Spring 2016
Heavenly Henbury Hall new for 2016
The perfect recipe... For me a day in a beautiful garden, lots of beautiful plants to browse and the chance to “talk plants” with fellow enthusiasts comes close to the perfect recipe for contentment. I’m really lucky to do the job I do, together with my wife Janet, organising Plant Hunters’ Fairs and running our own specialist nursery from our Cheshire garden. Part of the joy for us is stepping up to new challenges. Last year we said fond farewell to fellow organiser Judy Jesse who has (temporarily we hope) retired from plant fairs meaning we have taken on running of the events at Ness, Norton Priory and Whittington Castle. We have added extra dates at Donington Le Heath and Carsington and have three exciting new venues: Battlefield 1403 farm shop near Shrewsbury and Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire as part of Southwell Gardens Open and a new gem to discover: Henbury Hall near Macclesfield in Cheshire. You could see this as a lot more work, we like to see it as a lot more fun doing what we love. For us the perfect recipe is a great value day out at a lovely garden or countryside location with expert specialist nurseryfolk and artisans in the company of fellow plant lovers. We hope you agree! Best wishes
Martin
Summer at Southwell New fair in association with Southwell Gardens Open We are thrilled to announce our first ever plant fair in Nottinghamshire to be held in the beautiful and historic grounds of Southwell Minster on Sunday 19 June from 11am to 4pm
Gerard was found dead in his chair in then palace garden. When his body was moved, a book on astrology was found under the pillow – heretical studies in those days.
His death was recorded, therefore, as being due to ‘divine judgement for his addiction to the magical and Southwell is famous not just for forbidden arts.’ In Gerard’s day, its great Minster church, but for the gardens and hunting park the adjacent former Palace of were extensive. The present the Archbishops of York, garden, created in 2014 from recently restored with a an overgrown coppice, includes Heritage Lottery Fund grant. individual planting areas Under the east gable of the reflecting the history of the site, ruined section of the Palace the such as visits by Cardinal Minster is creating a new public Wolsey and King Charles I (the open space - the Education information panels tell you Garden. In 1108, Archbishop more). The development of the
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garden, with volunteer assistance, is an on-going project. Entry to the fair is just £1.00 and this is redeemable when you purchase a ticket to visit the private gardens opening just for this special day. Details of the gardens open will be posted on our website nearer the time. Southwell Minster Southwell Notts. NG25 0HD
Norton Priory: the Quince-essential Garden John Budworth, Head Gardener and “a bit of a quince expert”, on the National Collection of this unusual and rarely grown fruit. Norton Priory truly is a secret garden; hidden behind woodland and not far from the M56, this 18th century walled garden is little known in comparison to other Cheshire attractions. Norton Priory’s walled garden was built for the Brooke Family between 1757 and 1770 to provide fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers for their Georgian house, Norton Hall. After the family moved away in the 1920s the trapezoid-shaped garden became neglected until it was restored in the 1980s. It is now part of the larger Norton Priory Museum & Gardens site. Other highlights include medieval priory ruins, woodland walks, icehouse, and tea room. A brand new museum will open in August 2016. Norton Priory Museum & Gardens is home to the National Collection of Tree Quince (Cydonia Oblonga) which is looked after by Head Gardener John Budworth, who has worked at the site for over 25 years and can be considered a bit of a
quince expert! John regularly offers tips and for looking after your quince trees, as well as the many other fruits and flowers grown in the Georgian Walled Garden and orchard including traditional varieties of pear and apple trees. Quince trees can be purchased from Norton Priory. These trees are propagated by Clifford Cain using Norton Priory stock. Quince are an apple or pear shaped fruit with a golden yellow skin and a strong, spicy scent. It is not eaten fresh as it is hard and bitter when raw but is delicious stewed with meat or boiled with sugar to produce mouth-watering jams or jellies. Quince is popular with home bakers as it contains a high amount of pectin which makes it ideal for making jams and jellies. It is also high in antioxidants so it has many health qualities.
in the summer and winter, then there’s fertilising, watering and fruit picking. It is reasonably free of pest and disease, but John’s secret is using a garlic barrier spray to protect from quince leaf blight. Quince leaf blight can be a problem – leaves start to speckle and drop, but the fruit remains edible. Quince also like full sun and a rich, loamy soil, they don’t need much feeding once established but require moisture in dry summers.
Quince would have been preserved in the autumn and eaten throughout the year in medieval times and is believed to have been the forbidden ‘apple’ which tempted Adam in the Garden of Eden.
Quince is not grown widely in the UK, Norton Priory are lucky to have 25 different cultivars of Quince, with two trees of each variety. It is quite easy to grow, is in the Rosacea family and grows to about 4 to 6 metres high depending on its rootstock. Quince trees have to be pruned Norton Priory: a truly secret garden
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Quince are an apple or pear shaped fruit with a golden yellow skin and a strong, spicy scent.
A new tree takes a while to bear fruit, usually around five years. By the time the tree is about eight you could be getting as much as 15kg of fruit from it. Try to leave the quince on the tree as long as you can so it can ripen to a good yellow, but make sure you pick it before the first frosts. Once picked the fruit can bruise easily, they can be kept for up to four months, but store them separately from other fruit though as the perfume can affect the taste of other fruits such as apples. With such intensive labour John is very grateful for the help he receives from the small gardening team and the gardening volunteers who help
keep the two and a half acre garden looking its best. We also work in partnership with Halton Borough Council’s day services who work with adults with disabilities to run a tea room, micro-brewery and ice cream parlour on site. We sell the produce from the garden to the public, but also use some to make the jams, jellies and juices for sale in our gift shop. The jams and preserves are made especially for us by award winning Jane Maggs who operates under the name Wild & Fruitful. Jane was recently featured on BBC 1’s Countryfile making a traditional quince marmalade in the Norton Priory garden. She will use anything
we have picked from the garden, inventing recipes to suit whatever we give her. This means we have different varieties of jams, preserves and pickles on offer throughout the year depending on what has grown well in the garden the previous season. Every October Norton Priory holds a Quince & Apple Day celebration. Quince & Apple Day will take place in Sunday 9th October 2016. The walled garden is open daily between 10am and 5pm from 1st April until October 31st 2016. Norton Priory produce, including quince preserves, are available in the Walled Garden shop, located in the Gardener’s Cottage.
Our Plant Hunters’ Fair at Norton Priory is held just outside the walled garden and entry to fair and parking is free. This year the fair is Sunday 24th April and is open from 10am to 4pm
Jane Maggs’ Quince Marmalade Recipe as featured on BBC 1’s Countryfile The recipe used is dated 1697 for a 'white marmalade of quinces'. All it requires is quinces and sugar. “Preparation: quinces are very hard and whilst recipes tell you to peel and/or grate them raw, I find parboiling before peeling much easier. Most recipes also tell you quinces take ages to cook. I do not find this to be the case. Bring clean quinces to the boil and cook until slightly soft but not mushy. If too mushy they fall to bits and are hard to peel. Keep the boiling water. With any luck the skins will slip off like beetroot. If not, peel normally and cut the flesh away from the core. Chop coarsely into sizes you might like to see on your scone or toast.” “Cooking: weigh the chopped quince with enough of the boiling water to just cover. Yes, you can use the boiling water too as quinces are so high in flavour and pectin! If you are at all nervous about the set put the quince cores and peels in a bag and cook up with quince flesh. Bring the quinces in their water to the boil. If they are still a bit hard finish cooking them now, otherwise add the sugar. The weight of sugar will be 75% of whatever is the combined weight of quinces and water. Lower the heat and stir to dissolve the sugar, then, when the sugar is dissolved boil hard until a set is reached. Remove the bag, if added, and squeeze. The old recipes do not add lemon juice (quince will set perfectly well without it) but I add it to balance the sweetness as quince has no acidity in its flavour. The colour of the preserve will be pale amber. If you cook a little slower you will get a beautiful 'red marmalade of quinces' as you watch the colour darken to a beautiful deep amber.” “If you did not use the peels and cores, quince is so accommodating that you can even make quince jelly with the boiling water! if you boil the peels and cores in a bag with the remaining quince water until everything in the bag is mushy, squeeze the bag, strain the boiling water through a sieve and add sugar as before and boil as before, add some lemon juice, maybe 2 tbsp to 500ml, and boil to a set, you will get a beautiful amber-coloured quince jelly.”
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Seeds of a Forest Diane Snow introduces Forestart to Plant Hunters’ Fairs This is the first year that Forestart has ventured into Plant Hunter’s Fairs! We are nervous and excited at the same time about it! Not many of us think about the very start of tree growing. From seed to sapling and then to mature forest or ornamental tree is a long journey. It starts, of course, with the seed. Forestart have been collecting, cleaning, grading and treating tree seed for nearly 25 years. Based just north of Shrewsbury in the village of Hadnall we have recently moved to a brand new facility which houses seed storage in fridges and freezers, processing rooms, both wet and
seed is traceable, which in these days of international trade and travelling tree diseases is extremely important. Once our home-grown seed arrives, we sort it from the leaves and twigs and then extract it from pods, cones or fruit, cleaning, grading and drying it. Depending on the species, it is then stored at different temperatures or put into stratification to ensure good germination.
grown near Hadnall. We are very keen on the provenance of wildflowers (and trees) so by growing our own, we know where they have come from! We hope that offering for sale a range of tree and wildflower seed will encourage everyone to
Our lab. tests each batch of seed for viability and germination. The seed number per kilo for each batch is also calculated. Nurserymen buying our seed can therefore work out how much Wildflower meadow seed they’ll need to produce the required amount of plants. When the public buy our seed, they do some growing, making a can be confident that the quality difference to our countryside, to is exactly the same as the our wildlife and ultimately to all professional growers receive. of us! The other side of the business is Forestart for the future. the wildflowers. We harvest our wildflower mixes direct from The Seed Unit meadows in Shropshire and our Ladymas Lane One of our cold stored single species wildflowers are Hadnall Shrewsbury dry, the laboratory and offices all SY4 4AL under one roof. www.forestart.co.uk We collect seed from all over the Meet us at Dearnford Lake country and from our own seed 20/03/16, National orchards in Shropshire. We also import seed from reputable Memorial Arboretum collectors all over the world since 02/04/16, we list in our catalogue anything Norton Priory 24/04/16. Wildflower Meadow from Abies to Zelkova. All our
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Middleton and John Ray Jo Walker from Middleton Hall on the story behind an historic and rare rose Middleton Hall is a Grade II* listed manor with a museum housed in buildings spanning 750 years of architectural styles. The surrounding estate covers 42 acres and includes a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a walled garden and shops. Now restored the Hall is run by a small independent charitable trust. Middleton Hall has had a wide variety of owners and tenants. Two of our most famous residents were the great naturalists Francis Willughby (who spelt his name this way) and his tutor, friend and collaborator John Ray. Francis’ work on birds ‘Ornithologia’ and on fish
‘Historia Piscium’ were published after his death by John Ray. John Ray tutored Francis’ children whilst he stayed at Middleton Hall and remained at the Hall for a number of years after Francis’ death. It was at Middleton that he developed his original works on Natural History including his ‘History of Plants’. John Ray (1627-1705) Philosopher and writer, cleric, traveller and taxonomist, deserves a wider reputation. His botanical works - ‘Historiae Plantum’ and ‘Methodus Plantarum Nova’, were published 1682. Known as the father of English natural history, John Ray’s system of plant classification became more popular than that of Morison, and was in general use in England until the latter half of the 18th century, when it
Rose “John Ray” is believed to survive only in Middleton Hall’s walled garden
was gradually superseded by the Linnean method which was first applied to English botany in Dr J. Hill’s Flora Britannica 1760. Ray enjoyed the advantage of a very long period of productive activity: in the thirty-four years that separated his Tables of Plants from his Methodus Emendata et Aucta, he had time to revise and remodel his system.
During his residence in Cambridge, Ray devoted much of his time to the study of natural history, a study which
The moat entrance to Middleton Hall. The hall is open and ready to explore during our plant fair.
Walled garden and gazebo—the gardens are also open on the day
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task.
Middleton Hall, is believed, to have the only example left in the country of the John Ray rose in its walled gardens. Volunteer gardeners have taken up the challenge of attempting to propagate this beautiful and fragrant rose. Ruth Springer the Hall’s Volunteer Head Gardener said ‘We have 6 plants in total in our gardens and want to make sure that we have new plants to We were blessed with a lovely, sunny spring day for our first ever plant fair at replace any that we may lose. The best time to propagate roses Middleton Hall in 2015 is from new growth, however we did not want to wait until the afterwards became his chief Notley. He was working on a spring so we have decided to try occupation. The first fruit of his book on insects when he died on our luck with cuttings created labours in this direction was the January 17, 1705. when we cut back the roses this Catalogus Plantarum circa The History of Plants is the autumn, ready for the winter. Cantabrigiam nascentium, naturalist John Ray’s greatest We are starting to see signs of published in 1660, followed in work. In three magnificent folio new growth at the shoots and due course by many works, for volumes Ray classified plants in are hopeful that we will be he was a prolific author, the first place using the successful in our attempts to botanical and zoological as well differences amongst seeds. He protect this rare and historically as theological and literary, of distinguished flowering plants by significant rose.’ which only those can be their flowers, seeds, fruit and considered at present which Sunday 22nd May 2016 leaves and had separate contributed materially to the categories for fungi and lichens, Times 10am - 5pm development of systematic mosses and herbs. Ray managed botany. Entry to fair, gardens and to classify according to many of hall : £2.00 per adult He studied and graduated with the natural families that are such distinction at the University recognised today even though (Children free) of Cambridge, that he was in due his taxonomical principles were Middleton Hall course elected a Fellow of, and primitive. The word ‘historia’ in appointed a Lecturer in, his the title of this work reminds us Middleton College (Trinity). Here he of Bacon’s influence on the Royal Tamworth Staffordshire B78 2AE remained until 1662. After Society of which Ray was a leaving Cambridge he spent member. Natural philosophy was some years traveling both in conceived as assembling natural Phone: 01827 283095 Britain and on the continent; and histories and Ray understood his www.middleton-hall.co.uk eventually settled at Black work as a contribution to this
Two Treats combined at Dearnford Lake For those who want to combine two treats into one, visitors to the Plant Hunters Fair at Dearnford Lake can enjoy a traditional Sunday lunch on Sunday 20th March as w ell as source beautiful plants. The Lake’s café has been offering Sunday lunches from 17th January giving customers a choice from three starters; two meats with vegetables and three puddings. Two courses cost £17.95 per person; or three courses £22 per person. The lunch is served from 12 noon to 2pm. If you would like to join us for lunch on that date and to avoid disappointment, please call the café on 01948 665914.
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Chilli Zoo: home to exotic breeds By Head keeper, Pam Davenport From simple beginnings – a desire to cook with chillies at a time when they were scarce in shops and expensive – Chilli Zoo has evolved. As a bit of a foodie, I have always enjoyed experimenting with flavours, chillies an obvious source of exciting – and sometimes scary – taste tours. Like many people, the chillies I first knew were the green and red cayenne type that you can buy readily nowadays, but what about these recipes that demanded things like jalapenos, habaneros and ancho grandes – what on earth were these?
Research left me beside myself at the range of chillies – both heat and beauty – that were available. The only thing to do was to grow them. At this point in time I left the UK to spend time in France helping re-build a farmhouse (as you do) and as a reward was given space in a poly -tunnel to play in. Rising to the challenge of filling the space given, I germinated over 30 different types with handfuls of seeds to see what happened. As it turned out, I was quite good at this, filling not only the poly tunnel but also a south facing slope with Satan’s Kiss, Atomic bombs, Red Demon’s, Purple
Tiger’s and Scorpions to name but a few. Back in the UK, I have continued to produce about 4000 seedlings a year keeping a core of popular plants but changing some each year. This year germination is coming along nicely and includes Kashmiri’s – a favourite of Rick Stein’s for Indian cooking, the hottest chilli in the world – the Carolina Reaper, a range of plants which produce stunning black chillies with dark and exotic foliage and one beauty which looks like a small apple, aptly named the Hungarian Apple…not to be eaten as an apple though! I don’t force growth under artificial light or heat but let them do their own thing. They have been germinated in doors and will graduate to the polytunnel shortly. They will thrive anywhere there is warmth and sunlight – a kitchen window or conservatory is ideal or pop them in the greenhouse. www.chillizoo.com
You can meet head keeper Pam at The National Memorial Arboretum on May 28th.
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Battlefield 1403: New for 2016 Something new for Plant Hunters’ Fairs as we team up with this great venue for two new fairs in 2016
means no lemons or grapes in sight – eating fresh seasonal products with full traceability is crucial to their success. The café cooks fresh daily with local ingredients, serving loyal visitors that return time and time again.
significance of the battle lies not just in its political ramifications as precursor to the Wars of the Roses but also in the fact that it was the first time that the English longbow was used on both sides. Battlefield Church is The first is on Easter Saturday The staff are passionate and that said to have been erected over and we return again on Saturday the site of the mass burial pit shines through from advice 30th July. Both fairs are free to given from the team of butchers, dug immediately after the battle. enter! Now looked after by The to the staff in the farm shop being able to tell you where the Churches Conservation Trust, it vegetables were grown. The café provides an opportunity for quiet reflection. A key to the Church cooks up a storm daily and you is available on request from the can enjoy homemade meals, Battlefield 1403 Farm Shop. cakes and afternoon tea every day. Today Battlefield 1403 is a bustling farm shop, butchery, Battlefield 1403 is way more deli, café and exhibition, but than just a farm shop, it’s one of over 600 years ago this was the the best butcheries in the UK, a site of one the bloodiest battles well stocked deli counter, a shop fought on British soil. After full of specialty great tasting visiting the shop at Battlefield local goodies, a museum 1403, walk off one of their celebrating the Battle of delicious sausage rolls with a Shrewsbury, a Falconry Centre – walk around the boundary of the oh and a café full of homemade 100-hectare battlefield. The fresh food. Battle of Shrewsbury was fought between King Henry IV and a What makes them so special is rebellious faction led by the they celebrate low food miles, Percy family in 1403. The only buying British and that
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Saturday 26th March and Saturday 30th July 9:30am-4pm Free entry and parking Battlefield 1403 Upper Battlefield Shrewsbury SY4 3DB Tel 01939 210 905 www.battlefield1403.com
Bursting with Anticipation Martin Blow of SpecialPerennials finds time to enjoy the beauty before the buds burst We love to fill our garden with the colour and scent of flowers. For me that passion is concentrated on hardy herbaceous perennials and the appearance of buds signal the new season of flower is about to burst forth.
It’s easy to fall in love with the silver buds of Cupid’s Dart (Catananche caerulea)
Cephalaria gigantea has a pure symmetry of pattern jewel-like buds in the perennial garden. Stemmacantha centauroides (syn. Centaurea pulchra major) eventually has large, pink, thistle -flowers on 2ft 3in tall stems but for weeks leading up to the eruption of fuchsia-pink, the silver-scaled buds are even more thrilling.
Just about every Centaurea is worthy of mention but if I had to pick just one then C.phrygia would get my vote. We’ve dubbed her the Ena Sharples plants for her “hair-net” buds. Sometimes it’s the pure symmetry of a bud that attracts me. The giant yellow scabious (Cephalaria gigantea) has a geometric, beauty before the loose, feathery flowers open. That other scabious cousin, Knautia has wonderful pincushion buds that gradually unfold into a feathery feast of burgundy red. Some flowers are as restrained, quiet and understated in bud as they are exuberant, showy and attention-seeking in flower. The coneflowers (Echinacea and
Awaiting a fuchsia-pink explosion from the silver buds of Stemmacantha
But buds aren’t just the heralds of beauty to come: many are a delight in themselves and greatly add to the season of interest. Here are some my favourites. All are hardy and easy grow. Centaurea and their close cousins , Stemmacantha have some of the most beautiful,
Centaurea phrygia with “Ena Sharples” buds! Knautia has pin-cushion buds
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Oriental poppies (Papaver orientale)
Silk Thistle (Onopordum) is a giant biennial Sometimes the contras between Coneflower, Rudbeckia subtomentosa bud and flower on the same transforms from delicate to big and plant lifts a planting to new blousy between bud-burst and flower levels. Hydrangea Annabel is perhaps the best example of Rudbeckia are prime examples of this, with lime-green buds and this transformation as the petals apple-white flowers together open: from achingly delicate to through the summer. big, bold and blousy. Members of the Cynara (Thistle) Poppies are a brief, but dazzling tribe have impressive buds too— display in the garden but the often more striking than the Orientale Poppy (papaver flowers. Choose with care as orientale) has just tactile, silken some thistles are very invasive buds for so long prior to and some are biennial. flowering. And of course the Onopordum (Silk Thistle) is one flowers are followed by those of the biennials but does self pepper-pot seed heads. seed. This is 6-8ft giant for a sunny spot. The buds spiny and very architectural. The cardoon was grown as a leaf vegetable to produce long succulent leaf stems. He is a cousin of the globe artichoke as can be seen from the buds.
unfurling leaf, all add to my love of our garden and perhaps helps me “chill out” a bit in the busy seasonal cycle of garden and nursery. Just sit back and enjoy the growing anticipation! Visit our website at specialperennials.com
Cardoon is a cousin of the globe artichoke
The joy of buds is in purity of form, dramatic contrast and expectation of flowering beauty to come. You can almost see the bees queuing up in anticipation of the feast to come as the buds of Cirsium rivulare Atropurpureum begin to burst.
Hydrangea Annabel has a delightful contrast between bud and flower
I’m trying to learn to be patient and not want everything to rush into flower. Stopping to appreciate the beauty of buds, new stems emerging, an
Cirsium rivulare waits in anticipation of the show to come
You can meet Martin at every Plant Hunters’ Fair in 2016. 11
Barry Grain, head gardener at Cholmondeley Castle Gardens digs deep into the delights of spring
bulbs Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) bring height and seasonal highlights amongst the mixed borders at Cholmondeley
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I often think of bulbs as being like that Christmas present you always wanted and got given as a kid, played with for a couple of months and then forgot about. Then every so often when having the annual ‘sort out’ they resurface, and you wonder how you ever lived without them.
Cholmondeley Castle is known for its drifts of bulbs. In March and April is Castle Hill which is covered by a great many thousands of the wild Daffodil N. pseudonarcissus.
the main drive. And we continue to introduce Narcissus to the arboretum, this year in the form of N. ‘Peeping Tom’, a vibrant early yellow that naturalises well and was one of Lady Cholmondeley’s personal Bulbs or should I say ‘bulbous favourites. Other good subjects plants’, by their very nature are for naturalising in grass are some of the most adaptable Crocus, and we have added plants in our gardens. Indeed another thousand mixed colours their adaptations that make to further increase the large This past autumn we have added them able to withstand seasonal group at the bottom end of the over 8,000 bulbs mostly to our hardships, can often lend them Temple Garden by the new borders and some to grassed to be grown in some of our most specie Rose beds. The great areas, something that we intend challenging borders. Also thing with both Crocus and to continue year on year. 2,000 because most have short Galanthus in a lawn is that Galanthus nivalis, (Snowdrop), seasons and take up very little they flower early and the were added to the swathes down room it is possible to have a variety of bulbs in flower throughout the year in even the smallest flower bed. The shear variety of forms alone means that there is more than just a little something for every taste. Many are at their most impressive when planted in larger groups and especially when naturalised in grass, which may not be possible for everyone but even in a small garden good results can be achieved without the mowing nightmare. One of the things Cholmondeley Castle is known for are its large drifts of bulbs both in grass and in borders. Of particular note in
March and April is Castle Hill which is covered by a great many thousands of the wild Daffodil N pseudonarcissus. Tulips are planted annually to improve early interest in the Herbaceous Borders, whilst Fritillaria imperialis and species Lillium are used to bring height and seasonal highlights amongst our mixed borders.
N. cyclamineus which grows really well at Cholmondeley, and flowers from mid-February onwards and for over two months in some seasons
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leaves die back before the grass gets too long and thick, making mowing all the easier. A great Narcissus for this purpose is the tiny N. cyclamineus which grows really well at Cholmondeley, and flowers from mid-February onwards and for over two months in some seasons. Their many tiny nodding heads are a real early season treat. We have introduced 2,000 blue flowered Anemone blanda ‘Atrocaerulea’ to the Glade and Duckery, in challenging beds that are typically dry but have enough spring moisture to support these fabulous plants, which en masse make an incredible feature. Another great early spring introduction is the small but feisty Puschkinia scilloides var. libanotica which have been threaded throughout the newly renovated section of rockery in the Temple Garden. This is one of my favourite bulbs and looks great when allowed to naturalise in a border, their silver-blue flowers being a real joy.
Hardy Cyclamen are used to under-plant the Hydrangeas in the Duckery hazy violet-blue will look great amongst the silvers in September and October.
Elsewhere across the garden we have introduced other subjects for seasonal highlights. The curious Fritillaria acmopetala along with Allium christophii and A. caeruleum have been added to the grass beds. Hardy Our new look Silver Garden Cyclamen coum and C. amongst the Castle terraces hederifolium are used to underneeded an early injection of plant the Hydrangeas in the colour as it doesn’t come into its Duckery. In the Temple Garden own until late spring, and with delicate species Tulips in the bed space being tight bulbs were form of Tulipa tarda and T. the obvious solution. Here we saxatilis have been threaded have added Iris reticulata ‘Alida’ through the rocks and Camassia which produce light blue flowers quamash (another personal in February that will look great favourite) give a bold splash of against the winter silvers. To blue to the newly renovated follow the Iris are the small shrub beds. A real highlight of Narcissus ‘Petrel’ with creamy autumn for me are Colchicum white flowers, and for the and at Cholmondeley we have autumn we have added Crocus several bold groups across the speciosus ‘Conqueror’ whose
garden. For this coming autumn we will have a new and equally impressive group in the Temple Garden, amongst the new specie Rose beds. C. autumnalis ‘Pleniflorum’ has been our choice here which show beautiful double rose-pink blooms that are definitely worth waiting all year for, it should look great with the autumn interest in the Roses. So why wouldn’t we plant more and more bulbs in all our gardens? Those named in this article are but a very small taster of what is available, and like most bulbous plants require very little attention, and continue to improve year on year. That gift that keeps on giving. easy grow.
Come along and experience the sheer exuberance of the spring bulbs at Cholmondeley Castle Gardens. Our Plant Fair is on Sunday 10th April and the gates are open from 11am to 5pm. Entry for this special event only is just £3.50 for adults (half standard price) (children £2.00) The tearooms will be open serving teas and light lunches. Dogs on leads welcome Cholmondeley Castle is situated near Nantwich, Malpas and Whitchurch between the A41 and A49. Use SY14 8HN for Satnav. You can contact the garden on 01829 720383 for access information. The castle is not open to the public.
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By Christine Ffoulkes Jones of Hall Farm Nursery. It’s early Saturday morning – the telephone starts to ring, I rush in from the garden “Hi there” a kind voice sings “I’m off to Hodnet Plant Fair” my friend started to say “Do you fancy coming with me – we’ll have a real fun day”.
“Well you know I’m always up for that” was my instant reply
Buying plants & browsing through, it gives me such a high. Plant Hunters Fairs they are the best, ask anyone in the know, They are a cut above the rest, thanks to Janet & Martin Blow.
The greatest range of nurseries – more than I can here attest Edrom from the North to Roseland House from far South West. Each with its own speciality, growing style & skill You’ll soon find your own favourites – your wants & needs to fill.
So many different plants on show, there are some sundries too The nurserymen are in the know, to help & inform you. If alpines are your main desire, Rob Pottertons your man Tiny plants you may admire to fill your alpine pan.
Paul Green has true green fingers, Greens Leaves is how he’s known He’ll give you all such sound advice – his rare shrubs so well grown.
If you seek a garden tool, Fairfield Bygones fit the bill A preloved fork or garden hoe – your vegetables to drill.
To view the garden is a special draw on this and other dates Some gardens rarely open, others reduce their entry rates. So bring your bags & trolleys, big ones are the best Fill them with well chosen plants then head for tea, cake & rest.
If you too are a gardening fan you’ll love the whole affair View Plant Hunters web site & you can find out where The fairs are held – the ones near you – the venue, time & date Hopefully I’ll see you there “Shall I meet you at the gate?”
You can meet Christine and Nic at most of our fairs in 2016. www.hallfarmnursery.co.uk
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Gardener Zdenek Valkoun on what to see at Dorothy Clive Garden this Easter
As the days get longer and the sun climbs higher and higher on the horizon, all of us here at the Dorothy Clive Garden are looking forward to hosting yet another Easter Plant Hunters’ Fair. The garden should be showing a lot of vigour at this time, with most plants truly woken up from their winter slumber and growing away with increasing speed. The main floral focus on the Hillside part of the garden will be on our many Camelias as well as our very
early and utterly show stopping Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta.
covering themselves in deliciously scented soft yellow catkin-like flowers.
If we are lucky enough to get a warm spell before Easter, the 30.000 daffodils ‘Jack Snipe’ on the verge of the Quarry garden will be stealing the show and in the Quarry garden itself many early Rhododendrons will be starting to perform. For the connoisseurs, the understated and graceful members of the genus Corylopsis should be
The many specialist nurseries that pitch their stalls at the event consistently offer a great range of plants, all the way from the tried and tested garden staples to the extremely weird and wonderful. So whatever your gardening taste, come along, get inspired and maybe leave with an addition or two (or twenty!) for your own garden.
Easter is early this year and the plant fair is on 27th & 28th March from 10am-5pm (Don’t forget the clocks go forward on the 27th!). Entry is half standard price at just £3.50. The summer plant fair at the garden will be on August 28th & 29th The Dorothy Clive Garden Willoughbridge Market Drayton, Shropshire TF9 4EU Tel: 01630 647237 www.dorothyclivegarden.co.uk 16
Pots of Potential Jacqueline Jones of Architectural impact selects grasses to excel in pots and containers The inspirational naturalistic planting ideas of Piet Ouldorf have been much copied in the last two decades or so. His eyecatching swathes of grasses and perennials look wonderful but are much better suited to larger than average gardens and vast acres of landscape rather than the smaller gardens of today. We can to some extent compensate with the occasional larger specimen grass planted
garden plots getting ever smaller the need to make use of every available space for planting increases. For instance we have a delightful Stipa tenuissima sitting proudly in our small goldfish pond, this serves two purposes, one it is very pleasant on the eye all year round and secondly we like to think that the local heron is just a little uncertain of what it is and keeps away from our very fat goldfish population – time will tell! The pot by the way is one of a selection from Studio 8 Pottery, who you will find at most Plant Hunters Fairs.
Even in your darkest corners colourful Carex Chocolate catches what light it can to shine.
Some grasses will also sit very amenably in pots of your summer bedding, just look how the colours of these begonias are
Keep a colonising grass, like Marram, in check in a large pot. enhanced by the very striking Elymus Magellanicus, which, of course, can be left in-situ to accompany maybe a planting of colourful bulbs the following year. Just cut down the Elymus when the majority of the leaves have died back and wait for them to reappear at the same time as your bulbs.
Stipa tenuissima is commonly called Angel Hair grass amongst our herbaceous borders or make a small grass garden that might emulate Ouldorf’s ideas in miniature but since there are so many grasses/ sedges that lend themselves to living in a pot there is simply no excuse not to make good and interesting use of them. With
Magellan's Blue Grass (Elymus magellanicus) sits well with summer bedding
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For those with a larger pot to fill and keep a good balance of scale between the grass and
Seasons of the year, the Ophiopogon Nigrescence and Acorus Hakura Nishiki are two lovely plants that go so well together, the upright arching leaves of the Ophiopogon are a very good foil for the spiral fan shaped Acorus. One of my own particular favourites in the garden as well as in a pot is the Stipa Arundinacea (or Pheasant Tail grass). It has a wonderful Ophiopogon Nigrescence and colour in the summer, autumn Acorus Hakura Nishiki are two and winter with the gently lovely plants that go so well flowing flowers and seed heads together looking particularly fine with a slight breeze. I like to leave all the pot, then why not consider a seed heads on my plants Marram, these strident grasses throughout the winter to feed with their steel blue like the birds and my resident field colouring look quite wonderful mice, who incidentally live under on their own in a contrasting one of my large Belfast sinks in pot. These grasses can quite the garden. overtake smaller gardens if not There are many, many more kept in check so they are best displayed in a large pot and give grasses, too numerous to mention, that adapt brilliantly to an added bonus of being pots but please ask us when you evergreen. visit the Fairs and we will be so Even in your darkest corners pleased to help in anyway. this colourful pot of Carex Now for the 2016 Season, as Chocolate catches what light it many of you may know by can to shine and shimmer its way through the dullest of days. reading some of my past articles A very easy sedge to grow, all it for the Newsletter and our requires is a good comb through information leaflet, we have, for in the spring to get rid of any of the last couple of years, been trialling pond marginals in our the dead leaves and it will two trial ponds and I am bounce back as good as new. delighted to say that we will be Again a lovely evergreen offering a selection of pond specimen for your pots. marginals including Carex For a smaller pot of contrasting Riparia Variegated, Juncus Elk grasses, again evergreen, Blue, Juncus Pallidus, Glyceria especially useful in winter time Maxima variegata, Equisetum to when you may not have much name but a few. I must say colour in your garden, you have that these trial ponds have the black and lime yellow increased our wildlife population colouring throughout all the considerably, not just frogs,
toads, newts etc. but many species of insects and dragonflies.
Pheasant Tail grass has a wonderful colour in the summer, autumn and winter
Emerging dragonfly on scouring rush
You can meet Jacqueline and the rest of the Architectural Impact team at: Battlefield 1403 26 M arch, Bodenham Arboretum 16 Apr, Weston Park 1 & 2 May, British Ironwork Centre 15 May, Middleton Hall 22 June, Hodnet Hall 4 & 5 June, Whittington Castle 26 June and Sugnall Walled Garden 3 July. 18
Adlington in Spring Our eighth year at this Cheshire gem
It’s hard to believe that this will be our eighth year at Adlington Hall and one of the few onerous parts of running a plant fair is that you rarely get time to look around the gardens on the day itself. So I was really pleased that some of the nurseryfolk took time out to wander and brought back some lovely photos for me to share with you. Holding the fair on its now regular spot at the beginning of May means the bluebell woods should be at their peak and looking a picture. The gate to
the blue theme with a froth of forget-me-nots.
The Acers and rhododendrons add blazing red and orange to scene. And of course the hall itself provides a grand backdrop to fair itself. A great way to see the gardens is on one of the free guided tours by head gardener Anthony O’Grady which start regularly from the side of the hall. The fair is on Sunday 8 May and runs from 10:30am to 4pm. Entry is just £3.00. Dogs on leads welcome. Ample free parking.
the avenue opens to reveal the ancient trees with a tide of blue lapping around their feet: it’s just magical. The living arch leading to the rose garden and maze continues
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Adlington Hall, Mill Lane, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4LF Tel: 01625 827 595 www.adlingtonhall.com
Native Orchids in Your Garden
Dr Wilson Wall, Technical Director, Bewdley Orchids
The beautiful magenta Southern Marsh orchid. does not actually need a marsh to survive, just a little more year around dampness
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Here at Bewdley Orchids we are trying to help our native flora by encouraging individuals and institutions to reintroduce orchids into woodlands and meadows.
fields they are a desert of ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) which if left to seed can reach nearly a metre in height.
When changes to woodlands are made the losses are more or less permanent. Changing the climax vegetation back, in woodlands from conifer to mixed deciduous, will not automatically result in a resurgence in other woodland species. Those plants which have windblown seeds Redressing the balance of may return given time, but ecology that has been badly many will not. Some plants disrupted by historical events. species will not have a local During the twentieth century a reservoir population that can great deal of highly biodiverse recolonise. The change in land has been lost through agriculture may well have wiped mechanization of agriculture and out the only extant population in the increased use of fertilizers. the area. Orchid species are This has happened to lowland prime examples of this, they will grassland, downs, orchards and reappear, but only if there is a woodland as well. These unique species stronghold nearby. areas are not always lost by There is a lot that can be done being built on, as it is often to restore meadows, but when thought. Changes have been there has been a major change more subtle and slow, to the basic botany, reduced to a associated with application of fertilizers and herbicides or over virtual monoculture over a large enthusiastic use of the plough. If area there is a problem. While restored areas may regain some we look back at old regional species, many will have been maps it is often possible to see wiped out with no seed stock left that what was pasture land still to recolonise. is. Now if you visit these same
The Early Purple orchid is a Woodland species preferring dappled spring shade
Success of seed dispersal for all plants is dependent upon where the seed lands and for orchids this is especially so. They need the presence of a symbiotic fungus for germination and the early survival of the developing protocorm, up to the point where chlorophyll is produced and photosynthesis starts is dependent on this association. This dependency on a fungal symbiont has resulted in a strategy of producing vast numbers of seeds from each plant. A common spotted orchid will produce about half a million seeds every year for the lifetime of the plant to ensure that some will survive and prosper. At Bewdley Orchids we use sophisticated techniques to ensure a very high germination rate, allowing us to provide large
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To control the grass in a genteel way, you can introduce Rhinanthus minor, Yellow Rattle . numbers of plants for planting in gardens and meadows. If you are lucky enough to have a garden where you want to naturalise orchids, an important question is what is the state of the soil? This question will have some influence on the ease with which the process can be carried out. If the area has been heavily treated with fertilizers and broad leaved weedkiller, ‘weed and feed’, the soil may be inclined to grow grass at such a rate that it may overwhelm any orchids you
Pyramidal orchids also prefer a sunny aspect
that most of the mycorrhizal species associated with orchids are ubiquitous members of the soil flora and if the orchids can grow happily, so the fungus is likely to be there to help the seeds germinate. This may sound contradictory to the idea of not being able to grow our native orchids simply by spreading seed. But it should be remembered that a single plant may flower year after year, each time producing tens of thousands of seed. It is true that most species are very tolerant of a range of conditions, but they do have preferences on available light. For example Anacamptis Greater Butterfly orchids, will pyramialis, Pyramidal orchids, grow on open fields in full sun, but will grow in woodland but they are often found in woodland do tend to be rather leggy, preferring a sunny aspect and plant. This is worth thinking Platanthera chlorantha, Greater about because at certain times Butterfly orchids, will grow on of the year it will not be possible open fields in full sun, but are to cut your naturalized lawn. often found in woodland. There To start the process of is an interesting pair of orchids controlling the grass in a genteel which look superficially the way, you can introduce same, but one likes sunshine Rhinanthus minor, Yellow Rattle. and one likes shade. These are This is easily done by seeding the sun loving Green Winged and once established even orchid and the woodland species though it is an annual plant it of dappled spring shade, the will take care of both itself and Early Purple orchid. the grass. This annual flower is An often overlooked aspect of semi parasitic on grass and will eventually give the area a degree of autonomy from grass.
Another way of cultivating these special pants, like Bee orchid, is to make use of a rockery
garden cultivation is the possibility of producing a small scale meadow in a back garden. We have considerable experience in this aspect of what is really just small scale meadow restoration. A lawn can often be looked at as improved pasture, which is ripe for restoration. Even small lawns can give an immense sense of achievement
While introducing wild flowers is relatively easy using seed which is readily purchased, this is not so for orchid species as huge amounts of seed would be required to produce a single adult plant. The only sensible way of reintroducing these marker species is to plant them yourself. It is sometimes assumed that because orchids require their own symbiotic fungus they will not seed into the surrounding ground and survive if they are introduced without the fungus. We have shown this to be incorrect. The reason for this is
Common spotted orchids may be relatively common, but with their size, ability to form clumps and lovely spotted leaves they leave many of the rarer species in the floral shade.
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when the wild flowers start appearing. Another way of cultivating these special pants, like the Pyramidal orchid or the Bee orchid, is to make use of a rockery where you can control the amount of lime in the soil quite easily to suit these plants. Now, with garden meadows there are two primary aspects which are of particular interest. The first is that a garden meadow constitutes an ecological island. By this I mean that anything you introduce will be genetically isolated unless someone up the road also has a garden meadow with which the plants can cross pollinate. The other is also due to isolation and is that most plants will not turn up by chance. They need to be deliberately introduced. Some, of course, have wind blown seeds, all the dandelions for example. For a lot of the others like vetches the seeds are heavy and do not travel far. In between these two there are some which are staggeringly successful in their distribution and are mainly dependent upon animals eating the fruit. Brambles are one such example of this. Orchid seed is rather odd in this process of distribution because although the seed is very light and can be wind blown over considerable distances, the possibility of some coming down in your garden and then growing into a flowering plant is rather slim. It is interesting that small meadows do act like islands in that the populations of some species will wax and wane. This is most apparent with obviously active species, such as bumble
The sun loving Green Winged orchid bees. In small garden meadows bumble bee nests may come and go on an annual basis, as the size of the meadow increases so the rate of fluctuation will decrease, until the area is large enough that there is always a bumble be nest present, or several if you are lucky. In our own garden meadow there is an irregular presence of Bombus pascuorum, a carder bee. This tendency to fluctuate in numbers on small plots is also true of the plants, although as the plants are not able to actively search out suitable grassland, the fluctuations can be both extreme and once at zero, permanent. One of the ways in which these fluctuations of plants can be kept under control is by timing the cutting of the meadow so that the annual plants have time to set seed before they are cut down. Orchids can handle the occasional early cut as they are perennial plants and will regrow
from their root the following year. Whatever the size of the plot, or if you want to grow your orchids in pots an easy one to start with is also one of my favourites. Common spotted orchids may be relatively common, but with their size, ability to form clumps and lovely spotted leaves they leave many of the rarer species in the floral shade. It is also rather nice to be able to spot the leaves long before the plants start flowering. For wetter gardens you may be lucky enough to set up colonies of the beautiful magenta Southern Marsh orchid. This does not actually need a marsh to survive, just a little more year around dampness. When you are next looking for a special plant for your garden or patio, it can always be enhanced by growing some of our native orchids.
Find out lots more about hardy native orchids at www.bewdleyorchids.com You can meet Wilson and his orchids at our plant fair at Arley Arboretum on Saturday 11th June 23
Come to Arley for Giant Wellies! (That’s Wellingtonia we should say) Arley Arboretum was first planted in the early 1800s by Lord Mountmorris. Since then it has passed through a number of families before being purchased by Mr Roger Turner in 1959. The arboretum was opened to the public for the first time in 2004. Over the years the arboretum has grown to now cover 45 acres. There are around 600 species of trees at the arboretum including, Crimean Pines, Cedars and Wellingtonias, some of which are the UK’s tallest and widest in girth and date back to the founding of the arboretum in the 1820s. There are also stunning magnolias, an acer garden and the UKs longest Laburnum arch. Dendrologists from around the world come each year to study the exotic collection of trees and plants. Jenny Harris, from the Arboretum told us more about the treats visitors can expect: “0ur guests can wander freely around our 45 acres of pure nature with 3 acres enclosed by listed walls including our
beautiful Italian Garden with its magnificent fountain. Stop at our viewing point to look across the River Severn to see the timeless Severn Valley Railway steaming past.”
“Recently we have begun the creation of a new sensory garden and added new pathways to increase the accessibility of the gardens for everyone. We also have a programme of events running throughout the year including the Plant Hunters Fair and a Viking weekend in June and an outdoor theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing in July.”
and cold meals, or you can enjoy the use of our picnickers’ area. We are also dog friendly. The plant fair is on Saturday 11 June from 11am-5pn and entry to the fair, gardens and arboretum is half standard price at just £2.50. We have all the best nurseries including newcomers Bewdley Orchids, Jurassicplants, Mucklestone, Paviour & Davies and garden accessories from Vintage Garden Store. So far we have 22 stalls booked.
Arley Arboretum & Gardens Upper Arley, “We have children’s activity Near Bewdley trails, a maze and a play area to Worcestershire keep the little ones occupied for DY12 1SQ the whole day. Also visit our website at www.arleyarboretum.co.uk for dates of additional activities.”
Why not visit the tea room which provides drinks, snacks with hot
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Just off the A442 between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster.
Show of Hands for Hope House Hospices Over £1400 raised at our first British Ironwork Centre Plant Fair
year. The entrance is just £1.00 but the ladies with collection buckets will be more than pleased if you choose to donate more!
Our first fair at this eclectic Shropshire venue was a brilliant success, not least because the entrance money and donations all went to help the essential work of Hope House Children’s Hospices making a total of £1474 raised on the day. We are back again in 2016 on Sunday 15th May and we are hoping to raise even more this
We hope to beat the £1474 raised last year We hope to see Chicken Street and Dylan the cockerel at the fair again this year The fair is certainly worth it with around 20 top nurseries and artisans on show.
Always something to thrill the kids
Dogs on leads (or wheels!) are very welcome
parking right next to the fair and dogs on leads are very welcome.
Please do bring the kids as the centre is full of quirky attractions to thrill and entertain them.
15th May 2016 10am 5pm Entry to fair, sculpture trail and Ironworks : £1.00 in aid of Hope House Children's Hospices. Whitehall Aston
The Ironwork Centre always has something new and different on Oswestry show and we can’t wait to see Shropshire what they’ve got in store for us SY11 4JH this year. There will be plenty of On the A5 at Oswestry. tea and cake on offer and hot food as well. There is lots of
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Aquilegia For All
Chris Eyke of Lyneal Mill Nursery on the many faces of the familiar columbine
Aquilegia “Black Barlow� was bred for cut flower production and will last for up to two weeks in a vase
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The most frequent remark from customers when we bring our Aquilegia to Plant Hunters Fairs is ‘I didn’t know there were so many’. But they are available in just about every flower colour you can think of, with heights ranging from around 3 inches to over 3 feet and single, double, pompom, pleated, spurless, short spurred and long spurred flower forms, the variety of Aquilegia is almost endless.
such as A. canadensis (Eastern N. America) will tolerate more shade than others. Most flower from May-June. However some species such as A. flabellata flower from late April, while A. chrysantha ‘Denver Gold’ flowers up to mid September. Dead heading and mulching are advisable but apart from that Aquilegia are pretty much maintenance free.
“Sunshine” has a mass of flowers and some of best foliage
Aquilegia are Northern hemisphere plants and have a wide geographical spread growing in diverse habitats. They can’t all be treated in the same way.
‘Yellow Queen’ from New Mexico, USA, at about 2 foot 9 inches is more suitable for mid to back of border. Huge long spurred yellow flowers, almost 3 inches across. A late season plant flowering well into August in our garden. Yellow Queen will tolerate quite dry conditions.
“Bordeaux Barlow” was particularly popular at Chelsea in 2015
Aquilegia chysantha will tolerate quite dry conditions The alpine types such as A. laramiensis (Wyoming USA), A. pyrenaica (Pyrenees) and A. flabellata (Japanese mountains) need a gritty well drained, quite low nutrient compost. In rich soils the leaves can become too lush and may obscure the flowers. They are best grown in containers and plunged into a border or scree bed from AprilOctober or stood in a sunny spot on the patio. Move them into an unheated greenhouse for the winter. They can take any amount of cold but dislike winter wet. Most other Aquilegia broadly speaking prefer a moist well drained soil that doesn’t become overly wet in winter. Full sun or dappled shade, though species originating in open woodland
At about 10inches A. canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’ with deep red and yellow nodding flowers was my favourite Aquilegia in 2015. It looked great in the dappled shade of our birch trees and I’ll be using it more extensively in 2016. Around 18inchs and suitable for the front/middle of a sunny or lightly shaded border are A. caerulea (Rocky Mountains) and its varieties. Of these ‘Sunshine’ with a mass of double, lemon yellow, long spurred flowers over a compact mound of delicate foliage in my opinion is one of the best. The Winky series (A. vulgaris) at about 15inchs produce a profusion of upward facing flowers held above a mound of lacy leaves. Good in containers or front of border. It makes an excellent cut flower. The flowers are bicoloured, the most popular being red and white, also available in other colours and double flowered varieties. Always popular, A. chrysantha
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Aquilegia were used extensively at Chelsea in 2015, particularly A. vulgaris ‘Black Barlow’ and A. vulgaris ‘Bordeaux Barlow’ a lovely rich red wine colour. Double spurless flowers, they were bred for cut flower production and will last for up to two weeks in a vase. Caution required when cutting though as Aquilegia sap can irritate the skin. These two plants look good when used en-masse at the back of borders or in association with grasses.
“Little Lanterns looks great dappled shade under birch trees Other tall Aquilegia that proved very popular at Plant Hunters Fairs in 2015 were the pompom and double pleated forms. Pink Petticoat at almost 3 feet and large blooms was amongst
the most impressive of our pleated Aquilegia but for the number of pleats in the flowers Double Pleat Blackberry reigned supreme.
The “Winky Series” have upward facing flowers
Here at Lyneal Mill we grow a large range of Aquilegia, far too many to bring to Plant Hunters Fairs. With that in mind for the enthusiast and curious alike we will be holding Aquilegia days in May and June 2016, all of our varieties will be on display. Please see our website for
details, www.britishwildflowers.com
You can meet Lyneal Mill at lots of Plant Hunters’ Fairs in 2016. Please see our website for details
Join the throng at Bodenham Arboretum & Farm Saturday 16 April & Saturday 3 September 2016 Our two fairs at the lovely Bodenham Arboretum remain free to enter and to park as always as does access to the lovely lakeside restaurant, But we do hope lots of you will also choose to pay to explore the 150 acre arboretum and farm. Bring the kids, dogs and granny for a stroll round the lakes before a well-earned lunch beside the lake. But if you do have only time to pop in then its good to know its free to browse all those wonderful plants. We open at 11am (although early birds are usually there before this!) and this year we are finishing slightly earlier than before at 4pm. There are some first timers at the venue to meet: Edrom Nursery all the way from Scotland with world -renowned Woodland and Alpine plants; Jurassicplants from Wales with seed grown exotic (and often edible) trees, shrubs and climbers; North Staffs Hostas (April only), who will have day lilies and ferns as well ; and also Bridge Farm Plants from Derbyshire with unusual perennials. Of course all your established favourites will be there as well. FOR SAT NAVS PLEASE INPUT DY11 5TB There are brown signs to direct you from Wolverley Church Island and the A442 Kidderminster Bridgnorth Road. Bodenham Arboretum, Wolverley, Kidderminster, Worcestershire
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August Musings Jane Allison of Mayfields Garden Plants on the joys of her summer garden The novelist Edna o’ Brien wrote about August being a ’wicked month’ and so it has been, weather wise, for the garden, here in Cheshire‘s Vale Royal, with a pattern of heavy rain followed by intermittent sunny spells.
the wildflower area which I sowed in early May. I have tried this before, with varying success, but the mix of eschscholtzias, Achillea millefolium, red and blue flaxes, larkspur, Lagurus ovatus, and, in particular, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, one of their main food plants, proved very popular, and looked fabulous in amongst Verbascum ‘Snow Maiden’, Salvia glutinosa, The prolonged Indian Summer, however, more than made up for Potentilla recta and Phlomis it, and encouraged plenty of very russeliana in the new sunny, sheltered border. The increased late new growth (possibly too much if they’ve used up reserves amount of white clover in the which would be better kept for a lawn has helped as well! new season) from newly cut back plants. Traditionally, however, the end of August is when I sit on the bench at the top of the garden and review the successes and failures of the season.
this article for the newsletter) it is still in flower.
Annuals (which are great fillers for in between the shrubs and perennials) have done particularly well this year, and still flowering happily away are borage (white and blue), blood red nasturtiums, Antirrhinum ‘Sawyer’s Old Fashioned Lemon and Orange Mix’, Orlaya grandiflora and Ammi majus, all of which have brought in lots of very plump garden bees, red tailed bees and honey bees. I sell small pots of these annuals every year, and they prove very popular.
Echinops ritro attracts bees and butterflies Brimstone butterflies (frustratingly common in several villages within a small radius of me, but rarely seen here) paid brief visits thanks to my increased plantings of Echinops ritro and Greater Knapweed , and I had several Marbled Whites this year instead of a forlorn solitary one last year.
Aster (Symphyotrichum) “Connie”
Knowing that butterflies love yellow flowers, I planted a yellow section last year, and looking at it now, the combinations of Verbascum ‘Christo’s Yellow Lightning’( a new introduction from Great Common Blues visited the Dixter), Nepeta govaniana , wildflowers for two short weeks Only feet away from where I am Digitalis lutea and ambigua, and sitting, the Painted Ladies and Oenothera ‘Apricot Delight’ Red Admirals, who arrived only a whose lemon blooms deepen to Although the numbers and few days ago, are feasting on 8’ apricot, has attracted varieties of bees and butterflies high cardoons and 6’ high Aster Tortoiseshells, Small and Large were not as numerous as two years ago, when I was preparing ‘Connie.’ I should have divided Whites, Commas and Peacocks, the latter in the spring, as it is a all drowsily browsing what’s on my talk on them, I have had a big clump, so it has not had as couple of new visitors to the offer. The Gatekeepers and many flowers this year, but in garden this year. For two short Meadow Browns, however, have November, (when I am revising preferred the clumps of black weeks I had Common Blues on
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peppermint and marjoram in the flowers on it. Closely planted at herb garden. the base of it is a trio of Echinops ritro, the blue globe There’s nothing like a cup of tea thistle, which, at the moment, and a couple of ginger biscuits has more bees feeding on it than to accompany a wander round any other plant in the garden. the borders, while I choose my four best performers. Here they Growing so may varieties of are: foxglove can be a problem if they are not labelled as soon as Scrophularia auriculata they are pricked out, or if labels ‘Variegata’ ( variegated water are blown off by the wind. In figwort), which the Americans May, I planted half a dozen of picturesquely call ’Red Birds in a these ‘mystery varieties’ in the Tree’, (you’ll see why when you moist dappled shade of the look at a picture of its flowers, house, where a leaking gutter which resemble tiny robins). Its keeps the ground damp, and wild relative grows on the bank these have each increased in of the Middlewich canal. size to 3’ across. I look forward Hoverflies love it. to seeing which varieties they DiascIa personata ’Hopleys’. This are! really is perennial, and flowers Finally, the excellent crop of for ever! I had a ’Christopher ‘Worcester Pearmain’ apples and Lloyd’ moment, and teamed its ‘Jubilee’ plums are worth a pink flowers with the large mention. I must remember to yellow and bronzy red blooms of keep a bucketful of the former Helenium ’Sahin’s Early to put out for the fieldfares Flowerer’, which, for me, is the when they arrive in January. best performing helenium . Many of the plants mentioned Phlox paniculata ‘Eventide’. Its here will be available on my stall subtle shades of violet conjure at various times during the up this evocative dusky light, season. As always, of course, and it clumps up well. there will be lots of beautiful Galega x hartlandii ’ Lady foxgloves to choose from, with Wilson’ is 6’ across now, and still plenty of Digitalis hybrida has plenty of violet, pea-like ‘Polkadot Pippa’ which many of
you asked for but missed out on when my stock ran out!
Talks news: At the end of August I completed my series of walks on coastal paths, in woodland, and along country lanes and the banks of streams, where I took over 150 slides for my new 2016 talk, ’A Country Walk’. These will be subjected to a severe selection process during the cold dark days of December. Next year I will be preparing: ‘Shrubs for Suburban Gardens’ (specially requested by one of the Garden Societies I visited this year). ‘My Favourite Gardens’: secret corners of Arley Hall, Dorothy Clive Gardens, Forde Abbey and Powys Castle. These can be booked for 2017. I look forward to meeting you all at the many beautiful Plant Hunters’ Fairs venues, old and new. j@mayfieldsgarden.demon.co.uk www.mayfieldsplants.com
New at the National Memorial Arboretum Our 3 fairs at this major venue go from strength to strength. Every time we arrive there’s something new to see and discover. This year the venue has embarked on a major development. They told us “work to transform our existing visitor centre has started. We are developing new exhibition, learning, restaurant and retail facilities along with a new outdoor space, Heroes’ Square, which will lead visitors out into the wider site. “ Whilst the work is progressing the site is still fully open and you can enjoy a mouth-watering lunch or rest mid afternoon with a refreshing 'cuppa' and a slice of homemade cake in the two eateries: The Pavilion Lunch Room and The Café Bar. Our fairs feature lots of your favourite nurseries plus some new comers to tempt you. On Saturday 2 April w e w elcome first-timers Forestart (tree and wildflower seeds), Linda Scott (hardy geraniums) and Pantazia Lincoln (primulas). On Saturday 28 May Chilli Zoo with Chilli plants make their Plant Hunters’ Fair debut. On Saturday 6 August we have a great line up of your favourite nurseries from across the country. Entry is free—there is pay and display parking.
National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire DE13 7AR 30
Spotlight on Podophyllum Tony Marden of Shadyplants.com won’t keep you in the dark about these shade lovers Asiatic species with mottled leaves appearing in Spring. It has upward facing white or pink flowers which readily produce egg -shaped fruits which turn red in autumn when ripe. One of the smaller leaf forms. 0.5m high x 0.5m wide
Podophyllum "Spotty Dotty" Podophyllum 'Spotty Dotty', is a relatively recent cultivar with strong, beautiful, mottled foliage. These are a spectacular Part of Tony’s Podophyllum collection. woodland plant with the dramatic large, highly-patterned range in colour from silver to leaves ,and in the Spring and Podophyllum (family light green to nearly black. Very early Summer, produce exquisite Berberidaceae) much like a child's kaleidoscope. dark wine-red drooping flowers Podophyllum is a genus of Maroon flowers bloom in early with the appearance of torn silk. hardy woodland perennials from summer. This plant is mostly A connoisseur's plant for that Asia and one from America, evergreen. The plant's growth damp shaded spot. They can mostly grown for their foliage habit is umbrella-like. The leaves easily reach 0.75m high x 0.75m and form. They prefer deep can be 30cm or more across and wide shade and are all hardy in the quite spectacular. U.K. They can remain evergreen in a Podophyllum Hexandrum sheltered site in a mild winter.
Podopyllum peltatum (American "May-apple")
Podopyllum peltatum grows well in a woodland situation . Flowers are white and can be followed by 1- to 2-inch fruit that looks like small apples hence the nickname. Mayapples belong in a woodland garden or other moist, shady areas. They can spread by rhizomes to form large colonies.
Podophyllum “Kaleidoscope” This is a modern hybrid and as the cultivar name suggests, the leaves of ‘Kaleidoscope’ have distinctive markings, which can
Some of our baby Podopyllum Spotty Dotty getting ready to be sold in the Spring
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Podophyllum pleianthum Native to central and southeastern China. This is a shade loving, clump-forming perennial that typically grows to 18-24" tall. The beautiful large, very glossy green leaves, shallowlylobed and toothed around the edges grow to 12-16" wide. The flowers are produced under the leaves in the leaf junctions and are wine-red. Tony has taken many years to collect different clones of this plant and has now managed to produce viable seed.
Podophyllum delavayi This plant is probably the most spectacular Podophyllum. Beautiful deeply incised , mottled leaves in shades of brown to black.
Crimson red flowers hang beneath the leaves.
that is well drained. Shady spot out of full sun.
Podophyllum Versipelle
All in all, Podophyllums are a beautiful, architectural statement for your woodland or shade garden.
I find that this is the largest leaf of the genus. Similar to Pleianthum but more deeply incised lobes.
Podophyllum difforme This is a wonderful plant that is not easily obtained. It has a most unusual rectangular leaf that can be beautifully marked.
Podophyllum aurantiocaule It is a rare white flowered species from Tibet. which I have not previously grown but we have obtained a few small plants for sale 2016.
Tony’s Top Tips: They like a deep humus rich soil
Fresh-Ness! Ness must be our longest established plant fairs but every year we like to inject a little freshness into the mix! In 2016, we welcome Bob Brown’s famous Cotswold Garden Flowers from Worcestershire for the first time to Ness. Also debuting are world-renowned alpine and woodland nursery Edrom from Scotland. RHS Gold winners Packhorse Farm from Derbyshire will be there with their lovely Acers, trees and unusual shrubs. ShadyPlants from Gloucestershire also make their first appearance.
Our spring fair is a week later than usual on Sunday 3 April and the autumn one on Sunday 4 September. Entry to the plant fair is just £1.00 and this is redeemable against optional entry to the garden. Ness Botanic Gardens Ness Neston South Wirral CH64 4AY
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Please note all parts of all varieties are toxic. P.hexandrum is being grown for use as a anti-cancer drug.
You can meet Tony and Sylvia at most Plant Hunters’ Fairs in 2016.
Here Comes Summer at Hodnet Hall We just love visiting Shropshire’s Hodnet Hall for our plant fair on the “first weekend in summer.” This year it falls on June on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5. The garden always surprises and delights and each year the preceding winter and spring conspire to bring forth a unique blend of late spring and early summer flowers at the garden: sometimes more of spring and others more of summer. Some years the azaleas and rhodos are the stars, others it’s the primulas, meconopsis, peonies and roses. There is so much to see and explore so do plan a nice long time for your visit. As always we have a tremendous line up of plant “talent” at the fair, including your only chance to see Roseland House’s National Collection of clematis and climbers in the region this year. Edrom nursery from Scotland are also making their debut at the event.
The fair is open 10am—5pm both days and entry to fair and gardens is just £3.50 Dogs on leads welcome. Hodnet Hall Gardens Hodnet Market Drayton Shropshire TF9 3NN www.hodnethallgardens.org
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Preserving Plant History Joy Uings on the Cheshire Gardens Trust’s project rediscovering the people and plants of a historic Cheshire Family Nursery
In 1780 William Caldwell was just 14 years old when he began his horticultural training at John Nickson’s nursery in Knutsford. Less than 20 years later he returned to join the business as a partner. He was the first of six generations of the Caldwell family to run the nurseries until they closed in 1992.
purchased 41 fruit trees, 16 roses, two primulas and 10,000 thorns. In late November he took delivery of an unspecified number of orange trees which had been ordered from elsewhere. But it is the 4 visits between September and early November that are particularly interesting. The number of new plants being introduced into the country was increasing. American plants were already popular, but
Being in the same family for so long should give Caldwell’s a mention in any history of the nursery trade, but what makes them special – perhaps unique – is that they have left behind more than a dozen business ledgers – from the 1790s, the 1830s and the 1910s. These include day books and order books which provide a fascinating insight into our forebears’ plant-purchasing habits. Those from the 1790s are from both Caldwell’s Knowsley and Nickson’s Knutsford nurseries. In 1794, a gentleman named John Thomas was living at Mount Pleasant in Liverpool. Judging from his purchases from the Knowsley nursery, he seems to have been both wealthy and a plantsman. In March, he
Customer ledger 1789—1796
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Francis Masson had been sending back previously unknown flowers from places like South Africa for twenty years. These plants either needed or were thought to need
shelter from the English climate, so enthusiasts erected greenhouses and hothouses to protect them. Annoyingly, we don’t have details of all the plants that Mr. Thomas purchased, because 127 of them were included in the orders simply as “greenhouse plants” at varying prices from 6d to 2s 6d each, a total expenditure of £7 16s 6d. (The 41 fruit trees had cost £3.)
However, a further 27 items are recorded by name. Some are easy to read and understand – like rhododendrons, hyacinths, tulips, etc. Others are a little more confusing. What was the Umbrella Tree? A search in books from the period suggests it was Magnolia tripetala. Then there was the Arabian Jasmine. Was this Jasminum arabicum, as described by Philip Miller? In that case it was probably a variety of Nyctanthes. Order on 19 March, 1794 includes 14 peach, 6 nectarine, 2 apricot, 6 cherry Antholyza meriana is now called and 10 apple trees Watsonia meriana. Glycine apios is a synonym for Apios Americana, whereas Glycine 1830s there were ten times as ‘translate’ the plant name. sinensis is a synonym for many varieties being sold by Spelling was often phonetic and Wisteria sinensis. Caldwell at his new nursery in rarely consistent, Latin endings Four of the plants purchased by Knutsford than appear in the were confused and names have Thomas seem to have been earlier ledger. since been declared synonyms. given the correct names. These This has required some detective In fact by that time the number were four varieties of Erica from work. Consider Ferraria of ornamental shrubs and South Africa – E. caffra, E. conchiflora. This was listed in flowers had increased imbricata, E. cerinthoides and E. many books of the period but is enormously and it is fascinating baccans. The coming years not a currently recognised to decipher the records. The would see a big demand for name. However, a little first challenge is the South African Ericas and by the searching shows that the plant handwriting; the second to must have been Tigridia pavonia incorrectly listed by Sweet as Tigridia pavonia var. conchiflora.
Purchases on 8 November 1794 include 4 varieties of South African Ericas
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Some plants were giving rise to many different cultivars. Dahlias had followed Ericas as the plant in vogue and those sold included two of Caldwell’s own raising: Gloria Mundi and Purple Globe. New varieties of rose led to a burst of hybridisation. Elsewhere the number of varieties of a particular genus were the precursor to the hybridisation and cultivars that would
come within the next few years – like Calceolaria. But cultivars create their own problem as it can be difficult to be sure that the names have been recorded correctly.
than currently show up in the reports, so if you decide to look for a All the ledgers have been particular photographed and a team of plant and volunteers has been working for don’t find it, more than 3 years on remember to transcribing information into a try again a database. Two ledgers (from few weeks the 1790s) have been completed 1884 seed catalogue with some familiar and some long-lost later when it and we are working on one from plant varieties may have the 1830s. All this – and much been entered in an order. the Cheshire Gardens Trust and more, including recorded has been made possible by memories of owners, staff and For anyone interested in plants financial assistance from the customers from the latter half of the website is a source of Royal Botanic Gardens of the 20th century – can be found enormous pleasure. We haven’t Manchester and the Northern at www.caldwellarchives.org.uk . always got it right, so if you spot Counties and the Heritage There you can look through the a mistake, do tell us! Lottery Fund. The website ledgers, review catalogues and The Caldwell Project is the result continues to be developed. search by customer or by plant. of the efforts of volunteers from More plants are on the database STOP PRESS: A fascinating book has been published titled: Caldwells: Nurserymen of Knutsford for two centuries. Price: £7.95. Order form available on the website www.cheshire-gardens-trust.org.uk
The archive is available online at www.caldwellarchives.org.uk The Cheshire Gardens Trust promotes the enjoyment and conservation of Cheshire’s garden heritage. You can find out about membership and activities on www.cheshire-gardenstrust.org.uk
Sunny Sugnall (Please) Last year at Sugnall Walled Garden we had every type of weather imaginable including torrential cloud bursts, sudden gales but also beautiful sunshine making the gardens sparkle. At least when the rain came we had the lovely tearooms to retreat to! This year we have 2 fairs. The first is on Saturday 23 April and our summer fair is on Sunday 3 July. Entry is just £1.00 and there’s loads of free parking. Please bring the sun along with you! Sugnall Walled Garden Sugnall Stafford ST21 6NF The Walled Garden is on the B5026, Eccleshall to Loggerheads road, 2 miles from Eccleshall Less of this!
More of this please!
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Our newest plant fair venue in the North Cheshire countryside is a garden lover’s paradise.
The Hidden Garden is a place to relax and take stock. The palette of green, silver, grey and white creates a calm, ethereal atmosphere warmed by the pink of enclosing walls
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This is a very exciting time to visit Henbury Hall Gardens. The garden is well into a restoration programme is bringing the gardens back to their full beauty. Nestling in its Cheshire landscape and surrounding two magnificent lakes, the gardens contain many fine trees and shrubs including some rare specimens of Rhododendrons, Camellias, and Magnolia.
the ancient peach cases will be the subject of a restoration in the future but which meanwhile house figs, peaches, apricots and Muscat grapes
The gardens nestle in the undulating Cheshire landscape The old Walled Garden has been completely transformed and now reflects its association with the present Henbury Hall and its Venetian connections. The old Foster & Pearson glasshouses, which were derelict, have been restored and under the watchful eye of Head Gardener Sean Barton is steadily building up a collection of exotics concentrating mainly on temperate and tropical Pteridophytes and Orchidaceae.
The old Walled Garden has been completely transformed
Highlights of the collection include the large group of Pamianthe Peruviana, the wonderfully flamboyant Amaryllid (which is sadly now extinct in the wild) and the rare Blechnum Palmiforme from Gough Island in the territory of Tristan da Cunha. The more homely Pelargoniums
The garden surrounds two lakes
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including the walled-trained double, Appleblossom, are a delight in summer. We are delighted to be invited into this magical garden to create a new 2-day plant fair in July 2016. We will be holding the fair in the courtyard of the estate buildings which offer a cosy and sheltered setting for us. The entry price of just ÂŁ2.50 to include the gardens and fair is outstanding value. Dogs on leads are welcome however because of the undulating nature of the gardens not all is accessible to wheelchairs. The hall is not open.
Henbury Hall Gardens Saturday & Sunday 16th & 17th July 2016
The glasshouses are home to the exotic collections as well as more homely plants.
Times: 10am - 5pm Entry to fair, gardens and grounds ÂŁ2.50 (Half standard price) Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 9PJ Two miles west of Macclesfield on the A537. Turn down School Lane, Henbury at the Blacksmiths Arms. After 200 yards, the entrance is at the East Lodge on the right. Telephone 01625 422101 Email: gardens@henburyhall.co.uk website: www.henburyhall.co.uk
Glazed pool house by Francis Machin
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If you are going to flower in the depths of winter with so few pollinators, you really need a trick up your sleeve.
up mahogany/purple willowy stems and long, lanceolate leaves to three feet and beyond and in December/ January, covered in delicious, scented blooms.
The genus Sarcococca comes with intoxicating perfume that drifts on the air and always has you looking for the source. I have a slight obsession with Sarcococca or “Christmas Box” as it’s commonly known. It’s very underrated in my opinion and I think it’s because it’s planted in less than ideal conditions, often in full sun/ awful soil by so-called Landscapers. It sits there looking chlorotic with no clue to its real potential. In my own garden, in shade and rich, edaphic soil, the best variety – hookeriana v. digyna – is a thing of great beauty throwing
Less common and slightly more tender is S. wallichii, an exotic, large leaved evergreen that starts flowering as early as October. S. balansae is a big species from Thailand which I have yet to test outdoors. Another scented treasure is Narcissus paperwhite which here at Henbury Hall, we start with as soon as they are available, staggering them to keep a supply going for the house. Always in terracotta pots with lichen covered twigs collected from the garden for support. Garden canes are never used as they look so unnatural and stiff. We force the Narcissus in gentle heat but if needed for an event, they can be put into the warmth of the Orchid House to speed them up.
Narcissus Paperwhite, a scented treasure.
We have many Orchids to tide us over the gloom of winter. Dendrobium delicatum produces lots of honey-scented, ivory blossoms. It’s a tough, vigorous beauty (by orchid standards) and could easily be grown on a large windowsill with good light. Hopefully, we’ll have some available on our plant stall in July 2016. It can even withstand a cold winter which induces flowers. I’m going to trial one in an unheated section of the greenhouse to see what happens. A specimen was given to a friend of the family
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and was reported back as being covered in flowers. Most annoying as ours didn’t flower so well that year! Another species - Bulbophyllum graveolens – also blooms here in the winter. With mustard coloured blooms and a ruby red lip, the scent is a cross between blue cheese and wet Alsatian; definitely not one for the house!
You can meet Sean at our plant fair at Henbury Hall on 16th and 17th July
What do you get if you cross blue cheese with a wet Alsatian? Answer: Bulbophyllum graveolens
Enjoy 3 great plant fairs in 2016 Our first evet plant fairs at this beautiful Derbyshire country park in 2015 were a great success. So much so we are adding an additional date in May this year.
In 2015 the weather may have challenged our spirits with cold winds in April and torrential rain in July, but the plant loving public turned out in force to lift us.
spring and summer warblers, terns and waders return to breed on the islands, rafts, meadows and woodlands. There are four bird hides dotted around the site, each with sightings books and boards. Carsington also has an active Bird Club with a great website providing information about what to see where and featuring all well-earned refreshments. the latest sightings. Around the Visitor Centre there Looking at previous year’s are several grassy areas, ideal sightings you might be lucky places to relax, enjoy a picnic enough to see an Osprey at our and take in the scenery. There first fair on Saturday 9th are also barbeque stands April as w ell as terns perhaps available in the grassed area the first returning Swallows and next to the play area, lots of Martins. seating and a covered picnic area for rainy days. By the time we return on Bank Holiday Monday 30 May the A full list of nurseries attending Barnacle, Greylag and Canada each event is published on our website and there will be a great range and diversity of plants on offer.
The brilliant thing about Carsington Water is that there’s so much to do whatever the weather: just remember to dress accordingly. There are 8 miles of good paths made up of various marked routes from short strolls to serious marches (or bring the mountain bike if you like) and there’s always something to see along the way. The variety of wildlife at Carsington Water makes each visit such a special day out. For bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts there is a wildlife centre a short walk from the main visitor centre where you can learn more about the different species of birds that make their home here. In the
The fair is held on the grass to next to the main visitor centre, or if the grass is too wet, on the paved areas in front of the visitor centre.
Geese may have young on view. The stars at the time of our last fair on Sunday 31 July are likely to be waders like Redshank, Dunlin and possibly Ruff as well as more unusual ducks like Common Scoter and Red Crested Pochard. The restaurant and courtyard shops will be open as usual for
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The fair and country park are free to enter but there is a charge to park (check the venue website for up to date prices). Carsington is situated off the B5035 between Ashbourne and Wirksworth Carsington Water Big Lane Ashbourne Derbyshire DE6 1ST
Hardy Geranium specialist Linda Scott picks us a couple of winners from the pack I have been growing and selling plants for the past 15 years and this year am delighted to have been invited by Janet and Martin to join their Plant Hunters’ Fairs.
plant providing good ground cover and doesn’t mind being cut back if it starts to look untidy. It will hybridise readily, in fact all the Geranium oxonianum hybrids have versicolor as one of their parents, the other being endressii. So if you have room to let the seedlings grow you may end up with a brand new, original plant.
My speciality is Hardy Geraniums and my favourites are not the modern hybrids (though I do like these too) but In contrast, Geranium the species Geranium versicolor palmatum is a large evergreen, and Geranium palmatum. up to 4ft./120cm. when in Versicolor is a versatile, clump flower, and will likely die if cut back. It is said to need full sun and well drained soil but grows happily on my clay in dappled shade under trees. Many large pink blooms are produced during summer attracting hummingbird hawkmoth, though I would grow it for the large exotic foliage alone. A lot of people confuse palmatum with the tender Geranium maderense and think it isn’t hardy. They are in good company as the R.H.S. thought Geranium versicolor is versatile, this too until a few years ago. Both plants are from Madeira clump-forming , growing in sun or and look similar, maderense part shade growing in low lying areas and forming European species that palmatum in the hills, though will grow in full sun or part when mature maderense has a shade. The funnel shaped tall main stem and looks like a flowers are not huge but appear miniature palm tree, whereas profusely all summer and are palmatum stays as a basal white with intricate purple rosette. veining. It is quite a vigorous
The giant Geranium palmatum has survived –15c with Linda
In 2002 the R.H.S. asked us to send some geraniums for the Wisley trials but didn’t include palmatum as they thought it wasn’t hardy. After explaining that it had survived -15 C in pots here they agreed to trial it, and on completion of the trial gave it an Award of Garden Merit. Anyway, that’s just a couple of the many hundreds of Hardy Geraniums available to grow in our gardens. Whatever conditions you have in your garden (with the exception of bogs and ponds) there is a Geranium that will grow there. I look forward to meeting many of you at the fairs.
You can meet Linda at The National Memorial Arboretum (April 2, May 28 and August 6); Carsington Water (April 9, May 30, July 31); Southwell Gardens (June 19) and Donington Le Heath (7 August) 42
Consall Hall Gardens: always something different around the corner 43
Water is at the centre of the garden with the chain of 6 man-made lakes and cascades
Consall Hall Gardens Sunday 17th April 2016 10am-5pm We are back for our 6th year at this hidden Staffordshire gem. The garden is rarely open so this is a brilliant opportunity to explores its 70 acres of vistas, lakes, woods and cascades. The garden landscape is wholly manmade; the work of William Podmore OBE who fashioned the garden from old industrial workings.
Plenty of plant stalls along the avenue. You can’t resist….
Entry is just £2.00 for this event only! (normally standard price is £5.50). Dogs on leads are welcome. The Halcyon tearoom will be serving teas and light lunches. There is ample free parking on site as well.
Consall Hall Landscape Gardens Consall Wetley Rocks Staffordshire ST9 0AG Over 70 acres of dramatic vistas, intimate nooks with well-laid out paths
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Salvias: Hot Right Now Ingrid Millington from Hillveiw Hardy Plants with the on-trend flower for every garden Saliva, which is in the family Lamiaceae, is the largest genus of plants with around 1000 species. They originate in Central and South America, Central and Eastern Asia and the Mediterranean.
Salvia x jamensis ‘Golden Girl’ is a new plant, developed by Suncrest Nurseries of Watsonville, California. It has small mid green leaves and is a very compact plant. The flowers emerge from rosy pink calyxes and are a lovely bright yellow.
They come in many forms: annual, biennial, herbaceous perennial and woody subshrubs.
Salvia x jamensis ‘Javier’ This superb new shrubby hybrid was raised by a breeder in New Zealand. It produces masses of lovely blue-purple flowers between May and November with its black calyces contrasting Saliva Red Bumble with lime-green foliage. Drought tolerant and hardy on well stems are dark reddish brown drained soils. 65cm with white edges, growing up to 120cm. The flowers have almost black calyxes and are a fluorescent red (if that’s possible).
They all have square stems which make them sturdy and requiring little staking. The common name is “Sage” which I am sure that everyone knows as a culinary herb but that is just “touching the tip of the iceberg”. All are fantastic plants for bees and butterflies.
Herbaceous perennial salvias are excellent border plants, giving colour over a long season and will re-flower if spent flower stems are removed.
The shrubby salvias are wonderful plants for dry soils in full sun. If not pruned back until early April, they are very hardy and can be kept to a reasonable size.
Salvia Nachtvlinder (Night Moth) Salvia x jamensis ‘Nachtvlinder’ (Night-moth) This has the darkest inky purple flowers imaginable. It is one of the most stunning shrubby salvias I grow.
Salvia “Golden Girl”
Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’ There are many red-flowered salvias but this one is outstanding. The
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Salvia bulleyana ‘Blue Lips’ Pretty two lipped open-mouthed flowers of soft pale yellow with blue-mauve markings to the front lip form many flowered racemes or spikes above aromatic dark green leaves that are very crinkly. 60cm.
Salvia ‘Madeline’ Bred and introduced by plant breeder Piet Oudolf, this lovely sage has long spikes of flowers that are bright violet blue with a contrasting white lip. Once you see this plant, you will have to have one. Salvia ‘Amistad’ This is an exceptionally beautiful new variety. Large rich purple flowers are carried on tall, near-black
stems above a mound of lush green foliage. With regular deadheading, this magnificent hardy perennial can flower almost continuously from May right through to October. 120cm. Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’ This was bred in Australia and produces masses of open mouthed dark red flowers from May to November. Sumptuous dark stems and calyxes make a wonderful contrast to the flowers. 80cm. These are just a few of the 60+ varieties salvias we grow and are our favourites at the moment. The range of colours provided by salvias and their often aromatic foliage make them a plant that no garden should be without.
Salvia Amistad
You can meet the Hillview team at Sat. 26 March Battlefield 1403, Sat 2 April National Memorial Arboretum, Sat 16 April Bodenham Arboretum, Sun/Mon 1 & 2 may Weston Park, Sun 15 May British Ironwork Centre, Sat 28 May National Memorial Arboretum, Sat/Sun 4 & 5 June Hodnet Hall, Sat 6 August National Memorial Arboretum
Double Dates at Donington We have added an extra plant fair date at the wonderful Donington Le Heath Manor House this year. As well as our spring fair on Saturday 7 May we also have a summer fair on Sunday 7 August this year. Entry to the fair and gardens is just £1.00. The house is undergoing major refurbishment and won’t be open for the May fair but we expect it to be fully open for August (extra charge).
We have lots of great nurseries with a different mix at each fair with lots of that haven’t been to this venue before. Donington Le Heath Manor House Donington Le Heath Coalville Leics LE67 2FW
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Incredible edibles! Exotic edibles for your garden By Dr Zoltan Hamori of JURASSICPLANTS
The sweet pulp of the Blue Bean Shrub is edible and tastes similar to a watermelon
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There are numerous, little known edible trees and shrubs you usually don’t find in garden centres. We collect the seeds all over Europe and grow these plants here in North Wales and they grow happily! Why not give them a try – you will probably have something that will be the envy of your neighbour, but most importantly, you can harvest delicious, unusual fruits for the table. Here is a little taste.
well, even trained to a wall. Very cold tolerant to -15C. Pest and disease resistant.
Poncirus trifoliata – Japanese Hardy Lemon (Bitter Orange) (ultimate height: 2m)
Unusual spiny shrub from the Far “Flying Dragon” has contorted stems and really is East, related to something special citrus, but extremely cold Diospyros virginiana – You can harvest sausages from tolerant, down to -20C (fully American Persimmon trees! Fast growing, eyehardy in the UK). Under warm catching, unusual shrub. Its (ultimate height: 5-6m) climate, it is often used as the main character is the large rootstock for grafting different A very sweet tasting fruit and an pinnate leaves which can reach citrus varieties due to its strong elegant ornamental, small tree 80cm in length and 40cm in growth and cold tolerance. Its with striking yellow autumn width and the metallic blue, pure white, scented flowers open coloration and excellent food fleshy seed pods, hanging on the in March-April, before the leaves source for birds during winter, as "naked" plant after fall (until appear and from September, the tree holds the fruits on the early winter). These quirky fruits yellow, lemon-like fruits develop branches for a long time. Its are unique in shape and in (stronger than a lemon; suitable fragrant flowers appear among ornamental value. Moreover, the for marmalade or for tea). the large, leathery, entire leaves. gelatinous, translucent, sweet It starts to produce fruit from pulp is edible, tastes similar to a around the age of 6, but it is watermelon. In early summer it dioecious, so you may consider produces greenish-yellow flowers to order 2 or 3 plants to get a in hanging racemes. great chance to have both sexes. This plant often grows multiFruits grow to tomato size, stemmed and can be pruned as becoming orange in colour, and soften in winter by frost – similar to the Japanese Persimmon or Sharon fruit, but even sweeter! The fruits of Japanese Hardy Lemon are suitable for marmalade
Decaisnea fargesii – Blue Bean Shrub (ultimate height: 2-3m)
The pods of the Blue Bean Shrub hang on the naked stems until early winter
Leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. The plant is covered in large spines, and the stems stay green for several years, which gives a spectacular architectural appearance to the plant during the winter months, boosted by the long spines. Drought tolerant, ideal for bonsai, for borders, to plant it against a wall or for an impenetrable low hedge -barrier. This species has a contorted, twisted stemmed variety, called ‘Flying Dragon’ which comes true from seed – it is really, something special.
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The sweet fruits of American Persimmon are ideal for birds in winter
frost free environment from Eriobotrya japonica – Loquat or Japanese Medlar February to May but if successful, a very tasty fruit can (ultimate height: 5m) This fruit has hundreds of cultivars in China and Japan and is widely produced in the FarEast and in Mediterranean and subtropical regions. An evergreen, very ornamental small tree with long, dark green, leathery leaves and yellow-white flowers, open on the tip of the branches in winter - the flowers may be pollinated even when it is cold if not frosty. In order for the succulent, sweet fruits to develop fully, it requires almost
be harvested early Summer! It is best to plant by a wall in Britain or can be kept in a larger conservatory. The flowers have the most sweetly scent one can imagine. The tree itself is hardy to about -10C. If you have further questions or are ready to try out some of these plants, please don't hesitate to get in touch or visit our website: www.jurassicplants.co.uk
Loquat fruits require protection from frost in early spring to ensure plenty of succulent fruits in early summer
A Fairy Tale Setting Come to Whittington Castle for ghost, outlaws and of course, Plants! A fairy tale Castle, ivy clad ruined walls, medieval moat and a twin towered gatehouse entrance are the iconic features of Whittington Castle near Oswestry in Shropshire. This Castle which was the first community run Castle in the country, was re launched in 2007 after a huge restoration project and it has been drawing visitors from far and wide since.
ghosts and strange happenings. It is said that “The Holy Grail” was once hidden here as well as a cursed chest which is opened would bring death. The Castle is also connected to some very famous historic figures like Dick Whittington once Lord Mayor of London and Shropshire’s very own Robin The Castle makes the ideal Hood – Fulk FitzWarine 111. The group outing it has a tearoom FitzWarine family acquired serving sandwiches, cakes and Whittington Castle and in the refreshments and the speciality late 12th Century Fulk The Castle Cream Tea. The FitzWarine 111 was outlawed by Castle has a well-stocked second King John. hand bookshop area and sells souvenirs and gifts. The Castle is available for Civil Ceremonies, Knight and Princess A new bridge gives access to the Birthday Parties as well as inner bailey area and tower and Paranormal Investigations, the moat has been extended Group tours and School groups. and the pavilion replaced to give The Castle has a Membership view of the landscape which was scheme and welcomes new once a medieval garden. members and those who wish to Disabled toilets are available. help at the Castle as volunteers. The castle is steeped in The Castle is now completely historical tales of bitter warfare, self funded. treachery, death, myths, legends and of course many
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The plant fair is on Sunday26th June from 10am-4pm. Tel 01691 662500 info@whittingtoncastle.co.uk www.whittingtoncastle.co.uk Castle Grounds open All Year Free Entrance £1.00 to park
Bee Happy! At Abbeywood Gardens
Echinops Veitch’s Blue in the prairie garden is continually abuzz
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We are thrilled to return to Abbeywood Gardens in Cheshire for our August plant fair after a brilliant premier there last year. The weather could have been kinder with rain stopping play from mid afternoon but we couldn’t have asked for more support from the enthusiastic visitors from near and far. We hope a lot of you having discovered this relatively new garden and are planning your return. We are back on Sunday 21st August from 10am to 5pm and entry to fair and gardens is astonishingly good value at just £3.00 The restaurant will be serving light lunches and teas and has learned just how busy a Plant Hunters’ Fair can be for them after coping with incredible numbers last year. We are moving the fair to the hard car park this year—I think the number of feet through the fair played havoc with the grass especially after the rain started. The gardens continue to mature and develop. I find it impossible to pick out just one stand-out planting; there’s just so many different styles to marvel at and be inspired by.
The exotic garden wowed even the hardened nurseryfolk
Feeling hot, hot, hot at Abbeywood Gardens! What is also great is the amount of wildlife flocking to the garden. With so many bee plants to feed them the garden is abuzz. Firm favourite with the bees and the visitors I spoke to was the massive drift of Echinops
Veitch’s Blue in the prairie garden. Even the hardened nurseryfolk were astonished by the quality and scale of the plantings with the exotic garden proving a winner with many of them.
The formal rill garden is the ideal contrast to the exotic garden and the long herbaceous borders.
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Top 10 wild flowers to plant for butterflies Suzanne Noble of Plantwild with the chart-toppers Butterfly numbers have been severely hit in recent years due to loss of habitat and some very wet summers. Planting wildflowers is a way of helping them and also gives you the pleasure of seeing more butterflies in your garden. We all know that nectar plants are important and there are many garden flowers and wild flowers which produce lots of nectar. If you are planting cultivated varieties in your garden choose the single rather than double varieties as the doubles often produce no nectar at all. Nectar is important for the adult butterfly but what about the caterpillars? They also need food plants and each adult butterfly has to seek out particular plant species to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars emerge and find themselves on their correct food plant so they can start eating straight away. The more common butterflies are not too fussy. The ‘Cabbage’ whites are not short of food and the Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper caterpillars feed on common plants such as grasses, ragwort and bramble. The Red Admiral and Peacock are fairly common in our gardens and their caterpillars feed on nettles, the Painted Lady prefers thistles. It is the less common butterflies which are suffering most from habitat loss because their food plants are rarer now in the wild
Devil’s bit scabious are top with Marsh fritillaries
and only the true wildflower will do. Here are some examples along with the caterpillars that rely on them:
Rock rose: Green hairstreak, Brown argus, Silver- studded blue
Birdsfoot trefoil: Common blue, Green hairstreak, Dingy skipper, Wood white, Clouded yellow, Brown argus
Dog violet : Small pearlbordered fritillary, Pearlbordered fritillary, High brown fritillary, Dark green fritillary, Silver washed fritillary
Agrimony and Wild strawberry: Grizzled skipper, Meadow vetchling: Wood
could also do some research to find out which species are struggling in your area. Plantwild sells a Bee and Butterfly plug plant collection which includes some of the most important nectar plants and caterpillar food plants and we can offer planting advice. Do the butterflies a favour and plant some wild flowers in your garden this year www.plantwild.co.uk/ plugs .
You can meet Plantwild at The Briish Ironwork Centre (May) and Weston Park (September).
white
Honeysuckle: White admiral Primrose: Pearl-bordered fritillary, Duke of Burgundy
Wild thyme and Wild marjoram: Large blue Red clover: Clouded yellows, Mazarine blue, Short-tailed blue
Devils bit and Field scabious: Marsh fritillary A full list is available on www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/ foodplants.php It’s best to plant several clumps or drifts of one species so that there is plenty available. You
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Silver-washed fritillary
Capability Brown celebrations at Weston Park This year Weston will be helping to lead the celebrations of the 300th anniversary of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown’s birth. It is his landscaping work that has helped to make the 17th century estate a national treasure, and it’s the enduring legacy of which that will be rejoiced throughout 2016. The proliferation of Capability Brown’s work across the country is vast, but what makes Weston so significant is its Pleasure Grounds; Temple Wood and Shrewsbury Walk. These naturalistic paradises are classic Brown representations, which are little altered from how they looked when they were conceived in the 1760′s. However they are an unusual find in the 21st century, at which time it is believed there are only five such schemes in existence. Weston has always celebrated its Capability Brown heritage; it’s views across the landscapes he created that to continue to woo brides and grooms holding their wedding receptions. It’s the restful walks through the pleasure grounds that today’s visitors enjoy, just as Brown would have intended when he scribed his vision. And it’s to the Walled Garden, laid out by Brown, that Weston’s head chef still looks to yield produce such as fruit, nuts and herbs. All around Brown’s legacy continues to live and breathe at Weston. Our two plant fairs will be on Dairy Green as usual and are ideal opportunities to appreciate the gardens at different times of year. The first is on Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday 1 and 2 May (entry to gardens and fair just £3.00) and the second closes our season on Sunday 11 September. (entry to gardens and fair just £2.50) At both we have lots of great nurseries to meet.
Weston Park Weston-under-Lizard Nr Shifnal Shropshire TF11 8LE 53
A very quiet walk Rob Potterton and Mum, Jean on a walk in Lincolnshire that led to the Himalayas In August 2015 Rob Potterton walked the Viking Way through Lincolnshire and thanks to the support of many donations raised over £1300 for The Himalayan Trust, to assist with rebuilding in Nepal following the earthquake in April 2015. Here is his story:
In my early 20’s I did a lot of walking, camping and youth hostelling at week-ends with friends, this then led to me walking The Pennine Way and Coast to Coast footpaths and a four month grand adventure tramping around the south island of New Zealand. I was first introduced to the sense of adventure and travel as Returning home in 1986 I hung a teenager, reading the exploits up my backpack and boots and joined the family nursery of Sir Edmund Hillary and business, only occasionally Sherpa Tenzing conquering walking including a charity walk Mount Everest in Nepal; a few years later my sister invited me of The Cleveland Way and an exceptional adventure plant & for a weekend of walking with her university friends in the Lake seed collecting in China with The District. I was instantly hooked. Alpine Garden Society in 1994.
The Viking Way route
There was one walk though that I’d always wanted to do - The Viking Way - this is my local national trail footpath which is overlooked by so many; I have often been told by other walkers I’ve met that “its flat and boring in Lincolnshire”. For me though, it was a very personal adventure, to walk through and explore the countryside I’d travelled by car often in my life. The Viking Way runs roughly south to north a distance of 147 miles, starting from Oakham in the small county of Rutland and finishing underneath The Humber Bridge on the shores of the River Humber opposite Hull. I’d put the idea on the back burner, something to do when I
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retired but as I passed my mid 50’s i decided I’d best get on with this while I physically could. In March 2015 I told Jackie my wife my plan and after some discussions concluded that it could be done in August between shows; I have to say she was very understanding. Then in April the devastating earthquake occurred in Nepal, I chose then to use the walk as a charity event to help raise funds for The Himalayan Trust, a charity founded by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1960 in Nepal, to help the people of the Everest region with health, education and general wellbeing.
A Just Giving page was set up online and at every Plant Hunters Fair I attended donations received. Just a few weeks before starting my mother who is now in her early 80’s but exceptionally fit and healthy decided that she would accompany me for the first half, hoping to reach Lincoln.
The walk was a complete success, we were blessed with 11 days dry and mostly sunny weather. Lincolnshire is a very rural county with few built up areas and seemed to be a continuous carpet of golden fields of corn, just prior to the harvesting period. It was predominantly quiet and peaceful, we only met a few other walkers and then they were only attempting a few miles. It left me with a great sense of well being. The charity fund target was met and then exceeded within a few weeks. In 2016 my mum and I will be attempting another walk, The Coast to Coast, 220 miles from Robin Hoods Bay in Yorkshire to St Bees in the Lake District. Hotels and hostels are already booked for June and July. It will be an 18 day journey with two week breaks after each 5 to 6 days of walking, this will enable me to attend several Plant
Lincolnshire from the Viking Way Hunters’ Fairs events and for mum to recover. Really looking forward to our walk together. Potterton's Nursery Moortown Road Nettleton Caistor Lincoln LN7 6HX
Phone: 01472 851714 Please call ONLY between 9.00am & 4.00pm email: sales@pottertons.co.uk Website: www.pottertons.co.uk
You can meet Rob at most Plant Hunters’ Fairs in 2016 Plant Hunters’ Fairs is a partnership of Janet & Martin Blow You can contact us by:
Email: martin@planthuntersfairs.co.uk or janet@planthuntersfairs.co.uk Phone: 01270 811443 / 0771 699 0695 Website www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk Twitter: @plantfairs Find us on Facebook as well. Details published in this newsletter are, we believe, correct at time of press but please do check on our website or with the venue before travelling as occasionally arrangements do have to change. All views expressed are those of the authors. All text and images in this newsletter are the property of Plant Hunters’ Fairs or the respective authors. Please ask before republishing anything from this newsletter. You can subscribe or unsubscribe on our website or by email.
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2016 Plant Hunters’ Fairs March Sun 20 Sat 26
th
th
Dearnford Lake, Whitchurch, Shrops. SY13 3JQ 10am-4pm Battlefield 1403 Shrewsbury, Shrops, SY4 3DB 9:30am-4pm
Sun/Mon 27th/28th Dorothy Clive Garden, Newcastle, Staffs. TF9 4EU 10am-5pm
April nd
National Memorial Arboretum Alrewas Staffs DE13 7AR 10am 4:30pm
rd
Ness Botanic Gardens Wirral, Cheshire. CH64 4AY. 10am-4pm
Sat. 2 Sun 3 Sat 9
th
Sun 10 Sat 16
th
Sun 17 Sat 23
Carsington Water, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. DE6 1ST 10-4pm th
Bodenham Arboretum near Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SY 11am-4pm
th
rd
Sun 24
Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Cheshire. SY14 8HN 11am-5pm Consall Gardens, Wetley Rocks, Staffordshire. ST9 0AG 10am 5pm Sugnall Walled Garden, Eccleshall, Staffs. ST21 6NF 10am-4pm
th
Norton Priory, Runcorn WA7 1SX 10am-4pm
May st
Sun/Mon 1 /2 Sat 7
th
Sun 8
nd
Weston Park, Shifnal, Shropshire. TF11 8LE 10am-5pm
Donington Le Heath Manor House, Leicestershire LE67 2FW 10am-4pm
th
Adlington Hall, Macclesfield, Cheshire. SK10 4LF 10:30am-4pm
Sun 15
th
British Ironwork Centre, Oswestry, Shrops. SY11 4JH 10am-5pm
Sun 22
nd
Middleton Hall, Tamworth, Staffs. B78 2AE. 10am-5pm
Sat 28
th
Mon 30
National Memorial Arboretum Alrewas Staffs DE13 7AR 10am 4:30pm
th
Carsington Water, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. DE6 1ST 10-4pm
June th
Sat/Sun 4 /5
th
Hodnet Hall, Mkt Drayton, Shrops. TF9 3NN 10am-5pm
Sat 11th Arley Arboretum, Near Bewdley, Worcs. DY12 1XJ 11am-5pm Sun 19th Southwell Minster Gardens, Notts. NG25 0HD 11am-4pm Sun 26th Whittington Castle, Whittington, Shropshire. SY11 4DF 10am-4pm
July Sun 3rd Sugnall Walled Garden, Eccleshall, Staffs. ST21 6NF 10am-4pm Sat/Sun 16th/17th Henbury Hall, Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 9PJ 10am-5pm Sat 30th Battlefield 1403, Shrewsbury, Shrops, SY4 3DB 9:30am-4pm Sun 31st Carsington Water, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. DE6 1ST 10-4pm
August Sat 6
th
Sun 7
National Memorial Arboretum Alrewas Staffs DE13 7AR 10am-4:30pm
th
Donington Le Heath Manor House, Leicestershire LE67 2FW 10am-4pm
st
Sun 21 Abbeywood Gardens, Delamere, Cheshire CW8 2HS, 10am-5pm Sun/Mon 28th/29th Dorothy Clive Garden, Newcastle Staffs TF9 4EU 10am-5pm
September Sat 3rd Bodenham Arboretum near Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SY 11am-5pm Sun 4th Ness Botanic Gardens Wirral, Cheshire. CH64 4AY. 10am-4pm Fair Sun 11th Weston Park, Shifnal, Shropshire. TF11 8LE 10am-4pm Details may change due to prevailing circumstances.
Keep up to date at www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk follow us on Twitter @plantfairs
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