Gardening with Pat Duke: Lets spring into action and think about disrupting the status quo

In the Garden

Those embryonic thoughts of spending more time in the garden are now fixed firmly in most gardeners minds. Whilst the weather is just slightly too cold for removing even one layer of fleece, the sun has appeared enough to prompt ideas of using our outside space more for at least the next six months.

Now is a great time for planning a few changes rather than just maintaining what happened last year.

Most gardens have empty spaces here and there which can be filled with planters or seating. Failing that, something for the birds like a bird bath or feeder. In such a space, its a decent trick to plant vertically where a small growing space will sustain glamorous climbers such as  ‘Clematis Montana’ , ‘Ipomoea lobota’ (Spanish flag), Solanum jasminoides’ (Potato vine) or quite simply any variety of sweet peas.

Don’t always assume the lawn has to be as its always has been. It can be cut and shaped to create new beds or turned into a bee friendly meadow . Even part of it could be used for this if you’re a traditionalist. You might even think about planting a few fruit trees on it if your feeling like a complete change. This will obviously bring more wildlife to the garden as well as fruit (for both of you!)

Whilst I do love my lawn, it takes up a lot of space and is n’t used for random sporting activities now my children are older. A lawn can also be a blank canvas if you're creative and fancy a transition. Even making it smaller can offer lots of landscaping opportunities such as gravel paths, pots and shrubs. Creating different environments is an option too. Using sunny areas and shaded parts with the right planting can offer different zones such as a tropical area with banana plants and tree ferns to sit (or hide) in, and a wildlife area with incorporated seating and succulents, a pond and diverse mini habitats.

Now is the window of opportunity to plan exciting changes while the ground is soft and malleable and most flowers and shrubs can be planted ready to thrive in spring.

On the Plot

Planning and design on the vegetable plot should only be based around maximing production and encouraging wildlife.

One of my absolute pet hates is seeing an allotment that has been taken over and immediately covered with wide patio paths with tiny raised beds. There really is no need for paths wider than you need to step along or get a wheelbarrow down but for some reason allotments are turning into building projects rather than packed growing spaces.

I often think of what you could grow in the excess space and its always a load more fruit and vegetables. Use narrower paths and you can utilise the extra width to create narrow beds that will be easy to maintain next to the path. It can become a walkway for root veg, soft fruit or taller plants such as Jerusalem artichokes, peas and bean structures or blocks of sweetcorn.  

You know it’s spring when you can trial out sowing beetroot outdoors and watching the seedlings appear overnight. Beetroot really is the easiest thing to grow and perfect for introducing children to gardening as you can eat the vibrantly coloured leaves too. Don’t just go for the ever reliable ‘Boltardy’ try a few varieties like ‘Chioggia’, the Italian one with rings through it like a stick of rock. There is a white one, ‘Albina Verduna’ which can be very sweet. ‘Boldor’ has a bronze coloured skin and flesh like an apple, so try something new or unusual.

You might want to pop a few pea seeds in the ground too just to try your luck for an early crop. ‘Hurst Green Shaft’ is a tougher variety in my experience.