Plant of the Month: October

Conifers

Garsons Plants of the Month are conifers, which can give year-round structure and interest to your garden. They range from majestic statement conifers to provide a stunning focal point, to dwarf varieties for a small space or container.

Now the summer is over, take stock of your garden and consider filling in gaps with conifers that will reward your effort for years to come. Most like full sun or partial shade, so check the growing instructions for the varieties that you’re interested in.

Now is a good time to establish conifers while the soil is still warm. Plant your conifer with organic manure and keep it watered when young. A thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant will help it retain moisture. Once established, conifers need very little care.

Why not repurpose your summer patio pots with an evergreen conifer as the central plant? A dwarf or compact variety is a good option for smaller pots. Summer flowering plants can be replaced with winter interest such as cyclamen for colour and ivy for foliage around the conifer.

Consider drought-tolerant varieties that need less watering during hot, dry summers. This includes the Italian Cypress and the dwarf Mediterranean Cypress, along with Mediterranean varieties of pine, fir and cedar.

Garsons has a superb selection of conifers, whether you would like to plant them in your borders or in containers. Garsons card holders benefit from 20% off the Plant of the Month range, so you can stock up on all confers for 20% off in October. If you don’t already have a card, you can sign up free of charge.