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Fifty eighth edition - February 2006
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There were a few good gardening days to be had in January
and a lot of useful work was done in our garden... I felt SO good for
getting out there too and was thoroughly rejuvenated after the lazy Christmas
holiday!
It is a great time of year for moving shrubs
because they haven`t yet started their growth for the year and the soil is
cool and damp, which reduces the danger of them dying. Some early pruning
can be done to tidy the borders up, but do first check in your gardening
book, or online, if it is the correct time of year to tackle the items you
want to prune.
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After reading in our daily paper last month, about the
packaging and
storage practices of the food industry, I am
determined to grow more of my own produce this year, if only for the
fresher taste. I do think it is important though not to panic when
reading reports of what happens to some of our food on its way to our
larders, after all most of us
live longer and are far healthier than our ancestors, despite the
interference.
Mini versions of vegetables are now hugely
popular. With more people wanting to grow their own vegetables but often
with little or no space to grow them in, 'Mini-Veg' provide the perfect
solution. They are also ideal for vegetable growing for one person.
Varieties in the
Thompson & Morgan range are
selected either for being able to be grown in baskets, containers or window
boxes and/or suitable for growing at close spacings.
For 2006
Thompson & Morgan is
offering a range of 18 varieties for Mini-Veg growing, including four new
varieties.. Prices for Thompson
& Morgan`s Mini-Veg range start at £1.49
(From T & M press release)
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Jobs for the
garden in February
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If you are like me
and can never remember when to prune Clematis, or how much to take off
them, you might find this information useful..
Click here
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Prune Autumn and
winter flowering Heathers.
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If the weather is
mild and wet, keep debris off the flower beds to discourage snails and slugs
from moving in. In the snowy weather, keep off the garden altogether
as footprints in the snow make grass very soggy. If you are putting salt
down to clear ice on paths, take care not to let it touch your plants as
they will be poisoned..
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Hoe the borders
gently to freshen them up and remove any winter debris. Take care not to
break any bulbs that may be poking through.
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Put compost on the
borders that is sufficiently rotted, again taking care not to break
emerging bulbs.
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Now is a good time
to move any shrubs that are in the wrong place.
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Why not get involved with The National Trust
and have a
holiday with a difference.. It’s
not a traditional holiday, but it’s one you will never forget.
Try dry stone walling, foot path laying,
clearing alien plants that are choking our native species, restoring
butterfly meadows, botanical surveys, planting flower borders in historic
gardens, clearing beaches of debris, erecting new fences.
Not your usual holiday in the countryside. |
National Trust Working Holidays give you the chance to throw yourself
into a new situation, try your hand at basic conservation skills and find
yourself surrounded by the country’s most beautiful places.
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
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.
Or go to their website for a diary of all other events
at:-
http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/index.asp
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Keep
the e-mails with your gardening problems coming Please tell
me which country you live in as knowing the climate can help me solve your
problem. Your current email address is necessary as my replies
are occasionally returned to me as undeliverable..
There was a technical hitch with emails recently and if anyone has not had a reply from me regarding their
gardening query, perhaps they would like to re-send them..
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 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
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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 5197
Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 3AB
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Tel: 01444 894066 (24 hr)
Fax: 01444 894069
Royal Botanic Gardens
Wakehurst Place
Ardingly
Nr Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH17 6TN
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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.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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