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Chamberlain’s intercropping

GARDENING
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Find out all about the
4 luscious lily of the valley
with Camilla Bassett-Smith
Anne Swithinbank rev
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 141 years of practical advice
1884 The world’s oldest gardening magazine 2025

A warm welcome ISSN: 0954-8513

Amateur Gardening
Kelsey Publishing Ltd.
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Yalding, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 6AL
We are all in this together
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s I write I am travelling on my way Please do get in touch to share ideas as Deputy editor Ruth Hayes

A to Toby Buckland’s fine flower

festival to talk about climate
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This issue our merry band of brilliant
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17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 3

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 141 years of practical advice
1884 The world’s oldest gardening magazine 2025
Your gardening fortnight
6 Your news fortnight
8 Ruth Hayes - jobs and ideas
12 Lucy Chamberlain - fruit and veg
15 Nick Hamilton - Small space I Big ideas
16 Kim Stoddart - resilient gardening
recommendations

Great garden ideas

18 Wildlife watch - the sparrow
20 Loving the lily of the valley - Camilla
Bassett-Smith
26 8 pretty poppy picks - Mike Palmer
32 The natural forager’s garden
8 Ruth offers lots of great gardening ideas
and projects for the fortnight ahead - Anne Swithinbank
34 How to make more dahlias for free
- Kim O’Brien
36 Cottage garden classics - Liz Zorab
40 Wonderful willow project ideas
- Rosie Irving
46 How to grow chrysanthemums
51 How to make home-grown
guacamole

Gardening wisdom
44 Gardening tea break - Graham Clarke
52 Seed-sowing advice, and events
54 Ask John Negus - your questions
60 Sensational new-generation shrubs
- Michael Perry
62 How to boost results when potting on
62 Toby reveals how to help keep
container plants healthy and happy plants - Toby Buckland
66 How to have your pick of the peppers
and chillies - Bob Flowerdew

Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.amateurgardening.com

NEXT ISSUE OUT

31 May 2025

12 Lucy shows how to boost edible growing

opportunities with interplanting 66Bob shares his tricks for successful
pepper and chilli growing

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 5

 Your Create flower

NEWS FORTNIGHT
Bringing you some of the gardening news highlights
arrangements at
Balgove Larder in
Scotland

Workshops and
walled garden tours
A series of garden tours and floral
workshops are running until autumn at
Balgove Larder, near St Andrews, Fife.
The tours will guide visitors through
the Scottish site’s walled garden and the
workshops will guide participants through
developing their own cutting garden before
picking a selection of flowers and creating
A floral event in their own arrangement.
Bedford during Great Other courses focus on cultivating and
Big Green Week 2024 arranging particular species like the dahlia;
and drying and arranging seasonal flowers.
The next event, on June 14, is a tour of
Communities to A spokesman for Great Big Green Week,
which is run by The Climate Coalition, said:
the walled garden followed by the chance
to cut and arrange some of the flowers
“You might consider events that swap skills growing there.
gather to beat or items, like a clothes swap, litter pick or
perhaps a repair café.
For full details visit www.balgove.com.

climate change “We’ve seen tours of local wind farms,

nature restoration afternoons, mini festivals Barnsdale retains tourism accolade
that celebrate the community and so much
Swap don’t shop is the more. Events are hosted by teachers, bus For the 20th consecutive year, Barnsdale
drivers, sport clubs, artists, community Gardens in Rutland has retained its Quality
message of a growing groups, places of worship, libraries, builders. Assured Visitor Attraction accreditation,
© Vicki Couchman and The ClimateCoalition

community initiative There is no limit on who can get involved.” bestowed by VisitEngland.

© Steve Hamilton
They added: “Your event during Great The garden was founded by much-
ardeners are being invited to take Big Green Week will celebrate how your loved broadcaster Geoff Hamilton.
G part in this year’s Great Big Green
Week, a nationwide community initiative
community is taking action to tackle climate
change and protect green spaces, and
It is now run by Geoff ’s son Nick, a
regular contributor to Amateur Gardening.
that aims to help highlight and tackle encourage others to get involved too.” The eight-acre site is made up of 38
climate change. The first Great Big Green Week took individual gardens, run on a sustainable,
Over 600,000 people were involved place in September 2021 and was the peat-free basis and offering practical
in last year’s event and organisers are largest event for climate and nature ever inspiration for gardens to try at
expecting more than 1 million this year, seen in the UK, with over 5,000 activities home. There is also a nursery and
through in-person and online events taking place up and down the country. an excellent restaurant.
embedded in the heart of communities, Events are being planned for the length For full details visit www.
right across the country. and breadth of the UK, and for further barnsdalegardens.co.uk.
The umbrella theme of the events, which details, to get involved and to find out what’s
will run from June 7 to June 15, is Let’s Swap going on in your area or plan your own Right: The Plantsman’s Garden is
Together for Good. event, visit www.greatbiggreenweek.com one of 38 individual plots at Barnsdale

Can you help with Caroline’s peony passion?

A Cornish gardener with a passion for and Europe. many years ago, but when I realised
peonies has been rewarded for her She said: “I fell in love with peonies Kelway’s no longer had their historic
perseverance after her collection of varieties available for sale, I was
more than 100 types of the plant was determined to try and collect as many as
awarded National Plant Collection status I could.
by plant conservation charity Plant “I’m still searching for peonies bred by
Heritage. Kelway & Son and also pre-First World
Caroline Stone has spent years War varieties – many of which were for
searching for rare types of Paeonia sale around ten years ago so could still
© Caroline Stone

lactiflora, bred since the 1800s by be in someone’s garden! I would love to

Kelway’s Nursery in Langport, Somerset. hear from anyone who thinks they may
Very few of these wonderful plants have one of these peonies.”
are now available for sale, so Caroline If you think you can help Caroline with
has been researching and searching for Above: ‘Evening World’ is one of the rare her quest for peonies, contact her via
Kelway’s remaining peonies in the UK peonies nurtured by Caroline Stone www.glebegarden.co.uk

6 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Ned the dog has helped
Georgie Single
Monty and his team
from Air-Pot with
design a dog-friendly
one of the plants
Chelsea garden
at St Asaph’s

It’s a dog’s life for

RHS Chelsea
designer Ned
Monty’s dog helps design a
special garden at this year’s
floral spectacular Air-Pot gets to the root of
growing problems
INedtforishissaid that every dog has his day, and
Monty Don’s treasured canine friend
time to shine comes next week at part of the garden, but possibly the most
Air-Pot containers made in Scotland are
helping boost native tree numbers and
this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. detailed and complex aspect.” biodiversity at an important Welsh project.
For the first time ever, a dog has had The RHS and BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden The initiative in Denbighshire involves
input into creating a show garden at the is the first RHS Chelsea garden to be harvesting seeds and growing plants
historic floral event - for Ned has helped designed by Gardeners’ World’s Monty at a 70-acre tree nursery using Air-Pot
Monty and his team design the RHS and Don. containers for healthy root growth.
BBC Radio 2 Dog Garden for the landmark Clare Matterson, RHS Director General, Air-Pots are designed to prevent root
floral event. said: “As a nation of gardeners and dog circling, thus improving survival rates of
Jamie Butterworth, who helped create lovers we hope this garden makes people potted plants before they are planted out.
the plot, laid out the RHS and Radio 2 Dog smile. With everything going on in the Liam Blazey, chief biodiversity officer for
Garden at his nursery, Form Plants near world today we wanted our garden at RHS Denbighshire Council, said: “For us, using
Woking, and Ned randomly ran through Chelsea this year to be really uplifting Air-Pot containers was all about the health
pots and plants to create the paths that and bring some much needed joy to of the plants and the sustainability they
will feature in the Chelsea garden. everyone.” offer. They are re-usable many times over
Jamie explained: “Ned followed his nose Other areas at this year’s RHS Chelsea and the resulting plants are better able to
and forged the routes that we will copy at Flower Show, which runs from 20 May cope with challenging growing conditions
the show. to 24 May, will include a celebration of due to the superior root systems they have
© RHS / Ollie Dixon

“We had imagined that Ned would houseplants and their benefits, container developed.”
create sweeps and curves through the gardens, wildlife gardens, small gardens, Georgie Single from Edinburgh-based
planting, but every time he ran off, he balcony gardens, the incredible displays Air-Pot said: “We’re delighted that Air-Pot
returned to Monty via the same route, and in the Great Pavilion and the parade of containers have been instrumental in this
as such we have changed the designs incredible show gardens. innovative Welsh Government-funded
accordingly. Full details and tickets are available from project.”
“So Ned actually designed not just www.rhs.org.uk.

Ray of hope for rare dragonfly

Raising the next generation of gardeners
A rare dragonfly is being brought back
With the summer holidays looming “Our simple download guides give easy from the brink by a reintroduction scheme
large, this is a great time to get all the instruction for success with individual fruit in Cumbria.
family gardening. and vegetable crops from easy cress to The white-faced darter, which has
Thompson and Morgan have more challenging sowings for tomatoes a chalk-white face and bright flame-
launched an online Kids Grow and pumpkins.” coloured markings, is declining in number
facility, which contains downloadable For details, visit www.thompson-morgan. due to the destruction, by harvesting and
instructions for growing a wide range of com/kids-grow-gardening-with-children climate change, of the peatland where it
© Shutterstock

crops and flowers, including potatoes, breeds.

fennel, tomatoes, strawberries, But now conservationists are helping
sunflowers, sweet peas and marigolds. it thrive in acidic boggy pools at South
There is also a range of Mr Men Solway Mosses national nature reserve.
and Little Miss seeds that includes Mhairi Maclauchlan, RSPB Cumbria’s
cucamelon, dwarf French beans and Coastal Reserves Manager, said:
lilac pom-pom poppies. “It’s incredibly rewarding to
David Phillips, T&M sales & marketing know we have created the
director, said: “We have created a right conditions for white-
wealth of resources for parents and faced darter.”
children to dip into for school holiday Above: The Kids Grow scheme aims to get little
inspiration and weekend activities. hands busy in the garden Right: The white-faced darter is
an endangered species

Are you involved in community growing projects where you live? Send in your news by emailing [email protected]

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 7

 Your
GARDENING FORTNIGHT
with AG’s gardening expert Ruth Hayes

Nature has obviously looked askance at

this and decided to populate it with wayward
raspberry shoots, which is wonderful, but
unfortunately she didn’t stop there.
Raspberries can spread like the wind,
swiftly taking over, and young canes have
started popping up in the lawn and border
that lies in that area of the garden. While
I adore raspberries (and snack on them
as I go about gardening when they’re in
season).
So also not wanting any potentially new
canes to go to waste, and also not wanting
to wreck our lawn mower, I’ve grubbed up
several and used them as cuttings for spare
plants to fill any gaps in our raspberry patch.
It’s easy to do; simply follow the stem
These raspberry cuttings will be added of a rogue cane down to the soil and
to our raspberry patch next spring either pull or slice them free - I often find
that giving them a gentle tug results in a
portion of root coming with them which

Making the most of makes potting up easier.

New plants for next year

runaway raspberries As ever when taking cuttings, always

choose healthy growth and remove large
leaves from down the stem and at the
plant tip to reduce moisture loss.
These easy cuttings are a I use peat-free seed compost mixed
with vermiculite to root cuttings, as the
great way to fill gaps in future compost contains just the right amount
of nutrients to help baby roots flourish
ature abhors a vacuum and without burning. The vermiculite, or any

N gardeners abhor waste, so it stands

to reason that by deciding to work
together we are already halfway along the
gritty substance, opens up the compost
and helps boost the flow of air and water
around the stems and developing rootlets.
process of creating a joyful and plant- I also used rooting powder to help with
packed piece of land. the development of strong new roots and
Take our garden, for instance. A row of am hoping that by the autumn, the new
raspberry canes runs part way along one raspberry canes will be strong enough
side of the fence, at the top end of which to move into larger pots of multipurpose
there’s an empty piece of scrubby lawn compost, then I can add them to our
with not a lot going on within it. Above: Raspberries like to spread when they can! raspberry patch next spring.

Using stray raspberry canes as cuttings

Tug or cut the shoot free at Pinch out the largest leaves Dip the ends in hormone Insert your cuttings into
1 ground level, with some
roots where possible.
2 to reduce moisture loss as
the cuttings grow.
3 rooting compound to help
the new roots prosper.
4 damp, gritty seed compost.
They should soon start to grow.

8 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Sowing summer bedding
Get ready for late-year colour

Our indoor seedlings thrived

in the bathroom when we
went away for a week

Plant out your bedding

Early summer holiday water tips seedlings in the autumn

Q I don’t particularly like thinking about

Keep plants growing happily Keeping tomatoes irrigated
the winter, especially when summer is
and fed with water, liquid
while you take a break fertiliser and capillary matting barely underway, but I do like thinking
about seeds to sow for later this year.
e’re approaching the season Q Autumn and spring bedding such as

W when an additional gardening

worry is ‘how will our plants cope
when we go on holiday?’, especially if we
pansies, violas and bellis can be sown
now and then planted out this autumn.
Q They may flower towards the end

are away for longer than a week or have of the year, or sit tight through winter
nobody to help with watering. and provide a ray of multicoloured
In April we had a week away just as our is another worry point during the summer, sunshine next spring.
windowsill seedlings were getting ready even if you have shaded the glass and it’s Q As always, sow in trays of dampened

for potting on. It was also warm and sunny well ventilated. peat-free compost and cover with
and I was concerned about them, and We don’t have an irrigation system so a fine layer of vermiculite or more
wondering how to stop them getting sun- what I do is insert one end of a thin length compost before adding a lid.
scorch or growing leggy. of capillary matting into the growbag Q At this time of year the seeds can go

In the end I gave them a good drink and compost, and the other into bowls of in a cold frame or mini greenhouse
moved them into the bathroom, some in water and liquid tomato feed. The matting and when the seedlings have
the bath and the rest in trays on the floor. draws up the moisture and shares it with germinated well (don’t forget to
The cool, muted light was enough to the plants. remove the tray lid when they appear)
keep them growing, and the filter of the Last summer we went away for three they can be potted up into small pots
frosted glass meant that none scorched or wonderful weeks and none of our of modules.
started growing towards the window. greenhouse plants had succumbed to Q Keep their compost damp, not

The only flaw in my plan presented itself dehydration in our absence. In fact we soggy, and don’t let them dry out.
when we arrived home, late at night and ended up with a glut of tomatoes. Happy Q With healthy growth they can be

travel-weary, and I had to move all the days! planted out in the autumn, with some
seedlings before having a shower! Q Please let us know your top holiday wool mulch around them to keep
If you don’t have a timed or solar watering tips so we can share them with slugs at bay.
irrigation system in place, the greenhouse other readers.

Greenhouse tips for a healthy summer

The temperature is rising in the The trellis also acts as a handy buffer
greenhouse and although this is great against the prevailing winds in winter.
news for tender veggies, we need to On the hottest days I damp down the
make sure they are snug without being greenhouse floor and leave bowls of
scorched. water under the shelves.
Shading the greenhouse is easy This again helps lower the
thanks to netting that can be draped temperature to manageable
over the top, and washable paint that levels and helps deter
can be coated on when hot weather glasshouse spider mites
arrives and then washed off when it that dislike humidity.
gets cooler to allow maximum sunshine Ventilation is also
onto crops that are still ripening. important, and open
Our greenhouse has a large tayberry doors and windows
attached to a trellis running along Above: Wetting the greenhouse have the added
the side that gets the most sun. The floor raises humidity and lowers benefit of allowing
tayberry thrives and its greenery helps the temperature Inset: Good pollinators to get to
diffuse the light to slightly lower the ventilation helps keep things cool your plants - so bumper
temperature inside the greenhouse. crops all round this year!

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 9

 I’m cutting back a rose-scented pelargonium
and will use the trimmings as cuttings
Potting up pinchings
Inset: Pinching out chrysanthemum shoot tips Make new plants with the stem tips

When you’ve taken your cutting,

1 remove the lower leaves and dip the

Pinching One way of doing so is the ‘Chelsea

chop’, which I talk about in the panel
below. Another way is to cut back or pinch
cut end in rooting compound to promote
healthy root growth.

out and out the growing shoots. This is always

worth doing because plants usually
respond by throwing out a couple of

potting up shoots at the top of the pinched-out stem.

I have been going round the garden
pinching out and cutting back and instead
of composting the removed stems, I’ve
Keeping plants neat offers the used some of them as softwood cuttings
and now have several bright north-facing
chance of propagation windowsills full of them.
In the panel on the right I show you
think that May is my favourite month; how to use the pinched-out tips of a hardy

I the sap is rising and everything is

growing like the clappers, to coin a
phrase, and is looking lush and verdant
chrysanthemum as softwood cuttings.
I like to take cuttings in the morning
when it’s still cool and the plants are Then insert your cuttings around
and fresh because the heat of summer
hasn’t yet dulled its shine.
full of moisture from the previous night.
Ideally, pot up the cuttings as soon as you
2 the edge of a 10cm (4in) pot of
seed compost mixed with grit or
Herbaceous perennials in particular are can so they don’t lose water and start to vermiculite. Seal the pot in a bag and
shooting away, so much so in fact that deteriorate. If you need to store them for a place it somewhere light but out of
they sometimes need to be kept in check short while before planting, pop them in a direct sunlight. Remove the bag when
to stop them outgrowing their spot or plastic bag with a few drops of water and the cuttings start to grow.
becoming weak and lanky. place them in the fridge to stay fresh.

The Chelsea chop will perk up perennials

The Chelsea chop - so called because echinacea, phlox and sedum.
you do it around the same time as the I also chop back our catmint several
RHS Chelsea Flower Show - is an easy times during the summer, which stops
way of extending and improving the the stems flopping outwards and keeps
flowering season of certain perennials. the shrub compact and neat.
It is very simple: all you do is cut back As ever when cutting back plants,
the flowering stems by around a third always use sharp clean secateurs
and this will delay flowering by four to or shears so the stems are
six weeks cleanly cut without bruising
You have a choice, you can either cut and you don’t spread
back all the stems, or only a proportion pests and disease
of them. This results in some flowering at Above: I give our catmint a via dirty blades. I
their natural time, while others will bloom Chelsea shop when it starts generally feed the
later in the summer. getting unruly Inset: Pollinators plants afterwards, with
Top varieties to experiment with the love echinacea flowers for their a general purpose
Chelsea chop include aster, achillea, late summer nectar fertiliser.

10 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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 Your
GARDENING FORTNIGHT
with Lucy Chamberlain, AG’s fruit and veg expert

How to grow really great runner

beans and bountiful basil
Lucy explains how to
make the most of the
next few weeks
udging by what I see on

J allotment plots far and

wide, runner beans are still
a hugely popular edible within
the grow-your-own community.
And rightly so, because given the
right treatment you can be picking
delicious, succulent pods from July
through until November – and plenty of
pods, at that.
Now is prime sowing and planting out

© Shutterstock
time, so what do we need to know about
runner beans to maximise their cropping Lucy explains how to
potential? Read on! grow vegetable garden
Varieties: Back in the 1980s my staple runner beans
smallholder parents grew half an acre of
‘White Emergo’ to sell to London markets
– it’s still available today and considered a room to grow, so sow one per 10cm (4in) Keep the roots sufficiently watered and
good traditional variety. pot, and germinate at 15 to 20°C. be ready to irrigate a lot in the height of
But breeders have now incorporated Roots: Gaining a good root system is summer to support all that lush foliage.
some French bean genetics into modern key to robust plants that deliver generous Talking of foliage, avoid windy sites if you
varieties like white-flowered ‘Moonlight’ pods, so prepare your soil well, and choose can because this can tear the leaves to
and red-flowered ‘Firestorm’. The results a good spot, planting the beans out in early shreds.
are less ‘string’ in the mature pods, June. Other quick tips: My dad used to swear
improved pod set due to self-fertile flowers, Being tender, beans revel in warmth (but by foliar seaweed feed to supplement soil
better drought and heat resistance, and not drought) so choose a sunny spot and nutrients in summer, and we used to pick
earlier flowering which subsequently add plenty of fertile, well-rotted organic pods daily to ensure they never became
increases harvest time. matter to the bed (e.g. rotted farmyard old on the plant (this suppresses further
All these varieties are climbers, but don’t manure), working it into a depth of at least pod development).
forget dwarf varieties like ‘Jackpot’ and 30cm (12in). If you are a no-dig gardener, I trust this now makes you feel suitably
‘Hestia’ if room is tight. Large seeds need lay a generous mulch instead. armed for a summer full of beans!
All images unless otherwise credited © Lucy Chamberlain

Two ways to grow basil

I grow so much basil that I keep my family April, so by now seed sowers should
self-sufficient in it year-round (it freezes be looking at beautifully lush, sizeable
well). seedlings.
The conventional way to start it off is At this point I’m usually pinching out the
from seed because it germinates readily growing tips of these seedlings to eat, but
– just sow a cluster of two to four seeds you can also place some in water to root.
per pot, keep at 15-18C, be careful not to I use these ‘water cuttings’ to bulk up my
overwater and then, once well emerged, African blue basil, but it works well for any
pot up the whole clump - they look great form.
in free-draining compost in terracotta Take 10cm (4in) lengths, remove the
pots. lower leaves and simply place them in a
Being a warm-season edible, basil isn’t jar of water, then pot up into said compost
usually sown until late March or early once a good root system has emerged.

Lucy explains how to

12 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 bulk up basil harvests
 Step by step Intercropping to boost space efficiency
Do you want to be super-efficient? Do you want to intercrop? It all sounds incredibly fancy, but
essentially I’m talking about planting/sowing speedy crops in between those that are slower to bulk
up and give a harvest. This method is so handy for smaller plots, or for anyone wanting to cram as
much food into their garden as possible, so let’s go!

1 Plant out your slow-to-mature crops

that require wide spacings – I’ve got
some calabrese (broccoli) – but celery,
2 Simultaneously, sow or plant out
smaller, quick-to-mature edibles
between the slower crops. Radish,
3 Because of the more intensive planting,
keep any intercropped beds well-
watered and fed, and run a hoe regularly
bulb fennel, celeriac, leeks, sweetcorn mustard, baby turnips, broccoli raab (or between the crops to ensure weeds don’t
and all winter brassicas are other good rabe), texsel greens, rocket, lettuce, add to the competition. As the quick-to-
examples. Give them a good watering in annual spinach (I’m using this) and baby grow edibles mature, harvest them, leaving
and remember to water and feed them pak choi are all good examples. Space the slower-to-mature crops to bulk up,
well, in the usual way, to ensure they bulk them equally between the plants in step 1 watering them back in well if they
up steadily. to ensure that root competition is equal. experience any root disturbance.

Understanding Top
pear problem tip
BThree things that trouble pear growers are
pear midge, pear blister mite and pear rust.
Pear leaf blister mite causes pale pink marks
on unfurling leaves, which turn black in summer.
Pear rust causes pea-sized orange marks to
appear on leaves – these two ‘problems’ rarely
affect overall tree health and can be tolerated.
Pear midge IS a nuisance, as it can infect
the tiny pear fruitlets, turning them black when
they’re 2.5cm (1in) or so long and they then fall
off in early summer.
So, how can we limit its damage? Now, before
fruitlets fall, remove any that are turning black
and dispose of them in your rubbish bin. Lay
a plastic sheet under affected trees from now
until late June to stop any midges pupating
in the soil, then remove the sheet in July and,

© Shutterstock

again, bin any debris. Simple.

Right: Lucy explains how to help avoid common pear

problems such as pear rust (INSET)

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 13

 Your
GARDENING FORTNIGHT
with Lucy Chamberlain, AG’s fruit and veg expert

Why not try...?

Garlic cress

Image © www.incrediblevegetables.co.uk
B I have my gardening friend and AG contributor Barbara Segall to thank for the
reminder that this plant is truly delicious – I’ve written about it before, but when
something tastes good, yields well and is trouble-free, surely that’s a reason to
re-visit it?
Perennial vegetables are enjoying a renaissance in their popularity, thanks to
their incorporation into permaculture plantings and low-maintenance plots. Garlic
cress (Peltaria alliacea) can be bought as plants or seeds, and is one of those
plants that can, once established, be left to fend for itself.
Its main season of harvest is actually autumn, winter and early spring when the
lush deep green leaves make a tangy salad ingredient and excellent pesto base.
But mature plants can be sheared down to the ground at any time to encourage Lucy suggests growing this
a flush of fresh, succulent new foliage. That said, you’d delay flowering and the perky perennial, garlic cress
pretty white blooms are edible too, so make your choice.

5 quick jobs...

1 2 3
Have you grown patio or trailing Baby roots are succulent, sweet and As temperatures rise, our window for
tomatoes? I find these crop sooner than tender, so if you planted out beetroot sowing cool-season crops starts to
traditional cordon types, so pot or turnips in early April they could be close. But if you hanker for peas, broad
transplants up into big tubs and keep them in ready to pull by now. beans or carrots, sow drills in shadier spots
your greenhouse, or a warm, sunny, Carrots can be a bit slower to mature but now. Pests sadly revel in warmth, too, so if you
sheltered spot outside. They’ll revel in the who knows, you may also find they’re ready, know that you’re troubled by carrot fly, blackfly
warmth, and will begin ripening from mid- too. All will taste incredible. on broad beans or pea moth, simply cover
June. Bring on the mozzarella and olive oil! over sowings with fine insect-proof mesh.

5
Are you a
passionate fruit
grower? I am!
Training your trees and
bushes as fans, cordons,
stepovers or espaliers is
so rewarding as you see
All images © Shutterstock

these beautiful shapes

4
Is your greenhouse or polytunnel build up year on year. Now
bathing in sunlight? As well as is the time to continue
opening vents, doors and windows to tying in the main branches
regulate the temperature inside, ‘damp down’ to create these
the floors and walls to create a beautifully symmetrical shapes, while
humid environment. Your crops will love it and the stems are still soft,
the damper air also helps to deter pliable and obliging.
troublesome pests such as red spider mite.

14 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Small space I Big ideas
With Nick Hamilton of Barnsdale Gardens

surface and enhance it massively.

Nick uses pots of vibrant annuals
There is no need to think that you
to create a splash of colour
need hundreds of containers in order to
get an effect, because gardening is all
about having enough at every time of the
year. Just a small amount of the following
suggestions will lift any small space to new
heights.

Plants for wall pots

I like to use a mix
of these tender
perennials.
Tender geraniums
(Pelargonium spp),
verbena (Glandularia
spp), sanvitalia
(Melampodium
montanum) and trailing

Easy, longer-lasting colour fuchsia and then top them

up with the following annuals: Petunias,
bacopas (Sutera grandiflora), million bells
(calibrachoas), busy lizzie (Impatiens spp),
Nick Hamilton from Barnsdale black-eyed susan (Thunbergia alata) and
lobelias.
Gardens sings the praises of With the combination of our Helenium
bright summer perennials Tearoom wall facing south and the pots
and annuals being small, the tender perennials also
have excellent drought tolerance and the
ability to bounce back when watering is
am a life-long fan of tender perennials, missed! This makes them also perfect for

I primarily because they are such good

value for money. I use them to boost
areas in the smaller gardens at Barnsdale in
any other container or border in a hot,
sunny spot.

different ways. Above: A mix of colourful annuals and tender Extra plants for small borders or
They are generally either long-flowering perennials makes a glorious show at Barnsdale containers
or later flowering; they will survive the I also use argyranthemums, arctotis,
winter if protected and are very easy to osteospermums, nemesias, gazanias,
propagate. I have several walls and fences that cosmos, dahlias and salvias. The tender
I like the idea of putting out plants in full would otherwise be bare if I didn’t use wall salvias are the more woody types, such as
flower and instantly boosting the look of pots to break that starkness, so by creating ‘Hot Lips’ and ‘Cherry Lips’, which flower
not just my borders but my walls and patios extra vertical growing opportunities for all summer, as well as the later flowering
too. It also means that I can use varieties flowering plants you can transform a dark Salvia guaranitica types, such as ‘Blue
that flower all summer and autumn in and uninteresting spot into a wall or fence Enigma’ or ‘Black and Blue’. The last two
pockets of a small garden border, leaving to impress. My dad (Geoff Hamilton) also are taller, so we may need to be careful
space to grow plants that give interest at made an auricula theatre for his Cottage when placing one in a smaller garden.
other times of the year. Garden series, which hangs on a bare All of these tender perennials are easily
section of fencing, and we fill that with propagated too, which is important as they
Transform a drab spot with colour potted pelargoniums once the auriculas will get woody and unattractive after three
If you are a keen propagator then buy one have finished. to five years. There is also a good range of
plant and increase your stock by taking hard-hitting annuals that will complement
softwood cuttings. But if propagating is not Create a picture-perfect patio these perennials, or that can be used instead
your thing, then look around because you It only takes two or three pots filled with of in containers or in a border, such as
can buy these plants in plugs or smaller tender perennials and/or annuals to break larkspurs, zinnias, antirrhinums, sweet peas
All images © Shutterstock

pots. up the solidity of a hardstanding patio and dwarf sunflowers, to name but a few.

Q Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, East Midlands, has been Geoff’s ‘great experiment’ in peat-free and chemical-free growing,
enthralling garden fans since 1983 when Geoff Hamilton, and his legacy continues today with his son Nick ensuring that the
the much-loved presenter of BBC Gardeners’ World, bought a 38 gardens are kept to the stunning standard for which they are
Victorian farmhouse with over five acres of land. Barnsdale was renowned. Visit www.barnsdalegardens.co.uk

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 15

 Easy veg patch rewards
Editor and resilient-
gardening expert Kim
Stoddart outlines some of
her favourite, low-
maintenance crops

he sheer joy of harvesting

freshly picked produce from
your garden offers so many
benefits. From saving
money and promoting
wellbeing to producing the
freshest possible fruit and vegetables,
home-grown edibles are exciting and
nurturing in equal measure.
Yet, let’s face it, some fruit and veg have
a reputation for being just that bit more
‘bling’. Picture-perfect heritage tomatoes

© Shutterstock
from the vine, plump and fresh as you
like, sweetcorn cobs, giant cucumbers, Not racy but reliable crops to grow include
luscious, interestingly shaped salad swede, turnip, carrot and kale
leaves…. Yet why should they take all the
glory when more traditional, less racy
vegetables still have an incredibly valuable will also work to protect the ground from
role to play? Here are some further ideas drying out so quickly as I’m filling gaps as I
to help you on your productive and varied go, which means less watering is required
veg patch growing way… with lots of groundcover in beds.
Carrot-wise, variety is the spice of life and
Let’s celebrate all carrots great and I grow carrots in modules (four or five per
small cell) and plant them out in gaps as they are.
I grow my edibles in a free-spirited, mixed In this way the carrots’ sensitive roots aren’t
way which means that gaps between damaged. If you love baby carrots as much
plants are filled with what I have available as I do then a few more seeds per cell can
to maximise use of space and volume of work well and you can keep succession
edibles. planting for more regular harvests.
I just leave a good 2m (7ft) between Baby carrots never get boring, so I think
hungry plants of the same family, such as of carrot thinning as getting the cream of
fruits like tomatoes and cucumbers, peas/ the crop. They can be cooked whole and,
beans and brassicas. This introduces a Kim plants carrots in gaps if you leave a little of the top still attached,
fun, foraging element to the harvesting of around crops such as peas become a main event in a variety of home-
food, helps with natural pest control and cooked dishes.
I grow carrots throughout the year with
the sole intention of eating many of these
small ones. They are so much sweeter and
creative to cook with than their full-size
compadres.

Fuss-free brassica growing

All images unless stated © Kim Stoddart

I’m always for the easier option as I want

my time spent gardening to be enjoyable
and not high-maintenance, which is why
I’ve ditched cabbages, broccoli, sprouts
and cauliflowers that have more exacting
water requirements and take up a lot of
space as they sit slowly fattening over the
season. These days I get my brassica fix in
the following useful ways instead.
Enjoy baby carrots
over a long season Longer-lasting leaves
Purple sprouting broccoli and kale come

16 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 Classic flowers like pansy can also make a welcome
and pretty addition to mixed planted beds
© Shutterstock

© Shutterstock
The sunshine-yellow
Romanesco is a cross between flowers of Jerusalem
cauliflower and broccoli artichokes

out tops for me because they will dutifully

keep providing; the more you pick, the Jerusalem artichokes are Turnips are incredibly easy to grow
more you harvest and if you leave them windbreakers and wind-makers and have versatile uses in the kitchen
in the ground after their second season,
they will keep producing for at least a
few years. Although you can’t viably
save seeds from them, their lovely pretty
flowers are edible and look great to
decorate food, they attract pollinators to
your plot and by cutting them back you
can save energy in the plant to enable
it to carry on producing. You can also
investigate officially perennial varieties
© Shutterstock

© Shutterstock
to grow such as Daubenton Kale and
consider the humble but very productive
and potentially longer growing Swiss
chard. Just cut back leaves before they set
flower to enable plants to grow on and on.
sheltered spot, so add some lime if yours Seeing the wider potential of turnips
A nice cauliflower alternative is acidic. and swedes
Romanesco is a cross between cauliflower Sow seeds between April and June and Swedes and turnips are not the most
and broccoli in terms of flavour, and this plant out your seedlings when they are glamorous of veg, there is no denying this.
rather pretty Italian brassica is easier around 10cm (4in) tall, giving each plant Yet they have a charm and an important
to grow. Cauliflowers require constant plenty of space to grow. place on the winter veg patch, which is
watering and attention all year round, They need regular watering and when they arguably come into their own.
whereas this hardier relative doesn’t. The compost-rich soil for good leafy growth To make them more interesting, try
key threat tends to be slug and snails, and are usually ready to harvest from harvesting some small, as baby roots, to
so wait until seedlings are bigger before September (or August if you want smaller open up whole new roasting opportunities
planting out and check beds first to heads). which are guaranteed to excite. The
remove any slippery suckers present. leaves are also rather attractive in a range
Jerusalem artichoke of dishes and these veg lend themselves
Planting instructions Not fashionable, but very fruitful and well to fermentation techniques for longer-
Romanesco likes alkaline soils in a low-maintenance to grow. Jerusalem lasting benefits.
artichokes are great for use on the veg Baby leaves can be added to salad and
patch as a windbreak around the edges, left in the ground over winter, and these
though ironically, these tall attractive hardy leaves come in very useful early in
plants don’t act as a windbreak for the the hungry gap part of the year.
human digestive system! They have the
opposite effect, in fact, because they Planting instructions
are a prebiotic food which helps feed ■ Sow early-harvest turnips between
the healthy gut bacteria, so they are March and June for a summer crop, and
incredibly good for you. maincrop ‘neeps’ are sown in the summer
and pulled in autumn.
Planting instructions ■ They like a sunny spot with rich, free-
■ Jerusalem artichokes prefer a sunny draining soil full of well-rotted organic
spot, though they can tolerate light shade. matter.
■ Plant tubers in spring, around 15cm ■ Hardy swedes - the full name of Swedish
(6in) deep, 30cm (12in) apart in rich, free- turnips - grow best if sown directly in
draining soils. spring and early summer in a shallow drill.
■ They can be harvested from October but ■ Protect from pests with a cloche and
will keep well in the soil until you are ready thin/(eat baby roots) to allow room for
for them through to late spring. some roots to fatten.

Purple sprouting broccoli can grow 17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 17

on if you cut back after harvesting
Garden wildlife watch
Bird of the A male and female
sparrow check out a
nest box - they’ll

month - happily live in close

© Mark Thomas / Ben Andrew RSPB Images

quarters with other
sparrows too

the house Inset: Male sparrows

have a lovely chestnut
brown plumage

sparrow
Repeatedly revealed as
the number one bird seen
in our gardens by the
RSPB Big Garden Bird
Watch, we take a look at
sources, linked to
the humble sparrow changes in the way Frequently asked questions
we humans do things,
he sparrow is a bird most people has played a part in this. Q What should I do if I find a young

T can quite confidently recognise and

name and we rarely think of it as a
remarkable species. Yet its population is
The news coming from this year’s
Birdwatch had some stark headlines for
another garden bird we tend to think
bird on the ground?
A This time of year is breeding
season, and over the next few weeks,
now so widespread thanks to its incredible of as really common - starlings. Fewer lots of young birds will be leaving their
adaptability, learning to supplement its were counted in this year’s survey than nests. Our advice is don’t pick them
diet with scraps from humans alongside ever before. Starlings and sparrows up unless they’re in immediate danger
its natural food sources. It’s as likely to be (both house and tree types) are on our from a predator or close to a road, in
seen hopping around outdoor tables at conservation red list – which means which case move them to a safer spot,
a city café, looking for fallen crumbs, as they are amongst some of our most within earshot of their parents still. In
perched on a hanging feeder in a village endangered species. nearly all cases, the grounded birds
garden or chirping from an agricultural Whilst we continue to investigate what’s hear their parents nearby and move
hedgerow. And that’s actually pretty brought about such severe declines and closer. But if you are concerned about
remarkable! find ways to reverse them, there are ways them, check out our website for more
The sparrow’s reputation for being we know we can help, especially in our advice. www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-
gregarious is well-earned and comes from gardens. Ensuring our plots provide year- wildlife/if-you-find-an-injured-bird
centuries of living in such close proximity round food sources, from berry-bearing
to people. Its confidence around humans shrubs, to flower seedheads and plenty
makes it easier to observe, and because it of insects, as well as giving birds space
doesn’t defend territories in the same way to nest and rest, all helps. Leaving grass
some birds do, it’s happy living alongside longer – even just in some areas – and
other sparrows. This makes them fun to choosing not to use pesticides benefits
watch, especially at this time of year when lots of wildlife, not just birds.
© Nicola Shafer, RSPB Images

chicks are being fed and whole soap

operas of drama are playing out in our
gardens.
Whilst most people can spot a sparrow
– can you tell a male from a female? They
are actually quite different. Males are a Fledglings often stand out when you
darker chestnut brown, with a grey crown
© Ben Andrew RSPB Images

spot them in the garden, as they look

and black bib, whilst females have a much a little dishevelled and lost
paler brown plumage as well as a pale
stripe behind the eye.
Despite continuing to top our Big
Garden Bird Watch most-seen table,
sparrows are in quite severe decline. For more information about helping
Research has shown that their population birds in your garden, visit www.rspb.
fell by around 70% between the late 1970s org.uk
and early 2000s. Loss of habitat and food
Female sparrows are quite light in colour – the faint stripe
18 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 behind their eye is a good way of identifying them
 If I pass away
Canine Cared For

I m o v e t o a c are home
If
Canine Cared For

e a li f e - c h a n ging diagnosis
If I receiv
Canine Cared For

Make sure your dog is cared

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 The sweet white bells of lily of the
valley give us the quintessential
scent of spring and early summer

Loving the
lily of the valley
Camilla Bassett-
Smith explains
why she is
simply smitten
by this dainty,
scented star
here is something magical
about May and the many
Images © Camilla Bassett-Smith / Shutterstock

botanical delights that

morph from a hopeful shoot
into a fully formed feast for
the eyes. Above: This dainty bloom is perfect for cut flowers for the home
None is more delicately delightful,
both visually and aromatically, than the Muguet’ on May 1 and hand out little the passing of winter, with dancers
lily of the valley whose arching stems posies of the flower as a symbol of good accompanied by lily of the valley.
of white, scalloped-edged bells can luck to welcome the spring, a tradition
colonise a corner with style and simplicity. dating back to the 16th century. It is a Perfect for garden and vase
Its botanical name, Convallaria majalis, tradition worth millions of euros as these It is a plant that grows wild all over Europe,
points to its affinity with this month, majalis little sprigs take centre stage. despite being a little shy - getting it to
meaning ‘flowering in May’, and this little Lily of the valley is also the national ‘take off’ can be something of a challenge,
bloom is the subject of much adoration flower of Finland, and back on British but one worth accepting for any gardener.
both here and abroad. soil, the Cornish town of Helston hosts Beth Chatto was in agreement and
The French celebrate ‘La Fête du their Furry Dance each May, celebrating commented that when the conditions

20 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Lily of the valley is perfect
for posies as well

were right, who would not plant them for underground rhizomes and if happy, can
their heady scent in May and June and the in time form a dense carpet. This plant is in
chance to pick handfuls for the house? fact an indicator plant of ancient woodlands.
Young shoots are rather quaintly known For gardeners, they have a reputation
as ‘pips’, which transform into pairs of large of being a little temperamental, but once
oval green leaves from which the arched settled and decided on their ‘forever
flower stem appears on one side. They not home’ they will not leave your side. It took
only make the most fantastically fragrant a good few years for me to find the right
cut flower for delicate posies, but their form position for plants which came from my
makes them perfect for buttonholes as their dear grandfather’s garden and now, after
long leaves wrap themselves protectively some patience and plenty of horticulturally
around their floral stem. gloved-finger crossing, I have a swathe of
The ideal spot to place your lily of the the sweetest scents below our Cotswold
valley is in a shady position with rich, stone wall in the dappled shade of
fertile soil in cool and moist conditions. surrounding shrubs.
Their natural habitat is one of woodland Pure and simple, lily of a valley is a
or limestone areas, where they spread via sensational stunner for early summer!

Lily of the valley grows

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 21
wild all over Europe
 A Royal history

Varieties to grow
Convallaria majalis
The original and probably the best,
located in certain wooded areas of
England and Wales but less common in
Scotland and Ireland. Up to 12 bells climb
each stem up to a height of around 25cm
(10in). Widely available and the one you
© Simon Lycett
are most likely to see in a friend’s garden.

Convallaria majalis ‘Géant de Fortin’

As you may surmise from its name, Fortin’s
Giant is a bell-laden beast of a beauty.
Larger than the straight species, it flowers
around a week or so later, making it useful
Above: Lily of the valley took centre stage at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 with for extending your sensationally scented
Simon Lycett’s display in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee season. Clearly wanting the best display
possible, the French select this one for
There are few flowers which display of the same name even featured a their May Day celebrations.
quite such a royal seal of approval as number called Lily of the Valley on their
the lily of the valley. No secret was third studio album Sheer Heart Attack
made of the fact that it was the favourite in 1974, giving the plant its place in rock
flower of Queen Elizabeth II, with florist royalty as well!
extraordinaire Simon Lycett creating It is no surprise that two of the world’s
a special display featuring 70 pots of most beautiful and revered princesses
the nodding fragrant white bells at the favoured this plant too, with Grace
RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2022 Kelly and our current Princess of Wales
in honour of the Queen’s Platinum selecting this woodland wonder for
Jubilee. The flowers also appeared in their wedding bouquets, mirroring both
our late Queen’s Coronation bouquet brides’ elegance and sophistication.
and are believed to be grown in the With such a pedigree, surely this
Buckingham Palace grounds. regal rhizome is one to purchase for
Step back further in history and The your plot?
Royal Archives holds albums containing
flowers preserved by Queen Victoria,
including lily of the valley from a The current
bouquet she received on her Diamond Princess of Wales
chose lily of the
Jubilee in 1897.
valley for her
The flowers also featured on a silk fan
wedding bouquet
that she owned and which appeared in
a birthday photograph of her in 1860.
Perhaps as the flower for her birth
month of May, it held extra-special
resonance?
Talking of queens, the iconic band

22 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 The bell-like flowers of lily of the
valley Convallaria majalis

Convallaria
majalis var.
rosea
Bearing
a striking
resemblance
to pink-
flushed
white socks
which I’ve
mistakenly
put in with the
colour wash, this
is definitely worth
growing if you want to
step out of the safety zone of pure
white. Romantically dancing in the
dappled shade, it is believed to have
been first described as far back as the
1500s.

Convallaria majalis ‘Albostriata’

Sometimes also seen listed as
‘Variegata’, yellow leaf veins give the
greenery here a chance to take a
fraction of people’s attention away from
the reliably ravishing blooms. I was
given a small pot of this by a horticultural
hero of mine in 2024 and I’m pleased to
report that flower and foliage are both
The original flourishing.
Convallaria
majalis is often Convallaria majalis ‘Prolificans’
used for posies A double delight with a plethora of
and it’s no petals. This one really is a shade-loving Lovely yellow leaf veins of
wonder showstopper with a perfectly perfumed Convallaria majalis ‘Albostriata’
performance.

Image © Crocus
A pretty plethora of petals with
Convallaria majalis ‘Prolificans’

The pink-flushed beauty of

Convallaria majalis var. rosea

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 23

 Forget-me-nots and lily
of the valley look good
together in posies and
growing in the garden

Lily of the valley can be

Lily of the valley grown in a pot but plants

need to be kept moist
Q&A
CARE TIPS Q Can I grow in pots?
A Yes, but if using terracotta pots, do
Purchase pips not let them dry out. Lily of the valley
also responds well to forcing, a tradition
Buy them when ‘damp-packed’ based on the history of Victorian
as pips in the spring, as they will country house gardeners being
not be happy if they dry out. required to produce the blooms over a
long period for their employers. Scone
Palace in Scotland apparently grew a
A winter blanket vast area of this plant and would dig up
Mulch with leaf mould in the clumps in rotation, transferring them to
autumn, to create a decaying pots under glass in order to promote
early displays.
duvet to keep them snug. Try this at home by potting up a
few in late autumn and leaving in a
Divide and conquer cold greenhouse or porch until after
Christmas when they can be moved
In order to create new plants into a warm bright spot inside where,
and reinvigorate old clumps, before too long, they will hopefully
lifting and splitting them in fill your sitting room with scent. I
autumn is a recipe for rejoicing recently purchased a glorious glazed
pot emblazoned with lily of the valley,
racemes come spring. currently housing my aspidistra,
but I look forward to filling it with its
Any soil will do namesake in future years.
To almost coin Joseph’s famous Q Are these plants poisonous?
song, despite their slightly A All parts of this plant are toxic,
temperamental nature in finding SUPPLIERS containing cardiac glycosides, so keep
their preferred spot, here is a out of the reach of children and pets.
Beth Chatto’s Plants and Gardens
bloom that has been known to www.bethchatto.co.uk Q What makes the perfect partner
base itself happily in alkaline, Crocus www.crocus.co.uk plant?
neutral or acid conditions. Farmer Gracy www.farmergracy.co.uk A Forget-me-nots (Myosotis sylvatica)
Jacques Amand next to lily of the valley is a delightful
www.jacquesamandintl.com union.

24 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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 © Shutterstock

Make way for wonderful Welsh

poppies and some of the other
varieties Mike recommends

8 perfect poppies
Mike Palmer explains how to grow some of these brilliant border and container beauties
They can be divided into two types,
annuals and perennials, and within
‘Pleasures are like these groups there are several shared
attributes.
poppies spread: Firstly, they’re beloved by pollinators,
especially hoverflies and bees which are
You seize the flow’r, on the wing, foraging and building hives
and nests as poppies begin to bloom.
its bloom is shed’ Secondly, their attractively coloured,
cup-shaped flowers might not offer
Robert Burns nectar, but are brimful of protein-
All images unless otherwise credited: Mike Palmer

rich pollen, providing early feeding

opportunities ahead of the summer rush.
ith a jewel box- And finally, many poppies prefer a free-

W succession of tissue-
paper blooms as
delicate as butterfly
wings, the
breathtaking beauty of poppies is a most
welcome addition to my garden as it
transitions from spring into the (hopefully)
draining soil, in full sun, and are relatively
low maintenance. Interested? Of course
you are!

Annual poppies
With a rainbow of colours from reds,
oranges and yellows to plums, purples,
sun-baked, golden days of summer. pinks and whites, annual poppies are
Hailing from the hot, sunny plains often prolific self-seeders, bringing their
of Northwestern America, through the exuberant joy to our gardens year after
grassy slopes of the Middle East and Asia year.
to the cool, shady climes of the eastern Seeds should be sown on the top of a
Himalayan region, there’s sure to be a Above: There’s a poppy for every place, says free-draining soil in autumn or early spring
poppy that’s practically perfect for you. avid fan Mike Palmer where they’re to flower - they dislike being

26 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Mike’s top poppy picks
Annuals a little grey, which on paper might not pin-up, with her melting pot of rich,
sound the most exciting proposition, but purple-red petals and boss of inky, dark-
wait until you cast your peepers on this blue stamens.
beauty.
A delightful annual with delicate, wiry,
hirsute stems, on top of which sit ruffled
taffeta tutus of purple-grey with soft,
white infusions. At 75cm (29.5in) she
proves that life isn’t always black and
white - it’s often (very attractive) shades
California poppies of grey!
(Eschscholzia californica)
With their retina-searing, bright orange
single flowers (red, yellow, pink and Perennials
white varieties are also available),
California poppies will ensure you ‘have
a great day’ all summer long. Meconopsis (Fertile Blue Group)
Growing from 30 to 60cm (1 to 2ft) ‘Lingholm’
high, they nestle most accommodatingly Full disclosure, I’ve not been able to
between other sun-lovers, including grow this dreamy bloom down here on
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ and the sunny south coast – but not for the
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides in mixed want of trying!
borders, containers, or in wildflower Also sold as M. betonicifolia
meadows. ‘Lingholm’, with its sky-blue petals and
Deadheading will keep those vibrant contrasting golden stamens it is pure
blooms popping but allow some flowers Papaver ‘Beauty of Livermere’ class, but needs a cool, partially shaded
to go to seed (much like I have, before Vibrant red and so vivid, this classic is woodland light with rich, acidic soil.
you say it!) to ensure more sunshine still a popular choice for good reason. If you can grow this Himalayan native
blooms next year. (I’m not jealous - much) you’ll know that
it grows to approximately 90 to 120cm (3
to 4ft) and needs protection from strong
winds.
© Shutterstock

Papaver somniferum ‘Lauren’s Grape’

If pressed to choose my desert island Papaver ‘Royal Wedding’
annual poppy, it might have to be this The silken-white petals of this poppy are
dark-plum temptress, with her regal embellished with blackberry-coloured
purple petals floating majestically a-top smudges around a deep purple stamen,
contrasting glaucous, ruffled foliage. and are worthy of an appearance on
She grows to approximately 1.2m (4ft) that balcony. Grows to approximately
and if backlit by the morning or evening 60cm(h).
sun, will have your heart pitter-pattering
for weeks. Papaver cambricum
My final choice, unlike the
aforementioned Himalayan, is the Welsh
poppy that grows exuberantly all around
my garden in sun and shade.
© Shutterstock

Simple, diaphanous yellow or orange

blooms pop up between hostas, ferns
and other perennials. I weed out the
numerous self-seeded offspring, but
Papaver rhoeas ‘Amazing Grey’ Papaver (Oriental Group) ‘Patty’s Plum’ wouldn’t be without it. Grows to 30 to
I’d like to introduce you to something Swoonsome, this was my first poppy 45cm (12 to 15in).

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 27

 Annual poppies make a great
addition to a stunning
wildflower meadow

Mike checks his poppies

regularly for signs of any pests
but rarely has issues

covered with soil or being transplanted your pristine poppies.

Allow poppies to self seed where
and need a period of cold (stratification) I check the foliage regularly, especially
you are happy for them to grow
for successful germination. Aside from the undersides, to keep an eye out for
these ‘riders’, these little superstars are possible issues, but I’ve found them
hardy little fellows. refreshingly easy to look after.
Cramming our borders cheek-by-jowl
Perennial poppies with plants looks great, but plant too
If, like me, you’re partial to a little drama in closely and we create warm, humid
your borders then look no further. Shove pockets where pests and diseases thrive.
over Ms Streep, the Oriental poppies Poppies appreciate a little space around
have arrived to add a touch of Broadway them so that air can circulate freely, and
bravado to your borders. like all plants will benefit from being
Most thrive in a free-draining soil in full watered at ground level, rather than
sun, there’s a cast of hundreds to choose splashing the foliage, which to be honest
from and for gardeners bothered by deer isn’t water-savvy.
and rabbits, these delightful dames are
strictly off their menus. How to propagate
They dazzle and beguile like no other Most annual poppies self-seed quite
in the spotlight, but once flowers have happily in the right conditions, but be
faded, I cut the plant back to the base ruthless with over-excitable varieties.
which promotes fresh foliage, though Perennial poppies, especially hybrids,
they’re best surrounded with later season them in the conditions that suit them. may not come from seed, but with care
perennials or shrubs while they rest. Plants grown in the right soil and can be divided in autumn, ensuring each
Pests and diseases to watch out for environment are better placed to fend division has roots and crown.
Allow poppies, and all plants for that off attacks from aphids, slugs and snails, I’ve had better results from pencil-thick
matter, to develop resilience by planting mildews and rust, all of which could affect root cuttings taken in autumn or spring.

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 THE NATURAL
FORAGER’S GARDEN
With expert broadcaster, author and long-standing AG columnist, Anne Swithinbank

Super summer
squash, edible
pink petals and
garden salad
toppings
Anne explains how to make
the most of your wild-at-heart
Anne is sowing courgette
garden over the weeks ahead seeds, one per pot

ummer squash can be as ordinary

S as marrows and courgettes, or

as extraordinary as patty pans
(custard marrows) and crooknecks.
Unlike pumpkins and other thick-skinned
winter squash, the summer varieties have
are useful to sweat down with onions and
garlic as a basis for many a pasta sauce or
sliced and fried to eat on their own. The
large yellow flowers are also edible and
often served as lightly battered tempura.
and eating and the other a garden pink.
The apple is a South West variety first
introduced in 1832 and characterised by
reddish new growth, red blossom, red
fruits, red flesh and pinkish-red juice.
only thin skins and are cooked fresh or I love how words come in and out of During the 1500s, clove-scented pinks
after a brief storage period. fashion. Popular in medieval times, ‘sop’ were used to flavour wine and beer as a
Marrows can be scary when the originally meant a piece of bread soaked cheap alternative to true cloves and some
torpedo-like fruits all ripen at once, but in wine or milk. I guess this could be a of their blooms also looked as if they had
make good eating stuffed and baked or treat, perfect for an invalid or someone been dipped in wine.
cooked and served in a buttery white or with few teeth or useful for bringing stale These days, the name belongs mainly
cheese sauce. Marrow flesh changes from bread back to life. to a fragrant single pink whose wine-
pale greenish-white, juicy and refreshing A ‘sop’ is also a pacifier, almost like a red petals are edged and marked with
early in their season to dense, yellowy bribe, or as in ‘milksop’ refers to a weak or clear pink but is also used for another,
and flavoursome after some keeping. foolish person. with double white flowers and wine-red
There are mouth-watering recipes about, There are at least two plants that share centres. The petals of pinks are an edible
including soups and curries. the cultivar name ‘Sops in Wine’; one a treat and now’s a good time to think about
Chopped or in thin chunks, courgettes dual-purpose apple useful for both cooking buying, planting and propagating.

How to grow...summer squash

Gardeners with a greenhouse may For each squash, I’ll tip a bucket of
well have sown their summer squash garden compost onto already good
All images unless otherwise credited: John Swithinbank

under cover in mid-April, although night soil, fork it in and create a wide mound.
temperatures were chilly and extra heat For direct sowings, make a flat area in
was needed. By now, plants from these the top and into this, sow two to three
early sowings will be on their way to seeds. Cover with a cloche or cut-
making three to four true leaves and off plastic bottle by night for shelter,
after the last frost, can be hardened off warmth and protection from slugs
and planted out. and snails but remove by day to avoid
It is by no means too late now for a overheating.
first or second sowing, whether under After germination, thin to one
cover one per module or small pot, or (replanting spares into gaps if
direct to a bed. necessary) and grow on. Keep plants
The plants enjoy sun and moist but watered during droughts, apply a
well-drained soil, well-nourished by couple of potassium-rich feeds when
plenty of well-rotted organic matter. the fruits begin to set and look forward
Bush-style marrows and courgettes are to bumper crops. To bypass the sowing
spaced 1m (3ft) apart but trailing types stage, there will be plenty of plants
such as ‘Tromboncino’ will need a wider around at garden centres ready to plant
1.5m (5ft), or a trellis. out when frosts are less likely.

32 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

Can you have too many courgettes? Well, yes, but they are very
versatile in the kitchen and can be used for pickles and preserves
Step by step Direct sowing summer squash

1 First add a bucket of

well-rotted compost 2 Fork this in to make a
low mound 3 Sow a couple of seeds to
a dip made in the mound 4 Cover at night for more
warmth for germination

Try these... summer squash

‘Disco’
The flying saucer-shaped fruits of custard marrows or patty pans are my favourite summer squash. This one bears white fruits but
others are green or yellow and packets of mixed seeds are available. Harvest them while small and tender. www.chilternseeds.co.uk

‘Tromboncino’
I guess you could call this heirloom Italian variety a dual-purpose squash, as although many will pick and eat the trombone-shaped
fruits like courgettes while young and thin-skinned, they do keep well. Vines are easily trained upwards. www.sarahraven.com

‘Rondo Di Nizza’
These rounded to oval green fruits are smooth-skinned and courgette-like but great for cutting into segments or chunks for frying and
roasting. Good texture and delicious flavour. www.organiccatalogue.com

Plant some More foraged

garden pinks for salad topping
edible petals suggestions
Pretty edible petals of
avourites of the Tudors

F
garden pinks Inset: You
and Elizabethans, garden can take cuttings from Almost every salad I make benefits
pinks belong to the non-flowering shoots from a scattering of wild rocket, whose
genus Dianthus along with peppery leaves add zing to the subtle
carnations and sweet williams. flavours of other leaves, fruits and nuts.
Many bear pink flowers but their of them have a rich scent. This A versatile evergreen perennial, this
name comes from the ‘pinking’ or will be reflected in their flavour, so rocket persists from year to year and
serrations of their petal tips. read descriptions carefully or, better with regular pruning, yields plenty of
If you want to be truly old-fashioned, still, sniff before you buy. narrow, indented leaves. Some plants
call them gillyflowers; a general term Double, warm-pink ‘Widecombe Fair’ are left to seed and are allowed to
once used for a group of plants grown for is clove-scented and attention to dead- grow where they will.
their fragrance, including wallflowers and heading, watering during droughts and Foraging for salad toppings is
stocks. keeping weeds away will help keep a favourite pastime and I’ll gather
There are around 300 species of flowers coming. flowers of rosemary, sage and chives,
dianthus, originally from Europe and Pinks arriving through the post as small dandelion and, later, rose petals.
Asia, and the older pinks with their rich, plug plants are best potted into 9cm
strong scent descend from D. plumarius. (3.5in) pots of peat-free compost with a
These mostly flower only once, but their little added grit and nursed along to gain
blue-green leaves arranged in a compact, size before being planted out in a sunny,
spreading shape look great along path well-drained position.
edges. A good example is the single- Elderly plants develop woody bases
flowered ‘Queen of Sheba’ whose white prone to rotting in winter on wetter soils
petals are laced with feathers of rosy but non-flowering shoots known as
pink. ‘pipings’ root easily during summer as
To breed repeat-flowering pinks, the replacements. To use the petals of pinks,
old-fashioned types were crossed with first remove the bitter greenish base and Above: Chive flowers make a
perpetual flowering carnations. The then crystalise them as cake decorations, tasty salad topping Inset: Borage
resulting modern pinks bloom on and off use them to flavour sugar or scatter on flowers look pretty on a salad
from early summer to autumn but not all salads.

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 33

 The devoted dahlia grower
© Shutterstock

Find out how to expand your

delightful dahlia display

How to make more

dahlias for free
Kim O’Brien sings buy, a tuber that gives rise to five or even
10 viable cuttings, and subsequently
the praises of this yields a batch of new plants, will quickly
easy form of plant pay for itself.
The alchemy of a cutting which roots,
propagation grows, buds, blooms and subsequently
produces its own fully formed tuber in
All images unless otherwise credited: Kim O’Brien

t this time of only one season is enough to justify the

A the season,
your dahlia
tubers will either
be putting out new growth, or
be about to. If youಬve potted them
purchase of even the most expensive
dahlia. If justification were needed, of
course, for these dazzling dahlias!

Taking straightforward dahlia cuttings

up undercover ahead of planting them Growing from cuttings isnಬt mandatory, as
out once all danger of frosts have passed, dahlias can be easily grown from a tuber,
theyಬll be shooting vigorously with strong, but be aware that the quality of blooms
fresh growth thatಬs increasing by the day. from a tuber does not match those from
This rapid new growth presents an a cutting.
exciting opportunity for propagation, Flowers raised from cuttings typically
and dahlias are generous plants when have a sharper form and richer depth
it comes to providing cutting material of colour and for this reason, exhibition
because they generate and regenerate growers are encouraged to grow from
their shoots readily. cuttings. If you are growing purely
Although they can be expensive to for pleasure in your own garden - and

34 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 Dahlia cutting with roots forming tubers
 Cuttings growing
in vermiculite

for successful
Dahlia shoots ideal rooting.
to take cuttings from Indicators that
cuttings have
rooted include
an increase
in size, new
leaves and
plants leaning
towards the light.
Eventually roots
will trail from the
bottom of the pot.
Water well to ease the
cutting free, then pot on into
good quality peat-free compost
and allow it to continue its journey
towards becoming a full, flowering plant.

Dreamy Dahlia
DahliaಫPurple Flameಬhas a velvet-
like depth of colour

what better reason is there! - there is no wiggling the shoot free, leaving the tuber
pressure to take cuttings, and growing intact. Without a slice of tuber, not every
from tubers alone will more than suffice. cutting will root, but it encourages the
However, for beginners looking to tuber to send out more new shoots, often
try their hand at taking cuttings and three or more to replace the one thatಬs
getting lots of free plants, the process is been removed. This is ideal if your aim is
straightforward. to take several cuttings from one plant.
Remove a shoot around 4 to 6cm When it comes to rooting, ground
(2 to 3in) in length with a clean, sharp cinnamon is a good, natural alternative
knife, ideally taking a small slice of the to synthetic hormone rooting powder.
tuber with it. This sliver of root material Dahlias respond well to it, and its mild
increases the cuttingಬs chance of anti-fungal properties help to prevent
success. Be aware, though, that doing damping-off.
so may ಫblindಬthat particular eye (growth Cuttings can be rooted in compost,
point), limiting how many future shoots but due to their open structure, pure
the tuber will produce. vermiculite or horticultural sand or grit
gives a higher success rate. These Above: What a dazzler - Dahlia ‘Purple
Using cinnamon as rooting powder substrates drain freely yet provide the Flame’
A trickier method involves carefully balance of aeration and moisture needed

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17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 35

 Cottage garden classics
Liz Zorab Get the look of cottage-style
celebrates planting, Liz explains how

these
traditional
plants that have
remained firm
favourites for a reason
think a good cottage garden plant

I needs to be either very easy to care

for, or give such a beautiful flower

© Shutterstock
display that it is worth the attention
lavished on it. Luckily, there is a
huge selection to choose from and I’ve
picked a few of the favourites that have
featured in my gardens over the years.
With the exception of a rose, these are
all herbaceous perennials that spread
each year to fill spaces in the garden. If
they outgrow their allotted spaces, they
can be divided and moved to other areas,
or given to friends.

Phlox paniculata ‘Bright Eyes’

There are so many varieties of phlox to
choose from, two of my favourites are a
pure white-flowered variety called ‘White
Admiral’ and ‘Bright Eyes’, a pale pink flower Choose from one of the
with a deeper pink towards the centre. many varieties of phlox,
Phlox paniculata ‘Bright Eyes’ grows such as Phlox paniculata Easy to grow in full sun, Geum ‘Mrs J.
to 90cm (3ft) height and 50cm (20in) ‘Bright Eyes’ Bradshaw’ is a free-flowering stunner
spread. They are unfussy about soil and
situation, but may fail to thrive on dry or
waterlogged soils. Phlox are fully hardy winters. Propagate by division in spring or
and flower from summer to autumn. autumn.

Geum ‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ Lysimachia punctata

Geums are reliable, free-flowering plants. The first time I saw the yellow flowers of
‘Mrs J. Bradshaw’ has bright red, semi- Lysimachia punctata, I was smitten! They
All images unless otherwise credited: Liz Zorab

double flowers which are held above the grow in the leaf axils around the upper
foliage on wiry stems. Height and spread part of the stem and the intensity of the
60cm (2ft). yellow colouring is striking.
It grows best in full sun in any soil except It’s a spreading herbaceous perennial
clay and is hardy throughout the UK and that could become a bit of a bully if left for
Ireland, even in a severe winter. long periods, but all the same, it has earnt
a place in each garden I’ve tended.
Campanula lactiflora ‘Prichard’s Variety’ Grow in clay or loam soils in full sun or
This clump-forming perennial has an upright partial shade, in moist but free-draining, or
habit and plenty of bell-shaped flowers. even slightly boggy, soil.
Grow in full sun or partial shade in It is hardy throughout the UK and Ireland
alkaline or neutral, chalk or loam soil. and grows to 90cm (3ft) high with a spread
Growing to 75cm (29.5in) in height, it of 75cm (29.5in). Lovely bell-shaped flowers of
prefers a sheltered spot, but can be staked For added interest, try Lysimachia Campanula lactiflora
if on a windier site. puncata ‘Alexander’, which has cream and ‘Prichard’s Variety’
It is fully hardy, even in the severest of green variegated leaves.

36 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 This spreading herbaceous perennial,
Lysimachia punctata needs keeping in its Unfussy repeat flowering A delightful pink-flowered
place but it’s lovely to grow blooms of hemerocallis Astrantia ‘Roma’

Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise Queen’ flower stems. Hemerocallis are available Astrantia ‘Roma’
A friend gave me some tiny plug plants of in a wide range of colours, from darkest I have a couple of astrantias in my garden,
achillea and within three years, they had red-brown to off-white. Height depends but neither are this delightful pink-flowered
grown into a large area filled with fragrant, on variety, from 20cm to 150cm (8 to variety. ‘Roma’ is strong-growing and
almost pungent, foliage with flat heads of 59in) and spread 30cm to 75cm (12 to has a long flowering season. Deadhead
clusters of tiny colourful flowers. 29.5in). regularly to encourage continued
Highly attractive to pollinators, achilleas They are unfussy about soil and flowering from June to September.
are fast-growing, robust plants with situation, and will thrive in full sun and Astrantias are unfussy plants that are
spreading roots that have the potential partial shade. hardy across UK and Ireland, even in the
to become a nuisance, so try growing in severest of winters. They will thrive in full
large pots if space is limited. Penstemon digitalis ‘Mystica’ sun or partial shade, although they don’t
Achilleas are available in a wide range An interesting addition to the cottage like prolonged periods of dryness at the
of colours from white to yellow and red. garden, I suggest it in place of the more roots. Height 60cm (2ft) and 40cm (16in)
‘Cerise Queen’ has vibrant pink petals common border hybrid penstemons. spread.
that fade to pale pink or white as the This one has evergreen leaves at the
flowers age. They prefer not to be in wet base and produces deepening shades Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Wirral
soil during winter, but are otherwise, fully of bronze leaves throughout the growing Supreme’
hardy. Height and spread 60cm (2ft). season. Panicles of flowers appear in early Think of big daisies and you’ll most likely
summer and stand out well against the imagine leucanthemums. These clump-
Hemerocallis colourful leaves. forming shasta daisies can be quite
Often known as the daylily, the flowers of Penstemon digitalis ‘Mystica’ grows to vigorous, but are easy to keep in check
these clump-forming plants are short-lived, 75cm (29.5in) height, 45cm (15in) spread by lifting and dividing in spring. I love the
but more flowers quickly open from June and prefers full sun, in well-drained soil, splash of clear white that they add to the
to September. in a sheltered spot. Avoid growing in clay summer border.
The flowers are held above the strap- soil. It is hardy in most places in the UK Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Wirral
like leaves at the top of the fairly stiff and Ireland, even in a severe winter. Supreme’ grows to 70cm (27.5in) high

Clump-forming
daisies of
Leucanthemum x
superbum ‘Wirral
supreme’ provide
a lovely splash of
white in a border

Penstemon digitalis ‘Mystica’ is an

attractive addition to the cottage garden

Popular with pollinators and best grown in

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 37
pots, Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise Queen’
 Fall in love with flowers even more with
the addition of Symphyotrichum novae-
angliae ‘Andenken an Alma Pötschkeʼ

The loveliest of lupins provide

height and colour to the
cottage garden border

Lupin
Lupins are robust and, if you deadhead on a
very regular basis, will continue to put on a
show from early summer until the first frosts.
and has flowers that are 10cm (4in) across. They are very easy to grow from seed and
The flowers are highly attractive to flying come in a wide range of single colour or
insects. two-tone flowers. Modern hybrids offer
Place between other plants or provide more compact plants which are ideal for
support, to prevent stems flopping over in smaller gardens or growing in tubs. Provide
the wind. support for plants on an exposed site and
also to prevent plants from flopping over
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Roses are a firm cottage garden classic, into pathways and surroundings plants as
‘Andenken an Alma Pötschkeʼ choose from many varieties such as they become top-heavy with flower spikes.
Previously known as asters, these are Rosa Kew Gardens (‘Ausfenceʼ) Lupin aphids can be a nuisance, but can
the plants that helped me fall in love with easily be removed by wiping a hand along
gardening. I saw how to propagate them each stem on a regular basis. Height 100 to
from cuttings, tried it and was hooked. at least one rose in it. Over the past few 120cm (39in to 47in) and 60cm (2ft) spread.
They are easy-going, fully hardy plants, years, I have enjoyed the mass of single
and will thrive in full sun and partial shade. flowers produced by Rosa Kew Gardens Quick guide to petal arrangements
Available in a range of colours, but (‘Ausfence’). It has an upright habit, although Single flowers usually have one row of petals
for a strong statement in the border, try is nicely bushy and has the advantage of around a centre, where the stamens are.
‘Andenken an Alma Pötschke’. Year after being thornless, and is repeat flowering. Semi-double flowers may have two or
year the plant spreads and provides a The lightly scented flowers grow in three rows of petals around a centre.
more striking display. Height 90-120cm large clusters and are cream with yellow Double flowers have multiple layers
(35-47in) and spread 120-150cm (47-59in). stamens. of petals around the centre and in
Propagate by division in spring and they It grows on all soils except waterlogged or some cases, the stamens may not be
also grow easily from cuttings. very dry and prefers a sheltered spot. That immediately visible until the flower’s petals
said, we have it growing on an exposed start to droop or fall.
Rosa Kew Gardens (‘Ausfenceʼ) hillside and it produces plenty of flowers Fully double flowers have a ball or dome
I can’t imagine a cottage garden without each year. Height and spread 125cm (4ft). of petals with no visible stamens.

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38 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Rosie’s resilient gardening

Wonderful willow
project ideas
Rosie Irving offers more
thrifty gardening ideas with
willow, dogwood and more

few weeks ago I had tulips and

A spring-flowering perennials
growing in this container. I now
want to replace them with super
summer stunners, including a short
clematis.
You might recall I placed a large pot
upside down in this container to save
on compost as the spring plants were all
shallow-rooted.
As the clematis needs a deeper root run,
the upside-down pot has been removed
and extra compost added, which will not
only help its roots stay cool as they reach
down to the bottom of the container, but
also provide a greater supply of nutrients to
feed the plants throughout the summer.
This beautiful compact clematis, C. Acropolis
(‘Evipo078’) from the Boulevard Series, should
only reach a height of just 1.2m (4ft).
It came with a wigwam support already
in place, but the plant will need a taller
structure to cling to, which is where willow Rosie has created an
or dogwood stems come into play as they attractive willow support
are the ideal flexible choice and a stylish for her potted clematis
addition to your containers.
All images unless otherwise credited: Rosie Irving

■ For this 33cm (13in) high container you’ll Nemesia ‘Lady Ruby’. The eagle-eyed
need just three stems around 1.8 to 2.15m among you will notice I’ve colour co-
(6 to 7ft) long each with an approximate ordinated the flowers on the plants!
diameter of 4cm (1.5in). ■ Planting some dwarf French beans and/
■ Just push one stem down the side of one or mange tout around the base of the stems
end of the container until it reaches the will turn the planter into a true cottage
bottom and then loop it over to the opposite garden-style container.
site and push it down to the bottom of the
container. A note of caution
■ Next, loop two separate stems across the If using willow, strip the bark from all the
existing one, pushing them down both sides way around the base of the stem up to
of the container all the way to the bottom. above the level of soil/compost and plunge
■ I’ve planted some super-bright the stripped stems into boiling water before
Calibrachoa Cabaret Good Night Kiss using as, if not, they’re very likely to root.
(‘Balcabooni’) to cascade gently over the Dogwood stems are less likely to develop
sides, and a couple of sweetly scented roots.

Rosie has planted a wonderfully

40 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025
colour-coordinated pot!
 A natural
alternative
to rooting
hormone Soaked willow cuttings make a natural
alternative to hormone rooting products

Cut conifer stems are a briliant way of

creating garden ‘rooms’ and private areas
powder This is a good method if you want to create
new willow plants as well as make a natural
On the subject of willow, did you know that growth accelerator.

How to green willow water makes a great free, natural

alternative to commercial hormone rooting
If this is your aim, leave the stems in the
water for at least two weeks, by which time

your screen powder and that it’s quick and easy to make?
There are two ways to do this:
they should have developed ‘water roots’
and be ready to plant out.
The strained willow water should keep
■ The quickest way is to take a handful for up to two months (possibly longer but I
Screens are an easy way to divide areas of actively growing young willow stems, haven’t tested that length of time) if stored
of the garden, as well as creating a section remove and compost the leaves and in a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and
that feels more private. then cut the stems into short lengths of placed in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
There are many designs to choose from, approximately 2.5cm (1in). It’s a good idea to label the jar to remind
all with intricate patterns, but they can look ■ Place the cut stems into either a heat- you what that clear liquid is! Adding a
a bit bare, especially if installed in a paved proof glass jar or plastic container and then use-by date is also useful, use the date that
area with no nearby soil for growing plants. carefully fill, almost to the top, with boiling comes two months after you have bottled
water. the liquid.
However, I’ve discovered a way to ■ After 24 hours strain the water into
instantly ‘green your screen’ and it another jar and your homemade willow How to use the willow water when
couldn’t be simpler. water is now ready to use on your cuttings. planting cuttings
■ Cut several 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) Have you ever wondered how willow stems
lengths of conifer stem and attach them to root so quickly?
the screen with florist wire. ■ You can also use cold tap water, in It’s because they are full of plant growth
■ Depending on time of the year, weather which case let the cut stems soak for hormones, one type which tells the stems
conditions and aspect, the branches several days before straining the water. to grow new roots, the other acts as a
should remain looking reasonably fresh ■ The other method is to place a handful defender against pathogens which might
for between one and three months before of 30cm (12in) lengths of growing young otherwise try to attack the plant.
needing to be replaced. willow stems into a jar of cold water so When soaking willow stems in water,
that approximately a third to a half of both those types of hormones escape
Top tip their length is above water and leave and produce a liquid that will not only help
■ Leaves of the conifer Thuja plicata them in the water for several days other cuttings develop new roots but also
(Western Red Cedar), give off a delicious before straining the water. protects them against soil pathogen attack.
pineapple aroma when brushed against Isn’t nature amazing?!
and if available would be my first choice to
‘green my screen.’
Willow water for
rooting will
store for at least
two months

This bare screen was ‘greened up’

with conifer cuttings

After 24 hours this willow water

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 41
will be ready for use
 Hang your willow wreath
on a fence or wall before
adding the potted plants

Use the base of a large pot

tocreate a circular wreath

A quick and easy

seasonal wreath
Wreaths aren’t just for Christmas, they are
the perfect way to display a floral selection
of what’s looking good in your garden at
any time of year.
Here’s a super-quick way of making one
to hang against a wall or fence and use to
display small pots of seasonal beauties.
I’m using willow stems, but any flexible
stem such as dogwood or a vine such as
honeysuckle will work well.

■ Grab a handful of stems and place them,

tips first, into the bottom of a round, largish
plastic pot (the container I used had a
diameter of 35cm (14in) but you can scale
down or up depending on your preference
and amount of available stems).
■ Then wind them round the base of the
pot, keeping stems in the pot while tying
them at intervals around the circle with
florist wire or twine.
■ After wiring my wreath onto the screen, I
placed three small terracotta pots onto the
base of the wreath and tied each of them
to the screen.
■ I then pushed wire up through the base
and one side of each of the pots, leaving a
long enough section at the top and bottom
to tie each pot to the screen.

This pretty pansy wreath You can follow more of Rosie’s thrifty
brightens a drab fence adventures on instagram @rosieposieirving

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42 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Your
GARDENING TEA BREAK
Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke
Asparagus spears
Asparagus is the one
Crossword... just for fun!
vegetable that is worth
growing to save money.
It’s expensive to buy,
because the grower
has to wait a long
time from planting to
harvesting (at least
two years), and then
the cropping season
is short. So, in order to
make the ground pay for
itself, high prices have to
be charged. Quicker crops,
which give a quicker turnaround
of cash, are invariably cheaper.
Asparagus spears are harvested for just about six weeks in the
year, and the season is starting now.

White asparagus
In restaurants, you are often served with thick, ‘white’ asparagus,
very unlike the spears you grow at home. These are produced
by farmers who cover their asparagus rows with fabric cloches,
or pile soil over the crowns, to ensure the spears remain in ACROSS
complete darkness. Once they break through the mini earth hills, 1 Small and even some miniature roses are sometimes referred
the spears are painstakingly harvested by excavating and then to as _____ roses (5)
slicing through the stems at the ‘old’ soil level. 3 The spruce tree genus (5)
■ Usually, leeks, endive, chicory and celery are made tenderer by 7 Alpine plants, when planted outside, are perhaps most at
blanching. However, with asparagus, the opposite is true: white home on the ____ garden (4)
spears need peeling, and take three times longer to cook than 8 Trim, as in a hedge or the edge of a lawn (4)
the green types. 9 Aubergines are often called ___ plants (3)
11 Horse ones come from Aesculus hippocastanum! (9)
14 Female pronoun in three quarters of a shed! (3)
16 The main (flattened) organ of photosynthesis and
Wow! I didn’t know that… transpiration in green plants (4)
17 Mark left (usually on the skin, but also on woody plant tissue)
by the healing of an injury (4)
■ The Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire is the largest producer 18 The century plant genus (5)
of asparagus in Northern Europe. 19 Sounds like a posted fragrance! (5)
■ Asparagus is a member of the lily family.
■ It is said that white asparagus makes a good hangover cure – DOWN
particularly if you serve it with a hollandaise sauce and mashed 1 A member of the rose family, this is the pear genus (5)
potato! 2 The Chilean blue crocus genus (11)
4 Genus of plants, including the star grass and water fennel (11)
5 Common name for the tree Populus tremula (5)
6 Rosa canina is the ___ rose (3)
This fortnight in gardening history 9 Makes something unpleasant less serious, as found in plant
dis_____! (5)
14 May 1700 Mary Delaney, English writer and paper flower 10 Hosta ‘Goldbrook _____’ and Magnolia ‘_____’: a spirit in
artist, was born in Coulston, Wiltshire. Arabian folklore! (5)
16 May 1846 Henry Elwes, tree expert and plant collector, and 12 The bog arum genus (5)
All images © Shutterstock

after whom the snowdrop Galanthus elwesii was named, was 13 ‘Bud _____’ is the emergence of new leaves on a plant at
born in Cheltenham, Glos. He died in 1922. the beginning of each growing season (5)
18 May 1830 Inventor Edwin Budding signed an agreement with 15 The fruit of the rose (3)
John Ferrabee of the Phoenix Iron Works, Stroud, Glos., for the
manufacture of the first lawnmowers.
26 May 1863 William Jackson (W.J.) Bean, was born in North
10 Genie 12 Calla 13 Burst 15 Hip
Yorkshire. One time curator at Kew, he wrote the invaluable 18 Agave 19 Scent DOWN 1 Pyrus 2 Tecophilaea 4 Callitriche 5 Aspen 6 Dog 9 Eases
Trees & Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles (essential reading for ACROSS 1 Patio 3 Picea 7 Rock 8 Clip 9 Egg 11 Chestnuts 14 She 16 Leaf 17 Scar
horticultural students in the 20th century). He died in 1947. ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD ABOVE

44 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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Chrysanthemums have been

grown for millennia for their
resilience and vibrant colours

How to grow
chrysanthemums
All images unless otherwise credited: The National Chrysanthemum Society

Find out how to grow this conditions and make excellent long-lasting Large exhibition
cut flowers. Easy to grow and rewarding, bloom
lovely cut flower choice they are a welcome addition for any keen
gardener or flower lover.
ultivated for over 2,500 years,

C chrysanthemums originated in
China and spread to Europe,
where they were admired for their
resilience, vibrant colours and late-season
blooms.
Choosing cultivars to grow
Chrysanthemums naturally bloom from
August to December and flowering times
fall into three categories: Early (Outdoors
in August-September), Late (Indoors in
These versatile flowers come in various November-December), and October-
Fantasy bloom
shapes and sizes, thrive in diverse flowering.

Reflexed bloom Large single

Above: Early flowering sprays and cushion mums

46 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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© Shutterstock

© Shutterstock
Early flowering mums Find out how to plant out and Take cuttings from overwintered
are ideal for beginners care for your chrysanthemum stock from February onwards

With hundreds of cultivars available, • Heated greenhouse: February onwards • Change the water every few days and
there’s a perfect chrysanthemum for every • Cold greenhouse: Mid-March trim stems slightly to prolong freshness.
garden. For beginners, early flowering • Cold frame: Mid-April
sprays, cushion ‘mums’ or blooms are ideal, • Garden only: Mid-May Overwintering and stock selection
as they flower outdoors from late August to At the end of the flowering season, cut
the end of September. Upon receiving your rooted cuttings, pot back plants to 30cm (12in). Select only the
To ensure the best quality plants, them into 9cm (3.5in) pots or plant them in healthiest plants. Lift the root balls from the
purchase rooted cuttings from a specialist seed trays with John Innes No. 1 compost soil, trim the roots, and plant them in seed
nursery or your local chrysanthemum or a good quality peat-free multi-purpose trays with moist compost. Store in a frost-
society plant sale. It’s best to order early, compost. Water lightly and leave several free greenhouse, garage, or shed, ensuring
as nurseries typically require four weeks days before watering again to allow the they don’t dry out completely.
to root cuttings - longer for more mature roots to establish in the fresh compost.
plants. Grow the plants in a bright, frost-free How to propagate your own plants
The timing of when you receive your greenhouse (fleece may be used for The best way to grow chrysanthemums
plants depends on your growing facilities: protection). In early April plants are typically is from cuttings taken from your own
potted on into 13cm (5in) pots before overwintered stock, cuttings can be taken
they are moved into a cold frame. Start in February onwards.
Seasonal Care ventilating gradually to harden the plants 1. Four to six weeks before taking cuttings,
off for planting out from mid-May onwards. bring stock into a greenhouse (ideally eight
Pinching, or stopping to 10°C) and water lightly, this will bring
This involves removing 1-1.5cm (1/2in) Preparing the soil them into growth.
of the growing tip to encourage the Chrysanthemums will grow in most soils, 2. When new basal shoots reach 4 to 5cm
development of side shoots and but like most herbaceous plants will do best (1.5 to 2in), take cuttings by snapping off
multiple flowering stems. This should on an open site, in well-drained, fertile soil. the shoots and removing lower leaves.
be done between early April and early Preparing the growing area should begin 3. Insert cuttings into moist compost trays
June, depending on the cultivar and in late autumn – early winter, by improving ideally with bottom heat (15 to18°C) for
your location. Cushion mums may be the soil with bulky organic matter, garden faster rooting.
allowed to grow naturally. compost or composted manure. 4. After three to four weeks the cuttings will
be rooted, these can be potted into 9cm
Side shoot removal Planting out (3.5in) pots.
After stopping, allow shoots to develop Planting takes place in May or after the last
to approximately 10cm (4in) long then frost. Space them 45cm (18in) apart in rows
carefully remove excess side shoots, with 45cm (18in) between rows to ensure The National
leaving two to five per plant to develop they receive adequate light, water and
into strong flowering stems. nutrients. Support the cultivars that grow
Chrysanthemum
between 1-1.5m (3-5ft) tall. Society Q&A
Tying and staking
Regularly tie plants to their supports to Cutting for display Q Where is the best place to plant
protect them from wind damage. One of the biggest reasons to grow chrysanthemums?
chrysanthemums is their suitability as cut A Chrysanthemums grow best when
Watering flowers and their exceptional vase life. For they have a bed or pot to themselves.
Once established, water as the best results:
appropriate to any border plants. • Cut flowers early in the morning or Q Can I grow chrysanthemums in
evening when stems are hydrated, and pots?
Feeding avoid hot sunny weather. A Definitely, chrysanthemums can be
Apply a balanced fertiliser in mid-June. • Immediately place them in clean water grown successfully in pots. Cushion
and remove any leaves below the waterline mums work well in pots and add a
Disbudding for larger blooms to prevent bacterial growth. splash of colour throughout the autumn.
When a bud appears in the growing
tip, remove side buds to allow a Q Can I grow chrysanthemums
single large bloom per stem. Spray indoors?
chrysanthemums naturally develop A Yes, chrysanthemums are readily
multiple blooms per stem, requiring no available as houseplants. They require
disbudding. bright, indirect light and good air
circulation
Flowering
© Shutterstock

Once buds appear in July, keep

compost or soil moist to support flower For more information see
development. www.chrysanthemum-ncs.org

Chrysanthemums have a long vase life as

48 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 long as you change the water regularly
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 THE YEAR-ROUND
KITCHEN GARDEN
With Stephanie Hafferty

Home-grown guacamole recipes

Stephanie Hafferty reveals
Stephanie explains how to create
how to use peas in place of these tasty sustainable dips
avocado with these two
delicious treats
uacamole is traditionally made

G with avocado, but this ingredient

is very difficult to grow in the
UK. Peas, which are abundant
in our climate, make a delicious - and
much cheaper - homegrown alternative
guacamole-style dip or salad. Simply treat
them the same as you would an avocado.
Peas need picking regularly to
encourage them to continue producing
more flowers and pods. Harvest garden
peas when the pods feel plump and full Freshly shelled peas will store for those bought in the supermarket. You
of peas and shell the peas, placing them around four days in the fridge. can also use marrowfat peas, soaked and
into one bowl and the pods in another. These recipes are gorgeous made with cooked first.
The pods can be used to make soup or freshly podded peas, and are equally Both dishes will keep for around five
turned into pea pod wine. delicious made with frozen peas including days in the fridge.

Smooth green pea ‘guacamole’ Chunky pea and

Method tomato ‘guacamole’
Cook the peas for a couple of minutes in
O

boiling water, then plunge into cold iced This flavourful dish is so very moreish
water to stop the cooking process. Leave served with tortilla chips, or on top of a
to cool. baked potato.
Once cooled, place in a food processor
O

with the lime juice and pulse until smooth. Ingredients

If you don’t have a food processor, mash The same as the smooth ‘guacamole’ plus:
the peas with a fork or potato masher. Two medium-sized tomatoes, diced
O

Transfer to a bowl and add the yogurt,

O
2 to 4 spring onions, chopped
O

garlic, chilli, ground cumin and most of

the chopped herbs, reserving some to Method
All images unless otherwise credited: Stephanie Hafferty

This paté resembles avocado guacamole sprinkle on the top. Make as above but pulse the peas for a
O

and is especially delicious served on toast Season with salt and pepper, then mix to
O
chunkier texture.
at breakfast, with a poached egg on top if combine everything. Taste and adjust the Combine with the diced tomatoes and
O

you wish. seasoning as desired. Sprinkle the extra two to four spring onions, according to
herbs and drizzle a little olive oil on the top. your taste for onions.
Ingredients Leave for 30 mins before serving.
O
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
O

200g (7oz) peas

O
Leave for at least 30 minutes for the
O

The juice of one lime

O
flavours to develop before serving.
2 tbsp yogurt (or sour cream, olive oil or
O

plant-based yogurt) Variations

1 red chilli, chopped
O O
Swap the red chilli with minced pickled
a small bunch of fresh coriander
O jalapeño, or use some hot sauce.
1/2 tsp ground cumin
O O
Replace the coriander with mint, parsley,
1 garlic clove, minced
O lemon balm, chervil or other flavourful
a little olive oil for drizzling
O garden herbs according to taste or what’s in
sea salt and pepper
O your garden.

For more recipe, gardening and course information from Stephanie see www.nodighome.com

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 51

 GROWING FROM SEED
with Ruth Hayes, AG’s gardening expert

A groundcover Sow some annual

star for borders ‘joy of love’
and pots Corncockles make a light, airy display
Q Sometimes the easiest seeds give

Expect a flurry of pink flowers the most vibrant results, and so it is

from easy-going soapwort with many hardy annuals.
Q One of my favourites is corncockle

(Agrostemma githago), which

always think that groundcover plants produces open trumpet-shaped

I are very much the unsung heroes of

the garden, yet they are incredibly
useful and many of them are perennially
flowers in shades of pink, and also
white, on strong, straight stems that
can grow to 90cm (3ft) tall.
beautiful too. Q This plant, also nicknamed joy of

They block weeds, are often happy in love and bulwg yr ŷd (corn bulb), likes
shady or rocky areas that don’t suit other a sunny spot and can be sown directly
varieties, and in these times of increasing into the soil now to produce a pretty,
climate uncertainty, they protect the soil airy display. You could try mixing the
from torrential rain and baking sun. seeds with other annuals such as
One of my favourites is Saponaria scarlet field poppies, corn flowers and
ocymoides, also known as rock soapwort Above: Saponaria ocymoides can be used as annual grasses.
and tumbling tom. It’s a perennial member groundcover or as a trailing container plant Q Rake and break up the soil to a fine,

of the soapwort family, a low-growing, crumbly tilth and scatter the seeds
mat-forming evergreen that is covered freely so they grow in an attractive
with pretty pink flowers during the summer Sow it now in a tray of dampened natural shape.
months. compost, topped with a thin layer of Q Wear gloves when sowing as the plant
All images credit: © Shutterstock

It is easy to grow and easy to maintain, compost or vermiculite, and when the is toxic if eaten and the seeds should also
even though it can spread quickly, and seedlings have developed their first be kept away from children and pets.
makes a delightful splash of colour as a sets of ‘true’ leaves rather than their Q Flowering can last from June until

‘spiller’ plant pouring down the sides of a germination leaflets, pot them on into the autumn, after which corn
patio container or hanging basket and as a individual containers. cockles will set seeds if left
rockery plant. Once the seedlings have grown and standing in autumn and return
Tumbling tom also works well along been hardened off they can be added to in future years.
the front of borders and alongside the the garden. Saponaria ocymoides plants
edges of paths and, at the other extreme, are relatively untroubled by disease, but Corncockle flowers are
cascading down the side of stone or brick do watch out for slugs and snails that will white or pink
walls, softening their lines. munch on young leaves and flowers.

What’s On
16 May: Specialist Plant Fair, The Coach House 17 May: Hardy Plant Society Midlands Group Plant 0HD. 11am-4pm.
Garden, Ampney Crucis, Cirencester, GL7 5RY. Fair, Bentley Heath Community Centre, Widney 18 May: Hardy Plant Society Clwyd Group Plant
10am-2pm. Road, Bentley Heath, Solihull, West Midlands, B93 Fair, Stamford Gate Hotel, Halkyn Road, Holywell,
16 May: The Generous Gardener’s Specialist Plant 9BQ. 10am-noon. Flintshire, Wales, Sat nav users CH8 7SJ. 10.30am-
Fair, Charlton Farm, Pink Lane. Malmesbury, 17-18 May: Feckenham Flower and Garden 1.30pm.
Wiltshire, SN16 9DS. 10am-2pm. Festival, Feckenham, near Redditch, 18 May: Alresford Watercress Festival, Alresford,
16-18 May: St Michael’s Hospice Plant Fair, St Worcestershire, West Midlands. 11am-5pm. Winchester, Hampshire.
Michael’s Hospice, Bartestree, Hereford, 17 May: Plant Swap, Community Hub at 18 May: Plant Fair, The Walled Garden, Moreton,
Herefordshire, HR1 4HA. 10.30am-3.30pm. Manchester Craft and Design Centre, 17 Oak Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 8RG.
16-18 May: The National Flower Show, Hylands Street, Manchester, M4 5JD. Noon-1pm. 20-24 May: RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Royal
House Back Lawn, Hylands House and Estate, 18 May: Rare Plant Fair, American Museum and Hospital, Chelsea, London, SW3 4SL.
London Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8WQ. Gardens, Claverton Manor, Claverton Down, 24 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair, Carsington Water, Big
17 May: Compton Allotments’ Plant Stall at Claverton, Bath, Somerset, BA2 7BD. Lane, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1ST. 10am-4pm.
Compton Fete, Village Green at Compton, 18 May: Plant Hunters’ Fair, Southwell Minster, 24-26 May: Kent Garden Show, Kent Showground,
Guildford, Surrey. Noon-4.30pm. Church Street, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 Detling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3JF.

Dates and times are correct when going to press. Thanks to pumpkinbeth.com for the listings - check her site for more details. Please send us details of your
events at least six weeks in advance to [email protected] Always check events are going ahead before leaving home.

52 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

A celebration of gardening for all

12-13 July 2025

South of England Showground, Ardingly, Sussex

TV star Charlie Dimmock will

be taking to the stage on the SCAN HERE TO
Saturday to do a live Q&A chat PURCHASE YOUR
ADVANCE TICKETS

● Demos and Q&As from your favourite gardening experts

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up to £18.50
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*Wakehurst 2-for-1 offer is only valid on standard adult tickets and not valid on separate ticketed events. Valid for entry to the gardens from 12 July to 14 September
2025. No cash alternative and non-transferable. Please provide proof of ticket purchase for National Amateur Gardening Show. Pre-booking not essential.
You will receive your discount code via email after you have purchased your ticket(s) to The National Amateur Gardening Show.
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You will be emailed a voucher to collect your seed collection on arrival at the event.
 Ask
JOHN NEGUS
John is a gardening legend and here to answer your lovely questions

Looking after Orange and lemon

trees will thrive
outdoors in
Quick questions & answers
young citrus summer but need
winter protection

trees
Weekly feeding should
herald robust growth

Q We recently purchased the orange

and lemon trees shown in the photo.
Unfortunately there were no care
instructions with them, so please can you
advise us on how best to keep them Dwarf sunflowers are a
healthy and happy? cheery border delight
Marilyn Allen, Sutton, Surrey
Who is this sunny chap?
The best way to help your orange and
A lemon trees thrive is to position them
outdoors in summer and bring them inside
Q This appeared in our garden last year
- am I right thinking it’s a rudbeckia?
when nights threaten frost in late autumn, Moira Thomas (via email)
keeping them cool in winter, at a
temperature of 10-12C (50-55F). the pot walls and break. A The mystery flower is not a rudbeckia
As for encouraging robust growth, feed If pests such as spider mite, whitefly but a dwarf sunflower (helianthus).
them weekly with summer and winter food aphids, scale insects, mealybugs or thrips There are several varieties and I
for citrus trees, or a brand that supplies appear, remove them by hand, consider a suspect that it is an annual but it may
nutrients to keep them growing strongly all preventative natural product such as Clean be a perennial.
year round. and Guard Soap or biological methods of I suggest that you leave it to die back
When the root ball appears to be rising control. after flowering and see if new shoots
in its pot, repot your charges in spring, in Another way to deter glasshouse red appear next spring - if they do, that will
ericaceous compost, in a container 15cm spider mite is to stand your plants on prove it’s not in fact an annual but a
(6in) larger in diameter. Ideally, water well trays of damp pebbles. This slightly raises perennial variety.
before repotting so that roots don’t cling to humidity levels, which the mites hate.

What are these red devils?

How can I win with rose cuttings? Q These beasts are wrecking my lilies
- what should I do?

Q I have never been successful taking

rose cuttings. Is it a good idea to try
and take some now?
drained part of the garden and firm soil
around them. Refirm soil after frost has
loosened it. Keep cuttings damp in dry
Mark Alderton (via email)

A The ‘red perils’ are lily beetles, which

All images unless otherwise credited © Shutterstock

Bryan Ferguson (via email) weather. can chomp their way through a lot of
Alternatively, root your cuttings in pots lilies. To add to their bad reputation,
I am sorry that your attempts to take of gritty peat-free multipurpose compost. their larvae cover themselves in their
A rose cuttings have been unsuccessful.
I suggest that you try again in September
Shoots should have rooted by
November when they can be moved to
own poo for protection. Charming!
A company called Grazers (www.
with ramblers, climbers, floribundas, shrub their flowering positions. grazers.co.uk) makes an excellent
roses and miniature varieties. Cuttings deterrent spray, which doesn’t kill
from hybrid teas rarely root. anything and helps strengthen the
All you do is take pencil-thick, side- plants.
shoot cuttings about 23cm (9in) long. It sends the pests packing but also,
Make a sloping cut above the topmost importantly, leaves them in the food
leaf and a horizontal cut at the base, chain for predators. The product is
about 2in/5cm from where the shoot was also widely available in
attached to the main stem. Remove all garden centres.
leaves apart from the top two.
Insert cuttings to two thirds their length Above: Take cuttings in September for healthy Right: Lily beetles can
into a straight-sided trench in a well- new stock cause serious damage

54 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 Ask
JOHN NEGUS
John is a gardening legend and here to answer your lovely questions

What is Quick questions & answers

chomping our Amelanchier varieties

viburnums?
provide colour and interest
from spring until autumn

Beetles and their grubs are

Public Enemy No1 here
Something has been attacking our
Q viburnum bushes. There’s a pigeon
nesting in one of them - could it be the
culprit?
Sheila Lawton (via email)

Sadly, your viburnum has been What is this tree please?

A attacked by viburnum beetles, a pest
which is specific to Viburnum opulus, V. Q Please can you name this tree? It
lantana and V. tinus. blooms in April with small white flowers.
Most of the damage is done by the Viburnum beetle damage Hope you can help.
larvae in spring, but adult beetles will is unsightly but not fatal Doreen Rudd (via email)
also make holes in the leaves later in the
summer. A Lucky you! Your shrub/tree is an
Viburnum beetle eggs overwinter in Luckily, although the beetle damage amelanchier, commonly known as June
canker-like pits on stems and creamy- disfigures the foliage, it should not affect berry, serviceberry or snowy mespilus.
yellow grubs with dark markings appear the trees or cause them to die off. A native of North America, Europe
from April to June. They grow to about As a result, we advise gardeners to and Asia, its enjoyable display of white
7mm before burrowing into the soil tolerate their presence, picking off the blossom is a fetching focus in spring.
about a month later to pupate, and the larvae when seen and leaving the rest There are many species, but that which
small, grey-brown adults emerge in July to be predated by birds and ground most of us grow is A. lamarckii which,
and August. beetles. in common with other kinds, treats
you to leaves which open silky and
coppery red and turn scarlet before
Will leggy falling in autumn.

tomato be any Pinch out for a punchy display

good? Q How can I transform my leggy

seedlings into bushy beauties with lots
I sowed a ‘Reisling’ tomato seed
Q of flowers?
All images unless otherwise credited © Shutterstock

that I’d saved, just to see if it was Simon Clarke, Birmingham

viable, and it’s now 30cm (12in) tall and
rather lanky. What should I do with it?. A If you simply pinch out the growing
Sue Martin (via email) tips, they will be encouraged to bush
out.
Apart from its lankiness, you have a Bushy plants develop more stems
A fine ‘cordon’ tomato plant that will
continue to lengthen and crop well.
Above: Water and food should encourage a
good crop of fruits that can hold more flowers as they
grow.
Rather than remove its growing tip, string around a peg inserted at the base Once they are planted out, don’t
which will reduce its upward growth of the stem and twist it carefully around forget to deadhead when flowers
and reduce its cropping ability, feed it the upper part of the plant and tie it to an fade, and feed weekly with a
twice-weekly with a liquid tomato feed overhead support. liquid tomato fertiliser that
– there are many brands of high-potash Provided you water regularly, contains lots of potassium
(potassium) formulations – position it in keeping the root area damp, and for robust blooms.
good light and use a cane to support it continue feeding while fruits are
to a height of 1.5m (5ft). forming, you will enjoy a weighty Left: Pinching out seedlings
Alternatively, tie a length of strong crop. encourages bushy growth

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 55

 Ask
JOHN NEGUS
John is a gardening legend and here to answer your lovely questions

How to keep Quick questions & answers

hydrangeas
healthy
They will thrive in a sunny
spot with regular watering
Growlights are designed to
help seedlings thrive
Q I have been given a beautiful
hydrangea for Mother’s Day. I have
always avoided them as they seem Will my growlight harm
complicated to grow. Could you advise me seedlings?
on its care please . Hydrangeas bring a lot of joy
Mrs G. Barham (via email) and are easy to care for Q I am about to sow seeds of Papaver
‘Colibri’ and Dianthus ‘Rainbow
What a lovely Mother’s Day gift! I
A suggest that you grow your
hydrangea in full sun or light shade.
keep them watered in long, dry spells. As
yours has blue flowers, the best way to
Loveliness’. Can I place them under my
LED growlight bulb of 25w full spectrum
or will it be too bright for them? Will it
After taking out a generous planting retain this colour if your soil is not acid, scorch their leaves?
hole, fill it with water. When it has is to feed them with a low phosphorus, Colin Salter (via email)
drained away, set your plant, which you high-potassium fertiliser such as Vitax or
have also watered, in position at the Westland Hydrangea Colourant. A I am delighted that you are about
same depth that it was in its pot. Finish Add it to the soil in spring or to a to sow seeds of Papaver 'Colibri', a
by mulching the root area, avoiding watering can when you are giving your variety of Iceland poppy, and Dianthus
stems, with a 7cm (3in) layer of moisture- charge a drink. ‘Rainbow Loveliness’. What a display
conserving composted manure. Alternatively, if you are planting in a you’ll have.
Hydrangeas are easy enough if you patio pot, use ericaceous compost. Pleasingly, if you germinate them
beneath a 25watt LED Growlight
bulb, which emits much less heat than
an incandescent 25watt bulb, your
charges will benefit from the extra light
Reliable Garden Marker and Staedtler Garden
Marker Pen.
and won’t scorch.

Remember, ensure that the label is

markers for dry before you write on it, and allow the
ink to ‘set’ before you expose it to the
Why do ladybirds love our acer?

plant labels weather. Here’s to a set of labels that

won’t fade.
A Our green leaved acer, which is just
coming into leaf, is covered in ladybirds.
Is there something that makes this tree

Q Renewing labels is one of my tasks particularly attractive to them?

All images unless otherwise credited © Shutterstock

but, regrettably, I have lost identities Christine Woolf (via email)

because they tend to fade. I do not have
a favourite as I have never found a A I suspect that aphids (greenfly or
reliable marker so, when I need to blackfly) have infested the acer and
replace a marker, I buy what is available are attracting predatory ladybird
on the high street. Can you recommend a beetles and their larvae, which are
good brand? commonly called crocodiles.
David J Hilton (via email) Both adults and infants feast on
these tiny sap-sucking pests which can
I understand how frustrated you debilitate the foliage, so please don’t
A must feel when you’ve labelled a
special plant and found that rain has
use insecticides to eradicate
them. Otherwise, you will
erased the name. kill the ladybirds.
Pleasingly, the following ink brands
have a good reputation for being Above: ‘Lost’ plant identities can be very Left: Ladybird larvae are
weatherproof and should please you: frustrating great devourers of aphids
Elixir Garden Marker Pen, Supagarden

56 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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 Your
LETTERS TO KIM
Your lovely letters, emails and social media posts continue to flow in beautifully. Every
message, poem, idea and comment matters. Please keep them coming. We will send out
a thank you gift for every item published in the magazine as soon as we can so do please
send your address and contact details when you get in touch.

Poetry corner special An inspiring

community garden
Hello Kim
The trials of weeding I thought you might be interested to hear
about our community gardening group.
Knowing how beneficial green spaces
around hospitals are for the mental
health of patients and staff we work in
partnership with the management of
our local hospital here in North Wales,
Wrexham Maelor Hospital, to create
beautiful gardens around the hospital.
If any of your readers would like to get
involved by either volunteering with us or
by donating plants for the gardens they
can contact us through our website www.
wrexhamcommunitygardeners.org

Ruth Tesdale

Kim says; thank you for writing in Ruth,

that’s so lovely to see the joyful planting
Jo Fletcher, Devon around the hospital.

Making the most of life

Small areas are being

planted up for patients
in North Wales by the
Wrexham community
Margaret Bevan, Abergavenny gardeners

58 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

COMPETITION TIME!
Win one of 10 Westland summer gardening
bundles worth over £100 each!

Please send us
your letters, poems
and musings
Your contribution is such an
important part of this
magazine for the future.
AG is for you the people, for
gardeners and proud
custodians of gardens
Westland has partnered with Amateur Gardening everywhere, so please do
to give 10 lucky winners the chance to win an
incredible gardening bundle, packed with everything
write in. We will send a gift for
you need to keep your garden looking its best this each letter, poem and musing
summer. published.
This fantastic prize includes the innovative Boost Growing System, designed to help Address: Kim Stoddart I Amateur
you achieve the very best container and basket displays in just three simple steps: Gardening magazine I Kelsey
Publishing Ltd. I The Granary I
1. Boost All Purpose Compost – Locks in moisture and releases it as needed, giving Downs Court I Yalding Hill I Yalding I
your plants the very best start. Maidstone I Kent I ME18 6AL
2. Boost All Purpose Multi-Action Granules – A new slow-release feed that nourishes Email: [email protected]
plants for up to six months, supporting strong roots, lush foliage, and vibrant flowers.

3. Boost All Purpose Liquid Feed – Use to nourish your plants and enjoy up to 4x
more blooms* for a spectacular, long-lasting display.

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answer the question for your chance to win one of these
fantastic Westland Gardening Bundles!

Question: How long does Boost All Purpose Multi-Action

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Competition Entry Amateur Gardening. Kelsey Publishing Ltd. The Granary, Downs Court,
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UHVLGHQWVDJHGDQGRYHU2QO\RQHHQWU\SHUSHUVRQLVSHUPLWWHGEXONHQWULHVZLOOQRWEHDFFHSWHG7KHUHLVQRFDVKDOWHUQDWLYHDQGWKHSUL]HLVQRQ
WUDQVIHUDEOHΖQWKHHYHQWRIORVVRUGDPDJHWRWKHSUL]HRUSURGXFWGXULQJGHOLYHU\.HOVH\0HGLDZLOOSURYLGHUHDVRQDEOHDVVLVWDQFHLQUHVROYLQJWKHLVVXH
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FRXQW\PD\EHGLVFORVHG<RXZLOODXWRPDWLFDOO\UHFHLYHWKH$PDWHXU*DUGHQLQJQHZVOHWWHUZLWKWKHRSWLRQWRXQVXEVFULEHDWDQ\WLPHXVLQJWKHSURYLGHGOLQN
2FFDVLRQDOO\ZHPD\VHQG\RXUHODWHGLQIRUPDWLRQIURPRWKHU.HOVH\WLWOHVRUSDUWQHUVZKLFK\RXFDQDOVRRSWRXWRIDWDQ\WLPH/DVWO\:HVWODQG+RUWLFXOWXUH
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R I have read and accept the Terms & Conditions

17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 59

 PLANT WATCH
With Michael Perry
Exciting recommendations from our expert plantsman

First Editions®
Diervilla Cool
Splash®
Shady corners
aren’t just for
shades of green,
you can also
switch on the lights
with this glorious
bush honeysuckle.
Cool Splash® is a type of Diervilla
sessilifolia, a family of shrubs which are
relatively new to gardens. But, I’m so glad
they discovered them, as they grow well in
any soil and flower profusely, with nectar-
Hydrangea macrophylla
Eclipse® has dramatic
rich flowers for the bees.
dark foliage and A mounding, what I call ‘self-shaping’
seductive cranberry- plant, which reaches around 60cm (2ft) tall,
coloured flowers it might also look rather dashing in a patio
container - give it a go!

Sensational new First Editions®

Hydrangea
paniculata Little

generation shrubs Hottie®

Little Hottie® may
be petite, but she’s
Michael reveals his pick of been talking about at all the top trade sure packed with
shows during 2024. It is a truly dark-leaf presence.
the plants perfect for filling a mophead hydrangea, holding that colour Standing at
space with colour and interest right through the seasons, and even in only 90cm (3ft) tall, she shows off those
warmer weather when most other foliage creamy-white blooms, which remarkably
et’s face it, shrubs used to have would turn green. don’t burn in the summer sun. As autumn

L a bad rep. They were seen as

uninspiring, you might even say a bit
boring. They were purchased to ‘fill a gap’,
But, as if that wasn’t enough, the
flowerheads, oh wow! Either cranberry or
amethyst-coloured, depending on your
arrives, her flowerheads shift through a
carnival of pinks and rustic reds.
Perfect for borders, beds or containers,
and intended to be almost invisible, simply soil (remember, alkaline gives a pink tone, she’s sun-loving, low-maintenance,
used to bulk out the border. while acid gives a blue tone) - they are and effortlessly elegant, a true garden
Well, all that has changed with modern simply divine! gem ready to steal the spotlight while
breeding, and shrubs have had what we taking up a fraction of the space of usual
might call a ‘glow up’! Not only is there First Editions® hydrangeas.
myriad brightly coloured foliage, but Vitex Queen Bee
there’s also cracking autumn colour, winter ® Chastetree First Editions®
interest… the list goes on. If you haven’t heard Cephalanthus
These are not just glossy on the outside of Vitex agnus- Fiber Optics
either, they are also super-hardworking, castus, you will Now here’s
creating the ideal backdrop to your dream soon, as this is a something
garden. real plant with a completely
All images © Michael Perry/ First Editions

You might have seen a few shrubs in future. different!

bright purple pots in your garden centre Plants can simultaneously cope with Introducing Fiber
recently too. They’re from the leading hot, cold and dry conditions, which means Optics - a truly
plant brand First Editions®, who are about Queen Bee® Chastetree is perfectly unique variety of cephalanthus. Check out
to take Europe by storm with a whole host tailored to our changeable English those Sputnik-like flowerheads that are
of shrub introductions. weather. quite unlike anything else.
And, of course, I am bringing you that With the look of a buddleia, it fills borders Butterflies love the nectar-filled flowers.
news here first.. Enjoy! fast and bursts into denim-blue blooms A somewhat freeform shrub with an
that pollinators love. Reaching a height elegant habit, it’s ideal for planting into
First Editions® Hydrangea and width of 1.8m (6ft), it’s a striking, low- areas prone to occasional flooding as it
macrophylla Eclipse® maintenance choice for modern gardens. enjoys a moist soil.
Black-leaved plants do exist, just look at Fragrant, beautiful, and buzzing with
this! life, Queen Bee is ready to rule your Find out more: www.firsteditionsplants.eu
Eclipse® is the hydrangea everyone’s landscape. www.mrplantgeek.substack.com

60 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

 TOBY’S TALKING
CONTAINER GARDENING TIPS
Agapanthus may grow well in
pots for longer but they will
need some attention over time,
Toby explains what to do

How to boost results when

re-potting and planting out
Toby gives his European blue
palm a new home and
All images unless otherwise credited: Shutterstock

explains the easiest way to

keep container plants happy
he longest-lived pot plant in

T the world is a giant cycad that’s

been thriving at Kew Gardens for
an incredible 240 years. During
its potted history, epoch-defining
inventions - the internal combustion
engine, computer and… onesie - have
changed the world.
And through it all, generations of
caring gardeners have tended to its
needs, terrified that they’d be the one to
overwater and kill it.

62 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025 The incredibly long-lived

cycad at Kew Gardens
 year, and even in this
short time the roots have
found their way to the rim
where if left they’d circle
to exhaustion.

Longer-lived pot plants

Less demanding and longer-
lived are plants from drier
Mediterranean climes and from soils
that are low in organic matter. Palms,
silver-leaved herbs like lavender, artemisia
and fleshy agapanthus will all survive
on meagre diets and are blessed with
forgiving natures so are slow to sulk if a
watering is missed.
But even these toughies need
occasional rejuvenation. I was chatting to
a friend who kept an agapanthus in the
same pot for 15 years. You might know the
Above: We tend to grow mint in pots to keep it contained but it needs division and fresh compost old trope that agapanthus need pot-bound
every year ideally to grow on. Inset: The roots of mint spread far and wide roots to flower. I’m not one to get in the
way of a good story but this isn’t strictly
That old pot plant has been on my mind true and what’s undeniable is that my
because after many years of service, I’ve friend’s display of blue flowers was brilliant
decided to plant my oldest container- until suddenly it wasn’t, when the plant
grown plant, a European blue palm, in the nearly died.
soil. It’s been in its half-barrel for 10 years
- a mere blink in comparison to the Kew Time for a new home for the European
cycad, but long enough for it to start to blue palm
display signs that it was ready for a move. I hauled the flagging agapanthus from its
All plants in containers have a life pot and it was easy to see why it had lost
limited by the confines of their pot and the its mojo as the spaghetti of roots had filled
hungrier they are and quicker they grow, every millimetre of container space and,
the shorter that life will be. Above: Mediterranean plants like lavender like a boa constrictor, had squeezed all the
can thrive for longer in container soil air, water and compost from the rootball. It
The case of the shorter-lived pot herb wasn’t so much root bound as ruined by its
Topping the live-fast-die-young scale are own roots.
plants that in nature grow in rich soils. Mint to keep pace with neighbouring wetland My blue palm isn’t at that stage but it has
is a good example, harking as it does from herbs that also have growth rates akin to a a look about it that you might notice on a
riversides where it roots in the nutrient-rich pantomime beanstalk. friend's dusty-leaved house plants where
drier soil at the surface and spreads far and A pot is still the recommended way of familiarity has bred contempt. It looks…
wide to absorb its meals on the go. The stopping mint spreading but the plants bored.
roots are shallow because it likes to keep demand regular division and repotting into Its meh-ness is apparent in the leaves
its feet above the wet and it grows quickly fresh compost to survive. I do mine every that have lost their brio and aren’t
produced in the same abundance that they
once were. It’s not that it looks bad, it just
doesn’t look as good as it should.
If I didn’t have border space to re-home
it, I’d use the same trick as I did on my
friend's agapanthus, (see the next page)
though I also used an old woodsaw to
divide it into three.
As it was I rolled it, while still in the
barrel near to where I wanted it and dug
a hole.

How to save effort planting on

When digging large planting holes, mark
© Toby Buckland

a circle on the ground where they’re to go

and always start in the middle and work
outwards. It seems counterintuitive but if
you start on the edge you’ll step on the
markings and the hole's location will drift.
Also, once the middle is out to the required

It’s time for Toby’s blue palm 17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 63
to be planted on and out
 A plant that needs desperately potting
on can also damage its container over
time as its roots try to break free

Put a layer of fresh potting compost in

the base of the pot before re-homing the
rootball and adding more compost around
the sides. With large container plants,
there’s only one recipe to use: soil-based
John Innes No3, as its sandy consistency
allows it to filter down between the roots,
plus the high mineral content provides
nutrients for far longer than multi-purpose
formulations.
Finally, trim a fifth of the oldest leaves off
to bring the shoots and roots into balance
depth, if you work backwards, slicing and old wood saw to chop off the bottom fifth and give the plant a well-earned watering.
tipping the sides into the central hole and of the rootball and then fettle around the It sounds brutal because it is! But root-
shovelling out, it’s so much easier than edge and top with a hand trowel to tease pruning and repotting is the way to keep a
working towards the middle, which is an inch of the old compost away. plant in the same big pot for decades.
harder as you have to slice and lift out as
you go.
Another back-saver is to roll the rootball
or slide it on a sack, as opposed to lifting it
to where it's wanted, and then slide it down
a plank and into its hole letting gravity do
the work.
Now to decide what to buy and put in
the old container. I can feel a shopping trip
coming on!

How to re-boot a pot plant without

potting on
You can only pot-on a patio plant so many
times before it becomes too big to handle
or you run out of a next size up pot. But
when that happens all is not lost.
Tip the pot on its side - put a sheet of
cardboard below to protect the patio and
container if necessary - and gently lift the Toby explains how to successfully
main stems up and down until the rootball dig a hole for your plant
wiggles free. Once out of the pot, use an
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17 MAY 2025 AMATEUR GARDENING 65

 GARDEN MUSINGS
with Bob Flowerdew, long-standing AG contributor,
broadcaster and all-round expert.

How to have
your pick of
the peppers
and chillies
For a hot pot or a sweet treat,
Bob explains how there’s a
capsicum to suit your taste
omething missing from most older

S textbooks are capsicum peppers,

both sweet and chilli. Gardeners,
even those with a greenhouse, tended
to neglect these until recently, but now
we’re overwhelmed by a multitude of
mouth-searingly hot, hot, hot peppers.
These have introduced many garden- Bob reveals how to get more from
less city dwellers to gardening as they your chilli plants and peppers
are often successful grown on a sunny
windowsill.
Hot peppers and sweet peppers are It makes sense to buy in plants Treat your chillies as perennials
similar, as both require more warmth than Under cover though, sweet peppers Pollination is seldom needed, and
tomatoes so are much happier in a cold crop really well and are an excellent fortunately neither hot nor sweet peppers
frame or greenhouse than outdoors. choice as fruits are more expensive are much bothered by pests or diseases,
But on a sunny patio, chillies crop to buy than, say, tomatoes. Chilli other than the usual aphids and molluscs;
marginally better than sweet, probably peppers have even more value - offer be especially careful with ripening sweet
because hot are generally smaller, more surplus at your gate at 50p apiece peppers as hungry critters can burrow
compact plants with smaller fruits so they or 3 for e1, which is an astronomical through a small hole, ruining the fruit inside.
can sit on tables that are warmer than price per kilo! Although sweet pepper varieties ripen
down on the ground where the bulkier Both can be started from seed in early red, yellow or purple, most can be eaten still
sweet sorts have space to live. April, it’s too late now for a full crop, but green, and picking some early encourages
Plus, small hot fruits can ripen sooner as you likely only want a few plants it’s a more to grow. They can also be picked as
(if their skin starts to turn blackish they’re similar cost to buy some plug plants in. soon as they start to colour then finished on
wind chilled and need more shelter) Although not difficult to grow, peppers a warm windowsill. Hot peppers need to be
whereas relatively large sweet peppers are slow to germinate and grow away ripe for most uses, but again prompt picking
take more resources and so are slower to compared with other tender crops, so encourages more to set.
crop. purchasing small plants right now makes Sweet peppers can be chopped and
considerable sense. frozen for winter use and chillies are a
Keep these warm, potting up into litre doddle to dry. If you have a warm bright
pots for compact hot sorts, generous tubs spot indoors you may get some plants
for larger-growing varieties and all sweet through winter holding a late crop and
ones. The latter will also need canes to then for an earlier crop next year.
support their heavier load, the hot seldom Sweet are predominantly annual so
do. Both peppers need rich, well-drained often lost whereas chillies are basically
compost and regular watering and perennial and often succeed grown on, so
All images © Shutterstock

feeding, though must never get water- do have a go.

logged.

One unusual tip - peppers like it warm You can find out more about Bob via his
but their roots do not like it hot, so when website www.bobflowerdew.com and
Above: If you have haven’t sown capsicum plants are standing in full sun, shade their what’s happening in his garden via
seed yet, consider buying young plants pots, painting them white or wrapping Twitter (now X) @FlowerdewBob
them with aluminium foil.

66 AMATEUR GARDENING 17 MAY 2025

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Offer subject to availability. We reserve the right to substitute varieties if necessary *Please note that savings are based on the equivalent of multiples of the cheapest pack size. © 2025 Thompson & Morgan. † For full T & C’s,please visit www.thompson-morgan.com. Regretfully we are unable to ship live plants to the following postcode areas: HS, IV41-IV56, KW15-KW17, PA34, PA41-48, PA60-PA78, PA80, PH40-PH44, TR21-TR24, ZE1-ZE3. We are also
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calling our customer service team on 0333 400 0033 or emailing us at [email protected]. To find out exactly how we store and use the data you give us please visit www.thompson-morgan.com/privacy.