diggingdoris

Twisted Willow

Don't panic Olivedog, that's not a willow, just a hazel, with those catkins. It will probably grow to about 10ft maximum depending on the variety. It still may be wise to move it away from the house a bit though. Good luck

Twisted Willow

A word of warning- make sure you put it somewhere suitable as they can get very big over time. I grew mine from a twig no fatter than a pencil, that I cut off my Mum in laws tree. 40 years later it was 40ft tall with a trunk that's 18inches across at waist height. We had 10ft taken off the top 2 years ago to reuduce the shade, but it is still a magnificent  specimen.

Monty Don

I fully support him for being honest! If he had told us all to go ahead and plant during the cold spell we would all be complaining to the BBC for his bad advice. He should be praised for telling us the best advice. Most of us hardened gardeners knew not to plant but the novices need that sort of advice, or they would have disasters and be put off gardening for the future!

Buddleja Identification

Sounds like my Lochinch. Flowers are a lilac/blue colous and pretty grey leaves.

What's the weather like in your area?

Dry and sunny here all weekend. Cut the back lawn for the first time and pruned the Buddleia at last. Supposed to be cold and windy next week here in Essex, so hope I haven't done any damage. Just had to get out there as I've missed gardening so much this winter!

Our own A to Z of our Gardening

Yes I'm a fan of aqualegias, and have some growing that have self sown year after year for the last 40 years. The original seeds given to me by my old Mum in law when we moved here in 1971. When they bloom every year I think of her. ( sadly no longer with us).

How about adding Alchemilla mollis to the list. I love their frothy flowers and the rain or dew on the leaves is magical!

Scrapbook problems

Every time I buy something new I read about it on the Plants section here and save the details to my scrapbook on here, so I can refresh my memory if needs be.I've just added Lily of the Valley to my garden but when I try to save to the scrapbook it just comes up with a picture,that I then have to get rid of it  to come out of the screen. It hasn't saved it. Any ideas anyone? Is there a problem sometimes with this? I've saved loads  of other items without any trouble, so I'm hoping someone can advise me.

Flowers we don't like?

As I qualified as a florist a few years ago, my family are  always buying me flowers, to play with. The only ones I don't like indoors ( though not a flower) are those cabbage stems that they put in mixed bunches sometimes. The stems in water start to stink so quickly, and they are too fat to use with florists foam. There are much nicer foliages to choose from. Yes I love my flowers in the garden as well, but I try to grow some things just for cutting, and doing a pretty arrangement.

Not keen on dahlias indoors, as I always remember earwigs crawling all over the table as a child!

Compost

Oh no! Are we going to have the fiasco with sub-standard composts that we all had last year? Haven't the suppliers learnt their lesson?. I haven't bought mine yet, as I was waiting to hear what my fellow gardeners on here had to say. Last year the sad state of the poor quality was even discussed on the gardening page in 'The Sun'. I tried different ones last year and some were like dirty straw, some smelt vile, and even the one with added peat produced a poor show in my pots. The suppliers all blamed the weather  for the poor results, which no doubt had some effect, but the concensus on here was that it was down to the so called 'compost'. I'll be watching this space!

Plant suggestions to cover an arch

I have an arch at the bottom of my garden where the ground gets very wet in winter. I planted a clematis montana up each side, but lost one after last years snow and floods and now I've looked at the other one I think that may be dea as well. It looks all brown and dry with no leaf buds showing yet, which I thought should be appearing by now. I may just give up with that idea, and grow some runner beans up it in the summer. Such a shame! But I'm also after ideas for what else I could grow that would not mind the wet.

flowering rhubarb

Hypericum Magical Red Star Pruning?

Scrapbook problems

When to prune

Buddleia pruning?

Photos hiding text

Wintering Fuchsias

cucumber numbers

Deutzia dilemma

buried snails

Non climbing beans

Trachelospermum jasminoides

Poorly Aucuba

can't get a photo on

Is this a euphorbia