Annuals and Biennials

Annuals and biennials flower once before dying. They are easily raised from seeds and are thus a comparatively inexpensive — but time-consuming — way to provide a wealth of colour in spring or summer, whether for container gardening, for bedding schemes, as aplentiful source of cut flowers, or as colourful fillers in a border or rock garden. Most plants in both categories perform best when situated in plenty of sun and planted in well-drained soil.

Hardy annuals are sown outdoors in early to mid- spring in the place where they are to flower. Half- hardy annuals (also known as summer bedding plants) are frost-tender and need to be raised in a greenhouse in early or mid-spring and planted out when the danger of frost is over. Some hardy annuals propagate themselves by self-sowing. Read the rest of this entry »

Three pruning methods for roses

Pruning roses will not reward you with more flowers nextyear. However, it will control shape and maintain health. Wild (species) roses and hybrid shrub roses need no pruning — just the removal of dead wood.

• Bush types Large-flowered (hybrid tea) and cluster-flowered (floribunda) roses are pruned annually in early spring. Remove all weak growth and reduce remaining strong stems to 15-20cm/6-8in above ground level. Cut to outward-facing buds. Make sure centre of each bush is free from growth: shape bush like a vase.
• ClimbersAllow a framework of permanent stems which are trained to their supports. From these stems side shoots grow, which produce the flowers. To prune, cut back old side shoots to within one or two buds of their base in early spring. Tips of main stems can also be cut back, if becoming too tall. Read the rest of this entry »