I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
August is the month when most hedges are cut. There are several reasons for this. Perhaps post importantly, by now most birds will have finished nesting and so we can trim hedges with little or no risk of disturbing nesting birds. In my own garden there were at least two broods of blue tits this…
August can find the garden looking a bit the worse for wear, especially after a hot, dry summer. And it looks like it will be warm again this week. There are relatively few shrubs that bloom in August. Of course, roses should still be blooming if we keep them watered, fed and deadheaded. Hydrangeas and…
One of the most frequently asked questions I have to answer is whether old roses can be moved. It is usually in association with a story that the rose has special memories or was planted for a special occasion. The answer varies according to the age of the rose but also the time of year….
Whether they are part of your potted patio display, hardy kinds in your borders or a hedge, or cascading from baskets, fuchsias are a well-loved component of our summer garden. Their flowers can be dainty or spectacular and whether elegant singles or blowsy doubles, the plants bloom through most of summer, often reaching a peak…
It has been a tough summer for gardens and gardeners. A hot, sunny spell is fine if you are at the beach but if you have plants to look after it can be a challenge. And then torrential rain overnight can flatten plants! My own garden is looking tired. Even established shrubs have wilted and…
It has been a blisteringly hot week! With summer in full swing, there is lots to do in the vegetable plot. There should be plenty to harvest and as you clear the ground of one crop you can sow or plant something else. There is still time to sow fast-growing crops such as radish, turnips,…
Hydrangeas, clematis, roses and rhododendrons are the stars of the garden and tend to sell on sight. Even if you came into Nags Hall for a box of fertiliser, if you walk past a display of hydrangeas in bloom it is difficult to resist buying one! But spare a thought for spiraeas, easy shrubs that…
With extreme temperatures forecast for today and the start of the week, perhaps garden activities should be kept to a minimum. Make sure your pots are watered and do not dry out. Ideally water first thing in the morning and in the evening. Perhaps even take down hanging baskets in sunny spots and carefully put…
Well, summer is here. Heat and thunderstorms confirm this. And your summer flowers should be full of bloom. If they are in pots, regular watering and feeding will keep them flowering. But there is one more job that we need to do: deadheading. There are two main reasons for doing this. Firstly it keeps plants…
Autumn is the best time to plant shrubs and trees. If planted then, the soil will remain moist all winter and there is no danger of the plants drying out. Soil will be in contact with the roots by the time growth starts in spring. All is good. When I worked at Nags Hall in…