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Thorny Problems What’s wrong with my shrub?
This week: a playhouse becomes a potting shed, and how to rescue leggy geraniums
A recent “Back to Basics” on pruning elicited numerous pleas for advice from readers with shrubs that have either “never really got going” or have become “old faithfuls” – badly maintained mature shrubs that are now desperately out of shape. What can be done about them?
SHRUBS THAT NEVER GET GOING The first step should be to familiarise yourself with the origins of the lacklustre shrub, what soil conditions suit it best, how much sun it needs etc. Armed with knowledge about your shrub’s basic requirements, you can take some useful steps. I recommend a good book (Hillier’s Manual of Trees & Shrubs) or the RHS website, but most advice will be along these lines:
1. Mineral deficiency
This is often indicated by pale leaves with green veins. The roots of acidsoil-lovers might be unable to take up nutrients (and therefore be slowly starving) because of too-limy soil. This may be resolved by an annual soluble iron tonic (Sequestrene or equivalent).
Another cause of yellowing and unhealthy-looking leaves is magnesium deficiency, corrected by a soil drench or foliar spray with magnesium sulphate (as in Epsom salts).
2. Lack of water and/or nutrients Often caused by overcrowding and competition, culling one of a tight group of shrubs might be the only way out, or it may be a question of rescue from the clutches of ground cover or weeds. The greediest of these are evergreen spreaders such as ivy or periwinkle and the equally troublesome Hypericum calycinum (rose of Sharon).
There is no need for a scorched earth policy towards ground cover, however; just keep an eye on its progress and mount an annual “rescue” operation. For example, try to to keep the area under a shrub’s canopy (this area indicates the spread of its roots) free of competition so you can apply an annual general fertiliser (eg blood, fish and bone) and a bucket or two of soil-improving organic matter to the ground each spring.
An overnight dripping hose during droughts might hit the spot, too.
3. Lack of light
While some shrubs thrive in semishade, those that don’t will let you know by producing long, skinny shoots and fewer flowers. Small, young shrubs may need to be found more suitable, sunnier homes.
For shrubs that may have been happy once but have, over time, become overshadowed by other plants or trees, a partial solution might involve the pruning back or the raising of canopies of neighbouring offenders.
OLD, OUT-OFSHAPE SHRUBS
This is easier because at least you know they are basically happy. The way forward may have to be renovation (hard) pruning. Tackle it in early summer – although this may remove a year’s worth of flowers. It can also be done in stages, over two years.
Nearly all old shrubs will produce new green shoots from ground level or from brown wood.
But there are some exceptions: for example, slightly tender flowering evergreens such as hebes must be treated with caution. The solution is to cut back their outer growth first in late spring, to allow the visible lower inner growth to toughen up and eventually take over.
It will take at least a month for your old dog to realise that the new arrival is here to stay ‘There will be a new, younger energy in the household and the puppy will want to play’
As I write this, a small cavapoo puppy called Wilbur is attempting to remove my laptop’s power cable, having previously failed to remove the “caps lock” key with his tiny teeth. In the past hour, he has also kidnapped my slipper, considered eating an AAA battery, run headfirst into a coffee table and chased our cat outside into the pouring rain. Predictably, he has also defecated on the rug. Twice. He is now sleeping. Meanwhile, our other dog, Nell, is sitting on the sofa, perplexed.
She can blame me. Well, me and my wife, Ann. We had been mulling over getting a second dog long before the puppy love of lockdown blossomed across the nation. Around Christmas 2017, our beloved 19-year-old cat, Dolly, was put down and the sense of loss was heartbreaking and surprising in equal measure. While a new kitten, Kenny, filled the void, Ann began thinking about a life without Nell – and that didn’t really bear thinking about. Nell, a labradoodle, is nine and a half – mid-50s in human years – and has maybe three or four years left with us ( just writing that makes me well up) so we decided that it would be best for all concerned (although maybe not Nell and Kenny) if we were to get another dog to ease the pain when the inevitable happened.
Which is where Wilbur comes in, like a brick through a window.
Friends of ours also have a cavapoo and, as Ann suffers from asthma, we needed a dog, like Nell, that didn’t shed its hair. So Ann spent most of her waking hours scouring the internet for a reputable breeder, but we were also open to getting a rescue dog too, registering at the RSPCA and Dogs Trust. But getting a dog during lockdown, especially a hypoallergenic one, was like getting the golden ticket for Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. As soon as they came in, they went out.
Did we have reservations? Yes, but not nearly as many as when we got Nell. Back then, I simply didn’t want the hassle of a dog in my life, but now I wouldn’t be without Nell, and if you’ve got one dog, you might as well have two, right? The kids – if you can call them that at 19, 17 and 14 years old – were always up for another dog; it’s not like there was anything else to do in lockdown anyway.
Now three months old, Wilbur has settled in well and even an incurable misanthrope like me must concede that he’s very cute. I feel for Nell though. The most placid dog imaginable, she’s barked at Wilbur a few times, usually when he snaffles her food, but other than that she’s been remarkably stoic about the trauma we’ve inflicted on her.
While we’ve always known we would eventually get another dog, it’s still a decision not to be taken lightly. If you’re thinking of doubling your dog tally, then first consider what kind of dog you already have and whether it has the right temperament to deal with another dog in its home. Aggressive dogs need not apply. Nell has the kind of laid-back personality where nothing bothers her and we always knew she would take it in her stride – and that’s a major consideration for any dog owner contemplating getting another, as Louise Glazebrook, consultant trainer on the BBC Two programme 12 Puppies and Us, explains. “You must select the right dog with the right personality to accept a new dog – it’s not as simple as shoving two dogs together.”
You know your dog better than anyone. You know what they like, what gets their goat and maybe even what they’re like around goats. Crucially, you know how they behave around other dogs. cavapoos are known for their sweet temperaments and the fact that Wilbur is half poodle – one of the smarter breeds – means he should be easy to train, too.
But it’s inevitable that there will be issues to resolve. It’s important to remember the pack your household represents and where the new puppy is in that hierarchy (i.e. bottom). Make sure you praise and pet your other dog and give them as much, if not more, attention than usual. For us, that means giving Nell plenty of quality time and walks to herself, at least until Wilbur has had his second set of vaccinations and he can be unleashed on the world. Don’t be surprised if there’s a little suspicion and some resentment from your old dog. “Given that most dogs like to keep owners to themselves, it is normal to see a degree of jealousy in the early stages,” says leading dog behaviourist Nick Jones.
When we first got Nell back in 2011, our two cats at the time simply disappeared upstairs, hiding in the bedrooms and spraying all over rugs, duvets and mattresses, most of which we had to bin as we couldn’t get the stench out. We tried cat-calming potions and lotions, sprinkled around the house, but they didn’t work. But as Nell grew, they learned to tolerate each other. They were never best buddies, but they would give each other a respectful nod as they passed in the hallway.
So time and patience are key. Don’t assume that just because your old dog and your new addition aren’t snuggled up on the sofa within days that it’s a relationship doomed from the outset. It will take at least a month for your old dog to realise that the new arrival isn’t just here for a play date they never actually wanted in the first place.
Lockdown has certainly helped with our two dogs. With five of us in the house all day, there’s always someone to keep Wilbur occupied or mop up the tsunami of urine (invariably with Wilbur hanging off the mop). We’ve also learned from our first puppy experience with Nell. Back then, Ann and I would take turns to sleep downstairs as she whined through the night. Now, we put Wilbur in his cage and leave him to it (although we leave a lamp and Radio 3 on for him). I think he also finds it comforting that Nell is in the same room because he now sleeps as well as my 19-year-old daughter.
The age gap is also important. Like me, the last thing Nell wants at her stage of life is a demanding child hanging around/off her. So try to maximise the chances of your two dogs getting along by ensuring they’re reasonably matched in terms of energy and behaviour. “There will be a new, younger energy in the household and a puppy will want to play on a regular basis,” says Nick Jones. “The older dog can find this play disrupts their previous levels of peace and quiet – and they might not like it.”
Maybe introduce them on neutral territory so that they already have some idea of what to expect when moving-in day happens. “Try to ensure that neither dog can overwhelm the other by placing both dogs on leads and allowing initial introductions to be carried out in a neutral location such as a park,” suggests Nick Jones. Judge how the two dogs are getting along and, if you can, only take the new pup home when you’re confident that the pair of them can happily coexist under the same roof.
While Wilbur seems at home now, it’s also abundantly clear that he loves Ann more than anyone else. The moment she enters the room, he runs straight to her. When she leaves, he follows. And when she goes to the loo, he waits outside the door, pining for her to come out. Me? The best I get is the occasional playful bite on the toe or a nice little “gift” on the kitchen floor (from the dog, not Ann).
But he’s a good boy. Recently, I interviewed the radio and television presenter Nicky Campbell for this newspaper. We talked about his new book, One Of The Family – Why a Dog Called Maxwell Changed My Life, which explains how his pet labrador helped him through difficult times in his life. “Dogs,” he concluded, “make everything better.”
Kidnapped slippers aside, I think he’s probably right.
The first question painter and decorator Phil Robinson asks a new client is always, “Why are you decorating?” Right now the answer is likely to be for a change of scene.
Sales of paint have soared in the past year, for obvious reasons. Many of us have been spending 24/7 at home and have found the need for shades that lift our moods and work with the rhythm of the day. Small wonder B&Q has seen sales of brighter blues and greens, up a third in the past 12 months.
Interior designer Fiona Duke has also seen clients wanting to move away from dark walls and embrace more biophilic design. Olive greens are extremely popular, says Duke: “People even comment on my Instagram posts saying, ‘Do you do anything other than green?!’ ”
Fresher tones give us the feeling that we’re happier and healthier by bringing nature indoors. Yet, a slew of existing and new paint companies are offering not only those vibrant greens, but are challenging the industry to have greener credentials too.
Today there is much more on offer than a binary choice between Dulux and more premium Farrow & Ball.
Traditionally the industry has been rather opaque with its stance on the environment. The scandal of VOCs (volatile organic compounds, gases that are emitted into the air from products or processes) from the paint industry contributing to the hole in the ozone layer, saw a rush to reformulate away from crude oils (oil based paints are traditionally favoured because of their longevity and finish) with companies like Little Greene moving to sustainable vegetable oils. But for every “environmentally friendly” label on a tin of paint, it’s still unclear what you’re getting.
Robinson, who started Paint the Town Green 14 years ago after the birth of his first child made him think twice about what he put on the nursery walls, says: “With organic food, the Soil Association stamp makes it very clear, but with paints there’s not that clear-cut stamp.”
Traditionally clients cared more about colour but just as we now think twice about buying a £10 T-shirt, it’s increasingly the same for that five litres of gloss white for a tenner.
“Consumers drive the market and we all need to rethink the choices that we’re making,” says Robinson.
It was a revelation when he started using water-based egg shell and simultaneously stopped having headaches at the end of a long day. The stereotype is that most painters and decorators will groan when you present them with Farrow & Ball, but Robinson, who employs 25 painters, says the classic preference for oil-based paints is a comfort zone thing.
“You do get slightly longer to work the paint when it’s oil-based than
‘Customers drive the market. We all must rethink the choices we’re making’
water-based, but you just adjust the way you work.”
His younger employees have embraced water-based, which dries quicker, so you can get two coats done in a day, and has no need for hazardous white spirit to clean paint brushes.
“It’s a win-win for everyone. It’s harder to get a good finish but once you know what you’re doing you raise your game as a decorator and you can get it done,” says Robinson.
Farrow & Ball might be the best known water-based paint, but there are plenty more options out there.
Duke uses a lot of Benjamin Moore paint, and when it comes to quality she feels it goes a lot further than F&B in terms of scrubbability, although she concedes: “People like to have those F&B tins outside their house.”
Robinson agrees that F&B has become a term of reassurance used by designers to a client that “we’re going posh on this”.
There was a sharp intake of elephant’s breath when style arbiter Nicky Haslam put Farrow & Ball on his naff list. However, Robinson, who worked with Haslam on a range of paints for Paint the Town Green, feels it is no longer the quirky British company it once was; it’s now owned by Ares Management in the US, where it’s enjoying great sales.
“There is so much they’ve done well and I have to respect them for that,” says Robinson. “But at the end of the day, do they have the product and the credentials to keep ahead of the pack when there are younger, more vibrant brands emerging?”
He cites companies such as Lick Home for starting a conversation on Instagram about sustainability issues.
Robinson is enthusiastic about the Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, whose pigments are derived from nature.
Sales for the company have almost doubled during the pandemic, as consumers look for ethical alternatives, with Invisible Green top of their charts.
Architectural historian Bulmer was working as the interior designer for the Goodwood estate in the mid-2000s when a conversation with Janet Astor, wife of the Duke of Richmond, about allergy-friendly paints, sent him headlong into the murky paint world.
“In the 1980s the World Health Organisation had declared painting and decorating to be a carcinogenic profession. I was absolutely horrified,” he says.
“I looked into the formulations and realised they were all just plastic by another name. I realised I couldn’t go to Janet and say the paint was ecologically friendly or healthy.”
After sourcing a natural paint that used non-plastic pigments and binders, he was astonished to find he even preferred the effect. “The natural paint reflected the light in a different way.”
Five years ago he founded Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, working with a
German company called AURO AG which are pioneers of “gentle chemistry”. Bulmer remains sceptical of larger paint companies, asking whether they are doing enough research and development. VOCs may now be low but there is no-industry standard in terms of resins and binders that are used in modern paints.
Even for Bulmer, there are still compromises to be made. Emma Bulmer, his wife and business partner says: “AURO AG share with us a few red lines that we don’t intend to cross in terms of sustainability and transparency.”
Their response is to “treat our customers as adults” by publishing a list of ingredients and allowing clients to decide for themselves.
Bulmer says the upside of using plant-based resins is not only that they are completely renewable, but also because they aren’t heavily refined, they have a molecular structure that allows breathability.
“One of the problems with our interior air quality is so often that mould
EDWARD BULMER Natural Paint Light Olive Green 01 (left), Azurite 39 (below) and Clove 38 (below left) builds up. That’s because paint layers form a dew point which moisture can’t pass through. The mould resides on the surface and provides a breeding ground for mould spores.”
It’s not something many of us consider as we whack another layer of paint on the walls.
Bulmer concedes this: “The only people who seem to be interested in this are people who are concerned to protect old buildings, because impermeable layers can do untold damage to old substrates like lime and stone.
“The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings has a recommended SD value [measure of how much of a barrier a paint coating is to water vapour] for the paint you use on an old building. The maximum is SD 0.5, which is what our paint is.”
For the ecologically minded, in his opinion, spending more on paint has a more accessible impact than splashing out on an expensive electric car, and more realistic than offsetting by tree planting.
Despite the past year, Duke says, there’s a prevailing feeling that although times are hard for people: “They are making a conscious decision to purchase the best they can.”
Spending on better quality paint is also more cost effective, says Robinson. “The word for how paint covers is opacity. Cheap paint can have terrible opacity, which means more coats are needed and then there are more tins to get rid of.”
With so much choice though, where should people start? Let’s hope the images and recommendations dotted around this page will furnish you with some inspiration…
‘People are making a conscious decision to purchase the best they can’
EDWARD BULMER ‘Natural paint reflected the light in a different way’