By George Giltner
Posted Nov. 15, 2013 @ 10:00 am
Leesville, La.
Nov. 15, 2013 4:49 am
Gardening and More: Graycliff Estate offers tips on how to redesign your home …
DERBY — Whether you need to redesign a garden or are putting in a garden for the first time, take some lessons from the folks at Graycliff Estate, the historical landmark located at 6472 Old Lake Shore Road in Derby.
The landscape, as well as the buildings at Graycliff, were designed by the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright for Isabelle R. Martin and her husband, Darwin D. Martin, a wealthy Buffalo businessman. They used it as their summer home.
To bring Graycliff back to Wright’s original vision, the landscape has been restored to look like it did when it was completed in 1931.
Reine Hauser, executive director of the Graycliff Conservancy Inc., learned a lot during the landscape restoration process, and shared four tips that you can use, in your own garden.
1. Develop a plan before you do anything.
Graycliff’s plan was more than 500 pages long. While you don’t need anything that complex, it’s still good to write down your ideas.
“You won’t have as good a result if you just go out and dig in the dirt,” Hauser said. “You’ll save time and money, if you have a plan.”
Don’t forget to make a simple sketch of your yard, to show what will go where, she said, adding that late fall and winter is a great time to plan a garden.
2. Hardscapes are at least as important as softscapes.
Softscapes are the plants. Hardscapes are the man-made elements, such as patios, decks, trellises, water features, driveways, paths and walls. You can’t just think about what flowers, bushes or trees you will have in your garden; you have to plan for hardscapes, too.
“Mistakes are expensive,” Hauser said. “You don’t want to put in plants and have to dig them up, to put in hardscapes. You might be destroying plants you just put in, and how sad is that?”
The Graycliff restoration included two major hardscapes, a natural-looking pool and a driveway.
Graycliff is set high on a cliff with sweeping views over Lake Erie, and the irregularly shaped pool was designed by Wright, to echo the lake. The pool has been restored and is now the size and shape that it was, back in 1931.
The driveway has been updated to meet 21st century requirements while evoking the feeling of the original design. Originally, Wright had used crushed shale that he specified be stained a warm, yellow-orange. Later, it had been replaced with asphalt.
While they wanted to get rid of the asphalt, they couldn’t go back to the original crushed shale, for several reasons. New floors are being installed inside, and visitors would track the shale inside. More importantly, crushed shale wouldn’t allow for handicapped accessibility or easy access for emergency vehicles.
What they did instead was install a poured concrete driveway, tinted to match the original shale, with exposed stone aggregate. This mimics the original look, while providing practicality.
3. Think about how you are going to water your plants.
“Are you going to use a drip system? Or are you going to be lugging hoses around?” Hauser said.
If you have a corner of your yard where hoses don’t quite reach, you may want to choose plants that tolerate low levels of moisture for that area.
At Graycliff, they have drip hoses for certain areas, but there are also new trees that will need special attention, until they become well established.
4. Heirloom plants can be wonderful, but they can have drawbacks.
Hauser said she has learned that heirloom roses can be more fragrant, while newer varieties can be more colorful and disease-resistant.
“Know what you’re getting into,” she said, “and talk to the staff at your nursery.”
For more inspiration, visit Graycliff yourself.
You can see not only the changes to the landscape but the renovations that are going on inside the buildings, when you visit Graycliff in person. It’s a New York State landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Graycliff is open every day except Wednesdays through Dec. 1, and basic and in-depth tours are offered at different times. Detailed information is on their website at www.graycliffestate.org or call 947-9217.
Reservations are necessary for all tours, due to the limited space. To make reservations, call 947-9217 or email graycliff@verizon.net. In your email, request the date and time of the tour you prefer. If you wish to reserve a tour less than 24 hours in advance, call instead of emailing for a reservation.
Graycliff is closed Thanksgiving Day, but will offer an extended tour schedule on Friday, Nov. 26, and tours will continue all weekend. Yuletide tours will be offered Thursday-Monday, Dec. 26-30. Also available are Master Architectural Tours, private tours and group or school tours.
Connie Oswald Stofko is publisher of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, the online gardening magazine for Western New York. Email Connie@BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com.
Gardening and More: Graycliff Estate offers tips on how to redesign your home …
DERBY — Whether you need to redesign a garden or are putting in a garden for the first time, take some lessons from the folks at Graycliff Estate, the historical landmark located at 6472 Old Lake Shore Road in Derby.
The landscape, as well as the buildings at Graycliff, were designed by the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright for Isabelle R. Martin and her husband, Darwin D. Martin, a wealthy Buffalo businessman. They used it as their summer home.
To bring Graycliff back to Wright’s original vision, the landscape has been restored to look like it did when it was completed in 1931.
Reine Hauser, executive director of the Graycliff Conservancy Inc., learned a lot during the landscape restoration process, and shared four tips that you can use, in your own garden.
1. Develop a plan before you do anything.
Graycliff’s plan was more than 500 pages long. While you don’t need anything that complex, it’s still good to write down your ideas.
“You won’t have as good a result if you just go out and dig in the dirt,” Hauser said. “You’ll save time and money, if you have a plan.”
Don’t forget to make a simple sketch of your yard, to show what will go where, she said, adding that late fall and winter is a great time to plan a garden.
2. Hardscapes are at least as important as softscapes.
Softscapes are the plants. Hardscapes are the man-made elements, such as patios, decks, trellises, water features, driveways, paths and walls. You can’t just think about what flowers, bushes or trees you will have in your garden; you have to plan for hardscapes, too.
“Mistakes are expensive,” Hauser said. “You don’t want to put in plants and have to dig them up, to put in hardscapes. You might be destroying plants you just put in, and how sad is that?”
The Graycliff restoration included two major hardscapes, a natural-looking pool and a driveway.
Graycliff is set high on a cliff with sweeping views over Lake Erie, and the irregularly shaped pool was designed by Wright, to echo the lake. The pool has been restored and is now the size and shape that it was, back in 1931.
The driveway has been updated to meet 21st century requirements while evoking the feeling of the original design. Originally, Wright had used crushed shale that he specified be stained a warm, yellow-orange. Later, it had been replaced with asphalt.
While they wanted to get rid of the asphalt, they couldn’t go back to the original crushed shale, for several reasons. New floors are being installed inside, and visitors would track the shale inside. More importantly, crushed shale wouldn’t allow for handicapped accessibility or easy access for emergency vehicles.
What they did instead was install a poured concrete driveway, tinted to match the original shale, with exposed stone aggregate. This mimics the original look, while providing practicality.
3. Think about how you are going to water your plants.
“Are you going to use a drip system? Or are you going to be lugging hoses around?” Hauser said.
If you have a corner of your yard where hoses don’t quite reach, you may want to choose plants that tolerate low levels of moisture for that area.
At Graycliff, they have drip hoses for certain areas, but there are also new trees that will need special attention, until they become well established.
4. Heirloom plants can be wonderful, but they can have drawbacks.
Hauser said she has learned that heirloom roses can be more fragrant, while newer varieties can be more colorful and disease-resistant.
“Know what you’re getting into,” she said, “and talk to the staff at your nursery.”
For more inspiration, visit Graycliff yourself.
You can see not only the changes to the landscape but the renovations that are going on inside the buildings, when you visit Graycliff in person. It’s a New York State landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Graycliff is open every day except Wednesdays through Dec. 1, and basic and in-depth tours are offered at different times. Detailed information is on their website at www.graycliffestate.org or call 947-9217.
Reservations are necessary for all tours, due to the limited space. To make reservations, call 947-9217 or email graycliff@verizon.net. In your email, request the date and time of the tour you prefer. If you wish to reserve a tour less than 24 hours in advance, call instead of emailing for a reservation.
Graycliff is closed Thanksgiving Day, but will offer an extended tour schedule on Friday, Nov. 26, and tours will continue all weekend. Yuletide tours will be offered Thursday-Monday, Dec. 26-30. Also available are Master Architectural Tours, private tours and group or school tours.
Connie Oswald Stofko is publisher of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, the online gardening magazine for Western New York. Email Connie@BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com.
Gardening and More: Graycliff Estate offers tips on how to redesign your home …
DERBY — Whether you need to redesign a garden or are putting in a garden for the first time, take some lessons from the folks at Graycliff Estate, the historical landmark located at 6472 Old Lake Shore Road in Derby.
The landscape, as well as the buildings at Graycliff, were designed by the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright for Isabelle R. Martin and her husband, Darwin D. Martin, a wealthy Buffalo businessman. They used it as their summer home.
To bring Graycliff back to Wright’s original vision, the landscape has been restored to look like it did when it was completed in 1931.
Reine Hauser, executive director of the Graycliff Conservancy Inc., learned a lot during the landscape restoration process, and shared four tips that you can use, in your own garden.
1. Develop a plan before you do anything.
Graycliff’s plan was more than 500 pages long. While you don’t need anything that complex, it’s still good to write down your ideas.
“You won’t have as good a result if you just go out and dig in the dirt,” Hauser said. “You’ll save time and money, if you have a plan.”
Don’t forget to make a simple sketch of your yard, to show what will go where, she said, adding that late fall and winter is a great time to plan a garden.
2. Hardscapes are at least as important as softscapes.
Softscapes are the plants. Hardscapes are the man-made elements, such as patios, decks, trellises, water features, driveways, paths and walls. You can’t just think about what flowers, bushes or trees you will have in your garden; you have to plan for hardscapes, too.
“Mistakes are expensive,” Hauser said. “You don’t want to put in plants and have to dig them up, to put in hardscapes. You might be destroying plants you just put in, and how sad is that?”
The Graycliff restoration included two major hardscapes, a natural-looking pool and a driveway.
Graycliff is set high on a cliff with sweeping views over Lake Erie, and the irregularly shaped pool was designed by Wright, to echo the lake. The pool has been restored and is now the size and shape that it was, back in 1931.
The driveway has been updated to meet 21st century requirements while evoking the feeling of the original design. Originally, Wright had used crushed shale that he specified be stained a warm, yellow-orange. Later, it had been replaced with asphalt.
While they wanted to get rid of the asphalt, they couldn’t go back to the original crushed shale, for several reasons. New floors are being installed inside, and visitors would track the shale inside. More importantly, crushed shale wouldn’t allow for handicapped accessibility or easy access for emergency vehicles.
What they did instead was install a poured concrete driveway, tinted to match the original shale, with exposed stone aggregate. This mimics the original look, while providing practicality.
3. Think about how you are going to water your plants.
“Are you going to use a drip system? Or are you going to be lugging hoses around?” Hauser said.
If you have a corner of your yard where hoses don’t quite reach, you may want to choose plants that tolerate low levels of moisture for that area.
At Graycliff, they have drip hoses for certain areas, but there are also new trees that will need special attention, until they become well established.
4. Heirloom plants can be wonderful, but they can have drawbacks.
Hauser said she has learned that heirloom roses can be more fragrant, while newer varieties can be more colorful and disease-resistant.
“Know what you’re getting into,” she said, “and talk to the staff at your nursery.”
For more inspiration, visit Graycliff yourself.
You can see not only the changes to the landscape but the renovations that are going on inside the buildings, when you visit Graycliff in person. It’s a New York State landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Graycliff is open every day except Wednesdays through Dec. 1, and basic and in-depth tours are offered at different times. Detailed information is on their website at www.graycliffestate.org or call 947-9217.
Reservations are necessary for all tours, due to the limited space. To make reservations, call 947-9217 or email graycliff@verizon.net. In your email, request the date and time of the tour you prefer. If you wish to reserve a tour less than 24 hours in advance, call instead of emailing for a reservation.
Graycliff is closed Thanksgiving Day, but will offer an extended tour schedule on Friday, Nov. 26, and tours will continue all weekend. Yuletide tours will be offered Thursday-Monday, Dec. 26-30. Also available are Master Architectural Tours, private tours and group or school tours.
Connie Oswald Stofko is publisher of Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com, the online gardening magazine for Western New York. Email Connie@BuffaloNiagaraGardening.com.
Gardening: Top tips for winter
WELL we certainly know that winter is on its way now.
Some cold nights, a couple of frosts and the spells of heavy rain have brought us into winter at a quick pace.
However, don’t hide indoors. There are plenty of things to be done in the garden. Doing them now will pay dividends next year.
JOBS TO DO NOW
If you haven’t done so already, summer flowering heathers should be trimmed.
This can be done with a pair of hand shears, just to tidy them up for winter.
You should remove all of this year’s dead flowers and at least half of this year’s growth.
It also helps to mulch the plants around this time with peat, as they are ericaceous (lime-hating).
In the vegetable garden a lot of vegetables have now finished and have already been harvested.
You may have picked the last few of the beans or peas.
You are not likely to get any more in North Staffordshire. Therefore, cut these down. Remember, though, with peas and beans, to leave the roots in the ground and dig around them.
This is because there are nodules on the roots that help to mix nitrogen into the soil.
This is a macro-nutrient and very important for the health of next year’s vegetables that are to be grown in the same place.
FRUIT TREES FOR SMALLER GARDENS
This week we have been planting quite a few fruit trees.
There are many different ones to choose from.
However, some of the root stocks are now so good that they control the overall size of the tree, as well as give it extra disease resistance.
So, whereas bapple trees used to grow up to 40 feet tall, you can now get specimens that only ever grow to 10 feet (three metres), which is fantastic for most small gardens.
You can also get what are called family apple trees. This means that they have three different varieties of apple on one tree.
They look fantastic and really grab the attention of children. It is another great way to encourage them to eat fruit.
The trees are also real talking points when friends and family visit.
In conclusion, there are many things for you to be doing in your gardens at this time of year.
The cold mornings are also perfect for long morning walks and can be really quite pleasant.
Why not take in some well-known local gardens and see how they are preparing for winter?
It’s a great way to get new ideas.
If one of the gardeners is about, they might have time for a natter.
GARDENING QUERIES
If you have any specific questions about gardening at this time of year, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. Sent questions to: letters@thesentinel.co.uk or Gardening column, The Sentinel, Sentinel House, Forge Lane. Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. ST1 5SS.
Contact Jason on 0800 093 7926 or online at www.jhps-gardens.co.uk
Gardening: Top tips for winter
WELL we certainly know that winter is on its way now.
Some cold nights, a couple of frosts and the spells of heavy rain have brought us into winter at a quick pace.
However, don’t hide indoors. There are plenty of things to be done in the garden. Doing them now will pay dividends next year.
JOBS TO DO NOW
If you haven’t done so already, summer flowering heathers should be trimmed.
This can be done with a pair of hand shears, just to tidy them up for winter.
You should remove all of this year’s dead flowers and at least half of this year’s growth.
It also helps to mulch the plants around this time with peat, as they are ericaceous (lime-hating).
In the vegetable garden a lot of vegetables have now finished and have already been harvested.
You may have picked the last few of the beans or peas.
You are not likely to get any more in North Staffordshire. Therefore, cut these down. Remember, though, with peas and beans, to leave the roots in the ground and dig around them.
This is because there are nodules on the roots that help to mix nitrogen into the soil.
This is a macro-nutrient and very important for the health of next year’s vegetables that are to be grown in the same place.
FRUIT TREES FOR SMALLER GARDENS
This week we have been planting quite a few fruit trees.
There are many different ones to choose from.
However, some of the root stocks are now so good that they control the overall size of the tree, as well as give it extra disease resistance.
So, whereas bapple trees used to grow up to 40 feet tall, you can now get specimens that only ever grow to 10 feet (three metres), which is fantastic for most small gardens.
You can also get what are called family apple trees. This means that they have three different varieties of apple on one tree.
They look fantastic and really grab the attention of children. It is another great way to encourage them to eat fruit.
The trees are also real talking points when friends and family visit.
In conclusion, there are many things for you to be doing in your gardens at this time of year.
The cold mornings are also perfect for long morning walks and can be really quite pleasant.
Why not take in some well-known local gardens and see how they are preparing for winter?
It’s a great way to get new ideas.
If one of the gardeners is about, they might have time for a natter.
GARDENING QUERIES
If you have any specific questions about gardening at this time of year, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. Sent questions to: letters@thesentinel.co.uk or Gardening column, The Sentinel, Sentinel House, Forge Lane. Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. ST1 5SS.
Contact Jason on 0800 093 7926 or online at www.jhps-gardens.co.uk
Gardening: Top tips for winter
WELL we certainly know that winter is on its way now.
Some cold nights, a couple of frosts and the spells of heavy rain have brought us into winter at a quick pace.
However, don’t hide indoors. There are plenty of things to be done in the garden. Doing them now will pay dividends next year.
JOBS TO DO NOW
If you haven’t done so already, summer flowering heathers should be trimmed.
This can be done with a pair of hand shears, just to tidy them up for winter.
You should remove all of this year’s dead flowers and at least half of this year’s growth.
It also helps to mulch the plants around this time with peat, as they are ericaceous (lime-hating).
In the vegetable garden a lot of vegetables have now finished and have already been harvested.
You may have picked the last few of the beans or peas.
You are not likely to get any more in North Staffordshire. Therefore, cut these down. Remember, though, with peas and beans, to leave the roots in the ground and dig around them.
This is because there are nodules on the roots that help to mix nitrogen into the soil.
This is a macro-nutrient and very important for the health of next year’s vegetables that are to be grown in the same place.
FRUIT TREES FOR SMALLER GARDENS
This week we have been planting quite a few fruit trees.
There are many different ones to choose from.
However, some of the root stocks are now so good that they control the overall size of the tree, as well as give it extra disease resistance.
So, whereas bapple trees used to grow up to 40 feet tall, you can now get specimens that only ever grow to 10 feet (three metres), which is fantastic for most small gardens.
You can also get what are called family apple trees. This means that they have three different varieties of apple on one tree.
They look fantastic and really grab the attention of children. It is another great way to encourage them to eat fruit.
The trees are also real talking points when friends and family visit.
In conclusion, there are many things for you to be doing in your gardens at this time of year.
The cold mornings are also perfect for long morning walks and can be really quite pleasant.
Why not take in some well-known local gardens and see how they are preparing for winter?
It’s a great way to get new ideas.
If one of the gardeners is about, they might have time for a natter.
GARDENING QUERIES
If you have any specific questions about gardening at this time of year, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. Sent questions to: letters@thesentinel.co.uk or Gardening column, The Sentinel, Sentinel House, Forge Lane. Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. ST1 5SS.
Contact Jason on 0800 093 7926 or online at www.jhps-gardens.co.uk
Winter gardening tips from Charlie Dimmock
by Taryn Davies |
18 November 2013
Just because the cold weather has descended it doesn’t mean we should be forgetting to look after our gardens, in fact it’s essential to keep them ticking over in the winter months.
Gardening expert, Charlie Dimmock – who you may remember from round Forcer – shares some expert tips on how to look after your Garden in the winter.
Plant spring bulbs like crocus, tulips and daffodils in borders and containers, drifts of daffodils looks fantastic naturalised along hedge lines or under trees. When planting make sure the bulbs are planted to the right depth, as a general rule it is three times the depth of the bulb and if your soil is heavy, dig in some coarse grit at the bottom of the hole to stop water logging.
Tidy borders by cutting back herbaceous plants, removing summer bedding and weeds. Lightly fork over and mulch with well-rotted garden compost or mushroom compost.
Autumn and early winter is a great time to plant new shrubs and trees as they establish and root down well because the soil is warm from the summer and moist from the autumn rain, which means they get a really good start in the spring.
Lift and store/pot-up smaller, non-hardy plants like dahlias and geraniums while with larger plants that can’t be moved like tree ferns and Gunnera protect with their leaves or wrap in hessian or, if in containers, move them close to the house for extra protection.
Plant winter bedding such as pansies, wall flowers and forget-me-nots for lots of much appreciated colour in winter and early spring. Plant them in key places that can be seen from indoors and it is best to put the plants closer together than normal as they don’t fill out as much as summer bedding.
Rake up leaves regularly especially from the lawn as if left it can lead to bare patches. It is well worth composting the leaves separately to make wonderful leaf mould which is great for top dressing rhododendrons and lily bulbs or using when planting those special plants. If the leaves are dry make life easier by using the mower to collect them.
On wet days tackle the shed and greenhouse, clean up tools, re-sharpen blades, generally tidy up and sort things out. Also, go through seed catalogues selecting what you are going to grow for the following year that way you are all set up and ready for the spring rush.
Clear and tidy the veggie patch, throwing out any canes and netting that is past its sell by date. Roughly dig over the soil but you don’t need to worry about breaking up the clods as the winter weather will naturally do that for you.
Feeding the birds in winter adds lots of interest to the garden as well as helping the birds out during our cold weather. If you are going to use feeders that you already have, make sure they are clean and always have water available for the birds to bathe and drink from. This is especially important in cold, frosty weather.
Cut back ponds and cover with netting that will need to be supported to stop the worst of the leaf fall going in and rotting. If there is a pump in the pond I leave it in but raise it up. This way the pond stays warmer and also keeps a hole in the ice. However, if you want to remove it, make sure you store it clean and dry in a frost-free place.
Charlie is working with Horlicks to launch the new look pack, still with the same great taste.
Winter gardening tips from Charlie Dimmock
by Taryn Davies |
18 November 2013
Just because the cold weather has descended it doesn’t mean we should be forgetting to look after our gardens, in fact it’s essential to keep them ticking over in the winter months.
Gardening expert, Charlie Dimmock – who you may remember from round Forcer – shares some expert tips on how to look after your Garden in the winter.
Plant spring bulbs like crocus, tulips and daffodils in borders and containers, drifts of daffodils looks fantastic naturalised along hedge lines or under trees. When planting make sure the bulbs are planted to the right depth, as a general rule it is three times the depth of the bulb and if your soil is heavy, dig in some coarse grit at the bottom of the hole to stop water logging.
Tidy borders by cutting back herbaceous plants, removing summer bedding and weeds. Lightly fork over and mulch with well-rotted garden compost or mushroom compost.
Autumn and early winter is a great time to plant new shrubs and trees as they establish and root down well because the soil is warm from the summer and moist from the autumn rain, which means they get a really good start in the spring.
Lift and store/pot-up smaller, non-hardy plants like dahlias and geraniums while with larger plants that can’t be moved like tree ferns and Gunnera protect with their leaves or wrap in hessian or, if in containers, move them close to the house for extra protection.
Plant winter bedding such as pansies, wall flowers and forget-me-nots for lots of much appreciated colour in winter and early spring. Plant them in key places that can be seen from indoors and it is best to put the plants closer together than normal as they don’t fill out as much as summer bedding.
Rake up leaves regularly especially from the lawn as if left it can lead to bare patches. It is well worth composting the leaves separately to make wonderful leaf mould which is great for top dressing rhododendrons and lily bulbs or using when planting those special plants. If the leaves are dry make life easier by using the mower to collect them.
On wet days tackle the shed and greenhouse, clean up tools, re-sharpen blades, generally tidy up and sort things out. Also, go through seed catalogues selecting what you are going to grow for the following year that way you are all set up and ready for the spring rush.
Clear and tidy the veggie patch, throwing out any canes and netting that is past its sell by date. Roughly dig over the soil but you don’t need to worry about breaking up the clods as the winter weather will naturally do that for you.
Feeding the birds in winter adds lots of interest to the garden as well as helping the birds out during our cold weather. If you are going to use feeders that you already have, make sure they are clean and always have water available for the birds to bathe and drink from. This is especially important in cold, frosty weather.
Cut back ponds and cover with netting that will need to be supported to stop the worst of the leaf fall going in and rotting. If there is a pump in the pond I leave it in but raise it up. This way the pond stays warmer and also keeps a hole in the ice. However, if you want to remove it, make sure you store it clean and dry in a frost-free place.
Charlie is working with Horlicks to launch the new look pack, still with the same great taste.
Winter gardening tips from Charlie Dimmock
by Taryn Davies |
18 November 2013
Just because the cold weather has descended it doesn’t mean we should be forgetting to look after our gardens, in fact it’s essential to keep them ticking over in the winter months.
Gardening expert, Charlie Dimmock – who you may remember from round Forcer – shares some expert tips on how to look after your Garden in the winter.
Plant spring bulbs like crocus, tulips and daffodils in borders and containers, drifts of daffodils looks fantastic naturalised along hedge lines or under trees. When planting make sure the bulbs are planted to the right depth, as a general rule it is three times the depth of the bulb and if your soil is heavy, dig in some coarse grit at the bottom of the hole to stop water logging.
Tidy borders by cutting back herbaceous plants, removing summer bedding and weeds. Lightly fork over and mulch with well-rotted garden compost or mushroom compost.
Autumn and early winter is a great time to plant new shrubs and trees as they establish and root down well because the soil is warm from the summer and moist from the autumn rain, which means they get a really good start in the spring.
Lift and store/pot-up smaller, non-hardy plants like dahlias and geraniums while with larger plants that can’t be moved like tree ferns and Gunnera protect with their leaves or wrap in hessian or, if in containers, move them close to the house for extra protection.
Plant winter bedding such as pansies, wall flowers and forget-me-nots for lots of much appreciated colour in winter and early spring. Plant them in key places that can be seen from indoors and it is best to put the plants closer together than normal as they don’t fill out as much as summer bedding.
Rake up leaves regularly especially from the lawn as if left it can lead to bare patches. It is well worth composting the leaves separately to make wonderful leaf mould which is great for top dressing rhododendrons and lily bulbs or using when planting those special plants. If the leaves are dry make life easier by using the mower to collect them.
On wet days tackle the shed and greenhouse, clean up tools, re-sharpen blades, generally tidy up and sort things out. Also, go through seed catalogues selecting what you are going to grow for the following year that way you are all set up and ready for the spring rush.
Clear and tidy the veggie patch, throwing out any canes and netting that is past its sell by date. Roughly dig over the soil but you don’t need to worry about breaking up the clods as the winter weather will naturally do that for you.
Feeding the birds in winter adds lots of interest to the garden as well as helping the birds out during our cold weather. If you are going to use feeders that you already have, make sure they are clean and always have water available for the birds to bathe and drink from. This is especially important in cold, frosty weather.
Cut back ponds and cover with netting that will need to be supported to stop the worst of the leaf fall going in and rotting. If there is a pump in the pond I leave it in but raise it up. This way the pond stays warmer and also keeps a hole in the ice. However, if you want to remove it, make sure you store it clean and dry in a frost-free place.
Charlie is working with Horlicks to launch the new look pack, still with the same great taste.