Transform your garden with a summerhouse

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.

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

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

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

Abutilon ‘Red Tiger’

This year, one of my favourite plants in my garden has been my Abutilon. I bought it in April, and it is still flowering now. They are utterly marvellous plants, and I plan to grow many more. 

My plan advanced a little further yesterday when I met Leila Jackson, who holds the National Collection of Abutilons. Her giddy excitement about her plants was dangerously contagious, and it was only because she had run out of stock of her most beautiful flower, Abutilon ‘Red Tiger’, that I didn’t succumb completely. 

This, of all the Tiffany-lamp-like Abutilons, is the most beautiful. Its petals are like dragonfly wing, and the shrub itself grows tall. Living in sheltered South West London, I’ll probably get away with keeping it out in winter too, but a little protection from frost is important. 

You can buy Leila’s plants here. Just don’t buy my Abutilon ‘Red Tiger’, please. 

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/10/30/abutilon-red-tiger/

Crystal apple cucumber

This year, one of my most successful crops has been the Crystal Apple cucumber. I bought a bunch of plug plants of this lovely fruiting vegetable, and watched it scrambling about my garden enthusiastically. 

It has a lovely scrambling habit, and because the fruits are small and light, the vine really can support them itself, unlike many squashes which grow such swollen brutes of fruits that they need your help just to hold the darned thing up. 

And what fun fruits. Just a little smaller than a tennis ball and roughly the same colour when ripe. 

Gardeners say this the whole time of their crops, but this really knocks the socks off anything you can buy in the shops. It is so juicy and sweet, almost like a crisp-flavoured melon. Eating it in a salad feels like a treat rather than a healthy chore. And given I often forgot to feed this plant, it’s a crop that doesn’t feel too much like a chore to produce, either. 

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/10/26/crystal-apple-cucumber/

Green tomatoes

Today, scurrying to post a letter, I realised that The Nip had arrived. Everyone knows The Nip. It turns up unannounced on one of those fine October days when the Virginia creeper glows warm paprika and the cherry tree leaves are starting to hang like goldfish from a rod off their blackening branches. 

October is one of the finest months, full of change and melancholy and so many appeals to every sense. But The Nip is the sign that it’s getting colder, the frosts are on their way and your summer vegetables have been served notice. 

So I’ve brought in my tomatoes. One of the many things that has surprised me about living in London (along with the fact that I actually like living in London, something I never thought possible) is that my tomato crop has been the biggest and most blight-free that I’ve ever had. And I’m just growing on a patio. 

Look how many green tomatoes I have left! I felt sad as I pulled them from the vine, that wonderful musty scent of the foliage filling the air. But then I remembered: now I can make green tomato chutney. And that is one of the finest things about autumn.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/10/10/green-tomatoes/

‘Yellow Ruffled’ tomato

‘Yellow Ruffled’ is a thick-fleshed yellow heritage tomato perfect for roasting.

I’m so pleased with my tomato crop this year. Especially these ‘Yellow Ruffled’ heritage tomatoes, which are so thick-fleshed and dry that they are perfect for roasting.

These plants have cropped well: I’ve had about ten tomatoes from one bush, which is very good given their size. And they are sweet to taste as well, just a little too dry to be worth including in salads when they are so much better as cookers.

I love slow-roasted tomatoes enough to make it worth using all of these for that purpose, but I do quite fancy the idea of a yellow tomato soup or pasta dish, too, just to impress guests.

But I will roast most of them – don’t forget to follow my slow-roasted tomato recipe.

If you want to learn how to grow tomatoes, read the Good Growing Guide: simple, easy growing advice on a postcard.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/09/24/yellow-ruffled-tomato/

Beyond the garden shed – winter garden storage options

With winter rapidly approaching you might be looking for storage solutions to keep your belongings safe throughout the chilly months. While companies such as readysteadystore.com offer secure units ideal for large, bulky items, you can also get hold of garden storage that’s perfect for household goods and equipment.

The trusty garden shed (as good as it is), isn’t your only option anymore, so check out these quirky alternatives:

A garden bench box

Why buy a regular garden bench when you can buy one with storage underneath? These garden essentials are not only stylish but handy for keeping anything from cushions and throws, to spades and trowels safe in the chilly weather. If you’ve got kids you could even pop some of their favourite toys in there and whip them out on a cold yet sunny day, spent playing out in the garden.

Outside storage boxes

There are some things you just don’t want in the house like soggy waterproofs and grubby wellies. The good news is, thanks to durable, weatherproof storage boxes you no longer have to have water and mud trailed through your hallway, as any outside gear can be kept safely in the garden. Many of the boxes can be locked and are designed to survive the most formidable conditions, so are great if you have low fencing or live in an area susceptible to flooding or heavy snow in the winter months.

Garden cupboards

There are many ways to spruce up your garden before winter hits; however, investing in a few swanky cupboards will ensure everything stays neat and tidy. From compact plastic cupboards – ideal for watering cans, wellies, paint brushes and shovels – to larger items suitable for rakes, lawnmowers and other bigger objects, you’re sure to find something to suit your needs and there are many styles available too to complement any space.

Home log store

When the mercury drops it’s essential to stay warm and cosy without running up large bills. Therefore, if you have a log fire or wood burner, make the most of it and keep all your kindle in a modern garden log store. Storage of this kind will stop your wood from getting damp making it easier to light when you need it the most. It’ll also prevent animals from nesting in your log pile and keep your outside space free from rodents and other critters searching for a good place to hibernate.

With a wide variety of winter garden storage options readily available you’ll be able to keep all your valuables and essentials safe and out of the way, whilst still having easy access to your essential garden tools throughout the cooler months.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/09/22/beyond-the-garden-shed-winter-garden-storage-options-2/

Essential Gardening Tools You Need To Own

We all want to help our gardens look their very best all year round. To do this, we need the right equipment to help us. But if you’re new to the world of gardening, knowing which tools to buy can be overwhelming. While you could buy every item available in your local gardening store, this can be a huge waste of money. You may buy items that you don’t require or ones that you don’t know how to use correctly. So rather than buying everything, why not buy top quality essentials instead. Here are three gardening tools that every gardener should have to use in their outdoor space.

Lawn Mower

Whether your lawn is small or covers acres, a lawn mower is a crucial gardening tool all homeowners need. Having a well-manicured lawn can make your garden look more spacious and appealing to spend time in. It also shows that you take pride in your garden and keep it week maintained. You can find a lawn mower for sale online, in newspapers and garden centres. But just remember that the types of lawn mower vary significantly from manual to ride on. Think about the size of your lawn and seek advice from the experts at your garden centre. You should also consider the additional cost of tuning and maintaining your lawn mower as some will require more than others.

 

Garden Spade

Gardens spades are another tool that all gardeners need to own due to their multiple uses. They can be used to dig holes and loosen the soil to plant flowers and trees in your garden. Another use is to remove weeds and dead plants from your flower beds. Spades are also useful for removing snow from your driveways and paths during the winter. You can find them at most garden centres in an array of different sizes. Test out a few options before you buy to make sure the height is perfect for you to use. If it’s too short, it may cause you back pain as you garden. The handle should also be comfortable to use and ideally have a hand grip included.

Hose

To keep your garden looking as fresh and beautiful as possible, a garden hose is crucial. This tool makes it easier to keep your garden hydrated and also encourages your plant life to flourish. Hose pipes are also ideal for watering hanging baskets which may be difficult to reach with ease. You can find hose pipes for sale online and again in garden centres. Before buying, consider what the most appropriate length would be to reach your entire garden. If buying a second-hand hose, always check for holes and test before you buy. You might also want to see if there are any attachments which can be added to the hose to enhance its capabilities further.

When buying these items, always buy the best quality you can comfortably afford. These items will last longer, break less and help you garden better. Once you’ve mastered using these tools, you can then slowly start adding to your collection one piece at a time.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/09/22/essential-gardening-tools-you-need-to-own/

Cally Gardens

Cally Gardens is secret walled garden in Scotland packed with rare plants from around the world.

This is such a wonderful secret garden, full of treasure and beauty. It’s remote and hard to find – in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, but the drive there is worth it if you want to be utterly absorbed by a secret plantsman’s paradise for several hours.

The walled kitchen garden was built in the 1770s for Cally House, which is near Gatehouse of Fleet. Originally it had heated walls, glasshouses and a team of gardeners growing exotic fruit and vegetables to supply the house.

But, as with so many walled kitchen gardens in the UK, after the First World War, the garden fell out of use, becoming a tree nursery for the Forestry Commission and then a floristry garden.

In 1987 Michael Wickenden bought the gardens, and restored them to become a home for his plant finds from across the world. And my goodness, those plants!

It is rare that I visit a garden and find many plants that I simply do not recognise. But Cally is choc-full of these flowers, and Michael patiently goes through my photographs of this rare flower and that rare climber, telling me where he found them and how to grow them.

There are over 4,000 perennials growing in the garden now, including a collection of hellebores, species peonies, meconopsis, geranium, crocosmia, agapanthus and kniphofia. If you are a plantsman, you will love this plot.

But it is so pretty and peaceful and intriguing that my non-gardening pal who I dragged along loved it too. And you won’t leave without buying something.

More information on the Cally Gardens website.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/09/21/cally-gardens/

Caprese salad

It’s heritage tomato harvesting season.

I’m rather chuffed with my tomato crop this year. My little patio is so sunny and sheltered that the plants have shot up, and have been cropping marvellously well. This is one day’s harvest.

As I only moved here in April, I bought grafted tomato plants to get me going quickly. They are obviously more expensive than growing from seed, but I wanted to get a move on and didn’t have much time or space.

I’ve been feeding them twice a week with organic tomato fertiliser, and watering them every other day in their containers so that they do not develop problems associated with irregular watering such as blossom end rot.

To test out their taste, I jumbled a load of the fruits into a simple Caprese salad. There are three different tomatoes in here, and while the orange and red varieties and perfect for a salad, the yellow fruits would be much better slow-roated as they have thick, dry flesh, and very few seeds.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/08/25/caprese-salad/

A new garden

F&F has moved house.

So, it has been a few months since the last blog. That’s because I’ve been moving garden, from the beautiful Dream Garden to this little corner in London. It isn’t big and it isn’t posh. But it is my home now, and I love it.

When I moved here, of course, it was just a blank patio. The only green was the wild, wavy Solanum jasminoides.

I decided the best thing to do was to make the space as bright as possible. I bought bunting and brightly-coloured tub trugs, which I bored holes in at the bottom for drainage and filled with peat-free compost.

Everything seems to be growing happily. And though it’s not a big grand garden, I love the idea of having a little cheerful urban plot again.

from Fennel and Fern http://www.fennelandfern.co.uk/blog/2016/08/15/a-new-garden/