DON’T FORGET YOUR GARDEN BARGAINS ON PAGE 24

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WOOLCOTT& SMITH

We catch up with Adam Woolcott for Autumn

Boarders

USING THE PLOT

Our Vegetable Experts tells us what we can be

doing this Autumn

BULBSThe gardeners delight. We give you some great gardening tips.

VIOLAS All our favourite picks from this issues Plant of the Month

TOP TIPS | HOW TO GUIDES | EQUIPMENT | TOOLS | EXPERT ADVICE

FREE with every

order

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delight.

very ViolaThis issue our plant of the month

is the Viola and we’re here to give

you the best buys. Page 06-07Sowing crops directly outdoors into a well-prepared seedbed is my favourite way of growing plants from seed, especially vegetables. Unfortunately I’ve struggled this year and thanks to the weather my carrots have been disastrous. It’s all very well being told to rake your soil to create a fi ne crumbly tilth but mother nature is not cooperating and ideal soil conditions are hard to come by.

Since April it seems like there hasn’t been a single dry day and although sowing large seeded crops directly outdoors is achievable, smaller seeds don’t really stand a chance. I have heavy clay soil in my garden and creating a thin crumbly layer of soil for seed cover has been a challenge. As well as contending with heavy rain, temperatures for this time of the year have been chillier too, further inhibiting germination.

Growing seeds in modular seed trays in my opinion doesn’t produce as strong a crop, especially for those seeds that prefer to be sown outdoors, but unfortunately it is the only alternative. In the case of this season germinating seeds in the greenhouse, with protection from heavy rain and added warmth would have led to a better quality plant. Once a root system becomes established only then can they be transplanted outside, as long as the soil is not waterlogged.

I can’t predict the future so I’m not taking any risks by sowing outdoors for the remained of this season and to avoid disappointment you should probably do the same.

lead the good life welcomes you...

In the Autumn Issue of

Fill your beds, boarders

& hanging baskets.

Just click the basket toadd to your basket.

An acre of

information on

Native Trees

Bulbs This season we look at the heart to many readers gardens, bulbs. We give some tips on growing the best on page 12-13

using the plot...The vegetable expert, David

Allison gives us sometips on what we can be doing this Autumn. Page 18-19

se

Grow your own!From planting to harvesting; all

you need to know to get the most

from your apples page 08-09

Design IdeasRHS Chelsea medal winner Adam

Woolcott give us some fantastic design ideas for Autumnal Boarders

on page 10-11

02 | Welcome www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Contents | 03

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Plant PortfolioNative Treesp.04-05

Plant of the MonthViolap.06-07

Grow Your OwnApplesp.08-09

Design IdeasDrought Tolerant Boarderp.10-11

BulbsBulbsp.12-13

Top TipsRosesp.14-15

How to GrowHelleboresp.16-17

Ask the ExpertsBlueberrysp.20-21

Using the Plotwith David Allisonp.18-19

Readers CornerStephen Answers p.22

It is said thhaattThe lleaves aattttrraacctt lloove & prrosperity.

Ask any tree enthusiast about the advantages of planting trees in your garden and they will tell you that the benefi ts exceed mere aesthetics; they make effective screening, shading and wildlife plants as well as giving your garden the third dimension of height. As with growing your own, planting native species in gardens seems to be taking off at the moment and with all our fantastic natives is there any surprise? Great British woodlands are a unique environment that can be found nowhere else on the planet and it seems that people want to replicate this and create mini woodlands in their own gardens.

Britain is home to about 30 native species of trees but unless you own acres of land it’s doubtful that you’ll want to grow every species. Here are my top three trees to help you choose.

Silver Birch (Betula pendula)The silver birch is also known as the Lady of the Woods because of its slender and graceful

appearance. If you’ve never grown trees before this one is an excellent place to start as it’s easy to grow and gives excellent results in a relatively short period of time. When young silver birches have striking white trunks which complement its mid green, diamond shaped, pendulous

04 | Plant of the Month www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Plant of the Month | 05

Plant Portfolio

foliage and any other dark green woodland plants. If you have space, plant up to 7 of these together to create a small grove, it’ll give a really dramatic effect. However if space is a problem then single, minimalist planting is equally effective.

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)The ash is a very common sight in British woodlands and country sides and in fact is our

fourth most common native tree. Before the buds burst in May they are pure black and look like tiny lumps of coal, hence the name. The leaves have a very distinctive pinnate form, each with six pairs of leafl ets, that creates a beautiful dappled shade as the light shines through the canopy. All in all an excellent native specimen tree.

Beech (Fagus silvatica)One of the grandest of all of our native trees and the most versatile too. There are 3 key uses for

beeches within our gardens, each with its own special charm. Firstly and probably the most popular style of Beech planting is hedging. Not only is Beech a great hedging plant it’s possibly the best hedging plant. Think about your alternatives, conifers. They can be more high maintenance than deciduous species

needing to be pruned annually and sometime even biannually and they can suffer from brown, dead patches which are irreversible. Ironically conifer hedges can cause wind damage to plants they are trying to protect. Wind hits a conifer hedge like a brick wall, swirls over the top onto the plants below whereas the slightly more open form of beech hedging fi lters some wind through reducing the risk of plant damage. Another advantage is that, although deciduous, beech hedging keeps its leaves all year, creating a beautiful brown screen.

In a similar way to hedging Beeches can be pruned and trained in to tall columns. This is a form of topiary and works really well in formal gardens alongside similar shaped conifers. Topiary columns are high impact and architectural and help to break up areas of the garden so that you don’t’ see everything in one go. In the same way that Beech hedging holds onto their leaves during autumn, column Beeches will do the same.

Of course the simplest and most impactful way to grow Beech is as a tree. When fully mature a Beech tree can be a huge asset to your garden, can make homes for all kinds of wildlife and create a micro climate helping to accommodate so many more garden plants that you might not have been able to grow in the past.

Don’t forget Hazel...Planting a large tree in a small garden can be overpowering and space consuming however there

are alternatives. Hazel is another British native and though not technically a tree it has many of the characteristics, additional benefi ts of producing lots of delicious nuts and the ability to be containerised to reduce space consumption.

NativeTrees

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Plant of the Month

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Apples are a very productive crop and they are easy to grow. There are also several varieties to choose from and each can be grafted onto different roots stocks meaning that every variety can be suitable for every garden. Apple trees can live for many years and so should be grown as a long term crop, fortunately now there highly dwarfi ng root stocks available which means that you can even grow them in containers and take them with you if you move house.

Apples love well-drained soils with lots of organic matter and a top dressing of well-rotted farmyard manure throughout the fi rst 3 seasons. Position them in a sunny spot away from frost prone areas. If your garden is prone to frost you can provide temporary protection in early spring by covering them with horticultural fl eece or moving them under protection of a well-lit shed. During late autumn through to early spring dormant bare-root trees should be planted although

containerised plants can be planted throughout the year as long as regular watering is given during hot dry periods.

Most apple trees require an additional pollinating tree as very few are self-fertile and even self-fertile varieties will produce a better crop when other pollinators are planted alongside. If you can it’s a good idea to grow at least 2 other varieties to help with pollination, the bonus to this is that you’ll get a great crop from each tree plus 3 varieties to eat throughout

the year. It could be that one of your neighbours is growing apples or that there are crab apples in a nearby hedgerow so it’s likely that your trees will be pollinated by these instead but it’s always a good idea to check beforehand.

Here are some great varieties to help you on your way to planting your own mini orchard:

Resistance

Storage Time

Good For

Fertility

Harvesting Time

Braeburn Bramley Elstar Cox’s Orange Pippin

Grow Your Own

Diffi culty:

08 | Grow Your Own www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Grow Your Own | 09

01 02 03 04 01 | Braeburn Apple - Bare Root Fruit Tree02 | Bramley Apple - Bare Root Fruit Tree03 | Elstar Apple - Bare Root Tree04 | Cox Apple - Bare Root

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Scab: SomeMildew: SomeFireblight: Some

Sca:b Very Mildew: Some Fireblight: Some Cedar Apple Rust: Some

Scab: SomeMildew: Some Fireblight: Some

Mildew: Some, Fireblight: Some Cedar Apple Rust: Some

3 months or more 1 - 2 months 1 - 2 months 1 - 2 months

Eating fresh Cooking Eating fresh Eating fresh

Self-fertile Self-fertile Self-fertile Needs a Pollinator

Very late seasonNovember

Mid - Late Season Late Season Mid-Late Season

3 042

Grow Your Own...

APPLESAutumn is the perfect time to plant apple trees and with hundreds of varieties why not give it a go?

35760848

Ingredients• 2 large tart cooking apples,

peeled, cored, and chopped• 1/2 cup chopped onion• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar• 1/4 cup brown sugar• 1 Tbsp grated orange peel• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

MethodCombine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and simmer over low heat for a few minutes more to cook off excess liquid; let cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

apple chutney recipe

Design Ideas

Garden Bargains gardening expert Adam Woolcott runs a successful garden design and garden maintenance business based in Hertfordshire. Together with partner Jonathan Smith, Adam has won 3 gold medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show together with 2 BBC People’s awards for best small garden in Show. Adam writes various gardening columns and is a regular garden expert on BBC Three Counties radio.

‘Awesome Autumn’Traditionally, autumn has always been the start of the gardening year and the best time to plant trees and shrubs, especially bare-rooted trees. It can also be a really colourful time of year with the most spectacular leaf colour, bringing extra life and interest into any garden.

In this autumnal border plan we have used three of our favourite small trees in the centre to give form and height. Japanese maples or Acers are really useful plants to have in any garden, not just in the summer but also in the autumn when the leaves change colour. Acer ‘Sango Kaku’, the coral-barked maple, is one of our favourites because the plain green leaves turn the most amazing yellow colour at this time of year. The young stems are bright red so that the colour contrast is truly striking. There

are many varieties of Acers and all are beautiful so really you can use any Acer.

Behind the Acers we have used a group of Amelanchier lamarkii. These are deciduous shrubs with bright orange leaves in the autumn as well as lovely white fl owers in the spring. At the back of the border we have included a winter fl owering evergreen clematis to provide extra interest. Clematis cirrhosa ‘Freckles’ will fl ower from November with lovely bell-shaped, cream, scented fl owers.

In front of the acers we have included a group of white sedums, Sedum spectabile ‘Iceberg’ and inter-planted them with groups of Liriope muscari and black snake grass (Ophiopogon planiscarpus ‘Nigrescens’). The Liriope are great evergreen plants with purple fl ower spikes. The whole thing can be topped off with autumn fl owering

cyclamen which will look fabulous against the black snake grass. Autumn fl owering bedding plants such as pansies and primulas could be substituted for the cyclamen if desired.

So there you have it, a fabulous display of autumn colour to lift your spirits as the days start to draw in.

With any planting scheme we always try to plant in groups of odd number; in ones, threes and fi ves, unless you are planting in pairs either side of a door or path. This always looks better on the eye. It is always better to have height at the back sloping down to low level planting at the front of the border.

www.woolcottandsmith.com

Garden Ideasfrom Woolcott and Smith Garden Design...

10 | Design Ideas www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Design Ideas | 11

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Acer ‘Sango Kaku’

Sedum spectabile ‘Iceberg’

Liriope muscari

Ophiopogon Planiscarpus ‘Nigrescens’

Cyclamen to fi ll

Bulbs

18 | Rob’s Reviews

I love to see bulbs fl owering and for many of us they are an essential part of our gardens. Spring bulbs in particular give our gardens some of the fi rst colour since winter and prepare us for the summer ahead. My favourites are those that are scented but of course colour and fl ower form are also import so for me it’s about fi nding the right balance. If there is one thing that bulbs are renowned for it’s versatility; beds, borders, rockeries, hanging baskets and containers inside or out, they’re perfect for any situation and September is the ideal time to plant them so here are some ideas to help you get under way.

Hyacinths for Christmas You don’t need many hyacinths to fi ll a room, in fact one hyacinth is enough to radiate a heavenly scent throughout your entire house. ‘Woodstock’ is my favourite with their deep berry purple racemes that are as scented as some of the best varieties on the market. I personally prefer the dark coloured hyacinths but delicate colours have their place too. White hyacinths such as ‘City of Haarlem’ are classics and complement the festive season very well whereas the fruity, pastel peach colour of ‘Gypsy Queen’ adds a subtle but warming feel to your pots.

Many of the bulbs that you buy will be pre-forced which means they’ll fl ower by Christmas, however if you don’t have forced bulbs but want Christmas blooms you’ll have to be forcing them by the end of September. This is easy enough to do; hyacinths need a period of 4 to 6 weeks of cold and dark so pop them in your fridge in a labelled paper bag, wait 6 weeks before planting then plant them up. This fools the bulbs into thinking that winter has been and gone and spring has arrived. They’ll bloom quickly once planted and in 3 weeks you should have deliciously scented fl owers to enjoy over the festive period. Once

fi nished fl owering you can plant them out in your garden, they’ll take a few seasons to get back into their rhythm.

Autumn Planted AlliumsPlanting alliums should be at the top of your garden ‘to do’ list in September. The warm soil is a perfect planting environment for alliums, helping to establish them before it gets too cold. If you start them early enough these Mediterranean bulbs look after themselves. Alliums are one of my favourite bulbs because the prove that simplicity is powerful. If inter-planted with herbaceous perennials they’ll shoot up out through the foliage to from compact globes of colour that seem to hover like living

sculptures. ‘Globemaster’ is a perfect example with

its huge spherical heads of deep

violet up to 20cm

across

bulbs

daffodils

hyacinths

12 | Bulbs www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Bulbs | 13

I love to see bulbs flowering and for many of us they are an essential part of our gardens.

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Alliums

atop 80cm of stem, they look fantastic planted sparsely and sporadically in herbaceous borders. Alternatively smaller species of alliums such as ‘Purple Sensation’ look wonderful planted in drifts where they add masses of solid colour that cut through and separate your herbaceous plants. Most alliums prefer a light well draining soil however if your garden is situated on heavier soils then ‘Drumstick’ would be a good choice. It’s not as large as ‘Globemaster’ but it will give you an outstanding display of deep purple, clover-like fl ower heads and looks fantastic planted in clumps at the front of your border. I really enjoy the more wild looking alliums such as nigrum that is reminiscent of wild garlic. It’s only 35cm tall and is at home in an open wooded garden situated in a sunny position.

Drifts of Daffodils By far the hardest aspect of daffodil growing is choosing which variety you want; there are literally thousands. I have no particular preference, I enjoy them all, but I do try and grow different groups each year. Last year I grew the dwarf ‘Tete-a-Tete’ which lasted ages, this year I’m after high impact fl owers with contrasting colours and these varieties caught

my eye. ‘Professor Einstein’ is a fun, large cupped variety whose bright orange corona gives the impression of a fried egg. ‘Orangery’ is a split corona type which has pure white petals and an orange/yellow corona resulting in a bright, conventional daffodil with outstanding attention-grabbing character. Of all the daffodils I’ll be planting this year I’m most looking forward to ‘Tahiti’, an exciting double variety with fresh yellow petals streaked with zingy orange throughout the centre. The result should hopefully bring beautiful shows of sunshine throughout spring and if I’m lucky I’ll have enough blooms leftover to create cut fl ower display for the house too. I believe that daffodils should be planted in one of two ways, in a container or naturalised in grass, the latter is better suited for smaller varieties. Personally I’ll be growing mine in containers but really there’s no wrong or right choice.

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14 | Top Tips! www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Top Tips! | 15

Roses are one of the most well known and loved of all garden plants partly due to their beautiful colours and

heavenly scents but also because of their versatility; use them in borders or containers, over arches and pergolas or even as groundcover. However many people think thatgrowing roses should be left toexperts who are able to produce a spectacular display. This is not the case and if you follow my simple rules and give your roses just a little care and attention, you too can enjoy fl owers all summer long.

TOP TIPSOur experts give their top tips & picks of the ever beautiful Rose.

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1 Regular deadheading will promote continuous fl owering

and help focus your rose’s energy from seed to fl ower production. Of course if you’re after attractive hips then leave the spent fl owers on the bush. A light prune to reduce the stems with the spent fl owers on can be benefi cial at this time but leave any healthy stems alone; only prune back scrawny, leggy stems. Ideally a healthy stem should be the thickness of a pen. Find a health leaf and cut just above it to help promote the production of new fl owering shoots.

2 Roses love mulch especially in spring and autumn. Use well-

rotted compost or farmyard manure and generously layer about 6 inches around the base of your plants ensuring that you avoid contact with the stem. A high potash and magnesium feed in summer will allow for better blooms. Mildew developing on the leaves can weaken your bushes so direct watering onto the base of the plant not the leaves.

3 Supporting your roses with canes will help give the

appearance of a more full plant. Tying in stems and training climbers and ramblers will have a similar effect. Many varieties of roses are excellent for adding height to your garden so use pergolas, obelisks, fences and walls as a medium for them to grow up. Old canes and twine will need replacing and ensure that any old string is not cutting into the stems.

4 Pest and disease management is vital. Look for signs of aphid,

mildew, rust and black spot and tackle accordingly. There are many effective organic and non-organic pesticides on the market that can tackle all kinds of rose P & D problems or as prevention, if you can, try to choose disease-resistant varieties. Good hygiene is key, clear up all fallen rose leaves and dispose of them. Do not compost as rust and black spot infected leaves can linger in the compost.

5 Choose the right rose for you. There is a long history of rose

cultivation and around 30,000 varieties have come out of centuries of breeding. This huge number sounds intimidating if you’re trying to decide which rose to choose but if you have in mind which type and colour you want before you buy then this shouldn’t be a problem.

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£8.99ITEM: 402745 Hellebore Double Queen 6 plants

£13.49ITEM: 402552 Decoupage Hellebours Collection

9 Jumbo Plug Plants

helleboresHow to Grow...

They come in numerous colours and sizes and are tolerant of shade and moist soils making them a must have plant for a winter garden. Here are some handy tips for growing beautiful Hellebores.

SoilHellebores are not fussy plants. Provide good drainage and they will quite happily grow away with very little problems. By preparing the soil before planting you will help your hellebores produce extensive root systems and once established they’ll become reasonably drought tolerant. The thing to remember is that they enjoy moist soils that do not become waterlogged. Bearing this in mind you should provide your hellebores with deep soil for adequate draining and

Diffi culty:

£5.39 ITEM: 401968 Hellebore Niger- Christmas Rose in 1.5L Pot

rooting space as well as humus rich organic matter to retain any moisture in the soil.

SiteAlthough Hellebores will tolerate shade they fl ourish if you give them light. However there is a balance; too much sun and the soil that they are planted in is likely to become baked and dry. It’s best to provide shade during the hottest parts of the year and plenty of light during autumn through to spring. This regime will help them fl ower more prolifi cally so planting them under deciduous trees will provide the perfect conditions.

FeedHellebores are members of the buttercup family and so enjoy lots of feed during the growing season.

Good quality garden soil may not need additional fertiliser but there is no doubt that using some fertiliser will benefi t growth and fl owering. Feed from April to August with a complete and balanced fertiliser and if you’re growing in containers slow released fertiliser is the best choice.

Maintenance If you have a busy lifestyle then Hellebores are the perfect plant for you because they are low maintenance. Even with the smallest amount of maintenance your Hellebores will continue to look great for years to come. Only the most raggedy looking foliage needs to be removed during Autumn and Winter and once the fl owers are spent you can cut them back unless you want to collect your own seed.

Container Grown Like most plants Hellebores can be grown in pots. This is ideal because you can move them around your garden depending on the conditions at any given time however there are a few things you have to keep in mind. Many species of Hellebores have deep root systems and so a deep pot will be needed if you are going to be growing them. Ideal pot sizes for most species are 30cm. Of course container growing has the advantage of providing excellent drainage but you do have to be careful that the growing media doesn’t dry out in the height of summer.

Hellebores provide excellent interest all year round from their thick leathery leaves to their flowers during winter and spring.

How to Grow

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Legend says this hellebore sprouted in the snow from the

tears of a young girl who had no gift to

give the Christ child in Bethlehem.

Full Sun Partial Shade Hardy Half Hardy Flowering Season

How to Grow | 17

Using the Plot by David Allison

As September is the fi rst month of autumn, most spring sown/grown crops will mature this month. This is a month to enjoy the fruits of your labours, see what worked for you and make a mental note to change what did not. If you are saving seeds for next year’s crop, only save from vigorous, disease free, true to type, perfect specimens whether for kitchen use or exhibiting. When storing some veg can be put in the freezer for winter use, some can be stored in damp sand,

some can be ripened and strung up in sheds, put into sacks, and some, lettuces, celery etc has to be use fresh, although celery can be made into soup and frozen. Some such as leeks will stand for a long time on the plot and can be harvested over a long period, as it is traditionally a winter crop. If you are not successional cropping, once a site is cleared you can commence getting the plot ready for the following year, by getting rid of all annual and perennial

weeds, ordering your supply of manure or other from or organic matter to help raise the humus content of your soil and get it in good “heart”.

Some crops can be sown / planted this month for overwintering, shallots, garlic, autumn sown onion sets. Lift onions and shallots once their foliage starts to die back naturally. Never bend the tops over as this can cause the bulbs to rot.

Leave them in the sun to dry off naturally if possible but if

it is wet put them in seed trays and bring them

into the greenhouse or shed. Plant autumn onion sets the variety

‘Troy’ will store for months. ‘Senshyu’

is useful as an early crop as these will be ready before ‘Troy’. Keep hoeing between crops intended for winter use, leeks, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, winter cabbage, etc. and feed if necessary. These crops

actually taste better if frosted as the frost tends to turn the starches into sugars and helps to create a sweeter taste. To help Brussels sprouts plants to develop to maturity, cut off the stem top. This will encourage the individual sprouts to swell and these tops are absolutely delicious when cooked.

Autumn fruiting raspberries such as

‘Autumn Bliss’ should be at their peak now. Freeze excess fruit, except strawberries, as soon as they are picked give them a rinse and dry thoroughly. Pack them in containers and freeze. Pruning autumn

fruiting raspberries is simple; wait until late winter and then cut all the stems down to ground level as they will fruit

on stems produced in the same year.

Pumpkins and squash will store much longer if you

cut them with the stalk intact. Sweetcorn will be ready any time now, pick the cobs when the tassels on top have shrivelled. Sweetcorn taste much better if eaten within three hours after picking any longer and the sugars start turning to starch.

Use waste material to build up your compost heap for the following year and start spreading last years heap onto to the soil for digging in. There is always a lot of clearing up and pruning

to be done at this time of the year. This means that it’s the ideal time to build a new compost bin. Composting gets rid of your garden waste and produces a handy supply of homemade soil improver. Adding a sprinkling of sulphate of ammonia about every twelve inches as you build your heap will hasten the rotting process or if you are organic rabbit litter will do the job just as well.

using the plot with david allisonThe vegetable expert tells us the must do’s this Autumn...

This is a month to enjoy

the fruits of your labours

Some crops can be sown /planted this

month

18 | Using the Plot www.gardenbargains.com | 08719 77 55 55 08719 77 55 55 | www.gardenbargains.com Using the Plot | 19

David Allison with his Leeks

£149.99CP: £134.99ITEM: 301360Hotbin Compostor

£4.99CP: £4.49ITEM: 900533Winter Vegetable Seed Collection

View Video!

1 Add frozen blueberries to your breakfast shake. If the blender container is plastic, allow berries a few minutes to soften, so they will not damage the blender.

2 For a deliciously elegant dessert, layer yogurt and blueberries in wine glasses and top with crystallized ginger.

3 Fresh or dried blueberries add a colorful punch to cold breakfast cereals.

A few quick serving ideas

Ask The Experts

Composting | 21

blueberryadvice“I am new to gardening and would like to know what I should do with the Blueberry bushes received. In particular the next pot size and what sort of compost and when to prune etc.”

?

Mr Heaton asks: Stephen Says:Blueberries are fantastic crops to grow not only for their delicious fruit but also because they have attractive fl owers. If you’ve got acidic soil then these are the perfect fruit bush to grow otherwise you can quite happily grow them in containers with ericaceous compost.

Position your blueberry in a sheltered site out the way of strong drying winds ideally in a sunny spot in moist but well draining soil with a pH of 4.5-5.5. Alternatively grow in a container with ericaceous compost. Here’s a handy tip, if you have rhododendrons and camellias growing well in your garden then you should be able to grow blueberries as they both like the same type of soil. It’s a good idea to plant your blueberries in pairs or threes because they fruit much

better when they are near others cross pollinators. Pot up your containerised blueberries every 3 years into a pot about 2 inches wider on each side.

Ensure the compost is moist at all times although it should not be waterlogged. Rainwater is much better for watering than tap water so if you can collect it in a water butt. If you have to use tap water you should not make this a habit because it reduces the acidity of the soil. You should feed containerised plants once a month with a balanced fertiliser suitable for ericaceous plants. For plants in beds you’ll need to mulch at the start of Spring and then again in Autumn with an Acidic mulch such as pine bark. Blueberries grown in the ground need no additional feeding.

Although Blueberries can withstand a degree of low temperatures they are by no means completely frost hardy especially when the low temperatures are combined with standing water and so will need some winter protection. During long periods of cold weather it’s benefi cial to move containerised plants into a well lit shed or glasshouse. Outdoor plants would do well to be protected with several layers of horticultural fl eece.

Pruning is not recommended for the fi rst two to three years however thereafter a prune during the dormant season between November and early March should be carried out. When pruning remember three things; prune out:1. dead, diseased and damaged

branches as well as those that are touching the ground,

2. twiggy ends that produced fruit the previous year,

3. about 1/3 of the oldest stems right back to the base. When pruning cut back to an outwards facing bud.

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Hi Andrew. Firstly congratulations on your win, it’s fantastic to hear that your easy fi ll hanging baskets turned out so well and helped towards your win. Could you tell us a little about the gardening competition you were involved in and why the judges picked your garden as a winner?

The garden competition was dealing with the region of North Ayrshire Council in Scotland. The judges liked my garden due to the variety of baskets with standard plants framing to their potential.

Why do you prefer easy fi ll hanging baskets over conventional ones?

Easy fi ll hanging baskets are not only easy to do but also fun. No squeezing the life out of the roots any more. As a disabled person I have limited mobility so the easy fi ll baskets were and are the easiest form of gardening I know. I only wish I could have been smart enough to have had such a clever idea!

Which plants did you use to fi ll up your baskets and why did you choose them? Which ones worked particularly well?

I just mixed and matched as I pleased. My lawn and borders are separated with scalloped edging and pebbles giving the overall design, one of SIMPLICITY. My favourite plants to use are petunias because they give great displays right up to the fi rst frosts. Geraniums, marigolds, violas, pansies, trailing lobelia and fuchsias also give great results however, in all honesty, the petunias were more durable and with stood the elements the best.

You have an impressive 24 hanging baskets, did it take a long time to plant and hang them all up?

It takes about 10min to make up a good basket and because of the simplicity in their design you know you are going to be successful as there is no root disturbance at all. Each plant gets locked in place by the gates that secure them in place. The hardest thing to do was lift them on to the brackets but my wife Kathrin was a great help, she brought me regular cups of tea.

Have you had any comments from people who have walked passed your house and seen your baskets?

Many people ask where I got my baskets and how they were so big. One described them like fl oating beach balls.

I have been making up baskets for my family and friends and every time they come to visit they leave with an easy fi ll basket ready to hang.

What would you say to our readers who are thinking about buying these baskets and what tips would you give them to help them produce prize winners like yours?

I was always frightened about doing hanging baskets by myself because I lacked the confi dence to attempt it, so I would never do it. When I saw how easy your baskets were I thought that I would give it a go. I am glad I did. I am sure that any of your readers that are thinking about buying these baskets will have likewise success. The secret is regular watering (daily) and feeding (weekly). Then sit back and enjoy YOUR MASTERPIECE. It is that simple. Go on give it a go you will never use conventional baskets ever again.

Thanks for talking to us and good luck for this year’s competition later in the year.

Readers Corner

Readers’ cornerThis Autumn speak to Andrew Macdougal about his award winning hanging baskets. We ask him for his tips and experience on the subjects and he gives us some great advice...

If you have a garden which you’re really proud off we want to hear about it! Email me at Stephen.Mackley@ltgl.co.uk and you could feature in the next Issue of ‘Lead the Good Life’.

When Andrew Macdougall entered his garden into the regional Ayrshire Garden competition his easy fill hanging baskets really made an impact on the judges. In fact they made such a big impact that he won! Andrew tells us of his success and why, after trying the easy fill hanging baskets, he thinks “you will never use conventional baskets ever again.”

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