Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i Gardens Illustrated Magazine

Autumn has crept in behind our backs as we were enjoying the last of the warmth and light of an Indian summer, but at this time of the year there is still plenty to excite in the garden. By using plants that flower late and long, we can keep the show going right up to the first frosts, for a grand finale, or perhaps just a brief but beautiful encore. This issue we have plant picks from several expert plantspeople to help with this, including head gardener Åsa Gregers-Warg (page 20), nurseryman Neil Lucas (page 40) and plantsman Dr John Grimshaw (page 54). There's inspiration from our featured seasonal gardens at Corsley House (page 30) and The Manor at Hemingford Grey (page 68) too. Also this month, we discover which…

7 An Introduction to Garden History in Ten Objects Visit the Garden Museum for an interactive talk on garden history. Saturday 7 October, 10am-3pm, £50. 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB. Tel 020 7401 8865, gardenmuseum.org.uk 13-14 Queer Nature After Hours Gain exclusive access to Kew's Queer Nature exhibition. Friday 13, Saturday 14, Friday 20 and Saturday 21 October, 6.30-10.30pm. £17. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3AE. Tel 020 8332 5655, kew.org 18 Forest Bathing and Mindful Photography Join Tansy Dowman and Paul Sander at Hever Castle for this forest bathing and photography workshop. Wednesday 18 October, 10am-2pm. £75. Hever Castle & Gardens, Hever, Kent TN8 7NG. hevercastle.co.uk…

For landscape designer Marie-Louise Agius, last year's period of drought left her feeling scared. “Everything was curling in on itself, leaves were shedding and gardens were looking miserable.” This summer's plentiful rainfall, however, has made her much happier as managing water is absolutely central to all her design schemes. “I always joke that my epitaph will say that I tried to be a landscape designer and all I ever did was talk about drainage. But if you manage the water, you can manage the land. It's absolutely fundamental.” Marie-Louise – whose great-grandfather was Lionel de Rothschild, creator of the 200-acre Exbury Gardens in Hampshire – has been immersed in managing landscapes for more than 20 years, since she joined landscape architect Michael Balston's studio in Wiltshire. The practice has a…

Courtyard creation A new courtyard garden has been created by Robert Myers Associates, working with architects dRMM, for a Turing Locke and Hyatt Centric hotel complex in Cambridge. Lush woodland planting and open lawns, along with dining terraces and entertainment spaces, make up the central courtyard. A series of seasonal rooftop terraces and green roofs have also been incorporated into the design. Raised planters containing a mix of colourful, aromatic flowering shrubs and herbs will enhance the site's biodiversity and provide habitat and a food source for wildlife. The project forms part of the University of Cambridge's Eddington Development. robertmyers-associates.co.uk…

PLANTING A PARADISE: A YEAR OF POTS AND POLLINATORS by Arthur Parkison Kyle Books, £22 ISBN 978-1914239670 An engaging and personal seasonal guide to planting a container garden, with an emphasis on attracting birds and pollinators. Reviewer Harriet Rycroft is a gardener and container gardening author. Gardener and florist Arthur Parkinson's ‘favourite floral personalities' guide us through the seasons in the main chapters of this book, including the richly coloured tulips, dahlias, sweet peas and cosmos that have become very much associated with him. Parkinson is an enjoyably opinionated writer, not afraid to be sweary about issues that get his goat (plastic gardens and pesticides among them). Most of the book is discursively written, touching on wildlife gardening or digressing into television programmes at will, but there are plenty of…

Neil Lucas Grass expert Neil recommends the best Miscanthus, page 40. “Miscanthus is a hugely useful group of grasses for our gardens, with autumn perhaps being their absolute peak of interest.” Anna Omiotek-Tott Anna photographs the garden made by the late author and needlewoman Lucy M Boston, page 68. “Such a treat to be in this enchanted place where nature meets history.” Samantha van Egmond Samantha visits an Australian garden, page 84. “It's inspiring when a garden embraces its natural setting so beautifully, allowing it to soften into the wider landscape.” CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Charlotte Harris Charlotte co-founded the values-driven landscape design practice Harris Bugg Studio with Hugo Bugg in 2017. She has won three Gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as well as Best Show Garden in 2023.…

ACTAEA MATSUMURAE ‘ELSTEAD VARIETY' Beth's friend and mentor, the great plantsman Graham Stuart Thomas, called this Japanese bugbane a real treasure and I agree. Arching spikes of white bottlebrush flowers are held on slender, purplish stems above a mound of green leaves, adding an elegant presence to the border late in the season, sometimes until early November. Flowers are followed by attractive lime-green seedheads. We grow it in dappled shade with hostas, Solomon's seal and ferns. AGM*. Height and spread 1.2m × 60cm. Origin Garden (species Japan, Mongolia and eastern Russia). Conditions Soil that‘s not too dry; best in partial or dappled shade. Hardiness RHS H7, USDA 4a-9b†. Season of interest September – November. MISCANTHUS SINENSIS ‘BETH CHATTO' This elegant Ernst Pagels selection forms an upright clump of narrow leaves,…

• Like all tall, flowering grasses, Miscanthus put on a great deal of growth in spring and require the energy derived from direct sunlight to fuel this process. Consequently, they need an open, sunny position in order to grow and flower successfully in the long term. A few, such as the M. ‘Yaku Dwarf' types, can be convinced to grow in something less than full sunshine, but as a general rule, the more sun, the more flower, and vice versa. • Miscanthus will cope with a variety of soils, from sand to quite heavy clay. Wet winter soil can be an issue, especially in the short term, as the young grasses may simply rot before they have a chance to establish an adequate root system. • Planting can be done…

IN BRIEF What A plantsperson's collection of unusual plants. Where North Yorkshire. Size Less than a fifth of an acre. Soil Clay-loam on one side, drier limey soil on the other. Climate Temperate; the site is exposed, windy and in full sun. Hardiness zone USDA 8. Situated in eastern North Yorkshire, Dr John Grimshaw's garden is a combination of experiment, considered plant design and rare collections. To see it in October is a wonder, for borders at their fullest, but he has made sure there is colour and interest from as early as February right the way through the year. In the soft light of October, in Dr John Grimshaw's garden, colourful Michaelmas daisies and yellow Solidago glow among gentle ornamental grasses; a sea of colour and texture overseen by…

Concerns around sustainability – not to mention our increasingly restricted wallets and time – mean that many of us are looking for longer-term, reliably perennial spring bulb displays. Tulips are, of course, a must for spring colour, but hybrids (the tall, showy types that give the best display) have been bred to perform well for just one year. So how can we achieve brilliant spring displays without having to buy fresh bulbs every year? Naturally perennial tulips One option is to choose a naturally perennial tulip. These include species tulips and their primary hybrids such as Tulipa greigii, T. kaufmanniana, T. praestans, T. tarda and T. turkestanica. However, they are generally short in stature, with smaller flowers, so tend not to work well in borders. Not all species tulips last…

Gain new perspectives on evolutionary botany, indigenous plants and garden design in this month's pick of other titles. THE ETHNOBOTANICAL: A WORLD OF INDIGENOUS PLANT KNOWLEDGE by Dr Sarah Edwards Greenfinch, £30 ISBN 978-1529427400 Looks at the medical, magical and marvellous histories of plants from around the world. DARWIN AND THE ART OF BOTANY by James T Costa and Bobbi Angell Timber Press, £25 ISBN 978-1643260792 Writings from six texts devoted entirely to the curious world of plants, paired with beautiful botanical art. RHS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDEN DESIGN Editor-in-chief: Chris Young Dorling Kindersley, £30 ISBN 978-0241593387 A new edition of this practical guide to garden design. Includes planning, landscaping, plant choices and more. GUIDE TO THE FLOWERS OF WESTERN CHINA by Christopher Grey-Wilson and Phillip Cribb Kew Publishing, £70 ISBN…

What's new, what's growing and what's going on this month FESTIVAL All things apple On 21 October, we mark Apple Day, a celebration of the fruit's diversity and heritage. It's a great opportunity to bring together friends and family to enjoy all that autumn has to offer. From apple bobbing and block printing with apples, to making toffee apples and mulled cider, there are lots of ways to celebrate. For inspiration, head to gardensillustrated.com/appleday You can find plenty more events to enjoy by going to our online diary. Scan this QR code with your phone camera or go to gardensillustrated.com/events Talking point BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR There is much talk about the advent of AI in many areas of our lives, and while you may think that it…

Be sure to check opening times. Some garden visits may need to be pre-booked I always look forward to Great Dixter's Autumn Plant Fair, traditionally held on the first weekend of October. The relaxed atmosphere, glorious gardens and the opportunity to meet so many plant lovers add to making this event so special. The fair itself is held on the field below Dixter's nursery, with stalls made out of chestnut poles, corrugated iron and hessian. A quick pit-stop at the cake stall is recommended, while browsing the selection of plants for sale from nearly 30 independent nurseries and expert growers. If you're hoping to find something rare and unusual, I'd suggest you be there as the gates open on Saturday – there is only so much the nurseries can fit…

Earliest garden memory Running through rows of trees in my grandfather's mango orchard in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in India, when I was 12. My grandfather loved his garden and knew how important trees and plants are for our planet. Who has inspired your career? My wife. She inspires me to take risks and venture out of my comfort zone. She supported me in my decision to leave my former career and apply for the Royal Parks apprenticeship scheme, which has opened up the world of horticulture to me. My wife showed me that nature is healing and forgiving, even if you make a mistake. Worthwhile tips Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. Use your hands to feel the earth, to feel what you're planting, to feel the moisture or…

GARDEN SMALL IN BRIEF What Small, private, urban garden. Where London. Size Approximately 10m × 6m. Soil Imported sandy topsoil to replace paved areas with planting beds. Climate Temperate and southwestfacing, but partly shaded by trees and surrounding buildings. Hardiness zone USDA 9. Landscape architect Stefano Marinaz does not believe in change for change's sake. When he was asked to work on this back garden in London's Chelsea for the couple who live there, he was keen to evaluate its existing strengths and weaknesses. “On every project, I always ask myself why we need to change existing features. If there isn't a good reason, then we don't,” he explains. Back then, in 2016, the garden was given over to York stone crazy paving, with only a skinny border of planting…

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