Lynne Allbutt

Top Talk with David Bellamy at Butterfly World

A little surprisingly, maybe, but botanist David Bellamy, right, puts his love of gardening and wildlife down to “growing up in war-torn London”.

He told me: “I grew up when people were ‘digging for victory’ and even though we only had a tiny backyard, as a 12 year old I remember wanting to contribute. “So I grew radishes because they were quick and easy to grow, and they’re tasty. It’s definitely the best way to start. And I remember seeing all the beautiful butterflies. I was hooked.”

These days the broadcaster and campaigner’s garden is quite different. “I have got five acres in the Pennines,” he says proudly, “mostly in the care of Mother Nature. There are three natural waterfalls and a couple of formal bits and, to be honest, I hate leaving it; it’s so beautiful. When the sun sets the flowers look like little beacons of light as the sky is so clear.”

My Gardening Week - 13.06.09 - Extreme Rain

I know gardeners wanted rain but it’s been a bit extreme, especially for the taller herbaceous stock in beds and borders. If your perennials have been pounded then inserting twiggy hazel sticks into the clumps will give a more natural look than just tying string around the fallen foliage. Image left (Feltham First peas) source: Marshalls Seeds

Prevention is better than cure so endeavour to tie in plants that haven’t yet been affected and also new growth of climbers where necessary. Removing the soggy, rain-spoiled flowers from bedding plants will encourage new blooms.