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Autumn Fertiliser Guide: Prepping Your Garden for the Cold Season

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, your garden’s needs change dramatically. Plants becoming dormant in the winter doesn’t mean that no work is required in the autumn. The right fertilisers applied during this period can boost root strength, improve plant resilience, and prepare your garden for a vibrant spring.

So, if you noticed that you didn’t get the best out of your garden this year, you’re planting perennials for next season or just have old soil: here’s a comprehensive guide on the best feeds to use leading up to winter.

Why Fertilize in the Autumn?

Your garden will continue to grow during the milder months of Autumn, but most plants will shift their focus down into the ground and towards their root systems. Your plants having a healthy, established root system will boost their chances of survival through the cold and encourage larger blooms in the next season.

During this time, your plants won’t require high-nitrogen fertilisers, as nitrogen primarily helps with leafy green growth. Instead, you’ll want to focus on nutrients that strengthen roots and improve plant health while they become dormant.

The key nutrients in autumn fertilisers are:

• Phosphorus: Supports root development and helps plants store energy for the winter.
• Potassium: Enhances plant resistance to disease, frost, and stress, which is essential during colder months.
• Calcium & Magnesium: Trace elements that help with nutrient uptake and soil conditioning, crucial for healthy soil during dormancy.

Fertilising in Autumn

1. Slow-release, Low-Nitrogen Fertilisers

By autumn, most of your plants have shifted to storing energy in their roots, especially perennials that die back down to ground level. The best fertiliser for this season is a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus and potassium blend, such as an NPK 5-10-10 formula.

• Why? Nitrogen promotes leafy growth, but in autumn, you want to avoid pushing out new foliage that will be vulnerable to frost. Instead, phosphorus and potassium help plants build strong roots and prepare for winter dormancy.
• When to apply: Apply a slow-release fertiliser early in autumn, allowing it to break down gradually over the coming months.

 

2. Bone Meal for Strong Roots

Bone meal, a natural organic fertiliser rich in phosphorus and calcium, is perfect for autumn. It promotes strong root growth, making it ideal for bulbs, perennials, and newly planted shrubs.

• Why? Phosphorus helps develop a strong root system, which is essential for surviving the cold and bouncing back in spring.
• When to apply: Sprinkle bone meal into the soil when planting autumn bulbs like daffodils and tulips or when planting/dividing perennials.

 

3. Lawn Fertilisers: High in Potassium

Your lawn can also benefit from a specialized autumn fertiliser. Look for a low-nitrogen, high-potassium formula (like 5-5-15) that will strengthen the grass and improve its tolerance to frost and cold conditions.

• Why? Potassium fortifies your lawn against the winter chill, making it hardier and reducing the chance of disease and frost damage.
• When to apply: Fertilise in late autumn, once the lawn’s growth has slowed, but before the first frost. This ensures the roots absorb the nutrients for better overwintering.

4. Lime for Soil pH Adjustment

In London’s climate, rainfall can cause the soil to become more acidic over time. Acidic soil can limit plant growth, as many nutrients become less available in low-pH environments. Applying garden lime in autumn helps neutralise this acidity but be sure to check the soil pH before applying, your beds might be fine just as they are. This one doesn’t apply to lime-hating plants like acers, rhododendrons and camellia.

• Why? Lime raises the soil’s pH, improving nutrient availability and soil structure.
• When to apply: Any time in autumn is an ideal time to apply lime as it breaks down slowly and adjusts the soil’s pH over the winter, preparing it for spring growth.

5. Mulching with Organic Matter

While not an obvious ‘fertiliser’, applying organic mulch such as composted bark or well-rotted manure during the winter can greatly improve soil health. As the mulch breaks down, it enriches the soil with nutrients, increases soil temperature and helps prevent weed growth.

• Why? Organic mulch feeds your soil, improves its structure, and helps retain moisture, which is especially beneficial in winter.

• When to apply:  Late autumn or early winter, before the ground freezes, to protect the roots of dormant plants and improve the soil for spring.

 

6. Houseplants: Light Feeding Indoors

For plants that you’ve brought indoors for the winter, consider a light feeding regimen. Indoor plants in heated environments may still require nutrients but at a reduced rate. Use a water-soluble, balanced fertiliser (such as 10-10-10) at half-strength.

• Why? Indoor plants can continue to grow in heated spaces and benefit from occasional feeding to maintain health and vibrancy.
• When to apply: Fertilise once every 4-6 weeks, depending on the plant’s growth and light exposure. If it has new growth, feed it!

7. Using Mycorrhizal Fungi

This one isn’t necessarily a fertiliser, but it can help. If your soil is already in good condition but you’re planting woody plants (such as bare root trees) to get established for next year, consider using Mycorrhizal Fungi. The fungus will create its root system around your plant, boosting your plant's ability to take in moisture and nutrients.

• Why? It’s a natural relationship that will benefit plants going into any soil you don’t intend on cultivating too much. The fungi will protect against drought and help draw in nutrients for them.
• When to apply: Once! One application will help your plant for a lifetime. Not for use on any plants in the Brassica family.

Key Tips for Winter Fertilisation

• Test your soil: Always test your soil before applying any fertilisers or lime, especially if you’re unsure of its pH. This will help avoid over-fertilising or applying unnecessary nutrients.
• Slow-Release Granules: Most specialised fertilisers like superphosphate will come in granular form. They can be worked into the top layer of your soil and the nutrients will gradually release down into the plant. They’re best used with already moist soil and watered in afterwards. Follow application instructions on the packaging carefully, over fertilising can burn your plants.
• Water wisely: Fertilisers should be applied to moist soil. If winter rains are frequent, they will do the job for you, but during dry spells, make sure to water after fertilising.

Understanding Mulch

People often come into our shop or phone up looking for 'mulch'. We know what they really mean is composted bark or manure, but mulch can be many different things, you know. In fact, "mulch" is a blanket term. Let's dig a little bit deeper.

What is Mulch?

Mulch is a layer of material spread over the surface of the soil in a garden or landscape. It can be made from a variety of organic or inorganic materials. The primary purpose of mulching is to provide a protective barrier for the soil, helping to retain moisture, suppress weeds, regulate soil temperature, and improve the aesthetic appearance of garden beds.

Horse poo, great as mulch.

Types of Mulch

Mulch can be categorised into two main types: organic and inorganic.

• Organic Mulch: This type includes natural materials such as well-rotted manure, wood chips, bark, straw, leaf mould, and even grass clippings. Organic mulch provides the benefits of moisture retention and weed suppression but also gradually decomposes, adding nutrients back into the soil and improving soil structure. All with a little help from our friends the worms.
• Inorganic Mulch: Inorganic options, such as gravel, stones, or recycled rubber, do not decompose or add nutrients to the soil.  They are good for controlling weeds and are long-lasting, making them a great choice for certain types of landscaping. They can stop nutrients from reaching the soil and gravel can heat up in the sun, causing the soil underneath to dry out quicker. So, make sure you have the right mulch for the job!

Japanese-style gardens will often feature both organic and inorganic mulches. The example above features gravel and wood chips, all in the right places.

The Benefits of Mulch

Mulch can be a gardener's best friend for several reasons:

1. Moisture Retention: Mulch helps retain soil moisture by reducing evaporation. This is particularly beneficial during dry spells, as it keeps the soil moist for longer periods.
2. Weed Suppression: A thick layer of mulch provides a barrier to weed seeds, preventing them from getting the sunlight they need to grow.
3. Temperature Regulation: Organic mulch, such as bark chippings, can act as an insulator, keeping the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This helps protect plant roots from extreme temperatures.
4. Soil Health Improvement: Organic mulch decomposes over time, adding valuable organic matter to the soil and improving its structure when the worms drag the good stuff down.

How Mulch Differs from Soil and Compost

Now that we know what mulch is, let's explore how it differs from soil and compost:

1. Mulch vs. Soil: Soil is the foundation in which plants grow, providing essential nutrients, water, and oxygen. It consists of a combination of minerals, organic matter, air, and water. Mulch, on the other hand, is not a growing medium but a protective layer applied on top of the soil. While soil is critical for plant growth, mulch enhances the soil's ability to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate temperature.
2. Mulch vs. Compost: Compost is decomposed organic matter rich in nutrients, used to enrich soil and improve plant health. Unlike mulch, compost is mixed directly into the soil to enhance its fertility and support plant growth. While compost can technically be used as mulch, its primary purpose is to serve as a nutrient-rich amendment rather than a protective ground cover.
3. Mulch vs. Topsoil: Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, which contains most of the nutrients and organic matter that plants need. It is often used to build up or level garden beds. While topsoil is integrated into the garden bed for growing plants, mulch sits on top of the soil, protecting it from erosion and moisture loss without being mixed in.

 

Choosing the Right Mulch for Your Garden

Choosing the right mulch for your garden depends on several factors, including the types of plants you have, your soil type, and your personal preferences. Organic mulches are ideal for vegetable gardens, flower beds, and areas where you want to improve soil health. Inorganic mulches, such as gravel or stone, are perfect for pathways, driveways, or decorative landscapes where low maintenance is desired.

Whether you're aiming for a lush flower bed or a tidy, low-maintenance landscape, the right mulch can make all the difference.

Spring bulbs are one of the joys of gardening. They provide hope after what has usually been a good few cold months. To achieve that feeling, you need to start thinking about planting them in the autumn. The soil is still warm enough for the bulbs to start growing roots, but cool enough to prevent premature sprouting.

Come spring, your garden will explode into colour, burst into life and if you’re anything like me, you’ll have probably forgotten you’d even planted some of them.

We buy our bulbs from Taylor’s, who have been in the biz since 1919, won countless medals at RHS shows and were royally appointed by The Queen. The cream of the crop.

What to plant:

• Tulips: These classic spring flowers are a must for any garden. They come in a wide range of colours and sizes, making them perfect for adding splashes of colour to your borders.

• Daffodils: Daffodils are hardy and reliable, thriving in full sun and partial shade. They’re also less appealing to squirrels, making them a practical choice for urban gardens.

• Crocuses: One of the earliest bloomers, crocuses are a fantastic way to bring some colour to your garden after the winter months. They’re ideal for planting in lawns or at the front of borders.

• Alliums: These striking, tall bulbs are a great way to add height and drama to your garden. Their spherical flowers are a favourite of bees and other pollinators.

• Snowdrops: For a delicate, early-spring bloom, snowdrops are an excellent choice. They’re perfect for planting in shady areas under trees or shrubs.

How to plant them:

1. Choose the Right Spot: Most bulbs prefer well-drained soils and plenty of sunlight. If your garden (like most of us in London) has heavy clay soil, consider adding some bulb fibre, compost or sand to improve drainage.
2. Plant at the Right Depth: A good rule of thumb is to plant bulbs at a depth of three times their height. For example, if your bulb is 2 inches tall, plant it 6 inches deep. The packet will usually give you some idea of how deep that specific bulb will need to go.
3. Spacing Matters: Space your bulbs according to their size. Larger bulbs like tulips and daffodils should be planted about 4-6 inches apart, while smaller bulbs like crocuses can be planted closer together.
4. Plant Pointy Side Up Bulbs have a top and a bottom. The pointed end should face upwards, as this is where the stem will emerge.
5. Water Well: After planting, water your bulbs thoroughly. This helps settle the soil and provides the moisture they need to start growing.
6. Mulch: Add a layer of mulch over the planting area to help retain moisture and protect the bulbs from frost. 

It’s good to think about the structure of your bulb planting in advance. Alliums are tall and can go great at the back of borders, whereas you’ll lose a crocus anywhere but at the front.

Also, consider when the bulb will bloom. Try and space them out so you’ll have some colour throughout the spring. You wouldn’t want to have a load of snowdrops in February and then have to wait until the summer for more colour. Again, the bulb packet will usually give you some indication of when they’ll flower.

If you’ve come into our shop and bought or picked up a bag of Melcourt’s Farmyard Soil Improver, you may have discovered that the main ‘feeding’ component in it is anaerobic digestate. It’s also the reason why The Natural Plant Food Company came into business. So we’d like to introduce it to you, via some basic explanation and greenwashing.

To start, you'll need to know that anaerobic digestion is the process in which organic matter (from plants or animals) is broken down by microorganisms without the presence of oxygen. This creates high levels of both methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), alongside small amounts of water/vapour. The carbon dioxide is then extracted to leave just methane, a natural gas that is used for fuel.

 

 

Organic matter doesn’t just disappear into the atmosphere after this process, so what’s left behind is anaerobic digestate (crazy!). This is a mixture of both liquid and solid, which is then extracted for use as fertiliser. The digestate is made up of 90 – 95% of the original biomass and retains the raw levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK), as none of which are present in the biogas. You may recognise these elements as the magic three always mentioned by gardeners.

The solid digestate looks a bit like compost, which is why it's perfect when blended with green compost/bark fines to create Melcourt’s farmyard. Which is also vegan friendly, by the way. 

The liquid looks like what you’d expect from digested organic matter, smelly and brown. This makes it a lot easier to apply to things like houseplants, because you wouldn’t want solid organic matter in your house; or on the top of existing plants like lawns, where it can be added to water.

 

What makes it so great is that this whole process is renewable and every product of the process has a use. The biogas goes off to homes or industries via the national network, the digestate to whichever horticultural or agricultural use its fate lies in. It can even help fertilise the crops that then create the waste for the next batch of biomass, one big circle.

Meaning that farmers, like the owners of The Natural Plant Food Company, can not only put their bio waste to good use, but also help the planet by helping to decrease the amount of synthetic chemicals produced and used in food/plant growing. Never mind all the renewable energy it creates and fracking it can help to stop.

Alternatives like this are important in horticulture, an industry which is seemingly “green” on the outside but produces a lot of waste! By helping to support sustainable waste processing, even down to their recyclable packaging, Melcourt and The Natural Plant Food Company  are doing great things. Not to mention that all their materials are sourced from the UK, so no extra fossil fuels are burnt in big overseas shipping operations. We, for one, are all for it.

 

 

P.S: We're not really greenwashing, we really do try to do better. Enjoy the cows!

We’ve been stocking Biochar from a few different suppliers here at the shop for a little while, but we’ve never stopped to really figure out how or why it works. Turns out that it all goes back to indigenous settlers in the Amazon and the work of Dutch soil boffin Wim Sombroek. Who would've guessed?

The idea of Biochar comes from ‘Terra preta’, which is a black anthropogenic soil found in the Amazon basin, especially in Brasil, where Sombroek completed most of his research. Some studies suggest that these dark soils actually take up 150,000 square kilometres, which is 3.2% of the entire rainforest. So 3864 times the size of Waltham Forest.

 Within these soils, archaeologists have found traces of bone, pottery, compost, manure, and charcoal.   

It’s believed that the indigenous people of the Amazon would smoulder biomass by placing earth over burning agricultural waste. How they worked out that this would help plant growth is unknown, but we do know that when they mixed it with the other available substrates, it would boost what was otherwise weak soil for crop growing.

The addition of organic matter and broken pots etc was already a common process by the time these dark soils were fully examined. What did cause interest was the charcoal that made the ground so black. Upon investigation, scientists found that aside from improving soil structure, the charred biomass locks in carbon. This allows it to be taken out of the atmosphere and buried or sequestered into the ground indefinitely. In fact, over an area of 250–700 square kilometres the dark soils were found to sequester up to 3–7 megatons of extra carbon, when compared to any uninfluenced soil.

Sombroek recognised the importance of this and dedicated most of his professional life to bringing the Amazonian dark soils to the attention of the world through his research.

 This eventually led to scientists to burn biomass themselves using the process of pyrolysis, which burns fuel without the use of oxygen. This process allowed the mass production of what we now known as ‘biochar’.

In agricultural and horticultural settings, biochar becomes particularly useful in long term nutrient and water retention. It’s microscopic honeycomb structure helps to hold in nutrients from surrounding fertilisers and creates the perfect environment for microbes to breed and flourish; both of which are vital for root and plant growth. Also, as it biodegrades very slowly (think hundreds of years), it provides a near enough permanent way to improve soil structure, break up soils like clay and improve aeration.

If that wasn't enough, it takes on extra shifts helping the planet distribute and hideaway carbon, nifty stuff.

 

We’ve found that because biochar doesn’t contain any nutrients or fertilisers itself, you can use it across the garden or home, helping to improve what is already there or whatever you add. Whether that’s improving the soil that your Monstera sits in or making sure that new turf is going down on the best ground.

Carbon Gold, our main supplier of Biochar, demonstrate this by splitting their products into different use categories. This allows them to add fertilisers such as seaweed and growth stimulators like mycorrhizal fungi to match the application, whilst keeping biochar as the base.

So what you see in those nicely branded little tubs here in the shop or on our website actually has links back to one of the world's oldest civilizations. Talk about tried and tested...

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is THE horticultural event of the year, it’s famous for royal visits, ground-breaking displays and setting the tone for the year to come in horticulture. This year we saw a big focus on rewilding, mental health, environmental issues, and accessibility. We even saw dandelions feature in an award-winning garden, which is untraditional to say the least. For us, a few gardens stood out, not only for their horticultural efforts, but for highlighting certain aspects of our society.

The Centrepoint Garden – Cleve West (Gold Award | Best Construction Award)

This garden by previous award-winning designer Cleve West features the remnants of an old town house that has been almost completely reclaimed by the natural world. West came up with the idea to be used as a metaphor for youth homelessness, backed by Centrepoint, a charity that provides support to homeless young people.

The garden features a whole load of plants that you’d find in a usual rewilding situation, such as nettles, dandelions and even Buddleja (which can be found growing just about anywhere it's allowed to). Other additions were the use of Cordyline australis and other plants you'd typically find in a Victorian townhouse garden and could survive years of neglect. Down to the fallen birch and smaller saplings planted around it, the level of detail here definitely deserves the gold award.

The Platform Garden designed by Amelia Bouquet and Emilie Bausager (Silver-Gilt Award)

One of the smaller spaces this year but one that we can personally relate to being right next to an overground station (in The Old Station Yard no less). This display takes its concept from the Energy Garden collective who 'green up' spaces that go otherwise unused on London Overground platforms.

The two English Gardening School graduates chose plants that are drought tolerant, edible, or anti-pollution and made sure to re-purpose any old concrete structures to demonstrate how these platforms can be transformed. Some notable plants used being Santolina chamaecyparissus, Mentha spicata and Pittosporum, all of which we often have in stock, if you fancy spicing up Wood Street station.

The Green Gap Garden designed by Grow to Know (Tayshan Hayden-Smith and Danny Clarke)

Another London-centric one, but that’s where we are!

Grow to Know was set up in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster in an effort to reconnect the local community to green space and this is actually the smallest garden to debut at the flower show. Their aim was to call attention to the ‘green gap’ between London's privileged and deprived communities. 

The garden totals 4.2m², which is a 1:10 scale representation of green space available to the residents of Notting Dale ward in Kensington, where Grenfell Tower is. The only greenery in the concrete crack is compiled of UK wildflowers.

This is another one we can relate to, being a relatively small garden centre in an urban area, we try to make the most of our space and help others to do so with theirs. Green spaces are so important for mental well being, especially for those faced with the tribulations of city life.

We don’t think Pelargoniums get the respect they deserve, yes they’re a little bit old fashioned and usually come in bog-standard colours; but what’s wrong with that?

Like most plants that are now staples of any UK garden centre, the Pelargonium or Geranium was a favourite of the Victorians, but were around long before Vicky hit the throne.

Their story begins way back in the 16th Century when seeds were collected from South Africa and passed around the European horticultural scene.

Pretty much every country from France to Holland to Great Britain had their hand in collecting and recording different types of Pelargonium in botanical journals. French botanist Charles Louis L'Héritier managed to catalogue 90 species in Aiton's 'Hortus Kewensis' (1789), which was published after his death.

When South Africa came under British rule the collection of Pelargoniums became a little bit difficult, which forced horticulturalists in continental Europe to experiment with hybrids. The Dutch flower traders were the most successful, finding that certain varieties could flourish within colder climates. So successful in fact, that we still buy our Geraniums from Dutch growers to this day.

They’re a great way to add a bit of instant, classic colour to window boxes or provide entertainment whilst nurturing on a windowsill throughout the year. We usually have loads in stock throughout the summer within our bedding plant range, both the standard and trailing varieties.

Having a nice lawn can become a bit of an obsession, mostly because it requires consistent dedication to get right. Whether that's killing off moss or making sure you don't have any water logging.

In fact we've been obsessed with lawns since the 18th century when they were associated with wealth. If you can maintain a lawn you either have time to do so, or the money to pay someone else to. Now anyone with a garden can have one, which I suppose is still a luxury if you live in London.

Either way, you can't deny the satisfaction in lying down on a good bit of grass when the suns out.

 

 

If you’re looking to have a lush looking lawn in time for the summer, the easiest way to achieve it is by buying and laying fresh turf.

'Turf' is what we call rolls of grass that have been lifted by removing the top inch or so of soil from the ground, keeping  the blades and part of the root system in tact. It is then easily transported and laid wherever you need it. 

The turf that we sell is grown by Paynes, a family business who have been selling and growing turf on 140 acres across Essex and Suffolk for over 50 years. If you’ve noticed any lawn outside St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey or in the Olympic Park, it was probably supplied by them!

It’s usually delivered to us on the same morning we deliver it to you, so it’s as fresh as possible.

Our landscaping team are experts in getting turf down, but for those thinking about doing it themselves, we’ve put together a little guide using our collective knowledge spanning over 30 years.

 

Preparation

This is really most of the hard work. Good preparation will lead to a good lawn, there's no shortcut.

The first step is to clear the space of all weeds and debris. This means raking out any stones or leftover hardcore and pulling up common weeds like couch grass or clover. Once you’ve one this, rotovate the soil for 20-25cm (RHS recommendation) using a fork or a rotavator if you’re lucky enough to have access to one.

You’ll find out at this stage if you need to level or raise the soil bed. This can be achieved with screened or basic grade topsoil that can be easily raked.

You may want to check the pH of existing soil as turf does the best on neutral ground.

It’s then usually a good idea to fertilise the soil using a feed or by mixing in a well-rotted compost or manure, do make sure it is well rotted to prevent any sinking later on. Then wait a week or so and removed any weeds that pop up.

Walk over the space or use a wooden board to lightly compact the soil and check for any irregularities that need a bit of extra leveling. You don’t want to tightly compact the soil using any machinery, as this will hinder growth.

We recommend not laying weed suppressant fabric under turf or using turf from suppliers that grow turf on plastic mesh/netting.

 

Laying The Turf

Start in a corner and work across, patching the turf rolls out like brickwork.  

Try and get the edges as close to each other as possible and make sure everything is level. You may want to keep top soil in a bag or bucket close by to do some on the spot leveling or fill any gaps.

Try not to leave footprints on the fresh surface. This can be achieved by either not walking on it or using a wooden board to spread the pressure. You can also use the board to lightly press down and make sure all areas are flat.

You can brush some soil over the top to ensure that all gaps are filled.

Neatly cut any edges with a border spade.

 

Aftercare

One of the main reasons it’s recommended that you lay new turf in the autumn/spring is that the regular rain and mild temperatures encourage growth. Saving you money and time on watering.

If you are laying turf in drier periods, keep it well watered using a sprinkler every 2-3 days in the early morning or evening, increasing the frequency if it’s a very hot summer.

Whatever the situation, you won’t want any of the blades to dry out, so be vigilant.

Try not to walk on the turf for a week to allow for it to establish.

Regular mowing is important and you can start when the fresh lawn has grown an inch or two, but never cut more than a third of the overall height off or when wet.

In 1822, a large leaf plant with small dark and almost unnoticeable flowers was documented and named by Botanist John Ker Gawler. Taking the Greek for shield ‘Aspid’ and borrowing from a similar genus ‘Tupistra’, the Aspidistra was born and began to take the world of the middle classes by storm.

Originally found in shaded and damp areas of forests, it’s most common in China and Vietnam but can be found elsewhere in the across the Asian continent. They grow little dark flowers close to the soil, which misled people into believing that slugs and snails were responsible for pollination. It was later discovered that small organisms called Amphipods and even fungus gnats take care of that.

This naturally dark habitat made them perfect for dark and dingy Victorian homes. Once they were hardened in ‘hothouses’ across London, they began to become a popular feature of upper to middle class homes, commonly found in parlours, lobbies and even ballrooms. William Bull, a nursery owner in Chelsea, recorded selling one for 10s. 6d. in 1861. That’s equivalent to over £1.5k in 2023.

The Victorians loved Aspidistras so much that they took pictures next to them, just to prove that they could afford one, as if having your photo taken back then wasn't enough. A brag that might even be too much for Instagram.

They also were a favourite of still life painters, featuring in works by Samuel John Peploe, Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell and Mark Gertler.

Known for being able to withstand poor conditions caused by dim gas lights and the smoke from burning coal, they developed the name ‘cast iron plant’ as nothing was found to kill them. A quality that allowed the plant to move down the class rankings as electric lighting became prevalent in upper class homes and sleek interior design took over towards the 1920s.

The Aspidistra thus became something to be mocked. It represented (in the words of the Oxford dictionary) ‘a symbol of full middle class respectability’. George Orwell published his sarcastically titled novel ‘Keep The Aspidistra Flying’ in 1936, in which he describes the aim of the middle classes as ‘To settle down, to Make Good, to sell your soul for a villa and an aspidistra!’.

The typecasting went further in 1938 when the Gracie Fields song ‘The Biggest Aspidistra in the World’ solidified the plant as a recurring music hall joke. What was once a symbol of wealth and respectability now couldn’t be touched with a barge pole.

People didn’t stop growing or forget about them though and they continued to be used mainly in floristry up until the 70s/80s when the plant made its way back into homes. Rather than being seen to symbolise or represent anything, they’re now appreciated for their elegant upright posture and luscious green leaves. Just as they should be when put as the centre piece of a room.

They're also pretty much always available in our shop, which is a testament to their popularity.

When you see a Forsythia in its full yellow bloom, you know spring has arrived. Now they’re not a rare plant in a UK garden, far from it, but they do have an interesting history. It starts in China, has an obscure connection to urine and includes a familiar face. Not hard to work out who that may be.

The Syringa Suspensa was discovered and named by Swedish naturalist Carl Thunberg (not that familiar face) in a Japanese garden around the mid-1770s, although they originate from China where they were staples in the gardens of the rich.

Syringa is the botanical name for the lilac genus and Suspensa meaning ‘hanging’. It wasn’t until 1804 that horticulturalists noticed that it had too many differences to be classed as a lilac, a new name was needed.

Who died in 1804? Only a royal head gardener, founding member of the RHS and controversial botanist William Forsyth. Yes, the great-grandfather of Bruce. He made headlines towards the end of his life for the invention of his ‘tree plaster’ which was made from lime, dung, ashes, soapshuds and urine. To be used to help tree wounds heal or, as he claimed, could even be a replacement for the inside of a tree.

So there we go, the Forsythia was born. Come 1878 Herman Zabel spotted a hybrid in the municipal gardens of Münden, Germany. This would be coined Forsythia x intermedia, which is probably the most common type of Forsythia you’ll see in UK gardens today.

They flower early in the spring and have a deciduous nature so are rarely used as a center piece, though they are perfect for place amongst or at the back of a border. They aren’t self-pollinating so rely on our insect friends for help, providing an extra bonus in helping pollinators get a head start.

Place them next to other shrubs/trees such as Acers or Dogwood. For some extra colour, plant Tulips, Iris or Allium around them.

Ultimate Height/Spread: 3m / 1.8m

Life Cycle: Deciduous

Position: Full sun, Dappled Shade

Soil: Well drained

Flowering: March / April

FACTS:

• Forsythia branches are used to make bow style sticks for the Korean ‘Ajaeng’ instrument
• They’re classified as part of the Oleaceae family, or Olive to you and me.

Poinsettias are a Christmas staple, but how did they get here?

The first cultivations of 'Cuetlaxochitl' were by the Aztecs in Mexico (long before the European colonisation of the Americas) and were used medicinally or as a dye. The name 'Cuetlaxochitl' is said to mean "mortal flower that perishes and withers like all that is pure". So they've been dying prematurely on us for about a thousand years.

Later in the 16th Century, Franciscan friars gave it the Spanish name 'Flores de Noche Buena’, meaning 'the flowers of holy night (Christmas Eve)'. This was based off the legend that a young girl had nothing to present to the Baby Jesus and was guided by an angel to leave weeds at her church instead. Over the course of the night, the weeds bloomed and created beautiful red flowers.

Fast forward to the 19th Century and the first US Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, is introduced to the Poinsettia, he loves it and sends some back to home to be cultivated in South Carolina. By 1833, the plant was given the common name Poinsettia. It's actually a type of Euphorbia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, for my fellow plant nerds.

Whilst Poinsettias were already associated with Christmas, the modern tradition is the result of four generations of hard work by the Ecke family. The first botanists to use a then secret grafting technique that allowed the plants to be strengthened and grown commercially.

In the 1950s, the family started to send free samples of their impressive Christmas coloured specimens to be used in television broadcasts and Paul Ecke Jr. even later appeared on The Tonight Show to promote them. Now they're everywhere. A stroke of marketing genius.

So that's a lot of history behind an often short lived plant. You can keep them all year round by the way, have a look on Gardener’s World for more info about that.