Sowing the Seeds . . .

Oct 6, 2017 | 0 comments

One of the quickest and easiest ways to get some colour in your garden is also one of the cheapest!  Packets of Annual seeds can be bought in the supermarket, garden centre or high street homeware store for a couple of pounds a packet and they literally can provide hundreds of colourful flowers in just 1 packet! And if you sow some now you will get early colour next Spring through to the Autumn!

What is an Annual?

Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in 1 year. Summer annuals grown from seed will flower all summer and then the plant will usually die with the first frosts in the Autumn. They are a great gap filler between shrubs and perennials; working really hard for you during the Summer putting on a great display. They then do you a great favour! Once the flowers fade they set seed which drops to the soil creating plants and flowers for you again next year! And it’s this seed dropping we are mimicking by sowing seeds in the Autumn!

It’s all in the preparation . . .

  • 1st weed the area that you are going to sow to taking out anything you don’t want however big or small (it might not be that easy to weed for a few weeks as all seedling tend to lo the same!)
  • If your soil is quite dry water it now so you don’t wash away the seeds when watering after sowing.
  • Then rake over the area to break up the soil particles and give you a level area
  • If you’re sowing several different types of seed, consider mixing them up to sow a random selection. Look at the expected heights to help you gauge. I tend to mix two blends according to height and sow the taller plants at the back of the border and the smaller plants towards the front.

There are 2 different sowing techniques depending on how neat and tidy you like to be!:

  • No. 1 is very random: you liberally sprinkle the seeds over your area with your fingers. Once sown gently rake the soil again to cover up the seeds. It will be hard to distinguish your seedlings from weeds when they grow so this may not suit everyone!
  • No. 2 is more controlled: draw a line in the soil with your finger or a bamboo cane and sprinkle the seed along the groove you have made. This could be a straight line or a curved one. Rake the soil back over the groove when sown. When the seedlings appear you will see the line and know they are plants as opposed to weeds!

If it doesn’t rain you will need to water your seedlings in the coming weeks. They may began to poke their heads out of the ground within a couple of weeks, but as it’s colder at this time of the year it may well take a bit longer.  If they are bunched up together in places thin them out by snipping the emerging stems off with scissors. This gives the others more room to grow and doesn’t disturb their root growth.

You should see plants and flowers in late Spring to early Summer. By then you should be able to distinguish the plants you want from the weeds!  Deadhead the flowers with scissors or by pinching them off with your fingers throughout the summer to encourage the plant to flower some more. Leave the flowers in place as we get to September though so you get your free seeds for next year!

Just have a go – it’s dead easy and kids love sowing seeds too and they also love seeing all the different sizes and shapes of seeds.

Here’s a video of me demonstrating the 2 sowing techniques!

Ideas for Winter Pots

Sep 11, 2017 | 0 comments

There are plenty of plants to replace the summer colour that is about to die off in your pots and containers.  Remember to include:

  • a  T H R I L L E R as a statement or focal point
  • F I L L E R S to fill the gaps and add a different texture or colour
  • S P I L L E R S to soften or spill over the edges

Here are just a few suggestions:

Pansies or their smaller more delicate sisters Violas – In a range of colours there is one for everyone.

Choose 1 colour per pot for masse impact and then keep deadheading them to keep them flowering for  months.

 

Polyanthus and Primroses

Primroses are a Spring flower in a delicate shade of Yellow but sometimes they can start flowering in the dead of Winter.  Polyanthus are a blinged up version of a Primrose and come in bright hues all over Winter.  Keep them tidy by removing dead petals and leaves and they will keep you smiling all through the Winter.

Hellebores (Christmas Roses)

They come in white to dark purple and once Winter is over and you want something new in your pots put them in the garden for next year!

Heather

In a range of colours – can look great in combination with Hellebores and Violas as they have a contrasting texture.

 

Heuchera (Coral Bells)

A stunning evergreen perennial that comes in all shades from plum to lime green – great in pots and in the ground! They prefer a slightly shady spot.

Cyclamen

Beautiful nodding flowers in pink, red or white above heart shaped veined leaves.

Anemenathele lessonia (Pheasant Tails Grass)

An evergreen grass with coppery hues that adds a differnt texture and movement in a pot.

Christmas or Sweet Box (Sarcoccocca)

An evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and little white flowers that has the most gorgeous scent.

Daphne

Another evergreen shrub with delicate little pinky-white flowers with a honey like scent – make sure these are by your front door on path so you can take advantage of the perfume!

 

Skimmia japonica

An evergreen shrub with white flowers and red berries – very elegant

Nandina domestica (Heavenly Bamboo)

An evergreen shrub with delicate leaves with red tips when new

 

 

Succulents like Sempervirens are very fashionable at the moment and make a modern twist on a Winter pot – the geometry in their detail is mesmerising!  I reckon these could make a fantastic Christmas present!

 

 

All these plants can be transplanted into the garden after Winter as they will all survive for years to come.

I’ve created a Winter Pots Pinterest Board with pictures of all the above so take a look and take your pick.

Share your pots with me so we can all take inspiration from what you create!

Renée

x

 

Growing your own Pumpkin

Growing your own Pumpkin

May 7, 2017 | 0 comments

Now is the perfect time to sow Pumpkin Seeds ready for the Autumn!  They are so easy and the seeds are big enough for kids to handle and sow for themselves.  Here’s how:

  • Fill a pot with seed compost (make sure the pot has holes at the bottom) and place 1 seed edge ways onto the compost and then cover with a fine layer of compost
  • Water the pot until the compost is moist (but not dripping) and place in a clear plastic bag and tie a knot in it.
  • Keep the compost moist and as soon as a shoot starts to appear, open the top fully and grow on until there are several leaves.
  • Leave outside for a few days then plant out in the garden or a large pot.  Plant the pumpkin on top of a mound of soil to ensure good drainage and keep the plant well watered.
  • You can use netting or a big plastic bottle cut in half to keep away pigeons, footballs, little brothers and sisters etc.
  • Leave your pumpkins on the plant for as long as possible until the skin has hardened.  Cut each fruit from the stem leaving several inches of the stem attached, and leaving a ‘T piece’ if entering it into a competition.
  • Pumpkins can be prone to rotting if they are sitting on wet ground. If necessary you can raise the fruits off of the ground using a cardboard box. You can help the fruits to ripen by removing any foliage that is shading them.

Happy planting!

Renée

Having a . . . bulb moment

Oct 2, 2016 | 0 comments

12 bulbs for all year round

One of the easiest ways to add colour and interest to your garden is to plant bulbs.  There is a bulb for every time of year. From Snowdrops in the Winter to Alliums in the Summer.

TOP TIPS:

  • Plant bulbs in groups of odd numbers for a naturalistic look that has impact.
  • Planting depth depends on the size of the bulb.  Aim to plant to a depth 3 times the size of the bulb.
  • Autumn is the time to plant those bulbs that flower January – June.
  • Spring is the time to plant those bulbs that flower July – December.
  • Buy less variety.  For example instead of buying a whole host of different coloured Tulips choose just 2 colours to create a harmonious theme.
  • Buy cheap bulbs!  If they’re expensive it means the Grower has had to spend a lot of time getting it right, which means it might be a DIVA!

Happy Bulb Buying!