Weekly catch up with garden and propagation

This week in the garden

with Scott

We have been joined in the garden this week by two great interns: Caitlin a HBGTP trainee gardener at Wrest Park and Amelia a London based gardener and florist.

And it's been a busy week, with many hands working hard that have allowed us to cover lots of areas across the garden and beyond.

We began in the wood with the final push to cut back this area ahead of the new flush of foliage to come. We pulled the fading Smyrnium perfoliatum, the last of the arums, and Caitlin did a great job strimming the patches of symphytum so we get lush new growth. You know you're a gardener when after a day pulling cleavers (Galium aparine) you are covered head to toe in their sticky seeds!

Then we headed next door to Chattowood where we deadheaded the many Euphorbia characias planted here. We are always very careful when cutting these as they have a thick milky sap that can irritate the skin, so take precautions if you intend to cut yours. Whenever we visit, I'm always so pleased to see just how much wildlife has moved in. I found a bumblebee nest, absolutely alive with these beautiful creatures dug deep into the sand.

From there we moved into the Scree Garden. This space is fantastic at the moment, dominated by the magnificent Hesperoyucca whipplei and its towering flower spike. We all weeded the beds and paths and Amelia thinned the Eschscholzia californica that had begun to spread leaving a pretty drift amongst the other plants.

Lastly when visiting the pigs on the new land, it was great to see how well the wildflower meadow was beginning to establish. After some timely rain, it has erupted into colour, full of plants and wildlife.

This week in propagation

with Rob

The week kicked off down in the growing department with steel determination in faces galore! This time of year things are flying, if that be in respect to the speed roots are putting down, or new shoots and seedheads appearing for propagation.

Richard, Sean and Olly have been down on the stockbeds, lifting and dividing a host of future treasures. Rich got into it with Stachys byzantina, an excellent ground cover plant for sunny spots, one cherished as a foil in borders where more bold displays need taming.

Stachys byzantina

Sean had his hands full with Miscanthus sinensis 'Purple Fall', which some may know as maiden grass. This beauty sports delicious creamy pink flowers in the late summer, but I love it for its autumn colour when its leaves develop many shades of burgundy and orange.

Miscanthus sinensis 'Purple Fall'

Artemisia abrotanum is just one of the multitude of cuttings Debs has been beavering away with this week. A gorgeously feathery plant, but one sought more for the aromatic properties it gifts and thus is often planted beside paths or near seating areas where it can be enjoyed fully.

Artemisia abrotanum

We were very lucky to have Amelia and Caitlin spend a day in the growing department where Emily shared some of the wealth of experience and knowledge she possesses for all things propagation! Succulents were the theme of the day, many of which are already over on our nursery and being eaten up by our visitors!

Elsewhere, a plethora of new plants are being potted by Kathy, Priya and PJ. Many new varieties potted last month are now fully rooted and are ready to strut their stuff on the website and nursery.

As always, thank you for choosing to bring a piece of Beth's garden into yours.