Amateur Gardening 16-Oct-2021

“The Chelsea Flower Show is now past, and the RHS deserves credit for having the conviction to make it happen when we are still in the throes of a pandemic. I do believe a lot of the show gardens are created for an aesthetic ellite rather than normal gardeners, but this is still the premier show of the year and there was much to enjoy. For me, the new varieties showcased on the Plant of the Year stand were a highlight (see page 5), along with some of the special variety stands in the Great Pavilion, which included Peter Seabrook’s colourful display. Peter always flies the flag for the normal dedicated gardener.” Contact us: Subscriptions: 0330 333 1113 Editorial: 0330 3903732 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: 0330 3906566…

Got a story? email ruth.hayes@futurenet.com CHELSEA was back this year, but not quite as we knew it. The change in season, brought about by pandemic restrictions, led to different plants, new ideas including balcony gardens for the space-hungry, and autumnal shades. Rudbeckias, salvias, asters, grasses, echinaceas and red-hot pokers jostled for space among berried branches and russet leaves, while in the Great Pavilion eye-catching dahlias, gladioli and chrysanthemums took the place of alliums and foxgloves As usual, the gardens fell into two main categories: ‘How can I do this at home?’ and ‘Why on earth would I do this at home – or anywhere?’ Sitting firmly in the former was the Parsley Box garden that used a stunning combination of seasonal perennials, herbs, fruit and veg to celebrate nature’s bounty and ‘challenge outdated attitudes towards…

AG’s ‘Man at the Show’ Toby Buckland definitely approved of the decision to move the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to September. “I love it, and I think the autumnal slot works really well,” said Toby, who was also reporting the show for the BBC. “There is so much abundance on show and autumn gives the gardeners such a wonderful palette to work with. “The designers have taken the large spaces and distilled them down into smaller gardens and what you have are almost ‘pocket parks’. It is all absolutely delightful.” Toby’s favourite garden was the Psalm 23 Garden, sponsored by the Bible Society and designed by the gold medal-winning Sarah Eberle. An atmosphere of reflection Inspired by the landscape of Dartmoor and the words of ‘The Lord is my shepherd’, the garden used flowing water…

Cercis canadensis Eternal Flame New and unique, new growth through season, leaf colours change all year. Allium ‘Lavender Bubbles’ Perennial, with green twisted leaves from spring to autumn, flowering in late summer. x Semponium Sienna A vibrant and majestic succulent that will add drama to the garden or windowbox. The AG team’s favourites from the 18 contenders Ruth’s choice: Glandularia ‘Margaret’s Memory’: “It’s a pretty colour, the money goes to a good cause and it would be lovely in a summer basket.” Wendy’s choice: Camellia ‘1001 Summer Nights’ jasmine: “It’s a fantastic new introduction and an exciting addition for its summer flowering ability.” Garry’s choice: Dianthus ‘Berry Blush’: “I think this will make a really lovely edition to my rock garden — vibrant, colourful and fragrant. Just perfect.” Val Bourne’s thoughts on RHS…

AS we turn up the heating and light the fires, let’s think about keeping vulnerable plants protected through winter too. If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse, it will need cleaning before tender plants and seedlings are moved in to see out the winter months. The first job is to remove any tender crops that grew undercover during summer. Once these are gone, get rid of any lingering pests that came with them and check there are no old bits of plant matter stuck to the glass or between panes and the frame. You may want to light a fumigation candle to kill off any remaining pests. The new generation of candles aren’t harmful to plants so they can be left in place, but the windows and door must be…

NOT everyone has the space or money for a greenhouse, but there are plenty of worthwhile alternatives available. Mini greenhouses are invaluable for small spaces. They are basically a set of mesh shelves covered in clear, weatherproof plastic with a front opening that can be zipped up or opened, depending on the weather Most have some sort of attachment so they can be fixed to a wall, or pockets that can be filled with ballast, to keep them stable. These mini greenhouses are not large but they have enough room to protect hardy plants and seedlings over winter. In very cold weather they can be further protected by being covered with extra insulation, such as old blankets. The insides can also be reinforced with extra layers of bubble wrap. Cold frames are another excellent solution…