The unsung hero: euonymus
As the UK braces for a fourth heatwave in two months, with temperatures predicted to hit 35C in some areas, gardeners are looking for resilient plants. Alan Titchmarsh, the 77-year-old former Gardeners' World presenter, has recommended a small shrub that he calls 'one of the unsung heroes of the garden'.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Titchmarsh said: 'This little shrub here - you might even call it a shrublet - is one of the unsung heroes of the garden. It's a little euonymus.' He identified two varieties: 'euonymus emerald gaiety' with creamy white leaf edges, and 'emerald and gold' with yellow edges.
According to Titchmarsh, the evergreen shrub grows to about waist height and 'is really useful, happy in almost any soil, sun or shade'. He added that if it reaches a wall, the stems 'start scaling upwards', making it 'just a really good doer'. He noted it can form a deep ground cover under trees and tolerates shady conditions.
Potato harvesting advice
Titchmarsh also emphasised a critical job for potato growers before August. He explained that as young potato plants produce green leafy shoots, gardeners should pile more soil or compost around the base to encourage tuber development.
Titchmarsh said: 'As the shoots grow and come up above the ground, you earth them up. You pull soil around them for two reasons. Reason one is to protect the shoots which are coming up when the frosts are still around. The soil will protect the tender shoots from frost.'
He advised harvesting potatoes before August begins. In an interview with House Beautiful, he said: 'If you planted seed potatoes back in spring, this is the month where you can start to dig them up. A good rule of thumb is once the plants start to flower, that probably indicates there is a good harvest down underneath the soil. It's the moment of truth. If you've had fair weather, and the gardening gods are on your side, there will be rather a large crop of new potatoes at the end of each plant. But what's critical is the timing. Do it too soon and there won't be much there at all. Leave it too late, and you'll have whacking great spuds.'
