Gardening

Gardening Tips and Advice from THE POTTING SHED OF THE GENTLEMAN GARDENER

Hello everyone, as usual, you’re most welcome back to my potting shed.

I’ve just cleaned and sharpened my mowers and everyday tools. Please fi nd time to do yours as the growing season slows down. I’m now enjoying some co ee from my fl ask and a couple of Hobnobs while I write to you with some gardening tips and humble advice.

It’s getting colder now, but you can still enjoy the taste of fresh herbs. Just fi ll a sunny windowsill box with chives and mint roots. They’ll add plenty of fl avour during the winter months.

Please look after ladybirds. You can give them a little home by leaving some cover when you cut back herbaceous stems, and they will pay you back by keeping those pesky aphids at bay.

How has this year a ected your garden, with two record mini heat waves, drought conditions and hose pipe bans in some regions? Did you get around to trying something new? I hope you did but if not, there’s always next year. Gardening is all about experimenting, failing now and then, and most importantly learning from your mistakes.

If you plan to plant a standard tree, here’s a simple tip: drive your supporting stake into the planting hole before the tree is in position. This will result in fi rm staking and ensure your stake does not go through the tree roots.

As the nights are drawing in, I like to be out in my garden as early as possible. In fact, the fi rst thing I do each morning, donned in dressing gown with a mug of co ee in hand, is go into my garden.

They say money can’t buy happiness and that’s true. But it can buy plants, and that’s the same thing.

Please enjoy your garden. My co ee has all gone, biscuits too, so I’m shutting my potting shed up until tomorrow and I’m o home..

HEGENTLEMAN

My kindest regards The Gentleman Gardener

GARDENER