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Q. Do the panel have any planting suggestions to celebrate a ruby wedding anniversary in August?

A. Pippa – Try the Hebe called Ruby Mound. It will provide you with longevity.

Christine - Astrantia Ruby Wedding has lovely claret –coloured flowers. There will also be ruby varieties of Echinacea, Gladioli and Dalias. There are many red varieties of Lettuce. 

Chris - Allium sphaerocephalon is later flowering. You can plant them very densely because the foliage dies back before the plant is in full bloom.

Q. Are the leaves on my Privet hedge supposed to fall off over winter?

A. Chris- There are several species of Ligustrum. Ligustrum vulgare is the British native. It keeps a green appearance on the outside but the inner branches do defoliate. The leaves are the size of a twenty pence piece and are matt in appearance. The Japanese variety is much more lush all year round and has larger waxy leaves.

Q. I am moving house and would like to take my Aliums with me. Will they survive if I transfer them into pots?

A. Pippa – You may get setback but they will come back in later years. Aliums do better in open ground but can survive in containers if they have adequate drainage and fertility.

Chris - I would remove any signs of flowering. The bulb is very vulnerable when disturbed and you don’t want it to waste energy. You will then get fantastic flowering next year.