GINA PARKINSON welcomes the arrival of the summer snowflake, a late reminder of the snowdrop

WINTER snowdrops have long gone, but they can be followed with the summer snowflake in April and May to keep the idea of these small white flowers going for a little longer. Leucojum aestivum grows to around 60cm, with bell-shaped, green-tipped white flowers hanging from the tip of the stems. It is an easy bulb to grow, tolerating sun and partial shade as long as the soil doesn’t get too dry.

The only problem is the floppy foliage especially as the plant begins to spread. This can be avoided by growing later flowering perennials around them like some of the larger geraniums, grasses and small evergreen shrubs like euonymus. Alternatively, supports put in place in late winter before Leucojum starts into growth will help to keep them more upright.

The leucojum family also includes spring and autumn flowering snowflakes. Leucojum vernum is the spring snowflake, growing 20cm or so tall with similar green-tipped white flowers to those of its summer cousin, but they appear earlier, in February and March. L. vernum var. carpathicum has yellow-tipped flowers, while L. vernum var. vagnari carries two flowers on each of its stems.

For autumn flowers, Leucojum autumnale is the one to choose, although it has been renamed Acis autumnalis. This is a much daintier plant than the spring and summer snowflake with white and occasionally pink flowers on thin stems 15cm tall.

They appear before or just as the thin grassy leaves begin to emerge and prefer full sun and well drained sandy soil. The late-season flowers are a good addition to an alpine bed or rockery.

 

In the veg garden

VEGETABLE seeds generally germinate very quickly this month. The will to grow is strong and once they get going the seedlings need to be kept an eye on and transplanted or thinned out before they get overcrowded.

Seeds sown in pots can be potted up into individual pots as soon as they have grown, the first or second pair of true leaves. Hardier specimens put straight into the garden will grow more slowly, but it is worth checking them regularly and taking out weaker growing seedlings to leave room for the strongest ones to grow.

 

Weekend catch-up

CLIMBERS such as golden hop are growing fast and need to be tied on to their supports regularly.

Golden hop is best kept in a large container next to a wall or fence, fastened with long lengths of horizontal wires. One plant will cover a very large area and can get too big except in the largest of gardens if put into the ground. We have ours in a large galvanised bin in a semi-shaded spot by the back door. Here I can keep an eye on it in late spring and summer, popping out to sort out the stems as soon as they show signs of waywardness. By July it will have covered the wall and be growing around the back door.

 

Bank Holiday plant fair

FLOWER Power Fairs will hold a Bank Holiday Monday spring plant fair at Sutton Park, Sutton-on-the-Forest, on Monday.

The fair runs from 11am-4pm and brings together 18 plant growers from the north, offering a good choice of herbaceous perennials, shrubs, climbers, herbs, shade lovers and ferns. Tickets to the fair will include entry to the gardens at the hall.

A new gardening team has recently taken over the care of the gardens, so there will be changes to see.

Tickets are £3.50 (children under 15 free) and there is plenty of free parking nearby.

 

Gardening TV and Radio

Sunday

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. With Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio York, Julia Lewis. News and features from North Yorkshires gardens and countryside.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

9.45am, BBC2, The Beechgrove Garden. George Anderson sows poppy seeds.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Panellists Chris Beardshaw, Pippa Greenwood and Anne Swithinbank answer questions from gardeners in Gloucestershire. Eric Robson is in the chair.

Tuesday

8pm, BBC2, The Big Allotment Challenge. The six remaining pairs of contestants are judged on growing and showing aubergines, making pickles and creating a topiary tree.

Friday

3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. A postbag edition with chairman Eric Robson and panellists Matthew Biggs, Pippa Greenwood and Matthew Wilson.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. Monty Don and Carol Klein take a trip to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival where Monty gets a look at behind the scenes of the event and Carol reports from the floral marquee.

 

Open gardens

Today

Cold Cotes, Cold Cotes Road, near Kettlesing, HG3 2LW, seven miles west of Harrogate off the A59. Large garden in a rural setting with expansive views and a series of differing garden areas giving year round interest. These include woodland and formal areas, herbaceous borders, bog garden and streamside walk. Open every Saturday, 11am-5pm, until September 27. Admission £3.50.

Sunday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Manor House, Church Street, North Cave, Brough, HU15 2LW, off the B1230 south east of Beverley. Two-acre garden with a stream, herbaceous border, glasshouse, small orchard 20-year-old arboretum with spring bulbs and wildflowers and a woodland lakeside walk. Open 1pm-5pm, admission £4.

Rewela Cottage, Skewsby, YO61 4SG, four miles north of Sheriff Hutton. Threequarter-acre garden with unusual tree, shrubs and architectural plants. There is also a pond and pergola, sunken garden and breeze house and more than 130 heucheras, 40 penstemson and 40 hostas. Rhododendrons, magnolias and azaleas of interest in May. Open 11am-5pm, admission £3.50.