Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2025 i Garden Answers

“Dividing and repotting my pond plants.” Louise Curley recommends foliage that really dazzles in spring, p14 “Beginning to sow hardy annuals in modular trays.” Val Bourne picks sun lovers for borders, p20 “Pruning camellias and then giving them a good mulch.” Sue Fisher spotlights these charming plants, p26 “Mini-meadow sowing and cornfield annual sowing – they often get confused!” Adrian Thomas’s unusual plants, p42 “Sowing, mulching and enjoying the return of the longer days.” Join Olga Grieves on her Devon allotment, p66 “Integrating perennial veg, including sea kale, into my allotment.” Dan Masoliver invites you to his garden, p106…

Patio project FLORAL THEATRE There’s a school of thought that says it’s best to keep container displays simple, with just a few plants repeated in order to give it maximum impact. Then there’s the school of thought that throwing everything plus the kitchen sink works – which it certainly does here. From the always fabulous tulipa ‘Blue Diamond’ to the shimmering fronds of Carex comans ‘Frosted Curls’ potted up with ranunculus, this is real floral theatre. Euphorbia mellifera and standard box provide a zingy green backdrop for everything else to bounce off. The tiny species tulip at the front is such a sweet addition.…

ORCHID SPRING SHOW Saturday March 22, 11am–4pm, Bentley Heath Community Centre, Widney Rd, Solihull, West Midlands B93 9BQ Orchid displays from Solihull & District Orchid Society and plants for sale. • solihullorchidsociety.co.uk BONSAI SHOW Sat 22–Sun 23, 10am–3.30pm, RHS Hilltop, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB Bonsai displays from specialist growers with advice and plants for sale. £18.50 garden entry • rhs.org.uk ISLINGTON SEED SWAP Sun 23 Olden Community Garden, 22 Whistler Street, London N5 1NH Bring seeds to swap or make a donation at this free-entry event. • gardenorganic.org.uk CONWY SEED FAIR Wed 26, 9am–4pm, High Street, Conwy, North Wales LL32 8DB Matthew Smith of Brighter Blooms is selling seed potatoes, vegetable seeds, and a range of different summer-flowering bulbs, which can be ordered in advance. • growvegandfruit.co.uk…

“If the foliage smells pungent, this plant will thrive on a sunny border edge and it will flower during the summer It’s important to make use of every square inch of your garden, so that you’re covering as much soil as possible. Densely planted gardens help to dissipate the effects of extreme weather, be it drought or heavy rainfall. Make sure you don’t forget the border edges, which are a great opportunity for plants that wildlife adore and need little watering. Pungent and aromatic South-facing border edges tend to bake in midsummer sunshine, so plants with a Mediterranean provenance do well here. Many have an oily aromatic covering to their foliage and this acts as a sunscreen, deflecting the heat. If the foliage smells pungent, this plant will thrive on…

C. JAPONICA ‘ADOLPHE AUDUSSON’ Semi-double, bright red flowers borne abundantly in March and April on an upright bush. H: 4-8m, S: 4m. C. JAPONICA ‘NUCCIO’S CAMEO’ Formal double blooms vary in colour from pale blush to soft pink on a relatively compact bush. H: 2.5m, S: 2m. C. JAPONICA ‘SILVER ANNIVERSARY’ Large, peony-form white flowers with golden stamens, borne on a vigorous upright-growing plant. H&S: 2.5m. C. WILLIAMSII ‘DONATION’ Masses of rich soft pink, semi-double blooms borne for up to three months on an upright plant. H: 3–4m, S: 2.5m. C. WILLIAMSII ‘RUBY WEDDING’ Fully double, deep red blooms are produced on a dense, rounded bush; an eye-catching spectacle. H&S: 2.5m.…

1 CHECK to see if any need repotting – roots poking out of the bottom of the pot is a good indication. Move into a pot that’s just a couple of centimetres bigger. Use a houseplant compost or multi-purpose compost with some added grit. Orchids and cacti will need their own specialist composts, which are easy to find in garden centres. 2 CHECK over the plants and snip away any yellowing or brown foliage and dying flower stems. Wipe down shiny leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and use a fine artist’s brush to clear away dust on plants with furry leaves or spiny stems. 3 RESUMEwatering after the winter break, using tepid water every 10 to 14 days. Always check the compost first before watering to see…

At Garden Answers magazine our aim is to help you make the most of your outdoor space by creating your perfect garden, whatever the season. Now’s the perfect time to take out a subscription with spring just around the corner. This rich source of gardening ideas and inspiration can be delivered direct to your door, 13 times a year, with a free packet of seeds with every issue if you choose the Print Subscription. Or try our Print+ Subscription, which allows you to enjoy Members-only rewards and discounts. Simply scan the QR code (below on the left-hand page) with your smartphone or tablet camera to find out more. SUBSCRIBE & SAVE ON SHOP PRICES Subscribe Print Subscription: Get 6 months for just £29.99* when you subscribe PLUS 1 free packet of seeds…

Unless you’re a true lawn fanatic and devotee, you may consider mowing as a necessary evil, something you put off doing for as long as possible. Yet, correct mowing at the right height carried out regularly whenever the grass is growing is essential for a lovely, lush, emerald-green lawn. And ideally, only removing small amounts at each cut, just tipping the ends of the grass blades. But if you don’t have the time, ability, desire or inclination to mow regularly, then ask a robot to do it for you. Even if you are a fan of mowing, robotic lawnmowers are excellent for regular mowing whenever it’s needed and even when you’ve abandoned the garden and gone away on holiday. Robotic lawnmowers have been available for around 30 years but their…

SAVE £35 & FREE POSTAGE! Get growing in pots, troughs or hanging baskets with a collection that’s big enough to fill up to 15 containers (30cm-35cm in size). You can choose from a range of different collections, each comprising three varieties. The collections include: Ultimate Bedding Display Collection Introduce three bedding plants to your garden, including begonia ‘Sahara’, busy Lizzie ‘Beacon Mix’ and geranium ‘Parade’. Eye-catching flowers bring a mass of colour to beds, borders and containers from late April to November. Patio Thriller Collection Three of the best bedding plants for container growing, featuring begonia ‘Apricot Fiery Shades Mix’, busy Lizzie ‘Beacon Mix’ and lobelia ‘Trail Away’. Brought together for their long flowering efforts, see fabulous flower power from late April to November. Bright and Blousy Collection Three popular and…

As we move towards the warmer months, it’s inevitable that our thoughts turn to the dazzling flowers we’re looking forward to growing – the dahlias, sunflowers, rudbeckias, echinaceas et al, that provide us with so much colour. Indeed, in this issue of GA we have a feature all about those unashamed sun-worshippers that bring our borders to life. However, we too often overlook the role that foliage plays in the spring and summer garden. It can be the colourful canvas on which our flowers can paint their delightful hues, and on page 14 we feature our favourites. It’s worth remembering, too, that green is a colour that should be celebrated as much as the reds and purples. Get the big foliage in your garden right and the rest almost looks…

Picnic rug with waterproof backing £89.95 Beautiful high quality picnic rug by Tweedmill, woven in North Wales from pure new wool. black-by-design.co.uk Made to measure rainbow table runner From £24 Woven in Lancashire from organic and recycled cotton by Maison Elhoria. maisonelhoria.com Rainbow flower seed bombs £6.99 Attract pollinators with a specially selected blend of native wildflower seeds. Scatter, water and grow. sueryder.org/shop LED rainbow pathway lights £29.99 Decorate lawns, borders and flowerbeds and watch as they elegantly illuminate the night darkness. wayfair.co.uk Rainbow heart coir door mat £27 This colourful rainbow & heart mat will brighten up your doorway. heavenlyhomesandgardens.co.uk Metallic plastic wine glasses £40 Add a cheerful pop of colour to your home when entertaining indoors or out. audenza.com…

1 You will need a clean, clear glass bottle, string, brown paper, wrapping or decorative paper, glue and two tulip stems – preferably white. 2 Cut both pieces of paper long enough to go around the bottle and glue the ends of them together. 3 Tie the string in place and fill a quarter of the way with water. 4 Pop in the tulips. Now it’s time to enjoy the display!…

Camellias make a magnificent display at a time of year when much of the garden is still wrapped in winter slumbers. An abundance of beautifully formed blooms, in reds, pinks and whites, shines out against bushes of glossy evergreen foliage. These showy and hardy shrubs lend themselves to so many uses: as single specimens in lawns, as part of a mixed border, for screening, or as a hedge, and in a woodland garden. If your soil is limy, which camellias dislike, there’s still the option of pots and raised beds filled with suitable compost. All camellias originate from Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan, with around 250 different wild species. When the first plants arrived in the UK in the 17th century it was thought that such exotic-looking plants must…

CREATE A SPRING POT Why not indulge yourself a little in the burgeoning spring weather that’s been peeking through? This time of year is so tempting with new plants, new flowers and warmer days, and it’s a wonder we don’t all go mad and buy everything in sight to add a bit of colour to the garden! Take the opportunity, though, to visit your local nursery or good quality garden centre and invest in some spring beauties to display. But instead of adding buckets of plants to gaps in borders right now, leave room for the plant pleasures of later seasons and create a little pocket of spring in a pot. If you’re going to squeeze in lots of plants be sure to get a large enough pot to make the…

Nothing encompasses the hopes of a new growing year quite like a galaxy of white spring flowers backed by vibrant emerging greens. To keep the performance crisp, take care in your planting choice and select only pure, cool, clear whites, such as narcissus ‘Thalia’, snowy snake’s head fritillaries and of course the starry explosions of everyone’s favourite spring-flowering tree – Magnolia stellata. All these plants thrive in a moist, humus-rich but well-drained soil and enjoy sun or part shade. Expand the planting with a few carefully chosen deciduous shrubs and an undercurrent of woodland-edge perennials with different flowering times to maintain interest all year round. Adding plenty of humus-rich leaf mould year after year will ensure that their preferred growing conditions are maintained. Colour palette Snowy whites and fresh vibrant…

Olga Grieves has gone from complete novice to social media gardening personality on her 600sq m allotment in Devon. Each month Olga will be sharing her successes, and her failures, to inspire your own efforts! Follow Olga on Instagram @lovely_plot I still remember my first summer on the plot, chatting with my lovely neighbour about how much time watering took me. As a complete gardening newbie, I thought, “Wow, I’m going to need many water butts and a few hours every morning to water everything properly in summer!” That’s when he mentioned mulching and showed me how it saved him time, conserved water, and kept his plants thriving. Using mulch has indeed saved me my time, money and sanity, and it has given my plants exactly what they needed. Mulching, in…

WRITE TO US AT Garden Answers, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA EMAIL gardenanswers@bauermedia.co.uk WEBSITE gardenanswersmagazine.co.uk Ditto with Dan Like Dan Masoliver’s troubles with holes (December, p106), last year I had two fences full of holes costing £1,000 to replace. A fox who visits my pond dug at the fence, sending a mountain of soil into it. At Christmas a fox visited a new area of the garden, which like Dan’s was flat, planted with daffs, honesty, primroses and wildflowers but now has a small hill leading to a black hole blocked at the other side by a compost bin. I’ve back-filled this twice, but it continues to be mined. I’ve tried spraying Jeyes, garlic, chilli and vinegar to no avail so, like Dan, am leaving the…

CLUES ACROSS 1 Elder tree genus (8) 5 Allium porrum, a sweet, mild relative of onion and garlic (4) 6 Stag’s horn sumach, suckering plant botanically known as - - - - typhina (4) 8 Erect, tuberous perennial – Mirabilis jalapa or Marvel of - - - - (4) 9 Plant synonymous with Persicaria bistorta whose leaves are used in ledge pudding (7) 12 World’s highest peak, Mount - - - - - - -, cultivar of succulent Curio ficoides (7) 15 Fruit of the European Prunus domestica (4) 17 Flower shape giving rise to the common name for campanula (4) 18 Hard, gnarled knot or protuberance on a tree trunk (4) 19 Lathyrus odoratus, strongly scented annual climber (5,3) CLUES DOWN 1 Any bushy woody plant having several stems…

1 Fritillaria imperialis produces fantastic clusters of bell-shaped orange flowers on upright stems in spring. Bulbs need to be planted deep, in early autumn, to ensure blooms. Try 'Garland Star’. H: 1m. 2 The healing properties of comfrey are well-known and its pendulous purple or white bellflowers are so sweet in a mixed border. An easy to look after, clump-forming perennial. H &S: 1.5m. 3 The pretty, frothy blue clouds of forget-me-nots are fantastic for lining the edges of pathways and borders. Its understated elegance allows more colourful plants to really shine. H&S 50cm.…

STIGA is delighted to offer one lucky Garden Answers reader the chance to win a BL 100e Kit leaf blower. This could be your new best friend for keeping your garden, patio and driveway looking tidy! It’s lightweight and easy to handle, making clean-up a breeze. Powered by a 20V, 4Ah, it gives you up to 30 minutes of run time on a single charge. Plus, it’s super quiet compared to those noisy petrol blowers, so you can tidy up without disturbing the peace. This handy tool will allow you to enjoy a cleaner outdoor space! To see more STIGA products please go to stiga.com/uk • To enter visit gardenanswersmagazine.co.uk/freeforyou by midnight on March 25, 2025.…

Valuable plants are being moved into new state-of-the-art glasshouses at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew while the Palm House and Waterlily House prepare for renovations. The 5.5m tall Propagation Glasshouse near Kew’s Tropical Nursery will house larger palms, cycads and other plants. The temporary Decant Glasshouse behind the Palm House is similar but with greater height to accommodate taller plants which would be too problematic to move a great distance. Both new glasshouses are run with environmentally sustainable technology to control temperature, humidity and light levels. The latest Elixia Heliospectra LED grow lights in the Propagation Glasshouse ensure optimal light levels year-round for tropical plants, particularly in winter. It is powered by air source heat pumps that reduce its carbon footprint.…

The focus of a spring garden tends to be on colourful flowers, particularly those of bulbs, as these raise the spirits after a long, grey winter, but newly emerging leaves provide much-needed pops of colour too. The fresh growth of many trees and shrubs can have a real intensity as it unfurls just as dazzling as any autumnal display. Those that are deciduous produce new growth that decorates bare branches, while some evergreens have a fresh flush of foliage contrasting with the older, mature leaves. And, while bulbs and other springbloomers will have a short-lived moment in the spotlight, these spring foliage plants will provide year-round interest with height and structure, and bring a sense of permanence and maturity to your garden. Here are my favourites to brighten up your…

Antony Woodland Garden in south-east Cornwall is home to more than 600 different camellia varieties, spread over 60 acres. One of only four International Camellia Gardens of Excellence in the UK, it holds the National Plant Collection of Camellia japonica, with 400-plus varieties. Head gardener Richard Squires extols the virtues of camellias: “Flowering starts in October with the earliest Camellia sasanqua varieties, then peaks February–March, with some blooming as late as May. I’ve noticed flowering is starting earlier due to climate change, even in the five years I’ve been here. Fortunately, camellias do seem fairly resilient to the erratic weather.” Managing a large collection of established camellias calls for an element of crowd control and Richard shares his tips for plant management: “You can coppice camellias to the ground if…

There used to be a belief that gardening with wildlife in mind meant filling your outdoor space with plants such as nettles and brambles and maybe the odd thistle. The good news is that while those plants are indeed beneficial for some creatures, they are far from being the be-all and end-all of wildlife-friendly gardening. There are plenty of other plants with far greater kerb appeal that are still valuable for all sorts of wildlife. The old adage that native equals good for wildlife contains a nugget of truth but hides the fact that some native plants are pretty useless and yet many non-native plants are excellent. It is little surprise when you think about it: many plants that we grow in our gardens may not be native here in…

• Paul Cook has been curator of RHS Garden Harlow Carr for 12 years. Before that he worked at Kew Gardens. How did you come to be at Harlow Carr? This year is my twelfth with the RHS. I came from a role as the curator of the Ness Botanic Garden in Cheshire, so I jumped the Pennines! I trained at Kew – three years in the botanic garden world and experiencing the connection of horticulture and science. Working in Collections at Kew was a defining moment for me; it offers a global view of horticulture. There is a risk to collecting plants, but knowledge is power. I grew upon a council estate on the edge of Manchester. We had a big garden, which had vegetables and flowers growing side…

1 Beetroot is a crop that thrives when grown in the cooler weather of spring and autumn. It’s easy and reliable. You’ll need a cane, seeds, a trowel and watering can. 2 Beetroot likes a sunny spot with well-rotted, organic soil. For best results, add plenty of organic matter. Using the cane, make a drill with the trowel of around 2.5cm deep. 3 High quality seeds are vital. The Thompson & Morgan seeds (pictured) include ‘Subeto’, ‘Boldor’, ‘Chioggia’, ‘Albina Vereduna’ and ‘Bull’s Blood Scarletta’. Sow them 10cm apart, cover with soil and water in well. 4 Once the seedlings appear, thin them out if they have become overcrowded. The more space you give each plant, the bigger the roots will grow. However, anything over golf ball size will begin to…

Q How can I boost interest in this rather boring circular front-garden bed? The good news is that the circular, box-edged bed in this front garden is a ready-made stage, ripe for making an eye-catching theatrical statement. And there are opportunities to provide seasons of interest to enjoy as you pass by. You could explore creating a theme or particular visual effect, selecting artifacts and plants that help amplify the vision, such as a Japanese vignette, perhaps with a feature lantern or squat urn, with artfully arranged rocks, including the ones you have, together with pebbles and gravels, grouped for colour and/or texture. Dwarf pines such as Pinus mugo ‘Pumilo’, ‘Mops’ or golden variety ‘Ophir’ or Japanese umbrella tree, Sciadopitys verticillata ‘Green Diamond’ would all look splendid, or, for a…

Save £22 A gorgeous selection of lilacs that will give you plenty of colour and perfume. Loved since the Edwardian times for their reliable performance, highly fragrant panicles of nectar-rich flowers bloom from March through to May in clusters. Loved by bees and butterflies and excellent as cut flowers, this collection comprises one each of ‘Miss Kim’, ‘Katherine Havemeyer’ and ‘Miss Ellen Willmott’. Varieties can also be bought individually. Supplied as 9cm pots, delivery from April. • Buy Scentsational Syringa Collection (3 x plants in 9cm pots) for £20 – you save £22! • Buy 1 x Syringa patula ‘Miss Kim’ 9cm pot for £14. • Buy 1 x Syringa vulgaris ‘Katherine Havemeyer’ 9cm pot for £14. • Buy 1 x Syringa vulgaris ‘Miss Ellen Willmott’ 9cm pot for £14. PERENNIAL…