Weekend work: Time to pinch back home-grown wallflower plants

WHAT TO DO
* Home-grown wallflower plants should be pinched back. I am growing a searing orange-yellow wild kind of wallflower to set between topiary box bushes in a narrow border. It is 'Cheiranthus cheiri' (Chiltern, £2.25) and has the same haunting scent as other wallflowers. 'Ruby Gem' is also good, with rich dark flowers (Chiltern, £1.74).
* Cut violas back to ground level. Cover with a finely-sifted mixture of soil or compost and sand mixed. Water well if the ground is dry to encourage the plant to produce plenty of fresh growth.
* Pick caterpillars off brassicas.
WHAT TO BUY
* Members of the Society of Garden Designers have drawn up a shortlist of their favourite products and will vote for the overall winner at the Landscape show in Battersea Park (23-24 September).
The list includes a wildflower landscape turf made up of 34 native flowers and grasses (Wildflower Turf Ltd), and handsome cast-iron drain covers made by the Lateral Design Studio. For more information, call 020-7821 8221 or go to info@landscapeshow.co.uk
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