Gardeners urged to plant one common flower slugs absolutely hate
There are few plants that slugs enjoy nibbling more than the hosta, but instead of dousing yours in chemical insect repellants, try Diarmuid Gavin's more natural solution
After hosting winter displays and spring bulbs, now's the time for summer colour in my pots. That's been my job this week and I like using terracotta pots because they complement most types of planting.
They can dry out quickly so require a commitment to keeping them well watered throughout the warmer months. I've emptied the old compost around the garden beds and I am using a good-quality multi-purpose compost that will support my choice of plants.
This, combined with fortnightly liquid feeding and deadheading, should ensure lots of flowers to enjoy over the next few months. As we are well past any fear of frost, there's plenty of plants that will thrive now. Tender bedding plants can be used and you may have been growing your own from seed which might be pot ready now.
It is easy to be seduced by the trays of brightly coloured flowers for sale but in general it's a good idea to buy plants that have plenty of buds yet to blossom. I've chosen a mix of perennial and annuals, some old favourites and some new ones to try out.
READ MORE: Homes with hanging baskets urged to repeat crucial 60 second task daily
Bulbine 'Avera Sunset Orange' is a newbie. A perennial, it's also known as the burnt jelly plant as its succulent leaves have skin-healing properties, a bit like aloe vera. It has fleshy linear leaves and exotic-looking orange and yellow flowers. Hailing from South Africa, it can only manage outdoors here in the summer unless you are in the Scilly Isles or somewhere similar.
It's a good plant for a balcony and then can be taken indoors over winter. Erigeron karvinskianus is an old reliable and one that I think looks great with its relaxed habit, the daisy flowers tumbling down the side of pots.
Although it comes from Mexico, it's remarkably happy in our climate. It's great as an edging plant, tucked into cracks in paving or walls or simply as part of a mixed border and will grow in sun or partial shade in well-drained soil.
Cerinthe purpurascens is a very easy-to-grow annual. Also known as honeywort, its pretty purple bell-shaped flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies. These contrast beautifully with the silvery green oval leaves too. Cosmos is also a superb half hardy annual – I love the daisy-like flowers that usually come in white or pink but are also available in warmer yellows and oranges.
I've a slightly complex relationship with hostas. Any plant that causes gardeners anxiety due to a creature nibbling on them, using chemical pesticides to kill them off, possibly isn't right for that gardener's plot.
The slugs that feed on them make delicious food for our garden birds. And why do we want to poison any creature in our gardens? It's not really part of our nurturing nature is it? But there are some hostas that have a reputation for being slug resistant.
I'm using a variety called 'Blue Umbrellas', which is one of the largest of the species and has giant blue-green heart shaped leaves. It should be the crowning glory of the new potted garden.
Jobs to do in the garden this week
Watch out for scarlet lily beetle and remove – they're crafty and will hop off the stem as you approach, so try and cup one hand below to catch them.
Keep an eye out for slugs and snails who may tuck into your flowers and leafy vegetables. A shallow saucer of beer nightly beside your flowers is a good way of controlling them.
Cut back lupins before they go to seed and you may get a second smaller flush. Cut back hardy geraniums that have finished flowering to ensure new growth.
Keep roses well watered in warm weather and regularly check pots for watering.
Peat-based compost can dry out, so it may need a complete dunking in a bucket of water until all the air bubbles are gone from soil.
Warm weather can lead to an increase in algae and duckweed in your pond, so fish it out with a small fishing net or twirl it around a cane. Barley straw in the pond can help keep the problem at bay or if you can't get hold of any there are liquid products available that contain an extract of it which will do the same job.
Keep your bird bath topped up for the birds.
Divide irises after flowering – you only need do this process every few years but it will help to put new life into old stock.
Why your roses aren't growing well in pots
A reader wrote in to ask why his roses aren't doing well in pots. They're the right size and he followed the label instructions. I don't blame him for being baffled. Roses can grow very well in pots provided the conditions are right. In warm and windy weather pots can dry out fast so consistent watering is essential.
However, they don't like being waterlogged as the roots can rot, so good drainage is important – pots must have drainage holes. Roses are hungry feeders and will benefit from a high potassium feed every two weeks in the growing season. Pot compost can become exhausted so top with fresh compost every year. With consistent moisture, good drainage, and feeding, your roses should bounce back.
Plant of the week: Delphinium 'Faust'
It's hard to compete with the glamour of delphiniums in full bloom, their stately stems covered in flowers. 'Faust' is a fine cultivar with an RHS Award of Garden Merit. It has rich blue double flowers with a dark eye and can grow to a height of 5-6ft. For best results, grow in well-drained soil and full sunshine.
Give them adequate space as they don't like to be crowded and a sheltered spot is best. They make gorgeous cut flowers and provide vertical interest in the borders, flowering through the summer. Cut back faded spikes and you may get a second flush of flowers. For super blooms, thin shoots when young to leave just two or three spikes.
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Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to plant one common flower slugs absolutely hate
There are few plants that slugs enjoy nibbling more than the hosta, but instead of dousing yours in chemical insect repellants, try Diarmuid Gavin's more natural solution After hosting winter displays and spring bulbs, now's the time for summer colour in my pots. That's been my job this week and I like using terracotta pots because they complement most types of planting. They can dry out quickly so require a commitment to keeping them well watered throughout the warmer months. I've emptied the old compost around the garden beds and I am using a good-quality multi-purpose compost that will support my choice of plants. This, combined with fortnightly liquid feeding and deadheading, should ensure lots of flowers to enjoy over the next few months. As we are well past any fear of frost, there's plenty of plants that will thrive now. Tender bedding plants can be used and you may have been growing your own from seed which might be pot ready now. It is easy to be seduced by the trays of brightly coloured flowers for sale but in general it's a good idea to buy plants that have plenty of buds yet to blossom. I've chosen a mix of perennial and annuals, some old favourites and some new ones to try out. READ MORE: Homes with hanging baskets urged to repeat crucial 60 second task daily Bulbine 'Avera Sunset Orange' is a newbie. A perennial, it's also known as the burnt jelly plant as its succulent leaves have skin-healing properties, a bit like aloe vera. It has fleshy linear leaves and exotic-looking orange and yellow flowers. Hailing from South Africa, it can only manage outdoors here in the summer unless you are in the Scilly Isles or somewhere similar. It's a good plant for a balcony and then can be taken indoors over winter. Erigeron karvinskianus is an old reliable and one that I think looks great with its relaxed habit, the daisy flowers tumbling down the side of pots. Although it comes from Mexico, it's remarkably happy in our climate. It's great as an edging plant, tucked into cracks in paving or walls or simply as part of a mixed border and will grow in sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Cerinthe purpurascens is a very easy-to-grow annual. Also known as honeywort, its pretty purple bell-shaped flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies. These contrast beautifully with the silvery green oval leaves too. Cosmos is also a superb half hardy annual – I love the daisy-like flowers that usually come in white or pink but are also available in warmer yellows and oranges. I've a slightly complex relationship with hostas. Any plant that causes gardeners anxiety due to a creature nibbling on them, using chemical pesticides to kill them off, possibly isn't right for that gardener's plot. The slugs that feed on them make delicious food for our garden birds. And why do we want to poison any creature in our gardens? It's not really part of our nurturing nature is it? But there are some hostas that have a reputation for being slug resistant. I'm using a variety called 'Blue Umbrellas', which is one of the largest of the species and has giant blue-green heart shaped leaves. It should be the crowning glory of the new potted garden. Jobs to do in the garden this week Watch out for scarlet lily beetle and remove – they're crafty and will hop off the stem as you approach, so try and cup one hand below to catch them. Keep an eye out for slugs and snails who may tuck into your flowers and leafy vegetables. A shallow saucer of beer nightly beside your flowers is a good way of controlling them. Cut back lupins before they go to seed and you may get a second smaller flush. Cut back hardy geraniums that have finished flowering to ensure new growth. Keep roses well watered in warm weather and regularly check pots for watering. Peat-based compost can dry out, so it may need a complete dunking in a bucket of water until all the air bubbles are gone from soil. Warm weather can lead to an increase in algae and duckweed in your pond, so fish it out with a small fishing net or twirl it around a cane. Barley straw in the pond can help keep the problem at bay or if you can't get hold of any there are liquid products available that contain an extract of it which will do the same job. Keep your bird bath topped up for the birds. Divide irises after flowering – you only need do this process every few years but it will help to put new life into old stock. Why your roses aren't growing well in pots A reader wrote in to ask why his roses aren't doing well in pots. They're the right size and he followed the label instructions. I don't blame him for being baffled. Roses can grow very well in pots provided the conditions are right. In warm and windy weather pots can dry out fast so consistent watering is essential. However, they don't like being waterlogged as the roots can rot, so good drainage is important – pots must have drainage holes. Roses are hungry feeders and will benefit from a high potassium feed every two weeks in the growing season. Pot compost can become exhausted so top with fresh compost every year. With consistent moisture, good drainage, and feeding, your roses should bounce back. Plant of the week: Delphinium 'Faust' It's hard to compete with the glamour of delphiniums in full bloom, their stately stems covered in flowers. 'Faust' is a fine cultivar with an RHS Award of Garden Merit. It has rich blue double flowers with a dark eye and can grow to a height of 5-6ft. For best results, grow in well-drained soil and full sunshine. Give them adequate space as they don't like to be crowded and a sheltered spot is best. They make gorgeous cut flowers and provide vertical interest in the borders, flowering through the summer. Cut back faded spikes and you may get a second flush of flowers. For super blooms, thin shoots when young to leave just two or three spikes.
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners issued 'act now' warning over common pests
There's one thing you need to do this week to prevent problems continuing in your patch for many years, says gardening expert Diarmuid Gavin Your garden may have some uninvited guests, commonly known as weeds. And one of my jobs to do this week is get weeds out of the ground before they set seed and propagate another generation of weeds. As the saying goes, one year's seeding is seven years' weeding. Some weeds, like bindweed and ground elder, are particularly invasive and can quickly strangle your cultivated perennials if unchecked. We now know that chemical herbicides can have serious environmental and health impacts. But of the most effective and environmentally friendly methods for dealing with weeds is manual removal. Hoes are particularly useful for dealing with young seedlings, slicing them just below the soil surface and disturbing their delicate roots. Specialised hand tools like sharp weeding knives are invaluable. These tools allow you to carefully pry out weeds with minimal disturbance to surrounding plants. In driveways, patios, and between paving stones, mechanical methods such as a weed burner offer a chemical-free solution. Directing a flame at the weed damages its cells and causes it to die back. Alternatively, pouring boiling water over weeds can be surprisingly effective. Jobs to do this week Hanging baskets and containers may need twice daily watering in these high temperatures. Similarly fruit and veg will need your attention. If it's moist or there's a chance of rain, give lawns a summer feed. Hedges that are looking a bit hairy can be trimmed back. Cut back hardy geraniums that have finished flowering to encourage a second flush. Summer prune wisteria – this just means cutting back long whippy shoots to about six leaves. Do this when the wisteria is finished flowering to encourage it to form more flower buds for next year. Give dahlias a liquid feed and stake them to support them. Pinch out side shoots of cordon tomatoes. Water tomatoes daily to prevent split fruit and feed weekly. Remove rose flowers as they start to go over or it will use its energy to produce rosehips. Now's the time to start refreshing parts of my garden, and this week my project was to plant ground cover beneath a canopy of tree ferns. I began with plenty of soil preparation, removing weeds and stones before covering the area with a thick layer of compost — a good six inches or more of dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich compost that smells of the woodland floor. It's the perfect host for my new plants. Ferns are a natural choice for such an area. They complement the existing tree ferns, and the shady conditions mimic their natural woodland habitats. I've planted a mixture of varieties, arranging each in groups of five. Dryopteris erythrosora, sometimes known as the Autumn Fern, is one of my favourites. It's a resilient, beautiful, clump-forming, semi-evergreen perennial, with young copper-tinted foliage that matures to a vivid green. In contrast, Athyrium 'Burgundy Lace' is a striking deciduous fern, with arching fronds that emerge purple and age to a silvery green, while retaining a bold purple mid-rib. This pairs well with the architectural foliage of Dryopteris wallichiana, or Wood Fern, known for its upright, shuttlecock shape and dark green leaves with a central black rib — a real statement plant. With a view to adding spring colour, I've included a few old favourites. Brunnera 'Jack Frost' is a reliable choice, flowering in April and May with tiny, bright blue flowers resembling forget-me-nots, beautifully offset by its silvery, heart-shaped leaves. Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign' serves a similar role, with broad, fuzzy, dark green leaves and bright, bell-shaped flowers in early spring, providing much-needed nectar for pollinators. Both are perennials that die back in winter. Hardy geraniums are truly wonderful garden plants, with a variety for every situation. In this shady spot, Geranium phaeum is among the best options. Also known as the dusky cranesbill or mourning widow, it has distinctive flowers with curved-back petals and prominent stamens. I'm also planting 'Springtime', a cultivar with dark purple flowers and foliage attractively splotched with purple at the base. Dotted throughout the bed are several Helleborus orientalis, which will thrive in shade and flower for several months in spring. As these are unnamed varieties, their flower colours will be a surprise — I could find myself greeted by pink, white, purple, or even green blooms next year. My final star plant is Osmunda regalis, the royal fern. Aptly named, it produces elegant, regal fronds that unfurl a fresh green in spring, turn bronze in autumn, and then die back. It's a plant that demands space, capable of reaching six feet in height when it's happy — which means it needs plenty of water. As they're all new plantings, I'll be keeping them well watered through summer, and the combination of moisture and warmth should help them settle in beautifully. I'm looking forward to watching this cool, calm, shady corner develop. With the right plants, a sheltered spot like this can become one of the loveliest parts of any garden. Plant of the week: Antirrhinum 'Appleblossom' Better known as snapdragons, these delightful summer flowers are easy to grow and come in a range of cheerful colours. 'Appleblossom' has pretty pastel pink blossoms and makes a good cutting flower as it responds by producing more flowers. Grow in full sunshine in fertile well-drained soil.
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Warning to UK gardeners over mistake that stops beautiful flower blooming
Time to get the secateurs out! If you leave heads to go brown on the stalk you're missing out on a spectacular floral display, says gardening expert Diarmuid Gavin June marks the peak flowering season for roses. Whether they're climbing up walls and trellises or flourishing in borders and pots, roses are the essence of an English country garden and remain a firm favourite among gardeners. Their beauty and scent are unrivalled, but they can be susceptible to pests and diseases, so it's worth knowing how to care for them through the summer months. The most common problem you're likely to encounter is greenfly or aphids. These small insects are easy to spot as they gather on new leaves and rosebuds. While they're a natural part of a garden's biodiversity and a vital food source for ladybirds, they feed on the sap of your plants and excrete a sticky substance known as honeydew, which can lead to unsightly black mould. Although aphids typically won't cause serious damage to your roses, it's a good idea to keep their numbers in check. You can simply wipe them off with your fingers, gently hose them away, or make a home remedy by mixing water with a splash of liquid detergent in a watering can and directing it at the affected areas. Deadheading is another important job during the summer. Removing spent flowers encourages the plant to produce more blooms rather than developing rose hips. As soon as the petals start to brown, snip off the flower and stem, cutting back to just above a leaflet. The exception to this rule is for species roses such as Rosa rugosa and Rosa canina, which produce beautiful, ornamental rose hips in autumn. Black spot is a very common issue with roses, appearing as black or purple splotches on leaves, often accompanied by yellowing. This fungal disease weakens the plant over time. If the infestation is mild, you can prune away the affected leaves, though you'll want to avoid stripping the plant bare. Since black spot is fungal, there's little you can do without resorting to fungicides, which tend to harm beneficial fungi in the soil as well. However, some gardeners have success with home-made remedies like a diluted solution of bicarbonate of soda or milk mixed with water. Rose breeders have worked to develop varieties resistant to black spot, though over time this resistance can diminish. In my own garden, I've found species roses to be the most resilient; for instance, Rosa Roseraie de l'Hay is a wonderfully healthy rose that has never shown any signs of disease and reliably produces richly perfumed, beautiful cerise-pink flowers year after year. Maintaining good plant health is one of the best defences against disease. Regular watering is essential through the summer — at least weekly for established plants and more frequently for newly planted roses. Always water at the base of the plant and soak the soil thoroughly to encourage deep root growth. It's best to avoid wetting the foliage, as this increases the risk of powdery mildew. Roses are also hungry feeders, so supplementing with a liquid seaweed feed or a tomato fertiliser during the summer will help sustain their flowering performance. June is a wonderful time to see roses in full bloom across the country, so if you have the opportunity, try to visit a local park or garden over the coming weeks and enjoy these timeless, fragrant flowers at their best. What jobs to do in the garden this week: Most houseplants are in active growth, so need regular watering and fortnightly feeding. Feed tomatoes once a week. Check your cabbages for butterflies laying their eggs – often you will find them on the underside of leaves. Remove by hand as their baby caterpillars can completely denude your plant. Fruit bushes need lots of water in dry periods to allow fruit to swell. Plums, pears and apples can be thinned out this month. This will happen naturally as well – it's called June drop – but if you want bigger fruit, remove some of the smaller fruitlets. Ornamental lemon trees can vacation outdoors for the duration of summer. Plant some seeds – nasturtium seeds are easy and can go straight in the ground now or pots for a cascade of flowers in late summer. Continue successional sowing of salads and sow outdoors cucumber, sweetcorn, squash, French, runner and broad beans. Continue to earth up potatoes. New potatoes may be ready to harvest, depending on when they were planted. Prune spring-flowering deciduous shrubs such as kerria, forsythia, ribes and weigela as soon as they are finished flowering if they are outgrowing their space. Plant of the week: Campanula medium Also known as Canterbury bells due to the flower's bell shape, this biennial has been grown in the UK since the 16th century. It's a graceful and charming plant with either blue, pink or white flowers. To propagate, sow seed this month or in July and plant out in autumn or the following spring where you'd like them to grow. Grow in sun or partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil.
