Talkback: Exotic colour in April

Posts

• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  April 2009

  The large yellow flowers on my tree peony and the prolific single yellow roses on my "Canary Bird" shrub rose are buzzing with bees, which makes me think it is because the yellow is attractive to bees that we see so much of it in the spring. Similarly with blue flowers - grape hyacinths and camassias have joined the forget-me-nots. There are no endemic blue flowers in New Zealand - not even blue gentians, but introduced lupins are taking over they are so well pollinated!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  April 2009

  My wallflowers,second year plants/huge, floppy,,full of flowers and perfume.
  my best ever.and still blooming.
  bettall

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  April 2009

  Adam, I seem to remember a horticulural course teaching us that spring flowers are often yellow because the insects that are around to pollinate in spring can see yellow most easily. So for a flower, it makes sense to be yellow then.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  I,ve had a sun king in my garden for 5yrs.It survives our winters. Its now 8ft tall.It is covered in flowers every spring. My neighbour can,t find one in any local garden centre.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  Hi Adam
  
  I am fairly new to this blog but am finding the it is lacking a couple of key topics and it's a bit frustrating.
  
  I know it's a blog for the nominated writers but don't you want feedback from your TV watchers and magazine readers?
  
  There is no where really to put feedback about the program, there is no where really to put feedback about the mag. There is no option to ask questions directly to the GW bloggers or the wider GW team.
  
  I mean this may be deliberate but it would at least be good to know you're not keen on feedback and discussion on these topics, in this forum at least.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  hi could someone tell me how to stop squirrells eating the new buds on my lovely climbing rose,and is there anything i can put on the rose to stop greenfly...i cant use a spray as i cant reach the buds[about 10ft high],is there anything i can put round soil so roots will take it in.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  Try working with ladybird larvae - they eat around 100-200 aphids a day and can be bought online.
  
  http://www.organiccatalogue.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=61_183
  
  You simply let them lose on the plant once you get them they work their way round pretty efficiently. I just ordered some for my roses which have suddenly got squillions of aphids this week
  
  Won't help with the squirrel problem but you could try bribing them with nuts somewhere else in the garden!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  this is to rosalind,many thanks for info was just wondering about the larvae does that i will get millions of ladybirds after.....

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  probably not, once they have eaten your aphids and eventually turned into ladybirds they will be off on the hunt in your neighbors gardens!
  
  After many years of stocking my gardens with larvae I never seem to have many the following year even though I have built them several lovely little houses....oh well

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  May 2009

  Another thing I heard once and admit to trying was planting garlic chives around the roots of a rose....aphids are meant to not like the smell...
  
  My experience is, they grow very well together..but the garlic does absolutely nothing to deter aphids...

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