LO’B, Co Donegal
To keep camellias in top condition, they require feeding on a regular basis. After flowering, when the new growth is developing, it’s a good idea to give them an iron tonic. This can be bought at any garden centre as sequestered iron. You would be amazed at the difference it can make to the quality of growth. Remember that the care you give your camellias this summer will pay with flowers next spring.
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Last autumn, we cleared a wooded area at the end of the garden. Now we have a fantastic display of foxgloves. Is it possible to propagate these so we’ll have more next year?
FD, Co Wicklow
This often happens when a wooded area is cleared. The ground that is exposed makes the perfect habitat for foxgloves to colonise. It’s a good idea to let the foxgloves seed. Seeds can be collected later in the summer or, if you wish, you can buy seed now. By sowing the seed this summer, you will have strong young plants in the autumn. These will give a great display next year.
My mother is now quite elderly. The family have decided to make her small garden low maintenance. We are removing the small lawn, which is about four metres square. We’d like to cover this in an attractive gravel and were wondering if you could give us any advice?
KMcG, Co Offaly
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There are lots of good gravels to choose from and it is worth your while to shop around. Before putting the gravel in position, cover the ground with a landscape fabric. This allows soil to breathe and will prevent weeds coming up through the gravel. A good source for gravel is a company called
We Sell Stone, based in Ballybritt, Roscrea, Co Tipperary (0509 31100). It delivers nationwide and the gravel arrives in neat, large sacks, which makes the job easier to handle.
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Do you know where I can buy a rotovator?
PA, Co Cavan
Broderick, at 1 Glenageary Avenue, Dun Laoghaire in Co Dublin, stocks a range of rotovators/tillers. You can e-mail them at sales@brodericks.ie. However, you might consider hiring one unless you are planning on using it regularly.
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Dermot O’Neill is the Sunday Times gardening columnist and a regular contributor to RTE Radio 1’s Today with Pat Kenny