St Austell: Kiwis, Proud Plants and Frozen Seeds

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – I’ve got two types of hydrangeas in pots, but they're not doing very well. Would they do better being planted in the ground? (01’02”)

Q – When do Kiwi’s produce fruit in the UK? (03’59”)

Q – We have a very tall and spiky hedge in our small front garden that I want to get rid of – Should I de-hedge it? (07’08”)

Feature – Matthew Wilson’s top tips on dividing perennial plants in the autumn. (12’41”)

Q – Do the panel advise that we freeze our seeds in water before planting them in the ground? (16’44”)

Q – What plant cutting had the panel been most proud of propagating? and which type of plant or cutting is notoriously the hardest to propagate? (21’25”)

Chris Beardshaw –

Citrus × limon (F), lemon

Anne Swithinbank –

Hylotelephium sieboldii, October Daphne

Ceanothus, californian lilac

Frances Tophill –

Origanum vulgare, oregano

Salvia rosmarinus (Ro), rosemary

Q – We plan to remove the loose stones on our drive, as they're proving hard to keep weed free. Is there an alternative use for them in the garden? (24’54”)

Frances Tophill –

Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver's root

Astrantia

Q – What ornamental grasses are suitable for a sunny open space that are wind tolerant to create a prairie styled garden? (31’03”)

Frances Tophill –

Pennisetum macrourum, African Feather Grass

Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose', oriental fountain grass 'Karley Rose'

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln', Chinese fountain grass 'Hameln'

Calamagrostis brachytricha, Korean feather reed grass

Anne Swithinbank –

Hakonechloa macra, Japanese forest grass

Molinia caerulea, purple moor-grass

Deschampsia, hair grass

Chris Thorogood –

Miscanthus, elephant grass

Miscanthus sinensis 'Kleine Fontäne', eulalia 'Kleine Fontäne'

Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus 'Cosmopolitan' (v), eulalia 'Cosmopolitan'

Stipa gigantea, golden oats

Stipa tenuissima, Mexican feather grass

Phalaris arundinacea, reed canary grass

Briza maxima, greater quaking grass

Monarda 'Violet Queen', bergamot 'Violet Queen'

Eryngium, Sea holly

Eryngium agavifolium, agave-leaved eryngo

Eryngium eburneum, yellow-tinged ivory white eryngo

Achillea millefolium, common yarrow

Geraniums, cranesbill

Geranium palmatum, Canary Island geranium

Q – When is the best time to prune acers? (36’10”)