Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2015 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

Not long after the magazine relocated to Bristol, I visited designer Arne Maynard at Allt-y-bela, his new home in Monmouthshire. I remember us walking around the garden, Arne buzzing with excitement over his plans. Today, almost a decade later, the garden has evolved greatly, sitting even more happily in its pastoral setting, and the atmosphere is utterly magical. I’m delighted that this month sees the start of our four-part series, looking at Allt-y-bela’s seasonal highlights, beginning with structure in the garden. I particularly love the pleached crab apples that enclose the front garden, providing beautiful blossom and fruit and fortuitously, on page 56, plant expert Graham Rice recommends a selection of the best. We also visit Hortus Bulborum in the Netherlands, a living museum for a unique collection of historic…

The fertile Rhine river valley cuts between the Vosges Mountains and the Black Forest and forms a natural border between France, Switzerland and the southwesterly corner of Germany, sometimes referred to as the ‘Tuscany of Germany. On this trip we travel northwards, weaving between France and Germany, over an area that’s home to a surprisingly rich selection of gardens. Your five-day tour includes a visit to Landhaus Ettenbühl, renowned for its roses, where you will be joined at lunch by the owner and head gardener. You’ll also travel into the Vosges Mountains to visit Jardin d’altitude du Haut Chitelet, which features lovely alpine planting. At this time of year the wild flowers of the region should also be at their peak, making a visit to the mountains particularly memorable. Nearby…

• Planting with Perennials Plantsman and designer Noël Kingsbury looks at how to maximise interest and minimise maintenance – plus Macplants Berrybank Nursery tour. 2-3 October, 10am-4pm, £60. Macplants, Berrybank Nursery, Pencaitland, East Lothian EH34 5BA. Tel 07939 528444, semplebegg.com • Great Dixter Plant Fair Specialist nurseries from across Europe selling unusual and desirable plants. 3-4 October, 11am-4pm. £8. While there, pop in to see the Growing up at Great Dixter in the 1920s exhibition of photographs on display in the house. Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye, East Sussex TN31 6PH. Tel 01797 252878, greatdixter.co.uk • Out of Nature exhibition Over 200 pieces of sculpture, from over 40 artists, that celebrate our link with nature. 3-25 October, 10.30am-5.30pm, £5. Newport House, Almeley, Herefordshire HR3 6LL. Tel 07917 740200, outofnature.org.uk • Kelmarsh:…

1 Symphoricarpos Magical Candy (=‘Kolmcan’) A beautifully coloured snowberry shrub that Ineke likes to pair with hydrangeas and pink roses. She cuts it back hard in February to keep it under control. 1.5m. 2 Dahlia ‘Downham Royal’ A richly coloured dahlia that reminds Ineke of an allium. She pairs it with Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘September Spires. 1.2m. 3 Diascia personata Taller growing than many diascias, this flowers over a long season. It needs well-drained soil, in order to keep the roots dry over winter. 1m. 4 Achillea ptarmica ‘Aunt Stientje’ A dwarf form that Ineke loves for its simplicity, and uses it in the white border behind the pond. 80cm. 5 Clematis texensis ‘Gravetye Beauty’ An elegant, late-flowering clematis with slim, almost tulip-like flowers that open widely in a gorgeous colour.…

• Troy Scott Smith, the head gardener at Sissinghurst, has joined the English Gardening School as a tutor on the school’s one-year Good Gardening Diploma. englishgardening school.co.uk • A Symposium on Gardens of the Future will be held at Natur im Garten conference in Tulin, Austria, 9-11 October. Speakers include Nigel Dunnett, Karin Standler and Anna Leithner. naturimgarten.at/ award-english • Capel Manor College, in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, has started a new F oundation Degree in Garden Design and Plantsmanship at the college’s Enfield centre. The degree will take two years full-time or four years part-time. capel.ac.uk • US-based landscape architect James Corner, renowned for his work on New York’s High Line and London’s Olympic Park, will deliver this year’s Landscape Institute Jellico lecture at the University of Reading…

BRILLIANT GREEN: THE SURPRISING HISTORY AND SCIENCE OF PLANT INTELLIGENCE By Stefano Mancuso and Alessandra Viola Island Press, £12.99 ISBN 978-1610916035 A punchy, readable but erudite little book that introduces many key aspects of plant science to the general reader. Reviewer Noël Kingsbury is a writer and plantsman. ‘Plants’ and ‘intelligence’ are two concepts we don’t generally put together; invariably we think of plants as static, passive and entirely reactive. This book tries to put pay to this prejudice. Intelligence is really only a starting point for what amounts to an eloquent and very readable primer of basic plant physiology, looking at how plants analyse their environment, react to it, co-ordinate their various parts, communicate with other plants and with animals. As mammals, our sensory, nervous and other bodily systems…

SIETSKE DE VRIES Turning her passion into a full-time job makes it possible for photographer Sietske to visit interesting places that make for beautiful photographs. She found the garden at de Jorissenhoeve impressive and a joy to shoot. You can see her photos of the garden on page 50. “I doubt the owner and designer Ineke knows herself how beautiful her garden work is – it is like paradise” ARNE MAYNARD Central to Arne’s work as a garden designer is his ability to identify and draw out the essence of a place, something that gives his gardens a particular harmony. On page 34 he reveals how he set out to achieve this sense of belonging in his own garden. “In October I love the way the garden melts into the…

Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Gibraltar’ This semi-woody plant is a real must for an autumn garden. In cold winters it usually dies back but you can rely on it to reappear. Once it does, it grows quickly with the stems, which are set with trifoliate, bluish-green leaves, growing to almost two metres. From August onwards pea-like flowers open in such large numbers that the stems bend over creating a fountain-like effect. ‘Gibraltar, which is named after an estate in the USA, has lavender-pink flowers that are a softer colour and are borne in greater quantities than the straight species. After mild winters, prune it lightly, for a more branched, upright habit. Height 2m. Origin China, Japan. Growing conditions Well-drained soil; sun. Hardiness At least RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b. Season of interest Summer…

1 The layered topiary beech, with its bright golden leaves is most striking at this time of year. It holds the eye within the garden, when the trees behind are losing their leaves. In the summer the copper beech spiral behind it performs a similar role, its deep-plum colour is a striking contrast, against the backdrop of green. 2 I call the walled courtyard garden next to the front door my ‘Cabinet of Curiosities. In it the evergreen structure of the box balls on stems and the yew topiary create a framework through which I can grow rare bulbs and precious flowers. In the summer, this is where I grow one of my favourite roses. This Rosa ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’ flowers in a rich, deep-magenta and even in autumn and…

Dan Pearson Dan is a Wisley and Kew-trained garden designer and plantsman. At RHS Chelsea this year his show garden was awarded ‘Best in Show. 1 Tulipa sprengeri The latest of all tulips, flowering in early May, and unusual in its preference for damp conditions and dappled shade. Seeds freely in thin grass or among late perennials. 45cm. AGM*. RHS H6, USDA 3a-9b† . 2 Crocus tommasinianus ‘Albus’ The pure-white form of my favourite species crocus, loved for its willingness to self-seed and naturalise. Always plant in sun or it will refuse to open to reveal a splash of yellow anthers. 12cm. USDA 3a-8b. 3 Fritillaria meleagris Naturalises in damp ground and thin turf. Plant bulbs deep at 15cm, or pot up and plant out when in growth for best…

In brief What Around 40 species and hundreds of hybrids and selections of deciduous large shrubs and small trees. Origins From temperate regions throughout the northern hemisphere where they grow in open woods and woodland edges. Season April and May (flowers), September – December (fruits). Size Grow to a height of 2-15m, depending on choice of rootstock. Conditions Any fertile soil that is not parched or waterlogged. Sun, or partial or dappled shade. Hardiness ratings RHS H6, USDA 4a-7b. When you spot a crab apple tree in a country hedgerow, what is it that you’re looking at? It may seem like an odd question, but the answer is interesting – because if you’re looking at a tree in the wild you’re probably not looking at a crab apple at all.…

1 Tulipa ‘Silver Standard’ Single early (A broken, rectified Rembrandt). Registered 1760. 30-45cm. 2 T. ‘Golden Standard’ Single early (A broken, rectified Rembrandt). Registered 1760. 20-30cm. 3 T. ‘Tournesol’ (Red and Yellow) Double early. Registered 1769. 25-30cm. 4 T. ‘Rose De La Montagne’ Double early. Registered 1893. 30-45cm. USDA 3a-8b† . 5 T. ‘El Toreador’ Double early. Registered 1890. 25-30cm. 6 T. ‘David Teniers’ Double early. Registered 1960. 25cm. 7 T. ‘Lac van Rijn’ Single early. Registered 1620. One of the oldest tulip cultivars in cultivation. 25cm. 8 T. ‘Ballade’ Lily-flowered. Registered 1953. 30-45cm. AGM*. RHS H6. 9 T. ‘Burgundy’ Lily-flowered. Registered 1957. 45-60cm. 10 T. ‘Diana’ Single early. Registered 1909. 30-45cm. 11 T. ‘Cardinal’s Hat’ Single early. Registered 1860. 30-45cm. 12 T. sylvestris Species. 15-30cm. USDA 5a-9b. 13 T.…

My favourite gardens have no borders. Instead, plants grow in swathes of meadow-like colour and texture, it’s only the pathways and the occasional seat, clipped hedge or mossy urn that reminds me I’m in a garden. The hand of the gardener is invisible and wild flowers flourish, often growing intermingled with garden perennials. A single wild flower can look fragile, but when grown en masse they exert a powerful presence. When designing with plants that are native or naturalised in Britain my first inspiration is the way they grow in the wild; their conditions, their companions and their pattern of distribution and flowering succession. I also think back to my visits to the Dutch Heem or habitat parks – ecological gardens that bring an exaggerated and thrilling version of nature…

Leendert Blok: Silent Beauties, Photographs from the 1920s By Gilles Clément, £55 Hatje Cantz ISBN 978-3775740371 A collection of early colour prints and autochromes used in Dutch display catalogues of the 1920s. OFFER PRICE £49.50 THE DICTIONARY OF SCIENCE FOR GARDENERS By Michael Allaby, £25 Timber Press ISBN 978-1604694833 A useful guide for gaining a better understanding of the complex world of garden science. OFFER PRICE £22.50 PHYTOMEDICINES, HERBAL DRUGS, AND POISONS By Ben-Erik van Wyk and Michael Wink, £40 Chicago Press, Kew Publishing ISBN 978-1842465158 A fully illustrated, scientific guide to medicinal and poisonous plants. OFFER PRICE £38 IN PURSUIT OF BUTTERFLIES: A FIFTY YEAR AFFAIR By Matthew Oates Bloomsbury, £18.99 ISBN 978-1472924506 Based on Oates’s detailed diaries, this lovely nature book chronicles a lifetime spent pursuing butterflies. OFFER…

Over the past few months we’ve been developing an exciting range of products for our new online shop. The site is now up and running with a selection of practical products for discerning gardeners, all especially chosen or developed by us to be fit for purpose and of long-lasting quality. Included in our current range are three fabulous hand tools made for us by the excellent Dutch toolmaker Sneeboer, which we think will prove invaluable to all gardeners. We’re also thrilled to be working with Bradleys, an independent English tannery that’s been handmaking leather goods for more than 20 years, to create a selection of stylish and practical suede and leather garden goods. We also have some great Baker’s twine in three colourways and a lovely cotton tea towel designed…

• Shaken but not stirred – how a formal New Zealand garden recovered from a devastating earthquake • Discover the magic of crêpe-paper art • Charles Dowding shares expert advice on growing winter vegetables • Container planting schemes with stunning late-season colour ON SALE 16 OCTOBER 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.…

We are delighted to announce the dates for our second Gardens Illustrated Festival. Taking place over the weekend of 22-23 April 2016, we will once again be gathering together an exciting programme of speakers who will talk on a range of fascinating horticultural topics. Importantly, we have moved location this year. We’re still in the Cotswolds but in the charming town of Tetbury, where all our festival activities can be grouped in one location. Alongside the talks there will be a marquee selling a fine selection of gardening goods and plants from some of our favourite companies and artisan makers. You’ll also find our garden plant and design clients offering individual advice, a series of workshops open to all and plenty of freshly made teas, coffees and lunches. And we’ll…

EXHIBITION Craft at Kew You’ll find plenty of botanical inspiration at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this autumn. Not only will the gardens be gearing up to a full autumn display with late blooms and bright foliage colour, but Kew is also hosting the international craft event Handmade at Kew. Work from 150 makers will be on display, from ceramics and jewellery to textiles, glass and metalwork, much of it inspired by plants and the natural environment. Look out for Helen Michie’s ceramic wall pieces (pictured), featuring ferns, flower heads and leaves pressed into clay and Raku-smoke fired to give each a unique marking. Your ticket allows access to the gardens too. Handmade at Kew, 8-11 October, 10am-6pm. Tel 020 8332 5655, kew.org ALERT Agapanthus pest The Royal Horticultural Society…

Early garden memory Going out of my way to pass by the local allotments on my walk to junior school. I remember being in awe of the pristine rows of vegetables and flowers and wondering how they did it. First plant love I’ve always had an affinity with trees and woodlands, which is the reason I trained as a tree surgeon at Merrist Wood. My favourite trees are beech and almost all Sorbus . Career inspiration There are several people who have inspired me to be a gardener – none of whom are famous – including my grandparents. They taught me (without my realising I was being taught) not just how to grow food but what to do with your gluts: together we cooked stored, pickled, jammed and chutney’d our…

1 Rosa ‘Astra Desmond’ is trained on the northeast-facing back wall, supported by a criss-cross of hazel rods that are renewed every year. The uprights are pushed into the ground at the base and tied on to the gutter supports at the top of the wall. This way there is no need to add any structural fastening points, which would puncture the limewash. This lattice pattern is repeated throughout the garden: in paths in the cottage garden and as a low, cloud-clipped box hedge below the roses on the back wall. This hedge gives structure, but with a lighter touch than a framed, formal border. 2 Trained fruit trees are a very flexible way to form permanent structure, particularly in the vegetable garden. You can use them to create entrances,…

Do you drive a digger?” asks Lady Xa Tollemache as we pace the arboretum she’s recently planted in the grounds of Helmingham Hall, the moated Tudor mansion where she lives with her husband, the 5th Baron Tollemache (or Tim). It’s a typical rejoinder from a garden designer with no formal training who prides herself on her practical know-how and work ethic. A low yin-yang mound (“I’m interested in comparative religion”) and other small landforms are evidence of Xa’s excavating expertise, a skill she was inspired to acquire after seeing diggers in action at the Chelsea Flower Show, where she has created three successful gardens. But… “I’m fully aware that I’m not taken seriously by the garden design profession,” she says. “I run the risk of being ‘Lady Tollemache who designs…

BUILDING DESIGN New sky thinking The latest Maggie’s Centre to get planning permission has an imaginative design by Thomas Heatherwick, conceived as a cluster of giant planters each topped with woodland planting that is repeated at ground level, turning the whole building into a garden. Marie Louise Agius and Michael Balston will landscape all the levels of the centre at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, which will provide free support to people affected by cancer. The design duo have selected birch and sessile oak for the upper canopy, with rowan, hazel and holly, underplanted with blackthorn, hawthorn, elder and dog rose, for the lower layers. At ground level, spring bulbs and perennials will provide interest and biodiversity. maggiescentres.org DESIGN AWARD Light fantastic A bold scheme by Graeme Massie Architects,…

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This issue we asked a selection of leading garden designers to choose their favourite spring bulbs for our feature on page 42. Inspired by their choices, specialist grower Avon Bulbs has put together a selection of bulbs at a 20% discount. We hope you’re inspired too. Allium nigrum x 5 £4 Offer price £3.20 The head is formed of 20-30 large, open, creamy-white flowers that, rather than forming a complete ball, are more flattened at the top. The flower is held about 60cm from the ground over grey-green basal leaves in June. Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ AGM x 3 £4.00 Offer price £3.20 One tuber produces up to ten nodding, star-like flowers with sulphur-yellow petals, a brownish central ring and yellow anthers. The leaves show faint white marbling.…

1 OSTERLEY PARK AND HOUSE Osterley Park and House is one of the last surviving country estates in London. Open all year and only a short distance from the big city, don’t miss the elegant flower gardens and vibrant colours of the ornamental vegetable garden. Address Jersey Rd, Isleworth, Middlesex, TW7 4RB Tel 020 8232 5050 Web nationaltrust.org.uk/osterley-park 2 THE GARDENS AT ABBEYWOOD The Gardens at Abbeywood are set within a 45 Acre Estate. The long flowering herbaceous borders of the Main Garden and the Pool, Chapel and Pergola Gardens each bursting with sensational colour. The Exotic Garden is a real showstopper in the summer months, until the first frost. Address Chester Road, Delamere, Cheshire, CW8 2HS Garden Enquiries 01606 888116 Garden Cafe Enquiries 01606 889477 3 MARKS HALL GARDENS…

A Californian reader wrote to congratulate me on my good luck in liking succulents, and to bemoan her bad luck in owning a house where they are not suitable, on account of it being built by ‘a Brit’ in 1904. The ongoing drought makes it impractical to plant anything else here, and even some succulents struggled this summer without watering. Not that the drought has prompted any serious attempt by the authorities to curtail irrigation. It is still a matter of conscience, at least in our neck of the woods, and not unusual to see conscience-stricken aeoniums wilted to pinheads in one garden while the neighbours either side flaunt green lawns and rose bushes. Not feeling particularly merciful or sympathetic in the reply, I baited my correspondent by informing her…