NEWPORT Quay at night may, at first blush, bear little similarity to the gardens of Kyoto — save for a glorious flowering cherry.

The ornamental cherry is revered in Japan, as Monty Don has just told us in his fascinating two-parter on Japan in spring and autumn.

He focused on the flowering cherry, which is native to Japan and its national flower.

It blazes beautifully for only a matter of days, more usually on the Island in early April, but this year earlier in the mild conditions.

It is the simultaneous blooming throughout Japan of a single variety which is so impressive — the result of a government diktat for uniformity.

It also almost led to the loss of the diversity of the ornamentals we so enjoy today.

We have wealthy Kentish man Collingwood Ingram to thank for saving many varieties from extinction, bringing back more than 100 early in the 20th century.

Somei-yoshino is the major variety dominating Japan where flowering is celebrated with picnics and parties beneath the fluttering petals.

Petal fall is especially significant to Zen shrines where monks consider the beauty of the falling petals.

Here, there are many varieties — thanks to Ingram —ranging in colour from red through to pastel pink.

All are of compact habit and suited to most positions, although if you want to appreciate them at their best and for longest a sheltered location is preferable.

One of the best for a small garden is prunus Pink Perfection, a small tree with a profusion of drooping blossom with leaves turning from bronze to green to bright red in autumn.

Get yourself a greenhouse

I AM happy to admit I am a fortunate bloke when it comes to my new greenhouse.

I was given an 8ft by 6ft aluminium-framed structure by Het, a good chum of my partner’s mum, and  I had the space to place it for optimum light and not under sticky trees.

I also came across some good clean rubble at just the right time for a level hardcore base and had some reinforcing mesh left over from other projects and some self-levelling compound to give it a smooth surface.

It is the first house I have ever had that has a solid base for ease of use, always previously preferring for optimum use of space to firmly fix to blocks set in the soil and a path down the centre leaving more planting space in the soil.

But that comes at an awkward cost, having to regularly change the soil when it becomes tired and prone to disease.

You may only have one sunny spot in your garden and that may mean sacrificing part of a productive plot but the benefits of a greenhouse are manifold, much outweighing the loss.

There are also all manner of plans out there for making greenhouses from water pipe and plastic, plastic bottles and suchlike but now, late in the season, there are clearance deals out there to provide bargain ready-made structures.

One of the best I have seen for a limited space is the plastic, shelved, variety which are ideal for a patio or other confined area and will at least give a flavour of growing under cover.

No matter how big, or small, a greenhouse is completely recommended.

Top tips

  • Digging-in well-rotted manure around your rhubarb will bear fruit later. If you don’t have that, slow-release blood, fish and bone will do the job.
  • Garlic and onion sets can continue to be planted this month.
  • Bare root plants, such as hedging, are loads cheaper than potted alternatives but they should be planted now. The rule of the warmer the weather, the sooner the planting, always applies.
  • While birds needed feeding in the winter to survive, breeding fever is in full swing and parents and nestlings need to be in tip top nick. Fat balls or mixed seed in feeders will be a great aid.
  • Most shrubs should have been cut back by now but heather, thyme, winter savory, blue spirea and lavender can all be reduced by one third to a half, except in the case of woody lavender bushes which, when cut back to old wood, may not survive.

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