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"SAD NEWS"

"SAD NEWS"

I've taken the difficult decision to put the Nursery up for sale, for more information copy and paste the link below

https://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/west-devon-traditional-horticultural-nursery-in-tavistock-for-sale.aspx

In the meantime the nursery is open as usual with a full range of plants. Hedging whips coming in very soon, still well stocked with fruit and ornamental trees, and our excellent range of shrubs. So come along, have a browse and remember the nursery is a dog friendly place (on a lead).

***PLEASE BE AWARE, WE WILL NO LONGER BE TAKING ANY NEW MAIL ORDERS AFTER SUNDAY 10TH MARCH 2024. This is due to the nursery ceasing trading as from Friday 22nd March. We would like thank all our customers for your loyalty over the years.*************

20th January 2024

Christmas Opening hours 2023

Christmas Opening hours 2023

The Nursery will close 4pm Saturday 23rd December and re-open 8am on the 2nd January 2024

All the staff and myself would like to say thank you for all your support over the last 12 months, and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New year.

13th December 2023

September 2023 - Mail orders and HTA vouchers

**Our mail order service is now available again. Thank you for your patience**

**HTA Vouchers are pleased to announce that we can now accept the new credit card style and the e-vouchers**

26th September 2023

Autumn Planting Time

Autumn Planting Time

Autumn is a great time to plant as the soil is still warm and the rain is starting to fall on a regular basis enabling the plants to get established before winter sets in and to save so much watering in the spring. Fruit and Flowering trees, evergreen and deciduous shrubs can all be planted now as well as spring flowering bulbs, like Daffodils, Crocus and Tulips etc. All the above are in stock at the nursery, a great range of Rhododendrons, Azalea (deciduous and dwarf evergreen),
Camellia's, Japanese Maples, along with some lovely Fremontodendron with their golden yellow flowers throughout the summer and into autumn.
So come along and have a look around the nursery set in the Tamar Valley, we even have the Coffee and Tea machine up and running at only £2.00 a cup. Well worth a visit.

10th September 2022

June

June

June is a month in which you can really enjoy your garden. Intimidating hard work is not on the agenda, so get out and find lots of pleasurable bits and pieces to do. Make the most of the long evenings.

It always pays to keep on top of your weeding. Little and often stops it becoming a chore. As you work, look out for pests and diseases, especially on roses, and treat them as needed. Fertiliser can be applied as I suspect that many of our gardens had some of their nutrients leached out during our wet spring. Prune spring flowering shrubs, like Deutzia, Weigela, Philadelphus and Kolkwitzia, by removing the spent flowering stems and any old, leggy wood. Evergreen hedges like Box, Privet and Lonicera can be clipped and climbers tied in.

Most of us have some tubs and hanging baskets out at this time of year and spend our evenings tending to them. Don't forget to water well, liquid feed and deadhead. I realise that we do bang on incessantly about such matters, but a healthy, thriving, well grown plant is one of the great pleasures of gardening.

Lawn care is also something that takes up some time in June. It is better to mow often and lightly to produce a tidy, thick lawn. Edging your lawn regularly really does add a touch of instant smartness to a garden and will set off your borders to great effect.

If you enjoy propagating plants cutting can be done from now on, starting with species like Lavender, Rosemary, Spiraea and Hydrangea macrophylla cultivars.

In the produce garden watch the fruit trees for the June drop. It is natures way of thinning out the fruit so that what is left can develop more successfully. If not enough fruits are shed, help out by thinning the fruits yourself. Cherries and plums can be pruned now, if needed, but bear in mind our climate. Fungal diseases love the damp, warm weather, so sterilise secateurs and saws. Methylated spirits is pretty good for this. If your strawberries are romping away in a lively fashion, pin down the runners to produce the next generation of plants or cut them off if not needed. Finally, and very importantly, don't forget to water, feed and sideshoot your tomatoes.

As I said, lots of little jobs to do and whilst you do them, enjoy the flowers and the insects. In the evening look out for the beautiful twilight visitors that are moths. Insects also bring bats. How exciting are they?

Inevitably, there will be gaps in your garden, so pop in and see us at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery and find some more bedding or choose from our wide range of beautiful herbaceous plants and add that finishing touch to your June garden.

8th May 2016

May

May

May is such a glorious month, both in our gardens and in nature. Borders, lawns and the vegetable garden are all full of vigor and give us an excuse to be outdoors as much as possible. This is also the month for buying and, eventually, putting out bedding plants.

Abandon all your British reserve and enjoy what bedding plants have to offer, a summer full of colour. If conservative and tasteful are your thing and it gives you pleasure, do it. However, who is to say what is tasteful? Life would be dull without variety and opposites. If you like a mad riot of colours, then do it too and enjoy it.
When cared for properly, bedding can prove a good investment. You can use it in window boxes, hanging or wall baskets, tubs, pots and in garden borders. Here at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery we spend much time lecturing our unfortunate customers on looking after bedding properly! Many brands of compost only contain food for six to eight weeks, so make sure you add a controlled release fertiliser like Osmocote or Miracle Grow granules to the compost. Keeping plants looking good in a resticted space needs lots of food. In tubs and baskets a mass of roots are all competing for air, nutrients and water. Equally, copious amounts of water are vital. People often ask "Should I water my basket when it has been raining?". The answer is an emphatic "Yes!". Rain alone will not soak the mass of plants in a hanging basket. Twice a week, add tomato food, or whatever liquid feed you favour, to the water. You will notice the difference and watering is a peaceful way to spend part of your morning or evening. There is also the delicate matter of slugs. They are not wanted in these circumstances. Organic slug pellets are available and they work. We use them here at the nursery and still get plenty of wildlife. Hoooray! Using water retaing gel is a good idea. Finally, deadhead your bedding. It looks tidier and promotes further flowering.

Bedding can be trailing or upright or somewhere in between. Use plants like Lobelia, Nepeta, Bacopa, Calibrachoa, Helichrysum, Petunia, Sanvitalia, Oxalis and Rhodochiton to tumble downwards. Begonia, Verbena, Diascia, Cosmos, Impatiens and Pelargoniums all give good upright colour. Big plants like Osteospermums and Argryanthemums provide central focal points in tubs. Even in the shade, plants like Begonias, Impatiens, Sanvitalia, Bacopa and Nepeta will thrive and give you lots of colour.

We now have refreshments available for £1.50 or you can enjoy a tea/coffee with locally produced Flap Jacks for £3.00 (many different flavour's...mine is the Devon Cream Tea)

9th May 2016

April

April

The eccentric weather has meant that many of us are behind in our gardening work. It is frusrating to be so and also to be stuck indoors, so now take advantage of any decent weather and get outside.
Life is surging ahead. That means that the weeds are growing, so get rid of them. Once the ground is clear, feed your shrubs and trees, avoiding getting fertiliser on the foliage. Daffodils and tulips can be looking poor, so remove the old flowers and stems, but not the leaves. They are needed to photosynthsize and send the resulting nutrients down to the bulb for next years flowers.

Pruning really does need to be done. There is still time to prune Hydrangeas, but not when frost is forecast. Trace down last years growth and cut off above where the most prominent, well developed buds are. One of the great horticultural frusrations of this time of year is watching buds developing and panicking about the frost. Heathers that have finished flowering can be pruned and embarassing looking lavenders can be shaped and revitalised. Remember to help your plants to benefit from their cosmetic surgery with a good feed. Finally, make sure your climbers are neatly tied in.
Lawns will respond to your work at this time of year. Really put some effort into raking out the old debris from your lawn and both it and your muscles will benefit from your exertions. Mosskiller and fertiliser can be used and mowing can be done, but don't scalp your unfortunate lawn. Sowing a new lawn or turfing reqiures decent ground preparation and a good, friable, fine base of soil for the new lawn to grow on. Consider your site, its aspect and drainage and choose your seed mix or turf appropriately.. Use a light dressing of fertiliser like Growmore before seeding or turfing, unless you are doing a wildflower meadow where less pampering is required. Be ruthless when buying turf. Agricultural grass and weed are an absolute no-no.

In the greenhouse pot on plants like begonias or seedlings like Tagetes or Lobelia. It is so important to keep developing plants growing. Letting them get too cold or pot bound or dry or, conversely, too wet hinders their development. Gardening really becomes a very absorbing hobby at this time of year and much observation is needed. Towards the end of the month Dahlias and young sweet pea plants can go out.
Crops like lettuce, radish, kale, spring onions and beetroot can go out, under cloches if needed, and sow herbs for the warmer, drier months.
There are lots of lovely flowering shrubs at this time of year including Ribes, Spiraea, Malus, Prunus, Pieris and Magnolia. You do not necessarily need a huge garden to enjoy Magnolias. There are many shrub or small tree type ones. Magnolia 'Susan' is a lovely bright pink and 'Betty' has flowers of pale pink with darker markings. Both only get to 4m after 10 years and bring a bright start to the spring. The stellata types like 'Rosea King' or 'Royal Star' have starry pale pink or white flowers that burst forth from furry buds and are tough, but delightful shrubs. Consider the elegant goblet shaped flowers of Magnolia soulangeana 'Superba', white with purple at the base, or soulangeana 'Rustica Rubra', with its red petals. All are plants that really flaunt their beauty and herald in the spring.

Truthfully, there is too much to write about at this enjoyably busy time. If you need help or inspiration come along and see us at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery, and remember you can bring your dog too. Spring is here, enjoy it.

9th May 2016

Soil pH and February flowers

Soil pH and February flowers

Perhaps this quieter, often wet and cold month is the time to consider something in detail. like the topic of soil pH, simply because here at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery, we often get asked about it. The pH scale runs from 1 to 14 and, whilst not a kind of nutrient, it does govern the availabilty of many nutrients which are held in the soil, dissolved in water. This is important as, like us, plants need their food.
In the U.K. most soil has a pH of between 4 and 8.5, the lower figure being called acid, the higher alkaline and at about 6.5 the figure is known as neutral. Acid soil can hinder the way in which beneficial microorganisms rot down organic matter and so nutrients may not be available. Alkaline soil stops some mineral nutrients like iron and manganese from being available which is good for some plants which find them toxic.
In this area we are generally acid as can be seen from the splendid Rhododendrons, Camellias, Pieris, Ericas, Kalmias and Azaleas which thrive around here due to their need for acid soil. If their foliage turns yellow (chlorosis) it may be a sign that the ground is not acid enough. Blue flowered Hydrangeas too are an indicator of acidity.
To achieve the best results in your garden it does pay to work with nature, but the exception is the vegetable garden. Putting lime on the ground to increase alkalinity is advisable as vegetables need minerals like phosphorous and nitrogen to grow well and these are more readily available in alkaline soil.
If you are concerned, buy a soil testing kit or come in to the nursery and let us do it for you. Test multiple samples for an overall picture of your gardens soil. Finally, if you are buying in soil do check about the pH for, as you can see, it is important.

Finally, plants! The really important tasks this month are apple and Wisteria pruning. Work when the weather allows and try to avoid walking on frosty or wet soil.
Plant of the month is Corylopsis pauciflora, a lovely, low, arching shrub that likes our acid soil. It has pendent racemes of pale yellow, fragrant flowers in the late winter and early spring. After these come the young bronze leaves which mature to a rich bright green. It likes a little shade and a moist, but not wet, soil, originating from the deciduous woodlands of Japan and Taiwan. It will reach 1.5m in height and 2.5m in width and needs only the occasional touch of cosmetic pruning. Give it the space to spread and you will really appreciate the elegance of this graceful shrub.

13th January 2016

Winter jobs and fragrance in the garden

Winter jobs and fragrance in the garden

Winter is here with its austere beauty. The days may be shorter, but there is still the occasional moment of good weather and the pleasure of getting out into the garden.

There is no reason why your garden should not still look interesting. Snowdrops and Hellebores are flowering and will look better if you tidy up around them and cut off the old Hellebore leaves. Winter bedding benefits from the occasional pick over to remove dead or spotted leaves and flowers. Raise up pots on pot feet to help drainage and stop frost damaging both plants and pots. If you need to wrap up pots or plants use horticultural fleece or sacking.

There is still time to prune deciduous hedges and old wood can be cut out of flowering shrubs to promote new, vigorous growth in the spring.

If you have a vegetable plot dig over the empty areas and add compost or well rotted manure. The frost works wonders on the soils structure. Towards the end of the month apple trees can be pruned and you can apply an organic winter wash to kill off insect pests and their eggs to avoid infestations in the spring. On mild days ventilate your greenhouse to keep damp at bay. Look at your rhubarb and start to force it if necessary. Peaches, nectarines and apricots now need to be covered with a polythene shelter to keep peach leaf curl away. This really does work!

Finally, take the opportunity to clean and oil all your tools.

Enough about work! Time to contempate the lovely plants around at this time of year. Viburnum tinus, Lonicera 'Winter Beauty', IIex, Mahonia, Viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn', Lonicera nitida 'Baggesens Gold', Aucuba, Choisya ternata 'Sundance', Pernettya (Gaultheria) and Cornus 'Winter Orange' are all looking good with flowers, foliage or coloured stems. Ericas, Callunas and conifers may not be hugely fashionable, but who cares? They look lovely at this time of year and it would take a truly miserable soul not to enjoy the dramatic colour changes of the feathery foliage of Cryptomeria japonica 'Elegans'. Cryptomeria ties for plant of the month with Hamamelis, the witch hazel. This tough shrub likes our damp, acidic, local soil. Their autumn colours are glorious and, at this time of year, their curious spidery flowers smell wonderful. The flowers can be shades of yellow, red and even a coppery orange. They are big shrubs, but are well worth finding room for as a touch of perfume and colour in the winter is very welcome.

If you need a break from the work and, perhaps, some advice or inspiration don't forget to come and see us at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery.

13th December 2015

December in the Garden

December in the Garden

If you are a keen gardener it is irritating at this time of year when somebody appears on your television and tells you to spend the winter contemplating next years seed catalogue. Quite! All the seasons have their beauty and gardening tasks to do.
Get outdoors and plant. As long as the soil is not very wet or frozen it is fine to get on it, but do not trample it unduly. People are often eager to plant their new hedges, but forget that the plants are not available until they are dormant and can be moved safely. This is very obvious in deciduous plants as they lose their leaves, but even evergreens slow down at this time of year.
We now have plenty of hedging, roses and fruit bushes here at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery. Many people like to grow their own fruit, enjoying produce that has been ripened properly and not drenched in chemicals. There is also the bonus of showing children how food actually grows.
On the subject of not using chemicals, keep an eye on hygiene in the glasshouse and garden. Remove dead leaves and faded blooms to avoid fungal problems. Clear up debris in the garden so that snowdrops and hellebores can be appreciated in the new year. However, don't cut back Penstemons and Gaura. They may look untidy, but will resist the winter cold better if left in this condition. If it is very windy in your area just give them a gentle trim to avoid wind rock .For people with overgrown areas enjoy a warm work out clearing brambles, ivy and other unwanted plants. Much cheaper than going to the gym.
Look around your garden as you work, as foliage, twigs and fruits can be taken indoors for Christmas as supports for lights or for garlands and wreaths. If you need a present for a gardener come and visit us. What may look like a pot of twigs could bring real happiness to a keen horticulturalist.
Finally, think ahead. If you have garden machinery don't leave it until the last minute for servicing. Help your mechanic and bring in the work before the spring panic when everyone realises they have forgotten to get their mower repaired.
As it is Christmas, our plant of the month has to be Sarcococca confusa, the Christmas Box, an unassuming evergreen fine for all sizes of garden. Its secret is that it flowers at Christmas with white flowers giving off a glorious scent, something to make you smile during these short, dark days.
Still doubtful? Come along to our nursery and hopefully we can enthuse you with what you can can achieve in your garden at this time of year.

8th November 2015

Raspberry and BlueBerry

Raspberry and BlueBerry

It always strikes us as curious when people enthuse about plants and spend money on them without thinking about the substance they are going to grow them in; soil. Winter is the time of year when we can work with nature to improve our soil.
Adding organic matter to the soil helps form a crumb structure. Take a handful of your soil and rub it in your hands and see if it breaks down into a nice crumbly substance.Soil like this allows roots to grow happily; holds some, but not too much, water; and in the water are dissolved nutrients. There is also space for air.
If this is not the case, add organic matter. You can dig it in or leave it on the surface and over the winter frost, rain and worms will break it up and take it into your soil. Your plants will show their appreciation in the years to come.
This is especially true of Raspberries, which love a friable, well drained soil. Late autumn is a good time of year for planting fruit and other barerooted plants like hedging, as the trees and bushes are dormant. We have a good selection, so please visit us.
It is worth mentioning Blueberries as they appreciate our acidic soil. Not only do they provide us with tasty fruit, but their lovely spring flowers and splendid autumn colours are a pleasure. We can even provide you with a variety called Sunshine Blue which is self fertile and will grow happily in a pot.
Winter may be starting, but gardening still carries on. Brilliant!

8th November 2015

Planning,Ordering & Preparing (POP)

Planning,Ordering & Preparing (POP)

September is here, hasn't the year gone fast...so it's time to...
- think about what you need to order and get on and do it. Gardening is still seasonal and has to work with nature, so plants like bareroot hedging and trees are only available whilst dormant.
- If you want a particular rose, order it now.
- Prepare for these new plants arriving. Weed kill, if necessary, and dig the ground and add organic matter so that your new purchases will thrive. Don't leave it until the weather breaks and then panic!
- If you love your lawn now is the time for a final weed kill and re-seeding, if necessary. You can also scarify, spike and top dress if you want. A healthy, cared for lawn can resist our wet winter weather better.
- Don't neglect picking your fruit and vegetables or caring for bedding.
- Plant anything that needs it. Plants are less vulnerable in the ground over winter than in a pot.
Septembers' plant of the month is the Aster, a source of beautiful colour for us and late food for the insects. Try 'Blue Lagoon' , a low spreading variety with a glorious mass of flowers.
Come along and visit us, bring your dog, and fulfill your gardening plans at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery

26th August 2015

Roses & Penstemon

Roses & Penstemon

At this time of year there is much to enjoy, roses are in bloom and Endsleigh caters for all tastes from tiny patio roses to the larger ramblers and shrubs, with flower carpet, hybrid teas, floribundas and David Austin available too.

Herbaceous plants now look glorious with Astilbes, Papaver(poppies) and many others showing off their colours. Plant of the month has got to be the Penstemon. Easy to grow, not liked as food by rabbits and a mass of colour until the late autumn, if dead headed regularly. Endsleigh sells the fiery red 'Firebird' and the lovely, subtle 'Heavenly Blue'.

Consider shrubs too, which add impact with flowers and foliage, or the popular and beautiful Japanese Maples.

9th July 2015

Browse over tea and coffee

Browse over tea and coffee

Now's the time to put in your bedding plants. We have a fantastic selection of lobelias, geraniums and fuchsias to brighten up your patio. Come and wander, chat and ponder. We now have tea and coffee to aid the process.

It's good to look out on your garden and smile at what you have achieved. We feel the same way here at Endsleigh Gardens Nursery and it is a pleasure to see our plants grow into something beautiful. We hope to pass on this enthusiasm and knowledge to our customers.

We have a wide range of bedding and vegetable plants which we grow and can advise you on both choice and care. Artistry and good husbandry are equally important here. We hope to see you soon at our lovely walled nursery.

22nd April 2015