Marchin' on

I’m beginning to get excited.

The hard work of planting the daffodils in the autumn is paying off and back ache I got from moving shrubs and small trees seems to have been worth it. Spring bulbs are trumpeting, and buds are swelling.

It is hard not to be caught up in the optimism of spring: there are still plenty of grey and cool days in store but if you look and listen carefully, the buzz of birdlife and the busyness of nesters are evident. And frankly, given world events, that optimism goes a long way right now: it is all good energy and inspiration for designing gardens in Hampshire.

I was recently reading about a 17th Century monk, Brother Lawrence who made a practice of thankfulness whenever he undertook any task, however menial. When gardening or working in the kitchen he repeatedly turned his mind to all his blessings: he made work a time to think of those in need and to prepare himself for love and service to others. That is someone I could learn from.

Tasks this month include:

• Prune and thin winter jasmine (the yellow one) so it doesn’t become too leggy in the coming year. Buddleja can soon be cut back to the desired height: they can really get away so don’t be afraid to take them right down to the ground if needs be.

• Cut back Cornus (dogwood) shrubs to about 75 mm from the ground, unless it is a slow growing variety such as Midwinter fire. For these, cut every few years or just half the stem.

• Salix (willow) grown for colourful stems can now be cut back hard too.

• Clumps of perennials that have become choked or oversized can be divided: use two forks back-to-back, pulling the handles together to pull the plant apart.

• Add fertiliser or well-rotted compost to hungry plants such as roses and clematis as well as containers that have been depleted over the years, of nutrients.

• Prune shrub roses by about one third and thin and cut back climbing roses by about the same. Thin out where climbing roses have become very dense and cut back where they are straggly.

• Keep a close eye on borders where you know weeds will be a problem: try to stay on top of them (I know, I know, easier said than done), by regular hoeing. It knocks them back and makes even the worst perennial weeds more manageable.

• Slugs will begin to make its presence felt. Beer traps, a copper band on pots and grit on the soil will all help to deter them. Failing that, build a pond to encourage frogs!

• When turning compost, be wary of damaging any overwintered wildlife.

• Bundles of hollow stems placed in quiet corners of the garden, will encourage the laying of eggs by insects, including bees.

• Any sort of nesting material left outside, such as wool or hair, is likely to be snapped up by industrious garden birds making their nests for the coming season.

The time of scarcity in winter is receding and the times of abundance approach. I had better watch myself or I will start painting a Maypole or something. Don’t mention the Morris Dancers.

February: warmin' up!

I finally got round to moving some 1.5m tall fruit trees this weekend: the books tell me it is fine to do this now. The swelling buds on the stems told me it was too late to be doing this!

Unfortunately, it could not wait another year. The best advice in these situations is to cut the back the branches of the tree by one-third and to just above an outward facing bud. It is a useful tip when moving any shrub or tree at a less than perfect time of year: by reducing the growth above ground, the root system does not have to work so hard to sustain the plant as it beds into its new location. The more adverse the conditions, the further back the cut should be.

I remember casting a disparaging look over a 2m tall magnolia that had been moved halfway across the south of England, pompously telling the owner that is was bound to die. It didn’t! The owner had been robust with the cutting back and assiduous with the watering. So much for experts.

With the milder than usual weather all about us, there are a number of jobs to be getting on with this month:

• Wisteria can be pruned back to two or three buds and the older, woody growth can be cut to reduce the size of the plant

• In milder areas, or when the warmer weather starts appearing, most hardy shrubs with hollow stems, such as Buddleja davidii and Perovskia can be pruned this month.

• Whilst the tawny coloured stems of ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus and Calamagrostis are a joy to behold in the winter months, especially in the winter sunlight early spring is the time to cut them back to ground level. Wait until new growth can be seen before applying the chop.

• Clean up bamboo where stems have died back or collapsed over winter.

• Trim heathers after they have flowered in order to keep them compact and vigorous.

• Divide snowdrops to distribute them over a wider area.

• Cut back shrub roses by about one third, pruning to just above an outward pointing bud, trying to create an open, “bowl” shape to the rose. Cut off any suckers emerging from the root stock.

• Bird life will be looking to nest in spring so ensure all hedge trimming and renovation is completed by the end of the month.

• Nesting boxes will be sought out by birds but try to either build them or buy them from a sustainable source.

Don’t be afraid to start ringing the changes in your garden in preparation for the coming season. With so little growth above ground at this time of year, it is an ideal window to become a shaker and a mover. Just watch your back: I don’t know many people who are at their fittest and most supple in cold, damp February!

January: early days

Some of the daffodils in my garden have been coming up since New Year’s Day: have they not read the package they came in? How rude. Don’t they understand that they are a month or two early and this is England where we like to do things on time?!

The unseasonal warmth has quickly been replaced here by uneven temperatures ranging from miserable and wet to sparkling and bright. I must admit to planning much of my week around the weekly forecast: if there is sunshine on offer, I am out there like a shot away from my laptop and being a Hampshire garden designer.

Fortunately, the brightest day so far coincided with the twelfth day of Christmas – ideal for clearing the decks of Christmas cards and decorations in preparation for the year to come.

In many ways that is what this month’s garden tasks are about: ensuring that ties and bindings are secure and clearing up wind blown debris and making sure everything is set for the rapid growth in Spring:

• Brush and spread worm casts that appear on the lawn.

• Cut new edges to the lawn where needed: the soil will be damp and therefore easier to slice.

• Keep your lawn as free from old leaves and debris as possible: these can inhibit light and cause mould.

• Mole activity is most obvious in January and February due to mating and nest making. Remove the earth mounds and sow grass seed in spring.

• Spike areas of the lawn that are prone to water logging using a fork

• Be careful not to tread on areas where bulb shoots are emerging.

• Check tree ties and stakes. The cold winter winds can knock newly established plants all over the place. Give plants added protection if necessary.

• Plant bare-root trees, shrubs and fruit.

• Tidy up any unruly plants, especially climbers, that may have been dislodged in high winds.

• Make the most of the lack of vegetation on most plants to get into shrubberies to remove brambles and self-seeded saplings.

There is much to look forward to and, much already giving scent and colour. Getting back to work and routine is always something of a shock, but the compensations are always there.

Glad you planted those bulbs in Autumn? Put it in the diary again for this year!

Happy New Year!

December: sparks in the darkness

The change in light is unmistakable at this time of year. The dark and slightly threatening skies are a contrast to the vivid red and orange streaks sometime seen in sunset. And there are the Christmas lights, the candles and the festivities – almost a necessity for the human spirit as we bed down for the winter and the shorter days.

Splashes of brightness are there in the plant world too if you have the eyes to see them. The yellow of the winter jasmine (Jasmine nudiflorum) stands out against its dark green foliage. Soon the berries of the holly, the firethorn (Pyracantha) and the pink flowers of the fragrant viburnum (Viburnum fragrans) can be picked out in the lower light levels.

When the bright days arrive and you have time for the garden, there are a number of tasks to get to:

• Make sure outdoor taps are insulated against the frost, either by wrapping them in cloth, bubble wrap or by draining them and turning off their water supply

• Prune acers, birches and vines now as they are less likely to “bleed” sap at this time of year

• Secure plants that may get blown around by the wind, especially climbers and newly planted trees

• Deciduous hedges such as beech and hornbeam can be renovated now. If drastic reduction is needed, then this task is best done over several winters

• Keep raking the leaves off the lawn as grass that does not get oxygen and light will soon become mouldy and start to deteriorate

• In order to improve drainage, use a fork to spike areas of the lawn that usually get flooded

• Hellebores that have very small flowers can be greatly improved by cutting off the leaves that obscure the flowers

• Prune open grown apples: refer to books or the net for more advice on this as the extent of pruning depends on the age and type of plant

• Old footballs can be used in ponds to prevent total coverage by ice. This helps the fish and wildlife by maintaining more even oxygen levels in the water.

• Add organic matter to heavy, claggy soil and let the worms do the work: they will be more far more effective than tramping and compressing the soil structure if you try to dig it when wet.

• Water evergreens in containers as wind can draw out a lot of moisture and dehydrate them.

• Try to keep off the lawns in frost as footprints will leave their mark.

Don’t be afraid to make the most of what is out there for adding to the festive decorations: yews, pittosporums, viburnums and mahonias all have evergreen foilage that will bring a taste of the wild into your house.

You won’t be the first to do this: it has been done for centuries and now is the one time of year when bringing half your garden into your house is considered normal.

Go for it: a fine habit I say.

November: the old and the new

When the skies have not been filled with exploding fireworks, I have been enjoying the recent clear nights. I must have joined millions and millions of others through the ages gazing up at the unending sparkling display.

Which is why I find the trees in our local Romsey high street all the more fascinating: they belong to the genus Ginkgo, which extend back to the Middle Jurassic period approximately 170 million years ago and there is fossil evidence that the genus existed as far back as 290 million years ago. This is way longer than any other commonly used plants.

With male and female trees and a reproductive system akin to ferns, they are elegant, interesting and let’s face it, tough to have lasted that long. They are also pretty good to stare at if you are in a queue: it kind of puts waiting into perspective! There are various small and narrow forms that can be bought and depending on the size of your outdoor space, well worth considering as an addition to your garden.

Now is a good time to plant trees: try to do your homework to check that you are not giving yourself (or your neighbours) a headache for the future. Over pruned and over trimmed trees always look distorted to me as they are never seen in their full glory: plant breeders are constantly developing varieties that will be suitable for urban gardens where space is a premium. As a Hampshire garden designer based in Romsey I need to keep an eye on these developments.

On the maintenance side, there is plenty to do to get your garden in order before the winter sets in:

• Now is the time of year to prune Japanese maples. Make sure you cut right back to the branch or stem so as not to leave a “clothes peg”!

• Raking leaves can seem to be an endless task, but it is worth it. Firstly, it allows the lawn to breathe and reduces the chance of mould developing. Secondly, the leaves are good news in a compost heap when a layer of soil is added every 30 cm or so.

• Burning leaves is another way of processing them: the ash is good for the soil as it is high on potassium - the element that encourages fruit and flowers. Add any diseased plant material to the fire too including rose leaves that have black spot.

• Make a note of any attractive autumn-coloured shrubs: you may want to use them as part of your own garden improvements.

• Put rabbit guards on new trees to stop them gnawing at the bark if food is scarce in a harsh winter. Check tree ties too: loosen ones that are too tight as this can inhibit the flow of sap and therefore nutrients, around the tree.

• Prune shrub and standard roses by about a third in order that the wind does not rock them (!) and damage the root system.

• Lift pots and containers off the ground by a few centimetres and give them “feet” of tiles or stone to avoid water logging. Pots that are fragile should have their winter wrap to prevent frost damage: bubble wrap is effective.

• Continue to mow lawns until the frosts come in, raising your blade to the maximum height as the month goes on.

• Leave ivy untrimmed as it will produce berries as valuable food for the birds in the spring. Clean and fill bird feeders and put out fat balls.

It is hard not to be feel awe inspired when looking at the many and varied ways that trees have developed through the ages. They are the lungs of the world, provide buiding materials, our food, our medicine, sometimes our fuel and more recently have been valued as part of our recreation and essential contributors to our mental health.

Thinking of buying someone something special for this year? Look no further!

October: golden glow!

Gold is definitely already the colour of the season for me!

Last weekend I visited Chelsea Flower Show and not only did pals of mine win several gold medals with the outstanding Psalm 23 sanctuary garden, but the flavour of the show and the plant highlights had a golden glow.

As we enter autumn and hopefully enjoy the last of the summer wine, we can expect to be treated to those days of startling blue skies bringing out the oranges, golds and reds of the season. These are days to be savoured.

When you are not leaning on your rake sipping a cuppa as you stare at the falling leaves(highly recommended), some of the jobs to be done this month are:

• Pruning roses to prevent damage during the windy, winter months. As a rough rule of thumb, prune shrub and bush roses back by about a third. Climbers and ramblers can be thinned by about a third too.

• Plant trees and shrubs once the wet and the cold are really here.

• With the longer summers, bulbs such as daffodils and crocus can be planted: remember to plant them deep enough (ideally, 3 x their bulb size).

• Get your compost area primed and ready for the autumn: make sure you have a waterproof cover as this will help retain the heat. Old carpet or sheets are ideal. If you can have your compost heap on soil rather than a hard surface, you will give access to those all-important worms.

• Harvest your fruit but bear in mind that if you don’t remove all the protecting netting, you will allow birds to feed off those pesky pests.

• Cut back the perennials that have died down, but again, think about leaving plants that have seeds for the winter birdlife.

• This is the best time of year for lawn repairs as the soil is still warm and the amount of rainfall is increasing. For the best results, undertake the three main jobs of scarifying, aerating and applying topsoil.

• Pots and containers can easily become waterlogged in winter. By taking them off their saucers and by giving them “feet” to keep them off the ground, you will ensure good drainage.

There was something of a sense of triumph at this year’s Chelsea: the show was able to go ahead despite the postponement from spring due to you-know-what and all the blood sweat and tears paid off. There was something of a sense of celebration that we were able to get out, get together and get it together.

Surely that is worth its weight in gold …and long may it continue!

September: chopping and changing

Something tells me summer might be over. Maybe it is the cost of holidays, maybe it is the number of schoolchildren now gathering in sweetshops or maybe it is the fact that the evenings are considerably chillier!

Plant growth will slow down now and given how wet some of the summer has been and just how many weeds exploded into life, that is probably not a bad thing. Whilst herbaceous plants have never looked better, bindweed, ground elder and docks have all followed suit.

When the opportunity arises, it is a good idea to spread mulch of some sort around the bases of trees and shrubs as well as on the beds. This will at least give you a head start against the weeds next year as well as helping keep in moisture and provide some nutrition if you use well rotted manure or compost.

One thing to be especially wary of at this time of year is an incredibly annoying and destructive insect called vine weevil. They make irregular notches on the edge of leaf margins and the grubs feed on root systems of herbaceous plants. Heuchera are especially vulnerable. Biological control is the most environmentally friendly way to address this problem: nematodes (impossibly tiny worms) can be bought online and applied as a saturated powder. Despite the apparent lack of action when applied, it is a very effective solution to a very trying problem.

When not partaking in insect wars and designing gardens in Hampshire, there are plenty of garden jobs to do in September:

• Beech and hornbeam can be given a light trim to keep them neat throughout the winter. As semi-evergreens they provide useful screening

• Deadheading will still produce results, especially with Dahlias that can look good until the first frosts.

• Be selective when cutting back your herbaceous plants: many of them will provide seeds for wildlife as well as being attractive in the winter frosts and sunlight

• Raking out the thatch from your lawn (scarifying) and using a fork or an aerator to spike your lawn will improve drainage and the quality of your lawn. Where there are bare patches, sowing seed over spread topsoil and feeding the lawn in spring will give a fresh, green appearance.

• Divide herbaceous perennials that have become too big for their spot: it is remarkable how many plants can be teased out of one large clump. Be generous and give some of it away: you are very likely to have the compliment returned.

• If you have a pond near a tree, it is worth placing a net over the water to catch the leaves when they descend in autumn

• Eke out the last colour in your pots and hanging baskets by trimming off the dead growth and feeding with liquid fertiliser.

If you need a bit of a “pick-me-up” then maybe think about ordering bulbs to be planted this autumn to come out in spring. Don’t hold back – if you buy daffodils in bulk for example, they as cheap as chips.

Too many plants in the garden? Nah, no such thing. If anyone complains you can ask them if they prefer weeding or enjoying the spectacle of borders bursting with life? No contest.

August: wet and weedy

I feel rather sorry for those responsible for keeping lawns, hedges and borders trimmed this month. The wet and warm weather have boosted plant growth, including every sort of weed under the sun!

Whilst the rain has dampened surfaces and the soil, it is worth noting that when I recently dug in a plant, I saw that all this rain had barely penetrated 25mm (an inch) down. Hanging baskets and pots will still need watering as will plants introduced in the past year.

Plants and borders can get a bit raggedy at this time of year, especially if there are high winds: it is worth trimming, dead heading and tying back where they are becoming unruly. Geraniums and Dicentra particularly benefit from this treatment. As a Hampshire garden designer I try to give my clients as much direction as possible for their new borders.

Where weeds such as bindweed have begun conquering borders, a bare minimum of pulling off what you can manage will at least stifle its progress. I recently painted some leaves of bindweed that was smothering a large rose: the result wasn’t instant, but it was certainly effective and after a month the bindweed shrivelled up in a very satisfactory manner. I don’t like using weedkiller if I can help it but the judicious use of Roundup or something similar, can often be the only way to tackle a weed problem if time is limited.

Regular hoeing will gradually weaken bindweed, ground elder and horsetail. It is bit like our recent global health challenge - you have to keep at it to bring about change!

Hopefully, many of the folk I know are able to take a well-earned break, especially if they feel it is not well earned. Everyone I know needs a break.

If you are not out and about or away on a trip, the following jobs are good to get done this month:

• Dead head herbaceous plants, not forgetting dahlias and roses: these will all usually give you repeat flowering later in the year.

• Wisteria will need their summer prune. This gives a chance for light and air to ripen sturdier growth and produce better flowers. The technique is to cut back the whippier new tendrils to about 5 x buds, to just above the bud. Do not forget that Wisterias need another chop in late winter.

• Keep ponds topped up with water, preferably “grey” water collected from roof run off. Try to avoid using a hose when everyone in the neighbourhood is having a shower or washing up: they won’t thank you when the water pressure drops!

• Cut back rambling roses when they have finished flowering. Be brutal -they are!

• Hedges can be given a final trim before their growth begins to slow down in September.

• Black spot on roses is very common at this time of year: clear fallen leaves and burn them to prevent spread.

Make the most of this wet august: the hedgerows in the countryside are stunning with all sorts of wild flowers bursting out and competing for space. That isn’t the best of it: not only can you enjoy the show, you can relax in the knowledge that you won’t have to do any weeding, trimming, feeding or watering!

July: buzzing around!

July is a month when the natural world can often seem at its fullest. The heat of August has not yet taken its toll when leaves, crops and grasses can become crisp with dryness.

The extent to which the weather affects plant and insect life came home to me recently when I lived in shepherd’s hut in a meadow for a few days: the variety of insect life was astonishing - and a bit too close for comfort at times! The weather had clearly impacted the growth rate of habitats and therefore the wildlife being hosted. This, in turn, affected the number and types of predators. I think the term “world wide web” has been attached to the wrong phenomenon!

When you are not gazing at spider’s webs, looking up to spot birds of prey on a country walk or picking out bugs that are a bit too up close and personal, there are plenty of jobs to be getting on with:

• Water your containers and newly planted trees and shrubs: it is surprising how quickly they will dry out.

• Deadhead roses and keep an eye out for signs of powdery mildew, blackspot or rust. Prevention is always better than cure so water, feed and pick off rust or blackspot affected leaves.

• Cut back delphiniums and geraniums after the first flush of flowers to encourage a second flowering period. Feed after cutting them back.

• Prune June-flowering shrubs such as Philadelphus and Weigela after flowering. Prune deciduous magnolias if necessary.

• Prune Wisteria in cooler areas, waiting until next month in warmer counties to prevent the plant producing too much new growth after pruning. Cut back to 5 or 6 leaves.

• Fast-growing hedges such as Leyland cypress should be clipped as necessary throughout the growing season. Clip topiary to the desired shapes.

• Box plants and hedges have been increasingly susceptible to damage by caterpillars in recent years. If you find any, pick them off or spray them but be aware that warm, wet weather can cause leaf drop due to box blight fungal infection.

• If your floral displays need perking up give them a weekly shot of high-potassium liquid fertiliser. Deadhead the flowers when they are over.

• Lawn growth begins to slow this month and by mowing as little as possible, lawn “weeds” can flower providing food for pollinating insects.

• The bird population will appreciate keeping the bird bath topped up but by keeping them clean, you prevent the spread of diseases such as bird pox.

• Ponds are never maintenance-free! Thin out vigorous oxygenating plants leaving the prunings on the side of the pond to allow the aquatic creatures back into the water. Try to keep about 30% of the water clear of plants.

• Baby hedgehogs will be looking for sustenance this month: leaving the slugs for them to eat and ensuring ponds gently sloped access points will help.

• Try to use your hose outside the times when the water system is most in demand bearing in mind that “grey water” from water butts, cleaning and run-off is the best option.

The natural world is never static and the constantly shifting patterns and populations of wildlife are testimony to this. Five years ago, there were two buzzards living in a nearby woodland: they have been pushed out by the arrival of pairs of red kites.

What can I do in my little patch to encourage a diverse insect (including bee) life? And by the way, I have yet to see a much cared-for space encouraging wildlife that is ugly. Truth and beauty – the eternal twins!

June: green fireworks!

I must have a short memory.

Every June I go out into the garden and the countryside and say to myself “WOW - I didn’t expect this to be so good!”. Maybe I have a goldfish gene pattern but this year more than ever I have been struck by the majesty of the trees, the hedgerows and the wildflowers. If you need inspiration, find a horse chestnut tree in the next week and stare. Yes, that is it. Just stare at it for several minutes - I dare you!

In fairness to my tiny brain, the spring showers has meant that everything is more lush than last year when we experienced a spring drought. Now, it is as if everything has been holding back like a taut bow and is finally able to show its full glory. It is a stretch to get away from being a garden designer based in Hampshire when I have so much to do in the garden!

I guess us humans are a bit like that too after the past year.

As an anti-dote, may I suggest you do not hold back with the summer bedding, the fresh paint on the shed, the tasteful repainting of outside walls and, dare I say it, some bunting for special occasions. With so many images of gardens and courtyards on the net, ideas have never been so accessible. Pots, tiles, coloured glass, broken ceramics, beads, mirrors, outside lighting (even wellies!) can all have a place if used judiciously with an eye to the style of the house and garden.

The trick is to integrate these ideas into the garden design as a whole, so there isn’t just one corner with an overload of concepts. With lighting especially, less is often more, but much can be achieved by using a careful touch.

So, when you are not going playing with new ideas, there are plenty of jobs to do this month:

• Putting out summer bedding hanging baskets and bedding now the frosts are over.

• Cutting down the stems of the spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils.

• Cutting and clipping Privet, box and evergreen honeysuckle hedges (Lonicera nitida)

• Philadelphus, Kolkwitzia, Weigela and Deutzia can all be pruned after they have flowered. In doing so the new growth will have time to develop in order that they may flower the following year.

• Give Clematis montana a good hacking if needed when they are over (they can take it!) and tie in other climbers.

• Remove stems of any variegated plants that are reverting to their original colour or the whole plant will ‘revert’.

• Divide Hosta as they come into growth and fill out any gaps in the borders with bedding.

• Stay on top of the weeds, especially the thugs such as ground elder, bindweed, mare’s tail and bramble: nothing like a spade to get them out.

• Give ailing plants a shot of liquid feed as that is the best way to give them a lift.

• Keep a close eye on the soil moisture levels as newly established plants can easily suffer.

• Evergreens such as Viburnum tinus and Choisya can also be cut and shaped once they have flowered.

• Roses can be deadheaded to encourage repeat flowering when they fade. Do this by cutting just above the first leaf below the faded bloom.

• Keep your lawn trimmed and edged but do not go mad if drought conditions appear.

As we know, there is still quite a journey to be made, but we have come an awfully long way in the past year. I, for one, will be celebrating that. Somehow, each year, I always seem to remember the strawberries and cream.