Prim and proper

LAST Sunday I spent most of the day in the garden. It was the first time this year and gave a satisfying lift to my spirits.

Much of the time was spent tidying up dead stems from perennials such as Sedum spectabile, whose dried flower heads had lasted through the winter but were ready to be cut back. This revealed the fat rosettes of new leaves that are already appearing through the soil.

Some of the grasses also received attention with seed-heads removed and dead or dying foliage cut back to just above the height of new growth that was pushing through. I haven't got to grips with the niceties of cutting back ornamental grasses, but have just assumed that it needs to be done at some point to keep the clump tidy and expose the fresh new growth.

Overtaken by enthusiasm on that beautiful day, I decided to cut back the summer-flowering jasmine and the tangle of clematis which cover a wall topped with trellis.

It is rather early to do this but the garden is very sheltered and the clematis, which is a late-flowering viticella, had a lot of strong green shoots all the way up its thin brown stems showing that the sap was beginning to rise.

The jasmine is a well established specimen that was planted several years ago and should survive the rest of the winter even if we have a particularly cold snap. If this attractive, white-flowered climber does get hit by frost it will die back but new growth will soon appear at the base of the plant.

While outside, I noticed that several spring plants are already well advanced and coming into flower.

The most noticeable are the primroses in a cool shady bed at the front of the house.

Primroses or primulas come in a variety of colours from deep reds and blue to the pales pinks and white.

I have planted many types in the garden over the years, often carefully lifting and dividing them in the summer when they have finished blooming. They have been potted up and nurtured until autumn then planted out to over-winter in the garden but most have disappeared.

Even the little early wandas, with their small bright flowers and rosettes of dark leaves, don't seem hardy here.

In our garden the best primulas as far as reliability is concerned are very pale yellow.

One, similar to a wild primrose but with larger flowers, has appeared every year in the garden since we moved here 16 years ago. New leaves and flower buds develop before Christmas and usually open in January and, depending on the severity of the winter, by February it has formed a clump of blooms and foliage.

The second is a more recent addition to the garden with double creamy yellow flowers surrounded by a frill of small green leaves.

To echo the primulas in the garden, I fill a couple of pots with them, trays of plants can be bought from garden centres and other outlets at this time of year. Six decent sized plants will fill a reasonably sized pot that can be put on the doorstep to greet you on your return home.

Weekend catch-up

DECIDUOUS hedges need to be cut back this month if they haven't yet been done. Birds will be nesting soon so it is important the job is done before they start.

Cut back the hedge as far as required and take out any dead or diseased branches.

Loosen the soil under the hedge - this is often a neglected area so it is worth sorting it out once a year - and remove dead leaves and other rubbish that has accumulated there.

If the soil is very dry, give it a good soak of water, sprinkle slow release fertiliser on to the surface and add a thick mulch of well rotted compost.

This will give the hedge a good boost when it becomes active after winter.

Sweet pea talk

THE Ancient Society of York Florists is hosting a talk about sweet peas on Monday at Askham Bryan Village Hall. The talk, which begins at 7pm, will cover all aspects of sweet pea growing, including tips on using the plant in the garden, as a cut flower and growing for exhibition. Members and non-members welcome. Admission £1 at the door, including tea and biscuits.

Updated: 16:26 Friday, February 04, 2005