Expert Gardening Advice

Feeding Hedgehogs

If you are seeing a hive of activity in your gardens lately it could be because of the unseasonably mild weather we are experiencing in the UK this year. With the same weekend last year bringing temperatures of -2 degrees in Northern areas, its a suprise to see temperatures of 10- 12 degress around most parts of the UK in 2011. This is supposed to continue according to many weather forecasts.

One creature you may spot in and around your garden is the hedgehog. Autumn juvenile hedgehogs are ones that are old enough to be away from their mothers but too small to hibernate. The autumn juvenile season can start as early as September and is busiest through until the end of November. However some will struggle on and the occasional one can be found from December through until April. [The season will vary slightly depending whether you live in the south or north and depending on the weather.] The ones found in March and April may have struggled through the winter or they may have hibernated but at the minimum weight for hibernation so they are weakly once they emerge. Young hedgehogs can and will hibernate at 450gms (1lb) or less but are unlikely to survive. It is preferable for them to weigh 600gms (22oz) in order to hibernate successfully and be in sufficiently good condition to survive post hibernation. Giving advice on whether to leave them out in the garden and keep feeding them or whether to bring them indoors and over-winter them can be difficult.

If you do decide to fee your hedgehogs though here are some tips:

They can have mashed up, meat based dog or cat food mixed with a little cereal (weetabix, bran or wholemeal bread) to give it some bulk. They can also have meat based cat biscuits, as these are good for the teeth. Other titbits can include sultanas and small pieces of fruit, cooked potato, light fruitcake, plain biscuits, cooked chicken, raw mince etc. They will also need a dish of water, especially if dry biscuits are eaten.

FEEDING STATIONS  

Make a feeding station for the outside hedgehogs. Use either a plastic mushroom box or child’s toy box or similar and cut a 13cm x 13cm (5″x5″) hole in one of the short sides. Place this over the food, like a tunnel, and the hedgehog can get through the hole to the food but not the cats. A brick on top should stop the box being pushed aside. A brick approx 13cm ( 5″) in front of the entrance will stop a cat lying down and scooping the food out with a paw!   Always make sure there is a little food left in the mornings – if not, you are not feeding them enough.

You may struggle to find good ehdgehog foos suppliers but there are several online, and mainly in large Garden centres such as here

Durham Retail Awards 2011

Durham is one of the only Cities in the UK to host a retail awards competition, and after finishing as runners up in 2009, Brambles Coffee Shop, based in Poplar Tree Garden Centre of Shincliffe in Durham want to go one step further in 2011 and win the Best Coffee Shop Award

Brambles Coffee Shop is part of a huge expansion to Poplar Tree and after thousands of customers have passed through its doors, the owners decided they needed to expand and that is what has happened in 2011. The new expansion also encompasses a Farm Shop and Food Hall, all within reach of Durham City Centre. The DH1 postcode has meant a loyal band of customers that have quadroupled in size since the Farm shop and food hall were built, not to mention the extremely popular, and very busy Brambles Coffee Shop also.

Those of you that have visited Poplar Tree Garden Centre in Shincliffe Village Durham will know that it now boasts the ultimate in retail experiences with no less than 4 independent retailers all under one roof. These are Poplar Tree Florist, Brambles Farm Shop, Food Hall, Brambles Coffee Shop and not to forget Poplar Tree Garden Centre.

If you would like to vote for any of these businesses in this years Durham Retail awards then you can do so here

Gardening in September

september garden

Dont think that because the summer is over that you have to abandon your garden for the next 6 months. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is infact the time when you really should be putting all your efforts into getting your garden right for the winter and making sure it is neat and tidy before the colder weather of September, October and November arrive to the UK shores.

Seeds
Sow sweet peas in the greenhouse or a cold frame for early summer flowers next year. They’ll grow as soon as the weather gets warm enough, and will be ready for planting out next spring.

Planting
Now is the time to plant spring bulbs. Get daffodils in by mid-September, along with fritillaries, crocuses and grape hyacinths. Tulip bulbs are best left until November.

Harvesting
September is the ideal time to pick apples and blackberries for home-made pies and jam. Gather blackberries away from the road to make sure they haven’t been contaminated by traffic pollution, and use a stick to pull them closer.
Allow seeds from hardy annuals such as escholtzia, pot marigold and nasturtium, to fall to the ground, where they will hopefully germinate and produce strong young plants for next year. Or even plant your own seeds. September is seed planting month remember in the UK. Great climate for it.

Propagate tender perennials, such as salvias, by taking cuttings, pruning them and planting them in compost in small containers. Protect them and keep them moist

For more planting, pruning and general gardening advice, head down to your local Garden Centre for some free friendly advice, or even write to them. Heres a great one to try:

www.poplartreegardencentre.co.uk

Farm Shops sweeping the UK

Farm Shops are the latest growing trend in the UK. Most Garden Centres now have a coffee shop as a standard feature, but to keep up with the rest, Garden Centres have had to add other outlets to their Centres to attract new customers.

brambles farm shop durham

Garden Centres are seen as a full family day out now, and thats no exception for Poplar Tree Garden Centre in Durham which has seen a booming trade in its Coffee Shop (Brambles) since it opened 6 years ago. Turnover has rocketed and so have customer numbers. So much so that the company had to expand its operations in 2010 and Poplar Tree Garden Centre added a coffee shop extension, aswell as a function room which can be hired out for private events or meetings, and also a large Farm Shop selling foods from all over the North East of England.

The Farm Shop has been an incredible success, and now boasts a full cheese counter, a full time butcher, aswell as every food item you could wish for to do your weekly shopping including breads, milk, meats, pasta, vegetables and so much more. Some unique and unusual food items make Brambles Farm Shop and Food Hall one of the most popular Garden Centre attractions in The North East.

Poplar Tree Garden Centre, Brambles Food Hall, and Brambles Coffee Shop are open 7 days a week and you can find the Centre in Shincliffe Village, Durham, DH1 2NG

 For more information, visit www.bramblesfoodhall.co.uk or www.poplartreegardencentre.co.uk

Looking after Your Lawn in Summer

garden

Your Lawn is often your most precious commodity, outside the door of your house (apart from your car), and there are several things you can, and need to do in the summer months to protect your lawns and leave them looking fresh all year round.

The lawns are very susceptible to insect damage in that year at the urban garden by a warm spring and a lot. The rain. Dissertations are ideal conditions for larvae, as they will do well in this environment. We have put down grub control, and I suggest you treat your lawn as well. The problem with maggots is that by the time the damage at the end of August or early September, the damage is already done and they are dying lawn. .

In the last week or so we have had some notice. Damaged by sever storms roll through which some of the trees at the city garden. If you have broken or cracked branches is it important to prune them off as quickly as possible. When cutting broken limbs, be sure to cut as close to the body as possible and as cut, the exposed end is as small as possible to promote rapid healing. If damaged branches present left untouched cause they have easy access for insects and diseases.

Quick Summer Gardening Tips:

• If you have a pool, keep it aerated and the water level topped up
• Plant autumn-flowering bulbs, such as colchicums and sternbergias
• In dry weather, raise the mower blades slightly as longer grass stays greener
• Keep on top of the weeding, feeding, deadheading and watering

Many of your Local Garden Centres are heaving at this time of year, and what better way to spend a weekend than getting ready for a BBQ by cutting the lawn, planting a few flowers and shrubs, or just getting out the table and chairs and enjoying the humid British summer of 2011.

If you struggle to find a Garden Centre near you then there are lots that will deliver free of charge such as Poplar Tree Garden Centre, a nationwide Garden Centre that has been around for over 45 years and has a great online facility.

Have a great summer in the garden. Invite friends round. Act British and have a Garden Party. There are plenty of strawberries on the shelves or ready to pick, and they taste much nicer outdoors.  With the English Summer usually lasting until late September, you still have plenty of time and numerous evenings and weekends to put your feet up in your yard or garden.

June Gardening Tips

Poplar Tree Garden Centre Farm Shop

Garden Centres up and down the UK have been experiencing record breaking months. The sunny weather of April, May and June have pushed thousands of customers through the doors of independent Garden Centres such as Poplar Tree in Durham. Management at Poplar Tree have blamed the surge in custom at North East Garden Centres to the sun. The weather seems to be the major factor in enticing any shopper into Garden Centres these days, but after the lonely times experienced by the credit crunch, people are now confident that now is the time to start spending money again, with record sales recorded at most UK Garden Centres and the Retail sector in general since the turn of the year.

Its true that a Garden Centre can not just survive purely as a Garden Centre these days. It has to become far more than that, and at Poplar Tree Garden Centre Durham they have a huge Coffee Shop, Brambles, one of the Largest Florists in The North East, a Farm Shop stroke Food Hall and unmatched walks down past the lovely River Wear. So what tips gan gardeners take from our lovely June weather. Poplar Tree owners have spent almost half a million pounds in the past 4 years redeveloping the 40 year old garden centre, and only last month opened a large extension to their already huge coffee shop. The demand was so great that they were forced into it, and it looks like it was the right decision with more and more customers hearing about Durhams latest gem. Coupled with one of the largest food halls / farm shops in County Durham, the smells that radiate through the centre are incredible. It really is a day out as well as a shopping experience at Poplar Tree Garden Centre in Shincliffe Durham.

Well we could actually do with some rain. Unseasonably high sunshine levels, and low rainfall have meant a surge in hosepipe sales. With the rain forecast for Late June, this is the time to get the rest of your bedding plants in the ground and furniture painted ready for a full summer ahead in July and August.

June Gardening Tips:

Herbaceous Perennials.

Pests are common in May and June. Check for aphids and also leaf miners, which leave a silvery trail. Control infestation otherwise the insects will fall to the ground causing a secondary, possibly worse, infestation. Check for ideas here on how to control the spread.

If the weather is wet then check on Paeonies for paeony wilt. If stems become soft and collapse, remove dead growth to prevent dead growth to prevent further damage and dust the base with fungicide.

Continue with routine tasks. Fill in any gaps with annuals. Dead head regularly to maintain strength and tie in any plants that require it. Keep weeds in check and continue watering regularly.

Lastly, enjoy your summer. The garden is still the greatest British asset to any home, and you struggle to find anyone happier than a gardener in summer.

The Future for Garden Centres Looks Bright

It seems that sales figures are up a staggering 20% in Garden Centres across the UK in 2011. This is felt as strongly in The North East as it is in the South due to the lovely hot spring weather we are experiencing.

It seems though that people have drifted away from the cheaper end of the market and stood by, or returned to, the traditional, long established Garden Centre for quality, service and selection. Long gone are the days when supermarkets could get away with selling half dead plants for 99p in a carpark under a tent. Gardeners are wanting real quality back and Traditional Garden Centres up and down the country are seeing a surge in sales both online and instore. So why is this change occurring at such a staggering pace?

This Daily Telegraph Article may help explain…..

Today, given competition from the internet, they need to offer their customers more than ever, whether that be Michelin-starred food, a good playground or just a decent cup of coffee.

Some garden centres at the cheaper end of the market have mutated into an unholy melange of café, furniture dealer, ornament repository, playground and cuddly-toy shop. Others offer good books, bathroom products, kitchenware and biscuits, alongside the pots, tools, clothing and other sundries.

This means that a proportion of customers treat a visit to a garden centre as a day out, not venturing outside so much as to look at the plants, let alone buy any. Perhaps some garden centres ought to be renamed “lifestyle” centres?

What is happening is that garden retailers are finally catching up with interior design. In the 1960s, when Terence Conran’s Habitat began selling modern yet affordable homewares, there was no outdoor equivalent. Landscape architects such as John Brookes, the gardening equivalent to Conran, were more interested in designing spaces than objects for sale, and garden ornament and furniture for the public at large remained in a rut.

Perhaps a part of the typical British gardener’s psyche liked it that way. Horticulture brings out the traditionalist in many of us. There may even be a kind of inverted snobbery at work here – an inherent suspicion that visibly making an effort in terms of design is rather vulgar. It’s a conviction inherited from the “shabby chic” style of mid-century gardeners such as Vita Sackville-West.

But the changes at garden centres show that this anti-design mentality is receding. Perhaps it will be only a matter of time before we start seeing up-market American-style garden centres in Britain – places like San Francisco’s modernist-chic Flora Grubb Gardens, or Terrain, a barn-like store next to a freeway outside Philadelphia, which whisks the shopper into a parallel universe of decorative watering cans, expensive unguents and beautiful floral arrangements.

However, Matthew Wilson, Channel 4’s Landscape Man, believes that plants will remain at the heart of the garden-centre business. The former chief of the RHS Harlow Carr gardens, Wilson took over in January as managing director of Clifton Nurseries, the Rothschild-owned emporium in Little Venice, in London.

“The garden centres that do it well have always had plants at their core,” he says. “They will have really excellent plants and knowledgeable staff.” He mentions Coolings Garden Centre at Knockholt, in Kent, as another example of this. For Wilson, then, good plants will remain at the heart of the garden centre’s offering.

Perhaps we should just be grateful they are not yet charging admission.      article by Tim Richardson of The Daily Telegraph in March 2011.

This superb article highlights everything that the Horticultural press have been saying since January. Sales figures up, Garden centre futures brighter than ever, and The Great British Public staying with their traditions and seeing Garden Centres as a day out for all the family. A lifestyle experience day.

The future is looking bright for the traditional Garden Centre. Especially those with a loyal following such as Poplar Tree Garden Centre in Durham where sales have soared since the opening of a New Food Hall and Farm Shop which compliments the already popular Coffee Shop and Interflora Florist. Customers are flocking to well established Garden Centres like this one in their thousands where they can enjoy good food, in good companyand just like the Garden Centre in Kent above, its probably parking spaces that are most on the owners minds these days?

Planting in March

PREPARE BEDS AND BORDERS

 

2 Save seedlings – Be careful not to zap seedlings of favourite plants. Rescue and pot up baby daphnes and hellebores to fill gaps later or give to friends.

3 Turn the bed – Gently fork over the soil between plants to make it lighter and more welcoming. Start at the back of the border and lay boards to stand on, if necessary, to avoid compaction. Rake the veg patch to a fine crumbly consistency ready for sowing.

4 Tend to your perennials – Carefully cutting close to the tender new growth, remove dead stems. Then dig up and divide plants, including perennial herbs like mint, that have died in the middle or outgrown a spot.

5 Mulch – It keeps the ground moist, suppresses annual weeds and conditions soil. Use garden compost, well-rotted manure, leaf mould, bark chippings or mushroom compost (very good for the veg patch but not for rhododendrons and camellias).

TOOLS OF THE TRADE – Turning up the heat

Many perennials, such as penstemon, the ever-fashionable Verbena bonariensis, knautia and agastache will flower in their first year if sown now and given a little warmth.

Half-hardy annuals, such as cosmos, and sweetcorn, aubergines and chillis appreciate the same treatment.

To grow any veg or anything you may fear prone to a frost, simply grow in a very cheap mobile green house (click here) or use a mini easy fleece growing tunnel or polytunnel which work superbly in the UK and are an extremely cheap way to ensure your newly planted bulbs and seeds grow according to plan. For me, the 4 tier mini greenhouse works better as I can store it in the garage in winter and continue to grow using a heating lamp.

mini greenhouse 4 tier

easy fleece tunnel polytunnel

1

Start with a clean slate – Weeds are the number one garden pest, so fork out any seedlings before they become established and while they’re still obvious in bare beds and borders.

Spring gardening

Spring seems like it has arrived and after a week of gardening we can begin to see the challenges for this year!

gardening in march hanging baskets and bulbs

We used to despair of finding a solution to keep our flopping plants off the lawn edges, give the catmint a chance to escape the cat, support our climbing roses and clematis, and to controlling our broad beans, asparagus, runner beans…. we wanted a solution that was both elegant and long-lasting; one that would stay out in the garden year-round with no maintenance and look good in all the seasons… and it had to be Made in Britain

Many supports that we came across were plastic-coated, looked insubstantial or mass-produced – just ‘not right’ and certainly not long-lasting. So we set our minds to designing our own range of traditional plant supports based on our own garden needs, made by hand in the UK – first in a foundry in the West Midlands and hand-finished here in Surrey

Family and friends enthusiastially took to them (or just took them), and last year we exhibited at six garden shows from Cornwall to Malvern to Colchester, Hampton Court, Sudeley Castle and Loseley Park. This year with order and tidiness restored to the 150 gardens on our client base, many of them regularly coming back for ‘just another two…’, it’s Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. We hope to see you there but you can order them online now for immediate delivery

Munton’s range of rusted plant supports are topped by foundry balls for decoration and safety; uncoated they develop a natural oxide and a mellow patina. They are made out of mild steel rod (a solid 12mm – thicker than a pencil), weighing in at 3-15kg so they will not bend or break. And they quickly blend seamlessly into your garden, ageing gracefully over many years.

Another great find are the Gardman Garden Hanging Basket. They look superb at any time of year and infront of any type of house. The add that beautiful finishing touch to your house and March is the time to get the hanging baskets planted up and ready to hang.

Snow affects Gardening in the UK

farm shop durham

Gardening has been put on hold for the forseable future in the East of the Country but surprisingly Garden Centres have seen a steady increase in sales since June. When asked as to why this trend is, Garden Centre managers put it down purely to quick thinking diversification with new means of selling such as gardening products online, extensions to exisiting garden centres to incorporate more product ranges, incorporating coffee shops, Florists and the UK’s largest craze….Farm Shops and Food Halls.

Mike Stewart of Poplar Tree Garden Centre and Brambles Food Hall and Farm shop said that the increase in Garden Centre sales were brought about by such means….”we have invested hugely in a new farm shop and food hall extension to our garden centre in Durham, and as well as our existing Florist in Durham and Coffee Shop, we now have a huge shopping centre where both locals and tourists can spend the whole day”.

You can find out more about Poplar Tree Garden Centre by visiting www.poplartreegardencentre.co.uk