Bleeding hearts

Dicentras arrive in the garden during May and what a lovely display they make during the month. Dicentra spectabilis is one of the first; pushing fat stems through the earth in April and putting on an amazing amount of growth so that within weeks it has formed a large, multi-stemmed plant. These stems are topped with arching sprays of blooms that are carried just above the fresh, deeply cut green foliage. The shape and colour of the flowers give rise to the common name of Bleeding Heart with each individual bloom a perfect heart shape, from which an oval droplet is suspended.

We have one growing in partial shade at the front of the house where it has been for many years. It gets morning sun and seems to like the position. It is problem free, apart from needing to be staked as insurance against the winds we often get at this time of year. I use twigs pruned from a nearby red stemmed dogwood which, conveniently, are taken in March, just before they are needed for the dicentra.

Dicentra spectabilis is one of the tallest members of the family, growing to around 60cm/2 feet high with a spread of a little less. The fleshy stems are quite brittle and easily blown or knocked over. The roots are also brittle so care needs to be taken when moving or dividing them, which should be done in early spring before the plant gets too large, or in autumn.

Another member of this group is Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' which has lighter foliage and pure white lockets. I grow this is the same place as its relative and it always flowers later. It also seems less vigorous, growing a little shorter with fewer stems. My neighbours have a very attractive variegated variety growing in their garden with yellow streaked leaves and slightly darker flowers that contrast well with the foliage. It is a little shorter than the species with bushier growth and therefore doesn't seem to suffer quite so much from wind damage.

Dicentra spectabilis is herbaceous and dies right back in summer so it is a good idea to have something growing next to it, timed to fill the space. Light shade is the preferred position in light but not too dry a soil.

Weekend Catchup

Not really a weekend catchup but a daily job - the necessity of checking golden hops every day. They put on an amazing amount of growth at this time of year and if left for anytime at all will turn into a tangle of stems that are very difficult to sort out. Attach the stems to a framework of wires against a wall or up an arch or pergola. Remember this is a rampant plant and unless there is plenty of space in the garden it should be grown in a container - I have mine in a large galvanised dustbin. It split the plastic one it was in originally.

Annual Spring Plant Fair

Around 30 specialist nurseries will be at Newby Hall's Annual Spring Plant Fair tomorrow. There will be a wide range of plants on offer, together with advice from the growers, plus garden miscellany and artefacts on sale. The event runs from 10am-4pm, with the gardens open until 5.30pm. Admission is £6.50 adult, £5.50 senior, £5 child. The charge includes entrance to the 25 acres of gardens and woodland and the children's adventure gardens. Newby Hall is off the B6265, at Skelton-on-the-Ure, between Ripon and Boroughbridge.

Sledmere Garden Show

There will be a garden show at Sledmere House in Driffield, East Yorkshire next Saturday. There will be more than 50 exhibitors including specialist nurseries, garden gifts and ornaments, landscaping materials, pottery and crafts, gardening advice, a blacksmith and a children's garden. There will also be guided tours of the park and gardens. Gates open at 10am and the event will finish at around 5pm. Admission, which includes the gardens and grounds, is £3 adult, £1 child. There is also a concessionary entrance fee to Sledmere House of £1 adult and 50p child.

Gardening TV and Radio

Sunday

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

2pm, R4, Gardeners' Question Time. From Whitminster near Stroud in Gloucestershire.

Friday

7.30pm, BBC2, A Year at Kew. Exotic palms are being planted.

8pm, BBC2, How to Be a Gardener Revisited. A return to the tiny plot made in 2002.

8.30pm, BBC2, Gardeners' World. Work is carried out on the shady, fruit and family gardens.

Open Gardens

Sunday

In aid of St John Ambulance.

Harsley Hall, East Harsley, five miles north of Northallerton, off the A684. Six acres of grounds with shrubs, herbaceous plants, climbing roses, clematis, terraced lawns, a series of lakes and wildflower walk with daffodils, primroses and violets.

Open 2-5pm. Admission £3.50 adult, 50p child.

The Hutts, Grewelthorpe, eight miles from Ripon. Garden with spacious lawns, two lakes, a new collection of more than 800 rhododendrons and azaleas, woodland walks and a newly planted kitchen garden with pond and fountain.

Open 2-5pm. Admission £4 adult, 50p child.

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Blackbird Cottage, Scampston, five miles east of Malton off the A64 Scarborough road. Plantswoman's garden with a wealth of interesting plants including many alpines and a shrub and herbaceous border.

Open 10-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult.

Hillbark, Church Lane, Bardsey, off the A58 Wetherby to Leeds road. One-acre garden on a south-facing slope with shrubs and perennials, hidden arbours and surprising views, large natural pond with ducks and marginal planting, woodland area and unusual garden ceramics.

Open 11-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, turn off the B6162 Harrogate-Otley road one mile west of Harrogate centre. Beautiful garden with large lawns, long streamside walk with marginal plantings, woodland walks, Dairmuid Gavin's Gardens Through Time, contemporary herbaceous borders, alpines, kitchen gardens and wild flower meadow.

Open 9.30am-6pm last entry 5pm. Admission £6 adult, £1.60 child. The garden is open all year except Christmas Day, 9.30-6pm March-October and 9.30-4pm November-February.

Saltmarshe Hall, six miles east of Goole. Approximately ten acres of garden with large lawns with old trees, courtyard with shrubs, climbers, herbaceous plants and roses, pond and walled gardens and large herbaceous border.

Open 12-5pm. Admission £3 adult.

Woodlands Cottage, Summerbridge, on the B6165 Ripley-Pateley Bridge road. One-acre garden divided into several rooms with herb and vegetable areas, woodland garden with natural rocky outcrops, wildflower meadow and gravel paths.

Open 1.30-5pm. Admission £2 adult.

Tuesday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Jackson's Wold, Hesterton Wold, 11 miles east of Malton. Two-acre garden with views of the Vale of Pickering, walled garden with mixed borders, old shrub roses, woodland paths, lime avenue with wild flower meadow and traditional vegetable garden.

Open 1-5pm. Admission £2.50 adult.

Wednesday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Cawood Gardens, five miles north of Selby. Two gardens open; 9 Anson Grove, small orientally influenced garden with winding paths, four pools, water features, Zen garden, pagoda and more than 30 grasses.

Ash Lea, shrubs and fernery lead to colourful formal borders, pool, and bridge or woodland walk leading to a dining area and traditional vegetable garden edged in clipped box.

Open 1-4pm. Combined admission £4.

Hunmanby Grange, Wold Newton, 12.5 miles south east of Scarborough on the road from Burton Fleming to Fordon. Three-acre garden created from an exposed field now with hedges and fences providing shelter from the wind for a series of gardens planted for year-round interest with seasonal highlights.

Open 1-5pm. Admission £4.

Londesborough Cross, Shiptonthorpe, off the A1079 York-Hull road. Former railway goods yard transformed into a garden with ponds, bog area, large herbaceous borders, screes, clematis and woodland garden planted with a large collection of ferns and plants for shade.

Open 1-4pm. Admission £3 adult.

24, Redbank Road, Ripon, turn off Harrogate Road at the Nissan showroom into Whitcliffe Lane, then take the third turning on the right. Small garden remodelled over the past six years with raised beds, rockeries, species peonies grown from seed, alpines and shrubs all grown in a potentially difficult site with dry sun and dry shade. New to the scheme. Open 2-5pm. Admission £2 adult.

Friday

In aid of the National Gardens Scheme.

Shandy Hall, Coxwold, seven miles from both Thirsk and Easingwold. Home of the C18 author Laurence Sterne. Two walled gardens with unusual perennials underplanted with tulips and old roses in low walled beds, plus a further acre of old quarry with trees, shrubs, climbers and wild flowers. Evening opening.

Open 6.30-8.30pm. Admission £2.50. The house and gardens are also open at other times - ring the Laurence Sterne Trust on 01347 868465 for further details.

Updated: 16:46 Friday, May 12, 2006