Update your garden this season with a little advice from a green fingered goddess... read more
The recent nicer weather has driven us all out into the garden to spruce up our outdoor space. You see the mess that has been left behind after winter and wait until the perfect weather opportunity to start planting new season bulbs and watching them bloom. Our go to gardening blogger Mary from My Model Mummy knows a thing or two about how best to turn your garden into an oasis so see what she’s planting in time for summer.
The garden is really coming to life this month and it seems spring bulbs are giving much more enjoyment than I had previously given them credit for. Flowers, and I am sure many of you agree will never fail to put a smile on one’s face. I am now onto the next chapter of my gardening season and I have started preparing for the summer.
As a garden stylist and writer, I often have readers and friends approach me with many different questions. The most popular complaint I hear time and time again is “Oh I wish I could grow flowers like this but I just do not have time”. Great news – you can!
I have been spreading the word this year about the benefits, ease and versatility of container gardening for either a practical outcome or for the visual appeal that summer flowers can provide. All you will need to transform your garden, patio or terrace is some good quality pots and planters, soil and your chosen plants or flowers. I prefer to use better quality compost as I know once popped into the pot it will contain all the nutrients my plants need to enable them to thrive and last longer with minimal upkeep. I am delighted that Laura Ashley are retailing* these attractive pots for the summer season as I am known to plant for the aesthetics and I am certainly partial to a good pot or two.
In my garden this season I am using the Laura Ashley duck egg blue cone planters. They come in a range of sizes and are made of terracotta with a shiny exterior. There is a drainage hole in the bottom and they feel light enough to transport around the garden yet sturdy enough to withhold shrubs against the elements. It is a good idea to choose where you are going to place your pots for the summer and continue to plant them up in that one area, save yourself time, money and effort by planting on top of newspaper or a large plastic sack. This will eliminate mess and you can save any soil that you may spill whilst potting your blooms.
I have chosen a camellia plant to display in the tall cone, which is 23cm in length. My camellia plant is a pink blush and with the colours of both the pot and flowers give a pop of much needed summer fun in the garden. My camellia plant has been placed by my front door and gives off a cheery welcome. You can purchase in garden centres this time of year and transfer from plastic pot to planter along with compost. Camellia plants thrive on rainwater so do not be afraid to let your pots sit out in the uncertain UK weather.
My next project was to fill two Laura Ashley duck egg 19 cm cones. The first pot I had filled with spring hyacinth bulbs which are in full bloom, along with some purple allium which will make an appearance in the coming months and the second planter I am using to grow some cut flower sweet peas. Sweet pea is my favourite flower but has terribly long roots. I am really pleased to have found a tall planter to house my peas whilst I can reap the benefits of watching them grow in the mornings by the front door on the patio. They are easy to maintain and within reach of optical enjoyment. I have already used growing canes inside my soil to enable the peas to latch on and work their way up the poles ready for flowering.
And lastly, I have used the Laura Ashley duck egg trough planter to add a much-needed splash of colour to a pebbled area at the back of our house. Our area is clean but fairly shaded and as we live in a small village it is the permanent spot seen from over the fence by visitors and ramblers wanting a taste of the ultimate country life. I just purchased these two plants from the garden centre and instantly potted them up with a really good drink of fresh water. I was able to walk into the garden centre and ask the shopkeeper to assist me by explaining the type of area I wanted to keep my plants and the weather conditions for that area. My bright pink blooms love the shade and look really great from the other side of the garden fence.
Container gardening is the way to garden for 2017!
*Available at garden centres nationwide. Manufactured under license by APTA
Isn’t Mary’s Garden blooming lovely? Update your garden up this season with our garden collection and let us know below or on Twitter @LauraAshleyUK how you’re updating your outdoor space.