July 2023 Talk: The Jungle Garden

Our Speaker, Philip Oostenbrink, has been the head gardener at Walmer Castle since 2020 and taught horticulture in the Netherlands for 8 years prior to coming to England. He gave  a fascinating and visually illustrated talk on the increasingly fashionable Jungle Gardening. He described how to create at home a garden or patio full of lush, green foliage plants and how to combine different leaf shapes and textures. He said he has been passionate about plants since early childhood, describing himself as a “plantaholic”. He currently holds 4 National Plant Collections. His stall at the Hampton Court Flower Show this year won a gold medal. He said he was inspired by the tropical Tresco Abbey Gardens (see our previous talk on this) and Will Giles’ Exotic Garden in Norwich.

He explained the principles behind designing and creating a jungle garden:
1. The foliage lasts longer than flowers.
2. Good ground cover needs less weeding.
3. Ground insects and beetles prefer coverage and evergreens provide shelter in winter.
4. Effective planting and plant diversity make the garden interesting and seem larger.

He described how to combine foliage.
1. Opposites attract.
2. Don’t put the same shape next to each other but plant a different leaf shape between.
3. Linear leaves direct the eye.
4. Repetition of different colours and textures make a more restful garden.
He gave many examples. For instance Brunnera macrophylla Jack Frost combines well with ferns.

Philip said when creating your own jungle garden, soil type and garden aspect have to be taken into account. He advised planting densely at the side of paths and against and covering walls as it makes the garden seem larger and more interesting. Divide the garden into 3 layers, the canopy, the intermediate level and understory ground cover. Begin with the canopy and use tall trees such as  elderflower, Indian bean tree, banana, catalpa and tree fern. Then find medium plants for the middle level and use filler plants to bulk out and  give a dense look. Select plants with a variety of leaf shapes and textures. Use subtle flowers such as Fuchsia procumbens from New Zealand. To minimise expense, swap plants with like minded gardeners.

Philip suggested a number of  inspirational gardens to go and see including Kew Foliage Garden, Mike Gifford’s at Poole, Wayne Amiel’s in Clapham and Paul Spracklin’s garden in Essex which are sometimes open for charity, as is his own. Also visit Walmer Castle where jungle type plants are being grown in the dry moat.

If Philip’s talk has stimulated in you a desire to create your own jungle garden at home, his own book The Jungle Garden (2021) is widely available and provides a wide range of information including a plant index. There is also a wealth of information on jungle gardening on the internet.

Angela B