Viva Brighton Issue #72 February 2019

GARDENS
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Winter Garden
White, reds and light at Wakehurst
“I want everyone to feel something as they
step into this garden.” So Wakehurst Head of
Landscape and Horticulture Ed Ikin tells me
of the new Wakehurst Winter Garden, which
opened in January.
“There’s lots of individually interesting plants
– things for people to discover – but, really, it’s
about the experience of being in the garden.”
The composition he describes beautifully. The
framing of the white Himalayan Birch – which
has been chosen for its pure white bark, and
because it holds its shape beautifully over years
– the dogwoods Cornus Alba Siberica providing
red, and a “fringe of grasses”. He talks about
“layers of colour”, and “the way the grasses
glow – with light inside them”.
The sense of light’s very important. “Winter is
the more challenging season”, says Ed. “We’ve
chosen a design that works with this. I think when
people talk about ‘botanic gardens’, they probably
imagine a project where lots of individual plants
have been curated. Of course, that is the case
here – there are 33,000 plants in total – but the
big canvas is what we start with. I want anyone to
come and experience the sense of light coming
through an undulating landscape. Later, there’s
time to enjoy the detail.”
I ask who’s been the landscape’s architect, or is
it a whole team of people?
“A whole team of very talented people”, he
says. “But Garden Supervisor, Francis Annette
created the detailed plan. I think he’d say he was
inspired, above all, by the Downs themselves.”
The Winter Garden opened last month. It
should remain for years. In 2019, we need
gardens like this.
Yes, Ed is concerned about climate change, he
tells me. “Very. What’s new is this concentration
Photo by Jim Holden
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of extreme weather events. The English weather
has always enjoyed its ups and downs and
surprises. Not so often two consecutive weeks
of 35 degree days, for instance – as we had last
summer – nor of flash flooding.
“Let the plants tell the story,” Ed says, “not just
us gardeners. All our mature, native trees are
showing the signs of stress.”
Anyway, “it’s very important to give gardens
time to flex and evolve,” says Ed, who’s spent
his entire life outdoors, growing up on a farm,
and working ever since in gardens. “We’ve
made what we think is an extraordinary garden
with many interesting plants; over time, it will
only grow richer and deeper.”
Wakehurst Winter Garden sets out to offer all
its visitors a haven. The Wakehurst team has
also worked hard with scent, concentrating a
lot around the paths where visitors will wander,
and be beguiled, for instance, by Sweet Daphne
and Witch Hazel.
“We want you to feel alive and stimulated
in this space”, says Ed, “and in a way that’s
tangible and real. We’re appealing to your
senses – sight and smell.” And yes, of course,
colour’s integral. “There’s something about
subtlety and complexity”, he says. “This garden
will bring people peace.” Charlotte Gann
kew.org/wakehurst