Who Needs A Garden?

Nazmin Chowdhury: You do not need a big space to make a garden your own.  This time of year you can make the most of what you’ve got by using baskets and containers to brighten up your courtyard, patio or balcony, filling the area with colour.Summer bedding plants are affordable and readily available at the moment, in garden centres, DIY stores, markets and even supermarkets. So too, is a bag of multi-purpose compost, so start plotting and planting!!You can even make your containers useful by including fruit or vegetables to your planting. Strawberries, tomatoes and herbs make great additions to pots and can be conveniently placed for picking. Food doesn’t get any fresher than that!For hanging baskets, check labels for trailing varieties that will cascade beautifully down the display. Some of the most popular trailing plants are: Lobelia, calibrachoa, bacopa, pertunia, verbena, begonia, impatiens, pelargonium, diascia and, of course, fuchsia.As a general rule when preparing containers, whether hanging baskets or pots of any type, is to use one plant per inch of diameter. So, for example, if you are using a 14in diameter basket, you should use 14 plants to fill it, ensuring you will get the most spectacular display possible.Remember that during the height of summer your baskets and pots will need watering at least once every day, and more frequently if the weather is particularly hot. Make sure you take time to remove any dead flower-heads to encourage new growth. If possible, turn your containers around so that growth is even on all sides.Most of all, take every chance to sit out and top up your vitamin D levels and enjoy your garden whatever the size.Source:http://www.gardentoolsuk.co.uk