Plant Focus: The Regal Lily (Lilium regale)

The Regal Lily (Lilium regale)

There is no questioning the fact that we are currently in the gentle grip of one of the nicest periods of weather we have had this year so far and I’m hoping that it continues for a few more days at least.  This has led me to spend many enjoyable evenings in the sun soaked garden or up at the allotment, often with a glass of wine, and it is at specific moments like these that I really begin to appreciate what has been created around me and the particular plants that really shine.  The Regal Lily is definitely one of those plants that earns its keep and helps to make this picture even more perfect.

This Lily makes a fantastic addition to any garden adding splashes of white and a degree of temporary height to borders.  I often use it as a cut flower to bring in to the home and, in fact, I’m planning to grow quite a large quantity of these in the cutting garden planned for the allotment plot  along with other flowers I use in the home (watch this space).  

The reason I write about this plant is because it has everything that most gardeners ask for from a flowering plant.  It’s beautiful, fully hardy, very easy to grow and it produces an intoxicating scent that fills the air, whether it be in the garden or home.  In my opinion it is one of the finest Summer bulbs available at present.

Unlike other Lilies that often require additional drainage and a bit more care, the Regal Lily is quite tolerant of moist soil and is likely to grow happily for years to come once planted in to its final position.  The height of its flower stems and the number of flowers produced will vary year-to-year depending on its growing conditions, soil fertility and available moisture.  Plant it amongst other border plants as they will protect emerging shoots from early frosts or alternatively you can grow plants in pots and place them in to bare patches of earth previously occupied by other seasonal displays, which is what I plan to do with Lilium 'Starburst'.  These plants are fairly easy to come buy from various retailers, even including pound shops, and they are also quick to grow from seed, flowering after two years in some cases.  

If you are looking for a Summer bulb that adds colour, height and scent to the garden I would most certainly recommend the Regal Lily.  Do you grow these plants? What other Summer bulbs would you recommend to other gardeners?





Please don't forget that you can enter the latest Ryan's Garden competition by clicking here and leaving a comment.

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Ryan’s Recipes: The Humble Pea

Peas in my garden

The humble pea is a beautiful little thing, the plant isn’t half bad either and come to think of it I actually love pretty much the whole Pea family.  The problem with this lovely legume is that beyond steaming, blanching or mushing (I doubt that’s the correct culinary lingo) it fails to inspire creative cooking practice in homes across the nation.  Unless of course you count adding pea shoots to salads a culinary feat.





As the pea season is in full swing I thought I would share one of my favourite pea recipes.  Not only does this recipe pack flavour and celebrate the humble pea but it is also very easy to prepare.





Pea and Tarragon Soup

Ingredients:

400g shelled peas or frozen peas 

1 Large onion, roughly chopped (Shallots can also be used)

1 Medium potato, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp chopped French Tarragon leaves

Butter (The real stuff)

Stock (Vegetable or Chicken)





Method:

Add a knob of butter to a pan and fry the onion until tender being careful not to burn it.  Add the potato along with the stock and simmer until the potato is very soft.  You can test this with a fork or by tasting.   Add the peas and tarragon to the pan and simmer for a further 3 minutes. Blend the soup with a hand blender or food processor until you create a smooth soup.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread.  It’s that simple!





Do you have any other Pea recipes?  I would love to hear your experience of cooking this soup.





In other news the Postcarden competition winner has been announced and you can view the result by clicking here.

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Hose pipe ban: Five ways to conserve water and keep plants healthy

Most people know that water is an essential requirement in the garden but following a recent decision to impose a temporary hosepipe ban on millions of householders in the north-west of England, gardeners all around the country have come to realise that this Summer has the potential to wreak havoc and leave nothing but scorched foliage in its wake.  There are, however, many ways of preserving your beloved plants without the use of a hose.  A few of the methods I regularly use are discussed below.





Collect Shower Water: The addition of a couple of buckets in the shower works wonders for collecting water that would otherwise go to waste.  My black plastic buckets may not look stylish but they are most certainly practical.  Most people will turn the shower on each day and wait for it to warm up.  In my case this cold water fills half a bucket for each shower taken, which is immediately used to water the plants growing in my garden.  





As a general rule water that has been used for washing should not be used as it may include shower gel, shampoo residues and other content which may prove problematic for plants and soil.  This is classed as greywater.  Greywater, which comes from used shower water, washing machines, dishwashers and the kitchen sink, can be used in the garden but it typically requires additional modifications or practices.  For more information please see Reusing greywater from the Environment agency.





Collect Rainwater: Harvesting available rainwater seems to be a logical step when looking to conserve water as it is more than abundant in the cooler months of the year. Water Butts are the favoured option for storing rainwater, with many local authorities providing them at low prices (Check your local council website for more details).  Water butts are easy to install and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours making them suitable for most gardens.  





If you have a surplus of water collected from the shower you can store it in the water butt too.





Drought Tolerant Planting: Plants that thrive in drought conditions and have low water requirements are invaluable when water is at a premium.  Gardens that incorporate such drought tolerant plants may see some decline in warm conditions but they will look considerably better than those that do not.  





For more information please refer to the RHS website. 





Apply Mulch: Garden mulches come in many forms and can range from simple organic matter, such as compost or manure, to man made substrates, such as recycled car tyres.  Whatever mulch is chosen the principle is essentially the same, to reduce the effects of sun, which may cause water loss by surface evaporation and reduce the effects of drying winds.  Plus annual mulches also reduce the growth of weeds that would compete for available moisture. Organic mulch will also help to further improve soil, improving soil structure and allowing soil to retain water more effectively.





Correct Watering: Believe it or not, there is an art to watering.  Watering at the wrong time of day can mean that water is not delivered efficiently and it may even render the whole process useless.  It is best to water plants in the evening as this will ensure that plants can absorb water over night when temperatures are cooler.  It will also ensure that water penetration is not affected by sunlight.  Watering early morning is also acceptable.  All watering should be thorough as opposed to the little but often approach and a thorough watering will ensure that plants require less frequent watering.  Sprinkler systems should be avoided where possible as they are wasteful and drip or trickle irrigation should be the favoured method if necessary.





A combination of approaches will maximise your water saving credentials although there are a whole world of approaches available that will suit your garden and approach specifically.  





Do you have any tips or techniques for other gardeners?  If you could suggest one method what would it be?

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How To Begin Designing Your Garden

Designing a garden begins with knowing what kind of garden you want and how you plan to use it. Here's some advice on where to put your garden and how to create the garden you dream of.

Garden Design Principles (7)

10 Tips for Designing or Re-designing a Garden
They say gardening is the ultimate form of hope. You plant tiny seeds in the absolute faith that something grand will grow. No garden design is ever finished. Plants fail, tastes change & weather is unpredictable. Your garden may not be designed on paper, but the more thought you put into what you want and what you like or dislike about your garden, the better your garden will be next year. …

Designing Next Year's Garden
Garden design starts with thinking about how and who will use your garden and what constraints time, money and nature put on you. That’s the basis of good site analysis. Then you can start to consider the garden design elements of color, texture and form.

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