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CONTRIBUTORS
Jack Wallington Jack is a landscape designer and writer who’s created over 70 gardens, from tiny city balconies to country estates, specialising in modern gardens with wildlife friendly planting. He visits a London garden on p24.
Rachel Warne Award-winning photographer Rachel has been shooting gardens, often for major garden designers, for over 15 years. She’s worked on ten books and shot Ann-Marie Powell’s own garden on p40.
Welcome I
always enjoy bringing you our Spring issue, which has become our regular ‘small gardens’ special. This time, it includes gardens by talented designers such as Jane Brockbank, Declan Buckley and Miles Raybould, as well as a glimpse into Ann-Marie Powell’s own garden at home – in terms of size, a complete contrast to the enormous gardens she’s recently designed at RHS Wisley, but full of joyful colour and a very real sense of the passion that’s gone into its creation. Then, for added inspiration if space is tight, after letting us glimpse his container-filled garden in Nottingham, Arthur Parkinson shares foolproof recipes for summer pots. We also visit Rotherview Nursery and find out how to create landscapes in miniature with alpines in troughs, and we explore the Muscari genus: little blue bulbs ideally suited to small spaces. Working on this issue always reminds me of my first garden: a small backyard behind a terraced house with an old, outdoor privy (not used!). I had pots of herbs and sweet peas climbing a trellis that was propped against the wall because I didn’t have any proper tools to fix it. I still have a couple of red fire buckets I used as planters there, although their bottoms rusted and fell out some time ago. It didn’t matter at all that it was tiny – the joy that garden gave me has been the same in every garden since.
IMAGES NEIL HEPWORTH; MARIANNE MAJERUS; SARAH CUTTLE
CLARE FOGGETT, EDITOR
Marianne Majerus
Marianne photographs beautiful gardens across Europe. Her work is published in books and magazines worldwide and she has won numerous awards. Her photographs appear in our features on pages 24 and 58.
ON THE COVER Having a small garden is no barrier to dreamy planting, such as these ‘Brown Sugar’ and ‘Generaal de Wet’ tulips. Photo: GAP/ Nicola Stocken.
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Spring 2022
CONTENTS Gardens 24 Jane Brockbank Garden In the sheltered small garden of a London family home, the award-winning designer has created an oasis of sociable spaces, overflowing with planting. 33 Crowle Cottage Mary Cox worked hard to turn the derelict space surrounding her thatched and timbered Worcestershire home into the colourful and wildlife-friendly cottage garden she now calls her ‘saviour’. 40 Ann-Marie Powell’s Garden Lockdown gave the designer a chance to focus on her own garden and rediscover a passion for planting that led to the creation of a virtual community and book. 48 Lillesley Barn The principle applied by Bridget Allen to her Suffolk garden is to believe in tomorrow. And her willingness to experiment with its tricky soil has paid off.
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58 Declan Buckley Garden The design brief taken on for this London garden, sought to maintain the connection with the city, while creating privacy and a haven for wildlife.
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67 Miles Raybould Garden The designer was tasked with creating a sense of space and seclusion in a compact central London garden that is overlooked on every side.
Design
125 Craftspeople Alice Andrea Ewing uses the Renaissance lost wax casting method to create solid bronze sculptures of fruits.
Plants 75 Top 10 Plants Tresco Abbey Garden’s curator Mike Nelhams suggests exotic bulbs that will also thrive on the mainland. 81 Plant Focus The muscari genus includes hundreds of pretty and well-behaved plants, despite its two boisterous exceptions.
58 6 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
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89 Arthur Parkinson’s Pots A look at the gardener and writer’s container garden at his family home, plus recipes for brilliant pots. 97 Alpines Wendy Bates of Rotherview Nursery in East Sussex advises on growing these diminutive but tough plants.
IMAGES CLIVE NICHOLS; MARIANNE MAJERUS; RICHARD BLOOM; ANNAÏCK GUITTENY; ALAMY
119 IGPOTY This annual competition seeks the best images of plants, gardens and landscapes from around the world.
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75 103 The Kitchen Garden at Thyme The team are hard at work sowing and planting to meet the chefs’ culinary requirements. 111 The Garden Apothecary Herbalist Becky Cole shares recipes from her new book.
Regulars 9 This Month Plants, people, news and events, books and beautiful things to buy, plus designer Bunny Guinness’s diary. 21 Shopping The best equipment and products to keep your lawn lush and green. 138 To Conclude Non Morris suggests collectible scented pelargoniums that are as visually arresting as they are fragrant.
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FURNITURE
This Month Our guide to plants, people, gardens and events, tasks and shopping in Spring
IN FLOWER NOW
IMAGE GAP/JS SIRA
Primula auricula S
urely one of the most beautiful of all flowers, auriculas look like miniature paintings come to life. It is no wonder that these diminutive spring plants were one of the original ‘florists’ flowers’, competitively grown from the 18th century, with auricula ‘fanciers’ rejoicing in the variation among
the increasing number of varieties: green edges, a centre of white meal or ‘paste’, stripes and double flowers. These ‘show’ auriculas, like ‘Adrian’ (pictured above), need cosseting; to enjoy the beauty of auricula flowers in a more laid-back way, try ‘border’ auriculas, which are much hardier. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 9
People to Meet Introducing the gardeners and public figures we most admire in British horticulture
Sissinghurst’s former head gardener holds the National Collection of Irises bred by Sir Cedric Morris and is responsible for a revived interest in both his plants and his art I’ve been gardening since I was three. My parents were gardeners so I just assumed it was something everybody did. After university I didn’t know what to do, so I moved down to Cornwall to work as a mobile fishmonger. One day, a customer told me: “I think you should be a gardener.” I was offered a job on a large estate in Cornwall – and that was it. 10 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
After four years I got a job at Kew, which led to a decent horticultural qualification. The next step was Sissinghurst. I love the artistry and history of the garden. There’s an array of intricate plants in masterful colour combinations. Vita Sackville-West planned areas for different seasons so you can revisit it each month to admire something new.
RECOMMENDED
Sarah’s favourite gardens Upton House Warwickshire Upton, where I worked as head gardener, has a patchwork of styles from across the eras, from the 12th-century ‘Monk’s Well’ grotto to the 18th-century lake and formal gardens designed in the 20th century. Tel: 01295 670266; nationaltrust.org.uk
Floors Castle Scottish Borders This wonderful place is just north of the AngloScottish border, so people tend to drive straight up and miss it! It has so many interesting elements: a wonderful old walled garden and a formal garden created to mark the millennium. Tel: 01573 223333; floorscastle.com
INTERVIEW PHOEBE JAYES IMAGES GAP/HOWARD RICE; NATIONAL TRUST/JAMES DOBSON; DAVID F COOKE
Sarah Cook
After a stint at Upton House, I returned to Sissinghurst as both property manager and head gardener. The challenge was to keep Vita in mind while embracing change. Gardening is a multidimensional art form. It has many time dimensions as well as spatial ones. Eventually I retired to Suffolk with my husband, Jim Marshall, to make our own garden. Weirdly, our piece of land turned out to have belonged to my family in the 1800s. I feel very rooted here. Inspired by Jim’s National Collection of Malmaison Carnations, I began to collect irises bred by the artist Sir Cedric Morris, since I’d grown up near his house at Benton End. I have 26 named irises and others that are harder to identify. In theory you can run paternity tests on them, but it’s tricky with cultivars because they tend to be a reassembly of the same genes. I took my irises to the nurseryman David Howard and he suggested a stand at Chelsea. We won a Gold Medal in 2015 and, as a result, many other nurseries began selling Benton irises. I’d got them out into the world! Another positive outcome has been a renewed interest in Cedric and his paintings. Benton End was bought by two benefactors for the Garden Museum to renew and re-open as a centre of gardening, art and creativity. Benton irises have a unique greyed-out tone. I love the ones named after his pets: ‘Baggage’ and ‘Menace’ were the names of Cedric’s cats. Also on my wish list is ‘Rubio’, named for his macaw.
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Out & About Unmissable events, news and the very best gardens to visit this month
RHS Malvern Spring Festival 5-8 May, Worcestershire
The trailblazer for the RHS flower show season, this four-day festival enjoys the beautiful Malvern Hills as its backdrop. The 35th festival, back after a two-year break, promises much celebration, championing the positive physical and mental benefits of gardening and the upcoming Platinum Jubilee. Visitors can admire ‘The Jubilee Garden’, a permanent new feature garden planted with the Sovereign’s favourite plants, as well as a ‘Floral Green’ with an array of cut flowers from British growers, stands by some of the UK’s finest nurseries, a ‘Festival Theatre’ hosting talks from horticulturists, and much more. Tel: 03443 385400; rhsmalvern.co.uk
State of Britain’s Hedgehogs Report
Rhododendrons at RHS Rosemoor 23-24 April, Devon Admire a rainbow of rhododendrons at the RHS Garden Rosemoor National Rhododendron Show. Expect over 60 classes covering all types of rhododendrons, with exhibitors including Exbury Gardens in Hampshire and Caerhays Castle Gardens in Cornwall. Competitions are free to enter and displays can be admired as part of normal garden admission. There are trade and advice stands, plus displays of magnolias and camellias. Tel: 01805 624067; rhs.org.uk 12 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
NGS Garden Ellerker House
Yorkshire A romantic five-acre garden with fine trees and sweeping lawns. Admire drifts of daffodils around the lake in a stumpery, as well as alpines, hellebores and other spring bulbs. With a further 11 acres of woodland and a thatched oak hut, it’s the perfect garden to explore this April. Ellerker House, Everingham, York, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO42 4JA. Opens Sunday 10 April, 10am to 5pm. Adults: £6; Children: Free. ngs.org.uk
WORDS PHOEBE JAYES IMAGES BHPS; RHS/JOHN WEBSTER; NGS
A new-for-2022 report by wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) has revealed that Britain’s hedgehog populations have declined in rural areas by 30-75 per cent nationally since 2000, with the largest declines seen in the eastern half of England. Urban hedgehog populations, however, appear to have stabilised and may be starting to recover from a previous decline. To see the full report and for information on how to help hedgehogs where you live, visit hedgehogstreet.org
Join the inner circle of garden design
Many leading garden designers were at Inchbald and help our current graduates with their careers Many of the world’s leading garden designers are Inchbald graduates and have benefited from the high standard of tutoring on which the school’s reputation is built. They help our current students get on the road to success by offering advice, internships and often jobs. Amanda Inchbald Bursary: Amanda Inchbald (1960-2020) was a passionate advocate of education and its availability to all.
To commemorate her commitment to Driving Diversity in Design, Inchbald are offering a bursary to those aged 18-24. The opportunity would provide one year’s study on either the interior or garden design online diploma. Closing date for applications is June 1st.
Find out more contact Sharon.booth@inchbald.co.uk
Some of Inchbald’s star graduates
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YORKSHIRE AND NORTHUMBERLAND 7 DAYS FROM £945 Scenic rail journeys bring to life the history and natural beauty of Yorkshire and Northumbria. Follow in Viking and Roman footsteps with a visit to historic York, discover the rugged castles and elegant gardens of Northumberland, and bask in the verdant beauty of the Yorkshire Dales. Day 1
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Visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and tour Alnwick Castle and Gardens.
Explore Bamburgh Castle before it opens to the public on an exclusive guided tour.
Learn about Whitby’s coastal heritage at the RNLI Lifeboat Station for a tour.
Discover the beauty of RHS Harlow Carr, a tranquil garden on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
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Bunny’s Diary
IMAGES NEIL HEPWORTH; GAP/MARK TURNER/MARK BOLTON; SHUTTERSTOCK
This month, Bunny Guinness is planting asparagus, treating roses, and ageing stone balls
A
sparagus is the easiest vegetable to grow as long as the bed is free of perennial weeds. Buy all male crowns: the spears are thinner than on female plants but are more prolifically produced, there are no fruiting berries to suck energy from the crowns, and few weedy asparagus seedlings. Dig a trench around 15cm or 30cm deep for heavy or light soil respectively, and lay the crowns along the base, nose to tail, around 40cm apart. No need to spread the roots out – outdated advice! – just cover with soil and mulch annually to stop annual weeds. Plant rows about 40cm apart and water when dry until well established. You’ll get a light pick in two years, and in the third year you will
be holding asparagus parties! Don’t cut the foliage down until it turns butter-yellow in autumn. Simple, delicious and nutritious. Many commercial rose growers apply Uncle Tom’s Rose Tonic (available from most rose suppliers). The active ingredient is potassium phosphite, and the first and most important application should be in April. Dilute it and apply it to the base of the plant with a watering can, once a month until September, if you don’t like spraying. This is a brilliant remedy for black spot and downy mildew, which looks like black spot but has a browner blotch and in warm, wet periods can cause total defoliation. I recently inherited some topless staddle stones and have bought some composite stone balls to go on top: a change to the
traditional topping. I bought them from Grosvenor Stone (grosvenorstone.co.uk) for around £25 each. They look far newer than the bases, so speedy weathering is required. I’ve mixed yogurt, lichen (from dead wood) and cow muck together and then painted it all over. Then, looking at other aged balls, I aped where the moss and lichen build-up occurs, and smeared moss in these areas. I once asked a stone mason, who was making some piers for me from real stone, to shot blast them, which hugely speeds up the weathering process. Few people can discern real stone from composite stone once it’s weathered. n Find more advice on Bunny’s YouTube channel: youtube.com/bunnyguinness SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 15
Beautiful & Useful New plants, books, tools and creative designs, plus shopping inspiration
Make the Cut Almost every seasoned gardener carries a pair of Felco 2s at the hip. Now the Swiss manufacturer has launched the Felco 322, a pair of garden snips useful for harvesting herbaceous stems, especially those of peas, beans and more delicate cut flowers. Features include longer, narrower blades for reaching tricky places, shock absorbers, carbon steel blades and a stainlesssteel spring to reduce muscle tension during use, and they are available in left- and right-handed models. Felco also offers a restoration service for its product, and almost any part can be replaced – from the blade and thumb catch to the plastic-coated handles. Felco 322 snips, £19.99, felco.com
The Lightning Seeds
Borde Hill Garden: A Plant Hunter’s Paradise Vanessa Berridge with John Glover, Merrell Publishers, £40 Consummate garden historian and horticultural journalist Vanessa Berridge turns her gaze to the garden at Borde Hill, the Elizabethan mansion in West Sussex. This is a thorough exploration of what is one of the UK's most interesting gardens thanks to the global specimens amassed here since the early 1900s. 16 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
English Garden Eccentrics Todd LongstaffeGowan, Paul Mellon Centre/Yale, £30 The landscape architect and historian offers a glorious examination of the mavericks and misfits of the horticultural world over the centuries. Consider Lady Dorothy Neville, collector of insectivorous plants: “They had I remember curious taste… and were not at all averse to alcohol.” He entreats us to follow suit and to break the status quo in our own gardening.
The Flower School Joseph Massie, Quadrille, £27 This exquisite book from one of the world’s leading designers could make florists of us all. Covering the gamut of floristry techniques, it sets out the tricks of the trade with instructions on everything from treating bleeding stems to the principles of design and colour theory. The final chapters of this 304-page tome offer step-by-step guides to gorgeous projects.
WORDS VIVIENNE HAMBLY IMAGES PATRICK DI LENARDO; SABINA RÜBER
Annuals come quickly to the aid of a patchy bed. This is the time to sow them for summer colour, and Chiltern Seeds has just launched Antirrhinum ‘Costa Apricot’. Petals have a yolk-yellow and apricot centre tinged with pink at the edges. An F1 hybrid, it has been bred to cope with our cool, low-light conditions. Scatter seed onto damp compost at a temperature of around 18-20°C, and germination should take place after ten days. Plant out when there is no risk of frost, and when there are six good leaves, pinch out the tips. Antirrhinum ‘Costa Apricot’, £2.95, chilternseeds.co.uk
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A statement path passes through lush borders to a sunny seating area in Jane Brockbank’s design for this London garden.
HAPPY PLACE In the sheltered small garden of this London family home, award-winning garden designer Jane Brockbank has created an oasis of sociable spaces, overflowing with joyous planting WORDS JACK WALLINGTON PHOTOGRAPHS MARIANNE MAJERUS
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hanks to its tranquil leafiness and exciting mixed borders, it’s hard to believe that this plant-packed small garden sits right in the heart of London. “The owners, Andrew and Louise, brought up their two kids here,” explains its designer Jane Brockbank. “They’d had the garden designed and built previously, but it was incredibly dull: nearly all lawn with very little interesting planting and mostly bare fences.” Atmosphere and a sense of the countryside has been carefully injected into the space. “Bare fences make gardens look much more urban, so I added in lots of hornbeam hedging to give it a country feel,” says Jane. The hornbeam, alongside shrubs and climbers, blurs edges up to the canopies of neighbouring trees, helping to extend the garden and making it feel larger and more rural than it is. Two trees remain from the previous design: a mature magnolia and a beautiful hawthorn that now takes centre stage in one of the new beds, its lower branches removed to allow light into the herbaceous understorey beneath. Box balls were the only other plants retained, though Jane warns: “I haven’t planted box for eight years because of blight and box moth caterpillars, but these were so beautifully kept I had to give them a go, and miraculously the gardener has managed to keep them alive.”
Two trees remain from the previous design: a mature magnolia and a beautiful hawthorn that now takes centre stage Now the layout is balanced with a structure that, despite the small size, retains a decent sized lawn for the children to use and to house a marquee for parties, but with much more to look at. “Andrew and Louise wanted more joy: they just didn’t know exactly how to achieve that,” says Jane. Andrew feels it was Jane’s “great vision and plant knowledge” that led to the successful reimagining. “She’s a real pleasure to work with, listening to our wishes and working with us as the garden has evolved,” he maintains. Chosen for its fairly traditional look, new riven York stone was used for the dining patio near the house and for the edges of the eye-catching feature path. In small gardens it’s doubly important to make the most of any sunlight, and the functional path leads to a sculpture and seat positioned to make the most of the evening sun at the back of the garden, anchored by a crisp yew hedge backdrop. To soften 26 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Right Planting includes Veronicastrum ‘Cupid’, purple sage, stachys and Ageratina ‘Chocolate’. Bottom right The garden’s boundaries are blurred with shrubs such as Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ and Melianthus major. Bottom left Penstemon ‘Andenken an Friedrich Hahn’, Geranium ‘Patricia’, chives and sage. Below Salvia ‘Caradonna’, alchemilla and stachys.
the path, self-compacting gravel is used between the staggered stones that form its edge. But it’s Jane’s planting that brings the garden to life: she’s crammed luxurious borders into every corner, all billowing with texture and colour. Particular emphasis has been given to frontloading the garden with feature beds set close to the house as the primary view, filled with colourful flowers, foliage and texture. These are known as the Paint Box Beds and Jane drew inspiration for them from a favourite garden: “Herterton House in Northumberland is one of the greatest country gardens. It’s an absolute gem that not many people know about,” she reflects. “It was made by a couple who spent their whole life making it; Marjorie Lawley is a planting genius.” Herterton’s colour borders are based on Mondrian paintings, with colour-themed beds of intense blues, SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 27
Above left The grass
Melica altissima ‘Alba’ thrives in dappled shade. Above right Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ and Acer palmatum do well in shady borders along the garden’s boundary. Below In the blue block, Veronicastrum ‘Cupid’, Eryngium ‘Silver Ghost’ and Salvia ‘Caradonna’.
28 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
pinks and whites surrounded by beautiful clipped topiary shapes. “I was knocked out by this garden 20 years ago, and I’d always wanted to have a go at producing my own version,” says Jane. One of Jane’s favourite borders in her own paint-box design is the blue block, featuring Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Cupid’, Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst’, Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Eryngium giganteum ‘Silver Ghost’. Meanwhile, the white block glows against green foliage thanks to the beautiful umbel, Cenolophium denudatum, along with Sedum ‘Green Expectations’ and Eurybia divaricata. The borders weren’t all plain sailing. “One of the challenges is that, although the large neighbouring trees are lovely, half the garden was very dry, and nothing thrived because the trees sucked out all of the moisture,” Jane explains. “We improved the soil with compost and added an irrigation system, which was crucial to deal with the dry left-hand side.” The trees, buildings and tall shrubs, also make large areas of the garden quite shady.
Above With its armillary sphere focal point and sheltering yew hedge, this sociable seating area takes full advantage of the evening sun.
Many of the plants Jane has used can tolerate small amounts of shade, and are supported by an understorey of shade-loving plants, including Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ and Hosta ‘Frances Williams’. Near the house, directly beneath a feature window, sits an exquisite, subtle planting of the ornamental grass Melica altissima ‘Alba’ around a white-barked, multi-stem birch. Dotted throughout the garden, Alchemilla mollis, Bergenia ‘Overture’, Saxifraga umbrosa and various hardy geranium cultivars have been used for cohesion. Edible herbs are used ornamentally in sunny spots within the planting, and these include chives and both regular and purple sage. Making great use of height, which is so important in smaller gardens, are shrubs that carry the colours and textures up to head height and beyond. Silver foliaged Melianthus major, Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’, Philadelphus ‘Belle Étoile’ and hydrangeas are enhanced with the bold purple-blue flowers of Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’ clambering through them.
“I was knocked out by the garden at Herterton House 20 years ago, and I’d always wanted to have a go at producing my own version”
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Impressively for a Above The Paint Box Beds were designed to relatively small garden, provide colourful views there are three large from the house. Malus working compost ‘Evereste’ adds height. bins, which Andrew Below Pots on the dining table continue the purple and Louise’s regular colour theme. gardener uses a lot to recycle plant material. The bins are hidden by hedges at the back of the garden, and the compost they produce is used in the borders to return nutrition to the soil. Maintenance is essential to the success of a design, especially when a garden is visible all year round and requires a lot of work. Every now and then, Jane visits for a review, to see if “things need zhooshing up”. Planted five years ago, the garden is now maturing, and decisions will be required when certain plants outgrow their space. In the Paint Box Beds, colours have smudged as plants seed and migrate around, although Jane points out that planting changes can help keep a garden interesting. The improved layout, artful planting and ongoing care as plants mature has resulted in a truly beautiful design. “No wonder,” says Andrew, “that every day the garden makes us smile.” n Jane Brockbank Gardens, janebrockbank.com 30 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
In the Paint Box Beds colours have smudged as plants seed and migrate, but change can keep a garden interesting
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Saving GRACE
Mary Cox worked hard to turn the derelict space surrounding her thatched and timbered Worcestershire home into the colourful wildlife-friendly cottage garden she now calls her ‘saviour’ WORDS ANNETTE WARREN PHOTOGRAPHS CLIVE NICHOLS
Roses and hollyhocks create a quintessentially English scene around this 17th-century thatched cottage. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 33
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going. “There was an awful lot of rubble and hen Mary Cox moved into discarded building materials to move before I could her chocolate box, timbered properly consider how to plant the garden,” Mary cottage in the village of recalls. Flagstones and hidden steps were among the Crowle in Worcestershire discoveries made during excavations. “I imagine the nearly three decades ago, rear garden probably housed a pigsty and stable in she had a daunting task ahead of her. “The third years gone by,” she muses. Through sheer hard work of an acre garden had been used as a dumping and a creative imagination, Mary has used some ground by the builders from whom I bought the of these areas to her advantage, while cobbles and cottage,” she recalls, going on to explain how it stone slabs found elsewhere in the garden have been was the terrible state of the garden that had put repurposed as paths. Even the greenhouse floor was off other prospective buyers of the 17th-century, laid by Mary, using church floor tiles dug up from Grade II-listed, black-and-white building. another part of the garden. In a photograph that’s dated 1929, Mary’s home is The front garden is perfection: soaring spires shown flanked by apple trees with children standing of rainbow hollyhocks, sweet peas and poppies at the garden gate beside the dusty lane. Apart from surround the quaint thatched cottage. “The the lane now having a modern tarmac surface, this hollyhocks and poppies are more pretty thatched cottage is little than happy on the sandy soil changed, still surrounded by and self-seed each year,” Mary hollyhocks and looking every observes. To the rear of the inch like a picture postcard. property, a sunny patio beside Within days of moving in, the kitchen door is surrounded by Mary began the daunting task apricot rose ‘Lady of Shalott’ and of clearing the debris in order to pale lilac Clematis ‘The President’. create her garden. “My starting A small number of Japanese maples point was the small orchard are planted between the patio and of apple and plum trees at the the boundary fence. “One of these end of the plot, which I wanted I propagated from seed myself, to keep,” she recalls. Since the 28 years ago,” Mary says proudly. garden is screened on either side, In fact, most of her plants have she planted a yew hedge at the been grown either from seed or far end of the plot to complete Below Mary Cox, outside from cuttings. It is unsurprising that the sense of enclosure. “There were her timbered cottage. she delights in being in the garden as some ancient lilac trees at the bottom Clockwise from top right much as possible: “I’d much rather of the garden that I retained, although Japanese maples in pots; be outside, listening to birdsong and one fell in a storm last winter, and Clematis ‘The President’ with rose ‘Lady of pottering in the greenhouse.” took ages to cut up,” says Mary, Shalott’; petunias and The east-facing rear garden who steadfastly undertakes all tasks verbena in a pot; takes you on a journey through herself. Her other reason for screening hollyhocks and perennial clematis-smothered archways and the garden was more practical. pea, Lathyrus latifolius. past borders spilling “I fostered five orphan with cottage-garden lambs from a local favourites such as white farmer and bottle fed phlox, pale purple them by hand. I had to catmint, Cambridgefence the orchard into blue love-in-a-mist miniature paddocks for (Nigella damascena) them and make sure they and yellow evening had access to a little shed primrose, Oenothera to shelter in at night. ‘Crown Imperial’. Once they were weaned, Mary’s greenhouse is they returned to the conveniently positioned farm. It gave me great in the middle of pleasure to look after the the garden and is lambs, although my dog arranged for both was glad when they left work and pleasure, as he could enjoy longer with a collection of walks again!” succulents displayed on Once the work began shelves and a separate in earnest, it was tough
Soaring spires of rainbow hollyhocks, sweet peas and poppies surround the quaint thatched cottage
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Cottage Garden FAVOURITES A pretty combination of classic perennials, climbers and roses in uplifting colours
LATHYRUS LATIFOLIUS The perennial sweet pea makes up for its flowers’ lack of scent with a vibrant magenta colour and scrambling habit.
OENOTHERA ‘CROWN IMPERIAL’
ALCEA ROSEA
This evening primrose opens its lemon yellow blooms on 50cm tall plants.
Sow biennial hollyhock seed in early summer for tall spires of flowers the following year. Try the Halo Series.
GALEGA OFFICINALIS
ROSA ‘LADY OF SHALOTT’
CLEMATIS ‘ARABELLA’
With the look of a wildflower, the airy pea-like flowers of galega make a lovely filler for an informal cottage border.
The deep apricot-orange flowers of this David Austin English rose open from red buds on medium-sized, 1.2m tall shrubs.
A free-flowering variety that will scramble over the ground, up a support, or through a small shrub.
SHIRLEY POPPIES
CLEMATIS ‘ALBA LUXURIANS’
CLEMATIS ‘NIGHT VEIL’
These delicate, pastel, annual poppies are held on thin stems. Sow them direct, where you want them to bloom.
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With propellor-like, green-tipped, white petals, this old variety is from the 1900s.
Dark purple-red flowers are produced from early summer to early autumn on this compact-growing climber.
area dedicated to seeds and cuttings. “I propagate everything and anything,” she cheerfully admits. On the sunny south side of the garden where Mary discovered the hidden flagstones, a seating area has been created, enclosed by rambling roses ‘Pink Pearl’ and butter-yellow ‘Graham Thomas’, the latter from David Austin roses. “‘Pink Pearl’ used to be a flower arranger’s favourite; it’s such a shame you can no longer find this variety anywhere,” Mary laments. The gnarled trees in the orchard produce not only fruit that Mary uses for stewing and freezing but also a bounteous crop of mistletoe. Far from being a romantic ideal, the mistletoe is actually a nuisance and Mary keeps it in check by cutting it in December to sell at the local garden centre. “Once it’s really taken hold it can kill trees off,” she cautions. Decorative metal shelves beneath the apple trees house a collection of orchids. “I carry them outside in summer but always ensure they are back indoors by September before the first frost,” says Mary. She is something of a houseplant expert, having previously been manager of the indoor plant section of St Peters Garden Centre in nearby Norton. “To learn about the habits of different plants, I used to grow a lot of varieties myself. Studying the plants over a period of time at home enabled me to help customers make an informed choice.” Tucked away near the orchard, raspberries, runner beans and peas thrive in a rectangular vegetable bed. “The raspberries have done really well considering I started from scratch with a single cane,” Mary says.
The gnarled trees in the orchard produce not only fruit that Mary uses for stewing and freezing but also a bounteous crop of mistletoe
Top Contained within
a pretty white picket fence, hollyhocks spring up outside the chocolate box cottage. Above right Half-barrel tubs of hydrangeas. Above left Pale blue clematis scrambles up a support next to toadflax and feverfew; ‘Arabella’ is a similar cultivar.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 37
Mary’s advice for propagating your own plants n Collect dry seedheads in order to propagate the following year. To obtain the maximum number of seeds, shake seed-bearing stems above an upturned open umbrella. Dry seed thoroughly and store in paper bags or envelopes (never in polythene bags as the seeds will rot due to the lack of air circulation). n Leave oenothera and aster seedheads for birds. Members of the finch family will enjoy perching on the stems and pecking the seeds in winter. n Sow your seeds in pots in March and keep them warm in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, planting them out once the threat of frost has passed.
Most of her vegetables are self-sown from seeds collected the previous year. “I begin in March by sowing the seeds in pots and keep them covered or in the greenhouse. I then plant them out after the threat of frost has passed.” Recently, Mary has embarked on building a small natural pond in the garden. “I managed to dig it myself and have surrounded the membrane with a number of natural waterside plants. I’ve even found space for a little beach area created from cobbles I dug up from around the garden,” she adds, smiling happily. She enjoys encouraging wildlife to the garden and delights in the family of hedgehogs that have taken up residence. Mary’s determination and hard work has brought the deserved reward of a heavenly and tranquil cottage garden. “Working outside amid nature enables you to enjoy your natural surroundings. I love seeing so many birds, butterflies and bees. I’ve found gardening keeps me happy and allows me to forget all the negative things in life. The garden has been a saviour,” she concludes. n Above Japanese maples and a large clump of feverfew outside the cottage’s back door. Left The fragrant nodding flowers of Clematis ‘Betty Corning’. Far left Rosa ‘Lady of Shalott’ in rich shades of red-flushed apricot. Below A small, rustic vegetable bed houses runner beans, sweet peas and salads.
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Her Real GARDEN
While lockdown was a time of professional uncertainty for designer Ann-Marie Powell, it also let her focus on her own neglected garden and rediscover a passion for planting that led to the creation of the ‘My Real Garden’ virtual community and book WORDS CLARE FOGGETT PHOTOGRAPHS RACHEL WARNE
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Ann-Marie Powell’s garden is just 8m wide and 22m long to the back, where a small trampoline and veg plot are tucked away.
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he name Ann-Marie Powell is a familiar one in gardening circles. The garden designer has fronted television programmes, won acclaim for show gardens at Chelsea and is an ambassador for Greenfingers, the charity that creates gardens at children’s hospices. All this alongside her day job: running a busy, award-winning design practice. Two of the gardens around RHS Wisley’s recently opened Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science are her work: the inventive World Food Garden with its fruit tree screens and curvy beds; and the Wildlife Garden with its generous ponds, contemporary bridges and statement Tom Hare wildlife habitat sculptures. She’s also just won two coveted Society of Garden Designers’ awards for her sophisticated garden at the spa at Sopwell House – just one of many prestigious clients. But then the pandemic hit and work suddenly stopped. “It was petrifying. All of our jobs were cancelled overnight, everything got put on hold, and I thought ‘oh God, what shall I do?’” Ann-Marie recalls. And, like so many other people, her garden provided the answer. Ann-Marie and her husband Jules moved to their house in Petersfield 14 years ago, but despite being professionally immersed in gardens from nine to five every day, her own garden at home had yet to receive the same level of attention. “The house was a wreck, when we moved in. We had to replace all the windows, so we did a few, and then a few more, then we had to do the heating, so we did that one floor at a time. We had been gardening, but not brilliantly,” she explains. Then came an extension at the back of the house, which, she says “wrecked everything we’d done previously”. A green oak deck that the couple had originally installed to make the transition from the house to the split-level garden was moved and re-laid during that round of building work. “We’d had it for so long that the wood was beautifully old and gnarled,” Ann-Marie says, explaining that she pressure washes the timber to expose the end grain. She drew up a plan for it that incorporated planting beds all around the deck, “so we didn’t have to have horrible balustrading”. Wide timber steps led from the deck to a square lawn, kept as large as possible for their two sons, with narrow borders around it: “All the stuff you would never recommend!” she points out. “It was very half-heartedly gardened,” Ann-Marie freely admits. “It’s been a struggle. Being a mum, working more than full-time, I just haven’t had time to garden,
“I just threw myself into what I’d loved in my early twenties, which was growing stuff”
Top The deck next to the
house is a lovely spot to relax; find this ‘Levity’ chair at Gaze Burvill. Middle Vibrant orange calendula flowers. This image Packed planting beds surround the green oak decking.
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Top Wide steps down to the circular lawn are flanked by sunflowers and orange helenium, with purple Stachys officinalis and echinacea in the foreground. Above Maroon-stemmed Selinum wallichianum. Left Kale and chard jostle in the small vegetable patch alongside wildflowers.
and I always thought I just wanted to make gardens for other people,” she says. “So, at the start of the pandemic when our business literally had no work, I just threw myself into what I’d loved when I was in my early twenties, which was growing stuff. The garden has been my everything over the past two years. It’s given me a focus and reminded me that everything would be alright.” The lawn was the first thing she decided to change. “I said to Jules: ‘There’s no choice, we’re having a lawn that’s the size of the swing ball so you can run around it, and everything else is going to be planted.’” While the rest of the country was panicbuying pasta and toilet rolls, Ann-Marie stocked up on compost. “It was the first thing I went to buy when I knew we were going into lockdown. I went straight to the garden centre and bought as many bags of peat-free as I could fit in the car.” Did she plan the planting as she would for a client? “I winged it completely,” she says, laughing. “Well, I do sort of know what I’m doing, so there are repeats in there,” she qualifies, “but a lot of it was what I had and what I could get hold of at the start of the pandemic.” Luckily, Ann-Marie could still buy a few plants from the trade nurseries she uses for work, but much of the planting was, she says, “split, begged, ‘stolen’ or borrowed. I had tons of old packets of seeds that had been neglected for years, so I overSPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 43
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Above The view down from the deck; the trees on the boundary are Sorbus aria ‘Lutescens’. Left Echinacea purpurea. Below Sweetcorn and cane teepees for climbing beans in the vegetable garden.
“I went live on Instagram every day for 100 days. It gave me a focus” sowed everything. There were loads of things, and sometimes just three or four seeds came up, but that was enough to keep me going.” Inspired by her rediscovered love of gardening, and non-gardening friends who, thanks to the pandemic, were discovering their gardens for the first time and wondering what they should be doing, Ann-Marie took to Instagram. “I went live on Instagram at half-past twelve every day for 100 days,” she explains. “It gave me a focus when everything else was falling apart and galvanised me into action. And the community on Instagram is amazing: gardeners know much more than they are ever given credit for, and they inspired me as much as I was hopefully inspiring them.” And so, ‘My Real Garden’ was born – a virtual community of thousands of gardeners sharing tips and advice and navigating the pandemic through a shared joy of gardening. By March 2021, the community had amassed so much gardening knowledge that a My Real Garden book was published, proceeds of which support Greenfingers (myrealgarden.co.uk). “It’s given me a new joie de vivre, not only for my own SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 45
“Gardening got lost, and in the pandemic my own garden gave me that back”
garden but also for my practice and design,” says Ann-Marie, who now makes sure that at least one day every weekend is kept free for her own garden – even though work is back to being as busy as ever. “Every morning before work I go out there for a few minutes, and every night the first thing I do is check on my plants,” she says. She’s now editing that initial pandemic planting, swapping Miscanthus sinensis for the more refined cultivar ‘Malepartus’, with its purple, tassel-like flowers, splitting the Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ that contribute swathes of warm orangey-red flowers in late summer and planting bulbs in their thousands. “I am just chucking bulbs into that garden – I must 46 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Top In a sunny spot for eating outdoors, the chunky wooden table perfectly complements the aged oak decking. Above Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’, an ever-reliable cultivar.
have planted about 5,000,” she says. “Not just tulips, but fritillaries, crocus, Allium ‘Forelock’… I’m so excited to see how it will look.” Pollinators are at the forefront of her mind, with single flowers predominating, and the garden drawing masses of bees and butterflies as a result. “It was a lovely thing: when we were all locked down, the insects could bounce across all the gardens in the neighbourhood. I was getting a lot out of it and, in a small way, making the world a better place,” she says. “When I first started out in garden design, it was because I loved gardening and horticulture. I didn’t want a desk job; I wanted to share my love of growing,” says Ann-Marie. “But slowly, as the practice has become more successful and technology has changed, I’ve found I do have a desk job and the more successful I become, the less time I have for my own garden. Gardening got lost, and in the pandemic my own garden and ‘My Real Garden’ gave me that back in spades. It’s been a revelation – I feel like I’ve come full circle.” n Ann-Marie Powell Gardens: Tel: 01730 825650; ann-mariepowell.com. Follow the @myrealgarden account on Instagram.
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Magie Hollingworth
BRIGHT FUTURE
The guiding principle applied by Bridget Allen to the garden at Lillesley Barn in Suffolk is to believe in tomorrow. And over 16 years, her willingness to experiment with its tricky soil has paid dividends WORDS WIDGET FINN PHOTOGRAPHS ANNAÏCK GUITTENY
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Lillesley Barn’s gravel garden was inspired by Beth Chatto and is filled with salvias, alliums and other sun-seekers.
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B
ridget and Karl Allen moved to the picturebook village of Kersey in Suffolk from a small flat in London where their gardening had been confined to planting in pots. “It was a big contrast,” Bridget recalls. “We bought a converted barn with nearly an acre of recently created garden. The main flowerbed had been laid out and planted, but it had large gaps, there were some very young birch trees and a mass of angelica that had run wild.” Wisely, the Allens decided to wait before changing anything. But once they started they didn’t stop and, 16 years on, they are still planting, experimenting and adding new features. Notoriously, the soil in this part of Suffolk is heavy clay, and here it’s mixed with stones and building debris from the barn’s agricultural past. “We have a large area of flower beds so we bring in a lot of mushroom compost as well as making our own,” explains Bridget. The village of Kersey is set along a main street lined with medieval cottages on a steep hill with a water splash at the bottom. Lillesley Barn is halfway down the hill, its garden lying mainly on a slope – a challenge, says Bridget, which means that gardening can be backbreaking and she has to balance at odd angles when planting. The traditional black Suffolk barn, which is around 400 years old, did service as the village hall before being converted into a home. Its dark cladding provides a dramatic backdrop to Bridget’s favourite climbing roses and clematis. A garden in rural Suffolk with fields on two sides is an open invitation to peckish local wildlife. Muntjac deer from the local woods love roses, pigeons eat anything, and rabbits aim for perennials. Bridget finds they are particularly partial to alliums, which they dig up and eat, although a rabbit-proof fence seems to have halted that particular invasion. An old brick wall provides protection for the gravel garden at the front of Lillesley Barn. When they arrived, the Allens found the area dominated by an old apple tree and a large pear that became increasingly attacked by blight. “It was unstable and had to be tied to the house with a large rope,” explains Bridget, “while heavy shade from the apple tree meant that nothing would grow except geraniums. The trees had to go, transforming the area into a sunny sheltered spot that we made into a gravel garden, inspired by Beth Chatto.” Bridget has been on courses at the Beth Chatto Gardens, and it’s her favourite place to visit for ideas and plants. A large ‘Brown Turkey’ fig tree grows against the warmth of the sheltering wall,
“The trees had to go, transforming the area into a sunny sheltered spot”
Top Scarlet Lychnis
chalcedonica stands out against the black fencing that matches the barn. Middle Bridget Allen. This image Thanks to the slope, the echinops in this border tower above their companions.
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A brick terrace makes a lovely setting for a dining table and chairs, surrounded by pots of herbs and edibles. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 51
Above The silvery, thistle-like flowers of Eryngium giganteum. Right Airy stems of Verbena bonariensis. Below Roses are a favourite of Bridget’s, growing against the barn and in borders; ‘Queen of Sweden’ has similar pale pink flowers.
along with three olive trees in giant terracotta pots underplanted with lavender. The Mediterranean mood here is emphasised by a cluster of towering ‘Blue Steeple’ echiums which, after two years, are seeding themselves all over the area, while passionflowers and a golden hop have taken over the cart shed. The main gravel bed is a gentle palette of foxtail lilies – apricot Eremurus robustus, orange E. x isabellinus ‘Cleopatra’ and white E. himalaicus – blended with the grey-blue of Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica, purple alliums and a gently swaying backdrop of Stipa gigantea. Dramatic black-stemmed bamboos stand in large pots on either side of the front door, while Alchemilla mollis seeds merrily in all the cracks. In a shady spot hellebores flourish in winter, bulbs greet visitors in spring and, in summer, delicate creamy spires of Digitalis lutea contrast with the dramatic flowers of Iris ‘Deep Black’. From here, a wooden gate guarded by giant ‘Nigra’ hollyhocks leads into the main part of the garden where a six-foot-high, custom-made, woven metal fence from Metallurgi has matured to a deep rust colour providing an unusual backdrop to a double border that is four metres deep. It also holds up the bank and prevents bindweed encroaching from the field.
Delicate creamy spires of Digitalis lutea contrast with the dramatic flowers of Iris ‘Deep Black’ The border here slopes steeply, which gives the plants dramatic height, and at the back Cephalaria gigantea, cardoons and echinops loom above the lawn. In high summer it overflows with vivid orange persicaria, delphiniums, fennel, aruncus and a white lilac, Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’. Because it’s so densely planted, Bridget finds that “as long as I tidy it early in the year, everything grows high enough to keep most weeds out by the summer”. On either side of the path that leads to the new summerhouse are beds planted with a delicate palette of pale yellow, white and green tulips, white peonies and delphiniums, airy gaura and ‘The Pilgrim’ rose. The summerhouse, furnished with comfy chairs, faces down the garden to the surrounding fields with the tower of Kersey’s 14th-century church visible in the distance. The formal part of the garden ends at a recently planted hornbeam hedge. This is kept low to allow a view over the orchard, which is entered through an oak gate made by The Cleftwood Company and framed by an arch of vigorous pink rose ‘The Fairy’. Handsome hens roam freely among the wildflowers,
52 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Top The birch trees that had been planted just before the Allens moved in have now matured to give the garden stature. Above A coral-flowered potted pelargonium. Left In the gravel garden, Stipa gigantea, salvia and eryngium thrive in the sunny aspect.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 53
Flower POWER High-performing plants fill Bridget Allen’s garden with blooms all summer long
CEPHALARIA GIGANTEA
GERANIUM ‘PATRICIA’
Bees adore the cream flowers of this 2m tall perennial, which thrives in sun or light shade.
Bright pink flowers on this stalwart hardy geranium that obligingly fills gaps.
apple, plum and greengage trees. Bridget is especially proud of the latest feature in the garden: a line of 12 pleached hornbeams set against the boundary fence. Bridget and Karl spent three days installing it themselves, barrowing each tree up the steep driveway from a lorry on the street and then digging half-metredeep planting holes in the clay rubble. “We had to crowbar them in, making sure they were the right way round,” says Bridget. She advises using a sturdy ladder with a platform for safely training the branches onto stretched wires. The hornbeams have been underplanted with a tapestry of ball-shaped teucrium and Australian variegated rosemary. Hostas and pale pink Iris ensata ‘Rose Queen’ are planted against the black fence for dramatic effect, although last year the iris had leaves but no flowers. Bridget is undeterred. “If you like the look of a plant, give it a go – and if it doesn’t work, try moving it before abandoning it altogether. But then try something else. To be a gardener is to believe in tomorrow.” n Above Biennial Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica is a lovely choice for gravel gardens, or any sunny border, where it will seed itself around.
ROSA ‘QUEEN OF SWEDEN’
DIGITALIS LUTEA
This David Austin rose has pale pink flowers that open into wide, shallow blooms.
Narrow spires of elegant cream-yellow flowers on this perennial foxglove that loves a spot in full or part shade.
LYCHNIS CHALCEDONICA
SCABIOSA CAUCASIA ‘MISS WILLMOTT’
Also known as Maltese cross, this red-flowered hardy perennial prefers full sun.
A production line of white pincushion flowers from midsummer until autumn.
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Lillesley Barn, The Street, Kersey, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 6ED. Opens for the National Garden Scheme on 26 June, 11am to 5pm, in conjunction with The Old Gardens, Kersey. Also opens by arrangement from May to August. Email bridgetinkerseybarn@ googlemail.com or see ngs.org.uk
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Chairs on the terrace take in plantings of purple Salvia x sylvestris ‘Dear Anja’, spiky Eryngium giganteum and golden oats, Stipa gigantea.
58 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Urban EDEN When Declan Buckley took on the design of this private London garden, his brief was to maintain the connection with the city beyond, while creating privacy – and a haven for wildlife – within WORDS NATASHA GOODFELLOW PHOTOGRAPHS MARIANNE MAJERUS
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Above Corten steel steps navigate shallow terraces of planting, which includes darkleaved shrub Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’. Right Verbascum chaixii ‘Album’, chosen for its tall upright spires.
W
hen the owner of this garden in Highgate, London, first saw it, he was struck by two things. First was its size: at 23m x 23m at its widest points, by London standards it is relatively large. And second was the stillness. “At the time, it was simply laid to lawn, with just a couple of overgrown shrubs,” he recalls, “and there was hardly any wildlife at all. No birds, no butterflies – nothing.” He and his wife quickly decided that this must change, and when their architects proposed a large kitchen extension overlooking the garden, they commissioned Declan Buckley to take on the job of remodelling the outside space. “We wanted something with wow factor,” says the owner. “Something full of colour and wildlife and vibrancy. The house feels a bit like an old vicarage and we wanted to conjure that sense of flowery abundance.”
60 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above Filling gaps, a froth of Gypsophila ‘Rosenschleier’. Below Veronicastrum ‘Lavendelturm’ towers at the back of a tapestry of planting; the border is edged with Euphorbia ‘Fens Ruby’.
With several other properties overlooking the house, the couple were also keen to create a sense of privacy while maintaining the connection to London in the buildings around them. “We’re lucky enough to look out onto a mix of Georgian and Queen Anne houses of different heights and sizes,” says the owner. “It reminds me somehow of Peter Pan – I can imagine Tinkerbell flying in and out of the windows!” Declan’s starting point was to design a broad York stone dining terrace outside the new extension. Built in reclaimed London stocks to match the house, the retaining wall is at a comfortable height to act as additional seating – a great space-maximising trick. From here, gently stepped paths of Scottish pebbles, laid into a honeycomb structure for stability, range through the space, ascending and descending the low terraces Declan has introduced to deal with the slope of the site. At points they widen into seating areas, designed to let the clients enjoy the garden at various times of day. A shady area at the back surrounded by fragrant, evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) provides a fantastic view back to the house; a firepit has been installed in a sunny spot fringed by bright geums and geraniums, while a barbecue and chairs nestle in the corner next to the newly erected – but completely reclaimed – potting shed. “The potting shed was one of our specifications in the brief,” says the owner. “We wanted something that looks like it’s always been there and so we reused some of the window and door frames from the original house. As to what we do in there, I’d love to be able to say I spend hours propagating, but really, we mainly use it for storage.” Between the paths are deep planting beds edged in mild steel and it is these – packed with an everchanging mix of bulbs, annuals, perennials and shrubs – that give the garden its impact. Although the result is extremely colourful, it was shape, rather than hue, that was Declan’s guiding light in the design phase. “I wanted forms that would hold their own and bounce off each other,” he says, “and I tried to choose plants that have a long season of interest with good buds, flowers, and seedheads alike, and good foliage too. To that end, solid leafy clumps of purple sage are juxtaposed with clouds of gypsophila
“We wanted a wow factor. Something full of colour and wildlife and vibrancy”
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 61
or with mats of tactile, fluffy-looking Euphorbia cyparissias ‘Fens Ruby’. Spires of Verbascum chaixii ‘Album’, Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavendelturm’ and Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst’ contrast with the umbel shapes of Valeriana officinalis – a British wildflower and one of Declan’s favourites – and Foeniculum vulgare, while the bobble-headed flowers of alliums and sanguisorbas dance like musical notes above the beds. Garden stalwarts such as Gaura lindheimeri, Erigeron karvinskianus, Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Verbena bonariensis all feature too. “They’re indispensable for small gardens,” says Declan. “They just go on and on.” Privacy comes from strategically placed birch and multi-stemmed crab apple trees, along with a sultry black elder (Sambucus nigra), but the perennial planting – accentuated by the statuesque yet transparent golden oats (Stipa gigantea) – has its part to play too. “The design is really clever in that it lifts your eye up and out to the skyline beyond, making the space feel very open, while at the same time the strong colours keep you anchored within the space,” says the owner. “And because many of the plants are so tall, different areas are hidden from different angles – it’s not unusual for my wife and I to be in the garden at the same time and each have no idea the other is there.”
“The design lifts your eye up and out to the skyline beyond, making the space feel very open” As with all gardens, not everything worked first time. Some grasses had to be removed because they caused hay fever, and a vernonia that grew far too large has now been succeeded by a lovely multistemmed Arbutus unedo, clipped into an umbrella form to keep it to size. In these decisions, as with many others, the design process has matured into an ongoing conversation, with Declan visiting the garden once or twice a year to give advice and the owner developing the garden as he sees fit. Though the owner is modest and doesn’t describe himself as a keen gardener, he clearly knows what he’s doing. “It gives me so much pleasure to see one of my gardens looked after so well,” says Declan. “This space is gardened better than any maintenance team ever could manage because the owner is out there every day. It’s not static – it changes and evolves, just as a garden should.” This is something the owner has relished, too, learning to read and respond to the garden as it develops: deciding what to let self-seed (eryngium and centranthus), what to deadhead and when 62 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Right Tall perennials screen parts of the garden to enhance the sense of privacy. Bottom right A spikyleaved astelia in a pot on the low stone wall. Bottom left A path leads through purple sage and white centranthus to a hidden barbecue area. Below The bobbly, crimson flowers of Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Morning Select’.
Above Susanna wanted to allow the garden setting to speak for itself. Left Galanthus ‘Magnet’ is one of the dominant snowdrop varieties here, with large flowers held on long pedicels. Below Clipped yew ‘bobbles’ give structure to the garden rooms close to the house.
tweaks may be needed. When some rogue daylilies from a former garden popped up one year, for example, it prompted him to introduce more orange, in the form of California poppies and geums, into the beds. “My wife and I both love art and as I’ve gardened this plot, I’ve realised that I can create pictures here as well,” he says. “At certain moments in summer, the garden looks almost like an abstract painting, with beautiful swathes of colour overlaid with pinpricks of other colours and textures.” But summer is not the only season, and one of the most beautiful vignettes in the garden appears in spring as the wild primulas – all planted by the owner – begin to emerge, swiftly followed by thousands of daffodil and tulip bulbs and swathes of ransoms under the trees. The main summer display follows on before the grasses really come into their own in late summer and autumn when they are SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 63
Top from left Thalictrum ‘Splendide White’ with Salvia ‘Caradonna’; Allium sphaerocephalon against Alchemilla mollis. Middle from left Clouds of erigeron, gypsophila and mounds of purple sage cover the ground; veronicastrum with Stipa gigantea and verbena. Bottom Standard Prunus lusitanica in large pots next to the house.
joined by mass plantings of heleniums, rudbeckias and sanguisorbas and assorted seedheads, left for the wildlife as much as for their beauty. Winter is not forgotten either, with repeated clumps of acid-green Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii and domes of Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) for year-round structure and a dedicated winter garden area providing a pretty prospect from the side elevation of the house. Here, Chinese red birch (Betula albosinensis) and crab apples are underplanted with scented sarcococca; blueberried Viburnum davidii and carpets of ferns and bergenias. “The blackbirds love this area and we have sparrowhawks here too,” says the owner. And so what of the rest of the garden – has that fulfilled its aim in terms of attracting wildlife? “These days it’s always full of birdsong,” says the 64 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
“We’ve had hedgehogs running about and just so many bees, butterflies and even dragonflies” owner, smiling. “We’ve had hedgehogs running about and just so many bees, butterflies and even dragonflies – we don’t have a pond so we’ve really no idea where they have come from. “It’s really made us appreciate where we live,” he concludes. “We have all the benefits of the city around us – that sense of other people and of life going on – and yet, because of the garden, we can really escape it all too.” n
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A living wall stocked with lush plants and a striking cedar trellis create privacy without hemming the garden in.
Inner SANCTUM Miles Raybould was tasked with creating a sense of space and seclusion in a compact central London garden that is overlooked on every side WORDS VIVIENNE HAMBLY PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD BLOOM
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Above Brick-bond pattern paving has been offset on the horizontal and interspersed with large island beds to create a softer look. Right The owners love hydrangeas, so Miles has made them a key feature here. Planting them in alkaline soil will result in pink flowerheads.
L
iving in central London has its advantages: a quick commute to work, fine museums and galleries within walking distance, any cuisine you can think of, and, if you’re a traveller, an easy journey to an airport for a weekend away. It also comes with a price, however. For the owners of this London property, just north of Regent’s Park, a major issue was the lack of privacy in their garden, which is overlooked by flats on all sides. Having moved to London from Toronto for a change of life and ease of travel, the owners found that, despite loving life in the city, they missed the private spaces of their previous large garden in Canada. One of the owners is a keen and experienced gardener, so she asked designer Miles Raybould to help them settle in by combining themes from their old life with specific elements to help them overcome the disadvantages of city living.
68 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above The small flowers of evergreen, grassy perennial Luzula nivea add white accents to the green colour scheme. Below On account of its central location, the garden is overlooked by flats on all sides.
“This was an older property that hadn’t had anything done to it in almost 20 years,” the owner explains. “We started off by completely gutting the interior and then moved onto the garden. Something about Miles’s style clicked for me: he’s young and enthusiastic with lots of ideas,” she adds. Miles’s objective was to make the garden appear enticing when viewed from the owners’ second-floor sitting-room windows to ensure it would be used regularly. “Usually a garden begins right outside the door, but this one doesn’t,” he observes. “This garden had to offer that little bit extra because it’s that much further away. Looking out from the owners’ sitting room, you could easily think it was someone else’s garden.” The first thing they did was to jettison the lawn. The garden is only 11m x 11m, so the owner felt it would be better without one, due to the lack of space – not to mention the lawn’s poor performance: the soil is heavy clay and there is always an element of shade in this location. “It was music to my ears when she asked for this,” Miles admits. “I really didn’t want grass because it was just a mossy mess when it was there,” the owner adds. In its place came York stone pavers that would be easy to maintain, while looking appealing when viewed from above. Given the garden’s square shape, the owner and Miles avoided a geometric pattern and associated hard edges. Instead, the pavers were laid in a brick bond pattern, slightly offset so the arrangement would appear softer to the eye and so that paths could develop a sinuous shape without sharp angles or neat circles. “The pattern is on the horizontal running across the garden. We were happy for the brick bond to be laid half-way and in other places two-thirds across to accommodate the shapes and space,” says Miles. Miles need hardly have worried about the owners not using the garden because they have an inherent love of the outdoors. But to incentivise this, a small entertainment area was included. Relaxed seating and a firepit also help set the mood: the owners had initially wanted a fireplace here but a firepit was a good compromise. In arranging the bricks and pavers as he did, Miles could add large, organic-shaped flower beds for the owner to fill. At first, she wanted an all-white garden, but with the couple’s lifestyle in mind, Miles persuaded her to opt for green with accents of white and flashes of colour introduced with potted plants. Too much white in a small space can be blinding. As a concession, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, with its white spherical flowerheads,
“This garden had to offer that little bit extra because it’s that much further away”
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 69
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Above A green-roofed studio by Eden Garden Rooms lets the owners immerse themselves in their outdoor space. Left The huge, white, ball-shaped flowerheads of Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ are repeated throughout the garden. Below A cosy seating area with a firepit.
is a key specimen here: the owners had many hydrangeas in their Toronto garden and chose these for familiarity. To grow over the paths and soften the brick edges, Miles suggested Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’, a compact evergreen shrub with small, fragrant, creamy white flowers, which enjoys the warm, sheltered, city microclimate here – although in colder and unsheltered areas, it requires some frost protection. Next came various ferns, including Matteuccia struthiopteris. Although this dies back in winter, it is fully hardy, returning each spring to fill the garden with bright green shuttlecock leaves. Grasses chosen for their softening effect include Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ and Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, while a multi-stemmed Amelanchier lamarckii casts welcome dappled shade in summer and helps make use of the vertical space. Good fences make good neighbours, as the adage goes, so Miles and his client took special care over the boundaries they installed here. A temptation in small, overlooked gardens is to raise a garden wall to the maximum permitted height, and then to add, for example, pleached hornbeams, to raise the boundary further. Miles was cautious about doing so in this situation. “The battle in town gardens is that going high often just hems you in. You want a sense of privacy and not to feel overlooked, but you also need to be able to establish a borrowed view by using surrounding trees and whatever else the neighbours might have,” he observes. Cedar trellis has proved an important addition to the fences but the scene-stealer here is a living wall. These are difficult to perfect and require great care and attention, so Miles says he would only recommend them to the keenest gardeners. “I like it, but it has had its moments and the squirrels are prone to pulling things out of it,” the owner admits. Constructed on an oak frame, the living wall comprises four 2m x 1m plastic troughs that are fixed to the frame and fitted with a simple dripirrigation system. Miles says the trick to planting a wall is to plant in waves for a fluid look: at the top of the wall use plants with an upright habit, and put trailing plants nearer the bottom. “You kind of paint them on after a while to get runs of various things. But you need stuff that will do quite a lot all year round because it will always be on view,” he explains. Keeping the soil light and well drained and including plants that don’t need heavy nutrients is key: “We’ve tried heuchera in the past but there aren’t really the nutrients for it. Hostas work well but you have a battle on your hands with slugs.” Successful plants include ferns such as evergreen
“You need to be able to establish a borrowed view by using surrounding trees”
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 71
Green & SERENE Miles Raybould has used a calming green planting palette accented by flashes of white
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PITTOSPORUM TOBIRA ‘NANUM’
The glossy leaved evergreen hart’s tongue fern is a striking addition to shady areas.
A super evergreen shrub for mild urban or coastal gardens, hardy to -5°C.
Asplenium scolopendrium, bold and leafy Pachysandra terminalis and the evergreen sedge Carex morrowii. Periwinkle, Vinca minor, contributes a trailing habit; look out for white-flowered variety, Vinca minor f. alba ‘Gertrude Jekyll’. To obtain maximum enjoyment from their outdoor space, the owner added a clean-lined studio from Eden Garden Rooms. This came pre-planted with a green roof and needs little maintenance, save for occasional weeding. A water feature fashioned from Corten steel echoes the rim-flow swimming pool from the owners’ previous garden, while its sound and movement help mask city noise. The intended effect here is not to conceal the garden from neighbours but to provide distraction from them, absorbing the owners in their outdoor space so that the neighbours become almost inconsequential. It is a joy for the owner to be outside in it: “For me, the garden is an extension of our home,” she says. “It’s a very public garden and everyone had an opinion but we knew what we were working towards so we just had to keep calm and carry on,” Miles recalls. “The shape makes it enticing, the sinuous nature of the path, nice repetition and the rhythm of the garden is calming with the greens and a bit of white. In what is an overlooked part of London, the garden needed to offer a calm sanctuary, and we have achieved just that.” n Above Fringed with ferns and hydrangeas, the Corten steel water feature adds sound and movement to distract from the city’s buzz.
HAKONECHLOA MACRA ‘AUREOLA’
MATTEUCCIA STRUTHIOPTERIS
Lush hummocks of textural ribbon-like foliage produce a distinct softening effect.
The vibrant shuttlecock fern unfurls its lacy upright fronds in moist dappled shade.
ASPLENIUM CRISPUM GROUP
DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA ‘GOLDTAU’
With its wavy-edged fronds, this variation of the hart’s tongue fern adds texture.
72 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Frothy fountains of flowers appear on our native tufted hair grass from early summer.
Miles Raybould, Belsize Gardens, Bristol. Tel: 07817 791252 ; belsizegardens.com
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TO P 1 0 P L A N T S
Island Dreams
T
Tresco Abbey Garden’s curator Mike Nelhams suggests exotic summer bulbs from the collection that will thrive on the mainland if given the right conditions
WORDS VIVIENNE HAMBLY IMAGE ALAMY; CLIVE NICHOLS
resco Abbey Garden on the Isles of Scilly is home to a collection of summer bulbs that mostly originate from South Africa. Curator Mike Nelhams has been building this diverse collection over the past 40 years. “I’ve worked with many gardens across the world to develop plant collections focusing mainly on the Mediterranean climates zones. Our contacts include RBG Kew,
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, and Giardini Botanici Hanbury in Genoa,” he explains. Mike is due to retire this year but will remain at Tresco in an advisory capacity. Here he recommends ten unusual summer bulbs to plant now. Tresco Abbey Gardens, Tresco, Isles of Scilly, TR24 0QQ. Tel: 01720 424108; tresco.co.uk
1 Moraea collina Formerly known as Homeria collina, the Cape tulip is a delightful bloom. “We plant it along path edges, and it bears orange and yellow flowers,” says Mike. “It spreads easily, with foliage dying back in winter.” Grow it in full sun in a sheltered spot. It’s hardy in mild parts of the UK, tolerating temperatures to -5°C.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 75
TO P 1 0 P L A N T S
2 Moraea villosa
3 Eucomis bicolor
First recorded in the 18th century, the striking ‘small owl’ is classed as vulnerable in South Africa because of encroaching farmland. In British gardens, grow its corms in a sheltered spot and protect them from the worst frosts. Keep it dry in summer to replicate natural growing conditions. Plants will reach 60cm tall.
“Star-shaped flowers on an erect stem give this bulb the common name of pineapple lily,” Mike explains. There are several eucomis species, but E. bicolor originates from summer rainfall regions. It is frost-hardy but struggles in prolonged wet. Grown in welldrained soil in sun, it should flower from midsummer to autumn.
4 Nerine bowdenii
5 Wachendorfia thyrsiflora
With delicate, sparkling blooms ranging from deep pink to offwhite, this popular, hardy, autumn-flowering bulb grows well in most of England if given a sheltered spot and full sun. Look out, too, for tender Nerine sarniensis, also known as the Guernsey or Jersey lily, which will add a splash of hot red to a greenhouse.
Also known as the March butterfly lily, this tuberous perennial develops eye-catching, architectural spires that can reach up to 2.5m in height, with a spread of up to 1m – so give it plenty of space. It is ideal for a sunny position with well-drained soil and can be grown in frost-free areas of the UK.
76 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
IMAGES GAP/MARTIN HUGHES-JONES/NEIL OVERY; SHUTTERSTOCK; GARDEN WORLD IMAGES; ALAMY
6 Sparaxis tricolor Brilliantly coloured, the harlequin flower, as it is also known, grows from corms and will reach up to 50cm in height with a modest spread of around 10cm. “There are only six known species, but they are very showy and this is one of the parents of several garden cultivars,” notes Mike.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 77
7 Galtonia candicans
8 Scadoxus multiflorus
Also known as summer hyacinth, this clump-forming perennial produces “clusters of white, drooping, bell-like flowers,” according to Mike. It hails from a summer rainfall region, so be sure to keep it dry in winter. It is hardy provided its soil doesn’t get too wet – leave plants undisturbed over winter.
With a coral red inflorescence resembling a pom-pom, this plant occurs naturally across sub-Saharan Africa and is difficult to miss in the forested places in which it grows. Being frost-tender, it is an excellent subject to raise in the home or in a heated greenhouse. Grow it in humus-rich, well-drained soil out of direct sunlight.
9 Watsonia ‘Tresco Hybrid’
10 Babiana stricta
“‘Tresco Hybrid’ is a natural hybrid that occurred here,” explains Mike. It produces wands of flowers that look similar to gladioli, although somewhat less ruffled, and reaches a height of around 60cm. It’s hardy to around -5°C in coastal regions; in colder areas grow it in a sheltered spot. Colours vary from yellow to coral.
“Although this is native to South Africa, it’s also naturalised in Australia,” notes Mike. Its common name of baboon flower could stem from the corms being eaten by these primates. Grow the pretty blue flowers in a sunny, well-drained position and protect from frost under glass. Plants reach around 50cm.
78 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
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P L A N T FO C U S
Bred for the cut flower trade, Muscari ‘Mountain Lady’ has some of the largest flower spikes of all and is superb in a pot.
Polite Company WORDS CLARE FOGGETT
In Norwich, Richard Hobbs hosts the National Collection of Muscari, a genus that includes hundreds of pretty and well-behaved plants, despite its two infamously boisterous exceptions PHOTOGRAPHS ANNAÏCK GUITTENY
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 81
P L A N T FO C U S
G
rape hyacinths are one of those plants capable of inducing shudders among gardeners. Anyone who has ever had to battle the invasive tendencies of the species Muscari armeniacum will agree. Given its head, this small, blue, innocuous-seeming flower will run riot, dividing its bulbs to spread underground and scattering its seed over the soil until every last scrap of garden has a covering of its floppy leaves. On the bright side, if Muscari armeniacum has already colonised your garden, at least there will be a plentiful supply of spring flowers for cutting. In Holland, Belgium and parts of Germany, grape hyacinths are grown as a cut flower, and bunches of 82 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above A pretty display
of grape hyacinths in pots; these small bulbs are ideally suited for small gardens and for growing in containers.
their flowers are as readily available in spring as daffodils are over here. It’s the cut flower trade that has driven much of the recent breeding work in muscari, as growers demand new hybrids with longer stems, larger flowers and good vase life. Look beyond Muscari armeniacum, and a world of much better-behaved relatives opens up. Richard Hobbs and Sally Ward hold the Plant Heritage National Collection of Muscari and have their work cut out keeping up with all the new introductions. When Richard took on the collection in 1995 there were just 17 different plants to look after; now the collection numbers 186, the plants all identified with special labels made by Richard from ear tags designed for sheep, and all growing in the couple’s Norwich garden and allotment. “There has been a National Collection of Muscari since Plant Heritage began; it was held by the late Jenny Robinson who lived in Suffolk,” explains Richard. “I decided to give her a ring to arrange to see her collection, and as it turned out, I was the only person who had ever asked. We became good friends and I went down one day for a routine visit when she was elderly and had lost her sight, and she said: ‘These are for you.’ The plants were packed up in cardboard boxes and loaded into my car. She was a very well-known East Anglian gardener and a superb bulb specialist: the sort of lady you didn’t say no to. “It’s just such a shame,” adds Richard, of the bad reputation with which Muscari armeniacum has saddled the rest of the genus. “There are about 65 species, and only two of them are thugs [the other is M. neglectum], but if anybody has muscari in the garden, they’ll have one of the thugs.” For worry-free muscari growing, he recommends M. aucheri and its cultivars such as ‘Blue Magic’ or ‘White Magic’. “These have good foliage that comes up later in the year, whereas the leaves of M. armeniacum come up in August, the slugs have a good old go at them, and they can end up looking extremely tatty,” he explains. That’s not to say that hybrids of M. armeniacum should be ruled out. Stick to the more refined cultivars of this species and problems will be few. “‘Valerie Finnis’ is a pale-coloured, readily available,
Top left ‘Peppermint’ is a good choice for flowers in a paler shade of blue. Top right Muscari ‘Marlene’ is notable for its large, dark blue flowers, says Richard. Below right Ring the changes with the rose coloured flowers of ‘Gül’. Below left Rare, violet ‘Benton End’, which Richard has returned to the Cedric Morris garden where it got its name.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 83
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84 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
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P L A N T FO C U S
Above left Bellevalia pycnantha ‘Green Pearl’; bellevalia is a closely related species, good in moist, well-drained soil. Above right The flowers of Muscari ‘Helena’ gradually shade from dark to lighter blue. Below Crested with white sterile flowers, ‘Touch of Snow’.
thoroughly good garden plant,” says Richard, “although having said that, there is another pale one that I think is better, and it’s a nice link to Jenny Robinson. She was in Cyprus in the 1970s and brought back bulbs of grape hyacinths in her sponge bag, as you do. She called one ‘Baby’s Breath’, but that name had been given to an autumn-flowering variety, so when it appeared in an RHS trial its name was changed to ‘Jenny Robinson’.” Richard recalls how he once visited Jenny and she said: “Come around here and I’ll show you ‘Baby’s Bad Breath’.” Her plants had been infected by an unusual smut fungus, which had turned the anthers inside the flowers black and given the flower spikes a sooty appearance – but this is very rare and is unlikely to be encountered in most gardens. ‘Peppermint’ is another paler-flowered Muscari armeniacum hybrid, which, says Richard, has “a beautiful colour, and is very elegant”, its long, thick spikes a result of breeding for cut flowers. M. armeniacum ‘Touch of Snow’ has two-tone flowers: blue at the bottom of the spike with a snowy cap of white at the top. On muscari, the bell-shaped flowers at the bottom of the spike are the fertile ones; the ones at the top that don’t open fully are sterile. “‘Touch of Snow’ is one I rate very highly, and is very striking with this huge difference between the dark blue and pure white flowers,” says Richard. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 85
P L A N T FO C U S
Other M. armeniacum hybrids he rates are ‘Gül’ – gül being the Turkish word for ‘rose’, which gives an indication of its ombré pink flowers. “It’s a very easy, good garden plant, and it comes pretty well true from seed,” says Richard. There’s also ‘Helena’, another relatively new variety with large flowers, introduced for the cut flower trade. “The distinctive feature of this one is that the flower grades from mid-blue to almost white at the top,” Richard observes. Some of the plants he safeguards in the National Collection are rarer, such as the M. armeniacum hybrids ‘Benton End’, a muscari with a purplish hue, originally found in Cedric Morris’s famous garden (Richard has recently sent bulbs back to Benton End for it to be reintroduced), and ‘Bowles Peacock’: “an amazing peacock-blue muscari that came from E.A. Bowles’ garden in around 1900.” Richard has high praise for other species, including Muscari latifolium, and says if he could grow only one muscari, this would be it. Its single broad leaf comes up just before the flower, so there’s no problem with tatty leaves, and the flower itself is a lovely, strong, dark blue. “It seeds around gently, and is the only one we allow to do that,” he notes. Muscari macrocarpum is unusual because its flowers are yellow, brown and purple and smell of bananas. “In the wild it’s confined to Greek islands and some little colonies in Turkey, so in a hot, sunny spot it’s easy to grow,” says Richard. He cautions, however, against buying dry, dormant bulbs: “It’s got very thick, fleshy roots, and if those roots dry out it’s almost impossible to get it going again. If you buy dry bulbs, you’re probably buying it dead, so buy it from a specialist nursery, or look out for them at plant fairs – that’s the best way to get them.” Closely related Bellevalia pycnantha ‘Green Pearl’ rings the changes with green flowers but prefers a slightly damper spot. Other covetable cultivars 86 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
GROWING ADVICE
Muscari Magic Richard Hobbs shares his tips for these easy-togrow bulbs, whether they’re in borders or pots Don’t worry about how deep to plant muscari bulbs. “They’ll sort themselves out,” Richard says, “they just need a couple of inches of soil on top.” Allow the leaves to die down naturally to replenish the bulbs. In containers, use two parts general-purpose, peat-free compost (Richard uses SylvaGrow) and one part potting grit. Richard suggests ‘Mountain Lady’, which he says is ‘superb’ in a container. “Providing you repot regularly and feed after flowering, they’ll keep going for years,” he says.
Above left Bananascented species Muscari macrocarpum. Above middle The densely packed flower spike of M. latifolium. Above right ‘Venus’ is an excellent white variety that Richard suggests using in containers.
Use a high-potash fertiliser, such as tomato feed. Try partnering muscari, as Richard does, with small geraniums, erodiums and prostrate campanulas, which will hide the bulbs’ leaves and fill the gap when foliage dies back later in summer. Different muscari will hybridise easily in the garden, so Richard deadheads after flowering to stop hybrid seedlings popping up and keep his plants true to type. It’s a job he recommends if you want to keep a particular cultivar as it should be.
include two-tone ‘Mount Hood’; pink-tinged ‘Rosy Sunrise’; white ‘Venus’ – and the list goes on. This is clearly a genus with much more to offer than those two rambunctious species: just choose wisely. n Richard and Sally are holding an open day on 3 April 2022 from 11am to 3pm. Visit plantheritage. org.uk or muscaricollection.com to find out more.
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CO N TA I N E R S
Pot Luck
For Arthur Parkinson and his family, paving has posed no obstacle to the creation of an intensely colourful but low-maintenance container garden in the tiny front garden of their Nottingham home WORDS VIVIENNE HAMBLY PHOTOGRAPHS NEIL HEPWORTH
Arthur Parkinson’s Pekin bantams, Claudia, Keira and Little Lyndon, provide natural pest control at Mill Yard. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 89
CO N TA I N E R S
“I
f you saw our house in a cropped photograph, it would appear to be set in a country village. But if you zoomed out, you’d see that ours is the only house with a garden on our little lane; everyone else uses theirs to park their cars,” explains Arthur Parkinson of his childhood home, Mill Yard in Nottingham. The small cottages here had originally housed the employees of a nearby mill. In time, certain neighbouring buildings had become derelict, and a large copper beech tree had grown up to stand majestically nearby. Then a relief road was built and commercial buildings added, and a young Arthur, his brother, Lyndon, and their mother, Jill, found that one of the busiest roads in the city was suddenly right outside their front door. “That changed how our house felt on a daily basis, so making the garden beautiful became more important,” Arthur explains. Today Arthur is known for his bold and often glamorous displays of spring bulbs and dahlias, and for working closely with Sarah Raven, first at Perch Hill and most recently on her podcast, Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange. He also appears on television, has written two books and is working on a third. It was, however, gardening this tiny patch with his mother that first set him in the direction of horticulture and his subsequent training at RBG Kew. “Mum always had at least one dolly tub in the garden and a few tin baths, he recalls. “She bought wallflowers every October and we’d plant those together.” On the way home from school, Jill and Arthur would also stop at the Friday market where a stall offered a regular supply of annual bedding plants and perennials. Something would always be bought for the tubs at home. “We did it together and then I started doing it more in my early teens,” he says. At the same time, Arthur and Lyndon began to help their grandparents with their gardens, helping to confirm Arthur’s calling. As Arthur’s skills and interests developed, so did his involvement with the little front garden. Because it was paved over, planting could only exist in containers of varying sizes, and Arthur says he quickly learned that bigger really is better when it comes to summer displays in small spaces. “We wanted a garden to engulf us with nature: any bees that were left, and blackbirds,” he says. He scoured junk shops for vessels to press into service,
90 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above Pots of brilliant
pink Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Rubenza’ tower over the garden’s brick path. Opposite from top These days Arthur is interested in creating a wildlifefriendly tapestry of planting – buddleia is a valuable addition to the island garden; Arthur in the garden of his family home, surrounded by the plants he loves.
rummaged through skips for items that might be useful, not least old coal scuttles people were throwing away, and, whenever there was a market, he’d always look for an inexpensive tin bath. Then came Arthur’s dahlia and tulip days. He became hooked on the flowers and filled his tubs with their jewel colours and compelling forms. Dahlias and spring bulbs, although dazzling in full bloom, can be hard work in terms of the lifting they require. They can also prove expensive. “The other problem is that you’re planting a monoculture rather than a tapestry, which isn’t good for wildlife,”
Flying COLOURS An eye-popping mix of annuals and dahlias contributes to this flamboyant front garden
RUDBECKIA ‘CAPPUCCINO’
COSMOS ‘RUBENZA’
Large, richly coloured blooms. Treat it as an annual, but it can survive a warm winter.
This shorter variety reaches just 60cm and has petals in plum and magenta tones.
DAHLIA ‘PENHILL DARK MONARCH’
Arthur observes. “And some dahlias work well in pots, but the ones I like are the big ones and they’re very needy in that contained environment.” In time, the family adopted a neglected island created by the relief road. To this half-moon of scrub they have added buddleia, hawthorn and holly, as well as a small orchard of crab apples. “It’s amazing how that little bit, with the trees and the fruit, has brought back the blackbirds,” Arthur notes. Meanwhile, a solution for the labour-intensive garden at Mill Yard needed to be found. It came in the form of annuals and select perennials. Last
TAGETES ‘KONSTANCE’
Flowering from May to November, this statuesque dahlia is ideal for cutting.
A tall, bold marigold, ‘Konstance’ is a good choice for companion planting.
COSMOS ‘TANGO’
RUDBECKIA ‘CHERRY BRANDY’
An unusual, single-colour variety of Cosmos sulphureus. Grow it in full sun for flowers from July to October.
Deep carmine, long-lasting flowers for the garden and vase. Plant out from April.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 91
summer, the raised beds, pots and containers were filled with defiant ebullience. Cosmos, tagetes and sunflowers, as well as pollinator-friendly echinops and cardoons, all jostled together in constantly changing patterns of colour and form. Some plants were grown from seed and others came in plug form: an easy fix for the time-pressed. “Trickier plants to raise are better in plug form, but things like Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Rubenza’ and ‘Bright Lights’ will germinate without a greenhouse if you sow in April,” Arthur advises. His favourite perennials are the cardoons: “Plant them in a row for a hedge with goblet-shaped flowers that bees love.” When Arthur is away, Jill takes care of feeding and watering the pots, which are filled with peat-free compost with organic chicken manure added for fertiliser. Arthur has a regular supply of the latter courtesy of his hens – his other great passion. “It’s literally a path of pots but because they’re placed together, they create the same impact as a flower bed would. And if we didn’t have a lovely avenue of cosmos or cardoons, we’d be looking out on cars, dustbins, and the grit of living in a city. That’s why I’m so passionate about it.” n Follow Arthur on Instagram @arthurparkinson. Arthur’s five-part online course, ‘Grow a Spectacular Garden in Pots’, is available through Create Academy. createacademy.com 92 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above Colour patterns
at Mill Yard are ever changing, with echinops, cardoons, tagetes and cosmos all playing their part in the scheme. Right Airy grass Panicum capillare ‘Sparkling Fountain’ fills gaps in the wildlife-friendly planting.
Arthur Parkinson’s Container Recipes
W
ith a focus on colourful annuals and perennials for creative displays, Arthur suggests a couple of planting schemes for brilliant containers this summer. For sustained, multi-dimensional appeal, he embraces Sarah
Persian carpet bird and bee tapestry
Jill’s hanging basket
This seed- and nectar-rich combination will provide food for insects and birds and also makes a striking container display. Thriller Zinnia haageana ‘Aztec Sunset Mix’ A weather-resistant smaller zinnia, prolific in flowers and wonderful for the vase in shades of orange and russet.
IMAGES GAP/JONATHAN BUCKLEY; SHUTTERSTOCK
Pillar Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherokee Sunset’ A chunky flower to give heart to this pot. Butterflies especially like rudbeckias due to their nectar-loaded landing pads. Take care not to overwater seedlings. Pillar Amaranthus ‘Hot Biscuits’ Wonderful, digestive biscuitcoloured tassels. Pinch this out well as a seedling to stop it becoming too large for a pot. Filler Setaria italica ‘Red Jewel’ A delicate red millet with burgundy foliage and a seedhead like a tiny bulrush, this is a
Raven’s concept of making sure containers include four key elements: a ‘thriller’ as a centrepiece, a ‘pillar’ for vertical interest, a ‘filler’ to close up gaps, and a ‘spiller’ to grow over the rim of the container.
natural bird feeder. It is quick to germinate: prick out four seedlings and grow in a clump. Spiller Thunbergia alata ‘Blushing Susie’ This climber can be tricky to germinate so try plug plants and don’t plant it out until it fills a 9cm pot and the nights are warm.
I’m going to plant this combination of delicate tendrils and scented stems into a deep, triangular, wicker-type hanging basket for my mum this summer using her secret of lining the inner bases with old socks to help retain moisture. Thriller Zinnia haageana ‘Burgundy Aztec Bicolor’ Exotic petals and profuse flowering.
until it’s reached a substantial size before planting outside.
Pillar Salvia x jamensis ‘Nachtvlinder’ A fine-leafed and pepper-scented plant with button-like flowers of velvet purple. I buy this in 9cm pots.
Spiller Thunbergia ‘African Sunset’ Cheerful chocolatedrop centres against apricot-pink petals. Trails delicately.
Filler Heliotropium ‘Midnight Sky’ Masses of rich purple, beautifully scented flowers that are especially fragrant at dusk.
Amaranthus ‘Hot Biscuits’
Rudbeckia hirta ‘Cherokee Sunset’
Spiller Rhodochiton atrosanguineus Exotic, burgundy bracts resembling upturned clown hats, from which tubular black flowers hang. It’s delicate, so grow it from plugs and keep it on the windowsill
Thunbergia ‘African Sunset’
Rhodochiton atrosanguineus
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 93
P R O M OT I O N A L F E AT U R E
Foundations of Success For superbly structured borders, look to Agriframes’ range of elegant frames, stakes, obelisks and supports to underpin your planting and let you show off your garden at its very best
A
fter bulbs, the second most exciting thing about spring is the re-emergence of perennial plants. They’re dormant over winter, but as temperatures warm up they begin to burst into life. Gardens are gradually filled with mounds of fresh foliage in shades of zingy lime, mint green and even – in the case of those plants that have brightly hued stems, such as peonies – daring crimson. It’s a heady time of year, but gardeners can’t rest on their laurels. It doesn’t take long for perennials to grow, and getting their stakes and supports in early is crucial. Positioning supports now means new growth isn’t damaged, and it lets the plants grow through the frames so the structure becomes less visible. Most importantly, it saves the heartache of a plant that has
94 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Left With its simple structure, the Elegance
Obelisk is a good choice for small climbers. Right The Elegance Plant Stake features a handy hook to loop around flower spikes.
flopped because it hasn’t been supported in time. Trying to stake a plant once it has fallen over is practically impossible, at least in an aesthetically pleasing way. So before emerging shoots and leaves get any bigger, this is the time to get supports in place. In borders, Agriframes’ horizontal Elegance Round Grow Through frame is a practical way to support bushy perennials, such as hardy geraniums, catmint, silverleaved Artemisia ludoviciana, heleniums, phlox and dahlias, while the muted, rustcoloured Rustic finish melts seamlessly into the background. The Tower Tall Plant Support is ideally suited to those back-of-the-border perennials that achieve
greater heights: perennial sunflowers, eupatorium and macleaya, for example. Agriframes’ supports are all made from durable galvanised steel and come with a ten-year guarantee, so you can invest in these essential pieces of kit knowing they are made to last. For peonies, consider the Fluted Peony Support – its wide opening encourages peonies’ natural growth habit and allows their opulent blooms to arch gracefully outwards, as they should. The Hooped Plant Support will do a similar job. For those plants that produce individual spires of flowers, such as delphiniums, or perhaps foxgloves (which do have a tendency to list drunkenly), invest in individual supports. Try the four pack of Plant Support Stakes, topped with decorative ball finials, or the Elegance Plant Stake, which has a handy
can be beautifully decorative even before it is covered by plants. Agriframes’ range includes the Art Deco-inspired, geometric Elegance King Obelisk, and the classically styled Elegance Obelisk, which is topped with a swirling finial, along with many other supports to suit any style of garden. The obelisks work particularly well with clematis, which are always a classic choice for permanent planting. Sweet peas are another popular choice for adding height to borders, and this is the time to sow their seed or plant out autumn-sown plants. Position a tall obelisk ready to support their twining, twirling stems as they grow – the fine mesh infill in the Tricorn Obelisk is just the thing for their pretty spiralling tendrils to latch onto. To see the full range of Agriframes’ plant supports, visit agriframes.co.uk
Clockwise from above The Tower Tall Plant
Support works well at the back of a border; avoid hard edges with the undulating Elegance Ripple Plant Support; for bushier perennials, the supportive lattice frame of the Elegance Round Grow Through is ideal.
hook to loop around a plant’s flower spike. Most of Agriframes’ supports come in a range of finishes, so in addition to the Rustic finish, there’s also tasteful Sage Green, Bluebell, Bath Stone and Matt Black, which can be very discreet against a dark backdrop such as a yew hedge. At the edge of borders, keep plants upright and prevent them from flopping over paths or lawns by using one of Agriframes’ range of supports made for this purpose. The Elegance Plant Support can easily be pushed in around the margin of a clump to ensure that it arches pleasingly without falling over. With its undulating shape, the Elegance Ripple Plant Support avoids a hard line. Roses in borders may also require support, and they can be persuaded to produce even more flowers if their stems are bent over a support such as the Rose Obelisk. These lobster pot-shaped supports are ideal for horizontally training a rose’s branches, creating beautifully decorative structures within the border. Many of us grow climbers for height and structure, and a well-placed obelisk or two
Supports for the kitchen garden A special range of frames for a more productive plot It’s not just in the ornamental garden that supports are required. For the best crops, many vegetables need to remain upright too, or in the case of crops such as runner or climbing French beans, they’ll need something to clamber up. Combine the Elegance Runner Bean Frame with jute pea netting, and by late summer you’ll have a wall of bean foliage and plentiful pickings. The triangular Runner Bean Frame does a similar job, and extra sections can be added to extend it to the size required. The Elegance Runner Bean Tower allows beans to be grown in the most decorative way and could also be used to support squashes or
ornamental gourds. Try it in pairs in a potager, either side of a path, or, for a truly show-stopping feature, allow squashes to clamber over an arch – the proportions of the Fruit Tree Arch are perfect for this, as well as for traditional trained fruit. The Elegance Pea and Bean Hoops, meanwhile, keep peas or broad beans supported for easy picking. Keep raspberry canes in order with a Raspberry Support, which will make tying in fruiting canes and picking fruit much more straightforward. Tomato growers will appreciate the Support Staging, which neatly fits around growing bags so cordon or vine tomatoes can be trained upwards.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 95
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96 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
07/02/2022 15:03
ALPINES
Moving Mountains Native to some of the world’s harshest high altitudes, diminutive alpines are tougher than they look. Wendy Bates of Rotherview Nursery in Sussex advises on replicating their growing conditions here in the UK WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS NICOLA STOCKEN
A garden of alpine troughs at Rotherview Nursery, flanked by Acer palmatum ‘Crimson Queen’.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 97
ALPINES
Above Houseleeks are
an easy plant to start with; the sempervivums in this trough include S. arachnoideum, S. ‘Rubrum’, ‘Terracotta Baby’ and ‘Reinhard’. Left Ray and Wendy Bates of Rotherview Nursery near Hastings. Below Tiny rosettes of Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’.
98 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
P
int-sized gardens fuel the imagination – the smaller the plants, the greater the variety that can be grown in a limited space. This is where alpine and rock plants come into their own, blooming from early spring into summer. “Many have vibrant flowers as well as interesting foliage, and they provide year-round interest,” says Wendy Bates who, with her husband Ray, owns alpine specialist Rotherview Nursery, known for its award-winning troughs. Hailing from the world’s most inhospitable places, many alpines are hardy, drought-resistant and forgiving of neglect, providing they are grown in sharply draining compost that never becomes waterlogged. Many originate from high altitudes with extremes of temperature, a harsh climate and few nutrients. “And here we grow these plants in a maritime climate close to sea level, so good drainage and airflow really are essential,” Wendy emphasises. There is some confusion as to the difference between alpines and rock plants. “True ‘alpines’ originate from mountainous regions, grow above the tree line, and have ‘dwarfed’ to counteract extreme environments,” explains Wendy. “But in general garden use, the term ‘alpine’ broadly refers to any miniature, low-growing plant and includes diminutive bulbs, perennials, shrubs, conifers and rock plants.” In terms of the most easy-going, she recommends sempervivums, Sedum spathulifolium, Erodium x variabile and fragrant alpine dianthus.
Alpine Trough COMBINATIONS Create tiny tapestries of spring flowers and interesting foliage with choice alpines
Front row Delosperma cooperi ‘Jewel of Desert Moon Stone’; Jovibarba hirta; Delosperma cooperi ‘Jewel of Desert Ruby’. Behind Scleranthus uniflorus; Sedum cauticola ‘Lidakense’; Sedum spathulifolium ‘Cape Blanco’.
Front left to right Pink-flowered Thymus serpyllum ‘Elfin’; Asplenium trichomanes; Chaenorhinum origanifolium ‘Blue Dream’; golden-leaved Sagina subulata var. glabrata ‘Aurea’, dotted with tiny white flowers.
Left to right Pink Erodium x variabile ‘Bishop’s Form’; Chaenorhinum origanifolium ‘Blue Dream’; magenta Scutellaria suffrutescens ‘Texas Rose’; Silene uniflora ‘Druett’s’ Variegated’; yellow-buttoned Cotula hispida.
Front left to right White and purple tussock bellflowers, Campanula carpatica ‘Rapido White’ and ‘Rapido Blue’; Erodium x variabile ‘Bishop’s Form’; Alchemilla erythropoda.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 99
PLANT A L P I N EFOCUS S Most alpines prefer an open, sunny spot and are best viewed as landscapes-in-miniature in scree beds, rock gardens or troughs that raise them up so their delicate foliage and exquisite flowers can be enjoyed at close range. At Rotherview, visitors can wander the one-acre site and see alpine plants in a crevice bed as well as in troughs made from hypertufa (a mix of sharp washed sand, Portland cement and organic compost). “The troughs soon become covered in lichens and mosses, and a coating of natural yoghurt speeds up the process,” adds Wendy. Alpines such as pulsatillas, silenes, bellflowers, knapweed, harebells and cranesbills flower from late spring. If space allows, structure can be added with dwarf conifers or hebes, and evergreen alpines such as Phlox subulata, lewisias and saxifrages. Some alpines have fine foliage and include Cotula hispida, with its mats of silvery leaves, and erodiums, which form neat tufts of filigreed foliage. There are also spiky sisyrinchium, marbled cyclamen and the tufted domes of sea pinks, which grow wild around Britain’s coastline. These leafy alpines provide a backdrop to later-flowering, pocket-sized plants such as phlox, veronicas and gentians. Dwarf bulbs further extend the season and include winter’s intricate reticulata irises, followed by hoop petticoat daffodils and colchicum. Their ability to survive the extremes of winter snow and summer heat makes alpines such as aubrieta, saxifrage and sempervivum exceedingly tough, coping even in dry stone walls. Their leaves are usually fleshy, leathery or hairy – a defence against dehydrating winds and burning sun – and most are compact with roots that descend deep. Rosette-forming succulents such as sempervivum, sedum, echeveria and jovibarba will rot if their necks get wet, so plant them one centimetre proud of soil topped with a layer of gravel or slivers of slate. Wendy advises planting randomly, avoiding regimented lines: “Aim for a natural look by mimicking their mountainous habitat.” Add stones, rocks and a gravel layer in a balance with foliage and flowers. “We position rocks diagonally across the trough to form planting areas with added depth,” says Wendy. Key to success is a free-draining compost with added grit. “For long-term planting we use John Innes No. 2, with 6mm gravel added in proportions from 25-70 per cent,” she explains. Allsempervivum troughs benefit from a poorer grade compost mixed with grit. “Sempervivums need little feeding, and the less nutritious the soil, the better the colours,” she notes. Troughs need to be weeded and watered, but avoid a ‘little and often’ approach in favour of an occasional soaking. n Rotherview Nursery, Ivyhouse Lane, Three Oaks, Hastings, East Sussex TN35 4NP. Tel: 01424 756228; shop.rotherview.com 100 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Alpine STARS These alpines bear beautiful little flowers for many weeks during spring and summer
ERODIUM ‘KATHERINE JOY’ Clusters of pink-veined white flowers are held above dark grey-green leaves.
ARMERIA MARITIMA ‘SPLENDENS’
DIANTHUS ‘INSHRIACH DAZZLER’ A fragrant rockery pink, forming low mounds.
ANDROSACE LANUGINOSA
A tufted perennial with evergreen grass-like leaves and papery pink flowers.
Trailing woolly rock jasmine has silky greyish leaves and umbels of tiny pink flowers.
ARENARIA MONTANA
HOUSTONIA CAERULEA
Mountain sandwort forms a low evergreen mat of leaves with stalks of white flowers.
A mat-forming perennial with masses of tiny violet-blue flowers from early spring.
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SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 101
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G R OW YO U R OW N
Spring in Full Swing As the season gathers pace, Victoria Bowsher and her team are hard at work in the kitchen garden at Thyme in Southrop, sowing and planting to meet the chefs’ needs – including some of their more unusual requests WORDS VIVIENNE HAMBLY PHOTOGRAPHS SUSSIE BELL
Trees are in new leaf and lambs graze alongside their mothers in the tranquil meadows that surround Thyme. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 103
G R OW YO U R OW N
Right In the early dawn
mist, a robin sings to defend its territory and attract a mate. Below Pay close attention to spacing when planting brassicas. Below right Hardy broad beans planted in late winter shoot up as the weather warms.
104 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
B
y mid-spring, the kitchen garden at Thyme is poised to swing into full production. For head gardener Victoria Bowsher and her team, it’s a challenge to keep up with the constant demands of sowing and planting. In the greenhouses, seedlings are flourishing and must be pricked out and potted on before they outgrow their lodgings. Victoria also liaises with the chefs to work out what crops will be needed in the hotel kitchen over the coming months and plans her planting schedule accordingly. Some of the items on her list are more unusual and include specific vegetables and herbs the chefs and bar staff might use in small quantities or as garnishes. While these crops can take time to perfect, they are fun to try out. In home gardens, this is the time to be thinking not only about summer crops but also autumn
harvests. Brassicas in particular take some time to develop, and if you’d like to pick your own Brussels sprouts for Christmas, now is the time to act. Across the estate, the season is visibly gathering pace. Swallows are gradually returning to the water meadows, dipping over the reedbeds to catch insects on lengthening evenings. Late into leaf, graceful ash trees, all the more precious in these days of ash dieback, line the gravel lane down to the garden, their new foliage turning to face the sun.
Above Growing spaces
have been prepared with spent mushroom compost and the race is now on to keep up with the sowing and planting. This is a good time to sow beans, for large, healthy plants ready to plant out once all chance of frost has passed.
Plant and Protect Brassicas From plum-coloured radishes to leafy pak choi and purple sprouting broccoli, the wide range of brassicas means there is something to sow and harvest almost all year round. We enjoy the leaves of black cabbage, cavolo nero, and crinkly-edged kales, the heads of more traditional cauliflower SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 105
G R OW YO U R OW N
and calabrese, which comprise thousands of tightly packed flower buds, and, in deep winter, when little else is available, hardy Savoy cabbages. Brussels sprouts hold their own at the Christmas table. Fast-developing radishes aside, most brassicas need at least two seasons to mature, so those sown now will be ready from midsummer to autumn. Their slower progress makes them better suited to larger vegetable plots with space to spare. Exceptions to this include pak choi and radishes, both of which are ideal for smaller spaces. Cut-and-comeagain brassicas, such as perennial kale and purple sprouting broccoli are also good where space is at a premium. Cauliflowers, including romanesco with its perfect Fibonacci spirals, and calabrese are one-hit wonders, although calabrese will shoot from a cut stem, so leave plants in the ground after the 106 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Top left Brassicas sown from seed in February are ready to transplant. Top right Although they may not seem like much when young, brassicas will need plenty of space as they develop. Above right Plant brassicas deeply and firm them in well. Above left Fine-gauge netting will keep off butterflies and birds.
first pick. “With things like cauliflowers and broccoli you have to be quite successional – you don’t want 20 cauliflowers at the same time,” says Victoria. For all their benefits, brassicas have some limitations. Pigeons can strip leaves until only the pale ribs remain, and the leaves are the ideal nursery for the eggs and larvae of cabbage white butterflies. For these two reasons netting is an essential. If your crops are prone to cabbage root fly, protect plants with cardboard collars placed on the soil around the base of stems to prevent the fly laying its eggs. It can be difficult to gauge the ultimate size of mature plants and it’s easy to plant young seedlings too close together. Following the recommended spacings on the seed packet and rotating crops will help prevent pests and disease such as club root, which is almost impossible to be rid of once it sets in.
Select a cooler, partially shaded site, so plants will mature slowly without bolting. Then plant seedlings as deeply as possible, and firm them into the soil very well to encourage upright stems.
Try Something Different A great pleasure of growing your own is the chance it offers to try something new, to grow something specific or to plant a crop that might bear nostalgic significance for a different place or time. At Thyme, Victoria takes requests from both bar staff and the kitchen for more difficult-to-source items that are often used in smaller quantities. “The kitchen really likes agretti, which is very much like samphire,” she notes. “It’s not hard to grow, but it is important to have fresh seed. We’ve kept our own from last year and will try that out this year.” Agretti, also known as monk’s beard, can be sown outside directly from spring to mid-autumn, and takes around five months to mature enough to harvest. “We had the best germination results from sowing seed on top of moist soil with vermiculite and a cloche on top,” Victoria reveals. Seed is available from a number of suppliers, including Seeds of Italy, Mr Fothergill’s and Chiltern Seeds. Victoria grows a range of chicories, but sows them later in the year for an autumn harvest since they’re less likely to bolt then. Look out for varieties such as red-speckled ‘Castelfranco’ and wine-red ‘Rossa di Treviso’. “The kitchen loves a type of chicory called puntarelle, which has leaves like a dandelion and a thick stalk, which they also use,” Victoria notes. “It’s an autumn-harvest crop; sow it from June onwards.”
TECHNIQUE
Ways with Netting Netting isn’t the most attractive addition to the garden but in many situations it’s essential for preserving a crop. The gauge of the mesh will depend on what it is keeping out: pigeons versus tiny allium leaf miner or carrot fly. At Thyme, fine netting is secured to custom-made wooden frames, providing a neat and lasting solution. Crucially, there is no loose, excess netting left on the ground to ensnare small animals. A less formal solution is to stretch netting over plastic water pipes that have been bent into arches and pegged to the ground to make a tunnel. Alternatively, hammer two lines of 4ft stakes into the ground, top each one with an upturned flower pot and bang a nail through the drainage hole. String twine from nail to nail and drape the netting over the twine. Enviromesh and equivalents are longlasting and designed to keep out the smallest insects. Cheaper is builders’ debris or scaffold netting. Choose a pale colour, ideally white, so light can reach plants. Or repurpose an old, palecoloured sheet, for which water-pipe arches may offer the best support.
Above left Keep netting neat and taut so birds aren’t caught in it. Later in the year netting will help protect soft fruit. Above middle Chicory ‘Rossa di Treviso’ turns maroon with age. Above right Agretti seed ages quickly, so ensure you have a fresh supply.
Seeds to Sow Now l Beans l Beetroot l Brassicas l Brussels sprouts l Cucurbits, including courgettes and pumpkins l Parsnips l Peas l Tomatoes
Harvesting Now l Lettuce l Purple sprouting broccoli l Radishes l Rhubarb l Spinach
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 107
SEASONAL RECIPE
SERVES 4
Broccoli with Garlic Breadcrumbs
400g purple sprouting broccoli Zest of 1 lemon 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced 2 large slices sourdough bread (around 120g) Sea salt flakes Freshly cracked black pepper Olive oil for cooking
Thyme’s head chef Charlie Hibbert has a simple recipe to let purple sprouting broccoli’s nutty, delicate flavour shine through Purple sprouting broccoli is one of the delights of early spring. One of the first harvests of the year, its slender stems are not unlike those of asparagus, which arrives soon after: freshtasting, bright green and intensely seasonal. It asks for little more than quality salted butter, but try pairing it with poached eggs or even homemade aioli for a tasty lunch. Charlie also suggests an anchovy-heavy bagna cauda, or a milder pangrattato. This topping of garlicky, crunchy, toasted breadcrumbs is sometimes known as ‘poor man’s Parmesan’, but it is delicious in its own right and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. 108 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
METHOD Trim the tough ends from the broccoli and nip a cut into the base of any thicker stems. Place a pot of water over a high heat, season liberally with salt, and bring to the boil. Put the broccoli in the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes. When the stems are cooked through, drain the broccoli and put it to one side. Toast the sourdough bread and then either chop it finely or turn the toast into
breadcrumbs in a food processor. Next add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a small frying pan with salt and pepper to taste. Cook the breadcrumbs in the oil for a couple of minutes on a medium heat, taking care not to burn them. When the breadcrumbs have turned golden, take the pan off the heat and put it to one side. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to a large frying pan on a low heat. Add the sliced garlic to the pan. Cook the garlic slowly for two minutes, then remove it from the oil with a slotted spoon before it starts to brown. Put the garlic to one side. Add the chilli and lemon zest to the same pan and cook for a minute. Turn up the heat to medium and add the steamed broccoli and garlic to the pan. Toss, then cook for a minute. Transfer the broccoli to a warm serving dish, spoon over the toasted breadcrumbs and serve. n
IMAGE KIRSTIE YOUNG
G R OW YO U R OW N
As used by the RHS A family run business established in 2005 after being developed by Dr Geoff Whiteley at Leeds University. He and his wife Jackie then decided to bring it to market. Strulch is made from wheat straw and the mineralisation process preserves the straw and turns it dark brown. It has a neutral pH so can be used anywhere in the garden and it lasts for up to two years. Over time, the mulch improves soil structure and adds nutrients. The physical properties of the mulch and the added minerals deter slugs and snails! For best value, buy in bulk 12, 25 or 48 x 13.5kg bags direct from us, or in 9kg bags from our online and nationwide stockists.
Professional gardeners see the benefits “The Alnwick Garden uses Strulch around our delphiniums and hostas to prevent slug damage. Strulch is also used to suppress weeds throughout our borders with great effect” Trevor Jones, Former Head Gardener “I have used it on the veg beds as a heavy mulch and experimenting in some areas as a no dig concept; laid it on cardboard on the beds and will sow wildflower seed into it. I have used it on two of the herbaceous borders to keep the weeds down and keep the ground warmer to help protect the crowns. Head Gardener, Floors Castle Gardens “I am extremely pleased with the product’s ability to suppress weed growth and have noted an observable improvement in overall plant health and soil structure over a wide range of plants with successive applications” David Redmore, Director, Garden and Landscape Design
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T H E G A R D E N A P OT H EC A RY
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU CORRECTLY IDENTIFY ANY PLANTS BEFORE USING THEM TOPICALLY OR INTERNALLY. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, NURSING OR ON ANY MEDICATION BEFORE TAKING ANY HERBS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.
Becky Cole works with plants foraged from the garden and beyond to make natural remedies and nutritious recipes.
Home Remedies Forager and skilled herbalist Becky Cole delights in having natural restoratives at her fingertips. From her first book, The Garden Apothecary, she shares a few of her favourite recipes
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 111
T H E G A R D E N A P OT H EC A RY
Above left Abundant, bitter chickweed is rich in nutrients and makes a delicious pesto sauce. Above right Soothing chamomile can aid a good night’s sleep. Below Gardener, herbalist, forager and author, Becky Cole.
A
home apothecary can be anything from a row of glass jars filled with dried herbs for teas to a cupboard of syrups, infusing tinctures, spiced vinegars and sweet herbal honeys. The exciting thing about creating a home apothecary is having the power to reach for a natural remedy when you need it. No trip to the shops required. For example, if you find dozing off at night-time difficult, you can whip up a Chamomile Moon Milk to brew each evening. If you find yourself getting colds and sniffles often, then herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme and nasturtium will feature prominently in your apothecary. Knowing a few key herbs and having the skills to make triedand-tested recipes marks the start of a wonderful life as a home herbalist. Personally, I am never without jars of dried nettles, chamomile flowers, rose petals and elderberries. I often use fresh chickweed in my cooking, and I love these bitter spring greens when they’re in season. My kitchen ebbs and flows with the seasons, and I adjust my remedies accordingly. I like to take my time when learning about a herb. I start by making a study of its botanical
112 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
details, such as leaf shape, flowers and growing habit, ensuring that my identification is correct. Then I move on to its taste and scent by brewing a cup of tea with the herb and learning how it works medicinally. This is a perfect way to get to know a herb thoroughly. It is a good idea to create your own Materia medica, which is a sort of herbal journal containing your own sketches, notes and recipes. I suggest that you read through the plant profiles and find a few that really resonate with you. Perhaps you’ve always been curious about a particular plant, or have certain ones growing in your garden already? Once you’ve chosen a few plants, you can move on to trying the different herbalist techniques as well as making some of the recipes I’ve shared. Remember to take notes on how you felt after using the recipes and how the herb is working for you. One of my favourite herbalist techniques for the beginner is a simple herbal tea. Quick and effective, this is the mainstay of my home apothecary and a delicious way of consuming herbs, whether fresh or dried. Once you’ve mastered herbal teas, you’ll find syrups, vinegars, honeys and tinctures easy to conjure up at home, too.
Chamomile Moon Milk When the night rolls in and it is finally time to put my feet up and grab a book, I love nothing more than a cup of this calming and relaxing moon milk. The gentle ritual of warming the milk with these calming herbs and pouring it into my favourite ceramic mug is a beautiful reminder to my body that the day is complete. With its creamy flavour, this milk is grounding and settling for the nervous system and the combination of chamomile and lavender, two gentle but powerful nervines, helps to ease away any lingering worries and usher in a deep, restorative sleep.
You will need
Method
1 mug of oat or whole milk 2 teaspoons dried or fresh chamomile flowers Pinch of dried or fresh lavender flowers 1 teaspoon local honey or maple syrup Tea strainer
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and sprinkle in the chamomile and lavender. Make sure you don’t add more than a pinch of lavender as it is a strong-tasting herb and can easily overwhelm the Moon Milk if too much is used. Gently warm the milk and herbs for around 5 minutes, making sure you don’t boil the milk. After 5 minutes, strain the milk into your mug using a tea strainer. Sweeten with the honey or maple syrup.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 113
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T H E G A R D E N A P OT H EC A RY
Gardener’s Ointment for Sore Joints & Muscles Whether you have an aching back from digging the garden in spring or sore joints in winter, this ointment will help ease any discomfort. Simply massage onto the affected area and place a heat pack on top for additional soothing effects. Comfrey, which we often grow as a green fertiliser/mulch for our garden, is an incredible herb for helping to repair muscles and, interestingly, its folk name is actually ‘bone knit’. Combined with warming rosemary, this ointment should be in every gardener’s first aid bag.
You will need
Method
For the infused herbal oil: 1 part dried rosemary 2 parts dried comfrey Your choice of carrier oil, such as olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil
First, make the rosemaryand comfrey-infused herbal oil (see side panel, below right). To make the ointment, warm the beeswax over a low heat in a double boiler. Once the wax begins to melt, add 3 tablespoons of the infused oil. Let the wax and oil melt together. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the essential oils. Pour
For the ointment: 3 tablespoons rosemary- and comfrey-infused oil 1½ teaspoons beeswax pellets 22 drops rosemary essential oil 22 drops ginger essential oil Double boiler Small jars with lids and labels
the liquid ointment into the jars or tins and seal with a lid. Allow the ointment to cool and harden for 24 hours before labelling the container ready for use. The ointment should last approximately 12 months.
To use Simply rub a small amount of the ointment into the area that needs some relief.
How to Make an Infused Oil You will need Dried or wilted herbs Carrier oil Clean, dry, wide-mouthed jar with lid Labels Muslin (cheesecloth) and a fine-mesh strainer Storage bottle with lid
Method l Roughly chop the dried or wilted herbs and place in the jar, filling it roughly half-full. l Pour over your choice of carrier oil, filling the jar and making sure all the herbs are covered. Use a clean, dry chopstick to stir the mixture and release any air bubbles. l Seal the jar with the lid, then let the oil infuse for 4 weeks, giving it a little shake every few days. l When the oil is ready, place a strainer lined with a piece of muslin over a jug. Pour the oil into the lined strainer. If you are using dried herbs, squeeze the muslin tightly to ensure all the oil has been removed from the herbs. If using wilted herbs, let the oil drip through into the jug, but do not squeeze the cloth. l Funnel the infused oil into a clean, dry bottle, seal with a lid and label.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 115
T H E G A R D E N A P OT H EC A RY
Chickweed Pesto This is one of my favourite recipes to rustle up throughout the year. It makes the most of the abundant chickweed that thrives in our polytunnels and garden beds and gives the body a boost because the plant is rich in nutrients and minerals. The key to making this pesto super delicious is to use a basil-infused extra-virgin olive oil. This is easy to do at home. Just fill a bottle one-third full with some dried basil and top with olive oil. Strain after four weeks and you have the perfect oil for making any pesto. 116 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
You will need
Method
100g (3 oz) wild edible greens (in this case, chickweed) 50g (2 oz) good-quality walnuts 200 ml (7 fl oz/ scant 1 cup) basil-infused extra-virgin olive oil (see panel on page 115) 40g (1 oz) finely grated Parmesan cheese 1–2 garlic cloves Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Add the chickweed (or other edible greens) to a food processor along with the walnuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and garlic cloves. Blend until almost smooth and season to taste. Use in sandwiches, stirred through pasta and even as the base of a salad dressing. Delicious! See beckyocole.com
Adapted from The Garden Apothecary by Becky Cole (Hardie Grant, £16.99) Photography © Kim Lightbody
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International Garden Photographer of the Year In association with The English Garden, this annual competition seeks the best images of plants, gardens and landscapes from around the world
T
he winner of International Garden Photographer of the Year is Magdalena Wasiczek, for her image of a cabbage white butterfly on a flowerhead, which won the Wildlife in the Garden category in the competition’s 15th year. Incredibly, this is the third time Magdalena has scooped the top prize. “Magdalena has created this stunning, shimmering play on light as she elevates this humble butterfly to the heavens. The magic of this capture is literally in the very air, with raindrops and macro lens used to great effect,” said head judge Tyrone McGlinchey. “With this calibre of capture, it is easy to see why this is her third overall IGPOTY win, and I offer her my congratulations for achieving this most amazing distinction.” The winners of ten of IGPOTY’s categories are featured here, but all winning images can be viewed on the IGPOTY website. After launching at RBG Kew, a selection of winning photos will go on tour. Venues include Cambridge University Botanic Garden from 15 March to 6 May, then Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, the National Trust’s Emmetts Garden in Kent, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, National Trust Barrington Court in Somerset and Sheringham Park in Norfolk. To find out more, visit igpoty.com
WINNER
Wildlife in the Garden
Magdalena Wasiczek The Stardust Trzebinia, Małopolska, Poland “I photographed this large white or cabbage white butterfly, Pieris brassicae, at rest on a flowerhead. The numerous raindrops created a pleasing background bokeh resembling stardust. It’s amazing how a few drops of water in the air can create a magical effect in a photo.” SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 119
Breathing Spaces
Lee Howdle Bamford Beauty Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, England, UK “This is the best scene I’ve seen in the Peak District. There's a lot to take in: the fiery sunset sky, low hanging mist, the wall leading to Ladybower Reservoir and the heather in bloom. It was one of those ‘wow’ moments I’ll remember forever.”
Abstract Views
Ian Gilmour Amaryllis Honesty West Yorkshire, England, UK “I used a 2x magnification macro lens to capture this blend of Hippeastrum petals, which I overlaid with Lunaria seedpods.”
The World of Fungi
Tony North Mycena Swirl Marbury Country Park, Cheshire, England, UK “A group of Mycena mushrooms adorned with water droplets and illuminated by a lightpad; I created the swirly rain effect by using a water spray.”
120 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Beautiful Gardens
Bożena Piotrowska Greenery by the Pond Arboretum Wojsławice, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland “It was a cloudy day, but just before sunset the place was lit (for a moment) with the last rays of the sun. Against the background of the restless sky, I was able to capture the marsh plants growing by the shore of the pond. Gunnera, darmera, and bulrushes combined with numerous trees in the distance, providing the viewer with a variety of textures, colours and leaf shapes.”
The Beauty of Plants
Gianluca Benini Controluce Mantova, Lombardy, Italy
Plants & Planet
Stuart Chape
“I visited the Mantova (Mantua) Lakes with my telephoto lens, searching for various compositions. I decided on this backlit view of a lotus flowerhead, which accentuated the beautiful shades of colour.”
Na Pali Coast Kauai Island, Hawaii, USA “I captured this aerial view of the stunning Nāpali Coast, which forms part of the Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park on Hawaii’s fourth largest island, Kauai, which is known as The Garden Island.” SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 121
Trees, Woods & Forests
Luigi Ruoppolo The Wooden Army The Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, Italy “I shot these twisted beech trees in the mist. They were illuminated by the sun setting behind the forest as it passed through the low clouds.”
Wildflower Landscapes
Dennis Frates Wildflower Explosion Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, USA “When conditions are right, numerous wildflowers carpet the valleys of the Carrizo Plain National Monument, painting it with colour.”
Portfolios
Ingrid Popplewell Seedheads, Re-imagined Somerset, England, UK “This portfolio demonstrates the wonderful shapes of seedheads, which I collected from my garden and local hedgerows and combined together in post-processing. I chose the style of classic blue and white Chinese ceramics to emphasise their form and texture.”
122 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
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C R A F T S P EO P L E
Still Life
For her Pomarius project, Alice Andrea Ewing has adapted the Renaissance lost wax casting method to create solid bronze sculptures of fruits and other natural specimens imbued with meaning WORDS PHOEBE JAYES PHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD BLOOM
Alice Andrea Ewing builds a wax sprue system in her Suffolk studio, adding sprues directly to the fruits. SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 125
C R A F T S P EO P L E
P
omarius, which is the Latin word for ‘fruit garden’, is the name of Alice Andrea Ewing’s art project, for which she creates solid bronze casts of natural specimens and treasured garden produce. Not only fruit, then, although for many commissions the name is very accurate. Alice recalls a “huge peach commission” for the creative director of a fashion label, for which she created a bowl of bronze peaches in various states: some plump and whole, some nibbled, some cut into careful pieces. On a smaller scale, Alice once immortalised two figs for a client to give to her husband. Based on 126 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Above Alice draws
inspiration from the pumpkins she grows in her small garden. Above right A collection of tools used for shaping.
fruits plucked from a tree in the couple’s garden, the cast meant the husband could take a small piece of his cherished garden away with him on a new job overseas. The aim of Alice’s artistry is to reveal the inherent value of each organic specimen she casts in bronze. For the couple, this was the tree they had successfully cultivated to bear fruit. “I really love speaking to people at different locations,” Alice enthuses. “I’m not a botanist myself, but I enjoy connecting with someone else’s excitement and pleasure about plants, trees or produce from a place that is special to them.” Pomarius was inspired by Alice’s desire to rediscover Suffolk, the county in which she grew up, where she now has a studio and foundry. As a young adult, Alice moved away to study history of art at Cambridge. “I saw myself as having left, so it felt contrary to return to the area when I looked at what my contemporaries were doing,” she recalls. On finishing her degree, Alice’s priority was to gain work experience with an artist, and her return to Suffolk was prompted by the chance to work with a local bronze caster. “I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but first I wanted to immerse myself in as many influences as possible. There was no time for making at university, so once that finished I sent out many emails to find a placement somewhere.” The first months of the experience were predictably unglamorous and consisted, for the most part, of loading skips. But, little by little, Alice was entrusted with the artist’s work and, following a path similar to that of the traditional atelier, she became a skilled
founder-sculptor. “In our spare time, another assistant and I built a kiln to understand the process,” she recalls. Usually, artists who work with bronze specialise in one particular area, but Alice was keen to take a piece from start to finish. “The tactility of my work is important. I am physically involved with the materials the whole way through, carrying an idea through different states and, with each new state, witnessing a reinvigoration.” With more experience under her belt, Alice then set about re-establishing her relationship with Suffolk. She began visiting new locations and taking up residencies at places such as the 200-year-old walled garden at Great Glemham House, the home of curator Jason Gathorne-Hardy. To create her one-of-a-kind pieces Alice follows the Renaissance lost wax casting method, which involves two moulding processes and the use of molten wax and bronze. Some stages are painstaking, such as the assembly of wax rods Right Alice constructs a wax sprue system to to feed liquid bronze feed liquid bronze into into the mould, the the objects being cast final chasing of the hard inside the mould. bronze surface and the Below left Wax is brushed inside a rubber application of patina mould following the to alter its tones. Other Renaissance lost wax aspects are rather less casting process. delicate: “For me, the Below middle Heatresistant foundry tools bronze pour is quite in Alice’s Suffolk studio. scary. You’re carrying Below right Hot wax is molten metal heated poured into a rubber to 1,200°C and hoping mould through a sprue.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 127
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C R A F T S P EO P L E
for the best. It can fire out molten bronze from the top of the cast if the mould hasn’t been cooked properly to burn away all the wax, so it’s nervewracking but thrilling. It’s topsy-turvy to rely on solid plaster to protect you from liquid bronze. Everything is back to front and carnivalesque!” The whole process usually takes several weeks, and Alice is particularly fond of the final stages. “When I do the final buff of a piece, it suddenly shifts into a different place and the studio is no longer the right context. It has become too precious.” Pomarius was given its name in 2016, when Alice realised the project had more scope than a few modest collections from her artist residencies. She took her first solo show to the Alde Valley Spring Festival in Suffolk and has also exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew and Edinburgh. Commissions from large gardens can produce as many as 50 pieces, though Alice still accepts private commissions from across the globe. “I get a lot of fruit sent to me. I once received a single quince in the international post. Fruit is deeply symbolic, I think, which is why you see it throughout art history.” More recently, Alice has worked on a collection of still life pieces for the fashion label Loewe, creating
Left Alice hammers a pattern into the cap of her mushroom sculpture. Above A pear sculpture has a raw bronze patina added with a blow torch. Below left Casts of ‘Williams’ Bon Chrétien’ pears, ‘Brown Turkey’ figs and crab apples. Below right A patty pan squash sculpture with a sandy patina.
SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 129
C R A F T S P EO P L E
The Renaissance lost wax casting process Alice has adapted the method used by many sculptors of small bronze statues during the Renaissance in Italy Using the original lost wax process, a model statuette would have been sculpted from beeswax. In Alice’s adaptation, a rubber mould is built up around the natural specimen to be cast, and hot wax is poured into the mould to form a wax model that is true to life. l Rods of wax are attached to the model and a refractory material such as potter’s clay (or plaster and recycled moulds, in Alice’s case) is built up around it to form an investment mould. l Next, the entire assembly is heated inside the kiln, in which temperatures will climb to around 500°C degrees over several days, to burn out the inner wax (hence ‘lost wax’). l Molten bronze is then poured into the investment mould via a sprue. Meanwhile, further sprues release hot air from inside the mould to ensure the space is filled entirely by the bronze. l After cooling, the investment mould is broken away to reveal the bronze casting beneath, and the surface is worked with tools – a process known as chasing – to add definition and restore any lost texture. l A patina of acid and wax is painted onto the surface. This produces different chemical reactions which alter the colour of the bronze to achieve the desired finish. l
produce such as artichokes and bananas alongside limited-edition jewellery pieces. Currently she is enjoying a two-year mushroom residency at a rewilded farm that receives a constant influx of new specimens. “Every time I forage at the location I find some new fungi species to take back with me and preserve. I am casting each one, gradually. It’s a completely new area of knowledge for me to explore in a much wilder setting.” Alice’s work is continuing to develop, and she has several shows involving bigger-than-ever collections booked in for the coming year. Meanwhile, she is developing new plans, from larger reliefs in bronze 130 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
Top Asparagus with a raw bronze patina and a trio of crab apples. Above left ‘Brown Turkey’ figs in verdigris. Above right Small, gnarled and knobbly squashes and a whole pomegranate, finished in a raw bronze patina.
to casting a whole collection of produce from different allotments. On one point, however, Alice is resolute. “I once read a quote by the documentarymaker and environmentalist Roger Deakin that has stuck with me. ‘Free-wheeling around a fixed point’ acknowledges the freedom of wandering but also the anchor of a home. The theme of my work is what it means to be rooted somewhere. I seek inspiration from locations worldwide but, as a sculptor, my art always comes back to my foundry in Suffolk.” n Visit pomarius-collections.com or follow Alice on Instagram @pomarius_collections
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SPRING 2022 THE ENGLISH GARDEN 131
Exclusively for readers of English Garden
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IMAGES SUSSIE BELL/SELINA LAKE; RICHARD BLOOM; CAROLE DRAKE; ANNAÏCK GUITTENY
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SAON 20 L A PR E I
Celebrating 25 years of gorgeous gardens • Beautiful naturalised tulips in a West Dorset country garden • Devon’s Burrow Farm Gardens, one of our Nation’s Favourite Gardens winners • A restored quarry garden at an Arts & Crafts house in Cheshire • An artist couple’s quirky garden of rooms on The Lizard peninsula in Cornwall • A Sarah Price refresh for Monmouthshire’s Wyndcliffe Court PLUS Creative ways with ranunculus; get set for summer with our garden furniture guide; what’s coming up at May’s Chelsea Flower Show; ephemeral poppies
Don’t miss out. Buy single copies or subscribe now at theenglishgarden.co.uk
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GARDENS & NURSERIES FOR SPRING INSPIRATION SPRING REACH NURSERY
BEETHAM NURSERIES A plant fanatic’s paradise on the edge of the beautiful Surrey Hills, just 10 minutes from the A3/ M25. Brilliant home grown shrubs, climbers, grasses, perennials, roses, ferns, trees, hedging and fruit, plus these May starlets: Astrantia ‘Gill Richardson’, alliums, bearded iris, Paeonia ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, Viburnum macrocephalum, Japanese and Chinese wisterias, and new season Japanese acers and trees also now in stock.
Beetham Nurseries is a familyowned, independent Garden Centre and Growing Nursery on the A6 in south Cumbria, just four miles from the M6 motorway. Established in 1984, we are proud to offer our customers something different and unique. The Growing Nursery is a traditional retail plant nursery where you will find thousands of herbaceous perennials; they will always be interesting and grown by us here at Beetham Nurseries. Plants are our passion, we invite you to see for yourself the spectacular selection that we grow and the high standards we go to in order to grow plants that are of the highest quality.
Tel: 01483 284769 info@springreachnursery.co.uk | www.springreachnursery.co.uk Long Reach, Ockham, Surrey GU23 6PG
Tel: 015395 63630 www.beethamnurseries.co.uk Pool Darkin Lane, Beetham, Nr Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7AP
ASHWOOD NURSERIES
THORNCROFT CLEMATIS & CLIMBERS We are the UK’s leading clematis specialist with nearly 40 years of experience growing and selling high quality clematis and climbers. We are proud to have an excellent reputation, not only for the quality of the plants we sell but also the high standard of service we give our customers. We have 12 Gold Medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, adding to a vast array of awards from other exhibitions and events, including a major award for our mail order service. We do not open our nursery but a Click & Collect service is now available.
A plantsman’s paradise and an independent nursery situated in the West Midlands open seven days a week. We specialise in hellebores, hardy cyclamen, salvias, hepaticas, lewisias (left), hydrangeas, dwarf conifers, snowdrops, Primula auricula and many more beautiful plants. Our UK mail order service sends plants, garden essentials and gifts direct to your doorstep. John’s Garden is also open on Saturdays 10am-4pm. Please visit our website for full details. Tel: 01384 401996 mailorder@ashwoodnurseries.com | www.ashwoodnurseries.com Ashwood Lower Lane, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 0AE
Tel: 01953 850407 www.thorncroftclematis.co.uk | sales@thorncroftclematis.co.uk Back Lane, Ashton-Under-Hill, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 7RG
HEDGING UK
TWELVE NUNNS At Twelve Nunns we are well known for our Harvington Hellebores® and have many beautiful colours and forms to choose from. They are available to order from our website now, so why not brighten up your winter garden.
Hedging UK are specialist growers of quality hedging plants. Plants are available to purchase at wholesale prices across the UK through our mail order service. Buy direct from the grower, delivered direct to your door. Readers of The English Garden get a 5% discount (quote TEG2022).
Tel: 01704 827224 or 07789 922457 sales@hedginguk.com | www.hedginguk.com Boundary House Farm, Holmeswood Road, Holmeswood, Lancashire L40 1UA
© Clive Nichols
Tel: 01778 590455 penny@twelvenunns.co.uk www.twelvenunns.co.uk
We also specialise in trilliums, erythroniums and roscoea – all plants that enjoy dappled shade in the garden. Our plants are bred and grown by us in rural Lincolnshire and come carefully packed in our ecofriendly packaging. Visit our website to find out more.
KELMARSH HALL
WATERPERRY GARDENS Celebrate spring at Waterperry Gardens with everything you need for the gardening season ahead and fabulous fritillaries adorning the ornamental gardens. Waterperry Gardens: beautiful gardens, quality plant centre and garden shop, gallery, gift barn and teashop serving home baked lunches and teas.
The glorious grade II* listed gardens at Kelmarsh Hall are influenced by the work of three 20th century tastemakers: Nancy Lancaster, Norah Lindsey and Geoffrey Jellicoe. The garden holds exuberant flower borders, romantic rose gardens, and a walled garden full of vibrant colours. Springtime offers swathes of daffodils and fritillaries along the driveway to the Hall, and a colourful sea of tulips in the walled garden.
You will find a full programme of year-round events, from horticulturally themed weekends to outdoor theatre, opera and concerts. OPEN: Daily 10am to 5.30pm. Party bookings welcome by arrangement.
OPEN: Sunday 17 April – Thursday 30 Sep 2022, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Sun and BH Mon Tel: 01604 686543 enquiries@kelmarsh.com | www.kelmarsh.com Northamptonshire NN6 9LY
Tel: 01844 339254 www.waterperrygardens.co.uk Waterperry, Near Wheatley, Oxfordshire OX33 1LA
CERNEY HOUSE GARDENS
HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS
Cerney House gardens is a romantic English garden for all seasons. There is a beautiful secluded Victorian walled garden which features herbaceous borders overflowing with colour. The informal planting in combination with a beautiful setting creates a unique and charming atmosphere. In late March and April there’s a wonderful display of tulips in the knot garden and throughout the garden. They provide a stunning festival of spring colour. Enjoy our woodland walk and our extended nature trail.
Spring is a wonderful time to vist Hever Castle, when spectacular carpets of daffodils welcome visitors. Walls are covered in camellias and tulips are in full bloom, as are the azaleas, rhododendrons and wisteria. Colourful spring bedding includes hyacinths, wallflowers and pansies.
Tea, coffee and homemade cake. Dogs welcome.
OPEN: See website for details
OPEN: Daily from 10am to 7pm Tel: 01285 831300 janet@cerneygardens.com | www.cerneygardens.com North Cerney, Cirencester GL7 7BX
Tel: 01732 865224 www.hevercastle.co.uk Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG
FORDE ABBEY AND GARDENS
AMERICAN MUSEUM & GARDENS
Home to the highest-powered fountain in the country, these award-winning gardens include 45,000 tulips on display, topiarylined vistas, colourful herbaceous borders, an arboretum, bog garden, and walled kitchen garden. Straight lines give way to meandering pathways, with plenty of benches and seating to admire the views along the way. The Gift Shop, Plant Nursery, Pottery and vaulted Coffee Shop make it a full day out.
Visit the unique award-winning gardens of the American Museum & Gardens, a spectacular hilltop estate situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with unrivalled views, on the edge of Bath. The New American Garden surrounding the Georgian manor house museum, is by renowned US landscape architects Oehme, van Sweden, with planting following the designer’s famous freeform style, and featuring a replica of George Washington’s garden at Mount Vernon.
OPEN: Gardens open 1 Mar to 31 Oct, 10.30am-5pm (last admission 4pm). House open 1 Apr to 31 Oct, 12pm onwards (last admission 3.30pm) Tuesday to Friday, Sunday, and Bank Holiday Mondays. Tel: 01460 221290 info@fordeabbey.co.uk | www.fordeabbey.co.uk Chard, Somerset TA20 4LU
OPEN: Tuesday-Sunday 10am to 5pm. Admission applies. Tel: 01225 460503 www.americanmuseum.org Claverton Manor, Bath, BA2 7BD
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Gardening
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To advertise in the English Garden Classified Directory 22/10/2020 15:31 please call 020 7349 3700 The Horticultural Correspondence College
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US AT WWW.THEENGLISHGARDEN.CO.UK
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TO C O N C LU D E
Scent Over Substance The raison d’être for many scented pelargoniums is their captivatingly fragrant foliage, but Non Morris can suggest varieties that are just as visually arresting
B
y September last year, it was clear that my pelargoniums were not exactly a triumph. Things had begun with such hope. I had lost my heart to an antique Arras plant stand made of pea-green wrought iron and had planted up a small collection of scented pelargoniums in terracotta pots, confidently expecting my newly ordered tiers to offer up an array of bewitching flowers. But whatever loveliness the catalogue photograph may promise – prettiest sugar-pink petals with fine purple markings in the case of ‘Attar of Roses’ – the reality for many scented pelargoniums is that their perfumed foliage is entirely the point. Sightings of more than a couple of modest flowers on a single plant are, I was harshly reminded, disappointingly rare. My plants grew happily enough, but I felt that I was always waiting for an event that never quite materialised. I could have improved matters by growing my pelargoniums better – remembering their South African origins and prioritising good air circulation and sunshine. The inspirational nursery Woottens of Wenhaston stresses the need for the right growing medium, warning that many multipurpose composts lack sufficient structure and that loam-based John Innes composts are too heavy. Woottens suggests Dalefoot’s wool-based potting compost: mix in a slow-release fertiliser when planting, then water less frequently than you think you should. This year I will adhere strictly to this advice but have decided to rethink my approach and to have a clearer purpose in mind when making my selections. My plan is to regard certain scented pelargoniums as part of my herb garden: to be harvested regularly, to make tisanes and to scent sugar, but not to be relied upon for flowers. I will keep ‘Attar of Roses’ with its seductive dirty-rose scent when you rub its leaves
between your fingers, and I will add the crinkly yellowleaved ‘Cy’s Sunburst’ (recommended by Sarah Raven as an alternative to lemon verbena) along with the compact ‘Ardwick Cinnamon’, which has a distinctively spicy smell and can be used to flavour cakes and biscuits. I will choose other scented pelargoniums for the contribution their leaves alone make to the texture of the garden. First choice will be the velvety, peppermint-scented P. tomentosum, which becomes a broad architectural dome perhaps 70cm wide, useful too because it is happiest in semi-shade. The elegant ‘Candy Dancer’ would also fall into this category for its distinctive lacy foliage, which will create exquisite silhouettes against my garden wall. To fill bigger pots with longlasting colour, I will return to the abundant soft pink ‘Sweet Mimosa’ or ‘Copthorne’, which has pale lavender flowers with dark pink featherings. ‘Copthorne’ often flowers into December, and you can look forward to individual specimens becoming stronger every year. Specialist pelargonium supplier, Fibrex declares that no summer garden should be without the continuously flowering ‘Pink Capricorn’ – definitely a contender for its relaxed habit and shot of shocking pink – and I am also tempted by ‘Deerwood Lavender Lass’, a new discovery for me, with trailing sprays of smoky mauve flowers. All these strongflowering varieties have scented foliage too, of course, but their perfumed leaves are a delicious bonus and not the guiding reason for choosing them. My strategy is set, my orders are placed and my wool compost is ready. I am looking forward to a much happier pelargonium summer.
138 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SPRING 2022
woottensplants.com; fibrex.co.uk; sarahraven.com
ILLUSTRATION MARIA BURNS PORTRAIT RACHEL WARNE
“I will keep ‘Attar of Roses’ with its seductive dirty-rose scent when you rub its leaves”
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