Summer daze

Keith Mundy

Well, another year is all but over and the following summer months are a critical time to get our gardens through the hot and drier months.

Summer brings with it the usual tasks and although they can seem tiresome they are most essential in the overall upkeep of our gardens.

Watering is without a doubt at the top of the list. Garden beds require a good soaking at least every seven to ten days … Read more »

Mulching – let’s spread the word

Keith Mundyggpic1

Without any doubt, the practice of mulching is as important a job in the garden as anything else that might be done.

With summer on the way it is a great time to top up or apply new mulch that will keep the soil at an optimum moisture level. By adding mulch before the dry weather commences you will capture the moisture in the soil before it is lost to evaporation.

There are many products available for us to use and the type we use depends on … Read more »

Trees – a shady subject

Keith Mundy, The Spires Nursery

With summer heading our way I thought it timely to once again talk about shade trees.

Trees are probably the most important component of the landscape as they provide protection from the elements, add structure to a garden and provide habitat for wildlife.

Trees come in many shapes and forms whether evergreen or deciduous, short or tall and narrow and wide.

… Read more »

Prepare for spring 

Keith Mundy, The Spires Nursery 

Prepare for SpringWell here we are with winter nearly over and spring just around the corner and with it the start of the gardening year. New growth appears on deciduous plants, perennials wake after hibernation and bulbs pop up everywhere as new life begins. The next couple of months involves many tasks in the garden including the preparation and planting of the spring vegetable garden, planting of flowering annuals and the completion of late winter and early spring chores that need finalising before … Read more »

Colouring your winter garden

Keith MundyABELIA3

During the cooler months of the year leading into spring our gardens can become somewhat drab and uninteresting. Consideration to adding some colour to the garden not only makes the garden look great, but lifts our spirits on the cold damp months of winter. Colour can be added by the use of flowering plants or by plants that retain their leaves and have a colour other than green.

Start with annuals that can be either planted in pots or in the ground, these give instant colour … Read more »

Wonderful winter

Keith Mundypruning1

Well here we are well into another winter and the time is right to catch up with many tasks in the garden that need to be done to rejuvenate plants and attend to jobs that we missed during the warmer months.

During this month it is a good time to commence pruning in the rose garden and orchard as most of these plants will now be dormant. Up until now, with the unseasonal warm autumn weather, it has been a bit early to prune with the … Read more »