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Just when I had finished planting the last of the alpines I noticed silver birch (Betula pendula )leaves appearing again all over the garden. These are not the new seedlings but plants that I missed last year, probably too small to catch my attention. The new seedlings are just emerging in there thousands as usual. I never did find a use for them or anyone that would take a few. Would you believe that when I had the nursery I found it difficult to get a decent germination percentage from silver birch, when I did have a use for them. Now when they are growing like weeds when I don't need them. Maybe Mother Nature is trying to tell me something. But now back to the real business of gardening, and my sand beds that are now almost all planted up with alpines from the greenhouse. With all the extra space it was time for part two of the plan. All the South African bulbs in pots that were in the greenhouse and elsewhere in the garden have been moved into the part shaded frame beside the small garden shed. They are making rapid growth now and will be easier to water outside, and maybe not as attractive to greenfly. Will have to watch for slugs though as I still have the usual plague of those. Lewesia Tweedii was potted into large pots in compost made up of 75% sand and a little soil and pearlite and stood on the bench. I find over the years that all the Lewesia's don't like clay pots, so I used plastic ones instead. It must be that they dry out too quickly in the clay, although I always have them plunged in sand. Speaking of Lewesias, some of my best hybrids have been dispatched to a nursery in England for propagation and distribution purposes, as I no longer have the space to vacillate such an operation. Androsaces Vandeilii were potted in five-inch clay pots and plunged in the sand, as was Androsaces Pyranaica. These are all potential show plants in a few years time, and will be getting star treatment. A lot of my Primula Allionii, collection is going to a friend in the Alpine garden Society, and will be replaced with some of my new seedlings that I have now rouged and selected for growing on.
The copyright of the article SILVER BIRCH TIME AGAIN in Gardening in Ireland is owned by Michael Campbell. Permission to republish SILVER BIRCH TIME AGAIN in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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