The glorious Flowering Cherries have been a staple of the British landscape in April for hundreds of years. Most of these however originated in China and Japan where they are a central motif to the worship of nature and the Spring. They are now bred around the world for their elegant shape and exquisite flowers which range from brilliant white to the deepest pink. Cherries belong to the large genus known as Prunus which also includes Plums, Almonds, Apricots, Peaches and evergreen plants such as the Common Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) and the Portugal Laurel (Prunus Lusitanica) both of which make superb hedges.
Although synonymous with April flowering Cherries can start to bloom as early as November with the species P. Subhirtella Autumnalis. This has either white or pink flowers, makes a medium sized tree and will continue flowering on bare stems during mild winters until March.
The April flowering cultivars start with the smaller varieties like Prunus Incisa 'Ko No Mai' which can be grown as a 1.5 metre bush or grafted onto a stem to make a very nice half standard lollypop tree with pale pink flowers.
More upright forms include the Flagpole Cherry or Prunus 'Amanagawa'. It has light pink, fragrant flowers and is a very useful tree for a small garden. 'Royal Burgundy' is a fairly new variety with a goblet-shaped canopy. It reaches 4m tall by 3m in width and has rose-pink double blooms followed by contrasting burgundy leaves that turn a spectacular scarlet in the autumn. Also look out for 'Snow Goose' which has pure white flowers and unusually long tassel-like stamens.
There are also weeping cherries such as the old favourite Cheals Weeping Cherry, Prunus Kiku-Shidare-Sakura (please don't ask me for a translation) with its double candy pink flowers and an eventual height and width of 4m. It looks great underplanted with Bulbs, Tulips, Violas, Hellebores and Snowdrops. Smaller cultivars like P. Subhirtella 'Pendula Rubra" has attractive arching branches and single pink flowers with a rosy flush to the base of the petals. One of the most graceful weeping varieties is P. 'Snow Showers' which is covered in many white flowers in April and is about 3m in height. There are really too many of these beautiful Cherries to mention but just a few are Prunus Serula (the Tibetan Cherry) with its extraordinary polished mahogany bark and dainty pinky white flowers and P. 'Amber Beauty' which has elegantly peeling amber bark.
When planting Cherries in a border or grass area, remove the turf, dig a hole about 45cm square to a depth of 45cm and add garden compost at the bottom. Then remove the pot from your tree and place the root ball with the roots gently teased out in the hole so that it's top sits at the same level of ground surrounding the hole. Do not bury the stem as this can cause stem rot which destroys the bark and results in the death of the tree. Back fill into the hole around the root ball with the excavated soil adding more compost and firm in well with the soles of your shoes. Water using about 6 litres of water and check if more water is needed every 5 days. Mulch around the tree with rotted farmyard manure, bark or soil improver compost. This will help prevent the soil drying at the roots as the weather warms as well as preventing the growth of competitive weeds. Finally, stake the tree for its first few years to prevent wind rock which can damage the roots. A wooden tree stake 5cm in diameter and 180cm tall accompanied with a strong rubber tree tie is perfect. If rabbits are a problem in your area also put a guard around the stem.
So which one is my favourite? Definitely Prunus 'Chocolate Ice'. It has chocolate coloured leaves and single white flowers which glisten against the dark foliage. Absolutely stunning! Whichever is your own favourite this spectacular period of spring colour can be enjoyed year after year and if you're lucky enough to actually visit Japan be sure that you see these wondrous trees in their natural environment.
It's always a pleasure to welcome the month of March to the garden. In March spring is evident everywhere from carpets of golden Daffodils, to Primroses, Crocus, Forsythia and Magnolias in full bloom to name but a few. The temperature is rising, the birds are building nests and the 'hum' of neighbouring lawnmowers can be heard. It’s our alarm call to get back outside and tend our patches once more.
The Wild Primrose (Primula vulgaris) is such a great sight in spring and looks even better planted with Spring Bulbs, Euphorbias, Pulmonarias and Ferns. Everyone has, I am sure, a cool, shaded area under a tree or walled corner where the primula species will grow well. Whether it is Cowslips, Oxlips or other perennial Primulas they really do tell us its Spring. Hundreds of primula varieties are now bred for colour and some of the polyanthus have great scent too. Primula 'Everlast' is perennial and will flower year after year from September to May. They're great plants for bees too and especially bumblebees in my garden.
Helping bees and other insect pollinators is vital for mankind. If we lose the insects, we lose many of the birds, mammals, the food we grow and much more. So, lets help them and sow annual and perennial flowers and also wildflowers. These days there are many different pre-made mixes available to buy so you're sure to find one suitable for anywhere from containers to borders and sun to shade. For wildflowers the soil doesn't have to be good either. Just free of weeds and with an open structure. Sow them in rows 30 cm (12 inches) apart so that any weeds that come up can be identified and pulled out. Broadcasting them is more suitable in lawns and larger areas. Wildflowers can also be sown in cell trays. Just place a pinch of seed into good quality potting compost, leave in a cool area and they should germinate within one to two weeks. When they get to 4 to 5 cm in height plant these clumps of seedlings 25 cm apart in well prepared soil and you won't need to worry about the competition from weeds. They should require little care except watering in dry spells. You can then expect a carpet of flowers from mid-June to October.
If you prefer a neat and manicured lawn March is a great time to give it a spring makeover. Wet, cold and shady conditions encourage moss and if left it can soon overrun normal grass. A weed, feed and moss kill granular fertiliser applied to your lawn now will, as suggested, stop the moss, encourage new growth and kill the weeds. Another option is iron sulphate which can be diluted in a watering can 3 ounces to every 9 litres. It will kill the moss but not the grass. Also, raking out old thatch from between the new grass shoots improves growth and spiking the ground with a garden fork or similar will help drainage in waterlogged areas. The full preparation of a new grass area is best done over 3 to 4 weeks by first digging over the soil and then allowing it to break down. Pull out any weeds that emerge before finally compacting the area by treading with your boots and raking level to a crumbly 'tilth'. Towards the end of March depending on the air temperature the ground should be warm enough to germinate grass seed. Laying turf is more immediately but a lot more expensive.
On the veg patch prepare the soil to a fine tilth before sowing seeds of hardier veg like Beetroot, Broad Beans, Peas, Parsnips and Carrots. Garlic, Onion sets and Broad Beans started earlier in peat modules will need to be planted now and spaced depending on the types and varieties used. More space generally yields bigger crops and this is especially true for Broad Beans. They like a good 25 cm (9 inches) between plants and 30 cm (12 inches) between rows which will allow enough room for the flowers to set well. Indoors it's a good time to sow all Brassica, Cauliflower, Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts. Sprinkle them thinly into a 10 cm pot covered with a thin layer of vermiculite and keep them at a temperature of 8 to 10 °C until they've germinated; usually around 5 to 10 days. Then when they're just large enough to handle transfer the seedlings individually to 9 cm pots seed trays with 15 cells to grow on. You can plant them on the patch when the roots show all around the sides of the pot which is usually early April. Also try sowing new batches successionally every few weeks. This will help lengthen the harvesting period.
... and for a final bit of spring promise don’t forget that it's St David’s Day on March the 1st, Mothering Sunday on the 19th and the Spring Equinox on the 20th.
February is often the coldest month of the year and it may seem that winter is not over yet but look closely as you walk around your garden or local park and you will find a plethora of early flowers buds and new shoots beginning to burst into life.
In shaded areas Cyclamen Coum, Narcissus February Gold and the classic Wild Primroses are providing their pretty flowers for all to spot beside hellebores still in full flower. Move onto the shrub border and Daphne Sarcococca and Hamamelis are all in bloom. These flowers may be delicate but their scents are rich and strong. Look up and you might just spot the earliest of the flowering trees the delicate pink flowering cherry Prunus subhirtella Autumnalis Rosea.
As far as gardening jobs go it may still be too muddy to mow the lawn and too cold to sow seeds on the veg patch but it's a perfect time for pruning ground covering herbaceous perennials and to shape fruit trees for bumper crops next summer.
Cornus or Dogwood has strikingly coloured bare stems in winter like the rich red of C. Sibirica. If left to grow will be too tall with less intense colour next year so cut it back to 20 cm from the ground every year and the new growths will be fresh and bright again. The Butterfly Bush Buddleija also thrives by being cut hard back now to 2 pairs of buds higher than last year’s regrowth. By doing this your bush will be more compact and will produce larger flowers.
Hydrangea Paniculata is best pruned before the new season’s growth starts, so prune last year’s branches back to two buds. H. Annabelle should be pruned harder to 25 cm from the ground as it produces its strongest growth from low down you will achieve a more pleasing shape by hard pruning and larger flowers up to 30cm wide. Leave the old flowers of mophead or lacecap hydrangeas for now as they protect the new flowering buds below until the risk of frost has gone in late March. Evergreen shrubs that have finished flowering or flower late in the year can also be pruned to shape in late February. This includes Euonymus, Photinia, Eleagnus and some Viburnums.
Roses are best pruned in March after the cold weather has gone but make sure you tie any untrained branches of climbing roses to the trellis or wire supports now to stop them being blown around and causing wind rock to their roots.
Wisteria requires pruning in February to encourage it to flower well in the Spring. The new side-shoots should have been shortened to 30cm last summer and cut back to two pairs of buds now. These buds will often look much fatter than other buds on the plant a sign that they have flowers growing within them.
The late Summer and Autumn flowering clematis Viticella Orientalis and Texensis should be cutback to 30cm from the ground in their first year and 100cm in subsequent seasons because they flower on this seasons growth.
Leave the old stems of Herbaceous Perennials Ferns and Grasses intact overwinter as many insects will overwinter in the old foliage and stems. This old growth can be removed at the end of February back to 10 cm above ground level to tidy up before the new growth starts.
In the fruit garden shorten the side-shoots of Red and White currents and Gooseberries to 5cms and the leading shoots by a third to encourage compact growth and more rapid ripening of the fruits. Autumn fruiting Raspberries should be cut back to 5cms as this year’s growth will produce the fruit from August onwards. Apples and Pears can be pruned this month to regulate growth. Remove larger branches and thin out overcrowded buds. Leave Plums and Cherries until later in the summer as pruning too early can allow disease to start on cut surfaces in cold damp conditions. Peaches Nectarines and Apricots flower in February so protect them with fleece on cold nights while also pruning out any dead, diseased or crossing stems.
Many plants are bought for the home or given as gifts for Christmas from the popular Poinsettias and Cyclamen to the more unusual Anthuriums. Here’s how to look after some during the festivities and afterwards.
Poinsettias are a Christmas favourite which produce modified coloured leaves (bracts) from classic red to shades of pink, cream, variegated and spotted ones too. To keep them looking perfect put them in a light position out of direct sunlight at a temperature between 15 - 20°c. There is no need to feed these plants but avoid overwatering them by allowing the compost to dry before plunging in a bowl of water. The coloured bracts should last for about three to four months.
Christmas Prepared Hyacinths will flower early for Christmas so by December there should be a 2.5cm flower bud protruding from the bulb. Grow on indoors in a coolish spot at around 15°c. By the middle of the month the flower bud will be showing colour. Move to a cooler room where growth will slow and the flower emerges and will last longer. Keep the compost just moist and increase watering once the flower opens.
Amaryllis is usually sold in garden centres as dry bulbs or as a part of gift kits with the pot and soil also included. They produce long stems with a large trumpet single or double flower in a range of colour from white, pink, orange, red, bicolour to striped. Some reach 80cm tall. It is easy to grow if placed in a pot a little wider than the bulb making sure the top half sits uncovered above the top of the compost. Water and place in a warm environment to bring into growth where the flower will come first followed later by the leaves. They grow best when put in a light place while keeping them just moist but not too wet. After flowering keep Amaryllis indoors during the cold months then put outside in the summer where they can be left to dry out and bake in the sun.
The Paperwhite Narcissus is a tender Daffodil that produces delicate white flowers with a delightful sweet scent just 7 weeks after planting. Plant as many of them as you can fit in a pot filled with bulb compost and keep the top half of the bulbs exposed. Unlike some Christmas flowering bulbs there is no need to 'prepare them' with a period of darkness and cold. Instead put them straight into a warm and light room.
The beautiful Rhododendron like flowers of Indoor Azaleas come in many colours and a few are also scented. They are very easy to keep as long as they remain moist during their flowering period. Keep a good eye on them though as they can dry out very quickly causing the petals to drop early. Their ideal growing temperature is 10 - 15°c so avoid warmer places which will cause the flowers to finish sooner. Aftercare involves replanting in to a bigger pot of ericaceous compost before putting them outside from the middle of June. A shady position is best before eventually bringing them back indoors at the end of October. Always keep the compost moist.
Cyclamen is one of the most popular houseplants. They are perfect for the cooler parts of your house and have compact stems of white, pink, red or bicoloured nodding flowers over intricately patterned leaves. The perfect temperature for them is 10 - 15°c in a light position away from radiators. Kitchens, bathrooms, studies and by the front door are all great places for them. Pull or twist off the flowers once they have finished and more will follow for many months to come. Grow them inside until the leaves start to go yellow and then you can either rest the corms for a while or repot them and grow into a bigger plant to flower again next winter.
Christmas Cacti are one of my favourite houseplants. They are slow growing succulents with flat and fleshy leaves that by the end of the summer produce exotic looking flowers of cerise pink, white, orange or apricot. Flowering can start as early as the middle of November and continue to late January. Give them a period of time outside in the summer before moving them back indoors in October. They are good in light or shady places and allow the compost to dry before re watering. Checking the soil regularly is the best policy. Remove the old flowers to keep the plant looking tidy.
In mixed containers the plants that need the same conditions are selected. As the plants begin to outgrow the container after Christmas replant each separate into pots of either John Innes No.2 or a good Multipurpose Compost. Common arrangements include Ferns, Poinsettia, Azalea, Peace Lilly, Coral Bead Plant, Polka Dot Plants and more.
Have a Happy Houseplant filled Christmas Everyone.
