Ronseal launches search for homegrown ‘Garden Gurus’

Did you know that 82% of the nation takes up gardening before the age of 30 and over 75% claim it is ‘the’ new cool pastime for their generation.

Gardening has shed its ‘older image’ and is no longer exclusively the pastime of the middle aged and retired, a major new study today reveals.

Indeed, Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock better watch out – gardeners seem to be getting younger and younger, with one in five of us admitting they first picked up a trowel and fork at the tender age of five.

This growing trend appears to be down to the increasingly hectic lifestyles we lead – with 72 per cent claiming it is a great way to relieve stress. And, as Government cutbacks bite, 92 per cent unsurprisingly can’t afford the luxury of a professional gardener in the current climate – prompting more people to adopt a DIY approach when it comes to the garden.

According to the research – carried out by leading woodcare manufacturer, Ronseal, to launch it’s ‘Garden Gurus’ search for the nation’s next generation of gardening talent – over three quarters of young Brits (76 per cent) feel it has a ‘cool’ and ‘fashionable’ image.

Being good at gardening certainly seems to give us the X Factor, with 60 per cent believing that being green-fingered makes us more attractive.  And, with more men than women viewing it as an appealing trait in a partner, it appears there is a role reversal in modern British households – it’s the blokes who cook and clean (60 per cent) while the women are outside gardening (73 per cent).

RHS Young Designer of the Year, Hugo Buggs (24), said:  “It’s encouraging to see that gardening is becoming increasingly popular with younger people.  It is one of the most rewarding and satisfying pastimes, which for many, can turn into a successful career.

“What interested me most about Ronseal’s findings is how over half (63 per cent) of 25-plus year olds feel uninspired by the current crop of celebrity gardeners and think that a new or younger face would encourage even more young people to be green-fingered.  That’s why it’s great that Ronseal is launching its campaign to find the nation’s up-and-coming gardening talent, to share their homegrown tips and advice.”

Kate Hodge, marketing manager at Ronseal, added: “Gardening may have traditionally been seen as a pastime for older people, but a climate of spending cuts and its new-found fashionable image, appears to be prompting an increasing number of young people to get out into the garden.

“The primary function of our research was to explore what inspires a new generation to take up gardening, as we now launch our own nationwide search to unearth Britain’s young horticultural heroes and ensure our continued passion for gardening is passed down to future generations.”

And when it comes to which celebrities the younger generation would most like to get out into the garden with, newlyweds the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge topped the league. ‘Wills’ pipped David Beckham and Robbie Williams to the post, while Princess Catherine edged out Fern Cotton and Holly Willoughby into second and third place respectively. Stars of hit show ‘The Only Way is Essex’, Mark Wright and Amy Childs were the least popular – mustering just three per cent of the vote each.

Ronseal is searching for one male and one female ‘Garden Guru’ to win £1,000 each, a year’s supply of Ronseal product and the chance for both to be the company’s ambassadors for 2012, providing their own expert tips and advice to Britain’s young gardeners.

To enter the competition simply email gardengurus@lucre.co.uk with up to 150 words on why you deserve to win along with a photograph of your garden or a hand-drawn garden design/sketch. Entrants must be aged 16 years and above with entries needed by midday on August 9th.

Further information available at www.ronseal.co.uk.

 

*1,000 people surveyed by Yoursaypays on behalf of Ronseal For more information about Ronseal, please contact Chris, Lucy, Matt or Becky at Lucre on 0113 243 1117 or email Ronseal@lucre.co.uk

 

Why Brits should consider taking their work outdoors

From humble shrubberies to outdoor offices, how the modern garden is inspiring one in three of us to work, rest and play outdoors

There’s nothing better than a summer’s afternoon spent pottering around in the garden, but now it seems our gardens have an even more important role to play in our lives than first thought.

New research released today shows over a quarter of us use our gardens as a retreat from the world, more so than any other area of our homes, while over a third say their outdoor oasis is where they find the opportunity to refresh and revive their spirits. Just under half de-stress best by enjoying the tranquillity  in  their garden as opposed to unwinding with a drink or chatting to friends and family.

It seems that as well as improving our mental well-being many of us are now treating our garden as a hot bed of creative and business inspiration with 29% saying they use their garden to get their creative juices flowing and to inspire new ideas.

Far from being a space for a bit of cricket and a cider on a summer’s day, portable technology is allowing a growing number of us to turn our gardens into an office extension, meaning the term ‘out of office’ no longer means being out of touch. Indeed, 15% of those surveyed claim that they now prefer to use their laptop outdoors instead of in their more traditional home offices.

Landscape gardener Kathryn Hibberd, fresh from collecting her Silver Gilt Medal award from this year’s Hampton Court flower show for designing Sadolin’s innovative Refresh and Revive Garden, says: “I am absolutely delighted with winning the Silver Gilt medal. People seem to really love the garden, and it is lovely to see people smiling and enjoying it. At Hampton Court, where many of the visitors are real gardeners, it is important to create a beautiful garden which people can envision in their own space, and I believe that is what we have created.”

And it seems we’re still a nation intent on keeping up with Jones’s, with just under a third claiming they are envious of their neighbours gardens, with nearly one in 10 making changes to their garden as a direct result.

For more information visit www.sadolin.co.uk

How to turn your garden into a home office

Listen to the following podcast for top tips from life coach Honey Langcaster James and landscape gardener Kathryn Hibberd on creating an outdoor office space

There’s nothing better than a summer’s afternoon spent pottering around in the garden, and wouldn’t it be great if, on those lovely hot days you didn’t have to head back inside to finish off your work?

For those of us who do work from home, the temptation to delay our work commitments to grab a few extra minutes or hours outdoors can often be too hard to resist. While this may leave us refreshed from some outside time, it can also result in us feeling guilty that we have put off important tasks

So what if you could do both? Enjoy the ambience of a lovely summer’s day in the garden, while getting your work done as well.

Well, life coach Honey Langcaster James and gardener Kathryn Hibberd believe it can be done and has teamed up with Sadolin to offer their top tips for taking your home office outside this summer.

Click here to listen

For more information visit www.sadolin.co.uk

How to make the most of your garden space

Listen to the following podcast for top tips from Landscape Gardener Kathryn Hibberd on how dividing your garden can give you space and character

We’ve all looked at our gardens in despair at one point in time, wondering how we can make our outside space look bigger. It can be hard not to look at the neighbour’s garden with envy wishing your green space could be as calm and well-maintained.

Well if you would like some new ideas on not only creating the perfect garden, but also organising it into a space that is easy to maintain and a breeze to care for then you might want to think about the new trend for creating separate spaces within the one garden.

Landscape Gardner Kathryn Hibberd has teamed up with Sadolin to share her top tips on achieving a multi use garden with minimal fuss.

Click here to listen

For more information visit www.sadolin.co.uk

Mulch and Mulching

Mulching is the application of organic matter on any exposed soil between plants, shrubs and trees and should be carried out while the soil is warm and moist.

Benefits of Mulching

• To retaining moisture – a good layer of garden compost or well-rotted mature will keep the soil below cool and moist and therefore help retain moisture. Never mulch on top of dry soil as it may stop rainwater soaking in
• To suppress weeds – a layer of mulch on top of the soil will exclude any light from weed seeds helping to stop them germinating. However, you must ensure that the ground is weed free before you mulch as it does not actually stop the weeds from growing
• To improve the soil – the mulch will eventually be dragged down into the soil by worms thereby adding goodness to the lower levels of the soil. This is sometimes known as the “no dig” technique for soil improvement.

Types of Mulch

• Fresh manure releases ammonia which can scorch or kill plants, therefore, should be kept for six months before being used so that it rots down sufficiently. Don’t keep it too long though as you will find all the nutrients will have been washed out by the rain
• Leaf Mould is just well rotted leaves; click here to find out how to make your own leaf mould
• Mushroom Compost tends to be alkaline due to the chalk used in the casing material but if you live in a mushroom growing area it can be a good source of organic matter. Especially good for acid soils
• Chipped Bark is good for mulching but composted bark is excellent for soil improvement
• Garden Compost is rich in nutrients and is one of the best soil improvers there is; click to find out how to make your own compost
• Peat used to be the main soil improver for gardeners but in recent years more and more people are realising the damage peat-extraction is making to wetland areas so it is best avoided

Using a Cold Frame to extend the Growing Season

To get the most out of your garden you need to be able to shelter your plants from cold weather during the winter and early spring.

A cold frame is a relatively inexpensive and simple structure providing the ideal environment for sheltering plants and for growing cool-weather crops.

Cold frames do not require an outside energy source as they rely on the heat of sun making it economical as well as practical. If needed, some “hot” manure can be added beneath the compost to add some bottom heat.

To make the most of this heat source your cold frame should be located against a south facing wall or fence or the side of a shed or greenhouse. Position the cold frame on a slight slope to ensure good drainage and maximum exposure to the sun and site it in a sheltered spot with a wall or hedge to the north to protect from winter winds. If possible, sink the cold frame into the ground to provide protection and use the earth as additional insulation.

Building a Cold Frame

There are lots of plans available for building a cold frame. However, Gardeners Worlds’ Toby Buckland made one for the show which is ideal. Here’s what he says:

1. Buy your window first and make the frame to fit. A salvage yard or reclamation yard is an ideal place to buy – we paid £15 for ours.

2. Make the sides from 15cm wide planks (we used recycled floor boards) with 50mm (2? x 2?) timber batten in the corners for extra strength.

3. The only tricky part is cutting the plank for the sloping sides a – job best done with an electric jigsaw. If you haven’t got one give the frame a flat top but be prepared to tip the water that will collect in the window lid away after rain regularly.

4. Fix hinges between the back wall of the frame and the window lid. Give the inside a coat of White emulsion to increase light levels and plant growth.

5. Position in a bright spot ideally with the lid angles towards the south to catch as much sun as possible.

Buying a Cold Frame

Here are a few examples of what is available on the web:

Insulation

Additional insulation my be necessary when frost is expected. The simplest way to do this is to fill burlap or hessian sacks with leaves and place on the top to protect against freezing. Another method is to stack straw or hay around the sides of the frame.

Ventilation

On sunny days it is vital to provide some ventilation. Just prop open the lid and don’t forget to close it again at sunset.

Using your Cold Frame

In early spring a cold frame is useful for hardening off seedlings which have been sown indoors or in a heated greenhouse. This hardening off ensures that seedlings are properly acclimatised before being planted out. The cold frame can also be used to get an early start with hardy and half-hardy annuals.

In summer the cold frame can be used to propagate root cuttings from a vast number of plants.

In autumn you could sow some cool-weather crops to keep you in greens and root vegetables throughout most of the winter months. These crops include beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, leeks, lettuces, onions, parsnips, peas, shallots, spinach, swedes and turnips.

Shoot has launched it’s new Website

Shoot is an award-winning website for gardeners and has long been a favourite of mine. I have used their website often and was interested to hear that it had recently been relaunched.

It not only easier to use but it is full of lots of useful and interesting features including:

• Plant search
• Garden Planner
• Check which plants work in your garden before you add it to your list
• View your plants list in A-Z order, by Group and by Most recently added
• Move plants from your wish list to your plants I have list as you buy them
• Upload and share  garden images
• Monitor forums to get alerts about any new topics or posts added
• Opt in or out of our update emails and care advice emails
• Add links to your Blog, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages
• Filter plant search by flower colour & season, foliage colour & season and sun conditions
• ….. and lots, lots more.

Joining Shoot is Free but to benefit from the whole range of services you can take out a Full or Business Subscription – and for a limited time you can get £1 off by clicking here.

Insurance Warning for Gardeners

In a recent report from the London Stock Exchange it was thought that most people are underinsured for the potential loss or damage of items in their gardens.

Comparethemarket.com say that 1.2 million households in the UK have been affected by garden crime, but only 25% of homes currently have policies that cover them for the loss of or damage to expensive goods in their gardens.

So when your household insurance is up for renewal why not search Comparethemarket to make sure your policy covers everything you have in your garden, shed and garage.

It is also worth while checking that you are covered for trees or fences coming down in your garden, and, if you have an allotment, check that the items you keep on site are also covered.

How green is your garden compost?

Diarmuid Gavin gives his top tips on preparing your sustainable garden for summer

After one of the longest and coldest winters most of us can remember, the first shoots of spring are slowly starting to emerge. And while it is still too early for the nation’s gardeners to start preparing the beds and borders in their gardens, there is plenty to be done indoors, particularly when it comes to seeding.

However despite many of us pledging to get back out and into our gardens this year, barely a third of gardeners are aware of the serious environmental issues surrounding the use of peat.[1]

Nowadays, with environmental concerns high on everyone’s agenda, choosing your compost is as important as the seeds you select.

Every year, 3 million cubic metres of peat is used in the UK for horticultural use and sales of multi-purpose compost. But the extraction of peat releases Significant amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, as well as damaging lowland raised peat bogs, which are home to many rare animals and plants. Just under half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide is emitted in the atmosphere each year as a result of peat extraction from UK sites alone; that’s comparable to the total emissions of over 100,000 homes. [2]

Fortunately there are environmentally friendly compost solutions available , and in the following video, gardening guru Diarmuid Gavin shows you how to make your garden green in every possible sense – using peat-free compost to reduce your carbon footprint and preserve our valuable peatland habitats and wildlife.

For more information visit www.direct.gov.uk/buyingcompost ( live from 8th March)

Copy this link into your browser to watch Diarmuid’s video: http://www.linkto.tv/iframe/show/uuid/dirO6G44RTM

[1] One Poll Survey, over the period 27028 Jan 2009, 2000 respondents

[2] The UK’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory records emissions of 420,000 tonnes a year for peat extraction from UK sites. However, 57% of the peat that we use in the UK is imported, mainly from the Republic of Ireland and the Baltics.

Links: Plants and Seeds

Garden Plants, Garden Bulbs, Shrubs, Perennials, Trees and Seeds

Artificial Palm Trees Silk Plants Direct offers a wide collection of the artificial palm trees made from high quality silk. Our collection includes artificial Areca Palm trees and plants, Fishtail Palm, Fan Palm, Kentia, Phoenix, Rhapis and many more silk Palm trees and plants to decorate your dull place.

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Seeds Quality but cheap vegetable seeds from Seed Parade. Wide range of heirloom, traditional and hybrid varieties. Low prices and fast delivery in the UK and EU. Among the vegetable seeds you can find a good range of herb and flower seeds too. Heirloom tomato seed and sweet pea seed specialist, and one of the cheapest retailer on F1 garden seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

The Gift List Service for Garden Lovers! Getting Married? Inspire your guests and choose plants, garden products and designs as presents. Find out all about us on our jolly website: www.weddinggardencompany.co.uk

Florida Palm Trees

An excellent resource offering palm tree advice and tips for transforming your garden and landscape into a tropical paradise. We have over 50 most popular palm trees in our catalog with detailed description and colorful photos.

Bonsai Trees
This site provides bonsai articles and tips including pruning, shaping, soil and other bonsai care issues. Our catalog has over 100 most popular bonsai trees with detailed description and colorful photos.

Hyde Cottage Palms and Exotics
An established nursery specialising in hardy and half hardy exotics. Olives,gingers, palms,bamboo, shrubs, trees and much more!

where garden people meet!
Biggest selection of plants for gardeners and a permanent online plant fair for commercial users.

Lawn Care
Get the latest information on everything you need to know about lawn care, including building a lawn, lawn care & maintenance, product reviews & more.

The Sensative Plant
The Touch Me Not Plant /sensative plant or Mimisa Pudica – the plant that moves when touched

Florida Palm Trees
Provides Articles and Tips on how to care for a Palm Tree.

Purchase online hedging plants
Sell quality hedging plants online UK wide Secure online payment

A 3-day lifestyle extravaganza
Premier event of its kind in Scotland – a taste of the best in food, horticulture and entertainment.

Perennials Nashville
Visit our gardening website for a broad selection of links for gardening information, books, magazines and the best selections of annuals, biennials, perennials, herbs, flowers, plants, banana plant care, over-winter banana plant, botanicals, flowering trees and flowering shrubs for gardens and landscapes

BALI-HAI MAIL ORDER NURSERY – Specialise in Hosta 1100+ varieties, Phormium ,Rhodohypoxis, Tree Ferns and other Perennials by mail-order, shipping worldwide. Situated in the lovely Glens Of Antrim, Northern Ireland, U.K.

IMPACT PLANTS
Supplying large trees, large hedges and plants in large numbers

Garden Plants and Garden Planters
Floraselect provide a wide range of garden plants and garden planters online.

 

 

Gardeners World Scrapbook

I have just come across a great little feature which is a must for all gardeners.

Do you buy gardening magazines each month to find out what you should be doing and for advice from the experts? Do you tear out the articles to keep for the future? But do you then forget where you put them?

This is what I tend to do but Gardeners World’s new feature allows you to save your favourite articles from the website so they are all in one place and easy accessible.

Just register online (minimal information required) then search through the articles when you find something you are interested in just click the icon and it will be added to your own personal scrapbook.

I think it’s great so take a look now by visiting http://www.gardenersworld.com/.

I still like to browse through the magazine first then go online and add the best articles to my scrapbook. If you don’t subscribe to Gardeners’ World now is a good time as they are offering 25% off. Take a look here.

Planting in Containers

Planting into containers is often the best option for gardeners for lots of reasons:

1. It makes it possible to grow plants which require different soil to that in the ground. For example; if your garden has alkaline or neutral soil you could grow azaleas or camellias in pots using ericaceous compost
2. It is possible to grow plants close to the house to take advantage of highly scented flowers or for easy picking of vegetables or herbs
3. You can take advantage of seasonal colour and interest. For example; plant up pots with spring flowering bulbs and put the pots on display until the flowers fade then move the pots to another area of the garden until next year. Replace them with pots planted up with colourful bedding plants for the summer then replace again with an evergreen or berried shrub for the winter

Here are some guidelines on the best way to plant up your containers:

1. Place 2in (5cm) of broken up terracotta pots, bricks or large stones to the base of the pot to help drainage
2. Use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No 3 to provide weight for stability
3. For acid lovers use an ericaceous compost
4. For non acid lovers mix in some well rotted manure or pelleted chicken manure to add nutrients; apply a controlled-release fertiliser each year or use a liquid feed regularly throughout the growing season
5. Place the rootball in the pot adding compost beneath to ensure that the surface is no higher than 2in (5cm) from the top of the pot; this is to allow for mulch and watering
6. Firm the compost well around the root ball to get rid of any air pockets and firm down the surface
7. Mulch the soil surface with more manure or some gravel or bark to help keep moisture in the soil and keep weeds down
8. Place the pot on feet to lift it off the ground and avoid water logging
9. Water well; keep watering until the water is seen running out from the bottom of the pot
10. Use rainwater for ericaceous plants
11. Containers are prone to drying out so water regularly and thoroughly
12. In following years apply a controlled-release fertiliser or use a liquid feed regularly throughout the growing season
13. In the spring refresh the compost by removing 5cm (2in) of dry, loose compost near the surface and replacing it with some fresh compost mixed with some controlled-release fertiliser
14. Every three to five years remove the tree/plant from its pot and tease out the roots loosening the old compost; after trimming the larger roots, repot in fresh compost

Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs

Now is the time to 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 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 of the Month for September – Japanese Anemone

Our plant of the month for September is Japanese Anemone.

Japanese Anemone are beautiful plants, are very easy to grow and flower their heads off from August through to the frosts. During September they are at their best when there are few other plants around. The Gardening Register has two varieties in the garden Anemone ‘September Charm’ and Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’. Honorine Jobert has been in for nearly ten years now and it never ceases to amaze me every year. September Charm was planted last autumn so this is it’s first true flowering season. The plants need to bulk up a bit before they’ll be as showy as Honorine. Take a look at the plants in our garden.

They are happy in full sun or partial shade and prefer moist, fertile soil. They are fully hardy and flower between July and September or even to the frosts if you’re lucky.

To care for your Japanese Anemones:

• Cut back the stalks after the flowers have faded
• Tidy up old dead leaves in March
• Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring
• Avoid moving the plant since it resents disturbance
• Where necessary lift and divide congested clumps in early spring

BUY NOW

Click here to see the whole range of Japanese Anemone from Crocus.co.uk

Which growing medium should I use?

Question:
I have read in a well known gardening book that plants do not like being transplanted into a different medium. Does that include transplanting from peat based raising plant medium to garden soil?

Answer:
I must admit I don’t worry too much about the different types of growing medium. I use a good quality everyday compost and if I need it to be free draining, or for sowing seeds and planting cuttings, I add grit or vermiculite, if I need it rich I add manure, if I need it more fertile I’ll add pelleted chicken manure. When planting into the garden I add compost to the planting hole but back fill with the garden soil I’ve removed from the hole so it is not such a shock for the plant. There are only two situations in which I use the “correct” medium and that is to use ericaceous compost/soil for acid lovers and aquatic soil for planting in ponds. So far this method has not caused me any problems.

What’s looking good in August

I went out into the garden this morning not expecting to see much to photograph and was surprised at the number of plants looking really good.

Often August is a quiet time in the garden but with plants such as Japanese anemone, Rudbeckia, Buddleja and Hibiscus you can guarantee a good display of colour. Take a look below:

Rose mallow Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’	Anemone ‘September Charm’ Japanese anemone
Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne’ coneflower	Lysimachia clethroides – Loostrife
Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria)	Hypericum ‘magical red star’
Buddleja  ‘Pink Delight’ butterfly bush	Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ Japanese anemone

All photographs were taken and are owned by Linda Peppin if you wish to use these photographs in your own work please drop her a line using the contact us link below.

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.

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.

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.

You can even re-cycle the leaves which fall during Autumn to make wonderful leafmould which is an ideal soil improver.

Compost is what happens when leaves, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, woodchips, straw, and small twigs are combined, then allowed to break down into a soil-like texture. Compost introduces and feeds diverse life in the soil, including bacteria, insects, worms, and more which support vigorous plant growth.

Compost is multi-faceted but not intended as a fertilizer. It offers only a relatively low proportion of nutrients, yet what it does is close to magical. In its finished form as mulch, it reduces evaporation, reduces or prevents weed growth, and insulates the soil from extreme temperature changes. Mulch also keeps the upper inches of the soil cooler in daytime and warmer at night.

Regardless of the particular ingredients, making compost is akin to making bread or beer; soil-digesting bacteria like yeasts need warmth, moisture, air and something to feed on to keep them alive and growing. Almost all of the practical problems associated with making compost stem from too much or too little of those basic factors.

Compost is created from layers of grass clippings, leaves, weeds, kitchen scraps and, if available, farm animal manure. If you have meat eaters in your home, don’t use their meat scraps as they will attract rodents. Also, do not use litter from your dog or cat; it doesn’t break down properly and contains too many pathogens.

Over the years, composting has gotten a reputation for being a time-consuming job, but this is not necessarily the case. You don’t need to build a big box or turn the pile every so often. A barrel, a hole in the ground or a pile on top of the ground is satisfactory.

The important requirement is to be sure the waste material is covered with soil, so it doesn’t attract rats, other rodents or flies. You can build your layers directly on the ground, without any frame at all; if you use a container, be sure it is well ventilated.

The trick to successful compost is balancing ingredients high in nitrogen; fresh grass clippings, other fresh, green plant matter, most kitchen scraps – with those high in carbon; leaves, straw, dried grass, washed eggshells, wheat germ or other milled grains that have become too rancid or old to use, and any dried, brown plant matter. Too much nitrogenous matter yields an anaerobic, smelly pile. Too much carbonaceous matter results in a pile that never heats up. The ideal ratio is one part nitrogen to three parts carbon.

Start with a layer of small twigs, no large branches, a couple of inches deep; this will help your pile to breathe. Then, keeping in mind the 1 to 3 ratio of nitrogen to carbon, add a layer of mixed plant material. You may enrich the pile with horse or cow manure. These materials don’t break down; they simply add nutrients to the final product. Then lightly water the pile so it’s evenly moist. Too much water will interfere with aeration; too little water and the pile won’t ferment. If your pile sits in the open, you should cover it if heavy rains are forecast. An 8-inch layer of straw mulch spread over the top of the pile serves the same purpose.

Alternate layers until the pile is 5 feet high by 5 feet wide by whatever length you choose. A properly made pile that is loosely packed and well aerated will reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees within a few days. It should smell like wet hay. If the pile fails to heat up, pull it apart and redo it by adding layers of fresh green matter. If the pile becomes anaerobic (is too wet to aerate), pull it apart, let it dry out, use it as mulch and start a new pile.

After three weeks, the pile will have shrunk in size; this is normal. Dig into the pile with a fork and completely turn it over until the contents are redistributed; the idea is to put unfermented particles in contact with those that are further along. Let the pile rest, so the temperature will rise again. Turn it a second time five weeks later, let it rest a few weeks and, with luck, you’ll have a rich, crumbly pile of “black gold.”

Aquatic Gardening

There are several points you need to consider before building your pond or water feature. 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?

Once you have answered these questions you need to decide where you want to site the pond or water feature. A pond should be kept away from big trees and shrubs so ensure their roots don’t puncture the lining. If you want to keep fish you need to have a pretty deep pond to stop it freezing over the winter. The smallest you should build a pond is 60cm (2ft) deep and 1 x 1.5m (3 x 5ft) across. However, the bigger the better.

If childrens’ safety is and issue or you prefer not to have to maintain a pond then a water feature is an excellent compromise. You could build a wall fountain or a pebble pool which can be sited in sun or shade near to a power supply. If you do not have external power then a wide plant container or half a barrel, without drainage holes, is ideal. You can still grow small aquatic plants or use floating oxygenators such as water hyacinth. You will need to protect them during winter or empty the container and start again in the spring.

For more about aquatic gardening visit these articles: Build a Garden Pond and Pond Plants

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 for your home.

To get the best quality flowers it is best to grow them in a sunny spot on well drained, fertile soil. Most will need to be supported to avoid damage and it is also wise to provide shelter from strong winds.

What typs of flowers can I grow?

• Half hardy annuals

• • The are the easiest to grow as the seed are sown directly into the soil where you want them flower
  • Sow between March and May, staggering the sowings to get a succession of flowers over the summer
  • Once all the flowers have been cut and no more buds form, lift the entire plant and put on the compost heap
  • Repeat the process next spring
  • Some examples are:
    • tobacco plants (nicotiana)
    • zinnia
    • snapdragons
    • cosmos
• Biennials
  • Sow seed between May and July to flower the following year
  • Sow where they are to flower or in seed trays
  • As with the annuals, discard after flowering is over
  • Keep sowing each May to get more flowers each year
  • Some examples are:
    • erysimum (wallflowers)
    • sweet william
    • dianthus
• Perennial
  • These will flower year after year so are a good investment
  • Plant rooted cuttings in spring or pot-grown specimens at any time
  • Perennials will die down for winter and most will be OK outside, however dahlias will need a good layer of mulch over them to help them through
  • Some examples are:
    • dahlia
    • chrysanthemum
    • alchemilla mollis
• Bulbs
  • Plant spring flowering bulbs at the end of summer or early autumn
  • Once the flowers have been cut and no more buds appear leave the foliage on the plant to die down naturally, this provides the bulb with food for the following year
  • Some examples are:
    • daffodils
    • tulips
    • allium

Most plants will benefit from being picked regularly as it will encourage more buds to form and extend your cutting season.

Keep all plants well watered throughout the growing season a feed every couple of weeks.

Flowers in our Garden

Just in case you are interested I added a section to the main website showing which plants are doing well in The Gardening Register garden; why not take a look.

Dying Laurels

Question:

In October last year I planted 300 Laurels, they looked very healthy and doing well, now I have noticed that some of the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. Are they dying?

I spoke to the Garden Centre where I bought them , they told me they needed food , bone meal etc.

What do you think? they were expensive and I don’t want them dying on me.

Answer:

Firstly you should ensure that the plants are getting enough water; check the soil around the roots and it they are dry give them a good watering and continue to water until you see an improvement. Don’t overwater, you don’t want them sitting in puddles. Feeding will be required on a regular basis, usually in Spring and again in Autumn, you can use bone meal or a general fertiliser if you prefer. Finally the plants could have a magnesium deficiency so do a one off treatment of Epsom salts which you can get from the garden centre; just follow the instructions on the box.

I hope this helps and that your very expensive hedge survives.

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