Happy New Year!

At Whitehall Garden Centre we trust that you had a wonderful year and Christmas. We would also like to take this opportunity wish you all the best in 2010!

Father Christmas!!

Father Christmas is in his Whitehall grotto right up until 24th December! Come along and visit him and his Reindeer's Snowflake and Moonbeam.

Decembers Gardening Tips

-Feed birds in the cold weather and do not allow ponds to freeze over.
-Shake snow off of trees if required
-Bring Bay trees under cover to shield them from the cold.
-Shred prunings from plants, fruit trees and bushes.
-Protect plants and pots from frost damage.
-Insulate garden taps and exposed pipes
-Bring in Christmas bulbs for flowering.

Christmas is coming!

Its that time of year again and at Whitehall we now have a fantastic selection of Scottish grown Christmas trees, Holly, Wreaths and Mistletoe. All of these festive plants can bring a christmassy feeling to your home and garden. We also stock Christmas trees with roots that can be planted in the garden and enjoyed year after year.
Our top 5 tips for planting a Christmas tree are...
1. Make sure your tree is planted away from the house as the roots grow to a large size and will uproot patio slabs and other parts of your garden and home.
2.Try and buy one that is no more that 3 feet tall as you want to get the most years out of it and the root will be better and easier to transplant.
3.Protect from pests such as Rabbits, Insects (Aphids in particular)and in extreme cases Deer.
4.When plating the tree make sure it is protected from wind and make sure the planting hole is the right depth.
5.Once planted try to shape and shear your tree to make it healthier.

October Gardening Tips

-Rake up any fallen leaves
-Tidy ponds and remove pond pumps for the winter
-Plant evergreen shrubs
-Plants new climbers and perennials
-Dig over any empty area of soil
-Divide Rhubarb
-Plant tulip and lily bulbs

Feeding Wild Birds in the Winter

As the winter draws closer, it is time to start thinking about feeding birds during the cold winter months. As natural food sources are low in the winter, birds benefit greatly from you putting food out in the garden. Foods with a high fat content will help to give the birds extra energy. Sunflower seeds, peanuts, dried fruit and suet are all fat rich foods and will give the wild birds that extra energy boost. If you have a fruit tree in your garden try and leave some of the ripe fruit under the tree so that thrushes, blackbirds and starlings can enjoy a high energy treat! Don`t forget that birds still like to bathe and drink during the winter, so if possible top up water areas.

Planting Spring Bulbs

You will need to plant Daffodils and Narcissi before the end of September. Daffodils will look good planted in layers. Use a bulb planter or trowel to make a hole in the soil for your bulb to go in. Once the soil is removed, put your bulbs in. Cover these over and wait for the spring! You can plant some bulbs lower down, then cover over with soil and plant more onto and finally cover with soil. This will give a layered effect and make the area look fuller. There are many bulbs to choose from such as Alliums, Tulips and Hyacinths. Daffodils are popular and some of our favourites are Broadway Star, Ambergate and Tahiti.