At last spring is in the air and summer is coming. We should be mindful of climate issues but not let it put us off gardening forever
May and June are often thought of as a difficult time as often there is a lot of foliage and not many flowers. I am often asked how do I fill this gap…?
Go Shopping!
I think we all deserve a treat after the horrendous weather extremes we have been dealt. We can’t choose plants will survive every eventuality we can only do our best. If May is a time when your garden is very green there is nothing like a trip to the garden centre. If the plants are hardened off and used to the outdoors they will be on sale outdoors. If they are in flower when you buy them you would assume they will flower at the same time next year. Don’t be tempted to buy plants sold undercover and put them straight into your garden, they need to be acclimatised to the outside first. You will need to do a bit of research so it’s not totally impulsive!
Plant Choices
Most flowering plants can be describe as five minute wonders or those that reward us for a longer period of time. Irises and Aquilegias I would not be without along with many alpines but they don’t last long. Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ is a perennial wallflower that flowers for the whole of the summer. It tends to only live for a few years but not expensive to replace. Hardy Fushsias and Roses are also reliable bloomers all summer long as is Geranium ‘Rozanne’. It’s important to know the proper name of the plant and ‘what it does’. It is also essential to know your soil pH and if it likes sun, shade, sandy soil, wet soil etc etc. Luckily these days there are very educational label. Bedding plants are available now but be aware there can still be frosts in May!
Jobs to do now
It’s very important to weed and mulch but not excessively, a lot of ‘weeds’ are beneficial to wildlife and don’t discount the beauty of flowers. Consider leaving red and white dead nettle and dandelions as well as nettles in some areas of your garden. Planting is great at this time of the year but remember how important it is to learn how to water properly. So many plants are lost in the first season due to lack of water.
The Chelsea chop
This is something you can do at the end of May to encourage more flowers on some perennials like Helianthis, Helenium, Lynchis and many others. It can also encourage them to become sturdier and self supporting.
Looking forward
We should probably be buying more plants in season and enjoying them for as long as we can. Learn about your soil and how to improve it. Courses and workshops can create confidence and are great fun. Learn how different plants can contribute to your outdoor space.
CGS Courses
Please ask for details as I am running pruning courses throughout spring and autumn. Each plant has a different requirement and learning about pruning techniques is addictive! I can also come and teach you in your own garden.
With spring around the corner and gardens being spruced up for the warmer weather to come, Traeger – makers of world-leading premium wood pellet BBQ’s – are holding a Trager Fest Weekend, at Webbs of Millets Farm, Kingston Rd, Frilford, Abingdon OX13 5HB on 15th and 16th April.
There’s something for all foodie tastes at Traeger Fest. On the Saturday, Traeger will be showcasing Classic American themed food, including dishes such as delicious Smashed Burgers, Chicken Wings and Cookies.
Sunday’s theme will be traditional English Roast Dinner, including a range of tasty classics such Roast Pork with Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings – all cooked on Traeger grills.
BBQ lovers can pop along at any time, to experience music, delicious food, and Traeger’s famous wood pellet grills. A Traeger chef will be on hand all weekend to showcase the grills, share top grilling tips, and hand out delicious samples to try.
Everyone is welcome to come along and soak up the Traeger atmosphere and you might even pick up some lovely new plants for your garden whilst you are there!
Traeger tips, hacks and recipes – 2023
What’s your top trick for cleaning your grill?
• Clean little and often rather than letting it build up. Using a Traeger cleaning spray helps. • Wipe it down while it’s still hot! It’s much easier to do than when it’s cold. If you don’t have a wooden Traeger scraper, a ball of tinfoil works really well. Do this either at the end of your cook or once you’ve preheated the BBQ. • For the grill grate itself, grill brush to scrape away large pieces and then a half onion on a hot grill to sterilise and flavour. The acids in the onion will help lift the grease.
What’s your top BBQ cooking hack?
• Always give yourself more time than you think you’ll need! Worst case scenario, the food is done a little early. Wrap it up, put your oven on the lowest setting (usually around 60c) and keep it warm. • No matter what happens with a cook, even if it goes wrong, it can more than likely be recused and still turned into something amazing. • Re-season your food with the rub you have used to start with, it adds a big depth of flavour. • To BBQ the juiciest chicken wings with the crispiest skin – cook them at two different temperatures. Start by smoking them low and slow to lock in the flavour, then half way through – turn up the temperature to crisp up the skin. • Wrap an assembled burger in foil and put it back on the grill. Takes it to the next juiciest level!
What trends do you think will be big this year in BBQ?
• Cheaper/ different cuts of meat will feature heavily as people want better value for money with the cost of living crisis and want as much bang for their buck. • Mexican food such as tacos and easy one pot recipes such as Goulash or stews. • Smoking food and cooking low and slow are going to be big trends this year. This method of cooking is definitely becoming more popular in the UK with dishes such as smoked pulled pork, ribs and wings. • We see more and more foods getting ‘smashed’. It started with the avocado, then we had burgers last season… Now we can see smashed potatoes next • We should start to see more plant based and gluten free products as health comes to the top agenda. • Batch cooking will return and with the mindset of healthy meal planning and reducing food waste.
What’s your go-to veggie dish to cook on a BBQ?
• Moroccan vegetable tagine or buffalo spiced cauliflower steaks. • Corn on the cob with any Italian hard cheese and chilli melted on top. • Grill Hispi cabbage, then while still hot, drizzle a jalapeno or chipotle honey sauce, making sure it gets between the layers. Finish with crumbled feta and crispy onions. • Smoked cream cheese is a great little snack when you have people round. Sprinkle some rub onto the cheese and then drizzle on some hot honey once it’s done. Break out the ritz crackers and boom, your finest smokey, cheesy sharing dish. • A smoked, confit vegetable tart. • Vegetable pockets. Mix together Carrots, peas, cauliflower and broccoli mix together in a white or cheesy sauce and wrap it all up in puff pastry.
What’s your go-to veggie or vegan dish to cook on a BBQ?
• Braised carrots in a stock that’s flavoured with everything you will find in pickle vinegar, then smoke then and serve them as ‘not dogs’. • A tray bake is always a good one to do. Throw in some new potatoes with a load of veggies. Sprinkle some Traeger Veggie rub over the top and bake in the Traeger until everything’s lovely and soft. • Some smoked confit tomatoes which make an incredible bruschetta or a fantastic brown sugar and cinnamon slow smoked butternut squash.
Why are pellets the best way to grill?
• Wood pellets are clean, efficient, cost effective, family friendly and they produce the most incredible clean smokey flavour. • Pellets are the best way to grill as they enhance the flavour of whatever you are cooking, depending on which wood flavour you use. You get such a big punch of flavour even from a small number of pellets. • Wood pellets give you all the smoke flavour you need, with none of the hassle. You don’t have to worry about fire management like other methods of grilling, which means you can put 100% of your focus on the food and have 1 less thing to stress about.
How to cook the perfect steak?
• Use the reverse sear method. Season your steak with Traeger coffee rub, set your Traeger to 110c and insert the built in probe or Meater probe. If you like a medium rare steak, once the internal temperature hits 46c, remove the steak from the grill. Put the Traeger cast iron on the grate to heat up first, then add the steak and turn up the temperature as high as it goes. Sear each side for just a couple of minutes until you’ve hit 56c internal. • Always use a good rub that’s made for the type of meat you are cooking. With Steak – use a beef rub. • Use a steak that is at least a 1-inch thick and has the same thickness throughout, to ensure a uniform cook throughout the steak: Reverse Seared Ribeye Steaks Recipe – Traeger Grills • Most importantly, let the meat rest, so any juices have come out before serving.
Ingredients
• 1 Thick cut steak (no less than 1″) of your choice • Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan Rub • Steak needs to acclimatise to room temperature, so allow it to rest out of the fridge for around 30 minutes. If you hit your steak with heat straight from the fridge, it will contract and seize up and you will have a tough piece of meat.
• Pat your steak dry with some kitchen roll and season liberally with traeger blackened Saskatchewan and leave it on the side for 30 minutes. • Set your traeger for 100 degrees c using Traeger Signature pellets where possible. • Place your meat probe into the thickest part of your steak, making sure you avoid any fat as this will increase your temperatures. • Grill on both sides as you prefer.
How important is it marinade meat or fish before you BBQ?
• It’s important for a few reasons. A marinade will add flavour, help tenderise the meat and lock in important juices. Try adding marinade or re-season while the meat or fish is resting to add even more flavour. • Don’t overpower with too much rub or marinade, so that the star of the show doesn’t lose its identity.
What wouldbe the perfect dish to create on your grill to celebrate the King’s Coronation?
• Coronation roasted rack of lamb with an asian style marinade served with roasted potatoes and green salad. • Probably a suckling pig, with smoked apple sauce, red cabbage, beer gravy, loads of roasted veg and roasted potatoes! • A coronation Chicken burger! A classic BBQ food, with a coronation twist. Who doesn’t love a good burger? • King Charles is a very keen farmer so perhaps a classic roast beef with all the trimmings, championing the UK produce would be the best BBQ meal, fit for a king!
Roasted Sheet Pan Salmon with Spring Veg and Pesto
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 12 mins | Serves: 4
The beauty of this recipe is that it all cooks together in 10-12 minutes! Salmon is such a crowd-pleaser on the grill and is a perfect match for these spring vegetables with pesto. But how often do we focus on crispy salmon skin? This recipe cooks the salmon with the skin side up for a beautiful presentation for those who love the skin. And if you don’t care for it? No worries! Cook it skin-side down and it will still be beautiful.
Ingredients
• 4 Salmon pieces (100g), skin on, pin bones removed • 3 tablespoons olive oil • Rock salt and freshly ground black pepper • 16 fresh asparagus spears, sliced into 2.5cm pieces • 180g cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved • 300g sugar snap peas • 1 1/2 lemons halved • 85g fresh pesto • 2/3 lemon, zested • Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Steps
1. When ready to cook, set the temperature to high and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
2. Rinse the salmon and pat dry with paper towel. Brush all sides of the salmon with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides. Place the salmon pieces skin-side up on the sheet tray (or down if preferred) leaving 2 inches between each piece.
3. Place the asparagus, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Gently mix the vegetables with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a fresh grinding of pepper. Scatter the vegetables evenly onto the sheet pan.
4. Place the sheet pan on the grill. In addition, place the lemons cut-side down directly on the grill grate towards the front of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes at 80°C
5. After 5 minutes, remove the lemons from the grill and stir the vegetables. Close the lid and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 60°C and can be flaked with a fork.
6. Remove the sheet pan from the grill. Place the fish and vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle with the pesto. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the top of the fish and vegetables and add a few basil leaves for garnish. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Surrey Wildlife Trust and RHS call on gardeners to give the mower a rest and bring their lawns to life for nature
Surrey Wildlife Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are calling on gardeners to ditch the ‘golf course’ look and reimagine their lawns this spring and summer.
The ‘Bring your lawn to life‘ initiative encourages people to cut their grass less regularly and embrace daisies, dandelions, clovers and other naturally flowering plants. Leaving more space for native vegetation means the pollinating insects we all depend on, as well as a huge range of other wildlife from frogs to finches, has a much better chance of survival.
Lawns left to grow long help mitigate flooding by soaking up more rainwater, counter the ‘heat island’ effect in urban areas, and capture pollutants. They are also better at resisting browning during dry spells owing to their longer roots.
Their benefits continue into the height of summer, providing all-important habitat for a whole host of insects including ants, bees, beetles and butterflies.
The charities have set out five ways to love your lawn this year:
• Reduce the frequency of mowing to once every three to four weeks to allow flowers such as dandelion and speedwell to bloom and help pollinators. • Keep some areas short as pathways, sunbathing spots, and foraging areas for worm-eating birds. For the rest, let the grass grow a little longer, offering shelter to grasshoppers and other insects. In turn, these creatures are food for frogs, birds and bats. • Allow parts of your lawn to grow long for the whole summer so that caterpillars can feed and transform into butterflies and moths. • Turn a blind eye to the odd bare patch as these provide sites for ground nesting bees. • If you do want a luscious green carpet, consider growing hardy yarrow within your lawn or, where this is limited footfall, experiment with a tapestry lawn and grow herbs and flowers such as chamomile and creeping thyme.
Given that most lawn-dwelling plants are annuals, there is plenty of scope to experiment with different layouts and mowing patterns each year, giving gardeners numerous outlets for their creativity.
Lucy Cahill, Team Wilder Project Officer at Surrey Wildlife Trust says: “Private gardens cover more of the UK than all our nature reserves combined, so just imagine the difference we could make if every one of them became a sanctuary for wildlife. And with so much colour and contrast on offer, a lawn that makes space for nature can look as beautiful as the most formal display.
“We all depend on the services nature provides, so we all have something to gain by helping make Surrey wilder.”
Helen Bostock, Senior Wildlife Specialist at the RHS, says: “Lawns, while central to many garden designs, are often overlooked as important ecosystems in favour of the plants in beds that border them. But they’re home to a huge amount of wildlife and help mitigate the impact of climate change.
“We want to inspire people to get up close and personal with their lawns this year, discover what can be found in their swathes of green and dabble with new, more hands-off means of management.”
For more user-friendly information on how your lawn can help wildlife, visit Wild about lawns.
Surrey Wildlife Trust is currently asking for donations to create and protect hedgerow and woodland habitat for the threatened Hazel Dormouse – part of a vision for Surrey as a county where people and nature can thrive together. For more information or to make a donation visit Surrey Wildlife Trust.
Cathie Welch of Cathie’s Gardening School turns her attention to one of the most pressing issues for gardeners this month – the pruning dilemma
With the extremes of temperature and subsequent plant damage I have attended many garden consultancies and answered numerous questions from my students and clients. All the questions and concerns have been exactly the same; do I prune now or leave well alone? This question is one that has stumped all of us experts as these climate extremes have never happened before.
Dead or alive?
Even though plants have suffered terribly some will have died and others will have just become defoliated or gone brown. The important bit is under the bark on the stems (the cambium layer where the cells divide). Using your nail or the blade of secateurs scrape away a little of the bark. It should be bright green. If it’s brown it’s dead. This all depends on the type of plant of course and it’s never that easy!
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Here are the best places to see spring flowers at National Trust gardens in Sussex this season. From blossom to bluebells, daffodils to rhododendrons, the signs of spring are sure to raise the spirits.
Everyone’s got a favourite spring flower, one that makes us happy, or brings to mind someone close to us. The hopeful sight of a swathe of purple crocuses or cheerful carpet of delicate bluebells can make our day.
As we emerge from the hibernation of winter, this is the perfect time to meet up with loved ones for a spring pilgrimage to see the bulbs and blooms, followed by a catch-up over a cuppa.
Find out more about the National Trust’s spring gardens near you:
Spring bulbs and magnolias at Nymans
Near Handcross, West Sussex, normal admission applies
The romantic garden at Nymans is dreamy in spring, with the Wall Garden full of blossom and bulbs. Spring starts with the first daffodils, narcissi and fragrant daphnes in March and April, followed by unusual heritage varieties of bulbs, along the recently replanted Edwardian spring border. Look out for the large collection of magnolia trees throughout the garden, which are spectacular at Nymans. These are followed by bold, colourful azaleas and rhododendrons, which come into their own as spring warms up in April and May.
Views out across the Weald are beautifully clear at this time of year and you can spot wildflowers along the pathways in the woodland, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Joe Whelan, Head Gardener at Nymans gives these gardening tips: “Early spring is a good time to plant trees, before the ground starts to heat up too much, it will give them a chance to get established. A lot of tender annuals can be sown indoors, or on a windowsill, in February and March. Keep on top of the early spring weeds, it will save you time later in the year.”
Image: National Trust / Andrew Honour
Image: National Trust / Andrew Honour
Rhododendrons and blossom at Sheffield Park and Garden
Near Uckfield, East Sussex, normal admission applies
With shimmering sweeps of lakes, woodlands glowing with bluebells, bustling rhododendrons and a vast parkland you can lose yourself in, Sheffield Park is the perfect spot to energise and feel the excitement of nature awakening. Bring family and friends, or just treat yourself, as you dive into a blossom-filled Sheffield Park and find your sense of wellbeing within nature.
Each year the gardeners at Sheffield Park plant new trees, to ensure the beauty of the garden for years to come. This year they are focusing on planting blossoming trees such as ornamental cherry, crab apple and magnolia in the newly reopened stream Garden, café border and throughout the formal gardens. Look out too for early-flowering blackthorn and hawthorn blossom, which are so crucial to native insects and wildlife at this time of year.
Image: National Trust / Andrew Butler
Apple blossom and spring bulbs at Standen
Near East Grinstead, West Sussex, normal admission applies
Standen comes to life in springtime, with banks of daffodils and fritillaries around the garden and tulips on the house terrace. The bluebells in Rockinghill Wood are spectacular in late April. Rhododendrons from Mrs Beale’s original collection can be seen around the garden from mid May. While in late spring, wisteria clothes the wall by the lavender lawn with fragrant purple blooms. The garden team at Standen recently replanted the cafe borders with over a thousand alliums and a narcissus called Goose Green.
James Masters, Head Gardener, describes his favourite spots to see blossom at Standen:“The Orchard is beautiful in the mornings with the sun behind, the beehives dotted throughout and daffodils underneath. We have apple, pear, cherry, quince and medlar blossom at Standen – in the orchard, around Goose Green and the kitchen garden. Pear blossom is normally first out in mid-March, with pink apple blossom coming through in April. Most of our fruit trees are local varieties. The large espalier apples in the lower Kitchen Garden were planted in 1893 and are still producing fruit. They are some of the most impressive trees we have in the Garden. The best places for photographs include the medlar, which is a lovely small tree on the Green and the first tree you see at the property: it has rocks around it which are great for group shots, perched in front of the blossom.”
Image: National Trust / Laurence Perry
Tulips at Bateman’s
Burwash, East Sussex, normal admission applies
In the walled Mulberry Garden, at the home of Rudyard Kipling, an array of early flowering tulips in ruby red, bronze, orange and purple are planted in drifts with complementary wallflowers. Visit in mid to late April to enjoy a visual feast of spring colour and delight in the blooms from around 4,000 bulbs – including fourteen different tulip varieties. Watch them open in the sun and follow the sun’s path throughout the day. The fragrant, colourful wallflowers and provide forage for early bumblebees such as the common carder.
Spring in the pleasure garden at Petworth House
Petworth, West Sussex, normal admission applies
The pleasure garden was designed by ‘Capability’ Brown in the late 18th century. Today it is one of Petworth’s best kept secrets and well worth exploring. The serpentine paths, stone follies and spring blossom make this a beautiful place to walk. Crab apple and cherry blossom is interspersed with bluebells, rhododendrons and azaleas.
A great place for a spring photo at Petworth is the Ionic Rotunda, which was constructed in 1766 and is reminiscent of the Temple of Vesta at Trivoli, Italy. The ground leading to it is filled with daffodils in early spring – and then bluebells. You can also see these flowers in the formal beds near the mansion, along with primroses and cyclamen in the garden.
Daffodils at Uppark
Near Petersfield, West Sussex, normal admission applies
Hundreds of fragrant white narcissus ‘Thalia’, and creamy white and yellow frilled variety ‘Ice Follies’ greet you just outside the main gates to these landscaped gardens. Delicate pale yellow dwarf narcissus ‘W.P Milner’ lines the driveway to the mansion house – a favourite spring display with visitors.
Keep an eye out for pale blue spring starflower and a mix of irises in the border next to the café. In the formal garden, a magnificent magnolia tree produces large waxy pink petals and perennial honesty provides a profusion of scented, lilac-white flowers that bees and butterflies love.
In late spring, Uppark’s small wildflower meadow begins its changing displays, as the long grasses are gradually dotted with yellow rattle, crown imperials and fragile orchids. On a warm spring day this is a lovely space to wander into and sit for a while, surrounded by the gentle yum of wildlife.
Garden rooms at Woolbeding Gardens
Near Midhurst, West Sussex, entry by prebooked tickets, travel by minibus from Midhurst, admission applies
Woolbeding Gardens delights at every turn with its distinctive garden rooms set against thoughtfully composed borders – look out for primulas, geraniums and other early flowering perennials. Apples trained to climb the historic walls of the herb garden reveal displays of blossom set around a central sundial and English thyme beds. In the Ruined Abbey, cherry trees show their white and pink blossom, which create a carpet of petal confetti on the grass below, in the spring breeze.
Cottage garden at Alfriston Clergy House
Alfriston, East Sussex, entry by prebooked tickets, admission applies
The cottage garden at Alfriston Clergy House is a lovely place to find inspiration on a domestic scale. The orchard is planted with rare varieties of apples such as Lady Sudeley, Crawley beauty, Monarch and the local Alfriston apple.
Blossom and bulbs at Monk’s House
Rodmell, Sussex, entry by prebooked tickets, admission applies
A beautiful English country garden designed by Leonard Woolf with incredible views of the Sussex Downs. Virginia Woolf was greatly influenced by the garden and her short story ‘The Orchard’ was inspired by the garden at Monk’s House. In spring the garden is bursting with buds and flowers, including tulips, daffodils, hellebores and magnolias. While the orchard is a flurry of apple and pear blossom.
Here are the best places to see spring flowers at National Trust gardens in Surrey this season. From blossom to bluebells, daffodils to rhododendrons, the signs of spring are sure to raise the spirits.
Everyone’s got a favourite flower, one that makes us happy, or brings to mind someone close to us. The hopeful sight of a swathe of purple crocuses or cheerful carpet of delicate bluebells can make our day.
As we emerge from the hibernation of winter, this is the perfect time to meet up with loved ones for a spring pilgrimage to see the bulbs and blooms, followed by a catch-up over a cuppa.
Find out more about the National Trust’s spring gardens near you:
Spring bulbs and blossom at Polesden Lacey
Near Dorking, Surrey, normal admission applies
Take in the views of the Edwardian house at Polesden Lacey framed by swathes of daffodils and spring bulbs, while the little ones can enjoy the brand new play area. Take a walk through the gardens to find floral fiestas in the spring borders, daffodils along New Lime Walk and anemones in the courtyard.
New for this year are 35,000 spring crocuses planted in the Ladies’ Garden to commemorate Mrs Greville. The garden team are planting a new Blossom Garden as you enter the property. In years to come 40 new cherry trees will blossom, among a meadow of wildflowers.
For well-established blossom trees, wind your way to Home Farm Orchard, where mature apple and pear trees are full of blossom in spring. Perch on a picnic bench under the apple blossom and breathe in the spring.
Image: National Trust / Megan Taylor
Image: National Trust / Eddie Hyde
Bluebells at Hatchlands Park
Near Guildford, Surrey, normal admission applies
The parkland at Hatchlands is a glorious place to visit for a spring walk. Delicate bluebells form a carpet of violet in the ancient woodlands in late April and early May. Pretty anemones and violets are scattered along the Long Walk, followed by the cheery sight of cowslips in the meadow and May blossom. Enjoy the scent of lilac and skimmia in the garden and see daffodils beneath a magnificent London plane tree.
The much-loved Hatchlands donkeys are moving to a new purpose built stable this spring. Close by will be a small play area for pre-schoolers and picnic benches.
Image: National Trust / James Dobson
Daffodils and rhododendrons at Claremont Landscape Garden
Near Esher, Surrey, normal admission applies
Take time out to enjoy the refreshing sights of spring, when Claremont Landscape Garden is at its loveliest. Swathes of daffodils and camellias first herald the new season, with azaleas and rhododendrons following on.
As the days get longer, stroll through corridors of rhododendrons, the sunshine sparkling on the lake and look out for tiny ducklings and goslings. There are wonderful viewpoints and vistas from which to watch the signs of spring emerge as the garden awakens.
Image: National Trust / Andrew Butler
Image: National Trust / Andy Millar
Bluebells and azaleas at Winkworth Arboretum
Near Godalming, Surrey, normal admission applies
Spring arrives at Winkworth with pops of daffodils and magnolias in bloom at first, then an explosion of colour: with rhododendrons, azaleas and bluebells spreading glorious colour across the arboretum.
Walking down the azalea steps at Winkworth Arboretum on a May morning is a moment of heaven in Surrey, with their boldly coloured flowers and the echoing song of blackbirds. The upper slopes of the arboretum and bluebell wood fill out with an unmissable carpet of native bluebells.
Thanks to recent conservation work by the countryside team, the bluebells will have even more opportunity to emerge throughout the arboretum this year.
Image: National Trust / John Millar
Image: National Trust / James Dobson
Rhododendrons and bluebells at Leith Hill
Normal parking charges apply
At the foot of Leith Hill, the winding paths of Caroline Wedgwood’s historic rhododendron wood are lined with vibrant rhododendron blooms and gently scented azaleas. The towering specimen trees, including redwoods, provide dappled shade and a place to relax.
A climb up to Franks Wood will be rewarded with the wonderful haze and scent of native bluebells and spectacular views across the south downs.
A garden with nature’s recovery at its heart will be premiered by The Wildlife Trusts at this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival.
The Wildlife Trusts: Wilder Spaces garden promises to take wildlife-friendly gardening to a new level, combining beauty with biodiversity.
Wilder Spaces is sponsored by The Wildlife Trusts, led by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and its ecological consultancy Future Nature WTC. Working with experts from Oxford Garden Design, the team will demonstrate how wildlife habitats can be designed into the structure of a garden, using building waste, reclaimed material and untreated timbers. With biodiversity designed into the garden, hopes of winning a prestigious RHS medal are high.
The Wildlife Trusts believe gardening has a vital role to play in nature’s recovery, with long-term benefits for climate and people’s wellbeing too. The aim of the garden is to inspire visitors to think differently about the appearance of a garden designed for people and wildlife, and to show how we can all nurture nature, no matter what size or style of garden.
Estelle Bailey, BBOWT’s chief executive, said: “Nature is in crisis and not enough is being done to reverse this terrible decline in the UK’s biodiversity. We want to see 30% of land well managed for nature by 2030 and our gardens are a vital part of that wild jigsaw. Private gardens make up a bigger area than all of Britain’s nature reserves combined – they can provide a mosaic of mini-habitats that support a diverse range of species, so they are key to helping create more nature everywhere. RHS Malvern Spring Festival will be a great opportunity to showcase to people everywhere what they can achieve in their own gardens for nature, for climate and for themselves.”
The garden will include a range of nature and climate positive features, including grassland, wetland & deadwood, pollinator and larval friendly planting, a steam, waterfall and pond, a compost channel and hoverfly stumpery, recycled materials – timber, steel, building aggregate, a biodiverse roof and solitary bee columns & climate resilient planting and landscaping.
The garden features a watercourse that meanders through the plot towards a central pond and a section of bog planting. A pavilion, created in conjunction with Charlie Luxton Design and constructed from reclaimed steel joists and grating, will be topped with a living roof.
Oxford Garden Design, with Jamie Langlands as lead designer, is returning to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival following its successful 2022 show garden. Jamie has designed a garden that’s beautiful to behold and beneficial for the natural world. Jamie says: “I love creating spaces that are wild and untamed whilst having a little wonder within them.”
“I love creating spaces that are wild and untamed”
Sheena Marsh, owner and founder of Oxford Garden Design, which is also building the garden, said: “We are delighted to be working with BBOWT on The Wilder Spaces Garden, bringing together our learnings from BBOWT with Jamie’s creativity. We hope that this garden will inspire home owners to create wilder spaces in their own gardens.”
Once the RHS Malvern Spring Festival is over, the garden will be distributed across various Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust sites and projects. The seating will go to BBOWT’s College Lake visitor Centre, near Tring or Sutton Courtenay Education Centre’s wildlife garden near Didcot. The RHS Malvern Spring Festival runs from 11-14 May 2023 at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire.
Cathie Welch from Cathie’s Gardening School looks at how we can grow and maintain happy plants in our ever changing climates
Last time I sat to write this article I wrote about not giving up the challenge of growing vegetables. Following on from the blistering summer heat we then had Permafrost followed by rain and flooding. This is a challenge for everyone but particular growers, farmers and gardeners. Although I am at a loss as to what to do I am also in a position to find it quite interesting from a horticultural point of view.
The extremes of temperature
There is a lot of information around about gardening in a changing climate but often focusses on the hot summers. There is also a plethora of advice on the plants that tolerate frost, indeed there is a scale of temperature tolerance. We can work out what plants like damp soils, dry soils, sun, shade and indeed those that grow in water. BUT… and it’s a big one! We are now looking at plants that have survived the 40 degree heat, the minus 12 followed by floods. And it’s not even that straightforward because just as we think it’s got milder and plants start to grow again more extreme events happen. It is a minefield and so many people are asking me what to do with their plants that look dead.
The plants that thrived and then died
Phormiums have been beautiful statements in my garden for years, evergreen, colourful, interesting in winter and all the year round, little maintenance, thrive in a sandy soil with little water thrived in the heat and died in the cold. Pittosporums which I have used widely in my garden and others have all defoliated. Another evergreen providing winter structure to replace the box decimated by caterpillar and blight. These are both New Zealand plants that have always been bulletproof!
The plants that thrived and survived
Now this is where it gets interesting. My Trachycarpus fortuneii (hardy palm) have thrived in the heat and not suffered too much in the extensive frosts and flooding. Another surprise is the Yucca (century plant) another tropical looking feature in the garden is laughing in the face of adversity! Roses, dogwoods, willows. Tew, fruit trees etc are looking fine too.
The plants that were damaged but will recover
I was again surprised that my Lonicera hedge took such a battering but encouraged that the same thing had happened at Wisley. I am assuming that once it starts growing in the spring I’ll be able to cut back to healthy shoots. Many evergreens were badly scorched like Choisya, Pseudopanax, Fatsia, Daphne, Euonymous, Skimmia, Hebe and so on which again I will leave until the Spring before pruning. If cut now it can stimulate early growth which can still be damaged by frost. The jury is out on the Phormiums and Cordylines which may grow back from the ground but I’ve cut off all the squishy bits because I don’t want to look at them.
Learn from this
It is important to know your plants, where they come from and what has killed them. This is new to all us experts and it’s a bit of a waiting game. Hopefully the weather will warm up soon but not too much! I’d love to hear your observations and stories.
Cathie’s Gardening School Services
I am running pruning courses throughout summer and autumn. You can join the class and we can come and prune in your garden. Please get in touch, come for a coffee and join in!
Garden designer, TV presenter & dad Adam Frost, 53, chats to Liz Nicholls about favourite flowers, family & being propositioned ahead of his UK tour.
Q. Hello Adam! How are you?
“I’m all right thank you. Even though this is the worst time of the year; I can’t wait for it to warm up and get outside!”
Q. Please could you tells us about your grandparents’ allotment?
“It was Tidy Nan who had the allotment (I’ve got Tidy Nan & Scruffy Nan, who I talk about a lot). Tidy Nan & Grandad had the allotment just along the lane from their back gate and here was one of my first experiences of growing veggies, following my grandad along, dropping the potatoes in the holes. I had a bed with my name on it in black slate, which I’ve still got. I used to grow the marrows, cabbages. We’d go up there on Saturday and have breakfast. Grandad would have his tie and jacket on and off we’d go.
“Nan would come along later when she’d done her bits and pieces in the house. I didn’t realise it at the time but looking back it was amazing times because I had quite a complicated time growing up but grandparents or gardens were my safe places. I still use it as that; I use the growing veggies as my hobby, which sounds sad from a gardener, but it’s the bit I go to when I don’t want to think about designing or creating. We’d come back teatime and Nan would boil something half to death, because that’s what they did then, bless them. We’d do the Pools on the football results and have a wonderful time. That particular Nan was probably more of a maternal figure. The smell of tomatoes… all that early scent memory is driven from their garden, their greenhouse, their allotment and there’s not a time goes by when I don’t give them a thought. Strange, innit, how we connect to those things? That generation. We miss those times with grandparents.”
Q. The academy you helped found sounds great. Why is it important to inspire a younger generation of gardeners?
“I left home at 16 and was one of those kids who was told be a gardener, be a chef or join the Army. And I was lucky enough to get a placement with the parks department. But it was just at the time of privatisation so I was very lucky to get the end of this training system. When you look back through history, the amount of gardeners who went through these apprenticeships is mind-blowing. First of all I was doing bits & pieces for the RHS/ I’d do talks and go into the schools. The academy was born out of a conversation with a boss at Homebase really – a lad called Matt Compton on a rainy afternoon when I was generally moaning about the lack of opportunity for young people in horticulture.
“Matt and I set up this academy in our head and, bless him, he went and convinced the Homebase board that it was a really good idea. Then we developed this thing over four years and ended up taking on 80-odd students in a year. Sadly it’s gone now but it was probably one of the best things I’ve done, and it’s been nice bumping into people who went through that academy. Horticulture’s strange… I’ve heard people in education say gardening is for kids who mess about and I’ve even heard people say gardening is mainly for the ‘special needs’ kids said around the table… I went mental when I heard this! It’s an industry that covers everything – the arts, the sciences, everything in between. The opportunities are far better than they were 10 years ago. We’re getting more young people look at horticulture as something positive, a great career.”
Q. Do you get accosted while out and about, like a doctor? If so, what’s the weirdest gardening query anyone has ever thrown at you?
“I’m just a lad that’s done all right. The weirdest thing has been dealing with people knowing who you are and just… well, I’ve been more or less propositioned in supermarkets in a romantic way, which is rather bizarre for a 50-something bloke that’s married with four kids. It’s charming that I get recognised but that attention is weird! Some of the things that ladies have said to me, if I’d said to a lady, they’d cause quite a lot of bother but if you’re a bloke you have to laugh! To be fair Mrs Frost thinks it’s hilarious. People are lovely and the other side of that is I do feel semi-adopted by so many people which has been incredible. I just rocked up on telly and didn’t think anybody would take any notice let alone this… That’s one of the things with the tour – I didn’t think anyone would turn up! Then they did and then we even had to extend it. It’s humbling.”
Q. It’s great watching you on TV. How’s your mental health doing, and does gardening and the great outdoor help with this?
“My mental health is in decent shape thank you, even though the winters tend to be dark, gloomy and horrible and I’m better when I’m outside, as I said at the start of this chat. One of the things I’ve noticed from the tour is that a lot of people want to know why I’ve moved.
“Well, Mrs Frost was really poorly in lockdown and she ended up in hospital for about 12 weeks and number three child Amber Lily was about 15 at the time and was self harming and that turned into a full-blown eating disorder. Then about 18 months later I was locked in a room with Covid and sat in front of a doctor and psychiatrist who said ‘you’ve got burn-out and depression’, which was a surprise as I only thought I had Covid. I’ve done quite a lot of soul-searching, talking, sorting out over the last 18 months, so I probably understand a lot more about myself now. When that happened the garden we were in felt quite overwhelming and I was losing my contact with it. And then we simplified life and moved and it was like that connection was reborn. It’s been lovely and I hadn’t realised, Mrs Frost uses the garden quite a lot in the summer as a place to go and connect, slow down. I think the surprising thing was I’ve always used the garden to fix me and when I was poorly I didn’t want to go in the garden.
“I’ve just done a load of podcasts for Gardeners’ World magazine – eight conversations with different people and that was fascinating as well. You think you know it all then you talk to experts and realise you know a bit of it but you don’t quite understand the detail they do.”
Q. What’s your favourite flower, and why?
“Wow that’s like asking me who my favourite kid is. I’ve got a favourite child but it changes… Haha, my eldest is here with me, smiling at me! I sort of haven’t got a favourite but a couple I’m drawn to… Cercidiphyllum Japonicum, the candyfloss tree that makes me smile. I have little oddities like that. Some of the hardy geraniums remind me of my Nan. A lot of the plants I tend to be drawn to are memory-driven choices.”
“A lot of the plants I tend to be drawn to are memory-driven choices.”
Q. We’re celebrating weddings this month. What was the favourite aspect of yours? And what advice would you give for planning a wedding? And a happy marriage?
“As a bloke, as a fella, propose to your wife and if she says she wants to get married quickly let her organise it in eight weeks! That’s pretty much what happened with us. She went into manic wedding mode and organised it incredibly quickly, and I said ‘yes’ a lot. I enjoyed the musical element to the day – we walked in and out to music; all sorts including one particular song by David Gray, and we have a line from that inside our wedding rings.
“I think try to do something that’s going to be a surprise to your wife, your partner. If you’re not the main organiser, add a surprise. I found a beautiful limited-edition painting called Wedding Day of a lady in a slip holding a rose and I bought that to give to Mrs Frost. I was once told by a fella in his 90s that he decided early on that he could either be right or happy… and he went for happy. I would say, 20-plus years on, do romantic things! Do little things! I annoy my missus by writing in lipstick on her mirror if I’m away for a couple of days… Which she pretends she likes but she tells the kids ‘oh he’s knackered the end of my lipstick!’ Make sure you keep the romance going. Cook a meal, do something, find some time.”
Q. Do you still love Chelsea Flower Show as much as ever?
“Yeah I love it. I’ve done it that many years that I’ve probably got slightly addicted to it. I’m probably at the stage that I need to go back and do one rather than turn up and walk around other people’s and tell the nation about them! The whole process from design to build, the people there, they have put 20+ days on site – those big gardens they have put their heart and soul into them and then on that press day morning the place gets cleaned up and transformed, everybody from horticulture turns up and it’s a celebration of the start of the gardening years. On the Sunday, Monday there’s this slow buzz. I think from this year on we’re going to be seeing more abut the connection with nature, we’ve gone from formality, how to create habitats that balance with nature. Our gardens are becoming more precious by the month really. We’re going to see a looser, more relaxed notion of what is a garden, what is a landscape? These filter down into the gardening world. Mental health, physical health. References to these as well.”
Q. What’s the best bit of gardening kit/ gadget that you couldn’t do without?
“Two bits: I’ve privileged enough to have worked in Japan, probably about 10 or 15 years ago, and I have a pair of Japanese secateurs which I adore, and then also a lovely little Dutch planting trail which is the one bit of kit that I get asked about the most. Monty [Don] has a similar one. I get slightly anxious when I can’t put my hands on them.”
Q. If you could make one wish for the world, what would it be?
“Connectivity and that we all look after it a little bit better, stop taking it for granted. We get sucked into the details of the politics of this or that but we collectively all just have to do our little bit.”
To book your tickets to hear Adam talk at a theatre near you, please visit fane.co.uk/adam-frost
Valentine’s Day isn’t just about a romantic meal for two, it’s about spending time with those we love, from our family to our best friends. It’s the perfect time to create a tablescape filled with love for your partner, family, best friends or for a Galentines brunch!
You don’t need to get your cupid’s arrow in a knot, styling a romantic table doesn’t need to be expensive and can be created using handmade decoration, hiring items, and using what you have at home.
Here are our top 14 tips for styling a dreamy tablescape for the 14th February
1 – Start with thinking of a theme. Having a theme can add instant fun or a luxurious element to the tablescape plus it helps with the décor decisions & keeping to a budget and helps keeps the table look cohesive.
2 – Create a vision board on Pinterest, it allows you to keep all your ideas in one place.
3 – There are endless romantic themes like, a classic red & hearts, or soft baby pink & pastels, a fun ‘Love Heart Be Mine’, an XOX with your Galentine’s or a Be Mine theme with someone you love.
4 – Linen always adds a luxurious feel to a table, but you don’t need to necessarily buy it! This can be hired for a fraction of the price. If you don’t want a full tablecloth, you could always use a runner down the centre of the table. This will add texture, a pop of colour without covering the whole table.
5 – Fold your napkins into hearts, you could add a little chocolate love heart on the napkin too!
6 – Do you have enough seats for everyone or chairs that match? You can hire extra chairs & benches. Have a matching set to give your table the extra wow factor. You could hang a little heart to the back of them. This is a great way to bring your theme into all areas of your Valentines tablescape.
7 – Love notes, on each place setting write a little note to your guest about something you love about them.
8 – Have a creative afternoon and make heart fan decorations for your special meal, these could be hung from windows, on the back of chairs or scattered on the table – check out our social media pages for full instructions.
9 – A special table is all about layers, use charger plates to give an instant luxurious feel to each setting. They can add textures and colours without overpowering the setting. These can be hired, there is no need to buy them!
10 – For a special table setting, use crystal glasses, and gold cutlery, something you might not have at home, these can be hired and even given back dirty!
11 – Remember to think about the height of the centrepiece, your guests need to be able to see each other, without a great big candelabra blocking their view! Use odd numbers of items, it creates a much more pleasing effect on the eye.
12 – No romantic table would be complete without flowers, you could go with traditional roses, pretty gipsofila that you can buy in the supermarket or even used little potted plants. Incorporate all the winter foliage and pretty winter flowers into your table set up. You can create a table runner, then add in elements like mini bows, chocolate hearts or even packets of love hearts!
13 – Fruit is a fantastic way to add a pop of colour to your tablescape, scatter strawberries or grapes around your décor or onto your plates. You could fill glass containers with fruit!
14 – At AB Event Hire we are conscious about the environment & stay away from one-use plastic throw-away items. Instead of buying new tableware, hire it in at a fraction of the price. Not only does it help reduce waste, but we can wash it up for you too! Use matching plates, cutlery, and glasses to create an instant cohesive feel to the tablescape.
For more information about how to hire items & tips on creating Valentine tablescapes, head over to our social media pages @ab_event_hire or our website AB Event Hire.
AB Event Hire is a family run wedding, event & catering equipment company. We are based in Woking and can supply you with all the items you might need to create a perfect celebration. Please get in touch with us, we would love to hear from you! Our telephone number is 01276 856440 and the office email is [email protected].
