Friday 10th May

We were back at the Garden House after last week’s visit to Pelham Plants and the garden was looking just fabulous. Finally, we are getting some warm sun so early summer flowering plants were showing their colours against the lush and vibrant greens of foliage which is still benefitting from all that rain.

Ident

Among the flowers looking beautiful were several in the Geraniaceae family so this week’s ident is all about similarities and differences in this wonderful group of plants. When classifying them, Charles Linnaeus grouped them all together which is where confusion over their names began. They were subsequently reclassified into the following genera.

Geraniums, or cranesbills, are a genus of about 420 hardy, herbaceous perennial plants which are suitable for growing in bed and borders. They are, generally, fairly low-growing with loose mounds of palmately divided leaves and five-petalled flowers held on wiry stems. They are great for attracting bees, beneficial insects, butterflies/moths and other pollinators with their nectar/pollen rich flowers. The resulting seedheads are said to resemble a cranes bill, hence the common name.

Pelargoniums, or heronsbills, are a genus of about 280 tender, evergreen plants largely native to South Africa. They vary in leaf-type – some are soft and furry while others resemble ivy, being thicker and glossier although most are lobed or divided . Many have very aromatic foliage and are cultivated for this characteristic. The flowers also have five petals but the three lower ones are different to the two upper ones – this is more obvious in some cultivars. They like very free-draining, almost stony soil so are more suited to growing in pots and containers than in the ground. This also makes it easier to bring them inside for the winter as they won’t survive frost and need to be kept fairly dry.

Erodiums, or storksbills, are a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants native to North Africa, Indomalaya, the Middle East, and Australia. The leaves of most species are opposite, though often crowded together so as to form a basal rosette, usually pinnate and hairy often forming a low-growing clump. The flowers sit somewhere between those of Geranium and Pelargonium – five-petalled with some cultivars showing adifference in two upper petals. They are often hardy but hate to be wet so are well-suited to alpine containers or rockeries.

Please note that the terms heronsbill and storksbill seem to be interchangeable, depending on the website and country, which is very confusing!

Geranium sanguineum

(sanguineum – blood-red)

The common name for this plant is bloody cranesbill although the flowers are more of a vivid magenta than blood red. It forms hummocks of deep-green, finely divided, almost glossy leaves and cup-shaped, dark-veined flowers with a white centre. A lovely ground-cover plant for growing under roses or taller perennials, or at the front of borders. It will grow well full sun or partial shade and, although it is more at home in an acid soil, it will be fine in any moist but well-drained soils.

Geranium phaeum ‘Lisa’

(phaeum – dusky)

The Geraniums in the phaeum species flower early in the year from April through to May and will then repeat flower later in the summer if cut back. ‘Lisa’ has pale green foliage with cream veining and mottled splashes and dainty, deep-purple flowers with pink anthers. Phaeum are perfectly happy in full shade through to full sun making them a really useful plant for repeat planting across all areas of a garden. Ht. up to 70cm.

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Ingwersen’s Variety‘

(macrorrhizum – big root)

This lovely plant will spread across the ground, sending shoots from it’s rhizomatous roots making it perfect for ground-cover but equally good in pots and containers. It has aromatic, mid-green, lobed foliage and soft-pink flowers with dark calyces on reddish stems. It will grow in any position and any soil so long as it is not waterlogged – what a winner! Ht. up to 40cm. RHS AGM 🏆

Geranium pyrenaicum

(pyrenaicum – connected with the Pyrenees))

Otherwise known as the hedgerow cranesbill, this pretty plant has naturalised in the UK , largely because it is a prolific self-seeder which is happy in most soils and positions. Purplish-pink, delicate flowers are held airily above rounded, lobed, aromatic leaves which grow from a central rosette. It will grow in sun or partial shade in most types of well-drained soil. Deadhead after flowering if you don’t want it to self-seed. Ht up to 50cm.

Geranium renardii

( renardii –   after the Russian naturalist Charles Claude Renard 1809-1886.)

This lovely cultivar, native to the Caucusus mountains, forms dense mounds of scalloped, wrinkled, grey-green basal leaves that eventually turn yellow in autumn. The flowers can be pale mauve, as in the picture above, or almost white but they all have clear, fine veining in dark-purple. It likes well-drained soil of any type and will be happy in full sun or partial shade. Ht. up to 30cm RHS AGM 🏆

Pelargonium sp. (‘Frank Headly’?)

If you look closely at the petals of this variety you will see that the top two are slightly different in shape and markings. It is more obvious in the example below. Deadhead the flowers to keep the plant flowering right through the summer and autumn (and indoors over winter if you like) and take cuttings to increase your stock – it’s easy!

P. ‘Copthorne’

Erodium cicutarium

(cicutarium – like water hemlock)

Common Stork’s-bill is hairy plant of dry grasslands, and bare and sandy areas which also does well on chalk. The deeply divided, pinnate leaves form a basal rosette and grow flat to the ground early in the year.  Pink flowers are held on long , sprawling stems and appear in May, lasting through the summer until August. Ht. up to 25cm.

Katie has been having another look at those creatures, formerly known as pests, which we share our gardens with…

Aphids

Aphids are sap-sucking insects in the family Aphidoidea.  They are commonly called ‘greenfly’ and ‘blackfly’, but there are species of many different colours, including the white woolly aphid. In fact, there are around 500 species of aphid in the UK.  Many are specific to one or two types of plant but others can live on several different hosts.  They are a common garden pest and can cause damage by weakening plants and causing them to have misshapen leaves.

Whitefly, confusingly, are not aphids but are closely related.  The shed casts of greenfly can easily be mistaken for whitefly, but whitefly will fly up when disturbed.

Aphids can increase in numbers very quickly due to their method of reproduction.  Flightless females give birth to live female offspring.  These babies may already be pregnant at birth and so can reproduce rapidly without needing to mate with a male.  Many generations of aphid can be produced in a short space of time. 

Aphids are mostly flightless, but at some points generations with wings are born so that they can move to new locations. In autumn females may mate with males and produce eggs which will overwinter and produce the next generations in the following spring.

Many aphids overwinter as eggs on trees or woody shrubs.  In spring they hatch out and feed on the new leaves of that plant.  When the leaves become tough, generations with wings will develop and the aphids move to their summer host plants.

Aphids are a problem because they can damage plants, weakening them and causing leaf curl.  They may also carry viruses that damage crops.  Aphids secrete a sticky substance called honeydew which can cause the growth of sooty moulds.  Ants sometimes have a mutualistic relationship with aphid colonies.  The ants collect the honeydew for food and in return they protect the aphids from predators such as ladybirds and cranefly larvae.

Aphids are the basis of many garden food chains.  Many animals feed on them including ladybirds, lacewings, parasitic wasps, hoverfly larvae and birds.

From the RHS:

Should you remove aphids? Tolerate aphids where possible. It is usual to have some in a healthy, balanced garden. They are a vital food source for a wide range of wildlife in the garden.

Do aphids kill plants? Very rarely. Some aphids cause some leaf and bud distortion, they can spread plant viruses  and you might see some honeydew on which a harmless sooty mould can grow. This can be wiped off with a damp cloth.

Do I have to control aphids? You don’t have to kill or control them. They are part of the biodiversity of gardens and a vital food source for other wildlife in your garden. If you do decide to control aphids, these are the ways you can cause least harm to the environment and avoid pesticides.

Best not to use chemical insecticides as these will kill all insects, not just the pests.

Check vulnerable plants regularly.  It is easier to deal with aphids before a colony gets too big.

Use finger and thumb to squash them when colonies are small.

Some suggest that you can wash them off with real soap and water.  Make sure you use soap rather than detergent.  This damages the soft bodies of the aphid and kills them. However, it will kill any other soft bodied insects in the area too.

You can try blasting them off with a hose.  This can damage delicate plants though so take care if using this method.

Encourage natural predators such as ladybirds, beetles, hoverflies and earwigs which eat aphids. You even can buy some of these on-line if you fancy it – see websites for Dragonfli, Andermatt, ladybirdplantcare, Green Gardener etc.

Encourage biodiversity in your garden.  The RHS assures us that ultimately natural predators will manage aphids for us!

It is a great time of year to propagate plants from those you already have in your garden – or to sneak a piece or two from somebody else’s. One of the jobs for the day was to

Chafer Beetles and Grubs

A quick look following a conversation at the compost heap last week:

Chafer beetles are part of the family Scarabloidea.  There are around 80 species in the UK.  Most are dung feeders and many others eat decaying plant material.  Some are very rare, many are very beautiful, few cause much damage to ornamental plants and crops.

All of these beetles have pale coloured, C-shaped grubs, with three pairs of legs and  a dark head. 

The grubs we come across in the compost heap in Brighton are most likely to be Rose chafers.  They are really beneficial in the compost heap, helping to break down the organic matter into compost.  The adult is a stunning, iridescent green – a beautiful garden insect.  OK, so they do sometimes eat rose flowers and buds but unless you have a real infestation, they generally do more good than harm.

The other common chafer that causes problems in the garden is the lawn chafer.  The grub itself isn’t the real problem, although they can leave yellow patches in the lawn as they eat the roots.  The bigger problem is that foxes, birds and hedgehogs will dig up your lawn to get at the grubs.  Lawn chafers can be controlled with nematodes if you want a pristine lawn.  Buy on-line.

Thanks for that Katie…fascinating little beasts!

Jobs for the week

Propagate some mint

There are many varieties of mint growing in pots at the garden House. They were due for a good tidy up and there was an opportunity to take cuttings. Bridge gave us a quick demo of how you can propagate by root cuttings as well as softwood cuttings.

This small piece of plant can provide several root cuttings as well as one softwood cutting.

The pieces of root can be laid on top of gritty compost and as long as the piece has at least one internode, it should root up. The softwood cutting can be pushed into a pot of the same mix, several to one pot.

Prick out seedlings

It’s a bit like a conveyor belt in the greenhouse at the moment…as fast as you prick out one lot of seedlings, more appear and yet more seeds are sown.

Are you keeping up?!

Sow some more seeds

Do you see what I mean? This really will be the last sowings of fast-growing summer annuals – promise. We were using up all the seeds left over and there were lots!

Many of the resulting plants will be sold at the upcoming charity open day.

Work on the lower terrace

The lower terrace needed a tidy up with some plants being removed – Lunaria ‘Corfu Blue’ and some of the wallflowers among them.

Add some new plants including Lunaria ‘Chedglow’ for next spring and it looked better in no time.

Pot up Streptocarpus and Pelargoniums

It was time to take a look in the Pelly house.

Where have they all gone?

Ah, there they are. It has been warm enough to get them, and the Streptocarpus, out of their greenhouse for a little TLC.

Tidying up, cutting back and potting on.

Time for a break in the gorgeous sunshine.

Did I miss the memo about the Friday Group dress code?

See you next time.

Friday 3rd May

It’s May at last. Did we hold a workers’ rally or dance around a maypole? No, we headed to Pelham Plants to help out at Paul Seaborne’s marvellous nursery.

After showing at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show with the Plant Fairs Roadshow , Paul has been bitten by the bug and is doing it all over again. There is not long to go so any help in the nursery and garden at this particularly busy time is gratefully received and we were more than happy to oblige – it’s a slice of heaven.

We met for coffee and introductions in the large potting shed which is a wonderfully atmospheric working space. As usual, we started with an ident…

Ident

Primula pulverulenta

(pulverulenta – appearing to be covered in dust)

This impactful candelabra primula, also known as mealy primrose, is a robust herbaceous perennial with rosettes of large, slightly crinkly, bright green leaves . Whorled clusters of pink to wine-red flowers with dark centres are held high on contrasting, upright, silver-grey stems which are powdery or mealy in May and June.

Paul said that this plant needs “Oomph”, which I think implies it needs a rich, fertile reliably moist soil, and it likes partial shade. Cut back after flowering to encourage new foliage and flowers. Ht. up to 1m RHS AGM 🏆

Camassia leichtlinii pale pink form

(leichtlinii – named after Max Leichtlin, 1831-1910, German plant collecter)

The pale pink form of Camassia (not to be confused with ‘Pink Star’) is one in this genus of plants in the asparagus family native to North America where they grow in the damp meadows of western USA. Camassias are perennial bulbs which put up long, strappy, basal leaves and tall, branched flower spikes bearing large, six-petalled starry or cup-shaped flowers in late spring. They are suitable for borders and beds and are often grown for cutting but also look beautiful naturalised in grass or meadows.

This elegant , soft-pink type will grow up to 70cm and will do well in any deep, damp but free-draining soil in most positions including shade. Deadhead as soon as the seed sets.

Canna ‘Cleoptra’

Canna ‘Cleopatra’ is one of the most eye-catching varieties. It is what’s known as an unstable hybrid which results in each plant having a mix of the features of the parent plants but these vary enormously. The stems and large, lance-shaped foliage can be green or a deep chocolate colour or a mix of both. Lily-type trumpet flowers bloom red if the leaves are dark, yellow if the leaves are green and a random mix of the two when the leaves are bi-coloured. This is a bit of a “marmite” plant but makes a great statement plant especially when planted en masse.

Cannas do best in a sheltered site in full sun and like a rich, moist, well-drained soil. They will survive in milder parts of the UK if given some protection from frost such as a deep much but can be dug up and overwintered indoors. Ht. up to 1.5m

Saruma henryi

(henryi – named after Irish plant collector, Augustine Henry, 1857-1930)

This rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial is sometimes known as upright wild (or Chinese) ginger and it native to China where it grows in dense forests, valleys and on stream banks. It has  branched, upright stems bearing pale green, heart-shaped leaves which are slightly hairy, giving the plant a silvery appearance. Butter-yellow, three-petalled flowers are produced on the tips of the branches from spring to summer. The name is an anagram of its close relative, Asarum.

This lovely plant needs a good depth of moist but well-drained soil in full or partial shade. Ht. up to 1m when flowering.

Jobs for this week

Lay a woodchip path

There was a path to be made by covering the ground with cardboard then topping it with woodchips. It called for expert barrow and spade work.

There was also compost to be transported to a new area near the hedges.

That’s a lot of shovelling completed!

Prepare plants for sale

Lots of Paul’s plants were nearly ready to go on sale but just needed “finishing” – this means doing a final pot-on into their sale pots with a good compost and even levels.

It looks like loads of fun…

…and who could resist them now they are “finished”?

Pot on and propagate

There were some Eucomis and Brunnera to pot on in the potting shed and a chance to take leaf cuttings from the Eucomis.

First a quick demo.

 The RHS says “cut leaves horizontally into 5cm (2in) pieces and insert lower edge down. Make sure to keep the cuttings facing the direction that it was growing on the plant, alternatively cut into shallow chevrons. Insert the cuttings vertically about 2cm (3/4in) deep.”

We love making plants for free!

Top-dressing plants.

When plants are grown in pots for sale they will eventually use up the nutrients in the potting compost. Top-dressing is removing the top few centimetres of compost and replacing it with a strong compost/feed mix to boost the plants growth.

This is the type of repetitive work some of us adore! There were Hostas and Agapanthus to be given the treatment…

They should now romp away…the plants that is.

Weed and mulch

There was a lot of general weeding, tidying and mulching to do around the nursery. It is open to the public so can’t get too wild. Borders and the spaces under the beech hedges were the target.

Also, weeding the flowerbeds in Paul’s garden, making way for planting out when the weather gods permit.

What’s this? Laying down and texting on the job – whatever next?!

Propagate exotics

In more propagation news, there were Cannas and gingers to be sliced, each slice containing at least one “eye” as these are the growing points.

They need to be placed in a suitable growing medium and kept out of harsh, direct sun.

How many did they do?!

Time for a cake break then Paul showed us the area he is keeping the plants earmarked for Chelsea. You need to grow an awful lot of plants to have enough perfect examples ready at exactly the right time to fill the space.

They look pretty perfect to me.

On a final note, remember the mystery ident at the end of the last blog?

Some of us spent ages trying to identify the flowers in this pretty bouquet. The answer was more about the occasion than the flowers. After quite a long time together, Bridge and Graham finally decided they were right for each other and headed off to get properly hitched in a Civil Ceremony. They managed to keep it very quiet until after the event and the posy was the only clue Bridge gave!

Congratulations to you both from all your Friday Garden Group friends.

We’ll be back to the Garden House next week – see you then.

Friday 26th April

This week at the Garden House, talk turned to planning for summer pots and containers. It’s very tempting to buy on impulse at this time of year (I should know) but you might end up with a mish-mash of colours or too many of one type of plant. It is a good idea to take stock of your stocks (and other plants!) to get an overview of what you have already grown, which fast-growing annuals you could still sow and what you might want to buy to complete your planting plans. Making lists including eventual height and colour, or finding pictures to cut and stick can help sort which plant is destined for which pot. Never fear if this sounds way too organised…some of my best pots have been thrown together with last minute finds at the garden centre and other peoples’ give-aways.

Ident

So, the ident this week is about tender perennials which have been grown for the pots and containers here at GH. These have been grown from cuttings and are a cost-effective way to fill-out and add structure and contrast when planted alongside hardy and half-hardy annuals.

Plectranthus is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants from the sage family, Lamiaceae, found mostly in southern and tropical Africa and Madagascar where they grow mostly in shady places, often covering the ground under trees. Here are three which are just as happy here…

Plectranthus ciliatus ‘Nico’

(ciliatus – with leaves and petals that are fringed with hairs)

This fast-spreading, easy to grow plant has a sprawling, trailing habit which makes it perfect for pots and the edges of troughs or raised beds but can also be used as ground-cover. It has quite thick, textured leaves which are almost a glossy, dark-green with deep purple veins on the top and dark, reddish-purple underneath. In autumn, long spires of dainty lilac-tinged flowers appear.

Plectranthus are very frost-tender so need to be lifted and placed indoors or in a sheltered spot where the temperature won’t dip below 1-5℃. They are easy to propagate by cuttings as insurance and to increase your stock.

Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ syn. Plectranthus ‘Plepalila’ (pbr)

Commonly known as Swedish ivy, this Plectrathus is more upright than ‘Nico’ with a more “toothed” leaf, less colour on the veining and is more floriferous. It flowers throughout spring and summer with spires of lavender-purple lipped blooms which show that family relationship to sages and salvias.

It likes a moist but well-drained soil and partial shade but will be ok in full sun. Again, it is very tender so lift, cut back and place in a frost-free place…and take cuttings! Ht. 10 – 50cm. RHS AGM🏆

Plectranthus argentatus syn. Coleus argentatus

(argentatus – silver in colour)

I think that this has been reclassified as Coleus – very closely related to Plectranthus. It is sometimes known as silver spurflower and has beautifully soft, furry, silver-grey leaves, hairy, silver stems and purple spikes holding bluish-white flowers from spring to summer. This is a wonderful foil for other plants in summer pots and planters.

Yes – tender, easily propagated and liking the same conditions as the others! Plectranthus make really good house plants too so overwinter on a window sill and maybe keep it there? Ht. up to 1m RHS AGM🏆

Cuphea sp.

This example of the Mexican cigar plant could be species ignea, cyanea or another – there are about 260 varied species in the Cuphea genus – but it will certainly give a fiery boost to your planting schemes. Unusual, tubular flowers in fiery, orange-red contrast against the clear, mid-green of the simple, ovate leaves. It has an upright but open sprawling habit so will tumble slightly over the edges of your pots.

Cuphea loves summer sun and heat, and when grown as an annual, it will bloom nonstop until the first frost. It likes a well-drained soil in sun and is fairly tender so protect from frosts or bring inside and take cuttings.

Bidens ferulifolia ‘Hot and Spicy’

(ferulifolia – with leaves resembling those of the Ferula plant)

Please do not ask what came up when I first googled the name of this plant…I’m still recovering. However, this semi-trailing cultivar is a real zinger. Bidens are from the Asteraceae family, often yellow but come in a range of bright colours, with this relatively new plant having sunburst blooms of vivid orange, near reds and vibrant yellows over small, mid-green , finely divided leaves.

They are often grown as annuals but this can be treated like the other tender perennials – bought in over the winter to protect from frost. Again, this lovely plant is easy to grow from cuttings. Give it well-drained soil in full sun and it should flower from May to October. Ht. 30cm. The plan is to pair it with Dahlia ‘Waltzing Matilda’ for a dramatic ‘hot’ pot.

Salvia ‘Amistad’

This spectacular cultivar has quickly established itself as a favourite among gardeners and garden designers. It is one of the taller salvias with an upright, loosely bushy habit with slightly downy, pointed, bright green leaves. Profuse large, silky, royal-purple, tubular flowers emerge from near-black calyces, held on tall stems of the same dark colour from late summer into autumn.

It likes a sheltered position in full sun with a well-drained but moist soil. It is a herbaceous perennial which means that it will die back in winter but it is fairly tender so protect it from hard frosts and take cuttings to be on the safe side. Ht. 1 – 1.5m RHS AGM🏆

Jobs for the week

Empty some large pots

With all the talk of planting up summer pots there was the small matter of getting some ready. Three large terracotta pots needed to be emptied of their very densely planted bulbs.

Easier said than done! It took teamwork and strength to prise them all out.

Heave-ho…now separate them out to give away…and rest!

Job done.

Start off some Acidanthera and Dahlias

One of the planting plans for pots includes Acidanthera murielae or Abyssinian gladiolus. They grow from corms and these had been saved and kept dry hanging in net bags in the potting shed.

You can start them off growing in trays of gritty compost to save space until they are potted on or planted out.

From corm to beautiful flowering plant in just a few weeks.

The same was done with those ‘Waltzing Matilda’ Dahlias from earlier.

Divide some primroses

Now is a good time to divide primroses and primulas. There were several clumps of Primula vulgaris or native primrose to lift, divide and re-plant on the spring and yellow beds.

Oops! How big were those clumps? She doesn’t know her own strength!

Plants to give away and a tidy border…win-win.

Lift and divide the Arum italicum

The fabulous Arum italicum has been growing and spreading happily in the bed under the apple tree. It needed to be thinned out a little before it dies back down into the ground for the summer.

There was a lot of it in there!

Again, plants for all to take home and another tidy bed.

Prick out some seedlings

There was a variety of seedlings to be pricked out in the greenhouse – ‘Moonred’ lettuce, parsley and Dianthus ‘Microchip’ among them. Before anything could be potted up, a new batch of potting mix had to be prepared. This called for a mix of compost and perlite.

A whole bin-full!

The parsley could be pricked out in clumps and is quite robust – other plants need handling carefully (hold by the leaves only!) and were to be pricked out individually.

These seedlings are Scorzonera rosea or red-flowered salsify – gorgeous.

The greenhouse is at bursting point – roll on mid-May!

And finally…Bridge asked me to post this…

Ident please.

See you next time.

Friday 19th April

It was lovely to be back at the Garden House after what felt like too long away. It was extra exciting as the garden was opening for the National Garden Scheme. This wonderful charity has been raising money through garden visits since the 1920s and now supports a range of nursing, health and gardening charities – big and small.

There was plenty to do before the gate was opened to visitors but we started the day with our usual Friday morning routine…good strong coffee, a catch up with friends and a bit of horticulture.

Ident

The garden was looking fabulous with lots of colour from the spring flowering bulbs, especially the tulips, but these won’t last for ever and there is always a bit of a gap between spring and summer displays. Today we looked at a group of plants that are really useful – and beautiful – for filling that gap. Let’s hear it for biennials!

 Britannica describes biennials as any herbaceous flowering plant that completes its life cycle in two growing seasons. They are usually sown in the summer of the first year or will appear in your garden having self-seeded. Roots and leaves develop through the summer and autumn so the plants are substantial before growth slows down over the winter. In the second year they are already off to a good start and will produce flowers by the spring. They then set seed before dying off.

Smyrnium perfoliatum

(perfoliatum – with the leaf surrounding the stem)

This wonderfully zingy plant looks a little like a Euphorbia but is in the Apiaceae family so related to angelica, carrot and parsley among many others. It has upright, strong, ribbed stems which appear to grow right through the centres of the whorled, rounded leaves which are larger and darker at the base of the plant than at the top. In its second year, open umbels of tiny yellow-green flowers are held above the foliage. This is a great plant for cutting and arranging and will also contrast well with other spring flowers in beds and borders. It seeds around readily. Likes full sun or dappled shade in a moist, well-drained soil. Ht. up to 1m.

Lunaria annua ‘Chedglow’

(Lunaria – moon-like, annua – annual. Yes, I know it’s confusing for a biennial to be called that.)

Lunaria, or honesty, are in the Brassicaceae family so related to cabbage, sprouts, kale and mustard.  They have cross-shaped, or cruciform, flowers with four petals and two long and two short stamens.

The papery seed-pods are, indeed, moon-like especially when the outer layers have come off.

‘Chedglow’ has toothed, heart-shaped leaves in shades from dark green to deep purple and dark stems. The richly coloured purple-pink flowers appear in late spring and really do seem to glow, especially at twilight. The flowers will last through April and May then the seed pods develop extending the interest of the plant and eventually providing for self-seeding, for insects and birds, and for winter decorations. These were looking fab at GH this week. They like a moist, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Ht. up to 1m

Lunaria annua

Common honesty was introduced from Europe some 400 years ago and being particularly popular in Victorian times. It is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, butterflies, moths and other pollinators. It is a caterpillar food plant and has nectar/pollen rich flowers. The flowers are a little more purple than those of ‘Chedglow’, the foliage is a fresh green and it is a touch shorter. Try to keep different types apart as they may cross pollinate with the resulting plants not coming ‘true’. Ht. up to 90cm

Lunaria annua ‘Corfu Blue’

As you can see, this variety of honesty from Corfu and other Greek islands is far more blue than the others but it is also reliably perennial rather than biennial. It develops tuber-like roots and will sucker to spread as well as self-seeding. Those blue-purple flowers are held above stems and foliage that are flushed a reddish-bronze as are the seed pods. Ht. 90cm

Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Red’

Erysimum is a genus of about 150 species of plants in the Brassicaceae family and can be annuals, herbaceous perennials or sub-shrubs. ‘Sugar Rush’ is a series of F1 hybrid biennial wallflowers which come in a range of colours and will often continue growing and flowering beyond the usual second year, becoming perennial if the conditions are right. They will also give a second flowering in autumn if cut back after the first spring flush. Confusing huh? They are sweetly scented, quick to establish and incredibly winter-hardy, and they look good planted with tulips and other spring flowering bulbs.

Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’

This popular, vigorous wallflower is not a biennial. It is a perennial subshrub, sometimes short-lived depending on conditions. With its narrow, dark, grey-green leaves and upright racemes of bright purple flowers it will bloom from spring through to autumn. Highly versatile, it can look great repeat planted along a path for a formal look but also more natural in a mixed border. It can become leggy after the first couple of years – trimming lightly after flowering will help. It likes a well-drained soil in full sun and is pretty drought-tolerant once established. Ht. 50-100cm after 3-5 years. RHS AGM 🏆 and  shortlisted for the Chelsea Plant of the Centenary for the decade 1973-1982.

Here are two more perennial wallflowers…

Erysimum ‘Red Jep’

 This one has fragrant flowers in shades of red, reddish-purple and pinky-orange carried on stout stems above lance-shaped dark green leaves. It is more compact than ‘Bowles Mauve’ growing to about 30cm.

Erysimum ‘Pastel Patchwork’

This lovely cultivar has flowers that range from soft yellow to pale orange and dusky pink. It was a hugely admired by the visitors to the garden this weekend. Ht. up to 50cm.

Jobs for the week

Plant some succulents

There was a collection of random succulents and sempervivums in the potting shed that needed to be looked over, tidied then used to propagate some new plants.

Hmm…bit of a tangle…what we need is gritty compost, good eyesight and a steady hand!

Wow, that looks like a beautiful garden in miniature.

Tidy up ‘Little Dixter’

This is the first area visitors see when they come to the Garden House so it’s good to have it spick and span. There were pots to plant up with strawberries, Hostas to wrap in slug repellent wool and some rather lovely Ranunculus to plant.

Work on the dry garden

It was mainly the pots and containers in and around the dry garden that were to be tidied, weeded and, possibly, replanted. (Even the best of gardeners is not above a few strategic purchases for some instant impact!) Then some weeding and raking of the gravel.

Sort out the compost heap

We’ve been away a while so the compost had to be perused and sorted. There was some lovely stuff ready to be used so it was out with the wheelbarrow and spades.

The newly ‘cooked’ compost was spread on the herb garden – looks great!

Prick out some herbs

Unlike other seedlings which are best pricked out individually, herbs can be pricked out in clumps – think about those supermarket pots which have about a hundred plants in them!

This makes the herbs easier to harvest in useful quantities when cooking. These two look very happy in their work.

Plant out sweetpeas

The bed towards the compost bins had a large teepee support waiting for some sweetpeas to be planted. First, some twine was tied around the lower part of the support to give the young plants something to cling to – they only grow well when touching, then clinging to, something they can climb up.

Within a few weeks this should be covered in beautiful blooms. Also going in this bed were some Ammi majus to add height and frothy umbels to the mix – lovely!

We then had a good tidy up but left ourselves time to have our own cake break before visitors arrived…

The cafe, Pelham Plants’ stand and the pesky pay systems were all in place…as well as Artist in Residence, Kate Osborne…

… then it was time to open the gate. Having people looking around the garden makes you see it through new eyes. Here are some pictures showing just how gorgeous the garden was looking.

It was a wonderful couple of days and over £3200 was raised for the NGS – fantastic! Well done Bridge and everyone.

See you next time.

Friday 22nd March

It’s the time of year when everything in the garden seems to be just on the verge of bursting into life. Gardeners go from holding back from sowing seeds, or planting anything out due to the cold, to suddenly having too much to do. We are bombarded with catalogues and recommendations, we make growing and planting plans and are then running to catch up on sowing and planting. Sunny sills, greenhouses and cold-frames fill up until there’s not a useful surface to be found.

We were preparing for the busy season ahead by looking at herbaceous perennials. These are plants which live for more than two years, have non-woody soft growth, put on their growth and flower within one year then die back into dormancy over the winter. They then appear again the following spring and will repeat this pattern for years, all being well. Just don’t forget where you planted them!

Bridge had a quiz for us – a series of photos of a variety of herbaceous perennials to see if we could name the genus then match them with their name cards.

Some were easy and others not so much… Latin names were expected!

Got there in the end.

Ident

It was no surprise then that the ident this week was on herbaceous perennials, plus one or two evergreen perennials, some of which had been provided by Pelham Plants – these were further forward than the plants we might be growing ourselves and were in flower.

Pulsatilla vulgaris ‘Rubra’

(vulgaris – common)

Commonly known as red pasqueflower, this beauty looks a little like an anemone – they are in the same Ranunculaceae family. It has clumps of finely dissected, silky, downy leaves and upright stems bearing deep, pinkish-red, bell-shaped flowers which emerge from large furry buds from mid -spring. The plumed seedheads are also very attractive and extend the interest of the plant.

They grow well in fertile, well-drained soil but really don’t like very wet conditions. They need full sun so a rockery, alpine trough or gravel garden would be perfect. Once established they do not like to be moved. Ht. up to 50cm

Corydalis solida subsp. solida ‘Beth Evans’

(solida – solid or dense)

This is a fumewort, not a name I had heard before and one that doesn’t seem pretty enough for this lovely plant. The genus has been used in Chinese medicine for over a thousand years and up to the present day, variously, as a sedative, painkiller, an antibacterial and for lowering blood pressure. It has tuberous roots, softly divided grey-green foliage and upright racemes of tubular, white-flashed, sugar-pink flowers which can be deeper in colour after a very cold winter. It will be happy in full sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil and is good for planting under trees and shrubs. It is pretty drought-tolerant once established. Ht. up to 50cm

Saxifrage x arendsii

(arendsii – named after German nurseryman, Georg Arends 1862 -1952)

I was not sure about the exact variety of this Saxifrage but it is possibly ‘Pixie Appleblossom’ – how cute! Sometimes these plants can be evergreen and do not die back completely but have been included as they often do. It is mat-forming with mid-green leaves arranged in a dense basal rosette. Tiny, cupped, star-shaped flowers are held on short, strong stems and will appear from March to August. They do best in full sun or light shade in very well-drained soil – they do not like soggy conditions and are prone to rotting in winter wet. Top-dressing with sharp sand can help with this. Great for alpine troughs, rock gardens or ground cover at the front of a bed. Ht. 15cm

Armeria maritima

(maritima – relating to the sea)

Thrift or sea thrift is an evergreen perennial which grows on coastal cliffs and seashores but which is also happy as a cultivated garden plant. It forms compact clumps of low growing, grass-like foliage and bright-pink clusters of flowers in round heads on soft, tall stems from late spring well into summer. It is very easy to grow and will spread around as well as being easy to divide. This is another plant perfect for rockeries, alpine troughs and for gravel gardens. Grow it in any free-draining soil in full sun. Ht. 10 – 50cm

Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’

Pulmonaria, or lungwort, can be herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials in the Boraginaceae family, so related to forget-me-not. Every site I looked at felt that this herbaceous variety was one of the very best, with the darkest and most intensely coloured flowers. Unlike some Pulmonarias, the broad, dark-green leaves have no splodges or spots with those compact clusters of deep violet-blue flowers being the star of the show from March through to May. Bees love this plant and the flowers change from blue to pinky-purple when pollinated. Grow in fertile, moist but not waterlogged soil in full or partial shade, although some websites say it is ok in full sun too. Ht. up to 40cm RHS AGM 🏆

Primula denticulata var. alba

(denticulata – slightly toothed)

This is known as the drumstick primula. It has rosettes of oval, mid-green leaves growing from the ground, familiar to us from other primulas, these ones with that toothed edge. Tall stems grow from the centre of the the leaf whorl and are topped with spherical clusters of tightly packed, tiny, white flowers, each with a yellow eye. They flower throughout the spring, sometimes into early summer before flowers and foliage die back. It likes sun or partial shade but must have moist conditions. It looks good under shrubs or at the front of a border and is also suitable for bog gardens and pond margins. Ht. up to 45cm

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Silver Heart’

(macrophylla – with large leaves)

This is another plant in the Boraginaceae family with flowers which resemble forget-me-nots. However, this Siberian bugloss has large, thick, ovate or heart-shaped leaves, mainly silver with fine veins and edges of green which form low-growing clumps.

Airy sprays of clear-blue flowers are held above the foliage throughout spring. They are easy to grow and like a moist but well-drained soil in full or partial shade. Ht. up to 45cm

Jobs for the week

Pot on plants for summer displays

Plants destined for summer pots have been growing quietly for weeks and now needed to be potted on. They will put on lots of new growth between now and planting out so will fill their containers better for more impact.

There was Plectranthus ciliatus and argentifolius, Gomphrena and Argyranthemum among others.

They look very pleased to be in the greenhouse on this chilly day.

Work in and near the dry garden

The step-by-step care of the dry garden continued with this group doing the right thing by spending time looking first…

…then once the looking was done they could start the clearing, pruning and tidying . There were some Verbascums to be planted too.

Beautiful!

Work on “Paul’s bed”

The area behind the beech hedge is a large, mixed bed and there was plenty to be done. The Clematis Perle d’ Azur had to be pruned – this being about the last date for pruning Group 3 clematis.

This was a chance to take some cuttings and for someone to head to the greenhouse…

Hopefully, that will be several free plants in no time at all. There was lots of clearing and cutting back to do too.

It’s a great start but there will be more work on this bed in the next few weeks.

Clear and plant under the arches

There were lots of Spanish bluebells and Celandine (the weedy type) to be removed from the rose arches beds. Then some Verbena bonariensis, Lychnis and Osteospermum to be dotted through for summer height and colour.

It’s very exciting to think what this revamped area will look like in a couple of months.

Plant up the cut-flower beds

The grid made for the raised bed last week was due to be planted up, along with the other two beds.

Each plant was put in its own square. As they grow, the grid will be raised to support each plant individually. Going in were…

Orlaya grandiflora

Antirrhynum ‘Apple Blossom’

Centaurea cyanus ‘Blue’

Nigella ‘African Bride’

Centaurea cyanus ‘Blackball’

Ammi visnaga

More plants going in on the other beds too.

This bed was planted with…

Antirrhynum (red)

Scabiosa ‘Drumstick’

Eschscholzia californica ‘Thai Silk’

These flowers are being grown for cutting but they will look wonderful in the beds while they wait their turn.

Just enough time for Easter cakes and to be looked after by our Deputy Catering Manager… thank you bakers and Hilary!

The blog is taking a break for a few weeks – see you in late April.

Friday 15th March

We started the day, as we occasionally do, with a poem…

Worm Moon (excerpt)

In March the earth remembers its own name.

Everywhere the plates of snow are cracking.

The rivers begin to sing. In the sky the winter stars are sliding away; new stars appear as, later, small blades of grain will shine in the dark fields.

And the name of every place is joyful.

by Mary Oliver

Ident

This week we are looking at pretty flowers of early spring bulbs and other early flowering plants.

Tulipa sylvestris

(sylvestris – growing in woodlands)

This small, delicate species tulip is sometimes known as the wild or woodland tulip. It is now considered to be native to the UK as it has naturalised and spread but was probably introduced from warmer climes at some point in the 17th century. It has bright yellow, pointed petals with a green rib and a soft, citrusy scent. They do really well in short grass but are also good in borders or containers. They like a moist but well-drained soil and full sun or light shade.

Plant out in groups from October. If planting in pots, make sure they get enough water over the winter. Ht. 20cm

Narcissus ‘Minnow’

This beautiful dwarf variety has tiny creamy white blooms with a brighter, sunshine yellow centre. The delicate stems can each carry up to five gorgeously fragrant flowers. If planted in beds and borders they will form clumps and spread quite quickly. They are also great for spring pots and containers either on their own or alongside other spring plants.

They like a moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. After flowering, remove the stems and leave the foliage to die back – this will feed the bulb for the next year and encourage clumping. Ht. 18cm. RHS AGM🏆

Chionodoxa luciliae ‘Pink Giant’ syn. Scilla

(from Greek words chion meaning snow and doxa meaning glory, luciliae was after Lucile Boissier the wife of Swiss Botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier)

Glory of the snow is so called as it flowers in May to June in the mountains of its native western Turkey as the snow is melting. This variety is slightly bigger than some other Scillas but is just as delicate with its soft-pink star-shaped flowers. This is another plant which will naturalise and spread easily both in lightly shaded areas under trees where it will light up the ground, or in sunny borders containers and pots, flowering for weeks.

Disease-resistant, easy to grow and very low maintenance, it just needs any well-drained soil. Ht. 15cm

Veronica peduncularis syn. Veronica umbrosa

(peduncularis – with a flower stalk)

This speedwell is related to the Veronica persica (see 23rd February) which is seen as a weed and runs rampant through our borders and lawns. However, this cultivar is quite different – I think it is probably ‘Georgia Blue’, a vigourous, semi-evergreen perennial with wiry stems and young foliage which are tinted a reddish-bronze and which form a low-growing cushiony mat. Masses of intense blue flowers in loose racemes appear from late spring to autumn. It is lovely along border and path edges or left to ramble over rockeries and walls.

It needs full sun or light shade and a moist, well-drained soil but can cope with drier conditions once established. Ht. 10cm RHS AGM🏆

Ficaria verna ‘Brazen Hussy’

(verna – relating to spring)

This is another plant related to one of the weeds covered last month. It is a different form of lesser celandine and it won’t become such a nuisance as the wild variety. I’m not sure why Christopher Lloyd, who discovered it, named it ‘Brazen Hussy’, (a term bandied about freely in some of our pasts – in jest and otherwise!) or what the plant did to deserve it but it made me laugh. It is a tuberous rooted, mat-forming perennial with the most amazing blackish-bronze leaves and contrasting buttercup yellow flowers in spring. It is great for early groundcover under deciduous shrubs as it will die back completely after flowering just as the shrubs are coming into leaf.

It likes moist but well-drained soil in full or partial shade and is fully hardy. These will seed around but may eventually produce inferior plants so remove any that don’t come up to scratch. Ht. 10cm

Jobs for the week

Work on the dry garden

It was the area near and under the olive tree that was to be looked at this week. There was the Veronica peduncularis – speedwell – mentioned earlier to be moved and cuttings taken with the same being done with the Santolinas.

Then, as with last week, the area was carefully weeded and tidied, keeping a close eye out for emerging plants.

Make a support grid for annual cut flowers

The three raised beds will be planted with various flowers this year and one of them is due to have flowers for cutting. Last year we made a support grid which worked well so a repeat was just the job.

Measure, hold still, tie! Then repeat…

A wonderful, neat job done. The three beds are bare but rather sculptural with the supports waiting for their plants.

Work in the greenhouse

A lot of the sweetpeas had grown enough to be potted on. This gives the roots space to develop before the plants are planted out where they are to flower. Not everyone has the space to do this and you can keep them in their root trainers or loo roll inners until it is time to plant.

There were Nerines, some new bulbs and some pot-bound plants, and Dianthus caryophyllus – clove pink cuttings to pot up too.

Pink all the way!

Plant some annuals

Some of the early sown hardy annuals, including Ammi, were ready to plant out and were destined for the bed under the apple tree. The chives on the lower beds needed to be divided followed by general weeding and a tidy up of the beds and paths.

Gardening by committee?

Sometimes weeding can be very satisfying… that looks fab!

See you soon.

Friday 8th March

It was all about the seeds today at the Garden House. The rate of sowing is ramping up and it was time to have a closer look at, and a reminder of, how best to sow these magical, tiny bundles of potential.

There are many suggestions about how best to sow – compost, containers etc. – but this is how we do it at G.H. As always Bridge was on hand to show us how…

This was a mix of general purpose compost, garden compost and leafmould, sieved to take out any large bits. Overfill your pot and strike off the excess with your hand. Tap the pot on the table and tamp down with a tamper or the base of another pot. The soil should then have an even surface just below the rim of your pot.

If your seeds are really tiny (some are like dust), they can be mixed with fine, dry sand to make it easier to sow them evenly. A test-tube is good for this. Some seeds have instructions to sow in situ outside but, as long as they are handled gently and the tap roots are not damaged, sowing into pots gives the plants more chance of surviving and gives you choice of where to place them later in the year.

Add a small quantity of seed to the sand (you probably don’t want 500 of the same plant), shake to mix then sprinkle across your pot in lines, first one way then turn the pot to go again. Keep going until the surface of the soil is covered. These tiny seeds generally need light to germinate so cover them with a fine layer of vermiculite which lets the light through but will give some protection and prevent moss and mould growth.

If the seeds are bigger, distribute them by hand as evenly across the pot as possible. These will probably need a covering of compost so use a sieve to get a fine covering.

It was our turn! We were each given a packet of hardy annuals to sow.

Not forgetting to label them properly – including the colour of the plant – very important when planning planting schemes for the summer. The pots were put in trays to be watered from below so the seeds were not washed around.

How exciting!

Ident – winter twigs

Aesculus hippocastanum

(hippocastanum – Latin name for this species derived from hippos in the Greek meaning a ‘horse’ and castanea in the Latin meaning the chestnut)

Mature horse chestnut trees grow to a height of around 40m and can live for up to 300 years. The bark is smooth and pinky-grey when young, which darkens and develops scaly plates with age. Twigs are hairless and stout; buds are oval, dark red, shiny and sticky. The leaf scars left on twigs after the leaves have fallen have a distinctive horseshoe shape, complete with seven “nails”.

They are susceptible to horse chestnut scale and horse chestnut leaf minor (Cameraria ohridella) with the later being more of a threat.

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii

(utilis – useful)

The elegant Himalayan birch is highly ornamental and, therefore, hugely popular.Its architectural shape and open habit combined with that stunning peeling, papery, tactile bark make it a favourite for use as a single specimen tree or planted in groups if you are lucky enough to have the space. It can also be coppiced to encourage a multi-stemmed shrub shape. It is set off beautifully against a clear, blue, winter sky while in spring and summer it bears delicate mid-green oval leaves that catch the breeze. Will grow pretty much anywhere, in any soil. Ht. up to 8m.

Ginka biloba

(biloba – with two lobes)

The maidenhair tree is fascinating. The Kew Gardens website states – It is one of the oldest living tree species in the world and the sole survivor of an ancient group of trees that date back to before dinosaurs roamed the Earth – between 245 and 66 million years ago. It’s so ancient, the species is known as a ‘living fossil‘ and the oldest recorded maidenhair tree is 3,500 years old. The tree is also the only living connection between ferns and conifers.

 It is the only member of its genus (Ginkgo), which is the only genus in its family (Ginkgoaceae), which is the only family in its order (Ginkgoales), which is the only order in its subclass (Ginkgoidae). Got that?!

It is deciduous, up to 25m, conical when young then becoming more irregular shaped with age. Leaves are up to 12cm in width, fan-shaped and often bilobed, turning clear yellow in autumn. Dull yellow fruits which can smell horrible appear in autumn on female plants!

Amelanchier lamarckii

(lamarkii – for the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck 1744–1829)

This Garden House favourite is otherwise known as juneberry or snowy mespilus, and is a large, upright, deciduous shrub or tree with an open, multi-stemmed habit. The leaves emerge with a bronze tinge then mature to a glossy green before turning to wonderful shades of orange and red in the autumn. Delicate racemes of star-shaped flowers emerge alongside the young leaves, later maturing into red-purple fruits loved by birds.

It prefers a neutral to acid, well-drained but moist soil in sun or partial shade. This is a wonderful addition to any garden for year-round interest. Ht. up to 10m. RHS AGM 🏆

Corylus avellana contorta

(avellana – connected with Avella, Italy)

I wrote about this a few weeks ago but it’s worth revisiting – springtime wouldn’t be the same without the pale yellow “lambs tail” catkins of the hazel. Those catkins are the male parts of the plant while the female buds sit just behind the point where catkin meets stem. Hazel is good for small gardens as it can be controlled and shaped by pruning without any ill-effects. It is a deciduous shrub with strongly twisted branches which are highly sculptural against a winter sky. Those golden yellow catkins appear on the bare branches in late winter followed by fresh green slightly twisted leaves.

Full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. RHS AGM 🏆

Jobs for the week

Sorting and sowing seeds

Carrying on from the sowing masterclass there were seeds to sow but also research to be done on the sowing requirements of different seeds.

These sleuths were looking up information to find the best methods of sowing. The German seed suppliers, Jelitto, have a “sowing directions” list with each type of sowing requirement listed and numbered from 1 to 20. Then each type of seed is given a corresponding number. This can be really handy when sowing seed saved from the garden and without a packet!

Putting it all into practice – sowing perennials and keeping good records!

Work in the dry garden

It has been such a wet winter that it’s tempting to rename this area. Today the group was looking carefully at one patch to see if any plants had been lost, to tidy and to plant some Gladioli.

It’s worth taking time over this as plants assumed to be lost to the cold and wet might just be emerging.

Going in were Gladiolus tristis. How gorgeous are they?

Plant up the urns

Bridge had taken delivery of some young yews to be planted in the urns that had been emptied a couple of weeks ago. Some of them were a bit too big so they needed to have their roots and top growth pruned.

This looks like a drastic course of action but, done carefully, will not harm the plant and will encourage bushy growth from the base.

Some of us are withholding judgement on whether we like the look until they have established a bit more….watch this space!

Tend to the winter garden

There was a lot of lesser celendine (see the weed ident from two weeks ago) to be cleared from the winter garden and a snigger-inducing Rubus cockburnianus to be cut back.

The Rubus and some stems cut from the Lonicera fragrantissima – winter honeysuckle – were cut to make hardwood cuttings and the Daphne was shaped a little too giving us fragrant cuttings to take home.

It was very satisfying to see the end results. Then it was time for a break, cake and a chat in the glorious, much appreciated sunshine.

It wouldn’t be the same without the cake.

See you next time.

Friday 1st March

It’s March…hooray! February seemed to last forever. The weather gods decided to throw everything at us in celebration.

Pruning – a brief guide

We had been asked to bring in a branches from shrubs in our gardens as today we were looking at pruning.

Get to know your shrub!

There are some general rules but different shrubs need different levels of pruning.

• Some shrubs need very little pruning other than the removal of dead, diseased and damaged wood; others should be pruned very hard in spring, e.g. Buddleia.
• Shrubs grown for ornamental stems should be pruned to within a few centimetres of the ground in very early spring, e.g. Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow).
• Evergreen shrubs require little pruning – only to contain the size and shape, in early spring, after the frosts but before they put on new growth. Others can be clipped in summer e.g. Eleagnus and Buxus sempervirens (box), but not too late as new growth could be damaged by early winter frosts.
• Flowering shrubs…it all depends on when they flower. There are rules…

Spring or early summer flowering shrubs which finish flowering before the middle of June. These flower on the previous year’s growth so should be pruned immediately after flowering giving the plant enough time to produce new stems for the following year.

Shrubs that flower throughout the summer and after mid-June. These are flowering on the current year’s stem growth and should be pruned the following spring after the winter and when the danger of frost has passed . They will put on enough growth between pruning and the summer for flowers to form.

Types of pruning

• Formative pruning. This is used on young plants to provide a good framework shape ready for future growth.
• Pruning back to a bud or a lateral. This encourages the growth of new shoots to make the plant more bushy and can also encourage flowering and fruiting.
• Renewal pruning. This is used when a shrub has become congested. Remove 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 of the older stems, cutting right to the bottom. This allows room for new, more productive growth to flourish.
• Renovation or remedial pruning. This is a drastic course of action for when a shrub is old and/or completely overgrown. Cut the whole shrub down to the ground just leaving a base, then cross your fingers!
• Deadheading. This is used for shrubs, perennials and annual plants and keeps the plants looking tidy as well as encouraging new flowers to form.
• ‘Chelsea chop’. So called as the optimum date for pruning in this way coincides with the Chelsea Flower Show in late May. This means cutting back the height of hardy perennials by a third to a half to prevent them getting leggy, reduce the need for staking, encourage bushiness and to delay flowering until later in the summer.

Good luck!

Ident

Bridge had been buying plants. Nothing unusual in that but this time she’d been tempted by houseplants.

Scindapsus

There is a possibility that this devil’s ivy might not be Scindapsus at all but a Pothos. They are both part of the Araceae family but Pothos is in the epipremnum genus, whereas Scindapsus is its own genus. They are often named as both…this is not helpful. If it is a Scindapsus it is a very easy, tough, adaptable plant that is tolerant of varying light levels as long as it’s not in direct sun. Water once a week but avoid leaving it in standing water. Don’t worry if it dries out – mine is appallingly neglected and just keeps going.

Platycerium bifurcatum

(bifurcatum – divided into equal stems or branches)

A staghorn fern is an epiphytic plant, which means it grows on other plants or objects for support but is not parasitic. This type of fern is known for its shape that mimics deer or elk antlers. The fern has two distinct leaf forms—small, flat leaves (known as shield fronds) that cover and protect the root ball structure and take up water and nutrients and green, pronged antler fronds that emerge from this base and can reach up to a metre in length indoors.

They grow best in bright but indirect light in warm and humid conditions. Water regularly but allow the base to dry out in-between watering. Feed it once a month during spring and summer. These plants can be mounted on a lump of moss or compacted compost fixed to a vertical surface and hung up, mimicking how they grow in the wild.

Dieffenbachia

Dieffenbachia, or dumb cane, is a genus of tropical perennials with several species that are commonly grown as houseplants. The plant contains raphides – needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate occurring in clusters within the tissues. These are defensive mechanisms that repel browsing animals. Ingestion of the leaves causes stinging and burning of the mouth for a couple of weeks. In humans, this reaction can hinder speech which explains the common name.

They do well in dappled or partial shade but might need bright, indirect light in the winter. Humidity and regular watering, a moist but not waterlogged compost with good drainage, and a soluble feed during summer months will keep it happy.

Plerandra elegantissima

(elegantissima – very elegant)

Known as false aralia, this gorgeous, airy plant is native to New Caledonia, a small island in the pacific seas. Its leaves are thin, coppery red to dark green with toothed edges and consist of 7 or 8 fingers. This is another plant that needs a humid spot in bright, indirect light and it really doesn’t like the cold so make sure the temperature doesn’t dip too low at night. It doesn’t like to be moved around too much either…apart from all that it’s easy-peasy!

Phymatosorus scolopendria syn. Microsorum scolopendria

(scolopendria – from a supposed likeness of the underside of its fronds to a millipede or centipede)

This strongly rhizomatous fern grows in the wild in the Western Pacific rim from Australia to New Caledonia to Fiji and throughout the South Pacific but is commonly grown as a houseplant. It has many common names including monarch fern and wart fern.  Deeply sunken sori (types of spore) on the frond undersides result in wart-like bumps on the upper-sides, hence the common name but these are not visible on young leaves.

They are slow-growing and develop hairy roots capable of absorbing water and nutrition. They need to be kept moist with regular watering and misting.

Davillia

This last plant is, I think, a rabbit’s foot fern but it might be a hare’s foot or a squirrel’s foot fern…I kid you not. What I do know is that while some people find this gorgeous and fascinating, others can’t be in the same room. These ferns do best in consistently moist compost in dappled light or partial shade conditions. Indoors, a north-facing or east-facing window is ideal. Never expose them to direct sunlight unless they’ve been carefully acclimated. They also grow well under artificial lights.

I found and used a great site for indoor plant care while writing this – many thanks to “The Spruce” website, based in the U.S. I think.

Jobs for the week

Re-pot and propagate some houseplants

After looking at new houseplants there were also some of the older ones to tend to. Bridge had seen some creative ways of propagating succulents so we had a go ourselves. One way was to remove individual leaves, sew them onto a thread, mist them well and hang them up.

You learn something new every day!

Another attractive idea was to plant in concentric circles or a spiral.

We’ll wait and see how both of these turn out.

Work on Little Dixter

This is the area just outside the garden room and it needed a general tidy-up, existing plants tended to and some new ones planted.

Bridge had been shopping for colour!

Looking good.

Re-plant a container in the front garden.

One of the large containers had a lot of ivy growing in it which had become congested and tangle. Time for a re-think…

There was masses of ivy to untangle and divide for people to take home.

Lovely!

Plant some alpines.

Some of the alpine containers were due for some additions.

The RHS website states, “Alpines are small and highly collectable plants, producing exquisite little flowers in a range of vibrant hues. As they come from mountainous regions, many are very hardy. They’re easy to grow too, as long as you give them sharply draining compost. They thrive in containers, where a small collection can create a cheery display all year round.” Can’t think why I haven’t tried them yet.

See you next time.

Friday 23rd February

The Hellebores are looking fantastic at the Garden House with enough variety to inspire this artful bowl of floating blooms.

Not so welcome at this time of year are emerging weeds which seem to get a head-start on everything else, can be confused with precious plants and will compete for space, nutrients and light. So this week…

Ident – Weeds currently in the garden

Gallium aparine

(aparine – clinging or seizing, from the Greek, apairo?)

I would tell you all the other common names for this annual cleaver but the RHS website lists 33 so I’d be here all day. Just a few include bur weed, cling rascal, stick-a-back and sticky willy. All of those refer to the adhesive quality caused by small, hook-like hairs that cover the stems and leaves, which aid the plant in scrabbling over the ground and other plants. Tiny, greenish-white flowers appear from early spring which develop into burr-like fruits which are also covered in hook hairs. These can attach to animal fur or human clothing which aids the dispersal of seed. Cleavers are edible and have been used as a diuretic but use the young growth and cook to soften those hooks. The seeds can be dried and used as an alternative to coffee – they are in the same family – Rubiaceae.

They germinate early in cold conditions but are easily recognisable and removed from the soil.

Valerianella sp.

“Down a rabbit hole” doesn’t do justice to the journey I’ve been on with this weed. Initially, I had recorded it as Valeriana and became most confused when the images I looked up didn’t match. I had assumed it was a Valerian which are lovely – even the weedy type. But, this is related to Valerianella locusta , lamb’s lettuce, cornsalad or mâche, in the Caprifoliaceae family. There are several species of Valerianella but I haven’t been able to pin down which this is.

Whatever it is, it is fairly easily spotted and pulled up.

Ficaria verna

(verna – relating to spring)

Lesser celandine  is a low-growing, early flowering, hairless perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Although a welcome sight in the wild and a good source of nectar for early pollinators, they are invasive and can crowd out and smother other plants and take over lawns in domestic gardens. It was once thought that you could use lesser celandine to predict the weather as they close their petals before rain falls. The leaves are high in vitamin C and have been used to prevent scurvy.

They spread through underground tubers, are highly persistent and tend to grow through other plants and so are difficult to remove entirely. If you really like them they make excellent ground-cover!

Euphorbia peplus

(peplus – a robe of state)

Petty spurge or milkweed is an annual with greeny-yellow flowers that have no petals or sepals, but are held in cup-shaped bracts and appear in clusters. The leaves are bright-green and oval. It spreads readily as the miniscule seeds explode into the air and are very persistent, some germinating after 50 or 100 years, and will germinate in all but the very coldest weather. I should know – they are all over my garden.

However, the root system is weak and they are easily pulled up, especially if caught when small. Be aware that like any Euphorbia, the milky sap is an extreme irritant so gloves on when clearing them from your garden.

Veronica persica

(persica – connected with Persia)

The common field speedwell is one of those plants that blurs the line between wildflower and weed. It is very pretty in flower and is being left in place more often now that planting trends favour the less formal look. The four-petalled, tiny flowers are a gorgeous, clear blue and the leaves are toothed and slightly hairy. This annual prefers moist conditions and grows well in loamy soil and  often sprawls along the ground before rising to flower.

It does spread quickly and can become a nuisance but is fairly easy to remove if needed.

Anchusa officinalis

(officinalis – sold in shops hence a useful plant)

Another case of “One gardener’s weed…” as this is definitely seen as a weed at the Garden House yet is sold as both plants and seed commercially. Alkanet, or common bugloss, is a biennial (sometimes perennial) plant in the Boraginaceae family which grows up to 1m tall and has spikes of attractive blue flowers. Why is this a weed? Well, it self seeds very easily and spreads quickly, each plant takes up a lot of space and, although the flowers are attractive, they are sparse…there are cultivated forms which have better density and colour of flower. They are also prone to powdery mildew which makes the leaves scruffy and unhealthy looking.

They are quite deep-rooted so may take some pulling to get them out.

Cardamine hirsuta

(hirsuta – hairy)

Hairy bittercress is a hardy annual or biennial species of plant in the family Brassicaceae and is a native wildflower, edible to humans and attractive to moths, butterflies and hoverflies. The leaves have a peppery, cress-like flavour and make a good addition to salads

The basal rosette of leaves is low-growing but the flower stalks reach up to 30cm. When the seedpods are ripe the seeds are dispersed explosively for up to 1m if the plants are shaken by the wind or by weeding operations. The seeds become sticky when wet and can be spread on tools and clothing.

While this is in many ways a useful plant, it is a nuisance in the garden as it multiplies readily and has persistent seeds. The plants the compete for water, nutrients and light. Easily removed but mind the exploding seed pods!

Sonchus oleraceus

(oleraceus – used as a vegetable)

Common sow thistle (it too has many other common names) is one of eight species of sow thistle growing in the UK. They strongly resemble dandelions and are in the same family – Asteraceae. Leaves can be eaten as salad greens or cooked like spinach with the younger leaves being more palatable. They are also attractive for pigs (hence sow thistle) and rabbits and hares. However, like the dandelion, they produce masses of wind-blown seed which will germinate just about anywhere and are considered an invasive species in some parts of the world as they compete with crops.

Digging them out, removing as much root as possible, as soon as they appear and hoeing seedlings will help to keep them at bay. Failing that, a flame thrower might just suffice.

Jobs for the week

Planting out Hellebores and more

Bridge had acquired some beautiful Hellebores to add to those already in the garden. They were dotted along the terraces in an expert manner.

There was also a Chaenomeles to be trained up a wall near a water butt and piping to distract from the plumbing…

Give it a few months and it will be wall-to-wall greenery.

Re-home the Libertia

There are a number of lovely terracotta urns around the terraces, containing striking Libertia plants – almost grass-like relatives of Irises.

These have been in place for some time and have great impact in the autumn and winter, especially on sunny days. However, Bridge felt that they jarred with the spring and summer planting and that it was time for a change. They were to be relocated to the winter bed and Bridge has plans to replace them with unclipped, free-growing yew.

Some of them were divided and potted up to grow on. The ones planted out in the winter garden had instant impact, looking brilliant and lighting up the area. Watch this space to see the plans for the the urns evolve.

Prune the Sambucus

This is the right time of year to prune Sambucus, or black elder. This is always a favourite among us Friday groupers with its finely cut, almost black foliage, delicate white pink-flushed blooms and deep, red-black berries. To keep it in check and produce the best coloured leaves it needs hard pruning. There were two to tackle…

It’s a good chance to take hardwood cuttings…

Now, some of us have tried these before with no success but we’re always up for trying again -potential free shrubs!

Weed and thin-out the wildflower meadow

All that weed identification earlier was not just an empty exercise…all those weeds have been growing in the wildflower meadow just as the flower seedlings are germinating alongside Tulips and Narcissi. It’s quite crowded in there so it was time to remove the weeds and thin out plants such as corncockle, Agrostemma githago, which might crowd out other plants.

It was a surprisingly fiddly job but very satisfying and gave ample time for catching up with each other. The surplus corncockles were removed carefully enough for people to take home to pot up and eventually plant out.

Agrostemma githago

To finish, here are some ways of arranging your early spring flowers should you be lucky enough to have some.

A ring vase.

In a shallow bowl using a lashed wooden lattice grid to slot the stems in.

Use a Niwaki flower “frog” – a new one on me! Brass pins are set closely together in a weighty metal base to support stems.

How inventive…they look great Bridge!

Friday 9th February

Signs in the Garden House that spring is just around the corner.

It was good to be back at the Garden House and to see Bridge on her return from New Zealand and Japan.

Bridge had asked us to bring in examples of flowers we could find blooming in our gardens. Some of us struggled to find any that weren’t slug-eaten but there was a surprising range of different flowers.

Bridge wanted us to look at, then have a go at “flat lays”, a current trend in the crossover between floristry, art and design, and photography. This uses whole flowers and leaves, or just selected parts or petals, laid onto a surface which contrasts or compliments, to create a two-dimensional design to be viewed from a “top-down” perspective. The technique is used for many things (who doesn’t love Instagramming their meals?!) but is very effective when used with flowers and plants.

Here are a few examples from social media – there are hundreds out there…

…and here is a another from our very own creative photographer, Sarah K.

This was created using acorn cases laid on a garage floor…stunning!

We all had a go at laying our flowers out on white paper in as artistic a way as possible.

The results were really pleasing and most of us enjoyed the process very much. The results were then combined, positioned and photographed from above by a group of fearless gardeners…

Steady now…

Wonderful!

Ident

For the ident this week I have chosen some of the flowers from the flat lay.

Hellebore

Hellebores, or Lenten/winter/Christmas rose, are a genus of about 20 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae family. They are great for adding structure and colour to the winter garden with most flowering from January right through to May. There are many cultivars of this elegant nodding plant, offering a wide range of subtle colours, and with some now being bred to have more upright blooms.

Generally, they are happiest in a woodland edge setting , growing in fertile, moist soil in partial shade but are able to cope with a range of conditions, even full sun as long as the soil doesn’t dry out and the temperatures get too high. They won’t, however, thrive in waterlogged, boggy sites.  Cut back the large leathery leaves when flowers and new foliage emerge and mulch plants annually with well-rotted compost or manure. Hellebores don’t like to be disturbed once established so dividing them is not likely to be successful. They seed around readily though so collecting seed to propagate would be easier but these new plants won’t come “true”. They cross pollinate easily and you might find a new hybrid! Ht. 30 – 90cm depending on the cultivar.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen, or sowbread/swinebread, is a genus of 23 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Primulaceae and range from tender through to very hardy, some suitable for alpine planting through to woodland species. In cultivation it is possible to have cyclamen in flower in the garden or greenhouse in every month of the year. Cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to the Caucasus and Iran, with one species in Somalia. Most like an alkaline soil or one that is as close to neutral as possible.

Cyclamen persicum originate from the Mediterranean and are generally bred as house plants as they are not hardy. They will flower indoors for up to six weeks through autumn or winter if they don’t get too hot. They can be kept after they die back in spring, as long as they are kept dormant in a cool place and watered sparingly

C. persicum

C. persicum

Cyclamen hederifolium is hardy and tough with flowers appearing in autumn followed by their ivy-like leaves. They can be planted in the most difficult, sparse sites as long as there is some shade and will naturalise readily.

C. hederifolium

Cyclamen coum comes from slightly cooler, damper areas than some of the other Mediterranean species. It is hardy down to very low temperatures and flowers from December to April. They like fertile moist soil so keep watered in the summer.

C. coum

C. coum

There are many other species, each with slightly different origins, features and requirements…head to the Cyclamen Society website to find out more.

Crocus

Crocuses are a genus of about 100 species of flowering plants in the Iridaceae family native to Eastern Europe. They grow from corms and their stems remain largely underground. There are varieties which flower in autumn as well as those more common in our gardens which flower from late winter into spring. They generally prefer a sunny, well-drained site but will be happy on most soils including chalk. Propagation by division of established clumps works with most species except for C. tommasinianus – the woodland crocus – which likes to be crowded.

C. tommasinianus

C. flavus

C. vernus

Autumn flowering species include C. speciosus and C. sativus. C. sativus is the saffron crocus which is known to have been used throughout recorded history as a spice and for dyeing. The saffron part is the three long, red stigmas and, although the flowers are easy to grow, it takes about 150 flowers to produce one gram of saffron and is worth more than its equivalent weight in gold.

C. sativus

C. speciosus

Chaenomeles

Chaenomeles, often referred to as Japanese quince, is a genus of four species of deciduous, spiny shrubs in the Roseaceae family. If you have a “Japanese” quince it may well be C. x superba or C. speciosa instead of C. japonica as the term is used widely. They are related to the quince tree – Cydonia oblonga and Chinese quince – Pseudocydonia sinensis.

C. speciosa

C. x superba

C. japonica

Apart from the colour I would struggle to tell the difference…they are all surprisingly easy to grow as stand-alone shrubs, in pots or trained up a wall. Flowers appear, often on bare stems, from late winter through to spring, followed by foliage of simple, alternate, slightly serrated leaves and aromatic fruits. They are fully hardy and will grow in most reasonable soils in full sun or partial shade.

These elegant, striking plants are joyful in the late winter weeks and have inspired many artists and photographers…just like our own Katie who posted this stunning image…

Beautiful.

Iris reticulata

(reticulata – netted)

These tiny Irises are grown from bulbs and are among the first to flower in the spring. Plant them in pots and bowls or at the front of a spring border. The species name, reticulata, refers to a kind of fibrous netting which surrounds the bulbs. Stiffly upright, narrow leaves are followed by delicate, scented flowers with intricate, splash-like markings on the outer, “falls” petals.

Jobs for the week

Sow seeds

Seeds due to be sown this week included Cleome, Cobea, Nicotiana langsdorffii and several varieties of sweet pea – ‘Lord Nelson’, ‘Matucana’, ‘Cupani’, Cupid Pink’ and ‘Mrs Collier’.

The dream team.

Also being sown were some species Petunia exserta seeds saved from last years plants. This is a rare, wild form and is thought to be at risk of extinction…not if we can help it!

And they even remembered to log everything in the seed book…

Fill some gabions

There were a couple more gabions to be filled with the last of the flints from the fallen wall.

This has made good use of stuff that would otherwise have gone to landfill and has provided more support, structure and texture to the hard landscaping

Potting on

There were a few Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ and Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ cuttings to be potted on and we had just the people for the task..

Free plants!

Make a kokedama

According to Wikipedia, Kokedama is a ball of soil, covered with moss, on which an ornamental plant grows. The idea has its origins in Japan, where it is a combination of the nearai bonsai and kusamono planting styles. Today, Kokedama is very popular in Japanese gardens so it was only right that we should give it a go!

First, gather your plants, moss and twine. Then tip your chosen plant out carefully (we had beautiful clumps of snowdrops) and form the soil into a rough ball. Cover the ball with moss, holing it together with twine or fine fishing line. Our kokedamas were to be hung up so balancing the weight evenly was the biggest challenge.

We then hung them from the apple tree branches so they could be seen from the garden room.

A lovely addition to anyone’s list of floristry skills!

See you next time.