Aubretia is an excellent, 6″ high perennial that is almost smothered with flowers in early spring.
Aubretia is suitable for rockeries, walls, borders, edging paths, planters and window boxes. Spread is 12-18in and flower colours include blue, rich purple and pink shades.

Sowing Instructions

• Sow by just covering the seed, from late winter to early summer, in a good free draining seed compost.
• Add some grit or sharp sand to ordinary compost as Aubretia doesn’t like wet feet.
• Make sure the compost is moist and not wet and seal in a polythene bag.
• Germination usually takes 14-21 days at 65F .

Growing Instructions

• Transplant, when large enough to handle, into boxes or 3in pots.
• Later plant out 12in apart into a sunny, well drained garden soil preferably containing lime.
• Trim with shears after flowering to keep plants tidy. Allow to trail if you like the unkempt look.
• Desirable plants can be increased by cuttings or layering in late spring.

Old Hybrids to Look Out For

• Doctor Muller – deep violet-blue
• Mrs Rodewald – larger red flowers.
• Bridesmaid – pale pink  with a deeper eye.
• Barker’s Double -  a pink mix with semi and double flowers

You can buy seeds or plants from Thompson Morgan

Aubretia deltoidea Variegata has white edged leaves.

Aubretia deltoidea Aurea has gold edged leaves. Aubretia is also in books with the spelling Aubrieta and Aubrietia

Hosepipe bans and talk of drought conditions turns gardeners minds to plants that can still thrive in those circumstances. I have suggested several types of plant to consider in the lists below.

Mediterranean Originated Herbs and Oil Producers

• Lavender has pungent foliage and makes a scented oil. The dried flowers retain scent indoors.
• Rosemary and Thyme are both herbs that will survive hot dry conditions. The sun even makes the flavour stronger.
• Oregano or Origanum laevigatum is blooming fine in my herb bed. The deep pink flowers are a bonus to the aromatic leaves.
• Other aromatics that will do well in dry conditions include Sage and Achillea.

Silver Leaved (sun reflecting) Plants

• Pinks and carnations have fine thin leaves so they do not desiccate easily.
• Santolina with fluffy yellow pompom flowers are good dry spot shrubs.
• Cistus is a family of flowering shrubs that has developed an oily leaf to protect against water loss.
• I like the silvery Sea Holly Eryngium giganteum which is a good doer in the dry spots.

Water Storage Plants

• The cacti and succulent families most readily spring to mind for dry gardens and there is a wide variety to choose from.
• Sedum and Sempervivums are easy to grow and the fleshy leaves retain moisture.
• Plants with long tap roots like Verbascum and several poppies can reach moisture deep down.

Tips For Dry Gardens

• Gravel is a good substitute for a mulch and it provides a reflective background for your plants.
• Putting new plants in a dry garden can be a problem. Autumn and early spring are the best times but some watering may still be needed.
• If it is so dry watering becomes necessary soak plants so that they are not encouraged to grow surface roots.
• A canopy of leaves can keep the worst of the drying sun off your garden but then a lot of dry garden plants are sum-lovers.
• The famous Beth Chatto gardens have a gravel garden worth visiting

I have a phobia or total lack of ability when it comes to growing Gentians. Because I expect to fail I have done so many many times and now I avoid Gentians like I wanted to avoid Gentain Violet bactericide as a child.

Gentian Facts

• The Gentians are evocative of the mountains (and that should tell me something about there cultivation).
• The majority of species flower in the deep, intense shade of blue for which Gentains are renown. ( New Zealand Gentians are white and there is a yellow Peruvian variety).
• Larger Gentians have 5 petals in a trumpet shape whilst smaller varieties have 5 petals that open like a star.
• In general European varieties flower in spring whilst the ‘easier’ Asian varieties flower in Autumn.
• This is a large genus with over 400 species and varieties.

Growing Tips

• Gentians are fiercely lime hating and require moist but fast draining soil.
• Gentians are thought to be difficult to grow outside their wild habitat.
• Good clumps of root should be planted out between October and February.
• Once established the less the plants are meddled with the better
• Top species to grow in England include Gentain Acaulis, Gentian verna, the spring Gentian and Gentian septemfida the  Crested Gentian.
• Gentiana sino-ornata is not only one of the easiest and most reliable, but also one of the loveliest with spectacular (BBC)

See tips for growing Gentians and I resolve to try again in my Rockery

The heat goes on – at least here in Norfolk and the exotic plants just love it, especially the Begonias! For some years I have had a passion for these wondrous plants from the hardy species like Begonia grandis evansiana to those that are decidedly tender. I have a display of these wonderful beasts just inside the entrance to the garden, many nestling in the shade of a Windmill Palm Trachycarpus fortune as most need protection from the hard glare of the midday sun at this time of year when it is at its highest.

Most of my collection are called cane-type begonias, which are distinguished from the others by their bamboo-like stems.  Most are free blooming and have large clusters of flowers of which many are ever blooming if temperatures are high enough.  Unfortunately, being tropical (mostly from Brazil) in nature I grow them in large pots which are brought out into the garden when all fear of frost has past,  usually around the third week of May here at the Exotic Garden.

One in particular that I find devilishly eye catching is the highly vaunted Begonia luxurians, a masterpiece of nature hailing from the forests of Brazil in South America.  I think this is one of the most beautiful Begonias that can be grown. It is particularly unique in its genus as it doesn’t particularly look like a begonia! Its hand-like leaves are up to 30cm (1ft) across and composed of 10-20 dark green leaflets that are fleshy and sometimes rippled and arranged in an almost complete circle at the top of each petiole (leaf stalk) and curving down giving a really dramatic weeping effect to the whole plant. The leaves are produced alternately up the stem which bends slightly at each leaf axil (where the leaf stalk is attached to the stem) resulting in an intriguing zigzag appearance. It certainly deserves its name as the foliage does look luxuriant making a great specimen.  At this time of year it is topped with racemes of dainty small creamy-white flowers. My multi-stemmed plant is about 1.5m (5ft) tall so the flowers can be easily admired at eye level, though in the wild it can grow to a staggering 3m (10ft) tall!

I have a rather large Begonia corallina at around 2.3m (7ft) tall in its container which is one of the easiest of the cane-type begonia species and fairly common though no less attractive for that. It has angel-wing like leaves 20cm (8ins) or more long, in a dark green shade with occasional spotting. The dark brown woody stems can become quite thick with age, up to 2cm (1ins) in diameter. It does have a tendency to drop its leaves giving a somewhat open appearance especially during the winter months. Since the plant can become rather large, it needs to have its individual canes staked if the flower clusters become too heavy as it blooms profusely with large cluster of red flowers, sometimes up to 30cm (1ft) or more across. Old canes that have gone barren (lost their leaves) can be pruned to two leaf joints above the ground in early spring.

Another large one is Begonia ‘Thurstonii’, a rather striking shrubby cane begonia which grows to around 2m (6ft) tall with striking shiny dark olive-green leaves with red veins and a red underside. Its overall glossiness makes it stand out from the other begonias, especially with its’ bunches of pink flowers at this time of year.

I have always had a soft spot for Begonia ‘Burle Marx’ which was much admired by the late Christopher Lloyd. This shrubby begonia grows to around 75cm (2 1/2 ft) tall, with densely packed, puckered, bronzy-green leaves and sprays of small white flowers on long stems. Finally but not least, Begonia maculata ‘Wightii’ also known as Spotted Begonia and Wight’s Spotted Begonia is out of this world looking as though it has been made in some fantasy land! This Begonia is new to me this year and is an extraordinary shrubby cane-type begonia with large glossy dark green leaves up to 30cm (1ft) long that look like bat or angel wings with pronounced silver dots. The white flowers are quite showy, appearing from late winter into the spring, arising from the canes among the leaves. My plant is about 30cm (1ft) tall though it will become a medium sized begonia that should reach 60-90cms (2-3ft) or maybe taller if it likes its location!

Although most books say Begonias shouldn’t be overwintered at less than 15C (59F), like my Bromeliads, I find they cope with a minimum low of 5C (41F) if kept pretty much bone dry during the winter months, though this does cause some leaf drop, but once warmer spring weather arrives they soon come back into leaf. I also find that the use of a large fan to blow the air around the greenhouse eliminates any mildew forming on the foliage, a scourge of our damp British winters. They all prefer a potting mix that is at least fifty percent loam based with added Osmocote slow release fertilizer plus the occasional sprinkling of blood fish and bone for good measure. The cane types do have a tendency to become rather floppy especially when in flower, hence the judicious use of bamboo canes for support is often essential on the taller types as mentioned earlier. They mostly prefer a dappled shade position that does not receive any midday sun as this will scorch the leaves. Other than that, most begonias enjoy being outside for the summer months from late May well into October. So – why not have a go at growing some yourself or come and admire them growing here at the Exotic Garden…

Twilight at the Exotic Garden

Cherry Tree

I think that it’s fair to say that although spring was late, it has been rather good and was soon followed by a lovely sunny Summer so far. I have quickly ran out of water from my recycled water butt and the lawn is looking rather yellow and dry but I don’t intend to water it since I know that it will recover as soon as the rain comes again.

My greenhouse is packed with tomato, cucumber and pepper plants which I visit daily to make sure that the cucumbers are climbing nicely against the twine which I have hung from the greenhouse ceiling. Tomato plants need to be staked regularly as they develop more flowers and fruits rapidly in summer and may collapse otherwise. I have 2 different grow bags, one of which is peat free and was purchased from B&Q. I have noticed that the 3 peppers in that bag aren’t doing so well as the other ones.

I have enjoyed the cherries from the half of the tree which I protected from birds although they appeared to be rather small this year. I have noticed some particularly big bumble bees flying around my fruit trees and shrubs and I have been wondering why.

This year I have managed to dig over and plant the whole of the garden which is now full of vegetables, fruits and flowers. Gardening has been very rewarding so far, what with the weather being so good and the crops coming on nicely, so bring on July!

Home-grown Peas. You really can’t beat them. I love the way the plant itself is so fresh and green. It’s the very epitome of Spring. The leaves are intricate and interesting. And catch the light beautifully.

The flowers are small and pearly white and hide from view like they’re shy of something.

And then one day you notice that there are not one, not two, not even three, four or five pods appearing. They’re everywhere. And the more you look the more you find. They’re all green and they make that squeaky noise when you touch them.

Peas – quite possibly the greatest vegetable of all.

The solstice arrived and swiftly departed without stopping, heralding the start of summer whatever our temperate climate throws at us over the next few months. We wouldn’t be British if we didn’t constantly complain about the weather! Too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, we muddle along and cope with all that out fair isle throws at us in our stride, with of course, plenty of grumbling on the way.

So our gardens are a few weeks later in growth than past years and in some years we are a few weeks ahead, though by high summer everything seems to even out and then we can grumble about the summer past! Some plants will always do better in some years rather than others depending on whether they like a lot of rain, heat, or sun, though a combination of all would be just fine and dandy. The blooms on the Torbay palm Cordyline australis for instance usually flower here at the Exotic Garden form mid May onwards and are only now coming into full bloom, with their intoxicatingly seductive Lilly scent with clouds of bees buzzing around.

Unfortunately the cold nights throughout the first half of the month often dropped down to single figures which has held many of the more tender planting back such as Coleus (Solenostemon) and Ricinus communis ‘Castor Oil Plant’ which loath cold nights, though with warmer weather they will soon perk up and grow into handsome plants by high summer.

A small tree that is doing very well here this year is the large leaved Magnolia macrophylla and what a whopper it is. This amazing small tree is indigenous to woodlands in south western United States and is hardy down to about -15°C (5°F). Mine is around 10 years old and about 3.5m (12ft) tall and doing exceedingly well, taking the past cold winter in its stride. Magnolia macrophylla prefers growing in dappled shade as it does not perform well in a full sun situation. The leaves on this monster can be from 30-90cm (12-32ins) long and 18-30 cm (7-12ins) wide. These over-the-top leaves are bright green above with a fuzzy, silver-grey underside, creating a beautiful two-toned effect with each passing breeze. From May to July it has showy fragrant blossoms, each up to 30cms (12ins) wide and pale ivory in colour with a slight rose tint at the base, lasting a day or so, hence easily missed.

On a far more diminutive scale is another woodlander that has grown to perfection over the last three years here at the Exotic Garden; Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’. This perennial marvel of the plant world has been planted near the entrance to the garden under a large pink flowered Horse Chestnut Aesculus x carnea. I first saw this little gem when on a lecture tour of the US Pacific North West where I fell in love with its stunning beauty in the garden of Linda Cochran on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. This delightful, if not rather bizarre looking plant, has lobed umbrella-shaped leaves up to 30cm (1ft) across, which are deep chartreuse with dramatic chocolate-brown spotting throughout the spring and into the summer. The whole ensemble emerges in early spring where it pushes up through the soil like a closed umbrella and expands once it is clear of the soil surface. The drooping garnet-coloured flowers are found under the leaves in clusters, so you have to gently push the leavers aside to see them. The flowers appear from late May throughout June and have rather peculiar metallic scent that makes you recoil as it is not the sort of aroma you expect from a plant! Never-the-less, I think this fairly recent introduction to the UK will be seen far more often in our gardens in years to come especially as it is hardy.


Another gem from plant collector extraordinaire Dan Hinkle who also lives on Bainbridge Island is Disporum cantoniense ‘Night Heron’. This rare and exceptional cultivar emerged from wild seed collections in China. The stems emerge from the ground from late winter to early spring with lustrous deep brownish-burgundy foliage rising up to 1.8m (6ft) tall like a handsome well-mannered bamboo and by summer the foliage fades to greenish-purple. Myriads of delicate, drooping, creamy bell-shaped flowers appear in terminal clusters in spring lasting for weeks, followed by masses of small glistening black-purple fruit. Like the Podophyllum it prefers dappled shade and moist soil.

My cats are all making a racket in the kitchen – telling me that I forgot to feed them this morning! I better go and feed them and have a cup of tea followed by a slow stroll with them around the garden and soak up the summer warmth…

I was looking back through the archives and I don’t think I’ve ever done anything on how I plant Leeks. So, since I planted some this week I think now’s the time.

Firstly, I sowed some Leek seeds in modules in early Spring. They were in the coldframe but for the last month or so they’ve been in the sunny corner of the garden, just waiting until they are big enough to plant out.

I make a hole with my dibber, hold one of the Leeks and snip off about a third of the root system.

I do the same with the tops. I’m not sure whether this system is in vogue or not but I’ve done it for the past five years after one of the old guys at the allotment told me I should. I think it is to encourage more growth and to not over tax the small plant. But anyway it works for me.

Then I place the small Leek into its hole, and fill the hole with water. To my knowledge, no other vegetable is planted in this way. I like the fact that Leeks have their own special system. And I find it much more interesting than just bunging it in the ground. Makes me feel like a ‘real’ gardener!

The Spinach has had it. I knew it would happen. It was one of the first things I sowed in early Spring and has been happily producing these past few months. But Spinach doesn’t last forever. It’s one of those cool weather plants that really just gives up when the weather heats up.

It’s started to go to seed so I harvested everything that was left, pulled up the plants and put them in the compost bin. I’ll leave it a few months until I sow some more.

Never one to leave the earth bare, I have already sown some Swede in place of the Spinach

If you fancy impressing the neighbours or you fancy holding a croquet tournament on your lawn why not try to grow the perfect lawn? If the idea of a perfect lawn doesn’t appeal no harm, you can always go for a wildlife lawn complete with daises e.t.c However, there are several steps we can take to enjoy a better lawn

10 Steps to a Perfect Lawn

1. Preparation. Prepare the area by providing a good well drained soil, free of large rocks and flattened with a rake. In preparing the lawn, take time to remove any perennial weeds. You can grow from seed, but for more immediate results, buy turf from a specialist supplier. At least then you can get off to a good start. If your lawn is really bad, it may be worth starting from scratch

2. Regular Mowing. Regular mowing at the right height is one of the most important tasks to maintain the lawn in good health and beat off any weeds which may creep into the lawn. The height of mowing will vary. But, generally the rule is to start higher and reduce the cutting height in the middle of the summer, when the lawn is growing fastest.

Another lawn at Brasenose College.

3. Remove Clippings and place on compost heap

4. Feed with Nitrogen Rich Feed in Spring / Early Summer. With constant cutting of the lawn it is important to replace nutrients for growth to maintain a strong grass. In autumn, it is important to feed a more balanced feed targetted not at leaf growth (nitrogen) but at building up a strong root structure.

Balliol College, Oxford
5. Raking. For grass raking I prefer one with metal rakes. This helps remove thatch, moss and dead leaves. It also helps to lightly aerate the soil. Raking is important in spring and autumn, especially for removing fallen leaves. It is also helpful to rake before mowing as raking often brings weeds to the surface so are more affected by cut.

6. Tackle weeds as soon as they appear. You can try spot killing individual weeds with a knife or apply weedkiller directly to the leaves.

7. Aerate the Lawn. On a small scale this can be done with a fork, there are also rotators for larger lawns which do the job more efficiently.

8. Brushing off any worm casts.

9. Top Dressing in Autumn. Top dressing is a way to add loan to a lawn and fill in any hollows. On a heavy soil, the top dressing would have a high weighting of sand to loam and peat. For a sandy soil, the top dressing would be higher in loam and peat. It is applied with a sprinkler and then worked into the lawn with a flat backed rake. or similar tool. It helps build up the lawn and makes it flatter.

10. Avoid Heavy Trampling. You don’t need to have ‘keep off signs like these Oxford Colleges, but, be wary of furniture which sits on grass for a long time.

Lawn Care Products at Amazon

Best Lawn Weed Killers

Daises in the Lawn