Talkback: Spring blossom on apple trees

Gardeners' World Web User

ive planted my first apple tree this weekend in the mother in laws garden in the middle of her daffodil circle could you tell me the type of daffodil that has 18 petals 3 rows of 6 all different types of yellow with like a crovat centre instead of a trumpet 1 its beautiful

Gardeners' World Web User

Do they make anything will help delay when the blossoms come on? I live in the mountains and when we have early spring weather we usually loose our blossoms to a hard freeze.

Gardeners' World Web User

Michael, there are hundreds of varieties of daffodils available, so certainly couldn't identify this without seeing a picture, I'm afraid.

And Mountaineer, there isn't anything you can do to delay fruiting. However, when choosing fruit varieties for cold districts it's so important choosing late flowering varieties. Ask for advice from alocal nursery/garden centre if you have one, or write for advice from specialist growers. Also ask other gardeners in your area which varieties have proved reliable.

If flowers do start opening when frost is forecast then try (if the tree is small enough, to throw a fleece blanket over the whole thing overnight to provide a little protection. Remove again in the morning when conditions have warmed up.

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pleaseeee help ! i have a wall basket , that sits on my front porch wall . Last year , i planted geraniums that , grew "out" at an angle . I,m assuming it happened as i have aoverhang from my porch , and the plants were in the shade .What plants would be suitable ? Thankyou .

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Reply to Scoobydooby: There are so many plants to choose from, but your choice does depend on quite how much light the wall basket gets. For shaded positions I'd recommend evergreen, variegated ivy to trail down, plus try impatiens, and possibly fuchsias if not too shaded. Begonias might be OK, especially trailing varieties or types of Begonia semperflorens. Others to consider include nepeta, helichrysum, scaevola (fan flower), and others.

Also consider hardy perennials like heuchera and ferns.

Many houseplants would also be suitable, including spider plants.

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May Day is when I usually take my easel out in the garden and paint the apple blossom. It might be a bit later this year but the plums are already in full bloom and the pear buds are just opening. Cold again last night in Bristol but oh! what a beautiful day and I saw my first brimstone yellow butterfly at last.

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Reply to happymarion: Haven't seen any yellow brimstone yet (usually catch on quickly flitting across my garden in April, so fingers crossed), but did enjoy teh company of a peacock butterfly. Must have been an adult that had overwintered, and come out to enjoy the sunshine and spring blooms. Aren't the daffodils looking wonderful now!

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I paid £2 for an apple tree that had lost it's label, 3 yrs ago at the diy store I work in.Didn't know what 'flavour' it was till last year, when I had 5 enormous apples off it. We've decided it must be a Bramley seedling, as they made a wonderful pie or 5!. It's just beginning to show its flwer buds now, so fingers crossed for some more fruit this year. I also have a tiny, dwarf nectarine, which is covered in open blossom, right outside the kitchen window, and the past few days has been inundated with the tiniest of bees I've ever seen, complete with pollen sacs on their legs. Here's hoping for edible fruit from it this year.

Gardeners' World Web User

I too have seen a peacock butterfly and a fritillary and holly blue, all of which i know but I have also seen a large brown butterfly with white markings. Could this be a white admiral? I do have a lot of honeysuckle in my garden and lots of trees as it is a wildlife garden.

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Help. I have just moved house and the garden is a blank canvas - a small blank canvas!
Front garden is lawn 7.5m x 7.5m (with one corner chopped off on a curve) and I want to keep some of it (maybe in a cirlce?)for our daughter to play around on but also want to set out a border with nice things to look at and nice things to eat. It's an 'open plan' estate though so whatever I do will probably be scrutinised by the bedding plant and lawn brigade!
I would love to plant a tree. But I'm nervous about space, size, type etc.
I had thought of a crab apple or maybe a plum? I tried minarette in the last house with little success and it never looked that exciting anyway!
Any advice? What type, how far from the edge of the path? We live in Scotland so oodles of warmth is often hard to come by.

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Does anyone know the effect volcanic ash will have on blossom? Should I cover or take indoors the veg plants I have put out to harden off?