Weekly catchup with garden and propagation

This week in the Garden

with Cathy

We have had no rain for 8 weeks now, before that only sporadically through May and June, with the last significant rainfall back in April. With this in mind we made an explanation board for visitors to detail how we manage in these conditions with the title “Gardening in the drought - right plant right place”. It’s widely known that we never irrigate in the Gravel Garden, but actually none of our garden areas get watered. Beth’s principle was to choose the right plant for the soil conditions that she had - hence the drought tolerant plants in the free draining Gravel Garden and damp loving plants in the Water Garden, where we’re fortunate enough to have a high water table and more moisture retentive soil.

We’re experiencing an unusually long dry spell and some plants are suffering. We don’t panic about this, instead we’ve been observing and making notes on which plants seem to cope with the drought. Different plants have different mechanisms to survive the drought; when the rain returns we will watch how these plants recover. We’re proud not to be watering and we hope you will learn as much as we do by seeing how the garden responds to this extreme weather.

This week we’ve been working in the Reservoir Garden which is taking a hard hit with the hot dry weather as it’s very exposed and has a heavy clay soil. We’re experimenting with cutting some plants back to the ground where the top growth won’t recover, to then encourage new growth at the base when it does rain. The cut material is spread over the soil to act as a mulch. Alongside this we have been pruning roses, tidying up iris foliage and deadheading nepetas.

Our intern this week is Sissinghurst Scholar Charlotte. She made a great support using cotinus twigs to prop up a bistorta next to one of the Reservoir paths. It’s been so interesting hearing about methods of gardening in Sissinghurst and comparing with how we work here.

We had the chance to join Dr Chris Gibson, our resident wildlife advocate, when he opened a moth trap for visitors this week. The trap had caught over 200 moths overnight with more than 60 different varieties. A couple of favourites were the Black Arches with its furry antennae, and the Buff-tip which looks like a twig to camouflage from predators. The Toadflax Brocade moth was found for the first time in the garden, a reason to grow more linaria (toadflax), the plant that it feeds on.

Our Beth Chatto trainee Mattie has been at the first RHS Sandringham flower show this week. Mattie has designed and built a garden for the long border competition, celebrating the work that gardeners do in caring for green spaces. We were delighted and very proud to hear that Mattie was awarded a Gold medal from the judges. Please go and say hello to Mattie if you’re visiting the show this week.

This week in propagation

with Rob

 

It's been pedal to the metal of late down in the growing department, so here's what we've been up to!

 

 

Like many of you, we too are facing the challenge of a prolonged dry spell. Despite implementing two spectacular choreographed rain dances, (performed each morning by the team) we are yet to summon those brooding clouds we so wish for. In our part of Beth's, we handle a lot of potted plants, which when faced with these conditions has its pros and cons.

Plants in pots can lose their moisture a lot more quickly than those planted and established in the garden, however, we are fortunate to have the added benefit of an irrigation system. Checking on our plants, making sure they're suitably saturated, healthy, thriving, and being as conscious with our water usage has been a key responsibility this week.

Another key focus this week was hygiene. It's the absolute foundation of creating incredible plants. With this in mind, Kiran weeded the yellow brick road which leads into our Emerald City propagation building. Whilst, Pete and Felix tackled the nursery, both weeding and power washing. Staying on top of these undesirable plants means our stock isn't competing for resources. And, as we proudly use no chemicals here at Beth's, a hands-on approach to weeds allows us to eliminate places which might harbour pests. The guys did a superb job!

 

 

Debs, when not doing the "washing up" has been working her cuttings magic with Cistus monspeliensis, the Montpellier rock rose. Head of Horticulture, Steve, had this to say on the beauty, 'A bushy shrub with narrow dark green veined leaves. In summer clusters of white saucer shaped flowers, with bright yellow stamens adorn the shrub. Native to Southern Europe and NW Africa. On trial with us and should be hardy, but a more sheltered position maybe required with this, when compared to other cistus.' We look forward to seeing how it gets on!

 

Kathy has been potting Aster amellus 'Veilchenkönigin', which translates as 'Violet Queen', a name much deserved, for what a striking colour she does possess! This head-turner likes a rich and fertile soil, and the full sun. A queen potted by a queen!

 

 

 

As some of you might have seen in the news, these drought conditions can be difficult for our insects. Felix and I were discussing this whilst watching a spectacular amount of butterflies and bees enjoying the flowers of Verbena bonariensis. We have the privilege of looking after two thousand varieties of plants, this broad range means we can provide for our wildlife all year round. This has never felt more important.

I'm off now for a couple of weeks and when I return to update you on life in the growing department, I'll be a married man!

 

 

Until next time.

Rob