A tasty little accessory

Bay trees are becoming a feature in London gardens. Their all-year elegance, their response to clipping and their use in the kitchen, has made them increasingly popular. Grown either in containers or in the open ground, bay trees are surprisingly tough. Considering that they originate in the Mediterranean (I've seen them growing wild on steep rocky hillsides in Greece), where they have been used since ancient times, and that they love sunshine, they do unexpectedly well in town and suburban gardens, which are often shady.

True, in these environs they may not be at their very best; in fact you can see the impact of the lack of light in the habit of the trees. They tend to develop more open growth and can become slightly spindly, while those in all-day sunshine have foliage that is tighter and more compact.

So, one of the first things to decide is whether you plant your bay tree in a pot or in the ground. Wherever you choose, try to give them as much sunshine as possible. If plenty of sun is hard to arrange, shade from the side, such as a wall or fence, is preferable to overhead shade from other trees.

Try to provide soil that is not soggy and waterlogged. Bay trees will grow well in clay, but not in compacted clay that collects puddles, and if you plant them in containers make sure they're raised off the ground with pot feet so excess moisture can easily drain away. In some streets you see shaped bay trees set like sentries on either side of front doors or sometimes right on the pavement if there's no front garden. Bushes, pyramids, lollipops and clipped balls all look good in this situation, but there's one thing that's important to remember: they may be stolen. It does happen occasionally; someone sneaks up in a van in the dead of night and loads them up and drives away.

So sometimes you will see bay trees chained to a railing or to a bolt in the wall. This is not difficult to do and, when you consider the value of a mature tree, it's worth it.

When you re-pot your tree, run a chain down the inside of the pot and out of one of the drainage holes. Then drill a hole in the wall, insert a plug, screw in an eye bolt, and use a stout padlock to secure the chain to the bolt. The tree can then be positioned to hide the chain. If there's a gatepost to hand, padlock your plant there instead.

If you have a mature plant well established in its pot you can simply remove it, slip the chain through the container and replace the root ball. If the chain is so stout that you can see gaps around it, filter in a little fresh soil.

Bay trees need clipping twice a year, in late spring and in summer, except if you are constantly snipping off sprigs for the pot, when they may not need pruning at all.

The other thing to remember is you must be sure bay trees in containers never dry out entirely. They may come from the Med but there's a difference between not being waterlogged and being parched for weeks, which will make the leaves turn brown and drop off. You have been warned.