How are you?...

Who could have predicted that Spring 2020 would pan out like this? Let's hope that all our VGC members are keeping as well and as safe as possible. 

As gardeners we know a little about viruses, but not this beast...

NS - New Scientist - March 2020

"For about 100 years, the scientific community has repeatedly changed its collective mind over what viruses are. First seen as poisons, then as life-forms, then biological chemicals, viruses today are thought of as being in a grey area between living and nonliving: they cannot replicate on their own but can do so in truly living cells and can also affect the behaviour of their hosts profoundly."

Scientific American

With these beautiful sunny day hopefully many of us are getting some exercise and finding feelings of delight and solace in our gardens: as each day they reveal their springtime surprises.

Trish's Camellia x williamsii 'Donation' Hedge in Broadwath

Here is a 16 question Gardening Quiz for you to do while having a

1. Which of these plants is not a perennial?

Morning Glory / Dusty Miller / Clematis / Pachysandra

2. Which of these is a recommended soil amendment?

Chicken manure / Sand / Worm castings / All of these

3. Which of these is not related to a tomato?

Eggplant / Potato / Cucumber / Pepper

4. What is a biennial?

A plant blooming twice a year / in its second year / every other year

5. Which one of these plants is not like the others?

Hosta / Begonia Rex / Coleus / Petunia

6. What is the benefit of pinching a plant?

Encourages plant to branch out / Promotes blooming / Preparation for winter.

7. If a tomato grows only up to 5 feet tall, it is:

Dominant / Recessive / Determinate / Indeterminate

8. What makes a plant a shrub?

It t develops a woody stem / It grows more than 3 feet tall / It depends on who discovered it.

9. The genus of a coleus plant is:

Plectranthus / Solenostemon / Strobilanthes / Coleus

10. Which if these can be composted?

Weeds / Coffee grounds / Newspaper / All of these

11. What is variegation?

White markings on leaves / Red markings on leaves / Any markings on leaves

12. Which is not a cultivar of hosta?

Patriot / Kate’s Pride / Great Expectations / Gaucamole

13. Which hydrangea is best pruned in spring?

Bigleaf hydrangea / Oakleaf hydrangea / Panicle hydrangea / All of the these

14. Which plant is native to North America?

Phlox paniculata / Betula nigra / Echinacea purpurea / All of these

15. What is the common name for hosta?

Bigleaf shade plant / Deer food / Plantain lily / Shepherd’s crook

16. Foxgloves are:

Native / Poisonous / Biennial / All of these

(Answers - will be posted next Friday, 24th April - below)

Do sent us some pictures & thoughts about 

what you are up to in your garden right now. 

STAY HOME - KEEP SAFE

ANSWERS

1. Morning Glory / 2. All of these / 3. Cucumber / 4. in its second year

5. Hosta / 6. Encourages plant to branch out / 7. Determinate

8. It t develops a woody stem / 9. Solenostemon / 10. All of these

11. Any markings on leaves / 12. Kate’s Pride / 13. All of the these

14. All of these / 15. Plantain lily / 16. All of these