Autumn Colour In The Garden
October is one of the most colourful times of the year. Many fl owers are still blooming and the leaves on trees and shrubs are beginning to change to fi ery colours like red, yellow and orange.
It’s a good time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials as the soil still has some warmth and will help to get them established and an excellent time to plant conifers. National Conifer Week, which takes place in October, highlights the many benefi ts of growing conifers in your garden. Conifers are cone-bearing seed plants and include cedars, cypresses, fi rs, junipers, larches, pines, spruces, and yews. Whilst being practical and useful, conifers are also visually stunning and can transform a garden into something quite magnifi cent. They are a wonderful way of adding colour and shape to your outdoor space especially as many conifers change colour throughout the year. With several hundred varieties of conifers available in the UK, there is one to suit every type of garden, and they are easy to look after. They need good drainage and water to get them established, but once growing will need little attention as they are pretty disease resistant and maintenance free. In addition to conifers, another way to bring colour to the garden at this time of year is with Autumn bedding plants. One of the most exciitng group of plants to brighten up any part of the garden is Heuchera. Native to North America where their roots, know as alumroot, have been used in traditional medicines for years, Heuchera were originally grown for their fl owers – dainty spikes of red, pink and white bells. They carry their plume like fl owers high above their crowns of leaves, but gardeners are now mainly interested in their foliage which comes in a variety of colours. Heucheras grow in full or partial sun, in well composted soil and are fairly pest resistant. They can be established as ground cover in many garden situations like under trees where grass could struggle. October is often a time spent clearing up after the Summer and preparing for the Winter and Spring ahead so on the ‘to do’ list this month is…
• Move tender plants inside or into a greenhouse to protect against frost, or fl eece • Dead head all faded fl ower heads and remove any parts of plants that have died back • Plant Autumn colour • Create a bird feeding area • Harvest autumn vegetables • Collect falling leaves • Plant spring fl owering bulbs • Prune tall growing roses
USE YOUR CONSERVATORY ALL YEAR ROUND!
RFECTL:Y ON TO YOUR EXISTING FRAMES m in Winter
Cool in Summer
avings on heat loss and cosy on the oldest days
Comfortable on the hottest days
FITS PERFECTL:Y ON TO YOUR EXISTING FRAMES Warm in Winter
Cool in Summer
Massive savings on heat loss Warm and cosy on the coldest days
Comfortable on the hottest days
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BOOK REVIEW
Ghosts of Wales Accounts from the Victorian Archives
By Mark Rees
In the Victorian age, ghost stories weren’t just spooky old tales to scare children with around an open fi re - they were reported as real events in the daily newspapers of the time.
They made head line news, were used as evidence in the court room, and forced terrifi ed families to fl ee their homes, while so-calied psychic mediums plied their trade on the high street.
In this fascinating new book, Mark Rees goes digging through the Welsh newspaper archives to unearth more than 50 terrifying - and in some cases, comical - tales of hauntings dating from 1837 to 1901.
The stories include chilling prophesies from beyond the grave, haunted rooms, poltergeists who terrorised God- fearing communities, and spectral locomotives which hurtled around the industrial landscape. While some turned out to be ingenious hoaxes, others were fully believed and beca me part of the culture of the time. £12.99 paperback
Flavours of Wales
The Welsh Lamb Cookbook By Gilli Davies and Huw Jones
A selection of recipes celebrating one of Wales’ most iconic foods - lamb. Enjoy cooking throughout the year, from delicate spring lamb to late-summer salt marsh lamb. Recipes include Welsh Lamb with Plums in Pastry, Slow Roast Lamb in Mustard Glaze and Lamb Guard of Honour with Rosemary and Port Sauce. ISBN: 9781912050277 | Priced. £6.99
GIVE YOUR HOME A FACELIFT
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