HeAd GArdener - New British Landscapes

GLORIOUS GARDENS
OXFORDSHIRE
Waking early, sunlight
flooding my bedroom floor,
I rouse my dogs, take my
daughter’s hand and set off
for the potting shed. This
familiar wander marks the passage from
home to work, and the start of my day as
head gardener here at Garsington Manor.
Negotiating the phalanxes of fastigate Irish
yews - all slightly struggling with their
starchy verticality despite the support of tight
wire corsets keeping these grand old ladies
in shape - we cross the south-facing slope.
Coming around the back of a high brick
wall, we enter the ramshackle, masculine
potting shed, which is well hidden at the
back of a pretty beehive glasshouse, full to
58 the english garden July 2012
bursting with the lipstick shades of zonal
pelargonium flowers.
Watering the potted plants is the first job
every day from spring through to autumn. It is
best to avoid delay. Watering cans, an eclectic
selection of sticky traps, a spray of liquid soap
(if the aphids are really getting carried away),
and a keen eye are the only things required to
look after the young plants for this entire
six-acre garden, including the vegetables.
They are the domain of John Prior, who has
gardened here for 60 years.
As we collect much of our own seed, I have
never felt the need to buy Nicotiana sylvestris,
N.mutablis, Salvia patens or an annual poppy
of any description, but not all seed is as reliable
and easy to nurture through to maturity.
In spring, the 24 square box-edged borders are full of tulips, daffodils, swathes of forget-me-nots
and wallflowers... Summer is the flower garden’s second planting chapter
I boost our stocks of cosmos each year,
and supplement the giant zinnia seed with at
least one snazzy bright newcomer to contend
head to head with the dahlias for the most
gorgeous and garish late bloom.
Summer is the flower garden’s second
planting chapter. In spring, the 24 square boxedged
borders are full of tulips, daffodils,
swathes of forget-me-nots and wallflowers.
I favour single colour varieties such as the
vintage feel of Erysimum ‘Giant Pink’ and
dramatic blood red ‘Vulcan’.
Zinnias may need a little TLC, but not so
the sweet peas, which we grow in profusion.
We save plenty of seed, but I can never resist
the promise of a new rich burgundy, or
a moody navy. I particularly recommend
‘Blackberry’, ‘Beaujolais’ and’ Hero’. Rosalind
Ingrams, the owner of the manor, favours
fiery magenta and scarlet blooms - so we
agree to grow the lot.
Sowing in spring (which for sweet peas is in
January), I throw a generous handful of the
intensely scented Lathyrus ‘Cupani’ into the
mix. Introduced in 1699, it’s only a few decades
younger than Garsington’s Jacobean manor
house. I like the idea of growing it near the
remarkable dovecote with its proud ‘1714’
chiselled into the stone above the door.
These rather demure little peas twine up
the hazel sticks quite as easily as the more
robust cultivars. Only Sam, another long-term
gardener here, now in his 83rd year, has the
patience required to guide the young seedlings
with miniature rows of peasticks, perhaps only
s
PREVIOUS PAGE, OVERLEAF Hannah
Gardener stakes in supports for delphiniums -
just one of her tasks as head gardener at
Garsington Manor. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM
LEFT Hannah and her dogs xxxxxx and
xxxxxxxxx. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT To
look after the planters on the island, Hannah
must venture out in a row boat; anticipating
the bounty from the kitchen garden; Hannah
deadheads the repeat-flowering roses
religiously; sweet peas are a garden favourite
here; the 24 square box-edged beds are
planted up for summer with annuals such
as cosmos, nicotiana and poppies, with
structure offered by the fastigate yews
and reliable colour from campanulas and
roses; Hannah pots on more young
plants in the potting shed.