Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i The English Garden

Stephanie Donaldson Garden writer Stephanie spends her time writing, travelling to see plants in the wild and tending her coastal garden in East Sussex. She pays a visit to Malthouse Farm on page 20. Alexandra Davies Alex has mainly photographed people for the past 11 years, but has diversified and now takes photos of her other favourite subjects: flowers and gardens. She photographed The Grange on page 51. Liz Ware Liz is a writer and photographer. She also runs Silent Space, a scheme encouraging gardens around the UK to reserve an area for silent reflection. In this issue, she visits The Grange, in Oxfordshire on page 51.…

Henfield, West Sussex This exciting, eight-acre prairie garden, created in the shape of a spiralling nautilus shell, has been planted in a naturalistic style with 60,000 plants and over 1,600 different varieties, including a range of unusual ornamental grasses. Visitors can roam bark-chip paths through the layers of colour, texture and architectural splendour in huge borders. Surrounded by mature oak trees with views of Chanctonbury Ring and Devil’s Dyke on the South Downs, the garden also features a permanent sculpture collection, along with rare-breed sheep and pigs, and a new, tropical entrance garden. Sussex Prairies, Morlands Farm, Wheatsheaf Road (B2116), Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9AT. Open on 8 September, 11am to 5pm. Home-made teas. Adults £8; children free. Visit ngs.org.uk for details.…

Autumn Sculpture Trail 2 September-10 November, Yorkshire To mark RHS Harlow Carr’s 70th birthday, sculptors from around Yorkshire will create artwork to display for 70 days. Usual entry charge. Tel: 01423 565418; rhs.org.uk Autumn Country Market 3 September, Lincolnshire Find over 60 plant, craft and food stalls at Easton Walled Garden with beekeeping and botanical painting demos. Usual entry charge. Tel: 01476 530063; visiteaston.co.uk Autumn Artisan Craft & Design Fair 6-8 September, Devon Browse gifts for home and garden from independent traders at RHS Rosemoor’s celebration of local talent. Usual entry charge. Tel: 01805 624067; rhs.org.uk Harrogate Autumn Flower Show 13-15 September, Yorkshire Plan your plot with the help of expert demos, find inspiration in the Floral Pavilion and shop for garden gifts and gear. Tickets: £16.50 Tel: 01423 546157;…

Grow simple species and pollinator-pulling flowers among fruit and vegetables to attract beneficial insects. Borage, Echium vulgare ‘Blue Bedder’, Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ and Hyssop officinalis are our favourites. Include dual-purpose, insect-friendly flowers for cutting, such as globe artichoke, Cynara cardunculus, Echinops bannaticus ‘Albus’, eryngium, dahlia, helianthus and phlox. Use strongly scented or pungent plants, to distract pests and create a physical barrier from edible targets. Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, distracts low-flying carrot fly, while alliums, calendula and chives distract aphids from lettuce and broccoli. Plant pest-specific plant deterrents. Key combinations include: slug-repelling hyssop with lettuces; summer savory, Satureja hortensis, with broad beans to deter black bean aphids; hoverflyattracting pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis), with kale to prevent outbreaks of aphids; and nasturtiums with tomatoes and cucumbers to deter whitefly. Plant sacrificial…

“If it doesn’t spread or compete with other plants I leave it,” says Jo. This is particularly important when managing mare’s tail (or horsetail, equisetum species), generally reckoned to be one of the trickiest weeds. “You’ll never get rid of it, so we just grow other large plants around it – it has actually got nice foliage.” “I always say to people ‘know what your weeds look like’, so that way you can distinguish between them and your own plants that are self-seeding,” suggests Jo. Manage your time effectively and if you just don’t have time to completely dig out and remove weeds, you can at least keep them in check and stop them from setting seed. Concentrate on easy targets. Jo says she has spent years focusing on pulling…

Lift and divide plants every two to three years to keep them healthy and vigorous. Contain the growth of thuggish plants, such as Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’ by submerging barriers around them beneath the soil. Stretch netting between posts along the back of a border and allow plants to grow through it for additional support. Pile a thick 8cm (3in) layer of home-made garden compost on the borders every year to enrich the soil, starting in November and covering the plants; they will grow up through it in the spring. Monitor plants throughout the year and mark any that need to be divided or are in the wrong place so that you know what to do in spring. Constantly tweak the borders and put something new in every year, to keep…

Hylite Slimline Green Eco Heater £32.50 Electric tubular heaters can be fixed to the greenhouse wall or stood on the floor to make efficient use of space. greenhousepeople.co.uk Biogreen Phoenix from £214 Buy this electric fan heater direct from biogreen.world or from UK suppliers such as twowests.co.uk Fir Tree Proheater from £155 A range of thermostatic gas-powered heaters with different outputs for small to large greenhouses. kdev.co.uk…

Ballet dancers, typists and seamstresses signed up, a third came from London or large industrial cities, and their contribution to Britain’s war effort during World War I and World War II has been consistently overlooked. As the 80th anniversary of the start of WWII approaches, it is worth recalling the role of the Women’s Land Army, whose members were known informally as Land Girls. They brought much to the imperilled food supply in the country at the time, while their presence would later open up careers in horticulture for those women who sought them. The Women’s Land Army was a civilian group, established in January 1917 during WWI, when the number of men called from the fields to the trenches of Europe had resulted in an acute shortage of agricultural…

While researching your book, was there a particular archive or library that proved especially useful? I consulted the archives of all the colleges, which sometimes meant translating accounts from Medieval Latin. This work has, I hope, resulted in many intriguing details, such as the ‘black walks’, covered with coal dust, which appear to be peculiar to a handful of Cambridge colleges. The most valuable archival find was the ‘garden book’ in the Muniment Room at Christ’s College, which has not thus far been looked at by garden historians. Dating back to the 1680s, it is a potentially unrivalled source for the period because of its detail regarding the daily costs of plants, tools, buildings and labour. I quoted from it sparingly, since this is a book aimed at the general…

DAISY CLOUGH NURSERIES LTD A busy nursery in rural Lancashire, Daisy Clough specialises in a carefully selected range of over 700 perennials and grasses. Open seven days a week, the nursery also offers a good selection of shrubs, trees, container plants and fruit. Plenty of homegrown vegetable plants are available through spring and summer. The 2019 plant list is available to view on the website. There is a beautiful shop selling garden sundries and homeware and a fabulous new tearoom to round off your visit. Tel: 01524 793104 info@daisyclough.com | www.daisyclough.comDaisy Clough Nurseries Ltd, Station Lane, Scorton, Preston, Lancs PR3 1AN SPRING REACH NURSERY Spring Reach Nursery grows a fantastic range of clematis, trees, hedging, ferns, shrubs, fruit, perennials, roses, climbers and grasses. Late summer eyecatchers now are Abutilon ‘Kentish…

Our feature rounding up just a handful of the thousands of short courses and workshops gardeners can take this autumn has made me long to sign up for something myself. There are some listed that I’d love to do, like being shown by Fergus Garrett how bulbs are used at Great Dixter, or heading to Iford Manor for new head gardener Troy Scott-Smith’s workshop on creative containers. Turn to page 93 to see if there’s anything that tempts you to learn a new skill. That people like Fergus and Troy are willing to share their experience and knowledge with us is just one example of the generosity of gardeners. Sharing plants and tips is second nature; other gardeners go further, and share their gardens with visitors to raise money for…

Anthriscus sylvestris, also known as Queen Anne’s Lace, cow parsley and mother die, is rich in folklore. The name ‘mother die’, was thought to stem from the fear that bringing the plant indoors could quite literally bring about the death of one’s mother. One explanation for the title ‘Queen Anne’s Lace’ was that Queen Anne would traditionally travel in the month of May, which is when the plant appears, leading people to believe the roadsides had been decorated in her honour.…

Looking across the lake at The Grange in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, to a tapestry of late-summer colour, it’s hard to believe that this beautiful garden almost didn’t happen. A little over 12 years ago, its creators, Vicky and Peter Farren, were planning to move to Cambridgeshire. Although they scarcely had time for their one-acre garden in North London, Vicky had a hankering for something larger and more interesting beyond the suburbs. Of the many sets of property particulars that dropped through the letterbox, one caught Vicky’s attention. “The Grange looked intriguing,” she recalls “but it was in Oxfordshire not Cambridgeshire, so I put it straight in the bin.” A few days later, one of their daughters needed a lift to Heathrow. Realising she would be within an easy drive of Chalgrove,…

Bold and architectural, agapanthus bring colour, excitement and a touch of the exotic in high-summer. Brilliant blue and occasionally white, their flower-heads erupt above lush, strap-like foliage, bursting from papery sheaths to create starbursts of multi-floreted blooms which flourish for six weeks or more. Select early-, mid- and late-flowering varieties, from an abundance of cultivars, and you can enjoy a summer-long show. Use agapanthus to bring bolts of saturated colour to traditional herbaceous borders, or they can be threaded through grasses for a more contemporary feel. They thrive in containers too, brightening terraces and balconies. Their sturdy-stemmed, long-lasting flowers are excellent for cutting and their trumpet-like florets attract bees and other pollinators to the garden. The colour palette spans the entire spectrum of blues, from deepest purple and indigo to…

In bearing a shaggy, anarchic look, hedges and schoolboys are not dissimilar at this time of year. Six weeks’ growth could do with a trim and a rendezvouz with a pair of shears isn’t an unreasonable proposition. In the garden, a good pair of shears is invaluable. Their long blades provide a broad surface area with which to cut slender-stemmed growth, making them ideal for hedges, certain climbing roses, lavender, honeysuckle and jasmine – wherever there is quite a lot of growth to remove. Keep in mind that loppers, which have much stouter blades and longer handles, are better used on thicker woodier stems, and reserve shears for stems up to a quarter of an inch across. If it is a large surface area for cutting you seek from a…

Wartime shifts brought new employment possibilities for women inclined towards horticulture. Vita Sackville-West notes opportunities for those keen on pursuing a horticultural career in her book, The Women’s Land Army, but women’s long-term accession to the field was slow, especially since the return of men to the fields rendered them seemingly redundant. For women who wished to continue in this profession, Vita imagined small-scale market gardens modelled on the French style: “I see mushroom sheds and pedigree poultry runs; I see acres of flowering bulbs,” she wrote. In 1918 30 women were employed at RGB Kew, with some staying on until 1922 when the employment of women ceased. In 1939 they were allowed to work at Kew again and there was a female staff of 12 in 1940, increasing to…

• Begin to prune climbing roses as the flowers start to fade. Remove dead-or unhealthy-looking stems by cutting them to ground level. • Plant spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils, crocuses, scillas and hyacinths in borders and pots now. • Protect ripening fruit from birds by covering with tightly stretched netting or growing trees and bushes inside a fruit cage. • Start mowing the lawn less frequently as growth slows and, towards the end of the month, remove thatch, aerate and top dress with a mix of two parts sieved soil, two parts sharp sand and one part sieved garden compost. • Plant autumn onion sets about 8cm apart in well-drained soil with the tips just visible.…

• Birds will be busy developing their winter plumage, thickening them with up to 70% more feathers for the colder months. Keep them well nourished by leaving out protein and fat-rich foods. • Leave seedheads on plants and allow vegetation to die back naturally – this will provide food and shelter for garden wildlife in autumn and winter. Choose plants with attractive seedheads – echinacea or phlomis, say – to keep borders looking good. • Plant herbaceous perennials at the end of the month, while the soil is warm from late-summer sun, but still moist. Choose nectar-rich perennials such as Verbena bonariensis, phlox, agastache, scabious and sedum to attract pollinators. • Spread fallen leaves over your flowerbeds to provide a rich mulch as well as a good habitat for birds,…

ANGELICA GIGAS Plum-purple domed flowerheads on a statuesque 1.2m plant with bold leaves attract all kinds of pollinators. HELIANTHUS ‘SOLAR FLASH’ Abundant bicolour flowers on this compact, multi-headed sunflower. DAHLIA ‘KARMA FUCHSIANA’ Seedlings of this dahlia spring up, with flowers tending towards being single. LUPINUS ‘BLUE JAVELIN’ This scented, delicate annual lupin flowers over a long period. Soak and sow the hard-coated seeds in spring. TITHONIA ROTUNDIFOLIA Sow this half-hardy annual in mid-spring and plant out after the frosts for long-stemmed flowers in vibrant orange. HELIANTHUS ANNUUS ‘MAGIC ROUNDABOUT’ Pale-yellow petals with a circular flare of crimson on this 1.8m tall sunflower. TRIFOLIUM INCARNATUM Gail uses red clover as a green manure in vacant vegetable beds to replenish soil fertility as part…

DAHLIA ‘WINE-EYED JILL’ Pastel pink and apricot flowers mean that this dahlia is entirely in keeping with Jo’s soft, textural planting. FOENICULUM VULGARE ‘PURPUREUM’ As it matures and flowers, the foliage of bronze fennel loses its purplish tint. PERSICARIA AFFINIS Flowering from June to September above a neat, spreading mat of leaves, this makes excellent groundcover. CROCOSMIA ‘LUCIFER’ With flowers in fiery coral-red, this crocosmia tones perfectly with bronze and beige grass flowerheads. FILIPENDULA RUBRA Also known as meadowsweet, this is a superb choice for moist soils, thriving in stream or pondside locations. PENSTEMON ‘GARNET’ Vivid purple flowers help this cultivar stand out. Protect the crowns of the plant over winter in cold areas. ACANTHUS MOLLIS Tall spikes of purple hooded white…

RUDBECKIA FULGIDA VAR. DEAMII This 60cm tall perennial will flower continuously from August to October. EUPATORIUM CANNABINUM Handsome clumps of hemp agrimony will attract bees and butterflies. AMARANTHUS ‘GARNET RED’ Purple foliage and deep-red flower tassels on this half-hardy annual. SOLIDAGO CANADENSIS Goldenrod is a vigorous plant, so keep on top of its spread to prevent it from overpowering its neighbours. HELENIUM AUTUMNALE ‘GARTENSONNE’ Daisy flowers in glowing marmalade shades of yellow, orange and red. CROCOSMIA ‘GEORGE DAVISON’ A golden-flowered cultivar with delicate arching stems and strappy leaves. DAHLIA ‘TIMELESS’ b Plant gh - tubers blue and inviv mid-spring to enjoy the pink flecked salvias and . a splashed ap anthus bicolour flowers of artemisia contrasts with Sawyer…

Plant agapanthus in open ground any time during their growing season. Give them well-drained soil in full sun and allow time to settle since established plants flower best. New plugs can take at least four years to flower. Mulch with straw or leaves to protect deciduous plants over winter. Do not disturb until plants become over congested and flowering decreases. Lift and divide in spring as they come into growth. Use a pruning saw to cut through the crown, but don’t make plants too small or you will have to wait longer for flowering. Trim the roots by half before replanting. In containers use loam-based compost and place the plant in the middle of the pot. They will eventually reach 1m across so start in a smaller pot and move…

No matter how long ago your schooldays were, September always brings with it that ‘back to school’ feeling, of new pencil cases and pristine pads of paper, all ready for the start of term. It’s also the start of autumn, the best time to plan and plant in the garden. So why not get the gardening year off to the best possible start by tying it with the academic year and signing up for a course that will brush up or encourage new skills in the garden? There are many to choose from, taught at specialist colleges or at gardens, nurseries and other gorgeous venues. The ones we have featured here are all short courses or workshops, chosen to fit in around busy lives and schedules. For flower growers and…

The Extraordinary Story of the Apple by Barrie E Juniper and David J Mabberley Kew Publishing, £40 The humble apple, ostensibly the most English of fruits, is actually nothing of the sort. This fascinating tome from Kew considers the fruit’s origins in the wild Tian Shan mountains of Central Asia, and then traces its spread across Europe, the Americas and Australia to worldwide ubiquity. As the authors note, the secret behind the apple’s charm offensive is the fact that, unlike many other fruits, it stores brilliantly, making it an important source of nutrients over harsh winters. It also travels well, making it a food source for horses travelling the Silk Road, which furthered its dispersal. This is a long and thoughtful book by renowned botanical experts, which considers both the…

ROUSHAM HOUSE & GARDEN Rousham, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX25 4QU Tel: 01869 347110 | www.rousham.org Rousham represents the first phase of English landscape design, and remains almost as William Kent left it, one of the few gardens of this date to have escaped alteration. Many features which delighted 18th century visitors to Rousham are still in situ, such as the ponds and cascades in Venus’s Vale, the Cold Bath and seven-arched Praeneste, Townsend’s Building, the Temple of the Mill, and, on the skyline, a sham ruin known as the ‘Eyecatcher’. OPEN: Daily from 10am, last admission 4.30pm. No children under 15 and no dogs. Entry fee £8 per person. THE BISHOP’S PALACE & GARDENS, WELLS Off Market Place, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD Tel: 01749 988111 | www.bishopspalace.org.uk Over 14 acres of…

It has been a bumper year for greenfly. But I am pretty relaxed about it. I don’t spray, I just leave the job to the hoverflies. In late summer I love to watch them feeding on the Michaelmas daisies, the whole patch like a microscopic city airport, with wings flashing in the sunshine, as if hundreds of helicopters from all points of the compass were taking off and landing all at once. They are such captivating creatures. There are 276 species of hoverfly in Britain. In a suburban garden you might expect to find anything from a few dozen up to about 80, depending upon the flora. Yet inexplicably they have no common names – only a few generic nicknames, like the black-and-yellow ‘tiger’ hoverfly and the orange-striped ‘marmalade’ variety.…