Easy ways to better Gardening with Adam Pasco

The Gardeners’ Association were delighted to welcome the well-known and respected horticulturist Adam Pasco to June’s talk. Adam was the founding editor of Gardeners’ World magazine of which he edited for 22 years. Adam is the current editor of Waitrose Garden magazine. Adam’s talk commenced with his recommendations for obtaining a colourful garden by the use of plants, which are ‘good doers’ …
Photos of Adam’s good doers in his beautiful garden were used to illustrate the talk, and the audience was treated to stunning pictures of Cranesebills, Rudbeckias, Astrantias, Scabiosas, Alchemillas, Echinacheas, Alliums ‘Christophii’ all standing side by side with roses being under planted with Ajuga, and Stachys. Adam highly recommended Alliums as even when they have finished flowering, their seedheads give architectural value to the garden and they give good value by seeding themselves, although it takes around four years for an Allium seed to produce a flower. In shade, Adam grows Epimediums and ‘Jack Frost’ Brunerras. For Autumn colour, Adam recommended Sedums ‘Thundercloud’ and ‘Purple Emperor’. Pots with grasses in them such as Miscanthus ‘Zebrinus’ Eucomis and Japanese Blood Grass were displayed on his patio to superb effect.

The talk also stressed the importance of gardening with consideration to nature and wildlife. Adam recommended putting up nest boxes to help our native birds and pointed out that birds do benefit the gardener greatly. Did you know that one blue tit nestling requires eating 100 caterpillars per day? Thus, if there are 8 nestlings in a nest, that equals 800 caterpillars being picked off your plants. That is pest control at its most natural. Adam advised that in order to encourage our feathered friends, plants with berries such as Cotoneaster and Euonymus to name just two, would be ideal to feed them. Spraying chemicals to kill unwanted insects is to be frowned upon as if there are no insects to feed, beneficial wildlife such as ladybirds, hoverflies, frogs and hedgehogs will not make an appearance. Adam advised placing copper tape and rings around precious plants. In his opinion, they absolutely do deter snails.
Tips and advice pertaining to vegetable growing both in a greenhouse and in vegetable beds were given. Adam advised that in order to avoid the dreaded blight, which afflicts potatoes and tomatoes, he now grows disease resistant varieties. “Mountain Magic’ and ‘Oh Happy Day’ tomatoes were highly recommended.

June’s talk concluded with Adam’s “Jobs for June”: *keep sowing salad leaves intermittently *Mulch, mulch, mulch *Check nutrient needs of plants (if green leaves are turning yellow, it needs feeding) *build a log pile for garden friendly wildlife, toads/frogs/insects all need to escape the Summer heat * fill a bird bath with fresh water and keep it clean *check for snails *clean and sterilise nest boxes once birds have flown the nest * remove the green shoots from variegated plants to keep them variegated.

Thank you Adam for such a wonderful and interesting talk – also click here for  Adam”s website

A ‘small ‘ selection of photos from Adam’s talk:

The next BGA meeting is on Tuesday 17th July, which will be the 2018 AGM comprising of election of officers section, cheese and wine and Gardeners’ Question Time. The expert panel will be Jeremy Arthern, Roger Skipper and Richard Callahan. Please do join us.

Paula Church (BGA Secretary)

New members visitors are always welcome. For more information contact Linda Truscott on 01234 270747

www.biddenhamgardenersassociation.org.uk

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