There's still plenty you can do in your garden in the autumn

Is autumn a time when you should flee the garden and put your feet up? Hardly. Our most seasoned mail order seeds customers here at Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) know that this is the perfect time to think and plan ahead so that their garden really does look resplendent again in the spring. With less vigorous maintenance being required, it's a good time to ask yourself what lessons you've learned from your gardening over the past year. If you're a vegetable gardener, for example, should you have had that row of onions alongside that row of carrots, and is there a better way of keeping your soil fertile than just digging?

Asking yourself such questions allows you to stop doing what isn't working, and instead experiment a little. Your potatoes, for example, may be continually blighted, leading you to consider orca or Jerusalem artichokes instead. Instead of growing the usual carrots and cabbages that you can find everywhere, why not grow what can't be easily bought, such as globe artichokes, romanescu or strawberry spinach? Even those of our customers who still grow tomatoes might peruse our online store for more unusual varieties from the likes of Thomson and Morgan Seeds and Sutton Seeds.

But looking after your garden in the autumn also often entails caring for any trees that have become dormant. Deciduous trees may shed their leaves until spring, but we'd avoid taking these leaves to the tip, given the many nutrients that they contain. Instead, you could mulch the tree with leaf mould, returning the nutrients to the soil. You can create leaf mould by raking up the fallen leaves, watering them slightly to aid their rotting and then packing them into a black bin bag or other suitable container, making several holes in the bottom before loosely tying the bag closed. The bags can then be left a year or two, before the leaf mould is used to mulch your trees.

Of all of the ways in which your garden can look better come springtime, adding some colour surely has to be at the top of the list. If you want an ocean of gorgeous flowers in February and March, now is the time to plant those bulbs. Go for variety in your choice of flower seeds, and there will be various types of flowers to enjoy at various stages of the coming year, including snowdrops in early spring, followed by daffodils, crocus and tulips by May, when your garden should be at its zenith.

Struggling for ideas on how you can plant now to ensure a truly vibrant garden when the spring and summer arrive? Peruse the Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) website now for the most complete range of affordable seeds online, from some of the most in-demand brands - and don't be afraid to contact us for any advice prior to purchasing. Happy autumn!

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Introduce perennials to your garden on a par with Chelsea's

If there's any type of plant that so many people who buy seeds online from ourselves here at Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) seem to especially wax lyrical about, it's the perennial. They go to see the show gardens at Chelsea, and are astonished by the immaculate colour coordination of the perennials there, wondering how they could possibly achieve the same effect in their own gardens. Even if this is possible, how do you do it?

As gorgeous as perennials often look in magazine centrefolds, you'll need to be sure that yours look good in the long term, particularly if you grow them in larger drifts. Not all of our customers of cheap seeds are massively convinced about vast swathes of perennials, given that the damp winters of the UK climate can leave many parts drab and decaying between December and May. Nor does the thought of having to tend such far-reaching stretches fill every gardener with joy, as it can be highly monotonous work.

However, there are still ways of incorporating perennials into your scheme that make sense even if you are a time-pressed gardener not able to lavish hour after hour of attention on them. By mixing them with structural planting, you can help to ensure that your garden looks dynamic at all times of year. Whether your garden is dominated by trees, shrubs, grasses or roses, perennials mix well with all of them, having a dramatic effect on seasonal colour levels. What's more, with so many more high-performance plants continually emerging, it's never been more interesting or challenging to choose the right ones for your garden.

Those wanting to grow perennials cost-effectively above all else, may want to invest in the Perennial Border Collection of Johnsons Seeds, as is now available from Seeds By Post. It consists of a series of flower seeds allowing you to create the ideal backbone to a dramatic herbaceous. Johnsons also offers an especially hardy perennial in the form of Platycodon grandiflora Mixed, which combines attractive blue-green foliage with gorgeous open, delicately veined blooms. Meanwhile, Unwins Seeds brings our customers the likes of the Wildflower Harebell, a dainty but pretty wild summer flower that attracts plenty of bees and butterflies.

Or maybe you'd be tempted by our Mr Fothergills range of perennials, in which you can find Sweet Pea Everlasting Mixed, a great choice for the traditional cottage garden, where it can scramble through early flowering shrubs and climb over walls and fences? Or what about some cacti for your greenhouse, as we now stock from Suttons Seeds? The great thing about the seeds in its Cactus GP - Prickly Characters (Mixed) set, besides the curious and interesting mix of plants, is that they can be sown at any time of year.

By experimenting with some of the perennial flower seeds from Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk), within just a few seasons, you can see truly stunning results.

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

What needs to be done in your garden in August

If there is one month of the year when we might just forgive you for not stocking up on the finest vegetable, herb and flower seeds with us (only slightly, though), it is surely August, which is holiday time for many of us. It's the point of the year when even the most enthusiastic gardeners can often be looking around for a mobile phone charger or shopping for sun cream rather than tending to their vegetable patch or visiting Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) - but don't be fooled into thinking that your garden doesn't need some TLC at this time of year.

Perhaps the most obvious problem with leaving home for a week or several, is that your plants can suffer from a lack of water in these days of constant, stifling heat. You therefore shouldn't forget to arrange for the watering of your containers and baskets by someone else, or even have a system set up that can regularly supply water to your plants. If any of your baskets or containers are continually exposed to the full sun, move them to a position of shade. Another good idea is standing terracotta pots on gravel trays that have been topped up with water, so that the reservoir of fluid can be gradually absorbed by the pots.

Another watering method is to make some holes in the lid of a plastic water bottle, before cutting off the bottom of the bottle, turning it upside down into the plant compost and finally filling it with water, which gradually makes its way into the soil. Such watering principles are equally effective on vegetable seeds. 'Grow Your Own' gardeners need to spend this month and September gathering, harvesting, bottling and jam making, although good weather still makes possible the sowing of quick maturing salad crops.

Throughout August, we continue to stock the broadest range of veg seeds, from alfalfa, asparagus and aubergine to watercress, mushrooms and tomatoes, as well as herb seeds and flower seeds from our usual assortment of in-demand manufacturers, such as Thomson and Morgan and Johnsons seeds. But August isn't just a month for planting new seeds and watering. That's because it's also a period when wisteria will need to be pruned, flowering plants regularly deadheaded and home grown vegetables harvested as they become ready.

You'll also need to ensure that your lawn still looks up to scratch, as well as that ponds and water features have been topped up. If you've bought some herb seeds, bear in mind that dill, basil and coriander are all perfect for enjoying at this time of year, in summer fish recipes and even desserts. However, we might leave you to come up with some more ideas of your own for your garden in August. Just don't forget to shop with Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) when you're running low on any of your favourite mail order seeds!

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Some colour inspiration for your garden's borders

This summer, it's fair to say, has been unexpectedly hot by the standard of British summers, and even as we enter September, things are still looking pretty good for most gardeners. However, there's no denying that bar an 'Indian Summer', now is really the time for many of our seeds customers here at Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) to begin preparing for next year. Your flowers may have looked red hot and vibrant this year, but there's no guarantee of that being the case every summer... so what can you do to keep your borders looking suitably fiery?

You might think that the best way to create a stunning design is to cram in all manner of reds, yellows and oranges together, but actually, it can be quite dull - or even overwhelming - to have so many similar shades side by side. After all, even an actual fire has bright whites and dark colours, and even some flickers of blue, violet and green, accompanying the predictable reds, oranges and yellows. It is the canny use of contrast that will truly enliven your borders, so you should buy seeds online accordingly.

Great ideas for hotter flower colours include Rudbeckias, Heleniums, Hemerocallis and yellow Achilleas, each of which emit a definite warm glow. Another fine choice for your border is Crocosmia - look for names like 'Spitfire', 'Emberglow' and 'Lucifer'. That's because these flowers not only offer a dramatic colour, but also have thin, sword-shaped leaves that glow themselves when the late summer sunlight is behind them. This is especially the case for Crocosmia 'Solfaterre', with its combination of flowers in sulphur yellow and bronzed leaves.

Perfect for complementing the warmer colours in your border are the likes of purple leaved Hazel, Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo' and dark leaved Sambucus. But applying a bit more imagination to the task might lead you to choose the smoke bush or Cotinus coggygria, with the leaves of 'Flame' living up to their name by becoming fiery red at this time of year, while the purples, plums and greens evident in the leaves of 'Grace' make it another intriguing option for those on the lookout for flower seeds. Bring out the light against the dark by opting for grasses with tawny coloured seed heads.

The colour blue also has a key role in giving your border genuine depth, given that it is on the opposite side of the colour wheel to hot colours. Therefore, the intelligent use of blue plants like Agastache 'Liquorice Blue' or Perovskia 'Blue Spire' can make those warmer-coloured flowers seem all the more intense. It all helps you to develop the ultimate fiery border - and rest assured that Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) will always have the mail order seeds for the task. Incorporate some trees and shrubs with leaves that take on a suitably impressive shade in the autumn, and you won't even need to wait under the summer for your garden to look and feel warm and vibrant.

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Gardening… a competitive activity, for some

When you buy seeds online from Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk), the idea of competing with someone else’s gardening and seed-sowing exploits may be the very furthest thing from your mind. For newcomers to flower, herb and vegetable seeds in particular, the focus is understandably on getting not great results, but any results. But for the more seasoned gardeners, it’s difficult to resist the temptation to compete with others for major prizes – even if the emphasis, such as in the case of RHS Britain in Bloom, is on showing off a locality rather than merely one person’s gardening skills. 

Why are we thinking about this? Well, we were reminded of the competitive element of gardening partly by the sad news of the passing of Georgina Skuse, whose enthusiasm for gardening drove her and her husband to win Bristol in Bloom for ten years on the trot. Known as Gena, Georgina was born in the Clifton Wood area of the city in 1936, the youngest of six children. She packed plenty into her life, including poetry and catering, but it was gardening that proved her passion and hobby, with her garden being one for all seasons that attracted visitors from far afield. She would stand and talk to every person stopping to admire her garden, and we can only salute her life here at Seeds By Post.

Still, it did get us thinking about what other gardening competitions are continuing to take place, with the hot weather making this summer – of all summers – the perfect season for it. It’s not unknown for local authorities to encourage residents to make the most of their herb, vegetable and flower seeds, with Wokingham Town Council, for example, running the Greenfingers competition that includes various categories such as front garden, back garden, containers and window boxes. The entry deadline has been extended to Friday 19^th July, and entrants will be judged by members of Wokingham Horticultural Association, on or around Thursday 1^st August.

And of course, we can’t ignore all of the awards that have been dished out at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, running from 9^th to 14^th July. From the Ecover Garden of Matthew Childs that was voted best in the Show Garden category, to the Cool Garden that was deemed Best Summer Garden and the winner amongst the Low Cost, High Impact Gardens, Mid Century Modern, it’s clear that plenty of gardens have been wooing the regular users of mail order seeds in attendance. One award in the show is also decided by public vote, so why not have your say on which garden should receive the coveted People’s Choice award? You can vote until 4pm on Saturday 13^th July.

Or maybe you’ve had enough of all of this thought of competing, and would just like to get down to some good old fashioned, relaxing gardening at your own home? Whatever your stance on gardening competitions, Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) remains the premier online source of the finest cheap seeds.

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Could your interest in seeds and gardening make you healthier?

People always talk about the health benefits of gardening - but what are they, and where is the evidence? Although, here at Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk), you'd only expect us to encourage you to shop for all manner of herb and vegetable seeds, they do make possible many wonderful dishes that expand your diet - from roast dinners to steaming casseroles and delectable salads. Plus, it's widely recognised just how positive an effect gardening can have on a person's physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

One of the most obvious benefits of gardening is that it really brings you closer to nature. In an age in which so many of us find our brains frazzled by constant exposure to computers and email, it's refreshing to get a little bit closer to a primal state by tending to the garden. Sifting your hands through the dirt and planting seeds from the extensive range stocked by ourselves can be very liberating, and it's even more rewarding to see the results sprout over time. Not only do you get to grow fresh, healthy produce, but you'll be moving around a lot and breathing in the fresh air, making you physically fitter and less stressed out.

For evidence of the stress-relieving properties of gardening, simply consider a study in the Netherlands a few years back, in which people were made to complete a stressful task before being divided into two groups of people. The instruction for one group of people was to read indoors, while gardening was the designated task for the other. Both of these activities are regarded as relaxing, and yet, after doing them for 30 minutes each, it was the people who gardened who reported being in a better mood than the reading group. Lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol were also evident.

One reason for gardening leaving such people in a much better mood was the effortless attention that it requires, in contrast to the kind of directed attention that the likes of mobile phones and emails demand. Such effortless attention may even help to remove symptoms of depression, as indicated by the results of a study conducted in Norway, in which people who had been diagnosed with depression, "bipolar II disorder" or persistent low mood grew flowers and vegetables for six hours a week. Their activities with vegetable and flower seeds left half of the participants with a measurable improvement in their depression symptoms after three months.

Gardening also helps as exercise, because although it is hardly hardcore weightlifting, it is a nonetheless pleasurable and goal-oriented activity that people are likely to do often, and also involves many different movements. There is even evidence that the physical activity that gardening involves could help to lower the risk of developing dementia. We could go on, but we are running out of space in today's blog - so let's just say that the health benefits of gardening are no myth, irrespective of whether you buy seeds from Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk)!

  

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

When it comes to herb seeds, you can’t look past basil

Are you thinking of starting an herb garden? Well, in that case, basil – otherwise known as Ocimum basilicum – simply can’t be ignored. Whereas an herb garden might have once merely consisted of a patch of mint, a row of parsley and a thyme bush, people do tend to be a bit more adventurous these days, choosing to buy seeds online from an online store like Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) for all kinds of fascinating eastern and Mediterranean dishes.

But whether your herb garden spans acres or simply consists of a few pots by your back door, the ‘king of herbs’, basil, is a must. You only need to look at our own range of herb seeds here at Seeds By Post, to see that we’re pretty strong on all things basil. Indeed, for beginner and seasoned gardeners alike, it’s often the first herb that they would choose for their garden, as well as the last that they would give up.

There are so many great food recipes for which basil is an integral ingredient, so you’re hardly likely to regret growing it, whether you opt for something like the Basil Aristotle of Suttons Seeds, or Basil Lettuce Leaf from Unwins Seeds. But basil’s usefulness goes well beyond food, with it also being a popular aid to digestion, in addition to being popular as a tonic and for aromatherapy. Basil originated in India, where it was known as a holy plant, a status probably explained by its intense, almost mystical smell when it is concentrated into an essence, when the plant’s oil has been dissolved in alcohol.

There are various types of basil available with varying characteristics, and you might want to grow just one type to begin with, or for that matter go overboard when you buy seeds of this type from us! If one thing is for sure, though, it’s that on account of its status as an annual plant, you’ll need to grow basil from seed each year – which you can do either in pots and containers on your patio or amongst your vegetable and flower seeds if you have aspirations of starting a more substantial herb garden.

At the same time as buying the seeds, you’ll need to ensure that you have the likes of a small bag of soil-less growing medium in which the seeds can be sown, some seed trays, a quantity of small plastic flower pots in which your basil seedlings can be planted and a watering can with a very fine sprinkler attachment. Further information can be found online about the full process of growing basil, but rest assured that it isn’t too difficult – and can certainly be massively rewarding.

Basil has no shortage of uses, from egg, cheese and tomato dishes to classic pesto, so why wait any longer to start discovering them? Take a look at the Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) website today for more information about our cheap seeds.

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Focus on Suttons Seeds

Sutton Seeds are one of the oldest and most recognised companies in the seed producing industry. At Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk/) we think they have one of the best selections of seeds in the business.

Their impressive history goes back over 200 years to 1806 when a corn supplying company was founded by John Sutton in Reading. When John's sons eagerly joined the business in 1837 they helped it branch out into the sales of vegetable and flower seeds, using their passion and business acumen to expand rapidly. In 1858 Queen Victoria requested Suttons Seeds supply the royal household, bestowing the royal patronage upon them which is still honoured in the present day, by Queen Elizabeth.

Innovation always played a big role at Suttons Seeds, in 1840 they proved themselves to be well ahead of their time by establishing a laboratory for the testing of seed germination and purity, 80 years before the practice became law with the seeds act of 1920. And again in 1965 when Suttons began using foil fresh packets they had spent years developing, they were the first company to do this in the UK. Here's a look at a selection of their ranges which we supply:

Organic – Carrying the organic farmers and growers seal of approval, this broad range of seeds are all from organic origins and are certifiably free from pesticides and chemicals. All your vegetable favourites can be found here from the delicious F1 flyaway organic carrot (£2.45 per packet) to the black beauty courgette (£2.85 per packet) and much more.

Eden project – Becoming a landmark millennium project in the year 2000, the Eden project has blossomed as not only a beautiful tourist destination but also as an acclaimed botanical research centre. In this partnership with them, Suttons Seeds bring our customers unusual and challenging flower and vegetable seeds from around the world, such as their bird of paradise flowers at £3.55 per packet.

Fast flowers – Great for beginners or those who just don’t have as much time as they’d like to spend on cultivation. This lovely selection of fast growing flower seeds can be sown directly where they will grow and bloom in just 6 weeks with a minimal amount effort. Pretty calendula daisies (£1.65 per packet) and paquito sunflowers (£1.99 per packet) are perfect for planting in spring.

Wildlife garden – Chosen for their attractiveness to birds and other types of wildlife, these countryside classics will work just as well in your back garden. Ranging from bee friendly 'blue boy' cornflowers (£2.45 per packet) to the Buddleia, butterfly attracting, mix (£2.45 per packet) this selection is sure to liven up any outdoor space.

All of Suttons Seeds have been trialled and tested to ensure your vegetables are fresh, healthy and tasty and your flowers bloom. At Seeds by Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk/) we are proud to supply the seeds of such a landmark company. And with all the other producers we stock, you need look no further.

  

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.