GARDENER'S WORD

The weather may have been unseasonally poor this June, July, and August in the UK but in my garden, high on the Pennine Mountains of West Yorkshire, the delightful little Syringa 'Red Pixie' is producing a second flush of welcome, intensely fragrant flowers.  They are knock-out!  Little things and all that, but such things make me happy when summer seems to have passed us over this year.  If there are shrubs that I can recommend, this is one of them. Syringa 'Red Pixie' Intensely fragrant, small shrub I grow mine Syringa 'Red Pixie' against a fence on my south-facing border, where it gets some partial shade from the house rather than full sun all day long (that's a laugh - we haven't had so much sun this summer).  I am training it somewhat so that it is more fan shaped than bushy so that it doesn't compete too much with my perennials.  Another small and fragrant shrub is Philadelphus 'Snowbelle'.  It has white flowers and smells divi...

Lots of things are happening in the garden right now.  The cold and rainy spells of this spring and autumn have cause many delays in flowering and fruiting, but the long awaited flowers on the Cherry Red phlox are now in bloom and look lovely behind Anemone 'September Charm'.  I only have the one phlox plant and so, this year, I plan to divide it.  Cherry Red phlox (left), and September Charm anemone As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am enjoying picking, from containers, the lettuce, pea shoots, tomatoes, and courgettes which taste as fresh as they look when it is only a matter of minutes between garden and my plate.  You cannot eat fresher produce than that.  There's such a lot to do though in the garden, but I'm waiting for autumn now so that I can transplant various plants to fill the gaps in my border where, sadly, the three Malva moschata plants have been removed, and where other herbaceous perennials, despite emerging after spring, didn't...

This summer in the UK, certainly here on the Pennine Mountains in the North, has been disappointing (putting it politely).  Things have taken so long to grow, flower, fruit, and for some gardeners nothing much has happened at all.  I'm not here to talk about the failures in my garden this year but of the successes.  I love to go out and pick at things that I grow and, after a quick rinse with cold water, eat them straight off.  No putting in a meal, no waiting, no messing, just gone!  Imagine, all those vitamins.   I've been doing this with the cut and come again lettuce, with the pea shoots, with the Italian parsley (ever eaten parsley raw?  It's wonderful and full of iron).  I've been picking at the Alpine strawberries, and making herb teas from the applemint, the lemon thyme, the lemon verbena, the lemon balm (I like lemon).  All are grown in pots on the top patio of my small garden.  Even people with only a balcony can do t...

Someone gave me an unnamed clematis from a supermarket as a 'thank you' present a few years ago.  Although the plant was pretty with lovely small flowers, it also wasn't very robust.  In fact, it was quite spindly.   I think it's a Passion Flower clematis.  Anyway, it obviously wasn't happy in its little pot so the first year I had it I planted it against the fence on my sunny border with its roots in the shade and its head in the sun but it never really took off.  It remained spindly and not even flowering in the following year or two, if I remember rightly.  Last year — or was it the year before? — I pronounced it dead when all that was left was a short twig, and I went about planting other clematis climbers and jasmine.   This year, the cheeky little survivor has sprung to life and clambered up the Jasmine officinale and other clematis and produced flowers.  It's still spindly but it is clearly very determined not to be written o...

I was just closing the kitchen door today and realised that I had startled a young squirrel that was in the process of raiding the sunflower seeds out of the bird feeder.  Once it had had a good look around for danger, it resumed the feeding and I grabbed my camera.    Squirrel on bird feeder  It was quite funny watching the squirrel because as it went upside down, and started to grab the feeder, the feeder would swing away leaving the squirrel clutching at thin air.  After a couple of attempts, it got the hang of it, so to speak.   

I love to see squirrels in my garden.  The other day a female squirrel visited with the intention of having a free lunch in peace but spots me through the kitchen window, taking photos.   Squirrel has seen me The squirrel decides I'm safe enough and swings easily upside down to access the husked sunflower seeds in the bird feeder.   Squirrel decides I'm safe and starts to feed Something has put the squirrel on the alert.  It jumps onto the top of the shed for a look around.   The squirrel is agitated and thrashes its tail It jumps off the shed and onto the bordering fence.  It seems that, at this point, it has not yet spotted what has put it on the alert.  It's looking the wrong way.  Squirrel looking out for danger The squirrel sits up for a better look around.  She looks like she's had babies.   on the lookout It's no good looking at me, I'm not the threat.  The cat is.   A beau...

Last year I grew Swingtime and Southgate trailing fuchsias in four hanging baskets at the back of my home and, after overwintering the fuchsias in my mini-greenhouse, they nearly all survived.  I bought one or two replacements and then repotted the fuchsias back into their baskets again this spring.  It's been a long time coming, the fuchsias producing a fabulous display, but they got there.  In the image below, you can only see the Swingtime fuchsias but the Southgate ones are there in plenty. Swingtime trailing fuchsias in hanging baskets This spring and summer has, despite some days of sunshine, been quite bad for growing many things in my garden.  The tomato plants are producing red fruit but I am wondering if this awful weather continues if many of those that are green will ever get chance to ripen.   As I type, it is pouring down but we have had a very red sky this evening and you know what they say, 'Red at night, shepherd's delight'.  I'...

I bought this delightful Gentian, Gentiana pneumonanthe, the other day and was waiting for the buds to open so I could photograph them.  The blue of the flowers is really eye-catching and the plant was once used in the manufacture of blue dye.  Gentiana pneumonanthe a.k.a. Marsh Gentian The label that came with it gives little information but it does say that Gentiana pneumonanthe tolerates sun or partial shade, achieves a height of 20cm.  Gentiana pneumonanthe a.k.a. Marsh Gentian It's a rather upright plant, very neat, with small leaves.  The plant grower has packed the top of the pot with moss which indicates that this plant likes moisture and, if that isn't a give away, then the common name of Marsh Gentian should do it.  I propose to plant mine on the shadier side of the garden where the soil is generally damper.  It has not been planted yet as I am considering repositioning a number of my perennials this autumn and will plant this at that tim...

In spring this year I discovered the reason why one of my precious Japanese Maples had died.  The roots had been eaten by vine weevil larvae .  So, I bought and used this product on my hanging baskets filled with fuchsias (a favourite target of the vine weevil) and my remaining Japanese Maple.   I cannot tell you at this point if the product works.  I will be able to tell you if it doesn't work by next year.   Bayer Garden says that it kills a wide range of pests including aphids and leaf-eating beetles.  You can use it on ornamental  plants in containers indoors and outdoors.  The label says that Provado VineWeevil Killer2 is a systemic and kills a wide range of pests.  You can use it on all ornamental plants in pots and containers indoors and outdoors.  It keeps working inside the plant to give useful reduction of Greenfly, Blackfly, and Whitefly for up to 4-6 weeks, and Vine Weeil grubs for up to 4 months.  On house...

It makes me smile when I think that a couple of years ago, 2013, I planned to grow the yellow, summering-flowering Jasmine 'Clotted Cream' (also known as 'Devon Cream' in a small Long Tom terracotta container on my front doorstep. That's a laugh.  I soon learned that this climber gets far too big to be crowding its roots into anything but a big container; not if you want a fine specimen anyway.  Last year I moved it to my south-facing fence where it has thrived amid clematis, a climbing rose (Generous Gardener) and a white Jasmine, Jasminum officinale.  They seem happy together, offering each other support.  Jasminum officinale 'Clotted Cream'  The buds and foliage are pretty too. Jasminum officinale 'Clotted Cream' on my sunny fence

In my opinion, 'Patriot' is the most beautiful hosta that I have ever seen.  Oh, I know there are lots of beautiful hostas to be seen, and in such variety, but this one is extra special.  From what I have seen so far, if I was only ever allowed the choice of one hosta for my garden, it would be Patriot.  Not only are its leaves eye-catching, in summer it thrusts up magnificent strong stems of mauve (pink/blue) flowers way above the leaves.  Hosta 'Patriot' flowers Hosta 'Patriot' in flower Hosta 'Patriot' bright green leaves with irregular white margins Most gardeners will be all too well aware that hostas are prone to slug attack but I have solved this problem by planting mine as specimens in very large terracotta pots which are set on small plant trolleys with wheels, for ease of movement.  They are planted in compost and each hosta is surrounded by a 1/2 inch deep topping of sharp grit.  Slugs are sneaky little devils, you know but ...

I often see television programmes about people with a lot of money looking for some wonderful new property to purchase with plenty of land and a fabulous view.  But not everyone has enough money to buy such a property.  To have a lovely view, you can get away with a small garden, a small balcony, even just a window box and some hanging baskets.  All you need is a bit of inspiration and some imagination.  Of course, if you have a little (or big) garden, all the better. Garden view through east facing kitchen window, late afternoon   In the above image the window, over the sink, is framed by trailing fuchsias (Swingtime and Southgate) in hanging baskets and centre is a yellow double-stemmed Phalaenopsis orchid.  There is an outside window box that you can just see, planted with yellow, orange, and apricot-coloured tuberous begonias.  Even someone with no garden at all might be able to provide that.  Note that the fuchsias and t...

Although it's not been a great year for garden crops (except for the cherries, and the Polka raspberries which were magnificent and are in flower yet again for, hopefully, an autumn crop) there things that are doing ok.  The Wisley Magic runner beans were a bit late in taking off after an extended spell of cold weather in spring but now they are producing lots of beautiful scarlet flowers and plenty of long, straight, stringless, beans, just like last year.  I've picked some for dinner tonight, and some tomatoes which I've already eaten.  Sweet Pea, Wisley Magic runner beans. Tumbling Tom and Losetto tomatoes (both types look the same) Picked some Sweet Peas too to try to make the house smell fragrant.  A kind (sarcasm here) neighbour had a mighty, billowing bonfire this morning that reached to the sky.  Apart from covering all my newly hung out washing with soot, and all my garden furniture with soot, and soot over everything else too, the sm...

Hebe 'Purple Pixie' (syn. Hebe Mohawk) is looking really lovely at the top of my small, sloping, south-facing garden border where it is more free-draining.  This evergreen, small shrub was beautiful last year but looks even moreso this year.  It seems to have appreciated my pruning it once it had finished flowering last autumn.  Look at it now, full of flowers and lots still to open, and such a glorious colour too.  Pollinators like it too.   Hebe 'Purple Pixie' (syn. Hebe Mohawk) - Aug 2015 Hebe 'Purple Pixie' (syn. Hebe Mohawk) - Aug 2015 Hebe Purple Pixie in summer 2014  (internal link)

Yesterday at the RHS garden centre in Harlow Carr I found this lovely Penstemon hiding at the back of some others on display. It seemed to be the only one left and I'm so glad I found it.  What a beauty it is.  I love it and so do the pollinators.   When I was wheeling the plant in my trolley at the garden centre, little honey bees were following me and the plant around.  It's a wonder I didn't bring them home with me in the car!  Penstemon 'Phoenix Violet' I've yet to plant it in my garden.  Some bad weather is forecast so I thought I would tuck it away, in a sheltered place somewhere, until the worst of it has past.  I don't want heavy rain to hammer the flowers off just as soon as I have bought it.  I'm hoping the rest of, or at least most of, the flowers in my garden will survive.    The labels says that Penstemon 'Phoenix Violet' has masses of larger, tubular flowers in repeated flushes throughout summer and aut...

Apart from a quick sight of one the other week, I haven't seen any grey squirrels visiting my garden for months on end.  In fact, I was worried that they had died over winter because I always have food out for the birds and the squirrels have always been very welcome to help themselves to whatever they can get.  Today, this grey squirrel spotted me about the same time as I spotted it on top of my garden shed, through my kitchen window.  The photographs are taken with my Canon EOS 6D but I had the macro lens on it (as is always the case when I don't want the macro lens on it!).   First the squirrel checked me out, then it checked to see if it could get seed, then it had a little drink, and then a little scratch maybe, and then it was gone.  I was really happy to see it.  I hope it comes again. Grey Squirrel checking out the bird seed Grey squirrel checking me out through the kitchen window Grey squirrel having a scratch on the pole, may...

I've been buying plants from Gordon Rigg's garden centre in Walsden, West Yorkshire, for a long, long, time but I had not realised that the business had been started 70 years ago, 24 August 1945.  When I visited last month it was wonderful to see that the present owners had put together an interesting display for their customers, celebrating the occasion.  Gordon Rigg (1919-2004), the founder of Calderbank Nurseries (now Gordon Rigg's) It all began on 24 August 1945 when Gordon Rigg paid to H. Jackson of 2 Beswick Street, Walsden, the grand sum of £150 (which seems a small sum today but when you think how long ago it was, and what the average paypacket might have been, it was no small amount) for a shed, two cabins, tools, and 2 greenhouse boiler pipes, etc.  The business was to be called Calderbank Nurseries and at some point was changed to Gordon Rigg's.  Gordon Rigg's website About Gordon Rigg  (external website)    Gordo...