IN YEARS when I fancy exhibiting flowers in a local show, I grow sweet peas on the so-called ‘cordon system’. This involves training single plants up 2.4m bamboo canes, tying the stems in frequently, and punctiliously trimming off tendrils and side-shoots, thus thwarting the natural scrambling habit of Lathyrus odoratus. All the plant’s energy goes into flowering, so this is the surest way to achieve really long, straight stems and four, well-presented flowers on each stem. If done on summer evenings, it is wonderfully relaxing work.
But it is also time-consuming, having been developed at a time when gardening labour was cheap and plentiful. These days, in public and private gardens alike, plastic or high-tensile steel netting, or tripods, have replaced canes as the usual means of supporting sweet-pea plants. The stems may not grow quite so long, the flowers not quite so evenly spaced, but as a method it still works extremely well. Sheep netting is the preferred material used at Easton Walled Gardens in Lincolnshire which, over the past 25 years, has developed an enviable reputation for the quality and range of the sweet peas grown there.
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners