This weather is certainly testing for even the most hardened gardeners amongst us, I consider myself quite optimistic, but even I am struggling with the mud.

I think I may be developing trench foot…but at least it’s not snowing….yet!

One place of refuge from the deluge is my polytunnel, which is certainly receiving more of my attention earlier than usual.

Being pretty much ignored since last year the ground was rock solid, but after a good soaking I have been able dig it over, ready for a layer of manure courtesy of the horses inour field, once I can get a barrow along the flooded lane to collect it that is!

I usually use a black plastic weed suppressant in there as the weeds become super sized very quickly in the hot wet environment but this year I’m going to try mulching instead and see how that goes, hopefully I won’t grow prize winning dock leaves as well cucumbers!

The Perfect Hedge

Hedging obviously takes many forms, as well as the traditional native hedgerow mixes that we generally think of; one of my favourites is Rosa rugosa (also called apple rose).

It ticks so many boxes, tough, fast-growing, dense and bushy with small thorns that act as a prickly deterrent. It has a rich scent from large open single flowers which appear over a long period (June to September) followed by the largest hip of any wild rose, loved by the birds. An extra bonus is rabbits won't eat it. You can’t ask for much more from a hedge.

Some people aren’t so keen on its unkempt look but you can trim it up and keep it quite neat.

This very hardy shrub rose grows in most soils and aspects including coastal. It reaches an ultimate height of 1 to 1.5 metres, with a spread of the same. It grows 30 to 50cm per year.

For a single row use three plants per metre or for a staggered double row you will need five plants per metre.

Now is the time to prune shrub roses, they flower on older wood and only require a light but regular pruning clearing out any dead, damaged or diseased wood. You can also take them back quite hard if they are becoming leggy, which is what I have done this year, in-between the showers!