28th August 2025 • The HERALD • Page 53 v THE NEXT HERALD IS OUT ON 18TH SEPTEMBER v DOWN THE GARDEN PATH RYAN FENCING Quality Fencing & Gates 07769 706516 • 023 8084 1203 www.ryan-fencing.co.uk • Find us on Facebook A J GLEESON BUILDING & GROUNDWORK DRIVEWAYS EXTENSIONS BRICKWORK GROUNDWORK BLOCK PAVING Colours & Designs to suit your requirements Local Work Available to View CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION New Forest & Southampton 023 8084 4180 Mobile: 07770 771475 Bramdene, Main Road, Dibden, Southampton • All types of trees expertly felled, topped & pruned • Stump Grinding • Hedges pruned & trimmed • Lawns Laid • Fencing & garden work • Rubbish Clearance • Patios & drives jet-washed • Patios & Drives resurfaced or replaced Registerd Waste Carrier Licence CBDU374716 H Fully Insured H Evening: 01794 522092 Daytime Mobile: 07511 863693 Email: treefellers@gmx.com Tips on Gardening During a Hosepipe Ban Advice from British Garden Centres compared to sprinklers or hoses. And for containers, look for non-porous pots that don’t lose moisture through their sides. Choosing the right plants: Mediterranean plants such as lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano are a great choice for gardens that experience hot, dry weather, as they thrive in warmth and don’t need much water. Other tough, drought tolerant options that do well in these conditions include ornamental grasses, eryngium, euphorbia, verbena, carex, and various types of palms. Verbena, sedum, hebes, osteospermum, achillea, and lavender are especially good for cutting down on watering, and they have the bonus of attracting bees and other helpful pollinators to your garden. We recommend when planting these to use a good quality compost and mix in a slow release fertiliser. is not only helps your plants nd the nutrients they need over time but also improves the compost’s ability to hold onto moisture, giving your plants a much-needed boost when water is in short supply. If you have plants in pots, place saucers under them to catch any water that drains out, and the roots can soak up every drop, and you’ll spend less time topping them up. You can still look a er your garden during a hosepipe ban by using a watering can, a bucket, or rainwater collected in a water butt. In some places, drip irrigation systems may be allowed, but always double-check with your local water company for speci c guidance. Setting up a water butt is a simple and eco-friendly way to save rainwater, which you can use later for thirsty plants when it’s dry. e butt collects rain from your roof’s downpipe, making it a handy backup during summer and throughout water restrictions. Another helpful tip is to reuse grey water, like the le over water from baths, showers, and even rinse cycles in your washing machine. Just catch it in buckets or washing-up bowls and use it within 24 hours to avoid bacteria. Try to pour it right at the base of your plants where it’s needed most. Don’t pour away unwanted water from your kettle or a er cooking, as you can use this for your plants too. e RHS recommends that watering in the morning during hot spells helps stop pests and diseases, while watering later in the evening might save water from evaporating, especially a er cooler nights. Mulching: Plants in containers and those planted directly in the ground both need extra care during dry spells because they can lose moisture quickly. Container plants dry out faster since their roots are con ned, but plants in the ground can also su er if the soil dries out too much. Adding a layer of mulch, such as wood bark, shredded leaves, or gravel stones, around your plants is very e ective as it acts as a natural blanket, keeping moisture locked in the soil, reducing evaporation, and helping keep the soil cooler. Mulching is useful all year round, as in winter, it allows heavy rain to soak into the soil, and in summer, it holds moisture beneath the surface, which plants need in hot weather. For plants in the ground, improving the soil with plenty of compost or organic matter will also make a big di erence. Healthy soil holds water better and encourages roots to grow deep, where they can access moisture throughout dry periods. Regularly loosening the soil around plants also helps water penetrate more easily while stopping weeds that compete for water. Grouping plants with similar water needs together Water wisely and choosing drought resistant varieties can further cut down how much watering is needed. Watering early in the morning or late in the evening reduces water lost to evaporation, so your plants get more benefit from each watering. Using drip irrigation or watering cans to deliver water directly to the roots is a very e cient way to water, saving water Tales from the Cutting Garden Black eld Flower Club’s next meeting will take place on Tuesday 9th September at 2pm when there will be a demonstration by Katie Baxter entitled ‘Tales from the Cutting Garden’. Meetings take place at the Royal British Legion, Exbury Road, Black eld, SO45 1XD. Visitors welcome, please contact Jan Gordon on: 023 8084 4835 for more details.
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