Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Woman's Weekly Living Series

To mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, The Royal Parks is creating a new garden on the site of a former plant nursery at the heart of The Regent’s Park. The site, which is around 1.5 acres, is near the Inner Circle and the design will complement the existing gardens. The Royal Parks’ own horticulturalists, arboriculturists and landscape teams will be involved in the creation and, while plans are still in their infancy, they will include design features that reflect Her Majesty’s love of trees and nature, and her impact throughout the Commonwealth and world. The Royal Parks is also creating a new wood in Richmond Park, planted with 70 large trees, each one to mark a year of Her Majesty’s reign. A celebration rose For more than 60 years, award-winning…

GARDENER Josephine Hoy. LOCATION Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire. LANDSCAPED Over the last four decades, Josephine has gradually filled her four-acre garden with beautiful borders composed from a blend of shrubs, roses, perennials and bulbs, alongside wildflower meadows, peaceful lawns and an orchard. SPECIAL FEATURES In one corner, a folly opens onto a meadow, whilst in another, a shepherd’s hut is engulfed by a sea of cow parsley: at the heart of the garden stands a wisteria arbour. ASPECT Front facade faces south. SOIL TYPE Medium loam enriched with homemade compost. PROBLEMS Bindweed has been a recurrent problem, especially since Jo gardens organically, so has to painstakingly dig it out. Initially, she dug out heaps of asbestos and concrete slabs, probably the remnants of Nissen huts. INSPIRATION Jo admires garden designers Christopher Lloyd…

✣ A small stone trough is planted with succulents, and edged in clumps of creamy dicentra. It rests beside the path leading down to the house, a raised garden-in-miniature that adds a contrasting element amidst unrestrained perennials. ✣ A stone bird bath creates a quiet space in a packed border of Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, orange geum, blue centaurea and Alchemilla mollis. ‘A wide variety of birds visit. Most exciting was when a pair of barn owns visited the box on an oak tree,’ says Jo. ✣ A stone bench surrounded by colour-themed borders planted with clumps of lime green euphorbia, Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, hardy geraniums, ragged robin and pink Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’. ✣ A large old metal drum, once used on a farm, is now painted and planted with miniature…

There’s something undeniably romantic about cottage gardens, harking back to a time when life was simpler, the pace slower and nature was an integral part of everyday life. It was a time when householders gardened to eat as well as for pleasure, and developed an informal approach to growing edible plants alongside the purely decorative. Nowadays, this tradition gives a spontaneous feel to planting, and modern cottage gardens are a melange of productive and ornamental plants, unrestricted by rules of colour-theming. If a plant is healthy and happy, albeit self-seeded rather than carefully positioned, it is welcomed as a free spirit, and left well alone. Yet despite this apparent artlessness, the most pleasing cottage gardens are often loosely planned to create a balance between abundance and either flowering or harvesting…

SIZE 90cm x 60cm SOIL Fertile and well drained. POSITION Plant in full sun or partial shade. CARE Peonies establish well from bare roots – plant them in autumn, shallowly, so that the crown is 2.5cm below the soil surface. Allow good air circulation around the plants to prevent fungal infection setting in. Provide supports early to prevent the flowers from flopping. In autumn, cut back and mulch, avoiding the crown. GOOD COMPANIONS Aquilegias, cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), geums, astrantia and poppies team up well.…

HANGING BASKETS It’s time to plant up your hanging baskets, and this year Crocus have introduced a ribbed bowl planter to their range. Galvanised steel with an aged zinc finish, it works well in both modern and traditional gardens. A deeper bowl encourages a deep root system, plus it holds more water than traditional baskets, so requires less watering. Hanging Aged Ribbed Bowl, £32.99, crocus.co.uk WEED KILLER Keep on top of weeds by running a hoe over your beds. Best done on a dry day with a light wind, so that the seedlings will dry out on the soil rather than re-rooting. This Bulldog Dutch Hoe has a 4-inch blade with a long ash handle, making it easy to reach the backs of borders. Bulldog Dutch Hoe, £64.80, thompson-morgan.com EARLY…

Specimen trees – she has a large collection of birches – and wildlife are also passions, and go hand-in-glove with nesting boxes in every available tree. She feeds birds all year, grows plants for bees and butterflies, overlooks field mice in walls and turns a blind eye when they come in the greenhouse. ‘I garden for wildlife which to me is as important as the flowers.’ It is a far cry from the scene that greeted Jo and her husband when, in 1977, they moved in. ‘It was lovely but basic, apart from many lovely trees planted by a Victorian rector who collected them during his travels.’ There’s a mulberry, horse chestnuts, lime, green-leaved and copper beeches, a Holme oak and yews. With four young children, Jo had little time…

Self-seeding plants add spontaneity to borders, popping up at will in the least expected places where, left undisturbed, they can flourish. ‘I do not like too much formality, so I encourage the flowering plants to mingle and self-seed,’ notes Jo. There are a number that appear throughout her garden, amongst them Orlaya grandiflora which initially she raises from seed in her greenhouse… Orlaya grandiflora, white laceflower, an annual with white flowers in flattish umbels: long flowering and attractive to insects. Nigella damascena, love-in-a-mist, a bushy annual with feathery foliage and pale blue flowers that fade to handsome seedheads. Lychnis flos-cuculi, ragged robin, a native perennial producing bright, reddish pink flowers from late spring. Silene fimbriata, fringed white campion, is an herbaceous perennial with rosettes of soft green leaves and, from…

The extravagant silky blooms of peonies make wonderful cut flowers, either as a centrepiece for a posy, or filling a large vase with a blend of soft pastels mixed with a few darker accent shades. Among those that last best in a vase, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ and ‘Coral Charm’ shine out. Peonies are best cut just as the buds are on the cusp of opening. Trim the stems at an angle, removing any leaves that will sit below the waterline in the vase. Add flower food to warm water in the vase, arrange the flowers, and display away from direct sunlight, of out of gives drafts off , chemicals and not near that fresh cause fruit peonies — which in a to age prematurely. Top up the golds and…

Food for thought Q My children object to me removing dandelions. They say it deprives insects of food and I say nonsense. Who is right? A It’s true that dandelion flowers provide nectar for insects and are a valuable addition to the wilder parts of gardens. There are almost always plenty of dandelions in uncultivated areas in most places that should sufficiently support wildlife. They’re also a persistent garden weed that can get out of hand. Perhaps you can strike a compromise with your offspring and allow dandelions to flower but remove seedheads before seeds are released In late winter dandelions have a weak grasp on the soil and are easily removed, but to keep the peace you could leave some. Dandelion leaves make tasty salad. Two weeks of ‘blanching’…

Wooden decking, with its natural variations in grain, pattern and tone, is a perfect partner to plants. It creates a unifying background to arrangements of containers in various materials, colours, sizes and shapes. Decks bear weight well, spreading the load of heavy containers along supporting joists. A deck’s sub-frame also provides a place to conceal electrical cables for lighting, and water pipes for an automatic irrigation system. Raised decks have steps that may be utilised as staging for pots of herbs, succulents, annuals or strawberries. Steps also provide a surface to install LED light strips beneath the risers, creating a different mood for evenings – especially attractive if the deck forms the immediate view from inside. Decks need regular maintenance such as jet-washing to prevent the build-up of algae and…

‘FRENCH BREAKFAST’  This popular radish is a vigorous, fast-maturing cylindrical variety that produces red oval roots with white tips. It’s a reliable cropper that’s ideal for growing in containers. Its crisp, crunchy roots have a strong flavour that will spice up your summer salads, and its elegant shape looks good on a plate of crudités too. ‘WHITE ICICLE’  As quick to grow as red-skinned varieties, this pure-white form produces roots 10cm long, which have a crisp texture, fresh flavour and are slow to bolt. Ideal for salads or oriental dishes, and great for growing as a quick crop to sow between rows of slower-growing vegetables. Sow outdoors from February to September. ‘WATERMELON’  This special Chinese heirloom radish is a firm, crisp variety with a light, sweet flavour and just a…

Gardens up and down the country are planning Jubilee-themed displays to celebrate 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II as British monarch. Here are a few ideas inspired by Her Majesty that you can try at home. Celebratory colours Take inspiration from RHS Garden Harlow Carr, which is sowing three wildflower meadows in a patriotic red, white and blue colour scheme especially for the Jubilee. You’ll find ready-mixed red, white and blue seed packs in many garden centres, but you can also create your own mix – just choose varieties that can be sown at the same time to flower simultaneously. For a simple display, try cornflowers, poppies and ox-eye daisies together. Royal picks When the RHS Chelsea Flower Show went virtual for the first time in 2020, the Queen and…

✣ Propagate: How to Regrow Your Houseplants by Paul Anderton and Robin Daly (£12.99, Hardie Grant) A must-read for house plant lovers, this guide walks you step-by-step through 20 propagation projects, showing you how to recreate new houseplants from ones you already have at home. ✣ The Little Book of Crops in Small Spots by Jane Moore (£10, Quadrille) Whether you have a balcony, courtyard, patio or small garden, this new book will show you how to grow everything from mini cabbages and windowsill tomatoes to potatoes and unusual asparagus peas. ✣ From Seed to Bloom: A Year of Growing and Designing with Seasonal Flowers by Milli Proust (£20, Quadrille) This delightful, beautifully-shot book takes you through the seasons with detailed advice and tips on how to sow, grow sustainably…

A foreground of pink and purple flowers: Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’ and ragged robin, mingling with nigella, geum, orlaya, and euphorbia. A backlit border with honesty, catmint, nectaroscordum, foxtail lily and bearded irises ‘Amas’ – with pale violet standards and purple falls – and ‘Sultan’s Palace’, which has traditionally-shaped flowers of a mahogany-brown with copper beards and velvety falls. Foxgloves and opium poppies blend with Allium christophii, Allium ‘Purple Sensation’, Nectaroscordum siculum subsp. bulgaricum and creamy Camassia leitchlinii alba.…

In late spring, flowers and fragrance envelop the wisteria arbour, creating a lovely place to sit. Jo found the metal bench languishing in a junk yard, and after a new coat of paint, positioned it on paving slabs near the far boundary with the meadow. ‘But it looked rather silly sitting in splendid isolation.’ So she asked Trevor Poppleton, a local metalworker who also makes her obelisks and plant supports, to create a climbing plant support to wrap around the bench. She then planted a vigorous Japanese wisteria, Wisteria floribunda, which has thrived, needing little care apart from regular trimming back of wayward shoots. Finally, she added box balls to emphasise the feature. Wisterias are not difficult plants to grow, but for the best flowering, there are a few golden…

Once established, most peonies are hardy and keep going for years provided they are correctly cared for... Peonies bought from specialist nurseries, as bare roots, are likely to flower during their first season, reaching maturity quicker than containerised plants. Peonies perform best in full sunshine but, in warmer counties, can tolerate partial shade. Compact forms such as ‘Rome’ thrive in containers. Plant in well-drained, fertile soil slightly on the limey side of neutral. Plant directly into their permanent position — once settled, peonies resent being uprooted. When planting, dig a hole large enough to accommodate the root system — about 60cm deep and across — adding loads of compost and a fertiliser such as Vitax Q4. Beware of planting too deep, because the roots are tuberous and fat and, if…

Herbs are beautiful and aromatic garden plants that are also rewarding to grow for their culinary and medicinal properties. They are a versatile family, with herbs to suit most areas of the garden. Many of the more compact varieties thrive in containers, whether peeping out of a window box, spilling over a couple of pots by the kitchen door or tumbling out of a repurposed shopping basket – a £1 charity shop buy. Meanwhile taller, airy herbs, such as fennel or chervil, are ideal for plumping out a herbaceous border, whilst evergreen lavenders, rosemary, bay and sage add to the permanent structure of a garden. Herbs are generally easy to grow, and most perform well in undernourished soil providing it is light and well-drained – overfeeding makes some grow tall…

ROASTED NEW POTATO AND SALMON SALAD Freshly sliced raw radishes add a peppery flavour to this filling main meal salad. SERVES 4 ✣ 500g (17½oz) baby new potatoes, halved ✣ 1 garlic clove, crushed ✣ 2tbsp olive oil ✣ 100g (3½oz) pistachios, shelled ✣ 125g (4oz) watercress, rocket and spinach mixed salad ✣ 200g (7oz) hot-smoked salmon, flaked ✣ 200g (7oz) radishes, trimmed and finely sliced For the dressing: ✣ 2tbsp olive oil ✣ 1tbsp white wine vinegar ✣ 1tbsp maple syrup ✣ 1tsp Dijon mustard 1 Heat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. In a roasting tin, toss the potatoes in the garlic and oil. Roast for 30 mins, until the potatoes are tender and golden. 2 Meanwhile, spread the pistachios on a baking tray, scatter with ½tsp sea salt…

Coming up roses Over the years, numerous plants have been named for members of the Royal Family, and the Platinum Jubilee year is no exception: a beautiful peach-toned hybrid tea rose bred by Harkness Roses named ‘The Queen Elizabeth II Rose’ has been officially selected by Her Majesty to mark the Jubilee. A donation of £2.50 from the sale of each rose will be made to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which supports excellence in traditional British craftsmanship by funding education and skills. Party-time plants Create a platinum-themed container or border with silvery-hued plants – select a range of foliage shapes to add interest. A popular container plant is Senecio ‘Angel Wings’, with its large, downy evergreen leaves, which is striking in comparison with the frondy foliage of Centaurea cineraria…

There are all manner of weeds lurking in our gardens and sowing seed wherever they get the chance. The general consensus is that they’re a pain – especially when they’re encroaching on our prized flowers or vegetables and sapping the nutrients from the soil. In the case of some (Japanese knotweed, poison ivy and stinging nettles – we’re looking at you) they can also do more harm than simply spoiling the look of a border. Everyone knows about the nasty allergic reactions that occur from a run-in with nettles or poison ivy, while knotweed can tear through structural foundations at breakneck speed. Naturally, none is ideal. Luckily, there are a good few methods to zap these plants from our plots and restore order. And, most approaches don’t require reaching for…