Yorkshire Gardens Magazine

2010/2011

Gardens

SOME WE PLANTED EARLIER

Fabulous gardens to visit GARDEN ROOM Outdoor entertaining made easy

PEOPLE’S CHOICE Yorkshire’s award winning garden

ENCOURAGING WILDLIFE Advice from the experts

A GARDEN FOR ALL SEASONS …and a plant for every month

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD Designs on outdoor space

2010/2011

Gardens

SOME WE PLANTED EARLIER

Fabulous gardens to visit GARDEN ROOM Outdoor entertaining made easy

PEOPLE’S CHOICE Yorkshire’s award winning garden

ENCOURAGING WILDLIFE Advice from the experts

A GARDEN FOR ALL SEASONS …and a plant for every month

BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD Designs on outdoor space

07/07/2010 12:04

Front cover image: Evening Primrose Published by: Welcome to Yorkshire Dry Sand Foundry Foundry Square Holbeck Leeds LS11 5DL +44 (0) 113 322 3500 yorkshire.com Designed and produced by: The Ark design & Print Pudsey Business Park 47 Kent Road Leeds LS28 9BB +44 (0) 113 256 8712 www.thearkdesign.co.uk

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Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Welcome to Yorkshire can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Information throughout this magazine is compiled from details supplied by organisations or establishments concerned. No recommendation by Welcome to Yorkshire is implied by the inclusion of any information and Welcome to Yorkshire accepts no responsibility in the matter. Prices, dates, hours of opening, etc, were correct at the time of going to press. Readers are reminded that these details are subject to change and they are advised to check when finalising any arrangements. Please note the magazine is not a comprehensive guide to all Yorkshire Gardens and does not necessarily represent the views of Welcome to Yorkshire.

Once you have finished with this magazine please pass it on to someone else who may be interested or recycle it.

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Garden Highlights What’s happening and what’s new around the gardens of Yorkshire Rhubarb Garden Gets Its Just Deserts Yorkshire’s entry wins at RHS Chelsea Flower Show One Big Garden Yorkshire’s great outdoors Return to Form Brodsworth’s Victorian country garden How Does Your Garden Grow Transform your garden into a private paradise Drift into Coastal Beauty Plants that thrive on a salty sea breeze A Starring Role Castle Howard plays a leading role Drawing Up a New Garden When rain stops play plan you garden Great Expectations Traditional and contemporary at Harewood House Back to Basics Grow your own with the BBC Gardeners’ World editor Back to the Future Scampston Walled Garden becomes a triumph of contemporary design

FOREWORD

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The Secret Garden Sledmere, a glorious garden in the Yorkshire Wolds Turner’s Yorkshire Fabulous views through the eyes of a great painter Welcome to Yorkshire’s Michelin Star Experience Your very own Michelin Star break Biodiversity, Wildlife and Your Garden Advice on creating a haven from wildlife, and helping the planet at the same time When Shrubs Need Switching Transplanting made easy Beat the Chill Tips on entertaining outdoors whatever the season Year of Star Plants A plant for every month of the year Getting Here All the information you need to plan your next trip to Yorkshire Gardens of Yorkshire Full list of gardens and locator map

orkshire proudly boasts some of the finest gardens in the UK and I encourage you to visit them.

Not only do they have a magnificent selection of plants and highlight some incredible design expertise, they also offer a wide range of fabulous events to make your visit as entertaining as possible.

From secret gardens to Capability Brown landscapes, from dramatic mazes to wildflower meadows, discover Yorkshire’s havens of tranquillity, woodland walks, wildflower meadows, sculptured settings and mind boggling mazes.

And don’t forget to visit Welcome to Yorkshire’s Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Garden based at RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate, after its award-winning success at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2010.

Enjoy a stay in our beautiful county and be inspired by our stunning gardens. A warm welcome to Yorkshire awaits.

Gary Verity Chief Executive

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orkshire has been well blessed with wonderful Gardens. The mix of climate, soil types, geography combined with true Yorkshire spirit has resulted in a rich diversity from beautiful historic Gardens such as here at Newby through to showcase research at Harlow Carr and up to the minute modern planting schemes such as Scampston Walled Garden and internationally renowned Flowers shows at Harrogate, there is a tremendous depth.

Working in a Historic Garden is a privilege although each season brings its own challenges, changes in climate being one of the main ones. This magazine provides a wonderful showcase for Yorkshire Gardens. They are truly an asset to Yorkshire and I hope they encourage you to visit and be inspired.

Head Gardener Mark Jackson Newby Hall and Gardens

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GARDEN NEWS

ROYAL GARDENS OPENS Located in the picturesque village near Knaresborough, Goldsborough Hall was the former home of Princess Mary in the 1920s.

When Mark and Clare Oglesby bought the property in 2005 its gardens were in ruin but they have now been lovingly restored to their former glory.

On Sunday 28 March the gardens opened to the public for the ďŹ rst time in 80 years under the National Garden

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Scheme. Visitors were able to have a sneak preview prior to the official garden opening in July. The last time the 11 acre gardens were open to the public was in 1930 when it was the home of Princess Mary, the Queen’s aunt.

The gardens feature a quarter mile-long avenue of lime trees, planted by Royal visitors in the 1920s. Plaques on the trees show the dates when dignitaries including

King George V and Queen Mary planted them. Visitors to the Hall this summer will be able to enjoy the gardens in their full splendour when the herbaceous borders, rose beds, lilies and sweet peas will be in full bloom.

Goldsborough Hall gardens open day takes place every July, please check website for details. www.goldsboroughhall.com

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GARDEN NEWS

WALK THE TALK AT PARCEVAL HALL Each Tuesday throughout the summer, members of the Parceval Hall Gardens gardening team invite visitors who are looking for a little more insight to join them for a ‘walk and talk’ around the grounds. The walk will leave the main car park, which is situated just inside the entrance, at 1.15pm and will last for approximately one hour. Reservation are advised by calling +44 (0) 1756 720311.

KIWI’S IN HARROGATE A chainsaw sculptor has created carvings from tree trunks as part of a refurbishment of the New Zealand Gardens located in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens. The New Zealand Gardens in the north west corner of the Valley Gardens were created in 1953 and whilst thinning out a

number of trees that were originally planted to provide these native plants with winter protection from wind, frosts and early morning bright sunshine, the council came up with the idea of retaining these trunks and turning them into an art-from.

CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE ARRIVES AT FOUNTAINS ABBEY & STUDLEY ROYAL 2010 saw the exciting arrival of a new temporary addition to the 18th century Water Garden at Studley Royal.

The siting of the sculpture marks the culmination of an 18 month art project entitled ‘Inspired by Heritage’ with stone sculptor Fiona Bowley and Art Connections.

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Inspired by Heritage is a programme which forms part of an initiative to support the development of new work by North Yorkshire artists and to build new partnerships between arts and heritage organisations. The artist’s brief was to create a piece of work inspired by the landscape of Studley Royal Water Garden

and the ruins of Fountains Abbey.

The sculpture is currently sited on a plinth mirroring the designed landscape and can be viewed by walking along the canal side from Studley Royal towards the Rustic Bridge.

For full details see www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

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GARDEN NEWS

A VERY GREEN CITY

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SCULPTURE The Newby Hall Sculpture Park is celebrating its tenth birthday this year and exhibition continues to provide great pleasure to the thousands of visitors who enjoy a day out in the 25 acres of awardwinning gardens, park and woodland which surround one of Robert Adam’s finest houses.

The beautiful mature woodland running along the River Ure provides

the main setting for the annual selection of around 60 pieces of contemporary sculpture in a range of styles, media and prices. Uniquely at Newby, famous artists and new sculptors exhibit side by side and the range of materials, subjects and styles, is as wide ranging as the tastes and interests of visitors to the estate.

Further details at www.newbyhall. co.uk

Every city needs its green spaces.

Somewhere to walk in peace, take stock, reflect on the day, escape the office and enjoy the sunshine. The parks, gardens and green spaces of York form an integral part of the city’s heritage and magnificent architectural landscapes.

The Museum Gardens with the city walls forming one border, the River Ouse and the Abbey ruins two others, this city garden occupies an idyllic location and is overlooked by the grand Yorkshire Museum building which holds much of York’s Roman findings.

New Walk is one of Britain’s first riverside walks and was originally created when walking for pleasure was a completely new idea and has now been restored.

Rowntree Park occupies 30 acres on the south bank of the River Ouse, designed around a large lake, with grassland, trees and colourful flowerbeds.

Dean’s Park and Treasurer’s House both in the shadow of the great Minster.

Bishopthorpe Palace Gardens contains rare trees and spectacular displays of spring flowers and rhododendrons.

BBC COUNTRYFILE LOST GARDENS Hackfall Wood in North Yorkshire has been identified as a top-ten lost garden by BBC Countryfile magazine. Created in the 17th century by William Aislabie of Studley Royal – the famous landscape garden nearby – Hackfall attracted notable admirers, including poet William Wordsworth and painter JMW Turner. It was still a popular attraction in the 1930s, but after the Second World War the garden fell into decline. Many of its

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Gothic garden buildings remain, although in a semi-derelict state, including Mowbray Castle. Yet Hackfall remains a charismatic landscape, set around a deep, wooded, atmospheric gorge, through which the River Ure winds.

Although major repairs to the buildings and follies have been necessary, they’ve been undertaken sympathetically. Open daily, dawn to dusk. Admission is free. www.english-heritage.org.uk

LAVENDER’S BLUE The annual Lavender harvest and distillation which is the culmination of the year’s work takes place end of July and August each year at Wolds Way Lavender near Malton.

For further details on this garden see www.woldswaylavender.com

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NEWBY OFFERS YOU ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OUT IN YORKSHIRE!

17-19 SEPTEMBER 2010 1ST JUNE - 26TH SEPT

Contemporary Sculpture Park Featuring 60 contemporary sculptures displayed in the gardens and along a woodland river walk.

24TH & 25TH AUGUST 2010

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre presents 'The Comedy of Errors' 13TH & 14TH SEPTEMBER

Sarah Raven Study Days Tickets available each day at the gate: Friday/Saturday £13 Sunday £12 Opening times 09.30 – 17.30 • • • • • • • •

SAVE £2 PERTICKET BOOK BEFORE NOON ON TUESDAY 7 SEPT GREATYORKSHIRE SHOWGROUND

Fruit show Specialist societies' shows Heaviest Onion competition North of England Vegetable Championships Kitchen Garden Live Foods and cookery theatre Leading horticultural nurseries Crafts and gifts

please phone

0844 873 3303 or online

www.flowershow.org.uk

All proceeds donated to the North of England Horticultural Society...supporting horticulture in the North. Charity No: 702017 NEHS, 4A South Park Road, Harrogate HG1 5QU Tel: 01423 561049 Fax: 01423 536880 e-mail: info@flowershow.org.uk In purchasing pre-booked tickets for the Harrogate Flower Shows, you agree that you receive information relating to future NEHS Shows.

Photograph by Nigel Harrison www.nigelsflowerpower.com

RHS Registered Charity No: 222879/SC038262

Relax, be inspired and learn from the garden experts in Yorkshire’s most charming informal garden

RHS Garden Harlow Carr Crag Lane, Harrogate HG3 1QB Telephone: 01423 565418

www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr Open all year, except Christmas Day, 9.30am-6pm (4pm Nov-Feb inc).

Last entry 1 hour before closing.

For both beginners and experienced gardeners alike - book early to avoid disappointment.

Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 5AE Information Hotline: 0845 4504068 www.newbyhall.com OPEN: 1st April - 26th Sept 2010 Tuesdays to Sundays, plus bank holidays. Open seven days in July and August Gardens open: 11am - 5.30pm House open for tours only: 12noon - 4pm

RHUBARB GARDEN GETS ITS JUST DESSERTS 8

RHS People’s Choice Award 2010

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he ‘Welcome to Yorkshire Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Garden’ was the cream of the crop at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show after being awarded a Silver Medal.

Royal Horticultural Society judges recognised that the courtyard garden, which celebrates the best in Yorkshire produce and craftmanship, was worthy of the prestigious award.

But it was not just the RHS judges who enjoyed the garden, the public voted with their hearts and chose Yorkshire’s garden as their favourite, winning the prestigious People’s Choice award.

The garden itself is a quirky take on the classic dish, inspired by Yorkshire’s own rhubarb triangle, featuring an overflowing bowl of

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rhubarb crumble and custard and a giant wooden spoon.

It crowns a wonderful debut at the Chelsea Flower Show for regional tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive Gary Verity said: “This garden celebrates everything that is great about Yorkshire. It is a real slice of what Yorkshire has to offer visitors; it has quality and iconic craftmanship, world renowned food, stunning scenery and of course, a dollop of our wonderful humour. We’re absolutely delighted that we will be bringing the garden and the Silver medal back to Yorkshire with us!”

Kate Dundas is from Gillespies LLP, the designers of the garden: “I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to design the first Yorkshire garden for Chelsea, which is doubly exciting as it is also my first garden for Chelsea. I was asked to design a garden that really summed up Yorkshire and all it has to offer – delicious local produce, the friendly welcome visitors to Yorkshire receive and of course our warm sense of humour.”

Simon Hall (Gillespies LLP), Gary Verity (Welcome to Yorkshire), Kate Dundas (Gillespies LLP) and Nicky Chapman (Judge)

PLANTING THE PUDDING In the Rhubarb Crumble and Custard Garden, Yorkshire rhubarb is the star, with planting inspired by the wide variety of Yorkshire produce and Yorkshire’s spectacular landscape. A number of plants selected bring the classic dish of Rhubarb Crumble and Custard to life. Stockbridge Arrow, an early outdoor grown rhubarb is used in the dish, while Queen Victoria, a later variety with less foliage at that time of year, is used within the forcing pots.

Yellow sedum creates a river of custard which trickles over the sides of the bowl, along the York stone path and ends at the patio’s custard ring.

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Teamwork from Aire Valley Landscaping

Feathery bronze fennel oats above the rhubarb and together with the dry stone wall, represent the crumble topping. This is not a manicured garden and the rustic paving provides gaps for plants to establish. Soft swathes of ax and rapeseed, with mauve and yellow accents weave through a feathering of grasses. This mix represents Yorkshire’s agricultural landscape and creates a contrast with the striking structural alliums and red rhubarb stems.

The foreground of the garden features more ornamental species including lavender, sage and wild ginger which form a rich, fragrant and sculptural groundcover. An authentic native mixed species hedge creates one of the boundaries to the garden and a crab apple tree provides height and draws the eye to the rear of the garden. In addition to

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the Yorkshire rhubarb, a number of specimen plants tell a Yorkshire story, such the liquorice plant which is synonymous with Pontefract Cakes and a mature vine donated by Trevor Nicholson, head gardener at Harewood House near Leeds.

The award-winning garden, which has been making the headlines for its originality also received a royal visit from The Queen. The garden will make a triumphant return to Yorkshire at the Great Yorkshire Show (13-15 July 2010) before taking up permanent residence at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate.

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atural retreats are in abundance – stunning peaks, lush valleys, gentle rolling hills and of course a stretch of spectacular coastline – the great outdoors is brimming with opportunities for fun and exploration.

So saunter around a bluebell wood, wander along a breath-taking seaside clifftop or potter around a pretty village.

And for hardy hikers there’s Yorkshire’s three National Parks, as well as the Pennines, Wolds and Coast, means you are spoilt for choice for more exhilarating experiences on foot.

NATIONAL PARKS Yorkshire’s three National Parks, The Yorkshire Dales National Park, the North York Moors National Park and The Peak District National Park, together offering more than 1000 square miles of beautiful landscapes and seascapes – all just waiting to be explored.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park with its outstanding scenery, a rich sense of heritage, an abundance of

wildlife and countless opportunities for outdoor adventure.

The North York Moors are a magnet for visitors, especially in late summer, when the largest heather moorland in England turns a gorgeous purple.

The Peak District is a unique landscape of millstone grit, heather moorland, limestone dales and desolate blanket bogs.

AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY Discover these protected areas of high scenic quality which are conserved to enhance the natural beauty of their landscapes.

Howardian Hills: An unusual land form shaped on Jurassic limestone, with a tapestry of rolling hills arable fields, pasture and woodland.

Nidderdale: Stunning moorland scenery, a tapestry of lush green meadows and the long majestic dale of the River Nidd.

Forest of Bowland: Internationally important for its heather moorland,

blanket bog and rare birds, a small area of North Yorkshire lies within its boundaries.

WILDLIFE AND RESERVES Yorkshire has so much outdoor space for wildlife from rolling countryside to the stunning Dinosaur Coast. Yorkshire is a perfect sanctuary for many of England’s greatest species.

The cliffs of the coast are a haven for puffins, gannets and all manner of sealife. Red kites glide over Harewood House and deer trot amongst the forests.

There’s lots of wildlife to see at the many Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI’s) as well as numerous wildlife centres to view birds and animals close-up.

HEAD FOR THE WATER Yorkshire’s seaside has huge horizons, soaring cliffs, peaceful river estuaries and sweeping sandy beaches.

There’s still more adventure to be had offshore, the Yorkshire coast has always been renowned for traditional seaside activities, but for

ONE BIG GARDEN Yorkshire is a patchwork of beautiful landscapes with such an enormous variety of scenery with easy reach, it’s our back garden.

those looking for more than just a day at the beach there is so much more.

Sea angling, kite-buggying, whale and dolphin spotting cruises, surfing, kayaking and more.

UNDERGROUND WONDERS You don’t need to be an expert potholer to experience Yorkshire’s extensive cave systems and caverns.

Visit one of these show caves instead.

Sutton Bank

White Scar Cave: Britain’s longest show cave, a spectacular, natural cave in the Dales with the massive 200,000-year-old Battlefield Cavern.

Ingleborough Show Cave: Explore the Gaping Gill system through large natural and well-adorned cave passages.

Stump Cross Caverns: This natural dry stream passage near Pateley Bridge offers fantastic geological formations.

MORE NATURAL HIGHLIGHTS Yorkshire has even more perfect places to discover, with the chance to get even closer to nature.

open moorland, wooded valleys and a strong industrial heritage.

Yorkshire’s Coast: Don’t forget Yorkshire’s beautiful coastline with sheltered coves, spectacular bays, shifting sands and towering headlands to choose from.

Yorkshire’s National Nature Reserves: Enjoy wildlife and sample geology in protected surrounds. Highlights include Malham Tarn and the limestone pavements, Ingleborough.

Yorkshire Wolds: Low, rolling hills rising from the River Humber, and ending with the dramatic cliffs of Flamborough Head and Bempton.

Yorkshire’s garden attractions: Visit some of the finest modern and historical gardens and parks located throughout Yorkshire.

With so much outside space, Yorkshire is the perfect place to have a real outdoor adventure.

Pennine Yorkshire: From the Peak District to Brontë Country, discover

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eturn To Form If you want to see how a Victorian country garden grows, pay a visit to Brodsworth Hall, says Indira Quiney

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

rodsworth Hall is without doubt one of South Yorkshire’s hidden gems.

It’s a remarkable example of an authentic mid-Victorian English country house and very little interior work has been done since its heyday so many of the original contents remain.

In the 1860s Charles Sabine Thelluson inherited the property, tore down the original house and rebuilt a new one in the fashionable Italianate style using stone quarried from the estate. With the help of his head gardener, Samuel Taylor, and a workforce of gardeners and woodsmen, the 15-acre grounds were transformed into a pleasure garden – “a collection of grand gardens in miniature” – for family pursuits and house parties.

Over the succeeding generations, family fortunes declined and the estate gradually fell into decay. Until, in 1990, it was handed over to English Heritage, and restoration got underway.

Once the extensive structural work on the building was finished it was decided the interior decoration and contents should be left intact as a time capsule of family life through several generations.

After years of neglect, most of the garden had become so overgrown and congested the original 1890s design and concept seemed to have disappeared completely, but luckily the framework of paths and beds were still evident. Although there were no planting plans on paper, the family had taken hundreds of photographs over the years, so with painstaking research the garden could be rescued.

It took several years to complete the work. The garden rises uphill in undulating slopes, with the paths forming the key element of the landscape design. They deliberately lead you on a tour of the different ‘rooms’ and are so well constructed you often find yourself looking at the same area but from a different angle.

The sweeping drive leading to the house is edged with a background of

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

clipped yew hedging and marble statues set at strategic intervals. Two magnificent Cedar of Lebanon trees, planted when the house was built, dominate the skyline. The vista from the front of the house is rolling lawns, with tantalising views of the summerhouse rising above the high hedges, and a path leading to the first of many hidden mini gardens.

The path is flanked either side by two large, square beds and at the centre of each is a statue surrounded by an amazing collection of topiary pruned to perfection.

The formal theme continues in the Fountain Garden which is pure Italianate in design; geometric patterned beds cut into the turf, each with a centerpiece of clipped hollies and yews. The main focal point is an impressive three-tiered marble fountain, designed by Chevalier Casentini. The beds are a riot of seasonal colour and give the

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gardeners an opportunity to design their own displays.

At the end of another winding path lies a clearing dominated by a monumental rock garden. It’s planted with more than 200 alpines originating from various countries around the world where the Thelluson family spent their holidays.

Roses have always been an English country garden mainstay, and the Rose Garden at Brodsworth has been faithfully brought back to life. Box hedges have been replanted as edging for the various beds, which are now filled with a hundred different varieties of predominately Portland Roses, extremely popular in the Victorian times and earlier. The original iron pergolas have been restored and are swathed in climbers and ramblers. The best time to visit is between mid and late June when the colours and fragrance are intoxicating. The rose theme is

continued into the adjoining wooded dell where there’s now a collection of 75 species of wild roses.

For head gardener Dan Booth and a team of five gardeners, the work at Brodsworth is ongoing. Victorian gardens were incredibly labour intensive, particularly when the fashion was for clipped evergreen hedges and complicated topiary.

Apart from the monthly tasks such a

Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

garden as this demands, Dan is in the next phase of the development, which involves removing shrubs and plants that were later additions to the garden and replanting varieties that would have been typical of the 19th century and earlier.

One part of the garden that’s not a Victorian feature is the wildflower meadow. This is where years of neglect have been kind. The lawns are packed with cowslips, orchids and wild thymes, and have become a rare example of natural magnesian limestone grassland, which English Heritage has decided to conserve.

Once you’ve explored the gardens, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy. There’s a nauticalthemed play area for children, while adults can relax in the wonderful tea room. Events take place throughout the year, including jazz and brass band concerts, classic car shows and art exhibitions. Brodsworth is without doubt an exceptional and vibrant Victorian garden, and a wonderful day out for all the family.

HIGHLIGHT: THE GROTTO AND FERN DELL The Grotto in Brodsworth Gardens is an outstanding example of Victorian landscape design. Originally the site was an abandoned stone quarry, but now features an incredible maze of intersecting paths. The original decorative iron swags, covered in clipped ivy, still enclose the higher paths and quarry edge. On one side the rock face has been built with planting pockets on different levels, so the plants appear to cascade downwards. In contrast, on the opposite side the planting is more simple – a mix of hardy geraniums and ferns. In 2000, on the recommendation of the British Fern Society, the widow of Wing Commander Eric Baker donated his extensive fern collection to Brodsworth and in midsummer the multi-coloured drifts of hardy geraniums look stunning against the lush background of ferns.

Picture: Copyright Press Association

Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Information

Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Opening times: 1 April to 31 October: 10am–5.30pm (closed Mondays) 1 November to 31 March: Weekends only, 10am– 5.30pm. Open daily during the February half-term for the Snowdrop displays.

Price: Adults £5.30; Concessions £4.50; Children (5-15) £2.70; Under-5s free.

Contact details: Brodsworth Hall and Gardens, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN5 7XJ. For further information call +44 (0) 1302 722598 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk

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Evening Primrose All pictures: Copyright Press Association

Transform your garden into a private paradise with this essential calendar of tips

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aintaining your garden throughout the year requires masses of time and energy. Celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh says: “From a design and planning point of view, summer is quite a challenge. It’s hard to keep on top of everything when it’s all growing so fast, and only careful planning will prevent that dispiriting change from everything in the garden being lovely to everything being past it.”

So, how can you make the most of your garden from summer right through to winter? Alan, who has written a new series of practical guides, shares his top tips to boost your garden’s flower power from July to December.

Picture: Copyright Matt Faber

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JULY Don’t dry out Dry, hot weather can be damaging for the garden, so it’s important to make sure plants and flowers don’t dry out. Plant flowers in the biggest pot possible as the smaller the pot, the quicker it will dry out.

If you haven’t put slow-release granules in your summer pots, use a liquid feed instead. Make sure you follow the instructions on the bottle if you want gorgeous summery pot plants. The feed will go straight to where it’s needed and give plants a much-needed boost.

Add water-retaining crystals to hanging baskets.

The crystals absorb water and swell up, releasing the liquid slowly back into the compost when it’s needed, to stop baskets drying out quickly.

If your pots do dry out, some plants, such as geraniums will recover better than others, like busy lizzies. You can tell the future of your plants by looking at their leaves. If they’re crisp, they won’t recover; if they’re floppy, there’s a possibility they will survive.

And if you do have a hot, sheltered corner of the garden, why not go exotic? You could plant a permanent framework of hardy, exotic-looking plants, such as Cordyline australis, Fatsia japonica and Musa basjoo, the hardiest banana plant. These will act as a subtle backdrop against the colourful cannas, kniphofia (red hot poker) and Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’.

Take photographs of your garden throughout July to give you a clear idea of what is working, and what is not working. It will help you improve it for next year.

AUGUST Blooming lovely Pick open flowers from patio plants before you go on holiday. This will ensure you come back to beautiful new blooms. Place your container plants in a shady corner, and give them a thoroughly good soaking before you go.

Once you do get home, remember to deadhead. This will keep plants flowering for longer. Don’t worry about lobelia, a stalwart of the container and hanging basket. But if a lot of these colourful flowers have gone, lightly trim over the plant with a pair of shears to get a second flush.

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Insects can be a real problem at this time of year. Keep an eye out for red lily beetle, aphids, slugs and snails and deal with them before they take over. To kill aphids, spray the leaves with a sharp jet of water and wipe off small infestations by hand. Organic controls include insecticidal soap.

However, there are some insects you don’t mind having in your garden. Attract the beneficial ones by having a good mixture of different plants. Poppies and evening primroses are good for hoverflies, while bees like catmint, foxgloves, sedums and herbs.

Cordyline australis

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A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT WHATEVER THE SEASON Magnificent Walled Gardens Black & White Border designed by Matthew Wilson Kitchen Gardens with rare varieties of fruit & vegetables Long vistas and woodland walks Lakes and Deer Park Castle steeped in 700 years of history Gift shop Open all year

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SEPTEMBER Clever planting For late summer colour, plant penstemons, tobacco plants (nicotiana) and geraniums. Dahlias, asters, sedums and echinaceas are also superb late summer and autumn flowerers. Hostas are fantastic, provided you protect the waxy green leaves from slugs and snails. To do this, put copper tape around the pot, which you can buy from most garden centres, or line the surface of the soil with shingle or sharp grit.

and putting out fresh water each day.

You should also take some time to clean out your pond, removing any fallen autumn leaves and debris. It is also a good idea to protect climbers and wall shrubs from winter winds by making sure they are secured to their supports.

Firm the soil down around newly planted stock to prevent it being lifted by frost and cover any remaining vulnerable plants growing outdoors with horticultural fleece if frost is forecast.

OCTOBER

DECEMBER

Get cutting Once leaves are damaged by frost, lift gladioli and other summerflowering corms such as ixias and sparaxis and throughout winter, keep chrysanthemums in deep boxes in a cool greenhouse. Cut stems down to around 15cm and continue to plant containers with spring bulbs, including tulips and daffodils. At this time of year it’s a good idea to clear up your herb garden, leaving some stalks and seed heads to attract the birds. And clear away tomatoes, peppers and aubergines which may have finished cropping in your vegetable garden, and put them in the compost bin.

Time to cultivate In the deep mid winter, it may be tempting to stay indoors but don’t neglect your garden. Continue to cultivate new ground, if weather permits, for planting, but do avoid digging soil which is waterlogged or frozen. Give your camellias extra protection this winter by bringing container-grown varieties into a cool greenhouse. Take cuttings from greenhouse chrysanthemums and enrich weary soil with compost, great for growing beans. Get going planting trees, shrubs, hedging and roses. If you have a greenhouse, it’s worth checking that heaters are in good working order and are switched on high enough to last through the long, cold nights.

Continue to cover soil with cloches to warm it up for early sowings. And if you’ve any exposed terracotta pots, wrap them in sacking cloth or bubble wrap to prevent them from freezing and cracking.

The Alan Titchmarsh How to Garden series of six books: Container Gardening; Gardening in the Shade; Vegetables and Herbs; Garden Design; Pruning and Training; Lawns, Paths and Patios, published by BBC Books, priced £6.99 each.

NOVEMBER Preen and prune As the end of the year draws near, prune any tall hybrid tea roses a little to remove old flower stems and wood. Place forcing jars over rhubarb clumps to encourage early stems for harvesting and continue winter digging if the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.

Now is the time to plant barerooted shrubs and roses in prepared soil and keep the birds happy by keeping bird feeders well stocked

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All pictures: Copyright Press Association

DRIFT INTO COASTAL

Y T U A E B

Seaside gardens can struggle to thrive – unless you use hardy plants that will survive the salty conditions and sea breeze, says Hannah Stephenson yorkshire.com/gardens

Y

ou don’t have to live beside the sea to have a garden inspired by the ocean – a simple trip to the coast could be enough to give keen gardeners a wealth of ideas.

Broom and escallonia are mainstays, but you may see a wealth of other plants which thrive at the coast, including pinks (Dianthus), thrift (Armeria) and sea holly (Eryngium), Calluna vulgaris,

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Plants that may do well in your seaside garden > Perennials: Achillea, crocosmia, eryngium (sea holly), echinops (globe thistle), sedum, heuchera (coral flower), euphorbia, gazania, scabious. > Shrubs and climbers: Buddleia, berberis, genista (broom), cistus (rock rose), ceanothus, escallonia, weigela, hebe, lavatera, passiflora (passion flower), ribes (ornamental current), rosmarinus (rosemary). > Rock plants: Armeria maritima, aubrieta, dianthus alpinus, phlox subulata, stachys, osteospermum jucundum, erigeron karvinskianus, Iris pumila.

Agapanthus

cordyline, hebes, spiraea, hydrangea, lavatera, cordyline and cistus.

If you do have a bolt-hole near the sea, a peppering of perennial favourites will bring more colour and interest to your garden. And certain popular perennials live happily on the coast if they have some shelter from the wind, including achillea, crocosmia, red hot pokers (Kniphofia), potentilla and bergenia.

Yet this type of garden has a notorious reputation for being difficult to manage, thanks to the salt air and constant sea breeze.

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It’s true the elements do limit the varieties of plants which you can grow, but don’t be deterred – you can create a wonderful haven on the coast and you won’t get the frosts you do inland, thanks to the sea’s moderating influence on temperature.

The secret is to create a garden which fits in with the setting. Don’t try to create, for instance, a cottage garden if the plants aren’t going to last any time at all after being battered by the wind and salt spray.

Use materials that match the setting

– pebbles, driftwood and shells are all ideal partners for plants which can take a coastal hammering.

First of all, though, create a sturdy windbreak if you haven’t already got one. You need a hedge or windfiltering barrier of trees or shrubs, which are of good depth and preferably planted in two or more staggered rows.

Good species for this job include pine, alder, hawthorn and hornbeam.

If you want to go for willow or poplar, keep them well away from buildings, as tree roots can cause damage to the fabric of buildings and the drains.

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), Monterey cypress and Euonymus japonicus also provide a sound defensive barrier against the elements.

Some trees can survive and thrive close to the sea including the evergreen strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), which has glossy leaves and red-brown bark. Small white flowers appear on it in autumn and the red ‘strawberry’ fruit appear the following autumn. It will grow to 8m if left unchecked. If you choose your plants wisely, gardens on the coast

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can thrive and come into their own in summer.

Alternatively, you could go for a fence-like windbreak such as woven wattle or willow hurdles, which are available from garden centres or local craftsmen. Have a look in the classified sections of any of the gardening magazines and you should find what you want there.

Once you have a sheltered garden, it widens the choice of plants you’ll be able to grow.

But before you start, test your soil.

Many seaside gardens are high in alkaline because of the high calcium content of crushed sea shells. If you have alkaline soil, don’t plant lime-haters such as rhododendron or azalea, because they won’t do well.

If your soil is sandy, beef it up with some organic matter to retain moisture and add nutrients. Once you have done this, mulch the area with compost or chipped bark to keep in the moisture.

There are many plants which are tough enough to withstand all that salt spray and sea breeze can throw at them, but as a rule of thumb you will find that those with tough, leathery leaves as well as spiny and hairy plants should have more resistance to drying winds.

Walk around the area and make a note of the plants which are thriving in neighbouring gardens, so you know what would do well in yours.

Plant close together, as nearby neighbouring plants will help protect others from windrock. And plant small specimens. This means once they are large enough for the wind to start doing some damage, at least they will have well developed roots to give them good grounding.

Make some quirky additions by visiting your local boat salvage yard and picking out odds and ends that could be used as containers or decoration. If you have children, they might like to plant something in a brightly-coloured seaside bucket (make drainage holes first).

Despite the harsh conditions the coast can bring, gardeners who live by the sea need not bury their heads in the sand because it is possible to create a haven of colour there.

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Red Hot Pokers

A TOP SEASIDE CHOICE – AGAPANTHUS (AFRICAN LILY) These stunning South African beauties are a magnificent addition to the coastal garden. Their large, exotic, blue or white trumpet-shaped flowers in rounded clusters perch on sturdy, straight stems above strappy leaves. The bulbs, which grow between 60–120cm, look fantastic in either a bed or a pot. Good species include ‘Headbourne Hybrid’, while the smaller A. campanulatus may be more suitable in less favourable situations.

They need moist but well-drained soil in a hot, sunny spot.

Rhizomes should be planted in groups in large pots in mid-spring, or directly outside in warm and sheltered borders. The advantage of planting them in a container is that they can be moved to a sheltered position for the winter. In a border, cover the crowns with sand or straw in winter. Apply liquid fertiliser every few weeks from spring to flowering in summer. Seedheads can be cut and dried for winter decoration.

Sea Holly

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Castle Howard South Front and Atlas Fountain

ven if you’ve never heard of Castle Howard, chances are you’ve seen it on the television or at the cinema.

The famous TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited, starring Jeremy Irons, was shot here in 1981.

And in 2008 the film of the same name, with Emma Thompson in one of the lead roles, featured the house and grounds as the fictional Marchmain Estate.

It’s no surprise Castle Howard, located just north of the historic city of York, made its way on to the big

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screen. Its stunning gardens are worthy of any dramatic movie script and prove a big hit with visitors.

There are plenty of walks through woodland, along terraces or beside water, with interesting temples and follies to admire along the way.

Around every corner there’s something new to discover.

Designed in 1699 by Sir John Vanbrugh for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, its construction took more than one hundred years to complete, spanning the lifetime of three Earls and numerous craftsmen. Today it’s home to the Hon Simon and Mrs Howard and their children Merlin and Octavia.

For head gardener Brian Deighton, who joined the staff three decades ago, there’s simply no finer

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The Gardeners House, Walled Garden Picture: Copyright Press Association

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place to be. “I originally came to Castle Howard 30 years ago to look after the Rose Garden,” he says.

“There was only one other gardener, until we took on the Sundial Garden, the Venus Garden, and then the China borders.”

Brian and his seven trusty staff look after approximately 100 acres: from roses to roadside verges, fine lawns to rough grass, planting little bulbs to big trees. With so much ground to explore, it’s hard to know where to begin. However, the Rose Garden is Brian’s favourite spot.

“Some of those plants are now 30 years old,” he says proudly. “When I see the garden still works every June, I’m always really pleased.”

The Rose Garden holds special memories for the estate as well. It was set up by the late George Howard in memory of his wife Lady Cecilia.

“A few years before I came here Lady Cecilia passed away,” recalls Brian. “There wasn’t a rose garden at that time. Lady Cecilia loved roses so Mr Howard decided to dedicate an area of his garden to his wife.

“There was a planting of old roses and lovely scented ones. That was how the garden started. They only flower once, but we prolong the period with herbaceous plants.

“We’ve now started to put a

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

The Mausoleum and New River Bridge Picture: Copyright Mike Kipling

spring planting in with primulas, cyclamens, snow drops and other bulbs. As with so many people visiting in early spring, it means there’s something for them to see.”

The Rose Garden is part of the Walled Garden, reached by the Broad Walk. The entrance is framed

by Delphinium borders, which grow up to five foot tall and burst with colour in the summer. The Sundial Garden was also once filled with roses, until Brian faced the challenge of finding a new purpose for the site.

“I was told to go away and come up with an idea,” he says. “With the Walled Garden formerly a market garden I thought it would be nice to grow vegetables again, but grow them ornamentally so people would get more pleasure out of it.

“Then we thought about edging the beds. We didn’t want anything permanent so we have carrots, beetroot, marigolds and chives. It’s amazing how much produce there is for such a small area.”

The Howard family aren’t the only ones lucky enough to call the estate ‘home’. Brian’s head gardener’s house is located in the walled garden.

“It’s a lovely site. On a morning I’ll come downstairs and the first view I have is the rose garden. It’s all evolving. It’s rather special,” he says with a smile.

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Thousands of visitors would agree.

And it’s not just avid gardeners who will fall in love with Castle Howard; there are many facilities for children and young families.

The Lakeside Adventure Playground is suitable for youngsters of all ages, and during the summer months, weather permitting, visitors can take a boat ride across the Great Lake to spot the wildlife living on its shores.

Back on dry land an illustrated adventure trail will help you explore the estate. And if you’re caught in a rain shower, you can always take shelter and discover more about Castle Howard by taking a tour of the house. There’s no extra charge for any events or children’s activities.

A great place to spend a sunny afternoon is Ray Wood. The story goes that over the years many a member of the Howard family has found themselves lost in the woods.

But if you do take a wrong turning, Brian says to make sure you admire the natural beauty of your surroundings rather than rushing back to the beaten track!

“It can be a jaw-dropping experience,” he says. “The colours and size of the plants, such as the azaleas, are amazing in there. You have leaves that range from the size of your little finger up to over a foot long. In order to revive wild flowers,

Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

we no longer spray the rough grass.

We have a lovely population of wild primrose and bluebells, even cowslips.”

Fortunately, Brian assures, it is quite easy to find your way out.

Whether you want to find your way out of Castle Howard, however, is another matter.

HIGHLIGHT: TEMPLE OF THE FOUR WINDS After exploring the Walled Garden make your way along the statuelined terrace to its eastern end where the Temple of the Four Winds lies.

The view from here, looking across the eastern side of the estate out to New River Bridge and over to the mausoleum, where former Howard family memories are buried, is truly a wonderful sight.

Information Opening times: The House is open daily (11am–4pm) from 13 March to 31 October and 27 November to 19 December. The Gardens are open daily (10am–6.30pm or dusk in winter) all year round.

Price: House and Gardens: Adults, £12.50; Concession, £10.50; Children (5–16), £7.50; Under 5s free. Family tickets, £25–£32.50.

Gardens only: Adults, £8.50; Concession, £8; Children (5–16), £6; Under 5s free. Family tickets, £17-£23.

Contact details: Castle Howard, York, North Yorkshire, YO60 7DA Visit www.castlehoward.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1653 648640.

The Rose Garden

Head Gardener Brian Deighton Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

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DRAWING UP A NEW GARDEN

Whatever time of year it is, you can always plan a new design for your garden. Horticulturist Louise Hampden offers her top tips for making the most of your outdoor space

All pictures: Copyright Press Association

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E

ver wondered what keen gardeners do when torrential rain stops play? They retreat indoors, pull out the sketchpad and start drawing up a new garden.

Whether it’s the height of summer or the depths of winter, there’s never a bad time to daydream about the future of your great outdoors. The only real question is what to put where.

“For a good balanced design, most designers would recommend that a third of the garden should be for planting and the other two-thirds grass or hard surfaces,” says horticulturist Louise Hampden, producer of BBC Gardeners’ World and author of Top Tips: A Treasury Of Garden Wisdom.

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There are three main design elements you need to consider: What the garden will be used for (children’s play, relaxation, parties, growing veg and flowers); its aspect (shady or sunny, overlooked or secluded); and how you want the garden to look (formal or informal).

Cut out magazine pictures of schemes that you like and stick them onto a large piece of card, adding to it gradually, including plants, furniture, layouts and even sheds – and soon a mood and preference for certain colours and materials will emerge.

Narrow gardens are often the easiest to design, Louise says.

“A long, thin garden can be broken up into different spaces, divided by hedges or trellis, each with a different purpose or feel,” she says.

“This gives you the opportunity to have a formal area as well as an informal one, and to screen off practical spaces such as the garden shed or the place where you keep the rubbish bins.”

Put in a curved path with broad planting spaces either side to make the garden feel longer and create an interesting journey through it.

Wider gardens are more difficult to design, as the whole garden can be seen at once and it’s difficult to create any mystery, but add pergolas over paths and features at the end of paths to divide the garden visually without the use of solid hedges or panels.

Alternatively, you can create private areas by using a trellis and covering it with climbers.

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Make sure you consider how your garden will look from the various windows and doors of the house. Key plants and focal points can be lined up to give the best view from the window.

Give your plants plenty of space, Louise advises.

“Mean borders don’t work. Allow a generous area for growing plants.

They need space, and that means 1.5m or even 2m from front to back,” she says.

“Anything less means you will only be able to plant single plants. You won’t achieve any decent depth or combinations, and shrubs and perennials will either spill over a lawn and kill the edges or obstruct a path and need constant cutting back.”

Try to keep the edges to paths, borders and lawn crisp. You could insert lengths of timber a couple of centimetres into the ground to ensure the lawn doesn’t creep into the border, which will also help mowing. Paths edged with contrasting brick also look neater.

When planning seating, make sure you know the direction in which the sun rises or sets, ensuring your seats are positioned to your requirements – maybe so you can view the sunset, or catch the morning sun if you want to have breakfast in the garden.

Once you have finished planning, mark out your design with a rope to give an idea how it will look and enable you to make adjustments.

“Don’t worry about following hard-and-fast rules here,” Louise says. “Remember that you are designing this garden for you, so if it feels right then it usually is right.”

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Picture: Copyright Kippa Matthews

Traditional splendour stands alongside quirky eccentricities and contemporary innovations at Harewood House â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a place that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand still, says Jane Blakeborough

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The Fish Pond

et in beautiful West Yorkshire, Harewood House, home of the 7th Earl and Countess of Harewood, sits in 100 acres of magnificent gardens, overlooking a stunning Capability Brown landscape.

One of nine Treasure Houses of England, Harewood is open to visitors, with events and exhibitions taking place all year round. From the Vegetable Scullery to the Spanish Library, the Music room to Lord Harewood’s Sitting Room, it’s easy to see why the estate is a popular Yorkshire attraction.

Yet it’s the gardens of this stately home that are award-winning. Earlier this year, Harewood House won the BBC Gardener’s World Magazine competition for best garden in the

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north of England. As if that wasn’t enough, it was also crowned ‘Most romantic garden’, ‘Best afternoon tea’, ‘Best day out for the kids’ and ‘All-round favourite’ in the public vote.

Garden staff are justifiably proud of the accolades, none more so than head gardener Trevor Nicholson, himself an award winner, named Horticultural Week’s Professional Gardener of the Year in 2008.

For some 16 years, Trevor has been adding his own blend of enthusiasm and skill to the grounds.

He can name every plant, when it was planted and why it has a special place at Harewood. But ask him to name his favourite and he’s lost for words. “I can’t name just one, I love all types of plants and it depends what time of year it is,” he laughs.

Throughout the year, Harewood puts on a full programme of events and exhibitions such as classic car rallies, outdoor theatre, tea dances, medieval weekends, drive-in movies as well as regular garden talks and tours.

Children are entertained by a

Waterfall in the Himalayan Garden Picture: Copyright Mike Kipling

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multitude of things to do, see, touch and climb. From the outdoor adventure playground and activity trails, to the interactive play area inside the space-age Geopods, if that wasn’t enough fun, there’s a toy shop too!

The magic of Harewood begins as you enter through a narrow hedge tunnel. The relative darkness opens out onto a truly magnificent formal terrace. Stretching the full south face of the house, roses and clematis scramble up the vast balustrades and the 100 metre long borders are filled with purple, deep red and dark pink flowers. Intricate box parterres are filled with pretty flowering annuals while ornamental fountains provide gentle background noise.

“The Terrace is an extension of the house,” explains Trevor, who worked closely with Lady Harewood to develop it into the splendid space it is now. It’s overlooked by the elegant

Terrace Tearoom, serving a selection of light bites, homemade cakes and a range of quality teas and coffees.

You can also spoil yourself with a glass of champagne or Pimm’s while enjoying the contemporary art at the adjoining Terrace Gallery.

Below the Terrace is the Archery Border and it’s here Trevor has taken a risk, planting subtropical plants with lush jungle growth to soften the imposing walls which underpin the main terrace.

Hot orange, yellow and pink exotic flowers complement the green foliage of banana plants, palms, and castor oil plants. This unusual planting defies the northern climate, but as Trevor explains, the southfacing border is sheltered and free draining so with a bit of tender care they’re able to grow plants not often seen so far north.

Away from the house, with its formal beds and borders, the garden

Archery Border

takes on a transitional feel; the grass is left longer and sweeping drifts of bulbs curve round trees from all over the world. It descends towards the lake and the cultivated gardens give way to woodland. “This is the perfect place on a hot sunny day because you can always find a cool, shady grove,” says Trevor.

The woodland path leads into the

Stepping stones

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Eremurus Himalaicus in the glade

Stupa and blue poppies

Himalayan Garden – clearly Trevor’s pride and joy. It was originally a rock garden established by Princess Mary and her husband, the 6th Earl of Harewood, in the 1930s. The area had been somewhat abandoned until, in 2004, a plant study tour to China and the Himalayas inspired Trevor to have a go at creating a Yorkshire edition.

Encouraged by the present Viscount of Harewood, David Lascelles, who also has a great interest in that part of the world, Trevor set about creating a mini Himalayan landscape with some 600 different types of plants.

The wheelchair-friendly path through the garden descends between a rock gorge. All along there are resting places with private vistas across the garden and lake, carefully planned but completely natural. This is Trevor’s favourite place at Harewood and he describes building the garden as an allabsorbing commitment. “The garden is developing every year and it’s now the best it’s ever looked,” he says proudly.

The Himalayan Garden is also home to the Harewood Stupa, a Buddhist monument commissioned

by David Lascelles and built in 2004 by monks from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. The Stupa, with its festoons of brightly coloured prayer flags, is the only one of its kind in the UK. Stupas are places of unique peace and tranquillity and it’s no different at Harewood, where visitors follow the act of tradition

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Picture: Copyright Press Association

Picture: Copyright Trevor Nicholson

and respect by walking three times round the monument in a clockwise direction.

If you cross the ornamental bridge and walk further round the lake, you’ll come across the Walled Kitchen Garden. Within these beautiful old brick walls, Harewood has revived the tradition of growing food on site to supply the house and estate, and a dedicated team of gardeners use organic methods to grow both heritage and modern fruit and vegetables, which supply the Courtyard Café and Shop. It’s also a teaching resource, with regular talks and demonstrations.

Harewood is a place that never stands still, a place of great beauty, changing colours and tranquil sounds. More than 300,000 people visit this stately home every year, yet the gardens never seem

46

overcrowded. There’s always a secluded corner or romantic resting place with a stunning view – you just have to find it.

HIGHLIGHT: COURTYARD CAFÉ AND SHOP The Courtyard Café was voted ‘Best Afternoon Tea in the North of England’ by readers of the BBC Gardener’s World Magazine and with its £4 million facelift, is the perfect place to enjoy some al-fresco dining.

The menu changes daily and offers a range of meals using fruit and vegetables grown on the estate. For those in need of a little retail therapy, the Courtyard shop is stocked with quality gifts, locally sourced jams and honey, handmade biscuits, and a great selection of old-fashioned sweets. When available, the shop also sells produce grown on the estate.

Passion Fruit

Information Opening times: Open daily 2 April to 31 October, 10am–6pm.

Closed 4 August. House open 10.30am–4pm.

Price: Adults, £7.50–£13; Senior Citizen, £6.50–£12; Children, £4.50–£6.50; Family, £25–£40.

Contact details: Harewood House, Harewood, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 9LG. For information on events and exhibitions, plus the range of specialist garden tours run by Trevor Nicholson, visit www.harewood.org or call +44 (0) 113 218 1010.

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RENISHAW HALL GARDENS

Q Home of the Sitwell family Q One of the most important classical Italianate gardens in Britain Q Ornamental ponds, spectacular fountains, secret garden rooms, classical statues, overflowing borders and long vistas all feature strongly in these totally unique gardens “The most exciting place I know” Rex Whistler Gallery Café / Gift Shop / Exhibition / Sitwell Museum Open Thurs–Sun & Bank Holiday Mondays until 26 September Renishaw Hall / Renishaw / Sheffield / S21 3WB 01246 432310 / www.renishaw-hall.co.uk

A place to lose yourself, a place to relax and revive...

Harewood’s Award-winning Gardens

visit: www.harewood.org

tel: 0113 218 1010

BACK TO BASICS Always wanted to grow your own fruit and vegetables? Gardeners’ World editor, Adam Pasco, offers a how-to guide for getting back to garden basics

By Hannah Stephenson

E

ver tried to grow tomatoes and ended up with a load of inedible misshapen green lumps? Well, you’re not alone. We might boast about how greenfingered we are as a nation and have our names on the allotment waiting list, but, judging from research, it’s about time we went back to basics

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as far as growing our own fruit and vegetables is concerned.

Despite the rising popularity of the ‘grow-your-own’ movement, the majority of the population is in the dark about what time of year to plant some of the most popular fruit and veg, according to research by Gardeners’ World magazine.

Do you know exactly when to sow your runner beans, plant your onions and harden off tomatoes, or the best time for planting fruit trees and bushes?

Nearly 2,000 readers were asked about the best time to plant 20 of the most popular crops. More than 50 per cent of those surveyed either

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All pictures: Copyright Press Association

had no idea or were incorrect on 9 out of 10 fruits listed and 6 out of 10 vegetables. This suggests a great deal more support will be needed if the nation’s growers are to get the best results.

Adam Pasco, editor of Gardeners’ World magazine, says: “It is perhaps not surprising that there is a great deal of ignorance about when to plant and grow, particularly given the 24/7 availability of so many vegetables and fruit in supermarkets.

“Perhaps this is also a reason many people are not as successful as they might be when giving it a go, but with the right knowledge, the results can be sensational.”

The research found that people

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were least knowledgeable about plums, with just 1 in 5 aware that October and November are the planting months, while only 30 per cent knew that the best time for planting blueberries is between October and March. And despite the popularity of growing raspberries in the UK, only 35 per cent knew when to plant them.

People had the most knowledge about strawberries, with more than half getting the planting season between March and September right.

Fruits which are best planted between October and March include apples, blackberries and tayberries, blackcurrants, cherries, gooseberries, elderberries, quince, red and whitecurrants.

With vegetables, only 26 per cent of people surveyed knew that May and June were the right months to plant out runner beans.

Onions and tomatoes were the vegetables people knew most about planting, sowing onions outdoors between February and June and planting outdoor tomato plants in May and June.

Veg which can be sown outdoors from March onwards, depending on region (if you live in a cooler spot you may want to leave them until April) include beetroot, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbages, leeks, peas and salad leaves.

Those who want to sow some early veg can do so indoors, with the

help of products such as heated propagators, self-watering seed starting systems and light systems in which seed trays sit beneath a hood of fluorescent bulbs which provide the light needed for healthy vigorous growth.

Pasco says: “Many salads, herbs and crops can be sown indoors on a warm, bright windowsill or in a greenhouse. The earliest sowings during February and March will benefit from extra warmth that can be provided by using a small electric propagator, while keen gardeners can benefit from larger models providing greater space and temperature control.

“By April and May weather conditions will have warmed up, and electric propagators are no longer essential, but remember that the later a crop is sown the later it will develop and mature.

“Even early outdoor sowings made during March and April will benefit from cloche or fleece covering to both warm the soil and provide shelter from cold conditions, especially at night.”

So take inspiration gardeners and budding allotment owners, and grow your own!

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to the future Once a neglected kitchen garden occupied by Christmas trees and sheep, Scampston Walled Garden has become a triumph of contemporary design and a 21st century plantsmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise, Hannah Stephenson discovers

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magine nine separate rooms, all contemporary, some with classic twists, all with a different feel, a different ambience. Then take that concept outside.

This tapestry of riches is what has been created at Scampston Walled Garden, in Malton, North Yorkshire, a four-and-a-half acre 18th century treasure which has been transformed from a neglected old eyesore into a sight for sore eyes.

Scampston will appeal to both traditional plant-lovers and to those who appreciate designs that push the boundaries, mixing contemporary concepts with superb plantsmanship and featuring an array of unusual plants for the more discerning visitor.

The garden, which is divided into nine rooms separated by formal beech hedging, is the brain child of Sir Charles and Lady Caroline Legard, who, in 1994, inherited the family home Scampston Hall. Built in 1690, the house is set in a glorious

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landscape of Capability Brown parkland complete with serpentine lake, Palladian bridges and mature oak trees.

Once the house had been completely renovated and opened to the public, Lady Legard, a keen gardener, turned her attention to the garden.

“The old walled garden was completely derelict and you could see it from the upstairs window,” she recalls. “There were Christmas trees growing in most of it, along with a few sheep grazing on the land.

“Being a passionate gardener, every time I looked out on to the ghastly tip, I said to my husband, ‘this is really a wasted asset’.”

It was originally a thriving Victorian kitchen garden, where a staff of 22 gardeners tended fruit and vegetables . But Lady Legard set her sights on transforming the plot into a contemporary garden that would be more attractive to the public.

Aerial View

With a background in interior design and some years working for the National Trust, she had the experience to create a good decorative but contemporary garden.

“It’s important to move forward with design,” she says. “With time, design and fashion evolve.”

The award-winning Dutch designer Piet Oudolf, one of the leading figures in a movement known as ‘new wave planting’, was brought in to help realise the dream.

“Piet has the talent to make a garden flow seamlessly without

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Perennial Meadow in summer Picture: Copyright Andrew Lawson

looking like any effort has been made – yet everything is carefully structured,” Lady Legard explains.

“He has used yew and box hedges and redbrick, all the things that sit well within the walls of this kitchen garden.”

The walled garden he has created contains seemingly informal planting, but is highly controlled, mixing perennials with grasses to create a fluidity that looks like the plants have been there forever. There are surprises at every turn as you venture from room to room; one minute a sea of colour, the next minimal green areas highlighted with topiary or punctuated with swathes of wavy grass.

Make your way along the Plantsman’s Walk, an avenue of 200 limes and beech hedges a quarter of a mile long and 12ft wide, running along the perimeter of three sides of the garden, providing an interesting boundary to the different compartments within.

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Plantsman’s Walk

In the dappled shade of the limes is a long border of perennials and shrubs including peonies, hydrangeas, viburnums, hostas, corylopsis, grasses, hellebores, edgeworthia and an array of other interesting species, along with an assortment of bulbs including scilla peruviana, fritillaria and tulips.

Repeat planting of cloudy box and other shrubs creates a rhythm to the scene. Look out for Paeonia rockii, rare shrubs and woodlanders.

Inside the Silent Garden you’ll find 24 circular columns of yew sitting on top of square box bases in geometric rows around a square pool of water.

Some say they look like architectural columns in a church; many visitors simply sit on a bench to appreciate the shadows cast as the sun moves over these structural gems.

Next door is another surprise.

Drifts of Grass provides an amazing display of symmetry and form with diagonal waves of Molinia caerulea ‘Poul Petersen’ running through a closely-mown lawn. By mid-August tall flower spikes give a dramatic sense of movement, waving in the breeze.

“By autumn the molinia has gone brown but it’s planted in waves between traditional green lawn grass Relaxing in the drifts of grass in summer

so it looks really fantastic,” says Lady Legard.

Then there’s the Serpentine Garden, so-called because the six hedges of clipped yew are planted in waves horizontally but also have wavy tops when they are clipped.

Colour is provided by the surrounding borders of mixed shrubs and herbaceous plants.

The high point for many visitors is a stunning Perennial Meadow in the centre of the walled garden and in front of the conservatory, which becomes a colourful spectacle in summer with such rich gems as salvia, rudbeckia, phlomis, sedum, knautia and monarda, mixed with flowing ornamental grasses.

You can sit on the low wooden seats on brick paved circles in the centre of each of the four beds to appreciate the vast array of colourful plants at head height, which makes you feel totally engulfed in the perennials. Everything looks so natural, yet it has all been so carefully and strategically placed.

There are also two narrow gardens, the Spring Box Garden and the Summer Box Garden, each with a line of box cubes down its centre which will, later on, be clipped into concave and convex sculpture.

Picture: Copyright Press Association

The whole garden is tended by head gardener Paul Smith, working with a small team which propagates the plants. When the garden was first started, they bought far fewer plants than were actually needed. They bought 50 molinia and propagated 6,000, purchased 10 Astrantia ‘Claret’, but needed 500. It took four years to raise enough plants to fill the spaces and open to the public in 2004.

Low maintenance was fundamental to Lady Legard’s vision.

“To me, it was really important not to have a labour intensive garden that was in a 1930’s style. I’m not saying I don’t love Sissinghurst, Hidcote and Newby, because I do, but they are possibly more labour intensive. There’s no staking and

deadheading, tidying up and bedding out.”

In Scampston, you won’t see a stake apart from those propping up the sweet peas in the Cut Flower Garden, where they mix with more traditional plantings of roses, dahlias, peonies, salvias, alliums and agapanthus. Lady Legard calls it an Edwardian throwback, dedicated to growing flowers which will look good in the house.

But for the most part, tall plants are being propped up by other plants, they all support each other in a seamless way.

“My plants have to look after themselves,” she says. “Piet’s great saying was that plants have to grow gracefully, live gracefully and die gracefully. It works very well.”

The ideal viewpoint from which to see the bold designs in each individual garden is the Mount, a 5m dramatic grass pyramid which offers great views over the hedged enclosures and to the park and house beyond. In spring, camassias, fritillarias and leucojums emerge from the long grass around the mount.

With so many plants to see, it’s wise to spend 50p on a plant identification list which names not only the plants (numbered around the garden) but also their locations.

Plants propagated by the gardeners are for sale at the entrance and if you can’t find what you’re looking for, a personalised propagation service is available, so just make your order.

While you’re deciding, have a cuppa or lunch in the Garden Restaurant, which features seasonal produce grown in the walled garden’s vegetable area.

“People often say to me, ‘When’s the best time to visit?’ But there’s always something in flower and something interesting to look at,” says Lady Legard. “The great thing about Piet’s planting is that it comes into effect at the end of May and carries on right throughout the year.”

HIGHLIGHTS: MUST-SEE PLANTS Among Lady Legard’s favourite

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Perovskia in the Perennial Meadow Picture: Copyright John Glover

Information Opening times: April 2 to October 31: 10am–5pm (closed Mondays, except Bank Holidays).

Price: Adults £5; Children (12–16) £2.50; Under-12s free.

Contact details: The Walled Garden at Scampston, Scampston Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 8NG. For more information about Scampston, including times and dates for guided walks by head gardener Paul Smith, visit www.scampston.co.uk or phone +44 (0) 1944 759111.

plants is the Oriental poppy, Papaver ‘Karine’, which can be found in the Spring Box Border. This early summer beauty bears large, pale pink flowers held on stems that reach a height of 2-3ft. The delicate, single flowers are open and shallowcupped with petals that shrug off rain. But look further into the plant and you will see the inner blotching of beetroot purple, stretching outwards like ink on blotting paper, turning maroon as it diffuses and bringing the pale pink contrasting petals to life. It is planted in Scampston Walled Garden alongside deep blue iris.

Spring box border Picture: Copyright A Bainache

In the heart of the little explored Yorkshire Wolds, the glorious Sledmere House gardens have far more to offer than just a breathtaking display of daffodils

he Wolds often plays third fiddle to the more famous Dales and Moors when visitors make their way to Yorkshire.

But to miss a treat such as the gardens at Sledmere House would be a real shame.

The Sykes family has been in residence on the site since 1748 when Mark Kirkby left the estate to his nephew, Richard Sykes of Hull. While Richard laid the first stone of the ‘new’ house at Sledmere in June 1751, it was his grandson, Sir Christopher Sykes, who had the greatest influence on the grounds and gardens.

Sir Christopher adapted and carried through plans of the ubiquitous Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, a landscape gardener immensely sought after by aristocracy at the time. Some say he was so proficient, it’s difficult to find a prominent country house that didn’t have a garden designed by him.

However Sledmere head gardener Brian Hutchinson is careful not to refer to it as a Capability Brown landscape.

“Lancelot was involved with some plans initially during his period of landscaping many estates around the

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country. But then Sir Christopher took the reigns and finished the landscape himself. So it’s a Capability Brown-inspired landscape instead!”

Looking south up the gentle hillside, with a fountain in the foreground and deer grazing in the distance, the stamp of Brown is clear to see. A ‘ha-ha’ – a sunken wall that provides a barrier from one direction – marks the end of the garden and prevents the deer wandering too close to the house.

But don’t be fooled by the lack of colour: a Brown landscape is characterised by its dominance of native trees – mainly beech, oak, sycamore, chestnuts and lime at Sledmere.

If Sir Christopher’s adaption laid the foundations for the landscape, then the present incumbent Sir Tatton Sykes is keen to provide the decoration.

Daffodils of scores of varieties are in abundance across the grounds in the spring. And, according to Brian, there are lots more to come. “I say to Sir Tatton at the end of spring each year, ‘are we going to plant anymore in the autumn?’ And he usually says, ‘yes, we can’t have too many!’”

Four tonnes of daffodils have already been planted. Between 30 or 40 varieties in patches that add up to more than an acre’s coverage provide continuity of bloom for much longer than you would expect.

A parterre – a group of flower

Orchard walkway in the 18th century Octagonal Walled Garden Picture: Copyright Press Association

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Mediterranean Garden Picture: Copyright Press Association

Sundial in the 18th century Octagonal Walled Garden Picture: Copyright Press Association

Picture: Copyright Press Association

beds laid in a formal pattern in front of the west wing of the house adds more than a splash of colour. “It’s bedded out for the summertime,” says Brian. “We do change it every year; we don’t do two years the same.”

Now aged 77, Brian, previously head gardener at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, and his team of three, have responsibility for all the landscaped grounds at Sledmere House. Their most intense work takes place just a short walk from the house in the Walled Garden and its surrounding land.

Enclosed by a nine-foot high, eight-sided brick wall, there’s plenty to explore in the two-and-a-half acre plot with areas of herbaceous plants,

Head Gardener Brian Hutchinson Picture: Copyright Press Association

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a large green house, an apple tree border and several rose beds.

“We planted the round rose beds about nine years ago. We re-soiled it and planted Gertrude Jekyll roses which flower at the end of June and into July. Sir Tatton had seen a garden where the long branches had been pegged down. So we tried it in one bed at first and it worked very well.”

As you would expect, the lawns – which Brian invites visitors to walk on – are immaculate. And a summer house that was previously locked to the public is now open, thanks to Brian’s insistence. There you can find comfy wicker chairs. It’s the perfect place to rest weary legs after a walk around the estate.

Through a door on the west wall is the Rose Garden. It’s a top priority on Brian’s to-do list. “It’s not necessarily the most popular area but people have a thing about roses when they visit stately homes,” he says. “They’re almost part of the furniture. We have eight different varieties of rose.” At either end is the McCartney Rose, a beautiful deep lilac pink flower with a strong fragrance.

Return to the Walled Garden and the central pathway, covered by clematis, honeysuckle, ivy and golden-leaved hop trees, looks even more dramatic. Climb to the top, you’ll find a small vegetable plot. It isn’t intended to feed the estate but acts as a link with the past, says Brian. “We’ve decided to do this as an education project because of the interest in growing your own vegetables. Although it’s not on a large scale it gives people an incentive to give it a try.

“There are onions, peas and beans, spinach, potatoes, beetroot; then greens of cauliflowers and cabbages, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and autumn fruit raspberries.”

Alongside the beautiful gardens, visitors can enjoy a range of activities at Sledmere House. Events taking place include outdoor theatre performances, a Teddy Bears’ picnic for children and vintage car rally.

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There’s also a good sized children’s playground for the kids to burn off any excess energy.

The Sledmere grounds and gardens are handsome in size – as you would expect for an estate such The potting shed Picture: Copyright Press Association

as this – but not overwhelming. And it’s worth taking extra time to explore to be sure you see everything tucked away in this special part of Yorkshire.

Chapel border Picture: Copyright Press Association

HIGHLIGHT: VICAR’S WALK Sledmere has an extensive collection of hostas, which thrive in cool, damp spots. For the best display of the plant’s ornamental foliage, take the Vicar’s Walk – a serene pathway at the south end of the Walled Garden.

It’s lined with tall trees and a high wall so feels like you’re in your very own secret garden.

It leads to the view of the old vicarage, which is now private accommodation. You can still see the door in the wall that the vicar would have used to reach the church.

Brian and his team has carried out extensive work here, planting lots of young trees and removing older ones since starting on the plot seven years ago. The former soil and weed path has now been cleaned up with gravel. It’s a must-see for visitors.

Information Opening times: 2 April to 26 September: Open daily (except Mondays and Saturdays), 10am–5pm. Open Bank Holiday Mondays.

Price: Adults £5; Children £2; RHS Members £4.50.

Contact details: Sledmere House, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 3XG. Visit www.sledmerehouse.com or call +44 (0) 1377 236637.

Entrance to the Walled Garden Picture: Copyright Press Association

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TURNER’S YORKSHIRE T

he county that the ‘painter of light’ loved to visit and spend time painting the unique landscapes. From castles and abbeys, to the rolling hills and dales, to the rugged coast, Turner was inspired by this contrasting landscape that offered so much to him as an artist. Take a step back in time and trace Turner’s locations on the Turner Trails through Yorkshire.

The main reason for Turner’s first trip to Yorkshire in 1797 was to visit Harewood House, home of the

Diser’scoorvksehirre Turn

Discover the landscapes that inspired one of Britain’s greatest artists

Richmond Castle - © The

DO THE TURNER TRAIL D

Trustees of the British Museum

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Lascelles family. His association with the flamboyant Edward Lascelles was to last 10 years. Edward had an interest in art, books and opera. He had already bought paintings from young and up-and-coming artists with a £300 gift from his father, Lord Harewood. He invited Turner, aged 22, to visit Harewood and paint six watercolours of the House and Castle. Most of these paintings remain in the Lascelles family, who still reside at Harewood.

Turner returned to Yorkshire fairly fre frequently during his life. In 1816, Tu Turner visited Yorkshire to make a tw month grand tour. He made over two 40 sketches of the landscape and 400 ce celebrated castles and country ho houses as part of the illustrations for th book ‘A General History of the the Co County of York’ by Thomas Dunham W Whitaker. This was Turner’s largest co commission yet; he was paid the co considerable sum of 3,000 guineas fo for his work.

T Turner visited more than seventy p places in Yorkshire, sketching and p painting the views from so many a angles. You can explore each of tthese sites and find out more a about Turner’s inspiration behind tthem at www. yorkshire.com/ tturner.

Follow the exciting developments to the Turner Trails by visiting the website, where you’ll find everything you need to know to plan a visit, including how to find Turner’s viewpoint and self-guided walking trails.

Why not follow in Turner’s footsteps and plan your trip by

Turner Trivia Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in 1775 in London and died in 1851.

Turner first exhibited his paintings at the Royal Academy at the age of 15.

He is considered the forefather of Impressionism.

He painted over 100 watercolours of the Yorkshire landscape.

Turner travelled round Yorkshire on horseback with his sketchbooks.

He made over 1,000 sketches of Yorkshire.

He made four grand tours of Yorkshire – his first in 1797, his last in 1831.

Turner loved fishing and he had an umbrella that converted into a fishing rod.

public transport. You’ll find all you need at yorkshire.com/travel.

TURNER ON VIEW There are a number of galleries in Yorkshire where you can see Turner’s original paintings.

For information on current exhibitions and permanent displays of Turner’s work, visit yorkshire.com/ turneronview

YORKSHIRE ON VIEW Why not explore more of Yorkshire’s visual art scene, from the Masters to contemporary – we’ve got them all.

Keep up to date with the best of Yorkshire’s visual arts at yorkshire.com/artistic.

Why not try the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Hepworth Wakefield and the Henry Moore Institute to whet your artistic appetite.

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Let us take you on a culinary journey of Yorkshire, to our finest gastronomical treasures. Where you’ll be introduced to Michelin starred chefs that have made this region their home and their inspiration. Discover their passion, sample their menu and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of their world-class restaurants.

We’ll supply the stunning accommodation, and the luxury excursions, to make this a truly unforgettable experience.

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Tessa Bramley/ Andrew Pern/ Simon Gueller/ Frances Atkins/ Steve Smith/ James McKenzie

RHUBARB ON THE MENU Try your hand at cooking our Michelin Star chef rhubarb dishes using Yorkshire rhubarb.

RHUBARB SEMI FREDO Frances Atkins, The Yorke Arms INGREDIENTS > 2 Egg Yolks > 28g oz Honey > 20g Sugar > 250g Semi Whipped Cream > 350g Cooked Rhubarb > 200g Sugar / 400g Water (Stock Syrup) > 90g Good Pistachio Paste > 125g Cream > 2 Leaves Gelatine > 225g Crème Fraiche Method A super dish to prepare in advance for a Dinner Party dessert. Chop the Rhubarb and place in oven with 200g Sugar and 400g Water (Stock Syrup).

Cook until a soft puree. Beat egg yolk, honey and sugar in a bowl over hot water until slightly thick to make a sabayon. Fold in Rhubarb and then semi whipped cream.

Place in lined Terrine Mould and freeze. For the Pistachio Cream warm the Cream and the Pistachio Paste together. Add the 2 Leaves of softened Gelatine. Cool and let set for fold in Crème Fraiche.

SET BUTTERMILK CREAM (SERVES 4) Steve Smith, The Devonshire Arms INGREDIENTS For the buttermilk cream > 500ml buttermilk

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> 50ml double cream > 50ml semi skimmed milk > 1 Madagascan vanilla pod 95g sugar > 2 leaves gelatine re-hydrated For the rhubarb granitee > 350g rhubarb > 2g juniper berries crushed > 85g castor sugar > 50ml water For the rhubarb espuma > 400 ml rhubarb juice > 100g water > 200g sugar > 3 gelatine leaves re -hydrated > 30g cream

boil. Allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Pour the solution into the rhubarb juice and freeze.

For the espuma place all the ingredients into a pan and warm through to dissolve the gelatine and sugar. Allow to completely cool.

Transfer 500ml of liquid to a ½ ltre isi canister and charge with 1 n2o bulb.

To serve Spoon some granitee on to the set cream .

Place the Espuma over the granitee and serve.

RHUBARB COMPOTE Method Cut the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds from it.

Place them into a pan with the double cream, semi skimmed milk and sugar. Place the pan on the stove and warm the ingredients through to dissolve the sugar. Add the gelatine and make sure it is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and add the buttermilk. Pour the contents of the pan into a bowl.

Place this bowl over ice to cool the mixture.

Whisk the mixture every so often to stop the vanilla from sinking to the bottom. When it begins to set, spoon the mixture in to your serving glasses. 80g is sufficient for a dessert. Place this into the fridge and allow to completely set.

For the rhubarb Granitee juice the rhubarb and reserve.

Place the sugar, juniper and water in a pan and bring to the

Simon Gueller, The Box Tree INGREDIENTS > 500g Yorkshire rhubarb washed, trimmed and chopped > 100g caster sugar > Juice of ½ fresh orange Zest of one orange > 20g Grated fresh ginger > Seeds from one scraped vanilla pod Method Put all the ingredients in a pan.

Put a lid on the pan and bring to the boil for a few minutes. Remove the lid and simmer until you get a thick jammy consistency.

About halfway through the cooking time, taste the compote to see if it is sweet enough and add a dash more sugar if necessary.

Cool & store in the fridge.

FORCED YORKSHIRE RHUBARB TRIFLE (MAKES 4 GLASSES) James McKenzie, The Pipe & Glass INGREDIENTS For the rhubarb > 10 Sticks of forced Yorkshire rhubarb > Caster sugar > Grenadine > 3 leaves gelatine For the pastry cream > 250ml milk, > 4 egg yolks > 65g castor sugar > ½ vanilla pod (split) > 1 knob of ginger For the chantilly cream > 500ml double cream > ½ vanilla pod (split) > Toasted almonds > Icing sugar > 4 pieces of ‘Parkin’ or ginger cake > Rum For the parkin > 200g self raising flour > 4 tsp ground ginger > 2 tsp ground nutmeg > 2 tsp ground mixed spice > 150g oats > 200g syrup > 50g black treacle > 200g butter > 200g soft dark brown sugar > 2 eggs (beaten) For the East Yorkshire sugar cakes > 250g melted butter > 125g castor sugar > 375g plain flour

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> 2 nutmeg grated > 10 cloves – crushed to a powder Method To make the parkin heat the syrup, butter, treacle and sugar in a large sauce pan.

Then add the flour, oats, eggs and mix. Pour into a grease proof lined baking tray and cook for 10–12 minutes @ 160˚C. Remove from oven and cool in tray.

Cut the forced rhubarb into 2 inch pieces and place in deep baking tray, pour approximately 100ml of water over. Sprinkle with castor sugar, depending on how sweet you want it, then pour 4–6 dashes of grenadine over and cover with tin foil.

Bake in the oven @ 180˚C for about 10–15 minutes until just poached. Remove tray from oven and cool leaving the rhubarb in the poaching liquor.

When the rhubarb has cooled pour off the poaching liquid into a sauce pan and reduce to a syrup, then cool.

For the sugar cakes mix all the ingredients together into a dough then roll into a thick sausage shape, rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Take from the fridge and cut into rounds 1cm thick. Bake like biscuits on a none stick oven tray for 10 minutes at 170˚C. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the custard whisk the egg yolks and sugar, add the flour and whisk. Bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla and ginger, pour over the egg mix. Whisk and return to the pan, cook over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes constantly stirring with a wooden spoon.

Pour the cooked custard mix into a bowl and cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming.

Cool in refrigerator. Whip the double cream with 50g of icing sugar and the vanilla seeds to soft peal. Fold 1/3 of the whipped Chantilly cream through the custard.

To make the trifles crumble

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some parkin into the bottom of a glass and pour on some rum – as much as desired!!! Stir in the gelatine into the rhubarb liquor , then spoon in some of the poached rhubarb and jelly mix. Set in the fridge. Spoon in the custard, then spoon or pipe some of the cream on top.

Finish with the rhubarb syrup, toasted almonds and a dusting of icing sugar.

If you don’t want to make the parkin you could use some bought ginger cake.

Serve with the sugar cakes.

‘LOOSE BIRDS’ (SERVES 4) Andrew Pern, The Star Inn INGREDIENTS For the duck > 4 duck legs > 1 ltr duck fat > 1 star anise > 1 bayleaf > 4 duck chipolatas > 2 duck breasts > A little white wine vinegar > 300g duck foie gras For the rhubarb > 2 sticks forced rhubarb > 200ml stock syrup > Zest and juice of 1 orange For the Yorkshire sauce > 1 orange > 200ml red wine > 150g sugar > 100g redcurrant jelly > 100ml duck jus For the mash > 500g mashed potato > 100g butter > 100ml cream > 10g lemon thyme

Next cut the forced Yorkshire rhubarb into 4cm long, 1cm thick batons and poach in simmering stock syrup, with the orange zest and juice added, for approximately 4-5 minutes or until tender.

Once the duck legs have cooled down, split the thigh and the drumstick, then put onto a baking tray. Boil the potatoes, drain and mash. Reduce 100g of butter and 100ml cream by half and add to the mash. Season.

Add the lemon thyme leaves and keep warm. Grill the chipolatas until just cooked and put on the baking tray with the leg and thigh.

Pan-fry the duck breasts until the skin is crispy but still there. Place on the tray and then in a preheated oven at 190°C for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, reheat the mash and put into a piping bag, poach the duck eggs in simmering water with a little white wine vinegar for about 3 minutes, keep warm. Pan-fry the foie gras until it becomes spongy. Pipe 5 turrets of mash around the outside of the plate and 1 in the centre. Place each ingredient on one of the mashed potato turrets, slice and save the duck breast for the centre of the plate, drizzle the Yorkshire sauce around and over the dish ingredients. Place 3 or 4 of the warm rhubarb batons around the plate and serve immediately.

GOLDEN ROAST FILLET OF COD Tessa Bramley, The Old Vicarage

Method Confit the duck legs in the duck fat with the star anise and bayleaf in an oven for 2½ hours at 140°C. Peel the orange and cut the peel into julienne strips removing all the white.

Place in a pan with the red wine, sugar and redcurrant jelly. Juice the left-over orange and add to the pan as well. Reduce until it becomes syrup, and add the duck jus.

INGREDIENTS > 4 x thick pieces of cod fillet about 175g / 6oz each – skinned and pin-boned > 4 tbsp. olive oil > Freshly milled black peppercorns > Freshly ground sea salt > 250g pale pink stems of forced rhubarb – topped, tailed and sliced fairly thinly

> 1 tablespoon caster sugar > 3 whole pieces of star anise > 2 tablespoons water > 150ml / 1/4 pt well flavoured fish stock > 150ml / 1/4 pt rhubarb puree > 30/45g unsalted chilled butter > Oven temp 225C, gas mark 7 Method Make the puree by cooking the rhubarb with the sugar and water. Break the star anise into 2 or 3 pieces to release the flavour and add to the rhubarb. Cook gently until the fruit has broken down to a pulp. Pass through a fine sieve to remove any strands of fruit and the spices to leave a clear bright pink puree.

Put the cod pieces in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the underside of the fish with the pepper and salt. Sprinkle the top side with the olive oil patting it into the flesh of the fish.

Pre-heat a heavy frying pan until evenly hot.

Sear the fish in the hot pan for about 3 minutes (serving side down) until a crust has formed. Lift the pieces carefully using a palette knife and put right side up onto a roasting tray. The serving side of the fish will have a lovely crisp golden topping.

Put the cod into the preheated oven for 3 or 4 minutes until just cooked but moist in the middle. You will have to check this because the exact time does depend on how thick your pieces are. The fish will ooze a creamy liquor when it is done.

Meanwhile, pour the fish stock into a pan and reduce by half to concentrate the flavours.

Add the rhubarb puree.

Whisk the chilled butter into the liquor until the sauce thickens and takes on a gloss.

Check the seasoning.

I like to serve the fish sitting on creamy chive mash with the sauce poured round and some sprouting broccoli on the side.

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BIODIVERISTY, WILDLIFE AND YOUR GARDEN…

By Elizabeth Balmforth, Curator at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate

W

hat does Biodiveristy mean? Well essentially it is described as the variation of species on the planet, anything from lichens to birds, insects to plants, and the habitats they depend upon to survive. Our gardens are protected havens for wildlife, sheltering insects, animals and plants.

‘Protecting biodiversity is in our self-interest. Biological resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. Nature’s products support such diverse industries as agriculture, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, horticulture, construction and waste

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treatment. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions.’ *(Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity 2010).

What you or I consider to be a small contribution, multiplied, can make a vast difference to the everpresent, and very rapid worldwide deterioration of eco-systems and habitat loss (1000 times the natural rate). So here are a few ideas to get you started and support a diversity of species in your garden.

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DELAY CUTTING BACK… The main breeding season for nesting birds is between March and August so try to avoid cutting your hedge or any trees back in that time.

An old wall or fence covered with late flowering Ivy blooming into November even in shade, is a great source of nectar for hoverflies, tortoiseshell butterflies, bees, wasps and you may even see the pupae and caterpillars of the holly blue butterfly, which only feeds on ivy at this time.

Similarly if you have a berrying hedge such as a Crateagus (Hawthorn) or Viburnum opulus, allow wildlife to get the maximum gain from that food source before pruning.

Perennials and seed heads left uncut after flowering can provide a much needed shelter for wildlife, at Harlow Carr we leave our deciduous ornamental grasses to overwinter, providing homes for moths and other insects, not to mention the pleasure of seeing the beautiful silhouettes of grasses covered in frost on a winters morning.

MOTHS, BEES, BUTTERFLIES, POLLINATING INSECTS Draw bees and butterflies into your garden by choosing nectar rich and pollen rich planting combinations, consider your soil type and position.

In hot dry sites bees are particularly attracted to blue, violet, white, purple and yellow colours, plants such as Sedum, Eryngium, Salvia, Sedum, Lavandula are favourites.

Butterflies adore Verbena bonariensis and Origanum (majoram). Moths such as the Elephant Hawk are attracted to Oenothera biennis (Evening Primrose), and where moth life is abundant bats are likely to follow, you’ll find they are a welcome predator in your garden eating up to 3500 insects in one night!

In shade Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) attracts moths known as the Lesser Yellow Underwing and the Foxglove Pug, whilst Pulmonaria and Ajuga attract pollinators early in the season. If you are lucky enough to be able to apportion an area to

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RHS and Sedum Herbstfreude Group

reasonably dry meadow in your garden, aim to introduce Lady’s Bedstraw (Gallium verum) and you will be rewarded by a vast range of foraging moths including the Small Elephant Hawk, Bedstraw Hawk, Archer’s Dart, Riband Wave, Hummingbird Hawk and Beech Green Carpet Moth. Other suggestions for a damper site and which we include in newly seeded areas at Harlow Carr are Cardamine pratensis (Cuckoo Flower), Lychnis flos-cuculi (ragged robin) and Lunaria annua (honesty) from native UK sources.

Wall trained fruit, Lonicera (honeysuckle), Rosa canina, Rubus Fruticosus, Cotoneaster and Hydrangea petiolaris can all provide good nesting sites and nectar/pollen rich sources.

For more information on planting for specific areas and conditions, including container planting and pots visit the RHS Website www.rhs. org.uk/plants4bugs.

BIRDS, BATS & INSECTS Creating roosting sites for bats, pipistrelles your most likely visitor, as well as nesting boxes for birds are one of the simplest ways to encourage wildlife into your garden.

It is estimated that 2 million fledglings are reared in nestboxes each year.

To maximise the numbers of different bird species that you attract to your garden, it is a good idea to

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Habitat Stack Picture: Copyright Jon Enoch

Picture: Copyright Neil Hepworth

cater to their different feeding habits and choose the appropriate seed.

Food cast onto the ground will attract dunnocks, thrushes, blackbirds and wrens whilst hanging bird feeders attract finches, tits and sparrows. Bird tables will attract the gardeners companion, the robin, as well as bullfinches, bramblings and greenfinches.

Give consideration also to your choice of nest box, as they are designed relevant to the species, for example the sociable sparrow prefers to nest in a terrace box. The BTO Nestbox Guide which covers 20 common species that frequently nest in boxes, details their ecology as well as the best types of nest box to erect for them, the guide also includes

Picture: Copyright Tim Sandall

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information on larger species like tawny owls, jackdaws and kestrels. www.bto.org and to buy species specific nest boxes visit www. jacobijayne.co.uk

HABITAT PILES, HEDGEHOGS, LADYBIRDS & LACEWINGS If you can find somewhere to mound a pile of logs, it could just be prunings from old trees and twigs, it will provide an almost instant habitat for hedgehogs and insects, adding some leaf litter will also attract toads.

Placing it in a shady spot so it remains damp is also beneficial.

Providing a home for lacewings is often something which is overlooked, the female lacewing can lay around 300 eggs, each of the developing larvae can consume anything between 1000 and 10000 aphids in their lifetime, providing a nesting box to aid hibernation in winter will reward you as they emerge in spring to lay eggs which will help control your aphid population.

Encouraging hedgehogs into the garden is another form of pest control, they can consume around 200 grams of insects every night, slugs and snails being a particular favourite.

Whether you choose to build your own hedgehog house or buy one, ensure the entrance does not face north or north east so as to encourage nesting, place a house with it’s back to a fence or against a wall and perhaps leave some scrub around the house to allow them to

forage in cover. Hedgehogs can die from ingesting slug pellets so try to avoid using any form of poison in the garden; and as they like to roam between gardens, sometimes over a mile a night, cut a hole 4-5 inches square in your fence line so they are able to come and go from your garden. Hedgehogs hibernate between October and April, and can be rather noisy if their sleep is disturbed! But don’t be surprised if they come out of hibernation temporarily to forage for food.

PONDS, FROGS & DAMSELFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES In the last 100 years the countryside in the UK has lost 70% of it’s ponds.

To create a new pond is one of the best things you can do to enhance wildlife and biodiversity in your garden. A pond can support a wide range of invertebrates from pond skaters and damselflies to water beetles and boatmen. Amphibians colonise new ponds very quickly and that indication effectively tells you when they are ready to move in, as opposed to introducing anything yourself, as this has the potential to introduce disease.

Gently sloping sides to a pond really help many invertebrates to get in and out of the pond, especially frogs, toads and even hedgehogs given their tendency to fall in, placing a small ladder in can often be a solution. Damselfly and dragonfly larvae seek cover in marginal pond plantings, the nymphs of dragon and

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Picture: Copyright Press Associationul Bullivant

damselflies climb their way out of the pond picking a stem of a plant, and emerge from their skins as adults. The adult dragonfly likes to eat mayflies, gnats, mosquitoes and small flying insects and sometimes bees, they in turn are a good food source for birds (Wagtails and Hobby (Falco subbuteo), frogs, toads and even spiders catching then in their webs.

The large red damsel fly is often the first to be seen in spring, one way to tell the difference between a dragon and damsel fly is by noting if their wings are resting along their bodies as opposed to outspread like a dragon fly.

For information on creating a Wildlife pond go to www.bto.org or rhs.org.uk At Harlow Carr we seek to promote sustainable design and are very aware that for a garden to succeed, it must be a part of the

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surrounding landscape, working with the prevailing conditions, rather than against them. This is the key principle behind the development and management of the garden. Careful gardening techniques not only reflect our respect for the environment, allowing wildlife to flourish, but also ensure that what we do is accessible and relevant to domestic gardeners.

Come and visit the garden and find out more at www.rhs.org.uk/ harlowcarr

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WHEN SCHRUBS NEED SWITCHING

U

nless you’re a gardening expert, it’s unlikely that you’ll always plant shrubs in the perfect spot first time round. If your borders are looking overcrowded or a badly-placed plant is suffering, it could be time to switch your shrubs around.

But don’t panic and start pulling plants out from every flower bed by their leaves! Uprooting plants is easy enough as long as you know what you’re doing.

Set aside a day in the garden and have a good look at where everything is and how it’s doing.

You’ll soon spot any plants which need to be moved.

with as much root as possible and then replant elsewhere straight away.

However, mature shrubs need more TLC, and you’re best moving them after a bout of rain, with a helping hand from a friend or neighbour if the plant is really large.

Make sure your new planting hole, which should be slightly larger than the rootball, is dug and prepared with the addition of plenty of organic matter forked into the soil before you lift the shrub that needs to be moved.

If the stems or branches are straggly and unwieldy, tie them loosely with string and make a wide circle with your spade at least 30cm

Need to shuffle some plants around in your garden? Follow Hannah Stephenson’s guide to transplanting made easy.

The best time to transplant shrubs is while they are dormant, between late autumn and early spring. The earth needs to be soft enough to dig and not too wet, so choose a day when the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged.

It’s important that you cause as little trauma to the plant as possible, which is easier with small shrubs or herbaceous perennials that just need watering thoroughly first – dig up

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away from the shrub. Dig a deep trench following the line of the circle and carefully loosen the earth around the ball of the roots, gently forking excess earth away from the mass.

Then dig your spade under the rootball, levering it gently, little by little, around the whole shrub. The aim is to retain as large a rootball as possible, although you may lose some of the roots in the process.

When you are able to move the

All pictures: Copyright Press Association

shrub, tilt it to one side and slide a length of sacking or plastic sheeting under the rootball. Tilt the shrub the other way and pull the sacking through from underneath.

Wrap the sacking around the whole rootball and tie it securely, which will help keep it intact when you move it.

When you’ve put it in its new position, unwrap the sacking and place the shrub at its original depth, filling the area in with soil and compost and firming it in well, making sure that you get rid of any air pockets. Then water thoroughly, adding a little liquid feed to the water to encourage the plant’s roots to re-establish themselves, and mulch with organic matter.

Many shrubs are easy to move, especially the ones with fibrous roots that don’t push deep into the soil.

Those with thicker and fewer tap roots are more difficult to move as you are more in danger of breaking the roots, although they can be moved if you take care.

Those easiest to move include camellia, Mexican orange blossom (Choisya ternata), dogwood, heather, eleagnus, forsythia, hebe, hydrangea, kerria, rosemary, potentilla, Spiraea japonica and rhododendron.

Shrubs which hate being moved include ceanothus, holly, eucalyptus, Spanish broom, ribes (flowering currant), lilac, winter-flowering jasmine and weigela.

If plants suffer stress such as leaf drop when you have moved them, don’t consign them to the compost heap too soon because they may recover in time.

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BEAT THE CHILL Leading garden historian Toby Musgrave offers his top tips for entertaining outdoors and keeping warm on cool evenings

N

othing beats a lazy summer evening, enjoying a good meal and a bottle of wine with friends in the garden, but why should entertaining outdoors be restricted to summer?

Whether it’s a crisp autumn evening or a chilly summer night, unless it’s absolutely chucking it down or blowing a gale, there’s no reason why you can’t have a really good night outdoors.

So don’t follow the crowd and fall back on the dining room. With some

careful preparation, it’s possible to embrace al fresco dining all year round.

Rather than just sitting, chatting and feeling the chill, your best bet is to have a hot meal outside, as this involves plenty of moving about, which can help keep you warm.

As well as providing a good spread, you’ll need to make a few additional provisions.

All pictures: Copyright Press Association

If the clocks have gone back, it will probably be dark outside, so lighting is essential to see what you’re cooking and eating and to prevent accidents.

Invest in some lanterns or solar-powered lights for the garden.

You can plant them in the ground around the area you’re eating.

They’re available from most garden centres and will help create a magical atmosphere.

It’s obviously important to keep warm, so wrap up, put a few cushions on the garden furniture, and sit with a blanket over your knees.

Remember to tell your guests that you will be dining al fresco and to come suitably attired!

If you can afford it, perhaps buy a patio heater, which should have you snug in no time. You can usually find them for around £100 and they’ll

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make a huge difference to your outdoor entertaining options.

If you want to impress your friends and add an interesting feature to your garden, why not go for a chimenea? The iconic-shaped clay wood burning stoves chuck out plenty of heat and can also be used to cook on.

Alternatively, kick-start bonfire season and encourage your guests to warm their hands around the fire.

It could also come in handy for cooking jacket potatoes wrapped in tin foil or toasting marshmallows for dessert – particularly fun if your guests include children.

Before your guests arrive, think about details including how you’re going to dress the table. Use a bunch of seasonal flowers or foliage as a centerpiece and liven up the atmosphere with red tableware.

Plenty of candles will make the table look pretty and they’re also handy for giving off warmth. Just make sure you don’t go mad with them and create a fire hazard!

Then it’s a matter of cooking – sure, you can do all that indoors and bring out the food, but there is something rather nice about cooking and eating outside, especially if the cooking involves the sight of naked flames.

Combined with the darkness, it creates the illusion of a time when we lived in caves, the microwave was millennia away, and life was hard. So treat yourself to a really good feast, with lots of hot food cooked on a barbecue or an outdoor oven, and wash it all down with a warm drink.

Barbecues are easy to get your hands on, but if money’s tight, you should be able to find disposable ones relatively cheaply. Alternatively, opt for a stand alone gas stove, which you can use for keeping stews warm and then serving, or dig out the fondue set. As long as it’s not blowing a gale, all the fun of dipping your own food in that gooey mess of cheese will certainly turn up the heat for your friends.

The main thing to remember when entertaining outdoors beyond the summer months is that you tend to cook and eat earlier. So once everything has been cleared away, there’s still time to dash to the local pub and warm up properly – a good night all round!

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YEAR OF STAR PLANTS

JANUARY

MARCH

Star Plant: Hellebore The subtle, delicate flowers of this pretty winter plant belie the fact that it’s a tough little charmer which can survive poor conditions although it prefers a moist, humus-rich soil. The Corsican hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) grows up to 1.2m and produces pendant green flowers, which open in late winter, while the smaller H. niger, also known as the Christmas rose, bears white flowers sometimes flushed with pink, on short stems, which tend to be upturned rather than nodding. Hellebores are best planted in groups at the front of a partially shady mixed border, or beneath deciduous shrubs among spring-flowering bulbs. Large clumps can be divided after flowering.

Star Plant: Muscari (Grape hyacinth) These pint-sized bulbs in shades of blue and white produce their narrow, leafless flower stems in early spring before the dense spikes of flowers appear. Types such as M. azureum, which has pale blue flowers with conical heads, look lovely in a rock garden or at the front of a border. They are best planted in abundance in terracotta pots, which act as a perfect foil for the deep blue varieties such as M. armeniacum and M. neglectum. Plant the bulbs in autumn either in containers or massed together in borders or in grass, where they may naturalise. They prefer moderately fertile, well-drained, sandy soil in a sunny spot.

Separate offsets or divide clumps in summer.

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FEBRUARY Star Plant: Heather (Erica) Early-flowering, low-growing evergreen heathers in shades of white and deep pink are a joy to behold at this time of year, creating a carpet of colour in rock gardens or even their own beds. Try E. carnea Springwood White, a vigorous, trailing variety which produces a profusion of white flowers above white green foliage. Other good varieties include Foxhollow which has purple flowers and bronze-yellow foliage, Myretoun Ruby, with its pink to red flowers and Ruby Glow, with its deep green leaves and pink flowers. These types prefer full sun in acid soil. Trim them after flowering to keep them in check but don’t cut in to old wood or they may not recover.

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You might know your azaleas from your rhododendrons, but do you know when they flower? Follow our guide to the best of the bunch each month of the year – from the most fragrant flowers for summer, to the most durable plants in winter.

MAY APRIL Star Plant: Primula These little gems of spring come in a vast array of colours and types for virtually every setting. You can buy tender primulas for indoors, or some for the bog garden, or miniature types for the rockery. If you want the smaller varieties, such as P. rosea, the first of the popular primulas to flower, plant them in tight groups. Among the most popular varieties is P. denticulata, the drumstick primrose, with its lollipop lilac heads with yellow eyes rising above stout stems. Primulas will thrive in any reasonable soil with added organic matter in partial shade. Protect young emerging leaves from slugs and snails, which like to hide under them, and deadhead faded blooms.

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Star Plant: Azalea These acid-loving shrubs, which burst with colour in late spring and early summer, are a must if you want to brighten up dull corners, and they also look fantastic as stand-alone specimens in tubs. Azaleas, daintier versions of rhododendrons, can be either deciduous or evergreen.

Some of the best are the evergreen varieties which are low and spreading, producing sheets of flowers in May. They work wonderfully in pots and many are hardy enough to cope with frost pockets. Good varieties include Rhododendron Blue Danube, a compact, neat evergreen azalea which bears masses of mauve flowers, is extremely hardy and ideally placed in light shade. Azaleas come in a mass of colours, from blues and pinks to reds, oranges, whites and yellows.

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JUNE Star Plant: Lavender (Lavandula) It’s a classic cottage-garden favourite, perfect for edging borders and herb gardens, with its aromatic fragrance and pretty purple flowers. One of the best for a low, informal hedge is L angustifolia Hidcote, covered in purple flowers which attract bees in summer. The scent is released as you brush past it. If you want something slightly different, try French lavender (L stoechas subspecies pedunculata), which grows to around 60cm and bears dark purple flower spikes topped by bright purple bracts which look like rabbits’ ears. This is more effective in sheltered shrub borders, hot and dry sites, rock gardens and wild areas. If you want an alternative colour for your lavender, try Loddon Pink with its soft, pink flowers. All lavender benefits from being lightly trimmed after flowering and then again in spring, but don’t cut in to old wood or it won’t recover.

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JULY Star Plant: Hollyhock (Alcea or Althaea) Another cottage garden favourite, these grow to around 1.8 m, towering above lavender and catmint, and produce tall spires of flowers in a variety of colours from July to September. In the 19th century, the hollyhock was almost wiped out by rust disease – today there are only a few varieties available, and it’s best to go for single colours.

Good types include A rosea Nigra, which is a deep burgundy and single, while plants in the Chater’s Double group are among the tallest, at 1.8m to 3m, with peonytype flowers in pink, apricot, red, crimson, salmon, pale yellow and white. For the best results, plant them in a sheltered position in sun or partial shade in a moisture retentive soil.

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AUGUST Star Plant: Sunflower (Helianthus) They are the most majestic of plants and yet the easiest to grow, and ideal for kids to sow as the seeds are big enough for little fingers to handle. Sunflowers reach their peak between July and September, and the giant varieties reach 38cm across because they only produce a single stem with one massive head at the top. When flowering has finished, leave the seedheads standing as the birds will enjoy a feeding frenzy on the seeds in the middle of the flowers. Good annual varieties include H annuus Autumn Beauty, but there are also perennial types which aren’t as tall and whose flowers measure 5-7.5cm across. All sunflowers need a sunny position in any reasonable garden soil.

SEPTEMBER Star Plant: Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern) The rows of 5cm long, bright-orange lanterns hanging down the stems in autumn are unmistakable on this under-rated, under-used perennial. The papery husks around the fruits become bright orange as they mature, and when the leaves turn yellow and start to fall, they are simply beautiful. Its small white flowers in summer are pretty insignificant, but they are more than compensated for by its lanterns in autumn. These will remain on the plant for a long time, slowly changing to a rustic terracotta shade. Physalis is easily grown in virtually any soil, in sun or dappled shade, and just needs tidying in late winter or early spring by cutting the old stems down to ground level.

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DECEMBER OCTOBER Star Plant: Cotinus Commonly known as the smoke bush because of its fluffy plumes of pale pink flowers which appear above the foliage in summer, producing a smoke-like haze, this deciduous shrub is a must for the autumn garden. You need a fair amount of space as it can become the size of a small tree, so grow it as a standalone specimen or in a large shrub border in sun or light shade, in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Good choices include C Flame, whose oval, light green leaves turn brilliant orange-red in autumn, and C coggygria Royal Purple, grown for its purple foliage, whose leaves turn orange and red in autumn before falling.

All pictures: Copyright Press Association

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NOVEMBER Star Plant: Ornamental cabbage Cultivated by the French for centuries, these bold cabbages and kales with stunning deep pink, mauve or cream hearts within frilly green edges make an impressive central theme of any winter pot. They will last throughout winter in reasonably well-drained, preferably chalky soil and plenty of sun, or in containers which are free-draining and placed on pot stands. Remove dead leaves to reduce the risk of fungal infections such as grey mould (botrytis).

The plants do not tolerate summer heat, but are extremely cold-tolerant, surviving very low temperatures if they are gradually acclimatised. Light and moderate frosts will intensify the brilliant colouring of these plants.

Star Plant: Holly Its name alone conjures up images of Christmas – the bright red berries and rich green leaves taking pride of place in many festive wreaths and other decorations. But when buying a holly bush, remember that if you want berries check on the variety you are buying because most types carry the male and female flowers on separate plants, so one of each is required for successful fertilisation. If you only have room for one, some varieties are self-fertile and will produce berries, such as Ilex Aquifolium JC van Tol, which produces an abundance of bright red berries. They will thrive in virtually any soil in sun or shade, although variegated types need a sunny spot.

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GETTING HERE PLANNING YOUR VISIT YORKSHIRE BY RAIL You can get to Yorkshire by highspeed train from London or Edinburgh in less than two hours.

The Midlands is even nearer to Yorkshire’s cities, and trans-Pennine services offer direct links from the North West.

For timetables and reservations contact: National Rail Enquiries +44 (0) 8457 484950 www.nationalrail.co.uk

East Coast www.eastcoast.co.uk Hull Trains www.hulltrains.co.uk Cross Country Trains www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk Grand Central www.grandcentralrail.co.uk Northern Rail www.northernrail.org Transpennine Express www.tpexpress.co.uk East Midland Trains www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk And you can explore Yorkshire’s hills, moors and valleys on some of

Britain’s best loved and most spectacular leisure trains, with lovingly preserved vintage rolling stock and historic steam locomotives. These include the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Middleton Railway, Wensleydale Railway, Settle Carlisle Railway and Kirklees Light Railway. To find out more about these super train trips go to yorkshire.com

YORKSHIRE BY ROAD Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here with your own car or by coach very simple indeed.

The A1 and M1 connect from the north and south, while the M6 and M62 link Yorkshire with the Midlands and the North West and the M18/M180 gives easy access to the coast and countryside of northern Lincolnshire. For details of the quickest (or the most scenic) driving routes see the AA or RAC websites www.theaa.com and www.rac.co.uk Coach companies with services to (and within) Yorkshire include: National Express Coaches www.nationalexpress.com Metro www.wymetro.com First www.firstgroup.com Moorsbus www.northyorkmoors.org.uk Dalesbus www.dalesbus.org Stagecoach www.stagecoachbus.com/yorkshire >

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YORKSHIRE BY BIKE AND ON FOOT There are walks, hikes and cycle trails all over Yorkshire. For walkers, there are easy strolls in towns and cities, nature walks in superb wildlife reserves, long hikes along crosscountry canal towpaths, and energetic treks across the open moors and along the magnificent coast. For cyclists, the choice is equally wide, from challenging trail rides to easy-going, traffic-free routes along canals, cliffs and riversides.

Find a wide choice of guide books and maps with lots of dedicated walking and cycling routes at Tourist Information Centres across the county, from Welcome to Yorkshire at yorkshire.com/walks or call +44 (0) 113 322 3500 for an order form.

YORKSHIRE FROM OVERSEAS

By Rail With Eurostar now based at St Pancras International (serving London from Paris, Brussels & Lille), it’s never been easier to travel to Yorkshire by train from mainland Europe. Eurostar tickets are cheapest when tickets first go on sale (four months before departure).

A short walk will take you to St Pancras Domestic or King’s Cross where you will find fast trains that speed to York, Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster and Hull in as little as 100 minutes, with connections to many other parts of Yorkshire. Find out more about onward connections here. For international visitors planning on making several long distance journeys, it’s worth considering a Britrail pass. Visitors can book a ticket up to 6 months before departure. Remember to buy before you leave as BritRail Passes cannot be purchased in Britain.

By Sea Ferry services to Hull and Newcastle conveniently link Yorkshire with Holland, Belgium and Germany.

P & O Ferries operate overnight services to Hull from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, offering excellent links onto the motorway network. For

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onward coach travel, National Express operates daily direct services to and from the terminal, to York, Leeds, Bradford, and Thirsk.

DFDS Seaways operates regular services to Newcastle from Amsterdam. The ferry terminal is located just outside Newcastle city centre, with access onto the major road networks. There are regular connections from the terminal to Newcastle Central station on the DFDS Seaways Bus or the Tyne & Wear Metro.

By Air The Yorkshire region is served by three airports, providing daily flights to and from many destinations. With excellent transport links, Yorkshire is also easily accessible from many other airports throughout the UK, through high speed train links and an extensive motorway network.

Leeds Bradford International Airport Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield and Humberside Airport.

Onward travel from regional airports as well as car hire facilities, the airports all offer direct links into the region’s public transport network.

Leeds Bradford International Airport – MetroConnect provides direct bus services to Bradford and Leeds while Bus2Jet offers a bus service to/from Harrogate bus station. Alternatively, Arrow Private Hire provides a dedicated door to door service to and from the airport, including a number of fully accessible vehicles within its fleet.

Robin Hood Airport – Doncaster is the closest train station, situated just seven miles away. The dedicated 707 shuttle service links the Airport to Doncaster Rail Station on an hourly basis, from where the East Coast mainline can be accessed.

Humberside Airport – The Stagecoach X1 ‘Humber Flyer’ operates frequent services between Hull, Humberside Airport and Grimsby. The nearest train station, Barnetby, is three miles from the airport and has regular services to Doncaster.

Go to yorkshire.com for further details.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES Tourist Information Centres in cities, towns, villages and other locations throughout Yorkshire can offer plenty of great ideas to inspire you and help you make the most of your visit to the county.

They can also help with practical information on quality-assured accommodation, great places to eat and drink, local events and transport, escorted walks and tours, and where to hire bicycles, boats and lots more.

For a full list of Tourist Information Centres in Yorkshire, go to yorkshire.com

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Whichever part of Britain you’re coming from, getting to Yorkshire by rail, road or air couldn’t be easier – and the journey takes you through some of our most stunning scenery on the way.

WHITBY RICHMOND NORTH YORK MOORS

SEDBERGH

LEYBURN A684

SCARBOROUGH

HELMSLEY

THIRSK

MASHAM

YORKSHIRE DALES

A169

NORTHALLERTON A170

PICKERING

A1

A165

RIPON A64

A19

SETTLE

BRIDLINGTON A166

A59

SKIPTON

HARROGATE YORK

A658

A65

A1079

A629

SALTAIRE

A64

A614

BEVERLEY A19

LEEDS

BRADFORD

A164

HULL

A63 A63

HALIFAX

A15

WAKEFIELD A1 HUDDERSFIELD BARNSLEY

SCUNTHORPE

A180

GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES

DONCASTER

A18

PEAK DISTRICT

ROTHERHAM

A57

SHEFFIELD

N KEY

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Motorways

Heritage Coasts

A Roads

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Rail Routes

National Parks

Airports

Ferryport

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE GARDEN To help you plan your visit to some of Yorkshire’s great gardens why not order our free Yorkshire Gardens Guide?

With full details on the gardens including opening times, directions and a handy map this is an invaluable guide.

To order go online to yorkshire. com/gardens and click on the icon at the bottom of the page, email

gardens@yorkshire.com or alternatively call our 24 hour brochure line on +44 (0) 844 888 5122 to make your request. d You can also link through to and book accommodation in the area. yorkshire.com/gardens 1

Some we planted earlier

Keep up to date with what’s happening in the garden at yorkshire.com/gardens The gardens of Yorkshire are now fully searchable by garden name and a pin map. This site has everything you need to know to plan your visit from events and opening hours to directions.

Featured gardens

Search facility Up to date events

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yorkshire.com/gardens

GARDENS OF YORKSHIRE Many of the wonderful gardens of Yorkshire are listed below.

For full details go to yorkshire.com/gardens to order your free guide.

Whitby Richmond

Map Ref Arboretum Trust Kew at Castle Howard 1 Beningbrough Hall Gardens 2 Bolton Castle 3 Breezy Knees Gardens 4 Brodsworth Hall and Gardens 5 Burnby Hall Gardens 6 Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens 7 Cannon Hall Park and Gardens 8 Castle Howard 9 Constable Burton Hall and Gardens 10 Cusworth Hall, Museum & Park 11 Dean’s Park, York Minster 12 Duncombe Park 13 Dutch House 14 E. Oldroyd & Sons Ltd, Yorkshire Rhubarb 15 East Riddlesden Hall 16 The Forbidden Corner 17 Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal 18 Goddards Garden 19 Harewood House 20 Harrogate’s Valley Gardens 21 Helmsley Walled Garden 22 Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park 23 Jackson’s Wold Garden 24 Kiplin Hall 25 Lotherton Hall Estate and Park 26 Mount Grace Priory 27 Museum Gardens, York 28 Newby Hall and Gardens 29 Normanby Hall Museum & Country Park 30 Nostell Priory and Parkland 31 Nunnington Hall 32 Oakwell Hall Country Park 33 Parcevall Hall Gardens 34 Pennine Lavender 35 Red House 36 Renishaw Hall 37 RHS Garden Harlow Carr 38 Richmond Castle 39 Rievaulx Terrace 40 Ripley Castle Gardens 41 Roundhay Park 42 Sewerby Hall & Gardens 43

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Sedbergh

Leyburn 3

A684

27

25

39

10

Thirsk

Masham

Scarborough

22

A170

13

A1

Pickering

32

52

23

58

14

Ripon 29

Settle

A169

40 Helmsley

50

17

YORKSHIRE DALES

NORTH YORK MOORS

Northallerton

48

A19

18

1

A165

54 24

9

A64

43 7

Bridlington

46 34

41

A59

Skipton

Harrogate

2

4

51 28 12 19 57 47

38 21

A166

York A658

A65

20 16

A64

Saltaire 56 42

Bradford

6

A614

A1079

Beverley

A19

49 26

A164

Leeds

Hull

A63

45

N

Halifax

A63 36 33

15

Wakefield 31

59

Huddersfield

KEY

35

Motorways

30

8

Scunthorpe

Barnsley 5

53

11

Doncaster

Cleethorpes

Rotherham

PEAK DISTRICT A57

Airports

Grimsby

A18

55

A Roads

A15 A180

A1

44

Sheffield Heritage Coasts

37

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Parks

Map Ref Sheffield Botanical Gardens 44 Shibden Estate 45 Sledmere House 46 Stillingfleet Lodge Garden and Nurseries 47 Sutton Park 48 49 Temple Newsam House and Park Thorp Perrow Arboretum 50 Treasurer’s House 51 The Walled Garden at Scampston 52 Wentworth Castle Gardens 53 Wolds Way Lavender 54 Wortley Hall Gardens 55 York Gate Garden 56 York Maze 57 Yorkshire Lavender 58 Yorkshire Sculpture Park 59

83

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens

… a plant- lover’s paradise and

a child’s wonderland Stunning displays of roses and immaculate lawns, with space for the little ones to let off steam A lazy afternoon with Pimms and a picnic, or sandwiches and lollipops Admire the Italianate fountain or amble in the play area

A great day out for the whole family y Brodsworth, Nr Doncaster South Yorkshire DN5 7XJ 01302 722598 www.english-heritage.org.uk/brodsworth