Wintersong

Vine Weevil

I stopped using Provado for the reasons above. I use nematodes during warmer seasons and hand pick Lilly beetles. Delicate plants such as hostas get piles of grit.

I do use slug pellets sparingly.

I wish I didn't have to, but my garden doesn't have frogs, toads, chickens or hedgehogs and I've never been one for rummaging around in muddy borders after dark on hands and knees. I think that business suits urban gardens better or perhaps those like Carol Klein's that have organised borders set between many accessible paths.

I've tried other organic solutions to pests with mixed results. I made some garlic spray but the liquid just rolls off the leaves, even when applied with a fine mister, so I'm not sure how to keep the pongy water where its' supposed to stay.

I think my garden does alright, I have nesting birds and bees as most of us do

Garden Gallery 2013

wow to Oakley Witch, Busy-Lizzie and dannyboy10.

You lot have been busy!

Runner Beans

depends on soil temperatures and how long they've been in the ground to rot.

I would suggest that you sow an insurance crop in case the first don't show, but perhaps do it in a tray to get them well started by which time the warmer weather will be rolling in proper and you will also see the results of your first sowing, or not.

No private club

I can't eat cake but I do love Grandmas

pruning lavender

I have a bunch of Lavender stoechas which I grew from cuttings that are now two years old.

I left them with flowers through the winter because I enjoy the seed-heads, and cut them back quite hard about 10 days ago when I was pretty sure we were out of the snow drenching season.

I know stoechas are slightly less hardy than the English versions and all the leaves have wilted silver through the winter, but I've scratched the bark and its perfectly green underneath so patience shall hopefully reward me.

Garden Gallery 2013

gardeningfantic wrote (see)

Wintersong.. your garden looks lovely as always..

Thank you gardeningfantic, it's nice to see you and your garden still around these forums one year on.

Eucalyptus Tree

Eucalyptus is the only tree that can shoot from any part of its trunk so I dare say it shall do that. Was probably just set back by the flooding which lets be honest, in its natural habitat, would be as often as hell freezing over

Ceanothus dead

I have two and both shoot from old wood quite happily.

Bottle Brush Shurbs

Hi Brian 6,

 Bottlebrush plants are not that hardy although I see from your coastal location the garden centre may have assumed they would fare better.

My Callistemon is two years old now and got left outside in the border with a label that told me it was fully hardly. It then got snowed on and was left for dead until I dug it up and discovered it was still alive below ground, so I potted it up and it grew back that summer although not enough to flower. Leaving it in the pot for a second winter, it again looks dead possible due to me leaving it in a spare room for protection where it promptly dropped all its leaves again.

So..there is hope yet for yours.It does take a bit of time for them to start showing new life although I'm not sure about the winters outside. My Dad had a lovely one in his garden for a number of years that wasn't too effected by winters but I don't know if some varieties are better than others or if we just have harsher winters now.

I'm going to be overwintering mine in my unheated greenhouse next winter (when I buy one) in the hope that I might eventually see some top growth get further than new shoots.

Be patient and good luck

Garden Gallery 2013

June in Your Garden!

Chelsea!

Chelsea Chop

What's it like in your garden?

Ooh ooh so excited!

Talkback: Informal planting

Why Miss Bateman?

Phormium newbie