Gina Parkinson goes in search of dark contrasts for when the garden is madly growing green in the rain.

THE rain this week has turned spring gardens verdant with fast-growing plants that revel in the warm and damp conditions.

With all this green around, it is a good idea to have some contrast in the beds by using dark-leaved plants, for example. There is plenty of choice, from annuals to perennials, grasses to shrubs.

One of my favourites is Sambucus nigra Black Beauty (also known as Gerda), a deciduous shrub or small tree.

This tough plant will grow in exposed or sheltered aspects and in acid, alkaline or neutral soil of chalk, clay, sand or loam as long as it doesn't get waterlogged.

It can be allowed to grow to its natural size, which is around 4m/13ft high or more given space, but will also respond well to hard pruning if its size has to be restricted.

Pruning is best done in early spring so as not to affect flowering which occurs between May and July. Panicles of pink, fragrant flowers are followed by clusters of purple-black berries in late summer and autumn.

Foliage starts out green turning very nearly black as it matures and is a perfect contrast for plants with lighter coloured foliage.

Mine grows in a crowded bed with, at the moment, frosty pulmonaria, grey leafed grasses, fading forget-me-nots and bright yellow, highly scented Turks cap lily.

Weekend catch-up

IT IS still not too late to plant dahlia tubers which can often be found reduced at this time of year.

Although it is getting towards the end of planting time, it is worth potting one or two up at the beginning of June.

This should still give them sufficient time to grow enough over the next couple of months for flowers at the end of the summer.

Always one for a bargain, I bought a set of four named dark foliaged varieties half price last week and potted them up on Sunday.

They were in a box so it wasn't possible to check the tubers but fortunately they were all still firm and healthy with only a few small shoots beginning to show.

The varieties include the popular Bishop of Llandaff, which over the past few years has made dahlias popular again, Summertime, Elise and Rosamunde.

Four days later three of them have already started to shoot.

Gardening TV and radio

Tomorrow

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

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

2pm, R4, Gardeners' Question Time. The team of gardening experts helps members of Lincolnshire North Federation of Women's Institutes with their horticultural problems.

2.45pm, R4, The Next Darjeeling. The first programme of new five part series which follows the progress of Britain's first tea crop which is being cultivated at Tregothnan in Cornwall.

Monday to Friday

12.30pm, C4, The Great Garden Challenge. More teams do battle for a place in the garden final.

Friday

8pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World. The small formal pond and large wildlife pond are under the spotlight tonight. Meanwhile Carol in busy in the long borders and Monty is preparing himself for the plant swap at next week's Gardeners' World Live in Birmingham.

Open gardens

Sunday, June 5

Open Gardens in Marton-cum-Grafton, two miles south of Boroughbridge. Numerous varied gardens open in a pretty village. Lunches, hot snacks, teas and refreshments on sale together with ice creams, cake stall and plant stall. Open 11am-5pm. Combined admission £3.50 adult, accompanied children under 12 free.

In aid of British Red Cross

Aldby Park, Buttercrambe, off the A166 to Driffield nine miles east of York. Terraced garden designed by Thomas Knowlton in 1746 with ornamental trees, shrubs, riverside and fern walks and extensive new planting. Also includes the site of the moated palace of King Edwin and Queen Ethelburga. Open 2-5pm. Admission £3 adult, accompanied children £1.

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme

Dunnington Manor, Dunnington, near York. Two acres of traditional borders, hedges, lawns and orchard surrounded by mature trees. New garden to the scheme. Open 2-5pm. Admission £2 adult, accompanied children free.

Hillbark, Church Lane, Bardsey, off the A58 Wetherby to Leeds road. One-acre south facing sloping garden with shrubs, perennials, annuals, hidden arbours and views, linked pools and large natural pond. Open 11am-5pm. Admission £2 adult, 50p child.

Home Farm, Hawkhills, near Easingwold. One-acre garden developed from farmland over the past eight years with a large range of unusual plants in mixed borders and small walled white garden. Open 1.30-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult, accompanied children free.

Hunmanby Grange, Wold Newton, 12.5 miles south east of Scarborough. Three-acre garden created from an exposed open field into a series of gardens planted for year round interest and sheltered by hedges and fences. Open 11am-5pm. Admission £2.50. Combined admission with Jackson's Wold £3, details below.

Jackson's Wold, Sherburn, ten miles south west of Scarborough. Two-acre garden with mixed borders, old shrub roses, woodland paths leading to further borders, lime avenue, wild flower meadow, vegetable garden and Victorian greenhouse. Open 11am-5pm. Admission £2.50. Combined admission with Hunmanby Grange £3, details above.

Lullaby, 32 Barra Close, Hull, off the A165 Holderness road. Small peaceful retreat planted to attract wildlife with borders, small woodland walk, shrubs, courtyard garden, water feature and pond with rill. Open 2-5pm. Admission £1.50 adult, accompanied children free.

Secret Garden, 10 Sherwood Grove, off Beckfield Lane, York. Hidden garden extended over 25 years with many features, extensive plantings, greenhouses with collections of tender plants, large pond with stream and small nursery. Be surprised at the extent of this garden hidden behind an unassuming house. I had a dramatic visit there a few weeks ago when unseasonably hot sun was followed by a heavy hailstorm that turned the lawn white within seconds. Open 10am-5pm. Admission £2. Adult, accompanied children free.

In aid of St John Ambulance

Mulgrave Castle, Lythe, four miles north of Whitby on the A174. Large formally planted walled garden with greenhouse, extensive parkland, woodland walk, and views. The grounds next to the garden were planned by Repton. Open 2-6pm. Admission £3 adult, 50p child.

Constable Burton Hall, three miles east of Leyburn on the A684. Large garden surrounded by 18th century park with fine trees, woodland walks, rockery, extensive shrubs and roses and new pond and beckside planting. Open 9am-6pm. Admission £3 adult, £2.50 OAP, 50p child (five to 16).

Organic nursery open day

Brunswick Organic Nursery and Craft Workshop in Bishopthorpe is holding its annual open day tomorrow.

Brunswick is a local charity running a productive workplace for adults with learning difficulties. Its site at Bishopthorpe has been developed with the help of many local organisations and with a grant from the Community Fund, the result being a busy, informative and attractive place for both workers and visitors.

On offer at the open day will be information about organic growing, live music, tombola, raffle, games and refreshments in the caf.

Crafts will be on sale in the craft workshop including hand-woven and knitted goods and handmade cards, wrapping paper and badges.

Of interest to gardeners will be the wide range of quality plants on sale including trailing petunia callibrachea with unusual orange flowers and a wide selection of nemesia as well as cosmos, rudbeckia and the black flowered Scabiosa Ace of Spades and perennials.

Brunswick Organic Nursery and Craft Workshop is on Appleton Road beside the hump backed bridge in Bishopthorpe. The open day runs from 11am-4pm. The nursery is also open daily from 10am-4pm during the summer.

Updated: 09:07 Saturday, June 04, 2005