Growing
These Noteworthy Almond Tree Types Produce Lovely Blossom And A Robust Harvest
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Prunus dulcis 2) P. dulcis ‘Macrocarpa’ 3) P. dulcis ‘Ingrid’ 4) P. dulcis ‘Robijn’ 5) P. dulcis ‘Princess’ 6) P. dulcis ‘All-In-One’ 7) P. dulcis ‘Nonpareil’ 8) P. dulcis ‘Carmel’ 9) P. dulcis ‘Texas Mission’ 10) P. dulcis ‘Marcona’ 11) P. dulcis ‘Valencia’ 12) P. dulcis ‘Pizzuta’ 13) P. dulcis ‘Mamra’ References Almond trees come in quite an array of varieties. There are California’s high-yield commercial cultivars, and there are the ‘connoisseur varieties’ of Southern Italy, Spain, and Iran that are the pride and joy of growers of those respective countries. Not to forget the ‘no-yield’ dwarf flowering ornamental trees. Underneath we present the varieties that we recommend for British home gardeners. 1) Prunus dulcis The ‘mother ship’ and unlike many cultivars, it is fairly drought-tolerant. “Unless you really are out to optimise your almond harvest, the drought tolerance of the species would provide you with flowers, harvest and resilience in a changing climate,” adds Colin Skelly. Its fruit is ready for harvest around September. Though it can be grown in British home gardens, better options are available. 2) P. dulcis ‘Macrocarpa’ A good choice for British gardens. It is early to blossom in early spring, producing pale pink and white flowers, and also produces an early harvest in August. The almond is quite sweet. 3) P. dulcis ‘Ingrid’ This is a popular cultivar that is gaining ground in England because of its lovely pink blossoms in spring and the rich buttery taste of the almond. Be warned that it is very hard-shelled; on the other hand, this is a self-pollinating variety. 4) P. dulcis ‘Robijn’ Another top choice. For one thing, this one is soft-shelled and for another, the almond has a remarkably sweet flavour. Its blossoms are especially delightful. This too is a self-pollinating variety. 5) P. dulcis ‘Princess’ Rounds up the European self-pollinating varieties. One can consider this a ‘connoisseur almond’ for the amateur gardener because the shells are soft and the almond is unusually sweet and scented, ready to eat off the tree. 6) P. dulcis ‘All-In-One’ An American self-pollinating variety that grows to only about 4m. The fruit is both soft-shelled and sweet. It blossoms late and correspondingly yields a late harvest from the end of September to early October. From the many dozens of other almond varieties, here are some of the most noteworthy – 7) P. dulcis ‘Nonpareil’ Those famed California almonds that are available around the world are from the ‘Nonpareil’ tree which is the world’s most abundant cultivar. The almonds are valued for their smoothness and good taste. It bears high-yielding drupes as the almond content (as opposed to shell) is from 60-65%.1 8) P. dulcis ‘Carmel’ ‘Carmel’ is a more recent California cultivar. The almond is smaller and rounder. They are usually blanched or roasted for munching on ‘out of the bag’. 9) P. dulcis ‘Texas Mission’ ‘Texas Mission’ is not only a high-yield tree, it is one of the few commercial varieties that can relatively easily be grown in the garden. It produces a sweetish almond. 10) P. dulcis ‘Marcona’ The ‘Marcona’ produces an almond that is short and plump in appearance. The nut is soft and has a distinctly sweetish flavour. From Spain, it is considered a connoisseur almond. 11) P. dulcis ‘Valencia’ ‘Valencia’ almonds are more oblong and flattish. Also from Spain, these are not soft like the Marcona and have a more robust flavour. 12) P. dulcis ‘Pizzuta’ ‘Pizzuta’ from Avola, Italy, is identified by the reddish-brown nut. A sweetish almond that is considered a fine variety, it is often used for making confectionery. 13) P. dulcis ‘Mamra’ Though several kinds of almonds are grown in Iran, ‘Mamra’ is the country’s top variety. It is distinguished by the soft shell and the nut’s wrinkly, curved form. A sweet almond, it is ideal for confectionery. References 1. New approaches For Almond Production In Mediterranean Climates: A Review. (n.d.). eScientific. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://escientificpublishers.com/new-approaches-for-almonds-prunus-amygdalus-batsch-production-in-mediterranean-climates-a-review-JAA-05-0055
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These Are The 8 Best Autumn And Winter Bedding Plants Say Qualified Gardeners
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Ornamental Cabbages & Kales 2) Pansies 3) Violas 4) Cyclamens 5) Chrysanthemums 6) Heucheras 7) Chimonanthus praecox 8) Camellias References Autumn and winter bedding plants are a dime a dozen but plants that provide genuine interest over autumn and winter are not so common. In this guide, we mix classic standbys and fresh original selections as we review eight plant genera or types that are autumn-winter standouts for you to explore and then summarise specific varieties of some of the plants that will provide fantastic autumn-winter interest. Many summer bedding plants flower deep into autumn but there are also established winter-spring bedding plants as well. However, you may not want to be working in your garden in the frigid winter during the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations and might want to set things up in autumn to take you clear into spring. Fortunately, you can accomplish just that with a select number of bedding plants. So, how to set up your garden at the onset of autumn with bona fide bedding plants whose beauty you can enjoy through to spring without any further garden work, except for the usual maintenance chores? In order to get those autumn-winter bedding plants set up and blooming in autumn, you will need to sow seeds at least by mid-summer. Alternatively, you can buy plugs and plant them in late summer or get potted plants and transplant them. Here are eight bedding plants for your garden this Autumn and Winter: 1) Ornamental Cabbages & Kales You might be wondering why we’ve started off this list of bedding plants with vegetables, but bear with us! First, like regular cabbage and kale, ornamental cabbages and kales are Brassica oleracea varieties and though they are edible, they are not palatable. However, they are genuinely ornamental, not because of their infrequent and plain little flowers, but, for the frilly, ruffled, richly-coloured rosettes of foliage in creams, reds, and purples that bring to mind some of those large stylised artificial flowers. Ornamental cabbages and kales are distinct from one another but both include wonderfully colourful decorative cultivars that grow in those neat and charming rosettes. Though they are usually planted in containers, treating them as bedding plants is becoming increasingly common, and for good reason. At 25-45cm, they just about meet the height profile, have genuine ornamental value, can be tidily mass-planted, and make bold and colourful edging and borders for beds in the autumn-winter timeframe. A couple of frigid nights or even a frost benefits these plants because the temperature fluctuations and dips are what trigger their marvellous colourations. Ornamental cabbages and kales may be grown from seed in mid-late summer or bought as young plants from a nursery and transplanted in autumn.1 Ornamental Cabbage & Kale Varieties Ornamental Kale ‘Nagoya’ features a flower that is densely packed, heavily ruffled and just as heavily fringed. It has a height and spread of only 20cm but it is billed as a bedding plant. Available choices are white, rose (which is actually purplish), and red imp, which is magenta. The outer leaves are a dark greyish-green in all the coloured varieties. All three should last deep into winter and are the best bet for covering autumn and winter. ‘Northern Lights Mixed’ is classed as an ornamental cabbage but it also has properties of ornamental kale, as it is heavily ruffled and has frilled edges. It grows to about 23cm and has a spread of about 40cm. Its ‘flowers’ are rather more open and not as densely layered as some other varieties. Colours include a rich cream, rose pink, and magenta-purple and should take you into January with the right care and protection, and perhaps beyond. 2) Pansies Pansies are the flowering plants one usually sees being touted as first choice for autumn-winter bedding. Pansies are often thought of, correctly so, as winter-spring bedding plants. Most varieties flower through spring, entering summer and some effective re-blooming varieties flower during autumn, go dormant in winter, and flower again in spring. There are even a few varieties that will flower during early or late summer in temperate climes. It’s important to note that pansies grown for winter flowering are sown in autumn but they will not flower in autumn and effective re-blooming autumn pansies will take winter off. In regions of Europe where the temperatures stay within a narrower range through autumn and winter, several pansy varieties can provide running floral interest through both seasons. It is a different matter in the British Isles with sharper climatic changes. In the milder regions of the United Kingdom along the southern and south-eastern coasts, particular pansy varieties should very well flower all through autumn and winter. We suggest the matrix series, the cool wave series, and the nature series to get the best chance of an autumn-winter bloom. Pansies are easy to grow from seed and bear among the most brilliantly-patterned flowers, so it is little wonder they are among the most popular bedding plants for this time of year. 3) Violas Violas are billed almost as much as pansies as autumn-winter bedding plants. Oddly enough, the species Viola tricolor as well as many varieties of violas, bloom from sometime in spring to some point in autumn. However, series and varieties have been developed especially for cool-season flowering and these will reliably give you richly-coloured charming little flowers through autumn and winter across most of the country. Violas have compact profiles and mounding forms that rise to 20-40cm. Their foliage is quite attractive, being of a deep, rich, green hue, sometimes with wavy or scalloped leaves. As for the bilaterally-symmetric flowers, they are tiny knockouts. They are usually in cream, yellow, purple, violet and white tones, and display delightful flecks, streaks, daubs, and gradations. Though Violas’ profile makes them most suitable for edging, consider the lushness of their foliage, the charming, dainty flowers, the colourful patterning, and the floriferous nature of the plant. These qualities allow them to be deployed as bedding plants, especially when you have few other alternatives. Like pansies, Violas too are child’s play to grow from seeds. Though they may not be quite as popular and as well-known as pansies, for autumn-winter flowering plants they are shoo-ins and are hard to beat. In general, they are an excellent choice for UK gardens in the autumn and winter seasons. Viola Varieties Though the mother species for Viola varieties, Viola tricolor, blooms in nature from spring to autumn, Violas have become so associated with the cool season and even with winter flowering that it’s important to consider other varieties.2 The Sorbet series varieties attain heights of 10-15cm and spreads of 15-30cm. These F1 hybrids bloom prolifically, are available in many patterns, in numerous tones of purples, blues, yellows, and oranges, and are scented. Viola tricolor Though they will take part of the winter off in very cold regions, they will bear flowers during the beginning and end of winter. In not-so-cold regions, they will flower sporadically through the winter. The Celestial series varieties, hybrids of Viola cornuta and V. tricolor, grow to 15-20cm and spread to 15-30cm. They are available in yellow, purples, blues, and blush tones in an amazing range of patterns with many of the shades on the gentle, pastel side, rather like heirloom Violas, and are also fragrant. Varieties have somewhat diverse flowering windows so pick the right ones, such as ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Twilight.’ As either series’s different varieties will perform somewhat differently from each other, it is worth noting that if you mix and match a handful of varieties, you will be certain to enjoy these cheerful charmers all autumn and winter long. 4) Cyclamens Cyclamens are probably an unfairly neglected group of plants and do not rank anywhere in the popularity sweepstakes. They are tuberous perennials that take off in summer. As members of the primrose family, most of them flower in winter or spring, but there are some things to consider before opting for this plant. Firstly, these plants are commonly grown in pots and window boxes rather than in beds, and there’s a reason for that: they’re tiny. They only grow to 10-20cm without much spread, making them a brilliant choice for edging beds – provided you can grow something else in the bed! In the autumn-winter timeframe when few plants will give you much joy, you may as well plump for cyclamens. Secondly, though cyclamens will not bloom in autumn in most regions of the United Kingdom, the foliage is truly attractive in its own right. The leaves are heart-shaped to rounded, are a deep, glazed green, and often have a sheen. In addition, some varieties’ leaves are prettily mottled, whilst other varieties’ leaves are as prettily silvered. However, some cyclamen varieties will produce flowers from some time in autumn, more so in the colder regions of the country. If you’re in the Highlands or the midlands, cyclamens are for you! Once they start blooming, they will carry on clear into spring. Probably the best thing about these plants are the dazzling, vivid hues of their small flowers and the way they keep blooming. So, though it may be unorthodox to grow cyclamens as bedding plants, give it a shot. In the grey gloom of winter, these little flowering plants will light up your garden with intense pinks, magentas, and reds. Cyclamen Varieties Cyclamens are tuberous perennials hailing from the Mediterranean basin through to the Balkans and Iran and mainly flowering during the winter.3 They are sometimes presented as autumn-winter interest bedding plants, and there are two or three varieties that are able to do the job. They grow to only about 10cm so, very frankly, at best they can be used for edging and cannot strictly be considered ‘bedding plants’, but they definitely make excellent groundcover plants. The cyclamen Silver-leaved group bears delightful little purplish-pink flowers all through winter, but not through autumn, although you will probably start seeing them in November. However, these plants have smoky green rounded leaves with a wonderful silvering, like a glaze, and this foliage will decorate your bed from the dot of autumn onward. Cyclamen coum ‘Meaden’s Crimson’ has very variable foliage, though it too will adorn your bed throughout autumn. ‘Meaden’s Crimson’ The heart-shaped leaves may be rich green, smoky green, or mottled. The small flowers are of sedate rose pink to vivid purplish tones, and the pedicel’s colour matches that of its flower. This variety too will take you into spring and although exactly when these cyclamens start blooming is an open question, they’ll start appearing no later than November and you may well get flowers earlier in colder parts of the country. 5) Chrysanthemums Chrysanthemums are very much proper bedding plants that are suitable as the ‘main attraction’ and, furthermore, are very popular autumn options for beds. Unlike many make-do autumn-winter bedding plants, chrysanthemums produce good-sized flowers that are a match for those of any summer annual. They are disk-shaped or salver-shaped, in single or double form, and come in rich and vibrant tones of yellows, pinks, oranges, and reds. Also, the plants very much meet the height and form profile for centrepiece bedding plants. However, there’s a catch. The varieties that bloom in autumn for the most part are tender, deciduous plants that will not make it through British winters. For most varieties to continue through winter, they would need to be grown in a heated greenhouse which would defeat the purpose of having them in your garden bed. In addition to this, the varieties that are frost-hardy or even just hardy perennials bloom in summer or spring-summer. Here again the answer lies in a couple of variables: the particular varieties and your location in the United Kingdom. If you are located in a not-so-cold region in the UK, especially if you’re along the southern and south-eastern coast, and you select your Chrysanthemum varieties judiciously, you’re halfway home. Be sure to put a good layer of mulch around the plants and, if you protect them with horticultural fleece if and when the weather turns particularly frigid, there is no reason that these plants cannot grace your bed with flowers halfway into winter. Chrysanthemum Varieties Yes, we have bona fide autumn-winter bedding plants; these are in the form of three chrysanthemum varieties and they are wonderfully diverse. ‘Paul Boissier’ is a big plant of bushy habit and rises to an impressive 1m, with the flowers measuring at about 5cm. They are semi-double with a rich, glowing orange hue. How far their autumn blooms continue into winter very much depends on your climate and region, whether they are in a sheltered spot, and whether you protect them with mulch and fleece. ‘Nell Gwynn’ is of an upright form and it too reaches up to 1m. It also bears semi-double flowers which are disk shaped and their dusky, chalky pink hue is wonderfully set off by the bright yellow centres. They should take you some way into winter and, the more they are protected and sheltered, the deeper they will go into the winter chill. Chrysanthemum yezoense, or ‘Hokkaido chrysanthemum’, is your confirmed ticket to autumn-winter blooms. However, this plant is only H4 hardy, so you will need to protect it in colder regions and during severe winters.4 It is a bushy perennial and produces a simple flower that very much resembles a daisy, with the standard white petals and a yellow centre. However, it is prolific and bears flowers from sometime in summer clear through to the end of winter. Plant all three and you’re set for both, floral beauty and autumn-winter coverage. 6) Heucheras Heucheras may not be proper bedding plants and do not flower during autumn-winter, but their foliage provides brilliant colours all through autumn and winter that cannot be beaten. These plants are fully hardy, clump-forming evergreens whose prime attraction is, not the smallish summer flowers, but their vibrant foliage. The leaves are attractively shaped and can be lobed, scalloped, toothed, ruffled, curly, or some appealing combination thereof. “One of my favourite Heucheras is H. americana, a large leaved species that has a white flower spike up to 1m high (lots of cultivars also available in autumnal shades),” shares Colin Skelly, a Horticulturist Consultant. “The white veined leaves mature to dark red veining and look great well into winter, although will need a tidy up in late winter or early spring. “As with all Heucheras, watch out for vine weevil larvae, which have a liking for their roots.” Many display prominent veining to the point of marbling and some varieties’ leaves are variegated or effectively bi-coloured. As for those colours, besides greens, they include pinks, yellows, oranges, reds, purples, silver, rust, bronze, and reddish browns. Also, as the temperature changes, the leaves go through various tints and tones so you get an ongoing colour show. Though many varieties are up to 30cm in height, some rise to 50cm and a few even exceed that. In view of this variation in height, you could even potentially design an entire bed with heuchera plants, using them for the centrepiece, border, and edging! Finally, heucheras give you all this with much less care than the competition, as these tough evergreens are probably the easiest to care for in this list. 7) Chimonanthus praecox For something very much off the beaten track, try Chimonanthus praecox, also known as wintersweet. If gardeners sometimes grow what is essentially a groundcover as a ‘bedding plant’ you can grow a 2m tall much-branched bush as a ‘bedding plant’ too – simply site it in a bed right to the rear against a wall. Technically a deciduous shrub, it is effectively an evergreen, as it will give you foliage, flowers, or little fruits nearly all year round, with autumn and winter covered! The rather unusual bell, star-shaped flower has two sets of tepals, enclosing an insignificant inner flower. The narrow, tapered outer tepals are pale yellow and the inner ones are vibrant wine to maroon. These pretty flowers are also very fragrant and last all winter through, but autumn has its own small gifts: the bush produces small fruits that start green and change to a beige shade, sometimes even to a red. Chimonanthus praecox is hardy to H5 so it will do well for you almost throughout the UK, but it should be sited in a sheltered spot and protected in severe winters.5 Wintersweet can become straggly, so pruning and trimming will be necessary. In fact, the right type of pruning will allow you to keep this shrub looking less like a bush and more like a bedding plant – which is what this article is all about. 8) Camellias One may not often see ‘springtime’ camellias billed as autumn-winter plants, but some varieties fit the bill. Camellias are evergreens that can develop woody stems and grow to become little trees. Indeed, some varieties are best suited for this purpose, others are ideal for specimen plants, and still, others are perfect as centrepieces for beds. Our focus is to identify a few varieties that will give you autumn-winter blooms to compete with the best summer flowers. The varieties of choice are all cultivars of Camellia sasanqua, long-lived evergreen perennials of an upright habit. As they develop trunks and most of them attain heights of 4-10m, they are not exactly bedding plants unless you actively prune them for size and shape. You could put a few of the following varieties right to the rear of your bed, where they will provide a nice green backdrop in spring-summer, but will show off their own lovely blossoms during the more problematic half of the year. True, their renowned fragrances will be lost if they’re stuck at the rear of a garden bed, so if you have a bed positioned against the wall of your house, site camellias to the rear of that bed. Camellia Varieties ‘Plantation Pink’ ‘Plantation Pink’ bears large single or semi-double soft pink flowers with conspicuous yellow stamens. It has one of the shorter flowering seasons but will cover at least late autumn and early winter. Among our selected varieties it comes the closest to being a proper bedding plant. ‘Rainbow’ ‘Rainbow’ bears large single flowers that are white with soft pink tinges and flush around the edges with prominent stamens making a yellow centre. It starts blooming in early autumn and continues until early winter at least, growing to be a good-sized little tree. ‘Hugh Evans’ produces rosy pink flowers set off by the conspicuous yellow stamens. Camellia sasanqua It starts flowering late in autumn but also goes very deep into winter, growing to be a small shrubby tree. ‘Narumigata’ bears single flowers that are white with rosy pink tinges and flushes on the edges with bright yellow centres courtesy of the prominent stamens. It has a comparatively long flowering season that covers most of the autumn and most of the winter. It can grow to be a small shrubby tree. ‘Mignonne’ produces probably the finest flowers – they are double form, have fuller petals, and maintain their shapes and forms. They occur in soft pink to rich pink and have noticeable yellow stamens. It starts blooming on the dot of autumn and continues through to mid-winter and this variety too can grow to be a small shrubby tree. References 1. Brassica oleracea | ornamental cabbage. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/106078/brassica-oleracea-ornamental-cabbage-wild-cabbage/details 2. Viola tricolor. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/19017/viola-tricolor/details 3. Cyclamen. (n.d.-b). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:32774-1 4. Chrysanthemum yezoense | Hokkaido chrysanthemum. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/122802/chrysanthemum-yezoense/details 5. Chimonanthus praecox | wintersweet. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/29215/chimonanthus-praecox/details
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Growing In Shallow Soil? Try These 19 Plants Recommended By Master Horticulturists
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Azaleas 2) Chives 3) Heuchera 4) Aurinia saxatilis 5) Achillea millefolium 6) Rhododendron 7) Strawberries 8) Butternut Squash 9) Buddlejas 10) Eremurus 11) Hydrangea macrophylla 12) Violas 13) Aloe vera 14) Gardenias 15) Radish ‘Sparkler’ 16) Periwinkles 17) Oregano 18) Thyme 19) Lagerstroemia indica References If shallow soil is one of your biggest gardening woes then worry not: our quick tour of 20 fantastic and diverse plants for shallow soil will leave you having a tough time deciding which ones to grow. It’s true: shallow-rooted plants are very diverse. In this guide you’ll find evergreen bushes and deciduous shrubs, ornate flowers, courtyard garden plants and cottage garden favourites and even a few herbs for your kitchen. “There are many options for shallow soil, but bear in mind that in prolonged hot, dry weather, the most tolerant of shallow soil plants will succumb to water stress,” shares Horticultural Consultant Colin Skelly. “I use a weeper hose for areas of shallow soil that are planted, with moisture sensors if possible to ensure that moisture levels are replenished when needed.” We have indicated the approximate depth of the soil that is needed for many or most varieties of these plants and are conservative in our numbers, preferring to err on the high side rather than the low! We hope you’ll be spoilt for choice with this guide. 1) Azaleas BOTANICAL NAME: Rhododendron spp. REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm HARDINESS RATING: H7 SOIL: Humus-rich; acidic / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Partial shade / Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous / Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring Gorgeous Azaleas are rightly admired for being quite unique; these floriferous bushes produce lovely flowers in a marvellous array of hues. However, these bona fide bushes have a shallow though wide root system allowing many of them to be grown in shallow soil. Azaleas have innumerable and varied charms. Some are evergreen to keep you company in the grey of January, others get covered in blossoms in summer and others bloom twice in the same year. A top cultivar Azalea bush in full bloom is verily a sight to behold. Azaleas can have delicately-freckled snow-white blooms, intense glows of fiery orange, big funnel-shaped flowers or star-faced ones. Many of them have wonderful scents and many are bi-coloured. Azaleas are divided into at least 8 groups which include thousands of cultivars. Look around and you’ll find some that will be happy in even 20cm of soil. 2) Chives BOTANICAL NAME: Allium schoenoprasum REQUIRED DEPTH: 8cm HARDINESS RATING: H6 SOIL: Any type; Acidic / alkaline / neutral Ph SUNLIGHT:Full sun / Partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Though a few varieties have roots up to 30cm, which is certainly shallow, common chives have ultra-shallow bulb roots that reach no more than 8cm. So, if you have very shallow soil, you can grow chives – a triple-value plant. First, chives are excellent pest repellants – and that includes rabbits!1 They are very effective against aphids, Japanese beetles and carrot flies. These qualities make it a very practical plant to grow hard by your precious roses. Next, it bears delightful little globular flowers in shades of mauve and purple, bringing cheerful colour over the spring-summer seasons. Last but not least, chives are a type of herb with a subtle herby-onion taste. It can be used as a flavouring in pot-cooked dishes and as a seasoning on cold cuts. 3) Heuchera COMMON NAME(S): Coral bells REQUIRED DEPTH: 12cm HARDINESS RATING: H7 SOIL: Any type; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Light, dappled shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Among the plethora of Heuchera varieties on offer, many will grow in no more than 12cm of soil. For a truly ornamental plant to need such little soil is a wonder in and of itself. These plants feature an abundance of scalloped foliage that come in colours that can be sedated and restrained all the way to the striking and dramatic. You can get them in chalky, indeterminate tones and dull pewter, and in riveting deep reds and magenta-purple. The leaves are heart-shaped or rounded. Some varieties feature leaves that are wonderfully veined, marbled, and sometimes mottled, in reds and purples. These evergreens that you can grow for the foliage offer a summertime bonus. They put up slender stalks that rise above the leaves, and these bear dainty little flowers on upright panicles. They provide an additional splash of colour in hues typically ranging from soft pink to lipstick red. 4) Aurinia saxatilis COMMON NAME(S): Gold dust REQUIRED DEPTH: 12cm HARDINESS RATING: H5 SOIL: Chalk, loam or sand; acidic / neutral / alkaline pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring / Summer Basket of gold is a low-growing, mat-forming evergreen that is content in soil that is not only shallow but poor. For a good month starting in late spring, basket of gold produces a carpet or cloud of cheerful, sunny yellow. This plant is often used in rockeries, which is no surprise because its native habitat includes chasms, mountainsides and similar terrain in the Aegean region.2 Its low-maintenance nature covers not only the soil but also watering requirements. For such a humble plant it has a few unexpected attributes. For one, it’s as tough as nails so this is one plant you won’t need to tend to. Secondly, those cheerful little blooms will bring a heavy, rich scent to your shallow-soil patch and that, in turn, will attract lots of bees and butterflies for additional colour. As for the rest of the year, there’s that brilliant green foliage. 5) Achillea millefolium COMMON NAME(S): Yarrow REQUIRED DEPTH: 20cm HARDINESS RATING: H7 SOIL TYPE: Any type; Acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Yarrow may be considered a ‘weed’ as it grows wild throughout the UK, but it gives depth to our list. This tough plant can flourish in soil that is both shallow and nutrient-poor. Add to that its low watering needs and you have a plant-and-forget type of option. Note that some cultivars’ roots require soil depths greater than 20cm but the species plant is fine in shallow soil. Yarrow works as a delightful ground cover because of its bright green, fern-like compound leaves and it also bears lovely billowing clouds of little creamy-white flowers all summer long. They exude a sweet perfume that you will like as much as the honeybees. 6) Rhododendron COMMON NAME(S): Deciduous azalea REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm HARDINESS RATING: H6/H7 SOIL TYPE: Humus-rich; Acidic pH SUNLIGHT: Light, dappled shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen / Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring / Summer A bona fide garden plant that is grown mainly for its wonderful flowers and can grow to be a large bush, Rhododendrons surprisingly makes do in soil just 30cm deep. Rhododendrons have spreading fibrous roots but no deep tap root. Though Rhododendron is a huge genus, most ornamental Rhododendron cultivars are shallow-rooted so you can take your pick. However, one or two species are classified as invasive plants in the UK so buyer beware!3 This genus has hundreds of species and many thousands of cultivars to choose from. These lovely bushes are valued for their diversity of flowers, which are often intricate, as well as for their landscaping value. Over spring and summer, Rhododendrons explode in a profusion of glorious colour. Though you’ll find yellows, purples, and reds, Rhododendron ‘specialises’ in more shades of pink than you can imagine. 7) Strawberries BOTANICAL NAME: Fragaria REQUIRED DEPTH: 25cm HARDINESS RATING: H7 SOIL: Any type; alkaline pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous / evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring What’s to say about strawberries except that they’re luscious and they can grow in soil only 25cm deep (sometimes even less!). Unlike apples and a good many other fruits, strawberries are considered a treat, so the plants’ ability to thrive in shallow soils is something gardener-parents should surely take advantage of. These universally popular fruits have a nutritional bang eaten fresh off the plant, but it’s healthful even when consumed in preserves and jams.4 To grow strawberries, your shallow soil needs to be well-drained and rich, and these plants need watering and a bit of care. Still, growing strawberries is definitely worth the effort. 8) Butternut Squash BOTANICAL NAME: Cucurbita moschata REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm HARDINESS RATING: H2 SOIL: Loam or sand; Acidic / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Squash includes rather different kinds of gourds and not all are shallow-rooted. For example, pumpkins and courgettes have deep roots but if you have shallow ground, you can grow a flavourful vegetable that is technically a fruit – butternut squash. Many squash, including butternuts, grow on spreading, creeping vines. A type of winter squash, butternut allows you to make use of your 30cm deep soil to reap an autumn-long harvest for the kitchen. However, that shallow soil should drain very well, have organic content, and be regularly fertilised. Having derived their name from their somewhat buttery colour coupled with rather a nutty taste, butternuts are considered a warming food for autumn and winter nights. Butternuts are often roasted for serving as a side dish, are tasty ingredients in pastas and make for a rich soup stock.5 9) Buddlejas COMMON NAME(S): Butterfly bush REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm HARDINESS RATING: H6 SOIL: Any type; Acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer / Autumn Buddlejas number among the most vigorous plants of all. This deciduous perennial has gained fame, good and bad, because of its very special attributes. Let’s address the bad news first. These bushes grow like there’s no tomorrow and a Buddleja plant alone will keep your pruning shears as busy as all the rest of your plants combined. Buddleja also spreads very aggressively, to the extent that it is classified as an invasive weed in the UK and elsewhere.6 However, there’s a reason this shrub is called ‘butterfly bush’.7 It draws squadrons of pretty butterflies because it is very floriferous and bears scented, nectar-rich flowers. Also, those conical spikes and panicles are a sight to be seen and have a lovely array of light and bright tones through the pink-purple spectrum that you can take pleasure in all summer long. 10) Eremurus COMMON NAME(S): Foxtail Lily REQUIRED DEPTH: 20cm HARDINESS RATING: H6 SOIL: Chalk, loam or sand; Acidic / alkaline /neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Eremurus is a plant that will rise to over 2m in height in soil a mere 20cm deep. That’s because its starfish-shaped roots are so close to the soil surface that they are actually partially visible. Foxtail Lily is not exactly easy to grow in British climates nor does it bear showy flowers. The reasons you may opt for it are as distinct as this deciduous perennial itself. Firstly, this is a semi-exotic plant from the arid steppes of South-Central Asia, so it will not be something too many of your visitors will be at all familiar with. Next, it has a very tidy habit. The long, narrow lily-like leaves form a basal rosette from the midst of which tall erect stalks emerge. These are topped with spike-like tapered racemes of tiny yellowish flowers which look furry or feathery from a short distance. 11) Hydrangea macrophylla COMMON NAME(S): Hortensia REQUIRED DEPTH: 15cm HARDINESS RATING: H5 SOIL: Clay, loam or sand; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Garden Hydrangeas have long been a favourite in the UK and it’s not just because of the flowers’ well-known colour-shifting abilities. Garden Hydrangeas make terrific bedding choices and equally terrific specimen choices, and most of them need a scant 15cm of soil. Though not all of the innumerable cultivars in all the classes will grow in such shallow soil, many Hydrangeas will. Hortensia Hydrangeas are deciduous perennials, a majority of which reach just over a metre in height. While they have unusually ‘well cut’ leaves in intense and rich shades of green, the large flowers are even more lush than the foliage. Many varieties flower for three months or more. As for those amusing colour-shifts, that is a speciality of Hortensias. Many gardeners find it interesting to alter the soil’s pH level and watch the blooms shift around the purple axis from pink to blue and vice versa. 12) Violas COMMON NAME(S): Pansy REQUIRED DEPTH: 20cm HARDINESS RATING: H7 SOIL: All types; neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous / Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring / summer / autumn / winter Violas are possibly the gold medallists in the ‘garden charmers’ category. A mere 15-25cm in height and needing about the same shallow soil depth, pansies are usually grown and considered as annuals. As a very general rule, these plants flower from sometime in spring to sometime in summer. However, the countless types and kinds of violas resulting from non-stop floriculture have resulted in varieties that bloom during different times of the year. So, if you mix and match them, you can delight in year-round charming flowers. Some violas provide a relatively more ‘well behaved’ look with predictable colours and sharply-delineated patterns while some pansies are more boisterous, with their broad daubs and splashes of intense hues that bleed into one another. 13) Aloe vera COMMON NAME(S): Barbados aloe REQUIRED DEPTH: 20cm HARDINESS RATING: H1C SOIL: Loam or sand; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Those broad and thick, strappy leaves are nothing to look at unless the Aloe vera variety is one whose foliage has leopard spots, and even then it may be lacking in ornamental value. However, there are other reasons for growing this awesome plant. One of Mother Nature’s little wonders, this succulent’s great value is in the gel inside those spiky leaves. Many Aloe Vera varieties will grow quite happily in soil only 20cm deep, provided it is the right kind of soil and you don’t make the mistake of over-watering it. Aloe veras are also remarkably generous with themselves when they’re happy – you can have your hands full dividing the offsets (which will make much-appreciated gifts). 14) Gardenias BOTANICAL NAME: Gardenia spp. COMMON NAME(S): Gardenia / Cape Jasmine REQUIRED DEPTH: 25cm HARDINESS RATING: H1C SOIL: Clay, loam or sand; Acidic / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer / Autumn Gardenias are among the most alluring and sensuous flowers of all and they can be grown in soil a mere 25cm deep. The lengths of Gardenia roots vary both by variety and by size of the plant, but most varieties will have no problem making a home in soil of the specified depth. The problem is that this tender plant sometimes struggles to grow outdoors in UK climates.8 However, a few varieties are hardy to H3 so some southern parts of the UK will suit these plants just fine. Gardenias are beautiful evergreen bushes and those famed funnel-shaped or saucer-shaped blossoms are very large, radiate a tropical appearance, and exude an enticing perfume. On top of that, these prolific bloomers produce flowers nearly all summer and all autumn long. 15) Radish ‘Sparkler’ BOTANICAL NAME: Raphanus sativus ‘Sparkler’ REQUIRED DEPTH: 25cm HARDINESS RATING: H2 SOIL: Any type; Acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): N/A So that there is no confusion, it is only round white-tipped radishes, and not other types of radish, that will stay healthy and happy in soil 25cm deep (and even less). These types are mainly summer radishes and a few different cultivars are available. Round white-tipped radishes are easy to grow from seed, are quick to maturity and are relatively low-maintenance plants. They can be sown with little expenditure of time and may be harvested on a recurring basis – all they need is fertile soil. While often eaten raw in salads, they impart a delicious flavour to stove-cooked foods.9 16) Periwinkles BOTANICAL NAME: Vinca minor REQUIRED DEPTH: 25cm HARDINESS RATING: H6 SOIL: All types; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade / full shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Spring / Summer / Autumn Vincas are wonderfully delightful flowering plants, typical of the ‘cottage garden’ look, while the charming wide-open blooms are akin to wildflowers (which Vinca species are). Vincas may also be mat-forming sub-shrubs or bushy plants but most of them are evergreens. Most are content in shallow soil and all have a few attributes in common. First, they have shiny, deep green foliage that is pleasing in its own right, which also makes Vincas much appreciated as an attractive ground cover. Next, most varieties of these easy-going plants are entirely indifferent to position and do well in anything from full sun to full shade. Similarly, you need not worry about aspect either. As for those small, cheerful saucer-shaped flowers, they are on show for months on end – even up to nine months of the year. They are also borne in profusion. The colours are genuinely eye-catching, ranging from pure white through royal purple to blood red. 17) Oregano BOTANICAL NAME: Origanum vulgare REQUIRED DEPTH: 15cm HARDINESS RATING: H6 SOIL: Chalk, sand or loam; Acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun / partial shade FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer / autumn If you like mildly spicy foods or Mediterranean cuisine and you have ultra-shallow soil, oregano is your plant of choice. This herb is quite easily grown from seed and all varieties are hardy perennials. Growing to 15-30cm and having a bushy habit, they are perfect as a ‘filler’ plant. Oregano also has some ornamental value. Among the various cultivars, one or two exhibit brilliant golden-green foliage. However, this herb is primarily about taste, and you can choose one cultivar that is sweetish and only mildly spicy, another that has a gingery, chilli-like kick, and many a flavour tone in between. Regardless of taste, oregano produces a mass of decorative tiny pink flowers for most of the summer and autumn. 18) Thyme BOTANICAL NAME: Thymus vulgaris REQUIRED DEPTH: 15cm HARDINESS RATING: H5 SOIL: Chalk, sand or loam; alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer Thyme just might be the winner in the ‘bang for buck’ competition where shallow soil goes. Needing a mere 15cm of soil, this plant delivers one of the most desirable of all herbs and is also a fairly decorative plant. This herb is used throughout the UK and other countries in the preparation of savoury dishes, imparting not only flavour but also an appetising aroma. Indeed, the corner of your garden in which thyme is grown will have a clean, fresh scent. Some varieties have deep green leaves that glisten, while others have variegated leaves. All produce oodles of tiny flowers, usually purplish-pink, during summer. Only 10-20cm high, it makes for a lovely ground cover. Best of all, thyme is an evergreen from which the leaves can be harvested year-round. Sow seeds once and then flavour your dishes whenever you want, on demand! 19) Lagerstroemia indica COMMON NAME(S): Crepe Myrtle REQUIRED DEPTH: 30cm HARDINESS RATING: H3 SOIL: Chalk, sand or loam; acidic / alkaline / neutral pH SUNLIGHT: Full sun FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING PERIOD(S): Summer / autumn Crepe Myrtle is technically a woody shrub, though it grows to be a small ornamental tree. There are several varieties of crepe myrtle and most will grow well in soil 30cm deep. Pruned even halfway decently, some crepe myrtle varieties have a beautifully branched, full-ish shape and exhibit slender, shapely limbs. Others are smaller shrubs that have an appealingly unkempt bushy habit. This plant’s bark flakes and peels, providing visual texture. The properly ovate leaves are a spanking bright green in many varieties, and these provide further visual interest come autumn when they put on a colour show in yellows and golds. However, it is the crinkly, ruffled flowers in dense panicles that supply the ornamental ‘bang’. Reminiscent of crepe, they are on show for most of summer and autumn in many tones of pink and purple. References 1. Chives | Diseases and Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation. (n.d.). Plant Village. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/chives/infos 2. Aurinia saxatilis | gold dust. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/26319/aurinia-saxatilis/details 3. Invasive non-native plants. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/invasive-non-native-plants 4. Martin, J. (2022, November 8). Strawberry jam recipe. BBC Good Food. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/strawberry-jam 5. Butternut squash. (2022, November 29). BBC Good Food. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/butternut-squash-glossary 6. Invasive Shrubs to be Aware of in Your Garden. (n.d.-b). The RSPB. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/plants-for-wildlife/shrubs-for-gardens/invasive-shrubs/ 7. Buddleja. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/buddleja 8. Gardenia. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/gardenia/growing-guide 9. Radish. (2022, June 9). BBC Good Food. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/radish-glossary 10. Pollard, K. (2017). Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam). CABI Compendium. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.28766
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These 11 Shrubs With Autumn Berries Provide Incredible Benefits For Wildlife
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Blackberry 2) Elderberry 3) Hawthorn 4) Barberry 5) Sea Buckthorn 6) Elaeagnus ssp. 7) Viburnum opulus 8) Juniper 9) Aronia melanocarpa 10) Gaultheria shallon 11) Beautyberry Where To Plant Your Autumn Berry Shrubs References Shrub varieties with autumn berries can add interest to your garden and many will be beneficial for native birds and other wildlife. There are many different shrubs that you can grow in UK gardens which will look great in autumn, with bright foliage, vibrant berries, or other interesting features. However, gardens can be far more than just ornamental, and in the UK, we are fortunate that we can so easily make our spaces both beautiful and productive. The best gardens are often those which not only look good but also give us food and allow us to forage just a few yards from our back doors. Growing your own food at home does not always need to mean a lot of work. Tending annual vegetable gardens can be hugely rewarding and a lot of fun. Shrubs which have edible autumn berries are often great additions to a perennial food-producing garden and perennial food-producing gardens, once established, can often be surprisingly low-maintenance schemes. To help you start thinking about which shrub varieties with autumn berries you might choose, we’ve compiled this list of a few of the best options for an autumn yield that not only looks beautiful, but can be beneficial to you and the wildlife that shares your space. 1) Blackberry BOTANICAL NAME: Rubus fruticosus agg. HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn One of the best-known forage berries of the late summer and autumn is the blackberry. Brambles might not be everyone’s favourite and are sometimes considered to be a bane for gardeners due to their spiny tangles and rampant growth. However, blackberries can thrive in a huge range of settings, meaning they can be a good choice for problematic sites. While an overgrown bramble thicket might sometimes seem unsightly to gardeners who like things neat and tidy, they can provide an abundance of free food, for you and for wildlife, who will also appreciate the shelter blackberry bushes can provide. Remember, blackberries can be trained and kept somewhat in check and if the spines are too off-putting, there are now thornless cultivars that you can buy. These are a lot easier to care for and tend without having to don gauntlets and feel like you are going into battle. If your garden is of a reasonably large size and you want autumn interest, a wildlife-friendly garden and want to grow your own food easily at home, blackberries are definitely a shrub to consider. They can look good in a somewhat wilder and more natural corner of a space. 2) Elderberry BOTANICAL NAME: Sambucus nigra HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn Elderberry is another berry-bearing shrub which can be so successful that it almost becomes a weed in some settings. However, this is another great shrub to consider for an abundant and wildlife-friendly space. Earlier in the year, the elder blossoms also provide a useful yield, but if you leave plenty on the plant, the beautiful deep-coloured berries will develop by autumn. These berries can be cooked and used in a number of different ways. You can make an elderberry jelly or jam, or you can mix elderberries with other autumn fruits in a range of preserves. 3) Hawthorn BOTANICAL NAME: Crataegus monogyna HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn A well-known native shrub or small tree, the hawthorn is a well-known hedgerow shrub, but many people today are not aware that hawthorns are not only ornamental but also provide edible yields. The young leaves when they first emerge are a hedgerow delicacy, and the berries, or haws, are also edible.1 They are delicious when cooked into jams or other preserves. The fruits can also be dried, ground, mixed with flour and used in bread baking. Hawthorn is a great choice for hedgerows in many settings, even in exposed locations. It can thrive in many soil types, including heavy clay and nutritionally poor conditions, and is unfussy about soil pH. The hawthorn is also known for attracting and aiding a range of native wildlife. “Hawthorn is fantastic for wildlife and hums with it from spring to autumn,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “The autumn berries on the trees in my garden are stripped by birds and the density of the crowns supports multiple nests.” 4) Barberry BOTANICAL NAME: Berberis vulgaris HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring/Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Summer/Autumn There are a number of different types of Berberis, or barberry, with edible autumn berries. These shrubs can be another attractive and useful addition to a garden. There are several named cultivars known for their berries and today, the common barberry is best known as an ornamental garden plant, despite it first being cultivated for its edible yield. Other evergreen types like Berberis darwinii, for example, also have berries with edible uses.2 The berries are very acidic, so most people prefer to use these fruits in jams and other preserves. 5) Sea Buckthorn BOTANICAL NAME: Hippophae rhamnoides HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring FRUIT SEASON(S): Summer Another interesting shrub to consider growing in your garden for autumn interest and its berries is sea buckthorn. One of the notable and useful things about this tolerant shrub is that it is a nitrogen fixer – so can help you maintain fertility in the soil of your garden over time. They can be a particularly good choice for hedgerows or windbreaks in coastal locations. While usually too acidic to enjoy eating when raw, they are often juiced and used in drinks alongside other autumn fruits, or cooked and used in a range of recipes.3 6) Elaeagnus ssp. COMMON NAME(S): Thorny olive HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn Elaeagnus ssp. are other useful nitrogen-fixing shrubs that can also provide edible berries. Examples include E. umbellata, also known as autumn olive, which has red fruits in the autumn months that are usually cooked and made into jams and other preserves.4 Elaeagnus subspecies can make great informal hedgerows, and also work well within forest garden schemes. It is said to increase the productivity of fruit trees by 10%.5 There are also several other Elaeagnus shrubs which fruit in autumn and provide other benefits through nitrogen fixation to the soil and neighbouring plants. 7) Viburnum opulus COMMON NAME(S): Guelder rose HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring/Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn The native guelder rose, or Viburnum opulus, looks wonderful over a long season of interest. As a native plant, it can be a good choice for native wildlife-friendly gardens. The berries can be used in moderation as a cranberry substitute.6 A yellow-berried version ‘Xanthocarpum’ has attractive golden yellow berries in autumn, which last well into winter before being eaten by native birds. 8) Juniper BOTANICAL NAME: Juniperus communis HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn Another native plant, the common Juniper can also bear autumn berries, which are typically used in making gin.7 Even if you do not plan on using the berries, a Juniper bush can also be an attractive evergreen addition to your garden which can keep it looking good all year round. This is a great plant for wildlife too. 9) Aronia melanocarpa COMMON NAME(S): Black chokeberry HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring/Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn For forest garden schemes, one other useful autumn berry shrub to consider growing is Aronia melanocarpa, also known as the black chokeberry. This North American native grows well in partial or dappled shade below trees, or in the sun. The fruits are left until fully ripe and are best after a couple of frosts and can be added to jams to help them set.8 Aronia also has foliage with amazing autumn colour. 10) Gaultheria shallon COMMON NAME(S): Shallon/salal HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Summer/Autumn Gaultheria shallon, also known as shallon or salal, is another North American native, though it has occasionally naturalised in Britain. This evergreen shrub is another good choice for a forest garden type scheme, as it can grow well in dappled and even somewhat deeper woodland shade. The fruits can be made into preserves or dried and used like raisins. The fruits appear in late summer or early autumn. 11) Beautyberry BOTANICAL NAME: Callicarpa americana HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer FRUIT SEASON(S): Autumn Another more unusual shrub with autumn berries to consider is Beautyberry, or Callicarpa americana. The main reason to grow this and other Callicarpa is not so much for eating, but rather for the unusual appearance of the purple berries, which can be highly aesthetically appealing. One Callicarpa with ornamental appeal is Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii ‘Profusion’, which bears a profusion of the unusual bright, light purple berries. There are, of course, plenty of other ornamental berry bushes to consider for autumn berries and autumn interest, but these options mentioned above could be a good place to start when choosing shrubs for your autumn garden. Also, don’t forget about other autumn fruits, from rose hips, to crab apples, to sloes and bullaces, that you could consider growing in your garden to add further to your autumn foraging fare. Where To Plant Your Autumn Berry Shrubs Perennial gardens can take a range of forms. Shrub varieties for autumn berries can be integrated into perennial borders, perhaps alongside some perennial vegetables as well as some herbaceous perennial flowers. You can use them as part of a mixed hedgerow scheme along a garden border or to divide garden rooms. They can also be placed around fruit trees in a food forest design with layered planting, which provides many yields while all the plants and other elements work together harmoniously, like a natural forest or woodland. Such schemes can be useful no matter how large or small your garden may be. A single fruit tree and a single shrub for autumn berries can considerably enrich even the smallest of spaces – some can even be grown in a container garden. References 1. Foraging Guide Hawthorn. (n.d.). Foraging Course Site. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.foragingcoursecompany.co.uk/foraging-guide-hawthorn 2. Berberis darwinii. (n.d.-c). Plants for a Future. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Berberis+darwinii 3. Harford, R. (2023, January 27). Sea Buckthorn. Eat Weeds. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.eatweeds.co.uk/sea-buckthorn-elaeagnus-rhamnoides 4. Lord, B. (2013, September 9). Untold Abundance: The Autumn Olive. Northern Woodlands. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://northernwoodlands.org/knots_and_bolts/autumn-olive 5. Black, B., Fordham, I., & Perkins, P. (2005, July). Autumnberry (Elaeagnus umbellata): A potential cash crop. Research Gate. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/266614870_Autumnberry_Elaeagnus_umbellata_A_potential_cash_crop 6. American Cranberrybush. (2020, November 26). The Natural Web. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://the-natural-web.org/2020/11/26/american-cranberrybush/ 7. Juniper is the one botanical required for gin to be gin. (n.d.). The GIN Is IN. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://theginisin.com/botanicals-list/juniper/ 8. Bergo, A. (2020, January 20). Simple Chokeberry / Aronia Preserves or Jam. Forager | Chef. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://foragerchef.com/simple-chokeberry-aronia-preserves/
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Everything You Need To Know About Cross-Pollination (And What To Do About It)
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Cross-Pollination? What Happens When Plants Cross Pollinate? Which Crops Cross Pollinate? Is Cross Pollination A Problem? Beneficial Cross-Pollination Problematic Cross-Pollination Preventing Cross-Pollination References Cross pollination is an interesting topic and understanding it further can help you to develop a successful and sustainable home garden. In this article, we will introduce you to the topic and help you understand what this term means. We will talk about what happens when plants cross pollinate and with which crops it is likely to happen. Cross-pollination can be extremely beneficial, but in cases where it isn’t, we will provide you with the solutions for when it may become a problem. Read on to learn more about cross pollination in the vegetable garden and what it might mean for you, your plants and your garden. What Is Cross-Pollination? Cross-pollination is the name given to the process where one plant pollinates another plant of a different variety within the same species.1 This happens when, through a range of different mechanisms, the pollen from the anther of a flower on one plant is transferred to the stigma of a flower of another plant. What Happens When Plants Cross Pollinate? When cross-pollination occurs, usually the result will be seen not in the two plants themselves, but in the offspring which come from the seeds which are produced after the pollination. When those seeds are sown the following year, the progeny may not always have the same characteristics as either of the parent plants. Sweet corn is an exception to this rule and can be affected by cross-pollination in the current year, producing different corn. Which Crops Cross Pollinate? Cross pollination can occur between different plants of the same species, but not between plants of different species. Understanding which crops are likely to cross-pollinate in your garden involves learning their Latin names, so you know which species they belong in, and also in learning how certain plants are typically cross-pollinated.2 Crops found in the UK are typically self-pollinated, insect-pollinated or they are pollinated by wind.3 Some plants, like peas and beans for example, are self-pollinating, which means that they pollinate themselves. As a result of this, it is rare (though possible) for cross-pollination to occur. Most tomatoes are also self-pollinating, which means that the tomato seeds saved from heritage tomato plants (not F1 hybrids) will usually come true to type. In other words, the offspring will be the same as the parent plants. However, by transferring the pollen manually between different tomato types, gardeners can encourage cross-pollination to occur – and potentially breed new tomato varieties in their garden. Potato-leaf varieties of tomatoes are slightly more prone to cross-pollination within varieties. Insect-pollinated plants are cross-pollinated when a bee or other insect visits the flowers of one plant before making their way to another of the same species, transferring pollen between the two. Plants which are typically insect pollinated include the major group of Brassicas (members of the cabbage family), commonly grown as garden crops. Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale can easily cross-pollinate with one another, creating seeds which generate new hybrids the following year. Members of the Cucurbita genus are also usually pollinated by insects – these include pumpkins, squashes and courgettes. Sweet corn, beetroot, swiss chard and spinach are all examples of plants which are typically wind-pollinated. Sweet corn can cross with other corns, even those growing some distance away. Beetroot and swiss chard can cross with each other and other Beta vulgaris plants. Carrots can cross with wild carrots and any subspecies of Daucus carota, but, contrary to popular option, will not cross with cultivated parsnips. Bulb and bunching onions can cross, though this is rare, and they will not cross with leeks or chives. Is Cross Pollination A Problem? The important thing to understand is that cross-pollination is not something that is always a problem in a vegetable garden. In fact, there are evolutionary advantages to this mechanism. Plants often have mechanisms which prevent self-pollination because cross-pollination provides more genetic diversity, with the characteristics of both parents contributing to the offspring produced.4 Cross-pollination can lead to greater adaptability and plants which are better able to withstand change, meaning they might be more ideally suited to the growing conditions in a particular area. Beneficial Cross-Pollination Gardeners and growers can sometimes utilise the mechanisms of cross-pollination in order to create crops with beneficial characteristics. Over the centuries, cross-pollination has led to many of our most prized horticultural and agricultural crops. Experimentation in plant breeding can lead to varieties of crops which are ideally suited to growth in a particular area, and you may even be able to breed new and interesting varieties of your own by tailoring cross-pollination and allowing certain cross-pollination to occur. Problematic Cross-Pollination Of course, we do not always want cross-pollination to occur. It is important to note that cross-pollination is not an issue for this year’s plants or this year’s fruit. It can only ever be an issue if you plan to save seeds from your own plants to sow next year. Some people believe, for example, that this year’s squash can turn out not to be true to type, or to be deformed by cross pollination this year, or that growing hot and sweet peppers close to one another will affect the flavours of this year’s fruit. However, only the seeds from the plants which have been cross-pollinated can be affected in most cases. However, if you do wish to save seeds which will come true to type then cross-pollination can be an issue. If you wish to maintain genetic integrity and grow plants of the same varieties from your collected seed next year then you will need to take steps to make sure that cross-pollination does not occur, as Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant, shares: “Back garden seed savers will need to ensure that they avoid cross-pollination. Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library has some great advice on its site.” Preventing Cross-Pollination Understanding how to prevent cross-pollination means understanding how the different varieties you are looking at are pollinated. Self-pollinated plants can usually be planted in close proximity to one another without any risk of cross-pollination. Insect-pollinated types which cross-pollinate will usually have to be isolated by a reasonable distance. The distance required depends on how far insect pollinators will tend to travel between flowers of certain types. This can vary significantly depending on the species in question and the typical pollinators for those plants in a particular area. Wind pollinated plants often produce pollen which can travel great distances on the breeze, so they may need to be kept at quite a distance from each other to get true to type seeds. However, the effectiveness of isolation by distance can sometimes be increased by densely planting an area between two varieties of the same species which can cross pollinate. This will help to trap wind-blown pollen. In home gardens, the great distances involved in reducing the chances of cross pollination to an acceptable level are usually too great to consider as an effective solution. Therefore, there are usually only two options for people who want to prevent cross-pollination and collect seeds from insect or wind-pollinated plants. The first option is to grow only one variety of crops prone to cross pollination in your garden in a particular year. While there is still a risk of cross-pollination from neighbouring gardens or gardens in the wider community, this will be far less common than when multiple varieties are grown in the same garden space. Usually, however, gardeners will want to grow a wide diversity of different cultivars in their gardens. When they wish to save seeds, therefore, creating physical barriers to prevent cross-pollination is the only surefire option to make sure that certain varieties come true to type from seed. Gardens will usually pollinate by hand by taking a small paintbrush or similar and swirling it inside one flower before transferring the pollen to another plant of the same variety and species. They will then cover the flower with a paper bag and secure the bag in place with twine. Plastic bags should not be used as this can trap heat around the developing seed pod and kill the seeds inside. By isolating the flowers of species which can be cross-pollinated, gardeners can ensure that they can collect seeds from those flowers which will come true to type the following year. References 1. cross pollination. (2023). In Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cross-pollination 2. How to be a gardener. (n.d.). BBC. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/htbg/module2/plant_names2.shtml 3. Waddington, E. (2022, July 25). Beginner’s Pollination Process Guide. Polytunnel Gardening. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://blog.firsttunnels.co.uk/the-pollination-process/ 4. Pollination. (2023, March 3). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/science/pollination/Mechanisms-that-prevent-self-pollination
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Growing Chillies In Containers? Make Sure To Re-Pot In Stages For A Thriving Plant
IN THIS GUIDE Can You Grow Chillies In Pots? Increase Container Size Over Time Compost For Tomatoes Works Well Potting Up Chillies How Many Chilli Plants Per Pot? Caring For Chilli Plants In Containers Pound for pound, there are few plants which pack as much punch or as much flavour as the humble chilli. Chillies are a delicious addition to all kinds of culinary dishes, from soups to pastas to stews to, well, chillies. Now that you’re aware of the myriad benefits that chillies bring to the table, it’s time to get growing your own. It’s well worth the small amount of time it’ll take to do so; cultivating your own is cheaper, more convenient and grants you access to a far greater variety than the simple red/green dichotomy on offer in most shops and supermarkets. Best of all, growing chillies in pots is supremely easy. Container growing means you can help yourself to a plentiful supply of tasty treats all year round, especially if you freeze or dry excess produce. This article will tell you everything you need to know about the process to make it as simple as possible. Can You Grow Chillies In Pots? The short answer here is a resounding yes! Growing chillies from seed in pots is child’s play – as long as you have the requisite heat and light to allow them to germinate properly. If your home is lacking the space or ambient conditions for you to confidently grow from seed, it’s advisable to simply buy a young chilli plant from a garden centre or online provider. This way, you can skip the slightly tricky germination stage altogether. Having said that, growing from seed shouldn’t pose too much of a problem if you are able to provide the three resources a chilli plant needs to thrive: warmth, light and water. You can take a shortcut to the first of these by using a temperature-regulated propagator, set at between 20-30°C. However, this is not strictly necessary and you can increase the temperature and humidity of your chilli plants by positioning them on a sunny windowsill and preparing the pot accordingly, as outlined below. Increase Container Size Over Time If planting from seed, it’s a good idea to use a seed tray or the smallest pot you can lay your hands on. This will help to regulate the temperature and moisture of the soil more effectively and give the chilli seeds the best chance of germinating. However, once the seedling has sprouted and begun to produce “true leaves” (by which we mean the second tier of foliage on the stem), it can be transplanted to a bigger pot. It’s advisable to re-pot in stages; rather than go from a tiny pot to a large one, increase its space incrementally. At the outset, you can increase the humidity levels of your chilli seedlings by placing a clear plastic bag or clingfilm over the pot and securing it in place with an elastic band. Once shoots begin to appear above the level of the soil, remove the plastic (or take the plants out of your propagator, if using one). It should also go without saying that good drainage is imperative to maintaining a healthy chilli plant. Make sure you select a pot with enough holes in the base and also make sure the soil mixture is right. More advice on that particular aspect is available below. Compost For Tomatoes Works Well It might sound counter-intuitive, but chilli seeds actually prefer soil which has poor nutrient levels at the outset. That’s because soil which has too many nutrients can hinder seedlings of a young age. Once the plant has become established and active, it will then require compost that is more suited to its development. This means using a soil product that has been specifically designed for chilli plants, or making up your own mix composed of enough nutrients and drainage additives. As a general rule, a compost composed of three-quarters tomato soil, 10% perlite, 10% vermiculite and 5% fine gravel or sand will serve your needs well. The nutrients contained in this initial mixture should meet the plant’s requirements for the first six weeks or so, but afterwards it’s advisable to fertilise it regularly. The exact type and frequency of feeding will vary between different types of chilli plants, so always check the label or the grower’s instructions to make sure you’re following the right path. Chilli-specific fertiliser, seaweed or diluted Epsom salts are all popular options. Potting Up Chillies When initially planting chilli seeds, you should fill your seed trays or small pots about half-full with potting soil. Sprinkle a few more seeds than you require to account for some failing to germinate, then layer over with more soil. Water the medium thoroughly at the outset. Chillies appreciate dry and wet cycles, so avoid the temptation to water your plant too often. Instead, let it dry out (though not fully) before irrigating. Take care not to overwater or you’ll drown your seeds before they’ve even had a chance to develop – again, good drainage is key. How Many Chilli Plants Per Pot? Once you are ready to transplant your seeds into pots, it’s advisable to give your plants plenty of room to stretch their legs. This means usually only placing one seedling into its own individual pot. One top tip for the transplanting process is that chilli seedlings can be planted at any depth, so feel free to submerge a decent portion of leggy and tall stems in the soil. This will help them to stay upright and prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by their own height. Caring For Chilli Plants In Containers Aside from ensuring that chilli plants have their basic needs of light, warmth, water and fertiliser met, there are a number of other measures you can take to ensure your plant performs as well as possible. Chief among these is your pinching, pruning and trimming habits. By removing excess foliage and harvesting chillies regularly, you can ensure that your plant devotes enough attention to regeneration, which results in more vigorous growth and a greater yield. “Picking chillies whilst still green will produce a milder taste and encourage the plant to keep fruiting,” shares Colin Skelly, Master Horticulturist. “If you prefer a hotter taste then leave the chilli on the plant to change colour. “Check the heat of your chilli when you are choosing your seed or plant (measured on the Scoville scale – the higher, the hotter) to make sure you can eat what you grow!” You should also not be afraid to provide support to your chilli plant once it exceeds 30cm in height (or if it simply looks like it needs a helping hand). Staking and tying the plant will give it the encouragement it needs to reach its full potential. Once harvested, your chillies can be used as fresh ingredients, or else frozen in your freezer or dried out. Dried chillies can then be blitzed into very small flakes and used during or after cooking to season your dishes.
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Fertiliser To Pest Management: 9 Ways To Use Eggshells In The Garden
IN THIS GUIDE 1) As Seed Starting Pots 2) As An Organic Fertiliser 3) To Reduce Soil Acidity 4) When Planting Out Crops 5) To Give A Calcium Boost 6) To Deter Pests 7) As A Supplement To Chicken Feed 8) As A Feed For Wild Garden Birds 9) To Add To Your Composting System References Learning how to use eggshells in the garden and compost can help you reduce waste and create a healthier and more productive space. Eggshells are something that many people don’t think twice about tossing away, but sending food waste to landfill or for incineration is never a good idea.1 To reduce your carbon footprint and live in a more sustainable way, you should reduce food waste as much as possible. If you do not already compost at home, you should get started right away and you should definitely add eggshells to that system. In this article, we will focus on how to use eggshells in the garden and why, if you don’t want to use them in other ways, composting them is also an excellent idea. Here are several ways you can use eggshells in your garden: 1) As Seed Starting Pots The first way to use eggshells is as little seed starting pots. You might remember from your childhood putting damp cotton wool or kitchen paper in eggshells, sowing cress seeds on top, drawing little faces on the sides and waiting for the ‘hair’ to grow. Eggshells can also be filled with a seed starting potting mix and used for starting out a range of seeds which can then be potted on or planted out into your garden. Using eggshells in this way is one option which can help you reduce plastic use in your growing efforts. Eggshells are good for starting micro-greens on a windowsill or for sowing a range of crops for the very first stage of their life. Some people use eggshells as biodegradable plant pots, planting them into the ground along with the seedling. However, eggshells do take a while to break down, so it is important to make sure you gently crack the shells apart before planting so the roots of the growing plants can spread out, or to simply remove the seedlings from the eggshells and then reuse them. 2) As An Organic Fertiliser Eggshells are often thought of as a waste product, but when we actually begin to look at their composition, it can be easier to see their value for a garden. Eggshells are made up of around 95% calcium carbonate, 0.3% phosphorus, 0.3% magnesium and trace amounts of other plant nutrients such as potassium, sodium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron.2 Ground eggshell meal is an organic fertiliser sometimes used by home growers and commercial organic farmers. While its NPK value, like other organic fertilisers, will vary, an average analysis revealed an NPK of 1.2 – 0.4 – 0.1. (NPK refers to the values of the three key plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium).3 However, eggshells are known particularly for adding calcium to the soil. 3) To Reduce Soil Acidity Gardeners and growers battling with very acidic soil will often use lime (mined from limestone – an extractive and finite product) to reduce soil acidity. However, studies have shown that ground eggshells are on par with agricultural lime and can be a more eco-friendly and sustainable way to achieve the same result.4 Of course, gardeners will have to determine the pH of their soil in order to decide whether adding a lot of ground eggshells is a good idea in their situation. Remember, acidic soil is desirable for growing some plants (blueberries and other ericaceous plants), so adding excessive amounts of an alkaline supplement like this one won’t be a good idea if you want to grow plants of this type. Adding eggshells excessively might also be a bad idea if you already have particularly chalky, alkaline soil. 4) When Planting Out Crops While adding supplements like ground eggshells is not always the best idea in all situations, it can often be beneficial to add powdered eggshells to the hole when planting out certain crops. Plants which will benefit from this in particular are those which have high calcium requirements or those which will tend to develop issues if calcium is not sufficient. Larger pieces of eggshell will break down too slowly to do much, but grinding the eggshells and using the powder will make the calcium they contain more readily available for your plants. 5) To Give A Calcium Boost Tomatoes are one plant which can benefit from a sprinkling of crushed eggshells around them to provide calcium, as a calcium deficiency can cause blossom end rot.5 As well as placing powdered eggshells in the planting hole, it can also be beneficial to sprinkle finely crushed eggshells around the plants as part of an organic mulch. All plants need calcium for cell wall development, enzyme activity, nitrate uptake and metabolic processes. Some plants will particularly benefit from a boost of available calcium in the soil including, not just tomatoes, but also peppers, potatoes and other Solanaceae, brassicas, cucurbits, lettuce, and fruit trees like apples, cherries and pears. 6) To Deter Pests Some swear by crushed eggshells to keep slugs and snails away from seedlings and tender young plants. Unfortunately, this anecdote is not borne out by science, and experimentation has shown that slugs are rarely deterred by eggshells and will often pass a barrier of crushed eggshells with no difficulty at all.6 “A recent experiment by the RHS replicating a garden situation revealed that lettuces protected with physical barriers, including, eggshell fragments, suffered the same amount of damage as those lettuces without protection,” adds Colin Skelly.7 However, there is some suggestion that eggshells crushed and laid thickly around the base of plants may at least partially deter soft-bodied pests like cutworms in a garden. Eggshells alone are unlikely to be an answer to a pest problem. When it comes to pest management, it is best to look holistically at the problem and boost biodiversity to attract plenty of predatory creatures to keep pest numbers down. 7) As A Supplement To Chicken Feed If you keep chickens in your garden, you may already know that it is not a good idea to feed whole eggshells as this can encourage egg eating in the coop. However, crushed shells can and should be given as a supplement. 8) As A Feed For Wild Garden Birds You may also add finely crushed eggshells to a bird feeder to keep the wild bird population in your garden healthy.8 9) To Add To Your Composting System Even if you don’t have other uses for them, eggshells can be a good addition to your composting system. Of course, the eggshells will add calcium and other micro-nutrients to the compost, helping to make sure it has a good nutrient profile. Beyond this, eggshells can also be beneficial for earthworms (whether in the soil or the special worms in a vermicomposting system). Grinding up eggshells is best, unless you are bokashi fermenting first, in which case the shells will break down just fine. First of all, ground-up eggshells won’t leave larger, slower-to-break-down pieces in the compost that you retrieve from the system. Secondly, smaller pieces of ground-up eggshell are best for worms, which need grit to digest their food. The ground-up eggshells work very well for this purpose. Crush or grind your eggshells to avoid any issues and get the most benefits from the eggshells in your composting system. References 1. Fight climate change by preventing food waste. (n.d.). World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/fight-climate-change-by-preventing-food-waste 2. Concepts of Eggshell Quality. (n.d.). University of Florida. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VM013 3. Organic Calcium Sources. (n.d.). Grow It Organically. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.grow-it-organically.com/organic-calcium-sources.html 4. Saldanha, R. B., Da Rocha, C. G., Caicedo, A., & Consoli, N. C. (2021). Technical and environmental performance of eggshell lime for soil stabilization. Construction and Building Materials, 298, 123648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.123648 5. Blossom end rot. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/problems/blossom-end-rot 6. Barkham, P. (2021, October 29). Eggshell and copper tape do not protect veg from slugs and snails. The Guardian. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/27/eggshell-and-copper-tape-do-not-protect-veg-from-slugs-and-snails 7. Plant pests: research projects by the RHS Entomology scientists. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 28, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/plant-health-in-gardens/entomology/rhs-projects-on-plant-pests/gastropod-barriers-experiment 8. Do your bit for birds. (2008, April 29). BBC Norfolk. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2008/04/17/dawn_chorus_do_your_bit_feature.shtml
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12 Spectacular Types Of Bamboo, Including Kerri Dall's Fargesia Favourites
IN THIS GUIDE About Bamboo Types Running vs Clumping Varieties Giant vs Dwarf Varieties 1) Phyllostachys nigra (AGM) 2) Shibataea kumasaca (AGM) 3) Phyllostachys aurea 4) Fargesia nitida 5) Pseudosasa japonica (AGM) 6) Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis (AGM) 7) Pleioblastus variegatus (AGM) 8) Fargesia ‘Red Panda’ 9) Sasa veitchii 10) Chusquea culeou (AGM) 11) Himalayacalamus hookerianus 12) x Hibanobambusa tranquillans ‘Shiroshima’ References Bamboo is a group of plants from the Poaceae family (grasses) that are fast growing and native to many parts of the world including the Americas, Asia, Africa and Australasia.1 Bamboo is a popular plant to grow and rightly so, as they can add height, screening, colour, movement and even sound to a garden. With many different varieties from clump forming to runners and dwarf to giant – there is a bamboo to suit all gardens. In this guide, we share advice from Kerri Dall, owner of Scottish Bamboo, who has grown more than 50 different varieties of bamboo here in the UK over a fifteen-year period. Her favourites are the Fargesia varieties, due to the variety of colours and non-invasive habit – see more on this below. About Bamboo Types Bamboo stalks or shafts are known as culms – and it is the culm that is popularly thought of as ‘bamboo.’ The vast majority of species’ culms are hollow. Bamboo is unique among trees in that its culms emerge from the ground at their full diameter; they do not grow thicker as they gain height. Bamboo grows and spreads by way of its rhizomes, which are subsoil stems that link the root system to the culms. Running vs Clumping Varieties Running bamboo species, true to their name, frequently take over fair-sized areas of land, as the rhizome ‘runners’ spread aggressively. Though slow-moving species do not spread much in unfavourable conditions, when running bamboo species do a ’sprint,’ they can cover several metres per year. The species that grow by clumping are much better behaved. These species’ rhizomes do not send out runners; instead, they gradually enlarge the root system and increase the height of the culm. The root system is typically enlarged by only 5-10 inches per year. Thus, they spread much more slowly than running species. “Clump-forming bamboo has striated, columnar shapes,” shares Peter Lickorish, a Master Horticulturist. “These are best shown off against a dark background, such as a black fence, with only minimal underplanting with a few ground-cover plants like Ophiopogon planiscapus, or Ajuga reptans. “You can soften a line of bamboo by planting denser, smaller leaf plants in between, like Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata Robusta’. “Talking of robusta, one of my favourite bamboos is Fargesia robusta ‘Pingwu’, which has variegation down the length of its stems that alternate between pearly white and dark green.” Running bamboo species’ pattern of growth is primarily horizontal across land; clumping bamboo species’ pattern of growth is primarily vertical through space. The variety within bamboo is such that some differences between species are quite stark; consider that bamboo shoots of only some species are edible. Some bamboo species are not particularly eye-catching but make excellent construction materials while others are useless for construction but are highly decorative. Giant vs Dwarf Varieties At its extremes, bamboo is divided into ‘giant’ and ‘dwarf’ varieties. A very pretty and also hardy species, Pleioblastus akebono, grows to only 15-60cm. At the other extreme is Dendrocalamus giganteus aka ‘Giant Bamboo.’ Its leaves are about as long as Pleioblastus akebono is tall! This bamboo can attain a height of up to 35m. That’s a multiple of nearly 60 in the heights of the two species. Here are twelve popular types of Bamboo which can be grown in the UK, including some very special varieties, which have been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM): 1) Phyllostachys nigra (AGM) Black bamboo, as it is more widely known, is a spectacular plant. Growing to an eventual H4m x W4m, it certainly needs space to be shown off to its best. New growth is green, however, over time the canes turn a striking black that contrasts so well against its green foliage. With a tendency to spread in warmer climates, its rhizomes need containing to keep to size. Preferring a sunny and sheltered site on loamy soil, it is H5 rated meaning it will survive winter temperatures down to -10 to -15°C.2 2) Shibataea kumasaca (AGM) Ruscus-leaved bamboo is a small and clump-forming which grows to H1.5m x W1m over time. It is ideal for a large container or pot, as it will need to be contained if planted directly into the ground. Often grown as a low hedge or as ground cover, it looks equally good as a specimen plant, whether in a border or a container. Being H6 rated it is very hardy and will withstand temperatures as low as -15 to -20°C and can be sited in an exposed or sheltered position. Shibataea kumasaca grows best on clay or loam and as with most bamboos will not tolerate heavy or waterlogged soil. 3) Phyllostachys aurea Far better known as fish-pole bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea is a very large variety which can grow to an impressive H8m x W4m. Producing bright green canes which may turn yellow with age and long slender foliage, it can be clump-forming or spread and requires its rhizomes containing if grown in the ground. A hardy bamboo that is rated H6, it prefers a sheltered position and loam soil in either full sun or partial shade. 4) Fargesia nitida According to Kerri Dall from Scottish Bamboo: “Our favourite varieties of bamboos are the clumping Fargesia varieties, mainly because they are very well behaved and non-spreading. “There are also so many different coloured culms (canes) ranging from green to yellow to red and even black and purple”. Fargesia nitida or Chinese fountain bamboo is an elegant and arching bamboo that tends to grow tall, but not too wide. Growing to H4m x W1.5m, it has a clump-forming habit and should not need its roots curtailing. Due to its height and tendency not to spread, Chinese fountain bamboo is often used as a hedge or screening plant and will tolerate full sun, but grows best in part shade. Fully hardy and tough, F. nitida is H5 rated but has a delicate appearance due to its short and slender leaves. The canes begin green, but can turn purple with age adding to their stunning appearance. 5) Pseudosasa japonica (AGM) Widely known as Arrow bamboo, Pseudosasa japonica is a huge specimen that is fast growing and can grow to H8m x W4m. Upright in habit, Arrow bamboo is very tolerant and will cope with either an exposed or sheltered aspect and clay, loam or sandy soil. Hardy down to -10 to -15°C, it will survive a severe winter in most parts of the UK. Being very vigorous, its rhizomes must be constrained unless a large bamboo thicket is the goal. 6) Phyllostachys aureosulcata f. spectabilis (AGM) Or the far easier to say, Showy Yellow Groove Bamboo is a spectacular plant. Another large variety, it will grow to an eventual H8m x W5m and is best planted on loam or chalk soil. Less hardy than other bamboos, it requires a sheltered spot, but will still withstand a harsh UK winter. With yellow canes that darken over time and green grooves, this is a stunning bamboo and looks outstanding when grown near the contrasting P. nigra. With a suckering habit, it requires a barrier to contain its rhizomes to keep it under control. 7) Pleioblastus variegatus (AGM) Dwarf white striped bamboo or Pleioblastus variegatus is a smaller variety and one which is far better suited to courtyards or smaller gardens. Growing to only H1m x W1.5m, it is ideal for a large container or pot and grows best in a sheltered spot in full sun. Producing green and cream striped leaves up to 20cm long on thin green canes, it will add movement and sound to the garden as it gently moves in a breeze. A spreading variety, if grown directly in a bed or a border its rhizomes must be contained to curb its growth. 8) Fargesia ‘Red Panda’ Apparently, F. ‘Red Panda’ was once so hard to get hold of that it was given its elusive name. This is one of the favoured types of Kerri and the team at Scottish Bamboo. Thankfully Umbrella bamboo, as it is also known, is now easy to obtain as it is a sensational plant. With an upright habit and growth of up to H4m x W1.5m, it certainly makes an impact. Its green new growth turns orange then red over the course of a couple of years making a wonderful contrast to its green slender foliage. Although a clump-forming variety, a rhizome barrier is typically recommended to prevent its spread. However, Kerri argues: “Fargesia varieties can be grown in pots or planted into a garden border due to their well-behaved nature”. F. ‘Red Panda’ grows well in most well-drained soils and will cope with full sun or partial shade. 9) Sasa veitchii Also known as Veitch’s bamboo, Sasa veitchii is slightly unusual with its broader and more glossy leaves than most other bamboo. A vigorous bamboo, it spreads with ease and is a great plant for high ground cover. Come autumn, the leaves’ edges dry out producing a variegated appearance against the deep green centres. Growing to H1.5m x W1.5m it grows well in a container and will need restricting if grown directly in the ground. 10) Chusquea culeou (AGM) Chilean bamboo as it is better known is another unusual bamboo due to the fact that its canes are solid instead of hollow. Originating from South America it is less hardy than other bamboos, but will withstand temperatures down to -10°C (H4). An upright and graceful bamboo it produces dense clumps of green stems with small green leaves. Growing to a potential H8m x W2.5m it prefers a moist, but well-drained loamy soil and full sun to partial shade. Chusquea culeou can suffer some foliage damage due to harsh winter weather and requires a sheltered aspect to look its best. 11) Himalayacalamus hookerianus For real visual impact, one of the most striking has to be the Himalayacalamus genus which originates from the Himalayas. H. hookerianus or Blue bamboo is a stunning variety, which produces green new culms which take on a blue appearance before turning orange or yellow in maturity. Growing to H6m x W3m, it is a clump-forming variety and not considered invasive, however, installing a rhizome barrier may be prudent. Preferring shade to full sun, it grows best in moist and well-drained soil and requires a sheltered site. 12) Hibanobambusa tranquillans ‘Shiroshima’ For a variegated bamboo, H. tranquillans ‘Shiroshima’ or ‘inyouchikuzoku’ as it is sometimes known, is hard to beat. Producing dark green and cream striped leaves it has a bushy habit and will slowly spread if allowed. Growing to H2m x W8m, it prefers to be given full sun, will need a rhizome barrier to curtail its growth and is suitable for low screening and hedges. With hardiness down to -10°C and lower, it will survive all but the harshest winter weather and can be grown in an exposed site. References 1. Schröder, S. (2021, August 19). Where does Bamboo grow? Guadua Bamboo. Retrieved April 25, 2023, from https://www.guaduabamboo.com/blog/where-does-bamboo-grow 2. Phyllostachys nigra | black bamboo. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/12869/phyllostachys-nigra/details
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11 Silver Leaved Perennials You Can Enjoy For Years At A Time
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Artemisia schmidtiana 2) Brunnera macrophylla 3) Caryopteris clandonensis 4) Centaurea cineraria 5) Cynara cardunculus 6) Eryngium giganteum 7) Helichrysum petiolare 8) Heuchera 9) Lychnis coronaria 10) Santolina chamaecyparissus 11) Stachys byzantina References Add some metallic zip and zing to your garden’s display with these silver-leaved specimens. Silver foliage is a striking addition to any garden. Not only are the colours of the leaves unusual and eye-catching in their own right – especially when reflecting the sunlight just so – but they also serve to accentuate brighter flowers in their vicinity. Indeed, this ability to complement the surrounding specimens makes silver and grey plants a highly versatile ingredient in any outdoor display. When selected with an artful eye and placed in juxtaposition with other colour combinations, they can really bring the whole ensemble to life. By opting for perennials over annuals, you’ll also have the added advantage of enjoying the aesthetics of your arrangement for years at a time. As such, any of the following suggestions would make a delightful addition to your back garden, adding some wintry whimsy to spice up its palette. 1) Artemisia schmidtiana RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Silver Mound’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE TYPE: SEMI-EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND As its cultivar common name suggests, Artemisia schmidtiana forms dainty hummocks of slender silver foliage. It grows up to 30cm in height and has a similar spread, making it great for minimalist ground cover. Whether utilised as part of a herb garden, rock garden or standalone specimen, ‘Silver Mound’ has a cushioning appeal that softens the edges and sharpens the appeal of any background it adorns. It’s semi-evergreen and will retain its foliage in warmer climes, providing great contrast to other perennials with pink, purple or red blossoms. As for its own flowers, A. schmidtiana does produce clusters of tiny yellow blooms in summer, but they add little in the way of aesthetic value. Instead, it’s best to prune them immediately to preserve the purity of its cool demeanour. 2) Brunnera macrophylla RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Jack Frost’ HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: DECIDUOUS FOLIAGE SEASONS: SPRING / SUMMER There are few plants more distinctive than Brunnera macrophylla when it’s in its full pomp. Featuring oversized, heart-shaped leaves that have been unmistakably touched by the hand of ‘Jack Frost’, it’s an immediate crowd-pleaser in any environment. The main attraction is undoubtedly the foliage, whose generous proportions and silver surface edged and veined in green are enough to set it apart from most garden varieties. It does, however, also boast delicate blue blossoms in the springtime, which serve to emphasise its icy appeal even further. It’s a fairly resilient plant which will grow well in most soil types and in full or partial shade, reaching up to 50cm in height at its peak potential. “Brunnera macrophylla is a great choice for a shady spot,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Known for its spring flowers, Brunnera is also a great silver-leaved plant that covers the ground vigorously whilst being an attractive ornamental choice.” This makes it great for brightening up dim or dark corners, or else providing a pleasing contrast underneath taller and more colourful companions. 3) Caryopteris clandonensis RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Sterling Silver’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FOLIAGE TYPE: DECIDUOUS FOLIAGE SEASONS: SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN The blue-green foliage of Caryopteris clandonensis, set off perfectly by its silvery tinge, makes this shrub a head-turner at any time of the year. However, it really comes alive in late summer and early autumn, when the bright blue of its blossoms adds another dimension to its appeal. It can grow up to 1m in height and around 1.5m in spread, making it perfect for positioning at the front of a sunny border. Alternatively, you could choose to play to its strengths and make a focal point of the whole plant, cultivating it in a pot or container in the centre of a patio or balcony. It does appreciate full sun, however, so make sure it has enough access to sunlight. For best results, prune it back ruthlessly once the blossoms have died away to ensure that they return with vigour the following year. 4) Centaurea cineraria RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Dusty Miller’ HARDINESS RATING: H3 FOLIAGE TYPE: EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND Depending on the time of the day and the light in the sky, Centaurea cineraria can appear blue, green or grey. Whatever the dominant colour, this sprawling evergreen perennial is remarkable for the woollen texture of its leaves, as well as their eye-catching tints. In summertime, the display is enhanced by the appearance of purple flowerheads that are almost reminiscent of thistles. The bulbous form of the blooms contrasts pleasingly with the finely-divided lance shapes of the foliage, making for an attractive plant for beds, borders and gravel gardens. It does fine in most soil types as long as they enjoy excellent drainage, though it is demanding about the amount of sun it receives. Indeed, it can tolerate milder parts of the UK round the calendar, but those living in areas which suffer from colder winters should transplant it to a greenhouse or conservatory for the duration. 5) Cynara cardunculus RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Cardoon’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE TYPE: DECIDUOUS FOLIAGE SEASONS: SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN Like Centaurea cineraria, Cynara cardunculus enjoys large, thistle-like blossoms of a bright purple in mid to late summer. However, the leaves of the two plants are wildly different, despite sharing the same greyish hue. Unlike its more intricate counterpart, C. cardunculus is defined by foliage which is spiny and spiky in outline and amply proportioned in size. Even a single leaf is capable of growing up to 1m in length! The plant as a whole, meanwhile, can reach 1.5m in height and 2.5m in spread, meaning it forms quite the focal point. Sometimes known as “prickly artichokes” (but more commonly as “cardoons”), these robust specimens are excellent for adding architectural intrigue to wild gardens, rear borders or raised beds. They also make attractive cut flowers, too. 6) Eryngium giganteum RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Silver Ghost’ HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: DECIDUOUS FOLIAGE SEASONS: SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN Commonly known as sea holly, this striking specimen continues the theme of thistle-like flowerheads. However, this time the blooms aren’t purple, but rather blue – and they perhaps look their best after flowering, when the dead blossoms add to the ethereal aesthetic of the plant. As such, deadheading this ‘Silver Ghost’ might be the most preferable strategy in the long term, since it will encourage stronger growth the following year, but it does sacrifice the impressiveness of its appearance in the short term. Given that it’s one of the shorter-lived perennials on this list, it might be best to enjoy its full glory while you can. In any case, it will do best in dry, well-drained soils, since it’s vulnerable to root rot in waterlogged environments. It also demands full sun in order to thrive – but it’s well worth getting the conditions right for the aesthetic impact it brings. 7) Helichrysum petiolare RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Goring Silver’ HARDINESS RATING: H3 FOLIAGE TYPE: EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND Helichrysum petiolare is colloquially known as the ‘liquorice plant’, thanks to the faintly aniseed-like fragrance which accompanies it. But quite apart from its aromatic qualities, this trailing perennial is hugely popular for its delicately felted leaves. The furry texture and greyish silver surface of the foliage make it a neutral accompaniment to borders and flower beds. On the other hand, you could choose to foreground its showy qualities by placing it in a hanging basket or patio pot, where the trailing fronds of its stems will hang invitingly over the edges of its container. Small but perfectly formed, ‘Goring Silver’ is a less vigorous or invasive grower than some of its brethren in the Helichrysum family.1 This actually makes it far more versatile and appropriate in a wide variety of settings, offering great flexibility to gardeners. 8) Heuchera RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘CAN CAN’ HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE TYPE: SEMI-EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND The Heuchera genus is packed full of evergreen perennial options in all shapes and sizes, many of which come with a silver hue to their foliage. ‘Can-Can’ is no exception, though it does differ from many of the options on this list due to its interesting contrasts in colour. The topsides of the leaves are the type of deep red you’ll fine in vineyards and wine cellars all over the world, with widespread silver marbling across their surface. Meanwhile, the underside of the foliage is a much brighter purple, creating a pleasing disparity that’s highly noticeable due to the undulating structure of the leaves. Green flowers join the party in midsummer but don’t add much more than the plant offers for the rest of the year and should be deadheaded immediately after dying – or perhaps even sooner if you prefer. 9) Lychnis coronaria RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Rose Campion’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: SEMI-EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND A short-lived perennial, Lychnis coronaria only really offers up much in the way of aesthetic appeal during the summer months. However, its loud contrasts and pollinator-attracting qualities make it worth the effort of cultivation. The plant features clumps of slender silvery stems, populated with furry silver leaves and set off by stunning magenta blooms in July, August and September. The conflict between the neutrality of the foliage and the garishness of its blooms makes for a show-stopping display, explaining why it’s popular around the country. Although a fairly hardy customer, it appreciates dryer soil and will produce brighter colours in its blooms if obliged. Those looking to propagate it should collect seeds in September and October, before planting them the following spring. 10) Santolina chamaecyparissus RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Pretty Carol’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE TYPE: EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND Although it’s commonly known as cotton lavender, Santolina chamaecyparissus doesn’t wear the distinctive lilac garb that is synonymous with its family. Instead, this cultivar boasts ostentatious yellow blossoms that take pom-pom form, which stand out like a sore thumb against the powdery grey background of its foliage. It’s that contrast which sets S. chamaecyparissus apart from other garden shrubs, making it an ideal option for when a splash of bold colour is warranted. The blooms aren’t just popular with green-fingered enthusiasts, either; they also bring bees and butterflies to your garden in their droves. As such, it’s excellent as colourful ground cover, or as a gap-filler in spotty borders and beds. It can also do equally well in containers and pots and, given its vulnerability during the colder months, this planting strategy might be preferable to protect it in winter. 11) Stachys byzantina RECOMMENDED VARIETY: ‘Silver Carpet’ HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE TYPE: EVERGREEN FOLIAGE SEASONS: YEAR-ROUND A hugely popular groundcover plant, Stachys byzantina is more recognisable by its common name, lamb’s ears. It has earned the moniker due to the fuzzy, oval-shaped leaves which offer year-round interest through their woollen consistency and cosmetic appeal. The ‘Silver Carpet’ variety pictured above is one of the few Stachys examples which rarely flowers, but this doesn’t mean it’s not a hit with pollinators and people alike. Indeed, it’s the woolliness of its foliage which attracts one particular bee more than others, which collects the fine fibres on the surface of the leaves to line its nest. Its evergreen nature, accompanied by its lack of blooms and its interesting texture, mean that ‘Silver Carpet’ is a favourite among those looking to bring mat-forming intrigue to the front of beds and borders. It’s also relatively hardy, so it requires little in the way of upkeep once established, as long as it’s provided with enough sunshine. References 1. Helichrysum petiolare (strawflower). (2022). CABI Compendium. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.114715
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