Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2017 i The English Garden

Derek St Romaine Derek worked in publishing for 15 years and then as a food photographer before he switched to photographing gardens, such as those at Brodsworth Hall on page 30. Veronica Peerless A horticultural journalist, garden designer and blogger at throughthegarden gate.co.uk/blog, Veronica dissects a small garden’s design on page 54. Geoff Stebbings Geoff trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, was head gardener at Myddelton House and is the author of several gardening books. He picks the best witch hazels on page 69.…

• Know where the light falls, and if there is not enough light then create it by pruning or taking out a hedge or fence to allow the magic of low sunlight to flood in. That could mean creating quite a small area, but one which is magnificent. • The most successful gardens are treated like stage sets. Creating levels adds drama and structure, so consider using trees, pergolas and ornaments. With light falling from the side or back, you can put in key architectural plants to create a real sense of drama. • Create contrasts to generate drama: for instance, red-stemmed dogwoods, white snowdrops and blue early irises planted close together. • Scent is key, along with foliage. Try a mix of bergenias and hellebores with fragrant Sarcococca. •…

• Much of late winter and early spring is about preparation. Make sure your tools are sharp and working, that filters are clear. Watch out for birds and nesting animals when clearing garden areas or doing the Spring Chop. Now is a good time for cutting back herbaceous borders and ferns. • Encourage wild and native flowers such as cowslips and orchids in a meadow area by reducing the quality of the soil. Rake and remove leaves and make sure you do not feed or water the area, which will encourage smothering grass. • If you are creating formal spring bedding from plants rather than bulbs, choose Polyanthus, Primula, blue and white hyacinths, Bellis, and forget-me-nots. • Fertilise grass and plants, mulch your roses, and make sure the first grass…

• Divide large clumps of snowdrops every three years, as soon as they finish flowering, so that you know what they are. Do not be afraid to mix winter bulbs: snowdrops intermingled with Crocus tommasinianus or Cyclamen coum adds another dimension to winter planting. • Plant fragrant winter plants close to doorways, pathways or seating. Their perfume will have more impact if plants are positioned in a sheltered, protective sunny site. • Place containers, planters and hanging baskets in areas lacking winter interest to add colour and perfume. Even if you have no garden, line a moss-filled basket and fill with winter gems to enjoy winter displays at your front door or window. • Plant early flowering, colourful and scented varieties of Rhododendron. They'll add depth and interest to woodland…

When not designing gardens, Dan Bristow (aka Propagating Dan, above) likes to go plant hunting, tracking down rare and unusual plants around the globe. So far he has been to Japan, China, Bolivia, Peru, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Colombia. “Seeing how plants grow in the wild is so useful,” he says. “I can see which conditions they’ll want to grow in back in the UK.” The plants that he and other plant hunters have discovered often find their way into the gardens he designs. “A wide variety of plants increases biodiversity. Plus it stops gardens being caught up in fashion. There was a time when everyone planted olives, or phormiums, but these gardens risk looking outdated in a few years. I don’t like the fashion side of things.…

CROCUS KOROLKOWII The deep-yellow, vase-shaped flowers of Crocus korolkowii have feathery markings on their reverse and are produced in late February. This species dislikes wet conditions in summer when the plant is dormant, so it must be grown in very well drained soil. A raised bed or rockery is an ideal place to grow it – or simply raise it in a container placed in full sun. We grow Crocus korolkowii in pots in the Alpine House at Kew, which both protects the plant from wet and also allows visitors to appreciate the detail of its markings at close quarters. It grows up to 8cm tall. CROCUS TOMMASINIANUS This species is one of the best for naturalising in grass because it readily self-seeds. It looks fantastic in early spring, especially…

“Bulbs in the green are bulbs for planting in active growth. Introduce these into your garden and they will gradually naturalise, creating a carpet of colour in your garden.” Order yours today and take advantage of free post and packaging worth £4.95 for readers of The English Garden. HYACINTHOIDES NON SCRIPTA (British native bluebells) Plant your own mini bluebell wood now and love them forever. Flowering late April-May. 25 bulbs £12.50 50 bulbs £20.95 100 bulbs £38.50 Code: 260077 ERANTHIS HYEMALIS (winter aconites) These are like miniature spring anemones crossed with water lilies. Beautiful planted in lawns and borders in spring, they also make superb displays when cut and floated in a shallow bowl. Flowering February-March. 25 bulbs £12.50 50 bulbs £22.50 Code: 209146 GALANTHUS NIVALIS (single…

WEASDALE NURSERIES Since 1950, Weasdale Nurseries have been growing hardy trees and shrubs on their site at 850ft elevation in the Howgill Fells, at the heart of beautiful Cumbria. Specialising in mail-order from the outset, their careful packaging system has become legendary and guarantees safe arrival of the delicate contents anywhere in Europe. Over 1,000 different plants are listed online and in the comprehensive, illustrated and highly-readable 128-page catalogue. Tel: +44 (0)1539 623246 Email: sales@weasdale.com | Website: www.weasdale.com Newbiggin on Lune, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4LX SPRING REACH NURSERY Spring Reach Nursery grows a fantastic range of clematis, trees, hedging, ferns, shrubs, fruit, perennials, roses, climbers and grasses. STARRING NOW Winter box, Dogwoods, Witch Hazels, Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’ and Hydrangea ‘Snow Queen’. Visit one of Surrey’s finest nurseries – a…

February often turns out to be the coldest month of the year, so it is no coincidence that in this issue we’re dreaming of warmer climes. If you are in need of holiday inspiration for 2017, why not time your break to coincide with another country’s horticultural highlight: tulips in Holland, desert flowers bursting into bloom in South Africa or cherry blossom festivals in Japan. Our guide to botanical spectacles across the globe on page 97 is sure to give you wanderlust. Back at home, despite February’s inevitable cold, plants are starting to wake. No plant epitomises the optimism that spring will soon be here more than the snowdrop and in this issue we celebrate these iconic heralds of the new season. At Welford Park in Buckinghamshire they form such…

SNOWY SCENES Dramatic ruby stems of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ contrast with the pale silver birch Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, in a scene framed by towering Lawson cypress and with winter sunlight gleaming on the snowcapped peaks of Snowdonia beyond. RICH CONTRASTS The glowing stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ rise yellow from the earth, turning pink at the tips. They contrast with zingy Pinus mugo ‘Winter Gold’, and dark purple Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb', its foliage offsetting the brilliance of the dogwood. COOLER PARTNERS Bright yellow stems of Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’, create a cooler colour combination against the frosted blues of Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii and Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ on a crisp winter day. SIMPLE AND DRAMATIC The mass effect of the pale blues and white of Iris unguicularis…

VICTORIAN LEVELS The Victorian garden was based on the idea of three levels of interest: low, medium and tall. It is the mantra at Brodsworth where, like the Victorians, Dan has mounded the flowerbeds so they seem to float above the lawn. HIGH HEDGES Brodsworth high yew hedges divide the garden into rooms, each with their own theme and planting. Even in a small garden this can work to divide the site and lead the flow of footfall from one area to another. Keep paths curvaceous and winding so that spaces feel enlarged. HARD PRUNING Brodsworth's topiary is created using yew, box, beech and Viburnum tinus. Yew is used for complicated shapes as it will weather considerable pruning and grows densely and architecturally. Dan clips every two to three months…

EVER-SHARP EVERGREENS Verdant trim-edged lawns, clean-cut yew hedging and curvaceous box balls and pyramids of ivy all help to create a definitive, uniformly green backdrop to enhance more decorative plants. SCULPTURAL FOCAL POINTS Statuary draws the eye and decorates perpetually while herbaceous bedfellows rise and fall. In the formal enclave of the rose garden in winter, the uplifting, bronze sculpture Wood Nymph by David Williams-Ellis, steals the show. LIGHT AND MOTION Water is a key element at Rode Hall. The gurgling stream and cascading waterfall add an icy tinkling that resonates around the gardens. The tranquil stew pond and expansive Rode Pool reflect blue winter skies and bankside trees. SEASONAL COLLECTIONS Snowdrops abound at Rode Hall, from massed plantings of the the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) to more intimate labelled…

Appearances can be deceptive. The spidery petals of witch hazels, curled and crimped like strands of bittersweet candied peel, look fragile and delicate. Yet these tough beauties shrug off rain, wind and snow, and sparkle like new as soon as the sun releases them from winter’s grip. Witch hazels are remarkable in many ways. There are four main species, two from the eastern USA and two from Asia: Chinese Hamamelis mollis and Japanese H. japonica. The Asian species are the most commonly grown in UK gardens, and the most ornamental. Of the two American species, H. vernalis also flowers in the depths of winter but H. virginiana flowers in autumn. H. virginiana is not as devastatingly showy as the Asian species because the flowers open while the foliage changes to…

When choosing new plants for one’s garden, it is easy to overlook the opportunities afforded by growing plants from seed. Spaces in new borders that will stay empty while long-term plants mature can be filled elegantly and temporarily with many annuals grown from seed. In exchange for a little patience, seed-grown perennials make stocking large borders much less expensive and, sown early enough, many will flower in their first year. Lots of these plants encapsulate the quintessential charm of the English garden, and the gardener is given the added satisfaction of enjoying a floral crescendo having witnessed the plants’ humble beginnings, when a tiny green shoot gave no clue as to what would follow. Flowers Hot colour or subtle shades Choosing to grow flowers from seed opens a multitude of…

At a house and workshop tucked away in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, stands a life-size wire horse and a wire pear larger than a man. The person responsible for these extraordinary sculptures is Rupert Till, whose unique work has earned him international recognition. Having grown up in Londesborough, Yorkshire, Rupert was first inspired by his beautiful surroundings, living in an “architecturally spectacular” home and surrounded by animals. He was a keen draftsman from a young age. “If you put a child in a beautiful place surrounded by wonderful things, I think they’re bound to be inspired,” he says. Despite his parents’ ambitions for Rupert to pursue a career in agriculture, he followed his passion for art, which lead him to receiving an offer from the Chelsea School of Art. Driven by the…

Tiny Tabletop Gardens By Emma Hardy CICO Books, £14.99 Tiny gardens are the new small gardens. Never mind ingenious ideas for small spaces, some of the ideas in this book are for spaces that even those without a garden at all can try at home. Each project is for a genuinely small space and the diversity of planting ideas should help those with only a balcony or a windowsill at their disposal to not feel so crestfallen at their lack of space – or that their hands are tied in terms of a variety of viable planting options. The appeal of these creations lies in their simplicity, with many of the ideas, such as water plants in glass jars and Japanese moss balls, requiring just one plant to make a…

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN 66 Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HS Tel: 020 7352 5646 | www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk Visit the Chelsea Physic Garden to see snowdrops in all their glory before the rest of the country thanks to our unique warm micro-climate. Once again Nick Bailey, Head Gardener and his team will be creating innovative displays by elevating snowdrops so visitors can admire their intricate detail up close. And there will be an unexpected injection of colour this year to enhance these typically white icons of spring. OPEN: Snowdrop Days: 28 January-3 February 2017, 10am-4pm. Thereafter Spring Season: 6 February-31 March, Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm. Please see website for prices and opening times throughout the year. CHIPPENHAM PARK Chippenham, near Newmarket, Cambridgeshire CB7 5PT Tel: +44 (0)1638 721416 | Website: www.chippenhamparkgardens.co.uk Chippenham Park offers…

I have been thinking a lot about my old friend Mirabel Osler, the garden writer, who died recently at the age of 91. She had a wonderful knack of coining pithy epigrams. “Gardens are good in inverse proportion to the amount of money spent on them.” That was one of hers, the point being that the less money you have to spend, the more you have to use your ingenuity, and the more individual your garden will be. This is particularly true of garden structures. One of the cheapest yet grandest garden structures you can make is a catenary. Mathematically, a catenary is the curve formed by a rope or chain hanging freely between two fixed points. You can see the principle at work in everything from spider’s webs to…

DAPHNE BHOLUA ‘JACQUELINE POSTILL’ Clusters of pale pink, powerfully scented flowers appear early in the year. PHYLLOSTACHYS AUREOSULCATA ‘SPECTABILIS’ The upright yellow canes of this clump-forming bamboo are striped with green. CORNUS ALBA ‘SIBIRICA’ The first choice of dogwood for vibrant scarlet stems. Prune hard each year for shoots with the brightest bark. ACER PENSYLVANICUM ‘ERYTHROCLADUM’ Young shoots of the red snake-bark maple are a brilliant shade of coral. YUCCA GLORIOSA ‘VARIEGATA’ Sword-shaped leaves edged with cream are an architectural choice for a winter garden offering good foliage contrast. BETULA UTILIS ‘RAMDANA RIVER’ Exfoliating curls of cinnamon-coloured bark reveals trunks of pale gleaming white on this small, manageable birch. MISCANTHUS SINENSIS ‘KLEINE SILBERSPINNE’ Long-lasting seed heads…

• These plants prefer an acid soil and will struggle to grow well on chalk. Add plenty of organic matter to the soil when planting and, when plants are young, add sulphur to the soil to reduce the pH to below 7 (neutral). • Hamamelis are not tolerant of waterlogging and prefer sandy soils. Prepare clay soils well, with grit and gravel mixed in before planting. • Planting on mounds or in slightly raised beds can help with drainage, as long as young plants are well watered in while they establish. • A planting position in full sun is preferable and will ensure plants flower to their full potential, with compact growth. In hot, dry gardens a spot in dappled shade will help protect the plants from drying out. •…

After months of winter cold and the promise of spring just starting to glimmer on the horizon, the urge to get growing is strong – indulge it in the greenhouse. Having some protected space under glass is the best way to extend the gardening season successfully, enabling early sowings and head starts. A windowsill in the house might provide room for a few pots of early-sown seeds, but for anything else, a greenhouse is essential. Even if it is an unheated greenhouse, the glass alone will raise the temperature inside by a couple of degrees, and as long as the glass is clean and the greenhouse is in an open location, light will flood in, enabling plants to get a good start. That said, there is always a balance to…

How would you describe the book? It is the story of how my boyhood interest in natural history led me into a career in horticulture. What started as a hobby grew into a lifelong passion for travel and adventure. Who most inspired you to take up a career in horticulture? Aged 15, I was talked out of becoming a steam engine driver by the local museum curator, who instead arranged for me to have an interview with the Bolton parks department. Once in the job, my two foremen taught me about the art and craft of gardening and the magic of Latin names. I also owe a great deal to a local vicar, the Reverend Charles Shaw. Nicknamed the ‘Weed King of the North’, he shared his extraordinary enthusiasm for…