Andrewr's Outbox

TT - there's 'Miranda' or 'Miss Willmott', also 'Elizabeth Oliver' that has double flowers. Not all dwarf campulas need dampish soils; some are out and out alpines and need well-drained conditions, some also need protection form winter wet

Or go to www.rhs.org.uk and use Plant Finder

Yes it is TT. There are also varieties with pale blue flowers

It needs the sunniest spot you can give it and a starvation diet in a well-drained growing medium - if you feed it, all you will get is leaves and no flowers. It flowers in mild spells in winter and early spring

Sorry to disappoint you all but this is NOT my front garden.
It is part of the wonderful gardens at East Ruston Old Vicarage (see my blog 'Private Gardens of Norfolk' written in July)

Well done. You must be pleased with how it's developed after all that hard work

I hae pittosporum 'Garnettii' which gets to about 15 feet. A few years ago, I had it reduced (in both height and girth) by a professional Kew-trained tree surgeon in April. It looked tatty for about a month and then grew back quite happily. It's getting to the stage of needing doing again

Any time now really. You want to do it while it is dormant for the winter as once the sap starts rising, it will be too late

Bamboo - you're a sneak :-)

No, I have a vertical trellis screen supporting things like abutilon megapotanicum but there is about 12 inches between the soil and the bottom of the trellis panel. Take a look at my blog on the Open Garden in August - third picture

If the book says 'shade tolerant' or 'dislikes winter wet''. I hedge my bets by planting it UNDER a trellis screen :-)

Yews were often planted in churchyards because they are evergreen and long-lived - an association with everlasting life

Ian - it must be from the west cos that's where the wind is coming from

<puts hand up> Please miss, I have. Been growing it for four years in well-drained soil facing south, flowers and fruits quite happily. Shall I put my hand down now, miss?

Great photo

Hywel - try contacting your local Council as well. They will have a Tree Officer who may be able to tell you something about your yew and whether it has a TPO (Tree Preservation Order) on it. If it hasn't, you may be able to ask him to put one on it

I agree wtih Fractal. Give it a good feed in spring to help it establish

If at all possible, dig the affected area. In the soil you will find what looks like black bootlaces - this is the fungus and must be removed

I had a 20 foot high leylandii hedge removed and the stumps ground in summer this year. A couple of months later, I dug lots of garden compost into the area and found very little eivdence remaining of the conifers. I then planted small conifers (about 18" tall) where the old hedge used to be and they look to be establishing without any problems. As long as the stumps are ground out properly by a reputable company and good soil preparation done, I would say your beeches whips will establish

I've had this for nine years now. I bought it the first time I went to East Ruston Old Vicarage Garden in Norfolk and was back there for the second time this year (and came back with another purchase)

DD - it's semi-evergeen; it loses its leaves in a hard winter. It is useful because not only does it flower twice each year but can also be pruned (to within one bud of the old wood)

Hmmm - I've just seen a greenhouse tied to a fence blowing down the road outside :-)

Dummocks

Volunteer - I mulch the roots with straw and leave the top growth on over winter. In spring, when the new shoots start pushing through the straw, I cut down the top growth (which, as you say, is very straggly by then).
Yes, I know Christopher Lloyd liked it - it's such a great foliage plant

Lovely photo

I'm going to suggest you wait until spring. Magnolias hate root disturbance so the best chance of getting them established is in spring when any root damage can be made good when the tree is in active growth

If you mean the pollen, it is called wind pollinated

Thanks Lisa. There is a book here by Marina Christopher who runs a small nursery about 35 miles from me. I have borrowed it from our town library a couple of times and visited her nursery. I think I have seen the Pippa Greenwood book too and of course, Christopher Lloyd gave some good suggestions in his books too

I considered getting this for my 'Bit on the Side' but the plants in a couple of Garden Centres I visited looked really ropey so I finished up getting 'Lady Ann' instead. Yours looks very healthy spritz

Any hints on growing this one? I got some earlier in the year