By Penny McKinlaly – The Secret Garden Manager
There’s a hint of Spring in the air this month! The mornings aren’t quite as crisp and the days are longer by just a smidge! Spring bulbs will be up now like daffodils, jonquils, bluebells and tulips. It’s a great time of year to check out some flowers and choose the variety you want to plant next autumn – there are literally hundreds of varieties available especially online!
At our garden, we mostly stick to the old fashioned: solid yellow King Alfred daffs and double cream jonquils – so fragrant! They were planted 8 years ago in drifts and are now nice solid clumps. This year we received the most wonderful donation of spring bulbs towards the end of their season from Mr Fothergills; we also have Daffodils, Jonquils, Bluebells, Grape Hyacinths plus Freesias, Babiana and Grape Hyacinths. These have been potted into troughs and pots and will be flowering very soon!
Spring is the perfect time to plant citrus – I reckon no garden is complete without a lemon tree! Most citrus reach around 2 to 3m in height – although mandarins can be taller. They are heavy feeders, needing fertiliser in August and January, and enjoy having a light trim after fruiting to keep them tidy.
We have stock of citrus at present – lemons, limes, cumquats (for your marmalade) as well as Valencia and Navel oranges. An added bonus is the beautiful scented spring blossom appearing from September onwards, attracting bees and birds into your garden. The glossy leaves and neat habit makes planting citrus a no-brainer!
Acer palmatum, or Japanese Maple, is another awesome small tree for suburban sized yards. Dainty, green foliage and amazing autumn colour are its standout features. We have plenty of Japanese Maples from $15. Spring is a great time to plant and with plenty of soil moisture around this year, pick the right spot in your garden and give one a go!
If you’re after hedging we have stocks of the beautiful Gordonia, or Fried Egg Tree, as the flowers looking like fried eggs on the ground! Pink Rhaphiolepis also creates an amazing hedge, covered in pink blooms throughout spring. It’s super tough, tolerating dryness and poor soils and the bees go crazy for it! Plenty of Buxus for that more formal look, plus Westringia for those that love their natives! Westringia trims up beautifully and provides great habitat for the smaller birds like wrens and silver eyes.
Before the hotter weather arrives it’s a great idea to get your mulch down on your garden beds. Mulch can be any organic matter you can get your hands on: woodchip, animal manures, leaves, grass clippings – anything that was once living can be used including paper and cardboard! By covering the soil surface you help keep the roots cool, retain soil moisture and create healthy soils by maintaining bacteria and microbes.
Our Spring Fair is on Saturday September 14th – with a gold coin donation to enter for great market stalls, fabulous bargains in the nursery and simply the best scones from our cafe! Hope to see you all there!
