HOME & GARDEN

DIGGING DEEP

Getting a bit fruity

Last month we explored how a pond can improve your garden by encouraging many species of wildlife, but autumn officially starts in September and if you already have one of the water features this is the time to take extra care of it.

When leaves begin dropping from trees, you really don’t want them to land in your pond where they will rot and add to the sludge. In turn, aquatic life will be harmed when the leaves decay, which also affects the colour and quality of the water. A leaf-free pond in a happy pond.

Planting grass around the periphery is a smart move, as it will act as a great dust catcher.

But as the seasons slowly change, there are many other jobs to turn you into a busy bee in your outside space; water butts need to be cleaned, and pay attention to your grassed areas; if you have sparse patches, reach for the seed and replenish.

Autumn winds can play havoc with your delicate plants and young or fragile trees. Don’t wait until problems arrive; act now in anticipation of high winds by ensuring tree ties and plant supports are doing their job.

Preparation is key if you want a pop of spring colour in your flower beds – bare-root wallflowers will survive the winter frost, so plant now and you’ll be glad you made the effort when they bloom next year. Crocus, daffodil and bluebells bulbs can all be planted now too.

If you grow to eat, there is plenty to do in your vegetable patches including sowing greens. Broad beans, peas and onions and shallots can all be put in now.

And what of fruits? The best plums we’ve ever tasted were the ones harvested from a very old – and very reliable – tree belonging to a neighbour. When he would climb up the ladder

Plum trees are a delicious and nutritious addition to a garden

to reach those at height, he would throw the odd one onto our lawn for us to grab and devour. Later, we would receive a bag full of yummy yellow fruits. Delicious, organic, packed with vitamins and so versatile; they can be used in jams, chutneys, sauces, poached or taken straight from the fruit bowl. As we often did.

If you have fruit trees, ensure you pick the produce before winds force the fruits to the ground where they will bruise and be at the mercy of insects and frost!

If you have too many, store them, or distribute them – fresh fruits will be welcomed by neighbours and friends. If you are lucky enough to have a big harvest, you might like to consider donating to a food bank. Whatever you do, please make sure they are used, not wasted.

If you were looking forward to putting your feet up this month, you had better think again.

Your garden needs you!

Top Tip...

Sunflowers are one of the biggest and brightest of the summer blossoms, and this year they have taken on more meaning; as the national flower of Ukraine they have been embraced as a symbol of support for the embattled country.

The flowers signify peace in Ukraine and many people have shown solidarity by growing the terrific flowers here. If yours are still looking radiant, enjoy them while they continue, but when they bow out, leave the seed heads in situ – visiting birds will feed on them and be thankful.

How does your garden grow?

September - ‘The dying fire in Autumn’s hearth’ Dominic Allard – Northampton’s Own Poet.

I have lost many plants in the drought, and, though distressing, it gave me the opportunity to plant replacement perennials in the borders. Actaea Silver Dance, a north European woodland species enjoys a shady humus-rich environment. Tulbaghia Purple Eye from southern Africa prefers a sunny warm aspect, and Verbena Santos Purple, from the Americas (with flowers which are loved by butterflies) likes a moderately fertile soil in full sun. Now is the time to peruse the bulb catalogues, as by ordering now you will have the most choice.

‘Prepared’ bulbs should be planted in pots and kept in the dark ready for flowering at Christmas. Bulbs for the garden should be planted in October or November, but tulips can go in as late as December.

Apart from continuing dead-heading to prolong flowering for as long as possible, other important tasks to do now include emptying and cleaning greenhouses and cold frames ready for the over-wintering of stock plants and cuttings in pots.

Enjoy the last of the warm sunshine. Good Luck!

Ralph Westmoreland, member Denton & District Gardening Club

> Denton & District Gardening Club is a small, friendly club which meets on a Monday evening every month. New members and visitors are always welcome. For more information please contact Margaret at m.pateman@yahoo.co.uk or 01604 890875.

A beautiful portfolio of porcelain and ceramic tiles

If it’s the latest designer tiles for home and garden you need, then look no further than The TilePortfolio. This friendly, independent tile business, located at the picturesque Glebe Farm in Kettering, sources only the very best quality porcelain and ceramic tiles directly from Italy and Spain.

“Our aim is to bring a wonderful selection of hand-picked luxury tiles to our customers at great prices and we’ve done that by building great relationships directly with manufacturers who are at the forefront of design and innovation,” explains The TilePortfolio’s owner Jo Gilhooly.

Tiles are curated into four key Portfolios so it’s easy to find the perfect tiles for any project.

“Our Porcelain wall and floor tile Portfolio includes tiles that will work just about anywhere from kitchen to bathroom, living area to study, dining room to boot room. Add to that our specialist large format porcelain tile portfolio and portfolio of textured ceramics for walls, and the design possibilities are endless.”

And let’s not forget about the garden. “We know there is a design focus on both the garden and tiles that run from home to patio, particularly for developments with large open plan spaces. Our inside outside porcelain portfolio offers customers

Our focus is on the product quality, design and service - Owner of The TilePortfolio, Jo Gilhooly

the highest quality 2cm porcelain patio pavers alongside co-ordinating tiles for inside”. But it’s not just tile quality and design that are important. “As an independent business we also know the importance of excellent service. As well as serving more local customers via our dedicated showroom, we also deliver across the UK. So in addition to a comprehensive website we offer an excellent sampling service, free online tile consultations, a larger sampling service, quantity discounts for larger projects and good stocks of key lines for those faster turnaround projects.”

If you’ve a tiling project coming up this year, or next, it’s definitely worth exploring The TilePortfolio for the very latest designer tiles, surprisingly affordable prices and welcoming, friendly service!

Get in touch: 07395 011861 hello@thetileportfolio.co.uk www.thetileportfolio.co.uk

lightsandlamps.com aunaturel

Organic textures and natural materials are as popular as ever, creating a refreshing, grounded space with a bit of retro flare. With us still spending more time indoors than ever before, we’re all seeking to strengthen our connection with nature. Elements of stone, wood, wicker and rattan effortlessly breathe new life into any interior space, so we’ve pulled together a collection of our favourites to get you inspired.

Woven round placemats red set of 4 £57 iamfy.co.uk

Candle Holder ‘Ring’ Sculpture - Sand £69

fiveanddime-interiors.com CharlesTed marlowe stone pot £54.95

charlested.co.uk

Large Cream-striped Jute Rug £329

pigletinbed.com

Rattan tissue box £26

rebeccaudall.com FEATURED BRANDS... If you would like to see your brand or business featured in Pulse, in print or online get in touch: nnpulse@pulsegroupmedia.co.uk

Rattan basket £87.99

wayfair.co.uk Woven wicker star holiday shaped ornament £47.99

wayfair.co.uk

Savanna Large Pendant £270