Planting Designs

A full garden design obviously includes a new planting plan and lists, but also the hard landscaping elements. However sometimes the skeleton of the garden is already present and satisfactory for the clients’ needs and what is wanted is a refurbishment and rethink of the soft landscaping – otherwise known as the plants.

The examples shown give a flavour of what can be achieved, some showing the newly planted schemes, others showing the evolution over a few seasons.

Pests, Predators, Weeds and Saviours: Part 2

Pests, Predators, Weeds and Saviours is something of an ongoing narrative, so -
To be continued…

Whilst our policy is to recycle both green and non-green waste wherever possible, we do not remove green waste automatically from site.

You would need to request this service. It may be more economical for you to use another service or option.
For example, you may like to consider a compost bin as this will take soft garden waste as well as kitchen waste. Most local councils have special offers for residents.

Local councils Green Waste collection
Many Councils are now trialing ways of increasing their recycling so please check with your local council for updates.

You can use the garden waste service to dispose of flowers and plants, grass clippings, hedge trimmings, leaves, twigs and branches up to three inches in diameter.

Further details and options are available for discussion during project meetings.

Pruning

Pruning is one of the least understood practices of garden and landscape maintenance. Before attempting to prune shrubs and trees, consider the basic principles of pruning.

Reasons for Pruning

1. To remove diseased, dead, or dying branches and stems.
2. To maintain or limit the size and shape of a plant to avoid it overpowering neighbouring plants
3. To remove undesirable growth that distracts from the balance or symmetry of the plant
4. To remove reversion foliage on variegated plants
5. To stimulate flowering and/or fruit production
6. To develop a specific plant form, such as training an espalier
7. Restorative pruning or renovation of old plants to reinvigorate

To remove plant parts that may interfere with structures or utility lines

A selection of some of the questions we are asked fairly regularly, with short answers. For a more individual response, you may like to arrange a site visit and consultation.

Trees

What is a TPO?
A TPO or Tree Preservation Order, has been placed on a tree to prevent anyone from cutting it down or otherwise harming a tree that is considered to be of importance, perhaps because it is a an attractive specimen and passers by enjoy seeing it, or because it is important as a habitat, for example, many oak trees have TPOs. These trees can still be pruned, but permission needs to be got first. Don’t worry; we can help you through the process!

We always check for TPOs and conservation orders as well the condition of the tree itself. Some trees can only be pruned at certain times of the year, because of infection or dormancy, for example and we take this and other factors into consideration. Anyone who offers to prune your tree or trees without checking these matters may not be a good person or company to choose for the work.

Why does it need pruning?
With a few exceptions, trees should be regularly pruned to maintain their health, and to ensure that they are not getting too big for their situation, casting too much shade, etc. We assess each tree individually, taking into account various factors, which will include when and how it was last pruned. (Trees often have different requirements as they age).

My neighbour said my old pear tree must be dying as it cropped so well last year. Is that true?
If it’s an old tree, or diseased, it may be having a ‘last fling’ if the crop was particularly full; but equally so, it could have just been a good year in your area.

Lawns

Why is my lawn muddy all winter?
The first things we would establish is what use the lawn gets over the winter; for example, football playing children, dogs chasing a ball around, chickens? Then we assess the overall condition of the lawn. Poor drainage is the usual culprit, sorting out this problem and seeding with  a different type of grass will help.

Did you know that the first organised landfill was happening c5000 years ago in Crete? Now we’re running out of landfill space at a frightening rate it seems crazy not to ‘reduce reuse and recycle’ and composting kitchen & garden waste reduces the quantity of material being sent to landfill. When the compost is later returned to the soil (either dug in or as a mulch) it improves the condition of the soil and naturally enough, benefits the food crops and ornamental plants that we grow.

So what does compost do? Well, it’s quite magical as well as scientific. Dug into the soil it improves the drainage of heavy clay soils and the water retention of sandy ones. It’s food for earthworms who do all sorts of wonderful things to improve soil quality, not least helping with the release of essential nutrients from the compost into the soil (like our ‘5 a day’) which in turn benefits the plants. And remember even the diehard carnivores among you eat vegetables and salads, even if’s by the diverse route of through the grazing cattle that were your burger before it was a burger (if you see what I mean!)
Applied as mulch onto the soil surface, compost can reduce the need for watering; keep plants cool in summer and warm in winter. Told you it was magic!

If we all compost as much as we can then we reduce the methane gas leaching form landfill into the atmosphere and so help reduce global warming. (Although there is a use for that methane gas as an energy source, there is still enough produced without compostable waste going to landfill).

How can you compost?

Without getting too technical, there are three easy ways for the average person to compost at home and at work.

The most common is to have a compost heap, or more frequently, a recycled plastic or wooden bin. An enclosed bin works best as the heap heats up more efficiently and it is easier to keep the compost at the right degree of wetness/ dryness to break down quickly. Compost also needs to be kept aerated, usually by ‘turning’ or careful layering. Two bins are even better – one ready to use, one filling up. Flat bins are available where space is at a premium; wooden bins look decorative as do some of the ‘Grecian urn’ or ‘beehive’ varieties.

Wormeries – these utilise worms’ gourmet tendencies and are often suitable where less waste is generated or as an extra to a standard bin. Kids often like to ‘feed the worms’. Brandling worms are the most usual species in a wormery – native to the UK, but less of a burrowing worm, so better for this situation. The worms work their way through the different layers of the wormery leaving behind a rich vermicompost. A tap at the bottom layer allows for a nutrition rich liquid to be drained off, diluted and used as a liquid feed.

Bokashi – this was originally a Japanese system of composting. The above methods use oxygen as part of the composting process, this one excludes it. This system works well in flats and offices where there may not be any convenient outside space. When the bin is full it’s left for two weeks, then it can be added to an ordinary compost bin or dug in to the ground or taken to the councils green waste site (check this first, some councils are still hesitant). Two bins are necessary – one in use, one ‘cooking’. As with wormeries there is a nutrition rich liquid to drain off that can be used a separate feed – for indoor and outdoor plants.

What can you compost?    

Generally speaking, food waste but not cooked food, raw meat, bones can be added, as can soft or shredded garden waste, but not perennial weeds.
Bokashi is different and can take all food waste, including cooked food and bones; small amounts of green garden waste – flowers, soft stems – can be put in. Each layer is pressed down and sprinkled over with a ’bran’ which contains anaerobic bacteria.

Autumn leaves are best composted in ‘leaf bags’ as they have different requirements. Torn newspaper, shredded documents, grass cuttings can all go in. The trick is to keep a balance of wet/ green items and dry/ brown items. This is your nitrogen/ carbon mix essential for good compost and speedy composting.

Animal bedding from small mammals can also be composted. It’s generally advisable to have a separate bin for this as it does take longer to decompose. Dog & cat faeces should be disposed of separately, for example, there are mini septic tank type products available for such use.

If you would like a consultation visit on how to incorporate composting into your home, garden and work environment, tailor-made to your particular requirements we are currently offering discounts!

   Spot the wormery!