GARDEN NOTES

PRECIOUS METAL

There’s more to a great garden than just the plants, and it’s amazing how one or two items of well-designed ironwork – whether it be gates, railings, fencing, garden furniture or perhaps a piece of sculpture – can completely transform a space. West Tanfield blacksmith Adam Crane works with both traditional and state-of-theart techniques to produce beautiful bespoke metalwork. Whether you’re looking for innovative contemporary design or authentic period elegance, his painstaking creations can bring something genuinely unique to your garden or yard. To see a selection of examples of Adam’s work, visit adamcrane.co.uk A Touch of Glass

If you want to up your gardening game, a greenhouse is an absolute must. By starting off your seeds under cover in spring you’ll get a head start of several weeks, extending your growing season and ensuring a bountiful supply of veg and bedding plants later in the year. Off-the-peg greenhouses simply won’t suit everyone, especially if you have an awkward spot to fill. That’s where Wensleydalebased Castle Timber Buildings can help. Their team of experienced joiners can work with you to design a greenhouse that makes the best possible use of your site and matches the style of your garden perfectly. To find out more visit castletimberbuildings.com

Seasonal Sensation Lilac

With their stunning flower heads and intoxicating fragrance, lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) are one of the highlights of late spring and early summer – and they’re as popular with bees and butterflies as they are with us humans. Lilacs are available in a wide range of different colours, from snow white and cream through perky pinks to deep, dark maroon. You can find a good selection at Braithwaites in Leeming Bar (braithwaitesnursery.co.uk). Lilacs do best in full sun on fertile, alkaline-to-neutral soil. Left to their own devices they can easily turn from pretty shrubs into sprawling small trees, so once plants are established prune them regularly to prevent them becoming leggy.

Topical Tip: As soon your hostas start to send up shoots you can think about dividing them to increase your stock. Use a hacksaw or spade to divide tough clumps.

Proper Lopper

Whatever the time of year, there’s always something that needs to be pruned – and often a pair of secateurs simply isn’t powerful enough for the job. This Sophie Conran garden lopper from Burgon & Ball (burgonandball.com) has a bypass action that will produce the kind of clean, neat cut that won’t leave your plants damaged and prone to infection. The drop-forged blade can stand up to repeated heavy use and still stay sharp. The ash handles, with their elegantly contoured grips, are long enough to give a good reach whilst still being comfortable to use. Just the kind of tool you need for thinning and tidying earlyflowering shrubs!

Peony Power

Peonies are every bit as spectacular as roses, but burst onto the garden scene a good deal earlier in the year, at a time when big, bold blooms are a rarity in the borders. The show starts in advance of the flowers, with a profusion of eyecatching new leaves flushed with rich, reddish tones. The exuberant flowers that follow can be white, yellow, pink or crimson according to which cultivar you choose – you’ll find an excellent selection at Ravensworth Nurseries near Richmond (ravensworthnurseries.com). Peonies like fertile soil in a sunny, well-drained spot. They’re not keen on being transplanted, so choose your site with care. Once established, though, they’ll brighten your garden for many springs to come, needing little or no maintenance.

SWEET SUCCESS

Sweetcorn tastes best when cooked within minutes of harvesting, so for the ultimate sweetcorn experience you’ll need to grow your own. Whilst sweetcorn prefers long, hot summers, modern cultivars make it possible to grow it successfully even in damp, dull summers like last year’s. And now’s the time to start. Sow seeds indoors in small pots on a sunny windowsill in a warm room. Ideally they’ll need an ambient temperature of around 20ºC to germinate. When all danger of frost has passed, plant your seedlings in a grid formation, spacing them about 50cm apart – sweetcorn is wind pollinated, so the plants need to be in close proximity to set seed. Water and mulch regularly throughout the growing season.

BBQ Brilliance

The warm weather and the prospect of eating outdoors may be turning your thoughts towards buying a barbecue, but it pays to do your research before investing. If only the best will do, a Primo ceramic grill could be what you’re looking for. Primo grills offer outdoor chefs the precise temperature control you would expect from a gas grill, but without sacrificing the fabulous wood-fire flavour that makes barbecued food so special. With the ability to grill and roast simultaneously – and to smoke meats and bake pizzas – one of these low-maintenance, self-cleaning grills could totally transform your outdoor entertaining. Primo ceramic grills are available from A Bigger Splash (a-biggersplash.co.uk) in Brompton-on-Swale.

GO BUY THE BOOK

At the start of the gardening season it’s good to have a clear plan in mind to ensure that you have colour and cheer – and a plentiful supply of flowers for cutting – in your borders all year round. Sarah Raven’s A Year Full of Flowers: Gardening for all Seasons (Bloomsbury, hardback, £25) walks you through the gardening year month by month, explaining when each kind of plant will be in its prime and what jobs you need to do to keep your flower garden running like clockwork. With its combination of attractive illustrations and practical tips it’s an excellent source of inspiration for anyone keen to have a ready supply of fresh flowers, week in, week out.