Innholdsfortegnelse for 8-Feb-2020 i Amateur Gardening

SO, we’re six weeks into the year and signs of spring are all around. With the days drawing out and the gentle promise of warmer weather just around the corner, the call of the garden is hard to resist. Although harsh weather is a probability between now and Easter, there’s nothing to stop us getting out and preparing the garden for its big spring push. Our changing climate means that many early flowering plants are starting to show signs of life weeks before their usual time. We have even had a pink campion that bravely flowered all through winter in one of the more sheltered areas of the garden – can anyone beat that? Keep these precocious growers weed-free (many weeds are hardier than cultivated plants and thrive in considerably…

AS plant-based diets become increasingly popular, asparagus is a key player in Pomona Fruits’ spring catalogue. This season the company is showcasing three new varieties of the vegetable: ■ ‘Guelph Eclipse’: Bred at the University of Guelph in Canada, this is an early-cropping, disease-resistant variety. ■ ‘Vittorio’: Heavy-yielding producing thick, disease-resistant spears that can be harvested when they are green or white, when it has a nuttier, delicate flavour. ■ ‘Burgundine’: A purple plant that is tender and sweet when eaten raw, making it an ideal addition to salads. It often produces more spears than green varieties. A spokesman for Pomona said: “British asparagus is traditionally harvested from the April 23 (St George’s Day) until the summer solstice on June 21, and is generally recognised as the best in the…

IRELAND’S leading horticultural brand Bord na Móna has this month changed its company name to The Greener Gardening Company. This year is set to be a big year for the business, which recently launched a growing media called Happy Compost. Happy has been warmly welcomed by the trade and received a ‘best in test’ performance accolade against all major competitors in trials conducted at University College of Dublin. Steve Harper, head of commercial & marketing for The Greener Gardening Company, said: “Our name change to The Greener Gardening Company allows us to offer a clear, easy-to-spot brand to UK consumers. “While they will be seeing a different logo on the shelves, they can still expect the same quality and same service they have come to expect from us as an…

Although pink and white bleeding hearts are the most popular, there are several stunning variations. ‘Gold Heart’ offsets its blushing blooms with striking gold-green foliage and contrasting peach-coloured stems (Gardenia, gardenia.net). ‘Cupid’ is a compact version, ideal for small gardens, that produces cushiony hearts of the most delicate pink (Farmer Gracey, ✆ 0330 808 7304, farmergracy.co.uk). Dicentra (Dactylicapnos) scandens is a hardy perennial climber with teardrop-shaped yellow flowers in summer. It thrives in shade (Sarah Raven, sarahraven.com). ‘Alba’ is a popular variety, with pristine white hearts ( jparkers.co.uk; ✆ 0161 848 1100).…

1 Breeders are extending flowering seasons on some plants; Primula ‘Everlast ’may look like an ordinary primrose, but it flowers nonstop from October to May, and beyond, without needing to deadhead them. 2 The new Xerochrysum ‘Granvia Gold’ flowered nonstop through the summer, autumn and into winter, and was still flowering mid-January. A pink one will soon be available. 3 Winter-flowering pansies and viola need feeding, especially those raised in smaller pots and coir-based compost. Starved plants are likely to suffer from leaf spot. 4 Polyanthus are already showing colour – ‘Crescendo’ is well tried, and now facing competition from larger flowered ‘Piano’.…

IT’S downright hard work to get a meadow full of flowers, especially if making this from your lawn. The problem is that grasses, particularly established grasses, are too good at competing so – other than the odd tree sapling, dock or bramble – they choke out everything else. In real meadows, sheep or cattle remove lush grass reducing the fertility, allowing other plants to have a chance. You can slice off the top layer to expose the less fertile subsoil and establish your ‘wild’ flowers before the grasses return. This can be successful, but is also very hard work. “Create a clean zone for seedlings to flourish” Another way is to remove small areas and to sow or plant your ‘wild’ flowers there. This is less work, but can still…

THE organised gardener may have started off their garlic in November, but the rest of us can plant now. There are two main types: softnecks (Allium sativum) and hardnecks (A. sativum var. ophioscorodon), so what kind of care do they need? Get the best yields “You should only plant the largest, plump cloves” Whole bulbs (heads) should be split into individual cloves just before planting (they dry out excessively, otherwise). Don’t bruise them as this can cause rots. Only plant the largest, plump cloves as these give the biggest yields (pot smaller ones up as garlic chives), positioning them 3in (8cm) deep and roughly 6in (16cm) apart in grids (wider on lighter soils). Site in full sun, and add plenty of organic matter to the plot, plus a little bonemeal.…

1 Organise your seeds into their month of sowing, now that propagation season is upon us. A shoe or wine box is ideal for this. 2 When did you last sterilise your propagator? If you can ’t recall, then wipe down all surfaces with a solution of disinfectant. 3 If you’ve not pruned your autumn raspberries, step to it! New shoots will appear at the base later this month, which can easily break off . 4 Give asparagus beds a weed-over , well before the crowns stir into life . Extensive hoeing once spears emerge is a nightmare! 5 Dig and use up surplus Jerusalem artichok e tubers before they sprout. Keep a few healthy ones and replant in an open, sunny spot.…

SOME of you may be familiar with this scourge of roses – but did you know that replant disease can also strike various fruit trees, canes and bushes? Specifically, it’s those that belong to the same family as roses (Rosaceae) – which includes apple, pear, cherry, plum, gage, apricot, peach, nectarine, almond, medlar, quince, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry. Phew, that’s quite a list! So, if you want to replace any old plants of the list above with new ones this month, how do you go about it to ensure that replant disease doesn’t occur? The solution is to change the soil for some that hasn’t supported host plants (earth from vegetable beds is ideal) and to inoculate the roots and planting hole with mycorrhizal fungi (like Rootgrow), which coat, protect…

C = Chiltern Seeds ✆ 01491 824675 chilternseeds.co.uk DTB = DT Brown ✆ 0333 003 0869 dtbrownseeds.co.uk H = Hayloft Plants ✆ 01386 562999 hayloft.co.uk MF = Mr Fothergill’s ✆ 0333 777 3936 mr-fothergills.co.uk P = Pomona Fruits ✆ 01255 440410 pomonafruits.co.uk PD = Plants of Distinction ✆ 01449 721720 plantsofdistinction.co.uk PW = Plant World ✆ 01803 872939 plant-word-seeds.com S = Suttons ✆ 0844 326 2200 suttons.co.uk SR = Sarah Raven ✆ 0345 092 0283 sarahraven.com T&M =Thompson & Morgan ✆ 0844 573 1818 thompson-morgan.com…

Callistephus chinensis ‘Duchesse Coral Rose’ The large flowers of this annual aster, with their incurved petals growing on upright stems, could be mistaken for incurved chrysanthemums. This plant brings colour in late summer when others are past their best. Flowers: June-October. H: 70cm (27in) (C). Clarkia ‘Elegant Wild Salmon’ This easy-to-grow hardy annual makes a delightful cut flower, with pretty double and semi-double wild-salmon blooms flowering along purple-red stems. It looks lovely in bouquets and is loved by beneficial insects, too. Flowers: June-October. H: 86-101cm (34-40in) (PD). Dierama ‘Ripe Cherries’ These dwarf ‘Angels’ fishing rods’ carry pretty pendent bells in a variety of colours from red to pale purple. To produce these new hardy perennials, Plant World crossed two different dwarf dieramas resulting in…

Choose a promising gap in a lightly shaded bed and weed thoroughly. Fork in some soil conditioner. In early spring or autumn, plant the ‘pips’ or crowns of growth 6in (15cm) apart, firm well and water in using a rose (sprinkler) on the can. Should any ‘pips’ appear dry or straggly, soak the rhizomes and pot them up for a while before planting. Where soil is heavy and drains poorly in winter, plant rhizomes into a slightly raised bed. Mulch annually in autumn with a thin layer of well-rotted compost or leafmould.…

Erica carnea ‘Myretoun Ruby’ AGM This winter heather will continue to be covered in magenta flowers into late spring. It forms an evergreen mat in sun or semi-shade, and prefers neutral-to-acid soil – although it can tolerate some alkalinity. H: 6in (15cm). Galanthus nivalis AGM Not only do the pretty flowers of the common snowdrop get us through the end of winter, they provide bees with nectar, too. Planted in the green, in well-drained soil in semi-shade, bulbs will naturalise, forming drifts. H: 6in (15cm). Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ AGM A strong-growing lungwort that produces pools of lavender-blue spring flowers when planted beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. Requires humus-rich soil that is moist but well-drained. H: 1ft (30cm). Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’…

WITH their vast range of colours, ease of growing, unquestioned elegance, the way they raise the competitive spirit on the showbench, and their intoxicating fragrance, it’s no wonder that sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) have been favourites with gardeners for generations. I have grown them every year since the age of six, and I rank them as my favourite annual summer flower. Now is the time for sowing, so here are some of the stories associated with these garden beauties. Sweet pea blooms comprise a ‘standard’ (the upper almost vertical part of the flower); the ‘wings’ (two lower petals angled downwards); and the ‘keel’ (the part under the wings that contains the flower’s sexual organs). Sowing times THERE are three sowing periods for sweet peas. The first two are autumn (usually…

ON this day the head gardener of the world’s first botanic garden died. Jacob Bobart the Elder was born in Brunswick, Germany, in 1599, and little is really known about his early life – or his later life, for that matter! What we do know is that he was appointed superintendent of the Oxford Physic Garden (now Oxford Botanic Garden) after its foundation in 1632. Noted gardener to the royals John Tradescant the Elder had previously turned down the position. It is written that Bobart had the right to sell fruit and vegetables from the garden, which proved useful, as his boss Henry Danvers, 1st Earl of Danby, died a few years later, and England was in the grip of a Civil War that caused the estates to be sequestrated.…

Tree-planting essentials Q I’m confused about tree planting. We used to fork well-rotted compost into the planting hole and infill soil with variable results, but now read this is not always a good idea and the same with providing a stake. What is right? Dan Nicklin, Portishead, Somerset A There are few rights or wrongs in gardening but just variable methods depending on soil type, the plant in question, and common sense. Bare-rooted trees are lifted and sent out while dormant for planting between November and March. Potted trees can technically be planted anytime but they, too, are best set in the ground while dormant. For successful planting, soil texture needs to be right and neither saturated nor frozen. We took delivery of three 2ft (60cm) tall, previously potted grafted…

IT takes a bit of effort to replace broken slabs in paths or patios, but it’s a lot cheaper than having it all re-laid and it can transform a shabby outdoor space. This is best done when no frost is forecast for a few days. If sub-zero temperatures threaten, leave doing it until the weather warms up. Measure and count the number of broken slabs, and buy replacements of exactly the same size, finish and colour. If this is not possible, and the broken slab is in a prominent position, consider lifting an unbroken old one from an unobtrusive position on the patio/path and use it to replace the broken one. Put the new slab in the unobtrusive position. Tools needed As well as the slabs you’ll need sharp sand,…

1 Rake out old grout around the edges, place a plank of wood along one edge and use the edge of a spade or a strong screwdriver to lever up the patio slab. 2 Remove the old slab, break up and remove old mortar then add sand and firm down level until surface is about 1/2in (1cm) below the base of surrounding slabs. 3 Dot five fist-sized dollops of 4:1 sand/cement mix into the hole, one in the centre and one in each corner, then carefully lower the slab into the hole. 4 Check that edges line up with surrounding slabs. Tamp the slab down gently using a block of wood and a club hammer until it is level with surrounding slabs.…

HAVE you seen the news? Garden Enemy No. 1 – the slug – has attacked the global transport network, taking its campaign of mindless mollusc-station from our gardens to the streets. In Wrexham, marauding slugs captured the control unit of a pedestrian crossing, shorting the power supply and causing the red, amber and green bulbs to flash like the lights of a demonic disco. And this wasn’t an isolated incident: in Japan, bullet trains were literally stopped on the tracks by a slug committing hari-kari inside a railway line switch box. Its charred remains were found next to the sleepers. I have no doubt scientists who study slugs – aka ‘limacologists’ (as if you didn’t know!) – might fear that these attacks are coordinated. But I’ve a hunch that it’s…

Although it’s tempting to get outside on fair days and get cracking, there are certain jobs that should be left until later in spring. Wet or frosted soil is easy to compact, which damages its structure. Avoid working on it until it has dried out and warmed up. If you absolutely have to work on a border, stand on a plank to distribute your weight evenly. Don’t cut back last year’s foliage on penstemons until April, as it protects the crown from frost. Don’t prune early flowering shrubs such as forsythia and philadelphus now otherwise you will remove this year’s blossom.…

IF you are feeling a little lonesome, head to Squire’s Garden Centres where they have launched a series of Chatter & Natter tables in their cafes. Part of the Chatty Café Scheme, these tables are for anyone to use and the give lonely visitors the chance to chat. Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres said, “In this age of social media it’s so important to make an effort to talk to others face-to-face. “I believe a short conversation with another human can really brighten your day. Everyone’s welcome, and it’s a great way to meet local people.” Squires have 16 garden centres in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, West London and Berkshire, all with Chatter & Natter tables – just look out for the signs. For details, call 01252 356860 or…

Title: Little Joe (12A) Starring: Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, Kerry Fox Release date: 21 March Synopsis: Alice, a single mother, is a senior plant breeder at a corporation engaged in developing new plant species with the aim of selling them commercially to the public. She has created a very special crimson flower that has been genetically engineered to make its owner feel happy and relaxed. The plant was also engineered to be sterile so that amateur gardeners would not be able to reproduce them. While still in development and against company rules, Alice takes one of the plants from the lab and gives it to her son Joe and they name it ‘Little Joe’. While the plant can’t reproduce, unknown to its creator Alice, it does emit a bewitching perfume…

1 In an area of light shade, dig a hole that’s as deep as the rootball and slightly wider. 2 Add some well-rotted compost or leafmould to give the roots a good start. 3 Slide the plant from its pot and carefully untangle any congested or circling roots so they will spread. 4 Place in the hole and back-fill with soil and compost, firming it all down as you go. 5 Water thoroughly to settle the soil and saturate the roots. Do this even when rain is forecast. 6 Mulch with well-rotted organic matter to feed and insulate the roots, and suppress weeds.…

LOOKING out at winter’s slate-grey skies, it’s hard to recall the blue skies of summer. They may still seem a long way off, but you can lift the seasonal blues by preparing for warmer days, including sowing seeds for summer colour. This week’s free seeds from Mr Fothergill’s are for Lobelia ‘Sapphire Trailing’, a joyful half-hardy annual that produces rivers of cobalt-blue blooms. The plants are perfect for containers, hanging baskets and rockeries, and will thrive in sun and light shade. Get them going in pots or seed trays in a heated propagator or warm windowsill, or wait until later in spring (though they will still need to be sown undercover as they are only half-hardy). Tiny lobelia seeds are as fine as dust. Large clumps of compost hinder germination,…

1 If looking congested, mark clumps of snowdrops and other early bulbs, for lifting and dividing soon after the flowers finish. 2 Bring tub-grown grapevines, peaches, apricots, blueberries, gooseberries and strawberries under cover, cool and bright, for forcing really early fruits. 3 Put silica gel ‘drying agent’ pouches (from photographic / electrical stores) in with your seed packets to keep them drier. 4 Hang fat balls and seed feeders amongst your rose bushes so any tits awaiting their turn will clean the aphid eggs off.…

Wet: February-planted garlic will provide you with ‘wet’ cloves in late April and early May. The whole bulb and green stem is eaten, adding a much sweeter, milder flavour to dishes such as risotto. Also makes great pesto and guacamole. Scapes: Hardneck garlics, rocamboles (serpent garlic) and elephant garlic produce curved flower ‘scapes’ in mid-May to early June. Make sure you remove these before the flowers open, chopping them up for stir-frying or grilling. Mature: The familiar way to enjoy your garlic! Freshly harvested bulbs are much juicier than those that have been cured for winter. Plaiting into ropes will allow for easy storage. Alternatively jar into lazy garlic, using white wine vinegar.…

WITH most of us desperate to open veg seed packets this month, early sowings are being made on windowsills and in propagators up and down the country. This enthusiasm will hopefully be rewarded by earlier, bigger crops on stronger plants, but sowing early carries a risk: damping off disease. Encouraged by a combination of low light levels, high humidity, waterlogging, slow growth and cold temperatures, the fungi associated with damping off can quickly wipe through trays of sowings. Occasionally, seedlings are hit before they emerge, but more often you’ll watch in dismay as once-healthy baby leaves wilt, collapse and rot within days. With no fungicides available, prevention is key. Sow thinly, don’t overwater, provide sufficient heat and ventilate on warmer days. Using tap water and bought (rather than homemade) compost…

COMMON name ‘Cape gooseberry’ is misleading – this fruit (botanically Physalis peruviana) can be traced back to cultivation in South America centuries before it was grown in South Africa, which is why some refer to it as the Peruvian groundcherry. Treat the seeds as if they were those of its distant relative, the tomato. Sow eight-12 per 3½in (9cm) diameter pot, starting them off now in a heated propagator set at 18-20°C (64-68°F). Prick out when large enough into individual pots, then plant out in a sunny, sheltered spot in late May (no staking or sideshooting required). The self-fertile flowers will develop into small orange fruits by late autumn. Harvest, encased in their papery lanterns, to adorn desserts throughout the winter.…

Prunus persica ‘Emperor’s Delight’ This heavy-cropping flat nectarine produces doughnut-shaped fruits with a red flush that are claimed to taste ‘almost too good to be true’. The melting creamy-white flesh is extremely juicy and has a rich sugar-sweet flavour. Fruits: Mid-August. HxS: 3.6m (12ft) as a bush, 1.9m (6ft) high and 3.6m (12ft) wide as a fan. Supplied on Montclair semi-dwarfing rootstock. Pollination: Self-fertile (P). Prunus ‘Flavor Candy’ Pluots are a cross between a plum and an apricot. This variety produces heavy crops of red-flushed fruits with yellow flesh and combines the juiciness of a plum with the fragrant taste of an apricot. Pluots require a warm, sheltered site in full sun. Fruits: Early September. HxS: 3.6m (12ft) as a bush, 2m (6ft 6in) high and…

Tomato ‘Honeycomb’ F1 The cherry-sized fruit of these tomatoes have a sweet flavour with undertones of honey. It is claimed there is less fruit splitting than with ‘Sungold’, and around 150-200 cherry tomatoes are produced on every plant. This cordon variety can be grown outside or under cover. Sow: March-April. Harvest: July-October (S). Kale ‘Jardin Mixed’ This kale, with its mauve and cream centres, is nutritious and has ornamental appeal. With a long cropping time, you can stagger your sowings to have fresh leaves throughout summer and autumn. ‘Jardin Mixed’ is Thompson & Morgan’s Vegetable of the Year 2020. Sow: March-July. Harvest: July-December (T&M). Chilli pepper ‘Hot Rod’ This medium-hot chilli pepper has striking stripes on variegated foliage. The stripes change colour as the fruit ripens, from green and white,…

Alchemilla mollis Lady’s mantle makes a ground-covering mass of soft, prettily lobed leaves, joined by a foam of small greenish yellow flowers from summer to autumn. On good soil, one plant will reach 24in (60cm) tall and 30in (75cm) wide. Geranium x johnsonii ‘Johnson’s Blue’ This stalwart cranesbill forms healthy clumps of deeply lobed foliage joined during summer by a contrasting show of lavender blue flowers. Prompt deadheading will encourage more blooms. At 12-18in (30-45cm) high, it is a great front-of-border plant. Phlox paniculata ‘Eva Cullum’ A profusion of pink summer blooms with dark pink eyes has graced many a cottage garden border. As long as the soil is moist, this herbaceous phlox is easy to grow, reaching 3ft (90cm) tall. Paeonia…

Woodland shade ‘Whistleberry Garnet’ AGM Evergreen; forms low mounds of velvety, jade-green leaves with jewel red edges and undersides. In late spring yellow flowers with red ‘eyes’ emerge. Plant in dappled shade, under a deciduous tree or large shrub. HxS: 32x28in (80x70cm). E. amygdaloides var. robbiae AGM Invaluable for tricky areas of dry shade, creating evergreen groundcover with glossy green leaves and spires of lime green spring flowers. The seedheads turn pretty shades of copper. Can be invasive. HxS: 32x28in (80x70cm). Blackbird A striking evergreen featuring rosettes of purple-tinged glaucous foliage from which spikes of lime green flowers appear from March to May. Happy in full sun or partial shade. Good for groundcover. HxS: 16x20in (40x50cm). Sun-baked spots E. characias subsp.…

Why are my clematis still looking dead? Q I have several clematis in the garden and overwintered in my greenhouse, including a ‘John Huxtable’, but they just look like dead stems. What should I do? Mrs A Crookes, via email A I wonder if it is simply a matter of time. A simple way of checking whether the stems are still alive is to scrape away a sliver of the bark using a thumbnail. Live stems have green flesh under the bark, dead stems are brown. Varieties like ‘John Huxtable’ flower later in the year on the current season’s growth, so are unlikely to be showing signs of bud burst yet. Second, all the advice given with new clematis plants is not to expect too much in the first year…

Miracle-Gro is giving AG readers the chance to win one of two gardening bundles, each worth £16.57. This is the perfect bundle for gardeners looking for quick and easy solutions for any gardening style, as it includes new Miracle-Gro products designed to make caring for plants simple – indoors or out. The two winners will each receive a six-litre bag of Miracle-Gro Plant & Grow Compost, which is light in weight but not in quality, that will feed plants for up to six months. Also included is a 200ml Miracle-Gro Pump & Feed – simply pump directly onto the soil to feed your plant for a week. Orchid-loving gardeners will also be excited to win both the three-pack Miracle-Gro Drip & Feed for orchids and the 300ml Miracle-Gro Spray &…

ON the cover of AG issue dated 7 March 1998 there was a picture that raised eyebrows – a golden-yellow sweet pea that doesn’t exist! Inside the issue we looked at the latest actions plant breeders were taking to create a truly yellow sweet pea – something that had eluded them for decades, and still has! We explained that Lathyrus belinensis, a recently discovered species from Turkey, was the brightest hope. Its flowers have a yellow keel, yellow wings and an orange standard, but in the 21 years since that issue of AG, breeding from it has not yet resulted in the pure-yellow pea that so many people desire. The yellow flower on the cover was manipulated by on-screen technology which, 22 years ago, was in its infancy.…

1 Heel bare-rooted plants into the ground when soil conditions are not right for planting. Dig a trench, lay the roots in and cover with soil to prevent freezing and drying. 2 A young bare-rooted birch has been set in an enlarged slit made in the ground. This helps prevent soil sinkage. 3 In rural gardens where rabbits and deer are a problem, use rabbit guards and for roe deer, a chicken wire fence 5ft (1½m) high. 4 Tease roots out gently but thoroughly when pot-grown. Here the white stems are protected by folded polythene and the roots over a wheelbarrow using a hand fork.…

Do ✓ Mix mortar using fresh cement powder and sharp (coarse) sand in the ratio of four scoops of sand to one of cement – mix it well and add a little water if it’s very dry. ✓ Clean up the facing edges of slabs alongside the one you’re replacing, removing old grout, mortar and dirt before dropping the new slab in. Don’t ✗Tamp down the new slab until you’ve checked that all joints are equal in width and the slab aligns with the ones either side. Tap the edge with a mallet and block to move the slab ✗ Compromise on level – keep adding or removing sand until you get the slab as level with surrounding slabs as you can. Uneven slabs show, and are a trip hazard…

My very own squirrel friends I ENJOYED reading Val Bourne’s article about ‘wildlife populations’ ( AG , 21 December) and although the red squirrel is more popular than its grey cousin, I do find the greys enchanting little creatures. They inhabit the grounds of the apartments where I live, and much pleasure is derived from watching their antics, such as burying shelled nuts in the lawns. They exercise by chasing each other up and down the large trees that we back onto. They’re intelligent and enjoy conversation; they always look up when I chat to them out of my open window. There is a squirrel feeder alongside those I have for the birds, and the two different species feed in harmony. Proudly, I class them as my friends. Mrs Gloria…

SLUGS love the undersides of pots, and if a plant is eaten you should lift/tip its container and look for the culprit beneath. Even if it isn’t there, scatter organic pellets under the pot, as it soon will be – as well as anywhere the soluble pellets are protected from rain. Biological controls work best in summer, when the garden warms up, so in spring put out jars with a splash of beer in the bottom. The slugs are attracted to the malt and, being sticky, can climb into the beer, where they drown. Beetles and other friendly wildlife can’t, so they stay safe from harm.…

TOURISTS are being warned against bringing diseased plants into the UK after travelling abroad. There are widespread fears that the devastating fungal disease Xylella, caused by the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, could enter the country and affect more than 500 species of plant. Susceptible varieties include lavender, rosemary and flowering cherry. Symptoms include leaf scorch, wilt, dieback and the death of the plant. The disease, which has no known cure, is not currently in the UK but has been cutting a swathe through Europe and killing millions of trees. Now travellers are being advised on how to avoid bringing the disease home in a four-minute animation voiced by Dame Helen Mirren. The film explains the risks and tells gardeners what they can do to stop the spread of the disease. Dame…

ONE of my favourite jobs in late winter is looking around the garden at gaps in the borders and considering what new plants would go well and where. An ideal and extremely attractive perennial for compact spaces is bleeding heart, which produces stems of sweet cardiac-shaped flowers in shades of pink and white among attractive leaves in shades of green and gold. Because scientists think it’s a good idea to keep gardeners on their toes, bleeding hearts used to be called Dicentra spectabilis, but the name has now been changed to Lamprocapnos spectabilis (although they are still commonly referred to as Dicentra). I ordered mine online and as soon as it arrived I removed its packaging and checked that it looked healthy. Only the crown is visible, but it should…

THE early part of January was unseasonably mild – a good thing from my point of view, having been given a large quantity of spring-flowering bulbs by Hayloft and others, to plant in the Floral Fantasia area at the Royal Horticultural Society Hyde Hall Garden. Between Christmas and New Year, the weather was mild and at last drying, so thousands of large tulip bulbs could be planted each day. Late, I have to admit – but with warm soil temperatures, rooting was rapid, and I am hopeful that by April and May we will have a very colourful display, if on slightly shorter stems. Hundreds of garden visitors passed through the area while we were planting, and questions came thick and fast. “Late, I have to admit – but the…

8: Snowdrop Trail Walk and Talk with Val Bourne: Hever Castle, Hever Road, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG. ✆ 01732 865224; hevercastle.co.uk 8: British Iris Society Early Spring Show: RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0845 6121 253, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/wisley 8: Designing with Plants: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 8-9: Early Spring Show: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 9: Lawn Care: RHS Garden Wisley 10: RHS Member’s Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 11-28: Sumptuous Snowdrops: Barnsdale Gardens, Barnsdale Ave, Exton, Oakham LE15 8AH. ✆ 01572 813200, barnsdalegardens.co.uk 13: Success with Houseplants: RHS Garden Wisley 14: Compost Clinic: Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, London…

WE moved to Spring Cottage in November 2004, shortly after the first harlequin ladybird was recorded in Britain on 19 September 2004. Ian Wright, a member of staff in the Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, spotted an unusual ladybird in a pub garden in Essex and this was the first sighting of the harlequin ladybird in Britain. This ladybird had been introduced into North America in the 1980s, to control aphids feeding on crops. It quickly spread across the USA and became the most common ladybird there. It was also used under glass in the Netherlands and it probably arrived in Britain after being blown over the English Channel on a strong wind. This Asian ladybird is now the most successful invasive alien in the world. “Think of aphids…

1 ÔGermidour’: Was given the RHS AGM during trials in 2004. This softneck variety originates from France, and it matures later in the season (lift in late June). The skins of the bulbs are streaked with purple. 2 ÔWight Cristo’: This RHS AGM winner is a mild-tasting softneck variety. The individual cloves are large in size, with pure white skins. Will store well into late spring if cured sufficiently. Harvest mid-to-late June. 3 ÔLautrec Wight’: One of the few hardneck varieties that is happy to be planted in spring, providing you with scapes and bulbils. The purple-skinned, large cloves will keep until beyond Christmas if properly cured.…

1 Figs crop most reliably in a warm spot, and a south-facing wall is ideal. ‘Brown Turkey’ is the most dependable variety, but there are many others available. Dig a 15x15x15in (40cm3 ) hole, lining the sides with paving slabs. 2 This lining limits the root spread of your plant, keeping it smaller and more manageable, and encouraging ample fruits. Choose a fig with well-spaced branches, planting it in a mixture of compost and soil. 3 Firm in your fig and water it in. Secure pairs of 6ft (1.8m) long bamboo canes to the wall (these have been tied to strong horizontal wires). Tie the branches of your fig to the canes, one stem per cane, to initiate a fan shape.…

Xerochrysum ‘Granvia Gold’ Even before they’re cut, the papery blooms of Xerochrysum ‘Granvia Gold’ feel like dried flowers. The big golden blooms of this bushy annual develop a deep-orange centre as they mature. Prefers sun. Flowers: May-September. HxS: 20in (50cm). Supplied as jumbo plugs (T&M). Agapanthus inapertus subsp. pendulus ‘Graskop’ This hardy perennial has dark, almost black buds, rising about 1ft (30cm) above the foliage. As the flowers open, they become more pendulous and turn a dark violet-purple. Prefers full sun. Flowers: July-August. HxS: 1mx30cm (3ft 3inx12in). Supplied as 9cm plants (SR). Petunia ‘Surfinia Star Burgundy’ Surfinia petunias have an amazing cascading habit, and this half-hardy annual has burgundy flowers with yellow stars that boast fabulous vigour and superb weather…

Muscari armeniacum ‘Valerie Finnis’ A powder blue grape hyacinth that will thrive in well-drained pots in sun. The flowers look good on their own, or combine them with narcissi and other bulbs that bloom in March and April. H: 6in (15cm). Primula vulgaris subsp. vulgaris AGM One of the joys of spring is the sight of primroses blooming in the dappled shade of wild hedgerows and north-facing banks. In gardens, they will perform excellently in well-drained pots positioned in semi-shade. H: 6in (15cm). Helleborus niger From January to March the elegant, bowl-shaped white flowers of the beautiful Christmas rose provide vital early nectar for bees. Grow in well-drained pots and place in a sheltered spot in semi-shade. H: 16in (40cm). Crocus tommasinianus…

DESPITE the sweet pea being closely related to the edible garden pea, much evidence shows that their seeds are toxic if eaten in quantity. Lathyrus sativus, also known as grass pea, blue sweet pea and chickling vetch, is grown for human consumption and livestock feed in drought regions of Africa and Asia. However, its seeds contain a neurotoxin, and when they are consumed as a primary protein source over a long time, a neurodegenerative disease can be the result. It is called lathyrism.…

Swee’Pea (pictured) is a character in EC Segar’s comic strip and cartoon series Popeye. Swee’Pea first appeared as a baby boy found on Popeye’s doorstep on 24 July 1933. Prior to this, ‘Sweet Pea’ was a term of affection used by Popeye to his girlfriend Olive Oyl. Sweet Pea is a song written and performed by US singer Tommy Roe, in 1966. It was featured on his album of the same name, and it reached number 1 in Canada. Sweetpea was the name of a green and yellow parakeet, voiced by actress Tara Strong, in the 2016 3D computer-animated film The Secret Life of Pets.…