Scent packing for spring

A tall and scented spring-flowering viburnum rewards the senses for GINA PARKINSON.

THERE has been a persistent perfume in the garden recently, coming from a tall viburnum growing in a west-facing bed. It is one of the scented spring-flowering members of the family, with a mass of small blooms clustered together in a ball shape.

The buds are greenish pink before opening into yellow-stamened pure white flowers that last for weeks before beginning to brown.The faintest hint of scent is apparent just before the first buds open and becomes increasingly strong as more and more of the tight buds reveal the flowers.

This viburnum is tall, three metres or so, but it is slender, possibly because of the very large Portuguese laurel that grows just behind. The competition for space is being won at the moment by this latter plant, a thug if allowed to do its own thing but it does provide evergreen shelter for birds throughout the year.

This spring the viburnum has found enough space to flower well and look good, but at the end of the summer we will have to may have re-shape the laurel to restore harmony in the shrubbery.

Incidentally, a box has somehow managed to insert itself into a non-existent space between these two specimens. It is amazing how nature will fill even the smallest void.

The viburnum family are a tolerant group of shrubs and will tolerate most positions other than deep shade.

The spring-flowering species may need shelter from frost in exposed sites, where an east-facing position may result in frost damage on flower buds or open blooms. In such places, south or west-facing spots against the shelter of a wall or fence are best.

In the veg garden

IT WAS quite difficult last weekend to dodge the sometimes extremely heavy showers and get on with the jobs piling up in the veg patch. Broad beans needed planting/sowing and courgette and tomato seedlings potted up. The latter job could at least be done indoors but compost seems to have a will of its own and never stays in a neat pile even in a tray.

Weekend catch-up

WITH everything germinating at the same time, May is the month for constant vigilance over pots and trays. It seems a never ending task of sowing and potting on but the bounty in the coming months makes the work worthwhile.

I sowed a dozen broad beans in the greenhouse in April and the nine that germinated had made sturdy little plants with three weeks or so. These have been hardened off and were planted out last Sunday with the rest of the packet sowed directly into the soil.

Courgettes have been potted up and put into the greenhouse with some more germinating on a windowsill indoors. The latter plants are part of a trial test for Gardening Which? that I do each year. This summer it is yellow climbing courgettes and a tomato for the greenhouse. There were 12 courgette seeds. I think we are going to be overrun with them if they all grow.

Flower seeds are doing just as well here with sweetpeas and nasturtiums ready to pot on. Some gardeners will already have their sweetpeas out in the garden, but don’t worry if not. There is still time to harden off the small plants and put them out in a week or so. The will to grow id so strong at this time of year that most plants make up a slightly late start.

Bonsai day

DID you know that a rough translation of bonsai is ‘tree in a tray’?

There will be plenty of these to see tomorrow at the York Bonsai Society open day in Wigginton Recreation Hall from 11am-3pm, where visitors will be able to see a display of bonsai trees.

Society members will also be on hand giving demonstrations on bonsai care and how to style the trees correctly.

Visitors are also welcome to bring along their own bonsai trees for advice on looking after them.

York Bonsai Society meets once a month at Wigginton Recreation Hall and new members are always welcome. Entry to the show is free. Further details from club chairman Andy Mudd on 01757 268145.

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 Yorkshire gardens.

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

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Panellists Pippa Greenwood, Bob Flowerdew and matthew Wilson answer questions from visitors at the Bristol Food Connections festival. The chairman is Eric Robson.

5.35pm, BBC1, RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In the first of a week of programmes about the famous flower show Sophie Raworth and Joe Swift go behind the scenes 24 hours before the show officially opens.

Monday