Weekly catch up with garden & propagation

Garden Team

It’s been another hot and dry week in the garden and both plants and gardeners are wilting a bit in the sun. We have been planning our days to try and stay out of the scorching sun, weeding in sunnier areas in the morning before it gets too hot and then retreating to shadier parts at the back of the Water Garden in the afternoon.

Jobs this week have included cutting back plants that have flopped in the heat, and pulling out arum seed heads before they ripen and set seed. We cut back plants like Geranium phaeum and Tellima grandiflora all the way to the ground, so that in a couple of weeks time they’ll grow back with fresh, new foliage and hopefully we’ll even get a second flush of flowers.

Geranium phaeum

Tellima grandiflora

The Water Garden is now full of interesting shapes and textures of green foliage, but also colours in the form of hemerocallis and astilbes. 

Hemerocallis 

Astilbe

Propagation Team

We now have sixteen different varieties of agapanthus currently available on both our website and nursery. A customer favourite is Agapanthus 'Boleyn Blue', a chance seedling discovered here at Beth Chatto's. A very pale blue form, standing at over 1m tall, thriving in well drained soil and full sun. It's beautiful!

Agapanthus 'Boleyn Blue'

Emily, Miya and Sybille have been working on our seedlings this week, with many exciting things in the works, such as the pictured in hand Pulsatilla vulgaris. The propagation building soon became a gilded sight as an influx of Achillea filipendulina 'Gold Plate appeared like Rainbow's end. These gorgeous flowers, once dried, will be perfect for dry flower displays and bouquets.

Hollie has created a most stunning warm display on our nursery, the picture does not do it credit, so if you have chance please come take a look! The nursery is awash with colour and flowers right now.

A special mention for Hannah who received her Horticulture Operative Level 2 certificate this week, which she gained with distinction.

Well done Hannah! Frame it!

It's been hot, it's been busy, but as we take our first few steps into summer there's a real buzz over in the growing department. For so many treasures will soon be ready and we look forward to sharing these with you all.