August newsletter

NEWSLETTER

CS Garden Designs— August 2011.

To Fellow garden enthusiasts – Sometimes I feel more like a weatherman / lady than professional garden designer! As gardeners, we watch the weather like hawks! In early spring we watch the dreaded ‘frost’ report – cover our tenderly nurtured seedlings and spend an anxious night – “ will they have survived unscathed or will we find what we most dread – dead, or at the very least, damaged seedlings/young plants? “………..

          Once that’s over, we observe the rainfall, is it too dry with inadequate rainfall? Or too wet?  making the soil sticky, particularly clay based soils, either way, the establishment of a healthy root system will be compromised. In summer, the suns warm rays can be inhibited by too much cloud, or it’s warm and damp – ideal for the moulds & mildews to spread like wildfire, or as now – it’s TOO DRY!!

PLANTS & DESIGN.         Whats happening?

Color—In contradiction to my comment in the July newsletter re “colour lasting well into the Autumn,” they seem to be fading fast & I have noticed some trees have also started to develop their Autumn foliage color! All due to the long, long spell of dry weather.

Have a good look at your borders and make a note of where Shrubs with excellent Autumn foliage colour & berries could be used to extend the season of interest.

 RECOMMENDED –

Acers – foliage color, (shade,shelter from wind).

Amelanchier ‘Lamarki’ – foliage colour & berries. (Sun & partial shade)

Skimmia japonica – berries, (shade)

Ceratostigma willmottianum – bright blue flowers,foliage color & berries.

MONTHLY TIPS.

WATER,WATER,MULCH,MULCH!!

Keep dead-heading to encourage longer flowering period.

KEEP FEEDING _  FOLLOW MANUFACTURER GUIDELINES.

PLANTING – any plants planted this month must be kept moist at the base, DO NOT ALLOW the root ball to dry out!

SOIL – If applying a mulch – highly recommended with current ‘dry season’- water soil well before applying mulch.

BUSINESS…………………………… BOOK: PLEASE NOTE -

‘Designing Gardens with Plant Shapes‘ Book written by Carol, publishing date changed to September.                         ISBN no. & stockist details to follow.

·         Busy with planting projects & design work.

·         WORKSHOPS – Running ‘DIY Garden Design workshop Part 2’ in Sept. at RHS Centre, Pershore College.

·         Article on ‘Hospice Gardens’ written by Carol, to be published in the Society of Garden Designers monthly journal.