Amateur Gardening 17-Nov-2018

“I have a confession: I’ve still not planted my spring bulbs! However, this weekend will see lots of activity in the garden, as I plan to plant big this year. There is nothing more energising and delightful than to see the first daffodils and then tulips appear, and for me the more varieties the better. My plan for daffodils is a large batch of ‘Tête-à-tête’ at the front of the border and several varieties of Division 1 daffs behind to create a chaos of yellow. Oh yes, I await March with much anticipation!”…

WITH winter closing in, there are certain jobs that need doing now before the ground is either too frozen or waterlogged to be worked without damaging it. This is your last chance to plant winter/spring bedding and spring bulbs in borders – though you could still plant them up in containers so long as you make sure they are properly insulated against frost. Although it feels like we are in the depths of winter, and any bedding planted now will appear to just sit in the cold ground, the roots will be maturing so the plants are ready to go again once the weather perks up in spring. The final days of autumn also offer the last opportunity to divide any overcrowded and straggling perennials. Leave it any later and the transplanted roots…

1 Stand your plants in water to saturate the rootballs. Then place them on the soil in pots until you have the right arrangement. 2 Slide the plants from their pots and carefully tease out any roots that are constricted or circling the rootball. 3 Plant your bedding as deep as the rootballs, firming in the soil around each plant for support and to remove air pockets. 4 Water the plants well once they are in the ground and keep them free from weeds and pests. Keep them watered during dry spells.…

DUE to this year’s crazy weather there has been shortage of spring bulbs. However, if you are still able to buy some at your local garden centre, get them in now while the soil is still in good condition. Bulbs are extremely versatile and very easy to grow; all you need to do is plant them and mark their place so you don’t dig them up accidentally, and they will do the rest. Get them in the ground or a container at twice their own depth, one bulb’s width apart and with their pointed end facing upwards. They will grow happily in borders, rockeries – dwarf varieties are perfect for this –containers and even in lawns. Planting bulbs in lawns is called ‘naturalising’ and varieties that excel in this situation include some dwarf…

While bulbs and bedding plants are settling in for the winter, don’t forget to keep your lawn, beds and containers tidy. Between now and the end of leaf-drop, collect leaves off the grass to make sure light and air can get to the lawn and give you lots of lovely leafmould. Keep up with the weeding too, as weeds will continue to come through in all but the most inhospitable conditions. Weeds are tougher and faster-growing than cultivated plants and can make a garden look messy very quickly. Some winters are extremely dry, so don’t forget to water tubs and baskets. They won’t need as much as in the summer, but the plants will thank you for it.…

THE people have spoken and informed the Royal Horticultural Society of their favourite new plant of the year. Voted number one in the RHS People’s Choice Awards is Begonia ‘Sweet Spice Bounty Coral’, chosen for its pink-frilled petals and lemony scent. The second choice was the vibrant-red Begonia ‘Fortune Scarlet’, while Lantana camara ‘Lucky Sunrise Rose’, with its contrasting pink and orange petals, comes in third. The choices were made by visitors to RHS Wisley during this summer, when 84 new varieties of plants were trialled. RHS trials manager Sabatino Urzo said: “The People’s Choice Awards are an opportunity for visitors to tell us their plant preferences and the results hint at what we might see growing in gardens over the coming years.” He added: “That begonias have beguiled with their bright, showy flowers…