Stake this The received wisdom is to stake plants in early spring, but if you are realising only now that your rudbeckias, foxgloves, penstemons, phlox and the like are flopping all over the shop, join the club. Pea sticks made from twiggy prunings of shrubs or trees work well sunk into the ground near smaller specimens; steel fencing pins make thrifty and unobtrusive stakes for more substantial plants.
Plant this Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum × hybridum) looks like a plant from a fairytale, its arching stems bearing strings of bell-like white flowers fringed with green. This woodlander loves a moist, shady spot amid ferns and hostas, and can reach 1.2 metres tall.
See this This weekend, more than 200 of London’s private green spaces are open to the public. One ticket buys entry to dozens of secret spots, from roof terraces to walled gardens. Visit opensquares.org for details.
