Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i BBC Gardeners' World

1 BUMBLEBEES LIKE PINK City bumblebees prefer pink and purple flowers, and perennials over annuals1 . Scientists studied 17 species of urban bumblebee – each has favourite flowers, flower shape is also a factor. 2 TATTON TOPS POLL Tatton Park, Cheshire, had the best reviews of any National Trust garden this year, followed by Corfe Castle, Dorset2 . Rowallane Garden, Co. Down, was rated the Trust’s top ‘hidden gem’. nationaltrust.org.uk 3 NEW FLOWER MARKET London has its first new flower market in 150 years. Held in Chiswick on the first Sunday of the month (9.30am-3pm), it sells plants and cut flowers. chiswickflowermarket.com 4 ‘SPONGE PARK’ TACKLES FLOODING A rain garden and wetland meadow, to absorb excess rainfall and flooding, feature in Manchester’s new West Gorton Community Park, it also includes…

“I always sow sweet peas around mid-October, hoping for a really good, earlyish display, which this year was by the third week of May” This time last year we still had sweet peas flowering. Not prizewinning blooms I’ll warrant you, although even the least successful sweet pea is still a lovely thing. But, like the swallows, most sweet peas are gone by mid-September and their best time is early to mid-summer, although that is dictated by the weather and when the seeds were sown. This year saw a very dry spring and a summer that was not ideal for sweet pea growers. They flower best in cool, damp conditions. If grass is growing well, so too will the sweet peas. As for sowing times, professional and competitive growers always sow…

Right now, the greenhouse is my favourite place to be. It’s dry, so a welcome place to shelter from the blustery garden, but it’s also where I can get planting again, to add some fresh flavours to my winter harvest. This month, I’ll be showing you how to use your greenhouse, polytunnel or whatever covered space you have, to fill your family’s plates with mouthwatering home-grown food even in the off season. I wouldn’t be without my little aluminium eight-by-six (2.4m x 1.8m) greenhouse at this time of year: it extends my summer harvests, then lets me reboot my supplies – many crops don’t mind the cooler, shorter days of winter, yet grow far better with a little extra shelter. It’s a great way to expand your cold-weather repertoire beyond…

‘Rajka’ Origin: Czech Republic A very attractive, heavy cropping, modern variety. The flesh is white, firm and distinctively crisp. It’s one of the best dessert varieties – very juicy and sweet, with perfectly balanced acidity and notes of strawberry. It makes excellent juice and the best tarte tatin. Pollination group C Harvest mid-Oct ‘Lord Lambourne’ Origin: Bedfordshire An excellent dessert variety, it produces reliable crops with exceptional flavour and a sweet aroma. It was bred in 1907 by Laxton Brothers, who were among the best fruit breeders of their generation, and I think this is possibly their finest creation. The fruits will store well until November. Pollination group C (partially self-fertile) Harvest mid-Sept/Oct ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ Origin: Nottinghamshire The classic cooking apple, now more than 200 years old. Fruits have a…

My sky is never empty. At dawn there may be just a lone crow beating a steady path north, or at dusk, the curiously undulating, huge wings of a heron heading to roost in a willow above the ditch. Ducks in pairs race headlong and straight, and thin skeins of geese breast the morning air. Until about 10 years ago, spring was rich with the sad warbling call of the curlew but here, as in so many places, it is now just a haunting memory. Then in late spring and summer, our sky is positively chaotic with martins and swallows by the hundred, cutting wheeling curves like sky skaters. One of the reasons for so much bird activity is that we do everything we can to encourage insects in the…

It has not been a good year for statues. Some – commemorating individuals who profited from the abhorrent slave trade – have been unceremoniously removed. My feelings about such actions are in line with those of a woman I met 20 years ago in South Africa. Her name is Graça Machel and she was married to a man for whom I had the greatest pleasure in making a garden – Nelson Mandela. His own statue stands in a corner of Parliament Square and I smile at him and nod a greeting every time I pass. Graça Machel explained that, in her view, tearing down statues of those whose activities we now revile will not resolve the problems of the past. Rather, their existence is a reminder that we must not…

New logo guarantees plants free from peat and pesticides A new logo, guaranteeing the plants you buy are enjoyed by pollinating insects and also free of insecticides, is now in use on plants sold in Wales. “76% of plants on sale contained pesticides” To use the Saving Pollinators label, launched by the National Botanic Garden of Wales (NBGW), growers must guarantee those plants have been grown without pesticides, and in peat-free compost. Twenty-three nurseries in Wales (several of which offer plants by mail order) are part of the pilot scheme, which runs until 2022, after which it’s hoped the label will expand UK-wide. The NBGW runs inspections, to check nurseries are complying. To identify which plants are most beneficial to pollinators, NBGW analysed the pollen on insects’ backs and in…

“Making our gardens interesting and exciting in every season helps us make the most of them ” Once upon a time, the majority of gardeners embraced the concept of “putting your garden to bed”. Gardens were to be worked on and enjoyed during spring and summer, but by autumn it was time to start thinking about closing things down, cutting things back, tidying up, cleaning tools and retiring until the green shoots of spring started to emerge. How times change! Nowadays our gardens are a much more important part of our lives. We generally expect more from them, so are prepared to give more to them. Summer may be when we spend most time relaxing in our gardens, but through the rest of the year we still want to be…

Sow three seeds, spaced as far apart as possible, into each tall 7cm pot. If using deep modules, sow one seed in the centre. Press each seed gently into the surface with your finger, then cover with a light dusting of sieved compost. Firm the surface, then stand the pots in a tray of water to soak up moisture. Place in a coldframe or greenhouse to germinate.…

I can feel myself smiling when I talk about this stage of garden design. It’s a big opportunity to bring the space to life There is nothing more wonderful when you’re creating a garden than getting your hands on new plants. I can feel myself smiling just writing about this part of garden design! It’s a big opportunity to bring the space to life with a selection of plants that will provide structure, colour, form and texture to your displays. Design is important but it’s the plants that attract wildlife and connect us to our gardens through every one of our senses. “It’s plants that attract wildlife and connect us to the garden through our senses” That said, many people get anxious when it comes to planting and worry that…

“All the fruit we grow is served in our Michelin-starred restaurant – we now have more than 30 apple varieties, each with its own character” Apples have a place in every garden. Whether a dwarf tree in a pot or a fine mature specimen – their versatility, beauty and charm always justifies the space. The flavour of a perfectly ripe fruit, fresh from the tree, is unlike any supermarket apple. Fresh apples are rich in vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. And research suggests that organic apples may be higher in antioxidants, so if you grow your own, you can ensure they are chemical free and they are likely to be more nutritious too. Apples have been an important crop here at Gravetye Manor for hundreds of years, and the surrounding Sussex…

Steve Lloyd Hergest Croft Gardens, Herefordshire Which is your favourite apple grown in the garden? We grow ‘Charles Ross’ as a step-over here (grown on dwarf rootstock MM106). It has large fruit which are slightly aromatic, sweet, juicy and firm. The apples are great for both cooking and eating. How do you keep apple trees healthy? We prune the trees to help the sunlight ripen the fruit and mulch with our home-made compost in the autumn. We prefer to grow our apples organically to keep them healthy. What’s your tip for storing apples? Not all apples are suitable for storing – some won’t last or lose their sweetness, so check when you buy. Store apples in a cool, dark place and check regularly for signs of rotting. Bethan Pettitt Brantwood,…

The early weeks of October can be lovely and the garden is rich with the daily intensification of the autumnal colouring. But there is also a powerful sense that the season is over and the guests have all taken their things and are heading home. Nevertheless, there are still harvests to be had, both floral and edible, and none are more colourful than squashes and pumpkins. Good weather early in October makes a huge difference to their ripening and, although I cut off all the foliage at the beginning of October, or even earlier, I delay picking the fruits so they can have as much sunshine as possible. Even after harvesting, I leave them out on a table top to soak up yet more sun, so their skins will harden,…

Cut down asparagus stems Use secateurs to cut down all your asparagus stems now they have turned brown or yellow. Cut right back to ground level removing the opportunity for asparagus beetle to overwinter there. If you’ve suffered from asparagus beetle this summer, put the stems on the bonfire or in the municipal waste in case beetles are overwintering in those stems. Next, do a thorough weed through the bed, and remove any young asparagus seedlings that will compete for nutrients. Let the birds grub in the bed before mulching. Store fruit Go through the fruit you’ve harvested and select the perfect, unblemished ones for storage. Pears and apples will keep for several weeks if they are stored somewhere cool, dark, airy and dry. They are best separated, so either…

■ What type of work are you doing? Anvil loppers are best for cutting dead wood or for trimming before the final, clean cut with bypass loppers. They are good at cutting thick wood but anything bigger than 50mm needs a pruning saw. All loppers claim they can cut particular thicknesses but this depends on your own strength, what you’re cutting, the loppers’ weight, handle length and cutting mechanism. ■ What blade is best? Lopper blades are usually steel, with hardened or high carbon steel blades lasting the longest and the least likely to break or need regular sharpening. Longer blades are good for thick stems but still need the wood to be cut at the base of the blade to cut cleanly. A curved anvil will help you hook…

“The end of the summer is not the end of the world. Here’s to October...”AA Milne STAR OF THE MONTH Miscanthus nepalensis DANCING DUO With names like this we cannot help but be transported to a world of hot nights and sweaty dance halls. Sizzling orange, moody ‘Salsa’ and the tight-trousered tension of ‘Taupo Sunset’. Botanically, neither plant would suit a club, but it is October and we should be allowed to dream. Helenium autumnale ‘Salsa’ Deadhead to prolong flowering, but if you forget, don’t worry, as the seedheads look good in winter. H x S 50cm x 60cm Libertia ixioides ‘Taupo Sunset’ Evergreen foliage (although only in warm, very sheltered locations) and easy if given a sunny spot. Propagate by dividing clumps in spring. H…

What are your earliest memories of your garden in Israel? We had a tiny peach tree, no taller than I am now, and I remember eating the fruit, picked straight off the tree. Warm white peaches with a sweet perfume, texture on the outside and really juicy. In the sun the scent was even stronger – you could smell it before it got to your mouth. It’s one of those experiences we don’t often have. Did your family enjoy gardening? My father was a very keen gardener. He passed away last December at the age of 85 and until a few months before, he was still gardening. When I was young, he would have me mowing the lawn for pocket money and mist his orchid collection twice a day with…

As our gardens transcend from summertime sparkle to autumn riches, we’re presented with new opportunities to add colour to our gardens. “Pots are so useful at this time of year. Place one in an area that’s lacklustre to instantly re-energise it” A carefully curated planter, stuffed with sumptuous tones and textures, is a good place to start. Pots are so useful at this time of year – place one in an area of the garden that’s looking lacklustre to instantly re-energise it. Or you could put a cheery planter at the front door to greet guests and passersby, and place one close to a window so you can enjoy the colour on rainy days. The planting combination for this seasonal container relies on an autumnal palette of colours, and a…

From chirpy canary yellow and day-glow orange, through sugary pinks and sumptuous maroons to blends of many shades in a single bloom, tulips offer an unequalled spring colour palette. And there’s no easier way to experiment than in containers – here their blooms are engagingly elevated, they can be grouped for a concentrated splash and positioned in the areas where you spend the most time. By growing several varieties in the same pot, you can enhance their appearance by combining complementary or contrasting colours and shapes. Choose from flamboyant, over-sized parrot tulips and sumptuous multi-petalled doubles, or the simplicity of goblet-shaped singles and elegant lily-flowered types. It takes no more than 15 minutes to plant a pot up with tulip bulbs and you can then forget about them through the…

“ Only when you crouch down and examine my turf at close quarters will you realise that it is by no means what Wimbledon’s head groundsman would call the perfect lawn” I can remember with crystal clarity the day I decided to have an ‘organic lawn’. It was one of those clear, bright spring days, with the air fresh washed by a welcome shower. A blackbird was heaving a worm from the lawn to take back and feed its young, who were loudly clamouring for breakfast from the living mattress that is the clematis growing on the corner of the house wall. A heartening sight for any gardener, except that on this particular day it gave me cause for worry. The lawn, you see, was a mass of black patches,…

Plant forced hyacinths Heat-treated bulbs are available to buy now to plant indoors for early, fragrant blooms in spring. Pot them up into bulb fibre and leave the nose of the bulb above the surface. Place them somewhere cool and dark, such as in a garage, and cover with a thick layer of compost or use straw with a hessian sack over them. Check them regularly and bring them into the light when the developing shoots are 5cm long. Keep them cool and light as they grow, and only bring them into a warm room once the flowers are opening. Don’t forget Clear away summer bedding plants from beds and borders Dig up gladiolus corms to store over winter in a cool, dry place Plant out wallflowers, ready for spring.…

Best easy-to-use loppers Darlac Compact Compound Anvil Lopper £22.99 Surprisingly strong little loppers that are light and powerful, and great for easy general cutting of thicker branches. Best telescopic loppers Wolf Garten Telescopic Anvil Lopper £89.99 Well thought-out loppers with a secure locking telescopic mechanism, powerful cutting and flattened bolts to protect wood. Best general-use loppers Fiskars Power Gear X Anvil Lopper LX9 £79.99 Simple, easy-to-use geared loppers with long, light, comfortable handles and a strong cutting leverage. Best ratchet loppers Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Advantage Telescopic Ratchet Anvil Lopper £57.49 Light, strong loppers that cut dense wood methodically and cleanly. Great for reaching high branches and for less-able gardeners.…

Matthew Pottage Matthew is the curator of RHS Garden Wisley, the flagship garden of the Royal Horticultural Society in Surrey. Matt Biggs Matt trained at Kew and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Greenwood Pippa Pippa is one of the foremost experts on pests and diseases. She gardens using organic methods. Q How can I use my new greenhouse for growing? Aideen, Co. Armagh A MATT SAYS Now is the time to get ready for sowing next spring. Work out the number of containers, hanging baskets, troughs and pots you would like, and where in the garden they are going – in sun or shade. Once that has been decided, start ordering seeds and plants to suit, from catalogues or the internet, working out your planting schemes…