Our Horticultural Evening

 

We were really pleased at the number of you who came to our horticultural evening at Penybont Community Centre on April 1st and with the positive feed-back that we have received since then.

 

We have been asked when we are planning the next evening. All we can say is that it won’t be this year!

 

The raffle raised a total of £162. The Bracken Trust and Bulabakulu Childrenns Village in Uganda.  Each received £81.

Thank you to all who came. It was the fact that the hall was so full that made it such a successful evening.

Good Gardening!

Celia and Keith

 

Carrot and Cabbage Root Fly

 

If you experience problems with carrot root fly and/or cabbage root fly why not invest in some “enviromesh”.

This very fine mesh netting allows light and rain to penetrate but keeps out the problem flies. A 2.1m x 4.5m net will cost you £11.95 but will last for many years.

 

We recently received a useful tip from a customer. She recommended the carrot variety F1 Flyaway which has been especially bred to deter carrot fly. She reported that it said what it did on the packet and there was no compromise to flavour.

 

 More New Bedding Plants

 

Last summer we went to the trials of one of our seed suppliers in Oxfordshire and this inspired us to try out some new varieties.

 

One that impressed us was a tall version of the familiar Ageratum. Ageratum High Tide grows to about 60cm on vigorous plants with the blue flowers rising above the leaves. (4 Pack at £2.25) Available late May

 

Another variety we were tempted to try was a new

Petunia “Easy Wave”. These are spreading petunias growing to a height of 25cm but across to 80cm. These will be available in 4 packs in early June (red, white, blue and mixed at £2.99). One pack should cover a good area! They would also work well on their own in large containers.

 

Having abandoned stocks for several years we have grown a new variety this year Stock Tartan Mixed

which have double flowers on stocky plants. (6 Pack at £2.25)

New Plants for the Borders

 

Some of our “special” home grown perennials are now available for sale.

 

Geranium “Jolly Bee” is reliably

hardy with big blue flowers which

keep coming all summer. It forms a

mound 60cm x 100cm. Highly

recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aconitum “Stainless Steel”

was recommended by a friend

who grows it very successfully in

her garden at Penybont. Reliably

hardy and un-troubled by slugs

it will provide valuable height to a

shady border.

                                

 

 

 

 

 

Geranium Pratense “Double Jewel” has unusual double white star shaped flowers with pink centres.

This is a new variety for us but the plants look strong and promising. They would look good in containers as illustrated but equally at home in the border.

Sidalceas are another reliable

species. In fact we were first

introduced to them when we

arrived in Penybont and found

one growing and surviving under an overgrown conifer hedge. They resemble miniature hollyhocks. “Candy Girl” has dark rose flowers. (left)

Dicentra “Ivory Hearts” produces its white heart shaped flowers over an exceptionally long period from March to September. Only 25cm high it will grow in sun or part shade.

Campanulas usually do well in

this part of the world and

Campanula “Sarastro”

promises to be exceptional. It

has waxy, scented bell shaped

flowers which, because the plant

is sterile, keep coming all

summer. It is naturally branching to 40cm.