Gardener's Diary October 2006

Sixty sixth edition -  October 2006    

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I quite like this time of year when I can start to tidy up the garden for the winter months. Inevitably there are neglected areas of any garden where weeds have taken over, or some bush has just outgrown its allotted space and needs pruning; this is a good time of year to sort it out.

It is time to remove the summer bedding plants from your hanging baskets and tubs. But don't leave them empty, plant them up with winter pansies or violas, miniature bulbs such as tulips and daffs, wallflowers, flowering heathers and trailing variegated ivies.. They'll look so cheerful over the winter months.. You could also try some small cordylines amongst the flowers in the tubs which will give some height and add extra colour..

If you have any old cyclamen and Amaryllis tubers from last season lying around the garden, (you remember, those that you didn't have the heart to throw away!) clean them up and repot them ready to bring in for the winter. Hopefully they'll flower again..

JOBS FOR THE MONTH

House plants

A good time of year to consider which plants to accommodate indoors for winter colour.. African violets, cyclamen and the currently popular orchids can give colour throughout the winter.. I have a collection of about twenty orchids, (see photo above) several of which are in flower at any time during the year.. I am surprised how easy they are to cultivate, how undemanding they are and their long flowering period..

Lawns

Just give your lawn the very lightest of trims from now on, weather permitting... October is a good month for repairing bumps and hollows in the lawn.. Autumn weed and feed can be applied until November, but if you are using a spreader for the job it is best done on a day when the lawn is dry which avoids clogging up the spreader with soggy granules. There's more chance of a dry lawn in October...

Herbaceous borders

You can either prune down all your finished perennials, divide them and move them, or you can leave this job until the spring.. Some people like to see a tidy garden over the winter months, whilst others feel they are providing shelter for insects by leaving the debris for them.. It doesn't really matter which option you choose. I choose to prune everything down and have a tidy garden, but at the same time our trees and shrubs provide shelter for our critters!

Vegetables

The main work this month is preparing the soil for next year's crops. Think about rotational cropping.. Finish lifting and storing all root vegetables. Protect cauliflower heads from frost.. (My outside tomatoes have been brought into the conservatory where the abundance of fruit continues to ripen..)

Ponds  

Stop feeding fish now and ensure that falling leaves don't pollute your pond. Continue to cut down dead water plants.

Wildlife

Many animals which use the garden, such as bats, snakes, frogs and hedgehogs go into hibernation from October until about April.. However if there is a warm spell you might come across a hedgehog wandering through your garden... If you are clearing leaves and making a bonfire heap do bear in mind there might be a hedgehog taking reguge in there..

Volunteering with the National Trust

Volunteers are active in all parts of the National Trust, from the new central office in Swindon to the summits of Snowdonia and Divis Mountain near Belfast.

View their latest opportunities, or find out more about the kind of roles and different places you can volunteer:

Still with the National Trust, some of the most visited National Trust properties are now holding regular farmers' and food markets.  Click here for details  and dates.

RHS gardens

Their four flagship gardens not only provide year-round interest and offer a wide range of courses, talks and demonstrations, they also demonstrate the best gardening practices, new techniques and exciting new plants to try in your garden.

• Visit Wisley in Surrey
• Visit Rosemoor in Devon
• Visit Hyde Hall in Essex
• Visit Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire

Or go to their website for a diary of all other events at:-    http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/index.asp

Thompson & Morgan 

Visit  www.thompson-morgan.com where full information is available on their product varieties and orders can be taken on-line.  Have a look to see what is new and any special seasonal offers

Some places to visit...

www.edenproject.com 

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.

Kew Gardens two locations:-

http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/

The National Botanic Gardens of Scotland comprise:

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Scotland's Premier Garden

Benmore Botanic Garden, Argyll
Argyll's Magnificent Mountainside Garden

Dawyck Botanic Garden, Borders
Wonderful Woodland Garden

Logan Botanic Garden, Galloway
Scotland's Most Exotic Garden

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

www.gardenofwales.org.uk

The star attraction here is the 91 metre long domed glasshouse, that houses landscapes normally found in the Mediterranean. This would be a super place to visit on a chilly day...

Some websites of interest to gardeners:-

www.carryongardening.co.uk

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. 

The founder of www.maple-landscapes.com is my eldest son.. give him a call if you live in the Leicester area of the UK and have need of his services.. 

Useful reading:-

"The Yellow Book" contains information of all Gardens of England and Wales open for charity, and can be bought priced £5 from National Gardens Scheme  www.ngs.org.uk

National Trust Gardens Handbook is £6.99 and the new edition is out in May  Telephone 01394 389 950 or see their website www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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