It’s not often that we blow our own trumpet, but I’m going to start this newsletter by throwing modesty to the wind to let you know that not only have we been named as one of the “best garden centres in London” by Time Out, but have also been featured in this month’s edition of Living Etc magazine and hailed as a “fabulous garden centre”. We are, of course, delighted to know that all the hard work put in by the team here is appreciated not only by you, our customers, but also by the wider community.

We’ve having a splendid spring so far, aren’t we? And, boy, don’t we deserve it after that long harsh winter! The only disadvantage with the weather suddenly warming up so much is that it has caught many of us with our proverbial pants down, and if we don’t act quickly we’ll be playing catch up for the rest of the season.

So, get out now and get the wheels in motion to ensure you can make the most of your garden this summer. At this time of year there’s a little bit of everything in the centre to help you achieve this:

• Young vegetable plants are in stock at £2.95 a strip (buy 5 for the price of 4 this month). The range will increase over time, but tomatoes, beans, broccoli, peas, sweetcorn, pak choi, spinach and lots more are already available. Just keep a weather eye out and protect them if there’s any chance of frost.
• Summer bedding plants are also in. Petunias, lobelia, verbena, bacopa, bellis .... the list is almost endless. Plant up your window boxes now for a whole summer of colour. Adding swellgel and slow release fertiliser to your planters will reduce the maintenance they require, so all you’ll need to do is water and occasionally dead head flowers that have gone over.
• Our new “Hairy Pot” range of herbs has been a spectacular success with you so far, and we'll get more varieties in each week. Remember, the huge advantage with these is that you plant the whole pot in the ground or container, so the roots don’t get any disturbance. The herbs are grown in Hampshire, the coir pots they grow in are ethically made (more info in the shop), and there’s no plastic used in the production or transportation.
• We have a lovely stock of fruit trees in, but they are selling fast, so hurry if you want one. They have all been grown on dwarf or semi-dwarf root stock so won’t grow too big.
• Soft fruit is also available – blueberries, cranberries, red-, black- and white- currants, gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries. Yum!
• The deciduous trees and shrubs are all bursting into life now. We have some fabulous large Cotinus plants, and their newly emerging burgundy leaves seem to glow in the sunshine.
• The evergreen shrubs and trees are also showing lots of fresh growth, with plenty showing bud and flower already, such as the lovely Ceanothus.
• You clearly approve of the range of David Austin roses we stock as they are selling very fast indeed. We have climbers, shrub roses and even some standards, all of which are sending out new growth rapidly.
• The range of herbaceous perennials available continues to increase, and both of our suppliers (small, independent and in the UK) have told us that they are very pleased with this year’s crop and predict chunky plants by summer. Get them into the ground now for the best possible display in the coming weeks.

As for other parts of the centre, do check out the area now dedicated to “Grow your own”. It’s in the first brick shed after you head up under the pergola (which will soon be dripping with Wisteria blooms). Sally has set it out so that even a first timer will see exactly what’s needed to aid successful growing. If all you’ve got is a window ledge, don’t despair! We’ve sourced some brilliant propagators that fit snugly on a shelf or window sill.

In the shop we’ve just restocked all our children’s tools and accessories so you can get your young ones involved in the garden too. A few ££s will get them their own pair of gloves, a trowel and a packet of seeds. Give them their own patch (no ... not that grotty bit under the conifer where nothing grows!), and let them try for themselves. Sunflowers, cosmos, Californian poppies, tomatoes, or beans are all incredibly easy to grow from seed.

The gorgeous bunting we have strung outside the shop gets lots of complimentary comments, and is available to buy in a range of colours and sizes. If you’re planning a party, or indeed if you’re having a street party, this will surely add that magical quality.

I hope this has given you some inspiration, and that we’ll see you very soon.

We are open every day all through the Easter period.

On the bank holidays our hours are 10am – 4pm.

With best wishes

Karen

Opening Hours for April:–  Monday - Saturday  9:00am - 6:00pm    Sunday 10:00am -  4:00pm   

Tel:020 8670 7788 www.alleynpark.co.uk

Garden jobs in April

Spring is here with the hope of long summer days not far away. With warming temperatures, it’s a lovely time of year for gardening. Good preparation in the garden now will pay dividends later on

Growing from seed – now is the time to start sowing hardy annuals, herbs and vegetables outside, but always check the packet to see what conditions and protection they need, and whether they can be sown directly outside or still need to be inside before planting out.

Grow your own – many vegetables and herbs are easy to grow, even if you only have space for containers. Potatoes, beans, courgettes, salads, chilli, and many others make good container crops.

Planting – herbaceous perennials, shrubs, fruit, herbs and vegetables can all be planted now – make sure you plant everything in the right compost and that you water well to establish.

Fruit - Feed soft fruit bushes and strawberries with a general fertilizer to encourage bumper crops.

General maintenance around the garden – there’s lots to do to start off the season well: