29 minute read
GARDENING EVENTS GALORE
20th Cheltenham, Tuckwell
Ampitheatre 01242 258002
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‘As You Like it’
Enjoy a night of theatre under the stars at Bacon Theatre’s picturesque Tuckwell Amphitheatre this summer, when Shakespeare’s wonderful comedy takes to the alfresco stage, part of Bacon Theatre’s Open-Air Theatre Festival, brought to Cheltenham by Folksy Theatre, the production will boast bold characters, live music, audience interaction and plenty of laughs. Enjoy a picnic on the lawn and a glass of wine before settling down to an evening of entertainment. Gates open 6pm, performance 7.30pm £14 and concessions
23rd Windrush Valley Flower Show and Fête at Great Barrington
From 1pm at Great Barrington’s village hall, in the stunning Windrush valley. A family day out in the country with home produce, games, races and competitions, fun dog show and gun dog scurry and vintage cars.
23rd June-August 21st Burford, Oxfordshire, Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens Cotswold Falconry Flying Displays
At the Park every weekend from 23rd July through to 21st August including the August Bank Holiday weekend. See a variety of free-fl ying birds of prey, witness the speed and grace of vultures, owls, falcons and eagles. 10am-6pm daily. Admission £15, children under 3 free, 3-16 yr olds £10; concessions, e-tickets & season tickets available.
23rd June-30th August Bourton-onthe–Water, Birdland
01451 820480
Summer Fun at Birdland
Enjoy a fun fi lled day out this summer at Birdland Park & Gardens. Watch daily penguin feeding displays, learn why fl amingos only stand on one leg and discover so much more with the interesting keeper talks. Be a perch for a parrot! Enjoy participative sessions where you can meet a variety of creatures from owls and parrots, to snakes and lizards. 10am-4pm daily £9.95 adults, £6.95 children, concessions and online discount
30th Malmesbury, Charlton Village
Hall 01666 510490
Annual open show
Later than normal this year the club’s garden show has a special theme celebrating The Queen’s 90th birthday and a “Royal Celebration’ class has been added to the fl ower arranging class.
CLUBS AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS
July
4th Wyche & Colwall Horticultural
Society
‘ORCHIDS IN THE HOME, THEIR CARE AND RE-POTTING’ – IAN PARSONS Details on 01531 670801 6th Winchcombe Gardening Club ‘A 21ST CENTURY SMALL HOLDING’ – JULES MOORE Details on 01242 609590 9th Hardy Plant Society
Worcestershire Group
‘COURTYARD GARDENS’ – ADRIAN JAMES sec@worcs-hardy-plant-org.uk 9th Winchcombe Gardening Club ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW Details on 01242 609590 11th Bartestree & Lugwardine
Gardening Club
‘EUPHORBIAS’ – MARK MOIR 12th Cricklade Garden Club ‘STUMPERIES, FERNS & SHADY FRIENDS’ – ANDREW TOLMAN Details on 01793 750557 13th Marshfi eld Flower
Arrangement Club
ARRANGEMENT INSPIRED BY STROLLING THROUGH THE GARDEN- JAYNE MORRIS www.marshfi eldfl ower arrngmentclub.org.uk 14th Cheltenham Horticultural
Society
‘ORNAMENTAL CONTAINER GARDENS’ – PAUL WILLIAMS Details on 01242 691135 14th Highnam Garden Club ‘GARDEN BIRDS’ – DAVID CRAMP Details on 01452 312626 15th Gloucester Amateur
Gardening Club
‘LIFE STORY OF THE AMATEUR GARDEN’ – EDITOR – MR D.CROP email: Helen93c@gmail.com 16th Harnham Garden Society SUMMER SHOW Details on 01722 326840 18th Abbeydale Garden Club GARDEN PARTY Details on 01452 554199 18th Minchinhampton Gardening
Club
‘A TALE OF TWO RIVERS – THE WISTFUL WYE & SAVAGE SEVERN’ Details on 01453 764956 20th Mickleton Gardening Club ‘VILLA GARDENS IN NORTHERN ITALY’ – DR G.B. HARGREAVES Details on 01386 438013 21st Bidford on Avon & District
Gardening Society
‘A GARDENER’S YEAR’ – HELEN PICTON Details on 01789 268974 21st Newent Gardening Club BBQ AT NEWENT PLANT CENTRE WITH TALK BY MARK Details on 01531 820761 24th Old Court Nurseries LLP & The
Picton Gardens, Colwall
OPEN GARDEN EVENT IN AID OF ST MICHAEL’S HOSPICE, HEREFORDSHIRE Details on 01684 540416 27th Clows Top & District
Gardening Club
‘BURFORD ANGELS’ – PAUL BENSON Details on 01299 270475 30th Malmesbury & District Garden
Club
ANNUAL OPEN SHOW Details on 01666 510490 30th Ullenhall Gardening Club GARDEN PARTY AND AFTERNOON TEA
GARDEN SERVICES AROUND THE COTSWOLDS
Arts & Crafts
Taurus Crafts
Cafe, local food, gift shop, exhibitions, events, crafts and more. Near Lydney.
Tel: 01594 844841 www.tauruscrafts.co.uk
Professional Planning Advice
Agricultural Tie Specialists
Removal - Lawful Use - Compliance - Enforcement. Covering all of England and Wales.
caroline@parsonsonplanning.co.uk Tel: 01386 554041
Specialist Nurseries & Plants
Farmcote Herbs and Chilli Peppers
Large selection of herb and chilli plants. Planted troughs, bowls and planters. Chilli chutneys, salsas, dips, sauces and more.
Tel: 01242 603860 www.farmcoteherbs.co.uk
Specialist Plant Centre
Grange Farm NURSERY
Beautiful plants to create your own unique garden
Open 7 days a week: Summer 9am - 5.30pm, Winter 9am to Dusk, Sundays 10am - 5pm
Guarlford - Malvern - WR13 6NT 01684 562544 grangefmnursery@btconnect.com
Enjoy more of the Country Gardener experience by visiting our website
new and improved www.countrygardener.co.uk
Fully interactive and Exclusive content Many free and paid advertising opportunities
ITALIAN GARDEN HOLIDAYS Small group tours with guided visits of Italian gardens
TUSCANY
Visits to: Poggio Torselli, Villa Vignamaggio, Villa Geggiano, Villa Grabau, Villa Reale 2016: 4 Sep From £2250 per person
LAKES COMO AND MAGGIORE
Visits to: Villa Babbianello, Villa Carlotta, Villa Monastero, Isola Bella, Isola Madre 2016: 5 Jul, 6 Sep From £2290 per person
AMALFI COAST, CAPRI AND ISCHIA
Visits to: Villa Rufolo, Caserta, Villa San Michele Axel Munthe, La Mortella 2016: 15 Sep From £1990 per person
ENVIRONS OF ROME
Visits to: Villa d’Este, Bomarzo, Villa Lante, Giardino di Ninfa, Landriana 2016: 7 Sep From £2190 per person Please check our website for details of departure dates for 2017 as they are loaded. Bookings are already being taken for tours in 2017. • Travel by luxury small coach • Maximum 14 people per tour • Local guides and guided garden visits included • Stay at 4 and 5 star hotels, two per tour, 3 nights in each • British Airways flights included
•Extensions to each tour can be arranged
SPEAK TO OUR EXPERTS 01392 441275
THE ART OF INTELLIGENT TRAVEL ORGANISING FOUNDED 1989
EDGING YOUR WAY to a tidy garden
Grenville Sheringham says that when it comes to getting the garden to suddenly look better during the long days of summer the answer is all in the edges
A simple thing like properly edging your lawn will make a huge impact on the way the garden looks
Sometimes in the summer, when everything in the garden of the bed or border, fi rmly pushing through any roots of needs attention at once, it is diffi cult to know where to start. perennial weeds or grass, and loosening the soil. Don’t be Mow the lawn? Weed the beds and borders? Trim the hedge? distracted by individual weeds, and don’t be tempted to bend Well, many years ago I discovered the secret of making a down and pick anything up at this stage. The secret is to garden look tidy quickly and effi ciently – it’s all in the edges. focus on the job in hand and not be distracted, or you will It’s all too easy to let the edge of the lawn become indistinct soon fi nd yourself doing another job ‘just while you are there’. and a mixture of weeds and grass establishes itself at the front Don’t waste time on perennial weeds like dandelions and of the border or in the fl owerbeds. docks. Give them a sharp jab with the hoe just below the soil But a neat, clean weed-free edge leads the eye away from all those overgrown shrubs and tired foliage. surface. Any garden plants that have spread themselves near or over the edge of the bed should be cut back with edging shears or secateurs (except of course if they are in fl ower and Just two tools are essential to achieve this transformation looking appealing!). – edging shears and hoe – and they both need looking after properly if they are going to do their job effi ciently. Edging shears must be kept sharp. If they are sharp, they should slice through grass and weeds easily and feel as if you are using a pair of scissors. If you need to pull at the grass with the I also keep my hoe sharpened, though obviously it is a blunt tool and any edge will quickly be taken off by hoeing through soil, but I do fi nd it makes a huge difference just to use the sharpening stone every so often. shears, they are in serious need of sharpening. I do mine after Now comes the clever bit. Use the hoe to pull any chopped every few uses, but then as a professional gardener I am using weeds or other rubbish into small piles, and pick them up them every day throughout the summer, so they need to be to go on the compost heap. Now turn the hoe sideways sharp. I use an ordinary sharpening stone and just give each and drag it along the edge of the bed with short sharp blade a few quick strokes. It is surprising how much difference movements, fl icking up the earth to expose a neat lawn edge. that makes. The aim is to create a regular slope of something like a Before cutting the edge, you need to make sure it is clear of 45degrees angle between the bed and the lawn. earth and weeds. I do this by hoeing a strip along the edge This technique takes a lot of practice to perfect, but any attempt will invariably lead to some level of success. I learnt this technique working as a gardener at Kew gardens forty-odd years ago, and I’m still working on it! Working in a wide range of private gardens, I often need to create a neat effect in just a few hours, ready for a special visit or event, or just for the owners to enjoy their garden at the weekend. This technique always works, as long as you remember the golden rule is not to get distracted by other tasks. If the edges are tidy, the eye is led away from the docks and nettles lurking at the back of the border. Believe me, it works! www.countrygardener.co.uk 41
WILDLIFE
Newts can survive in your garden even without a pond By Vivienne Lewis
Newts look like lizards and it’s sometimes confusing when we fi nd one not by a pond – so how do you tell the difference? Great crested newts are quite recognizable, being bigger and usually darker. They are up to 16cm long with rough, black I picked up a tiny newt near the back door. At least I thought it was a newt – or was it a little lizard? And if it was a newt why it was there and nowhere near a pond? How could it survive away from water? skin often with white-tipped ‘warts’, and a bright orange belly with irregular black blotches. During the breeding season males have a jagged crest running from the head, along the back, with a break at the base of the tail; the tail also has a conspicuous white fl ash. I found out that amphibians like newts can spend a huge amount of time on dry land, in fact most of their time away from water, and can be hundreds of metres away from it, although they need to fi nd a pond in the spring to breed. If you think you have a great crested newt in your garden pond contact Natural England or the Countryside Council for Wales. After receiving information from the relevant statutory agency you should inform your local Amphibian and Reptile The difference between lizards and newts is that lizards have Group and the local Biological Record Centre of the sighting. scaly skin while newts have skin that’s much smoother but These records help these groups understand the distribution sometimes ‘warty’. If you have a chance for a closer look you of this species locally and will be important for providing could count the number of toes on the front pair of legs – planners and developers with the correct information. newts have four toes and lizards have fi ve. I didn’t do that but maybe next time, as I did pick it up. Sometimes newts with gills are seen in ponds. This is known as neotony, where an adult newt has retained its larval Lizards will rush characteristics. It’s a natural phenomenon but the newt won’t away with quick develop and will remain in a pond for the whole of its life. movements but newts have a slower, more lumbering way of getting around. So this was defi nitely a newt – it didn’t exactly freeze but it didn’t rush off either! Sometimes newt larvae (or frog tadpoles) are found in the water after the summer. This is unlikely to be neoteny, but a delay in development and metamorphosis will be completed the following spring (if they survive the winter). It’s not advised to introduce newts into your pond, or any amphibians and their eggs. Instead, create amphibian-friendly features like ponds, compost heaps and log piles and this should encourage newts into your garden. There are three native newts in the UK. Smooth newts are the most common and are similar to the palmate newt. Although all newts are protected All three species feed mostly on invertebrates, either aquatic or terrestrial. They can be effective at keeping down populations of pest species such as slugs and snails. Great crested newts can take larger prey, occasionally even feeding on the tadpoles and adults of frogs and the other newt species. by law the rarer great crested newt is strictly protected. Newts are also a good food source for many species such as Smooth newts are about 10cm long, usually with a brown upper body sometimes with visible black spots and a grass snakes and birds. The tadpoles provide food for larger aquatic invertebrates, and other amphibian species. pale orange belly with small black spots. Males develop a So fi nding the little newt proved to be quite a revelation. We continuous wavy crest, running from the head to the end of don’t have a pond, nor do our neighbours, so it has come the tail, during the spring. quite a long way. But we do have plenty of damp corners Palmate newts are a little shorter with pink unspotted throats, and males develop webbed back feet, a ridge running along the back and a thin fi lament at the end of the tail during in our old garden so it should survive and we have seen them before – and when we do, it’s another exciting wildlife discovery. the breeding season. There can be colour variations: smooth Find out more from www.wildaboutgardens.co.uk/wildlife/ newts can appear orange, cream or pale green and these are amphibians natural genetic variations. 42 Country Gardener
Accommodation Two Scandinavian lodges. Set in beautiful Worcestershire country side. Go to Cottages.com ref nos W43950 and W44036. Glorious North Devon. Only 9 cosy caravans on peaceful farm. Wonderful walks in woods & meadows. Easy reach sea, moors & lovely days out. £125-395pw. Discount couples. Nice pets welcome. 01769 540366 www.snapdown.co.uk
Bosworlas near Sennen/St Just,
Cornwall. Cosy Cottage, rural views, Sleeps 2-4 www.bosworlas.co.uk 01736 788709 Gloucestershire, Cosy annexe for two non-smokers, lovely garden, beautiful countryside. Pets welcome.
Tel: 01452 840531 Sidmouth, Devon
Fully equipped self catering house.
Undercover parking. 10 mins walk to the seafront.
Tel. 01934 862840 www.sidmouth-stayatnewlands.co.uk Carmarthen Bay South Wales
Seafront chalet situated on estuary.
Sleeps up to 6. Seaview. Well Behaved
Dogs Welcome. For brochure
Tel: 01269 862191 Cornwall, near St Just. Chalet, sleeps 4, heated indoor pool, open all year – near gardens/coast, golfi ng nearby. Prices from £260 pw. 01736 788718
Delightful cosy Shepherds Hut for 2 on Cotswold Farm Pretty villages, Bustling market towns excellent walking N.T. and gardens Tel: 01242 604189 www.pinnockwoodfarm.co.uk
Accommodation Abroad Beautifully romantic cottage for two
In sunny SW France just 30 mins from
Bergerac airport. www.maison-bb.com Accommodation: Holiday Cottages Devon, Culm Valley. Well equipped rural cottage for 2. No Pets/Smokers 01884 841320 Self-catering cottages in countryside near Lyme Regis. Japanese food available. www.hellbarn.co.uk Padstow house, 4 + baby, gardens, parking, Wi-Fi, Camel trail (bike storage), beaches. 07887 813495 holidaysat55@gmail.com Wye Valley/Forest of Dean. Fully equipped 4-star single storey cottage. Two bedrooms both en-suite. Central heating/bedlinen provided. Rural retreat with shops/pubs one mile. Short breaks available. Warm welcome. Tel: 01594833259 www.cowshedcottage.co.uk
Cotswolds near Chipping Campden.
Thatched cottage. Sleeps 4. Tel: 01386 840950 www.tythebarn.co.uk info@tythebarn.co.uk
Lanlivery near Eden and other Cornish
Gardens lovely woodland lodge 2/4 people www.poppylodgecornwall.co.uk 01726 430489 Devon. Tamar Valley. Pretty cottage sleeps 2-4. Wood burner, garden, small dog welcome. 02073 736944/07940 363233 www.northwardshippon.co.uk Ryde Isle Of Wight, two cottages. Sleeps 2/4, close sandy beaches. Tel: 02380 849565 rydecottage@talktalk.net
Cornwall. Village location between
Truro and Falmouth. Fully equipped renovated cottage. Peaceful garden. Off road parking. Ideal for 2 adults. No children/animals. Good public transport. Good pub and shop. Easy reach of Heligan
and Eden. 01279 876751 ayrepj@aol.com Country Gardener
Peace, Privacy, and Stunning Views! 4* Delightful cosy cabin for 2, nestling between Wye and Usk Valleys. Shirenewton village & pubs closeby. Wonderful walks, splendid castles & bustling market towns. Perfect for all seasons! Tel: 01291 641826 lynne@bryncosyn.co.uk www.bryncosyn.co.uk
Hartland Abbey Cottages 2 delightful cottages in AONB. One by Atlantic cove, one in hamlet ½ mile inland on Hartland Abbey estate. Wonderful walking/wildfl owers on adjacent SW coast path and beautiful beaches. Both sleep 2-8. Available weeks from Sept 2nd. www.hartlandabbey.com/holidaycottages/ Email: ha_admin@btconnect.com Tel: 01884 860225/01237 441234
Waters-edge, Rural & Village Cottages
Sleeping 2-8. Peaceful & Comfortable.
Available year round. Dogs Welcome.
Open Fires.
Call us on 01326 375972 for our colour brochure www.creeksidecottages.co.uk
Pembrokeshire, Wales 4 star luxury cottages in idyllic surroundings. Fully equipped, open all year. Children & pets welcome.
Tel: 01239 841850 www.valleyviewcottages.co.uk Sidmouth Devon
Holiday bungalow in AONB overlooking Donkey Sanctuary. Sleeps 4. April – October. Ideal for walkers, nature lovers and children. jandtmercer@gmail.com www.sandwaysholidaycottage.co.uk 07842 514296 Gardens
Northumberland Luxury self-catering
major tourist attractions inc Hadrian’s Wall 01884 841320 North Devon near Clovelly. 3 delightful cottages situated in 12 acres of idyllic countryside. Sleeps 2-4. 1 Wheelchair friendly. Prices from £190 p.w. Brochure:
Creekside Cottages, Near Falmouth, Cornwall
01237 431324 www.foxwoodlodge.co.uk
Penrice Castle Gower 16 holiday cottages on an 18th century Estate on the Gower Peninsula with beautiful Grade I listed historic park and gardens. Tel: 01792 391212
www.penricecastle.co.uk Near Stratford-upon-Avon Lovely self-catering cottage in peaceful location: Large garden, Sleeps 2. Perfect for famous gardens, NT properties & Cotswolds. Tel: 01789 740360
Accommodation With Beautiful
cottage, sleeps 2. Rural location. Near to
www.romanacres.com Antiques
International dealer requires records
(all types) old gramophones, phonographs, music boxes, radios, valves, telephones, early sewing machines, typewriters, calculators, tin toys, scientifi c instruments etc. Parts also wanted. Top cash price paid 07774 103139 davepauled1@yahoo.com
Bed & Breakfast
4 Star Gold Award B&B in Stoulton,
Worcestershire. Luxury accommodation in beautiful surroundings. Perfectly situated to visit Worcester, The Malvern’s, Pershore, Cheltenham and Cotswolds. 01905 841129 www.sunbrae.co.uk
Charming B&B in garden cottage annex.
Double with en-suite. Village location near Jurassic Coast, Bridport. Tel: 01308 488177 Explore Devon and be spoilt. 2 nights DBB £185 per couple. Farmhouse hospitality. Great trip advisor reports. 01566 783010 www.eastraddon-dartmoor.co.uk Quality B&B Truro Cornwall. Ideal for visiting beautiful cornish gardens and coast. £40 pppn 01872 241081
Somerset 5* Restaurant with Rooms.
Close to many NT Gardens, Houses and Dorset Coast. Countryside Location with Lovely Garden. Pet Friendly 01935 423902 www.littlebarwickhouse.co.uk Paignton, Devon, 4* B&B. Ideal location for coast, countryside and NT gardens. En-suite rooms, garden, parking. Green Tourism Gold Award. www.harbourlodge. co.uk 01803 556932
Cards & Prints
A range of over 200 greetings cards and prints from the flower paintings of AnneCotterill
We sell to both individuals and trade. no order too small. Contact us for your free 2016 catalogue. Mill House Fine Art Publishing, Bellflower Gallery,
Market Place, Colyton, Devon eX24 6JS
Tel. 01297 553100 info@millhousefineart.com www.millhousefineart.com
Craft & Stationary Paper
Unusual paper with an extra surprise,
even Ellie Poo! 100% recycled made in UK. 01458 251662 www.elliepoopaper.co.uk Flyscreens
flyscreens4u@sky.com
Advertise here... ...from just £2 per word
Fruit Trees Adam’s Apples
Apple trees from £7.50 Over 100 varieties
Dessert, juicing, cider & cookers to suit your farm, garden or smallholding Many other fruit trees & bushes. Discounts for wholesale, community projects & schools. Advice and free catalogues.
Tel: 01404 841166 sales@adamsappletrees.co.uk www.adamsappletrees.co.uk
Garden Accessories
www.shedtidy.co.uk www.shedtidy.co.uk
Gardeners multi-purpose Gardeners multi-purpose hanging panel. Ideal as a vertical garden (living wall) for all year floral colour (pictured) to hang hanging panel. Ideal as a vertical garden (living wall) for all year floral colour (pictured) to hang on any rail or bare wall or on any rail or bare wall or as a kitchen herb garden as a kitchen herb garden as a kitchen herb garden or as storage for garden or as storage for garden accessories. See our accessories. See our web site for more uses. web site for more uses. Trade enquiries welcome. ONLY £8.95 INC P&P ONLY £8.95 INC P&P
Garden Furniture
UKs leading supplier of Teak Furniture for the Garden
Drystone Walling and Paving
Wisteria Pruning, renovation, Oxfordshire,
surrounding area. Richard Barrett 01865 452334 wisteriapruning@tiscali.co.uk
Mortared work also undertaken. Patrick Houchen - DSWA member. Tel: 01963 371123 www.yenstonewalling.co.uk
Gardens To Visit Burrow Farm Gardens www.burrowfarmgardens.co.uk
13 Acre Garden Open 10am-6pm Tea Room, Nursery & Gift Shop Dalwood, Axminster, EX13 7ET
Garden Sundries Solent Engraving for Plant Labels, Memorial Plaques, Signage, Name Tags, etc. Flat plate engraving on Metal or Plastic. 02380894843 solent.engraving@ btinternet.com
Tel: 01256 809 640 sales @chicteak.co.uk www.chic-teak.co.uk
FREE BROCHURE
Garden Services
Polytunnels
ANDREW TOLMAN Professional Garden Services
Services include
Consultations, Garden Design, Borders, Orchards & Meadows. Specialist Pruning; Climbers, Fruit & Topiary. Supply of Trees, Plants & Bulbs. Talks on Gardens & Plants.
Tel: 07546 874083 / 01643 818092 andrew@atpgardening.co.uk www.atpgardening.co.uk
Polytunnels from £345 available to view by appointment 01363 84948 info@ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk www.ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk
Pond Services
Ponds, large and small, constructed,
renovated and maintained. 01761 434349 www.southwestponds.co.uk Specialist Garden Products Ex display sheds. Stables, fi eld shelters, garages, summerhouses, offi ces, workshops/agricultural 01935 891195 Dorset Hazel Hurdles. Made to order by Alan Brown, Wool, Dorset. 01929 462761 www.brownshurdles.co.uk
MALVERN COPPICING
Rustic timber garden rooms, summer houses, gazebos and garden structures from sustainably managed local woodlands
Tel. 01684 574865 Mob. 07946169123 www.malverncoppicing.co.uk
NESTING BOXES FEEDERS INSECT HOMES CAMERA NESTBOXES WILDLIFE CAMERAS
Quality products carefully made in Britain
Tel: 01675 442299 www.nestbox.co.uk
Specialist Nurseries & Plants
ACORN TREES & SHRUBS
440+ VARIETIES OF TREES & SHRUBS RARE And cHOIcE cOnIFERS including pinus montezume broadleaves and rhododendrons MAIL ORDER WELCOME | VISIT BY APPOINTMENT ONLY TEL: 01884 881 633 / 07976 807 510 EMAIL: goakey101@gmail.com Hilltown Farm, Rackenford, Devon, EX16 8DX
Water Lilies Direct from the National Plant Collection® at Bennetts Water Gardens in Dorset Buy online at www.waterlily.co.uk or visit our gardens in Weymouth
Dwarf Hardy, Rockery & Alpine Plants Geraniums & Gentians
55x45 DWL ad_Dorset Water Lily 16/01/2015 11:3
www.plantsforsmallgardens.co.uk
DORSET WATER LILY
COMPANY
UK’s largest selection of established, pot grown water lilies; Speciality hardy exotics, tropical waterside, marginals and moisture loving bogside.
Landscaping & Design Service.
Tel: 01935 891668
Email: dorsetwaterlily@uwclub.net
www.dorsetwaterlily.co.uk
DULFORD NURSERIES
SPECIALIST TREE & SHRUB GROWERS
Growers & suppliers of the widest range of Native & Ornamental Trees, Shrubs & Hedging in the West Country Tel: 01884 266361 www.dulford-nurseries.co.uk
Dulford Nurseries, Dulford, Cullompton, Devon EX15 2BY Grower and retailer of hardy alpine plants for your garden
Nursery open Thursday, Friday, Saturday Visit us at tadhamalpines.co.uk for availability and further information.
Thornhayes nursery
Devon’s specialist tree grower for a wide range of ornamental, fruit, hedging trees and a selection of choice shrubs. Courses, expert advice, arboretum, display fruit garden.
Tel: 01884 266746 www.thornhayes-nursery.co.uk
Largest selection of organic plants in the South West
Visit us at Kitley Farm, Yealmpton, PL8 2LT Or order plants at www.growersorganics.com Tel: 01752 881180
Peonies, Iris, Perennials and Herbs from HURST BROOK PLANTS
Lower Severalls Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 7NX Tel 07857 645123 or 07851 468430 www.hurstbrookplants.co.uk Specialist Nursery OPEN March - October Thursday - Sunday 10.00 - 4.00 GROUP VISITS WELCOME and HOMEMADE REFRESHMENTS available by prior arrangement. Please email or ring for details.
Advertise here...
Wanted Old Radio Valves And Audio
Valves. Tel: 02392 251062
Wholesale Nursery
Tel 01404 41150
Looking for young, hardy garden plants to grow or plant? Try
Trimplant Nursery, Combe Raleigh, Honiton, Devon sales@trimplants.co.uk www.trimplants.co.uk
Advertise here...
Coming up in the August issue of Country Gardener
SPEAKERS GALORE!
Our August issue will carry the hugely popular Speakers Supplement, a pull out and keep guide to garden and gardening speakers and lecturers. It has been fully updated for 2016.
It provides new options, new ideas and possibilities as you plan your meetings.
Contact Ava Bench on 01823 619073 or email ava@countrygardener.co.uk The August issue of Country Gardener will be available from mid July onwards.
Hollyhock heaven is here again!
No traditional cottage garden would be complete without the tall, graceful spires of hollyhocks. Once a Victorian favourite, these glorious towers of colour became forgotten fl owers. Now their time has come again.
Growing hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) in the garden is the goal of many gardeners who remember these impressive fl owers from their youth. The fl ower stalks on hollyhocks can reach heights of nine feet tall! They can tower above a garden, adding a lovely vertical element to your borders. Translated as 'holy mallow', hollyhocks were brought here from the Holy Land by Crusaders, and have been gracing our gardens ever since. They are nomads by nature, so if your neighbours have them, they are bound to pitch up in your garden sooner or later, spreading out a parasol of green leaves in the fi rst year, then soaring skywards in the second. The fl ower spikes teeter above bristly foliage and are studded with felted buttons, which pop open either into poppy-like bells or rosette doubles in shades of white, lemon, cola-cube or liquorice, depending on the variety. Hollyhocks no longer quite fi t their let-them-get-on-withit cottage garden image. But if you give them care and attention, they are worth it come July. With their open, saucer fl owers, splashed all the way up their jack-and-the-bean-stalk stems, each one busy with butterfl ies and bumblebees, they'll more than repay your efforts. Because they fl ower in summer, and because of their selfsuffi cient habit of self-sowing in paving and gravel, it would seem that they are happy to live in desert-dry soil. In sunny, fi ve-star accommodation, the fl ower-spikes will tower as high as nine feet giving sunfl owers a run for their money. Once you have planted your hollyhocks, they will need minimal care, but there are a few things you should be aware of when growing hollyhocks. First, hollyhocks are a short lived perennial. This means that most varieties will only live two to three years. Their lifespan can be extended some by removing growing hollyhock fl owers as soon as they fade. Cutting them back to the ground and mulching them will also help. The one benefi t that comes from growing hollyhock fl owers is that they easily reseed themselves.
Make more plants Hollyhocks self-sow, so once you have introduced them they should spring up of their own volition, but they will creep to the sunny, open front of the bed. Watch out for this and dig some up and put them further back out of the limelight to get a balanced sweep. Don't transfer them directly, though – they need a short spell of tender love and care. Dig up self-sown seedlings and pot them into a three inch pot. Once the roots have fi lled it, move them on into a slim, deep pot to accommodate the tap root.
Hollyhocks are archetypal cottage garden plants and you often see them growing beautifully in churchyards. The cleaner, sulphur-free air that we all now enjoy, however, means that fungus on hollyhocks is more common. Rust fungus forms little pustules on the underside of hollyhock basal leaves and often spreads from there up the stem. Hollyhock rust is a fungal disease that shows up as angry cinnamon coloured spots on the undersides of leaves. It fi rst came here from South America in the late 19th century, when hollyhocks were the must-have plant. It devastated collections across Europe, spreading between gardens via the leaves of wild mallow. As soon as you see rust, pinch off the affected leaves. Water is key to preventing it. Hollyhocks have long tap roots, which allows them to bypass the surface dryness and hunt for moisture deep down. So any way you can trap moisture around their roots - watering in dry weather and creating a lid over the soil to hold in water by spreading a two inch layer of garden compost around stems - will help. Don't pile it up against the stem as it will cause rot and, as rust is worse in humid conditions, keep your hose aimed low so that no water splashes on the hairy leaves. If you let them grow tall - they're great for hiding fences at the back of a border, or as centrepieces to island beds and partners to roses - it pays to keep them on the straight and narrow by staking with a bamboo cane pushed in the ground behind the tallest spikes. When they fi nish fl owering the stems can be cut right down to ground level or left to ripen for seed. Although classifi ed as annuals or biennials, the parent plant might come back to fl ower again for a few years, but it should only be kept if healthy. If it's riddled with rust, bin or burn it. The same goes for self-sown hollyhocks: clear away all affected rusty leaves in spring and you're halfway to having fantastic fl owers in summer.
