August Garden Notes

August Garden Notes 2019 Here are a simple ideas to give food for thought for enhancing gardens at this time of year.

• Use an unsightly old shed as feature. Give it a welcome refresh with a wood treatment, preferably with an interesting colour. Gone are the days of the easy choice of light or dark brown ! Cuprinol or Ronseal are good, reliable brands. Plant a few pots of herbs to soften the look, and consider a climbing rose or trachelospermum to meander around the window to give it a “country cottage” look.
• If you have a long garden, consider separating the space into different “rooms”. These can have various themes and are easily separated by trellis or tall shrubs. A cosy, secluded seating area can be a welcome retreat from screaming children playing football ! Many trees and plants will provide a soothing rustling sound to help drown out unwelcome sounds such as road noise. Birch, phormium, bamboo and grasses will all fulfil this role. Contrasting gravels or slate chippings can be used to help delineate different areas.
• On the patio, slabs can become very grubby. Use a jet sprayer to give a fresh look, being careful to avoid disturbing the sand and cement mix between them. Alternatively, use a chemical cleaner such as Patio Magic to revive the colour. For the more adventurous, how about adding a water feature to introduce relaxing moods ?
• Summer isn’t over yet ! Keep dead-heading, feeding and watering to prolong the life of hanging baskets, bedding and vegetable plants. With any luck, warm weather will persist well into September.

David Hogg

Buckland Nurseries