Pat Duke: Why I’ve distanced myself from shrubs

For many gardeners, particularly those of a certain age, there is a tendency to obsess about a particular genre which can lead to them disappearing down a horticultural rabbit hole never to be seen again. I’ve been very wary of falling into this trap and for that reason have distanced myself from shrubs to some degree.
To my cost, I’ve preferred other plants but can now see the value of late flowering shrubs that cover the garden in clouds of colour. These can be planted in gaps where you know that annuals and perennials start to wane halfway through the school holidays.
Deutzia is a group of shrubs to choose from that can be grouped with geraniums, Jacobs ladder or even tiarella’s. Being of similar size, they can blend in and start providing late colour in a bed just when you need that extra surge of colour.
Once you start to investigate this genus you can find all sorts of hidden gems that have been left seemingly undiscovered. Deutzia x kalmiiflora looks like a uniform bush that a child might draw until it transforms into a blossoming blushed pink affair. If it’s allowed to grow undisturbed, it creates long boughs that droop to the floor in the same way a willow does but in miniature.
Another underrated and possibly unfashionable shrub is the fuchsia. They can provide great value with both flower and leaf interest from June into as late as November if the weather allows. There is even a popular Devon variety Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae ‘Sharpitor’. If you ‘d like a touch of purple in your fuchsia, then there is ‘Pumila’ that combines red and mauve with yellow streamers underneath.
Another failsafe for late colour is the whole Hydrangea family. Lace caps have always caught my eye and ‘Snowcap’ in particular sets off other late leaf colour in autumn and can grow to 10ft/4m in height if left unchecked.
The variety ‘Lilacina’ had a deep blue centre with lacy florets like a wedding bouquet. If you have more alkaline soil, then expect the flowers to be pink.
On the Plot
Absolutely check brassicas for caterpillars. I returned from holiday to find shredded skeletons of cavalo nero in the veg patch and where I'd co-planted them, in flower beds.
Now there is some space in the beds some preparation for winter can take place. Radar onions can be put in shortly, so prepare a bed. Onions love a bit of sunshine like the rest of us and you’ll also need to throw on some manure.
Most gardeners will have compost bins or traps that are well rotted by now, which is handy for the onions at this time of year. They have quite shallow and limited roots, so if you can find a bed that’s free draining, then even better. All this will ensure you have a decent supply some the spring.
It’s a good idea to refill the compost bins by combing out dead foliage from fennel, bolted carrots and harvested sweetcorn. Sweetcorn needs a good bashing with a hammer or chopping with a spade as it’s fibrous and takes an age to break down if you don’t. It’s the same with most brassicas too and it can at least provide opportunity to redirect frustration.
It’s at this time of year conditions can have an ephemeral quality with the spiders not knowing to stay outside and check their dew glistening webs. The sun is lower and more determined to warm the earth to stretch out the growing season.
If you’re lucky you might have created a habitat for all sorts of wildlife and they’re all bustling in and out of the gardens now, from hedgehogs right through to roe deer. Thankfully, foxes and badgers don’t seem to be as shy as they were either.