Floral & Hardy

June in the Garden

2010-06-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

Flaming June? Not yet, but we can hope!
We have been promised a barbecue summer, but isn’t that what they said last year?
Whatever the weather, there’s plenty to enjoy in the garden:

Floral and Hardy’s Top Ten Flowering Plants for June:

1. Allium – Flowering Garlic – still one of my (and many a show garden’s) favourite, a summer bulb with eye-catching, large globular heads of silvery lilac to deep mauve star-shaped flowers on tall stems, and strappy foliage.

2. Astrantia – Masterwort – an old cottage garden plant that can look just as good in more contemporary schemes. The old varieties were a bit insignificant, but some of the new ones are much more vibrant with stunning, wine-red, pin-cushion-like flowers and attractive lobed foliage. They are particularly useful as they tolerate shade.

3. Clematis – many of the really spectacular large-flowered varieties of these climbers are coming into bloom now, with flowers ranging in colour from white to pinks, reds, mauves, blues, and even pale yellow. Easy to look after if you stick to the pruning instructions on the label.

4. Delphinium – Larkspur - what English country garden would be complete without these stately perennials for the back of the border, with attractive deeply cut foliage and spires of flowers ranging from white to pink to mauve to intense deep blue. Truly majestic plants, but not awfully easy to look after, they need really good soil, lots of water and their height means they need staking early on. Slugs and snails can be a real problem in the spring too. Surely worth the effort though?

5. Eremerus – Foxtail Lily – an unusual plant not often seen in gardens, possibly because it can be quite difficult to get the growing conditions right. It needs full sun all day, free-draining soil, protection from cold winds, copious watering during dry weather and protection from frost in winter. If you can provide all this though, they are well worth the effort with spectacular upright flower spikes of white, yellow, orange, peach or pink, rivalled only by the Delphiniums in stateliness.

6. Geranium – Cranes Bill – an undemanding perennial with saucer-shaped flowers in a range of colours from white to pink, mauve and blue, some with attractive veining, above attractive mounds of deeply cut foliage. If you have the time to dead-head the fading flowers, the flowering season will last much longer.

7. Hemerocallis – Day Lily - such a great plant, so named because each flower lasts only a day, but is quickly replaced by another, giving this plant a long flowering season. It’s easy to look after and there are so many colours to choose from. As a bonus the flowers are edible too!

8. Leucanthemum – Shasta Daisy – an easy-to-grow perennial with simple, large white daisy flowers with a prominent yellow eye, great en masse in the borders, but also good for cutting. Attractive double varieties are also available.

9. Philadelphus – Mock Orange - quite large, dense deciduous shrubs, some with beautiful lime green foliage, with masses of large, cupped, gorgeously scented, double white flowers.

10. Syringa – Lilac – one of the mainstays of the British garden, and although it flowers for a relatively short period, the size and fragrance of the blooms of this large shrub more than make up for this. Varieties with white, pink, lilac and purple flowers are available. But remember it’s supposed to be bad luck to bring flowers of the white varieties into the house!

June Tips and Advice

1. You’re safe to plant out your summer bedding now, if you haven’t already done so. Get those hanging baskets up!
2. Keep sowing salad leaves to get a succession of harvests throughout the summer. Courgettes and Swedes can be sown now too.
3. Plant out Tomatoes now and put in the stakes for upright varieties before placing the plants to avoid damaging the roots. There are also many trailing varieties that are good for hanging baskets – attractive and productive too!
4. If you have fan-trained fruit trees, remove any shoots that are growing towards the wall or out from the front of the tree and tie in shoots growing along the supporting wires.
5. Tie in canes of Raspberries and Blackberries, thinning canes out if they have become too congested.
6. Protect developing Strawberries by spreading straw under the plants. (You can also buy strawberry mats from the garden centre, or simply use black polythene).
7. Water everything well if we do get a lot of dry weather. Do it in the evening if you can so that the sun doesn’t dry it up straight away. Also, it’s better to give everything a really thorough watering once a week, rather than a sprinkling every day as this only encourages the roots to come up to the surface where they’ll dry out.
8. Top up ponds and water features regularly as some water will be lost due to evaporation.
9. Feed everything once a week, that way you’ll get a lot more flowers.
10. Tie in all your lovely climbers as they grow so that shoots don’t get damaged or too entangled.
11. Keep looking out for pests and diseases in all your plants and treat before they become too infested.
12. They say the first cut of box hedging should be done on Derby day and indeed all hedges can be pruned in June. Be careful that your tools are sharp and on no account allow the top of the hedge to become wider than the bottom, otherwise the bottom will suffer due to lack of light.
13. If your Ceanothus (Californian Lilac) has got too big, it can be pruned back once the flowers have gone over, as can Evergreen Berberis (Barberry), Chaenomeles (Japanese Quince), Cytisus (Broom), Kerria (Jew’s Mallow), Philadelphus (Mock Orange), Syringa (Lilac) and Weigela.
14. Keep up with your weeding, but don’t forget sometimes to just sit back and enjoy!

For a new garden that can include any of these plants and flowers, contact us to start the process

Are we growing more vegetables?

2010-05-31T02:50:00.001-07:00

Over the bank holiday you probably spent some time in your garden. But according to figures of seed sales, vegetables have become more popular than flowers.
In 2005, 60% of seed packets sold were for flowers, but since 2007 sales of vegetable seeds have soared, according to seed supplier Suttons. Last year 70% of seed packets sold were for vegetables.

Following the trend the President's Award at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show went to Medwyn's of Anglesey for their wonderful vegetable display.

According to Guy Barter, head of horticulture advice at the Royal Horticultural Society, this trend cannot be explained by climate: "In my opinion this is entirely down to attitudes and interests.

"I suspect that it is not to do with the recession, but I expect you will see that feeding through, although in practice, growing your own is not that much cheaper."

For me it wouldn't be the cost that would matter, but the far better taste of vegetables that you grow yourself. It can't get any better than picking a variety of vegetables and putting them straight into your salad or the cooking pot!

When it comes to fruit, Scotland has the lowest proportion of gardens growing fruit at 17% and the South West once again tops the table with a proportion of 34% of gardens growing fruit.

So is there a reason why those who live further north don't grow fruit and veg?

According to Mr Barter, the variation between North and South is potentially down to the harsher climate in Scotland and northern England: "On the whole, the climate in Scotland is not as good for fruit and vegetables, it's more challenging than in the South to grow things like tomatoes or plums, for example."

Floral & Hardy have many years experience in Garden Design and can help you create the garden that you want, including vegetable patch!

Article produced using the BBC Magazine online

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

2010-05-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

Well the Chelsea Flower Show has been a real treat this year with gardens ranging from contemporary, cool of the 'Lights and Colours of the Alps' to the wonderfully inviting and relaxing 'Trailfinders Australian Garden'. The themes are certainly diverse running from the 'Global Stone Bee-Friendly Plants Garden' through to the exotic 'Green & Blacks Rainforest Garden'.

I love every one of them and a favourite is hard to choose. There is certainly something for everyone but I think my own personal favourite would have to be the 'Trailfinders Australian Garden' for its welcoming space, just ready-made for entertaining.
I just love the idea of being in a welcoming outside room when the sun is shining, but of course this happens more often in Oz even though our weather recently has been glorious!

Whichever is your favourite, the Chelsea Flower Show has certainly been spectacular this year.

The best show garden was the Daily Telegraph's Garden "Thrive" by Andy Sturgeon and Medwyns of Anglesey won the President's Award with their magnificent vegetable display.

If you didn't manage to get to the show you can watch the programs on BBC's iPlayer or go to the RHS website to see their coverage.

If you have been inspired, we can help you to create your own piece of paradise. Contact us and we will start the process of designing your own private oasis.

Urban gardening

2010-05-05T06:22:00.000-07:00

Floral and Hardy’s designers are well versed in accommodating a variety of small urban spaces, but when we stumbled across the ‘Banksy’ of the garden world it was certainly an inspiring discovery.

Steve Wheen is a man on a mission to highlight two plights; gardening and the ever increasing, contentious issue of potholes in the UK’s roads. Steve attacks the holes in stealth mode, choosing his location carefully and safely so the gardens have as much longevity as possible.

Steve, like many other cyclists and road users, became frustrated with the state of the roads and felt that this was a colourful way make a statement on the issue. "I find potholes a constant menace and I've almost come off my bike several times, I'm also a mad-keen gardener and wanted to make a point,” said Steve.

Image from the Pot Hole Gardener.

We think that this is a grand gesture towards highlighting issues such as potholes in the road as well encouraging green fingers, and that you can have fun with flowers even in the smallest of spaces!

The Floral and Hardy team are equipped to tackle a variety of gardens, in particular small garden design (perhaps not the size of a pothole!) to large corporate spaces. Now that the weather is finally starting to show its summer attributes, it’s the perfect time to spruce up your outdoor spaces and create your own little urban oasis.

A small garden can often be more of a challenge than a huge open space, carefully considered construction, plants that will flourish well in shady corners - Floral and Hardy can make the most of vertical space and layering to get the most out of your outdoor space.

You can follow Steve’s progress on his blog, as well as a colour gallery of his work, by visiting: www.thepotholegardener.com

May in the Garden

2010-05-01T06:44:00.001-07:00

May has to be my favourite month in the garden.
Everything’s so fresh and green, and some of my favourite plants are coming into flower now.

Floral and Hardy’s Top Ten Plants for May:

1. Aquilegia – ‘Columbine’ or ‘Granny’s Bonnet’ – an old cottage garden favourite with pretty ferny foliage and dainty flowers with long ‘spurs’. They come in many colours and self-seed freely around the garden. They reach 60-90cms tall depending on variety. Plant them near to the front of the border so you can see the delicate blooms.

2. Azaleas and Rhododendrons – actually azaleas are rhododendrons too, but we tend to think only of the larger leathery-leafed evergreen species as rhododendrons. The deciduous and smaller oriental types, we think of as azaleas. Many of the colourful deciduous varieties are beautifully scented. Generally speaking the azaleas can take more sun than the rhodos, but all need an acid soil. Try and visit one of the open gardens in your area this month to see spectacular displays. You can find out where they are from the Open Garden Scheme or from the RHS.

3. Ceanothus ‘Concha’ (AGM) – ‘Californian Lilac’ - one of my absolute favourite garden shrubs, this has the deepest of blue flowers in profusion. It can grow quite large (about 3ms tall and wide) so you do need space for it, but it’s worth it. Try growing a pink Clematis montana through it for a lovely colour combination, and later flowering Clematis to prolong the flowering season.

4. Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’(AGM) – Judas Tree – despite its unfortunate common name – given because it was believed to be the tree Judas hanged himself from – this is a really pretty small garden tree. The deep pink flowers give a dramatic display on the bare branches and these are followed by heart-shaped, deep purple leaves, turning yellow in autumn. It will eventually grow about 10ms tall.

5. Choisya ternata (AGM) – ‘Mexican Orange Blossom’ – so called for the sweetly scented white, star-shaped flowers. This is such an easy shrub to grow and I use it a lot in my designs. It’s evergreen and so also makes a good foil for other flowering plants later in the season. There are several different varieties – some with finely divided foliage and some with lime green leaves. It makes a rounded shrub about 1.5ms tall and wide.

6. Convallaria magalis – ‘Lily of the Valley’ – an easily overlooked plant, as it only reaches about 25cms high, until that is, you get a whiff of its wonderful fragrance. The bell-like flowers are generally white and their scent has been used for making perfume for centuries. They make good ground cover in woodland or shady borders.

7. Dicentra spectabilis (AGM) – ‘Bleeding Heart’ – so named for the shape of its pendant flowers, this is another plant that prefers woodland or shady conditions, although it will tolerate sun if the soil is moist. It has attractive ferny foliage and is also available in white. It grows to about 60cms tall.

8. Paeonia suffruticosa – Tree Peony – we’re probably all familiar with the herbaceous peony with its large blousy, blood red flower, but the tree peony is less well known. They make large shrubs (to about 2ms) with attractive deeply cut foliage and big bowls of papery petals in red, pink, white or yellow. They’re not hard to grow, just give them a sunny, sheltered site and stake the flowers if they’re too heavy!

9. Papaver orientale – ‘Oriental Poppy’ – what can I say – big, bold and beautiful. These flamboyant flowers are available in colours ranging from white to deep red, but most have black bases to the petals and prominent black anthers. In recent years the variety ‘Patty’s Plum’ has been very popular, but I like the brighter, orange-red blooms of ‘Marcus Perry’. The only down-side is the fact that the foliage dies down after flowering, so cut back and plant other perennials around them to fill the gaps.

10. Polygonatum hybridum (AGM) – ‘Solomon’s Seal’ – another old cottage garden plant, but its elegant form and flower would look just as good in a contemporary scheme. Its graceful arching stems grow to about 1m high and carry pendant green-tipped, white bells. It’s another one for the shadier parts of the garden.

MAY TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Stake herbaceous plants if you haven’t already done so, particularly tall specimens like delphiniums, to stop the precious flowers being broken off.

2. You can still sow hardy annuals such as nasturtiums, marigolds and sweet peas where they are to flower if you’re quick, otherwise you can sow some perennials outdoors now, such as Lupins, Delphiniums and Achilleas.

3. If you sowed annuals last month you should be ready to thin them out now. On average you should leave about 10-15cms between them but obviously that will depend on the size of the mature plant, but make sure you keep the strongest looking specimens.

4. If you didn’t mulch around your plants earlier, either with good home-made compost, well-rotted manure or bark, do it now to help keep the moisture in the soil.

5. Keep looking out for pests such as aphids and caterpillars and deal with them promptly by whichever method you prefer.

6. Any dead shoots on climbers such as Passiflora (Passion Flower) and Trachelospermum (Evergreen Jasmine) can be pruned out now, and, if it’s got too rampant, old favourite Clematis montana can be cut hard back now, immediately after the flowers have faded.

7. Formal hedges can be cut back to shape this month, although be careful if you have Leylandii that you do not cut back into old brown wood, as this plant does not regenerate.

8. If you have a new pond and are starting to get an algae problem, don’t be tempted to empty the pond and start again, as this will only prolong the problem. Instead remove the blanketing algae by twirling a bamboo cane in it to get it all out, then make sure you have some good aquatic planting to grow on and cast some shade over the pond, such as Water Lilies and Water Hyacinth . Oxygenating plants are also very beneficial and your local aquatics shop can advise you.

9. Early May is really the last chance to sow new lawns

10. Finally, make sure you are watering and feeding everything regularly from now on, especially in periods of dry weather.

April in the Garden

2010-04-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

It’s official – the clocks have gone forward and it’s finally spring. We can look forward to warmer weather and longer evenings spent outside enjoying our gardens.

Everything is a little late this year after the long cold winter but plants are waking up now and we should start to see many coming into flower soon.

Top ten flowering plants for April:

1. Amelanchier lamarckii (AGM) – one of my favourite small trees, originating from North America and awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM), this beauty has several seasons of interest. In April we get masses of white flowers at the same time as the young coppery-pink foliage. In July reddish-black edible berries appear and in the autumn the foliage turns wonderful shades of red and orange. A great choice for the smaller garden where plants have to work hard for their place.

2. Chaenomeles ‘Crimson and Gold’ – a tough and undemanding shrub that cheers even the dullest day with its bright crimson flowers with golden anthers, borne in abundance on bare branches. Crops of yellow fruits that can be used for jam or jelly making follow in the autumn. Its spreading nature means it makes a fine wall shrub.

3. Doronicum orientale ‘Magificum’ – a really useful little perennial for the front of the border with attractive tooth-edged, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like flowers. Its clump-forming nature means that it can help cover up those fading daffodil leaves that can make the garden look so untidy. Contrast them with Scilla non-scripta (Bluebells) or Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) for a fresh blue and yellow spring combination.

4. Euphorbia characias ‘Wulfenii’ (AGM) – a bold, architectural plant, at home in both traditional and contemporary schemes. Evergreen, blue-green foliage and sulphur yellow bracts forming large heads surrounding the tiny flowers. The foliage contrasts beautifully later on in the year with Kniphofia (Red Hot Pokers). Just be careful when handling this plant as the sap can be irritating to the skin.

5. Fritillaria meleagris (AGM) – in contrast to the bold Euphorbia, this is a delicate little bulb for the rockery or for meadow areas. It is commonly known as the ‘Snake’s Head Fritillary’ for its distinctive pattern. Left to its own devices it will spread and naturalise quite happily. Plant it with Primroses for a pleasing colour contrast.

6. Magnolia ‘Susan’ – many Magnolias are actually trees rather than shrubs and simply too large for most gardens, so you need to be selective on which variety to choose. ‘Susan’ is one of the smaller varieties growing to only about 2-3ms tall, making it a more suitable candidate for the smaller garden. It has glorious, fragrant, purple-red, tulip-like flowers. Grow it if you have acid soil and plant it in April if you can, in a spot away from cold winds.

7. Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ (AGM) - this small tree looks for all the world like a tiny weeping willow – until it flowers! It has the same weeping habit and similar narrow leaves, but the similarity ends there as pretty white flowers appear in spring and small ornamental pears (inedible) appear in the autumn. A delightful addition to any garden.

8. Trillium recurvatum – with the rather disturbing common name of ‘Bloody Butcher’, this is a rather eye-catching woodland plant, but it’s not for everyone. It needs rather specific conditions with shade overhead, moist, well-drained soil below and plenty of leaf mould. If you have these you can enjoy the mottled leaves and beautiful reflexed maroon flowers, each part arranged in threes as the name suggests.

9. Tulipa ‘Apricot Beauty’ (AGM) – everyone’s familiar with the tulip and there are so many varieties to choose from to suit any colour scheme, but this is one of my favourites. The goblet-shaped flowers top sturdy stems and are a delicate salmon-pink fading to beautiful sunset shades before the petals fall.

10. Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ (AGM) – nothing beats the intense fragrance of this shrub in early spring when the rounded heads of pink flowers open from red buds, filling the air with their gorgeous scent. Rich autumn foliage colours add a further season of interest, making this a plant I wouldn’t want to be without.

APRIL TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Your herbaceous plants will all be showing now. Support those that are going to need it before it’s too late! Plants such as ornamental poppies and perennial geraniums can soon start to look messy if they are allowed to flop over.
2. Feed your roses! Also make sure you treat as soon as there are any signs of aphids or black spot.
3. Look out for Lily Beetles (bright red) in your emerging Lilies and Fritillaries. Pick them off and crush them or they’ll demolish the plants in days.
4. If your Viburnums have been attacked leaving the leaves like brown lace you’ve probably got Viburnum Beetle. Spray the new foliage now and at intervals throughout the season to prevent it happening again.
5. Prune early flowering shrubs such as Forsythia, Ribes (Ornamental Currant) and Chaenomeles (Japanese Quince) as soon as the flowers have faded.
6. You can feed your lawn with a spring/summer feed and mow every week from now until the autumn. You can gradually lower the blades.
7. New lawns can be sown now after carefully preparing the soil by raking level, firming and raking again. Make sure you water thoroughly – even if it rains!
8. Wildflower meadows can also be sown now. Make sure you choose a mix that is suitable for your site and soil conditions. There are many mixes available – for wet or dry soils, chalk or clay, shade or sun – easy!
9. You can sow Sweet Peas outside now where they are to flower.
10. April is also the best month to plant Magnolias.

For ideas and inspiration for any garden, visit our garden design portfolio to see how Floral & Hardy can add something special to your garden!

Have you ever discovered hidden treasure in your garden?

2010-03-23T03:11:00.000-07:00

Who remembers as children digging in the garden in hope of finding hidden treasure? More often than not our discoveries merely consisted of rusty nails and discarded garden paraphernalia, but that never took away the thrill of the search.

Unfortunately as adults the thrill, and even likelihood, of finding anything of value and antiquity in our garden is seldom, but surely the cardinal question has to be: would you actually say anything if you did?

Last month, a woman was the first person in the UK to be prosecuted for failing to report treasure. Yes, we said treasure! However, this wasn’t the Treasure Island variety involving ancient maps, hostile pirates and inordinate quantities of gold coins; instead she found a 14th Century coin-like object – known as a ‘Piedfort’ – worth £2000 in her back garden.

Although the woman, from Ludlow, took the silver artifact to her local museum back in January 2009 to be identified, she kept hold of the coin up until last month when the police finally came knocking and charged her under ‘Section 8 of the Treasure Act’ (we would love to know the what the other sections include).

(Image by gettyimages.com)

After an investigation by West Mercia police, the woman pleaded guilty to the offence of finding an object believed to be ‘treasure’ and not reporting it. She was ordered to hand over the artifact and presented with a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £25 court costs.

"This is a landmark case and it sends a clear message to those who fail to report Treasure,” said Dr Michael Lewis, Deputy Head of the Department Portable Antiquities and Treasure at the British Museum. “This was the first known case of its kind in the country to have resulted in prosecution.”

Well, let this be a clear warning to us all then. It’s easy to rely on the age-old saying of ‘finders, keepers’ but even treasure buried in our very own garden isn’t legally ours. We’re sure a few rusty nails or fork heads don’t count though….

Our garden design team has worked on hundreds of gardens and projects over the years and never found a single bit of treasure! Maybe you’ll be the first?

Eco-friendly and Sustainable gardens will give you genuine green fingers

2010-03-15T04:10:00.000-07:00

Eco-friendly and sustainable gardens can bring an exciting challenge to garden design, but including green options into your outside oasis may be easier than you think. Here at Floral and Hardy garden designers we base our sustainability ethos around the three R’s:

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

Sustainable gardens should attempt to reduce their environmental impact and use recycled materials in their construction where possible, as well as ensuring that materials used in their creation are recyclable too.

We followed these principles in the sustainable garden we built at the Hampton Court Flower Show for which we received an RHS Medal. Some of the features we incorporated are:

• Walls made from 'hemcrete' - a mixture of hemp, lime and water – constructed using waste vegetable matter and natural lime, and completely compostable at the end of its life.
• Paving made from recycled glass bottles set in cold resin – porous and beautiful.
• Cushions and hammocks made from recycled airline seat belts (Designed by Inghua Ting of TingLondon).
• Shade sails made from knitted carrier bags (so was our model’s outfit!).
• Bird boxes made from recycle estate agent boards – fun and colourful, they provide a snug home for many of our native birds. What a great way to use up those old estate agent boards and of course, each one is unique! (Designed by Ben Dickens of ‘Ben’s Bird Boxes’).
• Rubber mulch made from recycled tyres – makes an ideal play surface.

Recycled Glass Pathway

Hammock & cushion cover made from airline seat belts

Ben’s Bird Boxes

However, "Don't buy recycled just for the sake of it", warns Helen, our Garden Designer. "Try to take into account the processes involved in the recycling as sometimes the manufacturing can be as harmful to the environment as producing something new. The less processing involved in making the product and the less distance it has to travel, the better". Helen recommends the 'Reel Rocker' from the Recycle Warehouse, a rocking chair that is made in Britain very simply from recycled cable reels constructed from slats of wood.

We should also be mindful of the real green element in our gardens – the plants. Planting helps offset your carbon footprint, so it is such an important consideration in any garden. We should, where possible, plant with our native species of flora and fauna in mind. Grow plants to attract birds, butterflies and insects. Allow a small area to grow wild to provide a home for hedgehogs, toads and even grass snakes to shelter.

Find a quiet spot for a log pile too, which will provide a home for a myriad of mini beasts including the now protected stag beetle. If you can, include a wildlife pond, then sit back and enjoy birds coming in to drink, frogs and newts doing their thing, and damsel and dragonflies flitting back and forth - fascinating for children and adults alike.

In one of our gardens the first floor bedroom previously overlooked a flat roof, this was planted with a living sedum roof, which is both nicer to look at and environmentally friendly too!

An Outdoor Classroom

Many schools are now keen to have an outdoor ‘classroom’ and at James Elliman School in Slough we built an outdoor area that was surrounded by raised beds. This allowed it to be used as both a classroom and a garden for growing vegetables and the pupils at the school have made a great success of it. The raised beds are made from railway sleepers and the surrounding colourful paths were constructed from sparkling, crushed recycled glass set in resin. There was a pond and wildlife area too.

Attending a lesson

Tending the garden

'Nature’s drains'

Gardens can seem like gold dust if you live in London, yet more and more of us are paving or concreting over our front gardens to create car spaces which avoid the cost of on-street parking. Environmentalists and water companies are against this trend claiming it adds to the problem of flooding. Jennifer Bates, the London campaign's co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, says ‘Clearly, concreting over gardens or putting in more non-porous surfaces is just going to exacerbate flooding problems’.

Since more front gardens have been levelled off, water from them races into the surface water drainage systems. London has a combined drainage and sewer system so all this water can overload the sewers.
This can then pour out of manholes in roads and private connecting drains in properties, and then flood gardens and even homes with foul water which contains untreated sewage.

The government has also recognised this problem and now planning permission is required for front gardens with impermeable surfaces of more than five square metres.

So, if you are thinking about creating a space for your car in your front garden, much better to use materials that are porous and allow the water to drain through, such as gravel, grass or gravel reinforced with plastic or concrete (preferably manufactured from recycled materials), resin bound aggregate, as in our glass path above, or block-work laid on sand.

Let us design your garden to attract wildlife, to enjoy and one that is sustainable and green - in both senses of the word!

Why not see our versatile Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Garden Design portfolio for inspirational and novel ideas for a truly all-year round garden.

March in the Garden with Floral & Hardy

2010-03-01T03:11:00.000-08:00

At last bulbs are beginning to show in our gardens - a sure sign that spring is just around the corner - and we can all look forward to the new season ahead.

Among those plants giving us some colour this month are these:

My top ten flowering plants for March

1. AUBRETIA – a commonly grown plant I know, but when you see sheets of it in full flower cascading over a sunny wall, it really does impress. There are lilac, purple, pink and red varieties, just cut them back after flowering to stop them getting untidy

2. BERGENIA – a really useful, ground cover perennial with large, leathery evergreen leaves and spikes of pink or white, bell-shaped flowers. It’ll grow almost anywhere and is very easy to look after.

3. CAMELLIA – there are many different varieties ranging in colour from purest white to deepest red. This is a large shrub with wonderful glossy evergreen leaves that make a wonderful foil for other plants later on in the year. Grow these if you have acid soil and some shade. (You can test your soil by buying an inexpensive kit from your local garden centre).

4. ERYTHRONIUM - a slightly more unusual March flowering plant commonly known as the ‘Dog’s Tooth Violet’ – so named because of the shape of its tubers. This is a really stunning flower and is available in various colours ranging from white to lilac to yellow. Plant in a shady spot and enjoy.

5. FORSYTHIA – a fairly common, grow anywhere plant, but along with the daffodil, nothing epitomises the coming of spring better to me than the sheer exuberance of its stunning show of bright yellow flowers.

6. HELLEBORUS ORIENTALIS – an evergreen perennial ranging in colour from white to plum-purple. Plant them in shade in a raised bed or on a bank to take advantage of their large, slightly downward facing flowers.

7. MAGNOLIA STELLATA – a medium sized shrub with pretty star shaped flowers in white or pale pink. Don’t try to grow this plant if you have very chalky soil, or if your garden is very exposed, otherwise it’s an easy shrub to grow.

8. NARCISSUS - nothing is more cheerful at this time of year than, in Wordsworth’s words – ‘a host of golden daffodils’. There are so many different varieties, ranging from the obvious bright yellow to whites, apricots, bi-colours and now even pinks. They are easy to grow – just make sure you plant them deep enough and that you leave the foliage on for at least six weeks after the flowers have faded, so that the goodness goes back into the bulb for next year.

9. PRIMULA VULGARIS – the common primrose – such a pretty wild flower with its pale yellow blooms, it has always been a cottage garden favourite. It will thrive best in partial shade.

10. PRUNUS I couldn’t end this list without mentioning Cherry blossom. There are so many varieties of flowering now, from those with delicate single blooms to those big, blousy, tutu-like confections. Some are scented, some have purple foliage, and some, of course, have the added advantage of producing fruit at the end of the season. All are very beautiful and guaranteed to raise the spirits after a long, cold winter.

MARCH TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Prune summer-flowering shrubs such as Buddleia, deciduous Ceanothus, Lavatera, summer-flowering Spiraea and Caryopteris if you didn’t do it in November. The same goes for roses.
2. Winter flowering jasmine can be pruned now, by cutting back all side shoots which have flowered and any old branches.
3. Prune summer flowering Clematis by cutting back to pairs of plump buds about 60cms from the ground.
4. Cut back coloured stemmed Cornus (Dogwood) to a few inches above the ground to ensure colour next winter. The same goes for Fuchsias.
5. Trim over winter flowering Heathers once the flowers have faded to prevent the plants becoming leggy.
6. Move any shrubs and perennials that need relocating, making sure you dig around the rootball carefully.
7. Dead-head daffodils as they fade (but leave the foliage in place for at least six weeks).
8. The dead heads of hydrangeas can be removed now, taking care not to damage the new shoots beneath.
9. Generally tidy up planting beds and remove any emerging weeds.
10. Give the whole garden a feed with a fertiliser such as blood, fish and bonemeal.
11. Mulch acid-loving plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris and Camellias with ericaceous compost.
12. Sow hardy annual flowers straight into prepared ground outside where they are to flower.
13. If you have a greenhouse you can also sow vegetables such as cucumbers, melons and tomatoes now. You can also start off Canna, Begonia and Dahlia tubers now by placing them in shallow trays of compost with just their tops showing.
14. Prick out any seeds you may have sown earlier, following the instructions on the packet.
15. Your lawn may be treated now for moss following the instructions on the packet and, on a dry frost-free day, mown on a high blade setting.
16. Finally – watch out for slugs around your precious emerging perennials and take the necessary action!

So......... plenty to do!

For ideas and inspiration for any garden, visit our garden design portfolio to see how Floral & Hardy can add something special to your garden!

How to achieve the right lighting in your garden

2010-02-17T01:16:00.000-08:00

Most people want their garden to be an extension of their home and, as with interiors, the right lighting can make all the difference when creating your outside room.

From just sitting outside enjoying the view, to entertaining friends, the lighting that you choose can really set the mood for the occasion. A garden that is admired during the day can be transformed into a multi-dimensional show garden at night. Let us also not forget that lighting the garden means that it can still be enjoyed from inside the house when the weather is not so good and in the winter months too.

Lighting offers designers the opportunity to ‘paint’ with light and to get the most out of it is a specialist task. Our professional designer can create an evening wonderland with illuminated waterfalls, up-lit sculptural features and dramatic structural planting for you to enjoy.

Well designed lighting can also increase safety by lighting up paths and driveways, including sensor lights that activate as you pass by. It can also add to the overall security of your property, acting as a deterrent to intruders.

Look at the difference lighting makes to these gardens designed by Floral and Hardy:

By day

By night

Maximise your space

It’s a missed opportunity not to treat our gardens as another room of the house. It’s also a missed opportunity if we can’t use that room or admire its contents just because it’s getting dark.

To those who work all day, a garden is a peaceful refuge from the never-ending round of meetings, deadlines and hard-edged technology.

Lighting your garden for ambiance and beauty deserves a design plan that will do your landscape justice, so why not let us design your garden to shine its brightest when you have the time to appreciate it – at dusk and beyond?

Visit our Garden Design Portfolio to get your ideas for a truly all-year-round garden.

Creating a small garden design with Floral and Hardy

2010-02-09T01:12:00.000-08:00

Small gardens can be just as challenging as working with a larger plot, if not more so. There are so many demands on our outside spaces, whether for entertaining, play, or just for relaxing - the design has to be very carefully thought out.

The garden can be made to appear larger than it is with the clever use of multi-layered effects, with hard landscaping creating different levels and raised beds, as well as clever planting that also makes use of the vertical space to create visual depth.

The before

The design

Birds eye view

The end result: a beautiful garden

Depending on the way that you want to use your garden, which could be anything from a courtyard garden with a Mediterranean theme - to remind you of lovely holidays spent abroad, through to a garden with a clean contemporary design that is very grown up!

That doesn’t mean that the children will be left out. A well thought out design can incorporate a children’s play area in one corner of the garden that will grow with them. The play area can also include hidden storage so that outdoor toys can easily be tidied away at the end of the day. It can be concealed with clever screening of tall planting, or perhaps by incorporating some built-in seating.

Colour me beautiful

When thinking about colour schemes, less is usually more. Too much colour in a small space could make the garden feel cluttered and a bit claustrophobic. Different shades of one or two colours would give a far more impressive finish.

The use of too many varieties of plants would have a similar effect – better to stick to a more limited plant list. Ironically, larger, bold planting can work better in a small space than lots of tiny species.

You may not have room to grow all the plants that you love, so just pick out your very favourites, provided of course that they will grow well in your soil and conditions.

Don’t forget of course, it can also be an advantage to have a smaller garden as it is easy to keep on top of all those gardening jobs so freeing up more time to spend sitting and enjoying the view!

We have conceived lots of Small Garden Designs, all of them presenting their own unique requirements, challenges and results!

February in the Garden

2010-02-01T03:02:00.000-08:00

February’s here and unfortunately the weather remains just as cold. There are exciting signs of spring starting to appear in the garden though.

Floral and Hardy's Top 10 Plants

1. Anemone blanda - Windflower – a really pretty little daisy-like flower best grown in full sun, on a rockery for example, or in large drifts, naturalised in grass.

2. Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ – Corkscrew Hazel – highlighted last month for its curious twisted branches, this month it’s in bloom, although its flowers take the form of yellow catkins.

3. Chionodoxa – Glory of the Snow – delicate pale blue stars borne in dainty sprays above the strap-like foliage. Plant in sun or light shade, in large groups for best effect.

4. Crocus – everybody’s familiar with this little harbinger of spring – the smaller varieties start flowering now and are followed by the larger Dutch Hybrids in March.

5. Daphne mezereum – a deciduous shrub with stiff, upright stems bearing fragrant, purple-red flowers before the leaves appear. Not for you if you have children or pets though, as the whole plant is poisonous!

6. Daphne odora ‘Variegata’ – another shrub from the same family but this time evergreen, with yellow-splashed leaves and purplish, scented flowers.

7. Galanthus nivalis – Snowdrop – again another well-known bulb – for many people, the real indication that spring is coming – the dainty bells bravely pushing through the snow.

8. Helleborus niger – Christmas Rose – an evergreen perennial with large, saucer-like white flowers with prominent yellow stamens. Plant in a shady spot.

9. Iris reticulata – a good bulb for a sunny rockery or raised bed where its striking little scented blooms of blue and yellow can really be appreciated up close.

10.Viola odorata – Sweet Violet – a real old cottage garden favourite, so loved by the Victorians, tiny, fragrant, blue or violet flowers stand above heart-shaped leaves – giving the violet its other common name – ‘Hearts-Ease’. Grow at the front of the border in shade.

FEBRUARY TIPS AND ADVICE
1. The preparation for the gardening year ahead can begin now with the digging over of established flower beds – provided the ground is not frozen or waterlogged! Get rid of all the perennial weeds and sprinkle on a general fertiliser.
2. Try to keep your lawn free of worm casts by brushing off gently – you don’t want to tread them in as this will cause problems with bare patches and moss later.
3. Many perennial and annual seeds can be sown now, just follow the instructions on the packet. This is such a cheap way of stocking your garden and you may even have some plants left over that you can give to friends!
4. New Rose bushes can be planted out from the middle of the month. Prepare the soil by adding some bonemeal fertiliser and then carefully plant so that the swelling just above the roots (the graft) is just below soil level. Spread the roots out carefully and tread the soil gently around them so that there are no air pockets and the roots won’t dry out.
5. Climbing Roses (not ramblers) can be pruned this month. Keep five to seven strong new stems and cut out the older wood. Also cut back any side shoots to about three buds from their base to encourage flowering. Then tie everything in to the support to prevent wind damage later.
6. This is also the month for pruning some Clematis – not the spring flowering ones like ‘alpina’ or ‘montana’, but those that flower later, from May onwards. You will need to check which ‘group’ your Clematis is in (it will usually say on the label). Group 2 Clematis flower from May to July and any weak or dead stems should be cut out and the remainder back by about 30cms, to just above a pair of plump buds. Group 3 Clematis flower from July – October and should be cut back harder – to about 75cms from the ground.
7. If you didn’t prune your Buddleia in the autumn, now’s the time to do it – it will put on a lot of growth during the year, so, if you don’t want all the flowers so high up you can’t really see them, cut it back hard – it’s very hard to kill a Buddleia!
8. If you need any large trees cutting back, get it done before the end of the month, before the sap starts to rise and swelling buds can be damaged by falling branches. Always get a professional tree surgeon to do this – to prevent damage to the tree and to yourself!
9. Bare-rooted hedges can be planted this month (provided the soil is not frozen or too wet) – a much cheaper option than containerised.
10. If you’ve got any Heathers that have become straggly and a bit unsightly – fear not, you can revitalise them by digging up now and replanting in a hole big enough to take the whole plant with just the tips left showing. After a year all the tips will have rooted, enabling you to dig them up and replant as lots of separate little plants! Another great way to save money!

For ideas and inspiration for any garden, visit our garden design portfolio to see how Floral & Hardy can add something special to your garden!

In the news: snow is thawing but wildlife has suffered

2010-01-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

As much as the majority of the UK is now beginning to thaw, there are still parts of North East England and Scotland that’s experiencing bitter weather conditions.

As covered in our last post, the “Big Freeze” has been hugely damaging to gardens across the country, but it’s the wildlife that has apparently suffered the most. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has stated this week that the UK’s wildlife is "on the brink of crisis" due to the freezing temperatures, and conservationists have noticed an alarming amount of garden birds have died over the last three to four weeks.

“The extremely hard winter spanning 1962 and 1963 was arguably the single event that had the greatest impact on Britain’s wildlife within living memory,” said Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Conservation Director. “With the icy weather predicted to last at least another week, this winter could be the single greatest wildlife killer of the new millennium."

The Dartford warbler – one of several birds under threat

Although the climate has been the main culprit for this loss, other notable factors has been the widespread devastation to old trees – destroying the natural habit of thousands of animals such as foxes and badgers – and grit salt affecting ecosystems in water courses. The RSPB has also stated that rare species, like the bittern and Dartford warbler, are close to extinction if the thaw doesn’t happen in isolated regions of the country.

Floral & Hardy, along with the RSPB, are imploring you to leave out extra bird feed over the next few weeks to provide for our favourite garden birds, with sparrows and song thrushes requiring this food in order to breed leading up to spring.

Our gardening designing always has your surrounding wildlife and habitat in mind, as we care about what lives in your garden.

(image from surfbirds.com)

Coping with snow and ice in your garden

2010-01-11T04:01:00.000-08:00

The “Big Freeze” has decimated gardens across the UK in recent weeks and the harsh weather appears to be unrelenting in its quest to frustrate gardeners alike.

Here are Floral & Hardy garden designers we acknowledge that this is the most critical time to look after your garden’s habitat, and more importantly, ensure that you won’t have to spend innumerable amounts of money in the coming months in order to restore lost plant life.

“By taking sensible precautions gardeners can protect their plants and produce from the worst of the winter weather. With a bit of care and attention during this inclement weather people can avoid having to replace valuable plants, trees and shrubs,” says Jenny Bowden, a Royal Horticultural Society Advisor.

The RHS has recently imparted some invaluable tips on how to cope with snow and ice in your garden and we now wanted to share them with you. If you act now, your garden will survive the Big Freeze and be ready for spring.

• Knock off snow from evergreens and conifer branches as there is a danger bent branches won’t rebound
• If boughs split, prune off the affected area ensuring the cut is tidy and snag-free
• Tender evergreens such as Pittosporum tobira, or Mock Orange, can be wrapped in horticultural fleece, although the damage may already be done. They should be moved to a sheltered position
• It’s too late to put bubble wrap around containers to help insulate plant roots, but you could move them next to a house wall or porch.
• It’s best to avoid watering or feeding plants in pots and containers, even if it’s windy, until the weather thaws.
• Acclimatise container grown Christmas trees to outdoor conditions gradually
• Large water features in gardens can be run. In smaller ones keep an ice-free area by resting a hot saucepan on the ice to let out any toxic gases and to allow oxygen to any fish
• To avoid bird baths freezing, insulate the bottom with bubble wrap or similar and replace water regularly.
• Defer pruning grasses until warmer weather. Not only do they give structure to the winter garden, they also provide protection for beneficial insects
• Many tender plants such as Mimosa and Phormium were badly affected by last winter’s snow. Wait until spring to prune out damage
• Unpruned foliage on shrubs such as Hydrangea protects lowers shoots and buds
• Fruit trees and other woody plants can be pruned in weather down to -5°C
• Avoid walking on snowy or frosty grass
• Mulching wet or frozen soil is best avoided
• Check the temperature in your greenhouse to maintain frost free conditions for plants such as citrus
• For indoor plants avoid overwatering and sudden drops in temperature
• Winter vegetables such as Brussels sprouts and parsnips should be fine but beware some might rot after prolonged freezes
• Take care that stored produce including fruit doesn’t freeze
• And finally – beware as voles, mice and rabbits can become very hungry and use snow to scale fences and reach higher up stems to do damage

Why not contact us to discuss your garden design requirements and see how our unique approach can create your dream garden, as well as ways to fight the cold weather!

For further information on this post visit www.rhs.org.uk

Family Gardens with Floral & Hardy garden designers

2010-01-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

A well designed family garden can be a joy to both children and adults alike and before commencing any design, we consult with our client to ensure we know exactly how the garden is going to be used and who is going to use it. A family garden doesn't have to be either a space for the children or a space for the grown ups - it can be both, and it will provide a great living space for everyone.

In this day and age it is not unusual for both parents to work full time, so a garden that is low maintenance is often essential. Safety is also paramount, both in terms of non-toxic planting and finishing of hard landscaping.

So the garden also has to satisfy many criteria and fulfil many uses, and ideally should also be able to evolve as the children get older. One great idea we implemented was to create a sunken trampoline at the end of the garden. In time, as the children grow older, this can become a beautiful water feature:

Stage 0ne

Stage two

Stage three

Stage four

Have you ever thought of injecting some fun by incorporating a slide over a set of steps? Later on it can simply be removed. There are many options you can choose for children’s play equipment - they can be custom-made from natural materials such as timber from sustainable sources that blend into the rest of the garden. Or of course, you could choose something purpose made - all a great source of healthy, outdoor fun.

The surfaces in your family's garden needn't be dull either. Bark is a great way of finishing a kids' play area that not only looks good but prevents any mishaps should they fall. Another option is to use soft artificial turf that is hard wearing but still looks great and doesn’t get muddy either!

The grown ups' play area can then be surfaced with one of many contrasting materials - decking looks great, doesn't have to be angular - it can be laid in a circle for something different, or be given the “Wow” factor when teamed with slate, for example. Other finishes include Travertine Stone, with its elegant contemporary feel and Natural Sandstone for something more traditional.
All creatures – great and small

Children love to grow things too, so a small part of the garden reserved specially for them is a wonderful idea and could even encourage them to eat their five a day from what they have grown themselves! Our Outdoor Classroom has taken this idea and the kids have planted it out with great enthusiasm and success.

Learn the green way: a Floral & Hardy Outdoor Classroom in Slough

For the curious among them, there is also the possibility of encouraging wildlife into the garden – even a small patch of un-mown grass or nettles and a little log pile will bring in many varied species of insects, birds and animals and provide hours of fascination.

Water is also not out of the question, as many different styles of water feature can be created that are both safe, and beautiful to look at. Three of our gardens are lovely examples of this - Chic with kids, Forest Hill to Beverley Hills and Modern & Traditional Meet.

So you see, even if you have a small garden, it can still be fun for the children, but also a stylish area for when the grown ups want to play!

See more examples of our Family Garden Design that have created space, entertainment and joy for many families across the UK.

2010-01-03T06:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you all!

WOW! We’ve had it all weather-wise the last couple of weeks - from blizzards, to downpours, to crisp sunny days, so plenty of variety at least!
Don’t worry though, the garden will come through it all, and with the days getting longer again, we can soon look forward to spring. Even in the conditions we’ve had, there are still plants to give us lots of colour and interest in January. Many of those mentioned in my December blog will still be in flower now, but many others will also provide interest through their bark or their structural form.

This month's hints and tips can be found on our si te

Here's my top ten plants:

1. Acer griseum – Paper-bark Maple – as the name suggests, this small tree has interesting peeling, papery, reddish brown bark. It also has green lobed leaves, turning orange-red in autumn.

2. Buxus sempervirens – Box – this is a small leaved evergreen that can easily be clipped into living sculptures, and we have probably all seen topiary varying from peacocks to dinosaurs to trains at one stately home or another, but there is no reason why a more modest spiral or sphere, or even a Chihuahua(!), should not grace our own, more modest plots. Whatever shape you choose, topiary is particularly effective as a focal point in the winter garden.

3. Betula utilis jacquemontii – White Barked Himalayan Birch - a medium-sized tree with peeling bark revealing beautiful pure white stems. Its serrated leaves turn gold-yellow in autumn.

4. Cornus alba - Dogwood – a medium sized shrub whose vivid red, orange, yellow or purple stems in winter really stand out amongst other planting (and particularly against the Betula above). In summer it has green leaves, sometimes margined with white or cream and white flowers in June followed by white tinged blue berries in autumn.

5. Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ – Contorted Hazel – a large shrub or small tree with pale yellow catkins in February and rounded green leaves turning yellow in autumn. But it is in winter, when its curious twisted shoots are more visible, that it really comes into its own.

6. Cupressus sempervirens – Italian Cypress – this is a narrowly columnar conifer with tightly compact, dark green, evergreen foliage which provides a useful ‘punctuation mark’ in the border between other more rounded shrubs.

7. Festuca glauca – one of many evergreen grasses that can provide interest in the winter garden, this low-growing type has bright blue blades forming neat mounds and blue flower heads in summer.

8. Phormium – New Zealand Flax – a bold, structural plant with sword-shaped, evergreen leaves, often striped in colours varying from green and gold to pink and purple. A useful plant, at home both in contemporary and traditional schemes.

9. Picea breweriana – a slow-growing, graceful, upright conifer with slender weeping blue-green foliage, which is highlighted in late spring with the bright sea-green new growth – really beautiful.

10. Prunus serrula – Tibetan Cherry - a medium-sized, rounded tree with green leaves, turning red and yellow in autumn, and white flowers in spring. But it is its shiny, coppery-red bark that is its real glory – take time to shine it up and enjoy!

2009-12-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

For a lovely splash of colour, plant some cyclamen - they are sure to brighten up any garden. For other ideas for planting and for this month's tips and advice, go to http://www.floralandhardy.co.uk/projects/22.html

2009-12-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Will it be a white Christmas? Wouldn't that be lovely!
If not, and the rain and snow stay away, you can make use of your deck, patio or courtyard in your garden. Even if you have a small garden, you don't need much room to party! If you'd like a garden makeover, have a look at some of these small gardens, patio designs and courtyard designs to give you some inspiration, then all you need is the excuse to party! http://tinyurl.com/garden-designs

The Gardener's Prayer

2009-12-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

O Lord, grant that in some way it may rain every day, say from about midnight until three o-clock in the morning, but, you see, it must be gentle and warm so that it can soak in; grant that at the same time it would not rain on

campion,

alussum,

helianthemum,

lavender

and the others which in your infitine wisdom know are drought-loving plants - I will write their name on a bit of paper if you like - and grant that the sun may shine the whole day long, but not everywhere

(not, for instance, on spiraea,

or on gentian,

plaintain lily,

and rhododendron)

and not too much; that there may be plenty of dew and little wind, enough worms, no plant-lice and snails, no mildew, and that once a week thin liquid manure and guano may fall from heaven. Amen

Karel Caper The Gardener's Year 1929

December in the Garden

2009-11-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hope you’ve managed to escape the deluge and haven’t suffered too badly. We’ve been fairly lucky in the south-east but I know others haven’t been so fortunate. If your garden is not completely under water, there are still plenty of flowers to enjoy in December.
Here's my top ten:

1. Camellia sasanqua – we normally associate Camellias with spring-time, but this is a really handsome evergreen shrub that bares large single, white, pink or red flowers from autumn through to spring. It can get quite big though so place carefully.

2. Chimonanthus praecox – Winter Sweet – a large deciduous shrub with, as the name suggests, sweetly fragrant, yellow flowers in winter. Cut some shoots to take indoors to enjoy the spicy aroma.

3. Clematis cirrhosa – an evergreen climber with attractive foliage and masses of creamy bell-shaped flowers from late autumn to early spring.

4. Cyclamen cuom – a low-growing plant to add a splash of dazzling red, pink or white, flowering December – March above attractive marbled foliage.

5. Hamamelis mollis – Witch Hazel - a really valuable large shrub or small tree, with oval bright green leaves with orange, yellow and red autumn colours and fragrant orange, red or yellow flowers on the bare branches. Again, cut some for indoors, or plant near to entrances to enjoy the sweet scent as you pass by.

6. Iris unguicularis – pretty lavender blue, scented flowers in winter and evergreen grassy foliage. Quite low-growing though, so make sure you plant them somewhere you can appreciate the fragrance – maybe in a raised bed?

7. Jasminum nudiflorum – Winter Jasmine – a really cheerful splash of yellow is provided by this rather lax shrub in winter. Tie it into supports to keep it tidy.

8. Mahonia media – another bright yellow flower, scented this time - and very attractive to Blue Tits I find! The evergreen holly-like leaves also make this an attractive large shrub for the rest of the year.

9. Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ – Autumn Cherry - a smallish, ornamental cherry tree with interesting bark, oval green leaves and pink or white flowers November – March – very pretty.

10. Viburnum tinus – a common sight in many gardens, and for good reason as it’s easy to grow and also grows quite fast. It has glossy dark green foliage and clusters of white flowers from red buds December – March.

DECEMBER TIPS AND ADVICE
1. If your garden is at all wet, try to stay off the lawn, otherwise you’ll end up with a mud bath!
2. The same applies to your flower beds, but if it’s not too bad, borders can still be dug over in preparation for spring planting. Clay soils can be improved by adding plenty of grit, old potting compost if you have it, or well-rotted leaf mould.
3. Protect any tender shrubs with straw if you haven’t done so already.
4. Check on tree ties to make sure they’re secure against winter winds.
5. New deciduous hedges can still be planted now as long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
6. If we get any snow, make sure you carefully brush it off shrubs and hedges to prevent damage.
7. If you’ve got a greenhouse, make sure you ventilate it whenever possible and water plants only when absolutely necessary to prevent rotting.
8. Check over all your tools and equipment before putting it away for winter - sharpen secateurs and knives, oil the pivots, thoroughly clean chemical sprayers, etc.
9. If you’ve left a pump submerged in a water feature, continue to run it for a few minutes at a time every week or two. Remember to maintain an ice-free patch in ponds both to protect the fish if you have them, and to prevent cracking in the pond liner.
10. Finally, long winter evenings can be passed by going through seed catalogues and deciding what you are going to grow next year – exciting!

The Stinkiest Flower

2009-11-30T03:44:00.000-08:00

Latin Name - Amorphophallus titanum
Common Name - Corpse flower or Titan Arum

It comes from Sumatra and you can smell it half a mile away!

Up to 3m tall, this is the biggest and smelliest flower in the world. When it blooms it releases a disgusting smell, a bit like rotting meat that can be smelled over a long distance. Since the plants tend to be a long way apart and do not flower very often, the scent is thought to be essential for attracting insects to spread their pollen.

There are a number of flowers that smell bad and they are often pollinated by flies, beetles or other insects that normally feed on dead animals.

2009-11-27T03:00:00.000-08:00

Why cut back flowers?
It’s not just trees and shrubs that need pruning. Flowering perennials, annuals and bedding plants will make more flowers, better quality blooms or bushier plants with the odd nip and tuck. There are several easy, undemanding techniques that can be carried out while you are pottering around the garden

Promote flowering
The majority of flowers bloom and set seed, a natural climax to the growth cycle. Deadheading flowers as they fade not only tidies up the plant, but it interrupts this sequence and stimulates new flowers to appear.
Deadhead fading flowers of bedding plants, annuals and herbaceous perennials regularly to stimulate new blooms and prevent plants from self-seeding.
With lupins, foxgloves, delphiniums and verbascum as soon as the flowers begin to fade, completely remove spent spikes to their base or nearest bud.
This technique also prevents unwanted self-seeding of many perennials. Simply snap off the dead flower with your thumb and forefinger.
Try it on summer bedding plants and annual and biennial flowers, such as calendula, godetia and pansies.

Make bushier plants
Many plants concentrate their energy in a single tip bud, while other buds along the stem remain dormant.
If the tip bud is removed then buds lower down will produce side shoots. This is called stopping, pinching or tip pruning and is used to make bushier growth.
Some plants will only need pinching once, such as bedding plants and sweet peas. Several perennials may need pinching a few times – take out the initial bud of a dahlia and then pinch out the resulting side growth.

Keep perennials compact
Chopping back perennials in late-spring will make bushier plants that flower later on in the season and often flower more prolifically. Known as the Chelsea chop, it is carried out in late May, soon after the famous flower show has finished.
To do this, cut or pinch back plants by half. Sedum, rudbeckia, echinacea, helenium and golden rod will all respond well to this technique.

Prevent plants from becoming leggy
Lightly shearing over aubrieta, lavender and alyssum after flowering combines deadheading with light pruning. It will prevent leggy growth, keep plants compact and produce an abundance of flowers the following year.

Prevent Pests
Cut back yellowing foliage on hardy perennials such as day lilies, crocosmia and asters. It will make the garden look tidier and stop pests from using the leaves as shelter over winter.

(reproduced from the BBC Gardening website)

2009-11-26T01:30:00.000-08:00

"Get Your Grown-ups Growing Day" was launched at the beginning of October with the help of Neasden Primary School in Hull, Blue Peter Gardener, Chris Collins and RHS Regional Advisor, John Hickling. This month-long drive to get parents and the wider community to support school gardening forms the next stage of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening. Piloted in Yorkshire, 76 schools have registered to take part so far. Plans are underway to roll this initiative out in more regions next year.

Here at Floral and Hardy we have created this wonderful outdoor classroom for James Ellison school in Slough and it is already a working garden providing the school its own vegetable plot!

Have a look at the whole project:
http://tinyurl.com/yl4lulq

Chrysanths in the Glasshouse at Wisley

2009-11-25T06:22:00.001-08:00

Glasshouse at Wisley, 7 - 29 November
See varied displays of charm and cascade chrysanthemums alongside a selection of stunning Japanese varieties. These floral arrangements are the result of 10-months vigilant watering, pinching and staking behind the scenes by the Glasshouse team. The collection of cascade and charm chrysanthemums were first shown at the RHS Westminster shows in the 1930’s and have developed to become an annual November feature in the garden. In recent years more fascinating oriental varieties including the Japanese emperors Chrysanthemum have been added to the collection. The Wisley chrysanthemum collection adds up to almost 100 different varieties and each charm chrysanthemum will carry up to 500 perfectly formed flowers about the size of a 10p. It takes about 10 months to grow the plants for a 4 week flowering period throughout November.

The Wildlife Garden and You

2009-11-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

The Gardener's Role
Gardeners have a huge role to play in the future of UK wildlife as the traditional British countryside changes. Experts say that, due to more industrialised farming practices and encroaching urbanisation, over 600 individual species are at risk in Britain and others are in rapid decline.
By gardening organically and encouraging wildlife, you can establish a balance between pests and their natural predators. Both plants and beneficial pests will flourish, and with a healthy food chain in place, the more harmful creatures can be kept at manageable levels. For example, ladybirds feed on aphids, and frogs, toads and birds eat slugs and snails.

Managing a Wildlife Garden

Being more wildlife-friendly doesn't mean you have to have a messy garden, but it does mean forsaking the ideal of a perfect lawn and rigidly trimmed borders. Simple changes to your gardening such as planting some native species, allowing seedheads to form and hiding a logpile behind the shed can be very beneficial to wildlife. However you can go further - what if the alternative view from your kitchen window was a natural meadow? This could support native orchids, meadow flowers and butterflies, with a tapestry of seed heads and dried grasses during winter, and a host of birds feeding on winter berries and nesting in trees.

2009-11-22T03:44:00.000-08:00

The RHS is encouraging people to plant a tree during National Tree Week (25 November - 6 December) to support a record-breaking attempt.

BBC Tree O’Clock takes place on Saturday 5 December, between 11am - 12pm. The aim is to get as many people as possible to plant a tree and if enough people do, a new Guinness World record could be created. 0ver 250,000 people from 67 counties across the UK have already pledged to take part.

To pledge your support for Tree O'Clock, visit the BBC Tree O'Clock website

November in the Garden

2009-11-02T04:18:00.000-08:00

... by Helen Ellison, Garden Designer

November – really? It certainly doesn’t feel like it with the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having. This has meant all the annuals in the garden have kept on flowering their heads off, which is great. I keep looking out in the morning expecting the nasturtium leaves to be wilted in morning frost, but not yet.
What else can we see in flower in November (even under normal weather conditions)? Here’s just a few:
1. Erica darleyensis - low-growing evergreen with very fine, needle-like foliage, often with yellow orange tints and masses of white, pink or mauve flowers. Height 45-60cms. They’ll flower for several months but are best grown in acid soil

2. Hebe ‘Autumn Glory’ – an evergreen shrub suitable for the small garden, reaching only about 60-70cms tall and round. It has reddish stems, red margined green leaves and rich violet flowers summer to autumn.

3. Liriope muscari – Lilyturf – coming to the end of its season, but still a valuable source of late colour, this perennial has spikes of purple flowers above evergreen, grassy, dark green foliage. Height 20-25cms.

4. Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ - not for the small garden perhaps, this is a large erect deciduous shrub with many clusters of fragrant pink flowers in winter. Height 2-3ms. Cut some and bring it indoors.

Interest doesn’t just come from flowers however, and many plants put on good displays of berries and fruits at this time of year:

1. Callicarpa bodinieri giraldii ‘Profusion’ – a medium-sized deciduous shrub with oval mid green leaves, often bronze when young, and tiny star-shaped lilac flowers in summer followed by striking clusters of polished purple fruits in autumn and winter.

2. Gaultheria mucronata – another plant for acid soils, this is a small evergreen shrub with creamy, bell-like flowers in May and white, pink or red berries in winter.

3. Ilex – Holly - familiar to us all, a large, dense evergreen with glossy green leaves, sometime variegated, tiny cream flowers in early summer followed by red berries. Cut some branches and bring them indoors for Christmas.

4. Pyracantha - large, evergreen wall shrub with cream flowers in June and red, orange or yellow berries in winter.

5. Rosa rugosa – an easy-to-grow, old-fashioned shrub rose which is especially good for hedging. It has large, strongly scented wine-red blooms over a long season, followed by large red hips.

6. Symphoricarpus – another easy-to-grow shrub with small white or pink flowers June – August followed by large white, pink or purple berries that last for months in winter. A word of caution though, this is a rampant grower and can rapidly spread through the border, so keep in check!

Most of these provide a valuable source of food for birds, but if you don’t want the berries stripped from your plants choose the lighter coloured ones – the red ones tend to go first!

NOVEMBER TIPS AND ADVICE

1. As the last of the leaves fall from the trees, have a good tidy up and clear them all away from the borders and from the lawn. Put them on the compost heap, if you’ve got one. If not you can bag them up in black sacks with a few holes in them – they’ll rot down over winter to produce a good leafy mulch for next year.
2. Give the lawn its final cut, but not if it’s frosty or wet.
3. If you live in a mild area you can prune your roses now (leave it until March if you don’t). Cut the stems back to an outward facing bud with a slanting cut so that rain doesn’t sit on the top, causing it to rot. Don’t worry too much about technique though, as roses are surprisingly tolerant.
4. If you have ordered bare-rooted roses, they’ll be arriving shortly - get them unpacked and planted in well-prepared ground as soon as you can so that they don’t dry out.
5. It’s not too late to plant deciduous trees, shrubs and climbers as the soil’s still warm enough for them to make some new root growth before winter, but evergreens should wait until spring. Bare-rooted trees and shrubs are particularly good value.
6. This is the latest month to plant Tulips.
7. Move any tender plants you have in pots, such as Bananas, Tree Ferns, Cannas, Colocasias and Agapanthus, into the greenhouse to protect them from frost.
8. If your tender plants are growing in the ground, and you live in a milder area, you can protect them with straw in the crowns, or in the case of bananas, with tall terracotta chimney pots or drainpipes stuffed with straw.
9. Alternatively, when we do get the first frosts, you can lift Dahlia, Colocasia and Canna tubers, remove the foliage to within 5-8cms of the tuber and dry out, removing any parts that look as though they may have rotted. Store in boxes of dry bark chippings, crowns exposed, in a cool, dry, frost-free place.
10. If you’ve got a water feature it’s advisable, though not essential, to remove submersible pumps for the winter. Clean them and store in a dry place. If you leave them in though, just run the pump every week or so during the winter.

October in the Garden

2009-10-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

Autumn is officially here, but don’t despair, there’s still lots of plants to add interest to the garden this time of year.

My October top ten flowering plants:

1. Abelia grandiflora – this is a large evergreen shrub with dark green leaves and fragrant pink and white flowers with red bracts July – October. Height 120-150cms. Really useful if you’ve a large space to fill in the border.

2. Aster novi-belgii – ‘Michaelmas Daisy’ – most of us may be familiar with this one, with its mass of pink, lavender or white daisy flowers September – October. It’ll grow almost anywhere as long as there’s a bit of sun.

3. Colchicum - ‘Autumn Crocus’ – an unusual bulb with pink, wine glass-shaped flowers September – November, followed by large leaves in spring. Height 15-20cms. Looks good in woodland situations.

4. Fatsia japonica – a very large evergreen with bold, glossy, palmate leaves and creamy candelabra-like flowers October – November. Height 2 – 2.4ms. Especially good in a jungle/exotic scheme.

5. Fuschia – we’re all familiar with the varieties grown in hanging baskets, but there are also some hardy types forming bushy shrubs with pendant red, pink or white flowers through summer and early autumn.

6. Gentiana sino-ornata – Gentian – this is one for the rockery, growing only to about 15cms tall, with the truest of blue flowers September – November. The only snag – you must have an acid soil to grow it.

7. Hydrangea - rounded, deciduous, shade loving shrubs with large mid-green leaves and large ‘mop-head’ or ‘lace-cap’ flowers July – October. Height 1.2-1.5ms. Flowers are generally pink or blue, but interestingly will change colour according to the soil type – pink on alkaline soil, blue on acid.

8. Nerine bowdenii – exotic looking pink flowers on naked stems September – October, followed by long leaves in spring. Height 45cms.Plant in a sunny position for best results.

9. Scabiosa caucasica – an old favourite with pretty, light blue, pin-cushion-like flowers and a long flowering season June – October. Height 75cms.

10. Schizostylis coccinea – an unusual, and rather attractive perennial with deep red flowers September – November. Height 60cms. It’s a bit fussy though and needs a well-drained, but moisture-retentive soil. If you’ve got that, it’s worth having a go.

OCTOBER TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Autumn planting of new perennials and shrubs has a distinct advantage over spring in that the soil is still reasonably warm and we can probably expect more rain at this time of year, so the plants get time to make fresh roots before winter.

2. It’s also a good time to lift and divide your existing perennials for the same reason.

3. Towards the end of the month you should start cutting back your perennials and clearing away any dead material – either for the compost heap, or, if you are allowed where you live, the bonfire. Don’t leave any debris lying around for the slugs to hide under!

4. Sweet Peas can be sown in pots in the greenhouse or in a cold frame now.

5. Right now is the ideal time for planting winter flowering heathers to give a colourful show through the season.

6. Thinking about colour later on, it is also the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as Crocus, Narcissus and Tulips.

7. Ever fancied having an alpine meadow in your garden? It’s really just a fancy name for growing small bulbs through grass! If you do, now’s the time to plant. All you have to do is select the area of lawn you want to dedicate and carefully lift strips of turf about 30cms wide by 90cms long and 5cms deep. Put them to one side and fork over the soil lightly before planting your chosen bulbs, about 5cms below the surface. Good candidates would be Snakeshead Fritillaries, Crocus, Dwarf Narcissus, Scilla and Anemone blanda. Try to plant in random groups so that they look naturalistic, firm down the soil, replace the turf and water. Simple!

8. If you have a pond it will be worth netting it to prevent falling leaves polluting the water – especially important if you have fish.

9. If you have any green tomatoes left on your plants, harvest them now and store them in a cool, dark place to ripen gradually.

10. Remove fallen leaves from your lawn regularly, set your lawnmower to its winter height and continue to mow as necessary.

September in the Garden

2009-09-02T02:54:00.000-07:00

Many think of the summer as being over when we move into September, but there is still such a lot going on in the garden if you choose the right plants.

Here are some I’d recommend for their late summer flowering:

1. Acanthus - the Acanthus leaf is the motif found on many of the columns in ancient Greece and this is a good, space-filling perennial with tall spires of hooded mauve and white flowers June – September above lush green foliage. Great in traditional and contemporary/jungle gardens alike.

2. Achillea – an easy to grow perennial with attractive feathery foliage and large flat heads of tiny flowers ranging from white, through yellow to terracotta and pink. Again it’s an old garden favourite, but it looks particularly good with grasses and in a prairie-style planting.

3. Anemone japonica – a tall plant for the back of the border with simple saucer-shaped flowers in white or pink August – October. The great thing is, it will grow quite happily in partial shade.

4. Clematis orientalis ‘Orange Peel’ – a novel variety with fern-like foliage and orange-yellow bell-shaped flowers like little lanterns, with thick sepals almost like orange peel August – September, followed by silky seed heads.

5. Hebe ‘Great Orme’ – this is just one variety of a whole group of useful evergreen shrubs that are still flowering at this time. Many of them have purple flowers, but this one is quite a deep pink, fading to white and flowers from June - September, and sometimes even later.

6. Hosta – a beautiful foliage plant with many varieties, most with large broadly heart-shaped, slightly rippled leaves, some variegated, ranging from blue through to yellow in colour. There is also the bonus of spikes of mauve or white flowers July – September. Just watch out for snails and slugs in spring as they love the tender young foliage.

7. Rudbeckia – an easy to grow perennial with bold, yellow, daisy-like flowers with a prominent dark centre September – October. A really cheerful addition to the late summer border.

8. Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’ – wide heads of rich pink flowers turning salmon-bronze on stout stems August – October over succulent glaucous foliage. Again, another plant that looks good with grasses.

9. Solanum crispum ‘Glasnevin’ – a relative of the potato, this is a spectacular semi-evergreen climber with clusters of purple-blue flowers with a prominent cone of yellow stamens July - October. Be aware though that it is quite vigorous!

10. Yucca filamentosa – if you’ve got good drainage, this is one for you – a striking evergreen with a basal rosette of stiff sword-like leaves and creamy-white flowers in tall erect panicles July - September. Great for the Mediterranean-style garden.

SEPTEMBER TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Continue your routine jobs of dead-heading, weeding and generally tidying up.

2. If you’re planning new borders for next year, now is a good time to start preparing by digging over to at least a depth of 50cms and adding plenty of good compost or manure. Then finalise your planting plan ready for planting out next month.

3. Perennials that flowered earlier in the year can be lifted and divided now. This not only revitalises the plants, but also provides you with lots more plants for free!

4. You can also sow hardy annuals now in the ground where they are to flower next year – you’ll have stronger plants and earlier flowering. These include Calendula (pot marigolds), Centaurea (cornflowers), Eschscholzia (californian poppy), Iberis (candytuft), Nigella (love-in-a-mist) and Papaver rhoeas (annual poppy).

5. Cuttings can be taken now of any shrubs whose hardiness is questionable as an insurance against loss. They will need to be put in the greenhouse or in a cold frame for the winter.

6. Root-balled evergreens may be planted towards the end of the month. These can be much cheaper than container-grown plants so it’s worth shopping around.

7. Continue to check for pests and diseases, especially on roses, and treat as necessary.

8. Rambling roses can be pruned now, ideally cutting out all the old wood and leaving strong new stems which you can tie back in to supports.

9. If you have Wisteria, early this month, shorten the long, whippy shoots to about 30cms from their source.

10. Finally, if you have a greenhouse, now is the time to think about getting it ready for winter – many of your plants will need to be brought inside before the end of the month. Give it a good clean up and ensure any heating equipment is working properly.

August in the Garden

2009-08-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

August is not getting off to a good start weatherwise, but let’s hope the weathermen are right and we’ll see more sunshine towards the end of the month. One good thing comes of all the rain though – we don’t have to water so much and the flowers seem to last a lot longer!

Here’s my top ten flowering plants for August:

1. Agapanthus – African Lily - an exotic looking plant with impressive, large rounded heads of blue or white flowers August – September above shiny, strap-like foliage. They tend to flower better if root-bound, so are very good in pots. Protect from winter frosts to ensure survival.

2. Campsis – Trumpet Vine - another candidate for the mediterranean-style garden, this climber has attractive pinnate foliage with good autumn colour and large salmon-red trumpet-shaped flowers August – September.

3. Canna – Indian Shot – although not hardy, this is a popular plant for the tropical scheme, with its large, bold leaves, often streaked with purple or red and brightly coloured flowers in summer. Lift before the first frosts or take pots into a cool greenhouse.

4. Caryopteris – often known as the ‘Blue Spiraea’ for the similarity in the shape of the flowers, this is a small, compact, rounded shrub with lance-shaped grey-green leaves and dense clusters of deep blue flowers August – September. It doesn’t grow too big and is ideal for the front of the border for late summer colour. In spring cut the stems down to just above ground level.

5. Echinacea – Purple Coneflower – a reliable perennial and an old favourite, with wonderful pink daisy-like flowers with a prominent, darker central cone July – September. Dead-head, if you can, to prolong flowering.

6. Echinops - Globe Thistle – as the common name suggests, this easy to grow, back of the border plant has thistle-like foliage and globular steel-blue flowers July – September. If you cut the flowers before they are fully open, they can be dried for winter decoration.

7. Hibiscus – Tree Hollyhock – a large, but slow-growing shrub with lobed dark green leaves that are late to appear in spring, and large blue, pink or white trumpet-shaped flowers August to October – invaluable for late summer colour.

8. Perovskia – Russian Sage – so named because its delicate, silvery-grey foliage has the fragrance of sage. From a distance it looks something like an oversized lavender with erect stems carrying lavender blue flower spikes August – September – beautiful.

9. Romneya – Tree Poppy – once again the common name tells us all we need to know – with fragrant, white, poppy-like flowers the size of saucers from July to October and attractive blue-grey foliage, it is a shame this shrub is not used more.

10. Thalictrum delavayi ‘Hewitt’s Double’ – with tall slender stems, delicate fern-like foliage and tiny, fluffy, pompon-like mauve-pink flowers midsummer to early autumn, this is another under-used plant. The books will tell you it grows to about a metre tall, but in our garden it’s at least two! Great for the back of the border.

AUGUST TIPS AND ADVICE:

1. It’s easy at this time of year for everything to start looking a bit tired so continue with watering, feeding, weeding and dead-heading to keep everything looking good.
2. As for previous months, top up ponds and water features as evaporation occurs – although with the rain we’ve been having we may not need to do that too often!
3. Continue to check your roses (and other plants) for pests and diseases and treat promptly if you find anything.
4. Check your climbers to make sure ties are not constricting growth or cutting in to stems. Do the same for young trees.
5. If you are lucky enough to have tree ferns and we do get dry weather – don’t forget to spray their trunks and crowns so that they don’t dry out.
6. If you have bearded Irises that need dividing because they are overcrowded, do it now, lifting the whole clump and pulling away the new rhizomes and discarding the old bits. Re-plant the new rhizomes firmly, leaving half exposed above ground level as they like to bake in the sun. Don’t forget to water though!
7. Cuttings may still be taken now of Fuchsias and Pelargoniums to provide plants for next year. You can also take cuttings of Rosemary and Thyme. Try not to let other herbs flower and go to seed, by cutting and using regularly – fresh herbs are such a valuable source of vitamins, we should all try to grow at least a few.
8. August is also a good time to prune fruit trees that have become overgrown and unproductive. It will open them up and encouraging fruiting next year. Espalier and fan-trained fruit trees should be pruned late in the month too.
9. Autumn and winter flowering bulbs such as Crocus and Muscari can be planted now, as can Cyclamen. You may also like to look ahead at bulb and seed catalogues for next year!
10. Give your lawn its final summer feed this month. Don’t do it any later as autumn applications will just encourage lush growth, leaving the grass more susceptible to disease in the cooler, wetter autumn weather.

Finally, if you are going away on holiday, don’t forget to ask a kindly neighbour to water your pots and hanging baskets while you’re away. There’s nothing worse after all your hard work earlier in the year, than coming back to a load of dead plants!

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

2009-07-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

There is something to suit everyone at this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, from the contemporary "Enchanting Escape" by Niki Palmer through to the "Growing Tastes" family allotment garden by Winchester Growers.

I personally love the tropical planting of "Desert's Delight" by Jack Dunckley as it transports me back to the wonderful holidays I have been lucky enough to have in the Caribbean.

As I said, there is a garden to accommodate all tastes and I am sure you will enjoy wandering through the many gardens that this year's Flower Show has to offer. There is a garden for dragons, one for bees, another will transport you to Thailand and yet another depicts the meeting point between nature and nurture.

Do try and get along to Hampton Court this year - it promises to be a fantastic day out for all the family!

... and don't forget that kids go free!

July in the Garden

2009-07-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

By Helen Ellison - Floral & Hardy Garden Designer

July already – I can’t believe it! How time flies when you’re enjoying yourself in the garden! The recent heat has encouraged lots of flowers and here’s a few of my faves for July:

1. Alchemilla – ‘Lady’s Mantle’ - a real old cottage garden favourite with frothy lime green flowers and attractive serrated edged leaves that capture rain and dew drops at their centre, like sparkling precious jewels.

2. Carpenteria - a shrub that’s seldom seen in many gardens with large, fragrant, papery white flowers with prominent yellow stamens and shiny evergreen leaves. Easy to grow but does need a sunny site.

3. Clematis viticella – climbers with masses of dainty, nodding flowers over a long period and in a vast colour range.

4. Lavandula – what summer garden would be complete without Lavander, with its aromatic foliage and perfumed flowers, so beloved by bees. Available not only in the familiar purple, but also in white and pink.

5. Passiflora caerulea– Passion Flower – an exotic looking climber with complicated pruple, blue and white flowers followed by edible orange fruits – the red seeds are terrific with desserts or, better still, in champagne!

6. Potentilla – an easy to grow deciduous shrub with brightly coloured flowers over a long flowering season.

7. Salvia – this is the perennial, as opposed to the bright red annual or the shrubby varieties, and has slender spikes of deep blue flowers for several months if you keep dead-heading.

8. Scabiosa – Scabious – doesn’t sound a very attractive name for what is really pretty little cottage garden plant. The frilly-edged, pincushion-like flowers are borne over a long flowering season and come in blue or white.

9. Trachelospermum – Evergreen Jasmine – this has all the fragrance of Jasminum officinale, but has a much better appearance in winter, being evergreen.

10. Verbascum – Mullein – these are tall perennials for the back of the border, ranging in colour from white and yellow, through apricot to pink. Some of them have attractive silvery, woolly rosettes of foliage at their base and they look particularly good in gravel gardens.

JULY TIPS AND ADVICE

1. Cut down faded Delphiniums, Lupins and Oriental Poppies to about 10-15cms from the ground to encourage new growth and a possible second flush of flowers later on.
2. Dead-head Day Lilies and other perennials and annuals to prolong flowering.
3. Dead-head roses and continue to feed and check for any signs of disease.
4. Lawns can be mown less frequently in dry weather and with the blades set higher too.
5. New hedges can still be planted this month as long as you water them well. Established hedges such as Box, Hornbeam, Holly and Laurel can all be pruned now.
6. If you’re lucky enough to have an alpine meadow with spring-flowering bulbs, you can safely cut it now as the bulbs will be dormant now. (obviously this does not apply if yours is a summer flowering meadow!)
7. If you have a greenhouse do not forget to shade and ventilate, otherwise your plants will cook!
8. If you have a pond with fish and you find them gulping air at the surface during hot weather, you need aerate the water, either by installing a small fountain, or by trickling some water on to the surface with a hose.
9. Fruits and veg can be harvested as they ripen – yum!
10. Finally – water, water, water!

House and Garden magazine, July 2009

2009-06-09T03:01:00.000-07:00

Sitting Pretty' - article by Cathy Strongman featured on page 46

Time spent in the garden is one of the best things about summer... and there are plenty of eco products designed specifically for outdoor living. The choice of garden furniture made from recycled or reclaimed materials has exploded in recent years. "You don't need to sacrifice style in order to go recycled" says Helen Ellison, from Floral and Hardy Garden Design UK (0845 603 2598).

In its 'Sustainability Can be Sexy' show garden at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show last year, the company [Floral and Hardy] used cushions and a hammock by Ting... made from recycled seat belts. "They looked amazing and attracted loads of attention", says Helen. "They're available in a wide range of colours and would make an eye-catching addtition to a modern scheme".... "Don't buy recycled just for the sake of it", warns Helen. "Try to take into account the processes involved in the recycling as sometimes the manufacturing can be as harmful to the environment as producing something new. The less processing involved in making the product, the better".
Helen recommends the 'Reel Rocker' from the Recycle Warehouse, a rocking chair that is made in Britain from recycled cable reels constructed from slats of wood.

"Finally, consider installing a bird box to encourage biodiversity. Check out the designs at Ben's Bird Boxes which are made from recycled estate-agents' boards".

Helen Ellison, Floral & Hardy Garden Designer

June Blog

2009-06-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

JUNE PLANTS AND FLOWERS

They call it flaming June – and if it carries on the way it’s started - at least here in the south – it’ll have earned its name!
June is a particularly colourful month in the garden and here are some of my favourite plants in flower now:

1. Allium – Flowering Garlic - a summer bulb with eye-catching, large globular heads of silvery lilac to deep mauve star-shaped flowers on tall stems, and strappy foliage.

2. Buddleia alternifolia – Fountain Buddleia - a change from the usual variety you see everywhere in summer, this one is still a large shrub, but its arching stems are completely wreathed in clusters of lilac flowers, giving the plant its common name. Unlike other Buddleias, this one should be cut back as soon as the flowers have finished.

3. Cistus – Rock Rose - really easy evergreens, requiring no pruning, in various sizes with saucer-shaped flowers ranging from white to vivid cerise pink June – July and sporadically till October.

4. Clematis – many of the really spectacular large-flowered varieties of these climbers are coming into bloom now, with flowers ranging in colour from white to pinks, reds, mauves, blues, and even pale yellow. Easy to look after if you stick to the pruning instructions on the label.

5. Cotinus – Smoke Bush - quite a large deciduous shrub with rounded wine-red leaves which turn wonderful shades of scarlet in autumn, and purplish-pink plumes of tiny flowers, whose appearance gives the plant its common name.

6. Delphinium – stately perennials for the back of the border with attractive deeply cut foliage and spires of flowers ranging from white to pink to mauve to intense deep blue. Truly majestic plants, but not awfully easy to look after, they need really good soil, lots of water and their height means they need staking early on. Slugs and snails can be a real problem in the spring too. Surely worth the effort though?

7. Geranium – Cranes Bill – an undemanding perennial with saucer-shaped flowers in a range of colours from white to pink, mauve and blue, some with attractive veining, above attractive mounds of deeply cut foliage. If you have the time to dead-head the fading flowers, the flowering season will last much longer.

8. Hemerocallis – Day Lily - such a great plant, so named because each flower lasts only a day, but is quickly replaced by another, giving this plant a long flowering season. It’s easy to look after and there are so many colours to choose from. As a bonus the flowers are edible too!

9. Iris xiphium – Dutch Iris – this iris is the one commonly used by florists and it is particularly good as a cut flower. The most popular variety is the blue, but white, yellow and purple varieties are available.

10. Philadelphus – Mock Orange - quite large, dense deciduous shrubs, some with beautiful lime green foliage, with masses of large, cupped, gorgeously scented, double white flowers. Immediately after flowering cut back the old wood that has flowered and remove any unwanted branches to ensure good flowering next year.

JUNE TIPS AND ADVICE

1. You’re safe to plant out your summer bedding now, if you haven’t already done so. Get those hanging baskets up!
2. Water everything well if we get a lot of dry weather. Do it in the evening if you can so that the sun doesn’t dry it up straight away. Also it’s better to give everything a really thorough watering once a week, rather than a sprinkling every day as this only encourages the roots to come up to the surface where they’ll dry out.
3. Top up ponds and water features regularly as some water will be lost due to evaporation.
4. Feed everything once a week, that way you’ll get a lot more flowers.
5. Tie in all your lovely climbers as they grow so that shoots don’t get damaged or too entangled.
6. Keep looking out for pests and diseases in all your plants and treat before they become too infested.
7. Hedges can be pruned now. Be careful that your tools are sharp and on no account allow the top of the hedge to become wider than the bottom, otherwise the bottom will suffer due to lack of light.
8. Ceanothus (Californian Lilac) can be pruned back now if it’s got too big, as can Chaenomeles (Japanese Quince).
9. Keep up with your weeding.
10. Relax and enjoy the weather!

Blue is the Colour

2009-05-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

With the FA Cup final imminent, I wonder if the Chelsea and Everton shirts crowding Wembley stadium can replicate the intensity of this swathe of beautiful bluebells?

True blue has a reputation for being difficult to find in the plant world, but there are options and here are just some of the ones I would recommend as being fairly easy to grow:

Shrubs:

Ceanothus

Caryopteris

Hydrangea

Hibiscus

Climbers:

Clematis ‘Francis Rivis’

Clematis ‘Perle D’Azur

Perennials:

Aconitum (be careful with this one as all parts are toxic)

Agapanthus

Centaurea

Delphinium

Echinops

Geranium

Salvia

Bulbs:
Chionodoxa

Hyacinthus

Iris

Muscari

Feel free to blog with some of your favourites, or ask us if you need any advice about which ones to grow in your own garden.

2009-05-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Newsflash!

(Photographs courtesy of Dee Sims)

If you live in the Croydon (Surrey) area, get on down to Heathfield Gardens (junction of Coombe Lane and Gravel Hill and Ballards Way – car park off Riesco Drive) asap. It doesn’t seem to be very well known, but it’s a lovely public garden with woodland areas, ponds and ornamental borders. There’s also an orchard and picnic area.

The Rhododendron walk is just coming into its own at the moment.
We were there at the weekend and the colours and scent were fab – and it’s free!

There is an ecological centre with a café which is usually open every first and third Sunday in the month, but they also have other events such as Orchid walks, Bat and Glow-worm walks, picnics and fairs.

They also encourage volunteers on their work days too. See their website for details.

If you want more – wander down the road to Coombe Wood (junction of Coombe Lane and Conduit Lane). There is a stream and pond, ornamental borders and, again, the woodland areas are studded with colourful Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

There is also a café to get a well-deserved cup of tea.

2009-04-11T03:23:00.000-07:00

"Eats Shoots and Leaves"

We are all familiar with vegetable flowers in the form of Cauliflower, Broccoli and Artichokes,
but other, more ornamental flowers have been used in the cuisine of cultures all over the world for thousands of years. The Romans were keen on them, as were the ancient Chinese, and European medieval writings talk about feasts of venison cooked with marigolds and violets in salads. Using peppery Nasturtium flowers in salads and sweet, perfumed rose petals in desserts is quite well known, but did you also know:

The young shoots of Hostas are good spinach alternative – Hostakopita is a Greek spinach pie made with hosta shoots and in Japan nori maki sushi is filled with parboiled hosta shoots marinated in soy sauce, sugar & salt. They can also be steamed like asparagus. Only use young shoots though as older leaves are too tough.

Hemerocallis – Day Lily – the flowers and buds have a sweet nutty flavour and look pretty in salads. (Don’t use other types of lilies though as they are poisonous!)

Violets & Pansies – the sweet, fragrant flowers can be used in salads, desserts and drinks and can be crystallised for cake decoration.

Sunflowers – we all know you can eat the seeds, but did you know you can also eat the buds & petals? The petals have a bitter-sweet taste and can be used in salads. The unopened buds can be steamed and have a flavour similar to artichokes.

Lilac – the flowers have a floral, slightly lemony flavour and can be used in salads.

Honeysuckle – the flowers have a sweet honey flavour and can be used as a garnish for salads and desserts. (Don’t eat the berries though as they are poisonous).

Fuchsias – the vibrant flowers look great as a garnish.

Campanula – the narrow leaves make a sweet addition to salads.

Yucca – the white flowers have a thick and crunchy texture and a sweet flavour. Be careful of the spines at the tips of the leaves when picking though!

Typha – Reed Mace – the young shoots taste similar to water chestnuts and the rhizome can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried and ground into flour!

Even the humble Daisies and Dandelions in your lawn can be picked and used as garnishes.

N.B. It’s fun to use some of these more unusual edible garden plants, but do be careful you are sure what they are as so many of our common garden plants are in fact poisonous. If in doubt, leave it out! Also, never use insecticides or chemicals on plants you may want to eat, and make sure you wash them carefully first – not least to get rid of the creepy-crawlies!

The Duffydil

2009-03-31T02:28:00.001-07:00

When all at once I saw a cloud; a host of golden...Duffydils?!

Duffy, the bubbly Welsh pop star, has been honoured by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) with her own flower.

The cultivar of the Welsh national emblem, 'Duffydil', will be unveiled at the RHS Show in Cardiff and fans will be able to order bulbs at the show. Duffy is not the first singing sensation to have a flower named after her however, and Whelsh mezzo soprano, Katherine Jenkins, has also had a daffodil on sale at previous RHS shows.

Duffy chose the bloom that she wanted to bear her name, from a selection grown by the Really Welsh Trading Company and the bulbs will also be available from them from July. The bright young singer from Nefyn in Gwynedd is very excited by the flower exclaiming to the BBC:: "The Duffydil, brilliant! Maybe now I can forgive myself for stealing them from people's gardens."

The Duffydil will be unveiled at the RHS Show in Cardiff, which takes place from 17-19 April.

April Flowers

2009-03-30T09:00:00.001-07:00

It’s official – the clocks have gone forward and it’s finally spring. We can look forward to warmer weather and longer evenings spent outside enjoying our gardens.

So what can we find in flower in April?

Here’s my top ten:

Amelanchier lamarckii (AGM)

– one of my favourite small trees, originating from North America and awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM), this beauty has several seasons of interest. In April we get masses of white flowers at the same time as the young coppery-pink foliage. In July reddish-black edible berries appear and in the autumn the foliage turns wonderful shades of red and orange. A great choice for the smaller garden where plants have to work hard for their place.

Chaenomeles ‘Crimson and Gold’

– a tough and undemanding shrub that cheers even the dullest day with its bright crimson flowers with golden anthers, borne in abundance on bare branches. Crops of yellow fruits that can be used for jam or jelly making follow in the autumn. Its spreading nature means it makes a fine wall shrub.

Doronicum orientale ‘Magificum’

– a really useful little perennial for the front of the border with attractive tooth-edged, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like flowers. Its clump-forming nature means that it can help cover up those fading daffodil leaves that can make the garden look so untidy. Contrast them with Scilla non-scripta (Bluebells) or Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) for a fresh blue and yellow spring combination.

Euphorbia characias ‘Wulfenii’ (AGM)

– a bold, architectural plant, at home in both traditional and contemporary schemes. Evergreen, blue-green foliage and sulphur yellow bracts forming large heads surrounding the tiny flowers. The foliage contrasts beautifully later on in the year with Kniphofia (Red Hot Pokers). Just be careful when handling this plant as the sap can be irritating to the skin.

Fritillaria meleagris (AGM)

– in contrast to the bold Euphorbia, this is a delicate little bulb for the rockery or for meadow areas. It is commonly known as the ‘Snake’s Head Fritillary’ for its distinctive pattern. Left to its own devices it will spread and naturalise quite happily. Plant it with Primroses for a pleasing colour contrast.

Magnolia ‘Susan’

– many Magnolias are actually trees rather than shrubs and simply too large for most gardens, so you need to be selective on which variety to choose. ‘Susan’ is one of the smaller varieties growing to only about 2-3ms tall, making it a more suitable candidate for the smaller garden. It has glorious, fragrant, purple-red, tulip-like flowers. Grow it if you have acid soil and plant it in April if you can, in a spot away from cold winds.

Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ (AGM)

- this small tree looks for all the world like a tiny weeping willow – until it flowers! It has the same weeping habit and similar narrow leaves, but the similarity ends there as pretty white flowers appear in spring and small ornamental pears (inedible) appear in the autumn. A delightful addition to any garden.

Trillium recurvatum

– with the rather disturbing common name of ‘Bloody Butcher’, this is a rather eye-catching woodland plant, but it’s not for everyone. It needs rather specific conditions with shade overhead, moist, well-drained soil below and plenty of leaf mould. If you have these you can enjoy the mottled leaves and beautiful reflexed maroon flowers, each part arranged in threes as the name suggests.

Tulipa ‘Apricot Beauty’ (AGM)

– everyone is familiar with the tulip and there are so many varieties to choose from to suit any colour scheme, but this is one of my favourites. The goblet-shaped flowers top sturdy stems and are a delicate salmon-pink fading to beautiful sunset shades before the petals fall.

Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ (AGM)

– nothing beats the intense fragrance of this shrub in early spring when the rounded heads of pink flowers open from red buds, filling the air with their gorgeous scent. Rich autumn foliage colours add a further season of interest, making this a plant I wouldn’t want to be without.

APRIL TIPS AND ADVICE:

1. Your herbaceous plants will all be showing now. Support those that are going to need it before it’s too late! Plants such as ornamental poppies and perennial geraniums can soon start to look messy if they are allowed to flop over.
2. Feed your roses! Also make sure you treat as soon as there are any signs of aphids or black spot.
3. Look out for Lily Beetles (bright red) in your emerging Lilies and Fritillaries. Pick them off and crush them or they’ll demolish the plants in days.
4. If your Viburnums have been attacked leaving the leaves like brown lace you’ve probably got Viburnum Beetle. Spray the new foliage now and at intervals throughout the season to prevent it happening again.
5. Prune early flowering shrubs such as Forsythia, Ribes (Ornamental Currant) and Chaenomeles (Japanese Quince) as soon as the flowers have faded.
6. You can feed your lawn with a spring/summer feed and mow every week from now until the autumn. You can gradually lower the blades.
7. New lawns can be sown now after carefully preparing the soil by raking level, firming and raking again. Make sure you water thoroughly – even if it rains!
8. Wildflower meadows can also be sown now. Make sure you choose a mix that is suitable for your site and soil conditions. There are many mixes available – for wet or dry soils, chalk or clay, shade or sun – easy!
9. You can sow Sweet Peas outside now where they are to flower.
10. April is also the best month to plant Magnolias.

2009-03-11T07:20:00.001-07:00

Spring is just around the corner - at last! Bulbs are beginning to show and we can look forward to the season ahead.

NARCISSUS Nothing is more cheerful at this time of year than, in Wordsworth’s words – ‘a host of golden daffodils’. There are so many different varieties of NARCISSUS, ranging from the obvious bright yellow to whites, apricots, bi-colours and now even pinks. They are easy to grow – just make sure you plant them deep enough and that you leave the foliage on for at least six weeks after the flowers have faded, so that the goodness goes back into the bulb for next year.

IRIS RETICULATAAnother March flowering bulb is IRIS RETICULATA, with its beautiful purple-blue flowers with yellow markings. It’s quite small so plant in raised beds to take advantage of its scented blooms. A sunny position is required.

ERYTHRONIUMA slightly more unusual March flowering plant is the ERYTHRONIUM or ‘Dog’s Tooth Violet’ – so named because of the shape of its tubers. This is a really stunning flower and is available in various colours ranging from white to lilac to yellow. Plant in a shady spot and enjoy.

HELLEBORUSAmong my favourite perennial plants are HELLEBORUS. They are evergreen and range in colour from white to plum-purple. Plant them in shade in a raised bed or on a bank to take advantage of their large, slightly downward facing flowers.

Many shrubs are in flower in March and among my favourites are:

CAMELLIAThe gorgeous CAMELLIA – there are many different varieties ranging in colour from purest white to deepest red. This is a large shrub with wonderful glossy evergreen leaves that make a wonderful foil for other plants later on in the year. Grow these if you have acid soil and some shade. (You can test your soil by buying an inexpensive kit from your local garden centre).

MAGNOLIA STELLATA
– a medium sized shrub with pretty star shaped flowers in white or pale pink. Don’t try to grow this plant if you have very chalky soil, or if your garden is very exposed, otherwise it’s an easy shrub to grow.

FORSYTHIA
– a fairly common, grow anywhere plant I know, but along with the daffodil, nothing epitomises the coming of spring better to me than the sheer exuberance of its stunning show of bright yellow flowers.

Finally, I couldn’t end this list without mentioning Cherry blossom.

There are so many varieties of PRUNUS flowering now, from those with delicate single blooms to those big, blousy, tutu-like confections. Some are scented, some have purple foliage, and some, of course, have the added advantage of producing fruit at the end of the season. All are very beautiful and guaranteed to raise the spirits after a long, cold winter.

March Tips and Advice:
1. The winter flowering jasmine mentioned in our winter blog can be pruned now, by cutting back all side shoots which have flowered and any old branches.
2. Prune summer-flowering shrubs such as Buddleia deciduous Ceanothus, Lavatera, summer-flowering Spiraea and Caryopteris if you didn't do it in November, The same goes for roses.
3. Prune summer flowering Clematis by cutting back to pairs of plump buds about 60 cms from the ground.
4. Cut back coloured stemmed Cornus (Dogwood) to a few inches above the ground to ensure colour next winter. The same goes for Fuchsias.
5. Trim over winter flowering Heathers once the flowers have faded to prevent the plants becoming leggy.
6. Move any shrubs and perennials that need relocating, making sure you dig around the rootball carefully.
7. Dead-head daffodils (but leave the foliage in place for at least six weeks).
8. The dead heads of hydrangeas can be removed now, taking care not to damage the new shoots beneath.
9. Generally tidy up planting beds and remove any emerging weeds.
10. Give the whole garden a feed with a fertiliser such as blood, fish and bonemeal.
11. Mulch acid-loving plants such as Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Pieris and Camellias with ericaceous compost.
12. Sow hardy annual flowers straight into prepared ground outside where they are to flower.
13. If you have a greenhouse you can also sow vegetables such as cucumbers, melons and tomatoes now. You can also start off Canna, Begonia and Dahlia tubers now by placing them in shallow trays of compost with just their tops showing.
14. Prick out any seeds you may have sown earlier, following the instructions on the packet.
15. Outside onions and potatoes can be planted.
16. Your lawn may be treated now for moss following the instructions on the packet and, on a dry frost-free day, mown on a high blade setting.
17 Finally - watch out for slugs around your precious emerging perennials and take the necessary action!

So...........plenty to do!

Winter is Coming!!

2008-11-26T01:38:00.000-08:00

Well the first of the snow has bid us hello, but left as quickly as it came, leaving us instead with freezing winter rain!!

If like me you have dusted off your vocals for some good old British moaning about the weather....... already, then you probably haven't given your garden a second thought in the last few weeks. What with snow, hail, icy rain and wind, who could really blame you?!? However, we mustn't abandon our gardens, as they need us now more than ever to prepare for the coming winter. There are still some gorgeous sights to be seen as well, so read on for tips, advice and pictures….

TIPS & ADVICE

Complete the planting of your bulbs as soon as possible, this includes Lilies and Alliums. If you are a lover of Tulips as I am, then now is the time to plant the bulbs (you have until Christmas), the recommended depth for Tulips is about 6-8 inches.

Bare rooted trees and hedging can still be planted this month.

If you are growing Blackberries, Gooseberries, Redcurrants or Raspberries, then you need to prune them all back this time of year (November-Early December).

If you have Wisteria, then prune it back once all the leaves have fallen, the side stems should be pruned to about 3-4 inches, leaving 2 or 3 buds. This will improve the flowering for the following year.

Remove fallen leaves from the lawn and mow for the final time, although not if frost is expected, and use this as an opportunity to clean your mower and store it away until next year. It’s a good idea to check over all your garden tools and give them a good clean before putting them away.

If you haven’t done so already then cover your pond with netting, this will keep out any more falling leaves. If leaves are left in your pond they will contaminate the water as they decompose.

Tidy up any dead leaves around your borders, so as not to give the slugs and snails anywhere to hide.

Do any digging over in your borders by the end of the year in readiness for spring planting and improve the soil as necessary. If you have a clay soil, incorporate some grit or sharp sand, if it’s sandy add well-rotted manure or compost. If the soil’s too wet however, leave it till spring as you may do more harm than good.

Wrap up your pots with bubble wrap, and if a frost if forecast then cover up any vulnerable plants to protect them.

If we get more snow and it starts to settle, ensure you clear any of it from plants and trees, as the weight of it can easily break branches.

Finally, now is the time to have a good look through the seed catalogues and order your choices for next year.

Don’t forget if you have any tips that you would like to share with us, then please comment on this blog, and let us know your tip, every little helps in this season, and sometimes the old tricks are the best.

PLANTS OF INTEREST

A plant that is particularly nice this time of year is one of my favourites JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM, or WINTER JASMINE
This beautiful, yet understated wall shrub is very hardy, and can survive all but the most severe weathers. The bright green stems give the appearance of evergreen, and in December when they flower, it is a most lovely display, brightening even the dullest winter day.
It likes full sun/partial shade, and can be trained up a vertical trellis etc or allowed to wander freely. It doesn’t twine though, so you will need to tie it in.

Also in flower at this time of year is MAHONIA MEDIA with its holly-like evergreen foliage and sprays of fragrant yellow flowers which the Blue Tits adore.

Displays of colourful berries are borne by CALLICARPA which has long-lasting purple fruits, and PYRACANTHA whose red, orange or yellow berries are beloved by birds.

CORNUS ALBA has stunning scarlet or orange bare stems in winter which contrast beautifully with evergreen shrubs or trees such as varieties of Birch with their white bark.

If you want scent for the winter months you could choose VIBURNUM BODNANTENSE which has very fragrant pink or white flowers on the bare stems.

SARCOCOCCA is a low-growing shrub with evergreen foliage and scented white flowers December to March.

HAMAMELIS is another perfumed shrub for this time of year, having spidery orange, red or yellow flowers. Cut a few branches and bring the fragrance indoors.

Position these plants near to entrances to make the most of the scent.

Some of these shrubs can grow quite large, at a lower level, ERICAS (Heathers) are a good choice for good winter colour, but grow best if you have an acid soil.

CYCLAMENS are also coming into their own now with their bright pink, red and white flowers and attractive marbled foliage.

Finally, let’s not forget the many attractive evergreen grasses and ferns that give interest to the borders in winter.

If you would like any further advice on growing your own Jasmine Nudiflorum or any of the plants above, then please leave a comment, or use our ENQUIRY page.

Coolings Giving Something Back

2008-07-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

Coolings Nurseries are giving back to their community.......

Hampton Court, Favorite bits!!

2008-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

The build up to Hampton Court is over, ours went really well, and considering it was our first time, didn’t have too many problems!

The last week was hectic, people tripping over each other to fit their piece of the puzzle on time! Helen made sure everything perfectly fitted her vision for a sustainable, family garden.

Here are a couple of my favourite parts of the Design….

The Hobbit House

The skeleton of this ‘Hobbit House’ was made with timber, giving a strong support system to the structure. Over this were carefully placed layers of turf that had previously been taken up from our garden plot at Hampton Court. Atop the structure sat a reclaimed skylight to bring sunlight in.

The door for the Hobbit House was an old barrel with the ends cut off, this gave plenty of room for children and adults to fit through, and giving the whole thing a really special ‘secret’ feel.

We used Silver Birch to decorate the exterior, setting off the whole look nicely.

The Hobbit House can be made smaller or larger depending on the size of Garden it will be gracing. There are many options to explore, Children will love the enchanted feel created by this kind of addition. If you would like this look recreated in your garden Talk To Us!

The Planting

Although I may be biased, I think Helen’s Garden Designs are fantastic. The English Country Garden effect she created at Hampton Court was stunning. The whole arrangement worked so well, I loved the use of colour and the variety of plants and shrubs that appeared. Visit the Plant List for more information.

Please come back soon for even more pictures and information, visit our website for further details and to contact us about your Garden Dreams

The Coolings Garden Centre Experience

2008-06-03T05:16:00.000-07:00

Coolings Nurseries are different. Of course they sell a huge range of plants, trees, garden furniture and gardening supplies, but they care about the environment and even better want to help it. They do this by being very ‘eco friendly’ and also teaching people about wildlife and the environment.

They have 2 centres, one is called ‘The Gardener’s Garden Centre’, here, Coolings focus on the plants and flowers. They grow over 70% of their own stock in their onsite nursery, so there is no need to import from elsewhere, which reduces the carbon footprint. When you go there, you find such a wide variety of plants and trees on offer, that it really is astonishing.

They have show gardens to display their ranges.

The second is their ‘Outdoor Inspiration Centre’ I recently got a chance to go there and was shown around by a very friendly, knowledgeable member of staff, I learned a lot from my visit, and also decided to go back with my son, as it is brilliant for any outdoor loving child! They sell the garden furniture, and other supplies here, as well as a few plants, but here is the place where you go to experience nature!

Using only recycled materials from their development venture, they have created a 6 acre Nature Trail, which displays local plant life, inhabited by all sorts of creatures. There are bird boxes, bat boxes and bug boxes stationed all over the place which encourage these ‘natives’ to flourish.

Coolings have their own Bee Hives that are kept by a skilled Keeper from The British Beekeeper’s Association. The honey they get from these Hives is sold in their shop.

As I mentioned before this place is ideal for kids to run around, enjoy themselves and learn about their natural surroundings, here are some pictures I took of more of the ‘recycled attractions’.

A Horse Swing!

A Grass House

A ‘Teepee’ Village (did you notice the bird boxes?)

These are Stag Beetle homes

Coolings hold workshops where you can learn how to make the many different types of ‘animal boxes’ that you see around the trail, there are also ‘bug hunts’ Falconry lessons, flower arranging and much more, go here to see what is coming up Events.

Towards the end of the trail, you will come across the lakes, which contribute to Coolings being 80% self sufficient. The water is used to irrigate their crop and is another great example of their sustainability commitment which is clear in most of their practices, go here to see more of their good ‘green’ practices Helping The Environment.

Given Coolings commitment to the Environment and Sustainability, it should come as no surprise that they have happily joined our team for the Hampton Court Flower Show, supplying us with a beautiful range of plants for the show. Please come back to the blog, and visit our main website at http://www.floralandhardy.co.uk/ to keep up to date with our progress.

Blog Soon!!

Beth

Bluebells

2008-05-12T04:45:00.000-07:00

Since I have started working on my blog, I have been walking around taking in all the luscious colours and delicious smells of the early Summer, just pondering what to take as my first subject plant.

I help my Dad out at Druidstone Park(Nr Canterbury) occasionally, and I was lucky enough to be there this weekend to see their Bluebells in full blossom.

It really is an awesome sight, as you walk through the woods spotting Druidstones hidden ‘creatures’ they have dotted around the woods, you are simply surrounded by acres of Bluebells! They have a beautiful fragrance, so if you come across them close your eyes, and breathe it in, heaven!!

So, here are a few facts about the pretty, wild plant…

Scilla non-scripta, Hyacinthoides non-scriptus - Commonly known as ‘Bluebell’ is a bulbous, perennial plant that flowers between April and May

They are a protected species (wikipedia)

It takes around 5 years for a seed to grow into a bulb

There are 3 different types of Bluebells; Native, Spanish and a Hybrid – you can see the distribution between them across the UK here

Here you will find The Woodland Trust’s guide to telling the difference between them

In Britain we have between a quarter and a half of the total world population of Bluebells

They were voted Britain’s favorite plant by a Natural History Museum Poll

Bluebells are not just a woodland plant, they like moist, shady, stable conditions, so although mostly found in the Woods, you can locate them in hedgerows and by the sea in Cornwall!!

All in all I would describe them as delicate, pretty, popular plants, and I hope to get back down to Druidstone Park so that I can see them again before they disappear for another year x

Beth's Introduction

2008-05-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have recently become involved with the phenomenal Floral & Hardy Gardens Ltd. As someone that has always had an interest in Garden Design, I have discovered here the most amazing talent in Helen and Paul Ellison. Their enthusiasm for creating Beautiful, Sustainable, and Functioning Gardens is Infectious.

My knowledge about Gardening Techniques and different plants and shrubs is fairly limited, so now that I am involved with Floral & Hardy, I am going to write this blog to show you what I am learning as I go. I will post facts, how to guides, pictures and anything else I might think will be of interest!!

I will also be posting about the Gardens we are designing, giving you behind the scenes information on the processes that are involved, photos and in some cases, interviews with the very happy clients!

Our other ‘Bloggers’ and I will be bringing you up to date news about our design for the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, our Sponsors and again any facts that we think you may find interesting.

I am very excited about being involved with such a prestigious team. Join me on my quest for knowledge and understanding about a world that can bring so much joy into people's lives. I want interaction, so any questions you have, email me and I will answer every one!

Blog real soon

Beth x x

Welcome to the Floral & Hardy Blog

2008-04-15T10:06:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Floral & Hardy blog. We will shortly be updating this blog with updates from our exhibition at Hampton Court as well as a range of other interesting garden design related information and commentary. For now please see the following preview of the design that we are currently in the process of bringing to life.