Typically May is one of the busiest months in the garden. The grass is growing, the weeds are growing and the spring flowers are all coming into bloom.

The tree blossom is out and early leaves are starting to appear.

Well if the weather continues to improve then these things will all happen, probably with vengeance! There is so much water in the ground that I can only imagine that as the temperature rises and the sun pokes its head above the clouds that it’s all going to go berserk.

We seem to be running a month behind at present, but it could all suddenly catch up. So for what to do in the garden this May you could refer back to my April column and combine this with these few tips……

- It’s typically the time to increase the frequency of the mowing, it’s also a good time to over seed any bare patches, and give the lawn a good feed. My tip is not to mow your lawn too short, as this will hinder the root structure and lead to weaker grass

- If your Daffs and Tulips have flowered, then dead head them, but leave the leaves for 5-6 weeks before you cut these back

On the subject of Tulips. If you haven’t already visited the Tulip Festival at Pashley Manor, then you haven’t lived! This year the festival is open from Wednesday 24^th April and runs every day until Monday 6^th May. Pashley Manor is open 11am – 5pm.

It’s a sight to see with over 20,000 blooms on show. It’s well worth a visit as we discovered and the tulip festival is just the splash of colour we all need after the dreariness of that long cold winter. The gardens and setting are beautiful, with a wide range of plants and sculptures on show, plus a real find is the restaurant. Expect to queue, but the wait is worth it! So take your debit cards and get there just before lunch.

Pashley Manor is a short drive away from Tunbridge Wells, situated just out of Ticehurst village on the B2099. You can easily access it from Wadhurst, or via the A21.

You can see more about Pashley Manor at their website www.pashleymanorgardens.com

Plants to look out for include Delphiniums, Euphorbia, Peonies including those wonderful Tree Peonies, early Alliums, Choisya, Rhododendrons and Azaleas. If you are lucky the Wisteria might also come into bloom.

Here a few more gardening tasks you might consider for May:

-       Prepare containers and borders for Summer planting

-       Keep a check on any pest activity and spray roses/shrubs/fruit if necessary

-       Plant up your hanging baskets, but keep them in the greenhouse or under glass until there’s no risk of frost

-       Keep on top of the weeding

In the vegetable garden look out for Asparagus as this is one of the most exciting harvests for May. The other May favourite for me is Spinach.

Enjoy May in your garden

If you have any questions, or are interested in Gardenproud providing you with some advice or help in the garden then contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820 or at info@reallygardenproud.com

Some of you will have read the article in the Daily Mail. It’s almost unbelievable but maybe true!

Recent research reveals that an amazing 7.4million Brits never spend time in their courtyard or back garden. That’s 12 percent of us. 40% say it’s in a real state with weeds, poorly cared for plants etc. So a rather embarrassing place!

More than 25% of householders admit to finding mowing the lawn or planting flowers more difficult than doing a spot of DIY.

Well if this describes your experience then look no further!

Apart from helping you look after your garden on a regular basis we can turn that weed ridden wasteland back into a garden you’ll be proud of and enjoy.

We have a dedicated GARDEN BLITZ team, plus a team of regular gardeners who can take on the regular maintenance task.

Costs start from as little as £13.00 + VAT per hour

So if you live in Kent contact Tim Sykes at Gardenproud on 07725 173820 for a free estimate.

As we approach Spring the bulbs start bursting through and for many of us this is the signal to focus on getting the garden sorted for the Summer.

In reality looking after the garden is a year round thing. But after the dreariness of the winter those daffs coming into bloom are a great moral booster and really help to re-engage us!

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party” – Robin Williams

I can’t believe it, it’s March already and 2 months have passed since the festivities of Christmas and the New Year.

If we are all agreed it’s time to party, what should we be focusing on in the garden?

-       If you haven’t got the mower serviced yet you need to get it seen to, just getting the blades sharpened will help ensure that you achieve a nice cut.

-       You need to prune the roses before the buds burst into growth.

-       If you’ve got any patches of lawn that are looking sad then now’s the time to sow some fresh seed and apply a dressing, or re-turf sections.

-       If you haven’t already done so then prepare your borders, removing any old weed growth and dead foliage and apply a mulch or well-rotted manure. This will help add nourishment and suppress fresh weed growth.

-       Prune back any climbers such as clematis before they get going.

-       Choose and plant out your Summer bulbs and sow the seeds of your herb garden (in particular Basil, Coriander and Parsley).

-       Plant out any new perennials.

-       If you have a fruit section in your garden then now’s the time to plant the raspberries and strawberries.

These are just some of tasks that spring to mind, but please let me have your thoughts and contributions.  Also feel free to fire any gardening questions at me and I’ll do my best to answer these for you in the next edition. This is my email address    reallygardenproud@btinternet.com

Flowers to look out for in March include; Daffodils, Primrose, Hellebores,  Cyclamen,  Crocus,  Hyacinths, Dwarf Tulips, Violets and of course Bergenia Cordifolia (Elephant’s Ears).

Enjoy the awakening of your garden this March.

For further information about Gardenproud’s design, landscaping or garden maintenance services please contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820, or at info@reallygardenproud.com

The weather in and around Tunbridge Wells turned particularly bad overnight and many roads were impassable this morning.

But the Jeep and Land Rover trucks came into their own and battled through the icy weather to clients homes.

Here Sarah, MD of Houseproud stands bracing herself against the fierce blizzard conditions. See Houseproud at

www.reallyhouseproud.com

If you’ve got a courtyard garden, or an area you want to develop in a very special way, then think Japanese.

We have recently been invited by Russ Chard to co author a helpful book for all you would be Japanese garden fans.

It’s called “11 Simple Ways to Turn Your Garden Japanese.”

The aim of this book is to inspire you and give you lots of useful ideas to add a ‘touch’ of Japan to your courtyard or garden.

Japanese gardens are beautiful, peaceful, simple spaces, steeped in history and meaning. With careful design they can help you create a unique tranquil space in your garden, whatever size it is.

Russ Chard is no newcomer to Japanese gardens.

He fell in love with Japanese gardens after a delayed flight in San Fransisco, he visited the famous Japanese garden in Golden Gate Park and developed his interest from there.

Russ lives in Herts and has visited many Japanese gardens worldwide in his job as a professional broadcaster.

He has also built his own small space Zen garden at his home and this spring will start work on a moss garden and a dry riverbed hill garden.

Russ has been writing about Japanese gardens and Zen gardens for over 10 years and has published 3 books, plus has 3 very successful websites on the subject.

Gardenproud helped co author Russ’s new book providing a case study of one of their most recent projects. In this case a garden was given the oriental touch. You can see more about this project on this blog, just look for our December article “A Japanese Oasis in Tunbridge Wells”.

Get your copy of “11 Simple Ways to Turn Your Garden Japanese”
today. It’s FREE!!!

To obtain your copy of the book as a PDF download just visit Russ’s site : http://www.turnyourgardenjapanese.com

You will also get a copy of his Japanese garden newsletter called ‘The Japanese Garden Bulletin’.

Enjoy the reading and remember if you want some help designing and creating your very own Japanese Garden, then contact Tim Sykes at Gardenproud on 07725 713820.

So what’s going on in the garden right now? Here are a few tips……

- Wrap up warm!
- Watch the weather forecast for frosts and keep your less hardy shrubs wrapped in fleeces
- Cut back ornamental grasses
- Prune back shoots on Hydrangeas
- Prepare the borders for planting
- Consider aerating the lawn late February
- Get your power tools and mower serviced
- Order the Summer bulbs

Probably one of the simplest but most effective demonstrations of the value of lawn aeration.

It’s at times like this that we can also see the impact of the Autumn and Winter months on the garden. The lack of foliage often draws our attention to problems that need addressing. It might be a broken fence panel or post, a shed roof that needs resurfacing, a patio or terrace that needs repointing, broken walls, lawn edging, decking surfaces that require cleaning and recoating, pathway and driveway repairs, or broken garden or water features.

Now, while the garden is still relatively dormant, is the best time to address these issues.

Flowers to look out for in February include; Snowdrops, Hellebores, Violets, Winter Jasmine and of course those early Daffs.

I hope you enjoy February in your garden.

It’s at times like this that we can see the impact of the Autumn and Winter months on the garden. The lack of foliage often draws our attention to problems that need addressing.

It might be a broken fence panel or post, a shed roof that needs resurfacing, a patio or terrace that needs repointing, broken walls, lawn edging, decking surfaces that require cleaning and recoating, pathway and driveway repairs, or broken garden or water features.

These are just a few of the many tasks that you may be facing in the garden that are beyond the remit of your gardener, but nevertheless need attention.

The Gardenproud Landscaping Team are here to help. If you are interested we’d welcome the opportunity to call and discuss any particular tasks you would like addressed, or undertake a review of your garden and provide a list of potential repairs that might deserve consideration.

Now, while the garden is still relatively dormant, is the best time to address these issues.

If you would like us to help then please contact Tim Sykes on 07725 173820

About a year ago we were invited by a Tunbridge Wells resident to take a look at their garden. It had seen better times and the land was heavily terraced with a considerable rise in levels.

But it had real potential and at one time some thought had been given to the design and the terracing of the garden, albeit things were held together with loose rocks and old pathways and steps were crumbling.

There were a number of rather nice tree specimens including a couple of Acers and interesting Conifers. Elsewhere there were some overgrown Rhododendrons and a Camelia. An old bench sat on a grassy embankment at the top of the garden, commanding superb views of Tunbridge Wells.

The client filled us in on their brief for the garden which included a proper base for the seat at the top of the garden, revisiting the combination of steps, terraces and planting areas, a larger rear terrace outside the dining room, and another entertainment area mid garden. It would also be necessary to build in a watering system, and choose planting that was relatively low maintenance.

Armed with the brief earlier this year we set to designing and renovating the garden, from it’s old tired state to a vibrant new oasis.

Tim Sykes commented, “the combination of the terracing, rocks and the plants set the old creative juices flowing and inspired us to think of an oriental theme for the garden!”

Our vision for the garden was inspired by the Japanese, such as those at Chinzan-so, in Tokyo, and the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon.

“I adore the combination of colours and contrasting themes you find in Japanese gardens in particular the use of red (my favourite colour) to paint bridges and benches”, comments Sykes.

“To draw the eye and as a real feature we designed the new garden to incorporate a gloss red Lutyens bench set against a backdrop of a similarly crafted dense green hedge.”

The client loved our ideas and this summer commissioned Gardenproud to redesign and landscape the whole of the rear garden.

The design incorporated an upper sitting area and rockery, a series of lower pathways, steps and terraces, a large circular mid terrace, then further steps leading down to a lower patio area and the house. It included some perimeter lighting and a water irrigation system. Trellising helped to camouflage an otherwise unattractive shed and unify the design of the lower patio.

Many tons of new Sandstone Rocks have been brought in to create new rockery walls and new flights of steps. The use of Indian Sandstone pavers has been augmented with interesting stone patterns to create new features.

The use of rustic posts and handrails at key points in the garden, helps visitors climb the terraces, but just like the planting their juxtaposition deliberately takes the eye on a journey up the garden to that gorgeous red bench!

A planting plan was created that would help emphasise the Japanese theme and included Tree Ferns, Acers of contrasting colours, Camelias, Phormiums, Buxus Balls, Azaleas, Magnolias and Dwarf Conifers.

An ingenious water butt now makes best use of the rain water that runs off the shed roof.

Along the way a lot of other more mundane things had to be addressed! Including an enhanced drainage system, renewing boundary fences, new foundations for steps, a fair amount of earth moving (by hand), a lot of lifting ( so much lifting it’s unreal)! We painted the benches, then repainted the benches ( we can advise you which famous brands not use on outdoor benches)!

But the finished result looks reasonably faithful to the concept, and the client is delighted with his new oriental oasis.

Let’s hope we have a nicer Summer next year and our client and his friends can really enjoy this unique garden.

If you’d like to find out more about this garden or would welcome a fresh new theme for your garden in 2013 contact Tim Sykes at Gardenproud on 07725 173820.