Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i BBC Gardeners' World

Meet Monty Join our exclusive reader trip to Provence this June, and discover incredible gardens, enjoy wine tasting AND meet Monty at one of his favourite gardens. For details of this six-day tour, turn to page 46. Bundles of ideas Treat yourself to our offer of two Gardeners’ World special editions on bulbs and small spaces. Worth £14, subscribers can buy both for £9.98 with the code gwsebundle18. See bit.ly/GW-bundle Home from home If you’re inspired by our houseplant features to be more adventurous in your style, try creating a terrarium. Watch our video at gardenersworld.com/terrarium Learn new skills Discover more about gardening techniques in our exclusive GW Mag Masterclasses, hosted by Savill Garden. See the full programme on p55.…

1 GREEN SPACES Green spaces reduce clinical depression by 30% compared with indoor areas, it was revealed at the first World Forum on Urban Forests. wfuf2018.com 2 BLARNEY CASTLE Up for a kiss? Blarney Castle’s garden in Ireland, famous for its Blarney Stone, will be in our 2 for 1 Entry Gardens Guide for 2019, free with the May issue. blarneycastle.ie 3 HOORAY FOR COLOMBIA Celebrate the biodiversity and culture of Colombia, from 10 February to 11 March 2019, at Kew Gardens. kewgardens.org 4 SEED FAIRS It looks like February is the month to try something new, with potato and seed fairs across the country. Find your nearest event at potato-days.net 5 PESTICIDE BAN Defra has announced that it will ban the slug pesticide metaldehyde for use in British gardens…

1 ‘Biddenham Strawberry’ A small-flowered decorative dahlia. The rich pink petals are yellow at the base. Height 1.5m 2 ‘Primrose Diane’ Small decorative type with lovely, pale-yellow flowers. H 100cm 3 ‘Bora Bora’ Vividly colourful cactus dahlia, that produces its large flowers for months. H 100cm 4 ‘Gay Princess’ A decorative type with bright pink flowers. The petal tips have three points, creating a frilly look. H 1.2m 5 ‘David Howard’ Miniature decorative dahlia with soft orange flowers and dark purple-bronze foliage. Copes well with lighter soil. H 100cm 6 ‘Kenora Valentine’ A giant decorative type with brilliant red flowers and pointed petals. H 1.5m…

There’s no point fibbing to you – February is not my favourite month. But it’s an important one if you’re planning to grow your own veggies. To get the best from your plot, and enjoy great summer harvests, it’s best to start now. A little planning will really pay dividends and, even if the weather is bad, there are still things you can do on a windowsill, in a greenhouse and even the comfort of your sofa with a nice cup of tea. And if you get one of those lovely crisp, sunny winter days, just a few hours of pottering will help you feel prepared when warmer weather does arrive and everything explodes into life. Assess your seeds If you’re anything like me, you’ll have bought too many seeds…

Every home should have a houseplant, preferably several. Not only do they look great, but indoor plants may also improve the air we breathe. Some studies show houseplants absorb toxic volatile organic compounds, such as benzene and formaldehyde, which can be released by furniture, cleaning products and household appliances. Indoor plants can also reduce stress levels and lower blood pressure* . Succulents are especially good in this regard as they’re easy to grow, so you’ll never lose sleep worrying about their upkeep. They come in a huge range of shapes and sizes to suit every home and budget, and they’re so on-trend they’re our must-have plant for 2019. Succulents your questions answered Q What are succulents? Plants that retain water in their stems or leaves, allowing them to survive in…

POT ON STAND Elegant, antique-finish, iron plant pot on a tall stand. 75cm x 28cm, £59, collardmanson.co.uk RECYCLED GLASS VASE This makes a great compact terrarium (contents not included). 20cm x 21cm, £20, trouva.com PLANT ORNAMENTS Decorate your houseplants with small brass animals. Etched in metal, the hands bend to attach to plants. From £5.50, another-studio.com ALUMINIUM POTS AND TERRARIUM Set of three attractive rust-proof pots with matching saucers, 10cm x 8cm, £11.99. Terrarium, 37cm x 39cm, £66.99, waitrosegarden.com PLANT SNIPS Handy snips, with super-sharp, 50mm blades for precise pruning. £12, niwaki.com HANGING BASKET Fit in more houseplants with this hanging plant pot, available in three geo designs. 9cm x 12cm, £9, albertandmoo.com COPPER WATERING CAN This sleek, practical can is rustproof and easy to pour. Also available in a…

1 USE a string line or cane as a guide to get the row straight. Draw out a wide, flat-bottomed drill, about 4–5cm deep, using the whole blade edge of the hoe. 2 KNEEL or stand on a board to protect the soil beside the drill. Sow the beans in a zigzag formation at the edges of the drill, about 10cm apart. 3 RAKE the soil that was pulled out of the drill back over the seeds. Tamp it down gently with the back of the rake, leaving the soil level slightly lower than the edges. 4 MARK both ends of the row with a low cane, so you can see where it starts and finishes. Write a label to remind you of the variety and date of sowing.…

Jerusalem artichoke A sweet and nutty alternative to potato, grown for its tubers and related to the sunflower 3 WAYS TO TRY • Peel and quarter, then roast for 20 minutes with sage and lemon in a little olive oil. Lay chicken breasts on top and roast until the skin is golden. • Lay slices of peeled Jerusalem artichokes and unpeeled potato in a shallow dish. Dot with garlic, butter and gently fried onion, cover and bake for 1-1½ hours. • Roast with a drizzle of olive oil. Add to a pan with cooked chestnuts, fried onion, chicken stock and cream. Bring to the boil, then blend and strain to serve. Nutrition Jerusalem artichokes are a good source of potassium and iron. They also have a prebiotic effect, helping promote…

The countdown to spring is on and the urge to get growing is irresistible! It’s so cheering to see those early plants already out the blocks, shimmying their heads above ground or popping out buds as they soak up every ray of light in our lengthening days. These are the tough guys of the garden – hellebores, witch hazels, clematis and more... hardy as a boot, their roots down in the warmth underground. But while there’s still an icy crust on soil to contend with, I salve the need to get growing by turning indoors – tucked up in the greenhouse or, when it’s really nippy, sowing seeds at the kitchen table, mug of tea and radio close to hand. And if, like me, your resolution this year was to…

On the whole botanists are friends to gardeners as they organise the plant world to make it easy to understand. But sometimes… For example: you’d think that Iris reticulata and reticulata irises were the same thing – well, yes and no. Reticulata irises are a popular group of small, early flowering iris species with short flower stems followed by long leaves that grow in dry areas of central Europe and central Asia. Growing from bulbs, the group contains ten species, including Iris histrio and the infuriating I. danfordiae, which usually only flowers well once before fading away. And amongst those ten reticulata irises is: Iris reticulata. The main thing is that though these species are all slightly different, they all need the same growing conditions and we can treat them…

I’m as cheered as the next gardener by a drift of snowdrops in February – traditionally the first sign that winter won’t last forever. But note that word drift. Individual snowdrops don’t pack much of a punch, and if they flowered in June no-one would pay them much attention; to look good, they really need to be seen en masse. So, growing plants whose finer points can only be appreciated while lying on the ground with your nose in the mud, and most likely wearing reading glasses as well, strikes me as a fine example of missing the point. “Individual snowdrops don’t pack much of a punch” But even worse than that are cultivars that have dispensed completely with the whole snowdrop USP – which, in case you’ve forgotten, is…

“It’s a testament to the importance of David’s work in rose breeding that his memory will live on in gardens across Britain and all over the world,” said Rachel de Thame, following the death of David Austin Snr on 19 December 2018. “His beautiful roses will continue to delight future generations. What better legacy could one wish for.” Austin, who was known as ‘the father of English roses’, will be remembered as one of the greatest rose cultivators and breeders of all time. He created some of the world’s most popular varieties by combining the charm and fragrance of old roses, with the colour and repeat flowering of hybrid tea roses. Austin bred over 240 varieties during his career, notably his first, ‘Constance Spry’, in 1961, ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ (twice voted…

• Never plant in frosty weather – plants are more prone to freezing when they’re in pots as they don’t have the earth to insulate them. • If you’re using large containers, place them where you think they’re likely to stay as they can be heavy when filled. • Plants that will be in the pot a short while, such as bulbs bought close to flowering, can be dunked, still in their plastic nursery pot, into larger containers. They won’t grow much over the coming weeks, and can be easily removed and planted out if they will flower for years to come, or composted if annuals. • Plants that will be in the pot for years, such as shrubs, need something that will sustain them longer than multi-purpose compost –…

The important thing to remember about starting dahlia tubers into growth is not to rush into it. It’s like lighting the blue touchpaper on a firework – once you’ve done it, there’s no going back... With dahlia tubers you have three choices. First, you can pot up the tubers now and take cuttings from the vigorous new growth. Alternatively you can pot up the tubers in early April and simply transplant them directly outdoors in late May or June. Finally, you can wait until after the last frost and plant the tubers directly outdoors. Keep the tubers in a dark, cool but frost-free place until you’re ready to plant them. I encourage you to give the first option a try. It’s easier than you might think and you’ll get an…

• Broad beans If you’re down south and have well-drained soil that isn’t frozen, then hardy varieties of broad bean can be sown straight into the ground. Where I am, further north on heavier soil, I tend to warm the ground with fleece and plant in raised beds with good drainage. • Rhubarb It’s a good time to plant rhubarb crowns. If you don’t have room in your veg plot, plant it in a border, as it makes an attractive background plant. • Beetroot, radishes, peas and carrots These can all be sown outdoors, but will need a little protection from a cold frame or cloche. Try early carrots, such as ‘Nantes 2’ or ‘Adelaide’, and early peas, such as ‘Feltham First’ or ‘Sugar Ann’. • Tomatoes and chillies Sow…

Sheds are invaluable, but all too easily become neglected eyesores. Still, especially in a small garden, they need to earn their place and look good as well as be useful. With a bit of planning and inspiration, a shed can offer a whole new space for living, playing and even growing. So don’t leave yours sulking at the bottom of your garden – check out our 10 quick and easy ideas for making the most of this time-honoured garden essential. 1 Be clever with colour Painting your shed will not only protect the wood, but can change the look and feel of your garden too. Bright colours will bring vibrancy to your garden and lift your spirits. More neutral shades such as olive green will make your shed less prominent…

Make and repair plant supports Go through your plant supports now and make sure they are strong enough to hold everything up this season. Mend them as necessary. This month is also perfect for collecting hazel sticks that can be bound into shapes and tied with wire, cable ties or garden string to make new supports. Bamboo canes make very strong structures as well. Get creative and make it a feature – but they must take the weight of the plant, too. VISIT gardenersworld.com/creative-projects for tips on making your space more interesting Take root cuttings Root cuttings are taken when the plant is dormant and Oriental poppies, phlox and primulas are all ideal candidates. Dig up the plant and cut away some of the roots from close…

Canna plants will add a wondrous exoticism to your garden. They need protection over winter so only southerly gardeners will be able to leave them in beds all year. Either grow them in pots or lift them when they’re cut back in the autumn and protect for the winter. Start them off in the greenhouse before putting back outside. 1 POT overwintered canna rhizomes quickly as they musn’t dry out. They are often supplied now in dormant form. 2 FILL a large pot with the richest potting compost you can find. Pot the rhizome with any shoots showing above the surface. 3 FIRM the compost well so that it’s not displaced when watered. Soak thoroughly to start growth and place in plenty of light.…

Start off sweet peas Few seed-raised flowers are more obliging than sweet peas. Pop in those large seeds, give them moisture and a little heat, and up they come, ready to be planted at the foot of any suitable support. Here they will flower their socks off through the summer, provided that they don’t lack water, and you keep picking the bright and scented flowers to prevent them from running to seed. Now is a great time to sow. Some do so in autumn, but then there is the faff of keeping the plants alive through the worst of the winter weather. I’d far rather sow the seeds now and keep the plants growing happily until planting-out time in April. Grown well, they will produce a succession of flowers until…

Plant bare-root, mid-season canes now, 30-40cm apart in a row. New canes will sprout from the base in spring – once these are growing strongly, cut out the original cane. These plants will fruit next year, and for many years to come. 1 UNWRAP the plants and stand them in a bucket of water for a couple of hours so the roots rehydrate, before planting. 2 PLANT at even spacings then tie the canes to horizontal wires to reduce movement and help the roots get established.…

Later this month we’ll chit first early potatoes. Chitting encourages earlies to break bud and gives them a head start when planted. We have found that chitted first earlies produce a greater yield. Six tubers of chitted ‘Foremost’ produced 5kgs, whereas six nonchitted tubers produced 3kg. These examples were harvested on the same day, but chitted ones are often ready to harvest by up to a week earlier. Maincrops take longer to develop and don’t need chitting. Four to six weeks before planting, place earlies in an egg box, with the end with the most buds facing up. Keep in a bright, warm, airy and frost-free place. Short, sturdy green or purple shoots are the goal.…

Whether you love the hit of a super-spicy chilli, or prefer your food mild and mellow, there’s a variety for every taste – particularly if you grow your own. Chillies make pretty plants, with jewel-like fruits in red, purple and green. They thrive in any warm, sunny spot, outdoors or in, and the more compact varieties make gorgeous houseplants. Chillies are also said to be good for your health, helping to ward off infections and packed with antioxidants. There are sweet varieties tasting of spicy fruit, as well as scorching super-hots that will clear the cobwebs. Sow seeds now to give them plenty of time to mature. To get you started, we asked leading chilli grower Matt Simpson to reveal his most popular varieties, from the mildest to the very…

You need somewhere warm and bright to start your chilli seeds. A heated propagator is ideal, but a windowsill indoors is fine. Grow compact varieties in a sunny spot inside, where they make great houseplants. In the south of the country, early ripening varieties can be hardened off and grown outside when the weather is warm. If you’ll be growing outside, sow in March or April indoors and only plant out after the last frost. Give them your sunniest, most sheltered spot. You can grow a wider range of varieties in a greenhouse, including super-hots, most of which need a long growing season to reach full ripeness. 1 Chillies need a long growing season to fruit well – the hotter the chilli, the more time they require – so sow…

• A winter chill is needed by some seeds before they will germinate. The right conditions can be created by a process called cold stratification, which involves placing the seeds in a fridge or freezer, or standing the tray of sown seeds outdoors over winter. • The largest seed in the world is that of the tropical palm coco de mer or Lodoicea maldivica. These posterior-shaped seeds can weigh up to 20kg! • Scarification can break dormancy in some seeds with a tough outer coating. Damaging this in some way, by scratching or nicking it, allows water inside the seed to start germination. • Specific compounds or enzymes trigger germination in some seeds. Several Australian seeds only germinate after having passed through the digestive system of a cassowary bird, while…

Christine Walkden Garden writer Christine appears on BBC1’s The One Show. She is also a lecturer and tour leader. Pippa Greenwood Pippa is one of the foremost experts on pests and diseases. She gardens using organic methods. Matt Biggs Matt trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Q What should I plant for a pretty, low-maintanence border? Terry Stratton, Peterborough ACHRISTINE SAYS I would plant shrubs and perennials through a layer of landscape or weed suppressing fabric, covered with a thick layer of bark to reduce weeds. Try Weigela florida ‘Foliis Purpureis’ with its lovely funnel-shaped, rosy pink flowers, alongside Fuchsia magellanica ‘Sharpitor’ for a long season of light pink flowers and creamy-white margined leaves. Underplant with hardy geraniums such…

GIANT PUMPKIN Allotment plans for the next generation We started a family allotment just over a year ago. Our son Logan loves the outdoors and had his mind set on growing a huge pumpkin. This was the result, grown from seed and without any help. He’s so proud, as are we, and he already has plans for this year! Faye Gilbert, Lichfield Blooming surprise Due to the lovely hot weather last summer, our two loquat trees were covered with flowers in November. In the past, there have only been a few blossoms and very little fruit. The scent is intoxicating and is a welcome boost for bees as other flowers fade. After flowering so well, hopefully they will produce plenty of fruit this year. Chris & Colin Tait, Fareham 2…

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I was talking to a psychiatrist about the worrying rise of depression among young people. What was increasingly apparent, he said, was that there was no one cure or treatment. With every patient, you simply found a way that would trigger the process of healing or adaption, and very often this meant a combination of things such as medication, therapy and gardening - but without ever being sure which element was being most effective. Anyone who’s suffered from depression will know the truth of this from direct experience. Drugs can be transformative for a while and then not work at all or more often, as I found, leave you not knowing if they were working or not. Friends, family, and getting out and about can be really important, but sometimes…

I’m going to say something controversial – I like February. I know this puts me in the minority, but if you look closely there are hints of the coming spring everywhere, from bulging buds to emerging bulbs. The frustration for gardeners, is that there’s little to actually do outdoors. The ground is still too cold to plant much out. So why not create a container? The showstoppers here are the hellebores and correa. Everything in this pot is perennial and mostly shade loving, so they can be planted out once they’ve outgrown their space. Being an antipodean native, the correa, or Australian fuchsia, can only cope with temperatures down to 1°C, so if you get frosts, you will need to protect this under a warm wall, porch or conservatory. 1…

Bedding dahlias, which last for one season, are easy to raise from seed in March-April. Longer-lasting perennial dahlias, such as ‘Bishop’s Children’, are easy too, and should be sown this month or next. This is because they need a longer growing season, to give them plenty of time to form tubers that are big enough to store over winter. If you wait until April to sow them, you’ll probably still get flowers by late August, but the tubers won’t be large enough to store successfully. The same simple sowing technique can be used for both types of dahlia. Fill a seed tray with peat-free seed compost and firm it down. Scatter the seeds thinly over the surface, then cover lightly with a layer of sieved compost. Water and allow to…

• Brighton Between Two Thorns, 67 Upper North Street, BN1 3FL • Bristol Old Market Plants, 50 Gloucester Lane, BS2 0DP • Edinburgh Dahlia, 17 Roseneath Street, EH9 1JH • Exeter Hutch, 9 Paris Street, EX1 2JB • London North Conservatory Archives, 493-495 Hackney Road, E2 9ED • London South Forest, rear of 43 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich, SE22 8EW • Manchester Flourish, 8A Tib Street M4 1PQ • York Botanic, 27 Walmgate, YO1 9TX ONLINE • Crocus, crocus.co.uk • Hortology, hortology.co.uk • House of Plants, houseofplants.co.uk…

Many strong upright flower stems are left over winter to give welcome structure to the border, as well as to allow finches, sparrows and tits to feed on the seeds. Flowerheads of agastache, echinacea and phlomis look beautiful in the winter frosts, however, they can start to look tatty by the end of winter. Now is the time to clear them away before the new shoots emerge. This will help keep the plant healthy and will give you a chance to weed through the bed and mulch, too. 1 CUT flower stems right to the base using secateurs and clear away any old stubs that are left from previous years. This will give the new shoots plenty of room to grow strongly upright. 2 GATHER up all the prunings; if…

Sow broad beans Homegrown broad beans are sweeter, greener and more delicious than anything you’ll buy. They can be sown from now until April and again in late autumn. Water well after sowing and the seeds will germinate in two to three weeks. Bean pods get heavy, so the plants will need support. Put this in place before or soon after sowing. Drive in two strong, 90cm-long poles on either side of the drill, and the same at the other end of the row. Then attach two string lines, at 30cm and 60cm above the ground. As the plants grow, make sure they stay inside the string lines. You’ll be harvesting delicious young beans by late May. Keep picking regularly, so the pods don’t grow large and knobbly, as the…

1 SOAK seeds for a few hours in water, then sow singly in modular trays or root trainers. Use a pencil to push them 1cm deep into peat-free, multi-purpose compost. 2 PLACE in a heated propagator in a frost-free greenhouse, porch or on a windowsill. Seeds will germinate if the temperature is kept between 13° and 18°C. 3 PINCH OUT shoot tips after the seedlings reach 10cm high, to encourage branching and more flowers. Keep compost moist and harden off before planting out. 4 PLANT by supports with netting attached in a sunny spot in rich, moisture-retentive soil laced with well-rotted compost or manure. Tie in shoots as they grow.…

An asparagus bed needs thorough preparation to ensure your new plants settle in successfully and provide lots of succulent spears for years to come. Choose an open site with good drainage, and weed it thoroughly before planting. Asparagus plants are available as bare-root crowns, usually by mail order. Choose a male variety, so you don’t end up with self-sown seedlings that will compete with the main plants. Let the plants establish for a couple of years before you start harvesting the spears. Add a thick layer of organic matter to the bed every autumn and general fertiliser every spring. 1 DIG out a wide trench about 40cm deep and break up the soil in the base. Then create a central ridge, 20cm high, along the length of the trench, so…

Key to heat rating: Mild (0-10,000 SHU) Hot (10,000-100,000 SHU) Very hot (100,000-1,000,000 SHU) Super hot (1,000,000 SHU+) Alma Paprika Scoville Heat Units (SHU) 0 Growing difficulty Easy Sweet and mild, but with a hint of black pepper, this richly flavoured and prolific Hungarian heirloom is dried to make paprika. The small plants are early-fruiting enough to try outdoors. Erotico 1,000-5,000 Easy This is a cold-tolerant baccatum type, overwintering well in a cool greenhouse for a second year of harvests. The cheeky fruits have a tangy, apple-like flavour. Hungarian Black 5,000-10,000 Fairly easy A real looker, with gorgeous purple flowers and mild but richly flavoured fruits that ripen from red wine to dramatic black. It’s early to mature, too, so worth trying outdoors. Aji Wrecking Ball 10,000-50,000 Fairly easy Loads…

Complete Guide to Bulbs Create impact in your garden with Complete Guide to Bulbs. Designed for all levels of gardener, this 132-page special edition will help you get the most from your planting. Bulbs are an easy way to transform the displays in your plot and this guide will help you create and enjoy colour all year round. Only £6.99 incl. P&P at magsdirect.co.uk/magazine/gwbulbs18 Small Space Gardening Make the most of your outside space, whatever the size, with our inspiring 132-page special edition. Full of easy-to-follow projects and packed with creative ideas and space-saving solutions, this guide will help you conquer the challenges of a small space with clever tricks to help you get the best from your plot. Only £6.99 incl. P&P at magsdirect.co.uk/GWsmallspace18…

Gardening is all about patience, right? You sow your seeds. You wait. And usually you’re rewarded with a beautiful plant. But sometimes plans go awry. You do all the usual things, but the seeds simply don’t germinate. This has happened to me plenty of times, indoors and out. So what causes seeds to sulk and refuse to grow? There are many possibilities, ranging from temperature to compost choice, but one of the most common is the age and quality of the seeds. Rates of germination from packeted seeds should be up to 100 per cent at purchase, but they decline if the seeds aren’t stored well. I’ve noticed fewer than half the seeds germinating from a poorly stored two-year-old packet. So how should you store seeds? In the short term,…

“There’s something about anticipation that gives gardening an extra frisson of excitement” Of all the months in the year, I think February is the one that glories in what a monastic friend of mine calls ‘the postponement of gratification’. The old saying ‘the darkest hour is just before the dawn’ comes to mind. In other words, this is as bad as it gets. And yet there’s something about anticipation that gives gardening an extra frisson of excitement. We might be treated to snowdrops at this time of year, the odd bloom on winter-flowering shrubs, bright bark on dogwoods and willows, but for nature’s brightest glories we must wait a little longer. Is that a bad thing? I don’t think so. We live in a world whose population has become used…