Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Garden Answers

Patio project A FIERY COLOUR POP These garden centre staples will bring an instant warm glow to your patio and keep going through summer to bring a lot of colour to a tiny space. Just place the pot in full sun, mix some controlled release plant food into the compost before and keep it well watered. The carex is hardy so will act like a bronze fountain all year round. The calibrachoa will gently tumble over the pot edges and is self-cleaning so there’s no dead-heading to do! Choose a dark pot and place it above ground level to exaggerate the brightness of the flowers. Purple is a tremendous partner for orange flowers and hardy geranium ‘Rozanne’ pumps out blooms all summer. Plant one around the pot for a bold and…

REVAMP BORDERS During July, some late spring and early summerflowering plants start to look a little rough around the edges with sprawling foliage, fading flowers and flopping stems. Mildew can also be a problem in dry summers. However, by cutting certain perennials back now they’ll reward you with fresh new growth and maybe a second flush of late flowers. Plants such as Salvia verticillata, centaurea, delphiniums, lupins, Oriental poppies, some hardy geraniums, alchemilla and nepeta can be cut back to just above ground level. Water the plants and feed with a granular fertiliser or liquid seaweed, and fresh foliage will begin to fill the bare patch within a couple of weeks. You can stagger the cut-backs you make to avoid losing all the growth at once. Pamper hanging baskets We…

Colour-coordinated planting schemes are all very well, but what about mixing things up once in a while? Take inspiration from the contrasting colours in this border to see how opposites really can spice things up. Not only does it use the timeless energising contrast of blue and golden-yellow, but also it adds bold pink highlights from appropriately named gomphrena ‘Fireworks’. In this particular mix, only the pennisetum and blue-spired lobelia are perennial; the other four plants can be grown as annuals. As a result, this means that you can venture out of your comfort zone with your choice of plants while also having the safety net of changing your mind and including a variety of different annual plants the following year, if you prefer. GET STARTED WITH A PLANTING PLAN…

Only a few species of worm deposit ‘casts’ on the surface of the soil or lawns – tiny heaps of what looks like piped soil. The crude way of describing a cast is ‘worm poo’, but it is so much more than that. It does typically contain particles of soil but also lots of nutrients. Most of us gardeners are oblivious to casts, but for those with an immaculate lawn, I realised it can be irritating. However, it is a small price to pay for all the aerating and nutrient-cycling they have done in producing it. The casts can usually be quickly brushed across the surface after they have dried, and they will give the lawn the most natural fertiliser.…

Olga Grieves has gone from complete novice to social media gardening personality on her 600m sq allotment in Devon. Each month Olga will be sharing her successes, and her failures, to inspire your own efforts! Follow Olga on Instagram @lovely_plot The first proper harvest of the season is something I always cherish. It fills me with joy and pride, and it’s so wholesome. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, there’s something magical about carefully selecting plants, gently sprinkling their seeds into the soil, and then, a few months later, just like that, you’re making dinner from what was once a tiny seedling! I’m a great believer in succession sowing so in July I simply carry on as usual, making sure there are no gaps in the beds and…

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 is a freelance gardening and horticultural writer, author, editor and radio and TV broadcaster living in the UK IAN HODGSON casts an expert eye over unruly borders, providing advice on how to revamp them. Ian is the author of Great Gardens, in association with the Society of Garden Designers. SALVIAS Solution of the month Q Why are five-year-old salvia flowers turning paler and smaller? ROBERTA MATTHEWS, BY EMAIL A This is one of the shrubby salvias derived from Salvia greggii, S. jamensis and related species. They are generally hardy in well-drained soil but can succumb in very cold winters and in…

Q What would work in a heavy clay bed by our bungalow? BOB JESSHOPE, BY EMAIL A The death of the French lavenders you originally planted here was probably not your fault. Although frequently offered for sale, Lavandula stoechas isn’t really reliably hardy and these plants would have been shortlived in your clay soil. It would be worth improving the soil before you plant anything else by forking in some organic matter to lighten the clay and help it retain moisture in summer and/or some grit to improve its drainage in winter. Small, neat shrubs such as hebes will be suitable and, being evergreen, will provide colour in winter. Dianthus are really dwarf shrubs but usually treated as herbaceous plants and the ‘Allwood’ pinks, such as ‘Doris’ (pictured) bloom all…

While all gardeners dream of owning a full-blown greenhouse to experience the joys of seed sowing, growing plants that need protection from the elements and extending the growing season, not everyone has the room or budget for one. There are numerous, smaller and more compact alternatives that will make your plant-raising dreams come true. Grow frames, mini greenhouses or growhouses are an excellent, versatile option. They’re also brilliant for providing extra growing space if your greenhouse is on the small size and is always bursting at the seams with plants. And some are easy to erect and take down again if you only need the protection for a few weeks of the year and don’t want a permanent addition to the garden. “They are more flexible than a greenhouse –…

I subscribed to Garden Answers because I thought it would help me deal with my gardening issues and give me tips on planting in a less haphazard way. But it has proved to be so much more. I love the variety of unusual seeds that arrive each month and look forward to seeing some of them in flower. However I received something more than I expected that has brought me a lot of pleasure. I just love the wildlife pictures, which have reignited my passion to draw. It’s hard to find photographs that are detailed enough to provide a good result, but your articles give me so much added enjoyment. This is my latest attempt, a spotted woodpecker that I copied from a recent issue and which is also a…

• 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 eldest son is of an age where his most commonly pursued artistic outlet is colouring in. At school, in activity books, on the back of kids’ menus at family-friendly restaurant chains, everywhere he goes, he is constantly proffered a set of coloured pencils or crayons and a black-and-white outline to fill in with a garish palette of primary tones. The resultant pictures tend to be somewhat jarring. The visual dissonance of a green cowboy riding a red horse. The precision of the outline alongside the naive scrawls of a blunt pencil. If starting with a blank…

“Sowing biennial sweet Williams for lots of flowers next summer.” Louise Curley celebrates pelargoniums, p27 “Making late sowings of fast-growing annuals such as nasturtium.” Sue Fisher on compact climbing roses, p32 “Tending the new perennial, biennial and annual plants I have grown.” Adrian Thomas on the world of worms, p48 “Doing the greenhouse shuffle and enjoying the first tomatoes!” Olga Grieves on her lovely plot, p80 “Keeping the climbing beans well fed as they start to form pods.” Greg Loades on growing beans in pots for a later crop, p84 “Checking out how my garden is growing, taking notes for any changes needed.” Geoff Hodge on growhouses, p96…

Having beautiful and long-lasting cut flowers is all about timing and preparation. The ideal time to harvest is early in the day when blooms are well hydrated, with evening being the nextbest time. Harvest flowers when just starting to open to give the longest vase life. Using sharp, clean secateurs or a pair of snips, cut long stems, ideally above a leaf joint to promote fresh growth. Have a clean bucket of tap water to hand to pop blooms into as soon as they’re cut. Conditioning is the term for the bit of extra prep before putting flowers into vases or arrangements, ensuring they stay fresh and healthy for as long as possible. Strip the lower leaves so none remain on the part of the stem submerged in water, because…

Pelargoniums are synonymous with blousy summer blooms, but there’s much more to this genus than the bedding plants sold at garden centres. ‘Pellies’, as they’re affectionately known by those with a passion for these plants, are grouped into divisions according to distinctions in habit, foliage or flower form. There is something for everyone: from bold colourful blooms, rare species, heritage hybrids and my own favourites, the scented-leaved varieties. Many make great container and hanging basket plants; others are at home on a windowsill. The flowers and foliage can be cut and popped in a vase, and you can even use those with scented leaves to add flavour when baking. Pelargoniums are often referred to as geraniums, but botanically this name means only the herbaceous hardy geraniums that will happily cope…

Roses need sun, shelter from wind and deep, fertile soil. Give climbers sturdy support. Autumn and mild spells in winter are ideal for planting; bareroots are available then. Potted roses are available for year-round planting but keep watered in spring or summer. Use large pots and soil-based potting compost with composted bark or leaf mould. Water regularly when in growth. Train and tie in stems regularly to supports; deadhead for more blooms. In late winter, remove climbers’ dead growth and damaged or crossing stems. Trim side shoots to 5–8cm; shorten main stems only if you must, to contain growth. Prune ramblers in late summer; remove entire stems that have flowered.…

✓ FEED POTTED FRUIT AND FLOWERING PLANTS Weekly feeding will improve the quality of your blooms and fresh produce. Add a half-strength high-potassium liquid plant food when you water. ✓ MULCH WITH COMPOST After watering, lay a thick mulch of compost, grass clippings or chipped bark around plants to reduce moisture loss from soil. ✓ KEEP ON TOP OF WEEDS They can deprive your plants of water, nutrients and light so keep weeding. You can hoe out smaller weeds and leave them to dry on the surface. ✓ PLANT AUTUMN-FLOWERING BULBS Boost autumn plantings with colchicums, nerines and Gladiolus murielae.…

1 Start with the rudbeckia Sow Rudbeckia hirta under glass in late March to ensure good-sized plants ready to go out after the frosts in late May. These should flower from July until the frosts, with regular deadheading. In a sheltered area they’ll perform as short-lived perennials, but they’re easier to grow as half-hardy annuals. 2 Sow the gomphrena and borage Gomphrena can be started under cover in late March or early April, ready to plant out in late May – or sow direct in May. The flowers are loved by butterflies and flower arrangers alike. Plants will self-seed. Borage isn’t a fan of disturbance so sow seed direct where they are to flower in April or May, thinning seedlings to around 30cm apart as they grow. Make sure plants don’t run…

• Andrew Woodall is head gardener at Broughton Grange. Its history dates back to 1620 and over the last 25 years the gardens have been substantially developed. How long have you been at Broughton Grange? I started at Broughton Grange in the summer of 2006, arriving from Tuscany in Italy, having had the opportunity to have worked at Il Palagio, where the garden was being designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. My role as head gardener there included all aspects of gardening and learning new ones, of which remain with me to this day. I look back with joy and happiness. Tell us about the garden… Broughton Grange was purchased by my current employer in 1992 and since then the garden has undergone a huge transformation. My predecessor was involved in overseeing…

Q Could I grow a kiwi fruit tree from seeds in a fruit? TREVOR WILLIAMS, BY EMAIL A Kiwi fruit trees can grow in the UK, but not from this method. Firstly, the fruits may have been picked before they were ripe many months ago and ‘cold-stored’, so the seeds weren’t fully developed. So there’s little chance the seeds would grow. But more importantly, there’s no guarantee any plants you did raise would produce good fruit. Additionally, kiwi fruit plants are usually either male or female so you’d need both to produce fruits. It’s far better to buy named varieties so you know what sex they are or even ‘Jenny’ (pictured), which is the only self-fertile variety if you have limited space. Q When are potatoes ready to harvest? RHIANNA…

Believe it or not, it’s getting easier and easier to grow roses. All the potions and paraphernalia that made roses a ‘chemical heavy’ plant to grow can be consigned to history, and these flowering shrubs and climbers can do their spectacular thing with little intervention. Even the few potential ‘problems’ are not really problems at all and need not get in the way of enjoying all the scents and wonderful colours that are filling so many gardens right now. They don’t need power tools to prune them (loppers are as heavy duty as it gets) and once you’ve got some established bushes you can also cut them for the house or for friends, instead of buying shop-bought flower bunches that may have travelled for thousands of miles. Out with the…

WOODEN Forest Victorian Tall Wall Greenhouse £721.49 This growhouse has an attractive Victorian design. It is made from watertight tongue and groove cladding of PEFCapproved softwoods, and comes with a 15-year antirot guarantee. Offers easy access via double doors, and two levels of staging, the middle collapsible. Features acrylic glazing and two roof vents. Supplied unpainted, dimensions: 147x74x198cm high. Waltons 6 x 3 Evesham Victorian Growhouse £649.99 A very functional growhouse constructed from interlocking tongue and groove shiplap cladding of sustainable PEFC timber. It features UV-resistant, shatterproof styrene glazing. There is good access with two wide doors, shelving along both sides and the back and a roof vent for extra ventilation. It comes with a 10-year antirot guarantee, dimensions: 178x99x193cm high. Gabriel Ash The Upright Coldframe £1,239.59 A very attractive…

RHS GARDEN FESTIVAL July 1-6, 10am-6.30pm (5.30pm Sunday), Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU Show gardens, plants from specialist growers, craft stalls, shopping and music. • rhs.org.uk DIERAMA NATIONAL PLANT COLLECTION July 3, 10 & 17, 11am-4pm, Yew Tree Cottage, Stafford ST18 9JR Admire the collection of Dierama species with plants for sale. £5 entry. • plantheritage.org.uk WILLOWHILL GARDEN OPENING & PLANT SALE July 5, 7, 12, 14 & 19, 1-5pm, Willowhill Garden, Forgan, Newport-on-Tay, Fife DD6 8RA Three-acre garden with mixed borders in vibrant colours. Picnics welcome. £5 entry. • scotlandsgardens.org OPEN GARDENS July 5, 10.30am-5pm, Crickhowell, between Abergavenny and Brecon, Powys NP8 1BW Private gardens open with plant sale. £6 entry. • opengardens.co.uk NEW RHS SHOW Wed 16–Sun 20, 10am-5pm, Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S62 7TQ This new…

1 Dig over an area of soil that drains well in full sun and top it up with an equal parts mix of soil-based compost and horticultural grit to make a mound. 2 Place cobbles along the edge of the mound to form a circular raised edge, then push broken paving slabs or slates horizontally into the raised soil mix. 3 Plant small plants into the gaps in between, so the crowns of the plant are at soil level or slightly proud of it. 4 Water the plants in once, then cover the soil surface with a 5cm layer of more grit or 5mm gravel.…

Enjoy the beauty of flowers for years by drying your own blooms to use in arrangements and wreaths as well as crafts, gifts and pot pourri. The best flowers to grow are those which dry readily while keeping their shape and colour, such as achillea, annual cornflower, lavender, hydrangea, gypsophila, larkspur and globe thistle. For super-easy dried flowers, grow some of the brightly coloured hardy annuals known as ‘everlastings’ because the papery-petalled blooms only need a little more drying to complete the process. These include acroclinium, craspedia; statice (limonium), gomphrena, and the strawflower Xerochrysum bracteatum (formerly helichrysum). Harvest stems of flowers on a dry, sunny day, ideally in the morning, once the dew has dried off the blooms. Tie stems together in bunches of six to 12 and hang upside-down…

The rose is one of our best-loved garden flowers for an exuberance of summer blooms, yet with an abundance of choice that often bewilders. For my money and the best in versatility, climbing ones get my vote every time, with loads of growth that burgeons up from just a tiny ground footprint, really maximising garden space and suiting so many different sites around the garden. While size and vigour among climbing roses does vary tremendously, there’s now an excellent range of compact-growing varieties that are perfect for small spaces. The range and variety of these smaller climbers – broadly, those in the 1.5–3m bracket – has expanded considerably over recent years with plenty of gorgeous new introductions boasting desirable characteristics such as repeat flowering, good disease resistance and fragrance. Most…

‘GLORIANA’ Fully double grape purple blooms are lightly scented and appear right along the plant. Repeat flowers. H: 2.5m. ‘OPEN ARMS’ Small single to semi-double flowers, pale pink with golden stamens. Repeat flowering and fragrant. H: 2m. ‘STAR PERFORMER’ Semi-double satin pink blooms with a light delicate fragrance, borne in abundance and repeat flowering. H: 1.8–2m. ‘SUSIE’ Reddish buds open yellow and gold, taking on pink tinges with age, and with a strong citrus perfume. H: 1.8–2.5m. ‘WARM WELCOME’ Small, copperyorange, semi-double flowers abundantly borne in clusters. Fragrant and repeatflowering. H: 2.5m.…

Trim philadelphus, weigela, kolkwitzia and deutzia after blooming to allow next year’s flowering wood to develop. Remove one-third of the oldest, thickest stems close to the ground and trim back any over-exuberant growth to just above a bud or pair of buds. Wisteria needs pruning in both summer and winter to control growth and produce the best spring flowering display. Tie the main horizontal growth and upright shoots to the support then shorten all sideshoots to 4–6 leaves from the main framework. Blackcurrants fruit on the previous year’s growth, so prune out this year’s fruiting stems as close to the base as possible and harvest the currants from the cut stems at the same time. This year’s new stems will then have space to grow and produce next year’s crop.…

Garden answers Visit greatmagazines.co.uk/gardenanswers PHONE 01858 438884 QUOTE BMAA At Garden Answers magazine our aim is to help you make the most of your outdoor space by creating your perfect garden, whatever the season. Now’s the perfect time to take out a subscription with summer in full swing. This rich source of gardening ideas and inspiration can be delivered direct to your door, 13 times a year, with a free packet of seeds with every issue if you choose the Print Subscription. Or try our Print+ Subscription, which allows you to enjoy Members-only rewards and discounts. Simply scan the QR code (below on the left-hand page) with your smartphone or tablet camera to find out more. SUBSCRIBE & SAVE ON SHOP PRICES Subscribe Print+ Subscription: Get 6 months for just £29.99* when…

Dwarf French beans should be ready to pick around six to eight weeks after planting young plants. To harvest, use garden snips or your thumb and forefinger to remove them from their stalks. Pick when pods are well formed but slender rather than bulky. These beans will have a better flavour, be more tender and cook quicker than older, tougher beans. Check compost every few days and if it is dry all the way down when you push your finger in it, it’s time to water. In very hot spells (high 20s C) move the pot into shade in the hottest part of the day.…

Q This year my irises only produced leaves and failed to bloom. Are they finished? STEVEN OSBORNE, FIFE A There are many different kinds of iris so there are various reasons why your plants may have failed to bloom. The bearded iris, with thick rhizomes, quickly become overcrowded so need to be divided and replanted every three to five years, ideally now, after blooming (above right). They may also fail to bloom if they become crowded or shaded by surrounding plants. Grassy-leaved Siberian iris (right), which bloom slightly later, are best divided in autumn or early spring. They are certainly not ‘finished’ and should bloom again with the proper care. Q Why doesn’t ‘Vanille Fraise’ turn blue in my acid soil? JEMIMA FAULKS, MALHAM, NORTH YORKSHIRE A The most common…

A lot of roses with complicated flowers won’t ever see a bee, but those with single flowers such as white small shrub ‘Kew Gardens’ (H: 1.2m) and ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (H: 1m) are fantastic for pollinators, as are semi-double roses with prominent stamens such as large white flowered shrub rose ‘Sally Holmes’ (H: 1.2m) and mini-rambler ‘Open Arms’ (H: 2.5m), which has romantic light pink blooms like apple blossom.…

WRITE TO US AT Garden Answers, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA EMAIL gardenanswers@bauermedia.co.uk TEL 01733 395076 WEBSITE gardenanswersmagazine.co.uk Many happy returns I am a 93-year-old Garden Answers reader and it is often said that it is difficult to get the red bracts to reappear on poinsettias in future years. However, here is my plant that I’ve had since Christmas 2023 with its red bracts making a reappearance! Patricia Absalom, by email Last August a small flowering stem broke off one of my busy Lizzies. I placed it in water and it continued to flower and then proceeded to grow roots. I potted it up and placed it into this small pot and it has been growing and blooming ever since. Marjorie Darlington, Cheshire Here are my…