The display models on show at Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre are The Saturn, Apollo and Neptune. Models are also on display at Coolings Wych Cross.
Category: Grow Your Own
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Super Delicious Soft Fruit Season is here!
An exciting, fresh new delivery of soft fruit bushes has arrived! In stock are the some of the most popular and much-loved varieties, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, red, white and blackcurrants and more unusual varieties of grapes, fig, boysenberry, loganberry and kiwi.
If you haven’t grown soft fruits before, don’t be daunted! They are surprisingly easy to grow and care for and can bring an abundance of delicious fruits for relatively minimal effort. Savouring fruits you have grown yourself brings a great sense of satisfaction and well-being too.
Soft fruit bushes will grow in most garden soils that are free draining and can be planted either bare root into the ground or into containers or pots, so contrary to what you might think, you don’t need a large garden.
The addition of fruit bushes can add interest and variety to your garden borders or patio’s and attract wildlife through their abundant mix of flowers, fruits and foliage. Plant a variety of types and you will have something to pick and enjoy throughout the growing season. You can also freeze most berries and currants to enjoy later in the year.
HINTS & TIPS FOR SOFT FRUITS SUCCESS!
When to Plant: Best between October and early spring. However, container growing soft fruits can be planted at any time of year.
Where to Plant: Happiest positioned in open sunny spots – near a wall or fence helps too, where they can shelter from cold winds. They hate being water-logged, so look for a free-draining area in your borders.
How to Plant:
For containers, ensure to
place stones or broken crockery over the drainage hole in the bottom of the container and fill with good-quality compost, mixing with one third grit or perlite.Soil consideration: Will grow in most soil types, but ideally rich and well-draining is best. If you have clay soil, dig in lots of organic matter. Create a good soil mixture by using half garden soil with half general-purpose compost.
Watering: Water thoroughly once a week in dry weather, especially during the first year. In later years water during prolonged dry spells. Don’t let containers dry out, keep moist at all times.
Feeding: In spring, top up with mulch, such as compost, laying it at least 5cm thick and away from the canes or stems of the plants, to avoid them rotting. In containers, the plant uses up all the nutrients quicker, so liquid feed every 1-2 weeks during the main growing season May-August.
Pruning: Prune every year in later winter/early spring. The general rule is to prune out the dead and diseased. With most fruit bushes, prune all the shoots right back to encourage new growth. With mature bushes, prune out about a third each year. Regular pruning keeps fruit yields high.
Support & Safety: Some bushes need support – such as wires or canes. Have these in position prior to planting out. Keep fruits safe from birds, who also love the fruit when it appears with a fruit cage or netting over containers.
Check plant labels for individual care needs. For more help and advice, speak to our experts in-store
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November & December Feel Good Garden
Celebrate the season with gifts and gardens inspired by nature. Our planting features British natives and cultivars which combine the double gifts of beauty for us, plus food and shelter for wildlife.
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September & October Feel Good Garden
Grow plants in naturalistic layers to provide aesthetic interest, improve wildlife habitats, increase food production potential and maximise leaf surface area for carbon uptake!
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July & August Feel Good Gardens
Summer is all about being outside with friends and family, so we’re celebrating ‘Togetherness’ in the Feel Good Gardens this July and August.
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May & June Feel Good Garden
This month’s theme- the Expectation Garden, hopes to see our gardens flourish as the weather warms up.
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Grow Your Own Herbs
There is a wide range of herbs available at Coolings to grow your own herbs, including:
Bay
Attractive and ornamental, Bay looks lovely in borders or containers. It needs a little TLC, so keep well-watered and feed regularly.
Chives
Sow seeds in a sunny spot in March or April and wait for this versatile perennial to flourish. Its attractive purple flowers are an added extra for your herb garden.
Mint
Best grown in pots due to its vigorous nature, this frost-hardy favourite likes lots of sun and plenty of water.
Oregano
This perennial herb, described by the Greeks as ‘the joy of the mountain’, likes sun and looks great planted along path edges.Parsley
Water-loving and biennial, easy-growing Parsley can prosper in containers and borders and even does well in part-shade.
Fennel
Displaying pretty yellow flowers in early Summer, perennial Fennel is a sun lover. Sow in-situ, as it doesn’t enjoy being moved once planted.
Rosemary
Evergreen and fragrant, this decorative drought tolerant plant is a flavoursome addition to a herb garden.
Sage
A popular herb, Sage provides nice colour to a herb garden and flourishes in sunny, well-drained areas. Look out for ornamental purple and tricolour sage.
Thyme
A very popular, aromatic herb that will live happily on a warm windowsill or planted in a herb container.
Marjoram
A great way to add both flavour and fragrance in the kitchen or garden, also loved by butterflies and other beneficial insects.
Pop in store or shop online to find our extensive range of herbs ready for you to grow your own herbs.
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Plant Now For Delicious Fruits Next Year
Blackberries
Blackberries are an amazing fruit, not only naturally sweet, cholesterol free and low in sodium and fat, they are packed full with healthy vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E. Blackberries love our climate and with the right variety will produce bumper harvests. When planting in the garden make sure to tie the plant to a support and it will flourish, making sure to remove any old fruited sections and retie new ones to a support.Recommended variety: Blackcurrant Ribes ‘Ben Sarek’ Ideal for smaller gardens, producing heavy crops of large fruits. Pick fruits in mid-July.
Blackcurrants
Another easy to grow soft fruit that is rich in vitamin C and produces heavy crops of large fruits. If space is limited, blackcurrants can be grown in containers.Recommended variety: Blackcurrant Ribes ‘Ben Sarek’
Blueberries
Blueberries are increasingly popular fruits with well-documented health benefits. Blueberry plants are also exceptionally handsome bushes. The fruit can be eaten fresh, or frozen for out-of-season use. Plants require an acidic soil and ericaceous compost, and are well suited to containers. The plants offer year round interest with white blossoms in late Spring, glossy green leaves in summer and outstanding red foliage in Autumn. We recommend planting more than one variety to encourage cross pollination and extend your cropping period.
Gooseberries
A delicious and easy-to-grow soft fruit. Gooseberries prefer a sunny position and can be grown in containers, making them ideal for smaller gardens.Recommended variety: Gooseberry Ribes ‘Hinnomaki Green’ A heavy cropping dessert variety producing large fruits with excellent flavour. Pick fruits in mid-July.
Raspberries
Prepare the area by digging out trenches, incorporating plenty of manure as you go. Plant Raspberry canes around one foot apart. If you have room, grow at least two varieties to prolong the cropping season.Recommended variety: Raspberry ‘Autumn Bliss’
Redcurrants
Redcurrants are another fruit that are very simple and inexpensive to grow, but which are so expensive to buy in the supermarkets. They are delicious tart fruits which can be eaten fresh or cooked into sauces, preserves and pies and other desserts. They are perfectly suited to our climate. Redcurrant bushes like sunshine, but too much can damage the leaves. Therefore look to plant currant bushes in a location with a bit of shade in the afternoon. Our favourite is the ‘Jonkheer Van Tets’ for its bright, juicy fruit that is full of flavour.Recommended variety: Redcurrant Ribes ‘Jonkheer van Tets’
Tayberries & Loganberries
Loganberries are similar to tayberries, loganberries have darker, sharper fruit while tayberries have more wine-red fruit with a sweeter taste.Recommended varieties: Tayberry Rubus Tayberry and Loganberry Rubus ‘Thornless’
We have everything you need for successful fruit growing. Our soft fruits are now available and our plant experts are always on hand to offer tips and advice so get planting and enjoy the fruits of your labour next summer.
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November Feel Good Gardens
Winter is almost here and it’s time for us to focus on birds and wildlife in the November Feel Good Gardens!
After an abundance of food throughout the summer, our feathered friends could do with a helping hand throughout the winter months. So whilst it might be too cold to sit in the garden, you can enjoy watching the wildlife from the comfort and warmth of your home.
Our Feel Good Gardens can be found in all four of our centres – find your local one here!
Jon has chosen some berried treasures such as Pyracantha ‘Saphyr Rouge’ and Skimmia japonica ‘Pabella’. Not only will these provide food for the birds, they also add colour in the garden. Take a look at Jon’s plant picks below!
Andy has selected a range of feeding stations, along with an attractive hedgehog house so your garden animals can hibernate in style. Finish off the ‘Birds & Wildlife’ look with these beautiful accessories that create great focal points in the garden. All of these items are available to purchase in-store and online.
Don’t forget, we change the feel good garden themes every month! You can view the display gardens in all our four garden centres across Kent and Sussex. Find your local one here.
For more Feel Good Garden content, follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
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October Feel Good Gardens
As Autumn settles in, we’re taking time out to reflect in the October Feel Good Garden.
Although the temperature has dropped, take the opportunity to pop outside when you can, perhaps to read a few pages of your favourite book, or to enjoy a freshly brewed coffee.
When evening comes, grab a blanket and make memories toasting marshmallows around the firepit with friends and family. Our Feel Good Gardens can be found in all four of our centres – find your local one here!
Watch me!
Watch as Bobby & Jon talk us through their Top 3 plants & products from this month’s Feel Good Garden. You can watch the full video here.
Jon has picked some plants with reflective foliage, along with Eucalyptus for a relaxing scent. Take a look at Jon’s plant picks below!
Acer palmatum ‘Garnet | Heuchera ‘Silver Scolls’ | Euphorbia ‘Silver Edge’
Euonymus ‘White Spire’ | Chamaecyparis ‘Blue Moon’ | Eucalyptus ‘France Bleu’
In the growhouse this month we have our star products that will help you grow your plants to the best bloom. All of these items are available to purchase in-store and online.
Hand selected by our head of retail, Andy, to give you the best results at home.
Miracle-Gro Autumn Lawn Food | Smart Jumbo Leaf Grabbers | Smart G20 Plant Fleece
Finish off the ‘Reflection’ look with these beautiful accessories that create great focal point’s in the garden.
Starburst Battery Stakes | Woodlodge Artemis Water Feature | Gardman Aura Bird Bath