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<p>When the weather is cold, and food is scarce, our <strong>garden birds need our help to get them through the winter</strong>.</p>

<p>When the weather is cold, and food is scarce, our <strong>garden birds need our help to get them through the winter</strong>. Whether it’s putting up a bird feeder or planting bird-friendly bushes in your garden, there’s lots you can do to give your garden birds some support through the coldest months of the year.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Should we feed birds?</h2>
<p>Before you put out your bird feeders, do a little research about the birds in your local area. A recent study by Manchester Metropolitan University suggests that in some situations, putting out food for birds can make some of the more assertive species like blue tits and great tits too dominant, causing the populations of less prevalent birds to go into decline. If you’re in an urban environment, it’s generally still a good idea to put out extra food for birds. However, in the countryside, and especially if you live in an area where at-risk species such as willow tits and marsh tits are found, you may do more good by adding bird-friendly plants to your garden than by hanging up bird feeders.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Bird-friendly plants</h2>
<p>Berry-bearing plants are the most natural food source for birds in winter. Rowan, hawthorn, holly, cotoneaster and pyracantha are all excellent choices for a bird-friendly garden. Mature ivy is also a beneficial plant – the energy-rich berries provide food for birds, and the evergreen leaves give good shelter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The seedheads of flowering perennials like teasels, echinacea and rudbeckia all provide food for birds in autumn, so consider planting some of these in your garden to encourage next year’s foraging birds. Goldfinches also feast on dandelion seeds, which is a great reason to leave a few of these wildlife-friendly plants to flourish in the corner of your garden.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Tips on feeding birds</h2>
<p>If you are putting out food for birds in winter, follow these tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>Remove any netting or mesh bags from suet balls to avoid birds getting their feet caught in the netting.</li>
<li>Soak dried mealworms in warm water for an hour before putting them out to give birds some much-needed hydration. Mealworms are a favourite with robins, blackbirds and blue tits.</li>
<li>Clean bird feeders regularly in hot soapy water to avoid transmitting diseases that can devastatingly affect bird populations.</li>
<li>Place feeders in the open so that birds can see predators like cats approaching. If possible, position the feeders somewhere near shrubs or trees to give birds an escape route.</li>
<li>Keep bird baths topped up with fresh, clean water. As well as drinking, birds need to keep their feathers clean in winter so that they retain their insulating qualities.</li>
</ul>
<p>We have everything you need to support your garden birds, from bird feeders and baths to bird-friendly plants. Visit our centre today!</p>

Top tips for feeding birds in winter

<p>To improve your chances of success when underplanting trees, follow these tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>It’s a quintessential image, a beautiful woodland in dappled sunlight with trees surrounded by a sea of bobbing bluebells. But the truth is, it can be a real challenge to get anything to grow under a tree. The tree takes most of the soil’s moisture and nutrients, and the canopy blocks out much of the sunlight for plants underneath. Despite all this, some <strong>plants will grow and even thrive under trees</strong>, given the proper care and attention.</p>
<h2>Underplanting deciduous and evergreen trees</h2>
<p>It’s much easier to get plants to establish under deciduous trees than under evergreens, as the plants benefit from early spring sunshine before the trees put on leaves. Even once the leaves appear, a deciduous tree’s canopy tends to be less dense than that of an evergreen. It can be tough getting anything&nbsp;to establish under conifers, as the ground under them is in the shade all year round. To improve your chances of success when underplanting trees, follow these tips.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Tips for successful planting under trees</h2>
<ul>
<li>Choose plants that can cope with shade and dry soil.</li>
<li>Add extra organic matter such as garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure to planting holes to compensate for the poor soil.</li>
<li>Water your plants regularly in the first year while getting established, and mulch them in spring.</li>
<li>The southwest side is likely to get more rain, driven by westerly winds, than the northeast side.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Six plants to plant under trees</h2>
<p>Given a bit of encouragement, these plants will grow successfully under trees, providing colour as well as ground cover.</p>
<ol>
<li>
<p><strong>Lamium maculatum (deadnettle)</strong> – a beautiful groundcover plant with variegated silver and green leaves and spires of pink or white flowers in spring that are a good early nectar source for bees.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Cyclamen coum</strong> – these winter-flowering perennials have attractive marbled silver-green leaves and delicate-looking pink or white flowers with back-swept petals. Once established, they will gradually spread to form a carpet of colour in the coldest months of the year.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Pulmonaria (lungwort)</strong> – another shade-loving perennial with silver-spotted green leaves and blue or pink flowers that appear in spring. A favourite with bees.&nbsp;</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Epimedium</strong> – one of the best perennials for planting under trees, forming low mounds of heart-shaped green leaves that often have good colour in winter. Cut the foliage back in early spring to see the delicate early flowers.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Vinca minor</strong> – this low-growing evergreen shrub spreads by underground runners and can be invasive in good soil, but the difficult conditions under trees will keep it in check. This is a&nbsp;good groundcover plant producing pretty blue flowers over a long period from spring to autumn. Trim it in spring to keep it from spreading too far.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><strong>Ivy</strong> – if all else fails, ivy will grow almost anywhere, even in deep shade.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Struggling to find the right plants for underplanting your trees? Visit our centre and take a look at our wide selection of plants for all conditions. Our friendly staff are always happy to help!</p>

Tips for planting under trees

<p>These <strong>top 5 houseplants that clean the air</strong> are great plants to have in your home or office to help clear the air of common toxins that we are all subjected to from modern-day living.</p>

<p>These <strong>top 5 houseplants that clean the air</strong> are great plants to have in your home or office to help clear the air of common toxins that we are all subjected to from modern-day living. NASA was the first to study clean air with houseplants in the 1980s, and they found many able to absorb toxins at quite a pace! Some will even continue to do so overnight. Plants really are fantastic!</p>
<h2>Five houseplants that clean the air</h2>
<ol>
<li>Pothos (Devils ivy): One of the easiest plants to grow in any home. The Pothos is a trailing plant and can be propagated easily by cuttings. Instead of trailing, they can, even with support, grow up the wall and around the tops of cupboards for maximum green effect. Ranging from darker green foliage to variegated foliage, they can reduce formaldehyde and benzene along with more toxins from your home. A great plant to clear toxins.</li>
<li>Chlorophytum comosum (Spider plant):&nbsp;Grown in many households in the 1970s, the spider plant never goes out of fashion! Another houseplant needs&nbsp;very little care and produces lots of ‘spiderettes’. These can be propagated by potting up for even more free plants. They filter out harmful toxins such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde, so they do a great job cleaning the air.</li>
<li>Spathiphyllum (Peace lily): The classic and popular white flowers make the peace lily instantly recognisable. Needing very little care but a little more watering than the previous two, you will know it is time to water it if you spot it wilting. Not only is it a pretty plant, but it is also working hard to clear the air of toxins, including carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, to name a few.</li>
<li>Sansevieria (Mother in laws tongue): There is another&nbsp;well-loved houseplant that no home should be without. They are used frequently in office spaces due to how easy they are to care for. Also called the snake plant, they are one of the toughest houseplants. The Sansevieria is a perfect plant for beginner houseplant enthusiasts and anyone who simply forgets to water plants! One of these can clear the air of numerous toxins in the home or office, as found in the NASA clean air study.</li>
<li>Hedera helix (English ivy): Ivy is more commonly recognised as an outdoor plant, but they are perfect trailing houseplants that remove many toxins from home. Happy growing in shade or sun, with plain or variegated foliage, they can live for many years in a house doing an excellent job of cleansing the air for you too.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<p>Clean the air in your home with houseplants from our in store collection.&nbsp;</p>

Top 5 houseplants that clean the air

<p>Here are our <strong>top tips on how to train your climbing houseplant</strong>.</p>

<p>Houseplants can do so much more than simply sit on a shelf. Climbing houseplants can turn your indoor space into a lush green zone that resembles a tropical paradise by twining elegantly around a support or up a trellis. Here are our <strong>top tips on how to train your climbing houseplant</strong>.</p>

<h2>Choosing a climbing houseplant</h2>

<p>Many indoor plants sold as trailing plants for hanging baskets can be trained to climb, and some will actually do better as climbing plants than if left to trail. Here are a few to look out for:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Philodendrons &ndash; a huge genus of plants with long stems and heart-shaped green leaves. The stems produce small aerial roots that will attach themselves to structures if given a chance. Philodendrons are easy, undemanding plants, preferring bright but indirect light.</li>
	<li>Pothos (devil&rsquo;s ivy) &ndash; have heart-shaped leaves similar to Philodendrons but are usually gold and green variegated. Pothos are easy to grow in bright, indirect light and can be cut back as needed to keep them under control.</li>
	<li>Tradescantia &ndash; These attractive plants produce long trailing stems with purple and silver-variegated leaves. The trailing stems can be tied to supports to encourage them to climb. Tradescantias do well in bright, filtered light.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Tips on training climbing houseplants</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Using pipe cleaners, you can train trailing plants against a wall by putting up hooks and tying the stems. However, bear in mind that in time, the plant&rsquo;s aerial roots are likely to attach themselves to the wall and may pull the paint off when removed. If you don&rsquo;t want this to happen, put up a support structure like a trellis for the aerial roots to cling to instead.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>If you want to put a stake into a plant pot to give your plant something to twine around, the best way to do this is to repot the plant, placing the stake in the new pot at the same time. This reduces the risk of damaging the plant&rsquo;s roots, which is very likely to happen if you simply push a stake into a pot that already contains a plant.</li>
	<li>Plants will naturally grow towards the light, so consider this when supporting your plant. It&rsquo;s always easiest to encourage the plant in the direction it wants to go!</li>
	<li>Train vines gradually upwards to reduce the risk of snapping them.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Caring for climbing houseplants</h2>

<p>A trailing houseplant may start to grow faster once it has been trained to climb, as it gets more light, so be prepared to feed and water it more often. And don&rsquo;t be afraid to prune vines that are getting out of control. Pothos, philodendrons and tradescantia all respond well to being cut back.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Give your home a new look this year with a few climbing houseplants. We have a fantastic range of indoor plants in our centre, so visit us today to find the right one for your home!</p>

How to train your climbing houseplant

<p>If you are wondering how to take hardwood cuttings during this season, this guide will give you some advice.</p>

<p>It&rsquo;s the perfect time for <strong>taking winter cuttings</strong>, meaning more plants for free - and who doesn&rsquo;t like that? Taking cuttings can be really fun and a great way to keep your green fingers active over the winter months. Hardwood cuttings are taken from mid-autumn through to late winter, so you have plenty of time to get some into pots ready to settle in before root growth in spring. Read on for our advice on how to take hardwood cuttings this season!</p>

<ol>
	<li>When to take cuttings&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What can you take cuttings from</li>
	<li>How to take cuttings&nbsp;</li>
	<li>What to do with your cuttings next&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

<h2>When exactly should I start taking winter cuttings?&nbsp;</h2>

<p>You now know that winter cuttings are taken from mid-autumn to late winter, but there will be periods within those months you should avoid. If the garden is particularly wet and frozen, avoid taking cuttings until there is a dryer day. They can be taken any time but generally may root better just after the leaves have fallen or right before buds start to open.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Taking winter cuttings from your plants&nbsp;</h2>

<p>If you wonder what you can take cuttings from at this time of year, there are many to choose from. Most deciduous shrubs are ideal for taking winter cuttings, such as dogwood, flowering currants, roses, honeysuckle, gooseberries and figs. You can also take cuttings from trees such as willow and poplar. You can take cuttings from a few evergreens, including holly and skimmia.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>How to start taking winter cuttings for success</h2>

<p>Have a good look at your plants and take cuttings with a sharp snip. They should be healthy and the current year&#39;s growth. Remove the soft tip and cut it into sections, so each is no more than 30cm long. The cut should be above a bud at the top, sloping away from the bud and straight at the bottom. You can dip the base into a rooting hormone or not (results vary with either).&nbsp;</p>

<h2>What is next when taking winter cuttings&nbsp;</h2>

<ul>
	<li>When you have your cuttings ready, they can be placed into a prepared trench outside.</li>
	<li>The soil needs to be well-drained with well-rotted organic matter dug in.</li>
	<li>Make sure two-thirds of the cuttings are below the ground, and it can be helpful to layer some sand at the bottom of the trench.</li>
	<li>Make sure the trench is in a place where the cuttings can stay until the following autumn when you can pot them on.</li>
	<li>Don&rsquo;t allow them to dry out.</li>
	<li>If you only have a few cuttings, they can also be grown in containers with a well-drained, gritty compost in a sheltered place.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<p>For containers, grit, compost, cutting tools and accessories - visit us in store.&nbsp;</p>

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