General Gardening Discussion

Good to hear.

They don't tend to be affected by v. weevil in the ground - just in pots. The ones I have in the ground are fine, but anything potted needs checked every so often. I believe you can add a thick layer of grit/gravel to the tops of pots to help prevent them laying eggs, but I haven't tried it....

I had one this year that just keeled over for no apparent reason. I composted the stems but never got around to dumping the tuber. The other day, I picked it up bone dry to dump it, but it had sprouted all over so I've put it in a small pot with fresh compost to see what happens.

I can remember growing a faily vigorous dark purple one, one year, can't remember the name though. It self seeded the following year.I also remember growing the pale blue one which seemed much more tender and not so easy.I only grow a perennial type now in a large pot, it never sets seed.

The customers demanded that it be something they could buy at supermarkets like household items such as, glasses, cutlery, bedding BBQ accessories. Unfortunately plants are perishable. The house plants are often better treated as these are higher value. Our local Morrisons has a separate outdoor...

The nursery I often use has Alstroemerias for £12 in 2 litre pots. At this time of year, and into early autumn, they'll be filling those pots really well, and would split into 2 or 3 plants. They usually have a sale in September too, so it's even better value.I hope it survives for you...

Some have got rusty. I'll cut them back and move them into the oubliette and see what happens. I need to be more ruthless. I have too much ruth! They really belong on the compost heap.

Thanks everyone that's all very helpful. At the moment it looks as though it may not be done until January as the person I have contacted so far is busy until then.

Indeed @Selleri - annuals are just the extra bit of colour or drama, the real garden is the permanent 'background' and the base for anything different that can be added for seasonal interest. In a small space, there's no room for passengers. I rarely have annuals in the main beds or borders, as...

Although Carexes can manage drier conditions once well established, they actually do best with wet conditions - ie soil that doesn't readily dry out.

You need to physically disrupt the connecting root stems at your boundary fences, for one area will sustain the others; they are likely connected at depth.Trenching , cutting bindweed roots and inserting a barrier such as this* to at least 400mm deep should help.

You could do. It has time to put on a bit of new growth this yr if you do, so you could get flowers on those stems next yr.The time I would not do any pruning is after mid-October, in case an early frost gets in the newly cut bits.

Agree perovskites. Second one could be Teucrium lucidys, lovely small evergreen which can be clipped and used as a low hedge. The foliage is aromatic

Some excellent suggestions. I had taken to hosing the pigeon gunk out, but now with a hosepipe ban, it's back to scrubbing it again. Perhaps I'll look into smaller ones. Erecting an arch or similar might provide an opportunity to hang some smaller ones. Thank you!

Interesting thread

@John Stern , the unknown red flower is bottle brush, (Callistemon) although they may have changed the name already.

It didn't smell unpleasant - a bit like Mango

Sadly it wont, I get some but they never reach full size so never really ripen, they need a much longer and warmer growing season than we get in the UK.

They look quite big, so I'd doubt they're in those teabags, but it's certainly worth lifting one and checking @Erigeron . Go from there once you know. The ground looks incredibly dry. Heathers of all types, can take as much water as you can give them, but they need decent enough drainage, and...

I used to have trouble keeping coreopsis going on clay! It obviously likes your conditions.