Innholdsfortegnelse for 21-may-16 i Amateur Gardening

CHELSEA Flower Show used to be seen as just for posh people. Ordinary gardeners who knew their place stayed well away. But like top-of-the-range cars, exotic long-haul holidays and Michelin starred restaurants, nowadays we can all get a piece of the action if we’re prepared to pay the price. Any member of the public who bought a ticket for the show before 21 April could have had an all-day ticket on the Thursday (the first public day) for £61. Pricey enough, you might think. However, after that date the RHS raised the price for the same tickets to £100. Isn’t that what ticket touts do? Yes, you can get tickets more cheaply for part day entry – but if you live outside of London and have paid to travel a…

• Lupin: Tall, eye-catching spires of florets in different colours, with distinctive palmate (hand-shaped) leaves. • Echinacea: Vivid pink members of the daisy family, also known as coneflowers. Much-loved by beneficial pollinators. • Campanula: Clump-forming perennial types are extremely attractive to bees, but can be invasive if allowed to run free. • Penstemon: A late-summer bloomer with distinctive, bell-shaped flowers on thin stems, in many colours. • Ornamental grasses: From rabbit-tailed pennisetum to black mondo grass (inset), they contribute year-round interest. • Astrantia major: This clump-forming perennial has intricate flowers that are variously white through to dark red.…

WE have two lemon trees. The older, larger one lost most of its leaves over the past winter, which I suspect was due to being kept in an unheated garage with insufficient light. It has now been moved to the new greenhouse and is slowly – fingers crossed – picking up, with new leaf buds emerging. I am keeping an eye on it, but have every hope of coaxing it back to its former glory. The second, younger plant looks happy enough, with two small lemons and lots of lush greenery. I want to keep it looking good, so it will stay in the greenhouse until mid-June, when I will move it to a sheltered, sunny spot on the patio. TopTip Citrus plants are hungry and need a high-nitrogen liquid…

NOW is the time to give some of your herbaceous perennial plants the ‘Chelsea chop’. This pruning method is given this rather curious name because it is generally carried out now, coinciding with the time of the Chelsea Flower Show (give or take a week or two). Essentially it is a way of pruning back herbaceous border plants, enabling you to control the flowering time, as well as the size and amount of bloom. The Chelsea chop is not suitable for all perennials, however. Those that flower in June tend to suffer badly if given the chop now – they’ll be cut back just before they’re in their prime, and will have wasted a lot of energy. But many that flower in April and early May can be encouraged to…

WHEN I worked at a garden centre, plant-shoppers often asked me: “What type of flowers does it have?” Gardeners are often guilty of obsessing over flowers at the expense of foliage. But with some plants, the flowers are irrelevant, while foliage cries out for attention. I love coleus, a plant regarded by some as unfashionable but I reckon they’re underrated and under-used. Coleus are often called flame nettles as the shape of their leaves resembles a stinging nettle, yet foliage comes in a kaleidoscope of colours. Some of my displays (main picture) may cause readers to reach for their sunglasses, but I wouldn’t be without them! You can sow coleus all year-round (see step-by-step) but I’m starting mine now, to plant out in containers and beds after the risk of…

1 Weeds make beds look unsightly. Keep on top of weeding, even if you only have time for 10 minutes a day. 2 Mulch plants with well-rotted manure or compost – it’s a slow-release feed, and locks in moisture. 3 Look out for leaf pests (aphids and caterpillars), and soil pests (chafer above and vine weevil grubs). 4 Plants need feeding. Slow-release foods such as granular Growmore have a longer-lasting effect.…

1 Choose healthy side shoots that have grown to around 4in (10cm) long, and pinch them out close to the plant stem. 2 Cut the pinched end with a clean, sharp knife. Slice it diagonally, as this creates a larger surface area for rooting to take place. 3 Dip the cut ends in rooting powder or gel, and gently tap off any excess. This will encourage the plants to quickly develop stronger roots. 4 Push each cut stem 1-2in (2.5-5cm) deep in moist cuttings compost. Cover with a clear lid, or seal in a clear plastic bag. Roots develop in 3-4 weeks.…

1 It’s not crucial, but try to wait until your tomatoes are flowering before you plant them outside. This ensures they’re ready to produce fruit, rather than put on lots of leafy growth. 2 Harden plants off, to acclimatise them to outdoor life. Then either plant them directly into the soil, or into large pots or growing bags. Compact types can grow in hanging baskets. 3 Choose as sunny a site as possible, and begin feeding your plants regularly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser. If growing cordon types, train up canes and remove any sideshoots.…

I’M a big fan of raspberries and can often be found among the bristly canes come high summer, my cheeks bulging and fingers stained bright red. I’ve planted two rows at home this spring, and look after four at East Donyland Hall. While my young plants are, as yet, well behaved, those at Donyland were planted six or seven years ago and have consequently developed quite a large root system. Being suckering plants, I’m finding that young shoots (especially of the autumn varieties) are popping up all over the shop – it’s difficult to tell where the rows stop and the paths begin! So, before chaos ensues in the fruit cage, I’m chopping out any wayward shoots with my spade. If you lift the roots too, you can replant these…

WHEN spring sunshine warms the petals of wallflowers, their rich, sweet but never cloying fragrance rises and stops us in our tracks for a brief moment of well-being. It is tempting to think of wallflowers as native plants, as they often grow in wild places. Near where I live in East Devon, they sprout from the south-facing chalky cliffs above Beer beach but have probably seeded themselves down from allotments at the top. In older books, you’ll find wallflowers listed as Cheiranthus cheiri but they are now known as Erysimum cheiri and their native habitat is the well-drained, calcareous soils of Southern Europe. These are biennials or short-lived perennials, meaning they are sown usually straight into the ground from May to July (June is ideal), grown on and transplanted to…

AS wallflowers belong to the cabbage family, they are susceptible to clubroot. Spores of this disease can remain in the soil for 20 years or more, ready to infect roots which then swell and distort. Above ground, foliage is pale and apt to wilt. The regular liming of acidic to neutral soils and adding lots of well rotted organic matter helps to minimise the disease but the ultimate solution is to raise brassicas in pots first and then plant out. If you have problems with club root, try this with wallflowers by sowing into pots or trays in early July and transplanting seedlings singly to 3.5in (9cm) pots to grow on before planting out.…

THE back wall of my house barely gets any sunlight, which clearly didn’t bother the previous owners as I inherited two hanging basket brackets either side of my kitchen doors. Clearly sun loving bedding plants would turn up their toes in such a position, but there are still plants suitable for a shady spot that would be happy in a basket. Although my choice at the garden centre was fairly limited, compared to the countless varieties for a sunny wall, I still managed to find enough plants to lift my gloomy space. My haul comprised yellow trailing violas, Carex ‘Evergold’, tuberous Begonia ‘Mocha White’ and a New Guinea impatiens, which will form the centrepiece of my display. Other plants capable of dealing with shade, include ivies, busy lizzies, nasturtiums and…

FOR the past few months a camellia in my garden has been flowering its socks off. A solitary red flower appeared the week after Christmas, followed by a flurry of blooms in winter and hundreds more during its peak period of March and April. Even now, at the tail end of spring, there are still a few refusing to accept the show is over. This shrub is invaluable for providing colour in a gloomy part of my garden early in the year, but boy does it make a mess. The large flowers start to turn a dirty brown on the branches before littering the roof of my shed. I try to keep on top of sweeping up the spent blooms, but the end of its flowering season is when I…

• Every February, broadcast the following around trees: 15g/m² Sulphate of Potash and 50g/m² Sulphate of Ammonia or Nitrochalk. Every third year the tree will benefit from an application of 70g/m² of superphosphate. • If you prefer to only use one fertiliser, than apply a compound fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone, which is widely available at garden centres, following the manufacturer’s recommendations. • Regular watering should take place each year during dry spells. The annual application of a mulch 4in (10cm) think of well-rotted organic matter will help to prevent weed growth and assist with moisture retention.…

Rose ‘Imogen’ This upright shrub rose bears delicately frilled, apple-scented, soft lemon petals. It is named after the daughter of King Cymbeline in William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline and grows to approximately 5ft (1.5m) tall and 3ft (1m) wide. Can be planted now. • David Austin Roses 01902 37630 davidaustinroses.co.uk Acer ‘Moonrise’ Equally at home in a mixed border or large container, ‘Moonrise’ is said to be highly resistant to disease and leaf burn - those leaves are bright red when they unfurl, then turn pale green before taking on red hues in autumn. Plant out now. Reaches 10ft (3m) in height. • Hillier Nurseries 01952 501594 hillier.co.uk Azalea ‘Sun Star’ Guaranteed to light up the dullest border, this deciduous azalea’s fragrant double blooms are salmon-pink in bud, then bright yellow when…

WOW, after months of discomfort I felt like I had brand new knees!” “Now I’ve got my life back again!” WHEN HER physiotherapist told retired teacher and outdoor enthusiast, Mary Carlson that she must stop her long walks, she was devastated. She had spent much of her life fell walking in the Lake District and the Highlands and spent over 30 years running The Duke of Edinburgh Award for pupils at her school. She said “I was devastated to hear that I had to stop my fell walking, it has been my whole life. I was only 61 and had planned to spend a lot more time walking now that I had retired.” Mary told us how her knee problems started and how they had gradually affected her everyday life:…

Acrylic Mirror £52.99 p&p £4.99 regardless of size 0118 9035210 primrose.co.uk Made from acrylic this 6ft x 2ft (1.8m x 0.6m) size mirror can be used as is but easily cuts down to size and then glues or drills into place. Use it behind trellis, behind a water feature or in the middle of an expanse of wall to give the illusion of another room. Other sizes are available. Garden Gate Illusion £185.34 (including delivery) 01202 480104 displaysuk.co.uk Is it or isn’t it? This might look like a gate left ajar but in fact it’s an acrylic mirror finished off with plain Redwood to give the illusion of one. Comes supplied with fixing plates and, once up, can be painted or stained to match other features. Size-wise it’s H. 6ft…

Salvia nemorosa ‘Ostfriesland’ This stalwart perennial is a pool of violet in summer and autumn. Both bees and butterflies are drawn to its racemes of nectar-rich flowers. Plant in sun. HxW: 1½ft x 2ft (45cm x 60cm). Attracts: Small Tortoiseshell. Echium vulgare ‘Blue Bedder’ AGM Annual cultivar of the breathtaking electric blue viper’s bugloss wildflower, it will lure bees and butterflies from May to September. Plant in full sun. HxW: 1½ft (45cm). Attracts: Painted Lady. Sedum spectabile ‘Brilliant’ Bright pink flowers over grey-green leaves from August to November. A good doer and a Mecca for both bees and butterflies. Plant in full sun, in poor soil. HxW: 1½ft (45cm). Attracts: Peacock. Buddleja davidii Buzz Series Thompson & Morgan’s dwarf butterfly bush series…

PERFECTLY timed for this season, British manufacturer Eden Greenhouses has launched its Eden Zero Threshold™ range, which combines traditional greenhouse looks with a whole host of intelligent benefits. And thanks to Amateur Gardening, you could be the lucky winner of your very own Eden Burford - the classic six foot wide model. Promising safer, easier access and a more productive and simpler to maintain gardening environment, all four Eden greenhouses in the range boast the revolutionary, patent pending, Eden Zero Threshold™ Sliding Door System, which eliminates the trip hazard inherent in most greenhouse designs. This is great for able-bodied and wheelchair gardeners alike as well as being ideal for wheelbarrow or trolley access. The extra high eaves allow for increased volume of air providing an improved growing environment and each…

RUTLAND - CLUSTERED BELLFLOWER My home county and England’s smallest is associated with Campanula glomerata. I see it occasionally in hedgerows near my home and am always wowed by it. MANCHESTER - COTTONGRASS Reflecting Manchester’s past as centre of the textile industry, Eriophorum angustifolium is the county flower. Grow it at a pond edge or in a bog garden. BEDFORDSHIRE – BEE ORCHID Ophrys apifera can be found elsewhere in the UK, but Bedfordshire is a hotspot and so has laid claim to what must be one of the most glamorous of all county flowers. OXFORDSHIRE - SNAKE’S HEAD FRIT Fritillaria meleagris looks so exotic it’s hard to believe it hails from our shores, but Oxford’s water meadows have swathes of these moisture-loving spring bulbs. LONDON – ROSEBAY WILLOW HERB…

HERBACEOUS perennials the good-tempered, easy-going heroes of the garden. Unlike annuals, which can be a bit fussy and last just one season, herbaceous perennials come back year after year, and as long as they have the right soil and conditions, they should grow and spread. Perennials from the garden centre are relatively expensive because they take a year to grow big enough to flower. However, once you have them, you can make more by taking cuttings or by saving their ripened seeds in the autumn to sow the following year. Perennials come in flowers of every colour, and of course they include grasses and herbs – and even shrubs, fruits and vegetables. But on these avoid pages I am sowing ornamental perennials that will fill gappy borders and add colour…

• At this time of year, one of the questions that crops up on AG’s daily helpline most frequently is whether or not to feed seedlings. • Unfortunately, as with many things in the world of gardening, there is no one correct answer! • Your seedlings should be pricked out and potted on in to a potting compost – which has enough nutrients to help them develop into strong plants. • The ideal potting compost is a mix of multipurpose and loam composts, such as John Innes No 2, which has more oomph than seed compost, and will feed the seedlings for several weeks. • Small seedlings should be able to draw enough nutrients from the compost, so extra feeding is not advised as it can effectively ‘overload’ the roots…

• I planted two rhubarb crowns last year, and left them unharvested so that all their energy could go back into developing the plants. • This year they have grown with a vengeance and I picked a few stems in late April. But I’ve left the rest to continue building up the plants’ reserves. • Rhubarb can be harvested when the stems reach 1ft (30cm) or longer. Lean the stem back then pull firmly. Each one should come free with a cupped white ‘foot’. Do not cut or snap them off as stumps are prone to rotting. • Take just half the stalks from a rhubarb plant at any one time, as taking more than this will seriously weaken it.…

• Plants that respond to the Chelsea chop include echinacea (coneflowers), anthemis (dyer’s chamomile), helenium (sneezewort), nepeta (catmint), monarda (bergamot), Phlox paniculata, and sedum (ice plant, above). • Chop your chosen plant(s) by a third to a half, using shears or secateurs. If you have several clumps of one plant type, try cutting back a few but leave the others to give early and late flowering periods. With a large, single clump, cut the front half of the plant to give later flowers, and leave the rest to flower at their normal time.…

1 Fill a seed tray or pot with a quality seed and cuttings compost. Remove any lumps or bits of bark. Then gently press the surface so that it’s level. 2 Coleus seed is small, so handle with care. Sow the seed on the surface of the compost but don’t cover it, as it needs light to germinate successfully. 3 Place seed tray in a propagator at 15-20o C (60-68o F). Mist lightly using a water sprayer. Put the propagator in a bright position but out of direct sunlight. 4 Keep an eye out for germination, which takes 10-20 days. Seedlings will later need transplanting into 3in (7.5cm) pots of multi-purpose compost.…

TOMATOES, in their infinite variety, are a staple of the summer vegetable garden. Fortunately they are easy to grow, but they are also very easy to propagate. It is common knowledge that (with cordon-grown plants) you need to pinch out side shoots to divert the plant’s energy into creating the flowering trusses that turn into fruits. But did you know that each shoot that you pinch out can be planted and grown on to form a new plant? While my tomato plants aren’t ready to go outside just yet, some of their side shoots are long enough to be pinched off and planted up. As well as giving me extra plants to replace any that fail, or are struck by blight, they will also produce fruit later, thus extending the…

EARLY-BLOOMING shrubs bring much-needed colour to the garden from winter through to early summer. The key to encouraging deciduous varieties, such as forsythia, to produce blooms in successive years is to cut back the flowering growth hard once the flower display has faded. This is because they usually flower on the previous year’s growth, so pruning immediately after flowering gives the shrubs the longest possible time to put on new growth. Some other deciduous shrubs, such as Kerria, are pruned back to vigorous side shoots, with a third of the older stems cut back to ground level each year. Evergreen shrubs like camellias should be trimmed back into shape once the last frosts have passed. If they are still flowering, or flowering late, leave cutting back until blooming has finished.…

1 Choose a patch of good, open soil, preferably limed for other brassicas (plants in the cabbage family). Rake smooth, mark rows 8in (20cm) apart with lines and make shallow drills. Soak the bases well and allow to drain. 2 Sow seeds thinly and evenly in drills. They are light in colour and easy to handle, so take a pinch between finger and thumb and try and place one every 1-2in (2.5-5cm) along the rows. 3 Cover seeds by brushing soil back over them lightly using your hand or the back of a rake. Alternatively, scatter moist seed compost over the seeds to avoid weed germination.…

22 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair (11am-5pm), Middleton Hall, Tamworth, Staffs. B78 2AE planthuntersfairs.co.uk 25 May: National Gardens Scheme open day for three Dorset gardens. Deans Court, Wimborne; Manor Farm, Hampreston; The Manor House, Blandford. Visit ngs.org.uk 28 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair (10am-4.30pm), National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs.planthuntersfairs.co.uk 29 May: Plant and Cake Bring and Buy (2-4pm), Shadwell Grange, 400 Shadwell Lane, Leeds, Yorks, LS17 8AW, 0113 273 8821 30 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair (10am-4pm), Carsington Water, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. DE6 1ST planthuntersfairs.co.uk 4-5 June: NGS Festival Weekend. Over 400 gardens across the country with 40 group openings.ngs.org.uk 5 June: Southill Park, Bedfordshire, opening for NGS as part of Capability Brown’s 300th anniversary.ngs.org.uk • Fri 10 June to Sun 12 June: Field & Country Fair Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. Join us in…

I’VE been wanting to move a magnificent but out of control agapanthus from the front garden of my house for a while, but have had to wait until now as it doesn’t transplant well at other times of the year. Prior to moving it, I prepared a hole in a sunny spot near the wall in my back garden, so I could replant it immediately without the roots drying out. After lifting and discarding some dead bits, I reduced the clump into several smaller pieces, replanting a large section in my back garden and giving the rest to a neighbour.…

GROWING rocket is dead easy, whether you want to sow seeds in a large pot or fill a gap in a sunny bed. To raise rocket in pots, almost fill a 12in (30cm) diameter container with multi-purpose compost, flatten and lightly scatter seeds across the surface. Don’t overcrowd them as they will need thinning. Cover lightly with sieved compost and water well, using a can with a rose fitted on the end. In soil, fork it over to break up large clods and removing any weeds or stones. Next, make a shallow drill (groove) in the ground with a garden cane and trickle seeds along the base, aiming to space them about 2in (5cm) apart. Cover the seeds with soil and water Space drills 12in (30cm) apart. Within a few…

Q I have a three year-old Victoria plum tree. It’s planted in the ground, looks healthy but has not produced fruit. Last year it had flowers but no fruit. This year it didn’t flower. What could be wrong? Gill Evans, Chester. A Plums flower early, so always grow the tree in a frost-free position. Last year, the flowers may have been killed by a late frost. It takes time for trees to establish and they also need to be pruned to form the correct type of framework. Formative pruning should be carried out in spring or early-summer. Never prune stone fruit in the dormant season, or in mid to late-autumn, as this can expose cuts to the risk of infection by silver leaf and bacterial canker. Once established, pruning of…

How can I improve my mahonia? Q I bought a Mahonia ‘Charity’ a few years ago, but it has not thrived and looks rather unhappy. What can I do to help it? Jason Dunn, Tisbury, Wilts A Mahonias will grow in practically any soil and site, but do best in an open sunny position on well-drained soil. If you think that the growing conditions are fine then I would suggest that you dig up the plant up and see if there is a problem at the roots. Sometimes a pot-grown plant can fail to establish on planting out, especially if it had got slightly pot-bound, and the roots continue to circle round rather than spreading into the soil. It might be worth re-doing the planting site – digging a hole…

HER Majesty the Queen recently celebrated her 90th birthday and the Chelsea Flower Show is marking the occasion with some unique displays. The first is a floral arch at the Bull Ring entrance, featuring British blooms donated by growers. It’s the first thing the Queen will see as she steps out of her Bentley. Then there is the National Chrysanthemum Society’s tribute - a huge bottle of champagne sits at the centre, with flowers representing the bubbles. The society also has something special for the youngest royal, Princess Charlotte: her very own chrysanth. So there’s a good chance Her Majesty will be accompanied by the Princess’s parents William and Kate to receive ‘Rosanna Charlotte’.…

“This could spell disaster for gardens” BRITAIN is facing an invasion of super-sized slugs this summer and the average garden could be swarming with 20,000 molluscs, experts warned last week. The mild winter and a lack of hard frosts has led to a population of ‘sleepless slugs’ that didn’t go into hibernation. Unlike snails, slugs are active above 5o C, meaning that millions have been awake all winter, and able to reproduce at a faster rate than normal. Gardeners are being warned that slugs have been laying between 20 and 100 eggs at a time. It’s calculated that one cubic metre of garden could contain up to 200 slugs, meaning that the average UK garden could be home to up to 20,000. CEO of charity Buglife, Matt Shardlow, said: “Due…

1 Stand the basket on a level surface, all snap-panels and chain removed. Fill the base with good potting compost making it into a slight mound in the centre. 2 Knock the pot off your first ‘side’ plant, push the top growth through one of the lower windows (stem resting in the curve at the bottom) and lay the rootball on the compost. 3 Position a snap panel from the inside of the basket so the curve is around the neck of the plant and the base locates on the bottom edge of the window. Push the top to snap it in place. 4 Fill the other three windows as shown in step 3 with your choice of plants – position plant, sit base of snap panel in bottom edge…

1 Seed & cuttings compost is the right one for good seed germination. Sieve to remove large bits of debris. 2 Dampen the compost with tap water. Single-sow lupin seeds in holes 1/4in (6mm) deep; cover them. 3 Sow the small rudbeckia seeds on moist compost surface, cover lightly with compost/vermiculite mix. 4 Label the seeds and cover the seed tray with a clear lid. Keep it somewhere warm until germination.…

WHILE the greenhouse is wonderful for nursing tender plants through the worst of the winter, these weeks in May are when it really comes into its own. By now it should be packed full of seedlings ready for hardening off, and tender fruit and vegetable plants that are too delicate to survive the chilly spring weather outdoors. This is only the start! In a few weeks’ time you could also have ripening crops of tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, chillies, melons and other tender edibles, as well as seedlings of autumn and winter bedding, and perennials. This week is a good time to take stock of what you will need to do, and buy, to keep your greenhouse healthy and productive through the summer months. As tender young plants are prone to…

1 Yellowing leaves: Caused by low temperatures. draughts, or too much or too little water and feed. 2 Loss of leaves and flowers: Too much winter cold; flowers fail due to erratic watering, and dryness. 3 Fruit fall: Nothing too serious – plants produce too many fruits, so some fall through natural wastage. 4 Pests: Citrus are prone to scale insects (above) and mealy bugs, while aphids will attack new shoots.…

“Soil needs to be refreshed” THE ‘Love The Plot You’ve Got’ cooperative exhibits at Chelsea Flower Show this week will see the presentation of some 20 new and recently introduced plants suited to bedding out and planting in containers for summer decoration. This is the Fleuroselect Year of the Cosmos, and their Gold Medal selection C. bipinnatus ‘Xanthos’ will feature among a number of different cosmos cultivars in the combined Seed Companies display. Interestingly, at Wisley Garden this year they have made two sowings direct into the soil of over 60 different cosmos cultivars for an appraisal of all that is currently available. There are a number of things to remember when planting up for summer displays. First, you may have to be a bit hard-hearted and clear fading spring…

AT this time of year there is precious little let-up from all the jobs that need doing in and around the garden. It can certainly be daunting, especially if you are a new gardener, or have a large plot to keep in shape, and with lots of different areas to manage. As with most things, getting little bits done on a regular basis (rather than going at it for hours at a time) makes the task seem less arduous, and more enjoyable. Also, you will get more consistent results. This is especially true when it comes to garden borders, where there are many jobs demanding attention all at once. Weeding, feeding, pest control and watering – where do you start? On this page I am looking at four of the…

• Runner beans originate from Central America, which means that while they grow well in our summers, they need hardening off before being planted out after the last frosts are expected. • I sowed mine at the end of April, and they germinated and grew quickly on a warm windowsill. But if I planted them straight out now, they would be killed by a late cold snap. • So I have moved them from their windowsill to the greenhouse. For the next 10-14 days, I will move them outside on warm days, returning them under cover in the evenings, until they are ready to be planted outside. • Keep a length of fleece handy to cover the beans on cold nights – even after they have been planted out.…

I ENJOY trying new crops to broaden my horticultural know-how. The owners of East Donyland Hall love chicory – the type called Witloof which is sown in the summer to produce roots that are forced in darkness in the winter. Whoever discovered this method of growing stumbled across something good – the forced ‘chicons’ as they’re known are crunchy and mildly bitter, and they’re great in winter salads. I’ll sow a row now directly in the soil. The plants, thinned to 10in (25cm) spacing, will look a bit like cos lettuces. They’re left to grow unharvested till autumn, when the fleshy roots are dug up and stored in the cool. It’s at that point they’re forced – I’ll let you know how I get on!…

A continental veg that we should embrace is bulb fennel. It’s different to the herb type that we grow for its leaves. Florence fennel shares the same aniseed flavour but develops a fleshy ‘bulb’ at the base of its feathery foliage. Braised, baked in a gratin or added to minestrone soups, its characteristic flavour is gentle, not overwhelming. It’s a veg that does well sown directly into the soil rather than being transplanted, and it likes a sunny spot, light soil and continual moisture through summer. Sow it too early and it can bolt (flower prematurely) at the expense of the bulb, but sow it late and the plants don’t have time to swell up. I’m starting seeds now, in mid May. As long as we don’t get any cool…

“We want fruit fast, but this reduces the crop next time” THERE cannot be many people who don’t like strawberries. Obviously there must be some, but the majority of us are fans. And for good reason. Few other fruits have been as greatly improved in both cropping and flavour, or take up as little space. And there are no others as cheap to buy or as quick to crop. Yet many who could grow their own don’t seem to think of them. You do not even need a garden – you can grow strawberries in window boxes, hanging baskets and containers. Indeed, that’s how I now grow many, in bucket-sized containers. These can be moved around, even placed under cover for an earlier crop or just out of the way…

FROM now on, bats are going to be visible in our gardens at dusk. All are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and all are insect feeders; a Pipistrelle, our most common bat, can devour around 3,000 insects in a single night. This makes bats an enormous help to gardeners in the fight against aphids, beetles and the like. In the animal kingdom, the order of bats is known as Chiroptera, which means ‘hand wing’ – an apt term given that the bones supporting the wing membrane are simply long ‘fingers’, with skin between them extending out to the tips. This aids flight and assists the bat to roost; hanging upside down with its hind legs gripping its choice of anchor. When it comes to wing span the Pipistrelle…

1 Mix some controlled release fertiliser granules and moisture retaining crystals into multi-purpose compost, making sure to break up large clods. 2 Stand the basket in an upturned plant pot to ensure it remains steady for planting up. Pierce some holes in the liner for draining, if none are present. 3 Plant up the basket, placing large plants at the back and trailers around the edge. Ensure you fill gaps with compost and firm plants into place. Water thoroughly, hang it up.…

• Pruning a plum tree to produce the right framework should be carried out in mid-spring. • In the first year cut back to four laterals. These should be about 30in (75cm) from the ground. Remove the central stem above the upper lateral and shorten the remaining four laterals by two-thirds of their length, to buds facing in the right direction. • In the second year, between three to six shoots should have been produced. Select four to form the best framework. Shorten each shoot by two–thirds. • In the third year – by now a balanced head should have been produced, so pruning should be lighter. Shorten each shoot by one–third.…

The Garden Bed Created to replicate the view of a garden from a hospice patient’s bed. Key trees in this Artisan Garden include birch, cherry, crab apple, magnolia, Japanese acer and contorted hazel, along with drifts of herbacious plants, bulbs and grasses, set against a yew hedge. LG Smart Garden Inspired by the concept of intelligent homes, this design demonstrates how cutting edge technology can be incorporated harmoniously into the garden. The idea is to have a plot that not only looks great but makes life easier, too. Smart indeed. The Cloudy Bay Garden Cloudy Bay has a habit of favouring young designers and this year it is the turn of Sam Ovens (RHS Young Designer 2014). Intended as a secluded retreat, his garden uses materials from sustainable resources and…

AFTER much anticipation, I finally had two packets of rocket seeds in my hand - the ‘Red’ packet and the ‘Blue’ packet. One of these packets of seeds has spent the last 6 months floating about in space with Tim Peake. The children at Lilliput Infant school in Dorset were ready with their dibbers, keen to sow and label each seed accordingly. There was much speculation about which packet was which, and what the differences might be between the seedlings when we grew them. I had had a few sleepless nights about co-ordinating more than 120 children. My plans were ambitious: I wanted as many individuals as possible to have the chance to sow a rocket seed, thus sharing the excitement of the project throughout the school. I dreamt that…

MOST of us will have experienced the garden hose going into stop/ start mode due to a twist in the pipe. You can help yourself here by storing your hose correctly; not leaving it contorted and bunched up. Or you can go for one of a number now on the market boasting special features that aim to remove the frustration of interrupted watering. We’ve put five of this type through their paces this week – deliberately trying to cause kinks, turning the hoses back on themselves and bending them through 90° to see what impact this had on flow. Two of the hoses pride themselves on how they contract, one even states that it works when kinked, so we looked at these claims. Finally all hoses were tested for leaks…

Agastache ‘Cotton Candy’ Bees and butterflies love the pink spike-like flowers of this non-stop perennial, which blooms from summer into autumn and boasts mint-scented foliage. Plant in sun. HxW: 3ft x 2ft (90cm x 60cm). Attracts: Red Admiral. Hesperis matronalis Sweet rocket is a joy in May and June, when its cottage garden-style white or mauve flowers bloom. The lovely fragrance is more pronounced in the evening. Plant in sun or shade. HxW: 3ft x 18in (90cm x 45cm). Attracts: Orange Tip. Escallonia bifida AGM In late summer and early autumn this Brazilian evergreen shrub is adorned with starry white flowers, which bees and butterflies adore. Plant in a sheltered spot, in full sun. HxW: 10ft x 6½ft (3m x 2m). Attracts: Comma. Verbena bonariensis Grown…

Not stumped for an idea WE recently took out a privet hedge in our garden which left us with a rather large gap to fill. My nephew is a tree surgeon so we’re never short of logs and decided to make a simple stumpery with the pieces of wood instead. The local garden centre was having a sale so we went and purchased a selection of ferns, rockery plants and a couple of shrubs. We placed the logs, filled the gaps with a mixture of top soil and compost and then planted in the gaps. We’re really pleased with the end result, all for under £50, and we even made a hobbit house in the old tree stump. Revamping your garden doesn’t have to cost a fortune and can look…

1 Be inspired by the trees and plants found growing in the surrounding towns and countryside. You may need to source similar varieties more suited to a garden setting. 2 Look for plants that have deep cultural links with your area. The emblematic flowers on a county’s coat of arms, for instance. 3 Visit the library or go online to research native wildflowers. You could dedicate a patch of garden to wildflowers – or look for showier cultivated alternatives. 4 Consider using local stone when laying patios, and local wood for building garden structures, plant supports and raised beds. 5 Is your area known for a particular crop? It’s likely that flowers, fruits and vegetables that were grown successfully in the past will perform equally well in your soil today.…

Meconopsis cambrica The Welsh poppy is not actually a poppy – nor is it unique to Wales. But with its lovely clear yellow flowers it always reminds me of Yorkshire woodlands. Rosa ‘York Minster’ A Harkness rose specially bred to celebrate the Minster, it has a lovely creamy white flower and strong upright habit, with disease-resistant foliage. Geranium sylvaticum The flower of Sheffield, wood cranesbill is a very beautiful perennial geranium. As its name implies, it can be found at woodland edges, in dappled shade. Dryopteris erythrosora One of my favourite plants for shade, this is a relative of the very rare rigid buckler fern, a plant found primarily in the limestone of the Yorkshire Dales.…

“They thrive in the dappled light beneath a deciduous canopy” EVERY day’s a school-day when you’re a gardener, and after buying a lady’s slipper orchid at a show I’ve been learning how to grow them. I’ve known about cypripedium (as botanists call them) for some time but as beautiful as they are I’ve always taken claims that they are garden worthy with a pinch of salt. The flowers are about the size of shuttlecock and so exotic they make even bougainvillea look boring. Each bloom stands at roughly knee height and consists of a plump lip at the front in either yellow, rose-pink or white backed by a ray of spiralling ribbon-like petals. Together (and this is where the common name comes from) they look like the slippers that Vera…