Ask Gerry

Have a cobblelock path around house and had problems with moss last year. Scraped out moss and sprayed with roundup and came up very well, This year have a new weed and dont know how to treat, much harder to clear than the moss and looking for how to treat as spreading rapidly.

A recently purchased gentian has some white flowers, is this unusual?

Is this an indoor or outdoor plant and what conditions does it like. I have one in a pot indoors and once it finished flowering I didn't know what to do with it. Can I plant it out ?.

I have a natural stone retaining wall and I am thinking of adding some wall flowers or perennials that would droop over the wall and give some added colour. I don't want them to take over as the wall is very nice so I am thinking they would droop over no more than one foot or so. Thank you for your time. We have recently buit a pergola and would like to plant wisteria with intention that it will cover it in time. However we have been told that the planters are too small to have wisteria they measure 36inchs x 14.5 inchs & 18.5inchs deep and built of brick. Would you think they are too small ? The pergola has 6 sets of planters and posts, if we do have the suitable size how many plants will i need to achieve complete coverage. i have sent you a photo. If its a case wisteria would not be suitable what could you recommend insteadCan you suggest any flowers that would work and also that would be perennial? Are there any that would flower for most of the summer?

I bought a small campanula which at the time was full of flowers. I have since repotted and the leaves are doing well but growing slowly, however the flowers are no more and don't look like they are growing new ones any time soon. The plant is in a pot on a north facing balcony and gets plenty of light and a few hours of morning sun. Is there a reason why I do not have flowers anymore?

We have a small garden with a south facing patio. I have been looking for non-trade microdrip irrigation systems without success. Most garden centres store none or a very small selection and most web ordering sites with good selection deliver only to UK addresses. Any suggestion?

I sowed some Auricula seed I purchased at the RHS Malvern Show last year and have been successful in raising some plants. However, only two plants have produced flowers so far this spring. I fed them about twice in the last few months with tomato feed. They are in a cold greenhouse but have got the sun in the last month. I am wondering is there anything I can do to get the rest to flower.

Can you recommend dwarf alpines for north facing flower bed and a sunny flower bed please

I have cleaned off a rock area recently (no plants remaining) it was growing mainly gorse, wild heather and wild grass. However there are very fine roots still remaining in the soil and between the rocks which I cannot get at to remove. Would a weedkiller (ie roundup root killer) work or would you need to apply it to leaves to absorb it into the roots? Would it be unwise planting it without treating the area first? How should I proceed? If there is any chemical to treat area how long would I have to wait to plant?What plants would be suitable for this area, where soil would not be great, very dry? Most of the sorrounding area is still quite wild so would need something with good cover to help reduce area for seeds blowing in, and something which might also give a bit of colour (if that not asking too much!

I have an Ajuga reptans plant. Unfortunately, there is clover growing up through it and appears to be taking over. How do I get rid of the clover without harming the Ajuga?

I recently planted alpine perennials. I used layer of ericaceous compost in the ground on advice. Hebe leaves turning brown is it due to compost? Lots of crawling black flies in soil too perhaps that's the problem? (not common blackfly look like crawling fruit flies)

I have a stone wall outside my house that divides my house from my neighbours and there is a hollow in the wall so I would like to fill it with some topsoil and set some flowers/plants. Could you advise what flowers/plants that I can set that would flower every year i.e. and also that would be low maintentance, so that I wouldn't have to be replanting again next year and also what could I plant there that would grow all year. I would be planning in planting in the next few weeks.

Could you please recommend some flower seeds that can be planted between paving slabs. I particularly like a small purple flower that I have seen growing in crevices on walls but do not know the name of it.

again i have this plant that i would love to look up and find our a bit about it? Thanks collette

i got this plant as a cutting from a friend and would love to know a little beit more about it.