Garden Thoughts

While we have all been in this unbelievable science fiction lock down existence many new projects have been undertaken and with the wonderful spring weather we have spent a lot of time in the garden.

Now is the time to add the plants to decorate those new pergolas, raised beds and living walls.        

 BRING TROPICAL COLOURS TO YOUR GARDEN THIS SUMMER

Although summer in England can be hot we are not likely to reach the temperature and rainfall of tropical regions where most flowers are brilliantly coloured. However we can create similar spectacles by selecting plants that together give a tropical feel to our gardens but will happily grow in our climate.

Alstromerias are a great group of low growing summer flowering perennials that require little maintenance and are now available in a vast range of bright hot colours. They are excellent when planted at the front of the borders or in pots where they produce non stop flowers from June to October. The stems can be used for flower arranging and should be pulled not cut from the plant. The more you pull the stems the more new shoots the plant produces. Alstromerias should be grown in well drained soil in a sunny place and covered with mulch in winter until really established. If you are growing these plants in pots use John Innes No. 2 compost and give protection during severe winters. A gorgeous new variety to look out for is Alstromeria Indian Summer with pale and vivid orange outer petals and yellow inner petals and striking dark markings.

Dahlias are another group that have enjoyed a lot of Growers attention over the last few years. There are now some lovely perennial varieties which although subject to frost damage if planted six inches deep in the ground and covered with thick mulch in winter will survive and thrive. Dahlias grown in tubs they should be protected in a conservatory, covered porch or greenhouse. Plant the tubers or plants in a rich organic soil or compost and protect the young plants from frost. Remove the growing tip from young plants to encourage branching and so more flower buds. The plants are very easy to grow but can be subject to aphids or earwig damage so spray with Provanto when any are seen. By continually cutting the flowers for vases indoors encourages a lot more flowers. Strawberry Bon Bon and Amazon are two stunning small decorative varieties while Bishop of Lancaster is bright red.

Crocosmias are a vibrant range of hardy perennials that grow well in sun or shady places. There is an ever increasing range of varieties with more being added every year. They flower from July until a really hard frost often into December. The dazzling range of colours becomes more and more tropical. They are always a successful plant to grow in normal well drained soil and are pest and disease free. Columbus and Buttercup are both good shining golden yellow varieties with Emily Mckenzie a dramatic orange with red centres.

Rudbeckias are very hardy daisy like flowers which are also very easy to grow in normal well drained soil in full sun. There are annual and perennial types and if the annual seeds are sown in March they will be flowering by July until October. The vibrant yellow and orange flowers are now accompanied by new red varieties. Butterscotch is the honey and orange colour that the name suggests.

Canna Lilies are perhaps the most tropical plants we can grow. They are traditionally grown as centerpieces or accent plants in large bedding plant displays. They will flower from July onwards but when the foliage turns yellow and droops down stop watering and allow the plant to dry completely to over winter successfully. Protect with a thick layer of mulch and start watering and feeding again the following March. If growing in pots stop watering completely and put somewhere frost free for winter. Tropicana Black is a must variety to grow with the electrifying contrast of the orange flowers and very dark leaves.

Products Mentioned:

• Plants
• Pots
• Mulch
• Watering
• Plant Feed
• Compost

We Gardeners didn’t really need the Pundits to tell us:

GARDENING IS GOOD FOR YOU!

It is a low intensity work out that encourages an active lifestyle.

Research shows that not only do Gardeners get health benefits from the physical exercise when digging, raking leaves, hoeing and mowing the lawn but mentally it is healthy as well. Gardening helps to keep the brain active and creative reducing the risk of dementia in over 60 year olds by up to 40%. The physical exercise reduces stress and the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and stroke. It gives us challenges that when achieved promote feelings of satisfaction and happiness. Gardening burns calories helping to control weight, relieves stress and improves the immune system. It demands responsibility giving us a sense of worth, improves the sensory skills, assists with anger management and helps us live in the moment. Repetitive tasks like weeding, watering and trimming help to calm the mind.

If I’ve had a grotty day a “20 minute Hoe” on the veg patch chopping away at those weeds encourages the positive feelings associated with tidying up tasks. The stress hormone Cortisol is lowered in the brain by engaging in a rewarding activity. Gardening has been shown to do this. High levels of Cortisol in your brain can affect memory and learning hence the phrase “I have a lot on my mind”. Gardening can be enjoyed at many levels providing the gentle physical exercise which removes negative thoughts produced by life’s stresses and helps restore the mind set balance.

Gardening is an activity associated with nurture, renewal and growth. When you sow a packet of spring onion seeds or transplant petunias into your patio tubs you are encouraging new life.

Growing your own fruit and veg means you are creating a healthy lifestyle for your family. When we harvest our blueberries or dig our potatoes the reward centre in our brain produces Dopamine, a slight euphoric, which is triggered by the sight and smell of picking the fruit and veg. There’s a great joy when you pick that first ripe strawberry or the first portion of runner beans. This is akin to that felt when you take the first batch of cheese scones from the oven or have a morning’s retail therapy at Rushden Lakes. It is thought that the release of Dopamine and the rewarding feeling it produces was probably experienced by our hunter gatherer ancestors when they found their food. The release of this endorphin encourages repeat activity because it makes you feel rewarded and so it is self-perpetuating.
A natural way of keeping depression at bay is to get your hands dirty. By not wearing gardening gloves and touching compost and soil with your bare hands promotes the release of Serotonin, the happy chemical. It is so called because along with Dopamine it helps to boost the immune system and put us in a good mood.

Planting the Patio Tubs with brightly coloured Bedding Plants and Bulbs enhances our surroundings inviting you to step outside and enjoy fresh air and some sun. Colour and perfume are great stimulators for positive thoughts. Studies have shown that by surrounding ourselves with flowers boosts our state of mind increasing feelings of happiness and joy. Colours like red orange yellow and pink denote laughter, white is bright cheerfulness and green foliage calms the anxious mind. Some flowers like orchids can be enjoyed in greenhouse where they increase the positive energy in their surroundings and are recommended for Feng Shui.

Patient studies showed that those allowed flowers in their rooms needed less pain relief, had lower blood pressure and pulse rates were less anxious and had a more positive attitude to recovery. What a shame NHS hospitals will not allow flowers in the wards.

When your skin is exposed to sunlight it produces Vitamin D which helps with calcium absorption to strengthen bones and the immune system. ALL GOOD STUFF.

So have fun playing in the dirt, enjoy your freshly picked fruit and veg promoting that healthier lifestyle. Take a break from the computer screen and go out into your garden no matter how large or small. Pick up that trowel seek out the spade and secateurs start up the mower and discover for yourself why gardening is good for you.

A very important thing to consider is the structure in our gardens. We build our house, define the boundaries, lay the patio and buy a shed. To blend these all together we need plants. However plants themselves provide structure.

Trees provide an interesting skyline and screen the neighbours. Larger trees like Acer Kelly’s Gold and Sorbus Hupehensis have wide canopies and lovely coloured foliage but lose their leaves in winter time. The conifers like Chaemacyparis Lawsoniana are evergreen with green blue or golden leaves and give all year interest and provide nesting cover for birds. Narrow upright trees like Betula Snow Queen with gorgeous white bark, Prunus Amanagawa and Malus Red Sentinal both flower in spring and are suitable trees where space is a premium.

Hedges can be planted to mark the boundary of your property and are more interesting than fences, providing nesting places for birds and squirrels and a safe haven for a plethora of insects and butterflies. Leylandii gives a quick screen but must be maintained regularly to stop it becoming unmanageable and a bone of contention with the neighbours. Thuya Plicata is slower growing but a lovely colour green with aromatic foliage. Photinia Red Robin, Taxus Baccata Yew and Viburnum Tinus are all good evergreen alternatives to conifer hedges. If you need an immediate taller screen (approximately 3 to 4 metres) plant Carpinus Hornbeam or Tilia Lime trained as espaliers with yew planted below. It is expensive but is a stunning structure in any garden.

Large shrubs can be planted in borders in front of fences and walls to give interest and need little maintenance. Photinia Red Robin with bright red young leaves, Viburnum Tinus and Mahonia Charity winter flowering and Ceanothus and Choisya Tenata (spring flowering) are all evergreen while Forsythia, Cotinus, Philadelphus, Berberis, Sambucus Ivory Tower and Viburnum Opulus lose their leaves in winter but are quick growing and provide extra seasonal interest.

Feature plants used successfully provide points of interest in borders. Taxus Baccata Fastigiata Aurea, Juniperus Virginiana Blue Spire, Berberis Helmann’s Pillar, Miscanthus Karl Forster or Miscanthus Zebrinus, Phormiums or Buxus trained as pyramids are all excellent feature plants giving focal points and structure in mixed borders.

Small top grafted trees which only grow to about 1.5metres do the same. Some examples are Cotoneaster Juliette, Salix Nisiki Variegata, Holly and Euonymus. These can also all be grown in tubs on the patio and can be moved around to change the scene. Standard roses can also be planted in rose beds for height and definition. Something special is Wisteria and Canary Bird Rose trained as standards. Both are breath taking when in flower but interesting shapes for the rest of the year.  Bamboo is another superb structure plant. It is evergreen and can be used to accent or screen.

Paths and walkways look more inviting when planted with low hedges. Lavender and Buxus are ideal plants for this but Thyme, Catmint and Heucheras are also recommended.  Low walls and rockeries are garden structures that need decorating with plants. The alpines are brilliant plants for these situations because they grow tumbling over rocks in the natural environment. Aubretia, Alyssum Saxatile, Saxifrage, Thyme, Saponaria, Alpine Phlox, Helianthemum and Campanula Carpatica between them give displays throughout the year.

We can also introduce permanent features to give interest. Archways, Pergolas, Sitting Nooks, Rope Walks and Obelisks however ornate need plants.  Arches that cover paths and Sitting Nooks need plants with soft stems and perfume that will train easily. You don’t want to be grabbed by rose thorns when you attempt to walk to the garage or sit sipping your Chardonnay! Plant these structures with different varieties of Honeysuckle to make a feature all year. Lonicera Belgica early flowering, Lonicera Serotina late, Lonicera Princess Kate highly scented, Lonicera Hall’s Prolific and Mint Crisp evergreen make the arch a year round interesting feature.

Pergolas being larger will accommodate Wisteria, Clematis Montana, Jasmines and Climbing Roses. Rope Walks are good for Rambling Roses because the rampant growth quickly drapes the posts and ropes. The new varieties like Rose Albright pink and Malvern Hills yellow are exciting because they repeat flowering throughout the summer. Obelisks, the Victorians and Tudors loved them and painted them bright colours. I like to use them to decorate herbaceous borders and to give height in tubs. Planted with perennial sweet peas, hybrid clematis and as in the cottage gardens with runner beans you can achieve another dimension in garden structure.

Finally some structures like the shed can be an eyesore. Cover them up with plants like Polygonum Baldschuanicum, Clematis Montana, Virginia Creeper and Variegated Ivy.

The best structure of all of course is the lawn. It sets off the rest of the garden and keeps the Man in the House amused for hours each week.