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May

Billowing masses of scented white & pink blossom fill country lanes and in woodlands stunning drifts of our native Bluebells are one of nature’s most gorgeous sights.

Gardening Jobs for May

You may have noticed the cooler days of spring are slowly starting to wane and the summer sun is just around the corner.

Now is the time to think about mowing the lawn. If you do this weekly it will become a much easier task.

Bedding plants will need to be fed with the warmer weather setting in; they will rapidly soak up the fertiliser in the compost so use an All Purpose Plant Feed.

As there is still a risk of late frosts do not keep tender plants outside just yet! Gradually harden them off by popping them outside during the day and bringing them back in over night.

Place supports onto perennials that are likely to start leaning.

Pests like nice weather – so watch out for slugs, snails and little monsters such as aphids. Keep a bottle of insect repellent nearby.

If you have not already used a slow release fertilser around your beds and borders, do so now. Miracle-Gro Slow Release is ideal, giving you season long feed for your plants.

Plants which start to look good in May are Rhododendron, Azaleas, Clematis and Wisteria.

Wildlife Gardening for May

Birds will be busy rearing their young. The adults will still appreciate food on the bird table & feeders. Large pieces of food could choke baby birds, so please be careful. 

Give your bird bath a good clean and then keep it topped up with fresh water. 

Newly arrived migrant birds will appreciate nest boxes, you can also put-up bat boxes too.

When working around the garden be careful not to disturb bird nests. 

Do not put out bread and milk for hedgehogs. We recommend Tom Chambers Hungry Hedgehog Blend. 

You can take part in ‘No Mow May’ and leave that lawn cutting for another month. This is great for wildlife!

Choose flowers that attract bees and other pollinating insects and leave logs, twigs and rocks laying in a heap to make an ideal wildlife shelter. Or we have Bug Hotels in store which you can simply pop in your garden. 

For all your gardening needs, our award winning staff are always on hand to be of assistance.

Free tips, friendly advice and special offers

Our residents, Pip and May, are here to help!

Keep your eyes peeled for Pip and May, who are here to answer your FAQs and provide helpful gardening tips.

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Customer Comments

We love hearing from our customers. We pride ourselves on our outstanding service and it’s wonderful to hear of the experiences our customers have had whilst shopping in the garden centre. 

The Garden CentreTo Visit in Essex

We have parking spaces for up to 450 cars and easy access both onto and off of the A127, which is the main dual-carriage way into Southend-on-Sea. The A127 is off Junction 29 of the M25 which is a 10 minute drive to our door. Plan your visit to Summerhill today. We can’t wait to see you.

Summerhill Garden Centre, Pipps Hill Road North, A127 Arterial Road, Billericay, Essex CM11 2UJ