Because our gardens in London are based on clay, we always have a problem with snails and slugs. I know I mentioned them a week or two ago, but this year it has been exacerbated by the rain which fell and fell. I have been going round the garden three times a day, collecting up slugs and throwing them in the compost heap. It helps to have bricks in the garden under which they like to hide. But it is really worth going out at night with a strong torch to find them at their worst.
The two plants most damaged by slugs are a Brunnera 'Jack Frost' which is supposed to flower in April and May, but it has been so eaten I am wondering if it will survive at all. I think I will have to move it into a pot where I can keep an eye on it.
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| My poor brunnera - should be in flower now |
Then there is the huge and stately cardoon, a moving-in present from a friend 30 years ago. It is always full of huge snails, but I can remove them. This year it has attracted more snails than usual and lots of little slugs as well and I am wondering if it will be able to produce any fruit at all. I have tied the leaves in so they don't invite snails to climb them but even going round the garden three times a day, I am not keeping the snails under control.
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| Cardoon, quite healthy earlier in the year |
One good thing is the collection of three perennial foxgloves I bought from my free-delivery garden centre. (woodlarknurseriescontact@gmail.com). They were enormous when they arrived and started flowering straight away. Slugs don't seem to like them.
I have same problem Barty. The foxgloves look lovely!. Thanks for recommending the free-delivery Woodlark Garden Centre xx Michael Ann
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