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Spring to life

Fri, 01 May 2020 17:03:09 GMT

Spring bulbs

Spring wouldn't really be spring without daffodils somewhere in the garden. There are some wonderful dwarf varieties like Tete a tete and Jetfire for smaller gardens or planters. The taller varieties are so numerous that it's hard to pick a favourite. If you want something a little different, Thalia is a good choice. It's part of a group called Triandrus daffodils and has two flower heads per stem. The creamy white flowers have reflexed petals. If you have a lawn that isn't too manicured, it would be perfect for small species daffodils. The best sort for naturalising are Narcissus pseudonarcissus. That's a bit of a mouthful for what is really just a wild daffodil. Narcissus is the latin name for the daffodil family. For more wild areas like an orchard, taller varieties like N. poeticus and N. actaea are beautiful.

Many crocuses are also good for naturalising in grass. In fact, I always think they look so much better in a grassy setting than in flowerbeds. One of the best I have seen in this setting is C. tommasinianus. Forty Hall in North London, just inside the M25, is a great place to see bulbs in spring. The lawns are carpeted with crocii and the rough grass of the orchard has large drifts of snowdrops.

Unfortunately spring bulbs are often left out of planting schemes as most have to be planted in Autumn. Bulbs really only look good when planted in large numbers so buying them ready grown can be very expensive. Packs of 20, 50 and 100 bulbs are very cost effective and large groups can be planted fairly quickly in the spaces that appear between herbaceous plants.

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

PAR002_123@heg.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:40:59 GMT

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

Make a list

Lists are great ways to stay on track. Write down some big things you want to accomplish and some smaller things, too.

Check the list regularly

Don’t forget to check in and see how you’re doing. Just because you don’t achieve the big goals right away doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Reward yourself

When you succeed in achieving a goal, be it a big one or a small one, make sure to pat yourself on the back.

Think positively

Positive thinking is a major factor in success. So instead of mulling over things that didn’t go quite right, remind yourself of things that did.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

PAR002_123@heg.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:40:59 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

PAR002_123@heg.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:40:58 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.