It’s a lovely time of year, all that fresh, green, growth is looking really lush after all the rain and sunshine we’ve had recently.
So it’s a good time to get some plant supports in the ground for herbaceous perennials that will flop without any support and climbing plants like Clematis, before they really take off. Somehow plants seem to grow more energetically when they’re given something to climb on.
There are lots of elegant solutions, I love these woven twigs that the gardeners at Wisley Garden make each year
They have a nice sculptural shape, looking lovely in their own right before the plants grow and cover them. Silver birch or hazel are ideal for this, and a nice sustainable solution if you can gather twigs from your own garden.
But if your weaving isn’t up to it, or you don’t have time, these metal stakes that link together are a practical solution and can be re-used each year.
Timber stakes and netting are a cheap remedy, they’re not very attractive but they’ll eventually be hidden from sight as the plants mature.
I’m using hazel poles in my garden for runner beans and sweet peas to grow on. I love sweet peas and got my act together and grew them from seed.
One day I’ll have some woven twigs in my garden like they do at Wisley… just not this year.
Jill
images: Jill Anderson
Leave a Reply