Garden Guru

QA plant with striking purplepink flowers appeared in my garden. Do you know what it is? Kevin Land

AThe photo you sent me shows salsify (Tragopogon parrifolius), a vegetable that is grown for its roots, which are claimed to taste like oysters. If you don’t fancy tucking in, simply enjoy the plant for its stunning flowers, which are held on stems that can reach 4ft in height.

QI have a magnolia in a pot that has only just flowered. Is that normal? Trudi Neligan

ASeveral types of magnolia produce a first flush of flowers in the spring, often on bare branches, followed by a second flush in mid summer. I suspect that the first lot of buds were lost after the UK was hit by a cold snap in early spring. So, the plant is only doing what comes naturally.

QI planted runner beans in late June. They have only grown a few inches and have started to flower. I feed them regularly and water well in the evening. What can I do? Brian George

ANot much this year, unfortunately. I think your plants are simply suffering from stunted growth due to our exceptionally long, hot summer – though it’s cooled a bit recently. You can alleviate problems in the future by planting pot-grown beans much earlier, in late spring or very early summer, to give them more time to establish before and really hot weather sets in. Alternatively, you can plant seeds in mid-May.