Hello again. As spring emerges from one of the longest winters I can remember, we venture nervously into the garden to see what has survived.

Hello again. As spring emerges from one of the longest winters I can remember, we venture nervously into the garden to see what has survived.

It would appear that no part of Scotland escaped some form of damage caused by the prolonged cold spell, from heavy snow from Shetland down to the Borders; or extensive – and uncharacteristic – freezing dry weather for the South-west and Argyll.

At the Oatridge Conference, last November, the claim was made that, due to excessive carbon emissions, the north of Britain would experience more turbulent weather patterns, resulting in mild, wet winters and arid growing conditions during the summer months.

It is ironic that three weeks after the conference, temperatures plunged and snowfall began!

I find the ‘point scoring’ and bickering that surrounds the climate change issue to be a little tiresome and am more concerned with the long term future of ornamental plant production in Scotland.

The next topic that should be raised at any horticultural seminar must be the provision of plants that can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.

Generally, deciduous shrubs such as Potentilla and Spiraea are hardy, due to the fact that the branch structure becomes completely dormant.

Herbaceous items survive because their root system is protected beneath the soil and no growing point is exposed to the cold air. Unfortunately, it is fashionable (and expensive) architectural plants that have fared badly.

Antipodean species like Cordyline (cabbage palm) and Phormium (New Zealand flax) have collapsed into soggy heaps. I reckon that almost every Cordyline that was planted further than one mile from the coast has gone to the compost heap in the sky!

The weather experts now say that winter, 2009, was a ‘once in a generation’ phenomenon. So, you have a choice – either replant all the fancy plants or take note that we are at the same latitude as Siberia and rethink the plan in favour of easy maintenance shrubs.

One positive effect from the cold temperatures is that spring flowering plants appear to be holding more flower bud than last year. You can see this already with Forsythia, a blaze of golden yellow this month.

If all goes to plan, apple trees and currant bushes should set fruit, if we don’t get a late frost, and with predictions of a hot summer ahead standby for a bumper harvest.

I was away for a wee Easter break, during which I had a stroll round Arduaine Gardens, near Oban. This is a lovely place and is typical of the many long established rhododendron and azalea displays that can be found all along the West Coast.

Due to the late spring, the main colour show from the Azaleas had not happened yet, but there was still plenty to see by way of magnificent Magnolias and Camellias and unusual items like the pond plant Lysichiton, also known as Skunk Cabbage.

I know I’m repeating myself, but you should visit places such as Arduaine, or perhaps Dawyck, near Peebles – a good way to see shrubs and trees at maturity and possibly an opportunity to discover what that unlabelled plant you bought will eventually become!

Several people have mentioned how well the winter-flowering heathers are looking – possibly another effect of the long chill.

These plants are great value as they bloom over a long period and require almost no maintenance. Summer and autumn heathers a looking a bit tattered but will recover if trimmed and top-dressed with ericaceous compost.

So how does your garden look now? Have all the evergreens turned into everbrowns? Don’t be too hasty in chucking them out. Scrape the bark at the base of the plant, if it looks a healthy green colour trim back the whole bush by a third to encourage dormant live buds to emerge.

Ceanothus, Escallonia and Hebe are subjects likely to respond to this treatment. Laurel and Eucalyptus can be cut down to a stump and should grow away from the base.

Hot, sunny days and cold nights are the worst conditions for struggling evergreen shrubs. Give them a little help by wetting the foliage, preferably early in the day.

Keep an eye on the weather. March went out like a lion, April looks likely to go out like a scorpion. If May comes in like a Labrador puppy a lot of nurserymen and gardeners will be very relieved.

Gardening general points

 Check blackcurrants for big bud disease. Signs are fat round buds rather than long slim ones. Cut out and burn infected stems if not too far gone or chuck the whole thing and buy resistant stock – ‘Ben Hope’ is good.

If you plant to replace any of the winter casualities with evergreens – as a general rule, the smaller the leaf, the hardier the plant. Maybe the hedge will be slower to grow, but rather that than a big dead hedge after a severe winter..

Lawns are looking a bit ragged, thick with thatch and moss. Cut tight, scarify then feed along with a scatter of lime to put colour and health into the grass.

Young vegetable plants are on sale at many garden centres – likely to catch a chill! Hold off for a couple of weeks, or cover with fleece and hope for the best.

Clematis looking like a fisherman’s fankle? Cut back the autumn-flowering varieties like Jackmannii, it flowers on this year’s growth, but leave the early types until they have bloomed. Give them all a boost with a bit of rotted cow dung round the base..

Eternal optimists – plant sweetcorn, peppers and cherry tomatoes in readiness for this barbecue-scented summer.