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MARCH 31 2009 £1.80
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EGrow peas & beans EPlant early potatoes EStart off your leeks EPrick out cabbages
ALAN TITCHMARSH ‘GARDENING apprenticeships are as good as degrees’
2 Garden News March 31 2009
INSIDE your GARDEN NEWS
A better garden this week
gardening week p6 Key things
you should do over the next seven days
the experts p19 The best
You’re
Gardening’s ‘Sir Alan’ endorses new £1 million ‘green’ apprentice scheme
G
big border look p26 Be bold
with planting in small gardens
GROW peas & beans p28 Top tips
for growing your own vegetables
BUYERs’ guide p31 Growing
plan to boost jobs
ARDENING superstar Alan Titchmarsh has claimed that a Government scheme to recruit apprentices to keep England’s parks and gardens growing is just as important as gaining a university degree. Alan’s star-studded career took off after he trained as a green apprentice with Ilkley Council in Yorkshire in 1964, so he knows at first hand how successful such training opportunities can be. The new £1 million Government funding was announced by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett, and coincided with the new series of the highly popular ‘The Apprentice’ series on BBC1. The Government scheme will involve local councils inviting budding gardeners of all ages to apply for a
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advice from gardening’s top names
News
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By Carol Warters News editor
training scheme that will improve their skills and ensure towns and cities stay green. After the Housing Minster’s speech to leading experts in the green space sector, Alan Titchmarsh added his support for the scheme. “The practical skills provided by apprenticeships are every bit as important as university degrees, especially those involved with the landscape and environment,” said Alan. “As a former apprentice myself, I value apprenticeships tremendously and am relieved and delighted that this initiative is underway.” The new funding comes as part of the Government’s drive for more top-quality green spaces through programmes such as the Green Flag Scheme, as well as
The real Sir Alan is fronting the Government’s scheme to boost apprenticeships putting the green agenda at the centre of planning policy and housing growth. Margaret Beckett said that the new apprentices would be green ambassadors in their communities, taking responsibility for parks and
open spaces and making sure they are of the highest quality for everyone to enjoy. “Green spaces and green infrastructure should not be an added luxury,” she said. “If we are to tackle climate change, protect both our environment and our health, greens spaces need to be at the heart of communities. “We will work closely with planners, developers and experts in the green sector to ensure we have the skills and resources we need to make this happen.” Forty-seven local authorities who applied for Government help have been given a share of the cash for apprenticeship schemes. Is your local authority doing its bit to look after parks and open spaces? Write in and let us know (the editorial address is on page 46) or send an email with your views to carol.warters@ bauermedia.co.uk
bags, planters and other Special subscription offer on page 27 equipment
Help save tomato varieties
your garden
HELP save the British tomato by taking part in a new campaign called Dig Your Dinner. Supported by celebrity gardener, Rachel de Thame, the initiative is championed by organic food brand, Seeds of Change, and is encouraging Britons to grow their own organic food and help save 10 endangered tomato varieties for future generations. The firm has linked up with growing charity, Garden Organic, to raise awareness of the benefits of diversity, in terms of variety and taste. Ten tasty tomato varieties have been selected from Garden Organic’s heritage collection to raise awareness of seed preservation. Rachel de Thame is a strong enthusiast of growing you own. “I’m delighted to be supporting the Seeds of Change Dig Your Dinner campaign and encouraging people to get
p41 It’s your
section – your photos, stories and questions at a glance guide Andi Clevely p19 Begonias p20 Carol Klein p20 Pelargoniums p22 Chrysanths p22 Medwyn Williams p23 Book club p33
Plant offers p34 Chrissie Harten p41 Garden of the week p42 Your questions p44 Your gardens p47 Wildlife p50 Xword & Weather p52
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Rachel de Thame supports tomato campaign involved in helping to preserve endangered British tomato varieties. “Tomatoes are easy to grow, are a reliable source of vitamins and minerals and, most importantly, taste great so I would encourage everyone to give it a go and
help keep British tomatoes on our dinner plates.” Details of the campaign are on the website at www. digyourdinner.uk where you can find out how to become a member of Garden Organic and grow free seeds. These are the tomatoes Seed of Change want to save: E‘My Girl’ – Very sweet, large plum-shaped fruits. E‘Kenilworth’ – Classic round tomato with a sweet and herby flavour. E‘Ryder’s Midday Sun’ – a plump, yellow tomato. E‘Whippersnapper’ – small, oval pinkish fruit available in the shops until about 15 years ago. Ideal for tubs and baskets. E‘Beefsteak’ – produces a heavy crop of medium-sized orange red fruits. E‘Broad Ripple Yellow Currant’ – masses of tiny, yellow sweet tasting fruit up until mid November. E‘Pink Cherry’ – small, plum-
shaped fruits start pink and turn red when ripe. Prolific and hardy, going well outside and under glass. E‘Hugh’s’ – lemon yellow beefsteak with large fruits. E‘Tiger Tom’ – attractive and delicious fruits, producing particularly well outside. E‘Auntie Madge’s’ – small plum tomatoes perfect for salads, soups or casseroles.
‘Tom Thumb’
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March 31 2009 Garden News 3
in local parks and gardens
hired!
Numbers of long-tailed tits are on the increase
Long-tailed tit flies into Birdwatch top 10
‘Practical skills provided by apprenticeships are every bit as important as university degrees’ Alan Titchmarsh
star birds 1 House sparrow 2 Starling 3 Blackbird 4 Blue tit 5 Chaffinch 6 Woodpigeon 7 Collared dove 8 Great tit 9 Robin 10 Long-tailed tit
Flickr/Rover75 !
NUMBERS of long-tailed tits have almost doubled in the last year, thanks to help from gardeners who put out food. Milder conditions have also contributed to a higher survival rate and long-tailed tits have adapted their normal insect-eating diet to include feeding on seeds and peanuts at bird tables. The long-tailed tit has flown into the top ten list of garden species in the RSPB’s 30th Big Garden Birdwatch for the first time. More than half a million people counted over eight and a half million birds in gardens across the UK during a January weekend for the survey. Numbers of all but one of the top 10 birds have increased slightly since last year with house sparrows again taking the top slot. Only starling numbers have dropped although they retain the number two slot for the
second year running. Big Garden Birdwatch co-ordinator Sarah Kelly said: “Gardens can be an excellent habitat for birds and as more and more people realise the importance of feeding and gardening for wildlife we are seeing an increasing variety of birds on our tables and feeders. Despite being the most commonly seen garden bird, the house sparrow has declined by 63 per cent since the survey began in 1979.
First Lady goes organic at the White House ‘My Girl’
‘Ryder’s Midday Sun’
Green Party ‘will help you get a plot’ FRUSTRATED gardeners fed-up with waiting for vacant allotments are being urged to contact their local Green Party representative. A spokesman confirmed this week that they were always willing to help. “The Green Party will always give their backing to those looking for allotments,” said a spokesman. “We have 119 councillors around the country, all keen on defending allotments and people’s rights to have one.” The Irish Green Party have pledged to hand out free trowels, gloves and seed markers to encourage people to grow their own food. Party communications manager Damian Connon said: “This is to make it easier for people to set up their allotments.” EFind your local Green Party councillor by visiting www.greenparty.co.uk or tel: 020 7272 4474.
New spray chrysanth is value for money... A NEW all-year-round spray variety of chrysanthemum will be launched in May with some of the proceeds going to charity. Named after TV’s Bargain Hunt presenter, Tim Wonnacott, it boasts large bright yellow, anemone-type blooms and will be unveiled for the first time at Chelsea Flower Show by Cheshire company, Chrysanthemums Direct. Plants cost £2 each or £1 each if you buy £10, plus p&p, and 20p from the sale of each plant will go to Sussex-based St Catherine’s Hospice New
AMERICA’S first lady, Michelle Obama, is promoting healthy eating by setting up an organic veg garden in the grounds of the White House – the first since Eleanor Roosevelt planted a victory garden during the Second World War. Students from a nearby school in Washington helped the President’s wife to prepare the land and get it ready for
free
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planting. The crops of fruit and veg will be used to help feed the first family as well as guests at state dinners and other official functions. Michelle Obama has often spoken about the importance of nutritious eating, the problem of childhood obesity and of the challenges involved in getting her two daughters to eat more healthy foods.
6 Garden News March 31 2009
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March 31-April 6
k e e w g in n e d r a g r u o Y The key things you should do over the next seven days
s in containers P15 essentials P6 and 7 Fruit & VEG P9 and 10 erythroniums P13 alpine This week’s tips, ideas and reminders are brought to you by gardening expert Martin Fish. He helps you get shrubs into shape and tidy up your pond...
Trim shrubs
Spring-clean your pond THIS is a good time to tidy up around ponds now that everything is starting into growth. Even if you removed dead plant material in autumn, there will be some work to
do now as plants will have died down over the winter months and twigs, leaves and branches will have blown into the pond. Try not to disturb the water too much as frogs may
have been busy spawning in the pond. Certainly don’t remove any of the spawn, even if you think there is far too much. Nature will naturally balance it out as the tadpoles hatch.
1
Check the pump and make sure it is working after the winter. Clean the filter and put the pump back into the pond before testing.
2
Remove any dead or dying leaves from aquatic plants that have died down over the winter. If you leave them in the water, they will rot and make it dirty, encouraging green algae. Also look around the pond’s edges and trim back any marginal plants whose leaves are hanging down into the water. These will also rot and upset the pond’s balance.
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As the water warms up any fish in the pond will become more active and start looking for food, so you can start to give them small amounts.
Four popular shrubs you can prune now
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CONIFERS Trim them back to green leaves. When pruning low-growing types to prevent them spreading too wide, start by cutting the lowest branches back into the centre of the plant.
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Mahonia japonica Cut off the old flower-heads and last year’s growth to maintain the size. If your plant is already too large and you want to reduce it in size, cut back further into old wood.
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March 31 2009 Garden News 7
Pruning tips As the weather warms up and shrubs in the garden start to show signs of new growth, it’s tempting to do a little pruning to keep the garden neat and tidy. A wander around the garden to look at your shrubs will quickly tell you exactly what needs a light prune, but don’t get carried away and prune everything is sight as you may be cutting off summer flowers.
Several shrubs can be given a light prune now if they need it. I’m a great believer in starting to lightly prune when they are quite young to try to keep a natural shape. If shrubs are allowed to grow too large and then heavily pruned, they often lose this natural look. On the other hand, shrubs that are pruned too often can look more like topiary shapes.
EAlways use sharp secateurs and pruners to avoid bruising or crushing the wood. EYou can always prune more off, but you can’t put it back, so after a few cuts, stand back to survey the shrub. EAs well as pruning living branches, remove any dead or diseased stems. EPrunings can be put in the shredder and added to the compost heap or used as a mulch on bark paths.
into shape
Other jobs to do... Containers CHECK COMPOST Outdoor containers should be checked at least once a week at this time of the year and watered to keep the compost moist. As the plants start to grow, you can also give a liquid feed.
Lawns INCREASE MOWING Over the next few weeks lawns will really start to grow as the soil temperature warms up. Try to mow little and often to prevent the grass from getting out of hand.
Greenhouse CALLA LILIES Pot new calla lily roots in pots to flower this summer. If you already have some that have been in pots for a couple of years, it’s a good idea to take them out, divide them and re-pot into fresh compost. SOWING Carry on sowing the seeds of fastgrowing bedding plants such as marigolds and nemesia. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into trays to grow on.
Borders What not to prune! Although pruning a shrub at the wrong time of the year is unlikely to kill it, it can delay flowering by a year, so before you start snipping away, make sure you know what you are pruning. Late spring and summer-flowering shrubs that you should not prune at this time of the year include – lilac, berberis (unless grown for foliage rather than flowers), kolkwitzia, broom, Buddleia globosa, exochorda, philadelphus, Spiraea arguta, ceanothus (spring flowering) and cistus.
POLYANTHUS Polyanthus in the garden are flowering really well. To keep them flowering through the spring, remove the flower stalks as soon as the flowers have faded. This will encourage more to develop. TIE IN CLIMBERS Keep tying in the shoots and stems of climbers and wall shrubs as they grow so you don’t end up with a ‘bird’s nest’ of shoots. Regular tying in also allows you to space out the stems so you get the best coverage of the surface they are climbing up. STAKE HERBACEOUS PLANTS It’s never to soon to get stakes in place around herbaceous plants such as delphiniums, lupins and peonies. Do it before the plants have made too much growth or it will be a fiddly job and you may damage the new growth. Use twiggy tree shoots or one of the huge range of plastic-coated wire supports now available.
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Chaenomeles These are still flowering, Viburnum tinus Although it may seem but very often the lovely flowers are a shame to prune off flowers, if you have partly hidden by stems. To expose them, trim a plant that is getting too large, now is the best back these stems and remove any dead or time to prune. By carefully pruning out the crowded stems to create an open habit. taller branches, you can keep a good shape.
Don’t prune ceanothus now or you will lose its lovely blue flowers
Don’t miss your FREE rudbeckia seeds next week
26 Garden News March 31 2009
For more tips and offers visit
Get the big bord Follow these tips for small spaces By Pam Richardson garden Writer
W
hile we may admire long sweeps of herbaceous borders full of tall plants, many of us have gardens that are a fraction of the size of a grand border. But it’s still possible to get a big border look in a small space with careful planting. From antirrhinum to zinnia there are dwarf strains of a wide variety of plants that can give you impact and colour in borders and containers. Whether you need a pretty edge for a favourite bed or are planning to create a scaled down ‘grand border’ there are plenty of plants to choose from.
Sow your
free seeds
With its ferny foliage and flowers that bees and insects find irresistible, there is always room in a garden for cosmos. This dwarf variety ‘Sonata Mixed’ carries masses of flowers on compact plants and it is really easy to tuck into gaps in the border or for pots. Height: 60cm (24in). Sow your free seeds at 20C (68F) inside from Feb to April or outside where they are to flower in April to May. The seeds soon germinate so don’t sow them too early. Prick out and harden off before planting. Position in full sun, but keep plants well watered until established. They will flower from June to October.
compact plants from seed Antirrhinum ‘Dwarf Bedding Mixed’ Pretty little flowers in jewel colours, these antirrhinum from Thompson & Morgan may be small, but they won’t go unnoticed in the garden. These antirrhinum are low-growing and good for containers as well as in the border. Height: 30cm (12in). ESow them in January to March at 20 to 30C (68-86F). Prick out and grow on in cooler conditions, plant out after all risk of frost.
Delphinium ‘White Swan’ Delphiniums are stately summer favourites, but here is a miniature version with all the charm of its taller relatives. It packs quite a punch in the border or in a container on the patio. Seeds available from Plants of Distinction. Height: 30cm-35cm (12-15in). Protect young plants from slugs and snails. ESow in spring for flowers this season or in May to June for flowers next year.
Hollyhock ‘Showgirls’ Lovely powder-puff flowers on a branching plant, this hollyhock has heaps of pint-sized pizazz! Bright colours and a compact size make these plants perfect for creating a splash in a small space. They make a good short ‘hedge’ along a fence. This mix from Suttons has been especially bred for spectacular annual bedding, but plants can be treated as biennials. Height: 60cm (24in). ESow in spring to flower this year.
Penstemon ‘Kaleidoscope Mix’ Penstemons have a long flowering season and this one makes a good front-of-border plant. These neat perennial plants have flower spikes in luscious shades of pink, blue and purple. Seed available from Suttons. Height: 25cm (10in). ESow in spring for flowers this season or May to June for flowers next year. Dead-head to keep them in flower.
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der look
March 31 2009 Garden News 27
Six ways to success 1
Sow thinly If you decide to sow annuals straight into a border sow very thinly and be prepared to thin them out as they grow.
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Little and often It’s the key to success and there are lots of benefits to doing this. You won’t have a ‘glut’ of seedlings. Seedlings can be raised on a windowsill if necessary and small quantities are easy to manage. Sow or prick out into cell trays, it makes judging spacing much easier when you have plants that you can place into position on the soil.
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Pack plants in Don’t be scared to plant annuals more closely than is recommended on the seed packet; if the soil is well prepared and your plants are healthy, annuals will put on a good display packed close together. Perennial plants do need room to spread but plant three closely together for first year impact; if you treat them gently they can be replanted with more generous spacing next year.
You can sow directly into cell trays (left)...or alternatively prick out individual seedlings into them (right)
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Less is more! In a small garden it’s tempting to cram in lots of different plants. Resist the temptation! Planting fewer plants but in good clumps of at least three, and preferably five, of a single variety makes a small space seem a lot bigger. If you really can’t resist adding a plant then colour match it so the effect is harmonious, not ‘bitty’.
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Do some research Find out the final heights of the plants you choose. You don’t want to hide a tiny
gem behind a tall bushy plant, but don’t think the tallest can only be at the back. If you plant in waves it’s rather nice to have a tall plant running from the back to the front of a bed or find tall, ‘airy’ plants that allow you to see through them. It’s one of the easiest ways to make your small plot look like a grand border!
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Go for ‘waves’ Try not to plant in straight lines, borders soon look ‘regimented’ this way. Aim for pockets or ‘waves’ of plants to produce a more fluid effect.
Four more top varieties
Stockists EPlants of Distinction, tel: 01449 721720; www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk EMr Fothergill’s, tel: 0845 3710518; www.mr-fothergills.co.uk ESuttons Seeds, tel: 0844 922 0606; www.suttons.co.uk EThompson & Morgan, tel: 0844 573 2020; www.thompson-morgan.co.uk
Rose ‘Little Beauty’ Why not try something different and grow this tiny patio rose from seed? Lovely little blooms are perfect for containers or for use as a border edge. The roses bloom in shades of white, rose and pink. Available from Suttons. Height: 25-30cm (10-12in). ESow the seed from February-March and try for first year flowering.
Lupin ‘Heathcliff Blue’ This perennial lupin is shorter than most, but it makes a powerful statement in a small space. With its strong stems and very deep, true-blue flower spikes it will definitely make an impact. Seeds available from Plants of Distinction. Height: 90cm (30in). ESow in spring for flowers this season or in summer for flowers next year.
Zinnia elegans ‘Swizzle Scarlet & Yellow’ These bright bi-coloured flowers will stand out in any border, making a vivid splash of colour all summer. They will also attract bees and butterflies. Plant these half hardy annuals in a sunny border or a patio container. Seed available from Thomson & Morgan. Height: 30cm (12in). ESow March to May in warmth. Plant out when all risk of frost has passed.
Aquilegia flabellata ‘Rosea’ This hardy little perennial plant holds its pink and cream flowers against fan-shaped foliage and is ideal for planting at the front of borders or in containers and rock gardens. It flowers in summer. Seed available from Thompson & Morgan. Height: 15-20cm (6-8in). ESow from Feb-June keeping the soil moist or sow in autumn for earlier flowers next season. Germination can take one to three months.
28 Garden News March 31 2009
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By Greg Loades garden Writer
P
eas and beans are some of the most valuable vegetables to grow. They are quick growing, easy to raise from seed and can give you a very large amount of produce on a small piece of ground. Sow in succession and you can be harvesting fresh peas and beans all summer long. Few of my home-grown peas make it to the saucepan or dinner plate though! The taste of fresh peas is hard to resist and they are a perfect summer snack to nibble on while walking around the garden!
PART 7 PART 5
Follow our expert tips and grow tastier veg. You’ll save money too
Best conditions
Support is essential. Some runner and climbing French beans can reach 2.4m (8ft). Canes tied together at the top to make tripods are the simplest method of support and can create an attractive feature too. Double rows of canes attached to a central horizontal cane are more suitable for long rows of beans. If you’re in the middle of spring pruning, use the branches you’ve cut off as pea sticks to support your pea crop. Hazel, willow and cornus stems all make good supports for peas and they’re free. Just stick them in the ground along the outside of the rows, when your pea plants are around 10cm (4in) tall. Otherwise, attach posts to each end of a row and put up some pea netting. You can grow peas unsupported, but they will be difficult to pick, take up more room and produce very untidy plants.
Harvest fresh peas and beans all summer long Sowing your peas and beans Peas
Sow early peas indoors now at a temperature of at least 10C (50F). Sow them 2.5cm (1in) deep, one seed to a pot and plant out when frosts have gone. If a late frost is forecast, cover young plants with fleece to protect them. Start sowing your maincrop peas outdoors at the end of April. Prepare the soil, raking it to make it fine and level. Make wide drills with a hoe. Sow the peas 5cm (2in) apart in double rows spaced 30cm (12in) apart. Cover the seed with an inch of soil. Sow again in June or early July for a later crop to extend the season.
‘Oregon Sugar Pod’ We recommend:
EEarlies: ‘Hurst Greenshaft’
(from Suttons) and ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ (from Suttons) are reliable early varieties. EMaincrops: ‘Ambassador’ (from Suttons) is a popular
BEANS
www.mr-fothergills.co.uk
Support
Easy peasy DT BROWN
Peas and beans grow best in soil that retains moisture, isn’t allowed to dry out and contains lots of organic matter. The more well-rotted manure and compost that has been added to the soil before planting, the better. Ideally, pick a planting site that hasn’t had peas or beans on it the year before. French beans are a slight exception to other beans, prefering lighter, welldrained soil. A slightly alkaline soil is good for peas and beans, so sprinkling some lime on the soil and forking it in will help them give you a good crop. Avoid planting or sowing when the soil is cold and wet. The sunnier the planting site the better, but keep peas and beans well watered when it’s hot and dry. Adding a thick mulch to the base of the plants will help hold on to moisture and stop them drying out. Bear in mind that tall crops such as runner beans and climbing French Beans need to be grown somewhere sheltered to protect them from strong, cold winds.
‘Blauwschokker’ maincrop, or try the purplepodded ‘Blauwschokker’ (from Mr Fothergill’s) for something more unusual. ‘Oregon Sugar Pod’ (from DT Brown) is a trusty favourite for mangetout.
‘Hurst Greenshaft’
Broad beans are the hardiest beans of all and can be sown outside now. Sow 5cm (2in) deep in rows of well-prepared soil, spaced 20cm (8in) apart. Sow a seed every 20cm (8in) along the rows. If you have the space, make extra sowings, one in April and one in May, for broad beans all summer. Broad beans we recommend: E‘The Sutton’ (from Mr Fothergill’s) is a reliable dwarf variety or try ‘Stereo’ (from DT Brown) which you can pick young and eat pod-and-all like mangetout. Runner, climbing or dwarf French beans – can be sown indoors now or direct into the soil in May. Sow indoors, one seed to an 8cm (3in) pot at a temperature of at least 10C
March 31 2009 Garden News 29
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top answers to six commonly asked questions How can I stop blackfly?
Are asparagus peas worth growing?
You can spray with a bifenthrin-based insecticide such as Scott’s Bug Clear before you see any signs of blackfly. Pinch out the growing tips above the top flower, which will help discourage them. If you are an organic gardener, you can blast off the blackfly with a strong jet of water from a hose. Also remember that ladybirds eat blackfly, too. Leaving a small patch of ground untended will encourage ladybirds.
Not if you want to make the most of every inch of space and are looking for big yields of fresh produce! Asparagus peas have attractive flowers and unusually shaped pods, so they are good for creating a talking point and making a veg patch look good. You can grow them in pots and they will reliably give a crop of crinkly pods, but you’ll do well to get more than a small handful from one plant.
How can I get my runner beans to set?
Runner beans produce more beans when the weather is cooler, so if it’s hot and the soil is dry, they may struggle. Never allow the plants to dry out at the base and spray the flowers with water to help them set beans during dry spells. Try growing white flowered runner beans. They tend to set more reliably than red ones. Also, the more shelter you give your plants the more likely bees are to visit the plants and pollinate the flowers.
Can I grow peas and beans in pots?
What is a parsley pea?
Make sure you grow them somewhere sheltered so top-heavy pots don’t blow over in strong winds. Dwarf French beans are especially good because they are fairly compact plants and will keep cropping as you pick. This way they can give you a lot of produce from a small amount of space and compost.
‘Parsley pea’ is a variety of pea with unique leaves that look like parsley. As well as a summer crop of peas, the plants have tendrils that look like parsley. These can be eaten raw in a salad or cooked like broccoli. Wait for the peas to be ready before you pick the leaves. If you like growing unusual varieties of veg, this is one to try. Grow it in exactly the same way as the rest of your peas.
Can I eat pea shoots?
DT BROWN
Topical tip Pea and bean seedlings
and young plants are a target for hungry pigeons, so cover them with netting or chicken wire when in their early stages. Seeds may also be eaten by mice.
‘Stereo’ DT BROWN
(50F). Grow on and pot up into bigger pots, gradually hardening them off. Plant out in June when soil is warm and frost is no longer a threat. Young plants can be planted out earlier if covered with cloches or polythene. Sow outdoors 5cm (2in) deep, one seed every 25cm (9in) in rows. For tripods, sow two seeds to a cane and reject the weakest grower. Runner beans we recommend: E‘White Lady’ (from DT Brown) is one of the best white runner beans to grow, or try the new ‘St George’ (from Plants of Distinction, see our offer on the right). French beans we recommend: E‘Blue Lake’ (from Mr Fothergill’s) is a climbing bean
www.mr-fothergills.co.uk
Yes, it’s not just the peas and pods that are edible. Fresh pea shoots taste great, too. You won’t get as much to eat for your money, but you’ll get a tasty crop in no time so you’ll have something to harvest early. Cut them when they are 10cm (4in) tall and they should sprout a second crop. It’s a good way of filling up spare pots or empty gaps in the ground for a quick ‘catch crop’. Add a handful of fresh pea shoots to a salad and you’ll be able to taste the difference.
‘The Sutton’ with great flavour and stringless pods. ‘Purple Teepee’ (from DT Brown) is a dwarf French bean perfect for small spaces or growing in pots. Purple pods turn green when cooked.
‘Purple Teepee’
Suppliers
EDT Brown, tel: 0845 3710532; www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk EMr Fothergill’s, tel: 0845 3710518; www.mr-fothergills.co.uk EPlants of Distinction, tel: 0870 460 9445; www.plantsofdistinction.co.uk ESuttons, tel: 0844 922 0606; www.suttons.co.uk
Packet of seeds for £1! Get a packet of seeds of new runner bean ‘St George’ for just £1. ‘St George’ is a new bi-colour variety from Plants of Distinction that produces 30cm (12in) stringless pods and has been bred to be easy to harvest. It has an RHS Award of Garden Merit. To get your packet of seeds, just tape a £1 coin to a postcard put it in an envelope and send to: Plants of Distinction, Abacus House, Station Yard, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8AS, together with your name and address.
Runner bean ‘St George’
f o n e d r ga
42 Garden News March 31 2009
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k e e w e th
pe, W Yorks or th an m el Sk of am h k Tony and Julie Pec
Muscari collection Rather than have them all together, Julie’s muscari collection is dotted around the garden, injecting bright colour at intervals
Spring bulbs
The damp conditions around Julie’s pond suit fritillaries perfectly, as well as persicaria and marsh marigold
Spring is a special time! By Clare Foggett gardening editor
A
Julie Peckham
sk a gardener what his or her favourite season is and many will say spring. There’s something about the promise of the season ahead, the emerging shoots and burgeoning new growth that beats the blowsy fruition of summer hands down. It’s the same for Julie Peckham, who gardens in Skelmanthorpe, West Yorkshire. Julie’s husband, Tony, is a teacher, so finishes
work in summer: “I want to enjoy the garden then, so I let it have its head,” she said. “It really does get lush and by the time autumn comes, I need a machete!” “I prefer the garden at this time of year,” Julie added. Spring’s also when Julie and Tony open their garden for charity through the National Gardens Scheme. “You take your chance when you open early; you can’t legislate for the weather!” Julie said. But with an ever-growing collection of spring bulbs, the chances are that Julie’s
‘Housework is work; it is an interruption to gardening’ garden will be alive with colour come her first open day in April. Muscari or grape hyacinths are a particular favourite. “I quite like little plants and I’m a member of the Alpine Garden Society,” Julie explained. “Then I got
interested in these little bulbs and now I have about 20 different sorts.” It’s easy to dismiss muscari, especially as regular M. armeniacum can grow like a weed, but they flower early and there are some more special varieties out there. Julie has ‘Mount Hood’, its blue flowers topped with white like little snow-capped mountains, the flat-leaved M. latifolium with its two-tone flowers of sky blue and indigo, and elegant white varieties. The couple have lived in their house for nearly 10
years. “We’ve been working on the garden for nine of those years,” Julie said. “We did nothing in the first year. The garden was all grass when we moved, but we did inherit the apple. “It’s a venerable old tree that must have been planted when the house was built. “It’s a ‘Bramley’s Seedling’, but we didn’t think it was going to fruit very well so we hacked it back and planted rosa ‘Wedding Day’ up it and ever since then it’s cropped really well!” Julie planned the garden quite carefully, drawing a plan
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March 31 2009 Garden News 43
The highest point of the garden is open and sunny, perfect for alpines in pots and a bench to admire the view from
PICTURES: PIP WARTERS
Sunny terrace
ideas to steal for your garden EELEVATE WITH RAISED BEDS
Tony’s raised beds elevate delicate muscari and narcissus so they’re more easily appreciated and are home to some of Julie’s rarer muscari varieties. The beds also suit Julie’s collection of hebes – a favourite shrub – which thrive. “They’re good for flowering arranging because their leaves are in scale for smaller arrangements,” she said.
What we think EJulie and Tony Peckham’s garden is a perfect example of dividing a garden up to make it seem bigger. Before she started planting, Julie divided it into quarters, and as each one has a different feel, the garden automatically feels much larger than it really is. EJulie collects muscari, but hasn’t let her collection of these small bulbs turn her garden into a formal ‘museum piece’. They’re simply dotted around and blended seamlessly with the rest of the garden, to show them off to great effect.
to scale for it. A patio in one corner of the garden lent itself to splitting the garden into four quarters. Julie knew she wanted a pond in one of the furthest quarters away from the house, the two quarters nearer the house are more formal, with symmetrical beds and low, clipped hedges. “The pond must have been in seven years now. I like it when the primulas are out followed by the fritillarias and persicaria,” Julie said. From the highest point of the garden, there’s a great view over the valley below. “It was one of the things that sold the house to us,” Julie said. “We’re going to put in a terrace so we can sit and see out over the valley.” Even though the garden’s south facing, it’s also 600ft above sea level so it can get
quite cold. “But because we’ve got the hedges we’ve got a little microclimate – it’s more sheltered than when I take the dog across the field!” Julie said. Julie and Tony are both keen gardeners and also have an allotment, which Tony works hard on and where he’s built more of the
ESidestep box blight
If you want low-growing neat little hedges but can’t grow box because of box blight, this miniature euonymus (euonymus ‘Microphyllus Aureovariegatus’) neatly sidesteps the problem. “That was such an economical little hedge. I bought all the plants from B&Q for 90p each – a bargain!” Julie said. “It takes clipping, but I tend to leave it slightly loose.”
ETRY UNUSUAL CONTAINERS
Along with the muscari, Julie says she’s starting to get into alpine plants. She uses chimney pots and terracotta cavity liners from the builders’ merchants to plant them in. “I just spotted them and thought they might do,” she said. If you want to copy the look, use a gritty compost mix and top with a layer of grit to protect the alpines’ crowns and set them off against the terracotta.
sturdy raised beds. “Tony does a lot of the heavy work and hard landscaping. He’s very practical; he says ‘just give me a drawing’. “I’ve always gardened. I don’t think of it as work. Housework is work; housework is an interruption to gardening!” Julie said.
See Julie and Tony’s garden Visit Julie and Tony’s garden at Highfields, Manorstead, Skelmanthorpe, Yorkshire HD8 9DW, when it opens for the National Gardens Scheme on Sunday April 19 and May 17 (2pm-5pm). E Visitors are also welcome by appointment from April 20 to June 30. Admission £2. E Tel: 01484 864336, see The Yellow Book or visit www.ngs.org.uk for more details.
EShow off a collection
Julie plants each variety of muscari she grows in a separate shallow terracotta pot and displays them around the garden. Pot feet help ensure the pots drain well. Muscari ‘Mount Hood’, with its white tops, stands out.
EUSE TULIPS AS ANNUALS Tulips follow the muscari to supply colour for Julie’s open days. She uses a mixture of late and early-flowering varieties. “I don’t use them again, I grow them like annuals,” she said. “And a lot go into pots, which then go into the ground when space is available.”
ECATCHING THE EYE
Looking like a green version of a grape hyacinth, Bellevalia paradoxa catches the eye.
Next week Colourful spring bulbs in Sheffield