What's Going on in the Garden this Month

What's Happening in our New Forest hotel this September 

As we head into September, we have been greeted with an incredibly hot and sunny start to the month here in the New Forest. This summer in Hampshire has undoubtably been a wetter one than many of us wanted, however it has been appreciated by our gardeners. 

The lawns have remained a luscious green, fruit trees are fuller and flower beds are looking healthier than ever. The hose pipes haven't been touched since the beginning of June and our gardeners have been able to focus on keeping the hotel grounds looking their best, whilst continuing to work on new projects.

Here are some of the jobs that our gardeners will be up to over the next few weeks, with some ideas for you to consider doing at home:

•    Collecting seeds from flowers. Some examples such as poppies, cornflowers, borage, nigella and calendula. These can be stored in brown envelopes, in a cool dark place. Be sure to label what seeds you collect so you know what you're sowing next year. 

•    Planting spring flowering bulbs. 

•    Dead heading. This is something we mention in each blog, but it's a very important task if you want your flower displays to last as long as possible.

•    Taking cuttings. Our gardeners have recently taken cuttings from plants such as salvias, pelargoniums, mint, penstemons and helichrysum petiolare. If you are more successful with your cuttings than you expected to be, you can always gift them to friends and neighbours once they have been potted on. 

•    Giving evergreen hedges and shrubs their final prune of the year.

•    Sowing seeds in modular trays and overwintering them in the greenhouse for an earlier flower display next year. This can be done with plants such as cornflowers, marigolds, nigella and sweet peas. 

Our gardeners have made a start on their newest project in the last couple of weeks are happy to share their plans and progress. 

Earlier this year, they trialled growing vegetables in two long beds that run parallel to the carpark but weren't happy with the outcome. They are now in the process of dividing these into six smaller beds, connected by new grass pathways. 

These six beds will be filled with pollinator friendly flowers. Using a mixture of bulbs, perennials and annuals, they aim to eventually have flowers from January through to December.

Our gardeners have also set a couple of personal goals whilst they take on this project; they want to have a minimal impact on the environment, whilst also keeping cost low. They aim to achieve this buy growing as much as possible from seed, cuttings and dividing plants already in the garden. The plants being selected are drought-tolerant and will also need minimal maintenance. 

They hope all our guests find time to use the space; whether it’s for relaxing, watching wildlife or simply being inspired to create your own space on your return home. 

If you’re visiting our New forest hotel here in Beaulieu and want to know more about this project, please feel welcome to speak to our gardeners about their process. They will be more than happy to share.

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