It’s all go in the veg garden, with leeks, beans, courgettes and squash to be
planted. But warmer soil and longer days also give weeds a mighty boost. So
hoe regularly and tackle perennial nasties with a weedkiller such as Roundup
Gel. It’s ideal for sorting out those pesky weeds hiding in your flowerbeds
and veg plot. Just dab it on and wave weeds goodbye.
Get out and about
All work and no play makes a dull garden. So make a point this weekend of
visiting a garden or a plant fair. Other people’s gardens are always a fund
of good ideas. Our great woodland gardens at this time of year are a sight
to lift the spirits: Exbury, near Southampton, Plas Newydd in Anglesey,
Cragside in Northumberland, Abbotsbury near Weymouth and the great Cornish
gardens such as Glendurgan, Trewithen and Trewidden are all spectacular in
May.
And when you’ve had your fill of rhododendrons, catch the wisteria at Iford
(Wiltshire), irises at Newby Hall (North Yorkshire) and the glorious bog
garden at Dorset’s magical Forde Abbey.If plant buying is on your agenda, a
specialist plant fair is the place to find more unusual and interesting
varieties.
Failing that, the Plant Finder and the Nursery Finder, both online at rhs.org.uk,
will help you track down local nurseries where you will find not only
lovingly grown plants at the keenest prices, but also good advice on how to
grow them.
Fairs and plant sales
May 5: Dawyck Bring and Buy Plant Sale, Dawyck Botanic Garden, nr
Peebles, EH45 9JU.
11am-4pm. Normal garden admission applies: £5.50, children £1.
01721 760 254; rbge.org.uk
May 5-7: Hertfordshire Garden Show, Knebworth House, Stevenage, SG3
6PY.
Exhibitors include Hampton Court and Chelsea participants. 10am-5pm. £8.
01438 812661; knebworthhouse.com
May 5-7: Spring Craft and Design Fair, RHS Rosemoor, Devon, EX38 8PH.
Items for home and garden, made by West Country craftsmen. 10am-4pm. Normal
garden admission applies.
01805 626800; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor
May 5-7: Southend Spring Garden Show, Garon Park, Southend, Essex.
‘How to’ zone, landscaping advice, local nurseries, shopping. £6.50.
01702 549623; aztecevents.co.uk
May 5-7: Orchid Show at Raby Castle, near Darlington, DL2 3AH.
Displays of rare and exotic varieties and advice on easy-to-grow orchids.
11am-5pm. £6.
www.rabycastle.com
May 5-7: Tulip Festival at Glenarm Castle, Ballymena, BT44 0BQ.
Some 8,500 tulips have been planted as a backdrop for the festival. Expert
advice from Bloms Bulbs. Sat and Mon,10am-5pm; Sun, 12-6pm. £6.
028 2884 1022; glenarmcastle.com
May 6-7: Plant Hunters’ Fair at Weston Park, Shropshire, TF11 8LE.
Set among 1,000 acres of Capability Brown parkland. Specialist nurseries,
guided bluebell walks, gardening clinic, beekeeping advice. 10am-5pm. £2.50.
01952 852100; planthuntersfairs.co.uk
May 6-7: Plant sale and open gardens. Eastcombe, nr Stroud, GL6 7DS.
NCCPG plant sale, Eastcombe village hall. 2-6pm. Garden admission: £5, plant
sale free.
May 7: Grand Plant Fair at Longstock Nursery, near Stockbridge, SO20
6EH.
Nurseries, members’ plants, food stalls. 10am-4pm. £4, children free.
01264 810894; longstocknursery.co.uk
Exhibitions
From Another Kingdom National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne, SA32
8HG.
The fascinating world of fungi. Until Feb 28, 2013. 10am-6pm. Garden
admission: £8.50, children £4.50.
gardenofwales.org.uk
In Search of the Blue Poppy Benmore Botanic Garden, Argyll, PA23 8QU.
Photographs from the mountains of Bhutan. Until June 29. 10.30am-4.30pm.
Garden admission: £5.50, children £1.
rbge.org.uk
Garden Open Today: 300 years of garden visiting. Garden Museum,
Lambeth, London SE1 7LB.
Our love affair with other people’s gardens. Till June 24. 10.30-4pm. £7.50,
under 16s free. 2-for-1 entry to National Trust members. Also, May 5 only:
Cottage Garden Society Exhibition.
gardenmuseum.org.uk
Yellow Book Gardens
Details of gardens to visit at ngs.org.uk
May 5:
Bryan’s Ground, nr Stapleton, Presteigne, Herefordshire, LD8 2LP.
An eight-acre Arts and Crafts garden offers a sunken garden, formal potager,
pools and parterres, colour borders and a Sulking House. 2-5pm.
Lamorran House, St Mawes, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5BZ.
Four-acre garden by Falmouth Bay with southern hemisphere and Mediterranean
plants. 10am-5pm.
May 6:
Firvale Allotment Garden, Harthill, nr Worksop, Yorkshire, S26 7YN.
See the National Collection of Euphorbias. 1-4pm.
Moat House, Little Saxham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP29 5LE.
Two-acre, partially moated site with sunken garden, rose and clematis arbours.
1-5pm.
Slape Manor, Netherbury, Dorset, DT6 5LH.
Valley garden with primula-fringed streams down to lake. Magnificent hostas
and rhododendrons. 2-6pm.
Petersham House, Petersham, London, TW10 7AG.
Country garden adjoining a nursery. 11am-5pm.
Ty’r Gawen, Llanegryn, Gwynedd, LL36 9UF.
Cottage gardens and semi-wild areas. 11.30am-5.30pm.
Netherhall Manor, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5AB.
See Old English tulips in this fine garden. 2-5pm.
May 7:
12 Ansell Road, Ecclesall, Sheffield, S11 7PE.
Established in the Thirties, a living example of an interwar garden. 11am-5pm.
Sunningdale Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 0QE.
Twenty acres of Capability Brown-style garden with lakeside and woodland
walks. 2-5pm.
King John’s Lodge, Etchingham, Sussex, TN19 7AZ.
Romantic site with moats, wild gardens and elegant formal areas. 11am-5pm
(also Sunday).
We’re giving away three Roundup Weedkiller Gels every week, enter now for your
chance to fast track your way to a weed-free garden.
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