Episode 26
Monty gives his top tips on how to keep lawns looking their best throughout autumn, tidies up the pond, and plans ahead for a colourful spring display by potting up hyacinths.
Monty gives his top tips on how to keep lawns looking their best throughout autumn, tidies up the pond, and plans ahead for a colourful spring display by potting up some hyacinths. He plants garlic in a container, gives his shrub roses a prune and enjoys the fruits of the season by harvesting pears.
Rachel de Thame visits a National Collection of asters near Worcester, while Adam Frost discovers how the garden at Peckover House in Cambridgeshire has been restored to its former glory.
There鈥檚 a gardener in Stroud who has created a serene space infused with reminders of his Tibetan heritage. And a garden in Essex where water and wildlife are the main attractions.
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Margaret Stone鈥檚 New England asters
Michaelmas daisies are one of the stars of the autumn border, so called because they reach their peak either side of Michaelmas Day on the 29 September. They鈥檝e always been a cottage garden favourite and are highly valued by the cut-flower trade worldwide.听
In recent years, scientific studies have shown that asters native to North America are totally unrelated to those that come from Europe and Asia, which is why some of them are now known as Symphyotrichum or Eurybia, rather than听Aster.
Margaret鈥檚 collection is composed of Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, otherwise known as the New England aster. As Margaret explained, they are a good choice for gardeners because they get nice and tall, can be left in the ground for several years, and don鈥檛 succumb to powdery mildew. Varieties of the New York aster, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii,听are rather more demanding.听They听must be kept moist and divided on a regular basis to keep them happy.
If you would like to see Margaret鈥檚 National Collection for yourself, she鈥檒l be opening for the National Garden Scheme on Sunday afternoon. Click on the link below for more details.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Monty Don |
| Presenter | Adam Frost |
| Presenter | Rachel de Thame |
| Executive Producer | Gary Broadhurst |
| Series Producer | Sharon Fisher |
| Production Manager | Ash Morris |