August or September is the best time to hard prune Lavender for great flowers the following year Late August is the absolute best time to prune your Lavender plants, when the final flush of flowers has died down.September is also fine, but it’s best not to leave it later, or you will get sparser flowers… Continue reading How to Cut Back Lavender Hard In Late Summer / Early Autumn
Should I Cut Lavender In Spring Or Autumn?
Lavender should be pruned hard every year to keep it dense, bushy, and covered in flowers during Summer It’s not good to prune your Lavender plants in late Autumn / Winter when it’s not in growth, and if you prune it in Summer you will remove all the flowers, so that leaves either Spring, or late-Summer… Continue reading Should I Cut Lavender In Spring Or Autumn?
How to Grow Lavender
How to Grow Lavender Lavender loves sun and poor dry soils, ideal for the coast or beside warm South facing walls. Which variety should I choose? In the sunnier South, all varieties will be fine outdoors, in suitably well drained soil and sunny aspect. In colder regions, the issue is longevity. Which size should I buy? The… Continue reading How to Grow Lavender
Year Round Guide To Essential Garden Jobs
January Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Bulbs Olive and Bay Nature Other February Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Bulbs Olive and Bay Nature Other March Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Lavender Bulbs Olive and Bay Herbs and Veg Borders and Flowers Other April… Continue reading Year Round Guide To Essential Garden Jobs
How to Scarify Your Lawn
Scarifying Your Lawn is Easy With a Springy Garden Rake Lawn scarification in the UK is done in Autumn or Spring, every two to three years, to get rid of thatch, which is a build up of living roots, the woodiest parts of dead grass, and living moss piled up on top of the soil.… Continue reading How to Scarify Your Lawn
How To Make Leaf Mould
What is Leaf Mould? Raking up leaves is part of a gardener’s life. The best way to make use of all those leaves is to keep them as mulch, compost, or leaf mould: that crumbly, airy, free draining stuff that improves soil, and makes a superb potting medium for seeds and cuttings. Which Leaves Should… Continue reading How To Make Leaf Mould
How To Use Horticultural Fleece on Pots
Wrap up outdoor potted plants to protect them from frost for Winter When Winter frosts are on their way, sensitive plants that aren’t practical to move into shelter should be wrapped up to protect them from the freezing weather. This is most important for tender plants, but even relatively hardy bay leaf trees can still… Continue reading How To Use Horticultural Fleece on Pots
How to Aerate Your Lawn With A Garden Fork
Using a trusty garden fork to aerate your lawn is suitable for most gardens. It’s a nice, gentle workout that you can spread over a couple of weeks, and it leaves no mess of soil plugs like an aerator.If you have a huge lawn, then it makes sense to invest in an aeration machine, or… Continue reading How to Aerate Your Lawn With A Garden Fork
The Best Trees Suitable for Heavy Clay Soils
Most trees are happy growing in heavy clay soil, as long as it does not get waterlogged in Winter Clay soil is fertile soil, the problem is that low-lying sites tend to trap water in winter, and exposed clay bakes hard in Summer. Most trees grown in the UK will thrive in clay where: So… Continue reading The Best Trees Suitable for Heavy Clay Soils
Best Plants for a Small Garden Wildlife Hedge
A good hedge is an invaluable addition to any garden. It delineates and disguises boundaries, providing privacy for humans and habitats for wildlife, with nest sites for birds and foliage, blossom, nuts, and fruits to eat. The leaf litter at the base of a mature hedge is perfect for hibernating creatures, especially reptiles and amphibians,… Continue reading Best Plants for a Small Garden Wildlife Hedge