Regional differences

I have just come back from a trip to the south of England (work, not fun). I was amazed at the seasonal differences between there and Northern Ireland. The leaves were all out, wisteria and lilac were in full bloom. It was beautiful to see, but served as a reminder to be very wary of planting instructions which come with plants and seeds. Most of these come from England and they must be tailored to suit our climate. Many plants which will be happy to remain outdoors in the south of England for the winter would never survive our winters here. I have carried out many experiments over the years with tender shrubs and crops such as tomatoes, and they just didn’t do at all well. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible for seed and plant companies to account for all regions. But it would be very discouraging for novice gardeners to follow the instructions and fail through no fault of their own. Trial and error is the order of the day. Take growers’ instructions with a pinch of salt and a bucket load of common sense. Try to find out a plant’s natural native habitat, as that will help you to decide if it is likely to thrive in our climate. And even if you follow instructions to a ‘T’ and it’s still a disaster, just put it down to experience. Have a cup of tea and think of all the other things in the garden that you DID get right !!!