Posts by Emma Emmerson

Our bare rooted hedging price list and order form is now ready.
You can open the form by clicking here or you can collect one in person from Woodside. We do not carry bare-rooted stock at Woodside, so all requirements for heding must be pre-ordered and paid for using the form.

Buying hedging as bare-rooted plants (that is without compost or pots) is much more cost effective than buying them as potted plants. While container grown plants are available all year round, bare-rooted plants are only available during the dormant season, usually November to February, when they are lifted from the ground with the minimum amount of disturbance to them. Once received plants should be planted as soon as possible to prevent the exposed roots from drying out, or if that’s not possible they can be heeled in to a spare patch of ground ready to be transplanted into their permanent position at a later date.

Some evergreen hedging plants such as hollies and Leylandii are best purchased as potted plants, as they can dry out very quickly without the protection of compost, and so are unlikely to plant out successfully.  Deciduous plants suitable for planting as bare-rooted plants include hawthorn, sloes, beech, hazel, wild roses, and hornbeam. A good mix of plants can provide a thriving hedgerow habitat for wildlife fairly quickly after planting.

How to plant bare rooted hedging

In general, I would recommend that bare rooted hedging plants are planted at a maximum of 3 per metre (about 1ft apart) for a single row. If you are looking for a thicker hedge, then a double staggered row is the way to plant them – this means you need 5 per metre.

To plant, you need to prepare the ground thoroughly; your hedge will be there for a long time and this will be your only opportunity to improve the soil. Clear the site of weeds, and dig over well, removing any weed roots. Use a garden line to dig out a straight trench about 25cm deep and add a good weed-free compost (either your own home-made compost or a bought bagged one such as Rose Tree and Shrub planting compost) and well-rotted manure, and fork into the base of the trench. Return the soil to the trench, adding a good handful per metre of Bonemeal or Growmore.

Separate your bundles of hedging into individual plants, and place in the trench, adding a sprinkle of Rootgow to the base of each plant.  Firm down the soil well around the plants, and water them in. You also need to be prepared to water them regularly for the first year during dry spells, just until the roots get established.

If you need any advice on hedging plant selection, just give us a phone on 01835 830315, or visit Woodside and have a chat to us.

Due to Storm Amy, our annual Apple Festival to be held this weekend has now been rescheduled until next weekend 11th & 12th October 2025. There will be the same apple themed activities, appley food and drink, an amazing display of local apples, trade stands and information stalls as planned – just hopefully better weather! The event will run from 10am – 4pm on both days, and has FREE admission and FREE parking.

Please note that if you able able could you park at nearby Harestanes Visitor Centre and take the short walk through the trees to Woodside. This will leave our car park available for those less mobile, and for the collection of purchases.

Our autumn planting onion sets have just arrived and we are selling these loose by weight, so you can purchase as few or as many as you would like.

Choose from Autumn Champion or Red Winter.

Our recommended shallot for autumn planting is Shallot Jermor, and that is ready too.

How to Grow Autumn Onions

Onion sets are small immature onions, which have been grown from seed in the previous year, and then harvested early so that they can be planted out a later date. Autumn planted sets will provide the grower with a distinct advantage of an early harvest in the following year.

Onions can be grown in beds or containers. Growing onions from sets in containers is ideal for those who want a small, steady supply of bulbs as and when needed, with any surplus being dried and stored for later use. Make sure that the pots selected have good drainage holes, and raise them up on pot feet to prevent waterlogging. Fill large pots or containers with good quality compost such as Growmoor Vegetable Compost. Firm the soil surface and apply water with a watering can and rose attachment. Use a dibber or gently push the sets into the soil, at 10cm spacing, so that only the tips are visible. Place the container in a sunny position.

Prepare planting beds, usually after other main crop vegetables have been harvested, and incorporate plenty of organic matter. Onions will grow best in well-drained soil in a sunny position. Rake the surface soil to a fine tilth and firm with the back of a rake. Push the sets into the soil so only the tips are showing. Space each set at 10cm apart in the rows and 30cm between the rows. If the birds pull them out, just keep pushing them back in until the roots are sufficiently formed to anchor them on place.

If the autumn is mild then the sets will begin to show signs of growth with green shoots appearing. Onions are very hardy but if early hard frosts are forecast then ensure these young shoots are protected with frost fleece. Water sparingly and only if the soil dries out, otherwise they should over winter without any problems. Water as normal when temperatures rise during late spring.

Over winter, the onions will be dormant and pests and diseases will be less troublesome. Come the spring, look out for signs of yellowing leaves, rust, mildew and mould.  Avoid feeding young plants with nitrogen-rich fertilisers. Onion fly is a known pest but rarely affects plants grown from sets.

Autumn planted onion sets should be ready for harvesting from early June in the following year, which is 2-3 months ahead of spring planted sets. Store in a cool dry place.

Grow Your Own Garlic

Our first batch of garlic is also now in stock – Elephant Garlic in pre-packs. If you haven’t tried growing garlic before, here is our How to Grow Garlic Guide

Other varieties will become available in the next few weeks. We always sell out of these very quickly so don’t delay.

We’ve been to three auctions in the last seven days, so Stephen has a lot more of his salvage and vintage garden range of products available now.

We are particularly pleased with a pair of late 18th Century/early 19th Century carved sandstone urns which are absolutely gorgeous, with excellent weathering, and have a really good look about them. We hardly ever get the chance to purchase urns of such age and quality and they came out of a farm garden near Carlisle where they had been for as long as the owner could remember. These are priced at £1850 for the pair. For more information about the urns click here.

Look out too for a vintage railway bench of approximately 3m in length which could comfortably seat six people. Its a Colebrookdale style bench in the branch form, with timber which could do with some renovation, and is currently painted in an attractive bright blue. It’s priced at £650. To see more of our vintage garden furniture, click here.

From a private garden in Northumberland we have purchased a pair of cast iron urns on plinths which are a real statement piece, standing around 1.5m high in total. They  are really stunning and would work in a small courtyard as well as in a grander scale garden. We have these at £1950 for the pair of urns and the matching plinths

For a smaller budget we have also got lots more tools and knick-nacks for the garden shed, so do pop in and have a look in our blue shop to see the full range. There’s bound to be something that will come in useful!

We look forward to seeing you soon.

It’s the time of year when our gardens are looking bright and colourful, with many herbaceous plants at their best. They are doing particularly well this year after enjoying a warm and sunny spring and the early summer rain.

At Woodside we have a great range of herbaceous plants – these are flowering plants that die down for the winter and then come back year after year. Some of my favourites are recommended below:

Hemeracollis – Day Lilies. These are some of the easiest plants to grow and have masses of showy lily like blooms. We have available Cathy’s Sunset (Orange), Parden Me (Crimson), Edge Ahead (Pink) and Stella d’Ora (Yellow). Plant in a sunny spot in any garden soil that doesn’t waterlog.

Hardy Geraniums – these are looking wonderful in my garden at home just now, and are a perfect trouble-free plant for all gardeners. The bigger varieties can be chopped back after flowering to produce a second burst of flower later in the year. Our selection of large varieties includes Orion (Blue), Red Admiral (Deep reddish pink) magnificum (Blue) and psilostemon (Magenta pink with dark eye). Shorter varieties suitable for smaller spaces and rockeries include Orkney Cherry (dark purple leaves with a small but pretty pink flowers) and sanguineum Max Frei (low growing with pink flowers). Hardy Geraniums are a personal favourite of mine.

Astrantia Gill Richardson – a robust plant that flowers for weeks on end. This particular variety has ruby red papery flowers, and is highly recommended and makes a change from the usual cream and pale pink varieties

Erigeron – Fleabane. Ignore the rather unappealing common name – these are attractive plants with masses of daisy-like flowers. We currently have the popular sprawling variety Erigeron karvinskianus “Profusion” in stock, as well as the upright growing “Adria” which has pink flowers.

Aster laterifolius “Lady In Black” – this one really caught my eye this week. This unusual type of Michaelmas Daisy (now sometimes called Symphyotrichum) has black stems and purple leaves and masses of tiny pinky-white flowers in summer. Really worth adding to the garden.

Ageratina altissima “Chocolate” – another purple leaved plant to give some foliage interest in the garden; this one has fluffy white flowers which contrast beautifully with the leaves

Cephalaria gigantea (Giant Scabious). This really is a giant, easily growing to 5 feet or more when in the right place, so a good back of border plant. Lemon coloured scabious type flowers are produced in summer. A real statement plant

These are just a few of my very favourite herbaceous plants – there are many more to choose from including a good selection of ferns, Hostas and grasses, and we also have fig plants in stock just now for the greenhouse or conservatory (or for a south facing wall in a sheltered spot if you’re lucky enough to have this).

Do come and visit Woodside to appreciate our full range of plants for sale, and for inspiration on how to fill any gaps you might have in the garden. Planting conditions are very good just now, with some welcome rain forecast.

With the continuing good weather it is still really busy in our plant centre and tea room. We have new deliveries of plants arriving almost daily to keep up with demand, so I can’t really give you a list of what we currently have in stock because some lines are being sold as soon as they are off the pallet!

What I can say is that we continue to have an excellent selection of bedding plants, vegetable plants, aquatic plants and plenty of herbaceous perennials to fill your borders. I would highly recommend that you come along and see for yourself  – you are sure to find something that takes your fancy. Whilst you are here, why not spend some time exploring the walled garden and admiring the plants that benefit from the sunny aspect? You will see some lovely fruit trees and if you search enough you will find our secret wildlife garden, complete with a lovely pond, where you can sit and relax for a few minutes.

We have also re-vamped the outdoor area around the tea room, so there are even more places to sit and enjoy coffee, cake or one of our lunches.

We are open all bank holiday weekend and anticipate that it will be very busy – we are so in need of rain that I am not sure whether the slightly damp forecast will put anyone off. If you want the best selection of plants it might be worth coming before the weekend if you can.

We are now fully stocked with summer bedding plants, with one of the best selections we have ever had. Look out for bedding packs of:
Ageratum, Begonia, Cosmos, Gazania, Geranium, Impatiens, Lobelia, Marigold, Mesembryanthemum, Mimulus, Nemesia, Nicotiana, Pansy, Petunia, Salvia, Stocks and Verbena.

In our Tub and Basket plant range you can choose from:
Bacopa, Bidens, Brachyscome, Calibrachoa, Fuchsia, Helichrysum, Trailing Nepeta, Petunia, Surfinia, Verbena and trailing and non-stop Begonias.

We also have trailing and zonal variegated Geraniums and Regal Pelargoniums, so plenty of choice for your borders, beds, pots and hanging baskets. Remember to use a Container Compost which has added nutrients and water retaining granules to help keep your plants strong and healthy. Or you could add water retaining granules to Multi-purpose compost and slow release fertiliser tablets or granules to make your own mix.

Vegetable Plants
As far as the vegetable garden in concerned, we have a huge choice of young vegetable plants:
Cabbage
Calabrese
Cauliflower
Chard
Kale
Kelsae onions
Kohl Rabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Onions
Oriental leaves
Pak Choi
Runner Beans
Shallots
Sprouts

Tomato plants are selling very fast, and are likely to sell out this weekend, so please do call in and pick out what you’d like. Our varieties are: Ailsa Craig, Alicante, Beefsteak, Gardener’s Delight, Golden Plum, Shirley, Sungold, & Tumbling Tom. We are struggling for space just now so we can’t hold tomato plants for you, so please come in and collect. Other vegetable plants available are: Chilli Peppers, Sweet Peppers, Courgettes and Pumpkins.

Other Plant Centre Highlights
Elsewhere in the plant centre we now have a batch of Verbena bonariensis ready. That’s the really tall mauve flowered plants that really comes into it’s own in late summer and early autumn. These are just young plants at £3.50 each, but are very fast growing and best treated as an annual in this area.

Two new varieties of Cotinus (Smoke Bush) are also available – Magical Torch and Magical Red Fountain. Both have pretty dusky purple foliage.
A fresh delivery of pond plants and cold water fish have also just arrived, including water lilies and marginals.

Our selection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas is looking amazing with masses of bud and flower. Remember to plant in ericaceous compost to maintain their required acidic conditions.
Paeonies are also looking really good – our varieties are Duchess de Nemours and Bowl of Beauty, as well as a good choice of Tree Paeonies.

For shady spots we have a great choice of ferns and Hostas all looking fresh and green. Remember to protect Hostas from slugs and snails.

Now that spring is well and truly here (isn’t it wonderful?) our aquatics department is now open for the summer. We stock coldwater fish, pond plants, self contained water features (including solar options), pumps, liners and everything else needed to make or maintain a beautiful pond feature.

This is always our busiest time of year, so apologies that we haven’t been able to send out a decent detailed newsletter to everyone on the list – suffice to say we are having frequent deliveries to keep you well-supplied for your garden. here are some of this week’s highlights:

1. Vegetable plants are now in stock including tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and sprouts
2. New season’s climbing plants are ready – clematis, jasmines, honeysuckles and climbing hydrangea
3. A new range of garden statues and wall plaques has just been delivered.

For a list of the many jobs you can be doing in the garden this month, take a look at our guide to Gardening Tasks for April

We look forward to seeing you soon.