Birmingham: Bonsai, Black Elder, Blueberry and Bees

Q1 – “My peonies have never flowered. I've dug them up, planted them more shallowly several times, and still no joy. Could plants growing around them be affecting their flowering?” (01”25’)

Marcus Chilton-Jones

• Paeonia spp., peony

• Galium odoratum, sweet woodruff

Q2 – “When is the best time to cut hazel for sustainable poles? How often can it be coppiced and will it damage the tree?” (06”06’)

Marcus Chilton-Jones

• Corylus avellana, hazel

Chris Thorogood

• Corylus avellana, hazel

• Fagus sylvatica, common beech (foliage comparison)

Q3 – “Can you help me rescue my juniper bonsai which turned brown after being kept indoors for several months?” (09”08’)

Audience context

• Juniperus spp., juniper bonsai

Bethan Collerton

• Juniperus spp., juniper

Q4 – “My black elder tree has grown too big and blocks light. Despite cutting it back each year it grows tall again. What should I do?” (13”52’)

Marcus Chilton-Jones

• Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’, black elder ‘Sambucus Black Lace’

• Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla Black Tower ('Eiffel 1'PBR), black elder ‘Black Tower’

Chris Thorogood

• Styphnolobium japonicum (syn. Sophora japonica), Japanese pagoda tree

Feature – Bethan Collerton speaks with Jane Nimmo to find out more about Bees, Pollinators and Urban Beekeeping. (17”54’)

Q5 – “When is the best time to prune or reshape a smoke tree? I've heard they don't like being pruned.” (24”48’)

Marcus Chilton-Jones

• Cotinus coggygria, smoke bush

• Corylus avellana, hazel (coppicing comparison)

Q6 – “Our blueberry plant didn't survive the recent heatwave due to lack of watering. Is there anything we can do to bring it back?” (28”00’)

Question context

• Vaccinium spp., blueberry

Chris Thorogood

• Cistus spp., rock rose

Q7 – “I always struggle to get colour in my garden at the end of summer. What would you suggest?” (30”10’)

Bethan Collerton

• Cephalaria gigantea, giant scabious

• Verbena bonariensis, tall verbena

Chris Thorogood

• Salvia spp., salvia

• Allium spp., ornamental onion

• Euphorbia, Spurge

• Verbascum ‘Southern Charm’, mullein ‘Southern Charm’

• Verbascum olympicum, Olympic mullein

• Achillea ‘Moonshine’, yarrow ‘Moonshine’

Marcus Chilton-Jones

• Anemone × hybrida group, Japanese anemone

• Symphyotrichum spp., aster

• Hylotelephium spp., stonecrop (syn. Sedum)

• Helenium spp., helenium

• Inula spp., inula

• Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, perennial sunflower ‘Lemon Queen’

• Persicaria spp., persicaria

• Verbena spp., verbena

Q8 – “How can I future-proof my late husband's garden so I can continue to enjoy it without feeling overwhelmed?” (34”45’)

• Rhododendron spp. (azaleas)

• Vaccinium spp., blueberry

Chris Thorogood

• Arbutus unedo, strawberry tree

• Betula utilis ‘Silver Shadow’, Himalayan birch ‘Silver Shadow’

General discussion

• Shrubs (general)

• Herbaceous border plants (general)

• Wildflower meadow planting (general)