Boxing clever with alpines

A few weeks ago I bought some alpine plants on York market, tempted by their tiny flowers and pretty leaves, but realised when I got home that I didn't have anywhere to put them and really needed an old stone trough or white pot sink.

Having neither of these to hand, the plants were left until I was given a wooden vegetable box to put some shopping in a few days later.

About to throw it away I realised this was the perfect trough for the alpines - not too deep and easy to drill the base for drainage. Because the wood is rather flimsy I painted it inside and out with a blue-coloured protective paint to prolong its life, drilled several drainage holes in the base then lined it with an old plastic carrier bag. I punctured the lining with holes to correspond with those of the box. It was then filled with a mixture of peat free compost and gravel since alpines like to be in very well-drained soil then put in the plants, arranging them around some pebbles I found in the garden.

It has been raised from the ground in a spot that gets sun until mid afternoon and under a window where we can see the small plants easily from both the house and the garden.

There are many, many plants suitable for use in an alpine trough. I chose five, Mimulus 'Highland Red', Silene uniflora 'Druett's Variegated', Erodium 'Roseum Plenum' Saxifraga 'Mossy White' and Saxifraga'Whitehill'.

The mimulus has deep-red flowers and is useful since it will bloom from late spring until late summer with an eventual height and spread of 25x25cm/10x10ins. The variegated silene is a cool contrast with pale green and cream leaves and white flowers for much of the summer. Its height and spread is around 15x30cm/6x12ins with prostrate stems that will hang over the edge of containers.

Erodium 'Roseum Plenum' is a pretty compact plant with dainty, semi-double pink summer blooms held 2.5-5cm/1-2ins above a neat mound of small, scalloped edged leaves that spreads about 23cm/9ins across.

The two saxifragas are both white flowered with 'Whitehill' having rosettes of silvery leaves and 'Mossy White' having smaller, fresh green rosettes.

With my creative juices flowing, I spotted another potential container languishing in the garden and converted it to a wall box (for want of a better name).

This sturdy old port box has survived several years in the garden being out in all weathers and used to hold trowels and twine and other small garden tools. It has 1987 burnt on to it, which was the year I was married and which has probably saved it, the sentimental side of me unable to get rid of it.

A good clean and light sanding followed by a few coats of Danish oil has transformed the box which is now screwed to the wall and holds white flowered Diascia 'Ice Cream' and shocking pink Petunia 'Rose Vein'.

Floral art demonstration

Tony Cleavers, who is coming out of retirement for the event, and Kate Doggett will give a floral art demonstration entitiled Summer Pleasures this Thursday in Poppleton Community Centre from 7.30pm.

Doors will open at 6.45pm with tickets costing £6 including a glass of wine or soft drink.

All proceeds will go to Poppleton Community Trust. More information and ticket details on 01904 795059/781160.

Diary date

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park takes place from July 20-24 this year with more than 18 show gardens including Hanging Gardens of Bowdon by York designer Keith James.

The floral marquees will be bursting with more than 50,000 plants displayed by leading nurseries and horticultural societies and the RHS National Flower Bed Competition will be held.

This competition is in its seventh year and this year will have 26 local authorities, communities and colleges competing to design the most stunning and original flower beds.

Teams from Harrogate District Parks and Scarborough in Bloom will be competing.

Tickets can be booked in advance by ringing the ticket hotline on 0870 906 3751 or by visiting www.rhs.org.uk/tatton

Wednesday July 20 is RHS members day only and tickets which must be bought in advance cost £21 for adults and children.

From Thursday July 20-Sunday July 24 tickets are £15 RHS members, £5 child five-15, and £20 non RHS members (£2 reduction if booked in advance), £5 child

five-15.

Opening times are 10am-7pm Wednesday-Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday.

TV and radio

Sunday, June 26

9am, Radio York, Down to Earth. Presented by William Jenkyns. Repeated on Wednesday at 8pm.

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

2pm, R4, Gardeners' Question Time. A postbag edition this week.

2.45pm, R4, The Next Darjeeling. More news from the tea crop at Tregothnan in Cornwall.

Monday-Friday

12.30pm, C4, The Great Garden Challenge. More teams compete in the gardening contest.

Friday

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World. Pest control and watering are among the gardening subjects tackled tonight.

8.30pm, C5, Nice House, Shame About The Garden. From Hillingdon where a garden of brambles and junked cars awaits transformation.

Open Gardens:

Sunday, June 26

In aid of Middleton Methodist Chapel, St Andrew's Church and the Village Hall

Middleton Village Open Gardens Day, Middleton near Pickering. 14 gardens open in the village together with the chapel and ancient church. Parking is available at either end of the village and visitors will receive a map of the village as their ticket, which has been designed by Tim Bulmer, a local award winning print artist. Open 1-5pm. Combined admission £2.50.

In aid of the NSPCC

East and West Cowick Village Gardens, near Snaith, Goole. Nine private gardens open with maps and refreshments available at the Village Hall in East Cowick and the Institute in West Cowick. Open 1-6pm. Combined admission £2.

In aid of Green Hammerton Village Recreation Charity

Green Hammerton Village Open Gardens, off the A59 York-Harrogate road. At least ten gardens are open plus some allotments with plenty of seating available for rests between visits. The church will also be open, refreshments on sale and plant and garden stalls. Open 11-5pm. Combined admission charge.

In aid of the British Red Cross

The Lower Garden House, Spennithorpe, two miles south east of Leyburn. Garden at the home of the Sir Leon Brittan and Lady Brittan, with views of the Dales, wild and unusual roses, shrub and herbaceous borders and woodland walk. Open 2-5pm. Admission £3.50 adult, accompanied children free.

8, Dunstarn Lane, Adel, off the A6120 Leeds ring road. Two acres of long herbaceous and rose borders with 60 varieties of delphiniums and magnificent summer colour. Open 2-5pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free.

In aid of St John Ambulance

Rye Hill, 15 Station Road, Helmsley. A quarter-acre plantswoman's garden divided into interlinking compartments each intensely planted in a different style using a large range of unusual plants for year round colour and interest. Open 2-5pm. Admission £3 adult, accompanied children free.

Beamsley Hall, Bolton Abbey, five miles east of Skipton on the A59. Six-acre traditional English garden with extensive herbaceous border and kitchen garden.

Open 1.30-5pm. Admission £3 adult, £2 concessions, children under 15yrs free.

The Gardens of Newton-le-Willows, south of the A684 between Bedale and Leyburn. Several gardens open including some new to the event and the Hall garden. Home made teas and plants on sale. Open 2-5pm. Combined admission £3 adult, child over 5yrs 50p.

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Beamsley Hall, Bolton Abbey, also open in aid of St John Ambulance details above.

Denwell, 2 Derwent Park, Wheldrake, four miles south of York. Mature garden with mixed shrub and herbaceous borders, hosta and fern border, pond, small gravel garden and 125 clematis. Open 1-5pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free.

High Farm, Lime Tree Lane, Bilton, five miles east of Hull centre. Large garden with mature trees festooned with clematis and roses, extensive range of plants including shrubs, ornamental grasses, succulents and rare herbaceous perennials. Open 1-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children free.

Hillbark, Church Lane, Bardsey, off the A58 Wetherby-Leeds road. One-acre south-facing country garden with hidden arbours, interconnecting ponds, marginal planting, shrubs, perennials and evolving woodland area. Open 11-5pm. Admission £2 adult, 50p child.

Jackson's Wold, Sherburn, 11 miles east of Malton. Two-acre garden with views of the Vale of Pickering, mixed borders, old shrub roses underplanted with unusual perennials, woodland paths, lime avenue with wild flower meadow, vegetable garden, greenhouse and adjoining nursery.

Open 11-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children free.

Long Marston Hall, Tockwith Road, Long Marston, off the B1224 York-Wetherby road. One-acre garden with small orchard, walled flower garden, formal pond, vegetable garden and large borders containing a more than 700 perennials and shrubs chosen for there ability to grow on sandy loam soils. Open 11-6pm. Admission £2. Also open today until 6pm.

Orchard House, Hunton, six miles south of Richmond. South facing half-acre garden bordered by farmland with stone walls, mature trees, sweeping lawn, borders with many flowering shrubs, evergreens and perennials, greenhouse and organically grown fruit and vegetables.

Open 11-4pm. Admission £2 adult, £1 child/concessions.

Wytherstone Gardens, Pockley, two miles north east of Helmsley. Large garden with rare shrubs and perennials, wide variety of lavenders and salvias, Mediterranean garden, peat terracing, arboretum, woodland walk, conservatory garden with climbing roses and railway sleeper border. Adjacent nursery. Open 1-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult, £1 child.

Updated: 08:55 Saturday, June 25, 2005