A Gardens and Homes Direct Blog
The number of hedgehogs spotted in English gardens has been steadily declining over the last few years. A study undertaken in 2015 by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society shows that the urban hedgehog population has declined by a third since 2000, and the countryside population by up to three quarters.
You may have come across an article in the past week featuring results from a survey about young people’s attitudes towards gardening. The enlightening data showed that the nation’s youth’s most loved gardening program was “Gardener’s World”, which stormed ahead of the timeless classic “Can’t Remember The Name” in second place. And, only 7% had been encouraged to seek a career in horticulture, even though 79% had experience growing a plant!
One respondent – Female, 14 (probably not her real name) – said “It’s kind of stereotypically for older people so I would like it to be more inviting to younger people.”
September is an important time for gardeners, with the transition from Summer to Autumn becoming crucial for deciding how you want your garden to look through the colder months and beyond. So here are a few ideas for what to do in your garden this month.
Prepare your winter pots and beds
As summer flowers begin to wilt, now is a good time to prepare the garden for winter. Replace flower beds and pots with simple, low maintenance, hardy plants that will continue to bring a touch of life to your garden through the colder months. Bedding plants like cyclamen, violas, primulas and polanthus will continue to flower every so often throughout milder periods, evergreen shrubs like ivy or thyme fill out a garden with green leaves, and tough plants like sempervivium will survive even through freezing temperatures. Plant your winter selections now to allow them to bed in a grow to an optimal size before the temperature drops.
Plant sweet peas
As one of the most popular flowering plants, there are hundreds of varieties of sweet pea, with breeders developing new types each year. The simple “White Supreme”, the blue flowering “Charlie’s Angel” or the frosted pink “Gwendoline” all provide a delightfully strong scent that makes them sought after in gardens. Plant towards the end of the month in fertile, well drained soil with as much exposure to sunlight as possible, and keep watered during dry spells. Use pea sticks, canes or trellises to support the plants and allow them to climb as they grow. They should begin to flower beautifully by late spring.
Plant coriander
Many crops are reaching peak time for harvesting, but there’s still time to grow something new. Coriander, best used in Indian or Thai cooking, can grow well with limited sunlight to add a fresh flavour to autumnal dishes. Plant coriander in deep pots or flowerbeds and protect with a cloche during colder nights and you should be rewarded with a crop that lasts until winter.
Enjoy the outdoors with a fire pit
Though the evenings may be getting shorter, there’s still plenty to enjoy in the garden. If your summer beds are still in bloom and your garden still smells fresh and peaceful, don’t miss out by retreating inside. Add a decorative fire pit or chiminea to your garden and add some essential warmth to your September evenings outdoors. With many designs to choose from, an outdoor fireplace adds a contemporary touch to outdoor living, and becomes a wonderful, cosy centrepiece for friends and family to gather round.
Outdoor heating is available now at Gardens And Homes Direct.
It’s time to stop thinking of your garden as a separate entity to your home. The lines are blurring between indoors and outdoors: nature makes its way in to the house while comfort and style spill out to the garden.
Houseplants have always been an essential feature for introducing warmth and life to a home, but there is a growing trend for more vibrant, more tropical and more varied growing arrangements indoors.
If you’ve always considered gardening an analogue activity, uninterrupted by the technological advances that have taken over so many other activities, then it’s time to discover a whole new way to grow. Our smartphone-enabled modern world doesn’t have to always be at odds with the beauty of nature, sometimes it can actively help to enhance it. We’ve discovered five brilliant apps that are changing the way we grow things, and this short guide will demonstrate the simple steps that you can use them for to create a modern, flourishing garden.
Summer is very nearly here, which means it’s time to get your garden looking beautiful in time for hot Summer days, barbecues, and lovely cool evenings. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of our top gardening jobs for you to get done this June, to have your garden looking Chelsea Flower Show standard just in time for Summer!
Hi readers, we’re very excited to tell you about one of our favourite times of year. Starting next week, from the 11th to the 17th of April, it’s National Gardening Week across the UK! In partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, National Gardening Week is an opportunity to get out and get your garden in a tip-top state, just in time for Summer, as well as see some of the country’s best gardens!
February is finally here after a rather chilly and stormy January for most parts of the UK. What with the business of getting back into the work routine post-Christmas, tidying the house, getting the kids back to school, and just the lack of any nice weather, there’s a chance that your personal landscape might be feeling a bit unloved and a bit worse for wear. It can be difficult to know where to really start in a situation like this, and with Spring on the way, it’s a good time to read our extensive list of gardening tips, exclusive from some of the top gardening bloggers on the web.
All weather garden furniture has come a long way in recent years. No longer does it consist of a few foldaway plastic chairs and a wonky dining table. Nowadays, you’ve got to choose between wrought iron, faux-rattan and what colour your outdoor cushions should be.
With Spring about to begin, we’ve taken a closer look at 5 hot garden furniture styles for 2015.
The Suntime Deluxe Luxor Gazebo Swing - Beige has just been reduced by £50 Come and get yours now before they run o… https://t.co/3yAGRSQESH
2 years ago
Back by popular demand, and now in stock, the Luxor Swing Seat Gazebo. https://t.co/vFN6chWDM8
2 years ago
Just arrived in stock, our new 5 Piece Callisto Rattan Collection with Adjustable Table. Save 10% this Easter with… https://t.co/OIvumfzWEI
2 years ago
