Early autumn is an ideal month to divide the herbaceous perennials of the garden. These are the flowering plants which die back each winter, the roots remaining dormant beneath the soil until the arrival of the following spring, this bringing warmer temperatures which triggers new growth to commence once again.

There are a variety available, producing a beautiful array of colours for the entire summer season. Popular herbaceous perennials are:

- Geranium
- Phlox
- Salvia
- Delphinium
- Aster
- Hostas

The question is why to divide?

Herbaceous perennials can outgrow their space and look rather messy, particularly in the centres and after division, older plants will have an opportunity to rejuvenate.

The garden beds overall may have become overcrowded with plants encroaching on others adjacent to them and without dividing, the following summer the crowding will augment.

It is a productive method to increase the number of plants within the garden and to fill any empty spaces that may exist, this being division is quicker in comparison to growing from seed. It can also save money, if the garden has recently been landscaped then it is an excellent way of adding plants and colour to a newly formed bed.

When dividing, it is advisable to cut down the summer growth of the taller plants near to the base, then with a garden fork gently lift the plant working outwards from the centre as the most vigorous growth is found on the outer areas of the clump. Alternatively, the traditional method of digging deeper around the perimeter of the plant with the intention of
lifting the entire perennial.

A spade can be used on the tougher plants such as Hostas and slicing the clump in two after being lifted.

The smaller plants such as Geraniums, clumps from the outer edges can be lifted using a garden spade, then once lifted, they can be divided again into smaller clumps with the use of a sharp knife.

Perennials with tubers or rhizomes may naturally fall apart when dug, otherwise the tubers are often visible above ground, indicating where to divide.

The divisions should be planted as soon as possible and well watered, part of the clump could be replanted in the same position or a different area of the garden.

It is beneficial to clean the soil from the roots, the advantage being the health of the roots can be seen as one does not wish to replant damaged or diseased roots or tubers. When ever a plant is lifted it is subjected to shock, however, during the dormant time of autumn the shock is less profound. The plants growth cycle after division will be slow as it
recovers from this disturbance. The age old saying being;

         ‘After you divide a perennial, the first year it sleeps, the second it creeps, and the third
        year it leaps’.

Contribution courtesy of Oliver David Cook on behalf of Green Landscapes Cornwall Ltd

Having made the obligatory bookends back in the mid 70’s, my path to wood-working was set.

Wood is one of those materials that you do not need a huge number of tools to be able to create and craft something from, a simple pocketknife is where most people can start. whittling....... a pointy stick, a bow some arrows, a spoon, a candlestick for granny.... and here the seed is planted for life; great oaks from little acorns grow. I am not saying we will all become great furniture makers or timber building experts, but you can make a living out of it. Over the course of my varied career I have often relied on my wood working skills in between jobs!  To physically build something with your own hands I believe is possibly one of the most satisfying things that you can do. Start small and work your way up.

Hard or soft, interior or exterior that is the question. Wood has been used over the centuries utilising its natural strength, durability, lightweight, and adaptability to build virtually anything! Different woods have different properties. I will confine my thoughts to the UK rather than the global list of timber. At the hard and durable end of the scale is the mighty Oak, usable both in its natural or ‘Green’ state for traditional timer framed houses or dried for furniture indoors or outdoors. Then there are the likes of Cedar and Larch both known for their natural durability especially outside, as in roof shingle/tiles and building cladding respectively. Then we move towards the softer woods, mainly used in modern house constriction, these can be slower grown such as the Scots Pine, or faster growing and softer Douglas Fir. All woods have their own unique properties such as Willow for cricket bats or Yew for longbows; they can be used in their natural form such as Hazel hurdles or kiln dried for fine quality furniture.

"To physically build something with your own hands I believe is possibly one of the most satisfying things that you can do. Start small and work your way up."

Whatever you decide to make there is always a tool for it, if correctly sharpened and used it can make your life much easier; but it is amazing what you can do with just a hand saw, a hammer and some nails! One of the most important things to remember is that wood working tools are sharp so that they can cut or slice through the tough fibres of the timber, what you do not want is the same cutting edge doing damage to flesh and bone. I have never met a woodworker who has not had too close an encounter with one of his tools and displays the scars with pride; but I do not
recommend it!

Now for the juicier bit… how and what to do with that wasted area in the garden that is on too steep a slope to be of any use, except as an Eddie the Eagle practice ski slope. Perhaps you need to extend your internal entertaining house space by taking the inside out! Building a Deck area either alongside your house or to create a special area within the garden does not have to be too daunting a task. In a nutshell, or perhaps I should say an Acorn? There are a few factors to take into consideration. For the sake of this blog I will assume that you have decided on a decking area rather than a stone patio. I will also take a more practical look at the process. Things to consider.

What material you want to use, there are several choices; dependent on budget, aesthetics, maintenance, and environmental impact… the choice is yours? Woods like Larch or Cedar that are more water resistant than say pressure treated sort woods. Hardwoods such as Teak or Oak are at the pricier end of the range but require less maintenance. Wood-polymer composite decking, made from recycled plastic and wood fibres, has come a long way in the last few years and in my opinion is a much better alternative to plastic (hollow) decking and has some qualities that start to compete with the softer wood options; both on longevity and upkeep. For a more contemporary feel there is Aluminium, generally made from recycled products. I have recently come across and worked with charred timber planks for decking. A technique originally used by the Japanese in the 18 th century referred to as “Shou Sugi Ban”. The surface of the timber is burnt to enhance its durability and aesthetics.

Whether it is a slopey side of a hill or an uneven bit of useless ground beside your home, setting your datum or starting point is essential. I like to call it “The Motherboard”, all boards are created equal, but some are more equal than others! If
you get this one right everything generally goes to plan, if not chaos will reign! This could simply be your desired finishing height or the height of an existing step or patio.

 "I have recently come across and worked with charred timber planks for decking. A technique originally used by the Japanese in the 18 th century referred to as “Shou Sugi Ban”. The surface of the timber is burnt to enhance its durability and aesthetics."

You need to keep the decking planks up and away from potentially wet ground, therefore a solid and stable sub-structure is needed. You can either use concrete slabs or blocks or 100mm x 100mm posts concreted into the ground, this is my
preferred option as it ensures that what you build stays there! I would then normally recommend 50mm x 150mm pressure treated softwood or 6” x 2” for those of my age bracket (we don't discriminate); smaller timbers can be used if space and height is an issue but you will need to reduce your span distances accordingly. Then to nogging or not to nogging is the question? A nogging or a dwang if you are in Scotland or NZ, is a bracing piece of wood fitted between floor joists to prevent them from twisting under pressure; only really needed with larger structures and greater spans. I find the combination of upright posts and the decking boards themselves do for solid structure, another reason why I like to use posts. Then its just a case of laying out and fixing your boards; two screws in each board on every joist, with a 5mm gap between boards; a good little impact-driver savers a lot of time and your drill. Until next time.

Capt. Stardust

20/7/2020

Garden Inspiration During Lockdown..

We have recently experienced what was known as a lockdown and there has been much uncertainty. But
what was certain was the extra time which had become available and enabling more time to devote to
one’s own garden and to encourage inspiration for a garden makeover or similar.
​
It maybe starting to notice particular areas of the garden, at certain times of the day, are more desirable to sit and
relax in, areas which went previously unnoticed before, prior to the lockdown. A corner of the lawn, for
example, subjected to immense spring sunshine, could be transformed into a landscaped seating area for
all to enjoy.

There has been more time to ponder how a section of the garden could be better utilised and the potential
of a transformation.

It may be an area is suitable for growing produce, ranging from small fruits and berries, a selection of
vegetables or even the planting of fruit trees, which could be trained in an espalier fashion against a south
facing wall.

Or, a sensory garden to enhance the time of relaxation...

For sound, the installation of a water feature and the sound of running water is extremely therapeutic and
would also entice wildlife into the garden.

For scent, a variety of different plants are available and with a specifically designed planting plan,
pleasant aromas can be enjoyed throughout the year.

For sight, from decorative hard landscaping creating vistas to formal and informal designs it is limitless to
what can be achieved. The choice and range of plants from architectural to wild flowers will have a
dramatic affect on the appearance of the garden.

All of the above will entice wildlife, particularly birdlife, which are enjoyable to watch and the diverse
range of bird song being soothing to listen to.

Inspiration may come from perpetually looking at a rather bland boundary fence or wall which would
benefit from climbing plants attractively trained across them. These could be planted in a raised planting bed constructed in front of the existing boundary either from brickwork, coloured walling or timber sleepers to improve the entire aesthetics of the existing fence or walling.

Does the garden slope considerably and could it be levelled or even terraced into two or more separate levels, each level having a different theme, from a lawn section to a hand landscaped section to a wild-flower area, imagination is the key.

Or is the desire to have the immediate area at the rear of the house transformed as an exterior room, an
extension of the house for alfresco dining, to enjoy those warm summer evenings when the weather is
most genial.

An area of dapple shade is a great attribute to the garden. The construction of a timber pergola is the
preferred option with a climbing plant or two growing over the cross beams at the top to provide partial
protection against the sun’s rays. 

Whatever the change made to the garden, the extra time at home has provided much inspiration for all.
For more inspiration visit The National Trust website who have uploaded virtual tours of their properties.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lists/virtual-tours-of-our-places