Gardeners Tips Ideas, Tips & Guides

I am hoping for some coloured Heucheras for Fathers day later this year – well hope is free!

Six DVD’s in a boxed set ‘A Year at Kew – The Collection’ (Series 1-3) with Alan Titchmarsh is available from Amazon  in time for a Christmas gift. Over 1000 minutes of gardening in a month-by-month journey via the BBC through the world’s greatest botanical garden.

My book de Jour is ‘Fifty Favourite Roses’ Michael Gibson. A second reading has given me some new insights and some varieties to look out for: 5 petalled Tea Roses Dainty Bess,  Mrs Oakley Fisher (golden) and Ellen Willmott (white) rugarosa Robusta and colour changing Mutabilis

Repeat flowering old Rose varieties do what it says in their name however the first 5 in my Top Ten only flower once per year but still inspire.

What is a Patio Rose if it isn’t a rose grown on a patio? Patio roses grow bigger and bushier than miniatures and are about 14 -24 inch high, yet they are perfectly formed. H.T. Bush and Floribunda roses grow bigger but Patio roses are easy and decorative.

Genetic purity cannot be guaranteed with a species that has been bred and cultivated for centuries. The above Aquilegia flabellata is an alpine species found in Japan and the Kurile Islands. (Flabellata means fan-shaped)

The curly herb Parsley crispum is naturally slow to germinate. If the soil dries out it may never germinate.

I was caught by the headline ‘On the Eighth day God Created Allotments

 

The oldest anthology of Japanese poetry refers to ‘seven plants showing green through the cold earth as harbingers of spring’.

The Umbels family are far from humble when grown well. When grown badly like Hemlock (conium maculatum) they are poisonous, even fatal but many species such as carrots, parsnips and fennel are edible or even medicinal. The Greeks and Romans knew a thing or too (until Hemlock killed Socrates)

Hydra may be a monster but Hydrangeas can be stunningly beautiful.

Further information on Grow healthy hydrangeas Tips for Growing Hydrangeas and Hydrangea Aspera

This Hydrangea panniculata Limelight was one of several under-planted trees at Thorp Perrow Arboretum. In full flower at the beginning of September this Hydreagea was one of 70 or so species and varieties planted in the grounds. Different parts of the arboretum have soils with PH values of 6.7 to an acidic 4.6 . There is marshy and wet ground despite the 15,000 trees drawing water from the land.

Clematis is one of the worlds favourite flowers for climbing over fences and trellis.

Daffodil Blindness occurs when daffodils fail to flower, i.e the green leaves appear, but no flowers. I am updating this post formerly released in 2014 as I have just experienced  annoying blind daffodils.

Use a large pot, bigger the better as the roots need room to grow and the soil needs to hold moisture. 18″ depth and diameter are needed. Use good quality compost and add a slow release fertiliser. Top dress each year and add more slow release fertiliser. Repot when the compost is totally denuded of goodness, perhaps every 5 years. Plant deeply as you would in the garden, to avoid clematis wilt. Water regularly and avoid drying winds and strong sunshine. Support the vine with a good quality, firm framework.

Iris sibirica is a clump forming member or the Iris family. In this walled garden the clump has been left undivided for several years and looks good in early summer with its blue flowers held above the foliage.

The Iris family contains over 200 species and all Iris flowers have 3 outer and 3 inner petals with 3 stamens. The outer petals protect the inner petals as sepals do on other flowers. An inner petal is called the ‘Standard’ and the outer is called the ‘Fall’ which bends backward and hangs down. The fall is normally patterned with distinctive markings and a bearded iris has central line of pollen bearing hairs. The Standard is often a different colour to the Fall, in the example a mauve with a deep purple fall. Buds are protected by insignificant papery bracts.

Credits

The bright neon like colours of these daisies make every garden brighter. The ground hugging plants will spread about 4 inches then be covered in masses of flowers that close up slightly in the late afternoon.

A native of China, tea leaves  were delivered around the world in Clipper ships, created the furore at the Boston Tea Party during the American war of independence and still provides badly paid work for workers in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya and China.

For that ‘light bulb moment’ consider the two main species of Iris that will grow from bulbs. Bulbs are generally cheap and easy to grow. The bulbs are often packed in 10’s or 50’s so you can grow a group of Iris together or grow extra for cutting. The main sorts are Iris reticulata and Dutch Iris but there are also some other bulb species to look out for.

Iris flowers are named after the Greek Goddess of the rainbow, which is appropriate for their extensive range of colours.

2023 has been a top year for Dahlias The garden was disrupted by an impending downsizing house move but the quantity of flowers was excellent even after some neglect. A second plus was the plants I gave away to friends who seemed to appreciate the performance in pots or direct in the ground.

One of the most interesting aspects of gardening is the combination of colours that can be achieved by accident or design. Leaves and bark can play their part but it is the bold colours of some of our favourite flowers that take centre stage.

Sunflowers look great in a vase but are heavy drinkers and need conditioning in a dark place overnight after cutting.

True blue flowers are hard to find in many gardens although Purple, Lavender, Lilac, Mauve and Violet exist in many shades. Since there are no true blue Roses, Peonies, Dahlias, Daffodils or even Tulips these showy flowers are out. So if you find a good strong blue then stick to it and use it with great abandon.

It is a regular debate whether you should leave your tomato leaves on the plant or snap them off. For intermediate varieties I am strongly in the ‘get them off camp!’

How do you chose the best flowers to grow for scent? Well if you want good scent in the home I recommend some flowers below that cut and last in a vase and provide nice scent.

Following my summer post Fine and Fantastic Fruiting Fungus I have been out in the local woods seeking these new pictures.

The colour of this young Knapweed is dark almost purple. As it opens fully it will become blue and then fade as the flower ages. The colour helps Centaurea montana earn its nickname of Mountain Cornflower or perennial cornflower.

White was the order of the day for Kate Middleton’s bridal bouquet.

Homegrown  vegetables are definitely worth the time and effort and organics are even better. Growing vegetables will reward you with a fresh and tasty supply of your favourite vegetables. You can also have the reassurance of knowing how they were grown without the unnecessary spraying of countless chemicals.

The last of my root vegetables and Leeks are now consumed and a distant gastronomic memory. New baby salad leaves have been available but I do not take enough care to be able to binge on them until later in the season. Rhubarb once again is prolific and abundant so that I and the neighbours are enjoying the fruit of my labours literally.