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Moving into May!

Here at Sussex Country Gardener, we’re leaping and bounding into our busiest time of year. The centre is alive with new plant stocks and with the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee knocking at the door, our customers are keen to chivvy their gardens along in time for their family summer celebrations!

DROUGHT - What to do? Despite the current rain, we are still in a drought situation so you would be wise to plan for the summer with this in mind. With drought warnings and hosepipe bans threatening our gardens this summer, we suggest investing in a good water butt. Harvesting rain water will boost your water supply and given that in one year a typical water butt collects 85,000 litres of rainwater, it should give you enough to keep your beds blooming all summer. Save water and save weeding. If you cover your soil with pebbles, gravel or chipped bark this will keep moisture in and weeds out. Finally, let your lawn grow – lawns don’t need watering and a brown lawn soon recovers after rain.

PLANTS – Plant now for a wonderful colourful summer display. Herbaceous packed bedding is a must! It’s such a fun time of year with all the colours and varieties coming to life. Petunias, Surfinias, Verbenas, and Geraniums will liven up your borders. Pack your pots full to the brim with Geraniums as they need very little water to survive.

BUSY LIZZIES – Should you plant them? Unfortunately if you want to grow busy Lizzies this year, then you will struggle. Last year, gardeners all over the UK had problems with their busy Lizzies, with the plants dying in their millions as a result of a relatively new disease – Impatiens downy mildew. However, the Sunpatiens varieties of busy Lizzies seem to be resistant to the disease. These plants are bigger and more robust than your common or garden busy Lizzie – the New Guinea busy Lizzies are a different species of Impatiens, and aren’t affected by the disease. All the above products are available at Sussex Country Gardener.

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Have you joined our Garden Club? Sussex Country Gardener have an excellent Reward Card scheme. Show your card on every purchase and collect our points! Enjoy monetary tokens throughout the year, exclusive members offers and as a special birthday treat a free hot drink and piece of cake from our famous Gardeners Cafe with a £4 voucher to spend at the Centre. Click here to download an application form in Acrobat format.