Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Woman's Weekly Living Series

The Government has made a decisive move to phase out the use of peat by 2024, as announced by Environment Secretary George Eustice this May. Most gardeners will have used peat as a component in potting compost and, although generally the volume in compost continues to fall, there’s still a lot of peat in use. In fact, peat-based compost sales increased by 9% during the pandemic. The voluntary approach to eliminate peat from garden centres in England by 2020 set out a decade ago failed to meet its target. Therefore, more positive steps have been taken to introduce a complete ban. There’ll be a chance for gardeners to have their input on steps to phase out peat and give feedback on their experiences of using peat-free compost during a public…

Ocean Plastic Pot has won the first RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year award. The pot is made using recycled polypropylene from discarded rope, fishing net and beach plastic. The product was crowned winner by a team of experts, including Dragons’ Den investor Deborah Meaden. The creator, a deep-sea diver from Scotland, has been praised for raising awareness of the devastating ocean plastic pollution problem. The pot is durable and recyclable, and costs £15, from oceanplasticpots.com. All the sustainable garden product finalists will be on display at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, which takes place 21-26 September 2021. ✣ For tickets and info, visit rhs.org.uk…

The layout has two main paths running down the plot. The upper one stretches directly through the middle of the flower garden. ‘I love uniformity, form and balance, so the four beds are filled with identical plants,’ she points out. Attaining equal growth in all four beds is proving tricky, however, because one side is shady and the other sunny. Meanwhile, the lower path is enclosed on both sides by raised beds, and slopes gently down to a garden shed that is shoehorned into a far corner. ‘It is an unsymmetrical space, angled strangely at the back, but Paul managed to construct the shed to slot in exactly, so that we lost no storage space,’ explains Laura…

Irrigation is especially useful in the flower garden,where four beds overflow with thirsty ‘Annabelle’ hydrangeas. ‘They look spectacular en masse, so why would you mix with lots of other colours?’ she asks. These hydrangeas need staking to prevent the large flower heads being knocked sideways by heavy rain. ‘In spring, I cut each stem back to a couple of buds and mulch,’ says Laura. Then, in summer they are fed once a week with Growmore multipurpose plant food, and watered regularly at the roots, avoiding the flower heads. ‘I leave the flower heads on over the winter because they look very pretty, especially if it’s frosty,’ she adds. Initially, Laura grew hydrangeas only, until discovering the hardy fuchsia ‘Hawkshead’. ‘This white-flowered fuchsia adds another dimension with a contrasting foliage shape…

There are few lovelier sights than a border of peerless plants, a living composition in which colour, form and texture are finely balanced to peak and endure, before fading gracefully as the seasons advance. But, as any gardener knows, creating a substantial border is a major undertaking, and success lies in getting to know your plants intimately, and choosing those that are well-matched to the situation in terms of soil type, aspect and position. With an unpredictable climate and the vagaries of nature to contend with, no two seasons are ever the same, and the superstar of one year can be reduced to the status of nonentity the next. During the warmer months, more often than not it is herbaceous perennials that are a border’s mainstay, combined with bulbs, herbs,…

Courgettes are an easy and rewarding crop for beginners and children to grow. Although not strongly flavoured, they make useful additions to many dishes and the yellow or ribbed varieties add a decorative touch, too. Even their flowers are edible, tasting great dipped in batter and deep-fried. Courgettes are prolific croppers, so two to four plants are more than enough for most households. CHOOSING VARIETIES There are many varieties to choose from. ‘Defender’ is reliable, high yielding and crops over a long season. Ribbed ‘Romanesco’ has a nutty taste, stronger than most courgettes, and its large flowers are good for cooking. Yellow-skinned ‘Soleil’ adds colour to the garden. Check plant size on seed packets – some varieties are more compact than others and some are trailing. SOWING AND PLANTING OUT…

✣ Prepare beds and plan now, but March is the favoured planting time for grasses. Most perennials enjoy an early autumn planting. ✣ Good, fist-sized plants stand a better chance of taking. In groups, set most perennials 1ft (30m) apart. ✣ Water during droughts for the first year or two, while plants establish. ✣ Weed regularly to remove any annual or perennial weeds that have seeded into gaps. ✣ Cut down old growth in February. Stack the felled stems as they will be full of overwintering invertebrates.…

JOBS FOR JULY ✣ TIE CLIMBERS INTO THEIR SUPPORTS to prevent loose stems becoming damaged. Encouraging stems to grow horizontally will help to promote more flowers. into producing next year’s flower buds. ✣ CONTAINER PLANTS CAN BE VULNERABLE to attack by vine weevil. Adult beetles make notches in the leaves while the grubs cause serious damage to plant roots. Apply a chemical control, or biological remedy any time from now until the end of August. ✣ NOW IS THE BEST TIME to prune cherries and plums to cut the risk of silver leaf disease. Trained apples and pears also require an annual prune to restrict growth and allow light to reach developing fruits. ✣ GIVE BEDDING PLANTS in the garden a good water once a week; this method is better…

JOIN THE GREAT BRITISH GARDEN PARTY Join Mary Berry and the National Garden Scheme (NGS) by hosting your own Great British Garden Party this summer. This major event is a chance to celebrate the importance of everyone’s gardens and to raise vital funds for nursing and health charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and the Queen’s Nursing Institute. Mary, who’s President of the National Garden Scheme, said, ‘You can invite people at any time of day. It could be afternoon tea, a glass of prosecco in the evening or even a plant sale by the gate.’ She has opened her own garden for the charity for more than 20 years and became President of the NGS in 2016. ‘There is something quite special about visiting a garden,’…

Looking out over Laura’s garden, with its calming green and white colour scheme and inviting places to relax, it’s hard to imagine it ringing with the sounds of children playing, noisy lawnmowers or dogs barking. ‘My garden went through various incarnations over the years – as a vegetable garden, football pitch or dog compound – until becoming my go-to place to read, relax, and practise yoga,’ explains retired police officer Laura, who has retrained as a yoga teacher. It is as far removed as possible from the outlook that greeted Laura when she first viewed the Victorian house. The property been owned by the same family until 1992, when Laura moved in and, apart from replacement windows and a concrete-tiled roof, it hadn’t been modernised. ‘The advantage, though, is that…

Set to one corner beside the house and fence is a sofa that was intended for interior use but, now that the frame has been treated with a silicone spray, is left outside all year round. ‘My Mum made the cover for the mattress, and I’ve added a mixture of pillows and cushions – it’s so comfortable, it’s my favourite place to sit and read.’ She has a unified colour scheme throughout, favouring different shades of grey. ‘I love how they work with the green of the plants,’ she explains. ‘I also like to add small pops of yellow in the way of cushions but that will probably change from year to year.’ Beside the sofa is an old galvanised water tank that Paul has turned into a bubbling water…

‘The box plants established really easily’ A revamp of the 2.9m x 4.8-m front garden was prompted by watching Alan Titchmarsh on the BBC’s Gardeners World. ‘Originally there was a 1970s brick wall and the ground was covered in concrete and a crazy paving path – a weekend ‘smashing up party’ with a few friends soon cleared it!’ The box plants came as tiny bare-root specimens, and Laura laid out the design freehand, having first enriched the soil with compost. In summer, they are watered about once a week, and clipped twice annually. ‘The plants established really easily, but then the dreaded box moth caterpillar struck,’ she says. ‘Now we have to spray with Bug Clear between April and September. I know there are alternative plants, but I prefer box.’…

Days spent by the coast are a wonderful source of inspiration for creating a special themed area at home, to fill with resilient plants and mementoes gleaned from the shoreline. Beachcombing ‘finds’ are an essential element, not only cockle, limpet or mussel shells washed up by incoming tides, but also the inevitable odds and ends that float ashore from passing boats — scraps of netting, random lengths of rope, the occasional fisherman’s float and driftwood sculpted by the oceans. Seafront stalls are another rich vein, with offerings such as model wooden birds, toy boats and beach huts, hagstones, pebbles, cork fishing floats and starfish. There are many lovely plants that naturally survive within a stone’s throw of the sea — soft clumps of sea pinks or sea campion with their…

FAIRS AND SHOWS RHS TATTON PARK FLOWER SHOW Cheshire, 21-25 July Renowned for its friendly atmosphere, the Show offers vibrant displays, show gardens and the Plant Village. Open 10am-5pm. RHS Members’ Day 21 July. Non members 22-25 July. ✣ Adults £29.75; two children under 16 allowed with full-paying  adult; Tatton Park, Mereheath Lane, Knutsford WA16 6QN. Tel 0344 338 7501; rhs.org.uk/shows-events THE GARDEN SHOW Surrey, 23-25 July With floral displays, plants for sale and expert advice on hand, a great day for all. Open 10am-5pm. ✣ Adults £8, concessions £6, children 5-16 years £3; Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey GU3 1HY. Tel 01243 538 456; thegardenshowonline.com RHS GARDEN HYDE HALL FLOWER SHOW Essex, 4-8 August Glean expert tips and be wowed by the dazzling displays. Open 10am-5pm. ✣ Adults £13.50, children…

‘I wanted space to seat at least eight people comfortably’ The irregularity of the plot’s dimensions was more of a problem for the builder who laid the hard landscaping. ‘The dimensions of both house and garden are beautifully wonky but, to be honest, I like wonky,’ she adds. The flooring design does not betray anything of these challenges, and successfully incorporates short lengths of bricks from Selco Builders Warehouse (selcobw.com) – to suggest movement from one area to another – enclosed within rectangular Indian sandstone paving from Marshalls (marshalls.co.uk) broken up by a circular feature. ‘We love to entertain, so I wanted sufficient space for a large dining table to seat at least eight people comfortably.’…

THE PICTON GARDEN Herefordshire, 25 July, 10, 30 August, 20 Sept, 20 Oct Colourful borders including perennials, unusual plants and Michaelmas daisies, open for the National Garden Scheme, 11am-5pm. ✣ Adults £4, children free; Old Court Nurseries, Walwyn Road, Colwall WR13 6QE. Tel 01684 540 416; ngs.org.uk (pre-booking essential). KILCOAN GARDENS Co Antrim, until 30 September Diverse planting styles, including cottage garden, herbs and prairie borders. Open 12pm-5pm (Wed-Sun). ✣ Adults £5, under 18s free; Kilcoan Gardens, Middle Road, Islandmagee BT40 3TG. Tel 07703 519 564; kilcoangardens.co.uk VILLAGE GARDENS Derbyshire, 8 August Explore gardens in hillside village Whatstandwell (expect slopes and steps). Proceeds to charity. ✣ Adults £4; children free. Whatstandwell, Crich DE4 5HG. Email: whatstandwellsocialclub@ googlemail.com; opengardens.co.uk NGS OPENING Pembrokeshire, 15 August Six acres including exotics, perennials and bog garden.…

In my gardening lifetime, fashions have come and gone, but of them all my favourite is the current trend towards a more natural-looking style. This encourages undisturbed areas for wildlife and the choice of easy-going plants to suit soil and climate. Many of us have let some lawn grow up as meadow, or allowed a margin of wild flowers to prosper. If you love this relaxed look and enjoy visiting prairie-style plantings like those at the RHS Garden Wisley, the Hauser & Wirth garden in Somerset or Pensthorpe in Norfolk, why not take the next step and bring a slice of prairie to your plot? The wild prairie habitats of North America, Europe and the Asian steppes consist mostly of grasses, coloured with flowering herbaceous perennials (they die back for…

There’s something so relaxing about watching butterflies flutter from flower to flower. It’s easy to become mesmerised, and getting lost in their activity is a great way to forget any worries and stresses of your own for a while. That’s why, particularly in recent times, it makes sense to ensure you have plenty of nectar-rich plants that will attract them, and also to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, a fun, easy way to give our beautiful native butterflies a helping hand. Due to pesticide use and a loss of food sources, butterflies have been in decline for several decades. But while numbers continue to be a worry, recent statistics do offer some hope. In 2019 they had their best year since 1997, indicating that the increase in more…

STAY SAFE Please check and follow local coronavirus guidelines before visiting. Some venues may currently be closed, have restricted hours or require advance booking BETH CHATTO’S PLANTS & GARDENS, Essex A remarkable seven-acre garden created from a piece of wasteland by plantswoman and Chelsea gold-medallist, Beth Chatto. It is split into contrasting areas, all with diverse growing conditions. The Gravel Garden, which is never watered, is a tapestry of colourful, drought-hardy Mediterranean plants, including aromatic herbs – the scent in high summer is amazing! There’s also a Scree Garden, planted with alpines, a peaceful Woodland Garden with mature oaks and a lush Water Garden. LOOK OUT FOR: The collection of succulents, which shows the sculptural qualities, colours and patterns of aeonium and agave. ENTRY: Adult £9.95, child £2. ✣ bethchatto.co.uk…