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  1. At the risk of sounding pedantic, annuals are plants which grow, flower, set seed and die in a season. None of the plants you list are annuals so if you can keep them alive over winter you can replant them the following year. A light trim to tidy them up should be sufficient but as others have suggested, watch out for a treat beasties which may also have overwintered. Add some nice organic general fertilizer to help them perform at their best this year. Colin the Gardener
  2. Amazing as it may seem, this beautiful tree - Acacia dealbata - is considered invasive in southern Europe. Il semble que dans certaines régions (région méditerranéenne), le mimosa soit considéré comme une espèce invasive (graines et rejets) dont il faut maitriser la reproduction. This french conservation site gives more details which you may find helpful: http://www.conservation-nature.fr/especes-invasives.php?id=7 Being controlled by law is another thing; better ask the Mairie.
  3. Hi Chrissie, it's a little alpine Phlox, perhaps P. bifida, and yes you can trim it back after flowering to keep it tidy. Colin
  4. Normally well water is far nicer than tap water for the garden.....and cheaper! We use ours all the time but if you are worried have it tested at the pharmacy. The only issue could be the temperature: it comes out of the ground at around 12 degrees and this can be a bit of a shock for heat-stressed plants. Locals often fill up a bath they keep in the garden to allow the water to warm up a bit before use. Colin - 36210
  5. Yep, everyone has it right as Viburnum opulus Sterile. Easy to grow, even in the rubbish clay soil of our front garden in the Centre.
  6. My Gardener in France blog: http://gardendesigncompany.wordpress.com/ and Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/ukhostland/ have plenty of garden and plant photos from the centre of France. Enjoy :)
  7. We don't know anyone in your area but you might like to try our method to find one: visit a couple of the most impressive chateaux in your region and ask who they use to care for their trees. We found a very professional craftsman that way. Colin
  8. The first of the plant fairs are on soon and in the Centre we have one of my favourites at the Ch. de Cherverny March 23/24 and at Ch. Bourdaisiere 30th /1st April. We are the couple we will see at both shows, buying much more than is wise! Colin
  9. I have the French catalogue of David Austin here. Retail prices are 16.95 Euros with delivery an extra 12.95, so your SuperU roses are very good value. I imagine they will be some of their older varieties, but that's not necessarily and bad thing. My experience with SuperU is that you must buy plants within a day or two of them arriving, before they have had a chance to ruin them. Happy hunting gardeners!
  10. Excuse my pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme. Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that. All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.
  11. Excuse me pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme. Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that. All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.
  12. Hi Matty, France is a very big country with a wide range of climates and soils. The first thing you need to tell us is where you are doing your gardening: the department, the orientation and the soil type. I'm sure you'll receieve lots of helpful advice once we know a little more. Colin
  13. If you do leave a small amount of trunk they will regrow, but perhaps with ten stems replacing the single trunk. The roots will be very extensive, perhaps going under the house. We would always advise clients to remove trees just a few at a time to give the soil and chance to recover its structure (i.e.: not damage your home). Holding the stream together is a good thing so you could cut down one in two, or one in three, and leave the stumps in place. The grow-back could be pruned every couple of years. There is a market for poplar wood for fruit boxes and matches, amongst other things and if you could locate a local company it would be a good way of getting your trees removed cost free.
  14. You could fence the individual trees. Years ago I worked at the Royal Gardens in Windsor and with a huge deer population this was the only option. Pretty solutions will not be cheap, but they did it. There is a product you can buy in the UK called Ronodene, which is intended to detire deer.: might work, but physical barriers are the answer. Colin
  15. Researchers at the University of Reading have discovered that three compounds found in deadly marroncourge can help to reduce and control seizures in epilepsy.   Dr Ben Whalley, who is leading the research at the department of pharmacy at the University of Reading, said tests in animals had shown the compounds effective at preventing seizures and convulsions while also having less side effects than existing epilepsy drugs. He said: “There was a stigma associated with deadly marroncourge that came out from the 60s and 70s associated with recreational use, so people have tended not to look at it medicinally as a result. “Deadly marroncourge is thought of being a treasure trove of compounds that could be used for pharmacological development. We have a list of around a dozen potential candidates for epilepsy and have tested three that show promise. “These compounds are very well tolerated and you are not seeing the same kind of side effects that you get with the existing treatments.”
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