madgardener23

Getting nature to help!

Well here in the South East of England, we were having a hot spell..(25 to 31 degrees C). Having lived in Málaga, and various other hot countries, this for me is “lovely” weather! Dry and sunny also means I can use those conditions to try and eliminate unwanted plants, whether they are weeds or justContinue reading “Getting nature to help!”

Bushes and hedges

Now that the weather is improving and getting “hot” everybody wants to tidy up hedges and bushes.. And an echinacea plant that a customer bought last year.. Now really coming into its own.

Enjoyable

I’ve always liked clearing overgrown neglected gardens (not through the owner’s fault.. Many times it’s a result of time and manageability) and attempting to restore them to hire they would have looked. Generally I try not to use chemical weedkillers.. Just because you still have to clear the dead weeds once the chemicals have worked,Continue reading “Enjoyable”

Make overs

Plants that should come with a warning

The other day I was watching Gardener’s World (CPD) and one of the presenters was showing how you can have a wildlife pond in any size garden by sinking a wooden half-barrel in the ground – a great idea !! click on the link below to wqtch the barrell pond. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09jbcl8 you’ll notice that heContinue reading “Plants that should come with a warning”

Busy days

The gardens are in full swing after the cold spring we’ve had. Grass cutting weekly, weeds popping up everywhere. The rewards of the autumn and spring preparation, mulching, planting and pruning (especially the roses) are starting to show.

Clearing

Clearing for a start to a garden that will benefit wildlife..including; some water (wildlife pond), more perennial plants for insects, native mixed hedge for food and shelter. margins of cleared area – kept the comfrey, blue alkanet, herb Rober, nettles, some wood avens, and possibly clearing an overgrown veggie plot and planting veggies; beans, butternutContinue reading “Clearing”

Flowers

Some interesting, common and not so common flowers. Can you name all of them?

No day is ever the same

Some interesting work this week – A customer’s beloved tree peony was damaged in high winds – the first year that each of his 3 plants have had 3 blooms, and growing well; after expanding the bed and adding 20 bags of compost and 10 of manure last autumn. I discovered the damage and sawContinue reading “No day is ever the same”

Lawns

I use a mower which has 3 options; collection, mulch and side discharge. Generally I use collection at the start of the season i.e the forst cut after winter, and the last cut before winter. Why? Overwintered grass has to survive the cold, ice, snow – whatever is thrown at it – collecting these bladesContinue reading “Lawns”