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Yellow all yeaadyr Get your garden re for yellow heaven…

How to grow Begonia Bonﬁre

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This weerokse:

● Pott ing up a ● Seedling care ● Chit spud tubers ● Check for soil heave

How you can get amazing seeds from the RHS Smart ways to deal with Mr Mole

How to keep plants warm in winter

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136 years of practical advice

1884 The World’s Oldest Gardening Magazine 2020 Jobs for this week 4 6 7 8

New Year’s gardening resolutions How to deal with snowfall and ice Check seedlings and cuttings A temporary home for a rose

Great garden ideas

Alamy

“Save mony with my guide to gardening on a budget,” says Hazel

Gardening wisdom

“Time to chit your spuds,” says Lucy

“Ice and show won’t be a problem if you prepare,” says Ruth

10 Peter Seabrook: Peter reﬂects on a year dominated by weather 12 Val Bourne: why are frogs and toads disappearing from our gardens? 13 Bob Flowerdew: Bob offers smart ways to beat weather problems 14 Lucy Chamberlain’s Fruit and Veg 30 Ask John Negus your questions 32 Anne Swithinbank’s Masterclass: great plants for a shelter/windbreak 34 How To Grow: cascading begonias 37 A Gardener’s Miscellany: This week, it’s plants named after ladies! 40 How To Use: a coldframe for winter plant protection 45 Letters to Wendy: helping the planet 51 Toby Buckland: Pesky moles! Toby ponders on how to move them on

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“Welcome to 2020 and a fresh, new gardening year. The sadness that came with the loss of our summer garden and the subsequent cutting back, pruning and tidying is replaced by wonder and expectation. I look out on my lawn and think of what lies beneath the damp, cold grass. For in November, I planted 0 Narcissus ‘Golden Dawn’ ulbs in the hope of a riotous pring showing of dazzling ellow trumpets. It’s now just a question of waiting...”

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17 Plant pulmonarias: great ﬂowers and foliage, plus they work in shade 20 Yellow planting ideas: a plan for how to enjoy bright yellow all year 24 Gardening on a budget: ultimate guide to cutting your costs 28 The RHS seed scheme: how you can get rare special seeds 46 Get The Look: a really wonderful snowdrop garden in Wiltshire

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Garry Coward-Williams, Editor

“You can have vibrant yellow plants in your garden all year,” says Hazel

Cover: Echinacea purpurea ‘Green Twister’ (pic: Alamy)

Contact us: Editorial: 01252 555138 Email: amateurgardening@ti-media.com Subscriptions: 0330 3331120 Advertising: 07817 629935 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

Saving money Keep a gardening diary to chart what was sown and harvested, what failed and what thrived and what birds and insects visited your garden.

Gardening need not be expensive

Instal butts on house, garage and greenhouse downpipes

2020 will be the year our rockery is knocked into shape!

Know your soil for the best results

Ruth thinks about her gardening resolutions for 2020

NOTHER year is underway all be translated to the way we care and, as is tradition, this is the for our little patch of land. time we wonder what the So make this the year when you are next 12 months may hold and kind to your wallet and even kinder to vow to do our best to become kinder/ the natural world, by growing wildlifehealthier/richer (delete as appropriate). friendly plants, reducing plastic use We can do the same wit g water. gardening too, standing by u don’t grow fruit or those vows to keep on top give it a go to reduce essential jobs and tackle d miles (many varieties areas that need more care rive in small containers but somehow keep being n patios, windowboxes sidelined by other, more nd even grow in rewarding jobs. indowsill pots). One of my resolutions And if, heaven forbid, (as I think it was last year are considering Look after your tools too…) is to tackle our rocke ng over your front which is in a state of disarr please think again. Many of the key issues y atrocious for every concerns that took centre stage globally strata of wildlife, it increases the risk in 2019 – plastic overuse, climate of rain run-off and local flooding. change, financial worries, concerns ■ Let us know your gardening raised in the State of Nature report – can resolutions and tell us how you get on!

Reduce or stop chemical use Like antibiotics in humans, the unwise and prolific use of chemicals will harm your garden and destroy its natural balance. Reduce or eliminate them, removing small pest colonie by hand and using organic methods to keep them in check As well as helping the environment, chemical-free gardening also encourages a diversity of insect life into the garden. Natural predators, from ground beetles to lacewing and ladybird larvae, birds and mammals will move in and help keep pest numbers down. Fixing glue bands to protect our fruit trees 4 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

GARDENING can be expensive, but there are countless ways you can save pennies this year and still create a gorgeous garden. Start by buying the right plants for your situation and soil and giving plants enough space to grow to their full There are bargains potential without everywhere! being cramped and crowded. Don’t spurn ‘bargain bin’ plants that will rejuvenate with some TLC. Install waterbutts to collect rainwater and reduce your water bill (rainwater is better for plants than anything that comes from a tap).

Why looking after tools is so important It goes without saying that you can’t garden with tools that aren’t fit for the job – so keep them clean and properly stored. Obviously it will save you money, because cared-for equipment lasts so much longer. The blades of secateurs, shears, saws and loppers are not only less keen when they are dirty and sticky with sap and wood shavings, and can also spread diseases if now cleaned after removing sickly growth. Clean and sharpen them after every use, keep your hoe sharp too so it can cut through weeds with ease. Dip spades buckets of oily sand to remove dirt and keep them sharp.

Keep the colour coming: It may be bleak outside, but there’s colour there if you want it. In next week’s AG (in the shops January 7), I look at creating and prolonging winter colour in your garden.

Always use plastic more than once SINGLE-use plastics are the bane of modern life. Turn it into a multi-use commodity by washing pots and trays after use, cutting up plastic squash bottles to make mini cloches and using compost bags to warm the soil. Coffee pouches are perfect for sowing seedlings that need a deep root run and plastic fruit and veg punnets work as trays for windowsill herbs and salads.

Houseplant care

Use squash and ﬁzzy pop bottles as mini cloches Keep houseplants free of dust and pests

It’s great to propagate!

Root cuttings are a simple way to make more plants

ANOTHER major money-saver is growing your own plants from seeds and cuttings. Root cuttings can be taken now while plants such as acanthus and Oriental poppies are still dormant and you can start sowing hardy perennials for this summer’s borders and pots. Sow chillies this month, too, so they have time to grow properly and pack a proper punch of heat.

Learn new skills

Encourage wildlife into your garden A GARDEN that’s rich in wildlife is a thing of beauty and also an essential haven for our hard-pressed native wildlife. Attract insects with flowers they are keen to pollinate and they will soon be joined by birds, mammals and amphibians. Also leave a scruffy area in a quiet corner where things can shelter and hide, hang bird feeders in your trees and cut hedgehog holes in your fences.

There’s a wealth of excellent books to help you with gardening techniques

Welcome hedgehogs and pest-eating insects

Keep your garden clean and healthy

A clean greenhouse is good to use all year

INDOOR plants are as important to our health and wellbeing as those that grow outside, so give yours the care and respect they deserve. Feed and water during the growing season, deadhead and remove tatty foliage and treat pest infestations as soon as they arise. Wipe leaves clean so they can maximise the available light and also use this method to remove pests, as it’s much better for the indoors environment than chemical sprays.

MOST of the problems caused by pests and diseases in the garden can be traced back to dirt. Green algae on greenhouse glass, wet and mouldy piles of debris and fallen leaves in corners, tools that are put away still caked in sap and grime can all host pests and fungal spores that will wreak havoc with plants. So sweep hard surfaces, clean your greenhouse and sterilise tools.

EVERYONE has the scope to learn new things so make it your pledge this year to learn something new about gardening. Try growing something new or read up about and then try a new technique, such as grafting. Learn something new about your garden. Have a wander around the garden each day, checking what’s thriving, what needs help and keeping on top of weeding and other five-minute tasks so they don’t become a mammoth job when the time comes. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

How to deal with snowfall and ice You can’t stop the weather coming but you can prepare for it, says Ruth

HATEVER Bing Crosby sang about snow at Christmas, the reality is that most of us have to wait until January or February to see Hellebores will the first sprinklings of white stuff. bounce back These days, with climate change making extreme weather patterns the norm rather than the exception, when snow comes it really comes – even where we live in the southwest. The last two winters have seen more extreme weather conditions across the UK, and while most tender plants will already be under cover or insulated against the bitter cold, they can be damaged by the weight of snow. away, but leave healthy new growth to Brush any settled snow f hrough when the weather stems and thin branches oves in spring. before they tear and break. Carefully brush snow Strong-stemmed early ff greenhouses and perennials such as coldframes before its hellebores may look weight causes the glass beaten down with a or plastic to crack topping of snow, but they nd shatter. will spring back to shape Stay off your lawns when Stay off after the thaw. are snowy or frosted frosty lawns New shoots that are se pressure on the frozen damaged by the cold should be cut grass blades can damage them, turning

What’s on

Things to do near you

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

The festive colours decking RHS gardens come down early January

4 Jan Last day of Glow: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor 4-31 Winter Sculpture Exhibition: RHS Garden Rosemoor 5 Jan Last day of Enchanted Botanical Christmas in the 6 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Glasshouse: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 5 Jan Last day of Glow: RHS Wisley 8 Rose Pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor 10 Winter Walk and Talk: RHS Wisley 13 Willow Bird Feeders: RHS Wisley 14 What Now: RHS Garden Rosemoor 14 Wisteria Pruning Masterclass: RHS Wisley 15 Wisteria Pruning Masterclass: RHS Wisley 16 Apple Pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor 25 Close-up Photography: RHS Wisley 25-2 Feb Heralding Spring: Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HS. ✆ 020 7352 5646,  chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk. The event is a trail of snowdrops featuring 120 species of this iconic winter delight. 26-28 RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch,  rspb.org.uk

Protect vulnerable structures from damage

Brush heavy snow off stems and branches that look likely to break

them black, or kill them leaving muddy patches that are open to colonisation by weeds. Don’t forget to protect trees that produce early blossoming shoots, such as apricots, peaches and almonds, because the cold of late winter and early spring will damage and kill buds. If these trees are growing in pots, move them somewhere sheltered and protect their branches with several layers of fleece, removing it each morning when temperatures rise.

30 Getting The Best From Your Roses: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 30 Pruning and Training Climbers: RHS Garden Rosemoor 31 Understanding Your Soil: RHS Wisley 31 What Now in January and February? RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830,  rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr February 1 Beginners’ Gardening – the Basics 1: RHS Rosemoor 1 Greenhouses for Beginners: RHS Wisley Send details and images of events to ruth.hayes@ti-media.com ■ Details are subject to change without our knowledge, so check that the event is still going ahead before leaving home.

Sow and sow: Sow herb and winter salad seeds every couple of weeks so you get a succession of fresh greens throughout the winter.

When a hard freeze is forecast, cover your mini greenhouse and coldframe with an old blanket and throw fleece over greenhouse plants.

A healthy regime Constant watching and care

Pinch out for thicker growth

Ventilation is vital for healthy plants so keep windows, doors and vents open when it’s mild enough, closing them at night.

I’m checking the health of my sweet pea seedlings and pinching them out

Seedlings and cuttings

Regular checks will see them through winter, says Ruth

HE greenhouse, mini same course of action applies to greenhouse and coldframe coldframes and mini greenhouses. are chocka with plants, Towards the end of winter, some seedlings and cuttings, as sheltered tender perennials may put are several windowsills indoors out flower buds. Pinch these out None of the plants will g se the baby buds steal much for a few weeks, but ergy from the parent plant they need regular checks at are needed for growth. to make sure they haven’t If you have a lemon succumbed to pests, ree in your greenhouse, diseases and the cold. t may be producing fruits I visit the greenhouse nd flowers so give it a every day, opening the alanced winter feed door and window and d irrigate with rainwater, A mini greenhouse shelters all sorts keeping an eye on the plan g the compost almost of things! This is especially important between waterings. during mild spells when plants may Olive trees will also need an start back into growth, pests become occasional soak with rainwater but, active, and fungal diseases and mould again, check that the compost is increase in still, warm conditions. The almost dry each time.

Cuttings need to be checked to make sure they haven’t succumbed to rot or botrytis grey mould. Some of my cistus cuttings have fallen foul of grey mould, so I’ve removed the contaminated ones. Those that have survived have been left with their bag open for good ventilation and I’ll keep the compost damp but not saturated. The roots were starting to develop on the mouldy cuttings so the healthy ones should be mature enough to be potted on in the next few weeks.

Check that seedlings are growing well and haven’t become leggy or infested by pests.

althily Roots are starting to grow

Remove mouldy cuttings and improve ventilation

While most plants are dormant, those that are growing need a little water, so stand them in the rain for a while on milder days.

Alamy

Keeping cuttings

Remove any plant material infected with rots and moulds. This lemon tree shoot was infected with botrytis.

4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

This rose had been swamped by other plants

Winter roses If your roses have produced hips, don’t cut them all back, but leave some to add dots of rosy winter colour to the garden.

Get them ready to grow in spring Remove and burn or bin any growth with black spot

I will plant out the foxglove in spring Cut back to an outward-facing bud Two roses will spend the winter in pots before being returned to soil that has been replenished over winter

Ruth finds a short-term solution to an ongoing problem

T’S been a pretty wet and miserable winter so far here in the south, but that’s no excuse for continually ignoring those nagging jobs that keep being postponed. We have a narrow border that contains two roses, a climber and a shrub. They are slightly misplaced, with the shrub being closer to a trellis than the climber, and switching them around has been on my to-do list for months. However, roses are prone to replant disease, a debilitating and potentially fatal condition thought to be caused by a build-up of soil pests and pathogens

Step by step

when the same variety of plant is continually grown in the same spot. So I want to ‘rest’ and replenish the soil before getting my roses back in. I lifted the roses and they are now temporarily housed in large containers. I forked a large amount of well-rotted manure into the border, which will break down over the winter. When I replant the roses in spring, I will use fresh soil to line their planting holes and strengthen their roots with mycorrhizal fungi. One of the roses had a self-seeded foxglove growing up through it, which I have also potted up for spring planting.

Whether your rose containers or in the soil, the care they need now is the same. Reduce stems by around one third so they are less likely to be battered, and the roots rocked, by winds and winter storms. Cut them back to a healthy outward-facing bud and remove spindly, crossing or rubbing growth to create an attractively open goblet shape. Cut away and burn or dispose of any growth that shows signs of black spot – dark or yellow lesions on leaves and stems. Do not compost this as the spores will live on and contaminate the garden. Also, clear leaves off the soil and, again, bin or burn them. Mulch the root area with well-rotted manure and let it break down into the soil over winter.

Potting up a rose for replanting in spring

Cut back the rose to tidy up dead flowerheads and spindly stems, and also make it easier to lift.

Carefully dig around the roots with a spade and gently rock the plant free, lifting it with soil around the roots.

Stand the pot on feet and then water the rose to hydrate the roots and settle the compost.

Go back to the border and remove weeds and fallen rose leaves that may carry black-spot spores.

Dig in plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure and leave it to rot down over the winter.

8 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Move the rose into a deep container that holds all the roots. Plant with multi-purpose compost.

Breathtakingly Beautiful Magnolia For spring time colour nothing compares to the glorious yellow blooms of this half standard magnolia.

Large goblet shaped, lemon yellow ﬂowers set against rich, dark green foliage Low maintenance, hardy shrub

Magnolia Yellow Bird This magnificent half standard magnolia, produces a sunshine of huge, yellow, long lasting flowers in late spring, just as the leaves emerge. The foliage is dark green in colour and contrasts well with the flowers, fading to yellowy brown in autumn. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Yellow Bird’ will tolerate sun and part shade if grown in a sheltered position. Hurry offer ends January 15th. Despatching March as a 5-8 branch bare root plant.

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

with Peter Seabrook, AG’s classic gardening expert Simon Crawford of Burpee Europe is introducing new tomatoes this year

Peter’s top tips

Take time to read the latest seed and plant catalogues. Good new cultivars are being introduced, and it will be worth growing a few of these alongside your old favourites.

Peter with Yasu, the Japanese breeder of Xerochrysum ‘Granvia Gold’

Fewer exhibitors, but new fruits for 2020, says Peter

All photography Peter Seabrook / TI Media, unless otherwise credited

VERY year at this time, I have a go at forecasting the future for gardening, and have to tell you that the expression ‘Gardening is good for you’ will feature widely. You and I have known this for ages, but at last the world is waking up to the facts that being out in the fresh air absorbing vitamin A, exercising by gardening and growing your own healthy food are good for physical and mental well-being. Expect to see a decline in the number of big garden exhibits at national shows, including the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show. There will be fewer specialist nursery exhibitors in floral pavilions. The reason is quite simple: sufficient support has not been given to them in recent years, and increasingly they trade on the internet at much reduced cost. You can expect to see exciting new plants, including a fragrant, weeping mock orange shrub (Philadelphus). The Floral Fantasia area at the RHS Hyde Hall Garden will go from strength to strength, with massed spring flowering bulbs including ‘A host of golden daffodils’ in this, the 250th 10 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

anniversary of the great William Wordsworth’s birth on the 7th April. It will also host the FleuroSelect Rudbeckia trial for 2020 with over 70 cultivars, and expect to see an exciting new introduction here. This year is the 30th anniversary for Surfinia, with several new colours being introduced. Expect to see them featured at the Chelsea Flower Show and the NEC

“There will be fewer nursery exhibitors” Birmingham in June and then planted up and grown on at Hyde Hall. Our most popular fruit, the tomato, will continue to be developed and improved with a new good-flavoured, blight-resistant cultivar being introduced by Burpee. The purple-leaved black currant (Lubera), seen at Hampton Court Flower Show last year, is likely to rise to even greater prominence as an edible ornamental, and we recommend it.

Pittosporum ‘Bannow Bay’ from Ireland has silver green leaves that turn pink with the winter cold, and it arrives at garden centres this summer.

Marshalls-seeds.co.uk

Crystal ball gazing

Watch out for Xerochrysum ‘Granvia Gold’, likely to be a major talking point and a great way to attract butterﬂies.

New Strawberry ‘Malling Allure’ (Marshalls) crops 10 to 12 days later than ‘Malling Centenary’, has large fruits of good quality, and will extend the season for June-bearers.

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dd height, drama and sweet perfume to your garden with this ‘double flowering’ compact lilac tree! The stunning, lilac-hued blooms first arrive in May, flush through summer and reach a second crescendo of colour in September – all the while giving off an exquisite sweet fragrance too! This compact, slow growing beauty is so easy to care for and will look great for many years to come with a minimum of fuss – perfect as a feature in a sunny border or pots on a patio. It is very hardy too – withstanding even the worst of our British weather! Eventual height 1.5m.

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Gardening Week

with Val Bourne, AG’s organic wildlife expert A male toad grips on to a larger female in amplexus – the mating embrace of frogs and toads

Val Bourne

The globular mass of frog spawn

This year I’ve hardly seen a frog or a toad, because they’re in great decline. Froglife states on its website (froglife.org) that: “Common frog, common toad and natterjack toad populations have been reported as being in decline since the 1970s.” Recent research in 2016 (by Froglife and the University of Zurich) has shown that common toad populations have declined across the UK by 68% over the past 30 years, which approximates to a 2.26% decline per year.

Toxic to tadpoles

Amphibians under threat

Why are frogs and toads disappearing from our gardens? Val looks at some of the possible causes

All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited

HEN I was a gardener in Northamptonshire in the 1980s, it was impossible to garden without coming into contact with a frog or toad. They’d hop into your wellington boots, jump over your hands when you were weeding, lay spawn in your ponds and cheer your soul with the thought that spring was not far away. Frog spawn used to arrive around Valentine’s Day in the form of a globular mass, and ribbon-like toad spawn would appear roughly five weeks later. I took both for granted back then. In early spring, small male toads would travel across the lawn, vying to be first to fertilise the eggs of the larger female as she laid them. They’d grip on, a process called amplexus, and you’d hear low croaking that sounded as though they were chanting their Latin name Bufo bufo. In 1988 a move to Oxfordshire prompted my then 11-year-old daughter to dig a pond near the house. It was soon full of frogs and toads, with lots of newts as well. One January day in the 1990s, I began to move piles of leaf litter from the path at the back of the house when 12 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

I became aware of lumps and bumps. These were hibernating frogs and toads among the beech leaves. I carefully put the frogs and toads back, because that

“Frost-free cover is important to amphibians” path wasn’t used, and I’ve never moved all my leaf litter since that day. Frost-free cover is highly important to amphibians. When I moved to Gloucestershire in 2004, I had only a few frogs and toads in the garden, despite the spring and stream near the wall. When I met some relatives of the previous owner of Spring Cottage, they clearly remember collecting spawn from the spring. The family used to be wheelwrights and there was a large pond down the lane where the iron-bound wheels were cooled off. That pond, like many, has long gone, but when it rains heavily it starts to reappear.

TI Media

Ribbon-like toad spawn appears some ﬁve weeks after frog spawn

Habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and climate change have all played their part, but blue metaldehyde slug pellets have also played a role. Froglife also tells us: “Metaldehyde has been shown to be toxic to tadpoles at high concentrations.” This motile substance leaches into water sources and contaminates our drinking water, and yet Michael Gove’s proposed ban has been overturned. Given that 25% of a frog’s diet is made up of slugs and snails, there wouldn’t be enough food to sustain them in heavily treated gardens. Herbicides and pesticides also harm adult amphibians because their semipermeable skin can absorb toxic substances. Research (Swanson et al. 2018) has shown that atrazine (used in broad-leaved weedkillers) can disrupt hormonal responses in frogs, reduce immune responses and alter behaviour. Metolachlor (used in herbicides) slows development and growth, and has negative effects on the thymus gland. Chlorpyrifos (an organophosphate pesticide used on crops) causes an increase in time taken in metamorphosis. Formulations containing pyraclostrobin (a fungicide used to control major plant pathogens in cereals and other crops) decrease growth and development in larval amphibians. Is it possible that frogs and toads, these helpful garden allies, could be gone in another 20 years?

TOP TIP

Make your garden a chemical-free zone and, if you can safely do so, consider making your own pond.

with Bob Flowerdew, AG’s organic gardening expert

Bob’s top tips for the week

Alamy

Make several sowing batches for crops like beetroot and lettuce, rather than just one sowing, to increase your chances of catching good growing windows

Main image: Alamy

Growing under cover, then planting out, you can better control conditions, as with these ‘Greyhound’ summer cabbage

Even if space is tight, you can grow mixed variety crops – such as young mixed ‘Razzamatazz’ and ‘Romano’ pepper plants – from plugs

In with the new…

Need resolutions you’ll love to keep? Bob takes a look at some crucial new growing plans to try in the coming season

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Have a surplus diary from any year? Start your own garden notebook of observations, notes, ideas and when to do what.

The easiest way – with just a little he last couple of years have more effort – is sowing in several smaller taught us that we can’t rely batches rather than making just one on weather being ‘traditional’ sowing. This means one or two lots will any more. It would help if we catch good growing windows, while could know what was going to happen others may fail and can be replaced. – however, it’s the sheer randomness wise, comparing several and, worse, the extremes th ent varieties of your most make planning difficult. We can’t do much about portant crops or flowers, issues such as floods, but s amazing how these vary, depending on the year. we can store more water There’s some sense trying in case of more droughts. many different plants Get some more butts now, and they’ll fill for free. entirely – sort of a trial just Likewise, we can apply o see what might do – but Thicker mulches help thicker mulches wherever s is risky in itself. Far better plants do better, fety is planting, not sowing. practical, as this helps our wet or dry There’s huge advantage in plants do better come wet or dry. growing under cover, then planting out, But in general, as we do not know as you have such good control over the what sort of coming spring and summer conditions. Also, by extra potting up, our gardens are about to experience, you can delay planting for weeks until it’s best to spread the risks. the weather is better. If you don’t have a greenhouse or coldframe to get loads of small plants going, most crops and bedding are now sold as plugs or multi-cell seedlings, which makes it all so much easier. Ideally, start some batches under cover and more sown direct. What’s the old saying about eggs and baskets?

“In general, it’s best to spread the risks”

Grow tufts of cheerful living green indoors: stand crowns from big carrots and roots in saucers of water on warm, light windowsills.

Get those seed potatoes (sets) as soon as possible, then chit them. Make sure you stand them rose end up in a cool, light place.

Scratch, then paint postcodes in bold letters with white or bright paint on your most valuable gardening tools and lawn mowers. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

with Lucy Chamberlain, AG’s fruit and veg expert

Focus on... Super-early spuds Lucy’s picks Find out how you can steal a march on your new potatoes

Grow now in a sheltered spot, glasshouse or conservatory for ‘Jersey Royal’ harvests in late March

ID you know that Jersey Royal potatoes are planted outside in January? While we might not share exactly the same climate as this Channel Island, those of us in a sheltered spot, or with a glasshouse, conservatory or porch, can emulate it at home now, giving us new potato harvests in late March. Purists will need to seek out ‘International Kidney’. This is the variety given an EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, but only if grown on the steep, sun-drenched banks or ‘côtils’ of Jersey, when it can then be called the more familiar ‘Jersey Royal’. Or why not buck the tradition, choosing some of the other equally delicious early varieties

that perform well when planted in the new year (see panel right)? What they need ‘International Kidney’ is a second-early potato, classed as taking 110-120 days to mature. Competitive gardeners might like to know that first-early potatoes mature more quickly (100 or so days). Both need compost temperatures of at least 6°C (43°F) to grow, and ideally more. Good drainage is also key, and bag cultivation makes things simple; bags are preferable to pots, because you can feel and often see bulges as the tubers develop. Plant one chitted tuber per eight-10 litre bag containing good-quality potting

compost with potato fertiliser added. Position the tuber 6in (15cm) deep in a 12in (30cm) depth of compost, water in lightly, and place in a well-lit spot (there’s no need to top up with more compost). By giving your potatoes regular doses of liquid seaweed, you’ll mimic the ‘Jersey Royal’ feeding regime of beach-combed seaweed, otherwise known as vraic. Look for tubers from mid-March onwards.

Chitting tubers for even earlier harvests

Alamy

Step by step

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Bottom inset: Alamy

Main image: Alamy

Place your seed potatoes in an egg box or seed tray. Tradition has it you position them with the ‘rose’ end uppermost (so the curve under each eye smiles rather than frowns at you) but this isn’t essential. 14 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Site your box or tray somewhere well lit and frost-free. Good light is important, otherwise growth is leggy and easily damaged. Within a week or so, small shoots or ‘chits’ will appear from the eyes.

Your potatoes are now ready for planting! Chitting helps early tubers hit the ground running. If your bags are already warm enough, just plant – don’t chit. But chitting is handy if you’re waiting for things to heat up.

Alamy

Potato ‘Jazzy’ ﬂourishing in an eight-litre sack in a greenhouse

‘Nicola’: A second-early potato with yellow, waxy flesh. If left to mature, it makes a great salad potato. High yields, with good resistance to eelworm and scab. Tastes just as good cold as it does straight from the pan. ‘Sharpe’s Express’: A first-early, so likely to crop sooner than others I’ve mentioned here. Introduced at the turn of the 20th century, and still going strong today. White flesh with a floury texture if left to mature. ‘Jazzy’: Another second-early, and a relatively recent UK introduction (2014). The tubers are small but produced in quantity – a very good variety for container production. Sweet, creamy flavour.

T&M

Plant chitted tubers into bags so you have a better handle on when they are ready and don’t miss any!

Alamy

Three top earlies to try

Next week: Fruit pruning essentials, forcing dandelions, seed germination tricks, planting and forcing seakale, harvesting citrus.

5 quick jobs

Sow your extra-hot chillies Ensure killer fruits from ‘Bengal Naga’ by starting now

1 In

REAPERS, Scorpions, Nagas – if these names are familiar, then you’re officially an aficionado of the world’s hottest chilli peppers. You may have tried the sauces and watched the videos, and may now be the proud owner of some sizzling chilli seeds, so why am I reaching out to you in early January? Because these varieties, along with Habaneros and Scotch bonnets, are all derived from Capsicum chinense, a species that is slow to germinate and mature. Native to central America rather than (as the name suggests) China, the fruits of C. chinense often don’t start developing in the UK until late summer, and germination can take a full month. So sow now to guarantee those all-

2 3

Super-hot varieties like ‘Bhut Jolokia’ beneﬁt from a January sowing

important fruits (½cm deep, 10 seeds per 9cm/3½in pot). Crucially, once sown, maintain a constant 20-28°C (68-82°F) until the seedlings are well emerged. Emergence can be erratic, but don’t give up hope – just think of the killer sauces!

4 5

Keep an eye out for soil heave

Keep a close eye on frosty fruit beds

Alamy

ground. The result can be desiccated roots – and with dried roots spelling death for your plant, it’s well worth checking and re-firming if necessary.

How to force ‘Witloof’ chicory This winter delicacy will wow dinner party guests as a canape vessel, or as a gratin, loaded with cheese. Here’s how to force it:

Remove your chicory roots from storage (or ask fellow gardeners if they have any to spare). Trim off any decay, and pot them up into large tubs of compost. Water in lightly, so they’re just moist.

Hairy bittercress

Worthy weed Cardamine hirsuta

Mr Fothergill’s

Step by step

Why not try..?

Alamy

DON’T you just love these horticultural terms? In this instance, ‘heave’ refers to a problem that can occasionally occur after a period of prolonged and harsh ground frosts. It targets freshly planted stock so, for example, fruit trees, bushes and canes along with rhubarb crowns. Freshly dug-over earth is often loose and fluffy, rather than compacted, allowing moisture and air to penetrate it freely. With heavy autumn and winter rainfall for many parts of the UK, the ground is still quite saturated. The action of this water expanding upon freezing, combined with a freshly dug-over soil that is full of moisture and air, can cause new plants to lift or ‘heave’ out of the

Are you overwintering tenders such as pomegranate and feijoa outside? Check protective covers for holes or puddles, and remedy. Tender tubers such as sweet potatoes and yacon should store well somewhere frost-free. Pick ove r them regularly to remove any rots. Bare-root fruit on order, but the plo t frozen solid? Temporarily ‘plant’ any arrivals in a pot of moist compost until conditions improve. Jerusalem artichokes keep better in the ground than in storage. Simply lift a few tubers as and when they are needed in the kitchen. Check the ‘Sow Before’ date on your seed packets. If well out of date, throw them away to avoid germination disappointments.

Position the tubs in a moderately warm (8-15°C/46-59°F) and – most importantly – dark place. A shed or garage works well; otherwise, cover over the tubs with upturned pots (drainage holes covered).

Check on your chicory weekly, watering if very dry. Blanched ‘chicons’ will gradually appear from the root tops. Wait until they’re 4-6in (10-15cm) long, then harvest, disposing of the exhausted roots.

JUST so we’re clear from the start, I’m not suggesting you sow seeds of this plant on your plot. Hairy bittercress, a persistent annual weed, needs no encouragement. But wouldn’t it be satisfying to eat a plate of it, knowing how many gardening hours have been devoted to its removal? Botanically known as Cardamine hirsuta, you’d be doing yourself a favour by developing a taste for its consumption now. During winter, this hardy plant develops slowly, with the troublesome self-exploding seedpods (its method of spread) being few in number. Gather it before spring, and not only will you be harvesting a peppery garnish for salads, you’ll also make a severe dent in its population. Revenge is definitely a dish best served cold. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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In the right conditions, pulmonarias will look after themselves, providing months of blooms – just remember to deadhead if you don’t want them to self-sow!

For flowers and foliage (in shade) plant

Pulmonarias

Worth growing for their interesting leaves alone, lungworts have the added bonus of bell-shaped, long-lasting flowers in shades of pink, blue and white, says Graham Rice

All photography Alamy

HENEVER I think about pulmonarias, I return to my trusty planting mantra: What else does it do? Because although pulmonarias bring us months of spring colour from their clusters of pretty bell-like flowers, that’s by no means all they offer. These are low, appealingly tough and super-hardy perennials for shade. And there cannot be a garden anywhere in the country that won’t benefit from plants like that. Flowering is usually underway from February, and will continue throughout the spring, the frost-resistant bells opening steadily almost until summer in some years. Many have developed the knack of starting out pink before maturing to

a wide variety of shades of blue, to white or even (occasionally) red. So: What else does it do? In this case, it’s a lot. There’s a whole summer and autumn of wonderfully attractive, mainly silver-patterned foliage that overlaps, layer on layer, to create some of the best ground cover of any perennial. This not looks good but also does an excellent job of suppressing weeds. Silver service Varying from dagger-shaped to oval and almost heart-shaped, although in a few varieties the foliage is a bright green, in many the dark green leaves are spotted in silver, while in others the spots merge so that virtually the entire leaf is silvered. Truth is, pulmonarias are worth growing

solely for their beautiful (not to mention functional) foliage. Another great thing about these perennials (known as lungworts) is that they don’t need much looking after. The clumps spread steadily, although if you move one any thongy roots that get left behind will often sprout again, giving you pulmonarias in two places instead of one. Also, like primroses, the flowers come in two forms, pin and thrum (cast your mind back to school biology), which almost guarantees cross-pollination. Consequently, a plant growing beyond bee flight of other pulmonarias usually produces no seeds; but, if pollinated, the self-sown seedlings that pop up will almost always be different to their parents. You can leave them to grow and 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

6 of the prettiest pulmonarias

‘Blue Ensign’ AGM A vigorous, dark-leaved variety whose upright stems carry pink buds that quickly open to large, purplish flowers; these in turn mature to deep blue. One of the most colourful in flower, it does better in sun than many. H: 1ft (30cm).

‘Majesté’ The spectacular broad foliage – silver with a neat green margin and a slender green central vein – is upright at first, before arching attractively. Very striking, it’s matched by pink flowers that mature to blue. H: 10in (25cm).

Opal (‘Ocupol’) AGM A beautiful plant, featuring foliage that is spotted in silver evenly across the narrow leaves, and very pale pink buds opening to a soft, silvery blue. Undeniably lovely, it harmonises well with so many other colours. H: 10in (25cm).

‘Redstart’ A vigorous cultivar that makes a larger plant than most pulmonarias. The leaves are a fresh green with no silver spots, and form a bright mound; the large flowers are a slightly coral-tinted red. H: 14in (35cm).

‘Sissinghurst White’ AGM The green foliage, spotted in very pale silvery green, lasts longer into the winter than is typical; then, in spring, the pure white flowers open. Unusual in having no pink tints, they are a very clean, crisp colour. H: 1ft (30cm).

‘Trevi Fountain’ AGM A robust and reliable clump-former, with long leaves brightly spotted in silver, and dark-throated blue flowers opening with red tints. Very prolific, ‘Trevi Fountain’ is also one of the most effective for its flowering display. H: 1ft (30cm).

see how they turn out, or play safe and avoid duds by pulling them up. Ideal for shady patio borders, with ferns, hellebores and spring bulbs in an early season display, I’ve also seen them smothering weeds under old roses. Useful and pretty, that’s pulmonarias. 18 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Where to buy Ballyrobert Gardens ballyrobertgardens.com 028 9344 0101 Beth Chatto bethchatto.co.uk 01206 822007 Heucheraholics heucheraholics.co.uk 01590 670581

What to plant with lungworts Bergenia The contrasting glossy, leathery foliage, especially in bronzed forms like ‘Bressingham Ruby’ (left), helps create an appealing summer pairing, while the pink or white flowers sit well alongside blue pulmonarias. Just ensure one does not smother the other. H: 1ft-20in Daffodils (30-50cm). Upright growth, slender foliage and yellow colouring makes for an ideal companion as the stems push through the pulmonaria leaves. Choose strong, dwarf-to-medium height varieties like ‘February Gold’ (above), and plant in clumps of half a dozen. H: 50cm-1ft (20-30cm). Hellebores Colourful, nodding, bowl-shaped flowers look lovely hanging down over the pulmonarias. Try pure white or deep purple hellebores with Pulmonaria Opal, sky blue ‘Moonshine’ or ‘Roy Davidson’. The glossy leathery hellebore foliage will make an attractive and effective contrast, too. H: 11/2ft (45cm). Ferns Tougher ferns including the male fern, Dryopteris (above) have prettily divided foliage that offers contrast in both shape and colour. Allow the fronds to arch over silvery pulmonarias in a look-after-themselves shade combination. H: 16-32in (40-80cm).

Planting and care

Plants will flower more if given some sun

Ideally, plant pulmonarias in autumn, in full or partial shade; flowering will be more prolific in positions that enjoy at least some sun. They’re fine in most soils that aren’t waterlogged or dry. Trim off the old foliage in early winter; this will ensure it doesn’t mask the emerging flowers. Deadhead after flowering, for tidiness and to prevent the appearance of second class seedlings. Vigorous types can be split and replanted every three or four years; others left for longer. Some varieties are prone to mildew in dry summers. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

All photos Alamy

In winter, yellow lifts the spirits like nothing else and the spidery flowers of Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ make a great focal point

Find your happy place with

Year-round yellows If you want flowers to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step, play the yellow card. From buttery tones to zesty lemon, Hazel Sillver has suggestions for every season

ID you know that Chinese Emperors held the colour yellow in such high regard that they entered on yellow (not red) carpets and banned yellow from the wardrobes of commoners? Yellow is one colour people either loathe or adore. Van Gogh, couldn’t stop painting with it, while Roald Dahl refused to write on anything but yellow paper! I’m definitely in the love camp. For me, yellow is a feel-good happy colour; there’s something energising about it – especially in the garden. Luckily for those of us who appreciate its blazing cheer, yellow is also the most common flower colour, and you can use it to illuminate borders all year. In spring, I prefer the gentler, more subtle yellow of native primroses, but 20 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

in summer it has to be burning bright, via sunflowers and evening primroses. Autumn’s yellows are warm and mellow – the warm gold of field maple leaves in the hedgerows, for example – while winter gloom is best offset with the flaming blooms of a witch hazel. When using yellow in the garden you should be aware that it draws the eye and can play tricks with our sense of

space. “Warm colours seem closer than they are,” explains garden designer Lucy Cotes. “Yellow in the distance makes a space seem smaller, so plant it in the foreground.” It’s definitely worth experimenting. Get it right and yellow flowers will enrich your garden, soothe your soul and deliver a hefty helping of joy every single time you step outside – whatever the season.

Where to buy Avon Bulbs avonbulbs.co.uk 01460 242177 Burncoose burncoose.co.uk 01209 860316 David Austin davidaustinroses.com 0800 111 4699 Duchy of Cornwall duchyofcornwallnursery.co.uk 01208 872668 Sarah Raven sarahraven.com 0345 092 0283

5 for winter Get a warming glow in the coldest months

Jasmine nudiflorum is a compact climber for sun or semi-shade

Jasminum nudiflorum AGM: Producing a waterfall of starshaped yellow flowers from December to February, winter jasmine is a garden stalwart. Happy in sun or semi-shade, this small climbing shrub looks wonderful trained around a doorway. H: 61/2-10ft (2-3m). Eranthis hyemalis: No winter garden is complete without a generous scattering of aconites. These little beauties have sun-yellow flowers above a collar of green leaves. Plant 2in (5cm) deep under deciduous shrubs or trees. H: 4in (10cm). Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ AGM: The queen of witch hazels, Pallida’s bright sulphur-yellow flowers cut through any winter grey and fill the garden with delicious scent. It’s

‘Gold Coin’ adds subtle warmth with its colourful needles

a slow-growing deciduous shrub that performs best in soil that’s neutral-to-acid. H: 10ft (3m). Pinus sylvestris ‘Gold Coin’ AGM: One of the best conifers for winter colour – the green needles of this dwarf Scots pine turn a gorgeous shade of gold as the temperature drops. Plant in well-drained soil, or in a large pot filled with compost and grit, in full sun. H: 39in (1m). Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ AGM: Has an upright habit (unlike some mahonias), making it more small-garden friendly. The combination of glossy evergreen leaves and sprays of yellow perfumed blooms is a must for winter. Grows happily in shade, too. H: 6½ft (2m).

5 for spring Celebrate new life with subtle yellows

Golden Bells looks equally lovely in borders or containers

Narcissus Golden Bells Group: A vigorous hoop-petticoat daffodil (Narcissus bulbocodium) that is excellent value – with up to 15 blooms per bulb, each one a little yellow trumpet. Grow in borders, alongside paths or in containers. Plant 6in (15cm) deep in a sunny spot. H: 6in (15cm). Fritillaria imperialis ‘Maxima Lutea’ AGM: With their ‘crowns’ of bell-shaped flowers topping long stems in April, crown imperial fritillaries are the most regal of spring flowers. You can buy orange-flowered bulbs or this sun-yellow form. Fit for a king indeed. H: 3ft (90cm). Acacia pravissima AGM: Grow for the deliciously honeyscented yellow pompom blooms, which smother the branches

Ludlow’s peony has a fresh, zesty feel

in early spring. Plant in sun, ideally against a sheltered southfacing wall, and add lots of grit or organic matter to improve drainage. H: 6½-9ft (2-3m). Paeonia ludlowii: Commonly known as Ludlow’s tree peony, this gorgeous deciduous shrub produces saucer-shaped golden flowers in late spring, offsetting them with attractive divided leaves in a fresh green. Plant in well-drained soil, in sun or part shade. H: 39in-61/2ft (1-2m). Narcissus ‘Hawera’ AGM: The dainty primrose-yellow blooms of this elegant dwarf daffodil give off a lovely fragrance. Great for borders or on their own in pots or windowboxes. Plant bulbs 4-6in (10-15cm) deep in a sunny position. H: 10in (25cm). 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

5 for summer

Turn up the heat with these scorchers

Like a blast of sunshine, Achillea ‘Cloth of Gold’ is unashamedly bold

Geum ‘Lady Stratheden’ combines well with reds and other hot colours

Achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’ AGM: Warning: this is not a subtle perennial! Its tall stems are topped with bold yellow umbels, which form a pool of sunny yellow that never fails to spark joy. Needs well-drained soil and a position in an open spot in full sun. H: 5-6½ft (1.5-2m). Oenothera fruticosa Fireworks: Some of the best summer yellows are courtesy of oenotheras (evening primroses), especially O. macrocarpa and O. fruticosa, which feature burgundy stems topped with saucers of lemon yellow. Plant in well-drained soil in full sun. H: 1-3ft (30-90cm). Eremurus stenophyllus AGM: For bold impact in a border, you can’t beat the narrow-leaved foxtail lily, with its long tapers of

bright yellow. Plant tubers 6in (15cm) deep in well-drained soil in a sunny spot; protect from slugs and mulch in autumn. Flowers: Jun. H: 39in (1m). Geum ‘Lady Stratheden’ AGM: A garden gem that keeps delivering an endless display of sun-yellow flowers throughout the summer. Ideal for the front of a border, but equally suited to a mixed container. Will grow in sun or semi-shade, in fertile, well-drained soil. H: 1ft (30cm). Rosa ‘Blythe Spirit’: Lovers of blowsy blooms should try this disease-resistant butter yellow English Rose by David Austin. Deadhead and it will repeat flower; but leave the last round of spent blooms in order to get a show of hips. H: 4ft (1.2m).

5 for autumn Strike gold with plants that shine in the mellow light Crocus-like Sternbergia lutea flowers in October

Pyracantha ‘Flava’s yellow berries add autumn cheer

Sternbergia lutea AGM: The winter daffodil looks (somewhat confusingly) just like a crocus; however it’s much taller and blooms in October. Likes to be sheltered, warm and dry, so plant 3in (8cm) deep in well-drained soil at the base of a sun-drenched wall. H: 7in (18cm). Acer campestre AGM: The leaves of field maples turn a breathtaking shade of gold in autumn. Trees will eventually become very large (H: over 39ft/12m), but you can grow them as deciduous hedging, either solo or with other natives such as dog rose, hawthorn and wild cherry. Clematis ‘Helios’: A real delight in the autumn months, the flowers of tangutica clematis look like they’re made of lemon 22 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

peel. The species is vigorous, but ‘Helios’ is less rampant; reaching just 6½-8ft (2-2½m) high, it can be grown in a pot. Sometimes sold as ‘Daihelios’. Pyracantha rogersiana ‘Flava’ AGM: This tough shrub is the very definition of a ‘good doer’, providing year-round interest with its evergreen foliage, spring blossom and yellow berries in the autumn. Best grown against a wall. H: 6½-13ft (2-4m). Kniphofia ‘Dorset Sentry’: With torches of lemon-yellow atop bronze stems (from August to the end of October) this red hot poker deserves its status as a garden favourite. Give it a sunny spot and ensure drainage is good by adding lots of sand, grit or organic matter on planting. H: 39in (1m).

How to...

Use yellow effectively Fuel the fire Yellow can dominate a colour scheme, but by adding equally fiery tones such as reds and oranges you ensure the overall effect is harmonious.

Pair with purples Blues and purples are directly opposite yellow on the colour wheel. Put these contrasting colours together and you have a display that really stands out. Here Verbena bonariensis looks lovely with evening primrose and verbascum.

Add some grasses Chunky yellow flowers like rudbeckias, heleniums and achillea work well planted alongside ornamental grasses, the goldengreen tones of which both complement and soften them. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

Cheap and cheerful: the least expensive plants are those you have grown from seed. Opt for long flowerers such as salvias and heleniums to get more blooms without busting the budget

The ultimate guide to

Gardening on a budget

Growing plants can be an expensive pastime, but it doesn’t have to be. Plan and buy well, and a gorgeous garden needn’t cost the earth, says Hazel Sillver

FTER the excess of Christmas, January is traditionally the month when we look at our finances and try to make savings. If you are passionate about your garden, however, the idea of scrimping on your precious plants might seem sacrilegious. But what if you could save money without compromising on quality, and still have a plot to be proud of? Luckily, you can, it just takes time and a bit of knowhow. Lots of plants – including perennials such as hollyhock, scabious and sea holly – can be grown from seed. And many can be started off now under cover. Winter is also the time to buy bare-root roses, trees and fruiting bushes, which are cheaper than their containerised equivalents. In spring, garden centres and nurseries often sell young perennials at low cost, as well as baby summer pot plants (such as pelargoniums) in affordable little plugs. Do your research and find a reasonably priced nursery 24 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

where you can hunt out bargains (plants are often reduced drastically once they are heading out of season). And resist pricey exotics – for example, buy the £5 hardy Fatsia japonica instead of the £15 tender Tetrapanax papyrifer.

Economies of scale Buying in bulk also saves money. Consider edging a path with lavender; or dot Verbena bonariensis through a border. Such intense plantings of the same thing not only work out cheaper, but make it easier for bees and butterflies to forage. Longevity is also something to think about. Plants with a long lifespan, such as vine, pear and roses, will prove more cost effective over time. And remember that some perennials offer better longevity than others – daylilies, hostas, lily turf and pulmonaria are all good for the long haul. Plants that flower for months (such as Geranium Rozanne, Salvia microphylla

‘Cerro Potosí’ and Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’) are also good value, as are those that perform in more than one season. Alliums have summer flowers and autumn seedheads, while mahonia offers winter blooms and year-round evergreen leaves. And you can save money – along with a lot of hassle – by opting for specimens that slugs will avoid: lavender, euphorbia, ferns and catmint are just some. If you’re serious about keeping costs down, you need to get to grips with propagating. Save seeds and take cuttings: hardwood (shrubs, climbers and fruiting bushes and trees) in winter; softwood (such as fuchsia, penstemon and pelargoniums) in spring or early summer; and semi-ripe cuttings (evergreen shrubs and herbs such as rosemary and lavender) in late summer or early autumn. It’s easier than you think, and will give you plants for free. Self-seeders are horticulture’s gift that keeps on giving, and foxgloves, lily of the

Sarahraven.com

9 perennials to grow from seed

Achillea Summer Pastels Flat yellow, amber, lilac and pink flowerheads adorn this pretty yarrow during summer. It will bloom in the first year and makes a great cut flower. Sow under cover in February or spring. H: 2ft (60cm).

Verbena hastata A border gem that will form candelabras of small purple flowers when planted in well-drained soil in sun. The blooms attract butterflies during summer and early autumn. Sow under cover in late winter or early spring. H: 4ft (1.2m).

Lychnis coronaria AGM Indispensable for borders, the rose campion is a short-lived, delicately beautiful perennial with felty silver foliage and striking magenta flowers. Sow under cover in February or in spring. Self seeds. H: 2½ft (75cm).

Echinops ritro L. AGM Butterflies and bees flock to the striking metallic-blue flowerheads of this globe thistle when it blooms in late summer. The seedheads will look good during autumn, too. Sow under cover in February or spring. H: 2½ft (75cm).

Astrantia major Gill Richardson Group An upright clump-former, featuring darks stems and deep red flower bracts that encircle a multitude of tiny crimson flowers. Thrives in sheltered sun or semi-shade. Sow under cover in February or March. H: 2½ft (75cm).

Campanula portenschlagiana AGM The wall bellflower grows in cracks in walls or paving, in very well-drained soil. It produces an evergreen mat of foliage that contrasts prettily with the violet-blue summer flowers. Sow under cover in winter or spring. H: 1ft (30cm).

Erigeron karvinskianus AGM Sprouting up out of cracks in paving or walls, the white and pink daisies of the Mexican fleabane are undeniably lovely. They bloom for months and will self-seed around the garden. Sow under cover from February. H: 1ft (30cm).

Echinacea purpurea Powwow Wild Berry Upright clumps of magenta-pink flowers on branched stems, with irresistible appeal to butterflies and bees – it all makes for a cracking coneflower. Sow under cover from February. H: 2½ft (75cm).

All photos Alamy, unless otherwise credited

Gaura lindheimeri AGM Planted in well-drained soil in sun, this graceful short-lived perennial will produce white flowers on airy, slender stems during summer and early autumn. Sow under cover in late winter or early spring. H: 4ft (1.2m).

valley, wood spurge, Byzantine gladiolus, Welsh poppy and aquilegia will all happily spread themselves around the garden. Once you’ve got into the swing of creating your own plants, you could even organise a plant swap in your local area. Being frugal has never looked so good.

Where to buy Beeches Nursery beechesnursery.co.uk 01799 584362 Chilterns Seeds chilternseeds.co.uk 01491 824675 Sarah Raven sarahraven.com 0345 092 0283 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

3 plants with longevity

Sarahraven.com

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’ AGM It’s not unusual for peonies to bloom for 50 years. This one has mid-pink, voluptuous, rosescented blooms on tall stems in June and July. Grow in welldrained soil in sheltered sun. H: 2½ft (75cm).

Wisteria sinensis ‘Amethyst’ AGM Wisteria can live for over 200 years and you’ll never tire of ‘Amethyst’s purple racemes of scented flowers, which appear in May and June. Plant in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. Prune: Feb and Aug. H: Over 40ft (12m).

4 candidates for cuttings: hardwood

26 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ AGM A deciduous climber with deliciously fragrant white and gold summer flowers. Take hardwood cuttings before the buds open in spring, choosing healthy shoots that grew in 2019. H: 20ft (6m).

Ribes rubrum ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ AGM A flavoursome early redcurrant. Dip the end of the cutting in hormone rooting powder, then insert, spaced 6in (15cm) apart, into the ground or into a container, with two-thirds of the stem below the surface. H: 6½ft (2m).

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ For winter borders that blaze with gold and coral-red stems. Cut off the soft tip of a stem and trim down to an 8in (20cm) section; cut at an angle just below a bud at the top, and horizontally at the base, below a bud. H: 6½ft (2m).

Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’ AGM This wonderful deciduous shrub has royal purple flower panicles that attract masses of butterflies. Hardwood cuttings can be grown in a sheltered outdoor trench or in containers that are kept moist. H: 10ft (3m).

Malus domestica ‘Scrumptious’ AGM Apple trees can live to 100, although they won’t fruit as well in old age. Self-fertile and disease-resistant, ‘Scrumptious’ follows its pink-white spring blossom with fragrant, tasty dessert apples produced early in the season. H: 20ft (6m).

Try these bare-root budget buys…

Get a great garden for less

Attract ladybirds to keep pests under control

Trees Lots of garden trees are sold ‘bare root’ in winter. Cheaper than container-grown trees, they offer more for your money, with a more robust tree in less time. Try a spindle (Euonymus europaeus; above), which has colourful autumn fruit.

Roses Purchase roses such as Golden Celebration (above) bare root between now and March. As soon as they arrive in the post (or as soon as you get them home) soak the roots in a bucket of water for an hour, then plant in wellforked soil in sun.

Reduce the need for expensive pesticides by gardening organically and growing nectar-rich plants to attract wildlife such as ladybirds, which will act as your pest patrol. Keeping soil healthy (ideally by mulching with your own organic compost) obviates the need to buy fertilisers, and ensures plants live as long as possible. Plant a hazel tree from which you can harvest support sticks; and grow comfrey to use as fertiliser, compost activator and slug deterrent. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

Some of the 155 seeds available from the RHS Members’ Seed Scheme

Behind the scenes of the seed scheme

Since the early 1900s, the RHS has been offering seeds to members that have been harvested from RHS gardens. Martyn Cox finds out what seeds are on offer for 2020

N a crisp, sunny, dry day in late autumn, you are unlikely to find Lucie Rudnicka sitting behind her desk in a Portakabin, close to the iconic Arts and Crafts-style building at the RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. Instead, the horticulturist will be hunting for seeds in the countless beds, borders and plant features inside the society’s flagship garden. “We have to take advantage of fine weather to collect seeds, as the weather is often terrible at this time,” says Lucie, who has worked at Wisley for 25 years. Her long tenure means she knows every nook and cranny of the garden’s 240 acres. “Having a good knowledge of the garden is really key to my job,” she says. As one half of the so-called ‘seed team’ – along with team leader Heather Cooke – Lucie is responsible for looking after the RHS Members’ Seed Scheme. Set up way back in 1905, the venture gives members the opportunity to get their hands on seeds that have been 28 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

harvested from RHS gardens. Each year, the RHS produces a catalogue – available online and as a printed copy – containing the names and descriptions of the seeds available to purchase. For a charge of £8.50, covering the cost of collection, admin Lucie Rudnicka is one of two people who look after the RHS Members’ Seed Scheme

and postage, members can order up to 15 packets of their choice on a first-come, first-served basis. The 2020 seed list contains 155 lines divided into eight sections, such as annuals and biennials, grasses, herbaceous perennials, rock-garden plants, trees and shrubs, along with mixes and some collections of seeds for specific locations. Seeds of plants that will eventually form bulbs, corms and tubers are also included. Many of the plants will be familiar to amateur gardeners, but they have the cachet of originating at an RHS garden. Among the household names are the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), regal lily (Lilium regale) and giant oat grass (Stipa gigantea). However, as the seeds are collected from open-pollinated plants, there’s a chance they may have hybridised with other species in the garden and the resulting plant might be slightly different

Honey-scented ﬂowers adorn Euphorbia x pasteurii in late spring and summer

Paradisea liliastrum is a plant native to alpine meadows

Hydrangea seemannii is a self-clinging evergreen climber

sealed and stored at a constant 10°C. Later, seeds are weighed and placed in individual packets. RHS members can place orders from the start of mber until the end of ch, with packages sent ut between January and he end of April. During the 2018/2019 season, 190,000 packets of seeds were posted out to members. It’s clear that the seed heme is popular with members and Lucie is point out that it’s not run as a commercial enterprise. “We are not in competition with any of the big seed companies,” she says. “The idea is to give our members a little bit extra

– I really think they love having a piece of one of our gardens to grow.” How to join the RHS Apart from access to the Members’ Seed Scheme, RHS membership provides unlimited entry to its four gardens (Wisley, Harlow Carr, Rosemoor and Hyde Hall) and free entry to 200 partner gardens. Members also get a monthly subscription to The Garden magazine and have access to free gardening advice. There is a reduction on the price of tickets to RHS shows and the opportunity to attend the events on special members’ days. An individual membership costs £47.25, while a joint membership is £69. For more details, visit  rhs.org.uk or call ✆ 020 3176 5820. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

Alamy

Cladrastis kentukea is native to the USA and has scented white ﬂowers

Bluebellnursery.com

Seed-gathering process Harvesting of seeds starts in late spring with crocuses and pasque flowers, but ramps up a gear from June onwards, with lots of seeds still being picked in late October. Most material is gathered at Wisley, with the occasional visit to RHS Hyde Hall in Essex. Berries, pods and capsules are snipped off, bagged and labelled. Lucie enjoys the seed-gathering process, but it doesn’t always go smoothly. She recalls a time at Wisley when she was snipping seed heads with some volunteers. “A lady came up, introduced herself as an RHS member and told us to stop. She thou we were stealing from the Collected garden,” laughs Lucie. seed After the material material is has been collected, it’s passed transported back to the through a seed team’s base. It’s series of sieves to either laid out on paper remove and left to dry in a debris room equipped with a dehumidifier, or placed insid a special drying cabinet. A few days later, the matter is passed through a series of sieves to remove debris, leaving the seeds behind. The clean seed is bagged in bulk,

Wikicommons

All photographs RHS unless otherwise credited

to its parent. The RHS makes this clear in its plant list, suggesting that “you may get some pleasant surprises”. Rather than remain static, the range of seeds changes annually, with Lucie and Heather keeping a close eye on plant trends and what’s going on at the Chelsea Flower Show. Nevertheless, some species return year after year. “Cosmos bipinnatus is probably our most popular line and is always on the list,” says Lucie. For plantaholics, the seed scheme is a good opportunity to find something rare or unusual. Among the treasures are Cladrastis kentukea, a tree native to the USA with scented white flowers, and Paradisea liliastrum, an alpine meadow plant with trumpet-shaped white flowers on 2ft (60cm)-tall stems. Hydrangea seemannii is a self-clinging evergreen climber with clusters of creamy flowers in summer. Euphorbia x pasteurii is a cracker. A hybrid between E. mellifera and E. stygiana, this architectural evergreen shrub has handsome dark-green leaves and honey-scented, yellow-brown flowers from late spring into summer. This beauty makes a rounded shape, 38in (1m) tall x 68in (1¾m) across.

Ask John Negus

John has been answering reader queries for 49 years

John will reply personally to all your gardening questions every week Weaken lawn grass with yellow rattle (inset) so your wildﬂower meadow will ﬂourish

How do I start a wildﬂower lawn? Q

I am thinking of putting a wildflower patch on my lawn this year. How, and when, should I go about it? Daniel Atkinson, Harrogate, N. Yorks

Natural meadows establish on soils of relatively low fertility and where the grasses are not competitive. It is difficult to reduce the fertility of soil, but you can go some way towards it by removing all grass clippings after mowing so they don’t become a source of nutrients. You also have the challenge of strongly growing grasses outcompeting desirable wildflowers. The vigour of these grasses can be reduced by sowing any of a number of parasitic plants, including Rhinanthus species (rattle), Euphrasia species (eyebright) and Pedicularis palustris and P. sylvatica (lousewort). The most useful is Rhinanthus minor

(yellow rattle). In late summer or autumn, seed is broadcast onto grass that has been cut short. It is an annual and can be eliminated from grassland in one year if prevented from seeding by cutting. Once you have the grasses tamed you will find it easier to establish wildflowers, though it may be better to do it from plug plants rather than seed as seed needs a good surface (tilth) in which to germinate. Some seed mixes contain wild grasses for the ‘wildflowers in grass’ look, but these generally have a much better balance than if you were trying to do the same with vigorous lawn grasses. Seeds should germinate relatively quickly if the conditions are suitable, so spring is the best time when soil and air temperatures are increasing. Once the meadow is established, it should become self-perpetuating from seeds self-sown naturally every year.

Will my late rose bloom in summer?

All photographs TI Media unless otherwise credited

Q A

My container rose in a sheltered spot is still flowering. Does this mean it won’t flower in summer? Claire Akers, via email

Such late blooming won’t adversely affect next year’s performance. It would, however, be a good idea to shorten the bush by half its height to minimise wind rock. Provided you tuck it up for winter, wrapping two layers of bubble plastic around the pot and coverin the compost with a 4in (10cm) layer of composted bark, it will grow strongly again next spring. Additionally, sit the pot on ‘feet’ to ensure that surplus moisture drains away, and site the rose in a sunny sheltered place. In spring, remove the top 4-5in (10-12cm) of compost and replace it with John Innes No3. Feed it periodically, from April to September, with a proprietary rose fertiliser. Cut back roses in winter

30 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Stereum gausapatum fungi will kill a tree

Damson damned?

One of our damson trees has a strange mushroom-like substance growing on the bark. Is it fatal? David Lindsay, via email

I am sorry that your damson tree has succumbed to a fungus, which appears to be Stereum gausapatum. The fact that the trunk is covered with pale buff-white patches indicates that the fungus has attacked the heartwood. Regrettably, the tree will slowly die so I urge you to remove it, roots and all, and plant a replacement damson as far away as possible from the diseased specimen. When planting, add Root Grow to the root system for strong development.

Bin or burn blighted plants and grow new in fresh compost

Avoiding blight

My greenhouse tomatoes in growbags had blight last year. How can I prevent it returning this year? Keith Gilbert, via email

Consign infected compost to a part of the garden where you won’t be growing tomatoes. Then sterilise the greenhouse glass and framework with Jeyes Fluid as good hygiene is vital to reduce risk of a further outbreak. If plants are grown in the greenhouse border, remove 6in (15cm) of soil and spread it over a bed or border where tomatoes won’t be grown.

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

Quick questions & answers

Spur-bearing apples are more common and easier to prune than tip-bearing (inset) varieties

How do I overwinter my Venus flytrap? Evelyn Fordyce, via email

How do I prune different apple trees?

Q A

Should I prune my ‘Discovery’ apple in the same way as I prune our ‘James Grieve’ apple tree? Sue Trumble, via email

Pruning an apple tree needs to be looked at in two parts, starting with the rootstock. If you have a dwarf tree it may be growing on M27 rootstock and can be grown as a small bush, though these are more usually trained as cordons or espaliers. As trained forms they need more summer pruning to restrict growth, because winter pruning is to thin the spurs and renew some older branches. The other consideration is where the variety produces its fruit buds.

‘Discovery’ is a tip-bearing variety so it produces its fruit buds at the ends of the young shoots. These types of trees are harder to prune as each time you cut a branch you immediately remove its fruit buds. They are rarely successful as trained forms. ‘James Grieve’ is a spur-bearing variety and can have its branches pruned back to four or five flower buds. These are thicker than the shootproducing growth buds and if just a few are left they will produce more fruit.

Why are my camellia leaves black?

Some of the leaves on my camellia are turning black and have white things underneath. Some others have also been nibbled. What is going on? David Pendlebury, Worcester

Sooty mould is a problem but leafcutter bees (inset) are not

Alamy

The white blotches are scale insects, which feed on sap and can seriously debilitate growth and vigour. Scale insects excrete a sweet substance called honeydew, which attracts sooty mould – the substance you can see on your leaves. You can eradicate scale insects by spraying the plant with Bugclear Ultra or ovado Ultimate Bug Killer. Once they ve gone, the sooty mould will stop eing produced. You can wipe it off with a damp, soft cloth. The nibbles may be caused by eafcutter bees. Do not use an secticide, as the leaf pieces they move causes no damage to the plant.

Site it in good light in a warm place and keep the compost moist with rainwater. Provided you keep it at a temperature that doesn’t fall below 160C (610F) it should prosper. Additionally, to prolong its life, remove emerging flower stems and faded ‘traps’.

What is this plant that’s selfseeded in the garden? Ann Marie Tucker, Westonsuper-Mare, Somerset

This is teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), a handsome British wildflower. A biennial that forms a rosette in its first year, then blooms and dies in its second, its pinkishpurple blooms are followed by seeds that goldfinches will adore. It will probably produce seedlings that, if they are in shade, can be transplanted to a more favourable sunny position.

What is this plant, please? Amanda Hinchcliffe, via email

This is Gaultheria shallon, a native of moist temperate and tropical regions. It has escaped into the wild and is now found in many British pine woods. In gardens, it usefully carpets shady areas and keeps down weeds. Its urn-shaped white flowers evolve into purple-red berries that birds adore. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

Anne Swithinbank’s masterclass on: exposed garden shelter Use windproof shrubs like Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Variegatum’ to shelter plants within borders

Anne’s picks

Inset: Alamy

Windbreak plantings will protect an area equivalent to 10 times their height, but try to make a curve so wind cannot curl around the edges.

Best shelter options

Acer campestre: Often found as part of a hedgerow, yet unclipped and allowed to grow tall, it makes lovely small trees with corky bark, shapely leaves and autumn tints.

This border lies in a wind tunnel, but slow-growing Pinus heldreichii ‘Compact Gem’ and tough South African Rhodocoma capensis protect other plants

Plant deciduous trees like crab apple from autumn to spring

Sheltering an exposed garden Q Two years ago, we moved to a wonderful spot with a neglected, one-acre garden that had 20ft (6m) conifers all around it. We have removed the trees and now have great views, but would like to plant some low-growing, wind-tolerant trees and shrubs. What would you suggest, and is this a good time to do it? Andrea Bowyer, via email

First, work out where exposure to wind is the biggest problem for you and your plants. Seating areas, the walk from the driveway to the front door, a greenhouse, veg beds, orchard or borders of vulnerable plants may all be in the firing line. It’s then a question of placing trees and shrubs to filter the wind affecting these areas, while retaining dips in key areas to enjoy the views. We use windproof shrubs such as Removing those giant conifers was pittosporum and dwarf pines to shelter a brave but positi l i hi borders, instead of They suck a lot of mo our defences on the from the soil, grow ev eter. Less stalwart taller and, of course, ts can hunker down block the views that the calm side of them. you want to enjoy. In windy gardens, ant small specimens so I also live in a windy ey can put down good garden, perched on choring roots before a ridge within view of ir tops are rocked by the the sea and open to d. Plant deciduous trees gales from the southhrubs from autumn to west as well as cold Shrubs help provide a buffer north winds. The pictu when the soil is not around a greenhouse of good plant options en, but wait until spring for evergreens so they can establish the panel, right) were all taken in after the worst of winter gales. my own plot.

Arbutus unedo: An evergreen known as the strawberry tree for the red fruits that set from small, bell-shaped flowers. This European native makes a large shrub or small tree capable of reaching 20ft (6m).

Ilex ‘Camelliifolia’: All hollies make stalwart windproof evergreens. This female clone has few spines and sets plentiful fruits. Our variegated I. x a. ‘Lawsoniana’ grows through an oak, filtering wind.

More wind-tolerant plants Evergreen elaeagnus, pittosporum, olearia and escallonia are good for mild wind-torn gardens. For colder ones, small tree Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’ is lovely. A stand of birches set as little as 4-6ft (1.2-1.8m) apart are tall but mostly slender and cast little shade. Holly, yew, mahonia, elder and viburnums, especially the deciduous wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana) are tough. 32 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Pittosporum tenuifolium: This evergreen grows quickly into a wind-filtering shrub, sheltering plants on the leeside. Easy to prune by thinning out longer stems in spring. Can reach 12-20ft (4-6m).

Escallonia laevis ‘Gold Brian’

Alamy

Body image: Alamy. All other photography John Swithinbank / TI Media, unless credited

Baskets are a perfect way to showcase the likes of Begonia x tuberhybrida ‘Apricot Shades’

Choose a sheltered position to show off your pots, boxes and baskets of begonias – that way, they won’t be spoilt by strong winds.

Having allowed a begonia to die back naturally, it is always reassuring to dig down and ﬁnd the large tuber ﬁrm, alive and ready to grow again another year

Overwintered begonia tubers sprouting

Alamy

How to grow... Cascading tuberous begonias can be a quick way of elevating colour in your garden. Anne Swithinbank considers your best options for long-lasting hanging baskets

34 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

compost and plant the tubers concave side up, with the bottom half-buried. Keep warm at 64ºF (18ºC) and in medium light, until they have made shoots about 2in (5cm) high, and then lift and set each in its own small pot to grow on. If you don’t have a greenhouse, they’ll grow well indoors in good light.

Begonia Million Kisses Honeymoon: the latest addition to this stunning series

Brookside Nursery

All photography Swithinbank / TI Media, unless otherwise credited

HERE reliable colour is most needed to tumble from pots, wall planters or hanging baskets, trailing tuberous begonias are a safe bet. They’ll bloom in sun or shade, and we can play safe with classic white or oyster blooms against handsome foliage, or opt for a riot of bright pink, yellow, orange and red. Buying these begonias as brown, dormant tubers delivered from late winter, or as plug plants to grow on in spring, means there will be some gardening to do. This is perfect for those of us who like to watch our plants develop, decide how to plant and display them, and then keep those fabulous blooms opening until the first frosts of autumn. Tubers are started into growth from February to April, depending on the facilities available. The usual method is to fill a seed tray with well-drained

Once they are established, plant perhaps three to a 12in (30cm) basket or five to a larger one. Alternatively, start three-five tubers straight into a wide shallow container a little smaller than the basket. Once rooted and grown, they are turned out and planted into the basket as one. They’ll also look great tumbling over the edges of pots and windowboxes, each plant reaching a length and width of 16-20in (40-50cm). Protect plants from frost until they can go outdoors towards the end of May. When flowering has finished, this is not the end of the story, because these begonias will die back naturally to their overwintering tubers. Let plants absorb every scrap of nourishment from the dying stems and leaves, dry their roots off and then ferret for the dormant tubers. Gently crumble compost from around them, store in pots of loose, dryish old compost in a frost-free place, and they will grow and bloom again year after year.

Growing guide Pot tubers into a compost of 50:50 John Innes No2 and a soilless compost. Use a lightweight container plant compost for baskets and wall hangers. Placing polythene inside a hanging basket Add slow-release liner will help hold water tablets for easy care Add a controlled-rele fertiliser to compost for easy care. The quality of display relies on regular watering and, if necessary, a top-up of fertiliser or fortnightly high-potash liquid feeds. Move begonias to a lightly shaded, north- or east-facing position if keeping them adequately watered in full sun proves difficult.

Begonia (Pendula Group) ‘Red Giant’ Large double blooms open from lax stems, almost hiding the shapely foliage. With good care in the watering and feeding department, a top display lasts from June to autumn.

Begonia (Pendula Group) ‘White Giant’ There is something classy and soothing about whiteflowered begonias on deep green foliage. The dangling double white blooms will shine out from shady nooks.

Alamy

Taylors Bulbs

Begonia ‘Bonfire’ This lovely flame-flowered beauty is derived from the Bolivian begonia (B. boliviensis). You can expect a cascade of stems bearing toothed and tapering leaves, lit by brilliant single orangered flowers.

Alamy

Main and inset image: Alamy

Four basket beauties to try

Begonia sutherlandii Dainty trailing species from South Africa with stems of bright green foliage lit by many small, single, light orange flowers. The plant trails to 18in (45cm). Great for greenhouse displays. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke This week it’s:

Plants on the theme of ‘girls’ We look at plants with women’s first names

I would estimate that the number of plants named after girls and women is around 95% of the total, compared to about 5% for boys and men. Why should this be? My guess is that if a flower breeder wants to bring out a new variety, with no specific thought of a name, they are more likely to choose a girl’s name: the most important consideration is

whether the plant will sell well, and maybe girls’ names are just more popular. Also, historically, those men with the money and the wherewithal were more likely to make a ‘gift’ of naming a plant after a girl rather than after a boy. Let’s look at some of the plants, and the girls after which they are named. Next week we look at plants with boys’ first names.

Rosa Gertrude Jekyll was named after the famous horticulturist and garden designer

Most popular: predictions for 2020 ACCORDING to Cosmopolitan magazine, the 10 most popular names for girls in 2020 will be Adah, Reese, Mika, Paisley, Teagan, Nova, Aura, Pearl and Billie. The RHS Plant Finder lists 557 plants with ‘Pearl’ in the name, but most of these are not currently available. There were no listed plants with the names Reese, Amina or Teagan. For the remainder, you could look for: Hemerocallis ‘Adah’ Acer palmatum ‘Mika’ Alstroemeria Princess Amina Camellia japonica ‘Billie McCaskill’ (this one, I suppose, will only be truly

IN 1920, according to the baby names website Nameberry, the 100 most popular girls’ names included Avis (as in Dahlia ‘Tui Avis’), Beryl (Narcissus ‘Beryl’), Muriel (Tulipa ‘Muriel’, pictured below), Pauline (Iris reticulata ‘Pauline’), Sybil (tall bearded Iris ‘Sybil’) and Winifred (Saxifraga ‘Winifred’). Also in the list were Birdie, Effie, Lelia, Louella and Theda, but currently there are no commercially available plants with these names. Delia was also in the 1920 list, and the only British Delia to become a household name is chef Delia Smith, now 78. A blush pink, double fuchsia ‘Delia Smith’, from breeder Welch Charles, was introduced in 2008.

excellent garden plants with Princess names

Clematis Princess Kate

All photographs Alamy unless otherwise credited

Rosecottageplants.co.uk

Most popular: 100 years ago

appropriate if the surname of the girl in question is McCaskill). There were eight listings for Paisley, the most widely available plants being Hosta ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’, Dianthus ‘Paisley Gem’ and rose Paisley Abbey. There were 21 listings for Nova, from which the deep-red Rhododendron ‘Nova Zembla’ and purple-and-white Clematis Astra Nova were the most widely available. Finally, for Aura, there were four listings, the most commonly available plant being the violet-blue Iris x robusta ‘Dark Aura’ (pictured, left).

Rhododendron ‘Princess Anne’

Rosa Princess Anne

Alstroemeria Princess Fabiana

Clematis ‘Princess Diana’ 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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

Three rose ‘ladies’

Prize draw

EVERY year new rose are launched that be the names of famous people. When choosing new varieties for your garden, why not go for those named Rosa Darcey Bussell after your favourite celebrities? Here are three to consider: Rosa Barbra Streisand: a hybrid tea with lavender-pink petals with deep pink edges. From C&K Jones ✆ 01829 740663  jonestherose.co.uk. Rosa Dame Judi Dench: English shrub rose with apricot-orange blooms, filled with many ruffled petals. From David Austin Roses ✆ 0800 111 4699  davidaustinroses.co.uk. Rosa Darcey Bussell: English shrub rose with red-crimson blooms that turn mauve. From Jacksons Nurseries ✆ 01782 502741  jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.

Miracle-Gro is giving AG readers the chance to win two gardening bundles, each worth £16.97, to ensure your garden is fully prepared for spring and summer 2020. This is the perfect bundle for keen gardeners and includes essentials such as the Miracle-Gro Growmore Garden Plant Food, which contains an essential mix of nutrients for all plants, and MiracleGro Compost Maker, which speeds up the composting process of kitchen vegetable waste. Eco-friendly gardeners will also love the Miracle-Gro Bone Meal Root Builder, which is a 100% organic fertiliser and naturally releases nutrients to build stronger roots and guarantees greener, healthier trees and shrubs. We have two bundles to give away, each worth £16.97.

How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to MiracleGro Draw (4 January), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@ti-media.com, heading the email MiracleGro Draw (4 January). The closing date is 10 January 2020.

WIN £30

Word search

This word search comprises words associated with girls and gardening. They are listed below; in the grid they may be read across, backwards, up, down or diagonally. Letters may be shared between words. Erroneous or duplicate words may appear in the grid, but there is only one correct solution. After the listed words are found, there are 10 letters remaining; arrange these to make this week’s TWO KEYWORDS: the name of a famous lady. ANGELICA AVA DAISY DAPHNE ERICA HAZEL HEATHER HYACINTH IRIS IVY JASMINE LILY MELISSA ROSA ROSEMARY VERONICA VIOLA VIOLET

D H T N I C A Y H T

H A Z E L Y S I A D

E L C S S M L C S E

A A C I R E I A S N

T I R O N L L I I I

H I S H E O Y V L M

No: 499

E A P G I I R Y E S

R A N V A V A E M A

D A A T E L O I V J

E Y R A M E S O R H

HOW TO ENTER: Enter this week’s keyword on the entry form, and send it to AG Word Search No 499, Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF, to arrive by Wednesday 15 January 2020. The first correct entry chosen at random will win our £30 cash prize. This week’s keyword is .......................................................................................... Name ........................................................................................................................ Address .................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................... Postcode .................................................................................................................. Email......................................................................................................................... Tel no ........................................................................................................................ TI Media Ltd, publisher of Amateur Gardening, will collect your personal information solely to process your competition entry.

38 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Historical gardening event of the week: 1 January 1946 ON this day, Percy Thrower (known for his TV gardening programmes from the late 1950s until his death in 1986), started work as parks superintendent in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. One of the things he felt he needed to do was replace some ancient lime avenues, planted in 1719. Many of the trees were hollow (through decay caused by the slow parasitising of mistletoe), and as a result had become homes to bees and wasps. He met with much opposition from the locals, who wanted the trees to stay. Eventually, independent experts agreed that the trees were in decline, so over the next four years they were replaced. Thirty years later, The lime trees planted by Percy Thrower Percy looked at the new trees, set back from the roads, and spaced out, and knew he had done the right thing.

Crossword Graham Clarke

Finding Felicity ACTRESS Felicity Kendal is most famous for her role as Barbara Good the 1970s sitcom The Good Life, in w she and her husband gave up the rat-race to become self-sufficient. They turned their garden in leafy Surbiton into an allotment. Felicity has had several plants named after her, including a light-pink fuchsia, a red sweet pea and an orange hybrid tea rose. I met her in 1985, when she launched the rose at Chelsea Flower Show (see above). Sadly, only the fuchsia is still available today. From 2003-07, Felicity starred as ‘gardening detective’ Rosemary Boxer in the ITV series Rosemary & Thyme.

7 8

10 11

13 14

10 girls’ names that are also plant genera

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

ACROSS

THE 10 are Hazel, Heather, Holly, Hyacinth (pictured), Ivy, Jasmine, Lily, Rose, Violet. Less common examples include Clary, Honeysuckle, Lavender, Myrtle and Willow.

Flower Council

10 girls’ names that are common plant names

Children’s character ‘Winnie the Pooh’ is also the name of a daylily variety (see picture). In the nursery rhyme Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, she is asked Hemerocallis ‘Winnie the Pooh’ how her garden grows? No one knows who Mary was, but it is thought to be either Mary, mother of Jesus, or Mary Queen of Scots, or Queen Mary I of England? No proof has been found that the rhyme was known before the 18th century, yet all of these Marys were around long before this.

Alacartedaylilies.co.uk

Wow! I didn’t know that…

2 These are the subject of this week’s Miscellany! (7) 6 Baking a Berry – quite contrary! (4) 7 Acer palmatum cultivar, and one of the 10 most popular girls’ names currently (4) 8 A fruit of the rose (3) 9 Letter of a horse’s command, as in Rhododendron ‘Ginny ___’ and Narcissus ‘___ Tee’! (3) 10 Propel something in a high arc, in a globe artichoke maybe! (3) 11 Mother, former Prime Minister, and a variety of white grape (7) 12 Limb (not necessarily of a tree), always found in a farm! (3) 13 In botanical plant naming, this contraction is a variety: below a species and

subspecies, but above that of ‘form’ (3) 14 Make a small hole, for a seed or seedling perhaps (3) 15 A Queen. A Princess. A Swithinbank! (4) 16 German wife, as in Fuchsia ‘____ Hilde Rademacher’, and rose ‘____ Karl Druschki’ (4) 17 Genus of the pickaback plant (7)

DOWN

1 The Punica granatum fruit (6,5) 2 Common name for a plant of the myosotis genus (6-2-3) 3 Snapdragon urn! Train him! (11) (anag) 4 Latin name for the spring squill (6,5) 5 Coastal town of North Yorkshire, as in Cyrtanthus elatus, the _______ lily (11)

ACROSS 2 Females 6 Mary 7 Mika 8 Hip 9 Gee 10 Lob 11 Theresa 12 Arm 13 Var 14 Dib 15 Anne 16 Frau 17 Tolmiea DOWN 1 Pomegranate 2 Forget-me-not 3 Antirrhinum 4 Scilla verna 5 Scarborough

THE 10 are Angelica, Daphne, Erica, Felicia, Hebe, Iris, Melissa (pictured), Rosa, Viola, Veronica. There are a few other less common examples, such as Azalea, Calla, Luna, Nigella and Petunia.

ANSWERS

Finally, possibly the world’s best girl/plant joke! Q: How do you make Ivy climb faster? A: Give her a leg up!

KEYWORD TO WORD SEARCH 494 (23 NOVEMBER):

ECCENTRIC AND THE WINNER IS: MRS D ASHBY, PRESTON, LANCASHIRE

4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

How to use tools Best techniques to get the job right with Tim Rumball Coldframe plant protection

You can do a lot to keep plants thriving in unheated frames, says Tim Rumball

VERWINTERING tender and half-hardy flowering pot plants like pelargoniums and fuchsias can be tricky if you don’t have a heated greenhouse. So, too, is growingon January or February-sown early seedlings such as annual bedding, onions, chillies and tomatoes germinated on a windowsill indoors. You won’t have space on windowsills through February and March when seedlings are pricked out (I tried and my wife, Kath, was not amused). However, you can get both tender and half-hardy pot plants and seedlings through the winter in a garden frame or greenhouse even if it doesn’t have electric heating, just by using a bit of ingenuity. Overnight is the concern If temperatures dip just below freezing overnight for one or two nights and warm up again in the day, many dormant half-hardy plants will survive. But when it drops to freezing for several nights in a row, tender plants and young seedlings must have the protection of a garden frame or greenhouse. Overnight, an unheated greenhouse or frame will typically be 3-4°C warmer inside than outside. During the day that difference will be significantly greater, so it’s the overnight temperatures that should worry us most. To monitor this, a good thermometer that records maximum and minimum temperatures is essential. Mount it in a permanent position at mid-height in the greenhouse or frame, and check it each morning. If the minimum temperature drops below 5°C, extra protection will be needed. Clean and site by wall Here’s what to do. First, clean all windows thoroughly to let in maximum sunlight during the day, which will heat both the air and the ground inside the

A max/min thermometer will allow you to know when extra protection is necessary 40 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

You can protect half-hardy and tender pot plants from frost using an ordinary garden frame with a few extra safeguards

shelter. If you are using a frame, site it against a south or west-facing wall of your house – the house wall will provide some warmth, while south and west walls get most sunlight. Cut back mature plants in pots to reduce transpiration, and remove dead or dying leaves. Keep plants off the ground Don’t sit pots or trays directly on the ground, which gets very cold. Stand them on a tray of gravel, pot feet, wooden slats or anything to get them off the ground – this also ensures the compost drains effectively. Keep plants away from the walls and glass of the shelter, which are the coldest spots. Foliage should never touch the glass. Only water plants when essential – it’s best to wait until they wilt, then give them just enough to moisten the compost. If the compost is consistently damp, moulds will thrive and kill plants. This applies to seedlings and young plants, too. Use of fleece Cover plants with a layer of fleece each evening, but remove it in the mornings if the temperature gets above freezing. When the temperature drops very low, cover garden frames with an old blanket,

You can ‘double glaze’ an unheated greenhouse by lining it with bubblewrap

tarpaulin or sheet of plastic at sunset to hold in heat – and remove it the following morning! Unheated greenhouses and larger frames can be lined inside with clear bubblewrap, which acts as doubleglazing to trap warmth. Alternative heaters Greenhouses and frames can be kept frost-free using paraffin heaters, and some are small enough to fit in a garden frame. However, they produce water vapour that causes mould problems, and need regular attention to be effective. A better solution is to pop a large bottle filled with hot water into the frame before tucking the plants in for the night. I use an old 3-litre plastic water bottle filled to the brim from the hot tap. With the frame closed, and covered as well on very cold nights, the bottle generally keeps the temperature above freezing until the sun comes up. This doesn’t work so well in an unheated greenhouse because it’s a much larger space. Ventilate the frame or greenhouse during the day whenever temperatures allow by opening doors and windows, but don’t let plants get chilled. Finally, save up for a greenhouse with electricity plumbed in — it will make your life so much easier!

Cut back leggy plants and remove dead leaves and stems before overwintering

Coldframe frost-protection essentials 1. Garden frame, fully glazed or with windows at the top

8. Lights or

windows that can be propped open to ventilate the frame.

2. Secateurs cut back plan

Tray of gravel r pot feet or wooden batons) to keep pots off the cold ground and assist good drainage.

3. Max/min

thermomete to monitor temperature 4. Bubblewrap to line

unheated greenhouses or large frames inside for an extra layer of frost protection.

Overwintering your plants in a coldframe

. Fleece to pull aulin or sheet to over plants in very put over the coldframe on cold periods as cold nights – remove it extra protection. every morning.

Site the coldframe against a south or west-facing house wall for warmth and light. Clean all glass/plastic thoroughly.

The language of frost protection Half-hardy: Plants that can withstand temperatures down to 0°C. Tender: Plants that will be damaged by temperatures below 5°C. Cold frame: A small unheated box or framework with large windows or

transparent plastic cover, access to load plants, and adjustable ventilation. Bubblewrap: Plastic bubbled sheet with excellent insulation properties. Fleece: Thin fabric that lets light through and gives insulation to plants.

Cut back plants in pots, and stand them on pot feet, a tray of gravel or similar in the frame to keep them off the cold ground.

Do’s and don’ts of overwintering plants in a cold frame

Do ✓ Site garden frames carefully, positioning them aga

inst a wall to get warmth from the house and maximum sunlight in the daytime. ✓ Use pot feet, gravel trays or similar to lift pots off the cold ground in a traditional frame – not necessary when using a plastic growing tent with she lve ✓ Keep pot plants away from the frame was.lls and gla ss, which are the coldest parts.

DonÕt ✗ Let algae or muck build up on frame or greenhous

Position against a house wall for warmth

Cover plants with fleece, and cover the frame at night in cold snaps. Add a bottle full of hot water for extra protection.

Keep pot plants away from frame glass

e windows. Clean them regularly and wipe off condensation. ✗ Water plants that are overwintering unless absolu tely necessary. ✗ Forget to remove night-time covers from garden frames the following morning.

Remove the frame cover each morning, and fleece on warmer days. Ventilate the frame regularly and wipe condensation off glass.

Remember to remove covers in the morning

4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

42 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

44 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

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

No more plastic I RECENTLY emptied my compost bin and I am so pleased to be able to tell you that the potato starch bag that you trialled has totally biodegraded. What an excellent result, so well done to all! Mr D Smith, Hampshire

“There is a lot we can do with a little effort”, says Pauline

Helping the planet

THOUGHT Ruth’s article, ‘What AG readers can do to help the planet’ was great! (AG, 19 Nov). There is a lot we can do with a little effort. I loved the idea of making our clothes last longer or buying pre-loved items. I love a root-around in a good charity shop. We’d all actually be a lot better off, too. I never waste anything. I recycle my yogurt pots, my egg boxes and my

Photo of the week

plastic bread bags, but there’s so much more to do regarding cellophane, etc. The piece ‘Make a haven for nature’ was good, too. Ruth is making people aware that nature has its own rhythm and needs. We need food for frogs, newts, birds, hedgehogs, so leave the greenfly for them to feed on and don’t use poisons on the slugs. Pauline O’Keefe, Ormskirk, Lancs

Wendy says: We do appreciate the great feedback from all our readers. AG subscription copies will be wrapped in a paper bag from next week, 11 Jan. The cover is compostable and recyclable.

‘Blue Moon’ I WAS surprised your feature on blue roses in (AG, 23 November) makes no mention of ‘Blue Moon’. This rose was popular in Rose the 1970-80s, and is ‘Blue Moon’ still widely available today. It is probably as close to blue as many of the more recent varieties mentioned in the article. Grenville Sheringham, Malvern, Worcs

rights

Doing Christmas in style

Helen’s old mannequin was used to support beans in summer – and dressed for Christmas

I AM still so chuffed about my runner bean lady being published in your magazine and winning me a prize... I don’t like her to stand idle and she has done us proud with the runner beans, but now she is best dressed as my Christmas tree lady. Just thought you’d like to see her in her new outfit. Many thanks again for my gardening gloves… they came in very handy for the making of this. Helen Cutting, Thetford, Norfolk

Co-habiting snails!

ERE slugs once snails that have lost the house in a divorce case? Mrs Carol Casan, Tiverton, Devon

Reader’s Quick Tip

I FIND that a few labelled lidded boxes help keep my shed nice and tidy, with a place for everything. And everything in its place! Beryl Wilkinson, Cullompton, Devon 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

the look Get Ideas for gorgeous gardens Repurpose branches and tree boughs along pathways for beetle-friendly edging. Plant areas under trees with clumps of snowdrops and hellebores that thrive under their leafless canopies

The snowdrop garden S Late winter is the time for Lyn Miles’ Wiltshire garden to shine, says Sue Bradley

NOWDROPS bring a distinct lustre to Lyn Miles’ wildlifefriendly patch in late winter. At a time when many gardens are slumbering, hers springs to life with a constellation of tiny white blooms. These no-nonsense flowers fit perfectly with Lyn’s busy life, which involves running three shops, keeping bees and chickens, and giving talks to gardening clubs, not to mention her active role with the Hardy Plant Society. All this means Lyn doesn’t get a huge amount of time to devote to ‘manicuring’ the beds and borders of 46 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

her garden, several of which lie on a steep slope, but this does not faze her snowdrops as they push their steely noses through the soil. Lyn moved to her Victorian home, a former post office in Boscombe, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, back in the 1990s, at which time there were a few drifts of snowdrops and clumps of sizable single and double garden varieties planted by her mother-in-law. However, it wasn’t until Lyn saw Galanthus ‘Galatea’, a large and robust-looking cultivar, that she set off down the road to becoming a fully fledged galanthophile.

“I came home with a bulb and planted it, and then pretty much forgot about it until I had to move it and found that it had multiplied,” she laughs. “The second snowdrop in my collection was ‘Augustus’, which was chubby, with a wide leaf and large flower, and it’s rather snowballed from there. “I’m lucky that my garden is in a river valley, with a good depth of soil over chalk, which aids the drainage that snowdrops like.” Over the years, Lyn has amassed a collection of almost 400 named varieties, growing some in drifts under

Lyn has planted Galanthus ‘Galatea’ in a terracotta pot Don’t be in a hurry to cut back ornamental grasses. Seedheads come into their own over winter and provide food and shelter for insects and birds

Look after avian visitors and create a focal point by installing a bird bath

“I prefer to replant them when they’re in the green”

Photographs by Peter Chatterton

Plant snowdrops in drifts under trees and shrubs to light up an early spring garden

trees and spilling down slopes, while others are contained within beds and in pots. Yet while she’s serious about her plants, she’s not averse to having a bit of fun with them, growing some in the basket of the bicycle propped up under a tree, or using potted plants inside old-fashioned lanterns. While snowdrops are Lyn’s passion, her garden is home to a variety of colourful late-winter blooms, which combine with seedheads left on ornamental grasses and perennials to contribute interest and sustenance for wildlife. Evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs tower over her ﬂowering bulbs, joining with archways to provide vertical height and shelter for birds. Other wildlife making a home in the garden include threatened oil beetles, with slow worms and hedgehogs showing themselves as the weather

warms up. Once the snowdrops have finished flowering, Lyn sets about splitting up and replanting larger clumps in ones, twos and threes so they grow in a random fashion. “It’s important to make sure snowdrops don’t get congested,” she explains. “There are different views on the best time to do this, but I prefer to replant them when they’re ‘in the green’ because I can see where the gaps are early in the year.” After working around the clock in the run up to Christmas, Lyn says snowdrops are the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the festive season. “I love it when the garden comes into flower,” she says. “I don’t mind the cold. It’s just nice to go out and see what’s coming up.”

Grow sweet box Sarcococca confusa for fabulous early spring fragrance. It thrives in a sheltered spot in full or partial shade 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

the look Get Ideas for gorgeous gardens

Pair snowdrops with common lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis), which prefers a spot in full or partial shade Grow Telekia speciosa for its yellow daisy-like ﬂowers in summer and disc-like seedheads in winter

This vintage tub has been at Lyn’s house for decades and is now an attractive water receptacle and focal point

Enjoy the large green X-shaped mark within the inner segments of Galanthus ‘Lapwing’

Transform small areas in late winter by planting snowdrops around emerging perennials 48 AMATEUR GARDENING 4 JANUARY 2020

Build a wooden archway to create height to contrast with snowdrops. This rustic-looking feature can be used to train climbers such as clematis or roses over the summer

Team snowdrops with winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis), which provide nectar for insects

Enjoy snowdrops with different-shaped ﬂowers. Galanthus plicatus ‘Augustus’ has chunky leaves and ﬂowers

Bring an unusual touch to a snowdrop garden by growing ‘Wendy’s Gold’, with its yellow markings and ovary

Grow snowdrops and crocuses with ornamental grass Stipa tenuissima, also known as Nassella tenuissima

Make a sloping garden more accessible by creating a rustic walkway. A raised pond provides supports for the wooden structure

Meet the owner

Galanthus elwesii var. elwesii ‘Pat Mason’ is a rarer, and therefore pricier, cultivar, but its large green-tipped ﬂowers and curved foliage make it much sought-after

Be quirky: a snowdrop in a terracotta pot provides the ‘light’ within an old lantern

Name: Lyn Miles Address: Westcroft, Boscombe, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 0AB Size: Two-thirds of an acre Soil: Chalky Aspect: South facing Month visited: February Special features: Large collection of snowdrops and other early spring ﬂowers within a wildlifefriendly garden with terraces, rustic arches and a pond Open for the National Garden Scheme in 2020: Every Thursday from 16 January-5 March, also Friday 7 February, Sunday 9 February and Sunday 23 February 11am to 4pm. 4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING

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Toby Buckland Subterranean molehill blues: these notorious garden miners are likely to forget their manners at this time of year

Toby’s top tips

TI Media

Bad weather drives moles closer to the surface in search of worms and grubs

Strong scents moles don’t like include mothballs, talcum powder, creosote, garlic, chilli powder and aftershave placed in the tunnels.

All photography Alamy, unless otherwise credited

Solar-powered deterrents that vibrate the soil beneath will make it trickier for the moles to ﬁnd food

On mole patrol After a festive season of seemingly endless visitors, one guest in particular causes Toby to develop tunnel vision…

CLUSTER of pearly snowdrops or Dutch crocus goblets that are toasting the January sun can bring a whole border to life, but there’s another midwinter herald that can be the ruin of a whole garden. Moles: those subterranean terrors can transform a manicured lawn into a building site in just a few weeks. During the summer you wouldn’t know they were there, as not only are their burrows deep, but they are also on their best behaviour, neatly compacting their spoil into the walls of their tunnels as they dig. In winter, there’s a change. Rain floods the lower tunnels, driving the worms and grubs that the moles eat to the drier ground near the surface. The hungry mammalian-miners follow and soon forget their manners, littering the soil above their tunnels with archipelagos of molehills that are hard to ignore. Moles are very territorial and don’t share their tunnels, meaning that even

“This midwinter herald can be the ruin of a garden”

extensive damage is likely to be the work of a single creature, so if you can get rid of that your problems are solved. I’ve heard of dozens of mole-ridding tricks related to over-powering the sense of smell with a pungent odour. Being almost blind, moles use their noses to sniff out food, so anything smelly (see panel below) will encourage moles to move on. They also ‘feel’ food as it wriggles through their tunnels, and solar-powered deterrents that vibrate the soil beneath will confuse and make finding their meals more difficult. Finally, there are traps that

Use a leaf-blower to push the scent along the tunnel as this really annoys the moles.

catch the moles live or instantly send them to their maker. What makes control a challenge is that no single solution works on all moles. Some know to stay away from traps while others seem encouraged by a strong pong. So, if a mole makes its presence felt in your garden, try a few different methods, but above all take heart. Moles are most active during their breeding season that starts as winter loses its grip. Molehills are, therefore, a sign that spring is around the corner – though perhaps a harbinger best enjoyed in someone else’s garden!

Top tips for traps and tunnels IF you use humane traps that catch the moles alive, remember to check twice a day, as without access to a constant supply of food they starve. You’ll also need the permission of the landowner before you release them. It’s worth remembering that vacant tunnel networks are often colonised by moles from next door. After capture, remove the hills (the soil is great for raised beds and for filling out large containers), and tread on and crush the tunnels to make it harder for the next mole that takes a fancy to your lawn.

Removing mole hills with a shovel

4 JANUARY 2020 AMATEUR GARDENING