Gardening Ideas May 2010
Burgeoning with fresh
foliage and spring flowers, gardens look their loveliest in May, so
it comes as no surprise that Chelsea Flower
Show, the most prestigious of the year, falls this month. To my
horror, I've just done a quick count and reckon I've been
going to the show consistently for 34 years now and I still love
it.
Yes, it can be a bit of a scrum, lots of money is thrown at it and it has been accused of being somewhat 'elitist'. Detractors also say that because of the large sums spent by sponsors on their gardens, designers tend to play a bit safe and follow a formula best likely to earn them (and their sponsors) a coveted Gold Medal. But go with an open mind and you will see beautiful gardens packed full of lovely plants and inspiring ideas. Maybe because the designers have left their flights of fancy at home, they tend to produce gardens that you or I would love to have.
The marquee is a fragrant revelation packed full of quality plants and although you can't buy them (apart from carrying off display plants on the last day), you can make orders and take notes. Chelsea has encouraged me to try some fabulous cultivars of bearded iris, peonies, roses and alliums over the years. We've also been inspired to set out several of one kind of plant across a border and then weave another through it to make lovely combinations.
In some ways Chelsea is a flight of fancy, but whether you go in person (it is worth getting in early or staying late) or settle down to watch it on the box, there's lots to learn. (more info on www.rhs.org.uk)
Garden clippings
...... in the kitchen garden
- put up supports for runner beans either in rows or teepees. Hazel or ash poles are great if you can get them, but bamboo canes do just as well. Anchor deeply in the ground and tie tops in together.
- weed around strawberry plants, pull out unwanted runners and place straw or strawberry mats under the plants to keep berries off the soil. Take measures to prevent slug damage.
- Sow fennel, swede, turnip and beetroot. Why not try a jazzy variety like the beetroot of Chioggia whose flesh is striped white and red? (www.seedsofitaly.com)
......in the flower
garden
- plant your containers for a colourful summer (beware late frosts if using tender plants). Whether you grow flowers, vegetables, herbs or both, larger pots are easier to look after.
- support lanky herbaceous perennials like some of the bellflowers (campanulas) and sidalcea as they grow. A last minute attempt to bunch them up always looks awful.
- sow large-seeded annuals like cosmos, French marigold and nasturtiums. Raise them in pots and they'll come in useful to plug gaps later.
......and in general
- shade greenhouses whose temperature is shooting skywards. A light spray of shading paint, or thin horticultural fleece fixed inside the glass on the sunny side will make all the difference.
- repot (and divide if necessary) orchids which have stayed in the same container for two or more years. Use the smallest pot you can get away with, special orchid compost and water carefully.
- Guide and tie in climbing plants like roses, clematis, chocolate vine and grapevines as they grow. A wooden trellis fitted to the wall makes the training of non-clinging wall plants much easier.
Q and A
Q: I've grown a cherry
tree from a pip the birds kindly left me. Can I eat the fruit? It
is now 5 years old. J.Kennell, Basildon
A: Fruit pips are always tempting to sow. Trouble is, the cherry will not come true from seed and although there's a chance the fruit might be sweet, they might also be small and sour like a wild cherry. The tree will also be large as it is growing on its own roots (as opposed to being grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock). This makes protecting fruit from birds and picking difficult. My advice would be to plant a 'Sunburst' or similar on a dwarfing Gisela rootstock and enjoy a practical, productive, sweet cherry as well.
Q: Some of my lavenders have
wet, frothy bits on them. What is this and how do I get rid of
it?
A: I suppose you haven't dared look inside the froth? You'll find a small green insect known as a froghopper. While young, they protect themselves by living in the froth often referred to as "cuckoo spit". The hoppers do feed on your plants but don't cause significant harm. Either ignore them or hose them off.
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Comments:
"Hi Linda, the cherry fruit trees are simply part of the 'Q&A' advice section of this gardening article and are not available to purchase. Many thanks."
Webteam Candis - Tuesday 22nd Mar 2011
"I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE ONE OF YOUR SMALL CHERRY FRUIT TREES.ITS ADVERTISE BUT I CANT ORDER IT.HELP"
Linda Crisp - Tuesday 22nd Mar 2011