Perennial Geraniums

These are hardy perennial plants and should not be confused with the bedding and pot varieties whose correct botanical name is pelargonium.
Herbaceous perennial geraniums (also known as Crane's-bill) are varied in stature and habit. Some are suitable for herbaceous borders or ground cover and others are more suited to rock gardens.
I grow three of the taller geraniums which grow to approximately 18 - 24 inches tall. I have one  maroon, one blue and one white flowered plant. All are attractive to bees but the maroon flowered plant attracts more than the other two. This is a bonus as I didn't realise when I planted them how attractive they would be to the bees.

I also grow Geranium sanguineum (commonly known as bloody Crane's-bill) at the front of the border. This has larger bright magenta flowers and only grows to about 6 - 9 inches tall, but spreads to 18 inches making it a good ground cover plant. Geraniums grow in any ordinary well drained garden soil and will thrive in sun or partial shade. As with most perennials they can be propagated by dividing the plants and replanting them between September and March. Some of the taller varieties may need some support, especially in exposed sites.  

Herbs in Pots

Growing fresh herbs for culinary use is a very satisfying part of gardening. My herbs are grown in individual pots rather than in the main borders. One advantage of this is being able to move the pots into a frost free greenhouse in winter if I want to grow less hardy varieties. The pots can also be placed close to the house so the herbs are handy for the kitchen. At the moment I am growing Mint, Oregano, Thyme, Lemon Balm, Golden Marjoram and Chives in 12 inch pots, with Rosemary, Sage and Hyssop planted in larger containers. All of the above are perennial and hardy. It is worth growing some of the annual herbs as well if you use them regularly.


Last year I visited a herb garden close to where I live. They have a wonderful selection of herbs for sale and I bought a hyssop which has aniseed flavoured leaves. It also has beautiful purple/blue flowers. Planted in a large tub on the patio it is very attractive when in flower with very tasty leaves which I like to chew while pottering around the garden.
Even if you don't use herbs in your cooking they are still worth growing for their scented foliage and often pretty flowers. Some are used in pot pourri and others have medicinal qualities. For anyone interested in herbs and their uses I would recommend reading Culpeper's Complete Herbal & English Physician, a beautifully illustrated book which gives a fascinating insight into the properties and uses of herbs.

Zephirine Drouhin - The Thornless Rose

One of my favourite roses is Zephirine Drouhin, a Bourbon climbing rose. This is an old variety introduced in 1898. It grows to about 9 feet tall and I have it trained up a trellis on the rear wall of the garage. This is a reasonably sheltered but sunny spot and I have underplanted the rose with a Clematis.
The flowers of Zephirine Drouhin are a beautiful deep pink and have a very rich fragrance. The Clematis planted with it is the large single flowered variety 'Niobe' which has dramatic dark red flowers providing a good contrast to the pink roses.
Zephirine Drouhin has thornless stems and is repeat flowering. It can be grown as a climber or kept pruned to be grown as a bush or a hedge. Removing the dead flower heads regularly ensures a succession of blooms from June onwards. My climber has already started to flower in the warm May weather. Very little pruning is required if grown as a climber: just take out any dead wood and remove withered shoot tips. As this rose has thornless stems it is ideal for growing over a rose arch where the wonderful scent can be fully appreciated. This is what I intend to do with my next Zephirine Drouhin.

Trailing Plants over Dry Walls

I love to see flowering plants trailing over dry stone walls. There are a variety of plants suitable for this situation but the three plants I have trailing over my dry stone wall are Arabis, Aubrieta and Saponaria. All three are flowering at the moment.

Arabis caucasica is a perennial which grows to 9 inches high and spreads to about 24 inches. It has grey/green leaves and pure white flowers are produced from February until June. It can be a bit invasive as it is fast growing, so give it a bit of space to spread. The grey/green foliage is attractive even after the flowers are done. It prefers a well drained soil in partial shade. Cut back hard after flowering has finished and propagate by lifting and dividing established plants in September. Arabis caucasica was introduced into Britain from Southern Europe in 1798.

.Aubrieta deltoidea is a mat forming perennial plant growing about 4 inches high and spreading about 18-24 inches. There are several varieties in varying shades of red, lilac and purple. They are all attractive colours but I prefer the purple which is a particularly vibrant colour. Aubrietas look stunning trailing over dry stone walls and flower profusely between March and June. Lightly trim the flowering stems when the flowers have finished. No other pruning  is required. They can be propagated by dividing and replanting in September. A well drained soil and sunny position is preferred.

 The Aubrieta was discovered by a botanical expedition sent by the French King Louis XIV. The botanical artist Claude Aubriet was part of the expedition and the plant was named after him. It is native to mountain regions from Sicily to Iran.

Saponaria ocymoides is a vigorous prostrate perennial which produces bright pink flowers from early summer. It will grow in any fertile garden soil in sun or partial shade. Like Arabis and Aubrieta it can be propagated by dividing and replanting established plants in the autumn. Another variety of Saponaria is the upright perennial Saponaria officinalis, also known as Soapwort, which has red, pink or white flowers and can grow to 3 feet tall. It is known as Soapwort due to its soapy qualities. If the leaves of this plant are swirled around in water a considerable lather can be achieved. The Romans used the suds as a water softener. It is believed that the Soapwort was originally collected by Crusaders in the 13th century when they were travelling home across the mountains of south west Asia and Europe. As recently as the 20th century its properties of cleansing softness were a recognised part of the treatment and conservation of old and precious tapestries.

Aquilegias

A very easy to grow plant which self seeds readily, the Aquilegia Vulgaris ( also known as Granny's Bonnet) is a lovely cottage garden plant which has flowers of many hues. The plants increase each year if you let them set seed and the flowers, which appear in April/May, vary from white and pink shades through to reds, pale and dark blues, mauve and purple.
This can be a bit of an invasive self seeder, much like the forget-me-not. But the flowers, like the forget-me-not, are very pretty so I just weed out any unwanted plants. Letting the plants set seed results in many different colours as the varieties inter-hybridise easily and do not grow true to type. Cut back stems immediately after flowering if you wish to prevent self seeding. Aquilegias can be propagated by dividing the roots between October and March. This is one way of ensuring that you increase the stock of a particular colour. My favourite colour is the blue which is particularly lovely. These plants will grow to a height of about 12 - 18 inches and prefer a moist but well drained soil in either a sunny or partially shaded position.

Lavender Cuttings

Every garden should have at least one lavender plant as they are easy to grow in any well drained garden soil and have a wonderful scent. I have grown a few different varieties of lavender but my favourite is the Old English Lavender which grows to a height and spread of about 36 inches. The foliage is silver grey and the highly scented flowers are a pale lavender blue. It is very popular with the bees as well which is another good reason to grow it.
According to my plant reference book cuttings of lavender should be taken in August or September but I always take my cuttings around April time. I take 3 to 4 inch long cuttings from the new soft growth on the tips of the branches. The ends are dipped in hormone rooting powder and the cuttings inserted into 3 inch pots filled with ordinary multi purpose compost. The pots are kept moist but not too wet and put into a sheltered place such as the cold frame or greenhouse. I always take more cuttings than I need to allow for failures. Extra plants can be given as presents to family and friends.
My original Old English Lavender was a cutting off a plant belonging to my mother. This was given to me 30 years ago and my present plants are descendants of that original plant.
I also grow the smaller 'Hidcote' variety in pots. These have darker purple blue flowers which are also very fragrant.  I also grew two french lavender plants but unfortunately they proved to be less hardy than their english counterparts and did not survive last winter's severe cold weather.
Lavender flowers can be dried to use in herb sachets or pot pourri. Cut the long flowering stems when the flower buds are plump but before they have opened. Tie the stems together and hang up in a dry place. Alternatively lay them on a wire rack in the airing cupboard if you have the space. When the flowers are completely dried you can remove them from the stems. Don't throw the stems away but burn them on an open fire where they will produce a lovely fragrance.