Category: Plants

More and more people are discovering that Alstroemeria (commonly called Peruvian Lilies) are unusual, colourful and easy to grow additions to the garden.

There are now many attractive modern varieties available that will flower throughout the summer and return year after year given some basic care. They are best planted in a well-drained sheltered spot in sun or part shade and benefit from the addition of good organic compost when planting. During winter it is also advisable to cut the plant to the ground and protect the crown with a layer of mulch
5-10cm deep.

Dwarf Alstroemeria can easily be grown in pots and containers and make superb patio plants that will return each summer. Simply tuck the pot into a greenhouse or other sheltered spot for the winter.

Alstroemeria Inca Series
Compact, long flowering plants perfect for pots or the front of borders.

    ‘Inca Vito’, ‘Inca Goal, and ‘Inca Husky’

Here is a selection from our large range that we hope will tempt you to discover the joys of Alstroemeria!

Alstroemeria Summer Series
The perfect choice for borders, these taller growing plants will add vibrancy to the garden through the summer months.

   ‘Summer Breeze’, ‘Summer Break’, ‘Summer Snow’

Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’
Beautiful variety growing to about 1m tall. Flowers from May until the first frosts and has attractive dark foliage.

 ‘Indian Summer’

Alstroemeria Inticancha Series
Dwarf plants ideal for containers or borders. They come in a whole range of attractive colours.

   

Inticancha ‘White Pink Blush’, ‘Cabana’, ‘Maya’ and ‘Passion’

Seasonal planting to capture a theme.

Colour theming is a great way to give your garden a certain feel or effect. Seasonal plants allow a fresh pallet every year and give the opportunity to experiment. Warm colours complement each other and give vibrancy to an area. Cool colours are calm and relaxing, providing space to unwind. Here we give our pick of seasonal plants that will work together to evoke feelings and effects.

Cool, Mellow Vibes

Blues, silver, white and even soft pink, play off each other to create a cool and calming effect.  The perfect backdrop to a relaxing summer’s evening.

Felicia
Amazing semi-trailer with sky blue flowers. Great for pots and baskets.

Bacopa
The number one choice as a flowery filler plant for pots and baskets. Try combining both blue and white Bacopa in a planter.

Laurentia
Check these out! Blue star flowers all summer long.

 Laurentia ‘Blue Star’

Dichondra
A cascade of beautiful, silver heart-shaped foliage that thrive in drier conditions.

 Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’

Fuchsia
Look out for blues, whites and soft pinks. Both trailing and upright varieties available.

 Fuchsia ‘Annabel’

Argyranthemums
White Marguerites are fantastic in pots and flower for months.

Tropical Heat

Summer is just around the corner so why not choose plants that enhance the warm, balmy days. Reds, oranges and yellows work well when grown together.

Cannas
Top choice for a tropical look. Stunning foliage and vibrant flowers are a winning combination, with their height adding to the drama. Keep the plant frost free during winter and it will come back better each year.

   Canna Orange and Dark Leaf Red

Salvias
Sizzling reds pack a punch, great in flower beds and borders.

Euryops
Happy yellow daises that flower all summer long.

Gazanias
Sun lovers from South Africa in shades of yellow and orange.

 Gazania ‘Tiger Stripes’

Zonal Geranium
Love it hot and dry. Red, scarlet and orange are popular choices.

  

As I put pen to paper for this edition of the newsletter, I have just read my first e-mail advising me of local toad movements from the Kent Amphibian and Reptile Group (KARG). We have signed up for Toad Patrols in Knockholt, the aim being to save as many as we can from being killed on the roads as they make their way to their breeding pond at Coolings Green & Pleasant. Toads start to travel straight after dark, crossing the roads just as rush hour sets in. It appears that breeding will be early this year due to the mild, wet weather, so it may well be that by the time you read this all the main ‘action’ will be over. We did want to make mention of it however, to make people more aware for next year. Careful driving will save lives! (Least of all mine, even though I’ll be in a high visibility jacket with a torch, acting as a ‘lollipop lady’ for the little critters!).

Another survey everyone will want to know about is our next Bat Walk. Taking place on Wednesday 30 April at 7.30pm, this event starts with a meal and a talk in Blueberry Café, followed by a guided after dark tour of the Nature Trail accompanied by a bat expert and plenty of scanners (the scanners make the bats audible to the human ear).

Looking ahead into May and the better weather, there will be Children’s Workshops to enjoy during half-term. “Pond Dipping & Bug Hunt” will be on Tuesday 27 May and “Build a Bug/Bat/Bee Box” on Thursday 29 May. These are always popular events which need booking in advance.

See you soon!

To book any of the events at Green & Pleasant please call 01959 534386

In nearly every outdoor space there seems to be at least one unattractive wall, fence or shed that would benefit from being screened by greenery.  There are numerous climbing plants that could do this job, but only a relatively small number that are evergreen and retain their leaves throughout the year.  Here our Plant Doctor Mark Reeve, outlines his top choices.

EVERGREEN JASMINE

Trachelospermum jasminoides- by far the most popular climber we sell.

Gloriously fragrant white flowers in summer and glossy foliage that turns a stunning red in winter. This plant will live happily in a large pot.

 

Trachelospermum jasminoides in summer and winter

EVERGREEN HONEYSUCKLE

Lonicera henryi ‘Copper Beauty’

This beautiful and vigorous honeysuckle has glossy coppery green leaves and attractive flowers from early to mid-summer.

EVERGREEN CLEMATIS

Armandii ‘Apple Blossom’

Probably the best evergreen Clematis.  Grows vigorously to quickly provide screening and is covered in spring with beautiful scented flowers.

 

EVERGREEN CLIMGING HYDRANGEA

Hydrangea seemanii

Deciduous climbing Hydrangea is commonly grown as it thrives in shaded locations.  However, this is a lesser known evergreen alternative that deserves far wider recognition.  White flowers in summer and glossy evergreen leaves.

EVERGREEN IVY

Hedera c. ‘Dentata Variegata’

Mention ivy and many people shudder.  However, as a tough, self-supporting curtain of evergreen foliage that will grow almost anywhere it is unbeatable.  This highly ornamental variety has large cream marginated leaves that shine throughout the year and act as a haven for wildlife.

SOLLYA HETEROPHYLLA

This lovely evergreen climber is a little on the tender side but is ideal for urban gardens in a sunny sheltered location.  Alternatively, it is fantastic for covering a wall in a conservatory.  Shy-blue nodding flowers are born in profusion during summer and early autumn.  A white flowered form is also available.

CHOCOLATE VINE

Akebia quinata

This unusual large climber is best described as semi-evergreen. Excellent for growing over bushes and low trees, the chocolate coloured flowers have an attractive spicy fragrance.

As you may already know, our 2017 Summer Flower Exhibition is based on the classic children’s novel ‘The Railway Children.  As you may remember, the family in the story make the most of their upturned life by showing vigilance, courage, kindness and embracing the community in which they soon become a welcome part of.  This brings us nicely onto our chosen charity for this year’s Summer Flower Exhibition.   We have chosen to support Smile International and their brand-new venture ‘Sow a Smile’.

Smile International is passionate about their FEED programmes (Feeding, Educating, Empowering and Developing) that are currently running in a number of countries and feeding nearly 2,000 people each school day.  Their new ‘Sow a Smile’ project is in Zimbabwe and aims to not only increase the number of people fed each day but to enable one of their schools to grow and harvest its own food in order to become self-sustainable for years to come.

The project will also mean more local employment and skills training opportunities, provision of a more nutritionally balanced diet and empowerment for the community.

So far, Smile International have already managed to complete several tasks on their ‘Sow a Smile’ project including:

• Install a well on the site to provide a sustainable supply of water.
• Sourced a potential taskforce.
• Sourced and in the process of testing crop seedlings.
• Mapped out the allocation of crops to land.

Smile International still have a number of tasks that need to completed which is where we can help.  Still to do:

• Cultivate the land and erect a 1.2m fence
• Install irrigation system and purchase seeds
• Hire staff and supply of pesticides
• Electricity, fertiliser and renovations to transport and fuel

Initial capital required = £6,050

Running costs per year = £5,500

How can we help?

They have the land, they have the people, they simply just need our help to get it off the ground.

Coolings are passionate about supporting community based projects and we think this is a fantastic cause.  All donations from this year’s Summer Flower Exhibition will be heading their way, so when you visit the exhibition any donations into our water well will be very gratefully received.  

If you are interested in supporting this project long term and want to help create smiles to last a lifetime, you may also be interested to know:

• £4 a month helps to sow a Smile by providing seeds
• £7 a month helps supply electricity and fertilizer
• £11 a month helps go towards transporting food to the local communities
• £15 a month helps support the supply of water and skills training

 

For more information about Smile International and the work they do or to set up a monthly donation please visit:  www.smileinternational.org

 

To find out about our Summer Flower Exhibition 2017 click here.

Available Now:  

Newly Published Memoirs from Michael Cooling

Arthur Cooling:  From Smallholding to Garden Centre is a great read for anyone interested in the history of Coolings.  In his first book, Michael Cooling wrote an autobiographical account of the evolution of Coolings Nurseries from its humble beginnings to his retirement in 2002.

Now Michael delights us with this memoir of his father’s (Arthur Cooling) dedication to building the Coolings business despite many challenges along the way.  He explains how, after he had joined his father in the business, they were able, though not without the occasional difference of opinion, to navigate successfully the many changes in gardening technology and customer expectations that eventually led to one of Britain’s first garden centres.

Arthur Coolings: From Smallholding to Garden Centre is available now (while stocks last).

£6 (RRP £7.50).  A great gift for regular Coolings Customers.

Related title: ‘Blooming Wonderful’ is a personal history of Coolings Nurseries.  Written by Michael Cooling.

This is the time of year when birds rely upon us most to feed them. Providing birds with supplementary food will bring them closer for you to marvel at their fascinating behaviour and wonderful colours. It will also reward them for sharing their lives with you.  Feeding birds is also a great way to enthuse children about wildlife.

Supplementary feeding can’t provide all the natural proteins and vitamins that adult and young birds need, so it’s important to create and manage your garden to provide a source of natural foods as well, through well-managed lawns, shrubs and flowerbeds.

If you provide both natural and supplementary food, your garden will be visited year-round by a host of different birds.  However, you may want to attract a particular species of bird, so what should you provide to encourage them?  Here are some ideas to attract the following birds:

The Tit Family
These are small colourful birds of blue, yellow, white and green. Their natural habitat is woodlands, hedgerows, parks and gardens.  They like caterpillars, insects, seeds and nuts.  I find Tom Chambers Nice Nuts are particularly popular with them.  They are a bird that likes to cling, so a Jacobi Jayne Ring-Pull Pro Peanut Feeder would be suitable.

 

If you would like to encourage them to nest, then use a box with a 26mm hole for most Tits and 28mm for the Great Tit.  These should be sited in a north to east direction so they avoid the worst rain and heat from the sun.  If you tilt the box slightly foward, the rain will bounce off the roof rather than go into the box.

 

Robins
Males and females are identical, with their familiar red breasts.  The young are brown with golden brown mottling.  Although they appear friendly to us, they can be quite aggressive to other birds and are territorial. They can be found all over the UK in woodlands, hedgerows, parks and gardens.

These cheeky birds are quite tame and are often seen nearby if you are gardening in the hope of a tasty morsel.  They like worms, seeds, fruit and insects.  The Tom Chambers Rockin’ Robin Feast is perfect for their soft bills.  They are ground feeding birds, so a Tom Chambers Ground Feeder is ideal for them.

   

The Robin likes an open fronted nest box and the Tom Chambers Slate Roof Multi-Nester is a good choice because you also get 28mm and 32mm hole panels which can be added if a robin doesn’t use the box, to encourage other species of birds instead.

Goldfinch
A highly coloured Finch with a bright, red face and yellow wing patch. Sociable, often breeding in loose colonies, they have  a delightful twittering song and call. Their long fine beaks allow them to extract otherwise inaccessible seeds from thistles and teasels.  Increasingly they are visiting bird tables and feeders.   Goldfinches migrate as far south as Spain.  Their habitat is scattered bushes and trees, rough ground with thistles and other seeding plants.  They like orchards, parks, gardens, heathland and commons.

They feed on seeds and insects in summer but are partial to niger seeds.  Tom Chambers Nyjer Nibbles is perfect, but as these seeds are so small and tend to fall out of a normal seed feeder, a dedicated niger feeder such as Jacobi Ring Pull Pro Niger Seed Feeder is a better option.  You could use a bird station to hang the feeders from, such as the Tom Chambers Classic Bird Station.

   

Coolings is full to bursting with wonderful products.  Here are a few of our personal favourites.

Grow Your Own…

If you are about to give growing your own vegetables and herbs a try then our brand new Vegtrug Wooden Nursery Greenhouse and Cover (£99.99) may be just what you need to get started.  It’s a self-contained grow centre which is adjustable to your requirements.  Four shelves can be moved to enable a variety of seeds and plants to be grown with ease.  It even comes equipped with a cover.  If you only have a narrow space try the Vegtrug Wallhugger (£119.99) or Vegtrug Classic (£129.99).  They are both at comfortable working height, so no more bending or kneeling.  Ideal for the elderly and wheelchair users and for keeping produce away from slugs/animals/pets.

For something a little unique try these new Panacea Vintage 10 Gallon Grow Bags.  Canvas construction with faux leather handles and bottom. They are lined for water retention and available in 4 designs.  Why not fill them with tomatoes and feed them with our new Gro-Sure Tomato liquid Food (1 litre) – its packed with nutrients and extra Potash and Magnesium.  Seaweed enriched and simple to dose and use.

If Herbs and berries are more your cup of tea give the stylish, stackable Plantpak Strawberry and Herb Planter (£29.99) a try.  Also perfect for growing flowers.

 

Plant Perfection…

It’s not just us that enjoy extra fuel during the summer months – plants need their own summer feast too!  These five Gro-Sure products are new to us this year so we are keen to know what you think.  Gro-Sure All Purpose 6 Month Feed 1.1kg is great for baskets and containers, feeds for 6 months and is suitable for all plants.  For Azaleas, Rhododendrons & Camellias try Gro-Sure Ericaceous Plant Food Granules 900g, it contains extra iron for greener leaves and feeds for up to 3 months and The Rose & Shrub 6 month Feed 1.1kg contains fast acting, slow release granules full of high potash bloom boosting formula for an added boost.  Gro-Sure All Purpose Plant Food Liquid 1 litre is seaweed enriched and makes 50 watering cans.  Last up, Gro-Sure Ericaceous Plant Food Liquid 1 litre is great for Azaleas, Rhododendrons & Camellias.

Tough Jobbers…

Nothing kills tough weeds faster and prevents re-growth for longer than Job Done Tough Weedkiller RTU 1 litre.  Building on a professional formulation used to clear weeds from rail lines, SBM Life Science has invested in innovative new chemistry, which is now approved for consumer use.   For your paths, patios and driveways try Job Done Path Weedkiller RTU 1 litre – Visible results within 24 hours.

Is Moss thriving on your lawn?  If so you need Evergreen No Rake Moss Remover 200m² (£24.99).  The naturally occurring bacteria “eats” the dead moss – so you will not need to rake it out.  It also contains a slow release lawn fertiliser that feeds your lawn for up to 3 months.

 

Looking Good…

If you’re looking to add talking point to your garden this summer then take a look at the AFK Oriental Bridge.  Beech stain, solid timber construction with a unique bowed design.  Fully assembled base:  Small: H: 0.99m, W: 1.83m, D: 0.84m, £149.99.  Large: H: 0.63m, W: 1.22m, D: 0.5m, £249.99.  I’m also loving the 3 piece, brand new Kelkay Roma Granite Bench (£199.99) – perfect for the contemporary look.

 

Gifts and Treats…

You can’t go wrong with something from our PTMD Diffuser and Candle range.  This contemporary and stylish brand new range of diffusers and candles from PTMD really do make a great gift so someone special.  Available in the following fragrances: Coconut Lime, Stick Fig, White Tea, Sandalwood & Jasmine, Rose & Geranium.

It doesn’t have to be all petunias and marigolds, there is lots of variety to choose from at Coolings…over 350 varieties of seasonal bedding and patio plants to be exact!   As many of you know the majority of the plants we sell are grown here on our nursery behind the garden centre and we are as passionate about inspiring our customers to enjoy planting them as we are about growing them!

Statement pots and baskets

The golden rule to planting statement pots and baskets is to follow the thriller, filler, spiller formula.  A proven recipe for success for planting containers…

Thriller = Central, upright plant to provide height and wow such as Upright Fuchsia, Jumbo Geraniums or large Begonias.

Filler = Lower flowering or foliage plants that form the middle layer of a planter such as: Laurentia ‘Blue Star’, Verbena, Allysum, small Begonias, Coleus, Cineraria ‘Silver Leaf’ or Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’.

Spiller = Trailing plants to cascade down the edge of the container and soften the effect such as: Bacopa, trailing Petunias/Begonias/Verbena/Lobelia.

Upright plants of the same type and variety when grouped together will give the effect of one huge plant – no neighbours needed as they will fill your pot beautifully all by themselves and make a real impact in terms of size and colour such as:

Cosmos – always popular and has a stunning effect when planted in groups.  White and Carmine are popular colours.

Upright Fuchsias such as ‘Dollar Princess’, ‘Winston Churchill’ and ‘Hawkshead’ are a great choice as they excel in flower and are one of the longest flowering garden plants.

Marguerites (Argyranthemums) are another great choice to fill containers.  A profusion of daisy flowers are borne in succession throughout the season.  A top tip to promote repeat flowering is to pinch out the faded blooms as you are passing.  This will encourage the plant to form new buds.

Salvia – the dainty flowers of Salvia are another summer treat for those who like subtle beauty.  They are really easy to grow and three planted together will fill a large pot, their graceful flower spikes swaying in the breeze.  Our favourites ‘Love and Wishes’ ‘Ostfriesland’ and RHS Chelsea Flower Show favourite 2017 ‘Caradonna’.

Arctotis – a sunny corner can be transformed by a pot full of Arctotis.  This is not the most well-known of flowers, but just three of our chunky home-grown plants in a pot will give months of colour.  ‘Flame’, ‘Red Devil’ or ‘Wine’ are a popular customer choice.

 

Colourful Beds and Borders

Upright Petunias – novelty varieties such as ‘Black Velvet’, ‘Pinstripe’ and ‘Phantom’ where introduced last year and have been very popular for their unusual patterns and striking, distinctive colours.

New Guinea Impatiens – these make a wonderful splash of vibrancy and are perfect for a cooler location.

Begonias – one of the most versatile summer bedding plants, Begonias are well loved for their large flamboyant blooms in a wide range of colours, their ability to thrive in both sun and shade, and for flowering continuously throughout summer up to the first frosts.  Upright begonias are perfect for beds and borders and trailing varieties look great in baskets.  ‘Champagne’ is an old favourite with Coolings customers.

Geraniums – a faithful bedding plant for many and for good reason!  These sturdy, sun-loving plants are well suited to hot, dry conditions and flower all summer long.  Primarily available in vibrant shades of pink, white and red.

Sweet Peas – These make fantastic cottage garden bedding plants.  Let them scramble up obelisks or netting to add height to your garden.  Alternatively, try dwarf sweet peas for ground cover at the front of beds and borders.  With their delightful fragrance and wide range of colours, sweet peas are excellent summer bedding plants and also provide bunches of gorgeous fragrant cut flowers throughout summer.  We like ‘Spencer Mixed’.

Upright Lobelia create wonderful dense mounds of colour along the edge of beds and borders.  Easy to grow, long-flowering and generally come in shades of blue which is unusual for bedding!

Nicotiana – beautiful colour, great scent, ideal for sun and shade and easy to grow – what’s not to like!

 

Water and Feed!

Remember to water, water, water and feed your plants! All recently planted plants – especially bedding – and plants in containers and baskets will appreciate a good soak everyday and a regular meal every month to keep them growing well. Use collected rainwater where possible.  We recommend Miracle Grow plant food or a slow release plant food such as Osmocote Plant Food (for beds)  and Osmocote Plant Food Tablets (for baskets and tubs).

Spring is in the air and gardens will be bursting with colour very soon.  Here is our choice of early flowering herbaceous perennials to enhance your outdoor space.

REDS/PINKS:

Dicentra spectabilis
Pink heart shaped flowers hang from arching stems. Also known as ‘Lady in the Bath’.

Erysimum ‘Red Jep’
Given the RHS “perfect for pollinators” mark. These red scented Wallflowers will BEE appreciated
by your garden pollinators.

Scabious ‘Pink Mist’
Perfect partner for a larger blue Salvia, the pink pin cushion flowers will thrive in a sunny spot

WHITES:

Digitalis ‘Pam’s Choice’
Perfect for our garden pollinators, the white flowers are speckled with maroon….BEEutiful.

Papaver ‘Royal Wedding’
What better way to mark this year’s big event than with the beautiful, big white flowers of this ‘Royal Wedding’ Poppy.  It’s bold, black centre and contrasting pure white petals make this a real showstopper and the dried seed heads can be used in flower arrangements.

Paeonia ‘Duchesse de Nemours’
The ivory white flowers and Lily of the Valley scent of this little gem makes it a must have for every garden.

BLUES:

Polemonium ‘Heaven Scent’
Lightly scented blue flowers on chocolate stems surrounded by fern like foliage…heaven.

NEW Salvia nemerosa ‘April Night’
Petite in size with bright blue flowers good for borders and pots.

Veronica ‘Mountain Breeze’
Veronicas are some of my favourite cottage garden plants and this blue dwarf variety fit neatly in front of any boarder.

YELLOWS:

Doronicum ‘Little Leo’
Yellow daisy flowers that work well with spring flowering bulbs.

Geum ‘Can Can’
Soft yellow flowers with a hint of peach, will flower from spring to summer.

NEW Helichrysum ‘Amber Cluster’
Striking colours change from red buds, opening to pink and finally turning orange to yellow.