When your Garden goes on Holiday @plewsgd
Wouldn’t that be good? You go to Portugal for 2 weeks; your garden goes on a trip to Cornwall. If only!
Think ahead:
Save plastic containers & bottles to use as water trays/ reservoirs
Purchase capillary matting on which you can place lots of pots together
Deadhead flowering plants; weed; apply mulch on any bare soil after watering
Pots:
Where are the cooler places in the garden? Out of the midday sun is good for most plants. Place on matting or in trays; water well before you leave
Hanging baskets – if in the rear garden, take down and treat as a pot above
Micro-salads – cut & eat before you go, leave in cool place with water.
Borders:
Established planting, eg shrubs will be fine if we’ve had rain; if it’s been dry then give a thorough soak the morning/ evening before you go away.
New plants, bedding, thirsty plants like dahlias –if room, use upturned pop bottle (bottom cut off) in soil next to plant as a reservoir. Otherwise thoroughly soak before you go away.
Lawn: domestic lawns don’t need watering unless new. Mow before you go, medium cut.
Front garden: tidy & water as above; put water reservoirs under pots (if in the sun) well in advance so it looks ‘normal’.
Keyholder: if someone is coming in to check the house whilst you’re away, ask them to check the plants for wilting and water if necessary – and to help themselves to any crops/flowers – good for the plant as it encourages more to grow for your return!
On return: unpack, put washing on; make tea/ pour wine, sit in garden and enjoy!
Marie Shallcross
Plews Garden Design
There are lots of ways of making your garden easy to maintain all year round; contact us for more details!
www.plewsgardendesign.co.uk 020 8289 8086
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