Top Ten Garden Picks

Well, as I’m busy working away on my garden-swap, I thought I’d continue the garden theme with a few snippets from my garden and my top ten recommendations for garden buys.  April is a great month to see colour start to appear. Here’s some trees in my garden:

 

 

 

 

Springtime

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing about gardening is that you can garden from the smallest of spaces! You don’t even need a garden and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. There was an interesting article in the Telegraph today about the effects of the recession resulting in a return to staying at home to hobby away. The articles states “With potential savings of up to £1,500 a year to be made from growing your own fruit and vegetables, it’s not hard to see why we’re suddenly all so keen on wielding a trowel.” I love to while away hours in my garden pottering about and love to see how things develop, change and grow. I lose track of time, despite my lovely garden clock!

 

 

 

 

woollywotnots' garden clock

 

 

 

 

I love the way that there is always something new appearing each month and something to replace and that every month there is some vegetable to harvest and another one to plant out. I like the way it is ever-evolving.

 

(1) I’ve had a couple of emails asking where to purchase the strawberry planter featured recently in my ‘round the garden’ post. Two Wests & Elliott is one of my favourite places for all things to do with the garden. Here’s the link for the strawberry planter. I also have the potato barrel. Don’t forget some anti-bird netting (thanks Julia for the reminder!)

 

 

 

 

 

woollywotnots' strawberries

 

 

 

 

 

(2) If you have ever complained that you don’t have space for a garden or to grow anything! Try this in a tin can! Window boxes are also a great way to add colour in a tiny space.

 

 

 

 

 

woollywotnots' garden

 

 

 

 

 

(3) If you have a window sill then you can grow all sorts of things. Currently growing on my window sill are chillies. 

 

 

 

 

windowsill growing

 

 

 

 

You can grow herbs on your windowsill. Mine are outdoors in a chimney pot (here’s a more modern alternative to the chimney pot). Colourful pots in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes are a great way to brighten the place up. I like adding a little feature to mine such as this toadstool.  

 

 

 

 

 

growing herbs

 

 

 

 

 

(4) If you don’t have a lot of space or you simply want to extend your growing area, then containers are a great way to grow vegetables – herb; saladings; carrots; potatoes; broad,French and runner beans; leeks; onions; cabbage; cauliflowers; beetroot; turnips and tomatoes can all be grown in containers – basically anything, as long as the pot is big enough. Salad crops and culinary herbs are a great way to start and are not only edible but decorative too. I use these vegetable patio planters  from Two Wests & Elliott. They are reusable, washable and fold away flat when not in use. They are a great way to encourage the kids to grow their own!

 

 

 

 

 

woollywotnots' container gardening

 

 

 

 

 

(5) I buy seeds from Sarah Raven. Her website is lovely and you can see what to grow month by month.

 

(6) What I like about gardening is you can grow something in practically anything. Here I am growing mushrooms in wooden crates that I picked up free from my local garden store. Be creative in your ideas! I’ve lined the box with a potting sheet. I like having these around and use them for all sorts of things. They keep things tidy and it is handy that the corners turn up to keep your potting area tidy.

 

 

 

 

 

mushroom growing

 

 

 

 

 

(7) I love the bright accessories and tools you can buy. My bright orange rake and blue gloves are favourites of mine!

 

 

 

 

 

funky colour

 

 

 

 

 

(8) I love adding fun little characters to brighten up the place. This is Oscar my Garden Dog. Available from here. Did you spot my little soldier man in the window box?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oscar

 

 

 

 

 

 (9) Raised beds are a great way to extend your growing space or if you don’t have much in the way of a garden. Mine were bought from Two Wests & Elliot.

 

 

 

(10)                    Greenhouses and similar are a great way to grow vegetables and flowers. I love the smell of tomato plants. I bought my growhouses from here. 

 

 

 

 

 

in and around woollywotnots garden