RHS Hampton inspires me
An urban oasis in Twickenham combining trees, shrubs and general planting with a variety of pondlife and wildlife.
Gardening is all about inspiration, whether from a friend’s garden, a garden centre or various garden or flower shows. My annual pilgrimage to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show never fails to inspire me. The growers are always very generous with their knowledge and despite a promise to myself that I won’t buy at the shows as I can order directly from the nurseries, I still manage to come away with bagfuls of goodies! There are always exciting new plants on display and never mind that I may not have room to plant them, I can always find somewhere to squeeze them in!
Nandina domestica is a great shrub for a small garden, growing only to around 1.5m (5ft). In early summer, it has panicles of small, white flowers, which are followed by bright red berries and then in autumn, the leaves turn shades of red. It’s a good all-rounder, making it one of my top garden shrubs.
Grasses make a great addition to any garden, especially a sensory garden. Stipa tenuissima is one such grass, it has a lovely silky feel – plant it close to a seating area and you’ll find yourself running your fingers through it. Very relaxing. It does cast seeds, so I often find new plants growing in various parts of the garden.
For me, sweet peas spell summer, I keep picking them to prolong their flowering time and to prevent them going to seed. They look utterly charming in small jugs or jam jars dotted around the house and the fragrance is heavenly.