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Country Gardener
Gardeners cuttings in Somerset
A LOOK AT NEWS, EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS IN YOUR AREA
SEPTEMBER RARE PLANT FAIR AT THE BISHOP’S PALACE, WELLS
The Autumn Rare Plant Fair takes place in the beautiful grounds and gardens of The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, on Sunday, 8th September.
The Bishop’s Palace lies at the heart of the historic city of Wells and is a truly breathtaking backdrop for this very popular curtain raiser to the fair season. Hidden within the ancient ramparts and protected by the moat, 14 acres of stunning, tranquil gardens await you.
In September the large dahlia collection will be at its best and a riot of colour. The Hot Border will also be at its peak and full of yellows, reds and blues. The South Lawn planting is inspired by a sketch from 1830 and features bold and luxuriant planting around the tower. You are also welcome to look around the Bishop’s Private Chapel, explore the ruined Great Hall and meet the famous mute swans who live alongside the moat and ring a bell when they want food.
“September - one of the most beautiful of words, evoking orange flowers, swallowsand regret” -Alexander Theroux
“… some of the rarest days of the year come in September, days when it is comfortably cool but pulsing with life.”
- Hal Borland
The fair will be open from 10am to 4.30pm, and adult entry is £8, which is a substantial reduction on normal garden entry. As ever, entry includes access to both the fair and gardens, and there is a great selection of specialist nurseries attending, all of whom are experts in the plants that they grow. Full details can be found at www.rareplantfair.co.uk
The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD
Drawing in the Yeo Valley garden
The Yeo Valley gardens are offering the chance to spend the day in their organic garden, drawing with artist in residence, Natasha Clutterbuck.
The popular local artist organises an expressive day of hands-on art using natural materials from the local area to create her own vibrant drawings of the garden. She’ll help you to explore your own unique drawing style. The courses are small and intimate costing £60. Garden entry and material costs are included in the price. Refreshments and lunch are available to buy in the Organic Garden Café. Alternatively, you may like to bring a packed lunch to enjoy in the meadow. The next two artists days are Friday, 20th September and Friday, 4th October. Both these focus on ‘Colour in the Veg Patch’ focusing on the vegetable garden - an expressive, charcoal drawing workshop with earthy, vibrant colour.
Yeo Valley, Rhodyate, Blagdon, Bristol BS40 7YE www.natashaclutterbuck.co.uk/workshops-2
Wildlife Trust aims to establish new wilded site on Somerset Levels
Somerset Wildlife Trust purchased ‘Honeygar’, a dairy farm on the Somerset Levels, two years ago. It is now looking to raise additional funds for its ongoing project to transform the former farm into its first wilded site, on the Somerset Levels. The 81-hectare site is located between the Trust’s Westhay Moor, Westhay Heath, and Catcott nature reserves on the Avalon Marshes, one of the largest and most important wetland areas in the UK. The Trust is now launching its second Honeygar appeal, aiming to raise £70,000. It is a match-funded appeal thanks to the support from one of the charity’s anonymous donors — which means every £1 donated will become £2, every £10 will become £20, and every £100 will become £200.
www.somersetwildlife.org/appeals/ honeygar-appeal
DOUBLE DELIGHT AT FORDE ABBEY’S AUTUMN FAIR
There’s a double delight at Forde Abbey on the Somerset and Dorset border in September when the popular gardens stage a Plant and Gardening Fair on Saturday, 7th September. The fair takes place at the beginning of the dahlia display in the gardens, the perfect time to see the garden transforming into its autumn colours and bursting herbaceous borders.
The fair has attracted specialist nurseries from the southwest selling plants and beautiful gardening sundries from 10.30am to 3pm.
The in-house plant nursery is also open from 10.30am to 3pm and it is fully stocked with dahlias and a diverse range of herbaceous perennials, many rare and unusual. All the plants in the nursery are grown at the Abbey.
A reduced entry fee of £7.50 to the fair includes admission to the 30-acre gardens. Parking is free. Last entry to the gardens at 3pm. The admission fee applies to all visitors including children over 15yrs. Free entry to Forde Abbey and Historic House Members. Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU
Natasha Clutterbuck, artist in residence at Yeo Valley
Somerset Levels
Double delights at Forde Abbey
3 months of Vibrant Spring Colour in one
pot!
Layer planting is a quick and easy method of planting up pots and containers.
Each layer flowers at different times creating stunning, long-lasting displays of colour.
3 for £12
on selected spring flowering bulb packs
Bottom Layer
Choose larger bulbs including Tulips or Alliums which flower in April or May
Pen Elm Hill, Norton Fitzwarren, Taunton, TA2 6PE
Bruton Road, Wincanton, BA9 8HA
ST MARY Gosford Road, Ottery St Mary, EX11 1LZ
Top Layer
Choose smaller bulbs that flower in February and March, such as Muscari or Crocus.
Middle Layer
Early flowering Daffodils or Hyacinths are a great choice for March or April colour.
Pick up a leaflet in store or for more information, scan the QR code
local Otter Garden Centres:
SEVENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF EXMOOR CELEBRATED LOOKING UPWARDS
Exmoor National Park Authority is offering the chance to immerse yourself in the skies above, for the 2024 Exmoor Dark Skies Festival from Friday 18th October to Sunday 3rd November.
Not only is the festival a celebration of the unique quality of Exmoor’s Dark Skies, but it is also the 70th anniversary of Exmoor being designated as a National Park in 1954.
The festival includes something for everyone, giving enthusiastic stargazers, wildlife watchers and families the chance to enjoy Europe’s first designated Dark Sky Reserve.
The festival programme includes planetarium experiences, Dark Skies Yoga, a Family Astro Party, ranger-led Dark Skies walk and talks, a ‘gin and stargazing’ evening and storytelling. You can pick up a free programme from National Park Centres and local Exmoor businesses.
More details about stargazing on Exmoor and this year’s festival can be found at www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/darkskiesfestival
…And new section of coast path opens
The Exmoor National Park Authority has also opened the Exmoor section of the King Charles III England Coast Path, the first section to open in the southwest. Improvements have been made along a quarter of the length of this 35-mile stretch, so that walkers at popular Devon and Somerset spots such as Hurlstone Point, North Hill and Glenthorne can enjoy revived ancient paths and more scenic views.
The path is a national trail around the whole coast of England, taking in existing coastal national trails like the Southwest Coast Path but offering new public access to link up and improve existing Exmoor routes.
HUGH SHEERS HIS WAY TO SUCCESS
Topiary has always been something to make people stop and admire. A Somerset gardener has won national recognition for his ‘intricate sculptured’ topiary hedges. Hugh Johnson, from Great Elm, near Frome, was highly commended for his garden’s display of intricate sculptured shapes in the 2024 inaugural Topiary Awards. Hugh’s garden includes a variety of traditional topiary designs, such as spiral and cone shapes, punctuated with vibrant purple flowers to add a splash of colour. It was entered into the ‘Home Gardener’ category.
The competition, launched to celebrate and honour the centuries-old tradition of shaping living sculptures from plants, drew entries from across Britain.
The winning entry in the Home Gardener Category went to David Hawson from Aberdeenshire, whose design features a whimsical scene featuring countryside animals and marine creatures carefully sculpted into a continuous hedge, resulting in a high-impact horizon.
FREE HERITAGE DAY AT LIMPLEY STOKE AMERICAN GARDENS
The spectacular gardens at Limpley Stoke’s American Museum and Gardens has a Heritage Day on Sunday, 15th September with free entry to the 125 acres and the Grade 11 listed two and a half acres of formal gardens which were renovated in 2018.
The grounds include the new American Garden, the Mount Vernon Garden, and the Children’s Garden, as well as an arboretum and parkland, and the new woodland walk. The New American Garden has sweeping lawns and vistas, and large garden vignettes that embrace the aesthetic of the American meadow, with a profusion of colour, texture and movement throughout the year. The Heritage Open Day is being marketed as the perfect time to experience the late summer gardens.
American Museum & Gardens, Claverton Manor, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7BD
Children’s allotment to show its produce for NGS opening
SKOOL BEANZ CHILDREN’S ALLOTMENT at Little Sammons Allotments, Chilthorne Domer, Somerset, BA22 8RB opens for the National Garden Scheme on Sunday 15th September from 11am until 5pm.
The children’s gardening club was created by Lara Honnor to encourage children to enjoy gardening. The allotment has a huge cut flower dahlia bed, vegetable area, fruit trees and bushes, a rainwater collecting station, ‘Muddy Buddy’ compost heap, quiet wildlife garden, secret den, polytunnel and plenty of seating and tables for upcycling garden arts and crafts. Admission £3, children free, with homemade teas available, plants for sale, partial wheelchair access and dogs on short leads allowed. www.ngs.org.uk
For more gardens opening for charity go to page 14
Hestercombe opens 17th century water garden
Hestercombe Gardens just outside of Taunton has announced the opening of a 17th-century Water Garden and a new sunflower meadow — with visitors able to pick five sunflowers as part of the entry fee.
The landscaping has been funded by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, with work to restore the Water Garden starting four years ago. Following extensive archival research and careful excavation, a wall around the pond and the island in the middle were revealed and subsequently rebuilt.
In the autumn of 2021, the natural spring was reconnected, and the pond filled.
Hestercombe Gardens Estates Manager, Warren Leavens, said: “This water garden is just one of a handful left in the UK today, and there are only a couple still open to the public, which is why it was vital that we restored this hidden gem.
“We’re delighted to restore this rare feature and to get it back to its original splendour.”
Now that it has been restored to its former glory, the punt from the Pear Pond has been relocated to the water garden, and the area opened to visitors in early August.
Learn willow weaving in style at Hestercombe
Hestercombe Gardens is offering visitors the chance to join in the popular skill of willow weaving and to pick up some exquisite handmade crafts.
The weaving sessions are led by Richard and Suzanne Kerwood from Windrush Willow founded in 1998 by the husband and wife duo and is renowned for their dedication to cultivating and promoting the versatile willow species.
The sessions running from 10am to 5pm are free. There are three dates in September -1st, 15th and 22nd.
AUTUMN CHRYSANTHEMUMS, ALSO KNOWN AS EARLYFLOWERING VARIETIES, CAN ADD COLOUR TO BORDERS AND CONTAINERS AND CAN BLOOM OUTDOORS FROM AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER UNTIL THE FIRST FROST.
There’s probably nothing more traditional in an autumn garden than late season chrysanthemums.
These traditional favourites bring a welcome boost of colour in late summer and autumn. Their flowers, in a wide choice of shapes, sizes and hues, reinvigorate borders and containers as temperatures start to fall.
Many lovers of these late winter hardy flowers think they have an image problem. A far cry from the fussy chrysanthemums that grace the benches of horticultural shows, these are easy to grow, and come in a great colour range of autumnal yellows, oranges, reds and russets, as well as vibrant pinks, sunny yellows and pure, brilliant white. They are an asset in the border and a boon to pollinating insects but the key is plant choice.
If you want good border chrysanthemums, you must pick plants that are fully winter hardy is the message.
The flowers have many different forms, from open daisies to multi-petalled pompoms, large and small. They come in lots of colours and shades, from pink, purple and red, to orange, yellow and white.
Chrysanthemums enjoy a warm, sunny, sheltered spot, with fertile, well-drained soil. Water and feed regularly, and protect them from frost. Most won’t survive heavy frosts or waterlogged soil. They don’t perform well in dry conditions, poor soil or shade.
Chrysanthemums are probably most familiar as cut flowers, but they are also eyecatching and versatile garden plants. They add colour to borders and containers in late summer and autumn, when many other plants are past their best.
There are many types of chrysanthemums, but this focus is on ‘early’ or ‘hardy’ garden chrysanthemums. These are widely available, straightforward to grow, and flower abundantly outdoors in late summer and autumn. Although they are generally classified as hardy, it is still best to protect them from frost. Chrysanthemums are perennials, going dormant in winter, then re-sprouting in spring.
Dormancy refers to a period of inactivity in plants, during which they slow down or stop their growth, conserving energy and resources. This is a natural process that helps them survive harsh conditions, such as winter or drought. Dormancy in seeds is a mechanism that prevents them germinating until environmental conditions are favourable for growth.
Many of the chrysanthemum plants found in garden centres – the dome-like ‘cushion ’mums’ sold for autumn bedding for example – are not winter-hardy and those that truly are can be tricky to track down. If you want to benefit from these chrysanthemums’ incredible flowering stamina, rich colours and ease of care, you’ll need to spend a little time looking for the real thing.
The flowers come in various shapes, sizes and colours. Usually single or double daisies, they range from rich fiery hues to bright or pastel shades. ‘Spray’ chrysanthemums produce lots of flowers in large clusters, or sprays, for maximum impact. Chrysanthemums suit many garden styles, formal or informal, traditional or contemporary. Those with vibrant flowers work particularly well in exotic plantings, the pastel shades mingle sociably in cottage-garden borders, while the warm, burnished hues complement ornamental grasses.
How to plant
Chrysanthemums are easy to plant:
• They like rich, fertile soil, so dig in a bucketful per sq metre of well-rotted organic matter, such as garden compost, before planting
• Space plants 30–45cm (12–18in) apart
• Add a stake to support taller types
• When planting in containers, use John Innes No 2 compost and a container with a diameter of at least 30cm (1ft)
Half a dozen hardy options for you to seek out
Chrysanthemum ‘Apollo’: This old variety has beautiful orange/ bronze double flowers from October to December. A neat flower which doesn’t get too big and makes a welcome late summer appearance in borders and beds.
Chrysanthemum ‘Bretforton Road’: This is an old variety which local gardeners say has been grown outside in some areas of the Cotswolds for generations. It produces masses of dark purple/pink double, two-inch flowers from October to December. It is a very bushy plant and does not normally require staking. Tough and reliable.
Chrysanthemum ‘Carmine Blush’: A lovely soft pinkcarmine, single flower, the flowers open darker and age softer giving a patchwork of colour from September to November. Vigorous, fully hardy and good on clay soils. Ideal for late season colour in the border.
Chrysanthemum ‘Max Riley’: A half-hardy perennial which grows tall and straight and often doesn’t need staking, with long-stemmed, bright yellow flowers 11cm in width from late summer through to December.
Chrysanthemum ‘Cream Talbot Parade’: A half-hardy perennial, growing to 1.3m, with creamy-yellow flowers, yellow in the centre, and about 8cm across Chrysanthemum ‘Allouise’: Half-hardy perennial which grows to over a metre tall with divided foliage and silvery-pink double flowers with deeper pink central florets, all silvery-white on the reverse. A lovely strong plant which produces masses of flowers.
Chrysanthemum ‘Allouise’
Chrysanthemum ‘Carmine Blush’
Chrysanthemum ‘Bretforton Road’
Chrysanthemum ‘Apollo’
Chrysanthemum ‘Max Riley’
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NORTON GREEN GARDEN CENTRE
Available
Thompson & Morgan 2025 Flower & Vegetable Seed Collection including new range of Wildflowers & Sweet Peas AVAILABLE
Spring/winter flowering Pansies, Violas, Wallflowers & Sweet Williams
The spices which heat up our favourite curry dishes come from all over the world but it is fun and easy to grow your own ingredients
We love our curries. The UK’s passion for consuming them from different cultures grew in the 1970s and we have never looked back!
The spices which form the basis of the recipes rely on hot, humid and tropical conditions to grow in all over the world. But now our insulated homes, greenhouses and polytunnels mean that the unthinkable has happened – gardeners can now grow and enjoy many of the plants and spices as tropical houseplants – even some of them will now thrive out of doors.
So things change.
Once upon a time merchants mainly traded and brought back dried spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, turmeric, saffron and nutmeg from the Middle East and Asia. They were regarded as luxury high value items that only the wealthy could afford.
Saffron is still the classic example – it is still the most expensive spice.
So, when peoples migration brought with it new cultures and cuisines, we started to get accustomed to the tastes of new spices. Some of those are now open to being grown in our homes and gardens.
They are fun to grow and add a whole new dimension to grow ingyour own.
LEMONGRASS
This is a wonderful fun to grow grass-like plant which gives off a lemony ginger aroma when you brush past its razor-like leaves. It is considered a must have curry condiment all over Asia in such dishes as Thai Green curry. It is a very authentic flavour. It can be started from
seed or a shop bought stem rooted in a glass of fresh water that is changed daily. Plant in a spacious pot and make sure you keep it well watered. Harvest the bulbous stem by cutting just above soil level which helps trigger new growth. The thick fibrous stem can be used fresh or dried in glass jars. Cut the sharp leave into three cm lengths which will make for a delightful aromatic lemongrass tea.
TURMERIC
Turmeric takes seven to ten months planting to harvest. To figure out when you should plant, count back ten months from when you usually get your first frost in the autumn. Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and looks a bit like ginger. It is becoming increasingly popular to grow with large glossy leaves. Plant two or three rhizomes ten cms deep in a ten-litre pot with peat free compost. It will thrive in direct sunlight and even benefits from summer heat and sun in a greenhouse or polytunnel. After nine months you can harvest the leaves and the rhizomes too, plants will happily grow on if you leave a few behind. Thinly slice leaves and add to stir fries. A fresh rhizome will dramatically add to the flavour of a curry far more than the dried powder.
CHILLI PEPPERS
This is a very popular crop and so easy to grow in almost any space you have. Windowsills are a perfect site for this. Many different cultivars are available with the same basic requirements of a warm sunny spot and not too much water. There is a great variance in the number of days taken for a particular variety to reach maturity.
Chilli seeds need to be sown early in the year and grown on in a greenhouse or poly-tunnel, although they can be grown outside in a sunny spot during the height of summer. Germination can be very variable between varieties and can take as much as five weeks,
Use either a soil-based seed and potting-on compostchillies really appreciate good drainage, or sow directly into pure vermiculite. Use ‘John Innes loam based seed compost’ for germination. The benefit of pure vermiculite is that it is inert and sterile, so the risk of disease is lowered, it has no nutrition (seeds do not need any nutrients to germinate), and it allows for very easy pricking out for transplanting. The less root disturbance at this early stage the better it is for the plant. Chillies are remarkable productive so most gardeners only need a couple of plants.
SICHUAN PEPPER
This is the perfect spice plant to f grow outdoors as it does in its native China. Only the seed husk provides the citrus flavour with a hint of pine but it packs a real punch of heat in the mouth that dissipates almost as quickly as it arrives. Plants can be grown from seed but require exposure to the cold ( stratification) to trigger germination.
CURRYLEAF
If you love Indian cuisine then you may wish to grow curry leaves in your polytunnel for at least some of the year. These are not the easiest thing to grow, as they are not suited to our temperate climate and require some coddling. Place your plant in a south facing window or outside along a south facing wall. Avoid placing your plant next to a heat vent as this will burn your leaves. Spray your leaves once a week with a spray bottle. Indoors, curry leaf trees can handle sun all day. Plants hate waterlogged conditions but the leaves will develop to allow you to harvest a few fresh leaves which can be very strong and a great curry ingredient.
Care home garden provides welcoming social space for Beauchamp House residents
The garden of Beauchamp House Country Care has proved to be a welcoming social space for a host of summer activities enjoyed by the residents.
Residents at the care home in Taunton have been taking every opportunity to get outdoors in the sunny weather.
The Beauchamp House care home garden has acted as the perfect setting for residents to sow sunflower seeds in pots, and grow plants and flowers in their raised flower beds.
It has played host to a sports day by the West Hatch Scouts who teamed up with the residents to play a range of games including beanbag tossing and a seated egg and spoon relay race. The care home team and residents also hosted their own open garden event where members of the public were invited to look around the garden before enjoying afternoon tea on the patio.
The grounds of Beauchamp House Country Care, set in the stunning Somerset countryside, has been designed to offer a sensory space. Scents from sweet peas, lavender and roses can stimulate memories, while touch can be stimulated through tree barks and grasses, and the residents can listen to a host of noises from bees and birds who visit the garden.
The garden features wide, flat walkways and raised flower beds to make them accessible to everyone, with a communal allotment space to grow fruit and veg, and
plenty of outdoor seating areas and benches to enjoy some quiet time. It’s also the perfect setting for the residents to enjoy a host of garden parties and barbecues to make the most of the sunnier weather, with friends and family always encouraged to join in the fun.
Beauchamp House Country Care, which is run by the not-for-profit charity Care South, provides specialist residential, respite, and nursing care. The care home features a range of communal lounges overlooking a landscaped garden for residents to enjoy. Beauchamp House has a dedicated activities team who organise a daily programme of events to bring residents together to socialise and build friendships.
Care South is a leading provider of high quality residential and home care services across the south of England. The not-for-profit organisation, which is a registered charity, has care homes in Dorset, north Devon, Somerset and West Sussex, and home care offices covering east and west Dorset, and northeast Somerset and south Somerset.
Go along and visit Beauchamp House Country Care on Saturday 31st August from 2pm to 4pm for its free entry Alpacas, Tea and Tombola event featuring the Stokewood Alpacas. There is no need to book, just turn up on the day for the family-friendly event.
HAVE YOUR SAY...
If you have any views, ideas or gardening items of interest then share them with our readers by emailing editorial@countrygardener.co.uk or write to us at Country Gardener, Mount House, Halse, Taunton TA4 3AD
NO NEED TO BE NEAT AND TIDY
I always trimmed my lavender plants to be neat in winter until one year we watched with amazement as a bullfinch couple spent the best part of three weeks returning daily to eat the seeds. Since then, I no longer trim the until spring. They produce just a good crop of flowers but just a bit later. There is no need for this neat and tidy nonsense. Time is running out. If people want a neat winter look then trim your box hedge!
Pauline Harris Barnstaple
Perfect damson plate pie
I enjoyed reading in your magazine how underrated damsons were in our gardens. It is not true for us. We have a few trees which almost without any attention provide a wonderful crop of fruit and they make the ultimate family pie. I make it on a plate and quarter and remove the stones from the damsons and it uses about 200g of the fruit. I also add blackberries and almonds into the mix.
Place the whole pie on the table with a big jug of steaming custard and everyone can dive in and help themselves.
Carol Ann Harnett Cirencester
SCHOOL GARDENING BENEFITS
This spring I came across the RHS School Gardening Awards that encourage children to become more aware of plants and develop an interest in gardening. I work at a preschool where we have a three-by-three metre planter in our garden area plus a few troughs. So, we got down to it, cleared the overgrown plot and then set about teaching the three- and four-year-olds how to plant seeds and what they needed to make the grow. The children planted pansies, radishes, tomatoes and green beans. Every day they love watering and watching everything grow. It is a new taste experience for many children and has been a wonderful success. We clearly hope this will instil a love of gardening in them for many years to come. We have gained Level 1 and 2 status with our little garden and I would encourage other groups to have a go.
Pauline Cadd sent by email
RHS Wisley have got it right
I was hugely impressed when we visited RHS Wisley in early June. We went on a guided walking tour of the orchards and there were lots of lessons for us amateur gardeners. Gone are the strict rows of trees one used to see with mown grass. Now the grass is left to grow to encourage wildlife and wildflowers. They believe that having more plants as opposed to short grass can improve soil health and conserve moisture. They are also training ‘living mulches’ of plants such as comfrey which mine nutrients from deep in the soil which can then be fed back in when they cut the top growth as mulch. I’ve been gardening for 20 years but when you see what RHS Wilsey is doing you realise how little you know and how much there is to earn. Inspirational!
Lynne Nicholl Bradford-on-Tone
ROYAL ROSES ON DISPLAY
I have opened my Cotswolds gardens for the NGS now for the last three years and yes, it is a lot of work but very rewarding. One of the real focal points and something which so many visitors comment on are the roses I have collected in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth. Several roses bear her name and I have Rosa ‘The Queen Elizabeth’ which is a lovely traditional rose which has been growing since 1988. Harkness Roses introduced the Queen Elizabeth II rose in 2021 which I was able to buy and it is doing really well. Finally, my garden remembers the Queen’s Jubilee with Rosa ‘Silver Jubilee’.
Sue Greene
Painswick
Tree climbing toads
We a have a couple of bat boxes at the far end of the garden where it is quiet and relatively undisturbed. To our amazement this summer we have found that toads have taken over the boxes which are at least six feet off the ground. They appear happy and seem to make the climb with ease. I read that toads often inhabit tree cavities and that the highest toad recorded climb is three metres. Nature never ceases to amaze me and it’s a delight to have found them a home.
Suzanne Moss Martock
BAMBOO NONSENSE
The dangers of having bamboo in your gardens made the 6pm news on the BBC last week. What nonsense. Bamboo is no different from so many other plants. It is fast growing but any gardener will tell you that plants grow at different rates and the trick is to keep them under control and managed. Any plant will run wild if left attended. We have a bamboo hedge which was planted before we lived here. I prune it very aggressively and watch it carefully. I chop off any runners which could be dangerous. Of course, if I left it for months and months it would be a problem but don’t be unfair on the plant. Talk of banning it from gardened is insane.
Mick Harris Portsmouth
Home grown potatoes for Christmas lunch
It’s something of a tradition for our family to have our own potatoes for Christmas lunch. My father started it and I’ve kept up the tradition. It takes a bit of planning but well worth it. Our main crop potatoes are ready during August and September. Once
the stems haver withered lift them with a fork on a dry, sunny day. I leave them on the ground for a few hours to dry their skins then brush off the dirt but don’t wash them. This is the important bit. Pack them one by one into paper or hessian sacks. Use damaged ones straight away as only perfect potatoes will keep for the next three or four months and discard any green ones. Keep the sack in a cool but frost free dark, dry place and you will have them ready for roasts on Christmas Day.
Harry Charles Sidmouth
Rosa ‘Silver Jubilee’
Hardy herbs DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION
Perennial herbs which will survive our winters are a must for any garden. They are robust growers and have enormous potential in the kitchen
All of us should be growing more hardy herbs -perennial varieties which are easy to grow and offer beauty in the garden and a sensational aid to cooking.
Hardy herbs are strong, full of flavour plants which are ornamental and a key ingredient in a whole range of recipes. Perennial herbs are easy to grow and will enhance your garden, and your cooking, year after year. They are easy to grow and need very little looking after and can be grown in beds and borders, or in containers on a patio or balcony.
Giving herbs the right growing conditions helps to ensure they have the best flavour. Plant them in full sun, if possible – this will bring the essential oils to the surface of the leaf, giving a strong flavour. Mint, rosemary and chives will tolerate some shade, but if grown in damp, cold soil, they may suffer over winter. To keep perennial herbs healthy and productive, pick them regularly. Many of them also have edible flowers, so pick those too and enjoy them with salads, in drinks and as a garnish. Once they have finished flowering, cut them back. Cutting back evergreen herbs, like rosemary, helps prevent them becoming woody. Discover more about keeping herbs productive.
Herbaceous herbs, such as mint, which die back over winter then regrow in spring, should be cut back to about 4cm above the soil after flowering. You will then get a second crop of fresh new leaves through to the first frosts.
Some are evergreen and can be harvested throughout the winter whereas others such as mint and chives die back in the autumn, however you can pot them up and bring them indoors for windowsill pickings.
Here’s
some of our
favourites
Rosemary
Evergreen rosemary can be harvested throughout the year. The flowers are also edible, with a light rosemary flavour – delicious in rice dishes. Grow in a warm, sunny site in well-drained soil. It will also grow well in a container – use a soil-based compost and pot up annually in the autumn. It is a favourite herb as it goes so well on the barbeque and on chips. There are so many varieties for gardeners to try out, some stay small, compact and low growing and others make sizeable, large upright shrubs.
All of them prefer sun and free draining soil that doesn’t sit wet in winter. Harvesting encourages new growth and helps stop them getting woody. If they do then propagating from cuttings is easy.
Rosemary is a type of sage, so is ideal for growing alongside other sages and similar shrubby Mediterranean herbs, such as lavender, thyme and hyssop. It makes an attractive centrepiece for a herb garden or herb container and earns its keep in flower borders by providing year-round evergreen structure and scent. Pruned annually, it’s great where space is tight, such as in small sunny courtyards, patios and containers. The flowers, in spring and summer, are popular with bees and other pollinating insects.
Chives
Oregano
This is a great choice for a hardy herb for its earthy flavour. Oregano originates in the Mediterranean, but growing oregano in the UK climate is still easy. It is closely related to the herb marjoram; in fact, oregano is actually wild marjoram (oregano has a more intense flavour). Oregano is a half hardy annual; this means it will only last for one season and it is unlikely that it will survive through the winter months.
As oregano is tolerant of most conditions, it requires very little care. In the first few months, ensure the plants do not dry out, but after they have become established, they should cope well with drought. Try to avoid letting the plants become waterlogged, however. Oregano is a Mediterranean plant and is not used to wet conditions. If you can’t grow oregano in a well-drained soil then grow it in a container with plenty of grit to aid drainage.
The leaves of oregano should be harvested in July, just before the flowers appear. If the leaves are harvested after the flowers appear they can taste bitter. However, removing the flower heads before they open can keep the leaves tasting great, and can ensure you can harvest them right up until November. Oregano is most used as a dried herb (if you want to use fresh leaves, use pot marjoram as an alternative). Pick the leaves on a dry day and store them in a dark, dry warm place until they are crumbly in texture. Then store the dried leaves in an airtight container where they will retain their flavour for up to six months.
Chives ae highly productive if harvested regularly: simply snip the leaves off with kitchen scissors and they very quickly regrow.
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are in the onion family.
A popular and easy-to-use herb, they are simple to grow and need very little maintenance. Buy young plants or raise them from seed and give them a sunny or lightly shaded spot, in the ground or in containers. Then just harvest regularly to keep fresh leaves coming. You can also make new plants every few years by dividing established clumps in spring. Chives are also highly decorative, producing mauve pompom flowers in late spring and summer.
The quickest and easiest way to get chives started in your garden is to buy potted plants from garden centres, online plant suppliers or supermarkets. They can be planted outside from spring onwards. Large plants can often be pulled apart into several smaller clumps for planting out.
You can also transplant young seed-raised plants outdoors once they’re about 10cm (4in) tall. Take care to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions first by hardening off for a couple of weeks.
Chives fit well into a mix herb display and look great as an edible edging to borders. Make sure they’re in a handy spot near the kitchen, so you can pick them easily whenever needed.
Bay
Bay is a top choice for gardeners with its romantic, sweet fragrance. The young tender leaves have a much subtler taste than their older leaves. Bay is from the family Lauracea and its botanical name is Laurus nobilis that is translated as either ‘praise’, ‘famous’ or ‘renowned’. This reflects the respect given to it by the Romans. A bay wreath is the symbol of wisdom and glory and the word laureate means to be ‘crown with laurels’, which is the reason behind Poet Laureate. Bay is native to Southern Europe and therefore, you should look to reproduce this climate when growing it. In general, keep bay well-watered, especially during dry periods over summer, and feed monthly when grown in a container. Bay is hardy throughout most of the UK and can survive to -10 degrees. However, bay is shallow rooted and can be prone to frost damage. The leaves can also be scorched by the wind in very cold weather. Therefore, you might wish to protect bay with horticultural fleece in winter. If you keep your bay in a container, you could move to a light, frost free position if possible and raise onto pot feet to allow excess water to drain away.
Chervil
Chervil is an underrated herb. This hardy annual grows vigorously anywhere, is good for a shady spot and will last overwinter in mild spots or with cloche protection. The leaves have a mild aniseed flavour which is perfect for cooking and in salads.
Spearmint
Fennel
This is a very versatile hardy herb, and its frothy foliage and yellow umbel flowers work well in the garden with other scented plants. It looks sensational planted with old roses but you have to be fairly ruthless as it will selfseed and take over. You cook with the root of green fennel using the leaves with fish and salads.
“Most of these herbs are native to the Mediterranean and will need plenty of sun but once they are established they will cope with dry conditions”
Common thyme
This wonderfully tasty and attractive herb is so easy to grow. In fact it can get a bit invasive so try and keep it under control. It grows well in pots and is also tolerant of the shade. Spearmint is a great mint for Mojito, salads, sauces or sweet tea. It has toothed, bright green leaves and spikes of pink or white flowers in summer. The leaves and oil are used to make medicine. Spearmint is used for digestive disorders including gas, indigestion, nausea, diarrhoea, upper gastrointestinal tract spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bile duct and gallbladder swelling (inflammation). A kitchen windowsill is a great spot for growing this variety of mint because it’s convenient to reach while cooking and likely to have enough light and air circulation. Rotate the pot about a quarter turn weekly so that all sides of the plant receive four to six hours of bright sunlight.
With its stunning colour this a must when it comes to hardy herbs. One of the most widely used of all culinary herbs, this fragrant gem is found growing wild in the Mediterranean. It is one of the traditional ingredients and is used to flavour meat, fish and egg dishes either by adding the shole stem or stripping off leaves. Drought-tolerant once established, common thyme is easy to grow in most well-drained, alkaline to neutral soils in full sun.
As thyme is evergreen, you can pick sprigs all year round, although the new growth in spring and summer has the best flavour. You can use the leaves fresh or dried in many dishes, and they’re a key ingredient in traditional bouquet garni and herbes de Provence. The flowers are also edible.
GARDENS TO VISIT in September
compiled by Vivienne Lewis
The mellow days of September are perfect for garden visiting, especially when helping raise funds for nursing and caring charities. Here’s a selection of open gardens in the areas covered by Country Gardener. Check whenever possible before starting out on a journey as circumstances can force cancellations in private gardens. www.ngs.org.uk
BENNETTS WATER GARDENS
Putton Lane, Chickerell, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 4AF
A new opening for the NGS on Friday 6th September, 10am-4pm, a main visitor attraction in Dorset, set over eight acres the gardens hold the National Plant Collection of water lilies with a Claude Monet style Japanese Bridge, tropical house, woodland walks and museum. Admission £10, children £4.
DOYNTON HOUSE
Bury Lane, Doynton, Bristol BS30 5SR
Opening for the National Garden Scheme on Sunday 1st September, 2pm-6pm, with a variety of garden areas separated by old walls and hedges. Mixed borders, several newly-planted, lawns, wall planting, parterre, rill garden, walled vegetable garden, cottage beds, pool garden, dry gardens, peach house and greenhouse. Bees, chickens and meadow area. Admission £7.50, children free.
COLEFORD HOUSE
Underhill, Coleford, Radstock BA3 5LU
Opens for the NGS on Sunday 8th September, 10.30am-4pm, the River Mells flows through this picturesque garden with large lawns, wildflower planting, ornamental pond, woodland, substantial herbaceous borders, walled garden, arboretum/ orchard, kitchen garden, vegetable garden, bat house and orangery. Admission £6, children free.
HOLLYHURST
Woodend Road, Crow, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 3DG
Opening for the NGS with Trolls Mead next door as Wood End Gardens on Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September, 11am-5pm, a two-acre site of mature trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials, which are generally resistant to deer, ponds and small sculptures. Combined admission £8, children free.
REDENHAM PARK HOUSE
Redenham Park, Andover, Hampshire SP11 9AQ
Opening for the NGS on Friday 20th September, 10am-1pm. Redenham Park built in 1784, the garden sits behind the house (not open) with a formal rose garden, main herbaceous borders at their peak in late summer, gardens with espaliered pears, apples, mass of scented roses, shrubs and perennial planting surrounding the swimming pool, and a door opens onto a kitchen garden. Admission £6, children free.
CORSLEY HOUSE
Corsley, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 7QH
Opens for the NGS on Sunday 8th September, 11am-5pm, a garden full of surprises at a Georgian home with a secret Jacobean facade. A unique sculpted wave lawn and a truly exceptional walled garden. Many well preserved ancient outbuildings including a potting and apple storage shed and a granary built on staddle stones. All gloriously overlooking the National Trust’s Cley Hill. Admission £10, children free.
DONHEAD HALL
Donhead St Mary, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 9DS
Opens for the NGS on Sunday 15th September, 2pm-5pm, a walled garden overlooking a deer park, the house and garden built into the side of a hill with uninterrupted views to Cranborne Chase. Martin Lane Fox designed the terracing and advised on the landscaping of the gardens, on four different levels. Large mixed borders and specimen trees, kitchen garden with glasshouses. Admission £7, children free.
BROCKWORTH COURT
Court Road, Brockworth, Gloucestershire GL3 4QU
Opens for the NGS on Wednesday 18th September, 2pm-5.30pm, an intense yet informal tapestry style garden surrounding the period manor house, with views to Crickley and Coopers Hill; organic, naturalistic, with informal cottage style planting areas, natural fish pond with Monet bridge leading to a small island with thatched Fiji house, and kitchen garden once cultivated by monks. Admission £6, children free.
Opening for the NGS Sunday 15th September, 1pm-5pm, a rural ¼ acre garden with stunning views across the Wye Valley. The maturing planting of 60+ roses, shrubs, grasses and perennials in a modern English Garden style with yearround interest, borders linked by meandering grass paths and small seating areas in different parts of the garden. Admission £5, children free.
Cotleigh, Honiton, Devon EX14 9HU
Opening for the NGS on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September, 2pm-5pm, designed by renowned Arne Maynard around a 17th century thatched farmhouse, a country garden showing how contemporary design can be integrated into a traditional setting. Herbaceous borders, roses, yew topiary, knot garden, wildflower meadows, orchards, lean-to greenhouses and kitchen garden. Admission £6, children free.
ASH PARK
East Prawle, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 2BX
Opening for the NGS on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September, 11am5pm, it’s in a stunning location, with 180˚ view of the sea, at the foot of an escarpment, in three and a half acres of sub-tropical gardens, with paths to explore, woodland glades, ponds and hidden seating areas. In September, cannas, hydrangeas, ginger lilies, salvias, aeoniums and dahlias are at their best. Admission £6, children free.
September gardens HAVE SPECIAL POIGNANCY
September is another one of those special months for gardeners. It’s no longer summer yet the month can produce wonderfully warm weather which can add weeks to the beauty of gardens. It’s also when there’s perhaps more time and space after the demands of the holiday season.
Garden owners throughout the south and south west love the month. Many displays are at their best whether they are dahlias, Michaelmas daisies, later flowering herbaceous borders and more. It’s also still time to get out and buy for next spring and summer with some great plant fairs to visit.
All that’s needed is some decent warm, encouraging weather and then great days out await us all.
We are again delighted to offer you with some suggestions of places to visit in September plus some events which you might like to add to your calendar.
Four special Rare Plant Fairs in September
The 2024 season of popular Rare Plant Fairs draws to a close in September with three events, all set in interesting and unique gardens, with full garden entry included in the admission price.
The first Fair in September, on Sunday, 1st September, in the beautiful grounds and gardens of ADWELL HOUSE, near Thame in Oxfordshire, an idyllic spot just on the edge of the Chiltern Hills. This fair has become established as a real favourite with visitors, who are greeted on arrival with a magnificent herbaceous border which sweeps around the drive. Proceeds will be donated to the horticultural charity Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to helping everyone who works in horticulture, and their families.
The fairs then return to the historic gardens of THE BISHOP’S PALACE at Wells on Sunday, 8th September. The Bishop’s Palace lies at the heart of the historic City of Wells and is a place full of secrets, stories and stunning scenery, and home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for 800 years. There are 14 acres of gardens to explore, including the beautiful well-pools from which the city takes its name.
The final fair for the season is the popular event at LLANOVER HOUSE, near Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, on Sunday, 22nd September. This is a 15-acre listed garden and arboretum with lakes, streams and cascades, created by the Rhyd y Meirch stream as it flows through the garden.
There is a great selection of specialist nurseries attending each of the fairs, including several National Collection holders, all experts in the plants they grow.
Visit www.rareplantfair.co.uk for full details of the events, including admission charges and a complete list of the exhibitors attending each one.
TWO-DAY WEST KINGTON PLANT SALE IS BACK
One of the most popular plant sales in the Cotswolds returns on Saturday, 7th and Sunday, 8th September when West Kington Nurseries hold their ‘massive’ plant sale. Entry over the two-day event is free and visitors will have the chance to wonder over the five acre site of the nursery which promises to be bursting with plants. Catalogues for the sale are sold in aid of local charities.
Call 01249 782822 or visit www.wknurseries.co.uk for more information.
West Kington Nurseries, West Kington, Chippenham SN14 7JQ
Wander the hot borders at The Walled Gardens of Cannington
An RHS partner garden with a Grade 1 listed medieval priory backdrop. A mix of classic and modern features, including a ‘hot’ border, sub-tropical walk, blue garden, Mediterranean garden, shade border, Southern hemisphere and a winter garden. Home to Somerset’s only botanical glasshouse, featuring hundreds of different species from around the world such as the magnificent jade vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys). There’s also a gift shop, tearoom and specialist plant nursery; plants are propagated on-site and sold at great prices! Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am –to 3pm/4pm/5pm (seasonal), year-round excluding two weeks at Christmas. Last admission to the gardens is one hour before closure. The gardens hold a variety of events and special offers throughout the year suitable for all age groups. Please check the website for further information.
Walled Gardens of Cannington, Church Street, Cannington TA5 2HA
Email: walledgardens@btc.ac.uk Tel: 01278 655042
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Hartland Abbey & Gardens ENJOY THE PEACE OF AUTUMN IN THIS LOVELY VALLEY
Visit our historic family home with its stunning Walled and Woodland gardens, Fernery and Bog garden, walks to the Atlantic Coast, fascinating architecture, collections, displays and film exhibition. Location for Enid Blyton’s ‘Malory Towers’, ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society’ and more. * Dogs welcome * Holiday Cottages * * Homemade light lunches & cream teas * Hartland Quay
Kington,
Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 7JQ
Boscrege, a Cornish experience to dream of awaits you
Boscrege Caravan and Touring park in Cornwall is a peaceful and picturesque park, set at the foot of Tregonning Hill, Godolphin National Trust and amongst tranquil Cornish lanes in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The park, open all year, is close to the Cornwall coast and a few minutes’ drive to Praa Sands, one of Britain’s nicest beaches. So, if you are looking to take a luxury holiday (doggie friendly with dog friendly homes and on-site designated fields for the dogs too) in Cornwall in a either a self-catering caravan, lodges touring or even purchasing your own holiday home then contact Boscrege Caravan and Touring Park.
As summer comes to an end late flowering, herbaceous plants take centre stage announcing their presence as Autumn tumbles in. Muted tones of pink and creamy Japanese Anemones mingle with deep purple foliage of Cimicifuga and Eucomis ‘Zeal Purple’. Hydrangeas continue their everlasting display on the far hillside, while the trees overhead start their yearly cycle of slowing down revealing colourful tones in their leaves. Looking out of the tearoom windows, while enjoying a Cream Tea (our favourite is the homemade Ginger Cream Tea) and marvelling at the colourful spectacle in the 20 acres of gardens makes a grand finish to a memorable walk, and after choosing some unusual plants to take home from the well stocked Plant Centre.
Nestled in the heart of North Devon, Marwood Hill Garden is a hidden gem Home to four National Plant Heritage collections, this private valley garden spans over 20-acres and showcases three stunning lakes, rare trees & shrubs, and colourful surprises throughout each season. Not only a haven for wildlife, the garden is also the perfect environment to explore and be inspired. Enjoy a day of inspirational and relaxation for the whole family.
Catch up over coffee and homemade cake or a cream tea in the picturesque Garden Tea Room or take a bit of Marwood magic home with you from our Walled Garden Nursery and Plant Sales.
Enquiries & Tea Room 01271 342528
Plant Sales & Nursery 01271 342577 e info@marwoodhillgarden.co.uk w marwoodhillgarden.co.uk
Marwood Hill Gardens, Marwood, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 4EA
Enjoy Hartland Abbey in autumn
September is a wonderful, peaceful time to visit after the bustle of the school holidays. A time to relax and unwind amongst the colours of early autumn. Walks in the Shrubbery amongst the stunning deep blue hydrangeas, to the sea at Blackpool Mill, to the 18th century Walled Gardens via Gertrude Jekyll’s Bog Garden and Fernery. The Abbey itself is full of family and national history and fascinating displays. The beautiful, red Boston ivy clothes the Abbey and autumn really is such a lovely time to visit this beautiful valley, just a mile from Hartland Quay.
SEPTEMBER IS A MAGICAL TIME TO VISIT THE PICTON GARDEN
Nestled in the foothills of the Malverns,you will find The Picton Garden, home to more than 400 varieties of the hugely popular Michaelmas daisy. Uniquely it is in late August that these one and a half an acre plantsman’s gardens begins to glow with the first of the asters and autumnal herbaceous, as autumn advances the colours intensify reaching a crescendo in late September and the first week of October. Afterwards the interest is carried on by the unusual trees and shrubs, chosen for their autumn colour, as well as late flowering bulbs, and herbaceous. The adjacent nursery is well stocked with many of the plants seen in the garden.
Picton Garden and Old Court Nurseries, Walwyn Rd, Malvern WR13 6QE
Plant & Gardening Fair arrives at Forde
Abbey
Packed with inspiration and ideas for the late summer planting Forde Abbey hosts a much anticipated Plant and Gardening Fair on Saturday, 7th September.
There will be specialist nurseries from the Southwest selling plants plus beautiful gardening sundries from 10.30am to 3pm. Many of the plant stalls are back at the event by popular demand, but there’s also some new ones this year.
The fair takes place at the beginning of the Abbey’s popular dahlia display, a great time to see the garden transforming into its autumn colours and bursting herbaceous borders. The coffee shop will be open throughout the day serving hot drinks, light bites and homemade cakes.
The plant nursery is open from 10.30am to 3.pm and it is stocked with dahlias and a diverse range of herbaceous perennials, many rare and unusual. All the plants are grown at the Abbey.
There’s a reduced entry fee of £7.50 to the Plant & Gardening Fair, including admission to 30 acre gardens. Parking is free. Last entry to the gardens at 3pm.
(The admission fee applies to all visitors including children over 15yrs)
Free entry to Forde Abbey and Historic House Members.
Forde Abbey, Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU
OVERBECKS LOVED AS A TRUE PLANTSMAN’S GARDEN
Overbecks Garden at Sharpitor in Salcombe, stands at the gateway to stunning countryside and coastal walks encompassing the South West Coast Path in an area managed and owned by the NT.
The garden was created and developed by each family who owned the property in turn, leaving us today with what has been described as ‘a true plantsman’s garden’, packed with tender and exotic species from around the world. Narrow paths lead you through woodland, formal beds, a walled tropical garden, and Mediterranean planting, and the view across the Kingsbridge and Salcombe estuary is unforgettable.
A visit to South Devon cannot go by without a trip to Overbecks garden, for essential information please check the website. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/overbecks-garden
Overbecks Garden, Shapitor, Salcombe TQ8 8LW
Overbecks - a must visit on any trip to Devon Copyright National Trust Images/Chris Lacey
Enjoy lots of great, late summer colour at NGS gardens as we head into September
Late summer is a celebration of colour and form with dahlias and edibles often stealing the show. The National Garden Scheme still has plenty of lovely gardens to explore from country estates and rolling acres, to cottage gardens and urban gems, allotments and kitchen gardens. All offer a memorable and affordable day out for all the family (children go free at most gardens) whilst helping to raise money for vital nursing and health charities. Visit a National Garden Scheme garden and be inspired. www.ngs.org.uk
Kelmscott manor exhibition celebrates family connection to Iceland
Kelmscott Manor was the iconic country home of William Morris; father of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Today, visitors will find an outstanding collection which spans over 300 years and reflects the lives, ideas, and creative legacy of those who lived and stayed there.
The new exhibition ‘Mountains and plains and adventure: William & May Morris and Iceland’, celebrates the centenary of May Morris’s first trip to Iceland. The exhibition showcases previously unknown diaries, artifacts,
September Fairs
September
dahlias at Cadhay are a must to see
September has been a surprisingly busy month for Cadhay for the last few years and it is the final month of opening for the year. The magnificent collection of dahlias ensures that there is still a massive amount of colour. Thanks to the team of volunteers helping with dead heading, there are still a lot of plants in flower whilst the medieval ponds provide an element of calm tranquillity.
Cadhay Gardens remain open 2pm to 5pm on Friday afternoons until the end of September. Cadhay EX11 1QT is one mile to the north of Ottery St Mary. See cadhay.org.uk for further details.
DIPPING INTO gardening literature
Ellie Porter’s father collected his favourite gardening quotes and writings over the best part of 30 years. She shares some of her favourite pieces with Country Gardener readers.
My father was a much-loved secondary school teacher in Dorset and he tried to pass on his love for English literature to his pupils - very successfully I think. He combined his love of teaching and English literature with his passion for the one-acre garden where he did most of the work and my mother most of the planning. It produced a great team.
The two passions crossed over from time to time and led him to collect various pieces of garden literature and garden quotes which he built up over the years and use to read out loud to us.
A few months ago, we came across some old diaries of his in which he kept some of his favourite pieces of writing about the garden and gardening.
I love your magazine and I thought it might be a nice idea to share them with you. It is a bit of a random selection.
The gardener’s prayer
O Lord grant in some way that it might rain every day, say from midnight until three-o-clock in the morning, but you see it must be gentle and warm so it can soak in; grant that at the same time it would not rain on campion, alyssum, lavender and the other plants which you in your infinite wisdom know are drought loving plants. I will write their names on a piece of paper if you would like-and grant that the sun will shine all day long but not everywhere ( not for example on spirea or on gentian or rhododendron and not too much that there might be plenty of dew and a little wind, enough worms, no plant lice and snails, no mildew and that once a week a thin liquid manure and guano may fall from heaven. Amen
Karel Capek - The Gardeners’ Year 1929
Trees are the best monuments that a man can erect to his own memory. They speak his praises without flattery, and they are blessings to children yet unborn’.
Lord Orrery to Thomas Carew - May 1749
It is a glorious day but rather too hot for Grandmama’s and my taste, so walking is an impossibility. Grandma wrote in the garden this morning and I sat not far off to be in readiness, lest she might want anything. The flowers and grass smell so sweet, the whole is perfumed and the birds sing so beautifully as if their little throats were going to burst. My rooms are splendid and the lookout from them is perfect. Those grand old trees with their splendid foliage and the thick green grass underneath is a delight to see-no one knows what grass is like until they come to England.
Princess Victoria of Prussia, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, 1889
Now I am in the garden, at the back a real preserve of butterflies as I remember it with a high fence and a gate and padlock where the fruit clusters on the trees, riper and richer than fruit has ever been, in any other garden and where my mother gathers some in a basket, while I stand by, bolting furtive gooseberries and trying to look unmoved.
Charles Dickens, David Copperfield 1850
I call a plant excellent when it has the following virtues- that of being able to stand on its own legs without stakes,of producing flowers of great beauty for weeks on end and of showing incontestable grace of form.
H.E. Bates
If December passes without snow, we indignantly demand to know what has become of our good, old fashioned winters of our childhood and talk as if we had been cheated out of something we had bought and paid for and when it does snow our language is a disgrace to a Christian nation.
Jerome K. Jerome
And yet this immense garden which is divided into eight portions, each under a foreman who is again responsible to Mr Owen Thomas is scarcely large enough to supply the Royal Household. Besides the outdoor asparagus beds which are in length 2220 yards, a great deal of the delicious vegetable was grown under glass, there are also five miles of peas. Of the fruit consumed in the Royal Household the return of one year gives a fair idea
1,673 dozens of desert apples
1,500 dozens and 20 pecks of pears
1,250 lbs of cherries
5150 lbs of grapes (to which the famous old vines at Cumberland Lodge and Hampton Court contributed)
520 dozen peaches
239 pineapples
400 melons
2,700 lbs of strawberries
2,000 bs of currants
1,900 lbs of gooseberries
220 dozen nectarines
Beside quantities of plums, cooking fruit, damsons and other things. Vegetables were in like proportion, so it is easy to understand that the 130 men employed are not idle.
The Queen and all the Royal Household are great consumers of fruit and vegetables and believe in their wholesome, health giving properties
The
Private Life of the Queen by one of Her Majesty’s Servants 1897
In the time of the Saxon heptarchy, both Devon and Somerset were distinguished as the apple country and there are still existing in Herefordshire some trees said to be planted at the time of William the Conqueror. From that time the varieties of this precious fruit have gone on increasing and are now said to number upwards of 1,500. The best baking apples for early use are the Colvilles, the best for autumn are the rennets and pearmaines and the best for winter and spring are russets. The best table or eating apples are the Margaret’s for early use, the Kentish codlin and summer pearmain for summer and for autumn winter or spring the Dowton.
Mrs Beaton 1861
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WoolOvers - natural knitwear and natural fashion
GARDEN ADVICE for September
Another great batch of queries from Country Gardener readers which we are happy to help with. If you have any advice you are seeking email us at editorial@countrygardener.co.uk
How can I tell if my soil quality is good? I have just moved into a new garden and have no idea what I am dealing with and would like to start planting for next spring.
Chris Smalling Minehead
Your plants need good-quality soil to thrive so investing some time to know what you have is always a good idea. Good soil is filled with nutrients your plants will need to thrive; it will also have good drainage, allowing plants to get the water they need without the threat of fungus or decay from too much water. You can test your soil quality by eye. A rich black/brown shade, crumbly texture and lots of bugs are sure signs you have good-quality soil. Clumpy, clay-like texture and lighter shades indicate you need a better planting base. Alternatively, you can purchase a DIY soil pH testing kit. This will be a strip or stick that you place in the soil that will indicate the pH level. You should follow the instructions but as a rule, a good soil pH level is between 5.5 and 7.5.
Can you advise on a small to medium magnolia for an area of my garden that always gets plenty of afternoon and evening sun?
Babs Potter
Taunton
One of the most beautiful magnolias, medium sized but a prolific flowering variety with strong pink flowers is ‘Leonard Messel’ and it is very much worth seeking out.
I have three citrus trees, lemon, lime and orange. For the past few weeks the leaves of the lemon tree are going yellow and falling off at an alarming rate. The other trees are not so bad but are not as healthy looking as I would like. I have tried tomato feed but that doesn’t seem to have helped.
Walter Stephens Liss
Citrus trees can lose their leaves for a variety of reasons, often too much or too little water, excessive feeding, attack by pests especially scale insects and a drop in temperature at night. They need to be always kept frost free from October to April and if they have suffered from cold weather, they may be reacting to that now. Only feed from April to September and use a specialist citrus feed or acid lovers’ feed. Lime causes iron deficiency and the yellowing of young leaves. It might be worth a late season feed based on recovery for next summer.
Last February I planted a long Carpinus betulas hornbeam hedge using bareroot plants. It is growing well but last winter a minority of the plants lost 100 per-cent of their leaves while the other plants have retained most of theirs. They all look identical to me but could they be different varieties? I want screening in winter so should I replace the plants which lost leaves or will they ‘grow out’ of this problem if I leave them alone?
Hornbeam hedging is grown from seed and therefore each plant has separate genetics and some slight variations. Some are better than others at holding leaves. But other factors come into play, plants that are vigorous are more likely to hold leaves and older hedges often hold them better.
The ground has an influence too, leaves being lost on an exposed site, and the weather can affect the trees, a good warm autumn and mild winter tending improve leaf retention. Having said all that, hornbeam is generally not reliable for holding its leaves in the same way as beech, and hedges are often bare.
When is the best time to cut back and prune my apple and cherry trees? They are not old trees, no more than five years and still have a relatively small girth. I want to prune hard as the rain this year has made thin branches.
Lorraine North Bridport
Your apple tree is best pruned during the winter months. Begin by removing any dead, diseased or misplaced branches entirely. Does the apple only produce fruit at its tips? If so then it is probably a tip bearer and so you will only need to shorten the main branches by a quarter of the previous season’s growth. The laterals can be left unpruned. If your apple produces fruit from spurs further down the branch then you can shorten the main branches by a quarter of the previous season’s growth. The laterals can be cut back to five buds from where they join the main branches.
You should avoid winter pruning of cherry trees as this leaves them prone to silver leaf disease. Established cherry trees with a decent framework should require only occasional pruning to remove damaged, badly placed or diseased wood, and to shorten strong growing laterals by half.
I have three aubergine plants and although I have now had two fruits off them the flowers are going mouldy before they fruit and while you can see the small aubergines forming, they soon turn mouldy and drop off. What is going wrong here?
Janice Frost Southampton
Assuming these are growing in a greenhouse of some kind, aubergines do not do well outside, except in perfect conditions of warm and stable temperatures. The flowers and fruit do tend to rot late in the season, and this may just be a timing issue in the sense that it is too late for then to develop. Ideally you need to sow the seeds in mid-March to mid-April and bring the plants along during the early summer and give them as long a season as possible.
I have a large ‘Rambling Rector’ rose which has been completely blown down in the wind. It was attached to a trellis and when that came down the rose was damaged as well. Would it be possible to cut the whole thing near the ground? Will that kill it or will it grow back next year?
Rick Anderson Exeter
You probably need to start by getting the rose properly supported and re-tie it in. While you set up the support you can let the rose lay on the ground. After you’ve tied it up again take a long look at where it is damaged .Then let nature go to work. Prune it accordingly and it should recover.
I want to try to grow rainbow eucalyptus as bonsai, do they need any special food or temperatures?
Sally Stevenson Lyme Regis
I had a rambling rose which unfortunately got poisoned (don’t ask!). It was a very overgrown rose. A lot of the stems and part of the bush had turned brown and now can be broken off since the accident. Parts of the bush have been taken down to a foot off the ground. I love this old rose and would do anything to find a way of keeping it. Do I cut the rest of this rose down to a foot and will it survive?
Pauline Strong Torquay
Roses are generally great survivors even after the toughest of attacks on them. You may have to be patient as the recovery might take a couple of years. For the time being you will just have to wait and see. Don’t apply any fertiliser or any kind and don’t cut away anything which is not obviously dead and let the rose find its own recovery system.
Eucalyptus is not a particularly easy bonsai as it is such a fast-growing tree by nature. Don’t try to make it too small, aim for a height of around three feet. You will need to keep on top of the new growth as it will be produced rapidly and will need lots of pinching out. You will need to use a light sandy soil mixed with plenty of organic matter, and it will require frequent watering, especially during root establishment. Once it is established then a monthly feed with a balanced bonsai fertiliser will be appreciated. It will enjoy a sunny position outdoors during the summer months. Rainbow eucalyptus is not frost hardy so it will need to be brought into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory during the colder months of the year. Avoid putting it into a warm room indoors though as this will produce weak, spindly growth.
I want to plant an ornamental cherry but as I only have a very narrow bed against a southeast facing wall, I think a cherry that can be trained against a wall would be best. I’d like a variety with dark reddish leaves and pink flowers if possible. could you suggest one?
Owen Peters Portsmouth
This is an interesting idea, but the flowering cherries are usually grafted on a tall stem and it would be very difficult to keep it tied in or pruned and such cherries are vigorous too. You might be able to get from a specialist nursery a small cher ry called Prunus cistena ‘Atropurpurea’, which is small-growing to about two met res and has dark leaves and pink flowers.
I have some perennials that were bought for me in the last month but because of a bad back I was unable to plant them yet. Is it too late to plant them now or I could plant them and give them a good mulch, or should I just cut them back and leave them in their pots and plant them in early spring?
Arthur Tressler Cirencester
Perennials are often sturdy and can take late season planting so you should be able to plant them still but clearly you will have to wait until next year for the full effect of the plant. If they are in pots, the sooner, the better.
In our school gardens we created a pumpkin patch. We were away for two weeks holiday and now it’s more like a pumpkin explosion. The plants are huge with runners going all over the garden. Do you have any advice on how to look after these monster plants? Should we cut them back or limit the number of pumpkins to one per plant for example?
Sybil Baines Ilminster
Pumpkins will begin to produce long stems which can be trained in a circle around the plant to prevent them spreading too far. There’s no need to limit the fruits unless you are planning to grow giant pumpkins. You will need to feed and water your pumpkins regularly. When growing pumpkins, a thick mulch of organic matter spread around the plants will help to conserve moisture at the roots. If possible, hoe between the plants regularly to prevent weeds from establishing. Leave the pumpkins on the plant for as long as possible until the skin has hardened and the fruits start to crack near to the stem. You will need to harvest the pumpkins before the first frosts by cutting each fruit from the stem leaving several inches of the stem attached.
The weather in your SEPTEMBER GARDEN
Andrew Lancaster, weather historian, lover of folklore and passionate gardener looks at what September in our gardens means for the harvest, wildlife and history
September is a very poignant month.
It’s not really summer any more but it’s not autumn either. Gardeners in their more reflective mood will sit and say ‘where has the year gone? It’s downhill to winter now.’
There’s a danger of being a bit too reflective, looking over our shoulders and wondering where the months have gone. Those baking hot days of July and August are seldom seen again in September.
September weather is ironically often more settled than high summer and the days are not dramatically shorter and the glass half full gardener will resist the call that the nights are drawing in.
The schools go back and that’s when everyone will start to say that will be the start of the weather improving!
But most of all it’s the harvest month on smaller scales in our gardens and on a larger scale for farmers so the need for decent weather is always paramount.
FEAST DAYS FOR GARDENERS
SEPTEMBER 1ST the start of meteorological autumn
SEPTEMBER 1ST Feast Day of St Fiacre, patron saint of gardeners.
SEPTEMBER 23RD the autumn equinox and the point of balance between light and dark and supposedly the point of the year when we cross from our outer expression to our inner reflection. The autumn equinox falls at 13.43pm, the moment when the centre of the sun is directly above the equator. This will happen again at the spring equinox in March.
SEPTEMBER 28TH Michaelmas Day and the feast of St Michael the Archangel, the triumph of good over evil; and traditionally the end of the harvest season and another of the saints days which sets the tone for the weather for the coming weeks.
“As the wind is on St Michaelmas Day so will it be for the next three months.’
Clear weather on St Michaelmas Day is also a sign of a long cold winter. Michaelmas daisies will also be in bloom.
“The Michaelmas daisies among dead weeds
Bloom for St Michael’s valourous deeds”.
Folklore also tells is to eat blackberries before this date since after it they are said to have been spat on by the devil and will taste sour.
In Cornwall the belief is that the devil urinated on them but there is no evidence to prove that late harvested blackberries or brambles are any more unpleasant than anywhere else.
GARDEN WILDLIFE IN SEPTEMBER
Garden birds will be busy establishing territories during September with this year’s young competing with older birds that are returning to their patch after the summer moult. While most of this takes place amicably, robins and wrens can defend their territories aggressively and you can often hear the odd September skirmish.
It is the month when we all hope to be able to see more sparrows. Populations have declined hugely over the years, a situation blamed on everything from modern house building to changes in farming practices. Two hundred years ago they were eaten or simply killed for the damage they did to crops but London for example lost three quarters of its sparrow population between 1994 and 2000. Nowadays we do our best to ensure their survival even if they do eat our seeds as well as insects.
September will see the last of their three broods and the signs are good and climbing again. Elsewhere the old bumblebee will lay fewer and fewer eggs and eventually she and her nest will come to a natural end. Some bees are only just emerging from hibernation.
The ivy bee is the latest bee on the wing flying in the month of September as their name suggest these solitary bees feed mostly on ivy flowers and they nest often in large numbers.
Some hedgehogs will mate for the second time this month. Food starts to become scarce in autumn so this is a big gamble which doesn’t always pay off as babies emerging from their nests in October are rarely able to gain enough weight to see them through hibernation.
‘Apples lie on the wet lawn and we select three undamaged ones. Check
for wasps and think ahead to the cooling evening and the first apple crumble of the year’
Michaelmas daisies - a powerful force in September
September is the month we all hope to see more sparrows
The ivy bee nests in large numbers
SEPTEMBER AND THE TIME TO THINK OF SPRING
There’s no need for too much reflection on the move to autumn and September. Gardeners have the great ability to think positively; there is still so much to love about the late, late summer garden and after all September is spring bulb planting time. The sooner you get daffodils and narcissi in the ground or in pots for that matter then the better it is. They look better when planted in clumps of ten or 12. Tulips can wait by the way until October or November.
Blackberry - the fruit for September
Blackberries are excellent plants to have around. Since blackberries don’t ripen after they’ve been picked, they must be picked when they’re dead ripe. As a result, the berries you buy in a shop tend to be bred more for durability during transportation than for flavour. If you grow your own berries, however, the farthest they have to travel is from your garden to your kitchen (or even just from the garden to your mouth). This way, you can have perfectly ripe berries bred to have the best flavour, for a fraction of the cost. You do have to know what you’re doing when you’re picking blackberries though.
Blackberry harvesting needs to be done by hand. The berries must be picked when they’re ripe (when the colour has changed from red to black). The fruit will only last about a day after it is picked, so either refrigerate or eat it as soon as possible. Never pick wet blackberries, as this will encourage them to mould or squish. The season for harvesting blackberry plants usually lasts about three weeks, during which time they should be picked two to three times per week.
Lest we forget blackberries are a superfood with beneficial vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. They’re low in calories, carbs, and fat. Blackberries may even fight cancer and help prevent heart disease. Vitamin C is integral to collagen formation in bones, connective tissue, and blood vessels.
BLACKBERRY PICKING TIPS
Look high and low. When you find a likely-looking spot covered in berries, try not to completely clear the area.
Try not to eat them until they’re washed. This is a tricky tip to follow as they’re very tempting to snack on as you forage.
Take care. Wear long sleeves and trousers and take care when moving through hedgerows; you might get caught in the bushes or meet a few stinging nettles!
Pick firm, plump-looking berries. The squashed ones will spoil quicker. Eat or freeze your berries within 24 hours. And don’t wash them until you’re ready to freeze or eat them, otherwise they’ll spoil.
How to clean berry stains from your clothes - if you end up with purple stains on your clothes, cover the stains in white vinegar, leave for 30 minutes, rinse with cold water and wash as normal.
TIME TO PLAN AND PLANT
September is the start of the planning and planting season; the soil is still warm and everything will get a great early start for next spring
In autumn the soil is moist and warm – perfect for establishing plants before winter sets in. And September is the start of all the planning that’s needed over the next few weeks so it can be both a busy and demanding time.
It is of course why so much planting takes place in autumn, from spring bulb planting to the moving and planting of shrubs and perennials. Bare root trees are typically planted from autumn to spring, and autumn is also a popular time for laying turf.
Planting for next year and even for the years to come, like any gardening task, requires skill and understanding, though plants in some situations can be more forgiving – for example, the odd bulb planted upside down will still perform, but a badly planted tree may never succeed. Given plants cost money, it makes sense to invest time to get the planting technique right and guarantee success.
Timing is key to autumn planting. While the soil is typically warm and moist, conditions may suddenly turn very cold, so it’s important to check conditions ahead of planting. What’s more, exotic or frost-tender plants need more time to establish than hardy plants, so are best planted in the spring, instead.
As a rule, the sooner you plant your plant, the better. Spring-flowering bulbs and bareroot shrubs and trees should be planted as soon as you buy them.
When you are out buying look for plants that are well established in their containers but haven’t been sitting around for years in the same pot. Roots appearing out of the drainage hole that are fibrous, white and fresh-looking are a sign of a vigorous plant ready to go in the ground – thick woody roots indicate a plant that’s been in its pot too long and may not establish once planted. With bulbs, look for plump bulbs free of mould or shrivelling. Peeling outer layers are normal and of no concern.
Fertile, well-cared for soil needs little more preparation than digging a hole that the plant will sit in, whereas compacted soil needs digging over and breaking up with a fork to aerate it first. For trees and large woody plants, dig a square hole three times the width but the same depth as the pot, and if the soil is a sticky clay, puncture the sides of the hole with a fork. Loosen the base of the hole but do not add organic matter. It will rot down and cause the plant to sink – instead keep the organic matter for a surface mulch once you’ve finished.
BARTHELEMY – A LIVING MUSEUM OF HORTICULTURAL HISTORY
Barthelemy and Co near Wimborne Dorset is a Japanese maple nursery that was founded in 1920. From sourcing and picking the seeds, some years over 100,000 Japanese maples are produced and grown each year on the nursery by the Skinner family. Approximately 12,000 of these seedlings go on to be grafted with named varieties, using techniques passed down through the generations.
Their focus on Japanese maples has allowed them to perfect their growing and grafting techniques, producing some of the finest specimens available in the UK. Barthélemy & Co is not just a place to buy plants, but a living museum of horticultural history, where every aspect of the growing process is done with care and attention to detail.
Visitors to the nursery can see the passion and dedication involved on display and leave with a new appreciation for the beauty and complexity of these unique and captivating trees.
Barthelemy and Co, 262 Wimborne Rd W, Wimborne BH21 2DZ
JAPANESE MAPLES Acer palmatum varieties
We produce and grow the largest selection available in the UK. Plants are pot grown and suitable for garden, patio or bonsai.
Blackberries are a genuine superfood, rich in minerals, vitamins and fibre
Making a difference to the planet
The revolution in home growing food which made such an impact during Covid, continues to gather pace and is providing a great story in making us healthier, saving money and reducing our carbon footprint.
It is quite simple really.
If you produce homegrown food, you are making a difference not just to the national diet, not just to your household spending but reducing our carbon footprint in the process. It is a powerful trio!
In a time when we are given so few opportunities to have meaningful relationships with the natural world, gardening is our route back, because it can be done anywhere: on a rooftop, on a windowsill, in your back garden or with a community.
You can feed more than just your family. Every plant grown without chemicals will feed the soil food web –thousands of insects from aphids to butterflies – and, with them, the birds. Better still is to save your own seeds, even if it’s just something like rocket that you allow to self-seed. That little seed packet may only cost a few pounds, but it is embedded with resources from labour to fertilisers and fuel for transport. You save for the future too: each seed saved, grown and saved again will start to adapt to your soil, thus helping future generations.
All those broad beans, tomatoes, runner bean wigwams, potatoes soon add up. Our gardens are very productive. In a study of Leicester allotments three years ago researchers found that for each square metre a huge 2.3kg of fresh food was gathered.
You can take what is waste and turn it into something that you will come to think of as more valuable than gold – good soil. By composting, you reduce your carbon and financial footprint; your waste doesn’t have to be transported, nor do you have to buy nutrients in. By embracing rot, you will start to see failure in a new light: that courgette that succumbed to mildew won’t have failed if it goes back to the compost.
During the uncertainties and more free time available during the Covid lockdown large numbers of us turned to their gardens for sanctuary finding in them for the first time a productive place to grown fresh, environmentally favourable food when supermarket shelves were often laid bare.
Post lockdown things have settled back but the figures for those people still growing their own are still impressive. Growing your own crops can also ease anxieties about rising prices and supply issues too.
Post Brexit and the war in Ukraine saw the UK import 84 per-cent of its fruit and 44 per-cent of its vegetables. National surveys show that one of our biggest motivators is the ability to save money on grocery shopping. Growing your own certainly does that but of course it is much much more. There’s a better quality and taste of home-grown food and the not to be underestimated benefit of exercise and fresh air.
We need to take into account environmental gains: home grown food uses minimal food and requires no packaging, homemade compost recycles garden waste and replaces fertilisers.
The Leicester allotment survey also revealed some interesting data on water usage – each kilogram of food generally used 1.9 litres of water. Published statistics show that commercially grown potatoes use up to four times more water resources- up to 78 litres of water- to get those prepacked spuds clean. Are there any social benefits of growing your own? Maybe. It can and will increase health issues and take pressure away from the NHS. Curbing waste is another factor if less obvious. If people understand the amount of effort going into growing food they are less likely to discard it. A total of 5.6 million tons of food was wasted in the last survey completed in 2018.
Growing our own – the statistics
• 37 per-cent- the percentage of UK gardeners now thought to be growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs – a figure which includes 340,000 plus allotments all over the country- a figure which would be much bigger if more allotment land were available
• 19 per-cent- the percentage of UK gardeners who have started water conservation methods by collecting rainwater
• 27 million -estimated number of gardeners in UK
• Post Brexit and the war in Ukraine saw the UK import 84 per-cent of its fruit and 44 percent of its vegetables
• £275 – the average amount a gardener spends on his or her garden a year in the UK
• £7.6 billion the UK spend on garden goods, plants and seeds in 2021
• Annually a typical gardener invests about 114 hours into their gardening tasks
• In 2020 and 2021 the number of people growing their own in the 25 to 34 age group increased 18 fold
Which crops most reduce your carbon footprint?
Lower yielding, although high value, crops such as peas and asparagus are the highest emitters of CO2- per tonne, while cucumbers, celery, potatoes, beetroot and carrots are the lowest.
POTATOES
Garden home grown potatoes, generously fed with homemade compost are highly efficient at producing high yields of carbohydrates. As one of the most wasted foods, the discarding of shop bought potatoes increases the carbon footprint enormously so makes it an important grow your own candidate.
BEETROOT
Beetroot is high yielding and doesn’t need a lot of water to produce a great crop so scores well on the carbon footprint stats. Its leaves are also edible which makes it a very efficient crop.
LETTUCE
Very easy to grow and available for long periods of the year. baby leaves grow all winter and can be gown on windowsills. It’s a tricky product for supermarkets as commercially grown lettuce needs lots of plastic wrapping. The mass market production requires carbon-intensive resources like pesticides, land, and water.
RUNNER BEANS
It’s high efficiency makes this a great carbon footprint scorer. A single wigwam can produce all the beans a family needs for weeks with the surplus being available to be frozen. Significantly different from French beans imported in large quantities.
KALE
Efficient as they are vitamin rich and nutritious and easy to grow producing leaves and roots all year long.
And while we’re saving the planet!
PLANT A TREE
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen so provide the perfect symbiotic relationship with us humans. They naturally help combat climate change by catching carbon. Choose low maintenance disease resistant trees which are fast growing, have large leaves and a long life expectancy. London plane, horse chestnut, oak and pine suit large gardens whereas rowan, fruit trees and acers are ideal for smaller gardens.
COLLECT RAINWATER
Spells of prolonged drought make it imperative to collect every drop of water available to us. Set up a water butt to store the run off from your roof or tap into your down pipe. Whether or not you are on a meter being as economical as possible with water is important for the environment to reduce strain on local resources.
MAKE YOUR OWN COMPOST
In times when councils reduce or stop collecting green waste, don’t let yours go to waste.. Buy a purpose built compost bin or construct one from wood. Locate in a discreet area in the garden out of view but easy to access. Ideal composting material comprises healthy garden waste, lawn clippings, coffee grounds and uncooked food waste. Avoid woody material unless shredded, cooked food which can attract rats and perennial weeds as the roots will not decompose.
PLANT A WILDFLOWER MEADOW
Not everyone has the space to plant a wildflower meadow but if you do or can action a community project then the soil beneath your blooms will hold enough carbon to rival a
The Covid factor caused a boom in seeds
In the spring of 2020, it was estimated that seven million gardeners decided to grow their own vegetables. It was a direct result of being told by the Government that lockdown would be long and difficult and that they would have a lot of time at home and would need to find new hobbies.
People turned to their gardens for sanctuary.
The demand for seeds for growing fruit and vegetables meant that seed companies exhausted all their stock. Suttons seeds sales increased by a factor of five of which 95 per-cent of those being edible plant seeds.
Companies selling raised beds sold out in weeks.
Garden centres couldn’t cope with the demand for seeds and plug plants. WE took to our gardens in that summer and started growing our own.
Post lockdown things have settled down but interest in home growing remains very high. Almost half the adult population (approx. 32 million) garden at home and there are 360,000 allotments. Of these 33 per-cent grow herbs, vegetables or fruit.
During the pandemic, an overwhelming 93per-cent of women turned to gardening more frequently, with a significant one-fifth of them being young women aged 18 to 24. In contrast, only a mere eight per-cent of young men in the same age group increased their gardening activities.
woodland canopy! Never mind the fact that you would be creating a biodiverse pollinator paradise, a nesting area for birds, insects and small mammals! Leave a section of your lawn to grow a little longer and allow the lawn ‘weeds’ to flower. You might be surprised by what grows and flowers there. With 94 per-cent of wildflower meadows wiped out in the last 75 years, the planet needs your help.
Interest in home growing of vegetables is still very high
Lend an ear
GARDENING AND PODCAST ENTHUSIAST GUY STEVENSON MAKES A PERSONAL SELECTION OF GARDENING THEMED PODCASTS WHICH HE BELIEVES ARE WORTH LISTING TO
Gardening podcasts are some of the easiest ways to access expert insight and inspiring stories. If you are passionate about the radio – and many gardeners like me are - then gardening is one of the most popular subjects around. Depending on where you search there are as many as 500 regular podcasts covering every aspect of gardening from celebrity gardening hints, to lawn care, to plant preferences, to how to deal with pests and a huge section devoted to growing your own.
Wading through them is a challenging thing and quite often you can hit upon a favourite gardening podcast almost by chance.
It is a bit like walking into a huge public library and only having tickets to take out half a dozen books.
There are in such a wide selection of podcasts: something for beginners, keen gardeners, the plant obsessed and those looking for a wider view of the horticultural world.
I’ve been an avid listener to many of these podcasts and here’s my very personal view of some which I believe will add something to your gardening experience. It is a very small and very personal selection and my hope is that it starts you off on your own search of what is out there.
MY GARDEN PODCAST
This isn’t for you if you are looking for gardening advice and top tips. It’s more of a gardeners’ journey through plants, flowers and vegetables which have caused problems and sometimes disasters. It’s from PENNY HALSAM who has made a name for herself as a motivational speaker but also a TV presenter.
She is the author of Make Yourself a Little Bit Famous which deals with powering up your profile. She records the podcast from her home and there’s more than 70 fun episodes – not all to be taken seriously. Available on Apple
GARDENING WITH THE RHS
As you would expect solid reliable and topical and an award-winning GARDENING WITH THE RHS podcast offers quality seasonal advice, inspiration and practical solutions to gardening questions. Trusted gardening professionals give you the latest horticultural advice, scientific research and tried-and-tested techniques to bring out the best in your garden. You can subscribe to the podcast at www.rhs.org.uk
ROOTS AND ALL
Do you find traditional gardening media baffling and/or boring? Then you’re in the right place, because the Roots and All podcast digs deep into how to create a successful garden. Host SARAH WILSON sets out to ‘demystify everything’ in the world of gardening. Every week, a different expert shares their experiences and Sarah holds their ideas up to scrutiny. As the name suggests, this is a very down-to-earth listen. The podcast always ends with ‘bug of the week’, where entomologist Dr. Ian Bedford talks us through the ecology of a chosen insect. Available on Apple
GROW, COOK, EAT, ARRANGE
A weekly podcast With SARAH RAVEN and ARTHER PARKINSON. Great if you’re looking to create high intensity (and high maintenance) flower power using annuals and tender perennials, with flowers for cutting too. Both Sarah and Arther have quite strict ideas of what they do and don’t like, and I know some see this as snootiness, but I take it all with a pinch of salt. Bamboo canes must not be spoken of, only ‘foraged’ birch twigs and hazel are allowed. Sarah has a substantial following and has led the way by introducing a new kind of productive gardening which places emphasis on intense colour, sophistication, and achievability. Recorded at the beautiful Perch Hill Farm in Sussex, Sarah talks with special guests from across garden design, floristry, food, ecology, conservation, and more. Available on Apple
THE SKINNY JEAN GARDENER PODCAST
Welcome to The Skinny Jean Gardener Podcast: from The UK’s Number 1 children’s gardening educator LEE CONNELLY. This Sunday Times Top Gardening Podcast may have a slightly quirky name and some catchy tunes, but don’t let that fool you. If you’re a parent who wants your children to experience the wonders of the outdoors, this podcast is an excellent guide for you.Hosted by Lee Connelly, also known as The Skinny Jean Gardener, this podcast brings you expert insights, tips, and inspiration for getting your kids involved in gardening. Available on Apple
THE CUT FLOWER PODCAST
The podcast host here is ROZ CHANDLER who has been a cut flower farmer for nearly ten years and is passionate about helping others to have their own cutting patches. This podcast is for you if you currently grow or want to grow cut flowers for pleasure or profit and be part of a growing community. Your host is passionate about reducing the number of cut flowers travelling many thousands of miles from across the globe and therefore helping to reduce the carbon footprint on our planet for our children and their children. Cut flower guests join in. Go to fieldgateflowers.co.uk
KITCHEN GARDEN
Kitchen Garden is Britain’s best guide on how to grow your own food. It offers down to earth advice from the finest minds in gardening to make sure you get the tastiest produce from your plot. There are tips on how to grow your own wide range of fruit and vegetable crops and how to control troublesome pests plus what to do on your plot each month. Available at kitchengarden.co.uk
THE VEG GROWER PODCAST
This podcast is the account of one man’s hobby of growing vegetables and fruit and herbs. It’s a very personalised account about everything which can and often does go wrong in the vegetable plot on the allotment. Richard Suggett is the host and his style is easy to listen to and with a nice touch of humour. Find it at theveggrowerpodcast.co.uk
Pink Candy Pink Red
Pink Dark Orchid Seychelles
GARDEN ACCESSORIES - the demands of a busy garden
September and the start of the change in the seasons brings fresh challenges in the garden. It’s a time when dahlias, chrysanthemums and Michaelmas daisies all need help to stay upright as they reach their best.
It’s also time to look ahead and maybe look at the garden this spring and summer and see if there ‘s a little investment needed It’s a time to perhaps consider what you can do to improve your outdoor living space with new furniture, extra luxuries to improve the value of your property or just the odd new fixture and fittings.
HANDMADE GREENHOUSES OF STYLE AND CHARACTER FROM DOVETAIL
Dovetail Greenhouses is a second-generation family firm based in Tamworth, Staffordshire and serving the entire mainland UK. They were established in 1993 and since that time have evolved from offering a fixed range of quality standard buildings to specialising in the bespoke market.
Dovetail greenhouses are hand-made from their own heavy duty aluminium profiles to fit the exact requirements of each individual customer.
This approach allows them to replace an existing timber greenhouse without disturbing the original base or to design and build a new greenhouse into a very particular location.
For a personalised quotation contact Dovetail Greenhouses on 0121 3112900
New Amalfi Electric Awning from Eden Verandas
There’s a new Amalfi Electric Awning from available from Eden Verandas allowing you to enjoy the cooler evenings with the optional halogen heaters. Even better, the Amalfi is available with a superb finance deal – Buy Now, Pay Later plus you can save up to 25per cent off* in an Autumn Sale. Constructed from the highest quality materials and bespoke manufactured, the Amalfi is a stunning addition to any home. With optional accessories such as dimmable lights & controls to suit your needs, you can now spend more time ‘outdoors’ in comfort.
The Amalfi fabrics are spinneret-dyed with a water-proof finish, available in a choice of 150 RAL colours and 170 Fabric choices and is dirt-resistant. To benefit from these offers, visit www.edenverandas.co.uk or call 0800 157 1677 and use code CG0020924. *Terms & Conditions apply, see website for details. *Terms & Conditions apply, see website for details. www.edenverandas.co.uk
A new greenhouse may also be an exciting option.
It’s also the time of year when you don’t want all that hard work in spring to go to waste and that means making sure everything is growing at full steam and flowers and shrubs are looking their best.
At Country Gardener we are always on the lookout for great products and fresh ideas so here’s a few which might tempt you make the garden even more enjoyable and your home more pleasureable.
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE UNIQUE CONTROLS FOR SHRUBS AND CLIMBERS
You can control your shrubs and climbers using Rivelin Glen Products uniquely designed Wire Anchors. They are quick and easy to attach to concrete posts (without drilling) to act as an ‘eye’ by threading wire through them to create a trellising system.
The Gripple Trellising System is ideal to use with the anchors as the wire does not stretch, takes up to 100kg load and has a life of up to 15 years. Multiple rows can be achieved with one length of wire and two tensioners. No more sore hands or sagging wires!
Rivelin Glen Products are the main stockists of the Gripple Trellising System.
Prices: Wire Anchors from £10.00 for a pack of three; Gripple Starter Kit - £19.75. Details available at: www.rivelinglenproducts.com Email: info@rivelinglenproducts.co.uk or Tel: 01246 462666
NURSERIES
MALLET COURT NURSERY
Founded in 1978 we are a small family business and we offer a friendly, personal service to our customers.
Come with us as we go into autumn.
Leaves are starting to turn vibrant colours, we have a stunning display in the Nursery to welcome our friends old and new.
We will give advice on any plant and on your garden if required.
We have a mail order service if you cannot get to us and collect your plants. CHELSEA GOLD MEDALLIST
Our popular gardening themed crossword is compiled by Saranda which over the past year has become enormously popular with readers. The winning entry to be drawn by us will receive £100 of RHS gift tokens. Completed entries should be sent to Mount House, Halse, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3AD. Closing date Friday 21st September. The July issue winner was Kate Holloway from Cheltenham.
ACROSS
1. Vegetation such as shoots eaten by animals (6)
4. Genus of New Zealand plants sometimes called vegetable sheep (7)
8. American word for lumberjack (6)
13. A sieve as used in a garden (6)
14. Relating to a genus derived from the Greek, meaning two winged fruit (14)
16. Common name of Glebionis segetum (4, 8)
17. A genus of smut fungi, parasitic on grasses (8)
18. German mathematician who developed calculus (8)
19. Popular lawn ornaments (6, 6)
23. Corkscrew vine or caracalla (11)
24. A starchy root commonly called taro (4)
28. Callistephus chinesis, a plant native to China and Korea (5, 5)
30. Rancher or cattle farmer (10)
32. A sweet secretion produced by larvae and found on eucalyptus (4)
33. Famous Robert Burns poem with floral title (1, 3, 3, 4)
38. Not capable of being replenished (3-9)
gourd family (5)
11. Hibiscus syriacus or althea shrub (4, 2, 6)
12. An obsolete taxonomic class within the kingdom plantae (10)
15. Genus of South African plant, the sugarbush (6)
20. The negative part of a situation (8)
21. Common name of Rubia tinctorum (6)
22. Cactus-like plant much used in cosmetics (4, 4)
25. Papaver nudicaule, a boreal flowering plant (7, 5)
26. A temperate perennial grass, Agrostis stolonifera (6)
27. Storyteller in One Thousand and One Nights (12)
29. A highly toxic perennial with purple flowers (10)
31. Ginseng, devil’s club and ivy belong to this family (10)
34. Ukranian port city on the Black Sea (6)
35. Stops a vessel in sailing terminology (6, 2)
36. Something enjoyed by our feathered friends (8)
43. Common name of flowering plant Polemonium (6, 6)
45. Person in search of enjoyment (8, 6)
46. An Australian plant genus in the family Cunoniaceae )6)
47. Largest city in Myanmar formerly known as Rangoon (6)
48. Thin brown scales found on the leaves on ferns (7)
49. A long and pointed leaf on a conifer (6)
DOWN
1. Extremely hardy variety of kale (8)
2. A friend of many years or an ancient apple! (3, 5)
3. Polygonatum, a popular garden plant (8, 4)
5. Unspoiled department in southwest France (6)
6. Land that cannot be prepared for crops (10)
7. A traditional Japanese case for holding small objects (4)
9. Finds fault with or censures (8)
10. A tropical old world climbing plant of the
37. Provided with sheath-formed stipules (8)
40. Species of cranesbill commonly known as herb ______ (6)
42. A major German flower!
Jobs in the SEPTEMBER GARDENS
The last of summer days can catch us all by surprise! In September certainly in recent years there have been hot days and there is still plenty of time to enjoy the abundance of the lighter months, but now is the time to think about change-over jobs. September is not all toil, though. It’s a time to take note and plan for next year, whether that’s visiting an inspirational nursery with a great display garden or scrutinising your own garden for gaps. Take photos on your phone, make notes and mark up the bits which haven’t gone as well as expected. Later in autumn, when you are digging up and dividing, you’ll have an excellent visual reference of what to move and what gaps need to be plugged. While there’s not as much to do in the ornamental garden at this time of the year, if you have a fruit or vegetable patch, you’ll be busy reaping the rewards of harvest. It’s also time to get out and start planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year and you can collect seeds for next summer’s colour too. Meanwhile, here are some jobs to be getting on with. And make the most of the remaining warmth while you can!
1
The perfect time to collect and store seeds
Growing plants from seed is generally straightforward and inexpensive. It is an opportunity to increase the number of plants in your garden for free- and September is the time of the year when you need to act.
Harvest your own seed is fun but takes a little understanding and planning:
Seedheads can ripen quickly, and must be watched carefully in order to collect the seed before they are dispersed.
As a rough guide, seed is set about two months after flowering. Some seed is collected when well-developed but immature and green, such as Anemone nemorosa, calendula and Ranunculus.
Berries need to be collected before they are taken by birds. The plants from which you collect seed must be healthy and vigorous. This will help ensure good quality.
Usually only species “come true” from seed – seedlings from a Most seed germinate best if sown as soon as it ripens, whereas seed harvested while immature will not germinate.
3
Don’t
be caught out spring flowering bulbs need planting now
September is the ideal time to get hardy springflowering bulbs such as narcissus (daffodil), hyacinth and crocus in the ground. These bulbs will do best in a warm, sunny spot and they all love good drainage.
If you’re planting them in a bed or border, dig a hole about four times the depth of the bulb. Put a layer of sand and grit in the bottom of the hole to aid drainage.
Cover this with a little compost, then plant the bulbs under about two bulb’s worth of depth of soil.
Try to bunch six to ten bulbs together in one spot, placed one bulb’s width apart, or line a path them for an impressive display.
A key job lifting and dividing perennials
Dividing perennials regularly will ensure healthy, vigorous plants that will continue to perform year after year. It also offers the opportunity to multiply your plants.
Summer-flowering herbaceous perennials can be lifted and divided in September when they’ve finished flowering and the soil is still warm enough to aid new root development. In fact, most perennials need to be divided every two to three years, otherwise they get too big for the space they’re in and become congested – it will also increase plant stock for free! Gently dig out the plant with a fork to not sever plant roots. Once the plant is out, divide it in a way suitable to its type.
Small fibrous-rooted plants like hostas, can be gently teased into two with your fingers. Larger fibrous-rooted varieties, such as hardy Pelargonium (Geranium), are best levered apart using two garden forks thrust back-to-back into the plant’s centre. This will separate the plant into two with minimal root damage. If the plant you’re dividing is especially big, you will need a good strong fork to get good leverage. 2
4
Protect your pots
During the gloomy, cold and wet months you will need to stop your potted plants from becoming waterlogged. Naturally, bedded plants don’t require any extra care due to the excess water just being soaked deeper into the soil. However, for potted plants this is not the case. You can prevent this from happening simply by buying some ‘pot feet’ or try propping your pots up on some old bricks or wood to allow the excess water to drain.
5
Clear waste and fallen leaves
Now is the ideal time to start looking at investing in a compost bin. Be prepared for when the leaves begin to fall this autumn, and your garden is full of golden leaves. Not only does filling a compost bin save you general bin space for the winter, it can also help save you money, making fertiliser and other chemical compounds redundant when the time comes to encourage new growth in your garden.
Wallflowers it’s not too late
September was once thought to be too late to sow wallflowers, but it is perfectly possible to direct-sow them in the first week of the month and, with no transplanting till spring, they should prosper. Ideally, sow them when you want them to flower and add tulips in between in a couple of months’ time for a fabulous spring show.
7
Ways to extend the tomato ripening weeks
Outdoor tomatoes are in danger of blackening overnight without protection, but experiment with cutting them down from their supports and laying them on fleece before you cover them with a polythene tunnel, so the fruit can continue to grow and ripen for a few more weeks. It is possible this way to enjoy at least three more weeks from our outdoor vines. You can ripen tomatoes by covering them with a polythene tunnel.
September and the focus is on taking cuttings
Taking cuttings is a brilliant way to grow more plants for nothing. And there’s something satisfying about nursing plants through from tender young shoots to fully-fledged plants for use in your own containers.
You’ll need to find strong, young growth that hasn’t flowered this year. Snip it off using pruning snips at an angle just beneath a leaf joint, leaving a stem of about seven cms in length.
Next, strip off the leaves from the lower stem, leaving just one or two pairs towards the top. This will help to prevent the plant from losing too much water via its leaves while it has no roots to take moisture up from the soil. Dip the end of the cutting in hormone rooting powder and plant in compost mixed with a little horticultural grit for
9
drainage. This will help to prevent the end from rotting and promote good root growth.
Put the plants in a propagator and cover them with a plastic bag to help retain moisture.
Place the cuttings somewhere bright and warm, but keep them out of direct sunlight until roots have formed (about six to ten weeks).
It’s a good idea to mist plants daily to ensure their water needs are met while they are still rootless. 8
Plant a hedge
September is the perfect time for planting hedges. The soil is still warm and there is usually plenty of rain. It’s traditional to plant a mixed native hedge in the spring, but you can have success with autumn planting here. Evergreen hedging can be planted now, too, but don’t leave this any later than October as plants may be damaged by frost.
11
10
Order garlic and onions
Garlic and overwintering onions are planted out from now till the end of October but get your order in as soon as possible or you will be picking over the spoils. Get used to regularly overwintering onions; try ‘Japanese Shensyu Yellow’, and ‘Radar’ for red onions. Garlic does best planted out as early as you can; ‘Solent Wight’ and ‘Cristo’ are both reliable and hardy. Onions need to be spaced 20cm apart each way; garlic is best at 18cm each way. Choose your sunniest spot.
Potatoes out: green manure in
When you think you’ve harvested your last potatoes, carefully dig over the veg bed, collect those that were still lurking under the surface, and then dig over ready to plant some green manures. These green manures are useful in many ways; they protect the soil from erosion over winter, reducing the potential of any leaching of mineral and nutrients, and protect soil structure, as well as boosting nutrients when dug into the soil. They also provide a green carpet that helps provide shelter for beneficial insects through the winter, such as ground beetle, and if you leave a patch to flower they are loved by pollinators – Phacelia tanacetifolia for example, is one of the best nectar sources for the honeybee, bumble bee and hoverfly.
• Do a last outside sowing of radish. With the soil still warm and moist with dew, you should be eating them in four to five weeks. 12
Diary events from clubs and organisations in SOMERSET
It is coming up to one of the busiest times for garden clubs and associations who are starting their autumn and winter programme of events, meetings and speakers. Remember to share your club events with our full Country Gardener audience by taking advantage of our free service which lists events and meetings month by month.
Send your information to timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk
August
24TH
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society ANNUAL SHOW Selwood Academy Details on 07776 208531
31ST
Bridgwater FLOWER & CRAFT SHOW www,bfcshow.org.uk
September
4TH
Clevedon Gardeners’ Club MONTHLY MEETING
www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
7TH
Carhampton Gardening Club ANNUAL FLOWER & PRODUCE SHOW
Details on 01643 821085
Chilcompton Gardening Club CHILCOMPTON FLOWER SHOW Details on 07791 537429
10TH
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society ‘ALPINES IN TROUGHS’ - RICHARD HORSWOOD Details on 07776 208531
Sedgemoor Gardens Club
• Continue to feed tomato plants until all the fruits have finished growing and ripening. If your tomatoes refuse to ripen in miserable weather, then you could make a delicious green tomato chutney.
• Sow spring onions – these will be ready to eat before the frosts get going in most parts of the country. Even if frosts are forecast, they are fine under glass or plastic to harvest through late winter and autumn.
• Remove any crops that have finished leaving unneeded areas clear – weeding and tidying for the winter. Keep an eye on your brassicas for butterfly eggs and caterpillars; these will most probably be under the leaves.
• Squash and pumpkins need to be well watered if the weather is hot. This will prevent their growth from being checked. Use stored rainwater wherever possible. Keep pinching out the tips of triffid-like pumpkins and squash. They prioritise vegetative growth over fruit formation, and you may get fruit drop if you don’t keep them contained. With the tips pinched, all the fruit down to the base of the stem will now be ripening well. Place a tile under the largest fruit to stop rot creeping in where they sit on the damp soil. Leave pumpkins, squash and marrows to ripen in the sun if possible so that the skin can harden.
‘PLANTS OF THE SOMERSET HILLS, LEVELS AND MOORS’ - SYLVIA & PETER GOODENOUGH
11TH
Clevedon Gardeners’ Club MONTHLY MEETING
www.clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
Nailsea & District Horticultural Society
‘AUTUMN CONTAINER PLANTING’MARTYN AND VAL DAVIS Details on 01275 855342
Kilmersdon Gardeners
‘SAVING SEEDS FOR LOCAL BIODIVERSITY’ - SAM ROSS www.kilmersdongardeners.org
12TH
Chew Valley Gardening Society
‘GARDENS OF JAPAN’ - NICHOLAS WRAY Details on 01275 333456
East Coker Gardening Club
‘ORGANIC GARDENING’ - BRIAN HESKETH
17TH
Barrington Gardening Society
‘FUNGI - THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY’ - MICHAEL JORDAN
Details on 01460 54691
The Gardening in Retirement Club, Downend
‘THE BRISTOL DOWN AND AVON GORGE: PLANTS, TREES & POLITICS’ROBIN HAWARD
Details on 01179656844
18TH
Henton & District Gardening Club
‘THE NEWT: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE’ - ARTHUR COLES, HEAD GARDENER
Details on www.hentongardenclub.weebly.com
20TH
Carhampton Gardening Club
‘TALES FROM THE POTTING SHED’DR F.E. BURROUGHES
Details on 01643 821085
24TH
Chilcompton Gardening Club
‘BEHIND THE SCENES AT SISSINGHURST’ - NEIL ROSS Details on 07791 537429
Former Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden established over 60 years ago. We have an extensive range of shrubs, ornamental and native trees, fruit trees and hedging plants.
✔ Advice / Sales by telephone & email
✔ Extensive website ✔ Carpark collection ✔ Local delivery Opening hours - please see our website
Tel 01984 618267 info@triscombenurseries.co.uk www.triscombenurseries.co.uk
West Bagborough, Nr Taunton, Somerset TA4 3HG between West Bagborough and Crowcombe (signposted off A358)
Coffee shop open 10.30am-4pm Monday-Saturday Closed Sunday
GLASTONBURY ROAD, WELLS TEL: 01749 673050
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD...
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Yenstone Walling
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Leave windfalls for wildlife
Over the next few weeks there’s the temptation to tidy away fallen fruit – but don’t be too prompt with that- they are a delicious bonus for all sorts of creatures, helping to tide them over before winter sets in.
Any garden with an orchard or even a single fruit tree is a sanctuary for wildlife. The fruit that you don’t harvest including windfalls and aborted fruits are the key to survival for many species and regular visitors to your garden.
It’s one of the best ways you can make a huge contribution to wildlife.
The fallen fruit, apples, pears and berries in particular are one of the highlights of the seasons for a complex network of animals from the top to the bottom of the animal network, from birds such as blackbirds, fieldfares and redwings and thrushes through to mammals such as voles, wood mice, badgers and of course hedgehogs.
Decomposing food over the autumn also feeds social wasps, earwigs, ants, many butterflies, moths and other nocturnal animals which in turn provides prey for bats. It is nature at work.
The temptation is to clear up the garden in September and October. Fallen fruit is inevitable. Trees laden with fruit can’t cope and as much as 20 per-cent may crash to the ground, often bruised and damaged and beyond harvesting. Too many of us opt for a clean-up and depositing the fruit in the nearest compost bin.
It is much easier to leave it for the animals. The fallen fruit that isn’t eaten will naturally decompose over the winter months and won’t harm the garden in the least. Some of it will even stay on the trees , making access for the birds even easier.
It is why the animal kingdom says a big thank you.
This energy source is most welcome at the end of the season when animals need sugar and other carbohydrates to build fat reserves in preparation for winter.
Over wintering insects channel these energy reserve towards producing proteins, sugar alcohol and other substances that keep their delicate membranes and organs intact during harsh winter weather.
Fruit trees offer the greatest benefit to wildlife when grown in a sunny open site where they will thrive. The older the trees get, the more lichens and other wildlife they support. If you have space remember to grow different cultivars that pollinate one another.
The bumper crop of apples nationwide over the last couple of years, and the fact that they stayed on the trees so late in many instances, seems to have provided a bonanza for native and migrant thrushes.
Rats are not particularly attracted to apples which is an added bonus for those worried that the fruit might attract the wrong sort of visitor.
It’s also the opportunity to get the binoculars out and see just how the animals enjoy and appreciate the feast you have left for them.
Wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)
A tiny golden-brown mouse with a pale belly, large ears and a long tail. They are very common in gardens and woodlands but often difficult to spot. They are mostly nocturnal and a very agile climber that gathers fruits and seeds for underground storage in winter.
Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)
Well known in gardens as a nocturnal animal with a very varied diet of beetles, earwigs and earthworms and often fallen fruit. Large orchards will also attract badgers to eat windfall fruit.
Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
Adult wasps consume nectar and fruit sugars in large quantities and windfall fruit is essential for their survival in the build-up to winter. Part of a natural balance, these insects shred other invertebrates to feed their lavae.
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
These iconic black and red butterflies migrate yearly from North Africa and Europe although many now seem to over-winter in south and south west England. Caterpillars feed on nettles. Adults visit both flowers and over ripe fruit for sugar.
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Fieldfares are speckled, grey haired large thrushes that feed on insects, other invertebrates and fruit. They visit the UK in winter to feast on berry laden bushes in hedgerows, woodlands and orchards. Blackbirds are perhaps the most prolific lovers of fallen fruit and many of them will group together to gorge on the softening fruit.
WEATHER FATALITIES
Call it climate change or weather Mark Hinsley is certain it is having an impact on tree diseases.
I have seen a couple of tree diseases recently, the outbreaks of which are clearly related to our weather.
Both are diseases that usually tick along being fairly insignificant in the background until unusual conditions bring them to the fore.
The first is on weeping willows. There happen to be three weeping willows on the A354 as it passes through Pimperne in Dorset, two together and one separate.
This spring all three were absolutely clobbered by the fungus Marssonina salicicola, commonly known as anthracnose.
The disease causes small brown or purple spots on leaves and shoots.
Leaves often curl before falling prematurely. The spots may enlarge and girdle young shoots, so there may be some small twig death.
The pimperne willows were so heavily infected that most of the first flush of leaves were lost. Anthracnose on willow is not normally so severe. However, the conditions it thrives in are cool damp springs and that is exactly what we had this year. Generally, if the weather warms up and dries up, the willows will flush again.
Passing through the village recently it was clear that one in particular of the trees has successfully refoliated and the others still have time.
When I was a student back in the 1970s we learnt about another anthracnose, this time on London Plane trees.
It was popping up all over London and causing much concern until they realised it was being spread from tree to tree on the roofs of London buses.
They then introduced a 'topless bus' which went around the routes with persons armed with saws and pruners on the upper deck cutting the crowns of the overhanging trees so that they didn’t brush the tops of the regular buses.
Once they stopped the contact between the trees and the buses the spread of the disease was halted.
Another disease which sits in the background waiting for favourable conditions is sooty bark disease of sycamore.
Originally described in the USA, sooty bark disease was first found in the UK in1945. It is caused by the fungus Cryptostroma corticale. The fungus can exist in latent form in the sapwood of a sycamore without causing symptoms for years. However, if the tree becomes weakened by a combination of an extended period of drought and high temperatures, the fungus comes to life.
Typically, symptoms of the disease develop in the following year.
The most conspicuous external symptom is the killing of bark, with the cankers becoming sooty in appearance with the release of spores. Premature crown wilt and leaf drop may also appear leading ultimately to the death of the tree with the black sooty patches persisting on the dead stems and branches.
Sycamore bark is quite high on the favourite lunch list of grey squirrels. Spores of the fungus have been found in their mouths (don’t ask me how!), so they are one likely vector for the disease. The wind will be the other.
When sycamore trees die their timber degrades quickly, so dead trees cannot be left standing around for long before they begin to collapse.
The disease is more common in towns than the countryside because urban trees are more stressed by their environment, although I have seen it in the countryside on sites prone to drought.
It is, at present, more likely to be found in the south and east of the country – the hotter, dryer bit – but that may well change over time.
The outbreak I recently saw in Dorset was caused by the summer of 2022.
Distribution & Stockists distribution@countrygardener.co.uk
Mark Hinsley, of Mark Hinsley Arboricultural Consultants Ltd, offering tree consultancy services. www.treeadvice.info Anthracnose - thrives on willow in damp conditions
Threatening in the background - the sooty bark syndrome which affects many sycamores
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