Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

The peony is one that of those flowers that marks another tipping point in the year, from the delicacy of early blooms to something more exuberant and many petalled with summer firmly in mind. Sometimes short-lived, not always able to stand up to the changeability of UK weather, it’s wise to look to the experts. This month we visit Billy Carruthers at his nursery Binny Plants in West Lothian (page 80). His focus is on peonies with a tried-and-tested bloodline, including those from famed 20th-century breeder Professor A Saunders. All are marked as strong growers with single or semi-double flowers and all are worthy of a continued presence in our gardens. With experts in mind, this month does, of course, see the return of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It…

1 Webs, threads, roots and fibres in the Scottish landscape Panels of woven plants and fibres will transform a suburban front garden in Edinburgh. All can be viewed from the public pavement. When 21-29 May. Where 21 Braid Mount, Edinburgh EH10 6JH. 2 Picture! Picture! Seattle! For the first time, the US city of Seattle is hosting events for the Fringe. Among the more unusual is a series of 25 disarming images of Miles Nevler, who has posed as horticultural heroes, including Daniel J Hinkley and Vita Sackville-West, which will be displayed on random telegraph poles in the International District of downtown Seattle. If Seattle is a little too far to travel, you can always view the images online. When 21-29 May. Where International District/Chinatown, Seattle, Washington, WA 98104, USA.…

It was only after the Grenfell Tower fire that I began to realise the social and environmental impacts of nature Earliest gardening memory With my late mother in our small garden in North Kensington. I had impulsively bought a baby banana tree with my full budget of £5 at my school summer fair, and I distinctly remember my mum jokingly saying, “Well, where do you expect me to put this?” The banana tree still stands proud at my mum’s place in a pot in the sunny corner of the garden. Who has inspired your career? My mother; her teachings, love and way of life put me in good stead to embark on the journey that has been set out for me. You haven’t always gardened Gardening, as a career, is…

ARCHITECTURAL IMPACT I often use architectural, statement plants when I’m gardening and I especially love the drama that the large leaves of Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ add to a display. In this arrangement, I wanted to concentrate on shape and form as opposed to colour. In large gardens with large buildings, containers have to be in scale and by using bold foliage, the overall arrangement isn’t overshadowed by its surroundings. How to achieve the look Container and composition Dramatic plants require an equally dramatic container to ensure that the overall look is balanced, but I didn’t want the pot to become the focus of the display. This glossy, black bowl has enough weight and presence to hold its own without detracting from the plants within. I placed the tetrapanex central to…

1 Sedum sexangulare Spirals of green leaves and star-shaped, yellow flowers. Will slowly creep. 10cm. RHS H4, USDA 3a-9b. 2 Gypsophila cerastioides Mound-forming perennial with white flowers. 8cm. RHS H7. 3 Sedum acre ‘Aureum’ A fast-growing, evergreen perennial with spiralling, fleshy foliage. 5cm. RHS H7. 4 Saxifraga x urbium Dense rosettes of mid-green leaves and clouds of pinky-white flowers on airy stems. 30cm. AGM. RHS H7. 5 Carpobrotus chilensis Fast-growing groundcover plant with fleshy, succulent leaves and cerise flowers. 10cm. 6 Saxifraga x arendsii ‘Flower Carpet’ Tough, pretty, evergreen perennial with star-shaped, pink flowers. 15cm. RHS H4. 7 Sedum album A tufted perennial, suitable for growing in crevices and rock gardens. 10cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b.…

The appeal of novelty is as strong in the garden as it is in other areas of life. New hybrids or recently selected forms of plants are always presented as superior in some way. This chronological snobbery can push some excellent plants that have been around for years off the garden-centre shelves, but top-notch nurseries always manage to strike a perfect balance between welcoming the new and preserving the old. Peony specialist Binny Plants in Scotland offers a mixture of both modern hybrids and tried-and-trusted old cultivars. Owner Billy Carruthers believes that to produce outstanding plants, modern breeders need to be able to call on the best of the older cultivars. Preserving these “bloodlines”, as Billy calls them, is important not only so that we can continue to grow reliable…

1 Pollarding is used as a way to include eucalyptus in a smaller garden. Juliet has chosen elegant E. nicholi, which has willow-like leaves and a weeping habit. hardy-eucalyptus.com 2 Alstroemerias are key plants that provide pops of orange and yellow. Look out for the new cultivar ‘Little Miss Connie’ with yellow flowers with a pale-pink blotch, which is being launched at the show. parigoalstroemeria.co.uk 3 The painted steel panels that form a low fence across the garden were inspired by the shapes of fungal threads found in soil. Designed by Juliet and fabricated by screen and fence specialist Stark & Greensmith, they also provide a surface for displaying artwork by the children of Salford, which has been printed on magnetic sheets. starkandgreensmith.com 4 German artist Anneli Ketterer has created…

1 The planting scheme includes unusual cultivars of garden favourites, plus perennials that may be less familiar to visitors, including Amsonia and Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana. Baptisias provide subtle colour and erodiums serve as a less showy alternative to hardy geraniums. Plants that Chris loves to use in gardens, such as the clear-white Paeonia lactiflora ‘Duchesse de Nemours’ and Rosa glauca, are also included. 2 The timbers used to build the first lifeboats are reflected in the materials and plants in the garden, from the green oak pavilion to the mature trees that include Ulmus parvifolia, a species of elm resistant to Dutch elm disease, and Pinus sylvestris. Eccentrically clipped Pinus mugo will appear almost as a dramatic rock scape in the garden. 3 A curved Purbeck stone path in…

1 Gentians will feature prominently in the garden, including the intensely blue Gentiana acaulis, which is such a feature in the Swiss Alps. 2 A bespoke iron bench has been designed to evoke the railway tracks that criss-cross Switzerland and represent the country’s excellent train network, of which it is justifiably proud. 3 The range of plants. Many were sourced from Kevock Garden Plants near Edinburgh in Scotland, although they are being grown on for Lilly by Bernhard’s Nurseries in Rugby, Warwickshire, which is also looking after the plants for Paul Hervey-Brookes’ Chelsea garden (see page 92). 4 Large stones will serve as garden-sized representations of Switzerland’s mountainous landscape, framing a miniature ‘lake’ at the heart of the garden.…

1 Soft-yellow bellwort. Jamie hopes to use two species of this choice shade-loving spring flower with bell-shaped flowers: Uvularia grandiflora and the taller, later U. perfoliata. Look for his pairing of this subtle flower with the elegant perennial grass Melica altissima ‘Atropurpurea’. 2 Clipped copper beech (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea) is one of Jamie’s favourite plants for adding depth, especially when it is combined with selinums and cenolophiums. 3 Alison Crowther’s oak seats. Their unusual shape references the Play-Doh bean bag design by one of the school children. Each 1.5m-wide seat is big enough for a child to curl up in. alisoncrowther.com…

Long-term Chelsea designer Sarah Eberle Sarah Eberle has been involved with the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for more years than she cares to remember. Initially, her role was as design director at Hillier and, since 2006, as the creator of some exceptional gardens, including the so-called Life on Mars garden in 2007, an extraordinary ‘chill-out space’ for astronauts, which was named Best in Show. “Every year is a thrill,” she says. “The spirit of this show is amazing – challenging, exciting and visually stimulating – and that has always been the same throughout the decades I have been involved with Chelsea. Fashions and themes tend to change and evolve but there is always the most tremendous camaraderie. I think it surprises some newcomers, who worry that everyone will be in…

Peter Beales Roses (1) is launching two new roses at Chelsea, including Rosa Rachel’s Joy (= ‘BEAquick’), named in memory of a former director of the company, Rachel Flood. With peachy-pink flowers, similar to those of a peony, Rachel’s Joy has a subtle fragrance as it opens, and the flowers are set against mid-green foliage. classicroses.co.uk Sculptor Jack Eagen (2) has created a standalone sculpture Dancers for Richard Miers’ show garden, The Perennial Garden ‘With Love’, which aims to raise awareness of the help and support the garden charity provides to those working in and retired from horticulture. Jack is also producing, limited-edition, scaled-down models of the sculpture to raise money for Perennial. These will be for sale from Perennial’s website and its trade stand at the show along with…

RETRACTABLE AWNING Southwold Traditional Pergola, 3m x 3m, £3,495, Harrod Horticultural, 0333 400 1500, harrodhorticultural.com IN THE ROUND Gothic Gazebo, 1.5m to 3.6m, from £431, Agriframes, 0117 934 1790, agriframes.co.uk ADJUSTABLE PANELS Sliding Roof Gazebo, 2.8m x 2.8m, £749, Hillier, 01794 369075, hillier.co.uk HEAVY DUTY Atlas Open Chunky Gazebo, 4m x 3m, £2,669.99, Dunster House, 01234 819405, dunsterhouse.co.uk REMOVEABLE CANOPY Kettler Panalsol Pagoda Gazebo, 2.9m x 2.9m, £599, John Lewis, 0345 610 0336, johnlewis.com DURABLE DESIGN Ecru Fabric and Aluminium Garden Pergola, 3m x 3m, £605.50, Maisons du Monde, 0808 234 2172, maisonsdumonde.com DAY BED Swinging Day Bed with Cedar Roof, £POA, Sitting Spiritually, 01297 443084, sittingspiritually.co.uk LED LIGHTING PergoSTET Pergola, 3m x 3m, £3,499, Harbour Lifestyle, 01223 626006, harbourlifestyle.co.uk SLATTED SIDES Zest Knutsford Pavilion, 2.8m x 2.8m £1,119.99, One…

• Meet the couple bringing cut-flower colour to the old walled garden at Stokesay Court in Shropshire • Naturalistic planting combines with pleached trees and smart hard landscaping in a small Suffolk garden • Jane Brockbank’s design for an urban family garden featuring meadow-style planting • How Tom Stuart-Smith is breathing new life into Joseph Paxton’s Rock Garden at Chatsworth ON SALE 24 MAY Save money when you subscribe to the digital edition – see page 22. Also in selected Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco stores, as well as WHSmith, and all good magazine retailers.…

Belinda Cooper Designer Belinda visits a small city garden, mostly planted in white, page 62. “I was so inspired talking to the designer about this garden and the power of simplicity and restraint.” Steve Edney Nurseryman Steve explores the qualities of the genus Nepeta, page 66. “Being part of the Nepeta trial confirmed what I already thought of this tough, versatile group of plants.” Cristian Barnett Cristian shot the portrait of designer Juliet Sargeant, page 78. “It was such a pleasure to photograph Juliet, she has a wonderful curiosity and interest in what is going on around her.”…

Sweet dreams When furniture designer Rupert McKelvie decided he wanted to simplify his life, he built himself a small cabin on his parents’ farm. His stylish build sparked so much interest he founded design company Out of the Valley, producing beautiful prefabricated and bespoke cabins, as shown below, that can be adapted for a multitude of uses, from saunas and home offices to a small holiday home. The latest addition to its range is the Nomad Den (above), which has the same high levels of craftsmanship as its standard Nomad cabins but with a canvas roof. Perfect as a children’s den, it can also be fitted out to use as an extra guest room – ideal for those who love the romance of a night under canvas but prefer the…

SYRINGA VULGARIS ‘WILLIAM ROBINSON’ The common lilac, S. vulgaris, is native in mountainous regions of Eastern Europe. It is a variable species that was highly hybridised in the 19th century, resulting in more than 500 named cultivars. ‘William Robinson’, named after the garden writer who created the gardens at Gravetye Manor, has large panicles of double, pinkish-lilac flowers and exceptional scent. Prune straight after flowering by removing flowered wood. Height and spread 4m x 3m (size can be controlled by pruning). Origin Bred by Victor Lemoine in 1899, Nancy, France. Conditions Happy on most soils and will thrive on chalk; flowers best in full sun but tolerates light shade. Hardiness RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b† . Season of interest May. PSEUDO-FUMARIA ALBA SUBSP. ACAULIS Also known as pale corydalis, this is…

Tie in the new growth of climbers As summer approaches, tie in young climbing plants such as clematis and sweet peas, along with crops such as tomatoes, climbing squash and beans. Earth up potatoes and oca As the top growth of potatoes and the potato-like tubers of oca emerge, gather soil or apply compost to make a mound around the young stems to encourage more tubers and protect from late frosts. Chelsea chop perennials Now is the perfect time to ‘Chelsea chop’ perennials such as Althaea cannabina, hylotelephium, nepeta, phlox and symphyotrichum. Cut back new growth by about a third to encourage stouter, sturdier plants. Plant tender additions Harden off your tender plants and get them into the garden. Traditional summer bedding, along with cannas, dahlias and hedychiums, can be…

1 Thalictrum ‘Black Stockings’ Lacy foliage and dramatic, black stems. Fluffy, purple flowers in summer. 2m. AGM*. RHS H7, USDA 5a-9b† . 2 Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ Large shrub/ small tree with dramatic, lobed leaves up to 1m across. New growth is covered with fine, pale-brown hairs. 8m. RHS H4. 3 Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ Vivid, purple globes of star-shaped flowers on strong stems. Seedheads are equally striking. 1m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b. 4 Thunbergia alata ‘Superstar Orange’ A vigorous climber with large, bright-orange flowers and dark eyes. Tender, so grow as an annual. 2.5m. RHS H2. 5 Thalictrum ‘Elin’ A clump-forming perennial with steely, blue-grey foliage. Clouds of lilac and cream flowers held on wiry stems in summer. 2.5m. AGM. RHS H7.…

It is a white garden, but not exclusively so. It’s mainly green. It’s more about layers, transparency and texture F or garden designer Sheila Jack, it was the installation of an outdoor studio that led to a redesign of her own garden. Home is a Victorian terraced house in west London, with a typical rectangular plot. Measuring roughly 5m by 12m, the garden runs the width of the house. “It was very traditional, long and narrow with a lawn and terrace,” says Sheila. “Then we put a studio at the end and wanted to make a relationship between it and the house. We needed a pathway, something that would be good all year round.” The feeling of the garden was important too. “We wanted somewhere where we could sit outside,…

What A member of the Lamiaceae family, commonly known as catnip or catmint. Origins Wild species are native across Europe, Asia and Africa. Many plants are species crosses and only known in garden cultivation. Season Late spring to late summer. Size Ranging from 15cm to 1.5m high, often with a width to match. Conditions Most grow in full sun in well-drained soil, either alkaline or acidic. Some are tolerant of semi-shade and can grow in damper soils. Hardiness Generally RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b. *Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. † Hardiness ratings given where available.…

The crown of the plant should be just 2.5cm or so under the soil and no more. In very warm gardens you can get away with having the crown at soil level but in general it should be just under the soil. Peonies must never dry out between April and September. It is a big (and common) mistake to imagine that after flowering peonies do not need attention. This is the period that they will be building energy for the following year’s buds and so should be kept well watered. Most hybrids need an open, sunny situation to thrive. The exception are plants with dark-red flowers where a little dappled shade will prevent scorching of the petals. Some species peonies, notably P. emodi and P. mairei, will grow well in…

1 Andy’s choice of a native boundary of hazel, field maple, Viburnum opulus, Euonymus europaeus and hawthorn is part of a wider trend emerging for biodiverse hedges at this year’s show. 2 The feature walls will be covered in a beautifully textural clay render by Guy Valentine, who is using three subtly different colours that will create a perception of many different shades. guyvalentine.com 3 Betula pendula and B. pubescens provide a woodland backdrop. “They have a wonderfully gnarly but gentle presence that reminds me of my childhood, playing in the countryside.” 4 Benches, hewn from great blocks of windblown oak, by wood sculptor Johnny Woodward, will thread through the garden. Their organic shapes have a textured finish enhanced and preserved by the Japanese charring technique of shou-sugi-ban. 5 The…

1 The plants in this garden will all be species native to the southwest of England, such as the beautiful wild orchid Epipactis palustris, although Lulu and Adam are keen to emphasise that none of these will be wild collected. 2 To present as authentic a rewilding landscape as possible all the plants, including native grasses, will be shown as one would see them in the wild, with their previous year’s growth and pre-season seedhead remnants left on, together with the brown, former season’s dead foliage. 3 The beaver lodge and dam are made by Ben Garden of Water Artisans, and will highlight the fact that beaver structures help to mitigate flash floods and act as carbon sinks. waterartisans.com 4 A raised path of wavy-edged oak boards will wind through…

1 Carbon-neutral garden cabin with a charred timber (shou-sugi-ban) exterior will frame immersive views of the garden. 2 Trees will play a huge role and will include Betula nigra, Pinus sylvestris, gnarled Syringa vulgaris and Cornus canadensis – the latter two should be in flower. 3 Planting will mostly be a wispy haze of white from the likes of Thalictrum delavayi and Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’, with scent and abundant flowers coming from Phlox divaricata ‘May Breeze’ and ‘Clouds of Perfume’. Annuals will provide dark pops of colour, while zesty green foliage will brighten shady areas. 4 Boundaries of Fagus sylvatica hedging and charred larch panels provide a foil for the interesting bark of the trees.…

1 Statement tropical planting includes Chamaerops humilis that Kate describes as “chunky old beasts”, forming striking shapes in the garden canopy. Other tropical-style planting includes Cycas revoluta and bamboo Phyllostachys viridis. 2 Ibstock bricks will be used in a hit-and-miss herringbone pattern to create a perforated brick wall that will allow a play of light and shadow. This is typical of Kate’s gardens, which always use the detailing of materials to good effect. 3 Lighting from Catellani & Smith will enliven the ”dark and moody” planting and hard-landscape materials as daylight begins to fade. catellanismith.com 4 A contemporary metal pergola will give form and definition to the space; its colour is picked up in the brickwork and gives a warm background to the planting.…

A new type of vertical greening has been proposed by architect Selim Vural of Vural Studios for a New York skyscraper. Vural’s Lilly design would cover the façade of an energy-efficient apartment building known as a passive tower on the edge of Bryant Park, Manhattan, with an insulating curtain of Asiatic lilies. These would colour the building in shades of red, yellow and orange while the flowers are in bloom and return it to green for the rest of the year. The planting system, which would be irrigated by rainwater and grey water from the building, would be made from lightweight concrete beds supported by a steel frame. Vural’s choice of Asiatic lilies is based on his experience of the lilies thriving on his Brooklyn rooftop for the past 15…

RHS ROSES: AN INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE TO CHOOSING AND GROWING THE BEST ROSES by Michael Marriott Dorling Kindersley, £24.99 ISBN 978-0241543894 Roses are versatile shrubs and Michael Marriott’s brilliant practical guide demonstrates how to use them to their best effect. Reviewer Matthew Reese is head gardener at Malverleys. Michael Marriott, one of the world’s leading rosarians and for 35 years an integral part of David Austin Roses, has produced a sound and very practical guide for gardeners in this book. It’s a far cry from the more traditional rose encyclopaedias where roses are catalogued according to their parentage or classification – a fine method for the rosarian, but not always the most convenient approach for the gardener. Here instead we have an easy-to-follow introduction to roses with comprehensive information on how…

James Basson James lives in the South of France where he runs Scape Design, a practice 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. She lives…

1 Living Crafts Explore the work of hundreds of British designer-makers, with the chance to shop, enjoy demonstrations and take part in crafting workshops. 5-8 May, 10am-5pm. From £9. Hatfield Park, Hertfordshire AL9 5NB. Tel 023 9286 3871, livingcrafts.co.uk 2 RHS Malvern Spring Festival Enjoy talks, show gardens, specialist nurseries and growers, and see the new Platinum Jubilee Garden (pictured), designed by Jess Russell-Perry. 5-8 May, 9am-6pm. From £24.85. Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW. rhsmalvern.co.uk 3 Willow Wednesday: For The Birds Learn how to weave a willow bird feeder and hanging bird house on this one-day outdoor workshop with Lorraine Ellery Matthews at Painshill Park in Surrey. 18 May, 10am-4pm. £72. Painshill, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JE. Tel 01932 868113, painshill.co.uk 4 Botanical Sketchbook Watercolour Workshop Develop your botanical…

Be sure to check opening times. Some garden visits may need to be pre-booked Close to the beautiful, rugged Côtes-d’Armor, on Brittany’s northern shore, Kerdalo is a garden that will steal your heart the moment you walk through the gate. The 35 acres of grounds were designed by Prince Peter Wolkonsky in 1965 with Italian and Chinese inspiration. Some wilder parts feel like lush, tropical jungle, thriving in the mild Breton climate, and the garden is packed with stunning specimen plants. After the death of Prince Wolkonsky, the garden was neglected until 1997 when his daughter, Isabelle Vaughan, moved in and revived it. In 2021, she sold the garden to shoe designer Christian Louboutin, who appointed Tangi Rabin as head gardener. Tangi started his career at Kerdalo and was mentored…

1 Rumex acetosa Common sorrel is a hardy, perennial alternative to spinach. Tangy, citrusy and versatile leaves. 60cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-7b† . 2 Allium schoenoprasum Chives are bulb-forming perennials with edible, tubular leaves and edible, nectar- and pollen-rich purple flowers that are attractive to pollinators. 30-50cm. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. 3 Mentha suaveolens Apple mint is a vigorous, hardy perennial. Requires moist but well-drained soil and some sun. Wonderful for cooking, mint has a host of medicinal properties. 50cm-1m. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b. 4 Foeniculum vulgare A structural, aromatic, short-lived perennial herb, valued as a digestive plant. Fennel leaves are good used for tea and in salad. The seeds are eaten by birds in autumn and the sturdy stems provide shelter over winter. 1.5-2.5m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. 5…

1 Athyrium niponicum f. metallicum A deciduous fern with delicate, steely grey fronds and a reddish-purple midrib. Requires little maintenance and is resistant to pests and diseases. 50cm. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. 2 Actaea simplex Atropurpurea Group ‘Black Negligee’ An herbaceous perennial with finely divided, near-black stems. Scented, creamy-white, bottle-brush flowers in late summer and early autumn. Great for bees. 1.5m. RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b. 3 Polygonatum verticillatum ‘Rubrum’ Commonly known as whorled Solomon’s seal, this upright perennial has narrow leaves arranged in whorls around strong stems. In spring, tiny flowers that are grey when young, ageing to dusky pink, hang below the leaves. 1m. RHS H7.…

In gardens with a limited colour palette, foliage plays a key role. Try combining plants with a variety of leaf shapes and textures for more visual impact. In smaller spaces, designers will use a high proportion of evergreens, up to 70-80 per cent, for year-round interest. Think too about seasonal interest, with two or three stars in each season. Look for perennials with a long season of interest. Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Diane’ adds height in July and August. Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ is useful for shadier corners, with lovely single flowers on long, wiry stems in autumn. Libertia chilensis is a member of the same family as Iris and a good alternative, evergreen and architectural, with narrow, strap-shaped leaves. At ground level, Bergenia ‘Bressingham White’ is useful for underplanting shrubs…

• Species of Nepeta, such as N. racemosa, N. x faassenii and N. grandiflora and the garden hybrids that come from them, seem to thrive on neglect and are best grown in nutrient-poor, light soils. Avoid overfeeding or overwatering them, or else their soft, silky foliage will be too much for the thin, square stems to bear and they will flop. This is often the case when they are grown on richer loam or clay soils. They need full sun and a well-drained soil to be at their best. Drainage is particularly important in winter, as they can succumb to too much wet. • A hard cut-back straight after flowering is often necessary to keep plants from opening up in the middle. On dry silt or sandy soil it is…

When Juliet Sargeant started her three-year degree in garden design in the early 1990s, she told herself she was just taking a break from medicine (she had then completed four years as a junior hospital doctor), and would definitely return to it. Four years later – she took a year off to have her first child – she found herself in the spare room of her London home, drawing up plans for her mother’s garden, and she knew this career was the one she passionately wanted. Although she was born in Tanzania (her father was a Tanzanian barrister), she was brought, aged two, to England by her English mother when her parents split up. And so it was the woods and fields of Surrey, where her mother took a residential…

1 Pioneer plants that colonise neglected sites, such as Plantago, Anthriscus, valerian and wild strawberry, as well as those that do well on poor soils, such as Rosa glauca. Paul has also included verbascums as they self-seed almost anywhere and persicarias and sanguisorbas as they are able to adapt to different soils. 2 The birch tree, which takes in the most carbon dioxide of all the tree species, plus hawthorn and hazel as they are pioneers. 3 Recycled materials used in imaginative ways: “We’re using concrete shavings from the A46, bricks from an old factory in Herefordshire and slate fencing from Penryth, Wales.” 4 The ground fridge, which is essentially a huge ball 1.5m below ground that is cooled or warmed by the soil. It doesn’t need electricity and can…

1 The central pavilion is a collaboration between Joe and architect Farshad Khazei. It was designed using an algorithm so it can be adapted for the future. It is made from Thuja plicata and manufactured plywood. 2 An interactive installation created by Cinimod Studio will bring to life the complex fungal communication webs beneath our feet via a light display. cinimodstudio.com 3 Future-proof plants native to southern Europe and North America will include Dodecatheon, Allium siculum and Ornithogalum umbellatum. The garden will also include plants that are either rare or threatened by the changing climate, such as Linnaea borealis. 4 Non-native trees that are productive in forestry and well adapted to a changing climate will include Castanea sativa and Pseudotsuga menziesii, along with hawthorn, a tough and recognisable part of…

1 The oak structure, which will have a very minimal interior that gives it a Scandinavian feel, will be wired up for home working. 2 The water feature at the back of the building gives the impression of a window but is, in fact, a tank filled with rainwater harvested from the roof. 3 A green roof is one of Taina’s specialties: “The planting around the ceiling window will echo the forest plants around it. It will look as if the whole roof is planted.” 4 Duckboards will lead to the garden building, echoing those that traditionally lead up to Finnish summer cottages. 5 A wooden bench by Jonathan Blackburn will sit alongside works by willow artist Kate Morrell. jonathanblackburn.co.uk; katemorrellwillowworkshops.co.uk…

1 Water feature created by expert Bamber Wallis. He took a mould of ripples in the sand from the beach at West Wittering to cast into the concrete base of the stream, which gives the flow of water movement and character. bamberwallis.com 2 Chinese noodle bench made from a piece of found oak from Lincolnshire and crafted by woodsman Alex Walshaw. alexwalshaw.com 3 Clay-rendered walls imprinted with fern fronds will give a rustic appeal to the contemporary courtyard garden. 4 Mounded beds that partially obscure views to allow for a sense of discovery. 5 Feature trees with interesting form and habit will include Cornus controversa with its tiers of horizontal branches and the snake-bark maple Acer davidii.…

• Alder Hey Urban Foraging Station Howard and Hugh Miller • The Core Arts Front Garden Revolution (1) Andy Smith-Williams • Hands Off Mangrove by Grow2Know Tayshan Hayden-Smith and Danny Clarke • The Mind Garden Andy Sturgeon • The Mothers for Mothers Garden – ‘This Too Shall Pass’ (2) Pollyanna Wilkinson • New Blue Peter Garden – Discover Soil Juliet Sargeant • The RAF Benevolent Fund Garden John Everiss • The RNLI Garden Chris Beardshaw • A Rewilding Britain Landscape Lulu Urquhart and Adam Hunt • St Mungo’s Putting Down Roots Garden (3) Darryl Moore • A Textile Garden for Fashion Revolution Lottie Delamain • The Wilderness Foundation UK Garden (4) Charlie Hawkes…

THE GROVE: A NATURE ODYSSEY IN 19½ FRONT GARDENS by Ben Dark, Mitchell Beazley, £14.95, ISBN 978-1784727383 The writer and head gardener muses on 20 plants, including privet, hollyhocks and wisteria, observed in the front gardens of a suburban street. THE LITTLE FLOWER RECIPE BOOK by Jill Rizzo, Artisan Books, £23.99, ISBN 978-1648290534 Easy-to-follow seasonal guides to miniature flower arrangements, such as a thimbleful of pansies or a teacup of delphinium, phlox and Chinese forget-me-not, from an acclaimed US florist. TREETOP HIDEWAYS: TREEHOUSES FOR ADULTS by Philip Jodidio, Rizzoli, £32.50, ISBN 978-0847869619 A tour of extraordinary tree structures around the world, from a house among tree trunks in Norway to a pod of ‘art villas’ in Costa Rica. SHADE by Susanna Grant, Frances Lincoln, £12.99, ISBN 978-0711269569 A comprehensive handbook…

In celebration of late spring, Gardens Illustrated is offering readers the chance to win a luxury two-night stay at historic Lumley Castle. The four-star hotel is ideally located in beautiful parklands overlooking the River Wear in County Durham and offers the opportunity to discover the area’s history and garden highlights. Also included are tickets to Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, near Durham with its 30 acres of beautiful parkland, gardens and woodland and its historic house and chapels, founded more than 200 years ago by Roman Catholic refugees from northern France. Lumley Castle is a magnificent monument to a bygone age of chivalry and honour, effortlessly combining old and new to create a truly unique and memorable travel experience. The castle, which became a hotel in 1976, dates back…

Despite its quantity of visitors, there is a stillness to the Lake District that prevails, at least at dawn and dusk. Writing from Dove Cottage on 17 May, 1800, Dorothy Wordsworth noted: ‘Grasmere was very solemn in the last glimpse of twilight; it calls home the heart to quietness.’ The meditative pull of water, mountains and woods is now more valued than ever. English pastoral Miss Wordsworth was a keen gardener, and the steep bit of land behind Dove Cottage, which she shared with her brother William, was a microcosm of the wider landscape. Recently restored (and renamed Wordsworth Grasmere), the cottage is an essential stop, as is Beatrix Potter’s farmhouse at Hill Top. Both give some insight into traditional life and the importance of this area as a managed…