Pat Duke: Anxious times for gardeners who love these gorgeous stars

In the Garden
Summer seems to have made a spluttering start with plenty of sunshine but with a persistent chilly wind. Unusually for things horticultural there is a small level of stress hanging over the garden. It’s about now that beautiful peonies start to flower and it can go two ways! If the heavy rain returns then peonies can become saturated and limp resulting in them keeling over and any of the beautiful flowers being waterlogged and only fit for the compost bin.

This has become such an issue for peony lovers that a whole genre of peony cages and covers are available to prevent this happening. Most gardeners have a peony they’ve nurtured from a seedling and understandably take great delight in watching
it develop into an almost shrub like size over the years. You can of course make your own support which can be as simple as placing a circle of sturdy canes around it and draping waterproof sheeting over the top at an angle so that the water drains
away. These plants are so glamorous and exotic that they are well worth the effort. I’d rather be fretting about my peony than something else we would inevitably worry about instead.

If you choose to have a rose in the garden then a peony is a given. Although they bloom for a shorter period their intoxicating beauty and foliage is unsurpassed. Even when they aren’t in flower their leaves are a joy on their own and provide weed suppressant properties in spring and autumn. Think carefully about where you plant them as they dislike a move and rarely
survive it. They don’t mind dappled shade but need some sunlight at least. Prepare the soil by digging in plenty of fertiliser and compost. A bit like rhubarb they like a good covering of manure after flowering for next year’s colour festival and they'll keep you excited every June.

On the Plot

If you’re lucky enough to have a greenhouse then its starting to warm up in there and it feels like stepping off a plane to Greece opening the doors. Unlike me, you might have reserved a space to sow seedlings and take advantage of the consistent ideal temperature. If so, then herbs like basil and Thai basil will love that climate as well as keeping undesirable insects off the tomatoes and cucumbers. Basil is a very vulnerable annual so can t deal with colder temperatures. I also love that scent of tomatoes and basil as you step into the greenhouse, it takes me to a sunny foreign holiday for a few minutes. Seedlings can be transplanted into pots if you have too many and will grow outdoors as long they’re in a sunny sheltered position.

Melons can be sown in there now as well if you re prepared to donate some space for them to climb and weave around in any direction. Just be clear why you’re approaching a loved one for a pair of tights when it comes to supporting them when they become heavy. Tights are the ideal solution to keeping a juice laden melon on the vine but it always provides some humour when I approach my wife for a pair later in the year.

Outdoor sowings of beetroot, turnips, pak choi and kohl rabi can be made now and with watering and weeding should be quite straightforward to harvest by August. We’ve waited so long for long sunlit days it would be a crime not to make the most of it. Gardening is the antidote to modern life as long as we embrace the enjoyment of being in the environment we’ve created. There are seating areas in most gardens for a good reason. Add good company, food and drink into the equation and you will undoubtedly create memories that will last through several winters.