Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2016 i BBC Gardeners' World

• Content on the go Discover our award-winning digital edition for iPad in the AppStore – with instant access and a free trial if you subscribe for a year. Prefer to read on a desktop? Go to gb.zinio.com • Non-stop roses We list our favourite fragrant roses in this issue, but you’ll find even more inspiration in our Scented Roses gallery at pinterest. com/gwmag/ scented-roses • Escape into shade Give your shady borders a fresh lease of life into summer and beyond with plant combinations and growing advice from our 132-page Gardening for Shade special edition. Buy for Kindle at £3.99, or in print for £5.99 at bit.ly/gardening-for-shade • Time to discover the Secret Garden! This month’s subscription offer of 5 issues for just £5 (p168) also offers access to a rich…

Spot on I found your Spotter’s guide to garden bird eggs (May issue) very helpful as we see quite a few eggs in our garden. Perhaps you could feature other common bird egg examples, such as blue tits, pigeons and doves. I’d also be interested in the nesting habits of birds and other garden wildlife. Brian Strand, Buckinghamshire Solution to a thorny problem Matt Keightley says in the feature A small family garden can be a beautiful space (May issue) that he would have liked to plant a rose bush but the prickly stems are not a good option with young children. We had the same problem, so we planted the thornless rose ‘Zéphirine Drouhin’. It is a lovely scented climber and has lots of flowers. Margaret Gooden, Kent Saying…

“Open gardens can reach our senses and affect our thinking” It’s depressing to think about what people want from the gardens they pay to visit. First on the list is probably lemon drizzle cake – along with no drizzle of the rainy kind. Then lots of plants, preferably labelled so they can be bought at the plant centre on the way out. And, we are always being told, we want ‘inspiration’. In fact, it seems from the articles I read that gardens exist purely to provide a model for every other garden that might exist. Then, because we visit with friends and families, we like a nice bench where we can sit and gossip, and where we can admire the neat and tidy borders with their rigid chopped-off lawn edges.…

RSPB Hayle Estuary, Cornwall TR27 6JF Tel: 01736 360624, hayle. estuary@rspb.org.uk Free entry and open at all times. The reserve is great for walking – watch out for shelduck families in summer. St Michael’s Mount, Marazion, TR17 0HS Tel: 01736 710265, stmichaelsmount.co.uk Discover the beautiful National Trust gardens at this unique location with its own microclimate. Accessible by foot at low tide across the ancient causeway or by boat. Lizard Lighthouse Heritage Centre, Helston TR12 7NT Tel: 01326 290202, Sun-Thu, bit.ly/239MqI2 Take a tour of maritime charity Trinity House’s flagship visitor centre and walk to the top of the Lizard Lighthouse. National Maritime Museum, Falmouth, TR11 3QY Tel: 01326 313388, nmmc.co.uk There’s something for…

No other show offers so many chances to meet the experts. Find full listings on bbcgardenersworldlive.com, with details of how to reserve seats (£2) for Main Theatre shows. BBC Gardeners’ World Live Theatre Thursday 16 Monty Don 10.30am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm James Alexander-Sinclair and Adam Frost 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm Friday 17 Alan Titchmarsh 10.30am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm Carol Klein 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm Saturday 18 Carol Klein 10.30am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm Joe Swift 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm Sunday 19 Monty Don 10.30am, 2.30pm, 4.30pm Joe Swift 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm Potting Shed Stage Every day, 11am-4.30pm, deputy editor Kevin Smith, the magazine team and experts, including Monty, Carol and Joe will discuss space-savvy ideas. Other free shows include the VegTrug Grow Your Own Stage and Interview Stage. On TV If you can’t make it to the…

‘Charles de Mills’ is a great choice if you want a shrub rose with a classic old-fashioned perfume. It may only flower once in a season, but when it does – in midsummer – it’s an absolute stunner, with fully double blooms that open from tightly packed buds. The flower colour can be a little variable, ranging from deep magenta to purple-red, but it’s always showy. ‘Charles de Mills’ has an elegant upright habit that’s a little taller than it is wide. It can be laden with flowers, so it may need a little support to keep the arching branches from touching the ground. This rose requires a sunny spot and well-drained fertile soil to really perform. It can be planted as a single specimen, but also makes a good…

Versailles planter Made of acacia wood in olive green. 65cm x 40cm. £89.99 + delivery 0118 903 5210, primrose.co.uk Wall planter Versatile flower pouch. 55cm x 21cm. £12.99 + delivery 0844 573 1818, thompson-morgan.com Citronella candle Keep insects at bay this summer with a citronella-scented candle. £3.99 0345 077 8888, homebase.co.uk Hanging basket Antique style in wrought iron. 118cm x 48cm. £195 + delivery 07866 705199, priorand willisantiques.co.uk Digital water timer Controls both the frequency and duration of watering. £37 + delivery 0845 602 3774, greenhousesensation.co.uk…

JUNE means summer. It seems as though when the clock slips past midnight on 31 May everything changes. We – the garden and I – have arrived where we most need to be. There is much change and development to come, because the beginning of June is a very different place to the dog days of late July and August, but the sense of arrival is undeniable. In practical terms the really big development is that the nights are warming up. This means new growth will not be checked, so tender plants can go outside. It’s also a good time to do jobs like trimming box hedges. Risking this in May means the new growth is very susceptible to being burnt by frost and looking terrible. Having said that, box…

How to look after cordon tomatoes DEPENDING ON variety, tomatoes either grow on a bush or a vine. Those grown as single stemmed cordons are vigorous vine tomatoes, which must be trained to stop side shoots growing away into an untidy and less productive plant. Expect to get up to six trusses (clusters) of fruit per plant, depending on how high you can grow it. Once it’s reached the height you want, stop it by cutting off the top. Trim away lower leaves as the first trusses ripen; this allows air and light to the earliest fruit and helps promote more growth at the top of the plant. In the height of summer the fruit will ripen more evenly if the plants are shaded from intense direct sun. There’s also…

Moth Night is an annual celebration of moths and moth-recording across Britain and Ireland, organised by Atropos and Butterfly Conservation. There are more than 2,000 species of moth in Britain and many are suffering severe declines. During Moth Night, which runs from Thursday 9 June to Saturday 11 June, local moth conservation groups will be hosting events to raise awareness of moths and the reasons behind their decline. Activities range from nighttime woodland walks to building moth traps. This year’s celebration focuses on hawk moths, a group of 1450 species, many of which are the most dramatic looking moths. For more info and to find local events see mothnight.info…

Little beats the joy of cooking and eating outdoors – particularly if you’ve got a beautiful garden – and a good barbecue is an essential part of the picture. But which of the many models currently on the market performs the best, to produce tasty well-cooked food every time? To find out, we teamed up with our friends at BBC Good Food Magazine to test charcoal models. All of them were keenly priced at less than £100, meaning our top performers won’t break the bank. Our test criteria • Assembly: this includes how long it takes to assemble, ease of storage, portability and cleaning. • Value for money: covers sturdiness, extra features and accessories included in the price. • Ease of cooking: size and height of grill, temperature control and…

Going the whole hog Our rescue cat Conrad has made friends with a hedgehog that visits our garden. They are quite happy to share their food, and neither of them seems at all bothered by the other. Rose Savage, Su olk No longer stumped I thought you might like to see how an experiment turned out. I had some old logs lying around the garden, so I decided to make a stumpery. I planted them with this sweet little Saxifraga ‘Pixie Pan Red’, not thinking it would do very well given its position – but it has romped away and is a true delight. Charmaine Coates, by email Singing for their supper I was amused to see Ursula Bulpitt’s letter (Have Your Say, April issue) about importing snails into her…

WHEN: summer and autumn Picking produce at the peak of perfection and feasting on your own fully ripe crops, just minutes after picking, is a real revelation, compared to most shop-bought fruits and vegetables that are harvested early so they can be transported and have a reasonable shelf life. For the most delicious flavours, harvesting then preparing and eating as soon as possible applies across the board, but particularly with vegetables such as sweetcorn, peas and new potatoes. With these, the sugars start turning to starches immediately after picking. Even when you plan your sowings carefully, and sow in small batches for regular harvests, you’re bound to have some surpluses or gluts. To ensure they don’t go to waste, try freezing, drying, storing or using in baking or pickles and…

WHEN: late spring and summer Most plants benefit from being fed when they’re growing close together in gardens and competing for nutrients, or growing in pots where composts only provide nutrients for the first few months. While maintaining a tidy garden, we often remove fallen leaves and other waste that would otherwise be left to rot down and return nutrients to the soil. Mulching with garden compost or manure certainly helps, but additional feeding is still needed, especially for ‘hungry’ plants like roses, dahlias, sweet peas, fruit and many vegetables. All plants need nitrogen for leafy growth, phosphorus for roots, potassium (also called potash) for flowers and fruits, plus secondary and trace nutrients. A general fertiliser supplies all of these. Some fertilisers have higher levels of potash to boost flowering…

This vibrant pot is perfect for a sunny patio. And it’ll be a magnet for pollinating insects like butterflies and bees. Mix a little grit into your compost, as these plants enjoy free-draining conditions. You can also sprinkle grit around the top of the pot, which is decorative and stops weeds germinating. These are perennials, so can be transferred to your borders when the flowers fade. Don’t worry if you can’t find the exact varieties we used; just make sure you choose a compact agastache. Secrets of success PROTECT FROM COLD Protect agastache over winter by bringing into a cool room indoors. Outside, growing in free-draining compost and stopping watering over winter will help. KEEP IT FLOWERING Remove the spent flowerheads and stems of armeria to encourage the plant to…

What’s the scent that takes you back, triggering memories and places perhaps long forgotten? Roses, lavender, cut grass, even creosote, are all scents that you’ve told us rate among your favourites. The tang of tomato leaves does it for me, transporting me straight back to that neat, lean-to greenhouse tended with such love by my grandparents, resonant with carefree, summer holidays. Little wonder I feel more relaxed after a few minutes pottering in my own greenhouse! When creating our gardens we have such freedom to add layers of meaning and memory, and scent is a powerful tool in this. But often we use scent as an afterthought, so we’ve put it at the heart of this issue, with Monty unveiling plans for a fragrant garden, and our pick of the…

While reading your Over The Fence column, Is small-space gardening just flower arranging? (May issue), I thought it unfortunate when James Alexander-Sinclair said, “You can make much more of an impression on a large scale than you can ever dream of doing in a small garden.” Does he think that as the vast majority of your readers do not garden on the scale of Capability Brown, we are all tending mediocre spaces? Has he not noticed what inspiration, variety and style can be packed into Chelsea and BBC Gardeners’ World Live show gardens and the country’s many smaller plots? Any area of water in a garden is beneficial to wildlife: a bird bath, half-barrel or modest fishpond. Plus, it seems narrow-minded to talk of “struggling to choose the best tree…

Wasps are a hugely diverse group of insects. Often brightly coloured, a multitude of black, brown and red patterns rival any standard black-and-yellow livery. Many people only know wasps for their stings, which they use to kill prey or defend themselves, but very few are able to penetrate human skin. These creatures also carry out beneficial tasks in the garden: visiting flowers, wasps are important pollinators. They are also great for pest control – being carnivores, they catch and feed insects to stock their small nests or feed their young. Some parasitise other insects, or steal the food from other bees and wasps. Most wasps have a nesting or maternal behaviour towards their young. Only ‘social’ wasps build large nests, with overlapping cohorts of many hundreds or thousands of workers.…

Gardeners’ World Live isn’t just for grown-up garden-lovers. There are loads of features to keep all ages entertained – from hands-on activities to wildlife zones and feathered and furry friends! Plus, under 18s can visit absolutely FREE on Saturday and Sunday (up to two kids per paying adult), while the under 5s will go FREE every day. Family highlights include: The Donkey Sanctuary – a selection of their most lovable donkeys will be at the show daily, for children to stroke and enjoy. The British Beekeepers Association will be running have-a go activities, demos and sharing some great ideas for encouraging bees into your garden. Bats Trust will run interactive activities. The Blue Peter Gardeners (aka The Skinny Jean Gardeners) will be live on the VegTrug Grow Your Own Stage…

Fragrance is the elusive fifth dimension that transforms a garden into something truly special. In this guide, Monty shares the ideas behind his own new scented garden, Joe focuses on his ultimate rose, and we explore the science of scent and the different fragrance types to help you find the right rose for you. Plus throughout the section, we name the top 40 roses for scent. Discover more aromatic delights in our scented roses board at pinterest.com/gwmag/scented-roses…

Walk into a rose garden on a June morning, when the air is cool but filled with the promise of a glorious day to come, and the fragrance will envelop you. These are heady perfumes you might expect to find in expensive glass-stoppered bottles – some sweet or fruity, others deep and sensual with notes of myrrh or spice. The rose is our quintessential English flower (although many species originate in the far East) and it is impossible to look at a bloom without stooping to bury your nose in its velvety depths. In fact, there is so much romance and poetry tied up with its heady fragrance that it is easy to forget the scent is not there for our benefit at all. The sole purpose of the perfume…

Are you proud of your garden and would you love to see it photographed and appearing in this magazine? Does a friend or family member have a beautiful garden that you feel should be celebrated? If the answer is yes, then enter our competition to find Britain’s Garden of the Year 2016. Our expert team of judges includes presenter and designer Adam Frost – Geoff Hamilton's right-hand man at Barnsdale for many years; and Janine Pattison, the multi-award winning landscape designer, whose work has ranged from courtyards to estates. Their tip for entrants? Show how you've made a space that’s particular to you. ”I’m looking for a garden with a personality and purpose,” explains Janine, ”where the designer hasn’t been swayed by current fads – but has developed a truly…

Take cuttings from perennials CHALLENGES ARE all very well, but there's also great satisfaction to be had from simple tasks that almost always yield results. Taking shoot-tip cuttings from tender perennials, like the Australian foliage plant Plectranthus argentatus, isacasein point. Propagating your own plants from cuttings saves money and builds up stock of favourites. With its fine silver-grey foliage, plectranthus is a great filler for summer beds and and a good greenhouse/conservatory plant. Shoot tip cuttings root easily any time from early to late summer and will overwinter easily in frost-free conditions. Inserted into compost with good air circulation the cuttings can be potted up individually once rooted, and potted on as they grow. Regular pinching out of the shoot tips makes a rounded, shapely plant. Alan’s top 5 cuttings…

Lavender is a popular plant for pollinators. However, a study conducted by the Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI) at the University of Sussex found that some varieties were better than others for insects: English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) attracts more insects than French lavender (L. stoechas), while hardy hybrids (L. x intermedia) attract more than twice as many pollinators as both English and French lavenders. Lavenders are in ower from now until autumn, providing a long season of pollen and nectar when sources in the wild start to diminish. This bears masses of blue-purple flowers throughout summer and into autumn. The flowers have a good scent and are rich in essential oils. Height 75cm. A white-flowered lavender, this scored highly in the LASI trial. It contrasts beautifully with purple-flowered…

Got more than £100 to spend? Here’s what’s on o er: • You’ll find plenty of charcoal models on offer for more than £100. They’re usually more expensive because they’re large (catering for more people) or constructed from robust materials (for example, porcelain enamel). £200 is about the ceiling for a charcoal model. • Higher-priced charcoal models sometimes include more features, including covers, integrated storage or preparation surfaces and more sophisticated thermometers and temperature control. • Spending more opens up a vast range of gas barbecues. Basic models start around £100, with premium types (with no end of features) costing up to £500. • Like charcoal models, gas barbecues are priced according to their size and the materials they’re constructed from. They’re also more expensive the more features they include…

DAVID SAYS Repeat-flowering roses need plenty of fertiliser to produce new growth and buds. High-potash feeds will toughen up foliage, and help reduce pest and disease problems. Q How can I improve flowering on roses? A Roses need to be healthy and vigorous if they are to give the best blooms and the longest flowering season. Free-flowering also relies to a huge extent on the variety you grow. Modern breeding of bush and shrub roses has been selecting for strong health, plenty of blooms and repeat flowering. But there are other factors that need considering to get the best out of your plants. Your plot’s aspect will dictate how much sun and shade your roses will get, so choose varieties and species that suit your growing conditions. Many roses need…

Your problem-busting photo ID guide Pests banishedDiseases curedSpeedy solutions andorganic options Advice from the experts Alan My top plants for attracting wildlife Carol Create dramatic colour-themed borders Monty Save £££s with summer cuttings FREE 5 irises Get 5 varieties of bearded iris, ideal for a dry, sunny border * Just pay £5.65 postage Revealed! The big result... Thousands of you entered! We reveal the winning name for our sweet pea DUSKY DELIGHTS Quick ways to make your garden a fragrant and enticing place for summer evenings PLUS Herbs • Pruning apples & pears • Low-maintenance border tips and more...…

WHEN: spring and summer Many flowering plants can produce longer-lasting and more beautiful displays of blooms with just a bit of care. Removing faded flowers before seedheads form is known as deadheading and should be done regularly, once or twice a week. Because a plant’s aim in life is to produce seeds to create offspring, if seed pods are allowed to form the plant thinks its job is done and flowering slows, or even stops completely with some annuals. Feeding plants during spring or summer can also boost flowering, but only if the right fertiliser is used. One that is high in potassium promotes flowering, so look for fertilisers designed for flowering plants, tomatoes or roses, but avoid feeds that are high in nitrogen, which would encourage leafy growth at…

WHEN: summer and autumn Some plants need a bit of support to look their best. Climbers grow upwards by twining their stems and winding leaf stalks or tendrils around a support, so they need to hold on to a trellis, wires, a free-standing frame or even another plant. Often grouped in with true climbers are ‘wall shrubs’ – plants with long, lax stems that are best trained to a framework. Also included in climbers are some annual flowers or vegetables that can be grown on permanent or temporary supports. Climbers and wall plants usually grow rapidly, and new growth should be trained or tied in regularly so they don’t end up as a tangled mass of stems. In borders, many tall-growing and large-flowered perennials really benefit from support to prevent…

Not only is it nice to see an array of wildlife when you look out of your window, but it’s also vital for the environment and your garden. If you want to attract bees, insects, birds and other creatures, Gary Buttle, horticulture manager at the Bridgemere branch of Wyevale Garden Centres, has plenty of advice. “If you’re looking to bring bees into the garden there’s one very simple rule: they like open flowers, rather than double versions. Bees go down into the flower itself, so prefer flat or trumpet-shaped flowers, while butterflies go for a cone-shaped bloom,” says Gary. “Campanula is brilliant, and they also love sunflowers.” In fact, anything yellow is a good bet. “It’s a really strong colour for bees and insects.” He also suggests lupins alongside foxgloves,…

WHEN: spring, summer and early autumn Hedges make wonderful living boundaries, as well as useful dividers within the garden. Clipped, formally shaped hedges are grown for attractive foliage – either evergreen or deciduous – and need trimming to maintain a neat shape and promote bushy growth. Conifers also make good formal hedges, but they must be cut regularly from an early stage because they won’t re-grow if you cut back into old wood, with the exception of yew. When cutting a hedge for the first time, allow it to grow 60cm higher than required, then cut it back to 15cm below that level, so the new growth can be neatly trimmed. Before trimming, check the hedge thoroughly for nesting birds between March and the end of July. Postpone pruning if…

“ I don’t want to know what the garden is ‘about’ or have it explained to me. I want gardens to be gardens.” We are now in high flower show season. Like a bedecked liner, the shows dock at Harrogate, Cardiff, Malvern, Chelsea, and many points besides and between. They are a celebration of gardening at the time of year when our own gardens are really starting to sing. I grew up with the village flower show being rivalled only by the church fete for glamour and excitement. The flower show had the staple attractions that continue to this day across the land – a garden on a plate, biggest marrow, longest runner bean, set of peas in their pods, three identical dahlias, sweet peas, raspberry jam, Victoria sponge cakes…

• Divide it when it’s big enough. You could also collect seed from named cultivars, but seed doesn’t come true. However, they seed well and you might get something nice. Nutcutlet • I agree. Let your astrantia grow well this year, feed, water (very important not to let it dry out) and mulch, then divide in late August. I am a fan of named varieties, so division is preferable to me. You know exactly what you will get and some of the named varieties are first-class plants. Verdun • My attempts to grow astrantia from seed are laughable. I’ve tried: refrigeration for weeks, leaving them out through winter and sowing in spring. Each time, nothing. darren636 • I was sent some seeds last autumn. I sowed them in trays and…

Bosvigo Gardens Truro, TR1 3NH Laid out as a series of small, colour-themed, herbaceous gardens. The walled garden includes old-fashioned roses, campanulas, geraniums and asters, which create pretty displays from June until the end of September. Open until 30 Sep, Wed-Fri, 11am-6pm. Adults/OAPs £5, children (5 15) £2. Tel: 01872 275774, bosvigo.com Bonython Estate Gardens Helston, TR12 7BA Discover these elegant and tranquil gardens, featuring an 18th-century walled garden, a potager and an orchard. The South African summer garden adds vibrant hot colour, while the parkland features a valley, lakes and woods. Enjoy views across farmland to the distant sea. Open 1 Apr-30 Sep, Mon-Fri (closed bank hols), 10am-4.30pm. Adults/ OAPs £7, children (6 16) £2. Tel: 01326 240550, bonythonmanor.co.uk Bosahan Garden Nr Helston, TR12 6JL…

OLD ROSE 1. ‘Comte de Chambord’ (shrub) H x S120cm x 90cm 2. ‘Madame Hardy’ (shrub) H x S 1.5m x 1.5m 3. ‘Tuscany Superb’ (shrub) H x S 1m x 1m 4. ‘Maigold’ (climber) H x S 2.5m x 2.5m 5. ‘Munstead Wood’ (shrub) H x S105cm x 75cm 6. ‘Blanche Double de Coubert’ (shrub) H x S1.5m x 1.5m 7. ‘Sandringham’ (shrub) H x S 1.5m x 1.2m TEA ROSE 1. ‘Guinée’ (climber) H x S 4.5m x 2.5m 2. ‘Mary Berry’ (shrub) H x S110cm x 85cm 3. ‘Princess Alexandra of Kent’ (shrub) H x S120cm x 90cm 4. ‘Royal William’ (bush) H x S75cm x 60cm 5. ‘Graham Thomas’ (shrub) H x S1.5m x 1.5m 6. ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ (shrub) H x S1.5m x 1m 7.…

We ask a lot of our patios, especially considering that most are limited areas, but with careful design they can provide a host of growing opportunities, along with space to relax, dine, store, display and work. These enclaves have the potential to be the jewel in the crown of a garden, with growing and over-wintering space for tender or borderline-tender species and a wide range of specially bred container plants. While heat-retaining patios may harbour microclimates, there are challenges. Heat retention in walls and containers can cause accelerated water loss and plant desiccation. Rain-shadow from other buildings can leave beds and planters bere of rainwater, while high walls can cause wind turbulence to spiral across the space like a Tasmanian devil. But there are bedding plants, succulents, grasses, clematis and…

The vigorous growth of spring is now reaching a crescendo, with the last spring-blooming shrubs dropping their petals and flower buds starting to form on summer species. It may seem counter-intuitive to prune in June, but there are plenty of plants that will benefit from some judicious cuts over the next few weeks. Paying a little attention with the secateurs now will not only encourage your plants to give a better performance and help keep them in their allotted space, but will also save you more effort later in the year, when their stems have become woody and much bigger. So, take your courage in your hands and make some well-considered cuts now! Coming up: Summer pruning of trained apple and pear trees 1 Extend the flowering season Vigorous herbaceous…

Sow winter bedding NOW THAT all the spring activity is over, it’s time to think ahead to flowers for winter and next spring by sowing seeds of violas, pansies and primroses. These can be raised easily without the need for a heated propagator, as the temperatures under glass now will provide rapid germination. Sow seed thinly and shallowly into pots or trays of sieved multipurpose compost. WATCH Joe Swift demonstrate how to grow basil from seed at gardenersworld.com/ basil-seed Deter whitefly LOTS OF greenhouse crops – particularly tomatoes – suffer from infestations of whitefly in summer, but these pests can be kept to a minimum by growing tagetes (French marigolds) close by. The best varieties are those with small flowers and plenty of highly scented foliage, which masks the smell of…

Encourage variegation CHECK YOUR variegated shrubs and trees for stems that are green all over and lacking variegated leaves. Trace these down to their base, where they are growing from a main branch, and use sharp secateurs or loppers to remove them. These shoots have undergone a process known as reversion and are more vigorous than the variegated parts of the plant as they photosynthesise more efficiently. If you don’t remove them, they will gradually dominate the plant, taking over from the decorative, more colourful foliage. Remove blanket weed from ponds NOW THAT the water in ponds is warm, blanket weed – a form of green, filamentous algae – will start to romp away. Its dense growth, made of many fine strands, can quickly choke a pond, not only making…

LEAVEOUT A DISH of meat-based cat or dog food and a saucer of water for hedgehogs. Spread a mulch of well-rotted compost, manure or shredded bark around trees, shrubs and roses when the soil is moist. This will help contain moisture in the soil and increase invertebrate activity – perfect for foraging birds, amphibians and hedgehogs. Fill gaps between paving stones with tough low-growing plants such as creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) and Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus). Plant up containers and hanging baskets with nectar-rich annuals including honeywort (Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’), poached-egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii) and single-flowered dwarf marigolds (calendula and tagetes). Don’t forget to harden off plants before moving them outside.…

Cottage garden-style growing can produce better veg. Planting your crops in among flowers can help to foil pests, attract pollinators and make plants grow stronger. Though evidence for the benefits of ‘companion planting’ is largely anecdotal, many combinations make good sense and can maximise your space. Tuck the right flowers, herbs and other edibles around your veg in the garden or in containers for a great display, healthy plants and bumper harvests. Tomatoes with tagetes French marigolds (Tagetes patula) give off a distinctive smell that whitefly hate – so planting them under toms, particularly in a greenhouse, helps keep this pest at bay. Tagetes enjoy the same sunny, frost-free conditions as tomatoes. Buy them as inexpensive plugs and pop into borders, pots or growing bags as you plant your toms,…

Christine Walkden Garden writer Christine appears on BBC1’s The One Show . She is also a lecturer and tour leader. Matthew Wilson Garden designer Matthew was curator of RHS Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr, and often appears on television. Pippa Greenwood Pippa is one of the foremost experts on pests and diseases. She gardens using organic methods. Q Which plants are not poisonous to dogs? Gil Elgar, by email ACHRISTINE SAYS The main issue with this sort of advice is that some dogs can become ill when chewing on things that other dogs find perfectly fine. Do an internet search for ‘plants poisonous to dogs’, and it will come up with lots of sites listing plants that may cause problems for dogs, along with great advice. The Dogs Trust has…

“ Botanical art is a great divider. The best exponents are those who can combine botanical accuracy with a degree of spirit” What do you look for in a painting? There have been plenty of opportunities this year to look at all kinds of floral and garden art, from exhibitions at the Royal Academy encompassing the works of Manet and Monet, to the National Gallery’s room full of wonderful Dutch flower paintings that bear no resemblance to reality since their vases are stuffed with daffodils, peonies, lilies and roses, all of which appear to be in bloom at the same time. Purists might wince at such groupings, but I love their billowing bountifulness and can put to one side my horticultural pedantry in the interests of visual delight. Botanical art…

WHEN: all year round Weeds are immensely successful, simply because they’ve evolved to thrive in local conditions. Opinions do vary as to what constitutes a weed, but the best-known definition is that of ‘a plant growing in the wrong place’, so one person’s weeds can be another’s wildflowers. Identify your opponents and always try to control them when they’re young, as large established weeds are much more difficult to remove, and single plants turn into thousands if allowed to set seed. Perennial weeds are by far the most troublesome: most are long lived and can re-grow from even tiny pieces of root. Annual weeds complete their life cycle in about 12 months and are really just a nuisance. Weeds grow most vigorously in spring and summer, but should be controlled…

WHEN: all year round, depending on the plant Creating new plants from pieces of stem – a process known as taking cuttings – is a fantastic way to make more plants for virtually no cost. Many shrubs and tender plants root readily from cuttings of this year’s new growth, taken in late spring and early summer and called ‘softwood’ cuttings. Cuttings can be raised on a warm windowsill out of direct sunlight. Expect reasonable results using nothing more than good compost and polythene bags, although better results can be achieved by improving the compost and using rooting compound and a heated propagator. Take lots of cuttings, as they won’t all survive. You can take cuttings all year round – semi-ripe ones are taken from late summer until mid-autumn, and hardwood…

WHEN: March-October Lawns are great multi-use spaces, yet with the exception of mowing are often overlooked when it comes to maintenance. Grass tends to take a pounding, particularly in summer, but will repay regular care by looking green and gorgeous, as well as being more able to withstand weather extremes. Feeding is an important job, but the fertiliser must be designed for use at that time of year. Choose a fertiliser only, or one combining feed with weed- or moss-killer, depending on whether you like flowers in your lawn. Most lawns can be left unwatered during dry spells, with the exception of ‘bowling green’ types, and will quickly green up again once rain arrives. A worn lawn can be rejuvenated in autumn by spiking, top dressing with an equal parts…

WHEN: all year round Your garden, bank balance and the environment will all benefit if you recycle garden and kitchen waste into rich, fertile compost to improve your soil structure and feed your plants. Plastic or wooden compost bins are ideal, as they speed the rotting process and keep waste tidily contained. It’s a good idea to have at least two, so that one can be filling up while the other one ‘cooks’. There are many different designs available to buy, or you can make your own from four wooden pallets tied together and covered to keep rain out and heat in. While most garden waste and some kitchen waste can be composted, do avoid adding weed seeds, the roots of perennial weeds, and any diseased plant material, which would…