Does anyone know anything about gardening?

Belated, but we got bare root hedge mix from here about 5 years ago and it is doing well, seems like a good company. Would probably recommend avoiding the rose options, especially with a child, as they are pretty vicious

https://www.habitataid.co.uk/

I'm trying to buy a Holboellia latifolia and everywhere online seems out of stock (apart from an expensive one at some place called Hayloft) and I've not seen them in the garden centres I've been in. Am I too early or too late or something else? Given the recommendation seems to be that they should be planted in spring I'm not sure why I can't find one.

https://gardenshop.telegraph.co.uk/holboellia-latifolia

?

That is just another front to the Hayloft one. It's a 9cm pot for the same price as all the 3-5 litre pots at the other sites (which admittedly are out of stock). I'd like something a bit bigger than what will be in a 9cm pot ideally.

You could try calling Burncoose or Norfolk Quality Plants to find out timings. Both showing as out of stock, the reason I suggest those two is I've ordered it from them before and been happy with the plants.

Possible Brexit effect if these are coming from abroad?
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/17/garden-centres-in-uk-stockpile-plants-before-new-brexit-checks

Sarah Raven has it as 'delivery from early June' so could just be a timings issue. It will be propagated from summer/autumn cuttings I think.

We got some last year from here: http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk/index.htm

A very very old school site and ordering process. But the plants were great. I've just checked though and we ordered ours in early June.

But I planted them as soon as we got them, and they've done really well.

Slightly bigger size and cheaper. I got the same one last year. Interestingly (sort of), I received some plants yesterday from hayloft that I ordered in May 2023!! https://www.sarahraven.com/products/holboellia-latifolia

Thanks, I'll look out for Yellow Rattle in June. Alongside the bulbs, all I can see at the moment is grass with a spattering of birdsfoot trefoil, and something else that I'm yet to identify.

I saw a mature Camassia over the weekend and will put some of those bulbs in for next year as well.

Just spotted a cluster of 3 bluebells growing in a quiet corner. Never planted them and never seen them before in my garden. There are woods nearby, and I'm in the wet west of the country where they are absolutely rampant if you give them an inch.

Immediately did my best to remove everything and try and fish out all the little bulb offsets - there were tonnes.

Still suspect I'm going to be battling these for years now, like the mint that popped up out of nowhere last year. Beautiful little bastards.

I’m in SE LDN and I’ve never seen so many in everyone’s front gardens. Went to the woods this morning and it wasn’t quite as special seeing them all!

Cheers all, maybe I'll try a few calls or just wait until June for the Sarah Raven one. The roselandhouse site does seem to have one but delivery is pricey unless I start ordering more plants that I don't need and can't fit anywhere.

Spanish bluebells are all over near me. Fortunately not found any in the garden yet but plenty out the front.

All over the place in front gardens in Eltham

Thanks– I’ve only just found out there’s a Spanish version, which from my terrible photos from Beckenham this morning seems to be what’s all over the woodland floor there. I’m sure there’s ancient areas there too but now I feel like a bit of a mug!

Went to the palace last week, really enjoy the gardens there each year.

There are also loads of hybrids, including in the wild

Anyone know what these things are on my chives?

Also annoyingly while the ladybird larvae dealt with the greenfly on my hellebore/tulip planter out the front. I've now got a load on my rose on the other side of the door and the little fuckers are no where to be seen! Not really up for spending £15 per infested plant.

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Black aphids? Afaik fairly common on things like chives and garlic and such

Cheers.

Might just wash them off and see how it goes. They're part of a collection in our alley way, so hopefully won't spread. Just annoying as the chives now look like shit.

Also I've spotted some ants out the front so wonder if they've dealt with the ladybird larvae 😔

So nice to have a bit of sun though! I ate lunch outside. A bit daunted by how many garden jobs I have though...

Aphids are the worst, keep an eye on them as they will spread given half the chance. A light dusting of flour does keep them at bay though I've found. We bought some lady birds in the mail (RIGHT?!) and they completely decimated our aphid problem so if things get bad thats always an option

No, fucking way. Thats cool, will buy some. Any idea if they eat fungus gnat larvae? Have a bit of an issue at home.

Ladybirds like nettles so if you can find nettles you’ll probably find some ladybirds

This is a good place for natural pest controls

https://www.greengardener.co.uk/

Yeah I got some ladybird larvae before. But it's not cheap and I can't just be buying shit loads of them.

A quick scan of the garden reveals there are quite a few elsewhere.

Wondering about a blast with a spray, and maybe just squeezing them to death. I'm worried about neam(?) oil adversely impacting any ladybirds they may still be around.

Never tried it for fungus gnats, but nematodes are good for larvae I believe!