Planning your garden with a little help from your friends 

We hope you’ve been able to find some respite over our hot summer and enjoy your garden, perhaps in the shade of a pergola or favourite tree. Now, as we look towards a new season, is a great time to plan and decide how you want your garden to look next year.

With climate change making it more likely that these UK summer temperatures could be repeated, this issue we look at the plants you can choose that cope better with dry conditions.

There are ways that we can design your garden and also improve your soil conditions to help. Do ask us about that.

Meanwhile, the RHS and RSPB have been providing tips on how you can conserve water, including installing a water butt to collect any rainwater. With the wetter seasons ahead, a water butt can be very useful as a water supply in dry conditions, especially if there is a hosepipe ban.

In other news, we have also got some thoughts on new places to go to have some fun – so grab a glass of something delicious and read on!

Chris & all the Bushy team

Take a holly-day!

Sea holly plants (Eryngium) are low-maintenance and produce flowers that look like thistles. They like dry conditions and bloom between July – September (they look great between roses). Handily, you can also dry them to make striking winter flower arrangements.

Home and dry

Plants that flourish in dry weather in the UK tend to be those you might see on holidays to the Mediterranean and those that do well in coastal and arid environments. Some have silver or grey-green leaves to reflect the sun, or fine hairs on their leaves or stems to trap moisture, or waxy leaves, needles or spikes. We can help you choose the right mix for your garden.

There is a wide selection of drought-tolerant plants, including some perenials, grasses, climbers, shrubs, palms and trees. Euphorbia does well and produces vibrant yellow flowers. Ceanothusprovides another attractive floral display as well as being popular with bees. Agapanthus is also good, as are red hot pokers, sea holly, sedum, lavender and ornamental grasses.

Hop Harvest Festival

Liven up your September and celebrate harvest festival with Hog’s Back Brewery in Tongham. Enjoy a beer, street food and a dance along to live music on 24 September from 3pm – 11pm.

Wallabies, woodland gardens and wine

If you’re looking for somewhere new to visit and haven’t been to Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens near Horsham, West Sussex, it’s a gem! Explore 240 acres of Grade I listed gardens, parkland, lawns and forest areas. There is a colony of wallabies to discover, as well as several species of deer. Also add in a Grade II listed 19th-century Italianate style house, a Michelin-starred restaurant, an art gallery and a vineyard. RHS members enjoy free entry to the gardens until 28 September and also between 1 December – 31 December 2022.

Bushy Beverage

With blackberries ripening earlier than usual due to the weather, if life gives you blackberries, make blackberry and vanilla vodka cocktail! This recipe from Taste is simple but devine.

Until next time!

Your garden is your space to do with what you will and, if you ask us to help you get it the way you’d like it, we promise to look after it! We know how important your garden is and we have a customer guarantee covering how we will work with you on our website here. If you’d like to find out more about our services contact us.