Innholdsfortegnelse for Special 2015 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

When we buy a plant, there’s always the temptation to make an impulse purchase. Yet the first question that should pop into a gardener’s head is ‘will it actually thrive in my garden?’ In a climate as varied as the British Isles, one of the main factors used to work this out is whether it can survive the winter outdoors unaided – what we call ‘hardiness. There’s no agreed definition of hardiness but, for our purposes, it is a plant’s ability to endure cold conditions, or in the UK, the ability to withstand alternating periods of freezing and relatively mild, wet weather. Plants are adapted to tolerate cold to varying degrees. Some will take a light frost (temperatures just below freezing) for a couple of hours, others cope with long…

Sissinghurst is a refuge dedicated to beauty. For many centuries people have lived and worked here; a sense of history emanates from the rosy red bricks of the tower and an authenticity grows from its soil. These rich layers of history fascinated its most celebrated owner, the writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West, and her response to them shaped the creation of the garden we know today. Vita first saw Sissinghurst on a spring day in 1930. It had lain empty since the death of the previous owner, a farmer who had regarded the surrounding land as little more than a convenient dumping ground. But, amid the old bedsteads and tangle of bindweed Vita saw what might be made of it, writing later that: ‘It caught instantly at my heart and…

Pink perfection 1 Lathyrus latifolius ‘Rosa Perle’ Looks glorious as a massed trailing component in displays. Should stay looking fresh in the vase for around a week. 2m. 2 Stachys officinalis Related to lamb’s ears but more useful. Keep cutting the pretty pink flowers to encourage long flowering throughout summer. 50cm. 3 Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Fascination’ Easier to grow and quicker to bulk up than other veronicas, but just as useful in the vase. 1.8m. 4 Monarda ‘Prärienacht’ Pick the flowers of this bergamot when just opening for longest vase life and keep cutting them from July to late September. 1m. 5 Hordeum jubatum Short-lived perennial grass, which adds a lovely texture to bouquets and is also beautiful dried. 70cm. 6 Anemone hupehensis Take out the centre flower of each group…

The taxi driver was baffled when I asked him to take me to Liverpool 8. I’d come to find a garden of sorts, but despite the sunny day, he warned me not to get out of the car. Toxteth, even within Liverpool, still has an awkward reputation, like a difficult relative best forgotten. He dropped me, reluctantly, at the end of Cairns Street, a mostly derelict Victorian terrace, and I wondered why I’d come until my eye picked up paintings of flowers upon the stricken walls. In the street, old car trailers, battered wooden drawers and piles of stacked tyres were being used as plant pots, spilling over with runner beans, roses, poppies and fennel. Further down, a circular picnic bench was surrounded by tubs of salvia, sweet William and…

Plant hunter Dan Hinkley The active volcano that dominates the skyline of the greater Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, rises to 4,392m. Because of this height and the warm, moist air flowing over its slopes from the Pacific, it is recognised as having more annual snowfall than any other place on earth. It stands to reason that spring on the slopes surrounding its glacier-clad peak does not commence until mid July when sweeps of erythroniums and pulsatilla paint the newly revealed alpine meadows. These transition week to week in a highly charged growing season, rushing towards the first frosts of mid September. During that time, mind-bending displays of lupins, geraniums, asters, camassias, erigerons, campanulas, phacelias and veronicas predominate; lower forested slopes boast flowers of two species of rhododendron, the rare Elliottia…

For those keen to grow tender plants, a south-facing aspect is desirable to maximise exposure to the sun’s heat. Likewise, shelter is critical, either to protect plants from cold winds or from cold air flowing down hillsides. Gardeners will talk about frost pockets or frost hollows. These are where cold air drains off exposed slopes, as cold air is heavier than warm air, and collects in valleys or in sheltered areas where it cannot escape. This leads to cooler overnight temperatures and more frosts. Where possible, lay out your garden to avoid slowing or trapping cold as it filters down slopes. Hedges, fences and walls can be strategically placed to protect plants or to provide sheltered nooks where you can grow plants that would not flourish in the open. Walls…

Philippa Hodkinson likes a challenge. She gardens in England’s most northerly county, Northumberland, on a windy moor where even the cattle have sturdy coats. In summer and autumn her garden flares with colour from hundreds of annual and biennial plants, all grown from seed. It might appear folly to grow plants that need to germinate, grow, flower and set seed all in one year, especially when the season can be so brief, but she learned patience and technique from the best – the artist, designer and plantswoman Gertrude Jekyll. Until 2013 Philippa was the gardener for the National Trust’s tiny castle garden on Lindisfarne just off the Northumberland coast, created in 1911 by Jekyll and the Arts and Crafts architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens. The fashionable pair were commissioned by Edward…

The wow factor is fundamental,” says James Hitchmough of the natural habitats he explores all over the world. Much of his globe-trotting comes with his role as Professor of Horticultural Ecology in the Landscape Department of the University of Sheffield, but he freely admits his main reason for spending so much time travelling the world is that it is “fun”. James is best known for his work, in collaboration with designer Sarah Price and his Sheffield University colleague Nigel Dunnett, at the London 2012 Olympic Park. Those plantings now form part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. James’s academic research largely looks at understanding the natural wild plant communities of open situations: European meadows, North American Prairies, the steppes of Asia and eastern Europe, high-altitude grasslands in China, and the…

A guide for lighting trees Through the introduction of some subtle lighting, skilfully picking out branches or lighting the whole tree, one can create a lovely ambience and bring structure and warmth to your garden. Trees vary enormously in size and shape, but most trees can be lit very well using fittings with 36 degree or 60 degree beam angles. Narrow trees such as Silver Birch, Scots Pine and most conifers work best with a 36 degree light source. Medium spreading trees like Robinia, Cherry or Lime need lights with a 60 degree beam angle. While wide spreading mature Oaks and Cedars will usually require more than one light to achieve reasonable coverage. Extremely narrow subjects such as Italian Cypress could be lit using a very narrow light source, but…

Join us for the second Gardens Illustrated Festival, now in the beautiful Cotswold town of Tetbury. Taking place over the weekend of 22-23 April 2016, the festival will once again gather together an eclectic and exciting line-up of speakers – offering a fascinating programme of talks on a range of horticultural topics. Building on the success of last year’s event, we have moved location from Malmesbury to the nearby and the equally charming Cotswold town of Tetbury, allowing for more festival activities in one place. Alongside the talks there will be a marquee selling a fine selection of plants and gardening goods from some of our favourite companies and artisan makers. You’ll also find our garden plant and design clinic offering individual advice, a series of workshops, and freshly made…

1 Ashwood Nurseries Although it masquerades as a garden centre, with an excellent restaurant and gift shop, this is an immaculate plantsman’s nursery. Strengths are hellebores, hepaticas, salvias and winter-flowering shrubs. Mail order available (M). Address (A) Ashwood Lower Lane, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 0AE. Tel (T) 01384 401996. Web (W) ashwoodnurseries.com Open (O) Every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. 2 Avondale Nursery Plant Heritage collections of wood anemone, sanguisorba and New England aster, plus a huge range of perennials. The well-labelled display garden is inspirational. A Russell’s Nursery, Mill Hill, Baginton, Warwickshire CV8 3AG. T 07979 093096. W avondalenursery.co.uk O Mar-Sep inclusive. 3 Beeches Nursery A plant lover’s paradise packed with 3,000 interesting plants, some very rare. Give yourself plenty of time to explore and you’ll find…

Borders can be dark and dramatic, or airy and light, rich and bold, sweet or tart, sometimes brooding or energetic, uplifting or peaceful. Identifying the mood is the starting point of a plan, bearing in mind that it’s more than just the colour combinations that create the look; it’s the shape of the leaves or petals, the number of different plants, the repetition of the same varieties; even personal and historic associations that plants have can affect the overall atmosphere of the border. A confident elegance was needed for this border at Cottesbrooke Hall, a pale slice of the colour wheel at the point of pinks, purples and icy blues, given depth by dark aubergine undertones. It’s restrained without being self-consciously monotone. If it had been too rich it would…

Back in 2005 I visited a lady who had installed a new type of fencing in her garden, that she said had changed her life. That’s quite a claim, how could a fence make such a difference to someone’s life? Tracking back to before this happened, Mrs Young visited Jacksons Fencing. She was an existing customer of Jacksons and was desperate to find a solution to a problem; 30 years previously when she and her husband had moved into their house, it was a quiet rural area. Over time, a nearby road had become increasingly busy, traffic flow and speed had intensified to the extent it was no longer possible to enjoy time in their garden. The Youngs were considering moving house, but really didn’t want to, they were very…

1 SHOEGARDEN Shoegarden is the home of Haflinger slippers and clogs made with natural materials. You can find the widest range of pure wool slippers and felt clogs in a variety of colours and styles for both men and women. The robust rubber sole makes them great for wearing around your house and garden. Buy online with £5 OFF use code: GARDEN2 at the checkout. Tel 01223 244400 Web shoegarden.co.uk 2 KADAI FIREBOWL The award-winning Kadai Firebowl is a beautiful and versatile bbq/fire bowl ‘Designed in England, handmade in India’ Special winter offer – 70cm Recycled Kadai Firebowl on high and low stands, cooking tripod and bowl for an amazing £289. Fall in love with outdoor living this winter. Tel 01694 771800 Email info@kadai.com Web kadai.com 3 PERILLA Keep cosy…