May all your winds be zephyrs and all your gales be miss spelt girls
01.08.2023 - 14:35 / gardenerstips.co.uk / My Experiences / tejvan
Specimen tree sheltered by High Hedge
A windbreak can make a big difference to a garden creating safety and an improved micro climate. After we reduced a large conifer by half many plants got flattened by the wind which was now able to flow over the shorter windbreak.
Mixed Shrub Secondary Windbreak
A good windbreak can reduce damage due to wind and also change the micro climate. It can make the garden a little warmer and more sheltered; it can help protect delicate flowers and leaves from windburn. A windbreak can have the added advantage of giving garden more privacy and reduce external noise.
The best windbreak isn’t actually a solid barrier. With a solid barrier, the wind jumps over the windbreak and comes down over the other side. If it is high enough, it will protect the garden for a considerable difference. Otherwise plants a few meters from windbreak may catch the overflow of wind which needs to go somewhere. Some natural windbreaks are not solid but, have small gaps, for some of the wind to gently breakthrough. Thus the intensity of the wind is reduced, without it being just redirected. For this trees and shrubs can be very good as the wind filters through their leaves. Thus an evergreen hawthorn hedge can be a very good windbreak.
The problem with deciduous trees is that in the winter, when they lose their leaves the effectiveness of the windbreak is reduced, – perhaps when you need it most.
Some commercial windbreaks are made from entwining sticks. They are attractive and blend easily into garden, but, also have those gaps useful for letting some wind through.
Related
May all your winds be zephyrs and all your gales be miss spelt girls
Some Tips for Encouraging wildlife into your garden:
Lovely climbing rose on the front of this house
Every gardener wants to have better plants and flowers, but, sometimes we just need to get to the root of the matter so to speak. There is nothing more satisfying than a deep rich loamy soil. Unfortunately, unless you are very luck, you are unlikely to inherit such a soil. Nevertheless it is definitely worth investing the time and energy to improve your soil. Over time looking after your soil will pay dividends.
Waterperry is a small village eight miles east of Oxford. It lies on the River Thame (not to be confused with River Thames), though the Thame does end up feeding into the Thames. The extensive gardens and river-side setting offer a combination of formal gardens, flowing herbaceous borders and wildlife meadows by the river. Helenium
Fountain in Oxford Botanic gardens.
Some of the best garden flowers are white! See our selection.
This picture was taken in late March at the University Botanic Gardens Oxford. I’m not sure of the variety, but, they remind me of tete a tete.
Sometimes as gardeners, we place all the emphasis on plants. However, a few well positioned ornaments and focal points can heighten the interest and drama within a garden.
Attracting wildlife into your garden can help deal with types of pests and increase the diversity of life in the garden. Some methods for increasing wildlife are quite easy.
Grasses give a rich combination of autumnal colours