Blog

At Carpenter’s we have a number of Polytunnels that we use for growing and storing plants.  We’re currently replacing two old Polytunnels and we thought it would be a good opportunity to tell you a little bit about how and why polytunnels are so useful for commercial growers, as well as hobby gardeners. So, inRead more

Thanks to the recent heatwave and lockdown, many UK families have been spending more time than normal in their garden. Hot, sunny weather is fantastic, of course, but weeks of very little rain do take their toll on lawns, annuals, perennials, vegetables, and everything else in your garden. The only things that seem impervious toRead more

It is the time of year when gardeners usually use bedding plants like petunias, marigolds, and fuchsias to add colour to their beds. Buying a tray of bedding plants is relatively inexpensive and if you go the extra mile, you can create an instant garden worthy of a spot on your Instagram feed. However, thereRead more

Summer bedding plants are the perfect way to add colour and interest to a garden. Fill up your borders, hanging baskets, tubs and planters with a riot of pink, red, yellow, blue, lavender, purple, and white.  With so many different varieties of bedding plants to choose from, it’s not easy to know where to begin!Read more

The weather at the moment is rather typical for the time of year. After a  couple of weeks of gorgeous sunshine, the rain has returned with a vengeance. Whilst rain probably isn’t much fun if you’re stuck at home during the lockdown, it’s wonderful for the garden. In this blog post, we’re going to discussRead more

Perennials are the foundation of many gardens. These are the plants that return each year to add a splash of colour and interest to our borders. Whereas annuals are replanted each year, perennials die back at year-end and then regrow in spring. They are among the easiest plants to care for in a garden, whichRead more

Roses are a quintessentially English garden flower, although most varieties are actually native to Asia. Hybrid roses were introduced in the 19th century and were hugely popular for more than 50 years, but at least one species was brought to Britain by the Romans. Roses have played their part in history, too, with the WarRead more

Primroses are one of the prettiest spring flowers. We love their bright, vibrant flowers and our customers love them too. Sometimes called an ‘Easter Rose’, primroses are one of the earliest blooming flowers in early spring. Once your primroses are in bloom, you know that spring isn’t far away! There are many different varieties ofRead more

Bulbs are an iconic site in early spring. From early snowdrops to long belts of daffodils and sprinklings of tulips, there are lots of lovely bulbs out there to brighten up your garden. But in case you’re wondering what on earth we are blathering on about, given the time to plant bulbs is long past…Read more

It’s nearly that time of year once again. Isn’t it amazing how quickly Christmas rolls around? One minute we are in the middle of a drought and it’s hot enough to fry eggs on the pavement outside and the next, the shops are full of Christmas chocolate and booze. Not that we are complaining, ofRead more

Raspberries are a deliciously succulent fruit. Eat them raw with some cream or ice cream or cook them in a crumble with some seasonal apples or rhubarb. Yum! It’s fair to say we love raspberries here at Carpenter’s Nursery, so we have plenty of great advice if you are ready to plant some raspberry canesRead more

Autumn is well and truly here. The lazy, hazy days of summer are now but a distant memory and many gardeners are gearing up for the tasks associated with the cooler autumn months. One of these is planting spring bulbs. The great thing about spring bulbs is that you have a glorious display of colourRead more

Autumn is a great time to plant soft fruit bushes and trees. In this article, we are going to give you some handy advice on ground preparation, how to plant your soft fruit bushes and trees, and which soft fruit is likely to be ripe for your garden (pun intended!). Why Plant Soft Fruit? EveryoneRead more

Leeks are a popular winter vegetable. Thinly sliced and sautéed in butter, boiled until they are deliciously soft, or added as a crunchy topping to a cottage pie – there is no end to what you can do with a bunch of leeks! It’s also very easy to grow leeks at home if you haveRead more

Hanging baskets and summer planters are the perfect place to display your gorgeous summer flowers. Cascading petunias, hot fuchsias, and cheerful marigolds all look lovely in baskets and pots, but with the hot summer weather we’re currently experiencing, it may not be long before your precious plants are looking worse for wear! To help youRead more

Now is an excellent time to think about planting some tomatoes, in pots or in beds. Tomatoes are an essential ingredient in summer salads, and they are really easy to cultivate. With a bit of TLC, you can have endless crops of tasty tomatoes all summer long. Varieties of Tomato Plant You can choose fromRead more

Now is the best time to get out in your garden and make a start on planting some pretty herbaceous perennials. It’s hard to beat a lovely herbaceous perennial for colour and interest. We sell some lovely herbaceous perennials, including lupins, phlox, Salvia, and Gaillardia. If your garden is looking a bit sad right now,Read more

Rhubarb is a herbaceous perennial with thick, pink-red stems and large green leaves. When the stalks are eaten raw, rhubarb stems have a very tart flavour, but if cooked and sweetened, it’s a delicious and nutritious garden fruit. Here at Carpenter’s Nursery, we love rhubarb – and we especially love rhubarb crumble! It’s super easyRead more

Rose plants are easily one of the most popular species that homeowners’ plant in their gardens. Not only do they make a wonderful addition to existing gardens, but they can work beautifully all on their own. A designated rose garden enables the owner to blend different colours and varieties in one location.  With that said,Read more

Potatoes are a staple crop for many gardeners. A mixed crop of earlies and main varieties will see you through the rest of the year, which could save you a decent chunk of money on your supermarket shop! Letting seed potatoes sprout – also known as ‘chitting’ – is standard practice. In this article, weRead more

The carrots sold in the farm shop at Carpenter’s Nursery are washed before they appear on the shelves. We wash them to remove all the soil and dirt. This makes them more attractive and you don’t need to worry about your car boot being covered in muck! Large farms invest in mechanical carrot washing andRead more

The festive season is nearly upon us! Here at Carpenter’s Nursery, we have the mince pies warming in the oven and plenty of mulled wine to keep us going until Christmas Eve. Because the Christmas holidays are just around the corner, we thought we would have a break from our usual growing and planting posts.Read more

Raspberries are a lovely summer fruit. You can sprinkle them on cereal, make jam, and use them in desserts. Raspberries are also very easy to grow, so if you like the idea of planting raspberry canes now, ready for a summer harvest, we have some tips for you. The Best Time to Plant Raspberry CanesRead more

For many gardeners, autumn is the best season. The palette is changing from the bright green and yellow hues of summer into fiery shades of red, gold, and brown. The mornings are colder, but Mr Sunshine still makes a regular appearance. Your garden is well on the way to recovery after the blistering heat ofRead more

Bedding plants add extra interest to a garden. They are often used to plug gaps between established shrubs, or to fill borders, pots, and hanging baskets. Most gardeners go the extra mile in summer, with acres of colourful bedding plants. This is only natural, as we typically spend a lot more time in the gardenRead more

Summer may be in full swing, but now is an excellent time to start planning your autumn garden. If you are not careful, once the summer bedding plants die off, your garden will be devoid of colour. The best way to solve this problem is to add a few autumn flowering perennials to the mix.Read more

Hanging baskets are a summer staple. Look around your neighbourhood and you’ll probably spot more than a few colourful hanging baskets adorning homes and businesses. Baskets of lush, scented flowers are wonderfully decorative, but if you don’t look after your hanging baskets, they won’t stay decorative for long. There is nothing worse than a half-deadRead more

Summer is just around the corner (allegedly!), so now is an excellent time to think about introducing some colourful bedding plants into your garden. We have a great selection of bedding plants, but if you need a bit of help choosing the right plants, here is a quick guide to the most popular plants. WhatRead more

For anyone who needs an “insta-garden”, herbaceous perennials are where it’s at. With some careful planning, you can fill your borders up with relatively inexpensive herbaceous perennials and have a beautiful display of colour in a few short months. The effect is not quite as instant as a tray full of pansies or petunias, butRead more

Have you always loved the idea of growing your own food, and are ready to take the plunge? Growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs can be a great way to save money, as well as allowing you to eat the very freshest produce, and it can actually be really easy to do no matterRead more

Nothing beats the flavour of organic, homegrown vegetables. They are a world away from the bland veg you can buy in your local supermarket. These are mass produced, often cultivated on foreign soil and sprayed with noxious chemicals, before being transported thousands of miles and stored in a warehouse for days. By the time theyRead more

When summer arrives, hanging baskets are the perfect way to decorate your home with colourful flowers and verdant greenery. You can pick up hanging baskets from many large garden centres and DIY stores, but these are generally mass produced with the poor-quality plants and compost. Here at Carpenter’s Nursery, we create and sell top qualityRead more

Lawns need plenty of loving care and attention. If you neglect your lawn, it won’t be long before it is bald, mossy or infested with weeds. The problem is that lawns have to put up with a lot of wear and tear. Kids, pets, and weather all take their toll. It would be nice toRead more

We all know homegrown veggies are the best, but who has the time to slave away, digging up the garden and planting seeds? It’s a sad fact that modern life has taken a sharp shift away from the values of yesteryear. Back in our grandparent’s day, most people had a vegetable plot. Those that didn’tRead more

How to grow dahlias We’re really pleased to now have Dahlia tubers in stock ready for you to plant today! With this in mind (and thanks to a reader question) today we bring you our guide to growing dahlias – one of the most beautiful and varied flowers and the perfect late summer and earlyRead more

How to Grow Onions and shallots Now that we’ve all recovered from the festive season it’s time to get back…

Ingredients 1.3kg Seville oranges 2 lemon, juice only 2.6kg preserving or granulated sugar Method Put the whole oranges and lemon juice in a large preserving pan and cover with 2 litres/4 pints water – if it does not cover the fruit, use a smaller pan. If necessary weight the oranges with a heat-proof plate to keep themRead more

Taking Care of Your Summer Garden With summer in full swing now is the time to put your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your labours with a glass of wine or gin & tonic. BBQ season is definitely upon us and it’s great to spend our time outside enjoying our beautiful gardens. WithRead more

To create your hanging basket you will need: A good quality compost Hanging basket (wire or wicker) Hanging basket liner (moss, coco or synthetic) Slow release feed Water retention granules Trailing plants and upright geranium, fuchsia or similar Fig 1. Materials required Preparing the basket – For solid baskets start by filling your basket threeRead more

Planting Bedding Plants Outdoors With most of the cold weather now, hopefully, behind us, many of us are looking to get our bedding plants outside and established ready for the warm summer months. One of the most common reasons plants don’t perform well outside initially is from poor transplanting and planting techniques so we thoughtRead more

Growing food is my favourite thing about owning a garden. I love getting fresh veg and fruit straight from the ground. However, like many of you, I really dislike having to dig the beds over each year. Like many of you I imagine that this is something that, due to the perils of time, alsoRead more

With spring in the air you can start thinking about gardening again.  March is the perfect month to start seed sowing. With over 500 varieties of flower and vegetable seeds in stock we are certain to have what you are looking for.  We have a great range of propagation equipment, composts, seed trays and more; everythingRead more