[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Jack Straw]

A lovely garden Jack - is it somewhere up North?

Foxgloves are already out down south...

View attachment 137317

Only if you count Burgess Hill as up North! The soil is quite heavy and the microclimate there is a little cool. There are a few in bud, but hardly showing colour yet. I'll post some more photos in the future when there's a few out.

 

[WATFORD zero]

That bee looks remarkably like Stat's pet - Chris?

It's all gonna kick off in a minute

 

[Stat Brother]

I need Jnr to do.a full weeding before a gallery so you'll just have to make do.with this.



Chris is doing well he's turning into a right fatty boom-boom gorging on Ceanothus while waiting for the poppies.



Oh and where the f**k is Burgess Hill if it's not in the grim northern wasteland?

 

[1066familyman]

Work pics, showing that gardening really is about the birds and the bees.... Well ladybirds... The lucky buggers!

 

[Jack Straw]

I need Jnr to do.a full weeding before a gallery so you'll just have to make do.with this.

View attachment 137319

Chris is doing well he's turning into a right fatty boom-boom gorging on Ceanothus while waiting for the poppies.



Oh and where the f**k is Burgess Hill if it's not in the grim northern wasteland?

An Albion coloured Lupin. Marvelous!
Living in Brighton, Burgess Hill is north to me, but as where my friend's house is isn't grim, I discounted this in my geographical thinking.
Chris seems to have the travel bug. He seems to be everywhere?!

 

[Stat Brother]

You twitchin freaks and geeks would love a piece of what Stat's got cookin.


With the exception of some mini daff bulbs, I have a whole clean border of seemingly decent top soil and absolutely no plans (beyond Chris' poppy patch)

View attachment 130238

As Jnrs match today was abandoned due to fighting, we had a bit of time this morning for weeding and planting some gifted bedding plants.

So you lucky people get a quick tour:-

The black thing that's come on leaps and bounds.



The problem patch, much of what was planted here looked like the weeds that was also growing, so most of it has come out.



Raspberries.



The nice patch where stuff actually grows.



& last but not least, the old and new poppy (and rose) patch.
I'm prepared to concede I might, just might, have overseeded.




Does anyone want any poppy seeds?

 

[Weststander]

Echium vulgare (Viper’s bugloss) have flowered today .... starting three months of feasting by bees.

 

[zefarelly]

Our front jungle

 

[Jack Straw]

As Jnrs match today was abandoned due to fighting, we had a bit of time this morning for weeding and planting some gifted bedding plants.

So you lucky people get a quick tour:-

The black thing that's come on leaps and bounds.

View attachment 137412

The problem patch, much of what was planted here looked like the weeds that was also growing, so most of it has come out.

View attachment 137413

Raspberries.

View attachment 137414

The nice patch where stuff actually grows.

View attachment 137415

& last but not least, the old and new poppy (and rose) patch.
I'm prepared to concede I might, just might, have overseeded.

View attachment 137416


Does anyone want any poppy seeds?

The Photinia on the left side of the first photo looks in fine fettle. Is that the one that's been treated with Stat J's secret fertilizer?
It's all looking rather splendid.
I'm OK for Poppy seeds.

 

[Stat Brother]

The Photinia on the left side of the first photo looks in fine fettle. Is that the one that's been treated with Stat J's secret fertilizer?
It's all looking rather splendid.
I'm OK for Poppy seeds.

Yeah it's not looking as spritely as it was in the spring, it looks a little 'crunchy', but that said there's plenty of new growth coming.

In the week I got a skip and we gutted the back garden so it all looking nice now.
It certainly doesn't look bad for a £50 spend.




The poppy trail I left into the village is yet to show its face but the seeds I dumped in the front garden of my mate down the road are coming up nicely.

 

[PHCgull]

Putting aside the frenzy of pride and excitement over an Albion player having a realistic chance of featuring for england at a major tournament...

I'm throwing myself on the mercy of the hive mind here... so yesterday I managed to get this living wall system up by the front door and now i'm asking for suggestions on what to plant in it. Problem is, it gets NO direct sunlight at all, although perversely it is quite well lit as it faces a big expanse of white wall which reflects towards it... so i'm after suggestions for shade lovers that will grow to hide the black plastic but not run out of control... I'm happy to swap things out through the seasons so I was thinking hostas etc but beyond that I fall foul of a complete lack of appropriate horticultural knowledge in this regard... plus some tips on where to acquire any suggestions, ideally within 15-20 miles of brighton would be good...

er, help?

 

[Jack Straw]

Because you can reach it all from the ground, you can pretty much plant what you like as long as they're not huge growers. Small evergreen perennials look good, such as Heucheras and Bergenias with a mix of different small-leaved Ivies. Perhaps Lavender, Rosmary, and different leaved Sage. Dwarf Euonymous (fortunei "Emerald n Gold" or "Emerald gaiety"). Anything that gets too big can be easily pruned.
This site gives you a few ideas;
https://livewall.com/plant-selection/planting-guide/
If you live in or near to Brighton, there's a great example of a Living Wall near Flint Restaurant in the new Lanes area off of North Street. If I'm that way soon I'll have a look and report back.
It would be interesting if you could please post a few photos on here, of progress.

 

[PHCgull]

thanks - yes i'm in central brighton, will go and have a look at flint, and yes happy to post more pics once up...

any thoughts on a good nursery / garden centre near brighton for range of small evergreen perennials?

I like Stavertons at Halland but interested to know of others' favourites, ideally no more than 30 mins drive from seven dials...

 

[WATFORD zero]

Had a rather poor Wisteria display this year (it only seems to go big every 2 years), so a couple of Rhodis on the patio, one backed by a Japanese Maple and California lilac



And the other backed by Philadelphus, Snake Barked Maple, Variegated box and Japanese Maple



Stat reliably informs me that the Big Japanese maple in the first pic is known in gardening circles as GREEN whilst the small one in the second pic is the variety called RED

And [MENTION=13483]PHCgull[/MENTION] of the big nurseries around Brighton, I've always found Nottcutts, just north of Ditchling has good quality plants

 

[Jack Straw]

Putting aside the frenzy of pride and excitement over an Albion player having a realistic chance of featuring for england at a major tournament...

I'm throwing myself on the mercy of the hive mind here... so yesterday I managed to get this living wall system up by the front door and now i'm asking for suggestions on what to plant in it. Problem is, it gets NO direct sunlight at all, although perversely it is quite well lit as it faces a big expanse of white wall which reflects towards it... so i'm after suggestions for shade lovers that will grow to hide the black plastic but not run out of control... I'm happy to swap things out through the seasons so I was thinking hostas etc but beyond that I fall foul of a complete lack of appropriate horticultural knowledge in this regard... plus some tips on where to acquire any suggestions, ideally within 15-20 miles of brighton would be good...

er, help?


View attachment 137435

This is Hanningtons Wall. The plants I've identified there are as follows, although it's hard to work out some varieties;
Bergenia
Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart's-tongue fern).
Strawberries
Cotoneaster - small leaved, perhaps C. microphyllus
Sarcococca - perhaps S. ruscifolia
Hedera (Ivy). Looks like the straight H. helix
Armeria maritima (Sea-thrift)
Euonymus fortunei
Festuca glauca
Rosmarinus - a prostrate variety
Santolina
The grassy stuff hanging down could be Hemerocallis (Day Lily)
The plants just above the left-hand Heuchera (mauve plant) could be Skimmia japonica

If anyone can spot any more, please feel free!

 

[PHCgull]

This is Hanningtons Wall....If anyone can spot any more, please feel free!

Lovely! A bit bigger than mine ...
how much light does it get down there? I assume that its either E or W facing and so therefore gets partial sun... my site is more NE facing and has no direct sunlight ever... how will this affect what I can reasonably put in?

 

[Jack Straw]

thanks - yes i'm in central brighton, will go and have a look at flint, and yes happy to post more pics once up...

any thoughts on a good nursery / garden centre near brighton for range of small evergreen perennials?

I like Stavertons at Halland but interested to know of others' favourites, ideally no more than 30 mins drive from seven dials...

Garden centers usually are really expensive. Normally a third as much again as B&Q, but their range is obviously very limited.
If you want definite varieties, I tend you use Crocus. https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/
Plants are top notch, and if there's a problem, the offer very good customer care. I bought quite a few Hellebores from the recently, and two of them rotted away mysteriously after a week. Emailed them a couple of photos and they refunded the money, no problem. I may have planted them a little too deeply, but tell anyone!
Should you prefer a local garden center, I use the one at Hassocks a lot for the odd plant, but wouldn't buy there in bulk.

 

[zefarelly]

I like that wall . . . we could do something similar on our north garden wall ( southfacing )

I was admiring the roses yesterday, one of my favoriutes, my Gran used to grow them a lot and I managed to save a few very old ones from here cottage. . . will post pics later.

 

[Jack Straw]

Lovely! A bit bigger than mine ...
how much light does it get down there? I assume that its either E or W facing and so therefore gets partial sun... my site is more NE facing and has no direct sunlight ever... how will this affect what I can reasonably put in?

It's south-facing and it might get a few minutes roasting in the mid-day sun, but it's quite shady due to being tucked away amongst buildings, but the plants they've used would be fine north facing. There's nothing delicate amongst their plants which would require lots of sun. Apart from the Rosmary, Strawberries and perhaps the Armeria, everything else could be recommended for a shady aspect.

 

[Weststander]

Garden centers usually are really expensive. Normally a third as much again as B&Q, but their range is obviously very limited.
If you want definite varieties, I tend you use Crocus. https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/
Plants are top notch, and if there's a problem, the offer very good customer care. I bought quite a few Hellebores from the recently, and two of them rotted away mysteriously after a week. Emailed them a couple of photos and they refunded the money, no problem. I may have planted them a little too deeply, but tell anyone!
Should you prefer a local garden center, I use the one at Hassocks a lot for the odd plant, but wouldn't buy there in bulk.

Also:
https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/index.cfm
Great choice and value.

https://claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/
Her famous father is revered by [MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION].

https://www.ballyrobertgardens.com/