PLANTS OF INTEREST 4th November 2019 We are constantly enhancing the garden through propagation of existing stock or the purchase of new plants and all donations make a difference Ilex verticillata on The Pinetum Biddulph Grange Garden A journey around the world The National Trust is an independent registered charity, number 205846 The Garden In 1840 James and Maria Bateman moved to what was then a farm and grounds which were for the most part swampy fields. Bateman was a botanist of considerable note and he was at one time vice-president of the Royal Horticultural Society. His great love was orchids and he wrote and published ‘Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala’ which established him as a botanist of note. His wife Maria came from a leading Cheshire family, the Egerton-Warburtons, with a tradition of creative gardening and her brother was the creator of the garden at Arley Hall. Maria’s interest was in herbaceous plants, particularly fuchsias and lilies. Together with Edward Cooke who was an architect and maritime painter, the Batemans created Biddulph Grange Garden and the architectural features of the garden were probably all the work of Cooke. Each area of the garden has its own microclimate formed by the use of trees as screens and rockwork to protect plants. The National Trust acquired the garden in 1988 and it was opened to the public following restoration on 1st May 1991. Throughout, there are several Coalbrookdale Seats each with a different design and although they are not original, they are Victorian and well worth a look. Plants of Interest 4th November 2019 Arboretum Crataegus persimilis ‘Prunifolia’ ‘Broad-leaved Cockspur Thorn ‘Prunifolia’’. Trees lining path near Cheshire Cottage Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ Small shrubs in beds taking on the colours of Autumn Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea ’ ‘Purple Hazel’. Shrubs with deep purple foliage Liquidambar styraciflua Three mature trees on bank, leaves turning colour Boudoir Garden Cornus sanguinea ‘Compressa’ Small shrubs down centre of bed Alstromeria ‘Sirius’ ‘Peruvian Lily’. Pink flowers, brownish-red freckles Bowling Green and Quoits Ground Hydrangea quercifolia Small shrubs under Pine with panicles of white flowers Leycesteria formosa Shrub with drooping panicles of purple bracts Pinus montezumae ‘Montezuma Pine’. Large pine tree with long needles Poncirus trifoliata ‘Japanese Bitter Orange’. Evergreen shrub with spiny stems China Acer palmatum ‘Rubrum’ ‘Red Maple’. Three trees, original plantings Adiantum aleuticum ‘Aleutian Maidenhair Fern’, black stems nr Joss House Asarum europaeum ‘European Wild Ginger’. Foot of wall, glossy leaves Asplenium scolopendrium ‘Hart’s-Tongue Fern’ in Great Wall at top of China Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ Upright shrub to right of steps to Joss House Chaenomoles japonica Quince fruits in bed near Watchtower Chaenomeles speciosa 'Moerloosei' Quince fruits near Great Wall Cryptomeria japonica ‘Japanese Cedar’. Large tree near Temple Gaultheria mucronata Shrubs with white berries near large arch Hedera colchica ‘Persian Ivy’. Wall opposite Joss House steps, in flower Hedera h elix arborescens ‘Tree Ivy’. Under the Acers Pseudolarix amabilis ‘Golden Larch’. Planted 1855, believed to be the last survivor of six brought from China by Robert Fortune. Over the bridge, leaning slightly, a young one by its side, now with cones. Pseudosasa japonica ‘Arrow Bamboo’ on water’s edge near bridge Pyracantha coccinea Small shrubs with red berries in bed near Watchtower Skimmia japonica reevesiana Small shrubs with red berries under Acer Trachycarpus fortunei ‘Chusan Palm’. Two close to arch Cherry Orchard Cotoneaster microphylla Shrubs which form ‘The bells’ with red berries Corridor Garden Sedum telephium ‘Purple Emperor’ ‘Ice Plant’ in the triangles at the front of the bed Tricyrtis hirta ‘Taiwan Adbane’ ‘Toad Lily’ in the triangles behind the Ice plants Aster novi -belgii ‘Marie Ballard’ Blue flowers at the back of the bed Stipa gigantea ‘Golden Oats’. Large grass at back of the bed Sedum spectabile ‘Ice Plant’. Pink flowers in opposite bed lining path Dahlia Walk Actinidia chinensis ‘Kiwi Fruit’ (not edible). Creeper with large leaves close to Shelter House. Anemone x japonica ‘Honorine Jobert’ White flowers either side of path at top of the Walk Taxus baccata ‘S emperaurea ’ Three new common yew plantings at bottom of Walk Tricyrtis formosana ‘Toad Lily’. Spurred flowers spotted pink-purple Eastern Terrace Juniperus scopularum ‘Skyrocket’ Upright, blue Junipers in groups of three Prunus lusitanica ‘Portuguese Laurel’. Shaped and in stone planters Glen Buxus sempervirens ‘Latifolia Maculata’ Variety of ‘Box’ shrub near Willow Gentian Dicksonia antarctica ‘Soft Tree Fern’. Fern with long ‘trunk’ Gunnera mannicata ‘Chile Rhubarb’. Large, umbrella shaped leaves Phyllostachys nigra ‘Black Bamboo’. Growing near bridge Lime Avenue Tilia xeuropaea ‘Lime Trees’ lining the Avenue Italy Main Beds White Bellis daisies Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ Slender, erect, evergreen trees Rhododendron luteum ‘Azalea’. Shrubs with colour foliage (and throughout garden) Pinetum Abies cephalonica ‘Greek Fir’ on left facing tunnel entrance Abies pindrow ‘Himalyan Fir’. Through tunnel, on the left this tree grows between two Tsuga sieboldii (Japanese Hemlock) Araucaria araucana ‘Monkey Puzzle Tree’. Bateman gave each a name Calocedrus decurrens ‘Incense Cedar’, a columnar tree near bend Cedrus deodara ‘Deodar Cedar’ on mound near Monkey Puzzles Ilex aquifolium ‘ Angustimarginata Aurea’ Narrow leaved, variegated holly near Bowling Green Ilex verticillata ‘Winterberry’. Deciduous holly with berries near entrance to Bowling Green Juniperus recurva var coxii Weeping Juniper near Cheshire Cottage Picea smithiana ‘West Himalayan Spruce’, group of three on bend Pinus cembra ‘Arolla Pine’ on mound near bend Pinus nigra ‘Austrian Pine’ with armoured bark near Monkey Puzzles Quercus agrifolia ‘California Live Oak’. Close to Calocedrus Sciadopitys verticillata ‘Japanese Umbrella Pine’. Tree near Quercus Sequoia sempervirens The ‘Coastal Redwood’ near Cheshire Cottage Taxus baccata ‘Aurea Group’ ‘Golden Yew’ near bend Tsuga canadensis ‘Eastern Hemlock’ to left of tunnel to Rhodo Ground Tsuga mertensiana ‘Mountain Hemlock’. Tree at entrance to Bowling Green Rhododendron Ground Corylopsis pauciflora Shrubs near tunnel with yellowing foliage Fraxinus excelsior ‘Common Ash’ in circular bed by lake Ilex aquifolium ‘Pendula’ Weeping holly at edge of pool near to tunnel Osmunda regalis ‘Royal Fern’ at water’s edge with brown spathes Verbena Parterre Fuchsia microphylla Small shrubs with tiny pink flowers, also in pots nr shop Fuchsia ‘Riccartonii’ Shrub with slightly weeping habit against stone wall Welli ngtonia Avenue Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Wellingtonia’ or ‘Giant Redwood’, reddish-brown bark Western Terrace Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Tree Cotoneaster’. Trees covered in red berries near steps Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ Upright, dark green yew trees with berries .