"November Garden"
This month, it's time to indulge in some dreaming, scheming and planning without guilt! Get hold of some seed catalogues and decide what's on the menu next year in the garden. How about changing the face of your outside space or adjusting it to suit your needs. There are so many themes and different ways you can make your garden work for you, as well as being a place of relaxation and fun. Here are a few ideas to mull over with a cup of mulled wine during the winter evenings....
  November Garden - Planning your Herbs:
A small space is all you need to grow the most wonderful aromatic and culinary herbs. Some herbs, such as mint, will be happy to grow in partial shade and don't need to comandeer the sunniest pot in the garden. Grow a selection of herbs you like to eat, and plan to use them. Herbs like to be used and tend to grow more when they are picked regularly, so a spot fairly near to the kitchen door is ideal. Of course, many herbs can be grown in containers or large pots, and many will grow happily on a windowsill. Herbs can be scattered around the garden and some are good bug repellents. Garlic is a herb, although often grown in lines as a vegetable crop and a few plants here and there in the garden will ward off all sorts of hungry predators. Grow basil with your tomato plants, so you never forget to pick it. Or create a stunning rock garden with herbs spreading over the rocks. Herbs are often grown in a particular design which is easy enough to create with a few bricks or wooden sleepers. If you use wood, use an organic wood preserver before putting in place.
If you haven't been growing any vegetables up until now, shame on you!! Even in a small garden, vegetables can be grown successfully. Tomatoes, starwberries and potatoes can all be grown in tubs and containers. Specially designed planters are now available in most garden centres. Plan a vegetable bed or use up small spaces between flower beds or around a lawned area. Make use of fences to support tomato plants or peas and beans. Runner beans grow very well in a teppee - push stakes into the soil in a circle and tie them at the top to form a teppee shape and plant your beans around the outside edge of the circle. There are lots of good cropping vegetables that don't take up much space. French beans grow in small bushy plants and produce more beans than you could possibly eat! A line of beetroot or carrots need very little space and look attractive around the edge of a flower bed. Plan a potager - the french developed this style of vegetable gardening. The idea is to create small regular beds and cram them with herbs and vegetable crops.
Thompson and Morgan are online worldwide suppliers of seeds and other products and they have some great pictures to drool over!
Try something completely different: butterfly gardens will attract wildlife, although perhaps shouldn't be placed too near the vegetable plot. Choose flowers that butterflies are attracted to. Remember to make sure there is always a little water available for the butterflies. Water garden: There is a lot to be said for water features in the garden. Although it seems like a new idea, feng shui enthusiasts will tell you that water has been a standard feature in oriental gardens for thousands of years. Water is soothing, relaxing and can be a beautiful and serene spot in your garden. Grow watercress or flowers that are happy to grow in wet land, to really make the most of it. Colours: Get creative with colours. Browsing through seed catalogues will give you an idea of the wonderful colours you can play with. Bright green parsley grows well around a small bed of red cabbages and looks simply stuning! Or blend flowers, shrubs and herbs into your favourite colour scheme. Check on flowering and planting times before you make your final decision. Many flowers are edible and many herbs produce beautiful flowers, so the possiblities are endless. So with flowers, vegetables, fruit and herbs, as well as wildlife gardens and water features, there is so much you can do right now to prepare and plan for the ultimate in gardening experience next year. Enjoy!
November Garden - Hands On:
There are a few things to be doing outside though if you can dodge the mean weather.... - fix fences, hedgerows and paint sheds - prune shrubs - plant new trees - plant spring flowering bulbs - start planning for next year.
Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Groceries: Producing your own food is not only rewarding but - in times of economic and environmental changes - increasingly a must! Nature provides everything the human body requires to thrive, and cultivating some of those natural products in your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping.
 Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. Even without a garden, many plants can be grown in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Groceries Herb Gardening: Herbs are becoming recognised more and more as superfoods, as if we didn't know that really! 'Herb Gardening' has been beautifully put together by the publisher (Crowood Press) into a well presented book with full colour photos.  Along with growing instructions for forty different herbs, there are lots of great ideas, including culinary delights and medicinal alternatives. You'll also find gardening advice as well as some ideas on planning a herb garden. Order it now direct from the
publisher... Herb Gardening
Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. More Gardening Back to Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click here to subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! http://www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/novembergarden.html |
broad beans 
brussel sprouts 
Carrots
Chile Peppers 
Sweetcorn 
Tomatoes