The Beechgrove Garden 2021 episode 22

The Beechgrove Garden 2021 episode 22

The Beechgrove Garden 2021 episode 22: We’re at the height of the harvest at Beechgrove as Brian and Carole find out which has come out on top – heritage or contemporary?


 

 



It’s show day for Calum as we attend Beechgrove’s very own private veg show, set up in homegrown style in his grandparents’ back garden in Leven, and Lucy Dalgleish provides one final update from her balcony garden in Maryhill, where we discover the success of her growing projects.

 

The Beechgrove Garden 2021 episode 22

 

Roof gardens and balconies

If you live in a building without its own garden, establishing a roof or balcony garden is the ideal way to create your own mini horticultural haven, ensuring you don’t miss out on growing a wide range of plants.

Depending on the level of exposure and altitude, a wide range of plants can be grown on a balcony or roof garden. The ideal method is to establish some shelter using screens or robust plants, which then creates a microclimate where other plants can survive. Spring or autumn are ideal planting times, as the plants then have time to establish before the onset of harsher conditions.

With regular watering, feeding and maintenance (pruning, re-potting etc.), your balcony or roof garden should be relatively trouble-free. However, the following pest and weed problems are worth looking out for:

Hydrangea

Shrubby hydrangeas brighten borders in mid to late summer with their showy, but delicate, long-lasting flowers in shades of pink, white or blue. Many have attractive autumn colour and leaf shape.
Climbing hydrangeas flower in summer and are well suited for covering north and east-facing walls. Most popular is the fully hardy Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris. Evergreen Hydrangea seemannii and Hydrangea serratifolia need shelter as they are prone to cold damage.

Small- to medium-size shrubs, with dome, upright or vase-shapes and handsome, toothed leaves. Mophead types (Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea arborescence) have round, tightly-packed flowerheads. Others (Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea quercifolia) have a conical shape. Lacecap hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea serrata and Hydrangea aspera) have flatter blooms with a ring of large petals surrounding tiny inner flowers.

Hydrangeas like moister soils that are not prone to waterlogging. Improving the soil and mulch with organic matter, such as garden compost or a manure-based soil conditioner, will help to keep soil moist. Plant hydrangeas in sun or light shade in a spot sheltered from cold winds.

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