Members’ gardens – Charlton and Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society

Weather winners and losers

NB: We have just heard about an RHS survey about the impact of the recent weather: RHS Climate Change Resilience: Heatwave Impact on Gardens which has to be completed by 30 September 2026.

Following on from Pat’s ’10 Jobs…’ tips on coping with drought and heat, we asked CABAHS members to share which plants had proved to be ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ in the recent extreme weather, to help us all make climate-change-appropriate choices in the future.

Charlton House Peace Garden, July 2026 Pomegranate, Magnolia grandiflora and perovskia are all winners — Pomegranate, *Magnolia grandiflora* and *Salvia yangii* (aka perovskia) are all winners in the Charlton House Peace Garden this year

A summary: After the spring AND summer drought of 2025 (with four of the previous five years being the warmest on record), we experienced a cold November and a wet winter (the 4th wettest on record for Southern England), with the addition of unusually low light levels in early spring. We have now had extreme drought (no rain at all since early June and counting – and there were long dry periods before that too) and, so far, several heatwaves (which is counted as three or more consecutive days over 28 degrees in London – all have been in the 30s). Of course, the heatwaves may have counted six times (starting on 22 May, 19 June, 4 July, 28 July, 2 August and 9 August respectively) but the weather hasn’t exactly cooled off much in between. In addition, Thames Water declared a hosepipe ban beginning on 23 July (though watering cans and drip-feed systems are not banned) and there’s precious little rain showing in the forecast even now.

Plant of the Month: Tithonia (July 2026)

Being very partial to soft-orange and terracotta-orange coloured flowers, I am delighted that from my kitchen I can enjoy the vibrant, terracotta-orange flowers of the statuesque Tithonia rotundifolia. The flowers are an absolute delight, lighting up my garden at the moment, and, hopefully will do so until October.

Tithonia rotundifolia Daniel Hincapie CC BY 4.0 via easyscape.com

I’ve never tried sowing seed of this wonderful variety but I will experiment next year. I spied this plant for sale when visiting one of the lovely gardens open for the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice Open Gardens, held once again in June, to the delight of local residents.

Plant(s) of the Month: The Purples (June 2026)

Clematis ‘John Treasure’ (Viticella)
This free-flowering and vigorous Clematis has been growing on the north side of my garden fence – for many years, as the label reads £3.50!

Plant(s) of the Month: The Whites (May 2026)

A blue sky has appeared, white clouds are in retreat and the white flower clusters are glowing in the bright sunshine, after two days of rain.

Outside my window, Matthiola perennis ‘Alba’, the white scented stock, is soaking up the warmth of the sun. Classed as a short-lived perennial, this cluster is most likely 6-7 years old now, with grey-green foliage and flower clusters sitting atop tall, 3 foot, woody stems. Wonderfully perfumed, preferring shelter, full sun, good drainage and poor soil.

Matthiola perennis 'Alba' (white scented stock)

Plant of the Month: Camellia (April 2026)

It really is a privilege to be invited into other people’s gardens, where the host is allowing us to peek into their private spaces, their secluded oasis and, we, the invitees, do feel very honoured on such an occasion. We see their tastes, their flair, their artistry of everything that make their garden special, thus revealing a little of themselves in the process.

Some are lucky enough to inherit established plants and Juli F is one of those gardeners who embraced her south-facing courtyard garden and the already mature crimson-flowered Camellia that came with it.

Small gardens

What is a small garden?

Margaret P's garden — Small is beautiful. Margaret P’s garden.

Technically, a small garden is considered to be one that is approximately 100m² (33 x 33ft) or less. While the average UK garden is apparently about twice that size (225m²– almost a tennis court), and most new build etc gardens are about half the size of ‘small’ (50m²), we are based in London and what really defines a small garden is probably more a matter of opinion and perception than exact dimensions. To complicate the topic further, many larger gardens are divided into smaller spaces or ‘rooms’, which will often have features and considerations in common with smaller gardens.

Plant of the Month: Abutilon (January 2026)

On Christmas Eve 2025, after enjoying a treat of delicious coffee and mince pies, we were shown Karen S’s very stunning red-veined Abutilon, growing extremely happily in the shade, on the north-facing side of the garden. Covered in glowing, pendulous, lantern-like flowers amongst its dark-green foliage , the shrub lit up the garden during those dark, December days.

This very healthy shrub with maple-like leaves, had been cut back hard some time ago and had grown very quickly. It was a cutting from Margaret T’s garden two or three years ago. Its growth was very impressive indeed. But before that, the cuttings originally came from North London some years ago, from a plant-lover’s garden. One Abutilon in this garden was seen growing happily as a tall shrub/small tree beneath a mature tree, thus receiving a fair amount of shade and protection, which I think is necessary, as Abutilon species originated from tropical and subtropical regions of South America.

Abutilons have a long-flowering period in London, in bloom from early-to-mid summer and again in early winter. Karen’s shrub is still flowering now in January, but the prolonged cold snap earlier this month has, naturally, affected it – not as upright as it was but still continuing to bloom, although the flower colour is no longer quite as vivid. Let’s hope it warms up and recovers quickly. I know how it feels!

Grow Amaryllis!

“Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) are considered naff by some – their flowers being so spectacularly over the top and being so widely available in supermarkets. But I think their spectacular-ness is attractive and grow them every year.
I hope this photograph of the Amaryllis that I have grown this year will encourage those who do not already grow them to do so. Perhaps we could have an annual Amaryllis competition at CABAHS!”

Angela

New Year flowers in Members’ Gardens

Following on from the New Year’s Day Flower Count in Charlton House Gardens, several members did their own Flower Count, and reported some surprising (and not-so-surprising) discoveries.

New Year's Day flowers in Ali H's garden (Chaenomeles, Geum, Hebe, Primula) — Japanese quince, water avens, elephants’ ears, Geranium, winter jasmine, Mexican fleabane, Viburnum bodnantense, Hebe, primrose, Salvia ‘Amistad’, Cyclamen coum, rose, brown-eyed Susan, Mexican orange blossom and laurustinus in Ali H’s garden

New Year's Day flowers in Ali H's garden (Bergenia, Geranium, Salvia, Cyclamen) — Japanese quince, water avens, elephants’ ears, Geranium, winter jasmine, Mexican fleabane, Viburnum bodnantense, Hebe, primrose, Salvia ‘Amistad’, Cyclamen coum, rose, brown-eyed Susan, Mexican orange blossom and laurustinus in Ali H’s garden

The winter-flowering shrubs were of course out in force (Camellia, Jasminum nudiflorum – winter jasmine, Skimmia japonica, Viburnum – both V. bodnantense and V. tinus, Clematis ‘Freckles’ and Daphne odora), as were the hellebores (though mine have remained resolutely in bud with not a single one opening yet!). Mandy A’s Loropetalum (Chinese witchhazel) was in flower, as were several people’s Hebes. My Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese quince) was covered in fruits, but still producing the odd confused flower too, along with a nearby Geranium macrorrhizum and Geum rivale.

Plant(s) of the Month: December flowers

What a mild 2025 December we are having! So mild, the weather is confusing some plants, such as lavender, Calendula and yellow-flowered Phlomis, out in flower at present.

One of the joys of winter is admiring all the window boxes, the wide variety of beautiful Christmas door-wreaths and observing what’s flowering in front gardens whilst out strolling.

Calendula officinalis flowering in December — A confused pot marigold, beautiful Camellia sasanqua and festive Abutilon

A confused pot marigold, beautiful Camellia sasanqua and festive Abutilon