Gardening

Edition Twenty One - December 2007

What a glorious autumn we have had in the UK, with mild, sunny weather and colourful landscapes, the likes of which we don't often see.. 

If you're a 'fine weather' gardener like me, you will be glad of a rest from the outdoors for a couple of months, but for hardier garden enthusiasts there are always plenty of winter jobs. Growing herbs and salads on windowsills or in conservatories is also a great way of keeping gardening alive all year round. 

Is your garden getting too much for you to cope with?

Winter gardening jobs

• There is still time during December to plant any tulip bulbs that you haven`t got in the ground yet. Dig them in deeply enough and they can stay in the ground year after year, rather than take them out as the experts recommend.

• If you are planning on planting any bare-root trees, late Autumn or early winter is the best time, while the soil is still fairly warm. Don`t forget to stake them as protection against strong winds.

• Forget about going to the gym, get some exercise by raking all the leaves off your lawn. Leave the ones that have dropped in the borders as they will rot down naturally and help the soil nutrition.

• If you don`t have a compost heap, put the damp leaves in bin liners tied at the top. Make several holes in the bags for any water to drain out and leave them in a shed or garage. By next year they will have rotted down to beautiful leaf mould to put on your borders. Or after just six months they will be rotted enough to use as a mulch for your plants..

• It is all to easy to hibernate in the winter months, but a brisk gardening session, when you are well wrapped up against the elements, will do you the power of good.

• Cheer your home up with some potted hyacinths, paper white narcissi and of course the beautiful seasonal poinsettas, Cyclamen and Azalea plants.

Don`t forget to keep the bird food topped up over the winter months as they do come to rely on us humans for their food and water. And if your pond freezes over make sure you keep a hole in the ice so the fish can get oxygen.

Happy gardening and Happy Christmas...

RHS Flower Shows 2007

Tickets for RHS members

Privilege rate tickets are available for RHS members to all RHS shows, but tickets must be booked in advance. Click on the individual show links below for further information.
RHS members are not charged a booking fee for tickets purchased except for advanced tickets to the Malvern shows. To find out how to become an RHS member click here