Yesterday I saw sunshine! A brief respite, more heavy rain this morning, and still 5 months until St. Swithin’s Day. On a brighter note, our UK spring catalogue is going to press tomorrow and should be with you by the end of the week.
There is not much that can be done in the garden at the moment. I would suggest that anything you do is limited to pots and containers, particularly planting your lily bulbs UK. The borders are just too wet to venture into.
As we look towards planting summer bulbs UK and lily tubs in the coming months, having the right growing medium is essential. We often talk about “Black Gold” in gardening. It is the engine room of the border and the lifeblood of our containers. It’s worth understanding the difference between compost for lilies UK, humus, and leaf mould. They are frequently used interchangeably, but as we prepare for the season, it’s worth reminding ourselves of the difference.
Compost for lilies UK: This is the product of decomposition—the “active” ingredient. It is still teeming with microscopic life, bacteria, and fungi that are breaking down organic matter and releasing nutrients to your plants.
Humus for garden UK: This is the end game. Humus is what remains after the compost has fully broken down. It is spongy, incredible at retaining moisture (holding up to 90% of its weight in water), and acts as a pantry, storing nutrients like calcium and magnesium for plant roots to access.
Leaf mould UK: Low in nutrients but high in structure. It conditions the soil and attracts earthworms.
You do not need to be a chemist to get it right. You want to achieve a mix that is rich in nutrients and microscopic life. The key is to ensure that when you squeeze a handful, it binds together but easily crumbles apart. Get the foundation right now, and your UK garden bulbs and lilies will take care of the rest.ay. On a brighter note, our spring catalogue is going to press tomorrow and should be with you by the end of the week.
There is not much that can be done in the garden at the moment. I would suggest that anything you do is limited to pots and containers, particularly planting your lily tubs. The borders are just too wet to venture into.
As we look towards planting our lilies and summer bulbs in the coming months, having the right growing medium is essential. We often talk about “Black Gold” in gardening. It is the engine room of the border and the lifeblood of our containers. I find there is often confusion between compost, humus, and leaf mould. They are frequently used interchangeably, but as we prepare for the season, it is worth r