May often seems like the beginning of the summer, however it is a month where you can still see evidence of spring in our gardens too. The leaves on the trees are yet to be scorched by the heat of the summer and there is often a chill in the air in the early mornings and evenings. However, May also offers a little hope with a glimpse of what June has to offer in floral abundance. It’s a time for extravagance with the big gardening shows kicking off the show season providing us with plenty of ideas for own gardens. While budgets may not be on the same scale with a little creativity and imagination you will be surprised what can be achieved in a small suburban plot.
Plant of the Month – April
April is always the month I feel we leave winter behind us. Lawns need to be mown and weeds start to grow – It’s a great time of year as the garden wakes up and we can get on with my favourite of all gardening jobs – planting! Spring is the best time of year for planting, with plenty of moisture left in the soil, providing ideal conditions for establishing the roots of newly planted plants. Now is the time to pop out to the nursery and get that plant you have always wanted to include in your garden and get it in the ground – better than planting in the dry barren soils of the summer!
Plant of the Month – March
March brings life back into the garden after the dormancy of the winter. Trees and shrubs start to wake up from their winter hibernation, with the bulbs sending out carpets of colour under the canopy of the mature trees and shrubs. It’s a great time of year for the gardener, as the weather warms up and time spent in the garden can be a little less taxing, with the thought of what’s to come in the following growing seasons, spurring you on to get those last few jobs on the list done.
Plant Of The Month – February
February can be one of the coldest months of the year but one of the best parts of the gardening year. It conjures thoughts of cold, wet, grey wintry days however the emerging spring bulbs provide a glimpse of the colour with a hint of what’s to come in the following year.
Plant of the Month – January
January is a time for retreat and viewing the garden from indoors. It can also be a time for bright winter sunshine and crisp frosty mornings – often my favourite times of the year in the garden. I love seeing the bare “bones” of a gardens structure highlighted by that low Winter light. Frosty mornings can be quite pleasant, it gives us a chance, between the rainy days, to appreciate what winter can offer us.
Plant of the month – December
December is often a month spent away from the garden, with the colder weather now with us, it can be very tempting to retreat indoors and not venture out into the garden at all. Most of the autumn colour has now gone from our gardens and the surrounding landscape and it can be a little bleak to say the least. Having said that, there are plenty of evergreen shrubs and plants with winter interest that can be introduced into our gardens to tempt us outside. Be brave, brace the cold and see what you can find at the nursery / garden centre to brighten up those dark, dreary December days.
Plant of the Month – November
November provides our gardens with displays of fiery shades of autumnal colour, given to us by our deciduous trees and shrubs. As the leaves fade and fall, the display gets brighter and more intense with the colour of the leaves often carpeting the floor too. There’s nothing quite like an autumnal walk wading through the leaves whether that be in a cultivated garden or “in the wild”. Either way you are still likely to enjoy the best of what the season has to offer.
Plant of the Month – October
October is the time for autumnal hues, low light and the last blast of bright colour to fill our borders before winter arrives and knocks the whole lot back until next year. There is still much interest happening in the garden and its not quite time to hang up the tools and forget about the garden just yet. Make the most of the better weather and start preparing your garden for its winter hibernation.
Plant of The Month – September
September is one of the highlights of the late summer garden. The autumn flowering perennials are in full bloom and the ornamental grasses are in their prime. The low Autumn light creates great effects as the sun shines through the plants, creating silhouettes and shadows that are not seen any other time of the year. It’s a time to wind down and enjoy the result of all your hard work throughout the year, so sit back and relax and make notes of what can be improved for next year.
Plant of the Month – August
August is a time for contemplation and relaxation in the garden, reaping the rewards from all the hard the work completed in spring and summer. It’s a great time to make a note of any changes you would like to make for the following year and also a great time to get some inspiration from other gardens too. Don’t sit back for too long though, as autumn approaches there will be plenty of green fingered jobs to keep you occupied very soon.