Gardening in the City Contents
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Gardening in the city Contents Introduction 01 Solutions for shaded areas 03 Hard landscaping 04 Shade-loving combinations 07 Solutions for sunny areas 11 Chestertons is the London and international Hard landscaping tips 11 residential property specialist. Sun-loving combinations 12 Dedicated to providing the best possible advice and Container gardens 19 service on all matters property-related. Container selection 21 Container planting rules 21 Contact us on: [email protected] Growing food in containers 25 Houseplants 27 020 3040 8240 Potting rules 28 Feeding and care 29 Plants for kitchens 30 Plants for hallways 30 and stairwells Plants for bedrooms 31 Plants for bathrooms 33 Plants for living spaces 34 Air quality 35 Best trees for air quality 37 Best shrubs for air quality 39 Introduction Gardens and ‘green spaces’ – no matter how small – If you are new to gardening I have included advice on play a vital role in our daily lives: from cleaning the air soils and soil improvements to get you off to the best (by absorbing heavy pollutants and providing a home for start. If you don’t have a garden but love plants, we have various forms of wildlife) to simply bringing us in touch also looked at the best plants for improving air quality with the seasons of the natural world, green spaces are in the home and, which indoor plants are best suited to perhaps amongst the most cherished features of the city. which environments. I am thrilled to have been asked by Chestertons to work with them to find easy ways to improve the quality of private green spaces in London. Whilst as a city London has a wealth of parks, squares and community gardens, Paul Hervey-Brooks has earned international acclaim as a it also has its fair share of shady damp courtyards, landscape designer, winning multiple Gold Medals at Chelsea exposed balconies and oddly shaped private gardens. Flower Show and other shows across the world. Since 2015, I am interested in how to turn these often-underused and he has been an RHS Gardens Judge and has chaired judging unloved spaces into places that can be enjoyed, be it a at all of the RHS Flower Shows, including Chelsea. relaxing terrace, a verdant (‘Green’) balcony, or simply understanding which plants best suit the space one has. From front gardens and courtyards to container gardens, lower ground-floor spaces, balconies and sun traps – Paul Hervey-Brookes I have developed a series of helpful design tips and combinations of plants which will help you make the most of your green spaces through flower, foliage, fruit and bark. 1 2 Hard landscaping Solutions for If you are thinking of completely redesigning your garden area or balcony, natural stone is a material to seriously consider as a long-term investment. Natural stone, Shaded Areas compared to concrete or ceramic flooring, is a much more hardy material and capable of sustaining a high level of Many houses, apartments and buildings in London wear and tear caused by weather, humans and pets. tend to be shaded for prolonged periods of the day, which means making a welcoming oasis a challenge for As a rule in shaded spaces a lighter toned material such many home owners. However, this is not an impossible as sandstone can help to increase the intensity of light challenge as there are many plants which thrive in shaded within an outdoor space, while the rich, darker tones condition’s and can often provide benefits that are not found in slate will help increase the drama and contrast immediately obvious. Some of the shadiest spaces can between planting and the rest of the space. grow the most amazing types of plants and, with clever Sustainable materials such as wood are a great addition use of the space they can make even the smallest space to any outdoor space regardless of size. A soft wood feel much larger. typically has a life span of up to 15 years when kept in Shade is often caused by taller buildings blocking good condition and tends to be cheaper than hard woods direct sunshine, but those buildings also help create such as oak. However a hard wood can, if looked after advantageous gardening conditions by reducing wind correctly, last up to 50 years so, where budget allows opt flow, increasing air temperatures and by absorbing heat for oak and other hard woods for gates, garden furniture and then releasing it overnight. This means that London and planting supports. With most heavily shaded gardens gardens can grow a staggering variety of plants that wood should be avoided as it has a tendency to retain would be completely unthinkable in the rest of the country. moisture becoming slippery. 3 4 Sustainable materials such as wood are a great addition to any outdoor space regardless of size. Shade-loving combinations Dry shade For many people, the combination of dry conditions and shade makes creating a green space highly challenging, but the following plants which can be planted in a container or planting beds with up to 3m2 of space will offer gardeners interesting foliage and seasonal flowers. Winter flowering wind flower Ivy-leaved cyclamen (Anemone blanda) (Cyclamen hederifolium) Flowering evergreen perennial (Vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’) Fern New Zealand wind grass (Dryopteris affinis) (Anemanthele lessioniana) Dappled shade The majority of properties will have areas that are partially shaded by nearby buildings or trees, causing daylight to be filtered through to plants. Whilst dappled shade doesn’t remove sunlight totally it does mean that plants will generally grow tall and leggy. The following varieties thrive in these semi-shaded places: Summer flower Winter flowering evergreen (Astrantia maxima) (Osmanthus x burkwoodii) 7 8 Summer flower (Hydrangea quercifolia) (Autumn leaf colour) Red winter stems Daffodil (Cornus alba siberica) (Narcissus ‘Jack Snipe’) Damp shade Some spaces always seem to attract moisture, low lying gardens for example often have a shaded spot where the soil remains fairly damp. The varieties detailed below thrive in damp conditions. Purple meadow sweet Blue flowering pulmonaria (Fillipendula purpurea) (Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’) Evergreen prostrate shrub Ostrich fern (Rubus tricolor) (Matteuccia struthiopteris) Fringe drop Snowdrop (Tellima grandiflora) (Galanthus nivalis) Sweet violet Globeflower ‘Lemon Queen’ (Viola ordorata) (Trollius ‘Lemon Queen’) 9 10 Consider carefully and spend time observing how much sun and heat your space attracts before making any Solutions for costly hard landscaping decisions. sunny areas Wooden decking, steps and railings can be prone to splitting and warping with excess heat so whilst the Sunny south-facing gardens and balconies are a major initial costs may seem economical, there are a number selling point for most properties, but over-exposure to of ongoing maintenance and use considerations to bear the sun can be problematic for some plants as it can dry in mind. the top layer of soil. Balconies will often also face the Sun-loving combinations additional issue of a drying breeze which, when combined with warm light, means that plants in containers will need Sun-loving plants can be planted in containers or 2 a little extra care to ensure they don’t suffer. planting beds up to 3m in total space. Even sunny gardens with drought loving plants can get Dry sun over heated so always add a thick layer of soil preserving Dry soils caused by full sun can make it difficult mulch or top dressing – leaves, gravel, bark and even for many plants to establish themselves but this cocoa husks make great covering and reduce weeding. combination will give year round interest and thrive in a difficult dry situation: Hard landscaping tips Light coloured paving materials may seem visually appealing but glare from the midday sun could become uncomfortable. However, dark paving can heat up during the day radiating heat onto plants, causing scorch and wilting. In very hot weather it can also prove uncomfortable to walk on barefoot. Autumn fruits (Evergreen) Russian sage (Arbutus unedo Strawberry (Perovskia atriplicifolia) tree) 11 12 Golden oaks – Sea holly Stipa Globe thistle – Verbena bonariensis Panicum ‘Warrior” (Eryngium ‘Blue Hobbit’) Echinops Full sun Full sun and air purifying Gardens which are south facing tend to get a lot of sun Small leaved shrubs and perennials have been proven to but can easily look wilted and tired in the midday heat. help trap bad air and purify it. This combination loves the This combination loves the sun, is great for pollinators full sun and cleans the air around you. and looks good year round. Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ Briza media Nandina domestica Hebe ‘Purple Queen’ (Spring/Autumn Colour) (Evergreen) Baptisia australis Heuchera Pennisetum ‘Hameln’ ‘Coral Forest’ Abelia x grandifolia 13 14 Bulbs Sun-loving bulbs include: Wild species tulip (Tulip sprengeri) Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ Wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) Late summer flower (Allium sphaerocephalon) 15 16 Container gardens are perfect for those that live in apartments with balconies or roof tops. 17 18 Container gardens Container gardens are perfect for those that live in One of the biggest upsides to container gardening is apartments with balconies or roof tops and, those that the almost inexhaustible choice available: from antique are renting for relatively short periods of time and want lead Versailles planters and durable terracotta pots, to to take their garden with them when they move: they wood and recycled plastic window boxes, right the way are relatively low-maintenance; low-cost; can be shifted to up-cycled objects, there is a container style for every around a space as and when required; adaptable to person and every style of home. almost any space and any taste; and can even be used to grow herbs, vegetables and fruit.