Autumn Is Here

After the unseasonably warm September its a relief to feel a nip in the air – This is such a lovely time of year when the whole feel of life seems to change over-night from the intense bright colours and warmth of late summer to the cooler nights, crisp mornings and earthy tones of Autumn. The urge to tidy up the garden and prepare for winter before the cold sets in hits us in the garden centres too. We are also busy sweeping up leaves, top dressing and trimming the hardy plants and trying to find a minute to enjoy the plants that look their best at this time of year – It’s all about leaf colour, fruit and berries.

Crab Apples are looking especially lovely at the moment. An under rated small garden tree they offer good year round interest in any garden. Different varieties vary in habit from neat and upright to round or pendulous. In the best years branches are laden with small ornamental apples from yellow to dark red in the Autumn – a bit too sour to eat but some varieties make a good jelly. Then in the spring the blossom can really give a garden that ‘wow’ factor.

Plant Of The Week

Our plant of the week isn’t strictly a plant but plants - Daffodil bulbs. Bought now in packets they are relatively cheap and very easy to use. Making a really cheery addition to any garden these plants flower in succession (dependent on variety) over late winter and into the spring just when the dark winter months feel like they’ll never end. Plant now in the garden or try the shorter varieties in your tubs and look forward to a splash of colour in a few months time.

The Christmas Team

We have had an extremely busy couple of weeks getting our Christmas decorations out on sale. A dedicated team of buyers and merchandisers have been planning our hand-picked ranges since February this year and all that thought and hard work has certainly paid off with some beautiful displays full of inspiration. Our Christmas elves will still be washing glitter out of their hair for a few weeks to come!

Plant Of The Week

My plant of the week this week is the Evergreen Azalea. These plants are perfect for those of you in the forest & around the Ferndown area. The acidic Heathland type soil is just what these plants need to grow well in. Evergreen Azaleas add year round structure to your garden but really come into their own in the spring when they flower their socks off!

WI Group

We had another busy week at Golden Acres last week. At our John Browns Garden Centre we held an afternoon for the Absolutely WI group from Ferndown on Thursday. The ladies enjoyed a tour around the centre & to find out a bit about what happens behind the scenes to get the products on the shelves & benches, then a delicious cream tea to set us up for a Gardeners question time session afterward. Pete Wood our Plant manager from West Parley & one of our favourite suppliers from a nursery on the Isle of Purbeck, Bob Hollister, joined me on the panel where the ladies really put us through our paces with some tough questions. Pete & Bob both spent a few years in training at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew so no pressure for me then! I think I held my own reasonably well...

Wildlife In The Garden

A representative of the Hants and IOW Wildlife Trusts will be visiting Cadnam Garden Centre on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October 2011.

The Wildlife Trusts group is the only charity solely concerned with the conservation of all wildlife both on land and sea and they will have details on how to encourage wildlife into your garden. More information can be found on their website http://www.hwt.org.uk/