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Category: Plants

  • Coolings Feel Good Gardens – May

    There is nothing quite as satisfying as growing your own – imagine the joy of tucking into your first roast dinner with home grown fluffy roast potatoes!

    Chard ‘Rainbow’

    This wonderful vegetable is rich in nutrients making it the perfect addition to your diet. This Chard requires full sun / part shade and is perfect for cut and come again use!

    Sweet Pea – Spencer Mixed

    The glorioulsy sweet scented Sweet Pea flowers throughout the Summer. They are fantastic blooms for picking and enjoying fragrance infoors. Super easy to grow up a support.

    Artichoke Cynara Scolymus

    The Globe Artichoke is a magnificent statuesque plant that will return year after year and produce delicious large thistle-like flowers that can be boiled and eaten as a gourmet treat once the fluffy “choke” in the flower centre has been removed.

    Apple Malus domestica ‘Ballerina Flamenco’

    This Apple Tree is very reliable with a columnar habit. The dark red, crisp fruit are suitable for eating or cooking. Ballerina Flamenco grows in most soils and in sun or part shade making
    them very easy to grow!


    Shop the May theme look in-store or online:

    Sweet Pea Spencer Mixed (9cm Pot)

    Chard ‘Rainbow’ Mixed Multi-Pack

    Blackcurrant Ribes ‘Black ‘n’ Red’ 3L

    Chard ‘Rainbow’ Mixed Multi-Pack

    Ballerina Apple Flamenco

     

    Smart Veggies-Onion, Radish, Lettuce Stk

    Smart 14 Kikuyu Faux Rattan Cone

    Miracle-Gro Performance Organics Fruit & Veg Food Granular 1kg

    Elho Green Basics Stack & Grow Large Living Black

    Levington Tomorite Peat Free Planter

  • Greener Alternatives!

    Here at Coolings we stock a wide range of products containing naturally occurring ingredients that will cover all your gardening needs, from looking after your lawns to growing your own.

     

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  • Coolings Feel Good Gardens

    Here at Coolings we are passionate about the health and well-being benefits that gardening can bring. One of the positive things to come out of the 2020 lockdown was that many new people go out in their gardens.

    Now, two years on, we want to help those new gardeners make the most of their outside space, and enjoy the health benefits of being outside.

    As such, we are launching the Coolings Feel Good Gardens across our 4 centres this spring – these are designed to inspire you and help you to realise your garden dreams. To highlight the many benefits of well-being that gardening brings, each month we will change the plants and products to focus on a different well-being theme.

    To highlight the many benefits of well-being that gardening brings, each month we will change the plants and products to focus on a different well-being theme.

     

    Our Current Feel Good Garden (July & August 2023)

    The Togetherness Garden 

    With summer in full swing, we’re coming together to celebrate a time for thriving in complimentary company. We have grouped together complimentary herbaceous plants from the same Genus that will flower together as a celebration of summer! They will go to sleep in the winter then return next year to begin the party all over again! Read more here.

     

    Feel Good Gardens Recap

    April 2022 – Sound and Scentsation

    April marks the official start of Spring, but it is also known for its April showers. We’re embracing the sound of water in the Coolings Feel Good Garden this month by introducing a water feature and rain chains. Water features come in all shapes and sizes and can be powered by the sun so there’s no need to worry about electrical connections, utilising the power from the sun is also obviously much kinder on the plant. When it comes to scent in the garden, rain is great for enhancing the scent of plants!

     

    May 2022 – Taste

    There is nothing quite as satisfying as growing your own – imagine the joy of tucking into your first roast dinner with home grown fluffy roast potatoes! Growing your own has many benefits, not only does it provide you with delicious fruit and veg saving you money on your food shop, but it also opens up the possibility of discovering more unusual varieties. Plus, it gets you outside which is great for mental health.

     

    July 2022 – Colour

    Get your garden ready for a month full of summer celebrations as we add some bright colours to our well-being gardens. Whether you are hosting a garden party or celebrating from the comfort of your own patio or balcony, we have the perfect additions to add a pop of colour to your borders.

     

    August 2022 – Wildlife 

    From hedgehogs to lady birds, we have designed this month’s garden to encourage new visitors into your outdoor space.  Get even closer to our local wildlife by making your back garden a safe haven for nature. Scroll down to find out nine things you can do in your garden to help insects, birds and animals.

     

    September 2022 – Movement

    This month we’re celebrating movement in the Feel Good Garden. Jon has carefully selected plants which move and rustle in the wind such as grasses, bamboos and Anemone, while Andy has picked products such as wind spinners and wind chimes for sound and added interest.

     

    October 2022 – Reflection

    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.  Read more here.

     

    November 2022 – Birds and Wildlife

    Winter is here and it’s time for us to focus on birds and wildlife in the Feel Good Garden. After an abundance of food throughout the summer, our feathered friends could do with a helping hand throughout the winter months. 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.

     

    December 2022 – Festive Spirit

    With the festivities beginning and less time being spent in the garden, we are celebrating admiring from a distance whilst giving wonderful festive colours and Christmas tree tips.

     

    January and February 2023 – Affordability Garden 

    Our garden this month showcases just a few of our favourite plants and products you will find in the sale.

     

    March and April 2023 – The Self-reliance Garden 

    There is nothing more satisfying then tucking into your own produce. With careful planning you can enjoy an array of vegetables

    and herbs throughout the year saving you money and doing your bit for the environment.

     

    May and June 2023 – The Expectation Garden 

    As the planting season really gets going, we’re full of expectation for a wonderful summer garden packed full of colour. Bedding is a great way to inject some bright colours into your garden and with the right care will just get better and better. Perfect for planting out once the frosts have passed in May, Coolings grow a vast range of summer bedding and patio plants to bring joy to your outside space.

     

    July and August 2023 – The Togetherness Garden 

    With summer in full swing, we’re coming together to celebrate a time for thriving in complimentary company.  We have grouped together complimentary herbaceous plants from the same Genus that will flower together as a celebration of summer! They will go to sleep in the winter then return next year to begin the party all over again!

     

     

  • From Our Garden To Yours

    At Coolings we love our gardens! Many of our staff are also enthusiastic home gardeners and are more than happy to share their practical experience with you, just ask in-store. Jon, our Horticultural Manager has been trialing our new range of Westland Gro-Sure Visiroot Propagation products this growing season, take a look in the video below. Jon also explains the difference between perlite and vermiculite – a common question at this time of year!

    Click here to shop propagation online

     

     

     

  • Spring Blossom

    A sure sign that spring has sprung! For an abundance of spring blossom in your garden, look no further than Prunus, more commonly known as Flowering Cherry Trees. Many varieties are ideal for small gardens and will also provide autumn colour with their foliage warming to shades of gold, red or orange. Please speak to a member of the plant team in-store to discover the best variety for your garden.

     

    We’ve highlighted some of our favourite varieties below, available in-store and online:

    Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-no-mai’ (Dwarf Variety) An abundance of pretty, very pale pink flowers opening from crimson buds in early spring. Beautiful orange-red autumn colours. Height and spread 2m x 2m.

     

     

     

     

    Prunus ‘Brilliant’ (Dwarf Variety) Masses of white blossom in spring and serrated, bronzy young foliage becoming mid-green before gold colour in autumn. Height and spread 3m x 2m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Prunus ‘Okame’ Produces masses of deep reddish-pink, petite single flowers in early spring. Popular with bees and also people, since its one of our best selling trees! Sharply toothed, dark-green leaves are strongly tinted orange and red in the autumn. Height and spread 4m x 4m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Prunus ‘Snow Showers’ An elegant weeping tree with masses of pure white flowers in spring. Their leaves colour well in the autumn months. Height and spread 2m x 2m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Click here to shop Prunus trees online

  • Grow Your Own Bird Feed

    Visit our online shop and take advantage of bird care products in our Early Bird Sale today. 

    To see our extensive range of bird care products please click here.

    With many species of communal garden birds in sharp decline it is now more important than ever to provide a food source during the harsher, leaner winter months. It is always advisable to plant many different plants in order to benefit a wide range of garden bird species and below you will find a few suggestions:

    Thrushes including Blackbirds (berry eating species):

    Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ (Dogwood)
    Great deciduous shrub known for its colourful stems in winter.

    Pyracantha (Firethorn)
    Makes a great wall shrub or hedge. White flowers in spring followed by red, orange or yellow berries in autumn.

    Ilex aquifolium (Common Holly)
    Great hedging plant that produces red berries on female plants.

    Hedera varieties (Ivy)
    Climber that flowers during autumn and early winter providing a valuable source of nectar when most other plants are dormant. Produces black berries adored by birds.

    Starlings and other bird species

    Malus (Apple and Crab Apple Trees)
    Don’t be too tidy and leave a few “windfall” apples to provide a boozy feast for many species.

    Seed eating species including Finches & Sparrows:

    Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ (Intense Blue)
    Low-growing ornamental grass which produces seed heads attractive to birds.

    Echinops ritro (Globe Thistle)
    Perennial which produces attractive globe-shaped bright blue flowers over grey/green foliage and woolly stems.

    Fact or fiction?

    Birds prefer red berries to all other colours?
    Not strictly true however, red or black berries are thought to help birds find them more easily against a contrasting foliage colour.

    Birds tell each other upon discovering a good food source?
    This is true in many cases because many bird species will naturally flock together during the winter months and as a result will generally find food more easily.

    There is generally a hierarchy between different bird species and feeding times at the bird table? This is true in many cases where there is a natural pecking order at the bird table during feeding times.

  • Early Bird Sale – Our Top 10 Plant Offers

    Our biggest sale event is back for 2022, the Early Bird Sale. Kick start the new year with some of our best prices you will find all year, available in-store and online until the end of February.

    If you’re a Coolings Family member you would have received your Cuttings magazine in the post or via digital download in early January, this issue is packed with all the exclusive offers you can take advantage of as a member (don’t forget to present your Coolings Family card at the till!). Our Early Bird offers are perfect to help you tackle all your gardening tasks in the new year, or an opportunity to get a head start and prepare for the growing season ahead. Plus, there are exclusive Cuttings vouchers to save money in our restaurants and tea rooms!

    Not a Coolings Family member? Doesn’t mean you have to miss-out, simply join in-store and take advantage of our Early Bird Sale straight away or join online. Pick up your copy of Cuttings Early Bird in-store or click the image to view online now.

     

     

     

     

    Below we have picked just 10 of our favourite plant offers in our Early Bird Sale 2022 but you will find a much wider choice in-store and online.

    Buddleja ‘Bees Knees’ – part of our bee and butterfly plant bonanza, a fantastic combination of three selected Buddleja colours contrast throughout summer on silvery green leaves. Ideal for flowerbeds and borders, loved by butterflies and bees. Height and spread 60cm x 60cm, prefers full sun.

    All 2 and 3 Litre Buddlejas – Now £5 – normally £10.99

     

     

     

    Lupin – Mixed Varieties – always a favourite in the summer months, offering height and colour to the middle of a border throughout May and June. Available in a variety of colours in our Early Bird Sale including red, white and yellow. The bees love them too!

    Buy 3 Herbaceous Perennials (1L pot) for £10 – normally £5.99 each

     

     

     

    Euonymus japonicus ‘Ovatus Aureus’ – commonly known as Japanese Spindle. One of our most popular evergreen garden shrubs with superb year-round interest. Grows well in sun or partial shade and ideal for smaller gardens with a height and spread of 1.2m x 1m.

    Our most popular Garden Shrubs – Only £6 Each

     

     

     

    Anthurium Mixed – This is the first year that houseplants have been included in our Early Bird Sale! One of our favourites is the Anthurium with their exotic long lasting flowers available in shades of pink, white and red. They’re easy to care for and particularly good for a bathroom in a light position.

    Now £9.99 – normally £13.99 each

     

     

     

    Salvia ‘Joy’ – Bicoloured pale pink and dark pink flowers from late spring to summer. Scented foliage, grown on our nursery. Height and spread 60cm x 90cm.

    Now £4 – normally £11.99 each

     

     

     

     

    Garden Hydrangeas -Enjoy half price show-stopping hydrangeas in our Early Bird Sale, hydrangeas are hardy, reliable and can be an outstanding addition to any garden in shades of pink, white and blue. Paniculata varieties are not as fussy about soil pH as other hydrangeas with their pinkish-white flowers but must be in well-drained, fertile soil.

    Half Marked Price Garden Hydrangeas

     

     

     

    Pink and White English Lavender (1.5L Pot) – Did you know that English lavender is more attractive to bees than French or Spanish lavender? Choose between a pink or white variety in our Early Bird Sale.

    Now £5 – normally £9.99 each

     

     

     

    Prunus laurocerasus ‘Novita’ (2L Pot) – If you are looking to introduce a hedge to your outside space this year then why not take advantage of our half price Prunus offer? Commonly known at Cherry Laurel, this evergreen hedging plant is fast growing with glossy leaves and also displays upright spikes of white flowers in spring. Height and spread 5m x 4m.

    Prunus laurocerasus ‘Novita’ (2L pot) – Half Price – Now £8.49 – normally £8.49

     

     

     

    Festuca ‘Intense Blue’ (2L Pot) – an evergreen grass with tufts of intense blue foliage. Produces panicles of blue-green flowers in summer that look fantastic when drifted through a gravel garden, or when used in a Mediterranean-style planting scheme. Height and spread 30cm x 30cm, suitable for a sunny position.

    Half Price – Now £6.49 – normally £12.99

     

     

     

     

    Blueberry Vaccinium – Mixed Varieties (2L Pot) – Suitable for growing in containers on a patio or balcony, ready to pick your own delicious berries in the summer months for years to come!

    Now £6.99 – Save £7 – normally £13.99

     

     

    Click here to shop the full Early Bird Sale online

  • Fiery Cornus

    Cornus, commonly known as Dogwood, are renowned for revealing vibrant stems of red, orange and lime green once their fiery shaded foliage has dropped in the Autumn. Many varieties will also put on a display of striking flower bracts in early Summer, making them an invaluable addition to any garden.

    Cornus are tolerant in partial shade, but for the best vibrant stem colour we recommend growing them in full sun in moist soil and leaving them unpruned for the first year after planting.

    We’ve highlighted some of our varieties below, available in-store and online this season:

    Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ Striking yellow-green stems and mid-green leaves turning yellow in autumn. White flowers in May-June are followed by white berries. Height and spread 2m x 3m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus alba ‘Sibirica Variegata’ Green leaves, edged white, turning red in autumn with bright red stems. Height and spread 3m x 3m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ Dark purple-black stems and rich green leaves turning deep violet in autumn. Cream flowers in early summer followed by white berries. Height and spread 2m x 2m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’ Grey-green leaved margined white that turn red in autumn. White flowers in late spring are followed by blue-tinged fruits, bright red stems in winter. Height and spread 1.8m x 1.5m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus alba ‘Baton Rouge’ Young stems are a bright pink-red in winter. Green leaves turning red in autumn. Height and spread 1.8m x 1.5m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus alba ‘Siberian Pearls’ Vibrant red winter shoots, dark green leaves turn red in autumn. White flowers in spring followed by white berries in autumn. Height and spread 2m x 1.5m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ Colourful stems, yellow at the base deepening to fiery orange-red at the tips. Leaves turn yellow in autumn. Height and spread 2m x 2m.

     

     

     

     

     

    Click here to shop Cornus online

  • The Star of Christmas – Poinsettias!

    No plant says Christmas like the beautiful poinsettia! Our premium range is grown by a fourth generation family business founded in Kent in 1907, less than ten miles from Knockholt. They don’t get much fresher than that!

    Watch the video below to see where our poinsettias are grown and discover some top tips from the growers.

    Poinsettias are available at all four of our sites across Kent and Sussex in December. Alternatively, shop poinsettias and other Christmas plants and arrangements online by clicking here.

  • Christmas Gift Ideas

    We’ve listed our top 5 gifts you can find at each of our centres, but you can find a wider range of gift ideas in-store or shop online.