[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Zeberdi]

Pays to shop around online including this year. Huge price differences, all from quality nurseries and if prepared to wait a bit sometime until their 'batch' is ready. Going for younger specimens helps obviously. I'd recommend:
Hardy's Cottage Plants
Claire Austen
Downderry (Lavender)
Sometimes Crocus

One of the online nurseries I use is Crocus because they stock wildflowers and plants for pollinators that many nurseries don’t stock and their plants are very healthy - so late the other night decided to do my annual spring flower shop. Happily throwing things into my shopping trolly (cyber speaking) but when I got to the checkout, it came to nearly £250 quid!

Don’t think so. Not this month anyway.

 

[Weststander]

One of the online nurseries I use is Crocus because they stock wildflowers and plants for pollinators that many nurseries don’t stock and their plants are very healthy - so late the other night decided to do my annual spring flower shop. Happily throwing things into my shopping trolly (cyber speaking) but when I got to the checkout, it came to nearly £250 quid!

Don’t think so. Not this month anyway.

Most of my plants are intended for pollinators. Try Claire Austin too, very cheap and good quality stock.

Crocus operate dynamic pricing following crazes through the seasons.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

If you can plan ahead, use seeds. If you go to seed swaps, you go do a whole garden for pennies.

I often divide plants (love my perennials) to propagate over time.

This garden is the first time in my life that I have gone out and bought in bulk (though lots have come with me too). These came from a commercial nursery that the guys who did the landscaping know, so much cheaper

The ferns and epimediums (in the courtyard see post 2677) all came from our last garden.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Roadside/hedgerows are really something special this time of year!

So far, all in flower, I've spotted...

Primroses
Stitchwort
Cuckoo flower
Wood anemone
Bluebells
Hemp nettle
Celandine.

Early signs of Cleavers and Lords and Ladies, too.

Absolutely marvellous scenes!

Edit: I should add, this is in areas where Alexanders haven't taken over!

I love the wood anemones. Unfortunately a bit late with a pic of mine this year and they are past their best. Bluebells just starting up though

But cherries and clematis in full flower with wisteria just about to open

 

[Weststander]

I love the wood anemones. Unfortunately a bit late with a pic of mine this year and they are past their best. Bluebells just starting up though

View attachment 200135

But cherries and clematis in full flower with wisteria just about to open

View attachment 200136

What a beautiful part of the world .

Did you plant the bluebell bulbs? I did circa 10 years ago as not really a native of 2 inches of Braybon topsoil on chalk, they've thrived in loam under trees.

 

[WATFORD zero]

What a beautiful part of the world .

Did you plant the bluebell bulbs? I did circa 10 years ago as not really a native of 2 inches of Braybon topsoil on chalk, they've thrived in loam under trees.

There were a few in one of the beds when I arrived >30 years ago. I transplanted them to where they are now about 15 years ago (under a load of trees) together with snowdrops, wood anemones, tete a tete and star of bethlehem and they've all thrived. Gives beautiful early spring colour and then as the trees get into leaf it all dies back, gets covered in leaves in Autumn (and i chop up the leaves with a mower) and starts again in spring.

I hand weed it a couple of times a year, seriously low maintenance

 

[A mex eyecan]

i’m looking to plant things alongside and also under the shade of a newish 1.8mtr high portuguese laurel hedge. Ideally some spring bulbs etc plus hopefully something that will flower annually maybe during summer months. Ideas eagerly sought, does lily of the valley sound feasible? That was one of my Grans favourites, I’d love a small area with that in if it’s right and I can buy some

 

[Jack Straw]

The Camassias at East Brighton Park (Bottom of Wilson Ave), are just coming out. They should look like the photo below in a week's time. Worth having a look if you're that way.

 

[Weststander]

There were a few in one of the beds when I arrived >30 years ago. I transplanted them to where they are now about 15 years ago (under a load of trees) together with snowdrops, wood anemones, tete a tete and star of bethlehem and they've all thrived. Gives beautiful early spring colour and then as the trees get into leaf it all dies back, gets covered in leaves in Autumn (and i chop up the leaves with a mower) and starts again in spring.

I hand weed it a couple of times a year, seriously low maintenance

We inherited Spanish Bluebells, to prevent cross breeding I cleared them 3 years ago. We saw some lovely bluebells in ‘Gatton’ today, in the wildlife area the developers put in.

 

[Weststander]

The Camassias at East Brighton Park (Bottom of Wilson Ave), are just coming out. They should look like the photo below in a week's time. Worth having a look if you're that way.
View attachment 200160

Does it retain moisture down there? I’m interested in including them in a meadow, but it’s bone dry 2” soil on chalk.

 

[WATFORD zero]

We inherited Spanish Bluebells, to prevent cross breeding I cleared them 3 years ago. We saw some lovely bluebells in ‘Gatton’ today, in the wildlife area the developers put in.

Just to the left as you walk in ? I think a lot of that is down to the couple who live in the last house on the left before you go into 'Gatton'

 

[The Grockle]

I have dug a smallish wildlife pond that's ready for planting. It's 2.5 metres by 2 metres with lots of different depths donw to 45cm. Any advice on plants that won't overtake the space and attach wildlife.

Would also love to see some photos for inspiration.

 

[Jack Straw]

Does it retain moisture down there? I’m interested in including them in a meadow, but it’s bone dry 2” soil on chalk.

There's about 300 mm of typical Brighton gutless soil, with chalk beneath. Perhaps buy a few and plant them where you want them to go, and if they're successful the second year as well as the first, get a load of them. You need to wait for the second year, as bulbs fresh from suppliers will always do well the first year, but sometimes peter out after that. It's a bit of a time to wait, but could save you wasting your money. The other obvious option is to go for it.
There's three varieties of Daffs which come out in succession before the Camassias in the East Brighton Park scheme, but they haven't done as well as them. Camassias are a really strong reliable bulb for very late spring colour.

 

[Weststander]

There's about 300 mm of typical Brighton gutless soil, with chalk beneath. Perhaps buy a few and plant them where you want them to go, and if they're successful the second year as well as the first, get a load of them. You need to wait for the second year, as bulbs fresh from suppliers will always do well the first year, but sometimes peter out after that. It's a bit of a time to wait, but could save you wasting your money. The other obvious option is to go for it.
There's three varieties of Daffs which come out in succession before the Camassias in the East Brighton Park scheme, but they haven't done as well as them. Camassias are a really strong reliable bulb for very late spring colour.

We visited Arundel Castle last May, they’d planted lovely Camassias throughout their meadows, succession planting after their tulips.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

i’m looking to plant things alongside and also under the shade of a newish 1.8mtr high portuguese laurel hedge. Ideally some spring bulbs etc plus hopefully something that will flower annually maybe during summer months. Ideas eagerly sought, does lily of the valley sound feasible? That was one of my Grans favourites, I’d love a small area with that in if it’s right and I can buy some

Epimediums are pretty bombproof and come in a range of flower and leaf colours. They seem to grow well under trees for me.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Quick update on our little Dorset garden. Plants are all in and looking a bit sorry for themselves, but I can start to see what we might end up with.

Obviously the wall coverers aren't off and running yet.

I'm pleased with the potential.

Here's a couple of befores. Stunning for a couple of weeks a year but totally full of weeds (bind, ground elder, Spanish bluebells, Lords and ladies, ivy, nettles etc) and over mature shrubs like forsythia.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

The strange row of posts is to support some crab apples that I'm pleaching. They'll take a few years to mature into a "hedge" to give us some privacy.

 

[Jack Straw]

i’m looking to plant things alongside and also under the shade of a newish 1.8mtr high portuguese laurel hedge. Ideally some spring bulbs etc plus hopefully something that will flower annually maybe during summer months. Ideas eagerly sought, does lily of the valley sound feasible? That was one of my Grans favourites, I’d love a small area with that in if it’s right and I can buy some

To save me typing (lazy swine!), here's the RHS web site. It's always a good idea to type in RHS in any plant related Google search;

Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials / RHS

Gardens shaded by trees and buildings are increasingly common as gardens get smaller. Although north- or east-facing gardens can be cool and shady for much of the year, they can present some creative opportunities with well-chosen shade-tolerant plants.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[A mex eyecan]

To save me typing (lazy swine!), here's the RHS web site. It's always a good idea to type in RHS in any plant related Google search;

Shade planting: annuals, bulbs and perennials / RHS

Gardens shaded by trees and buildings are increasingly common as gardens get smaller. Although north- or east-facing gardens can be cool and shady for much of the year, they can present some creative opportunities with well-chosen shade-tolerant plants.

www.rhs.org.uk

thanks very much. Sure that will be useful.
Ive just seen a nursery over Broad Oak way and may well take a drive over this afternoon

Rapkyns Nursery

Rapkyns Nursery is a cottage garden nursery, set in an idyllic countryside location, specialising in perennials, shrubs, climbers and grasses, all grown ourselves on site.

rapkynsnursery.co.uk

 

[Jack Straw]

thanks very much. Sure that will be useful.
Ive just seen a nursery over Broad Oak way and may well take a drive over this afternoon

Rapkyns Nursery

Rapkyns Nursery is a cottage garden nursery, set in an idyllic countryside location, specialising in perennials, shrubs, climbers and grasses, all grown ourselves on site.

rapkynsnursery.co.uk

With a lot herbaceous perennials, you can buy 1 plant, and if it's big enough, split it to make more.