Page 56 • The HERALD • 29th October 2026 v SHOP LOCALLY FOR SERVICE AND VALUE v DOWN THE GARDEN PATH All Aspects of Garden Work Undertaken • Driveways • Paving • Artificial Grass • Turfing • Decking • Fencing • Hedge Cutting • Landscaping Hythe Garden Contractors Family company established 1977 For a free quotation please call 023 8084 3556 or 07920 794587 SPADEWORK Family Landscaping & Fencing Team ] Decking & Natural Sandstone Paving ] Patios ] Driveways ] Block Paving ] Turfing ] All Types of Domestic & Commercial Fencing ] Security Fencing Supplied & Fitted Tel: (023) 8089 4909 Mobile: 07703 566814 u Free Estimates u Fully Insured Fred Hurst 023 8084 2191 or 07761 467217 • Grass Cutting • Garden Clearance • Hedge Cutting • Fallen Trees Cleared • Mini Digger Hire with Operator • Property Clearance • Small Demolition • Tractor Flail Cutting FULLY INSURED v FREE QUOTATIONS Locally owned landscape and maintenance company who offer excellent workmanship, value, and customer service. Contact Ralph on 07775 726135 www.apex-landscaping.co.uk • rperry16@sky.com • Decking • Fencing and Gates • Complete Landscaping • Paving • Brick Work • Block Paving and Driveways • Hedge and Tree Work •Turfing • Shed and Summerhouse Bases • Shingle Beds and Artificial Lawns • Paving and Block Paving Cleaning and Repair Expert Guide To Autumn Containers And Hanging Baskets Advice from British Garden Centres With the right selection of plants, you can keep your container garden vibrant and beautiful even during the colder autumn and winter months. From ornamental grasses and winter- owering pansies to spring bulbs and herbs, there are plenty of options to choose from. e team at British Garden Centres has put together their top picks of winter bedding and evergreen favourites to keep your garden colourful all season long. For instant seasonal colour: Winter bedding remains a favourite for a reason. Pansies, violas, cyclamen and primroses are hardy, frost-tolerant and available in a rainbow of shades. Planted in nutrient-rich, well-draining compost and placed in a sunny spot, they will ower cheerfully for months. Why not also try ornamental kale and cabbage for big rosettes of pink, white and purple that get brighter a er frost, and Helleborus niger, also known as the Christmas Rose, for owers from December onwards, when everything else is fading. For height, movement and texture: Add ornamental grasses such as Festuca glauca, Carex buchananii or Panicum virgatum. eir architectural form and colourful foliage bring life to even the greyest day, and they work beautifully in both tall containers and trailing baskets. Autumn is also the perfect time to plant dwarf conifers like Chamaecyparis, uja ‘Tiny Tim’ or Picea ‘Conica’ as a long-term evergreen thriller, and Carex ‘Everest’ and ‘Frosted Curls’ for a so er weeping habit at the edge. Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ will also give any container a dramatic black contrast, whilst Nandina domestica adds ery red winter foliage. For evergreen structure and scent: Evergreen shrubs are the backbone of a winter display. British Garden Centres recommend Viburnum, Mahonia, Skimmia, Heuchera and Hebe for their vibrant foliage and winter blossoms. For fragrance, add Daphne, Sarcococca and winter jasmine, which produce clusters of highly scented winter owers. Winter- owering heathers in white, pink and purple are also ideal for baskets and pots, providing vital nectar for pollinators. For a festive glow: Berrying plants bring a luminous touch to lateseason arrangements and help birds with an essential food source as the temperatures dip. Callicarpa, Gaultheria, Holly, Pyracantha and Skimmia produce glossy, vibrant fruits that light up containers and hanging baskets through autumn and winter. Cotoneaster is also another excellent compact berrying option for small pots and baskets in your home. For practical beauty: Finish your display with aromatic evergreen herbs for scent and taste through the winter months. Rosemary, sage, thyme, lavender and mint are resilient, fragrant and perfect for mixed containers close to the kitchen door. Plant now for spring: Autumn is prime bulb-planting time, and containers and hanging baskets are the perfect place for them. By planting spring bulbs like crocus, da odils and tulips now beneath your winter bedding, you create a clever double display that keeps going. You can also add muscari, miniature iris reticulata, hyacinths for scent and alliums for the lasagne layers and miniature da odils like ‘Tête-à-Tête’ and dwarf tulips for hanging basket displays come spring. How to care for autumn and winter containers Position your pots and baskets in a sheltered spot, such as under eaves or against a south or westfacing wall, to reduce wind chill and heavy rain impact. We recommend you insulate the pot rather than just the plant by wrapping thinwalled containers in horticultural eece or bubble wrap and keeping them on pot feet so water can escape. Mulch the surface with a thin layer of compost or bark to keep it at a moderate temperature, protect from cold blasts and keep moisture around the roots. Most outdoor pots get enough rain from November to February, but check those under cover or against walls and water if the compost feels dry. You do Continued on page 57
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