Tall plants can really boost a  border and they don’t have to be hidden away at the back, finds GINA PARKINSON

I LOVE tall elegant perennials to put among smaller plants in beds and borders. They don’t need to live at the back of a bed either, as many have airy growth through which other things can be viewed.

Verbena bonariensis is a classic choice for this effect and there are a few of these in our garden, some new this year but others which survived the mild winter and have come up again.

The border perennials from the toadflax family are ideal for providing a light feel to the beds, their slender stems rising to a metre or so tall in sun or partial shade.

The most popular of the perennial species is Linaria purpurea with purple flowers at the top of leaf-covered stems. The flowers appear all summer long from May until September or even longer in a mild autumn.

Established clumps can be divided in spring to provide more plants and the plant will also gently self seed.

The variety ‘Canon J. Went’ is a beautiful pink and although growing a tall as its relative it is more fragile looking and indeed seems less hardy to me. In a sunny spot and well- drained soil, this plant should survive a cold winter and will eventually form a good sized clump of stems.

Both plants look especially good growing with tall grasses of a similar height and dainty rather than chunky growth.

 

In the vegetable garden

THERE seems to be endless weeding to do in the veg garden, especially after the recent rain, but everything is beginning to grow well and slugs appear to be past their worst. Broad beans are going to be disappointing for us this year, but beetroot and parsnips are doing all right and courgettes and runner beans are beginning to get a bit carried away.

Leek seedlings went in earlier this week. The bed was weeded and dug over to loosen the earth, before the little plants were dropped into the lines of holes made by pushing an old broom handle into the soil.

Each hole was then filled with water and the earth left to slowly fall into it. This way of planting leeks was recommended by someone at some point but I don’t know if it improves the growth of the plants.

 

Weekend catch-up

At this time of the gardening year the garden can feel to be collapsing in on itself as early summer perennials come to end of their blooming, shrubs are in need of a prune and the lawn makes a bid to overgrow its edges and flow into the beds.

A little time spent deadheading and edge trimming can make a big difference to how the garden feels.

Stakes may need to be put amongst taller perennials that are beginning to bulk up ready to flower this month.

Twiggy prunings from shrubs and trees are ideal for this as they can be pushed in amongst the plants to hold up a number of stems.

I have to do this every summer and resolve each time to get the task done in spring before too much is growing but somehow always forget.

There is bound to be one or two broken stems when trying to get into a fallen clump but most plants are growing so vigorously at the moment that it won’t be noticeable.

 

A Secret garden opening

DID you know there is a hidden garden behind St Wilfrid's Church in York's city centre?

Phillip Metcalfe didn't until he took on the care of garden at the request of Fr Richard Duffield, the new parish priest. The garden has a unique view of the towers of the Minster and is surrounded by the quirky rooflines of Georgian York.

Phillip has done some new planting and the garden has a fine lawn where tea and strawberries will be served when the garden is open today from 12.30pm until 2pm to raise money for church funds. Entrance is £2. The entrance is through Petergate House, 11, High Petergate.

 

Open gardens

Today

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Churchside, 41 Station Road, Wressle, Selby YO68 6ES. Four-year-old cottage garden with a rose rope, large front garden, raised vegetable beds, ponds, many herbaceous perennials and a wooded retreat planted with a yellow and white scheme. Open 1pm to 5pm, admission £3. Also open tomorrow.

Sunday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Churchside, details above.

Holly Croft, 28 Station Road, Scalby, YO13 0QA, off the A171 Scarborough-Whitby road. Sloping garden leading down to Scalby Beck with lawned formal area, mixed borders, fruit and vegetables, Edwardian potting shed, wild flower area and steps leading through woodland down to the beck. Open 2pm to 5pm, admission £3.

Jackson’s Wold, Sherburn, YO17 8QJ, www.jacksonswoldgarden.com. Two-acre garden with views over the Vale of Pickering plus lime avenue with wild flowers, woodland paths leading to shrub and perennial borders, traditional vegetable garden and walled garden with borders and old roses. Open 1pm to 5pm, admission £3.

The Ridings, South Street, Burton Fleming, YO25 3PE, 11 miles north east of Driffield. Cottage garden created from a reclaimed site over the past 13 years. Climber covered brick pergolas and arches lead to a secret garden with lavender edged beds, old English roses grow in colour themed beds and a paved terrace has a water feature and farming bygones. Open 1pm to 5pm, admission £3.

 

Gardening TV and radio

Tomorrow

7.40am, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. Carol Klein looks at the benefit to wildlife a garden pond can provide.

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

9am, BBC Radio York, Julia Lewis. Ideas and features from around the gardens and countryside of North Yorkshire.

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

9.25am, ITV, Love Your Garden. Alan Titchmarsh sorts out the garden of a couple who founded a charity for bereaved parents.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Panellists Chris Beardshaw, Bob Flowerdew, Bunny Guinness and James Wong are in Carmarthenshire where they help visitors at the GQT Summer Garden Party 2014 at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Eric Robson is in the chair.

Friday

3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Peter Gibbs and panellists Matt Biggs, Toby Buckland, Pippa Greenwood and Matthew Wilson are at the GQT Summer Garden Party 2014 at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Camarthenshire.

9pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. Monty Don looks at using pots and containers in the garden and Carol Klein advises first time gardeners Dan and Dominique Farmer on using containers on their shady patio.