Brighten up
NOW is the time to get a head start on your summer colour so your plot will be bright and beautiful this year. I’m often asked what are the best plants for hanging baskets, pots and containers, and rather than different types I make my choices on how they perform.
So my favourites are those that flower for the longest periods, starting at the end of spring and only fading away at the beginning of autumn. I’m not too fussy about colour combinations – instead I love having fun mixing everything up to make relaxed and exuberant displays.
Plug plants are available now and if you have a greenhouse or a sunny windowsill, you can grow these little plants on so that by the time risk of frost has passed you will have garden-ready specimens.
Keep an eye on the forecast though – a lovely clear sunny day with no cloud cover can lead to a night time chill right up to and including the month of May.
Growing your own is a less expensive way to buy your summer bedding, and if you haven’t grown from seed, plug plants are the next step along the way as you can nurture these small seedlings or cuttings into sturdier specimens.
They come in modular trays or individual plug pots and need to be repotted into a bigger pot, around 7cm in diameter, so they have room to grow.
It’s best to handle them gently by their leaves because the stem, as with seedlings, is easily damaged. Fill the pot with multi-purpose compost, make a hole with a pencil or dibber in the centre of the compost and insert the plug plant and gently firm in. Water in gently with a fine rosette to minimise disturbance and place them in a bright, sunny position.
’Illumination Apricot’
Over the next few weeks the plants will start to increase in size and after four or five weeks you can start a liquid feed every two weeks.
If they start to outgrow the pot, you can pot up to the next size so that by the end of May/beginning of June you will have decent sized plants. It’s also possible to plant up pots and hanging baskets with these little plants if you have somewhere suitable to store them before they go outdoors. While leaving adequate space for the plug plants to expand, pots and hanging baskets look best when
Petunia Surfinia ‘Pink Vein’
Surfinia ‘Lime’ they are densely planted.
The following score high on my flower-ometer – all are tender so need protection until the danger of frost has passed.
Begonia “Illumination Apricot” – begonias do well in the sun but handily, they also tolerate partial shade. This is a bushy trailing variety with lots of large apricot flowers and is perfect for hanging baskets and window boxes as the abundant golden blooms will cascade freely from June to October. Illumination begonias are also available in white, scarlet, red, and pink.
Petunia Surfinia – petunias are the mainstay of hanging basket planting schemes with good reason as they are well suited to the British climate. Surfinia petunias are vigorous trailing varieties and their large trumpet-shaped blooms come in a wide variety of sunny colours. “Pink Vein” is one of the best known with blush pink flowers. For something a little different, Surfinia ‘Lime’ has white flowers flush with a fresh limey green.
Osteospermums, also known as African daisies, will raise a smile with their cheerful daisy blooms. There’s a big range, from simple flowers in white and pastels, to very zingy hot colours and clashing purple and orange combos. Their flowers last a long time too.
Channel 5 often devotes part of its Saturday night schedule to royal documentaries, but this week it's turning to rock royalty instead. And bands don't get much more regal than Queen. November marked the 30th anniversary of frontman Freddie Mercury's death, bringing with it tributes and documentaries, but it seems viewers just can't get enough of the band's story. But just why do we continue to be rocked by Queen? Obviously, the music is a big part of it, not to mention Mercury's incredible voice and impressive stage presence. However, the new two-part documentary
aims to dig a little deeper into how these four nice boys from the suburbs came together in the first place, and how they managed to create such an impressive legacy. Narrated by Simon Callow, it hears from people who were close to the band, as well as biographers and famous fans, and uncovers some of the stories behind their songs. It also explores some of the ups and downs of their career, including the bad management deals that saw them living on just £60 a week, and reminds us how unlikely their rise to fame really was. After all, their hit Bohemian Rhapsody has become so ubiquitous, it's easy now to forget that it's also deeply strange – and according to this documentary, the lyrics may have been based on the band members themselves. Before we learn whether Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor or John Deacon saw a little silhouetto of a man though, the opening episode explores their early attempts to break into charts through the evolution of Mercury's on-stage persona. It also reveals some of the musical influences behind their chart debut, Seven Seas of
Rhye, and why we have David Bowie to thank for their first appearance on Top of the Pops. There's also a look at how Killer Queen arguably set the template for Queen's future success, and how Liverpool fans inspired May to create the stadium-filling sound of We Will Rock You. Although Queen's sound was nothing if not eclectic, most fans probably wouldn't associate them with punk. However, their former plugger is on hand to explain their part in the infamous TV encounter between the Sex Pistols and Bill Grundy – and how Mercury would have his own run-in with Sid Vicious. Plus, there are stories of rock and roll excess.
The Dengineers. (R) Blue Peter. (R) Britain’s Best Young Artist. (R) Deadly 60. (R) Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr. (R) Live Snooker: The World Championship. Session three of the second semi-final.
The Band Wagon. (1953) Live Women’s Six Nations. France v England (Kick-off 2.15pm). Live Snooker: The World Championship. The concluding session of the first semi-final. Flog It! (R)
David Attenborough examines the curious world of flightless birds, investigating how they evolved and how they have adapted to survive. (R)
1929 -2022 Died peacefully at Carders Court on Friday 15th April 2022. Loving Daughter of the late William and Alice Crossley. Bryan, her legal carer, wishes to express his gratitude to the Staff of Arkwright House Carders Court for their excellent care that they had given her over the last three years. Funeral service and committal to take place on Tuesday 3rd May at Rochdale Crematorium at 11.50am. Family flowers only please.
Suddenly on 10th April 2022 aged 71 Years. Beloved husband to Lynda, devoted dad to Kris, Kirsty, the late Lisa, the Late Ryan and the late Kieron. Father in law to Natasha and James. Adored Gramps to Tom and Lucie. Also a much loved Brother, Uncle and Friend to many. Funeral Service to take place at Rochdale Crematorium on Tuesday 3rd May at 1.00 pm. Family flowers only please, donations if desired to Springhill Hospice or Macmillan Cancer Support. Further Enquires to Leach and Clegg Funeral Service 99 Dale Street, Milnrow, OL16 3NW. Tel: 01706 647377
Regional Support Officers have a key role in supporting members, activists and lay officers across the region. They do this by providing a wide range of support in delivering the regions strategic objectives to members and lay officers, in particular undertaking individual casework, advice on employment law and conditions of service, pay and bargaining, and recruitment and organising. The role of Regional Support Officer is an office-based role, however other work and training may be required to be undertaken at different locations in the region and our London Headquarters.
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