My gardening DIARY

MONDAY

Dean who works here one day a week has finished laying the hedge. There are mountains of material to dispose of. Some of it will be bundled for use as twiggy pea-sticks to support perennials.

TUESDAY

As a token for Mother’s Day I’m planting a Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ for my mum. She's always with us in spirit, especially in the garden. The plant should delight us with its fragrant flowers for many Mother’s Days.

WEDNESDAY

We were thinking of pruning the Banksian rose that grows on the west end of the front of the co age. I’ve had second thoughts since many of the shoots are full of fat flower buds.

THURSDAY

Placing plants in the long border that runs down the edge of the brick garden. It has to be thought out carefully. Blue, yellow and green are our colours here and we need to take into consideration what can contend with the roots of a huge Prunus padus

‘Colorata’. Pulmonarias are first, epimediums too, are a safe bet. Lots more to follow.

FRIDAY

We've a collection of eucomis bulbs, mainly ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ that was developed not far from here by Terry Jones, a wonderful plantsman. It's often called the pineapple lily because of its flower head – with a tuft of leaves on the top. We repot them in February, knocking off old compost and repo ing with fresh.

SATURDAY

On returning home I discovered a tray of half-litre pots of rainbow chard waiting to be planted out in our huge concrete planters, had been chomped. The culprit must have been a deer.

SUNDAY

The prepared hyacinths po ed for Christmas flowering are at their peak. They’re a white variety called ‘Aiolos’. Of course, it’s their scent that constitutes the main a raction; we didn’t have it earlier but we’ve got it now!