Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2023 i Garden Answers

I think May might be my favourite month in my garden. I’m never quite sure whether to call it spring or summer, for while some herbaceous plants are already flowering, many deciduous trees have yet to fully unfurl their leaves. This is an in-between time when both late tulips, narcissi, early poppies and peonies jostle for attention, giving us the best of both seasons. Everything in the garden is a fresh shade of green and, without the full canopy of tree leaves, the extra light filtering through and the frequent showers give everything a bright and sparkling quality. The extra special thing about this particular May is the King’s coronation. Whether you’re a monarchist or not, most gardeners will appreciate the extra bank holiday for a bit more time outdoors…

Cirsium rivulare Angelica ‘Ebony’ Hart’s tongue fern Juniper ‘Blue Carpet’ Armeria maritima `Patio project EVERGREEN ESCAPE These barrels have been used to make a wilderness in miniature, featuring plants that mimic UK natives while putting on a more dramatic show. The prostrate evergreen juniper ‘Blue Carpet (H45cm/18in, S1.5m/60in) and heather-like Daboecia cantabrica (H25cm/10in, S45cm/18in) form a mat of heath-like green, while hart’s tongue ferns (H&S 45cm/18in) conjure shady woodlands . Mauve flowering sea thrift Armeria maritima (H30cm/12in, S35cm/14in), tall thistle-like Cirsium rivulare (H1.2m/47in, S60cm/24in) and a dark-leaved cultivar of angelia, ‘Ebony’ (H1m/40in, S50cm/20in), add splashes of rich purple. Daboecia cantabrica…

Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ This stiff and tall growing yarrow is topped with flat plates of golden blooms. H90cm (35in), S75cm (30in). £5.50 for a 9cm potted plant. Claire Austin 01686 670 342; claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk Cornus ‘Royal Red’ Also known as ‘Cherokee Chief’, this rosy-flowered shrub has a pretty spreading habit; £27.99 for a 2L potted plant. Thompson & Morgan 0844 573 1818; thompson-morgan.com Strawberry ‘Royal Sovereign’ Dating back to 1982, this heritage variety is small but very sweet and juicy. H15cm (6in), S25cm (10in). £7.50 for 5 plants, Victoriana Nursery 01233 740529; victoriananursery. co.uk Aquilegia ‘Royal Purple’ Nodding deep purple flowers that do well in shade. H60cm (24in), S30cm(12in). £1.43 for 20 seeds, Thompson & Morgan 0844 573 1818; thompson-morgan.com Lily ‘King’s Joy’ Create bursts of bright in pots and borders…

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & INSTAGRAM @gardenanswers A This dainty white spring flower was in Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation bouquet B HM the King has remarked that his favourite blue spire-like flowers are “magnificent” C This acid-green, frothy flowered plant is a must-have according to Queen Camilla D The Earl and Countess of Wessex rate this bright shrub as “breathtaking” E Princess Anne loves the “endless variations” of this winter and spring -flowering plant F The late queen’s cousin, the Duchess of Gloucester, loves this sweet-smelling summer annual…

1 Decide on the location for your teapot; it needs to be somewhere sheltered from strong winds. Drill a hole in the wall for each teapot you will be making, push in a rawlplug and screw in a hook. Wider and flatter shaped teapots are best for this project as they sit against the wall more securely. 2 Plant up the pot. The best plants to put inside are hardy succulents such as houseleeks (sempervivum) or sedums. These will creep over the edges of the pot in a pretty mound, and don’t grow too quickly. Or go for a pot of small seasonal bedding plants and simply slot it into the neck of the pot. 3 Loop the length of cord through the teapot handle and tie it with a…

Easy to grow, undemanding, yet spectacular in flower, these shrubby, hardy, deciduous shrubs hit their season of glory in spring or early summer when the arching woody stems positively drip with bloom. But though once popular, deutzias have fallen from favour somewhat, partly due to the large size of many cultivars and sometimes simply because super-easy shrubs like these are unjustly overlooked. Now there are newer, compact-growing cultivars, perfect for today’s small gardens, deutzias are definitely due for a comeback. Described by the great late gardener Christopher Lloyd as “thoroughly tough characters” and “indestructible”, deutzias really are splendid for trouble-free blooms. There are around 60 species that mostly come from Asia: principally China, as well as Korea, Japan and Taiwan, plus many garden hybrids that have been developed since early…

Sometimes it’s fun to really loosen the garden’s corsets, and what better way than the mingled madness of half a dozen generous self-seeders. All the plants in this glamorous green and royal-purple RHS Chelsea Flower Show confection have the capacity to self-sow, from biennial foxgloves and angelica, to perennials such as aquilegia and white flowered sedge. Together they make an interesting garden meadow twist and with a firm hand you can help this mixture evolve over the years. It’s guaranteed to throw up some unexpected results. Colour palette Inky purple, snowy white and fresh green STEP 2 CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA Striking rounded green umbels May–July and dusky pink stems make this a standout biennial or short-lived perennial H2.1m (7ft) S90cm (3ft) DIGITALIS PURPUREA ALBIFLORA Biennial white flowered…

Easy PROJECT 1 Get pots ready Sweetcorn need to be planted in groups, so fill 10-12 9cm (3½in) pots with peat-free compost. Firm it down to remove any air. 2 Sow the seeds Top up with more compost if needed. Make a 2cm (¾in) deep hole in each pot and drop a sweetcorn kernel in, or two to be safe. 3 Keep warm Fill the holes with more compost and gently firm in. Keep in a warm place. If both seeds germinate, prick one out. 4 Water lightly Attach a rose to your watering can so as you water the seeds aren’t dislodged from their positions. Wet through. Don’t let seedlings dry out. 5 Harden off and plant Plant out after all risk of frost has passed. Plant in blocks…

“This month in the garden I’ll be...” “… sowing my squash and courgette seeds and planting my runner beans.” Val Bourne writes about Highgrove, p6 “…sowing quick growing annuals for a cut flower patch, as well as for bees.” Sue Fisher is all for deutzia on p24 “…planting every large container I have with vegetables and herbs.” Helen Billiald writes the border planner on p34 “…trying to keep on top of the garden as it goes into its full spring ‘whoooomph!” Adrian Thomas on Chelsea’s wild gardens, p38 “…starting my winter veg seed-sowing efforts.” Dan Masoliver mulls over the trouble with gardening trends, p114 “…always excited in May as it’s my birthday and a trip to Chelsea on the same day.” Gill Lockhart designs the magazine…

The first collection of Royal Mail Special Stamps to feature the King’s head will depict illustrations of gorgeous garden flowers, to recognise his passion for gardening. The first class stamps cost from £9.50 for 10 and feature a baby pink sweet pea, blue iris, deep pink Asiatic lily, a golden sunflower, pink fuchsia, red tulip, pink peony, orange nasturtium, pink rose and a pale lilac dahlia. Ordinary first and second class stamps featuring the King won’t be available until stocks run out of existing stamps featuring the late Queen’s head, so these flower stamps are likely to be the first stamps seen in circulation to show the King. ● Available at shop.royalmail.com/specialstampissues…

CORONATION CELEBRATIONS & PLANT FAIR Sat 29 April–Mon 8 May Borde Hill Garden, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1XP Archive material relating to previous coronations will be on display in the Africa Glasshouse. Treats including cupcakes, champagne sorbet, cocktails and mocktails will give visitors to the Spring Plant Fair on Sunday 7 May a royal treat while browsing locally grown, garden-worthy plants. ● 01444 450326; bordehill.co.uk ECHIUMS TALK Sat 13 May 2.30–4pm, Ponteland Memorial Hall, Northumberland NE20 9NX Linda Heywood is the National Collection holder, specialist grower and supplier of echiums. Her talk explores her interest in the 17 species she holds. Plants on sale. Tickets £5. ● 01207 529 163; plantheritage.org.uk/ events/north-east/ echiums-linda-heywood RHS MALVERN SPRING FESTIVAL Thu 11–Sun 14 May, 9am–6pm Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW…

The 30-Minute Gardener: Cultivate Beauty and Joy by Gardening Every Day by Greg Loades Timber Press, £25 Greg Loades reveals what dedicated time spent in the garden every day can create: a moment of solitude in a busy world, a welcoming space to enjoy with friends, and an increased connection to nature. In this practical guide you’ll find advice on tasks such as pruning a rose bush and planting bulbs, and inspired ideas for transforming a garden into a flower-filled haven. QUIZ ANSWERS Royal favourites A Lily of the valley B Delphinium C Alchemilla mollis D Azalea E Hellebore  F Sweet pea…

GIVE SWEET PEAS A SURE START Sweet peas are always a summer treat, providing colour, fragrance and old-fashioned charm to the garden and house all season long. A few simple tasks will make a big difference to plant health and the amount of flowers. Put supports in place now to help them grow upwards, gently tying stems with soft string. Loosely tie several plants at once and they will use their tendrils to cling to the support. Keep them well watered and sprinkle a general granular plant food around the base of the plant before watering, then spread a 5cm (2in) layer of well-rotted garden compost on top of where you’ve watered, to conserve moisture. TIE IN CLIMBING ROSES A well-trained climbing rose clothing a wall or fence with sumptuous…

Inside 82 Bulbs 83 Climbers & houseplants 85 Fruit & veg 87 Pests & diseases 92 Design solutions Our experts GEOFF STEBBINGS gives expert answers to all your gardening problems. Geoff is an author and gardening writer, and was head gardener at Myddelton House, north London. GEOFF HODGE will be answering subscriber questions in our new Live Zoom Q&A events. Geoff is a horticultural author, radio broadcaster and speaker, and former online editor for the RHS IAN HODGSON casts an expert eye over unruly borders, providing advice on how to revamp them. Ian is author of Great Gardens, in association with the Society of Garden Designers. CONTACT US By post: Garden Answers, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email: gardenanswers@bauermedia.co.uk Web: www.gardenanswersmagazine. co.uk Social media: Find us…

1 Alchemilla erythropoda ‘Turkish Form’ Forming neat clumps of foliage, this dwarf lady’s mantle is greyer than most. Small sprays of lime green flowers appear in summer. H&S20cm (8in) 2 Festuca glauca ‘Intense Blue’ This dwarf grass has dense, upright tussocks of stiff thread-like blue foliage and steel blue flowerheads in summer. It suits a sunny rock garden and is drought proof in time. H30cm (12in) S20cm (8in) 3 Hebe ‘Green Globe’ Its tiny, bright green foliage makes this dwarf dome-shaped evergreen shrub look as if it has been clipped with masses of white flowers on short spikes in summer. Sun or part shade. H&S40cm (16in) 4 Euphorbia characias ‘Silver Swan’ This evergreen euphorbia has deep blue-green leaves edged with cream. In spring the foliage is topped…

Buy 12 for £15 or 24 for £24 – just £1 a plant! Delphiniums are perfect for adding colour and structure to a cottage garden or herbaceous border. They also look just as sensational in a more modern planting scheme. Stunning spires rise majestically above lower-growing plants, each one holding masses of beautiful blooms that bees and butterflies adore. The collection comprises 12 charming cultivars in a range of colours: ‘Blue Bird’, ‘White With Bee’, ‘Blue Butterfly’, ‘Pacific Guinevere’, ‘Galahad’, ‘Dark Blue White Bee’, ‘Sky Blue White Bee’, D. nudicaule ‘Laurin’, Pacific Blue’, ‘Cherry Blossom’, ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Summer Skies’. Supplied as young plants, delivery from May. ● Hayloft is offering Garden Answers readers 1x collection of 12 plants (1 of each cultivar) for £15; or 2x collections (2 of…

● Dan Masoliver is a trained horticulturist and freelance writer from London. He is author of The Earthworm, a newsletter that takes a sideways look at the world of gardens, gardening and horticulture My entire adult life I’ve tried to steer clear of trends. I like to think of myself as a true individual, free from the whims and fancies of the herd. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. If you’ve ever been in need of a wardrobe staple – a new coat, say, or a pair of jeans – you’ll have found yourself at the mercy of trends. From clothing and music to hairstyles and home interiors, it’s impossible to avoid the stranglehold of the zeitgeist over our free will. So why did I ever think things would…

Paper star lights £42 Royal White Coronation Bundle: three lanterns included. paperstarlights.com Flower snips £13 Carbon steel scissor blades with ergonomic shape and finger loop. davidaustinroses. co.uk Kew gardening gloves £35 Handmade leather gardening gloves feature the Kew crest. shop.kew.org Golden spade £42 Niwaki Gold painted steel lightweight spade. niwaki.com Coronation Garden Party Lights £49.99 String of 10 warm white bulbs evenly spread across a 5m (16.5ft) cable. lights4fun.co.uk Plant markers £19.95 Set of five heather blue slate markers from Penrhyn in Wales. highgrovegardens.com Union Jack wool throw £130 Made with 100% cosy merino wool. highgrovegardens.com Copper gardening tools £72.95 Dipper, trowel and hand fork made from wood and copper-plated metal. theletteroom.com Taste of Highgrove hamper £60 Wicker hamper with strawberry and marmalade preserve, shortbread, loose tea, chocolate bar and…

FREE FOR YOU ENTER OUR FREE for you competition this month for a chance to win one of six beautiful seed packet storage tins. They feature a vintage chic design in black, making the seed storage box a timeless classic, fit for any growing season. Made from powder-coated steel and complete with ornate metal clasps, to keep your seeds secure, dry and safe. Inside are three sections, enough space to store a large number of seed packets, plant labels and mini seed planting tools. You can categorise and organise your seeds, never missing a growing season again. The tins are provided by Gardening Naturally, a family-run business providing a great range of netting, fleece, fruit and vegetable cages, nematodes, traps and barriers which help gardeners to grow fruit and vegetables…

Our new monarch, HM King Charles III, has been an environmental pioneer, and nothing illustrates his forward-thinking principles better than his garden at Highgrove. This beautifully diverse 15 acres, which has been organically run for over 40 years, was way ahead of its time because organic gardening was, at its inception, perceived to be a mixture of the cranky, quirky and the impossible. However Highgrove is living proof that sustainable gardening really works, because you’re serenaded by birdsong and dazzled by a range of pollinators including butterflies and bees. You’re soothed by fountains and ponds, inhabited by dragonflies, toads and frogs, and they’re all helping provide a healthy ecosystem that sustains the garden. The Plant Heritage collection of 170 or so large- and giant-leaved hostas, for instance, doesn’t need chemically…

VIPER’S BUGLOSS. H60cm S30cm. For drier, sunny areas, this biennial is one of the very best plants you will find for pollinating insects. Its upright form and intensely blue flowers match any garden flower. COMMON VALERIAN VALERIANA OFFICINALIS. H75cm S30cm. For damper areas of the garden, this elegant, upright plant bears heads of delicate pink flowers on a slender but firm candelabra of stems. WILD COLUMBINE AQUILEGIA VULGARIS. H45cm S30cm. I still struggle to believe that something this beautiful is a British wild flower. It prefers shadier areas, but it will cope admirably in sunnier borders. The exquisite nodding flowers are complex in form, like a ring of miniature purple-blue swans facing each other. BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL. H15cm S 60cm. This is one of the best plants for wildlife, both in…

Fact file Name: Alice Whitehead Location: Northampton Patch type: Urban allotment and garden Size: Two standard-sized allotments and terraced street garden (about 600sq m/ 717sq yd) Soil: Clay allotment; garden loam Aspect: East/west-facing allotment; north-facing garden Top 5 crops: Courgette, rainbow chard, orach, tomatoes, potatoes Failures: Edamame, melon, cauliflower, asparagus Organic tip: Try no-dig – hoe off annual weeds and let worms and nature do the rest Find out more: Instagram/ Facebook/Twitter @ allotmentalice May, and those brittle brown seeds I sowed on a gunmetal grey day in February have turned into a rash of new shoots at my allotment. The last frost is on the horizon and the plot gates clang like buoy bells on the ocean as a steady stream of people come and go. The season has…

Daffodil disaster Q Potted daffs were brilliant in 2022, so why not this year? JEAN DIXON, BY EMAIL A Daffodils should last for many years in containers though they will do best if there is some loam in the compost and it is not just multi-purpose. Even so, you should get a few flowers. There are various reasons why daffodils fail to bloom – if the leaves were cut off last year and therefore didn’t feed the bulbs, if the trough dried out and became too desiccated last summer or if the bulbs were damaged during replanting. If they’ve just disappeared, mice could have taken them. Q In 2021 I planted a snowdrop heart of hope when I was shielding, but why hasn’t it flowered? MARGARET HARAN, BY EMAIL A…