The last few weeks have been a whirl of activity, from buying new containers to growing more from seed than in previous years, planning the new cut flower bed, and getting on with all the everyday garden activities like pruning, dividing, weeding, planting, and planning.
It is exciting as the garden springs into life, and we all get busy creating the gardens of our dreams for the summer ahead. I have paid attention to specific tools, plants, seeds, and containers that I use more than others as I garden. Do you find that, too? So, what has made my gardening life easier? As we head into peak season, in this blog, I wanted to share what works for me and how it might help you work more efficiently and joyfully in your garden. Where I recommend I have added a link to access more information easily.
Self-Watering Seed Trays
I have travelled a lot this early part of the year, and the Burpee Self-Watering trays I used have been a godsend. Everything I planted, with maybe one exception, has germinated and thrived while I was away. After sowing your seeds, you fill the bottom trays with water, which is gradually drawn into the individual cells to aid germination even when you are not around to water. When I used them with Burpee seedling lights, they worked even better. Every time I returned to our house in Litchfield, CT, the seedlings were exploding!! And the great thing is they are an investment I can use annually. Next season, I will wash out the trays/cells and use them repeatedly with new seed potting soil.
Mini watering cans & sprays
I found an old household cleaner spray, thoroughly cleaned and rinsed it, and used it to mist the soil once the seeds were planted. This technique is excellent, especially for seeds not needing to be covered. A mist of water helps keep them in place. A small watering can specifically for seeds is also beneficial for watering trays and potting indoor plants to avoid disturbing the soil.
Gardening bag
The gardening bag I recommended last year for a holiday gift has been great. From Garrett & Wade, it’s waterproof, small, and holds all the tools I use daily – trowel, scissors, secateurs, string, and gloves. There are so many to choose from, but it’s terrific as an all-weather small garden bag.
Plastic tub
I use my garden tub ALL the time. It is so easy to carry around the garden, great for moving plants from one place to another, harvesting, and collecting garden debris. It is light, flexible, and much easier than a wheelbarrow when doing small jobs around the garden. It is also helpful for storage in your potting shed. Recyclable Tubtrug
Seat and or kneel pad
Bending, kneeling, sitting and working in your garden are great for your physical wellbeing. Sometimes, it helps to have a knee pad if you are working on concrete or it’s wet/cold. I love my colourful knee pad from the Royal Horticultural Society, but I also have a mini crate and cushion if I need to sit for long periods while I work. That can be the case if I am pruning or weeding somewhere in the bed or patiently tying up sweet peas/climbers, and I need to be higher than ground level. My old colourful orange cushion always comes with me and adds comfort to my crate.
Mini greenhouse
My New Year’s resolution for 2025 is to install a greenhouse in CT. I plan to work with Hartley Botanic, which has the most beautiful greenhouse range. They have many designs and can also create custom designs for your space, catering to all gardeners and gardens.
In the meantime, in CT, I have a mini greenhouse in the garden, which I am also using this year to boost my seedlings before I plant them up in May. It extends the season on both ends, and it’s great that I can move it throughout the season, depending on the weather.
I have the cutest little greenhouse in the garden in Suffolk, made by Swallow Greenhouses, which specialises in timber-built greenhouses. I chose Lark from their lovely range, which has already paid its way. It’s great for storing all my equipment, potting up seedlings, and giving them a head start before planting. It’s a lovely feature at the top of the garden in the meadow we created last spring.
Planters and Pots
I can’t say enough about the high quality of Bergs Potter containers, vases, and pots. I ordered a collection of their pots earlier this year to test and share with you all. You can find a curated selection on my website, Wendy’s Berg Potter Recommendations, and I welcome your feedback. I have planted the low Copenhagen planter in raw grey, which is excellent for bulbs and herbs. Later this month, I plan to transplant my lemon trees into the larger raw rosa pots you can see here.
The glazed pots were new to me and were beautiful. My maidenhead fern is happy in its new Bergs pot on the dining table. I feel fortunate to have been allowed to stock Bergs. Get in touch if you want to know more about what we have in stock.
My top 5 plants for spring/early summer
Tiarella cordifolia ‘Running Tapestry’, Foamflower
I planted this beautiful native plant during COVID-19 in the newly designed front bed in CT. It provides ground coverage and is a sight for sore eyes in early spring when the bed returns to life. It has columns of white flowers about 6″ or so in height and blooms for a long time. It is easy to grow and spreads readily but can be kept in check if need be. I highly recommend it.
Viola ‘Rebecca’, Pansy
I also planted this cute, fragrant pansy in COVID-19. I cut it back hard each year and have divided it. It returns strong in early spring and continues to bloom for months if you head regularly. It has a beautiful, delicate fragrance I can smell as I head down the pathway, and the yellow–purple combination is cheerful and bright.
Peony ‘Festiva Maxima’, Peony
My favourite flowers are peonies. There are so many to choose from, but I bought this cultivar from the NYBG a few years ago after walking around their beautiful peony gardens on Mother’s Day. It has done well in a container in my garden in Brooklyn and comes back year after year with substantial white blooms tinged with bright pink.
Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Columbine
Another gorgeous native planted in Covid. One of the first plants to appear in spring, it’s delicate but substantial in the garden. It has pale orange-red flowers and an exciting leaf structure in a blue/grey tone. Hummingbirds love it because of its color and the tubular shape of the flowers.
Rosa ‘Gertrude Jekyll’, Rose
I had to pick a spring flowering rose from my garden in Suffolk. We bought a collection of roses from David Austin when we first re-designed the garden, and so far, Gertrude Jekyll has not let us down. It is a climbing rose in vivid pink with giant double blooms. It thrives, so we planted against a front wall that we see when we sit in the garden. It has a lovely old rose fragrance and, just 2 years in, is finding its way up the wire frame on the wall.
Books
I always have garden books on the go. I am re-reading Nature’s Best Hope by Doug Tallamy and have just started Containers, Greener Gardening by Ann Treneman. Gardeners can always learn and be inspired by other gardeners.
Garden tools
A good pair of secateurs is necessary for any gardener, and Felco secateurs Felco Tools are my absolute recommendation. They come in various sizes, and you can buy them for left or right-handed gardeners. The ones in my garden bag right now are Felco Pruner’s F-6. I also love secateurs by Garrett & Wade G&W Ultra Sharp Pruners. These bright-colored pruners are super sharp and versatile, and the bright colors mean they are easy to keep track of. How many garden tools have you lost in a bed or the bottom of a wheelbarrow??
My hori knife was a gift from the wonderful Horticultural director I worked with at Gowanus Canal Conservancy. It was a revelation how useful it was to have a trowel that doubled as a knife. I always use it for planting, dividing small plants, and cutting root balls down for container planting.
I always keep string, a pair of scissors, and gloves in my NYBG florist pouch. I was given this when I attended a floristry course with the NYBG, and it’s a great place to keep scissors, string, garden wire and wire cutters. It fits beautifully in my garden bag and always makes me smile.
What are your go-to’s in the garden right now?
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