Daisy
Irises For Everyone
Roots
Early Spring 2013
Welcome to our first E-newsletter ! As I create this newsletter,
snow is thick on the ground
outside and a job in front of the computer is a (& warm!) distraction. I hope that this will be the first of several newsletters this year to keep you up to date with what’s going on at the nursery In May of 2013
Daisy Roots will be
celebrating our A whole decade of
10th Birthday.
healthy, hardy plants grown in
Hertfordshire! To mark this
milestone we are holding a whole series of
special offers, talks and lectures to inform and inspire you to make the most of I hope this newsletter brightens a dull winter day & reminds you spring, and another year full of exciting garden possibilities is just around the corner. The nursery opens again on March 1st I look forward to seeing there!
£5 per person At Daisy Roots, I sow around 200 packets of seed every season. I find getting seeds to germinate is relatively easy but how best to deal with them afterwards seems to be where many peope fall down. Join me for ‘Sow It, Grow It!’ on Saturday March 9th and I will explain how to save, store and sow seed and how to deal with the young seedlings to get the very best results. Whether you want to grow your own perennials, annuals or vegetables from seed, the basic rules are the same. You will get to ‘have a go’ and take home your experiments at the end.
It’s easy when you know how! Call me, Anne on 07958 563355 or email anne@daisyroots.com to book your place
Geum ‘Marmalade’
Geums are hardy, adaptable plants that usually occur naturally on moist, rich soils in meadows or around woods. Those shown here add warm tones to the spring garden, usually from early April, but there are other forms that will flower from early-late summer . Low clumps of downy, scalloped leaves produce stems that display their flowers at around 20-40 cm high, depending on variety. Quite often the flowers have a pretty, nodding habit - giving the plant a coy, bashful appearance. The flowers are followed by small, dry fruits which if left will often lead to
some self seeding and, possibly, new forms of previously unseen
Dainty, bashful ladies of Spring
Geum rivale ‘Leonard’s Variety’
Geum ‘Mrs W Moo coloured petals op buds
Geum ‘Farmer John Cross’ produces clear yellow flowers, opening from red tinted buds from mid april through to July
Geum ‘Bell Bank’ has outward facing soft, peachy pink double flowers
ore' has palest blush pening from red tinted
Geum ‘Abendsomme’ translates as ’Evening Sun’
Geums
do best on a retentive soil in sun but will tolerate some shade .
To keep them flowering well, clumps should be lifted and divided every 3 years or so after flowering or in the autumn.
This year I am holding a series of talks & demonstrations in my own garden, to inform and inspire you to get the best from your own plot. In 2012, Gosselin Road was featured on BBC Gardener’s World, in ‘The Garden’ & ‘Gardens Illustrated’ magazines and in the Mail on Sunday. In 2013 you can join me on a journey through the whole year at Gosselin Road month by month. We will look at what’s in flower and all the jobs that need doing in the garden that month. Numbers will be limited to allow everyone to see what’s going on, so booking is essential. We may, however, hold extra sessions if some months are over subscribed, so don’t be afraid make a last minute enquiry. Some months will be held on Saturday Mornings and some on Thursday evenings, so check dates carefully. You can book as many or as few months as you like. Each session costs £10, including tea and homemade cake, and will last around an hour and a half. Visit www.daisyroots.com for more details
‘‘Book early to avoid dissappointment ! I will make you very welcome when you arrive’’
If you wish to book a place please send your name, address and contact number, stating which month(s) you wish to attend and enclosing a cheque for ÂŁ10 for each month. You will receive confirmation of your booking. Send to Anne Godfrey, 8 Gosselin Road, Bengeo, Hertford.SG14 3LG. Feel free to contact me should you have any further questions. anne@daisyroots.com www.daisyroots.com
07958 563355
Iris reticulata ‘George’
Irises For
Iris unguicularis Iris chrysographes
There are somewhere i Irises that like sun and prefer shade. In the UK Literally everyone can g in your garden. Shown here are Iris ung ers on & off from Nov-F likes a sunny, well drain April, becomimg dorma soils that do not get ove Iris bucharica
Iris sibirica is a tough, hardy plant that enjoys a sunny position on retentive soil, flowering in
Everyone !
in the region of 300 species of Iris, found growing all over the globe. There are tolerate drought, those that thrive with their feet in pond margins and those that K it is easy to have variety of Irises in flower from November through to August. grow Irises, you just have to determine which one is most suited to the conditions
guicularis which enjoys being baked by the sun and rewards us with scented flowFeb. Iris reticulata flowers in February from bulbs planted the previous autumn and ned spot. Iris bucharica too likes sun & good drainage and gives us flowers in ant once more by mid summer. In contrast, Iris chrysographes, prefers lime free erly dry with the promise of velvet black flowers if we meet it’s needs
Bearded Iris are the most commonly recogised member of the Iris familly . They are so called because the fuzzy caterpillar of stamens that crawls out of the centre of the flower along the lower petals - ‘the beard’. Bearded Iris come in every colour of the rainbow and every combination of colours that one can imagine. This, combined with the fact that many varieties are heavily scented makes them one of my favourites in the early summer border. The secret to getting these Irises to flower well is to make sure that their rhizomes are sitting on the surface of the soil where they get a good baking by the sun. They like a fertile but well drained soil - water logging will quicly lead to rot setting in.
I.’S
Bearded Irises come in a number of heights, with the shorter varietes flowering from April and the taller varieties flowering May-June. Clumps can become congested and benefit from dividsion every third year in July-September. Join me for What the Books Don’t Tell You to find out how
I. ‘S
I. ‘Jane Phillips’ has large sky-blue flowers with good strong scent.
Irises For Everyone !
I. ‘S
Stepping Out’
I. ‘Big Dipper’
Sable’
I. ‘Megabucks’
Snugglebug’
I. ‘Patina’
I. ‘Syncopation’
I.’Beverley Sills’
I.’Warsails’
s t o o 3 R 1 0 2 y y s r i a a i D ow D Sh
· Feb 24th Snowdrop & Hellebore Event, Goodnestone Park, Kent www.hpskent.co.uk/category/plant-sales · Mar 26-27th RHS Great Spring Plant Fair, Westminster Halls www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-London-Flower-Shows · Apr 14th Great Comp Spring Fling, Great Comp, Kent www.greatcompgarden.co.uk/diaryofevents.html · Apr 20th Plant Heritage Plant Fair, Hyde Hall www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Hyde-Hall/What-s-on · Apr 28th Walthamstow Farmers Market, Town Square, E17 7JN www.lfm.org.uk · May 4th Plant Heritage Plant Fair, Highgate, North London www.nccpg.com/In-your-area/Local-Groups/London.aspx · May 5th Queens Park Farmers Market, Salusbury School, NW6 6RG www.lfm.org.uk · May 12th Ashridge Plant Fair, Berkhampstead www.friendsofashridge.org.uk · May 19th Islington Farmers Market, Chapel Market, N1 9PZ www.lfm.org.uk · May 25-26th Herts County Show, The Showground, Redbourne www.hertsshow.com
· Jun 12-16th Gardeners World Live, NEC, Birmingham www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com · Jun 30th Mackyre End NGS Open Garden, nr Harpenden www.ngs.org.uk · Jul 9-14th RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show www.rhs.org.uk/Hampton-Flower-Show · Jul 21st Chenies Manor Plant Fair www.cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk/plant_fair.htm Ÿ Jul 28th 35 Digswell Road Garden Open NGS, Welwyn Garden City www.ngs.org.uk · Aug 10-11th Great Comp Garden Show www.greatcompgarden.co.uk/diaryofevents.html · Aug 18th Reveley Lodge NGS Open Garden, Bushey www.ngs.org.uk
In 2012 Daisy Roots were awarded 3 Silver Gilts and 1 Silver medal at RHS flower shows. Will 2013 be the year we finally get our hands on a much covetted Gold ??
y a rd h ing ual an f w o i r s n g of unu many, o ion ction d by t a t pu sele ffere e r t’s small find o i uilt ffer a ed to s b as lso o press rserie h oots t we a hard her nu R sy ls, bu ill be ny, ot i a D a nia you w n e r t pe ls tha Mimulus pictus u a Bushy plants produce n clusters of white flowers with devine intricate patterns in dark maroon. Likes sun on retentive soil. Deadhead to keep flowers coming
Cosmos ‘Do Both double double flo white, light pink on ta stemmed Freely pr upuntil
Cleome Pink Queen Tall (5ft) back of border plants that Produce masses of pink flowers with long spidery stamens from mid summer until frosts
Daucus caro Flat cow par flower hea stained win Good ferny good cut flo seed
Cerinthe purpurea Hardy annual producing pendant purple flowers held in violet blue bracts above grey blue foliage. Good in both the border and as a cut flower
ouble Click’ e and semiowers in t and dark all strong d plants. roduced frosts
ota ‘Dara’ rsely like ads are ne red. foliage, ower, self ds
Cleome marshallii White flowers framed by brown red bracts from mid summer until frosts. Likes sun on well drained soil. 50cm
Calendula ‘Touch of Red Buff’’ Gorgeous pale buff petals with a red flushed reverse. Hardy annual that will self seed and return year after year
Nicotinana Antique Lime Upward facing perfumed flowers from midsummer until Frosts. Lime green flowers with a pink tint to the reverse. 50cm.
Nicotiana mutabilis Tall, graceful and airy plants produce masses of white flowers that age to pink from mid-summer right up until autumn frosts.
Nicotiana sylestris Tall (4ft) plants produce clusters of elegant white flowers. Useful for both sunny and lightly shaded borders
Prune Roses
Prune Wisteria
Cut down spent Raspberry & Blackberry canes Prune Apple Trees
Get mower serviced
Clean out greenhouse, steralise seed trays Order seeds
Sow seeds that need cold to germinate Visit www.daisyroots.com and make out a wish list !
Daisy
Roots
Opens in 2013 from Friday March 1st
& then every Friday and Saturday until the end of October 10.00 am - 4.00pm See you there!