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op tips for maximum growth

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Last chance to get pruning Essential pruning aftercare Look after wildlife in winter Time to sow sweet peas Two jobs with one plant!

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“Hellebores are easy to grow and the choice is better than ever,” says Graham

20 Rediscover Potentillas: find out how to create months of colour 24 Heavenly Hellebores: easy to grow, and now even more choice!

28 Annual Climbers: fast growers for every situation and every garden 50 How To Grow Hybrid Tea Roses: Anne Swithinbank’s top tips 54 Get The Look: a garden of island beds in Staffordshire

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“This is your last chance to prune trees and shrubs,” says Ruth

Peter Seabrook / TI Media

TI Media

Gardening wisdom

10

“Prune apple trees early to reach their full potential,” says Peter

10 Peter Seabrook: don’t leave young apple trees – prune them, says Peter 14 Bob Flowerdew: time to throw out the rule book with onions, says Bob 15 Val Bourne: long-tailed tit numbers are on the up-turn at last, says Val 17 Lucy Chamberlain’s Fruit and Veg 33 Ask John Negus your questions 37 Anne Swithinbank’s Masterclass 41 A Gardener’s Miscellany: our trivia and puzzles are about bulb onions 46 How To Use Tools: get the best out of soil-testing kits with Tim Rumball 48 Letters to Wendy from our readers 59 Toby Buckland: don’t let the weeds grow under your feet, says Toby

Subscriptions 38 Subscribe for only £1.14 per issue “I’m a nervous pruner. While I understand the science of pruning, I feel ill at ease whenever I cut into stems. However, it is a vital task and it’s that ‘now or never’ time of year, so I will go forth with secateurs in hand before it’s too late. The first task will be my young apple tree, which, nsidering Peter’s column n page 10, is in need of ome serious cutting back!

Does anyone else feel a little nervous when pruning?”

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“Climbers are so versatile: I’ll show you varieties for all needs,” says Louise

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3

Step by step

Check that tree ties are secure

Pruning made easy

The four key tips to remember

Cut away dead and diseased wood to healthy growth and remember to sterilise your blades afterwards.

1

I’m pruning a ‘Conference’ pear to keep it in shape and encourage better fruiting this summer

It’s easy to get carried away when pruning, so remember the old saying ‘look twice and cut once’ so you don’t ruin your tree with overpruning.

Last chance to get pruning

Ruth recommends you get it done before the sap rises

All photography TI Media

T

HERE are two main reasons a platform, make sure you have why we prune trees and shrubs; someone at hand to hold the steps to keep them healthy and in steady and help out where necessary. good shape; and, in the case The key requirements for successful of varieties that produce fruits, to keep pruning are sharp, clean tools – them cropping well. secateurs, loppers and a saw – a The dormant weeks of winter are granular feed and well-rotted compost the main pruning times (see page 5 for or manure for afterwards and a compost exceptions) and as spring is hopefully heap or garden-waste bin for prunings. advancing towards us wi eal healthy shape for welcome haste, time is and shrubs is an open running out to get any blet’ that allows good necessary cutting back flow through the done and dusted. ranches and gives If cutting back is left lenty of space for until buds start to swell ew growth. There and leaves unfurl, the hould be a balance pruning wounds will f old and new stems bleed more sap, which rne on a strong and can weaken the tree and lthy framework.

Angled cuts will present entry points for wly planted trees and repel rain pests and diseases. ill only need a light trim The thought of pruning can be to keep them in shape and growing daunting, but it needn’t be as the ‘rules’ as you want for the first few years. are pretty straightforward and the results As a general rule of thumb, cut back can be spectacular. My one caveat is healthy growth to a healthy bud that is that if you have a very large tree that growing outwards or in the direction needs substantial pruning through you would like new growth to go. neglect or damage, it is worth calling a Make the pruning cuts at an angle so professional tree surgeon to do the job that water runs off instead of collecting properly and safely. and softening the wood, which may start If it is a job you think you can tackle on to rot. There is no need to use wound your own, but with the use of ladders or paint as healthy wood heals itself.

4 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Remove spindly shoots and any that are growing inwards, cluttering up the centre of the tree or shrub.

2

3

Prune out extra shoots growing from the base of the trunk so they don’t crowd the main growth, and steal water and nutrients.

Remove broken and splintered wood cleanly before it can admit pests or infections or, in the case of larger branches, become dangerous to people and buildings.

4

In love with planting: In next week’s AG, I start getting ready for another year of gardening, including planting one of our favourite shrubs, the bleeding heart (Dicentra formosa).

Pruning and aftercare Complete the task safely, successfully and with no waste

1

Cut to a healthy outward-facing bud to avoid congesting the centre of the tree or shrub. Regular annual pruning also promotes blossom and fruiting.

When pruning high or difficult branches, stand on a balanced platform or ladder and use long-handled loppers for easier cutting.

Clear weeds and grass so they can’t compete for food and water.

Don’t forget to feed and mulch trees and shrubs after pruning.

Waste not, want not. Chop up small prunings for the compost heap and gather up longer ones to use as pea sticks and plant supports this summer.

3

2

4

Hard prunin Old roses that have When trees been pruned hard and shrubs ar should regenerate well left to grow unchecked, they can become an unruly tangle of branches and weak stems.

This not on unsightly, but can also cause a reduction in flowering and fruiting.

Bring it back to life with some hard, or renovation, pruning.

In the first year, take out dead, damaged, diseased and congested growth to ground level and remove half the shrub. Trim remaining stems by one half.

The following year thin out excessive new growth and shorted remaining branches. In the third year, remove any remaining older stems before returning to a normal annual pruning regime.

Feed and mulch well after each pruning. There may be no flowers for a season or two after renovation pruning, but the eventual result should be a stronger plant and improved blossoms and cropping.

If you plan to hard prune an old tree or shrub, it is worth taking cuttings as an insurance policy in case it doesn’t recover afterwards.

Trees and shrubs that need leaving alone for now ALTHOUGH most trees and shrubs can be pruned now, especially those that lose their leaves in autumn, there are some that should be left alone.

Most obviously, these include early

Leave early flowering shrubs such as forsythia alone until after they have blossomed

flowering varieties such as forsythia, Spores of the fungal disease silver camellia and philadelphus that flower on leaf (Chondrostereum purpureum) are prevalent in autumn and winter, and the previous year’s growth. Cut them can infect several deciduous species back now and they won’t produce are pruned now. blossom, so leave them alo hese include stone fruits, until they have flowered. wthorn and poplars. Foliage The sooner you cut evelops a silvery sheen and them back after their ffected branches may die blooms have faded, the nd develop an irregular longer they will have to rk stain in their centre as produce flowering stems l as bracket fungi. Avoid for next year’s colour.

Prune evergreens in sk of silver leaf by pruning You should also leave mmer when spores evergreens alone as they a warmer weather are dormant. generally less hardy than deciduous Similar leaf-silvering symptoms varieties and sub-zero temperatures without the dead wood, called ‘false may damage or kill off cut stems. silver leaf’, can be caused by cold, Wait until the weather has warmed draughts and stress. up in late spring.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

5

These dead teasels and long bits of dried and dead grass will be picked over by birds and wildlife for food and nesting materials

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Be a hedgehog hero. Cut a CD-sized hole in your fence so they can forage without going on roads. Check with your neighbour first, of course!

Wildlife plants They will provide food and shelter

Hedges of native trees provide wildlife with food and shelter Rotting leaves feed soil and shelter invertebrates

Look after wildlife in winter

Alamy

There are several things you can do to help them, says Ruth

Hedgehogs hibernate until late March or April, so if you see one out it may be ill. Wearing gloves, wrap it in a blanket in a box and take it to a hedgehog sanctuary. Call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society  01584 890 801 to find your local one.

1

Ponds are an excellent source of drinking water for winter wildlife, so place a couple of balls in the water to prevent it freezing. Never hit ice to try to smash it as the reverberations can stun or kill fish or amphibians hiding in the water.

Keep feeding the birds with quality food, such as that provided by CJ Wildbird Foods, and provide them with clean water. Clean bird tables regularly with weak disinfectant and remove uneaten food that can accumulate diseases and attract vermin.

If you’re having a winter tidy-up of the garden, remember to leave a wild patch untouched. You never know what may be overwintering in it and many of the invertebrates, amphibians and mammals will be allies in the growing season in your fight against pests.

3

6 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

2

4

As many native wildflowers vanish from the wild, our gardens are becoming havens for insects and the animals that feed on them.

We can do our bit for wildlife by growing a range of plants that provide food and shelter for insects and larger creatures all year round.

Early flowering plants such as snowdrops crocuses an winter heathers provide the year’s first nectar for insects such as queen An early bee on bumblebee winter heather emerging from hibernation.

A large clump of heather also provides shelter for overwintering insects and even hibernating mammals if it’s large enough.

When sowing and planting, remember that single-petalled plants are more useful than hybrids, as the pollen and nectar are often more accessible.

Try marigolds, sunflowers, daisies, borage, an assortment of herbs and knapweed, and don’t forget the aptly named honeywort (Cerinthe major)!

Create a wildflower meadow, either by sowing seeds or dotting wildflower plug plants through the lawn in spring.

Native and foreign trees and shrubs are also a useful addition, especially species with flowers and berries. They also provide valuable nesting sites and shelter.

Roll with it: Reduce household waste by sowing sweet peas in the cardboard tubes of loo and kitchen roll. They are deep enough for the plants’ long root systems.

Mice will take advantage of sweet pea seeds sown in a greenhouse or coldframe. You can soak seeds in liquid paraffin first to keep the rodents at bay.

What’s on

Things to do near you

Alamy

Get the best from your houseplants, RHS Garden Wisley 13 February

Start another batch of sweet peas now for plenty of delightfully scented flowers this summer

Some people file the seeds to help germination

Time to sow sweet peas

Start a second batch for more plants for longer, says Ruth

T

HE sweet peas I sowed back summer I am sowing a second batch. in the autumn are doing well The general advice used to be to in a mini greenhouse, seeing either soak the seeds overnight or out the worst of the winter. roughen their hard shells with a nail I am pinching them out every few file before sowing, but I did neither with weeks to stop them straggling and my autumn sowing and had a good tangling, and encourage them ination rate. grow into strong and bushy Sweet peas have extensive plants with lots of side oot systems and long tap shoots for more flowers. roots, so they need a deep Sweet peas are hardy pot of compost to flourish. annuals so you can, in For the best results, sow theory, sow them straight everal seeds around 1in Rootrainers into the soil in autumn. But by .5cm) deep in a 10in (25cm) are perfect for sitting in cold, wet soil they ru or use Rootrainers. These sweet peas the risk of rotting before they can are deep, narrow modules that are germinate and there is a greater danger opened up at planting time so you can that they will be carried off by hungry remove the rootball and place it straight into the soil. rodents and birds.

Once sown, keep the compost damp So starting them undercover is the and place the pot or Rootrainer in a best option, and to have more blooms greenhouse or coldframe. over a longer period of time next

Keeping sweet pea seedlings healthy

If the seedlings are left unattended and somewhere with poor ventilation, they grow straggly and thin and are vulnerable to rotting and fungal problems such as botrytis grey mould.

1

To keep the young plants healthy, make sure there is plenty of airflow around them (open the doors of your greenhouse or coldframe on mild days). Keep pinching out the tips to produce lots of side shoots.

2

1-2: Heralding Spring: Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HS 1-2: Snowdrop Weekend: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 1-29: Festival of Snowdrops: East Lambrook Manor Gardens, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5HH. ✆ 01460 240 328,  eastlambrook.com 3: RHS Members’ Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr 4: Winter Colour and Scent: RHS Garden Rosemoor 6: Rose Pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor 7: Cultivating Willow: RHS Garden Harlow Carr 7: RHS Members’ Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 7: Designing with Plants: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 8: British Iris Society Early Spring Show: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/ gardens/wisley 8: Designing with Plants: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 9: Lawn Care: RHS Garden Wisley 10: RHS Members’ Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 13: Success with Houseplants: RHS Garden Wisley ■ Send details and images of events to ruth.hayes@ti-media.com ■ All details are subject to change without our knowledge, so please check that the event is still going ahead before leaving home.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

7

Little alpines will soon spread

Large plants can be divided with a spade or two garden forks held back-to-back

All photography TI Media

Red persicaria is an attractive plant

Planting bistort divisions and alpines to help keep rockery weeds at bay

Two jobs with one plant!

Ruth beats invasive rockery weeds with a split perennial

C

OMPLETING two jobs in the time you’ve allocated for one is one of the most satisfying things about gardening.

Our problematic rockery, overrun with weeds and rampant campanula, needs a complete overhaul and is one of the major projects earmarked for 2020.

We also have a large clump of red bistort (Persicaria amplexicaulis) that is stunning when in full flower, but which has grown tatty and uncontained.

In winter it resembles a tangled brown mat, but in summer it transforms into a mass of emerald leaves topped with attractive pink flower spikes that turn a glorious red as they ripen.

The bistort’s spreading habit means

Step by step

it is excellent for suppressing weeds – and unregulated campanula! – so I decided to split it and plant the divisions in other areas of rockery.

Although the plant is large and tangled, it was easy to remove a few plantlets as several of its many offshoots were lightly rooted and could be carefully dug from the soil without damage to their roots.

I replanted these offshoots in an area of rockery cleared of weeds and campanula, and added a couple of little alpines that will hopefully spread and similarly help keep weeds and other unwanted plants at bay.

Two jobs in one morning – and just in time for a well-deserved mug of coffee!

Tips for dividing A healthy start for new plants Perennials can be divided in winter and early spring as long as the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen.

Lift the parent plant, keeping as much soil around its roots as possible, then cut into divisions using a spade or two garden forks held back-to-back and levered apart.

Make sure each new plant has healthy roots and top growth before you plant it, making sure it Protect roots while goes in the ground transplanting at the same depth as the parent plant. Water and keep weed-free.

If there is a delay between dividing and planting, wrap the roots in damp paper and store somewhere cool for up to 24 hours.

Replanting perennial divisions to beat weeds

Clear the planting area of stones, debris, unwanted plants and their roots. Break up compacted soil.

1

This soil is thin and undernourished, so I forked in lots of rich homemade compost and leafmould.

2

Keep new plants watered and weed-free while they establish

I checked the roots to make sure they were healthy, and untangled those that needed it.

3

8 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

4

When planting divisions, make sure Finally, water your new plantings they go in the ground at the same well to hydrate the roots and depth as they were before. Firm them in. settle the soil.

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Listen to Peter’s free podcast every Thursday. Search for ‘This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook’ on iTunes

with Peter Seabrook, AG’s classic gardening expert

Peter’s tips

1

Apple trees on dwarfing rootstock M9 and even more dwarfing M27 will need secure staking for all their cropping lives.

The effect of pruning is to stimulate two or three strong new shoots behind each cut

A one-year-old apple tree after being pruned back

Prune early apple trees

2

Young fruit trees will grow better without the competition of grass around the base, so keep a metrewide clean circle around each trunk.

It won’t reach its potential if ‘planted and left’, says Peter

All photography Peter Seabrook / TI Media, unless otherwise credited

W

HEN I view recently planted (the last five-seven years) apple and pear trees, all too often I am filled with despair. Lovely young, one-totwo-year old trees at the outset were planted with enthusiasm and just left.

Pruning bush, half-standard and full-standard trees – to establish a good branch framework in these early years – is essential. A good general rule is to prune back, by one-half to two-thirds, all the strong lead shoots made the previous summer.

The effect of this is to stimulate two or three strong new shoots behind each cut, so after several years a semi-globe of stout branches will develop. Each of these branches develop spurs and short

“I am filled with despair when I see young trees left” 10 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

laterals to carry fruit. Left unpruned, new growth develops at the end of each stem and, worse, with tip bearers flower clusters develop. This leaves a length of bare stem, and where fruits set at the tip the weight bends it down in an arc to the extreme where a large fruit can break the thin, elongated branch.

All too often these days, good container-grown, one- and two-yearold trees are sold unpruned. This is not difficult to understand; where the garden centre or nursery prune before offering for sale, the head on each tree would be one-half to two-thirds smaller and not look worth as much.

The stronger growing the rootstock, the more vigour to be found on branch extensions and the larger the ultimate size. It is a good general rule that the harder you cut, the stronger the regrowth, so on young trees on more vigorous rootstocks the pruning is not to be quite so hard.

Rootstock M26 is of medium vigour and more suited to container growing and general garden planting than very dwarfing rootstocks.

3

Encourage flower bud formation and then fruit clusters on strong, lateral side growth by tying over in a half circle with soft twine.

4

Prunings from last summer’s healthy growth (pencil thickness) make good grafting scion wood. Push the cut base into the soil to keep fresh until needed in spring.

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AG496

Step by step

Speedy seeds will soon germinate

Fill a clean tray with fresh seed compost, tamp it down and give it a good drenching with fresh tap water.

1

Upright Verbena rigida ‘Intensity’ works well at the front of border and also in containers

An intense burst of colour

This little verbena is a joyful garden addition, says Ruth

O

NE of the plants that everyone knows and loves is Verbena bonariensis, it’s mauve pompom heads swaying delicately from the back of the border, held up by willowy ridged stems.

But what about its more diminutive cousin, Verbena rigida? This is an equally charming but much shorter member of the family that works wonders when planted towards the front of borders or in containers.

More stocky than the statuesque V. bonariensis, V. rigida produces a mass of deeper-coloured flowers in shades of mauve, purple and magenta and grows

to just 1-2ft (30-60cm). This week’s free seeds are Verbena rigida ‘Intensity’, which produces an abundance of eye-catching lilac blooms.

Sown between now and March, the plant is ideal for sunny tubs and baskets, border fronts and path edges.

Thriving best in free-draining soils, it can be grown as a hardy perennial or, in more exposed gardens with heavy soils, as an annual or half-hardy perennial.

Wherever you grow it, leave it standing and mulch well in autumn so the year’s growth will protect the crown through winter, and cut it back when the weather warms up next spring.

Scatter the seeds as thinly as possible over the surface of the compost, either from the packet or by sprinkling them from between your finger and thumb.

2

Why we all love V. bonariensis Verbena bonariensis is the commonly occurring statuesque model of the vervain family.

A common sight in many gardens where it self-seeds freely, it hails from South America and is also known as Argentinian vervain and purple top.

It is a versatile planet that looks amazing in a wide range of gardens, from cottage-style plantings to prairies, gravel gardens and sophisticated city gardens.

They are very low-maintenance, too. Simply deadhead in autumn, then cut back to new shoots in spring.

You can collect seeds if you wish, but chances are you will find little 12 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Cover the seeds with a thin topping of more compost or the mineral vermiculite, which aids air and water circulation.

3

Verbena bonariensis is a versatile favourite

Alamy

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Verbena rigida may not flower until late summer or early autumn in its first year, but it will give months of colour in following years.

Sowing verbena

Verbena bonariensis self-seeds prolifically, so transplant seedlings where you want them to grow

seedlings popping up around mature plants, which can be lifted and moved to wherever you want them to grow.

Label the seeds, cover with a lid and then place on a light windowsill. Remember to remove the lid after germination.

4

with Bob Flowerdew, AG’s organic gardening expert

If you nip off the flower heads from bolters as soon as they are visible, plants switch their attention to swelling side-bulbs

Bob’s top tips for the week

TI Media

We’re told to plant only smaller onion sets, as larger sets are more likely to bolt

1

Dig or cover green manures now, so that they are really well rotted down by the time you want to sow and plant.

In our quest to grow a satisfying onion crop, we should treat received growing wisdom with caution, says Bob

All images Alamy, unless otherwise credited

A

your whole crop, and it could leave DVICE is always worth listening to – but it should also many empty gaps in your bed. be questioned in case it’s in I’ve experimented, and as long as error or no longer applicable. you nip off the flower heads from these We’re quite rightly told we should bolters as soon as they’re visible, the plant only smaller onion sets (the tiny plants switch their attention to swelling side-bulbs instead. True, the resulting onion bulbs we use in place of ren’t as big as they would sowing seed) as larger se om unbolted plants, they invariably bolt. We’re furth ke a bit longer to dry off told to pull up any that hen harvested, and they do bolt “to stop them are a tad more wasteful encouraging others” n the peeling. But you (but just how, nobody do get them for just has ever explained). de-heading the plants, All well and good, if you want to grow perfect ot pulling them. onions to sell or send up Now this is a good Drying the side bulbs to the ‘Great House’, as with sets, but it doesn’t of bolted onions bolters would flower, seed well with sown plants, and wither, and not produce nice as these do not have the same reserves. However, I wondered whether succulent bulbs. However, if you’re growing for home consumption, pulling it could work with last year’s homegrown bolters may waste a significant part of onions that had started to sprout, as these usually just go to waste. Planting sprouted onions, these rush to bolt; however, if these are promptly deheaded, then they behave more like shallots and swell a couple or more quite usable (if misshaped) bulbs.

Again, these take a little longer to dry off and to prepare, but are a great bonus crop for free.

“Pulling bolters may waste a big part of your crop”

14 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

2

Inspect chitting potatoes; look carefully at their shoots for aphids as these often appear, and kill them with a soft soap spray.

3

Sow onion and leek seed in trays under cover and, likewise, start off your onion sets in wee pots or cells.

TI Media

Know your onions

TI Media

You may have heard that it’s best to pull up any onions that bolt, but this isn’t always necessary with crops grown for home consumption

4

Sow indoor small-fruited, all-female cucumbers in a warm, light place: I’ll wager you have your first cucumber for Easter!

Week Gardening with Val Bourne, AG’s organic wildlife expert In winter, long-tailed tits can be found in small groups

In summer longtailed tits roost together, with the most important birds grabbing a central position, because it’s warmer

Long-tailed tit parents have help feeding their chicks, mostly from males that have failed to breed that year

Long-tailed tits aren’t actually members of the tit family – they are more closely related to babblers of India and Asia

One for all and all for one

Val is delighted to see a flock of around 20 long-tailed tits on her bird table for months on end this winter

T

All photographs Alamy

HIS winter I have noticed slightly different activity on the bird table compared to previous years.

Birds like the nuthatch, which are usually only seen in November, have visited the feeders on a daily basis for months. Like Spitfire pilots, these birds zoom in on mainly the peanuts, and then they’re gone in a second.

We’ve also had a flock of about 20 long-tailed tits for months on end. They make fluttering notes as they sweep through the garden on their way to raid the fat balls, looking almost like musical notes on a stave. And their song is surprisingly loud, considering their size.

Long-tailed tits are tiny, gregarious birds that have hardly any body fat and on average weigh only 7-10g (about 1∕3oz). They tend to concentrate on the fat balls, although I have seen them take sunflower seeds on occasion.

Their numbers are pretty stable and it’s thought there are around 340,000 territories. These birds have definitely been helped by gardeners putting out

“Long-tailed tit numbers seem to be increasing”

fat balls during the colder months.

Like the Three Musketeers, the motto of long-tailed tits is ‘one for all, all for one’, because these insectivorous birds roost together. In summer they form a line and arrange themselves according to status, or pecking order. The most important birds grab a central position, because it’s warmer. Lesser mortals make do with the chillier edges. When it’s really cold, they form a cluster.

Their numbers are holding up because long-tailed tits have a secret weapon. When the fledglings are in the nest, the parent birds have extra helpers.

These helpers are mostly male and one observation recorded that 86% of the non-parents were males that had failed to breed that year. Even though insects are in decline, these birds manage to raise their broods successfully because plenty of food arrives from many different sources. They will travel up to 7km, or over 4 miles, in search of food.

The female lays only one clutch of six to nine eggs per year, between March and June, and the red-freckled white eggs are incubated for 14-16 days. The fledglings are in the nest for between 14 and 17 days, before they join the family group. The average lifespan of these birds is only two years, but if there’s a cold winter many will perish and numbers will drop dramatically.

I would love to find a long-tailed tit’s

nest. They’re bottle-shaped, apparently, and an old common name for this bird is bottle tit. The nests are usually found over 4ft (1.2m) above the ground. The entrance hole is at the top and the whole thing is woven together with lichens and cobwebs, and then lined with up to 2,000 feathers.

The whole process can take up to a month to build. The outer structure takes an average of 23 days and then it takes 15 more days to find the feathers to line it. However, if the nest building takes place later in the year these birds spend less time collecting feathers because the weather is hopefully warmer.

One surprising thing is that the longtailed tit isn’t a member of the tit family. It’s more closely related to the babblers of India and south-east Asia. Long-tailed tits are happy to nest in urban and semi-urban areas so you’re likely to see them in towns and cities, especially if you’re supplying fat balls. At the moment numbers seem to be increasing, helped by warmer winters.

These tiny birds are easier to spot in flocks during winter, because once spring arrives they disperse.

A female blackbird with a beak full of moss and weed to use for nesting

TIP

Leave as much moss in your garden as you can because many birds, such as this female blackbird, use it in their nests, along with leaves and twigs.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

15

WORLD EXCLUSIVE!

’S BACK AGAIN FOR 2020!

FFER: 20% OFF FOR AMATEUR GARDENING READERS ears after an epic hailstorm wiped out our crop, we can officially announce Kelsae has been resurrected again for 2020! Although we are unable to offer d seed this year, thanks to the skill and dedication of our expert breeders, we to announce the availability of our exclusive Kelsae Onion Plants. By growing s plants, we do the hard work for you, you’ll receive healthy, strong young with well-developed root systems that are ready to plant out upon arrival. tch from mid- April 2020 delighted that The Kelsae is back, I’ll never forget the day I got a call from our Italian wers with news of the storm. Our breeders have done a first class job and we’ve now got ugh seed, grown in four secret locations in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Holland and y, to be able to exclusively offer The Kelsae as plants for this season ”.

m Jeffries General Manager und show circles, The Kelsae has a legendary reputation that’s second to none. A regular nner at the NVS National Championships in the ‘large exhibition’ and ‘1kg to 1.5kg’ onion asses, it’s unusual in also having a delicious, sweet flavour even when grown large.

Limited availability. Order NOW to avoid disappointment!

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The Kelsae Onion Plants

The first choice of growers who wish to exhibit huge onions, this unique variety is a regular winner in the NVS ‘large exhibition’ and ‘1kg to 1.5kg’ onion classes. The Kelsae has had an unrivalled pedigree for many years, culminating in regular success at the NVS National Championships in several classes. However, unlike many large show varieties, it has a wonderful sweet flavour even when large and is superb for cooking or eating raw in salads.

20 module raised plants Buy 2 or more packs

£9.95 £6.95ea

49233 SAVE £6

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with Lucy Chamberlain, AG’s fruit and veg expert

A photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Bottom inset: Alamy

Cherries such as this ‘Morello’ also grow well with a fan-trained shape

Stepover shapes are ideal for apples like this ‘Discovery’

Peach ‘Rochester’ is an ideal candidate for shaping into a fan-type framework

Focus on... Training new trees

If you want to grow fruit in a small space, why not shape your tree as a fan, espalier or cordon? It can make crops easier to pick and even extend the harvest season, says Lucy

E

ARLY spring is a time of optimism, so how better to encapsulate that than by planting a new fruit tree or bush? With many of us having limited space for full-sized trees, let’s look at the options for small-space growers…

Joy in the small things Does growing fruit in a small space limit your enjoyment? Absolutely not! A mature fan, espalier or cordon (see page 18) is incredibly ornamental. Training trees in these ‘restrictive’ shapes allows us to grow many more varieties. This extends the fresh harvest season, brings diversity to our taste buds, and allows us to flex our horticultural skills. Tied in stems are easier to pick, especially if the

“Training gives a chance to extend the harvest season”

stems are thorny. Plus, picking fruit from small trees is a synch: no ladders needed!

How to yield fruit When training trees and bushes, there is one fundamental aspect to grasp: how that plant bears fruit. Some, like apples and pears, predominantly produce their fruit buds on short, stubby spurs that arise from main stems. This makes them ideal for espaliers, stepovers and cordons where stems are trained into

Apples like ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ form short, stubby fruiting spurs

permanent positions. Initially the objective is to build up these ‘framework’ stems, then maintenance consists of thinning the spurs annually.

Plums, peaches, gages, cherries, nectarines and apricots (collectively stone fruits) bear fruit along the length of one- and two-year-old wood. This habit is ideal for fan training, where fulllength stems are tied in for a few years, then cut out partially or completely to let younger wood crop in their place.

Cordon-trained Pear ‘Merton Pride’ 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

17

with Lucy Chamberlain, AG’s fruit and veg expert

Lucy’s picks Three of the most common tree shaping forms for you to try…

Fan: Here, the stems are literally fanned out against a wall, a fence, or a system of posts and horizontal wires. Keep the left and right sides equally proportioned for the most aesthetically pleasing look.

Step by step

This Apple ‘Blenheim Orange’ is an example of espalier training

Start off a young fan-trained gooseberry bush

1

Begin with a multi-stemmed tree or bush (here, gooseberry ‘Invicta’).

Make sure your support wires are sufficiently strong and taut, and then tie two, four or six equally spaced bamboo canes to them using twine.

s b o j k c i u 5q 1

Cordon: A basic cordon consists of one vertical stem off which fruiting spurs arise. Two stems are called a double cordon, three a triple, and so on. Main stems tied in at an angle (instead of upright) are called oblique cordons.

Espalier: This consists of a single vertical stem off which long permanent arms or ‘tiers’ are trained. To look their best, train the tiers in pairs, one to the left and one to the right of the main stem. You can train in multiple tiers.

Give greenhouse glass a thorough clean to ensure light levels reaching young seedlings are at a maximum at this gloomy time of year.

If you didn’t have time in autumn, lift and divide any congested clumpforming herbs such as oregano, mint and lemon balm now.

Be space-savvy with your heated propagator: sow veg and herbs into seed trays or small modules rather than large individual pots.

Potted gooseberries, currants and . blueberries may be starting into life Make sure they are not congested or dry, repotting now if necessary.

The soil in most regions will still be too cold and wet for direct sowings, but put cloches in place to speed soil warming and drying.

2

The idea with a fan is to splay pairs of long branches against your wall or fence. From your plant, select the best-placed, longest stems and tie these onto the canes – again, using twine (not wire).

2

Once your chosen pairs of stems are tied in, here comes the harsh bit: any stems that are surplus to requirements must be pruned out completely. Be brave: this removal will give you the perfect fan framework.

3

Grab hearty, robust veg like leeks and chard while you can, for their season will soon be coming to an end. As it warms up, leeks, parsnips, carrots, kale, winter cabbage and Brussels sprouts will throw up massive flower spikes, which often run through the centre of the harvestable parts. So use them up now while you can!

3

5

18 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Harvest Swiss chard and leeks before they throw up flower spikes!

✃

4

Next week: Plant garlic, prune mature fruit trees, avoid damping off in early sowings, thwart replant disease, try Cape gooseberries.

It’s time to start sowing early peas

Lucy’s top tips

1

“Peas will do far better from early sowings”

How to deal with snowfall If you’re in the grip of a winter freeze, how do you deal with the white stuff? Here are a few pointers for when you’re on the plot:

While a light dusting can be tolerated, steady snowfall can soon build up to create quite a strain.

Carefully brush this off a glasshouse roof, fruit cages, coldframes and cloches so they don’t buckle under the weight.

A layer of snow can be quite insulating if a prolonged chill is forecast.

Crops underneath won’t suffer, especially because those outside now will be fully hardy. If the crop can take the weight of snow, leave it be.

2

Pea ‘Hurst Green Shaft’ is a great choice for early sowing

Why not try..?

The case for removing snow from your crops can be argued if the weight will damage them. Lofty, rosette-forming brassicas like kale may be vulnerable to snapping, whereas narrow leeks (pictured) will be unharmed.

Elaeagnus multiflora

3

You can keep enjoying the fruits of this ancient apple tree if you send off some cuttings (inset) to a fruit specialist

it out for you. They will request that you send a certain type of cutting (young, strong stems rather than older wood) so speak to them before posting any off.

Main image: Alamy

Conserve historic fruit trees DO you have an ancient apple tree in your garden? Perhaps it’s one that holds sentimental value, or an unknown but delicious variety grown from a pip years ago. If you are worried that it’s starting to decline in health, or you have friends desperate for a plant themselves, why not look to a grafting service to help you?

Many fruit specialists offer the service; brogdaleonline.co.uk, keepersnursery.co.uk and orangepippintrees. co.uk to name a few. You simply send them off some cuttings, establish what rootstock you’d like them grafted on to, and wait for your fruit tree to arrive a few months later. Grafting itself is a specialist process (usually the whip and tongue graft is used in early spring) so it is far easier to allow expert nurseries to carry

Main image: Alamy

will give you huge, robust plants with the potential to form masses of pods. ‘Hurst Green Shaft’ is my go-to variety. It gives long, slender pods packed with deliciously sweet peas. Sow two seeds per 3½in (9cm) pot of multi-purpose compost if starting under heated glass.

Cherry-sized fruits of E. multiflora

Alamy

WHILE it’s too chilly to start off peas outside, gardeners with a greenhouse, conservatory or spare windowsill can sow hardy varieties now, ready to transplant outside during March. I’ve always found peas do far better from early sowings. They like a cool, moist root run, and sowings made later in the year often don’t have sufficient time to develop extensive roots before summer heat strikes, leading to smaller plants and far fewer pods.

A very early sowing made now, plus one outside in the first half of March and a final one not much later than mid-April in the south and late April in the north,

Make an early sowing now, two peas per pot or cell

MANY of us grow one or two Elaeagnus in our gardens, either as hedging plants (like E. x ebbingei) or as ornamental shrubs (like E. angustifolia), but why not look to other species for inspiration in the kitchen? E. multiflora is a hardy deciduous scrambling shrub that’s happy on most soils – especially those that are light, sandy or stony.

Small flowers will appear in late spring, with the deliciously honeyed scent that Elaeagnus are well-known for. In midsummer, cherry-sized fruits will ripen – just be sure that they are fully mature before eating them, to guarantee the sweetest flavour.

They are red in colour and easily seen amongst the foliage.

Pruning isn’t essential, but it will keep the plants tidy. Just shorten any wayward stems to a well-placed sideshoot in late winter.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

19

Potentillas come is a wide range of colours, including the bold red of herbaceous type ‘Gibson’s Scarlet’

It’s time to rediscover

Potentillas

Under used and under-appreciated, cinquefoils have huge garden potential and will bring months of colour. Make 2020 the year you give them a try, says Louise Curley

P

ARTICULARLY popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the celebrated French plant breeder Victor Lemoine created many new hybrids, potentillas used to be widely grown. But as tastes changed they fell out of favour, and these days seeing them in the garden has become a bit of a novelty – which is a great shame as there are few plants as unfussy and low maintenance, or as free-flowering.

Potentillas come from a wide range of habitats, including dry, rocky places, bogs and acid fens, sandy soils and grassland, in Europe, the Himalayas, North America and even the Arctic. The two types most commonly grown in gardens are the deciduous shrubby ones – with a woody framework of stems covered in wild rose-like flowers in summer – and herbaceous perennials that emerge from below ground in spring, with strawberry-like leaves and blooms.

There are also alpine potentillas that are perfect for troughs and rockeries.

They’re a member of the rose family 20 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

– hence the flowers – and the common name cinquefoil refers to the five leaflets that make up each actual leaf.

New name Recently, Potentilla fruticosa, the shrubby cinquefoil, has had its name changed to Dasiphora fruticosa.

However this change has yet to be widely accepted and, for the moment at least, you’re still most likely to see the plants labelled as potentillas.

Both the shrubby and herbaceous types come in a good range of colours – some in pastel shades of pink, apricot and lemon yellow, others in vibrant reds and oranges. Shrubby potentillas make neat, rounded forms, whereas the

herbaceous perennials divide into two groups: those with an upright habit and those with lax stems that naturally sprawl. The latter look lovely planted to tumble over the edges of paths.

For a contemporary feel, combine potentillas with ornamental grasses; or use hot, fiery-coloured ones in exotic planting schemes alongside lush foliage, vibrant dahlias and Verbena bonariensis.

And try underplanting shrubby potentillas with low-growing perennials like longflowering Geranium ‘Bill Wallis’.

Spring, when the ground starts to warm up, is the ideal time to plant them.

So use the coming weeks to rediscover these fantastic plants, which will add summer-long colour to your garden.

Where to buy Ashwood Nurseries ashwoodnurseries.com 01384 401996 Claire Austin claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk 01686 670342 Edrom Nurseries edrom-nurseries.co.uk 01890 771386 Peter Beales Roses classicroses.co.uk 01953 454707

9 potentillas to try Shrubby

All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited

P. fruticosa ‘Abbotswood’ AGM A bushy, deciduous shrub with small, dark green leaves covered in delicate, single, pure white flowers from June to September. The compact habit of this potentilla makes it a good choice for growing as a low, informal hedge.

H&S: 39in (1m).

P. fruticosa ‘Primrose Beauty’ AGM Exquisite wild rose-like flowers, in a delicate primrose yellow with darker centres, smother this potentilla from late spring to autumn. Like other shrubby types, it requires little maintenance, and the open blooms are a magnet for pollinating insects. H&S: 39in (1m).

us Herbaceo

Craigiehallnursery.co.uk

Alpine

P. fruticosa ‘Daydawn’ A shrub that’s neat enough for even the smallest of gardens to accommodate.

From early summer to early autumn it’s studded with a mass of saucer-shaped flowers in a mix of pink, pale orange and golden yellow – like the colours of a sunset. H&S: 32in (80cm).

P. nitida ‘Rubra’ Mat-forming; ideal for planting in a trough or tumbling over low walls.

The short stems are topped with pink flowers that feature contrasting cerise centres and prominent pink anthers. Needs a gritty, free-draining soil. HxS: 2x6in (5x15cm).

‘Volcan’ Sumptuous red, semi-double flowers with almost black centres cover long, branching stems above a mound of apple green foliage. Plant to tumble over the edges of paths, or to scramble through other low-growing perennials.

HxS: 1½x2ft (45x60cm).

‘William Rollisson’ AGM An eye-catching potentilla with fabulous flame-coloured petals in rich orange with flashes of yellow gold. Semi-double, with rows of ruffled petals, the blooms resemble rosettes. Plant with purple for a striking combination. Flowers: JunSept. HxS: 11/2x2ft (45x60cm).

Potentilla x tonguei AGM Low-growing but spreading, the staghorn cinquefoil features dark green leaves that form the backdrop to apricot yellow flowers with red centres from June to August. Plant in a gravel garden, or in well-drained soil at the edges of paths. HxS: 5inx2ft (12x60cm).

P. nepalensis ‘Miss Willmott’ Throughout summer the long, branching stems are covered in loose clusters of rose pink flowers with cherry red centres. The attractive midgreen, strawberry-like foliage makes good ground cover at the front of borders. HxS: 14inx2ft (35x60cm).

‘Arc-en-ciel’ This upright potentilla has large flowers – blowsy double blooms in a mix of rich red and bronze-orange, with golden yellow edging that gets wider as the flowers mature. The range of colours is reflected in the name – arc-en-ciel is French for rainbow. H&S: 1½ft (45cm).

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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What to plant with potentillas

Stipa tenuissima AGM The branching stems of herbaceous potentillas mingle well with the wispy flowers of this graceful grass, which fade from silvery-green to bleached blonde as summer progresses.

Needs full sun and well-drained soil. HxS: 2x1ft (60x30cm).

Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ AGM With compact mounds of grey-green foliage, almost black stems and rich purple flowers, this perennial salvia will complement both shrubby and herbaceous potentillas, in either pastel or jewel-like shades. H&S: 20in (50cm).

Erigeron karvinskianus AGM Plant the Mexican fleabane around the base of shrubby potentillas, and from May to November those clouds of pretty pink and white daisies will act as fabulous ground cover. One for well-drained soil and full sun. HxS: 14inx2ft (35x60cm).

Rosa glauca AGM A truly beautiful rose, featuring tall, arching stems, unusual grey and plum-coloured foliage and single, deep pink, early summer flowers. The bare lower stems are a drawback, so use herbaceous potentillas to camouflage them. H&S: 8ft (2½m).

Growing tips Potentillas prefer welldrained soil, especially the alpine types.

Pruning is minimal for shrubby potentillas – leave them to grow naturally and only remove any dead growth in spring.

Herbaceous potentillas tend to die back naturally in autumn. Any remaining growth can be trimmed back in early spring.

Divide herbaceous potentillas every three to four years, in early spring.

22 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Why not try...

Taking shrubby potentilla cuttings

Take softwood cuttings in spring or early summer.

Remove new, non-flowerin growth above a leaf joint, then trim to below a leaf node – the cutting should be 2-4in (5-10cm) long.

Dip the end in hormone rooting powder before inserting it in a pot filled with cuttings compost.

Propagating the likes Water, label and place in a of ‘Danny Boy’ with heated propagator; or cover cuttings is easy with a plastic bag to retain humidity.

Helleborus x hybridus feature flowers in a wide range of colours, including the prettiest of rose pinks

Heavenly

Hellebores

Plant this late-winter favourite for colourful flowers that will lift both spirits and borders.

They are easy to grow and the choice is simply better than ever, says Graham Rice

E

VEN in the mildest of winters, February is not the most floriferous month in the garden.

Which is why hellebores, blooming reliably in such a huge range of colours and forms, have become must-have plants – perfect for adding just enough cheery brightness to take us through late winter and into spring.

It all started with Helleborus orientalis.

Native to Turkey and the Caucasus, in the wild, the humble lenten rose is pretty unremarkable, coming in white and pinkish tones, and white with spots – all often unevenly shaped and streaked in green. The first improvements came around 50 years ago, with the work of legendary hellebore breeder Helen Ballard, who produced plants with larger, more symmetrical flowers. In the decades that followed she, along with fellow enthusiasts including Elizabeth Strangman, took development forward in leaps and bounds – although, given 24 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

that propagation by division is so slow, something that has held back the availability of the best ones. Until relatively recently, good named forms tended to be scarce and expensive – a fact that, perversely, only increased our fascination with them.

Of course, they can be raised from seed but, unless All shapes and colours pollinated by hand, plants Today we have hellebores are unlikely to come true. with flowers in shapes To increase the vase life of Seed that falls around from bowls to stars, in hellebores, try ‘sealing’ the existing plants often every colour imaginable, cut stems by plunging the germinates prolifically; including pretty picotees ends into boiling water for however, the flowers on and veined forms, and 30 seconds before you the resulting seedlings are even some in slate blue. arrange them. rarely the same as those Plus an increasing range of that feature on their parents. doubles and anemoneThe best nurseries have centred types. The constant refined the art of growing true-to-colour stream of improvements has captured plants from seed by carefully handour imagination, and there’s often quite pollinating selected parent plants; these a scramble for the best plants when may be given cultivar names such as specialist nurseries open their doors.

‘White Lady’, or they may be listed The one downside to hellebores is

that hellebores take two or three years to flower from seed, that’s perhaps not the most appropriate description to use.

These were then crossed with other hellebore species to produce purples, reds and yellows – the plants we now know as H. x hybridus.

All photos Alamy, unless otherwise credited

Harvington Doubles are perhaps the best known double-flowered types, and come in white, cream, pink, lilac and more – all flecked with red

The flowers are ideal for cutting and look lovely in a vase on their own or with early spring favourites like snowdrops

Ashwood Evolution Group hybrids are among the most bold and eye-catching

The work of breeders has led to the development of different flower shapes such as the double anemone-centred ‘Tutu’ 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

25

simply by their colour – the likes of Double Pink, for example.

The RHS Plant Finder lists a great many (as does its website). While a few named forms propagated by division are occasionally available, it is becoming increasingly common to see named forms such as Walberton’s Rosemary propagated by tissue-culture – and more of these are on the way.

Ultimately, you have two choices when purchasing hellebores: you can either buy plants by mail order from a supplier you trust, or visit a nursery in person and choose specimens in the flower colour you like. Once you have good plants, you can lift and divide them using the traditional back-to-back garden forks technique. September is a

good time to do this, and all your new plants will be identical to their parent.

Sow your own You can also propagate by seed, which is best sown in summer, as soon as it’s ripe. Use a soil-based seed compost, keep the pots in the shade and protect them from mice and slugs. Seed should germinate by Christmas. Or simply dig up self-sown seedlings and plant them in a quiet part of the garden to grow on to flower, selecting the best to keep.

Deciding what to plant with your hellebores is more tricky – if only because they are such excellent mixers. Dwarf bulbs have to top the list, though. Crocus, snowdrops, chionodoxas, scillas and early daffodils are ideal, as are Cyclamen

coum and Anemone nemorosa. Early perennials including pulmonarias, early primroses, epimediums, tiarellas and cardamines are also good neighbours.

Or what about teaming them with shrubs? Rhododendrons and camellias are worth considering if your soil is limefree; or choose forsythias in softer shades, or Ribes sanguineumn varieties.

On a smaller scale, evergreen daphnes including D. pontica and D. laureola enjoy limey soil and always flower early, while sarcococcas have the additional benefit of sweet scent.

Alternatively, allow plants to grow into ever-increasing specimens, showing off their hundreds of glorious blooms for week after winter week. The ultimate pick-me-up on a gloomy day.

Ashwoodnurseries.com

5 of the best hellebores

Yellow with gold nectaries Large, rounded, outward-facing flowers – in primrose yellow with a ring of golden nectaries – are held on strong stems.

H: 10-12in (25-30cm).

Walberton’s Rosemary (‘Walhero’) AGM Impressively prolific and long-flowering, this hybrid between a lenten rose and a Christmas rose has star-shaped pink flowers. A breakthrough. H: 1ft (30cm).

‘White Lady Spotted’ The Lady Series is populated by single flowers in colours including white, yellow, dark red and metallic blue-black – some with petals spotted in red. H: 1ft (30cm).

Hillview Hardy Plants

Where to buy

Washfield double-flowered Available in a wide range of colours, some veined and patterned, the Washford Doubles were developed by renowned breeder Elizabeth Strangman. H: 11/2ft (45cm).

26 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

‘Smokey blue’ Perfect for ramping up the drama thanks to nodding, saucer-shaped single flowers in the darkest shade of slate purple.

These are backed by deep green foliage.

H: 1ft (30cm).

For the best choice of colours and shapes, visit good garden centres around the country, or try these reputable mail order suppliers: Ashwood Nurseries ashwoodnurseries.com 01384 401996 Binny Plants binnyplants.com 01506 858931 Farmyard Nurseries farmyard nurseries.co.uk 01559 363389 Harvington Hellebores twelve nunns.co.uk 01778 590455 Hillview Hardy Plants hillviewhardyplants.com 01746 716454

Why not plant with…

Hellebores and early spring-flowering bulbs like dwarf narcissus and crocuses make a classic combination

Team pink or white hellebores with pulmonarias, which also flower early

Planting and care Planting Choose a bright area in light shade or a spot that’s shaded for part of the day.

Prepare a hole that’s bigger than you think you need, and add plenty of garden compost or well-rotted manure – this will help retain moisture as hellebores don’t like dry soil.

For best results, plant in light shade

Feeding Sprinkle blood, fish and bone around plants after they’ve finished flowering in spring, and again in autumn – hellebores are hungry feeders.

Division Allow plants to mature into large clumps; don’t split and replant as regularly as you

Hellebores will increase naturally, and large clumps can eventually be divided

might with other perennials. When dividing, do so in September.

Cutting back Remove all the old foliage in November – this will prevent disease from overwintering. Deadhead after flowering if you don’t want seedlings popping up everywhere.

Deadhead if you don’t want flowers to set seed and self-sow

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

27

Give a climber like morning glory something to scramble up and it will romp away, keeping you in colourful flowers all summer long

Get speedy returns with

Annual climbers

Whether you want wall coverage, shade for a seating area or optimum eye level interest, these fast growers will tick all of the boxes in minimal time, says Louise Curley

T

HE ultimate ‘Beanstalk’ plants other plants to mature. They’re perfect (although, unlike Jack, you for covering walls or trellis, too, or used won’t need to trade a cow to create temporary screening around for the seeds), seating areas during the summer annual climbers grow at , if you want a little bit an astonishing rate. Sown ivacy. Best of all: their in late winter, many will eap price and short life reach 8ft (2.5m) over the pan allows you to be a course of the summer, ttle more experimental while some will romp han you might away to 16ft (5m). otherwise be– one Thanks to their height, year you might fancy they’ll add colour and omething exotic; the interest at eye level and xt something fragrant Susan Black-eyed create another dimension cottage garden-like. is a fast grower within a planting design. A uiring little ground they’ll flower all summer, in some space, annual climbers are ideal cases right through to the first frosts. for squeezing into small areas, but they Their speedy growth makes them do need something to scramble up, ideal for new gardens, where they add whether it’s a willow wigwam, metal or useful focal points while you wait for wooden obelisk, pergola or trellis panels 28 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

attached to a wall or fence. Some, like runner beans and nasturtiums, are even edible – use these to make a vegetable patch look pretty, or weave them among ornamentals and other edibles for a potager effect in the border.

Long growing season Most of these plants come from warmer, sunnier climates than ours. In their native countries they’re often perennial, but here they won’t survive a typical winter outdoors. Easy to grow from seed, they need a long growing season if they’re to bloom, so you’ll need to sow over the coming weeks – on a warm windowsill, or with the help of a heated propagator.

More tender types need protection from frost before they can be planted out in late spring or early summer. But don’t worry if you haven’t the space to house

All photos Alamy

6 classic climbers

Lathyrus odoratus It’s difficult to trump sweet peas – they’re hardy, easy to grow and come in such a wide range of colours and combinations.

They make great cut flowers, too. If not picking for the vase, you’ll need to deadhead regularly to keep the blooms coming. HxS: 8ftx16in (2.5mx40cm).

Tropaeolum majus Jewel of Africa Group With round leaves (this variety has variegated foliage) and large, trumpetshaped flowers in oranges, reds and yellows, climbing nasturtiums will reach heady heights in no time. Some make lowgrowing clumps, so look for the climbing varieties. HxS: 6x1½ft (1.8mx45cm).

Rhodochiton atrosanguineus AGM Purple bell vine is a tender perennial from Mexico. It combines slender, twining leaf stalks (covered in a mass of heart-shaped leaves) with pendulous tubular blooms in deep purple and cerise. Flowers from July to the first frosts. HxS: 10x1½ft (10mx45cm).

Ipomoea lobata AGM Spanish flag is a tender climber with twining purple stems and small tubular flowers – they start off red before fading – first to orange, then to creamy-yellow.

All colours will appear on the plant at any one time, with glorious results.

HxS: 16ftx1½ft (5mx45cm).

Ipomoea purpurea ‘Grandpa Otts’ The best morning glory plant to grow in our cool British climate. It has long, wiry, twining stems, and from July to October produces large trumpet-like flowers in a velvety dark purple with rose-pink throats. Requires shelter and warmth.

HxS: 8ftx39in (2.5x1m).

Thunbergia alata ‘African Sunset’ A tender climber with a warm mix of terracotta orange, golden yellow and cream flowers – all with trademark black centres – appearing among a mass of elongated heart-shaped foliage. Suitable for growing in large containers. HxS: 8x2ft (2.4mx60cm).

multiple pots of seedlings. Just wait a little longer and look out for plug plants at garden centres or on suppliers’ websites. Many are available as plugs, and will be despatched in time for spring.

Sow now or plant later – either way, things will be looking up in no time.

Where to buy Chiltern Seeds chilternseeds.co.uk 01491 824675 Crocus crocus.co.uk 01344 578000 Sarah Raven sarahraven.com 0345 092 0283 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

29

Annual climbers for containers

Lathyrus chloranthus An unusual species pea that produces small green-yellow flowers throughout summer. Unscented, it makes an interesting choice for large containers – try underplanting with tumbling bedding plants such as a dark-flowered calibrachoa or petunia. HxS: 61/2ftx20in (2mx50cm).

Asarina scandens Also known as the trailing snapdragon, this is a fantastic plant that looks equally good covering a wall or cascading over the sides of a tall pot. The drooping, trumpet-shaped flowers come in white, pink, purple and lavender blue, all with white throats. HxS: 8ftx20in (2½mx50cm).

Try these ornamental edibles…

Phaseolus coccineus ‘Painted Lady’ Worth growing for the pretty bi-coloured red and white pea-like flowers, this heritage runner bean produces tasty, medium-sized pods from mid summer.

Needs a deep, fertile soil, so dig in plenty of organic matter. HxS: 10x11/2ft (3mx45cm).

Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Borlotti’ Long, dangling pods, in an eye-catching combination of pale green with deep pink markings, will add a splash of colour to your vegetable patch.

The beans themselves are a popular addition to Italian cookery. HxS: 8x11/2ft (2½mx45cm).

A few unusual options…

Eccremocarpus scaber Chilean glory flower is a slender climber that is smothered in pinkyorange, tubular flowers from June to the first frosts. In a sheltered spot in a mild garden it may be perennial; otherwise treat as an annual. HxS: 8x2ft (2½mx60cm).

30 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Lablab purpureus The hyacinth bean offers a double whammy of attractions: the small, pale purple flowers are followed by gleaming purple pods.

There’s purple-green foliage, too. Can be grown up a teepee, or in a suitably large container. HxS: 16ftx20in (5mx50cm).

Lophospermum erubescens AGM With its with twining stalks, triangular leaves and rose-pink trumpet flowers in summer and autumn, this tender creeping gloxinia is a delight. It isn’t as rampant as some climbers, making it suitable for growing in a large pot with support.

HxS: 8x2ft (2½mx60cm).

How to grow annual climbers Tender types like Sow ann ipomoea need protection climbers until late spring this month.

Plant out hardy climbers in April, but keep tender climbers fro free until Ju Fast-growing nasturtiums and runner and borlotti beans should be sown in early May under cover.

Or you can sow direct in late May. Put supports in place when planting out, and tie in stems regularly, using soft twine to help prevent any bruising.

Use John Innes No2 compost for container-grown climbers.

Climbers in pots can dry out quickly – water frequently to prevent this.

Feed every two weeks – a liquid tomato fertiliser is ideal.

Try the best for... rs Late flowe

Cobaea scandens AGM Starting off greenish-white and maturing to purple, the large, bellshaped blooms are a dramatic sight.

A tender climber, it takes a while to get going, but once it does it will happily keep on blooming until the first frost.

HxS: 16ftx28in (5mx70cm).

Fragrance

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Cupani’ The pretty bi-coloured magenta and purple blooms are held on shorter stems than other sweet peas, so you’ll need small vases if picking. However the knockout scent easily makes up for this – it’s the best of all the sweet peas! HxS: 8ftx16in (2½mx40cm).

Did you know?

In frost-free parts of New Zealand, Cobaea scandens has escaped from gardens and now grows in the wild, where it is considered a weed.

The seeds of some nasturtiums can be eaten – they’re known as poor man’s capers due to their peppery kick.

1 FEBRUA

Like the flowers, some fresh nasturtium seeds are edible

Primula Belarina

rare | unusual | exciting

Rare variety Baltic Blue

BUY 3 OF EACH

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A PLANT USUALLY EXPENSIVE

Lemon Chiffon

Lively Lilac

Valentine Red

Spring Sun

Pink Ice

Fragrant, frilly, double rose-like blooms appear in spring

F

ULLY DOUBLE FLOWERS appear in early spring to add a warm loving glow to the coldest, darkest days. Nestling in a collar of foliage they continually flower for at least 10 weeks or more. It is most unusual for a primrose to carry fragrance, yet Belarina’s rose-like blooms carry a delicate and exquisite scent. Unlike inferior seed-raised varieties, these primula can only be produced by tissue-culture, meaning they will offer exceptional performance, remain true to type and are extremely long-lived. Prefer moist, well-drained soil in part shade. Height & spread 20-25cm (8-10").

Your order is covered by our No Quibble Guarantee and will be confirmed together with a copy of our latest catalogue. Your young plants will be delivered within 14 days.

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HAYLOFT PLANTS, MANOR FARM NURSERY, PENSHAM, PERSHORE, WORCESTERSHIRE WR10 3HB

Ask John Negus

John has been answering reader queries for 50 years

John will reply personally to all your gardening questions every week Removing old and damaged leaves

Nandina is attractive and easy to grow Potting up hellebore seedlings

Name this shrub

Hellebores are a beautiful and easy-going early spring flower

ow can keep hellebores looking good?

Q

I have lots of beautiful Helleborus niger in my garden. How can I keep them healthy and help them flower?

Angie Bayliss, Penrith, Cumbria

A

Hellebores will thrive in organically rich, limey soil. If you can’t get mushroom compost, which contains chalk, I suggest you mulch plants with 3in (7cm) of composted manure.

You can either buy a proprietary brand from a garden centre, or see if a local farm is selling sacks of selling well-rotted manure.

Provided you augment your compost with a sprinkling of 30oz (84g) per square metre of garden lime, and a spring, mid and late-summer application of Vitax Q4, your plants will thrive.

Additionally, remove half the older leaves in autumn, and the remainder in spring, just before new foliage and flowers appear. This makes room for

new growth and reduces the risk of disease such as leaf spot moving from old to new growth.

Leaf spot is a fungal problem that spreads when raindrops splash up onto the leaves from the soil, carrying spores.

Symptoms are brown patches of dead material on the leaves that can fall through, leaving the leaves in holes.

Stems can also be infected, causing plants to collapse and tiny black fungal structures may be seen.

Halt the spread by removing and disposing of all dead and infected material (do not compost) or by using fungicide. Regular mulching also keeps spores buried so they are less likely to be splashed up onto plants.

Hellebores are prolific self-seeders, so if one you particularly like is surrounded by its seedlings, pot them up and grow them on before planting elsewhere in the garden.

Are nasturtium seeds edible?

Q All photographs TI Media unless otherwise credited

I have heard that nasturtium seeds are edible. Do you need to prepare them first?

Lucy Allbright, via email

A

Spicy nasturtium seeds are pickled and served chopped with pasta, sauces, salads and dressings.

Gather half-ripe seeds and rinse them. Dissolve a ¼ cup of salt in a quart of water and add ⅔ of a cup of seeds.

Keep seeds submerged for two days by covering the container with a zipped plastic bag, pushing it down inside the container.

Strain the seeds and rinse to Nasturtium seeds remove salt, make a good side dish then add ⅔ of cup of white vin and one teaspoonful of sugar to a small saucepan and bring to boil for one minute, stirring.

Put seeds into ½ pint (450g) jars and cover with hot vinegar. Add a bay leaf to each and let them cool to room temperature before sealing with lids.

Pickled seeds can be stored at room temperature or in a fridge.

Q

A shrub that’s about 4ft (1.2m) tall with reddish spear-shaped leaves is growing in our new garden. Can you identify it please?

Andrew Gordon, Basingstoke, Hants

A

Your plant sounds like Nandina domestica, or sacred Japanese bamboo. When mature, its white summer flowers are usually followed by large cones of small red berries.

A member of the berberis family from India, China and Japan, it was introduced into cultivation in 1804. It has great appeal, and thrives in full sun and is easily propagated from semi-ripe cuttings in summer or from seed.

Many epiphytic orchids produce miniatures called keikis

What’s a keiki?

Q

What is a keiki? I think they are part of orchid propagation.

Craig Stewart, via email

A

Many epiphytic orchids, especially phalaenopsis, produce keikis, which are plantlets that appear from an orchid’s main stem, or from its flowering spike – not from its roots – and are identical to the parent.

If one appears, and you want to detach it, wait until the roots are 2-3in (5-7cm) long, then remove it with a sharp, sterilised knife. Set the plantlet in orchid compost, and care for it as you would the parent plant.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

33

Ask John Negus

John has been answering reader queries for 50 years

John will reply personally to all your gardening questions every week

Quick questions & answers

Dividing a mature peace lily

Q

Why doesn’t our potted oleander flower?

Cecilia Montes, via email

Cut off browning leaves of established peace lilies

How can I revive my elderly peace lily?

Q

My relatively old peace lily is starting to look a bit jaded, with a few browning leaves. How can I revive it?

Martin Winters, Saxmundham, Suffolk

A

My peace lily has done exactly the same, but after close investigation I found the leaves that were affected had either borne flower stems, were tucked right underneath and lacked sufficient light, or were the oldest and therefore least productive leaves.

Dividing peace lilies helps them regenerate. It is some years since I last split mine, so each division is well established and it is quite natural for them to shed some of the older and unproductive leaves to concentrate energy into young and vibrant foliage.

Will potatoes grow in a growbag?

It is also natural for the plant to shed the leaves that bore the flower stems – they have served their purpose and can be discarded.

There is really nothing to worry about, and the best thing to do is to cut out the yellow leaves as low as you can without damaging the surrounding foliage.

Peace lilies are amazingly forgiving of neglect, but will reward you tremendously for a bit of care and your plant looks extremely healthy and shiny – it is obviously very happy in its home!

Chitting potatoes before planting

A

It could be down to potassium deficiency, so give the plant a high-potassium feed weekly between April and September and top-dress its pot with John Innes ericaceous compost.

Also, prune the plant in spring if it is getting too large.

Q

Is spring a good time to divide bamboos?

Mark Bolton, via email

A

Split your bamboo clump in March or April when soil is warming and night temperatures are higher than they are now and conducive to growth.

Before dividing the clump, shorten the section you wish to divide to within 9in (23cm) from the soil.

Q

Q

A

A

How can I care for my pansies and violas so that they flower for longer?

Andrew Marsden, Telford, Shrops

Is it possible to cut growbags in half for growing potatoes?

Pam Johnson, via email Cutting a growbag in half and growing potatoes in each is a great idea, though you will need to remove most of the compost first and replace it as your potatoes grow.

Make sure the base of each is covered with 4in (10cm) of multi-purpose compost and nestle four tubers onto it.

Chit them (sprout them) first by setting the tubers upright with the budded ‘rose’ end on top in seed trays or egg boxes.

Place the potatoes somewhere light in temperatures of 50ºF/10ºC and when the sprouts are around ½in (13mm) long, reduce them to two or three. Plant the tubers in mid-March.

34 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Potatoes will grow very well in a growbag split into two

Place the growing bags where the temperature doesn’t drop below 45ºF/7ºC at night or rise above 55ºF/13ºC by day – a greenhouse is ideal. Cover the shoots with compost as they grow but avoid burying the leaves.

Move them out in April.

Remove the faded blooms every week to stop seeds forming and work a slow-release fertiliser such as Osmocote into the soil or compost.

This will release nutrients in mild weather, but not when temperatures drop and roots are unable to take in nutrients.

Write to us: Ask John, Amateur Gardening magazine, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 7BF. Email us: amateurgardening@ti-media.com

Worming out casts

Overwatering and too little heat can cause Clivia miniata to suffer

Q

Our lawn are covered in worm casts.

How can I get rid of them without killing the worms?

Linda O’Farre via email

Worm casts are unsightly and can encourage weeds

A

Can we stop our kaffir lily fading away?

Q

How can we look after our kaffir lily? Its leaves are starting to look withered and yellow.

Debbie Unsworth, via email

A

The kaffir lily (Clivia miniata) is a native of South Africa, named after Lady Clive, Duchess of Northumberland, whose grandfather was the famous Clive of India.

It is normally undemanding and delights us with heads of bright orange flowers in spring. I suspect that yours is looking unhappy because you have overwatered it, driving air from the

compost. If that is not the cause of its distressed appearance, it may be suffering from too little warmth.

If the compost is soggy, push a pencil into the drainage hole to allow air to drive out excess moisture. Ideally, repot it in John Innes No2 or 3, and water only when the compost surface is dryish.

Encourage it to flower well by keeping it cool for eight weeks or so from October to December. Then move it to a warm, light room where the temperature doesn’t drop below 61ºF (16ºC). Feed with high-potash liquid fertiliser when flower buds are forming.

I am sorry to hear about the worms in your garden. Although some are needed to help aerate the soil and encourage a good sward, the best way to reduce them is to feed the grass with lawn sand.

This contains sulphate of ammonia, an acid and nitrogenous fertiliser that is disliked by worms, so they move away from it.

Apply it every five or six weeks from April until August. Your lawn will be lush, and the worms casts should no longer be a problem.

Celandines are attractive, but can be invasive

Caring for potted daffs after flowering

Q

dormant until August, when they start to grow again.

Ideally, repot them in a mix of equal parts, by volume, of John Innes potting compost No1 and multipurpose compost.

By all means keep I am assuming that your daffodils in the pots in question their pots to flower next have drainage holes. year. All you should do If they don’t, reset after blooming is to bulbs in those that do.

Daffodils and other remove faded leaves whe Do this when they are spring bulbs thrive in containers they are brown and dead dormant, in late spring or Simply pull them gently from the early summer. The important thing bulbs. If they can’t be easily detached is to make sure the compost doesn’t cut them off at ground level. become soggy and airless as this will Your daffodils will then remain kill the bulbs.

Many celandines

I have 20 pots of daffodils planted up for spring colour.

When they have finished I leave them in their pots until next year?

Colin Mace, via email

Q

A

There are three effective ways to control celandines.

1: Fork them out in spring when young and the tiny tubers are firmly attached to the main carrot-like storage organ.

2: Paint leaves in spring with Roundup Gel, a systemic herbicide that travels to all parts of the plant.

3: Cover invaders with weed-control geotextile that excludes light so that growth dies. Ideally, camouflage it with chipped bark. Keep the ‘mat’ in place for a year or so.

What is the best way to get rid of celandines? They are pretty, but are also a pest!

Ian Woodward, via email

A

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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Anne Swithinbank’s masterclass on: taming large conifers The best cuts leave conifers looking natural and healthy, as with this Picea glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’

Large conifers like this Picea pungens ‘Hoopsii’ can tower over borders

How do I tame large conifers?

Q

because they don’t sprout back readily as would a yew. However, it is feasible to remove the tops from these conifers, to prevent them from rocketing up. Energy is pushed into lower growths, but these in turn will grow up and need thinning.

The trick is to evaluate your conifers each year during autumn and winter when Large conifers suffer from bad press birds are not nesting. The aim is to tidy when they’ve been badly sited and during mild spells by reducing some of neglected. They can tower over boundaries, the furthest-reaching growths. Carried shade out borders, block views and suck out regularly, this work is usually within the ground dry in summer. However, well- the scope of competent, well-equipped managed, these fast-growing giants can amateur gardeners. However, if trees be an asset in medium-to-large gardens. have been neglected, or you have any In ours, we maintain a small belt of existing doubts about safety, hire a tree surgeon conifers to screen nearby buildings and to do the work for you.

This is a two-handed job, and starts shelter the greenhouse from frost and with a discussion about which long northerly winds.

Should you have an overgrown hedge stems to remove. The aim is to leave or a group of Santolina chamaecyparissus, behind a natural-looking stand of x Cupressocyparis leylandii or Thuja, then conifers that don’t look pruned, with avoid cutting hard back into older wood no dead stems or foliage showing.

We have a stand of cypress-like conifers that we want to keep but they are too big. I’ve heard they don’t respond well to pruning, so how can we reduce size while enjoying privacy and their evergreen shape?

Angela Clegg, Penrith, Cumbria

Right image and inset image: Alamy

The annual removal of taller stems from Thuja is easy for us to achieve safely and keeps our stand of conifers under control

Anne’s top tips

How to best control your conifers

For sawing through thicker stems, we rely on an extending pole saw with hooks to help bring down the branches after cutting.

1

Saw through the targeted stem, leaving only green healthy material behind. An assistant is useful here to catch the branches.

2

All photography John Swithinbank / TI Media, unless otherwise credited

A

Conifer do’s and don’ts DO remove larger branches in such a way that the cuts are covered by the tips of lower growths. If dead wood is accidentally exposed, do clip away dead foliage or try tying healthy branches together to disguise it. Don’t forget that once you begin pruning a large conifer, it will grow back with vigour and need regular attention.

Once the larger stems have been reduced, thin out those of a smaller diameter by using a pair of long-reach loppers.

3

Trim leylandii so cuts are covered by the tips of lower growths

Although shears can reduce width, a clipped look doesn’t sit well where a stand of conifers is meant to look natural. I prefer to thin the sides gently using secateurs.

4

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

37

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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or buy 2 for only £26.99 Garden cloche; Protects your plants from insects and helps keep them warm Pop-up; No assembly required, it simply pops into position and then you can put it over your desired crops or flowers Roll-up door; Helps to circulate air around your plants and to help with pollination Dimensions; L99 x W99 x H99cm Extend the growing season and keep delicate plants protected from all weather conditions and insects with this pop-up garden cloche from Garden Grow. Great for protecting young seedlings, vegetables or flowerbeds from adverse weather, primarily the cold and wet.

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Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke

Bulb onions Onions may bring tears to your eyes, but they have a number of health benefits, too

FEW vegetables have more uses in the kitchen than the onion – the main edible group of the allium genus. There is a yearround demand for white and red onions, and they are available from supermarkets and grocers throughout, with no concern over them going ‘out of season’.

Of course, you can enhance your onion experience by growing your own,

Whether you prefer red or white, onions have many culinary uses

All photographs Alamy unless otherwise credited

This week it’s:

to get the taste, variety and size you want. And, by including some of the modern overwintering varieties in your onion repertoire, with just a few carefully timed sowings (or plantings of sets) you can obtain onions fresh from the garden or out of store for practically 12 months.

Let’s look at a few of the many facts and stories concerning bulb onions.

Kelsae isn’t easy

5

unusual (but excellent) bulb onions

‘Long Red of Florence’ – red elongated bulb

‘Rossa Lunga di Firenze’ – red elongated bulb

DT Brown

Dobies

THE tears you cry when you’re chopping onions are known as reflex tears, brought about by an external irritant – in this case an enzyme in ich, when ed to the ecomes a mpound led synopanethialoxide. It sets your eyes’ rimal glands, our body Onion ‘Walla Walla’ protect the perceived chemical attack . Professional kitchen workers can build up a tolerance to the compound, but there’s no official timescale so you just have to endure the tears until they lessen.

For decades, scientists have been trying to breed a tear-free onion. Suttons and Dobies are offering ‘Walla Walla’, an old sweet onion that is good for eating raw as it’s neither hot nor pungent. It is also claimed to be a no-tears variety!

‘Onion de Paris’ – white pickling

DT Brown

Dobies

The crying game

locations in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Italy and the Netherlands) was able to harvest its biggest seed crop for several years, but could only offer the results – in 2019 – as module-grown vegetable The ‘Kelsae’ is often first plants, and not as seed for choice for exhibition onions gardeners to sow.

Top onion exhibitors lift their prize bulbs about a month before a show. After washing off the brown bulb membrane, they gently rub talcum powder over the onion. This dries the outer layer to form a new, clean skin in three to four weeks.

DT Brown

THE ‘Kelsae’ is often the first variety for gardeners who wish to exhibit huge onions at county shows. It’s a frequent winner in the National Vegetable Society’s ‘large exhibition’ and ‘1kg to 1.5kg’ onion classes. Unfortunately, it is not the easiest variety for seed companies to acquire, as it’s a shy ‘seeder’. Also, being a biennial plant, it can perish in a hard winter.

A couple of years ago commercial growers in Italy suffered a huge hailstorm while the plants were in flower, and the hoped-for seed crop was completely lost. This led to British seed firms withdrawing it, or using up remaining seed stock from the warehouses, and sending out warning notices to customers to be wary of possible imitations being offered elsewhere.

In 2018, DT Brown (which grows ‘Kelsae’ in four secret

‘Elista’ – elongated bulb

‘Borettana’ – flat white bulb 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

41

Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke

Grow onion o hel carrots

Prize draw

Miracle-Gro is giving AG readers the chance to win one of two gardening bundles, each worth £16.57. This is the perfect bundle for gardeners looking for quick and easy solutions for any gardening style, as it includes new Miracle-Gro products designed to make caring for plants simple – indoors or out.

The two winners will each receive a six-litre bag of Miracle-Gro Plant & Grow Compost, which is light in weight but not quality, that will feed plants for up to six months. Also included is a 200ml Miracle-Gro Pump & Feed – simply pump directly onto the soil to feed your plant for a week.

Orchid-loving gardeners will also be excited to win both the three-pack Miracle-Gro Drip & Feed for orchids and the 300ml Miracle-Gro Spray & Spritz for orchids, helping you get glorious results with no effort!

ONIONS and carrots are perfect garden companions.

Grow rows of onions Perfect partners: etween rows onions and carrots of carrots, as t serves the double purpose of repelling both onion fly and carrot fly – the smell of one vegetable masks the smell of the other!

Do not grow onions (or shallots or garlic) right next to peas and beans, as onions inhibit the growth of peas and beans.

How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Miracle-Gro Bundle Draw (1 February), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@ti-media.com, heading the email Miracle-Gro Bundle Draw (1 February). The closing date is 7 February 2020.

WIN £30

Historical gardening event of the week: 2 February 1996

Word search

This word search comprises words associated with onions.

They are listed below; in the grid they may be read across, backwards, up, down or diagonally. Letters may be shared between words.

Erroneous or duplicate words may appear in the grid, but there is only one correct solution. After the listed words are found, there are seven letters remaining; arrange these to make this week’s KEYWORD. ONIONS WHITE RED SHORT LONG DAY ALLIUM BULB CHOPPED COMPANION COOKING CRY EXHIBITION HEALING KELSAE PICKLING SEED SKIN SMELL

N S M E L L Y R C G

G O U N Y A D O C N

N N I D I E O O W I

I I L T E K M E H L

L O L S I P S T I A

K N A N A B P R T E

No: 503

C S G N U N I O E H

I P I L O N G H H T

P O B R E D G S X C

N U E A S L E K N E

HOW TO ENTER: Enter this week’s keyword on the entry form, and send it to AG Word Search No 503, Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF, to arrive by Wednesday 12 February 2020. The first correct entry chosen at random will win our £30 cash prize.

This week’s keyword is ..........................................................................................

Name ........................................................................................................................

Address .................................................................................................................... ...................................................................................................................................

Postcode ..................................................................................................................

Email.........................................................................................................................

Tel no ........................................................................................................................

TI Media Ltd, publisher of Amateur Gardening, will collect your personal information solely to process your competition entry.

42 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

BACK in the 1970s, I spent a year working in the garden at Buckingham Palace. It was eyeopening to see how such prestigio gardens were maintained, with neat edges and perfectly weeded borders a priority for the gardener I have many f memories (in several conversations with the Queen). On a few occasions during winter, at dusk, and no doubt when Her Majesty was sipping tea in the warmth of the Palace, I remember having to get into a little rowing boat, paddle out to the middle of the large lake, and effectively ‘shoo’ the royal flamingos out of the water and on to an island in the middle.

This was so that, if the lake froze overnight, the birds would not get stuck in the ice, standing on one leg, as a gust of wind would snap them in two! Sadly, years later, on 2 February 1996, the entire flamingo flock met a different kind of fate, when a fox got into the garden, walked across the iced-over lake, and picked off the pink birds one-by-one. I’m told it broke the Queen’s heart.

Crossword Ailsa Craig is a long-day onion variety

1

2

4

3

6

5

7 8 9

10

11

13

Wow! I didn’t know that…

The onion is distantly related to the snowdrop, daffodil and amaryllis.

A natural remedy for bee and wasp stings is to cut an onion in half and apply it to the sting. After some slightly sharper stinging, the pain soon diminishes and the sting heals quicker.

“I will not move my army w onions” – so wrote General Ulysses S. Grant during the American Civil War. The next day he received three carriages full of onions.

They were needed to feed the men, of course, but also because they helped to relieve the pain of powder You can relieve wasp burns to the skin. and bee sting pain

15

16

17

18

19

20

ACROSS

1 A subject of this week’s Miscellany has an outer, papery one! (4) 3 Genus of this week’s Miscellany subjects (6) 6 Swede, confusingly also referred to a turnip – largely in Scotland! (4) 7 Vicia faba is the broad, while Coffea arabica is the coffee! (4) 8 Writing implement found at the beginning of the beard-tongue genus! (3) 11 and 19 across The subjects of this week’s Miscellany (5,3,3,6) 15 Mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing, as in the silverleaved ___ plant (Tillandsia argentea), and Hosta ‘Hot ___ Balloon’! (3) 17 Massive, as in Tulipa ingens, known as the ____ tulip! (4) 18 Great enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause, as in Crocosmia ‘____ Giant’! (4) 19 See 11 across 20 Latin name for the 16 down animal, as in the Paeonia lactiflora

cultivar: ‘____ Minor’! (4)

DOWN

1 Small, carnivorous bog plant of the drosera genus, having sticky hairs that trap insects (6) 2 ____ ilicifolia is the hollyleaved sweet spire (4) 3 Amendments, as to a garden or garment – also nitrate! (11) (anag) 4 A bright thought – rather similar to 2 down! (4) 5 Common name for a plant of the mentha genus (4) 9 An enclosure (or even an 8 across!) for swine, as in mistyped honesty! (3) 10 Three fifths plus, of a native poisonous snake! (3) 12 Tuberous hobby plant of the daisy family, originally from Mexico, grown for its brightly single or double late-summer flowers (6) 13 17th state of the US – and a variety of sempervivum (4) 14 Cross between a tangerine and grapefruit, grown in the West Indies (4) 16 Type of animal for which the acanthus plant is a breech (4)

ANSWERS TO ABOVE CROSSWORD

THE terms short-day and long-day onions are more widely used in the US and Canada than in Britain, because we’re a relatively small country. But what do they mean?

The trigger for an onion to start swelling its bulb (rather than root and leaf growth) comes mainly with the daily amount of light it receives. ‘Short-day’ onion varieties start their bulb-swelling when light levels reach 11-12 hours per day; ‘intermediate’ onions need 12-14 hours; and ‘longday’ types need 14-16 hours of daylight.

Why is this important? Well, for example, the far north of Scotland in early summer gets about four hours extra light each day than the south coast of England. In the US, Canada or even from northern-to-southern Europe, there is a massive difference in daylight lengths, so for the best onion crops it pays to know which varieties need more or less light. Those living in the north should choose longday onions, while those in the south should opt for shortday types. Most onion seed (and sets) sold to British gardeners are long-day types that are more suited to UK light conditions.

14

ACROSS 1 Skin 3 Allium 6 Neep 7 Bean 8 Pen 11 White and red 15 Air 17 Huge 18 Zeal 19 Onions 20 Ursa DOWN 1 Sundew 2 Itea 3 Alterations 4 Idea 5 Mint 9 Sty 10 Add 12 Dahlia 13 Ohio 14 Ugli 16 Bear

Short and long-day onions

12

KEYWORD TO WORD SEARCH 498 (21-28 DECEMBER): ROAST TURKEY AND THE WINNER IS: MRS T BOAR, LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK

with an onion 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

43

44 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

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How to use tools Best techniques to get the job right with Tim Rumball How to use a soil-testing kit

Testing your soil for acidity and nutrients will encourage healthier growth, says Tim

I

F you want plants to grow you have to give them the right food, and the right conditions for them to make use of it. The acidity or alkalinity (pH) of garden soil affects the way food can be taken out of the soil by plants, but the essential nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) – must be there in the first place.

So it’s important to know not just the pH, but also what’s missing so you can add more, and what’s already there so you don’t provide too much!

Simple testing kits that just determine soil pH are widely available.

You can also buy more elaborate kits from garden centres and online to determine NPK, but for both types the starting point is a good soil sample.

How to take a sample Take soil samples in dry weather when it hasn’t been raining for at least a couple of days. Don’t take samples if you have added lime or humus-rich material to the soil within three months.

From a garden flowerbed take three separate samples from different points across the bed. Cleanliness is essential. Wash, rinse, then dry your garden trowel and use it to scrape away the top 2in (5cm) of soil at each sampling point.

Take a spit of soil, about one-third of the trowel blade, from the base of the hole and put it in a clean container.

Take your other two samples in the same way and mix all three together, removing stones and larger debris. Spread the soil out in a tray under cover and leave it to dry naturally for 24 hours. This soil sample can be used for all four tests.

Add garden lime to make soil more alkaline. It is frequently used on vegetable beds and it is considered organic

It is worth taking the time to understand your soil – it is the key to better results

How to process the sample There are many soil-acidity test kits available. They all work on the same principle but they do vary, so follow the instructions provided. For the one I’m using, soil from the dry sample is put in the test tube up to the 1ml mark, a measure of barium sulphate and then water (use distilled, available from chemists) is added and shaken vigorously. It’s left to settle, then the top liquid is siphoned off and put in a separate tube with a couple of drops of pH test solution.

Compare the colour of it against a chart. Dark green shows neutral soil, pale green to blue is alkaline, and varying shades of yellow to red indicate an acid or very acid soil.

To test for NPK you’ll find a kit similar to mine at  crocus.co.uk. For nitrogen my test kit uses a filter to extract nutrients, but not all do. Again, follow the

instructions in your kit. I put 1ml of dry soil in the filter with 2½ml of N1 test solution and press the solution through the filter.

How to read the sample The resulting liquid is put in a clean test tube with a measure of N2 testing powder, covered, shaken and left to stand for five minutes. The colour of the liquid in the tube is then compared to the nitrate reading chart. A rich-purple colour means the soil has lots of nitrogen, while pale-lavender means it’s low in nitrogen.

The same procedure is followed when testing for potassium and phosphorus, but using the relevant testing solutions provided in the kit.

How to redress the deficiencies Comparing the colour of a tested soil sample with the appropriate colour chart is not always clear. A bit of interpretation

Testing for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

N test: Nitrates leech out of my sandy soil quickly, so it’s no surprise that this test shows low levels. I’ll add well-rotted manure in spring.

46 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

P test: The colour chart indicates that the phosphorus level in my soil is at medium, so there is no need to add any more.

K test: Potassium is almost non-existent in this sample, so I will dress the soil with sulphate of potash in spring, or rock potash in winter.

is often necessary, but the tests give an indication of acidity or nutrient levels.

If your soil is acidic (below pH7) and you want to grow plants that need neutral or alkaline soil, you can rake in a light dressing of garden lime. If your soil is alkaline (above pH7) and you want to grow acid-loving plants, then sulphur chips, or sulphate of iron will help.

If your soil is lacking in nitrogen, which promotes leafy growth, dig in well-rotted manure or mulch the soil with it. You could also use the chemical ammonium sulphate, which is very strong so should only be used as clearly

directed on the product packaging.

For a deficiency in phosphorus, which promotes healthy root growth, soft rock phosphate can be used, or bonemeal (not blood, fish and bone, which is a balanced fertiliser). Both are organic products. Low levels of potassium (potash), which boosts flowering and fruiting, can be corrected with an application of the chemical sulphate of potash. Use as directed on the product packaging to correct the balance.

For an organic solution use seaweed meal, or spray plants or water on a solution of seaweed liquid fertiliser.

Anatomy of testing soil fertility

Step by step

Testing the pH of soil

1

Place the required measure of dry soil in a tube and add the required measure of barium sulphate (I made the stand for the tube out of an old plastic milk bottle).

1. Range of products to correct soil fertility.

2

Add distilled water to the level indicated, put on the cap, shake and then leave it to settle. Draw off a measure of the liquid in the top layer using the pipette supplied.

2. Simple acidity (pH) soil-testing kit.

3. Full spectrum soil test kit for

4. Clean bowl and

acidity as well as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

trowel to take soil samples.

3

Do’s and don’ts of soi l testing

Take soil samples from several locations

Do ✓ Take soil samples from several locations in a flow

erbed, and mix them together so you get an average across the whole bed. ✓ Follow instructions very carefully – the tests are not difficult to do but the correct sequen ce must be followed.

Don’t ✗ Use a test kit more than one year old as the chemic als can degrade and give false readin gs. ✗ Use dirty kit. Wash and dry the trowel and soil-collec bowl before use, and wash and dry the test kit between tests.

Squirt the sample into the small tube supplied, add two drops of the pH reagent, then close the cap securely and give it a good shake.

The colour will change.

Follow instructions carefully

4

ting

Don’t use a test kit more than one year old

Compare the colour of the liquid to the pH colour chart supplied.

Mine is deep green, so pH7 – spoton neutral. A red reading would be acid, while blue would be alkaline.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

47

Write to us: Letters, Amateur Gardening magazine, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants GU14 7BF (please include your address). Email us: amateurgardening@ti-media.com

Simple rules for growing hostas

C

ATCHING up on my reading on a wet, soggy day here in Sheffield. I really enjoyed Anne Swithinbank’s article on hostas (AG, 23 November). I have a solution to the slug and snail problem.

Having been given some rooted pieces from an old gardener chap many years ago, I planted them in two builder’stype black buckets, making drainage holes in the bottom beforehand. I put one on top of a black, cast-iron pot stand and the other hanging from a strong tree branch. Both have come up every year and flowered well without being attacked by slugs or snails.

I lift them down every few years, and split and give the spares to others.

I think the answer is ‘hang them high’, but still be able to see them properly.

Maureen Gillian Carr, via email

Star letter

Maureen Gillian’s hostas thrive in raised buckets and pots

Where can I buy these plants?

WOULD you tell me where I can obtain the shrubs recently mentioned, referring to two articles: hollies by Toby Buckland (21/28 Dec) and plants to create shelter in Ask Anne (4 Jan)?

My interest has been aroused, because we are starting to construct a car park at my church and we need to plant trees/shrubs around the site, acting as a barrier and wind-break.

We also need a few trees on the north boundary of our graveyard. Holly, in particular, would prove useful for our flower arrangers at the appropriate time of the year.

I have been reading your magazine for a number of years, but this the first time I have written in – a bit late

Where to buy

in starting, as I’m in my nineties!

Ken Journeaux, Hampshire Wendy says: Certainly, Ken. I am happy to help. The list below is a reminder of the plant names and where to buy them. A good reference for finding suppliers of plants, both locally and by mail order, is to look up the free online ‘Find a Plant’ service: rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form, also available to buy as a book £14.99.

Highclere hollies: Ilex x altaclerensis I. x a. ‘Ripley Gold’ I. x a. ‘Golden King’ Ilex ‘JC van Tol’ Plants to provide shelter: Acer campestre Arbutus unedo I. x a. ‘Camelliifolia’ Pittosporum tenuifolium Elaeagnus x ebbingei Olearia macrodonta Escallonia rubra var. macrant Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’ Viburnums, such as V. lantana.

Ilex x altaclerensis ‘Ripley Gold’

Burncoose Nurseries burncoose.co.uk 01209 860316 Bluebell Arboretum & Nursery Bluebell Nursery.com 01530 413700 Ashwood Nurseries ashwoodnurseries.com 01384 401996

48 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Stunned by amaryllis beauty

Emma’s amaryllis has surpassed her expectations

HERE is a photo of an amaryllis bulb I planted on 16 November last year, in the hope it would flower for Christmas Day. Indeed it did, but I never expected such a dramatic result from just one bulb.

I’ve never grown amaryllis before, so I’m stunned by its beauty. I just hope I can care for it over the year, so that it repeats its performance next December.

Emma Taylor, Bridport, Dorset

SHARE YOUR STORIES TIPS AND PHOTOS and you will receive a fantastic pair of Town & Country’s Master Gardener gloves — the UK’s best-selling gardening glove and a perfect companion to help you in the garden. State small, medium or large with your letter.

Tiptoe through the tulips

only

YEARS ago, I remember seeing loads of tulips, but now they don’t seem quite so abundant in gardens.

Here I am, aged two, admiring the rows of different-coloured blooms, which lined our garden from top to bottom.

Linda Kettle, Portsmouth, Hampshire

*

£1.02 an issue when you subscribe

Wendy says: Calling all readers! Please tell us about your early memories in the garden and share photos if available.

Reader’s Quick Tip IF one of you hyacinth bulb is developing more slowly than another in the same bowl indoors, then invert a small class tumbler over it. This will so speed up the growth and thereby it will help to create a more uniformed display.

L. Evans, Denbighshire

Cracking nut I HAVE been watching two trees planted earby, because I couldn’t make out what they were. I noticed strange apsules appearing, and as they got igger they got even more weird and ooked like large edible chestnut ruits. When they dropped, the spiky capsules contained Turkish hazel uts. Well done o Crewe Council or introducing such a novelty.

I’ve saved some nuts to grow on.

Turkish hazel nuts and John Proctor, fringed husks of Corylus Crewe, Cheshire colurna AGM

Guess this plant!

Wendy says: This succulent hails from Mexico and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face in summer bedding schemes!

– see page 38 for details Editorial: Editor: Garry Coward-Williams Gardening editor: Ruth Hayes Assistant editor: Janey Goulding Art editor: Al Rigger Picture editor and Letters: Wendy Humphries Features: Kathryn Wilson, Lesley Upton

Advertising and management: Ad manager: Laurence Pierce ✆ 07971 605143 Managing director: Kirsty Setchell Group managing director: Adrian Hughes

Postal address, telephone, email: Amateur Gardening, TI Media Ltd, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF ✆ 01252 555138 Email: amateurgardening@ti-media.com Subscriptions: ✆ 0330 333 1120 Complaints procedure: We work hard to achieve the highest standards of editorial content, and we are committed to complying with the Editors’ Code of Practice ( ipso.co.uk/IPSO/cop.html) as enforced by IPSO. If you have a complaint about our editorial content, you can email us at complaints@ti-media.com or write to Complaints Manager, TI Media Ltd Legal Department, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP. Please provide details of the material you are complaining about and explain your complaint by reference to the Editors’ Code. We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within five working days and we aim to correct substantial errors as soon as possible. amateurgardening.com Subscription rates (51 issues, all prices shown include postage) UK: £107.53; Europe/Eire: Û195.99; USA: $254.99; All other regions Middle East, Africa, Asia, Far East and ROW £166.99. Cheques payable to TI Media Ltd. Write to: TI Media Ltd, PO BOX 272, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3FS (0330) 333 1133. Overseas +44 330 333 1113 (Lines are open 7 days, 8am-9pm, UK time). Published every Tuesday. TI Media Ltd, 161 Marsh Wall, London, England E14 9AP. Conditions of sale: this periodical shall not, without the consent of the publishers first given, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended selling price shown on the cover (selling price in Eire subject to VAT). Printed and bound in England by the Wyndeham Group. Distributed by Marketforce (UK), 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. Registered as a newspaper at the post office.

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Website:  ti-media.com/brands

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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Answer to Guess this Plant: Echeveria elegans (Mexican gem)

David Austin

Unless the weather is very cold, now’s a good time for you to prune, feed and mulch your roses to ensure a good show this summer.

Decades ago, every garden had a Rosa ‘Peace’ – and the Hybrid Tea Rose is now finding favour once more

Hybrid Tea Rose ‘Blessings’, which produces a profusion of salmon-pink blooms continuously, is ideal for borders and small spaces

From autumn to spring, when soils are not frozen or waterlogged, is a good time to plant roses from pots or bare-rooted. This potted Hybrid Tea ‘Royal William’ is a tall grower, bearing shapely red blooms with a sweet fragrance

How to grow...

Hybrid Tea Roses

With their exquisite, pointed buds and large, often scented petals, these short upright plants are ideal for rose beds, formal gardens and narrow borders, as Anne explains

50 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

For exhibition purposes, the shapely cut buds and blooms of Hybrid Perpetuals gained popularity, and by the second half of the 1800s these were being crossed with Tea Roses to create Hybrid Teas. With their strong, upright bushy forms, shapely buds and repeat flowering, these have remained popular for the last 160 years.

Hybrid Tea ‘Tequila Sunrise’ in mixed border with hydrangea and Fatsia japonica

Hybrid Teas were the number one choice for old-fashioned rose beds, but are also ideal for difficult narrow borders in smaller gardens, mixed borders, and for cutting. We include them in our kitchen garden because the petals are edible, and we use them in herbal teas and crystallised for cake decoration.

Alamy

All photography Swithinbank / TI Media, unless otherwise credited

T

HERE was a time when every garden boasted a Rosa ‘Peace’ or ‘Alec’s Red’, but in recent decades the good old Hybrid Tea Rose has taken a back seat.

Heads have been turned by a renewed interest in romantic, old-fashioned varieties and the many excellent English Shrub roses bred by David Austin.

It’s time to take a fresh look at Hybrid Teas, and renew our enjoyment of their generous nature, fabulous colours and long stems of shapely blooms.

Their story begins with cultivated roses from China reaching European shores in the early 1800s. Blooms were not as striking as existing rose varieties, but were produced repeatedly throughout summer. Breeding work created groups including the Portlands, Bourbons such as ‘Madame Isaac Péreire’ and Tea Roses, so-called because their fragrance was likened to the aroma of China tea.

Pots of potential Roses bought in pots can theoretically be planted at any time, though they will need a lot of watering in summer.

If you are not sure which variety you want, then being able to see and smell them in bloom is a big advantage. The downside is that inevitably their roots will have begun to take the shape of a pot and should be teased out at planting.

Bare-root roses delivered from November to March have been lifted from the nursery field, and are ready to grow down into the soil.

How to plant bare-root Hybrid Tea Roses

‘Flaming Star’ Perfect flowers for a vibrant, colourful border.

A succession of large flamecoloured blooms of gold and cherry emit a mild fruity scent. A healthy rose.

Alamy

Classicroses.co.uk / Kordes

Heavenly Hybrid Teas

‘Thinking of You’ Throughout summer, neat bushes will produce elegant buds unfurling to moderately fragrant, deep crimson blooms, held on long, sturdy stems.

‘Chandos Beauty’ Large, shapely, apricot-gold and cream, pink-flushed blooms are richly scented on strong plants with healthy foliage.

Alamy

Harkness

Main image: Alamy

Plants arriving by mail or are best planted immediatel If not, pot them up or heel them in by laying plants so that their roots sit in a trench and are covered by soil as protection from drying out and frost.

Always plant roses in good, well-cultivated soil and in an open position, Prune in spring so stems where they will not be trou are 4-6in above ground by nearby trees, shrubs or hedges.

Dig a generous hole, place the rose in and make sure the roots fit properly with no bending or folding.

If necessary, prune over-long or damaged roots.

A bulge low down on the main stem marks where the variety was budded onto a rootstock and should sit at soil level. Scatter a product containing mycorrhizal fungi on the roots and fill in around them with soil, treading firmly.

In February or March, prune the stems so that they are 4-6in (10-15cm) above the ground.

‘Freedom’ Vigorous but neat bushy plants that are covered in deep yellow flowers with a light fragrance. Repeatflowers freely.

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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52 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

GREENHOUSES WALL GARDENS COLD FRAMES ACCESSORIES

For more information contact your nearest retailer or visit vitavia.co.uk @VitaviaLtd

01473 218100

info@vitavia.co.uk

the look Get Ideas for gorgeous gardens

Mix cultivated garden flowers dianthus and campanula with wildlife-friendly natives such as fox and cubs Pilosella aurantiaca and purple toadflax Linaria purpurea

Embrace a ‘borrowed view’ to help a garden to seem larger: here a boundary hedge is low enough to allow a majestic oak in a farmer’s field to appear in all its glory

A garden of island beds An evolutionary approach has helped Susan and John Weston create a garden they are very proud of, says Sue Bradley

Photography by Howard Walker

I

SLAND beds have enabled Susan and John Weston to turn a sea of rough grass into a colourful and multi-textured garden.

The couple, who live in a rural spot on the edge of the Staffordshire town of Eccleshall, didn’t have a masterplan when they set about transforming the virtually empty plot behind their home almost 30 years ago.

Instead, they took their time and made their garden gradually, carving new beds into the grassy sward as and when they came across new and interesting plants and ideas they wanted to try.

And while they’ve occasionally been able to draft in extra pairs of hands for special projects, such as the ponds their sons helped them to dig, generally their 54 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

vibrant, multi-textured outside space is their own creation.

“We moved here around 40 years ago, when the garden was essentially a field with a couple of apple trees and a lilac,” Susan recalls. “The house was called ‘Birch Trees’, but there were no birch trees here when we moved in, although we did find a couple of birch stumps dotted around.

“The garden was just a field with a few apple trees”

“For a long time we simply kept it tidy so that the children could kick a football around and only really started working on it about 28 years ago, after which it evolved rather than being planned.

“During that time we’ve picked up lots of ideas from visiting other gardens.

Many have been open for the National Garden Scheme, for which we’re now the county organisers.”

Years in the making One of the early steps in the making of the garden was to find a selection of specimen trees and various shrubs that would add vertical height, colour and interest to the plot without obscuring the ‘borrowed’ view of the countryside beyond. The couple, who live around

Make room for vegetables: a well-kept kitchen garden provides plenty of produce and looks attractive, too

Pebbles and moss-covered stones surrounding a bubbler fountain look great with ferns and white rosebay willowherb Chamaenerion angustifolium ‘Album’

An archway clad Rosa ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ and Clematis ‘Niobe’ separates one section of the garden from another 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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the look Get Ideas for gorgeous gardens 100 metres (328ft) above sea level, also had to be mindful of gardening within an exposed site, which means they’ve had to steer clear of plants requiring a more sheltered situation, including most acers.

Their choice of trees included Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy, the purple leaves of which chime beautifully with a similarly coloured elder Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ planted almost opposite.

Challenges with an exposed site They also discovered the snakebark maple Acer x conspicuum ‘Phoenix’, which is able to stand up to the vagaries of the weather while providing interesting bark and a range of stunning colours throughout the seasons, and various bamboos that create movement when the wind blows Other features installed to add height to the garden include a number of archways, some of which are teamed with long borders of perennials to create a sense of contrasting ‘rooms’, and a decorative metal gazebo positioned over a potted plaited willow.

Elsewhere there’s a stumpery, in which the Westons have married colourful perennials with attractive trunks and roots of felled trees, two ponds, a productive kitchen garden and a glasshouse containing a collection of alpine plants.

“I love the detail within alpines,” explains Susan. “Some are so small and dainty.” All in all, gardening has gradually become a big part of Susan and John’s lives. “It’s hard work but we enjoy it,” laughs John.

A decorative metal gazebo is teamed with a pot containing a plaited willow to make an impact 56 AMATEUR GARDENING 1 FEBRUARY 2020

Seek architectural plants to add extra interest to a pond. Here Darmera peltata offers a similar look to Gunnera manicata without taking up so much room

Separate ‘rooms’ create a mix of ambiences. Here an archway combines with a see-through border of shasta daisy, campanula and foxglove

Bring movement to a garden with a carefully chosen sculpture

Shelves within a pond allow opportunities for growing plants, such as Alchemilla mollis, that provide extra interest and cover for wildlife

Create a small waterfall flowing into a pond: John and Susan use a pump to circulate the water

Meet the gardeners

Look for contrasts: the leaves of crocosmia stand out against the bark of Acer x conspicuum ‘Phoenix’

Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ contrasts with pale flowers, such as Anthemis tinctoria ‘Sauce Hollandaise’

Owners: Susan and John Weston Address: Birch Trees, Copmere End, Eccleshall, Staffordshire, ST21 6HH Garden size: Half-acre garden Month visited: July Aspect: South-west facing Soil: Mix of acid in some parts and neutral in others Special features: Island beds containing a range of perennial flowers, grasses, bamboos and shrubs; vegetable patch, stump bed, water features and alpine house Open for NGS: Visit the National Garden Scheme at 8 ngs.org.uk 1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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www.agriframes.co.uk 0117 934 1790

Arches . Pergolas . Gazebos . Bowers . Obelisks . Screens . Fruit Cages . Kitchen Garden

All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited

Ground elder is sure to spread fast, and will soon swamp border plants – unless you take action now

Weeds that spring up during the winter are usually quickly removed with a hand fork

Inset: TI Media

Toby Buckland Toby’s top tips

1

Put weeds trowelled from the ground into a bucket – if left on the soil, they quickly re-root.

Weeds united

While some weeds seem as whimsical as wildflowers, they soon take over. Toby explains how best to manage them

“Even now, they are growing under your feet!”

and in the lawn, couch grass forms shaggy patches above the sward.

The genuine lawn grasses (such as hardwearing perennial rye and handsome bents) slumber when the mercury drops below 7ºC (45ºF), but not the mushy-pea-green couch that grows through the frosts. The only thing that will keeps this thug in check and out of the borders is a monthly mow, as the removal of the leaves eventually exhausts and kills the roots.

Mowing is a dry weather job, but after a downpour, when the paving shines with rain, is exactly the time to tackle the weeds between the joints, as the lubrication helps the roots pull from the

2

If you mulch with good garden compost after weeding, you won’t need to weed again until summer.

mortar, especially when scraped with a long-handled patio brush.

The same is true in the border soil, and although the wet weather makes hoeing a messy waste of time, weeds that have arrived during the winter haven’t had time get a grip on Mother Earth and are quickly removed with a hand fork. The tickled finish left after weeding also makes a handsome backdrop for the rising bulbs.

So, marvel at the weeds if you will – but, come spring, your garden will be a lot easier to care for if you do it while digging them out.

Get them out, keep them out!

RATHER than dig up large areas of established weeds, mulch with a weed-suppressing plastic membrane that excludes all light and kills them.

Lift any plants you want to keep with a spade, and tease out the weed roots from the clumps. As a rule, ornamental plant roots are dark, while the weed roots (being younger and in growth) are pale. If necessary, wash the clumps under a tap, as with the soil removed the weeds will be easier to see. Once the clumps are clean, replant them in a weed-free spot elsewhere, and mulch the weedy spot and leave in place for 12 months.

A weed-suppressing plastic membrane is an effective way to kill weeds

1 FEBRUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

TI Media

I

T was a wise man who said that when life isn’t coming up roses, you need to look to the weeds for beauty instead. Just don’t look too long… even during this cold corner of the year, they’re quite literally growing under your feet!

I often muse on what makes a weed a weed, and when not bent double clawing at the stubborn root of a dock, I like the sentimental thought that they’re simply wildflowers growing in the wrong place.

But many have another distinguishing feature; they wake from dormancy at lower temperatures than the flowers we have grown, sown, swapped and paid for.

Chickweed, ground elder, nettle and willowherb are already green and spreading, and if not making hay, they are certainly making roots that will ensure they out-compete their ornamental neighbours when spring arrives. And they’re not just in the borders…

Cracks in my paving are filled by a burgeoning fringe of hairy bittercress,

TI Media

Keeping couch grass in check requires a monthly mow; removing leaves ultimately exhausts the roots

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