Lewisia are very showy plants that are currently popular as availability and resiliance increases. This is a Lewisia cotyledon which makes a rosette of flat fleshy leaves and sprays of flowers from white through to reds and mauves.

Tips for Growing Lewisia

• Whilst Lewisia are perennial plants are very susceptible to winter wet rot. Over winter under glass if needs be.
• As Lewisia are very low growing it is common to grow in pots or containers so the flowers can be seen.
• The clump forming Ashwood Strain is recommended as a particularly good mix producing large semi-double flowers in a wide range of colours.
• With judicious deadheading Lewisia will bloom from April to the end of September, particularly if kept in an alpine house or cold greenhouse.
• In an Alpine garden surround the base of the plant with rock chips to prevent rot. Lewisias prefer sites with abundant spring moisture followed by a dry, cool summer.
• Other species to try include Lewisia; Pygmea, Rediviva, Brachycalyx, or hybrids Heckneri or PhyllelliaObtain plants from various nurseries or your local garden centre.

An interesting article at the Independent – Is Gardening the New Cooking?

Many top class restaurants are using a variety of flowers to spice up their menus. It has led the public to remember old fashioned methods of collecting flowers to add to salads or meals. A free and colourful way to add a little extra to your meals.

Whilst many flowers are edible, it is always important to remember a  child could become very ill if they were not educated about the dangers of plants such as foxgloves and laburnums.

Which Flowers can go in Salads?

• borage,
• pansies,
• violas,
• honeysuckle,
• garlic chives,
• nasturtiums,(all parts are edible)
• beans and peas (including their black and white flowers)
• Rose Petals
• Herbs from Basil to Rocket

A garden is for life not just Spring and Summer so you need to play a long game and plan ahead. Top tips for 12 months time will follow but you also need to think about the medium and longer term. Trees will grow more rapidly once established like the Cupressus I have just had to cut back. Conifers may grow 10% a year and as these had grown to over 24 feet when the situation really needed a 10 foot maximum I had a problem and a lot of work to do.

Shrubs need space to spread and as you plant them think what they will be like in 3+ years. You do not want to be moving prize Camellias or Peonies once they are established.  Plant short lived  or less important plants near them that can be discarded as your prize shrub matures. Hedges get thicker and wider even with regular pruning so allot enough space when you set out. Do not let them get out of hand and block light, paths or  access.

Hard landscaping is even more permanent than most plants. Marry your landscaping to the key core trees and plants you want to build the garden around. Prepare in detail and put in long lasting foundations not quick fixes.

Top Tips for a Grand Garden Next Year

• Feed your bulbs and let them die down naturally. Order more bulbs now.
• Grow biennial plants from seed eg. sowing Wallflowers from June and pinching out the plants to make them bushy.

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Windbreaks are used to protect plants from excessive and strong wind. The right design can deflect wind and create a micro climate to the benefit of soft plants in need of protection. However the wrong design can create currents where only normal wind previously existed. A windbreak will be effective for upto 10 times its height so a 6 foot barrier will protect 60 feet but the wind will get progressively stronger as the vaccuum created by the barrier is filled with wind. A narrow barrier wont get the job done as the wind will blow around the edges.

Natural Windbreaks

• Hedges and plants are a natural way of creating a barrier. A percentage of the wind will get through the balance drifting over and round.
• A solid wall of vegetation is seldom the best solution the wind hits it and is forced over the top creating swirls and eddies. Slowing the wind with a layered defence is the best approach with several lines of shrubs and trees as a defence culminating in the larger backstop. In such cases the wind is slowed all the way through so little eddying occurs.
• Willows are a windbreak plant par excellence. A double row can reduce windspeeds by as much as 60% even in the winter. They will typically grow 6ft or more in the first year and often reach 16ft or more by the third year. Control the roots and the height though.
• Wattle fences and reed barriers are another natural based product but they usually look manufactured.
• I have built up a soil based rockery as some limited protection and I was going to have a rockery anyway so two for the price of one. Rocks protect some of the alpines.
• Allotments often plant Jerusalem Artichokes as a seasonal barrier that also produces a crop.

Man made Windbreaks

• Windbreak netting can be used and is often seen as part of fruit cages.
• Lap fencing seems to be blown down regularly but is a popular semi-natural windbreak.
• Walls, greenhouses and sheds also need siting with windbreak properties in mind.
• Remember there will probably be a rain shadow where the prevailing wind would normally drop its rain.
• Finally windbreaks should be erected perpendicular to the prevailing wind for the greatest effect.

Globe Artichokes, related Cardoons, are thistle like plants 2-5 feet tall are grown for their edible flower buds. Normally raised from rooted suckers taken in spring or sown in April and transplant the following spring at least a foot apart. The delicious traditional green heads can be eaten cooked or raw.
The flowers develop in a large head from an edible bud about 3-6 inches diameter with numerous triangular scales. The individual florets are green-purple. The edible portion of the flower buds consists primarily of the fleshy lower portions of the bracts and the base, known as the “heart”. The immature flowers in the center of the bud is called the “choke”.

Though technically perennials which normally produce the edible flower only during the second and subsequent years, certain varieties of artichoke can be grown from seed as annuals. Some varieties produce a limited harvest at the end of the first growing season even in regions where the plants are not normally winter hardy. This means that home gardeners can attempt to produce a crop without the need to overwinter plants. The recently introduced seed cultivars ‘Imperial Star’, ‘Northern Star’ and ‘Green Globe’ or ‘Purple Globe’ are organic varieties.

The plants have enough character to be grown in an ornamental garden if space is limited.

There is an increased interest in controlling pests such as slugs, aphids and caterpillers through natural organic methods. But, which are the most effective?

Hoverfly Pupae. Hoverfly are voracious eaters of aphids. A single hoverfly can eat several hundred aphids. As gardeners we can grow many companion plants which help to attract aphids – e.g. marigolds, poached egg plant. But, sometimes we need to help our hoverfly population get started. Companies can sell hoverfly pupae so that you can introduce them into your garden – and then let them do their best. Hoverfly Pupae at T&M

Beer Traps. You don’t need to buy any expensive equipment, just use an old plastic pot and some cheap beer (maybe landlord will let you have the excess spillage). Then use this beer for filling the plastic pots. Slugs will be attracted by the smell and drown themselves – the most humane method of killing!

Pond and Frogs

Another excellent natural predator of the slug is the common garden frog. If you build a pond then you should be able to attract frogs. Frogs can eat many slugs during the night and save you a lot of slug pellets. A cheap and environmentally friendly way to keep your slugs down

Birds

Birds such as bluetits and Thrushes can much their way through many garden pests such as slugs. Leave water and food to attract the birds into your garden.

Nemotodes for Caterpillars and Slugs

Caterpillars can destroy cabbages and certain plants. If you are lucky you will have an army of birds to eat them. But, this is usually insufficient. However, it is possible to get some nemotodes which when watered into your lawn at the right time will seek out and organically kill the caterpillars. Nemotodes for Caterpillars and Slugs

Related

• Organic methods for dealing with greenfly
• Tips for organic vegetables

A pond makes a great addition to any garden creating new interest and providing a foil for the plants and flower.

Tulips next to fountain

A pond also helps create a greater sense of life and vibrancy attracting more insects, frogs and birds to the garden.

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The Daffodil Society had this top 10 tips board up at a local show. It saves me a lot of typing and leaves space for some photos.

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What and Why of Underplanting

Underplanting as the name suggests is putting one plant under the stem, leaves or trunk of a larger plant. The effect if to have layers of plants as you might expect to find in nature. The effect also gives more comprehensive soil cover. It can help moisture retention eg using low water consuming plants like succulents.

Underplanting may help you grow crops when space is tight eg. Alpine strawberries under fruit trees other things tend to do poorly or act as weeds taking moisture and goodness from the fruit trees.

Many  examples of  using smaller plants such as ferns or perennial geraniums under the canopy of a trees exist.The picture shows a Phormium under planted with Bellis low flowering Daises.

Try autumn crocus under Flowering Cherry trees for varied interest later in the year. Obviously spring crocus are often grown underplanted with trees and shrubs but keep yellows and blues separate.

Lacy foliage of birch allows an amount of light for small plants to grow, hardy Cyclamen hederifolium or coum grow well under trees needing little moisture.

Naturalised bulbs like Narcissus look stunning beneath smaller trees and shrubs. Even better if they flower before the shrub takes centre stage.

Dwarf varieties of Lavender are suitable for planting under roses or garlic may keep away aphids.

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This wonderful variety of Orchids is known in its native Japan as ‘Butterfly Wings’ Its delicate and beautiful flowers bely its relative hardiness. This variety can stand temperatures down to 0 degrees or even lower if not over watered.

Like other orchids it benefits from bright conditions but needs to be sheltered from direct sunlight. An east facing window is ideal.

Orchids need careful watering in free draining soil.

In the growing season, you want to feed them with a proprietory orchid feed once a month – following instructions to avoid over feeding.

This variety of Ponerorchis are supplied as naturally small tubers. Their flowering season is from April to early June. As well as beautiful flowering, they provide a delicate vanilla fragrance to fill any room.

Always use special (usually bark based) orchid compost. These composts help provide the free draining conditions orchids need.

Extended Flowering Season. One of the delights of orchid growing is the length of blooms that can be maintained. After a flowering stick has faded, try cutting it just above the second node to try and encourage a second bloom.

The Orchid family is very large and diverse and it is advisable to take note of particular requirements of different varieties. But, don’t let their reputation of being difficult put you off!

Special Orchid Offer

• 3 Butterfly Orchid Wings from Thompson and Morgan for £15.99

Related

• tips on Orchid flower stems
• Pleiones Orchids