The mighty weed

In the flower garden I like growing a few plants that are usually considered to be weeds. So for example I have been known to dig daisies up from the lawn and plant them in cracks of paving or at the edge of a bed. Left to grow on their own without competition from lawn grass and regular beheading from the mower daisies grow larger than usual and seem quite tough.

Another plant considered by some to be a weed is orange hawkweed Hieracium aurantiacum often called fox and cubs and Grim-the-collier. Native to central and southern Europe it has naturalised in the UK probably from a garden escapee. This indicates how successfully this plant is taking over a site so like many potentially invasive plants care needs to be taking in keeping Mr Grim under control.

However the colour of the flowers makes Hieracium aurantianum worth having somewhere in the garden. The many petelled small flowers are held in clusters on slim black haired stems above the lower rosette of leaves. Opening from dark buds they are a gorgeous burnt orange which is so unusual amongst garden blooms. Appearing in succession from May until autumn they look good with white and blue campanula, lime green alchemilla and amongst the swaying stems of ornamental grasses.

Hieracium aurantianum spreads both by runners and seed and can be kept in check by regularly pulling up small plants as they appear, the flat clumps of hairy leaves are easily recognised through experience. To avoid seed spreading simply cut the flowers off as soon as they have finished and before the fluffy seeds ripen.

In the veg garden.

This year for the first time I have sown parsnips in the vegetable garden. They have taken so long to germinate that I had almost given up on them but held out after reading that this is normal for parsnips. Sown in rows with three seeds placed together at regular intervals as suggested I thought they would be easy to spot as they came through.

The weeks passed, the weeds grew and I was scared to pull them out in case the weeds were actually parsnips. So the patch became a glorious bed of poppy, bindweed, dandelion, alchemilla and couch grass seedlings popping up through the network of alpine strawberry runners. A week or so ago the parsnips finally came through, not in great numbers but they definitely looked different to the surrounding imposters and at last the bed could be weeded and made to look as if it could support some produce.

As the parsnip germination had been so erratic the seedlings were all removed and split into individuals before being replanted into a newly dug, weeded and watered section of the original plot. Around 25% have grown but it is enough to give three decent sized rows and at least now they can be given better care.

Specialist Plant Fair

Burnby Hall Gardens and Museum, Pocklington will hold their annual specialist plant fair tomorrow. Open from 10am-4pm tickets to the gardens and museum are £4.80 adult, £4.10 senior citizen, £2.60 child (5yrs-15yrs), free for RHS members.

Garden Fair

Flower Power Fairs will be at Ness Hall, East Ness near Nunnington, YO62 5XD tomorrow and as tickets include entrance to the beautiful gardens at the Hall it is well worth a trip out. The romantic garden has climber festooned archways and walls and perennial plants are allowed to wander over pathways and through the flower beds.

Several nurseries will be at the fair including Dark Star Plants, Roanne Nursery organic Northern Ark Nursery and Harespring Cottage Plants from the Pennines. Simon Allan, the Green Man will be selling hand crafted ironwork such as obelisks and plant supports.

The fair is open from 11am-4pm and tickets are £3.50 which includes the gardens. There is plenty of nearby free parking and accompanied children are free. No dogs please.

Open gardens

Today

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Beverley Hidden Town Gardens, Beverley, HU17 8JH. Four private gardens open in the centre of Beverley. The front garden of 16 St Matthews Court overlooks Beverley Minster while roses, grasses, climbers, perennials and annuals grow around the back together with a Mediterranean area and small pond. A triumphal arch is featured at 30 Railway Street through which are a display of climbers, pots and a water feature. 32 Railway Street has undergone extensive building worked and now has a newly planted garden whilst 34 Railway Street has a creatively planted courtyard. Open 10am-5pm, combined admission £3.50. Also open tomorrow.

The Old Rectory, Scrayingham, YO41 1JD, 12 miles north east of York. Garden developed over the past 15 years with mature trees, flowering plants, shrubs, terraces, large pond with island, woodland, meadow and a short walk to a Saxon Church. Open 10.30am-6.30pm, admission £5.

Tomorrow

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Basin Howe Farm, Cockmoor Road, Sawdon, YO13 9EG, off the A170 Pickering-Scarborough road. Three-acre garden on a limestone ridge overlooking the Wolds and with a Bronze Age burial mound. There is a woodland shelter belt, orchard, rose garden, herbaceous perennials and seasonally planted box parterre. Open 11am-5pm, admission £4.

Beverley Hidden Town Gardens, details above.

Hillbark, Church Lane, Bardsey, LS17 9DH, four miles south west of Wetherby off the A58.One acre garden on three south facing levels with formal topiary, perennials, specimen yew, gravel, rock and stream gardens, marginal planting and woodland area. Open 11am-5pm, admission £4.

Millgate House, Millgate, Richmond, DL10 4JN. Award-winning walled town garden overlooking the River Swale and filled with old roses, clematis, hostas, ferns, small trees and shrubs. Open 8am-8.30pm, admission £3.50.

Millview Cottage, Church Street, North Cave, HU15 2LJ, 15 miles west of Hull. Long and narrow cottage garden split into differently styled sections with a terrace, raised beds, wooden walkway, water feature, traditionally planted area, family garden, vegetables and greenhouse. Open 10.30am-5pm, admission £2.50.

Whixley Gardens, Whixley, YO26 8AR, eight miles west of York off the A59. Four gardens open in the village. The plantsman’s and flower arranger’s garden at Cobble Cottage has views to the Hambleton Hills; Ash Tree House has an extensive rock garden, herbaceous perennials, shrubs and roses. Lydiate House has been redesigned with sloping alpine rockeries, borders, foliage plants and unusual perennials. The Old Vicarage has climber festooned walls and structures, extensive flower beds and gravel and old brick paths leading to hidden seating areas. Open 11am-5pm, combined admission £6.

Gardening TV and Radio.

Sunday June 29.

7.45am, Gardeners’ World.

8am, BBC Radio Humberside, The Great Outdoors.

9am, BBC Radio York, Julia Lewis.

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

2pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. From Shropshire.

Tuesday July 1.

7.30pm, ITV, Love Your Garden. Alan Titchmarsh and his team set to on the neglected garden of bereaved parents Claire and Ian Estick who set up a charity after losing their youngest son.

Friday July 3.

3pm, BBC R4, Gardeners’ Question Time. Coming from The GQT Summer Garden party 2014 at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire.

9pm, BBC2, Gardeners’ World. How to keep the garden looking good throughout the summer and the benefits of having a garden pond.