Making Compost

It’s not rubbish, it’s renewable. Why throw your kitchen scraps in the bin when you could be using them to make your garden more lovely and attractive to wildlife?

A compost heap makes a delicious refuge. Larger mammals come to root around for old fruit, hedgehogs to eat the slugs, and reptiles and amphibians love the warmth it generates. It’s also a great way to attract the elusive slow worm.

Ideally site your compost bin in a reasonably sunny site on bare soil. If you have to put your compost bin on concrete, tarmac or patio slabs ensure there’s a layer of paper and twigs or existing compost on the bottom. Choose a place where you can easily add ingredients to the bin and get the compost out.

Have a container available such as a kitchen caddy or old ice cream tub. Fill your compost caddy or container with everything from vegetable and fruit peelings to teabags, toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes and eggshells. Take care not to compost cooked food, meat or fish.

Empty your compost caddy along with your garden waste into your compost bin. A 50/50 mix of greens and browns (see pages 6 and 7) is the perfect recipe for good compost.

It takes between nine and twelve months for your compost to become ready for use, so now all you need to do is wait and let nature do the work. Keep on adding greens and browns to top up your compost.

Once your compost has turned into a crumbly, dark material, resembling thick, moist soil and gives off an earthy, fresh aroma, you know it’s ready to use. Lift the bin slightly or open the hatch at the bottom and scoop out the fresh compost with a garden fork, spade or trowel.

Don’t worry if your compost looks a little lumpy with twigs and bits of eggshell – this is perfectly normal. Use it to enrich borders and vegetable patches, plant up patio containers or feed the lawn.

Types of compost heap

• A literal heap – a loose pile – is good for animals that might like to burrow into it, such as hedgehogs and toads.
• A dustbin-style compost bin is good for worms and invertebrates but larger animals won’t be able to find a way in.
• Make a traditional boxed compost heap with planks, posts and chicken wire.
• A compost heap with several chambers is ideal. Once you’ve filled one section with scraps, you can leave it to rot while you put fresh waste into another. If you don’t have space, try to build in access to the bottom of the pile with a door, so you can use the old stuff while you’re adding to the top.
• Avoid chemical activators. They can be poisonous to wildlife.
• Autumn leaves are good for the heap.
• Compost needs to be damp to keep it decomposing, but not soggy-wet. Sunlight should stop it from going slimy.

How to Prune safely and effectively

Whether they are grown in a pair of sleek galvanised steel containers outside your front door or planted among perennials in a border, box topiary shapes are among the most useful plants in the garden, providing structure, texture and all year round colour.

Although box balls, cones, cubes, pyramids, domes, spirals and a menagerie of animal shapes are among the trendiest things you can grow, they quickly lose their appeal when a crisp outline is lost beneath a shaggy coat of new growth. The answer: give plants a trim in June.

When to prune

Box will burst into life in March and lots of lime-coloured shoots will soon conceal the dark green shape beneath. Although you'll be itching to prune shoots back as soon as possible, don't.

Trimming young, sappy growth in the spring is likely to bruise the foliage, leaving you with a topiary shape that is unsightly. It is best to prune in mid-June, when the leaves are hard and leathery, and again in late summer if necessary. Don't worry if you did prune in the spring, the bruising will be eventually hidden by the subsequent flush of growth.

How to prune

It's possible to trim simple shapes - such as cones and balls - by eye, but for greater accuracy use a garden cane as a cutting guide for straight edges or make a template.

To prune balls, take a length of garden wire and twist it into a circular shape that can be held and moved over the plant as you prune. To ensure you are left with a perfect sphere, make the frame smaller than the mass of foliage.

Restore a cone shape by standing above the plant and pruning in an outward direction from the centre, working around the plant with an easy to handle set of secateurs. Alternatively, rest three canes on the sides of the cone and push into the ground. Secure the canes at the top to make a wigwam and bind the sides together with garden wire. Use your shears to prune to this framework.

Topiary spirals may look complicated, but it is easy to re-establish an overgrown specimen. Working from top to bottom with your secateurs, prune the upper surface of the spiral making sure you remove the foliage as far back as the main stem. Next, trim the upper and then the lower turn of the spiral to create its curved edges.

With practice, pruning topiary is a doddle. For the greatest success use a pair of hand held trimmers to leave a lovely clean finish, and regularly step back to double check your progress - unfortunately, if you make a mistake there's no turning back.

Pruning a Deciduous Shrub - Deciduous shrubs such as Forsythia (Yellow Bell's), are those that lose their foliage during the winter season and have a unique ability to renew themselves almost indefinitely. Some of these shrubs growing in the eastern part of the country are alive and healthy after more than a century, yet these plants don't appear to be to be more than five years old. The secret is proper pruning. Each year a deciduous shrub produces many shoots from the plants base or roots. Wait to begin pruning deciduous shrubs until they are three years old. The best time to prune deciduous shrubs that do not bloom in Spring is late winter. Wait to prune shrubs that flower in Spring until after they bloom. The goal is to remove all but 1/3 of the plants shoots. Below is a basic guidline for pruning deciduous shrubs.

Laying Turf

The key to successfully laying turf is using the right tools and planning carefully.

The best times to lay turf are between March-June and September-November.

Prior to the selected turfing contractor doing the job have a good look at the area in which the turf will be situated.

When planning where to lay the turf try and leave a border near fences and walls as it is hard to cut the lawn there.

Is it a jungle? Weeds will need treating several weeks before the lawn is laid with a good biodegradable weedkiller. One that will kill the root as well as the leaves such as Roundup or Tumbleweed. I know from experience that thistles in particular are a real pain when it comes to coming through the turf. Before the lawn is down you have an opportunity to get rid of them - take it! Or else you will be continuously standing on them with your bare feet as you admire your garden on a cool summers evening. Not the best thing. Have a look on the product label to see when it will be safe to lay the turf after the ground has been treated. If in doubt ask at your local garden centre.

Ground preparation for turf

Is it a building site? Your contractor should make sure that any rubble is raked off the surface of the ground prior to any turf being laid. Loose stones and building rubble will prevent the turves roots from making contact with the soil and could make the turf die in patches.

The topsoil should then be thoroughly rotivated down to about the first 6 inches to aerate it properly. It is then raked level and gently treaded down (not whacked with a spade as I have seen on Rogue Traders!)

Turf arrives!

Your contractor will probably have ordered 5% more turf than needed, this is normal and should be included in the quote as this excess will be lost when then lawn is laid and trimmed.

Apart from exceptional circumstances the turf should arrive the same day it is to be laid. From the moment it is dug up on the 'turf farm' until 4 weeks after it is laid in your garden there is a constant battle to keep it moist enough. Failure to do means it will suffer and may die. Therefore, sitting rolled up on your drive or in the back of a truck all night is bad. If its impossible to lay the turf on the same day then it should be rolled out on your driveway (not your prepared surface) and watered to keep it moist.

Laying the turf

Start by laying the first turf down the longest straight edge. Butt and fold the neighbouring turf next to it knowing that there will be some shrinkage and if you try and stretch the turfing at this stage you will end up with some gaps when it is bedded in.

The turf should be firmly but carefully tapped down using the back of a spade to ensure that the roots and the soil are in good contact.

If there is an obvious dip in the profile add or remove soil as necessary.

Avoid using odd small sections of turf near the edges of the lawn as these will dry out faster than you can water them and probably die.

After laying the first row, place a plank on the turf and use it to carry the next row of turf to the bare areas of soil. Do not walk on the turf or soil whilst you are laying it as it can be damaged.

Stagger the joints of the turf whilst laying; as you see bricks in a wall.

Once finished the edges can be trimmed. The correct tool being a half-moon spade.

During the first four weeks the lawn should be watered constantly. The first watering should soak the cultivated layer of top soil the turf is laid on. This is very important, as until the root system binds with the soil the turf will lose moisture at an alarming rate and can die quite rapidly if abused.

Avoid excessive walking on the turf especially at the early stages and after about two weeks give the lawn its first cut. Use Turf tracks wherever possible to minimise damage to the turf. Try and cut about one quarter of the length of the grass during each trim at this stage, progressively taking more off as the lawn matures. Just think that a grass plant partly lives via photosynthesis through its blade and chopping all of that off will severely injure or kill the plant and hence your lawn. At best it will go a very unattractive yellow for a few days. A sign that you need to get the lawnmower out more often.

Regular cutting of the grass also tends to reduce the number of weeds that grow in the lawn. Also, take note that trimming a little and often, combined with a Lawn Fertiliser. applied twice a year is the difference between having something that looks like a park football pitch and a bowling green.

Finding safe, clean and easy passage in the garden is not always easy! With the Garden Track, it is possible to create an instant, robust and weatherproof walkway in seconds. The Garden Track consists of 24 panels, connected by sturdy link pins, to create a 3 metre long path. It allows for easy passage over muddy terrain or gravel, while the snaking action adapts easily to uneven ground. The Garden Track is particularly useful at preventing lawn damage caused by regular and repeated foot traffic. Examples can be found in routes to and from vegetable beds, compost bins and washing lines. The Garden Track will also be of real use to campers and caravanners, as well as offering a useful access solution to wheelchair users, when negotiating problem surfaces such as wet ground and gravel. One time, self assembly is required but this takes a matter of minutes and no tools are required. Once assembled, the unit packs flat for easy storage. Each Garden Track can be extended to provide a longer pathway using the additional link pins provided. Each Garden Track panel is made from recycled polypropylene, while the link clips are in nylon. Dimensions - 303cm (l) x 39cm (w) x 2cm (h)

Rodent Repellent

Voles, mice and rabbit damage can be detrimental to trees and shrubs. Subsurface damage is often caused by voles, which feed on the roots and bark of trees and shrubs. Mice feed on saplings and shrubs below the snow and within the grass layer. Rabbits assault bark and tender buds on areas higher up than the reach of voles and mice.

There are several management options available to you as a gardener:

Use protection - Protect trunks by placing a cylinder of ¼” (or smaller) mesh, hardware cloth. Or put plastic drainpipe around the trunk. The guards should extend two inches below the soil line (as long as they don’t damage roots). Place 18- 24 inches above the anticipated snow line. Guards should be removed or reinstalled each spring to prevent girdling.

Repellants -The most effective repellants for rodents contain thiram, a fungicide that is distasteful, yet unharmful, to rodents. Thiram is a water-soluble spray or paint. Apply it with a surfactant. One application is usually enough for the entire dormant season. Apply multiple applications during the growing season.

Habitat modification - Discourage rodents by reducing grasses and other vegetation that pests use for cover from predators. Mow or chemically control grasses within a 4′ diameter circle around trees. Also, discourage rabbits by reducing vegetative cover, brush piles and other hiding places.

Other - Hunting and trapping, although labor intensive, can be effective. However, mice and vole populations usually don’t respond well to trapping or other extermination, such as rodenticides. High reproductive rates draw in pests from surrounding areas. They take advantage of abundant food and habitat following local extermination. Fumigants and electromagnetic or ultrasonic devices are not effective for long-term control of rodents.

Growers are advised to protect their perennials from damage caused by rodents now that winter is near. Small animals will invade overwintering structures, eat most perennials and burrow into pots if given the chance. The most likely critter to cause havoc is the meadow vole. The head and body of meadow voles measure 3 to 5″ long and the tail is 1½ to 2½” long. They have brown body hairs mixed with black guard hairs; belly hairs tipped gray and small eyes and ears. Meadow voles are active day and night, year-round. They do not hibernate. They feed all winter long on tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, stems, roots, and seeds and occasionally on insects and animal remains. Meadow voles construct many tunnels and surface runways with numerous burrow entrances. These surface runways are the most easily identifiable sign of voles. By the time the runways are noticed, damage is usually done. Voles are prolific breeders. They may breed throughout the year, but most commonly in spring and summer.

To identify animals responsible for damaged plants in your overwintering greenhouses, try using signs. One way is to place some non-toxic bait such as apples out in a problem area and see what kind of damage is done to that bait. The culprit can be identified by the excrement that is left behind. Another way to identify the animal is to capture one, using a small live trap or a mouse snap trap. Good baits include peanut butter-oatmeal mixture or apple slices. Once the animal is identified, control measures can be taken. It should be noted that voles are capable of carrying diseases that affect humans, so be careful and use protective clothing when handling voles.

The first step to prevent damage caused by rodents is to deny them access to your overwintering greenhouses. Make them rodent tight. Use fine mesh screen wire such as hardware cloth around the perimeter of the greenhouse. Bury it under ground and bend it outward at a 90 angle leaving it at least 6″ deep.

Next, mow and clean up the natural vegetation close around the greenhouses to eliminate protected areas for rodents. Most of our wildlife animals will not venture across a wide-open space because they are much more vulnerable to natural predators.

Trapping is not effective for controlling large vole populations, but can be used to control small populations. Place mouse snap traps containing bait perpendicular to the runways.

The most effective repellent many say is The Yeoman Plug-in Rodent Repellerwhich emits 2 kinds of electronic waves: electro magnetic waves and ultrasonic waves which rodents find unpleasant. Inaudiable by humans and domestic pets (dogs, cats and fish), these electronic waves encourage the rodents to move out of the vicinity.

Chemical repellants are available that can be used on plants. Some repel by giving off an offensive odor and others are taste repellants. These products reportedly work for a number of animal pests. Some of these products may not be persistent and some are easily washed off and need to be reapplied.

Finally, when all else fails, there are toxic baits that are effective for reducing the population. One of the most effective and common baits is zinc phosphide treated, cracked corn, or oats. It is a single-dose toxicant available in pelleted and grain bait formulations and as a concentrate. Anti-coagulant baits are also effective in controlling voles. Anticoagulants are slow acting toxicants requiring from 5-15 days to take effect. Multiple feedings are needed for most anti-coagulants to be effective. Toxic baits can be harmful to children, pets and wildlife and should be used with utmost caution. Read and carefully follow the directions and safety precautions on the label of any of these products.

There are three generally accepted definitions of an herb. Botanically, herbs are non-woody annual, biennial, and perennial plants that die back each year after blossoming. Another definition describes them as any of the herbaceous plants valued for their flavour, fragrance, or medicinal properties. The third is actually not a definition but a distinction between the culinary herbs and spices.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
In cooking, a distinction is made between spices and herbs. Spices usually are considered to be derived from the roots, bark, fruit, or berries of perennial plants such as cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and pepper; herbs are the leaves only of low growing shrubs and herbaceous plants such as basil, rosemary, and thyme. There are several plants, however - such as some of the roses - which are included in herb listings even though their fruit (rose hips) is used.
The most important thing to remember when growing herbs is that they are the foundation of all modern medicine. They are not the gentle namby-pamby things some would like you to think. They are healers, therefore they should be treated with respect, and if you are considering them for specific medicinal use always consult a doctor or qualified herbalist. If you are growing herbs for use in the kitchen then you need to learn about their flavour and how they can aid digestion.
Herbs, in most cases, are tough wild plants which, when spoilt by the lush conditions of a garden, will thrive and romp away. It’s a myth that all herbs like full sun, even good old basil likes partial shade at midday. So when planning your garden, you can divide your plants into two sections, those like thyme, sage, rosemary, french tarragon and oregano that like full sun; and those that like partial shade, such as rocket, sorrel, mizuna, mustard, parsley and chervil.
You can get a great kitchen herb set from your local garden centre. If I had to choose some ‘must haves’ to put in a window box on the sunny side of the house I would include chives, oregano, lemon thyme and a creeping rosemary to drape over the edge. However, on the shady side of the house I would have a salad herb window box which would include wild rocket, chervil, French parsley and red mustard.
Light – herbs require as much light as possible and some (such as coriander and basil) require some direct sunlight. It’s important to avoid extremes, however, and a fair amount of shade is necessary. Try to opt for a happy medium of light, such as full sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon when temperatures increase (if the herbs get too hot they can wither and run to seed).
Water – don’t over-water your herbs but don’t under-water them either. Wait until the top of the soil feels dry before adding more. If you grow your herbs in the garden they will need watering less often. If you grow them in containers you may need to water them every day in the height of summer. Always ensure good drainage. Line the base of containers with stones or grit. Add organic matter (such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost) and grit to heavy soil in herb beds to allow excess water to drain away.
Soil – the ideal soil should be fertile and free draining. If you have a sandy soil, add plenty of organic matter such as well-rotted animal manure or homemade compost. This will help bind the large soil particles and retain water. Conversely, adding organic matter will help break apart fine soil particles in heavy clay soils and will help water drain away. Organic matter is rich in nutrients and will help boost the fertility of the soil, helping your herbs to grow better.
When growing herbs in containers, I have two important tips. The first is to use a soil-based compost, either organic or something like John Innes potting compost. This is because there are very few herbs that grow in peat, and a soil-based compost retains moisture which is a must to stop containers drying out. I also advise watering in the morning rather than the evening because this gives the plants a chance if the temperatures are hot during the day, especially for containers grown in full sun. The second tip is to feed container plants weekly from March until September. This keeps the plants healthy, helps them produce leaves, especially on cut and come again salads. I use a seaweed-based feed, however you can use any proprietary feeds that boost leaf production.
Ideal herbs to grow in containers include:
Basil
Chives
Coriander
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Invasive herbs such as mint and lemon balm should not be planted in pots with other herbs. They are likely to swamp the other herbs and take over. Grow them separately instead. If growing herbs in containers it’s important not to over-fill it, or plant herbs that will out-grow the pot, or swamp the other plants. All perennial plants (such as rosemary, sage and thyme) will keep growing and will need dividing at the end of each year. Simply remove them from the pot and take a section of the plant and root ball from the main plant and place the smaller section back in the pot with fresh compost.
Annual herbs (such as basil and coriander) will need re-sowing every year in fresh compost. You can either buy fresh seed or try saving seed from your old plants in autumn.
Remember to save the seeds. Annual plants are genetically programmed to produce seed at the end of the growing season. This is their way of ensuring future generations of the plant. To save seed, simply wait for the seed heads to develop. This occurs after the plants have flowered. When the flowers wither and turn brown the seeds should be ready. Cut the stems off and place them (heads first) in a paper bag so they stick out. Then tie the bag around the stems with string and hang upside down in a dry place such as an airing cupboard. After a few weeks you will simply be able to shake the bag. The seeds will have come loose from the dried flowers and will be ready in the bag for you to sow the following spring.

How to plan a garden party

For peace of mind, begin planning your party in the garden six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including garden party decor, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your garden party’s attendance.

If making the invitations yourself, think first about who you are inviting to the party. Consider a flower-themed design, or focus on herbs and vegetables as your inspiration. A general garden invitation can be made from simple construction paper or card stock. Just fold the paper in half, and either decorate with flower or veggie stickers or create your own designs with paint or markers. If you’re short on time, you can purchase personalized or pre-printed garden party invitations online. We recommend mailing your invitations three to four weeks prior to the party—any sooner and your guests may forget, any later and your guests may already have plans. For this party, colors will depend on which direction you take the theme. If veggies and herbs are the focus, stick with lots of greens, tans, and yellows. If flowers are the main focus, any bright or pastel colors will work great. For goodie bags, purchase small toy gardening tools, gloves, sun hats, and flower-themed items like flower rings and pinwheels, seed packets, and assorted candies.

To set the mood there is no better way than lighting your area properly but elegantly. There are a few places where you can get mood setting party lights or solar lights that will bring your garden to life. Most good garden centre shops will sell them. They are easy to install as they require no wiring and because they use solar power they cost nothing to run. The effect these solar lights will give to the party are remarkable.

Make sure your guests are seated comfortably. There is plenty of outdoor furniture available from a garden centre that will accomodate large parties and become a centrepiece for the evening. It is important to chose furniture that is eye catching and materialistically perfect whilst still being great value for money ofcourse. It will give your guests the wow factor as soon as they arrive.

Most importantly, sont let the evening be spoilt by the typical British summertime weather. The chances of rain in late summer and autumn are quite high but with a gazebo the party can go on completely uneffected and into the night. It will cover all four sides and is large enough to accomodate dozens of guests, furniture, banners, foods, lights, heaters and whatever else your party needs. They are great value for money and can be used year after year and party after party. Keep the food coming from the barbecue and entertain as if it was 40 degrees outside.

With the end of the summer approaching, the nights can sometimes get a a little chilly. It is a shame to head back indoors so early. A simple, cheap and effective may to heat your party is to get a patio heater. There are several options to chose from but most people tend to opt for the gas powered patio heaters. They range from £150 to £400 depending on how much you are willing to pay. It is debatable that you actually get any more benefit from spending large amounts of money. You can get just as effective results from a £200 patio heater. Gas bottles are easy to fill. Most, if not all, caravan shop will refill your gas bottle if you take it to them for a very small fee.

Take care of your patio heater by covering it in damp weather and you will have something that will make family and friends talk about your garden parties and barbeque’s for years to come. Patio heater covers may seem a pointless expense, but you will soon realise that it is a cheaper alternative than buying a new patio heater every year.

Bird Watching from your garden

It has been discovered that viewing the natural world is very therapeutic. Watching wildlife must be one of the easiest, most pleasurable pastimes possible – and you can do it anywhere. No matter where you live in the world, wild plants and animals can be found not too far away.

The answer is time and place, and being prepared. Most people look at the view and miss the detail. Knowing the right time and the right place to go can give you a head start. Wearing the right clothes and carrying a good pair of binoculars can then open up an entire world which you might easily have overlooked. A good pair of binoculars are avilable from any good garden centre or wildlife store.

Many people that label themselves birdwatchers spend most of their time viewing birds in the backyard. Not only do backyard birdwatchers attract a wide variety of birds to the yard, but they also take pride in knowing the various species that come to visit. Binoculars with a magnification of 8x are great for use in the backyard.Backyard birders typically fall into two categories: those wanting a compact binocular and those wanting full-size binoculars.

Full-Size Binoculars (like 8×40 or 8×42 binoculars) will provide better image quality than compact binoculars. Full-size binoculars (like 8×40 or 8×42 binoculars) will gather enough light to show good color and definition from dawn to dusk. However, compact binoculars may get used more often because of their size.

You can’t get much closer to home than your garden and, with the tempting prospect of being able to bird watch from the comfort of an armchair, there is every reason to take more interest in the antics of the birds that visit your garden.

Gardens are incredibly important places for birds - not least because private gardens occupy more land than that taken up by nature reserves. This means that what happens in gardens, really matters.

Some of the birds that use your garden, such as Robin, House Sparrow and Wren, are likely to already be familiar, but many others use gardens on a seasonal basis and may be new to you. The key to successful garden bird watching is to make your garden attractive to as wide a range of species as possible. For most people, this is best achieved by providing a range of foods, some on the bird table or on the ground and others in hanging feeders. Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and the various tit species will find peanuts irresistible, and by putting out seed mixes you will attract Greenfinches and Chaffinches into your garden. There are even insect based mixes and live food available for insect-eating birds such as Robins.

Putting food on a bird table or in a hanging bird feeder isn’t the only way of providing nourishment. By planting shrubs and bushes that fruit in the autumn, such as Pyracantha and Cotoneaster, you will be giving the birds an important natural food source. During the winter months Blackbirds and other thrushes are drawn to these bushes and will often keep returning until they have stripped them bare. Bushes and shrubs also provide essential cover for birds to nest in. Most good local garden centre’s will be able to provide you with a wide variety of shrubs that will fit the bill. When you arrive at the garden centre, simply ask one of the assistants for some help and they will help you chosing the correct shrubs.

Even the smallest of gardens has room for birds and, once you have started to attract new ones into your garden, you can add to the enjoyment of watching them by keeping a diary of all the different types that you see. This will enable you to build up a picture of when the different birds visit and what they feed on when they are there. The beauty of the golden yellow wing flash of a Goldfinch or the iridescence of a Starling have to be seen through binoculars to be believed; using binoculars opens up a whole new world and adds another dimension to your garden.

You will find that the more you learn about garden birds, the more you will want to learn. So go and put the kettle on and get ready to be amazed.

Garden Centre planters will brighten up your house

There is nothing quite as effective and appealing as adding the perfect garden planters to your decorating scheme, both indoors and out. You not only transform drab and boring areas of your home or garden into elegant and charming aesthetically pleasing focal points, but container gardens can be functional as well as beautiful. Planters make it possible for anyone, even apartment and flat dwellers, to experience the joy of gardening and provide the opportunity to cultivate and produce a favorite herb, a fresh tomato, runner beans, and a host of other delightful and colorful plants, flowers, shrubs, and even trees.
You only need to take a drive around your local town to see that people all over are taking advantage of the low prices garden centres are carging for all different kinds of planters. Once only found adourning the pathways of stately homes and grand buildings, the growth of online garden centres has dramatically reduced the cost and significantly increased the availabilty of planters.
A simple planter can be just as appealing as an expensive grand one if it is decorated carefully and constructively. Colourful plants for the autumn flower border include antirrhinum, stock, pansy, viola, chrysanthemum, calendula, cineraria and marguerite daisies. It is easy to source all of these plants from your local garden centre. It is often beneficial to ask the staff in your local garden centre for advice. They will be able to offer suggestions on advice and what will best suit your requirements.

Keep the dogs out of the shrub beds

If you sit down and calculate the time, money and effort you put into your own beloved garden, it is easy to feel sorry for those that are affected by animals destroying their beauty. Dogs seem to be the main cause for concern. Whether its pulling up plants in the shrub beds, urinating on topiary or running all over your newly laid lawn, you can often be left tearing your hair out looking for solutions to keeping your pets (and other peoples) where they should be.
Now there is a simple, cheap and effective solution. Available in most good garden centres is a variety of devises that emit sounds that only animals can hear. The Yeoman is one of those brilliant inventions and one of the most effective on the market. The Yeoman Keep Pets Off emits an ultra sonic sound wave that the pet can hear. Each time you pet moves into an area the vibrations set off the unit and the ultra sonic sound waves are irritating to your pet and hence your pet should move away from the area. Ensure the unit is positioned in the centre of the area you want the pet to keep off on a flat surface. It can even work indoors. Does your dog jump on the sofa or on your bed the minute your back is turned? For soft suraces like beds and sofas set to high sensitivity and for hard surfaces such as table tops set to low sensitivity.

Dont break your back

It is no secret that many gardening tasks can be hard work. Because of the size and accessibility constraints that your garden poses, nearly 100% of everyday gardening tasks are labour intensive and require a bit of effort. This being said, why shouldn't we look to minimise this effort wherever possible and look for methods and tools that will bring the fun back into gardening.

There are various and numerous products on the market that are reasonably inexpensive and can save hours of pain and sweat. From rakes to cultivators, fly-mows to long reach hedge clippers, modern gardening tools are so much more affordable and effective than they ever have been.

One tool I came across some years ago was the Wolf Garten Push Pull Weeder. For years a suffered backache from weeding. I would spend every Sunday bent over pulling up weeds that had poked through vegetable plots and shrub beds. This tool eliminated the problem at source. By simply running the blade through the soil you can achieve wondrous results. Be sure to bend your legs, adopt a wide-stance, keeping your knees over your feet and use your legs as you move backward. Instead of just using your arms rock back and forth on your legs and scoot back as you hoe. I assure you that your back and shoulders will thank you the next morning. Be sure to alternate your raking stance from left to right every now and then and you will share out the workload on your body. The difference this tool can make to hoeing is incredible.

TIP: Things that look simple are usually more effective. The long reach lawn edge trimmer looks like an everyday gardening tool but you would not believe the amount of people that spend hours hunched over or on their knees with a short handle set.

I want to attract birds to my garden

I have often been asked how people can entice wildlife into their garden. You don't have to be an avid bird watcher to enjoy the beauties that different kinds of bird can bring throughout the changing seasons.

Establishing a small wildlife sanctuary in your backyard will reward you by attracting a variety of birds and butterflies for you to enjoy viewing. Many will visit, and some may actually stay to nest and rear their young in your backyard.

You will want to create a yard or garden that will attract birds and butterflies and make them feel at home.
If birds and butterflies pass through your yard, but never seem to stay, it may be because your yard doesn't provide a varied, long-term food supply. Birds that stay over winter in your garden need to find food 365 days of the year. Small birds eat almost constantly during daylight hours in the winter. Migratory songbirds need large amounts of food for varying amounts of time, often just a day or two. Its easier to keep a large storage of food in the house and top up the bird feeder whenever necessary so that they never go hungry. Especially in times when conditions are harsh and food on the ground is sparse. Many excellent birdseed mixtures are available at garden centers, nurseries, and bird-feeding specialty shops. The style of feeding station will also encourage some and discourage some birds. Different elevations, environments, and openings are preferred by different species. You will attract the most birds by offering a variety of feeding spots, and types of feeders. Squirrel proof bird feeders are particularly nice, because they help save the bulk of the bird feed for the birds.

Another idea might be to provide the birds with somewhere to rest whilst they pass through. A great way to do this is with a bird bath or bird box. Often this will ensure the birds stop by long enough for you to enjoy them for a little while before they head on back to their nest.

To create a landscape that provides birds with a guaranteed, year-round food supply, you need to plant an assortment of plant species that provides seeds, berries, nuts, or other food throughout the year. Planting a diverse selection helps ensure that a variety of food sources is always available. Choose different plantings that produce food throughout each of the four seasons.

Avoid the use of pesticides in your yard. Many insecticides remove all insects, which serve as the prey base for insectivorous birds. A poisoned insect will in turn poison the bird. Using plants native to your region reduces the need for pesticide use since the native plants are resistant to local pests and diseases.

Leave hedges unclipped, or prune them naturally by selective branch removal rather than shearing. Restrict pruning to late winter, after any loose fruit has been eaten and before birds begin nesting in early spring. When you are devising a long-term water source for your garden, plan for the type of water feature that birds adopt most quickly: a shallow, rough-bottomed pool of still water. Birds are wary of water that is more than 2"-3" deep. Add a few stones that emerge from the water for smaller birds, and butterflies, to land on. Most songbirds can't swim, so they seek shallow water with sure footing. Most birds prefer water in a spot in a clearing, so position it in a sunny spot, away from trees and shrubs. That way, bathing birds can keep an eye out for predators and will have time to fly for cover.

How you decide to provide water for birds will depend on the time and money you wish to spend, and what you find appropriate and beautiful for your yard. The sound of gently moving water is extremely attractive to birds. Audible water in the garden can be provided by a simple dripping hose or by a sophisticated water fall. Remember that a little water music goes a long way. A thunderous waterfall or a huge, erupting fountain will frighten more birds than it attracts. Small drips, tinkles, and bubbles are what birds like.

Most importantly, dont forget your camera. The opportunity to keep memories of some of the most beautiful birds on our planet too good to miss.

Which hoe should I use?

Many people make more work of hoeing than is necessary. Although, the hoe is one of the most primitive of all tillage tools, it can be designed and used more effectively now. No, there isn't really any way to make hoeing fun, but isn't a beautiful garden or flower bed and a painless back all the rewards you need?
The first problem with contemporary hoeing is that too often hoes are used for deep cultivation or chopping, rather than the scrapping action they are designed for. Let's not mistake a hoe for a shovel. Using a hoe in place of another tool accounts for sore muscles. We need a sharp cutting apparatus designed to slice weeds at their life-giving stems, not to dig them up. The majority of garden weeds have newly invaded with their shallow roots and fall easy victims to the scraping of your hoe. This scraping action takes relatively little work in comparison to cultivating or digging, and there are several hoe types that facilitate maximum scraping and weed death. For example, a shuffle hoe has blades on both sides to cut weeds on either side at the same time with pushing or pulling movements by its handler.

The importance of choosing the right hoe in the first place is paramount. A lightweight hoe with a sharp, durable, metal blade is best. The handle should be long and smooth. The handle's length minimizes hunching and stressing of your back, and the smoothness prevents splinters. Hoeing in an upright position with a comfortable handle is most effective. Again, depending on your needs, a shuffle-type hoe works well in larger problem areas, while a hoe with a smaller blade and a curved swan-like neck works best in precision hoeing. The swan-like neck allows you to hoe around small plants and flowers without going to the other side.
Finally, a common mistake in hoeing is the actual technique. Many gardeners lift the hoe into the air between strokes, stressing their backs, cramping their forearms, and ineffectively using their precious Saturday afternoon gardening time. Again, hoes are for scraping at the plants roots just below the surface of the soil.

My pond has gone green

Please ensure all electrics are disconnected from the mains before you perform this operation.

Often your pump becomes blocked and it can only perform at up to 50% of its normal ability.

Carefully take out your pumps and inspect them closely for dirt and grime. Make sure there are no blockages and dust them down .Its time to return your pumps to the water after careful inspection of them and your hoses. You can give your biological filters a spring boost by inoculating them with beneficial bacteria available from garden suppliers. This is not a chemical. It is harmless to humans, animals, fish and plants. It helps to jump start your pond and maintains a healthy immune system for your fish. A 100% natural bio-product consisting of bacteria cultured on barley straw, enzymes and activated barley straw. You can test the water to assure that ammonia has not built up over the winter months. If you have high levels of ammonia, a 25% water exchange at this time should reduce the risk to your fish. If you have chlorine in the water, you will need to treat it. Be patient if you notice string algae or green water. Once your pond has established a balance this will disappear.

Im Building a pond

Building a pond seems such an appealing option for your garden. Building a pond is an attractive alternative from grass, a variation from paving and a habitat for all kinds of interesting wildlife. Choosing the right place for your pond and the right equipment to keep your pond clean and fresh will ensure you haven't wasted your time. So many people cut corners in the design stage and end up filling in their pond with topsoil after a year or two.

A garden is there to be enjoyed by us, but there is no reason why we cannot share it with wildlife, which may need it as much as we do. Our wild animals and plants have been losing their natural homes over the years, as woodlands, hedgerows, fields, marshes and ponds have been destroyed to make way for roads, houses, factories etc. There are over a million acres of private gardens in Britain, not to mention the acres of land belonging to schools. Any garden, however small, and whether in the countryside or city, can be made into a nature reserve – land where wildlife finds a suitable home. We cannot expect to turn our gardens into homes for endangered animals such as otters and ospreys, but we can help a huge variety of plants and animals – remember that even common species could become rare some time in the future, especially if they have nowhere suitable to live.

Another important reason for having a garden full of wildlife is that it is so convenient. You can spend hours of fun with your children studying the natural world right outside our back door.

A pond should be as large as space allows, but even a small one is better than nothing. There are many useful books and leaflets available to help you make and look after a pond.Instead of, or as well as a pond, an area of marshy land could be created by sinking a pond liner a few inches down into the soil. Wild marsh-loving plants growing there will attract many species of animals.

It is important to keep your pond free from algae by using a pump. Pumps come in a confusing array of models and sizes.You will need a pump if you are planning on moving water in your pond, whether by a waterfall, stream, fountain, or spouting ornament. This article will help you determine what size of pump you will need for your pond or water feature.It will not matter whether the pond has a liner, or if it is a preformed pond.

To operate any electrical equipment near a water garden, use an outdoor outlet. Set this outlet at least 6 feet from the water and use only an outlet that is equipped with a ground fault interrupter (GFIC) for safety. These devices will cut off the power the moment water is detected in contact with the wiring. Your cable should be protected in a conduit, a plastic tube for electrical wires, so you won't dig into it accidentally. Extension cords with an integrated GFIC can be used for shorter distances. You can hide them under stones or mulch.

Pumps are available in both submersible and external (out-of-pond models). Reputable water garden suppliers have charts and other information available that can help you select the best model and connecting equipment for your purposes. For the smaller pond, a submersible pump is the most economical. The Titan range has been specifically designed for continuous running with minimum cleaning. Titans have the ability to pump solid particles up to 8mm without blocking (4mm with Titan 2000, 3000). They are suitable for filtration, waterfalls and watercourses.

To determine the pump required for your pond, estimate the vertical height from the top of your pump to the top of your waterfall or stream. Add another foot of height or lift for every 10 feet of hosing you will be using. This will allow for loss of volume from resistance within the hose. A general rule of thumb is to figure your stream/waterfall requirement as 150 gallons per hour per inch width of the spillway or channel. For example, if your stream or waterfall spillway will be 10 inches wide, you will need a pump that produces a flow of 1500 gallons per hour (at whatever combined height of the feature and another foot of height for every ten feet of hosing to get there). You can use a valve to adjust the pumps flow to what you want. You cannot increase the pumps capacity. ALWAYS PURCHASE A PUMP THAT WILL MORE THAN HANDLE YOUR NEEDS

Are Moles ruining your beautiful garden?

The obvious reason for getting rid of moles is that they leave a lawn in looking like a bomb site with their molehills and their tunnels, or “runways” as they’re called in the pest control industry. It is often what happens underneath the soil as to why people want to get rid of moles depending on the species and how hungry they are. The thing is, a gardener (or the person in charge of lawn maintanence) has to decide which is more important, getting rid of grubs and other garden pests or getting rid of moles. Moles are under your lawn and in your garden for one reason and one reason alone: there is food in that there dirt, and lots of it. Moles love grubs and/or beetle larvae. Earthworms are yummy, too. But mostly they’re there for the grubs. So, obviously, if you have a problem with grubs, it might be a good idea to let the moles live. Moles don’t do that much damage to the vegetation, really. Their jaws aren’t strong like a groundhog’s. If, however, you have a supermole on your hands, then here are some ways to certainly get rid of moles.

Detecting which mole tunnels are most active is your first step to get rid of moles. Of all the mole species, there are just two ways to detect whether or not mole tunnels are active. The first way (for moles that build shallow tunnels) is to find a straight runway and stomp it in with your foot. If the mole is active in that area they will repair the tunnel in no less than a day. The second way to find an active mole runway is to poke around with a stick around the area where there are a large number of molehills. Once you’ve found a spot where the earth gives way, you’ve found an active tunnel

If you’re not into the whole trapping thing as a way to get rid of moles, you might want to try flooding the moles out. There are a lot of people who say that flooding moles out of their tunnels doesn’t work, and they might be right about a particularly persistent mole. The key to the flooding method is to find a straight active tunnel amidst a cluster of molehills. Simply insert the hose into the tunnel, wait until there is a sufficient amount of flooding, and see if you can’t catch the little bugger when he tries to escape.

If killing the mole doesnt sit easy with your concience then there is one extremely effective alternative that has been around for some years now. The Yeoman Solar Powered Sonic Mole Mover works by emitting sound waves every 30-35 seconds at frequencies between 400 and 1000Hz. Moles and other small underground rodents find these sounds unpleasant and seek to avoid the area covered by the sound. The beauty of the device is that worms and insects (that do so much good in your garden) are not affected by the mole mover.

How much money can I save using solar power?

At a time when every source of fuel is being debated and alternative, more efficient and less expensive alternatives are being investigated we take a look at the benefits and background of solar power in reducing energy costs.

Though the pros and cons of solar power continue to be debated, it is starting to make a serious contribution to our energy resource mix. Solar energy systems work with a reliability unmatched by other energy technologies, at least when the sun shines.
A number of means have been created to harness energy from sunlight. The development of these technologies dates back at least twenty-five centuries to Ancient Greece.

Technically, most of our energy resources are forms of solar energy. The wind wouldn’t blow without the sun. The sun causes evaporation of water that ends up in rivers that are used for hydro electrical power; without the sun, water would be eternally locked in a solid state, ice. No biofuels can exist without the sun. And by most accounts, all fossil fuels exist because the sun allowed things to grow.

All forms of solar power are extraordinarily clean. They produce zero pollution when operating.
Solar power generators, whether thermal, light concentrating, or direct electrical, entail no more manufacturing concerns than any other energy related product.

There are many benefits of solar lighting. Here are just a few of the many benefits of solar lighting:
· Low energy costs. Hey, the power from the sun is free!· Little maintenance. Solar power products have few moveable parts… fewer parts to break. They last for a long time, and you hardly ever have to pay attention once they are installed. They will work their magic regardless.
· No emissions. There greatest benefits of solar lighting are, perhaps, the environmental benefits. When you use solar lighting, you are not contributing to global warming in any way.
· Renewable resource. Solar power is a renewable resource. Unless the sun falls from the sky or you live underground, you will never be without it.Other energy resources like coal and oil, etc., have finite supplies. The power of the sun, on the other hand, will keep on shining until humans no longer exist.
· Solar lights continue to work, even if there has been a power outage. When you have solar lighting, you can continue to have light, even when the rest of your street is dark
· You can use solar lighting to light homes or cabins or caravans, etc. in places where there is no other electricity. It can be very expensive to run power lines out to a cabin in the garden. It can be much less expensive to set up solar power at the cabin. Solar energy can be used to run everything from ceiling fans to TVs to washing machines and more
· Another of the many benefits of solar lighting is that many outdoor solar lights have darkness sensors, so you never even have to worry about turning them on or off. They take care of themselves.
· It is easy to install. The majority of outdoor solar lighting has no confusing wires that must be connected to your main electrical system. You simply attach the solar lights to your fence post or stake them into the ground, etc.
It is amazing how many benefits of solar lighting there are. Once you actually get your own solar lights, you are certain to come up with many more benefits, as well.

Bring your children closer to nature in this era of computer games and DVD's

There is widespread concern among horticulturists that in 20 or 30 years, very few people in The UK will know how to garden. Part of the problem lies in the intoxicating qualities of media-based entertainment. Young people are rarely outside unless they're participating in structured games or sports. If they do walk in the woods, they are apt to be talking on a mobile phone or listening to music instead of bird songs.

Another barrier is parental concerns about getting dirty. I was blessed to be young when kids climbed trees, made mud pies and played with conkers and fallen bird feathers. One of my favorite pastimes was to run through woods and find things that looked interesting. I just loved the thrill of discovering something new, building camps and dens or playing in fields with my friends.

My parents always encouraged me to be outdoors. I was lucky, I had so many friends in my local village. We spent endless hours playing football and variations of hide and seek. My parents (as far back as I can remember) have always loved gardening and have tried to include me in every aspect of what they got up to outside the back door. As a child I remember planting various types of seeds and watching them grow into beautiful flowers and plants. It didn't take much effort to nurture them, a bit of water here and there was all it took. The thrill of watching something in your control grow into something so beautiful is a very special feeling and one that has stuck with me forever.

Now I encourage all parents to get their children involved in the garden. It can be as simple as a watering can or a bucket and spade. The trill that children get from getting their hands dirty can be used to bring them closer to nature. They can not only benefit from hours of exercise and fresh air, but gain knowledge about a fundamental part of our way of life.

Its time to buy from UK websites

With the downturn in the UK Economy and the WEAK Pound, now is a great time to shop on UK Websites. The conversion rate from the pound to other currencies is making UK Websites great value for both UK Buyers and those Buyers outside the UK.
For UK Buyers shopping outside the UK it’s a bad time for your money as everything will cost you MORE! If you spend $500 on a US site it will cost you approx £274 whereas only a few months ago it would have been approx £251 and if a UK Buyer spends 500 Euros in todays exchange rate its approx £409 whereas a few months ago it would have been £396 so definately the UK websites offer the best value for money.

For NON UK buyers the weak pound is making UK websites great value for money and for those websites offering VAT Free Prices for non EU buyers there has never been a better time to shop in the UK. £500 spend on a UK site for non EU buyers is now only $910 whereas a few months ago it would have been $995 and if you get VAT free prices you can save another 17.5% on that figure approx $770

Poplar Tree is a great place to buy gifts for any occasion such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, new homes & Christmas. With a massive range of low cost products it is easy to find something. Poplar Tree has recognised the changing of the times and has responded by offering high quality products at affordable prices with FREE Nationwide delivery on all items over £50 and if orders are processed before 2pm they will shipped that day to arrive with you the next working day.

Look after your garden furniture

After another typically wet British Summer it has been hard to enjoy the one thing that always cheers us up - our gardens. Not only has it been wet, but it has been very unpredictable. 4 years ago I visited Australia and was stunned by the fact that they can plan Barbeques 3 weeks in advance. Unheard of in Britain. Still, we benefit from the beautiful changing colours of Autumn and Spring, and this can often be the best time to get outside and into your garden.

Last year we saw sales of garden furniture rocket in September and October. People made use of the milder temperatures and got straight outside. With the prospect of wet weather setting in after October we are often faced with the dilemma of what to do with all our outdoor furniture and equipment. It is unusual for households to have enough storage space to accommodate a Gas Barbeque, tables and chairs, heaters, lawnmowers and goodness knows what else. That is why thousands of people opt to store their equipment outside. "It will rust" I hear you say!! Not if you cover it and protect it properly. Barbeque covers are very cheap but highly effective way of ensuring your bbq remains in great condition throughout the winter months and is ready to use again next spring. Similarly your heaters and furniture can be covered too with ease and you can tuck yourself away for the winter with the piece of mind that everything outside is taken care of.