July - August 2013 Newsletter

It seems that we are finally getting some of the warmth and sun that we’ve all been craving, and our gardens will definitely show their appreciation too.

Whilst it’s been the trickiest start to the year for gardeners, there are normally benefits when the weather does strange things. The fact that many plants are still further behind than we would normally expect means that – for the first time - I’m able to bring in some large shrubs and trees from Italy now, rather than waiting until September.

Emily and I were with our growers in Pistoia, Tuscany, last week, hand-picking items to have shipped over. It was quite a shock to realise that this was the 10^th such visit I’ve made! For all our new newsletter readers who don’t know about it, this is something I do every year. The items I pick are delivered to the garden centre throughout the next 9 months or so. Doing this ensures that we are able to offer you the best possible price on the larger plant stock, as there are no middle men to be paid – the plants come directly from the grower to us. On average this means a saving for you of 25 – 30%.

Some of the items to look out for that will be with us this week from Italy are:

Fig trees – small and large
Miscanthus and other grasses, including a new one called Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’, which is an incredibly vibrant pink
Olive trees – all shapes and sizes
Pyracantha laden with young berries
Cotoneaster lacteus, grown as a half standard, which I fell in love with!

…. and much more besides ….

The herbaceous perennial stock at the centre now includes later flowering varieties such as:

Alstroemeria
Dahlias
Achillea
Campanula

Our David Austin roses are looking lovely (we all fight over watering them as it gives us a chance to stand and sniff the glorious scents many of them produce!).

For a real splash of vibrant colour, come and check out the amazing specimen Fuchsia we now have in – or go for the more subtle pure white Hawkshead (my favourite).

The window of opportunity for us to get in vegetable plants turned out to be very brief this year, what with the bitterly cold temperature dips in March and early April. However, the good news is that we now have big chilli plants in stock, alongside some large pots of tomatoes and sweet peppers.

Sally has covered ‘garden tasks’ later in this newsletter, but one thing I’d like to emphasise at this time of year is the trick of cutting back some perennials, which have had their first full flush of flowers. It can feel a bit scary, as they’re still looking quite good, but doing so now will encourage them to put on a burst of new growth and reward you with another wonderful display of flowers in a few weeks’ time. I’ve just done my Erysimum Bowles Mauve, even though it was still looking glorious, as I’ve learnt it’s best to do now before it gets too wayward. I then drenched it in seaweed feed, to help it get over the shock! (On that subject, now is the time to get rigorous with your feeding regime, as Sally elaborates on below.)

Elsewhere at the garden centre, you can pick up one of our wonderful Kadai fire bowls and accessories for all those evenings dining al fresco. We also sell lumpwood charcoal produced by the same small company who supply our olive firewood in winter. I’ve tried the lumpwood a few times now and am amazed at how little you need for a long burning barbeque. We also have lovely glass tea light holders, to add twinkle as the sun goes down; bird feeders, nesting boxes, insect houses … all help to bring in beneficial wildlife to your garden, thus cutting down on the need for pesticides and chemicals; along with all the usual sundries such as twine, soft-tie, lawn care products, gloves and tools.

Oh – and last but not least … I found some really fabulous new items which are now on display in our vintage shed. Not just one, but two Hungarian benches, for starters. One is much older than the other, and was clearly used as a storage unit as well as a bench/bed. Also an incredible huge mirror that I just know is going to be perfect for someone out there, and lots of other goodies.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer, and look forward to seeing you very soon.

Karen

PS Remember that in August our hours are reduced - 10am to 4pm each day.

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Sundays and Bank Holidays: 10am – 4pm

Except

Jan: 10am – 4pm (Fri, Sat and Sun only)
Feb, Aug, Nov: 10am – 4pm (every day)

Web: www.alleynpark.co.uk
Email: info@alleynpark.co.uk
Phone: 020 8670 7788

Rear of 77 Park Hall Road
(Entrance opposite Café Rouge)
West Dulwich, London SE21 8ES

Garden jobs for July and August 2013

My balconies are blooming! I'm just waiting for the sweet peas and nasturtiums to flower... well, they went in a bit late so I mustn't be impatient. I hope that your outside spaces are looking good too. If you have roses, aren't they doing well this year? I pass some lovely ones on my journey to work, and the rose garden in Greenwich Park was fantastic when I visited last weekend.

I keep smelling barbecues which must mean summer is here. As well as cooking, here are a few other things to be doing in the garden to keep it looking good in the next couple of months.

My top two jobs for summer...

1. Watering: keep on top of water supply, particularly for containers and hanging baskets. Smaller containers need doing every day, and if temperatures are high, twice a day. You will get to know how often to water larger containerised plants. Newly planted trees, shrubs and other plants need a good soaking every few days and recently sown or turfed lawns should be kept watered. Water early morning and evening, avoiding midday temperatures.

2. Deadheading: remove the faded flowers from roses, bedding plants and repeat flowering perennials to ensure continuous flowering. Exceptions are wild roses which produce attractive hips in the autumn, and anything which produces lovely seed heads for winter interest. With roses, prune back to a bud in a leaf axil when all the flowers on a stem have faded. With bedding plants, dead heading stops the plants setting seed, and forces them to produce more flowers. Some plants, such as petunias, may get straggly and can be cut hard back with secateurs and fed with a high potash fertiliser to encourage new growth. This is a good thing to do before going on holiday.

Planting

If a gap appears in the border, or you find a pot which needs filling, it's fine to continue planting. Summer bedding can still be planted, as well as larger plants. Make sure you plant well with a big hole, good compost, Rootgrow and fertiliser, soak the plants beforehand and then water in well.

Plant and garden maintenance

Feeding plants is important. Whether it's a Camellia needing ericaceous fertiliser, established perennials not doing their best, or containers of summer bedding, it's essential to provide the right nutrients. Weaker plants are more susceptible to pests and disease. Get into a routine of feeding every week.
Keep the weeds down by hoeing the borders. Weeds compete with plants for water and nutrients, so get rid of them!
Summer prune Wisteria by cutting the long wispy shoots back to 5 buds.
Remove unwanted growth from trees. Many trees and shrubs produce a mass of shoots at the base, which need to be removed as they sap energy and strength from the plant. Also remove any shoots with plain leaves on variegated plants.
Trim conifer hedges such as Leylandii to keep under control.
Remove spent flower spikes on lavender.
As Karen suggests above, cut back wayward perennials and give them a feed. Plants such as tall Achilleas can flop and smother smaller plants. Trim them back and they may flower again later. If you haven't already cut back hardy geraniums, do it now to tidy them up and they will produce new growth and may flower again. Feed and water to encourage new growth
Check ponds regularly and top up water levels if necessary. Remove yellowing leaves and fading flowers from plants around the pond and remove them, as plant debris in the water can raise nutrient levels which in turn encourages algae.

Grow your own

Everything will need attention at some stage, whether supporting tall crops, protecting from slug damage, or harvesting.
Water runner beans and tomatoes (and many other crops) regularly.
Sow autumn and winter salads. Lambs lettuce, rocket and many mixed leaf seeds can be sown for extended harvesting. There are many cut and come again varieties.
Pick out the side shoots of tomatoes so that you maintain one main stem. These are the little shoots that emerge where the leaves join the main stem. If you leave them, they take energy from the developing fruits.
When beans reach the top of their supports, pinch out the leading shoot, which will encourage more side shoots and beans lower down.
Cut out old fruited canes on raspberries.
Blueberries in containers must be kept well watered, ideally with rain water or soft water.
Pick herbs to dry or freeze. With most herbs, the more you pick, the more tasty young shoots will be produced. Most herbs will benefit from being trimmed occasionally with garden shears to encourage a flush of new growth.

Lawns

Continue mowing and adjust the height of the blades when necessary. The general consensus is to raise the blades if the weather is hot, removing less grass.
In hot weather leave the clippings on the grass to act as a mulch, helping to retain moisture in the grass and returning organic matter at the same time.

Garden pests

Warm weather can encourage pests and disease in the garden. Greenfly and black fly can multiply really quickly and it can be difficult to keep on top of them. Think about building up diversity in the garden by planting a variety of plants to attract beneficial insects and other wildlife, which will improve the balance of pests and predators.
Continue to protect susceptible plants from slugs and snails.
Watch out for powdery mildew, on roses and honeysuckle particularly. Remove affected plant debris, mulch and water, and if possible improve air circulation around the plant. If necessary, treat with an appropriate fungicide.

Wildlife

Keep supplies of food and water going for the birds. If they are used to finding food in your garden, they will continue to visit. Birds help to keep pests down in the garden, so it's well worth doing. One of the best garden sights is a bird splashing around in a bird bath, so keep them full.

Holidays

When you go away, move containers to a shady spot if possible and ask a friend or neighbour to water them. Return the favour when they go away!

Enjoy the summer months in your garden, or balcony!

Sally

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday: 9:30am – 5:30pm
Sundays and Bank Holidays: 10am – 4pm

Except

Jan: 10am – 4pm (Fri, Sat and Sun only)
Feb, Aug, Nov: 10am – 4pm (every day)

Web: www.alleynpark.co.uk
Email: info@alleynpark.co.uk
Phone: 020 8670 7788

Rear of 77 Park Hall Road
(Entrance opposite Café Rouge)
West Dulwich, London SE21 8ES