Cyclamen -pic by Janina Sidlinskaite
It’s great thinking about and perhaps drawing up your garden design ideas, but even better putting them into action. Sometimes (perhaps more often than I care to admit), I find the design process is more satisfying by going out, looking at the garden, grabbing your tools and shaping or constructing things there and then. A bit risky sometimes if you don’t fully appreciate the impact of your ‘on the spot’ decisions on the rest of the garden. However, when using a half moon, perhaps in combination with a nicely curving hose pipe as a guide, it is really satisfying seeing the new, crisply flowing line of a border with its freshly dug soil, emerging from the adjoining grass.‘In a nutshell, people who garden by the phases of the moon believe that its gravitational pull on the earth’s water (i.e. tides), has a bearing on plant growth. They never plant anything when the moon is waning in the last quarter because it’s believed that the earth’s water table is receding. After the new moon, the water table rises again and planting can resume. Farmers on the continent have been using moon phases to guide them for years, as indeed have many gardeners in the UK.
You don’t need to spend money on any special equipment. My friend directed me towards lunarium.co.uk, from which you can print out universal lunar calendars for free….’
See more of her interesting article here.Old School Gardener
I’ve now begun this year’s seed sowing; some early veg and some of the interesting varieties above, courtesy of my visit to Wallington Gardens last year and the RHS seed scheme…Looking at the germination requirements some of these are going to be a challenge!
Hellebores one of a few winter flowers currently on show…
One of two new cupboards I’ve been building from solid oak…
One Bug Hotel!
An ahhhh moment…
Birds will splash vigorously in an expensive ornamental birdbath – but just as readily in an upturned old dustbin lid. Prop it in place with bricks to ensure it is stable and put some gravel in the bottom to give the birds something to grip underfoot. change the water every few days and in the winter be sure to break any ice which forms. Give the lid a brisk scrub occasionally to keep it clear of algae.
Picture by Bios-commonswiki
And nature has it’s own ‘compasses’, too. The plant Silphium laciniatum, has a common name of ‘Compass plant’ inspired by the “compass orientation” of its leaves. The large leaves are held vertically with the tips pointing north or south and the upper and lower surfaces of the blades facing east or west. A newly emerging leaf grows in a random direction, but within two or three weeks it twists on its petiole clockwise or counterclockwise into a vertical position. Studies indicate that the sun’s position in the early morning hours influences the twisting orientation. This orientation reduces the amount of solar radiation hitting the leaf surface. Vertical leaves facing east-west have higher water use efficiency than horizontal or north-south-facing blades. Early settlers on the Great Plains of the North America could make their way in the dark by feeling of the leaves.
Silphium laciniatum- ‘Compass plant’
Dividers and compasses are drawing instruments that have been used since antiquity to measure distances, transfer lengths from one drawing to another, and draw circles. The Greek mathematician, Euclid, limited the constructions in his Elements of Geometry to those that could be done with an unmarked straight edge and rudimentary compass. Ancient Roman dividers survive in the collections of the British Museum. Before the 18th century, when one leg was modified to take a pen or pencil point, compasses had two sharp points, like dividers. The user scratched the writing surface in the shape of a circle and then inked the scratches.
Old School Gardener
Before starting to lay foundations for a paved area, decide on the position of plants around a terrace or patio and in planting pockets within the space and leave the areas free of foundation material and paving (wooden shuttering can be used for larger areas). Once the works are over, replace the topsoil of the planting areas with John Innes number 3 compost (and grit if you’re putting in things like Thymes). This will ensure a weed free growing medium with the right nutrients so plants establish quickly.
As the organisation’s website explains, the National Gardens Scheme has a rich and interesting history that is closely connected with nursing in the UK. The origins of today’s sister organisations covering England and Wales, and Scotland go back over a hundred years…A council member, Miss Elsie Wagg, came up with the idea of raising money for charity through the nation’s obsession with gardening, by asking people to open their gardens to visitors and charging a modest entry fee that would be donated.
We opened Old School Garden up to the public in 2013 for one day (not as part of the NGS, but with proceeds going to three local good causes), so I know how much hard work, excitement and enjoyment comes from doing that (we might have another go one day…). I’m also an enthusiastic visitor to other gardens, as you’ll have seen from many posts on this blog!
Horticultural fleece laid over plants can bring earlier crops and other benefits.
Fleece comes in all shapes and sizes, like this zip up jacket protector for tender shrubs by Harrod Horticultural
Enviromesh tunnel using pegs to hold it down- picture Enviromesh Ltd.
More and more garden plants are available from garden centres in flower. If bought in bud, potted bulbs, such as dwarf daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths and tulips, allow you to instantly transform an otherwise dull border into a colourful, early spring centrepiece. This is particularly useful for adding colour to prominent beds near to the house.Nigel Boldero aka 'Old School Gardener'
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