![garn slapdash garn slapdash](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/38/8c/e3/388ce36c3e853de80385a6c7da2f9959.jpg)
In the greenhouse, we already have something of a traffic jam.
#GARN SLAPDASH FULL#
But these are small trials we gardeners have to put up with and in general, spring rushes in, flicking the horticultural on/off switch from pilot light to full on and suddenly we’re running out of space and rushing to keep up as the garden suddenly bursts into life. There is nothing so disheartening to see than a plant that has succeeded in navigating winter only to be punished mid spring with a late frost, whereupon every bud, every flower it seems turns a sludgy shade of brown and falls. But beware, we may be experiencing milder winters but many gardeners deem April to be the false spring, all enticement at first then whollop, a frost just as your best magnolia is in full bloom and the camellia about to break. Of course, the hedgerows and trees are all beginning to bud and in some cases, like blackthorn and wild cherry, they are blossoming too. A quick lick of paint will sharpen them up no end visually and reinvigorate interest at the same time. The same goes for benches, pergolas, trellises, gazebos and the like. So it’s a good idea to keep those hedges clipped and smart, enabling them to give a defining line to areas of the garden which might otherwise look unruly, and don’t forget that when all of your superstar showstoppers have peaked and are in demise, the simple hedge will still be there, silently doing its thing in the background. But without these solid green 'walls' those superstar plants would be as nothing. Whether that be privet or laurel, hornbeam or a native mix, these hedges form the backdrop against which more blousy, outrageous and dramatic plants perform. Making your own compost is very satisfying The humble hedgeĪnother unsung hero is the humble hedge.
#GARN SLAPDASH PLUS#
All organic matter plus some cardboard are thrown into three large compost bins and left for several years before spreading over the borders in spring as a mulch. I’ll not claim to be a compost expert and must confess to being a bit slapdash in my method, but it does work. Take compost for instance: whether you make a couple of bags or enough to mulch all of your borders it has to be one of the most humble, yet most important ingredients to a successful garden – the ultimate recycling. This past month has been very much taken up with garden maintenance rather than gardening proper and it started me thinking about the unsung heroes of the garden. And as our plants spring into life, he has plenty of jobs to keep you busy in your own garden and suggestions of other gardens to visit. This month Richard Orton reflects on some of unsung heroes at Lewis Cottage, such as compost and hedges, which may go unnoticed to the untrained eye, but without which his garden would not function properly.