October is the Time For.. Planning for Spring Colour

While the start of the colder weather gives the impression that the garden is shutting up shop for winter, this is the right time for planting spring bulbs.

I love the autumn, the time to plan for the year ahead. It’s good to think that as the leaves turn and fall and the garden prepares for frost and snow you’ve made firm investments to ensure your garden bursts back to life when the weather warms up. Planting now in October, before the weather gets too cold, makes good gardening sense too as the soil is still holding some of the summer’s heat and will really help the bulbs get rooted in the soil and, quite literally, put some roots down!

Getting Nifty with the Rake

If you’ve spent the summer cultivating the perfect lawn then it’s important you get the rake out and gather up any fallen leaves to make certain they don’t rot on your springy grass. I like to leave fallen leaves in other parts of the garden though – where they can’t do any harm, just because it’s such a seasonal treat to see piles of golden leaves. Keeping your paths and patio clear however is a good idea as wet, rotting leaves are extremely slippery. Another note on lawns – after the final cut of the season, now is also a good time to give the lawn a good autumn feed, particularly if your lawn has seen out more than its fair share of impromptu football matches, barbecues and the odd tent or two during the summer months!

Pottering

October is a good time for bringing any houseplants indoors that have enjoyed some freedom outside during the summer months, especially before the first frosts hit. Clean out any nest boxes that you’ve installed in the garden and start thinking of good places for bird feeders or a bird table; our feathered friends don’t need much help at the moment where food is concerned as there’s a veritable smorgasbord all around us but they will in the winter time. Prune shrubs now and get weeding and mulching too.

If you’d like to discuss garden plans for next year or you’d like some advice on replanting a lawn then feel free to get in touch.

Now is the Time to Plan for a Water Feature

As the summer draws to an end and the riot of colour and accelerated growth in the garden pales and dies down, it’s easy to mourn the long days and the fruits of the year’s toil. But as the garden retreats into its autumn / winter state, now is a good time to plan major features and changes to your landscape.

Water features are a great addition to the garden and the benefits are many. You don’t need lots of space to have a water feature either, even the tiniest of gardens can accommodate a water feature, the trick is choosing the right one.

A Place to Relax and Unwind

Water has a universally relaxing quality and it’s no great surprise that the sounds of water are used in many relaxation treatments and therapies. Creating a water feature such as a gently flowing fountain or cascading feature such as a waterfall will provide you with your very own oasis of calm and a place to retreat to. An illuminated water feature will add a whole new dimension to your outdoor space once dusk descends too.

Creating a New Wildlife Environment

A water feature, such as a pond with sloping sides, will in time attract a new and diverse range of wildlife into your garden. Even without adding any species to your pond you’ll be amazed at the amount of plant and insect life that will develop as nature finds her way. Expect to see frogs, newts and toads in the garden as well as insects such as dragon flies, damsel flies and pond skaters. Small birds such as finches, sparrows and tits will flock to the pond to bathe and drink. Watching the changing phases of a pond and discovering new species throughout the year is rewarding and fascinating.

Give us a call to find out more about our range of water features, or for advice on which feature is right for you and your garden. We can supply everything from pyramids, stones and statues to ponds, waterfalls and bird baths.

Bring your Garden to Life with a Spring Makeover

Many people see spring as the beginning of the gardening year, and it’s the perfect time for a garden makeover. Any improvements you make now will get the new season off to a great start.

Here are a few ideas that can give a tired garden a quick facelift:

De-clutter: Resolve to get rid of anything you no longer want or need, but think green and recycle as much as possible. You might be able to sell or give away play equipment that your children have outgrown, building materials left over from DIY projects, even that wheelbarrow with a wonky wheel … Your junk could be someone else’s treasure and just think of the extra space you’ll have!

Make a new lawn: Most lawns can withstand a lot of wear and tear but eventually the damage takes its toll. If your ‘lawn’ has become a rutted patch of weeds replace it with fresh, top quality turf for an instant green carpet.

Coordinate your containers: Most keen gardeners have a collection of assorted plant containers that they have acquired over the years. Pots, tubs, boxes and troughs in a variety of different shapes, sizes, colours, styles and materials can all be useful, but when clustered together on the patio they might not give the overall effect you were hoping for. There is a place for a pink plastic flowerpot in the garden, but it probably isn’t next to an antique stone urn. If you don’t want to buy a complete set of new containers try rearranging the ones you already have into groups that do look good together. You can paint wooden planters in the same or toning colours, and instead of trying to hide a single ‘odd’ pot you could make a feature of it.

Be ruthless: Unfortunately, plants don’t last forever. If some of yours are past their prime they might not be worth cosseting for another year. Try taking cuttings from a favourite plant so you can replace it with a vigorous new offspring. Otherwise, get rid of mediocre plants that are taking up valuable space and treat yourself to something different that you’ll really be proud of.

Add a focal point: If the first word that springs to mind when looking at part of your garden is ‘boring’ give it some interest in the shape of a statue, sundial or water feature.

When you start improving your garden one idea will often lead to another, but tackling all those jobs is a different matter. If you need advice and help with some of the bigger projects, ask for a free, no obligation consultation from a professional landscape gardener who can turn those ideas into reality.

Gardening Jobs for February

It may be the shortest month of the year, but February can often surprise us with a wide range of weather conditions. There might be snow and frost one week, followed by a few mild, sunny days, before bitterly cold winds blow in rain and plunging temperatures again. Any work you want to do in the garden has to be guided by the weather.

But even if you can only get outdoors for brief intervals it’s well worth making the effort because some jobs are best done at this time of year. Here are some of them:

· Plant bare-rooted trees, shrubs and hedging plants as soon as possible after receiving them so they don’t dry out. If you are unable to put them straight into what will become their permanent positions give them a temporary home in any spare corner. There’s no need to worry about planting them ‘properly’ with correct spacing or staking. The only important thing is to make sure the bare roots are covered with soil.

· Snowdrops are a welcome sight on grey winter days but they are notoriously difficult to grow from bulbs. They are best planted while ‘in the green’ shortly after flowering so now is the time to buy them in. If snowdrops are already established in your garden you can lift and divide the clumps to spread them further. Do you have some to spare? They’d make a lovely Valentine’s Day gift for someone!

· If you need to prune apple and pear trees this year you must do it soon while they are still dormant. If their buds are beginning to open, you’ll have to leave it until next winter. The aim of pruning is to remove any dead or damaged wood, allow more light and air into the tree, and thin out overcrowded fruiting spurs. By doing the latter, fewer apples or pears will be produced but they will be larger and of better quality than if the tree is left to its own devices.

· Prune summer flowering clematis now to ensure a good display later in the year.

· If you have rhubarb now is the time to force an early crop by covering some of the crowns with lightproof buckets, boxes or specially designed pottery forcing jars.

· Start sowing vegetable seeds if the weather allows. If you are not sure when conditions are right follow nature’s lead and observe what wild plants are doing. If new weeds are sprouting so will the hardier vegetables like early carrots, parsnips and broccoli. Onion sets can also be planted.

· And talking of weeds – the earlier you tackle them, the fewer you’ll have to deal with later.

· If you will need some expert help with a landscaping project this year, such as building new walls, giving your patio a makeover or installing new decking, don’t delay in asking a local professional landscape gardener to visit and give you a free, no obligation consultation. Finalizing your plans now will enable the work to begin as soon as the weather improves and you will have the whole summer to enjoy your new garden.

Five Reasons to Build Fences and Walls Inside Your Garden

Walls and fences are most commonly used to define and protect the boundaries of a garden, but they are also useful and decorative in many other situations. Here are just five reasons why you might want to include them in your garden design. Once you start thinking about it, you will probably find a lot more!

Privacy
If your favourite sunbathing spot is overlooked by a neighbouring building, or the back garden is easily visible from the front of the house, a fence or wall can be used as a screen against prying eyes. Its position is more important than its size so check your plans from all angles.

Shelter
Sunshine is wonderful, but if your patio is sometimes too hot for comfort create a patch of dappled shade by adding some decorative fencing panels. They will block the glare while still allowing a cooling breeze to waft through.

If your garden is exposed to strong winds you might consider putting up walls or fences to protect tender plants. Solid barriers can make the problem worse as the air deflected on one side causes turbulence on the other. The aim of an effective windbreak is only to slow the airflow so choose a fence or wall with plenty of gaps in it.

Dividing garden rooms
Use walls or fences to separate the vegetable plot from the lawn, or children’s play areas from your flower garden. They can be incorporated into the design of each ‘room’. For example, a low stone wall marking the edge of an ornamental garden can incorporate planters for flowers; a simple picket fence around a play area could be painted in bright colours.

Shape-changing
Steeply sloping land that is difficult to cultivate can be shaped into more manageable terraces with the help of retaining walls. It can be a big job but the transformation is usually worth the effort. The same idea can be used to add height and interest to a flat garden. A series of natural stone or brick walls can be backfilled with soil to gradually raise the ground level.

Design feature
For best results, incorporate internal fences and walls into the overall design of your garden. You don’t have to restrict yourself to rectangular brick walls or brown wooden fences. They can be made in all shapes and sizes and from a wide range of materials to suit any style of garden. They can be curved, angular, undulating, and in any colour you can imagine. Use them to harmonize with their surroundings – or to act as a contrast.

A well-built stone wall is a work of art in itself. Instead of hiding it behind plants you could even make it the main feature!

If you have some ideas for using walls and fences to enhance your garden but are not sure which materials to use, or you want advice on the best way to tackle the job, contact a professional landscape gardener who will be happy to visit and explain all the options in a free, no obligation consultation.

How to Make the Most of Your Winter Armchair Gardening

The cold, dark days of winter force even the keenest gardeners to retreat indoors, but there are still lots of gardening jobs to be done from the comfort of your fireside. Here are some of them:

Planning
Now is the time to look through seed and plant catalogues and decide what you want to grow next year. The old favourites? Exciting new hybrids? Most people choose some of each. Don’t be seduced by the beautiful photos of perfect specimens. Read the descriptions carefully to check size, flowering season and any special growing requirements to be sure the new plants will fit in and thrive.

Designing
Whether you are looking forward to starting a new garden, or want to improve an existing one, winter is a good time to sit down with paper and pencil – or garden design software – and explore the possibilities of your plot. When foliage has died down, and the leaves are off deciduous trees and shrubs, it’s easier to see the main shapes and lines in your garden.

When you are busy working in the garden you tend to concentrate on the details and forget to stand back and look at the whole. View it from different windows in the house or wrap up warm and look at it from the road. Pretend you are seeing it for the first time. Note which areas are interesting and attractive, and which could do with being altered.

If your new design is going to mean more heavy work than you can manage yourself, or you’re not sure of the best way to put your ideas into practice, ask the advice of a professional landscape gardener who will be happy to visit and give you a free, no obligation consultation.

Start a diary
Begin the New Year with a gardening diary. You can buy a specially designed diary or make your own from an ordinary hardback notebook. Your entries can be as simple or detailed as you like, but recording seed sowing times, when and where you planted different species, which varieties flourished and which were disappointing, will all provide a source of useful information for future years.

Teach yourself
The fascinating – and sometimes frustrating – thing about gardening is that you never stop learning. There are always new plants, tips and techniques to discover. Do you have a pile of gardening magazines that you’ve collected over the past year but haven’t had time to read properly? Settle down now and catch up with what you missed. If you were given a book token for Christmas, treat yourself to a book on a gardening subject that particularly interests you, or visit your local library and borrow a whole armful of books!

However you spend the dreary winter days don’t get too comfy in that armchair. Before you know it, the spring bulbs will be pushing through the snow and it will be time to get back to work!

The benefits of decking your garden

Garden decking is exceptionally versatile; it can be used to overcome issues that make landscaping difficult, to enhance the features of a garden, to add practicality or to extend your house into your garden. Here are some of the major benefits of decking your garden:

A solution for sloping and uneven ground
Garden decking can counteract uneven ground and sloping sites. Building on stilts and using steps and different levels will give the impression of uniformity and will make your garden much easier to navigate.

Unlimited Design Possibilities
There is a plethora of decking materials available and add-on features such as pergolas, balustrades and privacy screens. Adding a deck allows a whole host of flexible interesting design possibilities to your landscaped garden.

Flexibility
Garden decking can easily be combined with other garden features like water features, statues, rock gardens and planting to achieve a garden centrepiece.

Ease of Handling
Garden decking is easier to handle than hard landscaping materials like paving and bricks. It is lighter too, which means it is much easier to handle, especially if you are not experienced in any construction trade., and good therefore for raised areas.

Versatility

Decking can be used for a wide variety of uses, the most popular of which is extending living space outdoors to create the illusion of a larger property. Decking provides a home with a socialising area and is perfect for properties on riverbanks or even for caravans.

Garden decking allows you to create a practical and attractive garden design that provides additional space for entertaining and socialising without a large outlay. Why not get a quote from your local landscape gardener and see how much it would cost to install decking in your garden? It could even add value to your property!

Take a look at some of the Essex and east London decking projects we've recently undertaken:

Decking photo gallery

Essex Gardeners: Your lives made easier with a reliable supply and delivery service

We are offering gardeners in Essex a helping hand courtesy of our turf and topsoil supply and delivery service which covers Essex and East London.

We’re offering a service to smaller garden landscaping companies or gardeners who need access to quality turf and topsoil at competitive prices, and who need them delivered direct to the properties they are working on.

We offer discounted trade rates and complete reliability of service. We’re known for being dependable and we know how important it is to present a positive public image, and for this reason we guarantee to make all our deliveries – of the very best quality materials – on time, every time.

Are you a gardener or landscaper based in Essex or east London? Call in to 1B Sunnyside Gardens, Upminster, Essex or telephone 07852 666858 to discuss your particular turf and topsoil supply and delivery needs.

Three Things to consider when landscaping your garden

When done properly and with careful thought and planning, landscaping a garden brings a whole host of benefits ranging from environmental to social. But there is much to consider when embarking on a garden landscaping project. In this article we cover our top three:

1. Space
At the planning stage, make sure you take into consideration what the garden will be used for and factor in a range of practical features. For example, you may want a secluded area for sunbathing; a place for children to play that needs to be robust enough to stand up to heavy traffic; you may want to include a place to entertain; and you may also want to use trees to filter noise. Combining beauty with practicality is a fundamental part of the garden landscaping process.

2. Style
Maintaining a style theme throughout your garden is vital if you want the finished product to appear streamlined, attractive and a pleasure to spend time in. It is also a good idea to match the style of the garden to the style of your home. Modern houses lend themselves to contemporary garden designs whilst period homes work best with traditional style gardens. Put some thought into blending the inside with the outside and the results will be admired by all who visit.

3. Planting
Remember that plants grow! Your shrub or sapling may be tiny now, but what size will it be when mature? You must take into consideration what size the plant will grow to otherwise you could end up planting it too close to a wall, a fence or other plants. If other plants end up in its shadow, they may not survive and if the roots are too close to your home, it could have serious repercussions which may even lead to subsidence. Make sure you find out about the plants you are buying and allow enough space for them to grow to their mature size.

These are just a few of the many things you need to take into consideration when planning your garden landscaping project. Watch this space for more!

Increase the space in your property and increase its value - landscape your garden!

Even if space is short within a home, the impression of a bigger property is made possible by cleverly designing a garden so that it works as a living-space extension.

A stunning garden that has been well-planned to incorporate practical benefits such as sectioning off areas for children to play, creating privacy from neighbouring properties and keeping animals contained will attract attention from prospective buyers.

I suggest the following for adding space and therefore value to a property:

Consider a deck or patio that leads out from large glass doors and make sure you don’t hide it behind curtains – you want your viewers to walk into the room and immediately be drawn to your lovely outside space!

Use this decking or patio area to create an outside dining and entertaining space. Consider covering it and adding a heating system so that the area can be used all year round rather than just during the summer months.

Add an outdoor kitchen with a permanent barbeque or outdoor oven and a sink. If your property is strapped for entertaining space inside, make that space outside! That way you can utilise your inside space for other important things, thus making your home even more attractive to potential buyers.

And don’t forget the front garden! It is the first thing viewers see so make sure it looks fantastic and leaves a lasting impression.

Landscaping a garden makes it easier to sell a property. It is all about extending space outdoors, and making that outdoor space habitable all year round.

Anyone in any doubt on how best to utilise their outdoor space should contact D&G Garden World for friendly, expert advice; it will be money well spent, and will be recouped when the property is sold!