Thank you to everyone who has already joined our campaign for front gardens! We have been overwhelmed by your support and hope to make this year’s campaign even bigger and better than before!
News
This year, we’ve made it easier than ever to enter the competition. You don’t need to wait until your front gardens are perfect – simply submit an application now and keep us up-to-date with your progress!
You can update your application at any point. Choose a sub-category and add more neighbouring gardens to the mix. Or tell the judges more about your street and why you deserve to win. It’s a great opportunity for schools to show the children making progress in the garden.
You can also add photos of your street throughout the seasons. It’s a good idea to take before, during and after pictures of your street too. Not only does it show the judges all your hard work, it gives you a record of your progress and shows what a difference you’ve made!
Remember – you will need to submit this information before the closing date to be considered for judging!
When you submit your Cultivation Street application, you’ll receive our free starter pack email. It’s packed full of useful information, including David’s top tips on getting started, hints about what the judges will be looking for.
You should also sign up for our monthly newsletter to get our latest gardening guides and campaign news direct to your inbox. Plus, keep an eye out for our exclusive offers. Don’t miss out!
Get everyone involved in the campaign and let’s make Britain a nicer place to live! Tell your friends, family, neighbours, colleagues – anyone and everyone!
I visited Gordale Garden and Home centre in Burton, Cheshire, to meet their customers and tell them about my genius (and wacky) gardening tips using everyday household objects. You don’t need to buy expensive garden supplies – you can use objects you already have, or even things you’d normally chuck in the recycling bin!
I had a fantastic evening sharing these with all the visitors to Gordale, and I hope they all took something away from the talks to try at home. They certainly had plenty of questions at the end!
Thanks for Gordale for having me, and to Hartman for organising the event! Here are my highlights from the night.
Free insect tape
You can buy tape to kill flies. Or you can make it, using Post-it notes and some Vaseline. Simply cover the surface of the paper with a layer of Vaseline, and stick the traps to your greenhouse windows!
It works because yellow is a good shade for attracting insects as it falls in their colour-vision spectrum. They fly towards the Post-it and get stuck. No more nasty bugs eating your plants!
Free garden cane protectors
Have you ever almost taken an eye out on the end of a garden cane? Cover the sharp points – with an empty probiotic yoghurt drink pot.
Simply clean the pot and pop it on the end of any sharp canes, sticks and posts. No more poking your eye out when you bend to pull out a weed!
Free seed boxes
Whether you buy seeds or collect your own from the garden, storage is always an issue. Use old, cleaned Tic Tac boxes to store them for free!
It works because the boxes are airtight and watertight, keeping the seeds fresh. Plus, the boxes are small and easy to store. Just remember to label them, so you don’t forget which seeds are which!
Free rose feed
You can buy fertilisers and feed, but all the nutrients your roses need are already in your fruit bowl! Bananas are full of potassium and phosphorus, which will help your roses grow and bloom.
I normally just use the skin. Chop the peel into pieces and place it fleshy side down in the soil around the base of the rose plants. It will decompose rapidly, delivering all those nutrients direct to the roots.
Some people like to make a banana mulch by putting the skins in a blender and applying the resulting mush as a mulch. If you’re planting a new rose, or transplanting an existing one, stick a whole banana in the bottom of the hole. Then you can plant the rootball directly onto a bed of nutrients.
Budget peat-free compost scoop
Trowels are really designed for digging, not scooping. It takes ages to move compost from the bag to a container using a trowel – it’s like using a teaspoon. Why not make yourself a scoop using an old milk carton?
Take some strong scissors and cut off the bottom of the carton, then remove a diagonal section (see below). Now you can use the handle to scoop all your compost! Remember to keep the lid on the carton to prevent compost from tipping on the floor.
Rock gardens make brilliant features. They’re striking, low maintenance, easy to build with kids and look good all year round. Alpine plants are perfect if you’re pushed for space or want to create a stylish low-key area.
What are alpines?
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Sedum or houseleeks are alpine plants
They are small, compact plants originally found in mountainous and Alpine regions. Most are dwarf or slow-growing and grow best in dry, rocky outcrops.
But don’t be put off by their small size – they come in a huge array of shapes, colours and types of foliage. Many are also evergreen, so you can enjoy their colour all year round.
Most garden retailers carry a wide range of alpines all year round, so head over there and choose your favourites!
Building your own rockery couldn’t be easier. It’s the perfect challenge for a budding gardener and will last for years. Rock gardens are really low-maintenance, so you won’t need to spend loads of time and energy pruning, feeding and watering the plants.
Alpines like well-drained soil and are used to growing at high altitude above tree level in arid conditions. Dig out the soil and add in a mixture of grit and sand to aid drainage.
Now you can add your boulder features. Your local garden centre or DIY store will stock stones and rocks in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colours. Try and break up the area with different levels, ledges, cracks and contours to create a dramatic background for your plants.
Dig the boulders in – one third underground and two thirds above – so they are stable. As the rockery matures, the stones will naturally attract mosses and lichens that add extra colour and interest.
The break up the rockery with other plants to add different heights and textures. Try thrifts, sedges, rock roses, dwarf conifers and ornamental grasses. My favourite is Morning Star Deep Rose, which has rich pink flowers that contrast nicely against the grey stones.
You can also throw in some early spring and summer bulbs to add height and extra colour and scent to your rockery. Try crocus, iris and dwarf reticulata.
And to finish?
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Surround alpine plants with gravel or grit in rock gardens
Scatter coloured gravel around the larger boulders. This gives a stylish surface finish so experiment with different textures and particle sizes to add loads of interest.
Sharp gravel will also deter slugs who don’t like its jagged edges. That’s especially beneficial for alpines whose fleshy, juicy leaves and petals are very popular with slugs and snails.
Now you have a unique landscape in your garden, borders or patio edge!
