AliP

Tulipa 'Spring Green'

I saw this in Parker's bulb catalogue and amongst other bulbs thought I would have to try it (bulb catalogue is abit like being in a sweet shop!). It's in flower now but I am disappointed to see that there is a pink flush to the white parts of the petals.  Has anyone had similar problems with this cultivar? www.alisonpike.com/blog/

sweet pea

Yeah I would probably get them started in pots, especially with the weather we are having at least you get a little bit of a head start. <span id="sample-permalink">http://www.alisonpike.com/blog/?p=231 if you need any help on how to sow them. <span>

How to plant a Rose??

I've posted on my blog about planting roses <span id="sample-permalink">http://www.alisonpike.com/blog/?p=136<span id="change-permalinks"> check out the link and hopefully the information will be of use. Happy planting and think of the beautiful flowers you will get this summer!

Anyone had health problems after pruning Buddleia?

Pruned a lot over the years and never had a sore throat after doing it. Some plants can do funny things like that. I've done gardens at the Chelsea flower show before and the pollen from the plane trees there really irritate your throat and make you cough, it's even called the 'Chelsea cough'! www.alisonpike.com/blog/

First Time Gardener Help!

Wow, loads of photos but here goes only had time to go through first 37!
1. Hosta
2. Box (i think can't really be sure from that pic)
3. Pittosporum (again not totally sure)
4. Bay? Check the leaves smell
5. Conifer - not good on my conifer id's
6. Nearest is cornus, flowering shrub in background is camellia
7. Looks dead, maybe a dried out Azalea
8. Bay
9. Mahonia
10. Hydrangea
11. Cotoneaster?? Escallonia?
12. Cornus
13. Vinca
14. Mahonia
15. Hosta
16. Escallonia
17. Aucuba
18. ?
19. ?
20. Mahonia
21. Spiraea
22. Clematis armandii
23. Anemone
24. Cotinus
25. Elaeagnus
26. ?
27. ?
28. Buddleja
29. Bluebells, not sure what the dead from last years perennial growth is.
30. Lavandula
31. not sure whats what here
32. Geranium
33. Acer
34. Garrya eliptica
35. Peris
36. Cotoneaster
37. Crocosmia

Hopefully these aren't too far off the mark although it's hard to tell from some of the photos. Hope this helps and if I get a chance I'll look over the other half. www.alisonpike.com/blog/

Raspberries

sunnysarah, with the autumn fruiting raspberries you usually cut all the canes down to the ground in late winter then you should start seeing the new shoots emerging from the soil around now and these will bare this years fruit. www.alisonpike.com/blog/

Creating a wildflower meadow

It sounds to me like it would be worth you speaking to a few wildflower seed companies. Clearly things have colonised this area already so it maybe that there is a certain wildflower seed mix that will be perfectly happy.  You are right in that they like poor ground so you don't want to add topsoil as this would be too rich, I guess you could add a layer of subsoil over the top as i'm assuming the tarmac is so broken down that the area drains easily?  Sarah Raven did a brilliant series on wildflower recently www.sarahraven.com you could check out the website or call for some advice. Hope this helps and good luck! www.alisonpike.com/blog/

pear tree

If you carefully scrape the surface of a stem it should be green underneath, the stems should also be pliable especially last years growth.  If there is no sign of green and the stems are brittle and snap all is not well! It would be worth checking the roots in the same sort of way to see if there is life down there. Fingers crossed!www.alisonpike.com/blog/

astilbe

Like Victoria K says I would try it in more sun. They love boggy conditions and the most inportant thing is that the soil they are in does not dry out, they should then be happy in full sun or partial shade.  Good luck.  www.alisonpike.com/blog/

What Climber to have for a shaded area?

Maybe Euonymus fortunei, normally grown as a shrub but climbs beautifully up walls. Hydrangea petiolaris, Akebia quinata, or like you say some of the Clematis. Good luck. www.alisonpike.com/blog/

Mysterious unknown plants

Tulipa 'Spring Green'

Heuchera's

Coral Spot

Snowdrops and bees

Snowdrops