Runner-up in the BBC Gardener's World competition finals, Sue Baines, has been opening her beautiful Caterham garden to the public during the Caterham Festival for the last two years. Sue will be sharing her thoughts and expertise with us each month in her new column.

Some of you will know me from the last few garden opens that we’ve done. For those of you who don’t, let me introduce myself. My name is Sue Baines and we have had a garden in Burntwood Lane for almost thirty years now. We have beautiful views, but soil? What soil? Thin and chalky with plenty of builder’s rubble, as like many new homes, a thin layer of soil was all that was left. So, over the years we have added as much soil as possible. Although we made two mistakes initially, and that was buying in lots of mushroom compost, which not only took forever to clear (before we could get the cars back in the drive) but is very limiting as to which plants would grow in it. The other big mistake was planting a lawn on it, my, how quickly and lushly that grass grew, but, as soon as it rained heavily, which, even in Caterham it does, sometimes, the lovely soft soil formed indentations where large puddles had been. Unfortunately that is still a job to be re-done (my husband Geoff retires this summer, and I don’t think that is on his list, yet!)

I am a total plantaholic, and wanted to train at Wisley, but, with family commitments etc. I was unable to meet their criteria, so, there were often three in our bed, me, Geoff, and a very large dictionary! I have made lots of mistakes over the years, but like to think that I have learnt from them. I certainly have learnt a lot from our visitors on garden open days, but I also enjoy telling people what I have found effective, as gardening can so quickly become a very expensive hobby, and if there is a cheaper short cut-then that’s my sort of gardening.

As I write, it is raining buckets and quite windy too. I try to prioritise my jobs according to the weather. My jobs this week have been to tie in any large plants. They do have a chickenwire cage put over them in early spring, but always need a bit more support. I cut the grass, which since the garden opening, has been growing madly as have all the hedges. The grass still looks very patchy though, so in places it has had grass seed sown. It has also had a liquid feed of Evergreen, which greens it up very quickly, and lasts for six weeks, and fits on the end of a hose. I dig the weeds up, rather than using the Weed & Feed, which always seems a bit hit and miss, and, although said to be animal safe, I’m never really happy with them walking over it, or the birds pulling up worms from it. In the morning, or after heavy rain I take a cane round and gently shake the plants to rid them of the water. However, if it is raining a lot, then I deadhead as much as possible so that the next batch of flowers start forming as soon as the next sunny spell arrives, Another job this week has been to nematode the (hopefully) whole garden. I used the Miracle Grow feeder, but it will be several weeks yet before they become effective. This is to eradicate vine weevil which I have disappointingly found three of already. They eat notches in the leaves and can lay up to 800 eggs at a time, which turn into fat white grubs, which are partial to anything of a succulent nature, such as begonia, heuchera and aeonium. Laurel, bay and eleagnus all seem to be on the menu, too. So, if a plant is just not thriving, and is surrounded by shrubs with lots of notches then check the soil. Provado is another option – quicker and good, if only a few plants are affected, but rather expensive.

Finally, my compost bins, which have been so dry, have had the lids left off so that they are nicely damp. Soon they will go back on as we have now had quite a drop of rain.

P.S. We raised £600 at the June garden opening - all of which was donated to the League of Friends of Caterham Dene who made those delicious cakes. On a happy note our fifth grandchild, Daniel, who was due at the end of July, but was born on 10^th April, is now starting to make good progress.