General Gardening Discussion

Our cat used to eat the lawn - possibly certain weeds in it. Recently the neighbour's small dog does the same on our lawn, but I don't know much about dogs. Mind you our cat liked to chew my hair and tinsel too.

It always depends on the area where we live, but being here in the south, I would always cut the lavender after winter to protect the wood.

I looked up S. nigra aurea because I didn't think it should have red berries, it should just be a gold version of our native elder, so a purple black berry? However looking online it's got me more confused as half the pictures again look like they show two species. The nigra aurea should have...

It shouldn't kill it if done at the right time, I suppose disease getting in can always be possible, its a risk you always take when cutting any tree back.Just use a clean saw and leave a clean non jagged finish to the cut, be careful not to rip the bark,so do a rough cut further up to take...

Is this reliably perennial? Not something I have ever grown, but neighbour has a lovely specimen so I wondered if it was worth giving the plant a try.

Lonicera fragrans. Winter flowering honeysuckle. Non climbing shrub, not evergreen, flowers Dec/ March depending on location. Corylopsis spicata. Witchazel. Sarcocca.

The strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, is evergreen with bright shiny leaves and sprays of white flowers which develop into fruits like strawberries, popular with blackbirds. It doesn’t usually need pruning but can be shaped and maintained to whatever height you prefer.

Sea asparagus , often in pasta where we previously lived.

Try repotting in to a leafmould rich gritty compost. Water infrequently and leave in a relatively light area not in strong sunlight. This may kill, or cure it.

I can never believe that I actually brought it with me from my last garden (I hadn't planted it there). I thought it would make a nice, well behaved clump in a corner. How wrong was I. Even in the coldest, darkest Winter the berries remain untouched by the birds.

Ah - that's good. Hopefully you'll still get a flower or three this year I grew it [the blue one] donkey's years ago, and when I discovered there was a white variety, only recently, I got some. It's been great and the bees just love it. I don't think it'll seed successfully for me here, but I...

Vinca does tooooo well. The variegated one is well-behaved and welcome. Not keen on most phlox either - but the slugs are extremely partial to them. Haven't tried corncockles. Catananche were lovely this year, but it's a bit of a wait for them to flower from seed. I hope they survive until...

No, but it’s very pretty. Here’s an interesting article about Woolworths and plants.'Horti' - a history of the Woolworth Garden DeptOne in three daffodils and tulips in British gardens today came from a Woolworths shop? Amazing.

Ha! Thank you for these recommendations. I'll have a look now.

For info I've uploaded a photo of a section of rudbeckia stem that died from Verticillium wilt.

Thanks for your responses all. I might start cutting back and see if what i'm left with is worth saving, perhaps it won't be. When in bloom is was very very nice and tbh, even when not, its form made it a bit of a favourite. It just seems a bit sad now.

August 2024 photos

Thanks, useful info, will definitely think carefully then where it should go !

Thanks. I'll take a look.

No idea. I never try.