News
What is a Pocket Park?
How to attract Goldfinches to your garden.
Goldfinches are one of Britain's most beautiful birds. If you want to try and attract them to your garden, you can do the following 3 things;
1. Plant a pine or larch tree.
2. Add thistles and teasels to your garden borders. Goldfinches love eating the seeds from these plants.
3. Get some seeds and add them to a birdfeeder. (There is special mixes specifically made to attract goldfinches, the main seed they like is Niger seeds, but also like seeds such as linseed, and hempseed).
Goldfinch singing.
Climbing roses
Fairy foxglove / Erinus alpinus
What a lovely plant for rockeries, ground cover and as you will see in the video below, garden walls, a much underused growing space!
Californian lilac / Ceanothus
Native to America, this shrub is becoming popular in Britain. In May/June they become full of deep blue blossom. Beautiful. The only downside, like many other shrubs and trees, the blossom doesn't last long, and once finished it is just a green bush, with not very exciting foliage.
Laburnum tree
The last few weeks, Laburnum trees have been in full blossom. Bright yellow flowers, a great alternative to blossom trees with more pastel shades, if your garden is full of bright colours.
Marvellous May
May has to be one of the best months of the year for garden beauty. The leaves on the trees are fresh and lush green, and many shrubs are covered in blossom, including the native Hawthorn. Grass lawns are in great condition and alpine plants in rockeries are full of colour. The Horse Chestnut tree, best known for it's conkers in autumn, has fantastic candles of quite exotic pink/white flowers this month. Most people overlook this, but if you live near a conker tree, go and take a look and you'll see them amongst the distinctive leaves.
Cottage Garden Plants
The following plants are traditionally found in English cottage gardens. So, if you are planning on creating a cottage garden border this month, choose these and you can be sure of a beautiful display this summer.
ROW 1. FOXGLOVE / HONEYSUCKLE / OPIUM POPPY / GLADIOLUS / CHRISTMAS ROSE
ROW 2. LAVENDER / NASTURTIUM / SCABIOUS / ASTER / GUELDER ROSE
ROW 3. AUBRETIA / FORGET-ME-NOT / MIGNONETTE / COMMON BROOM / BORAGE
ROW 4. PERRENIAL PHLOX / WHITE JAPANESE WINDFLOWER / FLOWERING SAGE / PINK
Magnolia Trees
If you are looking for a small tree that flowers in spring, then a Magnolia is a great choice, as they just get better with each year, and are easy to manage. Watch the short video above, with some beautiful examples of them in compact city terrace gardens.
Forsythia - Easter Tree
Forsythia is a yellow flowering shrub that is also known as Easter Tree, to reflect the time when it is in flower. It is native to China, and was brought to Britain in the 19th century. It is common in many residential gardens, and can be planted as an informal hedge. It is the perfect backdrop to a border filled with spring bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips.
