Everything is full of life at Riverside right now - plants and people everywhere! With spring coming to its height and summer just around the corner, it's a wonderful time for gardeners of all ages and abilities. We hope you'll find something to inspire you in this month's newsletter...
Riverside will again be celebrating National Children's Gardening Week, which this year runs from Saturday 27th May to Sunday 4th June. We will have free Peter Rabbit themed activity packs and seeds for children to take away, plus activities to do while here. The aim of the week is to nurture children's enthusiasm for growing things in the garden. This time of year, with warmer temperatures and longer days, is an ideal time for starting seeds for quick and exciting results!
We look forward to welcoming you and your young gardeners over the week ahead. If you would like some extra ideas for gardening with children have a look at our blog on the link below.
It's that wonderful time of year when our gardens are finally filling out and the first swathes of early summer flowers appear. If you have gaps to fill in your borders or pots we have lots of loveliness to tempt you with, including the hugely popular Salvia 'Hot Lips', Foxgloves (both classic and modern hybrid varieties), Rhodanthemum, Nepeta (Catmints), Geums (including some varieties that will continue flowering all summer) and Poppies ready to pop! For shadier spots we also have Polygonatum (Solomon's Seal), Hostas and Astilbes. Just ask us if you need any help choosing the perfect plant for you.
Fields of lavender
It's also at this time of year that the garden centre begins to fill with a glorious range of Lavenders. It's one of the plants we're getting asked about most right now!
Lavender is a versatile plant and fairly undemanding as long as it has well drained soil and a sunny spot. It can be grown in a pot (particularly the more compact varieties) or in a border, can be used to create a fragrant hedge or a low edging for a bed. And the flowers are truly a favourite of bees and other pollinators.
Summer romance
Two icons of the romantic English summer garden must surely be the Peonies and Roses. The two go well together too, as the conditions they thrive in are similar, with herbaceous peonies and most roses both requiring around 5-6 hours of sun a day for good flowering. Peonies peak a bit earlier than roses and flower for a shorter period - as most roses will repeat flower through the summer - but for fans of sumptuous blooms and scent, both plants are firm favourites. We have a lovely selection to choose from.
Succulent Island
Our outdoor succulent plant display - nicknamed 'Succulent Island' by our staff - is back and better than ever. Customers are clearly enjoying it, as we have found ourselves restocking it fairly constantly over the past couple of weeks!
We have assembled a wide range of unusual and eye catching plants, which can be grown individually or in groups in an alpine planter or similar. All you need is a sunny spot and some gritty compost. Two of our favourites are the amazing Aeonium, with its architectural rosettes, and the vividly flowered, creeping mats of Delosperma.
Unicornfest is coming to Riverside!
This summer a magical creature will be visiting us here at Riverside. From 3rd July to 3rd September a unicorn will be gracing our grounds! It's all part of Unicornfest and the Bristol Unicorn Trail, which forms part of the city's 650th anniversary celebrations.
Find out more about the celebrations below, and stay tuned for more news of our unicorn next month...
