Not Just a Lawnmower

19/02/2018

According to the latest forecasts, we're going to have some deep, late frosts - going down to -10c next week (w/c 25-Feb). As this winter has so far been relatively mild, quite a few garden perennials are showing shoots above ground, and some shrubs are also starting to bud. My recommendation is that it is probably sensible to add some protection to both: wrap sack cloth around larger shrubs, and if possible fully enclose smaller shrubs in jute sacks; a 1cm layer of hay on the ground should be sufficient for the perennials. Fully hardy shrubs, for example Rhododendrons and Azaleas, although now in full bud should be fine. You know who to call if you need some help :-)

26/05/2016

I love designing balcony gardens. No matter how small (or indeed, large) a balcony might be there's loads of things that can be done to turn it into a miniature oasis. One of the solutions that my clients love is planting fruit trees in containers; citrus fruits are the obvious choice - garden centres are pregnant with lemons / limes / kumquats etc. - but what really piques a client's interest is when I suggest a "Family Apple" tree.

Family apple trees have from three to five varieties grafted onto a single root stock, are self-fertile, and can be kept "dwarf" and are thus perfect for a balcony.

I source mine from Orange Pippin Trees in the UK (http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/family-fruit-trees/apple-family-trees), who deliver to Germany with no problems.

Love 'em :-)

23/05/2016

Sorry, folks, I've been a little too quiet lately...but that's because I've been busy :-) I'll endeavour to be better on the updating front. In the meantime, if you have any burning gardening questions that I can pass on to Old Jethro, let me know.

23/05/2016

I was engaged for this project back in October 2015. New build in central Frankfurt, usual story from the building contractors on the lawn: "Let's throw down some earth and grass seeds and that'll do it...". I churned up, re-seeded and top-dressed the lawn in October and again in April. Also cut out the borders and planted shrubs and bulbs. Took the second picture yesterday. Clients are delighted, and their next-door neighbours have retained me to do the same for their garden :-D

12/01/2016

At last it looks like winter is coming to our area, with the latest forecast suggesting temperatures next week will drop to -9 in the Rhein-Main basin - and colder, of course, north and west of the Taunus ridge.

This is good news and bad news: for instance, flower bulbs like a deep frost as it helps them to "set" - and with bulbs, there's more good news: if you have any sitting around in their packets not yet planted, the ground will still be soft enough to put them in - and you'll have a lovely late show! The bad news, of course, is that some plants already think it's spring...so you need to put some protection on anything that's peeking above ground.

If you have a Christmas tree that hasn't dropped its needles, get out your secateurs, snip off the branches, and put these over the emergent plants / flowers. Easy. Alternatively, bubble wrap and packing fleece will also work - but you will need to hold this down with rocks or spikes, lest the wind do its work.

Now's the time to protect delicate shrubs that aren't in containers (if they are in pots, then bring them inside to the coolest part of the house). One of my earlier posts gives advice on things to use that don't cost a fortune from a garden centre ;-)

Finally, don't forget to drain and switch off your outside taps and water features...

16/12/2015

Early-flowering Camellia japonica "Yuletide" living up to its name in a client's city garden. Planted October 2015. The bamboo decking board screen is my work as well: it hides a very ugly ventilation outlet for the underground garage.

13/12/2015

To wrap, or not to wrap; that is the question.

Yet again, winter in the Rhein-Main region is going to come late, or not at all. In fact, the 14-day forecast today says we're not going below 3c overnight, and daytime temperatures will even be in double-digits for a few days.

So: should you wrap your Mediterranean shrubs - olive trees, oleanders, bougainvilleas and the like? My advice right now is "no". Wrapping plants is a "tactical" task, not a "must do it every year" strategy. Watch the weather forecast, and when you see a deep frost a-comin' (that -5c and beyond for a few days), that's the time to tuck in your precious ones.

There's no harm in doing some pre-work by wrapping containers in bubble wrap - two layers deep - as this won't adjust the ambient conditions around the plant, and will save time if / when the cold snap arrives. Don't get suckered in to buying bubble wrap from garden centres: they charge nonsensical prices for a material you can easily buy from Amazon or eBay for next to nothing.

When it comes to the actual shrubs, there's a multitude of choices - from cheap and cheerful fleece, to more pricey coloured or decorated Hessian sacks. Again, garden refuse Jutesäcke from your local post office will do the trick at a fraction of the cost.

Finally, if you'd like to know more about plant hardiness, follow this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardiness_zone and take a look at the map below.

17/11/2015

Here's some sage advice from the experts. Of course, if you have an ornamental lawn, then raking or blowing the leaves is necessary to prevent bare patches. However, don't throw them out - leave them on the borders, as I've always advocated.

The auburn hues of fall may make for one of the most spectacular natural events of the year in certain parts, although they also mark a seasonal increase in yard work for lawn enthusiasts the world over.

22/06/2015

Help! I'm trying to source square rounded-edge paving stones like the ones below. Annoyingly, this picture is a stock image, and not from a supplier. If you have seen pavers like this on your retail travels, please let me know :-)

19/06/2015

In case you were wondering where the lovely weather has gone, just blame it on the Schafskälte! Fear not, loveliness returns next week :-)

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schafsk%C3%A4lte

Die Schafskälte ist eine meteorologische Singularität. Um den 11. Juni (zwischen dem 4. und 20. Juni) gibt es in Mitteleuropa oft einen Kälteeinbruch, der sich vor allem in Deutschland auswirkt. Die Schafskälte tritt nicht jedes Jahr auf. Durch kühle und feuchte aus dem Nordwesten einströmende Luft…

18/06/2015

Today's gig is to turf this little sucker. Did all the prep earlier in the week - including rotovating the subsoil, removing a jungle's-worth of weeds, then mixing in half of a 5 cubic m delivery of lawn soil, leveling then spreading the other half. That's Roland the Roller having a nap bottom right, bless 'im.

The plot is on a gradient roughly back left to front right, and with the curved edge that the client has signed off I'm hoping it will look like the 14th green at Augusta once done :-) Of course, it's pi***ng down...good news for the turf, but it's gonna get messy, folks.

16/06/2015

Sometimes a mundane job, but important for the client, rears its head. As always there's challenges :-) Straightforward garden path to link and match the patio with the driveway (currently lawned). The ground is like concrete - but I will prevail!