Q: We want a 3m to 4m (10-13ft) bamboo hedge at the bottom of our garden. Which type should we plant? We also need to find a garden designer to redesign the garden, on a budget of £6,000. Where do we find one? — G. and D. Lally, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
A: For a bolt-upright screen of that height you need Semiarundinaria fastuosa. It takes time to settle down and spread, so plant a few, two metres apart. The smaller you buy them, the longer they take to make full height and spread.
But I would see what your designer has to say before you plant anything at all. You are right to have set a budget before you find a designer, as it tells the designer the scale of your ambitions and whether it is his or her kind of work. Your first port of inquiry should be the Society of Garden Designers (01989 566695). It has all kinds of designers, from regional to international. If you want something simple, or just some planting design, then a modest designer from the local paper or county magazine may suffice.
Q: I have a mature buddleia and forsythia in the wrong places. Am I right in thinking autumn is the best time to move them, and is there anything special to be done, before and after the move? — Mrs S. Robinson, Cheshire
A: What’s mature? With a really old buddleia or forsythia it is best and easier to make a new plant: stick a 60cm (2ft) length of strong new growth half into the ground, in autumn. Plants that are established but not ancient are worth moving, in October. Cut out all weak and wispy stems and shorten the remainder to 60-70cm, then move the plant with as much root as you can reasonably get out. No need to water them in at that time of year when they are leafless, or just about to be.