Buckingham Garden Centre

CHRIS SAYS…….

Earlier in the year the Royal Horticultural Society announced that they were going to set up a new environmental team to bolster its climate change related research. The team, who are based at RHS Wisley, will research and advise on sustainable resource management, soil health and ecosystem services, including how the UK’s 27 million gardeners can contend with weather extremes, air and noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Findings and advice will be shared with industry and the public. This is excellent news. As we see the massive swings in our weather patterns, we gardeners do need to know how best we can garden for both business and pleasure taking notice of the findings from this new resource. Hopefully we’ll all benefit from the research enabling us to garden more effectively and grow the best plants for our conditions. The variable weather of this spring and summer clearly demonstrates how the way we need to garden in the future is likely to change. The move to artificial grass rather than lawns is a classic example. Turf has its very own microcosm both underground in the soil and above where it provides a wide and varied food source to our insect life as well as allowing excessive rainfall to be processed in a natural manner. Our fragile planet needs our help and understanding more than ever - whether you are a gardener or not.

Enjoy your late summer garden - whatever the weather.     Chris

SHOP NEWS: SOLAR

There is nothing quite like the sound of water bubbling, gurgling or trickling in the garden, especially when we are out and about in our summer gardens. We have introduced a couple of solar water features to our extensive solar range of products.

The Pitcher model (see front cover here) features a vase and cup cascade and is solar powered. However, it can be used by day or night as it has integrated battery technology so that solar energy is stored in a battery. This is useful if you have it close to the patio or deck. To display it, we set it amidst a fine display of mop head Hydrangeas to great effect. The great advantage is, of course, that you can move the unit around. As long as the solar panel is in good light you can enjoy the benefits of an easily moved, freestanding display in the garden.

Wychwood Falls (illustrated right) is a solar powered rustic waterfall that will make a stunning addition to any outside space, be it a balcony, patio or lawn. Both of these models will add calm and tranquility to any outdoor space, with their cascading water which looks and sounds beautiful.

At the Garden Centre by the Plant Information Office, we have created a little green oasis to highlight the Wychwood Falls model as we surrounded it with some potted shrubs and herbaceous perennials. The water and flowers have already become a magnet for wildlife, including a few insects taking advantage of the water for drinking and bees taking pollen from the plants.

Still on the subject of solar, if you set up a new garden feature whether it be a water feature,  statue, obelisk or feature specimen plant, it’s worth looking at highlighting them by using a solar powered spotlight.

Solar technology has  improved in leaps and bounds recently resulting in the lights getting brighter. The Smart Garden Supra Spotlights are super bright so they are perfect for creating some visual wow in your garden space at night. They are great value at £19.99 each.

SHOP NEWS: BULBS

Late summer heralds the start of the autumn bulb season featuring a bumper crop of glorious spring bulbs. So you can now commence planning ahead with the Bulb of the Year for 2020 which is Tulip ‘Flaming Flag’. This is an exceptional Triumph tulip. It is strong, sturdy and with substantial petals, all glistening white with amazing purple flames below. In the sun, with a green backdrop, they really are stunning.  This is a stylish tulip, and stands out wonderfully against single coloured tulips.

The UK Daffodil of the Year is Narcissi ‘Binkie’. This is a truly beautiful variety with yellow flowers that fade to white over the life of the flower.  These are ideal for borders and containers and will multiply over the years. They are also great for planting under and around trees as well as for naturalising.

Regular customers will know we run offers with the XL Value packs of bulbs, which this season include the combination packs. They are £6.99 each but 2 for £12. If you are looking for a bulb for a mass planting then this season’s ‘Buy One Get One Free’ offer is on Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ and Tulipa ‘Angelique’ at £6.99 each. Our prepared indoor hyacinths will be priced at 75p each or 3 for £1.99. Thinking ahead to later in the year the Taylors boxed Amaryllis will again be priced at £9.99 or 2 for £15. These Amaryllis proved very popular last year, so don’t miss out this or any of these fabulous offers.

OTHER NEWS: CHATTER TABLE AND VERTI-WALL

We are setting up a ‘Chatter and Natter Table’ in our Restaurant during July. You may have seen similar schemes on your travels but we feel ‘The Chatty Café Scheme’ is a really good idea. The concept is quite simple: we’ll have a designated table in our Restaurant where we will invite customers happy to talk to others with the aim to reduce loneliness and get people chatting. We know gardeners generally are a chatty lot, however, this is a great way to help people start a conversation with other like-minded people. The ‘Chatter and Natter Tables’ are aimed at everyone. Who can join in? Anyone!… We hope you like the idea and we would appreciate it if you could spread the word.

Look out for the table talker, pictured right, or if you want to find out more about this new concept, do visit the website at www.thechattycafescheme.co.uk  We will be launching our ‘Chatter & Natter Table’ in late July, for use between 9.30-11.30am and 3.00-4.30pm Monday-Saturday.

We do get excited at this time of the year when our VertiGarden living wall at the front of the main shop frontage is set up and raring to go for the summer. This year it has been planted with the wonderful, colourful, repeat flowering Begonia semperflorens. This is a robust bedding plant which will tolerate plenty of sunshine and heat but it will also perform well in the shade.

ANOTHER BEAST FROM THE EAST SET TO CAUSE HAVOC

This new ‘Beast from the East’ is Box Tree Moth which is a native to East Asia, writes Pauline Brown. It became established in Europe by 2007, the first adult moth being spotted in Britain the same year, and the following year several were found in moth light traps.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) have been undertaking surveys of this moth, which only attacks Box, and between 2015 and 2016 there were 800 sightings, this jumping to over 3,000 in 2017 and 6,000 in 2018, the worst area still in London and its surrounds. However, with a flight span of 10km it is now spreading widely and we now have the ‘Beast’ in Great Horwood, so anyone with Box in the garden needs to be vigilant at inspecting their plants. There is, of course, the other problem with Box, the fungal disease Box Blight, but although the end result from either will be defoliation and even death, the caterpillars’ damage is very distinctive. At least with the Box Caterpillar (pictured above), if this is caught before it has damaged the stems, the plant should recover.

After hatching from the flattish pale yellow eggs, which are laid on the underside of the leaves, the caterpillars emerge greenish-yellow with black heads.  They feed on the leaves and grow to about 4cm (1½in) and their body develops a thick black stripe and thin white stripes along the length of the body. Whilst eating they produce a white webbing which is clearly visible amongst the leaves.  The pupae are concealed in this webbing.  When hatched the moth has a wingspan of some 4cm (1½in) and the wings are usually white with a slightly iridescent brown border, but just to fool us, it sometimes has completely brown wings.

When this problem first became apparent no chemical control was recommended and the advice given was to remove the caterpillars by hand, or to use the nematode biological control for Fruit and Vegetables Protection as this has some effect.  Also, caterpillar feeding birds such as blue tits have been spotted eating the caterpillars even though they have a toxin which makes them less palatable.

The RHS are now advising that contact insecticides containing pyrethrins are used (e.g. Pyrol or Bug Free Bug and Larvae Killer), but several applications will be necessary as penetrating the webbing is essential. Also, the more persistent contact insecticide containing synthetic pyrethrioid lamdacyhalothrin (Westland Resolva Pestkiller), cypermethrin (Py Bug Killer) or Provanto Ultimate Bug Killer. Always check the instructions on the label before applying the chemical. Personally, I am making a very regular inspection of my variegated box hedge and intend to pick off and destroy any caterpillars if spotted.

You can get updates on Box Moth caterpillar on the RHS website and through the European Boxwood and Topiary Society on their website www. etbs.org

Update: We are now stocking Solabiol Box Moth Traps (priced at £29.99). This is a completely biological way to control Box tree moths. The unit includes a re-useable trap and the pheromone. The trap will cover up to 180 sq. m and the pheromone is effective for three months. We will be able to supply the refills as required.

GARDEN DÉCOR: ENHANCING YOUR GARDEN

Now is the ideal time to enhance your garden, especially with the summer holidays approaching when the whole family should enjoy it. There was a time when the only non-gardening embellishments you would find in the garden may be a plastic gnome, a windmill or maybe a wind chime.

Today putting ornaments in your garden is a great way of adding some additional fun and wow. They come in a variety of forms including statues, bird baths and planters. It is important that any decorations you pick do not detract from the natural beauty of your garden. You will also need to think about the space that you have. If you overcrowd it with too many ornaments, then you may end up with little space to relax in when you do get time to enjoy the sunshine.

Possibly one of the simplest ways that you can bring some elegance to your outdoor space is with a attractive statue. Statues are very variable so it does depend on your  personal taste as to which  you choose. Some love traditional Buddhas and gnomes, whilst animal lovers may fancy a creature or two - maybe a cat, hedgehog, dog or even a deer.

The wonderful thing about having a planter in your garden is not only is it a lovely ornament, but it also allows you to display a variety of flowers too. This means that you can brighten up your garden with colourful flowers, without planting them in the ground.

Wind spinners are another good way to add light, colour and movement to the feel of your garden. Again, there are plenty of different styles and designs to choose from. Look out for the Smart Garden Golden Ray spinners available in different sizes. One of the most popular sellers  last year again this year is the Smart Garden Venti Wind Spinner (pictured above). This double sided wind spinner has a decorative, rustic effect, cupped wind catchers and a solar crackle ball with colour changing effect.

Being able to enjoy the local wildlife is one of the biggest plus points of your garden. If you want to entice some birds into your garden, then a bird bath is a great idea, especially through the summer months. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and require very little maintenance apart from the necessity of being regularly cleaned and topped up with water.

Also available in the in the shop and perfect for keeping the little ones busy is the Gardman Kids’ Paint Your Own Wild Bird Nest Box. It comes with four paints and brushes. The 32mm entrance hole makes it suitable for many species including Sparrows, Great Tits and Nuthatches.

Of course there are plenty of other fantastic ideas to be found in our Shop, including faux flower stakes, whimsical stakes,  lanterns, solar lights and much more. So there you have it, some of the types of garden ornament and why we think they are pretty useful for enhancing your garden. Whether you have a large, spacious garden or simply a space outside to call your own, there are ways that you can make it beautiful and a reflection of your own sense of style and pizzazz.

WHEN NATURE TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN THE GARDEN PT1

This year’s Malvern, Chelsea, Chatsworth and BBC Gardeners’ World flower shows had one common denominator - naturalistic and green themed, writes Chris Day.

Green was the dominant theme at Chelsea, literally and metaphorically. It’s a few years since I last visited so this year was a bit of an eye opener. The Main Avenue, home to the major show gardens, was awash with broad-leaved trees amongst a calming palette of green, pale yellow and white flowers, which included swathes of Cow Parsley, Euphorbia and Meadowsweet. Andy Sturgeon’s M&G garden was a master class in the green sanctuary: you could echo the look in your own garden by underplanting a Hornbeam, Elder or Field Maple with the green-flowered Mathiasella bupleuroides, Marsh Spurge (Euphorbia palustris), Californian poppy ‘Ivory Castle’ and airy grass Melica altissima ‘Alba’. For shadier spots, try an angelica (A. archangelica) under planted with Pachysandra and Rodgersias.

From an ecological point of view, parts of Chelsea finally seemed to be waking up to the issue of sustainability. Chris Beardshaw’s Morgan Stanley garden was a valiant attempt to minimise the environmental impact of a Chelsea plot, from carrying out groundworks using an electric excavator instead of a diesel engine, to growing plants in recyclable taupe pots. This is particularly close to our heart at the Garden Centre so it instantly scored brownie points from us!

The popular wildflower Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) turned up in more than one plot this year, along with a few other plants many gardeners may be hell-bent on removing: there were buttercups in Andrew Duff’s garden, a clover lawn on Laurélie de la Salle’s Garden, and a whole host of natives on Mark Gregory’s garden. It’s certainly time to look at what thrives when we let our gardens run wild. Try just mowing a path across your grass, and see what pops up on either side. Naturalising has been a theme echoed across all the shows this year and it is interesting that Hampton Court Flower Festival continues the rhythm together with a  prolific use of white flowers which were also seen at Chelsea.

We often see pleached trees used at the show - especially   Hornbeam and Lime. I know plenty of our customers quite like the idea of growing a hedge on stilts. However, it does take a few years but it is very effective as a high screen in a small garden. We have a sample at the Garden Centre which took about four years to establish.

In years past, a single tree has dominated Chelsea, from the multi-stemmed Himalayan birch to the gnarled olive. It seems 2019 is the year of the monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana), which showed up in both Jonathan Snow’s and Sarah Eberle’s gardens. The sinuous trunk of the pine (Pinus nigra) in Chris Beardshaw’s garden was a real showstopper, too. Assuming you don’t have room for a huge pine, take another leaf out of Beardshaw’s book and plant a red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), a small multi-stemmed tree with clusters of red tubular flowers that are a magnet for bees.

WHEN NATURE TAKES CENTRE STAGE IN THE GARDEN PT2

Hammered copper has been around as an interior trend for a while, and it has now popped up in Helen Elks-Smith’s  garden as a copper-clad green roof and water feature, pictured right. It looked amazing in the May sunshine.

Topiary was softer and lower, as designers rejected tightly clipped box balls in favour of soft mounds of Yew, Pine and even Beech, as seen in both Tom Stuart-Smith’s and Kate Gould’s gardens. These help add texture and punctuate the planting and they certainly didn’t disappoint the visitors.

Despite the 50 shades of green featuring in many of the large and smaller gardens, there were still plenty of opportunities to create some eye-catching combinations: Eberle’s Resilience garden teamed red-flowered viper’s grass (Echium russicum) with the sky-blue perennial flax (Linum perenne) and the bright blue flowers of borage (Borago officinalis) with the pink spidery flowers of Ragged Robin. However, my favourite was the Manchester Garden created by Jamie Butterworth and his team. For a Mancunian like me, this garden offered a new perspective on post-industrial cities, championing green spaces and honouring sustainability. The garden incorporated inspiring and considered ideas on this theme: the potential of planting for managing water through sustainable drainage systems; trees chosen specifically for their resilience to future climate change and demonstrating the environmental, social and economic benefits of parks.  

Spanning these planted narrative areas is a sculpture that showcases a journey from one-time ‘cottonpolis’ to the home of graphene, echoed in the white hexagonal lattice structures.  The key structural plants in the garden are Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis), Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata), Hybrid Plane (Platanus x acerifolia) and White Mulberry (Morus alba). They have been chosen following assessment of their resilience and adaptability as well as suitability for the Manchester climate, now and potentially in the future.

So, any take-home ideas from this year’s shows? I liked the simple combination of the Shuttlecock Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) with Candelabra Primulas together with the towering white Foxgloves. This is a perfect mix for a cool, shady damp patch in any garden and simply easy to grow to boot!

More white foxgloves were used to provide a perfect groundcover planting to a fine coppice of white stemmed Himalayan Birch (Betula jacquemontii Doorenbos, pictured left) and accentuated with the sweetly scented purple-violet Sweet Rocket (Hesperis). This delightful  display instantly creates peace and serenity, something you really need after the throng of the Chelsea Flower Show crowds.

PUZZLE CORNER - OUR JULY/AUGUST PICTURE COMPETITION

Would you like to win a £25 Buckingham Garden Centre Gift Voucher? Enter our competition below. Use the pictures and clues to fill in the plant names. Take the letters from the shaded boxes which then form an anagram of a non-native fruiting tree famed for its wood (6).

Once you have solved the anagram, send the plant name you have discovered by e-mail to competitions@buckingham-nurseries.co.uk with subject line “July Picture Competition” or post your entry to July Picture Competition, Buckingham Garden Centre, Tingewick Road, Buckingham, MK18 4AE. Closing date 30th September 2019. The answers to last months quiz can be found HERE.

PUZZLE CORNER - MAY/JUNE ANSWERS

Would you like to win a £25 Buckingham Garden Centre Gift Voucher? Enter our competition below. Use the pictures and clues to fill in the plant names. Take the letters from the shaded boxes which then form an anagram of a non-native fruiting tree famed for its wood (6).

And the correct anagram answer was LAUREL

JUNIOR GARDENING CLUB SUMMER PROJECT

Our gardens are full of wonderful, colourful flowers which can be preserved by simply removing the flowers and pressing them. Some flowers press better than others but here are some good ones fto try - Borage, Cosmos, Coreopsis, Dahlias, Delphiniums, Poppies, French Marigolds, Verbenas, Petunias, Pansies and Zinnias

For beautiful pressed flowers, gather clean flowers and leaves which are free of spots or blemishes. Try collecting them on a sunny day when they are not wet from rain or dew. Long thick stalks are best removed. Flowers picked and pictured include Borage, Cosmos, Gazania, Osteospermum, Salvia and single and double Petunias.

Find a large heavy book and open to the centre. Place a clean sheet of paper in the open book to protect the book. On top of the sheet lay a sheet of absorbent paper then arrange the flowers on this.

Place a further sheet of absorbent paper over the flowers followed by a sheet of plain paper. Carefully close the book. Depending on the size of the book, you can press multiple flowers at once. However, be sure to space them out so that the moisture from one flower doesn’t transfer to another.

Use more books, or perhaps a brick, to weigh down the book once it is closed. Be sure not to disturb the arrangement of the flowers upon closing. Make a note of the names of the flowers if you want to remember them later.

Change the absorbent sheets every few days. After two to three weeks, the flowers will be completely dry. When removing, use a pair of tweezers, or very carefully use your fingers, as a completely dry flower is very delicate.

Once pressed you can create your own flower art pictures for a collage or maybe to use in a design of a special card, maybe a birthday or thank you card. You could create a gallery of pressings with the plant names attached. If you do this then simply collect a few flowers each month to give you a colourful reminder of what is flowering in your garden every month! If you would like to share your pressed flower displays with us then please take a photo of them and post on our Facebook page with your name and your age. We’ll give a small prize for our favourite.

LINDENGATE: SOCIAL AND THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE

Award winning Lindengate, Mental Health Charity provides a unique and individual approach in supporting those with a wide range of mental health needs from the age of 16, through the medium of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture. The beauty of gardening is that it is a holistic activity and can address mental health, physical health, social and educational needs simultaneously, particularly when used as part of a therapeutic programme. It works for all age groups, for men and women. Activities take place in the garden, ranging from activities like potting, digging and planting, conservation work, developing displays or raised flower beds; we also offer arts and crafts, cooking produce grown in the garden and construction.  

Our service is not time limited and we work with the individual, thinking about wellbeing in its widest sense and recognise the need to look beyond any labels the person may have and focus on the individual. We offer supportive and non-judgemental listening and the opportunity to escape some of the stresses of daily life, enabling people to spend time in a managed and calm environment, reducing their isolation and working towards recovery.  

Common mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety, are higher than the national average at 15% in our region (Bucks Adult Mental Health Commissioning Strategy). Social and care facilities are needed to relieve the strain on mainstream healthcare. Lindengate, Mental Health Charity offers a unique facility, which attracts service-users from a wide catchment.

Our “Gardeners” (our term for service users) work alongside trained staff and volunteers in our private and safe 5-acre site in Wendover, on a structured and facilitated therapeutic gardening programme which focus on engaging the Gardener in activities that enable them to experience or practice an area of recovery, that they have helped identify as a priority. Our staff use their knowledge of horticulture and mental health to adapt the activity, the environment or the tools to achieve a specific outcome. Our Social and Therapeutic team devise over 150 different programmes per week for the 100 Gardeners we host on site each week, and make sure that the activity is suitable for particular needs and skill sets. We offer 1:1 individual support and 1:3 and 1:6 group sessions. Our open space and calming environment allows people who find social interaction difficult to interact as much or as little as they wish.

Lindengate’s horticultural therapists have completed training programmes in social and therapeutic horticulture and other more specialist assessments. These include autism, dementia and mental health training. The Warwick and Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale is used to allow us to show how our Gardener’s wellbeing improves when they attend Lindengate. We also use the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA), which is an observational tool used by Occupational Therapists in Buckinghamshire, to help gauge the level of support needed by each Gardener.

Finally - we recognise that those who experience mental illness face many barriers in society. We, at Lindengate, challenge this discrimination and stigma.

You would be made very welcome at one of our events or “drop ins” and see for yourself how we support those with mental health needs. Details of all our events can be found on our website www.lindengate.org.uk or call 01296 622443.

WHAT’S ON THIS SUMMER / AUTUMN

WEDNESDAY 11th SEPTEMBER, 4pm. We are delighted to welcome back Rod Weston and his talk on HOME COMPOSTING. We thought in view of the massive coverage of recycling in the press and television we should do our bit to help break down the myths surrounding the way we compost in our gardens with a complete novice guide. Booking is essential either at the Customer Service Desk or call 01280 822133. Garden Card holders free, £3 for non-members.

SATURDAY 28th & SUNDAY 29th SEPTEMBER - APPLE & HONEY SHOW WEEKEND, 10am-4pm.  Join us as we celebrate everything great and good about the Apple. We’ll have top fruit expert Gerry Edwards providing his identification skills, plus The Mid-Shire Orchard Group who will be demonstrating apple juice making and providing plenty of practical advice for all community orchard gardeners. On Sunday we will be hosting The North Bucks and Buckingham Beekeepers Honey Show. Do come along and chat with the bee-keepers from around the local area and see the products of their bees’ work which will be up for judging. The Honey Show awards will be presented at around 3.30pm.

FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER - AUTUMN TASKS WORKSHOP, 10.00am-1.00pm. Clare Price will provide topical advice on getting the best from your garden at this time of the year and will cover topics including propagation, planting and pruning. There are only 15 places available, so it will be on a first come first served basis. The booking and cost details are the same as Friday 26th July (see above).

WEDNESDAY 9th OCTOBER, 10am-4pm We are delighted to welcome back Charles Ross Auctioneers, from Woburn, who will be offering their free valuation services on jewellery and  antiques to our customers throughout the day. No booking is required - simply pop along any time through the day between 10am and 4pm.

At 4.00pm BGC’s Chris Day will be giving a talk on GARDENING: A STEP BACK IN TIME. Chris will highlight how gardening has changed, including the equipment used and the evolution of the plants grown through the ages and the practises employed. Booking is essential. See Wednesday 11th September on how to book.

Would you interested in a Christmas wreath making workshop? Please let us know and if we receive sufficient numbers we propose to run one on Wednesday 13th November. There would be a charge for the workshop, however whatever you create you get to take home! Please contact the Customer Service Desk or call 01280 822133 to register your interest.

SPECIAL OFFER COUPONS FOR
GARDEN CARD HOLDERS

If you are a holder of a valid Buckingham Garden Centre Garden card, please print off and use these vouchers at the Garden Centre to obtain discounts with these very special offers exclusive to Garden Card holders only:

To download a PDF copy of our latest newsletter, please click here.