Beyond borders

In the first of a new series Malverleys’ head gardener Matthew Reese explains the importance of trees, shrubs and early flowering perennials for creating a dynamic planting scheme to carry the garden throughout the year

In the first of a four part series Malverleys’ head gardener Matthew Reese explains the importance of trees, shrubs and early flowering perennials in the spring garden

What A new English flower garden with mixed border planting in a formal design, influenced by the writings of Christopher Lloyd, Vita SackvilleWest and William Robinson. Where Hampshire.

Size Ten acres.

Soil Variable, mostly stony acid loam with clay.

Climate Temperate. Sheltered from the west, but exposed (with views) to the east.

Hardiness zone USDA 9.

The chequerboard terrace serves as the transition between the house and garden, with plants used to soften the boundaries. Plants grow between the cobblestones and climbers trained against the house bring the garden flowing up the walls. The hard landscaping comes alive in the spring as the plants come into growth. The mixed borders are gardened intensively, with groups of tulips planted between shrubs and waking perennials.

Tulips herald the arrival of spring in the flower garden at Malverleys. The bulbs for these floral illuminations are bedded out in cold December between sleepy perennials. We also make sure valuable early flowering perennials are included in the plantings. The precocious Lunaria rediviva sends up sprays of scented, white flowers tinted with icy-mauve before its foliage has fully developed. Another favourite is the pink-flowered cow parsley, Chaerophyllum hirsutum ‘Roseum’, with delicate, pink umbels on long stems. Forget-me-nots, angelica and woad are early volunteers that naturalise through the plantings, enhancing the displays. Other stalwarts include wallflowers, Cerinthe and lupins (for the fresh foliage), which are bedded out to combine with the tulips, but all of this would look flat if not for the trees and shrubs that add much-needed height and presence at this time of year. They play a vital role in providing shelter to protect those early blooms from strong winds that could otherwise cause considerable damage.

It is surprising that this woody element is often forgotten when crafting a garden, left by the wayside in favour of more flowers. Yet these ‘bones’, as Vita Sackville-West called them, are vital for holding the garden together while creating a sense of permanence and providing an interesting background for the flowers. In spring when herbaceous plants hug the ground like a green blanket, the woody plants punctuate the borders and interrupt what could otherwise be quite a flat display. Strategically placed shrubs and trees can also add a level of interest by concealing the whole of the planting scheme from plain sight, forcing the viewer to move along the border to discover what gems lie beyond the larger plants.

Positioning trees and shrubs in the mixed border needs careful consideration. When laying out borders it is critical to make them wide enough to entertain a few trees and shrubs without having to shoehorn them in. The summation of all the different plants working together will set the tone. We work the different shapes, textures and colours around each other to make the garden exciting. In the Cool Garden, Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’ with its pretty, layered habit and dainty leaves decorating the tips of every branch is contrasted with the moody, blue-green foliage of Juniperus ‘Grey Owl’. Nearby, Phyllostachys nigra, a black-caned bamboo, presents a strong, vertical accent, and the vase-shaped Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ draws attention with dark, crinkled foliage on steeply ascending twigs. It is important to have strong shapes, particularly in the spring when many other border plants have yet to attain much height.

The ‘bones’ of a garden are vital for creating a sense of permanence and providing an interesting background for the flowers

Although some of the finest effects come from trees and shrubs that bloom in spring, it is important not to be completely seduced by their early attire and to remember they must keep up appearances until late summer. Tree peonies are the picture of beauty in spring, but their foliage can shatter in summer and spoil a border prematurely. Cherries and crab apples can also be fleeting, and overplanting can leave a garden sulking for the rest of the year. Plants should earn their keep; this is especially important in small gardens where space is limited. One must be discerning and consider shape, ultimate size, texture, and how the foliage might age, in addition to the flowers. Prunus ‘Fugenzo’ is a fine cherry with shell-pink blooms that shatter into confetti when finished, rather than falling off in blobs. One of the more notable features is the separation of the flowers from the young, copper foliage via exceptionally long pedicels, which give the tree a tiered effect on all the branches. It also has vibrant autumn colour and a good winter outline.

Early flowering perennials will deliver much-appreciated spring colour, but can also tired come the summer, so should be positioned carefully. Some contenders, like the Lunaria rediviva, will cope with shade so it can be grown under the skirt of a deciduous shrub where it will be happily disguised for the rest of the summer. Other plants, such as the peonies, will need more comfortable growing space and can be hidden behind larger summer-flowering plants (such as Veronicastrum or Helianthus).

Laburnum is another good option for late spring but needs careful positioning. We have planted Laburnum alpinum in the Flame Borders. It has a more attractive shape with similar, but shorter, racemes than the better-known

L. x watereri ‘Vossii’, which can be a bit too limp to accommodate in a border. We grow it en masse in a tunnel, for which it is much more suitable. It’s a spectacular, one-hit wonder, and when in flower is a feast for the eyes, ears and nose. The bees adore it and the scent is sweet. If you have the space, cherry walks, peony borders and laburnum tunnels can put on a spectacular spring display, but should not be a blot on the garden landscape for the remainder of the year.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Address Malverleys Gardens, East End,

Hampshire RG20 0AA. Website malverleys.co.uk

Open The garden is open by appointment to groups only. Admission £10. Please book online via the website.

Running down the spine of the walled garden is the Laburnum Walk. The cultivar used is the hybrid Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’, which has pendent racemes to 60cm long. The plants are trained on simple iron arches and form a tunnel. When in flower it is a Mecca for pollinators, and hums with the sound of bees working the blooms.

Top Behind the glasshouse is an elfin woodland of cloud-pruned hornbeams in flint-edged borders. Beneath the trees, Rodgersia podophylla make spectacular displays with their copper leaves, and Paeonia emodi form dense clumps with luminous, white flowers. The hornbeams are fed in the spring and clipped twice a year to maintain their shape. Bottom Trees and shrubs form the bones of the White Garden. They add height and substance in spring when the herbaceous elements are just getting started. Later in the year they add contrast and act as an anchor for the perennials. Pinus bhutanica is particularly beautiful with its cascading branches and pendent clusters of needles.

Top The planting palette in the Woodland Garden is quite restrained, and here the colours are much more subdued than elsewhere in the garden to help create the required atmosphere. Shuttlecock ferns mingle with self-sown Lunaria rediviva, one of the earliest-flowering perennials. On the opposite side of the York stone path, sweet woodruff carpets the border. Bottom The borders in the Cool Garden are deep enough to accommodate trees and shrubs into the plantings, including the evergreen Juniperus ‘Grey Owl’, the upright Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’ and the delicate Cornus alternifolia ‘Argentea’. The woody structure they provide is particularly important in the spring when, without it, the garden would look quite flat.

In the Cloister Garden, the planting is restricted to Prunus ‘Fugenzo’ (also known as P. ‘Shirofugen’), roses trained against the Cotswold Stone walls, and self-sown Centranthus. The rill is a cantilevered construction, designed to accentuate the sound of the water jets. Above it, flowering cherries are starting to ‘link hands’. In addition to the brilliant spring display, they also feature excellent autumn colour.