Landscape Gardeners

Landscaper :

A person that alters the appearance of a landscape by means of moving soil or rock from one position to another. This can include completely removing matter from the area or bringing new material to the site.

A landscaper usually works in an area not exceeding 5000 square metres. Anything greater than this size would usually include the need for heavy plant and be termed as groundwork, with some projects requiring groundworks and landscaping.

Landscapers often work to a plan or spec produced by a third party.

Landscape gardener = The contractor here needs to be jack of all trades (but hopefully NOT master of none!) An individual who has the qualities of the garden designer, landscaper and for realising the full potential, that important one, the gardener.

You can find some good landscape gardners to handle your Garden Landscaping in your area.

Harlequin landscapes are specialist Landscape Gardener based in London specialising in Roof Gardens and Contemporary Gardens.

They have been designing and creating beautiful landscapes for a number of years. They have specialist garden designers in and around London. Have completed projects including roof gardens in London and other contemporary gardens in and around London. If you would like a drawing or sketch/ quote for roof gardens in London or contemporary gardens in around London then there are landscape gardeners available for you.

The company has an excellent reputation for landscape gardens.
The landscape designs created are simple, elegant and most importantly functional and this approach is further enhanced by the highly skilled craftsmanship of David Barnes.

Harlequin Landscapes aims to deliver a quality service to enhance your outdoor space and complement your home, because as a company HL is one of the highly rated garden designers in London.

The company undertakes a project from initial client meeting and survey through design development and construction to the planting design and soft landscaping. The result is a bespoke project for every client.

Liaising with a client and involving them as much as desired enables Harlequin Landscapes to create unique designs, developed to suit an individual's exterior space, their surrounding property and most importantly their lifestyle.

Harlequin Landscape materials

Every landscaping project is undertaken with passion and the overall emphasis of any Harlequin Landscape's development is placed on attention to detail. All materials and work undertaken are guaranteed for a 12-month period and testimonials are available on request, so if you need an Landscape Gardener in London, then check this out: Landscape links

Landscapers really are expected to provide an extensive service. When you think about it, they often cover garden consultation, design, the construction and aftercare gardening maintenance. Sure, you get companies specializing in one particular element but when it comes down to it, landscape gardeners do it all. With this in mind, choosing the right business to carry out your garden project is paramount. Go with who you are most comfortable with and this choice will not necessarily be the cheapest option, however it will almost certainly bring the best results!

landscape gardeners in Kent

Introducing landscape gardeners in Kent who enjoy building high quality gardens, provide standard and custom spec fencing, supply and fit entrance gates, cover tree surgery works, planting services, deck building and the construction of garden walls.

Rob McGee & Son offer bespoke landscape garden design and construction solutions throughout the South East of England, with original ideas for new contemporary gardens and the increasingly popular request for garden makeovers. Ideal for those with a busy lifestyle seeking a green oasis, an outdoor space to relax in.

If you require a quotation for a job that relates to the type of work undertaken by experienced garden designers, garden landscaping contractors, fencing contractors or tree maintenance services staff, then please read detailed information on the wide range of landscape gardening services available from this Company of Southeast landscapers providing hard and soft landscaping works for small, medium and large gardens in the Counties of Kent, London, Essex, Surrey and East Sussex, as the majority of enquiries can be accommodated.

Water features, border and lawn irrigation systems plus garden lighting units are supplied and installed by this group of landscape gardeners. Find out about practical garden planting ideas, suggestions for hardy evergreen shrubs suitable to grow successfully in most UK gardens. For patios and natural garden paving, information on the sandstone option. Browse links to industry related resources including landscape gardening directories and Companies. See:

www.gardeners.co.uk
www.gardenforum.co.uk
www.thelandscapegardeners.co.uk
www.mylandscapes.co.uk
www.garden-links.co.uk
http://www.thegardeningwebsite.co.uk/

Customer satisfaction plays a key role in the long term success of any home and garden business, with this element acknowledged by garden landscapes company Rob McGee & Son.
Garden quotes: From planning initial concepts to finishing the actual works, start your garden landscaping, fencing or tree project by calling 01233 740 389 for service.

Rob McGee & Son, Corner Cottage, Challock, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4BS, England, UK

September Garden Tips

September Garden Tips:

*Plant peonies now, but make sure the crowns are buried only one and a half to two inches below ground level. Planting them deeper than two inches may keep them from blooming.

*Root cuttings from annual bedding plants such as begonias, coleus, geraniums and impatiens. These plants can be overwintered in a sunny window and provide plants for next year's garden.

*Before the first frost dig up caladiums. Allow them to dry and store them in a dry place for the winter.

*Perennial phlox can be divided about every third or fourth year. Divide big clumps of perennial phlox into thirds. Early fall or early spring are the best times to plant or transplant them.

*Divide lily-of-the-valley.

*Select accent plants for your landscape that will provide autumn colors. Trees that have red fall color are flowering dogwood, red maple, sugar maple, Norway maple, red oak and scarlet oak. Shrubs with red fall foliage include sumac, viburnum, winged euonymus and barberry."

September Gardening Q&A, Questions and Answers page. Hints and Tips, Advice, Help.

GARDEN Q&A FOR September.

SEPTEMBER GARDENING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Autumn fruitfullness

Question.

Dear Sir or Madam: I would be most grateful if you could help me with an extremely bothersome problem. We have some wisteria plants growing on trellises around our cottage (planted some dozen years ago). It is a summer cottage with no basement. The wisteria blooms and grows moderately well, but the problem is, that because we have no basement, they send out dozens and dozens of runners under the house which not only grow up between the slats on the deck, but actually poke up in weak spots INSIDE THE HOUSE.

They come right up between the baseboard and wallboard. Wherever there is a weakness in this old cottage, they come bursting through, and grow at an alarming rate. Of course we cut them off as soon as they appear, but that doesn't stop them. We can't easily get under the cottage to cut them, although I'm sure even if we could, they would just continuing growing, probably more rapidly than before.

Is there anything that we can do to stop this before our cottage is completely taken over? Could one spray something under the cottage? Any suggestions would be most gratefully received.

Answer.

You can spray with a product usually branded as a brushwood killer. Your local landscape operator can spray with Paraquat, which will kill all the shoots. Paraquat is available only to licensed operators. You can spray with Roundup, which will be absorbed by the shoots and will kill roots underground. The only snag with this is that you could kill all of the plants if you overdose.

Q. We have some winter pansies in pots in the garden, they have only been planted a few weeks, but some of them have gone droopy. I don't know whether we are giving them too much water or not enough. The confusing thing is, that in some of the pots, there is a healthy plant that is stood tall and a very sad looking on that has collapsed. What can I do to bring them back to life?

A. Your pansies are suffering from greenfly or grey aphids, both of which suck the moisture out of the plant. Spray with a suitable product. Diluted washing up liquid will wash them off the plants.

Q. We have two apricot trees to plant: a moongold and a sungold. How close should they be planted to cross-pollinate? Thank you for any help you can give.

A. Plant your apricot trees about two tree widths apart. Apricot trees will grow nearly as wide as high; consult the label for predicted height and width.

Q. Hello, I am planning a garden design in which the backbone of the beds will be 4 yews (Taxus X Hicksii). I'm wondering when the best time to plant these would be. Can I put them in the ground now? Should I wait until mid-fall, or next spring?

A. Beginning of October would be best, and then the sun is less strong and less likely to dry out the evergreen leaves, which will be short of moisture until the roots have established themselves. Water on a regular basis next spring and summer until the trees are really established. If the plants have been container grown and are now growing in large containers with a firm root formation, you can plant in spring. Again the plants will need regular watering.

Q. I planted a miniature apple tree 3/4 years ago said to be self-pollinating? So far I have not even had any blossom on it nor fruit though the tree appears healthy advise please dose it need pruning as it has lots of foliage thanks

A. Your tree is probably being attacked by the caterpillar of the apple brown Tortix moth which spins a web round the flower bud and then consumes the bud as it is about to flower. Keeping the area around the tree clear of vegetation will help natural predators find the caterpillar before damage occurs, but if you have other trees around in yours and other peoples gardens, you are fighting a losing battle.

Q. Hi,Since I have little gardening experience and am learning as I go, I have 3 questions that I need answers too.

1. Would you tell me when the best time to transplant a butterfly bush would be? I have one that is located by the front entrance to my house and has grown outward instead of upward. It takes away from the appearance of my house and garden in front, yet I love it and want to transplant it on the side of my house.

2. I also have a HUGE mum that is just starting to bloom. I would like to split & divide it since it is so big. When should this be done?

3. I have the same question for a day lily. It has gotten too overgrown for its current location and I would like to split & divide it. Is there a website that would be helpful to me to gain more insight to my questions as they come up? I would appreciate any help you can give.

A. Transplant your butterfly bush once leaf drop is completed. Trim the bush down to about one third of its present size. Try to save as many roots as possible. Cow manure, horse manure, or similar, in the bottom of the planting hole will be of benefit.

Your chrysanthemum is best divided in the spring just as new shoots appear.

Day lily, wait until the first frost has initiated winter dormancy, then divide and replant.

There are hundreds of thousands of web sites giving gardening advice, best to find one giving monthly tips.

Q. I planted football mums in the spring and they are gigantic. I am wondering just how tall they usually get since I will have to replant them - they are way too tall for where I have them now.

A. There are many different varieties of football mums, each with its own height and characteristics, so I cannot quote a maximum height for your plants. Your best action is to refer to the plant label or growers catalogue.

Q. When is the best time to cut back the dead leaves of irises and lily's?

A. Wait until after the first frost, when winter dormancy sets in and the bulb has gained the maximum amount of feed from the leaves.

Q. What is a good slow release organic fertilizer to apply during the fall? And are there good sources on the Internet to purchase these types of fertilizers?

A. Your best organic fertiliser for your job is cow manure or horse manure, spread around amongst your plants.There are several sites on the internet selling organic fertiliser and other organic products, both though agents and direct to your door. Just search for organic fertiliser.

Q. Hi I live in Southern California and have recently moved into a new house. We have started to landscape the garden and have planted many local plants. Two of the plants that we have put in are a lemon tree and a Thompson grape vine, but I have a problem with them both.

Firstly the grape vine. It has grown really quickly and looks very healthy, but unfortunately it hasn't produced one flower or a single grape. I am wondering if it needs some sort of fertilizer and if so what will it require, failing that, do you have any ideas why it isn't flowering?

Secondly is my lemon tree. Earlier in the year it was covered in blossom and we were really hopeful that we would get some fruit, as the trees around us seem to grow like weeds. Unfortunately the entire blossom fell off and it was detaching itself at the point where it attaches to the branch. Is this tree in need of feeding too? If so, what type of food does it require? I am really hopeful that you can help me with my problems.

A. Your grape vine sounds as if it has received too much nitrogen, always feed with a high potash, low nitrogen, fertiliser. Cut the growing spurs back to about five buds in the early spring. There are Mycorrhizal funguses for grapes, which are planted into the soil around the grape and establishes the correct chemical conditions for grape growing.

Lemon trees are notorious for dropping their fruit at blossom time. If the tree dislikes the conditions at the time, fruit drop occurs. Again feed with a high potash fertiliser. Also feed with a generous amount of Epsom salts, this releases trace elements in the soil, which are vital to the plants good health.

Q. Besides tulip bulbs, what perennials are best to plant now before the first frost?

A. Do you mean bulbs or herbaceous perennials? Most perennial plants are best planted at this time of year, traditionally plants grown in the field and dug up for planting needed the cool of winter to give time to establish new roots. Now that most perennial plants are grown totally in their containers, you can plant in the spring, so avoiding any winter losses.

Q. Hi, When is the best time to plant a cedar hedge? Can it be planted at this time of year? Your answer is appreciated.

A. Now is the perfect time to plant a cedar hedge. You will need to water on a regular basis until the plants have rooted into the surrounding soil. Cedars being evergreen are constantly losing water through the leaves. It would be wise to erect some form of windbreak to keep the worst of the winter winds away from your hedge during this first winter.

Q. Dear Sir, I live in Illinois and have two questions:

1.I inherited a red Japanese maple with this house (we've lived here for 7 years). This beautiful tree has done fine so far except this summer. All the leaves, but on two branches, are curling up, turning brown and falling off. The leaves on the intact branches are not as vibrant as in previous years. Could you tell me what's wrong and can it be fixed? The tree is about 5' tall.

2. I have a two-year-old fig tree. Last winter I took it indoors and the tree did fine. This summer I've planted it in a sheltered spot close to the house and the air conditioner/heater. The tree has flourished and has quite a lot of fruit on it. But, not one fig has ripened as yet. Is that unusual? Also, is there a way to leave the tree in the ground this winter? Thank you; your help is much appreciated.

A. Your maple leaves are most likely being attacked by a small moth caterpillar that weaves a silk web and pulls the leaf around itself for protection. The leaves will soon be falling, so little you can do this year, but be on the lookout next year and use a suitable spray. These caterpillars can kill the tree.

Fig trees need full sun to ripen the fruit; sometimes it is necessary to remove leaves that are shading the fruit. The fig tree also likes a well-drained soil. As to hardiness, this depends on the variety, some being hardier than others, see your plant label.

Q. I live in northeast Colorado and have a quick question. I have grown a small, 2 plants, pumpkin patch and a few days ago, my wonderful garden helpers, my 3-year-old twins, managed to pull off a mature orange pumpkin from its vine. How might I preserve it for the next 40 days so I may use it at Halloween time so that it doesn't get rotten or mushy? At this point, I put it in a dark room in the basement, covered.

A. Your pumpkin needs to be stored in a dry well-ventilated area. Do not cover or mould will form and the pumpkin will rot.

Q. Hi there, I have made a new garden in my backyard and would like to transfer my perennial from the front yard to the back. I would like to know when is a good time of year to do this? And should I be pruning any of my shrubs? The shrubs interested in moving are: Heather; Azaleas; Ice Dance Carex; Skimmia; Escallonia.

A. October is the perfect time to move your shrubs and perennials. Heathers; trim now if summer type, trim in spring if winter flowering. Azaleas; trim after flowering in late spring, if you trim now you will cut off the flower buds. Carex; pull any rotting stems off. Skimmia; as azaleas. Escallonia; just give a light trimming.

Q. Could you please advise on how I should prune my flowering cherry tree so as to make it bush outwards and not get any taller.

A. You can cut out the centre growing point of your tree. This will encourage the tree to bush out, but the side branches will then start to grow skywards until the tree reaches its natural height for that particular variety.

Q. I have two Echium pininana, they have reached the height of about 5 feet but have not flowered, and they look healthy with good leaves and a thick stem. I live in mid Kent. How do I over winter them? Should I wrap the whole plant in fleece or cut them down and protect the roots with straw etc Hope you can help.

A. Echium pininana are reckoned to be the most hardy of the Canary Echium and the new hybrids are becoming widely grown in the southern part of England. If you suffer cold winds in your area, wrapping with fleece would be appropriate in cold periods. But remove in warm periods or mould will set in and rot the plant.

Q. Hello, I hope you can help me. Magpies are destroying my lawn. They pick at the lawn, pulling up clumps of grass seemingly to get to the soil. I've tried covering the affected areas with plastic sheeting but they then started picking at the lawn bordering the sheet. They really are destroying it, similar to the divots left by a golfer! Why are they doing this and how do I stop them so that I can get my lawn back? Any advice would be gratefully accepted.

A. Your magpies are almost certainly digging out cutworms, a large moth caterpillar which eats the roots of the grass. Cutworms are also called armyworms because the parent moths appear in a large army and lay thousands of eggs overnight in one small area.The caterpillars will in time turn in to moth's overnight and leave the area in a large army, but when they go, is up to atmospheric conditions. There are sprays available but they will not be very effective this late on in the year. Spray in the spring.

Summer Gardening, August. Help. Advice. tips, hints, answers, a seasonal guide to summer gardening

August: The last days of Summer, guide.

August is still holiday month for many people and while you are away your plants may need some attention, if you have a neighbour or friend who can give your plants some water in hot weather all the better. Failing this, wood chippings or peat spread around the plant roots, then soaked with water will help prevent too much moisture evaporating during a hot summer day.

If you have plants in the greenhouse, they must have regular attention. Tomatoes especially must be watered on a regular basis, in fact irregular watering will cause the fruit to split.

Now is the time to pinch out the centre shoot of your tomato plants, in order to concentrate the plants growing energy on filling out the existing tomatoes, rather than producing more growth and more flowers.

Bedding plants should be covered in flowers at the moment and to maintain this show they must be fed with a liquid feed. Read the directions as to application because overfeeding can encourage too much leaf growth, rather than flowers. Hanging baskets and tubs need a weekly feed, the feed in the compost will now be exhausted and being confined to a container the plant is unable too send out roots to gather nutrients from the surrounding area.

Always remove the dead flowers on your bedding plants and other decorative plants, if they are left to go to seed the plants will stop flower production before the summer is over.

Daffodils and other spring bulbs are best planted this month, give the ground a good deep digging and try to mix some form of food into the soil, farm yard manure is best but failing that a good general fertiliser will give you flowers to be proud of in the spring.

Winter flowering pansies can be sown in the greenhouse, but be warned, do not keep the young plants inside any longer than is absolutely necessary or they will develop long lush growth in the summer heat. The winter pansy plants that you buy from the garden centre are treated with special dwarfing compounds to restrict early growth.

Finally, to give a bumper crop, it is essential that you give your runner beans plenty of water at this time of year.

AUGUST GARDENING ANSWERS

Question.

I was wondering if you might have some advice on how I should prepare my soil for planting a lawn. I live in an area with fairly hard clay and many of my neighbors have planted grass after bringing in some good topsoil. The problem is that the roots grow down about 2 inches through the imported topsoil and then fan out horizontally on top of the clay Obviously the lawn burns up every summer no matter how much they water it. I have received advice that I should mix something in with my clay, but the question is what? People have suggested sand, a sand-top soil mixture, saw dust, and sawdust with manure (from a feed lot). Do you have any suggestion as to which one would be better if any? I have busted the clay up down about 4-6 inches. If I put something on top of it now I'm sure it will just pack down again. Do I mix something into the clay and then put additional topsoil on top? Thanks Jeremy.

Answer.

Mix very coarse sand into the clay, you can get a deep red coarse sand that is almost gravel. Try your building depot. You are then best to apply a heavy dosage of garden lime (calcium carbonate) and dig in well. By chemical action, the lime will coagulate the clay and allow the grass roots to penetrate. Farmyard manure, or horse manure, or chicken manure, well dug in, would also help.

Q. I have some tomatoes and they are growing good, I wont to know if I can keep them for more then one year through the winter and if so the cheapest way, or for free.

A. I am sorry but tomatoes are for one year only.

Q. I have three large blue delphinium plants that have flowered for years. The past three summers they get 5 feet tall, start to bloom and then turn brown and die. They then start to grow again from the bottom. They never fully bloom. Any reasons known why this would happen? Also my raspberry plants are two years old. They gave me a few raspberries last summer and none this year, just lots of beautiful green leaves. Is my soil too rich? My cousin gave me 3 year old rotted cow manure that has turned into black dirt and this is what I planted them in. Thank You Colleen

A. This sounds as if your soil is too acid. Add a generous amount of garden lime to correct this.

Q. My lime conifer has gone all yellowy and dry does this mean it is dead

A. This sounds like the conifer is dead, conifers do this when stressed, i.e. lack of water, windburn, cats and dogs urinating on them, etc.

Q. Hi there,I am new in gardening. What ever I lack in experience I make up for with enthusiasm!!! 1) I am getting incredible number of ants either on or next to my plants, e.g., potato vine, honey suckle, etc. Are ants bad for my plants? If yes, how do I get rid of them? 2) I have a container and planted (end of May this year) broccoli, Brussels sprouts, basil, and melon. The only thing I have been able to get out it has been basil (what a great feeling to mix them with tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and olive oil). The other 3 have just been giving me very long stems and no vegetable/fruit. When would the broccoli come out and from which end? How about melon? Or Brussels sprouts? I really appreciate your help. Guilty

A. Ants are not usually a problem to plants, if you don't like them around there are various products on the market, some organic, designed to make them go away. But do not attempt to kill them. Brussels sprouts and broccoli are open ground plants not for containers. Melons can be grown in containers, but must be grown alone to give them space to develop. The melon fruit is just behind the flower on the same stem. Brussels sprouts grow all the way up the stem. Broccoli comes from the centre of the plant.

Q. Several years ago, my neighbor planted a peach tree and a magnolia tree within a foot or 2 of my home on his property. Will the roots cause damage to my foundation? Thank-you.

A. You could well suffer damage to your foundations; the peach tree with its spreading roots is more likely to cause damage than the magnolia. If you do have damage and a dispute arises, it is now possible to identify which tree the roots belong too by DNA testing.


Q. I have a beautiful pink jasmine in a pot. Is it possible to bring it in for the winter? I live In SW Pennsylvania, which I believe is zone 6. Thanks for your help in advance. Pat

A. You can bring your jasmine in for the winter, the plant must be placed in a position to give plenty of light, water sparingly or rot may set in.

Q. Hi, one of my Rhodos is beginning to bloom, I'm in Kelowna B C, can I do anything to stop it or should I just let it bloom? Thank you Tom

A. This could be water table level in the subsoil or some form of plant virus attack. It is best to leave until next year, and then if the same happens it could be a virus, then remove the plant.

Q. Every year I plant geraniums in two large pots in front of my home. At first the flowers kept getting smaller with each new bloom. I was advised to fertilize twice a week with tomato fertilizer. This solved the problem of small blooms, but now the problem is that before the blooms have completely developed to their full bloom the centre of the bloom starts to die so that when the large bloom is completely out it has dead parts in the centre of the bloom. Can you help? I live in Mi and the pots have full sun.

A. This could be botrytis mould, damage is caused by damp in the flower cluster. It could be that you are contributing to the problem by watering the plants from above rather than below, and then the warmth causes the botrytis in the damp buds to multiply.

Q. Hello,I used lava rocks for my landscaping about a year ago and they are now turning black and green with what looks like mould or moss. Is there anything I can do to them or do I just have to replace them. I spent a lot of money and hate to replace them but have to do something. Please help!! Mike

A. Unfortunately as atmospheric pollution is brought under control mosses and lichens have benefited. There are moss killers available at local garden outlets, which you spray on the moss. Read the instructions.

Q. I have an Italian grafted yellow plum tree that every 5 years or so has so many plums I have to prop up the branches. This year there are 3 on the whole tree and for the last 2yrs. Can you tell me what is going on and how to correct the problem please? Shirley, Washington State

A. Your plums are most likely being attacked by the plum curculio moth larvae, or the codling moth larvae. Levels of infestation vary from year to year hence your report of big crops and no crop. Commercial growers use many sophisticated controls, not always with success in years of heavy infestation. The cost of sprays and other controls would be prohibitive for one tree and infestation can still come in from other people's trees over which you have no control. Best to enjoy the good years.

Q. Hi! I've just found your forum, and find it very informing. There isn't much information out there on Privet Hedge, and my entire property is surrounded with it, with the exception of the back property line. My hedge is very thick in spots, and I am hoping to transplant some of it to the back of the property. When is the best time to do this? I'd like to do it this fall, if possible. Could you give me some instruction on transplanting?

A. Fall time is perfect to transplant your privet. First trim down the plants to make a neat shape that will not rock about in the winter winds. When digging out the plants try not to damage the fine roots too much, these are important to the health of the privet. Dig a good trench and try to obtain some cattle or horse manure or similar to put in the bottom of the trench before planting. Privet is a heavy feeder. Water well the first year. If you are in a windy area it may be worth putting up a windbreak fence to stop windburn until the plant is established. Go to our dedicated Hedge page for more information.

Q. I have some baby crape myrtles sprouting up. I have narrowed them down to one tree I think, it's kind of hard to tell. How long will it take to grow to a mature tree and do you have any advice on how to care for it. Thank You, Regina

A. Your Crape Myrtle could be one of many varieties. Some varieties grow to 5 ft in height some grow in excess of 30 ft, so I cannot advise you on how long they will take to mature. Powdery mildew on the leaves has become a big problem. You can spray with a suitable anti mildew spray. Best time to prune is late winter. Feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser spring and fall.

Q. Last year I planted Trumpet vines. The vine looks great but no trumpets. They're in a sunny location and I put down mulch. What should I do so I have flowers next year? Thanks, Beatrice, Central New Jersey

A. Trumpet vines often take a while to settle in. Feed with a low nitrogen fertiliser, too much nitrogen encourages leaf growth instead of flowers.

Q. I'm having a problem with black leaves on my black-eyed Susans. The leaves are turning completely black and have lumps on them. They eventually curl. It showed up last year and my local nursery told me it was an insect problem and to spray for insects. It has reappeared this year (much worse) and this time I was told it was a fungus. I've sprayed for fungus and it is getting worse. It's not affecting any surrounding plants - only the Susan's. They have bloomed but not well. Any ideas?

A. You are probably suffering some form of leaf miner attack, a grub that burrows inside the leaf's outer layers. Try squeezing the lumps and see what comes out. If they are there, you can obtain sprays too deal with them.

Q. Corkscrew hazel, Could you please help me?I have one of the above in my garden and I am concerned about the leaves, they always look scrunched up and not very happy. It is getting water etc. It has had a number of caterpillars but I have sprayed them, but the leaves were curled up before they arrived, have you got any advice?

A. The leaves of corkscrew hazel always look tatty. Some very small moth caterpillars like to wrap themselves up in hazel leaves and are hard to spot until the leaf is damaged. Corkscrew hazel like poor conditions so do not overfeed.

Q. We have some winter pansies in pots in the garden, they have only been planted a few weeks, but some of them have gone droopy. I don't know whether we are giving them too much water or not enough. The confusing thing is, that in some of the pots, there is a healthy plant that is stood tall and a very sad looking on that has collapsed. What can I do to bring them back to life? Regards Anne

A. Your pansies are suffering from greenfly or grey aphids, both of which suck the moisture out of the plant. Spray with a suitable product. Diluted washing up liquid will wash them off the plants.

Q. We have two cherry blossom trees in our back yard, which are approx four years old. We would like to transplant them this fall. They have never being pruned and we are wondering when and how to prune them i.e. before or after we transplant them. When we do decide to move them what is the easiest way to get them out of the ground. Waiting for your appreciated reply Janet

A. Prune before moving. Fall is the perfect time to move your trees. Cherry trees are grafted on to a wild rootstock and you have to be careful not to break this graft, so do not use the tree trunk as a lever when digging out the tree.

Always retain as much root as is physically possible when moving your tree. The more roots the tree has, the more able it is to adapt to its new home.

VALECROFT NURSERIES

Summer Gardening, June, July, August. Help. Advice. tips, hints, answers, a seasonal guide to summer gardening

August is still holiday month for many people and while you are away your plants may need some attention, if you have a neighbour or friend who can give your plants some water in hot weather all the better. Failing this, wood chippings or peat spread around the plant roots, then soaked with water will help prevent too much moisture evaporating during a hot summer day.

If you have plants in the greenhouse, they must have regular attention. Tomatoes especially must be watered on a regular basis, in fact irregular watering will cause the fruit to split.

Now is the time to pinch out the centre shoot of your tomato plants, in order to concentrate the plants growing energy on filling out the existing tomatoes, rather than producing more growth and more flowers.

Bedding plants should be covered in flowers at the moment and to maintain this show they must be fed with a liquid feed. Read the directions as to application because overfeeding can encourage too much leaf growth, rather than flowers. Hanging baskets and tubs need a weekly feed, the feed in the compost will now be exhausted and being confined to a container the plant is unable too send out roots to gather nutrients from the surrounding area.

Always remove the dead flowers on your bedding plants and other decorative plants, if they are left to go to seed the plants will stop flower production before the summer is over.

Daffodils and other spring bulbs are best planted this month, give the ground a good deep digging and try to mix some form of food into the soil, farm yard manure is best but failing that a good general fertiliser will give you flowers to be proud of in the spring.

Winter flowering pansies can be sown in the greenhouse, but be warned, do not keep the young plants inside any longer than is absolutely necessary or they will develop long lush growth in the summer heat. The winter pansy plants that you buy from the garden centre are treated with special dwarfing compounds to restrict early growth.

Finally, to give a bumper crop, it is essential that you give your runner beans plenty of water at this time of year.

Summer Gardening, . Help. Advice. tips, hints, answers, a seasonal guide to summer gardening

July:

At this time of year lawns take heavy punishment, and a little time spent on maintenance will pay big dividends. If there is any moss in the lawn this can be removed with a lawn rake also pull out any perennial weeds. Then apply any of the proprietary brands of lawn fertiliser; carefully follow the directions on the box with regard to application. This will then give you a lawn to be proud of right into the autumn.

Rock plants (Alpines) and herbaceous perennials can be grown from seed at this time of year, most types are relativly easy to grow and seeds are cheap. You can also root cuttings, taken from established plants, but this is perhaps best left to the more experienced.

Soft fruit is much in vogue at this time of the year; unfortunately the birds seem to think that the fruit is there for their consumption. A readily available bird-scarer, which can be hung in surrounding trees, are the CD disks which daily pop through our letter box. These reflect the light and flash in the breeze. I even use one as a shaving mirror.

Early July is the time to plant out your late cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprout plants. Prepare the ground well, remember that vegetable plants are gross feeders, so mix plenty of feed into the soil. Also remember to dust the stems with an anti cabbage root fly preparation soon after planting. Cabbage root fly lay their eggs in the stem, then the hatching maggots eat their way down to the roots and by eating the roots destroy the plant.

There are several brands of cabbage root fly killers on the market for gardeners, widely available at garden centres and other such retail outlets. See application help guide on the box.
Roses, remove all flowers that are finished, if you allow them to produce seed pods the plant will not be able to produce more flowers, instead using all its energy to produce seeds. Also remove any flower buds that are failing to open and rotting, these buds can harbour disease.

In the greenhouse, temperatures can reach great heights at this time of the year, so shading must be introduced. There are many types of shading materials available at retail outlets, and are easy to fit. You can also buy automatic devices to open the the glasshouse windows, thermostatically controlled fans are also available. These devices are of great value where the owner is away at work in the middle of the day.

JULY GARDENING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Question.

I have recently moved to Oklahoma and bought a home with beautiful flowerbeds. One in particular has many different types of flowering plants, but also has a lot of grass and weeds.I have had 2 back surgeries making it hard to weed by hand. Is there any product out there that will kill the grass and weeds but not the flowering plants (roses, mums, lilies, marigolds etc.)? If not, want would be the easiest way to get the flowerbed cleaned up without harming the plants?

Answer.

You can make up a weak mixture of Glyphosate systemic weed killer and paint it on to the weeds with a paintbrush, still hard work I'm afraid. Glyphosate and certain other systemic weed killers are available in small hand sprays, if there is room too spray. Cover any chosen plants before spraying. Your best bet is to wait until fall, then get a landscaping man to dig up everything, destroy all the weeds and then replant your chosen plants.

Q. Potted maple.... ends of leaves drying out. Am I using the wrong fertilizer... What is a slow release Fungi for Maples?Barbara

A. This could be wind damage, greenfly damage, or mineral deficiency, feed with a fertiliser with added minerals and trace elements. Slow release fungi for maples. Many trees have a symbiotic relationship with certain fungi; truffles are a prime example, growing amongst tree roots. This will be what you are referring to.

Q. Drying Hydrangeas.How is this done? Thanks, Spec

A. To dry naturally, let the flowers dry on the plant until the end of summer. Cut the blooms, with as much stem length as desired, just before the first frost time. Remove leaves and place the stems in a vase or bucket without water. Keep in a dry place, damp can encourage mould. At one time it was believed that it was necessary to hang bunches of flowers upside down, but this idea is now defunct. You can dry the flowers in silica gel. More expensive and time-consuming, but gives perfect flowers. Obtainable at craft shops etc., instructions on the box.

Q. I planted an Annabelle hydrangea two years ago and it has never produced any flowers. The plant gets large and looks healthy, but does not bloom. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to make this plant bloom?

A. Feed with iron in tablet or liquid form, whatever is available in your area, there are fertilisers for hydrangea containing iron. Hydrangeas need iron too produce the flower. Also feed with Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) this will release trace elements in the soil needed by the plant.

Q. When is the best time to transplant Liatris? I live in south central Kansas.

A. Wait until the plant has died down for winter, and then move any time that the soil is frost-free.

Q. I have some lythrium (loosestrife?) plants, which I love. They have a problem with an insect that makes tiny wholes in the leaves (every year) and I have put out bait, dust, sprayed etc. I am lucky if I get a few blooms that aren't eaten. Thank you, Jo Ann

A. This is most likely flea beetle a shiny insect ranging from very dark green to orange in colour and fast moving. There are treatments available at garden outlets.

Q. I am a new gardener how do you get rid of weeds from your flowerbed. I pull them and they always come back within a week, HELP PLEASE!!

A. You need a systemic weed killer; widely available, systemic weed killers are absorbed by the plant and kill the roots. Be careful not to spray your chosen plants, read the instructions on the box.

Q. I have a yellow jasmine vine that is not blooming. Is it because it may not be getting enough sun?

A. Yellow jasmine likes the early morning sun and should be planted on a South- Easterly aspect.

Q. We have just started building an area of garden that is going to belong to our 2year 4month little boy. The only thing is we have found a tree named after Peter Pan the Disney character, and we were wondering if there are any more trees, flowers etc named after any more Walt Disney characters. Please could you possibly help as this would make my son very happy knowing as he grows older he will have a garden that he knows every name of every tree, flower etc in his little area. Please, please help, Chris

A. I am afraid that I cannot recall any plants named after Disney characters. In the case of the tree you mention the name Peter Pan is linked to the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital charity and has nothing to do with Walt Disney.

Q. We purchased a home two years ago. It has an evergreen magnolia in the front yard that is about three years old. The tree faces north, but with lots of sun. It has not bloomed at all for us, but continues to produce more leaves, while other leaves turn copper and drop off. Is there something we can do to encourage blooms? Thank you, Sandra

A. It is recommended that evergreen magnolia be always planted against a wall to give some winter protection for the flower buds, which can be damaged by frost.

Q. I live in Pennsylvania and I planted two hydrangeas about 6 weeks ago. At that time we had a lot of rain and the plants were doing well. We just came back from being away for 10 days when it was hot, and now the plants look like they are going to die.I moved them to an area that is not directly in the sun. However, I do not know what else to do. The bottom portion of the stems is dying if not already dead, and the leaves and flowers are now dying off. I originally tried using miracle grow and then was told that the plants do not flower well if you use it.I do not know what else to do to try and save these gorgeous plants. They are well watered but will not come back to life. Please help. Jeanine.

A. Hydrangeas need to grow fine roots near to the surface, to encourage these roots you must cover the area around the plants with a mulch of garden compost, wood chipping's, lawn cuttings or anything similar. The idea to keep the roots damp.Cut off the dead flowers and mix them in with the mulch, there are vital chemicals in the flower heads that the plant needs for flower production.Feed the plant with a fertiliser containing iron, hydrangea needs iron. You can also buy an iron additive especially for hydrangea. If they manage to survive the plants should shoot out new shoots in the leaf joints.

Q. Is it safe to use mothballs in my vegetable garden to prevent rabbits from eating my plants? I was told to do this in my flowerbeds as well. Anne Marie

A. If your plants are well established mothballs should do little harm. There are many branded products on the market to deter rabbits if the mothballs don't work.

Q. I have a question. In the morning I find round piles of a brownish substance, which is dry and powdery about 3 inches in diameter and piles of a yellow substance, which is wet and gooey about 2 inches in diameter. Could you please tell me what these are and how to get rid
of what is putting them there?

A. This sounds like the toadstools of certain fungi, which live on rotting wood deep in the soil. This often happens where the houses are of fairly recent build and tree roots have been buried by the builder or landscaping man. Not really a problem, just the time of year.

Q. I'm trying to grow roses and flowering plants (namely Jacob's Ladder and bleeding hearts) for the first time. They were all doing really well until just recently. I am finding yellow leaves underneath on the Jacob's ladder and the ferns on the bleeding heart plants are starting to turn. Today I found yellow leaves on one rose plant. What does the yellow leaves indicate? I water the plants once a day unless it rains. I've given the appropriate food and planting locations.Thank you for your help.

A. You could be over watering, if you water too much the plant does not grow any new roots into the surrounding area and the plants are totally dependant on you instead of becoming self sufficient. Apply a feed of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) good for the green in the leaves.

Q. I have something wrong with my sunflowers this year. I've never seen it before and hoping someone can help. At the base of the flower heads, there has come to be a white, creamy substance. It looks almost like someone has taken a bottle of lotion and squirted them. It's gooey and drips, is very thick. Can anyone help? Thanks a lot, Desiree.

A. This could be Sclerotinaor white mould, a common disease of sunflowers that causes rot in the stalk and head. Try spraying with a systemic anti fungi spray to try and limit the damage. Disease spores can live for many years in the soil. Moving to another area of your garden next year, is advised.

Q. Hi. I transplanted a climbing hydrangea in the early spring, it seemed to flourish quite well at first but now the leaves are turning brown and rusty and there is no new growth. It is a young plant only 2 feet high, it faces south so gets the mid morning sun. Also a chestnut tree, approx. 18 yrs. old and approx. 30ft. high seems to have the same colour on the edges of the leaves, kind of rusty brown. We had a very wet spring but recently dry, hot and humid so I have watered the hydrangea each evening after the sun has gone down. Any idea what the problem is? I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

A. This sounds like botrytis mould or mildew; both thrive in wet seasons and damage the edges of the leaf. Spray with a systemic fungicide, a systemic spray is absorbed by the plant and works from within.

Q. Do rocks migrate? It seems the good topsoil we put in to redo our beds now has lots of small rocks over the surface. I terminated the landscape company from last year partially because when I was planting I found fist size rocks in the topsoil. Was I unfair about the larger rocks? Do small animals bring the surface rocks late at night? I didn't finish the front planting as early as I expected, therefore the mulch hasn't been put down (now due to the recent wet weather?) so I have a continuing curiosity about where the pebbles and small
rocks originate.

A. Moles, rabbits and all the burrowing rodents all push soil upwards when burrowing, including small rocks from lower down than your top soil level. The larger the burrowing animal the larger the rocks from below. All soil is part organic matter and part ground up rocks and these small rocks will split up in time with the action of frost and hot sun.

Q. Hello, hope you can help,We have a bay hedge around part of the perimeter of our front lawn. A white powdery substance has appeared on many of the leaves this summer. Is this a disease of some kind? Is there anything we can apply to the hedge to rectify this? Thank you.

A. This is most probably mildew or botrytis, spray with a systemic fungicide. A systemic fungicide is absorbed by the plant and works from within.

Q. I believe I have a pest problem with pinch bugs; I have not used any type of pesticides on any of my flowers. Some sort of bugs is munching away on all my outdoors flowers. My son suggested that I go out at night time with a flashlight and look at all the flowers to see what's eating them and sure enough I did this tonight and saw pinch bugs on my plants also ants. Some of my plants, Hostas, petunias, roses; mum leaves have little holes in them too. Thanks for any suggestions you can offer. Vickie, Round Lake Beach, Ill.

A. Spray your pinch bugs with a systemic insecticide, a systemic insecticide is absorbed by the plant and works from within. The small holes in your plants are caused by tiny white snails, which live in the soil surface during the day. Treat with slug/snail pellets.

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Q & A for summer; June.

JUNE GARDENING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Advice Tips Hints Help Info. Problems solved.

Question. Hello, I'm hoping you can help us determine what has gotten into our cherry tree. We are seeing a glob of pitch approximately 6 inches to a foot from the new growth, creating dead leaves. The cherries are seemingly fine. This tree is approximately 6 years old and about 12 feet tall. What can be the cause and what is the cure?

Answer. This is almost certainly cherry canker. It is very difficult to eradicate. The best course of action is to feed with high nitrogen fertiliser and irrigate during dry spells, the tree will often outgrow the disease. If you can obtain it, soot from a domestic chimney is high in nitrogen and excellent for counteracting canker.

Q. Can you tell me if there is anything that I can do to prevent any moles coming up in my garden, they are getting me down and I don't know what to do for the best? Melissa

A. A heavy roller to solidify the ground and keeping the grass on the dry side so as not to encourage worms will make conditions difficult for the moles and they may go away. If they don't go away, there are many types of mole trap available at garden outlets, plus many branded products, which are scented to discourage moles.

Q. Help: I cannot seem to stop grass from growing in my juniper beds. I pull and pull but the grass continues to return. Is there some substance that will eradicate the grass but not harm the junipers? (The bed is full and therefore not possible to mulch.) Also, could you provide some tips on trimming and shaping my Japanese Maple (i.e., best season to trim, how much and the generally acceptable shape)?? Thank You

A. Using Glyphosate can kill the grass in your juniper bed, but you must shield the junipers when applying the compound. Japanese maples, you are best just trimming any branches that are obviously growing away from the general shape of the bush, just before winter to avoid wind damage, otherwise they are best left alone.

Q. Could you please advise me as to what you think would be best? We have a 40ft. wall (approx 3ft high), which is used continually by the public as a seating area whilst waiting for a bus. We would like to plant hedging, preferably evergreen and flowering, that will deter these people, but we don't know which plants have thorns (great deterrent). Also something that will grow quickly. Thank you,

A. The perfect plant for you is Berberis Stenophylla. Evergreen, lovely yellow flowers in summer, nasty little thorns all the year round and fast growing. For further information on hedging see my hedging page.

Q. Dear garden helper.I was given a Monkey Puzzle Tree in February it is about 6 feet high and the man told me it was in the garden when he moved there 8 years ago. He said it hadn't grown any since he has been there I thought that it cannot be a happy tree if it has been there all that time and not grown, I put it straight in my clay type soil with lots of grit and course sand, a little chemical to help the root and crossed my fingers. It had looked ok until the last month or so when the bottom branches are going brown. Please can I save it

A. With monkey puzzle trees you are talking about a life span of 150 years or more, so growth is rather slow. Monkey-puzzle trees are a forest tree from southern Chile and are used to a damp climate. Your conditions are too dry. I would suggest applying a heavy mulch of garden compost, or tree bark, or grass cuttings, etc. too keep the roots moist and encourage new root growth. Recovery may be a long job.

Q. I planted two lupins this spring - one did not do well, the stems bent over to the ground - some died off, some didn't Some new shoots withered and died. No flowers at all. The other one did flower (one flower) but now the stems and leaves are looking droopy and the new shoots underneath seem to be too shaded by the larger leaves and are withering on the vine - no new buds appear to be growing either. I am in Connecticut and it has been awfully rainy. Thanks A. This could be grey aphids, aphids suck out the sap from the plant and the plant withers. They leave a grey dust around the plant. Lupins are particularly susceptible to aphids. Try spraying with an aphid spray, widely available at garden outlets. You can also wash them off with a weak mixture of washing up liquid and water, insecticidal soap is also effective.

Q. What is the best procedure to divide peonies? When and How Thanks! Charlene R

A. September, October, is the best time to divide peonies, but they are best left alone and not divided unless absolutely necessary. To divide dig up as large a root ball as possible to avoid cutting too many roots. Wash out the dirt from around the roots, and then when you can see what you are doing, carefully pull the roots apart into separate plants with top growth. Put some organic matter in the bottom of the planting hole e.g. farmyard manure, garden compost, etc., but keep the roots separate from the organic matter with a shallow layer of soil. Do not plant any deeper than the existing depth. Feed with a low nitrogen fertiliser.

Q. HELP!I am a new organic gardener (2nd year). I have heard about how beneficial and time saving mulching can be... so this year I decided to put straw down in my pathways to help control the weeds. Four (4) bales of straw later my garden looked beautiful...a few weeks later my garden paths had more growth in them than my raised garden beds! To my dismay, there were seeds in the baled straw I had purchased.Now, a very frustrated gardener; I am in the process of removing all the straw and weeding as I go. My once beautiful garden is now a mess with piles of straw all around the perimeter. OK, here are my questions: Is there anyway I can use the straw or am I going to need to get rid of it all? I know I am going to be weeding all summer long because as I was pulling up the straw I noticed just how many seeds there are.... and there are tons!Do you have any time saving advice? Can I do anything with the straw? Also, is straw an annual or am I in for a LONG haul with the battle of the straw seeds? If I leave the straw where it is at, will the winter kill the seeds in the pathways? I have removed half of the straw already and I am wondering if should remove the rest or if the winter will kill the seeds? Any suggestions would be very appreciated Thank you for your time, Lynn

A. Your straw can be piled into a heap and rotted down into compost. Your weeds could be sprayed with Glyphosate, but if you are organic I am afraid hard work is the only answer. What plant seeds are in your straw is anybody's guess; it all depends on the area the straw originated from and the weed control regime practised by the farmer. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q. Thanks for the site! I have a 5 x 5 lilac bush and need to move it. Is it too late to do this? What would happen if I had to move it anyway? Thanks for the advice! Wondering in Wilmette

A. October is the time to move your lilac bush, if you move now in the height of summer the damaged roots will be unable too provide enough water for the plant. The plant will shed its leaves in order to cope and then probably die.

Q. My sister and I love to garden but we would love to know how to propagate hibiscus. We live in West Texas and there is a hibiscus that is for our dry area but the garden centres get the plants so late in the year. We are always sharing plants and seeds and would like to share our different colored hibiscus and both not have to buy all the variety of colors. Can you give us some advice? Thank you, Diane

A. Hibiscus is now propagated by a system called tissue culture. Propagating hibiscus is a highly specialised craft and I personally have no knowledge of it, so I am afraid I cannot help you.

Q. Is it possible to get a rash on your arms after cutting down pampas grass? Thank you. Irene

A. I don't know about a rash but it is possible to scratch and severely cut yourself when handling pampas.

Q. I found your site while searching for advice on three topics: I haven't been successful so far, so I hope you can help: 1, I have been given a bay tree, which I've always wanted. It's in a small-ish pot. I've had it 3 months and it has grown about 6ins and put out new leaves on the branches. It is now about 3 4 ft tall. Ought I to pot up, and if so when is the best time. 2. Similarly, when is the best time to prune or cut back a photinia? And, how much should I cut off? Mine is three years old now and about 4ft tall and very bushy and is beginning to intrude on its neighbours. Also, I've heard that if you prune them it helps promote the red leaves. 3. Where have all my blackcurrants gone? Last year the bush was loaded, and I followed instructions found in various gardening books to cut back the branches, which had fruited: nearly all of them all. This year, although the bush is large and very green there is not a single current to be found! Hope you can help me - I'm a keen but very amateur gardener! Mary

A. Bay trees like a tight pot, do not re-pot until the pot is threatening to split. September October is the best time to trim photinia, do not trim to heavily; the new growth is a better red, especially the variety Red Robin. You have over pruned your black currants.

Q. I have a beautiful gardenia plant in a hanging basket. It looks very healthy with shiny green foliage and a lot of buds. But before the buds bloom, they turn brown and fall off. Can you tell me what's wrong? Thank you, Diane

A. Your compost is too alkaline, you can replace with acid compost as used for heathers.

Q. I am interested in planting a few crepe myrtles next to my driveway ‹ in a bed made with raised landscape timbers. The crepe myrtles would be about 3.5 feet from the retaining walls of the beds (the bed is about 7 feet wide) and the driveway itself (the bed is right next to the driveway). Are the roots from this tree going to pose a problem to the walls or the driveway? Can I prune/shape it every year in order to keep the overall height about 6-10 feet? Thanks for your help! Larry

A. CREPE MYRTLES can grow to over 35 ft in height and over 20 ft spread; the roots will have the same spread. There are many varieties available, many of them dwarf versions. The label will tell you which to buy, buy one marked Dwarf, 5 ft to 6 ft. Buying a larger variety and trying to trim, will do nothing for the beauty of the tree and will provide you with a constant problem in the future. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q. Black insects eating leaves on ornamental lilies Could you tell me what to use for this problem. (Type of insect spray) Thank you. Jean

A. You have flea beetles; suitable sprays are available at garden outlets.

Q. We have 2 lovely flowering maples, both of which are getting very "leggy"---How aggressive can we get in pruning back to make bushier plants and how would you go about it? Thank you in advance. Kathie

A. Only take off a small amount at a time, try to trim the trees to give a neat shape that will not be damaged by winter winds.

Q. I planted around 10 yellow squash plants. When the squash is about 2 inches long, they look good. By the time they get 5 inches long, they get all knobbly and weird looking. When I cut one open it is hollow. What is wrong with them? I live in Texas City-north of Galveston. Some say it could be a fungus. If it is, then what can I do to help solve the problem?

A. This sounds like very poor pollination and only a few seeds, instead of hundreds, have been produced in each fruit. Have you had a cold wet spell at flowering time, keeping the insects inactive? Try hand pollinating next year with a soft feather.

Q. Hi We will be beginning to landscape a new bungalow in the fall... my first question... how big should the beds be... I have a vague idea of what I want to plant but want the beds scale wise to be correct. Thanks. Laurie

A. The current fashion in landscaping is to divide the garden into rooms as in your house, each of a different size and decor and each self-contained.

Q. Hi I have in my garden pampas grass and red-hot pokers, the birds strip them as soon as they flower and yet the gardens around me never get touched. Is there something I can do to stop this or is there something I am doing wrong. Regards David

A. I am afraid I cannot help you much on this one. The birds could be short of water; sometimes providing a bowl of water will prevent bird damage of this kind.

Q. Hi. My beautiful fuchsia seems to have stopped blooming. I have it in a nice shaded area of my yard. It was doing so well and now it presently has two blooms on it. Can you tell me more about this plant? I bought it specifically to attract hummingbirds. I was hoping that it would bloom throughout the summer. Thanks for any help you can offer. Jayne

A. Your fuchsia has run out of food, feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser, fuchsia also need lots of water.

Q. Dear Sir/Madam I would like to plant some hedges in my front garden for privacy purposes. I wonder if I can cut some stem pieces with no roots from friend's hedges and plant them in my garden. Will it grow? I know we can grow rose plant by cutting small pieces of stems but I don't know whether this method will work for planting hedges. Please can you advise in this regard? Thank you in advance Farid

A. You can root cuttings of most common hedge plants. The best time is the end of September. Dig out a trench of suitable size in a shaded area, fill with sharp sand and plant the cuttings in the sand, firm down well. Nothing will happen until next spring, and then growth should appear.

Q. Golden honesuckle. We have 4 huge plants that just finished blooming and now the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Don't remember this happening last year. Is this a deficiency? Thanks, kit

A. Feed with blood and bone fertiliser if you can obtain it, high in nitrogen, this will promote new leaf growth. Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) will help with trace elements, which may be missing, and the production of chlorophyll, the green in the leaves.

Q. My rhoddie has just finished blooming and I have just deadheaded the old blooms for the new growth to fully develop. I noticed that the old blooms were very sticky and had white flecks on them and the new growth. I suspect white flies or mites. There are spiders everywhere on the area of new growth where this is happening. Should I do anything or will the spiders take care of the white bugs? If I need to treat the Rhoddie, what should I use? Thanks again Shirley

A. This sounds like grey aphids. You can wash down the plants with a weak mixture of water and washing up detergent. This will wash off the aphids and the deposits and shouldn't kill the spiders.

Summer Gardening, June. Help. Advice. tips, hints, answers, a seasonal guide to summer gardening

June Tips:

With the arrival of official summer, things can become a little hectic in the garden with weeds growing in the borders and grass that seems to grow over night. My advice at this time of year is to pace yourself and not take on any big projects, you will enjoy your garden much more if you can sit by that new pool occasionally and contemplate the greater meaning of life. Having said that there is plenty to do, both in the green house and in the garden itself. Now is the time to plant out the summer bedding plants, that will give a riot of colour all through the summer and often into the autumn. Before planting you must prepare the soil in the planting area. Dig over the bed and remove any weeds, then apply either artificial fertiliser or if you can obtain it good farmyard manure or horse manure.


See: Your June Q & A

June:

Question.


Hi, A question about AUCUBA.I understand that it is necessary to have both a female and male plant in order to have the red fruit berries in the Fall & Winter. My question is, how close do they have to be. Do they have to be in the same location or can one plant be located else where in the yard? Hope you can help.

Answer. Your Aucuba don't have to be side by side, anywhere in the yard will do, but best still in sight of each other. Not one each side of the house for instance.

Q. Hi,I hope you can answer my question, as I have not been able to find it in any of my gardening books, I have an ACER PALMATUM "Bloodgood" which has been growing in a pot for nearly three years. It is now in need of re-potting and I have just bought a very nice pot. The question is: Do I need ericaceous compost, or just ordinary multi-purpose compost? I also understand that I have to wait until the tree is dormant before re-potting, is that right? I look forward to your reply (so does the Acer)

A. Acer Palmatum are very sensitive to stress and re-potting now would most likely cause leaf drop and possible death of the plant. Due to water being diverted to new root development, rather than leaf growth. Re-pot October November, ordinary multipurpose compost is ideal. If you can obtain it, some well-rotted cow manure mixed with the compost in the bottom of the pot would also be beneficial.

Q. I live in Southern California and I have three HYDRANGEA plants in my front yard. They are on the north side of my house. One of them blooms beautifully every year. The other two get similar light and water but develop huge leaves and very few flowers (3 or 4 if I'm lucky). I prune them all at the same time in early November. Is there something that I can do to help them develop more flowers? Thanks for any advice you can give. Jan

A. Your soil may be too acid, try applying garden lime to correct this. Also feed with a high potash fertiliser containing iron. When pruning chop up the dead flowers and spread around the roots, the flower heads contain chemicals vital for good flower production. Also try pruning the two that are flower shy a couple of weeks earlier.

Q. I use a lot of BACOPA and NEPETA plants for my hanging baskets. I buy the plants but wish to know whether they can be grown from seed or whether cuttings need to be taken. I would welcome any advice that you may give.

A. Bacopa can be grown from seed but the results are often disappointing. Cuttings are better. Nepeta has to be from cuttings; one snag is that you have to carefully select the plants for cuttings because nepeta will regress to plain green over a few generations.

Q. Hello, I have a DWARF APRICOT TREE and the fruit that it is producing has very rough skin...it looks as if there is bark growing on the skin. Also, and I have seeds hanging from the branches where the fruit has not grown at all. Can you help me out? I have no idea what is going on.

A. This sounds like a coctail of troubles. Apricots are extremely susceptible to late frost injury, insects and diseases. Frost, you can't do much about. Insect pests include plum curculio, borers, aphids and mites. Diseases including brown rot, root rot and bacterial leaf spot. You can pre-emtively spray for insects and diseases in the winter when the plant is dormant. Your bigger local garden outlet will have the relevant sprays. Read the label carefully.

Q. Hi, I am having problems with my TULIPS; over the years, I've been having less and less flowers. In fact, the only thing that grew out of my bulbs this year is leaves. I got all my tulip bulbs out of the dirt, but I don't know what to do with them. Is they a way that I can get them to flower again? Thanks so much for your advice. (By the way, I live in Montreal, where the weather is fairly cold.)

A. This could be shortage of food in the soil. Feed with a high potash fertiliser in the early spring and let the leaves all die down naturally after flowering, also give a dressing of garden lime. Do not dig up the bulbs until they have completely died down. Tulips can also be affected by soil borne disease, planting marigolds where you intend to plant your tulips for next year seems to drive away these diseases.

Q. I had three DWARF BURNING BUSHES that budded and leafed out beautifully in the spring, and then within only a period of about 3 weeks, the leaves turned brown and the bushes dried up and died. They were on the north side of the house, getting partial sun, which is what is recommended in our desert climate in Utah. The soil was not dried out or waterlogged. What may have caused this to happen?

A. This could be rabbits or mice eating away the bark at ground level. If this is not the case your trouble is probably spider mite, these microscopic mites suck all the sap out of the bush and death results. These mites can be sprayed against with a proprietary insecterside or washed off with a weak mixture of detergent washing up liquid. Next time to find these mites place a white sheet under the bush and shake the branches, the mites if present will be found on the sheet.

Q. BLUE DELPHINIUM is one of my favorite perennials, but I can't seem to keep it healthy. I keep buying it and trying new spots, but few seem to work. It usually does OK the first season, but only about half the plants I buy come back the next year. What soil amendments and feeding does it require?

A. You are most probably suffering from snails and slugs; new delphinium shoots are very tasty in the spring and will be eaten off before you see them. Mark your plants with a stick and keep an eye on them. Delphinium like lime in the soil and high potash fertiliser.

Q. HELP, I am having a BBQ and lawn party, I do not want people dancing on my new grass. I would like to put a cover over my virgin grass. What would you suggest? Thanks. Lawn novice

A. You can rent Astro turf, or similar, plastic grass from outdoor lesure hire vendors, but do not leave on too long. Or you can put a large sign on the grass saying; Warning this grass has been sprayed. Remembering that it could have been sprayed with just plain water.

Q. Hi! I hope you can help me! I am in the third year here for gardening. My delphinium got these green worms all over them that curled the leaves. It was too late by the time I got them...I had to use BTK. The delphiniums are about 3 feet tall...looking better but still no buds and the bottom leaves are turning yellow...what should I do and will I get flowers? My painted daisy's are also getting yellowish leaves...I am about to cry over these Delphiniums...They are my favorite! Help me please!

A. Apply some garden lime and some magnesium sulphate (Epsom Salts) this will encourage the production of chlorophyll, the green pigment in the leaves.
Q. Is it possible to regenerate annual plants for the next year at home? Specifically, can you dry the bloom and plant it, or do you have to begin with the root base?

A. Annual plants live for just one year and cannot be revived.

Q. We purchased a Japanese Hydrangea two summers ago. It immediately took beautifully and has been growing well. However, it has never yet produced any flowers, just leaves. Does it take a few years before growing flowers? Is this normal? Please advise. Thank you kindly! Karen

A. Japanese hydrangeas do take a while to settle in. They seem to like to produce a mass of fine roots before flowering; a mulch of garden compost or rotted leaves around the plant will help root production.

Q. Hi!I live in England, but very new to it. I read about" Hardy spray chrysanthemums" in Geoff Hamilton's gardening book. I liked the flowers in the photo. How can I have it in my garden? And are they costly to have? Next, how can I have "Camellia x Williamsii hybrids"? Thirdly, what is the best vegetable I can grow with very less maintenance, because I do not know much about gardening? Thank you so much in advance, Bye.

A. Hardy spray chrysanthemums are planted in spring; plants are available at garden outlets.
You must protect the plants in the winter against frost by covering with straw or similar. Camellia Williamsii, the best for the beginner is called Donation. Do not plant facing East to South, in winter the early morning sun will melt the frozen buds too quickly after a frost and damage them. Potatoes are a low maintenance crop, but it is really too late this year (June) for any veg crop.

Q. I have a very large Cordylines in my garden in a pot which is doing extremely well except that a long flower has just started to grow out the middle of it. I have never seen this before in Cordylines and wonder if I should cut it off or just leave it. Can you help? Thanks very much A. The flower on the Cordylines is a rare bonus. Cut the stem off in a couple of month's time after the birds have had a meal from any seeds produced.

Q. I have a ficus tree for three years, I have never transplanted it but it has always done well, I live in Florida, and it stays out on the porch it gets morning sun and I water when needed. But now all of a sudden the leaves are turning yellow and they are falling off.

A. This could be over watering or moving the plant around to different locations, neither of which actions are liked by the ficus family. Failing this the compost in the pot may be exhausted, feed with a general-purpose fertiliser and add a spoonful of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate). This will release vital elements in the soil and encourage the production of chlorophyll necessary for green leaves. If the plant recovers re-pot next spring into a slightly larger pot with fresh compost.

Q. When is a good time to divide iris? Thanks Christene

A. Iris, best too divide August September.

Q. Dear Gardening guru,I have a number of hanging baskets all of which include fuchsias. The fuchsias in one basket only appear to have what I would describe as black spot on the leaves. They start off with a black spot and the leaf eventually turns yellow and drops off. I have encountered black spot on my roses before but never with fuchsias - could you please advise.

A. This is almost certainly black spot, the same as on your roses. Spray all your fuchsias with a systemic fungicide, systemic sprays are absorbed by the plant and provide a longer lasting protection.

Q. Now that the tulips are done, should I trim them down, or leave them? Also, what could I plant between the tulips for the rest of the season that won't affect the tulip bulbs?

A. You must leave the leaves too die down; the energy from the leaves is used by the bulb to produce next years flower bud. French marigolds are recommended for planting among tulips, the marigolds appear to kill various virus diseases, which affect tulips. You can dig up the tulips and replant in a deep box full of soil, there they can die down in their own time without being in the way of your summer planting.

Q. I seem to have nearly killed my Rosemary plant with compost tea. I used the same strength as on my other plants, but the needles on most of the branches have now turned black and dropped off. Is compost tea not suitable for this type of plant?

A. This is simply a matter of you over feeding your rosemary plant. In common with many herbs, rosemary likes poor conditions.

Q. What is the correct way to trim a Rhododendron? I don't want mine to get huge and out of hand.

A. Pruning rhododendron. The job must be done now; June. leave any longer and you will destroy next year's flowers. If you want a rhododendron or azalea to be shorter next year or stay the same height, don't preserve the tip growth on the tallest branches. Clip into the old wood, eight or 12 inches shorter than you want that branch to be next year. Then water well and fertilize. New branches will pop out from the leafless wood.

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Gardens - Individual Gardens

"Individual Gardens

British Columbia Native Plant Garden

The British Columbia Native Plant Garden can be found on the centre island of the parking lot adjacent to the Cary Castle Mews. This garden features plants of British Columbia from the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden. The planting of this garden was a project by the Horticultural Class of Camosun College in Victoria.
Cottage Garden

In 1994, the Garden Cottage became the headquarters of the Friends of the Government House Gardens Society. A contest was held among the Friends to design the garden. The Cottage Garden is in front of the cottage on Rockland Avenue, adjacent to the Rotary Garden of International Friendship. The garden is small and sheltered, enclosed by hedges and fencing.

Cut Flower Garden

The Cut Flower Garden is dominated by a magnificent London Plane Tree which provides shade for hostas, hellebores, primulas and other shade-loving plants. Sunny areas are planted with herbaceous perennials and foliage plants including hardy geraniums, crambe cordifolia, artemisia “Powis Castle” and South African phygelius species. Rocky areas are home to euphorbia species and potentilla “Abbotswood Silver.”"

Dorothy Lam Orchard

This small orchard on the east side of the property is dedicated to former chatelaine, the late Mrs. Dorothy Lam. Each year the fruit is donated to local charities.
English Country Garden
The English Country Garden is located just inside the main entry gate of Government House. Like the garden of an English country house, it is intended to be a splendid show of flowers for the summer months. In spring there is a colourful display of flowering bulbs including primulas, pulmonarias and hellebores. There are also many traditional cottage garden plants such as campanulas, forget-me-nots and foxgloves. Herbaceous perennials, flowering shrubs and trees provide interest year round.

Fountain Pond

The Fountain Pond, near the front of the property, is surrounded by bamboo, a weeping willow and a laburnum tree. Large groups of Iris pseudacorus, Acorus calamus are planted in the water and the pond is home to a variety of ducks, turtles and many forms of birdlife.

Heather Garden

Located at the base of the Rock and Alpine Garden is the Heather Garden. Heathers can provide flowers and a variety of foliage colours and textures year round. The plants were donated by the Heather Society of Victoria.

Herb Garden

Adjacent to the Sunken Rose Garden lies the Herb Garden. Many of the herbs are grown for use in the Government House kitchen. A Medlar tree and a Quince tree, popular in traditional herb gardens, are also found. Andrew Yeoman and Noel Richardson of Ravenhill Herb Farms designed the garden, donated plants and advise the Friends of the Government House Gardens Society on maintenance. The late Major General and Mrs. George Kitching of Victoria gave a generous donation towards the establishment of this garden.