| For your interest we have
an archive newsletter section.
Please note that any special offers and prices mentioned may not now be current.
Staff News at the Garden Centre
For those who are frequent visitors to our shop, two familiar faces will be missing
soon - the first Bernard Hunt who has been on the shop staff for many years now.
He is retiring for the second time - the first was from his career in banking
and now from us. The second is Rob Manship who has been with us for less time
but he and his wife are returning to Leicester where their family are mainly based.
Both will be missed by both staff and customers.
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Spring Gardening Jobs
Spring is definitely just around the corner so for anyone wanting to plant any
bare rooted plants time is fast running out. In fact some of the roses are already
too advanced for planting, and we have stopped supplying bare root trees like
Silver Birch which do not transplant easily late in the season. If you have not
yet pruned a newly planted hedge do get out and do this immediately as the buds
are beginning to swell or even open. If you are not sure of the amount you should
cut the plants back by, do please ask as it is important to do this correctly
when the hedge is young to ensure that you get a dense hedge from the base upwards.
A further planting job that needs doing very soon is seed potatoes and summer
flowering bulbs. There are still plenty available for sale, but some varieties
are now beginning to sell out, so it would be advisable to purchase any you want
without delay even if you do not plant them out immediately. This will avoid disappointment.
There are many urgent jobs to do in the garden at this time of the year and it
is very frustrating that we are getting so much rain which has made the soil very
wet. When it is so wet, do avoid walking on the garden as much as possible as
you can damage the soil structure so easily. Also, if possible, avoid walking
on the lawn as much as is practical for the same reason.
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New Products
New Drought Resistant Grass
Whilst thinking of lawns a revolution in lawn seed is now available. A natural
discovery first made over thirty years ago is set to revolutionise garden lawns.
British botanists at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in
Wales noticed that a naturally occurring UK grass plant did not turn yellow during
summer drought. This unusual grass also stayed green in autumn and winter. Intrigued,
they were excited by the potential for year-round greener lawns. There has been
a development programme funded by British Seed Houses since 1987 and as a result
of this 'So-Green' grass seed has been launched and is now on the shelves for
sale. It is ideal for new lawns, but can also be used to restore existing lawns.
Rollable Wood Preservative
Another new product you will be able to find on the shelves is Rollable, the
wood preservative which can be applied with a roller rather than by brush. It
is claimed by the manufacturers that it can be applied twice as fast as by brush,
so if you have a lot to do this is quite a bonus. It is available in Harvest Brown,
Forest Green, Forest Oak and Atlantic Blue.
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Camelias & Acers
This time of the year it is well worth a visit to gardens with collections of
Camelias as the early flowering varieties are now in bloom and they are a stunningly
beautiful shrub with the dark, shiny leaves which act as a wonderful back drop
to the exquisitely formed blooms which vary in colour from pure white to rich
red. We have some superb new varieties from the Waterford area of Ireland, and
these include Camelia japonica 'Tomorrow's Dawn', a paeony form which is deep
pink to light pink at the edge, Camelia reticula 'Black Lace' which has dark velvet
red very fully double blooms and is late flowering, Camelia japonica 'Ace of Hearts'
a deep red, medium, semi-double, and Camelia japonica Nuccio's Jewel which has
double white flowers tinged with shades of pink.
Also from the same source are some new varieties of Japanese Acers. For example
Acer palmatum Sherwood Flame which is a hardy sturdy shrub which reaches up to
two metres in height and width. Its leaves are deeply divided to the base and
are rich burgundy red in colour throughout the season. Also Acer palmatum Katsura
which is a hardy tree-like shrub reaching a height up to one metre. It is densely
branched and has leaves with five lobes which unfold brilliant orange-yellow in
Spring, turning fiery orange in the autumn. In the summer when the leaves are
predominantly green, new leaves show a splash of yellow or red giving a most pleasing
effect.
Both Acers and Camellias need careful placing in the garden as they can be ruined
in the wrong position. They need to be where the early morning sun does not reach
them otherwise if the sun touches them when they are still covered with frost
they will suffer from burning and bud drop. They are also best in a position sheltered
from the wind, though this would be seem virtually impossible this spring.
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Frost Protection
This is the time of the year when one is constantly dreading the arrival of a
heavy frost as there are so many plants which are vulnerable to this. If possible
protect any susceptible ones with agricultural fleece as this keeps the temperature
several degrees higher if put on early enough. As it lets moisture and light through
it can be left on for long periods if prolonged periods of bad weather are expected.
One plant which is particularly susceptible is the Magnolia and it is a sad sight
to see the beautiful tulip-like blossoms blackened with frost damage. Those starting
to bud up at the moment are Goldstar, Stellata and Soulangeana. A bush covered
with the plump fury green buds is a sight worth beholding in itself, especially
with the anticipation of those buds soon bursting open to reveal the bold but
exquisite flowers.
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Anemones
Down at ground level some of the new varieties of anemone nemorosa are beginning
to show colour. To mention just a couple, Atrocaerulea which has delicate six
petalled pale lavender flowers with yellow stamens and Wilk's White with pure
white flowers which fade to pink.
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Special Offers on Tools
With the prospect of so much hard work ahead we are hoping to ease the expense
of buying new tools by offering Yeoman carbon steel spades and forks (digging
or border) at two for £11.99 which is the recommended price of one. You
can have two tools the same or two different. If you only need one tool the price
is £7.99, which is still a substantial saving. We are also repeating the
highly successful 'buy one get one free' offer on Yeoman carbon steel trowels
and weedforks. You buy one at the recommended price of £1.99 and get a second
one free. Both these offers are only available whilst stocks last so hurry, hurry
if you are in need!
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New Organic Compost
Spring is a time in the garden when one never seems to have enough garden compost,
and for those who wish to garden organically this used to cause problems. This
can now be overcome as J. Arthur Bower have brought out an Organic Garden Compost
which has been made from composted plant waste. This is recommended not only for
improving the soil in flower beds and vegetable plots, and in pots and containers
but also for top dressing lawns, but do not use it on its own as a potting compost.
It comes in 50 litre bags at £2.99 a bag, or £2.75 a bag is you buy
three or more.
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Newsletter Supplement:
New Summer Flowering Bulbs
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