During this wet summer, you might be wondering how best to enjoy your garden during those rare sunny days. The Oxford Botanic Gardens are a fantastic place to visit year-round, offering new things to see and learn with each visit. It’s an excellent source of inspiration for your garden, no matter the season. A couple of weeks ago, I had … Read More
Tips for Keeping Your Summer Garden Weed-Free
Weeding is a perennial problem. Very simply, weeds are uninvited guests in the garden who can quickly take over at this time of year. It’s important to keep on top of them, as they compete for light, space and precious moisture in the garden. There are two main sorts of weed. Annuals are in many ways the easiest to deal … Read More
Tips for Watering Your July Garden
Midsummer, and the garden is awash with colour. There is always plenty of work to be done, but make the most of the long summer evenings, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labours earlier in the year. At this time of year gardens are not only full of colour, but the scent of flowers such as roses and sweet … Read More
Tips for Enjoying the Garden in September
September days are to be savoured. I find the richness of colour combined with the more slanting sunlight creates the best photographic opportunity in a mature garden. If you’ve managed to keep up with the deadheading, all the tender annual plants will still be filling your garden with bright, strong colour. Long, warm days are coming to an end for … Read More
Things to Keep You Busy in the July Garden
The work you did earlier on in the year will be paying dividends in the beds, borders and vegetables of the July garden. As always, there is always plenty of work to be done, but make the most of the long summer evenings, relax and enjoy the evenings in the garden. At this time of year, work in the garden … Read More
Summer Lawn Care Tips
Continue to mow grass regularly during this month to encourage good growth Regular mowing is the best way to ensure your garden has a good lawn. Once a week is fine but for a really good lawn twice a week. During dry weather raise the blades of the mower and mow less frequently. The grass is best left a little longer … Read More
Summer Garden Maintenance Tips
Continue to mow grass regularly during this month to encourage good growth. Mowing is the best way to ensure you have a good lawn. Once a week is fine but for a really good lawn twice a week. During dry weather, raise the blades of the mower and mow less often. The grass is best left a little longer during … Read More
Summer Garden Pruning Tips
Golden August days are matched by the plants. Crocosmias, dahlias, sunflowers, buddleias and rudbekias are all jostling for attention as many gardens reach their peak. This is the busiest month for harvesting fruits and vegetables ready for the freezer. As always, there is much to be done. Dead-heading flowers is an ongoing task. Most flowers benefit from having old flowers … Read More
Summer Garden Maintenance Tips
Gardens are now reaching their peak, full of colour and scent from flowers such as roses and sweet peas. Gardening can take a more leisurely pace now. It really is the time of year to enjoy your garden, appreciate the flowers and watch the abundance of resident wildlife. Make sure the birds have enough water during spells of dry weather … Read More
Summer Garden Maintenance Tips
Now is a good time to apply a fertiliser with high potash content to ‘green up’ the grass. In late summer it’s not advisable to apply a high-nitrogen fertiliser to a lawn as it will promote vigorous growth, which will not stand up to the rigours of winter. Fertilisers with a high potash content will instead promote root growth, toughening … Read More