Situations Vacant: Hermit

An interesting request from the organisers of the Tatton Park Flower Show, Cheshire, which takes place from July 22-26. Head gardener, Sam Youd, is appealing for a modern-day hermit to take residence in his ‘Hermit’s Grotto’ garden.

The successful candidate must have an unkempt natural appearance, take a vow of silence for the duration of their occupancy, be prepared to live in a grotesque cave and have an interest in human skulls. Applicants can be male or female and must be over 18.

Interested? Email hermit@trustfido.co.uk or call the hermit hotline on 0161 274 3311. An interview may be required...

The battle rumbles on

Have to extend the Olbas oil / teabag coverage as some wretched animal has now decided that my potato patch is a good place to deficate. If this doesn't work then I'm going to have to invest in something more lethal - of the lock and load variety...

Unwelcome visitors

Certain visitors in one's garden are just not welcome. The usual suspects are slugs and snails and the occasional cat who thinks it owns the place. However, this year I have had repeated incursions from dogs, foxes and squirrels, whose antics border on sheer vandalism. I initially put bark down to discourage them from going on the borders, then upped the ante with rose cuttings - all to no avail. Finally, a friend of mine has given me a good tip for keeping them off - teabags soaked in Olbas oil. So far, it appears to have worked...

Berry good...

I love raspberries and at the moment am finding myself in a glut situation. The strawberries, on the other hand, have been completely eaten - chief suspect is the local squirrel population. For anyone wanting more advice on growing soft fruits, the RHS are putting on several open days around the country. There are strawberry fairs at Harlow Carr, Yorkshire (on July 5), Hyde Hall, Essex (July 4) and Rosemoor, Devon (also July 4). RHS Wisley, Surrey, is then having a 'berry weekend' on July 18-19, where you can learn how to grow and cook your own fruit, attend tastings and see displays and cookery demonstrations. Expert advice will be available from the Wisley Fruit and Trials team.

Grow your own pizzas

Chef André Garrett served up two of Matthew Wilson’s 'grow your own' pizzas at Galvin at Windows, The Hilton, Park Lane. 'The Titchmarsh', made from artichokes, tumbling tomatoes, olives, red onion, basil, garlic, capers and mozzarella, was not really to my taste. However, the 'de Thame' which consisted of red, green and orange peppers, chillies, pepperoni, vine tomatoes, olives and mozzarella, was much more to my liking. Both will be served (along with four other pizzas) at the Grow Your Own feature at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, which opens to the public on July 7.

Performing rose

Roses are now starting to come into their own - spurred on by the sunny spells and the sudden downpours we have been experiencing of late. 'Evelyn', a modern English rose developed by David Austin Roses, has had its best year in my garden and is loving the unsettled conditions. In previous years I had a bit of black spot but a good prune in the Spring has really helped it. The pink and apricot double blooms are really attractive. It can be used as a medium shrub or short climber and has an old rose fragrance mixed with fresh peaches.

Frying tonight...

I picked the first courgettes of the year today. I am growing two varities in large pots so that I can control the soil conditions (and reduce attack from slugs). The larger of the two is Ambassador, which is a rich dark green, while the other, Romanesco, has produced twice as many 'mini marrows' (they have thin ridges top to tail). I'll let you know how they tasted in the stir fry...

Another blogger

Always good to hear from a fellow blogger. I bumped into Julia at the Future Gardens who told me the title of her blog was "We're going to need a bigger pot". Check it out...

Daft for lupins...

For me, lupins are an inexpensive way to create impact in your borders with their tall, stately, candy-coloured plumes. I have a lovely carmine variety that is going great guns this year, lupinus The Pages (see pic). Many of the new hybrids that are coming on the market may offer more variety of colour and form, but I love the old fashioned varieties (especially The Governor and The Chatelaine). Lupins are tolerant of most soils but prefer slightly acid - they do need good drainage so don't give them too much organic matter and never cover the crown or they will rot (a bit of grit in the bottom of the planting hole will help drainage). Dead head the flowering spike (when it is on the wane) down to the next joint and you will prolong the flowering season. They are great attracter of bees to your garden. But watch out for the grey weevils that eat the young flower heads - they can be sorted out by direct spraying with an insectidal soap (ie. salts combined with fatty acids). That way you don't kill off the bees as well...

Urban memories

Another garden I felt an affinity with at the Future Gardens centre in Chiswell Green, St Albans, was Andy Sturgeon's Urban Greening (above), "a response to the loss of green spaces in our cities". For me, it brought back memories of places I used to play as a youth, particularly around the disused gasworks. Like this garden, nature was in the process of reclaiming the landscape and the rusting manmade structures stood as tombstones to the lost industry.

Designer gardens

One of the primary features at Future Gardens are 12 ground-breaking show gardens created by some well-known gardening names such as Andy Sturgeon, Tony Heywood and Fiona Heron, as well as some lesser known, up-and-coming designers. Pictured here is my favourite, entitled "Release Garden", by Michelle Wake and Chloe Leaper. The garden is inspired by the music of Wagner where visitors enter through an area of tension (above) made up of tightly woven tree structures before spilling out into a tranquil space with reflective pool.
Not sure I saw it that way - because I walked in the other entrance. I flet it was more like our own gardens, where we have the bits that we tend lovingly and that one patch down at the bottom where nature does its own thing...

The future is strange...

The Future Gardens visitor centre opened its doors today for us media folks and assorted dignataries and celebs. Phase 1 of this pioneering conservation project at the £27m, 27-acre site at Chiswell Green, St Albans, is open to the public from June to October. It has been laid out in the shape of a giant butterfly, the various attractions making up the parts of the insect. Ivan Hicks, the chief landscaper, has very much stamped his mark on the overall design, among the features a giant flowerpot garden (see above) and beehive-shaped restrooms (below). It kinda reminded me of the Flowerpot Men - that's a good memory...

Red hot...

Late May, early June is the time of year when the humble Kniphofia, also known as the Red Hot Poker or Torch Lily, really comes into its own. They are add a colourful statement to any odd corner of the garden that you can't decide what to do with and they will keep the vast majority of weeds out (beware bindweed though which will wrap itself around the tall spires). The ones pictured here are a fairly common variety but are some of the largest I have ever grown - nearly five feet tall. You can get allsorts these days including some very lovely yellow varieties. One drawback, however, is that they are a wonderful hiding place for snails - so don't plant any near your vegetable patch...

Golden glow...

Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum', also known as the Golden Leaf Full Moon Japanese Maple, is an absolute star throughout the growing season. It kicks off with clusters of small, red-purple spring flowers which develop into stunning lime-green leaves. Then, these leaves gently transform to vivid yellow in the bright sunlight of summer (see above) before turning to rusty orange and red in autumn.