By Victoria Plum

I’ve tried to encourage plants to grow in my gravel for some time; at last I have hollyhocks.

The seedlings don’t like competition from other plants when struggling to grow, which I’m told is the reason they choose the most inhospitable crevices, as you can see as you enjoy the fabulous hollyhock show in Reepham and Cawston, where plants spring from the smallest cracks between pavement and brickwork.

I gathered seeds from plants wherever I happened to be and just threw them on the gravel when I got home. Some grew and some didn’t.

The colours were a surprise, as colour can only be guaranteed by taking side-shoots as cuttings from your chosen favourite.

My gorgeous hollyhocks grew far too tall and were blown about by the wind, so next year I aim to pinch out the top-shoots since they naturally throw out many flowering side-shoots and I will see what happens; perhaps this will work.

I have planted Verbena bonariensis in the gravel but it has never thrived, so this year I will follow my own advice and just throw seed in the hope it finds its happy place.

The attractive fan-shaped, self-sown seedlings of Sisyrinchium grow freely on my gravel, and if they grow too tall I will pull them up.

However, because of poor fertility (the gravel is on compressed road planings) with no root access to a good depth of soil, I doubt whether they will.

Geraniums self-seed as does Linaria, and I have had a bumper crop of wild strawberries along one edge. No lush photos of these I’m afraid, as like many plants they have shrivelled to nothing in the heatwave.

I regard my drive (the edges anyway) as an extension of the garden and an interesting area where I can see what chooses to grow and form what in posher places might be called a dry garden – or perhaps a desert garden this year.

I notice that where the car drives over the gravel on my 25-foot drive nothing grows. It is only at the undisturbed edges where plants are happy to creep in. And it is easy to walk over the edges and scuffle the weeds with my foot if something unwanted creeps in.

I see no need whatsoever for the use of any chemical herbicide in such circumstances – or indeed any circumstances.

I had another shock last week. Good friends visiting (well-educated and environmentally aware doctors) admitted that on their return home they would get out the Roundup because they spray their Japanese knotweed every year.

Why? I asked. To get rid of it, they said. Well, I said if you sprayed it last year and the year before and the year before that, then why is it still there? They had no answer.

I can talk about Japanese knotweed till the cows come home as I too have battled it. In the past I have tried everything, even Roundup, in desperation, but I now find just pulling up any shoots where they occur is the best plan.

The Reepham & District Gardening Club Summer Show is upon us. In this difficult year, entries might be diminished so perhaps we need to make an extra effort to support the club, and you never know perhaps win a prize and glory too.

It’s always an entertaining evening – Tuesday 16 July in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, a little earlier than usual to set out your entries. Good luck!

Above: These hollyhocks grew so tall and fell over, so I brought some in to enjoy indoors. Photo: Tina Sutton