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Sixteenth edition - August 2002
The summer months are rolling along so quickly, we have
barely had time to get into the swing of it before we need to start winding
down for the Autumn. The weather hasn`t been brilliant but the damp
conditions seem to suit most gardens in the UK, making them green and lush..
We had a disaster in our garden in the form of a canine
visitor who was with us whilst waiting for his owners to re-claim him. They
didn`t as it turned out and he moved on to a dog shelter to await re-homing.
I suspect he had been abandoned.. He should have been called Digger, for
that is what he did, at every opportunity, with no half measures. My lawn
which had been lovingly tended was transformed overnight into a moonscape,
and the flower borders, which were at their most colourful became instant
landfill sites. It took me three days to repair the damage, and I will have
to wait until next year to see the plants I missed this time around. The
lawn is now back to it`s former glory having had several turf patches
transplanted into it.
Lesson learnt..
While I was doing repairs to the garden, I noticed a young
Eucalytpus tree that was fighting for space with a large tree from next door
and really needed moving eight feet further along the border. Although
fifteen feet high already, I was quite confident it would survive. We
watered it for a whole day before the move and made sure we dug out most of
the root system, finally re-planting it a little deeper than before. With
plenty of water since, it has barely wilted.. I`m sure it will be fine.
I`m not sure about my neighbours though, who seem to doubt their own eyes!
See my introduction about trees moving....
August Spotlight
This month I will give some tips on taking cuttings, which will provide the
basis for future pleasure, and save the gardener lots of money.
Jobs for the month - August
House plants
Keep house plants well watered and misted with a spray,
which will help keep aphids and red spider mite at bay. If you are going on
holiday ask someone to look after your plants, but if that is not possible,
move them to a shady part of your home, making sure they have ample water.
There are self-watering systems available from all good garden centres.
Lawns
Lawns will still need frequent mowings during August. If you
are going away on holiday, leave off the grass collection box for a couple
of weeks prior to your trip, and the cuttings will help keep the lawn moist.
Herbaceous borders
Continue dead-heading, weeding and hoeing, to keep the
borders looking neat. You can sow many biennials straight into the ground
this month, such as Cornflowers, Foxgloves and Sweet Williams, and they will
get away to an early start next year. I collect seeds from the various
plants I want, jumble them all up and throw them into the borders. The
result is great and I can always thin out those I don`t want.
 Vegetables
Shallots and autumn-sown onions should be ready for lifting
in dry weather. Lift them on a dry day (if you can find one) and then tie
them and hang them in a cool, dry place. There is still time to sow a last
batch of lettuce which will be nice for the autumn. Keep picking runner
beans.
Ponds
 More
maintenance this month to keep the pond free of algae and aphids. I always
enjoyed blasting aphids from foliage with the hose pipe and then watching
the fish eat them. Don`t leave the fish to their own devices if you are
going away - get a neighbour to feed them and keep an eye on them. If we
have a dry spell, the water level in ponds can quickly drop and it is
essential to top it up slowly, not introducing too much tap water too
quickly. The temperature must not fluctuate either.
Wildlife
Animals of all kinds are already beginning to prepare for
the long winter ahead, so start to be vigilant about feeding the birds,
making sure they always have enough on the bird table. I have already
noticed an increase in the wasp population this year, and apart from being a
little early, they seem smaller than usual. Certainly not the Euro wasp we
have been told to watch out for.
Some garden shows to visit
this summer:
Wisley Shows |
20 - 22 August |
RHS London Flower Shows |
Monthly |
South East Garden show |
Sun/Mon 25th &
26th August |
Sussex Garden show |
Sat/Sun 7th & 8th
September |
Malvern Autumn Garden & Country Show |
28-29 Sept 2002 |
Click here for flower shows in all other areas of the UK:
And some web sites of interest to
gardeners:
www.alantitchmarsh.co.uk
Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and thoroughly nice
person. Just a few choice words to describe the peoples` favourite TV
gardener. See his website....
 Thompson
and Morgan:
a growing resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes the
international online seed catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK only),
the wholesale seeds catalogue, together with the award winning Germination
Times and a host of other useful information.
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.
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.
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..
Good 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
RHS Garden Finder is £12.99 from
Dorling Kindersley www.dk.com
Have a look at previous
editions of Gardener`s Diary
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