VALLEY GARDENING garden ow w by Hannah Stephenson__________
nationwide will still be watching their spending in the New Year. So says Andrew Duff, director of
P
garden design at Inchbald School of Design, who is predicting that gardeners of 2010 will be plumping for permanent plantings, taking more cuttings and continuing the trend for growing their own. "Quality and value for money is at
the forefront of people's minds," he insists.
"People may be going for
permanent plantings rather than annuals-annuals will be ^ • the punctuation. The Ikea generation is dying. People want to buy things which are longer- . lasting." He predicts there will
be a resurgence of structure to gardens next year.
“• "We'll see the return o f ' d
evergreens more prominently, because they're value for money, punctuated with masculine architectural foliage. "The plants need to start working to
justify their place in the garden, so you'll have rich, moody evergreen backdrops, and plants such as cineraria and thistles. It will be much more dramatic and flamboyant, which is kind of what's happening in fashion. "We'll see sweet-shop colours like
sherbet lemons, not bright colours, but a softer range with more white and primarily relying on foliage. You'll see old-fashioned favourites coming back like alchemilla, acanthus and euphorbias, and safe varieties like Euphorbia 'Wulfenii', because it's likely to do well and you don't have to keep replacing it." Gardeners will opt for permanent
plants in pots, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. "People will be after all-year-round plants, but it doesn't necessarily mean
you have to plant an evergreen," Duff says. "Cornus and salix are good in pots.
Plant thyme underneath to hide the soil. Herbs like rosemary prefer to be in a pot, which is more free-draining." People will also be increasing their
stock by propagation, taking cuttings rather than spending more money.
; ,
oliticians may be telling us that we are coming out of the recession, but gardeners
which may lead to an increase in sales of greenhouses, he predicts. In line with the 'grow your own'
campaign, the must-have hanging baskets will contain a mass of vegetables, including saiad leaves and trailing tomatoes. Dwarf runner beans, particularly the purple-leaf varieties, will provide both an edible and ornamental addition to any container. "People may not like the thought of
putting vegetables into their flower border, but that's an attitude that's got to change," says Duff. An allotment became the must-
have for many gardeners a few years ago, but busy people often haven't the time to tend it sufficiently, so are slowly making space for veg in their .gardens.
•S&V-- "People love to live the dream about having an allotment, but in
reality there's a time issue. There will be lots of vegetables in the borders, but people need to learn how they can look
^-i gopd," Duff says. "Most vegare foliage
^ based, and can add another dimension to a border if you
think ahead. For instance, perpetual spinach is
quite an attractive leaf. Let it grow to its full maturity, but you can still pick the leaves. Put it at the front of the border. And plant fruit trees instead of purely ornamental ones." The purse-strings may be tight next
year, but we can still reap great rewards from the seeds we sow. Best of the bunch - Spotted laurel
(Aucuba japonica 'Variegata') This dense, bushy evergreen shrub has eye-catching variegated leathery leaves all-year-round. It produces upright clusters of small red flowers in mid-spring, followed on fentiale plants by bright red berries. Aucuba will grow well in any soil.
even if it's starved and dry, in sun or shade. Be warned, though, that new growth can be scorched by icy winds, the variegated types will need some sunshine, and for berries you need a female variety with a male type nearby.
Spotted laurel grows to around
2.1m. Male types include 'Golden King' and 'Crotonifolia' while female varieties include 'Gold Dust'. Cut back as required with secateurs in spring. Good enough to eat - Walnuts We all have loads of nuts over the
festive season - but have you ever thought of growing your own?
Walnuts may not be the easiest
things to grow in our climate - and indeed, the walnut tree originates from Persia - but new self-fertile varieties are proving more successful in this country. Certain types can tolerate our wet,
cool conditions and crop well. Walnut trees should be planted in a sheltered sunny spot and protected from late frosts which may destroy their new growth and flowers. Choose varieties such as 'Buccaneer' or 'Rita' (even the smaller varieties grow up to 7.5m) and plant them in the autumn, staking the tree for several years, until established. Keep it well-watered during its early
years and enrich the earth around it with compost.
Fully-ripened walnuts can be
harvested in September and October, when the husk starts to split. They should be dried straight away by a boiler and then put in well-ventilated bags and kept in a cool, airy spot.
Three ways to... Reduce garden maintenance
1. Change those herbaceous borders
filled with hardy perennials to a shrub or mixed border, which will give you less work and more year-round interest.
Andrew Duff, director of garden design at the Inchbald School of Design. (S) 2. If you have pots, choose large
non-porous ones which reduce the need for frequent watering, and use hanging baskets with a built-in reservoir. 3. If you're not devoted to grass, consider losing a small shady lawn
that's difficult to mow and replace it with paving.
What to do this week • Order seeds to be sown in
January or February - you may have to wait a few weeks for delivery. • Protect vulnerable plants from
frost and wind damage. • Firm in any autumn-planted
shrubs and border plants lifted by frost.
• Continue to knock snow off
conifers and hedges if they are bending under the weight. • Check stakes and ties on newly-
planted trees and make sure they are not rubbing.
• Check on bulbs being forced for indoor display every week so that you
don't miss flowering. • Dig any heavy clay soil that was
left unturned in the autumn. Frosts will help to break it down. • If weather permits, take
hardwood cuttings of hardy climbers now to save time in the spring. • Move containers under cover
until the milder weather returns. • Tidy up winter containers by
picking off faded flowers and trimming back any frost-damaged shoots. • Prepare the ground for a herb
garden if weather permits, choosing a sunny, south-facing position with some protection from north and east winds. • Only feed house plants if they are
growing strongly or are in flower. • Rest cacti and other succulents
over winter at a temperature between 7-10C. Make sure they have plenty of light but keep them dry or barely moist.
BI-ACKBURW DarweN
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