Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Aug-2020 i Amateur Gardening

“Colour is so important when it comes to planning a garden: bold and brassy, or quiet and subdued? How we perceive and use colour defines our individual style. Some consult the colour wheel to coordinate for harmonic shades, while others delight in creating clashes. I think Louise’s article on South African exotics on page 28 gives great examples of plants that can bring a riot of colour to our gardens – maybe worth a try?” Contact us: Editorial: 07814 905439 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: 07817 629935…

IN theory, summer should be a good time for alpines and rockery plants that are able to withstand harsh conditions with impunity. These plants are tough and have evolved to survive inhospitable extremes of cold and drought, so our temperate summers should be a doddle for them. However, this doesn’t mean we can leave them alone to get on with it. Water when you can and weed regularly because these unwanted plants will take what moisture and nutrients they can from the soil. They will also outstrip low-growing alpines, shading them out. Taller weeds that collapse onto your alpines also run the risk of smothering them and causing rots to develop. Low-growing, mat-forming plants such as aubrietia may have collapsed outwards, leaving their straw-like heart exposed. Cut them back hard,…

SO far it has been a really good year for our roses. They have suffered from less blackspot than in previous years, and have grown and flowered beautifully. I think the reason for their success is largely down to a more consistent care regime during winter and early spring. A large, old floribunda was cut right back to ankle height (with some trepidation, I must admit, as it seemed rather drastic!), but it produced lots of strong new shoots as a result. Two other border roses, a climber and a bush, were potted up over winter, and their soil renewed and replenished with lots of well-rotted manure before replanting. They had suffered badly from blackspot in previous years, but have barely been touched with it this year. This is probably…

A STARLING never walks and rarely, if ever, hops; it runs. The sexes are dressed alike and when their variegated, iridescent hues of purple, brown, blue, green, grey and black are seen in the sunlight they make a fascinatingly beautiful combination. Very sociable birds, starlings often move in companies that number thousands strong and are forever chattering. They are first-rate mimics and I have heard them in the garden so accurately imitate the calls of the budgerigars that I did not know which birds were actually calling. Unfortunately, starlings often play havoc with soft fruit, but they have an omnivorous appetite and very little comes amiss. Indeed, they seem to eat for the sheer joy of eating, or else they deliberately deprive other birds of their share. Their untidy nest…

WITH its juice-packed flesh and unmistakable perfume, a ripe homegrown melon is something everyone with a sunny spot should experience. Eaten warmed by the sun (instead of numbed by the fridge), the perfumed flavour is unparalleled. But how do you get the best crop from your vines? Melon plants have a reputation for being fussy, but follow my key points (see the checklist on p20) and you’ll be fine. Here, I’m writing about varieties of Cucumis melo, rather than watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) or cucamelon (Melothria scabra). This species gives us honeydews, galias and cantaloupes (which includes the much-desired Charentais types). Sown in March or April, the first fruits will be ripening now, filling the air with that unmistakable scent. “The flavour of homegrown melon is unparalleled” Growing secrets My benchmark varieties…

‘Alice Hoffman’ AGM Small and compact, featuring bronze-tinted foliage that perfectly complements the rosy red sepals and white petals. Usually produces a few extra petals to form a semi-double flower. H: 2-3ft (60-90cm). ‘Mrs Popple’ AGM Neat and bushy in growth. The large flowers feature that iconic fuchsia colouring: bright red sepals and deep purple petals. For many years this was the most popular hardy variety, and its appeal remains strong. H: 3ft (90cm). ‘Hawkshead’ AGM Modest but prolific, with white flowers bearing a hint of green, especially towards the tips of the sepals. They line the branches and are set off beautifully by dark green foliage. Upright and bushy. H: 4ft (1.2m). Riccartonii’ AGM The fuchsia of the Irish hedgerows, ‘Riccartonii’ is long-flowering, vigorous and prolific, with slightly bronze-tinted…

Hesperantha coccinea ‘Major’ AGM A fabulous plant for late colour – it can still be in flower in December. Masses of grassy leaves plus slender stems bedecked with striking crimson flowers like open crocuses. Hardy in most gardens. HxS: 2ftx20in (60x50cm). Tulbaghia violacea AGM Like a daintier agapanthus, this bulb produces grass-like foliage and long, slender stems topped with clusters of intense pink blooms from June to November. Not completely hardy; good in terracotta pots or gravel gardens in mild places. HxS: 22x10in (55x25cm). Kniphofia ‘Bee’s Sunset’ AGM Classic upright stems and torch-like flowers in orange and yellow top sturdy brown stems. Reliably hardy and easy; needs acid-neutral, well-drained but moist soil. Pollinated by hummingbirds in its homeland. HxS: 39x20in (1mx50cm). Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Star of the East’ AGM Flame-coloured…

John will reply personallly to all your gardening questions every week Climbers for a windy site and sandy soil Q I am building a pergola and I wish to grow climbing plants up its legs. I live on the west coast of the Isle of Wight and we frequently get battered by high winds. My soil is sandy. Can you recommend suitable climbers, please? Don Hughes, Isle of Wight A I suggest that you plant the following wind-resistant climbers to furnish your pergola: Clematis montana var. grandiflora:Large white flowers. Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’: Large variegated yellow and green leaves. Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’: Goldenleaved hop. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris: Climbing hydrangea massed with white blossom in summer; leaves turn chrome-yellow in autumn. Jasminum x stephanense: Sweetly scented pale-pink flowers in summer.…

This week it’s: IF I said to you that the blackberry – both the garden-centre-bought named varieties and the wild hedgerow ‘brambles’ – were all the same species (Rubus fruticosus), then I’d be telling you the truth, and lying at the same time! Our ‘original’ native hedgerow bramble was, and still is this plant, but over the centuries it has become crossed (inadvertently by birds and animals, and intentionally by humans) so much that it varies hugely in habit, appearance and berry size. And, despite varieties you buy from a garden centre having this species in their parentage, through refined breeding they may all perform differently. Regardless of the variations that abound, now is the picking season for blackberries, so let’s look at some of the stories surrounding them. They’re…

APPLES, pears, plums and cherries are traditional and widespread ‘top fruits’ or tree fruits grown in the UK. Once established, they are incredibly easy to look after – the biggest job is picking the often huge crops produced from midsummer to autumn. Modern cultivated varieties are usually grafted onto dwarfing rootstock to keep the crop within reach, so picking is much less of a problem than it used to be. However, there are still significant numbers of older full-sized trees around, as well as ‘dwarfing’ plants grown in fertile ground that get taller than they should, putting at least some of the crop out of easy reach. Judging when it’s ripe Fruit should not be picked until it is ripe. Many top fruits will continue to ripen after picking, but…

THIS summer seems to be galloping away and there is already a hint of autumn in the early morning air. We will soon start thinking about the next season’s jobs, one of which will be lifting our tender perennials, those wonderful pelargoniums and gazanias, and moving them safely undercover for the winter Before we do, it is always worth taking softwood cuttings as an insurance policy, in case the mature plants don’t make it through the winter. I like to do this now so the cuttings have time to get established before the onset of the cold weather. Taken now, there may even be the chance to pot them on into larger pots before they go dormant for the winter. Cuttings aren’t the only way of making new plants from…

A NUMBER of popular houseplants can spend a summer happily outside, with Indian azalea, Begonia Elatior cultivars, frost-tender hibiscus, Christmas cactus and Cymbidium orchids being good examples. The cymbidium will be happiest close to a pool, so it benefits from additional humidity. All plants moved out will need several days hardening off to stiffen up foliage softened by the lower light levels indoors. They will also need to be in the shade for a week, protected from the strong mid-day sun, and in a sheltered position to prevent bruising wind damage, before being placed in a sunny situation. “Many garden plants thrive with winter holidays indoors” It is not just indoor plants having a summer holiday outdoors. A range of summer garden plants can live on to serve another year…

AS you grow more of your own, there comes a point when you have too much to keep in the kitchen, and you need a store of some sort. This needs be cool and dark. A shady shed is good, a proper cellar better – but an unheated room in the house or a cool garage will do (just beware of smelly oils or paints, as these may taint). Many crops will keep for weeks just resting somewhere like that – and much longer if they are given more preparation. Simply packing in plastic bags (perforated to allow a little airflow) stops apples, cabbages or carrots from withering away rapidly. “Make sure your storage is rodent-proof” Root vegetables can be packed in bags of ever-so-slightly damp compost or sand. An…

Only sow your seed early (February or March) if you can provide sufficient heat (min 16°C/60.8°F) – otherwise, it’s best to wait until mid-April. ■ Position plants in as warm and sheltered spot as possible, ideally in a glasshouse or in a cold frame against a sunny wall. ■ Don’t overwater young plants and ensure they don’t get chilled at night, or else they may rot and collapse. ■ Once temperatures are above 10°C/50°F at night, damp down plants each morning and feed weekly with tomato food. ■ When the plant’s main stem reaches 4ft (1.2m) tall, pinch out its growing point. This encourages sideshoots bearing female flowers. ■ Be gentle when pollinating the flowers, so you get at least two or three mature melons from each plant. Step by…

F. procumbens A creeping species with golden flowers followed by large pink berries. Plants perform their best when grown in well-drained soil and a degree of shade. This New Zealand native is suited to milder, coastal regions of the UK. H: 4in (10cm). F. excorticata Appearing on old wood (well before the leaves) the flowers are a truly eye-catching combination of purplish-black corollas, sepals that start out green before becoming purple, and bright blue pollen. It’s half-hardy except in particularly mild areas. H: 13ft (4m). Fences ‘Lady Boothby’ AGM Named after the founder of the British Fuchsia Society, this unusually tall and vigorous variety is ideal tied in to a trellis or arch, or used to cover a fence. Those deep violet petals contrast nicely with the rosy red sepals.…

Foliage A. maderense AGM Pretty primrose yellow daisies are set against blue-green foliage that’s broader and flatter than most bluish types, creating a delightful combination. Grows wild on Lanzarote, so is happy in dry summers here. H: 1½ft (45cm). A. foeniculaceum Good for both foliage and flowers. The prettily dissected leaves fit well into a grey border or a white garden, and the neat white daisies, while not amazingly prolific, look beautiful against their bluegrey backdrop. H: 2½ft (75cm). ‘Royal Haze’ AGM With its unusually finely cut, icy blue foliage, ‘Royal Haze’ would be worth growing for the leaves alone. However, it offers the added bonus of months of white daisies. Ideal between pastelcoloured roses. H: 2½ft (75cm). Borders Grandaisy Red (‘Bonmax 1472’) One of the more vigorous of the…

Q Please can you tell me what is the best method for repotting cacti, and which compost should I use? Melanie Fischer, Coningsby, Lincolnshire A This is a great question, because so many cacti are left in the same pot for many years and would grow, look and flower much better treated to fresh compost and more space. Some cacti are easy to handle, but the spiniest can be off-putting. Not wanting to shy from a challenge, I have chosen the golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) as a demonstration model. Although numerous and popular in cultivation, the unkindly named ‘motherin-law’s seat’ is rare where it grows wild in the Rio Moctezuma Valley of east central Mexico. Here, plants often grow sideways from steep volcanic rocks, and their habit of facing…

Miracle-Gro is giving two AG readers the chance to perfect their roses with the Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub range worth £29.96! Each winner will receive two bottles of 1-litre Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Concentrated Liquid Plant Food (RRP £4.99) to provide visibly healthier plants in just seven days! Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Concentrated Liquid Plant Food now has a new formulation containing Humifirst that stimulates growth and yield as well as root formation. For long-lasting results, each winner will receive 1kg of Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Continuous Release Plant Food (RRP £6.99). Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Continuous Release Plant Food contains a temperature-controlled coating that regulates the release of nutrients when conditions are right for feeding. Finally, each winner will receive 1kg Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Fast Acting Granules Plant…

Write to us: Letters, Amateur Gardening magazine, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants GU14 7BF (please include your address). Email us: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Star letter The poor roses looked terrible in the following weeks: the leaves turned bright magenta and yellow, and they all curled up, I kept removing the affected ones. Still, not only have they all fully recovered and bloomed beautifully but also, for the first time ever, there is no sign of black spot on any of them! Sue Birch, Sevenoaks, Kent OUR marital relationship was severely tested very early in the lockdown. My roses suffer every year from blackspot and I was anxious to spray them before it started, but was unable to turn the nozzle on the spray so asked my husband if he…

EVER seen a queue and felt compelled to join it, even if you weren’t sure what it was for? Silly question, you’re British! According to people-watchers (or anthropologists, as they’re properly known), conforming to ‘mob’ mentality – behaving differently to fit in with others – is normal. This trait is why we might trust in politicians even when, deep down, we know they don’t represent our interests, and it’s why crowds of law-abiding individuals can behave anarchically. Basically, we’re hard-wired to follow the pack, and it’s not just us humans. Plants do the same thing, although their mob-mentalism is easier to understand. For years, gardeners believed that flowers opened and fruits formed at the whim of the weather. But science has shown that this is coordinated by the plants communicating…

PROPAGATING via cuttings can seem daunting if you haven’t done it before, but if you follow a few simple pieces of advice you will be successful. The best time of day to take softwood cuttings is the early morning, when plants are firm and packed with moisture after the previous night. Always use sharp, clean scissors, snips or secateurs to cut the plant cleanly. The material you should collect is this year’s new non-flowering growth that is healthy and pest-free. If you think there might be a slight delay between harvesting and potting up, place the cut growth in a clean, dampened plastic bag and keep it somewhere cool (even in the fridge) until you’re good to go. Try to pot up the cuttings as soon as possible – 24…

GARDENING industry leaders have voiced concerns that the government does not appreciate the importance of speedy importation procedures for plants post-Brexit. Members of the Horticulture Trades Association say they are concerned that ministers have yet to discuss the need for the swift transit of perishable plants. The announcement coincides with a Department of Transport announcement about the construction of a giant ‘lorry park’ in Kent to accommodate checks on the 11,000 lorries travelling between the UK and Europe every day. Any delays in the checking process could result in plants dying in transit or being worthless when they arrive at their final destination. James Clark, director of policy and communications at the HTA, said: “We’re potentially facing four new government customs and plant health administrative systems, and a confusing and…

WHEN I worked in a pub many decades ago, the drink we always dreaded being asked for was Guinness. It took ages to pour well and you could guarantee being asked for it in double figures on the busiest nights of the year. An easier way of bringing that deliciously smooth and contrasting creaminess and darkness into your life is to grow these magnificent ‘Irish Velvet’ poppies from Mr Fothergill’s. The seeds grow into tall plants with a mix of peony-like cream flowers, and rich, dark, almost black blooms. It creates a stunning contrast that is fun to see, and with the plants growing to 3ft (90cm) will certainly create a stunning focal point in your garden. Papaver somniferum is a hardy annual so you can sow the seeds between…

THE strangest thing happened during lockdown – a female kestrel began to hover above the fields right next to Spring Cottage. She appeared regularly and began to hunt, occasionally swooping. We have seen kestrels before, but we’re more likely to see red kites, buzzards, ravens and sparrowhawks near our garden. The ravens nest in woods nearby, croaking as they fly overhead. The red kites have slowly migrated up the A40 from the Stokenchurch area following their reintroduction in 1980s. We saw our first red kite over the garden about ten years ago. Now we hardly blink when we see one! Sparrowhawks pick off birds in the garden, mostly in hard weather, and we’ve always had buzzards wheeling overhead. I’m sure we once had a goshawk on an old ash tree,…

Watsonia ‘Tresco Hybrids’ Ideal for late summer and autumn displays, this striking semievergreen sends up sword-shaped leaves and flower spikes from corms underground – like a crocosmia. There are orange, red and pink options; this one is magenta pink. HxS: 2ftx10in (60x10cm). Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’ AGM A hardy, deciduous African lily (evergreen types are tender and will need winter protection) with globes of dark blue trumpet flowers above strappy, green foliage. Needs full sun and a well-drained, loam-based soil. HxS: 2ftx16in (60x40cm). Arctotis A tender perennial with a long flowering season, producing months of cheerful daisy blooms in a range of bright colours including the orange ‘Flame’ (left). Treat as an annual; or pot up and overwinter somewhere frostfree. HxS: 16inx1ft (40x30cm). Lampranthus From the semi-arid deserts of South Africa,…

Single Butterfly (‘Ulyssis’) AGM Makes a truly prolific display of bright yellow daisies, starting when the plants are very small and flowering continuously through to winter. Plants branch well without pinching. H: 2ft (60cm). LaRita Banana Split (‘Kleaf10067’) AGM Unusually compact, this variety is ideal for windowboxes. First appearing on very small plants, the flowers open in a variety of primrose and apricot shades, then go on to develop pretty pink tints as they fade. H: 28in (35cm). Doubles Madeira Crested Hot Pink (‘Bonmad 11277’) A vibrant anemonecentred variety with a double row of bright pink petals surrounding a crowded mass of shorter, slightly darker central petals. Plant with silver helichrysums. H: 2ft (60cm). ‘Raspberry Ruffles’ Very neat and bushy plants, each one crowded with small, fully double flowers The…

THE large-flowered roses are also called hybrid teas. They have medium to large flowers, usually full double and always shapely, produced singly or in small open clusters, with quite long stalks to each individual bloom. There are hundreds of varieties, but the following are high in the popularity polls. ‘Peace’ The famous ‘Peace’ rose was raised by Francis Meilland before the Second World War and was introduced as ‘Madame A. Meilland’ about the time that hostilities were starting. In the USA its introduction was delayed until 1945 when it was rechristened ‘Peace’ and quickly broke all sales records. Peace’ was so vigorous and produced flowers of such consistent size and quality that many experts thought it might be the first of a new race of giant roses. However, the most…