GINA PARKINSON sings the praises of a May plant that might seem ordinary but which has its own beauty.

THE May garden is so full of interesting things to talk about that it is hard to choose, but one thing that has shone in our garden over the past few weeks is kerria.

Kerria japonica is a very ordinary plant that can, if allowed, get rather too much even for the largest of places.

The warm yellow pompom flowers appear from March to April and it will grow in all but the shadiest places in most soils.

The lateral underground shoots are good at spreading the plant about the garden so the judicious use of a sharp spade to cut these followed by the pulling up of unwanted stems can be a necessary job.

The above description of this plant appears negative and in fact the double-flowered Kerria is not the one I would recommend. The single flower types are much more beautiful with large buttercup yellow blooms on long light green stems.

Ours has hopped over the fence from our neighbour and grows in a partially shaded spot climbing into the lower branches of a fir tree.

We also have a baby from this plant that is being established on the other side of the garden to grow into a screen of bamboo.

Kerria japonica is a small family of plants with a couple of single flowered varieties ‘Simplex’ and ‘Golden Guinea’. ‘Pleniflora’ is the double flowered variety and there is also a variegated version, ‘Picta’.

This is less common and may need to be sought from a specialist nursery but the cream margined grey green leaves and single deep yellow flowers make it a welcome addition to the spring garden. Like many variegated plants this kerria is less vigorous than it plain leafed relatives growing around 1.5mtres tall with a similar spread.

Apart from keeping growth in check, Kerria needs little care and is easy to establish. Pruning is done immediately after flowering by removing all flowered shoots back to a vigorous side shoot. At the same time cut back one in three stems to ground level each year. This will encourage the plant to produce fresh green growth and stop it becoming woody and shapeless.


In the vegetable garden

It is time to make the last sowings of tender vegetables indoors. These include runner beans, French beans, courgettes and sweetcorn. They should germinate and grow quickly and be ready to harden off outside at the end of the month or beginning of June once the danger of frost has gone and the plants are large enough.


Weekend catch-up

The dahlia tubers I brought out of hibernation and potted up in March have almost all sprouted.

We have only lost one which is surprising as many were dusted with white mould while they were in the shed over winter.

After spending the last few weeks cosseted indoors, they were moved to the greenhouse last weekend as it is time to start hardening them off.

Dahlias are tender and can’t be put into their flowering position until the end of the month but the greenhouse with an open door will start them on their way.

Courgettes and tomatoes are also out there but they will all have to be protected if a frost is forecast so it is a good idea to keep a daily check on local weather conditions.


Open gardens

Sunday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme Low Hall, Dacre Banks, HG3 4AA, ten miles north west of Harrogate on the B6451. Walled garden with herbaceous borders, spring bulbs, azaleas, rhododendrons and water garden. An asymmetric rose pergola under-planted with auriculas and lithodora links the garden to the orchard. Open 1pm to 5pm, admission £3.

Stillingfleet Lodge, Stewart Lane, Stillingfleet, YO19 6HP, six miles south of York off the B1222. Large garden with a wild flower meadow, natural pond, 55yd double herbaceous borders and modern rill garden. The area around the house is divided into smaller colour themed gardens with an emphasis on foliage. Nursery also open. Open 1pm to 5pm, admission £5 adult, £1 child.

Terrington House, Terrington, YO60 6Pu, 15 miles north east of York. Three-acre garden with mixed beds of brunnera, narcissi, tulips and other spring bulbs, azaleas and rhododendrons, peonies and hostas. Plus a herb parterre, vegetable garden, mature trees and a Shell House. Open 11am to 4pm, admission £4.

Woodlands Cottage, Summerbridge, HG3 4BT, ten miles north west of Harrogate on the B6165. One acre garden with natural woodland, bluebells, wild flower meadow, woodland rock garden, herb garden, herbaceous beds and fruit and vegetable garden. Open 1.30pm-5pm, admission £3.

Gardening TV and radio

Sunday

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors. With Blair Jacobs and Doug Stewart.

9am, BBC Radio York, Julia Lewis. Reports and features from around the North Yorkshire countryside plus gardening questions answered.

9am, BBC Radio Leeds, Tim Crowther and Joe Maiden.

9am, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. The team report from Malvern spring flower show.

9.30am, BBC2, The Beechgrove Garden. A visit to Broadwoodside Garden in Gifford, East Lothian.

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. A postbag edition with Matt Biggs, Pippa Greenwood, Matthew Smith and chairman Eric Robson.

Tuesday 8pm, BBC2, The Big Allotment Challenge. It’s the semi-final and the five remaining teams show their onions and chrysanthemums, are challenged to create a pedestal of flowers picked from their allotments and have to make jellies and fruit butters.

Thursday 8pm, The Big Allotment Challenge. It’s the day of the final and the three remaining pairs in the competition are set their last challenges. They have to show a melon and a sweetcorn cob, make a suspended floral arrangement and present a gift basket of produce from their allotments before the winner is announced.

Friday 3pm, Gardeners’ Question Time. Chairman Eric Robson presents the show from the Bristol Food Connections festival. With panellists Bob Flowerdew, Pippa Greenwood and Matthew Wilson.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. Monty Don plants sweetpeas, Carol Klein helps first time gardeners Dan and Dominique plant a border and newsreader Sophie Raworth reveals the importance of a garden to her.