Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i The English Garden

Iona McLaren Iona is editor of the literary pages of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. She has just published her first book, about Bodnant Garden, where she grew up. She writes about its history on page 20. Dr Fay Edwards A former professor, Fay is a member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture and specialises in turning complex research into practical, evidence-based advice. She debunks rose-care myths on page 115. Natasha Goodfellow Natasha is the author of A London Floral. She writes for magazines and curates events such as Herbival, a festival of herbs at the Garden Museum, on 6 June. She visits David Austin Jnr’s garden on page 40.…

John’s Garden at Ashwood Nurseries West Midlands I love the way John Massey cares for every single plant in his garden! The focus isn’t on what’s in fashion, but on what will grow beautifully in the right place. Tel: 01384 401996; ashwoodnurseries.com Great Dixter East Sussex I love its energy. It retains a huge respect for the past and everything that’s gone before it while looking to the future. It encourages people to think about what their gardens mean, particularly in regard to wildlife. Tel: 01797 252878; greatdixter.co.uk…

Prune early-flowering shrubs Summer pruning of early-flowering (late winter to early summer) deciduous shrubs, such as philadelphus (below), ribes, kerria, forsythia, spiraea and staphylea can be tackled now. These shrubs flower on the previous year’s growth, so pruning straight after flowering allows maximum time for new growth to develop and mature. Prune back flowering stems to a strong young shoot and remove a number of the older stems to near ground level. Make the most of peonies No other plant typifies the exuberance of the season more than the peony. Their moment of flowering is brief but glorious, although the first colourful signs of new growth are usually noticeable in early March as their red shoots appear. Rapidly shooting upwards, their spreading stems will require staking if the heavy buds…

“It was just one of those things where you don’t really go further than the hall because you know it’s the right house,” says Joanna Wood, recalling the moment when she and her daughter Harriet visited Fyfield Manor for the first time, on the suggestion of Joanna’s husband, Charles. The couple had wanted to move from London and although Fyfield Manor wasn’t the location they first had in mind, with its friendly spirits the 1720s Cotswolds property seemed to fit. It is a charming home that once belonged to a prosperous farmer who added a grand front as a folie de grandeur. “The house looks much bigger than it is,” observes Joanna. “It’s punching above its weight.” Joanna has a long-established Belgravia interior-design practice alongside other business interests in wallpaper,…

Take a rambling redbrick farmhouse nestling in gently rolling Norfolk countryside, and add roses. On every weatherworn wall, over every gate and archway, roses climb, ramble and cascade, overflowing into borders and even the kitchen garden beds. Look for a moment longer, though, and there is a sense of something deeper at work here. As the sun rises over the Quads, a parterre at the top of the garden carved out from former lambing fields, cushions of green and plum foliage – box, purple-leaved hebe and Cotinus coggygria – and contrasting spires of foxglove and annual verbascum, soften this flamboyant show. The design and planting have a strong self-confidence, a kind of ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’ vibe, but with an ultra-romantic twist. Clipped box and painted obelisks add…

Perfectly still and reflecting the sky’s scudding clouds or the tracery of branches, gurgling from spouts or splashing from fountains, water brings gardens to life – not least because it draws in so much wildlife. On that, experts across the board agree: “Every garden should have a little bit of water somewhere,” insists garden designer and presenter Manoj Malde. “Water in any form in a garden is really important, even if it is just a bath for the birds to enjoy.” But when it comes to installing a water feature, the options are so diverse it can be bamboozling, and there are a lot of practicalities to consider. If mistakes come to light after the fixture has been installed or a pond filled, they can be a pain to fix.…

If there is one flower associated with June it must surely be the rose. Right now, passionate rose growers are almost certainly assessing their collection and wondering if there is room for just one more. Those bewildered by the choice available could visit Roses UK (rosesuk.com), the public-facing arm of the British Association of Rose Breeders, where you can whittle down the choice by selecting desired characteristics. Marilyn Stevens, project manager at Roses UK has some advice to offer: “The ‘ankles’ of roses are not their best feature, so I always underplant with low-growing perennials,” she says. “Once my roses are established, there is no special treatment beyond extra water during dry spells. Those in containers receive top dressing and slow release fertiliser in spring.” Here she suggests a selection…

Fuchsias can be a divisive plant: some gardeners love them, others really don’t – particularly when it comes to those hybrids with the over-the-top, slightly chubby, ballerina-tutu flowers. Yet there is one fuchsia that can often persuade the doubters: Fuchsia magellanica. Its flowers are slender, elegant, graceful. In a world of Mavis Cruets, Fuchsia magellanica is Margot Fonteyn. For all its graceful flowers, however, this fuchsia could also be considered a thug. It stole another fuchsia’s identity for the best part of 100 years, although really that was the fault of the botanists who mistook it for Fuchsia coccinea. The real F. coccinea languished in Oxford Botanic Garden until botanists realised they were two distinct species; in the meantime F. magellanica had “spread to every garden in the Kingdom”, Joseph…

There can’t be a gardener who hasn’t picked an edible leaf or two straight from the plant, nibbling on it as they work and enjoying its innate freshness. With just a little more restraint, these leaves can be used to make your own delicious herbal teas, which, whether enjoyed fresh in season or dried so as to be savoured throughout the year, will offer a realm of flavour, with various beneficial properties to boot. Ever since tea addict Catherine de Braganza married King Charles II and introduced black tea to the British upper classes in the 17th century, black tea, and subsequently coffee, have prevailed in our society. Yet herbal teas, infusions or tisanes, have had their place in human life for millennia. The Egyptians enjoyed a brew of some…

It may not be a formal garden to visit, but Petersham Nurseries in Richmond is undoubtedly a horticultural highlight for anyone visiting London. Edged by water meadows and with the Thames flowing idly by, Petersham nestles in a valley so beautiful it was painted by William Turner and is now part of the historic, protected view from the top of Richmond Hill looking west towards Hampton Court. In 1996, Gael and Francesco Boglione, seeking a quieter life and more space, moved with their children from Kensington to Petersham House, an elegant Queen Anne property that had come up for sale. Abutting the garden was a nursery owned by Bob and Annette Collett. Fearing developers, the Bogliones bought the nursery when it came up for sale in 2000, although with little…

Peonies by Claire Austin White Hopton Publications, £25 As with dahlias, roses and even sweet peas, peonies inspire devotion among their fans. Their dark, shiny foliage and voluptuous, full-figured blooms, sometimes fragranced, occasionally deeply coloured but usually paler, make for immensely desirable garden plants and cut flowers. Surprisingly for someone associated with one of the finest collections in the UK, Claire Austin wasn’t always an ardent supporter. Yet 40 years ago, she took on her father David’s collection, which he had established to diversify when his now-famous English roses weren’t quite providing him with a living. In this self-published book, Claire lays out all her considerable intelligence on the subject. She has researched widely the provenance of popular cultivars, outlined the work of international collectors and offers thoughts on new…

Describe an early encounter with plants. When I was growing up we lived in Richmond, near Kew, and I remember visiting Kew Gardens with my father. One day I picked an opium poppy and scored the head so a little drop of white sap exuded from the seed capsule. He said, “Go on, have a lick.” I remember the sensation very strongly because it made that bit of my tongue go numb. Years later, when I was on the Kew board, the trustees were given a tour of a drugs and poisons exhibit. We were all there in suits and ties. The botanists showed us an opium capsule and out of complete reflex I just licked it – I couldn’t help myself. It raised some eyebrows! What is your approach…

Early summer arrives at Gresgarth in mid-May and extends to that second week in June, just before the roses are at their best. All the better to see the garden bursting with colour and shades of pale green. Geraniums begin to flower, as do early dianthus, centranthus and Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’. There are waves of Hesperis matronalis ‘Alba’, Lunaria annua ‘Corfu Blue’ and Valeriana offi cinalis. The last of the bluebells and wild garlic in the wood give way to Camassia quamash, and you will spot Onopordum acanthium in the terrace beds, and the last blooms of Primula sieboldii as ornamental grasses start to emerge. The lake and bog garden are also coming into life with the different flower and leaf shapes. Gunnera leaves begin their ascent and…

I came across a quote from Gertrude Jekyll a few days ago: “What is one to say about June – the time of perfect young summer, the fulfilment of the promise of earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade?” I thought, Ms Jekyll has really hit the nail on the head there! Isn’t that exactly what we all love about June? And roses, of course, their tight buds now unfurling at pace to fill our gardens with opulent flowers and sumptuous scent. I sometimes wish we could freeze time and hold our gardens at this point forever, but then we wouldn’t be able to look forward to our roses blooming, and half the point would be lost. Still,…

Joanna and Charles’s attention to detail and a lifetime of collecting is evident throughout their garden. On the kitchen terrace, an 18th-century cistern has travelled with her for 30 years. The same age as the house, it looks as if it was chosen for its current quarters. A bronze sculpture of a stargazing dog bought from Architectural Heritage (Tel: 01386 584414; architectural-heritage.co.uk) also came with them from the city. The ornate gates were commissioned from Michael Jacques, specialist blacksmith of Forge Ahead (Tel: 01865 891810; mejj.co.uk). For other garden antiques, Joanna looks to Lorfords in Tetbury (Tel: 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques. com) and Dreweatts of Newbury (Tel: 01635 553553; dreweatts.com). Exterior lights in ‘Albermarle’ design come from Joanna’s own lighting firm Phillips and Wood (Tel: 020 8222 8117; phillipsandwood.co.uk). For furniture,…

‘KÖNIGIN VON DÄNEMARK’ A highly scented old shrub rose with full blooms, also sold as ‘Queen of Denmark’. ‘MAIGOLD’ A robust climber with muskfragranced, blush-apricot flowers opening from red-tinged buds. ROSA X ODORATA ‘MUTABILIS’ The flowers on this old China rose start out yellow and peach then age to cerise pink. ‘ENGLISH MISS’ A free-flowering floribunda rose with soft pink, shapely flowers slightly reminiscent of camellia blooms. ‘ROSY CUSHION’ Abundant single pink flowers with centres that fade to white as they age, on bushy, low-growing shrubs. ‘ALCHYMIST’ A vigorous climber with double, yellow-orange, strongly fragrant blooms in early summer.…

Moving water should be the most peaceful and serene sound you can hear in a garden. But if a water feature is poorly built or installed, problems can swiftly arise. Water features range from natural swimming pools and formal ponds to simple containers with bubbling spouts. The skill set of the contractor you use should suit the design of your water feature. A formal pond could be constructed by a skilled landscape contractor, but a natural swimming pool is a completely different ball game requiring specialist knowledge of materials, regeneration zones, the eco-system of the pool, and the overall mechanics. Engage the wrong skill set and that same pool becomes a breeding ground for algae, mosquitoes, even legionella and other waterborne diseases. Problems can occur if a water feature isn’t…

One of the keys to creating interesting planting combinations is the use of contrasting flower shapes and structures. This is why the flat-topped flowers of achilleas have become such a go-to plant for designers, providing a foil to the spires and spheres of other summer-flowering perennials. Not that this is the only attraction of these plants. “I love them for their colour variation – whether it’s bold pops of colour or pastel tones from ivory-white and shades of yellow and orange to a range of pinks and the deepest shades of red,” explains John Cullen, who is the custodian of a National Collection of Achillea millefolium at his nursery in Lincolnshire. “They have a long flowering season, with some starting to bloom in April – in some years we’ll still…

The Herb Society A body promoting the use and enjoyment of herbs, with members around the country. Events are held throughout the year. See herbsociety.org.uk Hackney Herbal Social enterprise promoting herbal health and wellbeing, offering creative events and workshops. Tel: 020 8616 0698; hackneyherbal.com Wilder Infusions to support overall health from naturopath Rachel Landon, with a focus on enriching the whole body system. See wilderbotanics.com Postcard Teas Specialist Mayfair tea shop run by Tim D’Offay, selling rare and exceptional teas and tea-making equipment. Tel: 020 7629 3654; postcardteas.com Sarah Raven Supplier of plants and seeds, including collections for teas, as well as tea-making equipment. Tel: 0345 0920283; sarahraven.com Hooks Green Herbs Specialist herb growers in Staffordshire, with vast knowledge and sound advice. Tel: 07977 883810; hooksgreenherbs.com Jekka McVicar Doyenne of…

As the summer solstice draws close, with warmer and brighter days beckoning, those living in the capital might be tempted to leave the city in search of June’s colourful floral offerings. Yet across London there are numerous exquisite gardens to be discovered, perfect for days out as part of a staycation or even a vacation. North London Hidden away on the leafy edges of Enfield in Greater London is Forty Hall, a grand Jacobean manor house that was built in 1632 by Sir Nicholas Rainton on the site of the former Elsyng Palace. The grounds of the estate cover 273 acres, with landscaping and planting styles from across the past four centuries. The Walled Kitchen Garden hosts ornamental rose beds, while the landscape is dominated by the incredible form of…

Carol Klein The plantswoman, writer and TV presenter on the joyous inspiration provided by UK gardens and gardeners for her two new series I’m longing to see Great British Gardens. You see bits during the making process, but that’s different from watching the whole year in continuity and the way one place changes and flows with different areas taking centre stage. The second series has twice as many gardens. We visited each one over all four seasons, despite filming with a smaller, socially distanced crew. All the gardens are very different but equally brilliant, and each has unique elements. Llanover, for example, has an emphasis on trees, so the autumnal part is very special. Another joy is meeting the people behind the gardens whose stories are part of the landscape.…

WATER in the Garden Water is a key part of Iford’s vocabulary, providing the narrative within the grammar of the garden. From high in the woodland a spring rises and cuts a dynamic line through the garden, delivering water to various ponds, basins and rills. It finally terminates at the ‘D’ pool, where a mature magnolia hugs the edge, its draping branches lightly breaking the watery film. Elsewhere, formal and informal pools, fonts and fountains all add to the sound of water that, along with the birdsong, is a constant here. All too often, however, the reality falls short of the dream. If there’s not enough oxygen in the water, pools can stagnate and the equilibrium of micro-organisms is upset. Oxygen is naturally trapped as tiny air bubbles in moving…

Cottage Core Embrace this continuing trend with a selection of cosy classics to help you enjoy your garden The Good Life Take the hard work out of your allotment with tools and treats to make things easier…

Plant achilleas in a sunny, open space where they won’t be shaded out by taller plants at the back of a border, otherwise they’ll move towards the light and become floppy. They’re classified as drought tolerant, but that doesn’t mean you should plant them and leave them. Water them during their first year so they establish well, then you won’t need to fuss over them. They’ll struggle on heavy clay soil, so incorporate plenty of grit when planting. Stake the taller varieties and place circular grid-type supports over the top of mid-height, clump-forming varieties, which have a tendency to sprawl outwards. They’re classed as short-lived perennials so divide every three years in late winter or early spring, discarding the woody centre and replanting the younger, outside growth to reinvigorate the…

What would the summer garden be without the delicate furls of roses? Yet these iconic blooms are often wrongly regarded as tricky. Methodical pruning, foliar feeding and dutiful deadheading are at the heart of many rose growers’ sworn-by practices – but are they really necessary? “People say that when you prune a rose, you need to open up the centre and go stem by stem,” says Tony Hall, Head of Gardens at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. “But it has been proven that you can take a hedge trimmer to a rose without doing it any harm.” Other traditional pruning advice includes cutting at a 45-degree angle a quarter of an inch above a leaf axil that slopes away from a dormant eye – talk that can leave even the…

As well as the Exclusive Escapes for 2021, Sisley Garden Tours also offers its classic range of group tours to gardens across Britain and Ireland, which can be booked now for 2022. These include tours that incorporate Chelsea or Hampton Court Flower Shows, the grand gardens of Ireland and its spectacular coast, or Scotland’s finest castles and gardens. Offering 5-8 nights away, these garden tours are part of an exciting programme that covers the length and breadth of the country, for those wishing to look further ahead.…

Paper sculptor Kate Kato has always been a country girl at heart. Brought up in Bristol, as a child she lived by the River Avon and with her brother she enjoyed exploring the riverside and woods near to their family home. Kate originally trained as a graphic designer at the University of the West of England and then went on to do a number of creative jobs. She worked as a portrait photographer and then a branding designer, but, feeling that she hadn’t quite found her niche, she retrained as a social worker, putting aside her creativity as a hobby only. It was when she moved to the village of Gladestry on the England-Wales border in 2014 with her husband Robin, and then had her two daughters, that she found…