Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

It is possible to plant a lot bulbs in a small garden. Dryad Nursery in North Yorkshire is a case in point. Specialising in exquisite miniature narcissi (with an early side hustle of snowdrops), this tiny, back-garden nursery grows a much-coveted list of small, choice f lowers. Miniature narcissi instil the same fervour in enthusiasts as snowdrops, due in part perhaps to their intricacy and detail. Who doesn’t share the miniaturist’s love of small things? The perfect miniature narcissus has clear colour, graceful form and a delicacy of f lower, and a single bulb can exchange hands for a several hundred pounds. There is a worldwide waiting list for the rarest bulbs. On a site in Somerset, Avon Bulbs specialises in year-round bulbs for the f lower garden. Nurserymen Alan…

NEW JEWELS IN THE CROWN There is still time for planting asparagus, and Pomona Fruits is offering three new cultivars. ‘Guelph Eclipse’ (above) is a hardy asparagus ideal for northern climates, ‘Vittorio’ has thick, disease-resistant spears, and the striking, purple ‘Burgundine’ is especially sweet when eaten raw. Prices start at £19.50 for 12 crowns of ‘Guelph Eclipse’ or ‘Vittorio’, and £19.95 for 12 crowns of ‘Burgundine’. pomonafruits.co.uk A peaceful pastime In the often troubled but peaceful interim between the two World Wars, some of Britain’s most talented artists were drawn to the calm beauty of their gardens for inspiration. John Nash, with the horrors of the First World War behind him, rejoiced in the local intimacies of the natural world. Evelyn Dunbar, later to be drawn into the Second World…

March will always be associated for me with daffodils and crocuses, which on sunny days can lift the spirits as winter draws towards a close. Good places to see a wide selection is in the gardens, or in the alpine houses, of RHS Garden Wisley, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, or the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh but there are numerous gardens around the UK where you can see daffodils this month. Godinton House in Kent is a Jacobean house surrounded by a fine garden with herbaceous borders, a rose garden and a three-acre wild garden that in March and April is filled not only with daffodils, but fritillaries, primroses and other spring flowers. Godinton House & Gardens, Godinton Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP. Tel 01233 643854, godintonhouse.co.uk For the literary…

We planned to buy a cactus but we decided to stop first at an alpine nursery and that’s where I bought my first Narcissus rupicola,” says Anne Wright. “That was that.” This sounds like an ordinary story about a passion for growing as many of a certain sort of plant as you can in a suburban back garden. But Anne, who owns Dryad Nursery in North Yorkshire, is more than a collector; for the past 36 years, she’s been one of the UK’s leading miniature daffodil breeders. If you want one of Anne’s daffodils – and who wouldn’t – then you’ll have to be quick off the mark. Some cultivars can sell out within the first few hours If you want one of her daffodils – and I can’t imagine…

When George Plumptre was a boy his parents, Lord and Lady FitzWalter, decided to open their garden in support of the National Garden Scheme. Back then Goodnestone Park, their home in east Kent, was precisely the sort of aristocratic estate that featured in the famous Yellow Book of private gardens, welcoming paying visitors to raise money for charity. George could have had no idea that 50 years later he would be the chief executive of the NGS, responsible for the owners of some 3,700 gardens ranging in size from courtyards to country acres, and dispersing the millions of pounds generated every year from ticket sales and teas. Back then he preferred cricket to gardening. With two older and two younger brothers he had plenty of opportunity to practice. “I remember…

Wreathed in petals, leaves and tiny flowerheads, Hitomi Hosono’s astonishing ceramics capture the delicacy of the natural world in layers of intricate, hand-carved porcelain. Her work is a magical fusion of flower and clay so it is unsurprising to find that Hitomi comes from a family of both ceramists and gardeners. She was born in Japan’s Gifu province, an area known for its kilns. Her grandfather was a tile maker, and her mother is a keen gardener. “She used to grow so many different kinds of flowers and some of the flowers I now use in my work are from her garden.” You have to treat the porcelain like a dry biscuit; it’s a difficult material but I enjoy the challenge Although Hitomi studied ceramics at Kanazawa College of Art,…

Keith Wiley Keith continues his series of monthly recommendations for plants to grow, page 24. “As a passionate plantsman, a year-long trawl through some of my favourite plants has been a joy.” Tilly Ware Tilly visits a bulb-filled garden in Cambridgeshire, page 50. “Chippenham Park has a particularly strong spirit: the ancient trees, canals, old buildings and acres of bulbs are quietly magnificent.” Ben Preston Head gardener Ben starts a new series on container planting, page 44. “Playing with interesting plants and clever combinations brings creativity to the garden – with pots for every season.”…

The tour starts with a visit to the internationally celebrated contemporary gardens of Tokachi Millennium Forest, designed by Dan Pearson and situated on Japan’s most northerly island, Hokkaido. You’ll learn about the spirit of nature and sense of place from head gardener and international speaker Midori Shintani, as well as enjoying a cultural workshop and foraged forest lunch prepared by the gardeners. Returning to the mainland you will delve into the traditional gardens, culture and the unforgettable architecture of Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto and Nara, where gardens will provoke thought and delight in equal measure. Meet with the gardeners of the Chion-in Temple who will demonstrate the fine art of niwaki pruning and offer advice on the tools they use. Discover both renowned gardens and lesser-known, hidden cultural gems, such as…

1 Decorative Antiques Fair The garden as a gallery is the theme for the 31st Decorative Antiques Fair at the Pavilion in Bath, with antique pots, urns, benches and even a water fountain up for grabs. 6-8 March, 11am-5pm. £5. North Parade Road, Bath, Somerset BA2 4EU. Tel 01278 784912, bathdecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk 2 Yorkshire Sculpture Park Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos will be transforming the park’s Underground Gallery and gardens with her vibrant sculptures. 7 March – 3 January 2021, 10am-5pm. Admission free. West Bretton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 4LG. Tel 01924 832631, ysp.org.uk 3 Gardening the Millennium Midori Shintani, head gardener of Tokachi Millennium Forest will be discussing the modern garden movement in Japan at an open talk for the University of Bath Gardening Club. 9 March, 7.30pm. £6. East Building,…

I spent a whole summer on my tummy looking for four-leaf clovers and pressing them First plant love In our back garden there was a patch where four-leaf clovers would grow and I spent a whole summer on my tummy looking for them and pressing them. I thought it would bring me lots of luck! Who inspires you? Jan Billington, my boss and creator of Maddocks Farm Organics is an inspiration to me. As a gardener she is observant, intuitive and pragmatic. She is a hugely principled and successful businesswoman and an advocate of organic growing. Horticultural hero I met [the late] plant hunter Michael Wickenden one torrentially wet and windy day on a visit to his nursery at Cally Gardens in Scotland. He sent me away with copies of…

What A flower and vegetable garden designed by Tom Stuart-Smith. Where Oxfordshire. Size A three-acre garden within a 57-acre estate, which also contains a four-acre wildflower meadow and extensive woodlands. Soil Stony but fertile loam to varying depths above chalk. Climate Somewhat exposed, but this is mitigated by the woodlands and by the construction of a walled garden. Hardiness zone USDA 8. Planting in the walled garden, close to the entrance, is planned to harness the moment when the still-productive, old apple trees come into blossom. Box balls define a central bed overflowing with Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, its lime green is repeated in clumps of Helleborus argutifolius and contrasts with the vivid colours of tulips ‘Ballerina’ and ‘Abu Hassan’.…

Name Chippenham Park. What Anglo-Dutch garden laid out in the late 17th century, remodelled in the 18th century and recently developed by current owners Where Cambridgeshire. Size 45-acre garden within 300 acres of parkland. Soil Light and chalky. Climate Cool winters and warm summers. Hardiness zone USDA 8. On the terrace, eight Quercus phellos are trained to form parasol-like shapes over urns packed with Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’. Around the Corten steel beds, Tulipa ‘White Triumphator’, Narcissus ‘Thalia’ and Hakonechloa macra create a tranquil green-and-white scheme.…

1 Narcissus ‘Starlit’ A cultivar bred by Brain Duncan with a flanged, pure-white trumpet. 15cm. 2 N. ‘Biondina’ Small, ivory-white flowers that have a slightly swept-back perianth and expanded corona. Bred by Anne. 15cm. 3 N. x litigiosus ‘Giselle’ A much-coveted, self-sown hybrid that was found by Anne. It has an all-white corona and perianth, and is said to be easier to grow than other N. x litigiosus hybrids. 10cm. 4 N. ‘Little Dryad’ Named for Anne’s nursery, it has a cool, ivory-white flower with swept-back perianth, straight corona and flared mouth. 12cm. 5 N. ‘Cheeky Chappie’ A show winner with lemon-yellow corona and short, reflexed, white perianth. Bred by Brian Duncan. 10cm. 6 N. ‘Snipe’ A readily available, old cultivar with delicate, pale-yellow and white flowers with a straight…

When the doors opened at shows, throngs of people would make a sudden sally for its stand to purchase the rarest plants before they sold out Gardeners will know Avon Bulbs as a regular of horticultural shows, where it is renowned for its excellent Gold medal displays. I remember its immaculate stands at the RHS London Shows in Vincent Square, the snowdrop displays were legendary – so carefully laid out as if plucked fresh from a woodland floor. When the doors opened to the show, throngs of people would make a sudden sally for its stand in a bid to purchase the rarest, most choice plants before they sold out. At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show the stands were more luxurious with drifts of tulips, lily-of-the-valley, gladioli and alliums (to…

MEADOWS ON THE MEDLOCK Manchester is a step closer to embarking on one of the UK’s most important urban regeneration projects with the planning permission submission of the first phase of the £1.4 billion transformation of the former railway depot at Mayfield into a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood with a six-and-a-half-acre public park at its heart. The city’s first new park in more than 100 years will be created on the banks of the River Medlock and will provide a range of spaces including open greens for sport, adventure play areas, an urban square and floodable meadows. Projecting platforms and areas of sculpted earth will offer changes of level, and networks of paths will accommodate walkers and cyclists. Subject to planning consent, work is due to start this summer. mayfieldmanchester.co.uk…

There are certain things – ouzo and retsina are two good examples – that should never be taken out of their home country. This is true for Japanese gardens. Make one outside of Japan and it is often little more than a Disneyfied pastiche. The reasons are simple: Japanese gardens are a complex art form based on deep meanings and symbolism and are closely bound to that country’s spiritual culture and environment. Yet if you can distil the essence of what they are, there are so many aesthetic principles to be learned and that can be applied to the design of Western gardens. Fundamentally, Japanese gardens are a convergence of architecture, gardens and environment. And that link to the environment, both physically and metaphorically, seems particularly poignant at this moment…

BOOK REVIEWS THE STORY OF TREES: AND HOW THEY CHANGED THE WAY WE LIVE by Kevin Hobbs and David West Laurence King, £25 ISBN 978-1786275226 An engaging, digestible take on the tree anthology, drawing together arboreal histories, attractive illustrations and a few surprises along the way. Reviewer Matt Collins is head gardener at the Garden Museum. The bookshelf given over to garden reading in my home study is struggling. There is a sag in the middle and the culprits are, without doubt, the tree books. As a species, they are numerous and weighty, encompassing stout, little field guides, such as the trusty Collins Complete Guide to British Trees, and great tomes, such as Hugh Johnson’s Trees. This is to say that there are already many good books about trees; nonetheless,…

I recently made the mistake of telling my husband how much my variegated Swiss cheese plants could sell for. The bout of aroid fever gripping the houseplant world has placed these plants at a premium, I explained, meaning my pair of Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’ would be a steal at around £150 each. Like any craze, it’s about supply and demand: variegated monsteras are rare, so people will pay a princely sum to own one. Coleus, on the other hand, must rate as one of the cheapest ways to bring colour to your indoor display. There are hundreds of culitvars in every shade from the sublime to the ridiculous: lemon yellow, lime green, carmine pink, zesty orange and the inkiest purple-black (the flowers, an insignificant pale purple, should be removed…

James Basson James lives in the South of France where he runs Scape Design with his wife Helen, specialising in low-maintenance and dry gardens. He is a fervent advocate for creating sustainable landscapes. The winner of four Chelsea Gold medals, he was awarded Best in Show in 2017. Fergus Garrett Fergus was appointed head gardener at Great Dixter by Christopher Lloyd in 1993. He is passionate about passing on his knowledge through student programmes at Dixter and worldwide lectures. He was awarded an RHS Associate of Honour in 2008 and an RHS Victoria Medal of Honour in 2019. Anna Pavord Anna’s books include her bestseller The Tulip and most recently Landskipping. For 30 years she was The Independent’s gardening correspondent. In 2000 the RHS awarded her the Veitch Memorial Medal.…

CORYLOPSIS PAUCIFLORA Slow growing and compact enough to fit in almost any garden with neutral or acidic soil, this shrub should be far more widely planted than it is. It has more charm and subtlety than the ubiquitous yellow forsythia that dominates so many suburban gardens and which also flowers at this time of year. Not only are the flowers sweetly scented, the young growth is handsomely bronze-coloured, autumn colour is a beautiful butter yellow and the tracery of the bare twigs a joy all winter long. Truly a shrub for all seasons. AGM*. Height 1.5m. Origin Taiwan and Japan. Conditions Acidic, well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. Hardiness RHS H5, USDA 6a-8b† . Season of interest Year round, but spring for flowers. TRILLIUM KURABAYASHII Trilliums are the wakerobins…

Sugi is the national tree of Japan, commonly planted around shrines and temples but revered and cultivated in gardens throughout the temperate world. There is no better place to experience the majesty and ancestry of these singular conifers than the hauntingly beautiful, primeval rainforests of Yakushima, home to 1,900 plant species and hundreds of ancient yakusugi or Japanese cedar trees of at least 1,000 years old. Yakushima lies 38 miles south of sub tropical Kyushu, the most southerly of Japan’s four main islands. The sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) tree is an endemic Japanese conifer with a high percentage of resin. The oily timber is pleasantly scented, lightweight, strong and highly desirable. Much of the island is now protected, the warm-temperate forest designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1993, following an…

BOTANICAL NOSTALGIA Plants that remind me of my time in New Zealand always create a deep feeling of nostalgia. None more so than the dense copses of Leptospermum scoparium that used to grow on the hill farm where I lived. Here I’ve used the cultivar ‘Red Damask’ to stoke those fond memories. Grown for its bristly, rouge-tinted, evergreen foliage, it provides a perfect backdrop for white starflowers and nodding snake’s head fritillaries, before going on to bloom in early summer. How to achieve the look Container and composition Antique kitchenware, such as this old copper cooking pot, can easily be acquired in vintage shops for a modest sum and they are a good alternative to traditional terracotta pots. The deep-red foliage of the Leptospermum and pendulous pink heads of Fritillaria…

1 Akebia quinata A semi-evergreen climber with vanilla-scented flowers that are the rich violet of a vintage Bordeaux. Growth can be pruned after flowering. Prefers a sunny, sheltered spot. 10m. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b† . 2 Anemone blanda Thrives in Chippenham Park’s well-drained, deciduous woodlands, where it can seed about undisturbed and flower freely in sun before the trees burst into leaf. Daisy-like flowers appear March to April. 15cm. AGM*. RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b. 3 Prunus ‘Tai-haku’ A stunning Japanese cultivar with serrated foliage that emerges saucer-shaped and a reddish bronze. It has pure-white flowers that are double the typical size of cherry blossom. Plant in full sun with lots of room. 8m. AGM. RHS H6. 4 Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae Glossy foliage provides excellent shady groundcover, and the lime-green…

The miniature daffodil season starts in October and lasts through to April. Most miniature daffodils have a hardiness rating of RHS H4 to RHS H5, and are hardy outside in the UK if planted in the ground. However, if growing in pots, be careful not to allow the roots to freeze badly. Anne grows her daffodils in both pots and raised beds. “If you want to plant in the garden, containers and raised beds are best, as slugs and miniatures don’t mix,” she says. The pots she uses are clay, plunged in damp sand in well-ventilated glasshouse, and allowed to become completely dry from May to September when she repots. For pots Anne uses a 50:50 mix of perlite and potting compost, such as John Innes No.2 or No.3. She…

What The plant family Boraginaceae, comprises some 120 genera and 2,600 species, while the subfamily Boraginoideae is made up of 42 genera and more than 600 species. It includes annuals, biennials and perennials with a few climbers and large trees. Many, not just Myosotis, are commonly known as forget-me-nots, while others with forget-me-not flowers are known as navelworts, bugloss and borage. Origins Found mainly in the temperate northern hemisphere, particularly in the Mediterranean, as well as in Australasia, South America and South Africa; some genera are almost exclusively located in the tropics. Season Flowering early spring to late summer. Conditions They occur in a wide range of habitats from sea level to 4,000m from high-altitude alpine screes to lowland tropics. Most of those considered garden worthy are from cool temperate…

1 Allium ‘Purple Rain’ Probably the best allium in a recent RHS trial, Increases quickly with long-lasting flowers of a particularly good purple-pink colour. 90cm. AGM*. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b† . 2 Gladiolus tristis Forms clumps of fine foliage atop which night-scented, creamy yellow-throated flowers are produced. Good when grown in a pot. 80cm. RHS H4, USDA 4a-8b. 3 Scilla peruviana A plant that favours a sunny, sheltered site with free-draining soil. During the winter it makes whirls of fleshy leaves from which squat, conical racemes of flowers are produced. 30cm. RHS H4, USDA 4a-8b. 4 Allium siculum subsp. dioscoridis x A. tripedale Known as Sicilian honey garlic, this robust perennial produces loose clusters of flesh-pink bells atop sturdy stems. 1m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. 5 Cypripedium Gisela gx A…

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SHED STYLE by Selina Lake Ryland Peters & Small, £19.99 ISBN 978-1788791823 Fans of George Clark’s Amazing Spaces will love this inspiring book on how to create your own outdoor retreat, from workspaces and snugs to greenhouses and potting sheds. TREES OF LIFE by Max Adams Apollo, £25 ISBN 978-1789541427 A fascinating study of 80 tree species, their practical uses as sources of medicines, timber, fruit and nuts, and how they have influenced human culture. THE GARDENER’S GUIDE TO SUCCULENTS by Misa Matsuyama Tuttle Publishing, £13.99 ISBN 978-0804851060 A clear, cohesive guide to growing succulents, with maintenance tips, plant characteristics and useful identification photos. FORESTS IN OUR WORLD by Gunther Willinger teNeues, £45 ISBN 978-3961712182 A journey through the Earth’s five forest formations, from the far north to the tropics,…