My gardening Diary

MONDAY We grow Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ mainly for its bold, heartshaped, silver leaves, but during April and May, they’re eclipsed by sprays of bright cerulean-blue flowers. In the shady places where it loves to grow, their blue seems even more intense.

TUESDAY We’d planned to use Orlaya grandiflflflora as an element for our youngest daughter Alice’s wedding flowers, but the plants have rushed ahead and are showing buds. They’ve been planted in her garden, so we’ll sow some more and hope to get the timing right for September! WEDNESDAY Several of our squash and pumpkin seeds have ro ed. I should’ve followed Medwyn’s advice and got them germinating before planting them. We’ve probably got enough but we’ll sow a few more just in case. ‘Crown Prince’ and ‘Uchiki Kuri’ are our favourites. THURSDAY Filming at Oxford Botanic Garden for our Plant of the Month item on euphorbias. Their brilliance in the spring garden cannot be over-estimated and no ma er what the conditions, there are bound to be several that’ll thrive for you. FRIDAY Snowdrops were so good this year but I’m impatient for their leaves to fizzle. Just as with daffodils, it’s vital to allow foliage to return its goodness to the bulbs. SATURDAY We probably have more than enough dahlias but as they’re all coming into growth it’s just too tempting not to slide in a sharp knife right by the tubers and sever a few to make even more plants. Am I a serial propagator? SUNDAY We’ve run out of square half litre pots to pot on new plants. That just means all the established plants have to be planted out. We could do with a small army of volunteers! Polemoniums, lemon bu ercups and Campanula

thyrsoides are in the queue.