Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Apr-2018 i Amateur Gardening

A POND adds so much to the garden on every level. It need not be massive – if space is tight you can create a patio mini-pond in a half-barrel – but your patch of land will be so much richer with one in it. Like all water features, ponds are therapeutic and relaxing. They are also a fantastic way of increasing the diversity of your garden via aquatic and marginal plants and the rich array of wildlife the water and plantings attract. On these pages I show you how to install a pond, examine the pros and cons of keeping goldfish and look at the essential tasks that need to be done now, as temperatures start to rise. These will help maintain the health of your pond for plants…

Ponds will always attract wildlife, starting with the snails and leeches that arrive via aquatic plants. Jewel-like dragon and damselflies will soon swoop in and, if you’re lucky you will get newts, frogs and toads as well. Garden mammals such as hedgehogs will wander by for a drink, so always make sure one side is gently sloping so they can clamber out easily if they fall in. If you want your pond to have a thriving wild ecosystem of invertebrates and amphibians, the common consensus is not to add goldfish to the mix. Goldfish are voracious omnivores, and will gobble up tadpoles, insects and their nymphs, although they will leave adult frogs, toads and newts alone. If you want both, one solution is to create a shallower area of water…

I GREW some forced hyacinths in the house in late winter and their thick, sweet scent and pretty blooms certainly brightened up the place. Now they have died back I am going to plant them out to flower in the garden in years to come. Forcing takes a lot out of the bulbs, so they are unlikely to flower again as strongly in their first year outside, but hopefully they will return vigorously after that. Before planting them out, I cut off the blooms and left the plants in the corner of the greenhouse, without feeding or watering, so the foliage could wither, die back and return energy to the bulb. If you remove the leaves before they have all withered and dried you cut off a vital source of…

Vine weevils devastate container plants using a two-pronged approach. The adults, which are active now and in summer, chomp notches out of foliage, while the white larvae eat roots from summer through to spring. This pest can be treated using a chemical soil drench (unsuitable for edibles or border-grown ornamentals) or a biological nematode in late summer and autumn when it is warmer. Alternatively, pick adults off leaves on warm evenings, trap them using sticky barriers and encourage natural predators, including frogs, ground beetles and hedgehogs.…

1 Elm, field maple and birch branches make good pea sticks for support. An alternative is wide mesh netting. 2 Grow semi-leafless cultivars such as ‘Serge’ (Mr Fothergill’s) in a metre square block if you have no pea sticks. Their mass of tendrils will hold one another up if surrounded by four canes and some twine. 3 Late sowing in June/early July of mildew-resistant ‘Terrain’ (Thompson & Morgan) will miss pea moth. 4 Add flower and colour to your crops with pink-flowered purple-podded ‘Shiraz’ (Dobies).…

IF your greenhouse and windowsills are groaning under the weight of cuttings and seedlings, you might be tempted to create more space by moving some outside. But hold fire – rising temperatures may seem plant-friendly but nights are cold and the last frosts are still some way off, so moving young plants into the garden now could severely stunt their growth and kill them. The last frosts usually occur in late spring in the south, and slightly later further north. Wait for a few more weeks before starting the process of hardening them off, which is how you prepare tender and overwintered plants for life outside. It takes two or three weeks, and during this time the plant’s leaf structure thickens and becomes waxier so it is more able to…

1 Buy and/or sow French marigolds, pot them up or plant by a greenhouse door and near tomatoes to keep whitefly away. 2 Sow sweetcorn outdoors and protect them with open-ended tubes made from plastic bottles. The bottles also assist watering and earthing up. 3 Sow clumps of buckwheat, crimson clover, Phacelia tanacetifolia and pot marigolds in small clumps to attract beneficial insects throughout the summer. 4 Tell neighbours you’re a spider sanctuary and to bring any they catch into your greenhouse! They feast on pests and never hurt plants.…

COURGETTES don’t need any special training and they don’t suffer much with pests. Mildew is the only fungal disease worth your concern, and that doesn’t usually strike until the end of the season. The most high-maintenance aspect is harvesting the courgettes every day! Now is the time to sow courgettes (they’re tender and grow quickly, so don’t start them too early). Sow one seed per 3.5in (9cm) pot of multi-purpose compost (you don’t need seed compost for these larger-seeded veg). Press each seed gently so it sits 1in (2.5cm) below the compost surface. Watered well and placed in a heated propagator set at 18˚C, seedlings should appear within a week. So, what variety should you sow? I always opt for ‘Defender’ as my classic dark-green, long courgette because it’s a…

■ The colourful new shoots can be damaged by spring frosts, so plant pieris with shelter to the east to prevent early morning sun from scorching frozen shoots. ■ Choose a site with neutral or acid soil. Neutral soils can be made more suitable by working in composted pine bark. ■ Pieris also enjoy plenty of humus. Even on acid soils, forking in lime-free soil conditioner is helpful. ■ Adding rhododendron fertiliser is also beneficial. ■ A sunny site – or one in partial shade – is ideal. In full shade growth may be spindly and flowering sparse.…

IT doesn’t matter whether it’s a raised pond, a sunken pool or a traditional garden pond, a small body of water is guaranteed to transform your outdoor space. Water makes a fantastic focal point, as it casts reflections and adds movement, while the gentle splish-splash from a fountain will help you unwind after a stressful day. Yet all too often what could be an awesome feature that will add interest all year round, is let down by poor planting or, in some cases, a complete lack of plants. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. There are loads of watery wonders to suit any style of pond, and following the arrival of warmer weather the garden centres will be fully stocked with plants that can be planted during the…

SOUTH OR WEST-FACING WALLS Rosa ‘The Generous Gardener’ (AGM) The fragrant blooms of this healthy repeat-flowering rose have an old-world charm. Named after the generous folk who open their gardens for the NGS charity scheme. H: 13ft (4m). Clematis rehderiana (AGM) Outdo the neighbours with this lovely rare, late-flowering clematis. From July to November it will be hung with little yellow bell-shaped flowers that smell like cowslips. H: 10-20ft (3-6m). Lathyrus latifolius (AGM) What the perennial everlasting pea lacks in perfume it makes up for in flower power. Those shocking-pink blooms are produced in summer and early autumn. H: 6 ½ ft (2m). EAST OR WEST-FACING WALLS Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ (AGM) Late-flowering deciduous honeysuckle with raspberry and cream flowers that have a wonderful fragrance. Best in…

■ Prepare the soil, loosening the earth beneath and mixing in plenty of weed-free organic matter. ■ If sending your climber up a wall or tree, position it 12-18in (30-45cm) from the wall to ensure it receives sufficient moisture. ■ Most climbers ought to go in at the depth of their pot, but clematis should be planted 4in (10cm) deeper. ■ Tie in young shoots, even those of self-clinging climbers, to coax them to grow in the right direction. ■ Pruning rules vary according to the type of climber, so seek advice from your supplier. In general, those that flower on the previous year’s growth can be trimmed after flowering, and plants flowering on the current year’s growth can be cut in early spring.…

■ For best results, plant in partial shade, in humus-rich soil that does not dry out. ■ They will also grow in full shade, although flowering may be reduced and any variegation less bright. ■ Fork in weed-free organic matter before planting. ■ Plant potted plants at any time; plant bare-root rhizomes in autumn. ■ Lily-of-the-valley can be uncomfortably vigorous when happy, but if it’s flowering well, who has the heart to remove it? ■ Snip off any green-leaved shoots from variegated varieties as soon as you see them. ■ Mulch in autumn, using weed-free organic matter.…

How do I clear out a neglected pond? Q When we moved house, I was pleased to find a pond in the somewhat neglected garden. It measures roughly 6x5ft (1.8x1.5m) and is choked with plants and leaves. There’s a covering of duckweed that stayed green all winter. When is the best time to clean it out? Robert Murphy, Abingdon, Oxon A The list of advantages bestowed by a pond is a long one. Aesthetically, they provide calm reflections and water plants to admire, but are also magnets for wildlife. As a child I was endlessly fascinated by our pond and spent happy hours poring over scraps of algae trapped on a slide under my ‘junior microscope’. Paramecia and twirling rotifers filled my world for hours at a time. The Observer’s…

Q Where can I buy nematodes to control slugs? Mary Sewell, via email A Most larger garden centres stock nematode-based Nemaslug. Alternatively, order from Marshalls ( 0844 557 6700 or marshalls-seeds.co.uk) or from Green Gardener ( 01493 750061, greengardener.co.uk). Nematodes are very effective. Q Are these little orange balls the eggs of vine weevils? Maria Mason, via email A I think the ‘eggs’ are actually nitrogen-fixing nodules. Leguminous (clover family) plants form them on their roots to absorb nitrogen from air in the soil . These nodules are normal. If they were vine weevil or slug eggs, they would be pale and globular. Q Can you identify these plants that keep appearing? Celia Tong, via email A These are broadleaved willowherb (Epilobium montanum), an attractive wild flower, but a pernicious garden…

Spuds u-like! We’re slap-bang in the middle of the potato-planting season, and of any single crop we can grow in our gardens and allotments it is the humble spud that has more history and folklore surrounding it than any other. Let’s have a look at some of the amazing facts and figures associated with them. Arrival of the first tubers It seems odd to reflect that no one in England knew about ‘potatoes’ until the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Sir Walter Raleigh is thought by some to have brought potatoes back from one of his trips to Virginia, USA, in about 1585. But there is mystery surrounding the truth. The true potato (Solanum tuberosum) was probably brought to Europe from Colombia, by the Spanish, somewhere around 1580. They arrived…

1 Lift the basket containing your water lilies from the water and place it on a bench or plastic sheeting at the side of the pond. 2 Divide the rootballs using a sharp garden knife. Make sure each healthy division has its own roots and growing shoots. 3 Add fresh aquatic compost to the basket and place the new plant in the centre, filling around it using the rest of the compost. 4 Start the lilies off in shallow water (stand the basket on a brick or stone) and move them deeper after a couple of weeks.…

1 Define the perimeter and shape of the pond with string or a hosepipe and start to dig it out. Move the soil and turf out of the way. 2 Dig out your pond in graded shelves (this is important so wildlife can climb out) and make sure each shelf is level using a spirit level. 3 Line the pond with a thick layer of sand or old carpet. This stops sharp stones or roots from puncturing the lining. 4 Get someone to help you drape the lining over the hole. Spread it carefully without dragging it and anchor the sides with bricks. 5 While the pond is filling with water, trim the sides of the lining so there is a 12in (30cm) overlap. Anchor it with cemented edging stones…

IT isn’t just cultivated flowers that are springing up right now – weeds are having a merry time of it too. I find weeding extremely therapeutic and satisfying, which is just as well as it is the ‘painting the Forth Bridge’ of gardening tasks. It is also an important job that needs doing regularly, as weeds are thuggish and rob your treasured plants of their necessary water and nutrients. Weeding by hand may seem a chore, but a few minutes’ worth a day will keep your garden neat and reduce the need for weedkillers. Weeds are either annual or perennial. Annuals, such as shepherd’s purse and chickweed, have a 12-month cycle and die after flowering and setting seed. They are relatively easy to remove by hoeing, which slices through the…

1 While your plants are standing in water, place a layer of fresh John Innes No2 compost into a new or washed 3in (7cm) pot. 2 Carefully unroll the cardboard casing around the plant, or any packaging it came in. This gives you the opportunity to check that roots are healthy and uncongested. 3 The roots of older or larger plants may be starting to circle the plug casing, so gently free any that are tangled. 4 After teasing out the roots, place the plant in its pot and infill with more compost. Tap the pot so the compost falls around the roots, and firm in. 5 Water the plants well and place them somewhere warm and light – an unheated greenhouse is ideal.…

I’M very excited about this week’s free seeds – Mr Fothergill’s ‘Wildflower Woodland Mix’. The packets contain a mix of a long list of native plants that will look stunning and attract a wide range of insects to the garden – which in turn will encourage more wildlife. Because they are from plants naturally accustomed to dappled and deeper shade, they are perfect for gardens that have awkward, shady areas where other plants struggle to gain a foothold. The seed mix of almost 20 different varieties includes avens, herb bennet, hedge bedstraw, English bluebells, red campion, foxgloves, wild garlic, St John’s wort, common mallow, meadowsweet and tufted vetch. Although not all the seeds are guaranteed, the result will be a subtle and attractive combination of colours and foliage. I have…

April 13-15: RHS Cardiff Flower Show: Bute Park, Cardiff CF10 3EA 0844 995 9664, rhs.org.uk/cardiff 14: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Sandwell Valley Park, West Bromwich B71 4BG planthuntersfairs.co.uk 14: Storytelling for Families, Borde Hill Garden, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH6 1HP. 01444 450326, bordehill.co.uk 14-15: Scotland Daffodil Festival: Rossie Estate, Collessie near Ladybank, Fife, Scotland KY15 7UZ. 0844 414 5803, backhouserossie.co.uk 15: Spring Fling Plant Fair: Great Comp Gardens, Comp Lane, St Mary’s Platt, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 8QS. 01732 885094, greatcompgarden.co.uk 16: Willow Bird Feeders: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 17: Nursery Tour: D’Arcy and Everest Alpine Specialist Nursery, PO Box 78 St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 6ZA. 01480 463 570, darcyeverest.co.uk 17: How to Grow Herbs: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane,…

I’M not sure whether you remember a series of adverts, from a few years ago, that went along these lines: “This is no ordinary asparagus – this is flown in from Peru. These green beans have been hand-picked in Kenya…” and so on. Everything sold by this chain seemed to have been jetted in from some far-flung place and that was supposed to make us all go, “Wow! That’s special.” Well, it made me cringe because the air miles involved do the planet no good at all. Worse still, many countries growing this fresh food for us are rather short of it themselves. Of course, I’m not immune to foreign food. I love oranges, for instance, and we can’t grow them here. I love almonds too, so my cupboards do…

1 Roughly dig over the area you want to sow into using a spade. Remove all traces of weeds and woody roots – don’t worry at this stage if the soil forms into clumps because they’ll break down later. Leave the bed for at least a day so that the soil surface dries out a little. 2 Once the soil is drier, break down any clumps of earth using the back of a fork or rake. Clods are bad news for seeds because they can prevent good contact with the earth. Whack the soil with the fork or rake – you’ll be out of puff, but that’s a sign you’re doing it right! 3 You may now need to leave the soil a few more hours, again so that the…

I THINK people are always amazed how long brassicas take to grow, so I’m here to gently remind you that the time to get your Brussels sprouts, kale, sprouting broccoli, winter cauliflower and winter cabbage seeds sown is now. It’s tricky to cast your mind forward so far when there are so many more exotic crops that need sowing in April, but you’ll be incredibly grateful that you were so organised come those leaner frosty months. These stalwart winter crops deliver picking after picking of flavour – and nutrient-packed greens. I’m still picking my purple-sprouting broccoli now! The old-fashioned (and perfectly good) way to sow your brassicas is in a seedbed outside. The resulting seedlings are then transplanted into their final positions later. I prefer to sow mine into modules,…

■ Water thoroughly with liquid rhododendron feed before planting. ■ In your newly improved soil, dig a hole twice the size of the container. ■ Plant just a little deeper than the surface of the compost in the container. ■ Water thoroughly after planting, again with liquid rhododendron feed added to the water. ■ Keep moist during the first year. Pieris are unexpectedly drought tolerant, but only when well established. Regular watering will get them off to a good start. ■ Regular pruning is not usually necessary, although the shape of your shrub can be improved by removing straggly shoots after flowering. ■ To keep your pieris looking good, old blooms should be snipped off as they turn brown and shrivel.…

Line the inside of mesh containers to prevent compost from escaping into the water. Most books on water gardening suggesting using hessian, which is fine if you have any of this material to hand. If not, try horticultural fleece. Once the container is lined, partially fill with special aquatic compost, available from most garden centres. You can use garden soil, but only if you are certain it is free from herbicides and fertilisers to avoid polluting the water. Decant plants from their pots, remove any weeds and arrange on the bed of aquatic compost. When you are happy with the arrangement, fill any gaps around them with soil or compost, and firm the plants in well. Spread a thick layer of washed grit or gravel over the surface to prevent…

■ Propagation from seed is very slow: the seeds take months to germinate and the seedlings are slow to mature into flowering plants. ■ Division of the rhizomes is easier and quicker, as well as more reliable. ■ The best times to divide plants are spring, soon after flowering, and autumn. ■ Choose the healthiest, strongest pieces from the edge of a clump, and replant promptly after splitting, to avoid drying out.…

1 Using an old knife, cut healthy sections of plants (in this case an iris) to fit an aquatic basket. 2 Line the basket with hessian and pot the plants in aquatic plant compost or garden soil with no added organic matter or fertiliser. 3 Top the basket with shingle to keep the soil in and trim or tuck in the hessian. 4 Replace into the pond so the roots are under water and some of the leaves are above. Place on bricks if necessary. A miniature waterlily should be only 6-12in (15-30cm) deep.…

■ 10 April 1633 Bananas were displayed for the first time in a London shop window. ■ 12 April 1748 William Kent, landscape gardener and architect, died. He was one of the originators of the English landscape garden, a style of ‘natural’ gardening that revolutionised the laying out of gardens and estates. ■ 13 April 1852 Frank Winfield Woolworth, chain-store pioneer, was born. In the 1950s and ’60s F.W. Woolworth was the leading supplier of seeds and plants (along with stationery and sweets) in the UK. ■ 15 April 1715 Rev Adam Buddle, after whom the buddleja is named, died. ■ 16 April 1879 Lord Henry Aberconway was born. Later the owner of Bodnant Garden in North Wales, he became President of the RHS. On the same day 34 years…

C.alpina ‘Columbine’ Like other C.alpina varieties, this is good at looking after itself. Expect nodding blue flowers on plants reaching 2.5m (8ft). Ensure roots are shaded and prune after flowering. ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ A distinctive Viticella type with wine-red flowers from June to September on plants to 12ft (3.7m). Prune in late winter. ‘Comtesse de Bouchard’ A tough, easy, pink clematis, which is happier in shadier positions. Reaches 6-8ft (1.8-2.5m), and blooms from June to September. Prune hard in late winter, or more lightly for earlier flowers. C. x triternata ‘Rubromarginata’ Creates a mass of tiny stars with maroon-edged petals and an almond scent. Tolerates dry shade and grows to 10ft (3m).…

ALEKSANDR Krushelnitckii is a name I won’t forget in hurry – he was the curler caught using drugs at the Winter Olympics. But why did he bother in a sport that makes racing snails look high octane? Could it have been to cope with the tedium? We’ll never know… The danger of professional doping is that, sooner or later, it filters down to amateur enthusiasts – and even gardeners! I once judged a celebrity potato-growing competition where one of the entrants administered the growth-hormone gibberellin to his crop. As chief judge I had to decide whether he’d ‘acted outside of the “spirit” of the rules.’ Working for The Mail on Sunday, but independently of WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency), I judged that he hadn’t, but it just goes to show…

• As temperatures rise your pond will be springing back to life after winter’s freezing dormancy. • Test the water to make sure it contains the correct balance of nutrients for animal and plant health. • Cut back dead and dying plant material so it doesn’t contaminate the water. • Scoop off surface weeds and excess oxygenators to let warmth and light back down into the depths. • Check the health of your fish, and once the water temperature reaches 10°C start feeding them again. • They may still be sluggish, so don’t over-feed them. Cover the pond with netting to protect them from hungry predators.…

ALTHOUGH our garden has ridiculously chalky soil, one of its late winter/early spring glories is a vast mound of pink-purple heather. If this seems wrong on such alkaline soil, don’t worry – winter and spring-flowering varieties (Erica carnea, Erica x darleyensis and Erica erigena) grow well in most soil types. It is their more picky summer-flowering cousins, the Erica vulgaris strain, that require an acidic soil that is lighter in structure, which is why they are usually found on heathlands where the soil is thin and ericaceous. Early flowering heather is a wonderful addition to the garden on several levels. It is a stunning start to the gardening year, looking an absolute picture against fresh green grass and blue skies, and it is an important source of food for the…

MY plug plants, which include a fuchsia, dahlia, brachyscome, osteospermum and geranium, survived the harsh start to spring and have grown well. Now it is time to pot them on so they can develop strong root systems and healthy foliage before they are hardened off and planted out. I potted them up in John Innes No2, which has enough goodness to fire up their growth without being so strong it burns their roots. I also gave them a thorough soaking and won’t water them again until they start to look slightly limp. My plugs will spend the next few weeks in an unheated greenhouse, but do just as well in a cold frame or mini greenhouse, as long as you can cover them with fleece or zip up the front…

I LOVE this time of the year – all the fresh, green young growth and promise of things to come, especially on the vegetable patch. Fortunately, most of my 30x40ft (9x12m) plot was dug before the frost and snow in early March, such that when the surface is drying it crumbles down into a lovely fine tilth for sowing and planting. Where you have had neither time nor opportunity to do this, it is too late to dig deep now, particularly on heavier, drier soils. The best bet here is to very thinly slice off the top weed growth onto the compost heap and then chip up the top few inches with a spade. Deep-rooted perennial weeds will need easing out with a fork. If you can lay your hands…

• Seedbeds attract cats, which use them as toilets, and garden birds that see them as an easy meal. • There are several ways of deterring pests and keeping your seeds safe. • Chemical deterrents such as Bayer Cat-a-Pult and Vitax Scent-Off work well. Tying black cotton to twigs and standing them above the seeds will also keep off cats and birds. • Another option is to grow Coleus canina ‘Scaredy Cat’ in vulnerable beds. An attractive hardy perennial with grey-green leaves and mauve flowers, its scent is repellent to cats and keeps them away.…

WE’D all want to eat salad more often if the leaves were always fresh, crunchy and sweet. Unfortunately, we may have been put off by some miserable ‘hotel’ salad consisting of limp lettuce, a slice or two of flaccid cucumber, some tough tomato, a bitter radish and a long-time-since-spring onion. The problem isn’t necessarily the lack of inspiration, but the sad ingredients. For salads to be tasty, the saladings have to be fresh in the real sense, which means they’re crunchier, sweeter and healthier. Home-grown leaves guarantee a super-fresh taste – you’re able to pick it, wash it and eat it within minutes, when it’s invariably at its best. However, it also needs to be grown properly, which usually means rapidly in extremely favourable conditions. Slow growth in poor, dry…

WITH soil temperatures warming and windowsills overflowing, many gardeners are desperate to begin sowing directly outside during April. You’d think that making a seedbed would be a simple task, and it is – but if you want a perfect bed you can’t rush it. Seeds that are sown indoors are mollycoddled because you can give them the ideal conditions for germination – outdoor seeds aren’t quite so lucky! The success of sowing outdoors relates directly to the quality of your seedbed. So, avoid disappointment by following my simple steps (see right). Top Tip Crops such as carrot, beetroot, parsnip, spinach, chard, turnip, radish and spring onion all prefer to be sown directly outside rather than indoors. Next week: Sow sweetcorn, put in pea supports, sow leeks, earth up new potatoes…

FRUITS that have a stone within them, such as deliciously sweet peaches, cherries and plums, shouldn’t be pruned in winter. Spring and summer are, instead, key pruning times – so what should you be doing now that spring is definitely here? Well, free-standing trees can be left to their own devices. Frequently, however, stone fruits are trained as fans against a sunny south or west-facing wall or fence and, if still young, they’ll benefit from shaping now. So, if you’re growing a fan-trained cherry, greengage or apricot, cut off any shoots growing away from the wall or fence. Any congested areas should also be thinned out, and while you’re at it, tie in any new shoots to fill in the gaps. Job done.…

LET’S get one thing out of the way first: namely that, like rhododendrons, pieris prefer acid soil. But if your soil is neutral or limy – don’t turn the page! Pieris are very accommodating shrubs. First, they’re less particular than rhododendrons about the acidity of the soil; and, second, they’re among the finest of all shrubs for large containers. Previously called Andromeda (and sometimes still referred to as such), pieris are well-branched evergreens reaching up to 6 ½ ft (2m) in 10 years. Some are more compact, while others will keep on growing – although they are easy to keep to size if that’s what you need. The leaves are dark and glossy, carried in clusters or, alternately, up the stem. In some varieties the foliage is dramatically coloured red,…

The first time I was a guest on BBC TV’s Gardeners’ World – this was long ago, when Geoff Hamilton was still presenting it – I showed how to plant a ‘Wakehurst’ pieris in a large terracotta pot, and what to plant with it. With silver variegated ‘Glacier’ ivy trailing over the edge and clumps of blue grape hyacinths emerging in spring, my container looked good in all seasons. And it continued to do so for years. Using a large container is the best way for those of us with limy soil to grow pieris as we can fill the pot with a lime-free compost such as J. Arthur Bower’s Ericaceous Compost. If you choose a terracotta pot, cut up an old compost sack and use the plastic to line…

Trachelospermum jasminoides Star of Toscana (‘Selbra’) This new star jasmine is summer-flowering, producing clusters of pale-gold flowers that exude a tea-like fragrance. The evergreen leaves flush bronze in winter. H: 13-26ft (4-8m). Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ (AGM) One of the best honeysuckles around for scent, the golden-cream flowers of this reliable deciduous climber release their intoxicating perfume on warm summer evenings. This is indispensable for those who love fragrance. H: 13-26ft (4-8m). Jasminum officinale ‘Devon Cream’ (syn. ‘Clotted Cream’) The evocative scent of the Mediterranean… You won’t regret planting this jasmine as its perfume floats through open windows on summer nights. Grow against a warm, sheltered wall. H: 8-13ft (2.5-4m). Wisteria floribunda ‘Yae-kokuryu’ (AGM) One of the most impressive plants for the…

‘Albostriata’ Each leaf is neatly and precisely striped along the veins, in a creamy-white that is sometimes almost yellow. Both pretty and striking, with those customary fragrant white bells. Colours best in a little sun. H: 6in (15cm). ‘Bordeaux’ A supercharged variety that’s twice the height, with twice as many flowers that are twice the size of the usual form, but just as well scented. Sadly, despite the name, these are white, not wine-red. H: 12in (30cm). ‘Hardwick Hall’ Broad leaves feature a slightly irregular yellow margin and occasional other stripes, which add colour without reducing vigour. Flowers are a little larger and plants a little taller than the standard form. H: 10in (25cm). ‘Prolificans’ Unique in that each individual flower is replaced by a small cluster of tiny ones.…

What’s up with my witch hazels? Q I have four hamamelis (witch hazels) in my garden – ‘Diane’, ‘Pallida’, ‘Arnold Promise’ and ‘Jelena’. The only one to flower is ‘Diane’, but the rest have come into leaf. Why didn’t the others flower? H Ashworth, Ash, Surrey A It is odd that one hamamelis should flower while its near neighbours didn’t, but growing conditions can be variable even in a small space. I assume the plants are well established and are not new? If any are, it may explain the lack of flowers. If all are established, then I suspect the lack of flowers is due to low moisture levels – witch hazels are prone to drought stress and a lack of moisture can be a problem in winter as well as…

Borderline Steel Edging from £14.94 + £19 delivery 01435 862992 ewburrownursery.co.uk Features Sold under ‘planting accessories’ these 78in (200cm) long, 4in (10cm) high strips of 1/10in (2mm) thick – but flexible – long-lasting steel have a brown finish and are powder coated to withstand the elements. Each strip requires three stakes, sold separately at £43.44 per pack. Performance Only a shallow slit trench was required to position the strips, then the thick, strong stakes where simply hammered through the slots to hold each firmly in place. Result: beautiful edging that blends into the setting and accurately follows bends and curves – a professional-looking finish, one that should last and last and gives that ‘I’ve just had my garden landscaped’ effect. Value They offer many different styles and thicknesses for various…

Westland Gro-Sure Smart Ground Cover is a protective and decorative natural mulch ideal for use in beds, borders, planters, containers and pots – its natural wood fibres lock together to stay in place offering better coverage than standard bark. To use, spread a 1 1/4in (3cm) layer, break up lumps and fluff the mulch before watering to lock fibres together. We have three 10-litre packs to give away, each worth £9.99. 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 Westland Gro-Sure Smart Ground Cover Draw, Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@timeinc.com, heading the email Westland Gro-Sure Smart Ground Cover Draw.…

Impatient to ‘get growing’ WE were all surprised to have snow here in Essex in March. As a keen skier I always welcome snow, but having taken up gardening I am impatiently waiting to get growing myself. It’s great to see the signs of spring starting to show. Grant Rivers, Essex Reader’s Quick Tip NO need to write out labels when potting on garden-centre plug plants, just cut their label down and insert it in the new pot. It makes identification easier too. Jo Dudley, Pedmore, West Midlands In for a guinea AS you can see above, my daughter’s Siamese cat Polly takes her babysitting duties very seriously out in the garden, when asked to keep an eye on Eeny, Meeny and Mo, the children’s pet guinea pigs. Beryl Wilkinson,…

Leave the spuds out in a bright frost-free place to ‘chit’ – produce sprouts that are 1/2- 3/4in (1-2cm) long. This shaves a week or more off the time they take to come into harvest. Cover the base of a 16in (40cm)-wide pot with enough compost to bury two potatoes and water well. Keep indoors until after the last frost and, as the stems grow, top up the pot with compost until it’s 4in (10cm) from the rim. At this point feed once a week with liquid fertiliser and harvest when the plants come into flower.…