Traditional in country gardens for centuries, laburnum is a sight to see when the tree is in full flower, with every branch trailing chains of yellow pea-type flowers. Golden chains is the plant’s common name, although it is generally better known by its correct botanical name of laburnum.

It is very common to find an old laburnum tree in old gardens. It was an easy tree to grow from seeds, often self-sowed.

A seedling or two can nearly always be found in the vicinity of a mature tree. Any plant that was easily propagated became a traditional cottage garden favourite.

It is a little bit old-fashioned these days, but fashion changes and plants long out of vogue suddenly become must-have plants again. A garden tree of laburnum’s quality will always have its admirers.

Laburnum looks brilliant seen against a blue sky in May or early June, the bright yellow flowers dazzling in contrast. As a seedling, laburnum can make over a half a metre in its first year and then as much again each year as it races to make its stem and branches.

It is quite common to buy a laburnum in a pot in flower, only for it to stop flowering for a few years while it makes rapid growth. The restriction of the roots by the pot triggers flowering and when the restriction is gone, flowering is postponed. But these young trees always come into flower eventually.

When established, the annual burden of flowering and seeding is enough to slow the tree’s growth and it stays quite small, four to six metres tall and not as wide.

It makes a fine specimen for a border, or on its own in a lawn area. Using two rows of trees, a laburnum tunnel is an attractive garden feature.

The trees are quite whippy and flexible when young and the shoots can be tied into position on wires to make a tunnel, or over an arch. This is a dramatic feature when the plant is in flower in early summer, the long chains of yellow flowers dangling down under the arch.

While it makes a fine garden feature, there is quite a lot of pruning of unwanted, badly placed shoots and tying in of the well-placed shoots required. Left unpruned, the arch laburnum just grows upwards to make a tree as normal.

There are three main kinds, the common laburnum and, similar though later-flowering and with longer chains, the Scotch laburnum, both native to central Europe. A hybrid of the two is called Vossii and it has long chains – that’s the one usually offered for sale. Laburnum is a member of the pea family, with roots that like to go down deep into well-drained soil and spread outwards a good distance.

Pea family plants have bacterial nodules on the roots that can make nitrogen nutrient, which helps explain the fast growth as a young plant. It also explains why the laburnum struggles badly and often dies when planted in heavy or wet soil. If a laburnum tree fails to come into leaf, winter water-logging is probably the cause.

Snails are very fond of laburnum leaves and can cause severe damage to a young tree. Keep the soil around a young tree free of grass to make it more risky for snails to cross.

Although snails are unaffected, laburnum is poisonous in all its parts, including seeds, for humans, especially young children who may accidentally eat the seeds. Poisoning is rare, but if suspected professional advice should be sought. Animals can also get poisoned.

Withering bulb foliage

Snowdrop and crocus foliage is already starting to wither back, changing to yellow and eventually drying out entirely. This foliage is currently making and storing sugars and starch in the bulbs and setting the flower buds for next year.

Taking away the foliage now would reduce terminate growth and flowering next year will be affected. Spring bulbs should be sited where they can be left to wither away naturally. If clumps are placed in a lawn area, they will stick out until the leaves have faded and the temptation will be to run them over with the lawn mower.

If bulbs are placed at the edges of grass areas or in weak grass, bordering deciduous trees, they can be left to wither away without looking unsightly. Bulbs can be marked for position now and moved after withering to new, more suitable sites.

Fruit, veg & herbs

Sow maincrop vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli, beetroot and peas. Sow seeds of cabbage and cauliflower for autumn and winter, to plant out in about six or eight weeks. Make repeat sowings of lettuce and peas. Thin out vegetables that have reached suitable size. It is still too early to plant out tender vegetables.

Trees, shrubs & roses

Spray against rose blackspot using a rose spray. Prune spring shrubs as they go out of flower, if they are too big or of bad shape. Forsythia, flowering currant, kerria and spring spirea might need pruning if the bushes are growing too large. Check trees and shrubs planted in the last year for signs of drought.

Flowers

There has not been much snail activity because of relatively chilly nights, but that can change and susceptible plants like hostas and ligularia need to be protected. Do not be in a hurry with bedding plants, unless you are in a favoured area in the south of the country. Dahlia tubers and gladioli can be planted.

Lawn

Lawns that were slow have been growing well. Feed a lawn that is not growing well or is pale in colour. Carry out any lawn repairs or over-sowing soon, in case of a dry spell. Trim the edges of a lawn around flower beds or borders, before the grass gets too long, to make it look neat.

Greenhouse & house plants

Feed and water greenhouse plants well to get good growth before mid-summer. Plant out tomatoes, chilli peppers, cucumbers and sweet peppers as soon as space becomes available. Ventilate and spray a grapevine if it had mildew disease last year. House plants can be re-potted now.