Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Garden Answers

“…planting out the biennials I sowed back in June into their final homes.” Louise Curley plans for long-lasting cut flowers, p16 “…harvesting onions and drying them out in the sun.” Greg Loades shows how to perfect the prairie-style garden look, p24 “…planning new shrub planting – autumn is the best time to put in anything hardy.” Sue Fisher celebrates colchicums, p30 “…pruning my yews. I like to leave it until I’m 100% sure birds have finished nesting.” Go greener for wildlife with Adrian Thomas, p46 “…limbering up to dig my pond, creaking shoulder or not!” Rupert Paul writes our Green View column, p114 “…loving the grasses I have in pots as they can be moved to add texture to borders.” Art Editor Gill Lockhart designs the magazine…

Fascinating aerial images taken by a drone show a newly-planted orchard at the National Trust’s Brockhampton Estate in Herefordshire. Interlocking orchard ‘rooms’ have been designed to resemble the five seed chambers visible when an apple is cut in half. Brockhampton is home to the largest orchard cared for by the Trust. This three-year project to reimagine the 21 acres includes tree cultivars that were chosen to tell the story of the eating apple, from its origins in Kazakhstan to its use in making local Herefordshire cider. ● nationaltrust.org.uk/brockhampton…

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & INSTAGRAM @gardenanswers A Fabulous autumn-flowering daisy with masses of purple blooms – its cultivar name sounds like a Norwegian artist. B Woodland dweller that’s native to Japan and has a reptilian-sounding name and exotic speckled flowers Sept–Oct. C Nicknamed ‘mums’ and often sold as cut flowers, these blooms come in a huge array of colours and forms. D Stately perennial with bottlebrush-like fragrant flowers atop towering stems; its common name refers to insect-banishing properties. E Tender climber with huge trumpet-shaped flowers that make it the perfect plant for a tea party! F The gladioli-like blooms of this South African native bulbous plant provide vivid shots of colour right up until the first frost.…

Growing Your Own Natural Skincare by Silvana de Soissons, Pavilion £20 The author, founder of the Dorset-based Farm Soap Company, guides you through the process of making natural skincare including tips on the best plants to grow, a seasonal calendar and how to turn your flowers and foliage into tinctures, soaps and balms. ✿ ✿ ✿ A Garden Well Placed by Xa Tollemache, Pimpernel Press £35 Delve into the career of garden designer Xa, with this showcase of 11 gardens she’s created including RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Cholmondeley Castle and the garden at her family home Helmingham Hall. ✿ ✿ ✿ RHS Little Book of Cacti and Succulents by Sophie Collins, Mitchell Beazley £14.99 Whether it’s how to look afteryour beloved cacti and succulents, how to propagate them or the…

A lawn doesn’t fit well with the modern prairie style because it starts to hit its peak when lawns are not always at their best, and the formality of a mown lawn somehow jars with the looseness and natural feel of the planting style. Hard landscaping tends to provide a better foil for the plants than a lawn. The rusty texture and colour of Corten steel blends with the golden flowerheads and stems of grasses such as Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, contrasts beautifully with the intense reddish-purple of perennials such as hylotelephium ‘Matrona’ and makes an effective screen or edging for a tall border. Reclaimed brick paths also fit seamlessly with the style, their red hues, imperfections and rounded edges suiting the informal nature of the prairie, as well as…

MAKE SPACE FOR BULBS September is a good time to start planting spring bulbs, but you may find that your borders are still overflowing with plants with little free soil showing. It can be tricky to find space for the daffodil, hyacinth, crocus and muscari bulbs you want to plant, which should ideally go into the ground this month or next. But with a little judicious cutting back or lifting out of certain plants you can create some extra room. Cut back anything that has more-or-less finished flowering but is sprawling over the ground, such as herbaceous geraniums and nepeta, to thier central clumps. They will probably still have time to green up again, but by removing the straggliest stems you can reveal some bare earth to plant into. Likewise,…

By September, months of good growing conditions have transformed herbaceous perennials into strapping titans. Rose-purple-flowered eupatorium with its supporting thicket of green growth is one such late summer leviathan, reaching up to 2m (6½ft) tall, despite being distinctly sluggish each spring. Instead of the classic late summer ‘hot’ colour scheme, this border at Bodnant Garden in Wales mingles the eupatorium’s dusty pink with the purple foliage of cotinus and whites of echinacea and veronicastrum – afusion that’s elegant and eye-catching without being shouty. Colour palette Dusky pinks, purples and white STEP 2 CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS EUPATORIUM MACULATUM ‘RIESENSCHIRM’ Joe pyeweed with domes of fluffy rose-purple flowers and dark stems is loved by insects and stands well into winter. H2.1m (7ft) S1.2m (4ft) COTINUS ‘GRACE’ Deciduous shrub with dark…

GEOFF STEBBINGS gives expert answers to all your gardening problems. Geoff is an author and gardening writer, and was head gardener at Myddelton House, north London. GEOFF HODGE will be answering subscriber questions in our new Live Zoom Q&A events. Geoff is a horticultural author, radio broadcaster and speaker, and former online editor for the RHS IAN HODGSON casts an expert eye over unruly borders, providing advice on how to revamp them. Ian is author of Great Gardens, in association with the Society of Garden Designers. Send us your queries! CONTACT US By post: Garden Answers, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email: gardenanswers@bauermedia.co.uk Web: www.gardenanswersmagazine. co.uk Social media: Find us on Facebook as Garden Answers Twitter @GardenAnswers Instagram as gardenanswers…

Q Can I have an attractive productive garden to help keep down my food costs? SARA EDWARDS launched her garden design practice in 2019 at RHS Malvern Spring Festival with her RHS Gold medal and Best in Category Green Living Space Garden ‘Defiance’. She made her RHS Chelsea Flower Show debut in 2021 with the IBC Pocket Forest. Find out more at www. no30design. co.uk; Instagram @no30 designstudio FOR THE POST-WAR generation, growing their own veg was a necessity because of rationing. When I was a child, my grandparents had an enormous vegetable patch, along with numerous fruit trees, which supplied the whole family with endless supplies of cabbage, beetroots, parsnips, apples and the like. My parent’s garden also contained a large vegetable bed but over time, as Mum went…

Pot luck Instead of filling my containers with expensive sterile bedding plants, I sprinkled a cheap packet of wildflower seeds into my pots. I’m thrilled with the results and so are the bees. Lesley Bailey, by email In summer my bird feeder doubles as a stand for hanging flower pots and my wheelbarrow as a courgette pot, grown very successfully using the hugelkultur technique you featured (June, p76). Alex Bouchard, by email Succulents fared better than my strawberries did in this tiered planter! Liz Wright, by email Patience rewarded This amazing catalpa, planted from a little seed 15 years ago, is now blooming. Anthony Flack, Ashwellthorpe TOTALLY TROPICAL TRANSFORMATION I really enjoyed your feature on Jungle garden design essentials (August p22) and thought I’d show you my own jungle-themed corner…

100 BULBS worth £29.99 FREE*! This selection of 100 free* spring bulbs from Thompson & Morgan will provide garden borders with swathes of colour in late spring. These adaptable, easy-to-grow species and cultivars are suitable for pots, borders, rockeries and naturalising in grass. Many also make lovely cut flowers. Plant in bold groups for maximum impact and they will return year after year. Despatched from September 2022 onwards. This collection contains: ● Allium karataviense (5 bulbs) – unusual low-growing allium with pinky-beige globe flowers and purplish-grey fleshy leaves. H15cm (6in) S5cm (2in) ● Ipheion ‘Mixed’ (40 bulbs) – clumps of bright green foliage emerge in autumn followed by an abundance of colourful star-shaped flowers in spring. The flowers have a delightfully sweet honey fragrance. H15cm (6in) S5cm (2in) ● Puschkinia…

British scientists have shown that oral contraceptives can be successful in keeping down populations of grey squirrels. The contraceptive is delivered in a special feeder with a weighted door that excludes most other wildlife. After a successful trial, the government hopes it can be rolled out as a humane control method. Grey squirrels were introduced as an ornamental species in country estates from the 1890s but soon escaped into the countryside and by the 1930s their release was banned. These charismatic garden visitors can cause extensive damage to trees, especially broad-leaf species such as oak, eating buds and stripping bark. They also carry squirrelpox, which doesn’t affect them but is deadly to red squirrels. By reducing numbers of grey squirrels it is hoped that red squirrel populations can bounce back. The…

BEHIND THE SCENES 1 September 10am–12noon Iford Manor Gardens, Iford, Somerset BA15 2BA Join head gardener Steve Lannin in this Italianate garden, find out about key seasonal jobs, pick up some gardening tips and discover future plans for the garden. £25 ● 01225 863146; ifordmanor.co.uk SUMMER PROPAGATION – PLANTS FOR FREE 11 September 9am–5pm West Dean, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ Learn how to increase a range of plants in this practical workshop covering division, layering and hardwood and softwood cuttings. £153 ● 01243 811301; westdean.org.uk EXOTIC GARDENING STUDY DAY 12 September 10am–4pm Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex TN31 6PH From design, plant choices and planting and care tips including practical sessions in Dixter’s Exotic Garden, Fergus Garrett takes you through the process of creating your own tropical-inspired borders.…

1 Use a shop-bought willow or grapevine wreath base, or make your own using pliable stems such as those of colourful dogwoods, willow, honeysuckle or Virginia creeper or branches of birch. 2 Weave and wrap the stems to form a circle and secure in place by wrapping them with natural twine or raffia. 3 Gather together stems of thyme and secure in pace with florist’s wire. These can be pre-dried for a week or so in a warm, dry spot such as an airing cupboard. Alternatively use fresh and allow them to dry naturally on the wreath. 4 Create small posies of dried flowers such as strawflowers and hydrangeas, wrapping the stems with wire to hold them together, then secure them to the wreath base with more wire. 5 Cover the…

Seed heads play an important part in the autumn garden. As petals drop, drifts of fading flowers take on a different kind of beauty as their seed heads come to the fore. Their intricate shapes from plates to cones and capsules provide structure within the borders and a riming of frost further enhances their delicate beauty. So hold off on the secateurs and enjoy their fading glory. Another bonus of leaving seeding and fruiting plants intact is to provide wildlife with food and shelter. Insects, larvae and eggs might be harboured in hollow standing stems and papery seed cases, while plant stems help to protect soil from the ravages of winter storms. However, one of the biggest enjoyments to be had is the sight of little birds such as chiffchaffs…

Fact file Name: Jenny Thompson Location: South Devon Patch type: Small village allotment surrounded by rolling Devon hills Size: 10x10m (33x33ft) Soil: Red Devon clay mulched with spent mushroom compost Aspect: Open and sunny, but with a north-facing hedge on one border casting some shade Top 5 crops: Salad leaves, kale, sweetcorn, blueberries, parsnips Failures: Strangely, radish – flea beetles ravish them! Organic tip: When clearing beds of annuals, don’t rip out the whole plant. Cut it close to the base and leave the roots to rot down over winter, feeding the soil microbes. Find out more: Instagram @organic_allotment_girl Facebook @organic.allotment.girl SEPTEMBER feels like a doorway; when one door closes, another opens, so the saying goes. The door in question is slightly ajar and through it I can glimpse autumn,…

1 Mentha piperita citrata ‘Chocolate’ Excellent for chocolate puddings, this peppermint can be very vigorous so is best contained to avoid it spreading; sun or part shade. H40cm (16in) S1.2m (4ft) 2 Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus Group Low-growing, spreading rosemary with upright spikes of purple-blue flowers March–May. Prune in spring for young leaves; sun. H50cm (20in) S1.5m (5ft) 3 Nepeta faassenii Clump-forming perennial catmint with spikes of lavender-blue flowers June–Sept that attract bees and cats, and aromatic, sage-green leaves; sun, part shade. H60cm (2ft) S45cm (18in) 4 Lettuce ‘Dixter’ Cos lettuce with delicious soft bronzy red leaves that colour intensely in summer. Ideal for raised beds and pots; sow little and often for a continuous supply; sun. H30cm (12in) S35cm (14in) 5 Cabbage ‘Red Drumhead’ Compact heritage red cabbage. Harvest…

Bumble bee among the rose petals. Katrina McNamara, by email Honey bee atop Allium sphaerocephalon. Michael Goodman, by email Bee-friendly Digitalis parviflora ‘Milk Chocolate’. Julie Martin, by email Bee-magnet echinops.Jacquie Simpson, Worthing Honey bee zones in on lathyrus in my meadow. Brian Rogers, by email Cosmos and bumble bee make a lovely pairing. Barbara Calverly, by email Honey bee on clover. Aldeen, by email Yellow echinacea and bee. Josie Cass, by email Bee duo on eryngium. Jenny Lawrence, Cornwall Prize photo MELLOW MALLOW My lavatera flowers all the way through summer and looks absolutely fantastic with the evening sunlight shining through it. Marie Brown, by email WIN SECATEURS WORTH £44! Send us a high-res photo of your favourite plants with a short description and you could win this pair of…

The 18th-century Gothic Revival architecture of the castle-like Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, west London is the stunning setting later this month for a celebration of the best of British seasonal flowers. Returning for its fourth consecutive year, the event showcases the creativity of some of Britain’s leading floral designers and includes a masterclass with royal florist Shane Connolly. Visitors can also explore the five acres of gardens. ● From Friday 23 – Sunday 25 September – tickets from £14. Masterclass with Shane Connolly 23 September, 7.30pm, £25. strawberryhillhouse.org.uk/ flower-festival…

If you want to boost your mood and create a calming indoor environment houseplants with dense leaf canopies have the greatest impact, a study conducted by the RHS and the University of Reading has revealed. The researchers showed images of a range of houseplants to a group of people and recorded how they reacted. Lush, green plants such as weeping fig (Ficus benjamina), calathea and Swiss cheese plant (Monstera deliciosa) had the most positive reactions, with palms coming out on top as they reminded the participants of holidays. Houseplant palms to try:…

Enter our com petiton to win a Dartington Crystal vase and jug set worth over £100. Dartington Crystal’s Bloom collection feat ures a selection of delicately etched vases, inspired by the beauty of nature. Our prize winner will receive one Blo om Daffodil Jug worth £50 and one Bloom Bouquet Diant hus Vase worth £56. The Daffo dil Jug (below) with dainty daffodil heads and tapered profile to support long stems can also be used to serve drinks. The Bouquet Dianthus Vase (above) features a delicately etched carnation design and its large profile supports mixed bouquets with various stems. ● To enter, visit garden answersmagazine.co.uk/ freeforyou by 13 Sept.…

Amodern prairie garden is a special place to enjoy at the end of summer. Gardens can have a feeling of exhaustion as summer enters its final throes, with early perennials burnt out and lawns looking more yellow than green, but the modern prairie is only just getting started. It both fizzes and glows as strong-coloured perennials team with gracefully maturing grasses to fill the garden with texture, movement and warmth, burnished by the evening sunlight. The ‘modern prairie garden’ is a loose term that covers any planting scheme where grasses grow together with perennials to create a loose, naturalistic garden. Many of these plants are capable of looking good for their structure alone and, if left intact, can keep the garden looking full and impressive in winter once frosty weather…

Many houseplants benefit from spending time outdoors in the summer months, but now is the time to start moving them back inside so they can re-acclimatise to indoor conditions. Spend a little time checking them over and giving them some TLC so they look their best and are set up for the next season in their new environment. 1. Acclimatise: To help your plants adjust to life indoors, it’s best to place them in a shady, sheltered location outside for a few days so they become accustomed to lower light levels. 2. Check for pests and diseases: Ensure your houseplants aren’t harbouring pests or diseases picked up from outside. Look beneath leaves, between stems and under the pot base. Quarantine affected plants while you treat them. 3. Tidy: Spruce up…

Here are 10 things you probably know inside out and back to front, but just in case, they are some of the main ways to help save the planet in your garden: 1 Plant a tree 2 Install a water butt 3 Only buy peat-free compost 4 Feed the birds 5 Make compost 6 Let parts of your lawn grow long 7 Reduce plastic wherever you can 8 Maximise your garden’s greenery 9 Go electric with lawn mowers, strimmers etc 10 Stop using pesticides 10 NOT SO OBVIOUS THINGS TO DO Hopefully you did well ticking off the ‘10 things to do’, but here are some other actions that you might not have considered but will also make a big difference in helping your garden become more climate- and wildlife-friendly:…

Lying in Cumbria’s Eden Valley is a garden and nursery, which, like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, will take you to a world of pure imagination. Created from scratch by Peter Stott in the early 1980s, the garden and its unconventional nursery have developed over time, not to a set plan or design, but shaped depending on the land, the seasons, materials and places that have sparked inspiration. It’s a romantic horticultural oasis unlike a typical nursery or traditional garden filled with plants from around the world in theatrical and often surprising settings. On certain days until the end of this month visitors can also enjoy The Private Garden. Meandering paths bordered by lush flower beds, a wildflower meadow, orchard, kitchen garden and close-clipped lawns with a stream, lead down to…

1 Get your tools together For this project you’ll need a container, seed-sowing compost, trowel, vermiculite, labels and a variety of leafy salad seeds or seed mixes. 2 Ways to sow Fill the container with compost and firm it down so it’s level. Make shallow depressions in the compost and scatter a few different seeds in each. 3 Cover seeds Mix more compost with vermiculite and tap it over the small depressions to make sure the seeds are lightly covered. 4 Water lightly The seeds need watering but a strong stream will disturb them, so fit a rose on to your watering can. Use tap water, not from a water butt. 5 Thin out seedlings If all the seeds germinate, they will need thinning out. Remove a couple of the…

Though the weather is still mild September marks the start of meteorological autumn and it’s one of the most important times to stock up your garden with new plants. High on the priority list is planting spring-flowering bulbs. While it can be done with a trowel, there are specific bulb-planting tools on the market that should make your life easier, especially if you’ve got dozens to plant. These don’t have to be put back in the shed when the bulbs are planted because you can use them for planting seed potatoes and young plants too. There are lots of different types and designs to choose from. If you like bulb planting down close and dirty, then a hand-held bulb planter may be for you. Just make sure you look after…

100 BULBS FOR £12.99* saving £7 Starry alliums are late spring favourites with their neat spheres of sparkler-like flowers in shades of purple, lilac, blue and white. This massive 100-bulb pack from YouGarden is best planted from Sept–Nov in drifts in borders or in pots to flower in April–June. They make lovely fresh or dried cut flowers too. For £12.99 the collection includes: 7 x'Purple Sensation'; 5 xA. cristophii; 5 xA. siculum (nectaroscordum); 5 xA. nigrum; 25 x A. moly; 25 x A. sphaerocephalon; 25 x A. neopolitanum; 3 xA. karataviense 'Red Giant'. All bulbs come ready to plant. ● Item 630126 100 bulbs – £12.99 – save £7 *Plus £6.99 postage OTHER MONEY-SAVING OFFERS COMPLETE SPRING-FLOWERING BULB COLLECTION MINIATURE DAFFODILS Providing six months of fabulous colour each year, this…