Under the Stars: Crafting an Enchanting Night Picnic in Your Garden

Q: Any advice on the best way to tackle creeping buttercup without using weed killer? It’s starting to take over some of my flower beds, where it’s smothering perennials and smaller shrubs. MJ, Co Kilkenny

You can sense it in the slowly stretching evenings, the higher skies, the shifting quality of light, and the noisy chatter of birds. And you can see it in the flowering hellebores, witch-hazel and sweetly perfumed daphne, as well as the snowdrops, daffodils, cyclamen, aconites, crocuses and dwarf irises that have pushed their snouts through cold, wet soil to burst into determined, brilliant bloom.

The soil must have adequate drainage; otherwise, air may be excluded, and the more beneficial micro-organisms may be destroyed. Soils which have poor drainage are often sour and acid. It will be necessary to improve this acidity by applications of hydrated lime. Wet soils are cold ones, and this means that plant growth is severely retarded. The situation is even more critical in the northern, colder parts of the country. Waterlogged soils cause roots to rot and a combination of all these problems can produce complete failures in some gardens.

What better way to brighten your garden in the early part of Spring than with the enchanting Primrose? February welcomes this resilient and vibrant perennial, transforming outdoor spaces into a riot of colours. With its delicate petals and soothing fragrance, the Primrose stands as a symbol of hope and renewal, making it the perfect choice for garden enthusiasts looking to usher in the blossoming season.

Q: Could you please recommend a good peat-free seed compost? I’ve tried a few over the last few years but haven’t had great results. I’d really like to do the right thing environmentally but am now at the point where I’m sorely tempted to go back to using a conventional peat-based compost. CF County Kerry

Sketch image from a garden planting plan recently created for a GardenAdvice client

We’ve been to our fair share of local Manchester parks and gardens, that’s for sure! But which do we recommend?

Hydrangeas are delightful flowering shrubs that add beauty to gardens with their vibrant blooms. To ensure these plants thrive and maintain their picturesque appearance, it is crucial to understand their growth patterns. Pruning, a fundamental aspect of hydrangea care, plays a key role in promoting healthy growth and abundant blossoms.

HAPPY SPRING!

Q: I have a winter flowering jasmine, growing profusely on a 3m-high north-facing wall. For most of its six years, it has produced an abundance of flowers, from early November until March. During the recent summer, I took a lot of its stems, which had bunched at about 2m, and gently stretched them out along a series of horizontal wires. This November I can only see a handful of flowers (less than 10). Did my gentle summer manipulation cause this drop in flowers and if so, how? CD, Co Dublin

In a world being reshaped by climate change, gardeners are increasingly asking themselves what can be done to counter the destructive effects of extreme weather events. The answer, as we’re discovering, is to take a nature-friendly approach that supports and nurtures resilience.

In 2024, design is taking a turn away from pastels and towards the boldness of jewel tones.