The English Garden July 2021

Kat Weatherill Photographer Kat has a background in garden design and horticulture. She lives on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border and loves to capture beautiful Northern gardens such as Susan Dobson’s on page 30. Heather Edwards Heather is a Somerset-based photographer and garden designer with a passion for plants. She was privileged to photograph Champion National Hunt Trainer Paul Nicholls’ garden, featured on page 56. Francine Raymond After a lifetime gardening on an acre in Suffolk, Francine now gardens a small town plot by the sea with a tiny orchard and a couple of bantams. She samples Terry’s cherries in Kent on page 103. IMAGE NEIL HEPWORTH; PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHANTEL…

Writing this, looking out of the window at thunderclouds and torrential rain one minute, rainbows and glorious sunshine the next, I know the unpredictable weather hasn’t made it easy to plan garden get-togethers or al fresco dining. But we British gardeners are a hardy lot, and in the spirit of not letting the weather defeat us, this issue has inspiration for those of us who love growing our own food, as well as cooking and enjoying it in the garden: cherries grown in bucolic Kent, the fascinating world of characterful heritage vegetables, a guide to outdoor kitchens, plus summery recipes. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the weather cooperates! For when you’re dodging the rain showers, there’s plenty more inside to give you ideas and remind you of sunnier days –…

Michael Marriott The former senior rosarian at David Austin Roses is also a garden designer and writer, who now runs his own garden tours Roses have a fascinating history. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, they featured in ceremonies and orgies alike, while the French grew acres of Rosa gallica ‘Offi cinalis’ for culinary, cosmetic and pharmaceutical purposes, right up to the 19th century. I began gardening at an early age and studied agricultural botany at university, before landing a job working on oil palm, rubber and cocoa plantations on the South Pacific Islands. It wasn’t until 1985 that I joined David Austin Roses in Shropshire and developed my specialism. Back then, it was a small team since English Roses weren’t as well known, but when varieties such as ‘Mary Rose’ and ‘Graham…

Wollerton Old Hall Shropshire The owners have a true eye for plants and colour association. Every evening they walk around with a glass of wine and look at new ways to improve the garden. Tel: 01630 685760; wollertonoldhall garden.com Wynyard Hall North Yorkshire The walled garden at this historic hotel was restored six years ago and I helped with the roses there. It’s beautifully laid out with a lovely mix of roses and perennials, so it’s a good place for ideas on planting combinations. Tel: 01740 644811; wynyardhall.co.uk…

RHS summer flower shows return 5-11 July, Surrey; 21-25 July, Cheshire RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and RHS Flower Show Tatton Park are set to return this summer, packed with inspiration and advice for those growing plants, flowers and food in their outdoor spaces. Visitors can discover innovative show gardens and beautiful plants alongside a shopper’s paradise of plants, tools and accessories. This year, Tatton Park will see the return of the popular Young Designer of the Year Competition, while a new Flower Market will feature at Hampton Court. Tel: 0344 3387501; rhs.org.uk ‘The Nature of Thyme’ exhibition 15 June-12 September, Gloucestershire Floral design studio JamJar Flowers will exhibit a range of botanical pressings, including large-scale artworks that push the boundaries of this craft, at Thyme, a hotel in Southrop. The show celebrates the…

WISTERIA maintenance What a great pleasure it is to take a stroll in the garden here at Iford immediately after a shower of summer rain. Flowers become speckled with myriad tiny beads of moisture and every detail seems more apparent. The low cloud seals in the available light which takes on a special luminous quality. A warm mist rises from the River Frome and the garden itself is rendered through a silvery haze. At Iford, one of the most important tasks to undertake now is summer pruning our many wisteria. Harold Peto (Iford’s owner from 1899 to 1933) created his own vision of a snapshot of the world. His approach was unconventional, starting with an idea then focusing on the detail before applying it to a grand plan. At the garden entrance,…