Innholdsfortegnelse for A Year in the English Garden 2018 i The English Garden

Welcome to the second edition of our annual, A Year in the English Garden. The finest English gardens are a joy to be in all year round, thanks to a constant succession of plants taking their place in the spotlight as the months progress. A Year in the English Garden brings you gardens that make the most of every month, packed with ideas and inspiration for planting and design. Spring starts with snowdrops at Welford Park, before daffodils begin to bloom at The Old Rectory in West Sussex and tulips flower at Timbers in Kent. In summer, bearded irises steal the show at The Manor, then vibrant perennials take the stage at Cogshall Grange. The heat is turned up with Helmsley’s late summer borders, then it’s time for autumn berries…

CROCUS TOMMASINIANUS If your garden doesn’t currently have any crocuses, make this the one you add first. Crocus tommasinanus has the prettiest flowers in the softest shade of mauve, but it is this plant’s talent for seeding itself around that makes it such a wonderful garden addition. It will seed into the cracks of paving, into vast swathes of soft purple across borders, or create drifts across a lawn, but it will never make a nuisance of itself. When the sun shines, the flowers open wide to reveal the golden anthers at their heart; the flowers themselves can vary in colour from pale to deep purple. Try it below hellebores for a really pretty spring combination. CAMELLIA JAPONICA Nothing is quite as astonishing as the sight of a Camellia in…

IT’S NOT ONLY ABOUT THE SPRING BULBS, although for a few glorious weeks in spring the mossy sward above and below this venerable former rectory, tucked beneath a wood on the sloping southern edge of the Sussex Downs, is awash with a succession of them. The owners, Brianne and Robin Reeve, somewhat self-effacingly claim that they are not really responsible for the quite staggering annual display, since vast numbers of daffodils, snowdrops, grape hyacinths and all the other trappings of spring were already well-established when they acquired the house and garden some 40 years ago. And thereby hangs not one tale but two: one about the atmospheric medieval house itself and another about the Reeves’ sensitive management of the two-and-a-half-acre plot during those years – initially with both of them…

PRIMULA VULGARIS Nothing lifts the spirits quite like the appearance of primroses in spring, and there is nothing quite like our native pale-yellow Primula vulgaris. Plant it in dappled shade in moist but well-drained soil, to ensure its crinkly leaves have enough water – primroses will quickly wilt if they’re in a dry position. Over time, they can form quite large clumps, which are easily dug up and divided to spread the plants around. Lift the clump and you can often see where the rosette will naturally split; simply use an old bread knife to slice it into portions, making sure each has roots and a rosette of leaves, then replant the pieces at the same depth, watering them in well. PULMONARIA Pulmonaria or lungwort is a fantastic choice for…

• Plant asparagus crowns and seed potatoes, and continue to harvest existing crops throughout May. • Prepare for carrot fly by protecting sowings with a vertical barrier of horticultural fleece to keep out these low-flying pests. • Plant out tender ornamentals such as summer-flowering bedding, dahlias and exotics like cannas or castor oil plants, once the risk of frost has passed. • Courgettes and summer squashes can be sown in the greenhouse now and moved outdoors as the weather improves at the end of the month. • As long as no birds are nesting in them, trim evergreen hedges to keep them neat. • Place straw between strawberry plants to prevent mould and keep the fruits clean.…

HYDRANGEA A common misconception with these floriferous shrubs is just how much moisture they like. If hydrangeas are planted in soil that’s quick to dry out at the first sign of hot summer weather, they will wilt alarmingly and their flowering performance will be affected. The most identifiable are the mophead hydrangeas, H. macrophylla, with their big, round flowerheads of blue and pink, but for something a little different look to Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, which has enormous balls of lime-green flowers, turning white as they age. For a more subtle colour scheme, try dark-green leaved Hydrangea aspera Villosa Group, for heads of tightly packed purple flowers, surrounded by white butterfly-like florets. LAVENDER An iconic plant for an English country garden, lavender is a must-have for many gardeners and for good…

CHRYSANTHEMUM Choose hardy chrysanthemums if you want months of warm, rich-coloured flowers towards the end of the season, with a minimum of fuss. These varieties are easy to grow, come in a great colour range of autumnal yellow and orange, red, russet and pink, are an asset in the border and a boon to pollinating insects – but make sure the variety you buy is winter hardy, and labelled as a ‘garden’ Chrysanthemum. They’re best planted in May, so they have all summer to establish a good, strong root system before flowering in autumn. Fertile soil is a must, as is good drainage and sun, but also take care not to overcrowd chrysanthemums – they need elbow room to thrive. Deadhead after flowering and mulch over winter. SALVIA ‘AMISTAD’ Almost…

• Clear autumn leaves from ponds so they do not decompose in the water. Stretch netting over small ponds to stop them falling in. • Plant tulip bulbs in November and December. Later planting, with lower soil temperatures, lessens the risk of the fungal disease tulip fire. • Move tender pot plants into the greenhouse and wrap the containers of those staying outside in insulating bubblewrap. • Prune large rose bushes back by half to prevent winter wind rocking their roots loose from the soil. • Put grease bands around the trunks of fruit trees to prevent winter moth damage. • Pot up bulbs such as Hippeastrum, scented hyacinths, and ‘Paperwhite’ daffodils (below) for indoor displays this winter and over Christmas.…

• Plant individual cloves of garlic cultivars, such as ‘Solent Wight’, ‘Tuscany Wight’ and ‘Lautrec Wight’, into free-draining, fertile soil. Snip off any wispy ends so birds don’t tug them from the soil. Harvest when the leaves start to die off and turn yellow, usually in June or July. • Recycle your Christmas tree by shredding it, then add to your compost heap in thin layers. The chippings are also a good acidic mulch for ericaceous plants. • If the soil isn’t frozen, plant bare-root bushes and the canes of summer fruits, such as gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries. • Check vegetables and bulbs in storage and remove any that are starting to show visible signs of rotting.…

FORSYTHIA Many showy spring-flowering shrubs, such as azaleas and Hamamelis, are acid-loving, so do not thrive in the flinty, chalky soil here. Some great backbone shrubs, however, do, including a fine Forsythia that enhances the yellow tableau. CERCIDIPHYLLUM Some mature trees – notably a Magnolia, a Davidia and various blossom trees – remain in place from the original inherited tangle. This weeping Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum was introduced by the Reeves in the 1980s. EXOCHORDA Eye-catching when back-lit by spring sun are the fiery spring shoots of a well-sited Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’. White-flowered spiraeas, Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’ (above) and Kolkwitzia all flourish, as does a variegated Pittosporum lollipop. CISTUS Closer to the house, evergreen Mediterranean plants add texture and structure even when not in flower: a…

• As the days grow brighter, chit seed potatoes to give your crop a head start. Place tubers eyes-upwards in a tray or box on a light, cool windowsill. • Lift large clumps of snowdrops when they have finished flowering and divide their bulbs before replanting. • Mulch beds and borders to lock in moisture from wet spring weather and to protect the soil from drying out. • Start any planned landscaping projects, such as building a patio, so they can be enjoyed in summer. • Plant strawberries now for a delicious summer harvest. Try Ken Muir for season-stretching cultivars such as early ‘Honeoye’, a mid-season variety such as ‘Cambridge Favourite’, and a later-fruiting one such as ‘Flamenco’.…

EUPHORBIA It’s hard to beat the various euphorbias for spring zing. One of the biggest and most impactful is the well-known Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, which has grey-green leaves and large flowerheads with bright lime-green bracts. It looks superb teamed with purple perennial wallflower Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ and maybe a bright orange tulip such as ‘Ballerina’. There are smaller Euphorbia, too, such as the fiery orange E. griffithii ‘Fireglow’, multicoloured E. x martini ‘Ascot Rainbow’ and ground-hugging, angular E. myrsinites, perfect for gravel gardens or the top of a wall. One thing they all have in common is their milky sap: avoid contact with this, since it can cause an allergic reaction. ALLIUMS Instantly recognisable thanks to their bold spherical flowerheads in bright purple, alliums are one of the most…

• As the temperature rises and the days grow longer, remember to keep newly planted trees and shrubs well watered to prevent their roots drying out. • Make sure the greenhouse is suitably shaded to stop scorch affecting those plants still inside. Using blinds or shade paints can be very effective, as well as opening vents and doors on particularly warm days. • To prevent plants from suffering heat stress, damp down your greenhouse by pouring water onto the floor. This will ensure the greenhouse stays cooler and maintains its humidity. • During dry spells, keep the blades on your lawn mower higher up to avoid damaging the grass. • Take softwood cuttings of plants such as fuchsias, salvias and penstemons (below).…

• Take care that vegetables, young or new plants and containers are well watered in hot spells. Top up ponds and water features, too. • Increase stocks of strawberry plants by lifting and potting up rooted runners. • As crops are harvested, sow green manure in empty spaces in the vegetable plot to enrich the soil and protect its surface. • Give Wisteria its summer prune. Shorten the long, whippy shoots that have grown this summer to five or six leaves. • Keep deadheading roses to encourage further flowering. Pick off leaves affected by black-spot infection and burn them. • Check greenhouse plants for summer pests such as whitefly (below) and red spider mite and treat with a biological control.…

SEDUM SPECTABILE Sedum has recently had a name change, and should now correctly be called Hylotelephium, but it’s likely these fantastic autumn plants will still be sold by garden centres under their old name. Regardless, they’re a must for autumn. Their large heads of pink, greenish-white or crimson flowers are adored by butterflies and gardeners alike – they’re such an amenable partner for other autumn border stalwarts such as asters, chrysanthemums and Perovskia. Older clumps can splay outwards, so these fleshy perennials need lifting and dividing every four years or so – a simple task, best carried out in spring. Leave the flowerheads in place even as their colour fades to rust-brown – they add lots of interest over winter. CERATOSTIGMA This low-growing shrub adds an unusual colour in a…

IT IS A CRISP, SUNNY, AUTUMN MORNING shortly after the first frosts and Georgina and Hugh Seymour are raking scarlet and gold leaves off the banks at Stobo, their water garden in Peeblesshire, Scotland. Bright light shafts filter between tall, dark conifers and deciduous trees. Carpets of red, yellow and orange foliage scatter along winding paths, below trees and swirl, golden, below waterfalls. Above, the waters of the Weston Burn cascade from a white, painted trompe l’oeil bridge down a narrow gorge before rushing through rills, around moss-covered rocks and under Japanese-style bridges. “The garden is all about light, water and colour,” says Georgina. “Our main challenge is to be brave, keep vistas open and canopies raised so light can filter between the trees and shrubs and reflect in the…

• This month is best for planting tulip bulbs, when cooler soil temperatures should reduce the risk of tulip fire, the fungal disease, affecting your bulbs. • Maintain herbaceous perennials in your garden by cutting back any yellowing or dead foliage and stems. Divide dense clumps of early summer-flowering perennials now to prevent overcrowding. • Dig up parsnips (above) from the ground only after the first frosts, when they will be sweeter. • If you’re concerned about losing heat from the greenhouse, try insulating it with a layer of bubble wrap. • Switch blades to a taller cutting height if mowing the lawn. • Order bare-root trees and roses to plant during their dormant season this winter.…

HEDERA HELIX Ivy often has a bad press, regularly blamed for bringing down trees, ruining brickwork or pulling over fences. But it should also get some good press, for its excellent work supplying pollinating insects with a rich nectar source, at a time of year when other flowers are scarce. The curious lime-green sputnik-like flowerheads develop into clusters of inky-black berries that give birds a winter feast, too. Not only that, but its glossy leaves – in many varieties attractively patterned with variegation in cream or white – can hide many an eyesore, and shelter birds’ nests. Avoid growing it up old stonework and mortar, and keep it away from old or infirm trees and ivy will be a boon to your garden and its wildlife, too. PRUNUS SUBHIRTELLA x…

MAHONIA AQUIFOLIUM Mahonia have so much going for them, but are often dismissed as ‘car park shrubs’. True, they’re tough, hardy and reliable, but there is more to them than that. Their bright yellow flowers give off a beautiful lily-of-the-valley scent when they appear from February through to March; their glossy, toothed, deep-green foliage looks wonderful year round, often developing red tints in winter; and the flowers are usually followed by clusters of dusky blue berries that birds love (and are the reason for its common name, the Oregon grape). Look for the compact variety ‘Apollo’, which reaches around 1m tall and 1.5m wide, if space is a concern. HAMAMELIS ‘JELENA’ This outstanding witch hazel cultivar forms a cloud of coppery orange when in bloom, its flowers a subtle combination…

• Cut out dead stems of bamboo at their base using a pruning saw, to prevent clumps becoming congested – and to allow the canes to be better admired. • Hardwood cuttings taken last winter may need potting on or planting out now. Gently tip them out of their pot to see if they have rooted successfully. • In preparation for spring when lawns grow fast, try adding lawn edging to create neat and defined borders in the garden. • Clip deciduous grasses, such as Miscanthus, down to ground level before their active growth begins in spring. • Plant bare-root roses in a sunny, well-drained spot. Add composted manure to the soil before planting to ensure a glorious summer show.…

NARCISSUS ‘GERANIUM’ March is the month for daffodils, although there are one or two that flower earlier, such as ‘February Gold’. But it’s now that our gardens come alive with this most dependable spring bulb, and there are hundreds of cultivars to choose from should you decide your garden is in need of some of its own. ‘Geranium’ (pictured) boasts white flowers with a small orange trumpet. It also has delicious scent. Other great daffodils in bloom in March include white ‘Topolino’ with its lemon-yellow trumpet, and ‘Jetfire’, which has swept-back yellow petals and a deep orange trumpet. But do not worry too hard about cultivar choice – it is difficult to go wrong. PRUNUS INCISA A Japanese flowering cherry, also known as the Fuji cherry because in the wild…

• Mow the lawn with the blades raised high for the first few cuts, then gradually lower them as the season progresses. • Finish cutting back dead foliage and stems on perennials to make way for fresh new growth in spring. • Start to increase the water given to houseplants as the temperature increases. • Sow tomato seeds indoors and move them outside once the risk of frost has passed. • Check plants regularly for pests and diseases to apply the correct treatments and nip problems in the bud. • Deadhead pansies regularly to keep spring bedding vibrant and attractive as you wait for summer blooms. • Plant chitted potatoes in the ground, or in potato sacks to make the most of the growing season.…

ROSES A healthy, well-grown rose in its first full flush is unsurpassable. Romantic, blowsy blooms, matchless perfume, a wide range of colours to suit any garden: roses are truly one of the best flowering shrubs you can grow. Stick to modern-bred cultivars that have good disease resistance and vigorous growth and you can’t go far wrong. The only real maintenance required with these is an annual prune, in late winter just before bud burst. This is achieved simply by cutting out any dead or dying bits and then pruning the rest of the stems back by one half or two thirds. Also treat them to a scattering of rose fertiliser around their bases in mid-spring when buds are forming, and once after the first flush of flowers has faded. BEARDED…

ON ONE OF THE SUNNIEST DAYS OF the year in the north-west, when Cogshall Grange garden is bursting with colour, contrasting textures and a lushness that comes from its famed, concentrated naturalistic planting, the head gardener at the Northwich site lets the secret of the garden out. “I ban hoes completely here,” admits Adrian Lovatt, who has tended the garden for the past four years. “We don’t need them. You won’t see any bare soil in our borders, and that is how it should be. Our planting is so dense in our rectangular grass bed we can have up to 7-9 molinias a square metre.” The substantial planting at the Grange – a private home set in 100 acres of grassland – makes for an abstract painterly garden that still…

• Deadhead bedding plants in borders and containers to ensure repeat flowering. Feed and water pots, too. • Keep an eye on courgettes in the vegetable garden and pick them when small and tender, not unwieldy marrows. • Check containers for vine weevil grubs – C-shaped larvae that eat plant roots. Sudden wilting can be a sign. Treat with parasitic nematodes. • Prune shrubs that finished flowering in late spring or early summer, such as Weigela and Philadelphus. • Even in dry weather, resist the urge to water the lawn. Instead, raise the height of mower blades. Yellowing turf will quickly recover when rain arrives. • Plant autumn-flowering bulbs, such as colchicums, nerines and Amaryllis (below).…

PELARGONIUM It’s difficult to think of a plant that flowers for as long as pelargoniums, in all their many forms. Zonal pelargoniums, the kind sold as bedding plants, lend their colourful flowers to container displays throughout the entire summer, and there are plenty of other kinds to try, should your passion for these plants be aroused. Angels are a particularly lovely form, often with two-tone flowers, like ‘Quantock Perfection’ (pictured above) with its fuchsia pink and pale-pink blooms. Pelargoniums love the sun and will thrive outdoors in the summer, but come winter they need to be protected from the frost. Move them into a greenhouse, or onto a bright windowsill in the house, and keep them just moist until spring. ECHINACEA If you’re keen on attracting bees and butterflies to…

• Make the most of an abundant summer harvest by pickling and preserving fruit and vegetable crops. • Remove large leaves that stop sunlight reaching developing pumpkins and squashes to ensure they ripen fully. • While they are growing well, pot up herbs such as mint and parsley to grow on the kitchen windowsill during the winter. • Install pot feet below containers of plants to ensure excess water can drain through when autumn’s wetter weather arrives. • To be ready for autumn planting, order spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and crocuses. • Keep the garden looking colourful until the first frosts by filling gaps in borders with autumn-flowering plants, such as nerines and chrysanthemums.…

COTONEASTER HORIZONTALIS Cotoneasters aren’t the most glamorous shrub, widely seen in municipal planting schemes and the dreaded ‘car park’. But this species, with its herringbone lattice of branches, each clad in tiny dark-green leaves, would make anyone change their mind. It looks good in every season. In spring it is covered in small white flowers that are a big attraction for bees. In summer, its leaves provide a glossy green backdrop. In autumn, the flowers turn into tasty red berries for birds, and its leaves are suffused with orange and red before falling. In winter, that lattice of stems provides architectural interest. Great against a wall or grown as groundcover. JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM Winter-flowering jasmine has an odd growth habit. Unlike its climbing summer-flowering scented relatives, it has a lax habit,…

The beauty of a home-made wreath is that you can gather a unique combination of greenery from your garden to make your arrangement truly one of a kind. Follow this guide from the Great British Florist, greatbritishflorist.co.uk You will need A ready-made ring of oasis Sharp secateurs Scissors Florist’s wire Method 1. Soak the oasis ring in water for 10 minutes. 2. As you wait, wire any material that hasn’t a stem strong enough for forcing into the oasis. Wrap the wire around the base of the item and twist it to make a firm stalk that is roughly 10cm long. 3. Trim decorations with a natural stem to 10cm in length, stripping back the final 2cm of the stem. 4. To create a natural look, use varying shades and…

• Add winter interest to your garden by planting evergreens such as Viburnum tinus (above). • If your roses suffered from black spot this year, clear fallen leaves away from the base of rose bushes to reduce the risk of reinfection. • If you are fortunate enough to have a white Christmas, brush fallen snow off your greenhouse to prevent damage to the glass. • Aerate lawns to improve drainage, using a hollow-tine lawn aerator. • Liven up empty patios by planting winter containers with bedding plants such as Cyclamen and Viola. • Take hardwood cuttings of shrubs such as Cornus or Buddleja. • Make sure you prune acers and silver birches before Christmas. Afterwards, their sap rises, and pruning wounds can bleed.…