As Thyme Goes By... 

This autumn I have a birthday...yes, it's a BIG ONE. I know, I know, I don't look it, but I will be **+ VAT. and my bus pass is in the post! I'm getting to the age when even the speaking clock becomes a threatening phone call! I think it comes with age that one of the nicest parts of this job is the customer chats; the exchange of gardening ideas; the swapping of hints and tips gleaned from(many!) years in the business. But one of the most notable of recurring themes is the lament of the older customer that their garden, once a hive of constant activity, an ongoing project never to be completed, has become at best tiring, at worst a chore. That's when we have   to remind ourselves of the original purpose of our gardens - somewhere beautiful to look at 12 months of the year, with luck in which to relax during the summer months, to grow a few veg maybe, and surround our home with views of peace and tranquillity, when all else is chaos and confusion.

I've certainly changed my style of garden over the years. When the children were small it was constantly fullof 'stuff' : swings, paddling pool, pet rabbits, all vying for space and needing to be tidied away into the shed at the end of the day, (well, not the rabbit!) Plants in that garden needed to be tough, football-proof shrubs like Euonymus, Phormium and grasses, plus the cheap and cheerful summer bedding which bore the brunt of many a saturday afternoon kickabout. Time was precious then - how I would have loved the luxury of an evening's pruning or watering, or a couple of hours making my flowerbeds weed-free and pristine. But no, too busy ferrying kids to choir practice, gymnastics, cricket nets, and the husband to rugby, football, pub.

As they grew though, the garden changed. The age of the sophisticated dinner party  or barbecue meant more care needed to be taken of our outside space. I spent much more time (now in abundant supply) on glamorous containers and hanging baskets for winter and summer. A bit (no a lot), of one-upmanship going on with  friends and family vying for supremacy in the garden stakes. This was a time when most experience was gained along th way. The trading of cuttings and seeds between friends meant a more varied and exciting garden, a thing of pride and a joy in which to work. And work I did, never-ending weeding, mowing, edging to make my very own Eden project.

But what do we do now we want a bit more relaxation, now we want to use the garden for its original purpose? To sit in! The options are endless but the structure may require some re-working. Raised beds are a boon - a tidy way to grow veg or perennials without too much back-breaking bending to weed and prune. Flower beds themselves can be narrowed slightly to limit the stretching involved in their maintenance. Trouble free shrubs for year round interest are really the way forward. Viburnum tinus has glossy evergreen foilage, a perfect backdrop for summer bedding, spring bulbs, or as a stand alone specimen displaying gorgeous pink tinged flower heads from December til April. Or what about the evergreen Choisya ternata Sundance? Whatever time of year you choose, this plant is always a welcome, golden glow in even the darkest corner.

Gravel gardens have certainly made a resurgence over the past few years. The ease of maintenance is often of great appeal to the busy or older gardener. Sales of Alpine plants have doubled here at Raglan over the past year and I can only assume that customers are finally appreciating the reliability and many variations they have to offer. Mixed with dwarf conifers or grasses in all colours of the spectrum, along with that cold weather stalwart, heather, the winter garden can be bright, beautiful and low maintenance...which brings me back to me...and my birthday!

And this year the award for best performer goes to......the Begonia! Yes, it's true, the unrivalled star of the summer bedding Oscars is definately the humble Begonia. Whether in tubs, borders or hanging baskets, this seasonal stalwart has out-performed almost everything this summer. Whether the little Begonia sempervirens, a small bedding variety, or its blowsier cousins the Non-Stop or Illumination, they have bloomed whatever the weather from May until the first frosts. Tuberous begonias can be stored quite easily for the winter. Simply stop watering when the leaves turn yellow, then when all growth has died back place tubers into individual paper bags or boxes. These can be stored in a cool dry place. Check them once or twice during the winter, then plant them in the spring when new shoots have appeared. 

Plant Ade back soon...