Flexi-Tie, the flexible, reusable garden tie that stretches, ensuring that plants are never damaged by it. It knots easily, is a very discreet brown and is available in three different thicknesses. The ‘Fish’ safety knife, also from Flexi-Tie, is the easiest, safest and most convenient way to cut the tie as you work. To find a stockist near you go to Flexi-Tie.

In the greenhouse: The tomatoes are ripening nicely, starting with the Sweet Olives, which look like they will have a bumper crop. I’ve started to remove the lower leaves on the plants to aid ripening and encourage the plants to put their energy into the fruit. Not much else is happening in the greenhouse right now as everything else, bar a couple of basil and chilli plants, is perfectly happy outdoors.

Sweet Olive Tomatoes

In the coldframe: The carrots I transplanted from Roottrainers are leafing up nicely – it remains to be seen whether the roots grow big enough to be worth the effort.
In the garden: The problem with going away is that the garden doesn’t put itself on pause during our absence. We came back from Wales to find something more like a jungle than a garden, but I’ve enlisted help and a couple of days concentrated attention should get things back under control.

Stop Press: Badger Bother –Last night when I was in the kitchen I could hear a lot of noise coming from the gate that leads into the courtyard. I shone a torch out of the window but, although the noise continued, I couldn’t see the badger. Andrew decided to have a look and went outside with the torch – only to do a quick pirouette and scuttle back indoors pursued by a cornered badger! Luckily it shot straight past him and exited stage left through a hole cut in the courtyard door (for our cat) that leads through to the front garden. We are still laughing.

After years of harvesting small, decidedly sour grapes, it looks as if this year is going to be different. The strawberry grape, also known as Fragole, which grows in a very large pot in the courtyard, is bearing bunches of grapes large enough to make a Frenchman smile.

Fragole

I can’t be sure, but part of the reason they are doing so well might be the advice I picked up off a Californian website which recommended pinching out the end of each bunch while still in flower. Of course there is some time to go before they ripen, but they already look like proper bunches of grapes and are swelling fast. The strawberry grape has a delicious musky flavour and is worth growing if you can get hold of it. Crocus used to offer it, but now it is harder to find. Try Silk Tree.

Also on the fruit front, the apricots are looking amazing.

Apricots

I’m not sure how much more they will ripen on the tree – although the right colour, they are still quite firm. I will probably pick them over the weekend and leave them for a couple of days to see if they soften – if not, there are enough to make a couple of tarts. Following advice from Mark Diacono, who runs the UK’s only climate change farm, Otter Farm, I pruned back the branches by about half on a dry, breezy day (damp weather should be avoided). I want to keep the tree reasonably compact and sturdy. As a stone fruit, like cherries, peaches and plums, apricots must be pruned while in active growth.

Suttons have an exclusive website offer for Gardenia Kleim’s Hardy. If you buy 2 for £15.90 you will get one free. Gardenias are normally tender and tricky to grow successfully, but this new variety is far hardier, has a similar fragrance and can be planted out in the garden or in a container.
Full details of the offer on Sutton Seeds.

Verbena bonariensis remains a hugely popular plant for good reason. Its airy waving stems of purple flowers hover above the border in a most attractive way. This week Woottens Plants are offering 6 strong plants of Verbena bonariensis for £17.10 a discount of 25% off their normal prices. Click now to visit Woottens Plants.

Wollerton Old Hall garden in Shropshire* is a beautiful blend of inspired planting, immaculate topiary and wonderful structures.

Beautiful Blend of Inspired Planting

Ingeniously laid out, it reveals itself bit by bit in a series of differently-themed rooms. When the owners bought the house the garden was none existent – what they have achieved is guaranteed to delight.

Immaculate Topiary

And there is a lovely tea room and a nursery too! For more information go to www.wollertonoldhallgarden.com .

Wonderful Structures