Katie's Garden Plant Centre
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  • Home
    • News >
      • Recommended
    • Sign up
    • Shops and shows
    • Contact us
  • Visit
  • Home delivery
    • Shopfront
    • Delivery information
  • Our Plants
    • Planting Themes
    • Bedding and Annuals >
      • Hanging Baskets
    • Bulbs
    • Roses >
      • Rose pruning
    • Hedging
    • Trees
    • Shrubs >
      • Conifers
    • Perennials
    • Fruit & Veg
    • Shade plants >
      • Ferns
    • Grasses
    • Herbs
    • Lavenders
    • Alpines
    • Climbers >
      • Clematis pruning
  • Advice
    • Slug proof
    • Rabbit proof
    • Deer proof
    • Plants for shade
    • Exposed sites
    • Long flowering perennials
    • Evergreen perennials
    • Coastal sites
    • Plants for Pollinators
    • Dry & sandy soil
    • Damp soil
    • Clay soil
    • North-facing walls
    • Plants for pots
    • Plants for slopes
  • Flourish
  • About
    • Gallery
    • Trade services
    • Garden services
    • Nursery production
    • History
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Trees planted in our new garden area!

19/2/2021

 
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It's not a garden without some trees!

We have planted four silver birches amongst the new beech hedge along the side of our new garden area.

Although bareroot trees can only be planted in winter, potted trees such as we sell can be planted almost anytime: just avoid planting in the heat of summer and when the ground is waterlogged or frozen.

There are several approaches to planting trees, so you might prefer different methods to those we used:
1. Give your tree a good watering about 30-60 minutes beforehand.

This gives enough time for the water to soak all the way through and for the roots to drink it up. This helps to plump up the roots and protect them from damage during the planting process, and also makes the tree easier to get out of the pot!

2. Dig a hole! Some people favour square holes: the theory is that roots will follow the outer curves of a round hole, as it is less effort than breaking through the undisturbed soil that surrounds the planting hole. Whereas with a square hole it is more effort for roots to make a 90 degree turn at the edge than it is to carry on going.

The more spread out the root system the better: the tree will be better anchored to the ground, and it will be able to draw on water and nutrients from a large area.

We have a loose, sandy soil at Newbourne so we doubt the shape of the hole makes much difference - no roots could be that lazy!
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3. Some people think that adding organic matter to the planting hole - such as manures, composts and soil improvers - will deter the roots from spreading out into the less fertile surrounding garden soil, as they will prefer to stay where it is nutrient-rich.

As we have low-nutrient sandy soil in Newbourne, we think the trees will need a little help. Also, as the trees are growing in pots, they already have rich soil surrounding their roots.

So as a compromise we dug our holes much bigger than needed and backfilled with compost mixed into ordinary soil, to give a graduation from the pot compost to ordinary soil.

On the higher levels of the holes we just used the unimproved garden soil as we don't want to encourage the roots to head towards the surface for nutrients.
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4. People often like to use root builders to help trees and shrubs settle into new surroundings.

Traditionally bonemeal was used, which is high in phosphorous, one of the three main chemicals plant need to grow (phosphorus for the roots, nitrogen for leaves, and potassium for overall health including flowers and fruits).

Ever more popular are mycorrhizal fungi. Abundant in nature these are bought in powder form to be dusted onto the roots and planting hole to help establish a bond.


5. Have some sort of stake or cane to hand so you can check you are planting to the correct depth.

Just lay it across the hole next to the bottom of the trunk with either end on normal ground level.
6. Tread down the soil mix with your feet. You are trying to firm down the tree and remove any large air pockets: you are not trying to concrete it in place so don't get carried away!

While you are doing this make sure the trunk is straight from all angles: you don't want it on the huh before it's even had a chance to get going! Ideally a second person will be able to give you help with this ("Lean it towards me a bit, now that way a bit, no, back a bit"!)
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7. Some people are against using tree stakes as they think it is mollycoddling the plant. However, our light sandy soil will make it difficult for the trees to firmly anchor themselves, and the site is relatively exposed to the wind, so we do think they will need the help.

The aim is not to immobilise the tree, just to stop it being blown over in strong wind. All plants need to sway a little in the breeze (even seedlings) - fighting against this is what builds up their "muscles" and makes them better, stronger plants. We went with using single stakes, put in diagonally.

Our most problematic winds come from roughly the direction of the BT Tower at Martlesham, so that is the direction the tops of the stakes face (think of when you lean yourself into the wind when walking along the seafront!).
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8. Water in well!

Depending on weather and conditions, trees can need watering weekly for about the first year you have them, probably twice a week in the first summer.

Make sure you give a good drench so the water soaks down - you do not want roots heading towards the surface to drink from light waterings.

We used one watering can worth per tree.
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Request plants for home delivery

5/2/2021

 
For the health and wellbeing of our staff and customers we encourage everyone to make use of our home delivery service.

We have added a large number of items to our online shop but if you do not see the plants you want please use the Request Plants listing.

Below are lists covering some of our current stock. We have many more varieties which are not on these lists, either because they are in small quantities or because they are still small in their pots.

We will be updating lists, so please keep checking back.
kg_request_trees_jan_2021.pdf
File Size: 134 kb
File Type: pdf
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kg_perennials_small_feb_2021.pdf
File Size: 101 kb
File Type: pdf
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kg_perennials_large_feb_2021.pdf
File Size: 107 kb
File Type: pdf
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kg_alpines_feb_2021.pdf
File Size: 88 kb
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kg_shrubs_nov_2020.pdf
File Size: 104 kb
File Type: pdf
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kg_climbers_nov_2020.pdf
File Size: 88 kb
File Type: pdf
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The clock is ticking to plant new hedges

1/2/2021

 
Hedges are best planted before March so the clock is ticking to order your plants.

Help the birds and other wildlife with bareroot native hedging, and create screens, windbreaks and privacy with our selection of evergreens.

Prices start at just £1.50 for bareroot hedging, up to £45 for premium ‘instant effect’ plants.

We are practising what we preach, and have made a start on our very own hedge on site, which will provide a windbreak for our new garden area and a touch of privacy for our neighbours.
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First step, mark out the planting area. Stakes in the ground either end, with twine tied round them to make sure we kept straight, and a few extra canes along the way to make sure nothing got knocked out of place.

We decided on beech hedging and as we want a quick result spaced them 4 per 1 metre (approx one plant every 10").

Because our plants were going to get planted close to one another we dug a long trench rather than individual holes.

The soil at Newbourne is very light and sandy (which did make digging easy work!) so we added a little compost to the bottom of the trench, mixed in with the surrounding soil. Enriching the planting area too much can mean plant roots don't explore any further but we did think the new hedge plants would need a little goodness to help them get started.

If you are planting next to lawn we recommend getting some plastic sheeting to protect the grass from the piles of soil you will be digging out - it will be much easier to get it back into the trench once you are done without leaving a terrible mess!

To speed up the thickness and screening effect we staggered the plants either side of our guideline so they were diagonal to one another. With some hedging plants you can also get a fuller effect sooner by pulling branches horizontal and tying them to the branches of plants either side!

With a trench it is then a pretty quick job to place the plants and backfill the soil. The other benefit of having a guideline is that if you set it at ground level you can check your plants are not too deep or too high.

Then it is just a matter of watering in, making sure the plants don't dry out for the first year, and keeping the area clear of weeds and other plants. Easy!
Click to order hedging now
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Special Valentine's Roses offer!

31/1/2021

 
Show someone you love them with our Valentine’s offer on Roses: 3 for £25, including delivery to selected areas!
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Okay, they might not look terribly romantic at the moment, but why not order one for your Valentine Heart, your Honey Bunch, show your feelings with Open Arms and a Loveknot, tell them they are Delightful, Pure Poetry, Simply the Best, Stardust, You’re Beautiful and you want to be Together Forever, and they will surely think you are Maxima Romantica!
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Click below to order for home delivery. Offer valid throughout February.
Click to shop online

New garden area progresses!

29/1/2021

 
We have been making exciting progress on our new 'garden'!

Earlier in January Rick set to work crafting us a collection of bespoke raised beds. These are now in place and will be planted up as showcases for different ranges, for gardening demonstrations and as trial beds.

But first, the less glamorous end of gardening!

Several dozen wheelbarrows of compost have been dug out from the bottom of our compost heap to fill the bases.

Six tonnes of top soil was delivered by Field Compost and it has been a team effort by Jeanette, Tracy, Gill and Lauren to wheelbarrow it into place – the perfect way to warm up on a cold January day!

Click on images to enlarge.

Seeds of success!

24/1/2021

 
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In the depths of a January lockdown we could all do with something to look forward to, so why not try your hand at growing from our new range of seeds!

Sow this winter and spring for borders of scent and bloom, and delectable dinners of home-grown vegetables, salads and herbs later in the year.

Available for home delivery now from our online shop.
We like gardening to be as easy as possible. Our new collection is made up of easy-to-grow seeds, and has been handpicked by us to complement our usual range of plants.

No fiddling, no additives, no long germination periods, no need for specialist equipment. Almost all will flower or crop within months of sowing.

All our seeds can be started off on the windowsill or directly in the ground.
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Many of our salads, herbs and annual flowers can be started off indoors in the next few weeks, including Sunflowers, Cosmos, Marigolds and annual climbers.

Give yourself a break from the daily stresses by spending a few minutes a day tending to your own collection of seedlings.
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If you don’t have any seed trays or pots then raid the recycling bin!

Fruit punnets and ready meal containers are great for the job.

Make drainage holes in the bottom, and if there’s a lid you can use that as a watering tray!

For chunkier seeds try yogurt pots, coffee cups and toilet rolls.

See-through containers and freezer bags can be used as mini greenhouses but be sure to remove them as soon as your seeds sprout.

Cut-up plastics or lolly sticks are great for labels.
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Fill containers with compost and water several minutes before sowing so there is time for the moisture to soak all the way through.

Make sure you follow the instructions on the backs of the packets as too much compost on top can cause the seeds to rot.

Don’t let the compost dry out but don’t go overboard – young children can be heavy-handed with the watering, so if you have any, maybe don’t let them loose with the watering can until the plants are more established!
For sowing where they will grow, we have wildflowers and a host of vegetable seeds.

Many of the annuals and wildflowers are plants we are often asked for but do not grow as they are much more successful when grown directly in the ground.

Annuals are plants that live one year – so expect quick results.

Excellent for enhancing your beds and borders, they are perfect for filling gaps and maximising your floral displays.

Many are also good as cut flowers.
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The vegetables include lots of easy-to-grow varieties, alongside some less commonly found.

Our usual range of starter plants should be available for Easter-time but for greatest choice you will need to look at our seed range.


All our seeds are from Suffolk’s own Thompson & Morgan and come with their 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Click to order

New! Spring Cheer packs

12/1/2021

 
Fight back against the winter blues with one of our great value Spring Cheer packs - new this January!

For just £25 you can have £40 of plants delivered to your door!*

Choose from Spring Cheer, Spring Bedding, Spring Bulbs and Allium packs.

Fill pots and planters or weave through your beds and borders for welcome splashes of colour from January through to May.

We can even deliver to any friends or family who might be in need of a lift or a gift, providing they live in our delivery area.

Head to our online shop to find out more!
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Click to Shop Online
*Delivery to specified areas of Suffolk only. No delivery charge. £40 value is approximate to £1, and is based on our normal shop prices.

Home delivery ONLY this January

6/1/2021

 
The latest Government restrictions allow garden centres to open but we have made the decision to keep our Newbourne nursery closed to the public for the duration of January.

This is for the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone, and to give a small team of staff the chance to carry out planned reorganisations and refurbishments of the site as we look to the year ahead.
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Our online shop is open for both orders and requests.

We will be working over the coming weeks to add more ranges to the website, so please check back.

As ever, staff will be available to give advice and answer queries so please do phone and email – we are still here to help even if it isn’t face-to-face.

Click & collect is also possible but please do not come to the nursery unless by prior arrangement.
We have spent the last few months potting up a tantalising smorgasbord of garden plants and will be growing many more in the months to come.

From spring bulbs to summer perennials, cheerful primroses to structural trees, roses to shrubs, there is lots to look forward to at Katie’s Garden!

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas

22/12/2020

 
Katie's Garden is now closed until Thursday 7th January 2021 (unless Government guidelines change).

We will continue to accept orders through our online shop, including special requests, but please note our delivery team will be taking a very well-earned rest over the Christmas period, so deliveries will not resume until the week beginning 4th January.

As this year unlike any other comes to a close we would like to thank everyone who came and shopped with us in the times we were able to open, and everyone who used our home delivery service when we were not.
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We hope our plants have given you great pleasure, and will continue to do so for years to come, with your gardens being places of solace through the difficult times.

As a small team we have worked hard to adapt to the constant changes that have come up throughout the year, often at very short notice, and are grateful to you all for your patience, understanding and good cheer.
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Online recommendations and reviews are a huge help to small local businesses like ours, so if you have been happy with our service, advice and plants, please consider letting others know on our Google listing and Facebook page.

The nursery phone will not be checked for messages during our Christmas break, so please send us an email if you need to get hold of us.
Click to contact us

Charity fundraiser and Christmas clearance sale

20/12/2020

 
To end the season we are offering great savings on our remaining Christmas stock AND will be donating half of all takings to St Elizabeth Hospice.*

We close at 4pm this Tuesday so you have just two days to pick up a bargain while also supporting a really worthy local charity.
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This Monday and Tuesday we will be splitting all our takings 50/50 with Ipswich-based St Elizabeth Hospice.*

Whether you are picking up a bonus Christmas tree at a discount, a few pots of seasonal colour, or are stocking up on plants for projects in the garden ahead of potential lockdowns, half of what you spend will go to help Suffolk people living with progressive and life-limiting illnesses.
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We would love for all our Christmas trees to find a home this December so are offering great discounts on the prices.

Add to your festive displays with a small wee tree for doorsteps or tabletops, make a statement with a statuesque “non-drop” Nordmann Fir in your living room, conservatory or garden, or find room for a slimline six-footer.

Decorate your home with our branches of holly and fir – ideal for table decorations, flower arrangements and wreaths - in exchange for a donation.

We also have a handful of ready-made wreaths and cheerful gift planters left, now priced to clear.

St Elizabeth Hospice volunteers can take your tree away in the new year: register for Treecycling here.
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* In-stock items only, including all plants, pots, composts and books. Excludes purchases of gift vouchers. Excludes pre-orders.

More Christmas trees!

11/12/2020

 
Our selection of Christmas trees has had a boost with a fresh delivery ahead of the weekend.

All are "non-drop" Nordmann Firs, including 3ft and 5ft pot-grown trees, and 6ft, 7ft and 8ft cut Christmas trees. Come and see us at Newbourne or order online for home delivery.

Keep your cut Christmas trees looking their best through the festive season by keeping them in water all times, and away from heat sources such as radiators.

You can also pick up Christmas wreaths and beautiful gift planters for the home. Treat someone special with an easy-care shrub in one of our glazed, terracotta, or metal pots. We also have neat looking wooden barrel planters.

We can post gift vouchers and gardening book Gardening for the Uncommitted directly to the recipient (UK addresses only) - take a look at our Home Delivery section.

More 8ft Christmas trees available from today!

5/12/2020

 
Fresh delivery to Newbourne this Saturday of 8ft tall "non-drop" Nordmann Fir Christmas trees  - £55 each.

Free delivery available to Ipswich, Woodbridge, Felixstowe, Hadleigh, Needham Market, Sudbury areas.
Click to order online

Christmas trees!

4/12/2020

 
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Christmas seems to be coming early this year, so we have restocked our selection already!

This December we have the non-drop Nordmann Firs in a choice of heights from 4ft to 8ft ... and in a variety of shapes and sizes!

For prices and more information about our free home delivery service head to our Christmas & Winter page.

Keep your Christmas tree in tip-top conditions by displaying it away from radiators and other heat sources, and by making sure it is in water at all times.

It can be beneficial to cut off the bottom inch from the trunk when you get it home, so that it can drink up water more easily.

And don't forget it can take a few hours for the branches to properly open out after you remove  the netting!
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We have lots of Christmas wreaths available too, including decorated, cones & berries, and 'plain' - watch our video tutorial for advice on decorating wreaths to your own personal taste.
Click to order online

New items on online shop

17/11/2020

 
New ranges available at the nursery and to buy online now for home delivery:

*Freshly potted roses at £9.99 each.
*Freshly potted fruit trees at £29 each
*Pre-order bareroot fruit bushes now, including blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants, prices £1.99 to £5.99
*Fresh stocks of Viola Totally Mixes, Sugar Rush Wallflowers & Cyclamen.
*Pot-grown Christmas trees

Top sellers this month are the cut Christmas trees on pre-order. If you see any marked as sold out, please check back as we are working to secure a larger delivery for the end of this month!

Our spring-flowering bulbs are now in pots ready for selling early next year. If you don't want to wait please contact us as these potted plants can be sold on request.
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Order your Christmas trees now!

29/10/2020

 
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Just eight weeks to go ...

You can now pre-order your Christmas tree through our online shop! Choose the variety and size, and let us know whether you would like to collect it from the nursery or have it delivered to your door for free (selected areas of Suffolk only).

This year we will have non-drop Nordmann Firs and the traditional, scented Norway Spruces, in sizes ranging from 4ft to 8ft. If you want bigger, drop us a line!

As well as cut trees, we will also have the same varieties available as pot-grown plants. As they still have their roots they have the potential to last for many Christmasses to come!

You can also select to have one of our Christmas wreaths delivered with your tree.

Pot-grown trees will be available from mid November, and cut trees from late November.

Head to our Christmas & Winter page to find out more about our ranges, and visit our online shop to place your order!
Click to order online
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