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March in the garden

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

 

March sees spring bulbs out in force with days often being bright and sunny, if a little windy. Buds are appearing all over the garden, as are the weeds! The days get longer as the clocks go forward and life starts to slowly reawaken from the long sleep of winter.

This seems to be the time of year more than any other when I really notice how in sync we are with nature, spring feels like waking up after a long sleep and starting to feel full of energy and vitality again, so too in the garden as bulbs are forcing their way through the soil and buds are forming on the tree’s. New life is visible everywhere, people seem happier and the birds seem to sing that little bit louder.

The sun is here starting to warm the earth, it is all starting to happen under the ground, there is always something new to experience in the garden this month. With spring being probably the busiest season in the garden, there is much to do but be warned that late frosts are still likely to be careful not to put anything tender to risk.

The early spring sunshine brings to life yellow and blue planting schemes, my favourite for pots and baskets. Note as you look around for wild flowers, drifts of bluebells with pale yellow primroses, daffodils and forget-me-nots, nature never gets it wrong.

 

The Lawn

The lawn is likely to show real signs of growth this month. Start mowing with blades at their highest settings and slowly lower over the next few weeks to prevent stressing your lawn. Now is a great time to start making repairs to any worn or damaged areas of your lawn.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

Prune the butterfly bush Buddleia davidii hard back to a framework of older wood at 60-120cm. Shoots will already be starting to grow but don’t worry. Cut hard back to the size you require, even if it leaves the plant entirely leafless. This plant will come back time and time again and is one of the garden’s fastest and most prolific growers. Flowers will be on the ends of this year’s growth.

 

Roses

Use clean, sharp secateurs to prune bush roses (hybrid teas and floribundas) now, if you haven’t already done so. First cut off all dead, damaged or diseased stems and thin, spindly twigs. Note that hard-pruning increases strong growth, so cut back weak shoots hard (to leave only about 1in of last year’s growth) cutting above an outward-facing bud; leave about 2-3in of last year’s growth on stronger stems. Shrub roses need less radical pruning. Take out about one third of the oldest and thickest branches at their base, using a pruning saw. Tidy up the remaining stems by trimming over the top to reduce height by about 4in.

Other things to do this month

· Prune bushes and shrubs to encourage new growth

· Feed fruit trees

· Plant summer bulbs around the garden borders

· Plant a spring container

· Clear debris and old stems from beds and borders as well as weeds and follow with good mulch of compost or bark

· Divide and replant congested perennials

· Dead head any early spring flowers and bulbs as they die off

· Remove weeds and reseed lawns if needed

· Spring clean paths and driveways removing stubborn weeds

· Now is a good time to plant or move evergreens, as the weather warms up and root activity commences, but before new shoots have opened.

Spring is so very nearly upon us, so happy March Gardeners.

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Female Entrepreneur of the Year award


The Zimbabwean Achievers Awards have been set up to “recognise Zimbabweans throughout the UK who have pushed the limits against all the odds to raise the Zimbabwean flag high and do both themselves and their fellow countrymen proud” according to the website. When I received the call notifying me of my nomination I was knee deep in well rotted horse manure, and feeling anything but the entrepreneurial business woman flying her national flag high! It is an incredible honour to be nominated by this burgeoning bud of positive Zimbabweans who are striving to make a difference here in the UK.

It was humbling to read about what our UK based Zimbabweans have achieved, some literally risking life and limb in the front line of duty, whilst others are fighting for the human rights of fellow Zimbabweans, boosting tourism and encouraging entrepreneurship back in Zimbabwe. Pruning Mrs Smith’s roses for her seems terribly inadequate amongst this lot, and I feel incredibly lucky to have even been considered, never mind nominated!
Ed’s has been a hugely supportive part of my business growth, and a mix of wonderful clients and hardworking, passionate employee’s have allowed me to grow my business during a time of recession. I think a large part of this is due to my Zimbabwean upbringing; a phrase I was weaned on was “We’ll make a plan” if things went wrong. Friends in the UK have taught me a new one, “Fancy trainers and kissy lips won’t get you across the finish line” , something I often repeat to myself during the wettest, bleakest and lonelist days. My parents and brothers taught me the importance of integrity, of doing what you say you’ll do, and of supporting those around you. I have aspired to bring this with me into my business and have been lucky to have clients who have been flexible and supportive during the growth stages. People often ask me if I want to go ‘home’, but Zimbabwe is with me in the way I speak, the person I am, the friends and family I have, and in so many of my memories. The UK has offered me an incredible opportunity to start and run a business, and I have been overwhelmed by the positivity and support of both professionals and friends here. A lot like the horse manure, I think the best option for now is to spread the love for both!
If you would like to vote please visit the website https://www.zimachievers.com/
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October in the garden

October in the garden

For the next couple of months it may seem that all you are doing is clearing up leaves, as quick as you can clear them, they have fallen again. It can feel like a never ending cycle, especially if you are lucky enough to live in a place surrounded by giant Chesnuts and Oaks but it is very important for the health of your autumn lawn. Leaving leaves where they fall will starve your lawn of light and can quickly cause the spread of fungal disease.

I always consider it to be good honest work and if you really put your back into it and whistle while you work, you can skip that session at the gym that you had planned. Here’s a little tip if you don’t have too many leaves to clear: Rake them on to the lawn and just cut the grass, let the mower do the picking up for you, a small amount of leaves can be added to your compost heap or bin in the normal way.

However, if you are gathering large quantities to save you endless trips to the tip, you could try making leafmould.

Great for top-dressing containers, rockeries and woodland plants, leafmould can even used as a top-dressing for container grown Rhododendrons and Camellias in Spring or as a mulch for perennials and it couldn’t be simpler to make.

 

Step 1

Place the damp leaves into black bin liners with a few air holes added using a garden fork.

 

 

Step 2

Tie the tops and stack the bags in a shady spot out of the way.

 

 

 

 

Step 3

Leave the bags until next autumn, by which time the leaves should have broken down to form rich, crumbly mulch. For a finer top-dressing leave longer. Take care when opening the bags and do not breath in any dust or spores from the compost.

 

 

Also this month:

 

  • Plant Tulip bulbs
  • Plant new perennials and climbers
  • Force bulbs for Christmas
  • Plant up some new autumn interest planters for the patio
  • When the first frosts have blackened the foliage of your dahlias trim them back to the base of the main stems and carefully dig up the tubers
  • Keep houseplants drier to slow down growth during the winter
  • Clear garden, burn any diseased debris and compost the rest
  • Take semi-ripe cuttings from shrubs and roses
  • Turfing
  • Cut back remaining perennials that have finished flowering
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Sarah Whaley bring us up to speed with her business

Sarah has been running her Ed’s Garden Maintenance business since January 2007, taking on one of the early franchises and over the last few years has been successfully growing her business and providing services to both private and commercial clients.

‘Having initially come from an agricultural background in Zimbabwe, moving to the UK was always going to be challenging. I was incredibly blessed during my early years to be exposed to outstanding scenery, flora and fauna. My mother was a gardening guru, and from an early age my brothers and I were planting up hanging baskets for agricultural shows, and getting involved in all sorts of entrepreneurial forays. This inspired a keen interest in gardening, horticulture and the natural world, and I came to the UK to study a BSc (Hons) in Landscape and Garden Design at Writtle College in 2002, achieving a 2.1 degree and an award for the most improved student on my course.

Starting with Ed’s was a wonderful opportunity to break into a competitive industry and take control of my earnings. It also reduced the risk of starting on my own at a rather young and inexperienced 23 years old, whilst still giving me the flexibility to develop my own angle on the business and drive growth in the direction I wanted to go.

One of my initial concerns was about coping physically with what is a very demanding manual job. The job is all about having the right tools however, and we have been encouraged to invest in top of the range equipment which makes almost any job do-able, and gives me complete reliability for my regular maintenance customers. I have also been fortunate in having a great support network within the Ed’s team, and have taken on seasonal labourers during the summer months. Last summer I took on my first full time employee, and we now have two full time employees and a couple of part timers we can call on during the busiest spells. I have concentrated on expanding the business whilst still maintaining a personal relationship with my clients, and trying to provide the same level of service they have come to expect.

We are looking to expand this year and slowly grow a team of passionate and enthusiastic garden maintenance operatives who really care and continue to learn, and slowly we will expand our portfolio of regular customers ensuring that we deliver the best possible service individually tailored to our clients’ needs and budgets. Working with a positive team of people and passionate clients has all the ingredients of a rewarding work experience.

Happy customers make it all worthwhile, and my favourite part of this job is when a customer says to me “You’ve transformed my garden, I love it!” There’s no better incentive to keep on doing what we do.’

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September in the garden


September in the garden

With the days becoming shorter and nights longer and cooler, this is the time to enjoy the last throes of flowering from late perennials, now is the perfect time to think about creating a border using plants that will look great during the autumn months and bring some much needed colour and interest to your garden well into the winter, something to help beat those winter blues.

Below are some plants that are just perfect to recreate the warm colours of Autumn in your own back garden, if you don’t have a large garden with beds all of these plants will be happy in pots or tubs, so are excellent for the patio gardener too.

Sedums are an obvious choice, as are asters. And both sedums and asters will survive an early frost while dahlias collapse into a messy heap. Reliable and brilliant colour, sedums are especially good for dry gardens. So are perfect for the low maintenance gardener. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ is a tried and tested performer, massed with bees and butterflies and it will carry its flat heads long into winter. Plant this at the front of the border to make the most of the interesting foliage.

Asters take their name from the Latin word meaning “Star” and there are over 600 varieties to chose from, available in a rich range of colours these long lasting and colourful daisies really brighten up the border – they also make great cut flowers, pick them, put them in a vase and keep cool and they can last for well over a fortnight.

Rudbeckias or ‘Black-Eyed Susan’ will inject some vibrant colour into the bed and are perfect alongside Heleniums, creating a mass of orange and yellow, It should almost feel as though Summer is still here!

Also this month:

Deadhead perennials and annual plants to encourage them to continue flowering. If you are interested in wildlife in your garden leave some flowers to develop seed heads, rather than cutting them back, to provide food and shelter for wildlife. For instance some Roses can form hips which will be a good food source for birds.

Late September is the perfect time to turn your attention to your lawn. Renovate established lawns by scarifying to remove debris (known as thatch) and spike to allow air into the soil and allow surface water to drain away. It is also a good time to sow new seed and patch up areas that have been affected during the summer.

Before autumn truly sets in, roses still need to be sprayed against mildew and hedges neatly trimmed as well as getting spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips planted.

Have a lovely and productive September.