Design
Landscaping
Maintenance
Commercial
Irrigation
Planting
Indoor Gardens
Water Features
News
Gallery
Frog Blog
Testimonials
T & C
Contact Us

O
Frog Blog...

May 2011

Last winter was hard. The snow and record low temperatures in late November and December have entered the history books.
Since the winter of 2009/2010 also featured an early cold snap, and was hard and long as well, people are wondering if this is the new weather regime.
If this proves to be the case, some of the more exotic trees and plants we have got used to growing in recent years will suffer badly, and have to relinquish their recently occupied garden niches. Passionflower, Jasminum Polyanthum, campsis (Chilean Trumpet Vine) and Solanum Jasminoides are very popular, vigorous and beautiful climbers, which are badly reduced by hard frosts, and may "go to the wall".
Many hebes and fuchsias are also killed by extended periods of very cold weather, and of course palms and cabbage palms (Cordyline) can be badly damaged.
It may be time to think about some more hardy replacements for these losses,when the planting season arrives in autumn.
I'm often asked whether ivy harms trees, or indeed buildings. As far as buildings are concerned, if the surface (mortar etc.) is sound, a covering of ivy is said to be beneficial, providing protection from heat and cold, and also from pollution, etc. With trees it's a similar story, except where the ivy becomes very big and dense in the crown of an old tree, when it can act as a windsail and cause the tree to fall prematurely in a winter storm.
Ivy on trees and walls provides a wonderful wildlife habitat, much better than the "bug-houses" which are so popular, but which rarely actually house any bugs!

x

x
Archive...

February 2012
December 2011/January 2012
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
Small Birds vs Bigger Bird
Fruit and Veg
Obsessive Tidiness
Irrigation
Foxes and Pets
Knotweed Control
Tree Surgery Advise
Horse Chestnut
Mycorrhizal Root Treatment
Water Conservation
The Vine Weevil
Water - The Garden Lifeblood
Climate Change & Bug Life
Busy Lizzie