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Edition Twenty - November 2007
Now
is a good time to tidy the garden in preparation for the
long winter months, unless you are one of those gardeners who prefers
to leave it until the Spring as advocated by the gardening experts. Well
there are benefits, for even though it has died back and has blackened
foliage, vegetation will create a micro-climate and stop the worst of
the frosts from penetrating. Wild life too will be afforded a degree of
protection from the cold. I suppose it is the natural way of doing
things, but personally I don't like to see dead vegetation overwintering
in my garden, even if it does look nice with a sprinkling of frost. I
prefer to see neat borders, even in the winter. That doesn't mean to say
I chop everything that needs pruning to the ground in the Autumn. I am
selective, leaving dogwoods and hardy fuschias in particular until the
Spring to be pruned. Frost tender plants such as the giant Gunnera can
be covered with it's own dead leaves for protection. So, Autumn or
Spring, it's a question of choice...
There are still many jobs that need to be done before beginning a spell of armchair gardening
Lawns
-
You can still give the lawn it's Autumn feed until about the middle of November, unless it is frosty of course. I find that the wheeled spreader gets very clogged up when the grass is damp, and it's easier to broadcast the granules by hand in marked out sections.. Remember the subsequent three grass cuttings cannot be used on the compost heap..
Maintenance
-
It is a good time of year for checking out and repairing garden furniture and perhaps giving it a lick of paint, varnish or oil.
-
Commission those landscaping jobs that you may have been thinking about, such as new paths, raised flower beds, or even a pond.
-
Tidy up the greenhouse and shed; if you are anything like me you will have been using them as a dumping ground for all those empty flower pots during the spring and summer.
-
Get the gardening tools cleaned and oiled where necessary. Gardening at this time of year has a special "feel good" factor about it, as we expend a last spurt of energy before several months of lazing around the house getting very little exercise, and over eating...
-
Check the padlock on your shed, because burglars like to do their Christmas shopping about now, and garden sheds are considered fair game.
Safety
-
One job I will never neglect is the sweeping up of leaves, because once left to gather in piles, they will form a slippery mass which will be so dangerous for unsuspecting older bones. We don't bounce like we did when we were younger and can easily break an ankle, or worse a hip..
-
If your paths and driveway are slippery due to ice and frost, sprinkle some rock salt down, which will protect you and your visitors.
-
Do some troubleshooting with a quick check on the trees, boundary walls and fences, roof tiles etc., just to ensure they will all endure possible strong winds.
-
Don't forget to turn the water supply to your hosepipe off.
Winter colour
Now the bedding plants are finished, instead of leaving bare borders, re-plant with wallflowers, Cyclamen, Sweet William, polyanthus and pansies, for winter and spring colour. There are some great hanging baskets in the shops, all ready planted up with winter flowering plants which will cheer up the front or back of your house.. Good value for money too!
Seasonal creativity
-
If you have a graphics programme on your computer, you might consider making Christmas cards from favourite digital photos, and don't forget to start setting aside dried flowers, grasses and twigs ready for making your own Christmas decorations. They will spray beautifully and keep for ages if previously dried...
A few good ideas for lasting Christmas presents for your garden-loving relatives or friends:
-
A years subscription to a gardening magazine
-
A gardening book from www.amazon.co.uk
-
Secateurs or other garden hand tools
-
Bird feeders and Seed
-
Gardening gloves
-
Gift voucher for a garden centre
-
Terracotta pots
-
Decorative house name or number: www.englandsigns.co.uk
-
Garden ornaments
Index to previous editions of Age-Net gardening
column here
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
****************************
Some web sites of interest to gardeners:
The living theatre of plants
and people
The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and people.
A meeting place for all to discover how we depend on plants and how we
can help to manage and conserve them for our mutual survival.
Gardening
is an important part of many people's lives. You don't have to give up
gardening because of accident or illness, the onset of disability or the
problems associated with growing older. The information on their website
is designed to provide you with the information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity Thrive
and is funded by the National
Lottery Charities Board. It brings together information
on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23 years by Thrive and research
carried out since the early 1970s by Mary Marlborough Centre, Oxford,
on tools and equipment for disabled and older people.
www.alantitchmarsh.com Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and
thoroughly nice person. Just a few choice words to describe the peoples`
favourite TV gardener. See his website....
Thompson
and Morgan
A growing resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes
the international online seed catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK
only), the wholesale seeds catalogue, together with the award winning
Germination Times and a host of other useful information.
********************
And some reading material:-
"The Yellow Book 2006" contains information of all Gardens of England
and Wales open for charity, from National Gardens Scheme and is available
from all good bookstores throughout the UK priced £7.99. http://www.ngs.org.uk/yellow_book.htm
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