What a wonderful sight when snowdrops appear through frozen ground marking the first glimmer of hope that spring is on its way.
The best time to plant snowdrops is in the spring. Bulbs are best planted in-the-green after they have finished flowering and before the leaves have died down. The reason for this is that snowdrops stand a better chance of establishing themselves rather than if planted dry and rootless in the autumn.
Bluebells are another flowering bulb that benefit from being planted this way too. Make sure that the bulbs are sourced from a reputable supplier and look for native bulbs grown from cultivated stock.
Bulbs available ‘in-the-green’
Galanthus nivalis (Single Snowdrop). This is the most popular snowdrop variety and the most common.
Best planted in swathes rather than blocks as this achieves a more natural look.
Galanthus nivalis flore pleno (Double Snowdrop) A double flowering version of the single snowdrop. Double snowdrops are just as hardy and can be treated in exactly the same way as single snowdrops.
Eranthis hyemalis (Winter Aconite) deep golden yellow flowers appear early in the year and over time will carpet the ground. Suited to woodland, grass and borders .
Hyacinthoides non scripta (English Bluebells) These are the true English Bluebells, recognizable by their lovely, deep violet-blue flowers that hang to one side. They have a wonderful scent and when planted in a woodland setting also create a beautiful blue haze.
Hedge Planting Season is Nearly Over!
Before the winter is over, why not think about planting a hedge to create an attractive boundary or division in your garden, not only are they useful for keeping children and pets in, they can be natures answer to barbed wire and can help keep intruders out. They are environmentally friendly and can provide shelter and food for wildlife. Hedges offer beauty and interest in all seasons and soften the lines of buildings and hard landscaping making properties look more in keeping with their gardens.
Hedges can also help to reduce the impact of strong winds by filtering them, solid walls and fences can cause turbulence
Boundary Hedges
There are many hedge species suitable for boundary hedging.
Laurel, Privet, Beech, Hornbeam and Thuja. All of these hedges are either leaf retaining or evergreen therefore providing year round privacy.
Security Hedges
Boundary hedges can also perform a similar task to a security hedge however hedging plants with thorns will always be the most effective deterrent. Pyracantha, Berberis Darwinii and Berberis Stenophylla are all suitable choices. Hollies will also make an excellent prickly hedge although rather more slowly. Suitable deciduous hedging species include Quickthorn, Blackthorn and most Roses. A mixture of plants can be equally effective, Mixed Native hedges are excellent for security as are simpler mixes such as Hornbeam and Quickthorn which combined are prickly and leaf retaining for winter.
Hedges for Screening
Perhaps you need to screen an ugly building, or create privacy in an overlooked garden. Maybe you live near a busy road and want to filter the noise and pollution?
In certain situations it could be best to plant a combination of hedge and trees, keeping the hedge at a manageable height allowing the trees to act as the high level screening. If you need to screen noise and pollution then the hedge needs to be deep and dense. If space allows the best species are Leylandii or Laurel ideally planted in a double row. Other suitable species include Thuja, Portuguese Laurel, Yew, Evergreen Oak and Hornbeam.
Stilt hedges can also provide high level screening and as the name suggests the hedge is ‘lifted’ clear of the ground, growing on clear stems of between 1 and two metres with a further 1-2 metres of hedge. Stilt hedging offers screening at high level without the sense of ‘imprisonment’ that a wall of such a height would bring.
Low level hedging and path edgings
Small hedges and path edgings add a well designed touch to paths, borders and kitchen gardens with obscuring views to other parts of the garden. Smaller hedging varieties include common box which can be clipped regularly to create crisp defined edging. Other more informal low level hedges, often include flowering shrubs such as Lavender, Rosemary, Perovskia, Spirea Anthony Waterer, Cotton Lavender and Potentillas.
Mixed Native Hedges
Mixed hedgerows are a valuable source of food for wildlife and provide essential shelter for birds and insects.
Native hedging is usually supplied as a bare root plant, available from November through to the end of March. With a carefully considered selection then you can achieve interest through the seasons from spring blossom to summer fruits, autumn colour to winter structure. If you aim to have at least 70% Hawthorn and Blackthorn then the remainder can be made up of a wonderful selection of as many different native hedging species as possible for maximum wild life appeal.
There are even more possibilities with hedges, perhaps you are looking for a flowering hedge, a hedge to create a backdrop to a herbaceous border or to frame a vista within your garden? If you need any help or advice in selecting the best hedge for your garden call us on 01277 899325 or email enquiries@haskett.co.uk
Hedges can also help to reduce the impact of strong winds by filtering them, solid walls and fences can cause turbulence
Boundary Hedges
There are many hedge species suitable for boundary hedging.
Laurel, Privet, Beech, Hornbeam and Thuja. All of these hedges are either leaf retaining or evergreen therefore providing year round privacy.
Security Hedges
Boundary hedges can also perform a similar task to a security hedge however hedging plants with thorns will always be the most effective deterrent. Pyracantha, Berberis Darwinii and Berberis Stenophylla are all suitable choices. Hollies will also make an excellent prickly hedge although rather more slowly. Suitable deciduous hedging species include Quickthorn, Blackthorn and most Roses. A mixture of plants can be equally effective, Mixed Native hedges are excellent for security as are simpler mixes such as Hornbeam and Quickthorn which combined are prickly and leaf retaining for winter.
Hedges for Screening
Perhaps you need to screen an ugly building, or create privacy in an overlooked garden. Maybe you live near a busy road and want to filter the noise and pollution?
In certain situations it could be best to plant a combination of hedge and trees, keeping the hedge at a manageable height allowing the trees to act as the high level screening. If you need to screen noise and pollution then the hedge needs to be deep and dense. If space allows the best species are Leylandii or Laurel ideally planted in a double row. Other suitable species include Thuja, Portuguese Laurel, Yew, Evergreen Oak and Hornbeam.
Stilt hedges can also provide high level screening and as the name suggests the hedge is ‘lifted’ clear of the ground, growing on clear stems of between 1 and two metres with a further 1-2 metres of hedge. Stilt hedging offers screening at high level without the sense of ‘imprisonment’ that a wall of such a height would bring.
Low level hedging and path edgings
Small hedges and path edgings add a well designed touch to paths, borders and kitchen gardens with obscuring views to other parts of the garden. Smaller hedging varieties include common box which can be clipped regularly to create crisp defined edging. Other more informal low level hedges, often include flowering shrubs such as Lavender, Rosemary, Perovskia, Spirea Anthony Waterer, Cotton Lavender and Potentillas.
Mixed Native Hedges
Mixed hedgerows are a valuable source of food for wildlife and provide essential shelter for birds and insects.
Native hedging is usually supplied as a bare root plant, available from November through to the end of March. With a carefully considered selection then you can achieve interest through the seasons from spring blossom to summer fruits, autumn colour to winter structure. If you aim to have at least 70% Hawthorn and Blackthorn then the remainder can be made up of a wonderful selection of as many different native hedging species as possible for maximum wild life appeal.
There are even more possibilities with hedges, perhaps you are looking for a flowering hedge, a hedge to create a backdrop to a herbaceous border or to frame a vista within your garden? If you need any help or advice in selecting the best hedge for your garden call us on 01277 899325 or email enquiries@haskett.co.uk
Haskett 2010
Our return to work this year has been rather a slow one, as we too were affected by the snow, ice and extreme temperatures at the beginning of the New Year. Planting has been impossible, hard landscaping halted due to sub zero termperatures and even Jim's hedgelaying came to a standstill as the extreme weather made laying frozen branches problematic to say the least! At least we have had some exciting designs on the drawing board to keep the HASKETT team busy.
Now that the ground has thawed work has resumed and the HASKETT team are looking forward to a promising year. Keep watching for regular updates of some amazing landscaping projects that we are lucky enough to be involved in and also for seasonally themed features that may help you have a great year in your own garden.
Now that the ground has thawed work has resumed and the HASKETT team are looking forward to a promising year. Keep watching for regular updates of some amazing landscaping projects that we are lucky enough to be involved in and also for seasonally themed features that may help you have a great year in your own garden.
Haskett At Hampton Court
With the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show fast approaching, the Haskett team are working around the clock to finish off the final details for their debut trade stand at this year’s show.
The show takes place from Tuesday 7th July to Sunday 12th in the beautiful surroundings of Hampton Court Palace.
As well as displaying details of our landscaping and countryside services, we will be exhibiting a new range of handmade oak planters that will be for sale at the show and from our online shop (soon to go live!). Our uniquely HASKETT range will also be on display and will include hand crafted obelisks, arches and a variety of insects which look at home within any luscious planting scheme or even hovering above a pond. There will also be a selection of stone pots and handmade oak furniture.
HASKETT can be visited at stand A14
For information on prices and to book tickets visit the RHS website http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/hamptoncourt2009/tickets.asp
The show takes place from Tuesday 7th July to Sunday 12th in the beautiful surroundings of Hampton Court Palace.
As well as displaying details of our landscaping and countryside services, we will be exhibiting a new range of handmade oak planters that will be for sale at the show and from our online shop (soon to go live!). Our uniquely HASKETT range will also be on display and will include hand crafted obelisks, arches and a variety of insects which look at home within any luscious planting scheme or even hovering above a pond. There will also be a selection of stone pots and handmade oak furniture.
HASKETT can be visited at stand A14
For information on prices and to book tickets visit the RHS website http://www.rhs.org.uk/whatson/shows/hamptoncourt2009/tickets.asp
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