GARDENER'S WORD - IDEAS AND TIPS

This year, instead of growing Abyssinian gladioli in my garden border like last year, I have planted them in three large terracotta pots on the top patio of my small garden where they will get full sun. I have several large containers on that patio, all on plant caddies, and I ca\n roll them around, changing their positions, depending on whether they are coming into flower or finished flowering.   Abyssinian Gladioli in large terracotta containers Not long ago it was Dutch Irises at the front (you can see them in the image below beginning to die back) and they will not put on a display again until next year. I try to make the most of the space I have. I have a lot of Darwin tulips on order and they are going to look fantastic (I hope) next spring on that top patio.  Last year, when the Abyssinian gladioli corms were planted in the garden , they increased in size dramatically. The mother corm dies off each year and a youngster takes its place.  It will be interestin...

Years ago I used to plant up hanging baskets for my east-facing wall with the usual annuals and fuchsias like we normally see but I got tired of the continual dead-heading, and petals falling, and so on. If you want a trouble-free hanging basket an easy option is hostas.  Not all hostas are ideal but Gold Edger is as it is extremely compact.  I have had one Gold Edger in each of four hanging baskets for three years now on my east facing wall (they also tolerate facing north and west according to the RHS, and I have left them untouched right through winter when they have died back. Although I will have to divide them next spring, for now they are looking pretty good. They need watering often and occasional feeding but otherwise that is it. Think about it.  No slugs eating the hosta and they tolerate partial shade so well.  Hosta 'Gold Edger' in east-facing hanging basket I never cut off hosta flowers . I know some gardeners recommend it for a better foliage display th...

In my ignorance I made a terrible choice only recently. I bought an Acer palmatum Osakazuki, and put it outside in my garden based on the online seller's (namely the Royal Horticultural Society, RHS) information online. I was delighted when it arrived. As I opened the tall box the 6ft tree was full of lush, beautiful, green leaves and on removing it fully from the box I noted the three long stems that were a perfect foundation for me to grow it as a multi-stem tree which is how I train Japanese maples for my small garden. The RHS had given plenty of information about the tree but there was no warning that such trees were grown protected from the elements in polytunnels.  Acer palmatum Osakazuki - 7 May 2026 Within days the leaves showed damage and while I have been advised it is wind scorching or sun scorching, I was not aware that such purchases needed to be hardened off. So poor young Osakazuki is in a state of shock, I think.  I have been advised that it will recover soon e...

I have six Japanese maples (acers) in my garden.  Katsura and Jordan are planted in borders but the others (Osakazuki, Orange Dream, Moonrise, Sango-Kaku) are in pots, still small. I plan to root prune them in the future, if and when necessary, to restrict their growth in the way that bonsai trees are restricted.  The latest addition is Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise' which I have now planted in its plastic pot inside a heavier terracotta pot, surrounded by Melcourt Sylvabark Pine Bark Mini Mulch for stability. Right now it is huddled in a little corner of my garden, safe from the icy winds and the blasting sleet and hail which we are getting here today high on the Pennines of West Yorkshire.  Acer shirasawanum Moonrise in a Fiora frostproof terracotta pot Moonrise arrived like a small tree although I had hoped for a more shrubby formation so I could easily grow it as a multi-stem tree.  I can still do that but it means dealing only with the growth above the graft. Belo...

I recently bought an Acer palmatum Osakazuki which is about six feet high with three main stems.  I have transferred it into a slighter larger plastic pot than it came in and planted the pot inside a heavyweight Kitchen Garden Terracotta Pot (made in Turkey by Argun and Son, sold by the RHS), and then surrounded the plastic pot with Melcourt Sylvabark Pine Bark Mini Mulch. In total it weighs a lot!  I needed to be able to easily move the container  around on my little garden's top patio. 'Kitchen Garden Terracotta Pot' on an eight-caster plant caddy I bought a strong plant caddy with eight-castors, made from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) which is a durable and rigid thermoplastic polymer known for its high impact resistance and toughness. The plant caddy is marketed as being able to tolerate a 230kg weight.   Eight caster ABS plant caddy with wheel locks The assembly was a little fiddly but easy to do and it has a bit of weight which makes it feel strong...

At last, despite the continuing rain of the last few weeks here in West Yorkshire, England, the spring bulbs are putting on a show in my garden containers. I admit, I went a bit mad last autumn and planted spring bulbs by the hundreds, literally. They aren't just in tubs but in the borders too where they are a bit slower to appear. Below are various irises (reticulatas), crocuses (luteus Golden Yellow), tete-a-tete narcissi, and thick tulip leaves with a promise of flowers yet to come.  I hate winter and spring is my favourite time of year. Why? Because when March arrives I have months of spring, summer, and autumn to look forward to.  The below Iris reticulata bulbs are a new variety for my garden. They are an intense violet-purple and  'Spot On' seems the perfect name for them as those splashes of white on the falls really do make them rather special.  Iris reticulata 'Spot On' Last but not least, Iris reticulata 'Harmony' which I have grown for years. It ...

It is 16 October 2025 and a recent arrival to my garden is Acer palmatum Sango-Kaku, also known as the Coral-bark maple. I'm already hooked on Japanese maples (acers) but am limited with regard to numbers by the size of my garden which, at most, is 30ft by 30ft, and already houses a garden room and a shed.  In the images below you can see its spring and autumnal colours and even when all the leaves are shed, there will still be that outstanding bark!  UPDATE :  It is now the 7th of May, 2026, and Sango is doing well.  I have taken new photographs to show that.  Acer palmatum Sango-Kaku - May 7, 2026 Sango-Kaku can, over time, achieve 8 metres if left to do as it pleases. It is of bushy habit and mine is going to be restricted by root pruning. It is already 3ft (90cm) tall and reaching for the stars.  It needed repotting as it was already rather root bound and I don't want to inhibit its growth just yet.  Acer palmatum Sango-Kaku - May 7, 2026 I didn't...

In May 2014 I bought an Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' from a British store that sells everything from clothes, to beauty products, to flowers and food. Not so much plants nowadays. The plant was small and cost me £15, which was quite expensive back then. It was a beautiful thing but it quickly died and that was when I first discovered that dreaded vine weevils had arrived in my garden and had eaten all its roots! In 2023, I finally eradicated vine weevils by desperately bombarding my garden with Nemasys, not just as recommended but monthly, I wasn't having those munching weevils and their little root gnawing offspring killing off anything else. It was expensive but money well spent.  Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream' - October 2025 - repotted A week or so ago, I decided to buy another 'Orange Dream' and so I ordered one from a seller on Amazon for just short of £13. I had used them before and they were excellent but, oh boy, the 'Orange Dream' turned up ...

This year I chose to have trailing pelargoniums in wall baskets at either side of my front door as usual, as well in plastic hanging baskets, suspended on what was once a bird feeding station, in my back garden.  I found other ways to feed wildlife and so I sawed the bird feeding station down to a lower height and now use it for plants.  Trailing pelargoniums 'Sybil Pink' and 'Sybil Blue' The Sybil variety of trailing pelargoniums are delightful and last year I chose Blue Sybil and Pink Sybil because of the way the flowers are formed. The ones in the above image are taken from cuttings of the ones which grew in baskets by the somewhat sheltered front door (below) and which overwintered there. I just tucked some bubble-wrap around their roots and it worked.  Trailing pelargoniums 'Sybil Pink' and 'Sybil Blue' Truthfully, I have tried to take trailing pelargonium cuttings before without success, even though I was always successful taking non-trailing varie...

I had a wonderful 'surprise' when I saw these on display at the RHS shop in Harlow Carr. I liked the Dahlietta Surprise 'Demi' plants so much that I immediately bought four and have them on display in an outside trough under my living room window. They are delightful and those four have nicely filled the entire trough without growing too wide or too tall. Perfect.  The trough gets full afternoon sun right through to sundown. I dead head them every day and the flowers just keep on coming! Take a look.  Dahlietta Surprise 'Demi' The label describes Dahlietta Surprise 'Demi' as a perennial which is 25cm high by 20cm spread (10 x 8 inches). They like full sun or partial shade and a moist but well-drained soil. I have had no problems with them by way of pests or diseases.  

For a number of years I used a tall bird feeding station for hanging bird feeders but I've moved them elsewhere as I wanted to use the station for hanging plants. I shortened the station and have only hung four lightweight plastic pots containing trailing pelargoniums/geraniums which can stand dry conditions and therefore don't need to be heavy with moisture (like hostas, for example); the bird feeding station would not stand seriously heavy weight. The station is set into a circular base which keeps it stable.  The pots (and the dustbin ) are painted with chalk paint, decorated with rub-on transfers, and protected against sunshine and rain with UV protective lacquer.  I got the trailing pelargoniums/geraniums through the post and they were a little slow to get growing but they are doing well now with flower buds forming. The bird feeding station is by Tom Chambers, as is the base I chose which is suitable for patios. 

Since December, all eyes have been focused on the evolving situation regarding the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19, which began in China and has become a pandemic. It all feels so surreal. The elderly and those with certain underlying health conditions are most vulnerable and many are, by choice and on advice from the Government, self-isolating. I am one of them. But life can be good with a positive attitude and so my focus is shifting somewhat to my own little world, inside and out. The garden is coming to life and much has stayed green over a relatively mild winter. I cannot believe that the parsley, which I bought from the supermarket last year and planted in the garden, is not only thriving but a monster! It's about 24" (60cm) tall at its utmost point. It's tolerated zero temperatures and even a light covering of snow! Parsley, March 2020 after overwinter in the garden. I'm starting to do garden jobs, little by little, making them a form of therapy as much as ...

It's the middle of December 2019 and although there was a light covering of snow on the garden this morning, so far we have been spared severe weather. Sure, it's chilly, but that's to be expected; it's winter. I'm going to make fat balls for the birds this week but noticed that the squirrels like them too. Birds have been visiting the feeding station very regularly, greedily, and I wonder if they know something that I don't. Apart from the bit of snow, which soon went, it doesn't look very wintery in my garden. The white bacopa plants in the hanging baskets are still flowering, the parsley is still looking healthy and green, and the hardier ferns are delightful. Ferns in mid December - Brauns Holly Fern Polystichum braunii, left Dryopteris atrata, centre and deciduous Dryopteris filix-mas Euxinensis, right Ferns in June 2019 - Brauns Holly Fern Polystichum braunii, left Dryopteris atrata, centre and Dryopteris filix-mas Euxinensis, right Ferns mak...

Although I neglected to protect a lemon verbena over winter one year and it survived, it's not something I would intentionally do. I thought I had killed it off and when I got the opportunity, bought two more as soon as they were available at the garden centre.  Then the old lemon verbena,  sprang to life!  That lemon verbena is quite beautiful now, like a little ball of topiary, providing plenty of leaves for herb tea. The lemon scent from the leaves is quite powerful when they are crushed. Lemon verbena - a tender, shrubby, herb I'm keeping an eye on the weather forecasts and as soon as frost is forecast, I will put them inside my unheated  garden room until it is safe to pop them outside again. The problem with them is that they are not evergreen and so shed leaves all over my garden room carpet. The combination of  apple mint and lemon verbena  make a lovely combination for herb tea Apple mint

The fuchsia, Jack Shahan, is definitely one I will grow again.  The flowers are not massive but mine - I have one planted in each of four hanging baskets - are blooming by the hundreds.  The baskets are dripping with them and even outshine the showy Cecile double-flower trailing fuchsia .  Since taking the below photograph, there are easily twice as many flowers on display right now.  They just keep on coming! Fuchsia 'Jack Shahan' The label says that the fuchsia Jack Shahan needs sun to partial shade.  It has single flowers with a rose corolla and pale rose sepals with green tips. It can be planted in hanging baskets, patio tubs and windows boxes, preferably in dappled shade .  Mine grow on an east-facing wall in partial shade (morning sun, afternoon shade).  Be aware, the flowers should be dead-headed to encourage prolonged blooming.  The flowers attract lots of pollinators, like bees and those delightful garden  good-guys, little ho...

There's no doubt about it, the Southern Belles fuchsia, Cecile, is a show off.  It has big, fat, heavy flowers opening from big, fat buds.  I've planted this fuchsia in four hanging baskets this year and although it's not as floriferous as 'Jack Shahan', which I have also planted (will post about it next), the heavy flowers really stand out.  Fabulous. Fuchsia Southern Belle 'Cecile' The label says that the fuchsia 'Cecile' grows in partial shade, and achieves a trailing length of 30-45cm (12-18in). It provides a delightful succession of charming double flowers throughout summer to autumn.  It is suitable for hanging baskets, patio tubs and window boxes, preferably in dapple shade.  Spray flowers occasionally to raise humidity.   My hanging baskets are on an east facing wall and get morning sun and shade after that.  Fuchsias grow very well in that situation.  Although the flowers of Cecile are double, pollinating insects can easily ac...

One plant that I love to put in hanging baskets is bacopa. It can be quite pricey but it doesn't half work hard for the money.  Gulliver Dynamic White is not the bacopa with tiny flowers, this one has  flowers about 2.5cm (1in) in diameter with deep yellow eyes.  What I like, apart from a bacopa's appearance, is that I don't have to deadhead the flowers, they just wither away when finished. The plants just keep on flowering right through until the frost kills them off. Bacopa -  Gulliver Dynamic White The label says that Gulliver Dynamic White is an excellent trailing plant with strong green foliage, perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes and containers.  It trails to 30cm (1ft), and should be planted 20cm (8in) apart in any well drained soil in full sun or partial shade [mine are in partial shade].  They should be fed weekly when in flower and protected from frost. Bees and other pollinating insects love them, but I am talking about bacopas ...

I've just posted about Polystichum polyblepharum which I bought the other day along with Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum'.  The latter fern cost twice the price of the other. It is quite beautiful as the fronds are very soft and lacy in appearance. Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum' The label shows that  Polystichum setiferum 'Proliferum' enjoys partial shade, achieves a height of 70cm (2ft4in) is hardy down to -15, and is evergreen. More than 10,000 varieties of fern are found all over the word. Ferns reproduce by spors. They filter polluted air and produce pure oxygen.  This plant should no be placed in full sun but should receive much light indirectly. Water sufficiently to keep the soil moist. What more could I want.  It will go against the house wall, in a container, facing kind of east, so it will get full morning sun and then shade from noon onwards.  

It's been quite a while since I last posted. I've been keeping up with the garden but the garden room keeps beckoning and I keep getting lazy and sitting in there, reading. Even when it's windy, it can be toasty warm in there if there is some sunshine to warm it up.  While my back was turned, critters have destroyed the hostas —not killed them, but savaged the leaves so badly that I decided just to get rid of the plants entirely.  Tragic really because they were so beautiful when intact, but they have been plagued with vine weevils and snails, and the leaves have ended up shredded or full of holes. In their place, I am growing ferns which seem to escape such devastation. I have a small path in my garden, near the house, and already one side of the path is bordered with ferns . One new fern for my collection (I have about eleven) of ferns is Polystichum polyblepharum.  It's very shiny! It caught my attention straight off at the garden centre. A had to have. Polystic...