Weigela in full flower is a splendid sight, its twiggy branches covered with masses of trumpet flowers. It makes a big bush, two metres tall and about as wide. It was much more popular a few decades ago than it has been in recent years when perennial flowers and grasses were in the ascendancy, but there is renewed interest.

It was widely grown in cottage gardens because it is very easy to grow from a slip, especially a cutting stuck in the ground in winter.

The plant usually seen in cottage gardens is a variegated form called Weigela florida variegata. Although variegated plants can be a bit gaudy in appearance, this is one of the best. The variegation is creamy-yellow when young and then fades to almost white.

When out of flower the bush is pretty, not at all dull, which can often be the case with plain-green types. But when it is in flower it is even better. The flowers open from red buds to a deep pink shade and this fades to light pink, almost white.

The combination of colours of the flowers and foliage is very effective, light and summery for the May period.

Another fairly common variety is Bristol Ruby, which has dark red flowers over dark green leaves on an upright bush, taller than it is wide. Foliis Purpureus means purple leaves and this variety is an old variety with purple-flushed leaves.

The flowers are pale pink and make a fine contrast with the purple leaves. Eva Rathke is a newer variety, more compact in growth and with arching twigs. It has dark red flowers, with a tip of white in the centre of the flower.

Another of these dark-leaved kinds, Wine and Roses, has very good dark foliage and bright rosy-pink wine flowers. This is a new variety with upright stems and upright, narrow flower trumpets in profusion.

There are yellow-leaved forms too, such as Looymansii Aurea, which is bright yellow in early summer, with trumpet flowers that are red-flushed on the back and very soft pink inside.

Like many golden-leaved plants, this one needs some shade for part of the day to avoid scorching. It also needs some shelter against drying winds.

But if given too much shelter and shade, the leaves change to lime-green. It is useful for planting in dull corners.

There are other varieties less likely to be available, such as the free-flowering Pink Poppet and the pale yellow-flowered Weigela middendorffiana, a large species with arching stems.

All weigelas are easy to grow in any ordinary soil that is not wet or waterlogged in winter. They are hardy, mostly coming from northern China. Do not feed much, or at all, because if the soil is too rich the bush grows very strong, with lots of leaves instead of flowers and it will tend to get too big.

While this might not be as much of a consideration in a rural garden, it can lead to more pruning. If pruning is necessary, it can be carried out just after flowering, removing flowered shoots and thinning out older shoots.

The fancier kinds should be kept close to the house, as they will seem out of place near to a boundary.

While they look great in flower, weigela is a bit dull out of flower and it is best planted in the middle ground or towards the back of a border where it can become a green background when flowering is at an end.

Earthing up potatoes

There is a very good reason for earthing up potatoes – it prevents greening of the tubers. Traditionally, potatoes were grown in drills and the earthing up was done at planting time.

Increasingly, potatoes are planted on flat ground and earthed up later, in April or May, depending on how early they were planted.

The tubers tend to push up out of the soil when planted on flat ground and sunlight turns them green, which renders them useless for eating.

Earthing up is easily carried out with a draw hoe, first loosening the soil in the row between the plants and drawing it up five centimetres or so against the stems. But some people prefer to use a shovel.

Flowers

In favoured areas near the coast, bedding plants can be planted out in the open ground, where they are not as much at risk of frost when grown in containers. Dahlias and gladioli can now be planted out where they are to flower. Slugs are active on warm nights and may need to be controlled.

Trees, shrubs and roses

Prune shrubs that have gone out of flower if they are getting too big for their space. Tie in the new shoots of climbing roses, for training later. Continue to spray roses against blackspot in damper parts of the country. Check that recently-planted young trees and shrubs have enough moisture.

Fruit, vegetables and herbs

Good conditions for pollination of fruit trees occurred over recent weeks, albeit between showers. Growth has been good and if the weather is settled, plant out tender vegetables, such as sweetcorn and runner beans. Sow vegetable seeds for continuity.

Lawn

Grass has grown well in recent weeks with the mixture of sunshine and showers. Hardly any lawn is not looking well, as grass growth peaks around now. Keep up regular mowing and do it more frequently if necessary. Over-sow any gaps or worn areas, they will establish very quickly at this time.

Greenhouse and house plants

Plant out tomatoes, chilli peppers, cucumbers and sweet peppers. Feed greenhouse plants heavily to get good growth before summer. Water well. Spray grapevines if they had mildew disease last year. Houseplants can be re-potted in half soil, half compost.