GARDEN GURU

I would like to plant a sweet

Q box shrub and wondered what variety had the best scent. Maggie Jewell

Sweet box, or Sarcococca, A are evergreen shrubs with tiny flowers that pack a perfumed punch in winter. In my opinion, the most potent blooms belong to Sarcococca confusa. Forming a 6ft tall by

4ft wide rounded bush, its spidery white flowers are displayed to absolute perfection against a backdrop of dark green, shiny oval leaves.

Last year I installed a water

Q butt by the downpipe at my house. Is it OK to use the contents to water plants in pots? Patrick Cook

It’s fine to use rainwater on A plants in pots, especially if you raise blueberries or any other

ericaceous plants that dislike tap water. However, avoid using it on seedlings as it may contain fungal pathogens that check the growth of sensitive plantlets.

I use a so-called weatherproof Q marker to write on plant labels, but the names tend to fade over winter. Is there anything longer-lasting? Fay Ackroyd

Yes. A simple HB pencil. It’s A been my favoured tool for writing on labels since I started gardening. Even though pencil is durable, I’d still suggest checking labels in late autumn and going over names if they are fading.