Garden Tips and ideas

• Gardening in partnership requires discussion of major concepts... but if you feel you're right, go ahead anyway.
• Mulch in spring after rain, being careful to leave 'breathing space' around individual plants. Use homemade compost of between three and 10-year maturity.
• Cut back roses in open situations by about half in the autumn to prevent winter wind-rock. A further reduction of about half follows in the spring on approximately three-year intervals.
• Rugosa roses on their own roots, grow in grass in the arboretum, are mown off at ground level each autumn.
• Spray foliage of young shrubby plants with a seaweed formula during May and June to promote quick strong grows.