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<p><strong>Clusia rosea is called the autograph plant</strong> because its leaves are so thick and tough that it’s possible to carve your name in them without harming the plant, although this isn’t recommended as good plant care! The big, glossy green leaves give this attractive houseplant a stylish air that goes well with clean lines and contemporary décor. Clusia rosea does very occasionally flower in hot summers, producing pink or white flowers, but it’s the foliage that’s the main attraction.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Clusia rosea is called the autograph plant</strong> because its leaves are so thick and tough that it’s possible to carve your name in them without harming the plant, although this isn’t recommended as good plant care! The big, glossy green leaves give this attractive houseplant a stylish air that goes well with clean lines and contemporary décor. Clusia rosea does very occasionally flower in hot summers, producing pink or white flowers, but it’s the foliage that’s the main attraction.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>About the autograph plant</h2>
<p>Clusia rosea comes from the Caribbean. In its native environment, it is a vigorous and sometimes even an invasive plant, eventually growing into a tree with spreading branches. Fortunately, grown as a houseplant in colder climates, its invasive tendencies are not a problem!&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to grow Clusia rosea</h2>
<p>Being a tropical plant, Clusia rosea likes warm temperatures, always above 10°C (50°F) and ideally between 16-29°C (61-84°F). When grown indoors as a houseplant, it does best in a bright location with indirect light. Keep it away from pets and small children, as all plant parts are toxic if eaten.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Plant Clusia rosea in a fertile, well-drained potting compost. It’s recommended that you mix some orchid compost with the potting compost to achieve the required soil structure.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The autograph plant is fairly drought tolerant and will survive a bit of neglect, but ideally, water it regularly during the growing season from spring to autumn, just allowing the compost's surface to dry out between waterings.&nbsp; Never leave the pot sitting in water for long periods, as the roots will rot if they have to sit in waterlogged compost.&nbsp; Water the plant less frequently in winter; 2-3 times a month should be adequate.</p>
<p>Feed monthly from spring to autumn with a diluted balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer.</p>
<p>Clusia rosea is a fast-growing plant, so that it will need re-potting every couple of years. The sap can irritate the skin, so wear gloves when working with it.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to create a humid environment for houseplants</h2>
<p>Like most tropical plants, the autograph plant likes to be in an environment with high humidity. To create a suitable atmosphere in your home, try these tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>Stand the plant in its pot on a tray filled with pebbles, and add water to the tray so that the pebbles are not quite covered. As the water evaporates, it will raise the humidity level around the plant.</li>
<li>Grouping plants together will create a microclimate with higher humidity around the plants.</li>
<li>Misting plant leaves with a hand mister will raise humidity levels for a short period.</li>
<li>Some rooms in the home naturally have higher humidity levels, for example, bathrooms and kitchens. Humidity-loving plants like Clusia rosea do well in these rooms.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p>If you’re looking for a plant to add to your houseplant collection, visit our centre, where we have a wide range of beautiful plants to suit every home.</p>

Houseplant of the month: The autograph plant

<p>Want a beautiful garden but don’t have hours to spend looking after it? Go for&nbsp;<strong>low maintenance garden landscaping</strong>. Choose your plants and materials carefully, and you can still have a garden that looks good all year round.</p>

<p>Want a beautiful garden but don’t have hours to spend looking after it? Go for&nbsp;<strong>low maintenance garden landscaping</strong>. Choose your plants and materials carefully, and you can still have a garden that looks good all year round.</p>
<h2>Hard landscaping</h2>
<p>Hard landscaping, such as paving, decking, and gravel, takes less than a lawn, but it still needs some regular maintenance to keep it looking good and functioning well. Decking and paving both need annual cleaning to get rid of grime and moss, and algae can build up over winter and make surfaces slippery. Many decking types also need an annual treatment with a preservative like oil to stop the wood from rotting. Research your preferred paving or decking materials before you put them in to make sure you know how to look after them.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Gravel is a cheaper alternative to paving and decking and is very easy to use. Put down a weed-suppressing membrane before laying gravel to stop perennial weeds like dandelions and bindweed growing through from below. Gravel areas will still need occasional weeding, as annual weed seed will be blown in on the wind and germinate in the gravel.</p>
<h2>Reducing weeds in borders</h2>
<p>Weed suppressing fabric is an effective way to reduce the number of weeds in flower beds. It’s best used when planting new areas. Before planting, cover the bare soil with the weed-suppressing membrane and peg it down. To plant through this membrane, use scissors or a knife to make an X-shaped cut in the fabric where a plant is to go, then scoop out the soil through this hole, pop in the plant, backfill with soil and settle the fabric back around the base of the plant. After everything is planted, spread a layer of bark chippings over the bed to hide the membrane.</p>
<p>Groundcover plants can also be very effective at suppressing weeds in borders, producing dense foliage mats that block the light from weed seedlings and smother them before they can grow.&nbsp; Useful groundcover plants include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Geranium macrorrhizum</li>
<li>Pachysandra terminalis</li>
<li>Bergenia</li>
<li>Alchemilla mollis</li>
</ul>
<h2>Low maintenance planting</h2>
<p>Low maintenance planting doesn’t have to be dull. Evergreen shrubs look good all year, and many have beautiful flowers too. All they need is an annual trim to keep them in shape. This list of evergreen shrubs is ideal for low maintenance landscaping:</p>
<ul>
<li>Hebe</li>
<li>Choisya</li>
<li>Holly</li>
<li>Yew&nbsp;</li>
<li>Nandina domestica</li>
<li>Rosemary</li>
<li>Thyme</li>
<li>Lavender</li>
</ul>
<p>And for the ultimate in low-maintenance gardening, plant spring bulbs.&nbsp;Once established, they will come back year after year with practically no effort required on your part. Deadheading them will help preserve the plants’ energies for next year’s flowers, but if you don’t manage to get around to do this, they’ll still produce a spectacular display the following spring.&nbsp; Daffodils, bluebells and crocuses are particularly reliable, flowering year after year.</p>
<p>Need advice on low-maintenance gardening? Our friendly staff are on hand to help you, so visit us soon.</p>

Low maintenance landscaping

<p>Wondering <strong>what to do after spring bulbs have flowered</strong>? It is actually quite easy to clear up afterwards and then use the space where they flower for even more flowers. These tips are handy if you have an area dedicated solely to spring bulbs because, for the rest of the year, it could look quite bare. Still, there are options for using that space while your bulbs are safely underground, storing energy for the following spring. Here are some ideas;</p>

<p>Wondering <strong>what to do after spring bulbs have flowered</strong>? It is actually quite easy to clear up afterwards and then use the space where they flower for even more flowers. These tips are handy if you have an area dedicated solely to spring bulbs because, for the rest of the year, it could look quite bare. Still, there are options for using that space while your bulbs are safely underground, storing energy for the following spring. Here are some ideas;</p>
<h2>1. Clear the area for new plants&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">When your spring bulbs have finished flowering, deadhead them but leave the foliage to die back naturally. This allows all of the nutrients to go back down into the bulb to be stored over winter and to us for blooming the following year again. When all of the foliage has died back, gently remove it all away from the bulb and the soil to the compost bin, which will help keep pests and disease away.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>2. Summer bulbs&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">If you have enough space and want to use your spring bulb area to carry on flowering for as long as possible, make sure you have some summer flowering bulbs as well. Along with your Daffodils, Crocus and Tulips, make sure you have some room for these summer bulbs, so you have something flowering over many months of the year.&nbsp;</p>
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Alliums,</li>
<li>Lilies,</li>
<li>Nerines,</li>
<li>Begonias,</li>
<li>Gladiolus,</li>
<li>Crocosmias,</li>
<li>Irises,</li>
<li>Dahlias.</li>
</ul>
<h2>3. Sow annual seeds</h2>
<p dir="ltr">A great way to use the space after spring bulbs have finished flowering is to sow annual seeds. You can start them off even when some bulbs are still in flower. Try Nigella ‘Love in a Mist’ or Cosmos ‘Cupcakes’ and start your Zinnia seeds undercover to plant out later. Many Zinnia varieties are available in an abundance of vibrant colours to fill in your garden spaces.</p>
<h2>4. Remove the bulbs&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">Most bulbs can stay in the ground. However, for example, Tulip bulbs are often lifted, stored and replanted the following year. Gardeners report varying success with this and with leaving them in. If you have been using your spring bulbs as cut flowers, you will most likely need to lift the bulbs and replace them. Considering bulbs are fairly inexpensive, you could create a new spring bulb display each year!&nbsp;</p>
<h2 dir="ltr">5. Know where they flower&nbsp;</h2>
<p dir="ltr">It can also be really useful to put a marker in the ground where they have bloomed, so throughout the season, if you decide to plant more out, you won’t forget where your bulbs are, and therefore you minimise the risk of digging them up or forking into them causing damage. And, remember to feed your soil. All plants need healthy soil to grow.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">We have a wide selection of bulbs, tools and plants to choose from in store.&nbsp;</p>

What to do after spring bulbs have flowered

<p>When you <strong>pair up Roses and Clematis,</strong> you can have a beautiful display in your garden that will flower for many months of the year, bringing colour and interest to you and wildlife. Roses and Clematis look so very pretty together, and when you get the combination right for you, your pergola, arches, and trellis can be a riot of colour to enjoy. These pairs grow really well together and look wonderful too.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When you <strong>pair up Roses and Clematis,</strong> you can have a beautiful display in your garden that will flower for many months of the year, bringing colour and interest to you and wildlife. Roses and Clematis look so very pretty together, and when you get the combination right for you, your pergola, arches, and trellis can be a riot of colour to enjoy. These pairs grow really well together and look wonderful too.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Colour combination when you pair up Roses and Clematis</h2>
<p>One way to start deciding which Rose and Clematis you would like to grow together is to consider the colours you want in your garden. Would you like them both to be pink or would you prefer to have completely different colours such as pink and yellow? Perhaps a light Rose and a darker Clematis for a stunning contrast.</p>
<ul>
<li>For similar colours, try Rose ‘Albertine’, a rambling rose with Clematis armandii ‘Apple Blossom’.</li>
<li>For a big burst of pink or for contrasting colours, try climbing bright pink rose ‘Zephirine Drouhin’ with the dark purple of Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Pair up Roses and Clematis for flowering at the same time</h2>
<p>If you are looking for the wow factor, then planting varieties that will bloom together means you’ll get a stunning display all at once. If you grow climbing roses with your clematis, they will most likely need pruning at the same time, which can save a job, plus climbing roses repeat flower. Of course, you could always choose for different flowering times as well. If you would like a combination that will flower together, try Rose ‘The Generous Gardener’ with Clematis ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ or Clematis ‘Henryi’ with Rose ‘Iceberg’.</p>
<h2>Go with more than one of each when you pair up Roses and Clematis</h2>
<p>There are no rules as long as you have space, so why not choose a couple of different Clematises to grow with your Rose and extend the flowering and colour for as long as you possibly can. You could grow two or three Clematis with one Rose for a real show-stopper display. Don’t forget to ensure there is something for them to climb up that is well secured as the weight of two-plus climbers can be a lot!&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Pair up Roses and Clematis with the right supports&nbsp;</h2>
<p>When you have decided which you would like to grow, secure trellis tightly to your walls, fix the pergola well or make sure you have strong arches. Anything they can climb up will be their home for many years. You may need some ties or string as well, so be prepared. Ideally, if they can grow somewhere that you will also catch the scent. That’s even more perfect.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For climbers, supports and accessories, visit us in store.&nbsp;</p>

Pair up Roses and Clematis

<p><strong>Birds</strong> are at their most active in <strong>spring</strong>, making nests and raising their young, so it’s the perfect time to do a bit of bird-watching. Here are a few of the birds you’re likely to see in your garden, plus some tips on what to feed them to make sure they keep coming back.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Birds</strong> are at their most active in <strong>spring</strong>, making nests and raising their young, so it’s the perfect time to do a bit of bird-watching. Here are a few of the birds you’re likely to see in your garden, plus some tips on what to feed them to make sure they keep coming back.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Blackbirds</h2>
<p>Male blackbirds are easy to identify – they’re black, with a bright yellow beak. Female blackbirds are less noticeable, with brown plumage. Blackbirds eat insects, worms, berries and fruit. They are mainly ground-feeding birds to come to food placed on bird tables or the ground. Try putting out dried mealworms and uncooked oats to attract them.</p>
<h2>Blue tits and great tits</h2>
<p>Blue tits are small and colourful, with blue, yellow, white and green markings. Great tits are slightly bigger, with yellow and green plumage. Both eat insects, caterpillars, seeds and nuts, and are welcome visitors in gardens, where they eat quantities of aphids in spring.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Blue tits and great tits will visit hanging bird feeders filled with seeds and nuts, tending to snatch a few seeds and take them elsewhere to eat.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Robins</h2>
<p>With their bright red breasts and confident manner, robins are a familiar sight in our gardens. They are very territorial, chasing other birds away from their space. Robins eat worms, seeds, insects and fruit, and they love sunflower seeds and mealworms. They are primarily ground-feeders, so although they may occasionally visit a hanging bird feeder, they will prefer feeding tables.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Goldfinches</h2>
<p>Goldfinches are tiny birds with bright red faces and yellow markings on their brown wings. Their beaks are perfectly designed for extracting the seeds from plants like teasels, thistles and dandelions, so leave a few dandelions growing in the corner of your garden to attract them. Hanging up a nyjer seed feeder will also help bring goldfinches into your garden, as they love the tiny black oil-rich seeds.</p>
<h2>Song thrushes</h2>
<p>Song thrushes are slightly larger than blackbirds and are largely brown with a black-speckled underbelly. Gardeners love thrushes because they eat snails, bashing them against a rock to break the shells. They also eat worms and fruit. To feed thrushes, soak raisins in hot water to plump them up and put them out on feeding tables, along with berries.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Tips on feeding garden birds</h2>
<p>Make your garden more bird-friendly with these simple tips:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Plant berry-bearing shrubs and ivy to provide birds with food and shelter</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Keep feeders topped up to avoid birds making wasted trips, especially in winter.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Put out water for birds to drink and to wash in.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Clean feeders regularly, scrubbing them out in hot soapy water to avoid bacteria build-up that can spread diseases.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>You’ll find everything you need for your garden birds in our centres, including feeders, bird food and bird-friendly plants. Come and visit us today!</p>

Watching garden birds in spring

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