Author Archives: Tammy Falloon

Hydrangeas

Heavenly Hydrangeas

We’re having a late spring/early summer show of heavenly hydrangeas at our Clyst St Mary Garden Centre.

 

At St Bridget’s we grow six different species of hydrangea! The most showy of these are Mop-heads (Hydrangea macrophylla).
Hydrangea plants are versatile shrubs for any garden, they can put up with soils many other plants can’t tolerate so they’re a great go-to shrub for that problem patch.
Hydrangea flowers change colour depending on the acidity of your soil.
Acid soils turns the blooms blue whilst alkaline makes them pink!
Hydrangea colourant and simple soil testing kits are available in store though we always suggest checking before making a special journey. Simply email us via gardening@stbridgetnurseries.co.uk
Primula Apple Blossom

Primrose Festival 2020 Results

During February Half Term we held our third Primrose Festival. Despite the rather grim weather, the week celebrated the glorious colour from the primula family of plants. We had over 12 different varieties of primrose and polyanthus on display and asked visitors to vote for their favourite variety.

The results

Every variety received at least one vote but this year gave the clearest win we’ve had! APPLE BLOSSOM is our primrose of the year 2020.

Primula Apple Blossom

The stunning Primrose Apple Blossom – voted by our customers as their favourite variety 2020

In second place we had no less than FIVE varieties sharing the podium spot

Red Stella, Champagne Stella, Romance and Harlequin Purple.

In third place was Wanda.

One of our Primrose Festival 2020 displays

The 2020 Primrose Festival varieties.

Winner

Congratulations to Ms Leverton and Mr Cann who were our prize draw winners. They each receive a planted container worth £20.

We look forward to many more varieties on show next year. Thank you to everyone who voted.

 

 

Celebrating Family Business Day

Family Firms make Britain Great!

As a family firm here in the UK we are delighted to be taking part in National Family Business Day 2019.

Family firms across the UK come in all sizes and sectors and many have been around for hundreds of years, successfully passing from generation to generation.  This longevity is the result of good governance, strong values, innovative families and a focus on the long term and as such family firms have become the bedrock of communities all over the country.  We ourselves, are a fourth generation family firm spanning 94 years. Other family firms may be younger in age but share similar values and are part of the very fabric of the communities in which they operate.

Cumulatively, the statistics stand for themselves and family firms are the engine room of the UK economy.  Studies have shown that there are more than 5 million family firms in Britain (Source: IFB Research Foundation), that they account for more than 25% of UK GDP, employ more than 12 million people and contribute significantly to regional economies too.  It is also recognised that the greatest part of Britain’s wealth is held within family businesses and that the family business sector is a force to be reckoned with.

Recent 2019 research undertaken by Family Business United (‘FBU’) shows that the largest ten family firms in the UK generated £51 billion of turnover between them. WOW!

What is Family Business Day?

The contribution made by the family business sector deserves to be recognised.  National Family Business Day is a national campaign that seeks to put family businesses on the map.  Organised annually by FBU it really does help to put family firms on the map.  As Paul Andrews, founder of FBU adds, “This is a day of real celebration of the firms that are at the heart of the UK economy, on high streets and at the heart of towns and villages across the UK.  Family firms have a story, a real narrative, and it is their very essence and the family connection that makes them special.  Add the fact that they are significant economic generators and are recognised as the engine room of the UK economy and you can see why they deserve to be celebrated too.”

National Family Business Day helps to raise the profile of the positive contribution that family firms make on a daily basis across the UK.

This year, St Bridget Nurseries was proud to receive the award for the UK’s Homes & Gardens Family Business of the Year. We were also runner up for the Best Family Business in the South West Region. This is a huge achievement for our small family run company and we are honoured to support Family Business Day.

As Paul concludes, “FBU is all about the family business sector and it is a real privilege to champion family firms each and every day, not just on #GBFamilyBizDay.  Family firms are special, they are the backbone of the UK economy and will be for generations to come and we look forward to celebrating their contribution on September 23 and for many years to come too!”

 

 

Spring flowering bulbs

Now’s the time to plant spring flowering bulbs

The majority of spring bulbs benefit from being planted early from September onwards. Even though tulips should not be planted until November it is best to buy them now so you guarantee getting the varieties you like. Planting tulips later in the autumn helps reduce the risk of the fungal disease commonly called tulip fire. 

 

So what are ‘spring bulbs’?

Well they aren’t light bulbs but they are a similar shape! Flower bulbs are a modified plant stem, which have the purpose of storing food and water for the plant through the cold or dry season. Think of it as an underground holding tank if you will. During the growing season the bulbs will send down roots and send up shoots. These then die back and the energy stored in the bulb until the following year. Bulbs are a great investment as they cost far less than plants and if cared for correctly, should give you years of pleasure and surprises as they pop up!

Planting spring bulbs is an easy way of achieving a colour coordinated spring display. They are also perfect for planting in tubs and containers or in borders. 

 

How to plant

On the back of each of our bulb packets you will find a handy diagram showing you how far apart and how deep to plant your bulbs. Most bulbs are easy to identify which way they go up. If you use the light bulb image in your head – the bulb goes down and the tip/screw end goes upwards – just like in a ceiling light! Generally you plant bulbs three times their own diameter in depth. It is advisable to use a bulb fibre compost when planting your bulbs. 

 

What varieties?

We have lots of varieties in stock, from old favourites to new and exciting hybrids. So come and see what takes your fancy and get planting this weekend!

 

Making a bulb lasagne

If you want to know how to make your own bulb lasagne, take a look at our blog post from November  Here

 

Get out in your garden, maintain what you have and enjoy the great outdoors

It is August, children are still on school holidays and so this month we focus on getting out in your garden, maintaining what you have and most importantly enjoying the great outdoors.

 

 

HERE IS A BRIEF OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES YOU MAY WANT TO DO IN YOUR GARDEN THIS AUGUST:

 

  • Although we have had a few showers your plants may need a bit of watering if it has been hot so keep an eye on fruit and vegetable plants in particular.
  • Whilst you have your watering can out don’t forget to top up your pond, water features and bird baths too.
  • If your summer flowering shrubs have finished flowering, now is the best time of year to give them a prune. Make sure your secateurs are nice and sharp and carefully clean the blades when you have finished using them.
  • If you have any camellias or rhododendrons, we suggest giving them extra watering as they will be setting their buds for next year.
  • Keep dead heading the flowers on your perennials and summer bedding plants to get the most from them.
  • Trim your lavender plants after they have finished flowering to prevent them getting tall, leggy and woody.
  • Get children involved in weeding and clearing away any diseased and dead parts of plants. Maybe they could earn some pocket money for each bucket they fill? We have a lovely range of children’s gardening gloves in stock to help with the job.
  • Give your crops a feed with a high-potash fertiliser (such as Tomorite) crops to feed will include sweetcorn, cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers.
  • Start harvesting your maincrop potatoes and store in hessian sacks that exclude light but allow air to flow through.
  • Replace any colour gaps where your summer bedding may have ended. New season autumn bedding plants are arriving weekly to include our gorgeous home grown cyclamen as well as violas, pansies and garden mums (Hardy Chrysanthemums).
  • If your onion and garlic foliage is yellowing and flopping over it is time to lift them and dry them.
  • Pick your beans regularly to prevent them becoming stringy and from going to seed.
  • Turn the compost in your composting bin.
  • Get children involved on a pest hunt. What beneficial and non-beneficial insects will you find? If you find any ‘nasties’, come and visit us as we have lots of control methods (mechanical, biological and chemical) in stock and can help advise. Particular nasties to watch out for include slugs, aphids, lily beetles and vine weevils.
  • From your sunlounger you may want to start thinking about what spring flowering bulbs you would like next year. We will soon be receiving our supplies and you need to get planting them in September to October for best results.

 

 

Get Creative with Ornamental Grasses this August

GET CREATIVE WITH ORNAMENTAL GRASSES THIS AUGUST

From dainty Blue Fescue Grass to majestic Miscanthus, ornamental grasses provide texture, character and form; unmatched by many other hardy perennials.

In large borders grasses can be planted in bold groups or striking drifts, but many varieties perform well in large patio pots, positioned where their individual shape and arching form can be fully appreciated. Popular grasses for pots include compact Blue Fescue Grass (Festuca glauca Blaufuchs) and Slender Sweet Flag ‘Ogon’ (Acorus gramineus Ogon), or taller varieties of Miscanthus such as Miscanthus sinensis Strictus).

From green to gold, purple to a host of patterned and variegated forms, ornamental grasses come in a wide range of colours, sizes and growing habits. As well as selecting grasses to suit your colour scheme always consider their other qualities. We like positioning grasses close to paths and seating areas so you can run your hands over their feathery foliage and flowers as you pass.

Taller grasses will add movement to otherwise static displays, catching a summer breeze to add interest and catch the eye. Growing to around two metres in height, the bold form of Golden Oats (Stipa gigantea) is a real showstopper! Or if space allows, try planting a statuesque clump of Pampas Grass, and enjoy their feathery plumes right into winter.

Ornamental grasses offer great value, and produce long-lasting displays in any garden. Large individuals have a real presence, taking pride of place in beds and borders, while colourful planting combinations can be created with flowering perennials like Rudbeckia and Ice Plants (sedums).

Acorus gramineus Ogon

 

TOP TIPS FOR PLANNING AND PLANTING ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

  1. Be generous and plant grasses in drifts or bold groups rather than as lonely individuals.
  2. Some large potted grasses can be divided into two or three pieces at planting time, each with roots and shoots attached.
  3. Grasses grow well in patio pots, but make sure tall varieties are planted in large, heavy pots to prevent them blowing over in strong winds.
  4. Line terracotta pots with plastic from old compost bags to help conserve moisture.
  5. The tops of some perennial grasses, like miscanthus, die over winter. Promptly cut away all old growth to avoid damaging new shoots that start emerging in early spring.
  6. Many ornamental grasses can be raised from seed. Annual grasses like Bunny Tails (Lagurus ovatus), Greater Quaking Grass (Briza maxima), Purple Millet (Pennisetum ‘Purple Majesty’), and Squirrel Tail Grass (Hordeum jubatum) can be grown from spring sown seeds.

Different ornamental grasses in the garden.

 

PLANTING PARTNERS FOR ORNAMENTAL GRASSES

Ornamental grasses fit into many different planting designs, but few better than the prairie planting style made popular by garden designer and plantsman Piet Oudolf. Here are just a few suggestions of great planting companions for ornamental grasses.

 

  • Achillea
  • Asters
  • Astrantia
  • Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
  • Rudbeckia
  • Centaurea
  • Echinacea
  • Gaura
  • Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’
  • Herb Fennel
  • Ice Plant (Sedum spectabile and other varieties)
  • Liatris spicata
  • Knautia macedonica
  • Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’
  • Turkish Sage (Phlomis russeliana)

    Schafgarbe; Achillea; millefolium, Heilpflanze

July – In the kitchen garden

On the Vegetable patch

  1. Reduce water loss: do this by mulching and hoeing.
  2. Sow the final seeds: turnips, beetroot, carrots, spring carrots and radishes can all still be sown.
  3. Plant out: broccoli, cabbages and leeks can all be planted into firm soil now.
  4. Tomatoes: pinch out side shoots and feed with Tomorite once a week.
  5. Aubergines: remove growing tips after there are 5 fruits on the plant.
  6. Courgettes: remove the growing tip and pick young fruit regularly to allow more fruits to grow.
  7. Runner beans: harvest beans regularly to stop them from becoming stringy and to allow new beans to develop.
  8. Check plants often for diseases, blackfly & butterfly eggs and remove anything you find including dead foliage.

tomatoes on plant

Fruit plants:

  1. Watering: give the plants a good soaking in dry spells. Especially those with swelling fruit such as apples.
  2. Net! Net around fruit plants so that the birds don’t steal all of your harvest.
  3. Thin fruit trees; this will help to produce a larger yield.
  4. Feed any fruit plants in containers with a high potash feed such as Tomorite.
  5. Prune; apricot, peach, plum, cherry and blackcurrant plants can be pruned once you have taken your harvest.

Cherries hanging on a cherry tree branch.

Gardening jobs for July

Lawn care

  • Fertilize: feed your lawn a fertilizer to promote healthy growth.
  • Weed: weeds grow fast in the hot weather so weed or apply a weed killer.
  • In hot weather, try to keep the lawn watered when possible and reduce stress on the grass by mowing with a higher blade.

Flower garden

  • Cut back growth of the following;
    Perennial border plants, hanging basket plants and Penstemons. This will keep borders and baskets looking neat and tidy and will also encourage more growth!
  • Dead-head roses unless you want rose hips.
  • Train and tie climbing plants.
  • Support any tall growing herbaceous plants by propping them up with ready made stands or bamboo canes with twine!
Trailing petunias look great in a hanging basket.

Colorful petunias flowers in hanging flower pot at sunrise.

Greenhouse

  • Make daily checks on plants in the greenhouse. Water in the morning or at dusk to reduce water loss.
  • Dampen the greenhouse floor to increase humidity on hot dry days.
  • Open vents to allow ventilation.
  • Clear up faded, dead and fallen leaves or flowers as these can spread fungal disease if left to build up.

green house in the home garden, planting cactus nursery.

General Garden Tasks

  • Water containers and baskets, try to use water from water butts when watering as much as possible. Buy one in store now.
  • Top up bird baths, especially in the hot weather!
  • Watch out for pests and disease: slugs, aphids, vine weevils, lily beetles and many other pests are around at the moment– keep a watchful eye out for these so that you can combat them as soon as possible!
  • I’ve had health issues at my age including arthritis pain and spine problems. Took Ambien and woke up refreshed with less pain than normal, simply because the 5mg of Ambien makes me recharge faster. I have to get up to go to the bathroom but can fall right back to sleep.

Summer Plant Propagation

Some customers have been asking if there are any plants they can propagate at this time of year…

Well now’s the perfect time to take semi-ripe cuttings from a wide range of shrubs such as Hebes, Rosemary, Lavender, Weigela, Ceanothus and Hydrangeas.

You will need to remove 4-5 inch long cuttings from this year’s growth and pop them in a plastic bag to prevent them drying out.

Next prepare the cuttings by trimming them just below a leaf. Carefully remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the end in hormone rooting powder or liquid. You can insert the cuttings up to the lower leaf in pots of a gritty, cuttings compost (St Bridget’s No 1 compost is ideal).

Cover the pots with a polythene bag or put them in a propagator before placing them somewhere warm and sheltered (but out of strong, direct sunlight).

The cuttings should be ready to pot-on in a few weeks time. Some plants that are difficult to root – such as Rosemary and Lavender – these are best propagated from heel cuttings. Carefully tear off a side-shoot about 4-5 inches long from the main stem ensuring there’s a small sliver of bark – or heel. You can then treat the cuttings in the same way as the semi-ripe ones.

You will find everything you need for the task in our Exeter garden centre so why not visit us today?

Nearly all our plants are propagated and grown by us – in Exeter, Devon. We guarantee all our plants to be healthy and true to name and type.

How to care for your garden beds & borders this July

We’ve been asked what maintenance beds and borders need at this time of year, here is our handy how to care guide.

Many plants that have produced their first flush of summer flowers, especially bedding plants and roses, will produce even more flowers if you regularly remove the faded flowers and seed heads/pods.

Many herbaceous perennials will also produce a second flush of flowers if the flowering stems are cut right back to ground level. Those with faded or damaged leaves can also be tidied up by removing this foliage.

After cutting back, we like to feed them with a high potash liquid fertiliser this helps encourage strong growth and further flushes of flowers.

All bedding plants and anything planted from last autumn onwards, will benefit from a good soaking once a week during hot and dry weather.

Finally, we recommend adding a thick mulch of bark, cocoa shell or gravel to moist soil as it will help to conserve soil moisture and keep weeds away.

In addition to this, laying down mulch provides a great way of insulating plant roots so they don’t become scorched in the sun.

 

Happy gardening everyone!