Get your garden summer ready with Magic Radio and The Money Saving Gardener Anya Lautenbach
We know our listeners love a bit of gardening especially in the summer months when the sun finally begins to shine, so this summer Magic Radio have partnered with RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.
The annual event run by the Royal Horticultural Society takes place from 2nd – 7th July features all the best in amazing garden designs, gorgeous floral displays and exclusive shopping. For those green fingered listeners it is the perfect place to visit and at Magic we are thrilled to be partnering with Anya Lautenbach, @anya_thegarden_fairy, on the RHS Money Saving Garden co designed by Jamie Butterworth which you can visit at the show.
Ahead of the event we caught up with Anya to get you some top gardening advice to make your summer really get into bloom!
How to get started with your garden this summer …
- Focus on one project at a time – don't get overwhelmed by the bigger picture! Choose one small area, such as a summer planter or a hanging basket. One successful and accomplished task will make you want to grow more and give you encouragement to move on to the next project!
- Find the right plant for the right place. Make sure to read the labels when choosing plants to avoid them underperforming. A free source of information, knowledge and advice is the RHS website www.rhs.co.uk - there’s no better place to get all your gardening questions answered!
How to save yourself some money with your garden …
- Try to be as self-sufficient as possible! Check out which plants in your garden can be propagated to create more for free. If you have too many of one type, you can swap with others.
- Save water by growing drought-tolerant plants, collecting rainwater (water butts) and watering plants in the morning or evening to minimise evaporation loss.
- Turn waste into something useful. Pruned branches can be used as plant supports or grass cuttings can be used as mulch, a fantastic nitrogen-rich money-saving solution to suppress weeds and lock in moisture.
The best household items to be used in the garden …
- Old tins, sieves, metal toolboxes, leaking wellies or baking trays can be used as pots.
- Old sinks and baths can be used as larger containers.
- Packaging materials such as plastic bottles or fruit boxes can be used as trays for sowing seeds.
One plant we should be planting this summer …
Gaura is my favourite plant for summer! It’s drought tolerant and can be planted in pots or directly in the garden. For a beautiful display, plant with ornamental grasses such as Stipa lessingiana or Stipa tenuissima 'Pony Tails'.
The easiest plant to propagate …
Herbs are easily propagated, especially mint. Pop some mint stems in a glass of water on the windowsill or in a light spot in the garden, but make sure it’s not directly in the sun. Within 2-4 weeks you will see new roots appear. TOP TIP! To stop mint from spreading, plant it in a plastic pot.
My top tip for vising RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival …
Learn from experts! All RHS Shows are created by highly skilled people who we can learn from. Remember to take pictures of plant combinations and make notes of ideas you can bring to your own garden. When buying plants, look for the ones with the RHS Award of garden Merit. They’ll be the strongest and most reliable, making gardening an enjoyable experience.