Yes, it’s that blooming time again!

Doncaster in Bloom is the annual competition to discover the borough’s most impressive floral displays and gardens, and there are plenty of trophies (as well as some prize money!) to encourage green-fingered locals.  The competition is open to individuals, businesses, organisations and local groups, so it truly is there for anyone to take part. The 2012 competition incorporates the Keep Britain Tidy – Love Where You Live campaign, and we could definitely use a little more litter awareness in South Yorkshire, where the enjoyment of the many is often spoiled by the sheer thoughtlessness of the few. We are all collectively responsible for the environment, and we should crack down hard on the selfish people who litter and fly-tip.

You still have lots of time to enter Doncaster in Bloom, since the closing date for entries is June 22, so, if you think that your floral displays are worthy of winning, pick up an application form at our front counter, or go to www.doncaster.gov.uk/doncasterinbloom – or you can also ring 01302 736575.

And, heaven knows, there are enough categories to choose from – the range includes Best Wildlife and Sustainable Garden, Schools, Best GARDEN, Best Display, Unusual Containers and Allotments, and there are many more.

Here at Walker’s, we’re always ready to give helpful advice on plants for all places and situations in your garden, and colour schemes that you might like to try – a lot of people this year are picking up plants with a Jubilee theme, with colours of red, white, blue and gold, and others are going for the Olympic look, using the colours of the iconic Olympic rings. If you want to ask our green-fingered staff any questions, well, feel free to ask – that’s what we’re here for.

Sadly, Walker’s won’t be entering Doncaster in Bloom this year, and this is because we are really busy in developing our new Food Hall area, and that’s taking up a lot of time and energy. And there are other exciting developments here at the Nurseries which will improve the visiting experience for all of you.  But next year, well, that’s a different matter, so – watch this space!

If you want your garden in a hurry, then you’d best avoid anything to do with bonsai. It’s a heady blend of horticulture and art form, and it takes years and years to get it right – and constant attention to keep it looking good. But it is hugely rewarding, deeply satisfying, and also requires infinite patience. Where does the word “bonsai” come from? Well, although the idea of creating miniature trees as living decorations started in ancient China, bonsai is actually a pair of Japanese words – “bon”, a low-sided tray, or pot, and “sai”, a planting or plantings.

Our Walker’s Nurseries expert on all things bonsai is Michael Kilby, who has been with us now for over six years, and who has been practicing the art for well over a decade.  He has, he confesses “still got an awful lot of things to learn – and whatever knowledge I have gets added to every day!”

Michael, who lives at Barnby Dunn, was once the Training Manager at Bridon’s, but he got to a point where he just “fancied a change of direction.  I love plants, I love the open air, and it seemed perfectly natural to me that I’d end up as a gardener, full-time”

Now in his early sixties, Michael is also the man at Walker’s who tends to all our topiary, and he can often be seen carefully clipping bushes into intricate and eye-pleasing shapes. Like topiary, bonsai has two purposes – a pleasure of contemplation and appreciation – by the viewer – and a satisfaction from the grower after all his or her efforts and ingenuity.  Bonsai is there to make us feel happier and fulfilled, and for the person who does it to feel a sense of achievement. But bonsai is also a bit little oysters, and Marmite – you either love it, appreciate it and can admire its delicacy – or you don’t. Here at Walker’s, we’re firmly in the first category.

While some of our bonsai range is “bought in” from suppliers, the vast majority of it is created here, on site, and it all starts from cuttings, seedlings or tiny saplings.  The art of bonsai, says Michael, “is rooted (sorry, no pun intended) in time – and patience.  But it is hugely rewarding.  And I still go to classes, taught by John Hanby, at Nostell Priory, who is as good as anyone can be in this field.  At Walker’s, we grow all our own material, and we start with foot-high saplings.  Then after a year, we graft on, then leave them a year, lift them and put them into pots.  And then on to yet bigger pots.  It’s a four to five to six year’s procedure, not a ‘nip out the back and pick it off a shelf’ one. We have about sixty to seventy varieties, and there are very very few tree species that cannot be used for bonsai – one of our favourites is the Larch, which is quite rare. It’s fascinating – what you are doing, in essence, is presenting a tree (something like a Scots Pine can grow to seventy or eighty feet tall) and presenting it in miniature, a tenth of that size.

“And we know that we’re doing something right, because a lot of bonsai experts and enthusiasts come to see what goes on at Walker’s!” Bonsai has now definitely reached an international audience. There are many specialist magazines on the subject, and over 1,200 books!  Michael has never been to Japan, but he says that he’d love to go, to see a part of the world where it all began.  “Until then”, he says, “I have to be content with U-Tube, which in itself is a miracle of technology.”

And does this busy man have time for anything else?  Indeed he does, for our Michael is a man of many parts – one of his other skills is line-dancing, and he teaches classes at Eggborough! We truly do have multi-talented folk here at Walkers!

Our picture shows Michael with one of his favourite pieces of bonsai, a tiny and beautiful juniper tree, which is now around seven years old.  It all started from a little twig, about five inches long, taken from a much larger plant here in Walker’s nursery stock. How’s about that for skill?

* Please do ask Michael any questions that you have on bonsai.  In addition, the North Notts Bonsai Society meet every second Tuesday of the month at Misterton Methodist Church Hall, at 7.30pm. For more information, please call Alan Harriman on 01427890434/73732 or contact him on alan.harriman1@btinternet.com

One of the favourite characters at Walker’s is Percy the Peacock, the rather flamboyant character who struts around the grounds, displaying his plumage and also making himself heard.  But poor Percy hasn’t got a mate at the moment, and the other day he was discovered in Hannah’s potting area, in front of a huge mirror, and adoring himself in the reflection. Percy has obviously fallen deeply in love – with himself. Sadly, it is going to be an unrequited love affair!

We’d like you to meet Hanna Borchmann, one of our very talented members of staff, and someone who plays a big role here at Walker’s.  Hanna – who comes from northern Poland, near Gdansk, where many of her family still live  – is the green-fingered lady who makes all our hugely popular hanging baskets.

Hanna arrived in the UK six years ago, and she’s been demonstrating her talents in our Nursery for four years now.  At the height of the season, Hanna creates several hundred hanging baskets every week, and even with her nimble fingers and artistic eye for colour, some of the larger ones can take up to an hour to assemble.

Her “hideaway” is a little staff area just off the aisle where her handiwork is on show, and she shares it not only with the plants, baskets and compost fillings, but also with a pair of almost-tame Robins (which she calls ‘Jedward’) a blackbird, and several other feathered friends, some of whom have hatched their chicks only feet away from Hanna’s workbench. They all know Hanna, and she surely knows them, as well.

And she loves her job.  “What’s not to enjoy about being with flowers and birds and nice people all day long?” she says. Hanna also plants out our selection of tubs, and enjoys the challenge of our special orders – at the moment, she’s keeping an eye on two hanging arrangements which have been ordered for a wedding reception in June.  She’s created them with young plants which will have matured and filled out into much bigger specimens by the time that the bride walks down the aisle.

And when you ask Hanna what her own favourite plants are, she can’t really decide, and names several! Cornered into choosing just one variety, she reveals that it won’t be seen in a summer hanging basket – it’s a tulip!  “I love them, they are bright and cheery and they mean that spring has arrived and that summer isn’t that far away”, she smiles. She also makes our autumn and winter baskets and tub arrangements, so she’s busy the year round.

She hasn’t always been a professional gardener, because back in Poland she worked as an interior designer.  Now her use of colour, shape and form has been transformed from the indoor area to the outdoor. And yes, she does have a garden of her own, in nearby Cantley.  “I love it”, she confesses, “I am always looking in magazines and getting new ideas, and changing everything around. Gardens mean the world to me, and with this job, I really couldn’t be happier – even on a really rainy day, and we’ve had quite a few of those recently, haven’t we!”

And it turns out that our Hanna is also a very practical lady. “You know the first thing I bought, when I came to Britain?” she smiles, “it was a very big, very practical umbrella. I’d been told what the British weather was like, and my purchase has come in very very useful indeed!”

* Our hand-made hanging baskets start at just under a tenner a time, and we have a wide selection to choose from.  Hanna says: “Among the most popular are the ones that I plant up with begonias, which have such rich and vibrant colours.  People love them – and it is easy to see why!”

It’s that blooming time again!

Doncaster in Bloom is the annual competition to discover the borough’s most impressive floral displays and gardens, and there are plenty of trophies (as well as some prize money!) to encourage green-fingered locals.  The competition is open to individuals, businesses, organisations and local groups, so it truly is there for anyone to take part. The 2012 competition incorporates the Keep Britain Tidy – Love Where You Live campaign, and we could definitely use a little more litter awareness in South Yorkshire, where the enjoyment of the many is often spoiled by the sheer thoughtlessness of the few. We are all collectively responsible for the environment, and we should crack down hard on the selfish people who litter and fly-tip.

You still have lots of time to enter Doncaster in Bloom, since the closing date for entries is June 22, so, if you think that your floral displays are worthy of winning, pick up an application form at our front counter, or go to www.doncaster.gov.uk/doncasterinbloom – or you can also ring 01302 736575.

And, heaven knows, there are enough categories to choose from – the range includes Best Wildlife and Sustainable Garden, Schools, Best GARDEN, Best Display, Unusual Containers and Allotments, and there are many more.

Here at Walker’s, we’re always ready to give helpful advice on plants for all places and situations in your garden, and colour schemes that you might like to try – a lot of people this year are picking up plants with a Jubilee theme, with colours of red, white, blue and gold, and others are going for the Olympic look, using the colours of the iconic Olympic rings. If you want to ask our green-fingered staff any questions, well, feel free to ask – that’s what we’re here for.

Sadly, Walker’s won’t be entering Doncaster in Bloom this year, and this is because we are really busy in developing our new Food Hall area, and that’s taking up a lot of time and energy. And there are other exciting developments here at the Nurseries which will improve the visiting experience for all of you.  But next year, well, that’s a different matter, so – watch this space!

Come dine with us….

Raise a glass of fizz to Her Majesty here at Walkers. We’re delighted to be hosting our own special Jubilee Tea on May 28th, and it is going to be an event to remember.  The Garden Restuarant will be be-decked with flags and bunting, and the afternoon’s menu will include all sorts of delicious sandwiches and cakes – including (of course!) Battenburgs and Victoria Sponges – all made in our own kitchens and, if we may say so, fit for a Queen. There will be full waitress service, fine china, and the chance for one lucky guest to win a pair of hand-made earrings from the local jeweller and celebrated craftswoman Marie Brassett. How?  Well, that’s something that we’ll reveal on the day, but Marie will be with us to share some of the secrets of her skills.  Booking is absolutely essential for this one-off celebration, and tickets are priced at £14.95 each. The afternoon begins at 3.00pm.

We are sure that you’ll want to join us for this unique event, so please book now.

To purchase your place please click here>>

Remember to contact the restaurant after purchase to reserve your sitting time on 01302 770564

Oh, and if your memory goes back that far, 1952 was the year when Walker’s celebrated their first birthday, the Olympics were held in Helinski, you could see both The African Queen and Singing’ In The Rain at the Gaumont in Doncaster, and the world’s first passenger jet, the Comet (it was British!) took to the skies. And a certain play opened in London, a piece from Miss Agatha Christie, called The Mousetrap.  Sixty years on, Her Majesty, The Mousetrap, and Walker’s are all still going strong!

Marie Brassett is a jewellery designer and textile artist who works from her studio at home in the village of Blaxton, Doncaster. She uses individually handcrafted lampwork beads by British artists, precious stones and sterling silver in her designs making each one bespoke. Marie also has a love of working with different textiles, she makes a wide range of handbags, purses, aprons and accessories often using colourful designer fabrics. Some of her work can be seen by visiting her website www.charmedbymarie.co.uk

We’ll be up-dating you with news of the popular Walker’s Book Club very soon…. keep those pages turning….

And, by the way, please don’t think that it’s a “thumbs up!” all the time for the books selected – the group is objective, voice their own opinions, and don’t always agree with the choices made – which makes it, as regular reader Pat Cassidy says, “all the more fun”.

River Run Deep, by Rachael Treasure, was a recent example, with the club completely divided on whether they liked this tale of the Australian outback – or not. “The human issues that were explored provoked discussion”, says Pat, “and that is what the group is all about”. She adds, “sadly, some of the characters lacked depth”. Sunday Times Literary Supplement – watch your backs!

Walker’s own selection of books on offer – on a whole range of subjects, not just in the gardening field – will be expanding as the year goes by, and, as always, we want to know the sort of publications we should offer. Your thoughts and opinions are always very valuable to us, so please, leave a comment. Walker’s always listen to what you have to say.

Springtime at Walker's

watch this space!

May time – it’s one of the busiest months of the gardening year, and here are the Walker’s topical tips for the late spring.

Try to weed in the hottest part of the day, if you can, because then there’s no real reason to remove the uprooted bits and pieces.  You just let them lie in the heat of the sun, where they will wither and die and add to the mulch. If you weed before it rains heavily, the tiny weed roots will often find their way back into the earth again, and your problem starts afresh.

Now’s the time to cut back any nettles that you find popping up in the garden.  You can do two things with them – either look out a recipe for good nourishing nettle soup (and we’ll be trying to find one for you in the next week or so, we promise!) or dump them into a container of water, and let them rot.  Believe it or not, the water will turn into a lovely thick “brew” that you can use as a home-made fertiliser on your flowers and vegetables. So nettles do have their uses after all.

If time is really short, please do try to fit these jobs in:

• Keep on watering, especially anything that you’ve bought here at Walkers in recent weeks, this makes the plants “settle in”.

• Prune your shrubs that have just finished flowering. And here’s another Walker’s wrinkle – prune overgrown Clematis Montana and its varieties before it runs rampant and overtakes everything in its vicinity.  It may be beautiful, but don’t let it take over your garden, which can happen so easily.

• Tie in fast-growing climbers.

• Harden off shrubs and other tender plants that have been given protection.

• Remove the bubble-wrap polythene or any other insulating material from around the bases of containers that you’ve left out over the winter.  This can be done in early May in all but the very coldest parts of the country – but keep your ear to the forecast, and listen for any hard weather that is predicted.

• Clear out any containers that have been used for winter displays.  Ideally, you should replace all the old compost with fresh, and we have plenty of choice here at Walker’s.  Recycling compost tends to lead to less vigorous plants, and also the chance of root rot and the dreaded vine weevil developing.  Make sure that all your containers have good drainage.

If you didn’t do it in April, apply a spring lawn fertiliser, and repair the bare patches in lawns.  We have a huge range of products and seeds to help you with your lawn. Control the lawn weeds by hand, or by buying one of our chemical lawn weedkillers.  Oh, and yes, it’s time to start mowing regularly again!

If you are a bit strapped for space, then it’s worth remembering that a lot of vegetables for your table do well in containers, and among them are aubergines, chilli peppers, courgettes, French beans, the herbs that add all those exciting and tangy flavours, early potatoes, radishes, the runner bean ‘Hestia’, salad leaves and lettuces, sweet or bell peppers, and of course, everyone’s favourite, the tomatoes. If you have your tomato plants in a greenhouse, or ready and waiting on your kitchen windowsill, now’s the opportunity to remove all the side-shoots. Do this at least once a week, snipping off the tiny shoots as they develop, and tie the plant to its support if necessary. Be warned – delaying this little task will mean that you may get a jungle of tomato foliage, and the plants will crop much less than they should do. A Walker’s “rule of thumb” is “less foliage, more toms for the salad!”

In your pond, it’s time to thin out or divide any plants that have become a bit too big for the positions that they occupy.  Clear blanket weed or duckweed from your pond or water feature – they both grow extremely fast, and you’ll need to keep on to of them, just as you wood with weeds in a flower bed. By drawing an old sieve across the top of your pond, you can get rid of a lot of duckweed.  But be careful – you may find that you have a lot of tadpoles swimming around quite happily, and you don’t want to kill them off, because frogs in a garden are a blessing and a boon.

Which brings us to the problem of the month, and that’s the awful aphids. These horrible pests – greenfly and blackfly – come in every shade that you can imagine, from a pasty white, right through to black, with browns, pinks, reds and greens in between. They feed by sucking sap, and, in the process, they may seriously debilitate plants, especially the soft and tender growth. They may cause both puckering and distortion, and in many cases a discoloration. They very often also transmit their own viruses as they feed, which can cause significant damage.  And they eat FAST.  What looks like a happy plant one day can look like a tired twig the next morning.

In some cases their sticky excreta or honeydew is produced in such quantities that the plants may also become very sticky, as may any plants or hard surfaces underneath.  There are lots of ways to control these nasty and unwanted additions to the garden, including two forms of biological control (which are best suited to aphids under glass), a strong jet of water directed straight at the pests, hand squishing (yuck!) or picking, or a suitable insecticide. We also stock many products here at Walker’s which are especially useful for those who want to garden organically, and they include sprays based on soft soap, plant oils or plant starches.

• And don’t forget to make sure that all herbaceous and perennial plants that need it get adequate support.  For perennials with tall flower spikes, like delphiniums or hollyhocks, use an individual cane for each flower spike – don’t cut any corners, or you’ll regret it, because if you don’t support them well they may snap off at the base.

And spring may be almost past – but there’s still a lot of dead-heading to do on your spring-flowering bulbs.

Happy gardening!