auntie betty

Plant pot problem

Could you use a half barrel? Cut a big hole in the bottom and slide it over the pole from above? Or make a square versailles-type planter around the pole. I made one of these out of decking boards (they're pressure treated so won't rot for years). Bound to be a 'how to make.." on google/you tube. Putting soil around said pole will rot it eventually though - would that be ok? If not, tightly wrap the part of the pole concerned with thick bin bags to give it some extra protection from damp.

Tree planting

Yep, a willow is a good idea for your soggy bit. In amongst what I assume will become meadow, something fruiting like apple, pear or crab would be good. You might comsider some mixed native hedging too - hawthorn is brilliant for critters, an mixes well with blackthorn, holly, beech and hazel. In my experience, the odd escallonia and japanese quince in with it all extends the flowering season, and many creatures appreciate a bit of pyracantha too. If you've an opportunity, a shrubby area is nice to do. I'd include mahonia and daphne with early bulbs underneath, plus choisya, single roses, lilac, buddleia, and ground cover ivies. The odd stone or wood pile is good, as is a generous clump of nettles somewhere they wont offend you - these are the only food of many a caterpillar, so butterflies really need them. Its also worth planting some burnet in with your grass if you're letting it grow long. Burnet moths are fantastic little guys. Clover is also worth encouraging for bees, as is lavender.

problems with bamboo

The compost should contain adequate food for the time being. Poke a finger into the soil and check its not dry below a knuckle's depth - only water if it is. You shouldnt need to water more than every 4/5 days - just give plenty when you do so it penetrates to good depth before evaporating off. You can drown a young plant as easily as dehydrate it, as it doesnt have enough root to suck up the water, so go steady. Its probably just the sun/wind combo drying out the foliage faster than the young roots can replace the water. If you can, place something to shade them a bit and wait and see whether they regrow over the next month or so.

Is 12 inches a deep enough hole for a clematis?

yeah, but I agree with Matty2. I'd also suggest a good mulch of something - clem likes its feet cool and as ts roots are likely to stay shallow it'll need it all the more. Pop some little stones or something over the soil around the roots and it should be fine. You can always lay the rootball over if you're struggling for depth from the get-go. As long as its got a shoot above soil level it'll know which way is up!

Bare rooted aquilegia

I'd leave em be and not water too much. Stick a finger in the soil now and again and if its slightly damp half a 'finger' below the surface, they're fine.

Laurel tree troubleshooting

Thems some dead laurels boy

Small front garden planting

Low maintenance evergreens include: phormium, bergenia, heuchera, euonymous (some), carex, cotoneaster (some), flat-growing junipers, choisya, lavender, euphorbia (some), aucuba japonica, prunus (some), ajuga, festuca, hedera, saxifraga (some). Hard to be specific without pic, but there's some stuff to look up anyway.. Try to have a few bulbs or easy herbaceous things too, or you'll quickly get bored The odd clup of alliums and other few of hardy geranius would make all the diff. .Bx

pruning lavender

I'd dig one up, cut all the totally useless bits out, then bury it in a free-draining pot with just the active bits above soil level. They should then root, after which you can lift it, snip off the rooted bits just below the roots and bingo! New plant cuttings to replace your old ones

Ideas appreciated for shrubs to create structure in my new garden

I'd consider the crab apples for the tree (malus 'john downie's my personal fave'). these dont get too big for you, have the blossom you're after, and look well as part of a border. For shrubs, I'd consider pyracantha grown againt the fence like a climber to give you a good backdrop. I'd never be without cotinus coggyria for purple foliage - it can get huge, but mine never do as I use it to fancy-up cut flowers in he house. Its such a fabulous foil to show off  other things. I might consider a small flowering shrub next to or in front of cotinus - white potentilla looks amazing, as does pink cistus. And both of those are easy shrubs to keep (i never prune them) and easy to put perennials with - they seem to look nice with anything. I love phormiums - they give you an evergreen version of what iris foliage does for a border - a great vertical. Like the potentilla/cistus kind of thing, not for the very back - just slightly forwards, perhaps in front of pyracantha, to blend the shrubs with the herbaceous. I also use euphorbia wulfennii in the same sort of role. You can't beat the odd spire of conifer to break up looser shubs too. I use 'elwoodii' cos it tends to be cheaper than 'skyrocket'. Spireas are good shrubs for clipping - I keep mine as 3ft balls in my mixed borders. They still flower, but are a good foil for the blowsy chaos of tthe perennials around them, stopping it all getting too out of hand. I'd also recommend viburnum opulus for a back of border shrub. Again, can go big if not pruned, but so useful for cutting that it never gets the chance to be more than 8/9ft tall here. Easy to keep clothed right to the ground if you prune, attractive leaf shape in itself, nice autumn colour and those spectacular green/white pompoms. What's not to like? Hope that's some more food for thought - got a bit carried away! Bx

Jewell garden - suggestions

Some of the cannas are short enough for u. oriental poppies maybe? purple salvia nemorosa. allium 'purple sensation'. drumstick alllium. yellow achillea. daylilies. red astilbe. pink monarda 'prairienacht'.chocolate cosmos. dahlia 'bloodstone' or 'greenside antonia'. penstemon. lupin 'thundercloud'. Bx

shrubs for cut flowers

Shady spots

Soft yellow or hot pink climbing roses

new guinea impatiens

Pots of summer colour in partial shade

best annuals for shade / partial shade

Hops

Flowers for July?

Shadyish paving creepers

Associations

top 5

Plant suggestions please