Welcome to my potting shed! This is the column where I’ll share all my gardening hints and tips – and I’ll try to answer any queries you may have.

Q Can you recommend a climbing rose that will grow against a north-facing wall. I’d like it to be fragrant if possible. – Diane Clements, Ellon.

A ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ makes a lovely climber. It will grow quite happily in semi-shade and its large, pink flowers have a lovely, old-fashioned perfume.

Deadhead lilacs and cut back stems

that are getting too long.

Q Why can’t I grow verbascums? I’ve tried a couple of times but they never last for more than a couple of years before dying out. – Hailey Thomson, Cardonald.

A Damp, heavy soil is the most likely reason why your verbascums keep failing. These British natives like very free-draining soil, so add plenty of grit and mound up the soil to keep them as dry as possible.

Cut down lupins as soon as the flowers

have faded and they might produce a second flush of flowers.

Q I want to grow a small parterre but I’m worried that box plants will develop blight and die. What are the alternatives? – Janet Chalmers, by email.

A The Japanese holly, Ilex crenata is a good choice. It has small leaves and can be hard-clipped like box. You might also consider Euonymus japonicus or the shrubby honeysuckle, Lonicera nitida.

Check citrus plants regularly, keeping

the water just moist but ensuring that they never dry out.

Q I’m growing chillies for the first time. What should I be feeding them? – Mark Laing, East Kilbride.

A Some liquid tomato, once a week. Don’t discard your plants at the end of the summer. Overwintered on your kitchen windowsill, they’ll start fruiting much earlier next year.

If your soil dries out and sets like

concrete, add a thick layer of compost or well-rotted manure to the surface.

Q Can I prune a large camellia without damaging it? It is now blocking the path to the front door. – David Smith, Cumbernauld.

A Camellias can take a hard pruning and if you do it now then you won’t affect next year’s flowers. In future give it a light trim every year to prevent it from getting out of hand.

Keep sowing peas, both for pods filled

with fresh peas and for tasty salad greens.