Innholdsfortegnelse for 30-Jun-2018 i Amateur Gardening

A REFURBISHMENT of the shed’s exterior has been an increasingly pressing priority for the past year or so, but somehow weather or time has always been against us. Last weekend, however, was blessed with two days of unbroken sunshine and a light breeze – perfect painting weather. Looking after your wood is a key component of garden maintenance. Sheds, fences, trelliswork, outdoor furniture – as well as metalwork – all need care if they are to withstand the wear and tear of outdoor life for more than a couple of years. Carry out your wood and metal maintenance on a dry, still day when there’s no rain forecast for at least 48 hours. Your equipment should include a face mask if there’s any sanding down to do, a sander or…

1 Start by clearing around the sides of the shed – ours was surrounded by old and broken pots, sacks of compost and old canes. 2 Strip ivy and other creeping plants that are making their way up the shed. Ivy is shallow-rooted and pretty easy to remove. 3 Prevent paint from getting onto the edge of windows using masking tape. Wipe any paint drips off the glass immediately. 4 When carrying out any maintenance make sure you are standing on a level and stable surface, a platform or secured ladder. 5 Start painting at the top of the fence or building and work down, coating the edges of the roof and underneath gutters. 6 Follow the grain of the wood when painting as this makes it easier to apply…

Niki Jabbour’s Veggie Garden Remix (Storey publishing, £14.99)IF you want to create your own global vegetable garden, Niki Jabbour has 224 plant suggestions from around the world. For example, if you like tomatoes (strictly speaking, a fruit), she suggests you give ground cherries, Cape gooseberries and tomatillos a go. As Niki is Canadian she mentions different zones across the country, although there are plenty of general details about growing conditions and information about where each veg originates.There are some great things to try, such as celtuce, which offers a dual harvest of early leaves followed by a crunchy stem in late summer, and papalo, which has a coriander flavour. Some are known in the UK, such as asparagus pea and cucamelons, but others, such as orach and hamburg parsley, are…

While planting for autumn I removed some inherited daffodil bulbs from a shady border against the house. They weren’t performing well, so I replaced them with a pink-tinged Astrantia major ‘Roma’ (also known as masterwort). These long-flowering perennials like sun or shade and we already have a white one thriving in a similar dry and shaded border. I mulched the planting hole with well-rotted compost and watered the plant well. It will need frequent watering while it gets established and then hopefully it will romp away.…

THE Chelsea chop, which takes place in late spring around the time of the famous London flower show, is a key garden task that keeps bushy, early flowering perennials in good shape. Catmint benefits from being cut back hard in late May, and should thank you with a secondary flush of flowers later in the summer. Now is the time for what I call the ‘Hampton hack-back coinciding with next week’s Hampton Court Flower Show. It is an early summer trim for some other bushy perennials that have finished their first flush of flowers. Hardy geraniums are prime candidates for cutting back now. If left unattended, they tend to sprawl and flowering falls off, but if given a brisk trim now they will remain in an attractive mound and hopefully…

June 30: Botanical Perfumery: RHS Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 30-1 July: Plant fair and Open Gardens: Henbury Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ. 01625 422101, planthuntersfair.co.uk July 1: Kidderminster Horticultural Society Open Gardens, Worcs. 01562 631001; suegardenuk@gmail.com 1: Garden iPhoneography: Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8AH. 01572 813200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk 1-8: Sweet pea week: Easton Walled Gardens, Easton, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG33 5AP. 01476 530063, visiteaston.co.uk 2-8: Hampton Court Flower Show: Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU. 020 3166 6000, rhs.org.uk 3: Growing Scented Flowers: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 4: Love Your Bugs: Barnsdale Gardens 4: Beautiful Borders: RHS Hyde Hall 5: Behind the Scenes at Hyde Hall: RHS…

MOST gardeners recognise ground beetles by their hard wing cases and oval bodies. Many beetles are big and black, although we do love the violet ground beetle (Carabus violaceus), which is almost an iridescent purple in sunlight. Most of the time ground beetles are sheltering in the vegetation, and this is why my garden is packed with plants that cover the ground. I want to encourage these excellent predators because the ground beetle is the best predator of the grey field slug (Deroceras reticulatum). Both the adults and larvae of the beetle eat the slug and its eggs. This slimy, pinkish, plump slug is a real problem because it can overwinter and survive (and feed in) low temperatures. It’s the one you find above ground, in or on your lettuces,…

I ADORE these little emerald pearls and if, like me, you’ve been bitten by the broad bean bug, you’re probably already tucking into them by now. Sowings made in October overwinter to produce an early harvest. You can often pick these in May in milder locations; use really hardy varieties such as ‘Witkiem Manita’ and ‘Super Aquadulce’. Batches sown in March and April, especially early maturing types like ‘De Monica’, will be catching up with them now, so how do you get the best from the crop? For me, picking the pods when they are at their absolute peak is a must. Tiny immature beans are a waste of potential, yet so are huge bitter-tasting beans with leathery grey skins. Your objective is to aim somewhere in the middle. The…

Cistus require dry, well-drained conditions, and do not always respond well to the peat or coir composts growers use for most shrubs. In particular, their roots may not grow out easily from the highly organic rootball into the surrounding soil. Wind rock, caused by gales catching the evergreen foliage and loosening the roots, can also be a factor until those roots have grown out sufficiently. Small plants usually establish more quickly and reliably than large ones, but will have less impact initially. A good trick is to set three small plants relatively close together, to give the illusion of a single, more substantial specimen. C . x aguilarii ‘Maculatus’ Narrow, bright green, wavy-edged foliage is the perfect background for the large pure-white flowers, each with…

Providing structure all year round – plus a profusion of early summer flowers – cistus are invaluable partners in Mediterranean plantings, for dry gardens, and dry, sunny slopes. Other good evergreen associates include rosemary, lavender, helichrysum and euphorbias, which often grow with them in their natural habitats. For partners in a different style, try perennials such as Asphodeline lutea, erodiums, spiky eryngiums and sedums. Flag irises, especially the shorter types, can be unexpectedly effective, while grasses and grass-like plants (including blue festucas and libertias) offer a striking contrast. Finish off with annuals and biennials that will provide ever-changing colours through the seasons and can be allowed to self sow among the permanent specimens. Sweet peas, cerinthe, chrysanthemums and annual poppies all fit the bill perfectly.…

Field forget-me-not ( Myosotis arvensis ) This native low-growing annual is welcome in most cottage gardens. Favoured for its blue flowers that can be seen from April through October. Looks great growing under roses and thrives in most soil. Easy to weed out by hand Red campion ( Silene dioica ) A stunning biennial (often grows as a perennial) that flowers from May to July. Perfect for dappled shade. It can be dug into the soil as a green manure. Height up to 2ft (60cm). Roots were once used as a ‘soap’ for washing clothes Dock ( Rumex obtusifolius ) We all know the pain of a nettle sting. To reduce the sting, rub the area with a dock leaf. It’s worth having a…

‘Goldfinch’ Almost thornless and easy to train. The shiny mid-green leaves flatter egg-yolk yellow flowers that, as they age, fade to cream. Moderately vigorous, it can be trained around a pole or pergola. H: Up to 15ft (4.5m) ‘Debutante’ (AGM) A very feminine rambler with dark-green foliage and clear rose-pink, semi-double flowers that fade to a pretty lilac/pink. It has a good scent and stems that are pliable enough to train around an arch. H: Up to 20ft (6m). ‘Sander’s White Rambler’ (AGM) This pure-white option, with shiny green leaves, flowers a couple of weeks later than many ramblers, thereby extending the season. It is luminescent in light shade and is not as vigorous as many. H: Up to 25ft (7.5m). ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ (AGM) The best rose for scaling…

RAMBLERS Start by removing the 3Ds: any diseased, dying or damaged wood. Remember that ramblers produce new growth from the base. You need to take out the older, woodier stems in November, and tie in the glossy new ones. CLIMBERS These roses vary a great deal, so pruning is complex. However, you still want to aim for strong growth from the base. Start by removing the 3Ds: any diseased, dying or damaged wood. If you’re happy with the shape of your rose, shorten the flowering side shoots by two-thirds. Tie in new shoots. If your rose is showing lots of bare stem, be brave and cut one half back to the ground, to allow it to reshoot from the base. Do the other half the following year. Bend the stems,…

PLANT autumn bulbs now, following the specific instructions provided by the supplier. Every bulb has different requirements. For example, sternbergia may sulk in pots, whereas nerines enjoy the compact conditions provided by container growing. Amarines like to be planted just beneath the surface of the soil so they can feel the sun, whereas dahlias ought to be planted 6-12in (15-30cm) deep. Nerines hate disturbance, while you can divide hesperantha every 2-3 years. By meeting the specific needs of each bulb you’ll be able to enjoy them every autumn for years to come.…

‘Café au Lait’ A gorgeous cream dahlia with pale pink, coffee and apricot tones; makes a fine cut flower. Plant tubers in sunny borders or in containers at least 1ft (30cm) deep. H: 39in (1m). ‘Bishop of Oxford’ Single tangerine flowers are held above dark foliage on this under-used member of the Bishop collection, which includes the better-known scarlet ‘Bishop of Llandaff’. H: 3ft (90cm). ‘Jowey Mirella’ Go dark and add some smoulder to an autumn border. Looks good with cream and orange dahlias, and with grasses. Can be grown in containers and will last well in the vase. H: 3ft (90cm).…

The most recent change for Chiltern Seeds is that last year Sally and Heather took on a plot of land so they now have a trial ground for the first time. “It’s a really exciting development and all the staff are mucking in with the sowing and weeding,” explains Sally. “The biggest advantage is that the whole team gets to watch the plants develop and we all have cut flowers to take home in the summer.” Sally predicts the trend this year to be pastel shades for flowers, especially apricot and salmon colours. “Growing cut flowers continues to be popular and Instagram has been, and will be, a great platform for sharing inspirational images,” she says.…

Thin stems of larger bamboos such as Phyllostachys bambusoides ‘Castillonii’ by cutting some to the ground using loppers. This lightens their appearance and creates an artistic arrangement of canes. Using secateurs, remove side stems bearing leaves from the lower end of stems. Where the tightly packed growth and dense, deep roots of an overgrown Fargesia scabrida are impossible to dig out by hand, consider hiring a mini digger and driver. Control weed-like, rhizome-forming bamboos such as Pleioblastus variegatus with regular cutting and digging.…

Plant in moist, well-drained soil where the roots will be cool. Mulch regularly with leafmould or well-rotted garden compost. Prune by thinning out a few older, weaker stems in spring. Cut close to the base or a healthy side shoot. Tidy plants by dead-heading in early spring, cutting beyond the topmost pair of fat buds. Grown in pots, hydrangeas benefit from 50:50 John Innes No2 and a soilless mix, or ericaceous compost for blue-flowering varieties. Keep moist and well fed. In final pots, top-dress annually in spring or occasionally cut away a good 2in (5cm) of the outer roots and pot back into the same container.…

The war on pests rages on! Early summer is when garden plants are most at risk from pests. Plants are young, tender, lush and full of moisture, making them at their most appealing to pests – both insectivorous and of the four and two-legged kinds. Let’s look at some of the interesting facts about the plant munchers! Here’s one example of how we are ‘up against it’ when it comes to the war on pests: female aphids (greenfly and blackfly) are capable of virgin births – no males required. Also, females can carry developing young, which are themselves already carrying developing young! This increases population numbers rapidly: one estimate is that one aphid could generate 600 billion descendants – in one season (yikes)! Run rabbit, run! Rabbits are formidable pests…

Westland Big Tom Super Food is enriched with the essential nutrients for a tastier and bigger yield of tomatoes, plus improved root growth for plant stability. The feed is seaweed enriched with N-P-K levels of 6-3-9.5 to give your tomatoes the boost they need during growth. The 1.25-litre bottle makes up to 62 feeds, and can be used on beds, paths and patios. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding usage. We have three 1.25-litre bottles to give away, each worth around £5. 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 Big Tom Super Food Draw (30 June), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details…

‘Plantaholic ruined my view’ MY wife is thrilled to call herself a ‘plantaholic,’ but I am not so happy. When we moved into this property I had a wonderful view of the Cotswold escarpment 1 1/2 miles away, rising to a height of 800ft above the village, but she has reduced my horizon from 1 1/2 miles to about 20ft with bushes that grow to a height of over 10ft. I don’t have my view any more, just a wall of green and brown foliage that cuts me off from the rest of the garden and the world outside, although the garden itself is so full of plants squeezed in that it is not very ‘people-friendly’. With a bit of thought on her part she could have all her plants,…

MY sons and I moved house and have gone from a lovely big garden to a small courtyard. At just 6 and 7, my sons are keen gardeners who love to grow their own fruit and vegetables but were missing their big greenhouse and veggie patch. I decided to invest in a small greenhouse and as many big pots as I could find for them to get back into growing their own. We have decided to subscribe to AG magazine too in the hope that we can learn lots of tips and tricks to help us get the best from our little courtyard. Here is a picture of Finley watering his plants. Kerri-Ann Briggs Seaton, Devon…

ACCORDING to my older siblings, living with me was like sharing a nest with a cuckoo. No sweet, cake, chocolate or Easter egg was safe, as I’d scoff the lot and help myself to more. On occasion, I was cruelly called fat, although I like to think I was merely ‘big shadowed’. “Whatever the variety, all dahlias are fast-doers” Unlike greedy children, flowers don’t grow large on extra helpings but on an absence of close company. With fewer brother and sister blooms, the plant’s energy concentrates into a single stem making for super-sized flowers that look amazing in vases or could potentially win prizes at the local show. The dahlias in my garden, for example, are just coming into bloom and, if left to their own devices, each stem would…

1 Start by covering the weeded area with light-suppressing membrane or robust plastic sacks (old animal feed bags are ideal). 2 Make sure no light can get through to help weeds germinate by anchoring the edges down. 3 Cover the membrane/sacks with a dense layer of gravel. It took three sacks of 20mm stones to cover this small area. 4 The area looks much more attractive and will hopefully now be free of weeds – just push any loose stones back into place if they move.…

IN an ideal world a garden contains something to catch the eye all year round, but sometimes things start to drop off when summer comes to an end. An easy way of creating seamless colour is to plant autumn-flowering bulbs – and this is your last chance to do so this year. There are bulbs for every situation and soil. Autumn crocuses and Sternbergia, plus cheerful yellow winter aconites, look stunning naturalised in lawns and under trees. Borders can easily be brightened by bold dahlias, tall nerines with their clusters of trumpet-shapes blooms in shades of pink and hardy Cyclamen coum that take over flowering in shady areas in late winter. My favourite autumn flowering bulb is Gladiolus murielae, which has white flowers with blotched maroon centres. It grows well…

“There are lessons to be learnt about plant transportation” THE sanitised coverage of national flower shows on television these days tells just a fraction of the story, and viewers could be shown and taught much more with greater background detail. If only the presenters would come down from their isolated eyries with their prepared scripts on Autocue, to research their subject, we could all learn a great deal about handling and growing plants. Plans for next year’s Chelsea Flower Show are already well underway and growers will be rooting lupin and delphinium cuttings, for example, in readiness. It is not just the planning and preparation, though, as there are lessons to be learnt about plant transportation and plant treatment after a show. When putting a tree, shrub or large leafy…

Citrus plants should be growing well now and need feeding to keep them robust. Throughout summer, feed these plants with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser that will encourage the development of flowers and fruit. Don’t let them dry out – use rainwater where possible. They need minimal pruning, but do pinch out the tips of any tall fast-growing shoots that are spoiling the overall shape of the tree.…

THERE are some events in gardening that seem hard to swallow, as at first glance they look like disasters – the June drop of fruit trees being one of the most obvious. Most fruit trees, especially apples and pears, regularly set many more fruitlets than they can comfortably ripen successfully. This means that around the end of this month, they start to drop their surplus. To the beginner, this looks terrible. One day you see a huge potential crop of little apples on your tree. The next, most seem to be lying underneath, and all appears lost. Don’t worry, though, as the tree has just done the sensible thing. It could never carry all those fruits to harvest – and if it did, they would be small and sour. Instead,…

I KNOW, I know – who on earth wants to be thinking of winter when we’re in the midst of gorgeous summer weather? But trust me, you do. Some of the very best cold-season crops need attention now, and the reward in this case will be row upon row of hearty, melt-in-the-mouth leeks. Softened in butter, added to a rich cheese sauce or thrown into a chicken, ham and mushroom shortcrust pastry pie, you just can’t be without them. Hopefully, you followed my lead and sowed some in pots back in April. You should now be looking at a tussock of promising green seedlings that are just waiting to be planted. To me, these steps (see right) are a summer ritual that will guarantee continued abundance. See? I don’t want…

IF you’re anything like me, you’ll find that summer is a juggling act on the veg plot. Trying to squeeze one crop in here and shoehorn another in there feels like a horticultural jigsaw puzzle! So when a crop such as cabbage, cauliflower, purple sprouting or kale requires planting out, it tests my planning skills, because all these winter brassicas demand generous spacings. If you sow in April and plant out in June or early July, you can’t expect a harvest until October at the earliest. Normally, my kale and winter cauliflowers mature first, followed by cabbages, Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting, in that order. The sprouting is a space-hogger: plants should be at least 3ft (90cm) apart! The others need at least 2ft (60cm) spacings each way – squeeze…

Cistus not only hybridise freely between themselves, but also with related plants. There are two lovely AGM winners among this latter group, both of which bloom from May to September – an exceptionally long season for this group of plants. Reaching 20in (50cm) in height and, eventually, 16½ft (5m) wide, x Halimiocistus ‘Ingwersenii’ has pure-white flowers and dark, slender leaves. More of a ground hugger, x H. ‘Sahucii’ spreads less and reaches just 6in (15cm) in height. Both are superb.…

HAVING recently read a book called Wonderful Weeds by Madeline Harley, I have a new-found interest in these ‘nuisance’ plants. The truth is that native weeds bring so much to our plots, and if you investigate them you’ll find that even the ones we curse the most offer a few benefits. The main advantage of weeds is undeniably that they offer wonderfully enchanting flowers that attract beneficial insects to the garden. There are many native wildflowers that are rare and should be welcomed and valued by us all, and there are also many ornamentals that have become weeds that still hold value. Our native weeds play a vital role in the ecology of our wonderful countryside. Most gardeners are very happy to welcome wildflowers such as the cowslip (Primula veris)…

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Sahara’ – Wonderful semi-double and double velvety blooms in subtle shades of copper, caramel and warm pink average 5in (13cm) across with some up to 7in (18cm). The perfect annual for the front of a sunny border. Flowers from early summer until well into autumn. Height 2ft (60cm). Papaver somniferum laciniatum ‘Black Swan’ – This new variety has dark burgundy red, almost black, petals. The double and semi-double blooms are frilled with numerous finely cut (laciniated) petals giving a lovely frothy effect. Easy to grow – sow direct in spring or autumn. Height 2ft 11in (90cm). Salad leaves ‘Baby (Leaf) Come Back’ – a mix created by Chiltern Seeds of cut-and-come-again salad leaves. Includes chard ‘Rainbow Mixed’, land cress, Spinach ‘Medania’, wild rocket ‘Torino’,…

Fiskars Xact Weed Puller £41.99 01782 204141 for stockists or visit fiskars.co.uk Features Futuristic design. Steel shaft and composite fibre with moulded grip on handle. Four active stainless-steel claws, fixed foot lever, sliding weed-ejection mechanism. Hole in handle for hanging strap. Length 40in (99cm), weight 32oz (917g). Performance Light and easy to handle. Claws drive into even compacted soil with little effort. Pulling back on the lever reliably lifted pretty much any large rosette-forming weeds. One or two deep roots snapped on heavy soil. Only a small scar left on lawns. Claw grasped weeds firmly until ejection mechanism was activated. Worked well on light, friable soils in the veg bed, but occasionally failed to lift very deep-rooted weeds. Foot pedal is fixed, but this didn’t cause serious storage…

Petal-nibbling earwigs love feeding in dahlias during the day, but prefer holing up in straw or newspaper at night. By packing straw or newspaper into pot cane-toppers, the insects are easy to collect. Some gardeners kill them, but as earwigs eat other insect eggs, fleas and aphids, it makes sense to put them elsewhere. Before bringing cut flowers into the house, leave for 24 hours in a bucket of water in a dark shed. Any insects will head for the light that spills in through knots in the woodwork or the gap under the door.…

1 Dig over the soil to remove weeds, roots, stones and debris, and fork in lots of well-rotted organic matter. 2 Plant the bulbs at three times their own depth and one bulb’s width apart, with the pointed end facing upwards. 3 Cover the bulbs with soil and tamp down the surface with the back of a rake and water well. Mark their position. 4 You can also plant bulbs in pots at the same depth and spacing as before. Use multipurpose John Innes No2 for one season, or John Innes No3 for longer-term plantings.…

The best support for foliage and flowers when in transit is other leaves and blooms. When carefully pressed together they are self-supporting. When joining in the rush to buy at flower show sell-offs, herbaceous plants with a good root system are a safe bet. The chances are flowers will be past their best after days in reduced light. Tubes of polythene slipped over plants reduces the space they take up and makes transportation easier. Put the pot in first, then pull up the tube constricting the branches as you go. Remove by continuing to pull up. Plants that have been in reduced light will need several days in light shade to stiffen up and become accustomed to outdoor conditions.…

LAST year my verbascum were shredded by mullein moths, so I am hoping that this week’s free seeds will provide replacements for next year. Verbascum are statuesque hardy perennials and these Mr Fothergill’s seeds will flower in white and pretty shades of pink and darker carmine. They are classic mixed-border beauties that are popular with bees and butterflies. You can sow them now, undercover, in trays of dampened seed and cuttings compost. Keep them somewhere light and warm, and germination will take place within a month. Prick them out into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on. The seeds are small, and sowing can be made easier by mixing them with a little horticultural sand before sprinkling them over the compost. Harden off the…

1 When digging first potato crops, be careful not to damage the plants. Also, leave small tubers attached and heel in again for a bonus crop. 2 Prune blackcurrants at the same time as picking them. Cut out cropping branches that you can take and pick elsewhere in more comfort. 3 Dig up your garlic as soon as the leaves yellow. If you wait until the leaves fall off, you won’t be able to find the bulbs. 4 Raise the cut height of your mower to leave taller grass that will stay greener for longer in hot weather.…

1 First, you need to grade your leeks. Water the pot they’re in thoroughly and give the moisture time to soak in, then lift the whole lot out of the pot and gently tease them apart. Make one pile of larger seedlings and reserve the smaller leeks as spares. 2 Leeks like a moisture-retentive soil in good, strong light. They can tolerate shadier spots so long as the air flow is good – otherwise, the fungal disease rust may set in. Dig the area over well and, using a large dibber, make 6in (15cm) deep holes that are 10in (25cm) apart each way. 3 Don’t bother with the old advice of cutting off any excess foliage and roots. Place one leek in each hole and water it in well, and…

AS our summers change, it is predicted that dry spells will become more frequent and restrictions on the use of water in the garden are likely to be increasingly stringent. As a result, more and more of us are going to need attractive – and easy-to-grow – drought-tolerant plants. Step forward: cistus. Almost everyone who has been on a Mediterranean holiday will have seen these plants. Cistus are evergreen shrubs found growing on sunny hillsides, in rocky places or along rural roadsides – usually in full sun and in well-drained situations. Some develop a low and creeping habit; others make taller shrubs up to 6½ft (2m) in height; about 39in (1m) is more usual, though. As with many shrubs native to the Mediterranean region, they often have foliage that is…

Cistus are best planted around this time of year, in June or July. I know that traditional shrub planting time is the autumn, but it is unwise to plant a drought-loving shrub just before our wettest season! Choose a sunny site, preferably one that is sheltered from icy winter winds, and, unless the soil is already well drained, work grit into the planting area before planting. Cistus rarely need pruning – which is just as well as, like lavender, they do not respond to cutting into older wood.…

Hoe off annual weeds regularly and preferably before they have a chance to flower. Rake them up and pop them on the compost heap or in the chicken run. Remove all the root of perennial weeds such as dandelions. If you leave even the smallest piece of root they will regenerate. Dandelions are easier to lift after rain. In autumn, apply a layer of mulch to borders – this will reduce but not prevent weeds from germinating. Spread mulch on a warm but moist soil. If you don’t have the time to pull perennial weeds, nip off their flowers before they set seed. Learn to identify weed seedlings and remove them in spring before they gain momentum. Warning: Make sure you identify edible plants correctly as some plants are poisonous.…

‘Gloire de Dijon’ A buff-apricot, climbing hybrid tea rose with flat-faced, old-fashioned-looking blooms. Glorious and abundant in June, with only a few later flowers. This Victorian favourite has stood the test of time. H: Up to 18ft (5.5m). Malvern Hills (AGM) Medium-large clusters of small, fully double blooms in soft yellow, on a healthy rambler that always looks summery. Only a light fragrance, but shiny foliage and not too many thorns. H: Up to 15ft (4.5m).…

Ramblers are naturally vigorous and will tolerate poorer growing conditions than climbers, due to the fact that they are less highly bred. Bare-root planting, during the winter months, is an excellent idea for both. Roses establish more easily and postage is cheaper. Feed your climbers with a slow-release high-potash plant food (I’m a big fan of Vitax Q4). Ramblers can be left to their own devices. Deadhead repeat-flowering roses to promote more flower. Once-and-only roses should be left: many will form attractive hips after blooming.…

Sternbergia lutea AGM The autumn daffodil can be slow to establish, but it’s worth the wait for those sunny yellow goblets that bloom in September and October. Plant in very well-drained soil, in full sun. H: 6in (15cm). Crocus speciosus AGM This autumn-flowering lavender crocus looks charming flowering through a carpet of fallen leaves. Grow in well-drained soil, in sun or semi-shade. Over time it will increase to form drifts. H: 4in (10cm). Cyclamen hederifolium AGM The pink flowers of the sowbread are produced in early autumn and are followed by silver-green leaves that persist all winter. Grow in light, humus-rich soil and mulch regularly with leaf mould. H: 4in (10cm). Nerine bowdenii AGM Thanks to its spidery pink blooms, the Bowden…

Nerines + stonecrop and grasses For a gorgeous autumn border display in sun, combine the shocking pink nerine ‘Zeal Giant’ with Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’ and the graceful, arching stems of deciduous Stipa tenuissima. Giant meadow saffron + black mondo grass The black leaves of evergreen Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ are the ideal foil for Colchicum speciosum ‘Atrorubens’, with its pink goblets. Full sun. Crimson flag lily + Michaelmas daisies The elegant red or pink flowers of Hesperantha coccinea look great with Aster amellus ‘Veilchenkönigin’ (violet) and Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’ (lavender). Plant in well-drained, moisture-retentive soil, in sun. Dahlias + grasses Single-flowered dahlias look great with grasses – in borders or pots. Try yellow ‘Moonfire’ with the barley-like rose-hued Hordeum jubatum and fluffy Pennisetum villosum – often grown as an annual, the…

QI added a couple of bamboos to my garden about 15 years ago, but now I’m finding their growth rate rather threatening. One is a Phyllostachys type, and the other has daintier stems and leaves but has still spread into a wide clump. Can I control these or should I get rid of them? Philippa Thompson, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland A Bamboos were the darlings of garden makeover programmes, where planted from large pots they brought height, filled corners and formed screens. They are evergreen, structural, rustle in the breeze and, when well maintained, are generally an asset. Phyllostachys are good choices, because their spread is gradual. Your smaller bamboo could be Fargesia scabrida, which is a beauty but capable of expanding into a 10ft (3m) high thicket over 15 years, especially…

Q Could you tell what plant this is? Nick Steans, via email A The plant you have asked us to identify is a clematis and I’m reasonably certain it is a variety called ‘Multi Blue’. This has two flowering seasons, one in May/June on wood produced last year, and again in August/September on wood produced this year. It is a gorgeous variety and will be a treat to have flowering twice! Q This is in my garden – what is it please? Tracey Kedge, via email A The plant you have asked us to identify is clary sage ( Salvia sclarea ). It is a hardy biennial or short-lived perennial native to the northern Mediterranean region but naturalised all over Europe. It is a lovely garden plant, pretty much taking…

H. m. ‘Kardinal Violet’ Large lace-cap flowerheads with a long season of bloom, glowing with rich, reddish-purple hues when planted in acidic earth, and softer pinks in alkaline soil. Reaches 4ft (1.2m). H. macrophylla ‘Ayesha’ Generous mopheads of small lavender florets with curled-in edges, giving a lilac-like appearance. Reaches 4ft (1.2m). H. m. ‘Dr Jean Varnier’ This lace-cap is a sport (mutation) from popular ‘Lanarth White’ but with pale pink or lilac flowers. It’s best on an alkaline soil, tolerant of drier soils and likes a sheltered position. Can reach 4ft (1.2m) high. H. m. ‘Zebra’ White mophead flowers with crinkle-edged petals are held on dark, almost black stalks on a shrub that can reach 3ft (1m) high.…

26 June 1793 Rev Gilbert White, naturalist and cleric, died. Regarded by many as England’s first ecologist, he said of earthworms: “…though in appearance a small and despicable link in the chain of nature yet, if lost, would make a lamentable chasm”. 1 July 1808 English butterfly and moth expert Henry Doubleday was born. His moth collection is still intact, and resides at the Natural History Museum. He died in 1875. 27 June 1839 Botanist and explorer Allan Cunningham died. Born in 1791, he worked at Kew Gardens and was later appointed ‘government botanist’ in Sydney, Australia. He resigned a year later, after finding he had to grow potatoes for government officials! 30 June 1817 Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, surgeon and botanist, was born. He was Charles Darwin’s best friend,…

Earwigs in ears? Will an earwig really get into your ear, or is it just a myth? There are no proven records that this has happened, although the belief is ancient and held in every continent, except South America, so it probably has occurred from time to time. Don’t let your blanket dangle in the dirt! Earwigs attack young leaves and buds of plants, which make them a pest. But they also eat aphids, so arguably this cancels the problem out. They are related to cockroaches and, like them, need to hide during the day. They usually find holes in the ground, or in fruit, and you will find them in the hollow stems of plants such as dahlias. Wow! I didn’t know that… ■ The fuchsia gall mite, which…