Whitehalls plant of the month- Lavender

Lavender

This plant is loved for its relaxing scent and providing deep shades of violet, blue, deep pink and mauve. A very popular Lavender is the English Lavender Hidcote. This is perfect for any garden and can go in a container, the ground or even a hedge. Another popular Lavender is the French Stoechas Mixed. This is an attractive and unusual Lavender and loves the sun.

Grow your Own Tomatoes Outdoors

Outdoor Tomatoes are tender plants and prefer to be in a warm spot preferably on a south facing wall. During winter, dig the area that you will use for planting thoroughly and incorpate garden compost plus peat. Before you plant the Tomato plants it is a good idea to rake some general fertiliser through the soil eg Growmore. If you are short of space in your garden you can grow Tomatoes in containers or bags for a patio or balcony. The plants will need more water if you decide to grow them this way. The time to sow the plants is between May-June. To care for the Tomato plant it is important that you remove dead or yellowing leaves, water regularly in dry weather. Do not over water or let dry out as this will cause the blossom to end or rot the fruit. Feed regularly with Tomato fertlisier eg Tomorite. When the small Tomatoes have developed on the 4th truss ( fruting stem) remove the tip at 2 leaves above this truss.

Beautiful Spring Plants

Euphorbia Euphorbia polychroma- This is a bushy herbaceous perennial, which forms a thick mound of deep dark green sometimes purple tinted leaves. From mid spring to mid summer it has long lasting bright yellow flowers. These flowers are very bright even in the shade. This plant can grow upto 40cm in height and 60cm wide. It grows best in full sun but is tolerant of shade. It likes well drained soil with organic matter.

Plants to Attract Insects and Birds

Plants to attract Butterflies include Alyssum, Buddleis Davidii, Monarda didyma, Heliotropum x hybridum, Iberis matronalis, Anethum Raveolens, Gypsophilia paniculata, Hebe and Lunaria.

Plants to attract Birds include Acuba, Barberry, Buddleia, Callicarpa, Japonica, Clerodendrum, Cotoneaster, Daphne, Euonymus, Hebe, Hippophae, Hypericum, Illex, Mahonia, Rhus, Ribes, Skimmia, Snowberry, Syringa lilac and Viburnum.

Plants to attract Ladybirds include Achillea Millefolium, Anthemis, Buddeleia davidii, Convolvulus tricolour, Cosmos, Solidago.

Plants to attract Bees include Berberis, Buddleia, Ceanothus, Daphne, Lamium maculatatum, Escallonia, Ulex, Fuchsia, Lavender, Syringa Lilac,Mint, Marjoram, Cistus-rock rose, Skimmia, Spirea and Rhus

Beautiful Spring Plants

Bleeding Heart- Dicentra spectabilis. This is a wonderful, elegant herbaceous perennial. In late spring/ early summer the plant has arching stems that bear hanging heart shaped flowers with pink outer petals and crisp white inner flowers. The leaves are very fine and are almost fern like. These plants grow to 1.2m 4ft in height and 45cm 18inchs wide. It is best to be planted in damp, neutral soil with fertiliser and divided every three to four years.

Garden Maintenance- Deadhead Daffodils

Now that Daffodils are starting to go over ,it is time to deadhead them. Snap the flower heads off from just behind the swollen part, the stem can be left intact. If dead flowers are left on, the plants energy will go into regenerating plant seeds. However if you remove the head the plants energy is diverted into next years bud within the bulb. It used to be thought that you had to leave the foliage on the plant and let it die back completely to give the plant a good time to build up energy for next year. However research has now shown that the foliage can be cut down six weeks after the foliage has died. Either method is fine to use but dead flower heads can look messy.

Cleaning out your pond

Cleaning out your pond does not need to be done every year, however if the plants are getting bigger and making your pond crowded now is the time to do it. To start cleaning out your pond lift all plants and their baskets out. Now may be a good time to remove fish using a net. Put the removed fish in a temporary home with pond water and not tap water. Pump out the water and gently scoop out mud from the bottom being careful not to damage any liners. Hose and wash the liner using a soft brush and them remove the murky water left as residue. You can now begin to refill your pond, refill with your plants and divide them up and replace unhealthy plants. Lastly put the fish back into the pond along with the water they have been sitting in. After the pond is refilled, the water may go green but this will soon sort itself out when the plants re- establish.