Today most of the group went to work on a garden in Preston Drove apart from Vicky and Julia. Vicky continued with the path work with some help from John and Julia potted on cosmos and tomatoes.
There was a plant
ID from Paul's plants for sale, all in flower now, mid spring:
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| Lychnis flos-cuculi 'White Robin' |
- Lychnis flos-cuculi - a beautiful white form of Ragged Robin. It likes damp soil (which most of us don't have) but the pink Ragged Robin is a native of SE so must be ok on chalk. A clump-forming herbaceous perennial with an upright, branching habit. Can be grown from seed.
- Geranium phaeum lividum - pale lilac-pink flowers, this hardy geranium likes semi-shade.
- Chives on a larger scale than usual with large pale flowers - decorative and edible, a selection from Graham Gough at Marchants Hardy Plants,
Bridge
also talked about the value of biennials - e.g. foxgloves, wallflowers, honesty
(lunaria), sweet rocket (hesperis matronalis) - as they flower in the gap
between the spring bulbs and spring flowers like primroses, and the early summer
flowering plants like roses and alliums.
There was also a discussion about Leather Jackets - larvae of crane flies - which are often a pest of
lawns but can turn up elsewhere, and may come in bought-in turf. Look like fat
greyish caterpillars. Sue reports they have been eating her vegetable
plants.
Photos taken of Friday group outreach team :
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Elaine's garden looking lovely a couple of years on from Friday group visit
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