Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

This issue of Gardens Illustrated celebrates eco-luxe planting and garden design. Perched on sloping ground above a wooded valley in the midst of the Cornish countryside, the garden at the Old Rectory has been designed by Conrad Batten with sustainability in mind. The planting; a fusion of wildf lowers, edibles and ornamentals, such as roses and poppies, is rhythmic, free-f lowing and adventurous. It treads lightly, pushing established limits of plant hardiness and planting design. In Kent, the immersive plantsman’s garden around a small, black-painted house takes its cue from Henry David Thoreau’s quest for self-sufficiency during a two-year sojourn in a cabin in the woods at Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Its gardener, Andy Salter, has been inspired in part by time spend working at Great Dixter in Sussex. Trees,…

With the call to grow your own becoming ever louder, our tour offers help, inspiration and expertise on how to grow the finest kitchen garden produce throughout the year. We visit a contrasting selection of the very best examples of kitchen gardens in the South West: we are taken from the plot to the plate at both The Pig at Combe and at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s organic smallholding at River Cottage; at South Wood Farm we see Arne Maynard’s design for a productive potager and we glimpse true estate gardening at Edmondsham House, while also visiting the unusual 18th-century ‘serpentine’ wall of the kitchen garden at Deans Court. As well as organic gardening, we also consider the no-dig approach, as espoused by Charles Dowding at his own impressively productive garden and…

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If you were organised enough to sow salad crops in early spring, you will be reaping the benefits now. Of all the crops I grow, I think it is the salads that bring me most pleasure. To eat a plate of fresh greens, with a simple vinaigrette, is to taste the garden itself. If the weather has been kind, gooseberry bushes may be starting to crop towards the end of the month. The hard, young fruit is mouth-puckeringly sharp – absolutely perfect for making a creamy gooseberry fool. Try it with a couple of freshly baked shortbread biscuits on the side. Ambrosia. For those who grow asparagus, now is your moment to shine. I do not grow it myself, but thankfully I have friends who do, and who are willing…

1 Linaria purpurea Thin spires of mauve snapdragon flowers held atop tall stems. Plants prefer free-draining soil and will self-seed. 60cm. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b† . 2 Leucanthemum vulgare Ox-eye daisies have large white flowers with yellow eyes. An opportunist that can grow in a meadow, or even a wall. 50cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b. 3 Lotus corniculatus Bird’s foot trefoil, a wonderful meadow creeper with yellow flowers. Common blue butterfly caterpillars rely on the foliage for food. 70cm. RHS H7, USDA 4a-9b. 4 Rosa ‘Cardinal de Richelieu’ Lightly scented with deep-purple flowers. Prune and feed to ensure good flowering. 1.2m. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. 5 Valeriana officinalis Excellent self-sowing perennial with tall, slender stems topped with clipped small white flowers. Weave through borders for continuity. 1.5m. RHS H4, USDA…

1 Papaver rhoeas Shirley Group Raised by the Rev W Wilks in his garden in Shirley near Croydon in the 1880s, the pretty pink and white Shirley poppy is one of the easiest plants to grow. 75cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-10b† . 2 Phacelia tanacetifolia Initially sown as a green manure, this boisterous annual re-emerges every year in unexpected places with a soft haze of pastel purple. 1.2m. RHS H4, USDA 6a-8b. 3 Salix x sepulcralis ‘Erythroflexuosa’ A large, contorted willow with marmalade-coloured bark maturing to a dark brown, and gently curving, narrow, green leaves. 5m. AGM*. RHS H5. 4 Echium vulgare ‘Blue Bedder’ Blooming from May, from a September sowing, this small cultivar offers months of brilliant-blue flowers held on crowded spikes. Loved by pollinating insects. 45cm. AGM. RHS…

• Aulden Farm* Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0JT. Tel 01568 720129, auldenfarm.co.uk Opens for NGS. • The Gobbett Nursery Farlow, Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY14 8TD. Tel 01746 718647, thegobbettnursery.co.uk • Lilies Water Gardens Broad Lane, Newdigate, Surrey RH5 5AT. Tel 01306 631064, lilieswatergardens.co.uk • The Manic Botanic Online nursery. Tel 07790 193722, themanicbotanic.co.uk • Parham House & Gardens Parham Park, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 4HS. Tel 01903 742021, parhaminsussex.co.uk • Woottens of Wenhaston The Iris Field, Hall Road, Wenhaston, Suffolk IP19 9HF. Tel 01502 478258, woottensplants.com *National Collection holder…

PASSION FOR PURPLE Dark, striking foliage and loosely arching stems in this display are brought to life as the rays of early summer sun hit the soft eggshell walls of the summer house. Being partial to dark-purple foliage and bold combinations, I’ve chosen some of my favourite performers: Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’, with its inquisitive, creeping habit, and Geranium ‘Tiny Monster’ will intertwine with the lancewood (Pseudopanax ‘Dark Star’) and cascade over the sides as the display evolves. How to achieve the look Container and composition You can’t go wrong with a trusty terracotta pot; it looks great with just about anything. The ornate detailing of this one has an Arts and Craft style I enjoy. Pseudopanax ‘Dark Star’ has amazing, evergreen, bronze leaves that shimmer as they catch the…

Before planning your own, take a look at some great rock gardens, such as the Tromsø Botanic Garden, Norway or the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Wherever possible use local materials so your design harmonises with the landscape and don't use rocks sourced from endangered habitats. After clearing the site leave it for six to 12 months before planting, to eradicate perennial weeds. Create planting pockets of different compost mixes and sizes to increase the range of plants you can grow, and plant slightly proud to allow topping with a 5cm layer of grit around the plants, which will act as a mulch. Rosette plants need winter protection from rain with a pane of glass or cloches; cushion plants are particularly susceptible and fallen leaves, which cause rotting, should be removed.…

Juncus effusus This rush intermingles with Juncus patens ‘Carman’s Gray’ to provide a green matrix in damper areas throughout the year. 1.2m. USDA 4a-9b† . Muhlenbergia capillaris Regal Mist (= ‘Lenca’) Drifts across the meadow just as most other perennials are fading out, surprising with a last burst of pink. 90cm. USDA 5a-9b. Ceratostigma willmottianum Red stems provide an interesting contrast against the grasses after it loses its leaves. 1m. RHS H4, USDA 5a-9b. Cistus x skanbergii A low-growing rock rose with a profusion of pink flowers in spring. 80cm. Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ Benefits from some trimming in winter, but can provide some structure. 60cm. AGM*. RHS H3, USDA 6a-9b Salvia leucophylla x S. clevelandii ‘Pozo Blue’ This deep-blue cultivar stays below waist level, is very drought-tolerant and highly scented…

ADDED SUPPORT Edging Hurdles, small, £42 for two, Plant Belles, 01363 84514, plantbelles.co.uk TRADITIONAL Roped Edging Stone, £21 for 458mm section, Haddon Stone, 01604 266000, haddonstone.com WOODEN Chestnut Hurdle, £21.50 each, Great Dixter Shop, 01797 254044, greatdixter.co.uk LATTICED Latticework Edging, £28.50 each, Leander Plant Supports, 01773 550495, leanderplantsupports.co.uk LINEAR Everedge Classic Lawn Edging Corten, £59.99 for five 1m sections, Greenfingers, 01506 605157, greenfingers.com ELEGANT Campanula Garden Border Edging £10.99 for a 60cm section, Waitrose, 01344 578811, waitrosegarden.com RUSTIC Traditional Stone Border Edging, £9.95 for 45cm section, GardenStone, 01978 711017, gardenstone.co.uk ECO EcoLat Garden Edging, grey, £70 for a 25m roll, The Garden Range, thegardenrange.co.uk HOOPED Harrod Edging Hoops, Round Top, rust, £16 for six, Harrod Horticultural, 0333 400 1500, harrodhorticultural.com…

BOOK REVIEWS COTTAGE GARDENS (NATIONAL TRUST) by Claire Masset Pavilion Books, £14.99, ISBN 978-1911358923 A picture-book pretty appreciation of an enduringly popular garden style, underpinned with a solid foundation of sensible and knowledgeable advice. Reviewer Jodie Jones is a garden writer. Who doesn’t love a cottage garden? Its origins may lie in the harsh, hand-to-mouth reality of our genuinely self-sufficient ancestors, but this bucolic embodiment of the Good Life, where beauty and utility combine to romantic effect, has always had a powerful hold on our national psyche. Over the past few weeks the lure of a simpler and gentler way of life has only got stronger, making now the perfect time for this National Trust publication. It isn’t the first, and certainly won’t be the last book on the subject,…

BEE GARDEN by Elke Schwarzer Haynes, £12.99, ISBN 978-1785216961 An expert manual from biologist Elke Schwarzer on what attracts bees and keeps them happy, with plant profiles and information on 16 species of bee. RHS GET GROWING: A FAMILY GUIDE TO GARDENING INDOORS AND OUT by Holly Farrell, Frances Lincoln, £14.99, ISBN 978-0711251076 Inspire children to get gardening with this fun and accessible new book from the RHS. THE HERITAGE HERBAL: RECIPES & REMEDIES FOR MODERN LIVING by Sonya Patel Ellis, British Library Publishing, £16.99, ISBN 978-0712353809 Botanical recipes for teas, wines, jams, soups, bath oils, soap and more WRITING WILD by Kathryn Aalto, Timber Press, £18.99, ISBN 978-1604699272 Celebrating 25 female wordsmiths who have also made significant waves in the world of nature. THE FIVE MINUTE GARDEN by Laetitia…

Searching for the roots of my houseplant obsession takes me back to my primary school, which boasted a grimy conservatory full of towering cacti and a library draped in yellowing spider plants festooned with babies. My friend Ruth and I must have shown some kind of flair for horticulture as we were let out of maths to water the spider plants back to life. It may have stunted my understanding of arithmetic, but it did set me up for a lifelong love of gardening. In turn, the spider plants responded to our care by producing many babies at the end of long stalks I later learned to call inflorescences. There was one plant that always caught my attention in the greenhouse: it grew everywhere, pressing its succulent stems up against…

Troy Scott Smith Troy recommends the best Siberian irises, page 56. “As the shooting star of the garden or in a supporting act, there is a Siberian iris for everyone and for every garden.” Annie Gatti Annie travels to Connemara to meet Irish basket maker and artist Joe Hogan, page 86. “It was such a privilege to see how the craft of basket weaving has become an art form in Joe Hogan’s hands.” Lisa Linder Lisa photographs Joe Hogan for our feature, page 86. “Such a kind man, inspired by his stunning surroundings. Even in torrential rain, you could not help but love Loch Na Fooey’s beauty.”…

Even though we haven’t been able to visit gardens this spring, thanks to a multitude of virtual tours online, we’ve still been able to get a garden fix from the comfort of our own homes. Among the many gardens now offering tours online are the Royal Gardens at Highgrove, where through 360-degree mapping, you can take a virtual wander along The Thyme Walk (pictured), The Laurel Tunnel, The Wildflower Meadow and more. Many other gardens, including he National Trust’s Hidcote, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, RHS Garden Wisley and Birmingham Botanical Gardens are also offering online tour experiences. To find more virtual garden tours to online, visit gardensillustrated.com/virtual-garden-tours…

RHODODENDRON ‘MUNCASTER TRUMPET’ Although spoilt for choice in May for rhododendrons, I have always had a soft spot for those cultivars sporting hanging bells, as in ‘Muncaster Trumpet’. Many of this type are hybrids of R . cinnabarinum and have relatively small, oval, blue-green leaves and a stiff upright growth habit. They need and merit a sheltered, woodland setting with good air movement, as they are not the easiest of plants to grow well, but when covered in flowers they rank among the most beautiful we can grow outside. Height 2-3m. Origin Garden origin (species east Himalaya, Nepal, Tibet). Conditions Neutral or acidic soil; part shade. Hardiness RHS H4, USDA 5a-8b† . Season of interest Spring. ACER PALMATUM ‘MATSUKAZE’ This Japanese maple is truly multi-seasonal in its attributes. Its leaves…

One of the joys of working in horticulture is you learn something new almost every day Early garden memory I have fond memories of burning leaves with my grandad at the bottom of his garden. What was your first career? I spent about 15 years working in the television industry. I was getting fed up with working weekends and overnight shifts and sitting in dark studios, so I started to think about a career change. After falling in love with my allotment, I started volunteering at my nearest National Trust garden and it was there that I heard about the NT Careership programme. Horticultural heroes In a way, the volunteers here at Polesden Lacey. Without them the garden would be a jungle. We have volunteer teams in the veg garden,…

think few people know at 18 what they want to do in life,” muses Martin Crawford. He had chosen to study maths and computer science at university, and saw himself entering the fast-moving world of IT. His thirst for innovation, however, was to take a radically different direction. Always an outdoor person, he began to take an interest in horticulture and to volunteer at small, organic farms at weekends. By the time he graduated, he was fairly sure he wanted to spend his life among plants. A year working in computing confirmed his decision, and he spent the next four years moving from job to job, in Britain and France, working (many mainly unpaid) in organic market gardens. At one point he found on the Scottish island of Iona, where…

Joe Hogan, master basket maker, is sitting on a low wooden seat in his stone workshop overlooking Loch Na Fooey in north Connemara, County Galway, surrounded by piles of wild material – stems of freshly cut willow catkins, twigs of lichen-encrusted larch, sprays of last season’s larch studded with cones. Cradled between his outstretched legs is a half-made nest that he is forming by pushing, bending and pulling stems in a seemingly random way, while he explains his journey from philosophy student to maker of unique woven pieces, showcased by galleries and bought by art lovers across Europe. It was the rugged, wind-shaped mountain landscape of this part of Connemara, where each farm had a ‘sally garden’, a patch of sallies (the local name for Salix viminalis ) used for…

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.…

May is a time of great optimism in the garden. Seedlings and young plants revel in the sunshine and the promise of longer days and warmer nights, nature is bursting forth all around and nothing much – as yet – has had time to go wrong. A little bit of planning and diligent maintenance now will help ensure that all this early promise is fulfilled in the shape of bountiful harvests later on. By now, any containers moved under cover for protection over the winter should be out and about and enjoying the weather. I am a great believer in regular doses of fresh air for both plants and people – blame my upbringing in New Zealand, where we spent most of our time outside – and everything from citrus…

• Use as wide a plant palette as possible – this is fundamental to the Dixter aesthetic. Evergreen trees, deciduous trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, annuals, bulbs – each type of plant brings a certain quality that contributes to the atmosphere in its own way. • Don’t be too bitty. When planting a new garden – especially when it’s a smaller space – the tendency is often to be too cautious or delicate, and you can end up with something that feels like an allotment or a stockbed. Fergus would always encourage us to be bold. • Be observant and discerning. If you decide you want Symphyotrichum ‘Little Carlow’, make sure that’s the one you buy and that you don’t just settle for whatever aster your local nursery happens to have…

What Siberian irises are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with narrow, grassy foliage. The branched stems bear up to five violet-blue flowers, 6-7cm wide, in early summer. Iris flowers are made up of standards (three upright petals) and falls (the three lower petals that flare out), which in Siberian irises are often veined purple-white. The haft (the base of the falls where they begin to narrow) is generally golden yellow. Some also have what is known as a signal – a bright spot of contrasting colour flaring out from the haft at the base of the fall Origins Most garden cultivars are hybrids of I. sanguinea, from Russia, Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea, and I. sibirica, from Europe and Central Asia. Season Flowers from mid-May to end of June. Older cultivars tend…

In the 1960s, two Scottish gardeners, Stella and David Rankin, happened on a way of combining their two shared passions – for plants and high mountains – into a collection of alpine plants and replaced part of their lawn with a then fashionable rock garden. Over time as their collection grew the lawn gradually receded until eventually there was very little grass left, and Stella and David decided to exchange their small garden for an acre of Scottish hillside and woodland – which they soon also filled with their plants. Here Stella set up a small nursery called Kevock Garden Plants, based on seeds and plants from their collection, that soon gained a reputation as a good source of rare plants from around the world. Four years ago, when one…

Architecture in some shape or form is a part of almost any garden yet we seldom think of it as the main ingredient, probably because as gardeners our minds naturally gravitate towards the beauty of plants. But even boundary walls can contribute much to the atmosphere of a garden. Faced with something of a blank canvas I would initially create an organised structure, frequently with free-standing and retaining walls and then use greenery to flesh out the bones afterwards. Walls can be an invaluable device for defining space by creating separate areas in a garden. They can guide the eye towards a distant focal point, framing a vista, and can simultaneously hide less glamorous parts of the garden: an unkempt vegetable patch or perhaps a covered swimming pool. Strategically placed…