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Author: hortoris

Growing Pots of Grass

Growing Pots of Grass

This is not an injunction to grow Pot, Hash, Skunk, Kief, or Marijuana all correctly forms of Canabis sativa relatives of which produce hemp. Rather my suggestion is to use a  pot or container to grow a collection of Grasses.
Contrasting colours, textures, habits and heights will provide long lasting interest. The grasses will be tactile and give a sense of movement in a breeze.The pot can be moved around to change the display.

The combination of plants are endless but this is a selection of easy to grow and obtain grasses that you could start with.

  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’
  • Carex flagellifera
  • Carex comans ‘Frosted Curls’
  • Stipa tenuissima
  • Festuca glauca ‘Golden Toupee’

How to Pot Up
Select a pot, 15″ diameter will hold the 5 plants.
Put broken crocks or stones at the bottom of a container with holes for drainage.
Half fill with compost containing slow release fertilizer and water storing gel granules.
Cram the plants in close together to get an instant effect.
Pack in the remaining compost around the roots and sides of the plants.
Put some pebbles or grit on the surface of the compost to retain moisture.
Water and enjoy the display.

Earth and the Art of Gardening

Earth and the Art of Gardening

In 1569  Joachim Beuckelaer painted the Four Elements and this picture shows the bountiful earth.  The range of produce implies a market gardeners hand or a large garden capable of providing such bounty.

The 4 elements I need in the garden are Earth (hearty soil), Water (not too copious and not at the wrong time), Fire (or at least sunlight for photosynthesis) and Air (or  more space in which to grow).

The Market Woman with Vegetable Stall, 1567, by Pieter Aertsen shows lemons and more exotic produce that implies international trade rather than local gardening.

At least we can see how some people were able to eat in the mid 16th Century. I would be happy to grow half these fruit and vegetables on display.

This is actually the painting of Earth from the Four Elements. The painting shown above top is the Market Seller Fruit Vegetables and Poultry. Fruit and vegetables was a subject Joachim Beuckelaer used frequently.

Growing Ranuculus calandrinioides

Growing Ranuculus calandrinioides

Ranuculus calandrinioides

Ranuculus calandrinioides has an AGM, originates from the rocky slopes of the Atlas mountains, prefers dry shade, grows 8″ tall and has broad white-grey leaves.

This member of the buttercup family is dormant in summer.
It is easily grown under cold glass but give it as much light as possible. Outdoors keep it dry.
The lax growth will be kept more compact if grown hard and started late.
Keep bone dry until mid winter so growth does not commence above ground until early spring
Ranuculus calandrinioides has a thick fleshy rootstock and a lax growing habit.
Flowers form a large goblet shape in pure white or a delicate pink.

Note
Aestivate means the plant spends the summer in a state of torpor
Cotswold garden flowers has a good data base on Ranunclus
Seeds may be available from B&T world seeds.

Gardening Look Up & Look Down

Gardening Look Up & Look Down

hellebore niger

Hellebore niger seem later this year or is it just me? Either way you need to get down on your knees to see the best of the Hellebore flowers as they tend to hang the flower-heads to hide their modesty.

  • Grow Hellebores on raised beds or sloping banks so you have a chance to see the flowers.
  • Pick the flowers for a vase and see their intricacy close up.
  • Plant Helleborus x sternii ‘Blackthorn’ with the upright growth habit of Helleborus argutifolius or Helleborus ‘Boughton Beauty’, Helleborus ‘Rachel’ and Helleborus ‘Winter’s Grace’. Suggestions from Hellbore.com
  • Helleborus foetidus the stinking Hellebore is upright with a green flower.

Witch Hazel

After scenting the flowers of the Witch Hazel look up and see the glorious patterns they form against a blue sky. Fortunately there are generally masses of bloom before the leaves appear and you can see patterns of petals from numerous buds.

  • The flower colour, particularly in the hybrids can range from pale yellow, orange through to red and many of them have good scent, from sweet to spicy.
  • A  good photographic display of the following can be found on Witch Hazel nursery Hamamelis x intermedia, Hamamelis japonica, Hamamelis mollis, Hamamelis vernalis and Hamamelis virginiana.
Cabbages as Ornamentals and Flowers

Cabbages as Ornamentals and Flowers

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These long stemmed cabbage flowers were in a large bunch at a local florist. Doubtless they were flown into England from many carbon miles away but you can easily grow your own  ornamental cabbage.

Growing Ornamental Cabbage

  • Large ornamental plants with frilled edges and an ornamental coloured heart. Colour vary with cream, pink and maroon being popular.
  • Sow seeds in spring for summer bedding or summer for late autumn planting to replace summer bedding. Sow seeds 1/16in deep in a good seed compost. Germination takes 14-21 days
  • When large enough to handle, transplant to 3in pots. Harden off spring sown plants and plant out 12-18in apart in the border. Pot up summer sown plants into 5in pots or containers and stand out of doors on a sheet of polythene to prevent root penetration into the soil.
  • Water regularly and give weak doses of a high Nitrogen fertiliser every 14 days. Plant out in late summer in beds, window boxes, containers, etc.
  • The leaf colour change occurs as the night temperature drops in late summer.
  • In late winter they produce a tall flower spike which makes an unusual floral decoration.

Cabbage Northern Lights F1 Seeds from Thompson Morgan
Nutritional Information

  • Eaten raw or cooked, cabbages are an excellent source of Vitamin C.
  • Try to use all healthy outer leaves as the darkest green leaves contain the most nutrients.
  • Ornamental cabbages are edible when young  although the flavour can be rather strong.
  • Vary the colour of your coleslaw with some chopped ornamental leaves.
Top Dressing When Gardening

Top Dressing When Gardening

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Top dressings are materials applied to the surface of the soil and not what the gardener wears. Top dressing is designed to improve the health of a plant in some way or other by adding nutrient, reducing moisture loss or increasing the organic content. The containers in the photograph have slates, shells, glass, beads and gravel as different forms of top dressing.

  • Some top dressings such as well-rotted manures are added to provide a steady supply of nutrients.This Top Dressing is just a term for adding dry fertiliser on top of the soil next to the plant so the benifits leach into the soil slowly.
  • Top dressing describes the application of additives to soil or lawns, such as sand and loam that will be washed into the lawn soil.
  • Gravel or grit is used as a top dressing to keep the neck or collar of plants away fro excessive moisture.
  • Top dressing acts as a mulch to suppress mosses and lichens
  • Decorative top dressing is increasing in popularity with the increasing range of coloured and textured gravels, chippings or glass beads.

Lawn Care
Top Dressing lawns encourages new growth of the grass plants giving a thicker sward of grass.
Lightly spread a mix of sand, peat and loam lightly over the lawn. Do not smother the grass.
Top dressing is normally carried out in mid spring.
If the lawn is in a poor state then grass seed can be added to the dressing mix.

Red Matching Gardens

Red Matching Gardens

The fiery red Dahlias complement the brick work of the house in this open garden.
The colour is repeated at the end of the formal lake and the planting in the side borders also has some colour symmetry. (A shame about the scaffolding but what a place to grow a climber).

Talking of climbers, again the colour of the brick and the red roses lift the photograph. I like the very interesting grey gate tied up with garden string. If I try achieve this effect with old gates in my garden the results are woeful. (Must try harder)

Even the old light coloured stone at this Oxford college is set off a treat by the red  foreground. The green plays a significant part however as it is strongly complementary to the red and the leaves have scale and texture.

Gardeners Tips on Red in Gardening

  • Keep the design simple and use repetition to make a point.
  • Red tends to bring the foreground towards you.
  • Do not mix with pink or insipid colours as neither will benefit.
  • In a small garden use red plants for emphasis and with care or they overpower.
  • I prefer the hot reds of Crocosmia, Dahlia, Lobelia, Heliathemum ‘Supreme’ some Tulips and Peonies.
St Valentine’s Flowers but Aubretia?

St Valentine’s Flowers but Aubretia?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so keep an eye open for unusual sights on the 14th February. Rather than Roses or posies this Aubretia plant has decided to grow a heart shape all of its own.

Aubretia is a compact low growing plant that flourishes on walls and rockeries in full sun. Aubretia is easy to grow at the front of the border on any reasonably drained fertile soil and will spread naturally by seed.

Aubretia deltoides or rock cress is good for ground cover and is available in shades of blue and purple.

Grow from seed by sowing from late winter to early summer in a good free draining seed compost just covering the seed. Make sure the compost is moist and not wet and seal in a polythene bag until after germination which usually takes 14-21 days at 18C (65F).

Aubretia is an evergreen perennial plant that is attractive to butterflies.

Plants by Thompson Morgan

Seeds by Thompson Morgan

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Corms for Beginners

Corms for Beginners

Crocus and Gladioli are easy plants to grow from corms. Plant some ‘Glads’ in March for summer flowering and some Crocus in Autumn for next spring. You may even find some Crocus in pots that will flower now and can then be planted out for next spring.

What is a Corm?
Corms are (underground) stems that are internally solid tissues with a fibrous outer. This differentiates corms from bulbs, which are made up of layered fleshy scales that are modified leaves. As a result, when a corm is cut in half it is solid, but when a true bulb is cut in half it is made up of layers. The Corm is the food store for the next generation of plants.

Crocus and Gladioli are two of the best known plants grown from corms. Also Cyclamen, Bananas, Diermia, Crocosmia, Liatris and Freesia are corm based plants.

Roots growing from the bottom of the corm are normal fibrous roots are formed as the shoots grow. The second type of roots are thicker layered roots that form as the new corms are growing, they are called contractile roots and they pull the corm deeper into the soil.

Corms of some species of plants are replaced every year by the plant with growth of a new corm at the shoot base just above the old corm. As the plants grow and flower, the old corm is used up and shrivels away. The new corm that replaces the old corm grows in size, especially after flowering is done.

Corms can form many small cormlets called cormels at the base of the plant and these can be grown on for subsequent seasons. They grow true to the parent plant and are a way of increasoing stock. A corm can be cut into wedges and grow a new plant as long as there is a bud on each part.

A description and graphic of a good corm is available from the University of Illinios

Chinese Gardening in Beijing

Chinese Gardening in Beijing

Chinese gardens rely on a poetic approach to rocks, water and plants and use fewer flowers than Western gardeners. Peonies are one of the few flowers used but the key plants are bamboos and shapely Pines. In contrast to our gardens, that are designed to lead to focal points, Chinese gardens often rely on unexpected views and a gradual reveal of the garden. Screens and hedges and strange diagonals may help you achieve this feel.
The use of text in a Chinese garden is a trait that is becoming more prevalent in the UK. Lines from literature, poetry or quotations can be effectively woven into your design.

Gardens in Beijing have evocative and often descriptive names. I like this idea but ‘Piles of Pretty Plants’ or ‘Compost Compound and Comfrey’ do not sound as evocative.

Garden of the Preservation of Harmony Yi He Yaun has lush green planting and exquisite bridges in the grounds of the former Summer Palace.
Garden of Perfect Brightness Yuan Ming Yuan is said too be like the ruins of Versailles.
The Imperial Palace Garden Yu Hua Yuan is quite small but contains plants dating back to the 15th Century.
Mountain Resort for Avoiding Heat Bi Shu Shan Zhuang is set in dramatic hills with large lakes and valleys to give you the felling of fresh cool air.

If you are planning a holiday in China see Top 10 Gardens in China