Longacres Blog

While the perennials take the spotlight on summer gardens, they also fade away rather quickly. After the first flush of blooms, the then-colourful garden becomes drab once more. In most cases, you would have to wait for a few months before the red hues of autumn take over. Now, there are gardeners who are fine with this midsummer green gap, but when you spend a lot of time at home (the garden, specifically), you want it to be beautiful all year round. Fortunately, there are climbers that bloom during the height of summer. Be it on trees, shrubs, or columns, climbers add some extra colour with their blooms. Here are some plants you can use to add some splash of hues on top of your green backdrop. Chilean glory flower (Eccremocarpus scaber) The Chilean glory flower is a fast-growing climber that blooms during mid to late summer. If you want to have the autumn look a few months earlier, this is the climber you have to get. This plant produces yellow, orange, and red tubular flowers from its wiry stems. Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) Black-eyed Susans can easily reach 6-7 feet in height, especially when trained up an obelisk. This is an easy-to-grow tender climber that commonly produces yellow or orange blooms with black centres. There are variants of pastel-coloured flowers for this too. Do note that this plant needs protection from cold winds. Cup and saucer plant (Cobaea scandens) This is perhaps one of the most attractive summertime climbers out there. A South American native plant, this perennial is best treated as an annual. With a bronze tint and purple-blue flowers, this is truly a charming piece to add to your garden. Skyflower (Plumbago auriculata) Subtle tones are rare in flowers, which is what makes the skyflower attractive. Sporting sky-blue blooms, this one is a truly desirable climber for your garden. You would need to prune this every couple of years, but this is a fast-growing conservatory plant perfect for outdoor gardens in mild areas. Snapdragon vine (Maurandya antirrhiniflora) A touch of yellow is always a welcome sight in a garden, which is why the snapdragon vine is a great option. Add this to your shrub and you can enjoy blooms of yellow hues in just a short time, perfect for that summer look and transition to autumn in a few months. At Longacres, we can help you make these climbers bloom in your garden. We have different supplies that would boost their growth for a better space. We have a vast array of products for your garden from plants and climbers to barbecues. Talk to us to know more about what we offer.

Some plants emit their fragrance at night. These fragrances are generally intense, even memorable, in the darkness adding both simplicity and mystery to the experience. In practical terms the main night-pollinators in the UK are moths. These insects are attracted by scent at the ‘sweet’ end of the fragrance spectrum. The ‘night-time plants’ therefore have honey, jasmine or honeysuckle scents. It helps to site these plants in places that are protected from strong winds, so the fragrance can hang in the air. Plants can be positioned by a window that is opened on a warm evening. Where there is a front garden, include a night-scented plant so that late in the evening you are greeted with an exquisite fragrance as you approach your front door. Plants to consider: Nicotiana alata (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=2165) (Jasmine tobacco) and Nicotiana sylvestris (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=5323) (Mountain tobacco) are tall plants that flower from July to September. Just two or three of these inexpensive plants, generally grown as annuals, can provide a heavy, delicious fragrance. There are a number of smaller cultivars, some of which will carry some scent but the species are the best, and their white tubular flowers are also visible in the dark. It is possible to grow them in a container. Oenothera biennis (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=11014) (Common evening primrose) opens its fragrant flowers at dusk and can be allowed to naturalise in a wilder part of the garden. Much more modest in height, Saponaria officinalis (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=1545) (soapwort) has a sweet fragrance, especially noticeable in the evening. It is likely to flower in July. If elegant foliage is required Hosta plantaginea (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=388) (the August lily) is fragrant at night, flowering in August. There are several climbers which are night fragrant and these include the desirable, borderline tender Trachelospermum jasminoides (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=1117) (Star Jasmine) and Wisteria floribunda (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=3861) (Japanese wisteria). Lonicera periclymenum (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=1318) (the common woodbine) is also worth considering. Usually grown for the beauty of their foliage but having flowers in April that have an exceptional honey fragrance, Pittosporum tenuifolium (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=1163) and its many hybrids are excellent. Lonicera syringantha (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=705) (the lilac honeysuckle) is a late spring flowering shrub with a sweet fragrance that is very noticeable in the evening and night. Since the fragrance of these plants is generally carried for several yards, they can easily be incorporated in planting that is grown for its flowers or foliage effect in the daytime. Finally, in order to provide some visual interest after dark, grow a few white flowers that will be attractive at night. These could include white Cosmos (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=12009) and white Phlox (www.longacres.co.uk/home/longacres_garden_centre_surrey_plant_finder.html?plantid=1739), the latter is also fragrant and attracts hawk moths at night. This Longacres Blog post contributed by Susan A. Tindall

This could be of interest to any of the Longacres gardeners out there - the BBC and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are looking for keen amateur gardeners who would like to compete for a chance of going to the RHS Chelsea show and have their own garden design shown on the Main Avenue stand! They are looking for amateur garden designers and garden design students or graduates to take part. Filming for the BBC 2 show will take place in July, August and September. You can see details and apply on the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/beonashow/designs_on_chelsea The competition is open to anyone 18 or over, and it's amateurs only - professional garden designers may NOT apply! Don't delay - the entrance window closes very soon.

We have the talented David Domoney in store this weekend doing talks on how to improve your garden! David is no stranger to the weird and wacky garden (especially not after his chocolate garden in 2010) so it promises to be a very fascinating and interesting talk! The talks will be taking place at the Jacuzzi sheds by our exit at 11.00am & 2.00pm so be sure not to miss out!

For gardening lovers, the approach of summer means a garden full of colour. It is the season when the garden comes to life with colourful bulbs and perennials in full bloom. While summer-flowering bulbs should be planted early in spring when the weather starts to get warm, there are plenty of plants you can grow before the season ends that will give off colourful blooms in late summer. Brighten up your garden with these flamboyant summer-flowering bulbs: Oriental Lilies The family of lilies is a big one, but there’s one particular flower that shines during summer: Oriental lilies. Oriental lilies bear large, star-shaped blooms in shades of yellow, white, pink, and crimson. The flowers give off a sensational fragrance that you can detect from metres away. From tall tree to ground cover lilies, you’ll surely find one that suits your garden. Traditional oriental lilies grow more than six feet, while dwarf varieties grow to become about a foot tall. Fragrant Gladiolus Fragrant gladiolus is somewhat considered an old fashioned bloom, but thanks to modern hybrids, this flamboyant summer bulb has returned to the limelight. Fragrant gladiolus looks great when planted along garden borders, but they also look fabulous in a vase indoors. The plant’s flowers are beautiful, while its grassy foliage is nice, but its best feature is its sweet fragrance. Fragrant gladiolus can grow up to three feet tall and prefer full sun and well-drained soil. Tuberous Begonia Tuberous Begonia is perhaps the most glamorous summer-bulb you’ll ever plant. The plant produces gorgeous rose-like blooms in different shades over an incredibly long period; it can beautify your garden from summer until autumn. Tuberous Begonia grows well in containers, too. They’re best planted in hanging baskets and window boxes. Choose a fragrant variety to hang on your doorway, where you can appreciate the plant’s blooms at their best. It’s not yet late to plant summer-flowering bulbs. Plant the above bulbs before the spring ends and have a colourful, fragrant, and lovely summer. For a wide selection of plants to grow in your garden, contact us. We’ll help make your garden come to life.

We recently hosted the Weber BBQ Roadshow - a very enjoyable evening with lots of expertly cooked food and a whole raft of tips to get more out of your gas or charcoal barbecue! You can check out the video below. Tickets to the sold-out event also gave customers a 10% discount off any Weber product that evening. Watch out for next year's promotion! Remember you can keep up-to-date with Longacres on our Facebook page or by signing up to our newsletter on the Longacres homepage. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fueJuU5FX4Q

May is quite possibly one of the busiest months for gardeners up and down the country! The risk of frosts is diminishing (but they can have a habit of surprising us from time to time with a cold night), the days are lengthening and the temperatures are really beginning to warm up. What better way to signal the start of the true summer season then by planting out your summer bedding plants? Below are a few of Longacres top picks for adding colour to your garden now that will last all summer. Marigolds Marigolds are must have in any summer bedding scheme or planted container. With the African types that bear large showy blooms or the smaller but unbelievably free flowering French marigold, both come in an array of reds, yellows, oranges and whites! Top Tips Keep out of any frost - make sure that if we are going to have a sharp cold night you protect your bedding with frost fleece Make sure the soil is light, nutrient rich and free-draining - keep well watered in the dry summer months Dead head regularly and dead head the old flowers to prolong their flowing period Plant FRENCH marigolds near your other plants or vegetables to help deter white fly French Marigold Upright & Trailing Geraniums Arguably the most recognisable of any summer bedding plant, the geranium is a real treat for the eyes with their lush green foliage and showy colourful blooms in just about any colour imaginable! These versatile plants are also fairly drought tolerant and need little care except for a drink every now and then, a spot of dead heading and a feed from time to time. Trailing geraniums are perfect for hanging baskets while upright geraniums look stunning in a bedding display or as a container centre piece. Top Tips Don't over water your geraniums - this can cause grey mould to develop on your plants Protect plants from slugs and snail using copper wire, or organic pellets Dead head the old flowers to prolong flowering and remove any yellow or damaged leaves as you see them to help the plant thrive Geranium New Guinea Impatiens New Guinea Impatiens is a stunning species of the impatiens family, the ‘bigger sibling’ if you like of the common bedding impatien. These large annuals provide stunning colour all season long and are not affected by the damaging, and deadly, impatiens downy mildew disease like their smaller bedding counter parts are. Due to the size of these plants they best as the central feature in a container or in a larger bedding display. Top Tips Plant in full sun for the best flowers, deadheading the older flowers to prolong the flowing period Water regularly in high summer - don't let your New Guineas dry out Use the exotic & lush foliage as a feature as well as its showy flowers Impatiens Hopefully this has given you some summer bedding inspiration to add some wow factor to your gardens not just for now, but for all summer long. With the RHS Chelsea Flower show just around the corner there’s plenty to view, get inspired by and learn from in this garden orientated month!

We've just uploaded a new video to our Youtube channel - this time showing the benefits of using a barbecue with the Grillstream system. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHm1YO5-U3c You can view our Leisuregrow Grillstream barbecues by following the link here. Happy summer barbecuing!

Probably one of our favourite activities come spring and summer is entertaining outside. And it’s one of the easiest things to do since outdoor dining areas can be created nearly anywhere in your garden, lawn, or backyard. You can easily throw a fabulous dinner party where you and your guests can enjoy good food and company on a lovely spring evening or a cool summer night. To help you, here’s a quick guide on some of the must-have elements in an outdoor garden dining area. A Place of Comfort and Function Dining al fresco is one of the things you can indulge in when there is good weather, especially if you have a garden or a patio. A dining table, a couple of benches or chairs are essential in making your outdoor area a true place for entertainment and hosting. The right furniture makes your garden a great place where you and your loved ones can come together, catch up, socialise, or just enjoy quality time together. Repurposed wood, wicker, and cast aluminium bronze are just some of the popular options. Make sure that you provide comfort by throwing in pillows and cushions. Find one that fits you and your home exterior by browsing our catalogue. A Place for Warmth Barbecues, fire pits or maybe even an outdoor fireplace not only sets the ambience, it also give you an “outdoor room” that you can use all year round. These additions are a great way to give your al fresco dining area more purpose. A Place for Cover Too much sunshine, wind or rain can sometimes ruin a perfect outdoor party. For these reasons, it would be wise to create a covered space so you can truly enjoy your outdoor area. There are numerous options for you, from retractable awnings, makeshift canopies, to a parasol. They can provide adequate shade to make your dining area just perfect. If you’re a bit creative, you can also play around with some garden elements, such as arches, vines, and trees to make your own shade. Your options for designing an outdoor dining area is as plenty as the plants and accessories you can use for your garden. The trick is to find pieces that you want and you’re comfortable with, and make them work not just for the garden but also for you.

Well spring has finally arrived, and it's a key time for many gardeners across the country as its the start of the vegetable growing season. Seeds are being sown, plugs are being potted on and the greenhouse is getting busy full of vegetable plants! Below are a few of the many choices of vegetable plants that we have a Longacres, ready for you to nurture and look after at home! Sweet Peppers Sweet peppers are a great addition to any vegetable garden. Easy to grow and look after these vegetable plants will provide you with an abundance of brightly coloured fruits all summer long. Pepper seeds can be tricky to germinate; for those who don’t want the challenge, ‘mini’ six packs containing 3 varieties of sweet pepper are available in store! Top Tips for Sweet Peppers Keep out of any frost - make sure your plant your peppers after the last frost or grow them on inside on a windowsill or heated greenhouse/conservatory. Make sure the soil is light, nutrient rich and free-draining - Water little and often! Feed plants with a high-potassium fertiliser weekly when fruiting. Lettuce Varieties Lettuce plants are one of the easiest and one of the most well known vegetable plants! These versatile plants can be grown fairly easily from seed but can also be bought in 12 packs and planted straight into the ground to save time. Some lettuce plants must be harvested in one go at the end of the season, but there are many varieties now that are known as ‘Cut & Come Again’, where you can harvest what you need, and the plant will continue to produce more foliage! Top Tips for Lettuces Lettuce plants are considered hardy and so can be planted out now. Protect plants from slugs and snail using copper wire, or organic pellets. Ensure that you leave enough space between your plants so they don't compete for nutrients, about 30cm apart is ample. Onions Growing your own onions is really simple and can be done right now! There are two main ways to grow onions from seed, and from onion sets. Onion sets are very simple and excellent value and can be planted in autumn for an early crop or now, for a late season harvest. You can buy onions growing from seed in 12 packs now for easy planting! Top Tips for Onions Plant in full sun, in a sheltered position. Water your onion sets during dry spells and remove any flowers as soon as they appear. Birds can be a problem and may lift your onions. Place deterrents near the plants to avoid this. So there you have it - some common vegetable plants that are really easy to grow and look after! It is also of note that they can all be grown in containers on patins or decks if your tight on space. Why not grab yourself some vegetable plants, and see for yourself?

Our Weber Barbecue Roadshow is only 6 weeks away and tickets are going fast! Join Weber’s top barbecue chef on the 15th of May as he presents a unique two hour cookery demonstration. Tickets are only £10 and include refreshments, tasters and a 10% discount off Weber accessories at the end of the course. You can follow this link for more details: http://goo.gl/9FHSny Our seasonal manager John has put together this video of the new Weber shop at Longacres - Rome wasn't built in a day, but our brand new barbecue shop was! http://youtu.be/ZKqh8xDYOgQ Weber Barbecues and BBQ Accessories available here: http://goo.gl/mN60GR The Longacres garden furniture range is here: http://goo.gl/jPwg4X Find us on Facebook here: http://goo.gl/zmxaNr

Hello, this is the first gardening blog for Longacres from Mike at Purkiss Cottage (there's a picture of the cottage following this post). I am the part time gardener of five years at this beautiful cottage located within the New Forest. A 1940’s cottage with over two acres of land including large lawns, three greenhouses, a small vegetable plot and a variety of fruit trees. A growing Huchera collection, herbaceous borders and a fantastic fully established purple Wisteria. With chickens, ducks, alpacas, dogs and cats there is always a job to do! This was the first weekend since before Christmas that there was a chance to get out in the garden and start on the growing list of jobs. Without having to get wet feet as half of the garden is still underwater as I'm sure a lot of you will also be experiencing, the potted roses were in desperate need of attention. Growing roses can be seen as a bit of a chore but they provide months of beautiful flowers and fantastic scents to float around the garden, so in my opinion a must for every garden and not as difficult as it is rewarding to grow. This weekend I concentrated on the pot grown collection. Firstly I pruned out any dead wood or crossing stems. Then cut back all stems to an outward facing bud to around 10-15cm from the base. You may think this is rather early but David Austin the famous rose grower used to escape the in-laws on Boxing Day by getting out in the rose garden to prune his collection it is rumoured. So whilst we are having such a mild winter I decided to make a start. Next after pruning each rose I took the rootball of each rose out of their pot. Removed any suckers pushing through and discarded of all of the weeds. Gently brushing away to remove old soil I then repot the rose using plenty of good drainage and a good quality compost. My preference is to use a specific rose, tree and shrub compost mixed 50/50 with John Innes No 3 for permanent planting. This will provide the best water and nutrient retention for roses grown in posts. Roses are amongst the hungriest plants in the garden and need plenty of regular feeding throughout the seasons. So to give these roses the best chance I decided to use a new product “Gro-Sure Planting Magic”. This will help to provide a mix of essential ingredients to give them the best start. Dried seaweed alongside fast acting nutrients and a slow release plant food with little water storing granules added to hold and release water close to the roots when required. This eliminates the risk of under or over watering. A really simple new product to use, just add two handfuls before putting the rootball back into the pot. Then backfill the pot firming down the compost as you go. It can also be used all around the garden in any situation including ericaceous plants and with fruit and vegetables. It will then feed the plant for up to six months. These roses will also need additional feeding during the season to maintain good growth, strong flowers and help build up a good resistance to pest and disease. So I recommend using Westland rose food enriched with horse manure. Using a rose food containing horse manure provides all the usual major and minor nutrients that you find in a good rose food. With the added manure a traditional gardeners favourite with growing roses brings the slow release of essential trace elements to the soil. Healthy soil means healthy plants. I will feed all of the roses with a handful of food mid summer to keep them happy. Be careful not to feed too late in the summer as this will promote growth which maybe vulnerable to frost damage in the autumn. A regular spraying programme beginning in early spring when fresh leaves appear will help prevent pest and disease during the spring and summer. A systemic insecticide and fungicide like Rose Rescue used every two weeks will keep your roses healthy throughout the summer. Next weekend I will be planting out strawberries grown from last years plants and begin to start sowing tomato and pepper seeds. I will choose some seed potatoes to begin chitting ready for planting out after the risk of frost has passed. Best to buy early to get the best choices in varieties. This Longacres Blog post was contributed by Mike Storer. Purkiss Cottage