There’s a few different options here:
Lots of patience and perseverence for this one!
You’ll need to keep on top of removing any new roots and shoots, and make sure you don’t let them flower.
Consider more ground cover plants like creeping thyme or heathers to suppress weeds. These low growing plants will sprout where weeds otherwise would.
You could also cover for a year using black membrane – you can buy this in garden centres.
In the case of bindweed, you could also put a stick in the ground where it grows, to encourage it to climb that instead of your plants.
Some of our favourites which are very easy to maintain are:
These flowers require very little intervention from us and can adapt to most soil types.
Peonies can be fussy things! We have one in our garden which also hasn’t flowered this year.
Make sure it’s not planted too deep and not in too much shade. Drought in the spring stops the buds developing – so keep it well watered around this time.
Wildflowers are a beautiful touch to any green space. They grow better in ‘poor soil’ and can be left on the surface.
Keep them damp during any dry spells and if you can, keep them covered to protect them from birds.
You should see them start to sprout in a few of weeks. Some flowers will start to bloom after a couple of months – but different species may take longer.
Try soaking the soil the night before, then dig. This will help you to dig deeper to remove the roots.
Blueberries are acid loving plants, so your soil will need to have the right pH balance. Have a look around your garden centre for an ericaceous potting compost, with a pH of 4.5–5.5.
Keep the soil damp with regular watering, and you could also try potassium feed.
Try some grass species, or Erigeron, which is a type of Mexican daisy.
You’ll need a good amount of space for a compost heap, but this can be really beneficial for your garden or vegetable patch.
You could start by tying three pallets together in a corner of your garden. Lay down some manure (you can often get this from a local stables for free, or you can buy from your garden centre).
As you build up a layer of garden waste, water it and then add a bag of manure.
Keep it moist. Regular rain will do this for you, but you can also pour out grey water (from your washing up tub, or gone off drinks, for example).
You’ll want to make sure you have a good mix of brown (papers, dead leaves and branches, hay, straw, etc) and green (grass clippings, food, coffee grounds, etc) matter going on it.
Give the plant some potassium feed from your local garden centre so it’s got all the right nutrients.
Trim the lateral growth (the side shoots) at the end of summer.
It may sounds counter productive, but prune 2–3 buds as this will stimulate growth.
Plant some wildlife friendly flowers nearby to divert their attention. You can try nasturtium plants as they attract blackfly and also encourage ladybirds.
You could also mix up 1 parts washing up liquid to 25 parts water and spray this over your roses.
To get your rose bushes flowering, consider changing their position over the winter. Some roses like the sun, and some not so much. It might be a bit of trial and error.
Give them a good mulch of well rotted horse manure (you can get this from your local garden centre) in the winter and a feed in early spring.
We love shady plants! They really are beautiful and can add some interesting shapes to a garden. Our suggestions would be:
3 Thomas More Square, Tower Hill, London E1W 1YW | 020 3856 6000 | info@mungos.org
© 2024 St Mungo’s Registered Charity No 1149085, Company No 8225808, Housing Association No LH0279, VAT Registration No. 155 134 821
Website by St Mungo’s. Maintained by Core Bid Management.
Appeals Policy
Case Closure and Reopen Guidance
Clearing House FAQs November 2022
Clearing House Nomination Policy & Procedure v1.1
Clearing House Sensitive Lets Policy & Procedure v1.1
Clearing House User Agreement v4
Complaints Policy
Couples Referral Guidance
Data Protection and Information Sharing Policy
Eligibility Policy
High Needs Quota Policy & Procedure
Hostel Decant Policy & Procedure
Nomination Guidance
Nominations Appendix A – Allocations and Prioritisation
NSNO Low Needs Staging Post Offer Policy & Procedure
Policy Addendum Clarification 2019
Referral and Waiting List Policy & Procedure
Referral Coaching Policy & Procedure – Volunteers v1.0
Referral Form Minimum Standards v1.2
Resettlement Policy & Procedure
Tenancy Review Policy & Procedure
Transfers Policy & Procedure