Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2015 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

We’re often asked to feature more smaller gardens in the magazine and while it’s tricky finding good examples, this issue we’ve pulled together five of the best we’ve come across this year. Each one has been professionally designed, optimises the available space and has a distinct personality. We also look at eight tiny gardens in our Design Ideas series and analyse the key elements of their success. I hope you find plenty of inspiration for your own gardens. One of my favourite aspects of gardening is growing vegetables and a well-organised, carefully tended kitchen garden never fails to make my heart miss a beat. The potager at Kasteel Hex is one of the most perfect I’ve come across and the gardeners are cleverly combining sustainable practices with more traditional techniques.…

Above all think about the structural qualities of your plants (as opposed to colour), and the way they change the atmosphere of the space. Joanne says her garden has a completely different character in March, when the grasses are yet to grow up and the place feels so much more open. Later in the year the garden feels fuller and more compartmented. Embrace the city: use the surrounding trees and buildings to your advantage if possible, rather than resenting their shade or intrusion. Joanne relishes the way the large, horizontally aligned 1950s block of flats at the rear of her garden is lit up at night “like a great ocean liner”, while the mature plane trees in neighbouring gardens affected the garden’s basic plan. One design approach is to divide…

1 Try and use a mixture of salvaged and new materials, you want your structure to look unique not dilapidated. Use the materials in their existing condition so you can enjoy the patina and history behind them. If the appeal of the weathered look fades, you can always repaint later on. 2 If you design a structure from scratch the proportions of the design can be tailor made to maximise the use of salvaged materials. In this case the size of the front could be adjusted to make a perfect fit for the red and white doors. Likewise the stone slabs dictated the dimensions of a small shower room. 3 Using similar materials both inside and out. The worn timbers of the wooden walkway link garden and cabin beautifully as…

The door of a beautifully restored Georgian house, situated somewhat incongruously on east London’s Mile End Road, opens on to a glorious cabinet of curiosities: the home of Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, landscape designer and compulsive collector. Todd and Tim Knox, his partner of 27 years, revel in juxtaposing things that shouldn’t be: English and continental sculpture and pictures, a great auk’s egg, an ostrich skeleton, a case of dried starfish. Pieces could be written about just this, but not here, not now. Collecting is one facet of this Renaissance man. Todd is best known for his sublime interpretation and restorations of classical landscapes for clients at home and abroad, including Charles Saatchi, Jacob Rothschild and the Boboli Gardens in Florence. Gardens adviser for Historic Royal Palaces, president of London Parks &…

1 Eupatorium maculatum Atropurpureum Group Eupatorium provides important structure in Jaap’s borders, and he uses it in several places to provide what he describes as the gardens’ backbone. It’s a tall, strong plant with a good colour, and one much loved by butterflies. 2m. USDA 4a-8b† . 2 Agastache ‘Blackadder’ This hummingbird mint has dark purple-blue spikes, which attract butterflies. The long, upright seedheads provide good structure in winter. 1m. USDA 6a-9b. 3 Rudbeckia triloba A short-lived, but good self-seeding plant that will spread itself throughout the garden if you let it, and is useful if you want to introduce spontaneity into the garden. 90cm. AGM*. RHS H7, USDA 3a-10b. 4 Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’ This oriental fountain grass has lovely dark foliage and unusual and attractive rose-pink flower spikes,…

• Andrew Wilson is leading two short design courses at RHS Wisley this month: ‘Tropical Planting and Planting Design with Annuals, 8 August; and ‘Designing for Colour, 20 August. And book now for the two-day course: ‘Designing for a Large Garden, 10 October and 7 November. Tel 020 3176 5840; rhs.org.uk/education-learning/courses-workshops • Glasgow-based artist Sara Baker’s large-scale glass, brass and aluminium sculpture, Patterns, has been installed as part of the permanent collection at Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh, to celebrate the Edinburgh Art Festival. Join her for a tour of the collection and a Q&A session on 22 August. Tel 01506 889900; jupiterartland.org • A new website, which aims to help people discover parks in Edinburgh and Glasgow, is also providing a crowd-funding platform to raise funds for local projects. See mypark.scot…

ONWARD AND UPWARD IN THE GARDEN by Katharine S White New York Review Books, £11.99 ISBN 978-1590178508 A collection of essays from the late writer’s garden column in The New Yorker , from 1958 to 1970. THE SMALLHOLDER’S HANDBOOK by Suzie Baldwin Kyle Books, £18.99 ISBN 978-0857832726 A detailed guide to setting up your own smallholding – from keeping bees to rearing cattle. GARDEN PLANTS FOR SCOTLAND by Kenneth NE Cox and Raoul Curtis-Machin Frances Lincoln, £20 ISBN 978-0711236684 Accurate, up-to-date information on thousands of plants found in Scottish gardens. THE THRIFTY FORAGER by Alys Fowler Kyle Books, £16.99 ISBN 978-0857833143 Gardens Illustrated contributing editor Alys Fowler proves you can eat well for free without venturing too far from your own back garden. BOOK OFFER DETAILS Most featured books are…

GERT TABAK Gert is a passionate photographer and author who, as well as working for magazines and books, is also known for his large-scale art photographs. He lives with the designer and artist Ton ter Linden and you can see his images of their beautiful garden on page 54. “Our garden, with its lush borders created by Ton, is my outdoor studio – all year around I find something in it to inspire me” DEBI TRELOAR Originally from Zimbabwe, Debi now lives in north London, where she has tried to make her unruly garden as African as she can with bamboo and lots of evergreen, low-maintenance plants. On page 50 she finds more inspiration in George Lamb’s small city garden. “George had one of my favourite outdoor spaces. It was…

Knowing some of the tricks of the trade when it comes to garden photography will help enhance your own images so you can show gardens and plants to their best advantage. With the gardens at Great Dixter as your backdrop, established garden photographer Jason Ingram will take you through how to achieve the best images, technical tips on using your camera, recommended kit and ways to improve your images post production. In the afternoon you’ll head out into the gardens to take your own pictures under Jason’s guidance, as well as being given a guided tour of the garden’s seasonal highlights by one of the gardening team at Great Dixter. Your day includes lunch and refreshments and a 10 per cent discount on plants at Great Dixter’s excellent nursery (valid…

Althaea cannabina It takes around three years for this plant to reach its full glory, but it’s worth the wait. In summer it produces an airy mass of relatively small flowers held on tall – often above head height – flexible stems. Perhaps its most appealing feature is the heart-shaped petals, which are light pink with a darker base. It works superbly when used in a solitary group in grass, although its airy appearance means it can also look good at the front of a border. Height 2-2.5m. Growing conditions Any soil, not too rich; sun. Hardiness At least RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b† . Origin Central and southern Europe. Season of interest Summer – autumn. Allium ‘Millennium’ Bred by American allium expert Mark McDonough, this is by far the best…

1 Think before you act. Consider how you’re going to use the space and plan accordingly. 2 Be practical. For example, if you want a table, make sure the paved area on which it will sit is more than large enough, and don’t use plants that will need heavy pruning if you’re going to have to take all the waste out through the house. 3 Always buy the best wall wires you can afford, and then cover them with climbers. 4 Take great care with your structural planting. It will disappear in the summer mass, but it’s incredibly useful in winter when everything else has died down. 5 Buy the biggest pots you can – Jinny recommends Bronzino or Italian Terrace – they not only look good but make plant…

As back yards go in New York, the garden behind a grand brownstone house in Brooklyn’s leafy Boerum Hill is deemed on the large side, despite measuring less than 180 square metres. Twice as long as a typical brownstone garden in the city, it was the property’s major selling point for real estate professional Gigi Sharp and vintage furniture dealer George Gilpin. “They bought the house for the outdoor space ” says garden designer Susan Welti, who overhauled the shady yard while her client friends concentrated on renovating the house. Susan was given free rein – no brief and no obligation to do anything historically appropriate for the 19th-century townhouse because her clients were adding a modern extension. “The state of the yard was truly unhappy” says Susan. “It had…

1 Play with levels. Town gardens are often long and narrow. Raising the level at the back has the optical effect of drawing the back of the garden in towards the house. 2 Consider the architecture. In a small garden it is difficult to ignore the house. So, draw on the architecture to inspire not only the style but also its layout. It is worth considering the garden’s sight lines from your dining table, kitchen sink and sofa, for example. 3 Solid backbone. Make sure that your town garden has a strong, evergreen backbone. If you go too seasonal in your planting, be prepared for long, visually boring winters. 4 Practise restraint. In a small garden, it is generally better to opt for a limited selection of hard materials, a…

1 FANTASTICAL CONTRAPTIONS Heat up your garden with the Hot-Pod wood burning sculpture from Fantastical Contraptions, designed by metal artist Chris Day. These sculptures are made to order or can be hired as part of the Fantastical Fire Garden, a social installation for your event or party. Go to the website or Facebook page for examples. TEL 07717 682849 WEB fantastical-contraptions.co.uk 2 ALDGATE HOME Original architectural window mirrors reclaimed and restored by Aldgate home. The beautiful iron frame work is complimented by antique glass mirrors which creates an illusion of light and space. The special unseen fixings, perfect for wall mounts, make them a stunning design feature either in the home or garden. TEL 07785 296830 EMAIL maria@aldgatehome.com 3 RAGGED ROSE Inject a little colour into your home and garden…

Make sure your seating areas are generous; there’s nothing more off-putting than feeling cramped Tiny gardens are often the most challenging to design. During my ten years as editor, I’ve seen a fair few and there’s no doubt that the key to creating a beautiful space lies in a process of careful planning, editing and attention to detail. The smaller the garden, the more important all of this becomes. Even if you plan to employ a professional designer, it’s worth having an idea of the main considerations. First, try to evolve a simple, clear plan for what you want to achieve. Be ambitious but also realistic about what’s possible in terms of space, finances, climate and time (not to mention your spouse or partner’s agreement). If possible, measure your garden…

Qualifications Achieve recognition for your horticultural skills by taking an RHS qualification. Whether you are looking to challenge yourself to reach a new goal, gain a route into the horticultural profession or develop your career, there will be an RHS qualification that is right for you. Choose from practical and theory accredited courses ranging from garden planning to plant growth and propagation. Study at your own pace at home or at one of more than 90 centres throughout the UK and Ireland. Find out more: rhs.org.uk/rhsqualifications Short Courses and Workshops Enjoy horticultural and creative courses at our four beautiful gardens. We run an extensive range of hands-on courses taught by experts to suit every level of ability in horticulture, garden design, art, craft and photography. Discover how to prune fruit…

Sarah Raven tulip collections combine colour, shape and texture to offer stylish pools of colour in your garden at spring time. All the featured tulips have been grown in Sarah’s own garden at Perch Hill in East Sussex and only the best have been selected to make up these exclusive collections. Take a look and make the most of the 15% discount. Venetian tulip collection One of the most successful tulip collections at Perch Hill, planted both in the garden and in pots. This spring Sarah added tulip ‘National Velvet’ to the collection and loved the combination even more. Collection includes Tulips ‘National Velvet, ‘Havran’ and ‘Prinses Irene. Flowers mid April to May. Product code 260319 Offer price 45 bulbs (15 of each) £17.95 £15.26 90 bulbs (30 of each)…

Over the past few months we’ve had great fun developing a range of products for our online shop. Among the first of these are three fabulous tools, made for us by the excellent Dutch toolmaker Sneeboer, which we think will prove invaluable to all serious gardeners. We’re also thrilled to be working with Bradleys, a small, independent English tannery that’s been handmaking leather goods for more than 20 years, to create a range of stylish and practical suede and leather garden products. Subscribers can purchase these items at a discount on the regular shop price and, for a limited period only, we’re offering all readers an additional £5 off the price of these tools and leather goods. Simply call the number, or fill in the form, overleaf. But hurry the…

• Discover the experimental gardens at Hermannshof in Germany• Organic, ornamental gardening at Holt Farm in Somerset• Celebrate your harvest in style with a Michaelmas festival• The cutest cottage garden in Sussex ON SALE 21 AUGUST Available as a digital edition – search ‘Gardens Illustrated’ on the App Store, Google Play or Zinio.com. Also in selected Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco stores, as well as WHSmith, and all good magazine retailers.…

The change in climate has led to a reconsideration of the humbled pelargonium. What was consigned to a pot on the windowsill in England can be set free to become a shrub here in California, blowsier than any rosebush and twice as happy. It is satisfying to see a plant reach full potential and, to that end, I packed cuttings of some favourites to see how they would take to the new world. Pelargoniums were once geraniums and still are to the extent that we have to distinguish geraniums proper by calling them hardy geraniums, even though it is more than two hundred years since a French botanist called Charles L’Héritier thought to separate them. He was an interesting character who survived the revolution only to be killed in the…

NATIONAL PROJECT Sounds of the sea It could be the sound of waves on shingle, the shrill call of the chough, or wind rustling through heather on a cliff top – whatever sound sums up the seaside for you, the National Trust wants you to share it as part of a project to create a sound map of Britain’s coastline. All you need to do is record a snippet of sound that reflects a coastal experience on your smart phone, tablet or a handheld device and then upload it to a website hosted by the British Library for it to be added to its sound archive. The project coincides with the 50th anniversary of the National Trust’s Neptune Coastline campaign and the recent acquisition of land along the Great Orme…

Earliest garden memory Making mud pies and rose perfume in my Mum and Dad’s garden with my sister, Siobhan. Who has inspired your career the most? Carol and Toy Sirkaow, who lost their little daughter Sasha in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. I volunteered to help them build a Tsunami Memorial Garden on the island of Koh Phi Phi in Thailand to mark the one-year anniversary, and they welcomed me into their family. It showed me the power that gardens and plants have to help heal. Is gardening a career change? I studied International Relations and Politics at Sheffield University with little interest in gardening. Yet, while studying I spent hours at the city’s Botanical and Winter Gardens. I loved being surrounded by plants, so that when I came to…

1 Keep the bigger picture in mind and keep checking, strengthening and simplifying the overall idea for the garden. 2 Neighbouring properties are also part of the picture so, whenever possible and appropriate, echo elements from them, whether with plants, built elements or general tenor. 3 On many levels, it is often what you don’t do in a garden that speaks volumes. Keep it simple. 4 Choose the right materials and pay attention to detail. How edges meet, what finishes are used and the general level of craftsmanship can heighten the experience of being in the garden. 5 Furniture is another means of strengthening a design, be it through colour, form, texture or numbers. It can be an opportunity to be fearless with colour, too.…

Hebe ‘Midsummer Beauty’ A large hebe with an upright habit and elegant, narrow, green leaves. Spikes of pale-violet flowers, which can be an impressive 30cm long, fade to white. Less hardy than average. 1.5m. AGM*. RHS H4, USDA 9a-10b† . H. rakaiensis Forms a tight dome of light-green foliage, and produces white flowers from midsummer. Relatively hardy, it originates from the high moorland zone of New Zealand’s South Island. 90cm. AGM. RHS H4. H. ‘White Gem’ A fairly large hybrid of H. brachysiphon with fresh-green leaves and white flowers in early summer. Its relatively upright habit means that it is a useful plant for low-level hedging. 1m. RHS H4, USDA 8b-10b. H. ochracea ‘James Stirling’ A robust garden plant with unusual yellow-toned ‘whipcord’ foliage and low-spreading habit. Flowers…

NEW PRODUCT Chic shelter With its sleek lines, the elegant and idiosyncratically named Shelt^r is perhaps the ultimate garden gazebo. The open-sided canvas tent, from the studio of Belgian craftsman Jean-Pierre Galeyn, has a galvanised steel frame and wooden floor. With a choice of seven colours, it makes an eye-catching garden feature, a space for all-weather entertaining or a hide that blends into its surroundings. It’s sturdy enough to stand outdoors for the summer season but can be easily transported and re-erected. Measuring 2.5m x 2.5m x 3m high, it costs £ 3,300, including delivery to UK. trade-winds.be NEW GARDEN Colour coded Yorkshire-based designer Alistair Baldwin has created a large coloured-themed rose garden in the Walled Garden of Wynyard Hall Hotel, Tees Valley. The design moves from a formal grid…

HAND CRAFTED Outdoor Belvoir armchair, £322, Lloyd Loom, 01775 724358, lloydloom.com ALUMINIUM FRAME Fermob Luxembourg Armchair, £205, Le Petit Jardin, 01892 541152, le-petit-jardin.com GRAPHITE FINISH Barlow Tyrie Piazza Armchair, £160, The Chelsea Gardener, 020 7352 5656, chelseagardener.com MOULDED POLYPROPLENE Vitra Eames DAR armchair, £304, John Lewis, 03456 049 049, johnlewis.com VINTAGE STYLE Carver chair, £240, Home and Garden Ironwork, 01905 21905, homeandgardenironwork.co.uk CURVED CANVAS Fionda stacking outdoor chair by Jasper Morrison for Mattiazzi, £440, Aram store, 020 7557 7557, aram.co.uk AMERICAN DREAM Buie Club Chair £4,210, McKinnon and Harris, 020 7349 9085, mckinnonharris.com TEAK SEAT Gloster Curve Stacking Chair, £351, Tincleton Lifestyle, 01305 848391, gardenfurnitureofdistinction.co.uk RATTAN WEAVE Dover Stackable Armchair Grey Weave, £123, Bridgman garden furniture, 020 8804 7474, bridgman.co.uk…

A NATURAL HISTORY OF ENGLISH GARDENING by Mark Laird Yale University Press, £45 ISBN 978-0300196368 Dazzling illustrations inform a detailed exploration of the link between nature and culture in 18th-century English gardening. Reviewer Jennifer Potter is a garden historian and garden writer. Large in format and ambition, Mark Laird’s latest scholarly contribution to the history of English gardening teems with life on every page. Taking his cue from the pioneering parson-cum-naturalist Gilbert White of Selborne in Hampshire, Laird hopes to rid garden writing of its fixation with male-dominated garden design, a straitjacket he attributes to Horace Walpole’s The History of the Modern Taste in Gardening. Laird’s gardening, by contrast, is a dynamic process, affected by natural creatures, by developing technologies that aided the import of exotic plants, and by cataclysmic…

Now in it’s seventh year, Orticolario is one of Italy’s premier gardening shows. The inspiration of Mr Moritz Mantero, a well-known name in Como’s textile and fashion industry, Orticolario offers a sense of panache to the gathering of top nurseries, garden accessory companies and food specialists. Located in the grounds of Villa Erba on the shores of Lake Como, this is a relaxed, stylish event that is sure to inspire. The theme for Orticolario 2015 is the sense of touch – and garden installations and displays will explore how this is experienced in a garden context. Perhaps it’s the irresistible urge to feel a leaf, or to run your fingers over bark, or walk barefoot on soft grass and smooth pebbles… Held in early autumn, Orticolario features plenty of late…

1 ABBOTSBURY SUBTROPICAL GARDENS A recent winner of the HHA/ Christie’s Garden of the Year Award and described by Alan Titchmarsh as “one of the finest gardens I have ever visited”. In 2015, Abbotsbury is celebrating its 250th anniversary with a whole host of new features that include a Burma rope bridge, a series of special events and even more fabulous plants. 2015 is definitely the year to visit. ADDRESS Bullers Way, Abbotsbury (nr Weymouth), Dorset DT3 4LA TEL 01305 871387 WEB abbotsburygardens.co.uk 2 CHENIES MANOR This historic house is steeped in history and supposed to be haunted by Henry VIII. During August onwards the beautiful five-acre garden has a wonderful display of Dahlias of many varieties. Superb flower arrangements throughout the house are arranged by the Chalfont & District…