Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Jun-2025 i Amateur Gardening

Right now it is more important than ever to take each and every opportunity to immerse ourselves in the beauty of our gardens and make time and space to enjoy and give thanks for what we have around us in the here and now. Yes, some plants won’t be performing exactly as you’d like them to, but there will be plenty that are. Look at the roses for example, aren’t they gorgeous and absolutely loving the weather so far this year? If you can, make time to bask in their glory and enjoy the other smile-inducing successes you see: the uplifting floral scents, the sound of excitable birds and sight of butterflies for example, can all make us feel that all is good in the world in that moment. Let’s…

I don’t know about you, but I find that my love of gardening ebbs and flows, the peaks and troughs presenting themselves when I least expect them. Sometimes, and this isn’t even weather dependent, I’ll look out at the garden and think ‘nope, not today!’ This spring, though, has been very different and I’ve felt almost compelled to spend as much time as possible in the garden, maybe because the glorious spring and start to summer were such a joy after the grey drabness of the past winter. Or maybe it’s because with all the horrific news inescapably circling around us, it feels wonderfully grounding and healing to be outside in a safe space of our own. And not just the plants either. This spring, sparrows moved into the nest…

If you don’t have an abundance of growing space then I’ve got the perfect project for you to try, and this one is all about having as much as you can in as small a footprint as you can manage. Step 1  Start building This project requires three pots and the only requirement is that you have one larger pot, and two smaller pots ideally the same size. Start by placing your larger pot on a solid surface and then add one of the smaller ones inside it, but upside down. I’m using terracotta pots because the herbs that I’ve chosen are happy in conditions that dry out from time to time. Step 2 Choose your herbs These herbs will be perfectly happy in this smaller space, but at the…

It’s great to have soft, subtle colour changes in your planting scheme. Blended colours ease the eye from one area to another and create a calm, coordinated feel. But equally, having plants from the opposite sides of the colour wheel is exciting. They provide contrast, tension and drama. Rather than clash in an unpleasant way, opposing colours complement each other and mutually make the other stand out. To my mind, there are no rights or wrongs of colour schemes in your garden. It is, after all, your garden, a place for you to express yourself and to experiment. And, it is great to try something new and find that you really like the colour combination. Here are some suggestions of easy-to-grow planting pairs that work well in contrast to each…

1 Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) This graceful grass brings soft movement to your garden with its blue-green leaves that turn a glowing copper-orange in autumn. It’s perfect for sunny, dry spots and doesn’t mind being left alone. Just give it a divide every four to five years in spring to keep it looking its best. 2 Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Big on drama, this tall prairie favourite can grow up to five feet, with rich purple seed heads that catch the light beautifully. Nicknamed ‘turkey foot’, the flowering spike of this perennial grass resembles the toes of a turkey’s foot! It copes well with everything from moist to dry soil - even heavy clay. Give it a big chop back in winter to keep it healthy. 3 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) You’ll get…

I love a plant that brings something a bit different to the garden, and in my plot that ‘something different’ is white. Yes, we have a couple of white potentillas and a profusion of wild carrot in the wildflower lawn, but everything else is more colourful and I crave the calmness of some splashes of white - especially during a summer dusk when these pristine plants seem to glow in the falling light. One of my favourite plants for this purpose is physostegia virginiana, which also goes by the delightful names of obedient plant and false dragonhead. The white blooms, which look like mini snapdragons, fan out from upright stems that can reach 1.2m (4ft). It is a bushy herbaceous perennial that likes a sheltered spot in full sun or…

Weleda, the original green beauty brand, has partnered with Amateur Gardening to offer 50 lucky winners the chance to receive a beautifully presented Body & Soul Gift Set – Refresh, created to awaken the senses and nourish the skin. Whether you’re starting your day or winding down, this natural duo brings a refreshing boost to body and mood. Each Gift Set Includes Citrus Creamy Body Wash (200ml – A delightfully refreshing body wash made with organic lemon peel oil and enriched with skin-softening sesame seed oil. Ideal for a morning energy boost or an end-of-day pick-me-up. Citrus Refreshing Body Lotion (200ml) – A light, hydrating lotion with cooling aloe vera, soothing coconut oil and luxurious shea butter – a real treat for both skin and senses. Sustainable Packaging Weleda’s gift packaging is designed…

Let’s talk about garden showstoppers! Fresh from winning the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year award for their revolutionary Philadelphus Petite Perfume Pink (‘P1’), Hillier Garden Centres are also bringing in a number of other gems, all of which are compact, colourful, and perfect for gardeners who love maximum impact with minimal fuss. Here are a few of my personal favourites to brighten up your borders and pots this summer season, and beyond. Philadelphus Petite Perfume Pink (‘P1’) This delectable beauty stole the show as the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year. Bred by Alan Postill, Petite Perfume Pink is a scented sensation with rare pink blooms that fade delicately to white. It’s a compact, arching shrub ideal for mid-borders or large containers, thriving in sun or part shade. Low-maintenance…

A little attention right away will vastly improve your upcoming fruit crops. As we start to feast on the, hopefully, bountiful berries and currants of soft fruits, let’s not forget the autumn harvests ahead. Soft fruits produce huge numbers of many tiny fruits and, other than reducing the tedium of picking, there’s really not much advantage to be gained from having fewer but larger sweet rewards. However, our larger fruits are a different matter entirely; the apples, pears, plums, peaches and so forth are much more preferable and more economical, as it takes less time to pick, peel and core large fruits than the same weight of small ones. Furthermore, with large fruits you waste a lot less skin and core. (The same goes for melons and squash, we get…

An allotment set up by Age UK North, South and West Dorset to boost their clients’ health, wellbeing and ability to socialise is enjoying its first year of production. The site in Dorchester already has weekly Evergreens drop-in gardening sessions and a Gentleman’s Gardening Club, and its spring social was a huge success. Since taking over the site, the charity has built a shed and put in raised beds, steps and a handrail, as well as bird feeders and a bird bath so people can sit and watch the area’s wildlife. Dennis Clarke, who was brought on board by Age UK North, South and West Dorset to oversee the allotment, explained: “It has been going for about a year, and while last year was all about setting it up, clearing…

Of all my allotment stalwarts, the brassicas are my favourites. These cruciferous vegetables are rich in nutrients and super versatile in the kitchen, with edible leaves, stems and flowers. And types of hardy Brassica oleraceas can be grown through even the coldest weather to be harvested as and when needed. From purple-tinged kale and crinkly savoy to fragrant red cabbage and buttons of Brussels, there are too many brassicas to mention in this article but I’ve rounded up some of my favourites which you can grow now. Cabbages These tend to be grouped according to the season they can be harvested. So, if you sow each season, you could be cutting cabbage almost all year round. In a small garden, you’ll need a spot that they can call home for…

A crow was returning regularly to perch on the same upright cordon apple in the kitchen garden and we wondered if it was the tame youngster from a few years ago. It flew off when spoken to and a few days later, we realised what it was up to. John saw it tussling with something on the ground and later on I spotted it flying overhead with what looked like a long strand of straw dangling from its beak, yet more weighty and slightly coiled. The crow had been staking out a colony of slow worms that live in the undergrowth near the cordons and sunbathe on veg beds. It had caught itself a whopper to feed its nestlings, but I cherish our slow worms so have set some pipes…

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Roses by any other name! Late June and early July are key times for the vast majority of bush, shrub and bedding roses. It is now that they are looking their best, and it is when many rose shows take place around the country. So, let’s look at some of the stories surrounding England’s national flower! ■ Actually, it shouldn’t be! We may think of the rose as our national flower, but in reality it has become naturalised in most parts of the temperate world. Most of the varieties we buy and grow today have been bred from a few dozen types that came over from China and the Far East, over 200 years ago. Why isn’t there a blue rose? True blue in flowers comes from a pigment called…

Questions about my beautiful irises Growing these stunning plants and choosing companions Q You may recall that last year I was worried that my ‘Supreme Sultan’ iris had reverted to white. It was a labelling problem and this year ‘Supreme Sultan’ is back and looking stunning. Please can you identify another iris bought from an open garden last year? It is about 45 to 60cm (18 to 24in) high and a very dark colour, almost black. Maggie Marshall, East Northants A Very occasionally, a bearded iris will surprise us by producing flowers of a different colour to that which you expect from the variety you are growing. In this instance I am pleased that your ‘Supreme Sultan’ bearded iris is now behaving normally and correctly yielding dusky yellow and maroon…

Painting in the allotment Hi Kim, In our allotment we have built wooden boxes and this year planted a large number of perennial plants. A local tree surgeon kindly gave us lots of wood chippings for free which we have used for the paths and this has helped minimise the weeds too. We wanted to have a constant flowering display including fresh cut flowers from spring through to autumn and hopefully the plants we have chosen will provide lovely blooms in the coming months. We bought a selection of perennials, which we started off in the greenhouse early in the year and planted them out in May. They haven’t been in the ground very long but are already growing well and looking very healthy. Currently we have lupins and geums…

Two hundred million years ago, mighty diplodocus and fearsome ‘dyuthinkhesaurus’ ruled the earth and ferns, cycads and conifers covered the hillsides. The ferns spread via spores sent into the air from their waxy fronds, while conifers and cycads dropped countless seeds from wind-pollinated cones. Up until the Late Crataceous epoch all plants relied on the wind for their propagation because back then, bees, butterflies and the flowers from which they feed were still just a twinkle in evolution’s eye and didn’t exist. Garden centres don’t categorise plants as being old or modern but botanists do, and working out which came first and the sequence of their evolution is a major part of their raison d'être. I worked at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden and thanks to the ‘systematic beds’ (which…

During the dahlia growing season, there are a few creatures you will need to watch out for – and tiresome though they may be, the great news here is that help is at hand. In most cases, spotting the early warning signs can help you get on top of these problems quickly and resolve them using simple, eco-friendly solutions that will keep both your dahlias, and your garden, healthy and flourishing all season long. Wasps Before flowering, the high sugar content of the water inside dahlias can become irresistible to wasps, sometimes causing them to swarm to the stems and break open the stalks to release the sweet liquid. These breakages can cause irreversible damage and even result in die back, sometimes killing the entire plant. Instead of harming wasps,…

A potager by any other name is an ornamental kitchen garden. Unlike an allotment or dedicated vegetable garden, a potager is often smaller and blends flowers with vegetables. Its structure tends to be formal, with symmetrical paths, beds and low hedging reminiscent of a Tudor knot garden. However, with the rise of box blight, and less garden space in new-build houses, the low hedge has been replaced by the raised bed to create a sense of balance within these mixed planted spaces. My potager is one of the few gardens I have sat down and planned on paper. I mapped out room for six raised beds, 1.5m x 90cm (5 x 3ft), that would be built on a sloping hill, covering an area of 6m x 6m (20 x 20ft)…

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