Take time to appreciate the good life this summer (From Campaign Series)

Take time to appreciate the good life this summer

4:55pm Thursday 19th April 2007

• Print
• Email
• Share

Driving around the valleys at the moment, you can 't help but notice all the colours of spring bursting out around us. What a fantastic time of year, no wonder the birds are singing! They get to look at the plants all the time - what a life.

A gardening friend of mine used to laugh at me staring at my garden, and say: That 's right Rog, you give your garden a good looking at!

I would feel a little guilty that he 'd caught me apparently doing nothing, but, as I have said before, daydreaming and enjoying all the relaxing senses of the garden is very important.

Sometimes we rush around trying to feel satisfied with what we have achieved, when our reward is right on our doorstep - literally!

So this week if we spot an attractive plant why don 't we stop to have a closer look, maybe sniff the flower or look at the fresh new leaves unfolding go on, you only live once!

So anyway, the other day, I was driving around Caerphilly when I spotted this beautiful specimen of 'Photinia 'Red Robin ' in a front garden This beautiful shrub, pictured above, has become increasingly popular over the last 20 years - and deservedly so. This is how it benefits your garden l It has bright red glossy new leaves through spring and summer.

l It is easy to grow, in just about any garden situation. Very hardy, and not too fussy, (just like me, really!) l It keeps its leaves all year round, and is naturally bushy.

l It is fast growing, but doesn 't normally get too big or out of control. (It will probably reach about 6-8ft in ten years) l It is very happy to be trimmed; and has become a great alternative to Leylandii conifers - for hedging that won 't upset the neighbours.

So there we have it, a plant for every garden! Because of its rich red leaves you may want to consider planting plants around it with leaves or flowers the will compliment - or contrast with - the Red Robin. We have a nice yellow and green striped Phormium in front of ours, and they both look lovely at the moment.

In the Vegetable Garden.

l Stay on top of weeding whenever you can, I had to spray my allotment with weed killer recently as they were shooting up like triffids!

l Sow those seeds, spring has been moving along very quickly recently, so keep on sowing successions of hardy stuff like Radish, Beetroot, lettuce, and spring onions. I will be starting my runner bean seeds soon, ready to go outside in May.

l The RHS show comes to Cardiff this week From Friday April 20 to Sunday 22 - this the Welsh equivalent to Chelsea Flower Show and as a young show is growing each year.

Look out for the Caerphilly Garden, which I expect will be up the Parks services usual award winning standards.

• Print
• Email
• Share