Winter Wonderland awaits us during November

Hi everyone, here we are in November, the year is flying by. I’m sure I’m not alone when I’m hoping for a dry November and while I commend those who give up alcohol for the month of November, it’s from a gardening perspective and hoping for sun rather than rain, is my line of thinking! Our love of gardening never truly hibernates even during the winter months, and I’m sure I’m not alone when I love to see the colours changing on the trees/bright pots all those things that bring colour into our lives.

Sustainable Gardening!

If you are looking for non-gardening related tasks this month, then we can consider upcycling some of our old items into something different and unique in our garden. An old ladder can be turned into a plant stand, you can even paint the steps different colours. Old jam jars can be turned into little lanterns with some outdoor lighting. You could make your own bird feeders with the kids using materials you have in the house and garden. You can also reuse your old pots/containers. I have seen them stored together stacked in an old pair of tights to keep them neat and together, hanging up and out of the way.

Beneficial Birds in our Gardens

Attracting wildlife to the garden is always a win for us gardeners. Having small birds in the garden will ensure less snails and slugs as they will feed on them throughout the summer months. By looking after the small birds during the winter in the garden, providing bird feed, it will ensure they will keep returning to your garden, so that in the summer you will have less slugs and snails to pick off your plants. Win for you and win for wildlife. Watching birds can be a great source of entertainment and stress relief, helping you to unwind and connect with nature, even during the colder months. We now have bird seed and feeders available here for sale at Rockbarton.

Bird Seed is linked here

Bird Feeders are here.

Autumn Colour

Choosing the right plants for this time of year is also really important. The Choisya Sundance really shows off this time of year, it has bright yellow leaves and is sunshine in a dark corner. Liquidamber, is a tree that looses it’s leaves last in the Winter months, the colours of the leaves becoming a kalidescope of purples, yellows, oranges, pinks. It’s a tree that stands outside our coffee shop here at Rockbarton, I planted it during October and from the colours that are on the tree right now, you can see why. Hellebores flowers are also ones that will start to come into their own shortly with flowers that appear during the winter months right through next Spring. Read more on Hellebores here.

Spring Bulbs

Planting your bulbs now for the promise of colour in the Spring, snowdrops in January, Crocus in February, Daffodils for March, Tulips for April and Alliums for May. If you are planting a bulb lasagne, then you just plant a selection of these bulbs in the pots and they will flower continuously from January. You are creating a lasagne, a layer of bulbs in the pots, starting with the biggest bulbs. For example, Tulips, followed by layer of compost, then daffodils, followed by compost, crocus another layer of compost, snowdrops and the last layer of compost. You can always top with some winter flowering pansies, cyclamen or even primroses for immediate colour.

Hope you enjoy the month of November and fingers crossed for the weather. As always, if you need anything call into see Lynda at Rockbarton. Open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, with Coffee, Cake and Toasted Sandwiches now available.

Lynda

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