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24th Apr:
It seems strange that in the middle of this incessant rain I am sat here writing a blog about what we can and can’t do with hoses over the next few months! On April 4th having taken a huge gamble, we finished laying 480m² of turf in one garden. Since then I don’t think it has stopped raining which is great for that lawn and the reservoirs but frustrating for all our other jobs.
I have been asked many times over the last couple of weeks what the general public are allowed to do in the garden so hopefully below are a few helpful guidelines.
- No hoses are allowed to water lawns or plants. However you can fill watering cans and water any lawns or plants. It will just take a lot longer.
- No cleaning of any walls, or windows, patios, paths, garden furniture or any other outdoor artificial surface using a hose.
- You are not allowed to fill or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe (unless it has fish and their welfare is at stake – lucky fish!).
- You are not allowed to fill or maintaining an ornamental fountain.
- However you are allowed to use a hosepipe for cleaning purposes if health and safety is going to be an issue.
Ways to make the most of the situation.
- Plant any new trees, shrubs and plants in well-rotted, water-retaining compost and cover with a heavy layer of mulch (up to 4 inches) to retain moisture.
- While you are at it cover the rest of the beds in a thick layer of mulch.
- Deliver water directly to the base of plants through tree-root watering pipes or trickle/drip irrigation equipment.
- Install a trickle/drip irrigation system.
- Wherever possible, use timer devices to water early in the morning or late in the evening when evaporation is minimal.
- Don’t worry about lawns turning brown. This shows the grass has stopped growing, but most lawns will recover completely when the rain returns
- Install water butts to collect rainwater off greenhouse, shed, garage and house roofs
If anyone is unsure about anything or has any questions please feel free to give us a call and we will try to help in any way we can (legally!!).
Things to do in the garden in March
21st Feb:
1. During this cold snap don’t forget to feed birds in the garden. There are not many berries left for the birds at this time of year and they will be laying eggs soon. The more birds the better as they help clear the garden of slugs and other garden pests.
2. Check and clean tools. This is one of those jobs that there is never time for. Now is a good time to make sure everything is washed, polished, cleaned and oiled.
3. Re pot or top dress shrubs and plants in pots and window boxes. This is the best time of year to do this, doing this before spring will give your plants and soil the nutrients for the following season and will give you a fabulous display later in the year. You can also now change your window plants from winter bedding plants to fresh spring option such as Primroses, Hellebores and Primulas.
4. Tidy herbaceous borders (prune of old stems of herbaceous plants).This is a job every gardener loves doing. It gives you so much satisfaction at the end of a day it‘s like spring cleanign the garden. Tidy plants by cutting them back and removing dead wood. Ideally mulch after and wait for spring.
5. Prune overgrown evergreens like Prunus laurocerasus (laurel), Acuba japonica (spotted laurel) Viburnum tinus Viburnum then feed with organic fertilizer and mulch with organic matter
Fertilizer=plant food
Manure =garden duvet
6. Manure borders. At this time of year your garden should be cleared of all winter leaves and tidied for spring. Once the garden is clear this is the best time to mulch your borders with fresh manure. Spring flowering bulbs will have a perfect clean and dark back drop so you be able to see them better.
Manure (composted leaves twigs and some beneficial fungi) acts like a ‘duvet’ for the ground. It helps to keep it warm and also stops those little weeds peeking through as soon as the first warmth of spring arrives. Later on in the year it can be dug in to the border which will improve the soil structure and make nutrients more accessible for the plants.
7. Apply organic fertilizers like seaweed meal, blood fish and bone and pelleted chicken manure. Applying organic fertilizers now allows it to break down and be easily accessible for hungry plants when the weather warms up and vegetation will come back to life again.
Conkers
1st Nov:
You don’t have to be a tree hugger to care and we have all enjoyed a game of conkers at some stage in our lives.
The horse chestnut tree has been hit by two diseases. The first hit is a bacteria, bleeding canker, which infects the bark and cuts the water supply to the crown off. The second hit is an ‘alien’ leaf-mining moth which is relatively new in the UK and comes from the Balkans. Its indiscriminate, attacking workaday horse chestnuts and grander trees alike, weakening them which results in smaller conkers.
You may have noticed the leaves turning a deep shade of brown and thinking this was just autumn protocol but up close the leaves are marked with the infestation of the leaf miner, if you look close enough you can see the caterpillars embedded in the leaf. The tree hit by this infestation will not die immediately but it does have long term implications. A big tree can contain up to 2 million moths with the caterpillars eating through the leaves turning them brown earlier than they would naturally therefore reducing its ability to photosynthesis meaning the tree has less energy stored for the winter months. This makes the tree severely weak and if on top of the moths the tree is hit by bleeding canker it could easily die.
There are a few ways to stop the leaf miner. Some tree have been sprayed, it is also important to clear leaf litter from underneath the tree, this removes the moths habitat therefore reducing its numbers. There have also been some experiments with small wasps that feed on the moths.
If you would like to take a more active approach to finding a way of saving the conker tree you can join the likes of Steven Fry and download the free app from www.conkertreescience.org.uk. You can upload your findings of trees in your area straight on to the website therefore enabling the ecologists to plot how far the leaf miner has travelled, how many trees are being effected and hopefully a way to protect the tree for generations of conker players to come.
Automatic Irrigation Systems
26th May:
An automatic irrigation system allows irrigation at night when evaporation loss is at its lowest and pressure highest, this allows control over the amount of water used and reduces wastage and help with water conservation.
It ensures your garden gets the right amount of water whether you are home or away, you never need worry about getting someone to pop in and water or worry about what will have died in your absence. It’s quite possible that the cost of the irrigation system will cover its costs by the fact that you won’t need to buy any new plants which die due to lack of water!
A rain sensor can be attached to your irrigation system allowing automatic shutdown during wet weather, once the rain has stopped the system automatically reactivates.
The system can be set to work automatically and most work on a small diameter pipe with various outlets as required. These can include lawn sprinklers, feeds to hanging baskets and pot plants and systems for vegetable patches, beds and borders.
Enjoy the fruits of your labour
26th May:
Pear, plums, fig, medlar, cherry and peach can all thrive in a London garden. You need to consider what size your tree will grow to in order to choose the right tree for your sized garden. A good way to use a small space is to train a tree along a wall or fence. As well as giving decorative cover the wall/fence soaks up the heat of the sun and helps ripen the fruit.
In addition to size, you need to consider when the tree fruits. Different types of trees fruit at different times of the year, early ripening trees tend not to do so well but varieties that ripen later can produce well and can even give you fruit to store over the winter.
If growing a harvest is not your goal and the trees are more about decoration, simply chose the tree that you prefer the look of.
Planting your tree
Ideally you need to place your tree in a sunny sheltered position of the garden, this will encourage the fruit to ripen, if it is purely for decorative means the tree can go anywhere in your garden.
To protect your fruit tree we suggest you apply a grease band at about 45cm above the soil level to both the tree trunk and the steak supporting your tree. This will help especially with moths which will eat the fruit (and your clothes as many Londoners have been finding over the last couple of years!).
In order for your tree to flourish its important to prune at the appropriate time and if you have one of the decorative styles, for example a pleached tree its important to keep it well trained.
Pleaching is a technique used to train trees into raised hedges. They can be cleverly used to create some effective screening, allowing you more privacy in your garden. Read more about this technique here.
Espalier is an ancient style of controlling the plant by pruning and tying so the branches grow in flat planes. As well as for decoration this can also be good for a garden with limited space. Read more about this technique here.
Fan trained trees consist of a short clear stem of about 18 inches and a set of branches above this arranged to form a fan shape. The shape is brought about by pruning and training. This can be an excellent way to grow fruit trees that need warmth and can be placed on a south facing wall.
Gareths plants for June
23rd May:
Roses – Now is their peak-time, as June sees all Roses in their absolute element. Options and scope for selection are huge – shrub Roses, old and modern, hybrid tea, floribunda, groundcover, climbing, rambling, species – it can be quite confusing at times to find the ‘right Rose, for the right space’. Generally speaking, they prefer as much sun as possible – there are some exceptions though, such a R. ‘New Dawn’ – an amazing climber. R. ‘Iceberg’ is the all-time modern favourite, and for good reason, as this will flower well into December if happy, and is relatively easy to please. However, my favourite is R. ‘Margaret Merril’ which is unique in the fact that it is a cross between a hybrid tea and a floribunda, and so means that it has highly-scented, large flowers, in abundance – a total winner! Pink buds fade to faint blush and the white flowers that are both huge and sweetly-scented. Black spot and aphids can be a nuisance with all Roses – and sprays combined with fertiliser can prevent both of these, if used correctly. Spray with a combi-spray before blackspot/aphids appear – ‘Roseclear’ is a popular and effective commercial brand. Repeat every 6 weeks. Also, remember, a stressed plant is a vulnerable plant. This may sound silly – but if there is adequate light and sun, rich but free draining soil, and regular watering during dry spells, then a Rose will gain vigour and most importantly – resilience. Much like us – kept healthy and happy, our immune systems are at their best!
Lavender – Now we see why this plant is one of the most well-known and best loved plants throughout history. Tough, independent, undemanding – when happy, Lavender is the kind of plant that thrives on neglect and lack-of-attention. It’s demands are few, but very specific, and often neglected at the expense of its performance – soil, must be free draining, gritty, sandy, relatively low in terms of nutrient content. It hates ‘wet feet’ for long periods, and so free-draining sorry is essential if it is to get through our wet and cold Winters. If needs be, dig in large amounts of horticultural grit and sand into your soil – it’s well worth the effort. Full sun is a must, and water should be modest and reserved. Clip back all the current year’s growth by two thirds at the end of the season, to retain shape and promote bushiness. Spray with a systemic insecticide once or twice in late Spring and early Summer to prevent beetle attack (not a widespread problem, but if a beetle attack happens, it really does ‘happen’, leaving widespread ugly foliage from their roaming, munching habits). L. angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ is your tradition ‘English Lavender’ – nice and big, dark blue, hardy as they come. If space is an issue, then go for L. ang. ‘Munstead’ which has violet flowers, and reaches half the height of Hidcote at only 40cm. White Lavender is always up and down in terms of fashion trends dictated – largely – by Chelsea. But, it does have its place, and I often use it for that splash of cool, clean white that works so well against its silvery foliage. Lavandula stoechas is the French, or ‘bunny rabbit’ Lavender – very pretty and fun flowers with ribbons of petals at the top, this species is a wonderful choice but is slightly more tender than our English varieties.
Salvia x superba ‘Mainacht’ – the most loved and used of the Salvias. The family is huge, and includes white, black-purple, pink, and the whole range of purple, flowering varieties. Most tend to respond well to being cut back immediately after flowering, to produce a second bloom of smaller, but still impressive, flowers. Be swift and confident – as soon as they have definitely passed their best – even if there are still a few flowers left – cut all flowers back to the next set of unopened buds below the flowers. Or, if feeling a little impatient and reckless – go in there with the sheers… it WILL come back! Much like Lavender, these plants thrive in the same conditions. Salvias are best used in bold displays of at least 3 – be confident, and plant a large clump or sweeping line of them. A wonderful plants for bees and butterflies too.
Cornus kousa – a spectacular and unusual specimen tree, especially useful where space is limited. Its 4-petaled, slightly odd – but deeply striking – flowers are profusely displayed to bold effect over June. the c. kousa species has quite a range, with Cornus kousa ‘China Girl’ being the established favourite for greeny off-white flowers, but ‘Satomi has boldly deep pink flowers. Most varieties are also known well-loved to their spectacular Autumn displays of leaves going through the changes from green through hues of orange and purple-red, before shedding just before Winter’s onset. A wonderful choice of small specimen tree for something that is just ‘that bit different’ and that will engage the eye and draw comments from all who view this splendid specimen during its peak-months. All Cornus thrive in full sun, with fertile but free-draining soil, and are generally very undemanding in terms of pruning, or pest and disease problems.
Hydrangea petiolaris – such a spectacular climber with incredible displays of large white sprays of white, which can be so bold and magnificent when seen at this time of year. Best planted and trained against wall, where – after a short period of training and supporting, it will happily self-cling and take care of itself from thereon. Initially it is slow-growing, so do not be surprised or disappointed if ‘not much happens’ for the first couple of years after planting – this plant is an investment, and is best grown with a view to the long-term future of its site. It can be contained quite easily, and will happily bounce back and respond well to hard-pruning and tough training, but can just as easily scale up a 10m wall, to unleash its full potential. Loves the sun, but will also be happy in partial shade. Like all Hydrangeas, it appreciates rich, fertile soil, and does require a bit of water. However, once established, these climbers take care of themselves – if it thrives, then there is nothing you need do except stand back and admire its beauty and splendour, and occasionally get up that ladder to hack back at will.
Growing your own salad and herbs
17th May:
Now is a perfect time to think about growing your own herbs and salads.
There are so many different ways to plant your herbs and vegetables from pots, window boxes, canvas growing bags to substantial vegetable beds, one new and stylish way is a living wall styled planter, this can be installed inside and outside. For more information please do contact us.
Tender vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and chilli will be fine now to plant outside; we have hopefully seen the last of the frost. If you still have your plants under cover remove the covers during the day but cover new, tender plants up at night in case they get crushed by the rain (if we have any).
Now is the time to sow Beetroot, Cabbage, Carrots, Lettuce and Peas or any other vegetables you want to see on your table during the summer.
To ensure you have salad all summer long we suggest you sow salad vegetables and radish every four weeks; this should give you a healthy continuous crop all summer long.
To make sure you get the most out of your herbs remove flowers, this intensifies the flavour of the leaves.
You can also grow plants that will help you enjoy summer drinking as well as eating.
Try growing a Borage plant, the flowers are edible and taste of cucumber which can be added to your salad or alternatively freeze the flowers in ice cubes and use them in your Pimms or Gin as a substitute for cucumber. They are tough plants and grow well and though a little old fashioned they are underrated.
If you enjoy a fresh mint tea after a meal out, why not grown you own mint for dinking at home, also try lemon balm as an alternative, both make delicious fresh teas.
If you would like any further ideas or help on creating your edible garden please contact us.
Gardening jobs for May
18th Apr:
Spring is officially and deeply present – at last! – and, perhaps even better, Summer is tangible and just around the corner. Everything is shooting into rapid growth, and blooming, or promising bursting displays of flowering glory. Relish and enjoy your garden and plants at this time of the year, and take delight in what you have – but also take note of spaces, and possibly failures, that can still be rectified in time for Summer. Evenings are warm and light, mornings are bright and cheerful, and the best is still yet to come!
It’s not all about the relaxation and an easy-life though (unless you employ us to take care of your garden – in which case it most definitely is!)…
1) Weeds are on the rampage, and must be kept at bay before they shed their cursed seed and run wild throughout the Summer. Glyphosate based herbicides are highly effective, and very efficient, and aren’t too damaging for the soil if used correctly. Good old-fashioned hoeing and hand-weeding are still to be put into practise though, and mulching is an excellent way to suppress the weeds from their advance, as well as conserving moisture in the soil. Speaking of which…
2) Watering is important at this time of year, despite occasional showers. If you haven’t done so already – then get those irrigation systems up and running again, or install them. Or, better yet – let us take care of that for you! An efficient and effective irrigation system works wonders, and require very little in the way of maintenance or care, if installed and managed professionally.
3) Planting, planting, planting – get more plants into those gaps and spaces while there is still time, before the hot and dry Summer months. Perennials are excellent ‘gap fillers’, and insightful selection can ensure guaranteed results over the Summer and Autumn.
4) Clip those hedges! Or, again, let us do this for you! Most hedges are cut in late Summer, but fast-growing or ornamental hedges that are meant to keep their shape should be cut now – especially Box.
5) Pestering pests must be gotten on top of. Spray all Roses, Clematis, and anything else that is susceptible – even the super tough Box can be plagued with whitefly in the Summer if left unchecked. Organic pesticides are widely available, and quite often they are just as effective as the non-organic choice. Slug pellets are important at this time of year, with all that soft, tasty, leafy growth that is available to them.
6) Bedding plants for Summer displays should be planted now to get the absolute maximum pleasure from them. Plant up window boxes or pots, and be bold – there is so much on offer at this time of year. Geraniums, Pansies and Petunias are all good – please don’t get me wrong – but how about Bacopa, Diascia, Dahliettas, Thunbergia (Black-eyed Susan), Lantana, Heliotrope, Felicia…
7) Lawns, mow them, water them, feed them, weed them – or simply enjoy them, and let us do the hard work! Feeding and weeding programs applied now will reap dividends for the Summer, as well as the occasional thorough soaking to promote healthy and strong growth, and root development.
8) Painting – if it’s dry and warm, then now is the time to apply a fresh coat of paint to that tired-look wall, or stain the decking, or seal the paving, or oil the furniture, or pain the shed etc… Have a look – there are bound to be some areas of your garden that could be brought back to life simply with a new coat of paint or varnish, do it before it’s an eyesore in the Summer when you’re out there every day.
9) Feeding – it’s not too late to apply slow release fertilisers, if you haven’t already done so. This can also be done by mulching with well-rotted manure, which will also act as a weed barrier and retainer of soil moisture. Combine both mulching and feeding for the very best results and remember – what you invest now, will pay you back bountifully come the Summer.
10) Finally, enjoy your garden! Get out there, whether at weekends with your children, or partners, or on your own with a good book and glass of plonk, but just don’t leave it for the weekend – get out in the evening after work, or after a long day. Gardens are to be enjoyed and relished, they are there for you to relax and unwind in, so do so, as often and as much as you can. City gardens are havens of peace and beauty that recharge your batteries from the draining effects of whatever else is going on around you. For us, it’s work; but for you, it’s pleasure!
Gardening jobs for April
16th Mar:
Jobs for April
1) Slugs and snails – they’re starting to wake up, so do beware! It’s early days, but a mild spell will see them destructively active, and they will munch up any tasty new shoots and growth. Slug pellets are effective, but a risk for birds and pets; nematodes are effective – highly effective, easy to source online through mail-order; birds are great – entice them with food and water, and enjoy their company; copper tapes around pots is great, but slugs can come up through the holes in the bottom and bypass; anti-slug drenches are very effective – they will wipe out everything in sight, but they’re very strong, and aren’t good for soil organisms. Do your research, and consider your options. If you have a ‘major slug problem’ – accept it, and adapt. There are many plants that slugs won’t touch – even some varieties of Hostas (their favourite).
2) Lawns – time to kill that moss. Use a drench or spray, and get on top of it now. Scarify in a month, and give your grass room to grow and re-colonise. Perfect time to lay new turf, and it’s fine to reseed a lawn now. Have a look, and think that if ‘it looks bad now, imagine it in the hot Summer months’ – now is the time for major repairs, or starting-from-scratch, or simply improving what you have.
3) Pruning – it’s not too late to prune your Roses, ornamental grasses, deciduous shrubs etc… get them ready for their new growth. Prune your Dogwoods, and other Winter-interest-stem-plants. Get them right down low, and they shall shoot back up. Shrubs that flower in late-Summer can still have drastic pruning work, and will still flower. Late Spring/early Summer-flowering shrubs should be left, unless you can accept them not flowering this year.
4) Pot plants – get them re-potted now, if they look like they could do with the extra room. Top dress plants that are happy in their pots with a good few inches of compost – ‘proper’ compost, either manure, or home-made; never ‘multi-purpose’.
5) Plant, plant, plant – it’s still a perfect time to get large and mature, specimen shrubs into your garden. They’re dormant, so require little in the way of watering, and availability is good for ‘instant’ hedges, trees, and mature plants. Perfect time to invest, and think of the near-future.
6) Weeding. Dig over those beds and catch your weeds before they go to seed and spread. Trust me thos will save a lot of time later in the year.
Gareth’s Plants for March
18th Feb:
It’s not all hard-work and grim weather! Look out for the following plants, which we offer at very competitive prices, and can source any variety or number.
Viburnum – this is their time. Gorgeous, opulent flowers – both bare-stemmed and on evergreens. V.tinus is the good old favourite – for good reason. But look out for V. bodnatense and V. opulum, as well as many other species. Most are shade tolerant, unfussy about soil conditions, and are forgiving about neglect – just leave them alone, and enjoy. When they get too big, prune them back hard, and they will come back stronger and more glorious than before! A must-have!
Helleborus – sheer beauty and elegance during these dull and dire months. It cheers the heart to see these wondrous plants put on such a show at this time of year. Again, they are tolerant of shade – they like it in fact, and will tolerate all soils, although they do prefer rich soils. Many types to choose from, but the more spectacular hybrids are worth going for, although they cost slightly more as they are all carefully hand-pollinated to ensure they come ‘true’. If you want to save money though, or buy a generous amount while saving the pennies, go for H. niger or H. foetidus – absolute stunners!
Daphne – a scent to rival Gardenias, Jasmine, and all the other ‘greats’. Such a smell at such a time of year is precious, and should be indulged and cherished. These plants are shade tolerant, but they need rich soil – a great choice to have in pots. Put them outside your front door at this time of year to greet you with their heavenly scent each time you pass them. When their flowers are over, move the pots to a quiet corner of the garden, and pull them back out next year.
Jasmine – not just for Summer! Winter-flowering Jasmine is one of the great joys at this time of year a bold display of cheery yellow blooms, festooned all over. These plants are tough, and will grow in any soil, though they do prefer a sunny site. They flower on one-year-old wood, so prune early in the year, after flowering, to encourage the maximum display the following year. A wonderful plant that will spread and grow endlessly, if allowed. But, at the same time, easy to maintain and contain.
Clematis – every month you will find Clematis in flower! C. cirrhosa is a true marvel. Evergreen, tough, strong, fast growing and heavy-flowering. Only comes in white, cream or freckled-flowers, with nodding bells that last for months. A wonderful species of Clematis, this plant will take care of itself, and cover a large area within a few years if desired. It needs something to grab hold of, such as trellis or wire, but is self-clinging – so no need to tie in! It prefers a sunny site, and good soil. In Summer it gets tired, so it is great when combined with Summer-flowering climbers that it can grow alongside with, such as Roses, or Summer-flowering Clematis.
