GARDENER'S WORD

I bought a fern from the Royal Horticultural Society at Harlow Carr the other day.  It was the only one of its type that they had on display and when I looked to see what it was, it had no identifying name other than 'fern', which was not very helpful.  Anyway, I thought I would be able to identify it when I got home, by book or by surfing the net.  Wrong!  I am wondering if the fern is still very young and will display more easily identifiable properties when it ages.  Fern Anyway, I wrote to the Royal Horticultural Society and asked what was the complete name of this fern.  I was told that they buy in bulk from a supplier and would write to the supplier and let me know.  Several messages have gone back and forth and still the RHS has been unable to supply me with the name of the fern.   Shame on the RHS.  Imagine, the Royal Horticultural Society selling plants that they cannot identify to customers.  Each fern frond h...

Many years ago when I lived in a different house that had a conservatory, I loved to grow succulents as well as many other types of indoor plants.  While cactii are interesting, they can be savage little beasts.  One succulent, crassula ovata, grew into a beautiful bush which flowered frequently, smothering itself with little white flowers.  That plant was left behind when I moved abroad for a while.  The other day at a garden centre I bought a young crassula ovata.  At least, I think that's what it is as it had no label.  I don't have a conservatory now but I am hoping that the plant will do well anyway.  Crassula ovata I'll post photos if it flowers but I doubt it'll do that any time soon. Below, a bowl of succulents which I grew many years ago

I never grow tomatoes from seeds.  I don't see the point in all that effort to nurture the seedlings in idea conditions, transplant or prick them out into pots, and generally faff around when I only want two or three plants.  This year my tomatoes of choice are again tumblers, the type that don't need you to do much else but water, feed, and eat the fruits of their labour.  There's no pinching out of side shoots with tumblers.  From previous experience, in no time at all these will need repotting.  Watch this space. The label says this about 'Tumber' F1 hybrid: This patio variety produces loads of sweet, tasty cherr-type tomatoes.  Matures in 49 days.  Best in organic-rich, well-drained soil.  Water freely in dry weather.  Requires full sun.  Apparently this one is well suited to a hanging basket and produces a good yield of tomatoes.  Some while ago I bought some ordinary red Jester tomatoes from Marks and Spencers ...

It's been a wet but mild winter and many plants in my garden have scarcely gone into hibernation—unlike me.  Today we have beautiful weather, a little cool but sunny and dry.  Of course, it could snow tomorrow.  Who knows?  A neighbour who is happily taking my row of seven Arthur Bell roses from me and planting them in her garden has shamed me into action.  I am finding gardening more and more difficult as years go by (don't we all?) and am now getting rid of plants that give me the most work; that includes roses.  I am no winter gardener and so I try to begin my spring gardening gently, to ease unused muscles into gradual awakening.  Today I cut back the dead and straggly growth on the Arctic Queen clematis to 18 inches (50cm) or so above its base.  It might be a bit early but it's planted in a pot which is overwintering in a sheltered position and will remain there for a little while yet until I can trust the weather not to turn suddenly sp...