Innholdsfortegnelse for 17 May 2025 i Garden News

Last weekend I spent a long time trying to get rid of ground elder from one small patch of my garden. It’s crept in under the fence to an area that is otherwise gravelled and has a membrane – but it won’t be denied! Short of removing the gravel, lifting the membrane and digging it out (and even then I’m not sure I can eradicate it totally), I suspect this is a fool’s errand that will be akin to painting the Forth Road Bridge. But there are other plants in there and I don’t want to use chemicals, so my one-man war with the ground elder will continue. Interesting to read, then, that it was introduced with the best of intentions, along with many other plants we now consider to…

My garden helper in Inverness Highlands! Annette Macqueen, by email Clive the carrot, not so much a garden helper but more of a happy companion! Carole Smith, by email Our feline friend is always keeping a watchful eye over the blossoming plot. She’s the purr-fect garden guardian! Penny Armitage, Liverpool Our lovely spaniel Lucy is so happy now the sun is shining. As you can see from her colouring, she’s not a young girl any more but she loves to be out in her favourite spot making sure all is good in the garden! Sam Neale, by email When Holly and Neve visit they like getting their hands dirty! Sue Johnson, Batley, West Yorkshire This is my garden helper Bella, guarding the greenhouse and enjoying some spring sunshine. Amanda Mahoney,…

SPONSORED BY The online specialist gardening retailer, run by gardeners for gardeners I’m growing for everyone! Liz Goulds Goulds A Derbyshire garden with lots of tree shade and boggy areas. I’m determined to grow more edibles this year for me and the wildlife. The squirrels love a crab apple or two off our neighbour’s tree and sit munching them on our pergola. So, I thought I’d plant one too. It is malus ‘Indian Magic’, promising deep pink spring flowers, purple leaves in midsummer and a heavy crop of small red fruit, which will last well into the new year. I can’t wait. I also planted rhubarb ‘Timperley Early’. I’ve tried before with rhubarb only to fail, so this time I’ve bought a bigger, more robust plant and planted it in…

Award-winning designer, TV broadcaster and best-selling author who makes the ordinary extraordinary The idea of self-seeding plants strikes fear into the hearts of some and joy into the hearts of others. And those feelings are, of course, based on the good and bad self-seeders they’ve encountered in their own and other gardens. True, self-seeders can be a real boon on your patch, but the wrong ones, or those that do a little too well, can become problematic. Don’t tell anyone, but I had the genius idea of introducing cow parsley into a garden a couple of decades ago. I use the word ‘genius’ sarcastically, of course, as I actually unleashed a nightmare! It took the best part of six years to get that single whimsical introduction back out of the…

Strawberries used to be confined to a few weeks in June but now many varieties extend the season. I’m planting barerooted runners, the cheapest way to buy new stock. ‘Honeoye’ is an early season variety, useful for making jam. ‘Cambridge Favourite’ is a mid-season cropper and ‘Pegasus’ is an RHS award-winning mid to late-season variety. This delicious gateau is perfect for parties. In fact, I made it for my mum’s birthday! Ingredients Serves 10 • 4 eggs, separated• Pinch of salt• 120g caster sugar• 125g self-raising flour• 180g strawberry jam• 1 tsp arrowroot powder• 300g double cream• 250g cream cheese• 4 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt• 600g strawberries• 1 tbsp sugar• Mint leaves to decorate Method • Set the oven temperature to 160C/Gas 3. • Use an electric whisk to beat…

You may have already planted lots of summer bulbs but there’s still time to get more in and it’s a good way to stagger flowering times. Plus sometimes it’s best to wait until the frosts are over in case the more tender among them get damaged. If you’ve already got your classic summer bulbs going, now is a good opportunity to start off some more unusual ones to add to the collection – they are just as easy to plant but bring a little added wow factor! Aim to plant as soon as you receive your bulbs. In general summer bulbs like a warm and sunny spot with good moisture but free-draining soil. For tender summer bulbs, to save you lifting them from the garden border after flowering or even…

While spring-sown or spring-planted cabbages are growing well, and the first will be ready to harvest in a month or so, it’s time to plan for winter brassica crops. These are winter cabbages including Savoy types, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spring greens, sprouting broccoli and kale. They all require a long growing season and need to make good growth before the onset of autumn weather. That’s why they are sown in May so the seedlings can be planted out in late June or July. Brassicas of all kinds need a rich soil and preferably with plenty of nitrogen. For this reason they’re a good crop to follow on from where broad beans or peas have been grown and harvested. They also prefer lime in the soil, something that suits the…

LOVED BY BEES Delphinium ‘Sweethearts’ (New Millennium Series) This fine variety makes a statement in any cottage-garden planting. Remove spent flower stems for a second flush in late summer. Any moist, well-drained rich soil in full sun. H: 1.5m, S: 60cm. Price: £7.95. From: proctorsnursery.co.uk TWO-TONE BLOOMS Peony ‘Touch of Class’ A herbaceous peony with ‘wow factor’ flowers. Soft pink petals are a foil for a dome of creamy petaloid filaments that rise to create a big soft cream ball. Any moist, well-drained fertile soil in sun to light shade. H: 90cm, S: 80cm. Price: £30. From: claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk SWEETLY SCENTED Phlox paniculata ‘Opening Act Blush’ This compact, mildew- and disease-resistant perennial has lavender-pink blooms from early July to October. Any fertile, moist, but well-drained soil in full sun or partial…

Most people fill their summer patio pots with colourful flowers. Usually they’ll be overflowing with the pretty blooms of petunias, begonias and fuchsias. But plants also have leaves and we’re spoilt for choice with those that have bold and bright foliage that’s showy all the time. Of course, some plants are blessed to have both stunning leaves and flowers, such as pelargoniums and fuchsias. Cannas are another excellent choice, with fantastic foliage alongside bright, spectacular blooms. Growing foliage plants in pots means you can combine plants that you wouldn’t plant together in the garden. You can be imaginative and daring. Mix tender plants with hardy shrubs and herbaceous plants. The advantage is they can grow all summer providing colour, and at the end of the season you can plant the…

Helping you get your best-ever fruit and veg Now we’ve finally passed the last frost date here in Yorkshire, it’s time to start planting out tender crops. In theory it should be safe, but I’ll still keep one eye on the forecast and have a roll of fleece handy and a couple of cloches just in case there’s a surprise cold snap. It’s always better to be prepared, especially with the more delicate vegetables. One crop that’s ready to head outside now is my citrus. These tough little trees can handle a bit of a temperature drop, so it’s time to move them from the lean-to out onto the sunny patio. There’s something about seeing citrus trees full of fruit and blossom that makes it really feel like summer’s just…

Professor Buczacki is a horticultural expert, writer and former chair of Gardeners' Question Time Got a problem? Our Problem Solver can help! See our contact details on page 3 #GNASKTHEEXPERTS What are the white bugs in my compost? Domini Brooks, by email Stefan says: There are masses of tiny white creatures infesting your compost and you ask what they are and if they’re good or bad. Your pictures weren’t especially clear but nonetheless clear enough for me to be able to identify your creatures as collembolans or, to give them their common name, springtails. If you watch closely you’ll see how this name arose because they have a forked appendage at the rear, which they flick on the ground, causing them to jump a considerable distance. They’re truly small –…

Blooms out of the blue! We couldn’t get our Anemone blanda to grow in a pot last year, so we emptied the soil onto the garden and this is the result. The moral of the story – don't throw anything away! Mike and Kathleen Weston, Great Hale, Lincolnshire A clematis carnival! The clematis is putting on such a magnificent show on our patio this spring. We built a fairly deep wooden planter for it to make sure it had plenty of room for root development and it seems to have paid off! Marj Jones, Wrexham Delighted by daffs One of the first bulbs to flower in my garden in spring are the ever-reliable ‘Tête-à-tête’ daffodils, which have multiplied over the years and bring a welcoming splash of colour. Brenda Wilson,…

For hassle-free gardening, what could be easier than hanging baskets that are already planted up for gorgeous colour? These beautiful displays contain a vibrant mix of plants which perform beautifully together over a long season. The ‘Tutti Frutti’ mix is guaranteed to bring a professional-looking display to your patio. An abundance of blooms in a kaleidoscope of colours are borne on gently spreading stems. H&S: 30cm. Supplied as pre-planted baskets despatched from May onwards. You might also like... Fuchsia Trailing Baskets Our popular trailing fuchsias never fail to give anything less than a stunning display. An abundance of vibrant blooms are held on gently cascading stems, all summer long. H: 30cm, S: 45cm. Supplied as pre-planted baskets despatched from May onwards. THREE EASY WAYS TO ORDER TM_GN467/TM_GN468 ONLINE www.thompson-morgan.com/TM_GN467. Garden…