Forty first edition - September 2004
As Autumn approaches, the battering we had from
storms and almost continual heavy rain during August, will have flattened and possibly
waterlogged, or even flooded many areas of the UK. Hopefully, none of you
suffered lasting damage to your homes and gardens.
On this rather gloomy note, it is often difficult to know
what to plant in our gardens because the experts warn us about the effects
of global warming and the increasing likelihood of wetter weather. Yet it
doesn`t seem long ago that they were telling us how to conserve water in
both house and garden, and plant our gardens with Mediterranean style
plants..
This is a good time of year to evaluate the success of
this year's garden. Make a list of things that will help you improve your
garden next spring, such as:-
-
Is my garden safe
for myself, family and visitors such as grandchildren?
-
Is the garden too
much to manage comfortably?
-
If so, how can I
ease the workload?
-
Are the boundaries
safe and secure?
-
Are the garden
ornaments and shed secure?
-
Are the trees secure
and storm proof?
Jobs for the
month - September

Houseplants
Houseplants that have spent the summer outside should now come in, before
you have to start heating your home. This gives them a chance to adjust.
Wash them thoroughly before bringing them in to rid them of any pests and
eggs.
Bulbs.
The shops and garden centres are full of spring bulbs now.. Plant them as
long as the ground is workable. Tulips are the last bulbs you can plant, up
to the end of December.. I was especially pleased with the dwarf selections
of mixed tulips and daffs I put in last year. As you can see here, they were
splendid
Lawns
The warm, wet and humid summer has meant that not only are our lawns green
and lush, but many of you have been telling me about fairy rings.. I have
the same problem and am trying to eliminate them by first deep forking the
area, then liberally soaking it with diluted fairy liquid water (as in the
washing up water) two or three times a week.. We`ll see what happens.
Greenhouse
When all the crops are finished, clean out the greenhouse thoroughly. I
usually recommend sterilisation or fumigation in the spring, before starting
the new season crops.. But while the greenhouse is empty, check it out for
repair and maintenance jobs, or a coat of paint if it is wooden.
Hedges
You should have made the final cut or light trim by now. There will be no
new growth to hedges such as privet..
Fruit and veg
September is a busy month, when you reap the rewards
of your labour.. Harvest your crops of fruit and vegetables on a warm, dry
day (if you can find one!) and store them in a cool dry place, or according
to your gardening book instructions.. Take the opportunity to check fruit
trees and bushes for signs of disease and treat accordingly.
Flowers for cutting
Keep cutting flowers for the house, to encourage further late blooms. Those
annual plants that have finished, such as sweet peas, can be pulled out and
put on the compost heap.
Herbaceous plants
All perennial plants that have now finished flowering can either be cut down
or left until the spring. I prefer to cut them down as it makes for a tidy
winter garden, but foliage, whether it be dead or alive, helps keep the
garden warmer over winter, so it can be left if you can bear the
unsightliness of it.
Ponds and water features
Clean up aquatic plants that are starting to die back, taking care not to
disturb any frogs or fish fry that might be tangled up in them.
Clean water features of algae and switch off the electricity and water for
the winter months, if you have finished in the garden for the season. Some
people like to cover their concrete water features with polythene to prevent
frost damage..
Wildlife
Time to start feeding the birds once more, and taking note of any other
wildlife that enters your garden. You might have more mouths to feed than
you thought!
This summer we have had visits from a fox, a sparrowhawk and recently even a
Goshawk, whose numbers have increased considerably, aided by escapes from
falconry training and deliberate introductions. I was horrified yet
fascinated to see it swoop and kill a collared dove in our garden, then
shred it within minutes..
If you like birds, here is the website
for you...
Seems they are finally thinking about older
gardeners, with this product...
EnvirOmower;
Cordless electric environmentally-friendly lawn mower...
No more arm-yanking cords or power leads. You'll never need petrol or oil
again with the ENVIROMOWER; an environmentally friendly, cordless
battery-powered lawn mower. FREE DELIVERY in the UK.
To find out more and buy one, go to
www.justlawnmowersr.co.uk
RHS FLOWER SHOWS 2004
http://www.rhs.org.uk/events/shows.asp
Laterlife is pleased to support the project below:-
http://www.sensory-garden.com
Designed
to stimulate the senses and provide a haven of peace, a place to chill-out and unwind from
the stress of modern living. A garden designed specifically to be "Positive About
Disabled People" and raise funds for people with Multiple Sclerosis.
Take a
virtual trip around the garden, through different countries, its monthly photo galleries
& artwork, explore and discover the plants, birds and wildlife, water features and
wind-chimes, as we endeavour to describe the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch of
the various areas.
We hope you enjoy your visit to the Sensory
Garden Project
|
And 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/
Tel: 020 8332 5655 (24 hr)
Fax: 020 8332 5197Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 3AB |
Tel: 01444 894066 (24 hr)
Fax: 01444 894069 Royal Botanic Gardens
Wakehurst Place
Ardingly
Nr Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH17 6TN |
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...
Keep the e-mails with
your gardening problems coming
Have a look at previous
editions of Gardener`s Diary
Some websites of interest to gardeners:-
www.alantitchmarsh.com
Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and thoroughly nice person.
Just a few choice words to describe him. 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.
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
|