Where can I buy a Christmas tree in Reading, Bracknell and Wokingham?

Take a look at our list of places selling real Christmas trees in Reading, Bracknell, Wokingham and Berkshire.

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/can-buy-christmas-tree-reading-10537530

11 ways to beat the cold as winter kicks in at last

As temperatures fall in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell here are some things you can do to stay warm and save on energy bills

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/11-ways-beat-cold-winter-10732371

Earley man arrested after hit and run leaves pedestrian with serious injuries

A man was hit by a car in London Road in the early hours of Saturday morning

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/earley-man-arrested-after-hit-12236979

Reading rents increase by almost £100 per month in a year

The staggering increase in rental prices in Reading is the 14th highest rise in England

from getreading - Property http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/property/reading-rents-increase-100-per-12222734

Watch Craig David turn on Legoland's Christmas lights

Christmas comes to Legoland Windsor's Miniland

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/watch-craig-david-turn-legolands-12231512

10 fascinating garden gifts we’d all love to get

Garden gifts are tricky.

I don’t think any of us wants a random plant. Certainly not if we have middle-sized gardens, because there’s rarely a spare space to squeeze a plant in.

And there are always grumbles on Twitter about the inevitability of hand creams as garden gifts at Christmas.

But the Garden Media Guild has come to the rescue by holding its annual awards just a month before Christmas. Many of the award-winning books, magazines and more make perfect garden gifts.

The great and the good of the gardening world huddle together. The 28 judges include Sir Tim Smits of the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Penelope Hobhouse, George Plumptre of the NGS, and other gardening household names.

They decide which books, magazines, TV programmes, photographs and new media have been the best of the best over the year.

Books make great garden gifts…

If you love gardening, books are quite literally fascinating. And there’s a good chance recipients won’t have got these as they were only published recently. So here are my own favourites from the Garden Media Guild’s pick of the best gardening books.

(Note: There are some affiliate links, which means you can click on the headline or photo to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee, but that doesn’t affect the price you pay.)

The New Wild Garden by Ian Hodgson

The New Wild Garden won the Peter Seabrook Practical Book of the Year Award. It’s inspiring, practical, informative, well-written and beautifully produced. What more could you ask? I think that anyone who loves gardens would be truly fascinated by this book. It’s definitely my own personal favourite of the gardening books I’ve read this year.

The RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening by Chris Baines

This informative and delicious book was a short-listed finalist in the same award.

At this point, I feel I should remind myself (and possibly you) that ‘wildlife gardening’ is about the wee beasties that live in our gardens and ‘wild gardening’ is about naturalistic planting.

So ‘The Companion to Wildlife Gardening’ addresses different issues to those of ‘The New Wild Garden’. However,  this is another beautiful book, also written by an author who really knows his subject. Chris Baines created the very first wildlife garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1985, and has been president of the Wildlife Trusts for 30 years. I’d love to get this one for Christmas!

The City Grower by Matt Franks

This would be a great garden gift for anyone who says they’d like to grow food, but don’t have the space. It won the Alan Titchmarsh New Talent Award.

Matt Franks, the author, plans, builds and maintains edible gardens across London. He runs Connected Roots, an urban food growing social enterprise. He works with companies (such as Google) and individuals to grow food in city environments. This book is another on my Christmas list.

The Book of Pears – the definitive history and guide to over 500 varieties

When this – the winner of the Reference Book of the Year – was announced, there was a ripple of approval around my table. Reviews describe it as one of the best books on fruit and fruit growing ever. It has, I understand, won other awards.

As the Garden Media Guild judges said ‘pears so often play second fiddle to apples.’ No longer. Although if you really love someone, you could buy them the accompanying reference book on apples, too.

Magazine subscriptions make fascinating gifts too

Magazine subscriptions make great garden gifts because they arrive every month. I have always been a magazine fan. You don’t have to recharge their batteries, and you can read magazines in the bath (just about!).

So here are my favourites from the Garden Media Guild’s award-winning magazines. Although all the magazine finalists would make great garden gifts.

Gardener’s World: This won the Magazine of the Year Award, and there are some good gift subscription offers available. Hugely informative and very authoritative. You can’t go far wrong with Gardener’s World.

The English Garden – one of the short-listed finalists. The English Garden is a lovely magazine. Interestingly, it offers a cheaper digital-only subscription for those who prefer reading on their tablets and smartphones.

Gardens Illustrated. Another short-listed finalist. Very much the Vogue and World of Interiors of the gardening world, and more international than the other two. It’s gorgeous and aspirational. Get it and weep over your own middle-sized plot.

The gift of learning…

There is quite literally nothing more fascinating than learning from an expert. Courses and workshops are so exciting – the best garden gifts of all, in my view.

My Garden School won the GMG Website of the Year. It’s an online gardening school and the courses are taught by best-selling authors and well-known experts. Noel Kingsbury, Paula Pryke and Piet Oudolf are just a few of the famous names.

The award-winning My Online Garden school website

You learn via videos and downloads. And you get practical assignments and a ‘community’ where you can learn from how each other’s assignments are assessed.

I couldn’t find gift tokens on the website, but I’m sure you can buy courses as gifts. The prices are more expensive than books and magazines – most courses are between £100-£200, but there are offers.

A year’s worth of fascinating garden visits

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) featured in a number of the award categories, including Radio Broadcast of the Year for their exclusive members’ podcast by Lucy Dichmont and Alex Feldmon.

RHS membership gives you free entry to RHS gardens, such as Hyde Hall in Essex.

A year’s gift membership costs £57 and gets the recipient and a partner free entry to RHS gardens, access to the RHS advice services and priority booking for RHS shows. It also comes with 6 postcards, 2 packets of free seeds, and vouchers for a gift bag and £5 to spend at the RHS Gardens. And those award-winning exclusive members’ podcasts, too.

What would Christmas be without a calendar?

The GMG Awards also support two gardening charities. One is Greenfingers, which creates magical gardens for children in hospices.

The other is Perennial, which supports those who work in horticulture. It helps those who have financial, health or other difficulties.

Help Perennial to help them by buying this year’s garden calendar as a garden gift. It has photos by garden photographers, Marcus Harpur, Ben Charles, Jonathan Ward, Clive Nichols and, er, me. Not that I could call myself a ‘garden photographer’, but I was thrilled that Perennial chose one of my Middlesized Garden photos for ‘October’. It is really encouraging, and I hope to improve my photography by going on courses next year.

 

That’s a hint to Mr Middlesize, if any of you see him. (He doesn’t read the blog).

Perennial also have an online shop selling other garden gifts, cards and stationery.

This is only a selection of the GMG Award winners. You can find the rest online here.

So what would you like for Christmas? Apart from world peace, of course…let me know in the comments below or on Twitter (@midsizegarden) or The Middlesized Garden’s Facebook page.

The post 10 fascinating garden gifts we’d all love to get appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/10-fascinating-garden-gifts-wed-all-love-to-get/

Man seriously injured in Reading hit and run

A man in his 30s was taken to hospital after he was hit by a driver who failed to stop

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/man-injured-reading-hit-run-12233615

Winter Drab To Winter Fab

Autumn tips to prepare your garden for Winter

Photo – Your crops have been harvested, and the gorgeous summer colour has faded from your borders – but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s all over until next spring. Autumn is a busy time in the garden, clearing away the decaying vegetation of the summer and preparing the garden for the cold winter months ahead. Let the big clear up begin!

Tidy Borders

Dig up annuals and add them to the compost heap. You can replant your beds with winter bedding such as pansies, bellis daisies and wallflowers for a colourful display next spring.

Autumn provides an ideal opportunity to move poorly placed plants, and divide overcrowded perennials while the soil is still warm.

Remove Greenhouse Shading

By September, the days become shorter, and light is increasingly valuable resource. Removing the shade paint in your greenhouse will maximise the sunlight available to your plants. A bit of scrubbing with some hot water will bring the glass up sparkling clean. Pay attention to any gutters where trapped leaves will prevent rain water escaping from the roof of your greenhouse. Use this opportunity to replace any broken or damaged glass too.

Spring clean your greenhouse in autumn

Since you are already cleaning the outside of the greenhouse, it makes sense to tackle the inside as well to help reduce overwintering pests and diseases. Remove the plants before sweeping out any plant debris. Disinfect the greenhouse paths and staging, and the inside of the glass too. Ventilate your greenhouse well over the next couple of days to dry it thoroughly.

Clear out compost bins

The autumn clear up of borders and vegetable plots always generates a lot of plant material for the compost heap. Autumn is an ideal time to clear out last year’s compost and use it around the garden to make room in compost bins for this season’s garden waste. If your compost isn’t quite ready then turn it to improve decomposition, and create a new heap – you can never have too much compost!

Plant evergreens

Evergreens form the backbone of the garden, providing structure and year round interest, so the more evergreens in your garden, the better it will look in winter! With warm soil and cooler conditions, autumn is the perfect time to fill those gaps in your borders.

Net ponds

Decomposing leaves can turn your pond water foul and block filters on pumps. Save effort later on by catching leaves before they fall into your pond. Simply spread a fine meshed net across the pond and pin it down with bricks.

Maintain garden equipment

Before you store your lawn mower at the back of the shed, it is well worth sending it for a service to ensure that it is in perfect condition when you need it next spring. Shears and secateurs need sharpening, spades, forks and other tools will benefit from a good wash. Dry them thoroughly and oil the metal parts to prevent rust. Wooden handles can be cleaned and protected with linseed oil.

So get cracking and make your garden a Winter Wow.

Sponsored post.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/11/24/winter-drab-to-winter-fab/

PAW Patrol coming to Reading this weekend for meet and greet and here's how to get tickets

The characters from the kids' TV show are coming to town this weekend for a ticketed event

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/paw-patrol-coming-reading-weekend-12222678

Firezza pizzeria opening in Reading offering eat-in and delivery

See what's on offer as the self-proclaimed 'proper pizza revolution' hits town

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/firezza-pizzeria-opening-reading-offering-12222483

Reading Prison will host one off performance by Berkshire drama school Berzerk Productions

Here's all you need to know about the special showing by the youth theatre company

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/reading-prison-host-one-performance-12213625

Are gardening Black Friday deals worth it?

I hadn’t realised there were gardening Black Friday deals. I’ve been vaguely aware of Black Friday as a day when tech and gadgetry gets marked down.

But I noticed that ‘Garden & Outdoors’ is featuring in Amazon’s Black Friday deal emails.

For those who don’t know what Black Friday is, it’s a day when prices are slashed significantly. Technically Black Friday is the 25th November, but the prices have already been reduced on Amazon, and some other stores. They’ll remain low over the weekend, too.

So is it a good time to re-stock your tool shed or make that expensive one-off investment?

Time to get some good bargains in gloves or secateurs?

I have picked out the Black Friday gardening deals for products I use. I’m featuring products I’ve personally found good. Or I’ve checked each product’s Amazon review results. All the products featured below have an exceptionally high number of positive reviews.

Are gardening Black Friday deals really cheaper?

So I know they’re good products, but what about the prices? Are you really getting a good deal or could you get the same item at the same price – or even less – elsewhere?

I’ve checked other online store prices for each item. I can’t pretend to have found every single retailer’s price, but I’ve a good idea whether the Black Friday prices below are good value or not.

After all this hunting around, I did find some good bargains, the best of which are below.

There were also categories where I couldn’t see bargains (which doesn’t mean they don’t exist…).I don’t think Black Friday is an especially good time to buy a shed off Amazon, for example, unless you want a plastic one, which is where most of the shed deals were.

I couldn’t find many good Black Friday money-off deals on garden furniture online either, but it may be worth visiting your local garden shops, as it’s the end of the season.

The garden furniture deals were disappointing, too, with just £10-£20 off large value items like garden furniture sets.

But I reckon the deals are good on several other things, and I’ve picked out my favourites below.

A few things you might like to know

As I’m an Amazon associate, I may receive a small fee if you buy via these links, but this won’t affect the price you pay.

And speaking of prices, these often change from day to day. You’ll need to click the link to find out exactly what price is being quoted at this moment.

Delivery makes a difference, too. I’ve checked what the products below would cost from their manufacturers. Sometimes the price is not too different from the Amazon Black Friday price, but the difference could be in the cost of delivery. If you’re a member of Amazon Prime, there’s free delivery on many items.

You also get TV and movie downloads included in your Amazon Prime membership, as well as photo storage options. If you’d like to know more, click here.

 

The post Are gardening Black Friday deals worth it? appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/are-gardening-black-friday-deals-worth-it/

Second phase of A33 bus lanes in Reading expected to be approved

Councillors are expected to approve plans to put the next phase of work out to tender at a meeting this week

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/a33-bus-lane-reading-phase-12213198

First ever Reading Comic Con and more things to do this weekend

Looking for something to do in Reading at the weekend? Take a look at our suggested events for Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27

from getreading - Family & Kids http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/first-ever-reading-comic-con-12196476

Revealed: the Reading streets most likely to be hit by burglars

getreading analysis uncovers the areas in Reading most frequently targeted by criminals

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/revealed-reading-streets-most-likely-12195676

Reading teen who dumped knife in bin outside court loses appeal

Bradley Maynard admitted he had become "out-of-control" but appealed for his three-and-a-half year sentence to be shortened

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/reading-teen-who-dumped-knife-12203605

11 places to get a roast in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell after Wetherspoons axes dinner

The pub chain announced that the roast would be removed from their menu back in February.

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/11-places-roast-reading-wokingham-10967688

Severe weather warning in Reading as Storm Angus winds could reach 75mph

Strong wind and heavy rain is expected in the south east

from getreading - News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/severe-weather-warning-reading-storm-12202899

Free family fun, Father Christmas and fairy tales on the bill for Wokingham Winter Carnival 2016

Here's all you need to know about what's on offer at this year's event for all the family

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/when-is-wokingham-winter-carnival--12191377

Caesarean births becoming increasingly popular for mums in Reading

13.4 per cent of all births at the Royal Berkshire Hospital last year involved a mother who chose to have an operation rather than give birth naturally

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/caesarean-births-becoming-increasingly-popular-12196198

What is this year’s most charming Christmas theme?

Stylist Liz Bauwens picks a Christmas theme for at least one glossy magazine every year.

She’s worked for the Vogue group, Good Housekeeping, Ideal Home, House & Garden, Country Homes & Interiors and lots more, as well as styling books and ad campaigns.

Liz and I have written six interiors style books together. The most recent is Upcycled Chic & Modern Hacks. Note the ‘feather’ hooks on the left – all part of this year’s ‘birds’ theme.

Now Liz has opened a shop called Otto Trading in Acton, London. I visited it to get ideas for Christmas decorating and to find out what theme she thinks works best this Christmas.

Birds is a top Christmas theme 2016

Liz has identified ‘birds’ as a top Christmas theme this year. I’m delighted to hear this. Firstly, it’s a charming theme.

Secondly, The Middlesized Garden blog has decided to come indoors this week, because it is winter, after all.  Luckily, a theme of birds is entirely appropriate for a gardening blog. I feel I can write about birds in Christmas decorating without being accused of going off-topic.

String a paper bird garland along your kitchen shelves this Christmas. Available from Otto Trading.

Liz is very good at finding things which are both stylish and original. She travels around the UK and France to find unusual hand-made and vintage items which have simplicity and character. ‘I’m also interested in the fair trade and eco side of it all. How and where things are made is important,’ she says.

I love the way she’s hung this bird garland on open shelves. It’s small and delicate – it won’t get in the way of using the shelves. If you’re very nifty with craft, you could probably make one from bird stencils.

But I couldn’t find any suitable ones, so perhaps it’s better to buy it from Otto Trading for £6.50 (Liz can post it, although she hasn’t got full online trading set up yet).

This rustic bird on the right is hand-made in England. Perfect for a Christmas themed mantelpiece – and it would look just as good on a garden table outside in the summer.

How to rock a theme

You don’t have to have everything the same when you have a Christmas theme. It’s a great opportunity to mix things up in a contemporary way without ending up just a muddle. Liz has feather patterned plates, feather hooks, several different sizes and styles of decorative birds, a bird garland, knitted birds and more.

When you walk in the shop, you don’t immediately think ‘what a lot of birds’. It just all looks very pretty and hangs together without looking ‘matchy-matchy’.

A clever tip for shelves

I couldn’t resist telling you how Liz created her shop shelves, although that’s not strictly about either Christmas decorating or birds.

She bought old ladders and painted them with a quick wash of white paint. She then painted new scaffolding boards with the same white wash, and fixed them to the ladders. It was much cheaper than buying shelving, and has a lovely rustic look.

Find more of Liz’s clever tips in our books: Upcycled Chic & Modern Hacks, Thrifty Chic, Fleamarket Chic and Country in the City.

A quick, stylish Christmas table centrepiece

Use a branch from your garden as a light, contemporary centrepiece for a dining or side table. Liz found this apple branch in her mother’s garden, and used it as a base for her Christmas theme.

Use a branch with good proportions – not too big or it will topple over. This is around 1m/3ft high.

A branch in a jar or vase can be unstable, so Liz used white aquarium gravel to weight down the base. You can get it easily in pet shops, or via this Amazon link. (I’m an Amazon affiliate, so if you buy via the links, I may get a small fee, but it won’t affect the price you pay.)

Or watch the video below to see how Liz does it:

Find Otto Trading at 113 Churchfield Road, London W3 6AH for vintage and contemporary homewares, and also interior design advice.

And there’ll be more Christmas decorating ideas in the next few blog posts, so do join us every Sunday morning – subscribe by email in the box on the top right of the page.

I also find that Pinterest is a great resource for visual ideas, so I’ll be picking favourite Christmas decorating looks on the Middlesized Garden Christmas Pinterest board – let me know if you have a Christmas Pinterest board, too. Thank you!

The post What is this year’s most charming Christmas theme? appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/what-is-this-years-most-charming-christmas-theme/

See how your Reading Santa Run fundraising can make a difference to local charities

If you've signed up or want to take part in the run, see what the money raised by runners goes towards

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/see-how-your-reading-santa-12191079

Drug seizures in Thames Valley soar as police crack down on Class A dealers

Thames Valley Police recorded a considerable increase while the number of drug seizures made across England and Wales fell

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/drug-seizures-thames-valley-soar-12171057

Berkshire to be hit by heavy rain and 55mph winds

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning of wind and rain

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/berkshire-hit-heavy-rain-55mph-12195793

How The Monks' Retreat got its name

As one of Reading's Wetherspoon pubs prepares to close we take a look at the history of the popular watering holes

from getreading - Berkshire History http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/berkshire-history/how-monks-retreat-wetherspoons-name-11888626

How The Monks' Retreat got its name

As one of Reading's Wetherspoon pubs prepares to close we take a look at the history of the popular watering holes

from getreading - Berkshire History http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/berkshire-history/military-leaders-ginger-beer-old-11888626

Secretive NHS cost cutting plans published by Reading council as £479m funding gap revealed

The NHS is planning to make £34 million of cuts to workforces in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

from getreading - Health http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/health/secretive-nhs-cost-cutting-plans-12183033

Reading traffic and travel: Train delays and slow traffic on M4

Your traffic and travel round-up for Thursday, November 17

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-traffic-travel-train-delays-12192612

Bulmershe school choir land spot on Gareth Malone's new TV series

The Bulmershe Ensemble is one of the four choirs competing on the BBC Two series to be crowned Britain’s most entertaining amateur choir

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/bulmershe-school-choir-land-spot-12183289

Hurst village pub to reopen this November after six figure makeover

As well as a whole new look, the pub will be relaunching with a new menu

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/reading-pub-wheelwrights-arms-reopen-12182562

Some lucky supermoon sightings in Berkshire despite heavy clouds

Thick clouds ruined most people's view of the supermoon last night, although a few people did manage to capture the phenomenon

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/lucky-supermoon-sightings-berkshire-despite-12177047

Children in Need 2016: Where can I buy merchandise?

Here's all you need to know about merchandise available as part of this year's appeal

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/children-need-2016-buy-merchandise-10419855

Drivers using mobile phones at the wheel targeted by Thames Valley Police

Dedicated patrols are targeting the unruly drivers as part of a nationwide crackdown

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/drivers-using-mobile-phones-wheel-12171591

Students rage at Paxman, Arborfield could become Berkshire's Hollywood and three more stories you may have missed

The top stories of the day on Monday, November 14

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/students-rage-paxman-arborfield-could-12176185

Dilapidated Reading office block being converted into student flats

The development will convert Berkshire House in King's Road into a block of 129 apartments

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/dilapidated-reading-office-block-being-12163145

10 creative ways to improve your winter garden

What does your winter garden look like?

Do you even have a ‘winter garden’ as such?

I find that the garden becomes a bit of a dumping ground between November and February.

But sometimes the light catches the bark of a silver birch, or the frost outlines dying seedheads. It is so poignantly beautiful that I realise how much winter has to offer gardens.

Gardens used to be able to snooze through winter, but today’s glass kitchen extensions, massive glass sliding doors and huge picture windows mean a middle-sized garden is on show all year round.

So I went to RHS Hyde Hall to talk to garden manager, Andrew Hellman, about the new winter garden they’re creating.

RHS Hyde Hall in Essex in November. It’s a garden with year round interest.

I wasn’t entirely sure what a ‘winter garden’ was. I imagined something with lots of evergreen trees and topiary, which would make crisp frosted outlines on freezing winter mornings.

To my surprise, there wasn’t an evergreen tree or a topiarised shrub in sight.

‘A winter garden is all about the light,’ explained Andrew. He advises you to look out of your window (or your glass bi-fold doors…). Observe where the sunlight falls over the day, and plan appropriately.

‘There’s a wonderful slanting sunlight in the winter,’ he says. ‘Some plants, such as grasses, look wonderful when they’re backlit. Others, such as cornus, look best when the sun is shining on them.’

Cornus look best when the sun shines on them, but grasses sing with the light behind them.

As today’s ‘winter gardens’ are close to the house, where they can be seen, it’s essential to choose plants which look good in more than one season.

For the RHS Hyde Hall winter garden (and yours) that means shrubs with good winter stem colour, such as cornus. Or choose trees which reveal beautiful bark when they drop their leaves.

Next, think about how your herbaceous plants will hold their shape even when their colour is gone. This includes grasses and plants such as salvias, echinacea, sedum, phlomis and thalictrum.

Finally, include a few shrubs with winter interest or scent, such as daphne or callicarpa.

So, specifically, what does Andrew recommend for the middle-sized winter gardens?

1) Trees for winter gardens

Fruit trees are good because they don’t grow too big. Choose trees with spring blossom and autumn colour or ones that hang onto fruits and berries for a long time.

At RHS Hyde Hall, they choose crab apples that hold their fruit, although Andrew admits that he forgot about this factor in his own garden. ‘I planted a crab apple, waited a few years for it to fruit, and then realised it wasn’t good at holding onto it.’ It’s nice to know that even the experts can get it wrong.

Malus ‘Gorgeous’ living up to its name at RHS Hyde Hall. Choose a crab apple that ‘holds onto’ its fruit for longer during the winter.

So he suggests malus ‘Adirondack’ or the slightly larger malus ‘Gorgeous’, which was looking particularly lovely during my visit to Hyde Hall. Both have masses of white flowers in spring, and long-lasting colourful fruit.

2) Trees with beautiful bark

Trees don’t have to keep their leaves to be beautiful. Andrew is planting a range of trees for their bark in the Hyde Hall winter garden. These include the ghostly grey Gingko biloba (see below) and a golden-barked Prunus Maackii ‘Amber Beauty’ (see the video below for a view of its golden polished trunk).

The ghostly texture of gingko biloba without its leaves at Hyde Hall.

3) Shrubs for winter interest

For scent, Andrew suggests that you tuck a sarcococca confusa or Christmas box in somewhere. It’s an evergreen, and has the most glorious white flowers and winter scent.

Cornus sanguinea ‘Anny’s Winter Orange’ – recommend by Andrew for its intense winter colour.

Cornus, of course, reigns supreme when it comes to winter stem colour. Andrew advises you to place it where the sun will fall on the stems – which will make their colour richer. His recommended favourite is Anny’s Winter Orange.

4) Purple ‘beauty berry’

Andrew recommends callicarpa ‘Profusion’ as another good shrub for the middlesized winter garden. It has pale lilac flowers in early summer and incredible purple berries in autumn and winter. ‘They look as if someone had glued cake decorations onto the plant’, says Andrew. Its bronze spring foliage is sought-after for flower arrangements.

Callicarpa ‘Profusion’ has stunning winter berries. A striking addition to any winter garden.

Callicarpas have been difficult to grow in the past, because they’ve needed several plants grown together in order to fruit. However, ‘Profusion’ has an RHS Order of Merit and can be grown on its own.

Callicarpa berries – it has pale lilac flowers in spring.

5) Create movement and drama

Grasses give a winter garden structure and movement. Andrew recommends Panicum ‘North Wind’ – it’s a large grass but is very columnar, so it doesn’t take up too much space. It’s very structural and has good autumn colour that fades to brown. It’ll go on looking good until you decide to clip it down in spring.’

Panicum ‘North Wind’ will turn a richer colour as the winter progresses.

In the video below, Panicum ‘North Wind’ runs all along the left hand side of the first few frames, under-planted with bergenias.

6) Plant a winter garden for pollinating insects

Contrast shapes by placing verticals like grasses with low, spreading rounded flower heads. Sedum makes a great contrast to the vertical grasses and spires. Sedum ‘Matrona’ is one of the latest-flowering plants – ‘on a fine day, it’s swarming with pollinating insects,’ says Andrew.

Sedum ‘Matrona’ at Hyde Hall, halfway between its late summer ruby red and winter dark brown.

It’s also a ‘a winner for a long season of colour. It starts as a rich red and fades to a dark brown, while remaining very structural. ‘

7) Plant for summer colour and winter structure

Some plants hold their shape and flower or seed heads over the winter.  They add good summer colour, then fade to brown. These include symphotricum (formerly aster), phlomis russeliana and echinacea. Andrew recommends Echinacea ‘Pallida’ (pale purple coneflower) as a more unusual version, which looks delicate but is actually tougher than some other cultivars.

This symphotricum has a pretty blue flower in late summer and autumn.

The same symphotricum, now adding texture and shape to a winter garden.

I didn’t see a single hydrangea at Hyde Hall, but I felt they deserve a mention in any post on winter gardens. Personally I love hydrangeas most in winter, especially when their dried flowers heads are iced with snow. I also think hydrangeas work particularly well in pots or against walls, so they suit more urban gardens than Hyde Hall.

My friend Emma’s black-stemmed hydrangea in August.

The same hydrangea in early January. I love its sculptural shape and copper colour.

 8) Contrast shapes and sizes

When colour is subdued, then it’s particularly important to have a contrast of shape. Mix tall spires with lower, more rounded plants. Grasses and sedum can be a good combination. Andrew recommends Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ for its lilac spires in summer and ghostly pale winter verticals.

Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ in winter.

The tall, columnar Panicum ‘North Wind’ contrasting with low, large-leafed bergenia.

9) Think about early spring colour

Just as the late flowering plants feed pollinating insects towards the end of the year, a good winter garden will be a source of nectar for early pollinators. Andrew recommends bergenia, which flowers in early March and keeps its shape throughout the year. ‘It’s good for filling gaps at the edge of a border or to line a path,’ he says.

10) Tidy the edges – not the beds

One last tip from Andrew

We are all now advised to leave piles of fallen leaves or debris in beds, and not to be too tidy over winter. It helps wildlife and allows leaves to rot down, restoring their nutrients to the soil. It also saves time.

However, Andrew says that if you neaten the edges of borders, the garden will look much better.

A border at Hyde Hall, with its neat edges. Verbena bonariensis is another good plant for summer flowers and winter structure.

The Winter Garden at RHS Hyde Hall in Essex is not yet fully planted, but the whole garden has a great deal to offer in winter. They also have a Christmas programme.

And do join us every Sunday morning on the Middlesized Garden (subscribe above, top right). Or find more tips and inspiration on the Middlesized Garden YouTube channel, where you can see more of the gardens featured here.

The post 10 creative ways to improve your winter garden appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/10-creative-ways-improve-winter-garden/

Reading's poor work life balance, 15,000 new Berkshire homes and three more stories you may have missed

See all the top stories on getreading from Friday, November 11

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/readings-poor-work-life-balance-12165235

Wokingham village is home to best blue cheese in the country

Two Hoots Cheese's Barkham Blue won the title at the inaugural Great British Cheese Awards

from getreading - Food & Drink http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/barkham-blue-cheese-award-wokingham-12156689

Blind Woodley veteran to march at Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday

Charles Miller, who served on HMS Emperor during D-Day, will be joined by more than 100 other blind veterans in London

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/blind-woodley-veteran-remembrance-sunday-12149848

6 crops you can plant in the winter time

 

There are many seeds, bulbs and plants that will grow during the winter months and they don’t only produce beautiful flowers. The winter is the time to plant most vegetables and flowers ready for the spring dinner table. The Guardian online has a grow-your-own guide to winter vegetables and the best ways to plant them.

1. Spring Bulbs

During the winter it may seem your garden has nothing going on, but there are plenty of jobs to do in preparation for the coming weeks and months. If you go to the Spalding Bulb website you will find a wide variety of seeds and bulbs that can be planted during the winter for spring. Sitting back and deciding how you would like your garden to look the following year can be a great way of relaxing and planting spring bulbs can be one of the most rewarding of all. Once your flowers start to grow you know it won’t be long until you have colour back in your flower beds.

2. Onions

Starting a vegetable garden may seem like a daunting task but once you harvest your first crop you’ll appreciate the freshness. Growing onions is relatively easy, and these bulbs do well deep in the ground over the winter months. Look out for the Onion Electric variety, if you’re trying to add a stunning red colour to your cooking.

3. Gorgeous garlic

Garlic responds well to cold temperatures and frost. This wonderful bulb is popular in stews, omelettes, salads and a whole host of meals, and it is reputed to be good for thinning the blood. There are two main types of garlic to look out for, according to The Independent gardening blog: soft neck and hard neck. If you’re thinking of storing your crop, then opt for soft neck. Garlic doesn’t grow well in damp mild winters. 

4. Potatoes

The potato is one of the easier root vegetables to grow and is resistant to frost if planted at the right depth. The best time to plant them is February and they are usually grown from pieces of tuber that has at least one eye, or from small whole tubers, they will be ready to harvest three months after planting.

5. Lettuce

This plant needs to be well watered and planted in fertile soil; the seeds should be planted in January or February, but check which type of seeds you buy, as some plants prefer warmer months. There are dozens of varieties available so you should find the right ones to suit your needs.

6. Peas

The best time to plant the humble pea is between November and February and the seeds should be planted approximately two inches deep in rich soil. You should build a frame for them to climb up once they start to grow. They will wind their tendrils around netting or poles as they develop, but you should be aware that birds love the fresh pea sprouts so try and cover them with some netting.

Article by Ella Mason

Sponsored post

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/11/10/6-crops-you-can-plant-in-the-winter-time-2/

Pedestrian who died after A404 collision near Burchetts Green is named

The 26-year-old, from Castle Hill Terrace in Maidenhead, died on Sunday, November 6

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/pedestrian-who-died-after-a404-12157021

Remembrance Day 2016: Put a poppy on your profile picture

Our widget lets you add a poppy to your avatar or profile picture to mark Remembrance Day on Friday, November 11

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/remembrance-day-2016-put-poppy-12143108

Remembrance Sunday services in Reading, Wokingham and Bracknell

Find out where the services will be taking place on Sunday, November 13

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/remembrance-sunday-services-reading-wokingham-12140922

Berkshire Tesco Bank customers warned online transactions frozen after hack attack

The company was hacked on Saturday and the company has been forced to freeze online transactions while it works to solve the problem

from getreading - Shopping http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/berkshire-tesco-bank-customers-warned-12138130

Woman with ties to Reading reported missing

Lauren Seaman has gone missing from her home in Faringdon in Oxfordshire

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/woman-ties-reading-reported-missing-12137475

Tesco Bank customers unable to withdraw cash after accounts hit by 'suspicious activity'

Tesco Bank has apologised and is issuing new cards to affected customers

from getreading - Shopping http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/tesco-bank-customer-accounts-hacked-12136081

Be transported to France at Reading's French Affair and more things to do this weekend

Take a look at our ultimate weekend round up - complete with family and kids events, gigs and more

from getreading - Music & Nightlife http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/transported-france-readings-french-affair-12130738

Pride of Reading winner: Microsoft UK's support for its fundraising staff earns it Business in Action award

Microsoft UK scooped the (large) Business in Action at the Pride of Reading Awards

from getreading - Business http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/pride-reading-winner-microsoft-uks-12136873

Tesco Bank customers unable to withdraw cash after accounts hit by 'suspicious activity'

Tesco Bank has apologised and is issuing new cards to affected customers

from getreading - Shopping http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/tesco-bank-customers-unable-withdraw-12136081

Pedestrian dies after A404 collision near Burchetts Green

A 26-year-old man died at the scene on Sunday, November 6

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/pedestrian-dies-after-a404-collision-12135743

The child car seats law is about to change and this is what you need to know

There are new laws coming into place this year regarding the use of booster seats, take a look at the changes

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/child-car-seats-law-change-11897293

Pride of Reading: Mencap's Leslie Macdonald named Community Champion

Leslie Macdonald was honoured for her dedication to helping people with autism and learning disabilities

from getreading - Local News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/pride-reading-mencaps-leslie-macdonald-12132423

Pride of Reading: Cream Designs win Business in Action for helping unleash inner magic

Cream Designs won Business in Action at the Pride of Reading Awards

from getreading - Business http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/pride-reading-cream-designs-win-12132365

Pride of Reading winner: Hospice which cared for Amelia Saunders named Charity of the Year

Naomi House and Jacksplace has been named Charity of the Year at the Pride of Reading Awards

from getreading - Reading & Berkshire News http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/pride-reading-winner-hospice-cared-12131302

Berkshire independent jewellers relaunches to meet modern demands with exclusive pieces and services

The independent jewellers in Crowthorne has relaunched to keep up to date with the latest digital and designers trends - see what's on offer for customers

from getreading - What's On News http://www.getreading.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/berkshire-independent-jewellers-relaunches-meet-12118251

Take an insider look at the essentials of garden design

Can you really cram the essentials of garden design into one day – let alone one blog post?

I was invited to join the KLC School of Design on their excellent one day ‘Experience Garden Design’ workshop at Hampton Court Palace. It really made me think differently about how to look at gardens.

I can now see the weaknesses and strengths in my own garden – and other people’s gardens – much more clearly. Being able to see the good and bad points of any design is a vital step towards developing your own successful style.

The essentials of garden design

Garden design used to be the preserve of great gardens. Capability Brown and Gertrude Jekyll worked over many acres. Now, however, ‘much of our work is in urban gardens’, says the KLC workshop tutor, garden designer Catherine Heatherington.

That’s middle-sized in my book. However, she added, whether your garden is a courtyard, a grand estate, or something in between, the same essential principles of garden design apply.

This traditional country garden (Shute House Garden) designed by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe is harmonious. It is symmetrical, has a largely green structure, a focal point and strong vertical lines. Photo by Catherine Heatherington.

These essentials of garden design are unity, harmony, balance, scale and proportion. Whether you are designing a Mediterranean courtyard or an English country idyll, these principles remain the same.

This is East Ruston Walled Garden. It, too, is symmetrical, with strong vertical lines, a focal point and a mainly green structure. It uses the same design principles but is a completely different garden to look at. Photo by Catherine Heatherington.

These core principles of design are the same in architecture and interior design, too. But that doesn’t mean that interior design, architecture and garden design all work in the same way.

‘In a garden, for example, steps are part of how you live in the garden – they’re a place where you stroll, or enjoy views. In a house, stairs are mainly just a practical way of getting from one floor to another,’ explains Catherine.

‘Gardens need shallow steps, which are easy to walk up, while stairs in houses can be steeper, narrower and more utilitarian.’

Sometimes a house is renovated by architects or builders who also construct the terrace and steps outside before the garden designer is involved. ‘We often find that the steps are too steep, and wish we’d been called in earlier,’ she adds.

The importance of themes

Catherine explained that a garden needs a ‘theme.’ Themes can include cottage garden, Italianate, Mediterranean, prairie, English country,symmetrical, contemporary, exotic, wildlife…

We then paired up in twos to go through garden magazines. Catherine asked us to pick out a garden we liked, and a garden we didn’t. We had to explain what the theme was, and why we thought it worked or didn’t. It’s a great exercise – do try it at home!

The KLC garden design workshop – going through magazines.

Balance equals mass and void

We learned about the importance of mass and void in garden design.

Mass is three dimensional – planting, borders, sheds, trees. Anything which adds bulk to your view is probably mass.

In contrast, the flatter areas of the garden are voids – lawn, terracing, paths and even open water. ‘Before you start thinking “I’m going to have lavender there, and roses over there, you have to think about mass and void,’ says Catherine. ‘You need to realise that you are working like a sculptor. It’s not just about what you put into a garden, but also about where the empty space is.’

This was a revelation to me. When we first created the parterre below, it was too flat and open.

A view of our parterre early on. It was very flat and open – too much ‘void’. We had just added the lavender beds around the central pots to break it up.

Over the years, we have added mass by adding my beloved large spiral topiary and four chunky lavender beds. But I would have got there far more quickly if I’d done this workshop at the beginning.

Although it’s taken at a different angle, you can see that filling the void with mass (several pots of various sizes) has made the garden better balanced. Although a bit scruffy – it needs a good tidy-up.

Harmony is about detail and repetition

Harmony is about how you link your house to your garden, and how you link the various parts of the garden to each other. The key here is to avoid having too many different elements.

For example, if your house is made of red brick, then it’s a good idea for any brick in the garden to be red brick, too. ‘Don’t have too many different elements or colours,’ advises Catherine.

That doesn’t mean that everything needs to be the same, because a certain amount of contrast is essential to garden design. ‘If you took the grasses out of this picture below, the planting would be boring,’ says Catherine.

In this planting, the colours are harmonious, but large flowers contrast with small flowers and vertical grasses. Photo by Catherine Heatherington.

The commonest mistake in planting is probably having too many colours or different types of plants. ‘Restrict the number of colours and plant varieties,’ advises Catherine. ‘It’s better to plant drifts or groups of plants than placing just one or two specimens of each around the garden.’

How to plan your own garden

Although it’s not possible to become a garden designer in a day, Catherine showed us how to use the essentials of garden design when thinking about your own garden.

First, you start with a brief. What do you want to achieve with your garden?

The next step, if you were using a garden designer, would be a site survey. This is a plan which shows the dimensions and lists what you already have. This would include walls, trees, any eyesores, any views you want to keep, etc.

Starting to plan your garden…

Do your own ‘site survey’, including an arrow towards north. Knowing where the light falls is essential in planning and planting a garden.

Then a designer would do a rough plan, with approximate ‘bubbles’ showing where things might be. It’s best to use tracing paper, which you can put over a map of your garden, so that you don’t have to keep rubbing things out.

After the ‘bubble map’, it’s time to think about the concept or theme (there are some ideas in the video below.)

The next step will be a Masterplan, or drawing to scale, showing where everything will be. This includes borders, any sheds, terraces, large trees, water features and so on.

But you still won’t be planning the planting! You don’t get to decide whether you’re going to plant lavender or roses until everything else is in place.

Who would benefit from a one-day garden design course?

It can take a year or more to become a garden designer, so who would benefit from a one-day course? I think we were probably a pretty typical group.

There were interior designers considering an expansion of their careers into garden design or wanting to be able to work more effectively with garden designers. Two or three were planning longer garden design courses and wanted a taster to see whether garden design suited them.

Others knew a lot about plants but wanted to understand more about the design side, or were just curious to know more about the subject. I also think that a one-day workshop like this would be good if you were considering using a garden designer, as it would give you a better idea of how to brief and work with them.

Above all, I think it is hugely helpful about planting and landscaping your own garden.

Contact Catherine Heatherington for garden design or KLC School of Design for course details.

And see here for more middlesized garden design ideas from Andy Sturgeon, or join us every Sunday morning for inspiration and tips for your garden. Subscribe in the box on the top right of this page. Thank you!

The post Take an insider look at the essentials of garden design appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/take-insider-look-essentials-garden-design/