Hi Hank, the time to divide these is spring, so I can't see any problem planting them now, if they're pot grown, you can plant them any time you like, just make sure you keep them well watered in dry spells, Derek.

I'd say if something is in a garden centre in trays then that is the time to buy and plant out.

Thanks. I planned going to the garden centre this afternoon anyway, so I'll be looking for Eryngiums too.

Are these for your rockery Hank? They get a bit tall for there.

No Sue, Urbanite suggested eryngiums for the strip - said they could put up with cr oops poor soil. I.e. In the strip.

Hmm, well of course, you can plant eryngiums now, although why you'd want a row of them along there I'm not at all sure, they won't look particularly great. I thought you wanted a hedge along there? Just bite the bullet and get some good composted materials on the strip; upturn the bags, rake the stuff over and leave it for a couple of weeks, then when you plant whatever you finally decide on, just turn it over a bit, it'll all get worked in by bio activity.

I very much appreciate all your replies and male copious notes which I re-read when I've a spare moment.
I spent yesterday pm digging my strip over twice and getting all the twitch out -,-.buckeful first time and half as much secod. I'm I adtually enjoyed the exercise,

With a twitch problem you nearly always leave a few bits behind no matter how hard you try and for that reason alone I would avoid perennials there and grow annuals this year. When (not if) twitch reappears among perennials it is almost impossible to get out and eryngiums are prickly too.

Thanks Sue luv, no eryngiums.

You guys must soon be fed up with my puerile questions ( please don't reply if it's a yes).
From what I've gathered so far, what I appear to need is annuals, that grow up to 3 ft tall, don't take up much room, look nice, and I can get from a garden centre in trays now, or seeds that I can set now and will flower this year.
is that a lot to ask ?

A packet of Lavatera or Malope seeds - sow where they are to flower in March.

Bamboo,
I've thanked you for your reply once before but it doesn't show up on my ipad. very strange !
So once again, I've bought the seeds and can't wait to set them
Would you know malope is pronounced ? Is it as it appears or maloppy or malopey ?

Got it thanks, it's mallup tryfyda. Who'd have thought it ?

Lavatera are lovely Hank but what I said about planting them in front of the potatoes still stands. Either or, not both,

How'd you find out how to say malope? I wasn't sure myself, never grown it, but always wanted to. I've never seen seeds for it in those stands they have at the garden centres either.

Just had a look in good old "Plant names simplified" where it gived the pronunciation as mal-o-pe with the strees on the o
and presumably the pe pronounced py. Like Bamboo I'd be interested to hear where you found a different pronunciation?
Thompson and Morgan have it in their range.

Well yea, Steragram, I've got that book from years ago when I was at horticultural college, but most people don't, so I was wondering how Hank knew...

In safari I typed in "pronounce malope trifida". And clicked on the second option down the list - but it wasn't the same one I selected yesterday as the pronounciation here was a bit different. Wonderful ? The word is actually spoken on your device. It is on my ipad that is !

Ah, the wonders of modern technology...