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THEENGLISH ABOUTBEES NATUREATWORK Inaclassiccottagegarden WIN FORTHEPERFECTMAYDAY ALLTHEBUZZ MAY2009 £3.60 A$8.95 MAY2009 £3.60 A$8.95 GETREADYFOR AHAYTER PETROL MOWER GMeetDevon’sRHODODENDRONexpert GRichpickingsintheKITCHENGARDEN GGreatgardenswithTIMELESSPLANTING GBORDERTIPSfromParham’sheadgardener FOREVERYONEWHOLOVESBEAUTIFULGARDENS FOREVERYONEWHOLOVESBEAUTIFULGARDENS T H E E N G L I S H G A R D E N www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
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ARDENTHE ENGLISHGARDENTHE ENGLISHGARDENTHE ENGLISHG
MAY 2009 £3.60 A$8.95FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES BEAUTIFUL GARDENSMAY 2009 £3.60 A$8.95
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FORTHE PERFECTMAYDAY� Meet Devon’sRHODODENDRONexpert� Rich pickingsin the KITCHENGARDEN� Great gardenswithTIMELESSPLANTING� BORDERTIPS from Parham’shead gardener
FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES BEAUTIFUL GARDENS
WINA HAYTERPETROLMOWER
SHOWTIME!GET READY FOR
NATURE AT WORKABOUT BEES
Chelsea
In a classic cottagegarden
ALL THE BUZZ
TEGUK140 Covertwsm v1:UK 19/03/2009 15:31 Page 1
002-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 31/3/09 08:42 Page 1
EDITORIALTel:+44 (0)1242 211080 Fax: +44 (0)1242 211081
Email: [email protected]: www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
EditorTamsinWesthorpeEditor at Large Jackie BennettArt Editor FrancesWallace
Assistant Editor Cinead McTernanSub Editor/Writer Stephanie MahonEditorial Assistant Vicky Kingsbury
UK ADVERTISINGTel: +44 (0)20 7605 2220 Fax: +44 (0)20 7605 2201Email: [email protected] Director Justin FarnanGroup Sales Manager Dan Robinson
Sales ManagerTrevorO’NeillClassified Sales Manager Rakesh Dhall
PRODUCTIONProduction Manager Kevin Hilton
Production Co-ordinatorMatt GriffithsTel: +44 (0)1799 544300
NORTH AMERICAN AD SALESGroup Sales Manager Dan Robinson
Tel: +44 (0)20 7605 2220 Fax: +44 (0)20 7605 2201Email: [email protected]
UK SUBSCRIPTIONSTo subscribe to The English Garden, tel: 0844 4845232.
[email protected] of Direct Customer Marketing Fiona Penton-VoakSubscription Marketing Executive Claire Hughes
Marketing Designers Jane Henbest, TomBrassington
US SUBSCRIPTIONSSubscribe online www.theenglishgarden.co.ukQueries [email protected]
PUBLISHINGHead of Commercial & Consumer Marketing Catriona Bolger
Circulation Manager Richard KirbyHead of Events David Storrar
Archant Specialist Managing Director Miller HoggArchant Lifestyle Managing Director Johnny Hustler
Archant Lifestyle Finance Director Ian Fish
Subscription Offices: UK: The English Garden, CDS Global, Sovereign Park, MarketHarborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF,England. Tel: 0844 848 5232. Fax: +44 (0)1858434958. USA: Evergreen Marketing, 116Ram Cat Alley, suite 201, Seneca, SC 29678-3263. Tel: 1-800-998-0807 (toll free). Canada:The English Garden, 1415 JanetteAvenue,Windsor, ON N8X 1Z1.Tel: 1-800-998-0807 (toll free). Europe and Rest ofWorld: +44(0)1858 438840. Online: www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
SubscriptionRates: UK: £20 (6 issues),£40 (12 issues).USA: $32.75 (6 issues), $65.50(12 issues ). Canada: C$37.75 (6 issues), C$75.50 (12 issues), includes GST/postalsurcharge. Canadian GST reg. no. 87211 8922 RT0001.Australia: A$67.80(6 issues),A$135.67 (12 issues). Rest ofWorld: £25 (6 issues), £50 (12 issues).Subscription Enquiries:Tel: 1-800-998-0807 (toll free). Email: [email protected]
Printing:Wyndeham Heron Ltd, Maldon, Essex. News Distribution: UK: Seymour, 86Newman Street,LondonW1T 3EX, England.Tel:+44 (0)20 7396 8000. USA and Canada:CMG,LLC/155VillageBlvd,3rd Floor,Princeton. NJ 08540, USA. Rest ofWorld:As forUK.
MAGAZINE BINDERS: Send £11.95per 12-copybinder to:The English Garden Binders,CDS Global, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF,England.Overseas readers add £2. Tel: UK 0844 848 5232. Fax: +44 (0)1858 434958. Overseas+44 1858 438840.BACK ISSUES Available in UK for £4.60, Europe and Eire £5.60, Rest of theWorld £6.60from CDS Global, SovereignPark,Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 9EF,England.Tel: 0870 830 4960. Fax: +44 (0)1858 434958. Overseas: Tel: +44 1858 438840.
The English Garden (UK issue) ISSN no 1361-2840. Printed in England.
The English Garden, Archant House, Oriel Road,Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB
ARDENTHE ENGLISHG
Member of the AuditBureau of Circulations
FOR EVERYONEWHO LOVESBEAUTIFUL GARDENS
www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
TEGUK140 Masthead final:UK 31/03/2009 17:22 Page 3
004-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:10 Page 1
It’s time to bringthe honey bee backto our gardens byplanting a host ofnectar-richplants
My introduction to the art of keepingbeeswas as a horticultural student.This wasbefore the now endemic Varroa mitehad made its devastating markin the UK. The parasitic mite is largely
responsible for the dramatic reduction in the domesticbee population, down30% between2007and 2008.Thisshould be of great concern to everyone. We’ve dedicatedseveral features to our precious bees - you’ll find a galleryof NECTAR-RICH PLANTS (pg 115) and discover howtraditional BEE SKEPS (pg 98) are making a comeback.
My uncle has recently createda series of bee boles in hisgarden (right), purely for decoration. The mission is toencourage him to use at least one for bees; after all, thebenefits to his garden will be great. Now is the time toguard and provide for this valuable insect - I hope thisissue will encourage you to do your bit.
On a lighter note, it’s showtime! THE RHS CHELSEA
FLOWER SHOW 2009 runs from 19-23 May. This year,The English Garden is sponsoring one of the courtyardgardensentitled‘EntenteCordiale’(standnumber RM14)designedby Janet Honourand Patricia Thirion,so if you’revisiting please come and meet the team. In our indepthpreview (pg 55), we interview plantsmen and designersold and new to the show; give you a sneak preview ofsome of the exciting new plants; and offer tips on getting
the most out of your visit. I’m eager to know what thetheme will be this year - although the gardens are allcreated as unique features, it’s amazing to find anunderlying theme. Last year it was foliage - we’ll let youknow our findings in our show review in the July issue.
For those who’d rather harvest the riches from their owngarden, Francine Raymond has ideas for vinaigrette andFLOWERS FOR PICKING . This issue also brings awonderful collect ion of gardens to view, offeringinspiration on many levels and celebrating the arrival ofMay. Enjoy the warmer weather and all the buzz ofthis great gardening month.
On the cover A private city garden designed
by Charlotte Rowe (page 81).
Photograph: Clive Nichols
Tamsin Westhorpe, Editor
Congratulations to the winner of the March issue Raglan Hall competition:Mrs A. Nicholls of Pontefract,West Yorkshire
EDITOR’S LETTER
TEGUK140 EdLetter final 31/03/2009 10:50 Page 5
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Contents
73
MAY9 Photo of the month Dawn breaks over a Devon garden -
and we find out how the photographer captured it
10 Wordof mouthAll the latest things to do and gardens to see
13 A year at Bodnant The laburnum arch and white wisteria
are in full flower up in north Wales
18 Testing…Testing…HelenYemmtries out trowels
21 The vegetable gardener’sdiary Jackie Bennett gets
sowing Frenchbeans and peas in her Norfolk garden
30 Focus on GloucestershireNurseries,gardens and
places to eat in the heart of the Cotswold county
55 RHS Chelsea FlowerShowpreview In this special
section, we chat to designers,photographersand plantsmen,
and introduce the gardens, new plants and products that will be
launchedat this year’sshow
Glorious gardens22 GLOUCESTERSHIRECotswoldcharmSheephouse
garden has been transformedinto the perfect potager
32 WEST SUSSEX A room of one’s own Cowdray’s
TudorWalled Garden gets a wonderful new lease of life
39 EAST SUSSEXA walk on the wild side The long quirky
cottage garden that’sa natural haven for all sorts of creatures
46 HAMPSHIRE The art of abundance A painterly
plantswomanis behind the flower-filledgardens of Wren’sFarm
Bees98 A skep in the rightdirection Meet the man who makes
traditionalskeps - bee houses - for bee-keepingand decoration
100 Plight of the humble honey bee The top five things
you can do as a gardener to help save our buzzing busy friends
115 Sweet treats Attract bees and other essential insects with
a gallery of colourful nectar-richplants for your garden
Design66 GUIDETO... In search of perfect paving?Give your
outdoor floor a new look with our top picks and handy tips
73 DESIGNGUIDE The New Classic EnglishGardenThe gardens of BadmintonHouse may look like a dream from
eras past, but they are actually only 25 years old
81 DESIGN FOCUS Lawn free and leisurely An urban
contemporary garden that successfully links inside to out
2218
3913
TEGUK140 Contents final 31/03/2009 11:39 Page 6
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110
Regular features88 From the kitchen garden Francine Raymond brings us
asparagus soup and a range of tasty oils and vinaigrettes
92 Eco-watchAnne Gatti looks at ways to keep the noise down
and eco-count low when using gardenmachinery
130 In a green shadeHelen Gunn is inspired by lovely lilac
Plants105 Islands in the greenNigelWright is still madly in lovewith
rhododendrons,even after collectingand selling them for 30 years
112 Border lines Joe Reardon-Smith of Parham House in Sussex
warns of being tempted by too many plants
Offers & competitions70 Insurance Special rates for homes and gardens for our readers
85 MalvernSpringFlower ShowMark 7-10May in your diary
86 MajesticTreesWin an incredible£10,000makeover
95 www.theenglishgarden.co.uk Latestnewsfromthe
websiteand special offersat our garden shop
97 Special offersScentedblooms fromThompson& Morgan
103 Subscriptions HaveThe English Garden delivereddirect to
your front door everymonth
110 The English Garden ReaderDayYourlast chancetojoin us for an outing to the house and gardensof RenishawHall
118 Roadshowseason Joinour expertsfor educationaldaysout
119 CompetitionWIN one of two HayterHarrier 48 petrolmowers
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Chelsea 200956
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TEGUK140 Contents final 31/03/2009 11:36 Page 7
008-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:11 Page 1
The Eng lish Garden 9
This shot was taken at 5am as the sun rose from behind the hills at Bertie’s
Cottage, Devon. I was precariously balanced on top of a chicken shed, trying
not to fall through, as gardener Patti O’Brien worked away on her vegetable
plot. I had a couple of minutes to get the shot right before the sun got too
high - two exposures and it was in the bag.’
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERJason Ingram is a freelancephotographerliving in Bristol.He specialisesin images of
gardens,plants, food and people,workingall over the country for variousmagazines,books
and design groups.Tosee more of Jason’swork, go to www.jasoningram.co.uk
Gardening at first light
www.gpauk.org
‘ Click on to
www.theenglish
garden.co.uk
to see more garden
pictures and upload your
own photos.
PHOTO OF THE MONTHMAY
TEGUK140 Photo of Month final:UK 24/03/2009 16:37 Page 9
COMPILED BY STEPHANIE MAHON
CH
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A2
00
8/JONENOCH
May day!May day! Gardens, fairs, sales and shows,where it stops no one knows.Let our pick of events come to your rescue - you can evenwin tickets for Chelsea
OCEAN BREEZEIndian Ocean’soutdoor
furniture collection, on sale
now at Selfridges, Oxford
Street, includes a range of
new accessories in
stainless steel including a
sundial, garden globes,
bird feeder,watering can,
torches and these snazzy
windmills (above) in sizes
20-30cm tall, from £8.95-
£14.95. Also available by
calling tel: +44 (0)20 8675
4808 or visiting website
www.indian-ocean.co.uk
Word of mouth
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond Developed
in 1993, the bee garden at Kew has three styles of
beehive from simple skeps to modern wooden hives.
Tel: +44 (0)20 8332 5655. www.kew.org
The National Wildflower Centre, Liverpool A great
place to learn about how to be wildlife friendly.
Home to 19 species of butterfly as well as bees
and birds in 35-acre Victorian park grounds (above).
And The English Garden readers get 2 for 1 entry!
Tel: +44 (0)1517 381913. www.nwc.org.uk
Garden Organic Ryton, WarksThe insect-attracting
attributes of a wildflower meadow and a cornfield as
well as lots of lavender and a host of different roses.
Open seven days a week, 9am-5pm. Tel: +44 (0)24
7630 3517. www.gardenorganic.org
RHS Wisley, Woking A great place to see bees in
the trees, buzzing away pollinating the blossom of
apple, pear and other fruits. Tel: +44 (0)1483 224234.
www.rhs.org.uk/wisley
Highgrove, Glos HRHThe Prince of Wales has a wild
flower meadow with endangered native plants, and
his royal bees are so happy with the set-up they
make organic honey now sold directly from the
Highgrove shop in Tetbury.To visit, apply in writing.
www.princeofwales.org.uk
For more on bees, turn to pages 98 and 115.
5 bee-friendly gardens
NEW SHOWThe
Grade I-listed gardens
of HoldenbyHouse near
Northampton (above) are
the location for a new
gardening and flower
event.The Holdenby
Garden Show,sponsored
by Haddonstone,will
include a programmeof
talks and demonstrations;
stands for plants, garden
accessories and gifts; live
music and activities for
kids. Saturday9 and
Sunday 10May,11am-5pm.
Tel:+44 (0)1604820011.
www.holdenby.com
YUMGUM Eucalyptusdebeuzevillei, the snow gum
(left), is now availablefrom BarchamTreesin Cambs.The
container tree nursery is offeringmature specimensof this
Australiangem, whichstands out becauseof its white bark,
with branchessometimestouchedwith pink or orange, long
wide leavesand flowersstraight from the branchesthat
resemblespider chrysanthemums.It is one of the hardiest
eucalyptusand eventuallyforms a broadly pyramidshape to
9-13.5m.Youcan now order a 3-4m specimen in a 65-litre
pot for £475 from their website, www.barchamonline.co.uk
TEGUK140 Word of mouth fianl 31/03/2009 09:46 Page 10
OUT AND ABOUT� Mon 4 May,Hereford. Hergest
Croft FlowerFair. In aid of the Gateway
GardensTrust,with unusual plants on
sale.Tel:+44 (0)1758730610.
www.gatewaygardenstrust.org
� Sun 3 May,WestYorksThe
Great OuseburnGarden Festival,with
12 open gardens, vintage steam bus
rides, craft fair and more.
www.great-ouseburn.co.uk
� Mon 4 May,Hants Plant Heritage
Hampshireand Isle ofWight Plant Fair
with specialistnurseries,member’s
plants and food stalls at Longstock
Nursery,near Stockbridge,from
10am-4pm.Tel:+44 (0)1489894206.
� Fri 8 and Sat 9 May,WarksPlanting
To Impressday atWhichfordPottery,
with a talk on topiary at 11amand a
class on fusion planting in pots with
head gardenerHarrietRycroftat 2pm,
as well as plant sale, home-madeteas
and offerson pots.Tel:+44 (0)1608
684416. www.whichfordpottery.com
� Sun 10May,Dublin The annual
Rare and Special Plant Fair at St Anne’s
Park, Raheny,with free admission.
www.rareandspecialplantfair.com
� Thurs 14 May,WestSussex The St
Catherine’sHospiceGarden and Local
ProduceFair in Billingshurst,with
specialistplants as well as local food
producers.The event opens at 8.30am
with a Champagnebreakfast:to book
tickets,contact ElizabethCurry, tel: +44
(0)1293447367.
� Sun 24 May,HertsOpen gardens
afternoonat Preston,near Hitchin,with
15 gardens to visit, flower festival,plant
and preserve stalls, and teas in the
villagehall.Tel:+44 (0)1462433859.
� Mon 25 - Sun 31 May,Brighton
GardensWeek 2009 is a celebrationof
the Grade II-listedgardens at Brighton’s
RoyalPavilion,with a full programmeof
talks, tours,workshopsand activities.
www.royalpavilion.org.uk
AND FINALLY...The Society of Garden Designers’
second masterclass in sustainable
garden design will take place in
Edinburgh on Sat 9 May. Nigel
Dunnett, Mark Laurence, Jennifer
Lauruol and Robert Grant are the
keynote speakers. Tel: +44 (0)1989
566695. www.sgd.org.uk
The English Gar den 11
ELIZABETHANDREAMOn Saturday
2 May, the recreatedgarden of Kenilworth
Castle inWarksopens to the public for the
first time. Lost for centuries,English
Heritage and a team of historians,
craftspeopleand gardenersare now ready
to unveil this 16th-centurywonderwith an
18ftmarble fountain,bejewelledaviary
(above) and carved arbours.Created
originallyby RobertDudley,Earl of Leicester,
it was a garden to impress visitors, including
Elizabeth I, who at that time he still hoped
to marry.Formore details and garden
opening times, tel: +44 (0)1926852078 or
go to www.english-heritage.org.uk
MAY
VICTORIANAMANIA A five day fixtures and fittingssale atThe Shambles (above), a museum of Victorian life,
begins on site in Newent,Gloucestershire,on Monday
18May.Simon ChorleyArt & Antiqueswill be selling
4,000 lots including the original shop facades,metal
advertisementsigns, wooden carts and wagonwheels,
bakery tools, biscuit tins, smocks, hats, library books, oil
and gas lamps, bottles, barrels and music boxes, to name
but a few.A small town of over one acre with cobbled
streets, alleyways,cottages,shops and houses,The
Shambleshouses one of the largest collectionsof everyday
Victorianain the country,now selling for estimatedprices of
£10-£1,000.Formore information,tel: +44 (0)1452344499
or go to www.simonchorley.com
WIN CHELSEATICKETS! Fancy goingto the RHS ChelseaFlowerShow 2009, on
19-23May?We have two pairs of ticketsto
give away to our readers - simply answer
this question:Howmany buses could you fit
in the ChelseaGreat Pavilion?(It may help
to read our special Chelsea preview,page
55). Send an email by the closingdate of
Tues5 May to [email protected]
with the subject line ‘Chelseacompetition’.
Ticketsare now on sale from the RHS
tickethotline, tel: 0844 2091810or on
www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows
OPEN SEASON HelminghamHall in Suffolkhas
extended its opening times to four days a week during the
months of June, July and most of August.The gardens
surroundLord and LadyTollemache’sred brickTudorHall,
with moat and drawbridge,set in an ancient 400-acre deer
park (below). Visitorscan experiencethe borders, kitchen
garden, herb and knot garden, parterre,apple tree walk,
borders and the newwoodlandwalk on Sundays,Tuesdays,
WednesdaysandThursdaysfrom 2-6pm.The Hall is
also the site for the SuffolkPlant Heritage spring plant sale
on Sun 24 May,when 800 plants of the rare Iris sibirica
‘Roanoke’sChoice’will be given away to visitors.
Tel:+44 (0)1473890799. www.helmingham.com
TEGUK140 Word of mouth fianl 31/03/2009 10:47 Page 11
012-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:10 Page 12
Head Gardener and expert plantsman Troy Scott-Smith demonstrates the practicalmonthly tasks carried out by the team at the National Trust’sBodnant Garden in North Wales.
In May, it’s all about pruning and blooming as spring’s grand garden party begins
PHOTOGRAPHSTROY SCOTT-SMITH
The Eng lish Gar den 13
TROYSCOTT-SMITHPORTRAIT/R
ICH
AR
DH
AN
SO
N
A year at BODNANT
Troy leads a team of
20 gardeners at
Bodnant but still gets
involved with the
potting and planting.
�
MAYIN ACTION
TEGUK 140 Bodnant TroyMay final:UK 26/03/2009 15:10 Page 13
14 The English Gard en
FromMarch through to July the
garden looks at its most striking,
the light is at its most intense and
the colours are at their most saturated.
The peak month is May and the mood at
Bodnant is one of exuberance and joy.
There is a garden party, in its truest sense,
in full swing and it’s not to be missed.
As soon as you enter the mood is set; a
border planted with rich colours with a
gauze of the luminous blood-redGeranium
sanguineum, and annual Lychnis coronaria
whose soft, rich velvet magenta flowers sit
amongst its foliage like Belgian chocolates.
As you explore further there are more
earthy toned borders on the LilyTerrace
whose highlights are provided by rich
swathes of the coppery orange daisy,
Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’,partnered
with the plum-coloured eupatorium.There
are dozens of other perennials as well such
as iris, rodgersia, verbascums and sedums,
all of which have been added to the mix to
inject colour accents, knitted together with
Stipa tenuifolia and the light and airy
Knautia macedonica.The wine-coloured
flowers punctuate the air like a swarm
of hovering flies.
THE LABURNUMARCH IN FLOWER
Conceived and built in the 1880s by Henry
Davies Pochin, the Laburnum Arch at
Bodnant (right) is one of the world’s great
iconic garden features. Beautifully
proportioned, the slightly curving metal
tunnel is minimal and elegant in winter, but in
May it erupts into a blaze of golden racemes,
with flowers that hang from the tips of long
drooping stalks, each up to 45cm (18in) in
length. This is the famous hybrid, Laburnum x
watereri ‘Vossii’, whose flowers are far
superior to either of the parent species.
When flowering has finished, two of our
gardeners spend several days dead heading
using secateurs. This not only removes the
highly poisonous seed pods - a must in a
public garden - but also directs all the plants’
energy into performing this amazing act again
next year.We also feed them with a balanced
fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone.
CUTTINGBACKESTABLISHEDSHRUBSPruning in any garden is essential, but particularly in smaller scale and more compact gardens.The sense of
order, definition and scale that pruning injects to a scene is invaluable.Each plant will have differentrequirementsas to when and how to prune; if in doubt,
checkup in a good pruningmanual.Then it’s a matter of striking a balance between pruning everything to look like a currant bun (contrivedand
manipulated) and ‘tinkering’ (which amounts to not pruning at all). Get in there and be ruthless, but also be sympathetic to the plant’snatural character.
MAYIN ACTION
THE BATHINGPOOLRHODODENDRONS
There is an oval pond at Bodnantsome 15m
across, in a sunkengarden (right). A formal path
surrounds it, and between it and the pond is a
continuousbed, plantedwithout interruption
with Rhododendronwilliamsianum, of which
Bodnanthas a good pink formwith large
flowers.The effectis of a ring of pink bells
around the pond, with some of the fallenbells
driftingupon the water.A fewweeks later,the
pink will be gone and the ring will be bronze
with new growth.
TEGUK 140 Bodnant TroyMay final:UK 26/03/2009 15:11 Page 14
Thalictrum ‘Elin’ A vigorous and imposing
thalictrumreachingup to 2.5m in height. Rosy
lilac flowerswith prominent stamens provide
an enchantingdisplay.
PaeoneamlokoswitschiiThe floweringis
brief but glorious - they come and go in less
than a week; or as ChristopherLloydsaid, ‘at
its ravishingbest for about four hours’.
Polygonatumx hybridumA plant that
seems to epitomiseMay,with its arching
sprays of pendant green-tippedwaxy
flowers.Best if planted above eye level.
RodgersiaaesculifoliaThe bold rugged
leavesof this perennialare only half the
story; later,white or pink panicles
emerge that last well into autumn.
Aesculus x neglecta ‘Erythroblastos’ A
spectacular, slow-growing chestnut from the
southeast US. Its leaves are an eye-catching
prawn pink when young.
Lilium martagonNative to Britain, it likes
retentive,rich soils with dappled shade.
This is an excellentchoice for naturalising
in shrub borders or thin grass.
Out now in the garden...
LAWNWEARANDTEAR The turfedareas
around the garden, particularlythe ‘pinch
points’,are severelyaffectedby visitor foot
traffic.We employ a variety of strategiesto
combat this: the use of deep-rootedturf on
areas of particularlyheavywear; and irrigation
of all high-impactareas, such as theTerraces,
to reduce stress levelsduring drought and to
maintain the aestheticquality of the design. If
the ground conditionsare going to cause long-
term damage to the turf/grassswardwe do
restrict access altogether.At this time of year,
short term cordoningoffwith pigtails and string
(above) allowsus to repair certain areas using a
mix of hard-wearingdwarf ryegrass, a little
browntopbent and creeping red fescue.
TEGUK 140 Bodnant TroyMay final:UK 26/03/2009 15:11 Page 15
16 The English Gard en
NOW’STHETIMETO...� It is incredibly easy to root fuchsias
from cuttings and now is the time to
take them. Snip non-flowering shoots
5cm long and put them into a rooting
medium. After only 10-14 days, these
will have rooted and be ready to pot
on into larger pots.
� Sow hardy annuals where they are to
flower if you have not already done so.
�Wait for the water to warm up if you
are thinking of adding fish to your
pond - the shock will be less if you
introduce them into warmer water.
� Prune all montana, alpina and
macropetala type clematis now, after
flowering. Remove any dead or
damaged stems and then cut back
to fill their allotted space.
� Start thinking about which biennials
you want to grow next year, as sowing
will start soon.
� Stake, stake and stake again.The
effort made now on staking perennials
will be rewarded later.
� Keep up the mowing and edging
of lawns. It’s vital to the look of the
garden and will show off your
perennials to their best advantage.
� The weather can be unpredictable,
so continue to protect tender plants.
Ventilate greenhouses on warm days.
NEXT MONTH:Troylooks at irrigationand staking the
perennials.BodnantGardens,Tal-y-Cafn,
ColwynBay,ConwyLL28 5RE.Tel:+44
(0)1492650460.Book now for a Head
Gardener’swalk, 3 June; Falconrydisplay,
28 June. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
WISTERIA PRUNINGAND CARE The Croquet Terrace fountain and steps are shrouded in a
web of wisteria in May, a joy of the early summer garden, deliciously scented and often
carrying a light second crop of blossom in August. The longest flowers (up to 45cm long) are
those of Wisteria floribunda, but W. sinensis has the best fragrance. Prune in February to short
spurs and then simply remove the long wispy extension growth in summer; around June, after
the flowers have faded. Birds can sometimes nip off the early buds - black cotton stretched
over the growth should deter all but the most determined of these pests.
TOPFIFTYTheKurameAzaleasoriginatedin
Kurame in Japan. Plant collector E.H. Wilson
was responsible for their introduction to the
West when in 1920 he released his famous
‘Wilson’s Fifty’.At Bodnant, we grow all 50
including, ‘Hana-asobi’, ‘Hinode-no-taka’,
‘Irohayama’ and perhaps the most famous,
‘Hinomayo’.All are characteristically
smothered with colourful blooms in May.
GOOD BEDFELLOWS I think the best way to
display rhododendrons is to choose plants
with slightly different flowering times - then
the flowering extends over two or three
months, and the individual plants each get in
turn a green background from their
neighbours upon which to flower.
MAYIN ACTION
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How many different garden tools isit possible to re-inv ent? Are thereteams of young design buffs pacing
offices up and down the country with theirsleeves rolled, earning their crust weighingup the merits of changi ng the length ofspade shaft here, or the precise dimensionof wheelbarrows there, or arguing heatedlyabout the colour of the spots and stripeson the handles of the lates t range ofdandelion weeders?Well,okay,probably not in thesedark days.
However,when presented with the latest cropof trowels to review,I did wonder if perhapswe have become a little spoilt for choice. Atrowelis a trowel is a trowel,youmight think.There are, of course, trowels for specific
purposes: for example, bulb-planting trowelswith helpful measurements, to help you getplantin g depths just right; long- handledtrowels that enable you to reach deep intoyour borders; slim Jims for shoe-horningplants in to tight spots; and even, I learnedrecently , really skinny Minni es that callthemselves ‘fern trowels’.For the most part - with a couple of
except ions, one of which is the ground-breaking copper alloy trowel - we arelooking at the bog-standard item this month(apologies for the puns - irresist ible I amafraid). These are the sort of tools withoutwhich you simply cannot garden.There was a plethora of options to look
at, so how did we narrow it all down? Ilooked for the usual qualities you need inany garden tool you are going to userepeatedly,such as balance (how nice it feelsin the hand), as well as lightness, sharpnessand general overall ‘wieldability’.In my experience, wooden-handled trowels
have a built-in fault: The point at which themetal shaft joins the handle is covered witha shiny metal cover. Keeping a trowel dry isan unrealistic proposition and wood naturallyswells and shrinks. Therefore with time thismetal covering can come adrift, andeventually the shaft may even start to turnwithin the handle. This is utterly infuriatingand quite a performance to get sorted out -so I thought I would mention it here in thehopes that one of those aforementi oneddesign chaps might take heed and comeup with a solution.As often with these tests, it is about how
much you want to pay, but everyone needsan all-purpose trowel that will last a goodwhile and make planting and repotting apleasure.Here are the results of my findings.
HelenYemm unearths the most appropriatetrowel for a spot of light diggingPHOTOGRAPHS RICHARD HANSON
DIG FORVICTORY
TEGUK140 Testing Testing final:UK 31/03/2009 11:18 Page 18
The Eng lish Gar den 19
I looked for the usual qualities you need in a garden tool you will use repeatedly,such as balance, lightness, sharpness and general overall wieldability’
TOOLS ONTESTTROWELS
PRICESDO
NOTINCLU
DEPOSTA
GEANDPA
CKAGING
Duchy Hand Trowel £15This high quality stainless steel
trowel is slightly heavier than
the others I tried, but it is
beautifully made with a
pleasantly traditional-looking
wooden handle (all tools in the
range are based on Victorian
designs and the handles made
from ethically sourced ash). A
chap’s trowel for serious work.
FromThe Duchy of Cornwall
Nursery.Tel: +44 (0)1208
872668. www.duchyof
cornwallnursery.co.uk
Sneeboer FlowerbedTrowel £29.95I really liked this Dutch-made
traditional stainless steel
trowel with a sharp blade that
is both slim and quite rounded.
The smooth wooden handle
really sets it apart as it is
much longer than other types.
The rounded end enables you
to get good leverage too.
Visit www.sneeboer.com
Also from Harrod Horticultural.
Tel: 0845 4025300.
www.harrodhorticultural.com
Spear and JacksonHand Trowel £7.48This stainless steel tool has a
soft, contoured rubber handle
just a couple of inches longer
than traditional ones and
slightly curved at the end.
It won’t get Wonky Handle
Syndrome (as mentioned
opposite), though it could
get easily lost in the border.
www.spearandjackson.co.uk
Also fromTool-Shed.
Tel:0845 6441808.
www.tool-shed.co.uk
Mira BronzeTrowel £26I had no way of proving if the
bronze blade of this trowel
‘assists the flow of nutrients’ to
plants, or ‘disturbs soil
magnetism’, as the makers
claim. However this wooden
handled, slim, straight, pointed
trowel was a joy to use. Slicing
through my claggy clay soil as
if it were chocolate cake, it was
the lightest trowel of all those I
tested. From Implementations.
Tel: 0845 3303148.
www.implementations.co.uk
Wolf Garten Multi-Change Range £10.95These tools come without
handles, the idea that you buy
the ‘business ends’ and then
choose a handle length to suit.
This trowel would therefore
make perfect sense if you
already use some tools in the
range. The trowel itself is
robust stainless steel and the
handled clicks on to the metal
shaft with Germanic precision.
Red and yellow = unloseable =
good. www.worldofwolf.co.uk
Alan TitchmarshTrowel£8.99This has a traditional crooked
shank attached to a pleasant
enough wooden handle.
The point where the blade is
welded on to the metal shank
part of the handle looks a bit
crude. This is one of the
trowels I tried that could suffer
fromWonky Handle Syndrome
(as mentioned opposite).
From Quality Garden Tools.
Tel: 0800 7832202.
www.qualitygardentools.com
Helen’sfavourite
Helenalso liked
TEGUK140 Testing Testing final:UK 31/03/2009 11:19 Page 19
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The Eng lish Gar den 21
Can the night frosts really have gone for good?
Nothing can stop the march of spring and once into
May, there is no more need to be cautious- whatever
yourheartdesires, plant it now.In vegetable terms,thismeans
sowing or planting out all those things that havebeenwaiting
for ‘nomore frosts’. French beans and peas,mangetout, basil,
Florence fennel, coriander and, in the cool greenhouse,
young tomato, pepper and chilli plants.
MAY 4 I am trying two packs of peas; one of sturdy
‘Onward’, a main crop variety that produces marrowfat peas
on short plants 60cm (2ft) high and a slightly taller
mangetout (those grown for the fleshy pod rather than the
peas inside) called ‘Reuzensuiker’,both fromMr Fothergill’s.
Sowing is easy.Make a shallow trench with a hoe and stagger
the peas across it, pulling the soil back over with the hoe
afterwards.Pay heed to the old saying - ‘One for the mouse,
one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow’ - and be
generous. Peas are tasty to all sorts of creatures, so I cover
mine with mesh tunnels and draw the ends tight.
MAY6 The tulipsare havingtheir final flourish and it is a real
treat to go andpick them fromthe cutting bed to bringinside.
Because the soil was so poor in this bed, they are not tall and
lush, but short and sturdy.Nevertheless, each has its own
personality; sophisticated pale creamandgreen‘SpringGreen’,
neat and petite ‘Claudia’, soft and subtle ‘Mistress’ and the
peony-flowered‘OrangePrincess’havedonetheirwork. I pick
themall andputeachvariety in a single vase aroundthe house.
I will lift them later when the leaves have died down, not
becausetheywon’tsurvive the winterhere,but because I like
to ring the changes and try some different ones next year.
MAY 17 After a trip to France, I came back with two packs
of Haricots Nain. The French naturally take beans very
seriously and there are more varieties in the average garden
centre than one can possibly load into a handbag. Like any
French beans, they need to be sown 5cm (2in) deep and
about 23cm (9in) apart in rows, and given some sticks and
stringfor support.Haricot beans are traditionallyleft tomature
in the pod and then harvested and dried for winter use, but
they can just as well be eaten fresh - they should be ready to
pick in eight weeks. My varieties are ‘Triomphe de Farcy’,
which looks as if it will be mottled, and ‘Fin de Bagnols’,
which is a fine, green one.
The lettuce sown last month has germinated and it looks
so healthy I can’t bring myself to thin it out. I know I must,
In her regular series, Jackie Bennett gets serious for springwith peas, French beans, lettuce, tomatoes and chillies
A vegetablegardener’s diary
but it’s so satisfying to get a 100% success rate. Make a
mental note to sow some more to stagger the crop and to
sow some spring onions such as ‘White Lisbon’.
MAY 20 A greenhouse without glass can be an asset. Ours
has several panes missing, which makes it perfect for plants
once they are established, allowing good air circulationand
stopping it overheating. I buy a mix of young tomato plants
from the local DIY store, and at the Malvern Show (see page
85) I pick up two beautiful organic chilli plants. All are put
in pots with fresh compost to avoid any soil problems and
seem to put on growth in days, not weeks.
� Sugar snap or mangetout - to be picked young,
before the peas inside develop.
� Petis pois - small seeded peas, eaten young
and fresh.
� Dwarf French beans - ideal for pots and window
boxes.Try ‘Dwarf Opera’
� Climbing French beans - to be grown up poles
like runner beans. Try purple-podded ones or those
with purple flowers like ‘Climbing Cobra’.
PEASAND BEANSTOSOWIN MAYAND JUNE
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TEGUK140 Veg Garden Diary final:UK 25/03/2009 15:09 Page 21
The prim and perfect
potager of Sheephouse in
Painswick. Roses, beans,
sweet peas, onions, salad
and more are abundantly
obvious in this ornamental
vegetable garden that
tastes as good as it looks.
TEGUK 140 Sheephouse final:UK 26/03/2009 12:00 Page 22
�
GLORIOUS GARDENSGLOUCESTERSHIRE
The Eng lish Gar den 23
CotswoldIt would be easy to be daunted by making a garden in a county known forquintessential country style, but over the past 12 years the Gardiners havecreated a masterpiece that stays true to its salubrious surroundings
PHOTOGRAPHS JERRY HARPUR WORDS VANESSA BERRIDGE
charm
TEGUK 140 Sheephouse final:UK 26/03/2009 12:01 Page 23
GLORIOUS GARDENSGLOUCESTERSHIRE
So often when I visi t a garden, I’m told
that ‘there was nothing here when we
came’. It’s always very impressive to see what
people have done with a blank sheet, but
somehow - I don’t know why - it’s even more
cheering to hear that garden owners have worked on
or around what was there.
That seems to me to be the case with Lawren ce and
Lindsa y Gardiner at their home in Painswick in
Gloucestershire. Gardening here must be a tall order - it’s
one of the Cotswolds’ prettiest villages, with ancient
yews lining the churchyard path and a number of well-
known gardens within the vicinity. Born and bred in the
county, the Gardiners have a real feel for the Cotswol d
countryside, and, perhaps because of this, when they
bought Sheephouse in 1996, they worked with the lie of
the land. The garden slopes down from the house, with
views down a valley of woods and cattle grazed fields. Hills
rise up again gently on each side away from the garden.
The house itself dates from three periods: its core is an
early 15th-century farmhouse, with later additionsof a barn
in the 1600s and then a Georgian façade. The Gardiners
created new terracing immediately in front of the latter, but
kept a wide lawn below, flanked by two large herbaceous
borders. This façade is covered with a creamy ‘Madame
Alfred Carrière’ rose and an unidentifiedwisteriathat flowers
abundantly in May. It was part of the appeal of the house.
‘I’d always wanted a wisteria,’ says Lindsay, ‘but we’d never
managed to achieve such a wonderful one before.’
The barn was converted into part of the house with a
large galleriedroom.Outside, one wall is covered with Vitis
coignetiae. The facingbed, edgedwith Lavandulax chaytoriae
‘Sawyers ’, is plante d with Allium holland icum ‘Purple
Sensation’ for May,followed by Lilium regaleand roses, such
as ‘Prosperity’. A rambler rose, the pale pink ‘Belvedere’,
foams over a wall, and acts as a backdrop for a knot garden
designed by Robert Bryant, who also worked closely with
the Gardiners elsewhere in the garden.
Although it had slippedintodeclineunderpreviousowners,
therewas a structureof existingtreesand hedging.One area,
originally intendedas a tennis court,was framedon one side
by a hedgeof Thuja plicataand on twoothersby green beech.
This was enclosed on the fourth side by espalieredBramley
apples and turned into an ornamental potager, inspired by
RosemaryVerey’spotager at BarnsleyHouse.
Because the enclosure was slightly irregular in shape,
Robert decided to design it as a circle broken up into five
segments, edgedwith box, with gravel pathwaysconverging
on a central stone urn planted with trailing surfinias and
Gardening here must be a tall order - it’s one of the Cotswolds’ prettiestvillages, with a number of well-known gardens in the vicinity
RIGHTThe borders are
backedwith the glorious
rusty red of a copper beech
hedge. Planting includes
Stipa gigantea, white
‘Prosperity’ and ‘Little
White Pet’ roses, yellow
hemerocallis, Yucca
filamentosa, white phlox
and Spiraea japonica
‘Goldflame’. FAR RIGHT
Bamboo and Cornus
controversa ‘Variegata’ by
the ponds. BELOW
Whitebeams contrast with
the acid yellows and deep
pinks of bergenias.
OPPOSITE PAGEAn
unnamedwisteria blesses
the front façade.
�
24 The English Gard en
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The Eng lish Gar den 27
GLORIOUS GARDENSGLOUCESTERSHIRE
Turn over for garden notebook
�
a cordyline, ‘to give airyness,’ says Robert. At the point of
each segment are two box pyramids and a standard
Winchester Cathedral rose, and there is a steel archway at
the entrance to each pathway. Cordons of dessert and
culinary apples and pears are trained up the arches, with
a range of varieties to allow cross-pollination.
The beds are planted with a mixture of vegetables and
flowers, such as sweet peas, dahlias and chrysanthemums,
which Lindsay cuts for decorating the house. In summer,
the Gardiners are self-sufficient in vegetables, with multiple
croppings of shallots, onions, leeks, lettuce, rocket, cress,
beetroot, runner beans and broad beans - Lindsay says she
finds herself run off her feet, picking vegetables and fruit,
and making jams and chutneys.
Beyond the potager is a series of swirli ng borders,
a mixture of shrubs, such as yellow Spiraea ‘Goldflame’
and Potenti lla fruticosa ‘Abbotswood’ and perenn ials.
Early snowdrops, hellebores, narci ssus and Crocus
tommasinianus are followed by pink tulips and bergenia in
spring, and then by yellow hemerocallis and fiery red
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ later in the summer. Yuccas and stipas
given contrasts in texture.
Paths of Berkshire flint lead down to a gazebo.
Below are two pools, which cascad e into one another
(and are filled with ‘monster’ koi carp). They drop away
towards a statue of Galatea, hands on hips. ‘It is lovely to
sit there on a summer’s evening with a glass of wine,’ says
Lindsay, ‘listening to the sound of water, and watching
insects and birds flitting in and out.’
Beyond is a southwest-facing ericaceou s rockery,
with rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias for spring
colour, and a woodland bed of cherries and acers, and
Galanthus nivalis, Viburnum x burkwoodii and, for autumn,
Cyclamen hederifolium.
It is high maintenance, Robert admits, but he provides
interest for the Gardiners throughout the year. ‘It is full
of colour in high summer, and in winter, it doesn’t
look devast ated. There are a number of evergreen trees
and planting through out is carefully designed for
successional interest: there are, for instance, great drifts
of Hydrangea arboresc ens ‘Annabelle’, which blooms
profusely in July and August, but has flower heads that
are attractive in mid-winter too.
Sheephouse, Stepping Stone Lane, Painswick, Gloucestershire
GL6 6RX. Tel: +44 (0)1452 814282. The garden will be open
for the Red Cross on Sunday 28 June, 2-6pm.
OPPOSITE PAGE ‘Rosalie’
tulips beneath the
blossom of the whitebeam
trees (Sorbus aria
‘Lutescens’) and, behind
the gazebo, a variegated
weigela. FAR LEFTThe
view from the gazebo
towards Painswick, framed
by beech hedging and a
vine-covered wall with
graceful wands of Dierama
pulcherrimum in front.
LEFT Spiraea japonica
‘Goldflame’,marguerites
and hemerocallis in
borders near the gazebo.
BELOW Lilium regale and
roses in the border beside
the barn.
‘It’s lovely to sit by the pool on a summer’s evening with a glass of wine, listento the sound of water and watch insects and birds flit in and out’
TEGUK 140 Sheephouse final:UK 26/03/2009 12:03 Page 27
28 The English Gard en
GLORIOUS GARDENSGLOUCESTERSHIRE
The notebookSheephouse in Gloucestershire is a south facing, ornamental garden covering one and a half acres.The soil is limey, with heavy clay in parts but loamy in others
� Layers give year-round interest. Robert chooses spring flowers such as
Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ and Crocus tommasinianus without huge amounts of
foliage, so it disappears under the new planting and doesn’t look a mess.
� Townand CountrySeries roses such as ‘Kent’ have a long floweringseason,
are comparativelyhealthy,and the flowersdie cleanly,so it’snot the end of the
world if you don’tdeadhead them.
� Hellebores: we cut off the previousyear’s
foliage in December to show off the flowers
to their best advantage in Feb and March.
� The boulders in the rockerytend to
leach into the ericaceousplants. So we use
sulphur granules to keep up the acid levels.
� Wemake all our own compost in six
timber-sidedbays,with pumpkinsplantedon
top.We exhibiteda huge pumpkin at last
year’sMalvernShow and won fifthprize.
� Tomaintain a nice clipped edge, hoe
away from the lawn. It makes the garden
look a million dollars immediately.
GARDENS & NURSERIES IN THE AREA� HumphreysEnd HouseWildlife-friendlygarden
with organic veg. Open for the NGS Sat 6 and Sun 7
June, 2-6pm. Randwick,nr StroudGL6 6EW.
Tel:+44 (0)1453765401.
� PaulmeadLandscaped,with formal veg garden.
Open for the NGS Sun 21 June, 2-6pm. BisleyGL6
7AG. www.ngs.org.uk
� PainswickRococoGardenFlamboyantearly
18th-centurygardenwith fine views.Open daily
until 31 Oct, 11am-5pm.PainswickGL6 6TH.Tel:
+44 (0)1452813204. www.rococogarden.org.uk
� The LavenderGardenPlants for bees and
butterflies.Openweekendsand BHs; ring in week.
AshcroftNurseries,Tetbury,nr DursleyGL8 8YF.Tel:
+44 (0)1453860356. www.thelavenderg.co.uk
� ShadyplantsAriseaemas,aroids and hostas.
Ring ahead. Edge, nr PainswickGL6 6NF.Tel:+44
(0)1452812459. www.shadyplants.com
TIPS FROMTHE GARDINERSCONTACTS
KNOT EASYThe knot garden (above) was designedby RobertBryant,
who used a design from 1600 that he found at the RHS
LindleyLibrary in London.VigorousRosa ‘Belvedere’,which
runs over the wall, grows as muchas 3-4m (10-15ft)a year.
GORGEOUS GALATEAFromGreekmythologyand
neo-classicalliterature,a
representationof ‘She who is milk
white’ (above) stands on a pedestal
by the ponds, flankedby tall
evergreensand grasses.She is
Galatea, the statue Pygmalion
sculptedand fell in lovewith,
whichwas brought to life for him
by Aphrodite.
NICKING AND NOTCHINGThe fruit trees are grown as cordons
around the arches (below), but
sometimes they can grow a bit one-
sided. To get an even distribution of
leaves and branches, cut a notch
above a dormant bud, where the
sap rises in spring, removing a piece
a bark no more than 1mm into the
wood. It heals over again and
encourages a branch to grow.
TEGUK 140 Sheephouse final:UK 26/03/2009 12:03 Page 28
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30 The English Gard en
Focus on... GloucestershireOur pick and mix of the Cotswold gem’s formal gardens, private plots, nice little nurseries and places for nibbles
PLANT PICK UP
COMPILED BY STEPHANIE MAHON
SPLENDID AND STATELY
SPOTLIGHTGLOUCESTERSHIRE
RodboroughCommon is known for rolling hills and far-reachingviews across the county. It is also
renownedfor wild flora such as the pasque flowerand early purple orchids in spring, as well as rare
butterfliessuch as the Adonis blue, whichhas reappearedhere after a 20-year absence.Right on the
common standsThe Bear of RodboroughHotel, a 17th-centurycoachinginn with the choiceof
garden room, terrace,walled croquet lawn or gardens in which to take afternoontea.The traditional
option comprisesa selectionof finger sandwiches,sconeswith clottedcream and jam, and sliced
cakes servedwith coffeeor a selectionof teas.The Champagneversionhas all of the abovebut also
a dish of strawberriesand a glass of bubbly each.The Bear of RodboroughHotel, Rodborough
Common,Stroud,Glos GL5 5DE.Tel:+44 (0)1453878522. www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk
TIME FOR TEA?
‘Two of our Gloucestershire gardens have opened for us annually since 1927,the first NGS year - Stanway Water Garden and Icomb Place’
Norman Jefferys, NGS county organiser for Gloucestershire
New to the NGS this year is Herbs for Healing, a nursery specialising in medicinal plants with an
educational show garden. It is set in a rural and tranquil spot in Barnsley,near Cirencester,and run
on organic principles by DaviniaWynne-Jones, the daughter of RosemaryVerey.Beautiful plants,
workshops,events and tours to learnmore about the healing properties of plants, as well as a huge
variety of herbs for sale. It is open for the NGS on Sunday 5 and Saturday 18 July, andThursday 20
August, 2-6pm; and open everyWednesday fromMay to mid-September,10am-3pm.Group visits can
be arrangedby appointment.Tel:+44 (0)1285 851457. www.herbsforhealing.net
Westbury Court Gardens (right) was the
NationalTrust'sfirst garden restoration,
completed in 1971.It is a truly rare
beauty in being the only surviving Dutch
water garden in the country, and
perhaps the best preserved example
anywhere, including the Netherlands.
Laid out between 1696 and 1705 by
Maynard Colchester I, co-founder of the
Society for the Propagation of Christian
Knowledge, it has been recreated largely
to the original plan and solely planted
with species from before 1700. It is a
garden of canals and long ponds (one
with a two-storey pavilion), topiary and
symmetrical beds, and has what may be
the oldest oak in England.Westbury-on-
Severn, Glos GL14 1PD.Tel: +44 (0)1452
760461. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Hoo House Nursery (below)
specialisesin alpines and
hardy perennials, just what
you need for those biting
Gloucestershirewinters.
Owner Julie Ritchie is
happy to offeradvice and
suggestions,which is
worth its weight in plants
consideringshe has been
growingand propagating
her own stock for more
than 22 years - using peat-
free compost for the past
six.With most of her 900
varietiesavailableat the
beginningof May,but no
mail order facility,you’ll
have to visit in person.
OpenMon-Sat from 10am-
5pm; or Sun, 11am-5pm.
GloucesterRd,Tewkesbury,
Glos GL20 7DA.
Tel:+44 (0)1684293389.
www.hoohouse.plus.com
GARDENER, HEALTHYSELF
WESTBURY©
NTP
L/ST
EPHEN
ROBSO
NCREAMTEA/W
WW.COTS
WOLD
-INNS-HOTE
LS.CO.UK
TEGUK140 Focus Glos Gardens final:UK 25/03/2009 15:18 Page 30
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32 The English Gard en
A room of
Restoring a forgotten walled garden, where Tudor kings and queens once walked, has been adream come true for gardener Jan Howard and a source of inspiration for her design business
PHOTOGRAPHS CLIVE NICHOLS WORDS PATTIEBARRON
ONE’S OWN
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:03 Page 32
GLORIOUS GARDENSWEST SUSSEX
The Eng lish Gar den 33
With flowery parterres, ornate pavilions
and lavender-l ined walkways, the
Walled Garden at Cowdray seems like
an enchanted, timeless place. It is no
surprise to learn that this was once a
Tudor pleasure garden where Henry VIII as well as
Elizabeth I strolled when they visited the castle. It is far
harder to beli eve that just eight years ago it was
undiscovered, the least interest ing part of the Cowdray
Ruins at West Sussex. Nobody would know that, however,
because the door to the one-acre walled garden was
closed to the outside world.
The person responsiblefor opening that ancient wooden
door and restoring the walled garden is garden designer
Jan Howard, who is also the creator of a range of fanciful,
rusted iron plant supports and structures called Room in
the Garden. She started her business in 1995 when she
walked through a black archway in her garden, decided
she hated it, and realised she could do better. ‘Back then,
there was nothing on the market that was both beautiful
and functional,’ she says. ‘I had a eureka momen t and
decided to design and manufacture elegant plant supports.’
She chose rusted iron so that the supports - soon to
incorporate gazebos and pavilions - would look like they’d
been in the gardenforever, and thus give even a new garden
a feelingof age. The businesswent well; all gardeners know
LEFTTheWalled Garden at Cowdrayis constructedof bite-
sized box-edged beds of Allium hollandicum ‘Purple
Sensation’ and nepeta, with Jan’s own design of gazebo
in the centre. ABOVEThe astoundingburst of Paeonia
lactiflora ‘Bowl of Beauty’. BELOWTakea seat at theAlitex
glasshouse afterwalking down this path past beds of
alliums, peonies, cotton lavenderand pottedolive trees.
�
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:03 Page 33
GLORIOUS GARDENSWEST SUSSEX
the importance of good underpinnings for perennials,
climbers and roses. These are what you might call the
gardeningworld’shaute couture corsetry,so had great appeal.
However, Jan needed a showcase, not just a presence
at flowe r shows. ‘A lot of people seemed to think that
the next stage after rust is disintegration, so I wanted a
timeless place in which the supports could be seen to last
through the seasons. I also wanted a place where I could
show how to integrate them with plants. In winter, quite
bare, they look wonderful; in the summer, covered with
plants, they almost disappear.’
Jan and her husbandMike, a teacher, looked for a house
with office premises and a small garden, but couldn’t find
anything within their price range, so tried to lease. They
approached the nearby Cowdray Estate, were shown a
couple of place s, and then, as an afterth ought, the old
walled garden, a one-time allotment patch for standing
tenants, with an adjacent cottage. ‘Althoughthe gardenwas
hidden, forgotten, the atmosphere within the walls was
tranquil and beautiful. This was the place,’ she recalls.
There was no question of failure, because they had sunk
their last penny into the proje ct. ‘It was a tough ride
because the garden was an offici al ancient monument
as well as Grade I-listed. Engli sh Heritag e had to give
us permission to even touch the Tudorbrick walls, which
needed repo inting. The landscap ing team needed to
level the soil, but they weren ’t permitted to remove
even a spadeful from the site.’
Jan’s vision was clear from the start: she would reclaim
the romantic pleasure garden. ‘I wanted it to be traditional,
with parterres filled with flowers, and no enclosed rose
tunnel s to detrac t the eye from the fantast ic borrowed
landscape that Capability Brown designed, or, of course,
from the ruins of the old castle.’
There were two trees worth keeping: a Judas tree and a
venerab le old walnut, which still fruits prolifically. She
�
34 The English Gard en
ABOVE Sedums and
heucheras also edge some
colourful beds. RIGHTTwo
large trees, a walnut and a
Judas tree, provide shade
for any modern regal
guests who wish to visit,
while water trickles from
the many spouts of this
Le Blanc bronze fountain.
BELOW, LEFTTO RIGHT
Relax by the bananas
at the glasshouse;a
sculptureof a bugling
angel peeks out from
behind some planting;
clematis climb obelisks
made by owner Jan,
beside yellow roses.
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:04 Page 34
‘Although the garden was hidden, forgotten, the atmosphere within thewalls was tranquil and beautiful. This was the place’
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:04 Page 35
divided the space into bite-sized areas with box hedging,
laying down plant-flattering pathways of sandy Bredon
gravel. On either side of a central lawn, she ran avenues of
crab apple trees underplanted with ‘Hidcote’ lavender (in
fact half the ‘Hidcote’ she ordered turned out to be paler
‘Munstead’, but Jan rather likes the contrast). The parterres
were filledwith antique roses, 10 differentkinds of peonies,
agastaches, catmint, lavender, aromatic silvery herbs and
massesof purple alliums.With this backdrop, her pavilions,
pyramids and obelisks look as if they have been rusting
there all the time, right through the centuries.
There is also a hot border, edged with purple heuchera,
crammed with cannas, banana trees, hot pink penstemons,
blood-red dahlias and apricot eremurus, that leads to an
Alitex glasshouse in which bougainville a, jasmine and
tropical hibisc us romp around a deep pink velvet
banquette. Jan took the garden’s colour palette from the
jewel tones of Tudor paintings. ‘If a white or cream
flower dares to creep in, like the occasiona l foxgl ove
or bluebe ll, I’ll rout it out, becau se the colour jumps
out too much . Even the glasshou se is painte d in a
biscuit shade so that it blends.’ Head gardener Rick
Wiseman and the occasional hiredhelp keep the sweet peas
blooming in summer and the box clipped to perfection.
‘There is this perceived wisdom that you shouldn’t see
a garden all at once, that it shou ld reveal its charms
gradually ,’ says Jan. ‘But I believe rules are there to be
broken, and the beauty of the walled garden is that as soon
as you’re through the doorway, you see the whole picture
laid out before you. And that makes peoplewant to explore
each area, to see everything more closely.’
The Walled Garden at Cowdray is at No 1 River Ground
Stable s, Cowdray Park, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29
9AL. Tel: +44 (0)1730 816881. For opening times, visit
www.walledgardencowdray.com
LEFT Cowdray Castle can be seen behind the wall of the garden,with a statue of a girl
by Judith Holmes Drewry of LeBlanc FineArt in the pond in the foreground. ABOVE
A mix of ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ lavendersadds a dreamypurple haze. BELOW A pavilion
modelled on medieval jousting tents, topped with fun flags and weatherproof roof cover.
36 The English Gard en
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:05 Page 36
GLORIOUS GARDENSWEST SUSSEX
The notebookTheWalled Garden at Cowdray is an enclosed, sheltered garden of one acre with a south-facing aspect. The gardenis bordered by the River Rother and the soil is therefore very fertile, free-draining and a rich peaty loam
LEONINE LOVEJan fell for a pair of stone lions at a local
antiques shop. ‘It was important to me
that everything I chose for the garden
had a sense of antiquity,’she says. A
nightmare to move, they now stand
permanently, guarding the vegetable
beds, surrounded by flame-coloured
Heuchera ‘Marmalade’(above) and Iris
‘Sultan’s Palace’.
� Consider the overall garden. I try to pull
everything - plants, ornaments, structures - together
with a similar colour palette so they all blend in
together. If you have a blue pot in isolation, the eye
is pulled towards it, and the effect can be jarring.
� Think about plant props in the autumn, no later,
because it’s full pelt through summer, all systems go -
but if you get your supports in early, not only will the
plants benefit, but you can free yourself up to enjoy
the garden in its high season.
� I aim to hit all the senses when choosing
plants, so there is plenty of tactile foliage, scent,
colour and movement to engage visitors. It’s about
styling the garden, just as you would the interior
of your home.
� Takephotos of your garden throughout each
of the seasons. It will remind you of what you have
in your borders, and throw up weak areas that
need working on. Youwill also have a great pictorial
record of your garden.
JAN HOWARD’STIPSGARDENSTOVISIT ANDLOCAL NURSERIES� PetworthHouseA 700-acre landscape
park designedby CapabilityBrown.
Petworth,W. SussexGU28 OAE. Tel:0844
8001895. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
� WestDean GardensOrnamentalborders,
the 100m-longpergola, kitchengarden and
glasshouses.WestDean, Chichester,
W. SussexPO18OQZ.Tel:+44 (0)1243
818210. www.westdean.org.uk
� ArchitecturalPlantsExotic, large-
leavedhardy plants. LidseyRoad,Woodgate,
Chichester,W. SussexPO20 3SU.
Tel:+44 (0)1243545008.
www.architecturalplants.com
� PhoenixPerennialPlantsDiverseand
covetablerange of perennialsand grasses.
Paice Lane,Medstead,Alton, Hampshire
GU34 5PR.Tel:+44 (0)1420560695.
CONTACTS
FOUNTAIN FEATUREThe magnificent bronze fountain (below) is
the focal point of a walkway of lavender-
edged beds. It spouts water from a series
of boar’s heads around its circumference,
and was sculpted by Lloyd LeBlanc of
LeBlanc Fine Art. www.leblancfineart.com
The Eng lish Gar den 37
UNDER CREATIVE COVERJan’s inspiration for Room in the Garden’s
rusted iron gazebos and pavilions comes
from medieval jousting tents - they even
have jaunty iron flags at their summit, and
the gazebos, square or hexagonal, have
their own rusted iron candle chandeliers.
Canvas liners in a multitude of colour
choices make them weatherproof. For
details, see www.roominthegarden.com
TEGUK 140 Cowdray Walled Garden final:UK 25/03/2009 17:05 Page 37
038-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:17 Page 1
The perfect habitat for greater crested newts, grasssnakes and Burnet moths, this natural, eco-friendlygarden in East Sussex is a refuge for gardeners too
Sunniva Harte’sgarden
near Brightonhas several
different spaces including
this elegant lush area of
pastel colours and old
cottage garden favourites.
�
The Eng lish Gar den 39
GLORIOUS GARDENSEAST SUSSEX
wild sidePHOTOGRAPHSJANE SEBIRE WORDS STEPHEN ANDERTON
A walk on the
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 26/03/2009 10:15 Page 39
40 The English Gard en
�
ABOVE LEFT An old rustic bench adds a decorative touch by concretepaving that has been softened in appearance with self-seeded grasses and flowers.
Pevensey marshes lie beyond. ABOVERIGHTThe raised vegetable garden where runner beans, beetroot, Swiss chard and salad burnet grow. BELOWThe
buds and blooms of Rosa ‘Albertine’. RIGHT A table and chairs front a jungle of Geranium ‘Silver Queen’,Allium schubertii, euphorbia andWelsh poppies.
To be really green, doesn’t a garden have to be woolly round
the edges, to be extra well-endowed in the muck and out-of-
sight department? Sunniva Harte’scountrygarden at Pevensey
in East Sussex is living proof that it need not be so. It is
surroundedby organic farmland,yes; it
ends in romantic meadow grass, yes; but it is never
shabby. ‘Managed wildness’ is what she calls it, and
managed it certainly is, with very great care.
The garden began life 11 years ago as the blankest
of canvases, giving Sunniva the chance to design a
garden in line with her green principles, making what
she calls ‘a response to my environment, stylistically
as well as materially’. The result is a series of garden
spaces - you couldn’t really call them garden rooms -
that run down the length of the garden: first, a lawn
beside the house with tall walls and sophist icated
borders around it; second, a more informal area with
colourful curving beds and a small pond, with a sitting area beside her
west-facing studio, and an absurdly pretty outside loo; third, through a
wooden gate, lies a little vegetable patch; and finally, a meadow garden
running down to open fields at the far end.
GLORIOUS GARDENSEAST SUSSEX
Seeing no point trying to garden in the face of nature, she is keen for gardeners,including herself, to ‘acknowledge what they can and can’t have’
As a garden photographer and writer, and some-tim e professio nal
gardener, Sunniva has seen plenty of sophistication, and it’s a trick she
plays well in the first, smart part of the garden, with Magnolia ‘Goliath’,
roses and lavender preceded by hellebores and dwarf tulips. But it is
beyond this area that the garden seems more
comfortable with itself. The little pond tucked in
behind a bed draws little attention to itself, but it
is three feet deep and has becomehome to eight greater
crested newts. Impressive they are too, like little
dragons the size of trout.
Most meadow gardens focus on bulbs, early
perennials and perhaps orchids, and are then cut in
summer like a hay meadow,but in this garden the soil
is too rich for fine, flowery meadow grass, and Sunniva
sees no point trying to garden in the face of nature.
She is keen for gardeners, including herself , to
‘acknowledge what they can and can’t have’. Instead,
she just lets the rough grass flower and fall over in its own good time under
wind and rain, never mown or strimmed, and this is just what her newts
need, and grass snakes too. Burnet moths are also residents and in June
you can find their pupae attached to the sides of stalks like little yellow
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 24/03/2009 17:01 Page 40
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 24/03/2009 17:02 Page 41
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 24/03/2009 17:02 Page 42
The Eng lish Gar den 43
GLORIOUS GARDENSEAST SUSSEX
slugs, before they turn into moths of the most glamorousblue-black, spotted
with magenta. If the meadow grass itself is coarse, it does not mean the
meadow garden is unromantic, and Sunniva has scattered it with crab
apples, swee t-scented phil adelphus, sand-lo ving Rosa rugosa and the
occasio nal paddle-lea ved clump of elecamp ane. A
mown, one-man-wide path weaves its way between
these on its way to the bottom of the garden and back
again. Where there is need for something a little firmer
than turf underfoo t, she has incorporated large flat
pieces of weathered, broke n concre te with grass
between them. The spaces between have filled with
grass and the mower can pass over the whole lot with
ease; the effect is most relaxed.
Sunn iva inherited her green leani ngs from her
grandmother, who actually welcomed blackbirds and
squirrels indoors and even let blue tits fly into her
bedroom. ‘It’s about being human,’ says Sunniva. ‘We
have no right to exclude anything from a garden.’ Except the odd slug
maybe, for which she puts down pellets if things get desperate; she uses a
little Weedol here and there on the paths, too, but nothing on the borders.
Her grandfather always planted by the moon and it’s a way of gardening
she is keen to follow, especially in her vegetable patch. ‘It makes sense,’
she says. ‘Things grow stronger and need less water if you plant them at
the right time in the lunar cycle. The system pioneered by Rudolph Steiner
and Emerson College at East Grinstead was incredibly helpful to me. I find
it really works.’ Her patch is not large, just four plank-
edged beds, but she raises generous crops of beans,
and on the sandy soil she has good results with carrots
and golden beetroot as well as salads.
She recycles too. Interesting tins are washed out
to make plant pots, and one of her water butts was
once a commercial plastic fruit juice container.
Garden canes she gets from thinn ing the fully-
hardened,mature stems from her own bamboo clump.
It’s all very, very organised, but relaxed at the same
time: that’s the garden’s charm.
Sunniva Harte’sprivate garden at Pevensey,near Brighton
in East Sussex, is open by appointment only, with all proceeds going to charity.
Please call ahead on tel: +44 (0)1323 762908 to arrange a visit.
LEFTA narrowpath is mown through the meadowgrass, past bushes of roses, to the vegetableplot. ABOVELEFT Lucca the cat takes a break at the foot
of the raised area between daisies and Rosa rugosa. ABOVE RIGHT Crataegus prunifolia, Daphne odora, foxgloves, geraniums,alliums, nepeta and
Bowles’ Golden Grass. BELOWThe caterpillar of a Burnetmoth chows down on the lovely grub.
Her grandfather always planted by the moon and she is keen to follow - ‘Things growstronger and need less water if you plant them at the right time’
Turn over for garden notebook
�
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 24/03/2009 17:03 Page 43
44 The English Gard en
GLORIOUS GARDENSEAST SUSSEX
The notebookSunniva Harte’sgarden is a long and thin 90m x 12m (300ft x 40ft) with sandy, fertile soil. One end is tuckedamongst walls and buildings, while the other exposed to the wind and looks onto open farmland
� Don’t cut down your borders in November, do it in
February.The old foliage suppresses the weeds and then when
you clean up in spring the plants get off to a weed-free start.
� Relax about lawns. If you just keep mowing, the smaller
weeds will thrive - self-heal and daisies - and they look great in a
dry summer when the
grass is poor.
� If you have lots of
slugs, start off all your
vegetables in pots, and put
them out when they are
stronger. It’s really worth it.
� If you mow your
meadow grass, never do it
before the end of July or
August, because many
insects need that time to
complete their life cycle.
OWNER SUNNIVA’STIPS
� Highdown If you garden on lime, visit.Worthing,W. Sussex
BN126PFGTel:+44 (0)1903501054. www.highdowngardens.co.uk
� MerrimentsGardenand NurseryFour acres of variedmodern
gardening,with nursery attached.HawkhurstRoad, Hurst Green, E.
SussexTN197RA.Tel:+44 (0)1580860666. www.merriments.co.uk
� PashleyManorA series of elegant formal gardenswith parkland.
Ticehurst,E. SussexTN5 7HE.Tel:+44 (0)1580200888.
www.pashleymanorgardens.com
� StoneCrossNurseriesStone Cross Roundabout,Dittons
Road, E. SussexBN24 5ET.Tel:+44 (0)1323488188.
www.stone-cross-nurseries.co.uk
� Usual and Unusual PlantsOnslowHouse,MaghamDown,
Hailsham,E. SussexBN27 1PL.Tel:+44 (0)1323840967.
www.uuplants.co.uk
GARDENS AND NURSERIESTOVISIT
RESTFUL SPOTIt helps to extend the character
of a garden if its sitting places
have different characters. Here,
there are light metal table and
chairs beside the buildings, a
weathered old bench nestled
firmly into the meadow grass
(right) and a swing-seat at the
far end facing out onto farmland.
WATERWAYSIf you are serious about collecting rainwater, have a few attractive
watering cans that can be kept full beside your rainwater butts
(above), so that when it does rain the butt itself can fill to maximum
capacity. Sunniva’swater is metered and on her sandy soil she
must save every drop she can.
POTTY PIECESTiny terracotta pots lined up on
a wall (above) add a natural
decorative country touch, and
any that get broken by wildlife
make great crocks.
DON’T BIN THATTINGet creative and recycle at the
same time by using old food
containers around the garden.
Here, Sunniva makes the most
of an old olive oil can (below).
TEGUK 140 Pevensey final:UK 24/03/2009 17:03 Page 44
045-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:19 Page 1
If the rose-covered walls of Wren’s Farm could talk, theywould tell of hard-working plant addict Petal Wilson’s
colourful collages of cottage classics
PHOTOGRAPHSAND WORDS NICOLA STOCKENTOMKINS
�
The art of
46 The English Gard en
abundance
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:27 Page 46
Wren’sFarm in Lower
Bordean,Hampshire, a
former farmyard. Roses
‘Albertine’andWhite Cloud
envelop the house; and
bedswith Rosa ‘Shropshire
Lass’, Mary Rose andTess of
the D’Urbervilles surround
a circular islandbed
centrepiecewith clipped
photinia standard.
GLORIOUS GARDENSHAMPSHIRE
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:28 Page 47
Viewed from any angle on a hazy
summer’smorning, the gardenat
Wren’s Farm forms an enticing
composition of flowers and
foliage that embraces windows,
doorways and special places. ‘I’m not arty in the
conventionalsense,but you could say I paintwith
flowers,’ says Petal Wilson, who has transformed
an unappealing farmyard in Hampshire into a
classicEnglishcottagegarden filledwith an elusive
blend of fragrance and flowers.
It is no mean feat, especial ly since just 12
years ago when Petal and her husband Ra
moved to Lower
Bordean, there was
little growing in the
farmyard apart from
an old walnut tree, and the barns were only
partly converted. ‘We converted and renovated
the old farm buildings, adding an outer frame
of reclaimed bricks around the windows to
better define them against the light flint walls.’
Only once building work was complete could
she turn her attention to the farmyard. ‘We had
to remove tons of broken concrete,’ she explains.
‘Even now, I unearth enormous chunks of
concrete,stone or flint - somehowmoreand more
manages to rise to the surface.’ Nor did the
challenges stop once the rubble was removed.
‘The soil is poor, a free-drai ning chalk that’s
always hungry and absorbs loads of compost
each year. Planting anything involves the use of
a pickaxe and metal spike,’ she says.
Fortunately Petal is no stranger to compost
and challeng ing conditio ns. A keen gardener
since the age of 12, she established a fabulous
rose garden in her previous home, and is unfazed
by hard work - ‘It comes from a Scott ish
upbringing.’ Her garden at Wren’s Farm is
essentially walled, flanked by buildings on three
sides with the fourth partl y enclosed by a
detached, converted barn, now Ra’s office. There
are gaps to each side, allowing glimpses of a
lower garden set against a backdrop of the South
Downs. ‘We have a beautiful view of hills, fields
and woods - it was one of the main reasons for
moving here,’ Petal says.
Initially,she startedwork on the areas closestto
the house,concentrating on one bit at a time. ‘The
secretis to livewitha garden and to make changes
gradually,’ she explains. ‘I never put a design on
paper - I just started out by planting one border,
and it grew slowly from there.’ One of the first
areas she tackled was a raised York stone terrace
that runs parallel to the south-facing wall of the
house. ‘It’sa perfect place to grow tender plants,’
she points out. Amongst the treasures thriving
there are indigofera, jasmine, oleander, honey
bush and pelargoniums. ‘I keep them close to
the house where I can keep an eye on them.’ On
the easterly end of the terrace, she plant ed
climbing roses such as Rosa White Cloud,
‘Penelope’ and ‘Albertine’, the powerful scent of
its pink flowers discernible even from deep
within the kitchen. The kitchen door opens
directl y onto the terrace, flanked by a rather
magnificent clump of Euphorbia characias
‘Portugese Velvet’, its
flower heads turning
fluorescent green when
backlit by the early
morning sun. To the west is a pool which,
replacing a tumble-down greenhouse, is sunk
into the reclaimed York stone. A central fountain
sprays variegated iris, goldenmimulusand dainty
arum lilies. ‘A garden isn’t complete without the
sound of water,’ says Petal. Behind the pool
stands an imposing, cast-iron cistern that is fed
water by a lion mask fountain trickling into the
pool, from where it is recirculated by a pump.
As a final flourish, the curving top edge of
the cistern has a collar of ivy, and on each
side clumps of bamboo, hosta, cordyline and
‘The secret is to live with a garden and to make changes gradually.I started out by planting one border,and it grew from there’
GLORIOUS GARDENSHAMPSHIRE
BOTTOM,LEFTTO RIGHT Rosa ‘Penelope’climbs up the former barn behind herbaceous beds of roses, delphiniums,euphorbia, foxglovesand
stachys;also in the beds are Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’,poppies, hardy geraniums and black elder; a bench on the lawn for a comfortable
rest beside climbing solanum and Rosa ‘Albertine’.
48 The English Gard en
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:28 Page 48
The Eng lish Gar den 49
rodgersia create a leafy setting. Nearby, in the
centre of the terrace, stands a pergola clad in a
vine, various clematis and the unusual, much-
admiredwhiteRosa ‘Cooperi’,whichall intertwine
to form a leafy canopy above a dining table and
bench. ‘Wesit out here a lot during fine weather,
enjoying informal meals,’ says Petal.
The view encompasses the garden and the
distantDowns, a glorious pictureframed in white
roses,pinkClematis‘Carnaby’anda froth of flowers
in thebedbelow- yellowCephalariagigantea, white
Crambe cordifolia, baptisia, and the crimson
blooms of Rosa L. D. Braithwaite. ‘It’s such a
fabulous, deep velvety red - it’s without doubt
my favourite rose,’ she adds.
Rosesareclearlya greatloveandrun throughout
the garden, woven into a tapestry of perennials,
evergreen shrubs and topiary. ‘I like to describe
my garden as ‘cottagey’,but within a formalityof
clipped box or santolina,’ she says. It appears
artfully orchestrated, but Petal insists that there is
nothingexactabouther methodof gardening.‘I’m
forever moving plants around - if they don’t do
well in one position, I’ll try them in another,
but if they still don’t get on, then it is time
for the compost heap.’
Failure is rare, but among her many successes
are certain signature plants, including Stachys
macrantha, a hairy-leaved perennial with purple
spikes of hooded flowers that goes well with
roses. ‘I first saw it growing alongside roses at
Sissinghurst, growing at just the right height to
hide the bare, lower stems,’ she points out. There
are clematis - notablyClematis durandii, a variety
without tendrilsthat requires a lot of tyingin - that
skirts a small, lichen-coloured doorway until
meeting a climbing variegated euonymus. There
are also rarities such as Marrubium incanum
(horehound), a perennial that stands out in the
gravel bed withwhorls of lilac flowers, just one of
an ever-increasing collectionof unusual plants.
The gravelbed lies to the southof her husband’s
office, its walls decked with ‘Pink Perpétué’ and
Bonicaroses.‘Despitebeingon chalky, free-draining
soil, it needs no watering,’ insists Petal. Edged in
old clay roof tiles to separate the gravel from the
grass,thisbed is largelypopulatedwithself-seeding
plants such as poppies, linaria, foxgloves and
grasses. ‘And I just pull out any seedlings that
appear in the wrong place,’ she says. In addition,
there are aromatic plants such as catmint, lavender,
sage and santolina mingling with pineap ple
ABOVEOn theYorkstone terrace, a table and benchwait for visitors beneath the arbour,shadedwith vines,Rosa ‘Cooperi’, Clematis ‘Carnaby’,with
Euphorbia characias ‘PortugueseVelvet’ and roses visible beyond. BELOWA view over white peonies and roses to the gravel bed with catmint,
eremurus, grasses, lavenderand eryngium, as well as sanguisorba, linaria, genista, campanulas and poppies.
�
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:29 Page 49
TOP,LEFTTO RIGHT Delphinium ‘Magic’,
a deep blue dwarf variety that needs little
staking; Cistus x purpureus, an evergreen
shrub with pretty single bright pink papery
flowers in summer; RosaTessof the
D’Urbervilles, which bears large fragrant
crimson flowers on red stems. MIDDLE
LEFT Clematis ‘Carnaby’,a summer-
flowering climber with large dramatic pink
blooms with deeper pink stripes along the
centre of each petal. MIDDLE RIGHT Rosa
Mary Rose, a shrub rose with scented
cupped double flowers. BOTTOM, LEFTTO
RIGHT Rosa ‘Shropshire Lass’,a modern
shrub rose; Rosa Calypso, a pink-carmine
rose randomly striped or flecked with white,
which bears large sprays of semi-double
flowers; spires of unusual perennial
Marrubium incanum.
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final amended:UK 27/03/2009 15:48 Page 50
The Eng lish Gar den 51
GLORIOUS GARDENSHAMPSHIRE
plant, sea holly, cardoon,sanguisorba and Cirsium
rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’, all of them known for
being drought tolerant.
Opposite the gravel bed lies the lower border,
backed by a hawthor n hedge and a special
acoustic fence, designed to soundproof against
the noise of passing traffic on the neighbouring
road. Unusually,it is painted in an off-black shade
from decorative paint specialists, Farrow & Ball.
‘The normal black was too glaring, but this softer
shade makes the fence less obtrusive, while also
forming a great backdropto the catalpaand white
foxtail lilies, roses and peonies,’ explains Petal.
Backgrounds are all important in this garden,
not only ancientflint and brick, but also reflective
steel. On one wall, she has fixed a long mirror that
catches the unpreparedvisitorby surprise with its
surrealistically distortedreflections.‘I love showing
people round - gardens are for sharing,’ she notes.
With its wonderful flowers, it is no surprise
that visitors come in summer, but winter too has
its subtl etie s with a permanent struc ture of
evergreens and topiary. Set into the lawn lies a
knot garden crafted from two kinds of box,
‘formality with chaos in the centre.’ To each side
stand island beds, a tiered arrangement of roses
and perennials - astrantia, trifolium, delphinium,
salvia and lupin among st others - rising to a
central, evergreen standardPhotiniax fraseri ‘Red
ABOVE Looking beyond the roses, euphorbia and geraniums to the topiary lonicera on the lawn and the hills beyond.The box-edged island bed on
the left contains groundcover of astrantias and roses. BELOWAn almost hidden door is edged in climbing Euonymous fortunei, Rosa ‘Aloha’ and
Clematis x durandii, and fronted by box pyramids.
Robin’. ‘It needs to be pruned twice a year to
keep the distinctive red shoots,’ she adds.
With little help apart from a gardener who
mows the lawns, and Ra who digs holes and
prunes the climbers, Petal gardens for countless
hours throughout spring and summer.‘I’m a fair-
weather gardener, though, and during the winter
I have a total rest - I hardly go into the garden,
and even forget the plants’ names.’ It is a time
for reflection, planni ng and dreaming of new
additions. ‘I’m a plantaholic, so whenever I find
new plants, I have to create a new border for
them,’ she says. ‘That’s how this garde n has
grown - it’s totally plant-led.’
Turn over for garden notebook �
Wren’sFarm,LowerBordean,HampshireGU32 1ER.
The garden at Wren’s Farm opens in aid of
charity for the NGS on Saturday and Sunday 20 and
21 June, 2-6pm. Groups are also very welcome by
appointment, and there are usually plants for sale.
Tel: +44 (0)1730 263983.
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:30 Page 51
52 The English Gard en
GLORIOUS GARDENSHAMPSHIRE
The notebookWren’s Farm is set against the background of the south Downs, with poor, free-draining chalk soil. It has many areasincluding a south-facing terrace with pond, climbers and tender plants; gravel bed; knot garden; and borders
� Prune in early spring, cutting out one main
branch a year on each rose to encourage growth.
� Apart from liberal
doses of well-rotted
farmyard manure, feed
with a proprietary fertiliser
in early spring and July.
� Limit spraying against
blackspot and aphid attack
to a preventative spray in
spring and again in early
summer, only if necessary.
If blackspot attacks after
that, life’s too short to
worry about it.
OTHER GARDENS INTHE AREAThese gardens are all local and open for the NGS on
the same days asWren’sFarm. www.ngs.org.uk
� BramdeanHouse, Bramdean,Hants SO24 0JU.
21 June, 2-5pm.Tel:+44 (0)1962771214.
� Down Place, South Harting, Petersfield,
Sussex GU31 5PN. 20-21 June, 2-6pm.
Tel: +44 (0)1730 825374
� HintonAmpner, Alresford, Hampshire
SO24 0LA. 20 June, 11am-5pm.
Tel: +44 (0)1962 771305.
OWNER PETALWILSON’STOPTIPS FOR HEALTHY ROSES
WET AND MILDSet into the York stone terrace is a small pool planted with mimulus, arum lilies,
irises and waterlilies (above). Behind this, a lead cilstern is fed a trickle of water
by a lion’shead spout, topped with a crown of ivy. Other planting in this area
includes cordyline, astilbe, hosta and bamboo.
CONTACTS
HANGINGOUTThis hangingbird table (above) has a
real copper roof with a 'verdigris'finish.
Get a similar one by Bempton,made
from FSC wood and completewith
hanging cord. H12inxW8in. £21.99at
www.gardenbird.com
REFLECTIONS OF SURPRISEA clever illusory touch of Petal’s lies
in the shade of the walnut tree, where
she has fixed a longmirror that is
cleverlydisguisedby a windowbox
of Iris laevigata, a leafy fig and golden
philadelphus(below).
AVIAN AMUSEMENTThese two topiary birds (above) are formed from
Loniceranitida. ‘When I started clipping the bushes,’
says Petal, ‘they lent themselvesto these shapes.
They’rejust a bit of fun, as are the balls and spirals.’
TEGUK 140 Wrens Farm final:UK 25/03/2009 16:30 Page 52
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Architectural Trellises made to order in a widerange of panel designs and lattice options.
Arbour seats, Gazebos, Pergolas, Pavilions,Planters and Decking.
054-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:12 Page 54
ChelseaFlower Show
RHS SHOWPREVIEW
The English Gar den 55
19-23 May 2009The great spectacular begins right here with our preview
� Going For GoldKey themes for thisyear’s show gardens
� Show ShoppingNew practical and fungardening accessories
� The InterviewBehind the scenes with aplantsman and a designer
� Flower PowerWhat to look out for inThe Great Pavilion
� Insider InfoTips and advice to helpplan your visit
COMPILED BY CINEAD MCTERNAN
SU
SA
NN
AH
HU
NTE
R/R
HS
TEGUK140 Chelsea cover final:UK 30/03/2009 09:13 Page 55
56 The English Gard en
RHS SHOW
Going for
GOLD
PREVIEW
THE PILGRIM’S RESTInspired by the herb gardens that were attached to
monasteries in the Middle Ages, Chris O’Donoghue
hopes to ‘recreate the spirit of these small, peaceful
plots’.All the plants used are easy to grow and many
can be incorporated into modern dishes, such as
meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and elder
(Sambucus nigra) for fritters, and young side shoots of
hops that can be cooked like asparagus. Stand RM16
Showcasing an exciting array of garden design at thevery highest level, key themes at this year’s RHS Chelseainclude sustainability, foreign influences and edible gardens
Eco-friendlyFUTURE NATUREAn ingenious design from the green
roof gurus at Ark DM and the
University of Sheffield Landscape
Department, this garden is ‘a joyful
celebration of water’. It is built around
a water cycling system that is visible
at the core of the garden - a novel
approach to normal concepts for
rainwater harvesting. Stand MA13
A green roof that feeds water into a stormwater planting box, withplanting able to tolerate both flooding and normally dry conditions
look out for...
THE HESCO GARDENLeeds City Council took inspiration from
American-style rain gardens for their
design, as the dampYorkshire climate
so familiar to the team proved to be the
ideal environment for them.Water is
directed into a pond flanked by shallow
overflow pools, planted with iris, hosta
and Primula beesiana. This system
also creates free-draining areas that
are perfect for geums, aquilegia and
geraniums. Stand MA21
Locally sourced, reclaimed steel mesh gabions densely plantedwith ivy to make a living wall to further help absorb water
look out for...
THE GILES LANDSCAPES FENLANDALCHEMIST GARDEN‘Using only reclaimed or discarded materials, this
garden highlights the importance of recycling and
sustainability in today’s gardens,’say Stephen Hall
and Jane Besser. Using many native and wild
plants with cultivars from the same genus, the
pair demonstrate their interest in what they see is
a horticulturist’s form of alchemy.Stand RM10
Fen Ben’s hovel - a traditional Fenlandshed made from reclaimed materials
look out for...
ALLILLUSTRATIONSCOURTESYOFDESIGNERS
TEGUK140 Chelsea show gardens final:UK 30/03/2009 17:16 Page 56
From plot to plateTHE CHILDREN’S SOCIETY GARDENDesigner Mark Gregory says ‘this is a chic,
modern space for the urban family where you
can grow seasonal vegetables and herbs for
the table without your garden looking like an
allotment’. Raised vegetable beds stand
alongside buxus cubes and decorative planting
and it is enclosed by a pollution tolerant, multi-
stemmed ginkgo tree and Pratia pendiculata
as a living alternative to fencing. Stand MA25
Authentic touches, including a thatcheddovecote, a medieval pattern wheelbarrow,a chamomile seat and straw bee skeps
look out for...
Hidden composting and water-saving facilities. Plus an innovativesolution for drying laundry, which reduces electricity consumption
look out for...
FRESHLY PREPPED BYARALIADesigner Pat Fox claims ‘absolutely everything can be eaten’ in her garden. ‘I’ve
approached it as an extension of the kitchen - somewhere to whip up a sandwich or
a smoothie using the freshest ingredients
picked directly from the garden. I hope it
will also show owners of small spaces
how to start preparing and eating home-
grown food’. Stand RM15
A Chelsea first: the garden’sliving wall, which is entirelycreated using edible crops
look out for...
ENTENTE CORDIAL‘All is not as it appears on first glance in our garden,’
explain designers PatriciaThirion and Janet Honour.
Sponsored by The English Garden and sister title
Francemagazine, it explores cottage garden style on
both sides of the Channel: the planting is typically
French - formal and elegant - while the plants
themselves are quintessentially English. Roses,
peonies, delphiniums and foxgloves jostle for position
against columnar Taxus baccata, used for structure.
The pair have chosen drought-tolerant plants to
reduce watering and specific species to attract
insects into the garden. Stand RM14
CALLING ALLFRANCOPHILESSubscribe to our sister title
Francemagazine for £24
and save 50% on 12
issues. To subscribe, visit
www.subscription.co.uk/
france/EG59 or contact
Tel: +44 (0)1858 438788
and quote EG59.
Clever container ideas, including planters filled with allium, chervil, artemisia andcurly leaf parsley as well as hanging baskets spilling over with colourful annuals
look out for...
A world of ideas
TEGUK140 Chelsea show gardens final:UK 30/03/2009 09:39 Page 57
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The Eng lish Gar den 59
RHS SHOWPREVIEW
TABLE MANNERS 2008 RHS Chelsea Show Garden
designer Sarah Eberle has joined forces with sculptor
TobyClayton to produce a range of furniture and products
in glass, concrete, steel and textiles. Our favourite is the
G-table (above), made from galvanized steel and features
an innovative idea: a charcoal grill in the middle so
barbeque treats are in easy grasp. 2.4m x 1.2m.£5,200
(inc. six chairs) From Sarah Eberle and HME Ltd, stand
SR35. Tel: +44 (0)1865 400753. www.hmeng.co.uk
THROUGHTHE LOOKING GLASS Enjoy the fun of
growing under glass with the new Vista greenhouse.
Featuring a contemporary curved roofline it is available
in a standard width of 209.8cm and a length of 303.3cm,
fitting most gardens. Manufactured from rolled BS
aluminium and glazed with toughened safety glass.
£4,095. From Hartley Botanic, stand TR1.
Tel: 0845 4348882. www.hartley-botanic.co.uk
FLYAWAYHOME These colourful Byrdhouses (below) by Chris Eckerlsey,£325
each, are just one example of what's available from Design Nation at this year's
show. Other pieces include Sharon Elphick’s limited edition prints, Ella Doran's
outdoor-inspired home range, CaroleWaller's textile and glass installations and
Katy Holford’s abstract floral sculptures. Design Nation, stand CW4. Tel: +44
(0)20 7320 2895. www.designnation.co.uk
GRASP THE NETTLE
These 100% cotton gloves
with a protective nitrile
coating fit like a second
skin, allowing you to tackle
delicate gardening jobs
with ease. Available in
pink, green, yellow and
turquoise. £5.99.
FromTownand Country,
stand EA28.
Tel: +44 (0)1530 830990.
www.townandco.com
Show shoppingEnjoy our sneak preview of great new products that will be unveiled atthis year’s show by leading gardening and horticultural suppliers
IN A NUT SHELL These adorable ceramic ‘Baby
Horsechesnuts’ are created using moulds made
from real fruit. All pieces are glazed and painted
by hand. From £20. Penkridge Ceramics,
stand EA11.Tel: +44 (0)1922 625181.
www.penkridgeceramics.co.uk
BYTHE LIGHT OF THE MOON
Imagine being able to tell the time
by moonlight? This new Moon Dial,
a contemporary take on a classical
16th-century French sundial
design, allows you to do just that.
It can also be personalised with an
etched inscription. Diameter 70cm.
£7,958.From David Harber, stand
MA5. Tel: +44 (0)1235 859300.
www.davidharbersundials.co.uk
TEGUK140 Chelsea products final:UK 30/03/2009 09:44 Page 59
ChelseaStandRHW9
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The English Gar den 61
What’s it like preparing for the greatest show on earth?We asked leading rose grower and Great Pavilion veteranPeter Beales (far left) and Chelsea newcomer, designerLuciano Giubbilei (left) to share their thoughts
Peter, this is your 41st RHS Chelsea Flower
Show;do youstillgetnervousbeforetheshow?
Yes, I have sleepless nights and have a reduced
appetite during the lead up to Chelsea.
And Luciano, is designing a show garden for
the first time an overwhelming experience?
I have been focusing so much on all the details
that I haven’treally thoughtwhat it will be like,but
I don’t have particular expectations.
What’s the most daunting aspect of Chelsea?
PB: Definitely the worry about the roses not
coming into flower in time.
LG: Forme, it is organising the diary - it has been
quite a challenge.
How long have you spent preparing?
PB: Almost immediately after the show the next
year’sone is forming in my mind. But in terms of
design, it starts to come together in January.
LG: I presented the garden to Laurent-Perrier in
early July, and from that moment onwards I
started to researchall the elementsthat I needed:
the stone; detailing the water feature; speaking
to the artist, Nigel Hall; planning with the
contractor,Crocusand the water featurespecialist
Andrew Ewing; and travelling to plant nurseries
all over Europe to find what I needed. So,
yes, it has been quite some time, but I
suppose you can never have enough time
to prepare everything.
How do you feel about following in the
footsteps of designers likeTomStuart-Smith
and JinnyBlom,who havecreatedgardensfor
Laurent-Perrierin the past?
LG: I have great respect for previous designers.
In fact it was an introductionbyTomStuart-Smith
that enabled me to meet with Laurent-Perrier.
I havealwaysadmiredTomfor his workbutmostly
for his approach. I see him as an ambassador for
our profession,someone that makes you want to
be better. Mostly though, I am enjoying this
experience without thinking too much about
the past or the future.
Luciano, you’renot normally known for using
many plants in your designs, but this is not
the case with this garden. Was it difficult to
choose which ones to use?
I had the colour combination and the key plants
that I wanted to use in mind from the start, and
from there everything has developed through
visiting Crocus, my plant supplier.
Peter,have you seen Chelsea change over the
years you’ve been doing the show?
PB: The changes I’ve seen are not about the
ambience, which always remains enjoyable, but,
from a plantsman’s point of view, the hard
landscaping seems now to be more important
than the plants. I suppose we have to live with
the ever-changingfashions.
Do you think Chelsea needs to change to
reflectthe shifts in horticultureor do you think
it is doing enough to include topical issues?
PB:TheRHS are constantlyremindingus to reflect
the changes that are taking place in horticulture
and lifestyleand so these issuesare alwaysin the
front of our mind when we design our stand.
LG: I feel that it needs to find its simplicity
because the whole thing about gardening and
designing is simple.The show and the public can
only benefit if there is clarity and direction in its
intent. I understand the need for the commercial
The interview
RHS SHOWPREVIEW
side, because horticulture is a business after all,
but the balance must be carefully considered.
If Chelseais theOscarsof the gardeningworld,
who or what should win...
Best supporting role?
PB: Roses of course!
LG: Grasses.
Best newcomer?
PB: Obviously,a rose! And probably one of ours.
LG: Iris ‘Coeur d’Or’.
Best nursery?
PB: Blackmore and Langdon.
LG: I have to say Crocus, but they are the best!
Best designer?
PB: Chris Beardshaw
LG: TomStuart-Smith
And finally…Peter,do you rememberwinning
your first gold medal?Who did you tell first?
The companywasmuchsmallerthen andmywife
was with me at the show, so the first person
I told was my mother.
Who will you call when you find out what
medal you’ve been awarded, Luciano?
It will be my adopted British grandmother
Vera Gordon. She is adorable and someone
that I really value. She brings me back to earth
every time I meet her.
BELOW Peter Beales Roses in the
Great Pavilion, stand GPE10, promises
a lavish displays of magnificent roses.
ABOVE Luciano’s Laurent-Perrier Garden, stand
MA18, sees geometric lines blurring boundaries
between nature, art and architecture.
TEGUK140 Chelsea interview final:UK 30/03/2009 09:50 Page 61
62 The English Gard en
The delicious grapefruit scent and vigorous
climbing habit of this English Musk hybrid
make it a good choice for pergolas and arbors.
Also, its large flowers bloom from the main
stem all the way up the plant.
Height 3m. £14.96 for bare root.
DavidAustin Roses, stand GPC22.Tel:+44
(0)1902 376333. www.davidaustinroses.com
IRIS ‘NUIT DE NOCES’A fast grower, this eye-catching iris flowers
from May to July.They like to bake in the sun,
so plant with the upper section of rhizome on
the surface of well-drained soil. Plant with
alliums, aquilegia and cranesbill for country-
style borders. Height 80cm. £12.75.
Cayeux Iris, stand GPC11.Tel:+33 (0)238
670508. www.iris-cayeux.com
Big enough for 500 London buses, the Great Pavilion is packedwith treats. Here is our guide to some of the wonderful newplants to be launched at the show
HOSTA ‘WAR PAINT’Brighten up shady spots with this large-leaved
hosta. If slugs and snails are a problem in
borders, grow in containers on copper feet or
with tape around the rim. Mulch in spring to
keep moist, mixing with fellow shade lovers
like fern and Solomon’sSeal. Height 1m. £15.
Bowden Hostas, stand GPC4.Tel:+44 (0)1837
840989. www.bowdenhostas.com
CORDYLINE ‘SUNRISE’At home in a courtyard or exotic garden,
this structural plant looks equally good in a
container or border. Feed monthly and water
regularly throughout summer. Bring indoors or
protect in winter. Height 1.2m.
£15 for a three-litre pot.
Hillier Nurseries, stand GPD15.
Tel:+44 (0)1794 368944. www.hillier.co.uk
Flower power�
�
ROSATHEWEDGWOOD ROSE
��
TEGUK140 Chelsea new flowers final:UK 30/03/2009 09:57 Page 62
HEUCHERA ‘TIRAMISU’The latest in the popular SweetDelightsseries,
‘Tiramisu’changescolourwith the season;
flushingbrick red in spring and autumn,with
a silvery veil appearing in summer.Good for
containersor as ground cover.Lift and divide
every two to three years.Height 50cm. £8.
Hillier Nurseries, stand GPD15.
Tel:+44 (0)1794 368944.
www.hillier.co.uk
CLEMATIS FLEURI ‘EVIPO042’Flowering all the way down its stems
from early to midsummer, this floriferous
climber is absolutely perfect for small
gardens and containers. Remove dead and
damaged stems before growth starts in
spring. Height 1.2m.For more information,
such as other varieties, as well as stockists
and prices, visit the website.
Raymond J Evison, stand GFP14.
Tel:+44 (0)1481 245942.
www.raymondevisonclematis.com
SCABIOSA AFRICANA ‘JOCELYN’Bred by nursery owners Rosemary and Robert
Hardy, this is an excellent cut flower.Attracting
bees and butterflies, deadhead to prolong
flowering. Height 45cm. £3.50 for a 9cm pot.
Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, stand
GPF13.Tel:+44 (0)20 3076 1331.
www.hardys-plants.co.uk
IRIS ‘BROADLEIGH FENNELLA’This evergreen orchid iris prefers a neutral to
acid soil, in part shade. Flowering from late
April to early June, it’s a gorgeous gap filler in
late spring borders. Height 30-40cm. £5.
Broadleigh Gardens, stand GPE6.Tel:+44
(0)1823 286231. www.broadleighbulbs.co.uk
Water, water everywhereThis year’sGreat Pavilionsees water
as the main theme for a number of its
exhibitors.GatesheadCouncil is working
with renownedfashiondesignersWayne
and GerardineHemmingway(of Red or
Dead) to create a display that highlights
the importanceof water recyclingand
the role of water in a healthy lifestyle.The
Cayman IslandsDepartmentofTourism
with NewingtonNurserieswill create
an ‘underwater’display to represent
the marine life of the Caymanian
waters,while the NationalAssociation
of FloralArrangementSocieties,which
celebrates its 50th anniversarythis year,
will create an arrangementthat appears
to float on water.
New exhibitors to the pavilion� VictoriaViolas, stand GPG19 - violas
� Todd’sBotanics,stand GPC5 - hardy
exoticsand unusual herbaceousplants
� Coldharbour,stand GPC12 - hostas
� Plant a Go Go, stand GPG18 - alpines,
rockeryplants and dwarf shrubs.
Floristry gets competitiveA new professionalfloristry competition
will be launched,in associationwith the
British FloristAssociation.It will
culminate in the announcementof the
‘ChelseaFlorist of theYear’and the
‘YoungChelseaFlorist of theYear’.
Best of BritishExhibitors in the Great Pavilionwill be
‘CelebratingBritishHorticulture‘.This
special initiativemeans visitors to the
showwill be able to easily identifyBritish
plants and nurseries.ShowmanagerAlex
Baulkwellsays: ‘Exhibitorssupportingthe
celebrationwill highlightplantmaterial
that has been grown in the UK for a full
season, so shopperswill knowwhen
they are buyingBritish.’
Look out for...
RHS SHOWPREVIEW
A windowof opportunity- plans for the
Gateshead stand by the Hemmingways
�
�
�
�
ALL
PHOTOGRAPHSFROMNAMEDNURSERIES
TEGUK140 Chelsea new flowers final:UK 31/03/2009 10:56 Page 63
064-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:17 Page 64
The English Gar den 65
All you need to know about the show from our very owneditor TamsinWesthorpe, as well as expert tips from designerThomas Hoblyn and garden photographer Jason Ingram
Insider info
RHS SHOWPREVIEW
…a great subscription offer. Visitus at stand numberEA106, and don’t
forget to seeThe EnglishGarden Julyissue forour showreview.
Look out for...
VISITOR ESSENTIALS� Buy the catalogue - it is
essential. To order your copy in
advance by tel: 0844 2090353.
Call by 29 April. £6.50 inc. p&p.
� Make sure to book your ticket
in advance - you will not be able to
get in without one and you can’tbuy one on the gate.
� Plan to eat at the showground as you can’t go in
and out of the show.There are picnic spots on site.
� Most of the shopping you’ll do will be by way of
making orders. Few items can be bought and taken home on the day.
� If you’re visiting on the Saturday you’ll be able to take part in the sell off at the end of the day.
Make sure you take some plastic bags (above) and cash - not large notes!
PICTURE PERFECT� If possible, take
pictures first thing or in
late afternoon when the
light is softer. Don’t use
flash; you’ll get better
results if you stick with
daylight - even in the Great Pavilion.
� Get a snap of the label when you are
photographing plants. It’s easy to forget the
names once you’ve left the show.
� When it comes to capturing show
gardens on camera, less is more. Look for
interesting details rather than trying to get
the entire garden in one shot (see above).
� Make sure you look to the four corners
of the frame before pressing the button.
It’s amazing how often you are including
something you don’t want in the picture or
cropping out something you do.
� Finally, take a spare memory card - it is
frustrating to run out of space for pictures.
We’d love to see how you get on:
email your favourite shots of the
show to [email protected]
DESIGNER KNOWHOW� Don’t be afraid to put tall plants at the front of planting schemes. It’s good
to create surprises for the onlooker to discover from different viewing points.
I consciously create ‘curtains’ of grasses to screen off little treats for later on.
� Repeat one variety throughout a scheme. I always make sure my gardens,
this year the Foreign and Colonial Show Garden (below), have an unobtrusive
plant randomly placed everywhere. Try self-seeding Digitalis purpurea ‘Alba’.
� Regardlessof the weather,time of year and the
conditionof the plant,water plantswhen they
arriveat your garden and as soon as they’re
planted.Wateringthe plantedplant also ensures
good soil to root contact and preventsair pockets.
� If, for some reason, a plant becomes completely
dry and wilts, fill a bucket with water and put in
the tiniest drop of washing up liquid in. Then
submerge and weigh down the plant. The washing
up liquid will ease permeability allowing water to
hydrate the compost and get to the roots.
Surprisingly, it will not harm the plant.
TRAVEL INFORMATIONRail: Victoria is the nearest mainline station. Sloane Square tube station (District and Circle Lines)
is just a 10-minute walk from the showground.
Bus: Once in London, the showground can be easily reached by a number of buses. Jump on a
number 11, 137,211, 239, 360 or 452. For more travel information visit www.tfl.gov.uk
Car: The showground is within the congestion charge area. However, you can park at Battersea
Park, a 20-minute walk away. Expect to pay about £25 a day per car.
If you’re being dropped off, head to the Bull Ring Gate entrance on
Chelsea Embankment.HANDYTIP
CHELSEA
2008/JON
ENOCH
JASON
INGRAM
TEGUK140 Chelsea insider info final:UK 30/03/2009 10:02 Page 65
In search of
Give your courtyards and pathways a new look with ourselection of contrasting paving ideas. There’s more scopefor design underfoot than you may think...
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ITALIAN STYLE Pietra Serena Italian sandstone from
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perfect paving?
66 The English Gard en
ISLAND LIFE This contemporary paving from Organic Stone (above) can be set in grass or
gravel, is hand crafted and made with 100% recycled materials. There is a range of textures
to choose from, and packs are also available in wave and cobble designs. Prices range from
£40 to £1,060. For more information, tel: +44 (0)1452 411991. www.organicstone.com
POLISHED PERFORMANCE Add a touch of colour to your garden with polished
pebbles, which are quick and easy to lay.There are five colours in the range from Global
Stone (four shown above), perfect for any style of garden - and they have the added
benefit of sound, a great security measure. They can also be used in water features and
around planting. For more information, prices and stockists, tel: 0845 6060240 or go to
www.globalstonepaving.co.uk to see more of the company’s range (right).
STONE ME! ArcadianCountry
Paving (above) is availablefrom
Haddonstonein three standard
sizes, and in Portland,Bath,
Terracotta,Slate and Coade
finishes.Made of reconstituted
limestone,the smallest size is
450mmx 225mm. £4.95 to £11.
Tel:+44 (0)1604770711.
www.haddonstone.com
TEGUK140 Paving shopping final:UK 27/03/2009 10:09 Page 66
The Eng lish Gar den 67
GUIDE TOPAVING
MAGIC EYE Add interest to your terrace with 3-D effect paving Natural Sandstone
Optique (above), from the Bradstone range. Available to buy in a 11.3m²pack containing
36 diamonds, 36 mini diamonds and 72 inserts. Each pack is made up of two colours of
paving - Fossil Buff and Autumn Green - in order to create the contrast. For more
information and stockists, tel: +44 (0)1355 372289 or visit www.bradstone.com
‘When you’re choosing paving, consider the other texturesand materials in your garden to help unite the finished
design. For a traditional garden, go for ethically sourced,rather than concrete or reconstituted stone. Sawn and
smooth is best for a smart, contemporary look.’Charlotte Rowe, garden designer
(turn to page 81 to see one of Charlotte’s designs)
FRIEND OF THE EARTH?
Marshalls are signed up to the
Ethical Trade Initiative and are
committed to improving the
lives of the workers who make
its products. The Haworth
Moor Range offers a selection
of sandstone and natural stone
(Antique Natural Stone, right),
that is bought from an
independent source to ensure
the imported natural stone
paving has not been produced
by young people.
Tel: 0845 8205000 or visit
www.marshalls.co.uk
CELTIC CHARACTER
TruststoneCotsdale, a new
dolomitic limestone Celtic
Knot with infills from
Stonemarket (left), has
fantastic durability, colour and
weather resistance. With
plenty of character, it’s the
perfect focal point for any
garden, with hand-dressed
edges giving a natural look.
Tel: +44 (0)24 7651 8700.
www.stonemarket.co.uk
WHOWILL LAYTHEM?� Installation and ground preparation will often cost
more than the paving itself. Aim to get a couple of
quotes. If you are opting for Marshalls paving why
not use one of their Registered Installers? For details,
tel: 0845 8205000, or for other contractors contact
the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI)
on tel: +44 (0)24 7669 0333 for your nearest quality-
assured BALI landscaper.
� Make sure your chosen contractor is aware of the
current drainage regulations and takes the appropriate
action to avoid flooding. For more information on
regulations contact BALI (see above).
� If undertaking the installation yourself, seek advice
from the manufacturer of the paving - they will often
provide guidelines. Make sure you have all the
appropriate safety wear.
� Instead of buying plate compactors and stone
cutters, why not hire them? www.hss.com
THINK ECOBefore ordering new paving, have you considered
using old stone or paving in your garden? Gaps can
be infilled with gravel or planting if the paving is of
different sizes or damaged.
Where possible try to buy locally.Youmay be lucky
and find paving for free or aged paving at reclamation
yards. Try placing an advert in the local paper or visit
www.freecycle.org Be aware that this paving won’t
be guaranteed.
For Indian sandstoneand Chinese slate, try sourcing
from ethical importerswho are signed up to the Ethical
TradeInitiative(ETI). If you are environmentallyminded,
when buying concretepaving ask if it has been created
using recycledaggregatessuch as pulverisedfuel ash
or ground granulatedblast furnace slag.
Ask your neighbour if they’re undertaking similar
paving work - it is far more eco friendly to make one
large order than two smaller ones.
CARING FORYOUR PAVINGIn order to keep your paving looking as good as
new, follow our care guide:
� Avoid slippery paving by using a pressure washer
or yard brush and a drop of Jeyes’ Fluid.
� Keep weeds at bay between cracks. In extreme
cases you may have to resort to a weedkiller.
� Sweep up fallen leaves and berries in autumn to
avoid accidents.
� Use a product such as Biozyme OT8 Biological Oil
Stain Remover to remove petrol and oil. Tel: +44 (0)23
8025 8966. www.blue-diamond.co.uk
Things to considerbefore you buy
eco-
friendly
TEGUK140 Paving shopping final:UK 27/03/2009 10:10 Page 67
068-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:17 Page 68
STONECRETE
Concrete and stone garden paving
The Cottages
Scratby Hall
Scratby
Great Yarmouth
Norfolk NR29 3PQ
Tel: +44 (0)1493 384188
www.stonecrete.co.uk
STONE AGE
Natural stone products for domestic,
buildings and landscape
Unit 3,
Parsons Green Depot
Parsons Green Lane
London
SW6 4HH
Tel: +44 (0)20 7384 9090
www.estone.co.uk
STONE FLAIR
Patio paving and natural stone
Aggregate Industries UK Ltd
Hulland Ward,
Ashbourne
Derbyshire DE6 3ETF
Tel: 0870 600 9111
www.stoneflair.co.uk
STONE MARKET
Pavings, driveways
and landscaping
Oxford Road
Ryton-on-Dunsmore
Warwickshire
CV8 3EJ
Tel: (0)2476 518700
www.stonemarket.co.uk
TURNSTONE PATIOCENTRE
Manufacturers and suppliers
of wet cast patio flags
Rectors Lane
Pentre
Deeside
Flintshire
CH5 2DN
Tel: +44 (0)1244 539601
www.pavingslabs.net
ACORN STONE
MERCHANTS LTD
Natural stone specialists
Kirby Road, Lomeshaye Ind. Est.
Nelson, Lancashire
BB9 6RS
Tel: +44 (0)1282 612211
www.acornstonemerchants.com
BRACKLA PATIOCENTRE
Wet-cast paving manufacturer
Unit 2, Heol Ffaldau
Brackla Ind Estate, Bridgend
South Wales CF31 2AJ
Tel: +44 (0)1656 647595
www.bracklapatiocentre.co.uk
BRADSTONES
Decorative garden Paving
Aggregate Industries UK Ltd
Hulland Ward, Ashbourne
Derbyshire DE6 3ET
Tel: (0)1355 372222
www.bradstones.com
CATHEDRA STONE
Creamy flags, blocks and other
hard-landscaping elements
Unit 10, Brooks Lane Ind. Est.
Middlewich, Cheshire
CW10 0JH
Tel: +44 (0)1606 833200
www.cathedrastone.com
CHARCON
Patio Flags, BS Flags, CBPs, Kerbs
Aggregate Industries UK Ltd
Hulland Ward, Ashbourne
Derbyshire DE6 3ET
Tel: +44 (0)1335 372222
www.charcon.com
COUNTY STONE
Wet-cast patio flags
Unit 10, Dockray Hall Mill,
Burneside Road,
Kendal,
Cumbria LA9 4RU
Tel: +44 (0)1539 723600
www.county-stone.com
ENVIROGLASS
Flags made using recycled glass
Shetland Amenity Trust
Garthspool, Lerwick
Shetland ZE1 0NY
Tel: +44 (0)1595 694688
www.enviroglass.co.uk
EVEREDGE
Path and lawn edging
PO Box 9,
Stroud, Gloucestershire
GL6 8HA
Tel: +44 (0)1453 731717
www.everedge.co.uk
GLOBAL STONE
Natural stone paving
Mill Race, New Road,
Aldham
Nr Colchester,
Essex CO6 3QT
Tel: 0845 606 0240
www.globalstonepaving.co.uk
HADDONSTONE
Interior and exterior stone solutions
Haddonstone Ltd,
The Forge House,
Church Lane, East Haddon,
Northampton
NN6 8DB
Tel: +44 (0)1604 770711
www.haddonstone.com
LAKELAND CONCRETE
Block paving
Flusco House, Penrith
Cumbria CA11 0JB
Tel: +44 (0)1768 483617
www.lakelandconcrete.co.uk
LIVING STONE
Patio and garden flags
Riverside,
Skellingthorpe Road
Saxilby,
Lincoln LN1 2LR
Tel: +44 (0)1522 704158
www.livingstoneuk.com
MARSHALLS
Gardens, driveways and
commercial landscaping
Landscape House,
Premier Way, Lowlands Business
Park, Elland HX5 9HT
Tel: 0870 1207474
www.marshalls.co.uk
MINSTER PAVING
Patio flags
Bromag Ind Est.
Downs Road
Witney, Oxon
OX8 5SR
Tel: +44 (0)1993 771697
www.minsterpaving.co.uk
ORGANIC STONE
Sculptural flooring for exterior
spaces
The Canalside,
Merchants Road
Gloucester GL2 5RG
Tel: +44 (0)1452 411991
www.organicstone.com
PEYTON’S PAVING
Concrete and natural stone flags
121 High Street,
Harston
Cambridge
CB22 7QB
Tel: 0845 130 1730
www.peytonspavings.co.uk
ROGERS GARDENSTONE
Patio Flags and edgings
Sand Hills, Faringdon
Oxfordshire SN7 7PQ
Tel: +44 (0)1367 240112
www.gardenstone.co.uk
SILVERLAND STONE
Landscape experts supplying natural
stone and concrete products
Holloway Hill, Chertsey
Surrey KT16 0AE
Tel: +44 (0)1932 570094
www.silverlandstone.co.uk
Paving directoryFor decorative delights to spruce up your outdoor floor, look no further than our stockists list
DIRECTORYPAVING
The Eng lish Gar den 69
TEGUK140 Paving Directory final:UK 26/03/2009 11:20 Page 69
70 The English Gard en
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TEGUK140 Insurance final 24/03/2009 17:24 Page 70
071-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:18 Page 71
072-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:21 Page 1
THE NEW CLASSICENGLISH GARDENThe elegant planting at 17th-century Badminton House in Gloucestershirehas the feel of a centuries-old English country manor garden, but it wasdesigned just 25 years agoPHOTOGRAPHSGARY ROGERS WORDS JANINEWOOKEY
�
The Eng lish Gar den 73
DESIGN GUIDENEW CLASSIC
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final 26/03/2009 11:08 Page 73
74 The English Gard en
Badminton House was restored andrebuilt in the 1660s by the 1st Duke ofBeaufort, Henry Somerset, who was
given his title by Charles II in 1682.In its heyday in the 1680s, it had marvellous
pleasure gardens falling away from the house,and period drawings show it with a plethoraof magnificent formal parterres comingright up to the house.
Successive dukes were very enthus iasticabout the Beaufort hunt, but less so aboutthe gardens. Badminton - apart from givingits name to the medieval battledo re andshuttlecock game in the 1870s - has alwaysbeen associatedwith hunting and, since 1949,equestrian events includin g the famousBadmintonHorse trials. When the 11th Duke,David Somerset, inherited the title in 1984
at the age of 56, there real ly was notmuch of a garden left. He and his wifeCaroline, who died in 1995, were keengardeners, and together they set down thebones of a beautiful garden.
There were friends to help. The landscapearchitect Russell Page visited and, steppingout of the terrace on the east wing, jotted afew sketches and notes on the back of aenvelope. Alas, he died a few days later, andthe present Duchess, Miranda, is sad that theenvelope is now long lost.
Page’s associate, Belgian designer FrançoisGoffinet, stepped forward to help completethe scheme . His main contri butions werethe four box parterres on the south side ofthe house . Gardenin g advice was also athand from the well-known garden historian
and author Avilde Lees-Milne, who lived onthe estate with her husband James from 1975until her death in 1994.
All was done informally and no recordskept, making it a challenge for the presentDuchess, but giving her the freedom tomake changes as she and the Duke feelnecessary. ‘I see my job as looking after thismarvellous garden as it was meant to be.The person who is the biggest influenceon my ideas is my husband, as he has anexceptional eye for scale.’
The result is a structured but luxuriousl yplanted garden of many parts that wraps itselfaround the elegant house with great style,with flower planting in a soft base palettewith dark tones of burgundi es, plums andpurples threaded throughout.
GardenprofileOWNERSDuke and Duchess
of Beaufort
DESIGNERSRussell Page and
François Goffinet
GARDEN DETAILSBadminton,
Glos GL9 1DF.
www.badminton-
horse.co.uk
SITEOpen Cotswoldcountry site
SOILBrash claySTYLE Formal designwith informal planting
ILL
US
TR
AT
ION/NEILGOWER
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final amended 27/03/2009 16:13 Page 74
DESIGN GUIDENEW CLASSIC
This area owes its existencewith its
dense box beds to landscaperRussell
Page. It sits betweenthe conservatory
wings,whichmirroreach other across
the lawn.The rosesused here include
white Iceberg,and yellowCharlotteand
‘ArthurBell’ to reflect the sunny feel.
THE BOX PARTERRE
This feature (left) has become so deep that
the Duchess is looking for longer legged
plants. Hosta sieboldiana var. elegans and
Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’are doing
well, as is Euphorbia characias subsp.
characias ‘Humpty Dumpty’, and this year
she is adding Teucrium fruticans and
Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Silver Queen’.
POTSFOR DRAMA
Large pots of white Tulipa‘Triumphator’are
sunk into the ground for a dramatic touch
early in the season, to be followedby soft
waftingwhite cosmos.
The east wing
‘I see my job as looking after this marvellous gardenas it was meant to be’
The English Garden 75
�
The rose gardenThe 16 geometric box beds filled with
roses and divided by box hedges and
yew pyramids make this a magnificent
display of both colour and fragrance
in early summer.
THE COLOUR PALETTE
The palettemoves from the white of
WinchesterCathedral to palest pink ‘Fantin-
Latour’, to the richer tones of the burgundy
‘Cardinal de Richelieu’and crimson ‘Tuscany
Superb’.Soft yellowsof ‘Buff Beauty’ are
interspersed throughout and the ground
cover comes in the form of violas and
alliums in spring, and assorted geraniums,
such as Geranium x magnificum and G.
macrorrhizum ‘Album’in summer.
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final amended 27/03/2009 16:14 Page 75
The hornbeam hedge at
the back of the parterres
was a François Goffinet
choice. It requires
clipping twice a year
and the Duke would
really prefer yew,
although the Duchess
enjoys its lighter green
colour and feels it lifts
the atmosphere.
The base of the
rectangular pond is
concrete topped and
edged withYorkstone.
The Duchess recently
made the seal at the top
lip more watertight and
then raised the water
level to get an ‘infinity
feel’ which has greatly
improved the look.
The paving flags for the
paths were found stored
away in a stable on the
estate, saved from a
previous life.They are
Pennant stone.
76 The English Garden
Reflecting the influence
of Russell Page and
François Goffinet, box is
a major part of the south
garden design, but two
decades down the line,
the Duke and Duchess
are finding it hard to
keep it all in good
health and good shape.
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final 26/03/2009 11:10 Page 76
The symmetrical spheres
are of small leaved privet
(Ligustrum ovalifolium)
which the Duchess feels
is much underestimated.
It needs clipping just
once a year and is well
behaved apart from a
tendency to throw out
an occasional long shoot.
The flowers that infill
behind the box and in
front of the hedge are
mainly Japanese
anemone,A. x hybrida
‘Honorine Jobert’ and
the occasional pink
‘Königin Charlotte’.They
need to to be watched
as they have a tendancy
to be invasive.
The grass paths are kept
immaculate with a strict
regime of mowing and
feeding.The gardens are
fortunate that they do
not suffer a very heavy
footfall of visitors.
�
DESIGN GUIDENEW CLASSIC
The peony and pool bedsFrançoisGoffinet,a Belgiandesignerwho had workedwith Russell Page,came to BadmintonafterRussell’s
death in 1985 and designedthe south garden,verymuch in Russell’sgeometricstyle.The result is a lovelyset
of fourmatchingsquaresbalancedarounda circular lawn.
Some of the plantinghad to be removedlater,for,as the Duchesssays slightly ruefully,‘It came up so close
to the house, it was almost claustrophobic,and if he had his waywewouldhavemoved the house tomake
way for the garden!’So two sectionsand some hedgeswere removed,leaving just two yew pyramidsin a
manicuredlawnon to which you step out from the house.
Beautifulpeoniesare a favouredflower in this gardenand they seem to thrivein their small rooms.Among
them are Paeonia lactiflora‘MarieLemoine’,‘Bowl of Beauty’,the creamy‘Duchessede Nemours’,rose pink
‘ShirleyTemple’,large flowered‘SarahBernhardt’,and ‘Primevère’.‘I do love them,’says the Duchess,‘but I wish
someonewould come and giveme a lesson in how to hold their heads up.’
The colour theme is
kept to soft pink and
white with a little blue.
Peonies are the favoured
flower although white
foxgloves are allowed to
self-seed within reason,
and the spheres of
Allium hollandicum and
A. cristophii match the
privet balls.
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final 26/03/2009 11:11 Page 77
The Badminton Estate proudly
boasts two magnificent long
conservatories as well as a splendid
orangery.
THE CONSERVATORIESTo the east of the house stand the present
conservatories, which were built in 1780
and have fantastic high apexed ceilings
(top row, right).
The walls of both are covered from
floor to ceiling in wooden trellis, painted
pale blue, and they are packed with
scented geraniums.
The Duchess’ absolute favourite is
the very pretty hybrid shell-pink ivy
Pelargonium ‘Millfield Gem’, which
climbs to the top of the conservatory.
THE ORANGERYSituated down by the swimming pool,
the orangery is used these days mainly
to keep the splendid array of tender
summer-flowering bulb agapanthus
(below left and below centre). All of
the varieties at Badminton are so old, no
one knows their names anymore.
Some just come in for the winter
with the Mexican orange blossoms
(choisya), alongside Aloysia triphylla
(lemon verbena) and also the African
hemp, Sparrmannia africana. Climbing
roses such as ‘Alister Stella Gray’ and
wisteria cover the outside walls (right).
In front of the orangery is a dense
planting of long established iris ‘Jane
Phillips’ (below right), which were
replanted in the past month after
building work.
Garden rooms
The splendid array of agapanthus in the orangery areso old no one knows their names anymore
78 The English Gard en
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final 26/03/2009 11:44 Page 78
THE OWNERMIRANDA, DUCHESS
OF BEAUFORT is married to David,
the 11thDuke of Beaufort.With
the help of head gardener Richard
Preest, Miranda has been actively
continuing and improving the
garden, which was begun in the
1980s. She has been designing
gardens with Jane Nicholas
since 1980, and they collaborated
on a book, Easy Gardening, in
2004 (published by Frances
Lincoln).
Russell Page (1906-1985)
(right) After a short partnership
with Geoffrey Jellicoe, he settled
in France, and designed gardens
at Ditchley Park for Nancy
Lancaster, Landriana in Italy and
at the National Arboretum in
Washington DC, USA. His The
Education of a Gardener (1962)
became a garden design classic.
� François Goffinet trained at
RHSWisley and the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.
www.francoisgoffinet.com
DESIGNER PROFILES
THE SWIMMING POOLAND FOUNTAINThe stunning swimming pool and
fountain (above) sits in front of the
orangery and was designed by the
Duke himself.
THE SHELL FOUNTAINThe Duchess first came across the idea
for a shell fountain in a French garden,
and then, to her delight, discovered there
were a number of old large shells tucked
away in barn on the estate - a remnant
of some earlier ornate decoration at
Badminton. The result is this wall display
(right) that provides the soothing sound
of trickling water.
Water features
The Eng lish Gar den 79
DESIGN GUIDENEW CLASSIC
RU
SS
ELL
PAG
E/M
ARINASCHINZ
FROM
THE
GARDENS
OF
RUSSELL
PAGEBYMARINASCHINZAND
GABRIELL
EVA
NZU
YLE
N.
£30(FRANCESLINCOLN
).
TEGUK140 Design Gd Badminton final 26/03/2009 11:12 Page 79
080-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:22 Page 1
LAWNFREEAND LEISURELYA small contemporary space with enough blooms to satisfy anyardent gardener connects house and garden with aplombPHOTOGRAPHSCLIVE NICHOLS WORDS DAVIDANDREWS
�
The Eng lish Gar den 81
DESIGN FOCUSURBAN
CHARLOTTE ROWEA designer known for her bold
architectural style matched with
soft planting, she is based in
London but has also taken
contracts in the US and Europe.
Suite 10, 2 Station Court, Imperial
Wharf, London SW6 2PY.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7736 8672.
www.charlotterowe.com
TEGUK140 Design Focus Charlotte Rowe final amended 27/03/2009 16:17 Page 81
82 The English Gard en
The garden seamlessly stems from the house,running on the same level as the kitchen andlounge. A timbercapsulehousingan extensionfor the lounge boldly connects the house totimber decking and adjoining fence panels,something that designer Charlotte Rowe waskeen to see happen from the start.
Before the capsule had been installed, shemet the owners and sketched ideas to ensurethe architecture and garden intertwined. Theresult is an outdoor space inherently attachedto the indoors. The structural prowess of thecapsule is echoed in the great blocks ofplanting, bringing both elements together -the compact form of Buxus semperv irensprovides a solid outline around which Salviax sylvestris, Lavandula angustifolia and alliumsmove in the wind, attracting wildlife andfilling the air with delightfu l scents. Thepredominant tones here are greens, purplesand deep maroons, providing a haze of colourthat contrasts with a striking block of Carexbuchananii running parallel to the fence.
Creating a sense of journey, access downinto the garden is only permitte d alongstepping stones made from rectangular lengths
of Egypti an limeston e and interj ected bygroups of Erigeron karvinskianus and Thymusserpyllum. The same stone is used in both theupper and lower terraces. Its colour is almosta perfe ct match to the flooring used in thekitchen, helping keep a strong link betweenthe exterior and interior design. In the sameway, the Western red cedar deck connectswiththe timber capsule extension.
The lower terrace provides a restingarea disconnected from the house - a place todetach from the inside of the house andrelax among the plants.
At the end of the garden, two largelime-washed free-standing walls sit proud.The larger of the two is a reces sive greycolour mostly screened by a multi-stemmedAmelanchier lamarckii; the other a vibrant yetunobtrusive blue. The owners were inspiredby this shade after a visit to Jardin Majorellein Marrakesh, Morocco, and were keen to seesome of the rich blue colour found thereappear in their garden.
The two walls draw the scheme together byreflecting the colours found in the garden andthe bold geometric layout as a whole.
The brief for this contemporary
design inWest London was simple:
a modern garden full of life for avid
plant lovers.With over half of the space
allocated to plants and no lawn.The result
is an intriguing design that more than
meets the owners’ needs.
CLOCKWISE FROMTOP LEFTThis platform is the perfect place for an al fresco
meal; wooden decking by the water conjures thoughts of sunny pierside
holidays; a Majorelle blue wall demands visual attention;a treat of a seat to
paddle your feet; take a rest on this bench to appreciatethe luscious planting.
BOTTOMLEFTThe house seamlessly extends out and merges into the garden.
TEGUK140 Design Focus Charlotte Rowe final 24/03/2009 17:30 Page 82
DESIGN FOCUSURBAN
A 2m x 4.5m pool sits
below the edge of the
timber capsule, allowing
people to hang their feet
over the edge.The
pool is an essential
connection between the
indoor space and the
garden - its calm
reflective surface is a
perfect match for the
wooden extension and
its large glass screen.
The deck is made of
Western red cedar, as are
the benches.This
softwood has a charming
natural-washed appeal.
Anything darker might
detract from the
surrounding plants and
contrast to detrimental
effect with the light
and bright qualities of
the terrace.
The use of Cornus
alba ‘Sibirica’ with
Trachelospermum
jasminoides against the
fence, underplanted with
sedums, miscanthus,
akebia, euphorbia and
monarda, creates a more
natural, wild habitat
along one side of the
path leading to the
bottom of the garden.
Structured blocks of
planting create a jigsaw
of lines that connect
with the deck and
terraces, pulling the
whole garden into a
single working unit.The
evergreen blocks are
separated by perennials,
creating a relaxed
balance of naturalistic
wild planting against
formal arrangement.
The free-standing,
lime-washed walls
provide colour and act
as effective screens for
objects the owners don’t
want on show, however,
they also have sculptural
appeal in that they work
visually to draw your
eye down to the
bottom terrace.
TEGUK140 Design Focus Charlotte Rowe final 24/03/2009 17:30 Page 83
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SHOW PREVIEW
Malvern Spring Gardening ShowTake a trip to the UK’s first big gardening event of the year, from 7-10May
As you drive towards the showground, you’ll take
in the breathtaking views of the spectacular
Malvern Hills, recently been voted one of AOLTravel’s
worldwide holiday hotspots.
The Malvern Spring Gardening Show, now in its 24th
year, is a fundraising event and a joint venture of the
Three Counties Agricultural Society and the Royal
Horticultural Society.This year sees an unprecedented
collection of some 40 gardens and borders of varied style.
You’ll also find trade stands selling products and plants, a
new Eco Home & Garden Area, Creative Cooking
demonstrations, Chickens In The Garden display and
UK skills in Association with British Association of
Landscape Industries (BALI), which is using the show
for the regional heat of its World Skills Landscape
Gardening Competition 2009.
This year also sees 11 new designers go head to
head to win the second Chris Beardshaw Mentoring
Scholarship, sponsored by Bradstone. They face the
challenge of building a show garden and facing the
judges in front of a public audience on the Thrusday.
The biggest treat of the year is the new Spring Fashion
Day, which will be held on Friday 8 May.The Design For
Living Theatre will be home to a contemporary garden
catwalk where young designers fromWorcester College
of Technology’sSchool of Art and Design will parade their
The English Gar den 85
MALVERNSPRING SHOW, 7-10MAY2009Thursday 7 May: Advance tickets only on first day - Adults £28; RHS and
TCAS members £25. First day price includes car parking.
Friday 8 May: Advance - adults £16, members £15. On the gate - £17.50.
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May: Advance - adults £14, members £13.
On the gate - £15.50.
� Parking available
on site.
� Located eight
miles from the M5
and M50 - follow
brown signs to
showgroundand
then the yellow
AA signs.
� Shuttle buses
available from
Great Malvern
Station.
Tobuy tickets: www.threecounties.co.uk/springgardening or tel: + 44 (0)1684 584 924.
colourful outfits in front of a guest celebrity judge. This
exciting event will be hosted by gardeners Joe Swift and
James Alexander-Sinclair.And, of course, there is the
magnificent 1.6-acreRHS Malvern Floral Marquee with
thousands of exquisite floral displays from 100 of the
country’s top nurseries.
TRAVELINFORMATION
TEGUK140 Malvern Show final:UK 31/03/2009 11:08 Page 85
86 The English Gard en
THE ENGLISH GARDEN MAJESTIC TREESCOMPETITION - MAYISSUE 140
Every garden, large or small, needs trees. For spring
blossom, autumn leaf colour or for textured bark in
winter, nothing adds drama to a garden like trees.
Howwouldmature trees changeyour garden’scomplexion?
Would a stately avenue give your newly built home the
gravitas it lacks? Would a tall, living screen instantly
transform an unattractive view into the tranquil outlook
you have alwayswanted?
As an exclusivecompetitionforTheEnglishGardenreaders,
MajesticTreesof Hertfordshirewill design, plant and/or build
up to £10,000worthof hard and soft landscapingfor the lucky
reader who presents the most persuasive case for
a garden makeover.The winner will be announced in a later
issue of the magazine, and The English Garden
will follow the design and build process over the summer,
culminating in a special feature on the winner’s garden to
be published in the autumn.
To enter, answer the question on the entry form (below)
and submitphotographsof yourgarden(digitalor prints),along
with a summary of up to 200 words as to why you believe
your gardenwould be most dramatically transformedby the
addition of mature trees. Send the entry form and additional
information to The English GardenMajesticTreescompetition,
ArchantHouse, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucester GL50 1BB
or alternativelyenter online at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
WIN a £10,000 MAKEOVERfor your gardenwithMajesticTrees
Question:Why does an Airpot-grown tree (right) establish so quickly compared to trees grown
in conventional containers?
Answer:
Name (Mr/Mrs/Ms):
Address:
Postcode: Tel: Email:
Enter our competition to have trees established in your garden
�
In addition to your answer please submit:• A photo of the proposed planting site to illustrate your case.• At least three photos of your garden and house, to show existing planting.• At least one photo showing access path from proposed parking/offloading position to planting site, to show anyobstructions such as steps, gates, or walls.• Measurement of the narrowest point along access path, e.g. gate opening or side passage.• Measurement of the height of any vertical limits along access path, such as overhanging eaves.• Details of access restrictions close to your home (for narrow lanes, HGV restriction, no parking etc).These are needed for planning purposes only and will not adversely affect your entry.
HOWTO ENTER: Complete the entry form and include the correct answer to the question below (it may help to
read pages 59-61 in our March issue). On a separate piece of paper, describe, in no more than 200 words, why
adding trees to your garden would yield the most dramatic transformation, and what effect would be achieved.
Please tick if you subscribe to The English Garden. � Please tick if you do not wish to receive information about products and services from Archant Specialist by phone � by post � or fromother carefully selected companies by phone � by post. � Please tick the box if you do not wish to receive further information from Majestic Trees. �
COMPETITION
Entries limited to
one per household.
Entrants must be
18 years or over.
The competition
is not open to the
employees of Archant
Specialist or Majestic
Trees, or their families
and agents.
The winner is the first
correct entry chosen
after the closing date
of 15 May 2009. The
prize must be taken
before the end of
2009. No cash
alternative available.
Full competition rules
available on receipt of
SAE.The judges’
decision is final; no
correspondence will be
entered into. Youmay
photocopy this form.
RULES
TEG UK140 Majestic Trees Competition final:UK 27/03/2009 11:05 Page 86
Natural bathing inyour own garden
ANGLO SWIMMING PONDS LTDStrayfield Road, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 9JE
Tel: +44 (0)20 8363 8548 Fax: +44 (0)20 8363 8547Email: [email protected] Web: www.anglo-aquarium.co.uk
On the days when some pond owners wouldlike to swap with their frogs, a swimmingpond is the answer! It provides a naturalenvironment for animals and plants, andimproves the micro climate in the garden. Notonly does the pond blend in with the gardenduring the summer, but in cold areas it can alsobe an ice rink in the winter.
Locating the pond at the deepest or lowestpoint in the garden gives it a very natural feeland putting it next to a patio gives theappearance of being beside a lake.
The water plants carry out biological cleaning.Not only do they look attractive, but theyproduce oxygen and remove excess nutrition.The plant roots and gravel harbour many tinymicro organisms which assist in the cleaningcycle. The choice of plants is importantand our professional team will help you tochoose correctly.
087-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:23 Page 1
88 The English Gard en
SEASONALFOOD
The recipes we follow and
ingredients we use to enhance
salads are totally a matter of
personal taste, but there’s no better way
to customise dressings than with flavours
from your own garden, by making infused
oils and vinegars.
Use seasonalingredientsand blendyour
oils in tiny quantities, because they won’t
keep. Choose a small, glamorous bottle
that has been througha dishwashingcycle,
add a few pretty chillis cut lengthways,
or garden herbs with a ribbon of lemon
peel - or for pure luxury,the tiniest amount
of grated truffle. Top up with light olive
oil, making sure all the contents are
covered. Shake occasionally to release
the aromas, keep in the fridge and
consume quickly; sloshed on pasta, over
risottos, on bruschettaand in vinaigrettes,
dressings and marinades.
LIQUID GOLDFrances Bissell, in her sensational book
The Scented Kitchen, suggests blending
flower oils with grapeseed oil, then
brushing scallops with rose oil, or roast
peppers with lavender oil, and making brilliant
blue borage or stunning marigold oil by bruising
their petals and mixing into a pesto.
Extracted from nuts, seeds and fruits, cooking
oils vary hugelyin quality.Somepremiumoliveoils
are so special, they shouldn’tbe desecratedwith
extra flavours, just drizzled onto cooked dishes of
warm new potatoes or baby garden vegetables.
From the kitchen gardenFrancine Raymond shakes it up this month with oils, vinegars and a serving of asparagus soup
PHOTOGRAPHSSARAH BUSH
Other oils, such as sesame, walnut and
hazelnut, are too strong to countenance
adulteration. Sesame should be sprinkled on a
dish of noodles or finely sliced cabbage, and I
love the nut oils rubbed into a crumble mixture,
with nuts, sugar and oats topping baked fruits.
Virgin olive oil is fabulous in dressings, but use a
light olive or safflower oil for cooking. All oils are
�
CREAM OF ASPARAGUSSOUPHefty overgrown spears and tiny grassy sprue can be thriftily used up in soups like this
one, saving your textbook asparagus for finer dishes. Serve with snipped chive flowers
and swirled crème fraîche for a luscious garden lunch or dinner party treat.
� Finely chop a bunch of whole spring onions and a stick of celery.
� Sweat gently in a little butter for a few minutes.
� Chop 450g/1lb asparagus - the thicker the spears, the smaller the bits - and add to the pan.
� Add 570ml/20fl oz of good stock and a little chopped mint.
� Simmer gently for 25 minutes and liquidise.
� Re-heat gently, adding the crème fraîche just before serving.
healthierthan hard fats, but every now
and again, a new seed oil appears,
with high hopes in the health stakes.
Hemp and pumpkin are the current
crop. The best that can be said is that
they taste healthy.
QUITE A PICKLEVinegars last indefinitely.Youcan even
make your own by adding a ‘mother’
starter to wine or cider, but like
other home cultures such as yoghurt
or yeast, you can soon become
overwhelmed, producing mountains
of food to press on long-suffering
friends in an effort to keep the beast
caged. Premium vinegars, like strong,
aged balsamic and sherry or the
more delicate champagne, are best
treated with respect. Cider vinegar
has proven health properties - I often
add a spoonful to my hens’ drinking
water for a springtime purge. Save
malt vinegar to scour the limescale
from your kettle.
Flavouredvinegarsare not a modern
invention - 17th-century diarist John
Evelyn insisted that his vinegar should always
be ‘impregnated with the infusion of clove
gillyflowers, elder roses, rosemary, nasturtium
and thus enrichedwith the virtuesof theseplants’.
Take a clean bottle, pop in a few sprigs of your
chosen flavouring (bruising any herbs beforehand
with a rolling pin) and top up with the vinegar of
your choice, completely covering with liquid.WWW.BRITISH-ASPA
RAGUS.CO.UK
TEGUK140 Francines Kitchen final:UK 24/03/2009 17:39 Page 88
TEGUK140 Francines Kitchen final:UK 24/03/2009 17:39 Page 89
90 The English Gard en
SEASONALFOOD
DRESSTO IMPRESSTradition decrees one part vinegar to three parts
oil as the basis of a dressing. Add sea salt and
black pepper to taste, definitely, and a little Dijon
mustard, some harissa orWorcestershire sauce,
maybe.Make up your dressing in a screw-topjam
jar, blending the ingredients by shaking them
vigorously. Save in the fridge, but refresh
frequently,as dressingsgo stale, especially those
with added crushedgarlic.Try experimentingwith
a little mashed anchovy for a Caesar dressing;
add some crumbled blue cheese for protein; or
for a healthier option, replace the oil with low-fat
yoghurt and the vinegar with lemon juice.
A favourite dressing: Take a bunch each of
watercress and parsley, a sprig of tarragon and a
bundle of chives;then add two dessert spoons of
champagne or mild vinegar, four tablespoons of
oliveoil and a cartonof softwhitecheese.Sprinkle
BUNCHES OF COW PARSLEYWhether you call it Queen Anne’s lace, cow
parsley or wild chervil, the lanes here in Suffolk
are fringed with creamy froth. Cut huge
bunches to bring into the house. Place in a large
galvanized vases, adding a little bleach to the
water. Keep until they start to drop their tiny
dusty petals, and replace with fresh bouquets
before the plant emits its characteristic smell.
Make your own dressing in a screw-top jam jar, blendingthe ingredients by shaking them vigorously
From the garden
with sea salt and black pepper, and whizz briefly
in a blender.This is particularly delicious on crisp
cos lettuce, topped with poachedeggs.
A favourite marinade: In a soup dish, add a
splash of light olive oil, a sliced lemon and the
juice of another, some capers, a little garlic and
salt and pepper, and marinate a sliced aubergine
in the mixture for a fewhours. Drain and grill, and
serve with the marinade reduced as a sauce.
I love this with soft goat’s cheese in herby oil
with black peppercorns, or some feta bathed in
lemon oil with mint.
VISIT FRANCINE ATTHE KITCHEN GARDENFrancine’s garden in Troston, near Bury St Edmunds, is open to the public for the NGS on
Bank Holiday Sun and Mon, 24 and 25 May, 2-5pm. Come and visit the hens, ducks and
garden, and see the new iris bed and willow pond fence. www.kitchen-garden-hens.co.uk
TEGUK140 Francines Kitchen final:UK 24/03/2009 17:39 Page 90
091-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:24 Page 1
92 The English Gard en
One of the perks of being a gardenwriter
is that occasionally you are offered (or
can beg) gadgets to try out. A couple of
years ago, I tested two leaf blowers, the kind that
vacuum as well as blow, and chop the leaves to
boot. Even thoughmy garden is small, I thought
this bit of machinery would be a nifty time saver,
especially for the leaves that settle on the gravel
part of the garden. It’s a year-round job as the
eucalyptus drops leaves in all seasons, but one I
put offas longas possiblebecause itmakes a racket
like an industrial-sized vacuumcleaner.
A MORI Research poll found that 1 million
peoplemoved homein 2007 becausethey couldn’t
stand the noise produced by neighbours. I don’t
know how many of those involved noise in the
garden, but if you visit the forums on the Noise
Abatement Society website
you’ll find plenty of cases.
One ladyput leaf blowers at
the top of her list of garden
machinery that causes
‘anguish’ to neighbours, followed by trimmers,
shreddersand high-pressurecleaners.
I would add petrol-driven lawn mowers too.
When we are sitting out having lunch and our
neighbours choose that particularmoment to cut
their large lawns, we are forced to eat, without
conversation,listening to the roar of the engine.
The legal limit for a mower with a 50-70cm
cutting width is 98 decibels (a boiling kettle
measures 50) but the NationalNoise Association
says that levels above 85 decibels may harm our
hearing. Presumably short blasts of this kind of
noise are not likely to do permanent damage, but
if every time you step into the garden you are
subjected to a battery of mowing, trimming,
shredding, and power hosing, then yourmood is
unlikely to be tranquil. ILLU
ST
RA
TIO
NM
AEV
EC
LAN
CY
A necessary evil for all but the most dedicatedof green gardeners,Anne Gatti looks at environmental ways to use mowersand more
Garden machinery
Eco-watch
Then there’s the potential damage to the wider
environment that gardenmachinerycauses.Tools
poweredby fossil fuels are responsible for carbon
dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases,
which are directly associatedwith climatechange.
Scientists warn that the need to cut our CO2
emissions in particular - and the Energy Savings
Trust says we in the UK are the least efficient
energy users in Europe - is critical if we are to
avoid the extinctionof up to a quarter of all plant
species and land animals.
So whatshould the eco gardenerdo about using
machinery? Well it’spossible, of course, to do all
these jobs by hand - think of the calories you’d
burn and the savings you’d make by cutting the
grasswitha pushmower.Butmanygardeners just
don’t have the time, especially if they have miles
of hedging to clip or hectaresof lawn tomow. The
greenest option is to choose your machineswith
noise, energysourcesand emissions inmind.Many
manufacturers now offer ‘quiet’ models, which
typically run at 84 decibels (Robomow and also
the Automower range fromHusqvarnapurr along
at an impressive 64 decibels). Unfortunately,they
are often more expensive to produce. Electric
models will be quieter than petrol-driven ones,
and if your supplier uses energy from renewable
sources suchas wind,wateror solar(see opposite)
then youwill be makinga significantreduction in
your personal carbon emissions. One provider
claims thatswitchingto greenelectricitycan reduce
the annual carbon footprint of an average
household by two tons. Less than 1% of our
electricityis currentlygenerated from thesesources
and environmentalists say that the more people
sign up, the more money there will be for the
developmentof green energy in the UK.
If you arenotwith a greenenergysupplier,then
you should consider battery-operated tools and
machines, especiallyones that run on lithium-ion
batteries. This technology has impressive eco
credentials:testing by independent technicianshas
given results of 60g of CO2 emissions for a lithium-
ion-powered mower cutting 300 sq m of grass
comparedwith 780g from a petrol-powered one.
These batteries are used by companies like Bosch
and Wolf Garten in a range of machines from
hedgecutters and shearsto shreddersandmowers.
According to Roger Tombs of Bosch UK, the
batteries used in their mowers will power the
machinesfor up to 30 minutes,dependingon the
height and condition of
the grass, and take one
hour to recharge, which
makes them a viable
option for most gardens.
At the end of their lives, these batteries should be
returned to the manufacturer so the various
elementscan be extracted and reused.Husqvarna
offers a self-propelled mower that tops up its
nickel-metal-hydride battery (better for the
environment than a nickelcadmiumor lead) with
solar power, is quieter than a householdvacuum
cleaner and runs for up to an hour on one charge.
Youcould also considera recyclerlawnmower,
which shreds the grass very finely and then
fires the clippings back to the base of the plants
where it acts as a mulch, reducing the need to
water and feed the grass, and saving you time.
Some models are petrol-driven but Toro and
AL-KO offer an electric one, which if combined
with a green energy supplier would make for
a sound eco choice.
What should the eco gardener do about using machinery? It ispossible to do jobs by hand, but many of us just don’t have time
GREEN ISSUES
TEGUK140 Ecowatch final:UK 24/03/2009 17:47 Page 92
ABOUT NOISE ISSUES� www.noiseabatementsociety.com
� www.noiseresourceservice.co.uk
� www.ukna.org.uk
Quiet!Accordingto the NoiseAbatementSociety,under the
EnvironmentalProtectionAct, 1990, if a noise is deemed a
nuisance,an abatementnoticemust be served by the local
authority.If the offenderfails to complywith the notice,
proceedingscan be taken in the MagistratesCourt or an injunction
sought in the High Court.An occupierof premisesaffectedby
noise nuisancecan complaindirectly to the MagistratesCourt and
civil action can also be taken.Also, a local authorityofficermay in
some cases enter a dwellingand seize and confiscateequipment
which it is thought is or has been used to emit noise.
ON LAWNMOWERS� www.bosch.co.uk
� www.automower.co.uk
� www.enviromower.co.uk
� www.worldofwolf.co.uk
� www.toro.com/int/uk_en/
� www.alkogarden.co.uk
A bit of TLC Looking after your mower is a great way to be
environmentally friendly - a few simple checkswill keep it
running at its optimum level and reduce how often you have
to replace it too. Ideally mowers should be professionally
serviced each year, but there are a few basic things you can
do to keep them in good working order: keep blades sharp
(if you’re unsure how to sharpen them, your local dealer or
garage can help); tighten bolts and screws if they have worked
loose during mowing; check belts and gears for wear, replacing
when necessary and clean off excess cuttings after mowing
to stop rusting.
ON GREEN ENERGY AND ENERGY SAVING� www.energysavingsecrets.co.uk
� www.ecotricity.co.uk
� www.goodenergy.co.uk
� www.greenenergy.uk.com
� www.ntgreenenergy.org.uk
Fair share If you are a member of a garden society, why
not think about sharing garden machinery? Create a general
pool of tools that everyone can use when they need them is
kinder to the environment. It is a great way to cut down on
the amount of gadgets you need to buy and working out a
rota between the group will ensure you only use them when
it’s really necessary.
FIND OUTMOREStan Fairbrother
Bespoke Architectural Garden Structures
HAND CRAFTEDWESTERN RED CEDAR GARDEN RETREATS
For the finest in summerhouses, gazebos, outdooroffices & garden studios visit our website to inspireyourself with designs for your own garden hideaway,
or telephone for our brochure.
01772 814274
WWW.STANFAIRBROTHER.CO.UK
TEGUK140 Ecowatch final:UK 31/03/2009 17:31 Page 93
094-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:19 Page 94
Visit our website...GREATVALUE PRICES ON PLANTS ANDTOOLS AT
www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
Our website is packed with design tips, photography,competitions, events and adviceon jobs to do now. Fully interactive, you can have your say too.Visit us at...
The English Gar den 95
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To get your hands on one of these superb Nikon prizes, simply enter one ofyour own stunning travel images via the competitions page from 16th Feb
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EXCLUSIVEWEB OFFER ...Rudbeckia ‘Cherry Brandy’Summer perennialRudbeckia‘Cherry Brandy’ is a superbgarden plant,which will flowerfrom July right the way throughto the first frosts of autumn.Producingmasses of blooms,it’sexcellentas a cut flower too.Plant in sun or partial shade withasters and Verbena bonariensisfor cottage-style borders.Height 61cm (24in)Buy 42 plugs for £11.99or 84 plugs for £15.99 - doublethe amount for just£4 extra. FREE P&P.
TEGUK140 Web page final:UK 31/03/2009 11:29 Page 95
096-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 11:25 Page 1
Name ...................................................................................
Address ...............................................................................
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THE ENGLISH GARDENMAYOFFER
(for delivery purposes only)
�
ORDER BY PHONE: 0844 573 2020. Please quote EGA18. Phone lines open seven days a week, 9am-8pm.
ORDE R BY POST: The English Garden Offers, Dept. EGA18, PO Box 99, Sudbury CO10 2SN
Please note that your contract for supply of goods is withThompson& Morgan (YoungPlants) Ltd (Terms and conditionsavailable upon request). All offersare subject to availability.Offersavailable to UK mainland residentsonly.Orders dispatchedfromMay 2009 onwards. All orders will be acknowledged with a dispatch date.*Freepickingand processing. Offer closes 31st May 2009.
A Rambling Rose‘Albertine’Deliciously fragrant,this hardy variety willquickly ramble overwalls and arches.Flowers from June toJuly. Height to 5m.Supplied as bare roots.BBuuyy oonnee RRoossaa ‘‘AAllbbeerrttiinnee’’ffoorr ££99..9999 oorr ggeett ttwwoo ffoorrjjuusstt ££1144..9988 aanndd SSAAVVEE ££55
B Philadelphus‘Belle Etoile’An easy-to-grow scentedshrub, this mock orangeflowers abundantly fromlate spring. Ideal for amixed border, it willcope well with poor soiland urban pollution.Height to 1.2m.Supplied in 9cm pots.BBuuyy oonnee PPhhiillaaddeellpphhuuss‘‘BBeellllee EEttooiillee’’ ffoorr ££99..9999 oorrggeett tthhrreeee ffoorr jjuusstt ££1155..9988aanndd SSAAVVEE ££1133..9999
C Jasmineofficinale‘Clotted Cream’Masses of perfumedflowers appear fromJune to August. Thisfast-growing, semi-evergreen climber isperfect for disguisingwalls and fences. Height to 1.8m.BBuuyy ffiivvee ppllaannttss ffoorr oonnllyy££99..9999 oorr bbuuyy 1100 ppllaannttssffoorr jjuusstt ££1144..9988 aannddSSAAVVEE ££55
D Lonicera‘Golden Honey’Plant this new compacthoneysuckle near seatingareas to enjoy the delicatescent. Attracts bees,butterflies and hoverflies.Height to 3m.BBuuyy tthhrreeee ppllaannttss ffoorr oonnllyy ££99..9999 oorr bbuuyy ssiixxffoorr jjuusstt ££1144..9988 aannddSSAAVVEE ££55
Please send me Code Quantity Price Total
1 Rambling Rose ‘Albertine’ 85385 £9.99
2 Rambling Rose ‘Albertine’ 87534 £14.98
1 Philadelphus ‘Belle Etoile’ 5381 £9.99
3 Philadelphus ‘Belle Etoile’ 85207 £15.98
5 Jasmine officinale ‘Clotted Cream’ 3536 £9.99
10 Jasmine officinale ‘Clotted Cream’ 3537 £14.98
3 Lonicera ‘Golden Honey’ 81393 £9.99
6 Lonicera ‘Golden Honey’ 81519 £14.98
Total £
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The English Gar den 97
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TEGUK140 T& M offers final:UK 26/03/2009 14:17 Page 97
98 The English Gard en
CRAFTSBEES
Bee-keepingin Britain dates frombefore Roman times, and DavidChubb keeps the traditi ongoing, making a quarter ton ofhoney each year.
Primarily a sheep farmer, of South Cerneyin Gloucestershire, he infuses his goldengoodness with the flavoursof local snowdrops,crocuses, horse chestnut, borage and lime.And since 1982, this Cotswold bee-keeperhas also kept alive another, more unusualtradition: weaving bee skeps.
Skeps are straw bee houses, hollow basketswith a bees’ entrancecut in the side. Folk builtthem long before the 19th-century inventionof wooden hives, from whatever materials lay
to hand: wicker ones covered in clay and cowdung to keep off rain; and straw ones sportinghackles (roofs), sometimes made of cabbageleaves. These stood on stone or woodplatforms, in shelters or bee boles.
Bees attach their honeycombs to the insideof the skep walls. ‘At one time, people killedthe bees to scoop out the honey,’ David says.‘To avoid that, you put a smaller skepon top of a larger one and take the comb-filled smaller skep for your honey withoutdisturbing the main hive.’
He taught himse lf to make skeps from abook almost 30 years ago, because he wantedone for collecting swarms. This is still how heuses them today. ‘I have a flat-topped skep
Aright direction
SKEP in the
Many people are turning back to traditionalmethods in these unsure days, and what couldtaste sweeter than a sup of honey from an old-fashioned, handmade bee skep?
PHOTOGRAPHSPAULFELIX WORDS SIAN ELLIS
for the job, placed openin g upwards ona sheet , beneat h a tree where the bees are.Then I shake the swarm into it, wrap it upand take it home.
‘People like skeps because they’re naturaland made from sustainableresources,’ he says.‘Lots of peoplewho don’t keep bees buy them.They use them to create an ornamental focalpoint in a garden or conservatory. It’srecrea ting a dream of a past period, a timewhen most cottage dwellers had bees.
‘I weave them in different sizes, usuallyabout 35-60cm (14-24in) tall, for major beecompanies, period filmmakers and individualcustomers in the UK and Europe. I also getenquiries from America.’ One year, he made
giant versions for the Chelsea Flower Show.David weaves in the early morning and
evening, fitting it around his farm work.He favours long-stemmedwheat straw,and inthe past he has obtained supplies from theroyal farm nearby. ‘I am a bee-keeper atHighgrove and I’ve also made Prince Charlesa swarm-collectin g skep, but I don’t like tosay too much about it.’
He may be a modest man, but David looksto the past to make his future, and obviouslycreates skeps fit for a queen… bee.
Cotswold Bee Skeps, Box Bush Farm, SouthCerney, Near Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL75UB. Tel. +44 (0)1285 860648. See more designsand products at www.cotswold-beeskeps.co.ukA brief history of bee skeps can be found atwww.homepage.mac.com/mreddygbr/skepFAQMore information and links also available fromthe Guild of Straw Craftsmen - visit the websitewww.strawcraftsmen.co.uk
‘Skeps are natural and made from sustainable resources. They recreate a dream ofa past period, a time when most cottage dwellers had bees’
LEFT David Chubb prefersto use long-stemmed wheat straw, which he sometimes gets from
Highgrove. MIDDLETOP His handmade tools: a ring of cow horn throughwhich he feeds straw to
keep coils a consistent thickness, and three wooden-handled metal pipes that act like needles, guiding
the cane through the coils. MIDDLE BOTTOM It beginswith a special straw ‘knot’; he then coils up
the straw,sewing it into placewith rattan cane. RIGHTThe finished product, filled with honeycomb.
TEGUK140 Bee Skeps final:UK 24/03/2009 17:52 Page 98
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT David Chubb specialises
in handmaking old wheatstraw bee skeps;
tending his hives; two different models on
display in the garden;David also sells beeswax
candles from Boxbush Farm; sheep farmerby day,
skep artist by night; David’shoney,ready for sale.
TEGUK140 Bee Skeps final:UK 24/03/2009 18:00 Page 99
100 The English Garden
WILDLIFEBEES
Plight of the humble
Our bee population is in seriousdecline, but gardeners can make a differenceWORDS CINEAD MCTERNAN
HONEY BEE5 bee-friendly ideas
PLANT THERIGHT FLOWERSEncouragehoney bees to
visit your gardenwith cottagestyle
annuals and perennials.If you have
enough room,why not let a patch
go wild? It’sworth considering
alternativesto pesticidestoo, as
chemicalsare harmful to bees.Try
organic productsor encourage
friendlypredators to control pests.
Visit www.organiccatalog.comor
www.just-green.com for more.
Turnto page 115to find out the
best nectar-richflowers to grow.
1 PERKUPPUBLIC SPACES
If guerrillagardening isn’t for you,the BritishBeekeepers’
Association(BBKA)suggest encouraging
your local authority toplant flowers to attractbees in areas they lookafter, like roundabouts,parks and gardens. Ifits staff resourcesare
limited you can alwaysget a group of friends
together and volunteer.
2
BECOME ABEE-KEEPERTakeup a new hobby
and become a bee-keeper, it’sthe ultimateway to help honeybees. For all the informationyou need, contact your localbranch of the BBKA, which youwill be able to locate through itswebsite www.britishbee.org.ukHere you’ll also discovercourses, essential equipment toget you started and how tomanage the bees themselves.If this sounds a little daunting,why not offer your garden as ahome for a beehive?Your local bee-keepingassociation willhelp you find akeeper in need ofmore space andbefore you know ityour flowers willalso be enoyingthe benefits.
3 HUNT OUT LOCAL HONEYYoucan’t beat the flavour of local honey
and it is evenmore deliciouswhen it has been
made from the flora of your area. Find your
nearest honey producer by visiting your farmer’smarket or go to
www.beedata.com/localhoney to search the database. Honey
Fairs take place throughout the year; speak to your local bee-
keeping association for details and make a note in your diary of
the National Honey Show,29-31 October at St George’sCollege,
Weybridge,Surrey KT15 2QS. www.honeyshow.co.uk
4
LOBBY YOURMPAccording to the BBKA, over the next five yearsbee related activitieswill contribute £800 million
to the agricultural economy.Yet the government onlyspends £200,000 a year on honey bee research.Many, including Lord Rooker - formerministerfor the Department of the Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs, and responsible for thisfinance until last October - believe this sum to be
insufficient to prevent the impending disaster.Sign the BBKA petition and write to your MP todrum up support for The Bee Health Research
Funding Campaign. Visit www.britishbee.org.ukfor campaign details.
5
WHAT IS COLONYCOLLAPSEDISORDER?� The bee population in the
UK fell by 30% between 2007
and 2008, according to British
bee-keepers,and tragically,
last winter alone one in
three colonies died.
� It’snot completely clear
why bees are dying. Scientists
believe the Varroamite is
responsible in part, sucking
blood of infected insects and
weakening their immune
systems.As honey bee
colonies are so densely packed,
disease spreads quickly.There
are physical and biological
remedies, such as hygienic
bees that remove dead,
infected larvae from hives,
but the mites are developing
resistance to chemical
treatments,with the result
that nearly all wild honey bee
colonies have died out. Bee-
keepers are the last hope to
treat these infections.
� Pesticides,prolonged spells
of wet weather - such as our
past two summers - and
declining habitats of traditional
hedgerows, chalk grassland,
hay meadows and wildflowers
are also an issue for honey and
other types of bee.Tohelp
combat the problem, the
BumblebeeConservationTrust
is encouraginggardeners to
plant traditional native plants
such as bluebells, rosemary,
geraniums and honeysuckle.
READER BOOKGIVEAWAYWe have 10 copies of
Beekeepingby
Joanna Ryde to give
away,published by
New Holland and
on sale for £7.99.For a chance
to win a copy,send an email to
with the subject line ‘Bees’,
answering this question: How
much is spent on honey bee
reseacheach year?
TEGUK140 Keeping Bees final:UK 25/03/2009 09:14 Page 100
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A local enthusiast’s ardour accidently sparked NigelWright’s profound passion for rhododendrons. Thirtyyears on, his garden and nursery are still flourishing
PHOTOGRAPHSROWAN ISAACS WORDS CINEAD MCTERNAN
Islands in
NURSERYRHODODENDRONS
the greenN
igel Wrightlooks out over the manicuredlawn. ‘It took me three years to get thefield flat, mowing the bumps and pits togradually level it,’ he says. It’s amazingto think that nearly 30 years ago, much
of the land around The Old Glebe House in Devon wasno more than a sloping field used for grazing horses.Its transformation into the beautifully landscaped gardenit is today is testament to the imaginationand hard workof rhododendron specialist Nigel and his wife June.
It soon becomes clear that smoothing out the fieldwas one of the simpler jobs undertaken to create thisgarden. From hulking earth to fill a dip, digging a lake,constructing a bridge, building a summer house andcreating a wild meadow, the Wrights have been boldwith their plans. And this doesn’t include making 30borders and island beds, which over the years have beenplanted with hundreds of different rhododendrons and
�
Island beds are dotted
around NigelWright’s
rhododendron garden,
showing off more than
800 different varieties. In
the background, azaleas
have been used to edge
a bog garden.
The Engli sh Gar den 105
TEG UK 140 Nursery Rhodos final:UK 26/03/2009 12:23 Page 103
azalea s. Meeting Nigel and June, however, you’d beforgiven for thinking they had merely made one or twominor adjustments to the original plot.They may be modest about their achievements, but
their enthusiasmand passionis infectious. June professesto be a hopeless gardener, and as an artist prefersvisualisinghow the plants,colours and structures shouldknit together. Nigel is hands on, and it is his loveaffair with rhododend rons that truly defines thegarden. It is a show case for more than 800 varieties ofrhododendrons and azaleas,which cleverlydemonstrateshow to use them indifferent settings, suchas a hedge or anisland border, on theperiphery of a boggarden or as a feature specimen, he now also runsa successful nursery from the grounds.It is surprising to learn that this wasn’t the original
intention for the garden. In fact, Nigel’s initiation intorhododendron fever was thanks to an introdcution to alocal enthusiast. Inheriting the troublesome Rhododendronponticum and a few other cultivars on buying the OldGlebe, he sought the advice of a local rhododendronexpert and nurser yman, Major Reynolds. With noexperience of these shrubs (previously gardening onthe chalky soil of their Buckinghamsh ire home),Nigel was captivat ed after a tour round the Major ’s
rhododendron-filled woodland. ‘I remember just takinga couple of plants home after that first visit,’ says Nigel,‘but as I soon started to buy more varieties, I needed tofind ways of displaying them in our garden. Island bedswere perfect and it was fun deciding on the differentcolour combinations. Grouping low plants at the front,with medium height and taller rhododendrons behindthemalsogives you thechanceto see themfromall angles’.He is particularly keen to include early and late
varieties for colour over most months of the year andspecies with different leaves to give year-round interest
too. ‘They are allindividual charactersand become like oldfriends,’ says Nigel.Nigel locatedanother
spot for his plants when he and June tackled awaterlogged area of the garden caused by a series ofnatural puddles running from the top of the lawn downto the field at the far end. Resolved to ‘make the mostof what was already there’, June designed a successionof pools, edged with marginals andsome of theirfavourite azaleas, including R. luteum, ‘Gibraltar’ and R.vicosum ‘Antilope’. Longing to have ducks, water liliesand reeds, she also seized upon the opportunity tochannel the run off from these pools to create a lakewith an island connected by a Monet bridge at thebottom of the garden.
It is Nigel’s love affair with rhododendronsthat truly defines the garden
TEG UK 140 Nursery Rhodos final:UK 26/03/2009 12:23 Page 106
The Eng lish Garden 107
�
FARLEFT,TOPTOBOTTOMRhododendron’s are ideal for attractingbees and insects;
R. ‘Ring of Fire’ flowers in mid- to late spring;‘W.F.H.’is a compact low-growing variety;
azaleas are closely related but generally bloom late May to earlyJuly. LEFT Dark-leaved
rodgersia is a perfect foil for mixed azaleas. BELOWThe rope bridge spans a rhododendron-
filled ravine and connects the garden,making a circularwalk for visitors to enjoy.
NURSERYRHODODENDRONS
Quirkier addit ions followed, all designed to drawattention and accentuate the specimens. A favourite,especiallyfor the Wright’sgrandchildren, is a rope bridgethat spans a 26m (85ft) ravine that divides the gardenin half. ‘It was inspired by a bridge we had seen duringa trip to New Zealand,’ remembers June. ‘It took Nigel10 Saturdays to make with the help of a local chap andthey used half a mile of rope. I’m pleased to say so farit has lasted10 years, and when you stand in the middleof it you get spectacular views of the rhododendronsbelow, and those planted up along the gulley towardsthe house. You see the islands beds when you look backacross to the lake.’ A living eucalyptus gazebo, viewingplatform and box-hedge turret also amuse in differentareas and give refreshing aspects of the garden.
Behind the scenes (where visitors are welcome to takea guided tour), there are three-year-old plants in 11nursery beds, ordered by colour, and a series of nettunnels that are filled with one- to two-year-old plantsin 1.5-litre pots, ready to be sold to the public. Nigeluses NearingFrames, an American inventionspecificallyused to propagate woody shrubs, to take up to 1,000cuttings each year (see above ). ‘I did try breedingrhododendrons and azaleasin the early years,’ says Nigel.‘It was a painstakingly detailed process and the resultswere hit and miss. I also learned how to graft plants,but found species often reverted back to the rootstock,especially if I used the vigorous Rhododendron ponticum.
1. Takefrom midsummer until early autumn, choosing a 15cm (6in) tip. Remove the lowest leaves,
leaving the top four, cutting them in half to reduce overlap.
2. Dip the end into hormone rooting powder and plant in pre-prepared holes (use a nail board to make holes 5cm
(2in) deep and 5cm (2in) apart) in 15cm (6in) of 50:50 Irish peat and horticultural grit, in the base of a Nearing Frame.
3. Ensure that the compost remains moist until the cuttings are well rooted, shading the cold frame in hot weather.
During winter, remove any fallen leaves and dead cuttings, watering only if the compost is dry. Once cuttings have
rooted, place in a cold frame with a net cover (as it lets in rain) to semi shade from sunlight.
HOWTO TAKE SEMI-RIPE CUTTINGS
TEG UK 140 Nursery Rhodos final:UK 26/03/2009 12:23 Page 107
108 The English Garden
‘For me the most enjoyable method is taking cuttings.The frames make all the difference when it comes tosuccess rates, but the trick is to set their roofs in asouth-fac ing posi tion to give the greatest amountof shade during late spring and summer, when thecuttings can scorch and dry out.’Highly regarded within the gardening community,
Nigel is often called upon for his expert ise. He haschosen and supplied rhododendron s and azaleas forgardens all over the country, including the NationalTrust, the woodland walk at RHS Rosemoor and for theBritish Masters Marquess’ golf course at WoburnAbbey.Some of his rhododendro ns have even ended up asfar afield as St Petersburg (where, surprisingly, theJapanese species of yak thrive) and in a mountainresort of a Lebanese hotelier. He has also written forThe Rhododendron Society and teaches RHS traineeson day visits to his nursery.Despite this busy schedule, Nigel happily shares his
knowled ge as he takes visito rs on tours around thenursery and garden. And one thing is for sure: if youweren’t a rhododendron enthusiast when you arrived,you certainly will be when you leave.
The Old Glebe House, Eggesford, Chulmlei gh, DevonEX18 7QU Tel: +44 (0)1769 580632. Open for the NGSSaturdays and Sundays 9-10 and 16-17 May, 2-5.30pm.www.wrightrhodos.com
NIGEL’SFAVOURITE LOCAL GARDENS� RHS Garden Rosemoor, GreatTorrington,Exeter EX38 8PH. Open daily
10am-5.pm.Tel:+44 (0)1805 624067. www.rhs.org.uk
� Sherwood, nr Newton St Cyres, Exter EX5 5BT.Open Sundays only, from
March to November.Tel:+44 (0)1392851216
� Marwood Hill, nr Barnstaple, North Devon EX31 4EB. Open daily except 25
Dec. 9.30am-5.30pm. Tel: +44 (0)1271 342528. www.marwoodhillgarden.co.uk
� Lukesland Gardens, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 0JF.OpenWeds, Suns and BHs
from March-June. 2-6pm. Tel: +44 (0)1752 691749. www.lukesland.co.uk
� Rhododendrons need adequate drainage as they don’t like having their feet
wet - but what’s adequate? Try digging a hole and filling it with a bucket of water.
If water is still there in 20 minutes you need to do something about the drainage.
� A good rule for spacing: tall varieties will be about 2m x 2m (6ft x 6ft) in 10
years, so space 2m apart. Medium ones reach 1.3m(4.5ft) and low types 1m (3ft).
� Early rhododendrons suffer from frost. Plant them to the west of a tree and
they’ll benefit from the extra protection from early morning sun.
� Rhododendrons are shallow rooted so don’t mind being moved, preferably
in autumn or winter. If you’re moving them in summer, keep them well watered.
� One of the more low maintenance shrubs, regular dead heading is
important to promote new flowers and keep them looking tidy. Spend five to 10
minutes a day to keep on top of it.
� Don’t completely cut back
rhododendrons. Buds are formed
late summer the previous year, so
you risk removing the flowers.
Some types, often with shiny bark
like R. thomsonii, won’t shoot again
if you hard prune. Cut back one
third only and keep an eye on it. If
all’swell the next season, continue
pruning a different third each year.
CONTACTS
ABOVE LEFTThe net tunnels allow rain in, helping Nigel to keep plants wateredduring
the summer,and open ends allow air to circulate to keep plants healthy. ABOVERIGHT
Rhododendron ‘Cynthia’ bursts with colour under an oak tree. LEFT Foliage is often
overlooked,but can be just as attractive as the flowers.
NIGELWRIGHT’STIPS
NURSERYRHODODENDRONS
TEG UK 140 Nursery Rhodos final:UK 26/03/2009 12:24 Page 108
A stunning range of classical garden stoneware toinspire your home and garden. Handmade inDerbyshire by local craftsmen, using local materials.
Our 2009 collec tion includes pools, fountains, temples,pavilions, balustrade, steps, sundials, urns, vases, benches,birdbaths, pier caps, copings and finals etc.
For further information or advice please call us on...
109-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:21 Page 109
110 The English Garde n
Renishaw Hall, on the outskirts of Sheffield, has
been home to the Sitwell family for nearly 400
years.Today,Sir Reresby and Lady Sitwell live in the
imposing castellatedhouse of 1625within its 200-
acre grounds. Nine acres of formal gardenswere laid
out by Sir Reresby’sgrandfather,Sir George Sitwell,
who firmly based his ideas on the Italian Renaissance
style with yew hedges, statuary and fountains, all
divided into elegant garden rooms.
There is muchmore than this at Renishaw,however,
and we’ll enjoy an exclusivetour of the grounds and
inside the hall, which is as splendidlyartistic as might
be expectedfrom the home of such a literary family.
More than 1,000 roseswill be blooming in the rose
gardens; the bottomterracewill have beds of peonies,
oriental poppies and lupins.Themiddle borders,
replantedthis year under the guidanceof garden
designerAnthonyNoel, will be showingoff their new
colours and their sympatheticreplanting,and will be
explainedby head gardenerDavid Kesteven.
Join us for an exclusive visit toRenishaw Hall, home of the Sitwells
The borders magnificent and we’ll have a rare trip around the vineyard and inside the houseon our The English Garden reader day - it’s your last chance to book your place
THETIMETABLE10amWelcome with coffee
by head gardener David
Kesteven and short talk on
the Sitwells by tour guide
Christine Archer.
11am Tourof the garden
12.20pmTourwith David
around the vineyard
1.30pm A lunch in the cafe
with a glass of Renishaw’s
own sparkling wine.
2.30pmTouraround the
ground floor of the Hall.
4pm (approx) Day finishes,
with tea in the cafe and a
chance to buy Renishaw’s
own plants.
Payment details: subscriber,£80; non-subscriber,£85
I enclose a cheque/postal order for £…….made payable to The English
Garden or debit my Maestro/Mastercard/Visa the sum of £....................
Card number............................................. 3-digit security no........................
Expiry date ............................................... Issue no.........................(Maestro only)
Signature................................................... Date ..............................................
I’dlike to book.......placeson the RenishawHall ReaderDay
Name .............................................................................. ........................
Address .......................................................................... ........................
......................................................................................... ........................
Postcode .................................. Daytime tel ..................................................
�Send your application,marked ‘RenishawHall Reader Day’,to:The EnglishGarden,ArchantHouse,OrielRoad, Cheltenham,Glos GL50 1BB
Sir Reresby Sitwell, the 7th baronet,
is the son of Sacheverell Sitwell. In
the 20th century, the Sitwell family
was famed through the writings of
Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell, the
three gifted children of the eccentric
Sir George, who laid out the
gardens at RenishawHall.
Monday 15 June 2009Inclusive cost of day: subscriber,
£80; non-subscriber,£85.
Includes lunch,tea and coffee, the tours
and a souvenir of your day, which will include
a book, a plant and a bottle of Renishaw wine
Address: Renishaw Hall, Renishaw, Sheffield
S21 3WB. Tel: +44 (0)1246 432310.
www.renishaw-hall.co.uk
READER DAY
LASTCHANCETO BOOK
TEGUK140 Renishaw Reader Day final:UK 25/03/2009 09:48 Page 110
Chelsea
Flower Show
Stand No PW40
111-TEG-May-UK:Layout 1 1/4/09 12:22 Page 111
Border lines: PlantingYearning to fill every gap in the borders? For perfect results, says Parham’shead gardener Joe Reardon-Smith, try to resist temptation
May can be a dangerous time. Many
a border’s future season is now
compromised. How easy it is to
succumb to the beckoning Sirens that flaunt
themselves seductively in garden centres up
and down the country. Nurserymen are no
fools- theyneedtomakemoneyandknowthat
the gardenerhas a weakness,particularlynow,
for potfuls of well-presentedplants, especially
if in flower.And therein lies the danger.
In the not so distant past, the main
planting/borderrenovationperiodwasautumn.
At the end of summer,mistakeswere fresh in
the brain along with new ideas for correcting
possible shortcomings. These days, for the
nurseryman,it’snot that easy to sell a plant in
autumn, especially to novice gardeners who
find it difficult to believe that the pot full of
dyingstemsreallyis that gloriouslong-desired
flower(and that it wouldbe very contentto be
plantedthen, ready for action next spring).
112 The English Garden
Spring sales have risen and it has becomeeasy
to succumb to pots burstingwith buds and fresh
foliage,but if you’renot carefulyou’llunbalancethe
border. Putting the emphasis on early flowers
causes it to peter-out around July, leaving it (and
you) dusty and tired at a time when the border
couldbe buildingto its crescendo.Thewayaround
this is to thinkof springadditionsas ornamentsthat
you pin to the main costumeof the border.
LOOKING AHEADAquilegiasare promiscuous,thank goodness.This
means that by leavingall those littleseedlingsyou
will have a fabulous mix of flower shapes and
colours. Make a note of those that catch the eye
and carry leaves of emerging perennials to them
to see what exciting combinations should be
planned for the followingyear.
Trainyourself to envisagefutureseasonsat the
same time you’re experiencing the current one.
Start to learn to recognise the offspring of self-
FOR PERFECT BORDERS� I can’t stress it enough - keep thinking ahead
and keep a notebook of everything that happens
and when.This is essential for remembering colour
combinations,but also for noting which plants
have thuggish foliage and those that don’t fill the
‘holes’ exactly.Sometimes how a plant dies back is
as important to the look of a border as how it
looked in full flower.
� When choosingand buying plants, always
choose two ‘late’ (i.e. August/September/October)
perfomers for every early one.
� Don’tdrop oddments into holes: keep your plan in mind. It’seasy to make a spring border
look good - freshlymulchedand edgedwith paths swept - so don’tworry about the gaps.
� Drift the early flowerers through the main candidates and try to keep to the trusted rule of
groups of threes or fives to retain a natural rhythm.
� Allow the odd item to ’escape’ from the main grouping to inject a little joie de vivre.
JOE’S FAVOURITE BORDER FILLERS� The delicious ‘black’ sweetWilliam Dianthus barbatus ‘Sooty’ is a biennial that can be
slipped into place in the autumn from pots.
� Foxgloves:place them as the dianthus above, but anchor beside existing shrubs so they
don’t look too out of place.
� TellimagrandifloraRubra group: rosy-lippedgreen bells above scalloped foliage that
flushes crimson in the cold.
� Veronicagentianoides ‘TissingtonWhite’: place its pencil-thin spires of ghostly pearl
beside the liver-huedleaves of Bergenia ‘Sunningdale’.
TEGUK140 Parham Borders final:UK 25/03/2009 09:34 Page 112
PLANTSDESIGN
seeders. It’s far too easy to weed out desirables
or accidentally smother them with mulch.
The perennial wallflower,Erysimum ‘Bowles’s
Mauve’ will flower from May to July and
intermittentlythereafter.It revels in free drainage
and full sun,dislikingrichsoilswhereit willoutgrow
itself rapidly. A good frontal plant nestled beside
abelias or hebes, which afford it a degree of
protectionin thewinterfromwind-rock.Makesure
its neighboursare at theirbest later;perhapsCarex
buchananii or C. testacea as their early spring
foliage of copper-bronze contrasts well with the
wallflower’sdeep lilac flowers.
Cream camassias (Camassia leichtlinniisubsp.
leichtlinnii ) will seed gently around a border,
providing metre-high spikes of large stars of
primrose yellow you could contrast with the
chocolate filigree foliage of Anthriscus sylvestris
‘Ravenswing’. Later in May, alliums, peonies,
poppies and lupins all awaken, but keep in mind
that the foliage of the last two is apt to die once
they’ve flowered, so place them where the hole
won’tbe so noticeable,or selectneighbourswhose
main time is mid- and late summer and whichcan
be usedto concealthe hole.Gauralindheimeri‘The
Bride’ could lean over the poppies patch, and
perhaps Aster x frikartii ‘Mönch’over the lupin.PH
OT
OS
AMANDA
D’ARCY
‘Think of spring additions as ornaments that youpin to the main costume of the border’
PLEASURES OFTHE SEASONWith its low mounds of delicately cut
foliage and its nodding pale lilac flowers,
Polemonium‘LambrookMauve’(above) is
a spring gem. Flowering from April until
June, it goes quietly to sleep for the rest
of the season.That said, it does not want
to be completely buried by thuggish
neighbours, who may smother it with
their late growth. Instead, use it to fill
the ground between, perhaps, hostas,
peonies or hellebores, and contrast its
flowers with the emerging foliage of
Ageratina‘Chocolate’or perhapsHeuchera
‘Caramel’.In the lightsandysoil at Parham,
I find it prefers a little shade but it’s a
very tolerant plant and with a richer loam
will stand full sun.
Vital for flower arrangers, Solomon’s
seal (Polygonatumx hybridum) is a superb
plant. Revelling in shade, it makes use of
the early season’smoist soil, its arching
wands of apple-green leaves protecting
the cream bells beneath. Once settled,
this will sit forever,quite happily.Perhaps
contrast it with the much-sneered-at
Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’. If split
regularly and mulchedwith rich compost
this will reward you with fat spikes of
flowers. These are of a rather cold pink
but it is a greatcolourto contrastwith late
tulips and biennial honesty (below).
WILD AND BEAUTIFULAllownative cow parsley,Anthriscus
sylvestris,to colonise the backsof
borders, but just don’t let it set seed
or youwill be overrun.Its refined cousin
Chaerophyllumhirsutum ‘Roseum’
(above) is a long-livedperennialwith
large heads of cool-pink flowers.Dare
to plant it beside the ruddy emerging
leavesof Rheumpalmatum
‘Atrosanguineum’and glaucous, fat
spikesof Hosta ‘KrossaRegal’.
TEGUK140 Parham Borders final:UK 25/03/2009 09:35 Page 113
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llte
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076
0522
18PLAC
ES
TO
STAY CUMBRIA
LONDON
COTSWOLDS
YORKSHIRE
EAST ANGLIA
WALES
WEST MIDLANDS
WEST COUNT RY
Sally Court, Dip ISD, FSGD,RHS award winning designer, provides aprofessional, creative design service for allgarden styles from the smallest backyard toseveral acres, formal or cottage, fromscratch to restoration.A personal approach to complementclient’s individual requirements.Courtyard Garden Design,The Workshop, 32 Broadway Avenue,East Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 1RHTel/Fax: +44 (0) 8892 0118Email: [email protected]
QUALITY COTTAGESOutstanding self-catering cottages in superb locations.
Near safe sandy beaches, spectacular coastline andmagnificent countryside in Pembrokeshire, Lleyn,
Anglesey & Snowdonia. Ideal for exploring. Many famousgardens to visit. Pets welcome free.
Full colour brochure.Tel: 01348 837871 www.qualitycottages.co.uk
PULLASTONE B&BSet in 2 acres of landscaped gardens just South of Hereford,
we offer stylish bed, breakfast and dinner in a beautiful Grade II listedbarn using locally produced ingredients for meals.
Bed & Breakfast from £35 per person
Pullastone, Kingsthorn, Hereford HR2 8AQ
Tel: 01981 540450 Mob: 07790 230420E-mail: [email protected]: www.pullastone.com
CLARE HOUSEPark Road, Grange over Sands LA11 7HQ
Tel: +44 (0) 15395 33026. www.clarehousehotel.co.ukWeoffer rest& relaxation, delightfulmeals, a garden to sit in,a promenade to saunteralong and wonderfulbay views from ourfamily runhotel. If this is what you seek we
will be pleased to see you.Daily terms £80.00ppD.B.&B.Any four nights, £304.00ppD.B.&B.
�AA Inspectors’Choice Hotel,Rosette for meals; ETC Silver Star.
GARDEN HOLIDAYDiscover the Beautiful Historic Gardens of SouthYorkshire
7-11 June 2009. Guided garden tours with the Head Gardenersof 6 Historic Gardens. 4� half board accommodation, transport
to gardens, all entry fees.Wortley Hall: 0114 2882100
www.wortleyhall.org.uk [email protected]
NEWHOUSE FARMFormer Victorian farmhouse B&B, lovely gardens and grounds with
wildflower meadow. A warm welcome is assured, comfortable spacious rooms,all en-suite. Delicious home-cooked food, Wiltshire Breakfast award. Ideal
touring centre for Longleat, Bowood, Lacock, Bath etc. Perfect for walking andcycling along the Kennet and Avon Canal. Rooms from £65 per night
including breakfast.Contact Carole Ball on 01380 870349.
www.newhousefarmwilts.co.uk
SUMMERHAYES B&BBeautifully appointed, luxurious and comfortable bedrooms. Our
personal service is second to none. We pride ourselves on our breakfastchoices made with quality Wiltshire produce. Gardens and hot tub.
Centrally located for all that Wiltshire has to offer.Visit Britain 5 �/Silver Award rated.
Tel (0)1380 813521www.summerhayesbandb.co.uk
GARDEN LOVERS BREAKOn the edge of the Cotswolds we are England’soldest hotel (1220)in England’s first capital! Standing next to Malmesbury’smedieval
Abbey the hotel has antique furniture and cosy lounges and istraditionally English. Our 2 night break is £330.00 for two people bedand breakfast, dinner on 1 night and tickets to Abbey House Gardens
and Westonbirt Arboretum.
The Old Bell Hotel 01666 822344 www.oldbellhotel.com
114-TEG-May-UK [pts/gdd]:Layout 1 1/4/09 10:50 Page 114
Sweet treatsIt’s easy to help pollinating insects like bees, butterflies
and hoverflies to thrive in your garden, says VVaall BBoouurrnnee:just provide them with an abundant source of food
�
Inula magnifica
The En glish Garden 115
PLANT FOCUSNECTAR RICH
TEGUK140 Plant Focus final 25/03/2009 09:06 Page 115
116 The English Garde n
which provides a bolt of bright light in deepshade, and the black-leaved perennial QueenAnne’sLace - AAnntthhrriissccuuss ssyyllvveessttrriiss ‘‘RRaavveennsswwiinngg’’.This dainty flo wer tolerates dappled shadeand it could be mixed with the pied blackand white bonne ts of AAqquuiilleeggiiaa vvuullggaarriiss‘‘WWiilllliiaamm GGuuiinneessss’’, which used to be soldunder the name ‘Magpie’. The aquilegia takesits generic name from a quila the Latin
Nectar, the su gar-ri ch liquid man yflowering plants produce, is a v eryimporta nt co mmodity. It sustains
bees, hoverfl ies and butterflies, giving themthe necessary calories to fly. More importantly,these pollinator s accidentally collect stickypollen on their legs, heads and bodies as theysearch for their ene rgy-boosting nectar fix.The yellow grains are transferred to the nextplant visited and, if the pollen is compatible,fertilisation takes place and seeds are set.
LET FLY WITH FLOWERS
Rich in nectar, astrantias flower in May whenthere can be a shortage of this food source. Amember of the umbellifer family, they have arounded pincush ion of flowers surroundedby a neat ring of jagged bracts. This delicatecharacteristic sui ts the small-mouthedhoverfly, which should be encouraged in thegarden because it pollin ates while searchingfor nectar, and its la rvae preda te a phids and other s mall pests. The dramatically dark AAssttrraannttiiaa ‘‘HHaaddssppeenn BBlloooodd’’, the candypink ‘Roma’ and the clea r red ‘Ruby Wedding’ are superb varieties. Other excellent May-flowering umbellifers
include the bi ennial Smyrnium perfoliatu m,
Flowers appear to vibrate when a bumble bee ‘buzz’for eagle, afte r its t alon-shaped spurs. Anyspurred flowers are rich in nectar. Both annuals and biennials, which live for
one or two yea rs respect ively, produce anabundance of nectar because being pollinatedand setting see d is vi tal to their s urvival.The blue cornflower, CCeennttaauurreeaa ccyyaannuuss, willattract scarce red-tailed bumble bees if you’relucky. The taller fo rms can be planted withladybird poppie s (Papaver commutatum) for a spectacular display.
GIVING BEES THE BLUES
Alternatively, le t the cobalt-b lue fl owersjar against hardy orange pot marigolds or theless hardy African marigold . Taller varieties,like ‘Bo Jangle’ from Suttons, and a mixtureof laced doubles and stri ped si ngles a reespecially good fo r hoverf lies, who ar eattracted to deep yellows and oranges.Bees, on the other hand, adore blues and
lilacs, but t he arching fl owers o f Phaceliatanacetifolia only seem attractive to honey beesduring the evening. I t may well be that thisplant doesn’t switch its nectar on until dusk.Plants wi shing to a ttract pollinat ing mothstend to be ev ening frag rant and pal lid incolour. Eve ning st ars include the silvered
Centaurea cyanus
FACTS� 80% of the world’s food crops
need a pollinator at some stage in
their life cycles.
� Many pollinating insects have to
ingest protein-rich pollen before
they can breed and some use pollen
to feed their young.
� Double flowers are usually sterile
with no value to insects. The anthers
and nectaries have been replaced by
petals and so can’t be fertilised. Try the
single flowering Inula magnifica, dog
rose or ornamental poppy instead.
� Plant your flowers in groups because
colour and scent en masse are easier
for insects to detect.
PLANT FOCUSNECTAR RICH
Verbena bonariensis Hesperis matronalis
Buddleja ‘Black Knight’
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TEGUK140 Plant Focus final 25/03/2009 09:06 Page 116
The Engli sh Gar den 117
pollinates and shakes stubborn pollen from the anthersflowers of sweet rocket, HHeessppeerriiss mmaattrroonnaalliiss;our ‘rhubarb and custard’ native honeysuckleLonicera peri clymenum ; and pa le-yello wevening primrose (oenothera).
SHOWING THE WAY
If a pl ant has veine d o r spo tted fl owers it’s advertising its presence to insects who cansee infrared light. They pick up the markingsrather than flower colour, so a heavily spottedspire of foxglove bells i s nectar o n a stick with neon lights attached. Hollyhocks, lupins, aconitums, delphiniums
and some verbascums all attract bumble beesand other pollinators. Often the flowers willappear to vibrate when a bumble bee ‘buzz’pollinates and shakes stubborn p ollen fromthe anthers. Some plants, including tomatoes,can only be pollinated in this way. Interestingly, the sug ar content of ne ctar
varies greatly from plant to plant. Marjoram(Origan um vulgare ) produces the mostconcentrated n ectar known, contai ning anamazing 79% sugar. It’s no wonder that thislow-growing, sun-loving herb is heavily visitedby gatekeep er but terflies and bees du ringAugust. I t makes an e xcellent e dging plantnear vegetables, and s howier forms i nclude
OOrriiggaannuumm llaaeevviiggaattuumm ‘‘HHeerrrreennhhaauusseenn’’ and O. ‘Rosenku ppel’. Both have d ark fo liage and two-tone flow ers held o n wiry stems from August onwards The warm day s of summer b ring anothe r
pollinator - the butte rfly - and they lov elanding pla tforms. Perennial asters such aspale-pink ‘Fellowship’, a bright yellow gloriosadaisy or a pink e chinacea are id eal . The flat heads of green-l eaved sedums, willowyVVeerrbbeennaa bboonnaarriieennssiiss and all fluffy eupatoriumsare butterfly magnets too, but none are as good as the hon ey-scented Buddle ja davidii and its hybrids. This Chinese nativeattracts 22 different species of British butterfly when planted in nectar-induci ng sunshine.Dead hea d ‘Pink De light’, ‘Ro yal Red’ and
‘‘BBllaacckk KKnniigghhtt’’ to prolong flow ering andencourage spectacular displays.The most vital nectar of all, however, comes
in January and February, and sustains solitarybees and bumble bees fresh from hibernation.The win ter-flower ing Clematis cirrh osa var.balearicademands a sheltered south-facing wallfor its cream bells, subtly spotted in maroon.‘Freckles’ is brasher with bright-red splashes,but it c an be cajo led into flower bef oreChristmas in sheltered gardens. Add crocus,winter a conites, a rosemary such as ‘MissJessopp’s Upright’, oriental hellebores and somepulmonarias - and consider the most fragrant,winter-flowering evergreen of all: Daphne bholua‘Jacqueline Postill’. Then early bees and insectscan get their nectar fix too.
Astrantia ‘Hadspen Blood’
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘William Guiness’ Origanum laevigatum ’Herrenhausen’
Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’
READER OFFER - 10% OFF!We are offering readers 10% off at www.crocus.co.uk where you
can purchase these lovely nectar-rich plants and much more (but
sorry, no inula). With more than 3,000 plants and garden products
available on the site, Crocus has something to suit everyone. To claim
your discount, visit www.crocus.co.uk and enter Promotion Code
‘9132’when prompted, or call the 24-hour order line on tel: 0844
5572266. Offer valid until 30 June 2009. Excludes machinery, cut flowers, gift vouchers and
delivery (costs £5.95 per order). Crocus deliver to mainland UK, excluding northern Scotland.
ENGLISHGARDEN
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TEGUK140 Plant Focus final 30/03/2009 12:09 Page 117
118 The English Garden
Roadshow seasonMay sees the start of an excitingnew season for
The English Garden Roadshows. Our team ofexpertswill be travellingaround the country to
answeryour gardeningquestions, with the first diary dateat the beginning of May at the South of England SpringGarden and Leisure Show inWest Sussex, where you’llenjoy a feast of stands to satisfy any plantsman.Readers in the Wiltshire area must not miss the
chance to join our experts at the WestWiltshire ShowinTrowbridgein July. This unique event runs every otheryear and is guaranteed to entertain the whole family.Go armed with your gardening questions and our teamwill be keen to solve them.Later in the year you’ll get the chance to join us at
Taunton FlowerShow and the RoyalCounty of BerkshireShow. Simply check the list of venues below and savea space in your diary. Questions can be anything fromhouse plant care to biological control, or a design query.Entry to the Roadshows is free once you are in the
showground itself and Q&A sessions are held two orthree times a day (see show plans to find our location).Plus everyone who comes along receives a free gift of
gardening goodies to take away asa memento of the day. We lookforward to seeing you soon.
THE ENGLISH GARDEN’S
THE EXPERTSSTEVE BRADLEY
Steve is gardening writer
for The Sun and a number
of gardening magazines.
A broadcaster and author,
he has more than 30 titles
to his name. Before taking
up a career as a writer and
broadcaster he was a
horticultural lecturer.
JONWHEATLEY
An international and national
flower show judge and dahlia
enthusiast, Jon has designed
and built eight Chelsea Gold
Medal-winning stands. He is
also a lecturer and horticultural
consultant and owns Chew
Valley nursery in Somerset.
MARY PAYNE,MBE
A garden designer whose
work includes the prairie
planting at Lady Farm in
Somerset. Mary is also a
regular radio show gardening
expert and is a consultant for
the redevelopment of the
famous Dorset gardens,
Compton Acres.
COMEANDMEET USATONE OFTHESEGREATGARDENINGEVENTS3 & 4 MAYSouth of England Spring Garden and Leisure Show,
Ardingly,West Sussex. Plant stalls from specialist horticultural
nurseries, demonstrations, craft stalls, events, trade stands and fine
food to buy.There are also children’sattractions and free parking. For
more details of the show, tel: +44 (0)1444 892700.
23-25 JULYWestWiltshire Show,Trowbridge. This event is run
once every other year and is designed to be a show for the whole
family. It has been running since 1989 and in previous years has
attracted more than 400 exhibitors. Expect live music and
entertainment, talks, demonstrations and plenty for the keen
gardener. Entry is free. For more information, tel: +44 (0)1225
402096 or go to www.westwiltsshow.org
7 & 8 AUGUSTTauntonFlower Show A traditional British flower
show held at the historic Vivary Park. Features designer show
gardens. Why not enter one of the competitions yourself and enjoy
the complete show experience? For more information and show
classes, tel: 0845 4381958 or visit www.tauntonflowershow.co.uk
19 & 20 SEPTEMBER Royal County of Berkshire Show This show
marks the centenary of The Newbury & District Agricultural Society,
featuring livestock, demonstrations, plant sales and trade stands, a
new wedding and travel marquee, craft tent, show jumping and
country arena. This is a full day out with something for every
member of the familly. For more information, tel: +44 (0)1635 247111
or go to www.newburyshow.co.uk
Plan a day out at one of the four shows mentioned below
and meet our team of experts. Entry to our roadshows is
free once you are in the showground.TamsinWesthorpe, Editor
SHOW PREVIEW
Join our experts as they travel the country to answer your gardening questions
TEGUK140 Reader Roadshow final 25/03/2009 09:38 Page 118
The Eng lish Garden 119
HOWTO ENTER Towin one of the two prizes,
simply answer the question on the entry form below
and send it to the address on the coupon before the
closing date of Friday 12 June. Entry also online at
www.theenglishgarden.co.uk/competitions/hayter
RULES Entries limited to one per household. Entrants must be 18yearsor over.The competition is not open to the employeesof ArchantSpecialistor Hayter,or their families and agents.Winners are the firsttwo correct entries chosenat random after the closing date of Friday12 June 2009.There is no cash alternativeavailable. Full competitionrules available on receipt of SAE. The judges’ decision is final; nocorrespondence will be entered into.
Name (Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss)
Address
Postcode
Tel: Email:
Q. What brand of petrol engine powers theHayter Harrier 48 lawnmower?
A.
Return this form to: The English GardenHayter competition,Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Glos GL50 1BB
WINThe English Garden and Hayter have teamed up to offer two lucky readers
the chance to win a super petrol-powered lawnmower
You may photocopy this form. Please tick if you subscribe to The English Garden. �� Please tick if y ou do n ot wi sh to receive inf ormation about products a nd services from Archant S pecialist by phone �� by post �� or fr om other carefully selected companies by ph one �� by post . �� Please ti ck the box if you do not wish to receive further information from Hayter ��
THE ENGLISH GARDENHAYTER COMPETITION - MAY, ISSUE 140
a Harrier 48 Rear Roller mower
Hayter has been manufacturing grass-cutting machines
in the UK for more than 60 years, and was the
pioneer in the development of the rotary mower.
The Hayter Harrier 48 model is ideal for medium to large
lawns. The split-differential ribbed rear roller offers superior
traction, easy turning and the perfect striped finish on fine
lawns. With seven cutting heights, a large capacity fabric
grassbag and a cutting deck that extends beyond the
wheelbase for easy mowing around borders, the Harrier 48
was recently redesigned with clean, modern lines - and the
handles fold down for easy storage. The powerful collection
feature enables autumn leaves to be simply removed from
the lawn. The machine can also be used without a grassbag
as a rear discharge mower.
Powered by a Briggs & Stratton petrol engine, all Harrier
48 models offer variable speed between 1.5 and 3mph to suit
different conditions and match the operator’s walking speed.
An Operator Presence Control system ensures that it will not
move unless the operator is present.
Protected by the Hayter three-year warranty, Harrier
mowers are available from Hayter’s network of specialist
dealers. For more information and a list of dealers in your
area, tel: 0800 7818768 or visit www.hayter.co.uk
The prizesTwo Hayter Harrier 48 mowers worth £811 each
COMPETITION
TEGUK140 Hayter Competition final:UK 25/03/2009 09:46 Page 119
Project61:Layout 1 1/4/09 15:06 Page 1
In theJUNE issue…
ARDENTHE ENGLISHG
�Why sweet peas have become collectors’ items� Focusing on spectacular roses for perfume
� Sharing the garden with wildlife
On sale 19 May
SCENTSOF SUMMER
PLUS A selection of glorious open gardensand other great ways to enjoy the sunshine:
furniture, outdoor kitchens and tasty summerrecipes made from home-grown produce
TEGUK140 CNM final:UK 27/03/2009 10:45 Page 121
eng lish garden prom otion
122 The English Garden
GARDENS of the month8 acres of inspirational landscaped gardens featuring rose, alpine
and formal knot gardens, a water lily canal, riverside walk and
one of the finest purely herbaceous borders in the country. This
beautiful estate in the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside also
has a quality plant centre, art gallery, teashop and museum and
is famous for apple juice produced from our own orchards.
Arts, crafts and gardening courses are also available and there’s
a full programme of annual events including outdoor theatre.
For more information and ticket prices visit
www.waterperrygardens.co.uk
Waterperry,NearWheatley,OxfordshireOX33 1JZTel:01844339254Fax: 01844339883office@waterperrygardens.co.ukwww.waterperrygardens.co.ukOpeningtimes:10am to 5.30pmMarch to October2009. 10am to5pmNovemberand December2009.ClosedbetweenChristmasand New year.Party bookingswelcomeby arrangement.
WATERPERRY GARDENS
Denmans Lane, Fontwell, West
Sussex BN18 0SU.
Tel: + 44 (0)1243 542808.
Fax: + 44 (0)1243 544064.
www.denmans-garden.co.uk
Open daily all year round, 9am-5pm
(dusk in winter), except 25, 26 Dec
and 1 Jan.
DENMANS GARD EN
The special 20th-century garden, jointly owned by renowned
garden designer and author John Brookes MBE and Michael Neve,
is beautifully planted for all-year interest with emphasis on shape,
colour and texture. Although four acres in size, the garden is full
of planting and design ideas that can be adapted to suit any size
of garden. Gravel is used extensively in the garden, for paths and
as a growing medium. There is a walled garden, a conservatory
and a larger glass area for tender plants. There is also a fully
licensed, award-winning garden cafe and a beautiful plant centre.
Twentyacres of gardenswith three lakes. A haven for plants from
around the world. Colour from February to late autumn.
• Garden Tea Room
• Plant Sales
• Coach Car Park (new for 2009)
Groups welcome by appointment (group rates & special
menus available).
MarwoodHillGardensMarwood,BarnstapleNorthDevon,EX314EB
Tel:01271342528info@marwoodhillgarden.co.ukwww.marwoodhillgarden.co.uk
Open all year(closedChristmasday)10am – 5.30pmApril – September10am – 4.00pmOctober- March
MARWOOD HILL GARDENS
From the end of May, RHS Garden Hyde Hall is a wonderful place
to visit if you like roses. The Rose Garden comprisessix rectangular
beds of David Austin English Roses grouped according to colour
tightly bound by clipped hedges. There is also a Rose Rope Walk
with a selection of climbers, ramblers and clematis trained along
thick shipping rope making a heavenly scented walk. To celebrate
our fantastic rose collection we are hosting a Rose Weekend on
the 6th and 7th of June 2009, featuring a range of talks and
demonstrations as well as the opportunity to relax and enjoy a
garden filled with perfume and colour.
RHSGardenHydeHallWesternsApproach,RettendonChelmsford,Essex,CM38AT
Tel:[email protected]/hydehall
RoseWeekend:6th and 7th June 2009
RHS GARDEN HYDE HALL
122-TEG-May-UK [gotm]:UK103 HayterComp gj 1/4/09 10:14 Page 122
engl ish garden promo tion
The English Garden 123
CHELSEA flower show
123-TEG-May-UK [chels feat]:UK103 HayterComp gj 1/4/09 14:13 Page 123
BR OC HU RE DIREC TO RY
For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
Brochure available upon requesttel: 01647 252995www.wggrace.co.uk
Design & Joinery of Traditional Greenhouses
EL IZAB ETH BRADLE YSpecial Editions from Elizabeth
Bradley Designs, Home Sweet Home
Elizabeth Bradley Designs Ltd37 St. Giles, Oxford OX1 6EL
Tel: 01865 339050www.elizabethbradley.comemail:[email protected]
ESTATEFENCING
Enclosing all your livestock includingcattle, horses, deer and sheep.
With an all steel construction thisfencing is easy to install.• End Posts/Corner Posts extra
Bowtop Gates to match fencing available.Price List available on request.
French Drove Farm, French Drove,Thorney, Peterborough, PE6 0PQ
Tel: 01733 270580 Fax: 01733 270891www.paddockfencing.com
124-TEG-Apr-UK [brochure]:Layout 1 1/4/09 10:27 Page 124
For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
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THE DIR ECTORY
The English Garden 125
BLINDS
BRIDGES
COURSES
COURSES
DOOR SCREENS
GARDEN ARCHITECTURE
GARDEN LIGHTING
GREENHOUSE S
Aluminium
CHAIN SCREENSKeep Out Insects
Doors : Windows : Room DividersColours : Stripes : Patterns
Free colour brochureTel: 020 8560 3337Fax: 020 8560 4442C.I.C. SCREENSThe Metro Centre St Johns RoadIsleworth Middx. TW7 6NJwww.cicscreens.co.uk
www.baylissautovents.co.uk
‘Leaning on aLampost’
The Old Washouse, 15 BlakenhallEstate, Sunbeam Street,
Wolverhampton, WV2 4PGTel:01902 715550
British hand-made copperlantern, suitable for drive,
patio or porch.
Purveyors of Victorian Lighting
BOOK PUBLISHERS
AUTHORSPLEASE SUBMIT:
synopsis, plus sample chapters (3)for consideration.
www.olympiapublishers.com
60 Canon Street, LONDON, EC4N 6NP
Olympia Publishers
TO ADVERTISEHERE CALLRAKESH ON
020 7605 2218
125-129-TEG-May-UK [class]:Layout 1 1/4/09 14:56 Page 125
For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk126 The English Garden
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For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
THE DIREC TORY
GARDEN BUILDINGS
GARDEN BUILDINGS
GARDEN DESIGN
GARDEN ACCESSORIES
GARDENARCHITECTURE
Traditional Seed boxes& Storage Racks
Brand your own:Family Name, House Name, Garden Name, Business Name
From £6.50 each + p&p(minimum order 6 for seed boxes)
From £24 each forstorage racks. Allow28 days for delivery
Tel: 01653 692055or
Mob: 07980 276820
Over the Garden WallSithean Mor,Achnaha,
Kilchoan, Argyll,PH36 4LW
125-129-TEG-May-UK [class]:Layout 1 1/4/09 14:56 Page 126
For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.ukFor more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
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THE DIR ECT ORY
The English Garden 127
GARDEN FURNITURE
GARDEN FURNITURE
GARDEN ORNAMENTS/SCULPTURE
HEDGING AND TOPIARY
HEDGING ANDTOPIARY
HEDGING ANDTOPIARY
GREENHOUSE/CONSERVATORIES
POND PRODUCTS
PLANT SPECIALI STS
COMPOST AND GROWING MEDIA
Stephen Markham Collection LtdUnit 4, DominionWorks,
Freshwater Road,Dagenham, Essex. RM8 1RX
Tel: 0208 590 5619 Fax: 0208 590 8836Email: [email protected]: www.stephencmarkham.co.uk
STEPHEN MARKHAMCollection Ltd WATERLILIES &
AQUATICSPECIALISTS
Bog and moisture loving plantsButyl pool liners and accessoriesPlease send 2x1st class stamps for catalogue to:
Mimmacks AquaticsWoodholme Nursery, Goatsmoor Lane,Stock, Essex CM4 9RS (Dept TEG08)
Telephone: 01277 840204
www.mimmacks.co.uk
HEDGING, YOUNG TREES, AZALEAS &RHODODENDRONS, CONIFERS, CLIMBERS,GROUND COVER, ORNAMENTAL GRASSES,
SPECIMEN TREES & TOPIARY
THE WIDEST SELECTION OF 1ST QUALITY PLANTS.INDEPENDENT TRIALS CONFIRM US AS THE BESTSUPPLIER. WRITTEN GUARANTEE AND CULTURALINSTRUCTIONS ACCOMPANY ALL ORDERS. 1 MILLION
PLANTS ALWAYS IN STOCK
Our full colour brochure is FREE on request and containsover 300 photo’s. Visitors very welcome by appointment.
HOPES GROVE NURSERIES, SMALLHYTHE ROAD, TENTERDEN,KENT, TN307LTTel: 01580 765600 Fax: 01580 766894
Email: [email protected] Web: www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.ukAll enquiries and Credit/Debit card orders welcome. Mail order specialist: nationwide delivery.
Nursery open 9-5 Mon-Sat. Closed Sunday.VISA, SWITCH, M.CARD, DELTA, AMEX
PERHILL PLANTSSpecialistgrowers of rareandunusualperennials.Over 2000varieties grown.
Retail andmail order.Credit cards welcome.
(Forcataloguesendsix2ndclass stamps).Open 5 per a week9am– 5pm,Sat-Sun by appointmentonly
PERHILL PLANTSWorcester Road, Great Witley,
Worcestershire WR6 6JTTel: 01299 896329
Email: [email protected]
Britain’s biggest value in greenhouse shoppingTop brands at Lowest Prices
FREE STANDING, LEAN TO’S,MULTI-SIDED, SAFETY GLAZING,COLOURED FRAMES, ETC
MERCIA HOUSE, 51 THEGREEN, BANBURY,
OX16 9AB
BROCHURES - call 0800 389 8760SALES TEAM - call 0870 240 6528
VISIT US AND BE INSPIREDOne of the finest selections of topiary plus
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Send 6x1st class stamps for catalogue or visit usand see the exciting stock for yourself.
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Tree Seat
Tree, garden and conversation seats in iron.
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For more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.ukFor more information visit us at www.theenglishgarden.co.uk
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128 The English Garden
THE DIR ECTORYGREENHOUSES PET PRODUCTS
PLANT SUPPORTS
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THE DIR ECTORY
The English Garden 129
WE B DIRECT ORYWATER PRODUCTS
Do you have agarden pond? Is it asclear as mud? Is itmurky, muddy, slimy,smelly, choked withalgae or weed and achore to clean out?If you have a pump,are you forever
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POTS AND URNS
ROSES
PLANT SPECIA LISTS
A La Carte DayliliesSpecialist growers of qualityDaylilies (Hemerocallis).For informative catalogueSend 3 x 1st class stamps toA La Carte Daylilies, LittleHermitage, St. Catherine’sDown, I.W. PO38 2PD
Encourage wildlife to your garden.Plants and seeds of wildflowers,native trees, shrubs, climbers,
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ROSESFor EverySPECIAL
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Happy Birthday
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Seed Catalogue and “VegBook” offersaround 4,500 items covering every
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Quality stone or terracotta garden ornaments madein the UK - direct to you by Mail order.www.gardendelights.co.uk
www.gardenlines.co.ukLawnmowers, Hedgecutters, Strimmers, Garden Furniture
125-129-TEG-May-UK [class]:Layout 1 1/4/09 14:59 Page 129
130 The English Garden
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HHeelleenn GGuunnnn considers a fragrant flower that has always captured artists’ imaginations
Reminisce on scented bliss
Looking through a dictionary of quotations recently, I noticed that,after roses and lilies, the most frequently mentioned flower is thelilac. It invites the question: why? Some plants are obviously more
than just themselves, and lay claim to a host of connotations beyond theirown mere person. This seems to be particularly true of lilac.The writers who use lilac to illustrate their thoughts are invariably
seeking to invoke a sense of yearning, to convey something lost, neverto be regained. When Ivor Novello wrote the song We’ll gather lilacs inthe spring again in 1945, he was describing, for a people weary of war, asense of nostalgia and a longing for peace. A century earlier, the Americanpoet Walt Whitman began his elegy on the death of Abraham Lincolnwith the words: ‘When lilacs last in the dooryard bloom’d’. Perhaps itcould have been any timely flowerer; but lilac seems to set the tone fora sense of loss, and the mourning to come. And it i sn’t just in poetry that lilac appears. Wh en the narrator at
the opening of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca is recalling Manderley,she ‘would th ink of the bl own lilac and t he happy valley’, symbols of a place to which she cannever return.I think lilac is still a plant
of nostalgia. We think of it asbelonging to an earlier generation. It has become like the grand piano:once everybody ha d one, bu t nowadays, unless you inhe rit it, youprobably wouldn’t go out and buy one new. Lilacs grew in grandparents’gardens, or flopped out of vases and scented the halls on interminablechildhood visits to d ark h ouses. The li lacs I grew up wit h werepermanently out of reach. They must have been 5ft shrubs when I wasborn, and they continued to race away from me until now they are lankytrees. They hang their heavy heads in the arms of a Bhutan pine, whereonly the jays and the wood pigeons can appreciate their scent.Lilac c ame originall y fro m the moun tains of the Balkans, that
intriguing region where south-east Europe slips into Turkey. An Austrianambassador to the Turkish court brought lilac cuttings back to Viennawhen he left Istanbul in 1563. When, seven years later, he moved onto Paris, he took his precious lilac plants with him. Perhaps this washow the French love affair with lilac began. Certainly, by the 19th century
it was so popular it was said you could buy forced lilac in Paris everymonth except July and August, when there was no demand. Monet hadbowers of purple lilac in his garden at Argenteuil and often painted hiswife and friends enswathed in shades of mauve.It has been known in this country since the 16th century. John Gerard
wrote of it in 1597: ‘I have them in my garden in great plenty, and theyhave an excee ding sweet savour.’ No peevish cavil here about theirplainness out of flower or their regrettable relation to privet.According to an inventory of 1650, lilac grew to striking effect at the
royal palace of Nonsuch. It describes ‘a fountain of white marble ... setaround with six trees called lelack trees, which bear no fruit, but a verypleasant flower’. At this time, it was also sometimes referred to as the‘pipe tree’, because the stem could be hollowed out and used for suckingor blowing. This is reflected in the Latin name syringa, which comesfrom the same origin as the modern word syringe.If you haven’t already marked the Royal Bo tanical Garden’s 250th
birthday with a visit, then take the advice of the poet Alfred Noyes and‘Go down to Kew in l ilactime’. Here in the speciallydesignated Lilac Garden aremore than 100 specimens in
10 overflowing beds, all at nose-height. None is more fragrant the commonlilac, Syringa vulgaris. There are some ravishing shades too - it is one ofthe few flowers to give name to its own colour (like violet and heliotrope).This magnificent array shows all the lush hues, from creamy white throughdeepening purples to a wine-soaked tinge that is nearly red.One of the finest double lilacs is ‘Katherine Havemeyer’, with large
pyramidal fl owers that start pale purple and fade t o pink. ‘MadameLemoine’ is a sumptuous, deliciously fragrant cultivar, with large doublewhite flowers that appear plentifully, even when the plant is quite young.Perhaps best-loved of all is the deep-purple ‘Andenken an Ludwig Späth’,with flowers up to 30cm (12in) long.There’s nothing heady or luxuriant about the poet T.S.Eliot and yet he,
of the modernists, most famously mentions lilac. Perhaps his lines arebest at conjuring the plant’s strange potency when he speaks of it ‘mixingmemory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain’.
Lilac has become like the grand piano: unless you inherit it,you probably wouldn’t go out and buy one new
IN A GREEN SHADE
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