Treeman's Outbox

Hi. I see you grew sweetcorn outside. Did the corn ripen in time? We tried a couple of years ago in the big greenhouse but had mixed success. The corn certainly grew but the season was not long enough and they didn't quite ripen. We are going to try again, this time in the polytunnel and I was wondering if you had any tips or suggestions.

This was the last day of September 2007 and we almost had the place to ourselves. I'm sure that there would have been more vivid blooms at the height of the summer, but then as you say it may well have been busier.

Clough Williams Ellis's surreal village. The gardens are extensive if not manicured. There are hydrangeas as some grow rhodies and paths that explore the garden leading to Japanese lakes, sea views and other gems. We had a super day at Portmeirion.

A stunning recreation of a garden that was lost. There are stunning herbaceous borders, a myriad espalliered apple trees and of course the wonderful iconic parterres. Well worth a visit.

The weather does improve..honest. In fact February was unseasonally mild and ealry March positively warm. Then this Esater weekend storm..brrrr. As a rule the weather becomes consistently mild during the early weeks of May. Suddenly the grass grows about six inches over night and you know that the growing season has begun. At that time we are light well after 9pm and by the longest day it is only dark for a couple of hours. We would normally sow our veg seeds around-about the second week in April (Obviously carrots will now be later) and tender greenhouse raised stock would go out during May. We would normally take time of work end of July-beginning August to harvest soft fruit and early cropping veg.

Thanks everyone. We have tried companion planting without success so I'm going to try the deferred sowing.

The house of Pitmuies is a private garden near Forfar. The garden comprises formal vegetable gardens, lawns and borders of stunning flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials. There is also a charming woodland walk along the river bank through beech woods and up to a loch by the house. I think for me the herbaceous borders were the biggest treat. They were phenomenal.

A very still and atmospheric loch.

Hi, looks like these chaps are ready for planting. I hope you have rotovated in plenty of dung. Good luck.

Hi, is this going to be a screen of sweet peas across your lawn? If yes, then you will need to be particularly vigilant at keeping the grass from encroaching the sweet pea plants once the grass begins to grow strongly which for us is Mid May, but for you it will probably be earlier, After this prolific grass growth that ususally lasts for a couple of weeks then a weekly trim should be enough. If we get a 2006 summer where there was no rain for weeks then you will need to water the little chap regularly as grass is very efficient at removing any free soil water..much more efficient than Mr Sweet Pea..unfortunately. Make sure you give him a good drenching a couple of times a week as this is more beneficial than a more frequent wetting of just the surface. Having said all that your plan sounds great and I await a pic of your first blooms.

Yupp, its Golden Rod, the herbaceous perennial, spp Solidago. Its easily dug up for division or removal!!.. but it looks just fine where you have it.

He's a super ladybug. I hope he has eaten his fill of aphids!

A fabulous garden. We had a happy afternoon at Drummond Castle gardens. We shall be returning in the summer of 08 to catch the garden on a sunny day when the trees will be in full leaf and the roses in bloom. I heartily recommend this garden.