PATINA OF AGE
For many, Sissinghurst is the epitome of an English garden, but the plant choices were often influenced by the travels of its creators (Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicholson), with bulbs such as Fritillaria from Iran and Turkey used to bring a dash of mystery. Our native Fritillaria mealagris is equally alluring and here I’ve used it in one of Vita’s pewter vases; its metal is etched with the garden’s history that connects with the richness and intricacy of the flowers.
How to achieve the look
Vita loved to experiment with growing different plants and combinations in containers of different sizes, and likened this miniature form of gardening to a jeweller working in precious stones. Fittingly, I’ve chosen two jewel-like plants for this display. Fritillaria mealagris, described by Vita as ‘a sombre, sinister little flower’, has for me something of the feel of a Fabergé egg. The checkerboard patterns of its flowers – reminiscent of a painting by Seurat – are ravishingly beautiful and worthy of close inspection. In tandem with the more muscular yet refined Helleborus lividus, the display connects effortlessly back to the garden and doesn’t feel as though I’ve tried too hard to create it. To enjoy these fleeting moments caught in flower is when pot culture excites me the most. For both of these delicate treasures to thrive I need to raise them out of the garden’s heavy Wealden clay, and to do this, containers of various styles and design have always been used throughout the different areas of Sissinghurst. Whatever style of pot you choose, drainage holes are a must; even if the plants are only in the pot for a few weeks, they will not like it, and the roots will be damaged. For metal containers, use a metal drill to make three 8mm holes. For the growing medium, I always aim to use peat-free compost with added leaf mould and up to 6mm grit. Whatever type of pot you use, always make sure you leave a centimetre or so between the soil and the rim of the pot to allow for watering. Plants
1 Helleborus lividus
A slightly tender hellebore from the Balearic Islands. The green tripartite leaves are beautifully grey-veined, similar to those of cyclamen. Its flowers are pinkish grey-green with a slight perfume. January – April. 40cm. RHS H4, USDA 8a-9b.
2 Fritillaria meleagris
A flower of incomparable beauty, the native snake’s head fritillary revels in damp meadows, where it gently self-seeds. The flowers are mostly a rich, jewel-like, pinkish purple, but it will occasionally throw up a white flower. April – May. 30cm. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 3a-8b.