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THE JOY OF DAHLIAS An area of one gardener’s allotment is dedicated to these bright and colourful blooms
from Xxfx
Rice paper plant Tetrapanax papyrifa Star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides
twodifferentroutestoabenchattheend.
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‘Thatway,Icompletelylostthe lawn,andtheareabetweenthecurvingpathsbecameabed, ’heexplains. Atthisstage,Samplottedagridacrossthegardenwithstringandwooden pegs:
It was a second consultation with a garden designer that gave Sam the couragetopaintthefencesblack. ‘Itmakesthespacelookbigger,whilealso providingaperfectbackdropforthefoliage, ’hesays.Heisafanofseeking professionalhelp: ‘Whenyou ’ renewtogardening,learningfromthepros isinvaluable. ’HealsodidaweekendgardendesigncoursewithAdamFrost, a presenter on BBC Gardeners ’World, and has found inspiration in his bookRHSHowtoCreateYourGarden. ‘Adamemphasisestheimportance of understanding your space and living with a new garden for at least a year before undertaking a major transformation, ’ explains Sam.
OnelessonSamreallytooktoheartistheimportanceofsoilpreparation and,afterliftingtheturftopreparethebedsandborders,hespentweeks removingrubble,junk,thousandsofshardsofglassandfivetonnesofsticky yellowclay. ‘Icarriedabout125refusesacksofclaythroughthehouse, ’he remembers. ‘Itwasgrubby,back-breakingwork. ’Next,hecarriedmanure, compostandgritintothegarden: ‘Thetimespentonpreppingthegarden and improving the soil is the best time you can spend in the long run. ’
Finally, he was ready to plant the main specimen trees – palms, tree ferns, loquats, bananas and rice paper plants. The design evolved through trial and error, but as Sam ’ s knowledge has increased, he ’ s replaced some plants and moved others: ‘It has all really filled out and I’ ve onlynowstoppedmovingthingsaround,butImightmovestuffagain; neversaynever!’Largelyevergreen,thegardenneedslittlemaintenance, apartfromwrappingthebananasandtreefernsinfleeceoverwinter.
Flower colour comes from perennials, such as crocosmias, passion flowers, agapanthus, fuchsias, dahlias and cannas – if the slugs can be keptatbay. ‘Mycannasfrequentlylooklikepaperdoilies!’ saysSam.For long-lasting,late-summercolour,begoniasareanotherfirmfavourite. ‘ItendtoavoidthegaudieronesinfavouroftheBolivianvarietiesor ones with deep-veined leaves, ’ he explains. Any weeds are largely stifled by dense ground cover from alchemilla, periwinkle and both wood and Japanesespurges: ‘IusetheonlineRHSplantfindertooltothoroughly researchwhatwillbestsuitmyconditions,anddon ’tbuyonawhim–it savesmoneyandbuildsupyourknowledge. ’
Today, Sam describes his garden as his ‘tropical mini-park’ . ‘I didn ’t want to create a typical jungle garden that would become overgrown or block the precious sunlight on the patio, ’ he explains. ‘The result is more controlled and curated, matching my own personality – I’ ve always been a bit of a neat freak. ’
Sam never tires of his garden and relishes the overwhelming sense of satisfaction that comes from toiling away to create something beautiful. ‘I love the way a garden takes on its own identity, ’ he observes. ‘In front of your eyes, it can evolve from being a simple collection of plants to somewhere with a true sense of place – a real sanctuary. ’
Solenostemon scutellarioides coleus
Sam and Andrés’s garden in Cranston Road, Forest Hill, opens in
SAM’S PICK OF THE BEST TROPICAL PLANTS
Rice paper plant Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ (above left) makes quite an impact, quickly sprouting new leaves the size and shape of a T-Rex footprint. Palm Trachycarpus wagnerianus is a good alternative to Trachycarpus fortunei, as it has stiffer leaves, which means they don’t get as battered by the wind. Dwarf fan palm Chamaerops humilis ‘Vulcano’ is slow growing, so a mature plant will maintain its shape and size for years. Star jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides (above centre) is a marvellous climber, with small fragrant white flowers in the summer and evergreen glossy leaves. ‘Every garden should have one, ’ says Sam. Cabbage palm Cordyline australis ‘I jokingly refer to mine as the toilet brush, ’ laughs Sam, ‘as it’s a single-stem tree – but they’re great for adding height without the spread. ’ Japanese sago palm Cycas revoluta is a very slow-growing prehistoric plant. ‘I’ll be honest, I haven’t had much luck with this one, ’ admits Sam. good drainage and nutrition, and if the leaves turn yellow and die, it can take years for them to grow back. ’ Coleus collection (above right) ‘These are such underrated plants. They come in so many wild patterns and colours. Their leaves are quite delicate, so just make sure you only plant them out when all risk of frost or freak hailstorms has passed, ’ says Sam. HB
PA S S I O N AT E A B O U T G A R D E N I N G
The joyof
DAHLIAS
Tucked away in the Essex countryside, an allotment taken on during lockdown has provided
