your own Compost - Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it and the best part is that it can consist of any organic material that we all have access to every single day from the lawn, the garden, and the kitchen. Share and Enjoy: ...
• 13 Steps to Building a Garden Pond - There are several points you need to consider before building your pond: Should it be formal or informal, natural or modern? Do you want to keep fish, grow plants or attract wildlife? Are there children to keep safe? Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking after your lawn in Autumn - Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the ...

• Looking after your lawn in Autumn - Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the ...
• Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs - Bulb is a general term used for plants which have a food storage organ which allows them to grow and flower quickly once the ideal conditions are available. There are four types of “bulb”: true bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes. The Gardener can find a huge and colourful selection of bulbs for every season of the ...
• Jobs to do in September - Flower/Plants Prune rambling roses Cut back perennials once they have finished flowering Collect seed from perennials and store in a cool place Take cuttings of lavender Cut everlasting flowers and seed heads for use in indoor arrangements Fruit/Vegetables Plant out rooted strawberry runners into new beds Sow outdoors: hardy spring onions, lettuces, salads and Chinese cabbages Sow ...
• Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs - Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring ...
• Make your own Leafmould - Autumn can be a lovely time of year but the work involved in clearing up all the dropped leaves can be a chore each year. However, there is a benefit to be had – they make a fabulous free source of organic matter. Share and Enjoy: ...

• The 12 Step Beginners Guide to Pruning - Not all shrubs require pruning but you may want to consider it in order to shape the plant, to encourage vigorous growth, flowering or fruit production or to remove dead, damaged or diseased material. Following pruning; feed and mulch to encourage strong, healthy growth. Share and Enjoy: ...
• How to Prune Wisteria - To ensure a good display of flowers Wisteria needs to be pruned twice a year. Make sure that your secateurs are sharp to avoid crushing or tearing the stems, which may lead to die-back. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Gardening expert Geoff Hodge discusses the proper way to prune your garden - With the summers days having come to a close and the autumn winds getting evermore brisk, the time has come to get our gardens ready for winter so they don’t get damaged by wind, rain and snow. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs - Bulb is a general term used for plants which have a food storage organ which allows them to grow and flower quickly once the ideal conditions are available. There are four types of “bulb”: true bulbs, corms, tubers and rhizomes. The Gardener can find a huge and colourful selection of bulbs for every season of the ...
• Jobs to do in September - Flower/Plants Prune rambling roses Cut back perennials once they have finished flowering Collect seed from perennials and store in a cool place Take cuttings of lavender Cut everlasting flowers and seed heads for use in indoor arrangements Fruit/Vegetables Plant out rooted strawberry runners into new beds Sow outdoors: hardy spring onions, lettuces, salads and Chinese cabbages Sow ...

The Gardener can find a huge and colourful selection of bulbs for every season of the year. Most are fully hardy but some, such as Cannas, need to be lifted for the winter. Dahlias dislike wet conditions so many people also lift these to avoid the worst of the winter weather.

September and October are the ideal months to plant flowering bulbs for a colourful Spring display. When planting any type of bulb ensure that the soil is free draining, add well-rotted compost to sandy soils and coarse grit to clay soil. Tulips and Daffodils should be planted three to four times their own depth in a sunny site and they all should be pointing upwards. For more information about flowering bulbs visit our Bulbs Article Page.

• Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs - Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring ...
• Jobs to do in September - Flower/Plants Prune rambling roses Cut back perennials once they have finished flowering Collect seed from perennials and store in a cool place Take cuttings of lavender Cut everlasting flowers and seed heads for use in indoor arrangements Fruit/Vegetables Plant out rooted strawberry runners into new beds Sow outdoors: hardy spring onions, lettuces, salads and Chinese cabbages Sow ...
• Make your own Leafmould - Autumn can be a lovely time of year but the work involved in clearing up all the dropped leaves can be a chore each year. However, there is a benefit to be had – they make a fabulous free source of organic matter. Share and Enjoy: ...
• Looking after your lawn in Autumn - Autumn is an important season for taking care of your lawn. It is important to use the last months of the growing season to strengthen and prepare the lawn for the rigours of winter. The effort put into a lawn in autumn will improve the quality and health of the lawn right through into the ...
• Protect Plant Roots - Now the weather’s turned much colder it’s a good time to think about protecting plants in your borders. Very tender plants will need to be lifted and stored under cover, however hardier plants and shrubs can be protected by applying a layer of mulch to protect their roots. Weeds should be removed from the borders first, ...