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Posts Tagged ‘gardening quotes<’
The Royal Horticultural Society seems endlessly full of good ideas to make Britain even lovelier. This year, it’s inviting the nation’s schoolchildren to commit to sowing wildflowers as their contribution to the Golden Jubilee. Right now they’re inviting applications  from kids for free packs of seeds. This is what to do with them, after they arrive.
- Find a site where you’d love to see summer come alive, with a riot of poppies, marigolds, chamomile, cockles and cornflowers. The best place to sow them would be moist, wind-free, and benefiting from four hours of sunshine a day.
- If the area you choose is full of weeds and stones, you may wish to Find a Gardener here to prepare the soil for you this mid-March. If the quality of the earth is poor, ask them to dig in some well-composted material or a balanced fertiliser while they’re at it.
 Dispose of any weeds that appear in the weeks that follow. The ideal sowing period is mid-April. Sow later than that, and the young plants may shrivel in the heat of summer. The society’s seed packs are good for 10m2. Stick to that – enjoy this great show of colour.
London Gardeners recommend placing a scarecrow in the middle of your field to keep scavenging birds away from seeds.
Now that would make an interesting weekend project, would it not?
Tags: april, chamomile, children, cockle, colour, compost, cornflower, fertiliser, find a gardener, flower, gardening quotes, kids, london gardeners, march, marigold, moist, poppies, prepare, project, R.H.S., RHS, royal horticultural society, scare crow, scarecrow, seed, site, sowing, stone, sun, weed, weekend, wide free, wild, wildflower, wind
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It may not feel quite like it yet, but with the Winter Solstice passed on December 21st, the days are getting longer and Nature has already begun to react. Plants have increased their growth in accordance with the available ambient light, and already bulbs are  gently stirring beneath the snow.
Some, come on Gardeners, it’s time to brave the chilly UK weather and start helping Nature to get going once again. Alternatively, you’re due to get those Gardening Quotes in time again!
- The Vegetable Garden. Order seed potatoes and plant out garlic cloves in pots. Dig the earth over for asparagus plantings. Mmmm – that sounds really good!
- How about an Orchard? The right time for planting trees is when the sap is down. If in the City, find a London Gardener while their rates are reasonable still.
- The Flower Garden. Remove fallen leaves. Cut down and compost annuals. There’s just so much to do, including taking hardwood cuttings of your favourite plants.
 How about a Few More Roses? Dig deeply to prevent root stock from shooting, and then plant in rich organic matter. Remember to support with stakes in case the high winds come.
- And Finally the Greenhouse. If the weather’s inclement you may like to Find a Gardener to clean inside and outside, and check the insulation. After that, you just need to do weekly visits and tidy up.
Don’t be surprised if the neighbours gawk at you out in your garden in your winter woollies. They’ll be jealous in the Spring though! There’s no need to tell them either about the wonderful Gardeners on Mr-Skill. For now at least, it’s a secret between you and me! And it’s all free too … when it comes to finding the perfect tradesperson of your dreams.
Tags: annual, asparagus, bulb, chill, compost, cut, cutting, deep, dig, find a gardener, flower, Garden, gardener, gardening quotes, garlic, green house, greenhouse, growth, inside, Insulation, leaves, light, london gardener, nature, orchard, organic, outside, plant, potato, potatoes, react, root, rootstock, rose, snow, spring, sprout, stake, support, tidy, tree, vegetable, weather, week, wind, winter
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Climbing ivy is undoubtedly a sight to behold as spread out across a wall and creates an environment in which the birds may nest. But it has its disadvantages too. Snakes and spiders and even rats may use it to gain access to your bedroom, and it can also cause damage to bricks, window frames and gutters.  Are you of a mind to get rid of yours? Then you may need to Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill to do the work for you. That’s because standing on a ladder all day is dangerous, and the job is laborious too. Not convinced to call in help? Then here is what you need to do…
• Pull a test sample of ivy away from the wall to determine how thick it is, and whether it tears off without causing damage. If it comes away easily then you could continue. If not, then you may need to get Gardening Quotes to have poison applied by an expert, and perhaps even call in a builder afterwards to make repairs.
• Returning to ground level, lop off all the vines as close as possible to the ground before proceeding to peel away the cut branches. Be careful here, because a sheet of ivy can come loose unexpectedly, and this will be heavy and surprisingly dusty too. Do not attempt to deal with the tiny hand-like suckers yet.
•  Bag the cuttings and dispose of them at your local council dump-site according to the bylaws.
• After approximately two to three weeks, remove the suckers with a stiff wire brush covered with approximately two tablespoons of household laundry detergent. Every Gardener in London knows all too well not to miss the deadline. That’s because beyond this period the suckers oxidize, and are stubborn to remove.
So there you go. It’s not really all that difficult to get ivy off a wall. It’s just a messy, time-consuming job. Not in the mood to do it anymore? Then speak to Mr-Skill about the services of a Rated Local Gardener.
Personally, I find the patina of natural brickwork far more appealing, especially on an older building.
Tags: away, bag, bird, brick, builder, cutting, damage, danger, detergent, dispose, dust, expert, find a gardener, gardener in London, gardening quotes, ground, gutter, heavy, help, ivy, ladder, loose, lop, peel, poison, pull, rat, repair, sample, snake, sucker, tear, test, vine, window, wire brush, work
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I have noticed something interesting about the Gardeners in London that I come across, and that is the super condition of their tools in general. No doubt they do a better job with them that way,  and of course they also have to replace them less frequently. I have to admit though that mine used to be a total disaster, but only before I discovered these useful tips.
You will need a bucket with a lid, enough sand to almost fill it, new or used engine / cooking oil, and a few old rags. The bucket lid is to keep out the dust and dirt, so almost anything will do.
• Make a habit of keeping the bucket in a dry corner of the garden shed or garage
• Fill the bucket with the sand except for the last four inches. This helps keep it stable while sprucing up your tools. I agree that this can make it heavy, but at least your wallet won’t be lightened by the cost of Gardening Quotes after your tools all rust away.
•  Top up the bucket with the oil, and watch it as the sand absorbs it. If you spilled some, well… that’s a further use for the old rags…
• Take each garden tool in turn and shove the working edge in and out of the sand until it is cleaned. Four or five repetitions should do the trick.
• Wipe the tools with the rags as you go along, remembering to leave a thin film of oil behind.
How’s that for something different from us? Should you need to Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill (which is easier than you think), you could leave your tools out in the garden for them to admire while working (but not to borrow, naturally). It’s a funny old world isn’t it. The cleverest ideas are often the simplest too.
Tags: absorb, better job, bucket, condition, cook, corner, cost, dirt, dry, dust, edge, engine, fill, film, find a gardener, garage, Garden, gardeners in london, gardening quotes, lid, motor, new, oil, rag, replace, sand, shed, spill, stable, tool, used, wipe
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We are all becoming a bit more conscious about the state of our planet these days, aren’t we? A related theme is the quality of the food we eat, after farmers have finished bombarding it with chemicals to increase the yield per acre. Commercial honey is a case in point. If the jar does not say organic, then what in heaven’s name is waiting  for us beneath the cap?
Because bees are a loyal gardener’s friend that pollinates the next season’s flowers for us, attracting them to our gardens makes a great deal of sense. Who knows, perhaps we shall be making our own honey soon, and I personally think that that would be a really great idea. Perhaps next time we Find a Gardener we should be checking out their green profile too.
Bees are active between March and late October every year and the trick is to sow seeds accordingly. Bees like striking colours, fancy petal shapes, enticing scents and sweet nectars which are great for gardeners who love variety too. Bees also look out for movement and prefer to land in open spaces, meaning that single flowers on supple stems are just perfect for them. Perhaps this is why so many of our native flower species are made just like that.
 The borages are the most effective way to attract bees to the garden, with comfrey coming up a close second best. All varieties of fabaceae are good too, including clover and other species of pea. Next time you are looking for a Gardening Quote, remember to consider the seedlings they will be planting out for you.
But please, when your little friends arrive to share your flowering garden with you, remember that pesticides also kill bees too. In fact, why use pesticides at all when so many useful plants have been found that do the same job just as well. A firm of London Gardeners I visit often, have a sign above the door that says this so perfectly. A garden is a place where birds and bees come home to share with us – the gardener is just the custodian. Now that’s something for every gardener to think about.
Tags: attract, bee, bird, borage, chemical, clover, colour, comfrey, custodian, fabaceae, find a gardener, flower, food, friend, gardening quotes, honey, kill, london gardeners, loyal, march, nectar, october, organic, pea, pesticide, petal, planet, pollinate, quality, scent, season, seed, shape, share, sow, specie, state, yield
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Posted in Uncategorized on May 27
A Gazebo is a delight on an English summer’s day and is an inspiration to the enthusiastic gardener too. This is because  Gazebos are so decorative in their own right, but also offer opportunities to be outside when the sun is high in the sky and dangerous, or when a momentary light drizzle threatens.
These gardener’s delights are built in two different ways, each with particular advantages and disadvantages.
o A demountable Gazebo comes in kit form and you are unlikely to need to Find a Landscaper to help you erect it, that is provided you already have a suitable hard standing on which it will stand. You might however like to ask your local garden centre’s  advice on how best to position it to most stunning effect.
o A traditional Gazebo is a more permanent construction and you are unlikely to want to move it once it has been built. Therefore you need to take far more care in deciding where to site it, and how the foundation on which it will stand will look. You will also definitely need to Get Landscaping Quotes in order to find help to complete this more expensive project.
I have heard that Landscapers in London are experiencing an increased demand for Gazebos since Wills and Kate were spotted kissing in one recently. I’m sure somebody will be donating a special one for their new home that I hope brings them lots of joy and pleasure too. Gazebos are not just for royals though – why not spoil yourself too?
Tags: advantage, built, decorative, delight, different, disadvantage, drizzle, effect, erect, find a gardener, find a landscaper, foundation, Garden, gardener, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, gazebo, inspiration, joy, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, outside, permanent, pleasure, stand, summer, sun
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Not cleaned the greenhouse yet? It is almost summer already and time to get going. Clean it to maintain the structure. Clean it to get rid of pests. And do it on a warm breezy day so your plants don’t catch a chill and everything dries nicely.  You could Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill to do this for you, or you could take the weekend off and do it yourself.
o Begin with the Exterior by washing it down with warm water and a sponge. By all means use a little washing up soap but do remember to rinse. Use a soft inside broom soaked in warm soapy water to reach the roof and upper sides. Mind the glass!
o Check the frames and glass for any damage as you go along. Replace where necessary to keep your greenhouse looking good and to extend its life. If yours has a wooden frame, sand it down and paint it. Anything less and it will rot away. If rot has already set in however, get Gardener Quotes to build a new one, rather than throwing good time and money after bad.
o  Before cleaning the Interior please make sure that the electricity is turned off and isolated. Remove the contents to a sheltered place away from wind and fierce sun.
o Have a general clean-out of leaves and dirt. De-clutter your greenhouse – throw the junk away. Scrub down, including brick walls and inside pathways and disinfect thoroughly. When you are satisfied that everything is clean and functional inside, you can bring your plants back home and turn on the electricity again.
A Gardener in London who I know quite well always leaves a cyclamen behind as a special thank you, and believe me she gets regular return business. I’m not a gardener myself however I do think that this is a beautiful idea that should be propagated everywhere, just like cyclamens.
Tags: breeze, broom, clean, dirt, disinfect, dry, electricity, exterior, find a gardener, find a landscaper, frame, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, glass, greenhouse, inspect, interior, isolate, junk, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, leaves, maintain, off, paint, pests, plant, replace, rinse, rot, sand, soap, sponge, summer, warm, wash, water, wood
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The question on everybody’s lips this morning is what flowers will be in Kate Middleton’s arms tomorrow as she processes  up the aisle towards an unfamiliar life in a grand palace, and the role of Queen someday. The answer lies in where the flowers will be grown.
Reliable information is that the Bride’s family will not need to Find a Gardener this time at least on Mr-Skill. This is because the Groom’s Mother kindly agreed to provide them from her garden at Windsor Great Park Green Valley planted under the patronage of her father King George VI.
Wills and Kate will have quite a choice to make now, perhaps even more complex than that wedding dress. Every Gardener in London is already taking bets on what they will make of all the beeches, euphorbias, rhododendrons and wisterias growing in profusion there.
 Fortunately for England’s favourite loving couple they will not need to call for Gardener Quotes in order to get help to shin up ladders and pick roses. I would put every penny that I owe on the fact that the queue of volunteers would stretch all the way from Buckingham Palace through to Westminster Abbey, were they to ask for help.
Kate Middleton has a keen interest in the language of flowers that spoke so elegantly of secret desires in Victorian times. My own guess is that the Solomon’s Seal she chooses to confirm her love will be of azaleas and lilacs, but that in her hands she will bear a simple posy. Tomorrow will tell for sure.
Tags: azalea, beech, bride, choice, eophorbia, father, find a gardener, find a landscaper, flower, gamily, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, groom, kate, ladder, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, language of flowers, lilac, mother, palace, posy, rhododendron, rose, valley, wedding, wills, Windsor Great Park Green Valley, wisteria
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Hedges are far better than wire fences and ugly concrete walls. They also add a touch of countryside to grungy UK city grime while making space for birds to nest in too Trimming them is easy thanks to  modern power tools. In fact, now that I think about it, I could not find a single reason not to plant a hedge, especially since Mr-Skill makes it so easy to Find a Gardener. Here is what you need to do.
o Choose what to plant. Indigenous is robust, and hawthorn popular because the plants are so cheap. Other options include blackthorn, field maple, guilder rose and hazel. All these flower in summer too, which is exactly what you want.
o Decide when to plant. If you can, buy the plants out of season when they are cheap and let them acclimatise until planting time. This is between October and Christmas for light sandy soils, but after the Festive Season if you have heavy clay.
o  Prepare the ground. Dig it over and get rid of weeds or work them in. Leave a layer of mulch on top to discourage new ones and help Mother Nature and her earthworms to do their work.
o Set out your plants and protect them too. In wintertime, the hares and rabbits are hungry and they will dine alfresco off your hedge unless you fence them out. Tender shoots also do not like frost. At an appropriate time plant out your hedge. Remember to add spiral guards to keep them growing straight and tall, and frost protect them until spring.
Did I stimulate your interest? Good. The world needs many hedges. They can be hard work planting-out though, and you my have other things you need to do. No worries then. Get a Gardener Quote on Mr-Skill instead. Could life be simpler? Or the neighbours be more jealous?
Tags: bird, blackthorn, christmas, clay, country, dig, earth, fence, find a gardener, find a landscaper, flower, frost, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, ground, guilder rose, hare, hawthorn, hazel, hedge, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, maple, mulch, plant, prepare, protect, rabbit, sand, set out, shoot, spiral guard, summer, wall, weed, worm
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There is really nothing quite as tastily healthy as crunching on a salad grown in one’s own garden. The gentle British summer provides the perfect climate too, and besides, it is a  perfect excuse to get outdoors instead of getting Gardener Quotes. Like most other things in DIY good preparation is the secret – here is how to go about preparing the soil for your own personal veggie garden:
o Select a site that is good for growing vegetables and suits your garden layout at the same too. You are looking for a sunny spot here, because most vegetables originally come from warm Mediterranean climes.
o Dig the soil over to a depth of six to ten inches, the deeper the best. All you really need is a pick and a shovel – if your back is not what it used to be though, might I suggest you Find a Gardener on Mr-Skill instead?
o  Mark out the area with some old wood boards you might find in a builder’s scrap bin. Spread two to four inches of weed-free organic compost across the surface of the soil (the more the merrier really), and push this into the loosened earth with a hoe or similar. This will improve the structure of the soil, provide nourishment, and allow water and air to reach the plant roots.
o Rake smooth, water well, and let the ground rest for a week, removing any weeds that may appear. Now you are ready for the fun part, which is setting out your seasonal seedlings, and watching them grow into plants.
Not quite the scope of work a Gardener in London might attempt. But still a great deal more fun than popping down to Sainsbury’s or Tesco’s, don’t you think?
Tags: air, bed, climate, compost, dig, earth, find a gardener, find a landscaper, Garden, gardener london, gardener quote, gardening london, gardening quotes, ground, grow, hoe, landscaper london, landscaper quote, landscaping london, landscaping quotes, nourish, organic, patch, pick, plant, plantling, rake, salad, seedling, shovel, soil, sun, veg, vegetable, veggie, warm, water
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