| Twenty fifth edition - May 2003
April brought us a mixed bag weatherwise.. It seemed to be continually
blowing hot and cold, which was hard on the seedlings in the greenhouse that had to endure
extremes of temperature. But they are thriving and I do make sure they have a good through
draught during the day if the weather is hot and are covered with horticultural fleece at
night if a frost is expected.
Each year I try to choose something new for the garden and this year I
have taken a fancy to some of the new lavenders, having looked at the catalogue from www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk ... I had not
realised there are about 150 varieties. I am particularly taken with the butterfly
lavenders and the pale pink and white varieties which seem so delicate, and the scent of
course is heavenly.. Lavenders are becoming very fashionable again.
I have made a stand this year and decided not to do hanging
baskets.. As I am striving for a maintenance free garden I cannot see the point of
tying myself down to twice-daily watering.. Retired people can plan their days as they
wish therefore it does seem rather perverse to tie oneself to the house or ask
neighbours to do the watering if one is not there. I know I shall feel guilty and the
house will look a little naked, but I am sure I can live with that! I shall let you know
if my resolve weakens..
Your gardening queries are coming in on a regular basis and will be
published on a separate page so readers will have the benefit of some solutions to common
problems. See below:
Some of your
recent gardening queries
Jobs for the month - May
Bedding Plants
With our fickle British weather, it really is best not
to put your bedding plants out in the garden until the end of May, in case of late frosts.
Make sure they have been pricked out into containers that are large enough to allow their
roots to continue to grow without getting rootbound. If this is allowed to happen your
plants will never be any good. Make sure they are hardened off outdoors, either in a cold
frame or just in the open air, but do keep an eye on the weather forecast and any pets who
may decide to play in the compost.. Make sure the plants are kept well watered and have
support if they are climbers. When it is time to put them out into the garden, give
them a good soaking before planting and make sure they are well firmed in. Finally give
them another another watering to get them started. If the ground is very dry you will need
to continue watering the plants until it can be seen that they are growing away on their
own. Some bedding plants will need more water than others so check instructions. It is
usually pretty obvious however, if a plant is not happy..
Hanging baskets and tubs
Planting up can begin at the start of May as long as you
have a place to keep the baskets and tubs that remains frost free.. Ensure that all the
containers to be used are clean and in good condition. Part fill big containers with
broken crocks or polystyrene, which saves on compost and makes the container lighter to
move around. Line baskets with one of the many liners available at garden centres and
supermarkets, or just use tough black plastic bin liners cut out to the required shape;
the flowers will soon hide it. Mix a good quality potting compost with a slow release
fertiliser and water retentive gel granules. These gel granules will swell in size when
wet, so don`t overfill the containers as I did one year, resulting in a mass of slimy
substance oozing over the edges of the containers! Having filled your baskets and
containers with plants and given them a good watering, they can be left outside in a
sheltered spot, out of strong wind, until the end of May when they can be put in their
permanent places. But do take care to bring them inside or cover them if a frost is
forecast. It is such a shame to lose plants after so much hard work.
Lawns
 Continue raking out the dead stuff and
moss, either with a lawn rake or an electric scarifier. `Weed and feed`can be used
from April until September in case you have missed out applying it.. It is not too
late to have your lawn mower serviced, which will give you better results and of course
you will have the satisfaction of knowing it is safe..
Wildlife
 There seem to be lots of casualties in the bird
kingdom this year as the weather has been so dry and worms, grubs or aphids are in short
supply, which is not good for the birds trying to feed their young. Last month I
recommended that you stop feeding the birds at this time of year, but I have to admit I am
still putting food out rather than see the young birds die.
Ponds and water features
Clear the
debris and moss from water features and change the water if necessary, taking care not to
disturb any wildlife that has made it`s home there. Check the electrical system is safe.
Make preparations for new aquatic plants in the pond, taking care not to disturb any
fish that may be getting ready to spawn. Remove any unwanted frog or toad
spawn.
Some favourite RHS flower shows (Dates
taken from their website)
| The Spring Gardening Show Malvern |
- |
9 - 11 May 2003 |
| Hampton Court Palace Flower
Show |
- |
8 - 13 July 2003 |
Charity Gala Preview of
the
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show |
- |
7 July 2003 |
| RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park |
- |
23 - 27 July 2003 |
| Malvern Autumn Garden & Country
Show |
- |
27 - 28 Sept 2003 |
| RHS London Flower Shows |
- |
Monthly |
| Wisley Shows |
-
|
April, June and August |
And some places to visit...
www.edenproject.com 
The
living theatre of plants and people
The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and people. A meeting place for
all to discover how we depend on plants and how we can help to manage and conserve them
for our mutual survival.
Kew Gardens two locations:-
http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/
Tel: 020 8332 5655 (24 hr)
Fax: 020 8332 5197Royal Botanic Gardens
Kew
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 3AB |
Tel: 01444 894066 (24 hr)
Fax: 01444 894069 Royal Botanic Gardens
Wakehurst Place
Ardingly
Nr Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH17 6TN |
The National Botanic Gardens of Scotland comprise:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Scotland's Premier Garden
Benmore Botanic
Garden, Argyll
Argyll's Magnificent Mountainside Garden
Dawyck Botanic
Garden, Borders
Wonderful Woodland Garden
Logan Botanic
Garden, Galloway
Scotland's Most Exotic Garden
 The National Botanic Garden of Wales
www.gardenofwales.org.uk
The star attraction here is the 91 metre long domed glasshouse, that
houses landscapes normally found in the Mediterranean. This would be a super place to
visit on a chilly day...
Keep the e-mails with
your gardening problems coming
Have a look at previous
editions of Gardener`s Diary
Some websites of interest to gardeners:-
www.alantitchmarsh.co.uk
Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and thoroughly nice person.
Just a few choice words to describe the peoples` favourite TV gardener. See his
website....
 Thompson and Morgan:
A growing
resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes the international online seed
catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK only), the wholesale seeds catalogue, together
with the award winning Germination Times and a host of other useful information.
www.carryongardening.co.uk
 Gardening is an important part of many people's lives. You don't have to
give up gardening because of accident or illness, the onset of disability or the problems
associated with growing older. The information on their website is designed to provide you
with the information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on
Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity Thrive
and is funded by the National Lottery Charities Board. It brings together information on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23
years by Thrive and research carried out since the early 1970s by Mary Marlborough Centre,
Oxford, on tools and equipment for disabled and older people.
Good reading:-
"The Yellow Book" contains information of
all Gardens of England and Wales open for charity, and can be bought priced £5 from
National Gardens Scheme www.ngs.org.uk
National Trust Gardens Handbook is £6.99 and
the new edition is out in May Telephone 01394 389 950 or see their website www.nationaltrust.org.uk
RHS Garden Finder is £12.99 from Dorling
Kindersley www.dk.com
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