Lavender is without doubt one of the most popular shrubs to be found in any garden and with good reason too, providing a plethora of pleasures from the amazing aroma to the wonderful lilac flowers, particularly as they sway hither and thither in a gentle summer breeze. Planted alongside paths and walkways, as a small hedge, the perfume emitted is
therapeutic for the person, whilst at the same time attracting butterflies and bees. Planting lavender in clumps or in hedge form ensues a profusion of blossom and is more beneficial for the insects as it means they can jump from flower to flower with ease, compared to a sporadic planting plan. Towards the end of August is the favourable time to prune and harvest the flowers, the soil temperature is at its warmest and once pruned the plant will have an opportunity to grow new shoots before the approaching winter, these shoots will then spring into life the following year. Lavender angustifolia is by far the most suitable to grow here in the UK, the varieties Hidcote and Munstead being the most popular, the latter producing a slightly darker flower. Both fall into the RHS pruning group 10 classification, meaning they flower on new wood and regular pruning will prevent them from becoming too woody. The best time of day to harvest lavender for its aromatic properties is early morning, during this time the oils of the flowers are most profound. As the daytime temperature increases the fragrant oils dissipate and the flowers will then begin to open up more and this is the desired time to harvest for decorative purposes. It is important to use sharp secateurs or shears for pruning as a clean cut is essential and one must avoid from cutting too low into the wood stem section as this will prohibit any new growth which is formed on the upper section only. Aim for cutting one third of the leaf section and in doing so forming a nice evenly rounded mound for aesthetic purposes too. The cut stems and flowers can be bundled together with an elastic band or garden twine and hung for drying away from direct sunlight and in a dry sheltered location. Once the lavender has dried, approximately 3 weeks, the buds can be rubbed or shaken off and stored in a lidded jar. There are numerous applications for dried lavender with imagination being key. The reputed therapeutic benefits include induced calmness, promoting sleep and lowering the heart rate all attributing to a more relaxed state. To enhance the aromas of the house, dried lavender can be used to aid cleaning with a sprinkling of the flowers on carpet prior to vacuuming to release the fragrance. Lavender oils also have multitudinous benefits and uses and a visit to the UK’s most southerly lavender farm based here in Cornwall is highly recommended. Here a wide range of products can be purchased, providing much inspiration too. https://www.cornwall-lavender.co.uk/ Contribution by Oliver David Cook on behalf of Green Landscapes Cornwall Ltd
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In these unprecedented times the garden can become our saviour, a place where we can temporarily escape from the tribulations which are unfolding around us and the rest of the world too. The garden provides food and medicine for the soul, but it could be regarded as reciprocal, that is the plants no doubt benefit too from human presence. There have been scientific studies that plants may benefit from being spoken to by humans and a great advocate of this was the Duke of Cornwall himself, The Prince of Wales. It was back in 1986 that Prince Charles famously quoted ‘I just come and talk to the plants, really – very important to talk to them. They respond.’ Indeed, the plants will respond from the release of carbon dioxide which is produced when people exhale as they speak. The plants then absorb the carbon dioxide which aids them with their growth and through the process of photosyntheses, oxygen is released as a by-product which in turn is breathed in by the speaker. It also maybe plausible that plants benefit from sounds such as a person talking. Sounds are forms of vibrations which the plants do respond to. An experiment was carried out several years ago by a television crew who arranged plants into separate greenhouses, each greenhouse having a different theme of sound. One greenhouse was silent, another was subjected to the sound of people talking, another to classical music and one to the sound of rock music. The greenhouse which remained silent had the least growth and the greenhouses with music being played had the most growth, the greenhouse of rock music having the most growth of all. However, from this conclusion it is recommended that one must not play loud music in their garden if it would cause any tension with the neighbours at this time of self-isolation, but some gentle singing maybe appreciated. Why not try an experiment yourself? It can work with house plants too. Have two identical potted plants which are placed apart from one another, but if possible the same amount of sunshine and water. Continually talk to one and not the other and after three weeks, the results may prove conclusive, either way it can help pass the time of self-isolation. Otherwise, venture out into the garden and start talking or singing to the plants, select a different area of the garden each day if possible. When asked at a later date if he still spoke to the plants, Prince Charles responded ‘No, now I instruct them instead.’ Whether you wish to instruct them or talk about the day to day events which are unfolding rapidly in front of our eyes, without doubt it will benefit both the plants and the person who is speaking. BY OLIVER DAVID COOK It is a month which at times can show signs of spring and entice one to partake in some gardening. Indeed, if the weather is genial then February is the ideal month to prune those plants which belong to the RHS category of Group Six pruning.
Essentially, these are the plants which flower late summer to autumn and on the current new seasons stems and growth. Examples of plants which adhere to Group Six pruning are:
As these shrubs flower on the same years growth a hard prune is required during the month of February and as in the case of the hardy Fuschias almost down to ground level, this can be extremely therapeutic too for the person who is doing the pruning. Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ which exhibits a wonderful display of blue-lilac flowers, also known as Russian Sage, will benefit immensely from a hard prune back to its basal shoots. Perovskia thrives in many coastal areas and in many soil types and with aromatic leaves akin to sage and an appearance similar to lavender it makes an excellent low lying hedgerow. Buddleja Davidii also known as the ‘Butterfly Bush’ can be cut down, using large pruners, to approximately half a metre from the ground, this will encourage upright shoots with a slight arching habit and will be greatly appreciated by the butterflies. As a rule of thumb for shrubs which adhere to Group Six pruning, cut back the previous years flowering stems to one or two buds from the older framework. Certain types of Clematis will also be required to have a hard prune in February, this is particularly the case for Herbaceous Clematis, Gypsy Queen and Clematis Viticella. They all flower on the current seasons growth in late summer and if they are not pruned annually the stems will be devoid of flowers and only up high will the flowers grow and most often amongst a tangled mass of growth. It must be noted that Clematis has its own pruning group classification, those which flower in late summer fall into Clematis Group 3, whereas, those which flower in early summer and on older wood or the previous years growth fall into Clematis Group 2. If unsure when to prune, then observe the time of year the Clematis will come into flower. For the kitchen gardeners, autumn raspberries will fall into Pruning Group Six. All old canes should be cut back down to ground level in February and the new canes will start to grow in spring and then fruit in late summer. It is important not to mistake summer raspberries for the autumn variety, as they fruit on the previous years canes, which would result in a loss of crop. Contribution By Oliver David Cook |
Welcome!Here at Penwarne Landscaping we are all passionate about gardens, and believe that outdoor spaces are just as important as indoor ones! In this blog, we regularly share our expertise along with tips and tricks that you can use to make the most of your garden and home. Archives
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