Amateur Gardening – 21 May 2019

11 MAY 2019AmAteur GArDeNING 33

All photographs Alamy unless otherwise credited

6 May must-haves

Geum‘mrsJ. Bradshaw’AGm

Thismidtofront-of-borderhardy

perennialneedslittlelookingafter.Loved

bybees,thescarletflowersappearin

Mayand,withregulardeadheading,

willcarryonallsummer.Growwithother

hotcolours,like‘BishopofLlandaff’

dahlias HxS: 2x1ft (60x30cm).

Lilac‘Palibin’AGm

Nospacefora lilactree?Thentrythis

compactdeciduousshrub,whichhas

highlyperfumed,lavender-pinkflowers

in MayandJune.Perfectfora large

container,orusedasa focalpointin

a mixedborder.Feedwithwell-rotted

manure in spring. H&S: 5ft (1½m).

Erysimum‘Bowles’smauve’AGm

Plantfornon-stopmauveflowers

fromMarchtoSeptember.Growwith

euphorbiaandtulipsin spring,andwith

silver-leavedlavenderandartemisiain

summer.Hateswinterwet.A short-lived

perennial;taketipcuttingsin summer.

HxS: 2½x2ft (75x60cm).

Papaverorientale

Orientalpoppiesofferfantasticcolour

beforemostothersummer-flowering

perennialsappear– buyin flowerand

you’llknowexactlywhatyou’regetting.

Duskypink‘Patty’sPlum’(above)is

understandablypopular.Needssunand

good drainage. H: Up to 3ft (90cm).

Aquilegia‘YellowQueen’AGm

Thespurredgoldenflowersabove

attractivefoliagearegreatfortextural

interest.Aquilegiascross-pollinate,

givinginterestingnewcoloursand

combinations– removespentflower

headstostopthis.‘NoraBarlow’is also

excellent. HxS: 3ftx14in (90x35cm).

Clematis‘Nellymoser’AGm

Thelargepale-pinkblooms,featuring

a darkercentralstripeoneachpetal,

appearin MayandJune,whileattractive

seedheadsextendthedisplaytolate

summer.Growona northoreast-

facingwall– toomuchsunwillfade

the flowers. HxS: 39inx10ft (1x3m).

Where to buy

ClaireAustin claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk 01686670342

Hardy’sCottageGardenPlants hardysplants.co.uk 01256896533

thompson & morgan thompson-morgan.com 0844 573 1818

willfilloutnicelyoverthenextcouple

ofyears.A savvyapproachis toplant

thesealongsidelargerspecimensof

thesamevariety,ordividea bigpot

intosmallerpieces.Thatway,you’llget

flowersnowandevenmoreofthem

next year – all without spending loads.