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The variegated Pittosporum Elizabeth could work well - one of my neighbours has a very attractive hedge of this. I liked @Plantminded's suggestion of a flowering climber for the arch itself, too.

Personally I prick all seedlings out into those cell trays, the ones I don't are things like onions which I sow three or four seeds to each cell and plant out the whole cell when it comes to that time.I don't think you will find any hard and fast rules how you do things, people often find...

That one’s a good vibrant blue @Clare G, now on my list .

Some more spring flowers from around the garden today: Self seeded violaPulmonariaCornus masmore crocusdaffodils have started to bloomHappy gardening!

First bloom of 2026, Hibiscus Red Pagoda ...There s a Standrad Red and an April Yellow to open soon.

I think I poked them vertically into the compost. If I remember rightly they're quite big and easy to handle individually. If you have lots of seed you could try different ways and see what works for you.

It needs a good prune, I'd remove perhaps half the branches coming from the base, any crossing branches and any obviously dead growth. I wonder if it could be a red currant rather than a black currant.

Thank you for the replies, really appreciate the insights and advice

I use pencil, then at the end of season I collect all the labels. The ones that didn't break from the light get washed (using sponge and soap), then I use eraser to clean whatever written.

The last one for now, was on the Thorny olive tree that the bird table and hanging feeder are on. It's another variegated leaf plant. It's quite early in the year to be trying this, but I've got nothing to loose.As you have probably noticed from all the bird photos recently, they have become...

I’d be surprised if Beth Chatto’s gardeners use slug pellets or insecticides . Birds tend to be vocal here in the morning and out looking for worms mainly early morning and at dusk. Sound for me also includes wind through the trees and swishing through dried grasses in winter.

Thank you Ricky that's what i like the know, i haven't seen that page

Paving slabs with a few pots and containers for summer or spring interest.

Hard wood cuttings have stored energy so they can often continue to throw out leaves before they root. I would personally remove the fruits because they are just robbing the energy and won't come to anything. In water you get those little white dots as a precursor to rooting. It's a good sign...