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As I look out across the car park I am surprised to see so many customers' cars there, thus showing that we have some very determined gardeners in the area as working the soil at the moment is really difficult job as it is so wet. We and many other nurseries have, as a result of the deluges of rain, been unable to get the tractors on the land for weeks so all the lifting and planting has had to be done by hand this year. The end result (apart from very muddy clothes and boots) is that we are running a long way behind schedule, but at last we now have nearly all the bare rooted stock available.

Daffodils - End of Season Bargains

If you are one of those unstoppable gardeners willing to battle on despite the weather, a good bargain to pick up at the moment is daffodils. Either King Alfred or mixed daffodils and narcissus bags are on an end of season sale. 4.5kg bags were £4.99 and are now £2.99, and 10kg were £9.99 and are now for 1-4 bags £4.99 each, 5-9 bags £4.75 each or 10+ only £4.50 each.

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Christmas Ideas

Trees, Wreaths and Decorations
Thoughts now are starting to turn towards Christmas. We have a really wide range of Christmas Trees both in pots and cut trees from three to twelve foot high, but numbers are limited of the taller ones so if you want a tall tree it would be wise not to leave it too long. Also available is a wide range of pine and holly wreaths some decorated in the traditional way and others with more unusual items such as apples and cinnamon sticks, and some plain ones for you to add your favourite decorations. As last year we are making up special orders for indoor plant arrangements at the moment. These range from £4.99 to about £30.00 and they make wonderful presents.

In these damp, dark and often dreary days, one thing which never seems to fail to cheer one up is the sight of flickering candles, and here we have some really unusual candle holders - metal birds, deer, trees etc. If you treat yourself to a scented candle you can fill the room with delightful fragrance as well.

Bonsai Plants
Back on the subject of Christmas can we offer some ideas for presents? Mainly for men, but some ladies are interested as well - bonsai plants. These range from the starter plants at £1.49 to far more mature specimens at £49.99. We also have complete bonsai starter gift packs at £13.99. These are very neat gifts, with a starter plant, book, feed, compost, training pot and a tray - in fact everything to get you started.

Rocking Horses
If you have grandchildren and are feeling very generous we have some super traditional rocking horses. They are sturdy, well made and well used by visiting children! They are the brainchild of some carpenters at Dandf, the company who manufactures the superb range of garden arches, gazebos and summer houses which we now stock. They always had off-cuts of wood in the workshop so with a little ingenuity these are now used up to create rocking horses. As a result these can be kept in the house or in the garden. A great idea but a little pricey at just under £60. However they would probably last for several generations!

Chimeneas
An unusual idea, and just as difficult to wrap as a rocking horse - a chimenea! These range from small desk top models to large patio models which can be used for cooking as well as heating. Our recent chimenea competition proved very popular and was won by a lady in Winslow.

Red Mason Bees
If you are looking for a present for someone interested in fruit growing we shall very soon have nesting tubes for red mason bees. These tubes attract these native lone bees to your garden where they will lay up to eight eggs in each tube. Next year when the bees hatch out they will remain in the garden, and they are excellent pollinators as their hairy bodies carry pollen readily. The males have no sting and the females a very puny sting which they rarely use so they are very safe even with young children. As honeybees are on the decline at the moment these red bees should be encouraged. More information about these bees can be found on our web site.

Presents for Pets
This year we have a special Christmas area for pets - stockings, toys, treats, Christmas collars and even doggy Christmas cakes! So if you have a pet he or she can be sure of as good a Christmas as you.

Gift Vouchers
If you are completely stuck for an idea you can always resort to a gift voucher. The HTA vouchers can be redeemed at many garden centres throughout the country or at Interflora shops. If you have friends you know are looking for hedging, fruit trees or any of the other goods listed in our catalogue we can send a catalogue to them complete with our own or a national gift voucher.

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Wild Birds

Enough for ideas for Christmas, let us consider the plight of the wild birds in our gardens who give so much pleasure to us. They really do need some food to supplement their diet whilst the weather is so bad and a bird table can make a wonderful and interesting feature in your garden. Also there is a six foot high spike with two arms for feeders, which can be put in the lawn or a flower bed, ideally where it can be seen from indoors where you are sheltering from the inclement weather. If you need to guard the food there are now some attractive squirrel-proof feeders.

Many of you are rightly concerned about birds being poisoned by aflatoxin in mouldy peanuts. There have been some suspect peanuts on the market including old stock from a company which went out of business last year. Our suppliers ensure that their peanuts are well below the legal limit of 20 parts per billion and are prepared to pay extra to achieve this. We have good dry storage conditions and turn our stock over quickly so we believe that you can buy from us with confidence. It is important that you store the peanuts in a dry place. In theory poor quality feeders which do not keep the food dry could cause problems, but generally nuts in feeders do not have a chance to deteriorate as the birds eat them too quickly! However it is important to clean feeders regularly to remove any 'gunge' which might be mouldy, and also to clean up feeding areas as they get contaminated by droppings which spread disease. Use a 10% disinfectant solution to soak and scrub as appropriate.

Most people buy bird food in small quantities at a time, but if you do have a dry place to store the food it is more economical to buy in larger quantities. Peanuts work out at £22.50 for a 25kg sack, Sunflower seed £12.00 for 15kg and mixed seed £15.00 for 25kg. Apart from buying food for the birds there are many things from your kitchen which the birds would appreciate - bread (even if it is starting to go mouldy!), baked potatoes, especially if mashed with some animal fat, unsalted cooked rice, grated mild cheese, soaked dried fruit, scraps of pastry cooked or uncooked, and any apples. They will especially like any which you may have in store which have started to deteriorate. By putting out a wide variety of foods you will attract many different species to your garden.

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Pond Fish and Pond Care

From birds to fish - if you have an outside pond, as the weather is so mild the fish may still need feeding. If they do, feed them with a low protein wheatgerm food. Feed sparingly and make sure any uneaten food is removed from the water. In case the weather does turn cold, if you are using a pump in your pond move this nearer to the surface of the water so that the warm water stays at the bottom of the pond. It may be advisable to invest in an ice preventor heater to stop the water freezing, or we have some decoy ducks which act as ice preventors. Also clear out any leaves which have fallen into the pond and cut back any perennial water plants which are dying down for the winter.

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Indoor Aquariums

For those who enjoy aquariums in the house, we have a good range of tanks - from the traditional round fish bowls to large display tanks complete with display cabinets. Maybe another idea for a Christmas present! We regret that the marine fish are still not available - the tanks are all ready but we have been badly let down by the pump supplier and with no pump - no fish. There are plenty of tropical fish available and some cold water fish as well, and we hope to be able to report on the arrival of the marines in the next newsletter.

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Cane Furniture

And finally, if you have been looking for a source of good quality cane furniture we are pleased to say that this is now available from the Garden Centre. Two suites are on display in the conservatories of Exclusive Windows and Conservatories at the exit from the main Garden Centre, but they are able to obtain all the furniture in the Habasco range with a wide choice of fabrics to tone in with your colour scheme. Pop in and have a look when passing!

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Christmas Opening Hours

We send our good wishes to all our gardening friends. If you are wanting to visit the Garden Centre over the Christmas period we shall be open Sundays 24th and 31st 10.00 - 4.00, Thursday and Friday 28th and 29th 8.30 - 5.30, and closed 23rd, 25th, 26th, 27th, 30th December and the 1st January.

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