Innholdsfortegnelse for 30-apr-16 i Amateur Gardening

ICAN’T remember why my wife, Kath and I decided to drive 20 odd miles to visit a plant nursery tucked away in the Dorset countryside last weekend. I usually just go to our local garden centre or one of the DIY chains for garden supplies. Wolvercroft World of Plants at Alderholt turned out to be an oasis of beautifully presented plants. I weaned myself off impulse buying years ago, and now I never buy a plant until I’m certain it’s what I want and need. But this was different. The only thing I had in mind that day was a selection of compact perennials and shrubs to fill in around the pond – a planting I’ve never got right in the past. Kath picked an unusual creeping thyme (a big…

A GREENHOUSE is a pretty essential tool if you are serious about your garden, and one has been on our wishlist for several years. The model we chose is a 8ftx6ft (2.4mx1.8m) greenhouse from Eden. It has a windowwith a heat-activated opener, plus staging running the length of one side, a small internal shelf, guttering and an attachment for a water butt. And because life doesn’t already have enough challenges, we decided to put it up ourselves, even though most suppliers will carry out the construction for an extra fee. You need weed-suppressing fabric, rubble and gravel for the foundations, as well as dry days to get the job done. Equip yourself with sturdy gloves, white spirit, and a selection of tools. It isn’t the easiest of DIY jobs, and…

1 From the edge of the parent plant’s crown, cut away a 4in (10cm) shoot which may also have a few roots attached. 2 Use a sharp knife to remove lower leaves from the severed shoot, and pinch out the growing tips. 3 Insert the cuttings around the edge of a pot of seed & cuttings compost and perlite – space them 2-3in (5-7cm) apart. 4 Cover the surface with coarse grit to anchor the plants and help stop waterlogging. Water the cuttings well.…

OVER the past few weeks, our house has become Seedling Central, and . almost every windowsill has its own quota of propagators containing seeds in various stages of germination. Opening and closing the curtains has become quite a challenge! The weeks of late April and early May are tricky ones for gardeners who grow from seed. While the days are warmer and lighter, nights can still be frosty. While these won’t be as severe as winter chills, they can still devastate crops of unprotected seedlings – even under glass. Conditions will vary depending on where you live. In the south, it is warm enough to move your windowsill plants into an unheated greenhouse. Open the door on warm days, keep it closed when it is colder, and place a layer…

1 Fill 3in (7.5cm) pots with a seed and cutting compost and, using a dibber, sow seed half an inch (1.5cm) deep. 2 Some gardeners prefer to sow two seeds in each pot, and later discard the weaker one after germination. 3 Stand the pots in a propagator at 18-20°C (64-68°F). Keep in a light place. Seed germinates in 7-10 days. 4 Young sweetcorn plants need to be gradually hardened off before planting out after any risk of late-frost.…

ARE you eagerly waiting for your crops to mature, desperate for those first precious pickings? I’ve been nibbling on baby radishes and finger-sized carrots for a few weeks now, but it’s good to have a few overwintered veg in place, too, as many of them are invaluable for filling the ‘hungry gap’ that can appear in April and May. One of my absolute favourites is purple sprouting broccoli, and while the pigeons have done their best to infiltrate my rather holey netting there are still plenty of spears for me to eat. While the purple sprouting is in the ground for a whole year, my little basil plants last a matter of weeks. Today I’ll showyou a dead simple way to keep those beautifully aromatic leaves coming all summer. Top…

IF you like to grow your plants from seed, April will have been a busy month. We may be at its end, but there is still time to sow a stunning display this summer. Some plants, such as agrostemma, amaranthus, eschscholzia, marigold, nasturtium, canary creeper and candytuft have a remarkably short period of germination. Sow them now, and they will guarantee colour in your beds and baskets in a few weeks’ time. I sowed marigolds and California poppies (eschscholzia) in seed trays, to germinate in the greenhouse and harden off before planting outside. Some quick-growers including marigold and eschscholzia are hardy, so you can sow them outdoors in patio pots and borders. If you sow in the ground, weed the area well and rake the soil to create a fine…

“Most herbs are spoiled by being treated too well” TO me, herbs are plants used in the kitchen for flavour. Of course there are others with more medicinal uses, but as interesting as ‘herbal herbs’ are, few of us today actually make our own cough medicine or foot lotion. We do love culinary herbs, however, and these are often the first we try to grow. After all, you don’t need much at a time so a window box can give a decent supply. Plus many herbs are as tough as old boots. They survive neglect well and develop even stronger flavours because of it. In fact, most herbs are spoiled by being treated too well. Add much water or fertilizer and plant growth and flavour becomes coarser and rank. There…

• 30 April: Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival, Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter, Devon EX6 8JQ. 01626 891133 tobygardenfest.co.uk • 29 April-8 May: Bluebell Festival, Enys Gardens, St Gluvias, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9LB. 01326 259885 enysgardens.co.uk • 30 April-2 May: May Day Festival, Hever Castle, Hever Rd, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG. 01732 865224, hevercastle.co.uk • 30 April-8 May: Bluebell Walks, Rode Hall & Gardens, Church Lane, Scholar Green, Cheshire ST7 3QP. 01270 873237 rodehall.co.uk • 1-2 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair, Weston Park, Shifnal, Shropshire TF11 8LE.planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 2 May: Plant Fair, Godinton House and Gardens, Godinton Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP. 01233 643854 godintonhouse.co.uk • 5-8 May: RHS Malvern Spring Festival The Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW. 01684 584 924 threecounties.co.uk/rhsmalvern • 7 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair (10am-4pm), Donington Le Heath…

HERBS offer all-round appeal. Most people grow them successfully in a small pot, they’re great for green-fingered cooks and the scent is irresistible. But, do herbs make good garden plants? Do they add to the framework of the garden in any way? The answer is yes. A whole border in my country garden is dedicated to herbs. It’s home to sage, oregano, lavender and angelica. The sage is a solid year-round plant that can be harvested even on Christmas Day to make stuffing. If kept neat and tight it is a valuable structural plant for a border. The same applies to lavender. However, left unkempt, unpicked and unpruned, these plants won’t offer much in the way of form, so it is up to you to make the most of them.…

ENSURE supports such as trellis or wire are in place before you plant. If planting against a wall or fence a 45cm (18in) gap between plant and wall will allow for the building’s rain shadow. Otherwise, a 20-30cm (8-12in) gap is sufficient. WAtER well after planting, then gently tip a sun-warmed bucket of water over them in dry spells. Use Flexi-tie ( flexi-tie.co.uk flexitie.co.uk) to tie in stems– this soft and bendy brown string will keep stems under control without cutting into them.…

A GARDEN kneeler is an essential item. Available in many shapes and sizes, kneelers are designed to take the pressure off your knees when working at ground level. Most are simple in design and offer a dry, clean and, more importantly, soft surface to kneel on. Added to that there’s a vast choice of brightly coloured, or attractively patterned, designs to choose from too. We’ve tried out one of every type, from budget foam to top of the range leather and even a kneeler that can convert into a stool. Put to the test in wet and muddy conditions all proved to be easy to wipe clean – the Bosmere, Haws, Garland and stool pad wiped down with a damp sponge. As dirt didn’t stick to the surface of the…

Thai basil Grow this aniseed-flavoured basil to recreate street food like pad kra pao gai (Thai basil chicken). Vietnamese coriander From specialist growers, it needs a heated greenhouse. Use in place of coriander or mint. Fenugreek The tangy flavour is useful for Middle Eastern dishes or teas (leaves) and curries (seeds). Shiso purple Citrusy member of the mint family, also known as perilla or Japanese basil. Great in stir fries or tempura.…

Moroccan mint The best variety for making refreshing mint tea, with a strong spearmint taste. Ideal for mint sauce or jelly, too. Lime mint Good in cocktails, and for sorbets and ice creams. Mainly spreads by surface runners, so is less invasive than some. Chocolate mint Smells and tastes like the famous after-dinner favourites. Works well in summer drinks and with ice cream. Apple mint Add this fruity herb to salads, brew with water for a warming tea or use to garnish cocktails and desserts.…

I REALLY enjoyed reading the article in AG (26 March) ‘Nothing says summer like Sunflowers’. I love sunflowers and enjoy growing them with the children I teach at Crosshall Infant School, St Neots. In 2015 we had a whole of school sunflower competition to see who could grow the tallest sunflower. We had well over 60 photographic entries with children standing by their ‘Russian Giants’, with prizes for the tallest in our four year groups. Oscar’s sunflower was the tallest at over four metres high! Last year we also grew a variety of sunflowers in our Nursery garden. Then in September all our new Nursery children had a ‘sunflower tour’ around a variety of different ones that had been grown during the summer, and they had their photograph taken next…

Gro-ables seed pod Miracle-Gro’s all-in-one seed, growing medium and feed comes ready to push into a pot of compost. Collection includes tomatoes and herbs. £2 each, Asda. Meadow mixes Problem solver seed mixes for wildflower fans, tackling issues like aphids (ladybird-attracting flowers) and dry soil. From £6.49, meadow inmygarden.co.uk. Easi-plant baskets Made from weatherproof recycled plastic, with clever slot-in side panels. Two sizes available. From £9.95 for two.unwins.co.uk…

“It might sound like madness to pull out the flowers” IF a man speaks in a forest and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong? I wouldn’t know, but I can say with certainty that if the forest floor is covered in Spanish bluebells and not English ones, that is very wrong indeed. On the whole, plants are only ‘wrong’ when chosen for the wrong purpose. Russian tarragon instead of French is wrong because only the delicate anise flavour of French tarragon is the real deal. If you want berries on your holly, then Ilex ‘Silver Queen’ is wrong as it’s a male and won’t bear fruit, unlike Ilex ‘Golden King’ which confusingly is female. Spanish bluebells are real wrong ’uns and I should know, as…

HERBS are something of a mainstay in my garden. I have planted variegated and blackcurrant sage, as well as fennel and feverfew, to add scent, colour and structure to the borders. Pots of sage, oregano, thyme, mint, and a bay tree, grow in containers by the back door for culinary use, and a large rosemary bush flourishes by the front door – all are within reach of the kitchen where they’re needed. After a time, many types of herb can become woody, leggy and a lot less productive. You can replenish their numbers by sowing seeds, but a more failsafe method of propagation is to take cuttings from various parts of the parent plants. There are several ways of doing this. Tarragon, for instance, can be multiplied in spring through…

Water the pot, label it, and place it in a cold frame. By next spring, the roots should have sprouted and established, and the plants can be potted on. 1 Fill a 5in (12cm) clay pot with compost and perlite. The clay pot lets air get to the roots, and helps prevent waterlogging. 2 Carefully dig up an established tarragon plant and cut 3in (7cm) lengths of stout, white root. 3 Take as many cuttings as you need, but no more than 1/3rd of the parent plant’s roots. Trim lateral growth on cuttings. 4 Lay them flat and gently press the cuttings into the compost. They should be just below the surface.…

• Pesticides are a useful tool, but be cautious when using them, as they can do more harm than good, and kill pollinators and beneficial insects. • Use pesticides on still mornings or evenings, where there is no wind to spread them to neighbouring blooms. • Avoid spraying plants when they are in flower and attractive to bees, and do not use them just before rain, as they could wash into the soil and eventually contaminate the water table.…

THE dark, cold winter months can be hard on citrus plants, even those wrapped in fleece in a greenhouse. Now the weather is warmer, they should be starting to put on new growth again, so start feeding and watering now. Citruses need regular applications of a high-nitrogen citrus food. Failing that, nitrogen-rich lawn food will do the job just as well. Stand the plant on a layer of gravel, and water from the top, using rainwater where possible. You should also mist the leaves as the weather gets warmer, to help maintain levels of humidity around the plant. Keep the air moving around the plant, but be prepared to wrap it up in fleece on nights when hard frosts are forecast. It is still too early to move them outdoors,…

PLANTING, nurturing, and harvesting your own veggies is, I think, one of the most satisfying bits of being a gardener. You can’t beat the taste of a freshly podded pea, creamy new potato cooked straight from the ground, or a plump raspberry picked while it’s still warm from the sun. Most fruit and veg are very versatile growers, so the good news is you don’t need a massive plot of land or allotment to produce some of your own crops. This year I have decided to grow some climbing French beans ‘Purple Cascade’ up canes in a large container. I have underplanted them with a mix of purple and green salad leaves, and hopefully they will be as attractive to grow as they are delicious to eat! Because they are…

I MUST mention first that there is an equally delicious white variety, but it seems to be the purple form that gets all the attention. The sizeable plants have been in the ground since last May, and they’ve been giving us regular pickings of their gourmet spears (flower buds) for almost a month now. The spears at the top of the plant mature first, and then the ones underneath – just snap them off with a 6in (15cm) length of stem. To cook, steam them, leaves and all. They are utterly delicious. This staggered maturity gives us a steady harvest when fresh veg are scarce, which is why I grow lots of them! Did you sow seeds this month for next year’s harvest? If not, step to it – you…

BACK in mid March I encouraged you to plant your early potatoes, and last week the maincrop varieties joined them. As these bulky tubers grow, their vigorous shoots push through the soil and the tubers themselves swell and jostle for space. If you planted your spuds through black plastic then you can relax – the cover keeps out light so even if the tubers do pop to the surface they won’t turn green (which causes them to become inedible). Those growing in pots can also feel smug. If you filled the containers to the top then again, you don’t need to do any more. But for those of us who grow in traditional ridges, we’ll need to draw up the soil around them as the foliage pokes through to prevent…

• My globe artichoke seedlings are still too small to plant out, so I have potted them on into larger containers. • I watered the plants and filled 4in (10cm) pots with John Innes No 2, which I also watered. I carefully lifted each artichoke from the seed tray , holding a leaf to support it. The rootball was lowered into the compost and firmed in. • They will stay in the greenhouse for a few weeks until they are large enough to harden off and plant out.…

1 Superbly piquant French tarragon (not the coarser Russian sort) never flowers. Divide it every three years. 2 Sweet cicely needs damp soil and space. Add the aniseed-flavoured flowers to dishes, drinks and salads. 3 Horseradish is easier to grow than wasabi – and better. Mix with garlic, chilli and mustard for a great hot relish. 4 Neapolitan/Greek small-leaved basil – the one I prefer for every tomato dish, cooked or fresh.…

SCENTED hardy annuals are thin on the ground, yet gardeners have forgotten the charms of Sweet sultan (Amberboa moschata). Willowy stems of grey-green leaves are joined, from June to September, by 3in (8cm) wide, soft but thistle-like flower heads on plants that reach 24in (60cm) high. In white and shades of pink, the blooms of this mixture resemble a mass of fragrant powder puffs and are good for picking too. In the garden Native to Turkey and the Caucasus, wild sweet sultan is adapted to poor, gritty soils but cultivated plants appreciate moderately fertile soil and full sun. I’m sowing mine at the end of a vegetable bed where the flowers will attract plenty of pollinating insects. Use them to fill nooks and crannies in a cottage garden and alongside…

EVERY gardener enjoys the satisfaction of growing from cuttings. For success always take them in the morning when plants are full of moisture. Place them in a plastic bag while collecting and ideally get them into compost straight away. Either choose a multi-purpose type with about 20 percent horticultural sand mixed in, or a cutting compost. Remove any flower buds and lower leaves. Make sure your pots and cutting tools are clean to avoid the spread of pest and disease. I find it easier to water compost before placing cuttings as they are less likely to be dislodged. Most plants, apart from those with silver or hairy foliage, will root quicker if covered with clear plastic. This increases the humidity but it’s important that the plastic does not touch the…

• The RHS Malvern Spring Festival runs from 5-8 May 2016. • It takes place at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW. • The show will be open from 9am until 6pm each day. • Advance tickets start at £15 for Royal Horticultural Society and Three Counties Agricultural Society members, and £17 for non-members. • Tickets are available to buy on the gate, with prices starting at £21. • For more information or to book tickets online go to rhs.org.uk/shows-events/malvern-spring-festival or book tickets over the phone by calling (0844) 338 7502.…

Sagaform Herb Scissors £5.95 + P&P £2.95 01202 736414 thekitchengiftco.com Chop awaywith these stainless steel scissors designed to make harvesting easier and quicker. The six blades are set at varying angles to ensure you get finely chopped leaves for cooking. Personalised Herb Board with Cutter £34.99 + P&P £3.99 0161 947 5900 GettingPersonal.co.uk Ideal as a present for any foodie gardener this beechwood herb board comes engraved with a name of your choice. The concave design is ideal for chopping herbs with the double-handled stainless steel mezzaluna. D. 8in (20cm) x H. 1 1 /4in (3cm). Raspberry Herb Pots £14.95 + P&P £3.95  annabeljames.co.uk Add a pop of colour to your windowsill and keep your herbs close to hand. Made from powder coated galvanized steel this set of three pots…

Basil Use for pesto to mix into pasta, or pistou to stir into soups. Delicious with tomatoes. Oregano This Med favourite perks up pizza, pasta, meat and vegetable dishes, and works well with tomatoes. Dill Team leaves with oily fish or mix with mayo for tasty potato salad. Use flowers for pickles; seeds in breads. Parsley Traditionally added to white sauce and served with fish. Grow flat leaf for robust flavour; curly for garnishes. Chives Chop leaves and sprinkle over salads or potatoes for a mild onion flavour. Pull flowers apart and add to salads.…

WITH their delicate looks and amazing staying power, alstroemerias are a favourite with flower fans. And these special border varieties – in a range of vibrant colours – make wonderful additions to the summer garden. Plant them in beds or in large pots on the patio. They are also suitable for growing in a greenhouse or polytunnel and will bloom profusely, providing you with armfuls of cut flowers through the summer and into autumn. The Border Alstroemeria Collection comprises one plant each of ‘Indonesian Summer’, ‘Lily White’, ‘Pretty in Pink’, ‘Rich and Rosy’ and ‘Salmon Princess’. Height: 28-35in (70-90cm). • 5 plants, one of each, for £24.95 Why not also try these other great value offers… Penstemon Pensham No garden is too small for a few penstemons – they can…

What is it? Small Alpine perennial with fern-like, grey-green leaves that are finely cut. Plants reach up to 8in (20cm) height and spread. Spring flowering around Easter – which is where the common name comes from – the blooms, up to 31/2in (8cm) across, are bell or cup shaped in white, pink or purple. The whole plant is smothered in fine, silky hairs. Why grow it? The relatively big, early flowers with bright yellow centres are eyecatching and subtle – a classy addition to rockeries, Alpine beds or any sunny, free-draining border edge in the garden. Pulsatilla does well in pots, too. It’s real attraction is the brushes of fern-like narrow leaves smothered in silky hairs. It’s hard to stop yourself stroking the plant as though it were a cat.…

1 Using a sharp, clean gardening knife, cut a 3in (7cm) piece of new growth from the parent plant. Strip off the lower leaves. 2 Insert the cuttings into damp, fresh seed & cuttings compost. If you can’t do so straight away, put cuttings in a plastic bag to keep them moist. 3 Cover the cuttings with a plastic bag or propagator lid, and keep them light and warm. Pot on the seedlings when they root, in around a month.…

• You can root some herbs, such as sage, by placing cuttings in a pot of fresh tap water. Roots should start to emerge within a week or two. • When they are well established, place the cutting in a 3in (7cm) pot, and carefully sprinkle slightly damp compost mixed with perlite around the roots. • Firm in the cutting, and leave it somewhere light and warm to grow. Don’t let the compost dry out.…

SOME gardeners can be wary of taking cuttings, worried that they will damage the parent plant, or end up with lots of pots of failed and drooping shoots. However, taking basal shoot cuttings is a fast, fuss-free way of multiplying treasured perennials such as lupins, lamium and delphiniums. These plants form dense clumps, or grow tap roots. Take cuttings in late spring when plants grow strongly. You will need a clean, sharp knife, a mix of seed & cuttings compost and perlite, a clean plastic bag, and a 5in (12cm) clay pot. Put cuttings in the bag when you remove them, to stop them drying out. Use clay pots, because they are porous, allowing air to the roots which helps prevent waterlogging. TopTip Taking basal cuttings means that the plants…

“Thymes will be kept full of fresh young foliage” WHEN potting on and planting up containers it continues to surprise me that so few people are aware of a simple way to get plants safely into their new positions without damage to roots and top. Demonstrating to children I describe it as ‘the inverted sand castle technique’, which they always love doing. The process involves watering the plant well first, then removing its pot. The pot is positioned in a new larger container and fresh compost filled in around it. Where it is not quite upright and straight amongst the fresh compost it is simply a matter of emptying out and starting again until the correct positioning is achieved. Carefully remove the empty pot, and the plant rootball will drop…

NOTHING beats the taste of homegrown veg – but there’s one crop that’s simply top for flavour, and that’s sweetcorn. Picked fresh from the veg plot in late-summer and walked 30 seconds to the kitchen, it’s a treat when cooked and eaten dripping with butter. Home-grown cobs are simply sweeter and tastier than any you can buy at a supermarket. Sweetcorn can be sown outdoors, but the soil is still too cold, so I prefer to start mine off in pots in a greenhouse or conservatory during April or May. These young plants will establish faster, and reach harvest stage earlier, than direct-sown sweetcorn. I’m sowing an F1 hybrid called ‘Lark’ (circled) which has an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM). It’s an easy-to-grow, extra-sweet, high-yielding variety. The key to…

1 Place crocks in the base of a big container, and fill it with a mix of multi-purpose and loamy compost. 2 Make a wigwam with 6 x 6ft (1.8m) canes, tying them at the top. Plant one or two bean plants around each 3 Plant the salad leaves in between. Leave the central area empty – it will be shaded out as the beans grow. 4 Water the container well, and check moisture levels regularly. Tie in the beans as they grow up the canes.…

1 I like to have batches of this tasty herb to pick all summer long, and have found an easy way to guarantee it. Sow pots like this every 4-6 weeks and you’ll get a succession of leaves. 2 Fill pots with seed and cuttings compost, water well and scatter your basil seeds thinly on top. Water in lightly and cover with a clear plastic bag. Place in warmth (at least 18°C). 3 Once germinated, cut open the top of the bag and insert short sticks to keep it open (leave in place till harvest). Grow on in warmth, sowing more batches once these are 4in (10cm) tall.…

YOU can in theory sow parsnips earlier in the year, but they germinate very slowly on colder soils, so I wait till April or early May when things have warmed up a little. This produces slightly smaller roots (I’m not keen on the whoppers) and is said to reduce the likelihood of canker infection, too. There are a few ground rules with parsnips – always buy fresh seeds (they don’t store) and don’t sow in stony soil as roots may fork or be distorted. Where I garden at East Donyland Hall the earth is quite gritty, but the retired head gardener gave me some good advice for this job. Use a heavy pole to make holes around 12in (30cm) deep and 2in (5cm) wide, fill these with compost and sow…

1 Fill a new (or clean) seed tray with seed compost. Sieve it to remove debris that can hinder germination. 2 Water the compost and sow seeds thinly on its surface. This reduces the risk of damping off disease. 3 Cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost, or compost mixed with vermiculite, to help air circulation. 4 Cover the seeds. Keep them somewhere warm and light until they germinate, then remove the lid.…

THIS Sunday (1 May) is International Dawn Chorus Day. An annual event, it celebrates both spring and the time when birds across the country are welcoming a new day with song. The event began in the 1980s when broadcaster and environmentalist Prof Chris Baines held a 4am birthday party so all the guests could enjoy the dawn chorus with him. From this small Birmingham-based event it has now grown into one celebrated as far afield as the Caribbean and even Antarctica. The dawn chorus, of course, is not just a phenomenon to delight wildlife enthusiasts. It’s all about the birds and their communications. Males will be singing to attract females, whilst females will be singing to warn others not to come too close to the nest. Amongst the cacophony you…

WITH such a large vegetable patch our petrol-powered rotavator saves hours of slaving with a spade. The result is wonderful and visitors to the garden always admire the soil. Rotavating a very dry clay soil is just as tricky as working a wet clay soil. Therefore I choose a day when our clay soil here is just moist. Petrol tillers (ideal for smaller veg patches) and rotavators can be hired, so if you have a new allotment or need to tackle an unworked soil they could be the answer. If you’re looking for something lighter to use go for an electric tiller.…

How do I grow Fritillaria imperialis? Q I have a Fritillaria imperialis which always flowers, so last autumn I planted more. Two of these produced foliage but no flowers. What’s wrong? Diane Ford, Runcorn, Cheshire A Fritillaria imperialis (crown imperial) are magnificent bulbs, growing up to 3ft (1m) tall and producing great whorls of orange, or yellow flowers which resemble church bells as they hang down. The flower head is crowned by a tuft of bright-green lance-shaped leaves which protect flowers from the rain. These come on thick stems that support bright-green leaves, waved at the margins. It’s one of my favourite spring bulbs for herbaceous borders, and one which I have had the pleasure of seeing growing in their thousands in the wild in Iran. Your situation…

Make the dough by mixing together 110g (4oz) butter and 55g (2oz) caster sugar and gradually adding 170g (6oz) plain flour, along with a teaspoon of lavender flowers or other herbs such as chopped sage, lemon thyme, lemon verbena or rosemary leaves. Roll out mixture to about 1cm (1/2in) thick, cut into rounds and place on a greased baking tray. Cook in an oven pre-heated to 190°C/ gas mark 5 for about 10 minutes, until pale biscuit colour. Remove and cool on a wire rack.…

In the family way? A VERY fat pied wagtail came visiting yesterday and it didn’t seem at all concerned as I moved in closer to get a photo. I don’t know if he was plumped up to try and dry out after the rain or was just fat. Perhaps he or she had filled up on my offerings or was possibly full of eggs ready to lay them? Jennifer Lang, Cinderford, Gloucs. Jenny says... Apparently birds don’t have ‘pregnancies’ nor do they store eggs in their bodies. An egg is formed just two days before it’s laid, and only one at a time. My tulip heaven YOU asked us to respond about whether we leave our tulips in the ground or throw them away (AG 16 April). I always have…

Outdoors is the new indoors THE range of structures that enable you to stay outside in all weathers has never been greater. Top choices are summerhouses, wooden gazebos and pavilions, but they are on the pricey side. So why not update your shed instead. Add some colourful paint on the outside and a comfy chair and table inside – tidy tools to make room. Some gardeners are even evicting vehicles from their covered carports and using the space for seed sowing and propagating. Bee happy AS awareness grows about dwindling bee populations and the risk this poses to crop pollination, more and more of us are sowing bee-friendly annuals and choosing single-flowered perennials over the less accessible double flowers. Top spring picks include crocus, hellebore and flowering currant, followed by…