Innehållsförteckning för April 2023 från BBC Gardeners' World

Resisting the Spanish imposition I read with interest the letter about getting rid of Spanish bluebells (Have your say, February issue). My garden has hundreds of Spanish bluebells and I have been trying to kill them off since I moved here 12 years ago. I’ve cut them off, dug them up, attacked them with a weed burner and even tried weedkiller. Not only do they come back, but they continue to multiply! Does anyone have a fool-proof way of eradicating them? I have just read your reader’s plea (Have your say, February issue) for more gardeners to get rid of their Spanish bluebells, which are cross-pollinating with our own, much daintier and more beautiful, native bluebells. I heartily agree with the sentiment, but we found that eradicating the Spanish thugs…

A GREAT GIFT Enjoy a magical short break, taking in the epic Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre and staying in a four-star Central London hotel, breakfast included, from just £150pp ■ Les Misérables is the West End’s longestrunning musical. Set in 19th-century France, it tells the story of convict Jean Valjean. Despite changing his ways, Valjean is hunted by Inspector Javert, leading to an exhilarating conclusion in the 1832 Paris Uprising. Includes hit songs Do You Hear the People Sing?, One Day More and the iconic I Dreamed a Dream. Package includes a Band A seat in the Dress Circle or Stalls, worth up to £99.50pp. CHOOSE FROM TWO FOUR-STAR HOTEL OPTIONS: ■ The Rembrandt is surrounded by restaurants, bars, shops and cultural attractions and is within easy reach of…

Early-pollinator planting Spoil early pollinators in your garden with a container that’s a great source of pollen and nectar, as well as bursting with colour. Euphorbias and wallflowers are well recognised as supporting bees before many other blooms are out, and the mixture of purple and green is a classic colour-harmonising combination. Planting aquilegia among these will offer height to your design, as well as a frothy and light texture. Around the base, orange violas provide an injection of warmth, while complementing the rusted finish of a weathered steel cube planter. Most plants can be replanted in the garden once the display has gone over, with the exception of the wallflowers and aquilegias, which are short lived. TOP TIPS WE USED ➊ Aquilegia ‘Crimson Star’ x 2 ➋ Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush Purple…

I don’t describe plants as ‘hard to kill’ or ‘easy care.’ It’s not very helpful for a plant to be labelled ‘easy’ when you’ve already killed three of them – it only undermines your confidence. I can guarantee that any plant you have found ‘hard to kill’ can be found on someone else’s compost heap. Instead, I prefer to use the terms ‘low maintenance’, ‘resilient’ and ‘reliable’ to describe plants such as the peace lily that, planted in a selfwatering pot, need nothing more than a weekly glance. Choosing a fuss-free plant like Anthurium andraeanum, which makes little demand on your time in return for a generous display of colour, will brighten your interior and build your plant-parenting prowess. Peace lily Spathiphyllum wallisii Whether it’s outdoors or indoors, we gardeners…

15-18 June 2023 NEC Birmingham There’s no better place to find a Show-load of ideas for your summer garden, from the stunning Show Gardens and space-savvy Beautiful Borders, to the extensive Floral Marquee and great shopping. Catch Monty, Carol, Adam, Frances, plus Alan Titchmarsh, live on stage as they share topical tips and seasonal advice to help you make the most of your space. It’s going to be a great day out! Book tickets today. Alfresco gardening advice NEW for 2023, enjoy expertise alfresco, with talks and appearances on Liz Earle Beauty Co.’s Botanical Show Garden where their Ethnobotanist James Wong will share insight about their naturally active ingredients from plants; talks on grow-your-own at Lucy Hutchings’ (@shegrowsveg) Secret Homestead Garden; and Chris Collins with the Garden Organic team at…

A stepping-stone path keeps your feet dry while you walk to the shed, and also protects your lawn from wear. Space the paving stones to match your stride and set them level with the soil to avoid catching mower blades. Check the shape of curved paths looks good from both ends and start from the most convenient spot on the patio, or you’ll always cut the corner, wearing out the grass. 1 Lay out the stones so they have even spaces between them. Cut around each one. 2 Safely move the stones to one side and dig up the turf. 3 Using a fork, fluff up the soil below and remove any large stones. Rake the soil flat. 4 Lay the stones and firm in. Adjust, adding or removing soil,…

◼ Echinacea Primadonna Mixed x 15 Floriferous yet compact Height x Spread 40cm x 50cm Flowers Jul-Sep ◼ Hollyhock Chater’s Double Mixed x 15 Large double flowers on a tall stem H x S 1.5m x 75cm F Jul-Sep ◼ Delphinium Magic Fountains Mixed Mixed x 15 Sturdy spikes in a mix of shades H x S 75-90cm x 45cm F Jun-Jul ◼ Aquilegia Mrs Scott-Elliot hybrids x 15 A colourful array of nodding blooms H x S 60cm x 40cm F May-Jul ◼ Verbena bonariensis x 15 Attracts bees and other pollinators H x S 120cm x 45cm F Jul-Oct ◼ Dianthus Festival Mixed x 15 Early-blooming bicolour mix H x S 50cm x 30cm F Apr-Jun; Sep-Oct ◼ Foxglove Excelsior Mixed x 15 Delicate bell-shaped pastel flowers H x S 150cm x 60cm F May-Jul ◼ Gaillardia ‘Arizona…

Last month we looked at some of the bestperforming outdoor tomatoes in our growing trial on my chilly, hillside veg plot in West Yorkshire. Thanks to a particularly hot and dry summer, none of the varieties on test were affected by fungal blight and most of them grew strongly, with some varieties producing tasty tomatoes all summer long, and well into autumn. Cherry tomatoes, such as ‘Apero’ and ‘Golden Crown’, did particularly well, as did the bush tomato ‘Koralik’. And some of the medium-sized tomatoes, such as snazzy ‘Green Zebra’, were top performers, too. Armed with these insights on the best varieties to grow outside, it’s time to get growing for the year ahead – and around now is the ideal time to sow tomato seeds. Although I’m explaining in…

◼ Begonia Apricot Sparkle Rich blend of orange and yellow flowers, with a trailing habit. Trails to 100cm Spread 25cm Flowers Jun-Oct 60 plug plants £22.99 SAVE £2 (490293) ◼ Begonia Compacta Produces a bright display of pinks, reds, yellows and whites. H x S 25cm x 25cm F May-Oct 60 plug plants £19.99 SAVE £5 (490294) ◼ Petunia Montage Delicate trumpet-like blooms in cool shades of blue and white. H x S 50cm x 25cm F May-Oct 60 plug plants £16.99 SAVE £3 (490317) ◼ Pelargonium ‘Fire Queen’ Large, vivid-red flowers, with a long flowering period. H x S 50cm x 50cm F May-Oct 60 plug plants £19.99 SAVE £5 (490305) ◼ Begonia Sahara Colourful blooms, easy to grow and good all-weather tolerance. H x S 25cm x 25cm F May-Oct 60 plug…

17-21 July 2023: 4 nights, 5 days – £799pp* Our tailor-made tour of North Wales’ finest gardens and castles has been designed to give you a full experience of this glorious coastal region. You’ll be staying at the four-star Llandudno Bay Hotel, just a stone’s throw from the beach and overlooking the picturesque promenade, with Conwy and the beautiful Snowdonia National Park nearby. ◼ DAY 1 Make your own way to the hotel for a relaxing evening. ◼ DAY 2 We head to Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens, one of North Wales’ best-kept secrets. On arrival, relax over tea/coffee and a short talk by the owner, followed by a guided tour of the gardens, including an area exclusively opened for our visit, and lunch. In the afternoon, we explore Penrhyn Castle’s…

Known for its artistic heritage and picturesque canals, the Netherlands is a great country to visit. Join us on this tour to discover an array of wonderful gardens and museums – all in the company of GW Associate Editor, David Hurrion. ◼ WEDNESDAY 6 SEPT Travel from London to Rotterdam on Eurostar and transfer to NH Hotel Amersfoort. Enjoy a welcome drink, dinner and introductory talk from David Hurrion. ◼ THURSDAY 7 SEPT We begin with an early-morning visit to the world’s largest flower auction – the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, where you can marvel at the huge variety of flowers bought and sold every day. After taking in the splendour of this location we move on to the Leiden Botanical Garden, where you are free to wander the various areas…

Partnered by: VISIT bbcgardenersworldfair.com for more info and to book tickets What to do now Drop in at the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage for topical tips for your spring garden, with a line-up including Frances Tophill (Fri), Arit Anderson (Sat) and Adam Frost (Sun) plus Gardeners’ Question Time’s Matt Biggs (daily). Experience Hillier Explore the stunning walk-through Secret Garden by Hillier, awash with colour and ingenuity, plus 1-to-1 advice and a plant shop where you can buy varieties launched by Hillier at the Fair. Fair highlights TIME TO GROW Let the Theatre of Greens garden inspire you to grow your own, with expert talks including chefs and gardeners from The Pig, hosted by Chris Bavin. GARDEN THERAPY Be inspired by Showcase Gardens and Beautiful Borders, and shop for the plants…

WORTH £14 The highly scented white bells of Convallaria majalis nod in the breeze on arching stems. Shade-loving, it will fll your garden with perfume. Get 10 plants free with any order opposite. Height x Spread 25cm x 25cm Flowers May Supplied as bare roots, delivery in 7 days For more offers and details on how to order, see opposite page rare | unusual | exciting Shade-tolerant beauties ◼ WOODLAND BLETILLA COLLECTION Known as hardy orchids, bletilla can be grown in woodlands and part-shaded areas. Strap-shaped foliage remains for an extended period until it goes dormant for winter. Collection includes: ◼ Bletilla striata Dark purple ◼ Bletilla striata ‘Kuchi-beni’ ◼ Bletilla striata Blue dragon H x S 30cm x 30cm F May-Jul ◼ 3 bare roots (1 of each) £21…

We decided 15 years ago to reduce the amount of peat we used and since 2021 we’ve been completely peat free, selling around 65,000 plants a year. Having trialled different growing mediums, we now just use one that mainly consists of fine wood bark and sustainable coir. Peat-free media tends to be drier, so we’ve changed our watering and feeding regimes in terms of timing and quantity given. We top pots with bark to prevent weeds and to aid water retention. Since changing over, we’ve had fewer winter plant losses each winter as our peatfree growing media doesn’t retain water as much as a peat compost. While our retail prices for plants have increased in order to go peat free, these remain reasonable for perennials. It’s unlikely that any nursery…

This month our Subscriber Club members received TWO FREE packets of seeds. You can join them from next issue, getting FREE seeds with your May and June magazines – eight packets in total, worth £18.45. Subscribers will be sowing their poppy and cosmos seeds this month, so why not start your bumper year of growing with us? See our subscription offer on p30 and GardenersWorld.com/free-seeds-23. Subscribers can find lots of sowing advice at GardenersWorld.com, including how-tosow videos and Premium-only exclusives: ◼ Audio slideshows every month ◼ Monthly seed-sowing checklists ◼ Q&A videos with GW experts ◼ On-demand seed-sowing Masterclass. In partnership with Mr Fothergill’s mr-fothergills.co.uk 3 REASONS TO GROW ◼ French marigold ‘Carmen’ produces rich, red blooms ◼ Great companion plant for tomatoes ◼ Looks good in a veg plot or…

The plants you choose will affect the whole mood of the garden The very fact that the choice is so wide makes deciding what to plant in your garden a real challenge. I mean, where do you start? What goes in first? How will you know what will do well and what will simply sulk? As with most problem areas in life, approaching things methodically is the best way forward. The ideal garden (if such a thing there be) is one which has something of interest all the year round (granted, in June and July this is easier to achieve than in November), one which has form and stature as well as colour, and one in which the plants are growing happily thanks in part to your soil and situation,…

◾ Steel fencing pins are made to hold temporary barriers (the kind you might see at road works) but they can be used as cheap but sturdy supports on your plot. Use them individually as props for tall flower spikes or link them together with twine to keep rows of cut flowers or broad beans upright. They also come in handy as supports for bird netting above fruit bushes and brassicas. ◾ Galvanized water tanks make handsome garden features. Whether filled with water to create a raised pond or with earth and potting compost to use as a planter, these old tanks blend into surrounding planting and look like they’ve been there forever. For water features, turn off the tap or seal the hole where the tap should be with a…

As natural habitats shrink, gardens play an essential part in providing wildlife species such as birds and bees, hedgehogs and bats with food, shelter and somewhere to breed and overwinter. It’s always important that we plant and garden with wildlife in mind, but a purpose-built home will offer them a safe haven when their natural habitats are scarce. There are many different types of wildlife homes available from a range of sources, including garden centres, DIY stores and online, but quality can vary hugely, not all of them are suitable and some may even attract predators to the very species you are trying to protect. In this Buyer’s Guide we cover the different types of wildlife homes available, what individual species need and what to consider when you’re choosing and…

Sowing and growing on Give your tomato plants a strong start First things first, gather your seeds and write the variety name and the date on a plant label – essential if you’re growing more than one type to prevent mix-ups later. I use sustainable wooden labels. Sow tomato seeds 3cm apart into trays, or individually in modular trays, filled with peat-free compost to just below the top (this prevents compost and water spilling over the sides when watering). Cover seeds with a fine layer of compost and sit the tray in a larger tray with some water in it, so this can soak up into the compost from below; using a watering can is fine but it can wash seeds around. Cover the tray with a clear lid, piece…

◼ Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans ‘Scarlet Pineapple’) Aromatic and rich in flavour, pineapple sage really comes into its own in the latter part of the year. Its bountiful nature and striking red flowering spikes give off rich pineapple scents and flavours and a colourful display when most other plants are beginning their decline. A half-hardy perennial, it’s best kept inside, especially in the winter. Cuttings take well and you’ll easily find stems trying to root themselves. We look out for these as cuttings to build up our stock throughout the season. Use it to make pineapple-scented herbal sugars and syrups that can then be added to drinks and desserts. ◼ Foxley thyme (Thymus pulegioides variegated) Our most popular thyme, this highly aromatic and peppery variety is like no other. The…

◼ Apple ‘Golden Delicious’ Very easy to grow cooking and eating apple. Fruits store well for eating later. Harvest Oct ◼ Cherry ‘Sylvia’ Makes a spring focal point with pale-pink cherry blossom. H Jul ◼ Apple ‘Gala’ Eating apple producing red-flushed fruits with a sweet flavour. H Oct ◼ Pear ‘Conference’ Excellent as a dessert pear but also cooked. H Oct ◼ Plum Black Amber Rounded, firm fruits with a juicy texture. H Jul Height x Spread (grown in containers) 1-2m x 45cm Buy one, or choose the collection ◼ 1 x tree of your choice £14.99 £12.99 SAVE £2 ◼ 3 x trees (‘Golden Delicious’, ‘Gala’ and ‘Conference’) £44.97 £19.99 SAVE £24.98 ◼ 5 x trees (one of each) £74.95 £44.99 SAVE £29.96 0844 573 6054* quote code SUSGW8 suttons.co.uk/SUSGW8 Please add £6.99 P&P Terms and conditions:…

ACROSS 1 Place cardboard collars around the stems of brassicas to deter __ root fly (7) 7 Describes a soil with a pH of 7 or less (6) 8 These orange, tapering roots are popular plot staples (7) 9 Showy spring favourites with cup-shaped blooms (6) 10 __hood is one of many names for Aconitum napellus (5) 12 Time to transplant greenhouse tomatoes into __ bags (7) 14 Erica with plumes of fragrant, white flowers in spring (6) 16 Fruit with rough, leathery skin and smooth, creamy flesh, native to Central America (7) 19 Protect new shoots of vulnerable plants from these slow-moving pests (6) 22 A common name for Limonium (7) 23 Keep this cosy covering handy in case of late frosts (6) 24 Leucanthemum x superbum is commonly called…

“April prepares her green traffc light and the world thinks, Go!”Christopher Morley STARS OF THE MONTH Tulipa Purple Crystal, T. ‘Mistress’, T. ‘China Pink’ and T. ‘Burgundy’ In the immortal words of Max Bygraves, “When it’s Spring again I’ll bring again, Tulips from Amsterdam, With a heart that’s true I’ll give to you, Tulips from Amsterdam”. It is that time of year again when, after the long winter and slow start to the year, we are flooded with colour as tulips appear. Suddenly our gardens are once again sparking with purples, oranges, pinks and dollops of cream. Yes, we have had seas of snowdrops, daffodils, tiny irises and aconites to tickle our danders but, I always think, that spring is not really real until tulips arrive. All tulips should be…

Flower shows inch towards a greener future It’s show season, and the familiar round of Chelsea glamour, groaning plant trolleys and monster veg displays is back after years of pandemic-induced disruption. But as climate change concerns grow, flower shows are changing fast as organisers come under pressure to reduce their environmental impact. You won’t find artificial grass at any of the seven Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) flower shows this year: it’s banned, along with plastic bags (those made from bioplastics, such as cornstarch, are still allowed). From this year, catering will have to do without single-use plastic, too. BBC Gardeners’ World Live is creating a plastic-, peat-and pesticides-free zone, building on last year’s pot swap, which let visitors swap plastic pots for cardboard sleeves before taking plants home. “The focus…

Subscription order form GWNP423 Complete this form and send it to: FREEPOST IMMEDIATE MEDIA (PLEASE WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS) Option 1 Payment by Direct Debit □ I would like to subscribe by Direct Debit, paying £39.99 every 12 issues, saving 48% on the usual shop price †, plus receive the Niwaki secateurs. Option 2 Payment by cheque or credit card This offer is only open to new UK Direct Debit customers subscribing to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine. The closing date for this offer is 13 April 2023. You will pay £39.99 every 12 issues, saving 48% on the usual shop price. The Niwaki Sentei secateurs are subject to availability. We reserve the right to fulfil all subsequent orders with a product of equal value. Please allow up to 6 weeks…

These are the clematis of high summer, warm evenings and rich autumnal light, which can smother a wall or wigwam with a mass of rich flowers Every garden can find room for at least one clematis and you would be surprised at how many can be squeezed into a very small space by covering every vertical surface and then erecting wigwams, which make an ideal showcase for them. Clematis can be categorised into three broad groups, and I know people can feel that this makes pruning potentially difficult, but just remember the little ditty, ‘If it flowers before June – don’t prune’, and you will not go far wrong. The first of these groups includes all the familiar spring clematis such as Clematis alpina, C. montana and C. armandii. They…

■ Plan in layers Think of your garden as though it were an elegant three-or even four-storey country house. Planting in layers is a recipe for success if you get it right, with the trees spreading their canopy as the upper storey, the shrubs and evergreens below, followed by the ground-floor planting of perennials and the basement of ground-huggers. ■ Plant closely Good soil is vital, but it is not pretty and I would far rather have a densely planted border where cultivated plants jostle one another for space rather than a sea of bare earth which becomes infested with weeds. Plant closely and there is little room for unwanted interlopers. ■ Extend the season Spring-flowering bulbs – snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses and tulips – nestled among plants that will not…

Extra 10% on sale prices ◼ Geranium Breeders Mix A riot of colour and food for pollinators Height x Spread 40cm x 50cm Flowers Jun-Sep 3 bare roots RRP £11.85 NOW £9.07 ◼ Eryngium planum Victory Blue Drifts of spiky sky-blue bracts H x S 60cm x 30cm F Jun-Aug 1 bare root RRP £4.95 NOW £3.79 ◼ Dahlia ‘Café au Lait’ All-time bestseller H x S 1.2m x 40cm F Jul-Oct 1 tuber RRP £4.75 NOW £3.63 ◼ Liatris spicata Cut flowers have a long vase life H x S 70cm x 20cm F Jun-Aug 5 corms RRP £2.95 NOW £2.26 ◼ Pennisetum ‘Flamingo’ Downy texture, pastel colour and gently swishing stems H x S 80cm x 20cm F Jul-Oct 1 bare root RRP £4.45 NOW £3.40 ◼ Perovskia ‘Little…

Raised beds with character Reuse chunky, pre-treated wood or old scaffold planks for easy and straightforward raised beds. To extend their working life, line the inside with plastic to keep the wood dry, and upgrade from timber pegs in the corners to metal fence spikes or ‘L’ shaped angle irons. These last for years and have the heft to hold the sides more firmly. High-capacity compost heap Four pallets of a similar size and some rope to lash the corners together are all you need to corral autumn leaves or bulky council greenwaste compost. With a bit more effort, the pallet composter design can be tweaked to make it more efficient and easier to use. The key is fixing the back three pallets to tree stakes hammered into the soil.…

Our gardens are busy now. Birds are sitting on eggs, while bees gather pollen and nectar to take back to their nests. Tadpoles are emerging, while insects frantically reproduce. Let’s hope there’s an ideal mix of gentle sun and showers to help them on their way. Leave aphids and caterpillars on plants for birds to feed to their chicks, keep areas of grass long, make log and leaf piles and have a large, open compost heap, all of which give food and shelter for a wide range of species. If we have a dry spring, water plants with rainwater so they keep producing nectar – make sure there’s some mud on the ground for red mason bees and house martins to use to make nests. You may spot… Rabbit, Oryctolagus…

On our farm in East Sussex we now grow over 40 different herbs. What started out as a hobby growing veg and a few staple herbs on an allotment, soon became the basis and backbone of our farm. Herbs not only deliver a wealth of flavours – pineapple, lemon, chocolate and even tutti-frutti – but they also produce the most amazing aromatic edible flowers that we use in our herbal bouquets along with the foliage. Loved by pollinators, herbs have been a key element in increasing insect populations and creating a more balanced ecosystem on our farm. We’ll share our favourites, from the culinary greats you shouldn’t be without to those that’ll excite the taste buds with their incredible flavours, and give our top tips on how we get the…

My star crop this April has to be the homegrown radishes. They are different from any radish I’ve ever bought – even those from the farmer’s market. For an April harvest of summer radishes I have to sow them indoors in February. Peppery, crisp and delicious, they’re now something I’ll be growing year in, year out in any spare pot or container. Visiting friends are always so impressed that they leave my house with spare packets of seeds. I’m also enjoying a lovely mix of cut-and-come-again salad. In the past, the salad leaves have taught me a valuable lesson about how hardy plants can be – the seeds that I start off and keep indoors are less robust than the leaves that fend for themselves in the cold frames. The…

Sow indoors Plant/sow outdoors Harvest VISIT GardenersWorld.com/what-to-do-now for more advice on the best crops to sow and plant this month, and how to do it CUCUMBER ‘MINI STARS’ A miniature cucumber with maximum vigour. The fruits are best harvested at 10cm for the freshest flavour. Pick regularly and the fruits will keep coming right through to autumn. Harvest Jul-Sep Height x Spread 3m x 45cm KA1116 3 x 9cm potted plants £26.97 £9.99 Subscribers save 10% – see p31 for discount code thompson-morgan.com/TM_GW105 Call 0844 573 6054* quote TM_GW105 Add £6.99 P&P Items despatched from March 2023 onwards. Offer closes 15 May 2023. Contract with Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich IP8 3BU. All offers subject to availability. Full growing instructions included. We reserve the right to substitute varieties if necessary. Unable…

Unlike most varieties of wisteria, ‘Amethyst Falls’ will reliably flower within a few years, filling the air with the perfume of spring flowers. In its early years it will remain compact and manageable – perfect for patios and growing in a pot. ‘Amethyst Falls’ can be pruned to remain compact. Height x Spread 5m x 3m Flowers May-Jun ◼ 1 plant in 4L pot £29.99 SAVE £10 (550308) ◼ 1 plant in 15cm pot £24.99 SAVE £5 (550238) FREE Blooming Fast Superior Soluble Fertiliser A high-potency, soluble fertiliser for more flowers and fruits. Each 5g scoop makes up 5L of feed. 50g trial FREE (100068) 0844 502 0050* yougarden.com/RGW234 Please add £8.99 postage (compost-only orders delivered free) Terms & Conditions: Please add £8.99 P&P to your order. Orders despatched in 5-8 working days. YouGarden…

Join us on 12 September 2023 for an exclusive tour of Highgrove Gardens, the private home of TMs King Charles III and The Queen Consort, followed by a prosecco and canapés reception, a delicious three-course dinner and a talk by Arit Anderson. On your arrival at Highgrove in Gloucestershire, you’ll be welcomed by the GW Magazine team, before beginning your 90-minute garden tour. You’ll discover many fascinating facts about the development of these magnificent private gardens and family life on the estate, and find out how King Charles crafted each of the individual gardens from scratch. On your return, you’ll be treated to a prosecco and canapés reception, followed by a delicious three-course dinner in the Orchard Room. Then relax and enjoy Arit’s post-dinner talk, taking you through the influences…

Tie in fruit trees TRAINING trees in an espalier shape is an effective and space-saving way of growing fruit on fences or walls. Spring is a good time to tie in shooting stems as they grow, securely but loosely, along your support wires. Trained fruit trees such as peaches, cherries, apricots, nactarines and plums are then pruned to shape on dry days in the summer. April in the garden is a time of fresh beauty and feverish activity for us gardeners. Seeds are sown regularly, and once germinated, they are pricked out and potted on. Nights are often still cold though, and taking winter protection off your tender plants might be a little premature depending on the year’s weather. The colour is found in the bulbs – daffodils, early bluebells…

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions”, we are told. Oh dear. When it comes to the garden I know exactly what they mean, though I hope the destination is not quite as infernal as the old saying implies. You see, although I might spend a lot of my time – on television and in print – explaining what should be done and when, I will come clean and confess that there are times in my own garden when I fall short of my own recommendations. It’s the time, you see, and in April – as distinct from the months of November through to March, when time passes at a relatively sedate rate – time simply romps away and those things that I ought to have done have,…