FREE! Jun e Issue 2 0
FREE EE
All you need for a gorgeous summer garden... OLEANDER The UK’s favourite hardy exotics!
MARROWS
Marrows, courgettes and squash!
with everyy order der
Don’t forget your Garden Bargains on page 24 WOOLCOTT & SMITH
Adam Woolcott has some tips for some mediterranean bedding.
Rob Platt
our resident equipment expert, reviews some of the best lawnmowers
TOP TIPS | HOW TO GUIDES | EQUIPMENT | TOOLS | EXPERT ADVICE
PROMO: MAG20
lead the good life welcomes you... Now is the time for celebrating your gardening success. Although it’s a busy month you should make time to sit back and appreciate your hard work. June brings a host of scent, colour and anticipation as summer is just around the corner.
e plot... using thex pert, David The vegetable Allison gives uss ssome tips on what we should be doing.
In this Month’s issue of
exotic oleander
This month the plant portfolio talks Oleander with ever ything you need to know Page 04-07
How to grow Oleander p.06-07
Page 12-13
Grow Your Own Marrow p.08-09 Design Ideas mediterranean Boarder p.10-11
Why take a holiday when you can have the Mediterranean in your own back garden? Adam shows us how to create a fantastic border filled with marvellous Mediterranean plants such as Trachycarpus and Oleander, the plant of the month for June. Read more about Oleander on pages 4 – 7. David gives us the top tips for vegetable growing in June and we focus on marrows and related species in the grow your own section. This month Rob gives us the lowdown on lawnmowers and we suggest some top bedding which will look incredible in your borders this summer.
Recipe of the Month Courgette Risotto p.14
n! Grow yourvrestinog;w all you
Jobs to do in June Grow your own bedding plants p.15
From sowing to ha from need to know to get the most your mar rows page 08-09
cious Plus a deli oup recipe Courgette S on page 14 Design
Reader’s Corner June 2012 p.16-17
?
The Big Question Bedding p.20-21 Ask the Expert Stephen Answers p.22
Rob’s Reviews In our brand new feature Rob looks into what is out there when it comes to lawnmowers. on page 18-19 www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55
Rob’s Reviews Lawnmowers p.18-19
Ideas
RHS Chelsea medal winner Adam Woolcott give us some fantastic design ideas for mediterranian flower bed. on page 10-11
02 | Welcome
Using the Plot David Allison, Vegetable Expert p.12-13
est Plus all the b urc hase. oleander to p
That leaves me to say enjoy the latest issues of Lead the Good Life and have a fantastic month of gardening.
Just hit the basket to add to your basket.
Plant Portfolio Oleander p.04-05
Garden Arbours The perfect addtion to your garden p.23 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com com
In this Issue | 03
Plant of the Month Beau
tiful exoti ly c!
Oleander The UK’s favourite hardy exotic is this issues plant of the month due to its vast colour ranges and ease to grow...
N
erium oleander (or oleander) is an evergreen shrub with beautiful long and narrowly leaves similar in shape to many willow species. The terminal groups of funnel-shaped flowers range in colours from cream to red and are followed by seed pods that are similar in looks to beans. They originate from warm subtropical regions where it is often grown as an ornamental plant however it can tolerate short periods of frost which makes it a good option for gardeners in the UK especially now the climate is warming up.
their showy flowers not only fill the room with colour but also fragrance. Thanks to breeders there are now 400 named varieties of oleander in colours that have never been seen in the wild.
Very easy to grow, Oleanders thrive on neglect.
Each bush from around 18” tall will give your terrace, patio or balcony a sunny uplifting Mediterranean feel with a profusion of white, cream, yellow, pink, salmon and red summer blooms and lush-green year round foliage. Very easy to grow, Oleanders thrive on neglect. Hot, dry weather, temperatures down to -6 degrees C it’s no wonder it’s one of the UK’s favourite hardy exotics! Oleander is the perfect drought tolerant So now you can enjoy masses of stunning plant and is suitable for most well drained soils what’s more is that it can be grown as a exotic blooms with rich, sweet fragrance all conservatory or greenhouse plant too where summer long and for many years to come.
Oleander Collection 5 Bush plus One FREE
ITEM: 800512
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5 55 85 ITEM: 8008 err ter rte uarrt ua Qu Oleander Q m 0ccm 00 1 10 -1 0 080 0c Standard 8 (5L Pot)
04 | Plant of the Month
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Sup Supplied at ove over 3ft tall
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Plant of the Month | 05
How to Grow
£17.99 CP: £16.19
ITE EM: 300648 Ga arrden Boost Super 17 Flower & Fr F uit Fertiliser - 1.5k g
How to Grow...
oleander
This beautifully exotic plant couldn’t be easier to grow but here’s a few tips to help them thrive... Oleanders thrive on neglect so there really isn’t much you need to do with this fantastic Mediterranean plant. By following these simple steps you can make this already beautiful evergreen even more beautiful. POSITION
If you want oodles of fragrant blooms then position your oleanders in full sun. It’s a good idea to plant them in containers so that you can move them from frost prone areas during the winter however if you really want to establish them in your garden they tolerate a wide range of soil conditions all the way from dry sandy soils to
06 | How to Grow
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£9.99 CP: £8.99
Did you kno In t w? he B ol ib
ITEM: 80003
0 60-80cm Pin k Oleander B ush in 3 Litre Pot
ean le, t he de refe r plan “ t h r r e d t o t is e de sert as rose ”.
Difficulty: Full Sun
Partial Shade
Hardy
moist clay soils. If you are planting more than one oleander space them at least 5ft apart to get maximum impact.
PRUNING:
A light trim is all oleanders really need. In mid to late spring prune back any shoots that spoil symmetry and dead head regularly during the flowering period. Any dead diseased or damaged branches should be removed as and when you find them. Remember that oleander is toxic so wear gloves and wash your hands whenever you are in contact with the foliage.
WATERING AND FERTILIZING
During summer you’ll need to apply a balanced fertilizer at least once a month to promote healthy foliage and
Half Hardy
Flowering Season
an abundance of flowers. Watering is only necessary in periods of prolonged drought and is not required at all in winter, so it shouldn’t be a problem if you forget to water them or if you go on holiday.
USES:
Perfect for screens, informal hedges and costal plantings. Oleanders have a naturally bushy form and produce suckers. By removing these suckers and training the plant into a more upright habit you can produce standard oleanders which are very attractive and resemble small trees. They’re suitable for containers too, a good choice for those who want an indoor conservatory plant.
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PESTS AND DISEASES
If growing outside then oleanders rarely suffer from pest problems, in fact the only real danger is from prolonged periods of frost. This is easily remedied by using protective fleece covers or by moving under inside protection. If growing indoors scale insects, mealybugs and red spider mite could be problematic.
PROPAGATION
Oleanders are easily propagated by seed, semi ripe cuttings and air layering.
How to Grow | 07
Grow Your Own
Grow Your Own...
£1.10
Marrows
CP: £0.99
ITEM: 900452 Butternut Squash Seeds
Marrows are easy to grow and you can achieve large crops in a very short time with just a little extra care. Difficulty:
£1.25
Marrows, courgettes and squash are all very similar to grow and as long as they are planted in a sunny position, away from cold winds and in moist soil you should get a decent crop.
SOW INDOORS
Indoor sowing is great for earlier crops or in cold areas of the UK and ideally you really want to get your indoor seeds sown by no later than mid June; the perfect sowing time for an early crop is from mid to late April. Place the seeds on their sides and cover with 13mm (0.5in) of compost deep and try to keep temperatures between 18-21°C (65-70F).
SOWING OUTDOORS
Late May or early June is the perfect time to sow
£1.25
marrow seeds outdoors. The plants have a spreading nature and produce 4 large fruits so you’ll only need two or three plants in total. For outdoor sowing plant the seeds in situ about 2.5cm (1in) deep into each planting pocket. It’s advantageous to cover with a cloche to warm the soil and hasten germination.
THE PLANTING POCKET
About two weeks before sowing or planting you need to create a planting pocket. These are simply 12in by 12in holes about 90cm apart. Fill in the planting pocket with a mix of 50/50 compost and soil and a sprinkle of general fertiliser over the surface of the soil. Then sow one seed or plant into each planting pocket. You can
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CP: £1.13
ITEM: 900452 Zuccini Courgette seeds
08 | Grow Your Own
also grow marrows indoors in growbags or containers. The key to a good marrow is to keep the soil moist at all times. Avoid watering directly over the top of the plant, rather water around the base. A handy tip is to dig is a plant pot alongside the marrow as a watering aid. Every time you water your plant fill up the plant pot instead of watering the soil, this way water is transported directly to the roots. Once the fruits start to appear feed the plant with a high potash fertiliser every two weeks and eventually, once they start to swell they will need to be supported off the surface of the soil to avoid rotting.
£1.25
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ITEM: 900462 Mar row Long Green Bush seeds
Great for a diets...
low in calories an
vitamins A and C,
Courgettes are 90%
d fat. They contain
water,
plus folate and pota
ssium .
For a
COU deliciou s R RIS G E TT REC O TTO E IP see pa g E E e 14
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ITEM: 900448 All green bush Courgette seeds
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Grow Your Own | 09
Design Ideas
Garden Ideas A meditterranean boarder design idea from Woolcott and Smith Garden Design...
Garden Bargains guest presenter Adam Woolcott runs a successful garden design and garden maintenance business based in Hertfordshire.
Last month our border plan focused on drought tolerant plants, but now that we’ve had plenty of rain in most parts of the country, drought isn’t so much of an issue so this month we are bringing a touch of tropical planting to your garden. Let us bring your holidays to your home! June’s plant of the month is the spectacular oleander (Nerium oleander). Oleanders are colourful, evergreen shrubs that give that instant exotic feel of Mediterranean holidays and sunshine. They are striking architectural plants that really make a statement in the
10 | Design Ideas
garden. The flower colour is striking and is available in pink, white, yellow and red with light green ‘willow like’ leaves. In our border we have used a group of three oleanders in the same flower colour. Oleanders may need some frost protection in the winter so we would recommend planting them in the soil still in their pots so that if we do get some very cold temperatures you can just simply lift them and put them somewhere warmer such as a garage or porch. In the centre of the border try a hardy palm such as the Chinese Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortuneii). Nothing says tropical like a palm tree. Behind the oleanders we have planted star jasmine (Trachelospernum jasminoides) which is a great evergreen climber with very scented white flowers. If you close your eyes you’ll think you are in Italy. In front of these we have chosen two groups of three Astelia chathamica. These are wonderful
silver/green architectural plants that really give an exotic feel with their evergreen ‘spear-like’ leaves. In front of the oleanders, plant Fasicularia bicolor. These are strange looking exotic plants with silver-green strap like leaves with the most amazing metallic blue centres and red markings. They are evergreen and hardy down to about -12 degrees C.
3 Metres
mediterranean boarder “Design a border to bring the Mediterranean to you”
2 Metres
Together with partner Jonathan Smith, Adam has won a silver medal and 3 gold medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show together with 2 BBC People’s awards for best small garden in Show. Adam writes various gardening columns and is a regular garden expert on BBC Three Counties radio.
Choose red geraniums to fill in around the other plants, the more the merrier, to brighten it all up. Red geraniums always bring back memories of Spanish holidays and will last all the way through the summer and into the autumn and winter.
Trachycarpus fortunei Trachelospernum jasminoides Nerium oleander Astelia chathamica Fasicularia bicolour x 3 Red (Zonal) geraniums to fill
So there you have it a colourful touch of the exotic. With any planting scheme we always try to plant in groups of odd numbers; in ones, threes and fives, unless you are planting in pairs either side of a door or path. This always looks better on the eye. It is always better to have height at the back sloping down to low level planting at the front of the border.
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01
04
02
05
03
06
01 | Chusan Palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) in 1L Pot
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02 | Trachelospernum x2
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03 | Red Oleander x 3
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04 | Astelia ‘Silver Shadow’ x2
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05 | Fasicularia bicolour x2
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06 | Red geraniums x 66 plugs
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£2.92 BUY NOW
Design Ideas | 11
Using the Plot by David Allison
using the plot with david allison
£7.99
CP: £7.19
ITEM: 300 332 Garden W iza Superspray rd Applic
£4.99
CP: £4.49
ator
The vegetable expert tells us the must do’s this June... With the risk of night ground frosts now behind us just about anything and everything can be planted outdoors this month. All the sowings of veg in Feb, March and April in the greenhouse will be becoming pot bound and will appreciate the space and growing conditions that outdoor planting in June brings, to keep them growing away. First croppings of lettuce, radishes, spring onions, bunching shallots and early carrots can be made but don’t be tempted to pull too early, by waiting just a few more days will enable the crop to bulk up without any loss of flavour. Successional sowings of these types, at say fortnightly intervals, will prolong the harvesting period considerably and prevent “gluts”. Outdoor tomatoes can be planted this
12 | Using the Plot
month and if cordon grown a cane should be inserted next to the plant for support later. Cordon grown tomatoes will need their side-shoots pinching out, don’t throw these away, treat them as softwood cuttings. Plant them into some multipurpose compost where they will soon grow away giving you more tomatoes for free. Interestingly the second truss of these actually makes excellent show tomatoes. Keep watering, feeding, spraying, tying in and all those other cultural techniques that greenhouse plants need this month. First early potatoes, especially those grown in buckets under protection, will be just about ready this month and the flavour from pot to pan to plate is mouth watering. A bit of chopped
up mint in the pan for the broad bean shoots can last few minutes of boiling, be a problem this month, and then tossed in butter so spray with a good before serving will insecticide or if you Enable the convert anybody are organic or into wanting to crop to bulk up don’t like using grow their own!! chemicals pinch without any loss out Celery can have the growing of flavour their first collar tip. This also put on. This stops has the beneficial the plant from “rosetting” effect of switching the and starts the blanching plants energies into pod process. I find corrugated production, rather than cardboard is best, it stops further stem/leaf growth. the heart overheating and Keep the hoe going to leading to heart rot and kill weed seedlings, and premature bolting. If only inspect your crops for insect growing for kitchen use, self damage and disease. Take blanching celery, grown in whatever precautions you blocks has a lot to commend are comfortable with to keep it. Further sowings of pest and diseases under runner and dwarf French control. Prevention is better beans can be made this than cure and remember a month, and if the weather is healthy plant will stave off mild and sunny, will catch disease better than a weak up on earlier sown plants. sickly one. Watch out for cabbage white butterflies Blackfly on the tips of laying their eggs on
www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55
ITEM: 900 527 Lettuce & To Seed Colle mato ction
than cure, once blight hits it brassica crops. Unless you only takes a day or two for have problems with pests, the foliage to be completely including the human kind, blackened, and once it gets greenhouse doors can be into the stem and travels left open from mid June to the tubers, they will not onwards in daylight hours. keep. Taking the haulms This stops overheating off the plant as soon as you during the day and helps see the disease can save the air circulation. It also tubers, but depending allows insects into the greenhouse to help Use video on whether they are first earlies, those plants that require pollination tapes to keep second earlies or to take place to bird at bay... maincrop varieties will dictate the bulk get a crop. Chinese of crop harvested. brassicas – pak choi, komatsuna, mizuna – Sweetcorn should be are prone to bolting so are planted out this month in best sown this month after blocks of at least twelve the longest day. plants (e.g. four rows of three) as sweetcorn is wind Continue to earth up pollinated. You can help potatoes or top dress those by shaking the plants on grown in containers. Spray a still evening when the against potato blight in tassels are fully developed moist wet summers or if it and you’ll see clouds of is a problem in your area. pollen being released. Again prevention is better
08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com
£1.75
CP: £1.58
ITEM: 900
492 Runner Bea n Prizewin
For a regular supply of radishes, beetroot lettuce and rocket sow every two weeks. Lettuce seeds really germinate better after a night in the fridge prior to sowing. If you want some very crisp and tasty lettuce cover individual plants with large plastic sweet jars, or lemonade bottles, after you have cut off the bottoms and discarded the cap. Then keep them in place over the plant until they are ready for harvesting, you will never want to grow lettuce any other way. There is still time to sow courgettes inside for planting out later. Strawberry crops and other berries are at their height this month and will need protecting from birds. The most efficient method is to grow fruit in a fruit cage. Avoid draping fine netting
ner Seeds
over your plants as birds can easily become entangled in the mesh. A good method of keeping birds off your garden is to use old video tapes. Unwind the tape from the cassette and, supported by canes, suspend it around your plants, the movement, noise and flashing will keep birds off. Canes in the garden can pose a risk particularly to the eyes. To avoid any possible accidents place a blob of blu-tack on the ends this will also stop any nasties hiding in there and keep out the weather so your canes will last longer.
Using the Plot | 13
Recipe of the Month
Top Jobs
Recipe of the month
Courgette risotto PREP: 15 mins
COOKING : 40 mins
You will need... • 900ml of vegetable stock • 1 onion • 1 garlic clove
Jobs to do in June
SERVES: 4
• Arborio rice • 150ml of white wine • 2 courgettes • 4 courgette flowers
i g your own Growin G bedding plants
• Parmesan cheese • 150ml roast tomato passata • 150g green beans
If you’ve grown your own bedding plants, make sure they are hardened off - that is acclimatised to the cooler outdoor conditions - first.
Method
Add the vegetable stock to a sauce pan and once boiling point is reached reduce to a simmer. Finely chop the onions and garlic and add to another sauce pan with a little bit of olive oil, stir for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the rice and the wine and cook until the liquid has been absorbed then add 2 ladles of stock. Finely slice one courgette and add to the pan. Continue to add the stock a little at a time until the rice is creamy and tender but keep aside about 1 ladle of stock. Grate the remaining courgette into the pan, add the 4 flowers and finally add the last ladle of stock. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 1 minute. For an extra special finishing touch grate and squeeze a little bit of lemon and sprinkle over a touch of salt and pepper.
YUM!
14 | Recipe of the Month
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Water plants well before planting out. If you haven’t grown your own then make sure you buy plenty of plants to ensure your garden is a riot of colour this summer. Plant thickly, most bedding should be planted between 15-23cm (6-9in) apart. Harden off half-hardy summer bedding plants that were started under cover. Place the plants outside for a short period only, at the warmest time of day, and then gradually increasing the length of time they are outside, building up to leaving them out overnight. Do this for 10-14 days before planting them outside. By hardening them off you can avoid the cold shock they would experience if moved outside suddenly and permanently.
Frequent watering is essential - the aim should be to try and keep the compost evenly moist. If you forget to water regularly, you’re away from home for most of the day or when you go away for weekends or holidays, watering becomes more of a problem, so install a drip watering system and a timer to do the watering for you. Baskets that are high up can be difficult to water properly so you could use self-lowering brackets. Flowering plants may even benefit from extra feeding with a high potash liquid fertiliser throughout the summer months to promote big healthy blooms.
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Make the most of your hanging baskets this year and ensure they provide a display to be proud of by using controlled-release fertiliser and waterretention gel in the compost. Check that brackets will hold the weight, and use self-lowering brackets to make watering easier or install an automatic drip watering system. When making baskets, ensure you use fresh, good quality potting compost old compost may have gone off and cause problems - and never use garden soil. Before planting up add some controlled-release fertiliser and water-retention gel to the compost. The fertiliser will help feed the plants all summer and the gel will prevent the compost drying out prematurely and so ensure strong, healthy growth and a colourful display.
Top Jobs | 15
Reader’s Corner
anagram
READER’S CORNER
How many words can you make? Give yourself 2 minutes to find as many as you can...
Puzzles and Trivia for when you’re not gardening...
1 – 5 terrible
6 - 11 poor
12 – 19 average
20 – 23 good
24+ excellent
name the plants!
Think you know your plants? Name the ones below and send your answers to stephen.mackley@ltgl.co.uk for a chance to win a year’s free membership.
GOODLIFE & TRU #06
Send you correct answers to stephen.mackley@ltgl.co.uk. Winners will be announced in the next issue. Closing date Friday 22nd May. Good Luck!
Felicity M o
rgan sent in a photograp h of her giant ban ging basket!
Bev Po unse Kry na ttu sent in w these beaut iful hange rs.
LAST MONTHS QUIZ ANSWERS 1 The 19th Centaury 2 Surfinia
16 | Reader’s Corner
3 8 days 4 Evergreen
5 Agapanthus 6 Carrot Root Fly
7 Broad Bean 8 Bosch Art 23LI
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feature in the next issue
follow us for more tips
Send us your photographs and letters and they could appear in the next issue. Send them to: Stephen Mackley, Lead the Good Life LTD, Ideal Home House, Newark Road, Peterborough, PE1 5WG Email: editor@ltgl.co.uk
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Reader’s Corner | 17
Robs Reviews
lawn mowers
This week Rob Platt, our resident garden power tool expert, reviews electric rotary mowers. If you don’t know your Rotak from your Multimo Rob explains the benefits and gives you advice and lowdown to help you choose which mower is best for you.
bosch rotak 34 ergoffllex One thing that resonates through the Bosch Rotak family of lawnmowers is ease of use, and it starts right form the moment you open the box, extremely easy to fit together taking no more than 10 minutes before fully assembled and ready to go. The first thing that should jump out at you is the handles, Bosch revamped the range with “Ergoflex”
handles in 2011, they are designed to first of all make manoeuvring the machine easier and to also reduce the strain on the operators back and arms, both of which it does brilliantly. The lightness and added manoeuvrability make cutting awkward shape lawns easy and the side fins, which lead the grass into the cutting area all but makes a trimmer redunda redundant, potentially saving you some m money as well! As with all Bosch’s build quality
is excellent and it cuts just as well as much more expensive models. There’s very little wrong with this mower, the only slightly negative point I can bring up is the height selector can be a little fiddly.
£129.99
CP: £116.99 ITEM: 301178 Flymo Contour Cordless 500 XT
Bosch Rotak 34 Ergoflex Power: 1400W Width of cut: 34cm Height of cut: 20 - 70mm Cutting Positions: 5 Grass box capacity: 40 Litre Cable length: 12m Weight: 10.5kg
Benefits B • Multigrip Position for simple operation • Ergonomic shape for best manoeuverability • Camlocks easy to fold • Left and right handed • Cable management for more convenience 18 | Rob’s Reviews
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Flymo Multimo 340
This is Flymos answer to the Rotak 34, all the specifications are virtually identical apart from the Flymo having a 100w more powerful motor which isn’t all that noticeable. Again very easy to assemble, I did find the grass box a little tricky to fix together though. The Easi Reel storage system is a great addition which makes keeping the cables tidy really easy, it also has the vision window so you can see how full your grass box is, I do feel however these
a little bit gimmicky when compared to the features on the Rotak which do actually aid you during mowing. Build quality is good and it feels made to last, ultimately there’s very little to choose between this and the Bosch, coming down to brand and colour preference!
£129.99
CP: £116.49
ITEM: 301176 Flymo Contour 600 HD
Flymo Multimo 340 Power: 1500W Width of cut: 34cm Height of cut: 20 - 65mm Cutting Positions: 5 Collection Capacity: 40L Cable length: 12m Weight: 14.2kg
Benefits • Vision window allows you to see ee when the grass box is full • Single lever height adjustment • Roller for aesthetic lawn strips nt • Easi reel for cable management 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com
Rob’s Reviews | 19
?
“Bedding can say a lot about your character...”
The Big Question
BEDDING Summer bedding is an essential part of UK gardening, the problem is that there are so many bedding plants to choose from. Colour, size and habit are all factors that play a part in choosing your bedding but possibly more important is that bedding can say a lot about your character and make statements depending on which plants you choose. Here’s a guide to help you plant a bed that complements your personality...
TRADITIONAL
Not to be confused with the herbaceous perennials, geraniums or Pelargoniums were introduced in the 1600s and since then have been ever popular especially during Victorian times making these bedding plants an excellent choice for traditional gardeners. However don’t be put off by their traditional appearance they are perfect for modern planting schemes too and look fantastic planted alongside architectural plants such as Trachycarpus palms. Geraniums are also excellent drought resistant plants mainly because they originate from Africa.
ELEGANT
Nothing says elegance like Fuchsias. They are one of the UKs favourite bedding plants and who can blame us. They come in a huge variety of colours, sizes and habits and therefore can be used in numerous planting schemes such as containers, hanging baskets or traditional flower beds. The elegance comes from the flowers which hang down and dance about like little ballerinas or fairies.
Flower Market
FUN
£6.49
ITEM: 401997 Crazy Daisy Marguerites 12 plug plants
CP: £5.85 ITEM: 401677 Fuchsia Happy Wedding Day
20 | The Big Question
£3.24
CP: £5.85
CP: £2.92
£2.49
CP: £2.92
ITEM: 470038 Gerainbow Collection 12 Plants
ITEM: 402542 Trailing Cape Daisies 12 Plug Plants
WAS £9 £9.99 99
WAS £12.99 £12 99 £6.49
£3.24
CP: £5.85
CP: £2.25
ITEM: 402537 Geranium Flower Fairy - 12 Plug Plants
ITEM: 402536 Geranium Appleblossom 6 Plug Plants
the best of the rest
WAS £12.99 £6.49
off
WAS £12 £12.99 99
WAS £12.99
WAS £12.99
elegant fuchsias WAS £12.99
75 % traditional geraniums
fun daisies
Don’s miss out on these bargains to help get whichever bedding fits your personality!
up to
Try looking at a bed full of daisies without feeling happy...it’s impossible. The smiling flowery faces of the most bright and happy colours in the plant kingdom are bound to brighten up even the darkest corner of your garden. The most impressive feature about daisies are their abundance of flowers and the length of flowering time; all the way through summer and even longer if you dead head regularly.
WAS £9.99 £3.24
CP: £2.97
£4.99
ITEM: 402530 Jubilee Hardy Fuschia 12 Plug Plants
CP: £4.50
ITEM: 401999 Giant Flowered Fuchsias 12 Plug Plants
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WAS £12 £12.99 99
WAS £9 £9.99 99
£9.99 WAS £9 99 £4.99
CP: £4.50 ITEM: 402532 Verbena
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£4.99
CP: £4.50 ITEM: 402534 Begonia
£6.49
CP: £5.85
ITEM: 402536 Geranium Appleblossom 6 Plug Plants
The Big Composting Question | 21
Ask the Expert
ask the experts
Having problems with your prized pansies, struggles with you star Streptocarpus or troubles with top tomatoes? We’re here to help! MICK ASKS: My
Garden is surrounded by fields and there are a lot of Meadow Ants there. They have now migrated to one of my lawns leaving solid lumps of soil all over it. Can you advise me how to get rid of them please?
Garden Arbours
STEPHEN SAYS: Ants are social insects and live in vast numbers in nest usually constructed from soil. They can colonise lawns as is the case with your problem but also invade the sandy areas under paving slabs. It’s important to keep on top ant problems for numerous reasons. Ants very rarely damage plant directly but rather cause other problems that in turn affect our plants. Ants in lawns throw up soil from their tunnels and pile it up on top of the grass. This can over time damage blades on lawn mowers and of course make the lawn look unsightly. Sometimes when colonies of ants tunnel under plants they can damage root systems which will have a detrimental effect on the plant as a whole.
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Another more unassuming but nonetheless just as damaging problem that ant cause is something called farming. Ants love the sweet residue that Aphids produce known as honeydew and as a result the will tend and encourage the spread of Aphid infestations. Aphids are the largest vector for plant diseases and so the potential for serious damage occurring to your plants is very high. Unfortunately permanent eradication is impossible because re-colonisation will inevitably occur. The best method for control is pouring boiling water directly over the nest. This will undoubtedly have an effect on your lawn and will possible kill it off however this is easily fixed by reseeding. There are also insecticidal powders that contain pyrethroid chemicals which are ideal for exterminating ants.
22 | Ask the Expert
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Garden Arbours | 23
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