Planting Under Shrub Roses

I have just been listening to this week’s Gardener’s World. Oh my gosh how can you say our lovely shrub roses only flower for 4 weeks. No way, my David Austin New English shrub roses go on all summer. I have had buds in the autumn if I keep dead heading!

None Climbing Evergreen Spring Clematis

 

I should make you guess what this is but I am feeling generous so I am going to tell you. It is a new hybrid none climbing clematis.
There is a trend for developing compact clematis idea for small gardens that you can grow in a pot. This is a hybrid of evergreen New Zealand varieties and will flower through April and May. It likes full sun, it is perfect in a pot and it is called Emerald Dream.

Spring Favourites Spirea x arguta

One of the big spring favourites Spirea x arguta out in early spring. A feathery tall shrub with a cascade of bridal like white flowers. It's a tough shrub. I seam to be able to grow it everywhere. I think you could make a hedge of it as I like the soft foliage but it is deciduous.

A Gorgeous Fragrant Spring Flowering Evergreen Shrub Viburnum Burkwoodii

Another gorgeous viburnum with evergreen foliage, fragrant spring blossom and great autumn colour. This is Burkwoodii

Daphne Mezereum This is What it Looks Like Now out in Flower

This is the deciduous shrub Daphne Mezereum and this is what it looks like now out in flower, all the blossom is on the stems. 

Top Perennial Plants for Early Colour This Spring

Lamprocapnos Spectablis, Dicentra Spectablis or good old Bleeding Heart. What ever you now call this perennial it is just lovely.

Vinca, Primula elata, pulsatila, pulminaria, geraniums, bergena, bruneria, polemoniumn, (Solmon's Seal) Polygonatum and tiarella are just some of the gorgeous perennials performing at the moment.

Exochordia Is A beautiful Spring Flowering Shrub

Exochordia  xmacrantha, one of my all-time spring favourites it is soon to be absolutely flush with flowers. Otherwise known as the pearl bush.

April Gardener's Calendar

Here is what you could be getting on with in the garden this month

Supporting The Bees In Spring

Euphorbia

Here are a few ideas of what we can plant to keep our gardens interesting in early spring and support our beautiful bumble bees.

Mazda Racing In 2021

 Racing for Preston Bissett

Stachyurus praecox

Stachyurus praecox is a really pretty shrub with these long bell shaped primrose yellow racemes opening now.

It's hardy and grows to about 1.5m, preferring neutral to acid soil.

Veg You Can Plant Early - updated March 13th

 

Its still early going in the veg garden but with Monty back on the 19th March it’s a little reminder it’s time to make a start. I hope those veg border and beds are cleared and mulched ready to go?

Herb Plants In Stock

Herbs in stock March 5th 2021 New stock is arriving daily and the main annual herbs will be available as the threat of frost subsides.

Growing Herbs

Start your ‘Home Grown’ project with culinary herbs.
They quite simply equal flavour

Sweet Peas To Plant This Spring

 One of the most loved flowers and excellent for cutting is the sweet pea.

Companion Planting, Plants That Should and Should Not Be Grown Together

Companion planting is usually something we discuss in reference to protecting our vegetables from pests and enhancing their growth. Herbs in general are very beneficial when often aromatic creating distraction.

Here Are Some Plants That support One Another

Early Vegetables to Grow

What Vegetables can we plant now
Home grown produce does not have to mean a big allotment and lots of work.
Why not grow a few things you enjoy potager style in your borders. 
See availability list below.
Anyone listening to Monty in early March should be rushing to plant parsnips, radishes and seed their tomatoes. There is a little more you can do!

Pruning Fruit Trees

How to Grow Your Own Vegetables

We would like to believe science could prove the nutritional value of the crops we grow far exceeds that which we buy from the supermarkets but I don't believe anyone has written a scholarly paper on this as it is not commercially viable. I believe home grown must be be fresher and more nutritious than stored veg and fruit and that's good enough reason alone to produce a few thing yourself.

I can argue what you grow yourself tastes so much better than what you buy from large stores and

you can cerainly save some money growing expensive things like fennel bulbs, asparagus, artichokes and even cut and come again leaves.

Here's A Little 'Grow Your Own' Made Easy!

Get Going With Grow Your Own.

Home produce: Grow Your Own A Quick Guide

How To Grow Rhubarb

When it comes to important jobs in late winter as someone who was born in the famous Yorkshire Rhubarb Triangle I must remind you to put your rhubarb forces over your rhubarb and bed some farmyard muck round the base.

Planning Garden Structure

Considerations when Planning Garden Structure

When we talk about permanent structure in the garden we are looking at what has an impact in every season. Colour, shape, height contrast.

Plant Thugs Make Useful Ground Cover

Comfrey

We all have problem areas in our garden. Rather than grow weeds we do sometimes need a few strong plants to cover the ground and beat the weeds. These are some of my recommended thugs that can do the job!

Planting in Shade Particularly Dry Shade

Epimedium

One of the most difficult spots to plant is shade.  Here are some suggestions that should help to carpet the ground accompanied by cyclamen corms a mixture of spring bulbs and ferns such as asplenium, polypodium and polystichum. Those in bold are particularly good choices.