Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i BBC Gardeners' World

Our award-winning app Keep up to date while on the move with our digital edition, made for iPhone and iPad. Get extra content plus videos from Monty and the team, and access to our subscriber-only, online Secret Garden. From £3.49 an issue in iTunes or go to bit.ly/GW-digital Best Buys for you So you buy only the best kit, we’ve created a dedicated home for product reviews, with expert guides and video – and it’s all free. Go to gardeners world.com/reviews Houseplant style This year’s must-have greenery comes in a bottle, as you’ll see from our feature on p80. Watch our video guide to making one, at gardenersworld. com/terrarium Win a deluxe stay For the chance to win an overnight spa break for two, at luxury hotel Barnsley House…

Slug issue Having read New ways to solve summer problems (August issue), I was disappointed to see the suggestion of using organic ferric phosphate slugs pellets to protect vulnerable plants. These pellets are deadly to hedgehogs and should be avoided. Fiona Seven, Dorset The British Hedgehog Preservation Society says: As far as we know, there is no scientific evidence either way on this. We always advise using organic methods whenever possible and would avoid using these pellets for fear of harming wildlife. At the very least, they damage the food chain. Garden blunder Carol Klein’s excellent article on her biggest gardening mistakes (August issue) reminded me of one of my own embarrassing moments. I was carefully transplanting some seedlings in the garden, when my mother-in-law arrived. She said to me:…

Get your card You can buy your 2 for 1 Entry Card & Guide, or extra copies for your friends and family to use, at magsdirect.co.uk/GWMay19 1 Antony Woodland Garden New Ferry Lane, Torpoint PL11 2QA Joining the 2 for 1 scheme for the first time in 2019, Antony, near Plymouth, has had its fair share of lights, camera and action. Tim Burton shot part of his 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland here, with visitors to the garden encouraged to try to find the famous rabbit hole that leads to a different world with a Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat. The garden is also one of only four International Camellia Society Gardens of Excellence in the UK, with over 600 varieties of camellia. It is also home to around…

1 Fill the container with a free-draining soil-based compost mix (1 part soil: 2 part horticultural grit), leaving a gap for the bulbs to sit on the surface of the soil with 2.5cm of the pot left above their tops. 2 Sort bulbs by size and plant at least two-and-a-half times the depth of the bulb, so bigger bulbs will need to be deeper. Arrange as desired (in groups or mixed up), spacing at 1.5cm intervals. Cover with the compost mix and a layer of decorative grit. 3 Water well and keep your pots weed-free. CREATE an autumn garden for bees at bit.ly/ bee-friendly-garden…

The way you use your bulbs in beds and borders will depend on the gaps you have – or can create. For most of us, that means scouting around looking for suitable spots that could do with brightening up. Smaller bulbs, such as grape hyacinths and crocuses, can be planted in pockets at the front of a bed or border, but allowed to run backwards in among emerging perennials to make a river of colour. This creates a more pleasing pattern, but you might have to reduce the size of clumps of perennials to allow the bulbs a patch of decent earth. The same is true with daffodils and tulips. The miniature narcissi are good in clumps at the front of a bed or border; plant taller varieties in gaps…

The golden rules Avoid laying paving slabs or concrete across the whole area. Aim for 50% soil and/or gravel to allow water to percolate in and soak away. Keep in mind planning rules, see p.74. Make provision for the practical requirements of your front garden, such as bike and bin storage, see p.74. Choose plants that will provide the level of privacy you want without blocking your windows. Pick species with multiple seasons of display, such as Nandina domestica or Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’. Consider climbing plants, such as rose and star or common jasmine, to add colour and scent to your house wall. Identify where underground services are buried, such as electricity, gas, sewerage and the all-important TV cable, before you start digging. Think about adding motion-activated security lights. Mistakes…

GETTING YOUR HANDS INTO THE SOIL Touch your soil to make contact with good bacteria and fungi, which can be positive for gut health. GROWING KALE AND WATERCRESS These are particularly good for all-round gut health. They contain many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nutritionist Sonal Shah says: “All the dark-green leafy veg, like rocket and broccoli, are good for pretty much every cell in the body.” ENJOYING A PICNIC IN THE GARDEN. Not only will you boost your vitamin D levels, but you’ll also be exposed to friendly bacteria. DITCHING THE CHEMICALS Grow fruit and veg organically, without chemical feeds or pesticides, for a ‘clean’ meal.…

You will need 1 Cacti and other succulents 2 Cacti and succulent compost 3 Gravel, sand and pebbles 4 Spoon, paintbrush, cork on a stick, tweezers 5 An open glass vessel, habitat.co.uk, £15 Step by step 1 Clean and dry an open and shallow glass vessel. Gently pour in the gravel – fill up to 3cm high, then level it with your hands. Pour or scoop in slightly moist cactus compost to a depth of 4cm above the gravel and use your hands to level and firm it. 2 Use your fingers, a stick or the back of a paintbrush to create small wells in the compost for your plants. Gently squeeze the spineless plants out of their pots and use your hands to carefully loosen their roots. Place plants…

Planting spring bulbs Plant spring flowering bulbs into containers and garden borders. Daffodils, muscari, crocus and hyacinths can be planted now but wait until November before putting the tulips in. Bulbs can be planted into bulb compost and crowded into the pot for a full display. In the garden they’ll flower year after year, if you give them space and plant them at three times their depth. Cover the bulbs and water them. Mark their position with a scattering of grit to remind you where they are before the shoots show. COMPOSTING Add deadheaded flowers and trimmings to the compost heap in alternate layers with woody waste. Avoid composting seedheads from prolific self-seeding plants. Storing saved seeds Organise your seeds saved from the garden so that they store well and…

STEP BY STEP Sow hardy annuals Prepare for an early flower display by sowing hardy annuals such as these nigella into pots now. Harden them off and plant out in spring, when they will flower earlier than anything sown directly into the ground. Hardy annuals will stand a bit of cold, so they can go out earlier than other annuals. 1 FILL small pots with multipurpose compost, then firm and level the surface. 2 STAND all the pots in a tray of lukewarm water to soak into the compost. Leave them there until you see that the surface is wet, then scatter seeds sparsely across the top to give plants plenty of space. This will also avoid fungal disease problems common in the greenhouse over winter. 3 LABEL each pot…

STEP BY STEP Sow a new lawn Sow a new lawn now while the soil is still warm and the seed will germinate in about a week. Seed is much cheaper than turf so, if you prepare the ground well, you’ll save money and the grass will grow and thicken enough for you to mow before the winter sets in. Forking through the soil should be enough but if your soil is heavy and poorly drained, dig first to improve drainage. Leave it to settle a little longer before sowing. Ensure the ground is weed-free and level before sowing to make mowing easier. 1 REMOVE weeds, roots and large stones. Rake level and firm before applying bonemeal fertiliser and raking to a fine tilth. 2 WEIGH out the seed and…

Nutrition Raspberries are a good source of vitamin K and fibre. They also contain a lot of vitamin C, essential for healthy skin and bones. How to grow Find a sunny and sheltered spot in the garden with free-draining soil, or a large container, to plant your cane. Dig in well-rotted organic matter and tie up to three plants to a single bamboo cane for support. If growing in a container, plant into multi-purpose compost mixed with John Innes No.3 to add weight, and tie to a cane. Top dress with a balanced fertiliser in spring and water when the fruit starts to change colour. Autumn-fruiting raspberries (known as primocane) are easier and less fussy to care for than summer-fruiting (called floricane and fruit on the previous year’s growth so…

Bob Flowerdew Bob is an organic gardener and a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Anne Swithinbank A keen fruit, vegetable and houseplant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Wisley. Matthew Wilson Garden designer Matthew was curator of RHS Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr, and often appears on television. Q Help! Foxes have made a den under our fruit tree Linda Johnson, London A ANNE SAYS Any young foxes should have left home by now and, apart from when they breed, they are solitary animals. They are omnivorous, eating worms, insects, fruit and scraps of food. Once the cubs have gone, the parents may leave if you make sure any food is removed, including fallen fruit. You can use repellents - both bought and…

“Mandela’s presence filled the entire garden… but that charisma was not flamboyant. Instead, it was embodied in a kind of grace” In a world that seems to be increasingly aggressive, I find myself wondering whatever happened to gentleness. It is an attribute so rarely referred to nowadays. Sadly, it seems to have become associated with weakness rather than contentedness, with submissiveness rather than grace. And yet gentleness is one of the gardener’s greatest attributes, not just in the way we handle plant material but in terms of appreciating the very essence of a garden. Yes, our gardens need drama, robust structure and an infusion of energy, but in a world where discontent and combativeness are the daily fare, a degree of gentleness provides a welcome respite. There are times, of…

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Plants that mingle well with their neighbours are invaluable, not only in today’s smaller gardens but in larger and more sweeping plantings, too. And high on the list of first-class minglers must be penstemons. Their long flowering season is a big help, so from June to September, and often almost into winter, those spikes of colourful blooms just keep coming. The flowering stems stand upright, half their length lined with bold, trumpet-shaped flowers, and they happily merge with their neighbours, giving support, creating interesting associations of colour and form, their pointed, glossy foliage always in harmony. These days, we grow an increasing range of types. Those with larger, flared flowers come in a vast array of colour combinations. Shorter varieties with smaller flowers bring the most brilliant blues and although…

The Gardeners’ World episode surveying meadow planting was inspiring (BBC Two, 12 July). It seems that we are all waking up to the need to garden by working with the environment rather than against it. I’d love to plan a garden with a full year’s cycle of native and wildlife-benefitting plants. A timeline with an array of options would be of enormous help. This could then be cross-matched with benefitting flora and fauna. James Hainsworth, Cambridgeshire We say: That’s a great suggestion, and in the meantime, here’s a link to some useful info about planting with wildlife in mind – gardenersworld.com/nectar-pollen Dear Monty, are you and your ‘expert’ friends being deliberately controversial in your pushing of wildlife gardens (The Full Monty, July issue)? What a lot of nonsense. Will the…

Just because an area is shady, does not mean that spring-flowering bulbs will not grow there. Since the bulbs flower early, often before the leafy canopy above has fully expanded, many of them are a good choice for such spots. The wood anemones, such as Anemone blanda varieties – with starry flowers of white, pink or blue – will make wonderful woodland carpets, and the dog’s tooth violets (Erythroniums) have mottled glossy leaves as well as pagoda-like flowers of white, pink or yellow. Spring is by far the most interesting time in dappled shade, and sheets of winter aconite (Eranthis) will open their bright buttercup flowers early in the year before many other plants have woken up. Snowdrops will be the first flowers to appear. Make sure they have enough…

You don’t need to employ the services of TV house-hunters Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp to learn that front gardens can boost the kerb appeal of your home. While estate agents will tell you it’s all about location, location, location, a front garden can significantly increase the value of your bricks and mortar. With the UK’s average house price standing at £229,431, according to HM Land Registry, we wanted to find out whether sprucing up front gardens really can make money grow on trees. “First impressions count and front gardens can affect property values by as much as 10 per cent,” says Ian Haines, director at Winkworth estate agent, Newbury. The picture is the same in Scotland, says a spokesperson from McEwan Fraser Legal, where an attractive front garden can…

Watering Open terrariums Water succulents and cacti weekly from March to October with a dessertspoon of water per plant. During winter water only every six weeks. Closed terrariums You should be able to see condensation up to a third of the height of the jar. If it is higher than this, remove excess water by opening up and carefully wiping the inside using kitchen roll wrapped around long tweezers. If there is very little condensation, add a tablespoon of water. Pruning Trim back any plants that touch the sides of the terrarium using aquatic scissors and tweezers. Cut straggly stems down to a healthy leaf joint to encourage fuller growth and remove any mouldy leaves or stems as soon as you see them. Positioning Closed terrariums Place away from windows…

As the workhorse of the garden, the digging spade is one of the gardener’s most cherished tools. With its straight, flat blade it’s designed to slice through soil and roots and move and turn the earth. However, spades are handy year-round for edging lawns, skimming off weeds and turning over bare patches of earth. There’s an enormous number on the market, from supermarket and budget brands to specialist forgers that have been making spades for generations. Many are based on traditional designs, with wooden handles and shafts and steel blades, but spade design has also become increasingly sophisticated with angled ergonomics and lightweight materials all employed to take the strain off the back and make the task of digging easier and quicker. We tested 14 different digging spades, using them…

Each spade was reviewed by gardeners of different ages, heights and abilities. The spades were used to dig over an area of ground, digging and turning over the soil to get it ready for planting. We used the following criteria to assess the spades: Blade and shaft Looked at the materials that the blade, shaft and handle were made of and how they were put together. Handling and performance Assessed how comfortable the spade was, its weight, shaft length and handle shape, plus how well it dug over stony ground and turned over soil. Strength How well-built and robust the spade was, the strength of the shaft and blade, socket length and overall sturdiness. Value for money Considered the above points, plus price, product quality and length of warranty.…

Divide vigorous clump-forming perennials now to rejuvenate their growth and fill borders for next year. Those that flowered earlier, such as alchemilla and geraniums, can be split now. Clear the ground of weeds before replanting. 1 Lift the clump out of the border with a spade. Split it into pieces by pulling it apart, or driving a spade into the middle. 2 Plant the freshest sections back into the border, firm them in well and give them a good long soak.…

Propagating sempervivums I’ve grown sempervivums – houseleeks – since I was a nipper, not surprising as they are among the easiest plants to grow. I still grow them – in pots for flights of steps or on a sunny rock bank devoted to them. From the cobweb houseleek to those that have maroon-tipped rosettes or are entirely crimson, they come in a range of varieties and, as long as they have a sunny spot and are not waterlogged, they will cope with everything our weather can throw at them. Each rosette will produce a flower spike, topped with starry blooms. Then it will die, but not bef ore a sea of young offsets has been produced at the base. A good soak every few days in summer will keep them…

Take five minutes out from top-and-tailing beans and cooking down tomatoes for the freezer to pat yourself on the back – it’s so satisfying to know that all the super-fresh and flavoursome food you’re piling on your family’s plates is there because you grew it yourself. But we’re not done yet. This month I share the ways I future-proof my plot so that my garden continues to feed my family almost as generously in the off season. It’s all systems go to plug the notorious hungry gap next spring. Why plant veg now? Concentrate on cramming your plot with spring goodies now and you’ll scarcely notice the post-winter slump. It’s still warm enough to refill emptying beds with hardy, direct-sown leafy veg, salads and annual herbs, timed to be edible…

If you have a gardening problem, email the details (and your location) to Q&A@gardenersworld.com or write to Emma Crawforth at Gardeners’ World Magazine, Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. We regret that we cannot offer a personal advisory service or guarantee a reply. You’ll also find lots of pest and disease advice, along with creative and problem-solving projects, at gardenersworld.com/how-to Gardening on the radio Gardeners’ Question Time Enjoy a fascinating crop of listeners’ questions and answers from the experts every week, on BBC Radio 4, Fridays at 3pm, repeated Sundays at 2pm. Missed it? Listen online within seven days at bbc.co.uk/ radio4…

A few weeks ago, on the hottest day of the year (oh boy, was it hot!), the magazine team headed to Longmeadow for a cover shoot with Monty, in celebration of the changing seasons. While shade and iced drinks kept us (and the dogs) cool, the heat seemed to flow straight from the Sahara. It was a reminder that the once predictable progress of our seasons is suffering from more than a few blips, with weather ‘events’ increasing in frequency and scale. And yet… our seasons are at the root of life in the garden, a natural rhythm by which we pace ourselves. There’s already a risk that many have lost this connection, as urban living expands, green spaces contract and gardens are paved over. But as Monty explains (from…

It is a wonderful thing that British gardeners are becoming increasingly aware of, and sensitive to, the importance of wildlife in our gardens. Not so long ago, a great swathe of gardeners across the land regarded any creature that was not a family pet, and which dared show up in their garden, as a ‘pest’ that immediately posed the challenge of how best to eliminate it. Vast fortunes have been built upon the belief that your garden only survives at all by virtue of the chemical armoury kindly made available by the nice people from the pharmaceutical industries. However, luckily – or disappointingly according to your tendency – all the nasties that have been assiduously blitzed with a cocktail of chemicals for the past 70 years are still mysteriously with…

As autumn approaches, your garden can be lacking in colour, especially as glorious displays of berries and leaf hue won’t have started yet. I find the perfect solution is to introduce a dramatic pot that screams ‘look at me’. This one comprises just four plants for a modern twist on a traditional theme. It’s a cool, shady rhapsody in black and white, using texture and form to unify the scheme. White is the last colour your eyes see before the daylight disappears, so position this pot near your patio, doors or windows where you can get the most enjoyment from it. Centre stage is the beautiful hydrangea, which stands out against the black, recycled pot and the striking leaves of the ipomoea. I’ve used pennisetum and penstemon for height. The…

Some tulips – such as ‘Spring Green’ – can be scattered through beds and borders and are reliably perennial. They will come up and flower in most years, provided they have been planted a good 15cm deep. But tulips are really best dug up after flowering, dried off and the largest bulbs retained for replanting. This makes them great subjects for planting in blocks – filling entire narrow borders or larger areas of bare earth in beds where they can be replaced by summer bedding plants in late May and early June. They are spectacular when used like this, and you can do the same with hyacinths (which have the benefit of a heady fragrance as well as good early colour) and with narcissi, should the mood take you. Both…

It may be the end of the summer holidays, but there is still plenty of fun to be had in the garden. These interesting projects will occupy kids outdoors after school. Let them get messy with a craft project – they’ll love painting pebbles to make their very own fairy garden and it’ll fire up their imaginations. Or let them grow their own tasty crops with microleaves pots. They’re so simple to do, and in next to no time they’ll be enjoying fresh and healthy home-grown harvests. Pebble Fairy garden Give part of the garden to children with this fun project. Making a fairy garden doesn’t cost much and it will be something that kids can keep adding to. With a little help from parents, this is a great family…

Prune hedges Conifers, some broad-leafed hedges and topiary give front gardens their year-round structural elements. They provide a sharp, geometric echo of the property behind them, so require regular pruning. A quick trim this month will keep the space looking well-managed into winter. Refresh the beds One of the best and easiest ways to inject life into a front garden at this time of year is to introduce new plants. Less is often more in these small spaces, so opt for introducing multiples of just one or two reliable species. Why not try three Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’, scattered through the planting, to keep the colour coming until late autumn. Alternatively, introduce a compact evergreen shrub, such as Hebe ‘Heartbreaker’, and repeat it several times. Add bright pots A quick…

Nutrition and gut health are having a moment. Never before have so many people been concerned about where food comes from, whether it’s organic or not, and what benefits it offers the body and mind. Many people are cottoning on to the idea that the gut is responsible not only for digesting food, but also for regulating our immune system. Recent research has linked a healthy digestive system to conditions such as acne, depression and allergies. Research is ongoing, but there is growing evidence to suggest that it can also impact on obesity and weight management, and autoimmune conditions like Type 1 diabetes and arthritis. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to look after and improve your gut health and thereby your general…

Few things are more satisfying than growing your own fruit and veg, to pick and take straight to the kitchen. But there can come a time, usually about now, when you’ve got more produce than you know what to do with. And that’s when Mrs Frost and I start preserving, pickling and storing. I’ve always loved cooking – I even thought about doing it for a living when I left school – so I find preserving great fun, with the bonus of having homegrown produce to enjoy during winter. It’s also a perfect way to stop anything going to waste. At home, we also love choosing a jar of pickled or preserved produce to pep up a meal – Mrs Frost even had personalised labels made! There are lots of…

Best value Wilko Carbon Steel Digging Spade A well-designed, comfortable spade with foot treads and an ergonomic handle and a carbon steel blade. Fantastic value for money. Best mid-range Kent & Stowe Stainless Steel Digging Spade A tough, well-balanced spade that our testers loved. Sturdy foot treads and a smooth socket helped it pip others to the post. Best premium DeWit Solid Socket Spade This hand-crafted spade won our testers hearts, in particular the long socket, solid forged blade and sturdy handle. All thought it was a quality tool and great value.…

Planting bulbs in your lawn Plant bulbs in the lawn now to enjoy a meadow of spring flowers for years to come. Known as naturalising, this method creates natural-looking colonies of flowers that multiply to give pretty swathes of blooms. These flowers attract pollinating insects and the longer grass gives great habitat for many other wild creatures. You can choose a mixture of flowers or go for a striking mass of one type. Snowdrops, crocus and daffodils do well in early spring, followed by camassia, chionodoxa and dwarf tulips, which make a great display. Plant in distinct areas and mow paths so that you can walk among the flowers. It takes about six weeks from flowers going over until it is safe to cut the grass for the rest of…

Plant onion sets Rake an area of weed-free ground to a fine tilth, ready to plant onion sets. Sets are small onion bulbs that crop quicker than onions sown from seed. They can be planted now, or in the spring (depending on variety), though autumn planting will get you ahead. Try winter-hardy varieties such as ‘Radar’, ‘Electric’, ‘Senshyu’ and ‘Sturon’. Plan ahead to make sure you have blood fish and bone meal to apply when they start into growth next spring. Water if it’s dry and they’ll plump up ready for harvesting by June next year. VISIT  gardenersworld.com/ fruit-veg for more information on growing fruit and veg Sow Oriental salad leaves Sow large areas of hardy Oriental salad leaves now for harvesting through winter. Seed mixes usually contain rocket, mustard,…

Autumn raspberries Tangy, juicy fruit to brighten up hearty autumn treats, right until the end of the year 3 WAYS TO TRY • For a cordial, put 300g caster sugar, 2 sliced lemons, 500g raspberries and 350ml water in a pan. Boil, sieve and serve in sparkling water. • Make a sorbet by heating 200g granulated sugar and 270ml water in a pan. Mash 500g raspberries in a bowl and sieve. Combine the syrup with the raspberries and freeze. • Whiz up a coulis with 100g sugar and 3 tbsps water heated in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and add frozen raspberries. Blend, strain and pour over ice cream. DISCOVER MORE raspberry recipes from Olive magazine at bit.ly/olive-raspberry…

HERBACEOUS GERANIUMS These perennials will look tatty now, so all their foliage can be cut back hard to leave just a basal clump of foliage. AGAPANTHUS Now that the final few flowers are fading, cut the flower stalks to the base and trim any yellowing leaves from the edge of the clump. HEDGES The vigorous growth made during the current season can be cut back close to its base. Use secateurs, shears or a hedge trimmer. LAVENDER HEDGES Lightly trim the old flowers and top growth. Avoid cutting hard back into old wood. Turn to page 122 to find out more.…