Gardeners’ Time
Anne Swithinbank
A keen fruit, vegetable and houseplant grower, Anne was formerly the glasshouse supervisor at RHS Garden Wisley.
Christine Walkden
Garden writer Christine appears on BBC1’s The One Show. She is also a lecturer and tour leader.
Matthew Wilson
Garden designer Matthew was curator of RHS Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr, and often appears on television.
Q What can I grow in a æÓòí°›ª››³Ì«››ÓòâíA›â››
Andy Rogers, County Durham
A ANNE SAYS Youcan a grow wide range of plants, even in a tiny courtyard. Mediterranean plants, such as fragrant lavenders, will love the sunny south- or west-facing aspects. Woodlanders, such as acers and hydrangeas, can go in the shade of a north-facing wall, while tougher plants will cope against an east-facing wall.
Think in terms of natural plant layers, with tall specimens creating a canopy for smaller understorey shrubs and ground cover, with pots of seasonal bulbs slotted in too. If possible, remove a few paving slabs and use these soil pockets for climbers, to clothe the walls.
Growing plants in containers can be hard work, as they need regular watering and feeding, as well as potting on, top-dressing or root pruning. If plants outgrow their pots, instead of moving them into larger ones you can cut off 8cm of root from around the rootball. This will make room for fresh compost, into which new roots can grow. A The fact that your courtyard is sheltered by high walls and is south-facing) and – both produce creamy-white, fragrant flowers in summer. Or try fan-training a pineapple broom (), which has yellow pineapple-scented flowers. Daphnes would also enjoy this warm, sheltered site. These lovely shrubs usually bear pink flowers in spring and early summer, but a winter-flowering daphne that I would choose for its wonderful scent and free-flowering habit is ‘Jacqueline Postill’.
