Innholdsfortegnelse for 1-Jul-2017 i Amateur Gardening

YOU need a lot of fingers to count the reasons why you should include herbs in your garden. Many are low-maintenance, grow well in pots as well as borders, are a kitchen cabinet essential and attract beneficial pollinators. Some of the more aromatic are also reputed to keep unwanted insects at bay. For example, lavender will keep aphids off roses, mosquitoes are said to be repelled by mint, lemon balm and rosemary, thyme keeps pests away from crops, and onion-scented chives distract carrot flies from attacking carrots. Herbs have been cultivated for centuries and numerous myths have grown up around them. One of my favourites is comfrey, despite its tendency to seed everywhere. It has many common names including ‘knit-bone’, due to its healing properties, and is a great addition…

TopTip Although many alpines look fantastic in summer, they are best planted in spring or autumn when conditions are cooler. If planted now they need more watering and may struggle to get established. S UMMER is a good time for rock garden plants and alpines, when many are looking their best. Although they are tough plants used to inhospitable climates, they dislike winter when wet ground can cause rotting and they risk being smothered by soggy fallen leaves. Alpines are lowmaintenance plants and summer care usually only involves removing weeds and replacing gravel mulches that may have ‘slipped’ over time. Although alpines are resilient and grow well in poor soils with little moisture, they hate being crowded by fast-growing weeds that will steal valuable soil nutrients. Getting rid of weeds…

TopTip Plant clematis it where it will get around six hours of daily sunshine. Plant its roots deep, with added manure in the planting hole, and make sure there is good airflow around it to keep it healthy CLEMATIS are a popular way of adding a burst of exotic glamour to gardens – especially those varieties with large and flamboyant flowers. The plants are divided into three pruning groups and this is a good week for cutting back those in ‘Group 1’. These are the varieties that flower in winter and early, mid and late spring, including Clematis cirrhosa, C. Montana, C. armandii, c. alpina and C. macropetala. Pruning them in the height of the growing season may seem wrong, but they flower on the previous year’s growth so if…

TENDER indoor cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) are a bright delight from autumn right through to spring. With the minimum of care, they will flower abundantly and add a burst of colour to the house when there’s precious little else around. Many people think they ‘die’ after flowering and consign the spent plant to the bin or compost heap. But hold your horses! These sturdy perennials are simply taking a rest and in autumn, with proper care, will return bigger and better than the previous year. Cyclamen persicum are Mediterranean plants and flower from autumn to spring. They die back in summer when, in the wild, they would receive little or no water. When flowering has finished and foliage is yellowing and withered, stop feeding and watering them. Leave the compost to…

IF you want to see ladybird eggs look for aphids in your garden and you’ll quite possibly see some clusters at this time of year. When the instars, as they’re called, hatch they eat their egg cases, then set about the aphids; the youngest instars sucking the juice out. Sadly, if they fail to find food within a day and a half, the tiny instars perish. As the instars grow larger, they shed their skin three times until they’re the length of a lady’s thumb nail. By then they resemble small black and red alligators and can tackle whole aphids. If the weather’s warm and food is plentiful this stage takes an average of three weeks. Then the ladybird pupates, looking rather like a pale-orange and black armadillo. A week…

TopTip Wait until the cucumber fruit has fully developed all along its entire length before cutting it. THE phrase ‘cool as a cucumber’ couldn’t be more appropriate when you grow your own. Slice into that crisp, green flesh and your mouth will meet with the most deliciously cold juice – even if it was growing in a scorching greenhouse two minutes ago! How cucumber fruits stay cool in sweltering heat is a mystery but one thing is certain – their flavour is far superior to shop-bought cukes. There are two main types you can grow, outdoor ‘ridge’ varieties and greenhouse ones, like this ‘Femspot’ I’m growing. Ridge types look after themselves – just allow them to ramble all over the soil in a sunny spot. Greenhouse varieties, however, need training.…

At a time when everything in the edible garden is getting bigger it’s crucial to deliver water at a time that it’s most needed and in a way that most benefits your crops. I need to install a series of water butts in our garden as, at the moment, I rely wholly on the hosepipe and I should also be using my grey water. Being on a water meter, my mind is whirring about where the water can come from – and yours should be, too. A reliable water source is one thing – giving it to our crops efficiently is just as crucial. Irrigate especially when young plants are establishing their root system, then again when flowering occurs, and then at pod/ cob/fruit/root development. these three growing stages are…

HAVE you heard of the term the Chelsea chop? It’s a pruning technique that many gardeners choose to perform on perennials to ensure stocky plants – preventing lanky specimens and encouraging strong growth. The “chop” is so called because it is undertaken at RHS Chelsea time; some of the perennials that respond well to it being heleniums, phlox and sedum. I use a similar technique in early July on some of my perennials. The hardy geraniums that were in full flower in June will often flower again if cut back by about half. I also find that it keeps the plants stockier and less unruly for the rest of summer. By cutting this moundforming plant back you’re preventing it from putting energy into setting seed, encouraging it to flower again.…

Our vegetable patch is very tempting in July. We have mature salad crops mixed in with seedlings of lettuce, radish, and rocket. It’s no wonder that the local rabbit population is on the prowl. rabbit proofing an entire garden is often not practical but I’m determined to ensure our vegetable patch isn’t a buffet for the bunnies! The whole patch is fenced with chicken wire that has been pinned or buried into the ground. My uncle has used the left-over wire to create a ‘cloche’ that can be placed over very vulnerable seedlings. To create a similar ‘cloche’ place the strip of chicken wire (as long as your line of seedlings) on the lawn. Then every 20in (50cm) thread a thick piece of galvanised wire through it. These lengths of…

THE ideal way to avoid a glut of lettuce is to sow seed every two weeks. However so many of us, myself included, sow far too much in one go and end up simply throwing plants away. To keep your lettuce as fresh as a daisy for as long as possible after harvest follow my advice. Wash your lettuce and remove any damaged leaves. Loose leaves can then be spun in a salad spinner to remove excess water. Leave ‘Little Gem’ lettuce in one piece as it keeps better this way. Place a dry, clean tea towel in a large airtight plastic box. Put the lettuce on to the tea towel and fold the corner of the tea towel in to make a parcel. Seal with a lid and keep…

Give them a good soak Get your poorly charges home as soon as possible. Fill a sink, bucket or tray to the depth of the pots and set them to soak for ½ hour. Once hydrated, remove all damaged foliage and remaining flowers. Pot on if root-bound Pot on into a slightly larger container filled will multipurpose compost and water again. You can try making mixed planters at this stage, but do not plant out into borders yet, plants won’t be strong enough. Use a foliar feed Site in a sheltered position, aiming to keep plants shaded during peak sunshine for the first few days. Apply a foliar spray tonic such as seaweed solution and repeat weekly. Plant out or pot up after two weeks or so, depending on performance.…

Many of these wonderful plants found their ways to our shores, and into our gardens, after being found in the wild by plant hunters. These passionate adventurers and plant lovers scoured unexplored parts of the globe in search of botanical gems; and the journey was often dangerous. Ernest Wilson was caught in a landslide whilst collecting lilies (Lilium regale) in China in 1910, leaving him with a permanent limp; and David Douglas (who brought us the Douglas Fir, lupins and California poppies) lost his life at 35 years old whilst plant hunting in Hawaii in 1834; apparently he fell into a pit trap and was possibly crushed by a bull that fell into the same trap. Today the eccentric plant collectors are still at large - Tom Hart-Dyke, creator of…

QThe plant shown in the attached picture has appeared in our garden, close to a fence. We didn’t plant it, but suspect a bird dropped some seeds. Could you tell us what the plant is? Elspeth & David Moore (Via email) AThis lovely plant is an iris. They usually spread via rhizomes (underground, horizontal stems) found close to the surface of the soil, and sometimes by seed. Take a look over the fence – there may be a large clump of irises growing on the other side. QThis plant is around 7ft (2m) tall and has dandelion-like leaves and blue flowers. What is it? Kath Fisher, Hull AIt is chicory (Chicorium intybus) and is a hardy perennial usually grown for its head of leaves that are used in winter and…

Some plants have such personality and presence in the garden that they become firm favourites. one such plant is the China shrub rose R. x odorata ‘mutabilis’, which is loved by rosarians the world over. Despite lacking what might seem to be two rose essentials: dense flowerheads and scent, it easily earns its place in the border. During summer and autumn, the purple and green foliage is covered in gorgeous flowers, which blush all the warm colours of a sunset. From copper buds, the floppy honey-apricot blooms open, and hover airily like butterflies. As the days go by the petals morph to blushpink and then raspberry. In its favoured conditions of sheltered sun and well-drained soil, it will flower from may to December, without any rose sickness. No wonder gardeners…

Nurseryman and former Gardeners’ World host MATURE conifers and big boulders were in fashion at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year, as was the continuing trend for designs based on rock-strewn landscapes redolent of what travel agents might describe as the ‘undiscovered Mediterranean’. Out were the crowd-pleasing and cosy herbaceous borders of old and in was the haunting beauty of rough-hewn rocks and wildflowers. “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder” These wild and innovative designs were never going to be to everyone’s taste. Time and time again while filming, I heard visitors exclaim: “That’s not a garden!” and question the judges’ wisdom for awarding such designs a gold medal or best-in-show. However, I can see exactly why they scooped the top honours as, put simply, designers such…

1 With their purple pom-pom heads and vivid green leaves, chives look wonderful at the front of borders. Take care they don’t take over though. 2 There are many types of sage and one of my favourites is the shrubby ‘blackcurrant’ variety. It has a fruity scent and eye-catching bright pink flowers. 3 Bronze or green fennel is an elegant addition to borders. It helps add structure and texture when combined with other shrubs. 4 Rosemary, with its pretty blue flowers, is steeped in Mediterranean history and folklore. Its name means ‘dew of the sea’ and it thrives in dry soil. Growing herbs in small spaces n Even if you only have a small patio garden, you will still have enough room to grow herbs. n Small plants are inexpensive…

IF you’re looking to bring a touch of the tropics to your garden, or seeking a specimen plant that’ll be the talk of the neighbourhood, you can’t beat the Ethiopian black banana. Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ rapidly grows to 8ft (2.5m), bearing huge burgundy leaves that are flushed with shades of green. It’s so vigorous that I’m growing it in a pot to restrict its roots. However, it’ll still tower above me, as long as we have a bit of summer warmth. It’s just the ticket for growing with tropical-looking plants such as cannas and dahlias. In the UK, it’s unlikely to flower, but is grown for its dramatic foliage and sheer size. If you prefer to grow it in a border, that’s fine, although it’ll have to be lifted, potted-up…

Listen to Peter's free podcast every Thursday. Search for 'This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook' on iTunes A SPECIFIC smell can be an immediate prompt to the memory, taking you back years to perhaps a moment in your childhood. For me it’s the smell of new mown hay; gathering it in on my grandfather’s farm using horse drawn carts. And, from my late teens, the fragrance of perennial phlox from massed displays by Blackmore and Langdon at county agricultural shows. Working with school children this year I’ve been getting them to grow mint in teapots (for mint tea). They’ve shown real interest in the different types from chocolate mint to lime mint and spearmint. There are over 20 different kinds, tastes and fragrances. In mining areas mint tea was…

MICROORGANISMS (bacteria, fungi and so on) may be invisible to our eyes, but they are very important to plants, as they help transform organic matter (in soil) into nutrients – which are then taken up by plants’ roots. There’s an amazingly simple way you can provide plants with a huge range of microorganisms. The idea is to water on a live extract freshly made from a mature garden compost heap. This contains countless different microorganisms already living together, with most dedicated to the consumption of decaying organic material. It’s an excellent mixture to add to near-sterile potting composts in patio containers, and to plants in a border, especially where these have not been given fresh dressings of garden compost or well-rotted manure recently. Compost tea will help create a more…

GRACEFUL palms conjure up visions of high tea in a palm court, or strolling around a Victorian palm house. Pinnate, frond-like leaves make imposing silhouettes against plain backgrounds and along with shutters or louvered doors, bring a colonial look to your home. Of those suitable for indoor growing, the taller kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and shorter parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans) are the easiest and most available. Others to try include lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), miniature date palm (Phoenix roebelenii), fish-tail palm (Caryota mitis) and areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens). Parlour palms originate from warm, lightly shaded rainforests in Mexico and Guatemala and enjoy normal room conditions. Plants are bought as clusters of seedlings. These make clumps in the short term, but single specimens stand more chance of enjoying a long life.…

Melons are great crop to grow in your greenhouse. But if you haven’t got this luxury there are plenty of varieties that crop outdoors. I recently planted some ‘Alvaro’ seedlings in a greenhouse, but this versatile melon will also crop well outdoors – just be sure to plant it in a sunny, sheltered spot. If you didn’t sow melon seeds in May – don’t worry. You can buy plants now from garden centres. Train as you would for cucumbers. Once they produce flowers, you need to step in. You’ll see two flower types – males (with no swelling behind the bloom) and females (with a tiny beansized melon behind each flower). Outdoor plants rely on bees for pollination but under glass, you have to do this! Press the centre of…

MAGNOLIAS are a real investment. They often cost a pretty penny and take a fair few years to get established, so the last thing you want to do is get the pruning wrong. Pruning is not essential for the success of these plants, so if you’ve never taken the secateurs to yours there’s nothing to be ashamed of. The only reason to prune is if your plants are an awkward shape or have any dead or damaged branches. Now is the time to remove unwanted branches and stems from deciduous types. Leave pruning until autumn or spring and the pruning cuts will bleed sap. This leaves the plant looking very unsightly and can lead to stems dying. When pruning try to avoid tearing the bark and if you plan to…

EVERY year my uncle grows tomatoes outside his sunny back door. He’s an expert at it so I asked him for his growing tips: 1. Grow outdoor tomato plants in decorative pots so they are part of the ornamental garden. 2. Plant a small pot of French marigolds at the foot of each plant to deter aphids. 3. Place outdoor tomatoes in a very sunny and sheltered spot and choose varieties suited to life outside such as ‘Sungold’ and ‘Gardener’s Delight’. 4. Provide plants with a sturdy support. 5. Water regularly (ideally in the morning or evening) to prevent fruits from splitting. 6. Feed plants when they start to flower with tomato feed (rich in potassium) to encourage fruit development. 7. If plants are reaching for the sky then cut…

Lupins The colourful spires of lupins seem inseparable from the chocolate box English cottage garden, but they hail from the other side of the atlantic. There are over 200 species, many of which grow wild in the americas, and can be spectacular: staining the mountains of California blue in spring Lupinus polyphyllus arrived here in the 1820s, and a century later a yorkshireman, George Russell, crossed it with other species to create the bigbloomed Russell Hybrids that we still grow today (such as ‘The Chatelaine’). Strawberries When we’re watching Wimbledon with a bowl of strawberries and cream, we might imagine these scarlet fruits to be British through and through. In fact they are hybrids of Fragaria species that grow wild in the americas. The garden strawberry (F. x ananassa) was…

QA neighbour recommended that I lift and divide my bearded iris plants. How should I carry this out? Maureen Clifford, Tunbridge Wells A July is an excellent time of year for lifting and dividing rhizomatous bearded iris (Iris germanica), as rhizomes need sun and dry periods to ripen the root system, so they build up reserves for flowering next year. This group of iris is often referred to as flag irises. Once flowering is over and when the rhizomes start to get old (normally after two or three years and when clumps become hollow in the centre), they’ll need lifting and dividing. This process ensures that plants don’t become too crowded, and will help to keep them flowering in years to come. Put on strong gloves as the sap from…

*just pay £5.65 postage Worth £19.98 iT could almost be known as the ‘mile-a-minute’ clematis, such is the rapid growth of this variety. Clematis montana ‘Mayleen’ is the best scented Clematis montana, with satin-pink ruffled blooms. As if that wasn’t enough, it has sparkling bronze foliage too. if you want a quick-growing handsome climber, look no further! height: 10m (33ft). spread: 3m (10ft). supplied as a 7cm potted plant. Also included will be 100g of incredibloom fertiliser to help boost growing power. Other special offers: Save £10 OFFER 1 Clematis ‘New Love’ This clematis isn’t like the usual clematis; it’s a herbaceous perennial, so excellent for bulking out borders, alongside lupins, delphiniums and the like! The blooms are a spectacle too; and emit a punchy fragrance! height: 90cm (35in). spread:…

‘Mrs Oakley Fisher’ This delightful repeat-flowering Hybrid Tea bush rose produces warm-apricot flowers. The scented blooms are large saucers (8cm wide) hovering above dark green-bronze foliage. H3ft (90cm) x W3ft (90cm). ‘Grouse 2000’ This pretty groundcover rose forms a dense carpet of pink-white flowers. A modern variety, it repeat flowers, and looks wonderful towards the front of the border alongside lavender. H2ft (60cm) x W21⁄2ft (75cm). ‘Yellow Mutabilis’ Grown from a seedling of ‘Mutabilis’ and introduced in 2008, the flowers of this lesser-known variety change in colour from lemon to cream between June and November. H3ft (90cm) x W2ft (60cm).…

July 1 - July 7 n 1 July: Beginner’s gardening: Weeds, Pests and Disease, RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. & 0203 176 5830 or ??rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor n 4-9 July: RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace, KT8 9AU. 10am- 6.30pm. & 0844 995 9664 or rhs.org.uk/shows n 4 July: Growing Scented Flowers, RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. & 0203 176 5830 or rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr n 5 July: Roses floristry demonstrations: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. & 0203 176 5830 or rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor n 5 July: Beautiful Gardens, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. & 0845 265 8071 or rhs.org.uk/gardens/hydehall n 5 July: Border Planting Combinations, RHS Garden Rosemoor,…

Write to: Wendy Humphries, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Rd, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Star letter IN the last year I’ve taken a keen interest in gardening (it only took me ‘til the age of 42 but I found it in the end!). The whole reason I gained more of an interest was realising the plight of our bumblebees and butterflies, so I garden largely for them but I have found a love for gardening. I do appreciate the various items you do publish with regards to gardening for wildlife, however, I’m disappointed with the article on the task of dealing with weeds (AG, 27 May). In particular your piece on dandelions refers to them as ‘pesky weeds’. I understand that some gardeners feel they’re unsightly…

Water the container well and stand it on pot feet so that excess water can easily escape. 1 While the plants are standing in a bowl of water to saturate their roots, place crocks in the planter to improve drainage. 2 Add container, multi-purpose or John Innes No 3 compost as far up as the first of the side planting holes. 3 Make it easier to feed plants into the holes by wrapping the rootballs in clingfilm. Remove the film afterwards. 4 Add more compost until the roots of the side plants are covered. Then add the top plant and firm it in.…

1 If you’ve been growing a banana in a greenhouse or conservatory, acclimatise it to outdoor conditions for a week before planting it out. 2 Ethiopian black bananas prefer loam-based compost. Use a quality John Innes No 3 compost. Ensure the pot has good drainage. 3 I incorporate water-retaining gel into the compost at planting time. It’ll help plants to survive if we have a hot, dry spell this summer. 4 If planting in a large container, underplant with bedding, such as geraniums, for a ‘hot’ look. This will increase demand for watering though.…

TopTip Greenhouse plants are at risk from attacks by aphids, red spider mite and mealy bugs in summer. Humid conditions are perfect for moulds and rot. Keep on top of pest control and hygiene. A GREENHOUSE is a boon to any gardener, especially at this time of year when they come into their own for growing tender crops such as tomatoes, melons and cucumbers. However, there is a delicate balance between keeping temperatures high enough for plants to flourish without making it so hot they perish. The key to successful greenhouse gardening is to allow air to circulate around plants while keeping the heat at a manageable level. The door, windows and vents should always be opened on hot days, and the floor dampened with water. Airflow is vital in…

TopTip Seven-spot ladybirds hibernate at ground level. If you want to help then leave leaf litter for a bed and grow plants with a wintergreen presence like hardy ferns New series! THE mention of aphids sends a shudder through many a gardener, but I am always pleased to see some in my Spring Cottage garden because they’ll soon be sustaining my ladybirds. My 7-spots (Coccinella septempunctata) are out there now and they’ve already mated after their winter sleep, despite a dry spring when night-time temperatures plummeted. I first saw mating ladybirds some 20 years ago in my old Hook Norton garden. They were performing on Geum ‘Gibson’s Scarlet’ on a late-April day and I rushed off to get my camera and tripod. I had four rolls of film and I…

1 If plants have yellow leaves, look for a reason: dry air, over or under watering, lack of feeding, spider mites, or in this case, stale compost. 2 Before re-potting, wipe leaves clean of dust and cut away old leaves and the stubs of old flower stems. 3 Take it from its pot, examine the roots and remove any old, stale compost. With time, this breaks down into particles, impeding drainage. 4 Get a plastic pot the same size as the rootball and put it in a larger pot. Fill around edges with compost. Remove it and insert the rootball.…

1 As your cucumber grows, train it with one main vertical stem. Tie this to a strong, bamboo or gently twist it around a length of twine which is secured to the greenhouse roof. Keep an eye out for red spider mite and spray if you spot it. 2 They thrive in as much heat and humidity as you can give (this also deters red spider mite). Water daily and on warm mornings, drench the greenhouse floor with water. As the day heats up it will evaporate, creating perfect conditions. 3 As plants grow, they develop side shoots and bright yellow flowers. Most greenhouse varieties are ‘all female’, which means any male flowers (without a tiny cucumber) must be removed. Liquid-feed regularly with high-potash fertiliser.…

the French are huge fans of this bulbous vegetable but us Brits have got some catching up to do. Gently braised in a mild stock, the crunchy, aniseed-flavoured leaves make an excellent side vegetable to fish and chicken dishes. Cooked in a creamy cheese sauce they make a top vegetarian meal. If I’ve tempted you to give it a try, be sure to buy Florence fennel, not herb fennel, to ensure you get those plump swollen bulbs. Sow now, in a sunny spot, into soil which has had ample organic matter added. Fennel likes constant moisture so this preparation, along with regular watering and weeding, will ensure you’ll come back for more next year!…

I Was fortunate enough to attend the rHs Chelsea Flower show in May. This event always inspires so many of us to invest in the plants featured in the show gardens. and for weeks afterwards my own garden visitors are eager to share their favourites with me. Garden shows encourage us all to push the boundaries and grow a far more varied palette of plants. This year I was taken with Tragopogon porrifolius (salsify) in James Basson’s M&G Garden. It’s a plant that enjoys an arid environment, so I’ve ear marked a spot at the foot of a south-facing wall for my new plant. The purple flowers are what I first admired but this biennial also has an edible taproot that tastes of oysters. Plants like this make a wonderful…

IT’S easy to forget that our house plants are from far away, often tropical lands and are not designed to be cooped up in a centrally heated home covered in house dust. With no danger of frost and wonderful sunny days ahead of us why not give your plants a holiday from the house? Let their foliage feel the rain and light breeze running through them. Place your plants in a sheltered spot, ensuring that shade loving types like Boston ferns and aspidistra, are not placed in a south-facing sunny corner of the garden. Keep an eye on their water requirements and you’ll be amazed at how refreshed they look after a couple of weeks.…

BeddinG plants can be trickier to revive than larger perennials with more established roots. if bedding plants are crisp and brown don’t waste your time or money – it’s likely the plants are dead. But if foliage is green albeit withered, don’t be afraid to take a chance – you’ll be amazed at the difference a long soak, and planting them up into bigger pots of fresh compost, can make! If there is a wide range on discount, opt for late varieties. Begonias, fuchsias, dahlias, osteospermum and new Guinea impatiens will all keep going to the first hard frosts, and further still if given shelter. Browned foliage may not be the end for perennials, shrubs and climbers. Lift plants from their pots and if roots are healthy and moist you…

IT is almost impossible to find a bad word to say about this week’s Mr Fothergill’s free seeds. Echinacea ‘Large Flowered’ are hardy perennials with tall, sturdy stems and open, daisy-like flowers with purple petals and dense central cones – hence their nickname ‘coneflower’. They are an absolute delight in the garden, flowering late in the summer when other plants are having a lull and attracting vast numbers of bees and butterflies to their rich nectar. Insects aren’t the only ones to benefit – Echinacea has long been regarded as an excellent herbal cold deterrent. If Echinaceas have a failing, it can be that they are not always reliable repeat bloomers, despite their ‘perennial’ tag. This may be because although they are tough plants of the American prairies, where they…

Why do bees ignore my lavender? QWhy are bees not interested in my lavender at the moment? About six weeks ago they were, but are not interested now that it’s in flower! However, they really like my patio rose ‘Red Romance’. Why is this? Clair Woolston (via email) ABees prefer the easily accessible flower clusters of English lavender to the frilly flowers of French lavender. They are unlikely to visit flowers that are not in their sexual phase. The flower corollas might not be large enough to allow access and the pollen and nectar may not be ready. I expect they will flock to your lavender when it is in full bloom. Flowers attract bees using colour, pattern, scent, distinctive electric fields or any or all of these in combination.…

We try before you buy SOMETIMES the heat of the day can be just too much in the garden or on the patio. A sun umbrella can provide some shade, but for the ultimate out-of-the-sun alfresco dining, snoozing and partying, a gazebo is always the answer. And when the sun goes down a gazebo provides an air of cosiness to let you stay outside for a lot longer than might otherwise be comfortable – especially if you provide light with outdoor candles and solar lanterns. Gazebos are, of necessity, temporary structures, but some are slightly more temporary than others. We’ve tested four with a range of prices up to ?150, looking at ease of erection, stability and the manufacturing quality. Blooma Jarvis with Side Walls £65 free click & collect…

Prize Draw Westland’s Rose Rescue is a combined insecticide plus systemic fungicide for use outdoors on roses. It will control aphids, too, as well as offering some protection against rust and black spot. We have five ready-to-use 750ml bottles to give away to readers this week, worth £5.99 each. See below for details of how to enter the prize draw. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Rose Rescue Prize Draw, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@timeinc.com, heading the email Rose Rescue Prize Draw. The closing date is: 3 July 2017.…

Photo of the week AFTER moving into our cottage together, my partner and I set about working on our garden, which was overgrown with weeds. Having a limited budget whilst saving for our wedding, we bought ‘rescue plants’ from local centres and ones from the half-dead’ corner of B&Q. We purchased this lupin plant for 50p last year. See it now, with over 23 flowers on one plant – we’re very proud. Fiona Miller and Andrew Elliot, Knutsford, Cheshire Wendy says: Well done! See page 24 for what to do with bargains from the ‘half-dead’ corner of your local garden centre…