PLANT YOUR BORDER
With the sorbus and euonymus at its heart, this is a long-term planting scheme, so don’t rush site preparation. Work across the area, removing perennial weeds, breaking up compacted ground and digging in well-rotted organic matter. All the plants in this border prefer a moisture-retentive, fertile but welldrained soil. Adding well-rotted compost helps nudge your soil towards these conditions, whether you’re on a sandy loam or heavy clay.
1 Establish the sorbus and euonymus
Sorbus ‘Joseph Rock’ can be bought bareroot from November through to March much cheaper than a container-grown specimen, although pot-grown plants are available all year round.
When positioning the tree, keep in mind its potential height and spread and remember that it prefers a sunny or part-shaded site. Keep it well watered during its first growing season.
You’ll usually find container-grown euonymus rather than bareroot. This unfussy plant can cope with most soil types but it’s still best to wait until spring to plant if you’re on heavier ground. Neither tree needs routine pruning but winter is the best time to remove diseased or damaged branches and to carry out desired shaping.
2 Lay out the grasses
Miscanthus and calamagrostis are two brilliantly dependable grasses that reward you with months of structure and movement in the garden. Plant them in spring, positioning the taller calamagrostis towards the back of your border and bringing the smaller arching miscanthus forwards. Neither need winter support other than the occasional tidying of collapsed stems after heavy winds. Eventually, in late winter or early spring, cut the old stems back ready for the new growth to come through. Divide established clumps in spring once new growth has begun.
3 Finish with the aconitum and anemone
Aconitums are beautiful plants but remember, when handling them, that they’re highly toxic. Establish new plants in spring adding extra compost to the planting hole to ensure a fertile, moistureretentive soil and make sure they don’t go short of water over their first growing season. They like part shade and although growth may be slow at first, they establish generous clumps when happy. Aim to divide them every three years in autumn or spring for best vigour. Anemone ‘Bowles’s Pink’ is a robust, easy-going plant that’s happy with sunshine or part shade. Plants are susceptible to powdery mildew, so a bit of shade can help prevent them from drying out too much. Once established, they’ll ‘walk’ their way around the border and may need thinning out. Lift and divide in late autumn or early spring. If you’re after lots of plants quickly, try propagating them by root cuttings when the plants are dormant in winter (see page 34). ✿