Favourite magnolias must surely be Magnolia ‘soulangeana’, the star like Magnolia ‘stellata’ and the outstanding evergreen variety Magnolia ‘grandiflora’, which needs a huge wall to do it justice. Other recommended plants for May are hardy shrubs such as azaleas, rhododendron, lilac, viburnum, laburnum, cytisus, deutzias and weigelas.

There are now so many splendid varieties available that is hard to choose but you can’t go wrong with the sweet scented Viburnum ‘burkwoodi’, the pale yellow Cytisus ‘praecox’ or the richly perfumed double flowered Syringa ‘Katherine Havemeyer’. Additional May delights are the charming low growing pink Rhododendron ‘Temple Bells’, the long flowered Laburnum ‘Vossi’, the Japanese Wisteria ‘floribunda’, Deutzia ‘Candidissima’, with its double white blossoms, and the striking Weigela florida ‘Foliis Purpureis’, which sports pretty pink flowers nestled amongst bronze green foliage.



Then there are the old cottage garden favourites which include the elegant Solomon’s Seal, blue, pink and pure white garden bluebells (which are bigger all round than the more slender wild ones) the cheerful Viola ‘Jacknape’ with its deep violet, almost brown, and yellow petals, the quaint pale mauve Viola ‘Freckles’, the white form of Jacob’s Ladder and that classic cottager’s flower aquilegia, otherwise known as Grannies Bonnets, which seems to grow in just about every nook and cranny. Although the new double varieties are prized by plantsmen and women, it is probably the original timeless pink and deep blue plants which have been grown for decades that look so right growing out of paved areas, among Bourbon roses, in light woodland, peeping out from under hedges and even in the long grass of wild flower meadows.

Epimediums are delightful little plants with lovely, graceful foliage and are well worth growing if you have a moist shady corner; Epimedium ‘pinnatum’ is perhaps one of the best and has long clusters of small yellow flowers. They fit well with great swathes of blue forget-me-nots and lily of the valley and the pale yellow globe flower Trollius ‘Lemon Queen’ which is similar to our native buttercup. They also compliment the early and fabulous pale yellow Paeonia ‘mlokosewitschi’ which also has the added bonus of blue green foliage that turns crimson in autumn; the only complaint is that the lovely bowl-shaped flowers are short lived. Perhaps the most obvious symbol of May is the plethora of flowering cherries that seem to spring from every tree-lined street and suburban front garden. Best known and probably either the most generally loved or totally loathed is Prunus ‘Kanzan’ with its clustered sprays of rather garish pink flowers.

The traditional problems of coastal gardening are exposure and salt on plants and even in the soil. The other consideration is one of excessive noise if there are strong winds or storms at sea the noise can be so loud that shouting will be the only option, if you want to be heard.

This especially applies when you need to make conversation above the sound of the crashing sea or a screaming south westerly. Any wind of course also carries with it a salty spray that is damaging to all but the most resilient of plants. It does its worst in spring just as new growth is emerging often desiccating delicate young growth. This is where it is so important to have healthy vigorous plants that can recover from this initial setback. In addition high winds can be structurally damaging so it is vital that you carry out plenty of staking.

Shelter belts are often very effective in protecting exposed gardens but this said it is important to find a happy balance between protection and spoiling a magnificent view; which after all is why you probably chose to move there in the first place. Some useful plants for providing protection are euonymus, ilex and eleagnus but there are plenty more if you hunt around.

Never assume that every coastal garden is going to automatically have lots of hot sunshine, this will all depend where you decide to live. A garden may be light and open but it may suffer from very high rainfall, so if you want to create something like a Mediterranean area including plants such as cistus, salvias and lavender do check out the local climate first.

Having the sea on your doorstep is indeed a privilege but you may have to make a few sacrifices on the way such as not growing azaleas, roses, cottage garden plants or anything that is happiest on a cool and sheltered woodland floor. Sometimes it is best to avoid being too ambitious a plants person and derive a lot of your garden’s overall beauty from selected pieces of sculpture, beautiful paving, groups of coloured pebbles or large ornamental pots.

Fortunately not all local authorities insist on planning permission but it is always wise to check first just in case the structure has to be sited a certain distance from your boundary fence. Do also bear in mind that a large lean-to greenhouse could result in an increase in rates.

Do avoid erecting a greenhouse on a north-facing slope or on ground that is heavily overshadowed by buildings or large trees. As well as creating dense shade trees will foul the glass and gutters with their leaves.

 They can also harbour pests and diseases which may affect the plants under glass. Greenfly in trees will secrete a sticky substance that can cause dirt and grime to collect on the glass and if a heavy branch blows down from an overhanging tree that could be the end of your greenhouse.

Of course if trees are growing some distance away they can be used as windbreaks. However it is unwise to put a greenhouse on a very exposed site where is could be damaged by high winds and keeping it heated could work out very expensive, compared to a sheltered environment. In addition watch out for frost pockets. If you build your greenhouse at the bottom of a slope your plants will make a slower start in spring.

Make sure that the land on which you build is well drained, this way you can grow things in the greenhouse border at any time of year without it being too sticky. Also bear in mind that it should be sited fairly near your house so that it is much easier to lay on water and electricity. Remember the nearer the greenhouse is to your back door the easier it is to get to in cold or wet weather. A gravel or slab path laid from door to door will help keep your feet clean and avoid you slipping over.

Finally if you want to crop exotic fruit such as peaches, nectarines, apricots, grapes and figs choose a south-west facing wall and build a lean-to greenhouse with a rich border to plant your fruit in but do make sure that any fig trees have their roots restricted or you  will end up with masses of foliage and not too many figs.

Away from the formal garden, in nature plants tend to grow in communities with different species existing happy side by side unlike the rigid conformity that we all tend to impose on our kitchen gardens where there is normally single row crop culture. It is just in such an environment that companion planting can provide added benefits to vegetables, fruit, herbs and indeed cutting flowers for the house.

Many flowering plants, such as the daisy family for example, will attract predatory insects including ladybirds or hoverflies which in turn will devour pesky aphids. In addition the smell produced by certain plants can also be a deterrent. Plants with aromatic oils, in particular, can play an important part in determining which insects visit the garden. Hemp for example may be used to repel the cabbage white butterfly and strongly smelling flowers such as basil, thyme, lemon balm and mint confuse the garden pests by scent alone.

This said bees love the fragrance of herbs and can be attracted to settle near rows of runner beans that need pollinating to ensure that the flowers set and produce a good crop. Some plants such as nasturtiums encourage aphids, diverting them away from more important crops and mixing crops such as sweet corn and squash disorientates some pests preventing them laying their eggs due to the pattern of mixed foliage.

Simple sowing and planting a wide range of plants is the best way to guarantee the health of the garden as it helps to provide a diverse habitat for a wide range of insects leaving nature to then sort out the good from the bad. A garden alive with buzzing bees, butterflies and other insects feels alive in the way that a garden controlled with pesticides never will.

It was during the lead up to Christmas week though that I noticed the regular appearance of a beautiful cock pheasant. It soon became apparent that out of everything on offer he always tucked into the peanuts first driving all the other birds away first. Overcome by greed he ate and ate until his crop was stuffed to bursting, at which point he would then stand tall and gulp frantically trying to shift the great bulge that had grown and grown in his neck. This caused a mixture of fear and guilt in our house.

We felt that if he died from choking or even a surfeit of nuts we would be indirectly be responsible.

“Can birds suffer from a nut allergy?” I pondered aloud.

“I shouldn’t think so, but he certainly knows you’re a soft touch. You should give him a name.”

It was true I had become a meal ticket, every morning when I walked into my office at 9am there would be the pheasant waiting impatiently for food. From the moment I bent down to undo the bolts on the glass door he started dancing from leg to leg with excitement. As the weeks went by he got more and more relaxed in my space and whenever I filled up the nut holder on the table he would jump down from a nearby bank and landing on the table start gobbling up any spilled nuts.

“You are very handsome and you certainly cut a dash but really you are a terrible scrounger.” I told him one day when bright sunlight made his feathers shimmer like spun gold. Henceforth he got his name – Burlington Bertie as he reminded me of the old music hall song.

Bertie soon learnt to come to call and eagerly ran down the garden for peanuts when he heard his name but the funniest thing was spotting him out in the fields for the wild bird he really was and shouting his name into the wind. He would run, hop and half fly towards me and then follow me back to the house.

He then developed a new trick which, if I wasn’t in my office where he could pester me by banging on the glass door, was jumping on the lounge windowsill and rapping rhythmically on the window. I’ve lost count of the number of times we thought it was someone knocking on the front door which we’d rush to answer only to find no one there.

Finally his curiosity and courage knew no bounds. Leaving the office door open one warm sunny morning I was completely amazed to watch Bertie stick his head in then gingerly tiptoe towards me eyeing his escape route at regular intervals. I didn’t move, in fact I hardly dared breathe until he drew himself up and with a great squawk swirled his magnificent round two or three times and then fixed me with dark unblinking eyes.

“OK Bertie.” I muttered under my breath and slowly reached for the large crinkly bag of peanuts I kept under my desk. He immediately darted out of the open door but then crept back and waited expectantly. I threw him a nut and then another and another. He swallowed them down without even looking up. Before long he had his usual bulging crop and my office floor was covered in peanut skins and a small damp offering from Bertie himself. After this he suddenly departed and set off briskly across the fields shaking his feathers and calling wildly to his mates.

Eventually with a great deal of patience I finally coaxed Bertie into eating from my hand which was the biggest thrill of all. Every morning I waited for him to knock on the glass door, or bang on the window, before letting him in to eat himself to bursting point. Eventually fully replete, he then strolled out of the office without a backward glance.

But now suddenly Bertie has disappeared; he no longer screeches loudly for restaurant service, he no longer chases off any smaller birds that dare to follow him to the office door and he no longer leaves my office carpet in a messy, unhygienic state. I can only guess that he has been got by a fox – one of the small unseen tragedies of country living!

“No thanks very much, but we prefer to pick it a bit nearer to Christmas.”

“So do I normally but the birds are stripping the berries so fast now that I don’t expect they’ll be any left by Christmas.”

As she drove off I remember thinking that we would be fine as the big tree at the top of our field was laden with big fat shiny red berries.

How wrong I was. Within a week we’ve had snow and the heavily laden tree was bare and empty – not a berry to be had anywhere.

There is not a single berry to be had; so this year I will have to make sure I beat the birds unless I want to resort to actually buying some holly to add some colour to my Christmas wreath.

I love making Christmas decorations and have always thought that country winter decorations should lean towards using plenty of greenery and simple homemade items. A beautiful evergreen wreath will set the scene and let visitors know that they are in for a real country Christmas. You can create a beautiful living wreath by winding trails of holly and ivy round a hoop made from plain steel or bare-twigs.

To vary the design you can add pieces of fir, mistletoe sprigs, pine cones sprayed with fake snow and dried fruit. Finish your wreath off with a large plain or tartan bow at the top, traditional colours of red and green are the most popular but antique gold can also work well. Or hang silver bells from ribbon at the bottom.

You could for a change put an evergreen wreath with ivory candles in the middle of a table or make a herbal Christmas wreath by wiring dried herb bunches to a grapevine wreath covered in ivy and adding chillies, bouquet garni, tiny icicles and a velvet bow.

Other lovely ideas for decorating for Christmas with country greenery are huge trails of ivy, bunches of mistletoe tied with raffia, pine cones wired into sprays, blue and gold fir branches, dried cow parsley heads with glitter, birch or hazel twigs painted white, twisted willow, fat rose hips- sprayed with fake snow, bright green moss tucked round great bowls of hyacinths, aromatic branches of eucalyptus and beautiful silver or gold variegated holly.

I have always tried to bring the beauty of outdoors indoors for the Christmas season, decorating the tops of cupboards, pictures and oak dressers with evergreen branches, ivy and masses of holly interspersed with green velvet or red tartan ribbon weather.

Another idea I have found to be very attractive is to push masses of white-painted birch twigs into a wicker basket that is weighted down and then wind tiny white lights around the branches. Several of these simple, but sophisticated, lit-up twig displays strategically placed in a large area can be quite dramatic and even a talking point.

My final touch is to make the house smell nice by placing round the house bowls of pine needles, fir cones, fir tree cuttings and dried orange slices with a few drops of essential oils, such as orange and cinnamon. These scented bowls make a wonderful Yuletide pot pourri and mix splendidly with the aroma of hot mulled wine!

Now after a sudden cold night the poor old basil plants completely succumbed and are  just pathetic wilted stalks. How stupid am I? The supermarket basil isn’t a patch on mine and I shouldn’t need to buy it.

I find basil so easy to grow. Once the heavy frosts are past I fill three large pots with gravel, then well rotted horse manure (got plenty of that) and top dress with about three inches of seed and potting compost.

Then I just sprinkle the seed on the surface and press in with a little block of wood I’ve had for donkey’s years. Following a good sprinkling of water I cover the pots with large clear plastic bags which seems to help the seeds germinate quickly.

I never thin out the seeds, I just leave them to fight it out and since they have plenty of natural nourishment they virtually all survive and thrive. This year I had the best basil crop ever. Not only did we use it lavishly in salad dressing and cooked dishes all summer and autumn there was more than enough to present friends and visitors with huge bunches of this delicious ambrosial herb, which I have to admit next to flat leaf parsley is my all time favourite.

Basil is certainly one of the most important culinary herbs, its leaves are impregnated with tiny oil glands that release the sweet fragrance of this herb when touched or crushed. It can grow well in full sun in a sheltered place but since it is cold sensitive the safest place to grow it is in a greenhouse or on a windowsill.

The green leaves of basil are frequently used in salads and are one of the main ingredients in marinara and pesto and are also a base for Thai cooking. When cut fresh, it combines well with balsamic vinegar and as well as being excellent in salads (especially when combined with beefsteak tomatoes) it is used frequently as a garnish or flavouring for veal, lamb, poultry, pasta, fresh mozzarella cheese, grilled vegetables and even some egg dishes.

But not this year, everything is so wet, soggy and heavy and, because of constant rain or thick mist, my normal inspiring view of the moor is hidden by low cloud or driving rain. I can only a view of damp cattle look fed up and bored, gazing over the  brick wall from next door’s farm. I tell them to push off as I start a sluggish reluctant bonfire with some old hay. “Go away!” I splutter through the spiralling acrid smoke.

“You’ll choke you stupid animals.” The cattle just stare back, blinking through the smoke. I know that cattle are notoriously curious but I now seriously wonder about their levels of intelligence; in similar circumstances you wouldn’t have seen our ponies for dust.

Piles and piles of accumulated leaves, dead vegetation and the last remnants of the greenhouse tomatoes go on the few stuttering flames. Another bale or two of musty hay is added and suddenly the whole fire takes off and as a few rays of weak winter sunshine struggle through the grey cloud life feels good. This late year ritual is all part of nature’s pattern.

I am clearing away the debris from this year to leave the soil clean and free for the winter frosts that will cleanse the ground ready for next spring, when the whole cycle begins all over again. Just as it has been for centuries and no one can change, or control the gentle rhythm of rural life that has anchored the human spirit since time immemorial

Every gardener needs to create a wild area to attract butterflies, as well as birds and bees, into their garden to make up for the number of natural habitats that are rapidly dwindling in the countryside because of modern farming methods and aggressive development that our grandparents didn’t have to worry about.

Any kind of wild oasis is going to give our native butterflies a better chance of survival in the long-term. If you have a reasonable sized garden but not that many butterflies then it may be time to consider the sort of plants that you grow.

If you have lots of lawn and evergreen shrubs, for example, but very few butterfly friendly plants you almost certainly won’t spot many butterflies on your property. The other problem you may encounter is going to be the region you happen to live in; some areas of Britain have more species of butterfly than others. The South West, in particular, is abundant in butterflies if you know where to look or make an effort to attract them by gardening with butterflies in mind.

On the whole butterflies prefer the open countryside and other sites that have been left undisturbed. Some species are restricted to chalk downland or ancient woodland so inevitably there are going to be certain butterflies that you will probably never be seen in your garden, except by a lucky fleeting chance. However this still leaves a large number of varieties that can easily be lured into your garden by creating hot sunny spots, providing nectar plants and caterpillar food.

Of course, if you are an obsessively tidy gardener this will present you with a large problem since the caterpillars of many butterflies such as Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Orange Tip feed on annoying weeds like stinging nettles, thistles, Garlic Mustard and Ladies Smock – none of which are going to look great in a pristine show garden that aims to impress the neighbours. This said though, making small sacrifices will give a different kind of pleasure which is that of knowing you are helping to preserve our threatened wildlife.

Butterflies love nectar rich plants such as lavender, red valerian, marjoram, thyme, honeysuckle, michaelmas daisy, sedum, aster, hop, catmint, wallflower, ivy, common bramble, knapweed, bluebell, yarrow, heather, dog violet, holly, ragged robin, scabious, cone flower, blackthorn and that old garden favourite buddleia, which may be so covered in butterflies on a sunny day that it is can almost appear to change colour. Any of these plants will survive in a semi-wild part of your garden and if you can add a true wildflower meadow so much the better.

Don’t make your butterfly area too tidy; leave a corner for brambles, as well as nettles, since butterflies love the small pale pink flowers for the nectar. If you have somewhere tucked away at the bottom of a long garden or an old hidden orchard, with a relaxing garden hammock, this would be ideal to attract lots of different species. One small point; if you grow cabbages you will almost certainly attract the Large White and Small White butterflies which will then leave their offspring to feast on your prize vegetables. Still when it comes to any form of wild gardening you can’t always choose who your visitors are going to be!

The first thing to consider, design wise,  is that whether you own a huge penthouse or a tiny balcony the biggest problem is always going to be the harsh conditions, limiting your plants to those that are used to growing in dry semi-desert or Mediterranean climates. Forget British native species such as moisture loving primroses, azaleas, foxgloves or hardy geraniums and you can certainly rule out anything like tender silver leaf herbaceous plants.

You may get away with growing them for a while but sooner or later they will capitulate to severe weather conditions. There is one bonus however about creating a roof garden; you aren’t likely to be in a frost pocket!
Before you even set about planning your elevated garden do be sure of three things. First of all you must check if the roof is strong enough to hold things like pots, soil or even paving. Next, make sure the access is suitable to lug heavy materials and plants up to the roof, or high balcony; a tiny or steep entrance point could eventually defeat you. Finally, in your enthusiasm don’t overlook the fact that you are going to need water in copious amounts, especially if the weather gets hot and dry.

[wdndadsense]left:300:250[/wdndadsense]Try to provide some shelter for you precious plants, preferably with a permeable screen that filters the wind rather than resisting it. This way you are less likely to watch your fence sky diving to the ground below. Also a wall may be stronger than a fence but it will create a great deal of turbulence that could make it nearly impossible to sit in the garden. A cheap and practical way of giving a remarkable degree of protection is to put up simple garden plastic netting, well secured, and then clothe it in hardy climbers.

To brighten up the floor of your roof top ‘paradise’ you can use gravel or stone chippings, decking or even artificial turf. Be careful about putting down masses of heavy paving slabs unless you are guaranteed that the roof structure will support them. Another way of giving this unusual outdoor space some character is to create small cobbled circles or paths that focus on beautiful central pots or planters; spilling out masses of brightly coloured flowers.

If you want to sit in your garden on still warm days you should choose something like a very solid wooden bench rather than a lightweight aluminium chair, since the latter could well become airborne in a strong wind. The alternative is to invest in a heavy picnic bench, which isn’t really going to go anywhere and is a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee, eat alfresco or even, on sunny days, work on a computer.

Plants for a roof garden are of course limited, but some that are well worth trying are old favourites like roses, clematis, honeysuckle, jasmine, dwarf blue leafed conifers, yuccas, potentilla, gorse, cistus, low growing broom and lots of tough annuals or bedding out plants. Use your common sense about the plants you select and be prepared to stump up for regular replacements. Roof gardening requires a rather different state of mind from that of your average, everyday gardener.

Apparently she had picked them in another farmer’s neglected garden a few weeks before when a whole bunch of locals had done an organised pick and share out; gathering apples by the score from what was an overgrown and ancient orchard.

The snarled and twisted trees loaded with their delicious bounty were planted probably early in the last century, since many of these old English apples are just not around anymore.

The apples I snaffled for myself looked so rosy and inviting that they could have been straight out of the tale of ‘Snow White’.

What was even more surprising though was that the ambrosial flesh of these apples is almost bright pink. The flavour reminded me of apples I used to scrump as a child from my grandfather’s garden. They were almost heady with a rich wine scent and a flavour that lingered long after the apple was eaten.

Now forgive me if I’m turning into a ‘grumpy old woman’ but why the heck can’t we buy proper fruit like that anymore, instead of the bland half ripe, uniformly sized supermarket apples that do little more than decorate the fruit bowl.

We too have some old apple trees but they are mainly cider apple varieties. Maybe this is the year to start making our own cider, seeing as it has nearly priced itself out of our shopping basket. Certainly many years ago, when I stayed in Devon as a child, nearly every small farmer or cottager sold rough cider from their back door. I did try it once and once only. I seemed to lose about four hours from my life which to this day I simply can’t recollect!

Country folk love rowans, reminding them of mountains and other wild and windy places. Perhaps also it is because they equate these lovely trees with mystery and strange beliefs; many can recall the rowan being referred to as ‘the witch’s tree’. The rowan is known as the tree of divination, protection, and good luck. It was considered by the Celts to be the “Tree of Life,” and magic fires were made from it. The rowan is a good tree to engage against psychic attack, for whoever uses it is supposedly taken care of by fairy folk!

In times past the rowan was seen as having powers of protection against enchantment, unwanted influences and evil spirits. Country folk would drive their sheep through hoops of rowan branches and tie sprigs of rowan over doorways and cattle sheds to keep people and animals from harm there was also was a belief that bewitched horses and other animals were controlled with rowan whips. Many churchyards were planted with rowan trees to watch over and protect the spirits of loved ones.

Steeped in history and strange ritual practices, there were great rowan thickets planted at oracular sites throughout Europe; many were situated in the neighbourhood of the ancient stone circles. Druids built special platforms made from interwoven Rowan twigs known as the Wattles of Knowledge which were used as a ritual bed to induce a trance to seek hidden knowledge.

It is considered luckier to find rowan twigs than to cut them from the branches but if you do cut them you should apparently leave something of yourself behind such as a lock of hair or a fingernail. You can also, as has been practised for centuries, plant a rowan tree near your house to ward off evil and any passing witches!

The rowan yields a black dye that the Druids used for dyeing their ceremonial black robes for special lunar ceremonies. The ancient Druids of Ireland also lit fires of rowan wood before battles and incantations were spoken over the flames to summon spirits to take part in the fight and to combat evil forces.

The berries are quite useful medicinally since the juice from the berries is mildly laxative and also makes a good gargle for sore throats and hoarseness. If made into jam, the fruit becomes astringent, which is good for mild diarrhoea. The fruit can also be boiled, strained and made into wine or gently boiled to make a vitamin C drink which was previously used for scurvy, the Welsh used it to make a special ale using Rowan berries.

This shapely and beautiful tree is ideal for most gardens as it doesn’t take up much room and its sparse feathery foliage allows grass to grow beneath it. In the spring it is a mass of white flowers but it is in the autumn when the leaves turn red and orange that it really comes into its own; for it is then that it covered in a mass of scarlet berries that act as a draw to all sorts of garden and farmland birds.

Wooden garden sets certainly require a degree of upkeep and occasional maintenance which includes annual cleaning and possibly even re-sealing if they get damaged by the sun. Placing wooden furniture in long grass or on soiled areas should be avoided because this can cause water to seep into the wood and cause rotting and discolouration. Therefore it is best to keep it on paved areas or to put a paving stone under each leg or support. Remember wood is a natural material so its appearance will change over time.

 When it is left outside it often changes colour to a silver greyish tone, the exact colour dependant on the environment conditions and dark spots may occur if it is positioned in the shade or under a tree. You should also make a point of  preserving your furniture.

To do this and maintain the original colour of  the wood teak oil should be applied probably every three to six weeks. Regular treatments will slow down the weathering process and help to minimise surface cracks. Before applying any oil be sure to remove any dirt that may have accumulated by scrubbing with a stiff brush and soapy warm water. Once the furniture is completely dry, any rough areas can be lightly sanded before the oil is applied with a clean paintbrush. If you fail to remove all the dirt and old oil before re-treatment unsightly black patches will appear on the surface where the oil and dirt have mixed. Finally, wipe off any excess oil with a clean cloth and don’t be tempted to use your garden furniture until it is fully dry.

Outdoor dining furniture also comes in a variety of metals and these can be a beautiful addition to your deck or patio but they can be expensive to purchase, so you want to care for it so it lasts a long time. Items such as two seater steel patio sets tend to come with a sealant coating to prevent rust and scratches on the sealant or paint can let water in and cause rusting. Wrought iron pieces are sturdy and can withstand most weather conditions and are less likely to blow over in the wind.

Aluminum on the other hand is lightweight, yet sturdy and does not rust. Be sure to keep metal furniture clean, wiping away any spills or dirt as soon as possible. Clean tougher spots with a mild dishwashing detergent and rinse then with clear water and dry with a cloth or paper towels. If rust spots do develop, brush them away with a wire brush and repaint or coat the furniture with wax to protect against further rust problems.

Man made rattan chairs or wicker weave garden tables and chairs are not only great to look at but are very tough and generally don’t splinter, flex or crack. It is able withstand the elements better than the natural equivalent and can be put or left out in all weather conditions without fear of damage or fading.

This scheme is known as the Renewable Obligation Certificates scheme and utility companies will fork out a payment of up to 23p per kWh. all of which has to be quite useful for those intending to install wind turbines on their land.

Wind Power is pure and renewable and should be considered an important component of any long-term energy strategy, because in particular wind power generation uses a natural and virtually inexhaustible source of power to produce electricity. This alone makes it a much better option than power plants that rely on fossil fuels, in addition wind power generation is clean as it doesn’t cause air, soil or water pollution. That’s an important difference between wind power and some other renewable energy sources, such as nuclear power, which produces lots of hard-to-manage waste.

Once you have produced your wind powered electricity you can either use it yourself or sell it on to a utility company. If you use it personally you obviously don’t have to pay anyone for this utility but if you can’t use it all the excess can be sold on and make a very satisfying small profit. It may sound too good to be true, but for once going green can actually earn you money.

The joy of wind is that it is completely free, so once you’ve paid for the initial installation you can cut your electricity bills since you are able to store electricity for a calm day and if you live in a truly remote and windy, area where your home isn’t connected to the National Grid you can store excess electricity in batteries to use when you need it.

So what are wind turbines and what do they do?

Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity. Small systems known as “microwind” turbines can produce enough electricity for all the lights and electrical appliances in an average home. Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind and as the wind blows the blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind obviously the more electricity is produced.

Is wind power a suitable energy source for my home?

Small domestic wind systems are particularly suitable for use in remote locations where mains electricity is unavailable. If you are not sure whether a small scale domestic wind turbine is right for you, ask yourself if you live in a windy area with an average windspeed of at least 5m/s and whether there any large obstacles like buildings, trees or hills near your home. Small domestic wind turbines work best in exposed locations, without turbulence which could be caused by these type of obstacles.

Do I need planning permission for a wind turbine?

Small domestic wind systems normally do require permission from your local authority, so do check before you install a system. However the good news is that you would be seen to be cutting your carbon footprint as wind electricity is green, renewable energy and doesn’t release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants and you may be eligible for a grant.

The Spencer variety produces a mass of single flowers in all sorts of colours and has a wonderful scent. While the flowers are not so big as many of the specialist strains they do seem to keep coming and coming, so long as you pick them every day to prevent them forming seed pods.

These gorgeous hardy annuals grow at least six feet tall so will need plenty of support but they will easily mix in with other climbing plants and are well worth the effort, since sweet peas are some of the loveliest cut flowers of summer. If you want to buy the seeds and try growing them yourself you can’t do worse than looking online at the Sutton Seeds site

Specimen plants have many advantages. They tend to be low maintenance but at the same time can create a dramatic impact. Huge shrubs and trees are now available to plant saving years of waiting; these include varigated holly, acer, crab apple, beech, birch, pine, flowering cherry, climbing rose, box, magnolia and azalea to name just a very few old garden favourites.

These instantly large plants also allow us to re-conjure a little of that exotic holiday feeling. Plants such as the Chamaerops Excelsa or Chamaerops Humulis (the fan palm) and the Cordyline Australis (patio palm) have bold, interesting, architecturally shaped leaves that create a statement in your garden. What is more you don’t have to wait five to ten years for them to become established.

Recent advances in nursery stock production technology are enabling growers to produce larger and larger plants in pots and containers. Growers prune the plants to create a compact structure with balanced branch-work. A good example is the pyramid shaped Photinia Red Robin. The pruning results in plenty of new flushes of growth – desirable red rushes of leaves. If left to grow untampered, the plant is a large, untidy, straggly shrub.

The Italians are excellent at producing specimen trees and shrubs.  Of course they have superb growing conditions and with their lower overheads, garden centres that buy direct can now sell specimens at such reasonable prices that they really are available to the masses. Set out below are a few tips on what to consider when buying specimens, and how to care for them in your garden.4

Guide to Buying New Impact Plants:

Is the plant going in a pot or will it be planted?  Depending upon your answer you will need to consider the spread of the roots and the overall size of the plant.

What shape do you want and how much maintenance are you prepared to undertake?  Even the most unusually shaped specimens tend to only require pruning twice a year.

Is your garden the formal or informal type?  Where in your garden do you intend to place the plants?  Consider location, soil type (if to be planted), aspect and wind.  Those specimens with exotic leaves suffer badly in windy conditions.

What colours do you want?  Should it be deciduous or evergreen?  What leaf shapes do you like?

Finally, but most importantly check the health of the plant before you buy it.  Make sure that green leaves are not “chlorotic” – i.e. going yellow.  If they are, this indicates that the plant may have been starved due to being root bound and it is unlikely to establish quickly in the ground.

How to Care for Your New Plants:

If you are intending on planting your specimen in the ground you should take some preparatory steps. Dig a hole that is considerably larger than the root ball.  Place the specimen in the hole and then fill up with tree and shrub planting compost.

Mulch over the top to retain water and suppress weeds

Ensure the plant is adequately anchored using tree stakes or if necessary stakes driven through the root ball into the ground below.

Whether your specimen is planted in the ground or in a container you should water daily in dry conditions and weekly otherwise, thoroughly soaking until the plant is established, normally about a year later.

Feed with slow release fertiliser, supplemented by a liquid feed during the growing season.

Other than that, specimens tend to look after themselves and few will be subject to pests and diseases.

Of course you may have already returned to find dying house plants, brown borders and frizzled planted pots and tubs; if so you won’t want to ever make that mistake again. Unfortunately it is much more difficult these days to find a willing neighbours with time on their hands or a  ’babysitter’ for your garden, so here is a plan to put in place to help keep your precious plants safe until you return home.

For a start during the summer months try to stand as many of your houseplants outside as possible.  Plants that are happy to brave the outdoors include Ivy’s, Fatsia, Cymbidium, Orchids and Christmas Cactus.

Select a shady, sheltered position and plunge the pots up to their rims in soil. Apply a thick mulch of chipped bark or peat over the pots to keep them cool and to conserve moisture. Water them well before you leave and they should survive for a good week without rain.

If some houseplants are too delicate to go outside put them in large groups in a cool, shaded position in your house. Stand them on trays of gravel, watered to just below the level of the pot bases. The humid air should help to preserve the plants. Tropical plants can go in your bathroom. Lay a large towel or some capillary matting in your bath and make sure it is well soaked. Stand your plants on the wet towel. Then place a bucketful of water at one end, dipping the towel into the bucket. This will act as a wick and the capillary action will keep the towel moist for about a fortnight.

If you only have a few plants you could do the same in your kitchen sink, standing the plants on a towel in the sink with a bucket on the draining board. Perhaps slightly more effective are porous wicks made by cutting capillary matting into strips. Make sure that the wicks and the compost are moist and that the wick is pushed well into the compost. Remember that if your sink is in front of a window, the water will evaporate much faster and probably will not survive more than a week.

Ceramic mushrooms work on a similar principle to wicks. The top is sealed and there is a connecting tube that should be put in a large reservoir or bucket of water. As the water seeps through the porous shaft, the pressure in the sealed unit drops and fresh water is drawn from the reservoir. This works well, but you need a ceramic mushroom for each plant pot.

One of the most effective methods of self-watering is the use of water storing gel crystals. These granules swell to 400 times their own weight with the water they ‘consume’.  Roots quickly find the water and grow through the granules.  Such crystals work throughout the season absorbing and releasing water many times.  They can be used in hanging baskets, containers, houseplants or dug directly into the ground.

If you use such crystals at the beginning of the season this will help reduce the need for watering overall. However, it is never too late. Scoop out a hollow near the base of the plant most affected by lack of water and place some swell gel crystals in the hole. Cover with soil and water well.

A cheaper, but not quite as effective method is the use of a large plastic or glass drink bottle. Fill the bottle with water, make a small hole in the lid and put it back on the bottle. Dig a hole in the ground big enough to hold the bottle firmly. Invert the bottle and cover, the water should then seep out very slowly.

Another little tip, which should deter the burglars. If you have removed all of your houseplants from your windowsills to care for them elsewhere, invest in a few silk or artificial plants – many of which have flowers and buds. They are amazingly life-like and will appear to the casual passer-by as if you are at home tenderly caring for your plants.

For your outside plants you are best off investing in a drip feed system. These comprise a system of plastic pipes of various diameters that are linked together with special connectors to make T-shaped or L-shaped joints. A filter connector joins the drip-system piping to a garden hose. Drip emitters can be push-fitted into the piping at any point to provide water where it is required. These emitters allow small quantities of water to trickle slowly into the soil over long periods. Drip feed systems are extremely effective as they use up the least amount of water applying it where the plants need it the most – in the region of the root hairs.

There are many different types of automatic watering systems on the market, ranging from systems with sophisticated automatic sensors to simple flexible plastic tubing. If you know what you are trying to water, the length of time you will be away and what your budget is, you are well advised to visit a garden centre to seek advice from trained staff.

Finally, if you do arrive home to some sad, wilting plants that have missed you, try plunging the whole pot into a bucket of water and leave until the air bubbles stop rising. Assuming the plant has not completely dried out this should revive it and eliminate your guilt for having had a great holiday whilst leaving your poor plants to suffer alone at home!

Slugs tend to do most of their harm at night, creating irregular holes with smooth edges in the leaves and stems of a massive variety of plants.  They love seedlings, delphiniums, hostas, lupins, succulent stems and young plant bark and they will simply adore your vegetable patch!

Did you know there are 29 species of slugs in the UK and you are likely to have approximately 20 – 30 slugs per square metre of garden?  Each slug consumes twice its own body weight every day, so a slug weighing 0.1 oz would, over a period of four months, eat an astonishing 1.75lbs of your precious garden plants all by itself!

Amazingly a slug has approximately 27,000 teeth so is rather effective at nibbling.  Slugs are also healthy breeders.  Each slug could produce 90,000 grandchildren! Some slugs are hermaphrodite, so just one slug could start an infestation.  While it has to said these are quite disturbing statistics – but do not panic, it is quite possible to control a slug invasion with a cunning strategy.

Slug pellets are probably the most commonly used method to eliminate slugs from the garden.  In fact British gardeners sprinkle 400 billion slug pellets each year.  Nevertheless, there have been some concerns that the tiny amount of metaldehyde within the pellets could cause harm to birds that eat slugs.  They are coloured blue to further deter birds from eating them.  Research has not substantiated this fear, but if you use slug pellets please ensure that you follow the instructions carefully.  Slug pellets need to be applied regularly as they disintegrate when wet.

Here are a number of useful tips to discourage slugs:

Sow seeds in pots and grow plants on until they are well established to prevent slugs from destroying emerging seedlings.

Plant herbaceous plants in early spring so that they are well established before slugs are at their most destructive.

Keep your garden tidy so that slugs are not attracted by potential hideaways such as under stones, pots and piles of decaying plant matter.

Cut sections at least 10cm tall from plastic bottles and place these over young plants and shoots until tougher foliage emerges.

Encourage plenty of wildlife into your garden.  Frogs, birds, beetles and hedgehogs all eat slugs or slug eggs.

Surround plants with anything rough or sharp, such as broken eggshell or sand.  Although this will not prevent slugs from approaching your plants it will make their journey harder and more precarious.

Fill up a number of containers with beer and place these in the ground around your garden.  Slugs love a tipple and conveniently topple in.

If you are very brave (and perhaps just a little hard-hearted!) you could patrol your garden at night with a torch and collect the slugs in a container and destroy them in boiling water.

If you are very squeamish and have a real slug phobia, then only grow plants that slugs hate!  These include Lavender, Mullein, Rock Rose and Lamb’s Ear.  Also concentrate on planting in containers and isolated tubs, this makes it harder for  pest that finds it easier to move across the ground rather than climb for its dinner.

I am really quite sad it is July tomorrow since this is the beginning of really high summer when everything starts to look faded and dusty. The trees have lost their fresh green innocence, foxgloves are beginning to run to seed and precocious brambles tear at clothing, questing dogs and the soft fleeces of straying sheep.

The honeysuckle luckily goes on and on until fairly late autumn when the last brave flowers mingle with sprays of bright red rose hips and bunches of luscious ripe blackberries.

All of this helps to create yet another unforgettable English scene that is lovingly captured for ever by so many amateur artists. Sometimes these simple wildflowers are even more captivating than formal garden flowers.

Every year though I am filled with dread when modern hedge cutting machines tramp the lanes, throwing broken split sticks and bits of chewed honeysuckle all over the road. I feel that somehow these beautiful plants, that fill the summer evenings with their ambrosial perfume, have been betrayed and disregarded. What a relief then to see the first tiny green buds appear in early spring ready to thrill me all over again.

For the latter use you can stuff them with pot plants in the winter, potted primrose or miniature daffodils in the spring, billowing bunches of cottage flowers in the summer and hedgerow fruits and berries in the autumn. The contrast between woven natural willow and living nature is fabulous.

Many people have also have developed quite a fancy for creating a living willow structure in the garden, having seen them on show most gardeners are impressed by how attractive they are and especially how well they blend into almost any type of garden.

In particular imaginative folk like the way this pliable living greenery can be formed into amazingly cool and inviting arbours. Once built and matured over a couple of seasons there is nowhere more cosy and secretive to be tucked away, especially if you grace it with a beautiful antique style garden bench.

 Alternatively, if you enjoy eating alfresco you could put down a paved or cobbled floor in the arbour with a bistro set to complete your ‘enchanted’ outdoor dining area.

A great place to buy all sorts of natural English willow products and to see the willow growing or even do basket making courses is the English Willow Baskets company in Somerset.

The Centre is owned and run by the Coate family, who have been growing willow on the Somerset Levels since 1819. Visitors will find a warm welcome here and are invited to learn about the history and art of willow growing and basket making and having been there myself in the past I can thoroughly recommend a visit. Alternatively you can check out their website if you want to buy a willow basket or living willow kit online.

Did you know that country gardeners never have clean finger nails, a sense of completion, lots of new shiny tools, a lack of patience, plenty of money, enough space in their greenhouse, an aversion to moleskin coats, a sound back, friends who won’t share cuttings and plants, a hectic social life or enough room to freeze everything they grow.

Are you a long-standing country gardener or one in the making? If you are the former welcome to a priviliged world; if however you are the latter be assured you have a long bumpy but thrilling ride ahead of you! One final word of warning – you will never stop buying lots of lovely plants to cram into your country garden.

The other advantages are that you can take your pool with you if you move and, even more important, they are much safer than traditional pools if you have a baby or toddler, or even small pets that could be in danger of drowning since nothing can accidently fall into this type of pool because it is raised so high above the ground level. This is why this design is an ideal ‘first’ pool for a family.

Sometimes there is nothing more pleasurable than relaxing for an hour or two in your own outdoor hot tub. This luxury garden accessory is normally made from ceramic, acrylic or wood and filled with heated water, with the temperature controlled by gas or electric heaters. Choosing and preparing the right place for a garden spa will give you the best relaxing experience, especially when several friends or family join in to enjoy the experience. Modern hot tubs are now available in many different designs and sizes you can opt for a small sized tub or share the fun by having a tub with a capacity of up to ten people. One thing is sure, if you suffer from lots of stress and responsibility you really need to get a hot tub, so that you can unwind and relax.

First of all as conservatories generally have a higher humidity than many other rooms in the home, because of watering and creating the right atmosphere for your plants, you should look for furniture that is either weather resistant or made specifically for conservatories.

For this reason alone synthetic rattan furniture is the traditional choice for conservatories as it is both highly attractive and functional furniture, easily putting up with both high humidity and strong sunshine for many years.

It can be bought in many colours including natural, brown, tan, cream, white, green and black. Rattan pieces come as chairs, sofas, dining tables, coffee tables and stools are all easy to care for and hard wearing. Rattan furniture is usually sturdier than genuine wicker and cane conservatory furniture but the latter will give the room a more delicate and airy traditional appearance. For those who like the look of wicker but are concerned that it won’t stand up to a lot of wear it is probably best to opt for resin furniture which can look exactly like wicker, but it is much more durable.

Comfort is of course paramount when buying conservatory furniture as you want to be able to relax and enjoy your conservatory, maybe spending hours at a time reading a book or simply dozing away a warm afternoon. Classic rattan sofa styles with soft cushions that you can sink into are a good way to go. Anything too modern and upright, with hard seats, is never going to allow you the chance to enjoy your warm green haven.

Iron or metal patio furniture is stylish and functional enough to move from the garden to the conservatory but won’t have quite that sink-in feeling of decadence. It can however be very stylish and so is ideal for anyone looking to create a room with a modern or even classical Victorian feel.

In addition, consider adding an eating area to your conservatory where teak garden dining tables and chairs are extremely attractive and durable without sacrificing style. On the other hand you can dine off elegant rattan, or wicker pieces with glass, mosaic, or marble tops to add additional style. Just bear in mind that no matter what conservatory furniture you choose be sure that you take the time to use it and relax; taking a well-earned break from today’s frenetic world, in beautiful surroundings.

If you cat or dog enjoys chewing your favourite plants or flowers, consider dedicating a small part of your garden just for your pets. Unfortunately, training your pets is the key to creating real harmony between your pets and plants – and it is easiest to start when they are young. Even if you do set aside a little pet area, you will need to encourage your pet to visit it and even stay in it.

Most pets require a certain amount of greens in their diet, so you will be providing them with some nutrition.  Experiment to find your pet’s personal preferences. Some dogs like to chew on oats, others go for strawberries or dig up vegetables. If your dog chews on your grass, consider a patch of fescue – a fine but hardy and low maintenance type of grass.  Cats adore catnip shoots (Nepeta). They also like the young tender leaves of oats. Pet rabbits and small rodents such as guinea pigs and hamsters are less fussy – they will chew just about anything in your garden. Put a very fine mesh fence or solid wall fence around their garden patch and ensure that the fence is sunk in the soil three to four inches. 

Many animals simply trample over your garden. Of course there are a number of perennials that are paw resistant. These include Sedum ‘Stonecrop’, Netpeta  (catmint), Vinca (Perriwinkle), Hemecrocalis Daylily, Thyme and Ornamental grass.  Dog-proof ornamentals include Berberis and Rugosa roses.

One of the most annoying problems faced by pet owners is the appearance of small areas of dead grass caused by a dog’s caustic urine. Unfortunately there is no easy answer with the exception of following your dog with a hose pipe and diluting the mess left behind.  The best solution is to train your dog to do his business in a specified place. If you have a male dog, set aside a small square of gravel with a post in the centre which should encourage him to lift his leg appropriately.

Many gardeners dislike cats, as cats are often blamed for killing or scaring off wild birds. Try hanging your bird feeders from metal poles instead of dangling them from branches. This prevents the cat from climbing the tree and attacking from above. A garden full of trees and shrubs gives birds an escape route from cats. However the best solution is to keep your cat well fed. He or she will soon discover that it easier to pound on your back door than stalk an angry bird. If cats really are proving a problem in your garden, try planting Rue. The blue leaves look beautiful but cats seem to hate the odour. Cats are not too keen on roses either, as the thorns are rather uncomfortable. Do take note however, that some people can develop a skin allergy from Rue.

If your garden is quite bare try sprinkling cayenne or ground up grapefruit or lemon rind to ward off cats. Alternatively, make tea from rue and spray your plants.  Of course there are commercial solutions for discouraging visits by cats – but if you are an animal lover, no doubt the home-made solutions will be more appealing.

Wild animals are often more challenging to control than pets. Rabbits are a particular problem. They adore all vegetables, tulip shoots and chew the bark, buds and stems of woody plants – to name but a few. There are a number of commercial repellents on the market, but you must ensure they are safe to use around children and pets. 

Apparently, rabbits dislike the scent of marigolds, so you could try planting marigold around your borders. If an excess of marigolds is not to your liking, try sprinkling a mixture of black pepper and bone meal over rabbits’ favourite foods. When you are planting bulbs, sprinkle them with a little chilli powder before placing them in the ground. Try to apply any repellents at twilight as rabbits prefer to eat after dark. All of these should deter rabbits from devouring the fruits of your labour.

So we know that pets can cause harm to our gardens, but gardens can also cause harm to our pets. Unfortunately there are a number of plants that are poisonous if eaten by your pet. Most domestic animals have a sixth sense, which prompts them to leave these alone, but young animals may be tempted out of curiosity. Oleanders, Aconitum (Monkshood), Foxgloves (Digitalis spp.), Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), Deadly Nightshade (Solanum nigrum and S. dulcamara) and Euphorbia marginata and E. tirucalli are all particularly toxic. Azaleas and Rhododendrons have toxins in the leaves.

It is worthwhile remembering that a number of seeds or pits in fruit contain cyanide and should never been fed to animals or birds. These include cherry pits, apricot stones, almonds and apple seeds. In addition many common flower bulbs are toxic if eaten, so remember to store your bulbs in a place that is not accessible to animals.

If you have wonderful views from your garden but suffer from wind damage you might like to think about putting up some sort of wind breaks to cut down on damage. Consider reed screens that not only provide protection from the elements but also afford a degree of privacy; pergolas also give a surprising amount of protection.

Edging one or two sides of your patio with a thicket of Bamboo will give some protection from the wind whilst providing the most relaxing of sound effects as the evening breeze rustles through the canes.  Wind-chimes and trickling water features will also add an audio dimension to the already relaxing ambience.

Even the smallest of outdoor areas can serve as entertaining space with a bit of imagination. The path between two terraced houses can be transformed into a luscious glen. Place shade loving plants such as ferns and japonicas in bold terracotta or glazed blue pots. Place bright bedding plants in an array of terracotta pots and wall hangers to give splashes of dramatic colour. Mirrors mounted on the walls create an illusion of more space, whilst strings of lanterns add the finishing touches. Laying a small area of decking will ensure dryness underfoot and you will have somewhere that isn’t slippy or soggy to place tables and chairs.

Whilst you are setting the scene you must consider garden lighting – especially if you are into evening entertaining.  Outdoor lighting can make all the difference to atmosphere and mood. Permanent lighting features can be used to light up foliage, ponds or ornaments with dramatic effects.  Make sure that you follow the manufacturers instructions and if in any doubt get a qualified electrician to install the wiring for you.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to create lighting effect is to use candles, lanterns and oil lamps.  There are so many to choose from.  A popular favourite is a Japanese oil lamp which is a basically a sphere of granite, hollowed out to hold the lamp oil with a wick emerging from the centre.  It is perfect in its simplicity and adds an unusual oriental touch.  Strings of lanterns with nightlights are also a very cost effective way of producing garden party lighting. Citronella candles are also worthwhile investments for scratch free evenings.

It’s all very well setting the scene, but if you are shivering in layers of woolly jumpers and cosy fleeces you really won’t have any fun without the sun…  but don’t give up. Outdoor heaters have come down in price dramatically and many are really quite affordable nowadays. An alternative to the gas fired heater is a chimenea which can be used as a patio warmer or a barbecue.  These stylish handcrafted pottery chimneys bring a touch of rustic charm to any patio or garden.

Barbecuing can be a very serious pastime for all garden lovers.   Amazingly about 54 million barbecues were held last summer and half of all households own a barbecue set.  Research shows that men swell up with pride at the thought of their barbecue prowess whilst women sigh and resign themselves to the potential family feud. Nevertheless most of us still enjoy the barbecue and year after year debate the pros and cons of charcoal or gas.  These days there is such a huge range of barbecues, you are bound to find one that suits your needs.

The key to a successful barbecue is the length of cooking time and the temperature of the coals.  It is essential that the food is cooked thoroughly without burning on the outside. The trick is – however boring it may seem, is to cook the meat in the kitchen first and then transfer it to the barbecue to finish it off.  It may take away some of the thrill of the flames and smoke but it sure beats a bout of food poisoning!  Be bold when barbecuing and forget the burgers in buns.  Try dishes such as herrings with orange tarragon stuffing or Maryland chicken kebabs and really impress your friends and neighbours! 

Although the sumptuous smell of your barbecued food may be sufficient for some, scented plants around your entertaining area provide a wonderful touch. Grow scented plants that give off a sweet smell as they are brushed against, such as thyme or rosemary or other herbs that can also be added straight to your barbecued dish to give the freshest of flavours. 

Finally don’t forget gazebos. Whether you buy a cheap pop-up version, just for cloudy or drizzly days, or whether you elect to spend serious money on a permanent structure you can fit out for entertaining all year round you won’t be disappointed. A gazebo will give you more freedom than you can imagine. You can use it to lay out a buffet, shelter guests from a sudden rain or heat and even turn it into a tiny open air theatre.

Watering
During most normal summers watering can be very time consuming. Select containers that are made from non-porous materials. If you prefer porous terracotta or wooden troughs, line these containers with polythene.  You can also add a water retaining gel so that the compost can hold more water and think about covering the surface of all containers with some sort of organic mulch.

There are many automatic watering systems available that save hours of watering time. There are also self-watering containers available particularly useful for window boxes and hanging baskets; there is nothing more frustrating than tripping over watering hose. Use a through feed reel attached to an outside tap so that you only unwind as much hose as you need.

If watering your plants is one of those things you only remember to do once you are tucked up in bed, select drought tolerant plants and apply a layer of mulch to prevent water evaporation from the soil. Drought tolerant plants can often be identified by some of the following characteristics:

Spiky leaves – such as agave, cordylines, phormium or yuccas.

Grey, hairy leaves – such as Brachyglottis, Convolvulus cneorum, Helichrysum petiolare.

Thick, waxy leaves – such as echeveria, lampranthus, mesembryanthemum, sedum spurium.

Aromatic leaves – such as lavender, rosemary, Helichrysum italicum, Salvia microphylla and evergreen herbs.

Sun-loving flowers – some summer bedding such as geraniums, gazania and mesembryanthemum, perennials and shrubs such as hibiscus and cistus.

If you are unlucky and suffer from a hose-pipe ban it is important to remember which plants should have priority when watering.  Recently planted specimens and those with a shallow, fibrous root system such as hydrangeas and rhododendrons will suffer if not watered.  Worry less about your lawn as it will recover in the autumn.

Lawns
If your lawn has corners but your neighbour’s doesn’t, you will be doomed to losing the mowing race every time. Replace those corners with smooth sweeping curves that allow the mower to glide around easily. Remember that if you mow twice a week you could leave fine lawn clipping on the grass to feed it and this eliminates the needs to empty the grass-box.

Small areas of lawn are particularly difficult to mow. Consider replacing those fiddly sections of lawn with gravel, glass chippings or paving slabs. Leave spaces between the slabs so you can plant some ground hugging plants to soften the appearance. Alternatively place plants amongst the gravel, these could include such treasures  as chamomile or thyme which are particularly suitable as they do not mind being trodden on occasionally and they release a wonderful scent when their foliage is crushed.

Plant Maintenance
Grow tall perennials close together so that they support each other, eliminating the need for staking. Select flowering plants that cope well with the wind and rain so you do not have to regularly deadhead them. Good gap fillers that do not need staking and require little attention include achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’ and the smaller ‘Moonshine’, coreopsis verticillata and delphinium.  Sedum can make a welcome splash of colour in the autumn.

Many shrubs require little more care than the occasional trim.  Low maintenance flowering shrubs include potentillas, spiraeas, dogwoods and ceratostigma.  Interesting evergreens include elaeagnus pungens and euonymus fortunei varieties, aucuba japonica or choisya ternata.  If your soil is light and sandy and tends to dry out quickly, choose plants that tolerate these conditions.  Examples are cistus, helianthemum, lavender or caryopteris.

Climbers can be particularly time consuming.  Select climbers that naturally train upwards or sideways and do not need tying to their supports.  Also avoid climbers that need regular pruning.

Hedging frequently demands a lot of work. Use an informal border of compact evergreen shrubs that do not need pruning. Alternatively choose a species that needs trimming only once a year such as elaeagnus or holly. There are sprays available that inhibits new growth on your hedge when sprayed onto a lightly trimmed hedge in late spring. It is not recommended however for use on yew, box, viburnum, roses, myrobalan plum or hedges less than three years old.

Weeding and Digging
 It is essential to get rid of weeds early on so that they do not have the chance to spread. Dig out the weeds or apply some weed-killer and then cover the bare soil with a layer of mulch or ground cover plants to stop the weeds from getting established. In general you do not need to worry about digging. Simply spread compost or well rotted manure over the surface each year and leave the friendly earthworms to do all the hard work.

The purpose of Feng Shui  is to create an harmonious flow of energies that will have a positive effect on everything in your life. Feng Shui is all about how you relate to the place you are in; how you can live harmoniously with the energy of your surrounding environment.  In a nutshell, Feng Shui is the method of arranging our environment to be as beneficial to us as possible. 

It is thought that cosmic energy, called Ch’i, moves around us all the time. Once we understand how this energy moves we can use Feng Shui to maximise its flow for best effect in our lives. The energy in a garden should be free to flow in all directions. If the energy flows well, this should have a positive influence on your physical and emotional well being.

The key principles of Feng Shui in the garden are to have plenty of curves and nothing too large or too small. All components of your garden should be in proportion. Your garden should be well balanced. Plenty of sunlight and shade, dark and light colours, coarse and delicate textures, dense vegetation and open spaces as well as vertical and horizontal lines, squared off corners and curves and still and moving water. Create curved pathways large enough for two people to walk side by side. Soften the lines of straight paths with a curved iron gate, plantings along the sides, or plants in containers.

The garden should appeal to all of your senses, but interestingly the visual appeal is the least important. If the garden is attractive to all your other senses, then the chances are very high that you will also find it visually pleasing. 

Scent is extremely important and you are advised to fill your garden with as many smells as possible. Your garden should also be tactile. Create areas where the wind will breeze through leaves; other areas where you will feel slightly cooler or if possible, patches that will bask in direct sunlight. Texture is paramount, not only through your plants but also through the other materials you use in the garden such as gravel, stepping stones or grass. Also remember sound. Attract singing birds with bird houses and feeders; consider different path materials and mulches which will crunch underfoot.

The correct way to set out a Feng Shui garden is to use a device called the Bagua. The Bagua is constructed by using a compass and a grid in order to map your house or garden into the areas that represent all the elements of your life.  Your Bagua can be as simple or complicated as you like. By using the principles of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), plants and objects can be placed in the relevant areas of your garden that are thought to compliment those areas of your life.

Each section of the Bagua has an associated element. For instance the career section is associated with the element of water. In addition, each element has a supporting and an inhibiting element. So water is supported by metal because molten metal flows like water, but it is inhibited by earth as the earth creates boundaries for water. You are encouraged to select objects to place in your garden suited to the elements. So simplistically, if you felt your career was in need of a boost it would be considered beneficial to place a bird bath and perhaps metal wind chimes in the area of your garden that relates to your career. The bird bath reflects the water element and the wind chimes reflect the metal element.

Most people find that once they have mapped out their garden using the Bagua, there are objects out of place. For instance you may discover that your wooden shed is in your knowledge area. Typically wood in this area is inhibiting and ideally you should have objects or plants that reflect the earth element.  It is unlikely that you would feel inclined to move your shed – but do not fear, there are nevertheless steps you can take to diminish the effect of the wood element and increase the effects of the earth element! Consider painting your shed a bright fire-like colour or if that is not to your taste plant some bright fiery plants around the shed such as the exotic Canna Lilies.

First season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and then mash the butter and add chopped ginger and currants and use two thirds of it to sandwich the salmon fillets together. Spread the rest on top and roll out pastry to about ¼ inch thick rectangle large enough to encase the fish. Then lift the salmon onto it and make a parcel. Next place it, seam side down, onto a greased baking tray and slash top of pastry case in 3 places to allow for steam to escape.

Use any pastry trimmings to make shapes (leaves) and use to decorate top of parcel before glazing with beaten egg. Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile make the sauce using herbs from your garden which should be picked at the very last minute to keep their flavour fresh and tangy.

Melt butter in pan and soften shallots and herbs. Stir in the four and all but 1 tbsp of cream, add salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring all the time. Then beat in the mustard and stir in the egg yolks and remaining cream – beat till smooth and continue to cook until sauce has thickened, but do not boil. Finally adjust seasoning and add lemon juice to taste and serve with the sliced salmon parcel. Pre-heat Oven 220C – Gas Mark 7. And hey presto a delicious dish made from something you have grown yourself!

Ingredients:

2  thick salmon fillets (total weight 2½ lb)
Salt & pepper
3 oz butter
2 pieces of ginger in syrup – chopped
1 heaped tablespoon of currants
8oz shortcrust pastry
1 beaten egg to glazeFor sauce:
2 oz butter
2 chopped shallots
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp chopped chervil
2 tsp chopped tarragon
1 heaped tsp flour
½ pint cream
Salt & pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 egg yolks
Lemon juice

The way you plan to use your new lawn will of course have a major influence on its layout and design as well as the type of grass you want to grow. Whatever you decide to do remember there are some things which always need to be borne in mind and working things out before you start can certainly save a lot of valuable time in the future.

The shape of your new lawn is an individual preference, although it may be governed by the shape of your garden or even the size and shape of any existing or future garden furniture.

In real terms, however, so long as you bear a few important considerations in mind, such as ease of access for machinery and a sensible mowing pattern, you can be largely free to create whatever shape of lawn you wish.

Typically, the traditional garden lawn is usually a square or rectangular piece of grass, but these days many modern designs concentrate on more fluid curves, it’s important however not to overdo this effect, since tight curves and awkward corners make mowing tedious or even difficult.

The nature of the land can also influence on the shape of a lawn since there is no point in trying to grow grass in dense shade, or making a lawn on a really steep area where you won’t be able to put a large outdoor dining set, for example. Even with plenty of available cash a free-rein on the design, you still have to work within the constraints of the site. The main aim it to create an attractive overall shape that’s practical and easy to look after.

Remember also that good access to your new lawn is vital – you’ll need to be able to reach it easily either for relaxation or for mowing and maintenance; therefore it is well worth taking time to plan proper access carefully from the outset. One of the most common problems is that the path leads straight onto the lawn creating a high traffic area where the grass can take a terrific pounding from too many feet. Try to route paths along the edges of the lawn or set stepping stones into the grass.

Finally as mowing is the single most time-consuming activity required to keep your lawn in good condition, do make it as easy as possible. Avoid too many unnecessary obstacles such as bulbs and beds that have to be mown round and think carefully about the position of garden ornaments or specimen trees. Also make sure that you create a good edge to the lawn, so that there is no awkward grass to cut near a wall or fence.