Poles for pole beans must be anchored well — two feet into the ground — or they’ll blow over in a summer thunderstorm. Instead of going to all that work, tie three poles together at the top, spread them tepee fashion, then push the bottoms into the soil and plant around them. Children love the natural tepee they form. Read the rest of this entry »
How you handle wining crops, such as peas, pole beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and melons depends on your attitude toward the garden as well as the space you have available. As you plan the layout of next year’s plot, choose a system that suits your gardening style. Read the rest of this entry »
Almost every plant produces many thousands or even millions of seeds during its lifetime, but to ensure the survival of the species it is necessary for just one of these to reach maturity. This vast wastage is in reality a form of insurance as at least some should survive to pass the seedling stage. Generally the smaller (and therefore the more vulnerable) the seeds, the greater is the number produced. Read the rest of this entry »
To extend the lift of a cut flower display, pick the bloomsin the early morning or in the evening. Cut at an angle to expose more water-carrying cells. The following are specially recommended for cutting, as the flowers are long-lasting when arranged in water.
In tubs, urns, window boxes or hanging baskets, the following plants will make a colourful show all summer and into autumn. Grow in a good potting compost either loam-based or a peat-based type.
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 »
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.
A shroud of confusion which few gardening books and journals succeed in penetrating. As a result, many gardeners prune incorrectly or indiscriminately. It is wrong to think that all shrubs need a “good haircut” every year. The truth is, most shrubs do not need any pruning; all you need to do is look over them occasionally and if necessary cut out any dead or dying shoots or branches. Conifers need pruning only when grown as ornamental hedges; ornamental trees do not need pruning at all; most climbers are happier if left alone, and so are most roses — although some, such as bush roses, need severe pruning every year. Read the rest of this entry »
Border perennials provide long displays of flowers or bold colourful foliage to enhance most parts of the garden. There are two kinds: herbaceous perennials, which die down to the ground each autumn but throw up new shoots with the onset of spring; and evergreen perennials, which retain their leaves (often dramatically textured) all year round, giving interest even in winter. All the plants listed here are herbaceous, unless otherwise stated.
You should cut down the stems of herbaceous perennials each year in late autumn — not to leave “stubble”, as is so often seen, but right down to the ground. With evergreens, all you need do is remove any dead leaves. Most perennials thrive in sunny spots with well-drained soil, and are easy-going. Read the rest of this entry »
Here are many lovely plants for soil which does not dryout and receives dappled shade — in other words, shade cast by trees with a light canopy of foliage. Typical areas are light woodland or parts of a shrub border. Work plenty of peat or well-rotted organic matter into the soil for these plants.
These plants are suitable for growing around the base of winter- or spring-flowering shrubs, for bright splashes of colour in the border..
Grassy areas can be made colourful by planting bulbs andcorms, perhaps around the bases of trees or on banks. Do not cut the grass until at least 9 weeks after the flowers have faded, or there will be few or no flowers next year.
Bulbs and corms are virtually guaranteed to flower, with a minimum of soil preparation, as the flower buds are already formed inside them when they are planted. If you give them the right conditions, they will bloom regularly each year.
Because, on the whole, bulbs and corms are relatively inexpensive compared with, say, shrubs, you can afford to mass-plant them, which certainly creates the best effect. Spring bulbs are so well known that many gardeners do not realize that there are bulbs and corms that can be planted for flowering at other seasons — not just in spring, which is the peak time. Spring-flowering bulbs are planted in autumn, summer-flowering bulbs in spring, and autumn-flowering bulbs in summer. Read the rest of this entry »
Exotics — from warm or tropical regions of the world — have luxurious associations for inhabitants of cooler dimes. Most have to be nurtured under glass in temperate climates.A warm greenhouse or conservatory (minimum temperature 15°C/59°F), or an intermediate one (at least 8°C/50°F), allows you to grow some highly colourful tropical plants. Even a cool greenhouse or conservatory (at least 5-7°C/40-45°F) can be colourful all year round.
These plants offer long-lasting, spectacular flowers. They are easy to grow provided that they have plenty of warmth at all times, and moist or humid air. Read the rest of this entry »
Those modern repeat-flowering climbers, which bloom insummer and autumn, are suitable for growing against a cool, shady wall or fence, or other supports in the shade, such as pergolas or pillars. To prune, cut back the old side shoots to one or two buds in early spring.
Roses are the most romantic of all flowers, and among the most versatile. Many are deliciously scented, and the blooms come in virtually every colour except blue, in spring, summer or autumn. Moreover, some roses offer the bonus in autumn of colourful fruits or hips.
You can grow small roses in tubs on the patio. Certain climbing varieties are ideal for brightening up a shady wall, and there are lots of climbers too for pergolas and similar supports and for climbing through trees. A recent fashion is for prostrate varieties used as groundcover — ideal for steep banks. Some roses are most suitable for shrub or mixed borders, while the old-fashioned kinds are an inevitable choice for the cottage garden. Read the rest of this entry »
Garden pools can look rather bleak unless you grace them with water plants. These should certainly include some waterlilies, with large, rounded, floating leaves which help to shade the water and exotic-looking blooms, mostly bowl-shaped, in summer and autumn.
Water plants are best planted during late spring or early summer. Most will be happy in ordinary fibrous garden soil in purpose-made planting baskets, but first you must line each basket with clean, coarse sacking. Before immersing in the pool, spread a layer of coarse gravel over the soil to prevent it from floating off and to prevent disturbance by fish. Baskets 25-30cm/10-12in square are suitable for most vigorous plants, but small versions, 20cm/8in square, are better for pygmy waterlilies and less invasive plants. Read the rest of this entry »
Suitable for a sunny, sheltered wall, or any structure which receives full sun.
Every garden should have a few shrubs for winter colour.
The following offer colour from flowers, foliage or bark. Try combining each of these features to create an attractive mixed group.
These flowering shrubs are indispensable for bright colour in the spring garden. Grow some spring-flowering bulbs around them, to augment the effect.
