ADAPTING TO NEW WAYS
David Ward, director at the internationally renowned Beth Chatto’s Garden & Nursery, examines the more natural direction English gardens are moving to
THE MINDSET is changing towards using more naturalistic and wildlife-friendly plants. Beth transformed desolate wasteland into a series of gardens to cope with varying conditions – dry, clay, shade, full sun, water gardens. Times have caught up her “right plant, right place”, but for Beth it was common sense that you put plants in the conditions they wanted, rather than fight against nature. ‘LOOSER’ PRACTICES have taken over – allowing plants to spread; leaving seed heads over winter for wildlife; less use of peat-based compost; a move away from pesticides. Low rainfall is nothing new, but people are more aware of water use and conservation. It’s about balance; not a lowering of standards, just a different way of doing things.
DIVERSITY IN PLANTING encourages wildlife. Traditional English gardens of lawn, box hedging and roses don’t create a great deal of diversity, whereas many gardens now, by introducing a broad range of plants, attract a wide range of wildlife.
FOLIAGE, FORM AND TEXTURE are important for creating a longer season of interest. Flowers are ephemeral; foliage has a longer season, particularly in shade. Shade-loving plants naturally flower in spring to take advantage of the light and moisture earlier in the year, then as the overhead canopy comes on they are back to foliage.
IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT we have created conditions that can suit drought-tolerant plants. Strong performers include Stipa tenuissima, a lovely wavy grass; catmint, ballota, oenothera or gaura, marjoram and oreganum. Nearly everything in the gravel garden seems to attract bees and butterflies, and we mix it up to increase diversity. If we have a really dry summer, we use secateurs rather than a hosepipe: cut back the plants to take the stress off them, and when it rains they often reshoot and flower again.
Rewilding the Mind: The Beth Chatto Symposium takes place on 1-2 September; bethchatto.co.uk