Kate's Cuttings

Christmas is upon us. I have done my usual trawl round the internet, here are a few ideas for presents for the gardener. Ideas for wildlife friendly presents: A stylish hanging bird feeder from Suttons: http://www.suttons.co.uk/Shop/Hanging+Circle+Bird+Feeder+X10156.htm or a bug box for our little pals to snuggle into during the winter months. They will thank us by emerging in spring and eating all our aphids: http://www.suttons.co.uk/Shop/Bug+Box+X10152.htm If you want to make a donation to charity as well, the Marie Curie website has a funky wheelbarrow covered in daffodils for sale:... Read more…

A mild spell in Autumn is a good time for planting many things. If you are struggling to choose which variety of plant, tree, shrub or even vegetable to go for, one way of dividing the good from the indifferent is to pick a variety that has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. To (roughly) quote the RHS website at http://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/Plant-trials-and-awards/Plant-awards/Award-of-Garden-Merit-(AGM): The AGM is intended to be of practical value to the home gardener. It is awarded therefore only to a plant that meets the following criteria: It must be of... Read more…

After several weeks of dry, hot weather it is raining at last, and doesn’t the garden love it? The fresh, spring look is now gone. We have, for the later summer season, an overgrown, rather blousy, voluptuous look; the garden equivalent of a Vivienne Westwood frock. Out right now in mid July are clematis, tobacco plants, dahlias, blue, red and pink salvia (including a red and white one called ‘hot lips’), helenium, a huge, rangy yellow inula that must stand over 5 feet tall, tall and short phlox, sweet peas (annual and perennial) roses, penstemons, macleaya (see picture) , day lilies, th... Read more…

A bout 3 years ago we decided to have a go at creating a small meadow in the garden. I love wildflowers, and the thought of a colourful tapestry of grasses and native plants swaying in the breeze on a sunny day seemed just a few months away. Just stop mowing and wait. Wrong, as usual! Recently I visited Great Dixter, Christopher Lloyds garden on the Surrey/Sussex border. Christo died a while back, but his head gardener, Fergus Garrett has carried on the good work and the garden is looking as lovely as ever. As part of the visit, Fergus explained to us how they created a meadow. I wi... Read more…

Last week a kind friend gave me some cutting of some Mrs Simpkins, a lovely, fragrant member of the Dianthus family usually referred to as ‘Pinks’. Mrs S is a white pink – confusing, I know. I did read somewhere that the common name ‘pink’ refers to the shaggy edges to the flowers – they look as if they have been cut with a pair of pinking shears – rather than their colour. True or not, they are lovely, fragrant flowers. Whenever I smell their scent, it takes me back to my childhood where our next door neighbour had pinks edging her paths. Their perfume was just gorgeous. My favourite D... Read more…

Keeping the garden looking pretty throughout the year is a difficult task and needs a bit of planning and preparation. Many books and articles have been written on the subject of succession planning, but it’s not really that hard. For example planting a few spring bulbs under a shrub or perennial is one easy way of providing a longer period of interest. You can still lift and divide your snowdrops if you are quick, they prefer to be moved ‘in the green’ and will spread more quickly if you give them a helping hand. They grow well in grass as well as borders. Now is the time to plan for a... Read more…

Kates cuttings You don’t need me to tell you that growing your own vegetables is very trendy at the moment as well as a good idea. My son had a balcony in his small flat groaning under the weight of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and strawberries last year. I have to admit, he put me to shame as growing things to eat is not really my passion, unless it’s in the form of a lovely old fruit tree I can grow a rose or clematis up. It seems a lot of hard work and, unlike perennials, bulbs, shrubs and trees, at the end of the growing season, you have to start all over again. You also have... Read more…

You don’t need me to tell you that growing your own vegetables is very trendy at the moment as well as a good idea. My son had a balcony in his small flat groaning under the weight of potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, herbs and strawberries last year. I have to admit, he put me to shame as growing things to eat is not really my passion, unless it’s in the form of a lovely old fruit tree I can grow a rose or clematis up. It seems a lot of hard work and, unlike perennials, bulbs, shrubs and trees, at the end of the growing season, you have to start all over again. You also have to try and remem... Read more…

It has been written that you can spot a well designed garden even in the depths of winter. This assertion is usually made in a posh garden design book and accompanied by smart pictures of strategically placed and immaculately clipped box, or an expensive looking piece of sculpture at the end of a classically laid York stone path. There is much debate about the principles which guide garden design. For example there are those who prefer ‘garden rooms’ where each smaller garden has a particular theme or planting style. I have seen this done even in quite small outside spaces, where a secl... Read more…

Tulips – we tend to love them or hate them, rich folk in the 17th century paid huge sums for a single bulb. Either way they can add a bold splash of colour to the garden. I have a border which looks good in the Spring which is planted under an espalier pear. It has a lily flowered variety of tulip called Ballerina underplanted with deep blue forget me nots. The combination of white blossom on the pear, orange tulips and blue forget me nots is lovely as long as the forget me nots don't succumb to mildew. I love the lily flowered tulips, they are so elegant. Last year I bought a variety ... Read more…