GARDENER’S NOTEBOOK Everythingyouneedto knowtogetthemostfromyourplotthismonth

OPPOSITE, ABOVE LEFT Eye-catching topiary shapes are created in threes OPPOSITE, ABOVE RIGHT Louise enjoys grouping pots, especially near the house ABOVE The garden is many-layered, with hawthorns and an old pear tree giving height above the topiary and perennials. Two pots of Hosta ‘Francee’ top off the stone gateposts hasbeenchosenasanedgingplant,formingmats ofweed-suppressingevergreenfoliage.

Colourisallowedinsmalldoses–inthecrocosmia anddahlias,forexample.Therearegrasses,too, althoughLouisehascutbackonthenumber: “Ihad lotsatonetimebuttheylookedwretched.Theydid nothinguntilMay,thenbyNovemberthewhole gardenresembledahugebrowncompostheap–verydepressing. ”Now,thepaletteofgrasseshasbeen reducedtoautumnreed-grassSesleriaautumnalis, whichshefindsveryneatandwellbehaved,and Calamagrostis ‘KarlFoerster ’(featherreed-grass), whichstaysuprightandtidyallwinterlong.

DivisionoflabourfortheDowdingsseesLouise concentratingmostlyontheornamentalpartsofthe garden,whileFergustakeschargeofthevegetable beds,wherehehaspractisedno-digprinciplesfor 25years,puttingsoilhealthfirstandforemost.They keeppigsandchickens,whichproducemanurethat helpskeeptheplantshappy,andtheiraimistoretain asmuchonsiteaspossible,andtobeasself-sufficient astheycanbewithfood.Theircropsincludeborlotti beans,leeks,cabbagesandceleriacinwinter,giving waytosaladcrops,Frenchbeans,courgettesand softfruitsinsummer,followedbysquashesin autumn.FergusandLouisebothputtheirhearts andsoulsintothisgardenandreaprichrewards.

YEWS FARM, East Street, Martock, Somerset, opens for the National Open Garden Scheme (ngs.org.uk) on Sunday 3 July and Sunday 11 September, 1-5pm, and by arrangement from May to September (email fergusdowding@btinternet.com). Follow Louise’s progress on Instagram @dowdinglouise.

Louise ’ s tips for TAKING CARE OF BOX

SPRAY THE RIGHT WAY I keep the box at Yews Farm healthy by spraying it every month with a mix of 10ml of neem oil and 3ml of castile soap (both from thesoapery.co.uk) to 1 litre of water. I find it coats the leaves sufficiently to help prevent box blight spreading. In summer, I spray two or three times with a ten per cent solution of liquid seaweed (100ml of seaweed to 1 litre of water). This gives them a boost and greens them up without making them get too leggy. MIX IT UP Create shapes that have a variety of different horizontal and vertical planes to them. Spirals work well, too. The various facets catch the light at different times of day. KEEP CLIPPING I clip all the box by eye in late May/early June, and again in late September to maintain crisp winter outlines. On the spirals and jelly moulds, push a cane into the centre first to act as a guide to work around. FEED BOX ANNUALLY Add well-rotted manure and homemade compost around the roots. SPACE IT OUT Don ’t allow other plants to compete with the box around their roots. I like to leave around 30cm between the box and any perennials.

It’ stheveined pinkflowersand deeplycutfoliage thatdistinguish hardyGeranium sanguineumvar. striatum(bloody cranesbill)and havehelpedit earnanRHS AwardofGarden Merit(AGM). Thisfuss-free plantwilleven withstand droughtandwill flowerformonths. £18.99fora2-litre potfromCrocus (crocus.co.uk).

Gardener ’ s Gardening editor Paula McWaters tells you how notebook to get the best from your plot in May

fewyearsagoinMay,someoneshowedusa photographofourroadtakenfromtheair. Whatstruckmemostaboutourneighbours ’ gardenwastheriverofsky-blueforget-me-nots thatranitslength.Thereissomethingmagicalaboutblue flowers,isn ’tthere?Whatevertheshade,fromceruleanto indigo,bluelooksharmoniousandhasacalmingeffect onus,inmuchthesamewaywaterdoes.Inflowers,itisa comparativerarity,whichmakesusvalueitmore,buthappilyMaybringsusquitea cropofhuestorevelin.Ceanothusiseye-catchingwithflowersliketinybluepowder puffs–‘PugetBlue ’istheclassicorlookforpaler ‘Cascade ’ .Long-floweringVeronica gentianoideshaslightblueflowerspiresandtherearewonderfulcamassiastoenjoy, too,suchastheaptlynamed‘BlueCandle ’ and‘BlueHeaven ’ .Arealtreasuretotrack downisCorydalisflexuosa ‘ChinaBlue ’ ,whichnurserybethchatto.co.ukdescribes as

“ glacierblueflowers…likeshoalsoflittlefishesswimmingthroughaseaof blue-greyleaves ” .FollowPaula ’ sprogressonInstagram@paulalifeandsoil.

Agoodread

Adam Frost is an enabler: he is one of those gardeners whose immense practical knowledge, design savvy and affable nature make him a born teacher. With his new book, The Creative Gardener (Dorling Kindersley, £20), you feel he is at your side as he runs through a series of satisfying projects – from knocking up a bench, tool store or log seat to crafting a set of steps or creating a container planting plan. Instructions and photographs are all super-clear and Adam is the voice of encouragement throughout. Brilliant.

To-do list

Provideplantprotection

for any late frosts Cutbackanddivide

late spring-flowering perennials Waternewlyplanted

trees and shrubs as needed Starthardeningoff

plants grown under cover Prickoutseedlings

into modules or pots when big enough to handle Clearcontainers

to make way for summer displays in your pots Plantoutdahlias

Chelseashowhighlights

Have you, like me, exclaimed that RHS Chelsea Flower Show should be “all about plants”? Well, this year it seems we will have our way: there is a new category of show garden called just that, where 75 per cent of the area is devoted to plants. Pollyanna Wilkinson is opting for a joyful palette in her Mothers For Mothers garden (above); shades of green will predominate in Charlie Hawkes’s restful and thought-provoking Wilderness Foundation UK garden; and Andy Smith-Williams champions sociable shared-space gardening with native hedging and wild flowers in his Core Arts Front Garden Revolution. For cottage garden lovers, Ruth Willmott’s Morris & Co show garden looks a real treat, celebrating William Morris’s designs in earthy reds, apricots and blues. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 24-28 May (rhs.org.uk).

CARRY IT AWAY

There ’ s always lots to lug around when gardening, so I find a tough flexi-trug (that can be used for years) invaluable. This denim-blue stackable Town & Country version comes in three sizes – 15L, £6.99; 25L, £8.99; 40L, £10.99 (townandco.com).

Cutting-hedgeartistry

Thursday 12 May is World Topiary Day and if Louise Dowding ’ s work at Yews

Farm (page 148) has inspired you, why not visit Levens Hall and Gardens in Cumbria to view the ultimate in stylish hedge carvings? Themed activities on 12 and 15 May include talks, quizzes and challenges. See levenshall.co.uk for details.

Letitgrow

Rose-lovers who are short of space will welcome this thorn-free tabletop variety. Rosa ‘Cutie Pie’ forms low mounds of pretty apple blossom-like flowers from July to September. At 10cm tall, it’s great for containers or to use as ground cover. £14.99 for a 12cm pot or £24.99 for two from Thompson & Morgan (0844 573 1818; thompson-morgan.com).

A TOUCH OF GLASS

While some greenhouses can be seen as workshops to be tucked away, there ’ s no doubt that the fine proportions and central porch entrance on Hartley Botanic ’ s elegant Victorian Terrace design merit a more prominent position in your garden. For details of the full range, and to read a handy guide to getting the most from greenhouse growing, see hartley-botanic.co.uk.