Types of Plants – Climbers

Climbers are shrubs which are adapted to growing up vertical structures, they add a vertical element to a garden and can be trained against a wall, fence or trellis, over arches and pergolas, through trees or used as ground cover. There are many different types of climbers from annuals, deciduous perennials and evergreens; choose one to suit your soil type, aspect and climate.

Care: Before planting dig the soil thoroughly, remove all weeds and incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter. Add fertiliser and improve the drainage if required. Make a hole two or three times the width of the plant and deep enough to ensure the plant is deeper than it was in the pot to help avoid clematis wilt. Ensure that the hole isn’t too close to walls or fences as this can cause the plant to dry out quickly. Keep it well watered until established.

Most climbers do not require any pruning however, clematis and wisteria perform much better when strict pruning is carried out:

• Wisteria: once a framework has been established and flowering is over, cut-back the long whippy growth to about 15cm followed by a further pruning to 2-3 buds in mid-winter.
• Clematis: early large flowering species should have some of the old growth cut back after flowering. Early flowering species such as Montana and Alpina can be cut back hard every few years. Late flowering species should be pruned to 15-30cm from the ground during January/February.

Climbers in our Garden: Below is a selection of climbers we have in our garden; click the image to Buy your Own

*Photographs owned by Linda Peppin if you wish to use these photographs in your own work please drop her a line using the contact us link below.

Types of Plants – Conifers

Conifers are similar to trees but there are a number of biological differences, most are evergreen but some are deciduous. They make great architectural features in a garden, particularly planted in groups, they also provide excellent ground cover.

There is a vast range of shapes, textures and colours that look good all year round. There are dwarf and slow growing varieties which are ideal for a small garden. Examples of deciduous conifers are: Gingko biloba, Larix decidua, Larix kaempferi and Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Care: Choose your planting site with care. Consideration should be given to the final height and spread of the conifer. They prefer a well drained site so Double Dig and soak the plant prior to planting. Add bone meal to the bottom of the hole. Plant to the same level as it was in the pot or to the soil mark on bare-rooted plants. Water thoroughly.

It’s a good idea to stake new conifers which are taller than 2m while it’s getting properly rooted in. Use a short stake, 100-120-cm, hammered in at an angle of 45 degrees. The top end of the stake should point in the direction of the prevailing wind. Use a tree tie to fix the trunk to the stake about 30cm from the ground – the buckle of the tie should rest against the stake, not the tree.

Conifers in our Garden: Below is a selection of conifers we have in our garden; click the image to Buy your Own

Flower Carpet Red Velvet and Cynara scolymus

My garden has reached the stage where there is no more room left to plant anything! So you’d think I’d stop going to the garden centre wouldn’t you? But no ….. this week I came across a lovely red rose (yes, red again!).

This is Flower Carpet Red Velvet a ground cover rose.

It is a lovely bright red with a yellow centre with glossy, rich green foliage and it really catches the eye; I liked it so much I’ve bought mum one too, she’ll love it.

As I don’t have any room in the ground I have put it in a pot in the hope that it will flow over the top and give a trailing affect. There are lots of buds on both plants so hopefully we’ll get flowers until the frost; I’ll let you know.

Here are the details:

• It is naturally disease resistant
• It has a long flowering season
• It grows to 50cm (20ins) high and you will need 2-3 plants per square metre (yard)
• Plant in a sunny spot in any soil type or plant it in a container in a good quality compost, water well and keep moist
• Add a quality rose food to the soil / compost
• In early spring cut back to 15cm (6ins) from the base and add more rose food
• Trim off any spent blooms as this will encourage more prolific flowering

Buy your Flower Carpet Red Velvet from Gardening Express

While I was at the garden centre I found a bargain in the Sale section.

It is a Cynara scolymus or Cardoon.

It is a very architectural plant growing up to 180cm (6ft) tall and producing these wonderful purple-mauve, thistle-like flowers in late summer; keep them on for the winter for an extra show of interest. The foliage is jagged and greyish green which will make a change for my garden.

I have managed to find a small spot at the back of my main border I just hope it gets enough sun.

If you would like to buy your own Cardoon take a look at Cynara cardunculus ‘Cardy’ from Crocus.co.uk. This variety is shorter but has the same jagged foliage and bee-friendly thistles and is just as architectural.

Ground Cover

Question:

We have a large garden with a lot of grass but our main problem is the steep grass banks. What we would like is to plant them up with dens low ground cover but as we have such a large area the cost is putting us off, so we are still cutting the banks!

Answer:

I understand your problem with the steep bank and I hope you find my solution of help. There are two plants which immediately spring to mind. Firstly there is the Cotoneaster which spreads to 2 metres quite quickly and is extremely robust. Click on the name to see more information on Crocus. Secondly there is the Greater Periwinkle. This plant only spreads to 75cm but is very fast growing and has lovely lilac/blue flowers for most of the summer. Again click on the name for more details. When planting a large area it can be quite costly as you say. However, there are several companies who sell plants in bulk for just such a situation. They tend to be smaller than those you buy at a garden centre but they are a lot cheaper. I have found one website which has a whole section on ground cover plants at very good prices, take a look here http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Ground_Cover_Plants_16.html I have never used them so can’t offer any guarantees as to quality or service. Whatever you end up buying, can I suggest that you prepare the site very well before planting. Carefully remove the grass to ensure nothing is left behind. Leave for a couple of weeks to allow any weed seeds to germinate then pull these up or use a weedkiller. Before planting water the area well and cover with a weed suppressing membrane. Cut crosses in the fabric and plant through the holes. This will keep the weeds down whilst the plants are being established.

Ivy and Brambles

Question:

We have just brought a cottage in France and I need some advice re planting. We have a bank at the side on the cottage which has fairly good soil on where Ivy and Brambles have been going for many years. The Ivy root was about 5″ in round. We have got all the Ivy and Brambles cut to ground level and have black plastic over them at the moment. We are looking for a rapid growing plant that will smother all the roots and have flowers on in the summer and foliage in the winter. Please help – an impatient gardener.

Answer:

Ivy and brambles are very difficult to eradicate but there are two ways you can deal with them, one a lot easier than the other! The easiest way of dealing with them is to let the plants grow a little and apply weedkiller containing glyphosate. I’ve done a bit of research and found the following weedkillers which sound good. I don’t know if they sell them in France but there should be an equivalent: Weedol 2 – An economical weedkiller that can be used all round the garden except on lawns, unless you want to kill them. Weedol doesn’t harm the soil so planting can be carried out immediately after treatment. Young green suckers of roses, lilac and plums can also be killed without harming the rootstock. Effective at any time of the year, Weedol is rainproof in 10 minutes. Contains diquat. Keep away from children and pets. 12 sachet carton treats 204m? Roundup Weedkiller – will completely kill all weeds and roots. Children and pets don’t need to be excluded from treated areas as it is biodegradable and starts to break down as soon as it touches the soil. It contains the chemical glyphosate and includes measuring cap for easy measuring. Do not use on lawns or other wanted plants as it will kill everything plant it touches. 280ml treats 280m? Here are a few general rules to bear in mind when using weedkiller: ? Read the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure you are using the right weedkiller for the job. ? Keep weedkiller off plants that you want to keep. ? Dissolve/dilute the weedkiller according to instructions on the packaging and apply weeds using a fine rose (sprinkler head) on a watering can which you only use for weedkiller. ? Don’t apply on a windy day because weedkillers can drift onto other plants. ? The most effective time to apply weedkillers is when weeds are leafy and growing actively, mid-spring to early summer is ideal. ? Keep weedkillers in a safe place, out of reach from children and pets. When empty, dispose of them carefully. Not all weeds will die so repeat applications may be needed. If you don’t fancy the thought of using weedkiller you can dig over the whole area and remove the plants and roots by hand. Don’t be tempted to use a rotavator because this will chop up and spread the roots far and wide from which the plants will re-grow. There are two plants which may be suitable for you. Firstly there is the Cotoneaster which spreads to 2 metres quite quickly and is extremely robust. Click on the name to see more information on Crocus. Secondly there is the Greater Periwinkle. This plant only spreads to 75cm but is very fast growing and has lovely lilac/blue flowers for most of the summer. Again click on the name for more details. When planting a large area it can be quite costly but there are several companies who sell plants in bulk for just such a situation. They tend to be smaller than those you buy at a garden centre but they are a lot cheaper. I have found one website which has a whole section on ground cover plants at very good prices, take a look here for more ideas http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Ground_Cover_Plants_16.html. I have never used this company so can’t offer any guarantees as to quality or service. Whatever plants you end up buying, can I suggest that you prepare the site very well before planting. Once the plants have died down leave for a couple of weeks to allow any annual weed seeds to germinate then pull these up. Before planting, water the area well and cover with a weed suppressing membrane. Cut crosses in the fabric and plant through the holes. This will keep the weeds down whilst the plants are being established.