Written by Vegetable Gardening News on 14 February 2010
A cutting garden is your chance to tear up the rulebook on planting – so mix lights and brights with fragrant posies and wild one-offs
This year I am planning two cutting gardens. The first and smaller of the two is to be planted this month; the second is being built this winter, with the aim to have it up and running for annuals by the summer. In many ways a cutting garden is an extravagant idea, because cutting flowers is the most luxurious way of enjoying them at close quarters, but I have no intention of either of these gardens feeling like an indulgence. They will be workmanlike and take their aesthetic from the vegetable garden or the allotment. You should be able to harvest flowers as you would a row of beans, and leave with an armful – and not the slightest twinge of guilt.
A friend and fellow designer in America has been making cutting gardens for some time, by simply fencing off an area from the garden proper. Within these vermin-proof enclosures, Edwina's vegetables, herbs and flowers are lined out in rows, with paths wide enough for a barrow to pass between them. The paths are mulched with pine needles in her own garden, as she has a wood of pine at the back, but it could just as easily be bark to keep things simple. Everything is reduced down to the most practical way of growing things: the tallest plants are at the back, so they don't put the shorter plants in the shade, and there is not a care in the world for colour – if Edwina likes it, it works. Where most garden owners would never dream of trusting you with a pair of secateurs to pick a posy for the table, it is a different thing for Edwina, and it is standard practice to be issued with a couple of buckets – one to fill with spuds and beans, the other with as many flowers as you see fit to liven up the table for lunch.
In planning my cutting gardens I have enjoyed a certain freedom, with plants that are not easily worked into the garden proper. Because as soon as you pick a flower and take it out of context, it becomes an object that you can look at for itself. Dahlias with stripes suddenly become an option – if the stripes don't work this year, then something else will next. Likewise, if you want to grow "Blue Moon" roses for their scent and curiosity, then do so – a solitary flower will be a delight in a bedside jug.
Having a brief is important, because the cutting garden needs to work hard if it is to be truly productive. The larger the area is, the more relaxed you can be about plants that might bloom only once. Bearded iris can be enjoyed without having to worry about the remaining 11 months of the year, when they are doing little more than leaf. And if you have enough room for peonies, there's the creaminess of the "Duchesse de Nemours", which, picked in bud, will rupture to perfume a room. In a decent-sized cutting garden, a whole row of once-blooming Anchusaazurea "Loddon Royalist" can easily be accommodated as a luxury, but in the main the plants should be doers, and able to come again after they have been harvested.
Planning for a long season of flowers (or several seasons) is important, so we are using modern English roses from David Austin to extend the season. We have chosen varieties that are disease resistant, as we want to run the cutting gardens on organic principles because they are close to the fruit and vegetables, but we have been free with colour as long as there is scent. We are also intercropping, using lines of Alchemilla under the roses, as "Lady's Mantle" is good filler in a vase.
The rest of the perennials are set out in rows one metre apart. Within the rows they are planted in a double line, a foot apart, and the gaps between the main rows are planted with bulbs, so you can fill a jug with tulips and not hold back – or worry that they might not come back a second year. The tulips can be dug out after they have flowered and replaced with annuals – Scabiosa atropurpurea "Chile Black", wild gloriosa daisies (Rudbeckia hirta) and mixed cosmos where a mix would never do in the flowerbeds. Whereas the perennials might take a couple of years to come to cropping well, the annuals will provide for you in a matter of months.
The smaller of our two cutting gardens is in the country, so we have decided to go two ways with the brief. The first is to use highly ornamental flowers that are in contrast to the rest of the garden, which feathers to hedgerow. There are lilies in rows that can easily be picked over for lily beetle, blowsy chrysanthemums and dahlias for the autumn. In contrast, the second route is to use plants that have a super-nature quality about them: vivid thistles such as Eryngium "Electric Haze" and Cersium rivulare "Atropurpureum", and the peachy-flowered recurrent Geum "Princess Juliana" to work in among a bundle of native grasses or cow parsley. There will be giant daisies such as Leucanthemum "T E Killin", larger-than-life Scabiosa caucasica "Blausiegel" and rows of Michaelmas daisies so that you can fill a room with them come the autumn.
It is an exciting prospect planning a garden with freedom in mind – our very own trial ground and a place where gardening can break the usual rules. ★
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There is a new pecking order in the back garden. Most of the year it is the blackbirds who boss this part of the garden, chasing off the thrushes that are brave enough to attempt a quick meal. But temporarily this has changed with a thrush relative, the Fieldfare, now in charge. The Fieldfare is a long-tailed thrush with contrasting plumage pattern and defends its territory with great authority. With the ground so hard and the snow on the ground it seems unfair that one bird should claim the apple that we throw onto the lawn and so we cut a couple of apples into pieces and spread them around the back garden. That did not solve the problem; it just gave the Fieldfare more of an area to protect!
It is not all bad news for the blackbirds however as the Fieldfare does not seem interested in the dried fruit that I put into a bowl for them. Yet anyway!
The other bird that has arrived with the Fieldfare is another thrush relative, the Redwing. The Redwing is the smallest of our thrushes but still a pretty bird with distinctive markings. Two things make it easy to distinguish, the first being the cream eyebrow stripe and the second rusty red flanks. The Redwings fed with the Fieldfare when they first arrived but now seem just to patrol the front garden, polishing off what was left of the holly berries.
These two visitors, and that is what they are as they will stay for the winter and then disappear, are welcome but over the Christmas period a not so welcome guest made its mark in the garden. Topping up the bird seed I saw something out of the corner of my eye that did not look right. There had been heavy frosts and some snow so I had not really been taking much notice of the garden borders but it was not hard to see that something had been at work. Soil had been kicked or flicked over quite a distance and it then became clear where it had originated. A large hole had been burrowed and quite deep too. Roots of plants were hanging down inside the burrow but probing with a stick found nothing at home. My first thought was that it was a badger foraging as there is a family with a set in the field behind but the hole narrowed too quickly. It must be a rabbit trying to make a new home although I have not spotted any wild rabbits for quite some time. The hole is now filled in and thankfully no more holes have been dug.
As you might have guessed from the mention of snow and hard frosts not much gardening if any has been possible for a while. At least my seeds for the new season are on order and once the package appears on the mat I can dream of better weather and a new growing season.
I am sure fellow listeners to the BBC Gardeners Question Time radio programme will be as shocked and saddened as I am by the news of the death of John Cushnie. I will miss his sense of humour. Whenever he was on the panel you were guaranteed a laugh as well as sound gardening advice. But he never claimed to be the all knowing gardening expert. A member of the public would ask a question and the chairman would ask John to answer only to hear the words, “I have absolutely no idea”. How refreshing for “an expert” to admit that in front of millions of listeners. When you listen to a voice regularly on the radio you picture what that person looks like. Sometimes you are right but most of the time you are not. I have not heard anyone say that John Cushnie looked anything like what was imagined from his voice. Maybe it is something to do with that gentle Irish brogue. Farewell and thank you John Cushie, may you rest in peace.
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Getting the doctor out when you have a problem or need inspiration in your garden may sound fanciful but it depends upon which doctor you call upon.
There is one garden expert who is a doctor and he goes by the name of DG Hessayon. Although you may not recognise the name it is highly possible that you would recognise his writings when seen on a bookshelf.
Dr DG Hessayon is the author of the “Expert” series of books that began in 1959 with the title Be Your Own Gardening Expert. This was a straightforward thirty two page guide that was filled with pictures and charts. Nothing new there you may think but this was 1959 when gardening advice books were more like textbooks and not easy reading for the masses. Dr Hessayon obviously hit upon the right idea as the twenty plus books written by him have followed the same format.
He is now aged 80 and is the best selling non-fiction writer in the world having sold over 50 million copies, a long way from his first self-published tome.
Need some help with garden plants, maybe that new lawn, perhaps you are a house plant enthusiast and need to know the best indoor plants for a situation or yours is a vegetable and herb garden, you will find a Hessayon expert book that will help.
The Fruit ExpertThe Garden D.I.Y. ExpertThe Garden Expert
The Garden Revival Expert
The Green Garden Expert
The Greenhouse Expert
The House Plant Expert
The House Plant Expert: Book Two
The Orchid Expert
The Rock and Water Garden Expert
The Tree and Shrub Expert
The Vegetable and Herb Expert
Vegetable and Herb Expert
So when you are next in the library or looking to purchase one of the Garden Expert range of books, say a little thank you to the man who made it fashionable to produce informative books for the everyday gardener but prefers to stay out of the limelight.
In the first place, many gardeners try to steer clear of fall gardening as much as they can on account of the winter frosts which often occur quite early and have the tendency to make things a little complicated. Reading all you can regarding fall gardening plus other gardening info will undeniably prove valuable to you in addressing any setbacks that may perhaps develop.
If you want to develop a garden like that of professional , you better learn some gardening ideas like “flower garden pictures ”, “gardening advice uk ” or “ gardening flowers plants trees ”. With that, you will surely gain additional techniques and skills and these are essential catalysts in developing your own garden.
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Gardening tips for the flower garden for every month of the year
I sometimes wonder whether we gardeners ever live in the present. In the winter months we are looking at seed catalogues and dreaming of the results in summer and autumn. Early spring we are sowing seeds and again dreaming of things to come. Here we are in July with everything coming to fruition after the hard work and what are we doing? Looking at what we need to plant to give an autumn show.
When you walk around the garden every day it is easy to miss the new things happening, they sort of creep up on you. This week we had three days of cool wet weather that only really encouraged me to quickly water the hanging baskets and containers.
The petunias planted into the hanging basket and containers are coming on well, bushing out nicely from the base and should provide a beautiful show as the season progresses. The dahlias suffered a little slug and snail damage when first put out but, fingers crossed, they seem to be coping well now.
The hardy Geraniums or Cranesbills are still providing much colour in the garden as are the [TAG-TEC]Roses[TAG-TEC]. My very large hardy Fuchsia is wonderful again this year and will be flowering for months to come. I admit that it has grown much larger (more like a tree!) than I imagined but it is in a spot where it does not matter and looks really good. The day lilies are beginning to bloom, they put on such a great show each year and their strappy leaves add so much to the texture of the border.
Perfume is so important to me in the garden and the Philadelphus (Mock Oranges) and Roses are doing a fine job.
It is June and everything in the garden is starting to flourish, especially the weeds!
Spring Flowering Plants and Bulbs
If you have not already done so cut back dead bulb but do wait until the foliage dies down naturally as cutting back too early can lead to no flowers next spring.
Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of bulbs after they have finished flowering, overcrowded bulbs may stop flowering.
Cut back clumps of spring and early flowering perennials. Hellebores and Pulmonaria produce new and attractive foliage and stay more compact.
Cut back the flowered stems of Euphorbias back to ground level leaving the more attractive foliage. Take care not to get the milky sap on your skin as this can result in blisters.
Summer Bedding Plants
A great way to produce a good show of bedding is to sow hardy annuals directly into the ground. There is the possibility of your garden landscape scheme not turning out as you have dreamt as there is always the danger that one of your sown varieties fails. It is a good idea to have back ups sown in trays whether that be hardy or half hardy annuals.
The hardy annuals sown outdoors should now be thinned out. Do this if practical in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals. Final spacings should be between 4-8in (10-20cm) using the higher figure for tall or spreading plants and the lower figure for smaller plants.
If you have not sown under cover and the weather has not been perfect for early sowings it is not too late to direct sow for the garden seeds of a few fast growing, late-flowering hardy annuals such as Clarkia, Calendula (pot marigolds) and Godetia. I did this in my first ever garden and was very pleased with the result.
Use annual bedding to fill gaps in herbaceous borders.
Plant out dahlias and cannas and if there is no longer a danger of frost.
If you have not already done so it is time to plant out your summer bedding and seed-raised plants. Always make sure they are well watered in, keep moist during dry weather and try to water an area wider than just where you have planted your young, succulent and delicious to eat youngsters. It can help to put slugs and snails off the scent where just damping the area where your plants have just gone in gives them excellent conditions to slide in and munch.
Containers, window boxes, garden pots and tubs can be planted up with summer bedding. They may sulk but if well watered in and covered with horticultural fleece on a cold night and they will soon establish and race away.
It is June and the vegetable garden is beginning to burst forth. Promises of things to come.
Peas
Early sowings of peas may be ready for harvesting depending upon your location. Gently press the pods to check if the peas have swollen to a size ready for picking and after cropping cut off the top of the plants but leave the roots in the ground to fix nitrogen from the air into the ground.
Peas need staking and this can be achieved with pea sticks, netting, or pruned twigs from the garden. Netting is practical but somehow does not look as natural in my opinion as twiggy supports.
Maincrop peas can be sown now.
Potatoes
If you have planted early potato tubers they may be ready or almost ready for harvesting. As a guide many are ready when the plants come into flower. When digging them up take care not to damage or skewer your potatoes with your fork. Avoid this by inserting your fork some distance away and lifting the soil carefully.
For maincrop potatoes Keep a close and regular check and earth them up as required which should result in 2 inch or 5 cm of shoot showing above ground or the compost in your container.
If planting through black plastic check regularly for slugs, the cool damp conditions under the plastic are an ideal home.
Celeriac
Celeriac can be planted out in June. It is many years since I discovered this vegetable and started to grow it regularly. Easy to grow and excellent in soups, a vegetable on its own or mashed into potato.
I had a shrub given to me this weekend, an Elaeagnus that was growing in a concrete container but outgrown its situation. All I had to do was collect it, simple. Off I went with my wheelbarrow with the shout of “back in 30 minutes”. It would not come out of its pot. I tried tipping the container over but it seemed a lot heavier to move than I expected, brute force was called for. The reason suddenly became clear as I heard a tear.
The anchor root had found its way through the drainage hole (no drainage crocks had been put in) and through a crack in the paving. Obviously this container had not been moved for years. As the pot had been sitting directly on the paving the root had become flatted and bulbous, the only way to release the shrub was to hack off the root.
The next problem was getting it home on the barrow when a gale force wind came up, unfortunately a side wind, from behind would have been great. Seeing me pushing a wheelbarrow angled sideways at 45 degrees trying to keep this shrub on board must have provided much amusement and enjoyment for the locals! Anyway it is in its new home and we will have to hope it does not sulk too much.
The hole in the lawn mystery, some long lost book by Agatha Christie or one of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five adventures? No, something has been digging little holes in my front lawn, not deep, not that big but each morning there are more. Opening the curtains one night before heading for bed, there was the culprit just visible in the filtered light coming through the hedge from a street light.
It is hard to know where to start this week writing about the garden, so much is happening.
In the greenhouse I have nipped out the leading shoots of my dahlia seedlings so that they bush out, the cucumbers are taking off and the peppers have germinated at last. The petunias and alyssum that I pricked out have started to move on at a rate but the basil is very slow.
Outside in the garden the Exochorda The Bride is still starring, over 6 feet tall and wide it is stunning. The first rhododendrons are in flower, light pinks that were here when we arrived over 20 years ago and Rhododendron Luteum which has to be one of my favourites with its yellow and beautifully scented flowers. The tiny sweet scented violets are everywhere, again they were here before us and seed themselves everywhere but are a joy rather than a problem. Bluebells in their full glory and blue mists of forget-me-nots that seed themselves every year, I know some that think this a problem but for me they seem to complement all around them and if in the wrong place they are so easy to pull up. The same can be said for Bowles Golden Grass or to give it its proper name Milium effusum ‘Aureum’. The late Geoff Hamilton brought this to my attention many years ago and I struggled to find a specimen way back then when I suppose grasses were not such a design item as they are now. I would not be without it as it is an absolute ray of sunshine in the garden and goes well with most colours, one exception being yellow. I let mine seed and transplant it to wherever I think appropriate or just leave it where Mother Nature decided it would look best. The magnolia is still in flower and the pink apple blossom with its delicate scent has shown itself.
Saturday at last I was able to cut my lawns. How many times have I written “get your mower serviced during the winter months because come spring there will be a long waiting time”? Did I take my own advice? No, do as I say, not as I do!
Saturday was a beautiful day and I was able to start catching up on a few jobs as my muscles are telling me this morning. I had a small patch of ground that needed tidying and planting where a shrub had died back. Continuing my policy of dividing or transplanting self sown plants instead of buying I filled the space with geraniums and golden grass. I have a hosta that I am bringing on in a pot that will look good there too.
The Hayter Envoy lawnmower has a 1400 watt induction motor for quiet smooth operation and smooth under deck for improved collection and to further reduce noise.It comes with a fabric grassbag with hinged flap for easier emptying and 7 height of cut settings controlled by a single lever from 13 – 60mm.
The Envoy 36 has a modern sleek appearance with front fins which noticeably improve the quality of cut.
Looking at my notes from last year the weather at this time was hot, very hot for the time of year. My tomatoes were romping away and other seedlings demanding attention as they grew at an amazing rate. Then guess what happened? The weather turned colder, a lot colder. The tomatoes continued to look very healthy but took ages to set fruit. Bedding plants that had raced away could not be planted out into the border as it was too cold and some had to have the growing tips nipped out to hold them back and help them to bush.
Dead-head or remove any fading flower-heads from primroses and pansies to encourage further flowers.
The foliage of daffodils and other spring flowers should be left intact but faded heads should be picked off. Do not be tempted to tie up the leaves of flowered daffodils to make them look tidy as was once the fashion, leave them to die down naturally so that all possible nutrients can feed the bulbs and help good flowering next Spring.
Keep a keen eye on the compost in pots of spring bulbs to ensure they stay moist, water well if it has dried out.
Clumps of spring-flowering bulbs benefit from a sprinkling of fertiliser. Bulbs naturally “clump up” and compete for any nutrients available in the soil. A bit of help will help them perform better for you next year.
