obelixx

Clematis problem

Did you plant them deeper than they were in the pot?  This helps them produce more shoots from down below.  However, some clematis take a year or two to settle in and get going even after deep planting and they may well produce many more stems in coming years, especially if you feed  them well every spring.  Clematis are hungry plants.

Plant of the Centenary

Busy, you are only allowed Iceberg rose.  The RHS has picked one plant per decade of new plants introduced at the Chelsea Flower Show in the last 100 years.  You then get to vote for one of those.   Like I said, it's a very poor list IMHO.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea/potc 

Japanese Maple

Given the March and April we've just had it'll have been frozen solid just when the sap was rising to feed all the newly unfurling leaves.   This can be fatal.  It was for 2 of mine last year and did a lot of damage to a hamamelis and some roses.

You're just going to have to be patient and give it to mid June to recover.   If it has produced new foliage by then you can prune out all the dead wood to just above those leaves.  If not, it's a goner.

Plant of the Centenary

I thought the choice of plants to vote for on the RHS site was pretty poor.  I ended up voting for the rhododendron as its diminutive size made rhodos available for people with small gardens and they do look good all year round.

Clematis montana to cover a 5' high fence

.This montana - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=301 will do 7 to 10 metres.    So will this one - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=318  This one will only do 5 to 7 metres - http://www.clematis.hull.ac.uk/new-clemdetail.cfm?dbkey=299

All are easily available and all will grow well.   I suggest you plant whichever montana you choose in the middle of the sunnier 9' of your fence and in a good deep hole enriched with plenty of garden or bought in compost.  Give the new clem a good soak to wet its rootball then plant 4 to 6" deper than it was in its pots a sthis will encourage new stems to form.   When planted, remove any ties and its cane and train onto your wires.  It will grow into the shadier part eventually if it wants to.

Clematis montana to cover a 5' high fence

Defintely not plastic net.  It will sag and snap in no time.  best to start with decent wires and vine eyes from the start and keep on top of tying in and pruning once it gets to the size you want so it stays looking good..

Native/traditional British plants for office plants?

Too right.  Native plants are meant for temperate conditions with wind and rain and sunshine, not dry, heated, processed air with chemicals from office furniture and technology.   Also, lamp light does not equate to sunlight.

On the other hand, the usual office and house plants are often known for their ability to deal with such conditions especially if given a regular misting spray and can be used to absorb and reduce harmful chemicals in office atmospheres.  That's  why they're planted in offices.

Dieffenbachia, dracaena and spathyphyllum are particularly good at air cleaning.

gravel bed/border ... replace with bark?

Bark does rot down over time but then needs replacing so you have to factor that in as a continuing cost and chore.    Some people also worry about the rotting of wood depleting nitrogen from the soil but I think the levels would be negligible.  A far better soil improver is well rotted manure or garden compost or bought in compost.

I understood you would be planting beyond the gravelled area but if you're planning to remove all the membrane and plant that area I would just remove all the gravel and put it somewhere else. as without a membrane it will work its way into the soil and get lost and look naff then be expensive to replace.  

There isn't really a short cut to good soil preparation but it does pay dividends and your plants, if well chosen, will cover the soil and supress weeds and look beautiful.  You can use annuals as fillers while they get established.

gravel bed/border ... replace with bark?

As long as the gravel or bark is spread on a weed suppressant membrane neither is any good to the soil and neither will harm it.   You can scrape back the gravel pebbles, flatten the membrane and repair it as needed then just put the gravel vback witha  few pebbles and larger stones to break it up and add texture.  I wouldn't recommend replacing the gravel with bark as it can be blwon around in strong winds, can be pecked and trewn about by birds looking for insects and also allows weeds to self sow quite easily.

For the soil you want to plant up, yes, add well rotted compost or manure, some fine grit if the soil is heavy and fork it over thoroughly removing any perennia weeds and tehir roots.   Plant up and water well.  Keep new plants watered till well established.   Lots of plants love acidic soil and clay can be very fertile once its structure is improved with houmous and grit so you should be able to find a wide range of plants to suit. 

Sting in the Tale

Thanks Goldi.  I've bookmarked it for later.

Encouraging bats in our gardens

Beechgrove this weekend

Weekend 22 March

Good Morning - 21 March

Choosing chillies

Hanging baskets and window boxes

New shed - any tips?