Monkton Elm News, Events and Tips Blog

Every month we’re going to reward our Twitter followers. 

Autumn is already upon us and it is the perfect time to get out in the garden and plant bulbs for spring flowering.

(From left to right) Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre volunteers, Janet Vinnicombe, Trudi Howell and John Vinnicombe, with a selection of birds the charity has rescued. Representatives from Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre will be here on Saturday, September 28th during normal garden centre opening hours.

We are hosting a woolly weekend on Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th complete with alpacas, knitting workshops and a spinner .

We’re raising a cupful of good cheer after learning an application to extend our restaurant has been given the go ahead by planners.

Our Pet Advisor, Rosa Nation, raised £500 for two rabbit welfare charities recently (August 24th, 2013) by penning herself into an indoor dog crate.

Vegetables The harvesting season is now in full swing so make sure you pick crops that are ready. Leave them too long and they’ll lose flavour and tenderness. Now is a good time to sow endive, radish and spring cabbage for next year, or winter varieties of spinach and maincrop turnips. Having spent lots of time and effort growing your fruit and veg to perfection, protect it with fleece or small-mesh plastic netting or if you have a large area, put up a fruit cage.

If you are finding it increasingly difficult to bend down to tend to your plants then why not try installing some raised beds?

Are you thinking about buying a new garden furniture set? Tom Berry from our Outdoor Living Department has a few pointers for you to take into consideration…

Furniture There’s still plenty of time to really enjoy your garden this summer. Make the most of it by investing in a new furniture set – perhaps you need something with more chairs and a bigger table or a large parasol to create extra shade? Or how about a swing seat or hammock to relax in? Remember to pick up any care products you need, whether you prefer wooden or metal furniture.

September marks the fifth anniversary since the launch of our Craft Centre in 2008. Doesn’t time fly?

We have all been trying to keep cool in the recent hot summer weather but it’s really important to consider your pets too. Our Pet & Reptile Centre Manager, Liz Woodward, has some top tips on caring for your dogs in the heat.

Planning autumn planting Start planning that new border. Look for plants with a long flowering period and those that have two or more seasons of interest with flowers, fruit, colourful stems and interesting foliage. Choose plants with different foliage colours and shapes and remember that while evergreens help bring structure and winter interest they may need livening up with deciduous plants. Use winter and spring bedding plants to increase the seasons of interest and plant bulbs for extra splashes of colour.

Our Plant Manager, Andrew Pitman, tells us what’s going on in the plantaria this month.  

Pictured here is Head Of Plants Fiona Smart with our Italian Olive tree Olive trees like a well-drained gritty soil and the smaller varieties can be grown in pots, as well as in the ground. They like sheltered warm areas and may need to be protected from cold weather during the winter months.

Are you hoping to host a few more barbecues this summer? Our very own Tom Berry, who is in charge of the Outdoor Living Department, gives us his top tips for getting the most out of your barbie.

Say ‘hello’ to our restaurant team. They’re a lovely, smiley group and they make some fantastic breakfasts, lunches, cakes and teas!

Cuttings August is the best time to take cuttings from half-hardy bedding plants such as fuchsias, pelargoniums, marguerites and trailing petunias. Once done, cover the pots with a polythene bag or with a propagator lid and place somewhere warm and sheltered but out of strong, direct sunlight. Don’t forget to pick up everything you need for taking successful cuttings including pots, compost, dibbers, rooting hormone, labels and propagator lids.

We’re celebrating today (Friday, August 2nd) after winning a large gold medal and the Bill Cridland Memorial Trophy for ‘Best in Show’ at the Taunton Flower Show.

Every month we’re going to reward our Twitter followers and Facebook fans.

As you may know, we have recently launched our brand new website. We caught up with Richard Pimm in the Marketing Department to find out more…

We are pleased to announce that our new website has officially been launched. Please check it out via www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk .

Our Pet Advisor, Rosa Nation, will be raising money for the Rabbit Welfare Association and Heaven’s Gate Rehoming Centre on August 24th from 8.30am until 5.30pm.

Are you making the most of your visits at the garden centre? We have loads to see and do for children so why not make it a family day out?

As part of the school summer holidays, we will be hosting a Children’s Fun Week. This involves a workshop for 7-12 year old's each day, from Monday, August 5th until Sunday, August 11th in a dedicated fun area near our reception.