Somerset Country Gardener April 2019

The best April garden events throughout Somerset

Bee friendly planting for wildlife heaven

Allotment heaven in Somerset

Grow vegetables without digging

Somerset ISSUE NO 164 APRIL 2019 FREE

www.countrygardener.co.uk

It’s tulip

time

IS YOUR DISPLAY SPECTACULAR THIS SPRING?

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Great gardens to visit ; hawthorn hedges, springtime sauerkraut; colourful carrots, gardens with cats in mind, staking perennials

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Up Front!

“Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world.” - Virgil A. Kraft “I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.”

OUR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GARDENING CALENDAR OVER THE COMING WEEKS IN SOMERSET

Bishop’s Palace garden tours start up for summer

The popular daily tours of the 14-acre gardens at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells start again for the summer on Sunday, 31st March. Throughout the new season at 11am and 2pm there’s a daily palace and chapel tour and then at 12 noon and 3pm a guided tour of the gardens.

The gardens are stunning and tranquil with many herbaceous borders, roses in the parterre, with views from the top of the ramparts, and the contemporary Garden of Reflection.

Over the years the gardens have changed as successive bishops have added their legacy and today it has Grade II listed garden status due to its special historic nature.

In 2016, the gardens were acknowledged by the Royal Horticultural Society, by being made a ‘Partner Garden’ - awarded to gardens of exceptionally high standards of planting and design.

Entry is free every Friday to RHS members with starred cards. The daily tours are included in the admission. Meet just past the ticket gate by the ‘guided tours’ signpost. Adults £8.05 and seniors £7.15.

Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD.

More new garden sculpture at Bristol’s Easter festival

- Marche Blumenberg

HARDY PLANT SOCIETY CELEBRATES WITH PLANT SALE The Hardy Plant Society Somerset Group indoor Plant Sale takes place at West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, Taunton TA2 8NE on Saturday, 27th April from 10 am to 12.30pm.

The event showcases plants produced by the group’s members and local nurseries and will feature interesting and uncommon herbaceous plants and shrubs. There will be plenty of bargains on the HPS’s own plant and book stalls. There’s refreshments available and onsite parking is free. Entry to the event is £1. www.somersethps.com has details of lectures and plant fairs during the rest of the year.

Bristol Botanic Gardens‘ annual Easter Sculpture Festival has a new series of delights awaiting visitors from Friday, 19th April through to Monday, 22nd April.

The botanic garden makes a perfect environment for displaying traditional and modern sculpture.

Now an established event in the southwest arts and gardening calendar, this year’s festival features more sculptors than ever.

“As the garden reawakens in springtime local artists who have been inspired by the natural world display their work. With the garden bursting into life, this will create the perfect environment for visitors to enjoy.“ said curator Nick Wray. The festival opens every day from 10am to 5pm over the Easter weekend.

Bristol Botanic Gardens, Stoke Park Road, Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JG.

Ornamental pot planting at Cothay Manor

Themed garden walks at Barrington Court

Barrington Court has a series of nature themed walks throughout the gardens and wider estate aimed at showing visitors how Barrington’s outdoor spaces and wildlife are cared for starting on Saturday, 6th April and running every day through to Easter Monday, 22nd April. The trail starts at 10.30am. Dogs are welcome and the event is free but normal admission price apply. Barrington Court is a Tudor manor house whose gardens were inspired by Gertrude Jekyll with the focus on plant varieties and colours.

Barrington Court, Barrington, Illminster Somerset TA19 0NQ. www.countrygardener.co.uk

If you are a fan of ornamental pots then there’s a ‘Glorious Pots’ course being organised on Monday, 15th April at Cothay Manor near Wellington from 10.30am to 3pm. The course includes demonstrations of planting pots which will flower until the frost.

You will also learn great ways to support plants using natural materials.

To book, call 01823 672283 or email cothaymanor@btinternet.com Cothay Manor, Greenham, Wellington TA21 0JR. 3

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THE PLANTSMAN

The

EXPLORATION

ner

The

Alpine VOLUME

86 NO.3

THE TIEN SHAN

Garde 2018

| SEPTEMBER

| VOL. No. 3 86 ∙

ABOVE Trollius altaicus favoured a wet meadow LEFT Phlomoides at the roadside speciosa

∙ SEPTEMBER 2018 240∙ pp.

• Quarterly colour journal

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Journal

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Alpine

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meadow. To cap off an extraordinary thousands of Eremurus day, needed source of revenue fuscus created yellow wave on a people. for local a slope beside the road Kyrgyz By mid-June the semi-nomadic to Chichkan. Individually people had mostly they may not be in the same settled their animals league up on the high with in a massed display as E. robustus but, steppe grassy where like this, their tall yellow spires 2m assortment they live all summer in an were of yurts and old The drive to Kochkor a dramatic sight. railway cars. the next day took Many of the women were us back over the busy making kumiss, the fermented Ala Bel Pass. Roadside vendors selling mare’s milk that is much in demand reminder that local honey were a Soon the drifts in this region. the magnificent of Trollius displays also indirectly floral provide a much- Myosotis asiatica, Ranunculus altaicus, and Primula albertii algida necessitated THE ALPINE G ARDENER

296

ABOVE Masses of Eremurus fuscus beside the road to Chichkan RIGHT Primula algida, which was found in several locations

yet another stop.

Susaymyr mountain The snow-capped splendid backdrop range provided a to this floriferous scene. Later, we saw caucasicum growing blue Polemonium through a yellow haze of shrubby Caragana pleiophylla.

Driving east into our route followed a long rocky gorge, the raging Karakol river for many kilometres, the banks barely constraining river the torrent of snowmelt. At a roadside stop (1,887m) deep pink Chesneya ferganica formed SEPTEMBER 2017 197

• Members’ seed exchange • Online plant encyclopaedia • Specialist plant sales and shows, plus local groups • Guided plant tours A full list of our plant fairs and shows, together with conferences is available on our website or contact us for more information.

Visit the Bookshop on our website and see our full list of publications, including our newest title - Meconopsis for Gardeners.

All members can get up to 20% discount on our book prices.

(valid against any book purchased from our bookshop)

Call or visit our website quoting R256 for this limited membership offer.

Reg Charity No. 207478

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R256 The Plantsman December 2018 170x240.indd 1 TP Dec18 cover Outside.indd 1

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Country Gardener

...In Somerset

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A LOOK AT NEWS, EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS IN SOMERSET

Charity week aims to promote gardening benefits The Gardening-for-Health charity Thrive is launching a campaign throughout Somerset to get more people into the garden to experience the health and wellbeing benefits it offers.

It’s Not Just Gardening is a weeklong campaign running from Monday, 1st April to Friday, 5th April promoting how gardening can help: physical health, mental health, social engagement, and learning of new skills.

Drawing on evidence of 40 years experience delivering therapeutic horticulture to clients with a range of long-term health conditions and disabilities, Thrive is encouraging people who have never considered gardening to give it a go.

Thrive chief executive Kathryn Rossiter said: “Whatever your circumstances, gardening can have a positive impact on your personal health and wellbeing. “Physically, it can improve mobility and strength, while mentally it can provide a sense of achievement and purpose.�

The campaign will feature films and web content outlining each of the key benefits, featuring a number of Thrive Ambassadors, including ITV ‘s This Morning gardener David Domoney, BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Mark Lane and gardening blogger and vlogger Annabelle Padwick.

Thrive, which works with clients aged from 14 to 87 at its centres, will also feature some of them explaining how they have benefited from gardening.

It’s Not Just Gardening will help people give gardening a try by not only providing practical tips but also free seeds to kick-off straightforward growing projects that’ll work in anything from veg plots to window boxes.

Somerset gears up to celebrate grow your own Garden centres and nurseries throughout Somerset are gearing up to take part in the RHS campaign to get involved in grow-your-own. Edible Britain week runs from Monday, 29th April to Sunday, 5th May as the RHS calls on gardeners to share their love of home-grown produce.

Now in its eighth year, the annual event has grown in popularity every year with National Gardening Week 2018 seeing hundreds of events taking place around the country and thousands of people sharing their ‘passion for plants’ on social media.

For this year’s theme, the RHS will aim to demonstrate that everyone has space to grow something delicious to eat, whether it’s a single pot of herbs on the windowsill or an allotment overflowing with courgettes and potatoes.

RHS chief horticulturist Guy Barter says, “After it was reported earlier this month that the RHS has seen sales of fruit and vegetable seeds outstrip flowers at its plant centres over the last year, it’s clear that people are keen to reconnect with where their food comes from. We’re supporting this burgeoning interest by encouraging garden centres, nurseries, clubs, societies and other organisations to showcase their edible expertise.� www.countrygardener.co.uk

Sedgemoor council urges residents to use garden waste scheme A Somerset council is urging residents to make more use of a garden waste collection.

It believes it is being underused as the scheme doesn’t have a high enough profile amongst gardeners.

A spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council said: “It is a fast, clean and cheap alternative garden waste collection service. “You get a roomy wheeled bin that is easy to fill as you walk it around your garden, saving time and energy going back and forth. “The bin holds your garden waste neatly in a corner; no more messy piles of leaves blowing in the wind.�

When ready you wheel your bin outside for the fortnightly collection.

The council will collect flowers, plants, grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, weeds and even branches up to four inches across and compost them in Somerset.

SDC is inviting residents to sign up to garden waste collections in time for the spring. The scheme costs ÂŁ56.90 per year, and those signing up to the scheme will receive 25 collections a year. For details call 0300 303 7800.

5

GARDENERS’ CUTTINGS IN SOMERSET

RHS Rosemoor announces the busiest year ever RHS Rosemoor has announced its calendar of events for this year with the emphasis on the quality of its plants and planting. There’s also a strong commitment on what the RHS gardens offer to groups visiting the popular Devon garden from a wider area of the southwest.

From flower shows and winter walks to rose festivals, artisan food fairs, specialist plant weekends and craft showcases, it is the busiest year yet for the gardens which sit in the Torridge Valley, between Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks.

Voted one of the best places in the country to see roses, and home to the only RHS Flower Show in the South West, it offers world-class horticulture.

Visitors who are travelling as part of a group of 10 – whether this is friends, extended family or perhaps a gardening or allotment society – can benefit from discounted group rates of £7 per person as well as options for private tours or special catering packages.

The highlights of events at RHS Garden Rosemoor over the next few weeks include: Saturday, 27th and Sunday, 28th April RHS NATIONAL RHODODENDRON SHOW Saturday, 4th, Sunday, 5th May and Monday 6th May: SPRING DESIGN FOR LIVING FAIR Showcasing a wealth of West Country creative talent.

Saturday, 11th and Sunday,12th May PLANT HERITAGE SPRING FAIR About rare and disappearing plants from the world’s leading cultivated plant conservation charity.

40,000 TULIPS COME INTO VIEW AT FORDE ABBEY During the months of April and May, over 40,000 tulips will be in bloom in the popular garden at Forde Abbey on the Somerset and Dorset border, a spectacular

sea of colour and a sight to enjoy in spring.

It’s an annual delight that started in the autumn of 2013, when 13,000 bulbs were planted in the herbaceous beds to give an early start to colour. Keen to evolve the tradition of tulips and with a mind to sustainability, Joshua Sparkes, head gardener, has created a fresh new design for 2019 that allows tulips to have more of a perennial nature.

Velvety reds and purples will feature under a canopy of acid green, and oranges and whites intermingling with pinks. After the pared back minimalism of the winter scape, it will be a spring catwalk of colour bolstered with biennials to include; white foxgloves, delphiniums, wallflowers, purple hesperis and white honesty, purple and black kale and flowering rocket.

Two interconnecting swirls have also been planted with tulip bulbs to allow visitors to be able to wander through the planting scheme of tulips either side.

Forde Abbey Estate, Chard TA20 4LU 6

Country Gardener

Wednesday 29th May AN AFTERNOON WITH CHRIS BEARDSHAW A full list of events prices and opening times is available at www.rhs.org.uk RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH.

Hestercombe Garden’s poetry competit ion to celebrate spring

With the onset of spring, and as a nod to their newest restoration project at Hestercombe Gardens just outside Taunton, there’s the chance for young writers to enter a poetry competition on the theme of ‘spring’.

Winners of the competition will get the chance to read their poem at the official ceremony on Wednesday, 17th April and will also be invited to take part in a writing masterclass with one of the competition’s judges, international bestselling author Vicky Holmes. Winners will also get £25 in book tokens to spend on their favourite reads.

The age categories for the competition are split into three: 11 and under, 12 to 15, and 16 to 21.

How to enter: online at www.hestercombe. com/poetry or by post to: Spring Poetry Competition, Hestercombe Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 8LG. Include name and age, and a contact number on postal entries. Closing date for entries is Monday 1st April.

© RHS/Oliver Kite

RHS National Rhododendron Show 27 & 28 April

Saturday 11.30 (after judging) – 4pm, Sunday 10am – 4pm Book online at rhs.org.uk/rosemoor and save 10% Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH Every visit supports the charitable work of the RHS

Supported by

RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

www.countrygardener.co.uk

7

RHS MALVERN

a springtime treat

Set against the Malvern Hills, RHS Malvern’s spring festival in May sees gardening come into life for the new season

For one of the hottest tickets on the horticultural calendar, the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, continues to grow in reputation and style.

Situated at the foot of the Malvern Hills at Three Counties Showground, the four-day festival from Thursday, 9th May to Sunday, 12th May has everything for keen horticulturalists and gardening novices alike.

The festival, in association with Great Little Breaks, has been held at the showground since it began in 1985. Seen by many as the start of spring, the festival opens the door to the summer season, attracting more than 100,000 people annually.

With more than ever on offer at RHS Malvern this year, visitors can expect a host of horticultural highlights.

“We are always so proud to welcome everyone to the showground, from RHS Gold Medal winning show garden designers to the many wonderful nurseries that exhibit in our Floral Marquee,” commented Di Walton, head of shows at Three Counties.

“Each brings their own talent and knowledge and it’s what our visitors love so much.”

The show gardens at RHS Malvern, are a treat for any visitor. In 2019, eight show gardens and four Green Living Spaces will be on display - seven of which will be from brand new designers to RHS Malvern.

The Floral Marquee is home to a stellar selection of 70 hand-picked leading nurseries from across the UK. A haven for gardeners wishing to take something special home, the marquee is a great place to quiz the experts on how to improve your gardening.

In a first for 2019, the marquee will feature an indoor plants area, where visitors can pick up the very best for 8

What does it cost?

The show opens from 9am to 6pm THURSDAY, 9TH MAY: Adults: £36 online in advance, £40 on the day. Group tickets: £33 in advance, £40 on the day FRIDAY, 10TH MAY: Adults: £24 online in advance, £28 on the day. Group tickets: £33 in advance, £40 on the day SATURDAY, 11TH MAY: Adults: £21 online in advance, £25 on the day. Group tickets: £22 in advance, £25 on the day SUNDAY, 12TH MAY: Adults: £21 online in advance £25 on the day. Group tickets: £19 in advance, £25 on the day.

Free parking at the showground indoor living. The rise in popularity of indoor growing comes after the hashtag #plantsofinstagram attracted millions of followers.

In the house plants show, ten award winning nurseries will be exhibiting plants for indoor spaces – from trendy succulents and air plants to all colours of rainbow streptocarpus and luscious exotics foliage. Plans are also in the pipeline for Instagram-friendly points throughout the showground.

With more than 37 per cent of the British population living in rented accommodation, the Green Living Spaces area is about bringing the outdoors in. For everything from patio to balcony gardening, the area demonstrates that having no garden at all is not an excuse to not grow plants, and how even a small windowsill can be the perfect growing spot.

Advance tickets to RHS Malvern Spring Festival are now on sale. Children under 16 go free.

WHEN:

Thursday, 9th May to Sunday, 12th May

WHERE:

Three Counties Showground, Malvern,Worcestershire WR13 6NW

CONTACT DETAILS:

Tel: 01684 584900 www.rhsmalvern.co.uk

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Barn Close Nurseries

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• Perennials now in stock • Clematis £6.00 each • Geraniums £3.00 for ten • Busy lizzies, lobelia, Petunias £10.00 per 100 • Bedding begonias £10.00 per 100 • Basket plants 60p each • Baskets now being refilled from £11.50 for 12 inch basket • Planted wheelbarrows £30.00 each • Levington professional compost 75 litres £6.40 per bag 5 bags £30.00 Why use mail order or garden centres when you can buy quality plants locally at lower prices?

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9

Plastic

free gardening?

Former Castle Drogo head gardener Emma Robertson is aiming to run her new nursery completely plastic free and has advice for those who want to join in her campaign A passion for plants, the love of being outdoors and closer to nature or simply the joy of getting your hands dirty.

There are many reasons why gardening is a much-loved pastime. Our back gardens reduce C02 emissions, attract wildlife and create green, quiet havens within a busy modern world. It therefore seems ironic that the horticultural industry is such a huge supplier of single use plastic.

Causing pollution during the manufacturing process and then from the throw away culture it is designed for. It is not until you stop and actually look around your own garden that you see just how much plastic has crept into the picture.

Labels, pots, seed trays, watering cans, compost bags and garden tools.

There are an estimated 500 million plant pots produced every year.

After many years working in horticulture, I recently started a new adventure of opening my own plant nursery. Suddenly I had to make decisions about how I grow and sell my plants and was immediately hit with a dilemma. Should I use plastic? Just how easy is it to go plastic free, and what alternatives are out there?

I made the decision to start as I mean to go on and launched a plastic free mail order service using only biodegradable packaging and bare root plants. I am now working hard to reduce the amount of plastic I use in all other areas of the nursery and here is a little of what I have learned so far.

First and foremost, it is not easy. The horticulture industry as a whole has got a lot of work to do towards plastic reduction.

There are some good alternatives on the market. The main 10

Alternatives on trial - Rhizo Pots - fabric pot, Haxnicks - bamboo fibre pot, Jiffy - Coco fibre pot, biodegradable seedling bag, coir pot and wooden plant labels

issue is availability, making it hard for nurseries and garden centres to get hold of large numbers. Countries like India, Thailand, China and America are producing some really interesting products and seem to be so much more advanced then we are in the UK. These products then have to be imported which brings its own carbon footprint and a higher cost. Plastic alternatives on average are at least three times more expensive.

This has a big impact for nurseries and growers who need to stay competitive.

So why is plastic in our gardens such a problem?

The main issue is the lack of recycling Iris sibirica in flower on the nursery available. Many types of council do not include black plastic pots in kerbside collection because the sorting machines cannot detect them.

Most of the time after a plant is put in the ground, the pot then sits in a shed before heading off to landfill, along

Country Gardener

with the pretty plant label and the carry tray it came home in. Steps are being made to solve this problem with designated drop off points for recycling. You can find your nearest one by searching www.recyclenow.com.

Unfortunately they can often be miles away from where you live. A break through has recently come from a company called Aeroplas who have produced a range of taupe coloured pots which can included in household recycling.

Taupe may not be the most striking colour but lets hope that this season taupe is the new black. Momentum for change is growing and conservation charities like the National Trust and the RHS are both launching initiatives, with the National Trust pledging to end most plastic products by 2022 and the RHS funding research into alternatives.

Here are a few ways we can reduce the use of plastic in our own gardens.

Re use or recycle your plastic

This is a good first step and one I am also adhering to on the nursery. If we all went out tomorrow and just simply got rid of our plastic we would just add to the waste problem. Instead if we can reuse the plastic we have it reduces the amount we need to buy in. Reusing plant pots and plant labels is a perfect example; a good wash and they can be used again and again. When these items need replacing we can then recycle them and purchase alternatives.

Buying your plants bare root

One way of combating the collection of unwanted pots is to buy your plants bare root.

Bare root plants are often field grown and require far less water then those in nursery pots resulting in strong plants with developed root systems. Some garden centres now offer a depotting service where you can leave the pot at the check out and have your plants wrapped in paper to take home.

Use plastic alternatives

There are good alternatives on the market, some for long term use of around three – five years and others that break down within two to 12 months, once planted up. I have been trialling both types, using the long term pots for perennial plants and the short term for quick sale items and growing on.

My favourite has to be Rhizo pots. Made from recycled plastic bottles and turned into a biodegradable fabric. They fold flat for storage and are designed to create fibrous roots through

air root pruning.

Pots are being developed using sustainable plant materials like bamboo fibre, rice husks and miscanthus grass. Vipot are a company who have been making plant fibre pots for some time now. They can last up to five years but will biodegrade in nine to 18 months if broken up and added to the compost heap.

I recently trialled bamboo fibre pots and was surprised by just how heavy they are.

Three times heavier in fact then the same size plastic pot which would take some lifting once full of compost and carried in trays. Individually though I think they look good enough to display in the home.

It is also worth mentioning that plant fibre pots can become brittle as they age and often break if dropped.

Coir and wood fibre pots biodegrade within 12 months and can be planted straight into the ground causing the plants little root disturbance.

They are perfect for growing bedding, herbs and vegetable plants.

For the first time I have also tried using seedling bags. They look like teabags and are a little tricky to fill with compost but take up less room then cell trays and are really affordable for growing on seedlings.

Coir pots, wooden trays and Iris reticulata

Emma Robertson has 15 years horticultural experience and moved to Devon to manage the Formal and Woodland Garden at Knightshayes and was recently the National Trust head gardener at Castle Drogo, She is now setting up her own plant nursery, Tor Garden Plants in Brentor.

As part of setting up the new plant nursery she is working towards it being plastic free which she is finding difficult but has been trialling different alternatives pots and labels.

Starting the plant nursery made me really think about my responsibility to the environment. As a result I have discovered a range of alternative options and solutions. It is just a shame that I really had to look hard to find them and many are not yet affordable.

Hopefully as awareness is raised and we as gardeners make even the smallest changes in how we use plastic we can work towards a future where gardening is in harmony with nature. www.countrygardener.co.uk

11

VERY HIGH stakes!

Perennials won’t stay bolt upright of their own accord - but what supports and stakes should you buy to make sure they grow straight and tall?

Perennials in borders will almost certainly put on strong lush growth that makes them vulnerable to collapse, especially after heavy rain or strong winds.

Staking them early in the season will help avoid disaster.

In particular tall plants and hybrids with large flowers require additional support.

It is a misconception commonly entertained by gardeners of all generations that herbaceous perennials, looking just fabulous as they power upwards and start to form their buds, will stay bolt upright all by themselves for the whole summer.

Most of them don’t.

It only needs a downpour or a gust or two and flowercovered clumps (herbaceous geraniums and asters) can open up and collapse, while majestic spires (e.g. delphiniums and verbascums) may lean, tumble and snap.

So you need to support and you need to plan to support.

Plant supports should be ideally inserted in spring, before plants have made too much growth. The plants will then grow through the support and hide it from view. Later staking is difficult as plant growth is more advanced and can easily be damaged. It may be necessary to continue tying the stems or raise the level of the used supports as the plant grows.

Increasingly appealing to many of us is the idea of supporting our plants more naturally, using hedgerow prunings of hazel, willow or birch. But the extra work and skill involved are not inconsiderable. At the top end of the effort spectrum are the woven structures that last for one season.

Brushwood is often recommended. It is the twiggy prunings from shrubs and trees and is pushed in around a clump of plants to give support.

The problem is that some types are more available and better lasting than others, which is why peasticks are generally advocated.

There are hazel or birch prunings (beech, occasionally).

Peasticks are used to support peas and everything else.

The National Trust uses a range of supports, but mainly its own hazel cut in late January to early February.

Unless you are artistic and dexterous, you may need to be taught to make these. Getting the basics right may be straightforward but ensuring they are stakes of genuine quality and weather resistance is often another matter.

Then of course there’s the ever increasing number of manufactured ornamental stakes, many very attractive but also often very expensive.

12

On the market is an array of wire grids, construct-it-yourself half-hoops on legs and ingenious spirals, a few of them aesthetically pleasing in their own right. They can all do a great job of supporting/encircling perennials if put in place at, crucially, the appropriate time (generally in early May) and equally crucially, at the right height to provide invisible support when the plants are in full flower and at their most vulnerable.

It is also a case of “horses for courses” as most borders contain plants with varying growth and flower habits, so you need to build up a huge array of these metal stakes.

On the face of it they seem like an extravagance, which is why so many gardeners fail to support their plants adequately.

But most of them (particularly the now fashionable rusty metal supports) last for years and so can be viewed as an investment.

Why stake perennials?

• Plants with tall brittle stems and substantial flower spikes such as delphinium are easily damaged by strong winds • Clumps of many perennials can split and flop on the ground in bad weather or under the weight of their own flowers • Even shorter perennials may droop over the edges of the border damaging the turf and will require staking • Peonies or dahlias in particular can be too heavy and may need to be staked individually to be able to appreciate the blooms • Collapsed stems can also smother adjoining plants

Staking problems Prevent physical damage to plants during the staking process by inserting supports starting early in the season when the growth commences.

Tying stems too tightly to the support can lead to stem damage.

Secure growing stems regularly or add another tier of string or netting to prevent the plants outgrowing the support and subsequent damage.

Country Gardener

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13

Parrot tulips have exotic wavy, Double late tulips produce giant peony twisted and deeply frilled petals shaped flowers on very sturdy stems

Lily tulips are particularly useful for cut flower arrangements

Fringed tulips are contemporary flowers with finely fringed, petals

Viridiflora tulips or green tulips are almost entirely green with a hint of colour

Fleeting but fabulous tulips Matt Rees-Warren urges you to be adventurous when it comes to making the most of the much-loved options offered by tulips in your garden Earlier this year, as I walked around the recent Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival, looking at eye-watering prices for singular bulbs and overhearing the whispers of galanthophiles, my mind was put back many centuries to the defining moment in horticultural horse trading – tulipomania.

So seismic was this event that it’s now the default terminology for any runaway speculative bubble (maybe the first and last time horticulture dictated the global financial markets). The 17th century public were in raptures to the humble tulip and all dispassionate reason was replaced by wild folly and unbridled sensationalism.

It seems a rather fabulous proposition, in today’s landscape, to envision a whole world going cock-a-hoop over the minute detail of feathered ‘Bizarres’ and flaming ‘Bybloemens’.

It did, however, have more serious connotations, and as land and livelihoods were traded for just one bulb, many lost everything in the madness of the pursuit of money.

Snowdrops, however, have little chance of reaching such influential heights. But it’s worth remembering why the craze began in the first place – beauty.

It’s hard to imagine any garden worth its salt not being adorned with at least some tulips in the late spring sunshine.

And it’s not just the English garden which is still enamoured to their delights, the rest of the world still reveres and admires the short flowering wonder all these centuries later.

14

It’s all well and good admiring from afar, but it’s only really with the selection, endeavour and refinement of growing your own tulips that they truly pull you under their spell.

And for that we need to go a back a little, and that’s because the beginning of the cyclical calendar for tulips begins, for me and many others, in September or October, when the orders begin.

Catalogues from growers working on that same hallowed ground as began the tulip boom - the fertile fields of the tulip nation, the Netherlands – spill over the table. Page after page after page of every colour in nature’s rainbow (except blue), pour out in a giddying riddle of variety.

It’s this endless choice that leads to thoughtless gluttony and it takes practice to show reserve and constraint.

I like to choose in threes – three sets of three different tulips, all in variation of the theme or colour I’ve chosen for the year.

So, I might be inspired by the 17th century tastes and go for parrot or fringed shapes with strong ‘breaking’ (a disease that causes two colours to literally ‘break’ into one another) colour characteristics. Then you have continuity throughout the selection without the banality of choosing singular varieties.

Some might caution against using many different varieties together because of the different flowering times, but I find this matters less than you think as it all comes together in the end.

Country Gardener

My perfect tulip collection

17th century style

Double early tulips are dwarf growing tulips that flower prolifically in April

• Texas flame - parrot • Estella rynveld - parrot • Irene parrot - parrot • Marilyn - lily • Hermitage - triumph • Monsella - double early • Ballerina - lily • Texas flame - parrot • World expression - cottage

Moody expressionist

Triumph tulips are a result of a crossing between two premium varieties, single early and Darwin varieties and produce outstanding colours

Maybe just watch out if you are putting the earliest with the latest flowering. But, this is the joy of tulips anyway; take chances, be brave and then if it doesn’t work out you can start all over again next year.

When the bulbs arrive in November I’ll seek out last years hiding in the dark corner of the shed, edit out the best 1/3 of the bunch, and plant those out into the main herbaceous borders. It’s a Darwinian approach - only the biggest, healthiest and strongest survive.

The new are given the elevated garden stagecraft of pots; sawn barrels, stone, terracotta, zinc, bronze, or my particular favourite – victorian copper in classical turquoise. To me the tulip and the pot are inseparable in the English garden, much like the lemon tree and terracotta is to the an Italian garden.

When potting up all the usual rules apply: plant two to threetimes their own height deep, put in plenty of grit and remember to give the bulb enough compost or rich loam to feed on – they are hungry plants. Wait until late November or after the first frosts to plant and don’t worry about cramming them in, they will find a way through.

In the end it’s often a fleeting show and it’s often a fleeting lifespan that the tulip has, mainly due to the inherent beauty of the disease (breaking) that brings about its eventual demise. The main thing, however, is to remember to revel in their glorious flowers - the fruits of your labour.

It seems that plants really do capture the imagination, yet rarely has a plant won over so many, and etched so deep a mark in history, as the indomitable tulip.

To be entwined to the tulip is to be in love with the art of gardening, as there can be no space not enlivened by their goblets of colour splashed about in the late spring sunshine. www.countrygardener.co.uk

• Rococo - parrot • Black hero - double late • Blue parrot - parrot • Negrita parrot - parrot • Arie hoek - double early • Black charm - triumph • Garden fire - parrot • Burgundy - lily • Black hero - double late

Elegant pastel

• La belle epoque - double early • Curly sue - fringed • Madonna - parrot • Angelique - double late • Golden artist - viridiflora • Attila - triumph • La belle epoque - double early • Blue heron - fringed • Jordon - triumph Each set of three can be used independently but for the maximum effect have all the three sets in each collection running through the garden.

The tulips can be ordered from Peter Nyssen, deJager www.dejager.co.uk or Jparkers, with varying degrees of price and quality – In my humble view Jparkers www.jparkers.co.uk represent the best value but Peter Nyssen www.peternyssen.com has a quality edge.

15

Fairfield, Stogursey

GARDEN Visits THE BEST GARDENS TO VISIT NEAR YOU compiled by Heather Rose

From the vibrant sharp green of emerging leaves to dazzling blossoms and bulbs, this is a magical time to get out and explore gardens that open their gates for charity.

We’ve highlighted three great Somerset gardens and then for those who want to travel out of the county there’s an even greater choice. We advise checking wherever possible before starting out on a journey as circumstances can force closures in private gardens (for gardens opening for the National Gardens Scheme, visit www.ngs.org.uk).

We’re introducing a key to facilities on offer at the gardens: Refreshments available Plants usually for sale Wheelchair access to much of garden Partial wheelchair access

Unsuitable for wheelchairs Dogs on short leads Visitors welcome by arrangement Coaches welcome consult owners

LITTLE ORCHARD

FAIRFIELD Stogursey, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA4 1PU The informal garden at the home of Lady Acland Hood Gass, former Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, surrounds the house (not open) which dates from the 12th century, mostly rebuilt in Elizabethan times; the woodland garden has many naturalised spring bulbs, shrubs and fine trees; there’s a paved maze, and the 18th century park has views of the Quantock Hills and the sea. Open for the NGS on Sunday 14th April, 2pm-4pm. dmission £4, children free.

8 Church Road, East Huntspill, Nr Highbridge Somerset TA9 3PG

ELWORTHY COTTAGE Elworthy, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3PX A tranquil wildlifefriendly garden on the edge of Exmoor, attached to a nursery, with spring flowers and more than 350 varieties of snowdrops, island beds, unusual perennials, ornamental trees and shrubs.

Open for the NGS on Thursday 11th, Easter Monday 22nd and Thursday 25th April, 11am-4pm. Admission £4, children free.

Contact Mike and Jenny Spiller, on 01984 656427 or email: mike@elworthy-cottage.co.uk or visit the website for other opening dates at www.elworthy-cottage.co.uk 16

Country Gardener

Opening for St Margaret’s Hospice on Sunday 28th April from 11am-4pm, this one and a half acre garden has been developed lovingly over 25 years

by Richard and Marion from horse paddocks, now a stunning garden on the edge of the Somerset Levels boasting a fine collection in an arboretum, with bulbs, hellebores, camellias, azaleas and japonica. Admission £3, children free. More details contact Richard and Marion Newman on 01278 780327 or email ram.newman@btinternet.com.

GARDENS F URTHER AF IELD WORTH A TRIP

ALGARS MANOR

BYES REACH

Station Road, Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire, BS37 9TB Two acres of woodland garden beside River Frome.

A mill stream, native plants mixed with collections of 60 magnolias and 70 camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas, eucalyptus and other unusual trees and shrubs; daffodils and other early spring flowers. Open for the NGS on Sunday 28th April, 2pm-5pm. Admission £5, children free. Admission also gives entry to nearby Algars Mill.

26 Coulsdon Road, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 9JP An edible garden of quarter of an acre backing onto The Byes Nature Reserve and River Sid; potager-style, with raised beds and an espalier fruit archway, designed for those with mobility problems; colour-themed herbaceous borders, perennials, herbs, ferns and hostas; a pond, rill, rockeries, greenhouse and a studio. Use of recycled material and a sculptured fountain.

Open for the NGS on Saturday 20th to Easter Monday 22nd April, 1.30pm-5.30pm. Admission £4, children free. For more details contact Lynette Talbot & Peter Endersby on 01395 578081 or email latalbot01@gmail.com.

JOB’S MILL Five Ash Lane, Crockerton, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 8BB A delightful five-acre garden through which the River Wylye flows, laid out on many levels surrounding an old converted water mill, with water garden, herbaceous border, vegetable garden, orchard, riverside and woodland walks and secret garden, and grass terraces designed by Russell Page. Spring bulbs and erythronium and perhaps the tallest growing wisteria? Open for the NGS on Saturday 13th April, 2pm5pm. Admission £4.50, children free.

ALLINGTON GRANGE Allington, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 6LW Informal country garden of one and a half acres, around a 17th century farmhouse (not open) with year-round interest. Many early spring bulbs, mixed and herbaceous borders, colour themed; white garden with water fountain, walled potager, small orchard with chickens and wildlife pond. Open for the NGS on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April, 2pm-5pm. Admission £5, children free. For more details contact Mrs Rhyddian Roper on 01249 447436 or email rhyddianroper@hotmail.co.uk, http://www.allingtongrange.com. www.countrygardener.co.uk

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GARDENS F URTHER AF IELD WORTH A TRIP

HORN PARK Tunnel Road, Beaminster, Dorset, DT8 3HB

CHIDEOCK MANOR Chideock, Bridport, Dorset, DT6 6LF A large plantsman’s garden with magnificent views over the Dorset countryside towards the sea, many rare and mature plants and shrubs in terraced, herbaceous, rock and water gardens; woodland garden and walks in the bluebell woods, magnolia, rhododendron and bulbs.

Open for the NGS on Wednesday 24th April, 11am-5pm.

Admission £4.50, children free. For more details contact Mr & Mrs David Ashcroft on 01308 862212 or email angieashcroft@btinternet.com.

A large plantsman’s garden with magnificent views over the Dorset countryside towards the sea, many rare and mature plants and shrubs in terraced, herbaceous, rock and water gardens; woodland garden and walks in the bluebell woods, magnolia, rhododendron and bulbs. Open for the NGS on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April, 2pm-5pm. Admission £6, children free. For more details contact Mr & Mrs Howard Coates on 07885 551795 or email deirdrecoates9@gmail.com.

TERSTAN Longstock, Stockbridge, Hampshire, SO20 6DW A garden for all seasons, developed over 45 years into a profusely planted, contemporary cottage garden in peaceful surroundings, with vistas, an unusual gravel garden, a vegetable and cutting garden, surrounded by views across the River Test to the Hampshire Downs. Open for the NGS on Sunday 26th April, 2pm-6pm. Admission £5, children free. For more details contact Alexander & Penny Burnfield, email paburnfield@gmail. com, http://www.pennyburnfield.wordpress.com

GREATCOMBE Holne, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ13 7SP A tranquil garden nestled in a Dartmoor valley, with babbling stream, swathes of colour and textual foliage., gentle paths and lawns bordered by spring flowering shrubs, herbaceous plants and ornamental grasses. Visit the artist’s studio. Open for the NGS on Good Friday 19th April, Saturday 20th, Easter Sunday 21st April and Easter Monday 22nd April, 1pm-5pm. Admission £4, children free.

For more details contact Robbie & Sarah Richardson on 07725 314887 or email sarah@greatcombe.com.

18

Country Gardener

PENCARROW Washaway, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 3AG

CHYGURNO Lamorna, Cornwall, TR19 6XH A beautiful, three-acre cliffside garden overlooking Lamorna Cove, with mainly southern hemisphere shrubs and exotics with hydrangeas, camellias and rhododendrons; woodland area with tree ferns set against large granite outcrops, the garden terraced with steep steps and paths.

Plenty of benches to enjoy the wonderful views.

Open for the NGS on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April, 2pm-5pm. Admission £5, children free. For more details contact Dr & Mrs Robert Moule on 01736 732153 or email rmoule010@ btinternet.com.

You’ll find 50 acres of tranquil, family-owned Grade II listed gardens at Pencarrow, with specimen conifers, azaleas, magnolias, camellias and around 700 rhododendron varieties. Discover the Iron Age hill fort, lake, Italian gardens and granite rockery and children’s play area. Open for the NGS on Monday 8th April, 10am-5.30pm.

Admission £6.50, children free.

For more details contact the Molesworth-St Aubyn family on 01208 841369 or email info@pencarrow.co.uk, www.pencarrow.co.uk.

20 FORSDENE WALK Coalway, Coleford, Gloucestershire, GL16 7JZ A corner garden filled with interest and design ideas to maximise smaller spaces; with a series of interlinking colour themed rooms, some on different levels and packed with perennials, grasses, ferns and bamboos. A pergola, small manmade stream, fruit and vegetables and pots in abundance on gravelled areas. Open for the NGS on Easter Sunday 21st April, 11am-4pm. Admission £3, children free. For more details contact Pamela Buckland on 01594 837179.

KNITSON OLD FARMHOUSE Corfe Castle, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5JB A mature cottage garden nestled at the base of chalk downland with herbaceous borders, rockeries, climbers and shrubs, evolved and designed over 50 years for year-round colour and interest, and a large wildlife-friendly kitchen garden. Open for the NGS on Good Friday 19th April to Easter Monday 22nd April, 2pm-6pm. Admission £4, children free. For more details contact Rachel Helfer on 01929 421681 or email rjehelfer@gmail.com. www.countrygardener.co.uk

19

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20

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Gardeners Delight Nursery

Summer Houses, Log Cabins, Decking, Home Offices, Workshops, Play Houses, Chicken Houses Compound A, Dunball Wharf, Bristol Road, Bridgwater TA6 4BJ Telephone 01278 686267 Fir Tree, Galhampton, Nr Sparkford, Yeovil BA22 7BH Telephone 01963 440464 Fax 01963 441244

Open 7 days a week www.promptcabins.com

FAIRFIELD

Stogursey, near Bridgwater OPENING TIMES 2019 April - September 2.30pm - 4.30pm Guided Tours of the House Gardens also open Contact for dates and times 01278 732251 or 01278 732617 Entry £6 Proceeds to Stogursey Church Elizabethan & Medieval House with Woodland Garden at the foot of the Quantock Hills TA5 1PU 01278 732 251 (ST 187 430) 11 miles NW of Bridgwater, 8 miles E Williton

WHITE POST NURSERY Langford Budville Friendly family run Nursery Unusual plants & old favourites Wide selection of perennials, shrubs, climbers, trees, roses, herbs & veg.

Summer plants, some unusual, for patio & baskets. Time to bring in baskets & containers for planting.

Cafe with freshly cooked food Closed Sun & Mon Tel 01823 400322 Mini digger & driver hire, garden landscaping & design ideas Ring Andy 07788 292004

01823 400234/07887 654802 www.white-post.co.uk

Country Gardener

GET MORE FROM YOUR GARDEN THIS

Spring

For the latest garden news, events & advice - don't miss COUNTRY GARDENER

PLANTING HAWTHORN AS A

native British hedge It may be that we have forgotten why and how to plant a native British hedge but opting for a easy to grow and maintain hawthorn will help the countryside fight back

Country hedges have a history going back to the Bronze Age, making them one of the oldest man made features in the British landscape.

They’re also beautiful things and a fantastic resource for wildlife and foragers. Of all the options you have when planting a traditional hedge, the hawthorn is perhaps one of the most under rated.

Planting a native hawthorn hedge will give you a colourful and secure hedge which is easy to grow and maintain and depending on which variety you choose will be spectacular.

Hawthorns are deciduous ornamental trees, many of which are suitable for even average-sized gardens. They look fabulous in late spring, covered in their flowers, and often again in autumn when glossy fruit and autumn leaf colours provide more interest and colour. Most produce glossy foliage.

They are also known as May flowers and May blossom. The old rhyme “Here we go gathering knots of May”, refers to the tradition of picking the flowers.

It is a slow growing tree in the apple family with a rounded habit and sometimes multiple stems. It makes a nice addition to a wildlife planting in a meadow or hedgerow with other fruiting trees. Birds, especially cedar waxwings, enjoy the berries and they also can be harvested and made into jams.

Because of its size and three seasons of interest, hawthorn makes a great plant for small space gardens.

However, the tree can have sizable thorns that make it difficult to work around.

There are some thornless varieties on the market.

Plant bare-root trees between through to April, and container-grown ones any time of year. Dig a hole two feet square and a foot deep. Add a layer of organic matter – such as compost or well-rotted manure – to the base of the hole and dig in. Place the roots in the planting hole and adjust the planting depth so that the tree is planted at the same depth as it was originally growing and the top of the roots are level with the soil surface.

Mix in more organic matter with the excavated soil and fill in the planting hole. Stake the tree with a rigid tree stake and two tree ties so that it is fully supported against the prevailing winds.

They need little or no maintenance pruning, except to remove dead, diseased or dying growth and to thin out overcrowded and rubbing branches. If pruning is needed, it is best carried

Hawthorn will provide a colourful, secure hedge

out any time from late autumn to early spring.

As with all our native plants, common hedge species have unique relationships with native fauna. When they think about the food that they provide most people think about the berries for birds and small mammals – and larger mammals like gardeners! There’s a largely unnoticed community of animals further down the food chain, however, which depends on a hedge for other forms of sustenance.

Frosts are an enemy of the immature hedge. If there are heavy frosts after planting, the soil can break up, so the plants may need to be firmed in again. Severe frosts will cause damage to leaves – generally they will recover but weather damage is always a risk you need to be aware of, particularly with new plants.

In windy sites, the wind can ‘rock’ new plants opening up air pockets where either frost can get in or roots can be exposed to drying winds. Firm in the plants from time to time. Ideally evergreens need to be sheltered from drying winds during their first winter and growing season. If the weather is particularly severe or the site is subject to strong winds, it would be sensible to put up some windbreak netting to help prevent the plants drying out before their roots are established.

Hedge plants are planted close together so there is competition between the roots for nutrients and the trimming of hedges clips away much of the plant’s foodproducing unit so an annual mulch of well rotted manure or compost or any annual feed of a foliar fertiliser is helpful to maintain vigour.

Hawthorn varieties Crataegus laevigata Paul’s Scarlet is a small, rounded tree covered in showy, light red double flowers.

Crataegus laevigata Rosea Flore Pleno is a small, rounded tree with pink double flowers.

Crataegus monogyna is the common hawthorn. It is a rounded tree with masses of cream flowers, followed by dark red berries in autumn. It can also be used as a hedging plant.

Crataegus persimilis Prunifolia forms a small, broad tree with white flowers, deep red berries and fabulous fiery red and orange autumn foliage.

www.countrygardener.co.uk

21

GARDENING JOBS

FOR APRIL

JOBS IN THE GARDEN

The lengthening days make this the perfect time to set up the garden for the rest of the summer.

Here’s what now might need doing in the garden.

Bed of roses Foliage-feed the first new growth on the roses and continue to do so every three to four weeks to avoid the use of toxic rose sprays. An organic tonic is the best option for this time of the year which will help to ward off blackspot and mildew which will be lying dormant and ready to pounce.

A handful of slow-release organic blood, fish and bone spread evenly about the roots will set up the health of your plants.

Plant dahlia tubers Bringing dahlias in for the winter doesn’t just protect them against frost. It also allows them to dry out properly, and helps you bring them on a bit earlier. They’re now ready to be planted.

Give tubers a sprinkling of water in early spring, and they’ll start to produce young shoots in April. Discard any tubers that look diseased or damaged.

Dig a planting hole; making sure it isn’t too deep. The shoots are still delicate, and you don’t want to damage them.

Gently pour coarse sand over the tubers;

this prevents them from rotting and it’s also a great slug repellent.

Backfill with soil and add a ring of sand to mark the planting spot. It’s also another useful means of combating those pesky slugs and snails.

Write labels for each dahlia cultivar and place them correctly next to each plant; a foolproof way to remember what you’ve planted in a few months’ time.

TOUGHEN UP GREENHOUSE PLANTS Start hardening off greenhouse grown plants to give them a chance to toughen up and make them better able to withstand pests and weather. Choose a clement day to begin and start by putting them outside, out of cold winds, strong rain or sun and somewhere out of reach of marauding slugs. Allow a week or two before planting out, once all chance of frost has passed.

Sweet peas can be sown this month

Colourful courgettes

It is time to get courgettes under way either in a heated propagator or just covered in the greenhouse Many gardeners grow them as much for the flowers as for the fruits, and so grow at least ten to allow for frequent picking. When it comes to varieties try striped ‘Striato di Napoli’, spherical ‘De Nice a Fruit Rondo’, golden ‘Soleil’, deepest green ‘Nero di Milano’ and pale and bulbous ‘Trieste White’.

22

Sow seeds of sweet peas into deep pots or roottrainers as they dislike disturbance to their roots. Sweet peas will sprout in 21 to 30 days if the soil temperature is 38° Fahrenheit (3.3° celsius) and the germination rate, or number of seeds that do sprout, will be low.

Or, instead, look out for young plants in nurseries and garden centres. Check whether they are grown for scent or for cutting. Some longer stemmed varieties may smell less strongly.

Cut off any frost damaged leaves or tips from flowering shrubs to prevent further die back.

Country Gardener

NO-DIG, NO FUSS

For a quick turnaround, why not start a no-dig bed. Lay thick cardboard over the ground and top it with a thick mixture of topsoil and compost, which you can plant into straight away.

The popular No Dig method of cultivation can be used for two purposes: to provide a rich soil to grow in, and to clear a weedinfested growing area. Both instances require a great deal of surface mulch (well-rotted manure or compost). In principle, by avoiding digging you will not be disrupting the soil life, nor will you be exposing the soil to weed seeds. Instead the existing weeds are in darkness, which causes them to weaken and die.

It’s potato planting time Potatoes need to be planted this month. As a rule new potatoes go in early to mid April.

Maincrops follow in the second half of the month but exactly when you plant your potatoes will depend on the conditions in your area. You want to avoid the emerging foliage being burned by frost. Plant somewhere sunny into a six-inch deep trench lined with garden compost. New potatoes (also known as First and Second Earlies) should be spaced a foot apart.

Leave 15 inches between maincrop tubers.

HERBAL P OWER Time for TLC for your lawn This is the perfect time to give your lawn a bit of care and attention.

First rake off loose thatch and moss. This enables the grass to grow healthily during the season. Next, either using a proprietary aerator attachment, or a garden fork make holes across the lawn to help aerate the soil and prevent compaction.

If you’re using a fork dig to a depth of about three to four inches and wiggle the tines to remove. Sprinkling sand into the holes also helps.

Once you have removed the weeds and moss to your liking topdress the lawn with a feed and conditioner.

If there are any bald patches you can resow these now.

Small patches can be targeted with special feed and seed mixtures. You can buy mixes designed for high use areas and for shaded areas. Some mixes even contain neutralisers to prevent pet urine marks.

Tidy the edges of the lawn where they meet flower borders. First mark a straight line using string held taught between two posts. Using a half moon lawn edger, follow the string, cutting away ragged edges and throw these away. This isn’t just a job for houseproud gardeners. Cutting the grass away prevents weeds and grasses growing into flowerbeds.

Plant herbs like rosemary, thyme and oregano. Any that have become leggy can be trimmed to suit the space. You can cut rosemary into the wood if it has become wild and straggly. If you grow on clay or badly draining soil it’s a good idea to put some grit in the base of the planting hole to help with drainage.

OTHER JOBS • Start staking delphiniums and tall perennials. They’ll soon be tall enough to be knocked over by wind or heavy rain. If you can get your hands on some hazel or silver birch pea sticks, use them to weave a basket, which works just as well but looks so much nicer than metal or plastic.

• Plant up hanging baskets and containers. Keep them under cover to grow on until the frosts have passed.

Go for something exceptionally long-flowering such as Argyranthemum ‘Cherry Red’ or Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’.

• Keep an eye on permanent or spring plantings in containers and water if necessary.

• Feed lawns and treat for moss. Try to work out the reason for the moss. Is the grass too shady, or the soil too acid or compacted? Aim to sort the problem out now for a lovely lawn all summer.

Last chance to..

• Deadhead daffodils but let the leaves remain • Boost pre-spring growth in pots and borders with blood, fish and bone or other fertiliser • Clear diseased rose leaves that have fallen to the ground or remain on the bush and remove from the garden • Prune buddleia before they fully start into growth

www.countrygardener.co.uk

23

A new season in the garden is a time of BREATHING excitement but also a time to try something new and the chance to turn to specialist NEW LIFE into nurseries and garden centres for their help

your garden There’s so much to do in the garden at this time of year but most gardeners will have a priority of wanting to take stock and make sure they refresh their garden with something new.

It‘s a once a year thing and the beauty about gardening is it goes on giving you a chance to add -plants shrubs or trees which can bring a fresh look.

It certainly can become a challenge to find that new accessory or some inspiring new plants, something special.

The answer for many of us is a local specialist nursery or garden centre which will yield rich pickings of things in bloom that offer that instant impact.

Where should you shop? Specialist nurseries are always worth supporting because they grow plants you will not find

Thornhayes Nursery offers personal service of the highest quality As a specialist nursery with many years’ experience growing a wide range of select trees and shrubs, Thornhayes Nursery just outside of Cullompton is always happy to offer free advice if you visit their nursery. It is important to select the right plant for your chosen planting spot.

As a further service to customers, owner and expert grower Kevin Croucher can provide a bespoke advice service by visiting your garden and offering his personal planting views. With over 40 years’ experience working with woody plants Kevin will make sure you don’t make misjudgements in your planting selection. www.thornhayes-nursery.co.uk Thornhayes Nursery, Dulford, Cullompton, Devon EX15 2DF. Tel: 01884 266746.

stocking up with new plants, new accessories and new looks

elsewhere – be they pelargoniums, alpines or ferns, roses or camellias – and the advice you’ll get is first hand and reliable.

They also offer great value and you can share the passion they have for the plants they grow.

Support them whenever you can – they are usually run by individuals who don’t make a vast profit and who do the job for love as much as anything else.

They should be your first port of call. They are nurserymen, many specialising in either a specific varieties or ranges of plants and their knowledge is second to none.

So as spring starts to change gear we’re delighted to offer you some options of where to buy that something special.

PLANT SUPPORTS ARE VITAL TO MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PLANTING When you’ve bought yourself a fabulous plant that’s your pride and joy, you want to make sure it looks as good as it can.

That’s where well-designed plant supports and structures can add enormously to the look, experience and enjoyment of your garden. It’s a bit like fine tailoring or haute couture –what’s underneath can make the final result sensational.

Plant supports should retire into the foliage while displaying the plant to best effect. Use circular supports for perennials, roses and delicate shrubs, half circles along walls and the front of borders.

Towers allow you to plant two or three roses for a full column of flowers, intertwining with clematis and are also useful for honeysuckles and other climbers.

Use different height supports to keep paths clear, prop up peonies, display dahlias and help delphiniums stay erect. That way your plants will look better and last longer.

Jonne@jonne.co.uk www.thegardenersblacksmith.co.uk Tel: 07770 720 373

Somerset Hardy P lant Society An indoor plant sale run by the Hardy Plant Society Somerset Group is one of the group’s highlights of the new season and a chance to buy value new plants grown by either members or local nurseries. The plant sale takes place at West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, Taunton TA2 8NE on Saturday, 27th April from 10am to 12.30pm.

This event will feature a range of interesting and uncommon herbaceous plants and shrubs. There will be refreshments available and on-site parking is free. Entry is £1. Go to www.somersethps.com for details of lectures and plant fairs during the rest of the year.

24

Country Gardener

Pond FOOD and CARE that puts fish FIRST

For more information visit www.tetra-fish.co.uk THE GLOBAL LEADER IN AQUATICS

www.countrygardener.co.uk

25

NEW LIFE FOR Y OUR GARDEN

KOIRIN OFFER COLOUR AND DRAMA WITH AZALEAS AND RHODODENDRONS Nursery specialists are always an important first port of call when it comes to looking for something new. At Koirin’s, Rhododendron and Azalea Centre near Verwood, Wimborne in Dorset, the nursery specialises in rare and unusual varieties including old varieties from family collectors such as waterer and The Rothschild family of Exbury. They produce their own plants from cuttings at the nursery. There are over 800 varieties of plants including scented varieties of deciduous azaleas and rhododendrons.

The nursery has been established for over 20 years and in the spring is an abundance of colour from hot fiery reds, orange and yellows to all the pastel colours. They also supply a planting service, watering systems and free advice. The nursery is well worth a visit. enquiries@azaleacentre.co.uk Koirin, The Rhododendron & Azalea Centre, Woodlands, Verwood Road, Nr.Verwood, Wimborne. BH21 8LN. Tel: 01202 824629

Barthelemy & Co – the Japanese maples specialists Barthelemy & Co near Wimborne in Dorset are specialists in wonderful Japanese maples which can bring spectacular colour and style to any garden looking for a new season ‘top-up’. The nursery was established by a French nurseryman almost a century ago and the Skinner family now specialise in propagating and growing Acer palmatum – or Japanese maples. Throughout spring, summer and autumn the delicate foliage of the acer presents exquisite shadings of Mother Nature’s gold, pink, purple, green, yellow, orange and red. Acers are a delightful addition to anyone’s garden, giving an aura of peace and tranquillity. The ten-acre nursery at Stapehill has a huge collection to choose from and expert staff help select the right variety and offer advice about caring for the trees. A total of 40,000 plants are grafted each year, 25,000 of them maples. www.barthelemymaples.co.uk Barthelemy & Co, 262 Wimborne Road West, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2DZ. Tel: 01202 874283

Backdoor Shoes essential accessories for a new season A new garden season is also about new accessories and Backdoorshoes® are essential for keeping by the back door, slipping off and on and nipping outside to the garden, down to the allotment or out to feed the chickens - the reasons are endless.

They are lightweight, waterproof, durable and easy to clean. No more ruined slippers or soggy socks, they are the most practical thing to keep by the door.

Their range continues to grow with the introduction of some new designs available in May. They also offer Chelsea ‘Jumpy” boots in a wide variety of colours, comfortable to wear, perfect for walks, taking the dogs out. www.backdoorshoes.co.uk 01202 232357

400 Michaelmas daisies to choose from at Old Court Nurseries

erfly

Echinacea ‘August Koningin’ with butt 26

Michaelmas daisies are the stars of the autumn border, bringing that last blast of colour and joy before winter finally claims the garden. Finding the right one can be a challenge but at Old Court Nurseries in Malvern you can pick from over 400 varieties from the National Collection. You can also get great ideas on companion planting by popping into the adjoining Picton Garden. And if selecting from so many seems a little intimidating, there is help on hand or get advice by attending one of the day or half day courses. www.autumnasters.co.uk 01684 540416 Old Court Nurseries and Picton Garden, Walwyn Rd, Malvern WR13 6QE Country Gardener

Old Court Nurseries & The Picton Garden

The Michaelmas Daisy Specialists since 1906

Order your plants now for delivery in May. ORDER ONLINE or catalogue available by request.

Everyone needs a pair of

Open for the National Garden Scheme Step out in Style? Lightweight, waterproof, durable outdoor/garden clogs featuring unique prints. Sizes range from UK 3-14 with prices starting from £22 including free standard postage. There is something suitable for everyone from our entire collection, Garden Clogs, Chelsea Boots, Storage Bags or Flip Flops!

To see our full range visit www.backdoorshoes.co.uk

Sundays 7th and 20th April 11am - 5pm.

Admission £3.50

Tel: 01684 540416 www.autumnasters.co.uk Old Court Nurseries, Walwyn Road, Colwall WR13 6QE

THE GARDENER’S BLACKSMITH www.thegardenersblacksmith.co.uk jonne@jonne.co.uk 07770 720 373

Artist blacksmith specialising in garden supports, art, structures and furniture. Commissions welcomed.

HPS Somerset Group

Plant Sale Saturday 27 April 2019 10am – 12.30pm at West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield TA2 8NE Admission charge will be £1 (no concessions)

www.somersethps.com

www.countrygardener.co.uk

27

NEW LIFE FOR Y OUR GARDEN

What plants would say if they could talk!

New plants, shrubs and trees are all well and good but getting them off to the best possible start is vital. If plants could talk they would choose rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi to be used when they are planted. In a matter of weeks they will benefit from a secondary fungal root system that will help them establish and grow away strong and healthy. When planting this season why not harness the power of pure biology and treat your plants with the Empathy range of natural, sustainable but above all else highly effective gardening products designed for the caring UK gardener.

Empathy products are licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society so gardeners can be sure of outstanding quality and highly effective The importance of healthy roots plant treatments.

Tel: 01795 411527 www.rootgrow.co.uk

JAPANESE MAPLES Acer palmatum varieties We produce and grow the largest selection available in the UK. Plants are pot grown and suitable for garden, patio or bonsai.

Send SAE for descriptive catalogue.

Visitors welcome Mon-Sat 9am-1pm & 2pm-4.30pm Barthelemy & Co (DCG), 262 Wimborne Rd West, Stapehill, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2DZ

Tel: 01202 874283 enquiries@barthelemymaples.co.uk www.barthelemymaples.co.uk

Trehane Nursery offers wonderful options on camellias Most gardeners are familiar with the colourful springtime blooms and glossy leaves of Camellia japonica, but many people are unaware that the tea they drink every day is in fact brewed from the dried leaves of another camellia species, Camellia sinensis.

We naturally associate tea-growing with countries like India, but in fact tea plants, like any other camellia, can easily be grown in the UK. As well as providing the leaves that can be picked and dried for home-grown tea, Camellia sinensis also has attractive scented, white flowers in the autumn. Available, along with many other unusual camellias, from Trehane Nursery near Wimborne.

Trehane Nursery, Stapehill Road, Wimborne BH21 7ND. Tel: 01202 873490 www.trehanenursery.co.uk

HELPING POND PLANTS AND FLOWERS THRIVE Turning you attention to your pond is another way of finding new options for a spring garden Beautiful plants and flowers can be a great feature in any garden pond and thankfully, there’s a simple way of helping them thrive.

Tetra Pond PlantaMin (£16.05/500ml) is a liquid fertiliser, which supplies plants with the nutrients they need over a four-week period. With a special blend of iron, potassium and other valuable trace elements, the solution works fast to support plants as they grow and flowers bloom. Free from nitrate and phosphate it’s also suitable for all pond plants, so however you’re looking to decorate your garden this summer, you can rest assured that your pond will remain a key feature to enjoy. www.tetra-fish.co.uk

THORNHAYES

N

THE RHODODENDRON & AZALEA CENTRE

U R S E R Y

Visitors Welcome Mon-Fri 9.00am-4.30pm all year round Sat 10.00am-4.00pm Apr-May

Quality Trees and Shrubs Special Spring Sale Bring a copy of this advert with you to claim 20% off retail prices during March and April

Thornhayes Nursery, Dulford, Open 8am-4pm Mon to Fri also 9am-1pm Sat Cullompton, Devon EX15 2DF Tel: 01884 266746 www.thornhayes-nursery.co.uk 28

LARGEST RANGE OF RHODODENDRONS & AZALEAS IN THE SOUTH Koirin, Crossroads Nursery, Woodlands, Wimborne, Verwood Road, Dorset BH21 8LN (Near Verwood) Mail order available

Tel: 01202 824629

enquiries@azaleacentre.co.uk www.azaleacentre.co.uk Sorry, we don’t accept credit/debit cards

Country Gardener

THE GREAT UNCOOKED

Many vegetables that we grow and cook taste as good, if not better, eaten raw and are generally more nutritious. It just needs a little imagination.

The ever increasing number of gardeners who grow their own vegetables have the luxury of being able to eat crops at their finest –just minutes after being picked.

It seems a shame then to boil, steam or roast what is often wonderfully sweet and tender vegetables without any cooking.

Eating raw vegetable not only introduces different flavours and textures to meals but also as extra nutrients.

The high levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants that occur in vegetables are known to decrease with cooking so it is a good idea to include something raw in your daily intake of vegetables.

This is more than just including lettuce leaves. So many crops taste delicious without cooking especially if they are harvested when young, sugary and succulent. They are also quick to prepare- the ultimate fast food. Even peeling can be avoided whenever possible as the highest concentration of nutrients are often found just beneath the skins.

‘Eating raw vegetables introduces different f lavours and textures to meals’ It is true raw foods take more effort to digest. It is possible that when you are eating salads or raw vegetables, you are simply eating a larger volume of produce. It is also possible that it isn’t the ‘raw’ element that is the problem, but rather which vegetables you are choosing.

So what are the options from the vegetable plot?

Many familiar vegetables taste quite different uncooked and those rushed straight to the table from the garden are always far superior to anything which comes from the shop shelf.

Thinning’s from rows of carrots and beetroot are a great early source of baby roots and make a colourful addition to a salad bowl, either grated or sliced.

For sweet early carrots to eat raw select cultivars such as ‘Amsterdam Forcing ‘Imperator’ or ‘Samurai’.

French beans, both climbing and dwarf varieties have a crisp flavour when eaten raw. Easy to grow chard with vibrant stems and beetroot like flavour is delicious harvested as baby leaves for salads and sandwiches. Try slow to bolt ‘ Charlotte’ for really colourful leaves or ‘ Bright Yellow’ for stems which are exactly that.

Brassicas should not be overlooked as vegetables to eat raw.

The striking, spiky florets of cauliflower ‘Romanesco’ can be harvested from late summer and make delicious crudités. Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli has the highest level of carotenoids, which may reduce the risk of renal cancer and lung cancer and can be an unusual addition to salads when picked young.

Cabbage leaves can provide a crunchy peppery flavour in winter salads. In addition to its possible cancer-fighting properties, cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins C and K, containing more than 20 per cent of the daily value for each per serving. Cabbage has also been used throughout history as an herbal remedy. The Greek used it as a laxative, while ancient Roman nobleman Pliny the Elder recommended eating cabbage to cure hangovers.

Asparagus are one of the most desirable vegetables and harvested young the first tender spears are a delectable raw treat which means the rest of the crop can be left to mature as normal.

Watercress is one of the oldest known leaf vegetables eaten by humans. In addition to its anti-carcinogenic properties, watercress has significant amounts of calcium, folic acid, iodine, iron, manganese and vitamins A, B6, C and K. It is also effective as a diuretic, expectorant and digestive aid.

So it just needs a little imagination and the pleasure of easting these vegetables raw may be easier to accept than you think.

www.countrygardener.co.uk

29

Springtime

sauerkraut

by Kate Lewis

You can boost your health this spring with delicious, nutritious and very much in vogue sauerkraut Of all the vegetables associated with bland school dinners, it is probably cabbage that is remembered with most dread. Many growers lack inspiration for its use, and while it is more versatile than you might think in the kitchen – stir-fries, curries, soups and stews – one of the best ways to use it is to make sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut, a staple food in Germany and central Europe, is simply a mixture of sliced cabbage and salt that, when left to ferment in its own brine, turns into a delicious and

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Country Gardener

healthy condiment with a distinctive sour flavour. It is very simple to make and needs little specialist equipment making it the ideal first fermentation project. Fermentation may be very in vogue but it is a method that has been used for thousands of years as a way of preserving produce, especially through the winter months when little fresh produce was available. Every culture around the world has its own fermenting tradition: in Japan it is miso, in Korea it is kimchi, in Latin America it is cortido and in Germany and Central Europe it is sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables.

Although still used as a winter standby it is now also eaten for its welldocumented health benefits. During the fermentation process beneficial bacteria – probiotics – are produced. Probiotics help our digestive system work at its optimum. Most of our immune system is in our gut so these probiotics increase our immunity by keeping the gut healthy.

Research also shows that eating fermented foods can help with digestive issues, increase our absorption of nutrients and contribute to our overall long-term health, possibly even reducing the risk of illnesses like Alzheimer’s, cancer and depression. Although sauerkraut can be added to soups and stews it is best eaten raw as heat reduces its health benefits.

How does it work?

When salt is added to cabbage and bottled, it undergoes a process call lacto-acid fermentation. Beneficial bacteria is present on the surface of the cabbage. When put in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment these bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid which gets rid of bad bacteria, works as a preservative and gives the finished sauerkraut its distinctive sour taste.

Ways to use sauerkraut

• In a salad • In a sandwich • As an accompaniment to sausages • As a side to smoked meat or fish • On toast with avocado • Added to soups/stews (although heat reduces its health benefits) • With a lentil casserole • Straight out of the jar!

Fermenting rules: • Use sea salt • Use good quality, ripe cabbage – preferably organic so there are no chemicals to interfere with the fermenting process • Sterilise the jars before starting • Use a glass or ceramic bowl not metal or plastic which might react with the ferment • Don’t use tap water – only distilled or mineral • All equipment and anything that comes into contact with the ferment – hands, spoons etc – must be scrupulously clean.

• Leave in a cool, dark area but not the fridge as this will stop the fermenting process. Avoid hot temperatures as this can spoil the ferment • Make sure the cabbage is always kept below the level of the brine www.countrygardener.co.uk

Traditional sauerkraut recipe INGREDIENTS: 1 head white/red cabbage 2 tbsp sea salt METHOD: 1. Sterilise a kilner or other jar with an air-tight seal.

2. Remove outer leaves of the cabbage and remove the core and base 3. Finely slice the cabbage leaves 4. Put into a glass or ceramic bowl.

Sprinkle with sea salt and massage the leaves with clean hands for about 10 – 15 minutes. You can also use a clean potato masher to pound the cabbage. The cabbage will release a brine and start to take on the consistency of cooked cabbage.

5. Put into the jar and press down making sure all the cabbage is covered with the brine. You can top it up with water (mineral or distilled water, not tap). Using a kraut pounder/tamper is helpful to firmly press the cabbage tightly into the jar. Use a fermentation weight or the base of the cabbage to weigh the ferment down. Leave one inch gap at the top of the jar for juices to rise.

6. Close the jar and leave to ferment in a dark, cool place for ten days. Check daily making sure the brine is still covering the cabbage. If not top up with mineral or distilled water. Open the jar daily to release excess gasses.

7. After 10 days taste the sauerkraut. The flavour develops as it ages. The longer it is left to ferment the more sour it will become. When you taste use a clean spoon to avoid spoiling the ferment, and ensure the cabbage is still covered with brine when the jar is re-sealed.

8. When ready transfer to the fridge and enjoy daily. Make sure the brine still covers the cabbage. It will last up to a year in the fridge.

31

SPECIALIST TREES

It’s all in the name! Mark Hinsley tells the story of how the tallest tree you can find in the UK came to be named John Bidwell was a rancher, politician, philanthropist, and amateur botanist and geologist. A pioneer settler in California, he led the first wagon train to California in 1841.

In that same year he was the first nonnative American to see a giant redwood.

Dr. Albert Kellogg, the founder of the California Academy of Sciences, had been drawn to San Francisco by the 1848 Gold Rush. He was a botanist and devoted much of his time to the study of trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Having visited the giant trees, he planned to name the new tree the ‘Washingtonia’ in honour of America’s revered first President.

However, sneaking around in the undergrowth was the British botanist and plant collector William Lobb on a contract from Veitch’s Nursery in Exeter to collect exotic plants from the New World.

William Lobb recognised a new tree craze when he saw one!

Kellogg only needed to complete his set of herbarium specimens to register the new species. However, Lobb knew this, and cut short his planned expedition to return to England as quickly as he could. In 1853 he arrived back with all the necessary specimens to register the new species of tree. Kellogg had missed his chance!

John Lindley of the Horticultural Society was given the task of naming the new introduction. Lindley opted for Wellingtonia gigantea to commemorate the lately deceased Duke of Wellington.

At this point our cousins across the Atlantic went ‘ape’, crying ‘foul!’ and ‘cheat!’ and ‘you cad sir!’, all to no avail.

Over here the first seedlings raised sold like hotcakes; every estate and large garden wanted one; Veitch’s made a fortune. Across the pond they sulked and grumbled for years.

32

HOW WE ANNOYED

the Americans over a tree!

One of the many country estates that acquired these new trees was the Rhinefield Estate in the New Forest. In 1859 the famous Rhinefield Ornamental Drive was planted out by their arboriculturist, John Nelson.

For those who love quirky tales: Mr Nelson decided that he did not like the name Wellingtonia gigantea and demanded in his book ‘Pinaceae’ that it be renamed Gigantabies wellingtoniana. He also decided that he had noticed a number of variations within the species and he wanted to give them all individual names.

John Nelson presented his work to the Horticultural Society, but they refused to publish it because they didn’t agree with the content! Nelson persisted and in the end his book was published ‘for the author’ by Hatchard and Co, 187 Piccadilly in 1866 under the pen name of Johannes Senilis.

I found a copy in an old book shop; apparently 500 were printed and they sold for ten shillings and sixpence each. Sadly, for old senile John, but fortunately for the science of botany, Mr Nelson’s views regarding the naming of giant redwoods was never accepted or adopted.

In the end modern science renamed the tree Sequioadendron giganteum, which should have ended the controversy except that – for some reason- we still tend to refer to these giant trees as ‘Wellingtonias’.

Wellingtonias are now the tallest trees in most counties in this country. Back in my tree surgeon days the tallest one I ever climbed was 145ft. It stood in the grounds of Albury Park in Surrey. It blew down some years ago – a very unusual occurrence for this species.

Before you dash out and buy one - you really do have to have some room for one of these. Trees in this country have already reached 172ft in height and 30ft in girth – and it has only taken them 150 years to do so!

Mark Hinsley is from Arboriculture Consultants Ltd www.treeadvice.info Country Gardener

Wellingtonia avenue and Compton Verney in Warwickshire.

A 30 foot girth is not unusual for these dramatic trees

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Heucheraholics Nursery Open Days 2019 2018

Sat 30th & Sun 31st March • Sat 27th & Sun 28th April • Sat 1st & Sun 2nd June Come and join us on our nursery and take the chance to rummage around in the best selection of Heucheras in the Kingdom. All the latest varieties and trusty old favourites. Top tips on getting the most out of your plants.

New varieties for this year include Heuchera ‘Lily the Pink’, Heuchera ‘Isla’ and Heuchera ‘Terracotta Warrior’

NURSERY OPEN DAYS OPEN 10AM - 4PM

• Wheelchair friendly • Well behaved dogs may bring their owners!

• Tea and Cakes all day! SEE YOU THERE - JOOLES AND SEAN Boldre Nurseries, Southampton Rad, Lymington, Hants SO41 8ND Tel: 07973 291062 / 01590 670581 Heuchera ‘Terracotta Warrior’ - New for 2019

www.heucheraholics.co.uk BUY ONLINE ANYTIME!

www.countrygardener.co.uk

33

GROWING FROM SEED

- lets do more of it In our March issue we looked at how seeds germinate and flourish. Now Elizabeth McCorquodale urges us all to make a return to growing from seed We used to grow a lot more things from seed than we do now.

With the arrival of plug plants and cheap imports, the idea of growing flowers and veg from seed can sometimes seem like a lot of unnecessary bother. Why grow from seed when you can bypass this tricky stage and go straight to the plants?

The answer is two-fold – choice and cost. A packet of seed can give you dozens of plants for the same price as a six-pack of plug plants and the range and choice of plants available to you is astounding – and very, very tempting.

And of course, when you have chosen all you want, you can use your leftover seeds and seedlings to exchange with other gardeners – spare seeds and plants are great swapping currency.

Seeds are tough and can stay dormant for many months or even years depending on the variety and the conditions.

The oldest viable seed on record was a date palm seed discovered in a sealed vessel in Egypt which, when planted, grew into a viable, healthy date palm. Not to be outdone, an Arctic campion seed that was radiocarbon dated to 32,000 years old was grown on into a viable plant that in turn produced viable seed!

Those ancient seeds just needed the correct triggers to bring them back to life, and the triggers vary from species to species. The tiny dust-like seeds of common buddleia need a cold spell to encourage them into action, while banana seeds need a soak in near-boiling water.

Lettuce likes cool conditions, even at the seed stage, and will germinate quickly when the soil temperature is between 15° and 20°C, but chilli peppers will only germinate when the soil 34

Country Gardener

temperature is decidedly toasty – between 25° and 30°C. Plants that originate from areas of the world plagued by regular forest fires have evolved only to germinate when they have been scorched by fire, while plants that originate in areas with severe winters may require a spell in the fridge or freezer to bring them to the point of germination.

Seeds that usually rely on animals to disperse them may require their seed coats to be scarified in order for moisture to penetrate the hard seed coat. In nature this would be done by the stomach acid of the animal who ate it but in the greenhouse we mimic this damage by rubbing the hard coat with rough sandpaper, or even by taking a small chip out of the hard coat.

Lemon seeds won’t germinate if the seeds have been allowed to dry out at any stage and they also like a helping hand to free them from their hard outer seed case. Demanding though this sounds, they will then spring into easy vigorous life in just a matter of days.

Some seeds can be coaxed into extra speedy growth with just a little encouragement. Left to themselves in the garden sweetcorn, sunflowers, peas and sweetpeas and all sorts of beans will all break through their tough coats after a couple of weeks in the soil, but an overnight soak in a glass of tepid water will break their dormancy overnight, knocking a good week to 10 days off their growing cycle.

Some seeds need light to germinate while others like the dark. Some need to be sprinkled on the surface of the soil while others like to be covered. Some seeds like it cool and some like it hot. And though this all seems complicated, the information is always to be found on the back of the seed packet.

It is always a good idea to use a seed sowing compost. Seeds need very good drainage and and they don’t like to have to fight their

From seed to flower; whole gardens from seed

way through rough lumpy soil. Give them a fine, free-flowing compost that drains well and they will repay you with healthy, rapid growth.

A general rule is to plant the seed to twice its depth, so a seed that is .5cm should be planted 1cm deep. Sprinkle very tiny seeds on the surface of the soil and gently press them in to ensure that they are firmly in contact with the soil. Flat seeds should be planted on their sides so that water doesn’t sit on the flat surface and rot the seed before it has a chance to germinate.

To avoid flooding your delicate seeds, convert an old plastic water bottle into a seed sprinkler by poking some fine holes into the lid. Cover the pot with a plastic bag held away from the soil with lolly sticks or wire. This will provide a healthy, consistent environment at the surface of the soil. A heated propagator is a very useful device now that most of us no longer have airing cupboards that used to offer a constant moderate heat which was ideal for germinating seedlings. Once the tiny plants emerge from the soil remove the cover so that air can circulate.

Keep the soil just moist and make sure your tiny plants aren’t exposed to drafts or harsh sunlight.

You can grow whole gardens from seed in just one season. Fancy a complete herb garden that you have grown yourself? Basil, thyme, mint, chives, coriander, dill, anise, lemon balm, Mexican tarragon, borage, parsley and many other herbs are all dead-easy and very inexpensive to grow from seed.

Many perennials will flower the very first season from a spring sowing. Imagine a whole perennial garden grown for the cost of a few packets of seeds. Start them off indoors in early spring, feed them well and carefully harden them off. Some of the very best first year flowering perennials are oriental poppies, lupins, foxgloves (go for ‘Foxy’), salvias, bergamont, rudbeckia, penstemon, gaillardia, sedums, mallow, echinacea, verbena, agastache and delphinium among very many others.

Some vegetable plants are difficult to find as plants but are readily available as seed. Start with statuesque and delicious artichokes and cardoons (just as at home in the flower garden as in the veg plot), then move on to the more unusual varieties of tomatoes, peppers, aubergine and squash, both summer and winter varieties. Buying carrots and other kitchen staples as plugs is a waste of time and money – a pack of two dozen carrot seedlings will set you back by more than a bag of fully grown carrots.

For half the price you can get a packet of seed that will keep you in carrots for a whole season, and that goes for most other common veggies

From organised seed sowing to harvest delights

as well, and most of them will be happier grown from seed planted straight into your garden.

While mass produced annuals such as pansies, petunias and wax begonias are usually fairly cost effective to buy as plugs and very space-hungry in the greenhouse, the larger, specimen varieties such as cosmos, ammi majus and cleome can be expensive as plants, but are simple to grow and inexpensive as seed.

Growing from seed is easy and it is rewarding and the sheer pleasure of sitting down with a seed catalogue is a pleasure not to be missed for any keen gardener. www.countrygardener.co.uk

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Great Places TO VISIT April is a magical time of year and offers something unique when it comes to days out There’s a freshness and special vibrancy to all the gardens which only early spring brings. And it’s all the more enjoyable to get out and about enjoying gardens after the long winter months.

So, whether it’s a case of travelling to one of the fantastic range of great gardens which are now open for the new season, visiting nurseries, enjoying a break away, dropping in on a plant fair or any other gardening day out, you’ll love our selection of places and events to visit that will guarantee that great day out.

Lukesland Gardens, Ivybridge, ‘One of the finest gardens of its kind’ ‘What a glorious, tranquil place – divine plants’ ‘Enchanting garden and a lovely cup of tea!’- comments from appreciative visitors to the spectacular 24-acre Lukesland Gardens in Ivybridge. Tucked away in a woodland valley on the edge of Dartmoor Lukesland’s collection of camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas provides a spectacular show of colour in the spring. With home-made soup and cakes served up by the family in the Victorian Billiard Tea Room and a children’s trail these gardens have something for everyone. Dogs are welcome on a lead. The gardens are open for spring colour from 11am to 5pm on Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holidays (31st March – 16th June ).

For further details call 01752 691749 or go to www.lukesland.co.uk Lukesland Gardens, Lukesland House, Hartford, Ivybridge PL21 0JF.

Budock Vean- a sanctuary for rest and relaxation

On a quiet bend of the Helford River in Cornwall nestles the four star Budock Vean Hotel. Set in 65 acres of gardens, woodlands and its own golf course – the Budock Vean is a sanctuary for rest and relaxation.

As well as it’s own valley garden leading to the river, the hotel is just a few minutes walk from two of Cornwall’s best loved gardens – Trebah and Glendurgan.

The hotel restaurant has a reputation for fantastic locally sourced food and leisure facilities include a spa, pool and hot tub, plus boat trips or kayaking on the river from their private quay. It’s a place to relax or take advantage of the all the great things to see and do right on the doorstep.

Dog friendly holiday cottages and contemporary holiday homes are also available.

Hotel: 01326 252100 Golf Club: 01326 252102 Helford Passage. Mawnan Smith, Nr Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5LG. www.budockvean.co.uk

The Grange at Oborne Situated just one mile from the historic town of Sherborne, The Grange is the perfect spot to enjoy the Dorset countryside. The hotel is relaxed but elegant and the restaurant overlooks the beautiful flood-lit gardens to the rear of the hotel.

The head chef creates delicious menus using fresh, local, and seasonal produce the emphasis is on taste and quality.

Awarded Gold from Taste of the West and Dorset Tourism Silver Awards Winner ‘Small Hotel of the Year 2018’ – This small family business is a Dorset gem.

The Grange at Oborne, Sherborne DT9 4LA. Tel: 01935 813463 www.thegrangeatoborne.co.uk

SCULPTURES STAR AT STONE LANE GARDENS RHS Partner Garden Stone Lane Gardens is an arboretum with a water garden on a sheltered hillside within Dartmoor National Park near the town of Chagford.

It holds a National Collection of Birch and Alder and in summer the gardens host ‘The Mythic Garden’ Sculpture Exhibition from 13th May to 31st October. Stone Lane Gardens has disabled access, dogs on short leads are welcome and children can play on lawns among the trees. A specialist sapling nursery is open for orders. Stone Lane Gardens is open every day all year round between 10am and 6pm. RHS members free entry on Fridays. Parking access from Long Lane, between Whiddon Down (A30) and Drewsteignton. www.stonelanegardens.com Stone Lane Gardens, Stone Lane, Chagford, TQ13 8JU. 01647 231 311

Hartland Abbey makes the most of the vagaries of the weather With the vagaries of British weather, what should we expect to be in flower at Hartland Abbey in April? The bluebells and wildflowers should be in full swing, turning the woodland walks blue under the collection of camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. Many were planted in the early 20th century but there are many new plantings, particularly in the new ‘Glade’, an area rescued last year from invasive undergrowth. The tulips in the walled gardens should be at their best. Easter Egging over Easter will be fun with clues all over the grounds. www.hartlandabbey.com Hartland Abbey, Hartland, Near Bideford EX39 6DT. 36

Country Gardener

Cotswold Garden Flowers Easy and unusual perennials for the flower garden Delightful gardens to inspire you Plant and garden advice

Hotel, cottages and holiday homes by the beautiful Helford River in south Cornwall.

9 hole/18 tee parkland golf course

Mail order and online ordering available, or pop along and visit us at the nurser y

• Spa • Restaurant • Tennis • Kayaking • Boat trips

Groups welcome by appointment Open 7 days a week from 1st March to 30th September Weekends 10am - 5.30pm, Weekdays 9am to 5.30pm

Helford Passage, Mawnan Smith, Nr Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5LG Hotel bookings: 01326 252100 Golf Club: 01326 252102 relax@budockvean.co.uk www.budockvean.co.uk @BudockVeanHotel www.facebook.com/BudockVeanHotel @BudockVeanHotel

Sands Lane, Badsey, Evesham, WR11 7EZ 01386 833849 info@cgf.net w w w.cgf.net

For spectacular spring walks...

Wander through clouds of confetti-like blossom at beautiful Batsford Arboretum. Enjoy fabulous food and a wonderful selection of gifts and gardening goodies and plants. A perfect day out for all the family - dog friendly too!

Visit www.batsarb.co.uk for details on our forthcoming events BATSFORD ARBORETUM AND GARDEN CENTRE Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 9AD. Tel: 01386 701441 E: arboretum@batsfordfoundation.co.uk www.batsarb.co.uk BatsfordArboretum

www.countrygardener.co.uk

@BatsfordA 37

GREAT P LACES T O V IST: APRIL

ABBEY HOUSE GARDENS With 1300 years of history, the first King of England buried somewhere in the garden, two saints thrown down the well and now one of the great gardens in the UK, Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury in Wiltshire is a must to add to any planned visit.

The spirit of the garden shines though.

It has been labelled as where the Cotswolds meets the West Country and many people will recognise it from being featured often on television programmes.

The five acre garden which straddles the River Avon is spectactular, situated beside the 12th century Abbey Church.

Spring in the Abbey House Garden will feature a special sculpture exhibition running from 1st April through to 31st May. Open seven days a week.

Abbey House Gardens, Abbey House/Market Cross, Malmesbury SN16 9AS

Rare Plant Fairs in April The 25th anniversary season of the popular Rare Plant Fairs continues in April with two events. The first is set in the 60-acre woodland gardens at Evenley Wood, near Brackley in Northamptonshire, on Sunday, 7th April, followed by a long-standing event at The Old Rectory at Quenington, near Cirencester, on Sunday, 14th April, in support of Cobalt Health. Both fairs run from 11am-4pm.

There is a great selection of specialist nurseries attending both fairs, including a number of National Collection holders. There will be a wide range of interesting and unusual plants for sale, including choice perennials; plants for shade; rare climbers; alpines; herbs and edibles; and a selection of unusual shrubs.

There are 13 Rare Plant in 2019. Visit www.rareplantfair.co.uk for details of all the events, including lists of the exhibitors attending.

Cotswolds Garden Flowers nursery in full bloom It’s early spring in the garden, but you can still find late winter flowers on the hellebores and bergenias. Lots of bulbs will be flowering this month including ipheion, tulips, muscari and hyacinths. In the shady areas you will find brunnera, anemones and primulas. There’s promise of lots to come with new leaves opening on trees and shrubs to give us that spring fuzz. On the ground buds, stems and leaves are pushing up from the perennials which were dormant in the winter.

Cotswold Garden Flowers. Brown’s Nursery. Gibbs Lane, Offenham, Evesham, WR11 8RR. www.cgf.net. 01386 422829

BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR AT BISHOP’S PALACE, WELLS April is one of the busiest months of the year at the popular Bishop’s Palace Gardens in Wells.

The stunning 14 acres of outstanding RHS partner gardens has one of its peaks of the gardening year with the display of tulips and there’s also the beautiful well pools from which the city takes its name. The gardens are stunning and tranquil with many herbaceous borders, roses in the parterre, with views from the top of the ramparts, and the contemporary Garden of Reflection.

There are daily-guided tours of the garden for those who want more insight and explanation of the gardens.

The build up to Easter and the holiday weekend itself have a whole range of family activities starting on Saturday, 6th April.

The daily tours start for the summer on Sunday, 31st March. Throughout the new season at 11am and 2pm there’s a daily palace and chapel tour and at 12 noon and 3pm a guided tour of the gardens.

Entry is free every Friday to RHS members with starred cards.

The daily tours are included in the admission. Adults £8.05p seniors £7.15 Bishops Palace, Off Market Place, Wells BA5 2PD 38

Blossom spectacular at beautiful Batsford Arboretum Home to one of the largest private tree collections in the country, it’s in the spring that Batsford Arboretum really comes into its own as the beautiful Magnolia and National Collection of Japanese Cherries burst into life with their fantastic flowering displays. In May, Batsford’s famous Davidia (‘Pocket Handkerchief’) tree becomes the star of show.

Batsford Garden Centre is a haven for garden and plant lovers too, offering an unusual range of quality, affordable plants and gifts. No visit is complete without enjoying a home-baked cake, lunch or afternoon tea on the wooden deck of the Garden Terrace Café!

Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre, Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 9AD. Tel 01386 701441.

Email arboretum@batsfordfoundation.co.uk.

Visit www.batsarb.co.uk

Country Gardener

April Fairs 7th

April

Evenley Wood Gardens, Northants NN13 5SH

14th April

The Old Rectory, Quenington, Nr. Cirencester, GL7 5BN www.rareplantfair.co.uk Please visit our website for full details of admission fees and times of opening.

Abbey House Gardens

Hartland Abbey & Gardens Bluebell Sunday 14th Apr * Easter Egg Hunts & Bluebells Easter Day & Easter Monday 21st & 22nd Apr Visit this stunning house with its fascinating collections, exhibitions, beautiful walled and woodland gardens and walks to the beach. * Dogs welcome * * Delicious light lunches & cream teas * * Holiday Cottages * House, Gardens etc and Café: 31st March - 29th September, Sunday to Thursday 11am - 5pm (House 2pm - 5pm last adm. 4pm)

For all information and events see www.hartlandabbey.com Hartland, Nr. Bideford EX39 6DT 01237441496/234

LUKESLAND GARDENS

One of the great gardens of the world ♦ 1300 years of history and a

5 acre garden ♦ Cafe

“The Mythic Garden”

24 acres of Rare Shrubs, Trees, Pools & Waterfalls

♦ Sculpture Exhibition

Home-made soups & cakes

Gardens open daily from 1st April 30th September 11am - 5.30pm

Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holidays 11am – 5pm 31st March - 16th June

1st April - 31st May

Tel: 01666 827 650 info@abbeyhousegardens.co.uk www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk

Harford Ivybridge PL21 0JF Tel 01752 691749

www.lukesland.co.uk

Annual Sculpture Exhibition 18 May to 31 October Beautiful woodland and water gardens world-famous for a National Collection of Birch and Alder. Gardens open 10am - 6pm (dusk in winter) every day all year round. Entry £6. ‘Friends’ membership available.

Just 2 miles from the A30 Whiddon Down.

Chagford, Devon TQ13 8JU. Tel 01647 433771 www.stonelanegardens.com

April Days Out at The Bishop's Palace • • • • • • • •

14 acres of diverse RHS partner gardens See the Wells that give the City its name Stunning Tulip Displays in April Daily Guided Tours & Horticultural Tours Easter Holiday Family Activities 6th-22nd April New Knot Garden and Winter Border for 2019 Cafe & Shop Adjacent to Wells Cathedral and City Centre

T 01749 988111 ext.200 www.bishopspalace.org.uk www.countrygardener.co.uk

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Counting down to the NEW LOOK Powderham garden festival The sixth Toby Buckland Garden Festival takes place in the stunning surroundings of Powderham Castle and a has a new look and a host of added attractions The countdown continues to the Toby Buckland Garden Festival at Powderham Castle near Exeter on Friday, May 3rd and Saturday, May 4th –an event now in its sixth year and one of the highlights in the southwest gardening calendar.

There’s a new layout for the festival to the front of the castle, with more under-cover space in the shape of an Artisan Barn and theatre and a new Country Gardener Magazine Talks Tent. And for the first time the festival now welcomes dogs This year the festival will be divided into zones, including the Gardening Village, Feast street and Craft Zone to help visitors more easily find what they are looking for. The list of nurseries includes award winning Chelsea stalwarts and some exceptional new growers.

PLANTS AND MORE PLANTS! More than 30 nurseries will be at the festival with flowers, fruit, veg and trees, including award-winning RHS medal winners. Floyds Climbers known for their fabulous range of clematis and Avon Bulbs with owner Christopher Ireland-Jones and Dawlish nursery Whetmans with their range of long-flowering, scented pinks. New for 2019 are Andy’s Air Plants with their curious indoor greenery, which like hanging sculpture grow without soil, and Burnham Orchids famous for their beautiful conservatory and house plant orchids.

Celebrity speakers line up

Powderham Castle’s impressive Dining Hall will for the first time host celebrity speakers. Garden designer Joe Swift of BBC Gardeners’ World on Friday 3rd and Frances Tophill Frances Tophill, of Gardener’s World and ITV’s Love Your Garden will be sharing wisdom on growing the right plant in the right place on Saturday 4th May.

PLUS • BBC Radio Devon are broadcasting live and recording the Gardeners’ Q&A each afternoon.

• The festival hosts a special Garden Advice Clinic where you can sort out pest problems with help from Grazers – who make planet-friendly pest deterrents – and top bug expert, Dr Ian Bedford of the John Innes Research Centre.

Learn the secrets of no–dig gardening

Still time to plan a group day out at Powderham Castle

Stephanie Hafferty, no dig gardener and author of The Creative Kitchen and co-writer with Charles Dowding of the award-winning No Dig Organic Home and Gardener, is speaking on no dig gardening at the festival Stephanie Hafferty on Friday, 3rd May – free to visitors.

What is no dig gardening? It’s a method that’s been around for centuries of not turning over the soil. Instead of digging over the ground every winter as we were taught to do, you mulch the ground once a year with about an inch of composted mulch. It saves a huge amount of time and it’s good if you have a bad back! When you turn over the soil, it exposes the weed seed, so not digging means there are significantly fewer annual weeds and it preserves the soil life, the worms and the fungi.

There’s still time for garden clubs to plan a perfect gardeners’ day out at the Powderham festival. There’s been a big response to an information pack aimed at providing gardening club members with incentives to organise outings to the popular Powderham event.

Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th May at Powderham Castle, Kenton nr Exeter. Adult tickets cost £10 in advance (£12.50 on the gate) available The pack has details of entry price discounts from www.tobygardenfest.co.uk, Exeter’s Tourist Information office and available for clubs, free coach parking, plant Urban & Rural Plants. VIP Tickets £55 including all day refreshments, crèche arrangements and catering options and lunch and free goody bag from festival sponsor Hawksmoor sale or return tickets.

Investment Management. Children under 12 are free, parking is free Phone 01823 431767 or email and well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome. alan@countrygardener.co.uk

INFORMATION AND TICKETS

40

Country Gardener

Learning from the experts How better to learn about a specialist plant than from the nurserymen and women who grow them? This year for the first time at the festival, nursery exhibitors will take the stage in a new Country Gardener Magazine Talks Tent to talk about the plants they raise from seed or cuttings and look after 365 days a year. In the second in our three part series building up to the festival we talk to four growers who will be sharing their passion for growing. All the talks are free to visitors

What is an ‘Air Plant ‘– a chance to find out at Powderham Tillandsia’s are a genus of plants commonly known as Air Plants.

Andy’s Air Plants from Newlyn in Cornwall is fast gaining a reputation for these plants with a difference and nursery owner Andrew Gavin will be giving a talk at the festival with displays of these wonderful Tillandsia’s are now hugely popular as indoor plants houseplants -plus of course varieties for sale.

The plants are in the Bromeliad family whose most famous member is the pineapple. While the pineapple is a terrestrial Bromeliad (growing on the Andrew Gavin ground) the ‘Air Plants’ are epiphytic which means they grow on other plants or up in the air which is how they get their common name. Their roots are only for attachment and they take all moisture and nutrients through their leaves.

There is currently a huge interest in these plants.

“I think it is a fairly recent thing. It’s difficult for me to say because I am so immersed into it but clearly a lot of people in flats and apartments want something new and interesting and these fit the bill. There’s a real boom in houseplants at the moment for those with just window boxes and air plants are low maintenance plants perfect for people with less space ‘added Andy The Tillandsia genus comprises of around 600 plus species and the prices range from £5 to £50. There is a huge variety in the genus from silver or green foliage with beautiful flowers of many colours and some species have flowers that are wonderfully fragrant.

Andy has been collecting and growing these amazing plants for over a decade and you can see his wonderful displays at the festival. www.andysairplants.co.uk

How to care for your plants the expert’s way Caring properly for your muchloved plants is one of the biggest challenges for gardeners.

What compost should you use, how do you pot up plants Rebecca Flint and Tim Hancock correctly, how do you keep them at their best throughout the season?

Popular Gloucestershire nursery owners Tim Hancock and Rebecca Flint run Tortworth Plants on the 4,000 acre Tortworth Estate in Gloucestershire and in that time have won themselves a reputation for producing plants of the highest quality.

Tortworth Plants are regular exhibitors at the festival and Tim will be sharing his skills as a nurseryman in the Country Gardner Talks Tent.

Both Tim and Rebecca have a passion for horticulture, and like nothing more than hunting out new plants to add to their product range.

Tim studied at Pershore College and achieved an HND in Commercial Horticulture. Prior to establishing Tortworth Plants, he was production director at a large wholesale nursery in Wiltshire, where he was responsible for production of quality plants for sale.

His time working for a local retail nursery helped him to understand what gardeners were looking for and the advice and help they needed.

Tim has also worked for a local retail nursery, helping at horticultural events around the country and gaining valuable retail sales experience.

“I’ll be sharing just some of our experiences and knowledge on how to get the best of plants. We are very careful about what compost we use for example for different plants for example and once you have bought a plant the best way to repot and generally make the most of it.”

Tortworth Plants, Old Lodge Farm, Tortworth, Wotton-under-Edge, Glos GL12 8HF www.tortworthplants. co.uk

www.countrygardener.co.uk

41

LEARN HOW TO CREATE COLOUR CRAZY HANGING BASKETS

Learn how to make wonderfully colourful hanging baskets

Hanging baskets are one of the most popular ways of bringing dazzling colour to garden walls, fences and gates. It can also be great and creative fun.

At Powderham there’s a chance to hear from an expert nursery grower on the best plants to grow for hanging baskets, how to plant them how to go heavy on scented plants and how many plants you can squeeze in.

Dawn Morris from the popular Cornish Tartendown Nursery at Landrake near Saltash will be well known to regular visitors to the Powderham festival as she and her husband Simon are ever-present exhibitors.

Dawn is a master grower who has a long rooted history with her nursery. From the age of 13 she worked at the nurseries on Saturdays and on her holidays so much so that 10 years later she took over the business when the previous owners retired.

She offers the widest variety of well-tended plants, the majority grown on site so plants are healthy and sturdy.

“I want to share with Powderham visitors the delights about hanging baskets and from our range of plants at the show how to create that sensational display,bursting with life and colour.”

Dawn’s planted hanging baskets are a best seller at the Cornish nursery and she offers a re filling service.

“We have lots of experience about what works and what customers and gardeners want to achieve with their hanging baskets which are very popular and it will be lovely to share this all at the festival”. www.tartendown.co.uk Tartendown Nursery, Tartendown, Saltash PL12 5AF

Share in the passion of growing great tasting, exceptional vegetables Joy Michaud has a passion when it comes to growing vegetables.

It is along the lines of ‘Why grow an ordinary vegetable when you can grow an outstanding one?’

And at the Powderham festival she will be sharing this passion through her experience and knowledge built up since 1989 at her Seaspring Seeds Nursery in West Dorset.

“I’ll be talking to visitors about the excitement of growing new varieties and highlighting our chilli and pepper plugs which are hugely popular. We offer a wide Joy Michaud with her chillies range of over 70 chilli varieties from very mild to super hot and several varieties of sweet pepper. The plants are sold separately so you can buy exactly what you want.

“I love the Powderham festival and am really looking forward to it.”

Joy sees her nursery as plant hunter and breeders, always looking out for new and exception varieties of vegetables.

The emphasis is on special vegetable varieties and lots of care and research goes into finding quality varieties. Each one is tested and trials are run in the nursery.

“We also ask other gardeners to try our promising varieties. Testing is an on going process and we do this every year and we want to look after the ‘often neglected‘ home or allotment grower.”

Sea Spring Farm, West Bexington Dorchetser, Dorset DT2 9DD

See the May issue to meet more of the nursery owners speaking at Toby’s Garden Festival 42

Country Gardener

PLANNING RIGHTS AND WRONGS

by By David Hobbs, consultant to Byron D Hobbs More homeowners are finding their efforts to get planning permission for a home or garden improvement stressful, and fraught with problems.

This is in no small measure due to the complexity of the rules and regulations enshrined in the Town & Country Planning Acts.

So, how do we reduce these stresses and overcome these problems, when all we may require is a kitchen extension, a summerhouse, a greenhouse or garden shed?

Understanding what needs planning permission (and what is regarded as Permitted Development) is increasingly confusing to say the least. We need to tread a legitimate path through the rules despite them being so difficult to comprehend.

Some people see the solution as speaking to the planning office at their local council.

Wrong! There is no merit to alerting the planning office to your wishes (particularly if they may in some way be sensitive or contentious). I recommend you firstly establish if your proposal/project may or may not comply with the local planning policy – a critical factor too often ignored or disregarded. Frequently because most of us simply do not know the ground rules, or the special language spoken only by planning officers.

The question is: how do you start your journey to a successful planning application? Put simply, the right approach is to get the right advice from the right source at the outset; and to act upon it!

Many of my clients who have got themselves into difficulty with the planning system have said to me “I rang the Planning Office to find out what they will allow”.

Oh, please! It’s almost as bad as asking the local gamekeeper if he would mind you stealing a few of his pheasants.

Moreover, I intensely dislike the assumption/attitude that they have the power to allow something as profound as, say, a simple improvement to our home or garden.

If all you want is a simple kitchen extension, you may be forgiven for thinking that the recent high profile media-speak is accurate: and that you don’t need planning permission at

all, or if you do, it will be granted as a matter of course.

Wrong again! It is true that in most cases (excepting relevant neighbour issues) and where a special planning status is not applicable, you will probably have a reasonably easy journey.

Unfortunately, most of us live in homes in close proximity to our neighbours, or that either have some architectural merit or are located in areas of a particular planning status. In these instances, it is often where the difficulties start.

Frequently, you will see notices displayed near a house or site on which a recent planning application has been made. In some instances you will need to advertise your proposal in the local paper. These arrangements are designed to alert local people to your proposal and to allow them the opportunity of making representations – good, bad or indifferent.

Indeed, anyone can comment on your proposal, whether or not they are qualified so to do or not. And often they are not!

So with rules, regulations, neighbours and random (seldom supportive) comments lodged with your council, this journey is looking far from easy. To be successful you are likely to require the services of a specialist.

What specialist then, and where do I find one?

Actually, this is not as difficult as you might imagine.

The planning officer dealing with your application will more than likely be a chartered member of The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). If you want an equally qualified opinion in your corner it makes obvious sense to consult with an RTPI member who operates in the private sector. He/ she will naturally speak the planning language I mentioned earlier. They will also be able to study the local plan applicable to your area, and to advise you on the compliance, or otherwise, of your proposal.

The RTPI will happily supply you with a list of their members local to you. The best advice never comes cheap, so I suggest you get quotes from three outfits before you decide.

The planning system with all its faults is by and large an exceptional success for all us living in Britain today. We rather take it for granted, and moan about its deficiencies We don’t want urban sprawl despoiling unique countryside, but we want the right to improve our homes and gardens within the legal requirements, and we don’t want unnecessary stress doing it!

NEXT ISSUE: Some of the issues of how your garden can be affected.

PLANNING DRAWINGS & APPLICATIONS

FREE!!

FORR YOU

BUILDING ADVICE & SUPPORT

BOOKLET

ON THE 7 ANSWERS TO THE 7 VITAL HOMEOWNERS QUESTIONS

www.byrondhobbs.co.uk GO TO: www.byron www.countrygardener.co.uk

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April garden

ADVICE

The Country Gardener postbag continues to fill up with queries from readers on a wide variety of gardening problems. Here’s a spring themed selection.

My father always used to grow lovely waterlilies in his pond. I’ve been told they are difficult to grow successfully. Are they worth the effort?

In short yes they are well worth it and if you select the right variety and pot them correctly they should be fairly problem free. Waterlilies were among the earliest flowering plants to evolve and many argue the most beautiful of aquatic Water lilies - easy to grow but make plants, adding variety right sure you have the practicality as well as beauty. Fish use them as hiding places to escape predators and as shady retreats from the hot summer sun. Plants growing in a pond help keep the water clean and aerated, so you’ll spend less time on pond maintenance.

Water lily plants can be divided into two types and getting the wrong variety can cause problems: • Hardy types are best for northern climates where the water freezes in winter. As long as the roots of hardy specimens are below the level where the water freezes, they will reappear the following spring.

• Tropical water lilies won’t survive in cold water and must be brought indoors for winter in all but the warmest areas. Many growers treat them as annuals, replanting them each year. Otherwise, remove them from the pond, clean them up, and store them in a bucket of moist sand in a cool place before the first freeze.

A pond or pool covered in water lilies is attractive, but complete coverage prevents light from penetrating into the water, choking out other plant and animal life. Growing water lilies in containers helps keep them from spreading and taking over a small pond and it makes water lily care much easier. When you are growing water lilies, use a large plastic pot with several holes punched in the sides and bottom. Fill the pot to within three inches of the top with silt, loam or clay soil and mix in a small amount of slow-release fertiliser labelled for use with aquatic soil. Plant the rhizome close to one side of the pot at a 45-degree angle with the eye pointing up. Cover the soil with a layer of pea gravel, keeping the gravel away from the top of the rhizome as much as possible. The gravel keeps the soil from floating off or washing out of the pot. Place the pot in the bottom of the pond, adjusting the depth to that recommended for your specific variety.

44

Country Gardener

ADV ICE

We have just planted some new fruit trees - apples and pears - in a small field off our main garden in a quite exposed position. Is frost damage likely to affect them and limit the crop?

Most top fruit and soft fruit are very hardy but once they start into growth in spring, flowers and buds are especially vulnerable to frost and may need protection to crop well.

Spring frosts can seriously damage young fruit trees

Most potential fruit damage can be avoided by choosing a site where spring frosts are least likely.

If this is not possible to avoid frost pockets consider protecting them with the following methods: SOFT FRUIT BUSHES: use fleece to cover and protect the flowers and developing crop on nights when frost is forecast.

STRAWBERRIES: protect with cloches or a double layer of fleece, removing or opening both in the day to allow pollinators access.

SMALL YOUNG FRUIT TREES: cover with fleece overnight to provide frost protection and remove during the day, but this is generally impractical with larger trees.

FRUIT GROWN ON WALLS AND FENCES (CORDON, ESPALIER OR FAN-TRAINED): cover with two or three layers of horticultural fleece, hessian or shade netting. This should be rolled up during the day. Use canes to keep the material off the blossoms. Remove the covers as soon as the danger is over.

Can I grow herbs all year round in a sheltered but cool courtyard which doesn’t get a lot of sun?

You will have to be selective in what you grow. Most herbs in containers will flourish for eight or nine months in the year. The downside is that many pot-grown herbs die out in winter. However, they can be harvested in autumn and stored for use throughout the winter season.

The trick may be to vary where the herbs are grown. Sow tender herb seeds such as basil, marjoram, coriander, and tender perennials such as French tarragon indoors in spring for planting outdoors after all risk of frost passes.

Some herbs can live outside all year once they are established. Try mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme and sage. These can be sown indoors as with the tender herbs, or sow them outdoors in May in containers.

Delay buying herb plants from garden centres until the weather warms up in late spring. Winter planted herbs are vulnerable to root damage in the cold wet potting media. Some herbs die back in winter, for example French tarragon and mint. These and most herbs will look after themselves if placed where they cannot be frozen, saturated by rain or allowed to become too dry. Suitable places include in the rain shadow of walls, in a coldframe or even in an open fronted shed. A sheet of glass or plywood can keep off heavy rain in wet regions.

Use pot feet or stand containers on bricks to avoid waterlogging. If very cold weather is forecast, protect containers from freezing by wrapping in bubble polythene.

I BOUGHT SOME CHILLIES AT A GARDEN FESTIVAL LAST SEPTEMBER BUT THEY WERE A MILD VARIETY. I’D LIKE TO GROW SOMETHING HOTTER BUT NOT SURE HOW I SHOULD START. First let’s look at how you monitor how hot spicy chillies are. Chilli pepper heat is measured by its own scale- the Scoville Scale. The scale was devised by American chemist Wilbur Scoville, who found a way to record the level of heat in each dry mass of foodstuff. Peppers lacking capsaicin –a standard sweet pepper – measure zero on the scale. The average Jalapeno chilli is about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with both Scotch Bonnets and Habaneros varieites anywhere between 100,000 to 325,000 SHU. The hottest chillies in the world now break the million SHU mark. These are the sort you need to wear gloves to handle!

Chilli peppers are great fun to grow. The strength of the chilli will be determined at the seed buying stage.

First, make sure you give them the sunniest spot in the garden. They’ll give their best if you can offer some sort of protection – a greenhouse, cold frame or poly tunnel.

Don’t use cold water on plants, but allow the water to reach air temperature to prevent shocking the plant’s roots. This is particularly important for seedlings.

Encourage bushier plants by removing the growing point

Chillies, hot, very hot or mind blowing

of the young plants once they reach about a foot high – new branches will sprout further down the stem to produce a more balanced and sturdy plant.

Feed peppers when they come into flower with a high potash feed, such as tomato fertiliser and for plants in greenhouses, you could raise humidity levels by spraying plants with water or damping down greenhouse paths.

This will help the flowers to set fruit. Once they are fruiting, pick them as soon as they are ready to encourage more flowers and fruits to follow.

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45

For the last two summers my usually spectacular tulip display has been badly affected by something which seems to attack the stems and the flowers.

Should I just give up on these bulbs and start again?

Small areas work well for wild flowers

We have a small patch about 10 metres square in a corner of the garden I’d like to turn into a mini wild flower meadow. How long would I have to wait to get flowers?

Normally annual wildflowers bloom in their first season, giving a bright show of colour from early summer before dying and setting seed in late summer or autumn. Annual wildflower seeds such as cornflowers, poppies and corn cockle look very effective scattered in smaller beds like the one you suggest and create a colourful display.

Sow wild flower garden seeds in March and April, or September if your soil is light and well drained.

They prefer an open position in full sun. For annual displays, autumn sowing favours wild red poppy seeds and cornflowers, whereas spring sowing tends to favour corncockles and corn marigolds.

Prepare the ground by clearing away all existing plants and grass. It’s particularly important to remove vigorous perennial weeds such as stinging nettles, docks and couch grass. In wildlife areas this is best done by hand.

Your soil should be good enough for the flowers. Dig the soil over and firm it well before raking to create a level seedbed. Don’t incorporate any fertilisers or manure as this encourages grass growth which crowds out the wild flowers.

It is best to allow up to six weeks for the soil to settle. This also allows any weed seeds to germinate, which can then be removed with a hoe or weed killer.

If your soil is very fertile and you’d like to grow a perennial wild flower meadow you can try stripping away the top two inches of soil to reduce fertility.

One gram of pure wild flower garden seeds is enough for one square metre of soil. Try mixing the seed with silver sand to help you see where you’ve been and make your distribution more even.

46

Though they’re fairly disease tolerant, there are a few common tulip diseases that can affect the soil or tulip bulbs. One common tulip fungal disease is the Botrytis blight, also known as tulip fire or mycelial neck rot. This problem affects every part of the tulip and it looks as if this may be your problem. It appears as discoloured, singed-looking spots on the leaves and petals. The stems may become weak and collapse, while the bulbs become covered with lesions.

Botrytis is possibly the worst disease to effect tulip bulbs

Tulip disease problems are often treated by a thorough examination before planting. Study each bulb carefully, looking for tell-tale dark or spongy spots and mould. You can also detect rot by dropping the bulbs in water: rotten bulbs will float, while healthy bulbs will sink. Unfortunately, water is a good carrier of disease. This makes it easier for infected bulbs to spread to healthy ones. It may be a little early to give up on your bulbs. Be sure to spray all the good bulbs with fungicide to prevent future issues. If any of these tulip disease problems manifest themselves on your tulip plants, remove and burn the infected plants as soon as you notice them. Don’t plant tulips in that spot for a few years, as the disease spores can remain in the soil and infect future plants.

If you have a gardening question which is causing you problems then write to us at: Country Gardener, Mount House, Halse, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3AD and we will try and include it in this regular advice feature.

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47

A PURR-FECT

garden!

Gardens can provide a sensory experience for your feline friend, as well as a safe space for them to exercise or hide away. By taking a few extra precautions, you could also protect other wildlife that visits your garden, or keep a section of your garden cat-free to grow your favourite plants.

Now is the perfect time to get out in the garden, preparing for the warmer months ahead. But if you have a cat how much thought do you give to the impact it has on your garden and have you thought about designing your garden around your cat?

It might not be quite what you had in mind to give the garden some specific cat attention but it can result in a happier puss, which makes for happier owners and even happier neighbours!

Being free-roaming creatures, you can take a cat out of the outdoors but you can’t always take the outdoors out of the cat - scaling fences, pouncing from bushes and creeping through the undergrowth all come naturally.

So why not nurture their need for exploration by creating a cat-friendly garden?

Not only will this make your outdoor cat less likely to venture on to a nearby road in search of new adventures, but it might stop him squatting in the neighbours’ gardens too!

Like most wildlife, cats much prefer a garden that is a bit rough at the edges to one that is maintained in immaculate order.

GO ORGANIC Non-organic chemicals present in weedkillers and slug pellets can be harmful to your cat if they eat or come into contact with an infected plant or creature. If you do use non-organic chemicals, always follow the instructions on the packaging, and keep them locked away in a shed or garage.

PLANTS THEY’LL LOVE The nepetalactone present in some nepeta (catmint) species has a natural, non-toxic euphoric effect on some cats, particularly Nepeta cataria (catnip). Valeriana officinalis (common valerian) is another favourite, which can create a similar effect to catmint due to naturally-occurring actinidine.

Some cats will also enjoy chewing and nibbling on Dactylis glomerata (cat grass). There are several grasses that cats can snack on, but this is the most widely available as seed or, increasingly, sprouting in pots.

48

CREATE A NO-GO ZONE If you want to keep a particular section of your garden away from prowling paws, try incorporating plants with repellant smells such as Plectranthus caninus (also known as Coleus canina or ‘scaredy cat’ plant), or aromatic herbs like lavender, rosemary or Helichrysum italicum (curry plant), which some cats dislike and may avoid.

Cats can feel threatened in exposed spaces and love secluded spots where they can rest and keep on eye on what’s happening! Choose bushy plants without thorns which can provide shade and a secluded spot for cats to enjoy – lavender is a great choice.

Remember the great outdoors can pose some risks to cats.

Avoid plants which can be toxic to cats – lilies in particular can be lethal. A full list is available on Cats Protection’s website at www.cats.org.uk/dangerous-plants.

PLANTS TO AVOID Most cats are fastidious creatures and are careful about what they eat. Poisoning in cats is therefore generally rare.

It is the young inquisitive cat or kitten that is most at risk of eating harmful plants, particularly household ones.

However lilies are toxic and potentially fatal to cats, so should be avoided completely. Alliums, amaryllis, crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips can be dangerous to cats, as can cyclamen, poinsettias and rhododendrons.

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49

THE ROOT of the matter

by Gill Heavens

In the second of her series on how different plant parts work in the garden Gill Heavens looks at the critical role of developing roots When all things are in place, the optimum temperature has been reached and enough water imbibed, our seed is ready to germinate.

The radicle, or fledgling root, bursts through the seed coat and takes it first steps, anchoring into its new home. This is an important step, the seedling requires additional nutrients and water for the plumule, which will become the young stem of our plant, to emerge. Only then can they begin to photosynthesise, allowing the plant to mature into a strong and healthy specimens.

The radicle pushes downwards into the soil, taking gravity as its indicator, a process known as geotropism.

From this small root others will follow, constantly growing and branching. The vulnerable growing point is close to the end of the rootlet and is protected by a root cap. Above this point, protected from damage, fine hairs clothe the root. These tiny whiskers increase the surface area available for absorption.

As the systems develop they take on specific form. Some plants produce a mass of delicate roots, concentrated close to the surface. These are known as fibrous roots, grasses being a prime example. They are excellent at preventing soil erosion, the particles of earth are held amongst them, safe from water or wind damage.

Some plants are tap-rooted.

One, sometimes two, substantial roots travel deep into the ground, providing stability in windy or unstable conditions.

They are also experts in mining nutrients from areas unavailable for shallow rooters. Comfrey, carrots and dandelions all fall into this category. It can be hard to rid ourselves of these sturdy characters once introduced into the garden, think of the persistent horseradish, once planted never forgotten!

Other plants, including many trees, have a combination of both 50

structures. Initially they send down stabilising tap roots, then develop a horizontal, diffuse system closer to the surface. A combination ensuring the best of both worlds.

As Mr Darwin pointed out, over millennia, flora and fauna have adapted to specific conditions and root systems illustrate this perfectly. In order to solve problems peculiar to their environments, plants have modified in their own magnificent ways. Some desert shrubs delve deep to survive, the velvet mesquite, Prosopis velutina, in the Sonoran desert of North America, can travel over fifty meters down in its quest for water. Conversely, many cacti have extremely shallow root systems, widely spread, to take full advantage of any rain that may fall. One problem, two solutions.

Members of the family Proteaceae, such as leucadendrons, proteas and banksia, have evolved ingenious proteoid roots to survive in nutrient deficient soils. These seasonally developed roots reach up into the top layer of soil ensuring optimum water and nutrient extraction. This adaption has left these plants particularly sensitive to phosphorus, a chemical in many proprietary fertilisers. They are easily killed with kindness.

The genus taxodium, deciduous cypresses from the Americas, grow either on or very close to swamps and other water sources. In order not to “drown” in the oxygen-depleted soils they have developed pneumatophores, sometimes known as “knees” on their horizontal roots. Yes, they breathe through their knees!

Roots also serve as food storage, acting as larders for deciduous plants providing nourishment to grow new leaves after a dormant winter. We of course take advantage of some of the tastier of these, including delicious beetroot and parsnips. Tubers are a little more complicated. They grow from either the stem or the root. Root tubers include dahlia and

Country Gardener

Seeking moisture

Epiphytes plants that grow on another plant, have roots that gain sustenance from rain, debris and mists Proteoid roots evolve to survive in nutrient deficient soils and reach up into the top layer of soil ensuring optimum water and nutrient extraction. This has left these plants sensitive to phosphorus in many proprietary fertilisers. and Roots can alter the shape of plants as can be killed wit h kindness. they seek out water and soil moisture sweet potato and are lateral roots that have developed into storage organs.

It may be a surprise that not all roots live below ground.

Epiphytes, plants that grow on another plant, have roots that gain sustenance from rain, debris and mists.

Some, such as the Banyan tree, lower their roots down from the host plant to the ground forming a throttling cage. Other plants produce what is known as adventitious roots, produced on stems or even leaves, such as climbing ivy and strawberry runners.

They are a clever way of self-propagation, enabling plant to grow sideways.

Contractile roots are perhaps the most impressive of all, they physically pull the plant down into the ground. A good example is the highly successful crocosmia that produces a new corm each year on top of last year’s model. To prevent the plants climbing out of the soil, specialised roots on the bottom corm haul the plant back down to where it belongs.

We cannot mention roots without mentioning mycorrhizae, the fungi that live symbiotically with all plants. Science is only just beginning to scratch the surface of just how important this association is, and that a healthy soil is a living soil.

Over the centuries particular properties of roots have been

Crocosmias have specialised roots on the bottom corm which haul the plant back down to where it belongs.

utilised by man. The vivid yellow of the berberis root has been used as a dye as well as an ingredient in homeopathic medicine. Turmeric, ginger and galangal have all been proven to impart extensive health benefits alongside their culinary value. The delicately flowered bloodroot, Sanguinaria Canadensis, was used as a rich red dye by First Nation Americans, as well as a medicine for both cleansing and lung problems. There is a darker side. One that Harry Potter fans will be familiar with. The mandrake. The roots of these plants have long been associated with folklore and witchcraft. The roots supposedly scream when they are wrenched from the ground, the sound of which is fatal. Having never tried this frankly risky exercise, I am not in a position to comment.

However to be quite sure I would err on the side of caution.

As gardeners we rarely see the roots of plants, unless we are about to eat them or are transplanting, but this is short sighted. If things are not ideal below the ground, it will be apparent above. Too wet, too dry, restricted or starved it will soon become obvious. Without an extensive and healthy root system our plants will become sickly.

We would do well to look after our underground friends and their subterranean world. It is upon them that the stems will grow strong.

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51

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Polytunnels from £399 available to view by appointment 01363 84948 info@ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk

www.ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk

Seed Specialists

Contact Gary: 01684 770 733 or 07500 600 205 Gary@cranesbillnursery.com www.cranesbillnursery.com

DORSET WATER LILY COMPANY The Uk’s largest selection of established pot grown water lilies for public and landscape supply.

Storage

www.devonlogstores.co.uk Made from sustainably harvested locally grown timber, these log stores are sturdily and attractively designed, yet light enough to be easily moved. Also wheelie bin/recycling storage and cycle stores.

Speciality hardy marginals and moisture loving bogside.

Catalogue available or visit us MON/ FRI or SAT 9 - 4pm, Yeovil Road, Halstock BA22 9RR

Tel: 0800 0854399

Consultation/Design & Landscape Service Tel: 01935 891668

www.dorsetwaterlily.co.uk

Log cabins

Stables

CERTIFIED ORGANIC VEGETABLE PLANTS Visit us at Kitley Farm, Yealmpton, PL8 2LT Or order plants at

01935 891195 Garages

Garden Offices

Ex-display buildings for sale | Anything to order

Do You Want a More Beautiful Garden?

Discover How Science Can Help Your Garden Grow • Tips to make a greener, more beautiful garden • Help to Get to Know Your Plants • How Thinking Scientifically will Help you Horticulturally

For further details call Nick on 01392 681690

Wanted/For Sale

Specialist Garden Products CustomTimberBuildings.co.uk

Available in a range of sizes suited for the courtyard/patio or larger garden.

www.growersorganics.com Tel: 01752 881180 Growers of many plants suitable for coastal areas including hedging plants

ATTENTION ALL GARDENERS!

Mushroom Compost, Farm Yard Manure, Horse Manure, Top Soil, Wood Chip Mulch, Wood Chip, Compost and Chicken Manure.

ALL £1.50 PER BAG PLUS DELIVERY

For more information or advice call Nick on 01404 891684 / 07860 459745

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www.connettsfarmdevon.co.uk

All propagated and grown in Devon Established suppliers to landscape designers

www.coastalhedging.co.uk www.seasideplants.co.uk

Tony Arnold MCI Hort Amazon www.scienceforthegardener.com

GET MORE FROM YOUR GARDEN THIS

Specialist Nurseries & Plants

Spring

Forton Nursery Top quality Perennials, Shrubs and Trees. Located in Forton village, near Chard TA20 4HD Tel 01460 239569 fortonnursery@btconnect.com Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

For the latest garden news, events & advice - don't miss COUNTRY GARDENER

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Country Gardener

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P RODUC T REV IEW: BATTERY DRIVEN LAWNMOWERS

Welcome to the NEW GENERATION lawn mowers There’s a new generation of lawn mowers on the market - relying on clean and safe battery power.

They are expensive but John Swithinbank is impressed with their performance Technology can be frustrating on frequent occasions. From those inevitable non-fathomable computer glitches to contracting that horrible condition called FOBO (Fear of Being Offline) when our routers fail at a crucial time just to annoy us!

However, sometimes technology makes for a better life - enter the era of the modern lawnmower with no smelly petrol engine or trailing electric cable waiting to be severed to clout us with a hair raising electric shock!

I’m talking about the new generation of rechargeable battery powered lawnmowers.

We are now well into spring and you might be one of the unfortunate gardeners finding that your lawnmower which you used last year is no longer fit for purpose. To help out, I’m looking at five battery mowers all of which are worthy contenders for the new mowing season.

For the best deals shop around online but just make sure that the price includes charger and battery as these are expensive.

Prices seem to vary day to day so that’s why I’ve not included them here.

For more detailed technical specifications there’s also lots of info. on line. Bear in mind that longer grass, wet grass and coarser grass lawns may reduce the efficiency and battery running times of these mowers. Also, bear in mind that these mowers are either pushed along by yourself or they power themselves along as well.

This is a particularly useful feature on the larger heavier machines but hand pushed is sometimes easier around tight obstacles.

One last thing to look out for is the minimum and maximum height of cut to make sure it will cut to a height of your liking.

Stihl RMA 235 A cheeky little number by way of its ability to adjust the blade speed depending on grass conditions hence saving on battery drainage. It’s a great model for smaller lawns and, like the Flymo, quite light although a tad heavier than its rival. I found its quality of the cut unrivalled. If there’s a gripe, then it’s the rather long time it takes for the battery to recharge (a faster charger is available at extra cost) but hey, we are talking here of a sophisticated battery management system when put to the sward.

Bosch Rotak 43 Li-2 Ergoflex With a minimum height of cut of 20mm this mower is one for the lawn lover who likes a close shave and those Centre Court stripes. Its only downfall is that its not self propelled but it is light enough to push around a medium sized lawn.

It’s great that it comes with a spare battery as charge time is about one and a half hours. I couldn’t fault its performance.

Flymo Mighti-Mo 300 Li Cordless Battery Lawn Mower Not built for large lawns this push along mower will appeal to those with small lawns. Don’t get me wrong, it’s powerful enough to cope with challenging conditions but due to it’s narrow width of cutting (30cm) and a relatively small grass box don’t expect it to chomp through vast swards of our green and pleasant land. One great advantage it’s got over some other mowers is it’s lightness and won’t take up much storage room. So, if it takes less than half an hour to mow your lawn this mower may be worth considering.

Hyundai HYM120LI510 120V Yes, believe it of not Hyundai don’t just make cars. This powerful mower can run up to one hour on a single charge and comes with two batteries and a wide 510mm cutting width to cope with larger lawns. It does however take about an hour or so to charge one battery but this isn’t a great problem with another battery waiting in the wings. Not only has it got a fairly large grass box to collect the cut grass but it is capable of discharging from the rear without the box or to one side if preferred. It can also mulch the clippings to feed the lawn naturally but over time this could lead to a build up of thatch requiring scarification.

Ego LM2014E-SP 50cm Self-Propelled This is a big-boy suited to larger lawns and it can collect, mulch and side discharge the clippings. I found that it had enough clout to rival the best petrol mowers but beware that if you are mowing hard over about half an hour or so the battery could be ready for another charge which takes about 35 - 40 minutes - time enough for feet up and a long tea break.

www.countrygardener.co.uk

55

TIME Off

COMPILED BY KATE LEW IS DIARY EVENTS FROM CLUBS AND ORGANISATIONS AROUND SOMERSET

Here’s a selection of gardening events to look out for during the next few weeks throughout Somerset.

Send us details of your event at least ten weeks before publication and we will publicise it free of charge. Make sure you let us know where the event is being held, the date and include a contact telephone number.

We are keen to support garden club events and we will be glad to publicise talks and shows held during the year where clubs want to attract a wider audience, but we do not have space for club outings or parties. We suggest that garden clubs send us their diary for the year for events to be included in the relevant issue of the magazine. Please send to Country Gardener Magazines, Mount House, Halse, Taunton TA4 3AD or by email to timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk We take great care to ensure that details are correct at the time of going to press but we advise readers to check wherever possible before starting out on a journey as circumstances can force last minute changes. All NGS open gardens can be found on www.ngs.org.uk or in the local NGS booklet available at many outlets.

MARCH 18th EAST CHINNOCK GARDENING AND Countryside Club ‘BAT AWARENESS’ – EDWARD WELLS 20th MENDIP GARDENING CLUB ‘GARDENS OF WORLD WAR ONE’ – CHRISTINE STONES Details on 01761 750139 NORTH CADBURY GARDENING CLUB ‘LYTES CARY’ – DAMIAN MITCHELL 21 BARNSTAPLE & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY ‘FROM MOOING TO MOWING’ – JOHN MARSTON Details on 01271 342390 CREWKERNE GARDENING CLUB ‘NO DIG, MORE HARVESTS, FEWER WEEDS’ – CHARLES DOWDING Details on 01460 74290 DULVERTON GARDENING CLUB ‘SOME EXTRAORDINARY BULBS, A NURSERY MAN’S VIEW’ – CHRIS IRELAND-JONES st

23rd LOWER SHALFORD FARM, WINCANTON DAFFODIL FESTIVAL Details on 01963 34999 SEDGEMOOR GARDENS CLUB ‘DAFFODIL FESTIVAL IN LONG SUTTON VILLAGE HALL Details on 07903 030533

56

SOMERSET HARDY PLANT SOCIETY, EAST LAMBROOK MANOR EARLY SPRING PLANT FAIR Details on 01884 820840 24th CHILCOMPTON GARDEN CLUB ‘FLORAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW’– CATHRYN BROWN 25th CLEVEDON GARDENERS’ CLUB ‘PRUNING’ – JON MASON Details on 01275 847879 26th ENMORE & DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB ‘PLANT DOCTOR - ADVICE ON THE CARE OF YOUR PLANTS’- MERVYN REED Details on 01278 671654 MERRIOTT GARDENING CLUB ‘THE SECRET WORLD OF VIOLETS’ – CLIVE GROVES Details on 01460 72298 WEDMORE GARDENING CLUB ‘LILLIES & SUMMER FLOWERING BULBS’ – DON EVERIT Details on 01934 712046 27th ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY, SOMERSET GROUP AGM & ‘TIPS, TRICKS & TECHNOLOGY’ – PAUL CUMBLETON Details on 01984 656413 30th SOMERSET PLANT HERITAGE, EDINGTON ‘GARDENS OF WORLD WAR ONE’ – CHRISTINE STONES Details on 01278 722427

Country Gardener

NAILSEA & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY SPRING FLOWER SHOW AT NAILSEA SCHOOL. 12.30 to 5pm.

More details on 01275 855342

APRIL 3rd CLEEVE PRIOR GARDEN CLUB ‘A YEAR NTO GROWING CUT FLOWERS’ – JEZ TAYLOR WEST PENNARD GARDENING CLUB ‘SPRING FLOWERS’ – GEORGE ALWAYS Details on 01458 850734 4th COMPTON DUNDON GARDEN CLUB ‘365 DAYS OF COLOUR IN YOUR GARDEN’ – NICH BAILEY Details on 07977 005894 CONGRESBURY GARDENING CLUB ‘MINIMUM EFFORT FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT’ – MARY PAYNE 9th SEDGEMOOR GARDENS CLUB ‘IRRESISTIBLE GARDEN PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES’ – ROY CHEEK Details on 01903 030533 10th KILMERSDON GARDENERS ‘CLIMBERS GALORE’ – CHRISTOPHER BOND Details on 01761 233325 NAILSEA & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY & THE BISHOP’S PALACE ‘PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE’ – JAMES CROSS More details on 01275 855341

11th CREWKERNE GARDENING CLUB ‘NEW TRICKS FOR OLD GARDENERS’ – KATH COUCH Details on 01460 74290 EAST COKER GARDENING CLUB ‘HANGING BASKETS’- CAROLINE BOTTOMLEY/CHRIS FRANCIS Details on 01935 862447 QUEEN CAMEL & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY AGM & ‘CACTI’ – BARRY REID Details on 01935 850673 SEAVINGTON GARDENING CLUB ‘CUT FLOWER GARDENING AND HAND TIED POSY DEMONSTRATION’ – GEORGIE NEWBERY Details on 01460 249728 WEST BAGBOROUGH GARDEN CLUB ‘WICKED PLANTS – WHICH ONES ARE HIDING IN YOUR GARDEN’ – MARION DALE Details on 01823 430579 WESTON VILLAGE (BATH) GARDENING CLUB ‘OPENING OUR GARDEN FOR THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME’ – CHRISTINE & STEVE BROOK WESTON SUPER MARE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY ‘THE EVOLUTION OF FLOWERS’ – NICK WRAY 12th WINSHAM HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TALK BY FORDE ABBEY HEAD GARDENER, JOSH SPARKES Details on 01460 432815

13th SOMERSET HARDY PLANT SOCIETY, WEST MONKTON VILLAGE HALL ‘JOY IN THE SPRING GARDEN’ – KEVIN HUGHES Details on 01884 820840

19th CARHAMPTON GARDENING CLUB AGM & FUN QUIZ Details on 01643 821085 23rd CHILCOMPTON GARDEN CLUB ‘AMMERDOWN’ – RICHARD KITLEY WEDMORE GARDENING CLUB ‘GARDEN DISASTERS’ – NEIL ROSS Details on 01934 712046

14th THE DAFFODIL SOCIETY WESSEX GROUP, HENTON VILLAGE HALL MEETING Details on 01275 855675

24th ALPINE GARDEN SOCIETY, SOMERSET GROUP ‘BLACKTHORN NURSERY FROM JANUARY TO MAY’ – ANNE & JOHN BEBBINGTON Details on 01984 656413

15th BURNHAM ON SEA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY ‘PRUNING – BASIC PRINCIPLES’ – JULIE HENDERSON Details on 01278 788058 EAST CHINNOCK GARDENING AND COUNTRYSIDE CLUB ‘PUB SIGNS (PART 2)’ – ROBERT MUSGRAVE

27th SOMERSET HARDY PLANT SOCIETY, WEST Monkton Village Hall GROUP PLANT SALE Details on 01884 820840

16th BARRINGTON & DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB ‘WHY DO PLANTS DIE’ – NEIL LOVESEY Details on 01460 54691

28th BARNSTAPLE & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY EASTER LUNCH Details on 01271 342390

17th NORTH CADBURY GARDENING CLUB ‘GROWING FUCHSIAS MY WAY’ – PETER HOLLOWAY

29th CLEVEDON GARDENERS’ CLUB AGM & PLANT AUCTION Details on 01275 847879

18th DULVERTON GARDENING CLUB ‘ALLURING ALPINES’ - PAUL CUMBERLAND

30th ENMORE & DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB ‘LEARNING TO LOOK AFTER YOUR GARDEN’ – LOIS PHILLIPS Details on 01278 671654

There’s an RHS Garden for every group

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57

READER’S STORY

Happy

ALLOTMENTS?

Jane Pinn, is membership secretary of P lain Pond Allotments at Wiveliscombe in Somerset where through hard but caring planning they have come up with a winning formula for an allotment site Allotment sites come in many guises, but what makes a good one? Most people would agree on a well-maintained site where all the plots are cultivated and weeds kept under control. Good, level access and provision of water would also come pretty high on the list. These are important factors certainly, but they don’t necessarily add up to a happy allotment site.

Here, at Plain Pond Allotments in Wiveliscombe, we believe our plotholders are the difference. Our site is council-owned but, back in 2005, the tenant plotholders formed an Association, with the rather grand The allotment has quickly aim of “Becoming established a great community spirit a self-regulating community which manages its own business, within the framework of the tenancy agreement and allotment legislation”.

In 14 years, the association has gone from strength to strength. The term association simply refers to the collective plot-holders in residence. A committee is elected each year to manage the waiting list, funds, and day-to-day business of the site. We are affiliated to the National Allotment Society and our membership benefits include legal support and advice as well as access to reduced-price seeds. We actively cultivate a good working relationship with the Town Council and the local community. None of this would be possible without the vision and determination of the committee members.

My personal incentive is the experience of my friend Ally. I remember her being so excited when she first got an allotment at a large site in nearby Wellington. As a busy working mother of three, Ally nevertheless spent many hours cultivating her plot and the kids loved it. Two disillusioned years later, she had 58

The site has some talented gardeners but no one is expected to be an expert at vegetable growing

given up her allotment. Ally had grown some great vegetables in that time but, she said, “They never offered help, only criticism”.

So, when I joined our committee five years ago, I was determined to use her experience as a blueprint of how not to do it!

I am so proud that today at Plain Pond we offer a choice of three different sizes of plot, and we actively welcome families with young children (future growers). New members receive a welcome pack, explaining how everything works, and our website and communal blog is full of useful information.

Annual events include workshops, such as how to plant potatoes or make compost, and various trips and outings throughout the year.

There are 34 plots at Plain Pond, used by around 100 people.

We try to be flexible in meeting the changing demand for what people want from their growing space, so we also offer plot-sharing, a communal plot and an easy-access plot. We can give people an option to split or share their plot or move to a smaller one if they are struggling. We use some of our funds each year to provide free plastic sheeting to cover plots if needed, and bulk-purchase fleece and netting for members to buy at cost.

Importantly, we value people for their unique skills and what they bring to the allotment site as a whole. We have some experienced gardeners of course, but also some very talented cake-makers, artists, musicians, photographers, PR and IT specialists amongst our members and their partners.

No-one is expected to be an expert at growing veg, although there is plenty of advice and knowledge on hand to help with this.

Our aim now is to get as many people as possible growing some veg, to enable them to get the most from their allotment and, above all, to enjoy it! So the term most commonly used to describe our site is ‘friendly’,.

I think we are doing pretty well.

For more information, visit our website: http://plainpond.blogspot.co.uk/

Country Gardener

Avonfield Gardens

Marsh Road, Hilperton Wiltshire BA14 7PL Tel 01225 571331

Garden & Estate Machinery SALES - SERVICE - REPAIRS

RIDE-ON MOWERS • LAWNMOWERS BRUSHCUTTERS • CHAINSAWS HEDGETRIMMERS • GENERATORS PRESSURE WASHERS & MUCH MORE

We offer a wide range of high quality trees, shrubs, conifers, alpines and herbaceous perennials, complemented by a range of key gardening products such as composts, fertilisers, tools, seeds terracotta and glazed pots and garden sundries.

BANK STREET, WILLITON

TEL: 01984 632761

Reach a passionate and affluent audience of gardening enthusiasts

The centre prides itself on excellent levels of service, horticultural advice and a clear no-nonsense, no-gimmicks approach.

Open Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm Sun 10am-4pm

Over 100,000 copies distributed every month If you would like to advertise your business or service in our Somerset magazine, please contact ava@countrygardener.co.uk Tel: 01278 671037

GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

NORTON GREEN GARDEN CENTRE

LOCKYER FUCHSIAS 1000s available for collection or mail order (Dept SCG) Lansbury, 70 Henfield Road, Coalpit Heath, Bristol BS36 2UZ

TEL: 01454 772219 Nursery Open Most Days Mar-Sept 10am-1pm and 2.30pm-5pm PLUS

Various Special Nursery Open Days with FREE talks and demos April - Sept

CHELSTON NURSERIES QUALITY PLANTS SINCE 1951

Always something new and unusual Herbaceous perennials, shrubs and climbers Pansies, violas and polyanthus

DVD's 'Fuchsias The Easy Way' and 'Fuchsias Advanced Techniques' £14.99 plus £1.50 P&P

Glazed and frostproof terracotta pots

www.lockyerfuchsias.co.uk

Superb choice of Compost, Manures, Pots etc.

HTA National Garden Gift Vouchers Sold & Redeemed EASY ACCESS, FREE & AMPLE PARKING

For home-grown plants

Please ring for further details and before visiting to avoid disappointment

MAIL ORDER DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE ON WEBSITE

WE ARE READY FOR SPRING 2019 WITH OUR USUAL WIDE RANGE OF PLANTS & GARDEN SUNDRIES

Friendly Ser vice, Advice & Assistance

Norton Green Farm Nursery, Wells Road, Chilcompton, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 4RR Tel: 01761 232137 Email: nortongreenfarm@tiscali.co.uk Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-4.30pm (inc. Bank Holiday) Sun 10.30am-4.30pm

Tools, seeds and compost National Garden Gift Vouchers On the A38 Wellington by-pass

www.chelstonnurseries.co.uk Tel: 01823 662007

Dorset ISSUE NO 162

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Send them into us by email, giving us 10 weeks notice of the event to: timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk or by post to: Mount House, Halse, Taunton, TA4 3AD. Your event can also be listed on: www.countrygardener.co.uk Sign up to add your events today

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Stockists of Country Gardener Somerset Country Gardener is available free of charge throughout the area at the outlets listed below where we have included postcodes to make it easier for you to find them. You’ll find those highlighted in green advertising in this issue.

For amendments to details or deliveries call Pat Eade on 01594 543790 email pateade8@gmail.com.

Axbridge Mawr Agri, BS26 2JD Banwell Banwell Garden Centre, BS29 6NX Bath Gardenalia, BA1 6PT Prior Park NT Landscape Gdn, BA2 5AH Prior Park Garden Centre, BA2 4NF Berrow Westcroft Nurseries, TA8 2LY Bitton Fonthill Garden Centre, BS30 6HX Brent Knoll Sanders Garden World, TA9 4HJ Bridgwater Bridgwater College, Cannington, TA6 4PZ Bridgwater Mowers, TA5 2LE Gwillam Kellands, TA7 9JN Prompt Cabins, TA6 4TN Walled Garden, Cannington, TA5 2HA Wynnstay Agricentre, TA6 6DF Bristol Brackenwood Garden Centre, BS8 3RA Chief Trading Post Ltd, BS30 6QY Cleeve Nursery & Garden Centre, BS49 4PW Kemps Plants, BS37 8QZ Lockyer Fuchsias, BS36 2UZ Pucklechurch Village Store & PO, BS16 9RA Riverside Garden Centre, BS3 1RX University of Bristol-Botanic Garden, BS9 1JG Burnham on Sea Visitor Information Centre, TA8 1BU Castle Cary Dave Marsh Hardware, BA7 7BG Heather’s Florist, BA7 7BQ Chard Chard Garden Centre, TA20 3AA Forde Abbey Plant Centre, TA20 4LU Tourist Information Centre, TA20 1PP Charlton Adam Charlton Adam Post Office, TA11 7AY Cheddar Cheddar Garden Centre, BS27 3RU

Chew Magna Chew Valley Trees, BS40 8HJ Chilcompton Norton Green Garden Centre, BA3 4RR Congresbury Cadbury Garden Centre, BS49 5AA Middlecombe Nursery & Gardens, BS49 5AN Tincknell Country Stores, BS49 5JG Crewkerne CB Plants, TA18 7NX Crewkerne Horticultural, TA18 7AW Wynnstay Agricentre, TA18 7AD Curry Rivel Sandpits Garden Centre, TA10 0ES Ditcheat Maryland Farm Shop, BA4 6PR Dunster Dunster Castle NT, TA24 6SL Forton Forton Nusery, TA20 4HD Frome Barters Plant Centre, BA13 4AL Frome Reclamation, BA11 1RE Oakley Garden Machinery, BA11 4AT Tourist Information Centre, BA11 1BB Galhampton Galhampton Country Store, BA22 7BH Glastonbury Sweet Acre Nursery, BA6 9AF Hambridge Brown & Forrest, TA10 0BP Heywood Home Farm Shop, BA13 4LR Highbridge Rich’s Cider Farm, TA9 4RD Hilperton Avonfield Garden Centre, BA14 7PL Hinton St George Community Shop, TA17 8SE Ilminster Loxston Garden Machinery, TA19 0QU Keynsham TT Mowers, BS31 2SE Langford Blagdon Water Gardens, BS40 5DN

Langport Kelways Plant Centre, TA10 9EZ Long Sutton Village Store and PO, TA10 9HT Lydeard St Lawrence Elworthy Cottage Plants, TA4 3PX Martock Paulls of Martock, TA12 6EX Mells The Walled Garden, BA11 3PN Minehead West Somerset Garden Centre, TA24 5BJ Montacute Montacute House NT, TA15 6XP Montacute Post Office, TA15 6XH North Perrott North Perrott Garden Centre, TA18 7SS North Petherton Carrotts Farm Shop, TA6 6NH Porlock Tourist Information Centre, TA24 8NP Shepton Mallet Dobbies, BA4 4PE Kilver Court Gardens, BA4 5NF Tourist Information Centre, BA4 5AS Somerton Lytes Cary, TA11 7HU Overt Locke, TA11 7PS South Petherton East Lambrook Manor, TA13 5HH The Rose and Crown, TA13 5HF The Trading Post, Lopenhead, TA13 5JH Stoke-sub-Hambdon Tourist Information Centre, TA14 6RA Stoke St Gregory Willows & Wetlands Centre, TA3 6HY Street Oaklands Nurseries, BA16 0EP Taunton Avery Nurseries, TA1 5AA Galmington Garden Machinery, TA1 5LY Greenshutters Nurseries, TA3 6PT Hestercombe Gardens, TA2 8LG Monkton Elm Garden Centre, TA2 8QN

Nicky’s Flower Studio, TA1 1JJ RJ Sheppy & Son, TA4 1ER Rumwell Farm Shop, TA4 1EJ Taunton Sheds & Toys, TA2 6NS Tourist Information Centre, TA1 1JD Tickenham Garden Park, BS21 6RE Tintinhull Tintinhull NT, BA22 8PZ Trowbridge Palmers Garden Centre, BA14 8QJ Warminster Lakeside Garden Centre, BA12 8AP Washford Pickard Country Store, TA23 0JY Wellington Chelston Nurseries, TA21 9PH Stawley Village Shop @ Appley, TA21 0HH Willowbrook Garden Centre, TA21 9HX Wells Browne’s Garden Centre, BA5 1QQ Rocky Mountain Nursery, BA5 3HA Tincknell Country Stores, BA5 1TH Tourist Information Centre, BA5 2UE Wells Reclamation Co., BA5 1RQ West Bagborough Triscombe Nurseries, TA4 3HG West Coker Greensleeves Nursery, BA22 8TW West Harptree New Manor Farm Shop, BS40 6HP West Quantoxhead Wibble Farm Nurseries, TA4 4DD Whitchurch Whitehall Garden Centre, BS14 0BT Williton Gliddons Garden Machinery, TA4 4NH Wraxall Tyntesfield NT, BS48 1NX Yeovil Brimsmore Gardens, BA21 3NX Mole Valley Farmers, BA21 5BJ Tourist Information Centre, BA20 1SH

Country Gardener Magazine Editorial Publisher & Editor: Alan Lewis alan@countrygardener.co.uk Tel: 01823 431767

Distribution Pat Eade pateade8@gmail.com Tel: 01594 543790

Time Off: Kate Lewis timeoff@countrygardener.co.uk

Advertising Sales Cath Pettyfer - Devon & Dorset Corina Reay - Cornwall & Cotswolds cath.pettyfer@countrygardener.co.uk corina@countrygardener.co.uk Tel: 01837 82660 Tel: 01823 410098

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60

Country Gardener

Colour CRAZY CARROTS! Carrots may be one of the most traditional vegetables in the garden but there’s a new trend to be much more colourful when it comes to growing them It is perhaps the most traditional you can get when it comes to growing vegetables in the garden and much loved. But there’s a new trend among carrot growers- and it’s all to do with being a lot more colourful.

Carrots are in fact immensely colourful, with plenty of varieties in alternative hues including white, yellow, red and purple. Served up together, perhaps grated into a salad, carrots can add a dazzling rainbow of tones that will please the eye as much as the tummy.

Curiously, orange carrots are a relatively recent phenomenon, bred by loyal subjects of the Dutch House of Orange in the 16th or 17th century. Yet the orange roots that are now so familiar also happen to be juicier and fuller flavoured than wild carrots, suggesting that breeding efforts may have had more to do with improving the once skinny taproot’s kitchen worthiness than sucking up to the latest monarch!

However the orange carrot came about, it is now so much of a staple that picturing the root vegetable in any other colour takes a leap of the imagination.

Different colours of carrot originate from different parts of the world. Each colour has its own history and particular health benefits for us as root-snaffling connoisseurs. Purple carrots, for example, hail from the Middle East and Turkey and are rich in anthocyanins which are known to guard against heart disease. Red carrots originate from China and India. Bursting with lycopene, these roots can reduce the risk of macular degeneration, so while they may not help you see in the dark they’re certainly good news for eye health.

Carrots that are yellow originate from the Middle East and are just as good for the eyes. They contain lutene and xanthophylls that minimise the risk of hardening of the arteries while potentially preventing lung and other cancers.

The take-home message of all this is that coloured carrots are intensely good for you and by growing a mixture of varieties you’ll be increasing the odds of keeping yourself in exceptionally fine fettle.

Wild carrots have long taproots designed to seek out moisture far underground. This makes sense given the often dry parts of the world it’s found in. It is for this reason that carrots prefer to be sown into warm soil, making them ideal for sowing in succession every few weeks from spring well into summer. Carrots prefer light soil and a warm, sunny position. Avoid stony ground which will cause the roots to

fork or take on all manner of weird and wonderful shapes.

Sow seeds into well-prepared soil that has been raked to a fine, crumbly texture. Thinly scatter the seeds into rows 2030cm (8-12in) apart, setting them one inch deep.

Once the seedlings pop up remove weaker specimens by nipping them off between finger and thumb at ground level or by pulling them out on a still day (to avoid the smell attracting carrot fly). Thinning can be completed in stages until individual plants are at least 5cm (2in) apart.

It is worth digging around, so to speak, for the varieties of colourful carrots available. There are literally hundreds of different shades and shapes to try.

A real gardeners’ favourite is the shockingly deep-coloured ‘Purple Haze’ whose purple outer reveals a rich, orange core when cut open. Eat it raw to appreciate the immense flavour these chunky roots have to offer. Contrast ‘Purple Haze’ with the almost glow-in-the-dark ‘Yellowstone’, whose smoothskinned roots are exceptionally sweet. Scarlet ‘Red Samurai’ from Japan hides a deep pink flesh, while ‘White Satin’ is a good option for its ghost-like roots. If you can’t find any of these varieties look out for others such as ‘Purple Dragon’, ‘Solar Yellow’, ‘Belgium White’ and ‘Atomic Red’ – the clue to the root colour lies in the name!

Do rainbow car r ots taste dif ferent?

White or golden carro cream colour. Thes ts are typically a yellow or e vegetables have a mild flavour with hardly any of the earthiness th at the other colours of carrots typi notably sweeter th cally contain. They are also an orange, red, an d purple carrots.

All varieties of ca rrots and a great additio are extremely nutrient dense n to a healthy diet – they’re high in fibre and rich in potassium , vitamin C, and vitamin K. ... Red carrots are rich in lycopene (as are tomatoes – it’ s the phytonutrie nt that gives red fruits and veggie s colour) and beta -carotene.

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61

Which ‘bee-

friendly’

plants attract the most bees?

Rosi Rollings shares her findings over five years of intense research into which are the best plants to attract honeybees

I’ve been passionate about gardening all my adult life. So, when my husband and I started keeping honeybees in 2009, it was natural for me to want to know which plants I should grow to support them.

I found many lists of recommended plants for pollinators but they failed to agree. Also, most were based on simple anecdotes or experienced observation but nothing more scientific. So, I started growing some of the recommended plants and working it out for myself.

This became the start of a journey that now finds me having just completed five years of primary research to quantify which plants really attract the most bees. I also manage a small plant nursery dedicated to supplying those plants – pesticide and peat free, of course!

The plants in the study were chosen for their reported or observed potential to be highly attractive to bees.

The study covered 111 plants including 90 perennials, six biennials, 15 annuals 30 native plants and 81 non-native plants.

Each year has added to my understanding of the subject but most of the findings have stayed very consistent from the first year.

• The primary finding is that the number of bees each plant attracts varies hugely. Some attract surprisingly few, even supposedly ‘bee-friendly’ plants.

• Weather has a major impact on both bees and plants causing them to thrive much more in some years than others.

Yet, both are also very resilient and how attractive a plant is to bees should not be judged on a single year.

• Both native and non-native plants are equally attractive to bees. Except where there is some unique inter-dependency, most bees show no favouritism to native plants and seek food where they can access it.

• Healthy plants with more flowers attract more bees. The old gardeners’ adage of ‘right plant for the right place’ is important for both a sustainable garden and more bee-food • Different plants attract different bees and so to ensure that food is supplied to a wide range of bees it is best to have a wide range of flowers available. Although plant structure has a bearing on which plants each bee prefers, it is not the only factor.

The following chart provides a summary of the cumulative 62

Clockwise from top left; Helenium autumnale with a faded bumblebee (they go grey with age); Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ with a mining bee, Andrea haemorrohoa; Anthemis tinctorial with an ivy mining bee, Colletes hederae

results for the five years of data showing which plants attract the most bees and of which kind. The values have been rationalised to adjust for the dominance of honey bees in the sample.

One further comment relates to honeybees. Although not proven, many of my observations show honeybees outcompete other bees for food; if you introduce about 50,000 additional bees into a local population then you must be increasing pressure for food resources. Beekeepers should consider how to increase local floral resources to avoid a negative impact on wild bees.

For more on this research and individual charts for bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees, visit www.rosybee.com/research/ Rosi Rollings runs rosybee plants for bees. All plant sales are through her website at www.rosybee.com

Country Gardener

University of Bristol Botanic Garden

Easter Sculpture Festival Friday 19th – Monday 22nd April 2019

2019 DIARY DATES… Peony Festival

Sunday 12th May

Bee and Pollination Festival 31st August – 1st September

www.bris.ac.uk/botanic-garden University of Bristol Botanic Garden Stoke Park Road BS9 1JG Tel: 0117 428 2041 Email: botanic-gardens@bristol.ac.uk