Editor’s letter
For many of us it’s a love affair with an individual plant or plant combination that starts off our passion for gardening. A couple of years ago, at a Gardens Illustrated Talk, renowned designer Piet Oudolf, reflecting on his career, revealed: “I used to be obsessed by plants; now I’m insanely obsessed by plants.” I don’t think he’s alone in this sentiment and while we try to fit in as much useful plant information as possible into our regular issues that run from January to December, for this, our Plant Special, we pull out all the stops plant-wise. Head gardener Fergus Garrett discusses his choices for the exotic garden at Great Dixter; expert grower John Hoyland explains the success behind nurserywoman Fleur van Zonneveld’s carefully constructed planting combinations for container displays; Francine Raymond visits cut-flower expert, gardener and florist James Horner; we take a look at Piet Oudolf’s use of annuals for his latest design at a gallery in the Netherlands; and Lia Leendertz goes behind the scenes at a community salad growing project near Bristol. I’ve been a keen vegetable grower for over two decades and looking back I realise that my first plant love was a broad bean that I grew from seed for a biology experiment at school. Every day I would check its progress, and I can still remember the excitement of watching its roots and stem emerging, pressing against the side of the jam jar in which it grew. My fascination with plants deepens each year and I hope that you too enjoy learning about the people, plants and places that we choose to feature. Enjoy the issue.