Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i BBC Gardeners' World

A brand new… podcast series of Alan Titchmarsh’s Favourites starts on 7 March. He’ll share his top plants for spring cheer, his favourite bedding for summer colour and the best slug-proof plants. Catch all our podcasts on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Grow delicious edibles… all year round, no matter your plot size, with our latest special edition. Buy online at Mags Direct or in stores now. bit.ly/SmallSpaceHarvests Celebrate spring… at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and enjoy a garden tour, seed-sowing demo, champagne reception and a four-course, Michelin-starred lunch. For more details see p141 Enjoy your FREE… sunflower and beetroot seeds next month, with the April issue! Keep up to date with us at FACEBOOK @GWmagazine INSTAGRAM @gardenersworldmag X (formerly Twitter) @GWmag PINTEREST @GWmag Looking to get in touch? Turn to…

‘Winter Waltz’ Scented with back-swept petals. The salmon-tinted trumpet darkens on some soils. H x S 25cm x 10cm F Feb-Mar ‘Snipe’ Elegant and scented, with swept-back petals and a long, creamy-yellow cup. H x S 15cm x 10cm F Feb-Mar ‘Angel’s Whisper’ Up to five sweetly scented flowers with a neat, slightly darker hoop and swept-back petals. H x S 15cm x 10cm F Mar-Apr ‘Tiny Bubbles’ Carries two or three dainty, strongly scented, long-tubed, rich golden flowers. H x S 15cm x 10cm F Apr Dwarf daffodils ‘Tête Bouclé’ Fully double with one or two yellow flowers on neat, self-supporting stems. H x S 25cm x 10cm F Mar-Apr “A host of golden daffodils…” Well, gold, and yellow, and white, and pink, and orange, and bicolours; and large-flowered,…

Rosy Hardy is owner of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants and a multiple Chelsea Gold Medal winner Michael Perry is a gardening author, podcaster and social media influencer Variegated plants are definitely a ‘Marmite’ subject – you either love them or hate them. They’re also a very English-garden one. I personally like Marmite, but generally am not a fan of variegated plants – some of them are just so ugly and look sick. Whenever I see a variegated plant it makes me feel quite sad. They always look so unhappy. This is not to say I hate all variegation, because as with all things there are always exceptions to the rule. But, in particular, I hate Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’, Farfugium japonicum giganteum (giant leopard plant) and Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Woodside Strain’, with…

Site and size Siting a pond in the right place is important for attracting wildlife and helping aquatic plants function properly. Ideally, your pond should be sheltered from cold winds and be in a warm, sunny position for at least half of the day so plants and wildlife such as tadpoles and dragonflies can thrive. If there is a low part in your garden, this could naturally aid water collection. If you’re going to dig a pond directly into a border, make sure that it’s level at the sides. The depth depends on use. If you want to add small fish, a depth of 60cm-1m is required. For a pond with no fish, 60cm should be fine. In all cases, remember to include some shallow areas and sloping sides, so…

Achillea millefolium (yarrow) A common self-seeding, perennial wildflower typically found growing in grassland, by roadsides and on waste ground. It has feathery leaves and flat, white flower heads through summer, which attract a wide range of pollinators. Grow in free-draining soil in full sun to partial shade. Rhinanthus minor (yellow rattle) Semi-parasitic, taking its water and nutrients from neighbouring plants, particularly grasses, this beneficial and attractive annual is useful in maintaining the right balance between wildflowers and overly vigorous grasses. Vibrant flowers provide summer colour followed by seed pods that rattle when seed is ripe. Trifolium repens (white clover) This small-leaved creeping perennial has rounded, white-marked leaves and, from May to October, creamy-white flowers with a touch of pale pink. It’s good for pollinators and a valuable food source for wood…

Propagating Vas takes semi-ripe cuttings of his plants in late summer, selecting healthy, non-flowering shoots that have at least two sets of leaves, then trimming below a node and removing any excess leaves. He cuts remaining leaves in half, then inserts the cuttings into small pots filled with gritty compost, firming them in well. He then gives them a good soaking with water and covers with a plastic bag until there are signs of new growth. Planting The best time to plant hydrangeas is in spring or autumn, when the soil is warm and moist. It’s possible to plant in summer but do keep an eye on moisture levels. Hydrangeas will thrive in most soil types, including alkaline and acidic soil. However, the pH of the soil will change the…

LIMITED PLACES YOUR DAY ■ 10am Arrive and enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits ■ 10.30am Guests split into two groups: garden tour/seed-sowing workshop with micro-herb tasting ■ 11.30am Groups swap ■ 12.45 Champagne and canapes ■ 13.15 Call for lunch ■ 13.30 Four-course lunch with wines and tea/coffee and petit fours. Note: you will be seated with other guests. ■ 4pm Depart with a complimentary goody bag 5 April 2024, £280pp BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine is again delighted to offer an exclusive event at the famous Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Belmond hotel. To celebrate and welcome in the spring season, join us for a day of fun that will include a garden tour, a seed-sowing masterclass with micro-herb tasting, a Champagne reception and a four-course, Michelinstarred lunch. Nestled in…

Plant a climbing hydrangea Climbing hydrangeas are a great solution for a cold, shady spot by a garden wall. They have pretty white flowers in the summer, which later fade to an attractive copper hue. When the leaves drop in winter, the visual appeal of the copper stems comes to the fore, too. This shrubby climbing plant naturally grows up into tall trees and will cling to your wall, using special roots that grow out of the stem and stick to the surface. Give your plant the best chances of success by soaking it in its pot before planting. Also, after you’ve firmed in the plant properly and given it plenty of water, spread a layer of garden compost over the area as a mulch. The base of any wall…

at Beaulieu, Hampshire 3 - 5 May 2024 SAVE 10%* QUOTE GWR5 VISIT bbcgardenersworldfair.com for more info and to book tickets Get Growing! In a NEW format for 2024, the Get Growing Stage sees wellness gardening expert, Ellen Mary, host top guests with seasonal tips including popular Cloud Gardener UK, the garden team from The Pig, and mushroom pros, the Caley Brothers. Hillier Heaven Bring a hint of calm to your garden with ideas from Hillier’s new, natural spring woodland feature, full of inspiration for shade, and captivating flowers and bulbs. Get 121 tips from their experts and buy plants from their superb retail stand. Fair highlights FRESH DEMOS Watch and learn as chefs from Lime Wood Hotel demo recipes with freshly grown produce, in Palace House’s Victorian Kitchen, hosted by BBC…

When I looked back at what I wrote in my March Welcome letter this time last year, I was interested to read the changing climate, and its impact on my garden, was on my mind. This hasn’t changed, although things have moved on – a year ago I was considering doing away with my lawn, and this year I’ve made the decision to actually do it. It’s all part of my Big Plan to make my garden more manageable and sustainable, which also involves removing metres of box hedge ravaged by caterpillars. Sad? Yes, but also exciting as I breathe new life into a garden that’s become tired after ten years in its current form. I will update here, of course. But it’s not all change, and much else remains…

Planning legislation to help boost biodiversity New planning rules to boost and protect natural habitat on the site of development projects could help to halt the decline of British wildlife. The legislation became mandatory in England from January and now forms part of planning regulations under the Town and Country Planning Act. Biodiversity rules are also to be introduced in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The new planning rules in England, centred on the concept of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), oblige developers to not only protect habitat on site, but also demonstrate measures to boost biodiversity by 10 per cent. Conservation charities say the legislation is long overdue. The State of Nature Report 2023 said that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world: 16 per…

Belles of the ball Leucojums (summer snowflakes) produce dainty nodding bells, similar to snowdrops but with larger flowers on taller stems, adding height to this smart display. Their leaves and stems can look sparse, so white bellis daisies provide cover at the base. The contrast of white and rich blue makes a striking combination. Feed once a fortnight with a liquid seaweed or tomato fertiliser to keep the daisies blooming. We used ➊ Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Pearl’ x 5 ➋ Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’ x 6 ➌ Bellis perennis ‘Tasso White’ x 5 ➍ 35cm square wooden planter Going for gold This upbeat combination of golden-yellow wallflower and bobbly blue muscari can’t fail to make an impact on your patio or windowsill. The wallflower and corydalis may not start flowering…

The Cottage Garden has evolved through a number of changes from when we first began to make the garden at Longmeadow in the spring of 1993. By then I had planned the layout of the whole garden, which meant I could start planting hedges and trees, but the role and function of the spaces or mini-gardens that this created was – and to a certain extent still is – fluid. So the Cottage Garden was intended to be a play lawn for the children, who were then toddlers. However, when the tractor I hired ploughed the first furrow I saw that the soil here was wonderfully rich and structured and would be wasted on a mere lawn. I decided then and there to make it our vegetable garden. The first…

Spring scent Enjoy scent with early-flowering bulbs, shrubs and climbers. Clematis armandii Flowers March-April Height x Spread 5m x 3m Primrose, Primula vulgaris F March-May  H x S 20cm x 35cm Wild daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus F March H x S 30cm x 10cm Evening scent Often white or pale in colour. They release scent as the air cools. Tobacco plant, Nicotiana sylvestris F July-September  H x S 1.5m x 60cm Night-blooming jasmine, Cestrum nocturnum F July-September H x S 2m x 1.2m Evening primrose, Oenothera biennis F June-August H x S 1.2m x 60cm Scented climbers Many scented climbers are vigorous growers and very easy to cultivate. Delavay honeysuckle, Lonicera similis delavayi F June-September H x S 4m x 2.5m Trachelospermum jasminoides F June-August H x S 9m x 6m…

Marginals Menyanthes trifoliata (bogbean) Low growing with fringed, white summer flowers and beautiful spreading leaves, this vigorous perennial is ideal for frogs and newts that use them like rafts across the pond. Oxygenators Hottonia palustris (water violet) Creates velvety, fern-like leaves across the pond, with beautiful pale spikes of flowers that come out in late spring. A good place for fish to lay eggs and for small creatures to shelter in. Floating Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (European frog bit) Rounded leaves provide a platform for amphibians to get in and out. Dangling roots absorb nutrients from the water and offer shade. Dies back to buds that sink in winter but returns in spring. Alisma plantago-aquatica (water plantain, mad dog weed) Delicate white curtains of flowers attract damselflies and dragonflies and, in turn,…

The start of March has to be one of the best moments for a gardener. It is the milestone that I use as a green light to start the season and begin sowing vegetables. On our exposed plot in Yorkshire, spring can come about a month later than down south but by March nature shows signs of the weather changing, with daffodils flowering and frogs spawning in our wildlife pond. The majority of vegetables can be sown this month, which can make it a very busy time indeed! I keep the hassle down by spreading sowing over a few weeks, though you may prefer to do it all in one go. It’s still too cold and wet where we are to sow outside until next month, so I do most…

STEP BY STEP Repot pond plants Pot on marginal pond plants that have filled their baskets before they start rooting into surrounding sediment. It keeps their growth fresh and healthy too. Soak the repotted basket thoroughly before you lower it back into the pond so that the compost doesn’t float away or colour the water. 1 LIFT the plant carefully out of the water. If roots have grown through the basket, cut it down one side to free the plant. 2 SELECT a pond basket 10cm bigger in diameter and repot the plant using soil-based aquatic compost or John Innes No. 2. 3 MULCH the pot using large aggregate gravel heavy enough to weigh down the compost as it goes into the water. Give your lawn its first mow Mow…

MASSES OF PERFUMED BLOOMS This dwarf lilac, Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’, has been grafted into a striking lollipop shape for a neatly rounded head of flowers. In late spring, ‘Palibin’ bears an abundance of sweetly perfumed mauve-pink blooms that fill the air with fragrance. Grow in free-draining alkaline-to-neutral soils in decorative terracotta pots or plant directly into cottage garden borders. Height x Spread 1.5m x 1.5m Flowers May-Jun Supplied on a 60cm stem ◼ 1 potted plant (2L) £32.99 £19.99 SAVE £13 (40567) ◼ 2 potted plants (2L) £65.98 £38.99 SAVE £26.99 (KB5922) MORE GREAT OFFERS Malva ‘Barnsley Baby’ Compact and floriferous, Malva x clementii ‘Barnsley Baby’ is perfect for patio containers and small gardens. Its well-branched habit and racemes of saucer-shaped, white-pink blooms will draw pollinators such as bees and butterflies into…

Harvest winter cabbages Cut winter cabbage heads off the stem using an old kitchen knife. The stems are tough so it’s worth sharpening the knife before you start. If the spring weather warms up, the heads can blow open as the plant goes into flower so harvest them all if you can. Cabbages will store very well kept somewhere cool for several weeks. Lift the stumps that are left and you’ll have more ground cleared to prepare, ready for planting summer crops. Chop the stumps for the compost heap or leave them on the ground to rot down a bit before you compost them. STEP BY STEP Sow beetroot Start a couple of rows of beetroot now. It’s one of the earliest crops to germinate as it only needs the…

Two good methods for propagating woody plants (trees and shrubs) are grafting and taking cuttings. These are both vegetative propagation methods and result in a clone plant that has the same characteristics as the parent because it is grown directly from part of the parent. By contrast, with seeds, two – rather than one – parents are involved, and the seed inherits genes from both of them, meaning the outcome can be unpredictable, just as human siblings can differ. Grafting is slightly more complicated, as two different plants are joined to make the new plant, with the rootstock at the bottom and the scion at the top. However, the top and bottom each retain their own genes and there is no mixing of DNA. Speaking simplistically, the top provides the…

I have noticed that I am increasingly referred to in newspapers, online and, for all I know, in conversation, as a ‘horticulturist’. This grates. Not so much because it is wrong – I will come to that in a moment – but because I absolutely do not think of myself as anything but a gardener. It is a word that I had not come across until five years ago when I was filming gardens in America. We were about to interview a brilliant and charismatic man who ran a magnificent 30-acre garden in South Carolina, and asked what job title he would like us to use. “Senior Horticulturist”, came the reply. The result was immediate consternation. None of us had come across the expression before. The director politely pointed that…

SAVE UP TO £40’ Known as African lilies, these exotic perennials are the perfect way to add height and colour to your garden borders and container displays. With tall, strong stems, their flamboyant globe-shaped flowerheads are adorned with masses of trumpet-shaped blooms from June to September. Height x Spread 70-90cm x 45cm Collection includes: ◼ 4 x Agapanthus africanus ◼ 4 x Agapanthus ‘Donau’ ◼ 8 x top-grade bare roots (4 of each) £39.60 NOW £23.76 SAVE £15.84 SAVE £40 ON A SEED PANTRY GROW POD 2 Perfect for growing herbs, salads, flowers and fruiting vegetables, in your kitchen, on your desktop, or just about anywhere! If you love cooking, the Seed Pantry Grow Pod 2 is essential for having the freshest ingredients, ready to pick. Features: ◼ Automated, tells…

After a particularly wet and windy autumn and winter, spring finally here – as is Gardeners’ World – which returns to our screens with a brand-new series this month. The gardening gang are back. Last year Monty announced some bold changes to one section of Longmeadow and, as he explains on the previous pages, blighted box and problematic pears have been taken out and replaced with a selection of late flowering roses. But there’s much more to be done – throughout the series we’ll be following Monty’s progress and charting the transformation from Cottage Garden to Rose Garden. We’ll also be catching up with Adam and plans for the evolution of his plot. As well as getting their hands dirty in their own gardens, there’s now a tradition of GW…

SPRING ■ Clear up now rather than in winter, after hibernating creatures have woken up. ■ Stop cutting hedges or pulling down ivy as birds will now be nesting. AUTUMN ■ Leave some leaves on the ground, as many insects overwinter here. ■ After cutting back, neatly pile cut material on beds for wildlife habitat and frost protection. SUMMER ■ Deadhead to keep flowers coming but make sure you leave some flowers to go to seed – a valuable food source. ■ Leave a couple of unmown patches all through the summer months. WINTER ■ Keep water and feeders topped up. Choose feeders with a bowl – this will help to catch any fallen seeds and keep rat numbers down. ■ Cut hedges before nest building time.…

Part 4: House plant housework In the cosy indoor world of our house plants, there are none of the natural processes that would act on them in the outside world: no rain showers washing off debris, no strong breezes whisking away dead leaves, no herbivores or slugs keeping leaves in check by chomping on them, no birds and insects conquering aphids. So we must replace nature’s work with a little house plant housework: cleaning, pruning and tidying. Fortunately, this is way more satisfying and fun than actual housework. It also provides the perfect opportunity to give our plants a once-over and spot any small problems before they become so serious that the plants end up outside on the compost heap. House plant compost can be as ‘dirty’ as you like:…

From winter to early spring, the canary-yellow blooms of Acacia dealbata are a spectacular sight. These vibrant-yellow flowers produce a heady mix of sweet and spice scents that will fill your garden. They will also attract early pollinators. Can be grown in a container on a sunny patio or in the ground in a sheltered, sunny spot. Supplied as an established 70cm plant in a 15cm pot, ready to plant out. Height x Spread 3m x 1.5m Flowers Jan-Apr ◼ 1 plant in a 15cm pot £39.99 £19.99 SAVE £20 (510235) HARDY CEANOTHUS STANDARD The Californian lilac produces clouds of sky-blue flowers in late spring and early summer, with deep-green foliage providing year-round interest. H x S 1.5m x 1m F Apr-Jun ◼ 1 standard tree in 3L pot £29.99 SAVE £5 (510199)…

STEP BY STEP Plant alpine saxifrages Saxifrages are easy to grow, low maintenance and flower for a long time. They just need good drainage under the roots and around the crown, so they fare best in a rock garden or gravel area. 1 DIG a hole that’s a little bigger than the pot your plant is currently in. Mix plenty of coarse grit into the bottom of the hole to improve the drainage. 2 TIP the plant out of its pot and check under the mound of foliage to pull out any weeds. Tease out a few of the roots from the base, too. 3 PLANT the saxifrage with its crown slightly above the surface, so there’s room to add a layer of stone or gravel mulch after you’ve watered it in. Add…

Dahlia cuttings Why not try your hand at taking cuttings from the new shoots that sprout from stored dahlia tubers? It’s easy to do and is a technique used by serious dahlia growers to get a head start and produce prize blooms for showing. Dahlia tubers left in the ground over winter won’t be shooting for a few weeks yet, but those potted up indoors may already be sprouting. The new plants you produce can be planted out this summer, alongside the tubers they’ve come from. Dahlia cuttings are very vulnerable to drying out, so spray them with water and put them straight into a polythene bag, then prepare and plant them as soon as possible. Once the cuttings are inserted into the compost, put them somewhere warm to root.…

STEP BY STEP Sow chilli seeds Sow chilli seeds now so your plants will be ready to move outside in late May, into patio pots or the veg plot. Chillies need a long growing season to fruit well, so it’s best to sow early. After sowing, place in a heated propagator or on a warm, sunny windowsill – they need 22°C or more to germinate and take 10-14 days to emerge. Then prick them out into small individual pots a fortnight later. 1 FILL a 9cm pot with peat-free propagation compost. A mix with added loam is good, but make sure it feels light and airy, as this improves the ability of the compost to maintain warmth, which is so important for germination. 2 OVERFILL the pot slightly, then press…

Bob Flowerdew Bob is the author of dozens of gardening books, as well as a radio presenter and organic gardener. Christine Walkden Garden writer Christine appears on BBC1’s The One Show. She is also a lecturer and tour leader. Matt Biggs Matt trained at Kew and has been gardening professionally for more than 30 years. Q Wildflowers and bulbs: okay in my mossy lawn? George Barker, by email A CHRISTINE SAYS I think going with the flow is probably easier than trying to create a traditional lawn. I do worry that you mention there is moss present, which may be due to poor drainage and rather indicates a damp site. Allowing the dandelions and daisies to grow gives you a foundation to introduce other plants here such as bugle, speedwells,…