Winter Gardens

Christopher Lloyd believed that winter’s main gardening task was to sit by the fire and read seed catalogues. And, indeed, Bondholders might share that philosophy at home. But Landscaping Consultant Frankie Shrapnel feels they expect the challenge of winter to be addressed a little more ‘vigorously’ around HPB sites…

How do we ensure that our gardens offer as much interest and excitement in the winter months as they do in the summer?

In the warmer climates we still depend on flower colour. But even though the flowering season is incredibly long in sub-tropical climates, we still have to think about it. Begonias, bougainvilleas, strelizias and hibiscus can be relied upon to produce flowers throughout the year. And clivias will get going in February if the conditions are right.

The red-flowering gum blazes up to Christmas and there are several mimosas which flower then too. These all hale from the southern hemisphere originally so I guess we have geography to thank for their confusion. But this doesn’t explain the poinsettia which originates from Mexico. Where would Christmas be without it?

In fact the poinsettia flower is a rather insignificant greenish affair, and what we think of as the flowers are in fact highly coloured leaves or bracts.

The poinsettia’s association with Christmas dates back to 16th century Mexico. It was first introduced to the US by the Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Robert Poinsett, in 1825 – hence the name (its real name is euphorbia pulcherrima).

Party trick

Another excellent foliage plant for the winter months is acalypha wilkesiana, which is also known as the copperleaf, or match-me-if-you-can. I’ve also seen it referred too as Jacob’s coat and, rather weirdly, as the beefsteak plant. (I can only assume that someone thought the cream marbling and deep red colour on one of the forms reminded them of a piece of sirloin.) La Gomera has some fine specimens and we are growing it in Madeira as well. Curiously, it too is a member of the euphorbiaceae family and originally came from Fiji.

Also known as the swan’s neck agave – and resembling a firework – it sends up a bizarre 3.5m long arching inflorescence of small green flowers from a basal rosette of fleshy glaucous leaves.

I find it hilarious – like something imagined by Dr. Seuss.

The northern European sites have to rely more on form. Camellias are common to both of course and provide a magnificent display at Hilguy for example. But by and large, flowers are not the sine qua non of the winter garden – they are just a wonderful bonus.

I spent my childhood in the Swiss Alps which – in winter – became the ultimate white garden. I remember watching the gardener carefully tying up branches of sprawling pines along the pathway to protect them from the weight of the snow. These strange forms, once covered, provided fantastical shapes like something out of Narnia. On sunny days they sparkled against cornflower blue skies. No need for winter pansies here.

Rugged

Sadly, although we occasionally get snow in the UK, it’s rarely with the high atmospheric pressure that gives the classic winter landscape of the brochures.

I’ve yet to visit Tigh Mor Trossachs, but I imagine it looks sensational under snow. So, south of the border we have to be more resourceful. This is when the bones of a garden become really important: the division of space, the position and outline of hedges, the shapes of trees.

Sometimes these are very informal and rugged – an effect we hope to achieve at Norton.

Colour must be used sparingly for it not to jar. Evergreens come into their own, especially the pretty variegation to be found on euonymus and ivy. Yew, the winter stalwart, would seem out of place in this landscape, as it would never have been grown near animals due to of its toxicity.

This is why one finds so much of it in churchyards – archers had to grow it somewhere for their longbows, and churchyards tended to be enclosed.

At Norton we have used other British natives, such as Scott’s pine and holly, and these – with the laid hedges and the winter silhouettes of old apple trees and the various thorns – will lend character to the winter picture.

By contrast, at Sibton Park there are huge yew hedges and topiary shapes, and a charming Dutch garden with box edged parterre.

The main garden has lovely walls and grand trees, and is strong on structure having one of the more formal layouts of the HPB sites.

Blore Hall seems to just pop up out of the landscape, which it dominates in a very modest way. Its gorgeous position means that it benefits from the low winter sun, which brilliantly illuminates the dogwoods and willows on the south side and provides lovely yellow and pinky orange through to red shades in the winter months.

Relative newcomer cornus sanguinea (a.k.a. midwinter fire – and also known as winter beauty) lines the drive and lives up to its name.

Elsewhere there is the better-known olive green flaviramea and red cornus alba sibirica whose variegated form makes for an incredibly useful garden plant.

Ghostly white rubus thibetanus is another striking plant that can be used to great effect, and I was surprised to find how attractive the glaucous bloom on the green stems of lycesteria formosa can be.

I‘ve always been a bit snooty about pheasant berry, but it looked sensational in flower at Langton House this summer (so I’m now a huge fan).

Dazzling

Bark is of course a fantastic source of winter colour. You have only to think of the dazzling white of the Himalayan birches, or the rich mahogany of prunus serrula (the Tibetan cherry).

Like the dogwoods, the new growth of scarlet willow is pretty spectacular, as is the yellow wood of the golden ash fraxinus jaspidea.

The golden weeping willow is a magnificent tree in leaf, but it is even more spectacular seen ‘naked’ against a leaden winter sky.

Of course, there is also another – wonderfully unexpected – aspect of the winter garden: scent.

Somehow, the relative absence of blooms means you tend to forget about it until the extraordinary heliotrope smell of viburnum knocks you senseless, reminding you that some of the most fragrant plants are performing arias at this time.

Plants like witch hazel and winter sweet, daphne, mahonia and – perhaps my favourite of all, because it’s such an unassuming plant – sweet box.

Various forms of sarcococca have been planted around the site at Norton and a hedge of it has been proposed for the north side of Merlewood – to welcome Bondholders with its warm sweetness.