Surrey Homes | SH19 | May 2016 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside

Containing your joy...
Growing plants in containers is not only aesthetically
pleasing, it can be practical too, says Sue Whigham
I
don’t know if any of you have been down to Hanham Court
Gardens near Bath. Julian and Isabel Bannerman, Chelsea
Gold Medal winners and whose commissions include
incredibly imaginative creations at Highgrove, bought the house,
part of a glorious mediaeval monastic establishment, in 1983
and created a dream-like garden there. They’ve moved on now
but their garden very much remains and is open for the NGS
several times in 2016. The reason I mention it is that I remember
one of those wonderful days when a group of us drove down to
see it. We arrived to find Julian gently watering a huge copper
absolutely full of a dense planting of Lavender ‘Hidcote’ and
Argyranthemum ‘Cherry Red’. I’ve never forgotten it as the
combination of the lavender and the marguerite was completely
stunning. ‘Cherry Red’ has daisy-like flowers in a deep carminered
which fade to different shades of pink as they age. And to
cap it all you have feathery grey leaves contrasting with the deep
purple of the lavender. I’ve been meaning to try this combination
in one of my myriad pots. Maybe this will be the year.
The joy of these sorts of plants is that they don’t need too
much watering and of course it is a bit of a relief not to have
to spend hours wielding a hosepipe and watering everything in
sight. And whilst it is difficult on a wet and windy early April
day to imagine hosepipes being anything but redundant after
the winter and early spring we have had, I suspect that they
will have to be wheeled out by the time summer arrives.
So, are drought resistant plants, or plants that need little
watering, right for containers? There are thousands of plants
worldwide which are so cleverly adapted to dry conditions.
Think of all the silver-leaved plants whose leaves reflect the
harsh rays of the sun and whose coating of fine hairs on both
stem and leaves help trap moisture around the plant’s tissues.
But there are also other adaptations plants have made to
cope with lack of moisture so look out for these too when
you’re choosing your drought resistant plant which involve
minimal care once they are established. Apart from silver
leaved plants, there are plants which have succulent leaves and
stems, tiny leaves, needle-like leaves and waxy ones too.
Think of how plants grow in their native conditions. I think
that agapanthus are one of the most striking plants for pots and
they grow in crevices and on cliffs with a minimal amount of
soil. We can grow a huge variety of them, both hardy and nonhardy.
They’re tough things but do appreciate a good start in
life and flower best with a little help from us. So tips for looking
after agapanthus would be to protect the less hardy varieties in
the winter; keeping them in pots with their roots fairly neatly
filling the pot; splitting them in March/April when necessary
and growing them in a 2/1 mix of good garden compost and
coarse sand or gravel. Feeding them with a high potash feed every
three to four weeks in the growing season will encourage a good
supply of flowers. Another favourite with strappy leaves is the
coastal astelia, Astelia banksii, which is native to New Zealand.
Unlike its larger cousin, Astelia chathamica, this one only grows
to about three feet and it has the advantage of narrow, swordlike
silver leaves perfect as a dramatic single specimen in a pot.
There seem to be mixed views about its hardiness and I think
that some protection in a hard winter would be good. It has
certainly got through this last winter without any problem.
Succulents like Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’, the Torch Aloe,
Aloe arborescens and echeverias are all perfect in pots. However, they
are certainly not hardy and would have to be brought under cover
in the autumn. They need little or no watering and in the right
conditions – ie well drained compost, added grit etc. flourish in a
sunny spot. Agaves too are good statement plants but spiky. I like
the black spined agave for its blue grey succulent leaves and the large
Agave americana. I saw enormous specimens of agave growing
in the completely wondrous Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech this
117 www.wealdentimes.co.uk