Amateur Gardening 1-Jun-2019

“They’re wonderful plants, but in the wrong soil. I’m talking about two rhododendrons sadly sitting in the neutral soil of my garden, when they would be happier in a more acidic home. I had thought of moving them on, as they were planted by a previous owner, but after seeing the rhododendrons at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire I have been inspired to try to get them to their best. At the weekend, I applied ericaceous feed to the base and lots of ericaceous soil on top. Let’s see if I can get them to a happier state. If anyone has some tips, I’m listening!”…

GARDENING is usually a slow business, best not rushed, and not generally regarded as a hobby for the hasty. Indeed, there is something incredibly satisfying about watching tiny seeds take weeks to germinate into stunning plants, or apparently dead twigs blossom forth into new shrubs. But there are times when we need a developing garden to look at its best now , awash with eye-catching colour and interest. Maybe you are hosting a home wedding or other big celebration, or maybe you want to sell your house and require instant impact to impress viewers. Whatever the reason for the urgency, it can be done – and not necessarily with massive upheaval and financial outlay. Garden centres often sell baskets and containers already planted up and packed with colour, but you can create…

1 Ornamental grasses: Add contrast and texture to flower borders, and create unexpected visual surprises, such as a fishy sea scene! 2 Interesting containers: Why stick to terracotta pots, when there are colourful cow containers and old gardening accessories waiting to be used? 3 Imaginative lighting: Highlight specimen plants, generate atmosphere and create shady nooks with careful use of lights and lanterns. 4 Shake it up with pots: Use different sized containers in bold colours, in clusters and singly, to add height to borders and break up a patio area. Structural support: In next week’s AG (in the shops 4 June) I discuss the importance of looking after fences, furniture, metalwork and other garden structures.…

Always check the health of pot plants bound for your borders. Moss growing on the surface of the compost could mean they have been languishing in the garden centre for some time. This also means pests such as snails, slugs and vine weevils have had longer to munch on plants or lay their eggs among the roots. Check carefully that roots are healthy. If you find pests, return the plants to the vendor. If that isn’t possible, add the pests or eggs to the bird table, wash the roots, then treat the plant with a chemical or nematode after planting.…

1 Stand your plant in water for at least 30 minutes before planting to give the roots a good drink. 2 Dig a hole as deep as and slightly wider than the rootball and fork some granular feed in the base. 3 Large plants may actually be two or three in one pot. If so, divide them and dot them around the garden. 4 Infill around the plant with a mix of soil and compost, then firm them in so stems are properly supported. 5 Water generously and slowly, giving it time to sink in rather than flowing away from the plant.…

PERENNIALS are the mainstays of the border and those that flowered in early spring will need cutting back now. I have tackled a couple of large hellebores that flowered fantastically and are now flopping over the early summer plants. Hellebores are prolific self-seeders and each drooping flower head is surrounded by a cluster of small seedlings. I’ll let them grow on a week or two, then pot them up and transplant them elsewhere, or give them away to friends, when they are large enough. Also, remove large hellebore leaves that have been battered by the winter. It keeps the plant tidy, frees up room in the border and reduces the risk of disease. Perennials that have been growing with gusto can be divided now too. The benefits are numerous: it regenerates old and…