Christmas is fast approaching, and with many of you hosting family and friends for festive drinks and dinners over coming weeks, we asked Amanda Stewart, Horticuturalist and Landscape Designer from Barrow and Bench Mitre 10 Malvern for her TOP TEN tips for a fabulous garden which will look every bit as fun and festive as your home.
1. Time to Pot up- Pot up empty pots with advanced seedlings, clean the pots and refresh the soil first. Place the pots near to where your guests will be sitting, for the most impact. Consider vinca’s, petunias, bacopa for a hot sunny spot, and for something a little shadier consider impatiens, lobelia, hydrangea and even poinsettia.
2. Splash of Colour- For a splash of colour plant advanced seedlings to fill in empty spots in garden beds.
3. Nip and Tuck- Dead-head roses and other flowers as they finish blooming; trim topiary and tidy up straggly growth on shrubs and bushes.
4. Go Green- Mow, fertilise and water your lawn, and fertilise garden beds.
5. Out with the Old- Dispose of cracked and unsightly pots, broken pool toys and wrap garden hoses up neatly and set them away.
6. Don't be Eaten Alive- Empty water bowls every 5-7 days in the lead up to Christmas to reduce mosquito numbers in your garden (dog bowls, birth baths and so on), and have plenty of citronella or sandlewood on hand for evening functions.
7. Path to Somewhere- Sweep pathways, and cut back overhanging plants so that guests can navigate their way safely and easily around your garden, especially important for evening functions
8. Lighting creates Ambience- Check your outdoor lighting, and consider installing solar lights and budlights for evening functions.
9. Don't be Eaten Alive Twice- Sweep cobwebs from the pergola and verandah areas, BBQs and check under your outdoor seating too.
10. Well Watered- Check your irrigation system is and working, and begin watering regularly
Amanda and her team at Barrow and Bench Mitre 10 Malvern located at 321 Unley Road, Malvern are available if you need any advice or assistance with your garden. We hope you enjoy your garden, and entertaining in it this festive season.
