[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Stat Brother]

Not quite six foot, or a shrub, but loves shade. Also needs to be kept in damp moist soil.

Ligularia is your friend.

Thanks @Dolph Ins but I think I'll go with the Ligularia as the first thing The Google threw up was 'must be in shade' and it looks a bit different - if I can find one that'll do.

 

[1066familyman]

Bamboo has suddenly sprouted like mad, despite having a root barrier. Guess there’s not much I can do apart from cutting it back?View attachment 161852

I'm sure you know for certain, as it yours, but looking at that pic, is it definitely Bamboo and not Spanish Reed Grass?
Only the way it's got so leggy so quick makes me wonder. I can't see clearly enough from the picture.

 

[1066familyman]

Thanks @Dolph Ins but I think I'll go with the Ligularia as the first thing The Google threw up was 'must be in shade' and it looks a bit different - if I can find one that'll do.

Beware though, slugs and snails love it! But it's a proper doer if you can get it established.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I'm sure you know for certain, as it yours, but looking at that pic, is it definitely Bamboo and not Spanish Reed Grass?
Only the way it's got so leggy so quick makes me wonder. I can't see clearly enough from the picture.

Yes, definitely bamboo

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Bamboo has suddenly sprouted like mad, despite having a root barrier. Guess there’s not much I can do apart from cutting it back?View attachment 161852

You may be able to snip from the points it's escaping from at the barrier. The escaped parts look from the picture as though they may originate in only a few pieces of running rhizome. In that case they'll probably be fairly shallow and depending upon access as you've other shrubs nearby, you may simply be able to start loosening the furthest shoot and pull up a string of others. It's troublesome once established but nipped in the bud it won't be too bad. There are lots of lovely new plants in the making there though!

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

You may be able to snip from the points it's escaping from at the barrier. The escaped parts look from the picture as though they may originate in only a few pieces of running rhizome. In that case they'll probably be fairly shallow and depending upon access as you've other shrubs nearby, you may simply be able to start loosening the furthest shoot and pull up a string of others. It's troublesome once established but nipped in the bud it won't be too bad. There are lots of lovely new plants in the making there though!

Thanks, I’ll give that a go.

 

[aberllefenni]

I know just the thing. A pheasant Berry and by chance you have 1 you can move in the picture earlier. If you soak it and move it and keep it watered till autumn it should be OK. It can be a big shrub but if you cut out all 2 year old growth each winter you can keep it under control. e

We acquired one of these about 3 years ago (it just appeared, apparently they're self-seeding) and is now about 8ft tall. My sister-in-law, who is a professional gardener, identified it straight away. and, after consulting Dr Google, discovered it is also called a himalayan honeysuckle or chocolate berry. Initially they produce large purple flowers followed by the berries which take the form of minature bunches of grapes. Once they ripen and turn the colour of milk chocolate (hence the alternate name) the initial taste is what you would expect but the aftertaste is one of toffee/burnt sugar. I am thinking about harvesting some seeds this year, can anyone suggest the best method of propagation?

 

[SK1NT]

Gooseberry bush has some small gooseberries... Tomato plants getting big but no fruit... same as the strawberries.

Also got a pair for aerator studded shoes for the lawn. Just applied a second bit of top soil and more grass seed today. All the watering has brought the robins and black birds out on the hunt for worms.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

How's everyone's fruit/veg doing? It's been a real late start due to the cold NE wind but everything is finally starting to germinate and grow.

A big fat nothing. No rain for weeks and very little in the last couple of months

No seeds sown directly in the raised bed have germinated, although a few sown in pots did, but even they are struggling.

June drop from apple trees just started, but fruit is currently minute as no moisture.

Earth is completely dried out, like dust.

Not happy

 

[Jack Straw]

Not a lot of colour there.

I assume they've been inherited, but I have a few clumps of 'grass' type stuff come up in the borders, so la jardin du Stat has gone a bit green.

I'm gonna bung a Ceanothus in one obvious gap, but the other one is predominantly shade/sunshine adjacent!

You won't get many shrubs for shade that flower.
One way of getting a bit of colour under shade is to use variegated plants. Some lose their variegation in shade, but this one doesn't. - Aucuba crotonifolia.

Buy Aucuba japonica Crotonifolia (Spotted Laurel) in the UK

Buy Aucuba japonica Crotonifolia (Spotted Laurel) online from Jacksons Nurseries. Guaranteed best value, low prices, fast delivery, special offers.

www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk

GCCM suggested Aucuba or Fatsia. Both have varigated varieties, but the one above is the one for me.

 

[Stat Brother]

You won't get many shrubs for shade that flower.
One way of getting a bit of colour under shade is to use variegated plants. Some lose their variegation in shade, but this one doesn't. - Aucuba crotonifolia.

Buy Aucuba japonica Crotonifolia (Spotted Laurel) in the UK

Buy Aucuba japonica Crotonifolia (Spotted Laurel) online from Jacksons Nurseries. Guaranteed best value, low prices, fast delivery, special offers.

www.jacksonsnurseries.co.uk

GCCM suggested Aucuba or Fatsia. Both have varigated varieties, but the one above is the one for me.

I got in yesterday to see the area in question bathed in sunshine.

I doesn't get much sun maybe a couple of hours pm in the summer, but it's the corner which is last to get any and first back into the shade.

 

[1066familyman]

The Echiums that we let set seed and do their own thing in a sheltered semi wild bed have made it through a long cold Spring.

 

[1066familyman]

Looking back at some work photos from about this time last year. I can say categorically that this year's climbing beans look nothing like these from back then.
We were late getting this years in due to the cold Spring, and since they've been in they've basically been wind scorched and aren't looking particularly happy at all. I haven't taken any photos of this year's yet.

 

[Jack Straw]

The Echiums that we let set seed and do their own thing in a sheltered semi wild bed have made it through a long cold Spring.

View attachment 162071

I love an Echium. I've only got 3 in my garden in flower this year, but the ground is covered in thousands of seedlings for next year.
I've just ordered 3 packets of these;

Echium X Wildpretii 'Red Rocket' Seeds (15 seeds) (Tower of Jewels) - Plant World Seeds

Echium X Wildpretii 'Red Rocket' Seeds (15 seeds) (Tower of Jewels) - Plant World Seeds. The amazing show-stopper, Echium wildpretii, is one of the world's most impressive plants with its 3 to 4 foot spike of raspberry-red flowers erupting from a swan's nest of thin, grey hairy leaves. But it...

www.plant-world-seeds.com

 

[1066familyman]

And this is quite frankly laughable when compared to the pathetic effort of this year (again, no pictures taken yet)

This was taken on May 16th last year.

 

[1066familyman]

I love an Echium. I've only got 3 in my garden in flower this year, but the ground is covered in thousands of seedlings for next year.
I've just ordered 3 packets of these;

Echium X Wildpretii 'Red Rocket' Seeds (15 seeds) (Tower of Jewels) - Plant World Seeds

Echium X Wildpretii 'Red Rocket' Seeds (15 seeds) (Tower of Jewels) - Plant World Seeds. The amazing show-stopper, Echium wildpretii, is one of the world's most impressive plants with its 3 to 4 foot spike of raspberry-red flowers erupting from a swan's nest of thin, grey hairy leaves. But it...

www.plant-world-seeds.com

They look lovely Jack! I may suggest some of those for work.

Ours are just Echium Pininana. Like you say, they seed everywhere!

We let them grow on only where we want them around the veg garden as Bee hotels, but visitors love them so much that we let them do their own thing in that sheltered bed. Always get asked about them, even now, when they have become quite fashionable and popular.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

How's everyone's fruit/veg doing? It's been a real late start due to the cold NE wind but everything is finally starting to germinate and grow.

Record numbers of asparagus (records kept over the last 5 years). They like water (hose) and sun and don't seem to care about the cold (no more than 14 degrees here till 2 days ago, and still struggling to hit 20, but blue skies after midday every day).

The alliums are gorgeous. The plum tree is heavy with fruit (it is 35+ years old and each autumn I think about felling it - there is an infection in part of it - but I'm a sentimental fool. The plums were much nicer 15 years ago - would you advise me to grasp the nettle in the autumn? It is competing for space with a golden rain tree...).

Lawn lovely...

Attached is my acer a couple of weeks ago. Next to it in a pot is a golden rain tree seedling. It is now a good 3 foot.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

They look lovely Jack! I may suggest some of those for work.

Ours are just Echium Pininana. Like you say, they seed everywhere!

We let them grow on only where we want them around the veg garden as Bee hotels, but visitors love them so much that we let them do their own thing in that sheltered bed. Always get asked about them, even now, when they have become quite fashionable and popular.

Ha! Same deal here. We do Faversham Open Gardens (well, did, till health and safety closed it, the council telling us all we need to be insured to let the public into our gardens). I sold pots of seedlings for my neighbour's charity. Our garden was quite a popular part of the day. I love echium. Those red ones Jack has found are very tempting.

 

[1066familyman]

Ha! Same deal here. We do Faversham Open Gardens (well, did, till health and safety closed it, the council telling us all we need to be insured to let the public into our gardens). I sold pots of seedlings for my neighbour's charity. Our garden was quite a popular part of the day. I love echium. Those red ones Jack has found are very tempting.

Health and Safety gone mad eh? Best not be getting folk gathering around the Echiums in short sleeves then

Watch out for those Laburnum seeds too!

 

[1066familyman]

He we go. Another comparison to last year. A self seeded Calendula in the veg garden on May 9th last year.

This years efforts come first week in June?...