An Englishman’s home is his castle, so goes the saying, and for many years the outer boundary of that castle was quite often protected by a line of conifers.

Green, lush, and, by and large, impossible to see through, conifers stood to attention at the end of gardens across the country. But something happened to make conifers fall out of fashion somewhat. Was it just a change in taste or was there more to it?

Why do people have a problem with conifers?

The main problem with conifers is the next-door neighbour’s experience. By doing exactly what they have been installed to do, conifers draw the ire of other householders.

So, while they grow tall and strong and are solid, it is these virtues that are a problem to adjoining houses, who see their space being encroached upon by trees they do not own, and, even worse, that block their light.

As well as blocking much sought-after sunlight from other people’s gardens, conifers hit gardeners’ plants with a double-whammy being incredibly thirsty plants that drain nutrients and water from the soil.

This can be a problem at the house the conifers are planted at just as much as in adjoining gardens, with patches of brown grass left near to the trees.

Conifers also need regularly trimming to keep them in good shape – and to stop them growing out of control. For neighbours who inherit this task it is particularly onerous.

How high is too high?

High hedge legislation kicks in at six-and-a-half feet, so it is essential to regularly get your trees trimmed. Neighbours can ask the council to intervene if they feel reasonable requests to maintain trees have been ignored.

With this in mind it is imperative to keep your trees tidy and at a reasonable height. Rather than let this become a struggle, take expert advice and employ a tree surgeon to keep on top of your conifers.

Don’t let maintenance take away your enjoyment of your garden – or your neighbour’s.

Contact Garden busters for help in managing out of control evergreens.

Keeping your garden neat and organised is a time consuming and difficult job. Ordinary gardening activities like weeding, watering, pruning and mowing require a lot of effort and time. This is difficult for many people especially for the elderly and for people with busy working lives. By using low maintenance garden ideas, you can reduce the time spent on these activities and still enjoy the beauty of your garden. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

Simple can be beautiful too

Who says that your garden needs to have complex features to look attractive? If you want to reduce your time spent on maintenance, go for a minimal look. For instance, avoid high maintenance ponds or planting many different kinds of flowers and plants. Keep things simple and plant hardy perennials which will come back every year, without too much effort on your behalf.

Focus on low maintenance plants

While we are talking about plants, it’s worth mentioning that there are some that don’t really need much care and attention to flourish. Primrose, lavender, rosemary, and periwinkle are some great plants like this that you can grow in sunny areas of the garden. For areas that are mostly covered in shade, you can use ferns, euphorbia, snowdrops and hellebore.

Mulching

Mulching is a must because it enables you to keep the ideal level of moisture in the soil which ultimately means that you don’t have to water your garden so frequently. In addition, mulching prevents the appearance of weeds. Your garden soil, or its health and texture to be more precise, will benefit from mulching too.

Reduce watering time

If you want to reduce watering time, you can always install an automated watering system. Just set the time when you want your garden to be watered and that’s all you need to do.

Reduce the number of containers

It’s also a smart move to reduce the number of containers and increase the number of plants grown on beddings. The reason is simple – container plants are very needy – they need more watering, more fertilisers and repotting. Bedding plants don’t.

For more low maintenance ideas, please get in touch.

Wet, cold and windy weather can cause significant damage to shrubs, trees and different garden structures like a trellis for example. By enhancing shelter, mulching, staking plants, re-arranging plants, you should be able to keep your plants and garden safe.

Many people use protective coverings to keep their plants safe. These coverings are perfect for sheltered areas. However, in very cold and open areas, even the strongest plants will probably need further protection to avoid damage. Pot plants and evergreen plants belong to the risk category, so take special care of these plants during winter.

You should use protective coverings and wrappings when you notice the first frosts. You should also start changing your cultivation practices from late summer in order to prepare the plants for these changes. This protection with the help of cultivation includes many different practices. First of all, homeowners must avoid the use of fertilisers packed with nitrogen during autumn and winter. Next, they should also cover the soil. Greater soil exposure can lead to leaching of important nutrients. As we have already mentioned, plants can be kept safe from low temperatures by wrapping. There is special horticultural fleece for this purpose. It’s also a good idea to shelter the plant in a protected spot.

Of course, there are other measures that every garden enthusiast can use. For example, prior to the beginning of winter, you can inspect the structures in the garden and reattach or replace damaged or loose roofs, panels, fences and posts. There are some great solid fences on the market that can protect against the wind. You can also use windbreaks which are perfect for windy and cold spots. If you are looking for a temporary solution you can also use netting or woven hurdles.

For more advice about protecting your garden this winter, please contact us now.