Landscape UK - July 2022

Life at nature’s pace July 2022 Cliffs striped with colour on a holiday island Wild blooms woven into delicate artwork Walk of discoveries through the stunning Malvern Hills EXCLUSIVE KNIT TED COT TAGE PAT TERN www.landscapemagazine.co.uk LAZY DAYS

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Life at nature’s pace Dear reader... MOST OF THE time, I’m a busy person; like a worker bee flitting from flower to flower. I find satisfaction in pottering, tending to plants in the greenhouse, deadheading fading blooms, topping up the bird feeders: simple tasks that make me feel connected to the seasons and my home. But there are times when we all need to take a break, a pause in the routine, to truly unwind. For this, I head to the sea. Closest is the east coast, with its vast, dune-backed beaches unfolding out to the North Sea. Here, the tide goes out for what seems like miles, but it’s always worth the walk to stand with my feet in the icy water. However sunny the day, as the sea laps around my ankles, the cold is almost unbearable. As I wait to acclimatise, puffing out my cheeks and shifting my weight from one foot to another, to try to disperse the sensation, the chill gradually subsides, and calm descends. It’s that moment that I find truly quietening; as if the sea cleanses my mind and leaves me with nothing to think about but the horizon, the gentle, rhythmic heaving of the waves, and the sensation of the sand as I push down and feel it rise up between my toes. The result is that I feel grounded and humbled by this force of nature: restored and ready to return to my busy life. Rachel Hawkins Editor 3

Contents July 2022 84 62 114 14 In the garden In the kitchen Craft 14 Natural harmony of a wild haven 62 Home-grown lunches to enjoy 50 Vivid displays of sapphire petals 26 The garden in July 68 Golden cups of fruity flavour 96 Items adorned with seaside charm 30 Leafy blooms to delight the senses 72 Juicy cherries ripe from the tree 102 Meadow treasures woven into art 44 Tiered stand for a theatre of plants 80 Readers’ favourite recipe 112 Readers’ favourite craft 58 Fresh produce from the veg patch 82 Regional & Seasonal: Peterley 114 Traditional crochet in pastel shades 156 Readers share their creative talents Manor Farm, Buckinghamshire 4

138 FOR 148 KNITTING PATTERN TURN TO INSIDE BACK COVER 102 Countryside History and heritage Regulars 130 The countryside in July 84 Holiday isle of colourful cliffs 6 Readers’ letters 132 Lyrical names for a winged assembly 10 Our LandScape 148 Summer brings out day-flying moths 120 Walk amid sweeping vistas in the 41 In the garden rolling Malvern Hills 56 Subscription offer 70 In the kitchen 138 Tradition of gentlemanly sport on 100 In the home the village cricket green GIVEAWAY 5 £1,017 WORTH OF PRIZES TURN TO PAGE 8

Readers’ Letters Sharing your news and views of country life Star Letter Circles of golden sunshine Knitting together memories My sister buys me a subscription to LandScape for Christmas every year: its My late father was always seen arrival is a highlight of my month. I love the wearing a scruffy brown jumper variety of articles, and, in every issue, there while working in his garden, which I is always something I can try. Here is my had knitted for him more than 30 version of the springtime wreath. I was so years ago. When he passed away in pleased with it that I made two: one to send November 2021, aged 92, my as a surprise to my lovely sister. Thank you mum, who was brought up during for brightening every month. the ‘make do and mend’ war years, began sorting through dad’s clothes. Debra Devine, by email She unpicked and unwound the wool from the jumper and offered it Perfect pairing for a posy New landscapes on an artist’s table to me to make another jumper or cardigan for my grandchildren. The April issue inspired me to pick some of Having subscribed to this wonderful magazine for many years, I’m writing to tell Instead, what I did make, along my forget-me-nots, along with some readers about a small table that was made with the help of my 93-year-old by Richard Bastable, my wife’s great- mum, were a number of teddy bears primroses, and enjoy them indoors: such grandfather. It was originally made as a table for my sister, grandchildren and GHOLFDWHOLWWOHÁRZHUVEXWWKH\\PDNHDQ for a baby bath and then used by her father, great-grandchildren, as a reminder impact. The cover really caught my eye, as I Edward (Jim) Swingler, a stained-glass of dad, grandad and great-grandad. ORYHFRORXUDQGÀQGWKHPRGHUQSDVVLRQIRU maker and artist. He used the table to make Mum’s ‘make do and mend’ must black, grey and beige depressing. How oak apple inks, which is an ancient way of have rubbed off on me, as I stuffed making inks, dating back to the 5th century. the teddies with the contents of a wonderful the summer house of Beth Tarling He used these to paint landscapes, so I duvet, which had belonged to my LVÀOOHGZLWKFRORXUDQGPXFKORYHG WKRXJKWLWÀWWLQJWRSXWDIHZ/DQGScape late father-in-law, who also passed treasures. Many thanks for such a delightful, magazines on the newly restored table. It away recently aged 93, so we have had layers of paint, stain and varnish, which both grandads in one. stimulating and interesting magazine. I removed back to the original wood, adding an extra shelf before repainting it. Now it sits Catherine Dopson, Sandra Davey, Somerset proudly in our new summer house, where Nottinghamshire my wife and I sit and relax, and read our favourite LandScape magazine. Richard and Dot Pearson, Kent Scene picked out in stitches I thought readers might like to see one of my completed cross-stitches. I love the detail in this picture and cannot wait to get it stretched and framed, and up on the wall to enjoy each day Jennifer Moville, Merseyside 6

WRITE TO LANDSCAPE LandScape, H Bauer Publishing, Media House, /\\QFK:RRG3HWHUERURXJK3(($ We love hearing about how our readers are enjoying the seasons. Write and tell us about Phone 01733 468000 a craft project you have been working on, an interesting place you have discovered or an issue www.landscapemagazine.co.uk about the countryside you want to share. Letters or emails should come with one or two good-sized photos, taken on a digital camera or smartphone. Write to LandScape, Media Editor Rachel Hawkins House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA or [email protected]. Associate Editor Karen Youngs Production Editor Deborah Dunham Treasures in their rightful place /DVWLQJMR\\IURPDKROLGD\\ğQG Features Editor Holly Duerden Art Editors Lindsay Lombardi, Sarah Flitcroft Sadly, I lost my mum during the pandemic, While visiting my elderly mother recently in Editorial Assistant Natalie Simister and the few treasured mementos I have of North Devon, my daughter and I rented a Home Economist Liz O’Keefe her serve as very emotional ties to her life. beautiful little cottage. In one of the stone bay $VPDOOYHOYHWEDJRIGUHVVULQJVKDVEHHQ windows were eight copies of LandScape, all ADVERTISING – Phone 01733 468000 safely tucked away, and, while I doubt that I very nicely displayed. I had never come across Commercial Director Donna Harris would ever wear any, I would never dream of the magazine before and was smitten. I read Commercial Manager Joe Sheehan letting them go. Having been inspired by the every one while we were there. I didn’t want Sales Executives Lucy Baxter, Stuart Day article ‘Natural Furnishings’ in the November to remove any when we left, so I took photos 2021 issue, I covered a jam jar in with my phone of all the lovely recipes and MARKETING – Phone 01733 468000 home-made hessian and lace burlap roses, craft projects, including the knitting pattern for Brand Manager Susan Litawski then secured a few of her rings between the the ginger cat cushion, which I have yet to Product Manager Sophie Lee SHWDOV$VWKH\\JOLQWLQWKHVXQVKLQHEHQHDWK ÀQLVK$VVRRQDV,JRWKRPH,VXEVFULEHG Direct Marketing Executive Raheema Rahim the early cherry blossom, I am reminded of and now I eagerly await my copy every month. Newstrade Marketing Manager Luke Whitby Mum and her lifelong passion for her garden. Head of Newstrade Marketing Leon Benoiton Thank you for such a beautiful and inspiring Liz Boys, Kent magazine. The article about Skomer Island in SYNDICATION – email [email protected] the May edition reminded me of the happy holiday my daughter and I spent together there PRODUCTION – Call 01733 468000 last year. Print Production Colin Robinson Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd Francesca Scott, West Sussex Distributed by Frontline Cheery face of a furry friend STAR LETTER PRIZE SUBSCRIPTION QUERIES This issue’s Star Letter winner will receive a To contact us about subscriptions orders, renewals, I really enjoy needle felting and still have lots beautiful 1.9L Indoor Watering Can and a missing issues or any other subscription queries please to learn. I wanted to share my Easter Bunny, set of 2 Stratton Tapered Pots, worth £22 email [email protected] or call our which I hope will make readers smile. I each. 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GIVEAWAY £1,017 Enter our prize draw online to be in with a chance of WORTH OF winning from a bundle of exciting goodies PRIZES T HIS YEAR MARKS LandScape magazine’s 10th birthday since its launch in 2012, bringing the seasons to life each month with tempting recipes, heritage crafts, beautiful gardens and the wonders of nature and the countryside. To celebrate this milestone, we are offering readers the chance to win one of more than 30 prizes, gifted by friends of LandScape, including seasonal cookery books, gardening tools and products, crafting kits and gift sets, as well as a selection of goodies from Sophie Allport, Wrendale Designs and Mosney Mill. For full details and how to enter for free, visit the link below. Closing date is 28 June 2022. To enter, go to: www.landscapemagazine.co.uk/10th-birthday-bundle FULL LIST OF PRIZES • Modern Sugar Flowers and Modern Sugar • Choice of 1m printed linen from The Flowers: Volume 2, by Jacqueline Butler, Sissinghurst Collection, by The Linen Ladder published by David & Charles • The Nature of Creativity, by Jane E Hall, • A Zest for Life cookbook and More Taste published by Merrell Publishers & Less Waste cookbook, from Dairy Diary • Love Bees Gift Set, from Seedball • Stormy Skies Porthleven Tea Towel, from Seasalt Cornwall • RHS Botanical Art: The Watercolour Art Pad, by Rachel Pedder-Smith, published by • Great British Outdoors Gift Tin, from Filberts Octopus Publishing Group of Dorset • Face and Body Care Gift Set, from The • Gothic Hanging Bird Table, from RSPB Cornish Seaweed Bath Co. • RHS-endorsed British Meadow Trowel and • Six summer pamphlets from the Ten Poems Fork Set, from Burgon & Ball about series, published by Candlestick Press • Rudbeckia Flower Garden Ornament: Set of • RHS Roses, by Michael V Marriott, published Three, from Mr Fox’s Garden by DK • Heart Shaped Trowel, from Greenman • Wildlife of the Pennine Hills, by Doug Garden Tools Kennedy, published by Merlin Unwin Books • Flora Pink Headband and Scrunchie, from • Eat Your Weeds! by Julie Bruton-Seal Vanessa Rose and Matthew Seal, published by Merlin Unwin Books • GOJO Mood Drops, from JOGB Living • Owl Mug, from Wrendale Designs • Nourishing Hand Oil, from Tam Mason • Biscuit Tin, from Wrendale Designs • Handmade Deluxe Honey Gift Set Collection, from The Cornish Lavender Barn • Trio of Tea, Sugar and Coffee Storage Tins, from Sophie Allport • Painting Nature With Clare, by Clare Therese Gray, published by Page Street Publishing • Swallow Table Runner, from Mosney Mill • Woollydale II Stitchscape Embroidery Kit, • LandScape Magazine: 1-Year Print from Dotty Textiles Subscription, from Great Magazines Terms & Conditions: The prize draw opens at 8am on 25 May 2022 and closes at 11.59pm on 28 June 2022. This competition is open to UK residents only, aged 18 and over. There are more than 30 prizes to be won, supplied by a variety of providers. The prize value is correct at the time of print. The winners’ names will be drawn at random after the closing date. One person will win each prize. The winners will be notified by email within 10 days of the closing date and have 30 days to respond before an alternative winner is chosen. No purchase is necessary. To enter for free, visit https://www.landscapemagazine.co.uk/10th-birthday-bundle. Full terms and conditions can be found at www. bauerlegal.co.uk/competition-terms.html

Our LandScape The best of the season to inspire and admire

TRIBUTE TO A HERO AT THE LOCHSIDE Surrounded by the rugged mountains and woods of Moidart, $UGJRXU DQG /RFKDEHU LQ WKH 6FRWWLVK +LJKODQGV WKH *OHQÀQQDQ Monument lies on the shores of Loch Shiel. The memorial was erected in 1815 by local landowner Alexander MacDonald of Glenaladale, a descendant of the Clan Donald, to mark the place where Prince Charles Edward Stuart, otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, or The Young Pretender, raised his Royal standard at the beginning of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. The 59ft (18m) tower is topped by a lone, kilted Highlander, added in 1835 by sculptor John Greenshields, and is a poignant reminder of the lives lost in the daring quest to restore the Stuarts to the British crown. The visitor centre nearby provides a gateway to explore *OHQÀQQDQ·V KLVWRU\\ DQG RIIHUV WLFNHWV WR DVFHQG WKH WRZHU DQG enjoy the panoramic views, while raising a bonnet to the fallen. Photography: Alamy

Our LandScape The best of the season to inspire and admire FLOWERS INVADE CORNISH SOUL CAPTURED AFTER SEA VOYAGE Placing the crest of Cornwall at the centre of this fine art print, The saucer-shaped flowers of tree mallow, Malva arborea, also known by its old botanical name, Lavatera arborea, emerge illustrator Katie Cardew during the summer in shades of mulberry-pink to violet, with exemplifies the best this beautiful county has to offer in dark veining to the throat. They are borne in clusters of two to colourful sketches, including seven and have alternate, palmate, velvety leaves, each with summery lobster pots, vibrant five to nine lobes and a coarsely serrated margin. The species campervans, bobbing sailboats is most common in the south of the UK, while distribution and stargazey pie, which is a in Scotland is entirely coastal. Its spread has also reached traditional Cornish dish. Available some Scottish islands; likely a result of seabirds transporting in four different sizes, and either the seeds. Each seed has an impermeable outer casing, and framed or unframed, the print is some may have been carried by the currents, protected from reminiscent of treasured family the salty water. The plant is often regarded as invasive, with holidays by the seaside. concerns that it may displace native island vegetation. It also poses a threat to the Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica, Cornwall Fine Art Print from forming dense stands along the coast and at breeding sites, leading them to abandon their burrows. £25, www.katiecardew.com GENTLE OCEAN GIANT The second largest shark species in the world, after the Whale shark, the Basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus, is the largest in UK seas, typically reaching up to 39ft (12m) in length. Despite its size, this shark only feeds on microscopic zooplankton, which it filters from the water through its gaping, cavernous mouth. It has highly-developed gill rakers: special organs covered in mucus that prevent food from escaping, while passing approximately 6,000 litres of water every hour. During feeding, they swim very close to the water’s surface, resulting in their common name, with their bulbous nose and dorsal fin often visible. The Hebrides are a wildlife hotspot in the summer, and tours led by marine biologists allow visitors to snorkel with the sharks. 12

SOAK UP THE SUN The humble deckchair has become an enduring symbol of a quintessentially British summer. Though the patent for the adjustable folding chair was introduced by John Thomas Moore in 1886, the history of the deckchair can be traced back to the Greeks, Romans and even ancient Egypt. It became popular circa 1890 for passengers of steam ships, as it could be easily secured and reassembled when needed. From the early 20th century, the classic striped portable chair began appearing on beaches to hire. Due to its origins on steam ships, it became known as the ‘deck’ chair, while some refer to it as the ‘Brighton beach chair’, or ‘chaise transatlantique’. GATHERING OF THE RUSHES In mid-July, Grasmere celebrates its annual rushbearing festival. Traditionally, church floors were composed of compacted earth strewn with rushes, which were renewed during these ceremonies. Despite the floor being paved at St Oswald’s Church in the village, the tradition continues. A colourful procession marches through the streets, with six costumed ‘rush maidens’ carrying a white sheet holding strewing rushes, while the rest hold bearings bedecked in rushes and flowers. A brass band and church choir also follow, ending at the church for a service, after which the children are given Grasmere gingerbread to eat. The custom endures across four other Cumbrian churches in Ambleside, Great Musgrave, Urswick and Warcop. Photography: Alamy; Richard Faulks; Shutterstock GOSSAMER WINGS IN SILKEN THREAD Nestled in the idyllic Lincolnshire countryside, embroidery artist Karen takes inspiration from the natural world to create craft kits and patterns from her studio in an old farmhouse overlooking the garden. Suitable for beginners, this kit comes with an instruction booklet and all the materials needed to make a butterfly, available on pre-printed fabric or printed magic paper. Peacock Butterfly Embroidery Kit from £22.50, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ HoopEmbroideryCo

UNTAMED EXUBERANCE IN A WOODED GARDEN The owners of a Peak District cottage have taken full advantage of its hilly location, capturing the stupendous views and creating an immersive planting scheme in harmony with nature

A wooden bench surrounded by ornamental grasses in a high, shady spot of the garden at Bramblewood Cottage affords tree-framed vignettes of the stunning Peak District scenery.

F ROM THE TOP of the steep woodland garden at When the couple moved to the cottage in 2013, the Bramblewood Cottage, the vistas are expansive, taking garden was just waiting for reinvention. In a former life, the in the historic village of High Bradfield and the fields, 1-acre plot had been a 19th century quarry. The north-facing copses and moorland of the Peak District, a few miles site had been invaded by sycamores in places and was not the north-west of Sheffield. Various viewing points are arranged beautifully orchestrated space it is now, ringed by mature with wooden benches and metal garden seats, so that owner oaks. The effort required to transform it would have daunted Professor Nigel Dunnett and his wife, Marta, and their many, but, for Nigel, having a large garden and a blank guests can sit in comfort as they gaze out onto the vast canvas was a dream: a chance to apply the innovative and borrowed landscape. Navigated via wide, wooden-decked exciting design ideas that are his life’s work, to his own home. steps, stone pathways and small areas of lawn, the garden is in evident harmony with its surroundings; naturalistic in A trained botanist and ecologist, Nigel joined the look and slightly unkempt, but with a careful rhythm in the lecturing team at Sheffield University’s Department of planting schemes, and permanent structures that reflect the Landscape in 1995 and now holds the position of Professor of human emotion and creativity at its heart. planting design and urban horticulture, nurturing and challenging the next generation of landscape designers. ❯ 16

Providing a restful spot to enjoy “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry” the meandering garden enveloping the pathways is a raised patio. The Thomas Fuller seating area is beside a tranquil pond planted with loosestrifes: purple Lythrum salicaria and yellow Lysimachia punctata. Spikes of pink rosebay willowherb stand proud in the naturalistic planting above the rooftop, looking out across the South Yorkshire hills. Garden designer, Professor Nigel Dunnett in his personal haven, which is full of resilient and self-sustaining plants (left). Droplets of contrasting colour from Arctotis fastuosa ‘Orange Prince’ and Centaurea cyanus (far left). 17

$ZHDWKHUHGPRVVFRYHUHG GU\\VWRQHZDOOW\\SLFDORIWKHDUHD ZLQGVLWVZD\\WKURXJKWKHJDUGHQ EOHQGLQJLQWRWKHOXVKJUHHQHU\\ He is also a sought-after plantsman and designer: a pioneer of NIGEL’S FAVOURITE PLANTS ecological garden and landscape design, who aims to achieve what he describes as “low-input, high-impact landscapes that Spurge, Euphorbia characias wulfenii: This is used are dynamic, diverse and tuned to nature”. Since 2009, he IUHTXHQWO\\E\\1LJHODVDQDQFKRUSODQWÀ[HGSRLQWVDURXQG has created five show gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show, which everything else revolves. He says it looks good all winning a gold medal in 2013 for his Royal Bank of Canada \\HDUURXQGZKHWKHULWLVWKHVHDVRQIRUÁRZHUKHDGVRUQHZ Blue Water Roof Garden, and, in 2016, he was appointed an evergreen foliage. Ambassador for the RHS. Nigel cites his own chief inspirations as the late Christopher Lloyd, at Great Dixter in 3HDFKOHDYHGEHOOÁRZHUCampanula persicifolia var. alba: Sussex, and Piet Oudolf, the Dutch designer who brought A wonderful plant for creating impact, sending up white prairie planting to a wider audience. spires on sturdy stems, amid bright green leaves. Nigel believes that thinking big and going tall is key to creating an A form of art immersive, enveloping garden in a small space. “A plant like “At heart, I’m a maker, a doer and an artist, and my chosen this will help to create an intimate space on a human mediums are plants, space and time,” says Nigel. Nowhere is scale,” he says. his approach of ‘artful ecology’ more apparent than at his home, where native and non-native plants, such as the Cape 0LON\\EHOOÁRZHU&DPSDQXODODFWLÁRUD¶/RGGRQ$QQD· The daisy, Arctotis fastuosa var. alba ‘Zulu Prince’, and small blooms resemble lilacs, and the plant grows to more than scabious, S. columbaria blend with perennials, bulbs, grasses, IWP ´7KHÁRZHUVODVWIURP-XO\\WR6HSWHPEHUVRWKLV shrubs and trees. The dense mass of plants that thrive have is a great plant to keep the visual interest going through the increased the garden’s biodiversity, which, in turn, supports dog days of August,” says Nigel. more local wildlife, such as birds and pollinating insects, enriching the experience overall. )RDPÁRZHURUWLDUHOOD This is one of the plants that Nigel OLNHVWRXVHLQVKDG\\DUHDV,WVZKLWHÁRZHUVEULQJOLJKWQHVV Located in the Peak District, the garden’s soil is thin and and brightness to cool, dark places. rocky, lying over gritstone bedrock, and the climate tends towards being cold and wet. These conditions are not easy, /XQJZRUWRUSXOPRQDULDVariegated foliage also brings but, for Nigel, the key to planning was getting to know the interest to shady areas, and Nigel recommends the site well: finding out where the rainwater gathers, where the lungwort family of plants, which have silvery-green leaves wind blows hardest, and where shady conditions dominate. DQGSXUSOHRUEOXHÁRZHUVEHORYHGRIEHHV+HSDUWLFXODUO\\ “You have to work with the site, with the ecology and the OLNHV¶'LDQD&ODUH·ZKLFKKDVDGDUNSXUSOHÁRZHUDQGWKH microclimate,” he explains, “and you need to question blue-hued ‘Cotton Cool’. whether or not you’re able to look after it. It would be a complete waste of time to make something wonderful if it can’t be sustained.” Rain garden In 2014, with this in mind, Nigel created a ‘rain garden’ at the front of the cottage to demonstrate how dynamic, long-season plantings could be the basis of a style of garden he had explored in depth in his groundbreaking book, Rain Gardens, published in 2007. In essence, rainwater is diverted from roofs and pathways to run into depressions filled with free-draining soil: in this case, 24in (61cm) wide flower beds, which are called ‘bioswales’. This benefits the plants by feeding them with rainwater and aids the environment by not overloading the main drainage system during bouts of heavy rain. Nigel terraced the sloping garden using drystone retaining walls and put in a central path flanked by bioswales. These contain multiple layers of plants that flower in succession, from spring through to autumn. Some plants can tolerate more water than others, and these were placed in the lowest part of the bed, where the rain pools. It has been a great success; flowering at this time of year with the yellow spires of ligularia ‘The Rocket’; cheery ox-eye daisies, ❯ 18

Left to right: Tiarella’s palmate leaves are infused with rivulets of mahogany veining, providing subtle interest; the decorative, silver, spear-like foliage of pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’; white bells of &DPSDQXODSHUVLFLIROLD var. alba on tall stems. Tiered stone terraces create layers of colour in abundance down the slope, with plants including euphorbia, nepeta, centaurea, Campanula ODFWLÁRUD and $OFKHPLOODPROOLV.



“to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself” William Blake Wooden steps and insect- and wildlife-friendly log walls curve and arch their way through the informal, natural borders, planted with fulsome perennials. ❯

“Not without art, but yet to Nature true” Charles Churchill, ‘The Rosciad’ Leucanthemum vulgare; and fluffy plumes of Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii ‘Purpurlanze’; all protected from the wind by a tall Miscanthus × giganteus grass, which is happy to have damp feet. Naturalistic planting Behind the cottage, Nigel’s love of naturalistic planting is the guiding principle, and the lower reaches of the garden are awash with foliage from perennial plants, such as spurge, with Euphorbia characias wulfenii being a favourite variety, and lady’s mantle, Alchemilla mollis, combined with unshowy flowers that largely look after themselves. The Impressionistic tradition of gardening, in which colour is an essential element, is expressed in a tapestry of sturdy, self-seeding foxgloves, Digitalis purpurea; drumstick alliums, A. sphaerocephalon; and the ever-reliable rosebay willowherb, Chamaenerion angustifolium, that create a dark pink-purple colour palette. These contrast with the paler pink, lilac-like blooms of milky bellflower, Campanula lactiflora ‘Loddon Anna’; the tall fronds of Nepeta grandiflora ‘Dawn to Dusk’, in a pale rose colour; and the mauve bobbles of small scabious, S. columbaria. Accent plants, such as the sedge Carex pendula and wispy grasses Stipa calamagrostis and Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, set off the flowers and provide a visual pause too. Deftly arranged log piles, partly inspired by the Peak District’s drystone walls, are also a feature of the garden. Many of them are built using the wood cut from the sycamores that were originally felled, and Nigel tops them up every winter. He has designed the piles as curving ‘waves’, which intersperse the dense swathes of flowers and foliage. “They give a contrast and a sense of order that magnifies the exuberant naturalness of the planting,” he explains. The logs are a favourite place for birds to hunt insects and gather moss for nests: they are a beetle’s dream home and also provide cracks and crevices for self-seeding plants to grow in. Come autumn, fungi thrive, adding to the richness of the environment. “To increase biodiversity, we need to build in structures that are functional and look good as well, so that ❯ Top to bottom: Spires of ligularia ‘The Rocket’, with its deep-yellow flowers on black stems; rich pink Lythrum salicaria ‘Zigeunerblut’ has red-tinted stems; silky, fringed petals of pale pinky-mauve prairie mallow, Sidalcea malviflora ‘Elsie Heugh’. 22

The log piles are made up Stacked amid the long grasses, the of stacked pieces of wood log piles provide a home for insects, between 8-12in (20-30cm) attracting birds to the garden as a long, with larger ones at the result, and the effect is inspired by base so the logs can be built drystone walls which ribbon across WKHVXUURXQGLQJÀHOGV up to create a curve. As well as animal life, Gently swaying in the the log stacks provide summer breeze are strands of a home for shelf, or switchgrass, Panicum virgatum, bracket, fungi, adding to the woodland feel of a clump-forming perennial. the garden.

Sunny colour tumbles down a mixed border planted with Alchemilla mollis, Euphorbia characias wulfenii, Digitalis purpurea and Leucanthemum vulgare. “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did HIGH-PROFILE PROJECTS Photography: Alamy; Filbert Press nothing because he could do only a little” Nigel’s projects include the sumptuous pictorial meadows Edmund Burke at the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, IHDWXULQJG\\QDPLFULEERQVRIDQQXDOPHDGRZÁRZHUV we can bring them to the forefront of the garden,” he explains. To that end, at the very top of the garden is a VXFKDVFRUQÁRZHUFRUQPDULJROGDQG&DOLIRUQLDQSRSS\\ woodland glade, bounded by oak trees and edged by a circle that swathed the Queen Elizabeth London Olympic Park of logs. “It’s all about letting natural ecology do its thing,” in a succession of jewel-like colours, thrilling all who saw says Nigel of this simple structure, which feels like a temple to nature, overlooking the valley. it. A year later, he was tasked with reinventing the JDUGHQVDWWKH%DUELFDQLQWKH&LW\\RI/RQGRQDQG His latest introduction is a large circle made of hedge incorporated three main ‘plant communities’ to provide cuttings. It looks like a giant nest, and fittingly, set within it, continuous and successive waves of colour from spring to are two loungers that give the dreamiest views to the moors. late autumn, followed by seedheads and strong plant The garden is a triumph: immersive, enveloping, naturalistic, structure in winter. The scheme at this iconic Modernist and a place to snuggle close to Mother Nature. complex won two prestigious landscape design awards in 2018, and Nigel goes back whenever he can to visit ‘his • Words: Caroline Wheater • Photography: GAP Photos/Rachel Warne baby’, which the residents help look after. Professor Nigel Dunnett’s His latest creation is Superbloom at the Tower of latest book, Naturalistic London, for Historic Royal Palaces. Just before Easter, he VSHQWWZRZHHNVRQVLWHSODQWLQJXSWKLVVWXQQLQJÁRUDO Planting Design – The celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The living Essential Guide, is LQVWDOODWLRQZLOOEHLQÁRZHUIURP-XQHWR published by Filbert Press, September, when ticketed visitors can wander through priced £35. the medieval moat among a kaleidoscope of colourful blooms and become lost in their own thoughts and memories. “I want to bring ecological and sustainable landscape design into the mainstream, and apply those ideas in real projects, so that people can be inspired by them,” says Nigel. The gardens at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 24

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The garden in... July Kari-Astri Davies gains inspiration for creating layers of interest and colour, and experiments with euphorbia Left to right: Grassy, Dan walked and talked our small group through the prairie-style planting, thinking behind the wild spaces, orchards, vegetable patch and formal areas. with Veronicastrum virginicum; fiery, In the main garden, Dan aims for waves of colour and curling petals of interest through the seasons. Airy grasses, including Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’, complement lush Lilium pardalinum perennials, such as veronicastrum, sanguisorba, thalictrum vollmeri; fluffy pink and hemerocallis. Eryngiums, including E. eburneum, sanguisorba; applying provide strong uprights. Still-budded Digitalis ferruginea was poised to add another layer of interest. I liked the mulch; Digitalis acidity and rhythm that Euphorbia cornigera also gave to ferruginea spears. the planting. Reflecting Dan’s approach, there is an overall quietness to the planting scheme, but pops of interruptive ON A RECENT walk, I encountered a bucolic colour are allowed. This included US native, Lilium scene. Some of the ladies of the local herd of pardalinum vollmeri and swathes of its scarlet, cream-and-brown cows were standing yellow-speckled flowers, with upswept petals woven knee-deep in clear-flowing Semington Brook, through hummocks of foliage. which runs under an old brick bridge close to the village. Tails languidly whisking against the flies, they eyed the Interventions are being made in wilder areas, including dog and I warily, but were not going to give up their a brook running down towards the wood. Plants, such as cooling place on such a hot morning. gunnera and Persicaria polymorpha, are being added in among incumbent wild inhabitants, like meadowsweet. “Oh, bring again my heart’s content, Thou Spirit of the Summer-time!” Garden staple William Allingham, ‘Song’ It seemed to me that euphorbias had gone out of fashion, but it could be that they are creeping back again. Touted as Hillside vista a must-have plant 20 or so years ago, you couldn’t move for I have followed garden designer Dan Pearson since a 2001 Euphorbia characias wulfenii. This hulking beast dominated TV series, A Year at Home Farm. It was about a garden he all the best borders. made with a family friend in Northamptonshire. More recently, Dan and his partner, Huw, bought a small farm I have had Mediterranean, shrubby, honey-scented E. in a valley just north of Bath, where they’ve been creating a mellifera on and off for years: it can be knocked back in garden for the last 10 years. hard winters. But herbaceous euphorbias have been more I was lucky enough to visit Hillside in early July. Hunkered into the side of a west-facing hill, the house and gardens look outward; part of the billowing landscape in which they sit is open to the vagaries of the weather, particularly winds. 26

“While the bee with honied thigh, That at her flowery work doth sing, And the waters murmuring With such consort as they keep, Entice the dewy-feathered sleep” John Milton, ‘Il Penseroso’ Photography: Alamy; Shutterstock Left to right: TIME FOR A CHANGE? Sweet-smelling Euphorbia As we know, gardens are not static: plants come and go. mellifera; Combinations we have admired for a few years, wane. When securing netting this starts to happen, I have to ask myself if the familiar to protect new combinations should be replanted, or if it’s time to move on. growth; the first winter squash The late-July-flowering lily ‘Black Beauty’ has been the buds. ‘look at me’ star in the rose bed for a number of years. This Lilium speciosum cross has well-scented, reflexed, deep-red ephemeral. Fancying a zing of fresh spring green in the and white petals. The stems reach over 6ft (1.8m) in a good main white/yellow border, I tried the low-growing E. year. It is, however, an early riser in the garden, and the epithymoides twice, to no avail. After my visit to Dan’s emerging shoots have been hit repeatedly by hard spring garden, I am experimenting with summer-flowering E. frosts over the last few years. The stems are getting fewer and corallioides in this sunny border. weaker. Should I augment the bulbs next spring, or seek out something new? Two E. palustris were added to the wood bed, which is dry and partly shaded. Palustris means ‘marshy’: a clue In the grass bed, another favourite, penstemon which should have told me more moist conditions were ‘Schoenholzeri’, or ‘Firebird’, cut back in March, produces required. As a result, these also declined. mounds of foliage and masses of soft-red, belled flowers all summer and into autumn. The plants are six years old, getting A more congenial, earthy home is developing in the woody, and starting to fail. Should I take cuttings and start cottagey element of the wood bed, courtesy of annual the process over again, or move on? I’m not sure yet. mulching. I have found E. stricta ‘Golden Foam’ a boon, with clouds of tiny flowers at knee height. A rare native UK Penstemon ‘Schoenholzeri’ makes its presence felt. annual, it seems to self-seed enthusiastically. For more stature, I’m trying later-summer-flowering E. donii, which joins chunky E. sarawschanica. When handling euphorbias, I’m wary of the milky sap, as it can irritate eyes and skin. This month, I’ll be on pollination watch, monitoring winter squash plants for signs of female flowers. The race will be on to ensure that there are fruits set before we get into August, so they have time to develop properly. Meanwhile, there has been a surge of Cabbage White butterflies, busy laying eggs, so the purple sprouting broccoli will need to be netted as soon as possible. Kari-Astri Davies started gardening in her twenties with pots of roses, geraniums and sweet peas on a parapet five storeys up in central London. She’s now on her fifth garden; this time, in the Wiltshire countryside. Inspiration includes her plant-mad parents as well as Dan Pearson, Beth Chatto, Keith Wiley and the Rix & Phillips plant books. Kari describes her approach as impulsive; meaning not everything is done by the book. 27

Reader offer CAPTIVATING CLEMATIS This gorgeous collection of clematis will give the garden months of colour, lasting from March all the way through to October C LEMATIS ARE A well-loved garden favourite, and it is easy to see why. These beautiful climbers are perfect for training up walls, fences and over arches, and ideal for hiding more unsightly structures, such as garden sheds, with a profusion of flowers. This collection comprises: Clematis × cartmanii ‘Avalanche Blaaval’: Bushy in habit, this scrambling evergreen clematis produces an abundance of fragrant, white blooms from March to April, which cascade among glossy, dark green foliage. A fast grower, this variety is perfect for quickly covering a pergola or wall. Clematis viticella ‘Étoile Violette’: A much-loved variety, flowering from June to September. Bold, deep-purple flowers, with contrasting creamy centres, appear in abundance, smothering the green foliage. Winner of an RHS Award of Garden Merit for outstanding garden performance. Clematis texensis ‘Gravetye Beauty’: Red, rich, trumpet-shaped flowers, with paler margins, bloom from July to October, opening as they mature. Ideal for scrambling through other plants. Available to buy individually, priced at £12 each, or buy BUY THE Clematis viticella the collection of 3 for half price: a saving of £18. COLLEC TION ‘Étoile Violette’. Supplied as 7cm pots, delivery in 14 days. OF 3 FOR Clematis texensis ‘Gravetye Beauty’. HALF PRICE Clematis × cartmanii ‘Avalanche Blaaval’. 28

BONUS OFFER Outstanding alstroemerias These Peruvian lilies provide non-stop, exotic blooms from June to October. Ideal for patio pots, flowers smother the foliage all summer long. The more blooms that are pulled, the more that appear. The collection comprises ‘Majestic Mazé’, ‘Charles’ and ‘Béatrice’. Available individually, priced at £12 each, or buy the collection of 3 Alstroemeria ‘Béatrice’ (Midi Series): Beautiful bicoloured flowers in pink and for £24, and save £12. BUY THE white, with burgundy markings. Supplied as 9cm pots, delivery in 14 days. COLLEC TION OF 3 & SAVE 3 ways to order £12 Online: Visit Alstroemeria ‘Majestic Mazé’: Large heads Alstroemeria ‘Charles’ (Maxi Series): www.hayloft.co.uk/ROLS of delightful white flowers; each petal tinged Blooms of clear, bright pink, with a yellow green and splashed with dark red markings. flash and distinctive freckles at the centre. By phone: Call 01386 426245 and quote ROLS By post: Photocopy or cut out the order form below and post orders to LandScape Reader Offer, PO BOX 2020, Pershore WR10 9BP Cheques should be made payable to Hayloft. Delivery in 14 days. Offer closes 30 June 2022. ORDER COUPON (ROLS) Title .......................................... Initial .............................................. Surname ................................................................................................ HOW TO ORDER Cut out the order form and post to: LandScape Reader Offer, PO BOX Address .................................................................................................. 2020, Pershore, WR10 9BP. To order online, visit www.hayloft.co.uk/ROLS. To order by ................................................................................................................ phone, call 01386 426245 and quote ROLS. Delivery in 14 days. Offer closes 30 June 2022. ................................................. Postcode ............................................... Daytime phone number ....................................................................... Code Description Qty Price Total Email address ........................................................................................ I enclose a cheque for £ ........................................ made payable to ROLS-21CA1 Clematis ‘Avalanche Blaaval’ x 1 £12 Hayloft with my name and address on the back. Or charge my Visa/Mastercard/Maestro ROLS-21CE1 Clematis ‘Étoile Violette’ x 1 £12 Card number ......................................................................................... CV2 ............................ Expiry date ...................................................... ROLS-21CG1 Clematis ‘Gravetye Beauty’ x 1 £12 Signature ................................................................................................ ROLS-21CC3 Clematis Collection x 3 (1 of each) £18 ROLS-21AC1 Alstroemeria ‘Charles’ x 1 £12 ROLS-21AM1 Alstroemeria ‘Majestic Mazé’ x 1 £12 ROLS-21AB1 Alstroemeria ‘Béatrice’ x 1 £12 ROLS-21AL3 Alstroemeria Collection x 3 (1 of each) £24 Order reference: ROLS Postage per order 1 P&P £5.95 TERMS & CONDITIONS: Plants dispatched in 14 days. Offer closes 30 June 2022. Please note your contract for supply of goods is with Hayloft, Manor Farm, Pensham, Worcs WR10 3HB. Full T&Cs available on request. All items are subject to availability. All orders will receive an order acknowledgement. Occasionally the advertised delivery date may change; however, this will be clearly stated on your order confirmation. Offer available to UK addresses only. Reader offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions or discounts. If you would like to receive news, offers and updates from us, please let us know how you would prefer to receive these, by ticking the appropriate boxes: ■ Please contact me by post. ■ Please contact me by email. ■ Please contact me by telephone. ■ I would like to receive information and special offers by post from companies selected by Hayloft as likely to be of interest. 29

Lifted on tall, slender stems above terracotta pots, the scarlet flowers of pelargonium ‘Ardens’ may be dainty, but they still make an impact.

Both the larger two upper petals and smaller three lower petals of this linen-white Pelargonium echinatum are infused with tongues of deep colour. LEAFY BLOOMS BRING SCENTS OF SUMMER Loved for their fragrant foliage, species pelargoniums also add colour and texture to the garden, whether planted in borders or containers P OTS OF SCENTED-LEAF and species fragrances can be enjoyed by repeated stroking and caressing, pelargoniums reveal their charms, like their scents, these plants create a new world of experiences. gradually, rewarding those who choose to investigate. Mounds of delicately cut, bold or variegated foliage Although there are many thousands of pelargonium spill from large pots, and dainty pink flowers keep bees busy cultivars, most are bred from a handful of species, so tend to as they collect nectar. A casual brush against the roughly be variations on just a few themes. They are valued for their textured or softly hairy foliage surprises and delights the vivid colours, ability to bloom for months, and compact, senses, as wafts of lemon, rose or peppermint fill the air. ‘tame’ habit. Placed beside a garden bench, where the textures and In contrast, the wild species, having evolved for thousands of years to survive what are often adverse ❯ 31

conditions and different habitats, show enormous variations. Tender There are approximately 250 pelargonium species in the wild, Pelargonium most from South Africa, although only a few are widely sidoides has cultivated, and their size and habit varies hugely. deep-magenta flowers on Some are easy to please in the garden, while many more wiry stems. need careful cultivation in a greenhouse to mimic their natural habitats. Others are popular windowsill plants, where Although some species pelargoniums have very seasonal the scented-leaf kinds are valued for their fragrance and flowers, mainly in spring, most of the popular kinds bloom reputation to repel flies. throughout summer, with new blooms produced as they grow and make new foliage. It is the diversity of species pelargoniums that attracts Heather Godard-Key, of Fibrex Nurseries, which specialises The flowers are carried on leafless stems that grow from in these plants. “They are so much more interesting than the the base of a leaf on the stem. There may be just four or five zonal pelargoniums that you normally find, both in habit and flowers in a cluster, or 20 or more, depending on the species. flower type,” she says. “They can flower midwinter, and some The flowers have five petals: the two upper petals are usually have night-scented flowers. The foliage on some can be quite larger in size and more intricately marked than the lower extraordinary and unlike anything you would expect to see three. Shades of pink, white and mauve are the most in a pelargonium. Many are long-lived and become old common flower colours, although some species are bright red, friends. It’s impossible to get bored with them, as they only giving their vibrant colours to the common bedding improve with age.” pelargoniums through generations of breeding. Scented foliage and delicate flowers The flowers vary from less than ½in (1cm) across to Pelargoniums are woody plants, but some are low and approximately 2in (5cm) in some of the more spectacular slow-growing, while others will become large, upright shrubs. scented-leaf kinds, although most are somewhere in the The most popular grow vigorously in summer, quickly middle. The blooms themselves are not usually scented, but making bushy mounds and masses of small flowers. All have their open structure, and often distinct markings, make them alternate leaves along the stems, with a pair of leaf-like popular with pollinators, such as bees and butterflies. ❯ structures, known as stipules, at the base. The leaves vary in size, from approximately 1in (2.5cm) long to 6in (15cm) or more. They are usually round or oval in shape and often deeply lobed, but they can also be deeply divided and almost fern-like. Most are green in colour, but many are greyish, and they can be smooth, hairy or rough in texture. Within the scented-leaf pelargoniums, the type of fragrance varies hugely. The most popular scents include lemon or rose, but fragrances run the gamut from nutmeg, apple, cedar, eucalyptus, artemisia and various mints through to resinous and balsam scents, some of which can verge on the medicinal. Cranesbill, ALIKE, BUT DIFFERENT Geranium himalayense, has Pelargoniums are commonly called storksbill: the Greek word ‘pelargos’ means uniform-sized petals and boasts ‘stork’. This differentiates them from geraniums, or cranesbill, from the Greek a glowing blue- purple shade. ‘geranos’, or ‘crane’. The two plants have been muddled for centuries, and the 32 confusion continues to this day. Geraniums are largely hardy, herbaceous plants from the Northern hemisphere, while pelargoniums are mostly from South Africa and are frost-tender shrubs. Geraniums have flowers in shades of white, blue, pink and colours in between, and flowers with five similar petals. None are scarlet or yellow. Pelargoniums have flowers in red, white and almost yellow shades, and none are blue. The flowers are distinctly zygomorphic, with the two upper petals shaped and coloured differently to the lower three.

Fulsome foliage, which will release endless summer fragrance, makes pelargonium ‘Pink Capricorn’, also known as ‘Pink Capitatum’, a showy plant, topped with its pretty pink blooms.

Clockwise from top left: Commonly known as oak leaf geranium, Pelargonium quercifolium is a stand-out plant; Pelargonium crispum ‘Variegatum’ has cream-frilled leaves; a flower of two halves: pelargonium ‘Splendide’; fluorescent ‘Pink Capricorn’. 34

“I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers, Of April, May, or June, and July flowers” Robert Herrick, ‘The Argument of His Book’ Most species pelargoniums have relatively small flowers Delicate flowers and an upright stance mark out P. × compared to their more common relatives, but they are just fragrans, which makes a dense display in a container. as lovely, with delicate form and shading. Most have Its leaves have a eucalyptus-like scent. distinctly different upper and lower petals, and none more so than in P. cordifolium, which has two large, vividly veined • P. sidoides: A slow-growing, woody, low plant, with grey pink upper petals and tiny lower petals, giving the blooms a leaves, it produces magenta flowers for many months and ‘butterfly’ appearance. P. ionidiflorum is a low, spreading needs perfect drainage. plant, with small, but showy, vivid magenta flowers, while P. trifidum has ribbon-like petals of unusual creamy yellow. • P. tomentosum: This large, vigorous plant can spread to 40in (1m) across in a season and will cascade from patio Early arrivals pots, with velvety, peppermint-scented leaves, up to 6in (15cm) across. Its flowers are tiny and white. The first pelargoniums were introduced to Europe in the early 1600s. They were recognised as being related to • P. crispum ‘Variegatum’: This Victorian favourite was one geraniums, with which botanists of the time were already of the first species to be introduced, though the popular familiar. But, despite noticing that there were differences variegated form was raised later. It has distinctive, upright between the two types of plant, botanists, including even stems, set with small leaves, and a zingy lemon scent, and Linnaeus, who is considered the father of plant classification, small white and purple flowers. lumped them in with geraniums. It was not until the 1790s that the genus name of pelargonium was accepted. Many • P. × fragrans: A hybrid of P. odoratissimum, but with a species were introduced in the 18th century, and these were more upright habit and pine scent, this is easy and bushy, hybridised. By the 19th century, the familiar bedding and has lots of small, very pale pink flowers. pelargoniums were popular; usually being referred to as ‘scarlet geraniums’, even though hardy geraniums, so beloved • P. ignescens: A hybrid of P. fulgidum, this dates to 1820 in gardens today, were hardly grown in borders at that time. and has soft, green leaves and bright scarlet flowers, with darkly shaded upper petals and a narrow lower petal. This The flow of pelargonium species was fuelled by the pelargonium shines in a patio pot. establishment of colonies in South Africa, with plants brought to Europe by Dutch traders, who would return from • ‘Splendide’: Aptly named, this is a hybrid of P. tricolor and Asia via the Cape of Good Hope. has neat, grey leaves and large, pansy-like flowers, with two upper petals of cherry red and lower petals of pale pink. It Recommended species is suitable for patio pots if watered carefully. ❯ Among the best choices to start with are those with scented foliage. Although many of the most popular scented-leaf pelargoniums are hybrids, the so-called ‘primary hybrids’ are crosses between two or more species and quite unlike the large-flowered pelargoniums which are so distant from their wild ancestors. • P. capitatum: The softly hairy leaves are scented of roses, and the small, but showy, flowers are freely produced. These can be used in patio pots in summer. • P. cucullatum: This is a large shrub, with fragrant leaves and relatively large pink-to-purple flowers in summer. • P. echinatum ‘Album’: A succulent plant, this has thick, slightly spiny stems and needs winter dormancy, so is often grown along with cacti. The flowers are large and showy, in pure white, with vivid red markings. • P. odoratissimum: Suitable for windowsills in the house and outdoor pots, this is a low, spreading plant, with deliciously fragrant leaves and small, white flowers. • P. quercifolium: With deeply lobed, sticky, resinous leaves, often marked with brown, this plant has pink flowers that are quite showy. They are easy to grow outside in pots. 35

The greenhouse provides species pelargoniums with protection from “My favourite scented-leaf pelargonium is ‘Pink frosts, and some require extra care to thrive. Capricorn’,” says Heather Godard-Key. “A hybrid of P. capitatum, this is a fast grower, with a lovely full habit, and it smothers itself with masses of candy-pink flowers from May through to November. It’s happy in part shade too and exceptionally easy. It’s good for all-round flower power, with fragrant foliage added for extra interest.” For summer pots, Heather recommends P. australe Tasmanian Form. “This is great if you want something understated and subtle,” she says. “It has a low-growing habit, with dark green foliage; the leaves have a plum-red reverse and masses of clusters of small, white flowers that create either a carpet or a cascade, depending on how it’s grown. But if you want something with more pizzazz, then ‘Ardens’, with its clusters of small, black-centred scarlet flowers hovering on long stems, is a challenge worth its weight in gold.” ‘Ardens’ is a primary hybrid of P. lobatum and P. fulgidum, introduced in 1817, and does best in a greenhouse. “A species that often gets overlooked is P. gibbosum. It has green flowers, so it’s not flashy, but interesting. And it has the most amazing fragrance after 7pm,” says Heather. Best growing conditions Most species pelargoniums are suitable for patio pots, but they need compost that drains well, so some loam-based compost should be mixed in with multipurpose compost to improve its stability and the structure. Only the most vigorous, larger kinds are suitable for planting in garden beds, and the soil must be well-drained. Extra organic matter should not be added to the soil. Pelargoniums do not need heavy feeding, but the larger species will benefit from a high-potash fertiliser, such as tomato food, in summer. Pelargoniums are tender, so they should not be planted outside until all risk of frost is past. It is an advantage if ❯ Trimming a stem with a knife PROPAGATION when taking Pelargonium sidoides Most pelargoniums are easy to grow from cuttings, and these are usually taken in late cuttings for repotting. summer so the young plants are well-rooted by autumn. For the cutting, shoot tips that have two or three mature leaves are taken. Any flower buds should be removed if present, then the cutting is trimmed, using a sharp knife, just under the lowest leaf. This leaf should be cut off and the leaf-like stipules on either side picked off. If necessary, the next leaf up should also be removed, so the cutting has one mature leaf and a young, possibly unfolded, leaf. With P. crispum and other species with tiny leaves, it may be necessary to take cuttings with more leaves and remove more foliage to obtain a reasonable length of stem. Cuttings are inserted in a standard mix of 50:50 multipurpose compost and perlite or vermiculite, then watered lightly and covered with a lid to maintain humidity around the cutting and prevent wilting. It is important not to overwater, however: the compost should be kept ‘just’ moist, and the ‘lid’ removed for a short time each day to allow a change of air. Small plants can be easily kept over winter in gently heated conditions. 36

“The air came laden with the fragrance it caught upon its way, and the bees, upborne upon its scented breath, hummed forth their drowsy satisfaction” Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop Low-growing, spreading Pelargonium tomentosum has Giving off a sweet fragrance, night-scented Pelargonium gibbosum has umbel-like clusters of yellow-green flowers large, pleasant pepperminty, velvety leaves, which contrast with its tiny white flowers. and long, fleshy stems, with swollen leaf nodes. 37

patio pots are planted in mid-spring and kept under cover to infested on purchase. It is possible to check for whitefly by Photography: Alamy; GAP Photos become established before placing outside. More vigorous shaking the plant: if white, moth-like insects fly up, it should kinds, such as P. tomentosum, can be spaced up to 30in not be bought. Pelargonium rust is a problem outdoors with (76cm) apart, but most can be planted with 12in (30cm) bedding pelargoniums, but is unlikely to affect species and between them, and slightly closer if grown in pots. Compact scented kinds. species, such as P. × fragrans, can be planted 6in (15cm) apart in containers or baskets. Planting partners Many plants make good partners for pelargoniums. Shrubby The majority of species need a sunny site: in shady herbs, such as lavender, curry plant and rosemary, offer conditions, they tend to become straggly, and more difficult contrasts of foliage and fragrance, and they enjoy the same species may struggle to grow at all. A warm, sheltered spot, sunny conditions. Bedding that is not too vigorous, including such as a sunny patio, is ideal, and they will tolerate a little salvias, marigolds and ageratum, diascias, nemesia and drought, but pots should not be allowed to dry out lobelia, all mix well in containers. On sunny patios, using completely in summer. them with fragrant flowers, such as heliotrope, verbena and dianthus, will bring heavenly scent on sunny evenings. Most will need some winter care. This is easily done by keeping the plants almost dry, in temperatures of It is the diversity of form, flower and fragrance that approximately 5°C or slightly higher; perhaps somewhere like makes these intriguing plants so interesting and addictive. In a cool sunroom or sunny windowsill. High temperatures in a small greenhouse, on a sunny windowsill, or in a few pots winter and damp compost will encourage soft, sappy growth on the patio, they will provide fragrances to relax, delight that will need to be pruned back in spring and can be and to stimulate. One thing is for certain: they are very vulnerable to aphid attack. collectible, and one is never enough. Due to their scented foliage, these pelargoniums are • Words: Geoff Stebbings resistant to many pests. Whitefly can be a serious problem, but is unlikely to become so unless the plant is already A riot of pink erupts from a large clay pot, adding to the summer colour on a flower-wrapped terrace.

Extra special Coronilla glauca ‘Citrina’ scented shrub 1 x 9cm pot £19.99 £14.99 2 x 9cm pots £39.98 £15NOW ONLY HURRY OFFER ENDS JUNE 25th DOUBLE UP FOR Flowering from December to April 1p Ideal for small gardens *10 Phlox plants, worth £19.98 Contrasting blue-green foliage Only £5.99 with every order Strong sweet lemon fragrance “A lovely healthy plant which is Coronilla glauca ‘Citrina’ thriving.” Coronilla‘Citrina’will light up the garden in MAXICROP Plant Treatment winter with an abundance of lemon-yellow pea-like blooms that just keep coming. For ONLY £1 we will treat your whole order with MAXICROP to give your plants: • Strong, We’ve had reports of this easy to grow shrub healthy root system - More energy for growth • Greener, healthier leaves – Great nutrient flowering for 9 months or more, making it a availability • Reduced stress during transit hard-working addition to the garden scene. • Better establishment and improved root growth Hardy Coronilla‘Citrina’shows off its sweet- scented blooms against unusual blue-green foliage. A versatile shrub for almost any garden situation, performing particularly well in exposed locations and coastal areas. A compact, rounded habit makes this tough little performer ideal for patio containers where you really get to appreciate the scent and pretty petite blooms. Alternatively train it as a wall shrub for a spectacular upright display. Height and spread: 100cm (39”). Despatching from June onwards. SPECIAL BONUS OFFER Gardenia‘Crown Jewels’ Who’d have imagined you could grow a tough, hardy outdoor gardenia a few years ago? Large pearly white, waxy double blooms, contrasting dramatically against rich, glossy evergreen leaves. This hardy shrub will be a prized specimen from the moment it’s delivered to your door. Height: 60cm (24”). Spread: 120cm (47”). 1 x 9cm potted plant £19.99 £14.99 www.thompson-morgan.com/TM_TS4067 Tel: 0844 573 7414 When ordering online please use order code TM_TS4067 to access our special offers. Phone Lines open 7 days a week, 9am – 6pm. Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. Calls cost 7p perPmleinaustee pselunsdyotuor:phone company’s acc 100% YOUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEED or your money back Thompson & Morgan, HAPPY We want you to be 100% satisfied with any product you buy from us. Dept TM_TS4067, Poplar Lane, If you’re not 100% happy then neither are we, so let us know and Ipswich, Suffolk, IP8 3BU. we’ll replace your product or give you your money back.† I enclose a cheque/postal order made payable to ‘Thompson & Morgan’ for £ ORDER CODE Code Item Description Price Qty Total Staying in touch with T&M Name 74420 £14.99 £5.99 Address TM_TS4067 KB6227 Coronilla ‘Citrina’ 1 x 9cm potted plant £19.99 Please read each statement carefully 10088 Coronilla ‘Citrina’ 2 x 9cm potted plants £39.98 £15.00 / Postcode KB6687 THAT’S DOUBLE FOR 1P EXTRA •By placing an order with us, you become a T&M customer, so we Telephone Gardenia ‘Crown Jewels’ 1 x 9cm potted plant £19.99 £14.99 would like to continue sending our catalogue to you, giving you first Email KB8429 £19.99 sight of our new varieties. Please tick the box if you do not want Gardenia ‘Crown Jewels’ 2 x 9cm potted plants £39.98 to receive them . 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In the garden Photography: GAP Photos; Richard Faulks Seasonal ideas for your outdoor space LADDER FOR A BEE Touched by a soft breeze, delicate inflorescences of Veronica longifolia tremble in the warm, summer light above slender, lance-shaped leaves. Prized by gardeners for their elegant spikes of tubular flowers, in shades of pink, blue, violet and creamy-white, the compact perennial looks particularly graceful when planted in clumps. Opening from the base upwards in summer, the blooms produce nectar in abundance for butterflies and bees, and have a long flowering season. As they begin to fade, the racemes can be cut back to stimulate a second flourish. Easy to maintain, the plants are healthiest when they are grown in full sun, in evenly moist, well-drained soil. Planted in the summer border, the upright growth habit will add height and texture when paired with low-growing perennials, creating an attractive display. SMART COVER FROM THE SUN Drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature surrounding her rural Somerset home, Liz Oliva-Knight makes eco-friendly hats using 100 per cent natural fabrics. Ideal for wearing in the garden on a sunny day, this hat is adorned with a beautiful fern print and finished with a natural linen tie feature, which can be used to tighten the fit when it is particularly windy. It is available in four sizes. Fern Print Natural Linen Sun Hat £48, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ThimbleAndWeed BRUSHING UP FURNITURE Wooden furniture in the garden can have a long and useful life if cared for properly. Some types of wood can be left outside to gracefully weather over time, allowing an attractive, silvery patination to develop on the surface, which can be a desirable look. Others, however, will benefit from frequent maintenance. Care should be taken when choosing the best product to treat outdoor furniture. Teak oil is the traditional choice, but can be hazardous to both people and animals, particularly aquatic life, with long-lasting effects. Some oil finishes will need regular application and may cause the wood to darken over time. It is advised to research for the best options available before buying. 41

In the garden Seasonal ideas for your outdoor space LEADING DESIGNER’S LEGACY A LIFT FOR THE SHADE One of the foremost garden designers A shaded nook in the garden or a path by the back in the world, Arabella Lennox-Boyd door can be adorned with plants that do not require takes a nostalgic look back at her full sunlight, to make the most of a darker corner. Painting the wall or fence in a cooler hue career and the private gardens that complements the low light of the aspect, creating a have had a particular interest or tranquil space. This can be enhanced with the meaning to her, exploring the addition of galvanised containers in a similar tone. Using the full height of the boundary will help to inspiration that led to the final designs maximise use of the space, with planters fixed to the and planting schemes. This wall at different levels or placed on consecutive steps. Watering cans hung alongside the planters horticultural tour includes expert add a decorative touch, while being close to hand. guidance on planting and practical advice on landscaping, illustrated with beautiful photography and accompanied by Arabella’s planting plans and sketches. Gardens in my Life hardback RRP £40, www.headofzeus.com MAKING THE MOST OF MOISTURE Keeping container plants healthy and floriferous throughout the summer months requires regular watering, feeding and deadheading. Placing a saucer underneath each pot will ensure that any excess water is not wasted, keeping the plants healthy and hydrated. Watering habits can also be adjusted based on observation of the drainage. Ideally, the saucer should be put in place when the plant is potted up. If it is added after, care should be taken when lifting heavy pots. Bending the knees and keeping the body upright will allow the legs to take the pressure, rather than the back. If a saucer is not to hand, objects of a suitable size can be used instead, such as an old frying pan or oven dish. A charity shop is a good place to find serving dishes or large, decorative bowls. 42

Agapanthus rare | unusual | exciting Twister ˇ˛˘Ѓ˥˦˧˔ ˗ ˛˔˥˗  BUY 3 ˕˜●˖ ˨˥˘˗ʴ ˔˥˗●ˊ˜ ˜ ˚ ʴ˚˔ˣ˔ ˧˛˨˦˜ ˧˛˘ ˥ ˗ FOR JUST £8 PER POT A TRUE STAR IN THE WORLD OF AGAPANTHUS AND THE ONLY HARDY BLUE BI-COLOURED VARIETY IN THE WORLD. ʼ ˦˨ˠˠ˘˥˖ ˨˦˧˘˥˦ ˙˜ ˧˥˜˚˨˜ ˚Є ˘˥˦˙ ˥ˠˠ˔˚ ˜Ѓ˖˘ ˧ ˗˦ ˕˜●˖ ˨˥˘˗˚ ˕˘˦˨ˣ˧  ˜ ˖˛˘˦˔˖˥ ˦˦˨ˣ ˦˧˥˔ˣ●˦˛˔ˣ˘˗  ˖ ˨ˠˣ˙ ˥ˠ˜ ˚˙ ˜˔˚˘ʡ˂ ˖˘˘˦˧˔˕ ˜˦˛˘˗ ˨ ˜ ˔ ˦ ˛˔˩˘ ˘ ˨˚˛˕ ˠ˦˧ ˖˨˧˙ ˥˧˛˘˛ ˠ˘ʡ˃˘˥˙˘˖˧˙ ˥ˣ ˜ ˔˧ ˥˦˔ ˗˛ ˧˛˘˖ ˩˘˧˘˗˅ ˔ ʻ ˥˧˜˖˨ ˧˨˥˔ ˆ ˖˜˘˧ ʚ˦ʴ ˔˥˗ ˙ʺ˔˥˗˘ ˀ˘˥˜˧ʡ ʴ˚˔ˣ˔ ˧˛˨˦ ˩˘˛˔˩˜ ˚˧˛˘˜˥˥ ˧˦˥˘˦˧˥˜˖˧˘˗˔ ˗˚˥  ˘ ˜ ˔˦˨  ˣ ˦˜˧˜ ˜ ˣ ˥˦ ˜  ˠ˔˞˜ ˚˧˛˘ˠ ˘ ˦˨˜˧˘˗˙ ˥ˣ ˧˦˔˦ ˘ ˔˦˔˕ ˥˗˘˥  ˥˘˔˖˛˜ ˚˔˛˘˜˚˛˧˔ ˗˦ˣ˥˘˔˗ ˙ʨʣ˖ˠʡˌ ˨˥ ˥˗˘˥˜˦˖ ˩˘˥˘˗˕  ˨˥ ˁ ˄˨˜˕˕ ˘ʺ˨˔˥˔ ˧˘˘ʡˌ ˨˥ ˖ˠˣ ˧˦ ˜ ˕˘˗˘ ˜˩˘˥˘˗˜  ˗˔ ˦ʡ ORDER ONLINE PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK CAPITALS Please Send Item Code Price Qty Total 1 × Plants PTAGA01-LS0622 £14 hayloft.co.uk/LSHY Name Address 3 × Plants PTAGA03-LS0622 £24 PHONE P&P (UK only) £5.95 0333 358 2006 Total QUOTE LSHY Please debit my Visa/Mastercard Postcode Tel Card no Email Valid Expiry CV2 from I enclose cheque/PO for ____________ made payable to Hayloft Plants Ltd Please write your name and address on the reverse of the cheque Send to: Hayloft Plants THANK YOU, WE WILL CONFIRM YOUR ORDER LSHY FREEPOST RTGR-JAGJ-JETG, WR10 3HB Your details are kept securely and not shared with third parties. You will receive a catalogue, welcome email and special offers, if you prefer not to receive them please call 01386 562999. For T&Cs – see hayloft.co.uk

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A DISPLAY OF FLOWERING plants and herbs in MATERIALS weathered terracotta pots brings cheer and summer interest to the patio. Displaying them on a tiered stand • Safety goggles creates a theatre of colour and scent, making a • 2 pallets or similar amount of scrap wood charming focal point to be enjoyed while sipping a cooling drink • Crowbar and lump hammer or eating outdoors on warm evenings. • Set square • Long ruler or tape measure Easy to make from offcuts of wood or unwanted pallets, the • Pencil stand can be placed on the ground or on a sturdy table, or low • Saw wall, elevating the plants to create an eye-level arrangement. • Drill with wood bits • Wood screws: length determined by The stand can also be used to display other items or to organise garden tools, labels and empty pots, making sure they thickness of wood used are close at hand during the growing season. • Screwdriver • Sandpaper • Eco-friendly wood oil or preserver, and brush AN AUDIENCE WITH PLANTS Made from unwanted pallets, this simply constructed tiered stand allows pots of all sizes to be shown off and their blooms enjoyed Only basic woodworking tools are needed for this project. A hand drill or powered drill may be useful to make guide holes before screwing the timber together. ❯ 45

MAKING THE STAND FROM PALLET WOOD This stand is made from pallets which have been broken apart using a crowbar and lump hammer. Pallets are ideal because they yield multiple lengths of wood of the same width. Care should be taken when splitting a pallet, and it is advisable to wear safety goggles and be very careful of protruding nails and splinters. Some pallets will be stamped to indicate that they have been treated with a chemical. Stained pallets should be avoided, and the letters ‘MB’ indicate the presence of a pesticide in the wood and should not be used. The letters ‘KD’ and ‘HT’ simply mean that the pallet has been kiln dried or heat treated, which does not involve the use of chemicals. If there is any doubt, there is plenty of information on the internet explaining which pallets are safe for use. Alternatively, lengths of timber from previous projects can also be used. Step 1: The sides are constructed first. Using a set square, ruler and saw, 6 lengths of wood are cut, in 2 of each of the following lengths: 6in; 12in; 18in. The three pairs are placed in ascending order on a flat work surface. If necessary, placing some scrap wood underneath will protect the surface. Step 2: Two additional pieces of wood are cut, 1 1. to the full height of all 6 pieces and the second to 2. the height of the 4 longest pieces. Using the picture as a guide, these are drilled and screwed in place, holding all the pieces firmly together. The screws should be long enough to go through 2 pieces of timber without poking through the other side. Once the 4 corner screws are in place, additional screws are added down the centre of the bracing pieces in the positions marked on the picture with a white dot. Screw positions may have to be adjusted slightly if there are knots in the wood, and additional screws may be added if desired, for extra strength. Steps 1 and 2 are repeated to create the other side of the stand; however, great care is taken to ensure that the bracing pieces will be on the inside of both sides once the stand is assembled. 46

Lower bracing piece Back bracing piece Side 3. Step 3: Using the same type of pallet wood, 6 lengths, each measuring 24in, are cut. These will be the 3 shelves. A seventh length is cut, which is the length of the shelves minus the thickness of both sides and the 2 back bracing pieces. This will be the lower bracing piece and will fit snugly inside the base of the unit. The length of this piece will depend on the thickness of wood used to construct the sides, so should be measured carefully. It is screwed firmly in place from the outside with a long screw on both sides. 4. Step 4: The shelves are screwed in place, starting with the farthest back and farthest forward pieces, as shown in picture 3. Doing this helps keep the whole unit true and prevents twisting while screwing the rest of the shelf pieces in place. ❯ 47

Step 5: Paying particular attention to “Gardens are not made any bumpy areas on the 3 shelves, By singing ‘Oh, how beautiful!’ the stand is sanded. The whole thing is coated in a clear eco oil or wood And sitting in the shade” preserver. Using saucers under the pots Rudyard Kipling, and watering the plants carefully so as ‘The Glory of the Garden’ not to drench the wood will prolong the • Project: Sue Martin • Photography: Richard Faulks life of the stand to ensure it lasts for many summers. The finished stand is just over 18in tall. Once treated, it should 5. be left to dry out fully before arranging plants on its tiers. 48

'RQW ZRUN KDUGHU JDUGHQ VPDUWHU GARDENA's range of smart gardening products mean your garden is cared for automatically with just the tap of an app - wherever you are. )LQGRXWPRUHDWZZZJDUGHQDFRPXN