Barry Gayton kindly stood in for this meeting as our booked speaker was unavailable. Barry can be heard on Radio Cambridgeshire and has been a gardener all his life starting at seven years old when he acquired a greenhouse. He now lives in Santon Downham where he tells us there is a microclimate as they are surrounded by 80 square miles of forestry. The garden he manages is one and a half acres and he has even planted crops on his shed roof to utilise space.
There are over two thousand types of bulbs, corms, rhizomes and tubers. The bulb has a base plate where the new growth will form. Tubers produce shoots from all over, in America they divide a potato into four, each piece with an “eye” before planting, an economical way to crop. A tuber needs to have at least one “eye’’ to grow. The corm has a papery outer layer.
The dahlia along with the potato was thought to be edible but they were not successful as a vegetable.
Barry took us through the seasons of bulbs starting with the snowdrop which can last until March depending on the variety. They should be planted in the green after the flowers have died. He particularly liked the Tete a Tete daffodil as it was sturdy and unlike some of the taller varieties is not prone to being flattened by wind and rain. The Iris when planted deeper will flower the following year whereas if planted shallower they will try and multiply. Nerines like to have their tubers baked in the sun and not to be overcrowded by other plants.
One area of scree in Barry’s garden is perfect for bulbs as very little maintenance is needed and the bulbs thrive. His gardening knowledge was extensive, he was happy to answer any questions at the end of the meeting. If you are patient and have the correct growing conditions, he told us to try and grow a ginger plant from a piece you have bought from the local supermarket.
Heather Scally
