My basket
0 item(s) £0.00
Our brand new Wordpress blog is now live and you'll find Tokely's Tales Gardening Blog there from now on. Andrew will be updating the blog each month as normal and you'll also find our 'News in the Gardening World' feature and Michael Perry's Gardening Blog there. We hope that you like the new format and hope to see you there soon. You'll have the opportunity to leave comments on the blogs and news items and you can even sign up for free RSS feeds to get new blog posts delivered to your inbox as soon as they're published!
The mixture of fine weather and some showers towards the end of last month has certainly helped the summer bedding displays, which are still putting on a good show. Talking of shows, at the beginning of September was the Capel St Mary Allotment show in the village where I live. This is always a great event and again we were blessed with good weather. On the Friday before the show I spent the day lifting and sorting my vegetable exhibits. This can be a joyful as well as sometimes a frustrating experience... 
It is always a worry when you are away, not knowing what is going to happen to the garden, but luckily I have a good neighbour who looks after plants at home and a fellow plot holder who waters any plants on my plot that may require attention. Well, on my return all looked well – with the mixture of sunshine, heavy downpours and some TLC the garden and plot were looking great. 
The garden and plot are saturated and the forecast is for more rain to continue this month. I’ve already recorded over 60mm of rain in my gauge in the past 2 weeks. But despite the weather the garden has been looking colourful...
The good thing about visiting the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show compared to Chelsea is space - there is far more of it making walking around the exhibits and gardens a more pleasurable experience... 
Despite the changeable weather of late it has been a very busy time in the garden and on the allotment. All the 
I have lost count of how many times I have visited the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, but one thing is guaranteed - I always see a few gardens and new plants or ideas that inspire me in my own garden.
After the wettest April on record, May arrived and hasn’t been a lot better. But at least the rain has turned more showery with a few nice sunny days over the last week...
Well, what a cold spell we are experiencing at present, and ever since the hosepipe ban was announced for our area it has rained almost everyday...
I am sure many gardeners were as shocked and surprised as I was when a hosepipe ban was announced for my area starting in April. This is very early in the season and something we would normally associate with mid summer rather than late spring. My thoughts then went to how I was going to keep my garden looking good this year...
Nights are getting lighter with around 12 hours daylight per day, so I think spring may have finally sprung. Already the blossom is bursting out from tight buds on trees and hedgerows around the village where I live in Suffolk, but caution must still be taken...
What a difference a month makes, last month I was saying how mild it had been for the time of year, well February has certainly come in with a vengeance. Still, this cold snap will be helping to break the heavy soil down on the plot and kill off a few of those overwintering pests.
With the weather so mild early this month, it is hard to believe we are only in January. I must admit that weather like this does worry me, because often fellow gardeners get itchy fingers and start sowing seeds far too early. 
I love seeing a freshly turned over plot, all clean, edged up and ready for the new year ahead. It’s already had a few good showers of rain and some hard winter frosts, which will all help the soil breakdown ready for next spring.
I just can’t believe how mild it still is this month, not that I am complaining - it makes working in the garden more pleasant, especially without the hindrance of a jacket.
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube Channel
Find us on Google+
Pinterest
Read our Blog