CABAHS (AH)

Book review: We Made a Garden

We Made a Garden, by Margery Fish - book cover

I can’t remember how many years ago I picked up Margery Fish’s first book, the tale of how she and her husband Walter bought a house in Somerset just before World War Two and created a garden on its two acres of land. It’s an easy and enjoyable read, and I loved it. Her barely-veiled criticism of Walter’s martinet tendencies made me laugh, and her joy and enthusiasm for plants and gardening informed and excited me. On every re-reading (there have been many!) I learn more, and get new ideas, though as time goes on I think I like Walter less and less.

Each area of the garden gets a name: the Lido, the Ditch, the Herb Garden, etc – and each short chapter has a pithy title such as ‘Rock gardening’, ‘Gardening with a Knife’ and ‘We Made Mistakes’. Although the Fishes were of a class that would have been used to staff, the times meant that they did most of the work themselves, with just an occasional ‘garden boy’, so the descriptions are very hands-on. They did, however, still dress for dinner, and the image of Margery clambering up a rockery to water precious new plantings in the top of a wall whilst still in her satin finery is vivid in my mind.

Mrs Fish was in her forties when they bought East Lambrook Manor, and hadn’t really gardened before. She only really got into her stride after Walter died in her fifties (he was 18 years older), and wrote this, her first book, in her sixties, at which point she became known as a gardener and wrote several more books. All are lightly written and informative, but the combination of memoir, wry humour and discovery in ‘We Made a Garden’ makes it the most successful, in my opinion – a gardening classic.

As you can imagine, it has been a long-held ambition to visit East Lambrook Manor, now a Grade 1 listed garden, and I finally managed to get there in April 2024 …

Ali H

If you read a book that would be of interest to our members, please think about writing a review and sending it to garden@cabahs.com and it could become a post like this.

Book Review: An Almost Impossible Thing

Fiona Davison, An Almost Impossible thing - book cover

Professional gardening has long been a man’s world. The title of Fiona Davison’s book comes from a letter written by the retiring Director of Kew Gardens, Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1906. His unambiguous advice to Miss Symonds who fancied a job tending plants was to forget it. Yet women did enter the world of horticulture in the early decades of the twentieth century and Davison follows six of them as they make inroads into this male bastion.

What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden: March and April 2024

We hope you enjoy a spring walk around the walled gardens at Charlton House! Look out for:

Forsythia

Forsythia is in the olive family, renowned for its vibrant yellow flowers which appear in spring, long before the leaves unfurl. The one by the Charlton House stables is quite old and we are not sure of the exact variety. We pruned it back hard a year ago and it seems to have loved it!

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, March 2024

A ‘background’ evergreen plant most of the year, but quite striking when the white candle flowers appear in Spring. Although we call it a laurel, it actually isn’t – it’s in the cherry family! We know that an early resident of Charlton House, Elizabeth Puckering, introduced cherry laurels to the gardens. She was friendly with the diarist John Evelyn, who lived in Deptford at the time, and exchanged cuttings with him in around 1654.

Daffodil (Narcissus ‘Thalia’)

A fragrant and vigorous trumpet daffodil which is now in it’s third year in the walled gardens, so has formed some nice big clumps. It starts off creamy yellow and fades to white, and is sometimes referred to as an orchid daffodil. For fans of BBC Gardener’s World on TV, you might recognise it from Monty Don’s writing garden!

Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost‘)

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' (Siberian bugloss) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, March 2024

Brunnera has lovely heart-shaped, silvery-veined leaves that look as if frost has touched them. The leaves light up shady areas of the garden. It has long lasting, bright blue flowers that look very much like forget-me-nots, and which provide lots of nectar and pollen for visiting bees.

Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae)

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae (wood spurge / Mrs Robb's Bonnet) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, March 2024

Wood spurge is in the Euphorbia family, so take care! If the stems are broken, they gush with a thick milky latex substance that can cause blisters on skin. They are handsome perennial plants, shade loving, with zingy lime-green flowers in late Spring and rosettes of glossy dark green leaves. Another name for this plant is ‘Mrs Robb’s Bonnet’ – we would like to see the hat that inspired that name!

Still going strong, winter into spring!

Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis)

Helleborus orientalis (hellebore / Lenten rose) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, February 2024

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

Primula vulgaris (primrose) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, February 2024

We grow the English or ‘common’ primrose in the walled gardens, which is the natural pale yellow one that gives its name to the colour Primrose. It is often one of the earliest plants to flower in Spring (the Latin word ‘prima’ means first). Early butterflies like the Brimstone benefit from its nectar. Plants will hybridise (cross) very easily with the garden bedding Primulas that come in lots of different bright colours, so seedlings can come up a surprising colour!

March flowers on display in Frilly's Tea Room

What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden: February 2024

We hope you enjoy a Winter walk around the walled gardens at Charlton House! This month, look out for:

Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)

Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, February 2024

The Latin name for snowdrop is Galanthus, meaning ‘milk flower’. They hang their heads to keep their pollen dry for the winter insects they are adapted to attract. When temperatures reach 10C the outer petals open up and this is the temperature at which winter pollinators like bumble bees can fly! Snowdrop sap contains natural antifreeze which allows them to recover quickly after a frosty night. People who collect snowdrops are called Galanthophiles and they pay huge prices for rare varieties.

Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis)

The Lenten Rose is a perennial flowering plant and is part of the Buttercup family, so not a rose at all! Its common name comes from the fact it usually flowers between Ash Wednesday and Easter – the period known as Lent. Hellebores (Lenten roses) can be white, pink, purple and green and they cross with each other very easily so all sorts of colours can result. We are trying to keep to the pink ones in the Old Pond Garden and the white ones will go in the Glade.

Silk tassel bush (Garrya elliptica)

Garrya elliptica (silk tassel bush) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, February 2024

This is a vigorous bushy evergreen shrub with silvery-grey leathery leaves, originally from California USA. It is hardy but grows best in a sheltered spot so it loves the Walled Gardens. The male plant has wonderful catkins in Winter/Spring that look like tassels – look closely at the tassels, they have an amazing structure. The female plant is less commonly seen (we don’t have one here) but produces purple/brown fruits in summer.

Autumn Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Display 2023

The 2023 Autumn Show was held on Monday 18 September in the Old Library of Charlton House. We counted 74 attendees and there were nearly 100 wonderful entries across all the classes.

Judges Vija, Jason and Terry shared the task between them and explained the reasons for their choices of ‘Best in Class’ winners and ‘Highly Commended’ entries, as well as their final choice for Best in Show.

Some entries for Class 1: Vase of flowers (3 stems of 1 cultivar), including Mandy O's winning entry. Autumn Show 2023 — Some entries for Class 1: Vase of flowers (3 stems of 1 cultivar)

An entry for Class 2: Bowl of mixed flowers. Autumn Show 2023 — Some entries for Class 1: Vase of flowers (3 stems of 1 cultivar)

Classes and winners:

Vase of flowers, 3 stems of 1 cultivar: Mandy O
Bowl of mixed flowers (emphasis on quality of flowers, not arrangement): Jean R
Vase of shrubs or foliage, 3 or more stems, mixed varieties: Terry G
Display of ornamental seed heads: Terry G
Five Fuchsia blooms, single variety or mixed (flower heads only): Ruth Y
Ornamental pot plant (incl. cacti & succulents): Anna L
Display of fruit, any mixed: Kathy A
Display of vegetables, mixed: Annie H
Tomatoes (dish of 5): Ann F
Display of herbs: Ruth Y
Preserves – jam, jelly or marmalade, chutney or relish: Fran A
Baking – Apple cake: Carole F
Floral Arrangement – display in a tea cup, all flowers to be home grown (emphasis on floral arrangement): Viv P
Wildcard: Joe F
Competition – yield from one potato supplied in April: Pat T (1392g!)

Winner of Class 1: Vase of flowers (3 stems of 1 cultivar)(Mandy O). Autumn Show 2023 — Best in Class 1: 3 stems of one cultivar

Winner of Class 2: Bowl of mixed flowers (Jean R). Autumn Show 2023 — Best in Class 1: 3 stems of one cultivar

Trophies and awards:

Crystal Fuchsia bowl for Class 5 Five Fuchsia blooms: Ruth Y
Silver Spade for Class 8 Display of Vegetables: Annie H
CABAHS biro for Class 14 Wildcard: Joe F
and of course
Packet of crisps for Class 15 Potato competition: Pat T

Annie H and her trophy for winning Class 8: Display of vegetables, mixed. Autumn Show 2023 — Annie H – winning vegetable display

Joe receiving a coveted CABAHS pen for his 'Wildcard' entry, Autumn Show 2023 — Annie H – winning vegetable display

And finally:

The Best in Show award went to Pat K’s beautiful display of herbs.

Best in Show, Autumn 2023! Pat K's unusual display of (mainly) flowering herbs, in Class 10. — Best in Show, Autumn 2023! Pat K’s unusual display of (mainly) flowering herbs

Winners awarded and prizes given, it was time for everyone to sample the cakes!

Ali

What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden: September 2023

We hope you enjoy walking around the walled gardens at Charlton House!
This month, look out for:

Night moth Salvia (Salvia nachtvlinder)

Salvia 'Nachtvlinder' in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, September 2023

With velvety plum-purple flowers, this Salvia is attractive to moths and other pollinating insects and flowers over a long period – well into late Autumn.
It has deliciously blackcurrant-scented leaves and is said to protect roses against black spot when it is planted under them.

Michaelmas daisy (Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’)

Aster x frikartii 'Monch' in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, September 2023

A bushy perennial with clusters of yellow-centred, lavender-blue daisies that flower right through the Autumn, it is very attractive to pollinators. One of the most reliable and popular Michaelmas daisies (so called because they flower at the time of the feast of Michaelmas on 29 September), it was bred by a Swiss nurseryman called Frikart and named ‘Monch’ after a Swiss mountain.

What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden: August 2023

We hope you are enjoying a walk around the walled gardens at Charlton House! This month, look out for:

Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’)

Echinacea purpurea in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, August 2023

Coneflowers are part of the daisy family, originally from North America. Plains dwellers used the fresh roots and root juice to treat toothache and snake bites. Today many people take Echinacea supplements to prevent colds and boost their immune systems. ‘Magnus’ has large pink flowers and orange-brown central cones – bumblebee heaven!

Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro)

Echinops ritro in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, August 2023

With spiky leaves and bristly metallic blue flowers, globe thistles make a great architectural choice for the back of a sunny border. The flowers are extremely attractive to bees, butterflies and other insects and it makes a good cut flower. This is a plant that we prefer to cut the seed heads off before they drop their seeds – they spread VERY easily!

What to look out for in the Old Pond Garden: June 2023

We hope you are enjoying a walk around the walled gardens at Charlton House! This month, look out for:

Catchfly (Silene armeria ‘Electra’)

Silene armeria 'Electra' in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, June 2023

Blue-grey leaves and hot pink flowers for weeks on end. An annual which self-seeds prolifically. It is called catchfly because there is a sticky area on the stems just below the flowers, which greenfly and small insects get stuck to. Feel it gently with your fingers!

Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)

Lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) in the Old Pond Garden, Charlton House, June 2023

Lamb’s-ear or woolly hedge nettle, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, native to Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. Very drought tolerant. Loved by the wool carder bee, which combs or ‘cards’ the leaves to make a hairy nest to lay her eggs.

The best way to ripen green tomatoes

This summer’s heatwave feels like a distant memory now, but it was a good one for ripening lots of tomatoes! However, if you’ve got green ones struggling in the cooler temperatures, here’s BBC Gardener’s World Magazine’s advice on the best way to ripen them: How to ripen late tomatoes.

Using the ethylene released by bananas to help ripen other fruit is a well known method, but while Which? Gardening agree with GW on most points, they differ on the banana:

You may have heard different techniques recommended for ripening green tomatoes, including putting them with a banana, but when Which? Gardening magazine tested different methods we found that putting them in a dark place indoors, such as a drawer, works best. Tomatoes left with bananas were one of the worst methods for causing the tomatoes to rot.
Which? Gardening, How to Grow Tomatoes

Do you use a banana to help ripen tomatoes? Or do you relish the prospect of green tomatoes for cookery? Let us know in the comments.

The Rothschild Nerine Collection

CABAHS member Melanie told us about an unusual collection: Exbury Gardens in Hampshire, perhaps best known for the springtime magnificence of its rhododendrons, is also home to a special collection of Nerines.

If you can visit Exbury, the Nerine collection is on view from 4 – 30 October.

As it’s quite a long way to travel, you might instead like to see photographer Lisa Creagh’s website, where she has captured the extraordinary quality of this South African native ‘Jewel lily’ in some stunning images: The Rothschild Nerines. Lisa gives a super description of the collection’s history as well as describing the drama of the Nerines’ lifecycle.