Rhyming Saxifraga Fortunei ‘Cherry Pie’ looks good from late August through Autumn with these cherry coloured flowers. It is recommended as a good plant for moist woodland as it is happy with partial shade. Grows 8-10″ tall with flowering spikes above bright palmate, green leaves.

The Saxifrage society modestly claims to be ‘the only international organization dedicated to the best plants in the world; the genus Saxifraga and its relatives.’ They have 480 species to go at in three groups or sections the “mossies” ( Saxifraga), the “silvers” ( Ligulatae) and the Kabschia and Engleria subsections ( Porphyrion).

I am just getting interested in growing some of these plants and I will see how I get on. For some it becomes a consuming passion or so I am told.

I am sorting out last years gardening calendar and came across these monthly tips that I repeat in the monthly order with additions from Gardeners tips.

1. Recycle your Christmas Tree by shredding it for mulching Rhododendrons
2. Put out fresh food and water for the birds through winter
3. Protect emerging shoots from Slugs from March
4. Plant strongly scented plants next to edible ones to deter pests
5. May is the prime planting Month for just about anything so don’t plan your holidays
6. When watering plants give them a long soak instead of a daily sprinkle
7. The old Chestnut, deadhead flowering plants to encourage new flowers
8. Take cuttings of Geraniums etc in late summer for rooting over winter
9. Plant plenty of bulbs in containers and gardens for lots of colour next year
10. Comprehensively weed at the end of October to reduce work in winter
11. If frost is predicted, cover tender plant and shrubs to ‘protect and serve’
12. Pick evergreen foliage like Holly for Christmas decoration.

Final tip

Make a record of what varieties you grow and how they do. Record anything unusual in the garden and remind yourself of the successes and failure for future years.

From Amazon

Rootgrow is an organic treatment that improves the vigour of roses when incorporated at planting. Rootgrow helps to improve the uptake of water and nutrients from the soil. It encourages the roots to grow more quickly and also helps to prevent rose replant sickness. It is especially beneficial in poor soil but do not use with bonemeal as that inhibits growth of the fungi.

Plants use hormones to influence and promote the development of their cells. Root stimulators, like rootgrow from David Austin Roses, usually come packed with bacteria that can actually produce phytohormones directly into your plant. The hormones encourage much faster growth which results in bigger yields and faster harvests. Mycorrhizal fungi are now added when planting as there is a symbiotic relationship that encourages healthy root growth.

According to some, quality rooting stimulators come with certain strains of bacteria, most notably paenibacillus, designed to enhance the Nitrogen your plant receives so it can help maximize root and plant health. This bacteria provides your roots with a steady stream of reduced nitrogen by converting N2 gas in the air into a form of nitrogen that can help your roots grow to their potential.

Hydroponics growers have had to deal with the encroachment of harmful fungi, usually when their conditions becomes too humid but there are certain strains of fungi that can actually benefit root development. When these fungi are introduced to your hydroponic system, they can break down debris and turn any undissolved nutrients into materials that your plant can actually absorb by increasing nutrient uptake, releasing Growth Hormones and promoting Beneficial Fungi, with Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.

A mixture of 5% nitrogen, 12% phosphoric acid, 3% soluable potash is highly effective as a plant starter. It stimulates early strong root formation and reduces transplant shock.

Pumpkins, Squash, Gourds and Courgettes are all part of the same family and can be treated and grown in a similar way.

Growing Tips for Pumpkins
Pumpkins, as annuals, should be grown from seed planted indoors in individual pots during late April or early May.
Sow the flat seeds edgewise downwards not flat to discourage rotting from watering.
After 3 or 4 weeks when the roots fill the pot they can be planted out in the garden avoiding root disturbance.
Soak the pot well and plant with lots of manure and water retentive compost. They are gross feeders and drinkers.
Plants can be trained up frames or arches. Tie in until the tendrils can take some weight
Pumpkins can trail over 4 square yards unless growing tips are pinched out when plants are large enough.

Asthma sufferers often complain that it is the scented garden plants that bring out the condition. Generally it is the heavily fragranced flowers but sometimes it is a single plant such as Honeysuckle.  Lilies like the Lilium Regale are one of the best scented flowers but the worst culprits for allergies.  Carnations, Sweet Williams and Pinks with a spicy scent are known to bring on hay fever.

Aromatic plants which smell due to essential oils are less likely to cause some allergies but if you are very sensitive it is best to avoid Herbs, Lavender and Eucalyptus. Or at least do not inhale bruised leaves.

Although generally unscented, many flowers from the Asteraceae or Daisy family seem to be allergenically toxic to some people. If you suffer then it is best to exclude members of this large family including Asters, Chrysanthemems, Marigolds and other similar looking flowers.

Top 5 Low Allergy Flowers

• Winter heather Erica Carnea in white and pink can look stunning from Autumn through winter.
• Geraniums such as the perennial cranesbill, Johnsons Blue is my favourite.
• Climbing roses can be a problem but Iceberg has a low level of scent and I have seen Handel and Rambling Rector also recommended.
• Fuchsia magellanica are available in many varieties
• Hydrangea macrophylla including cultivars  Ayesha, and Madame Emille Mouillere plus Lacecap varieties give you a wide choice of large flowerheads.

Most of the aerial insects have gone sleepy and dwell for longer on the few flowers that have survived through to October.

Beneath stones, leaves and fallen logs, caterpillars and spiders are busy building cocoons in which they lay masses of eggs. Slugs burrow deeper into the soil to stay warm through winter. Turning or hoeing the soil will bring worms and eggs to the surface for birds to take on extra feed before the onset of hard frost and frozen ground.

Insects and worms in the compost heap continue to chew, digest and excrete to make new compost from the rotting material until it gets too hot with bacterial activity. If you have used insecticides or weedkillers on any of your garden I suggest you consider composting the remains for longer and separately.

Tip. When cleaning out potted plants check for the eggs and grubs of vine weevil. This root eating insect causes so much damage I am willing to use chemical treatment like Amazon’s Pbi Provado Vine Weevil treatment, if the squashing of the grubs is not good enough.