If you enjoy raising plants from seed, you can begin sowing them by the end of this month. Provided they are kept in a sunny, frost-free environment they will get off to a flying start. No matter how long you’ve been gardening, raising your own plants from seed is very satisfying. To get seeds such as tomatoes and tender bedding … Read More
January: Time to Plan Ahead for a Year-Round Garden of Cut Flowers
Now is the time to plan your garden to grow flowers for cutting this year. Establishing a long succession of flowers for cutting is easy and not hugely costly. Perennials that self-seed, such as the frothy yellow Alchemilla mollis or aquilegias, are plants no flower arranger should be without but until they become established it’s simple to sow annuals for … Read More
Sheena’s Plant of the Month for January: Honeysuckle
Shrubs that are flowering at the moment include one of my favourites, the winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima and L. x purpusii), which fills the air with wonderful scent. I made a mistake when I planted mine right at the end of the garden a couple of years ago… it really needs to be nearer the door to be fully appreciated. … Read More
Keeping Busy in the January Garden
The comforting thing about the march of the seasons in a garden is the inevitability of the cycles. It won’t be long before snowdrops make their first welcome appearance heralding spring and the whole show can start again – January is an optimistic month. Although the days are cold and the nights long, there is always something to do in … Read More
Interesting Plants for the December Garden
Plants can be so attractive in the frost. The bright stems of dogwoods, underplanted with a winter creeper, such as Cornus Alba ‘Siberica’ and Euonymus fortune ‘Silver Queen’, give a festive glow to the garden, especially in the low, early sunshine. Although colour is rare in the garden at this time of year, it’s not completely bleak. Plants such as … Read More
Sheena’s Plant of the Month for December: Cyclamen Coum
I like plants that don’t require mollycoddling, and cyclamen coum is just such a plant. The shops are full of cyclamen tempting us to buy for Christmas but generally speaking, the larger and more showy the flowers on the cyclamen, the less likely it is to be suitable for outdoor use all year. Cyclamen coum is an excellent hardy variety … Read More
Maintenance Jobs for the December Garden
As the weather begins to turn and we venture inside, gardens can easily become dormant spaces, forgotten until spring. When the greenery has died back, however, and you get to see the bare bones of your garden, winter presents a fantastic opportunity for adjusting or changing your perimeter fences – the backdrop to your spring, summer and autumn display. With … Read More
Preparing the November Garden for the Next Gardening Year
Plant tulips this month as the temperature is cool enough to discourage fungal diseases. Check for blue mould on your bulbs and do not plant them if you discover it. They do require good drainage, so you can mix your soil with gravel if your soil is heavy clay. The end that tapers is the top of the bulb and … Read More
Sheena’s Star Plant for November: Lonicera fragrantissima
Just coming into flower now, the winter honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima) covers itself in creamy-white, highly fragrant flowers. Like most winter-flowering species, its scent is so strong that it carries for some distance to guide in those pollinators that are still on the wing. In winter, flowers need to be perfumed with the sort of scent that travels and lingers in … Read More
Maintenance Jobs for the November garden
November can be a damp, raw month and although flowers can be scarce in the garden, there are still berries, evergreen foliage and bark to add interest on even the dullest of days. You can warm yourself up by tidying the garden and preparing for the winter ahead. It’s also a good time to check your tools, catch up on … Read More