Find out what the propagation and garden teams have been up to this week.
Weekly catch up with garden & propagation
POSTED 14th August 2025
Garden Team
It’s been another scorcher of a week but fortunately we had lots of jobs to get done in the Water Garden where it always feels a bit cooler than the rest of the garden.
After last week’s rainfall, weeds were popping up in the borders, so we spent some time getting those out. Apart from weeding, we’ve been cutting back hemerocallis which should shoot again and have nice, fresh green growth in a couple of weeks.
Some plants like bistorta tend to grow a bit too well, smothering their neighbours, so we gave them a light trim to keep them in place. We also moved some bulbs of Lilium pardalinum which were hiding in a slightly overgrown border to give them a more prime spot. Some bulbs were passed on to propagation where Emily will chip them and make new plants for sale.
To finish the Water Garden off, we gave the edges a trim, both along the borders and the ponds, the neat edges frame the lush planting and make it all look just perfect!
Our interns Freya and Sybille had some training with our electric power tools; strimmer, hedge cutter and pole saw. They also did some pruning practice with our long handled loppers and saw.
On the hottest of days we took a little break from gardening and had a walk around to look at gaps in the borders and think about what we might fill these gaps with in the autumn. It was a great exercise for all of us to take a step back and look at what’s doing well and not. Come autumn we’ll dig and divide the plants that are doing well and make sure the garden looks even better next year!
Last but not least, we’ve had a very nice group from RHS New Shoots visiting the garden today. Gardening and learning is a never ending source of discussion and I’m sure we will all go home with lots of ideas.
Propagation Team
What a week in the growing department! It's been almost tropical. The sunblock is being slapped on thick. A selection of hats, which would be banned from Milan Fashion Week, are in use. And, it looks like I'm wearing socks even when barefoot. So, what have we been up to?
Emily has been seed collecting, foraging across the garden for the humble beginnings of future wonders. By Beth's house, Emily gathered the seed of Althaea cannabina: a tall mallow-like plant with stiff, upright, branching stems sporting small pink flowers over a prolonged period from mid summer. Em also taught a cuttings masterclass course this week through the Beth Chatto Education Trust. There will also be a seed collecting course running in early September and you can find out more information on our website.
It's been a heavy week of cutting back for most. Miya, Sean and Steve have been working on preparing our irises as they transition to a new home. Tina has been lending her expert plant knowledge to our scree varieties, whilst Debs has been focusing on our dry loving plants, giving them the old short back and sides where needed.
Rob, Mel and Hollie have been releasing plants onto the nursery with some exciting new treasures making the next steps in their growing journey, including two varieties of tanacetum, T. vulgare and T. densum subsp. amani.
Angela, Kathy and Lelia have been weaving their magic on the potting benches. Kirsten has been exercising her precision with a mixture of cuttings and seedlings. Such as Hesperis matronalis: a large bushy plant, full of highly scented violet blue flowers. Short lived, but will seed about in all but the driest of soils. And, as always, the anchor end of the operation, Pete and Callum have been picking, packing and sending your orders. Pete has also been on hand after dark helping release rescue hedgehogs from Wildlives Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre into their new home in the garden. Welcome to the family!
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