A perfect garden for a perfect summer
Our beloved UK is a country where rain is the staple weather forecast for the entire year with in between some hail or a bit of sunshine. Even if that is the case it is good to be positive in life and see if the garden needs a touch up for (hopefully) a splendid summer. If you’re unsure what to do with your garden then this article is for you. In this article you will find tips on how to perfect your garden with some simple things to make it a perfect garden for a perfect summer! Read along for the information.
Dahlias: A Beginner's Guide
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Skimmia japonica
Successful garden centres become Christmas shops now. Isn’t it amazing how much seasonal retailing has come on in the last decade. Now sophisticated Christmas experiences are on offer, frequently with artificial snow and real reindeer! One of the finest winter berrying plants at this moment is the Skimmia japonica reevesiana. This is a compact, dwarf, evergreen shrub and the crimson red fruits stay on the plant throughout winter and are especially seasonal in December.
Colour your life in December
A wonderful month with Christmas to look forward to and decorating inside and out to enjoy. Use lots of berries and foliage for a really festive feel – plus don’t forget outside too.
Erica
When I think of the word ‘Erica’ a few things come to mind – who could forget Erica Roe, the Twickenham streaker, Lou Bega’s Mambo No5 with ‘a little bit of Erica by his side’ and finally the under-sung Erica plant with its fabulous winter flowers (known popularly as heath or heather).
Garden maintenance in november
Plant beeches Beeches are best planted and replanted when the leaves have gone golden yellow. That is when the chance of good development is greatest. It is crucial for that development that a particular soil fungus is attached to the roots. So make sure that you buy beeches when they are still (entrenched) in the soil. That offers the greatest likelihood that the roots are in good condition (and that fungus is present)
Summer colours
‘Heat’ is a powerful sensory stimulus – look at how it is used in advertising everything from perfumes to cars. Heat equates to danger, excitement, sexual attraction. Plants can very much evoke a sense of heat too, with vivid colours setting the pulse racing.
The many meanings of roses
The rose is deeply embedded in folklore and its association with romance and love is core to western traditions, as anyone who has tried to buy roses around Valentines day knows all too well! In England it has strong connections with nationhood as Henry VII created the Tudor rose from the old symbols of the Houses of York and Lancaster to engender a sense of unity within the country following decades of fighting.
Perennials
Perennials are the wonderful leafy plants that put on gorgeous displays of flowers and foliage. Their enormous variety of colours, shapes and characteristics offer an incredibly wide range of combinations and potential applications. Plus some perennials have added benefits too such as lovely fragrance, or they attract butterflies or are suitable for use in cookery or as a cut flower. In short, with perennials in the garden it’s a celebration all year round!
Colour your life in April
As the sun strengthens and more and more plants are flowering, it’s delightful to watch the garden coming back to life. Its now that you start to see the fruits of your earlier efforts.
Garden Plant of the Month of March: Wallflowers
Our Garden Plant of the Month for March is actually a small group of plants descriptively known as the ‘wallflowers’ – a well known name with a completely non garden-related meaning! The term ‘wallflower’ is often used to describe an introverted person that likes a party but prefers to blend in rather than be the centre of attention. However, this is most certainly not the case when we are looking at the garden plants of the same name. Our March plant choices, Aubrieta and Saxifraga like to put themselves very much in the spotlight. These early flowering garden plants provide welcome colour in the March garden. Their compact and hanging shape make them ideal for planting along walls or raised borders.
Ornamental grasses and bamboo
Ornamental grasses work very well in a border. They bring a sense of tranquillity and at the same time lend natural movement to the overall look. They also work well because of their colour and fine structure. Grasses are decorative almost all year round. There are a host of varieties and shapes to choose from.
Enjoy (the tree of) Life
In February most gardens are still hibernating and there is little sign of green growth. It’s a safe bet that your garden would benefit from a dose of 'green vitamins’. We are putting Thuja (Tree of Life) at the top of the list this month for delivering this. Also popular to use for hedging, these beautiful, compact conifers bring the garden to life with sprays of bright green... and boost your enjoyment and well-being. This little tree is evergreen, requires virtually no care and is reputed to have a calming effect too.
Evergreen hedges ... Just conifers?
There is a terrific range of hedging plants to choose from. For evergreens, conifers are often the first thought most people have. The species and cultivars that are suitable for hedging generally fast growing quickly and therefore quickly produce a dense barrier. They also tend to be fairly inexpensive. Talk to staff at the garden centre or nursery about the choice of species, the required growing conditions and the growing habit of particular species. It’s all down to what you need for your particular situation.