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If you have a patch of lawn in an open, sunny site, it could easily site, it could easily be transformed into a wild fl ower meadow. The diffi cult to achieve
yours isn't, there are several things you can do to bring the nutrient levels down and prevent vigorous grasses from taking over. Stop using fertilisers and weed killers, and mow the lawn regularly, keeping the grass very short. Remove all clippings to prevent nutrients being returned to the soil. You may need to keep this up for two years until it's ready to be planted with wildfl owers. Preparing the ground For small areas, remove weeds by hand or cover with black plastic or a weed-suppressing membrane for at least three months prior to sowing. For larger areas and where vigorous perennial weeds, such as nettles, docks and dandelions, are present in large numbers, non-chemical control methods may not be effective. In these situations instead spray off existing vegetation (unless it is already species-rich) using nonresidual systemic glyphosate-containing weedkillers Dig or rotovate the soil, then fi rm and rake to make a seedbed as for a new lawn Don't incorporate manure or fertiliser as high fertility encourages excessive vigour in grasses that then crowd out the wildfl owers Allow four to six weeks for the soil to settle and for any weed seeds to germinate. Spray or hoe these off before sowing On very fertile soils it may be an advantage to remove the top soil but, for anything other than the smallest area, this requires machinery. Sowing Even large areas can be sown by hand quite easily Rates will vary between individual mixes but, as a rough guide, pure wildfl ower seed should be sown at one gramme per square metre )and wildfl ower and grass seed mixes at 5grammes per square metre per sq m These tiny amounts can be diffi cult to broadcast evenly so mix the seed with silver sand to make it easier to handle To further ensure that the seed is scattered evenly, sow half lengthways and the remaining half widthways. Rake in lightly, water thoroughly and leave them to grow naturally. However, be prepared to protect the seed with netting if birds prove to be a problem How to plant The wildfl owers you use largely depend on your soil conditions, personal preference, and if you have a colour scheme in mind. Wildfl owers will establish best if planted in the autumn as small plug plants. For a natural look, arrange these in groups across the lawn and take out a core of soil using a trowel. Drop a handful of compost into the bottom of the hole to help plugs establish quickly. Water and spread leaf mould around each plug to help it grow without competition. Aftercare Cut the grass at the end of summer after most of the wildfl owers have had a chance to set seed. If you only have a small meadow, use a strimmer or a scythe. Larger areas can be cut with a mower, aiming to leave grass no taller than about one centimetre.
How to cheat If you have a bare area of soil, try laying wildfl ower turf. This is naturally low in nutrients and supplied in rolls so it can be laid like a normal lawn. It contains 50 per cent grasses and 50 per cent native wildfl owers, including ox-eye daisy, bugle, yarrow, yellow rattle and birds-foot trefoil, available from a number of specialist suppliers.
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Cut again in spring. After removing the grass, rake up all debris to prevent nutrients from being returned to the soil. What to plant Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) - white daisy fl owers Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) - spikes of reddish fl owers and crimson leaves in summer Cowslip (Primula veris) - yellow fl owers on long stalks Ragged robin (Lychnis fl os cuculi) - delicate pink fl owers Red Campion (Silene dioica) - large pink or red fl owers
Converting a lawn to a meadow
Lawns can be converted into wildfl ower meadows, but it can take a number of years for the balance between grass and wildfl owers to be established. • Stop feeding and weedkilling the turf • In the fi rst year, continue mowing weekly to weaken the grass • Some wild species will establish and thrive • Raise others from seed, introducing them as one- to twoyear-old pot-grown plants planted into holes in the turf Many wildfl ower suppliers offer plug plants that are ideal for planting into an established lawn. For a natural look, plant in small groups of the same plant
SPECIALIST TREES
This line of Scots Pine protects crops and buildings from winds descending the downland ridge
BIG TREES –
friends or threat?
Mark Hinsley defends the importance of trees not only to our landscape but critically providing shelter for homes, crops and prevention from fl ood damage
When you were young did you have a big older friend or sibling? You were a little in awe of him/her, even a bit afraid, but this person meant that the bullies would leave you alone. Consequently, you readily accepted the slightly risky element of the friendship in return for the much wider protection from harm from which you benefi ted. Big trees in towns are a similar proposition. We all know about bullies. You can’t reason with them, you can’t negotiate with them. They are an unfortunate fact of life and you either have to deal with them or be harmed by them. Well, the big nasty bully that is gradually growing in strength in our lives at the moment is the weather – and our big older friends whom we fear a little but who can protect us are our trees. This is not about reversing global warming – trees planted in an English town will not ‘save the planet’. This is not even a comment regarding the causes of global warming. Can you, gentle reader, pick the truth out of what is written and said regarding climate change? Because I’m blowed if I can! No - this is about knowledge gained from history that the climate has always changed. An example: in
A shelter-belt of poplar trees growing in a dry ditch to provide crops with cover six out of ten years between 1890 and 1900 the River Stour in Blandford, Dorset froze so hard that the town could hold skating parties on it. Not told by boffi ns but from the diaries of the wife of the Steward to the Portman Estate, now Bryanston School. We need to be aware that we are moving into an era when, for whatever reason, our weather is set to become more violent, but we are living in vulnerable houses built when it wasn’t. Then we need to remember something that our ancestors knew and exploited as standard practice for thousands of years before we upped sticks, moved to the towns and forgot all about it – trees give you shelter from the weather – all kinds of weather. You see them everywhere where there is the combination of good farmland and exposure to high winds – narrow strips of woodland planted at right angles to the prevailing wind. They are called shelterbelts and they massively improved yields in the fi elds on the lee side. You see old cob cottages with yew trees planted on exposed sides so that driving rain didn’t dissolve what is essentially a mud hut.
Go further afi eld and see old stone-built village squares in warm countries planted with trees to combat what they knew but didn’t name as ‘urban heat islands’. Higher urban temperatures kill a lot more people than falling trees ever will. Visit New England and see timber houses built under spreading trees to manage summer temperatures and reduce the cost of air conditioning. And then there is fl ooding. A large tree on a rainy day is coated in gallons of water. More of that water as it drips off the tree soaks into the ground and is taken up by the roots and goes inside the tree. Some of that water never reaches the ground because as soon as the rain stops it begins to evaporate off the leaves. Every time we remove a tree from pretty much anywhere we increase the amount of rainwater that will hit our drains and rivers all at the same time. Every time we plant a tree – pretty much anywhere – we reduce it. We need our large, slightly frightening friends or the weather bully is going to beat the hell out of us.
Mark Hinsley is from Arboriculture Consultants Ltd. www.treeadvice.info
Hatch Beauchamp | Taunton | TA3 6SG
Quality care in charming surroundings
Beauchamp House Nursing Home
is a Care South Country House home, offering the highest quality nursing care for all levels of need, from short term respite to high dependency and palliative care, at a realistic cost. Beauchamp House has been tastefully refurbished by Care South in recent years, to provide quality care in a home-from-home atmosphere.
To request a brochure, arrange a visit or fi nd out more, contact www.care-south.co.uk or call Beauchamp House on ☎ 01823 481500
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Within our portfolio of residential care and nursing homes across the south of England, you will fi nd two of our beautiful Care South Country House care homes nestled in the north Devon countryside. We offer compassionate care, fi ne dining and comfortable accommodation, set within beautifully landscaped gardens.
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A beautiful historic home providing all your care needs
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As a leading provider of residential and home care across Dorset, we offer compassionate residential and dementia care in a home-from-home atmosphere. Whether you’re looking for care in your own home, a short respite stay or a new home, we offer a warm welcome, compassionate care, comfort and peace of mind. To request a brochure, arrange a visit or fi nd out more, contact www.care-south.co.uk ☎ 01202 712400
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR GARDEN IN HIGH SUMMER
Enjoying the garden in summer is much more than just wandering admiring plants or even worrying about weeds. It’s a time to enjoy the long summer evenings and outdoor lifestyle, a world away from winter nights. It's also time to make sure your garden is in its best condition for you to enjoy and that may mean maintenance jobs such as with your conservatory, the way your garden is designed and it maybe your pond needs attention. Here’s some help and advice on hand. Time to give your conservatory some extra summer care Thomas Sanderson's conservatory valet service not only restores conservatories to their former beauty, but with its new Valet Guard treatment breaks down embedded dirt and grime on glass panels. Valet Guard is a protective barrier treatment that repels dirt and contaminants and can help to protect from unnecessary repairs. Exposure to British weather means conservatories are prone to dirt and pollutants, leaf build up, and algae. Leaving grime causes long-term damage. The service includes an external valet and internal cleaning.
A quotation can be obtained by calling 0800 688 8113 or visit www.thomas-sanderson.co.uk
Add the finishing touches to your conservatory… Now that the warmer weather is here, you may fi nd that your conservatory gets too hot during the day or you may feel like you’re sitting in a “goldfi sh-bowl” at night. Conservatory Blinds Limited offer an amazing range of blinds designed to reduce heat and glare, creating a more comfortable
Earthmark Garden Design
Helping you to create a Beautiful Bespoke Garden Pippa Shennan BSc.(Hons), Dip. Tel. 07813694556 earthmarkgardendesign@ymail.com www.earthmarkgardendesign.co.uk
Accredited partner of the Wildflower Turf Ltd - specialising in designing, installing and maintaining wildflower meadows and planting schemes
Everyone needs a pair of
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Backdoorshoes® are lightweight, waterproof, durable and unique, great for slipping on when you need to nip outside. A vast choice of Mens, Ladies or Children’s designs to suit everyone, from Chickens-Meadow-Butterflies or Worms.
To see our full range visit www.backdoorshoes.co.uk
and useable room, no matter what the weather. These specialist blinds also protect your Conservatory Blinds furniture and furnishings from fading due to UV. With up to 25% off the most popular fabrics, now is the perfect time to buy your blinds. For price guides and inspirational
online gallery visit www.conservatoryblinds.co.uk or call 0800 071 88 88.
Add atmosphere and style to your summer garden During the warmer summer months your garden can become an extension of your home, providing an outdoor area for dining and sitting, from dawn until dusk. Strategically placed lighting or candles can be atmospheric and extend the length of time you have to enjoy your garden. Growing scented plants near to your seating area is also a good idea. If you are only able to sit and enjoy your garden in the evening night scented plants might be the best option. The sound of rustling leaves from plants such as grasses and the bubbling of a water feature also adds to the ambience. If you are overlooked, utilising overhead screening can help create a more private area and where external noise is a problem, erecting sound reducing fencing may be worth considering.
Earthmark Garden Design, 2A Market Street, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, GL12 7AE. Tel: 07813694556 earthmarkgardendesign@ymail.com
IS YOUR CONSERVATORY TOO HOT IN SUMMER & TOO COLD IN WINTER?
A Solar Shield fitted to your existing roof will reduce the heat & glare by 80% in summer, and stop up to 60% of your expensive heat disappearing through the roof in winter. Thereby keeping your conservatory warmer whilst lowering your carbon footprint. We are also able to provide a service starting with a complete valet, to replacing blown units, damaged panels etc., even replacing complete roofs where necessary. We are happy to provide a guide on price over the telephone.
Jacksons Fencing News, topical treats and more...
New to the range...
It’s quite hard to come up with new ideas for fencing. Panels do tend to fit into a fairly predictable format of a certain width, normally 1.8m wide with varying heights, and of course, if they are timber, which is more often than not the case, they are woody in appearance - we like wood, so that’s just fine. Our challenge is to come up with fresh ideas that will inspire our customers, giving them some new choices for their garden and other outdoor areas. Hooray for some new additions to the already abundant and attractive range of fencing that we offer. And even if I say it myself, I think they are some winners in this new crop! We’ve noticed that even though a lot of our customers prefer to stick with traditional types of fencing, like featherboard (AKA closeboard), there has been a sizeable swing towards the more modern and clean lined panels like our Venetian. In fact, this style has become so popular that we’ve found it has been imitated, I’d say in most cases rather poorly! The first new panel to introduce you to is a variation on the Venetian theme; I just mentioned how popular they are, but I’d say the one draw back is its see-throughness. It looks contemporary and sleek, complimenting the chic suburban garden beautifully. But when it comes to the balancing act of light versus privacy, the scales come down heavily in favour of light, and privacy is sacrificed! So how do you get the stylish look of horizontal slats that still allows some air and light through, but doesn’t allow the neighbours a view of you baring your body to catch some rays? Answer: new Venetian Hit and Miss panels. They look as stylish as standard Venetian, but have another set of horizontal slats on the other side. These are fixed to cover the space between the slats on the first side. The slats alternate, in much the same way as hit and miss panels are made. Which means some air
New Tartan panels looking pretty with summer planting
and light can still pass through, but the view through is obscured. Another big benefit is they are what we refer to as ‘good both sides’ so you and your neighbours don’t have a view of rails, which can be a bone of contention. I’m aware I’m only going have enough space to tell you about two of our lovely ‘newbies’ here, so will save the other additions for another time, and tell you about my personal favourite; Tartan trellis, there it is at the top of the page, how pretty is that? I think it fits into the ‘less is more’ school of design – by not putting a baton at every third spacing, we’ve created a pattern that looks really great. I’m amazed at how effective it looks. Enough said, I hope I’ve whetted your appetite, if you’d like to know more about these or our other new products, go to your dedicated web page www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk
The new Venetian Hit and Miss panel is on the right of the photo
Win £300 of Jacksons vouchers...
To enter the free prize draw and be in with a chance to win £300 of Jacksons vouchers simply log on to your dedicated page, address below and follow the easy instructions on how to enter. The draw closes 30.8.16. To enter go to: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal For info on any of Jacksons products or brochures, please call 0800 408 4754 to talk to your local Jacksons Fencing Centre.
Summer and the overheating conservatory needs attention Now that summer is here, conservatory owners don’t need reminding they need to address the problem of overheating. Overheating, that makes the conservatory a no-go area for not only themselves but for guests, animals and plants.. Econergy Systems are specialists in the supply and installation of a Solar Shield which when fi tted to a conservatory roof, stops 80 per cent of the heat and glare before it enters the roof, unlike blinds that only stop the heat once it is inside. If you already have roof blinds, you need a Solar Shield to keep heat out, and to protect your expensive blinds. If you are considering an expensive solid roof replacement, remember you will lose the light airy feel, often the reason you purchased the conservatory originally. A Solar Shield helps in retaining heat in winter, saving
PERFECT PONDSPLUS WE COME TO YOU
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Call 0800 904 7827 for guidance on price.
Perfect Ponds offer perfect maintenance Perfect Ponds, based in Bridgwater, offers comprehensive maintenance programmes for your garden ponds. That means everything from a regular check up to a visit when your pond needs special attention. Perfect Pond’s business is small enough to offer a personal service but big enough to take on construction and water features work. The business was set up 16 years ago by Martin Cockell, a pond enthusiast and professional expert. During the past century nearly 70 per cent of ponds have been lost from the UK countryside meaning garden ponds and water features have more importance for wildlife. Perfect Ponds offers the highest quality standards for your pond.
Perfect Ponds, Eastholme, Bath Road, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 4TS. Tel: 01278 429758.
Backdoor shoes – the ideal solution for summer Finding a pair of garden shoes that are lightweight, comfortable and easy to wear can be a challenge. Look no furtherbackdoorshoes® has the perfect, practical solution. Created from a special expandable foam formula, they are very light to wear and are also completely waterproof, so you can leave those heavy wellies in the shed. From meadows and bluebells to tulips and roses, the beautiful designs inspired by nature, are guaranteed to make the ladies smile, available in sizes 3 to 8. The men’s new Chunky Tread designs include a number of styles including Grass, British Brogue, Camoufl age, Nuts ’n’ Bolts and Tyres and are available in sizes 8-14.
Visit www.backdoorshoes.co.uk
Cleaning a conservatory is hard work. Let us do it for you. Invest in a Conservatory Care Valet from Thomas Sanderson Remember when you first had your conservatory? How smart it looked. How pristine clean everything was. Well, by investing in a Thomas Sanderson Conservatory Care Valet, it can be again! Every conservatory slowly loses its sparkle. Over time, the accumulation of dirt, algae and pollutants can turn the brightest and whitest into GET READY FOR SUMMER! the dullest and greyest no matter how much you try to keep it clean. Added to which, with a fragile glass roof and hard to reach areas, it’s a job many of us do our best to avoid. • We have been enhancing • Our 2-person technical team conservatories across the UK will meticulously clean and for over 25 years polish your conservatory in • Our Conservatory Care Valet will restore your conservatory • just one day Ask about our NEW Valet to its former glory both inside Guard service for longer and outside term protection
All visible mould & algae removed Internal & external guttering cleaned
Locks & hinges cleaned & lubricated
For an INSTANT QUOTE simply call NOW on 0800 051 7701Quote T6512 or visit www.ts-specialoffer.co.uk *Terms and conditions apply.
