Currently on the market lots of different ground sheeting is available for the use of preventing weed growth. Unfortunately a lot of the ground sheeting products on the market at present are not fit for purpose as they are to thin allowing light through which in turn allows the more invasive weeds to grow through the sheeting such as ground elder. 

The best weed sheeting is a woven product which does not allow light through. It comes is different widths and is easy to cut to shape with scissors. 

https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=Heavy%20Duty%20Landscape%20Fabric

When laying ground sheet laying ground sheeting it should be over lapped by 100mm and held dow with pegs which will hold it in place before the fabric is cover with a bark much or any other covering. 

Although you can buy pegs for the purpose they can be expensive considering the numbers that will be required. Its better to buy a roll of wire and cut it into 200 lengths to create pegs which can be pushed through the ground sheeting. 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/apollo-2-5mm-galvanised-garden-wire-25m/57999

Before installing the ground sheeting its a good idea to spread a general garden fertiliser such as Growmore about a handful per meter in the areas that planting is going to take place. 

https://www.diy.com/departments/westland-growmore-granular-garden-fertiliser-10kg/1318588_BQ.prd

Also before installing the ground sheeting its worth considering laying some soaker hose under the sheeting in the areas that will be planted up. The hozelock soaker pipe is especially useful because because you can use the control at the start of the hose to regulate the water flow. 

https://www.toolstation.com/hozelock-soaker-hose/p13349

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

With the changing climate and gardens becoming small the pressures on the modern day lawn are growing !! Climate change means that lawns are either very wet or very dry which has a couple of effects firstly the lawn losses its colour in the summer and secondly if you lawn gets a lot of use with children then its going to get worn out and not recover quickly.

Faced with these lawn problems a lot of people have opted to install artificial turf or astro turf. Whilst this is a good solution it can be expensive and cause a few unexpected problems for example if you have a dog the smell created by the dog never seems to leave artificial turf as artificial lawns have no bacterial to breakdown dog waste.

One solution the GardenAdvice teams have been developing over the last few years is to install or oversees existing lawns with micro clover. This is a clover often found in patches in lawn but used as a covering plant species it makes a great lawn whilst you will loose the striping effect when you cut the lawn clover it will hold its colour in the summer and will recover from wear in a wide range of conditions including wet and dry spells of weather.

 Clover also has the additional advantage of producing its own nitrogen feed by teaming up with soil bacteria known as rhizobia which can live in nodules on the clover roots. Rhizobia take nitrogen gas (N2) from the air and convert it through a series of steps into forms of nitrogen (such as ammonium and nitrate) that can be used by clover to support growth. 

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

Short courses from the GardenAdvice team on practical gardening run in your own garden for you by the GardenAdvice experts plus you can also invite up to 12 of your friends or family along at no additional charge . Our courses are designed to provide you with an introduction to gardening and how to develop your garden with the help of the GardenAdvice  expert gardeners.

GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started.

The courses are being held locally thought the U.K and in your own garden cover such basic skills as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs and creating the perfect lawn.

See some of our clients our gardening course and our MyGardenTeam service on Instagram

The GardenAdvice gardening course for beginners and new gardeners is available as a home course – we send one of our experts to you for the day ring us or send us an email for more details courses@gardenadvice.co.uk or telephone us on 01225 637218

Click Here for further information on our one day gardening courses 

The course takes place in a garden and involves both practical demonstrations and short talks aimed at giving your an introduction To all the basic skills you will need in the garden. The following areas are covered –

Basic gardening techniques such as digging, grass cutting, pruning, planting and watering.

Easy garden maintenance covers methods to make your garden easy to look after. Including weed control.

Basic construction methods covering how to lay a lawn, a small patio and decking.

Pest and diseases how to control them by using organic methods and creating a natural balance in your garden to keep them under control.

Creating special areas in your garden including a organic veg plot, fruit garden, perennial borders and water features.

Planting designs and basic garden design techniques for garden planting to encourage all year round interest.

MyGardenTeam service – All our course include a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service so you are supported for a whole year Click Here 

Many of the people undertaking the GardenAdvice short gardening courses go on to undertake further courses in part time education such as the RHS garden certification courses which qualifies them to to undertake a wide range of jobs and positions within the horticultural industry such as working as a gardener in a botanical garden.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

One day gardening course/Workshop for beginners – North London 17th March 2019

Join us for a one day gardening workshop at Capel Manor gardens this Sunday with the GardenAdvice gardening school team.

For further details click here

https://www.emptychair.com/classes/arts-and-crafts/plants/one-day-gardening-workshop-for-beginners–1001

Become a gardener with the GardenAdvice Gardening Course.

If you are new to gardening it can all seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and the gardening terminology.

GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started to become a good gardener. in your own private garden.

The courses are being held locally thought the U.K and in your own garden cover such basic skills as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs and creating the perfect lawn.

See some of our clients our gardening course and our MyGardenTeam service on Instagram

The GardenAdvice gardening course for beginners and new gardeners is available as a home course – we send one of our experts to you for the day ring us or send us an email for more details courses@gardenadvice.co.uk or telephone us on 01225 637218

The course takes place in a garden and involves both practical demonstrations and short talks aimed at giving your an introduction To all the basic skills you will need in the garden. The following areas are covered

Basic gardening techniques such as digging, grass cutting, pruning, planting and watering.

Easy garden maintenance covers methods to make your garden easy to look after. Including weed control.

Basic construction methods covering how to lay a lawn, a small patio and decking.

Pest and diseases how to control them by using organic methods and creating a natural balance in your garden to keep them under control.

Creating special areas in your garden including a organic veg plot, fruit garden, perennial borders and water features.

Planting designs and basic garden design techniques for garden planting to encourage all year round interest.

MyGardenTeam service – All our course include a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service so you are supported for a whole year Click Here

Available as a gift voucher if you wish to give a present to a friend or family member.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

With less than less than 3 months notice Kew Gardens changes it rules for members so you now have to pay to gain access to a kew  partnership gardens. Kew Garden are tell members that the free access to partnership gardens is still free as long you purchase a ticket for a friend.  Lots of people purchase Kew Gardens membership to visit Kews partnership gardens so they do not have to pay every time they enter.  Whilst Kew Gardens might be within the rights they have to change membership access to partner garden providing less than 3 months notice to people who have purchase 12 months membership seems I little unfair. But it support the Kew Gardens corporate culture in that members and visitors are seen as an inconvenience  and something that has to tolerated to gain access to massive amount of public assistance through Government hand outs and grant.

The Kew Gardens Email

We are writing to let you know about a change to a membership benefit. Free entry to our partner gardens is changing. From 1 June 2019, members of Kew and Wakehurst will be entitled to 2 for 1 access to partner gardens (listed below) when purchasing an adult or concession ticket*. This replaces the current arrangement where members of Kew and Wakehurst have free entry to partner gardens.

Our partner gardens are:

• Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest
• Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
• The Lost Gardens of Heligan
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Benmore, Dawyck, Logan Botanic Gardens
• Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and Arboretum
• Castle Howard Grounds
• Ness Botanic Gardens
• Holehird Gardens / Lakeland Horticultural Society
• Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum
• Birmingham Botanical Gardens

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

There are different types of greenhouses. Some people mistakenly think that you can grow different varieties of crop in one greenhouse. The truth is, the type of greenhouse you choose will depend on a couple of factors:

• What you plan to grow
• Your situation

Different plants require different environments in order to grow and thrive. You can therefore opt for the type of greenhouse that most suits your needs depending on what you plan to do with it.

Types of Greenhouses

There are two types of greenhouses: permanent and temporary. The type you need will depend on whether you want to do a lot or relatively little with it.ary greenhouse does not require a hefty investment since you may not be able to do as much with it as you would with a permanent one.

Temporary Greenhouses

If you indulge in gardening more as a hobby than a business meant to bring in profits, the temporary greenhouse may be a good fit for you. They are best suited for:

• Using it during the wintry seasons to protect delicate plants
• Growing crops when the ground is covered in frost

When the conditions are back to being favourable for crops, you can dismantle your structure and pack it away for next time. Temporary greenhouses are not as big as the permanent ones as there is no need for them to be spacious.

Some of the structures may have frames made of steel or pole but the covering is film. They are easy and quick to put up and equally easy to dismantle. Manufacturers will advise you to have their covers removed before the high winds strike because they have no wind or snow loads.

Benefits

• Very affordable
• Can be put up for temporary use when needed
• They are portable

Temporary greenhouses are not built for harsh weather and they do not last very long.

Permanent Greenhouses

There are two great reasons for opting to go with the permanent greenhouse:

• You want to make some money
• You plan to grow crops that do well in your geographical location

These structures are pricier than their temporary counterparts but people tend to choose them because with good management, they will give better service. Moreover, you can grow a wider variety of crops including exotic ones and they have a lot more space.

The quality is also better because the frame is bolted together. Also, the material used such as glass or polycarbonate is a lot sturdier than film. A permanent greenhouse of good quality will have snow and wind load.

While a temporary greenhouse may not require a permit to install, many permanent ones do.

Benefits

• They are sturdier and therefore last much longer
• They have more room and can accommodate more plants
• They can be a means to earn extra money

The ground for installing a permanent greenhouse requires some preparation as a base or foundation is needed. You are well advised to let a professional handle the installation. The warranty ranges from one year to a limited lifetime warranty depending on the greenhouse.

Conclusion

Temporary greenhouses as well as varieties of the smaller permanent ones are easy to move. However, it is not advisable to move them often as that may make them weak. If you must move your small permanent greenhouse, disassemble it and mark each piece clearly for reassembly.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

A kitchen is an important space in a home or apartment. As food is an essential part of living, people spend a lot of time in the kitchen experimenting with new cuisines and recipes to satisfy their palate. Therefore, it deserves a makeover occasionally so that the enthusiasm for cooking remains alive. Here are a few steps with which you can completely change the look of your kitchen.

Change your worktop:

There are various different kinds of worktops out there that have their own features and perks. You could give your kitchen a complete makeover by changing the material of your worktop. A porcelain worktop is ideal for a kitchen, as it is stain and scratch resistant. It can withstand wine or even bleach spills and be completely unaffected. It is also easy to maintain, as it does not require resealing every few years.

Porcelain worktop is a hygienic choice, as it is resistant to bacteria and mildew, ensuring that your kitchen is always clean and bacteria-free. Neolith is an excellent choice for a kitchen worktop because it is resistant to UV rays, which makes it a hygienic material for a worktop. 

Change the colour scheme and the texture:

Changing the colour scheme of your kitchen will give it a completely transformed look and brighten up the cooking area. The choice of colours is important, as certain dark colours like blue and purple could darken your kitchen. Lighter shades add freshness and a cheerful vibe to your kitchen. Neolith comes in a variety of different patterns and finishes and helps bring out the colour and aura of the kitchen. Neolith Estatuario and Neolith Calacatta may look similar from afar but their patterns vary completely. The vein patterns running through both the tiles are different and add a level of sophistication to your worktop. Neolith Iron Copper has a dark brown tinge and gives a matured look to your worktop.

Replace hardware:

You could change the look of your kitchen by changing its hardware. Choose a different style of door knob or faucet to give your kitchen a new look. Small changes, such as a door or cabinet knob, could change the vibe of a kitchen into something new and attractive.

Change the lights:

The light scheme is an important part of interior designing and the selection of lights changes the look of the space drastically. Changing the lights will be the perfect way to give your kitchen a makeover. A bright kitchen tends to improve the aura of space, so changing the lights will make your kitchen warmer and more positive. It is important to blend the worktop with the colour scheme of the kitchen. Neolith Bianco Carrara imitates the Carrara marble, which is where it gets its name from. It adds a classy look to your kitchen and gives it a completely new look under the new lights.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

Join the GardenAdvice team on a one day gardening course for beginners at Capel Manor Gardens on the 17th March and get your gardening year off to a great start.

Become a gardener with the GardenAdvice Gardening Course.

If you are new to gardening it can all seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and the gardening terminology.
GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started.
The courses are being held locally thought the U.K and in your own garden cover such basic skills as pruning, correct digging methods, growing your own shrubs and creating the perfect lawn.

See some of our clients our gardening course and our MyGardenTeam service on Instagram

The GardenAdvice gardening course for beginners and new gardeners is available as a home course – we send one of our experts to you for the day ring us or send us an email for more details courses@gardenadvice.co.uk or telephone us on 01225 637218 or 0203 8077456

The course takes place in a garden and involves both practical demonstrations and short talks aimed at giving your an introduction To all the basic skills you will need in the garden. The following areas are covered –

Short introduction to the history origins of gardening.

Basic gardening techniques such as digging, grass cutting, pruning, planting and watering.

Easy garden maintenance covers methods to make your garden easy to look after. Including weed control.

Basic construction methods covering how to lay a lawn, a small patio and decking.

Pest and diseases how to control them by using organic methods and creating a natural balance in your garden to keep them under control.

Creating special areas in your garden including a organic veg plot, fruit garden, perennial borders and water features.

Planting designs basic design techniques for garden planting to encourage all year round interest.

MyGardenTeam service – All our course include a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service so you are supported for a whole year Click Here

To inquiry about our gardening course Click Here or ring 01225 637218 or 0203 8077456

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

If you are looking to introduce some early spring colour into your garden, naturalising bulbs in your lawn can be a great option, and once planted the bulbs will return every spring for years to come.

The first step is selecting your bulbs.

Crocus and snowdrops are all good choices, here are some good varieties

Daffodils,

Narcissus cyclamineus ‘February Gold’, ‘Peeping Tom’ and ‘Tete a Tete’

Crocus

Crocus biflorus ‘Blue Pearl’

Crocus chrysanthus ‘Cream Beauty’ and ‘Gypsy Girl’

Snowdrops

Galanthus nivalis

Galanthus elwesii

Snowdrops can be planted as bulbs in the autumn, but they are best planted in the green when they have finished flowering.

For spring flowering bulbs you will need to plant them in autumn. Mow the lawn first this will make it easier. To plant bulbs in turf is very simple, once you have selected your choice of bulbs  you need to position them in your lawn, a great way to make them look natural is to scatter them across the area and plant them where they land, if some land a little too close just seperate them, you can use either a small trowel or a bulb planter to do this job, I prefer a thin trowel. Lift the top layer of turf off and remove the soil to a depth approximately 3 times the depth of the bulb, Daffodils being the largest wil be planted deepest, break up the soil and backfill the hole them firm the turf back down on top.

Once planted they require very little aftercare, however it is recommend to leave daffodils for around 6 weeks to die back and restore the bulb before removing the dead leaves.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here

12 best Alpine plants to grow your rock garden 

1. Gentiana verna,  stunning blue flowers from late spring to early summer.
2. Saxifraga, forms a matt of green with delicate pink, white, red, yellow and purple flowers.
3. Sempervivum,small rosette forming succulents, easy to care for that need full sun.
4. Campanula, bell shaped flowers in blue, white and purple on a carpet forming plant.
5. Sedum, a succulent with star shaped flowers throughout summer.
6. Iris reticulata  small bulbs growing from late winter to early spring.
7. Daffodil ‘Tete a Tete’  dwarf plants with yellow flowers in spring.
8. Cerastium, ‘Snow In Summer’ a mass of white flowers on silver foliage in summer.
9. Pulsatilla Vulgaris, purple bell shaped flowers on hairy stems in spring bearing silky seed heads.
10. Aubretia, cascading plant with masses of purple, pink and white flowers throughout summer.
11. Thymus vulgaris, bushy spreading plant with scented leaves and purple flowers.

Spraxis, harlequin flower, a hardy bulb that produces a stunning display of multi-coloured flowers.

One Day Gardening Course in your own garden or a GardenAdvice venue     Our one day gardening courses are run in your own garden or at a GardenAdvice venue by one of our gardening experts teaching you about your own garden and how to develop is making it more colourful and easier to maintain. Our courses are tailored to the requirements of the individual and come in three basic formats - New to gardening, Growing your own fruit and vegetables and wildlife gardening. All our short courses include a number of basic elements and wide ranging aspects such as garden design and practical gardening. Our one day gardening courses also come with a years membership to our MyGardenTeam service to support you for 12 months For further details  click here