Winter season doesn’t mean you have to turn your back to your flower garden until spring comes. There is a good number of plants that bloom beautifully even in the coldest of weather. Let’s dig into their world and see which ones you will fancy.
19.07.2023 - 11:43 / theenglishgarden.co.uk
There are several things to consider before splashing water around your garden as there are no hard and fast rules that suit all plants. But the first step should be implementing preventative measures.
Pay close attention to your own microclimate. Consider your garden’s aspect and what is your soil type. Clay holds more water, but plants are able to extract water more easily from a sandy soil, however the flip side is sandy soil can feel dry. To improve your soil’s watering holding capacity, add organic matter to your soil.
It’s also a good idea to get any new plants into the ground between autumn and spring. This means you are giving them sufficient time to get their roots down before the weather starts to warm up.
Plants can only use water effectively through their roots, so if you water the foliage there will be a lot of evaporation. Wet or humid foliage can also lead to fungal issues. At Garden Organic we always use a watering can with a rose, as it’s much easier to direct the water to the roots. If we have to resort to tap water, we use a hose with a lance and a fine rose.
Watering thoroughly but less frequently is also more effective. You want to aim for the top five inches to be wet, allowing the water to get down to the root tips. You’re ideally looking to keep the soil moisture level consistent and avoid it drying out completely. Light watering can often be counterproductive as it encourages plants to grow more surface roots which in turn can lead to drought.
We usually water early morning as it will be cooler and less windy, so there will be less water loss through evaporation. If this is impossible to fit into your schedule, water in the evenings when It’s cooler. This can also help reduce evaporation but remember
Winter season doesn’t mean you have to turn your back to your flower garden until spring comes. There is a good number of plants that bloom beautifully even in the coldest of weather. Let’s dig into their world and see which ones you will fancy.
Regardless of whether you are just starting your gardening journey or are already a gardening pro, the question of how to stop detrimental pests from destroying your hard work will inevitably arise.
Ask a gardener of any skill level what the hardest part of having a garden is and they will all tell you the same thing – getting rid of weeds.
Birds make a great addition to your garden, they’re great to look at and they’re useful as well. For instance, they will eat slugs, snails, aphids, insects and other well-known troublemakers.
Just because our attention is focused on keeping things steady (ahem, alive) in the garden this deep into the summer, it doesn’t mean we should neglect our leafy loved ones who live indoors—especially if you have travel plans! Houseplants have special needs every season, but summer heat and time away come with their own set of challenges.
The growing season might be in full swing, but there are still ways to upgrade your garden game. From keeping out unwanted pests (or pets) to building your own customized trellising and irrigation—it’s time to make your beds work smarter, not harder. We’ve got five ways to customize your planters this summer that will not only make things look fantastic, but will take your growing capabilities to the next level. Whether you choose to tackle them all or just add one to your list of weekend to-dos, I promise it will be a noticeable refresh with rewarding results.
My perennial Phlox have been a good stalwart flower for cutting and filling a vase this last few weeks. I found the pink colours had more scent but all the Phlox seemed to drink copious amounts of water (I wondered if water and scent were related). The Penstemon in the same vase as the Phlox was not as successful as they had a far shorter life. Another successful long lasting cut flower is the Alstromeria. The Reds performed better than the yellows but both lasted over a week.
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.
Autumn may seem a strange time to start a gardening business but it is the time to focus on what you want to do. Get all your ducks (or seedlings) in a row and ensure you have the detail sorted and with that I include enough cash to see you through and chosen customer groups. How to Start Your Own Gardening Business An Insider Guide to Setting Yourself Up as a Professional Gardener is a useful tutorial if you want to set up a gardening business. I recommend you consider your aspirations and limitations carefully and either set up a ‘Life Style business’ or consider becoming a qualified, professional career gardener.
A common site in many town gardens are trees that have outgrown their space. Large native trees like Oaks, Copper Beach, Planes, Weeping Willow and horse chestnuts are wonderful, but to be really enjoyed they need suitable space, like in a park. If they are planted in the garden they will
As gardeners mature they enter a purple patch in their life and potentially in the garden. Some of the best plants with purple or coppery coloured leaves take several years to mature like the notional gardener. Amongst the favourites must be the copper beech and the many Acers with reddish leaves.
Virtually no flies on your car windscreen, sterile fields with no hedgerows and a multi-million pound insecticide industry not much heaven for insects. The hope for bugs, flies and little creatures may rest in your garden.