Gold1locks

Monkey Puzzle tree

Although it is possible (with difficulty) the result is always poor as cuttings don't form leaders and seedlings won't produce plants of the right upright shape. 

Laburnam Tree

The seed pods can be attractive to young children. Also don't plant one where seedpods could drop into a fish pond.

Laburnam Tree

Lovely tree. Just remember the seeds are poisonous.

What is this tree

I am pretty sure its a variety of sorbus. Leaves are very like sorbus Joseph Rock but you will know better when the berries ripen. 

Primula - growing from seed

They germinate erratically, and the seedlings are tiny to start with. They need to be sown on the surface of fine compost because the seeds are so small, and the surface needs to be kept lightly moist, This can lead to green algal growth, so it is best to use fine vermiculite, which is inert, rather than ordinary compost. This reduces algal growth. 

Ideally they should be winter chilled, so I have sown them in pots in winter and covered them with a tile to stop predating mice etc., and then lifted the tile off in February and brought them into a cold greenhouse to germinate, spraying occasionally with water from a hand sprayer.

I have also left  them outside over winter with a covering polythen bag held upright with wire hoops. 

Leave them to get to manageable size before pricking them out. . 

Lonicera fragrantissima

Hardwood cuttings or suckers. I think l. Midwinter beauty is a cross between l. Fragrantissima and l. Standishii. 

ideas for ground cover plants

You beat me to it, Auntie Betty. And best of all, it is evergreen, with the leaves developing a red tinge through the winter, and it divides easily. I have a dozen or more now. 

Also think about heucheras. Evergreen, and although they don't flower all summer there. Are some superb foliage colours. 

Rhododendron dead ...or not?

Provado Vine Weevil Killer and Provado Ultimate Bug Killer are not affected by the recent restrictions, which will apply for two years. . 

It's a bit complicated,but three neonicotinoid insecticides have been banned, including one (imidacloprid) that used to be used in these two products, but the formula was changed a couple of years ago, to an ingredient called thiacloprid.  The main impact will be on the agricultural industry, where imidacloprid is widely used. 

The only 'domestic' product affected is Provado Lawn Grub Killer. 

Rhododendron dead ...or not?

If you have Provado Vine Weevil Killer you could add some just to be sure. If not, it's expensive stuff, so you might be able to lift the plant out of the pot and have a look to see if you can see any vine weevil grubs and see if you can see any healthy root ends, which should be whitish.If so then it's probably not vine weevil. When I have had one of my potted camellias attacked by vine weevil, by the time it looked sickly on top the damage under the surface was terminal, so if your rhodie is showing signs of growth it's probably nutrients / chlorosis.

Horsetail weeds

Do not remove dying stems. And bruise each stem after applying the gel. Use rubber gloves, and work backwards so you don't stand on any treated weed and spread the glyphosate.

Sting in the Tale

Sting in the Tale

ground frost warning

Iris Katharine Hodgkin

Scarifier / aerators / rake

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Who else loves the humble sempervivum

BBC Gardening Arrivals - Meeting Point