pansy2

Big Garden Birdwatch

Can't do the bird watch as we are not in England but I'll bet we have the rarest bird in our garden.  Pekin Robins! Yes really.  Apparently they are escapees from aviaries or perhaps deliberately released and there are now about a thousand of them living in France and we get to feed about 20 of them every day.......wonderful.

Talkback:

If you do decide to cut it back hard please do it before the bird's start nesting as overgrown bushes of Lonicera Nitida are favoured nesting sites for all sorts of birds.  You could cut most of it back and leave a few older stems to take cuttings from in July or August and when they grow dig out the old one , replant the new and keep it pruned how you want it.  This plant makes a lovely neat hedge which looks very like Box but grows much faster, it can also be used to cut into Topiary if you like it.  It is very tolerant and easy going but Baggen's Gold needs sun to bring out it's colour.

charcoal

I'm definitely against it but here is a tip I learnt from an old man that lived close to us many years ago.  When you have planted  your seeds in pots or trays sprinkle crushed  charcoal on the top and you will not have problems with "damping off" of your seedlings.  All our heating comes from wood burning stoves and there is always small bits of nearly burnt wood in them which is what I use and I haven't had this problem in nearly 18 years of serious gardening so there must be something in it, charcoal has been used for years for it's purifying effect after all.

Named Roses

There is one in France called Martin des Senteurs . It is a lovely rose with a very strong fragrance.  It is availale from Jacques Briant but I don't know if they will send to England.  Their web site www.jacques-briant.com

I grow roses with the same name as members of the family too.  You can't always put the plants together as you can get very clashing colours.  I have yet to find a Patricia or a Stephanie though.

Talkback: Growing gunnera

Can they be grown from seed?  If yes when and how please.

lily beetle

I grow a few  lilies and there is a systemic insectiside which kills the grubs as soon as they hatch.  I don't use it as I don't use chemicals but i will track it down for you if you want.  I just watch my lilies carefully and as soon as I see the red beetles I kill them.  I hold an open jar under the leaf with the beetle on it then tap above it and it drops straight down usually into the jar then I squash it. I search the plant for eggs (small, orange normally under a leaf) and squash them too.  I very rarely get the disgusting grubs but those I wipe off with kitchen paper towels and squash again.  Yes it does take time and I only have about 30 lilies.  I have yet to find a non chemical method of killing these bugs, I will be interested to see if anyone else comes up with something.

Winter storm damage - greenhouse glazing

My greenhouse was smashed to bits in a very bad storm and I have replaced it with a plastic one.  I could not bear the thought of perhaps having to pick up all  the broken glass again, it was a dreadful job.  The plastic greenhouse is constantly covered in condensation, it "rains" in there all the time.  It is not as warm,all in all a waste of money I think.  I have used acrylic sheeting before and it goes yellow and very brittle, it also scratches easily and is then a cloudy yellow.  Maybe they have improved the stuff since I used it last about 5 years ago.

Back garden Chickens

Chickens are great in the garden providing you keep them away from your plants.  We let ours roam in the winter or pen them on areas we want cleaned (chickens will follow you anywhere for a digestive biscuit).  We put up a temporary chicken wire fence and let them dig and forage on an area and take them back to their coop at night. Of course we always take their water pot to them.  They eat all sorts of pests, weeds and thoroughly scratch up the top few inches of soil too.  The do not like nettles and brambles can be dangerous for their feet (thorns)  Eggs fresh from the hen are so different from shop ones.  There is the cost of something for them to sleep in. You can buy chicken feed but they will eat all your leftover bread, potatoes,rice and lettuces that are bolting etc.  They also love grass. I hope you decide to have a go, they really are trouble free and fun.

Talkback: How to make a mini-pond

Clematis through a shrub?

Some advice please.  I have a large Chimonanthes Praecox which, at this time of year, is a great joy but for the rest of the year it is very dull and not very interesting at all.  I am thinking of planting a climber, perhaps  a summer flowering clematis to give it a second season of interest but under no circumstances would I want any harm to come to the wintersweet.  Has any one else done this?  What success did you have.  What sort of climber would you reccomend?  If you have room for it and don't mind the dull green leaves for most of the year I would thoroughly reccommend Chimonanthes.  On still sunny days it scents the air for many yards and one or two twigs in the house brought into the house......delicious.  It grows very easily from seed.

pools

decorative pots

gardens

charcoal

Clematis through a shrub?

Problems with Quince