VOTE AND WIN!
This weekend is the last chance you can vote for St Bridget Nurseries in the Greatest Awards 2008.
There are three categories that the company is entering:
The Greatest Plant Sales Team,
The Greatest Garden Centre Team
To vote, go to www.thegreatestawards.co.uk or text
PLANT ST BRIDGET to 87023
or GARDEN ST BRIDGET to 87023
Text votes cost 50p plus your normal charges, at least 23p of each vote will go to The Greenfingers Appeal which creates gardens at Children's Hospices.

You can also vote for your favourite restaurant at St Bridget Nurseries' Garden Centres.
vote for either:
The Plantsmans Cafe at Old Rydon Lane
or The Coffee House at Clyst St Mary

YOUR VOTE COULD WIN YOU A £50 NATIONAL GARDEN GIFT TOKEN
VOTE NOW!

St Bridget Nurseries gets into the Neighbourhood...

On Monday, one of the senior managers at St Bridget Nurseries got out of the office and went to nearby Exeter neighbourhood of Clyst Heath thanks to the Digby Residents' Association.

First stop was Clyst Heath Nursery and Community Primary School where the children have grown Snap Dragons from seed. Each class was judged to see who grew the 'biggest and brightest' Snapdragon as part of the summer gardening competition. There were some fantastic entries and judging a winner was really difficult. some of the classes had even considered their presentation using coloured sand to decorate the top of the soil and tissue paper around the pots. Every child taking part will receive a certificate and the winners are going to be presented with a prize and framed certificate tonight.

After leaving the school, St Bridget Nurseries went for a walk around the houses to see the entries in the 'Best Front Garden' and 'Best planted container' classes. Again judging was really difficult as everyone had clearly put in so much effort. The judges were looking for eye catching designs, that used the space available including the vertical (which is quite often forgotten in gardens) along with good plant health.

The winners will be announced at the Clyst Heath Nursery and Community Primary School fete tonight starting from 5pm. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Smith, will be attending the school fete from 6.00 pm to present certificates and prizes which include vouchers for St Bridget Nurseries.

Plant Bedding!

The risk of a frost has largely gone now so it is safe to start planting out your bedding plants. St Bridget Nurseries grow their own bedding plants on their nursery in Exeter, Devon. The company grows hundreds of varieties from old favourites like fuchsias and geraniums to stunning new verbena and Dahlia varieties. Buying your plants from a local supplier should mean that the plants have been hardened off to conditions correctly. St Bridget Nurseries grow their bedding plants in huge greenhouses and then once they are large enough they get moved to a polytunnel outside and then out to their garden centres.

Get your bedding plants off to a great start by planting them in a moisture control compost. This will help you as you will have to water them less frequently. Don't forget to give them a feed while you water though and also protect plants from slugs and snails while they are settling in.

Finally, if you thought bedding was just to do with sheets you may want to take 'The bedding Plant Expert' by Dr D.G. Hessayon to bed with you! It's a great book that will make sure you become an expert, only £6.99 from St Bridget Nurseries Garden Centres.

Pest Watch

Look out for the troublesome Vine Weevil larvae. They are real pests especially if found in containers where they will eat the roots of your plants causing them to wilt and die. Adult beetles will be a sign that eggs could be around. Protect your plants using Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2.

Lovely tasty tomatoes!

If you are busy growing your own tomatoes at home and want to ensure you get a bumper crop of tasty fruit, then make sure you water your plants regularly and give them a feed. Traditional tomato bags are great but they are quite shallow in deoth and so plants dry out quickly. Mix in Tomorite (tomato feed) with your water and you should get great results. A 1 litre bottle of Levington Tomorite is only £3.49 from St Bridget Nurseries' Garden Centres in Exeter.