Innholdsfortegnelse for 5-Jan-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“Welcome to 2019 and a very special year for AG. It’s 135 years since our first issue hit the newsstands in 1884. We are the only gardening magazine launched in the 19th century that still exists. To celebrate, every week this year you can read snippets from the last 135 years in Gardener’s Miscellany, and we have also reprinted a calendar from our 7 January 1905 issue on page 43. In the meantime, we’ll continue to offer the best practical advice of any magazine – as we always have since our very first copy.”…

ONE of my favourite gifts this Christmas was a willow wand – several thin whips of living willow twisted together to form an ornamental trunk, with a decorative willow collar towards the top. Yes, it currently looks like a bunch of twisted sticks, but once planted up it will soon root and shoot to become a beautiful addition to the garden. Willow wands should be treated the same as bare-root plants. Check that the wand is healthy and, if you can’t plant it immediately, store it somewhere shaded for three-four days with the rooting tips either in water or wrapped in damp newspaper or plastic. Willows do best in damp soils, so I planted mine in a container that will be easier to keep irrigated than our chalky, free-draining garden…

THIS is your last chance to prune grapevines before they start back to growth. If left any longer, they will start to bleed sap. There are two main types of pruning – the Guyot and the rod-and-spur method for cordons. If you use the Guyot system, you will have one stem and one or two horizontal fruiting branches. In the first year, cut the stem back to leave two or three strong buds 16in (40cm) from the ground. The following year, tie the shoots along the left and right training wires and cut them back to 2-3ft (60-90cm). The central shoot is cut to two or three strong buds. In subsequent years, remove the horizontal fruited arms and then tie one shoot along the lowest wire for a single Guyot,…

EACH year at the beginning of January, efforts are made to look into the future and try to forecast what the gardening world has in store. The speed of change is such these days that it’s difficult to keep up, let alone take a leap into the future. This time last year, I did not foresee lots of Wyevale Garden Centres being sold, or the big garden sundries supplier Gardman being taken over by Westland, or the rapidly increasing threat of plant pests and diseases from abroad, plus two leading UK companies closing down their plant breeding programmes. “I see potatoes being raised from seed rather than tubers” What I can foresee this year is potatoes being raised from seed rather than tubers. Just think what this would save in…

1 Tidy up your greenhouse and the garden shed – go on, you know they need it! Then sort out your pots so they’re ready for action. 2 Push canes or sticks around herbaceous plant crowns and emerging bulbs, marking where not to stand in case of snow. 3 Remember to paint your postcode in bold letters on all your new and valuable tools, using bright or white paint. 4 Right now is the very best time to buy hens – they’ll settle down quickly and will very soon come into lay.…

I SPENT a few minutes checking over my stored tender tubers, corms and bulbs, and I’m so glad I did as several had gone soft and started to rot. This happens if they were stored without being properly dried out, or if the atmosphere where they are being stored is damp. If you find one rotting bulb, check over the others and discard all that don’t look or feel sound and healthy. If diseased bulbs are left where they are, they will infect all the others. Once you have got rid of damaged bulbs, move the sound ones to somewhere with drier air and improved ventilation. A shed or cool room is ideal. I have been storing my tubers, corms and bulbs under the greenhouse staging, where they are out…

THIS project is top of my list for feeling positive in 2019! Who wouldn’t feel a bit smug eating a homegrown strawberry a month before their friends? The key is to choose an early-maturing variety like ‘Emily’ or ‘Elvira’, and grow them in pots. These will now have been exposed to a sufficient winter chill (which synchronises flowering), so transfer them into a gently heated greenhouse or conservatory. With regular watering and a balanced liquid feed like Growmore, your plants will rapidly put on new leaves. Check that these don’t get targeted by aphids; a quick spray with an organic, fatty acid-based spray will thwart them. Flowers emerge in March. Dust over them gently to aid pollination, then be ready to pick from mid-April onwards.…

1 Sow exhibition onions indoors in a heated propagator now, choosing a reliable showbench winner such as ‘Kelsae’. 2 Plan your crop rotations, especially if your plot was blighted by soil-borne pests (carrot fly) or diseases (club root) last year . 3 Erect supports for new cane and bush fruits. Vertical posts and horizontal wires are ideal for your raspberries and wall-trained bushes. 4 Re-use your plastic trays and pots – don’t landfill them. Dunk them in a diluted solution of Jeyes Fluid to kill off pathogens. 5 Pot up a few early potatoes under heated glass: a 3-18in (8-45cm) diameter pot is perfect. Choose a quick-to-mature variety such as ‘Swift’.…

Check websites and order your snowdrops from a specialist supplier as soon as they become available. Once they arrive, plant them promptly to ensure they don’t dry out. Choose sites where the plants will get winter sun, followed by shade later. Rich, fertile soil is ideal as long as it’s also well drained. Make sure sites are weeded in the autumn, then mulched with 1-2in (2-5cm) of weed-free organic matter. Add a sprinkling of general fertiliser to boost growth if it seems slow. If growth slows noticeably and flowering fades, lift, divide and replant your snowdrops, leaving a 4in (10cm) gap between them.…

Broad beans Start seed of quick-growing dwarf varieties such as ‘De Monica’ (above) and ‘Perla’ individually, in Rootrainers, in a cold greenhouse. Protect from mice. Once seedlings are growing well, plant outside at the usual spacings. Onions Sow large varieties like ‘Exhibition’ (above) in cells, thinning down to one seedling per cell. Onions can be sown cold, but a temperature of around 10ºC will move growth along more quickly. Plant out from March to April. Chard Sow ‘Bright Lights’ (above) in cells, thinning down to one seedling per cell. Start in either a cold greenhouse or an unheated or warm propagator. Seedlings are best hardened off and grown cool before planting out. Garlic The likes of ‘Picardy Wight’ and ‘Solent Wight’ can be planted from late January and on into…

Reach for the skies Borders looking flat? Tall plants or climber-covered structures (think obelisks and arches) will give them a lift. For height without the bulk of a shrub, wafty perennials such as fennel, Verbena bonariensis (above) and grasses like miscanthus are ideal. Consider twilight plants If you’re out at work all day and see your garden mainly in the evenings, make sure you include plenty of white and blue-flowered plants, which will seem to glow as the light fades. And don’t forget night-scented options, like honeysuckle and nicotiana (above). Overhaul your shed Use shelving and containers to store your gardening paraphernalia – Ikea has a good selection. Magnetic knife racks fixed to a wall or door will keep small tools in one spot, while hanging large tools from wall…

Q What has happened to my peace lily? Mrs S martin, Halesworth, Suffolk A The leaves are turning black because you are overwatering the plant. Water freely when strong new shoots are forming from spring to late summer, but ease up on moistening the compost from autumn to early spring. Position your peace lily in a warm place in good light to encourage it to excel. Q How should I get rid of scale insects on all my indoor orchids? Martyn Ross, Fort William, Highland A I suggest you spray your plants with BugClear for Fruit & Veg. Based on rapeseed oil, which blocks the creatures’ breathing pores, it should be effective against mealy bug. You may then need to reapply it several times to kill all the insects. Q What…

New Year gardening IT’S SUCH a shame that a new year begins just at the time when you don’t want to venture outside. The impetus of a ‘fresh start’ is diminished by the fact that it’s too cold to get out there and do very much. But many of our plants don’t have a choice in the matter. They have to endure being outside, so I thought it would be a good idea to investigate what winter does to our plants – and our attitudes to gardening. Slow thaw is best It’s better for plants to thaw slowly if they’ve been frozen or frosted. A quick thaw can make flowers turn brown, and even broccoli can go off. With camellias (pictured) it is advised that you don’t plant them where…

SENDING you a happy photo from my happy place – my lovely garden, that gives me strength (and keeps me busy). I have a big ambition of growing a really tall sunflower, so use ‘Pike’s Peak’. I grow most of my own bedding plants, and sell them for Breast Cancer Now and SANDS and raised £300 this year, taking my total to over £1000. Gardening is in my DNA so I use my gift to fundraise and as a focus, as I am ill myself. Amanda Denson, Peterborough…

LIKE many people, I start each January with a burst enthusiasm about self-improvement. This will be the year when I get fit, give up pick ’n’ mix sweets, read a ‘classic’ novel a month and keep our house looking like it’s straight from the pages of Homes Illustrated. It never quite goes to plan, of course, but there’s no harm in dreaming. For 2019 I’m adding ‘getting the garden straight’ to my list of resolutions. This includes two major projects – installing a pond and sorting out the embarrassingly neglected wasteland that is the front garden – but also a vow to keep on top of everyday tasks. It is the seemingly ‘humble’ jobs such as weeding, deadheading, cutting back, turning the compost, dealing with pests and preventing diseases that…

Last year was pretty good on the home-grown produce front. We had our first figs, a welcome overload of tomatoes, onions and garlic, and lots of luscious soft fruit. However, the brassicas failed because I didn’t net them in time to prevent decimation by caterpillars. This year I will be more on the ball and look forward to home-grown sprouts next Christmas! On the plus side, I discovered that strong jets of water will blast aphids into oblivion (when used on sturdy plants such as cardoons) and I found a colony of the parasitic wasp Cotesia glomerata predating the cabbage white caterpillars. It was a gruesome find, but a pleasing addition to the garden’s biodiversity.…

1 Line the container with drainage crocks. Don’t use too large a pot, as developing roots hate to wallow in lots of cold empty compost. 2 Start adding the compost – I’m using a mix of multi-purpose and loamy John Innes No3, which will add weight and help to retain moisture around the roots. 3 Before planting, try to dip the bottom of the wand in rooting compound to help a strong root system to develop. 4 Finally, set the willow 3-4in (7-10cm) in the pot of compost. Firm it in and water it well.…

Until 5 Jan: Christmas at Kew after-dark trail of lights, 5-10pm: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE. ✆ 0208 332 5655; kew.org 11: Winter Walk and Talk: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 16: What Now? Your Garden in Winter: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 16: Wisteria Pruning Masterclass: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 17 & 22: Apple pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 23: Make Your Own Natural Beauty Products: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 25: Healthy Hedges – selection, planting, care and…

1 ‘Beauticals’ are proving pretty hardy – trial plants in pots in my garden stood several degrees of frost last autumn, and were still in flower in December. 2 Disease resistant, repeat-flowering and sweetly fragrant, Rose ‘Charisma’ is now joined by the ‘Home Florist Series’ in three colours: Rosa ‘Timeless Cream’, R. ‘Timeless Pink’ and R. ‘Timeless Purple’. 3 Fragrant and extremely long-flowering, Nemesia ‘Lady Penelope’ goes on sale at garden centres this year. 4 The FleuroStar 2018/19 award was won by Osteospermum ‘Purple Sun’, which offers good garden performance to go with its eye-catching colours.…

WHENEVER the weather allows, I wrap up warm and take a mug of tea outside. I don’t have to be out there long before I’m joined by our tame robin, who’s been making up to me and the Best Beloved since late August. Robbie Bobbie, as I’ve named him, was a ball of downy feathers when we first noticed him, and he couldn’t fly judging by the way he scuttled about. Perhaps he was abandoned by his parents, because robins often abandon their nests when threatened. Robbie Bobbie was obviously hungry, and our garden was very dry and insect life was thin on the ground. That pointed beak, usually so good at winkling out insects and worms from the earth, was no match for the bone-dry soil caused by the…

EVOCATIVE, exciting eye-candy – that’s how I’d describe chilli peppers. Plus, eye-watering if you eat the wrong one raw! The heat we taste – measured in Scoville heat units (SHUs) – is due to capsaicinoids, plant chemicals held in the seedcoat or ‘placenta’. While milder chillies have a thicker seedcoat that physically protects the seeds from damage, hotter varieties like ‘Naga Viper’ and ‘Trinidad Scorpion’ have a thinner yet capsaicin-packed placenta. This protects the seed from rots and mammalian predators via its antimicrobial activity – and the fact that it tastes foul! Some folk get a buzz from the ‘feelgood’ endorphins produced in response to the painful heat (the oils in full-fat milk or yoghurt dissolve capsaicin, so use these to quell the fire in your mouth). But seed companies…

BEFORE you eagerly rip open your veg seed packets and start sowing for 2019, make sure you can provide for the seedlings. If you’re lucky enough to own a greenhouse, does it have electricity? Even if it does, you might not like the idea of cranking up the thermostat of your electric propagator while spring decides to make an appearance. Insulating even part of the glasshouse is simple. Lash together a small frame using lengths of timber or bamboo canes; cable ties are perfect for this job. Cloak the structure in bubble plastic (you can alternatively buy special clips to attach the bubble plastic directly to the inside of your greenhouse frame). I would say that your seedlings will now be snug as the proverbial bug – but we don’t…

This pungent rhizome is world-renowned as a sushi condiment, so if you’re a fan of fish it makes sense to give it a go (plus, the best flavour is experienced if you grate it fresh). Japanese wasabi farms rely on mountain streamsides to provide two wasabi must-haves: moisture and shade. UK gardeners can mimic this by planting in a shady spot and keeping plants well watered. Dormant rhizomes can be ordered now (check online for stockists). Pot them up into multipurpose compost and stand them somewhere shady under cover. Once in full growth, plant out into a damp, shady spot. Add some organic slug pellets, water in dry spells, and expect your first rhizome harvest within two years.…

Traditionally, snowdrops are planted, divided and sold while they’re growing – known as ‘in the green’. This may seem odd, but there are two good reasons. First, snowdrops produce fresh root growth while they’re flowering (or soon after), and while the leaves are green and healthy, so they settle in quickly at this stage. Second, unlike daffodils, snowdrop bulbs have no protective skins to stop the bulbs drying out. This means they can’t be stored dry; in fact, they hate dry, desiccating conditions. Of course, you can dig up your snowdrop bulbs in summer and replant – as long as they go back in the ground straight away. Some suppliers sell damp-packed bulbs in summer, too. Either way, don’t underestimate the urgency. Leave planting until autumn at your peril. Whether…

■ Plant in sun or light shade, during autumn or spring, setting the bulbs 7-8in (18-20cm) deep in well-drained, humus-rich soil. If in groups, set them 10in (25cm) apart although I like them dotted here and there. ■ Half-fill pots with a good compost (50:50 John Innes No2 and a soilless mix, plus added grit and leafmould), then arrange three bulbs to an 18in (45cm) pot and fill in. ■ Sometimes the weight of the blooms will require a cane for support. ■ After the flowers fade, leave stems and foliage in place to die back naturally and feed the bulbs.…

Annuals Begonia Tiny seeds, and slow and tiny seedlings. Fibrous (and especially tuberous) begonias such as ‘Nonstop’ (above), need time and warmth to reach flowering size. Sow in small cells, and thin to one seedling in each. Especially susceptible to damping-off disease. Antirrhinum Small seeds and small seedlings. It’s the increasingly popular tall cut-flower types, such as the pure-white ‘Royal Bride’ (above) that take time to reach flowering size. Sow in 1in (2 ½ cm) cells, and then thin down to three seedlings in each. Pelargonium Larger seeds, but slow-growing. Early sowing gives them the time they need to mature. Once two or three true leaves have developed, growing in cool conditions (about 8-15ºC) helps keep varieties like ‘Diva’ or ‘Horizon’ (above) stocky, and encourages branching. Perennials Astrantia Seeds need…

Greenhouse tips for winter? Q We are using our unheated greenhouse to overwinter a range of tender plants, but we worry when temperatures plummet. Other than putting them in a heater, which we’d rather avoid, what else can we do to make sure our plants survive? Samantha Prokaza, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire A The greenhouse is a superb piece of kit, and sheltering plants during winter helps extend what we can grow. So why does this plant need winter protection? The obvious answer is it will die at low temperatures, but this is not the whole story. Some plants are quite hardy but hate winter wet, such as South African rhodohypoxis. Others are potentially evergreen, as with certain agapanthus, but lose leaves and vigour when planted out. Certain evergreens (such as bay)…

Rich colours of autumn HAS anyone else noticed that the colours of the leaves seem to have been more vivid in autumn? I went for a walk in late November and noticed a wonderful smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria), a cotoneaster turning a brilliant red and some beautiful fallen leaves from a flowering cherry. Perhaps it was because the sun was shining that everything seemed to be more colourful. Julia Everett, Bridgnorth, Shropshire I love reading AG for… I WAS interested to read Toby Buckland’s column (AG, 10 Nov) about his daughter’s new pet rabbits. He must be a really good dad to get them for her as he’s a brilliant gardener! I really enjoy reading his column every week. Catherine Smith, Failsworth, Manchester I REALLY liked…

Wendy says Thank you, Jan Reece of Berkeley, Glos, for your Christmas card and poem which we’d like to share: THANK you to all of you for another great AG all through the year. We’ve had a grand display of flowers from all the free seeds. My daughter Angie has just given me a subscription for another year. Enclosed is my Christmas poem… All through the seasonsWith Christmas in mind,Sowing and harvesting,Making jams and chutneys,For loved ones and friends. Pickling beetroots, onions and eggs,Saving boxes, ribbons and raffiaTo put those homemade goodies inside,Finishing off nearer the timeWith fudges, mince pies and cakes. The delight on the facesOf those who receive a box.Makes Christmas so special.Coming from the heartOh – the joy of Christmas!…

JUST as night follows day, January-diets and fitness fanaticism follow the feasting of December. But maybe we’d be better to worry less about what we eat and take more care about what we eat – and drink – from. I mention this as I’m now the proud owner of a bamboo fibre beaker, a cup that’s lightweight, reusable and, most importantly, completely compostable. In the UK, we throw away 2½ billion disposable paper cups every year, enough to stretch around the planet five times! And the tragedy is that while they are made of paper, their plastic lining – the feature that makes them water-proof – means that they cannot be recycled. This is clearly a huge and growing problem, but then the ‘cup crisis’ is also an opportunity, especially…

1 Lift the plant with a spade, digging widely around the roots and keeping as much soil attached as possible. 2 Using a sharp spade or knife, slice the plant into three or four sections. Make sure each piece has healthy roots and shoots. 3 Replant the divisions at the same depth as their roots, firming them in. If there is a delay, wrap the roots in damp newspaper for up to 48 hours. 4 Water the plant well and mulch generously. Don’t let it dry out as it gets established, protect it from pests and weed around it regularly.…

1 Keep up with garden maintenance. If something is broken or damaged, fix it before a small problem becomes a major and expensive issue to put right. 2 I learnt the benefits of a tidy shed the hard way – by creating a scene of chaos where nothing could be found. Gardening is much easier now that I know where everything is! 3 Keep on top of structural maintenance. Fences, sheds, wrought-iron gates and garden furniture are all more expensive to replace than they are to mend and preserve. 4 Make sure that hard surfaces are swept and washed to prevent slippery hazards, keep them looking good and remove detritus where pests and diseases will breed.…

’Tis the season of the sales, so look out for reductions on gardening equipment and tools. To avoid useless impulse buys, draw up (and stick to) a list of the things you know will come in handy. My top items include new secateurs (multiple pairs for the greenhouse, shed and different jobs), a couple of balls of twine (useful for everything from tying trees to trussing the Sunday roast in an emergency) and a hoe – essential for keeping on top of weeds. Stock up on 3-for-2 compost offers, as you will always need it. Hold fast with pots, though. Avoid plastic waste by washing and reusing your old pots or buying biodegradable coir ones instead.…

Helleborus niger , also known as Christmas or Lenten rose, flowers between December and march. Yours may be in bloom now, and if it is, deadhead as flowers fade so the energy goes back into the plant rather than creating seeds. Remove the old, tatty leaves to make room for new growth and reduce the risk of rain-splash, which can carry fungal spores. Mulch the root area afterwards, avoiding the crown.…

ANOTHER year: I wonder what this one will bring? It used to be hazardous to predict the weather for the coming year – now it seems impossible. However, although we are having much more erratic weather, with all sorts of extremes, the old pattern is still the most likely. It is going to be cold, wet or windy for most of the next few months, then it will be spring on and off with late frosts to worry about, until summer starts… which on average will be a let-down, followed by a lovely autumn. It will rain cats and dogs on most, if not all, of the bank holidays, and we gardeners will surely complain whatever the weather! “The whole world is starting to think green” Some new pest or…

SO far, this winter has been mild but it has been blowy, with gales sweeping in and causing problems for the unprepared. As soon as any storm has abated, check around your garden for damage and make sure taller trees and shrubs haven’t been uprooted or weakened. This is especially important with newly planted specimens because their roots may not have the reach or strength to keep plants anchored. The roots of container-bought trees will still be confined within a relatively small area, and bare-root trees or those dug up from nursery beds will also have small root systems. You will probably have secured your young trees to stakes at planting, so check that these are still in place and the ties are firm enough but not so tight that…

1 Space seeds out on the surface of a shallow pot of well-watered seed compost, at least ½in (1.3cm)apart each way. Gently press them into the surface using a dibber or pencil. 2 Cover over the seeds with a thin layer of compost. Water in lightly and place in a well-lit propagator. Pop a minimum/maximum thermometer in the case to ensure the temperature is right. 3 Your chilli seeds should germinate in one to three weeks (milder and F1 hybrid varieties are often quickest). Once large enough to handle, prick out into individual pots. Grow on at 18°C.…

1 Find a shallow tray with no holes in the base – a plant saucer is ideal. Line the base with kitchen paper. Add some water, let it soak in and drain off any excess. 2 Lay a dozen or so of the seeds on the paper, then cover the whole tray with cling film. Place it in a warm (but not hot) spot; around 20°C (68°F) is ideal. 3 If alive, the seed will germinate within a week (make sure it doesn’t dry out within this time). Look for tiny new shoots – then you’re good to sow the rest!…

WOULD you pay more than £1,000 for a snowdrop? That’s a single snowdrop bulb? No, neither would I. But some people do. In 2014, a snowdrop bulb (along with the rights to name it) was sold for £1,602, while other bulbs have changed hands for £1,390 and £720. Collecting snowdrops has become such a passion among so many people that last year the average price in one snowdrop catalogue was £37.77 – per bulb – and the current enthusiasm means you could find that even old favourites will now set you back a fair bit more than they did in the past. Thankfully, some of the most delightful, most elegant and most appealing varieties are still affordable, so it’s possible to grow a selection without breaking the bank. Snowdrops are…

Snowdrops look lovely in drifts under deciduous shrubs like witch hazels and viburnums, and around evergreens such as daphnes and skimmias. They do well in perennial borders – summer perennials providing the summer shade they enjoy so much – and will team up delightfully with other early flowerers. For me, hellebores and Galanthus work particularly well together, the white snowdrops shimmering delicately beneath the rich or pastel-hued hellebore flowers. Hardy Cyclamen coum, with blooms in shades from deep pink to white, the white-veined foliage of Arum italicum ‘Marmoratum’ and the vivid stems of winter dogwoods are also excellent planting partners.…

Cardiocrinum giganteum Giant lily bulbs planted in early spring or autumn in classic woodland conditions may take several years to bloom on stems 8ft (2.4m) tall. After flowering, plants die, leaving a few offsets behind. Plant with bulb tips just below the surface and add a dry winter mulch. Eremurus stenophyllus Foxtail lilies thrive in sun and poor, well-drained soil. Plant in spring or late summer with growth buds 1in (2 ½ cm) under the surface and roots draping over a mound formed in the planting hole. It produces spires to 6ft (1.8m) of bright flowers in June. Lilium candidum The Madonna lily has different needs to other lilies. In sun and neutral-to-alkaline soil, plant bulbs close to the surface in early autumn, ready to produce overwintering basal leaves. Stems…

Create a wow factor pot To maximise impact, go for as big a pot as you can afford. One large pot will look better than lots of small ones gathered together – and it won’t dry out as quickly. Create height using tall grasses or annuals, and add trailing plants around the edges. Use less plastic Where possible, look for alternatives – more and more garden centres are stocking biodegradable pots. Reuse what you already have and recycle what you no longer need. If you want to go further, try natural alternatives to weed killers, such as vinegar, and feed your soil with homemade compost. Find space for scent Perfume will make you want to linger for longer. Try to group fragrant plants around seating areas and paths to fully…

How can I create a woody glade? Q I have just removed some dead conifers and want to create a woodland glade in their place. How should I improve the soil and will it be ready to plant up this season? Helen Caffrey, Oldham, Greater Manchester A I would imagine that the soil where the conifers were growing is quite low in nutrients, so it is worth adding some bulky organic matter to add some goodness. This could be well-rotted manure, garden compost or leafmould forked into the soil. If you can’t do this, just add some granular fertiliser to the planting hole of each new purchase. The bed will be ready to plant in spring. It is likely that weeds will appear in the soil with the sudden improvement in light…

1 Fixing bubble plastic even just to north-facing sides will provide insulation; I’m recycling a packaging sort, but there are better-designed, purpose-made rolls available. 2 This squirrel’s foot fern (Davallia mariesii) snuggles under the staging, insulated by a low brick base. 3 Tender Cape cowslips (Lachenalia) need good light to grow and flower well, but they don’t object to a fleece blanket on cold nights. 4 Remove dead leaves from plants promptly before rotting starts. This Cyrtanthus mackenii var. cooperi opens fragrant yellow flowers during winter under glass.…

FIVE children, a business and a beautiful garden on an exposed site: sounds like a tall order, but Emma Aspinall has found a way to have it all. Come summer, the wraparound plot surrounding her home on the edge of rural Lymm is a blend of colourful flower borders and structural evergreen hedges and shapes. There’s even room for a cutting garden, a vegetable patch and an avenue of espaliered apple and plum trees, while flat-topped mulberries provide gentle shade over her patio. “I don’t tend to stake my flowers” Key to the success of the plot is the overall design, which includes a box-edged circular feature at the side of the house to divide the front and back gardens. Evergreen and hawthorn hedges provide both a windbreak and green…

THE most exciting ‘grown’ plastic replacements use the mycelial bodies of mushrooms as packaging. As with an iceberg, the mushroom we see represents just a tiny part of the whole fungi; the body unseen is made up of hair-like strands that spread below the soil. In the right conditions, when mixed with shredded hemp, the fungal mycelium bind together and can fill out any moulded shape within a few days. As well as being used for homeware such as lampshades (see picture), mycelium is a great replacement for polystyrene – and it can go straight on the compost heap!…