Innholdsfortegnelse for 27-Apr-2019 i Amateur Gardening

TIMES are hard for our native wildlife, but digging a pond is one of the best ways of creating an animal haven and attracting more species to your garden, from hedgehogs and amphibians to dragonflies. No matter what its size, be it a full-scale pond, a half-barrel on the patio, or an old sink dug in and filled with plants and water, your local wildlife will thank you. We dug ours over the course of a week. It is fairly heavy manual labour (we garden on a thick chalk bed), but worth it for the benefits it will bring to local critters. Once your pond is complete, leave it to fill up with rain or use water from garden butts. Both these are better than chemically treated tap water. We…

1 Choose where you want to site the pond, remove the turf and start digging. Create a shelf for marginal plants and hollow out the central area. 2 Whether you are using a butyl or pre-formed liner you need the excavation to be level, so check regularly using a spirit level. 3 The deeper the pond, the less likely it is to freeze in winter. Ours is the recommended depth of just over 2½ft (8m). 4 To mask the lining, we then cut indentations in the turf around the pond, which we could lift and then fold back once the liner was in place. 5 Protect your liner from stones that naturally work their way through the soil by adding a base layer of old carpet, sand or newspapers. 6…

GROWING from seed is fun, but it can also be time-consuming and it eats up a lot of space (our windowsills are currently invisible under rows of seeds and seedlings in various stages of germination). The ideal middleman when it comes to cultivation is the plug plant. These plants have been germinated and potted on elsewhere, and are ready to go straight into the soil when you buy them. Most garden centres and online retailers sell them and they are a great way of growing crops without the bother of starting them from scratch. There are a few rules to remember when buying plug plants. Check they are healthy above and below the soil. Avoid any with yellow leaves and look under their containers for healthy roots and no signs…

1 Sow sunflowers in succession at two-weekly intervals to extend the flowering season. Schools should sow later to see flowering when they return in September. 2 Petchoa ‘BeautiCal Mix’ flowered well into autumn and withstood several degrees of frost last year. 3 Senetti will repeat-flower if it is deadheaded by shearing back. In sheltered positions and a mild climate, it will overwinter as a short-lived perennial. 4 Dianthus ‘Can-Can’ is a lovely red carnation from Sakata to grow from seed.…

AFRICAN violets, formerly known as Saintpaulia, never seem to wane in popularity. With their furred leaves and flowers in shades of blue, pink and purple, these members of the Streptocarpus clan bloom for months and are perfect for small spaces and windowsills. These easy-going additions to your houseplants will thrive as long as they have a humid atmosphere – stand the pot on a saucer of gravel that is kept damp – and are given a liquid feed every three-four weeks during the growing season. In the right situation, African violets grow so well and so fast that plants can soon become congested, leading to fewer flowers and a greater risk of disease. At this point you have two options – either create new plants using leaves as cuttings or…

HERE’S my easy, cost-effective method of avoiding two big problems that happen when we grow tomatoes outdoors. First, these are tender plants. Quite often, despite hardening off, they are just not very happy when planted out, so they may fail to grow much for many weeks until the weather warms up later into summer. Second, tomatoes are beset by potato blight, which bothers even the allegedly resistant varieties and destroys many others. So why do we persist in trying to grow tomatoes outdoors and not simply keep them under cover? Well, you may not actually have a greenhouse, or enough space in one. Many tomato varieties do much better in airy conditions. And what’s more, these fruits usually taste superb when grown in the open air! The solution is a…

BEING the daughter of two commercial asparagus growers, I’ve munched more asparagus spears than most people. Luckily I adore this veg, so I’m not complaining! Asparagus is an investment crop, as a well-nurtured bed lasts for 15 years. Crowns (dormant roots) can be costly, and as for potted plants… well, let’s not go there. We raised an acre via seeds and it saved a small fortune, so choose this method if your budget is small. The keys to a successful asparagus crop are to build up strong crowns and only to harvest for a set period (see my checklist panel, right). Seeds and crowns can both be started off in March – the large seeds are easy to sow in modules and the germination rate of F1 hybrids is good.…

SWEET, crunchy, smothered in butter and, crucially, straight off the plant and cooked in minutes… that’s how I eat my sweetcorn. This will ensure maximum freshness and sugar levels – once picked, these can drop by 50% in 24 hours – so homegrown corn makes total sense. Now is the time to sow. Do this under glass: sweetcorn germinates poorly at soil temperatures lower than 12ºC (54ºF). Support the extensive root system from the get-go by sowing into large modules or 9cm pots (one seed per pot). One plant will give at least one and often two cobs, so sow at least 20 plants for a decent harvest; gluts can be frozen. Gardeners in the north should choose an early-maturing F1 hybrid variety (‘Swift’ or ‘Northern Extra Sweet’) to guarantee…

I CAN’T promise you can easily grow your own avocados – these tropical trees are unlikely to crop in our temperate climate – but gardeners loving a challenge may prove me wrong! Germinating the seed is easy, however, and can quickly make attractive houseplants. This is a good time of year to start. Buy an avocado from a supermarket or greengrocer, consume the flesh and then save the large brown stone. Insert four cocktail sticks into the stone’s base, in a cross formation, then suspend this stone over a glass of water so that only the base is immersed. Place this glass on a warm, well-lit windowsill, and after a week or two some roots will emerge. Once well rooted, pot up into a 5in (12.7cm) pot of multi-purpose compost.…

Primulas vary enormously in their requirements, so check the needs of individual species and varieties. While many appreciate humus-rich soil that does not become parched, some prefer good drainage. Plant in spring. Shade is usually preferable, but, again, some enjoy full sun. Ensure that new plants do not dry out in their first months. Self-sown seedlings can be unpredictable, so deadhead promptly and propagate by carefully dividing your favourite plants, or use bought seed.…

IN an ideal world, my pond would be home to dense stands of flag irises, giant pickerel weed and waterlilies boasting huge flowers and pads, while Gunnera manicata, Darmera peltata and clumps of ligularia, with their 3ft (90cm)-tall stems of yellow flowers, would flourish in the damp soil around the outside. Alas, my wish list of watery wonders will remain a pipe dream for the time being. Like most other garden owners in the country, I am strapped for space – I will never be able to squeeze in a water feature that is deep enough or large enough to accommodate some of my favourite aquatics. Of course, just because you have a small garden doesn’t mean you can’t have a water feature, plus plants to bring it to life.…

‘Choco Sun’ A fast-growing, very small sunflower with classic single blooms in bright yellow with dark centres. Grow in pots, or try planted as a low, flowering hedge. Multi-branched, it will keep on flowering over a long period. H&S: 1ft (30cm). ‘Dwarf Yellow Spray’ Golden yellow petals form a ring around a copper-yellow middle. Short and compact enough for growing in containers, or suitable for a low hedge. A good choice for gardens where wind is an issue. HxS: 2x1½ft (60x45cm). ‘Firecracker’ Flame-like petals in tones of rusty orange fading to golden yellow, on compact, low-growing, well-branched plants – just the thing for brightening up a sunny patio. The pollen-free blooms will appear over a long period. HxS: 2x1ft (60x30cm). ‘Santa Lucia’ Lovely semi-double, bright yellow flowers with several layers…

How are my tulips spreading? Q I planted some tulips in my garden and now I find they have multiplied and are starting to take over. What has caused this? Mrs G Summers, Kempston, Bedford A Tulips can spread by seed, but take four to seven years to reach flowering size, so I think you would have seen the new foliage by now. Seed heads can appear in summer once flowering is long finished, and the pods split to reveal papery seeds that can be transported on the breeze. The best way to be certain that this isn’t happening is to remove the flower stalk once the petals have dropped, thus preventing the seeds developing. However, many tulips are so highly bred they no longer have the ability to produce…

1 By the beginning of April, overwintered perpetual spinach has reacted to longer days by making an elongated stem of small leaves and then flower buds, closely followed by chard. 2 At the first signs of flower stems forming, harvest rigorously, and enjoy having plenty of spinach for Greek spanakopita or hot spicy Caribbean callaloo soup. Turn rocket into hot pesto sauce. 3 Don’t waste rocket flowers, as these prettily veined, four-petalled blooms have a sweet, cabbagey flavour and look great sprinkled on salads or pasta dishes. 4 Sow leafy crops such as lettuce early in February to take over from those going to seed. Close sown ‘cut and come again’ sowings will yield several cuts of small leaves before flowering.…

Deep bed: Area of soil deeply dug, with lots of compost or manure. Compaction: What happens when you walk on soil in the growing area, driving out air. Mulching: Each spring, spread a thick layer of well-rotted compost or manure, or multi-purpose compost, over the surface of the soil in your raised bed. Alternate spacing: Set a first row of plants in the soil to a measured spacing. Stagger the next row, positioning them in between the plants in the first row and to the same spacing, with the distance between measured diagonally. Intercropping: Also known as catch-cropping; growing fast-maturing crops like leaf lettuce or radishes between rows of larger, slower-growing crops such as brassicas.…

Hanging baskets are a traditional yet timeless way to make a centrepiece of your front door, and to ensure that your baskets flourish all season, Miracle-Gro is giving eight lucky readers the chance to win a pot of Miracle-Gro All Purpose Pot Shots. Miracle-Gro Pot Shots are pre-measured and ergonomically designed to push easily into the soil and feed your plants, without any product waste or overfeeding. This makes them ideal for your hanging baskets or pots, plus one feed will last for up to six months and will give you beautiful, healthy and strong plants. We have eight Miracle-Gro Pot Shots to give away, each worth £4.29. See below for details of how to enter the prize. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of…

ONE person who, in the middle of the 20th century, probably influenced more water gardeners than anyone else, was Frances Perry. Born in 1907, she was taken to the Chelsea Flower Show as a child, and was mesmerised by it. Her next-door neighbour, E. A. Bowles, was on the Council of the RHS, and he guided her interest in plants. In 1927 she went to work for Amos Perry, a local nurseryman, and quickly became manager of his water-plant department. She married Perry’s son Gerald, who was an expert on aquatic plants and ferns. Later in her career she became the Principal of Norwood Hall College of Horticulture. She also wrote prolifically, including in the pages of AG. Her lauded water gardening books include Water Gardening (1938), Penguin Water Gardens…

Plant lilies by the middle of autumn, or in spring. When moving bulbs, don’t let them dry out but replant immediately. Lilies love a deeply cultivated, well-drained soil. They will thrive in clay or sand, as long as these are improved with garden compost or a similar soil conditioner. Plant most lily bulbs with 4-6in (10-15cm) covering the bulb; however, L. candidum needs to be 2in (5cm) deep. In pots, set three bulbs to a 12-14in (30-35cm) container using a 50:50 John Innes No2 and multi-purpose compost or, for lime-haters, ericaceous compost (in general, I mix soil-based and soil-free types, and add some extra grit and leafmould/composted bark). Mulch bulbs annually in spring after the soil has been moistened by the rain. Be vigilant against bright red lily beetles and…

WITH Meghan and Harry welcoming their baby into the world soon, reader Iona Chisholm from Staffs has chosen what they, and those of you with new arrivals, might plant to acknowledge such a special occasion: ‘Baby’s Breath’ (Gypsophila paniculata) becomes smothered with delicate white or pale pink blooms, spraying in all directions from thin networks of stems. It is easy to grow from seed, either sown direct or in seed trays, and planted out after the last frost. Dahlia ‘New Baby’ is a vibrant orange pompom dahlia that makes a really cheerful statement in the summer border. Available to plant as tubers now. Deadhead often for continuous flowers. Narcissus ‘New Baby’ is a delightful and delicate miniature variety with a lovely, sweet fragrance. Its cream petals are edged in gold,…

ONE of life’s great mysteries is why the plants you want to know the name of always seem to have lost their label. Now, this happened to me most recently up at Lukesland Garden on the edges of Dartmoor, and the plant – as I now know – was Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’. Of all the champion trees and towering arboreal rhododendrons, the gardens owner Lorna Howell tells me that this is the shrub visitors always ask about. And small wonder… Its alabaster blooms are both easy on the eye and deeply fragrant, with a scent that’s as sweet as a pineapple daiquiri. In fact, it’s the most fragrant rhododendron of all but, being slightly tender, it’s not commonly seen or, for that matter, sniffed. “I’m determined to move heaven and a…

1 Butyl lining is quite expensive, but it is fairly easy to manipulate when shaping your pond. It can eventually perish in sunlight, so cover it well with mud and plants. PVC lining is cheaper and thinner, and more prone to tears and punctures, though it will withstand exposure to sunlight. 2 Pre-formed pond shells are easy to install and come in a range of shapes and sizes. Larger ones can be hard to transport and fit, and they need to be level and well-supported underneath or the weight of water can cause stress and even cracking.…

Weeding tools Burgon & Ball has launched two new weeding tools in the shape of the Express Hoe and the Super Slice. The Express Hoe (right) has a pivoting blade so you can find the perfect angle for easy weeding. The double-edged hoe slides through the soil on both push and pull strokes, so speeding up weeding (£32.99). The Super Slice (right) cuts on the push and pull stroke, tackling weeds in soil and on surfaces such as aggregates (£29.99). Gardening gloves If you need a new pair of gardening gloves, Town & Country has three new ranges for you to consider. The Mastergrip range (left) uses Microfinish technology to provide up to 100% more grip than standard gloves, and is available in three colours and three sizes. ThermalMAX helps…

IF you’re setting up your veg garden, it is worth growing some French marigolds (Tagetes) among your crops. Research by the University of Newcastle has proved that the scent marigolds give off repels whitefly heading for your tomatoes and other edibles. This week’s free seeds are for ‘Red Cherry’ marigolds, a robust and jolly plant that is easy to sow and grows to 10in (25cm) tall. These half-hardy annuals are best sown indoors under cover until the end of May. 1 To germinate under cover, sow seeds thinly in trays or pots of dampened seed compost, cover and germinate in light and warmth. 2 To sow outside where the plants are to grow, scatter seeds thinly over well-raked soil. Cover with a thin layer of soil, label and water. Thin…

ALTHOUGH most fruit trees and soft-fruit bushes and canes will withstand our winters, blossom is more tender and can be destroyed by late frosts. This not only ruins their spring beauty but also has severe repercussions for the year’s fruit crop, all but ruining it in extreme cases. Frost can occur until well into May, even June in northern and exposed areas, so be on your guard to protect blossom and tender shoots if a cold snap is forecast. Cover branches with fleece, hessian or a plastic shell on frosty nights, remembering to remove it next day so pollinators can access the blossom. Use a cloche over strawberries and, again, remove it promptly the next day. In very exposed areas you could also consider growing frost-resistant varieties, such as late-fruiting…

It will soon be warm and light enough to move overwintered lemon trees back out to a sunny, sheltered patio. If you haven’t done so, change their feed from a balanced winter one to a nitrogen-rich summer supplement. Cut back any over-long branches to keep a tidy shape and, throughout summer, pinch out any wayward shoots. Also remove ‘water shoots’ – the swift-growing shoots that pop out from branch tops and the trunk. Keep compost damp but not sodden, preferably using rainwater.…

1 When laying mulches, place wet newspapers down first to make mulch go further – and particularly before strawing down around strawberry plants. 2 Get potato sets once prices reduce – buy early varieties. Store in the fridge, and plant in pots under cover in late summer. 3 When picking spring-summer cabbages, cut a cross in the stem – quite often, you will get a bonus of small heads later. 4 As the days warm, beware of red spider mite under cover, especially with melons and cucumbers; look out for sprinklings of yellow pin-pricks on leaves.…

✓ To build up the crown’s strength, it’s crucial to wait. Leave one-year-old crowns two years before cutting, and seed-raised plants three. ✓As spears become taller, they exert more dominance over others, so cut them once they’re 8in (20cm) high. ✓ To avoid exhausting crowns, jot down your first harvest date and stop cutting 10 weeks after that. This is key to bed longevity – don’t be greedy! ✓ Avoid a windy planting site, or erect windbreak material – if the fern snaps off in gales, it won’t then feed the crown, leading to weak growth in the following year. ✓ If you’re growing asparagus in large tubs, keep them well watered throughout the growing season.…

ANYONE propagating on sunny windowsills or in greenhouses plays a daytime game of cat and mouse in spring. Night temperatures can still fall to harmful single figures and yet, in the closed environment of a propagator, daytime temperatures can reach a sweltering 35ºC (95ºF). This can spell certain death to most veg seedlings if they’re left unattended, so what can you do? The solution is to pay close attention to weather forecasts, and act accordingly. On overcast days, you’re safe to leave greenhouse doors and vents closed (or just slightly ajar, if the sun is due to break through later in the afternoon). When blue skies are forecast from morning until evening, though, then open up propagator lids, vents and doors fully, giving seedlings a good water before you go…

1 Under glass, a leaf’s protective layer (the cuticle) is thin, and needs to be toughened up – otherwise, the leaf will scorch when planted out. 2 Move seedlings outside during the day for a week, placing them back under cover at night. This begins the hardening process. 3 After a week of this, your veg seedlings can be planted outside permanently, with no risk of weather damage to the leaves.…

DERIVED from the primrose and the cowslip, the garden polyanthus mixes features of each, with large primrose-sized flowers in a cowslip-like cluster at the top of each stem. Broadly speaking, polyanthus can be divided into two groups. Seed-raised plants, often in dazzling colours and colour combinations, are used mainly for adding spring colour to borders and containers. ‘Crescendo’ is the long-standing, AGM-winning favourite. There are also varieties propagated by division. Ideal for woodland gardens and shady perennial beds, these tend to come in softer, less garish colours. Neat little AGM winner ‘Lady Greer’ (pale yellow, see picture above) is my favourite. Look out, too, for some new double-flowered polyanthus that are on the way.…

Cyperus involucratus AGM The umbrella plant is an architectural wonder that will add a tropical touch to ponds, forming clumps of 2ft (60cm)-tall stems terminating with leaf bracts. Juncus effusus f. spiralis The corkscrew rush is grown for its crazy, curling, tubular leaves. This marginal plant grows to around 12in (30cm) high and produces small brown flowers in summer. Equisetum hyemale This evergreen has 30in (75cm) green stems with distinctive bands. It has a tendency to spread, so make sure this marginal is restrained in a pot. Nymphaea ‘Pygmaea Helvola’ AGM This compact waterlily has 2in (5cm)-wide slightly scented yellow flowers that emerge in summer above 5in (12cm) green leaves mottled with red. Stratiotes aloides * Water soldiers are free-floating plants…

‘Velvet Queen’ An opulent sunflower with rays of petals in a coppery-bronze or deep, rich red, plus dark brown centres that are speckled with golden pollen. Produces multiple branches and medium-sized flower heads. HxS: 5ftx20in (1½mx50cm). ‘Valentine’ Delicate and lovely, with pretty primrose yellow petals surrounding a black centre. A good choice for cut flowers (or for planting in a mixed border), thanks to its multi-branched, slender stems. HxS: 5ftx18in (1½mx45cm). ‘Double Dandy’ This eye-catching recent introduction has peachy-coloured petals burnished with coppery tones. Some flowers feature an extra ring of smaller petals; others a shaggy ruff around the centre. Multi-branched. HxS: 2x1½ft (60x45cm). ‘Magic Roundabout’ Tall and airy; long, narrow stems are topped with bi-coloured blooms in a range of coffee and cream tones. The dainty feel and pollen-free…

A medium-branching sunflower like ‘Valentine’ looks lovely with the feathery foliage of bronze fennel and the tall stems of Verbena bonariensis . Fill a container with a dwarf sunflower such as ‘Solar Flash’, and blue and white lobelia. Dahlias are great with sunflowers. The dark colours of ‘Velvet Queen’ look particularly good with vibrant orange dahlias (try ‘David Howard’) and the red and rusty colours of crocosmias and heleniums.…

Classics Orlaya grandiflora A hardy annual producing masses of pure white umbels. Good for cutting and easy to grow from seed – sow in March or April for a summer showing, or in August for the following year. HxS: 1 ½ ftx22in (45x55cm). Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ The delicate white umbels are set off beautifully by dark-purplish stems and leaves. Plants will thrive in sun or part shade in most soils, but they are short-lived and won’t come true from seed. HxS: 2 ½ x2ft (75x60cm). Ammi majus ‘Snowflake’ Easy from seed; sow directly in spring or get ahead in autumn for bigger plants and a longer flowering season. Bred to be tall and robust, the strong stems make this a useful addition to vases. HxS: 4ftx16in…

Q What is this wild flower that has arrived in a wooded area of my garden? Rob Burnham, Tiverton, Devon A This is pink purslane ( Montia sibirica ). Introduced from North America and north-east Asia, it has become naturalised in Britain. A very pretty plant and a questing carpeter, it favours sandy, acid soil and romps in light shade. Q Can I use last year’s container or growbag compost in this year’s pots? Cynthia Calthorpe, Inverness, Highlands A It is best not to, as last year’s plants will have drained it of nutrients and it may contain pests, such as vine weevil grubs, and diseases. Remove any pests and lay it on your borders to add a little extra goodness. Q Why did some of my daffodils have lots…

RAISED bed gardening was made popular by the late Geoff Hamilton, but its history goes back to medieval times. The principle of raised bed or deep bed growing is to increase the depth and fertility of soil while avoiding any compaction to keep the growing medium light and airy. This means you can grow crops at closer spacing, and so get more from a given patch of soil. Other benefits include better drainage on heavy soils, and better access for planting, maintenance and harvesting. Why have them? A deep bed is simply a deeply worked patch of soil, typically 4ft wide by 8ft long (1.2 x 2.4m), improved and thickly mulched with garden compost, well-rotted manure or bagged compost. This creates a bed that is mounded above the surrounding path.…

1 Mark out the footprint of your raised bed on the ground, and dig the soil inside deeply, working backwards and adding lots of well-rotted compost. 2 Construct your raised bed around the dug area. Line the inner surface of wooden boards with black plastic and staple it in place. 3 Ensure corners are strong and the edges of the boards are settled firmly on the soil. Anchor the sides with pegs driven deep into the soil. 4 Add more soil and compost, filling the bed to the lip. Water it well, then let it settle for a week. Finally, rake in a little fertiliser before planting.…

The date of 23rd April is notable for writers. It is the birthday of William Shakespeare (1564) and, in the world of gardening, it is the birthday of AG’s John Negus (pictured), who has written many more words than the Bard of Avon. Born in Surrey in 1938, John’s love of gardening was sparked by his grandfather. After studying gardening at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, John worked for AG’s sister magazine Popular Gardening. In 1984 that was merged into AG, and John has been with us in every issue since. He has written books and has written extensively in AG. He has also answered more than 20,000 readers’ queries over the years. John, we salute you!…

Lilium ‘Beijing Moon’ An easy-to-grow Aurelian hybrid trumpet lily, unfussy about soil type. Its scented blooms open in shades of pink, reaching 4-6ft (1.2-1.8m) tall. Usually needs some support. Lilium pardalinum The lime-tolerant leopard lily produces a colourful though unscented display of Turk’s cap-style spotted orange flowers, reaching 4ft (1.2m) tall. Easy to grow and spreads by rhizomes into impressive colonies. Lilium ‘Leona’ Lily pollen is poisonous to cats and can stain clothing, so pollen-free varieties are popular. Expect fragrant double, pink-tinged white flowers on stems 28in (70cm) high. Prefers an acidic soil. Lilium parryi The lemon lily of California is a distinctive beauty, but insists on good drainage, a slightly acidic soil and summer moisture. Yellow, funnel-shaped blooms with a delicious scent open on stems…

RHODODENDRONS and their ericaceous cousins have evolved to thrive in acidic soils where calcium is quickly washed away. However, as the pH rises, calcium will stick around, locking onto manganese and iron like a magnet. While most plants are capable of chemically releasing these nutrients as needed, ericaceous plants struggle, turn yellow with displeasure and fail from hunger. While ‘sweetening’ a soil is easily done by adding lime, green-waste compost or wood ash, improving the acidity is far harder. If you have very alkaline soil and want rhododendrons, you’re best growing them in large pots.…

■ Your pond should be around 3ft (90cm) deep at its centre with a shallow shelf around the margins. ■ Create places for wildlife to hide – stones in the turf surrounding it create damp and appealing habitats. ■ Make sure hedgehogs, frogs and toads have an escape route by creating ramps and placing stones for them to climb on to. ■ If pondweed needs thinning, leave it on the side for 24 hours before composting so insects and nymphs can return to the water safely. ■ Always ensure young children are supervised around your pond. If necessary, cover the pond with metal netting, leaving enough room for water creatures to get in and out.…

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OUR gardens are host to quite a range of Japanese plants: Japanese ornamental cherries and maples immediately come to mind, and I wouldn’t be without either of them. Next week sees the Coronation of The Crown Prince of Japan, Naruhito, an Oxford graduate who visited our Chelsea Flower Show Sunflower Street Gardens in the 1980s. It has been suggested that we plant Japanese cherries to strengthen the ties between our two countries – but it does not stop there. Three leading Japanese companies have brought a range of popular flowers and vegetables. “Helianthus ‘Sunrich’ will flower in 55-70 days from sowing” Hiroshi Sakata, the principal of one, sent me this message: “We at Sakata welcome British gardeners planting our Petchoa ‘BeautiCal Mix’ and ‘SunPatiens’ in celebration of the coronation of…

27: British Iris Society Spring Event: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 27: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Battlefield 1403, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DB. planthuntersfair.co.uk 28: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Shropshire, SY14 8AH. 27-28: RHS National Rhododendron Show: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 27-28: Spring Plant Fair: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall May 1: Little Acorns Pre-School Gardening Club: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 2: What Now? Your Garden in May and June: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, 2-6: Spring Craft Fair: RHS Wisley 3-6: Spring Craft Fair: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 4: Perfect Paper Peonies: RHS Garden Rosemoor 4: Hyde Hall Awakes: RHS…

1 Remove a selection of young, healthy leaves from the plant, pinching them out or cutting them at the base. 2 Dip the cut ends of the African violet leaves in hormone-rooting powder or gel to promote strong root growth. 3 Insert the cuttings into dampened seed and cutting compost mixed with vermiculite. Cover and place somewhere light and warm. 4 Alternatively, split the parent plant, discard unproductive divisions and pot up those with roots in houseplant compost.…

IN June 2013 I wrote an article about compost in The Daily Telegraph. The impetus for writing the article back then was a groundbreaking ruling by Eric Pickles, then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, in early 2013. He surprised everyone and upheld Salford City Council’s refusal to give planning permission for more peat extraction at Chat Moss, near Manchester. However, his reasons weren’t about conserving the unique plant and insect species on Chat Moss. Lord Pickles, as he is now, made his judgement because peat bogs are carbon sinks that absorb greenhouse gases. Undisturbed peat bogs store lots of carbon dioxide and gather it from the environment. Peat bogs also hold water, and this helps prevent flash flooding and the two are linked. Greenhouse gases are causing…

1 ’Pacific Purple’ This New Zealand-bred variety yields deep purple spears (steam to retain the best colour). High sugar levels make it very tasty, raw or cooked. 2 ‘Guelph Millennium’ An all-male, Canadian-bred F1 hybrid that will consistently yield large, fat spears. Later to emerge, thereby reducing the risk of frost damage. 3 ‘Gijnlim’ If, like me, you prefer thinner spears then this all-male F1 hybrid certainly won’t disappoint. It is high-yielding, early to emerge, tender and utterly delicious.…

1 Check to see if direct-sown drills of veg need thinning out. Salad leaves aren’t so urgent, but root crops will benefit by not getting congested. 2 Spring is advancing – but winter can easily bite down again in a flash! Keep fleece handy so you can cover vulnerable sowings in a cold snap 3 . If you forced a few early strawberry plants under glass, you could well have fruits ripening now . Check the plants daily , keeping them well watered and fed. 4 If you bought vegetable plug plants earlier in the spring and the outdoor temperatures are still too chilly , pot them up to prevent congestion. 5 Parsnips can be sown now . A stone-free area is ideal for these long roots, so mak e…

FOR most Brits, the primrose has to feature highly on any list of favourite wildflowers. The opening of its soft yellow flowers tell us not that spring is on its way (like snowdrops), but that it has finally arrived. And that is exactly the uplift we need after the dark days of winter. Delicate-looking but tough, primrose blooms opened as early as February this year – both in my garden and in the shady hedgerows nearby. However, these are just the first of a variety of delightful perennial spring primulas in an exciting range of styles. While more than 500 species of primulas grow wild, mainly in Europe and Asia, in Britain we have just five: the primrose, the cowslip, the oxlip, the birdseye primrose and the Scottish primrose. And…

PLANT breeders continually develop new primroses, and in recent years two introductions have stood out. Bred in Cambridgeshire, the Belarina Series are neat, large-flowered, prolific plants with fully double flowers held just above the foliage. Ideal as pot plants and great in mixed containers, they are also hardy in the garden and won’t just fade away after one season. Available in a choice of more than 20 different varieties, some have a neat ruff of tiny leaves setting off each flower, with blooms varying in colour from rich blue and red shades through soft pastels to delightful bicolours. Kennedy’s Irish Series primroses were developed in Carlow and Antrim, and the ever-expanding range now includes many with deep-bronze foliage, including ‘Avondale’, ‘Drumcliff’, ‘Dunbeg’ and ‘Innisfree’. These are equally tough, and come…

A GREAT way of saving space in a small pond is to plant up a mixed container, rather than trying to find space for lots of plants in individual pots. Unlike solid-sided containers, those created for ponds have mesh sides to enable the free movement of water and to allow gases to escape. Sometimes described as ‘planting baskets’, mesh-sided containers come in many shapes and sizes, and selection depends on the scale of your pond. In my small pond I have a 12in (30cm)-square basket that provides enough room for three plants to flourish. Start by lining the container to stop compost from escaping into the water. Place a square of hessian or horticultural fleece inside, making sure it fits snugly and all the mesh sides are covered (remove any…

IN recent years, an increasing number of sunflower varieties have been bred to be pollen-free. These can be divisive, and there are reasons both for and against growing them: FOR They’re great for cutting as there’s no pollen to make a mess of furniture and floors, and they have a longer vase life. AGAINST They produce fewer seeds so are less bird-friendly than non-sterile options. FOR It has been suggested that these sunflowers are good for allergy sufferers; however, tree and grass pollen are the main culprits of hay fever. AGAINST Pollen is essential for bees as it’s their main source of protein.…

How do I stop salad crop bolting? QI’m new to veg growing, but sowed hardy salad crops chard, rocket and perpetual spinach to overwinter. Suddenly, they woke up and produced masses of leaf – but promptly went to seed! How do I prevent this, and can you still eat the leaves? Shirley Tindall, St Helens, Merseyside A I imagine you sowed your autumn-to-spring salad crops in August or September, and hope you enjoyed good pickings before they up to flower. Some call it ‘bolting’ – although it sounds like this was your plants’ natural response to the longer days and warmer weather. I tend to think of bolting as premature flowering and seeding, triggered by stress, sudden cold snaps or sowing as the longest day approaches in June. There is…

Do ✓ Dig the soil deeply , adding lots of compost before positioning and filling your raised bed. ✓ Anchor the edges with pegs driven deep into the soil to prevent the bed from shifting. ✓ Use strong materials and strong corner joints. The higher the beds, the heavier the soil contained inside ✓ Line the inside of wooden raised beds with black . plastic (from compost bags turned inside out). Black plastic looks tidier and will prevent the wood being in constant contact with moist soil. Don’t ✗ Ever walk on the soil in your raised bed, as it can drive out the air and lead to compaction. ✗ Use untreated timber to build your own raised beds, as it will quickly rot and need replacing. T reated timber…

IT is around now that garden ponds are fully alive with frog, toad and newt activity, with fish feeding prolifically, and with water and marginal plants growing at their fastest rate. Strangely, it is also the time that most people, who like the idea of putting in a pond, actively start to do it. The best time to put in a pond is on suitable days between November and February, so that by the time plants and wildlife are gearing up for growth, the pond is nicely established. But, hey-ho, it takes a lot to change the gardening habits of many generations! Let’s look at some of the amazing facts and stories surrounding water in the garden. How the first fountains worked HOW did fountains work before electricity was available?…

IF you see any of the following Latin plant names on labels, you will immediately see that they relate to water in some way: aquatica (such as water mint, Mentha aquatica, pictured) means it grows in or near to water. demersum (such as hornwort, Ceratophyllum demersum) means it grows under water. fluitans (such as float grass, Glyceria fluitans) means it floats. lacustris (such as dwarf lake iris, I. lacustris) means it grows in lakes. megapotamicum (such as the trailing abutilon, A. megapotamicum) means it is connected with a large river, such as the Amazon or Rio Grande. palustris (such as the marsh marigold, Caltha palustris) means it grows in marsh areas. Other water-connected species names include fontanum, fluviatilis, rivalis, rivularis and uliginosus.…

Dandelions are a useful pit stop! DANDELIONS (along with wasps and slugs and snails) are usually numbered among the gardener’s enemies – but dandelions have their uses as this bee, photographed recently, will testify. There aren’t many sources of nectar in the average February garden but this bee – tempted out of its winter shelter by the recent warm weather – was, I’m sure, grateful for a welcome energy drink. As for wasps, of course their stings can be dangerous for some people, but even they have their place in the garden, being predators of certain pests that damage our garden plants. I once heard them being described as homeless drunks, since they (and their services) are no longer needed in the nest at that time of year. And as…