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LIVING SERIES

The Secrets Of

Perfect
Planting
The Genius Of

CAPABILITY
BROWN

Sweet
William
The Ideal
Cut Flower

Get A Stunning

Spring
GaredveeGnot The

W
Plants To Grow

The Timeless
Beauty Of

ORCHIDS

Improve
Your Shed

20 Top Tips

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t
e
g
o
t
Time ting!
Plan

he first time I visited Great Dixter in East Sussex was

as a boy, after reading about it in a book. To begin
with I was more interested in the building a
fascinating mix of 15th century manor house and early
20th century Lutyens. Little did I know what was outside,
because Christopher Lloyd had already created one of
the UKs finest gardens there. So what better place to go for great ideas
on using tulips in your garden? Find out more on page 10. And for the real
secrets of perfect planting, do take a look at page 44, to discover the
impressive special effects you can create in your very own plot.
Dont miss the next Womans Weekly Gardening our June issue
is on sale on 19th May. But before that, look out for the next
Womans Weekly Healthy Living, on sale on 21st April.
Happy gardening!

Geoffrey Palmer, Editor

WOMANS WEEKLY GARDENING MAGAZINE, Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, The Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU. Telephone 020 3148 5000. Back issues 01733 688964. Unless otherwise
stated, all competitions, free samplings, discounts and offers are only available to readers in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland. Pre-press by Rhapsody Media.
Printed by Polestar Chantry Ltd. ISSN 2042 3950.

ART EDITOR Christine Bivand

SUB-EDITORS Wendy Humphries,

WOMANS WEEKLY is a registered trademark of Time Inc. (UK) Ltd and is sold subject to the following conditions, namely that it shall not, without the written consent of the publishers first
given, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of by way of trade at more than the recommended selling price shown on the cover, and that it shall not be lent, resold or hired or otherwise disposed of
in a mutilated condition or in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or affixed to or as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever. Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, 2016

ASSISTANT EDITOR Claire Bower

COVER Caroline Bellenberg
HEAD OF MARKETING Mary Bird

Joanna Lodewyke

Spring Gardening 3

Catch up with
the latest
gardening news

Contents
10

18

Heavenly tulips
at Great Dixter
garden in Sussex

RHS experts
answer your
growing gripes

ns
Competitio
& oFFeRs
Fabulous
petunia offer
s

22
24

200 FREE
summer bulbs

34

Make a date!
Garden walks
and openings

26

Formal and wild:

We visit a garden of
very mixed styles

4 Spring Gardening

36

We discover theres
more to a shed than
a humble tool store

42

Enjoy beautiful
orchid illustrations

44
ow n
Ca pa bilit y bR
it
Ga RDens to V is

Planting ideas to achieve

the most stunning results

55

52

Three gardens
designed by a
British genius

The varied
career of Rachel
de Thame

73

What Ive
learnt from
gardening

62

Visit RHS Wisley

for some glorious
spring ideas

69

Jobs to
do this
month

Spring Gardening 5

Spring is up
& running so why
not catch up with the
latest gardening
goings-on

t
e
g
s

t
e
L
!
g
n
i
n
e
Gard
HM the Queen is RHS
patron, and has visited
the show 51 times t

t Her Majesty

he Royal Horticultural Society will be

celebrating Her Majesty the Queens 90th
birthday at Chelsea Flower Show in May,
with a Floral Arch and a photographic exhibit.
2016 will mark the 51st Chelsea Show the Queen
has attended in her long and glorious reign and she
will be greeted by an extraordinary poppy tribute.
Designer Phillip Johnson is
bringing the poppy exhibit
to Chelsea which promises to
be in the spirit of the Tower
of London poppy display. The
300,000 poppies will adorn
the walkway leading up to
the Royal Hospital, recently
cleared of shrubs following
Alan Titchmarshs suggestion

Jekka
McVicar

Creating a show
garden at Chelsea
has been Jekkas
dream for years

RHS/ Bethany Clarke

A Show of Honour
will pass the
floral arch at
the Bullring
entrance
RHS Images

RHS/ Phillip Johnson

The Royal Hospital will

form a backdrop to the
poppy tribute

to create a clearer view of the

building. The idea was started
by Australians Lynn Berry and
Margaret Knight, who set out to
make 120 poppies in memory
of their fathers who fought
in World War II. The project
grew, with more than 50,000
contributors creating poppies
using various methods: knitted,
crocheted, felted and ceramic
its going to be spectacular.

Many of the exhibits

at Chelsea will
be marking the
Queens 90th
birthday and
visitors will get
the opportunity
to view a collection
of Royal Photographs
dating back to 1949.

Jekka exhibits an Apothecarys herb garden

Jekka will be
giving daily tours
of her Herbetum at
the nursery during open
days and NGS days, free
entry. See our Events
Diary, page 34 for
details.

Jekka McVicar will be exhibiting

A Modern Apothecary garden at
Chelsea. She has been growing
herbs at her nursery near Bristol for
over 30 years, and her Herbetum
has the largest collection of
culinary herbs in the UK. Jekka has
the support of St Johns Hospice to
create a medicinal garden that will

later be re-planted at the hospice.

It promises to be an inspiring
display of research-based plants
known to be beneficial to health,
and also a place of quiet reflection
whilst providing rehabilitation to
all the senses. Jekka will be one of
seven female designers on Main
Avenue, compared to one in 2015.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 24-28 May, for tickets: rhs.org.uk Tel 0844 338 7502

Plants can survive without us, but we, and this planet, cannot survive without plants
6 Spring Gardening

Plant of the Month

The pretty blue

blooms appear
from February right
through to June

Brunnera macrophylla
Jack Frost AGM

t first glance youd be forgiven for thinking

a forget-me-not had nestled in amongst a
handsome foliage plant. But in fact, the pretty
blue sprays of flowers held on tall wiry stems
are an added bonus to this trouble-free perennial loved for
its large, heart-shaped silvery leaves. Jack Frost is the star
of the shady garden and usefully forms a weed-suppressing
ground cover. The leaves are attractively marked with a
green margin and delicate veining, less prominent in other
varieties such as Looking Glass, which bears pale blue
flowers, and Mr Morse, a lovely white flowered variety.
Keep plants in a sheltered spot, away from wind and sun,
to preserve the leaves and retain the lovely silvery colour.

At a Glance..

l Good companions: ferns,

hostas, Geranium pratense and
Dicentra spectabilis
l Size: stems up to 16in (40cm),
spread 12-18 (30-45cm)
l Soil: moist, more drought
tolerant once established
l Position: Any sheltered spot
in partial shade
l To buy: Garden centres
and mail order, check suppliers
at RHS Plant Finder at rhs.org.uk
Continued overleaf

Top picks of

sweet peas
Traditionally, sweet peas are sown in
autumn but you can plant seeds from
March to May into pots or directly into
the ground for late flowers. Lady Ursula
Cholmeley grows 100 varieties to plant
Lady Ursula
in her pickery, including heritage types
Cholmeley
such as Painted Lady and Wild Italian.
Easton Walled Gardens, Grantham, Lincs, is one of the UKs
top 10 walled gardens and well worth a visit in summer plus
this spring sees new displays of scented shrubs and bulbs.

Top
Ursulas 3Tip
Growing s
1

Capability Brown
Appreciate our most fantastic landscapes during

If you are unable to do this,

grow the old grandiflora
varieties in a container. They have
smaller flowers but make bushier
plants and are less demanding
than modern varieties. Water
regularly with a liquid feed.

Sow in May for late flowers in

September when the
weather can be especially
favourable for flower production.
In autumn you will still be
picking sweet peas when other
hardy annuals have had enough.

Miss Willmott
ideal for tubs

Grow the heritage

varieties for scent
The heritage varieties are
often called grandifloras
because, although they are
smaller than the modern
forms they were a lot bigger
than the originals that first
arrived in this country in
1699. We grow grandifloras,
because, although the
flowers are smaller, they are
exceptionally good garden
plants and have retained all
the scent of the originals,
explains Ursula.

Ursulas Favourites

ts 300 years since the birth of iconic garden

landscaper Lancelot Capability Brown, a date
being marked by a nationwide festival. Over 150
of the landscapes with which he was associated
continue to bring us pleasure today, including Stowe,
Blenheim Palace and Weston Park, all of which star
in our feature on page 55. But many other Brown
gardens are joining in this year to celebrate his birth.
Born in Northumberland
to a farm labourer, Brown
re-modelled gardens all
over the country, eventually
becoming Master gardener
to King George III at Hampton
Court Palace. His trademark
style of sloping lawns and
ornamental stretches of
water meant formal terraces

New Plants

For scent: Lathyrus Matucana

For being reliable: Gwendoline
For sophistication and charm: Mollie Rilstone
For depth of colour: Our Harry
For drama: Linda Carole
For blue flowers and scent: Noel Sutton
t

Highly
scented
Painted
Lady

Eastons
sweet pea gift
box contain five packets
of heritage/ modern forms,
enough for five wigwams. Or
you can select your own, 10.
shopateaston.co.uk
Tel 01476
530063
8 Spring Gardening

For more on
Sweet PeaS See
our next iSSue,
on Sale on the
19th may

and farmland were swept

away and gardens would
become sweeping open
expanses with vistas and
views. Hundreds of trees were
planted, new follies installed
and tons of earth shifted to
contour hills and create lakes.
For a full list of garden events,
see capabilitybrown.org.

This is Dianthus
Romance, from the Scent
First Series. Compact
and heavily scented, its
designed for patio pots but
also useful for rock gardens
and alpine beds. Buy six
plugs for 8.99, jparker.
co.uk Tel 0161 848 1100

Cosway, Richard, /Private Collection/Bridgeman Images

Sweet peas like a really good

root run. Dig your ground
over well and add plenty of
well-rotted manure on a light
soil. On heavy clay you may need
to add sand or gravel to open up
the structure.

The first yellow-flowered

hosta is available from
Bakker Spalding. Miracle
Lemony features pretty
leaves with wavy edges
with 2ft (60cm) flower
stems, ideal for borders
and pots. Price 9.99
spaldingbulb.co.uk
Tel 0844 481 1000

Haorueswe ood
H

Spring
Gardens
to visit

Compiled by Wendy Humphries. Photo Gap Photos. Harewood House Trust and Lee Beal

Blencheeim
Pala

At the height of
Browns career, he
was commissioned
to work his magic
on the grounds of
Blenheim Palace,
Oxfordshire.
To find out how he
transformed the
grounds, see page
55. For details of
events there, see
Blenheimpalace.
com or Tel 01993
810530

Harewood House, West Yorkshire,

will be celebrating Brown in a
series of walks, talks and tours,
from 25 March to 30 October, to
discover what made his work so
pioneering. Dont miss The Art
of Landscape exhibition, see
harewood.org Tel 0113 218 1010

The Capability Brown Festival 2016

Burughseley
Ho
One of the highlights
of de Jagers summerflowering bulbs
catalouge is the hardy
Hippeastrum Sonatinii
varieties, perfect for
pots or edging borders.
Dejager.co.uk Tel 01622
840229. Price 5.50 each

Love and Wishes

is a showy salvia
with claret-red
blooms set off against
burgundy calyces,
32in (80cm) tall. From
Hayloftplants.co.uk Tel
01386 562 999 (14.50
for 3), or garden centres

Portrait of Lancelot Capability Brown c 1770-75

Burghley House, Lincs, is one of Browns longest commissions. His

architectural influences can be seen on the South Facade of the house
and the Summerhouse and Lion Bridge. Take a look at Browns vistas and
special parts of the park or visit the exhibition. Talks and tours are
available, burley.co.uk Tel 01780 752451

Anyone for
egg & chips?
The novelty Egg and Chips plant is
a new dual-cropping vegetable
following on from the TomTato, a
tomato/potato graft, and ideal for
children. Thompson & Morgan has
made this possible by handgrafting an aubergine plant onto a
heavy cropping potato plant
(which are in the same family),
allowing you to double up on
space in the greenhouse, patio or
balcony. The company says you
can expect a harvest of 3-4
aubergines and up to 2kg of
spuds. Price 14.99, or buy two for
19.99 plus p&p, thompsonmorgan.com
Tel 0844 573 1818

Tulip
Heaven

Theres no better place to find out about tulips

than Great Dixter garden in Sussex. So just
how does the head gardener decide which
varieties to plant? The answer lies in pots

s Fergus Garrett, the head gardener

of Great Dixter worked closely
with the late Christopher Lloyd for
15 years and fostered a passion for
experimenting with plants. Great
Dixter has become one of the
foremost teaching gardens in the UK
and Fergus gives lectures both here
and around the world.

Tulip Beauty of Apeldoorn

is planted in bold drifts with
biennial companions. This,
and other varieties, faithfully
return year after year and
these beds simply require
topping-up in autumn

Plant profile

ew gardens
are as much
photographed
and written
about as Great Dixter, set in a
Sussex backwater near the
Kent border, but even the
most captivating images and
expressive words barely do
justice to its spirit and
Tulip Ballerina and yellowyloveliness. It is especially so
green Smyrnium perfoliatum
in spring when the Peacock
Garden comes alive as the stock
beds fill out with shimmering tulips standing tall above a
froth of flower and foliage. Its an enchanting picture,
compounded by the backdrop of a mediaeval manor
house, the family home of the great gardener and writer,
the late Christopher Lloyd who died a decade ago.
today, great Dixter is upon
the broad shoulders of Fergus
garrett, head gardener since
1992, that the future of great
Dixter falls. the greatest
challenge is preserving the oldfashionedness thats such an
essential part of great Dixters
charm, whilst also keeping the
place alive financially, he says.
Visitors need walk no further
than the peacock garden to see

that the garden is in safe hands.

the overall effect is dazzling, with
ancient yew topiary towering
over stock beds filled with a
multi-layered planting of selfseeding poppies, Ammi major,
forget-me-nots, Welsh poppies,
honesty, verbascum and tulips.
at this time of year, tulips add an
intensity and density of colour
different to just about anything
else, says Fergus.

The ideal tulip leaves are upright and

thin, to fit into crowded borders

Favourite blooms
A bold drift of
Negrita is lightened
by the lacy white
blooms of Allium
neapolitanum
Cowanii Group

Many
tulips are reliably
perennial and appear
each year in natural
drifts, including Negrita,
Ballerina, Spring
green, Daydream
and Shirley
12 Spring Gardening

Couleur Cardinal has

deeply glaucous leaves
Pretty Gabriella

TU 8LIP pa
SP ge
EC
page IAL

Tulips are given a trial run in

pots beside the door:
tangerine-orange Dordogne
and scarlet Couleur Cardinal
are joined by camassias, bellis
daisies and daffodils

8
tulip
Special

Tulip Shirley provides a soft

contrast to the magnificent clipped
topiary yews in the Peacock Garden

Add life and animation

Testing in pots
Fergus is constantly trying out new varieties, ensuring
a range of early, mid and late flowering varieties to
extend the season. For the first year, we grow ten of
each new variety in pots so that we can observe the
shape, foliage, intensity of colour and movement, he
explains. The pots are displayed by the front door and
in the Wall Garden, interspersed with pots of narcissi,
bellis daisies, ipheion, camassias and wallflowers.
Mixing in pots of other plants avoids a chock-a-block,
indigestible mass of tulips. Each pot is planted right up
to its edge, hiding both rim and earth. And we make
sure to water evenly so theres regular growth, he adds.

come spring, and tulips have a

commanding presence at great
Dixter, valued as much for the
huge variety of colours as the
flair and sparkle they bring.
Varieties such as Daydream,
with the dark murky green
centres, also add life and
animation because the flowers
open and shut they open
so wide, you dont need many
for impact, Fergus points
out. Daydream has become
something of a favourite
it opens, shuts, smiles and
sometimes sulks, he adds
and he has a real soft spot for
the species Tulipa
sprengeri. its a
handsome little
thing, late-flowering

and it self-sows, so is not quite

manageable. You feel its out
there on its own.
then there are stalwarts
such as Red Shine, abu Hassan
and Ballerina, one of the
established perennial tulips
that return annually. and most
years, we add to these clumps,
says Fergus. as a result, theres
a difference in height and
flower size between newly
planted and established that
looks very natural. this creates
a soft, cottage garden feel
rather than a regimented look,
he explains.

Mistress with
Geranium
pratense

Purissima with
Smyrnium perfoliatum
and white honesty

Bleu Aimable, soft

lilac with a blue centre

Continued overleaf

A favourite
for Fergus
Daydream
is worth a
closer look

in the foliage would not be

suitable. We look for elegant
flowers that are high enough to rise
above the other plants, but not so
tall that there is no connection
between the two, he explains.
The ultimate selection is often
based on tiny details. Its that little
extra something such as the great
black anthers of Daydream, or the
lovely streaked petals of Bleu
Aimable and then when you
look into the centre, its metallic,
not just plain.
Other tulips open one colour,
gradually changing with age.
For example, Shirley opens
ivory white with purple
stitching around the edge
of each petal that slowly
spreads throughout: whilst
Flaming Purissima changes
day by day, opening wider with
maturity, as the colours soften
from pink to snowy white.
s

Shirley opens buttermilk yellow

then develops a purple veining

Ballerina is reliably
perennial, then varying
heights of the blooms
create a cottage feel

Little details
When assessing new tulips in pots in
their first year, foliage is a key factor,
whether thin or fat, erect or floppy.
If the leaves are too prominent they
can take over a border, in which case
the bulbs are lifted and dried after
flowering. The ideal tulip leaves are
upright and thin, to fit into crowded
borders, notes Fergus.
Stem height is another important
consideration because the tulips are
mostly planted in combination with
ground-hugging plants, so short
dumpy blooms that become buried
14 Spring Gardening

Pots of tulips are

arranged in large
groups in the Wall
Garden, where they
can be assessed

TU 8LIP pa
SP ge
EC
IA
L

At this time of year,

tulips add an intensity
and density of colour,
different to just
about anything else

Tulips Annie Shilder

and Dordoyne rise
above a sea of forgetme-nots in April-May

Fergus Tips ifpors

Choosing Tul
l Initially, dont buy
scores of different tulips:
instead, focus on about ten
bulbs of each of ten
different varieties.

The elegant shape of lilyflowered Ballerina and

National Velvet stand
proud beside the arch

Changing the character

Once new tulips have been
tested in pots, then the chosen
ones are added to the main
garden, changing the character
dramatically, as has happened
in the Peacock Gardens stock
beds. Originally, these beds were
regimented with neat rows of our
stock plants, making it easy to
manage, recalls Fergus. Now, the
beds are treated like intensively
planted borders, except that
each year the perennials are dug
up, split, and replanted. It would

have been easy to manage in a

safe way, but Christopher would
have hated that. My only regret
is that hes not here to see it,
adds Fergus. Christopher would
especially have marvelled at
the willowy pink Beths Poppy
(Papaver dubium subsp lecoquii
var. albiforum) that self-seeds
abundantly, a gift from Beth
Chatto. They were good friends
and Beths influence has changed
the face of garden design in
Britain, he believes.

l Plant each variety in

pots, place in a sunny spot,
and as soon as the first
shoots appear in spring,
observe closely, keeping
notes about individual
aspects such as the leaf
shape, colour and height:
the shape and colour of
bud; and then finally, the
flower itself.
l Study different areas
of the garden to see which
will best suit individual
tulips. For example, an
area with golden-leaved
comfrey makes a
wonderful partner for
tangerine coloured
Ballerina; pink honesty
creates a pleasing blend
with pink Rosalie;
or forget-me-nots contrast
well beneath yellow
West Point.

l Then make a list of the

tulips you like so that,
when bulb ordering time
comes round, rather
than sitting in a dark
room plucking numbers
of tulips out of the air
without any meaning,
you plan ahead, buying
tulips that will really suit
the garden.
l If you repeat the process
every year, you get to
know a lot of tulips well,
and the displays are
continually evolving.

WhaT To do
aFTeR FloWeRIng
If you wish to make space for
summer planting, dig up tulip
bulbs, remove the soil and dry in a
cool airy place, leaving the foliage
intact for six weeks to nourish the
bulbs. Then hang in string net
bags in a warm, dark
well- ventilated place
until autumn.

Continued overleaf

The yew hedges

create a perfect
backdrop to a
densely woven
tapestry of flower
colour in the
Peacock Garden

Luckily, change is in the life blood of Great Dixter

s Great Dixter was home to the

famous gardener and writer
Christopher Lloyd from 19212006. The mixed planting in the
Long Border beside the house
creates a tapestry effect

Innovative

Over the decades, Great Dixter

has been subject to many
influences, not only Christophers
innovative planting, but also,
from before his time, the layout
of the formal areas designed by
Edwin Lutyens, who restored
and extended the house in the
early 20th century. For Fergus,
its a delicate balancing act, on
the one hand safeguarding the
legacies of both Lutyens and
Lloyd, whilst also maintaining
a garden that is dynamic
occasionally controversial even
fun and innovative. Neither
can be achieved without change.
Luckily for us, change is in the life
blood of Great Dixter, says Fergus.
Christophers attitude was that if

a plant did not earn its keep,

it went, nor would he accept
anything that disappointed.
So, if we decide to change an
area because it is not exciting
us, its nothing new. Its whats
always happened. However,
change for changes sake is
not an option. Any changes
must suit the garden, and not
be in pursuit of headlines, or to
stamp your own personality on
the place.
Today, the exuberant style
continues, its character tempered
to suit different areas. In some,
there is an air of intimacy, with
tall, airy planting on the edge of
borders, or self-seeders such as
Verbena bonariensis and Erigeron
annuus rooting in cracks in the
paving. As you pass by, you
literally rub shoulders with the
plants, explains Fergus. In other
areas, the emphasis is on high
impact displays, a vital element
of Great Dixters appeal. I garden
in a style similar to Christophers,
but I dont try to imitate slavishly,
states Fergus. And, whilst the
style remains intense and the
ground-breaking combinations
continue apace, the plants look
comfortable. An innovative
association is not designed to
shock, but to showcase plants at
their very best, says Fergus.

Individuality

Success relies not only on

creating original, eye-catching
associations, but also in finding
suitable neighbouring plants.
For example, in areas that have
seen little change in 50 years,
theres an established plant
community with an equilibrium
that could easily be upset
by new introductions. But in
fast-moving areas, theres an
energy, and change is essential
to its character, says Fergus.
You have to know a garden,
and understand the difference.
Having found a plant that
combines fabulously with others
Geranium Rozanne is a prime
example it must then be used

with restraint to ensure that

different garden areas dont lose
their individuality.
Wherever you look at Great
Dixter, there is something to
delight or marvel at. Its been
achieved by great teamwork
and support from the wider
gardening community, he says.
What is remarkable, though, is
that the garden has not become
purely a memorial to the genius
of its creators, but is thoroughly
engaged in the moment, and
forward-looking. We could
have sat back and lived off
Christophers name, says Fergus.
Instead, we are earning our own
keep in horticulture, whilst also
giving back and supporting the
next generation of gardeners.

High impact
displays in the
Wall Garden

FurTher InFormaTIon Great Dixter Gardens is open 11am-5pm, from 25 march until 30 october, Tuesday to Sunday and Bank holiday
mondays (closed on all other mondays) Greatdixter.co.uk Tel 01797 252878
16 Spring Gardening

Underplanting

Strong contrast:
Annie Schilder
and forget-me nots

TU 8LIP pa
SP ge
EC
IA
L

tulips
When planting massed tulips, a much more
interesting effect is creating by covering
the bare soil with groundcover plants that
form a backdrop as a foil to the blooms
l Suitable plants for
underplanting include
honesty, forget-me-not,
Smyrnium perfoliatum,
sweet rocket, wallflowers
and hardy geraniums.
Its easier to plant the
carpeting plants first
and then pop the tulip
bulbs in between.

Honesty is a
lovely foil for
Rosalie honesty

Tulip
Partners
Planting tulips in
combination with
other plants has
the advantage that
the dying foliage is
hidden. However, the
choice of partner is
largely based on the
desired overall effect,
biennials being a
good choice. Tulips
planted at regular
intervals amongst
forget-me-nots creates
a strong pattern, says
Fergus. On the other
hand, planting bulbs
in more random
groups of different
sizes amongst honesty
(Lunaria annua) or
Smyrnium perfoliatum
has an informal feel,
and creates a greater
sense of movement.

A central green bar on the

petals of Spring Green tie
in nicely with smyrnium

Mistress
rise above
Geranium
pratense

Flowering times need

to be considered when teaming
tulips with vigorous spring flowering
perennials such as foxgloves, sweet
rocket or giant fennel. You have to watch
out that, by the time they flower, the tulips
are not buried beneath foliage, he warns.
Theres also a balance to be struck in terms of
density large-flowered, wide spreading
blooms need to be planted further
apart than sleeker ones, less they
hide the ground-hugging
plants beneath.

Tulips thrive in fertile,

free-draining soil in full
sun, but need protection
from winds. Here Spring
Green shelters in the Wall
Garden with honesty

s Purissima has large, cream turning white blooms.

It pairs well with sweet rocket and Smyrnium perfoliatum
Spring Gardening 17

Text and photographs by Nicola Stocken

Top Tip

e
h
t
k
s
A
RHS Experts
Weve asked our Royal Horticultural Society
specialists to answer your personal growing gripes

Spring
pruning?

I have a
very large
Magnolia
grandiflora which
grows against the
house. We guess it
to be 100 years old
or so, 30ft (9m) high and equally wide, and has
taken over much of the garden. It flowers very
well from July to November. Can I prune it this
June Easter, Torbay
spring please?

You can prune the evergreen magnolia just as the

growth starts. The same goes for almost all
evergreens (wait until blooms fade on spring
flowerers). This magnolia is very robust and has been
known to regrow even when broken off at ground level in
storms. Drastic pruning is best spread over several years.

Blooms
for bees

A gooseberry by choice

I have recently
bought some
Invicta
gooseberry bushes
which I have planted.
Should I prune them
now, and if so, by
how much?
Joe Koslowski, Lincolnshire

On planting, your
gooseberries need
to be trained, so the
aim is to create a vase-shaped
bush on a leg (length of bare
stem) which is 4-8in (1020cm) in height. Choose four
or five well-spaced branches
and remove any others,
including any damaged, dead

Please can you

suggest some
summer
bedding plants that
benefit pollinators?
Eliza Dade, Lewisham

There are so
many annuals for
bedding to attract
pollinators snapdragons
(antirrhinum), China aster,
heliotrope (cherry pie),
clarkia, Cosmos bipinnatus,
floss flower (ageratum),
nasturtium, pot marigolds
(calendula), single flowered
tagetes and Verbena rigida
are especially effective in

18 Spring Gardening

or crossing stems. Cut back

the new growth on the four or
five branches you have
chosen, by half. Remove any
branches on the leg below
those you have chosen. Spring
is the best time to do this.

nourishing and attracting

pollinators. Fuchsias are
beloved by bees in particular,
and thrive in light shade.
For containers, tobacco
flowers (Nicotiana alata) are
good candidates. Native
annuals such as alkanet
(anchusa), cornflowers and
poppies make pretty
plantings from seed (you can
save seed for the next year too).
You can also make plans
for next year. Sow foxgloves,
Sweet Williams, single
hollyhocks and Canterbury
bells in late spring into pots
and plant out in autumn
where they are to flower.

Easy care
plants

Can you
suggest some
plants for a
dry sunny area that
need no watering and
are easy-care?

Rachael Walters,
Stoke-on-Trent

A few widely
offered and
relatively
inexpensive plants for a
dry sunny area might
include: allium or
ornamental onions (which
can be bought in packs of
bulbs in mid-late winter

too late for this year),

valerian (Centranthus
ruber), purple cone flower
(Echinacea purpurea),
hardy geranium Mavis
Simpson, Hesperis
matronalis (sweet rocket),
Lychnis coronaria, Nerine
bowdenii, oenothera
(evening primrose), salvia
(shrub and herbaceous
perennial varieties), lambs
ears (Stachys byzantina)
and verbascum.

Shrubs for a sunny spot

We are in the
process of
removing an
old summerhouse,
leaving a vacant patch
of around 9sq ft (3 sq
yd) at the far end of the
garden. We would like
to plant a couple of
feature shrubs as a
background. What
would have advise us
to plant the spot is
fairly sunny in
summer.
Michael and Janet McRae,
Glasgow

For the feature

shrubs consider
Prunus incisa

Kojo-no-mai AGM, a
rounded shrub, 8ft (2.5m)
tall, with white-pink bell
flowers in early spring;
Philadelphus Belle Etoile
AGM, 5ft (1.5m) in height
and spread, bearing highly
scented white flowers in
early to mid-summer; or
how about the compact
evergreen Pittosporum
tenuifolium Tom Thumb
AGM, reaching 5ft (1.5m)
in height and spread.
Bear in mind that the
latter wont permit good
under-planting, but the
prunus and philadelphus
can be surrounded by
spring bulbs, perennials
and summer foliage
plants such as hostas.

Grape expectations

I want to prune
my grape vine
but I have heard
it will bleed to death if
not pruned in winter?
Philip Cross, Norwich

Vines are pruned

from leaf fall in
November until late
December or early January.
The sap rises early and you
may well find that the vine
bleeds if you prune after
early January. You could cut
a small stem now and see

whether this happens. If so,

the vine will not die, but
obviously it is not ideal as the
lost sap will slightly weaken
the plant. If bleeding does
not occur, you can carry on
and prune the vine hard and
re-train the regrowth.
Wherever you cut, the vine
will send out new shoots.
If you choose to prune
despite bleeding occurring
on your test cut, there may
well be significant loss of sap,
but rest assured, the vine is
likely to survive.

More problems overleaf

Ask the RHS Experts

t Hebe Baby Marie

Finest red acers days

Im looking for
a Japanese
maple that has
red foliage for the
longest period. A
bonus would be one
that bears red flowers
and seeds.
Jimmy Hargreaves,
Sussex

There are many

Japanese maples
(Acer palmatum) which
have reddish leaf colour
through the summer and
into autumn these ones
are especially reliable:

Acer palmatum Garnet

AGM, 5ft x 5ft (1.5m x
1.5m), with deep purplebrown summer leaves
getting more vivid in
autumn with red flowers
and keys (winged seeds);
A.p. Inaba-shidare AGM,
a small shrub at 8ft x 8ft
(2.5m x 2.5m), quick
growing with purple
leaves changing to
crimson in the autumn,
with purple flowers; and
A.p. Red Pygmy AGM,
low mounded, 5ft (1.5m),
red-purple leaves and
purple flowers in spring.

Artemisia
Powis Castle

Arresting
underclothes

I have many old

rose bushes in a
sunny bed visible
from my kitchen window.
I would like to plant
some evergreens and
other interesting foliage
plants to add year-round
interest. The bed is
south-facing and very
sunny, and the soil is
moisture retentive and
free draining. Do you
agree that lavenders or
thymes (practical for my
cooking), are suitable?

Linda Mason, Bristol

Lavender naturally
somehow goes with
roses and will give you
lots of flowers through late
spring and summer as well as
the classic grey foliage, but you
might think about a few other
choice plants that would enjoy
this situation:
l Artemisia Powis Castle
AGM its a low, rounded,
evergreen shrub with
insignificant flowers but very
attractive feathery leaves.
l Compact hebe varieties,
such as H. Baby Marie (pale

20 Spring Gardening

lilac) or H. Pascal AGM

(violet blue and purplish
winter leaves).
l Catmint such as Nepeta
racemosa Walkers Low
AGM, has deep blue-mauve
flowers set off against silvery
aromatic leaves on dark
stems. Appreciated by cats,
so perhaps unwise if
neighbourhood cats are
numerous. This plant is not
strictly evergreen.
l For your culinary needs
hyssop, prostrate (lowgrowing and spreading),
sage, Rosemary and best of
all, the many thymes
available would be suitable.
l Although not evergreen,
nor indeed edible, hardy
Geranium Rozanne bears
violet-blue flowers from
summer and into autumn
a sensational choice.

Canal bank restoration

I should appreciate your advice on

cultivating a short fenced bank next to
a canal towpath. I am looking for lowmaintenance groundcover plants to cover the
bank next to the water. The soil is neutral.
Would something like elephants ears work
here or could you suggest any other plants that
might work. We do not want them to be too high
about the height of elephants ears. It would be
good to introduce some colour too.

Catmint
Nepeta racemosa
Walkers Low

Bergenias,
commonly known
as elephants ears,
would indeed work here,
but you could also consider:
Vinca minor Atropurpurea
AGM, Brunnera
macrophylla Jack
Frost AGM,
Lysimachia
nummularia Aurea
AGM, Ajuga reptans
Catlins Giant AGM
and primulas.
Grasses such as
Millium effusum
Aureum AGM
would work well too,
as would the sedge
Carex oshimensis
Evergold AGM
(shown). Ideally, aim
to plant in groups of
three, five or seven,

about 1ft (30cm) apart for a

bold rapid effect that will
squeeze out any weeds that
might arrive later. Do be
careful when working near
deep water of course.

Generally, seeds
can be difficult to
establish in
uncultivated areas with
competition from grass
and lack of light.
For bluebells and wood
anemones, its best to plant
bulbs in the green when
the plants have leaves in
spring for more certain
establishment. Other
plants you might consider
include hardy cyclamen,
snowdrops, foxgloves,
forget-me-nots, primroses
and violets. Ferns which
like a heavier soil include
the hard fern (Blechnum
spicant AGM) and soft
shield fern (Polystichum
sown havent produced setiferum AGM).
anything. Id also like
Other good choices for
to plant bluebells and
your situation include
wood anemones.
Japanese maple, mahonia
Patricia Dawe, London and viburnum.

Woodland wonderland

I would like to
grow woodland
plants but the
soil here is clay and the
wildflower seeds Ive

Honor Smith, Warwickshire

Hebe jeebies

Please could
you tell me, when
is the best time to
prune my treasured Hebe
Veronica? It has long
slender leaves, is about
1.5m (5ft) high and
becomes covered with
mauve flowers in late
summer and autumn.
I have been told that the
best time to prune an
evergreen shrub is when
its dormant in winter so
does this apply to my
hebe? How much
growth can I take off?
Its encroaching on the
bench next to it but I
dont want to be too
ruthless and kill it!

Imogen Richards,
Manchester

Hebes are pruned in

mid-late spring, just
as growth is about
to start, and new shoots
will soon arise. There will
be enough time for this new
growth to mature and
flower late in summer.
Try to cut to where there is
still greenery, although
harder pruning into older
wood is possible if you can
see little shoots lower on the
stems. Cutting into bare old
wood is perilous and best
avoided if at all possible.
Hebes used to be called
veronica. Your specific hebe
is quite possibly the desirable
and widely grown Hebe
Midsummer Beauty.

More problems overleaf

Womans Weekly Plant Offer

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Double1p
up for

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This easy-grow plant will give

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WW Gardening
Magazine Editors Tip
Pot up petunia plants and grow
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Geoffrey Palmer

will create an eye catching patio

display. alternatively let these
easy-grow petunia plants spread
through beds and borders as a
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Height and spread: 1.5m (5).
Supplied as postiplug plants.

HOW TO ORDER

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Quote WWK2081
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to: WW Petunia Purple rocket offer, WWK2081, Po Box 162, ipswich, Suffolk
iP8 3BX. Please send me the following item(s):

Total

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Price

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Petunia Purple Rocket x 3

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Online:

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termS & conDitionS all orders will be acknowledged by letter or
email, advising you of the expected despatch date. This offer is subject to
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correspondence concerning this offer should be sent to: Womans
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Ask the RHS Experts

What rose to plant?

Trunk call

I wish to plant a few flowering shrubs

against an east-facing fence, and ideally
include a rose, up to 6ft (1.8m) tall that also
bears colourful hips. I do hope such a rose exists!

Patsy Blackshaw, Leicester

The best roses for

hips and good for
tolerating some
shade are the rugosa shrubby
roses. Good ones to try are
Rosa rugosa Alba (above),
6ft (1.8m) height and spread,
white flowers followed by
orange red hips; Rosa rugosa

reaches 6ft6in (2m) wide

and high, and being single
flowered, the purple-pink
blooms will give you the best
display of red hips. If you can
accommodate a rather bigger
rose, consider Rosa moyesii
Geranium AGM, 10ft x 8ft
(3m x 2.5m) a wonderful

red flowered rose with

amazing large and vivid
red hips on long arching
branches. Roses that form
the best hips will not
repeat flower but do blend
well with other plants.
In your east-facing
fence situation, there are
opportunities for underplanting the roses with
hardy cyclamen,
hellebores, hemerocallis
and snowdrops to extend
the season of interest.

How to divide phormiums

We want to divide
our large and robust
phormium (New
Zealand flax). It is getting too
big and weve promised offsets
of this much admired plant to
other members of our local
horticultural society

Lizzie and Arthur Midgley,

West Midlands

You can divide phormiums in

April, digging up the whole
plant and pulling away fans of young
foliage with roots and potting them up.
You may need a sharp knife if pulling
apart is not practical. They are shallow
rooted and their brittle roots are easily
damaged. Ensure the roots do not dry
out before potting.

Could you
please tell me if
the lumps all
around the base of my
apple tree trunk are
bad for the tree? If so,
what should I do about
it? I only noticed it
recently, but they
could have been there
for some time. The
tree is now about 6
years old and until last
year it had been
fruiting well.
Tina Butt, Yorkshire

The lumps on
the base of your
apple tree are
known as burrs, and
consist of many growth
buds. The exact cause is
unknown, although it can
be due to stress that the
tree has gone through,
such as damage from
insects, virus or fungus,
and some apple
rootstocks are especially
prone to burrs. There is
nothing you can do about
them and they are not
harming the tree. If,
however, you see a white
fluffy substance
associated with burrlike growths on the tree,
you may find that the tree
is suffering from damage
by woolly aphid.
These need to be treated
with an insecticide to
prevent further cankers
developing.

Spring Gardening 23

Womans Weekly Plant Offer

200 FREE! Summer F

*

anemone Blanda

Liatris

acidanthera

allium molly

coLLec tion
containS:
10 acidanthera
55 allium molly
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Broadiaea

crocosmia

40 Broadiaea
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to: WW 200 Free Summer Bulbs offer, WWK2080, Po Box 162, ipswich,
Suffolk iP8 3BX. Please send me the following item(s):
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Price

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TCK69439
TCK69436P
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TCB67535A
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Mimosa (Acacia Dealbata) x 1 + 1 FREE

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Curcuma Anna Pink x 1
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Please quote WWK2080

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Minimum order 10. The order lines are open seven days a
week, 9am to 8pm (Mon-Fri), 9am to 6pm (weekends)
(voicemail at other times). alternatively, please complete the
coupon in BLOcK caPITaLS. remittance may be made by
Mastercard, Visa, Maestro, postal order or cheque (name,
address and WWK2080 on the back of cheque, please),
crossed and made payable to T&M. Offer available to readers
on the UK mainland only.

Online:

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wwk2080

Post: Fill in coupon opposite

termS & conDitionS all orders will be acknowledged by letter or
email, advising you of the expected dispatch date. This offer is subject to
availability. Offer enquiry line 0844 573 1686; order lines are open seven
days a week, 9am to 8pm (Mon-Fri), 9am to 6pm (Sat-Sun). Minimum
telephone order 10. all correspondence concerning this offer should
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supply of goods is with Thompson & Morgan. (Terms and conditions
available on request).
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Flowering Bulbs W3o2r.4th1

F

ill your beds and borders with colour for years to come with
this fantastic summer bulb collection, which will add height,
scent and texture. Supplied as bulbs, you can have them for
free (* you just pay 5.65 postage) see below left.

Why not try some of these other great value offers, too?

oFFer 1 mimosa (acacia

Dealbata)

oFFer 2

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oFFer 3 Petunia

night Sky

This shrub produces lemon-scented

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Height 8m (26in)
Spread 5m (16in)
Supplied as 9cm potted plants.
Buy 1 for 12.99 and get a second 1
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containing Green Pearl,

Twister and anna Pink, these rare summer
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Height: 60cm (24in) Spread 30cm
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Beauty Queen

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Its a Kind of

Magic

From formal perennial parterre to

couple married two

G
The four perennial
borders are reached by
wide steps framed by
pleached hornbeams.
The steps support a rill
waterfall and pebble pool

26 Spring Gardening

azing at Catherine Horwood Barwises formal

garden, with its ebb and flow of herbaceous
perennials, golden grasses and pristine irises, it is
almost impossible to imagine it as a mud bath. For at least two
years, it looked like a scene out of the battle of the Somme the
builders really churned up the ground whilst adding a pool
annexe, recalls Catherine. Fortunately, at the time she was able
to retreat to the furthest end of the garden and concentrate on
establishing the kitchen garden. I used the raised beds as
nursery beds to bring on plants for the formal area, she adds.

Readers Garden

relaxed wild garden, heres how one

very distinct styles

That was in 2010, shortly after Catherine, an author, and her

husband, Paddy, a business academic, had bought Richmond
House and its half-acre walled garden in the village of Clare,
Suffolk. I was drawn by the magical words walled garden,
and straightaway fell in love with both house and garden, says
Catherine. It was not what wed originally planned the
idea had been to buy something smaller. The original house
dates back to the early 16th century, and then 200 years
later it was gentrified. And I think it has been added to in
some way by just about every owner since, she says.
Continued overleaf

Fact File

The couples Georgian house

compliments the formal garden at
the rear, which Catherine describes
as, an illusion of a perfect rectangle

Catherine and
Paddy Barwise

Gardeners:

Catherine and Paddy Barwise

Location:

Richmond House,
Clare, Suffolk CO10 8NP

Moved in: 2010

Garden size: acre
Special Features:

The steps lead through

pleached hornbeams to reach
a sunny formal parterre
containing four long perennial
borders. Special plants of
interest in the garden
include vintage irises and 40
varieties of small-flowered
clematis. Beyond the wavyshaped yew hedge lies a
greenhouse and cutting
garden/ vegetable garden
with trained fruit trees. This
area leads to a partly-shaded,
wild informal garden.

Walled Garden
The previous owners had loved their
garden, and Catherine was fortunate to
inherit some lovely mature shrubs as
well as an excellent beech hedge that
divides off the kitchen garden, as well as
the yew hedge that separates the formal
and wild gardens. We have re-shaped
the yew from a straight-topped hedge
into one that undulates, she adds. High
walls enclose the property, studded with

the flints that also reveal themselves

not far beneath the surface of the
fertile loam that covers much of the
garden. About 50 years ago, it was a
smallholding and were told there
were pigs which must be partly why
the soil is so good. Although in good
condition, initially most of the walls
were covered in ivy. It took a lot of
nail-breaking time to laboriously pick
off the ivy, bit by bit, she recalls.
Although the plot appears to be a
rectangle, it does in fact widen out
towards the top of the garden. It is
cleverly disguised. What weve
done is to ensure that the borders
running beside walls widen slightly,
creating an illusion of a perfect
rectangle, says Catherine. Its no
surprise to discover that this is not
Catherines first garden, but follows on
from a London roof garden, a typical
long narrow town garden and a
small garden on the Suffolk coast.
Gardening in a windswept, sun-baked
spot near the sea, I learned lessons
that apply to both my roof garden
and this one. I have used similar plants
in all three, she explains.

Fifty years ago it was a smallholding with

pigs, which must be why the soil is so good

Problems overcome:

It took time for the formal

garden to come to fruition,
and building work resulted in
the area becoming a mud bath.
Meanwhile, Catherine was
able to establish young plants
in raised nursery beds.

Inspired by:

I decided to base the planting

on the principles behind Beth
Chattos gravel garden no
staking, no weeding and no
watering, says Catherine.
28 Spring Gardening

The high perimeter walls

shelter the perennial beds and
pretty painted arbour seat

Grass paths divide beds crammed with

bearded irises, catmint, aquilegias and
the pretty blue amsonia. In the centre,
a pond in a pot contains waterlilies

Bearded
iris Rajha,
in June t

Catherine and Paddy were under no

illusions that it would be a quick, simple
fix, recognising from the outset that it
was going to be a five-year project.
I do the gardening work and planting
plans which I love, whilst Paddy whos
the first to admit he doesnt know one
plant from another contributes ideas
of views and lines, explains Catherine.
So initially, with builders creating chaos
in the lower garden, she started at
the uppermost end of the

sloping plot, in the kitchen garden.

She designed raised beds in front of a
new greenhouse, creating views both
down and across the area. You can also
sit on a bench at the side, and look
straight through to the informal
garden. I think that views are terribly
important, even in a vegetable garden,
she adds. Tall rusted iron obelisks stand
on the corners as supports for runner
and French beans. We rotate the
obelisks each year because its never
good to grow runner beans in the same
soil two years running.

A miniature
orange (Citrus
Calamondin),
thrives on the
terrace

Creating Views

Regimented
beds in the
kitchen garden.
Views are
terribly
important, even
in a veg plot,
says Catherine

Continued overleaf

The terrace
benefits from the
a free-flowering
rose, Clair Matin,
trained across the
back of the house

A woodchip path
snakes through the
shady garden,
flanked on each side
by Alchemilla mollis,
campanulas and
hardy geraniums

Informal
Garden

Once the kitchen garden was

laid out, Catherine turned her
attention to planting the informal
wild garden. It was designed to
be a complete contrast to the
formal area closest to the house.
When we first saw the garden,
you couldnt see what was behind
the yew hedge, so there was
always this sense of mystery. It
has the feel of a secret garden

Companion peonies in
the cutting garden:
Bowl of Beauty and
Sarah Bernhardt

Cutting Garden
Catherine has created a cutting garden at the very top of the
garden. Its tucked away, behind an old apple tree draped in
Clematis montana Broughton Star and lines of hazel sticks
supporting sweet peas. I find it very difficult to pick flowers from
the main garden its almost painful to do, so I need a cutting
garden. Here there are tall blue delphiniums jostling for space
beside peonies, and rows of Sweet Williams. Theyre so easy
to grow, and one of the best cut flowers, lasting a long time in
water. I find the colours and stiff stems are difficult to place in the
garden, but in their own corner, they look lovely.
30 Spring Gardening

our grandchildren love

playing there.
Catherine started by
placing a swing bench in
the far corner near an old
amelanchier. Its a lovely
spot to take a book, and
lie there looking at the
sky, listening to the
birds and enjoying the
peacefulness, she says.
Gradually, they planted
species roses, as well as
thousands of bulbs to
ensure a succession of flowers from
winter until early summer, starting
with snowdrops and aconites,
followed by early, mid-season and
late flowering daffodils. Then there
are fritillaries which are now
self-seeding everywhere, and give a
lovely woodland feel, says Catherine.
Finally, camassias emerge, in both
blue and white, as swathes of
ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum
vulgare) hold sway. Theres a lot of
white, whereas I have none in the
formal area because I think it would
be too dominant in the sunshine.

Shade-loving

Paddys golden oak

amid swathes of
ox-eye daisies help to
light up the wild area

Its a lovely spot to take a book, &

lie there, enjoying the peacefulness

The informal garden is not as sunny

as the perennial parterre, and suits a
number of shade-loving plants
hardy geraniums, pulmonarias and
astrantias. I did consider creating a
wildflower meadow in this area, but
its such hard work, and I prefer to
see a progression of flowers over a
long period, explains Catherine. The
flowering season is extended with
fuchsias, Japanese anemones and
the species Dahlia merckii, when the
slugs leave it well alone.
Catherine has also planted some
specimen trees, including Magnolia
wilsonii AGM. This would be my
Desert Island tree because its
wonderful scent stops you in your
tracks. There is also an unusual

golden-leaved English oak (Quercus

robur Concordia). Paddy so wanted
an oak, but I wasnt keen because
they grow so big, until I found this
compact variety. It is such a vibrant,
fresh green in spring that it lights up
the whole area.
Whilst many visitors say that the
informal garden is their favourite
area, there was one exception.
Catherine recalls a traditional, elderly
gardener who turned the corner,
stopped, surveyed it and tutted:
Youve certainly got your work cut
out here, he stated. No, replied
Catherine, I want it to look like this!
An old apple
supports Clematis
montana
Broughton Star

Catherines cutting garden with

peonies, delphiniums, Sweet
Williams, crocosmia and Nigella

Catherine loves Sweet

Williams for picking,
saying they are one of the
best cut flowers, lasting
such a long time in water

Continued overleaf

Colour plan
When Catherine first coloured in
her plan, she realised that blues
and purples dominated, so added
some orange and apricot
coloured plants foxtail lilies
(eremurus), foxgloves and geums.
As well as an extensive collection
of bearded irises, theres also
some broad clumps of the
unusual, easy perennial, Amsonia
tabernaemontana var. salicifolia,
or Easter Bluestar. I first saw it in
the garden of Tom Stuart-Smith,
the garden designer. Its a tricky
blue to place, but has lovely
leaves in autumn and holds its
shape well.
Lupins make a magnificent
statement in the formal garden,
but a nightmare to grow, falling
prey to slugs and becoming
swamped by the surrounding
plants. Now, once the lupins
flower, I lift them to spend the

Pleached hornbeams
divide the terrace
from the perennial
parterre, their trunks
framing the view

The area was

begging for the
formality of
pleached trees

Pleached Trees
Once the builders left,
Catherine started work on
the formal garden, partially
screening it from the terrace
with a line of pleached
hornbeam. This area was
begging for the formality of
pleached trees, she says. It
also demanded symmetry, so
she put pen to graph paper,
replacing the original side
steps with central steps that
lead up to a grassy path that
separates four rectangular
beds. The path ends at a
Lutyens-style bench resting
on a small paved area in the
shelter of the wavy hedge. To
each side stand rusted iron
obelisks supporting Rosa
chinensis Mutabilis AGM.

The site is on a slight

downward slope and bakes
in summer. I decided to
base the planting on the
principles behind Beth
Chattos gravel garden no
staking, no weeding and no
watering, states Catherine.
Yes, there have been a few
changes, but mostly its
worked well.
She started by planning
the repeat planting of some
key plants which include
Stipa gigantea, Molinia
Transparent, Geranium
Rozanne AGM, marjoram
(Origanum laevigatum
Herrenhausen) and salvias,
with clumps of catmint
(nepeta) on the four corners.

Bearded Irises
Catherine is building up a collection of
bearded irises. I always loved Jane Phillips,
even though its very common, but thats
because its reliable, and it smells of
sherbert lemons, she adds. She grows
several Cedric Morris varieties, as well as
dark purple Superstition and Rajah, a
distinctive velvety burgundy and yellow.
32 Spring Gardening

s China roses, R. odorata

Mutabilis, flower for months
through rusted obelisks
remainder of the year in a pot
that seems to be working well.
The five years are up, and on
paper the project is complete.
I marvel at the garden, achieving
all this is like a dream. Its so very
satisfying, says Catherine.
However, as Beth Chattos
authorised biographer, she is not
sitting back. And no garden is
ever finished. I cant imagine life
without somewhere to garden,
its part of my DNA.

The Lutyens-style bench

in front of the yew hedge
that separates the wild
and formal gardens

Jane
Phillips
a popular
fragrant
old variety

Rajha a
tall variety
that flowers
in June

Bearded
irises do best
where they are not
crowded by other
plants, and where
the sun can reach
the rhizomes

Cedric Morris
named after
the famous
breeder

k
o
o
l
e
h
t formal borders
Get Creating
Define the area with hedges or
walls to completely conceal
surrounding areas and provide
shelter. Alternatively, create
partial screens between different
areas by using pleached limes
or hornbeams, positioning
so that their trunks
frame enticing views
of what lies beyond

Selecting a combination of herbaceous perennials and grasses ensures that

theres always something of interest. Catherine was keen to choose ones that
are drought resistance, need no staking and require minimal maintenance.

Plant new perennials from

March to May or September
and October for best results
l MeasuRe and mark out the
shapes of the beds using string and
pegs, before cutting away the turf.
Thoroughly dig the area over, adding
compost and soil conditioner.

Choose a colour
scheme and shortlist
plants that fit into
it, using ornamental
grasses to create a
calming foil between
bright splashes of
colour the beauty
of grasses is they look
lovely for months
on end, adding
continuity to the beds

l anaLyse the soil conditions and

aspect before compiling a shortlist
of plants that will thrive in your
garden.
l dRaw a scale plan, and seeing
how best to arrange the plants can
be helpful. Check eventual height
and spread of each when mature,
not only to ensure none overshadow
others, but also to work out the
quantities needed.
l dig the ground thoroughly and
remove weeds and debris. Arrange
the plants in their pots first and check
the plant label to allow adequate
spacing between each one. Remove
from their pots, tease out roots if pot
bound and plant, firm in and water.
Keep well watered during dry spells.

Select
long-flowering
varieties, and extend
the season by adding
later flowering asters,
sedums, cosmos
and grasses

Add topiary for structure

Catherine uses potted
clipped box balls to create
structure and provide
interest when perennial
beds are dormant during
the winter

For impact, plant in threes

or fives of each variety
dotting single plants here
and there creates a disjointed,
messy look. The exception
is statement plants such
as the lupins, Stipa gigantea
or the bearded irises

The garden at
Richmond House
opens in aid of the
National Gardens
Scheme on
Sunday 15 May
2016 (2-5pm).
For details visit
www.ngs.org.uk

Spring Gardening 33

Text and photographs by Nicola Stocken

ew
Planting a N
Perennial Bed

To celebrate the bluebell season, Blickling

Hall will be illuminated by blue light, and
hosting a blues music evening on 28 May

Dates
for

your Diary

s
g
in
n
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p
O
&
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lk
a
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e
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Gar

Spring Flower Walk

National Trust Images /Val Corbett

National Trust Images /Andrew Butler

DEVON 24 March, 1, 9 April

Join the gardeners at Greenway
Garden, nr Brixham TQ5 0ES,
for a walk and talk through the
woodland gardens filled with
spring flowers. 11.30am-1pm,
price 5, normal admission
applies. Booking: 01803 842382
nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway

Spring at Hardwick Garden Tour

Festival of the Blues

Jekkas Open Days

Open Day

DERBYSHIRE 24, 31 March,

7, 14, April
Take a stroll with the gardeners
and explore the garden,
11am-1pm, free with
normal admission. See the
new stumpery. Tel: 01246
850430 nationaltrust.org.uk/
hardwick-hall

BRISTOL 1-2, 29-30 April

Jekkas Herb Farm, Rose
Cottage, Shellards, Lane,
Alveston, BS35 3SY. A chance
to see the Herbetum Jekka
will give free tours at 11am
and 2pm. Tel 01454 418878
jekkasherbfarm.com
Take a tour of
Greenway to discover
all it has to offer

CUMBRIA 10 April
Sizergh Garden, Kendal LA8
8DZ. A variety of garden styles
to explore, from daffodils in the
orchard, tulips on the terrace,
cherry blossom in the formal
Dutch garden, and the stunning
rock garden. Daffodil Walk
11-12pm, included in admission,
to book Tel 015395 60951
nationaltrust.org.uk/sizergh

Spring Flower Walk

EAST SUSSEX 29 April

Batemans garden ranger shares
knowledge on the wild flowers
that adorn the countryside.
10.30am-12.30pm and normal
admission applies. Tel 01435
882302 nationaltrust.org.uk/
batemans

Bluebell Festival

CORNWALL 29 April-8 May

Within the 30 acre Enys gardens,
St Gluvias, Penryn TR10 9LB
lies a meadow called Parc Lye,
where the show of bluebells
is breathtaking. This tranquil
garden is worth a visit. Tel 01326
259885 enysgardens.org.uk
Sizergh, a National Trust
property is open daily

NORFOLK during May

Blickling Hall, Blickling, Norwich
NR11 6NF will be bathed in blue
light to celebrate the bluebell
season, ending in a blues band
evening on 28 May, 3-7pm.
Price 10, pre-booking essential
nationaltrust.org.uk/blicklingestate Tel 0844 2491895
SHROPSHIRE 1 May
The historic landscape
gardens at Millichope Park,
Munslow, Craven Arms, opens
for the NGS, 2-6pm. Also the
grand opening of the Walled
Garden, home to the UKs
largest collection of hardy,
perennial scented violas,
and opening of the restored
glasshouses. boutsviolas.co.uk

Spring blooms
garden tour

WILTSHIRE 1-31 May

Experience Stourhead, Mere,
Wiltshire BA12 6QF, at its best
on a guided tour, starting at
11.30am or 1.30pm, for 1 hour.
9am-6pm. Tel 01747 841152
nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead

S
Da PRI
yS NG
OU
T

Shows & Events

Rare Plant Fair

NORTHANTS 3 April
The private Evenley Wood Garden
opens for a plant fair, entry 5, at
Evenley, Brackley NN13 5SH
Tel 0845 468 1368 rareplantfair.co.uk

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 11-16 April

A new 6-day festival promises guided
tours and talks by a host of well
known speakers as insight to the
sustainable approach to the gardens.
Prices 17.50 to 95, Tel 0333 222
4555 highgroveshop.com/festival.

Harrogate Spring
Flower Show

Rhododendron, Magnolia
& Camellia Centenary

All four RHS Gardens, 11-17 April

The RHS will be hosting activities to
demonstrate the theme Get Fit in the
Garden. Many gardens nationwide will
open free for National Open Gardens
Day on Friday 15 April.
nationalgardeningweek.org.uk

Red Cross Spring

Gardening Day

RHS Malvern
Spring Festival

Garden Museum
Plant Fair,
23 April: Pennys
Primulas will be
selling plants of
Primula sieboldii
t

Melvyn Jones

National Gardening Week

Cardiff Flower Show

15-17 April
The show at Bute Park, Cardiff
Castle will be packed with
ideas see the Marquee,
Plant Village and Show
Gardens. 10am-5.30pm
(4.30pm on Sunday)
rhs.org.uk/cardiff
Tel 0844 338 7502

Garden Museum
Plant Fair

Christine Walkden is
joining Toby Buckland
at the Powerham
Garden Event

Rare Plant Fair entry

includes Winterbourne
garden and house

LONDON 23 April
This year taking place at
Lambeth Palace Gardens,
ordinarily closed to the
public, with specialist
nursery stands. Price 5,
10.30am-5pm. Lambeth
Palace Road, London SE1 7LB
Tel 020 7401 8865
Gardenmuseum.org.uk

NORTH YORKS 21-24 April

Show gardens, flower arranging and
more. In advance until 12 April, or
on the gate Tel 01423 546158
flowershow.org.uk. Great Yorkshire
Showground, Harrogate HG2 8NZ

HEREFORDSHIRE 27 April
Held at Newport House, Almeley,
HR3 6LL. Specialist plant nurseries
and gift items for sale. 10.30am4pm. Advance bookings enquiries:
Redcross.org.uk Tel 07738 340581

Powerham Garden
Event, Devon

DEVON 29-30 April

Powerham Castle, Kenton, Nr Exeter
EX6 8JQ. Nurserymen stalls and
speakers Christine Walkden will
attend on Saturday, Joe Swift on
Sunday. Tickets 7.70 or 6 in
advance, see Tobygardenfest.co.uk
Powerham Tel 01626 891133

Spring Plant Festival

NORTH YORKS 30 April-1 May

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag
Lane, Harrogate. Plant stalls and
expert advice on hand, plus a
Plant Heritage Fair, 10am-4pm.
Tel 0845 265 8070 rhs.org.uk/
gardens/harlow-carr

15 April is Free Friday

gardens will open for
National Open Gardens Day

SURREY 7-8 May

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23
6QB is celebrating 100 years of these
plants with tours and plant sales.
Tel 0845 260 9000 or visit rhs.org.uk/
gardens/wisley

WORCS 5-8 May

Show gardens, specialist
nurseries, celebrity theatre, Food &
Drink pavilion and gardening for
children. Three Counties
Showground, Malvern WR13 6NW
Tickets: 0844 338 7502 rhs.org.uk/
shows-events/

Plant Heritage
Spring Fair

DEVON 14-15 May

RHS Rosemoor, Torrington EX28
9PH hosts a Fair, displaying
rare and unusual trees, perennials
and shrubs. Tel 0845 265 8072
rhs.org.uk

Rare Plant Fair

MIDLANDS 15 May
Winterbourne House and Gardens,
Fair 11am-4pm. Tel 0121 414 3003
winterbourne.org.uk University of
Birmingham, 58 Edgbaston Park
Road, Birmingham B15 2RT

Cardiff Flower
Show kickstarts the big
gardening shows
Spring Gardening 35

Bethany Clarke/RHS

Highgrove: The Garden

Celebrated

Visit the Rare Plant

Fair and explore
Evenley Wood Garden

k
a
e
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S
d
e
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S
Easter is the ideal time to get
growing and before you start,
the canny gardener takes stock
of their tools and, if needs be,
invests in new ones. But while
youre at it, why not transform
your humble garden shed into a
beautiful and functional place!

een from the outside, a garden shed

appears nothing more than a tool
store, an outbuilding with that
what-you-see-is-what-you-get look
of a repository for all the paraphernalia
involved in maintaining a garden. But open
the doors, and a cornucopia of other stuff is
revealed. In one particular shed, we spotted
no less than 18 diverse pairs of gardening
gloves pegged to the back of the door, each
pair used for a specific task by their owner.
In another, a collection of vintage tobacco
tins, each labelled with the name of a different
variety of broad bean handed down through
the generations. And, in yet another, a
primus stove, old radio, tea bags and milk
powder ready for a mid-morning brew.

Keeping
indispensable
tools within easy
reach saves time

A shed is one of the most

useful additions to an allotment

36 Spring Gardening

A shed can be used as a

potting station if its well lit

A novel glove
storage solution

Gardening essentials

The Shed Retreat

or propagating can be pursued
in peace: there may even be
refreshments stashed in a mini
fridge, books and a comfy chair
sneaked into a corner. These are
usually no-go areas for spouses
and children alike, and tend to fall
into two camps the meticulously
methodical haven that is kept in
apple-pie order, or a cluttered
hideaway jam-packed with a
jumble of belongings collected
over a lifetime.
s

The role of the garden shed as a

retreat is nothing new. Allotment
sheds up and down the country
have long provided an escape for
everyone from major generals
and nuclear physicists to plumbers.
However, as space increasingly
becomes at a premium and
houses shrink in size, many
garden sheds are being up cycled
as Man-sheds or Lady-sheds,
refuges from the outside world
where DIY, navel contemplation

W
Practical paths
Sheds are best placed on a solid base built
from either paving slabs or concrete laying
the landscaping at least a metre wider on
several sides creates useful working space.
On larger structures, fitting gutters directs
rainwater away from the building, either
into a soakaway or water butt. And dont
neglect the paths leading to and fro they
take a lot of wear, so should be laid in gravel,
paving or concrete, and kept clear of floppy
planting that could trip up the unwary.
Pathways should also be wide enough for
wheelbarrows, lawn rollers and lawnmowers.

hatever the
real purpose,
most garden
sheds are to some degree
used to securely store
tools and chemicals.
Ranging from oversized
cupboards to substantial
structures, sheds are
essentially utilitarianlooking and need to be
thoughtfully incorporated
into the garden so as not
to jar with the natural
environment. Often they
can be tucked away at the
side of a house, or behind
screening at the back of a
plot, but wherever
assembled, they should
be surrounded by
enough space to gain
access for an annual
preservative treatment.

Find a
place
for a
shed in
your
garden

Ways with colour

When it comes to the exterior finish,
sheds can be painted in a specific
colour to co-ordinate with other
wooden structures in the garden.
In this case, the shed will stand out,
so its worth spending a little more
for an attractive design, possibly

even a summerhouse that combines

storage with providing somewhere
to sit. Alternatively, wooden sheds
can be simply coated with a clear
preservative, and allowed to weather
down to a natural silver shade that sits
easily alongside foliage.

all you
need to
know
about

sheds

Green roofs
The standard roofing felt
used on shed roofs is probably
one of its most unattractive
features. At a price, it can be
transformed with a cladding
of cedar shingles, a handsome
and sustainable material.
Another option is to create a
green roof, which involves
building a shallow wooden
trough filled with soil on top
of the roof. It is then planted

with low-growing, drought

resistant plants such as sedum,
sempervivum, the common
polypody fern and tufted grasses.

Shed of
the year

Safe storage

A former finalist
in Cuprinol Shed of
the Year gave their shed
a Japanese style design.
This years competition is
now open, and winners
will be featured in a
Channel 4 series
this July.

s Transform a boring shed

by planting a vigorous
rambling rose such as
Dorothy Perkins (above)
or Flicit-Perptue
nearby and train across
wires: after a couple of
years, little apart from the
door is likely to be visible.

Security is another issue, not only

because thieves might steal valuable
equipment, but also because some
tools could be used to break into your
home. On the door hinges and hasp,
use coach or clutch-head screws
which cannot easily be unscrewed.
Closed-shackle padlocks, in which
little of the metal hoop is exposed,
will make the door less vulnerable to
thieves wielding bolt-cutters or a
saw. In areas with high rates of crime,
its worth fitting two padlocks.
And, if theres a window, obscure it
from the inside with bubble-wrap
and consider fitting mesh wire.
Spring Gardening 39

all you
need to
know
about

The
gardeners
essential
tool kit

sheds

Well made
tools may be
expensive but
will last a
lifetime

ood tools are expensive

and worth securing.
However, they are also
worth maintaining if they are
to last the proverbial lifetime:
and they do. Alan Titchmarsh
still uses a spade first used by his
grandfather on his Yorkshire
allotment, and latterly by his
father for mixing concrete. Alan
is not alone in using old, inherited
tools which often need little more
than a good clean to be on a par
with any modern equivalent.

Tools for the job

Spades perform best digging light
soil, whilst a fork is most efficient

s A small tool shed keeps

essential tools handy

for breaking up heavy clay clods or

penetrating stony soil. Smaller versions
are available, usually called border tools
for planting on a smaller scale. Many
gardeners go for stainless steel heads as
they are lighter, do not rust, and easier to
keep clean than metal counterparts.
A Dutch hoe is another invaluable tool
that, used little and often, skims just
below the surface of the soil to separate
a weeds shoots from its roots.
Rakes are also indispensable and
available in two versions. One has a wide
fan of metal or plastic prongs
and is used for clearing up
leaves or removing debris
from the lawn, whilst the
other has rigid parallel teeth
that are good for levelling in
preparation for sowing.

A gardeners trug
Of all the tools, the one to
which gardeners seem to
become most attached is the
trug, a versatile basket that
weds practicality with a simple
beauty and design that has
stood the test of time.
Charlie Groves is one of the
last makers of
traditional
Sussex

s Im working with the

same native materials and
long-established designs
that have been handed down
by generations of trug
makers, says Charlie Groves

40 Spring Gardening

trugs. Based in his workshop

in Lewis, it takes him around
three hours to make each
trug by hand using sweet
chestnut and willow.
Sussex trugs come in range
of shapes and sizes, the
rectangular version comes in
seven original sizes with the
two largest quaintly known as
the Bushel and Half Bushel
by virtue of the quantity they
hold. Other shapes include
oval, round and square, and
theres even one attached to a
walking stick designed for
older gardeners whore not
that steady on their feet.

Bypass
secateurs have
a scissor-like
action

to Ste
pr p-b
a op y-S
da ag te
y l at p
ily in
g

Dividing
Perennials
Plant markers
Labels are essential to ensure dormant
bulbs are not mistakenly dug up and as a
reminder of a plant name. A cautionary
tale concerns squirrels and their tendency
to move plastic labels around. A squirrel
once muddled the labels on three chilli
plants, with the result that the hottest and
spiciest was mistakenly added to a dish
intended to be mild.
Organic gardener Bob Flowerdew uses
wooden pegs that he fasten onto plants
or pots. Then there are always the utilitarian
white plastic or natural wooden lollipop
sticks or those crafted in aluminium or
copper that can be inscribed. Slate and
blackboard labels are less permanent
unless youre using a
white indelible pen.

Tip

Both old and

new tools benefit
from an annual
maintenance
regime

Secateurs
There is a surprising variety of secateurs
on the market, but like many things,
you get what you pay for. They benefit
from being regularly oiled and the
blades rubbed down with emery
paper to remove sticky sap.
There are two types of secateurs:
the anvil has one sharp blade that cuts
against a flat metal block for pruning
hard or dead wood in winter. The
bypass or parrot-beak type has two
sharp blades that bypass each other,
making them ideal for cutting back
perennials, roses and grasses.
If its thicker stems your tackling,
one with a ratchet feature cuts stems
in steps and doesnt strain your hands.
Choosing a pair with brightly coloured
handles makes them harder to lose!

2 Two sections
of the original
clump can be
re-planted at
this stage,
ensure foliage
is attached to a
rhizome root.

Always clean
and wipe shears
dry after use

1 Lift the clump gently with a fork

and shake off excess soil. Insert two
forks back-to-back into the crown,
and lever apart.

Look aftesr
your tool

3
3 You can
loosen and
break the root
mass to make
further smaller
clumps by
teasing apart
by hand or
with a knife.

l Wash off any caked earth from

tools in a bucket of warm soapy
water, and dry in the sunshine.
l Then, using a wire brush or
sandpaper, remove loose rust.
l Use a flat engineers file to
sharpen blunt cutting edges on
spades, hoes or turf-cutters.
l Finally, spray all clean, dry
metal surfaces with WD40 oil to
protect against rusting.
l Dont forget wooden handles which
can be smoothed with sandpaper,
before being coated with linseed oil.

4 Trim foliage
and ensure
the root
rhizome is
intact. Re-plant
into a hole
enriched with
compost. Water
regularly until
established.

Spring Gardening 41

Text and photographs by Nicola Stocken

Black labels
are easy to read

Ensure your perennials stay

healthy and vigorous by
dividing up in spring. This not
only helps to keep the plants
vigorous and healthy, but also
yields new plants to pot up
and give away. We set about
dividing a clump of day lilies
(hemerocallis) using two stout
forks, strong enough to break
through the large, fibrous
roots. Other plants you can
divide/propagate in this way
now include any late-flowering
daisies, catmint, hostas, grasses,
hardy geraniums, eryngium,
salvias and veronicastrum.

Immortalising
How a means of recording orchid blooms
became the ultimate horticultural art

Paphiopedilum
Lilian Greenwood
Watercolour on
board of a flower of
Paphiopedilum Lilian
Greenwood painted
by Nellie Roberts. This
plant was given an

award of merit by the

Orchid Committee
in January 1897 and
is one of the earliest
orchid portraits she
painted. It was one of
five orchids awarded
on 12th January
1897, the first month
she was in the post.

he Royal Horticultural Society has had a

long and distinguished association with
orchids in fact its founder, Sir Joseph
Banks, effectively invented the hanging
basket as a means of growing them. But
quite early on, it became clear to the society
that a practical method was needed to record
the botanical features of each plant, to help
their Orchid Committee judge what was awardworthy or represented an advance in breeding.

So a first official artist, the 24-year old Nellie Roberts,

was appointed in January 1897 initially only for six
months, to paint all plants given a First Class Certificate
or an Award of Merit. When she finally retired, an
incredible 59 years later in 1953, she had produced
almost 5,000 exquisite works for the Committee.
Several other fine botanical artists followed in
Nellies footsteps, up to the current official artist,
Deborah Lambkin, as even today, because of the
trueness of scale, colour and proportion, paintings
are still seen as the most reliable way of recording
orchid blooms, with photographs and detailed
descriptions to support them. And about 7,000
hand-painted portraits of these extraordinary plants
still survive in the RHS Lindley Library forming a
beautiful and unparalleled art collection.

Brassolaeliocattleya
Cupid

Laelio-cattleya
Dominiana Monkend
s Watercolour on board of Laelio-cattleya
Dominiana Monkend. This plant was given an award
of merit by the Orchid Committee in March 1911.

42 Spring Gardening

Watercolour on
board of a flower of
Brassolaeliocattleya
Cupid. This orchid
achieved a first class
certificate from the
Orchid Committee
in December 1937.

Beauty

Watercolour on board of
a flower of Brassocattleya
Miranda Lows. This bloom
gained an award of merit
from the Orchid Committee
in October 1926.

Brassocattleya
Dr Wilmer Excelsior

Brassocattleya
Miranda Lows

Watercolour on board of a flower of

Brassocattleya Dr Wilmer Excelsior. This orchid
was given an award of merit by the Orchid
Committee in November 1931.

From 1-2
April 2016, the RHS
Horticultural Halls will host
The RHS London Spring Plant
Extravaganza featuring the
RHS London Orchid Show.
The show will include displays
of exotic orchids from orchid
societies and botanical
gardens from around
the world.

Odontoglossum Opheron Nelly Roberts

Watercolour on board of a flower of
Odontoglossum Opheron Nelly
Roberts painted by Nellie Roberts. This
orchid was given an award of merit by
the Orchid Committee in November
1952, and she in turn was awarded the
RHSs prestigious Veitch Memorial
Medal (given to those who have made
an outstanding contribution to the
advancement and improvement of the
science and practice of horticulture) in
1953. The orchid was named as a

tribute to her at the end of her career,

and as it won an award, she had to
paint it! She was apparently known as
both Nellie and Nelly, hence the
spelling. This was one of two orchids
named after her as a tribute. The other
was the Cattleya Nellie Roberts and
was painted by another artist and
presented to Nellie herself on her
retirement. However, she was known to
have remarked that she would rather
have painted it herself!
Spring Gardening 43

How to plant...

For Special

The shape of plants and the way

they are used, from carpeting
to cascading, in drifts or stand
alone, can define the style of your
garden. Deciding on the right
plants is the challenging part

44 Spring Gardening

Effects!
S

uccessful gardens come in a

multitude of shapes, sizes and
styles, but the one feature they
have in common is healthy,
happy plants that go well together.
Plant choice is arguably the most
challenging aspect of gardening, and
success relies on a number of factors.
First and foremost is developing an
understanding of the growing conditions
in your garden, so as to ensure that the
needs of each and every plant are met

Choosing plants wisely

in terms of soil, light and moisture.

Following Beth Chattos advice to
choose the right plant for the right
place not only saves time and money,
but also reduces the disheartening loss
of plants that do not like the situation.
Making a shortlist based on suitable
plants is still likely to be long and
confusing so, whether planting a
completely new area or revamping an
existing one, its helpful to envisage the
effect desired in the beds and borders.

Continued overleaf

A border planted
with perennials and
ornamental grasses
creates an informal,
relaxed feel

Create the right feel

aking the decision

about what to plant
in a given area can
be made much easier by
first deciding on the style of
planting. There are various
themes to choose from that
can all help create a different
feel within a garden space.

Prairie planting, for

example, is informal, a freeflowing drift of ornamental
grasses and robust perennials
that is both long-lasting
and low-maintenance. On
the other hand, a classic
herbaceous border makes a
formal statement, peaking in

midsummer with a blaze of

perennials gradated from the
shortest at the front, to the
tallest at the back.
For smaller gardens, mixed
borders are an obvious choice,
enabling a wide range of
plants to be grown in a small
area. Based on a pick n mix
selection of shrubs, bulbs,
annuals or perennials, they
should provide interest all
year round.
With todays ever-increasing
array of plants, opting for
a specific planting style
helps to limit the palette,
whilst restrictions based on
colour, size and shape ensure
combinations of plants that
blend together harmoniously.

A cottage feel border is

given a romantic
atmosphere with alliums,
aquilegias and irises

Let a theme inspire planting

Mediterranean lends itself to
using trachycarpus, cannas,
paulownia and dahlias t

Although associated with

formal layouts, cloud
topiary can be used to
punctuate a cottage bed

Design inspiration

Allow the overall

design of the garden
to dictate the most
suitable plants
46 Spring Gardening

nother way of minimising

the selection process is to
allow the overall design of
the garden to dictate the most
suitable plants. If, for example, it is a
Mediterranean style garden, then
the focus is on sun-loving plants that
include palms, olive and cypress
trees. Formal gardens, on the other
hand, are based around geometric
shapes and symmetry created from
clipped box hedges, pleached
hornbeam and topiary.
A different group of plants is used
to create an informal cottage theme
foxgloves, hollyhocks and
delphiniums are favourites
whereas a clean-lined modern look

With todays everincreasing array of

plants, opting for
a specific planting
style helps to limit
the palette

relies on architectural plants such

as astelias, grasses and melianthus.
Wildlife-friendly areas focus on
loose-limbed plants that are
nectar-rich, such as buddlejas and
scabious, whilst native hedging
provides berries and protection.
Then there are small town
gardens where space is at a
premium, so the ideal plant
provides interest in more than one
season with, for example, flowers in
spring, followed by handsome
foliage, berries and autumn colour.
The shape of beds helps set off a
certain planting style, too. Straightedged borders sit well within a
traditional framework, whilst
curving edges indicate a relaxed

approach. Then there are island

beds which lend themselves to
growing small trees with light
canopies Cornus controversa
Variegata or a multi-stemmed
silver birch above plants that
cope with light shade.
Whatever the design and
planting style, gardeners are spoilt
for choice with the plethora of
plants available online and from
nurseries. Another good source is
the National Plant Collections,
organised by Plant Heritage. The
availability of plants does have its
downside because plantaholics
cannot resist impulse buys, buying
choice plants that may be
incompatible with other plants.

Plants for
a purpose

he answer to selecting the

right plants lies in limiting the
plant selection yet further by
identifying really useful plants that can
serve a specific purpose. There are, for
example, specimen shrubs or small
trees, singletons that are designed
to stand alone and make an impact.
Then there are signature plants,
often special favourites of the garden
owners that crop up throughout a
garden, creating a sense of cohesion.
Good mixers are another important
group, herbaceous plant families
such as hardy geraniums, Alchemilla
mollis, salvias, catmint and grasses
that are the glue that holds together
beds and border plantings.
Ground cover plants are essential,
too, for making small leafy mounds
such as thyme and camomile. In
contrast, broad-leaved hostas or
bergenias flourish in a shady spot.
Another group encompasses plants
that create living screens between
different areas of a garden. Noninvasive bamboos suit informal
situations, whilst pleached hornbeam
form beautiful living screens.
Lastly, there is a large group of
climbers that clothe walls, fences,
trellis, pergolas and arches, vital to
draw the eye upwards and outwards.
Experimenting with the infinite
variety of plants is a major part of the
fun of gardening, and there is great
scope for creating special effects by
choosing plants wisely.

Climbers are so versatile for the

endless ways they can be used.
Rosa Paul Noel and Clematis
Dark Eyes are delightful together

Continued overleaf

10effects
special
with

ways to create

plants

Every inch of garden counts

when it comes to combining
plants for dramatic effect

Plants
to make
spectacular

clumps

Queen of this group of plants

must be Geranium Rozanne,
winner of the public vote for
the Chelsea Plant of the
Centenary. Forming a large
clump early in the season, this
hardy geranium flowers for
months on end. It combines
well in undulating borders with
other mounded herbaceous
perennials such as sedums,
catmints, alchemilla and salvias.
Create contrasts of shape and
texture by interspersing with the
spires of acanthus, penstemon
and phlomis. Before planting,
check the eventual heights of
each plant so that none towers
above its neighbours.

g
n
i
s
i
l
a
r
u
t
a
N
Planting in drifts

Naturalising bulbs such as tulips, windflowers, daffodils, scillas and alliums

in beds, borders and lawns is a wonderful means of introducing colour early in the
season. In areas of grass, plant short, early spring varieties that finish flowering
just as the grass is long enough to hide the foliage wait at least six weeks before
mowing the grass, in order to allow the leaves to wither and replenish the bulbs.
Alternatively, naturalise bulbs beneath deciduous trees or shrubs that, stripped of
leaves in winter, allow sunshine to warm the ground beneath.

48 Spring Gardening

Repetition

4cascade
Plants to

s
p
m
u
l
C
d
l
Bo

Living green walls are not only a

good way to brighten up a dull
vertical surface, but in tiny plots,
they create more growing space. A
simple structure can be built from
wooden gravel boards, and fitted
with mesh shelves for the plants
to sit on. Irrigation is provided by a
leaky hose that is laid throughout,
prior to filling with multi-purpose
compost and covering in black
landscaping material. Plants are
inserted through slits cut in the
cloth. Suitable plants for a vertical
situation include heucheras, ferns,
saxifrages, violas, spider plants,
liriopes and some grasses.

g
n
i
d
a
c
s
a
C
s

3long borders
Grasses for

Planting clumps of ornamental grasses, positioned at similar

intervals apart along the length of a border, stamps a repetitive
rhythm on the planting. Miscanthus, stipas and deschampsias
are ideal for this purpose, emerging in spring as small clumps
that gradually fill out as they grow taller. By midsummer, the
seedheads are developing, adding an ethereal quality as they
mature into the autumn. Grasses also act as a foil to flower colour,
creating a calming sorbet between the brighter hues. For single
dramatic clumps, golden oats (Stipa gigantea) takes a lot of
beating, hanging above smaller perennials in droplets of gold.

Fab
Fillers

5 Parterre

infills

Whether elaborate or simple, a parterre cries out for

a filling within the crisply cut latticework of hedges
that form square or shapely beds. The simplest filling is
gravel, creating an austere look that emphasises the
framework. In larger areas, there is space for fruit and
vegetables, whilst smaller versions lend themselves to
seasonal displays. Bulbs for spring can be followed by
informal plants such as cosmos, tobacco plants and
verbenas, or carpet bedding annuals. Add permanent
centrepiece with evergreen standards or roses.
Continued overleaf

Rhapsody
in Blue
the closest to
a blue rose
youll find

Talking
Points

There are those plants that wow

simply because of their size, rarity or
colour. The near-blue rose Rhapsody
in Blue qualifies, the closest any rose
breeder has ever managed to get
to a true blue bloom. Then theres
pasque flowers, Pulsatilla vulgaris, the
prettiest of spring flowers, a British
native that is increasingly rarely found
growing in the wild. But when it
comes to size, tree echiums (left) soar
up to 13ft (4m) and more, starting out
from just a low rosette of hairy silver
leaves. We heard about one that had
self-seeded right outside the back door
of a tiny cottage the owner could
not bear to move it, and spent the
summer squeezing past it every time
she wanted to go out into the garden.

Wowor
Fact

Statement plants with

Beautiful Foliage

Plants with dramatic foliage always make an impact, and few

more so than Tetrapanax papyrifer, rice-paper plant. In terms of
huge leaves, its only near rival growing in Britain is Gunnera
manicata, giant rhubarb. But size is not everything. Other plants
create impact with leaves that have lovely colouring and veining.
Amongst these are cannas with their paddle-shaped leaves
(right), especially lovely when backlit by the sun. Another
contender in the mid-sized leaf stakes is Ricinus communis,
castor oil plant. Palms too have large-scale foliage Brahea
armata, blue fan palm, looks good in a hot-themed border.

50 Spring Gardening

l
a
r
u
t
c
e
t
i
h
Arc

8Spring blossom

The gradual awakening of blossom is a sure sign that spring is

approaching, and starts with Japanese apricots (Prunus mume)
bearing almond-scented pink flowers, followed by snowy cherry
plums (Prunus cerasifera) and the crimson buds of Japanese crab
apples (Malus floribunda) (above). Meanwhile, in hedgerows, there
are hawthorns (Crataegus laevigata) and sloes (Prunus spinosa). Nor
is blossom exclusive to fruiting trees: by late spring, philadelphus
and amelanchier are smothered in peerless blooms. But most
exquisite of all is the blossom on ornamental cherry trees.

10 Sociable
Scramblers

Imaginative combinations of
several climbers complement
one another, creating contrasts
between the different flower
colours. The blend of light pink
Rosa Belvedere with sultry purple
Clematis Etoile Violette is a striking
contrast when both plants peak
at the same time (shown below).
Alternatively, planting a rose and
clematis that bloom at different
times extends the flowering
season. The bare stems of roses can
be concealed beneath evergreen
climbers such as honeysuckles
or potato vines. However, mixing
climbers with different pruning
needs can be problematic, so check
before planting. Alternatively, team
permanent climbers with annuals
such as sweet peas or Cobaea
scandens to create more impact.

9 Autumn Colour

Show stoppers for vibrant

Much of the most dramatic autumn

colour is on trees that require a lot of
space, and the choice for smaller gardens
is limited. Fortunately, there are many
Japanese acers that, come autumn, turn
wonderful shades of crimson, orange
and gold. These little trees are very easy
going, tolerating a surprising amount of

Autumn
Colour

healthy neglect, and adding a distinctive

touch wherever they are planted.
In terms of vibrant autumn flowers,
chrysanthemums come in a wide range
of colours and forms, with varieties that
flower right up to Christmas. Try growing
chrysanthemums through an obelisk
which provides both support and a
showcase for the lovely blooms.

s
r
e
b
m
i
l
C
Spring Gardening 51

Text and photographs by Nicola Stocken

i
t
t
e
f
n
o
C
l
Peta

Thames

Path

Gardeners World presenter Rachel de Thame has

described her career as a series of episodes, but in
spite of criticism that shes too pretty to be a gardener,
shes become a popular regular on our screens

achel de Thame
may have taken
a while to choose
gardening as a
career, but her
passionate
interest was there from the
beginning. Throughout my
childhood, I was surrounded
by plants and gardens. My
father was a keen amateur, and
watching him in the garden
inspired me. Dad talked to me
about whatever we saw.
Both her mum and maternal
grandmother were keen
growers too. A ll three were
interested in gardens and
plants and their enthusiasm

determined to be a dancer, and

she trained in classical ballet.
At the age of 10, I became
a pupil at the Royal Ballet
School in Richmond. One
of the highlights was
appearing in Rudolf
Nureyevs production of
The Nutcracker at The
Royal Opera House. I
recall him trying to get us
to run more quietly across
the stage by repeating pussy
foot, pussy foot in a softly
coaxing Russian accent.
However, we also witnessed
him losing his temper with a
particular ballerina, which for
us children was terrifying.

Chelsea Girl
Rachel has helped present
the BBCs coverage of the RHS
Chelsea Flower Show for many years,
and she loves it: If I wasnt here Id feel like
Id really missed out. I have memories of
coming with my parents, and still remember
the thrill of walking through the marquee. I still
get that feeling as soon as you enter, youre
hit by a wall of fragrance. I love the sense
of occasion, the people, the gardens,
the flowers. Its a showcase for
the best of the best.

I particularly love meeting

the people behind the plants
was infectious. I still have
some of my grandmothers
wartime Dig For Victory
gardening books, and many
collected by my father in the
1960s and 70s.
As children, my three
brothers and I were often
taken on long family walks.
I remember collecting and
pressing leaves and flowers,
and visiting the local plant
nurseries, so I got hooked very
young. A passion for gardening
has always run in my family!
However, in those days, like
a lot of little girls, Rachel was
52 Spring Gardening

Contracting glandular fever

in my late teens changed the
course of my life. I stumbled
on for a couple of years, but I
lost the muscle strength and
stamina needed to fulfil my
potential. I stopped dancing
completely in my early 20s.
Luckily, Rachel was then
scouted by a modelling agency,
plus she also became a mum,
which dovetailed together well.
Modelling was great and I
was fortunate to work with
some wonderful directors,
photographers and clients.
With two small children, it

also offered the flexibility I

needed with a young family,
but I used to take gardening
books with me on shoots. I
wasnt actually thinking of it
as a career at that point, but
it was definitely already a
passion. Then, after 10 years as
a model, I decided to retrain.
So it was only then, after two

potential careers already, that

her life-long passion for plants
and gardens turned into a
study of horticulture.
And once she had qualified,
her career in gardening really
blossomed, with Rachel
becoming a member of the
presenting team for BBC2s
flagship gardening series

Fit for a Queen

Gardeners World in 1999.

Following a break in 2009,
she returned to the series at
the beginning of 2011 and
continues to report for them
today. But despite her long
stint on the programme, she
still adores the job, and her
true passion for gardening
is as strong as ever:
In terms of my career, I
never felt good enough as a

model. I thought it would give

me up in the end. I dont feel
that way about gardening.
I know I will be doing it until
I drop. I love being able to
travel the country visiting
beautiful gardens and having
access to some of our most
stunning natural landscapes.
I spend my days surrounded
by exquisite and endlessly
fascinating plants, trees and

wild flowers. I particularly love

meeting the people behind the
plants, the owners, gardeners
and specialist growers, who
are invariably generous with
their time and knowledge.
Napoleon should have called
us a nation of gardeners rather
than shopkeepers. The
diversity [of UK gardens] is
mind-boggling: sleek,
minimalist terraces, rosestrewn courtyards and roof
gardens filled with herbs and,
most recently, living walls.
I think its hugely important
because it affects our day-today well-being on many levels.
Obviously theres the visual
impact of seeing things that
are beautiful and responding
to that, but I think it just
reconnects you very briefly.
Being a woman in what
remains predominantly mans
world does still have
drawbacks however. There
was one occasion when I was
filming at the Chelsea Flower

Show and I wasnt allowed to

breastfeed! Im an earth
mother. I liked being pregnant,
and giving birth, and
breastfeeding. Up until that
point, the job I was doing was
working really well with
juggling the kids, but not then.
Rachel has noted that there
are still more male garden
designers than women, too.
Maybe the same issues that
affect women working in other
spheres do affect women in
horticulture. We have babies.
We are not available for fulltime work. Its tricky but we
definitely need both male and
female designers in order to
get a balance.
For me, women and men see
things differently. Our eyes are
made of rods and cones and
men have more rods, which
means they are prone to see
structure etc. Women have
more cones, which means we
see and remember more
colours and colour schemes!
Spring Gardening 53

Words: Claire Bower. Pictures: Alamy

Of course, apart from presenting and writing, Rachel does do a

little bit of designing herself and shes even designed a garden
for Chelsea. Though Im not primarily a garden designer, design
is definitely a small but important part of my work, and I take it
very seriously when I do have a project. The Royal Barge
commission (she designed the floral elements on the Spirit of
Chartwell, the royal barge, for the Thames Diamond Jubilee
Pageant in 2012) was undoubtedly the most extraordinary and
exciting. I aimed to create something regal yet celebratory, and
surround Her Majesty with beautiful and fragrant flowers.
Nothing has topped the experience. I was on the barge during
the pageant and it was surreal to witness the event from that
perspective. I still cant believe how dreadful the weather was,
but in many ways it made the day more memorable. Rachel
aimed to represent all 54 commonwealth nations in the flowers,
but she was never able to establish the Queens favourite flower:
I asked but nobody came back with an answer!

Womans Weekly Events

Fun Needle-Felting
Workshops
J

oin felting experts Judy Balchin and Roz Dace as they

run this years needle-felting workshops. These
full-day workshops are brilliant for complete
beginners or for anyone keen on needle-felting, which is an
easy technique to pick up. You just need a needle and a pile
of fluff and, once youve learnt the basic method, you can
make almost anything.

Wee Woolly Mouse Teddy Bear

Monday 19 September

You will be making a cute little mouse

with choices of colour (12cm high)

Make your own little jointed teddy bear

with coloured fibres and embellishments
(12cm high)

10am Meet & greet, with tea and coffee

10.30am Introduction and a short
demonstration on needle-felting
technique
10.45am Start needle-felting the
different body parts
11.30am Tea/coffee break
11.45am Finish the body parts and add
facial features
1pm Lunch
2pm Joint your teddy bear
3pm Tea/coffee break
3.15pm Needle-felt a costume and
add embellishments
4.15pm Question time
4.30pm Workshop ends

Back
popu by
demanladr
!

NEW

for 2016

and quote
LV05

Only

79

per pers
on
workshoeach
p

D Judy is a designer whos written numerous craft booksand articles. She

attended Cardiff and then Maidstone College of Art, where she studied
graphic design, before starting work as a designer at the BBC.
D Roz has always loved creative writing, drawing, painting and
all crafts. For many years, she was Search Presss editorial director,
commissioning practical art and crafts books for international markets.

Monday 6 June
10am Meet & greet, with tea and coffee
10.30am Introduction and a short
demonstration on the needle-felting
technique
10.45am Start needle-felting the
different body parts
11.30am Tea/coffee break
11.45am Finish the body parts and
assemble your mouse
1pm Lunch
2pm Finish mouse and add facial features
3pm Tea/coffee break
3.15pm Needle-felt a costume and
add embellishments
4.15pm Question time
4.30pm Workshop ends

To book,
call 0800
024 1212*

Winter Woolly
Polar Bear

Christmas Penguin

Monday 14 November

Needle-felt this penguin (15cm high). Judy

and Roz show you how to create the figure
and add the hat and hot-water bottle

Come and needle-felt a polar bear (9cm

high). Using a wool-sculpting technique,
Judy and Roz will show you how to add his
scarf and earmuffs

10am Meet & greet, with tea and coffee

10.30am Introduction and a short
demonstration on needle-felting
technique
10.45am Start needle-felting the
different body parts
11.30am Tea/coffee break
11.45am Finish the body parts and
assemble your bear
1pm Lunch
2pm Finish bear and add facial features
3pm Tea/coffee break
3.15pm Add earmuffs, scarf and
snowballs
4.15pm Question time
4.30pm Workshop ends

Monday 28 November

10am Meet & greet, with tea and coffee

10.30am Introduction and a short
demonstration on the needle-felting
technique
10.45am Start needle-felting the
body parts
11.30am Tea/coffee break
11.45am Finish the body parts and
assemble your penguin
1pm Lunch
2pm Finish penguin and add
facial features
3pm Tea/
coffee break
3.15pm Make hotwater bottle and hat
4.15pm Question
time
4.30pm
Workshop ends
Back
popu by
demanladr
!

NEW

for 2016

To book, call 0800 024 1212* quoting LV05 or complete the coupon

Book By Phone MasterCard or Visa cardholders can book a

workshop on 0800 024 1212. *Lines open Monday to Friday,
10am-4pm, but closed bank holidays. Call charges from
mobiles and non-BT landlines may vary.
Use The Coupon Complete the coupon. Payment may be
made by cheque, crossed and made payable to Womans
Weekly Shop.
Where are the workshops held? At our HQ: Blue Fin

Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU. The

workshops do not include lunch but there is a canteen or
you can bring your own and there are also food outlets
close to the office. Should your chosen date already be sold
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Terms and conditions Tickets will be allocated on a
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Womans Weekly Needle-felting Workshops, Code LV05

Please complete this coupon and send it, along with your cheque, to:
Womans Weekly Customer Care, Blue Fin Building, Room 6C05,
110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU
Workshop
Wee Woolly Mouse
Teddy Bear
Winter Woolly Polar Bear
Christmas Penguin

Date
6 June 2016
19 Sept 2016
14 Nov 2016
28 Nov 2016

Price
79
79
79
79

No of tickets

Total

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Gardens with

Gardens to Visit

hree hundred years

ago, the legendary
garden designer Lancelot
Capability Brown was born, and the
gardening world is making this year a
celebration of his work (for more details on this years
nationwide Capability Brown Festival, see page 8).
Brown designed landscapes on an immense scale,
creating stunning settings for grand country houses,
surrounding them with wooded belts, parkland dotted
with trees, carefully contoured ground, and serpentine
lakes that resembled artificial rivers. Along the way he

acquired his curious nickname through his fondness for

describing country estates as having great capabilities
for improvement. Although his work is continually
reassessed, every landscape gardener and landscape
architect since, both in Britain and across the developed
world, has been influenced in one way or another
by Brown, and the images he created have become
as deeply embedded in the English character as the
paintings of Turner and the poetry of Wordsworth.
Remarkably, many of Browns designs can still be seen
across England and Wales to this day, and here are three
iconic gardens to visit, which truly display his genius.

Portrait by Cosway, Richard/Private Collection/Bridgeman Images

Capabilities..

e
w
o
t
S

Where it all began

The Palladian
Bridge was
designed to be
used by a horsedrawn carriage

ancelot Brown started his career at one of the

grandest estates in England the Temple familys
imposing Stowe House in Buckinghamshire, not
far from present day Milton Keynes. In fact, as far
as we know, Stowe was his first and only ever place of
employment. He began as an under-gardener, working
under the celebrated architect William Kent, who was also
the initial garden designer. But Brown soon rose through
the ranks to become head gardener, and that was when his
unique vision first came to prominence under the owner,
Lord Cobham, as he began to transform the estate.
Brown learned
much during his 10
years as head
gardener at Stowe

56 Spring Gardening

Looking out to the parkland, Brown

created a trick of the eye by using
hidden and sunken ha-ha walls to
keep the livestock out of the main
garden whilst creating views that
appeared as one uninterrupted
scene. In addition, he sculpted the
large Grecian Valley with views out to
his parkland, setting large monumental
large temples sitting atop the high
points, and naturalised the shapes of
two existing lakes, the Octagon and
Eleven Acre. In this way, he was
developing elements of his distinctive
personal style that remained with
him throughout his career.
Stowe was also his home for 10
years, and was the site of many
significant events in his life; he got
married at Stowe Parish Church, in the

Stowe was saved for the

nation by the National Trust

The Gothic Temple looks

down on the Octagonal
lake, which was given a
natural shape by Brown

heart of the gardens, and started a

family here. It was also the birthplace
of his later career: Lord Cobhams
enthusiasm for his work moved on
to patronage, and he began
encouraging Brown to travel to other
wealthy estates across the country,
advising landowners on their
gardens, and suggesting changes.
His fame grew, and when Cobham
died, he decided to leave Stowe and
start up an independent business as
a gardening consultant.
Today, Stowe remains a must for
admirers of his work, because it has
largely been preserved in aspic,
retaining the style of the 18th
century due to the decline, fall and
bankruptcy of the Temple-Grenville
family in the 19th century. Successive
owners either tried to sell it, or
soldiered on in reduced circumstances,
until the grand house finally became
a school in the 1920s David Niven
was a pupil and the surrounding
estate was only finally saved by the
National Trust in the late 1980s. But
since then they have been working
to restore Stowe to its 19th-century
gardening heyday, so today it once
again stands true testament to the
genius of Capability Brown.

Stowe Visitor Information

l

An atmospheric scene
of the Oxford Bridge
on a frosty morning

Address: Buckingham,
Buckinghamshire MK18 5EQ

01280 817156 Email: stowe@

nationaltrust.org.uk

Opening Times: The

Garden, caf, shop and
Parlour rooms are open
from 10am-6pm and the
park is open from dawn
to dusk.

Website: www.nationaltrust.
org.uk/stowe

Contact Details: Telephone:

Current Prices (whole

property): Adult: 11.20,
Child: 5.60, Family: 28.00,
Group adult: 9.60, Group
child: 4.25

Continued overleaf

m
i
e
h
n
e
l
B
Palace
The finest view in England

B
The intricate
parterre is
known as the
Italian Garden

The great lake and

grounds are viewed by
many as the epitome of
an English landscape

58 Spring Gardening

lenheim Palace near Oxford is one of Browns

most famous works, a landscaped parkland
that, although appearing natural, is contrived
to pleasing effect.

Blenheim was originally built in

the early 18th century as a gift to
the military commander John
Churchill, the 1st Duke of
Marlborough, for leading the
victorious allied forces in the
Battle of Blenheim in 1704. To
honour the Dukes success,
Queen Anne granted his family
the ruined Royal Manor and park
at Woodstock, along with
240,000 with which to build a
house to mark the occasion, to be
designed by Sir John Vanbrugh.
But, soon after its construction
began, the palace was to become

the subject of political infighting,

resulting in Marlboroughs exile
and lasting damage to the
reputation of Vanbrugh. He was
eventually banned from the site;
when he and his wife visited the
as members of the viewing
public in 1725, they were refused
admission even to the park!
In 1764 the 4th Duke engaged
Brown to re-landscape more than
2,000 acres of surrounding
parkland, and he immediately
began to naturalise and enhance
the landscape, with tree planting,
and man-made undulations.

Brown transformed the

landscape to be contrived
to pleasing effect

The feature with which he is

forever associated is the lake, a
huge stretch of water created by
damming the River Glyme,
ornamented by a series of
cascades where the river flows in
and out. The lake was narrowed
at the point of Vanbrughs
existing grand bridge, but what
was previously three small canallike streams trickling underneath
it were completely absorbed by
one river-like stretch. Browns
great achievement at this point
was to actually flood and
submerge beneath the water
level the lower stories and rooms
of the previously much-criticised
bridge itself, thus reducing its
incongruous height and
achieving what is regarded by

many as the epitome of an

English landscape.
Incredibly Browns work at
Blenheim might never have
survived at all: by the end of the
19th century, the family were
pretty much bankrupt and the
very existence of Blenheim was
at risk. The then owner, the 9th
Duke, was left with one solution;
he had to marry money.
Luckily for the house and
grounds, but perhaps unluckily
for the two people involved, he
married the American railroad
heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt,
whose mother was desperate to
see her daughter a Duchess.
Unfortunately, it was an unhappy
union, but the Vanderbilt millions
saved the estate.

English architect
Vanbrugh
designed the
Baroque house

Blenheim Visitor Information

Address: Blenheim Palace,

Woodstock, Oxfordshire
OX20 1PP
Opening Times: The Palace
and Formal Gardens are open
daily from 10.30-17.30 (last
admission to house, 16.45).
The Park is open daily from
09.00-18.00 or dusk if earlier
(last admission at 16.45). All
areas to be vacated by 18.30
Contact Details: Telephone:
01993 810530, Freephone
0800 849 6500 Email: courts
garden@nationaltrust.org.uk
Website: www.
blenheimpalace.com

Current Prices: Park & Gardens

Only: Adult: 14.90, Adult
concession 10.90 (concessionary
discount applies MondayFriday only, excluding Bank
Holidays) Child: 6.90, Family:
39.90 Palace, Park & Gardens:
Adult: 24.90, Adult concession
19.90 (Monday-Friday only,
excluding Bank Holidays)
Child: 13.90, Family: 59.90.
The public have free access to
about five miles (8km) of
public rights of way through
the Great Park area of the
grounds, which are accessible
from Old Woodstock and
from the Oxfordshire Way.
This year at
Blenheim therell be a
full range of commemorative
activities to honour the life and
workof Brown, and a self-guided
trail has been devised to reveal all
the views and vistas still existing
today that were created by
Brown over two
centuries ago.

Continued overleaf

k
r
a
P
n
o
West
Views of the
Pleasure Grounds
including rose gardens
and vibrant borders

Feature: Claire Bower. Photos: National Trust, Alamy

his year
Weston Park
will help
lead the
national celebrations of
the 300th anniversary
Head Gardener Martin
Gee feels honoured to
of Browns birth. The
care for Browns legacy
estate, about 10 miles
north-west of
Wolverhampton, was transformed by Brown, and it
was his landscaping work that helped to make it a
particular treasure so much so that the house and
1,000 acres of parkland was gifted to the nation in
1986 by the 7th Earl of Bradford; its now in the care
of the trustees of the Weston Park Foundation.

The house itself was built in 1671 by

Lady Wilbraham, an enthusiastic
patron of the arts, and in the 18th
century, with the failure of the
familys male line, Weston was
inherited by a Sir Henry Bridgeman,
whose mother was the
granddaughter of Lady Wilbraham.
The Bridgemans were already
substantial landowners in
Shropshire and in Warwickshire, but
chose to make Weston their main
seat, and it was perhaps that
decision that led Sir Henry to
commission Capability Brown to
rework what was until then

A sunken Italian
garden is best
viewed from
the Orangery

60 Spring Gardening

probably a formal landscape

crossed by avenues. Browns work
was aimed at creating the
impression of a natural arcadian
landscape around the house that
appeared to be at one with nature.
He created the deep ha-ha around
the south side of the house, and in
1766 continued his work to create
Temple Wood and the Shrewsbury
Walk as pleasure grounds. The
proliferation of Capability Browns
work across the country is vast, but
what makes Weston so significant is
the Pleasure Grounds; these
naturalistic paradises are classic
Brown representations, little altered
from when they were conceived in
the 1760s, and rare survivors of this
type of landscape gardening.
These days theres a lot more
gardening variety for the visitor to
see. Surrounding the house are the
Formal Gardens, that retain the style
and feel of the 1930s, and the
Broderie Italian Garden, which is
sunken to allow unspoiled views
from the Victorian Orangery.
Beyond the Formal Gardens, visitors
can explore Shrewsbury Walk
leading to Teardrop Garden, Rose
Walk, the Victorian Conservatory
and St Andrews Church, then
journey further still with walks

Weston Park is home to

an impressive collection of
paintings and tapestries

A gardening pleasure ground

The 1770 Paines

Bridge over
Temple Pool in
Temple Wood

through Browns Pleasure

Grounds to the Medieval Deer
Park and Temple Wood, to
discover Paines bridge, Temple
of Diana and Temple Pool,
created by Brown by damming a
stream to make a lake.
With events in the grounds,
exhibitions inspired by Brown
and talks and walks enthused by
the master, Weston Park is set to
immerse itself into the world and
legacy of Englands most
illustrious landscaper this year.
The schedule will include rolling
monthly exhibitions in the
Granary Art Gallery with works
inspired by Brown, guided walks
and talks, plus a special extended
opening of Temple Wood itself.

The Temple of Diana

is set in Browns
pleasure grounds

Weston Park Visitor Information

l

Address: Weston-underLizard, Shifnal TF11 8LE

Opening Times: Park &
Gardens: 10.30am6pm (last
admission 4.30pm) House:
15pm (last admission

4.30pm. House is closed on

Saturdays). Dates: Easter
Season: Open daily between
Saturday 26th March Sunday
10th April, Summer Season:
Open daily between Saturday
28th May Sunday 4th
September
Temple Wood only: Open daily
between Tuesday 3rd May
Thursday 26th May and
Monday 5th September
Sunday 23rd October from
11.30am5pm (last admission
4.30pm). The House is closed on
Saturdays. The House, Park and

Gardens will be closed between

Wednesday 17th Wednesday
24th August 2016
Contact Details: Telephone:
01952 852100 Email: enquiries@
weston-park.com
Website: www.weston-park.com
Current Prices: Park & Gardens:
Adult: 6.50, Child: 3.50, Senior
6.00 Family: 25.00 (2 adults
and up to 3 children family
ticket includes admission to the
house) House, Park and Gardens:
Adult: 9.50, Child: 6.00, Senior
8.50 Family: 25.00
Spring Gardening 61

Spring Colour mad

Want ideas on how to fill your garden with
Then RHS Garden Wisley has the answers,

t is hard to pick a favourite

season in the garden, but
spring can surely be one
of the most uplifting and
inspirational, filling the landscape with
life and colour as the daylight hours
lengthen. And if you want inspiration on
how to get exactly that effect in your own
plot, a good place to start is the Royal
Horticultural Societys flagship garden,
RHS Garden Wisley in Woking, Surrey.
Every spring, the garden is transformed
with the scents and colours of early
season flowers, from showy magnolias,
camellias and rhododendrons to the
highly scented daphnes and cyclamen.

One of Wisleys highlights is the sea of camassias on Weather Hill

62 Spring Gardening

de Simple

Inspiration

glorious spring blooms?

says Hannah Dolby

Plan ahead

As always, the trick for successful gardening is to think ahead:

planning and planting bulbs for spring flowering starts around
September at Wisley. Last autumn, for example, 1000 camassias
and other spring flowering bulbs were planted at the entrance
road and these beautiful plants are worth investing in. They
have long, linear leaves and tall spikes of star-shaped blue or
white flowers, becoming a star attraction in March and April.
The large bulbs come from North America, where they grow in
damp meadows or beside streams. They flower for around three
weeks from start to finish and make a striking feature.

Spring Gardening 63

Bursts of
Colour
B

attleston Hill, the highest

point in the garden, is well
known for its flamboyant
burst of colour that reaches a
climax in late spring. Visitors walking
the winding paths through the
woodland garden experience the
vibrant and varied colours of
camellias, rhododendrons, azaleas
and magnolias. It is especially famous
for its camellias, many of which are in
full flower in spring, most notably
Camellia x williamsii Donation,
Camellia Show Girl and Camellia
japonica Hagoromo.

r
a
e
y
s
i
th
s
t
n
a
l
p
w
e
N

For a domestic garden, a

magnolia tree in particular is a
wonderful addition in spring.
Varieties that have worked well
at Wisley include Felix Jury
Jurmag2, which have enormous
blooms ranging in colour from
deep pink to wine-red, and
the dark flowered Felix Jury
Black Tulip, which is very dark
purple and unsurprisingly has
a tulip-like flower.
Amongst other magnolia
cultivars planted at Wisley are
Merrill, which has white flowers
and Galaxy, which has big
blowsy flowers. This winter, due
to the unseasonal warm weather,
the first magnolias burst into
bloom at the end

of December, so gardeners are

interesting to see what the effect
it has had on this years
flowering. But if you have trees,
dont forget the opportunities to
plant underneath. Beneath the
Wisley canopy there are
pulmonarias that burst out in
blue and pink from the
undergrowth, alongside
hellebores and purple Cyclamen
coum, which also bring plenty of
interest to the woodland floor
Naturalised bulbs can also give
interest to areas beneath
deciduous trees, where the
conditions are too dry and shady
for most plants. You can use
either spring or autumn-flowering
bulbs because they are in growth
when the trees
have few leaves to
cast shade.
Suitable choices
include anemones,
Crocus
Pickwick,
is big and
showy

Magnolia Felix Jury

Jurmag2 produces
waterlily-shaped blooms

Hoop petticoat
daffodils, Narcissus
bulbocodium AGM

A mature magnolia
makes a real statement
in full bloom

Hundreds of
dazzling
rhododendrons vie
for attention on
Battleston Hill

scillas, hardy cyclamen and

crocuses (see page 66).
During spring, the scent as you
step foot onto Battleston Hill can be
almost overwhelming - sarcococca,
lonicera (winter honeysuckle) and a
Wisley favourite, daphnes, all fill the
air with their powerful sweet
perfume. If you plant Edgeworthia
chrysantha, with its unusual flowers
and hamamelis with luminous
spidery flowers they will shine out
on overcast days, and Skimmia
japonica subsp. reevesiana Chilan
Choice often keeps its bright
display of large scarlet berries over
winter until well into spring.

Elegant
Epimediums

Epimediums
grandiflorum
Lilafee

Epimedium are tough, slow-growing and

long-lived flowers which are happiest in
shaded areas under trees and shrubs, so
they are excellent groundcover plants for
dry shade and difficult positions. Their
delicate flowers are suspended above the
leaves on thin, wiry stems. Its best to shear
back the leaves in February to show off the
flowers and new foliage in March and April.
As it happens the National Collection of
these flowers is held at Wisley, with 39
species and subspecies, and 44 different
cultivars. The smaller epimediums are
happiest in the 100 year old rock garden,
the oldest feature at RHS Garden Wisley,
with its pools and cascades and beautiful
old conifers (which has recently been
replanted), while the Wild Garden offers a
good habitat for the larger varieties.

Winged fruits
on Acer rubrum
October Glory AGM
Epimedium x
rubrum AGM

Continued overleaf

Turning the
Bulbs on
H

yacinths and daffodils

are of course a must for
spring: RHS Garden
Wisley is holding
demonstration trials of hyacinths
and daffodil varieties this year,
planting 2,000 hyacinths and 8,000
non-yellow daffodils. There will be
38 cultivars of hyacinths in colours
including yellow, blue and pink, as
well as almost black, and 150 cultivars
of non-yellow daffodils in white,
orange, lemon and pale green,
creating a vibrant patchwork of colour
not to be missed.
In spring the Alpine Meadow at
Wisley is peppered with thousands of
sulphur yellow hoop-petticoat
daffodils (Narcissus bulbocodium),
blooming from early March onwards
for at least four weeks. These were
also flowering early in the garden
this year, so it is hoped that they will
last well into spring. These daffodils
are partnered with dogs-tooth
violets (Erythronium dens-canis),
snakes head fritillaries (Fritillaria

Blossom
A

s planting that symbolises the

celebration of spring, the
spectacular blossom of fruit trees
in late spring should not be
forgotten; in fact, last year was particularly
good blossom weather, all sunny days and
cool evenings, and the whole country was
treated to some of the best displays in several
years. The orchard at RHS Garden Wisley
gives a great over-view of whats available to
British gardeners, offering acres of flowering
apple and pear trees, including 750
different cultivars of apple, as well
as many varieties of pear, and
providing the chance to wander
amongst the trees.
Cherry trees too, with their sprays
of delicate pink blossom, are spread
throughout the garden. The blossom
season lasts a few glorious weeks in
April and May, so why not invest in a
fruit tree (or two) for your own
garden, giving you the opportunity
to not only enjoy the subtle scents of
the blossom and the buzz of busy
bees in the spring, but also a harvest
of fruit in the autumn!
Take a wander in the alpine meadow
to glean ideas for your own garden

As well as yellow
daffodils planted
en masse, visiting a
a trial display of
8,000 non-yellow
varieties is a must

meleagris) and primulas and its a

combination worth copying at home
for its vivid impact.
The garden also holds the National
Collection of crocuses, another spring
classic. (National Collection holders
undertake to document, develop and
preserve a comprehensive collection
of one group of plants in trust for the
future.) Over 115 of the 125 species
and subspecies of crocuses known in
the wild, and 68 cultivars, are grown,
and as well as the cultivars that many
may be familiar with, there are lots
that are less hardy, with delicate and
refined flowers that are under glass.
For the past couple of years
members of the public have helped
plant crocuses during October
half-term. So last autumn another
74,000 crocus corms were added to
the existing 100,000 on the Conifer
Lawn, including the purple Flower
Record, striped Pickwick and the
white Jeanne dArc, which are
big showy, garden-worthy flowers,
suitable for any plot.

Newly planted
crocuses frame the
Wisley Laboratory
on the conifer lawn

Top Tips for rthineg

Garden in Sp
Matthew Pottage, Curator
of RHS Garden Wisley, gives
us his top tips for the garden in
spring:
l Put down mulch onto
borders before the weeds start
growing and while the ground
is still moist to seal in the
moisture.
l Hard prune cornus and
salix that have been grown for
winter stem colour down to a
6in (15cm) base and feed.
l Lift and divide agapanthus.
l Feed and pot on or top dress
long term container plants.
l Complete the staking of
perennials before their shoots
grow too tall for easy access to
the borders for maintenance.

Beauty
The joy of spring in the garden can be
found in the sheer variety of flowers
which dazzle, beguile and bewitch the
senses, from tiny delicate flowers that
lurk amongst the foliage to giant, blowsy
blooms that hit you with their scent and
colour. Both at RHS Garden Wisley as a
visitor, and with the right planting, in
your own garden, you can really enjoy all
the beautiful bounty that this most
exciting of all the seasons has to offer.

The rock garden

is a wonderful
place to explore
and relax in spring

If you want to
visit RHS Garden Wisley
for yourself, the garden is
open every day (except Christmas
Day) from 10am-4.30pm on
weekdays and 9am-4.30pm on
weekends and Bank holidays.
Address: RHS Garden Wisley,
Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB
Tel: 0845 260 9000

Spring Gardening 67

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!
b
o
J
e
h
t
t
Jus

r
o
f
s
b
o
J
April

Divide established
hostas and protect new
growth from slug and snail
damage using barriers, grit,
used coffee grounds or
Nemaslug biological control.

JOBS TO
DO IN THE
GARDEN IN
APRIL &
MAY

The garden is springing to life day by

day! Its time to spruce up the patio, tackle
weeds, and get edible crops started

using a long-handled brush

with scraper attachment.
Tackle small perennial and
annual weeds by applying a
ready to use spot weedkiller.

Climbers are growing

Prick out tomatoes into

moist compost. Always hold
the seedlings by the leaves,
never the stem. Water with
tepid water to prevent them
damping off. Tomatoes sown
earlier should be potted on as
soon as ready, bury stems
deeply for side rooting.

rapidly, continue to tie in

shoots with soft twine to
create an even display and
protect from wind damage.

Clear weeds in paths and

between paving slabs

Soak new perennials

and shrubs Before

Pot up young bedding

and keep them growing away
on a well-lit windowsill. Pinch
out the growing tips to
encourage bushy plants.

planting, submerge pots

in a bucket of water for
about 20 minutes.

Sow runner beans

into pots under cover to
get a head start.

The largest
lily bulbs will
provide the
biggest flowers

Summer
bulbs such
as gladioli, lilies,
nerines and tigridia
can go in now. Start
dahlia tubers into
growth in pots
and keep
frost free

Chitted potatoes: plant

second earlies in the first half
of the month, 12in (30cm)
apart; main crops go in during
the second half, 15in (37cm)
apart, to get larger tubers.
Insert into 4-5in (10-12cm)
deep drills with a 2in (5cm)
covering of soil.
Start to increase watering
of house plants and feed once
a week with a proprietary feed.
Mist regularly with tepid water.

Spring bulbs benefit from

a high potash liquid foliar feed
from watering can with a rose
end attachment as they fade.
Allow leaves to die down for
six weeks to nourish the
bulbs, and apply a mulch.

Plant lily bulbs, three per

10in (25cm) pot filled with
John Innes No3 mixed with
20 per cent by volume grit,
ericaceous soil-less compost
or leaf mould. Lilies will also
benefit from a slow-release
granular feed.
Weed and feed your
lawn If rain doesnt fall
within two days, water in.
Use a formula that includes
mosskiller if its a problem.

Take softwood
cuttings of buddleja,
choisya, deutzia, fuchsia,
hydrangea, pelargoniums
and lavender. Pop in a
heated propagator and keep
moist until rooted.

Trim woody herbs such as sage, santolina and the curry plant
(helichrysum) by half or to 6in (15cm) above ground level if the
lower branches are bare. Lavender is best trimmed in September.
Continued overleaf

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o
f
s
b
o
J
May

Always line coir with a

piece of plastic and punch
a few holes to allow excess
water to drain out

Start to plant up summer

containers using bedding
plants that have been
hardened off for two
weeks. For the biggest
basket displays, use 14in
diameter baskets, and
make holes in the sides
to plant through. Always
add slow-release fertiliser
and water-retaining
crystals to the compost.

Use a stick for blanket weed

and skim off duck weed with
a net. Introduce new aquatic
plants in baskets topped
with gravel.

Moss in the lawn that

was treated last month with
weedkiller, and has turned
brown, can be raked out.

Prepare the ground

for runner beans and insert
canes ready for planting.

Trim group 1 clematis

after flowering to thin out
congested plants and keep
them within their bounds.
This group includes Clematis
montana, C. macropetala,
C. alpine, and C. armandii.

If flowers appeared mainly

at the top, rejuvenate by
pruning 6-12in (15-30cm)
from the base. This will
affect flowering next year
but results will be worth it.

Prune trained stone

fruit for instance,

Prune any unwanted growth

to three or four leaves.

Place a mulch of straw

around strawberry plants
and watch out for slugs. Net
all soft fruits before they
start to ripen and before the
birds make a meal of them.

damsons, plums
and nectaries
and tie in shoots
to promote a
good framework.

Plant an edible pot

When space is limited for
growing your own, use
containers and focus on
crops you really like to eat.
This month, conditions are
favourable for planting up a
host of suitable herbs and
vegetables, combining both
hardy and tender types
l Choose good-sized containers, at
least 18in (45cm) deep and wide or
use good quality growing bags.

T&M

Go for blight-resistant
tomatoes for outdoors,
such as Mountain Magic
F1 Hybrid (Thompson &
Morgan) or F1 Crimson
Crush (Suttons). Both are
suitable for patio pots,
growing bags or borders

l Fill containers with John Innes No3

or peat alternatives. With larger tubs,
economise by using 50:50 mix of multipurpose compost and good quality
garden soil but avoid the top few
inches as it will contain weed seeds.
l Crops that are easy from seed, and
can be sown direct, include beans,
carrots, salad onions, beetroot, Swiss
chard, mange tout, lettuce and herbs.

Cloches can be kept

in place to warm the soil
and give crops a good start

l Gardens centres will have plenty of

choice including tomatoes, aubergines,
strawberries, sweetcorn, beans, chillies
and sweet peppers, ready to harden off
before planting into their final positions.
Plant summer squashes and courgettes
towards the end of the month.
l Place containers in a warm, sheltered
spot, and if frost is likely cover with
fleece protection.
l Apply
a generalpurpose
liquid feed
every two
weeks,
and keep
up with
watering.

Crops in pots
are easier to tend,
theres less weeding,
and its easier to
keep pests out
using barriers and
repellents.

Spring Gardening 71

Text by Wendy Humphries, Photos Alamy and Gap Photos

and replace with tuberous

begonias, dahlias and
cannas, after the last frost.

Remove pond weed

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Remove faded spring

bedding from borders

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Readers are advised to take any necessary precautions before entering into arrangements with advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure that the advertisements in Womans Weekly are honest and truthful.
Should you have any comments about the products and services you receive from these advertisements we would be pleased to hear from you. Time Inc. [UK] LTD accept no responsibility for loss or damage.


g
n
i
n
e
d
r
a
G
Sabatino Urzo, who is
charge of the plant trials
at RHS Garden Wisley, tells
us what makes him tick

What was the first plant you ever

planted? And did it survive?
It was a conifer (Cupressus
sempervirens Bolgheri), or Italian
cypress tree, in my grandfathers
garden in Pozzuoli, Italy. Thirty years
later its still there, surrounded by the
fragrances of the Mediterranean!

When did you first know you wanted

to be a gardener?
Well, the truth is, I always knew it.
Working among plants is simply the
best thing in the world.

Have you always been a gardener?

Yes either a gardener or dealing with
plants. My family owned a farm in
Italy and thats how my enthusiasm
for plants began. I started studying
horticulture at the University of
Naples while working in my familys
nursery, growing bedding plants.
After my graduation I completed an
MSc in Management and Design of
Green Areas and Landscapes, and
later taught horticulture and principle
of garden design.

How did you get to your current job?

My curiosity for British horticulture
brought me to the UK where I studied
design & floral display at Londons
Greenwich College. Then I started as
trainee gardener at the second oldest
botanic garden in Britain, Chelsea
Physic Garden, before joining RHS
Garden Wisley in 2010 as a
horticulturist. At Wisley Ive worked
in the propagation unit,
the formal and

woodland sections, and created a new

Mediterranean walk, which was a
grand success. I am also an RHS
Garden holidays host, leading garden
trips to Italy. In 2014 I was most
proud to be appointed team leader for
the trials team at Wisley, where I now
lead a team of horticulturists growing
plants submitted for trial that are
hoping to be awarded the prestigious
RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Whats your favourite garden tip?

Clean your secateurs! This not only
helps keep them in good working

Secateurs are a
gardeners best
friend
order but it also eliminates pathogens
responsible for plant illnesses.
Secateurs are gardeners best friend
but if they are blunt, rusty or gummed
up, they will damage your plants,
leaving them vulnerable to disease.
Generally I wipe them down with
warm, soapy water after a pruning
session. Then I rub the blades with
vegetable oil to prevent them from
rusting. If the blade seems blunt, I run
a sharpening stone over it too.

Whats your top suggestion to improve

the average garden?
Try and be observant and to read
about plants. Visit shows and plant
nurseries as well as other gardens,
which provide a wealth of inspiration.
It depends on the circumstances, but
sometimes it helps to review your
garden how the light falls in it,
and the way it is laid out, from
the perspective of style and a

thorough horticultural
knowledge, to make sure the right
plants are in the right places.
Innovating a garden with a fresh look
can create a place where you can live
in harmony with your plants.

Whats the biggest thing the average

gardener can do to be more successful?
I believe that to be more successful,
the average gardener has to carry on
increasing their knowledge, and
building their own plantsmanship
experience. Plantsmanship the
thorough knowledge of plants is
vital to keep a garden diverse,
interesting and fresh. Knowing
aspects of horticulture such as plant
distribution, classification, diversity,
structure and how to identify them
would definitely make any gardener
superb. A good knowledge of plants
can also be gained from visiting
botanic and private gardens,
nurseries, retail outlets and by having
an interest in garden design too.

Whats the best thing youve learnt

from gardening?
The sense of contentment, of being
happy and satisfied. Gardening has
given me more pleasure than any
other job I could possibly have done.

Spring Gardening 73

Readers are advised to take any necessary precautions before entering into arrangements with advertisers. Every effort is made to ensure that the advertisements in Womans Weekly are honest and truthful.
Should you have any comments about the products and services you receive from these advertisements we would be pleased to hear from you. Time Inc. [UK] LTD accept no responsibility for loss or damage.

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Spring Gardening 75

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