Phormidable! Taming a rising star that just keeps growing
Procrastinate no more! The fast-growing, exotic phormium needs some tender, loving care before the winter onslaught, says Agnes Stevenson
Some jobs around the garden are more daunting than others, and there’s always a temptation to put them off.
That’s what I’ve been doing with the huge phormium that is squeezed into a pot that has become too small for it.
If it was just a case of moving it into a bigger container then I would have done it long ago but some while back couch grass seeded itself into the pot and it has grown vigorously. Now the only solution is to tip out the phormium, wash the soil off the roots and try to tease out every bit of grass.
It’s a time-consuming task but once it’s done I’ll split the phormium into smaller sections and replant these in fresh compost.
Phormiums are tough and good at adding an exotic effect in gardens in cooler climates. But bad weather and a lack of water can damage the tips, leaving them brown and crispy. If that happens to your phormiums, snip off the damaged areas, cutting at an angle to avoid leaving a blunt edge.
When replanting, use a really gritty soil and spread more grit over the surface to prevent moisture gathering here.to keep plants healthy, apply a liquid feed from late-spring until the end of summer and move on into a slightly larger container once the roots have filled the pots.
Phormiums are useful for adding structure to the garden when everything else has gone to ground. Bold, statement plants, they look good either on their own or surrounded by smaller containers filled with bulbs and bedding.they also come in a wide range of foliage colours, from dark green to pink, yellow and bronze, some with plain leaves and some striped with other colours.
The largest of the tribe is Phormium tenax, which can reach 13ft in height in
favourable conditions, but most varieties top off at about 5ft.
As well as phormiums, I also have a selection of sub-shrubs, like evergreen euphorbias that help to keep the show going and acanthus, which in mild winters will hold onto its leaves. Oriental poppies do this too, and their fresh, green foliage is particularly welcome.
Speaking of leaves, we are still gathering up those that have fallen in the garden. Our leaf blower is so heavy I’m in danger of toppling over backwards when I put it on so I prefer to do it the old-fashioned way, with a spring tine rake and elbow grease.this may be slower but it is peaceful and I like to listen to the birds while I work.
Among the birds this year have been huge flocks of wood pigeons, which ferret among the leaves in search of beech nuts, and tiny goldcrests that perch in the dwarf conifer outside the kitchen door.this doesn’t just provide them with a cosy roost, but also with a plentiful supply of spiders to feast on.