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Q – Is there any way to save my mature Wisteria when my kitchen is rebuilt?

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Bunny – I think it’s going to be a lot of work – I would invest in a new plant.

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Q – Can you recommend a scented Iris? And what are the best growing conditions?

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James – Iris confusa is my favourite.Ìý Situation: lots of sun and by water features.

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Bunny – The bearded irises like the sunny positions – so things like ‘Jane Phillips’.Ìý For the shade – Iris iberica.Ìý You can grow ‘Weymouth Blue’ near water.

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Bob – The Orris Root.Ìý

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Q – My wildlife pond is drowning in blanket weed.Ìý What can I do?

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Bunny – Increase water circulation.Ìý Give it some shade if you can.Ìý Barley straw extract.Ìý You need soil in the bottom of the pond too – a non-clay subsoil.

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Bob – Find a use for the blanket weed.Ìý Rake it out, let it dry and then use them inside hanging baskets or making planting pouches.Ìý

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James – You want to grow floating plants to cut down on sunlight hitting the water.Ìý Then you want some oxygenating plants to take out some of the fertiliser.

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Q – I have a problem with aphids on runner bean roots in raised beds.Ìý What can I do?

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Bob – You need to get rid of the ants as they will be ‘farming’ the aphids.Ìý I would recommend boiling water onto the nest.Ìý

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James – You could mulch the surface.Ìý

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Bunny – I would use a green waste mulch

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Q – I’ve tried to have a container garden but I’m finding it difficult to clear out the tubs.Ìý Is there an easy way to clean the tubs?Ìý For example, I want to clear out a Pieris in order to replace it.

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Bob – Put a plastic sheet down and push the pots over

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James – Just plant perennials. Do less.

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Eric – You don’t need to empty the whole container each time

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Q – We had a large maple which was cut down seven years ago but the root system is still there and it blights plant growth and breeds mushrooms.Ìý What should we do?

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Bunny – I wouldn’t worry about the mushrooms.Ìý It’s not cheap to grind stumps out so I always just cut them down as close as I can get them and then enrich the soil and water well when planting new plants.Ìý The roots will rot away. If I need to I will use a hand saw to chop away unwanted roots when planting.

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Bob – I think you’re about to win this battle, they will rot away soon enough.

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Q – Could you suggest vegetables for planting in the autumn that we can pick from through winter? No brassicas please.

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Bob – Not an awful lot.Ìý Leeks you could try.Ìý Mustards.Ìý Chinese cabbages or pak chois.Ìý Swedes.Ìý You might be better off with herbs like thymes, mint, rosemary and sage.

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Bunny – Chards.Ìý Spinach.Ìý Coriander.Ìý Fennel.Ìý

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Q – I will be opening my garden to the public on July 9th.Ìý Would the panel recommend the ‘Chelsea Chop’ to delay flowering?

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Bunny – I use the Chelsea Chop for things like sedums.Ìý I chop my Honesty to make it flower late.Ìý Alchemilla mollis, Nepeta, Lobelias will be fine.Ìý If you shade things it’ll slow them as well.Ìý Lavender would workÌý

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Bob – I’d grow a lot of trailing Nasturtiums to tuck in and drape over any bare patches

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James – I wouldn’t bother

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Q – I’ve tried everything to grow cabbages in our sandy soil - am attempting the impossible?

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Bob – They do prefer thicker soil with lime.Ìý Incorporate organic matter into the soil.Ìý Try different type of cabbages – ‘Minicole’ is a good variety.

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Bunny – Red cabbage is easier than green cabbage.Ìý ‘Hispi’ and the pointy cabbages too.Ìý Mulch them well

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James – Sea Kale grows well on sandy soils.Ìý New Zealand spinach too.

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Q – I have an 80-year old Lilac hedge that’s full of bloom. How should I tend to it without killing it?

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James – Cut out any deadwood with a pruning saw.Ìý Mulch around it and give it a good water and some high potash fertiliser.ÌýÌý