Page 34 - Oundle Life March 2024

flowers offer a valuable source of nectar for foraging bees early in the year. They thrive in fertile soil that does not get waterlogged over winter and prefer full sun. They do not flower well in shade. There is no mistaking Forsythia in full flower with is vibrant
to get your summer flowering bulbs planted. Summer bulbs provide some of the biggest, best and most exotic-looking blooms. They look fabulous growing in borders or containers and
yellow flowers appearing all the
way along their branches. They are
tolerant of most soil types, enjoy full
sun or light shade and are extremely
hardy. They can be planted alone as a
specimen shrub or planted together
to form a hedge. Camellia japonica
is an evergreen shrub that produces beautiful delicate looking blooms in whites, pinks or reds. They thrive in acidic soil conditions, so they are best grown here in containers with ericaceous compost.
Planning ahead to summer, spring is the time
spring is the time to get your summer flowering bulbs planted
make wonderful cut flowers too. You can buy them in the Garden Centre in full bloom later in the year, but with a little work now, you can have you own dahlias, gladioli, lilies, crocosmia and agapanthus flowering this summer.
Some dates for your diary this March: remember Mother’s Day is on Sunday 10th March and Easter Sunday
falls on March 31st. The long Easter weekend is a perfect time to get these spring garden jobs started.
Stephanie Wilson, The Barn Garden Centre
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