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Episode 7

Episode 7 of 31

Gardening magazine. James Alexander-Sinclair celebrates magnolias by visiting Borde Hill Garden in West Sussex, and Monty Don gives his borders a bit of a boost at Longmeadow.

Magnolias are the showstoppers of the tree world right now; to celebrate them in all their glory, James Alexander-Sinclair visits Borde Hill Garden in West Sussex, with its collection of magnificent champion trees. Monty Don is busy at Longmeadow too, giving his borders a bit of a boost and pricking out seedlings by the hundred.

29 minutes

Magnolia garden featured

Magnolia garden featured

The garden at Borde Hill was created in the early 1900s with plants being brought back from around the world by some of the great plant hunters of the time. Listed as of Grade II* importance by English Heritage on its register of Parks and Gardens, Borde Hill contains the best private collection of champion trees in Britain and one of the most comprehensive collections of trees and shrubs in the world. 

If you want to visit Borde Hill to see their magnolias, make sure you get there as soon as you can as the warm weather has really brought them on.

Borde Hill Garden
Borde Hill Lane
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 1XP
Tel. 01444 450326

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Hemerocallis heaven

Hemerocallis heaven

According Mark Zenick, the hemerocallis grower we went to see, daylilies are  regarded as the ‘poor man's orchid’ in the USA. And in China, they have been eaten for 2000 years and even today, remain a staple food. The rhizomes, new shoots, buds and flowers can be all stir-fried, with the buds and blooms making a great addition to soups. It may also surprise you to know that daylilies offer more vitamin C and protein than asparagus or green beans!

When asked to recommend a few favourites, Mark went on to say:

“This is like having a family of twelve children and being asked to choose one's five favourites. Here is my list, but so many others delight and inspire me!â€

Alabama Jubilee  Large blossoms of eye-catching burnt red-orange.
Classic Caper  Tall, flesh-pink blooms with a vibrant, dark purple throat.
Cranberry Baby  A miniature with a consistent cranberry-red colour.
Sir Mordred  Smouldering mixture of deep red and black. 
Sunday Gloves  Crisp, near white blooms that glow against green foliage.

Mark’s amazing collection of daylilies is well worth a visit, so if you want to drop in on his Open Day on Sunday 12 July, here’s how to get there.

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Jobs for the weekend: Dig out perennial weeds

Weeds are growing fast now, so it’s worth getting on top of them before they run amok in your borders. Perennials weeds are particularly difficult to control, so it pays to dig them out while they are still small. Remove as much of the roots as you can as any pieces you leave behind will almost certainly regrow. 

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Jobs for the weekend: Prune hydrangeas

Mophead and lacecap hydrangeas can be pruned now. Cut off all the dead flower heads back to a strong pair of buds, along with any weak or congested growth right down to the ground. Up until now, the faded blooms have helped to protect the new buds from frost, but now that the weather has started to warm up, there’s no need to leave them on.

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Jobs for the weekend: Lift & divide primroses

Primroses and polyanthus can be propagated once they have finished flowering. Simply lift large established clumps and divide them into smaller chunks. Replant these immediately, ideally in a lightly shaded spot, and water in well.

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Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Monty Don
Presenter James Alexander-Sinclair
Series Producer Chloe Rawlings
Series Editor Liz Rumbold

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