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Gardening articles that may not include tips

Top British Gardens to Visit

Top British Gardens to Visit

Britain has some of the best gardens in the world. The choice of which to visit is far larger than this selective list but at least it gives you somewhere to start planning this years outings.

Folly Foot Folly

A list of 55 gardens in England recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society. The RHS generally provides free admission for members throughout the open period.

Harlow Carr – Harrogate Yorkshire
Hyde Hall – Chelmsford Essex
Wisley – Woking Surrey
Rosemoor – Devon
Bluebell Cottage Garden Cheshire
Holker Hall & Garden – Cumbria …

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Yorkshire Gardens & Special Interests to Visit

Yorkshire Gardens & Special Interests to Visit

Newby Hall & Garden

“Newby Hall and Garden is well known in the gardening fraternity as an impressive example of well designed and extensive range of garden features, expertly decorated with a diverse range of plants. The truly magnificent herbaceous borders are the central feature of the gardens but are by no means the only feature of quality. Garden rooms and themed planting provide a range of style’s that can easily be incorporated into most gardens large or small. Of particular value is the work on plant conservation and Newby boasts the best collection of the genus Cornus in the Country.” I would also add the acid lovers Azaleas, Camellias, Rhododendrons and Magnolias so recommend visiting in April or May.

 

Harewood House

Harewood Himalayan Garden

Known for the imposing House and sweeping terrace there is much to satisfy the gardener. The Himalayan garden is a feature I most appreciate. Designed by Capability Brown there are 1000 acres of parkland and even a bird garden with many species. …

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Dragon Tree – Root and Branch Review

Dragon Tree – Root and Branch Review

Dragon's Blood trees
A very distinctive and primitive tree. Legend has it that the tree sprang up from the spot where a dragon and elephant spilled blood and battled to death.

Key Features of the Dragon Tree

  • Latin name – Dracaena Cinnabari – other common names inside-out umbrella tree’ or Dragon Blood Tree
  • Height – up to 50 feet
  • Type of tree – evergreen
  • Leaves – Broad based spiky leaves in clusters at the top of vertical branches
  • Flowers – pale yellow clusters
  • Fruit – Yellow berry ripening to black
  • Bark – Rough textured silvery grey
  • Family – Dracaena

Origins and Distribution of the Dragon Tree

  • Unique to the Indian Ocean island of Soqotra .
  • The island is home to over 200 other plant species that are unique to the island.

Haghier massif and Diskum plateau …

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Samurai Garden – Fighting for a Japanese Garden

Samurai Garden – Fighting for a Japanese Garden

My ‘Samurai garden’ is a small homage to a full blown Japanese garden.
I was attracted to Japanese gardens when I attended a talk at our local garden society. (They are often good events to pick up tips or special plants. I belong to a couple but only attend if there is something of interest.)
After starting on my project I was surprised how many Japanese gardens there were to visit or spot when walking around.

Menston

Samurai Garden Features

  • Sword shaped leaves feature in my garden to provide a green back drop and a military feel. Various Iris and Hemorocallis are getting established. It is surprising how well they do after a couple of seasons to expand the clumps.
  • I have bought a stone Japanese shrine and an interestingly shaped pyramidal stone. There are all sorts of ‘features’ to chose from at most large garden centres.
  • I have cheated and planted bonsai trees in their pots. I hope to partially restrict the growth without having to do bonsai pruning of roots or branches.
  • Acers and Tree peonies are two of my favourite species and they are long term investments.
  • The largest expense was a white chipping/pebble path edged with two kerbs. Despite a weed proof membrane the chippings get dirty, mossy and allow some weeds to root above the membrane.
  • For one year only I ‘planted’ a large framed mirror to reflect images from the garden. I am happy with the result and may clean the mirror and use it next year.

Menston

Garden Samurai Code of Honor

Whilst researching my Samurai garden feature I came across a cancer charity website with the following code of Samurai honor.

1. The most important Garden is finding peace in your heart, soul and mind.
2. Honor and respect the tool that can injure you, especially the tool of your thoughts.
3. Have courage to fight the weeds of life.
4. Bless your garden and curse it not.
5. Perfection cannot be reached but precision can be practiced.
6. Know your enemies, bees can be one of the good guys.
7. Love your garden for hate can lead to destruction.
8. Remember you can plant seeds of joy; but only God can make them grow.

Japanese have regarded places surrounded by natural rocks as dwelling places of the gods. So too with dense clusters of trees and water that have traditionally encircled sacred ground.

Samurai at Banzai Tattoos new location (2 doors down)
The Samurai gardener fighting the devil slug?
by Samurai at Banzai Tattoos new location (2 doors down) by NASA CREW,CC BY-ND 2.0

Japanese Garden at Giggle Alley at Eskdale

Japanese Garden a Gardeners Project

Japanese Garden a Gardeners Project

043

Despite my garden being full to overflowing after the spring rain I have decided to create a new area for a Japanese Garden. When starting a new project I was advised to have a name that may colour the end result. I opted for the grand title of ‘Japan Land’  This will be a long term project and I won’t rush it as I have on other projects in the past.

Action Plan for my Japanese Garden

  • Read up on the various forms and the nature of Japanese gardens.

Book Cover

  • Decide which area is going to be sacrificed to provide space for the Japanese garden.
  • Draw a rough plan  on a piece of paper and list the features to be incorporated.
  • Walk the patch and see if any plants need to be left in situ. I have a couple of Azaleas that I want to keep.
  • List the gardening problems I have caused in the past that I hope to avoid on this project.

Past Problems to Avoid

  • I generally leave too little space for paths and access.
  • Forgetting  to label or record the location of a particular plant  has meant I do not give any individual treatment until it is too late.
  • Many Japanese favourites are long lived such as Acer, Wisteria and Peonies so I must leave enough space for them to grow and develop. …

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Exotic Gardens to Visit in the UK

Exotic Gardens to Visit in the UK

Baby Myrtle

In the cold wet winter it is a good time to plan where to visit as the year improves. The South West is the obvious place to start your visiting tour of gardens containing exotic plants.

La Seigneurie in Sark has tall walls to protect from wind. The Australian Bottlebrush and New Zealand Tea Tree thrive alongside the oldest surviving 19th century feature of the original layout, the formal rose garden edged with box hedging.

Trebah Garden near Falmouth in Devon benefits from a micro climate created by a deep valley. Tree ferns, gunneras, bamboo and tall Chusan Palms. The camellia collection looks good in spring and Camellias have justly earned their title as ‘Queen of the Winter Flowers’. These beautiful blooms range from deep red to white with all shades of pink in between.  They can be found along Camellia Walk, Petry’s Path and Badger’s Walk.

Abbotsbury Tropical Garden near Weymouth is a 20 acre garden filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world and was established in 1784. The gardens are well regarded for the  Rhododendron and Hydrangea collections plus the charming Victorian Garden and Swannery.

Abriachan Garden is at the other end of the UK near Loch Ness. The garden and nursery is full of plants from the countries where the owners have previously lived and gardened…….Olearias, Pittosporums and Flaxes from New Zealand; Tea berries and Diddle-Dee from the Falkland Islands.

The Exotic Garden in Norwich becomes quite magical in spring full of hidden corners and riotous colour. ‘The air is filled with the intoxicating scent of Jasmine, Brugmansia (Angels trumpets) and different varieties of Hedychiums and Alpinias. (Gingers). The ridiculously large leaved Elephants Ear, Colocasia esculenta, ‘Mammoth’ with luscious green leaves 2×3 feet in size on long stems. Towering bananas such as the purple Abyssinian banana Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’, form massive canopies to walk under as do the root hardy banana Musa basjoo.’

Musa coccinea Red banana

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Ylang Ylang Perfume Tree – Root & Branch Review

Ylang Ylang Perfume Tree – Root & Branch Review

Unassuming in appearance the evergreen Ylang Ylang tree is highly valued for the essential oil it can produce.

Cananga odorata (Lam.) Hook.f. & Thomson

Key Features of the Ylang Ylang

  • Latin name – Cananga odorata , other common names Kenanga kebun, Macassar-oil plant, Perfume tree
  • Height – up to 80 feet
  • Type of tree – evergreen
  • Leaves – Oval green leaves sometimes with wavy edges
  • Flowers – clusters of fragrant green flowers turning yellow with six long twisted, hanging petals
  • Fruit – clusters of small, oval, black berries
  • Bark – Pale grey
  • Family – Annonaceae the Custard Apples

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Berberis Prickly Shrubs & Hedges

Berberis Prickly Shrubs & Hedges

berberis

Prickly shrubs of the Berberis family are ornamental and useful for deterring unwanted visitors. The leaves themselves can be very spiky like Berberis Darwinii with glossy dark green leaves and orange flowers. Alternatively this purple Berberis Thunderbergii has stems that are spiney with sharp needles to deter the most ardent burglars.

How to Grow Prickly Berberis

  • Also called the Barberry the shrubs are hardy, easy to grow and often quite rampant.
  • Prune them into shape in spring and keep cutting to encourage branching and a close network of branches. Berberis can be very useful as part of an informal hedge.
  • The flowers may have a second flush in autumn and the purple or red berries are edible though difficult to pick due to the prickles
  • The species Helmond Pillar for is less robust than most Berberis and as its name suggests grows in a uniform pillar or column shape. My specimen is very slow to grow
  • Berberis georgei is one of my favourites with lots of sterile dark yellow flowers and bright red fruit. It has an AGM
  • Propagate from pencil width cuttings in Autumn but be prepared to wait for a year to get roots although bottom heat will help.

Local gardens Berberis

Further Berberis Tips

  • There are many forms and varieties of Berberis with yellow, pink and orange flowers, colourful leaves and berries so check out the offerings at you local garden centre. There is even a pink flowering variety Pink Pearl.
  • A good book on trees and shrubs will give you more information such as the Hillier Gardeners Guide
  • The only pest I am aware of is Berberis sawfly (Arge berberidis) a European species that was first confirmed in April 2002 where Berberis thunbergii plants had been defoliated the previous year.
  • Read more about Berberis deciduous and evergreen and Other varieties

Berberis and bee

Other Plants to Scratch a Thief

  • Pyracantha
  • Sea Buckthorne Hippophea Raminoides
  • Ulex Europaeus common gorse
  • Mahonia Bealei Winter Sun
  • Crataegus Monogyna Hawthorn
  • Ilex Holly
  • Rosa Rugarosa Rubra Crimson or Double de Coubert
Apple Blossom Time

Apple Blossom Time

Late blossom arrivals in 2015 looked like being a good year for apple blossom and thus fruit in the North of England. And iut was with some great crops in my Yorkshire garden.

bud-burst

A cold and late spring delayed the buds and blossom until the worst of the weather was over. Energy has been diverted into fruit production rather than new wood after judicious pruning. There has been no significant late frost to damage blossom and there are now many pollinating insects on the wing. Hopefully these are signs that we will have a good crop of juicy apples this year. Just in case here are a few tips to help nature along.

Tips for Better Apples

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