Read the April 2012 newsletter here - Hampstead Garden Suburb

Garden Girl
aka Caroline Broome
At last spring is here and there are a hundred and one things that need doing. So here
are just a few suggestions that should keep your garden looking tip-top throughout the
season:
Three things to do in spring
1. With the likelihood of a drought and the threat of a hose-pipe ban, here are a few
tips on damage limitation. Water in the evening - if you water in the morning, most of
the water will be lost through evaporation as the temperatures climb during the day.
Do not water the lawn - it may well look like straw but will soon recover after the
rains come, and when mowing - keep the blades on a slightly higher setting than
normal as longer grass will conserve any moisture better. Watering your plants little
and often isn’t beneficial: the water will barely penetrate the soil surface. Far better to
give the borders a good drenching every 3-4 days, aiming at the base of the plants to
enable it to sink right down to the roots, where it is needed. And don’t forget to keep
the lid on your water butt to prevent wildlife from falling in and drowning.
2. Plant summer bulbs now. They add a new dimension to the summer borders,
especially as so many of them flower in July, when there is a natural lull between
early and late summer. Summer bulbs should be planted in spring, when the soil is
beginning to warm up to about 60° F (15.5° C) or more. Compared with more
conventional perennials, they are marvellous value for money and an ideal alternative
to labour-intensive and thirsty summer bedding for providing colourful displays.
Alliums, acidanthera, dahlias, gladioli, gloriosa lilies, liatris, nerines, oxalis, pineapple
lilies, tuberose and tigridia – the list is endless.
3. Even if you don’t mow the lawn regularly, always keep your lawn edges trimmed.
No matter how unruly your borders get, this will maintain the appearance of structure
in your garden presentation.
Three colour combinations to admire
There are so many beautiful perennials in the spring that I can only hope to offer a
few alternative combinations to the mix. My particular favourites are heuchera and
erysimum (perennial wallflower) because they are evergreen, compact and startlingly
colourful.
1. Peach and pastel pink: Heuchera, Georgia Peach; Erysimum, Pastel
Patchwork; Digitalis, Illumination Raspberry; Agastache rupestris,
Hummingbird Mint; Acapulco Salmon and Pink.