HOWZAT

This is Digitalis davisiana which spreads by rhizomes and makes an excellent garden plant particularly when you have plenty of space. It is not invasive but it grows well and can take some shade so long as it is in a rich but well drained soil.

Help! Bindweed seems to be taking over this year. I have always had a patch at one end of a border but it is now reaching two or three m into the border and it is appearing in the grass. I do not want to dig out the border (which is about to come into flower) or the lawn and I can’t see how I can use weed spray without harming my plants. R Patel, Hemel

Full-scale war is the only answer to this infernal weed and you may have to dig out both lawn and bed unless you are very diligent now. Digging can wait until the end of the season although you will probably have to do it again in March (this may seem like torture but it can be very therapeutic to conquer those long white, brittle roots). You can buy glyphosate, which is effective against bindweed, in pots with an integral paintbrush. Use this after rain but when the leaves are no longer wet. It will take several, fiddly applications and, even then, you should have the weedkiller on hand next spring to welcome the first shoots of the weed.

We need inspiration for our garden which is a third of an acre on a hillside but it has not been touched for years. It has three apple trees, grass and a lot of brambles, stingers and docks. We are retired and want to make this garden special and original but we do not want to hire a designer because we do not have a large budget. Name and address withheld

Get out there and look at other people’s gardens, particularly in your area, so you can see what looks good in the local light and against local hard landscaping materials – and what grows well. Use the Yellow Book which lists gardens that open for charity. Also, go to garden shows where you’ll see the latest design ideas. The Royal Horticultural Shows, including those in Vincent Square, are a great place to start. Finally don’t necessarily abandon the idea of using a designer. They can come up with an excellent plan that you can execute in your own time. It is even possible this could save you money in the long run. You can find designers through the Society of Garden Designers

e-mail Jane Owen with your gardening questions: jane.owen1@timesonline.co.uk

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