Our group was slightly depleted this week due to some members having outside duties, or being on holiday (lucky things), and others falling victim to the numerous viruses and bugs going around (not so lucky). However, we gathered in the gorgeous January sun which is really giving hints of spring, even if that’s a way off.

Ident

Deborah had collected some examples of plants for winter interest and/or evergreen structure in the garden. Since starting at the Garden House, I have found that shrubs are the hardest group for me to recognise, name and commit to memory. I’m hoping this will help…

Garrya elliptica

(Garrya – named for Nicholas Garry, who was secretary of the Hudson’s Bay Company circa 1820-35 . Elliptaca – shaped like an ellipse in reference to the shape of the leaves)

The silk tassel bush is a large shrub or small tree that is dioecious – growing as separate male and female plants. They are vigorous and evergreen with wavy-edged, leathery leaves which are shiny on top and felted underneath. Long silvery-grey catkins, which shine out amongst the darker foliage, develop on the male plants in January and February. The lesser-used female plants produce clusters of long, purple-brown fruits in summer.

They are good coastal windbreak plants as they are extremely tough but offer a stunning feature in a winter garden – grown against, or possibly trained up a wall to display the catkins to their best effect. Any reasonable soil, any position and hardy throughout most of the U.K. - how often do I say that? Ht. up to 4m after 10 years.

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica

( cirrhosa – with tendrils)

Otherwise known as the fern-leaved clematis, most of us assumed this was the cultivar ‘Freckles’ when Deborah showed it to us as there is a gorgeous example of it at GH. This, however, is slightly different with a paler, more creamy flower. These slightly fragrant flowers are speckled with reddish-maroon spots and appear from December to February, contrasting with bronze-tinged, evergreen, ferny leaves. These are followed by whiskery seedheads. This is a wonderfully attractive winter plant which does best trained over a sunny, sheltered pergola, arch or doorway with its roots in moist but well-drained soil but out of the direct sun. It is a ‘Group 1 Clematis’, meaning that it requires very little pruning, only enough to restrict its growth or to remove any damaged parts after flowering. Ht. up to 2.5m trained.

Taxus baccata

(baccata – bearing berries)

The common yew is a medium-sized bushy, dioecious evergreen tree with tiny, narrow, leathery, dark green leaves arranged in two rows on the shoots. Small red berries appear on female plants in late summer. Growth is slow to moderate but the density of foliage makes for excellent shaping and topiary requiring only one pruning per year, generally in late summer. It is increasingly used as an alternative to box.

Yews are known for their versatility, longevity, and adaptability to different growing conditions. They can tolerate a range of soil types but prefer well-drained soil. Ht. up to 12m if left unpruned. Caution – Yew leaves are highly toxic to humans and animals if ingested.

Teucrium x lucidrys

( I could not find a meaning for lucidrys)

The hybrid germander is a low- growing bushy plant with dark green crinkly edged, glossy leaves and short spires of small pink flowers in early summer. It is highly drought-tolerant and gives a fresh-green look among more grey-green “dry” plants. It needs full sun and a light, well-drained soil.

I think it is the same plant we have looked at before – Teucrium chamaedrys that is edging the herb beds at GH – just a confusion in the naming.

Now for three Pittisporums…this is a genus of about 200 evergreen trees and shrubs from Australasia and Oceana with some found in areas of Asia and Africa. They come in various sizes, from large and conical to compact and domed, with shiny, often variegated or colourful leaves and small scented flowers. You can also grow them as hedging or clipped into simple shapes. They like a sunny, sheltered location and well-drained soil. Some are hardy but many need protection in harsh winters.

Pittisporum tenuifolium ‘Country Park Dwarf’

(tenuifolium – with slender leaves)

This is one of the hardiest mound-forming types and has striking leaves which start off green then turn purple-black with typical wavy edges. Small chocolate-purple, honey scented flowers appear in spring. Estimates of eventual height range from 60cm to 4m! I suspect it is on the lower side.

Pittisporum tobira ‘Nanum’

(tobira – from the Japanese name for this shrub, nanum – dwarf)

The dwarf Japanese mock-orange is a compact, rounded evergreen shrub, covered in honey-scented, creamy-white flowers in late spring and early summer, while its glossy, deep green leaves form a neat bushy mound. It is less hardy than some so perfect for a sunny patio or an enclosed courtyard garden, or grown against a sunny wall or in a container which could be moved in harsh weather. It needs moist, well-drained soil. Ht. up to 1m

Pittisporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’

This densely-growing, compact form has brighter, mint-green foliage and is good for adding more formal, architectural structure into the garden, including as a low-growing hedge or as a shaped container plant . Honey-scented, reddish-brown flowers appear in spring and early summer. Ht. up to 1m.

Some of our number had bought in examples of plants that were looking good in their gardens – these were from Richard’s garden…

and from Sarah’s garden…

Carol had some winter jasmine…

… and there are early daffodils coming out at Veryan’s…

Jobs for the week.

As we were low on numbers and some of the listed jobs were not possible to do without our absent leader’s advice, we pitched in where we could.

Emptying and spreading compost

The compost was overdue for a good sort out. One of the sections needed emptying and today was the day!

The compost was to be spread around on the winter beds to improve the soil and act as a mulch. There was some grumbling about the contents…bits of crock, twigs and branches that were way too big, plastic labels and sellotape. These should not be going into the compost bins and we considered ourselves well and truly ticked off…

I see what they mean!

Sorting the leaf-litter

Some time ago a dedicated, open composter was set up just for leaves. Leaves take quite some time to compost down but eventually produce fantastic, crumbly, fine compost which can be added to others for extra nutrients or as a seed compost. The only trouble is that the good stuff is at the bottom…

Take the top layers off keeping them on a large tarpaulin, locate the decent stuff and bag it up, then put the un-rotted leaves back in…phew!

Sow seeds

Although it is still January, it is a good time to get some plants going from seed. Today there were sweet peas, Eschscholzia californica and others to get started.

Root trainers come in hand for sweet peas as they provide space for the long tap-roots to develop and help prevent root disturbance when potting the plant on.

Tend to the house plants

The succulents in the conservatory were due for a tidy-up and watering…

…and there were other plants to be tidied too…

Then it was time for a break, some cake and a wind-down, all helped by a very friendly pooch!

No cake for you Ronnie!

See you next time.

It was lovely to be back together at the Garden House and to wish each other a …

Happy New Year!

Last week we met in groups and were given a design task. Each group had to create a mood board for a different type of garden, Contemporary, Coastal, Exotic, or Wildlife friendly / sustainable.

We went armed with magazines and catalogues, scissors and glue to houses volunteered by a member of each group (giving us the chance to do some garden snooping and cake eating). Many thanks to those who hosted the get-togethers.

Each group had to find:

• Materials for hard landscaping of a patio

• What path – materials and shape?

• Arches and pergola

• Seating

• Focal points/ sculptures / containers

• Fencing or barriers

Soft landscaping 

• A tree

• 10 key plants 

We then bought everything in to share with each other this week. Needless to say, there were discussions about how big our imaginary gardens might be, how much money would be available and we all went over the allotted “ten key plants” – some more than others and we justified it by knowing that Bridge would never stick to just ten!

Coastal Group

This group imagined a south-facing garden, bordering a beach, with direct sea views with close-board fencing to create a boundary and wind break. The fence and other wooden structures such as the pergola, which has a transparent tarpaulin, would be painted an inky blue.

Stepping stones placed in among the shingle and pebbles and planted between with aromatic thyme, create a natural-looking, curving path. Seating areas at various points include gabions topped with driftwood planks and contrasting hot-pink chairs and are placed so the garden can be appreciated throughout the day. A dramatic circle of weathered driftwood provides a sculptural frame for the sea view from the seating area. This is to be left unadorned by climbers to give contrast to the surrounding planting.

Tall, rusted-metal planters would be filled with a variety of plants including spring bulbs, prostrate rosemary and agapanthus, giving year-round interest and structure. An Amelanchier x lamarckii tree would be another focal point.The ten key plants are Lavender ‘Hidcote’, Eryngium giganteum, Stipa tenuissima, Echinops, pink Phlomis and Hydrangea, Salvia nemorosa, Astrantia major’White Giant’, Erigeron and Phormium but they might also sneak in some Allium, Tulip and Crocus bulbs, Verbena bonariensis and Rosa rugosa . These would give a restricted palette of silver-blues, soft pinks and violet to reflect natural coastal colour.

What a gorgeous mood-board…I want to move there now.

Contemporary Group

This group went for an ultra-stylish, no expense spared look with lots of clean lines and high-end materials such as Corten steel, stainless steel, polished concrete, stone and oiled wood .

Patios would be made from large stone pavers, contrasted with sections of hardwood, with a white “sail” above for shade. Paths of concrete sections set into granite chippings become an architectural feature themselves. Fences and barriers of horizontal slats in stainless and Corten steel, and sculptures in steel and bronze give strength and impact.

A rill of either light stone or Corten steel and a simple, clean-lined water feature would provide movement and reflections. The patio would house luxury garden seating and a designer wooden bench ( a mere snip at £3000!) would be placed artfully near the rill.

The group chose a silver birch as their tree but I have noticed that they also snuck in some topiary containers and a conifer or two. Elegant containers in metal or concrete and controlled planting areas would be planted with Sanguisorba, white Agapanthus, white Alliums, black and golden bamboo, clipped Germander, Phormium, Melianthus and ferns . Grasses such as Miscanthus and Pennisetum planted with Kniphofia ‘Little Maid’ would add height and movement. Rosa ‘Iceberg’ would climb over an elegant metal pergola.

A fabulous, stylish and calming mood board. Can I change my mind and move here?

Exotic Group

The exotic group (both mood board and contributors) took inspiration from visits to gardens at Abbotsbury, Kew, Wisely, Great Dixter and Dan Cooper’s garden at Broadstairs and decided they wanted a jungly feel with vibrant planting and architectural features. .

A patio/decking area and minimalist pergola would both be sourced in dark hardwood and this would be mirrored in the snaking path of dark wood sleepers placed transverse with gaps between. Fencing would also be of plain dark wood or of bamboo, either planted or woven panels… it was felt that this wouldn’t be seen much through the dense planting. Rattan table and chairs would enhance the jungle feel.

Focal points would be the specimen tree Tetrapanax papyrifer or Chinese rice paper plant with its large palmate leaves, and a large water-feature container with small bubbling fountain.

Planting incudes climbers Passiflora x violacea and Trachleospermum for the pergola and architectural plants – Phylostachys aureosulcata f.aureocaulis or golden grove bamboo, Phormium tenax ‘Sundowner’, Canna ‘Striata’, Hedychium densiflorum (ginger) and Fatsia japonica.

This would be underplanted with hot and contrasting colours of Hosta ‘Captain Kirk’, Hakonechloa macra, Khiphofia and a triumvirate of Bishop Dahlias – Llandaff, Oxford and Canterbury.

The ideas of a richly coloured, densely planted, tall and jungle-like scheme are perfectly reflected in the packed mood board. Now I really want an exotic garden too.

Wildlife friendly / Sustainable group

This group decided, quite early on, that the brief was there to be challenged and, therefore, ended up with way more plants than allowed but more on that later! After some discussion about whether this was a rural or urban garden, and the tensions regarding which types of wildlife we wanted to attract and how “managed” the space would be we decided that this is an urban garden with lots of space – how convenient.

Instead of fencing, boundaries would be of mixed hedging to include Crataegus (hawthorn), Prunus spinosa (blackthorn), holly and ivy. This combination would give protection, food and nesting spaces for a wide variety of birds and insects for most of the year while the gaps beneath give access into the garden for a variety of creatures, including hedgehogs, while fallen leaf-litter provides a safe hibernation place.

Paths and seating areas would be formed with reclaimed pavers and/or crazy paving with gravel between the stones allowed to fill with herbs, creeping plants or even weeds. A pergola might be made from reclaimed timber and wooden seating sourced second-hand. Log piles, stumps and “bug hotels” would double up as wildlife habitats and sculptural focal points. There would be a variety of water features throughout the garden including a sloping sided pond, smaller container ponds and bird-baths, providing drink, bathing and breeding habitats. A compost heap is also a great habitat as well as a sustainable source of mulch/compost.

Now for the aforementioned planting. Our specimen tree was to be Malus sylvestris or European crabapple and there was to be an area of wildflower meadow which counted as one choice! Then “purple flowering plants” in general was another as insects, particularly bees, are attracted to them. They would include Lavender, Echium, Nepeta, Alliums, Salvias, Verbena bonariensis, Perovskia, Eryssium and Buddlea. Other useful plants could be Echinacea, Helianthus, Leucanthemum, Dipsacus (teasel), Digitalis, Cosmos, Erigeron, Geranium, Sedums and Grasses…phew. We justified the number of plants on the grounds of attracting as diverse a range of creatures as possible – so there !

I think I’ll have to, somehow, acquire a property where I can have all of these gardens.

What a lovely way to see through these January weeks and spark a few ideas for spring. In our idealised gardens there would be no pests or diseases but real life is not like that. Katie has been looking at the dreaded Honey Fungus and this is what she has found…

Honey Fungus

What is fungus?

Fungi are in a kingdom of their own when we are looking at classification.   The kingdom includes yeasts, moulds and mushrooms. They are more closely related to animals than plants because they do not make their own food through photosynthesis the way that plants do. Instead they get their food by breaking down plant material with digestive enzymes and then absorb it.  This makes them incredibly beneficial in many ways as they help to break down dead plant material in the soil and make nutrients available to plants.  There is now lots of evidence that they are also involved in plant communication.  They can create a web of connected plants and help to transmit nutrients and minerals from one plant to another by connecting root systems together.

A fungus is made up of a web of thread-like mycelium under the ground.  A collection of these mycelia can make a thread like structure called a rhizomorph.  What we normally think of as a fungus – the mushroom – is just the fruiting body of the fungus.  Most of the organism is under the ground and not normally visible.  A single organism can grow to enormous sizes when undisturbed. It is thought that some of the largest organisms in the world are fungi.  An Armillaria ostoyae has been found to cover over 2000 acres in the mountains of Oregon!

Fungi are really important for soil health and carbon capture.  Some are edible and are a good source of vitamins and protein.  Others are used in producing medicine –eg penicillin.

However, not all fungi are beneficial…

What is honey fungus?

Honey fungus is the common name of several species of fungi within the genus Armillaria. There are 7 different species of Armillaria but only two are commonly found in UK gardens – A. gallica and A. mellea.  A. mellea is the more destructive of the two and is harder to get rid of.  It spreads underground, attacking and killing the roots of perennial plants and then decaying the dead wood. It is the most destructive fungal disease in UK gardens. It mainly affects trees and woody and herbaceous perennials and can destroy large areas of plants in gardens.  It spreads through rhizomorphs or ‘bootstraps’ in the ground and through spores.  The rhizomorphs can grow up to 1 m a year so that over time, if undetected, a large area can be affected. 

How to identify:

Although honey coloured mushrooms may appear in autumn, the fungus can be present for many years before they appear.  Signs of honey fungus are:

Cracked or bleeding bark at the base of a tree

Die back of upper parts of a plant

Sudden death of whole plant when water levels are low

Gradual decline in plant health over several years

Profuse flowering or fruiting just before plant death

Premature autumn colour

Lack of flowers on a previously healthy plant

When peeling back the bark you may find a layer of white mycelium between the bark and the wood.

You may find black ‘bootstraps’ of rhizomes under the bark and in the ground around the infected plant.

How to control:

Honey fungus, once established, is hard to eradicate.  There is no form of chemical control available.  The only way to get rid of it is by removing all infected plant material, including stumps and roots, and destroying it by burning or sending to landfill.  The soil surrounding an infected plant should be dug over thoroughly and any rhizomorphs removed.  Repeated digging over of the area will help to break up and kill any remaining fungus.

Nearby plants may also need to be removed and the area dug over.

Maintain good plant health. Plants that are well nourished, watered and pruned are better able to survive fungus infection.

Remove any build up of soil around the bottom of stems and trunks.  Plants that are planted deeply are more susceptible to infection.

Install a plastic barrier sheet.  Rhizomorphs grow between 2-8 inches under the ground so a layer of plastic sheeting can prevent their spread.

Once dug over, soil should be left for 1 year before re-planting. 

When re-planting, choose more resistant species.  RHS has a long list of susceptible and resistant species.

Vulnerable plants – woody stemmed plants can be affected.  However, some seem to be particularly vulnerable.  Eg Birch, Buddleia, Ceanothus, Cotoneaster,  Cypress, Forsythia, Oak, Willow, Lilac.

More resistant plants – Bamboo, Box, Cheanomeles, Cordyline, Erica, Ginko, Jasmine, Pittosporum, Sarcococca.

Thank you so much for that, Katie, even if it was terrifying.

Let’s calm ourselves with some views of the Garden House on this frosty morning .

That’s better – see you next time.

Friday Garden Group Christmas Lunch!

We met a little later this week but started with our usual coffee and horticultural chat. Note the paperwhite Narcissi behaving beautifully having flowered right on time.

There was to be no gardening today but a chance to have a walk around, check on some of the areas we had been working on and generally enjoy the garden. All helped by a glass of mulled wine from a cauldron over the open air fire.

We took a tour around…

…not always playing follow the leader…

Then back into the garden room for some fiendishly good new quizzes…

We were having lots of fun – honestly!

The marvellous Friday Group elves worked their magic and, hey presto, there was a feast fit for kings (and queens) with delicious food, wine and crackers – when everyone chips in, it tastes even better.

What a lovely way to end the year.

Here’s to good health and good gardening in 2024 and may you have the Christmas you wish for.

♪♪ “Deck the halls with boughs of Ilex aquifolium, fa la la la la, la la la la”….♪♪

♪♪ “The Ilex aquifolium and the Hedera helix, when they are both full grown….”♪♪

It really doesn’t scan does it, so we’ll have to call it…

Holly and Ivy week

Before we got started on the festive ident, we were amazed by the return of a previously broken spade…(see November 17th’s blog).

It turns out that one of us has a partner who not only mends stuff but enjoys doing it and doesn’t charge friends. I know…mind-blowing or what?

Awe and wonder ensued…what a fantastic job.

Ident

We started with Ivy, mainly because Bridge has developed an interest in them…watch out for a near comprehensive collection developing at the Garden House very soon.

Hedera is a genus of 12 to 15 species of ground-creeping and climbing plants in the Araliaceae family, with many varieties and cultivars. On the ground ivy does not grow more than 20-30cm high but, given a suitable surface, vigorous types will climb to more than 30m.

You have been warned!

I found the following information on the Woodland Trust website and very informative it was too…

There are two native species of ivy in the UK: Hedera helix and Hedera hibernica.

(helix – spiral-shaped as applied to twining plants; hibernica – connected with Ireland)

H. helix is the common ivy, which can be found throughout the UK. Common ivy has leaves with 3-5 lobes.

H. hibernica is the Atlantic ivy, which is more common in the west of Britain and in Ireland. Atlantic ivy has leaves with 5-7 lobes.

Both species can climb, but there is a cultivar of H. hibernica called ‘Hibernica’ which grows along the ground and does not usually climb. This cultivar is often planted as ground cover and can become invasive.

Hedera has two types of leaves.

Juvenile leaves have 3-5 lobes and a pale underside.

Mature leaves are oval or heart-shaped without lobes and grow higher up where the plant is exposed to more light.

The juvenile and adult shoots also differ, the former being slender, flexible and scrambling or climbing with small aerial roots to affix the shoot to the substrate (rock or tree bark), the latter thicker, self-supporting and without roots. 

Only mature plants produce flowers. They are yellowish green and appear in small, dome-shaped clusters known as umbels. Flowers of common ivy are typically larger, more rounded and with a more pronounced green tinge than those of Atlantic ivy. Both species typically bloom in the autumn, but common ivy may bloom slightly earlier.

The fruits of both common and Atlantic ivy are black, berry-like, and almost globular in clusters. However, there is one key difference: the fruits of common ivy are typically larger and more glossy than the fruits of Atlantic ivy

Nectar, pollen and berries of ivy are an essential food source for insects and birds, especially during autumn and winter when little else is about. It also provides shelter for insects, birds, bats and other small mammals. The high fat content of the berries is a nutritious food resource for birds and the berries are eaten by a range of species including thrushes, blackcaps, woodpigeons and blackbirds.

Ivy is particularly important to many insects before they go into hibernation. Some of the main insect species which forage on the nectar and pollen of ivy are bees, hoverflies and common wasps.

It is an important food plant for some butterfly and moth larvae such as holly blue, small dusty wave, angle shades and swallow-tailed moth.

The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that wearing a wreath of ivy leaves around the head would prevent one from getting drunk. The Roman god Bacchus, the god of intoxication, was often depicted wearing a wreath of ivy and grapevines. Ivy was also a symbol of intellectual achievement in ancient Rome and wreaths were used to crown winners of poetry contests. Wreaths were also given to winning athletes in ancient Greece.

Ivy was a symbol of fidelity and so priests would present a wreath of ivy to newly married couples. Today it is still the custom for bridal bouquets to contain a sprig of ivy.

Here are some varieties we looked at today.

H. helix ‘Duck’s Foot’

H. helix ‘Silver King’

H. helix ‘Kolibri’

H. helix ‘Halebob’

H. helix ‘Mini Heron’

H. helix ‘Erecta’

H. helix ‘Spetchley’

H. helix f. poetarum ‘Poetica Arborium’

This one is a non-climbing ivy which forms a dome-shaped shrub.

H. helix ‘Crested Parsley’

And finally, Bridge’s favourite…

H. helix ‘Goldheart’

And now for the holly…again, thanks to the Woodland Trust website for much of the information.

Ilex is a genus of plants in the Aquifoliaceae family and is, in fact, the only genus in that family.

Common holly is found across Europe, North africa and western Asia and can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years. The bark is smooth and thin with lots of small, brown ‘warts’, and the stems are dark brown

The leaves are dark green, glossy and oval. Younger plants have spiky leaves, but the leaves of older trees are much more likely to be smooth. Leaves in the upper parts of the tree are also likely to be smooth.

Holly is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different trees. Flowers are white with four petals. They bloom any time between early spring and the very beginning of summer, depending on the climate.

Once pollinated by insects, female flowers develop into scarlet berries which can remain on the tree throughout winter.

Holly provides dense cover and good nesting opportunities for birds, while its deep, dry leaf litter may be used by hedgehogs and small mammals for hibernation.

The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects. The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the holly blue butterfly, along with those of various moths. The smooth leaves found at the tops of holly trees are a winter source of food for deer.

The berries are a vital source of food for birds in winter, and small mammals, such as wood mice and dormice.

Holly branches have long been used to decorate homes in winter. The tree was seen as a fertility symbol and a charm against witches, goblins and the devil. It was thought to be unlucky to cut down a holly tree.

Here are a few cultivars we looked at…

Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Princess’

Ilex aquifolium ‘J. C. van Tol’

Ilex aquifolium ‘Handsworth New Silver’

Ilex alterclerensis ‘Golden King’

And finally, when is a holly not a holly? When it is a “holly olive”…

Osmanthus heterophyllus

Nobody would know the difference!

Jobs for the week

Pond group

Near the pond is a collection of containers planted with Sempervivums, or hardy house leeks. These succulents can cope with the cold but they don’t like very wet conditions. The containers needed to be weeded, sorted and protected with acrylic cloches.

There were new plants and the ones left over to plant in the living roof of the small shed too.

These are easy to grow, varied, beautiful plants…give them a go!

Terraces group

This area has been cleared and opened up over the past couple of weeks. Now it was time to dig over the soil, add some garden compost and get the Fuchsia ‘Hawkshead’ and Polypodiums planted.

Grand job.

Winter bed group

There was clearing and cutting back of Hellebores and roses to do on the next section of the winter bed – this time near the beautiful birch trees.

See what I mean?

These were just the people for the job…

What a transformation.

Top garden group

This is another bed that has had a good clear out and could now have some new additions. Going in were a Cotinus ‘Gold Lady’ and a Physocarpus ‘Amber Jubilee’

They will look like this in no time…

There were also some grasses that had been saved from this bed for replanting in the raised beds.

And just one more job…to plant up a window box. Now I know there is a trend for aged, distressed, characterful planters but this is a little extreme…

Let it go Bridge.

Rose arches group

We couldn’t ignore the opportunity to propagate some of the aforementioned Ivies – who doesn’t love free plants?

The two people here from the rose arch group decamped to the greenhouse for this fiddly but satisfying task.

What a neat result…wonderful!

As always, there was time for cake, to relax and chat, to admire the garden in the winter sunshine and to spot the first emerging snowdrop of the year.

It’s Advent and time to turn our thoughts to decking halls and making wreaths . We arrived on this very cold Friday to mountains of beautiful foraged greenery, dried grasses and seedheads.

Enough to start a small shop but destined for the wonderful Garden House wreath making sessions…keep your eyes peeled for some of the results throughout the blog.

We started in the garden room with a cosy fire blazing, hot coffee and one of Katie’s informative talks. This week it was all about drought-tolerant plants…take it away Katie.

Plant adaptations to drought.

In these days of climate change we know that we have to make our gardens more resistant to drought.  We have been warned that weather will become less predictable and that we are likely to have more extreme weather patterns.  While this year in the UK has been very wet, we can all remember the hot, dry summers we have had recently and we know that our gardens need to adapt to these changes.  With that in mind, I have been looking at how plants use water and are adapted to cope with dry conditions.

Water has three main functions in plants:

1. It is essential for photosynthesis.  Plants use the energy from sunlight to turn water and Carbon dioxide into simple carbohydrate , with oxygen given off as a by-product.  It’s the magic of organic chemistry!
2. It is used to transport nutrients around the plant.
3. It is essential for the plant structure.  It keeps the plant’s cells turgid and stops it from flopping over.  We have all seen plants drooping when they need a drink.

Plants absorb water from the soil through their root systems.  The roots have tiny hairs on them to increase the surface area so that they can absorb water and nutrients efficiently.

The water travels up through the plant via tiny tubules in xylem tissue to the leaves.  Once in the leaves it can be put to use.

Plants absorb carbon dioxide through tiny holes in their leaves called Stomata. They also release oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis through theses stomata.  However, having holes in your leaves means that you also loose water.  The evaporation of water from the stomata is called transpiration and it is this that actually draws the water up the plant from the roots. 

So, we can see why water is essential for plant life.

How then do plants living in dry conditions manage?  They need water for all of the above reasons but live in places where there is often not very much available.  There are a number of strategies that plants have evolved to enable them to survive.

Drought Tolerance

Root adaptations – some plants have very deep tap roots to reach water far under ground (eg the Shepherd’s Tree Boscia albitrunca, which grows in the Kalahari Desert, has roots up to 70m deep). Others have very extensive shallow root systems to seek out available water (eg Ponderosa pine) . And others have large tuberous roots to store water during wet periods (some cacti).

Boscia albitrunca and Ponderosa pine

Leaf adaptations – Tiny hairs called trichomes grow on some leaves (eg Stachys byzantia),to protect the stomata and so reduce transpiration.  The hairs can also trap any moisture in the air as tiny water particles for the leaves to absorb. 

Other plants have evolved small leaves to reduce surface area and so limit water loss,  for example lavender, santolina.

Thick waxy leaves, for example in succulents, reduce surface area and store water in the leaf.  The thick cuticle reduces water loss and reflects heat.

Fewer leaves. The fewer the leaves a plant has, the less water it will lose through transpiration.

Sunken stomata – Stomata that are sunken into the leaf surface are less vulnerable to transpiration eg pine needles

Prickles and spines – stop animals from eating the leaves containing all the water that the plant is working to save eg prickly pear and other cacti.

Drought Avoidance

Most plants open their stomata during the day and so are vulnerable to water loss.  However, some plants have developed a slightly different form of photosynthesis so that they only open their stomata at night.  They then store carbon dioxide for use during the day.  By opening at night when the air is cooler, they lose less water.  This is called crassulacean acid metabolism and is used by many succulents, sedums and orchids.

Early growth.  Some plants just do all their growing and reproducing early in the season before the weather gets too hot and dry.  They set seed and drop their leaves as the dry season start.  Some annual plants do this, eg Californian poppies and Arabidopsis thaliana, in desert regions.  They flower, spread their seeds and then die.  The seeds lie dormant in the ground and will then germinate the following year when the conditions are wet.  These plants are called ‘ephemerals’.  Deserts can burst into bloom within a few days of rain due to the seeds that have been lying dormant in the ground, sometimes for years, between rains.

Desiccation Tolerance 

A few plants can survive completely drying out.  They may look dead but will come back to life as soon as they are given water, eg resurrection plants such as Selaginella lepidophylla, which can survive for several years without water.

Thank you so much for that Katie – it’s all so fascinating.

Ident

With all those bundles of dried goodies around it was apt that we looked at plants that die well. There is increasing appreciation of plants at every stage of their life, with the late autumn/winter colour and texture of drying and dying flowers, shrubs and grasses being actively planned for in planting schemes.

Echinacea

Echinacea, or coneflower, is a genus of plants in the Asteraceae family. These late-summer flowering, bold and tough herbaceous perennials produce large, striking flowers in shades of white, pink, red or orange, with prominent centres, which look particularly good when planted in swathes and paired with grasses and other late-flowering perennials. Very attractive to bees and other pollinators when in flower, the dried seedheads are equally loved by birds. They like full sun and will do well in most soils but don’t do well in drought conditions. Ht. up to 1.5m.

Miscanthus nepalensis

This distinctive, hardy, deciduous grass bears slightly arching, airy panicles of golden-yellow flower plumes above mounds of mid-green foliage from late summer onwards. These gradually turn to yellowish seedheads then to a darker bronze as they die off. It likes full sun and a moist but well-drained soil and, although it will grow in most positions. will do best with some winter shelter. Ht. 1 – 1.5m

Veronicastrum

Veronicastrum, or Culver’s root, is an upright, hardy, herbaceous perennial with whorls of lance-shaped, toothed leaves wrapped around tall, strong stems, each topped with an elegant spire-like raceme of flowers. It is a wonderful plant for adding height, shape and late-summer colour to borders, or for Piet Oudolf style planting schemes. It needs full sun or light shade and a moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Ht. up to 1.5m

Eurybia x herveyii (syn. Aster macrophyllus ‘Twilight’)

This is another late-flowering, herbaceous perennial has a profusion of yellow-centred, lavender-blue daisy flowers above mid-green ovate leaves from late-summer well into autumn. Unlike some Asters this fast-growing hybrid is mildew-resistant. As it dies in early winter the flowers take on a silvery sheen. These like full sun or partial shade in any well-drained soil. Ht. up to 1m. RHS AGM 🏆

Sanguisorba

Otherwise known as great burnet, Sangisorba is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the Rosaceae family which bear masses of flowers on slender, wiry, upright stems above clumps of pinnate leaves with rounded or oblong leaflets . They vary in shape according to variety, being either fluffy and bottlebrush-shaped, catkin-like or small and bobbly, and come in a range of colours from soft pink and white through to mauve, darker pink, and dark maroon. They have become increasingly popular for naturalistic, perennial borders and for prairie-style planting schemes. Give them moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Ht. up to 1.5m depending on the cultivar.

All of these plants look good when dying but leaving them be, rather than cutting back, also gives a rich source of seeds for birds as well as winter protection for the plant itself.

If you need any more convincing take a look at Bridge’s photos from the wonderful Sussex Prairie Gardens.

Stunning! Spot the ident plants mentioned above.

Jobs for the week

Winter bed group

Here, the Hellebores needed to have their old and scruffy leaves removed, some large shrubs were in for a prune and the soil had to be turned over…that’s digging to you and me.

There were foxgloves and Hesperis as well as ivy to be planted too.

Terraces group

After forcefully removing the enormous Rosa banksia, the equally huge Euonymus it had been entwined in was looking in need of a tidy-up.

Steady on!

The soil had to turned over and the Pushkinas planted too.

What a great result. The rose has not been removed entirely so the area will need to be watched!

Top garden group

There were Hellebores to cut back up on the top garden as well as a Euphorbia wulfenii to take out.

Then the last of the tulips – honest – were planted in a windowbox.

This area is looking amazing.

Pond area group

It was time for clearing, weeding and turning the soil in the pond area.

Then we found a runner from the Euonymus tree which we thought we’d whip out before it got too big.

Not as easy as we thought! The roots had run two metres along the bed and taking them up dislodged all the pond edging stones. Might leave the next one alone!

Rose arches group

The rejuvenation of this area is edging down the row bit-by-bit.

There was cutting, back, planting alliums and finding supports for existing plants.

They should reach the other end some time next year!

Looking good though.

See you next time.

Rosa ‘de Rescht’ dying beautifully in the winter sun.

Brrr…it was definitely time to don thermals and puffer coats. We made the most of being snug in the garden room while we could.

Ident

This week we looked at Fuchsias. Fuchsia is a genus of flowering shrubs and trees from the Onagraceae family, so related to evening primrose and  native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America and to New Zealand and Tahiti although one or two species occur in cool, temperate zones. There are hardy and tender types, deciduous or evergreen, tiny ones for small containers, trailing versions and some that are large enough to form a hedge. They all share a distinctive, pendulous teardrop-shape of flower with four long, slender sepals and four shorter, broader petals often in a differing colour. They flower all summer long and all year in tropical conditions.

The fruits are small and vary in colour from dark green to dark red or deep purple and they contain tiny seeds. Some, but not all, are edible with the best tasting ones coming from F. splendens. They like moist but well-drained soil, in a sheltered spot in partial shade,  away from cold winter winds.

Here are a few examples of species and cultivars from the Garden House.

F. fulgens

(fulgens – shining or glistening)

Otherwise known as the brilliant, or glowing, fuchsia, this striking form comes from the cloud forest of Mexico and is tender so would need to be bought inside for the winter. It has thickened, tuberous roots which help it survive dry conditions and to grow as an epiphytic as well as terrestrial plant. It has the largest leaves of any Fuchsia and long carmine-red flowers. Ht. up to 1.5m.

F. ‘Mrs Popple’

Scarlet and purple flowers hang from the arching stems of this hardy, woody Fuchsia from June to September and beyond. This vigorous, upright, deciduous shrub has small, dark-green, slightly serrated leaves. Prune back to a permanent framework in spring. Ht. up to 1m after 2-5 years. RHS AGM 🏆

F. magellanica

(magellanica – connected with the Strait of Magellan, South America)

Commonly referred to as ‘hardy fuchsia’ this fast-growing, deciduous, species Fuchsia is often used as hedging or as part of a larger mixed border. The purple and red flowers are more dainty than those on some cultivars. If growing as hedging, cut back to the required framework in spring, but cutting right to the ground will give good fresh new growth and more flowers. Ht. up to 2.5m.

This year, many of us saw gall mite affect our Fuchsias and this one in particular.

Yuck. Hopefully, cutting our plants right back to the ground will give them a gall-free start in the spring.

F. ‘Hawkshead’

This gorgeous upright, deciduous shrub produces masses of elegant, narrow ivory-white flowers, sometimes showing just the merest hint of pink, with the tip of each petal stained green. The flowers are set off against small dark-green leaves and can seem as if they are glowing at dusk. Can be grown as a small tree in full-sun or partial shade. Cut back the previous year’s stems to within 2-3 buds of the old wood in spring. Ht. up to 1.2m. RHS AGM🏆

F. magellanica ‘Lady Bacon’

This Fuchsia combines the hardiness and vigour of the magellanica species with a stunning, elegant flower of soft red and violet, surrounded by slightly splayed white sepals. The leaves are small and dark-green , held on twiggy, upright branches. It can grow quite tall but will give a beautiful display if pruned hard in spring. Ht. up to 1.5m.

F. boliviana

This is a relatively rare evergreen species Fuchsia from the Andes which has exotic looking, oversized leaves and clusters of long, hanging, waxy flowers of vibrant red. It doesn’t like overly hot weather but is also tender so protect from frost. It can grow up to five metres tall so plan carefully! It does well indoors where you can prune it to your required height and where it will flower pretty much all year round.

F. microphylla subsp. hemsleyana ‘Silver Lining’

This small but fast-growing, compact shrubby Fuchsia has small, mid-green leaves with a silvery sheen and tiny, nectar-rich, vivid pink flowers. It is half-hardy so could be planted in a warm, sheltered bed but is also ideal for pots so it can be moved in cold weather. Encourage bushy growth by pinching out the growing tips of young plants after the sixth or seventh pair of leaves. Cut back established plants to a permanent framework in spring. Ht. up to 0.7m.

Jobs for the week

Terraces group

There was a slight sense of deja vu as this group went in for a second round against the Rosa banksia. This rambling rose had grown up through the other shrubs and tangled itself impressively. Pulling those long. prickly stems out of the mass of branches called for strength and teamwork!

Clearing the rose has opened up the terrace bed and changed the vista of that part of the garden – something that is happening all over the garden at the moment. The bed will be planted with Polypodium ferns and Pushkina bulbs.

Rose arches group

This group is gradually working its way along the beds by the new arches. There was more cutting back, tying in and digging over to do, then some Vinca minor to plant.

This is another area which is looking completely different now and it is exciting to see how it develops over the coming year.

Winter bed group

The Elaeagnus on the winter bed needed pruning plus lots of other cutting back, clearing leaves and forking over to do. Then, Digitalis and ivy to plant.

There was loads of cuttings for the compost and leaves for the leaf litter bin but now we get a clearer view of the beautiful Ginko tree.

Pond area group

The gabions have been a big hit so there was one more to fill this week. Time to call in the expert stone pickers…

Voila!

The lovely Sorbaria tree has grown quite large and the decision had been made to take out one of the two main trunks entirely. It’s always nerve-wracking when starting a major prune like this but be brave!

She’s fearless

Another vista opened up and there is more light for the beautiful birch and Cercis canadensis.

Top garden group

The bed in front of the Pelargonium house was to be given a complete makeover.

It was to be cleared of all the grasses and other plants and some would be saved to go back in. For a job this big you have to be prepared…

It will save on the sweeping up later.

This bed will also look different and get far more light because of the Rosa banksia being removed from in front. More news on the plans for this area in the coming weeks.

There is always time for a break, a cake and a chat and we are determined to do this outside whenever possible…

It’s not so bad out here…

Not sure they would agree.

And this lot look like they are plotting a move inside.

See you next time.

Before we get to this week’s shenanigans, here are some photos from recent garden visits made by members of the Friday Group.

Hever Castle

Winkworth Arboretum

RHS Wisley

I don’t normally post pictures of our visits but there is something so special about the late autumn colour and light that it needs to be shared! Thank you all for your wonderful photos.

Back at the Garden House it was a beautiful day, a slight chill in the air but wall-to-wall sunshine and we welcomed back some who, for various reasons, had not been at FGG for a while.

Ident

This week we caught up on some plants from the yellow bed which is sunny with partial shade from the trees growing there.

Persicaria virginiana filoformis ‘Alba’

This is one of those confusing plants which seems to have different variations of its name – Bistorta amplexicaulis anyone? I’m sticking with the above until told otherwise! Persicaria is a genus of plants in the Polygonaceae family, so related to knotweed and bistort, with many species (132+) which occur worldwide and vary enormously in form and habitat.

This one is a clump-forming perennial with whorl-type mid-green leaves that wrap around the stem at their base. The stems are upright and wiry, producing spires, or panicles, of cool-white, tiny flowers from late summer to autumn. Prefers a moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. It spreads easily and cutting back close to the ground in late winter or early spring will encourage healthy new growth. Ht. up to 1.2m.

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii ‘John Tomlinson’

(characias – a kind of spurge, wulfenii – honors Austrian naturalist Franz Xavier von Wulfen 1728–1805. )

Another huge genus of plants, Euphorbia has at least 2000 species and this cultivar is gorgeous. The linear, succulent-like, whorl-formation leaves are a beautifully clear blue-green as seen above. In spring, large , rounded clusters of chartreuse flowers (called a cyathium) emerge at at the top of the stems and last until summer. This is a true show-stopper and is great for using as a statement plant or for repeat planting to pull a scheme together. It has explosive three-seeded capsules so it self-seeds readily but those seedlings may not come true. Once flowering is over, cut back the spent stems to the ground to make room for the newer stems. It likes a well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade and is drought tolerant. Ht. up to 1.5m.

CAUTION! As with all Euphorbia, the milky sap in the stems is phototoxic, poisonous and an irritant. Cover up, including wearing eye-protection, when cutting back or clearing.

Physalis alkekengi

So many common names for this wonderful plant – ‘Chinese Lantern’, ‘Devils’ Berry’, ‘Winter Cherry’, ‘Strawberry-and-Tomato’ and ‘bladder cherry’. The name Physalis comes from the Greek physaléos – full of air, or physa – bubble. Alkekengi is derived from the Spanish alquequenje, in turn derived from the Arabic name kakendi, which means ‘salt in the pot’.

Its natural habitat extends from Central Europe, Temperate Asia through to Japan. It is a vigorous, rhizomatous perennial. Most gardeners recommend growing Chinese lanterns in containers because their roots are very enthusiastic and the plant can quickly turn invasive.

The white flowers – attractive but not massively noteworthy –begin to bud around July. Through summer and autumn, these flourish into fruit husks, which start green and develop into a deep, enticing orange as they ripen. Then, if left alone, the plant material will die away, leaving the skeletal casing – how magical is that?

It grows best in any well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade and is hardy to -20℃.

CAUTION! Like other plants in the Solanaceae, all of its parts are poisonous except the ripe fruit.

Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’

(rugosa – wrinkled)

Otherwise known as golden rod, Solidago is a genus of about 120 species in the Asteraceae family. This cultivar is a hardy, herbaceous, rhizomatous spreading perennial with distinctive narrow, green leaves which are flushed with dusky purple, especially in full sun. Sprays of tiny yellow flowers, which are fantastic for pollintors, are held on elegant, fine arching stems from late summer to early autumn. It likes full sun and a moist, well-drained soil and is hardy to -10℃. Divide clumps in spring and deadhead flowers promptly if you don’t want it to spread from seed. Ht. up to 1.5m. RHS AGM 🏆

Argyranthemum ‘Jamaica Primrose’

This gorgeous, long-flowering daisy-like marguerite is a firm favourite at the Garden House as it was grown from a cutting from one of our FGG members’ gardens. It has been propagated from cuttings, shared and planted each year since then. It is a vigorous subshrub with deeply toothed, rich grey-green leaves and soft, primrose yellow flowers held singly on long stems. It will flower from May right through to the first frosts. Take cuttings and bring potted plants in over winter as, although it is evergreen, it is not frost hardy – although it has done well at GH in the past. It also likes a moist, well-drained soil and full sun (who knew?!) in a fairly sheltered position. Ht. up to 1m. RHS AGM 🏆

Jobs for the week

Rose arch group

The area under the new rose arches is being tended to one section at a time. This week there were roses to prune and tie in, beds to clear and bulbs to go in, topped with polyanthus. There was Euphorbia myrsinites to go along the edges of the raised bed too.

It was all going swimmingly…

…however, before the new planting went in, the Iris unguicularis had to come out.

Such a dainty looking thing!

It might look innocuous but the roots are tough. So much so that they claimed a perfectly good spade…

Could have happened to anyone!

Pond area group

The bed where the Cercis and Sorbaria grow had lost its shape and become overgrown. It was due for some TLC to help redefine it and get a more planned planting scheme in.

Now, where did that edging go?

There were also crocus bulbs for the rockery, cyclamen to go in near the pond and a rather large and unruly rose to prune.

That part of the garden is now looking great.

Top garden group

I feel we have been here before but this group were put on “yellow bed” duties again! Part of the bed still had a lot of flint and rubble from the old wall piled up on it. Time to bring out the wheelbarrows and get it all moved.

The last of the bulbs for this bed had to be planted and a general clear up too…

The transformation of this bed is amazing…

Winter bed group

This bed was in need of a good clear-out. Now is the time to cut Peonies back to the ground – they will start to show new growth in spring. The Jasmine was also due for a tidy.

After a little bit of plotting, someone decided that one person’s trash is another’s garden treasure…

She’s back!

Terraces group

The Rosa ‘Banksia’ on the terraces had become quite enormous. It needed a very hard pruning. There were some white Fuschias to be taken from their containers outside the garden room and planted in the bed once a space had been cleared.

First, assess the enemy and plan your line of attack…

…then get stuck in, not literally I hope.

We’ll see if they emerged unscathed next time…see you then.

Hail, rain, sun? We deal with it all at the Friday Gardening Group…bring it on!

However, we were grateful to be inside the garden room to start with for a look at Chrysanthemums.

Chrysanthemums are a genus of flowering plants from the Asteraceae family, native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. The areas with most diversity are China and Japan where they have been cultivated for centuries and where they have many ceremonial uses, are frequently depicted in art, and hold great symbolism.

There are about 40 different species of Chrysanthemum and countless varieties and cultivars. The range of colours, size and petal formation is huge and they are staples of garden competitions and exhibitions. I was trying to find out more about the Latin classification and kept being directed to the competition classifications…frankly terrifying in their complexity and attention to every petal! Flowerhead types include Daisy Pompon, Spider Pompon, Cushion Pompon, Button Pompon, Disbud and Mum.

These are some of the species…

C. grandiflorum

(grandiflorum – with large flowers)

These are autumn flowering perennials in a versatile range of colours and sizes – from 30cm to 1.5m tall – for borders, containers and cutting.

C. indicum

( indicum – connected with India but sometimes applying to plants originating in the East Indies or China)

These are upright , deciduous and grow to about 60cm tall. The fragrant, divided leaves are used for making tea while the flowerheads are pickled and used as a condiment in Asian cuisine.

C. japonense

This is native to Japan, might be the original small-flowering variety and is considered to be an endangered species. It is a fully hardy, evergreen which flowers from October to December.

C. x morifolium

(morifolium – possibly, with leaves like a mulberry or Morus)

This hybrid species is grown either indoors or in gardens and pots but also widely for cut flowers and floristry.

C. rubellum

(rubellum – pale red, or becoming red)

The Chrysanthemums in the ident are the Korean hybrid type. Some websites say they are C. indicum and some that they are C. rubellum. I suspect that there might be many hybrids that are either or both…to be honest it has been hard to pin down. The following pictures have cultivar names which may or may not be totally accurate!

C. ‘Old White’ or ‘E.H. Wilson’

C. ‘Dixter Orange’

C. ‘Old Norwell’

C. ‘Emperor of China’

C. ‘Rumplestilzchen’

C. ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’(?)

C. ‘Ruby Mound’

These Korean daisies are hardy perennials which can be grown outside in borders or pots, or in a greenhouse and they give wonderful bursts of late colour when other plants have died back. They need a moist but well drained soil and full sun or partial shade but are easy to grow. as they grow, pinch out the tops to encourage a bushy growth, then reduce the number of stems in spring. After flowering, cut back the growth to about 15cm and apply a mulch over the crown of the plant – it’s not the cold that might kill them but being too wet so don’t allow them to become waterlogged. Lift and divide every 2 – 3 years. Easy to grow from cuttings. Ht. from 50cm to 1.5m depending on the cultivar.

Garden creature of the month – formerly known as “pest” – the weevil

Katie has been investigating these little darlings and gave us the low-down…

Vine Weevils – Otiorhynchus sulcatus

Order           Coleoptera (beetles)

Family             Curculionidae (Weevils)

Genus              Otiorynchus

Species            sulcatus

Vine weevils are insects commonly found in our gardens.  They are native to the UK and Europe but are now also established in Australia and North America.  They were first identified as pests when found eating grape vines in Germany in 1934, hence the name ‘vine weevil’, but they don’t restrict their diet just to vines sadly.

They are regarded as a pest because they eat plants in our gardens, particularly those in pots and containers. The adults eat leaves of living plants and although the damage may not look nice, they are unlikely to cause serious problems for the plant.  The larvae, however, feed on roots and can cause so much damage that the plants may wilt and die.  Plants in containers are particularly vulnerable to this kind of damage but the grubs do also eat roots of plants in the ground.  They are flightless and move around by walking.  However, they can travel long distances when present in pots that we humans move around the world.

Life Cycle

These interesting insects reproduce by thelytoky, a form of asexual reproduction.  The females produce several hundred eggs in a season which develop into female young without the need of fertilization by males.  There are no males! 

The eggs are laid in soil during summer and are difficult to spot as they are so small.  The larvae hatch after around 2 weeks and feed on plant roots.  They go through six stages until they reach around 1cm long and it is at this point that they do most damage, eating the larger roots of plants as well as tubers and stems.  The larvae are most active in spring, having over-wintered in the soil.  As the soil warms up, they become more active (and hungry!). They then pupate and emerge as adults. 

Vine weevils are nocturnal, hiding in cool dark places during the day (often in soil but also in dark corners of sheds, greenhouses etc) and then emerging at night to feed on plant leaves.  They are particularly fond of primulas and polyanthus, cyclamen, fuchsias, strawberries and heucheras but will eat a wide range of ornamental plants.  Larvae are most active and cause most damage in spring and early summer, while the adults are most active in late spring and summer.

Control

1. Physical removal. This needs to be done at night when the adult weevils are most active.  Put some old paper under the affected plant and give it a good shake.  The flightless adult beetles will fall off onto the paper and you can collect them and dispose of them.  You can also hunt them out in the dark corners of sheds, greenhouses etc during the day. 

• Physically remove larvae from pots as soon as you notice wilting that is not due to under watering.  You may need to wash the roots to make sure all the larvae are gone.

• Encourage wildlife in your garden.  Birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs and ground beetles will all eat vine weevils.

• Biological control.  There are preparations of nematodes that can be used to kill larvae.  They can be watered into pots and onto open ground.  Most effective when used in late summer when the soil is warm, to prevent infestation the following year.

• There are also nematode traps which can be used to kill adult beetles.  The traps should be left underneath vulnerable plants during the summer months.

• Chemical control is not recommended.  The effective insecticides are neonicotinoids which are known to harm bees and other insects.

Thank you Katie. Insert your own weevil jokes here…”Hear no weevil, see no weevil, speak no weevil”, “The lesser of two weevils”?

Jobs for the week

The sun came out so we did too. We are now in our new groups a few weeks – the areas we are working on are…

The terraces

Since the broken down wall has been replaced with a snazzy new fence, there are lots of lovely flints (and some not so lovely rubble) to find a home for. The solution? Some gabion baskets had been bought and will form the supports for a new garden bench.

The more pleasing flints were placed on the outer part of the baskets with the rubble filling up the middle. A bit like a dry-stone jig-saw.

The pond

There was a Gunnera to be prepares for winter. This involves cutting those large, elephant-ear leaves off, cleaning up the crown of the plant and protecting it. Straw or newspaper is sometimes used but in this case the plants own leaves were being placed over the crown.

The Sorbaria loves its position by the pond so much that it is doing its best to reproduce by sending suckers everywhere. These needed to be pulled up and the parent plant cut back a bit. Also due for a re-shape was the lovely Cersis canadensis which was overhanging the path

Other jobs were rose pruning, general tidying and carefully taking off the lower leaves of the black bamboo to reveal the Culm – that is the stem of the plant. To do this with a professional finish tie a rope around the plant at the height you require so that the result is an even cut.

Gorgeous!

The rose arches

This area is going to have a lot of attention now there are new arches and a lot more light and space. One of the roses needed to be pruned and tied into the trellis. Alliums and Salvias went into the bed too.

Great job!

The top garden

This group was drafted into helping near the rose arches and will start on their own area next week. There were some large pots to be cleared of their tender perennials, which were potted up or given away, then planted up with plants for shade.

The winter bed

This group was a bit thin on the ground so will start on their area next week…see you all then

Late autumn colour after a stormy week.

Ident – a tour around our Salvias

This week we all had a look in our gardens/outside spaces to identify any flowering Salvias, bringing pieces in for everyone to see. It seems that, between us, we have something approaching a national collection…

…but maybe not, as this genus has in excess of 900 species (that’s before you get to individual cultivars) and even we couldn’t supply all of them.

Salvias are part of the Lamiaceae family and originate from areas across the world but especially Central America and the Mediterranean. There are those used for culinary or medicinal uses e.g. S. officinalis or common sage, some cultivated for their seed e.g. S. hispanica or chia, and even one which is an hallucinogen – S. divinorum or diviner’s sage. They vary widely in size, growing conditions and colour but they share certain characteristics.

They all have square sectioned stems, simple or compound leaves, sometimes finely-toothed, arranged in opposite pairs along the stem, and distinctive two-lipped flowers, usually tubular, with only two stamens, which emerge from bell-shaped calyces. The calyx is a deep purple or almost black in some cultivars.

Salvia pratensis

It is a vast genus but most species fall into one of four categories. I’ve listed them here with some examples from each group.

Annual Salvias

These are grown for summer bedding then pulled up when flowering is over. Some of them are actually perennial but are generally grown as annuals.

S. splendens, S. horminum and S. farinacea.

They tend to be low-growing with soft stems, dense foliage and have lots of flower spikes.

Herbaceous perennial Salvias

Multiple, vertical flower spikes are held above the foliage on this type of Salvia which generally grow as a compact shrub up to 60cm.

S. nemorosa, S. sylvestris

These will die back in the winter a re-emerge in spring.

Tender perennial Salvias 

These will come back each year after being cut back in spring but will need protecting from very cold temperatures. Salvias that have survived for several years in my sheltered garden have succumbed to the cold especially if it lasts several days in a row. Good for containers so that they can be protected more easily.

S. elegans, S. leucantha and S. greggii

Plants in this category vary in size, leaf shape and length of flower and have a loose shrub form, often coming into flower in late summer and lasting well into autumn and beyond.

Shrubby perennial Salvias

These are the sub-shrub Salvias that are usually hardy and have a woody framework which can be pruned back to a required shape in spring but not down to the ground.

S. verticillata, S. x jamensis and S.microphylla.

Tough but often delicate looking, with a huge range of colours, these shrubs flower over a very long season. They just require well-drained soil and sun.

All of these species have many cultivars and they are often sold and labelled without the species name – sometimes that’s because the cultivar is a cross between species. Here are just a few of our favourites…

Salvia ‘Black and Blue’

Salvia ‘Amistad’

Salvia confertiflora

Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’

Salvia ‘Phyllis’ Fancy’

Jobs for the week

As Bridget had recently taken delivery of a very restrained (ahem) 6000+ bulbs there was really only one job and it would involve all of us.

Yellow bed

As there was concern that the yellow bed might be too…well… yellow, there were Allium ‘Miami’ and Iris reticulata’ JS Dijt’ as well as Narcissi ‘Rapture’ and ‘Moonlight Sensation’to plant.

By spring it will be the “yellow-ish” bed.

Rose meadow

Lasagne on the menu here – yum! Yummy flowers that is, as this group were making bulb lasagnes in the large pots. Layering the bulbs – either in types or, as in this case, a mixture – means that you get extended flowering and flowers at different heights. Tulip ‘Mariette’, ‘Lasting Love’, ‘Unique de France’ and ‘Ballerina’ will give a gorgeous hot mix of dark red, orange and crimson.

Find your bulbs…mix them up…plant in layers with soil in between – voila!

This week’s caption competition…any suggestions?

The dry garden

There were Allium sphaerocephalon, to be dotted around tastefully ready to give pops of spring colour, and species Crocus ‘Sieberi Firefly’ and species Tulip ‘Little Beauty’ for the pots.

Are you ready?

Plant!

General bulb duties

The rest of us were given Narcissi and Crocus bulbs to plant around the garden, wherever we could find the space…

Narcissi ‘Lieke’, ‘Elke’, ‘Chimes’, ‘Spring Sunshine’ and ‘Minnow’ plus mixed species Crocus were planted in groups of 5s, 7s or 9s as for some reason this is more natural looking and pleasing to the eye.

Have we planted them all yet? Nowhere near! Just a few thousand more to go…

See you next time.

October colour at the Garden House.

We started this week with a look at shrubs. There was a range of different shrubs in front of us to be studied and identified…no pressure!

No peeking at the name cards either…

There was a range of deciduous and evergreen/grey shrubs from various botanical families. This was a chance to look really closely at each example and discuss where it might be most useful.

So, who guessed all of those?

There was just enough time for Bridge to give us a reminder of how to prick out seedlings properly.

Make sure your seedlings have developed true leaves as well as seed leaves. Remove them carefully and gently using a dibber.

Hold the seedling by a leaf, not the roots as these are easily damaged. Using the dibber, make a hole in the centre of your prepared pots – filled to the top and levelled off – then place the seedling in. Firm the seedling in gently, making sure the seed leaves are touching the compost and that it is not wafting about.

Water carefully so the seedlings are not knocked around and you should have success!

Ident

The plants in the ident this week were all from the rose meadow.

Sphaeralcea incana ‘Sourup’

(incana – grey)

This lovely grey globe mallow is a perennial subshrub originating from Mexico and parts of the U.S. Silver-grey/green lobed leaves are held on multiple tall, thin stems. Plentiful, successional, small mallow flowers in a soft but glowing orange appear from summer through to autumn. It needs sun and reasonable drainage but will do well on clay if you dig in some grit when planting. I saw this at Paul Seaborne’s garden in the summer where the height and colour paired wonderfully with other perennials especially those with dark or purple foliage or flowers. Cut back in spring. Ht. up to 1.2m.

Anisodontea capensis ‘El Rayo’

( Capensis – from the Cape of Good Hope S.A. )

Another mallow, this one from South Africa, is a half-hardy, semi-evergreen subshrub which has tall, branching, hairy stems and hairy, palmate, mid-green leaves. Large (3-4 cm dia.), five-petalled, mid-pink blooms with a darker, reddish centre and veins appear from summer through to late autumn and, sometimes, into the winter. It needs a sunny, sheltered spot and well-drained soil and might need some protection in colder winters. A lovely container plant. Shape back in spring after the last frosts. Ht. up to 1m. RHS AGM 🏆

Oenothera lindheimeri ‘The Bride’ Syn. Gaura lindheimeri

(lindheimeri –  after Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer, a German-born botanist who worked in Texas for Harvard University.)

The beeblossom is a true GH favourite. This tall, upright, bushy perennial (sometimes short-lived depending on conditions) has mid-green willow-like leaves on graceful branches. Delicate, white, fairy-like flowers emerge from tiny pink buds on wiry stems and waft airily above the foliage. I feel that photos never quite capture the beauty and movement of this plant. Gorgeous in mixed beds and borders or in pots, it can be grown as an annual too. It likes a rich, fertile but well-drained soil as it does not like to be too wet. Propagate by cuttings as it has a long taproot so won’t transplant easily. Ht. up to 1.2m

Foeniculum vulgare

(vulgare – common)

Herb fennel is equally useful in ornamental flowerbeds and borders as well as in herb beds. This clump-forming, hardy, herbaceous perennial has tall, lush-green stems and attractive, feathery, aromatic foliage which gives height and texture in a mix of plants. Umbels of flattish clusters of bright yellow flowers resembling cow parsley appear in summer. Leaves, flowers and seeds all have an aniseed flavour and have many culinary uses. Easy to grow and low maintenence, it needs sun and free-draining soil. Not to be confused with the related Florence fennel (F. vulgare var. azoricum) which produces edible fennel bulbs. Ht up to 1.5m

Jobs for the week

This is the last session of working on our allocated beds in our current groups. It has been a really valuable experience – getting to know the aspect and planting of an area over a period of time, understanding the conditions and planning future planting.

Paul’s bed group

The Crocosmia which was removed and divided last week was to be replanted across the bed in tasteful swathes…

…followed by general tidying and beautification – the flowerbed that is, not the gardeners – they are already lovely enough.

This bed has been transformed over the past few weeks – great job!

Yellow bed group

The quince tree had been persuaded into a more upright position and staked and this had opened up the back of the bed revealing roses to be pruned and an unruly vine to tame. There was soil to be added to the bed too…

Again, the area is looking great, with lots of new planting and a clearer design.

Herb bed group

Every group had sown some hardy annual seeds and the greenhouse was now full of little seedlings ready to be pricked out.

These three look up to the job.

Then there was some fragrant lemon verbena to be cut, tied into bundles and given away – perfect for a refreshing herbal tea.

The herb bed looking good.

Dry garden group

Only two members of this group were here but they did sterling work on clearing the last of the leaves that had dropped from the Paulownia tree before it was pruned…there were hundreds still around.

Then tidying and pruning back the shrubs in time for winter.

I know we keep saying it but the dry garden is a triumph and is looking amazing…

Rose meadow group

There was a rambling rose which had rambled a bit too far and was due for pruning, plus many other plants to be tidied and some general clearing up to be done.

I think they are having way too much fun…but the rose meadow is now looking beautiful.

See you next time.