Whats looking good in the Flower Field……

Helichrysum

One of the flowers still putting on a good show in the flower field at this time of year is Helichrysum aka strawflower. It is an annual, so if you were to sow seeds in the ground in May they will flower later that year. They wont come back the following year unless you sow more seeds. It’s a firm favourite of mine, particularly because it brings such wonderful colour into the field towards the end of the season. It flowers in a range of colours, from soft creams and whites through to pinks, apricots, oranges, yellows and deep reds. When they are ready to pick they already have a dried feel to them with papery petals that keep their colour well.

I cut them before the flowers are fully formed and before they have completely opened and hanging them upside down somewhere warm and dry. Once dried they will last for months if not years.

Strawflowers are an easy one to grow, they germinate well and if the young plants lead stems are pinched out early on then they branch out and create multiple stems of flowers. Once established they keep producing flowers for cutting throughout the summer and into early autumn, particularly if you keep picking the stems regularly.

So, if you are looking for a flower to grow both for the vase and for drying, Helichrysum is definitely one to consider. It is colourful, useful and very easy to enjoy long after the flower field has finished for the season.

Coming up in October……

WORKSHOPS

A moment with a tree……

Prunus ‘Amanogawa’

If you only ever have one blossom producing tree in your life, make it this one. Prunus ‘Amanogawa’ is a beautiful, narrow-growing flowering cherry. Its upright, columnar shape makes it particularly useful where space is limited, while still giving you a lovely display of spring blossom. It is a tree that works well as a focal point, planted along a path or beside a building. It is also relatively low maintenance once established.

In April and May, the branches are covered in pale pink, lightly scented flowers which open from darker pink buds. The fresh green leaves follow the blossom and provide interest through the summer before turning warm shades in autumn. Its in my top 10 tree selection thats for sure. Next time you visit you will find our just behind the flower barn. This picture was taken last spring…..just stunning.

Christmas Wreath Making Workshops

I’m not just saying this but these are already filling up!!! Say no more…..

Saturday 28 November 10AM

Saturday 28 November 2PM

Sunday 29 November 10AM

Thursday 3 December 7PM

Friday 4 December 7PM

5 December 10AM…….. two spaces left

5th December 2PM

As the Landscaper sees it………..

A garden that is useful to the people who live in it is made up of much more than plants and paving. Behind every finished garden there are many different materials, each with its own characteristics and each behaving differently depending on the weather, the season and how it is being used.

As a landscaper, Richard is constantly skill juggling. He works with stone, bricks, timber, plants, soil and concrete, and every material needs to be understood and handled slightly differently. What works for one may be completely wrong for another.

Take timber. It is a natural material and is constantly responding to its surroundings. When it gets wet, wood absorbs moisture and swells. When the weather turns dry, it loses moisture and shrinks. This movement needs to be allowed for when constructing things such as pergolas, gates, fencing and decking. If you don't allow timber room to move, you can end up with warping, splitting or joints that no longer sit as they should.

Stone might seem more predictable, but even stone has its quirks. Obviously some of the natural stone we use in gardens is millions of years old. It can crack, split, flake or crumble and will behave differently when it is wet compared with when it is dry.

Then there is the ground itself. So much of landscaping is about what you don't see once the garden is finished. Good preparation underneath a patio, path, wall or driveway is every bit as important as the finished surface.

Even concrete needs the right conditions. In dry weather, the ground may need to be dampened before concrete is laid. If the surrounding ground is very dry, it can draw moisture from the concrete too quickly and affect how it cures.

One of the biggest topics of conversation in the Brown household is of course the weather as it is one of the biggest variables a landscaper has to work with.

A finished garden may look simple, but underneath that simplicity is a lot of knowledge, experience and, quite often, a fair amount of skill juggling.