Welcome to Charlton Park Garden Centre
Welcome to Charlton Park. On this page you will find information about the free events that take place at Charlton Park plus our regular gardening columns. Events so far this year have included a visit by the RSPB, a free Q&A session with David Austin Roses and lots of planting sessions for kids. For details of our location click on the Garden Centre tab for a map. Should you have any queries please feel free to call us on 01235 772700.
Gardening column for July 2010
Well its finally happened – we are having a summer!
Lavender plants are looking stunning with their mass of purple / blue flowers they really love this weather. They need little attention other than dead heading when they have finished flowering and a good hard prune at the end of March – this stops them from outgrowing their space and getting too woody in the middle. Put them in a sunny spot and they will reward you with a fantastic display.
Hydrangeas are doing well now too – these deciduous shrubs come in 2 types – either mop head (flowers in a big ball like a mop!) or lace cap (big flowers on the outside and little ones on the inside like a lace doily). They are very easy to keep – plant in a well drained soil in the garden or they make a great container specimen. They will be happy in sun or shade. If you want to keep the blue colour they need to planted in a container in an acid or ericaceous soil. They flower from now right through until October.
This really is the time to plan ahead so that we have colour for as long as possible. I have just cut back all my hardy Geraniums and have left lots of gaps – so walking round the garden centre today I am looking for things that I can add to give me colour and interest for the rest of the summer. I am going to add perennials, these are the ones which will come back next year. Penstemons which are one of the most valuable for late summer flowering. They are really easy to grow in a free draining soil in sun or light shade. Dead head regularly to prolong the season of flowering. Penstemons need to be pruned to avoid them becoming leggy. Trim in late April early May, the old stems will provide protection over the winter. They come in a wide range of colours with whites, pinks, reds and purples, even one with a stunning dark red leaf. Other must have perennials for now are Achillea, common name Yarrow – these tall plants are great for the back of the border they have flat heads of tiny flowers and come in a wide range of colours – I love the rich orange pink colour of Salmon Beauty.
I could go on like this for days! However here are a few more must haves: Echinacea – tall daisy like flowers in white and pink; Hardy Salvia – come in a wide range of heights and colours and flower for ages; Delphiniums – fantastic for the back of the border with their tall blue flower spikes; Lupins with their mass of pea like flowers in a fantastic range of colours; Heleniums such as Sahins early with its orange red flowers until October and last but not least Verbena bonariensis – one of my favourite plants, tall spikes of tiny purple flower on long stems – the bees and butterflies love them!
Don’t forget the shady places – plant them up with Ferns, Astillbes – just started to flower now and Heuchera – their bright foliage will darken any corner!
Jobs for now
Its not too late to plant some tomatoes, lettuces, or peppers
Dead head hanging baskets and containers
Feed baskets and containers once a week to prolong flowering
Dead head border perennials
Remove blanket weed from ponds
Prune Bay trees into shape – use secateurs to avoid damaging the leaves
If you have Dahlias protect them from earwig damage (upturned flower pot on end of cane stuffed with straw works well)
Dead head roses
Pick sweet peas
Protect fruit from the birds with netting
Enjoy your garden!