Spring 2010 Cornish Gardener 7

Sweet scented broom

T

he fragrant yellow flowers of gorse and broom are associated with heathland, the edges of farmland and coastal locations. In Cornwall the sight of bright yellow gorse is a beautiful thing in summer, lighting up the countryside. It’s a wild plant and a bit of a nuisance too, but that doesn’t mean we dont love it and it is obvious that this species does well in all parts of the county, whatever the weather, so it will do well in gardens and can be a real asset in places where little else will grow. Gorse flowers can be seen on bushes all year round, giving rise to the old country saying ‘when the gorse is not in flower then kissing’s out of fashion’. Gorse’s cultivated cousin, the broom (Cytisus), tends to restrict its flowering mainly to spring and summer, though some do put on a show very early in the spring, even late winter if it’s mild enough.

Y

ellow really is the colour of spring when we’re all starting to

enjoy longer evenings, warmer temperatures and more opportunities to get outside. What better way to beautify the garden at this time than by planting some glorious yellow-flowering shrubs? For compact garden plants that deliver dependable bursts of flowers year after year you can’t do better than broom. A lovely yellow flowering broom or two will be just the thing to sweep away the last of the winter and usher in the start of high season in your garden. Interestingly, in the days before factory goods, stems of broom were used throughout the UK as sweeping implements.

H

ave you got what it takes to enjoy the beauty of brooms? If

you’ve got moderately fertile, well-drained soil and some places which the sun can get to, you can enjoy the benefits of brooms. They’re not too fussy and will tolerate lime soils, although may not perform to their best over shallow chalk soils. Certainly they are easy to live with, needing only periodic pruning either in late winter or

after flowering to maintain a healthy attractive shape. They make an ideal seasonal focal point in a shrub border. Cytisus is great for combining with bulbs and flowers of mid- late spring, for example tulips or narcissi. It’s especially effective as part of the structure of a border, providing the perfect backdrop for lower-growing plants.

S

pecies suggestions include: Cytisus x praecox ‘Allgold’,

always a favourite. An RHS Award of Garden Merit plant, ‘Allgold’ has really earned its stripes. It’s tough, reliable and produces masses of dark yellow flowers. ‘Warminster’ is another popular choice, in this case producing creamy yellow flowers.

C

ytisus ‘Porlock’ is a great option for colour now – ‘Porlock’ is

bigger than Cytisus x praecox at a maximum height and spread of 3m but is a little less hardy. Many of the other varieties available flower a little later. Why not plant a selection to guarantee a wonderful spectacle right into summer?

A BASKET full of beautiful Cytisus, one of the pink brooms

Advertisement

Bedding and

Vegetable plant specialists

AT Cedar Croft Nurseries we pride ourselves on the range and quality of plants we produce, as well as the friendly, expert advice. We grow a wide range of bedding and vegetable plants at our nurseries at St Tudy, Nr Bodmin and with over 20 year’s experience we are experts in growing.

Cedar Croft recently launched ‘Sexy Baskets’ which offers a sea- sonal range of distinctive hanging baskets and planters for your home or business premises.

Everyone is welcome to visit our nursery shop, open Monday- Saturday from 10am-4pm and Sunday in seasonal times. Find us between Bodmin and Camelford on the B3266. www.cedarcroft.co.uk www.sexybaskets.co.uk Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32