Blade Gardens

04/04/2024

As the days get longer and it starts to warm up 🤞, here are some jobs for the garden:

🌿 Look after that lawn. If we do get a dry day, try and get some regular mowing in. Cut the grass long for now. Rake out any moss and reseed any gaps.
🌿 Dead-head spring flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips. This’ll help the plant concentrate on putting energy back into the bulb rather than making seeds. This will mean they will die back quicker.
🌿 Prune Hydrangeas. Now that the danger of really hard frosts is passed, cut off any old flower heads and reshape. Cutback to where a new shoot is sprouting.
🌿 Sow annuals into any gaps in your borders. I like to use wildflowers like poppies, cornflowers and oxeye daisy, but any hardy annuals will be fine.
🌿 Tie back climbers like honeysuckle and clematis before they get too big.

17/07/2023

Looking for some jobs to do in the garden between the rain showers? The warmth and much needed moisture in the soil is going to really give your garden a boost. Here are some jobs for this week:
🌿 W**d, w**d, w**d! The recent rains are going to spark lots of w**d germination. Either use a hoe or hand pick the w**ds from your pots and beds.
🌿 Deadhead any flowering plants. This will help to keep them neat and stimulate more flowers. Once any woody plants have finished flowering it's time to cut them back to stimulate lots of flowering growth for next year.
🌿 Keep your eye out for pests. I avoid the use of pesticides, either brush them off with your fingers or use a fine spray from the hose. Keep this up and they'll soon be on the retreat.
🌿 Cut back herbaceous perennials, like hardy geraniums, that have finished flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers.
🌿 Feed and water your pots and hanging baskets. Don't let them dry out. It's best to do this either early morning or in the evening.
🌿 Mow the lawn. Cut your grass regularly to keep it healthy and neat. Cut it on a higher setting during the dry weather to help keep it healthy and reduce the need to water. Consider leaving a patch uncut if you've got a large enough lawn.
🌿 Trim your hedges now that the birds have finished nesting (do double check in case they're having a second brood).

05/06/2021

Want some hints for things to do in the garden this weekend?
Now that the temperatures have picked up, and there’s lots of moisture in the soil the garden will be taking off. Here are some pointers:

🌿 The warmth and moisture will have the w**d seeds germinating. Keep on top of them now and you’ll have an easy summer. Sharpen your hoe and use it whenever the sun is out.

🌿 Now that ‘May is out’ it’s time to plant out your summer bedding plants. There’s loads in the supermarkets now. Plant up your hanging baskets and keep them well watered.

🌿 Dead-head any flowering plants. Pinch or snip off any flower heads that are past their best. This will encourage the plant to produce more flowers.

🌿 Tidy up those spent spring bulbs. Cut back the dead foliage and either lift or leave the bulbs in situ. If you lift them, dry them out and keep them in a cool dry place, ready to replant them in the autumn.

🌿 Support your herbaceous plants that will flop over under the weight of the flowers. You can buy supports, or make them out of stakes and string. Try to get it done before the plants actually need the support.

🌿 Tie up any new growth from climbers such as clematis.

🌿 Take care of the lawn. Keep the cut as high as you can tolerate, as it’ll make the grass stronger and better able to cope with any drought conditions. Little and often will help to keep the grass healthy and green.

🌿 It’s still time to do a Chelsea chop on any herbaceous perennials that flower early such as hardy geraniums. Cut about half of it back by a third to prolong the flowering season.

🌿 Don’t forget to water any newly planted plants, and pots & hanging baskets in dry weather.

Enjoy the glorious weather.

Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more gardening hints and tips to help you keep your garden as good as you deserve.

22/05/2021

Are you looking for some hints for the garden?

🌿 W**d, w**d, w**d. Get that hoe out and keep on top of those w**ds. The recent wet weather will have them germinating. Keep on top of them now and you'll have an easy summer!
🌿 Plant up a herb garden. Whether in it's own bed or a pot, now is a great time to plant up herbs for the kitchen. Just be sure to keep mint separate as it's a bully.
🌿 Put out food and water for birds. They're busy this time of the year, so need all the help you can give them. Just be sure to keep the food and water away from any cover for the neighbourhood cat.
🌿 As this is normally the time of year for the Chelsea flower show, now is the time to do the 'Chelsea Chop.' This means cutting about a third off of part of hardy herbaceous perennials such as geraniums. This will delay flowering for this part of the plant, extending the flowering season.
🌿 Tie in any stray new growth from climbing plants such as honeysuckle and clematis.
🌿 Sow annual seeds directly into beds. This is a great way to fill any gaps in the beds. W**d, gently rake over the bed, sow the seeds and lightly pass the rake back over.
🌿 Cut the grass. Keep on top of the grass cutting now that it's in full growth mode. Cut your lawn once a week to keep it thick and healthy.

Have a great week in the garden Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram to get gardening hints and tips for keeping your garden as good as you deserve.

16/05/2021

Here are some things to do in the garden this weekend:

🌿 Edge your lawn. Use a spade, lawn edging iron or old bread knife to tidy up the edges of your lawn to really help the garden look great this summer.
🌿 Support your herbaceous plants. Use bamboo canes, woody cuttings or even make some supports from wires to hold up all that green growth before the weight of the flowers pulls them down.
🌿 Prune any early flowering woody plants. To allow lots of growth this year, for next years flowers, cut back any woody plants that have finished flowering. Make sure to check for any bird nests before you start, and leave Magnolias well alone unless they've really gone out of control, as they definitely look better unpruned.
🌿 Deadhead any bulbs like Tulips of Daffodils after the flowers have finished. This will encourage the plant to put all it's effort into resupplying the bulb, and get the leaves to die back quicker.
🌿 Take cuttings. Any non-flowering new growth is great for propagating into new plants. Cut them off just below a leaf bud, snip off the leaves and slot them down the side of a plant pot. Keep the soil moist for free new plants.
🌿 Make a compost heap. Use some old pallets, wood or invest in a new one. Place it in an unused part of the garden, on the soil and let the worms turn your cuttings into black gold to feed your garden next year.

Don't get too upset about the rain, the soil needs it. Enjoy your garden and don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more gardening hints and tips for keeping your garden as good as you deserve.

15/05/2021

Be sure to check out our updated website www.bladegardens.co.uk as well as following us on all social media.

Lawns, hedges, ponds or natural pools & tree surgery. Blade Gardens designs, builds and maintains. Big or small we can help.

25/04/2021

Need some garden jobs to keep you busy this lovely weekend?

🌿 Support your herbaceous perennials. Any herbaceous perennials that flop over under the weight of their flowers, like Peonies, need supporting. Either individually staked or run string between a number of stakes to support the plants. Do it now before the plants fall over.
🌿 Put out water for the birds. It’s very dry at the moment (where have all the April showers gone?), and they’re hard at work. A shallow bowl will do, just make sure it’s not too close to anywhere a cat might be able to hide.
🌿 Now that it’s warming up, it’s a great time to sort your lawns. Either hire a scarifier or get a good workout by raking out the thatch. Use a garden fork or hollow tanged aerator to put holes in the soil, relieving compaction. Then over-seed. It’s very dry, so unless we get some rain, lots of watering is required.
🌿 Keep deadheading any spring bulbs. This’ll help the leaves to die back quicker, as the plants aren’t wasting time on making seeds.
🌿 Sow hardy annual seeds directly outside. Either into pots, or directly into the flower beds where you’d like them to flower. Rake the beds over to a fine tilth, sow and water with a fine spray.
🌿 Keep on top of the w**ding. Use a hoe on the beds and pick w**ds out of your pots. Keep on top of it now and you’ll be glad of it this summer.

Enjoy the fine weather. Don’t forget your sun cream, there’s plenty of red faces out there. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter to get more hints and tips to help you keep your garden as good as you deserve.

18/04/2021

As the weather begins to warm up after a very cold beginning to Spring, here are some garden jobs for the week to come:

🌿 W**d your beds. Get the hoe out, as the warm weather will get the w**d seeds germinating. Keep on top of them now and the rest of the year will be easier.

🌿 Sow hardy annual seeds directly into the beds where you’d like to see them flower this summer. Make sure the bed is w**d free, gently rake it over and sow the seeds directly into the bed as instructed on the packet.

🌿 Edge lawns. Use an edging spade or knife to tidy up the edges of lawns, it’ll make a massive difference to the look of the lawn.

🌿 Dead-head bulbs. Once bulbs like daffodils and tulips are past their best, pinch off the flower heads. This will concentrate the plant on feeding the bulb for next year, rather than making seed. It’ll help the leaves to die back quicker too.

🌿 Stake or support herbaceous growth like peonies now, before they start to flop.

🌿 Water pots. There’s been little of the promised April showers so far this year. Don’t let your potted plants dry out.

🌿 Mulch any bare soil. It’ll help keep the w**ds at bay and retain water during the hopefully dry summer days. Make sure the beds are thoroughly watered before you apply the mulch though!

Enjoy the warming weather and longer days. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for more gardening hints and tips to help you keep your garden as good as you deserve.

17/03/2021

The daffodils are in full swing, the early blossom is out and the buds are starting to fill with colour. Spring is on it’s way!
Do you want a few jobs to get ready for the garden to come back to life?

🌿 Prune back shrubs that flower in the second half of the year - like buddleia, late flowering clematis and climbing roses.
🌿 Move any perennials now if you didn’t like where they were last year.
🌿 W**d your borders and paths. The warming weather has the w**d seeds germinating.
🌿 Tidy any herbaceous stems that have been left over winter.
🌿 Deadhead early flowering bulbs. Cut back flowers that are past their best and the plant will put all its energy into restocking the bulb rather than creating seed. You’ll be able to cut it back earlier.
🌿 Sow hardy annual seeds directly into the beds where you want them to flower.
🌿 Mulch your beds while the soil is still damp. This will add nutrients and help retain water in the drier summer months.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more gardening hints and tips. Enjoy the warming weather!

23/01/2021

Would you like a few things to do in the garden this week?

🌿 Trim climbers from around your windows and gutters.

🌿 Prune buddleia. Now is a great time to prune buddleia - the butterfly bush. You can prune it back hard, to the base if you like, and it’ll come back with lots of flowers.

🌿 W**d. It was a mild autumn, and the w**ds did well. Now is a great time to get on top of them before they take off in the spring. Use an old knife to lift them out of paths or cracks in paving.

🌿 We’re due a cold spell. Warm up by turning the compost heap. Compost benefits from being turned as this adds oxygen, allowing the bacteria to feed.

🌿 Move shrubs. Any of those structural plants that don’t look right where they are can be moved now. It’ll give their roots time to settle before spring kicks in.

🌿 Get your petrol mower serviced. Either have it serviced by a professional or do the basics yourself, but have the mower serviced before it’s needed for the spring flush.

🌿 Make a bird box. If it’s too cold or wet to be in the garden, make a bird box. The RSPB have plans online https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-families/family-wild-challenge/activities/build-a-birdbox/

Wrap up warm and enjoy your garden, or the great outdoors in general. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for gardening hints and tips to help you keep your garden as good as you deserve.

20/01/2021

Need some pointers for the garden this week?
The weather may be very changeable, but you’ll be grateful in the spring for anything you can do now:

🌿 Cut back the old leaves from your hellebores, particularly if it’s suffering from black spot. They’ll soon be replaced by new growth.

🌿 Plant up bare root trees or hedging. Now’s a great time to plant trees or hedges. Buying bare root will save you money and the tree will flourish in it’s new soil.

🌿 Refesh pots. Scrape off the top 2” of old soil from any permanent pots and replace with nice new compost. This will add nutrition to the soil and reduce the w**ds.

🌿 Take hardwood cuttings of plants like roses. Cut about an 8” length of a healthy, straight branch. Cut the top diagonally above a bud and the bottom straight cut below a bud. Insert about 3/4 below ground in a slit trench. Keep damp through the spring and summer.

🌿 Service your tools. Clean up and sharpen all your hand tools. Always keep your secateurs sharp and disinfected to keep your plants healthy; but now is the time to do this really well. Sharpen all blades and oil all mechanisms.

🌿 Check bird boxes. Check your bird boxes to make sure they’re secure and clear out any old nesting material. It’s good practice to disinfect them if you can too.

Happy gardening and don’t forget to follow use on Instagram and Twitter for regular tips on keeping your garden as good as you deserve.

11/07/2020

The sun’s back ☀️
Do you need some tips for the garden, now that it’s calling you again?

🌿 Cut that lawn - the recent wet weather will have given the grass a new lease of life. Little and often, and don’t cut it too short as there’s plenty of dry weather on the way!
🌿 Cut back spring and early flowering perennials - trim back the perennials that have finished flowering to keep them looking tidy.
🌿 Dead-head - pinch or snip off all flowers that are past their best. Pinch them off just above the next leaf spur. This will keep them looking tidy and encourage more flowers.
🌿 Cut back Hardy Geraniums - when they’ve finished flowering, cut flower stems and leaves back to the base, being careful not to damage the crown. You might be lucky and get a second flush of flowers!
🌿 Pick Sweet Pea flowers to encourage more flowering - clear off all flowers every 10 days or so to encourage a fresh flush of flowers.
🌿 Thin apples to 1 or 2 per cluster - if you’re lucky enough to have an apple tree, thin the fruit clusters to 1 or 2 fruit to allow the remaining apples to mature well.
🌿 Look after your pond - clear all pond w**ds and algae regularly to keep the pond looking at it’s best. If you can, dead-head and trim all dying foliage of pond plants to encourage healthy growth and prevent rotting debris in the pond.
🌿 Tend your pots - keep planting up and watering your pots. Give them a feed every couple of weeks to encourage lots of growth. Dead-head to keep them looking fresh and encourage more flowers.
🌿 W**d, w**d, w**d - get out the hoe and keep on top of the w**ds. There’ll be lots of new shoots thanks to the recent wet weather.

Happy gardening, and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.