MISSION OF ANNUAL HOLDING OPERATION – WITH TOM PATTINSON

Flowering plants are in competition for greenhouse bench space too. They’re at different stages of development, some ready for second pots, others just switching from plug to their first, yet more starting to germinate. It’s still too early for planting them out so the annual holding operation swings into action with makeshift shelves and some occupying floor space. Oh, for a TARDIS!

Cosmos is a half-hardy annual that represents good value for money, attractive, long flowering, and very popular with insect life. So, we have five different varieties under way including ‘Seashells Mixed’ which was a star performer last year. Rudbeckia shares these qualities and it`s also been given tray space. We’re trying varieties ‘Allsorts Mixed’ and ‘Solar Eclipse’ for a change. Nigella (love-in-a-mist) offers some stunning cultivars, but we haven’t room for them all so have settled for a tray each of ‘Mulberry Rose’ and ‘Moody Blues.’ Half-hardy annuals are capable of germinating when sown outdoors a little later as soil and air warmth increases, but I prefer to have them ready to go a.s.a.p.

Chrysanthemum stools pottedup last autumn and brought under cover, have been offering new shoots as stem cuttings since February. The first batches of early flowering ‘Allouise Pink’ and ‘Gompie White’ are progressing well in pots.

When the woolmans.com Spring catalogue arrived recently we found it far too tempting. The lady of the house ordered plants of the garden spray variety ‘Mrs Jessie Cooper’ (bright pink blooms with yellow centres). I went for some late ‘Classics comprising pink, yellow, white and bronze. They’ll arrive next month as well rooted plug plants and grow on for indoor decoration at the year’s end.

As they’re perennials and easily propagated, with care there’ll be offspring for years.