A Meldreth Garden

Now is the time for autumn leaves to show their magnificent colours and, if the birds will leave them, the berries on cotoneaster, hips on roses and fruit on crab apples. It cannot be denied that as winter’s light moves in the flower garden, it is in decline though the garden has been magnificent this year.

Biodegradable mulching of the flower beds will help soil fertility for next year; any bulky organic material will do such as garden compost, composted bark, leaf mould, used compost from tomato bags, etc. Ensure the mulch is not piled around plant stems. Once they have died down, half hardy perennials left in the ground like dahlias, deciduous agapanthus, ginger lilies, gladioli and pineapple lily eucomis, need to be protected from frost by application of a deep mulch. I make loads of garden compost and leaf mould for use in the garden and allotment.

If some perennials have done poorly, the ground may be starved so it is a good idea to dig out the plants, improve the soil with bulky organic matter and replant for a better display next year. I have some poorly performing border phlox where I will rejuvenate the soil before the cold weather sets in.

When planning a new border or a redesign or replanting of an existing area, here are a few ideas to consider. Firstly what is the preferred garden style; what do you want to walk out and see in your garden? Some standard styles are urban, wildlife, Mediterranean, contemporary, formal, English country and cottage garden. I would suggest a coastal garden would be bizarre in Meldreth and most of us do not have the size of garden to carry off ‘prairie style’. My garden is a hybrid of traditional English style and cottage. Style choice will inform the surrounding hard landscaping and accessories, furniture, planters, fencing and plant selection. The aspect of the area is critical to plant choice; a woodland plant in full sun will not thrive. For a good part of the year, plants will not be in flower so the interaction of leaf shape, texture and colours are important. To provide year-round shape and structure, shrubs or trees, particularly evergreen types, should be included. Choose plants that work hard providing flower, fruit and autumn leaf colour; Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin', Japanese Mahonia Mahonia japonica, crab apple Malus 'John Downie' and the golden rain tree Koelreuteria paniculata ‘pride of India’ are some reliable choices among many. The addition of selected herbaceous perennials, including spring and autumn flowering bulbs, will give extended season interest. Think about position and height, providing layers of vegetation, generally tall, big leaved plants at the back. When planting, you will need a sufficient number of plants to fill the space but refer to how big plants will eventually grow and give them room. Annuals and biennials can be used to fill transient gaps.

Space at the allotment has allowed the development of a cutting garden which will provide flowers for the house without raiding the garden borders. This is new to me and needs research to progress. So far Narcissus 'Sir Winston Churchill',

Narcissus 'Ice King’ and Tulipa 'Prinses Irene' have been planted to provide flowers in the spring. I will keep you posted of the progress of this new venture. I have raised pots off the ground onto bricks or pot feet to ensure good drainage and reduce the potential of frost damage to the plant and pot.

The Flower Garden

 Cut down annual climbers such as hops.

 Remove debris from around the crown of alpine plants.

 Clean algae and dirt from paved and decked areas to reduce slip hazard. As I grow older this is more important to me.

 Plant lily bulbs in pots now for a fragrant display in summer.

 Continue collecting leaves for leaf mould.

 Cut off the suckers growing below the graft point of plants like roses, apples and plums.

The Vegetable Patch

 Plant garlic, shallots and Japanese onions.

 Remove debris that may provide a home for slug, snails and other pests.

 Stake Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting broccoli now that they are growing tall to avoid them flopping over.

 Take hardwood cuttings of white, red and black currants; this can also be done for weigelia, buddleja, philadelphus, cornus and roses etc.

 Check plant ties on fruit and other trees to ensure they are not too tight or degraded; check structures to ensure protection against winter weather; replace where damaged.

Iain McPhee