Daffodils

The weather is getting milder and the first of the spring bulbs in my front garden are coming into flower. The main spring bulb in the front garden is the daffodil (Narcissus). Most of the daffodils I grow are varieties of the smaller Cyclamineus Narcissus, which I find grow better in my garden than the larger trumpet daffodils. The bulbs multiply each year if left undisturbed and eventually make large clumps which can be divided once the leaves have died down.

These smaller daffodils are ideal for growing in pots which can be used to fill gaps in the borders. Make sure the pots have good drainage otherwise the bulb roots may rot. Use a soil based compost which will retain moisture for longer and plant the bulbs as deeply as you would in the garden border.

If you want to lift your bulbs after flowering has finished to make room for other plants, a good idea is to plant them in a lattice basket (the type used for pond planting) and bury this container in the soil. When flowering is finished lift the container and replant elsewhere as they need to remain buried while the bulb is still active. Once all the leaves have turned yellow the bulbs can be lifted, dried off and stored until replanting in the autumn. This is also a useful way of keeping track of your bulbs.

The varieties of small daffodils I grow are 'Jetfire' which has yellow outer petals and a bright orange trumpet; and Tete-a-Tete which has yellow outer petals and a golden trumpet. This is a vigorous variety which has up to three flowers per stem.

One larger variety of daffodil which I like to grow, and which does well in my soil, is 'Cheerfulness' which has a sweetly scented double white flower. If you can grow the larger later flowering yellow trumpet daffodils, try planting them behind clumps of blue aubretia. The blue and yellow look particularly lovely together.

Save Our Bees

There has been a lot of discussion lately about the decline in our bee population. This is a serious issue as bees don't just produce honey. By pollinating plants they are responsible for a third of the food we eat.
Various theories have been put forward regarding the cause of bee colonies dying, one of these being the rise of monoculture where large swathes of land are given over to single crops. The theory being that, like humans, bees need a varied diet to stay healthy. This is where gardeners can really make a difference by planting lots of nectar producing flowering plants which flower throughout the year. These could include crocuses, pulmonaria and fruit trees in spring, delphiniums, roses, lupins and flowering herbs such as rosemary, thyme and lavender in summer, and later flowering perennials such as salvia in the autumn.
Another way to help the bees is to provide suitable habitats. There are 3 general types of bee in Britain - honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. Honeybees live in manmade hives containing up to 70,000. Bumblebees are also social creatures, living in cavities in the ground containing around 300. The solitary bee usually lives in pairs in narrow holes in walls and in decaying wood. A dry stone wall at the bottom of my garden provides a good habitat for solitary bees and I once had a bumblebee nest in the side of a compost bin.
The use of pesticides can also have a negative impact, not just on the bees but on other beneficial insects. It is best to limit the use of these products, or better still stop using them altogether. Use soapy water for aphids and pick caterpillars and lily beetles off by hand. Plant native plants to encourage beneficial insects such as hoverflies which feed on aphids, a natural method of pest control. Increasing insect life in your garden also attracts other wildlife such as birds.
 

Primroses and Polyantha

I have just planted some primroses in the front garden. I love the native primrose, Primula vulgaris, a compact plant which grows to about 6 inches in height and produces lots of small pale yellow flowers with darker yellow centres. This native primrose grows more robustly in my garden than the hybrid Polyanthus and each year spreads a little bit more.

The Polyanthus is a garden hybrid which is very popular for bedding and containers due to its beautiful and varied colour palette. The flowers are larger than the Primula vulgaris and are carried in large trusses on stout stems well above the leaves. If you want dramatic early spring colour then these plants are hard to beat. Some of the colours are so delicate the flowers look as if they have been hand painted. I can never resist buying a few each year. They are perennial plants and will flower again next year.  

My Lilac Tree is Saved

In December last year I wrote about my lovely old lilac tree which was brought down by the heavy snowfall. I have been cutting back and clearing the trunk which had split and fallen. Part of the trunk is still in the ground and there is new growth so it looks as if the tree will grow again from the base after cutting back. I am really pleased that the tree is not a complete write-off. It will be a while before I have all those beautiful scented lilac flowers covering the front garden every springtime, but I am sure they will be worth waiting for.
Meanwhile I need to tidy up, repair the damage to other shrubs and plants and replant to fill any gaps. There are quite a few bulbs coming through - dwarf daffodils and tiny blue irises. I would love to grow crocus bulbs but the squirrels love them and soon dig up any that I have planted. I don't mind too much though as I love to watch the squirrels in my garden.    

Winter Flowering Jasmine

The winter flowering jasmine (Jasmine Nudiflorum) flowers on the bare wood between November and April. It is a climbing plant which needs the support of a trellis or pergola. I grow mine on the front wall of the house in a recess under the bay. This is a perfect spot as it is sheltered from cold winds.
I planted it in a large wooden barrel and trained it up a trellis. As it is in the shelter of the bay it does not benefit from rainfall and needs regular watering. Unfortunately I can be a bit forgetful when it comes to watering but it seems to thrive on neglect and, even though we had an extremely bad winter this year, has produced a lovely show of yellow flowers (the above photo was taken yesterday).
This is a good climber for a north facing or shady spot as it is hardy and flowers well even in shade. It can be a bit susceptible to cold winds though, so don't plant it in a very cold exposed position. Trained against a wall is ideal.
This climber needs pruning immediately after flowering by cutting all the flowered shoots back to 2-3 buds from the main stem. This is also a good time to cut out any old dead wood to keep the plant neat and tidy.