Comment The Garden, RHS Media, Churchgate, New Road, Peterborough PE1 1TT
letter from the editor In remembrance Editor of The Garden, Chris Young
The effect that wars have had both on The Garden, October, pp50–51). This month, private gardens and the horticultural Roy Lancaster goes a stage further (pp48– heritage of the UK is a little-explored 49), unravelling tales of plants named in subject. Gardens have been at the core of remembrance of garden staff from the Royal Sandall our cultural identity for centuries, so it Botanic Garden Edinburgh. As a result of seems only logical (using ‘gardens’ as a inspired work by the Regius Keeper of the Ti m / RHS catch-all term for horticulture, garden time, we have a living (if limited) catalogue owning, visiting, gardening literature and so of plants that, by their name, can help us thereafter affected by a society forever on) that they must have been substantially remember a few of those who gave their lives. changed by the war. From a gardens affected by the long-term effects of war. Also this month, Ambra Edwards takes a perspective, it is a fascinating account, In this, the year when much reflection and broader view of gardens and the First World showing how our cultural heritage is still remembrance has taken place about the First War (pp61–64). She explains it was, for the influenced to this day by the conflicts that World War, there are plenty of eye-opening first time in international conflicts, both too often marred the last hundred years. stories to tell. Last month, RHS Historian gardeners and garden owners who lost their Whether for the individual or community, Brent Elliott wrote about the Ruhleben lives; that the demand for fresh produce, no in the naming of a plant, making changes Horticultural Society, a compelling story of longer easy to import, led to ‘growing your to gardens or creating places of refuge and relief through horticulture in a German own’ and added to the subsequent popularity solace, gardens are intrinsic to our act of internment camp for British nationals (see of allotments; and how private gardens were remembrance – and as places of hope.
…at Heligan, 16 gardeners went to war, but only eight returned. At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the death toll was 37; 20 were lost from RHS Garden Wisley… Ambra Edwards: Lest we forget (pp61–64)
from my garden
Mahonia mania and monkey mobsters i m age s Author: Helen Dillon, gardener with a sheltered garden in Dublin, Republic of Ireland : Ti m Sandall
RHS / Jane Sebi r e Every time I look at my beautiful Mahonia cultivation by Roy Lancaster in 1980. gracilipes I recall the unforgettable time I was In Sikkim, India last November with a mugged on Mount Omei in Sichuan, China, by a group led by plant hunter Seamus O’Brien, hooligan mob of macaque monkeys. On the way I was thrilled to see the first flowers on Daphne down, still hungry after my three-day trek to the bholua with an amazing distant view of Mount top, I had the luck to find a little mountain shop where I bought bags Everest and Kangchenjunga. But it was of apples and biscuits. Continuing my descent, a thieving party of Miscanthus nepalensis that stole my heart, the monkeys attacked from both sides, snatched the bags and looking so brilliant with its silky, gilded plumes scampered off, stuffing their faces and making noises of glee, much tumbling down steep rock faces. Arriving home, Mahonia to the amusement of the rest of the party. A bit further down, we knowing perfectly well that grasses should be gracilipes discovered the autumn-flowering mahonia, the undersides of its disturbed only in spring, I promptly divided my leaves irresistible pale blue, and the sprays of delicate flowers pale existing clump. It never recovered. Rather than be without a grass orange-red outside and yellow within. It was originally brought into at its best in midwinter, I’m ordering more. Serves me right.
November 2014 | The Garden 15 contact us Write to: The Garden, RHS Media, Churchgate, New Rd, Comment Peterborough PE1 1TT or email: [email protected] (please include your postal from the RHS address). Letters on all Lindley Library gardening topics are Watercolour of Arbutus welcome, but may be Allotment value unedo (strawberry tree) by edited for publication. For me, the pleasure of having an allotment has Caroline Maria Applebee, 1815. Letters nothing to do with the money that might be saved (Member’s View, October, p15). I do not have an allotment any longer, only raised beds in my garden Orchid memories – but from past experience I remember the relief I member’s view ✤ The feature by Johan Hermans used to feel to be in the fresh air, doing some about the RHS Orchid Committee physical work after a long day working in the city. I loved planning what produce to grow after much Private green (The Garden, September, pp66– studying of gardening catalogues. My reward was 68) reminded me of an anecdote space for health an abundance of delicious fresh vegetables and fruit concerning Sir Jeremiah Colman. which cut down on the necessity to shop frequently RHS member Lynda My wife’s grandfather, George and contributed to easy, nutritious family meals. Harris believes a lack William Bound, was Head There was also plenty of produce remaining which of private gardens Gardener for Sir Jeremiah at I stored in the freezer, giving variety to winter meals. will eventually harm Gatton Park, near Reigate in In addition, the companionship that I found with the nation’s mental health. Surrey, and became a specialist other allotment holders, and the knowledge that we all shared, was of huge benefit. Saving money did Having worked as a landscape orchid breeder there. In fact, Growing your own can save not even enter the equation. designer in France for 10 years, I often during a visit to the orchid Sir Jeremiah Colman, money, but are the greatest wonder why the British are such keen Pamela Dotter, Kent collection at Royal Botanic Orchid Committee benefits of tending an Chairman 1917–1941. allotment priceless? gardeners – much more so than the
Gardens, Kew, I saw an orchid library lindley rhs
rhs / julian weigall julian / rhs French. However, I spent a year in hybrid named ‘Boundii’. London recently and decided that The Colmans used to holiday I find it extraordinary that a reported in an article by Clare ✤ Johan’s article reminded Plants worldwide our gardening passion is not only due in Italy, and the Head Gardener person could become so wealthy and Johan Hermans in the me of a trip I made to Bhutan Regarding alstroemerias, I agree to our mild climate, but also because would send them orchids each on such a simple commodity as September issue of The Orchid and Sikkim five years ago. with Helen Dillon (Comment, of the different make up of our towns. In France, the majority of urban day. These must have gone by mustard, but people used to say Review. In a future issue we will During my visit, a flower show July, p19) – they are brilliant. dwellers live in blocks of flats but in air, the flowers packed carefully that Sir Jeremiah didn’t make profile four head gardeners who was taking place – Sikkim has Although my patch needs the UK our towns are dominated by in cake boxes tied with string. his money only on the mustard were on the Committee. Visit: more than 500 native orchids, constant reining in, the plants semi-detached or terraced houses, that people ate, but also on what www.rhs.org.uk/orchidreview. and many were exhibited at stand tall and flower all season. usually with a tiny garden. These they left on their plate! ‘The RHS Orchid Register the show. The display of orchids I find that smaller cultivars are gardens, though small, not only
Robert Buckland, Dorset shows three plants named after was beautiful, with flowers just that – too small and, as rhs / barry phillips help absorb rainfall and reduce ✤ Sarah Forsyth, Editor, The your wife’s grandfather – you ranging from pinhead- to Helen puts it, ‘blobby’. temperatures, but have encouraged rhs / Tim S andall Orchid Review, replies:‘Sir can find information and saucer-sized, and the entrance Even though The Garden is a love of gardening that has been Jeremiah himself said “I made search for orchid names on the fee was just 30 pence. somewhat late when it reaches passed down through generations. Bergenia crassifolia However, times are changing. An my money from the mustard register at: www.rhs.org.uk/ Jenny Summerfield, me here in New Zealand, I love article by Janet Street-Porter in The people left on their plates”, as orchidregistration.’ Buckinghamshire to read about gardens on the Independent in August pointed out other side of the planet and Solovki garden that dense housing being built due to compare plant behaviour in Helen Harrison’s account of Standing tall: high land prices and soaring demand Alstroemeria different climates. Agapanthus Solovki Botanic Garden (The will damage the nation’s mental The right tools for the job ‘Christine Marsh’ is one example: in some areas of Garden, Sept, pp46–47) was health. People crammed into tiny In September (Comment, p21) Mary Keen discussed her favourite garden tools. Here are some of your responses: provides homes have nowhere to ‘be quiet, to The O rganic G long-lasting Britain this is brought indoors for fascinating. I have visited it ✤ Mary Keen ends her useful survey filling pots and trays that is shaped so there of gardeners wear gloves for the most colour in winter, but here it is considered a many times, enjoying both the read, to get on with [their] own stuff’. by asking what else a gardener needs. is less waste and mess. There is a range of simple tasks. Washing the mud off my gardens. weed that grows in any weather. hospitality of the islanders and I would add that people also have nowhere to garden, to grow and to My first suggestion is generally them available – I have an American model hands after I have been gardening is Dot Brown, New Zealand the amazing range of plants. ardening C nurture, as ‘dinky box’ housing rarely described as a ‘dandelion plucker’ or described as a ‘potting trowel’. such a lovely feeling. A little mud never She mentioned Bergenia ‘dandelion gouge’. I have a Sneeboer John Mitchell, Essex hurt anyone. has room for private green space. crassifolia, a native of the Altai I understand the need, and agree Tough Weeder (left) – its shaft of Rosemary Arthur, Wakefield a t
alogue Mountains in Siberia. During forged steel (iron will not stand the ✤ My favourite tool is similar to Mary’s with the arguments, for high-density From one visit I was stung by a leverage) is flattened at the tip to ‘hacky hoe’ but made of copper. For fine ✤ Another tool to add to Mary’s batterie housing. But when developers see provide a V-shaped knife to extract work next to plants I use an old, broken de jardin is the kirpi, the Indian farmers’ the RHS website hornet – our Russian friends gardens as an uneconomical luxury, deep-rooted weeds. It is also good bone-handled knife, ground down at the tool of choice. It looks like a miniature ✤ Get information on creative allotment styles took a bergenia leaf, wet it and it can only prove disastrous for both for grubbing out couch grass corners for safety. scythe and in my opinion is the only that suit your needs and interests. For inspiration, wrapped it round my wrist our nation’s mental health and our between border plants, and with One thing that does puzzle me is the use tool you need to weed, as it has visit the allotments pages at: where I had been stung. The great British gardening culture. less collateral damage than using of gloves in the garden. I only ever wear both cutting and digging edges. www.rhs.org.uk/growyourown following morning the swelling t ural ✤ See plantsman Graham Rice’s informative What do you think? any tool with a broader cross- gloves for handling brambles, roses and It is marketed in the UK as had gone. I was told that the Do we need private gardens or have they t icul section, such as hoes. nettles, and remove them immediately a kirpi weeder. article on perennials for autumn colour; plant has strong antibiotic become an ‘uneconomical luxury’? Please visit: www.rhs.org.uk/plants write or email to the address, top of p16. The second is a soil scoop for once the job is done. I notice that a number Sue Bate, Cheshire properties – it helped me.
arrod H or H arrod Michael Fraser, Edinburgh
16 The Garden | November 2014 November 2014 | The Garden 17 Comment At one with paradise The Garden columnist Nigel Colborn on cultivating a realistic attitude to gardening
Happiness, health and horticulture – how sweetly those words run together. Spoken aloud, they sound like the beginning of an aphorism. But we should not allow cheesy alliteration to persuade us that gardening leads automatically to wellbeing. Developing and maintaining a garden is brilliant for keeping us fit, calming anxieties, giving aesthetic pleasure and bringing us closer to nature. But gardens, if we allow them to, can become sources of misery. And the more we love them, the greater the risk of those anxieties becoming intolerable. Like fire, gardens can be wonderful servants but terrible masters. As a horticultural ‘agony aunt’, I’ve spent much of my professional life addressing problems that are greater in the questioner’s mind than in reality. One has to H epworth Neil / rhs calm nerves, first, and then offer solutions AdventurousAdventurous where any exist. The gardenersgardeners push push mission has also been to help people come to boundaries,boundaries, knowing knowing terms with natural and thatthat to to play play safe safe eludes you it does not ground when making gardening decisions. unavoidable defects matter much. In other Doing something daring or risky is fine; their gardens may guaranteesguarantees words, be foolhardy but flying in the face of nature is just plain daft. have, and to turn those mediocrity.mediocrity. only if you know that, if And now I’ve grown rather fond of that into advantages. it all goes horribly wrong, tree. ‘Well, at least you’re trying,’ I tell it, Often, all that is you will not really mind. when applying yet another useless mulch needed is to show the difference between Good knowledge helps but those who learn or searching among its lichened branches, real and illusory problems. Weeds, for along the way – while questioning received in winter, for plump, dormant flower buds. example, worry some people too much. wisdom and ‘correct’ procedures – will not It takes some people longer than others If a vagrant but pretty plant – Nicandra make the same mistakes time after time. to develop a more loving, less enslaved physalodes, for example – arrives in a It seems intuitive not to grow tender relationship with their gardens. There is garden by chance, the owner often asks plants in frost pockets, not to plant monkey nothing wrong with hard physical work not just for identification but also if the puzzle trees in tiny front gardens or to sow – it is good for us, despite creaky joints and plant is a weed. So whether beautiful or carrot seeds in March into cold, wet clay. increasingly feeble muscles. We need to have not, the plant is condemned or cherished But perverse choices are made all the time ongoing projects, too, if our gardens are to according to a notional classification. – and often by those who should know grow and evolve – as good gardens should. better. Why, for instance, did I site Cornus But everything is wrong when worries Flops and triumphs kousa var. chinensis where I hoped it would about weeds, pests, timely mowing, correct Perhaps the hardest virtue to acquire is look lovely each spring and autumn but pruning or just getting things ‘right’ keeps courage to fail. Adventurous gardeners push where, deep down, I knew it would languish? one awake at night. boundaries, knowing that to play safe In 11 years, that poor little tree has barely In extreme cases, the wrong attitude and guarantees mediocrity. Taking risks can grown in the dry ground and has flowered obsession with correctness can even make result in spectacular disasters but when only three times – a bitter reproach for my you hate your garden. That’s why the first daring projects work, what joy they bring! folly. Years ago, I would have blushed and rule, as with a long and happy marriage, is So the gardener’s road to happiness is, removed the tree, but it has been left in place, to develop a loving, tolerant and forgiving perhaps, learning to accept that if success a sharp reminder to keep both feet on the relationship with your garden.
November 2014 | The Garden 19