|
 |
 |
|
| Go greener |
|
| With a growing number of gardeners eschewing chemicals in favour of natural alternatives, we can suggest some effective products from our organic gardening selection |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Relax and refresh |
|
| Good food freshly prepared daily, aromatic coffee, chilled wine and a grassy play area for the children. What more could you need? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| Food heaven |
|
| Our Farm Shop is heaven for food lovers! Delicious handmade food, top quality groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables and stylish cookware and gifts. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| The Discovery Walk |
|
| As thousands of daffodils herald the spring, stroll or stride around our Walk while the youngsters enjoy the Nature Trail |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
Swell pels serve me well!
|
| Thursday, 26th June 2008 |
|
|
|
IN THE GARDEN WITH PETA MARSHALL
When one looks at the Plant Centre during the course of the year there are several times when it is in full, glorious colour. For example, in the weeks leading up to Christmas there are poinsettias and cyclamen that really cheer the dull, early winter days. And in the spring there are daffodils and other bulbs that provide a fresh zing of colour, offering a promise of warmer weather ahead.
And in late spring and early summer there is a sea of hot reds, pink and oranges provided by the pelargoniums.
You may not be familiar with the name ‘pelargonium’…instead you’ll know it as the bedding geranium. People are confused over the name ‘geranium’, which is actually the botanical name for the cranesbill, a hardy herbaceous plant, usually with blue, mauve, purple, pink or white flowers.
The bedding geranium, or pelargonium, that I’m talking about here is a close relation, but looks entirely different.
There are hundreds of varieties of pelargonium, with single, double, semi-double, frilled and star-shaped flowers. There are multicoloured and decorative leafed forms, and some that are scented. There are low, tall and trailing forms, and in my view every summer garden should have at least a couple of different forms. They’ll repay you with continuity of flower from May (or April in some cases), almost until the first frosts of autumn.
For generations of gardeners the three main kinds of geranium available were:
Zonal-leaved types, usually with a clearly distinctive zone or band of colour on the leaves
Ivy-leaf types, most of which have, not surprisingly, leaves shaped rather like ivy, and which were grown as trailing plants for hanging baskets, windowboxes and other containers, and the
Regals, which flower as early as April, lasting for just a couple of months, but which have frilly-edged leaves and some of the most beautiful of flowers.
In recent years, however, plant breeders have developed many new forms, which now include miniatures, dwarfs, rosebud-, cactus- and even tulip-flowered pelargoniums. And all this has served to make this family of plants simply massive!
These plants respond well to feeding every two or three weeks during the growing season with a tomato fertiliser (which, being high in potash, promotes flowering). And they need to have their faded flowerheads removed regularly. By doing this you will be encouraging more flowers to appear.
Given a sunny position, pelargoniums will grow in most soils. Plants can be lifted before autumn frosts commence, potted up and over-wintered in light, frost-free conditions, watering sparingly. They can be pruned back in early spring. But, I have to say, keeping these plants from one year to the next is not always worth it as they never seem to flower as well – unless you put a lot of effort into feeding, watering, pruning and deadheading.
Pelargoniums are particularly useful in dry, warm summers, as they are drought-tolerant. Well, they do need more water than, say, cactus plants, but they don’t wilt the moment they become dry like most other forms of bedding plant. They’re generally free of pests and diseases as well (although the grey mould fungus disease is very common on plants that are being kept from one year to the next);
My personal favourite is the zonal pelargonium, and it is certainly one of the most popular summer-flowering plants for mass planting in beds. It looks good when planted with various other summer plants, such as the Indian shot plant (Canna indica) or heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens).
In terms of species and varieties, names do come and go. The following are all exceptionally good garden plants.
Mop or Ballhead singles: ‘Venus’ F1 (white with rose-red eye and a picotee edge), ‘Black Magic Appleblossom’ F1 (pink and white appleblossom flower set off by striking dark leaves), and ‘Black Magic Red’ F1 (rich red flowers above velvety, almost black foliage).
Multiflora (branching stems producing more, slightly smaller flowers): ‘Avanti Apricot’ F2 (apricot pink with a small white eye), and ‘Scarlet Eye’ (rose pink fading to white). Trailing ivy-leaved: ‘Summer Showers Burgundy’ (burgundy flowers), ‘Mexicana’ (red and white markings) and the ‘Decora’ types, famous for decorating the windows and balconies of Swiss chalets.
Varieties on sale at the plant centre differ from season to season, and it is always worth popping down to the Plant Centre to see what’s available.
Did you know that the summer flowerbeds outside Buckingham Palace traditionally contain red pelargoniums, and the shade of red is chosen to match exactly the red tunics of the Guards parading up and down. The variety grown for many years was ‘Paul Crampel’, but there is no hard and fast rule on this, and the gardeners are always on the look out for new varieties – as long as the colour matches!
Of course, you can plant big, blocked flowerbeds of pelargoniums in your own garden, but that won’t be cheap. Most gardeners like to have a few in containers – even hanging baskets – around the patio, where the plants can be enjoyed at close quarters.
All you can do now for this year is to buy a few plants (if you haven’t already done so). For next year, however, you can sow seed in January for flowering the following summer. You’ll need a greenhouse, and a heated propagator to do it properly.
It is possible to buy pre-germinated seedlings, or plug plants, from garden centres in early spring. You will need to prick the seedlings out into trays, or pot up plug plants for growing on.
Planting outside must take place after all danger of spring frost has passed, probably mid- to late May.
For those who fancy something a bit unusual, or who want to make a collection, there are many nurseries specializing in pelargoniums. But if you haven’t really tried them seriously before, a trip to the Plant Centre will open your eyes to the variety of types on offer. You could get hooked! Happy gardening!
This week in your garden
Sow carrots, beetroot, leaf beet, French dwarf beans, kale, lettuce, parsley, kohl rabi, spinach, mangetout peas, radishes and spring onions in well-prepared soil, enriched with a well-balanced fertiliser.
Sow leeks, sprouting broccoli, calabrese, cauliflowers, autumn cabbage and Brussels sprouts in a nursery area: they will need to be transplanted into their final positions at the after three or four weeks.
Now’s the time to sow biennials, such as wallflowers, forget-me-nots, sweet Williams, Canterbury bells and double daisies in shallow drills in an out-of-the-way bed in a sunny spot. These will all flower next spring.
Peta Marshall is the plant centre manager at Priory Farm in Nutfield. Website: www.prioryfarm.co.uk
NEXT WEEK: Shrub roses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
