Sarcococcus confusa (Christmas Box)

Sarcococcus confusa, also called Sweet Box or Christmas Box because of the small but fragrant white flowers produced around this time of year, is an evergreen shrub suitable for container planting as it only grows to a maximum of 6ft tall with a spread of 3ft.
The rather insignificant flowers of this dense evergreen shrub produce a wonderful winter fragrance so plant it near to the house, preferably in a spot sheltered from drying cold winds. The leaves are small, oval and a glossy dark green. The clusters of fragrant white flowers produced in midwinter are followed by small glossy black berries.
A hardy plant which prefers a shaded or semi shaded spot, it likes a moist but well drained, fertile, humus-rich soil but will tolerate atmospheric pollution and a little neglect.
Earlier this year I bought a small specimen which I have planted in a pot and placed against a low wall near to the log store. This should be a good place to appreciate the winter fragrance whilst collecting wood for the fire. 

Spring Lawn Care

Last year's wet summer and the long cold winter have left my lawn looking a bit worse for wear. Spring has arrived late this year so I need to catch up on some essential lawn maintenance. The moss problem which already existed was made worse by long spells of very wet weather. My lawn is old and has a build up of thatch which needs removing with a lawn rake in autumn to improve the surface drainage. This wasn't done last autumn so the moss problem has worsened. Spring is the time to apply a proprietary feed, weed and moss killer. The moss turns black as it dies off and can then be raked out. The lawn feed encourages the grass to thicken up and fill any gaps left by the removal of the moss, with the weed killer discouraging the spread of weeds. If you like to garden organically the moss can still be raked out and an organic lawn food then applied. Weeds can be dug out by hand using a daisy grubber. Use a garden fork to spike the lawn and brush in gritty sand to help improve surface drainage and discourage the growth of moss.
The lawn needs regular cutting to keep it looking good. The first cut of Spring should be with the mower blades set high - about one and a half inches. Once the grass has been cut a few times the blades can be lowered. Aim for a height of about three quarters of an inch for a fine lawn, but as my grass is a bit coarser I find setting the blades at a height of one inch gives the best result. Regular mowing produces a denser, greener, hard wearing lawn. The lawn edges also need attention as they tend to become worn and untidy. Neaten them using the back of a spade or a half moon lawn edger to give a clean sharp edge which can be kept neat with lawn edging shears or a strimmer.
One last note - if you cut the grass shortly after using a lawn weedkiller, only add the cuttings to the compost heap if you are not going to use the compost for at least six months.     

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Corkscrew Hazel)

Although my garden is only medium sized I have a habit of buying plants as if I had a much larger garden. As a result I have a lot of plants in containers. My two largest containers have been used to grow small trees, a Japanese Maple and a Corkscrew Hazel. While the Japanese Maple appears to be quite happy in its container, the Corkscrew Hazel seemed to be struggling so last October I made the decision to transplant it into the Woodland border at the bottom of the garden. Two dead hawthorn trees had been removed from this border so there was plenty of room for the Hazel to grow.
It is a slow growing tree with a shrubby habit which will eventually reach about 8 feet in height. Hopefully this will make a lovely feature tree for the winter as its stems twist and spiral as they grow, giving it the name of Corkscrew or Twisted Hazel. The sculptural stems are further enhanced by 2 inch long pale yellow catkins which appear in late winter/early spring. Hazels will grow in any well drained soil in sun and partial shade.
Propagation can be done by layering. This involves selecting a healthy side shoot which is one or two years old and bending it down to soil level, keeping the growing tip held upwards. The bent shoot can be secured in position by a U shaped pin or by stones. To encourage rooting an oblique cut should be made in the stem where it contacts the soil. A dusting of hormone rooting powder can be beneficial. The new plant can be severed from the parent plant when a decent root system has formed. This can take a year or two.  

Gaillardia aristata (Gaillardia grandiflora)

 

Gaillardia aristata, also called Gaillardia grandiflora is a beautiful red and yellow daisy like flower which is excellent for cutting. It is a hardy perennial growing to about 24-30 inches high and makes a bright addition to the herbaceous border. Flowers are up to 3 inches across and borne from June to October. Also known as the blanket flower, this pretty plant was introduced into Britain in 1812. It is native to Western Canada, Western USA and New Mexico.

Gaillardia aristata is the parent plant to a number of striking garden hybrids which range in colour from orange-yellow through shades of red to burgundy. There is a dwarf variety called 'Goblin' which only grows to 9 inches high and is suitable for the smaller garden or the front of the border.

Gaillardias thrive in a light, well drained soil and prefer a sunny position, although they will grow reasonably well in any soil and will tolerate light shade. Taller plants with large flower heads will need some support and removing dead flower heads will prolong the flowering period.

There is an annual species called Gaillardia pulchella which grows to a slightly lesser height of 18 inches.

Both annual and perennial species can be grown from seed. Sow in pots or trays of seed compost in February and March under glass at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. Harden off in a cold frame before planting out in May when all risk of frost has passed. Alternatively, sow annual seeds outside directly into the flowering site in April and thin out the seedlings to the required planting distance. 



White Flowered Plants

  

Cool colours are often used in the English garden as they are well suited to the light and climate. White flowers are especially beautiful and there are many lovely plants to choose from. I try to include a good mix of plants in the garden that flower at different times of the year.
For spring flowers I have planted the lovely white Narcissus 'Thalia' which is an easily grown daffodil of medium height. It has pendant flowers with palest cream back swept petals and a white cup. Each stem carries up to three blooms. This is a prolific plant and will flower regularly without being lifted. It is a welcome addition to the spring garden, suitable for growing in the border or in containers.
In summer the annual Marguerite is a popular plant for patio containers but can be just as easily grown in the garden. It has lovely white daisy like flowers and feathery grey green foliage. I love this plant as it will flower prolifically and continuously through the summer months and into autumn. Dead head the flowers regularly to ensure an abundant supply of blooms. If you want a perennial plant with white daisy like flowers I would strongly recommend Chrysanthemum maximum, also known as the Shasta Daisy. I grow this in the herbaceous border where it flowers abundantly and is a really stunning plant.
Another favourite of mine is the very popular white floribunda rose 'Iceberg'. It grows to around 4 -5 feet in height with glossy mid green foliage and slightly fragrant medium sized blooms. A vigorous and free branching shrub, it makes a lovely specimen bush but is also a good choice for hedging. I moved my two floribunda Iceberg roses last autumn from the front garden to a larger border in the rear garden in order to give them more space to grow. Despite the dreadful summer weather we have suffered this year, both roses rewarded me with some beautiful blooms.   
 

Violas and Pansies

Viola tricolor, also known as heartsease, is an easy to grow little plant for containers or planting under shrubs in the border. It is only a few inches high but spreads to about 12 inches. Pretty little flowers, varying in colour from cream and yellow through to dark blue and red/purple, are produced in profusion from May to September.
The larger garden pansy is a hybrid derived from Viola tricolor and is basically similar but with larger flowers and more robust growth. These plants are a valuable addition to any garden as in addition to the summer flowering varieties, there are winter flowering types which start flowering in autumn and will continue to flower in mild weather throughout the winter season. They come in a wide variety of attractive colours and are perfect for filling in gaps in the border and in containers once the summer bedding plants have finished.
I planted some lovely purple/blue pansies in pots last autumn which flowered well during the winter months. I then moved them into the border in spring where they continued to flower well into summer. I have just planted some more winter flowering pansies in pots and hope they will perform as well as last year's plants.
Violas and pansies can be planted in September and October or in March and April. They like fertile, moist but well drained soil in sun or partial shade. Seeds of Viola tricolor can be sown in their flowing site in March or April, thinning out the seedlings as required. Or propagate existing plants by taking 1-2 inch long cuttings of non flowerings basal shoots in July and insert them in equal parts of peat and sand in a cold frame. Pot them on into 3 inch pots when well rooted. They can then be planted out into the garden between September and March.

Getting Rid of Slugs and Snails

It's official - we've just had the wettest summer for one hundred years and the slugs in my garden are loving it. Both flowering plants and vegetables have suffered this year so I am looking at ways of dealing with the slimy menace.
I don't like using slug pellets, even those which are supposed to be harmless to wildlife, so I am trying other methods. Slugs hide during the day and emerge at night to munch on my favourite plants. The first line of defence is to keep the garden tidy and limit their hiding places. Putting copper bands round pots deter slugs and snails as crawling over copper gives molluscs an electric shock. Copper rings are also available to protect plants in the borders.
I have had some success with garlic wash. Just steep some garlic cloves in water for a few hours and then spray on plants - this method also deters aphids and vampires! Slug traps filled with beer also work well and at least the slugs die happy.
A surefire method is to go out at night armed with a torch, rubber gloves and a bucket of salt water to drown the little blighters in. This doesn't really appeal to me so I have decided to try biological control with nematodes. Packs of powder can be purchased which contain millions of microscopic nematodes (parasites) that kill slugs both above and below ground. The powder is mixed with water and applied to the soil with a watering can. If done correctly the nematodes should remain active for about 6 weeks, even during really wet weather when the slugs are at their most rampant. The only drawback is that they don't kill snails.
Hopefully by using some of the above tactics and encouraging natural predators such as birds and hedgehogs I can control the slug and snail population and limit the plant damage next year.