Monty demonstrates that it is not too late to start growing vegetables by showing which types to sow now, and he adds some summer colour to the Spring Garden by sinking plants in pots into the borders.
A hosta National Collection holder shares the secrets of his propagating success, and Rachel de Thame pays a visit to the garden of theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh.
In Gardeners World episode 16 2016:
Rose
Roses are one of the most popular garden plants. These beauties come in a range of colours, many with scented blooms, and they can be grown in borders, containers, over arches, pergolas and as groundcover. They are easy to grow and live for a long time, if looked after.
Hosta
Hostas are one of the best foliage plants for light to medium shade and are deservedly popular. These resilient and easy-to-grow plants are available in a wide range of leaf colours, sizes and shapes, and are also valued for their flowers, which are often fragrant. Both flowers and foliage are as favoured by the flower arranger as the gardener.
Plants for under trees
It can be a challenge to establish plant cover under the canopy of large trees. Shade and lack of moisture are both problems in these conditions, but there are a number of plants that will tolerate these situations. Plants growing under tree canopies often suffer from poor growing conditions. In heavily shaded situations they not only struggle from lack of light, but may be deprived of moisture and nutrients because of strong competition from the trees.
Peppers and chillies
Sweet peppers and chillies can be grown in pots on a sunny, warm patio in a similar way to tomatoes, but will produce a better crop when grown in a greenhouse or conservatory. Chillies and peppers are green when young, maturing to a variety of colours and flavour varying from mild to extremely hot.
Peppers and chillies need a warm, sunny sheltered position and, therefore, are only suitable for outdoor cultivation in milder parts of the country, and benefit greatly from cloche or even fleece protection. They can be grown in frames, unheated polythene tunnels or greenhouses and are also suitable for growing in containers or grow bags filled with multipurpose compost.
They require well-drained and fertile, moisture-retentive soil, which is slightly acid. To achieve this, incorporate moderate amounts of well-rotted manure (5.4kg per sq m/10lb per sq yd) into the soil, but avoid using fresh manure or large quantities, as this may lead to lush, leafy growth at the expense of fruit.
