Things to do in the garden in January January may feel quiet in the garden, but it’s the perfect time to prepare for the year ahead. While growth slows during winter, there are plenty of tasks to keep you busy and set the stage for a successful spring. Plan your planting Use this downtime to…
Packing up your tools for winter A bit of prep at this end of the year will pay dividends in the spring, so rather than watching the telly this afternoon, get a bit of fresh air. Once the jobs are done you have every right to feel very smug indeed and think about how much…
Look after your garden wildlife this winter At this time of year, the wildlife in our gardens will need a little bit of extra help to keep it going during the colder days and nights. Here are our handy hints to help keep your friendly mammals, birds and insects well-fed, safe and cosy: To help…
What’s the right fresh Christmas tree for you? Our member garden centres offer a selection of Christmas trees. But which one should you choose? Here are some of the benefits of three of the main varieties that are usually available at our member garden centres. Norway Spruce The Norway Spruce is the traditional Christmas tree…
Tree-sons to be cheerful November is an ideal month for tree planting in the UK. The soil is still warm from summer, allowing roots to establish before winter sets in, and the cooler air reduces stress on young trees. As long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, it’s a perfect time to get planting.…
How to select & care for a fresh Christmas tree When selecting your tree there are lots of things to consider. Make sure you measure the space where it will go, as you don’t want a tree that’s too small or too big. Think about your colour scheme before making your selection. The colour of…
Bright ideas for spring-flowering bulbs Autumn is the best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs ready for next year including corms, tubers, rhizomes and bulbs. Most bulbs suit well-drained soils in full sun, but for shady areas, you could plant Anemone nemorosa, Corydalis solida, Erythronium and Galanthus. Benefits of planting now Most bulbs benefit from being…
Planting allium bulbs The perfectly formed allium is a sight to behold in the garden, coming in a variety of colours from white, yellow and sky blue through to deep claret and mauve. There are tall ones, short ones, single flowered and multi-headed ones that can add a different dimension to your planting schemes. How…
Creating a winter window box wow Window boxes are wonderful for relieving townscape drabness and will add charm to any home in an urban or country setting. To add a striking note to winter containers use ornamental cabbages. Their swirls of crinkly-edged leaves add welcome textural impact to a mixed planting arrangement and their rose,…
A few jobs for the weekend Now is a great time to do a few essential jobs while things are a little quieter generally in the garden. Pruning Tall deciduous shrubs like roses, tree mallow (lavatera) and butterfly bush (buddleia) that will be pruned in early spring are best cut back by about a third…