Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2016 i The English Garden

The English Garden|January 2016

Welcome...

Once the anticipation and excitement of Christmas is over, winter can seem to stretch ahead endlessly. Fortunately it will not be very long before the first encouraging signs of spring appear and snowdrops are often the first plant brave enough to emerge with a delicacy that belies their tough constitution. At North Green Snowdrops in Suffolk, John Morley showcases his collection in a beautiful woodland setting, along with pastel hellebores and crocus. Meanwhile, at Wilkins Pleck in Staffordshire, clipped evergreens are the stars of the show, embracing cold weather and looking all the smarter for a coating of frost. Of course, the best way to forget about winter weather is to escape it entirely, so enjoy an amble around Irish chef Darina Allen’s gorgeous kitchen gardens at Ballymaloe in the…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Bring your garden indoors

A greenhouse can be the gardener’s best friend in winter. Temperatures in even an unheated greenhouse, such as one by Hartley Botanic, can be as much as 5°C higher than outside, making this the perfect place to overwinter tender plants, not simply so they are out of the cold but also to protect them from rain. It is often not the cold that kills tender plants, but a combination of cold and wet. Summer bedding plants are expensive to buy, so if you can keep them going from one year to another, so much the better. Tender perennials such as fuchsias, marguerites and pelargoniums will keep going nicely in a greenhouse – and will often go on to perform better in their second and third years provided they aren’t overwatered.…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

WILKINS PLECK GARDEN NOTEBOOK

THE BRIDGES OVER THE LAKE The graceful bridges arching over the pool were inspired by an all-male trip to Longchamps racecourse in France. “I persuaded the others to see Monet’s garden,” explains Chris. It made a lasting impression, and he based his bridge design on Monet’s. “It was a delicate balance between making a bridge that’s sufficiently arched for a rowing boat to pass beneath, but not so steep that you couldn’t safely walk over in the wet,” he says. The bridges are made from rolled steel channel sections bolted together. THE KNOT GARDEN Initially, the knot garden design – adapted from a half-forgotten picture in a magazine – was marked on the ground with paint, and scores of little box plants planted through a weed-proof membrane covered in gravel.…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

FEATURES OF BALLYMALOE COOKERY SCHOOL

THE ORNATE INTERIOR of Ballymaloe Cookery School’s stunning shell house is the work of the Welsh artist, Blott Kerr-Wilson (blottshellhouses.com). All the shells used in its design came from the kitchens of either Ballymaloe Cookery School or nearby Ballymaloe House. Garden follies of this kind belong to a tradition that reaches back to the 16th century. SCARECROWS AND SEA SERPENTS woven from locally grown willow and hazel, raised beds built out of leftover wooden pallets, simple garden tables made out from old cable spools, tin cans re-used as natty flower pots; the cookery school’s gardens and glasshouses are filled with examples of how even the humblest of materials can be creatively upcycled and put to good use. EDIBLE FLOWERS are everywhere at Ballymaloe Cookery School, not just in the gardens…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

NORTH GREEN SNOWDROPS

‘CHATTERBOX’ Named by John because of the way the individuals in a clump all turn to face each other, as if having a conversation. The flowers are small but the ovary is as long as the neat inner segments. ‘TRUMPS’ A charming early flowering snowdrop which was spotted in the North Green garden by grower Matt Bishop in the late 1990s. The heart-shaped markings appear on both the inner and outer segments. ‘PRAGUE SPRING’ A seedling selected and grown by John from seed that was given to him by a friend from a wood in Prague. This variety flowers a little earlier than ‘Dumpy Green’ but is still in the late-flowering category. ‘TRUMPOLUTE’ With its flat outer segments, this was the first hybrid between G. plicatus ‘Trym’ and G. elwesii.…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

TIM’S NOTEBOOK

VILLAGE GARDENS Tim Andrews Gallery and Garden opens for the National Garden Scheme on 18 and 19 June 2016, from 1-5pm. Also visit nearby Haydons in Bonfire Lane – a charming cottage garden – and Greenside in Greenway which provides a lovely setting for tea on the lawns. www.ngs.org.uk GARDEN CHALLENGE Slugs and snails are Tim’s biggest garden enemies. With so many foliage plants, he has a constant battle on his hands. He is convinced that there are wings under their shells. COSY PUBS Woodbury has two village pubs: The Maltsters Arms and The White Heart. Just down the road, in Woodbury Salterton, is a third, The Diggers Rest. www.themaltstersarms.com, www.diggersrest.co.uk ALSO IN THE AREA Specialists Urban & Rural Plants, Exeter, opens to the public on select weekends. Tel: +44…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Make connections

The connection between the house and garden is vital – it is important to have good views of the garden and streamline access to it. If you do not have much time but want to make more of an impact, focus first on improving the design and planting of all the bits of the garden you can see from the house. If possible, kitchen and back doors should lead straight out to the garden because having an easy route outside will encourage you to use the garden all the time. Low windows that allow great views to flood in even when sitting down are always appreciated. www.bunnyguinness.com…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Stone Standard QUALITY ASSURANCE

Indian sandstone has become increasingly popular over recent years as it can be an absolutely stunning product associated with a high-end luxury look. Customers put a great deal of perceived value and prestige in having a natural stone patio and have high expectations when it comes to looks and performance. Sandstones can appear the same when displayed at a merchant or in a brochure, but they do have different properties and can perform very differently when installed. There are three key factors that must be considered when purchasing stone to be installed as paving in the UK, these are; water absorbency, flexural strength and frost resistance. A stone with high water absorbency will not only turn green, (a common consumer complaint with sandstone patios) but may also be more susceptible…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

PLANT PROFILE

Phlomis russeliana is a robust perennial with an upright habit. Its mound of felty leaves remains throughout winter, before its distinctive flower stems push upwards from late spring, encircled with creamy yellow blooms. Salvia ‘Caradonna’ has tall, thin purple spires that suit the character of the garden. Lime green clouds of Alchemilla mollis nestle at its base, to provide the perfect contrast of colour and texture. Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) adds just the right amount of intense colour to this thoughtfully planted garden. Deadhead this vigorous self-seeder if it is not to take over and keep on top of removing seedlings. Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) are a recent introduction and bring a new planting style. Their pure white flowers have an informal look and add relaxed flair…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Jacksons Fencing

You must have been completely out of circulation recently, if you have not heard about the plight of the humble hedgehog. These appealing little chaps, who are commonly considered the gardener’s friend because they feed on some of the pests in the garden, have suffered a severe decline in numbers. The current population is estimated to be around 25% down in the last decade, which may mean there are only a million or so left. This may be caused by a reduction in their natural habitat, the countryside. Which means more of them are resorting to living in towns, where unfortunately a whole raft of new threats exists. The most obvious is getting run over by vehicles – possibly 50,000 come to grief on roads. We all know that the…

4 min

The English Garden|January 2016

First arrivals

The beginning and end of spring are the most difficult of times to pin down. The period in which ‘spring flowering bulbs’ come to bloom must be the longest of seasons, with cyclamen and snowdrops setting the pace by beginning their floral show in January, and camassias ending the party in late June. The early bloomers are more influenced by the weather than later bulbs, simply because, like us, they can get snowed in. But Cyclamen coum can always be relied upon. I used to consider this second in my affections to Cyclamen hederifolium but now feel that when the latter blooms in August it is a premature and unwelcome reminder of autumn. On the other hand Cyclamen coum is always welcome, whether the flowers are white, vibrant cerise or…

6 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Succulent thoughts

A recent article in the Washington Post, entitled ‘Why salad is so overrated’, described lettuce as ‘a vehicle to transport refrigerated water from farm to table’. Food writer Tamar Haspel agrees. Lettuce, she says, is low in nutrition, a major source of food waste, a carrier of foodborne illnesses... all in all, a complete waste of space in the salad drawer. All this is true – assuming you buy lettuce in mixed bags from the supermarket, do not wash it yourself and end up throwing half of it away. But homegrown lettuce? If you have a small patch to grow your own, there is very little waste, the likelihood of food contamination is low, and you can sample a whole world of beautiful, tasty lettuce, from the red-speckled Austrian heirloom…

5 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Time for change

The January garden is fresh and full of promise. All those gardening books you curled up with over Christmas will doubtless have provided wonderful inspiration for the year ahead. Now that our perennials are cut back, I can see the bones of the garden and it is far easier to visualize where improvements and changes can be made. Being an established garden, we look to make small tweaks every year rather than bold new statements, but change there is. Every garden needs a little change, however small it is. Your change might just be to lift the crown of a few trees to let in more light, or to alter the curve on a bed or border slightly. My advice for those looking to make changes to the garden in…

5 min

The English Garden|January 2016

The Reviewer

The Book of Pears By Joan Morgan Ebury Press, £45 Many winters ago, my father gave me a copy of Joan Morgan’s The Book of Apples, first printed in 1993. It became one of my favourite books and I often hoped for something similar on pears, which, as Morgan says, are “gold to the apple’s silver”. And now it is here: the result of 20 years of studying and cataloguing the National Collection at Brogdale in Kent. The Book of Pears is sheer joy. You can travel with Morgan to the province of Gilan, where the wild pear may have made its first steps into cultivation – or imagine yourself in the 17th century when French pears conquered British taste buds. Savour mouth-watering descriptions of 500 varieties in the latter…

4 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Next issue...

Fill the garden with winter colour PLUS INSPIRING GARDEN ESCAPES TO KICK-START THE NEW YEAR • Tread in Vita’s footsteps and stay in the White Garden at Sissinghurst • A Surrey hotel with an immaculate formal parterre • Quintessentially English gardens to explore on your travels • Chris Beardshaw on design inspiration from afar • The best early flowering climbers • Exceptional hellebores Follow us on Twitter, @TEGmagazine and facebook The-English-Garden-Magazine…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST OF BRITISH NURSERIES

1 WOOTTENS PLANTS Established for 25 years, Woottens is a traditional plant nursery specialising in hardy perennials, with one of the largest collections of irises in England, which is open for viewing every year. Woottens also specialises in auriculas, pelargoniums, hemerocallis and violas. Mail order and design services. Qualified and passionate staff offering expert advice. Gardens open April–October. Open days and events held throughout the year. Horticultural courses running weekly. Xmas Wreaths available from 14th Dec. Tel: +44 (0)1502 478258 Email: info@woottensplants.co.uk | Website: www.woottensplants.com Woottens of Wenhaston Ltd, Wenhaston, Suffolk, IP19 9HD 2 ASHWOOD NURSERIES A traditional working nursery situated in the West Midlands. We specialise in Hellebores, Hardy Cyclamen, Hepaticas, Lewisias, Salvias, Hydrangeas, Dwarf Conifers, Primula auriculas, Snowdrops and offer many more choice plants. We feel Ashwood…

3 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Back and forth

January is the janus month, a month for looking forward and back, the month of conservation and renewal. In the calendar illustrations to the Medieval Books of Hours, Janus stands at the threshold of the year, the god of transitions and beginnings, one face gazing back at the past, the other looking forward into the future. My January task is to root-prune and re-pot the orange trees that share the house with me in winter. Like me, the oranges have been dozing away the winter indoors: me writing a new book, they dreaming their dreams. And like me, they are getting a bit gnarled, their trunks as thick as my arm, their roots filling their pots. I sowed them the first January at Morville: I was making marmalade, and wondered…

3 min

The English Garden|January 2016

News & Events

Five gardens by Capability Brown 2016 is the 300th anniversary of the birth of ‘Capability’ Brown. He advised on over 250 sites in England and Wales. Here are our top five CROOME COURT Brown’s very first commission as an independent designer includes a mansion house and a landscape noted for its man-made lake and river, statues and temples. Croome d’Abitot, Worcestershire WR8 9DW; www. nationaltrust.org. uk/croome Tel: +44 (0)1905 371006. MILTON ABBEY One of the finest examples of Brown’s work in England, Milton Abbey is set within a 500-acre landscape at the meeting point of three valleys. It has 16 miles of walks, rides and carriage drives enriched by pleasing vistas of the Abbey. Milton Abbas, Dorset DT11 0BZ; www . miltonabbey.org SCAMPSTON…

5 min

The English Garden|January 2016

A touch of grass

I was born into a gardening family. My grandfather used to grow thousands of delphiniums and was a member of The Delphinium Society. I have fond childhood memories of spending school holidays with him in the garden and visiting flower shows at the RHS Horticultural Halls in London. I was a fan of pansies long before I was a fan of grasses. My first day’s work in horticulture was working for the Torbay parks department, gardening by the seafront. I had given up working for the Civil Service to pursue a career in gardening. For the next seventeen years I looked after hospital and health centre gardens for a health trust in Torbay. I came to Knoll Gardens in 1994 but had no plans to specialise in grasses. My experience…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

ALSO IN THE AREA

GARDEN Trentham Gardens continues to develop its huge space. The Trentham Estate, Stone Road, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8JG. Tel: +44 (0)1782 646646.www.trentham.co.uk PLACE TO STAY Slaters Country Hotel is very comfortable and the food good. Stone Road, Baldwins Gate, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 5ED. Tel: +44 (0)1782 680052.www.slaterscountryinn.co.uk GARDEN CENTRE Bridgemere has a large selection of plants. Bridgemere, Nr Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 7QB. Tel: +44 (0)844 288 5173. www.wyevalegardencentres.co.uk PLACE TO EAT The Swan with Two Necks for good food in the heart of the countryside. Nantwich Road, Blackbrook, ST5 5EH. Tel: +44 (0)1782 680343. www.theswanwithtwonecks.co.uk…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

ADVICE FROM BALLYMALOE COOKERY SCHOOL

Good food begins with healthy soil. We nurture ours carefully with regular mulches of the very best homemade garden compost. Every kind of organic matter goes into the heap; leftover vegetable waste, trimmings from the glasshouses, sweepings from the chicken runs and cattle shed and even seaweed when we can get it, all interspersed with layers of wheat straw. It’s the very first recipe that students are given when they arrive here! One of the secrets of successfully growing delicious organic produce is to cultivate only the very best varieties, so we are always on the look-out for any that are exceptionally flavoursome as well as vigorous, productive and, of course, disease resistant. We particularly like the French bean ‘Hilda’, tomatoes ‘Typhoon’ and ‘Sungold’, potatoes ‘Charlotte’ (early) and ‘Blue Danube’…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

WINTER GARDENING IN THE GREENHOUSE

When winter weather sets in, it is tempting to forget about the garden until spring. But with a little help from a greenhouse, the garden can be used year round and prepared for spring planting and propagation. Given some careful planning, there is also no need to wait until summer before growing edible crops – the vegetable patch can be thriving from spring. Alitex designs and manufactures fine bespoke aluminium greenhouses for year round use, with a distinct classical Victorian look. With a long-standing relationship with the National Trust, including an exclusive greenhouse collection, Alitex is the choice of the gardening professionals. Alitex greenhouses are designed and manufactured to make the most of available space and with a range of accessories and fittings, year-round use and enjoyment of an Alitex…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Reach for the sky

Even with a very small garden, say 5m x 7m, you are not limited to 35 square metres of space if walls, fences and even a trellis are covered with plants. By using climbers in a clever way, you can make better use of this extra volume, which is often forgotten. I recommend Rosa ‘Blush Noisette’, with beautiful pretty pink clusters; it flowers for five months in my garden, on an east-facing wall, too. Other good climbers include Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’ and Clematis ‘Étoile Violette’ – the latter performs well in all situations. Combine them with roses. Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ grows well in a sheltered spot. It is one of earliest roses to flower, and you can enjoy clematis flowering on it later in the season. Also, consider a dramatic…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Time for a tree

No matter how small the garden, there is always room for a tree or two – without them a garden always feels as if it is missing something. Once planted, trees are extremely low maintenance and instantly add all-important height. Some will cast a lovely dappled shade beneath. Trees are also useful for creating privacy, if strategically placed, perhaps blocking a neighbour’s overlooking window or an ugly view. A tree such as an amelanchier, crab apple or sorbus will flower, fruit and then add impact through its autumn colour. Trees with interesting bark such as Prunus serrula, snakebark maple or even a simple silver birch adds plenty of interest right through the winter. They are also great for wildlife, giving cover for birds and many producing berries, too. Do not…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Mix & Match

As gardens become smaller and the time people can spend in them is limited, interplanting becomes a great way to engage the whole family with the garden, at the same time as creating beautiful borders. We grow ornamental currants and we grow edible currants; we grow ornamental rhubarb and we grow edible rhubarb – why not simply grow the edible varieties? This is a pretty and productive way of using the garden. People may not have the time or space to grow lots of vegetables but most enjoy cooking. Being able to create even a couple of meals or desserts from your own space is satisfying and provides the family with happy memories. www.adamfrost.co.uk…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

FACT FILE

Designer Marcus Barnett, Studio L6-28, The Old Laboratories 2, 2 Michael Rd, London SW6 2AD. Tel: +44 (0)20 736 9761; www.marcusbarnett.com Garden built by The Outdoor Room, Luxford House, Farren Court, Cowfold, West Sussex RH13 8BP. Tel: +44 (0)1403 865285; www.theoutdoorroom.co.uk Summerhouse by Ecospace Architecture, Naturally. Unit 3 Iliffe Yard, London SE17 3QA Tel: +44 (0)20 7703 4004; www.ecospacestudios.com External dimensions 5.2m wide x 3.8m deep x 2.8m high Sculpture Untitled by Will Spankie and Silent Echo by Elizabeth Herkstroter were sourced from Rachel Bebb MA, FRSA, The Garden Gallery. Tel: +44 (0)1794 301144; www.gardengallery.uk.com Untitled by Will Spankie, West Wing, Clayton Holt, Underhill Lane, Clayton, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9PL. Tel: +44 (0)1273 844790; Plume by Loco Glass Ltd.www.locoglass.co.uk Nourish by Michael Spellers.www.spellersculptures.com Breaking Wave by Martin Cundell Guildford,…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

35 FREE * SNOWDROPS

One of the most uplifting plants of the season, single-flowered snowdrops carpet the ground with flowers that light up the garden in the New Year. Their pure-white, pendulous, bell-shaped blooms are an elegant reminder that winter will soon be gone. They are supplied as bulbs in the green to ensure good growth in the following year. Thirty-five single-flowered snowdrops retail at £20.98 but are yours free, *just pay £5.65 postage. MORE GREAT VALUE OFFERS Double-flowered snowdrops Ornate snowdrops with layer upon layer of petals and a fabulous honey scent. Great for cutting to bring into the house. Height: 8cm 25 bulbs in the green (TCK17108) £14.99 (£13.49 for subscribers) 50 bulbs in the green (TCK42107) £24.99 (£22.49 for subscribers) English bluebells A gorgeous accompaniment to a woodland walk in spring,…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

WHERE TO BUY SPRING FLOWERS

AVON BULBS Website and mail-order nursery: Burnt House Farm, Mid Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HE. Tel: +44 (0) 1460 242177 www.avonbulbs.co.uk POTTERTONS NURSERY Website and mail-order nursery: Moortown Road, Nettleton, Lincolnshire LN7 6HX. Tel: +44 (0) 1472 851714 www.pottertons.co.uk BROADLEIGH GARDENS Display gardens and nursery open to visitors all year. Website and mail-order nursery: Barr, Taunton, Somerset TA4 1AE. Tel: +44 (0) 1823 286231 www.broadleighbulbs.co.uk SHIPTON BULBS Website and mail-order nursery: Y Felin, Henllan Amgoed, Whitland, Carmarthenshire SA34 0SL. Tel: +44 (0) 1994 240637 www.shiptonbulbs.co.uk…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

SALAD DAYS

Varieties As well as green summer purslane, there is pretty golden purslane, but I find this one more inclined to seed. Soil Summer purslane is a salad with the rare attribute of preferring dry conditions. The seeds are tiny, so sow thinly. Also, cover with only a thin amount of soil or compost. When sowing outside, water the drill a little, then cover with dry soil. You should find a row within 10 days. Allow 20cm between rows, then thin to 3-10cm between plants. Eat the thinnings after 3 weeks. Position Struggles with wet but enjoys sunlight. Harvesting Beware the tiny bitter seed pods: they develop within two months of sowing, so sow a small amount every two weeks for continuous picking. Eat the shoots of each stalk, pinched off…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

GARDENS IN THE SUN

Voyages of Discovery has partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society to offer spectaular cruises to some of the most breathtaking gardens in Europe. With diverse ports of call, optional shore excusions and wonderful activities, talks and entertainment on board, these inclusive cruises have all the makings of a trip of a lifetime. ESCAPE TO MADEIRA & THE AZORES 22 MAY – 6 JUNE 2016 Follow the pilgrims’ route to Santiago de Compostela before arriving in the Azores to admire the flora of these islands. On the way, discover the subtropical gardens at Sausmarez Manor – one of Guernsey’s horticultural gems. Expect to see bluebells, daffodil species, colourful rhododendrons and giant hostas. Spring inspiration also abounds in La Coruña, Spain, at Pazo de Oca, known as the Galician Versailles. It is…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

IN BRIEF

GUIDE SCOTLAND’S GARDENS www.scotlandsgardens.org £5 (incl p&p) The 2016 edition of Scotland’s Gardens details more than 350 gardens that will open to the public for charity in the coming year. The guide’s visiting season starts with the Scottish Snowdrop Festival, which runs from 30 January to 13 March, with many gardens opening for the festival. With the guide split into colour-coded regions, this is a great reference to have in the glove compartment if you are planning a holiday north of the border. CALENDAR A BLOOMING LOVELY YEAR www.carolinegardner.com £9.99 Will 2016 be a good year for the garden? Stationery and gift designer Caroline Gardner’s 2016 Calendar A Blooming Lovely Year will lift the spirits, whatever the weather and help plan and organise your gardening. Each month features delicate wildflower…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

FOR WINTER COLOUR

WELFORD PARK Welford, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 8HU Tel: +44 (0)1488 608691 | Website: www.welfordpark.co.uk Is that a carpet of snow? No it is a carpet of snowdrops in the beech woods at Welford Park. Lovely paths with winter planting and lots of wilderness for wildlife along the banks of the River Lambourn take you to the magnificent woods with one of the most intense displays of Galanthus nivalis. There is also a formal garden with a good selection of galanthus cultivars, and yellow aconites. Tea Rooms and Snowdrop gift shop. OPEN: Wednesday 3 February to Sunday 6 March 2016, (closed every Monday and Tuesday). 11am, last entry 4pm. EAST LAMBROOK MANOR GARDENS East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH Tel: 01460 240328 | Email: info@eastlambrook.com |…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

WARM UP FOR EARLY SOWING

SIEVE FOR CUTTINGS Soil sieve with 5mm mesh, £19.99, +44 (0)1344 578811, www.waitrosegarden.com PUT A LID ON IT Victorian-style, lidded bronze cloche, £79.99, +44 (0)1344 578811, www.waitrosegarden.com TEMPERATURE GAUGE 8-inch round thermometer in gooseberry, £26.50, +44 (0)1993 84559, www.gardentrading.co.uk LET IT GROW Cream pinewood cold frame, £99.99, +44 (0)1258 837970, www.selections.com HANDY HOLDER Steel seed box, £24.99, +44 (0)1376 321100, www.amara.com A PLACE TO SOW Wooden potting bench, £280, +44 (0)199 384 559 www.gardentrading.co.uk SIEVE FOR SEEDLINGS Seedling riddle with 4mm mesh, £12.95, +44 (0)333 4001500, www.harrodhorticultural.com FORCE AN EARLY CROP Terracotta rhubarb forcer, £180, +44 (0)1608 684416, www.whichfordpottery.com GET ORGANISED A caddy to keep your kit neat and tidy, £19.95, +44 (0)1206 226440, www.handpickedcollection.com KEEP SEEDS SAFE Lockable metal seed box, £39.99, +44 (0)1344 578111, www.crocus.co.uk TIME AND TEMPERATURE…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Midwinter beauty

BARELY A DAY PASSES WHEN SHEILA BISSELL does not venture out into her garden and even midwinter, as sub-zero temperatures hit, is no exception. “Come rain, frost or snow, I go out into the garden, and always find something new to see,” she says. With the days at their shortest, the changes are small – a hellebore opening here, the wafted scent of a pink viburnum or a seedhead beautified by frost – but are magnified by a sense of wonderment that anything should flourish. “I can walk the same walk every day, but rarely do I not come upon some small change,” observes Sheila. Beyond the boundary beech hedge, a rosy dawn breaks above the undulating landscape, a ghostly vista of frosted hills, valleys, fields and copses that never…

7 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Food for thought

GIVEN HER RENOWN AS A CELEBRATED chef, food writer, broadcaster and founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, it is surprising to discover that Darina Allen once nurtured dreams of becoming a garden writer. But that is only until she speaks of her childhood growing up in the rural midlands of Ireland in the 1950s. When she tenderly describes the food that her mother cooked, using fresh, local, seasonal ingredients grown in the family garden or foraged from the hedgerows and fields, her deep-rooted love of gardening suddenly makes an awful lot of sense. “Food was far too precious to throw away in those days: any glut was transformed into delicious jams, chutneys, stews, pies and puddings.” Darina and her husband, Tim Allen, first moved to their home,…

7 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Artistry in residence

THERE CAN BE FEW MORE ENIGMATIC ADDRESSES THAN ‘North Green Only’. Even having lived in Suffolk for many years, I had only the vaguest notion of where artist John Morley, also known as The Snowdrop Man, lived. The house, shared with his wife, Diana, who is also an artist, is down the most winding of lanes that eventually peters out on a green. It is the lane that leads to North Green – only. Diana and John bought a row of four derelict farm cottages in a field not far from the town of Beccles in the early 1970s. “It literally was a field,” he remembers, “but I had always loved gardening, so we set about planting yew hedges and creating enclosed spaces to give the plants some protection from…

7 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Creative spaces

ASK CERAMICIST TIM ANDREWS IF GARDENING IS ART and he is quick to answer: “Of course”. His garden, the secret haven to be found at the back of his 16th century cob cottage and studio near Exmouth, Devon, is where he can take a break from his craft, but it also makes the perfect venue for his annual outdoor art exhibition. Tim has lived at Cobb End in the village of Woodbury for 25 years and the garden has evolved from a place where his children kicked footballs to the restful retreat that it is now. “To make sure I went some way to completing the garden, I organised my first exhibition three years from the day I started to dig. The idea was to ensure that I didn’t rest…

4 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Make more rooms

Creating rooms in a garden will make an outdoor space feel much larger than it really is. Divide the garden by using hard landscaping such as concrete walls, stone walls, trellis or though soft landscaping, with tall planting, clipped hedges and pleached trees. It does not have to be a big project – even adding tall planting to screen off part of the garden will transform the look of your space and lead the eye in different directions. Concealing parts of the garden from immediate view prevents, naturally, people seeing everything at once. This creates much-needed interest. www.richlandscapes.net…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Right tool, right job

Good tools make garden jobs easier and help create effects that can have a big impact in a garden, whether it is a well-clipped topiary specimen, shaped shrubs or perfectly pruned roses. My tools are beautiful. The handsome, heart-shaped, hand-forged Sneeboer trowel copes with every type of soil with equanimity. I have an extraordinary handmade biodynamic hoe made of bronze, gold and lime wood. The lime wood handle is miraculous, as you never get blisters however hard you work. I looked like the Grim Reaper as I carried the hoe back from the French garden show where I bought it from its Hungarian maker. I also love my pointed fruit pruners. It is immensely satisfying knowing that all the cuts are clean and precise. I have a small collection of…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

At the cutting edge

Nigel and Jan Brandon are possibly a garden designer’s dream clients. They knew what they wanted, were keen to be involved and were content to let the professionals create the reality. Nigel, a professor at Imperial College London and Director of the Sustainable Gas Institute, took a scientific approach. “We wanted a space with a contemporary feel. We both like precision in our lives, so symmetry was important. We enjoy collecting art and sculpture, mainly by living artists, so it was important to us that the garden would be suitable to accommodate them. We also wanted our garden to be a place we could enjoy in all seasons and at all times of the day.” The house is a detached 1930s build, with a later sympathetic wing addition. The rectangular…

8 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Multi-taskers

Some plants have one great aria, and others sing in the chorus all year long. When assessing plants it is easy to think of flowers as the star turn, ignoring the fact that for most of the year the plant isn’t flowering and may not be adding much to the beauty of the garden. Choosing plants that not only have great flowers but which also bring something extra to the party, will greatly enhance your garden. As well as beautiful flowers, some plants have attractive new shoots; others brilliant autumn foliage. The texture, shape or size of the leaves of a plant, or the colour and patterns of stems and bark can also do much to enhance the border. Other plants leave behind seedheads that create elegant silhouettes in winter.…

4 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Chinese import

Hamamelis mollis is the earliest flowering and perhaps the finest of all witchhazels. Producing its spicy scented flowers in time for Christmas to accompany the heady aroma of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts, it emits a sense of warmth and hope amid the season of goodwill. It also comes with a familiar label that will be marked on many presents during the festive season: ‘made in China’. Also known as the Chinese witchhazel, H. mollis was discovered by plant hunter Charles Maries. Maries was a prolific Victorian planthunter, introducing over 500 new plants to the UK for the first time. Members of the English garden plant establishment such as the short-growing tree Magnolia stellata, Acer davidii and the multi-coloured climber Actinidia kolomikta are also introductions for which we have Maries…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Demure delights

HELLEBORUS ‘ANNA’S RED’ This vibrant variety makes an excellent cut flower. Unlike most other hellebores, its cut stems will last for a week to ten days in a vase. It is also particularly free flowering, producing an abundance of blooms from February to April. It is named after plantswoman Anna Pavord and was bred by Devon breeder Rodney Davey, who wanted a red hellebore with marbled foliage. ‘Anna’s Red’ took Davery 12 years to create. When young, foliage has attractive pink markings but these fade to cream, and then green, over time. Growing up to 30cm tall, this is a popular, evergreen variety that likes a partly shaded spot in free-draining soil. HELLEBORUS ASHWOOD GARDEN HYBRIDS This pretty hellebore is popular for its colour, which lasts as long as other…

2 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Future promise

When all is cold and wet outside, seed catalogues offer a tantalizing selection of unusual and exciting plant varieties to grow in the coming year. Now is the perfect time to sit down with a notebook and pen, and plan what might be grown in the garden. We’ve scoured the new batch of seed catalogues for 2016 to come up with a selection of the most exciting and unusual varieties to try, in flower borders and pretty, productive vegetable gardens. PLANT WORLD SEEDS An enticing catalogue with enthusiastic descriptions presented alongside a considerable amount of information about each plant. +44 (0) 1803 872939; www.plant-world-seeds.com Worthwhile Expense Cosmos atrosanguineus £8.40 for a pack of 4 seeds (limit of two packs per customer) These are the most expensive seeds we came across,…

6 min

The English Garden|January 2016

More comprehensive cover and reduced premiums

Readers of The English Garden may be able to save on their current insurance premiums and improve the extent of their cover by taking specialist High Net Worth insurance cover through a specialist broker. High Net Worth policies may often be cheaper, as they are underwritten correctly. A standard insurer may assume that the more an individual owns, the greater the risk. The reality is that the people who own valuables take good care of them. The advantages of High Net Worth policies include worldwide ‘all risks’ contents cover, agreed value settlements on items of high worth, and restoration and depreciation cover for antiques and fine art. Garden plants, statues and furniture can be included at generous limits. The English Garden is delighted to offer readers access to effective and…

1 min

The English Garden|January 2016

INTERVIEW

How would you sum up The Sceptical Gardener ? It’s a collection of my articles from The Daily Telegraph over the last few years, with a sprinkling of pieces that never appeared in the paper. It is a good book to dip into at random, although to make it easier to read straight through, we have arranged the articles into eight broad themes, from garden wildlife and growing food to interesting things about plants. What inspires your articles? Inspiration can come from almost anywhere, but I quite often start with a recent piece of scientific research. The article may focus completely on that, or it may lead me to do more research. Or I may read something in a book or magazine, or hear something on the…

3 min

The English Garden|January 2016

Garden Design

1 ARTHUR JACK & CO GARDEN PLANTERS Stylish and completely classic, Arthur Jack & Co garden planters are individually made from galvanised steel by artisan craftsmen in the UK. High quality, maintenance-free & frost-proof, the Georgian-style planters are available in five sizes, finished with a special treatment to give them an aged patina. Matching water butt also available. Prices from £225. Tel: +44 (0)1299-827059 arthurjack.co.uk 2 LEANDER PLANT SUPPORTS Leander’s lovely Rose Arch in rusted iron can be used in so many ways - use one to frame a gateway or garden seat, or a series to create an enticing walkway. Also available in this traditional latticework design are trellis frames and our new low fencing panels, ideal for protecting a newly-planted border! For these and many other…

1 min