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
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
Maintenance Jobs for your October Garden
Plan ahead for planting bare-root trees and shrubs next month. If you want long-lasting plants it’s worth preparing the ground well. If you are planning a border of shrubs or a new hedge or trees, dig over the entire area. It may seem a lot of work but will be worth it in the long term. Remove all the roots … Read More
Autumn Colours in the October Garden
October brings a wonderful richness of colour to the garden and the clear sunny days and night frosts that we often get at this time of year lead to the intensity of colour in leaves and shrubs. For me, the ideal autumn garden is not only one that’s ablaze with clusters of fiery red and orange berries hanging on branches … Read More
More September Gardening Jobs
There is a proliferation of gardening gadgets available for the time-poor technology lover. One of the most exciting has to be the robotic mower, which will not only cut the lawn but dispose of clippings by cutting little and often, leaving the cut grass on the lawn to act as a mulch. If you groan at the thought of cutting … Read More
Tasks to Keep You Busy in the September Garden
September is a wonderful month for gathering the harvest and watching rich autumnal colours develop. Whilst we can savour sunny days, gardeners are always planning for the future and you can start to think about shaping your garden for next year by planting new trees, shrubs and perennials. Late September is the best time for planting as the temperature remains … Read More
August Garden Maintenance Jobs
Now the holiday season is upon us, if you’re planning on going away, don’t forget to leave arrangements for the garden. Plants grown in containers need water – a lot! If you can ask a neighbour to look after your pots while you are away that is ideal; if not, consider investing in an automatic watering system. These systems are … Read More
Weeding Advice for the August Garden
Have you noticed what a good show the weeds are putting on this year? The wet, warm summer we’ve so far had has encouraged growth and weeds have just loved it. So, what’s to be done about them? Very simply, weeds are uninvited guests in the garden. They can quickly take over at this time of year, so it’s important … Read More
More Maintenance Jobs for your Garden in July
Harvesting continues in the vegetable garden. Onions and shallots should be ready this month. Before you do this, bend over the tops to prevent seeding and to allow for maximum sunlight. After lifting, spread out under cover and dry completely before putting into store. Prune wisterias by cutting back the whippy growths made during the summer, so they are within … Read More