February Gardens

February is usually a cold month and can often be colder than January, but it looks to be another year of changeable weather for us - very wet and unseasonably mild.

This month we really start to notice the days getting that little bit longer and there are often a few sunny days to look forward to too! The warmer days can tempt us outside but don’t be fooled there's still a likelihood of cold winds, heavy frosts and maybe even a sprinkling of snow so remember, early sowing of seeds and planting out may lead to disappointment!

On those days warm enough to get outside and enjoy you’ll be able to see signs of life beginning to stir in and around your garden! Snowdrops and crocuses are already up and flowering in many areas and even the daffodils have made an appearance making everywhere look so much brighter and cheerier! We're already seeing them peeping through in many of our client's gardens here in Kenilworth and Warwickshire.

This month is a really great time to prune trees, roses, shrubs and climbers that are due to be cut back in late winter. Buds are already appearing on many plants and it’s best to finish the winter pruning just before the spring time growth spurt really begins so sooner rather than later is the mantra for this year so far!

Take a walk around the garden on a warmer day and check that your recently planted trees and shrubs haven’t been lifted by the frost or strong winds (known as wind rock). If they have, gently firm them in – those that have been planted the previous year should have had plenty of time to grow out from their root balls.

Last month we mentioned planning what you wanted to do in your garden this year, whether it was making a new veggie bed, to moving or dividing plants through to re-designing part or the entire garden. So, if you are considering having a new veggie bed now is the time to plan for it and a few questions to ask yourself are:

What do you want to grow?
What is your budget?
What size do you want?
Where will it go?
What materials can you use?
How much time to you have to maintain what you grow?

Once you’ve answered those questions it’s time to get started. If there is turf in the area you want to use simply skim it off the surface and then fork over the soil and let the remaining frosts break it down and it will also give it time to settle! Have a look through the seed catalogues or go and visit a local garden centre for inspiration!

February Garden Jobs

There’s still lots to do in the winter garden!

Put cloches over the ground that you’ll be using for vegetables so the soil can really warm up and be ready for the seeds/seedlings. If you don’t have cloches use clear polythene and ensure it is weighted down at the edges.
Check garden structures e.g. pergolas, arches, fences and trellis and make any repairs as needed
Keep ponds free of ice
Keep bird feeders and water dispensers topped up
Plan a herb garden/area
Clean, sharpen and repair tools before the season really gets going
Continue to remove any debris and rubbish whenever you find it to reduce the risk of infestations of for example, greenfly, blackfly, vine weevils and slugs later in the year
Check any tubers you are storing for rot
Begin to sow annuals of both flowers and herbs but keep them in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill
Any conifer branches bent out of shape with snow can be coaxed back into place, simply tie in any branches that are spoiling the shape of the tree but make sure it is soft twine or it could cut the branch and frost could get in and damage or kill it
Remove worm casts from the lawn by using a brush and keep it clear of leaves
Keep any protective fleeces on your plants a bit longer yet!

January Gardens

Whoever said January was a boring month for gardening? Just take a look out of your windows at all the colour, ok it’s not from flowers blooming but look at the evergreens, the bare branches and the different colour barks often covered in frost.

If you’re very lucky (or unlucky depending on your view!) snow will add more interest and if you don’t have a snowfall this month you should still be guaranteed a frost or two! We've had a very mild winter again so far so chances are you will catch sight of a few Spring bulbs popping up to take advantage of the days getting a fraction lighter.

This is a great time of year to begin planning ahead in the comfort of indoors, deciding how you want your private space to look. So get out those seed catalogues or gardening magazines/books and write a list of which seeds (or if seeds feel risky, plants) to buy for the year ahead. You may even decide to buy a greenhouse and erect it ready for sowing your seeds or buy a compost bin and water butt – you can’t start preparing too early!

There are still lots of jobs to be done even on those cold and wintery days - an ideal way to burn off the mince pies and Christmas pud!

January Garden Jobs

This year has (so far) begun unseasonably mild again which means we have the opportunity to get out into our gardens early paving the way for spring. It also means that some plants will be flowering a bit too early so keep your eyes on those tender plants especially as the chances of a cold snap will still exist for the next few months.
See below for a list of jobs that can be done this month.

If you plan on sowing seeds early this year – buy the seeds as soon as you can to avoid delivery delays
Check the weather forecasts to make sure you protect any tender plants from frost and wind
Regularly check any trees you have staked, the wind can often loosen them
If you have snow remember to knock it off your hedges and conifers – it can get really heavy and make them bend
Remove any weeds that show themselves this month
Wipe all the blades on your cutting tools and remember to give them a rub down once a year with wire wool to remove the rust
Don’t forget the birds – they rely on you for their food and ice-free water!
Buy some plant pot cleaner and make sure all your pots are clean and ready for this year’s use
If you plan on sowing seeds outdoors think about covering the soil with cloches (or similar) to get the soil warm and ready for seeds
Install waterbutts and compost bins
Check any bulbs or tubers that you are storing for signs of rotting
Keep borders clear of debris or falling leaves
Keep your eyes open for any last leaves that fall, sweep them up and keep for leaf mould
Plant bare root roses
Clean both the inside and outside of greenhouses and cold frames to get ready for seeds.

December Gardens

With Christmas fast approaching us the general pace of work in the garden is much more relaxed as there is a lot less urgency for jobs to be completed now. Many people think that there is nothing to do in December but you’d be surprised! It’s a great time for pruning woody ornamental plants, fruit trees and bushes because they are in their dormant period. Now that the leaves have almost finished dropping you can really see what you’re doing and can check to see if there is any dead or diseased wood to prune out. Don’t prune your Cornus (Dogwoods) though because their stem colour gives us some striking winter interest for our gardens.

Keep clearing any fallen leaves and save for leaf mould. Even though there are fewer garden pests and diseases around at this time of year keeping one step ahead of your garden hygiene – even in December – will reduce pest and disease problems in the spring and summer. If you find anything diseased you should really burn it rather than putting it in the compost heap. Remember too to leave a few areas undisturbed for overwintering beneficial insects like ladybirds.

Greenhouse and cold frame hygiene is also high on the list this month as the moist atmosphere is a perfect breeding ground for moulds and other diseases. Insulating your greenhouse or cold frame with bubble wrap will conserve heat for those overwintering plants you’ve brought in or if you’re getting ahead with any newly sewn seeds for next year.

You’ll find that whenever you’re out and about in the garden this month you’re likely to be followed around by a Robin looking for worms or insects that you may have disturbed. Winter is a difficult time for birds, so don’t forget to feed them regularly and give them clean water to bathe as they do become quite dependent on you to survive especially in the deep cold of winter (if it happens this year! It's been super mild again so far.)

For those of you that don’t want to go out into the garden you could start to think about what you want to do with the garden next year. Make a list of any plants you want to move or divide, any new plants you want to buy or seeds you want to order. Consider the different parts of your garden – are there any parts you would like to change? Would you like to add something to it, take something away, change the shape of it, incorporate vegetable beds, perhaps?

Whatever you have in mind, don’t forget that Blue Daisy can help you shape your garden with and for you, whether it is designing all or part of it and if you're not sure what you could do don't forget we also do advice sessions. These involve an hour of Nicki's time talking about your garden with you, it's amazing the amount of information you can get in an hour...

December Garden Jobs

Start to prune your climbing roses - this is something that can be continued until February time
Protect the base of tender climbers and shrubs - straw is a good option
It's a great month to plant bare root trees and shrubs
Keep borders free of fallen leaves
Keep your garden birds fed and watered
Protect your container plants and pots - move them to a sheltered spot and if it's due to be really cold wrap up any terracotta pots with bubble wrap or similar to help prevent them from cracking
Prune shrubs and hedges while they're dormant
Keep an eye on any overwintering bulbs and corms for any signs of rot

Winter, you’ve never smelled so good

Winter, you’ve never smelled so good

According to a recent garden trends survey 49% of us use our gardens to feed/watch or to encourage wildlife. We spend around £250 million a year on feeding birds alone but whilst many of us step up our bird feeding habits through the winter it can be a tough time of year for our beleaguered winter-active pollinators, with natural food sources being generally, and literally, very thin on the ground. But that doesn’t have to be the case in our gardens. There are some fantastic winter flowering plants that can not only be a life saving food source for our pollinators, but can also add beauty, interest and often masses of scent to our winter gardens too.

In no particular order here are some of our scented winter favourites that are perfect for pollinators too:

Clematis ‘Jingle Bells’ flowers between January and March. An evergreen climber its citrus-scented flowers are creamy white and bell shaped. There are plenty of other winter-flowering, scented clematis too such as balearica or ‘Lansdowne Gem’.
Mahonia – an evergreen shrub with spiney green leaves and clusters of often heavily scented, usually yellow flowers in autumn through to spring – try ‘Sweet Winter’ or ‘Charity’
Daphnes are super-fragrant. Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’, for instance, is a much-used evergreen shrub with variegated green and yellow leaves. Its clusters of richly smelling purple buds to pink flowers appear January to March.
Sarcococca – also known as Christmas Box or Sweet Box because of its sweetly scented pure white flowers which appear from December through to March. An evergreen shrub perfect for shade.
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ – often looking like a very small tree this deciduous shrub produces dense clusters of richly fragrant dark pink flowers on its bare stems from November to March.
Chimonanthus praecox – its common name, wintersweet gives the game away. It produces small, sweetly scented yellow flowers with purple centres, on bare branches from December to February.
Hamamelis x intermedia also produces its flowers on bare branches in December through to February. Different varieties produce different flower colours from Pallida’s sulphur yellow to Diane’s coppery-red.
Winter honeysuckle such as Lonicera fragrantissima is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub that produces scented, creamy-white flowers in December through to March.
For scented perennials that pollinators adore, try Hellebores. Not all of them are scented but varieties such as ‘Miss Jekyll’s Scented’ or odorus are, and can produce flowers from December through to May. These nodding, often semi-evergreen perennials are a star of the winter border.
A variety of spring bulbs including aconite, crocus, daffodil, muscari, tulip and snowdrops all have scented varieties too and are all fabulous for pollinators. A mix of varieties can provide flowers and scent from February through to May and by adding scented cyclamen varieties too, this season can be extended all the way back to October.

Winter flowers tend to be less showy than their other-season counterparts but they do often pack a punch scent-wise since that is one of their main communication tools for attracting pollinators. So, including as many plants like these in your winter garden will pretty much guarantee a busy, pollinator-viewing winter experience. Though in terms of designing with scent try to choose plants whose scents complement each other rather than compete. Too many different scents can be overpowering but if all you’re likely to do is look at your winter garden through the windows of your home then competing scents aren’t going to be problematic. If you’re likely to be immersed in your winter garden then choosing plants whose scents complement each other or placing plants carefully when scents are likely to compete with each other, then becomes key.

Generally speaking, placing scented plants under windows, or next to doorways and gates and along pathways or the edges of patios, works wonderfully well for us because they allow us to engage more easily with their scent. But wherever they are placed, scented, winter-flowering plants can be life-savers for our winter-active pollinators.

Don’t be fooled by gardens in winter

Winter isn’t ‘dead’

It may be the ‘dead’ of winter, but don’t be fooled… contrary to popular belief winter gardens have an awful lot going for them. Not only can a well designed garden look gorgeous in winter, in terms of both gardening and design there is also lots to do in, and about, the garden at this time of year.

...winter can be one of our busiest seasons because for those clients who want to enjoy their garden in the spring and early summertime, it is in winter where all the work is required

As garden designers we’re often asked if we get the winter ‘off’ but honestly, winter can be one of our busiest seasons because for those clients who want to enjoy their garden in the spring and early summertime, it is in winter where all the work is required. The garden design, build and planting process can take anything from 5 to 24 weeks from date of sign up, and even longer in some circumstances – the weather, resource availability and other factors can often get in the way – so counting backwards, if you want to be enjoying those early rays of April sunshine in your newly designed garden you need to be confirmed in our work schedule in December, January or mid-February at the very latest.

But even if a professional garden designer and landscaper isn’t for you; it is in winter that the best laid plans for your garden need to be hatched. It is winter time that allows you to see the underlying structure of your garden and judge whether or not it’s working; it is winter time that is best for physically addressing those structural problems while plants are dormant and space is clear for movement; it is winter time that is the best time for moving plants that you want to keep because of that dormancy and it is the wintertime that precedes the time you most want to enjoy your garden, enabling you to be ready and prepared for the spring ‘rush’ to be outdoors.

If you’re not redesigning but looking after your garden the winter offers the best opportunity to prune trees and shrubs such as wisteria, fruit trees (though not stone fruit trees like plum or cherry), climbing roses, acers and vines. It is a great time for propagating many perennials from root cuttings and shrubs and trees from hard wood cuttings. It is also the best time for the maintenance of structures and tools and there are still many garden maintenance tasks that, if done regularly, will benefit your garden greatly when it does begin to come out of hibernation.

In terms of designing for a beautiful winter garden for next year, structure is the key here.

In terms of designing for a beautiful winter garden for next year, structure is the key here. Structure can be provided by a number of means: well placed evergreen plants, for instance, with different forms, texture and heights really come into their own in a winter garden. Hedge lines and simple topiary shapes like balls and pyramids can look fantastic as do ‘gone over’ seed heads and the stark imposing shapes of deciduous trees. Sheds, obelisks, pergolas, art, water features and trellis all offer structural opportunities for the winter garden along with hard landscaping features like pathways, steps and walls. And don’t forget colour too, just because it’s winter your garden doesn’t have to be dull – think of the neon winter bark of cornus and willow, the bright red berries of holly and the acid yellow/orange flowers of hamamelis, to name a few; not to mention the extensive array of paint hues and shades available to us for a man-made intervention.

Tempted to get out of your cosy armchair yet?? Go on! You know you want to and spring will be here before you know it!

Top 5 Shrubs for Late Winter, Early Spring

There are so many amazing shrubs out there and I don’t think they get the recognition they deserve. I could wax lyrical about why everyone should have them in their gardens, what qualities they add to the garden and how hard some of them really do work for us. I thought I'd share with you my top 5 late winter/early spring flowering shrubs I often use when I’m designing gardens that will add visual interest and some are also scented!

For adding that bit of drama and excitement that spring is surely here you can’t beat a Forsythia, the yellow flowers that arrive around March can’t help but make you feel cheery. It makes a great centre-piece and is as equally at home as part of a mixed border. It can also make a pretty good hedge too. Try Forsythia x intermedia ‘Lynwood Variety’ as it is tolerant of most soils and aspects - it prefers full sun or part shade.

Sarcococca confusa also known as Christmas box, its flowers are white, sweetly scented and are in their full glory from December through to March. It likes full or partial shade and is a slow growing evergreen shrub. This looks great as a specimen plant as well as planted in a mixed border or even a container. Plant it by a pathway or a door you’ll get the full benefit of that vanilla scent which really brightens up a wintery day!

Chaenomeles x superba ‘Crimson and Gold' the ornamental quince, it bears bright crimson-red flowers with gold anthers on bare stems from March until May and is a welcome injection of colour at this time of year. It is a compact shrub that grows to about 1m in height and 2m in width making it great for a small garden where space is limited, it can be trained espaliered against a wall, it prefers full sun or part shade and is happy on a north facing wall.

Hamamelis, the Witch Hazel family are incredible at this time of year and we particularly like Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’ because it is a little different to the usual yellow witch hazels. It flowers well before the Camellias and Rhododendrons welcoming the start of the gardening year and the deep dusty orange petals can be seen unfurling in January giving an injection of colour but also of scent too! Its leaves turn yellows and reds in the autumn. It prefers full sun and part shade, well drained soils and will cope with minimal pruning but without can grow quite large so is ideal for the back of borders.

Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn' flowers for a long time especially in milder winters, it can start in late autumn with the last of the flowers being seen late March. Flowers are scented and pink, the dense clusters can be seen on bare branches making them really stand out on a winter's day but they will look even better with a darker background such as a hedge to show them off. If it gets hit by frost it will produce more flowers within a few days or so, it prefers full sun but will grow in dappled shade and likes well drained soil. Plant at the back of borders as it can get quite tall and beware of the berries which can cause a mild stomach upset if eaten. This shrub will really work hard for you!

Snow - a love-hate relationship

I sat looking out of my window at the snow falling last Saturday afternoon with mixed feelings: excitement that our gardens would change if only for a few days and lift the drab days of winter with beautiful snowy scenes; concern that it would effect our business - snow covered gardens, while beautiful, means we just can't work or earn and every bit of work in the winter for the horticultural trade is very precious.

I remember as a child walking (or trying to) waist deep in snow, having snow drifts against the front door and when you opened the door you ended up with a hall full of snow! Also, digging out my Mum's car so she could get to work and I could get to school I loved everything that the snow brought. These days we hardly ever get snow and when we do it seems to melt so fast and we're left with dirty sludge and our gardens and parklands lose that magical feel. Some people seem to worry about the effects of snow whether that be driving or just getting about. Not being born in Coventry and coming from a rural village in Cheshire where 10 inches of snow or more were the norm I struggle to comprehend people's fear and how a whole city can literally come to a stand still in 2012 with just a few inches.

However that said, as a garden owner snow like we have recently seen is something to be wary of, the sheer weight can bend branches on new stems of our precious shrubs, conifers or trees to a point where they just can't spring back to their original shape and you are left with strange shapes in the garden that aren't pleasing to the eye. In December of 2010 we saw a few inches of snow but it had lasting effects with temperatures dipping to -15c in some places which meant that the snow wasn't melting instead it was just sitting on plants for what seemed weeks freezing them to a point that they just couldn't recover. This really took it's toll on so many plants, I'm sure every gardener lost at least one plant as so many were lost across the country and horticultural companies including ourselves were dealing wtih the effects right up to summer 2011. As a result some garden centres/nurseries aren't guaranteeing plants that were once classed as hardy and are even stating on the plant labels something on the lines of 'usually hardy'.

According to our weather forecasters we're in for more snow next week so do try and enjoy it, it's something we just can't control but we can lessen the effects on ourselves, our homes and our gardens. Remember if you can get into your garden take out a hot mug of tea and then gently knock the snow off the branches of trees, shrubs and conifers. Check other plants to make sure the snow isn't sitting on the crown or leaves they need a bit of air circulation around them and hopefully they should recover. Whatever you do don't prune or cut off frost damaged stems or branches just yet as you'll be tempting fate with the next visit from Jack Frost.

A Garden for all Seasons

A garden isn't just for summer - it's for 12 months of the year!

Some people often think that as soon as the leaves fall and the dark nights come everything stops in the garden. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong – while, for most of the year your garden is an entertaining space, a playground for children or a showcase for your favourite plants – it’s also there for 12 months of the year and since I’m sure you’ll be able to see it from more than one window of your home, it's also a winter vista, so why not make the most of it?

Personal Style

We all have a preferred way we like our home and gardens to look and that identity is very personal, it isn’t right or wrong, it is just our choice. Some people like to have their garden pristine with lawn edges sharp, any sign of dead or decaying plants quickly removed; perennials that are beginning to die down and over winter underground are swiftly cut back. This results in a very neat and tidy garden for winter which more often than not just leaves the evergreen plants or shrubs and any deciduous trees or shrubs as the only structure in the garden.

Other people will remove anything that is dead, diseased or damaged and remove any fallen leaves but leave perennials with seed heads throughout the winter. This does have its advantages with seed heads swaying in the breeze and glistening on a frosty morning providing something different to look at over the winter. Of course, the other benefit is to the insects as this will provide them with places to overwinter.

Regardless of your style the autumn and winter are a great time to ask yourself:

Are there any gaps in the planting?
Can I see colour in the borders?
Do I have something to look at?
Can I still see wildlife in my garden?
What month do I lose the plant interest and what month does it start again?

Planning Ahead

These questions are really helpful to prolong the interest in your garden through the winter – but can also be considered in other months too. A photo diary can help too – take photos throughout the year to see if there are any places that have bare patches, are less interesting or even are too full. This helps you plan but a few things you can do to make sure your garden does its job for the full 12 months are:

Consider buying some shrubs that have winter interest whether that is for the striking coloured bark of Dogwoods (e.g. Cornus kesslerignii, Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’) or you could consider Christmas Box or Witch Hazel (e.g. Sarcococca confusa, Hamamelis mollis) both have flowers and a lovely winter fragrance that fills the air on a cold and frosty day!
Plan ahead - buy and plant spring flowering bulbs and either plant in specific places or for a more natural look simply mix them up, throw them in the air and plant them where they fall.
Don’t forget your containers! Nip out to the local garden centre or nursery and buy some seasonal plants to provide immediate interest, you can plant bulbs in there or add them to your current containers which will offer you something different to look at in spring.

Go ahead, enjoy your winter garden. If you need any help or advice please do contact Nicki at Blue Daisy.