Casey Bryce, University of Bristol
24.01.2024 - 13:27 / theenglishgarden.co.uk
Often, these are timeless items that have truly stood the test of time, but there’s also room for innovations that have transformed the way we garden – battery-powered tools that have done away with electric cables and noisy, smelly two-stroke fuel, for example. We asked the country’s top head gardeners which tools they couldn’t contemplate gardening without.
Every gardener needs a pair of secateurs, preferably on their person at all times. Nip off wayward shoots, cut out reverted branches on variegated shrubs, deadhead roses, get rid of suckers, even cut a piece of string – they are constantly useful.
And when it comes to choosing which pair to buy, the UK’s head gardeners have one recommendation: Felco. “We always have them on us,” says Andrew McCoryn, head gardener at Leeds Castle in Kent. “They are to gardeners what a light sabre is to Jedi knights.” The model of choice? Felco No 2 Original (£54.99) linked here, a bypass secateur with hardened steel blades and sturdy handles that are comfortable enough to use for long periods.
They’re the secateurs of choice for Andrew, Martin Duncan of Arundel Castle, Stephen Griffith, curator at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens and Waterperry’s head gardener, Pat Havers. A left-handed version is also available (model No 9) linked here, and Bodnant Garden’s John Rippin also recommends Felco’s 903 Diamond Sharpener (£22.99) linked here to go with them. “You can keep it in your pocket and it’s easy to use – keeping your secateurs sharp is really important,” he says.
2. Pocket knife
A wooden-handled Opinel pocket knife accompanies Stephen Griffith around Abbotsbury. “It’s a little thing but it’s useful for cutting string and odd jobs,” he says. From £8.40, opinel.com
3. A ‘big’ knife
Whether
Casey Bryce, University of Bristol
Bay (Laurus nobilis), also known as bay laurel or the bay tree, is an evergreen shrub with aromatic leaves, known as bay leaves. Laurus nobilis one of the oldest shrubs in cultivation, introduced to British gardens in from as early as 1650. It’s an essential foliage plant for herb gardens – bay leaves can be used in a variety of dishes, including soups and stews and even ice cream, and are the main ingredient in a ‘bouquet garni’. They can be dried for storing or used fresh.
The bird species that visit your garden will vary depending on your location, the size of your plot, what type of plants you grow and what supplementary bird food you offer. In some areas of the UK, birds such as tree sparrows and nuthatches might be relatively common in gardens, whereas in other places they are unlikely to be seen. The birds on the list below can be seen in gardens, but none is included in the top 20 species in the last two years of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.
Collaborative post
February marks the transition from winter to spring. Although the chill may persist, promising signs of the upcoming new season are scattered throughout. Bulbs cautiously break through the soil, and daylight gradually begins to appear.
I prefer to top-dress my flower beds while my perennials are napping safely underground, but I often find myself doing this while the plants are up. That chore is made much easier with a 58-ounce cast-aluminum scoop. It’s small enough to maneuver among plants but holds enough compost, mulch, or—as shown here—composted wood chips to cover real estate quickly. Lastly, it leaves a hand free to hold plants aside while I’m applying the product.
Galanthus x hybridus ‘Robin Hood’ at Thenford Arboretum
Cotoneasters are not a well-known group of plants, and these excellent berrying shrubs are often unfairly labelled dull. The culprit responsible for this reputation is Cotoneaster horizontalis (wall spray), which sprawls across front gardens and car parks up and down the country, and is, admittedly, rather dull. But, beyond the ubiquitous blandness of C. horizontalis, there are many wonderful cotoneasters that deserve to be more widely grown.
As the new year begins, our gardens present an inviting canvas for renewal and growth. January is a pivotal month for gardeners, serving as the cornerstone for a flourishing spring.
In the ever-evolving tapestry of horticulture, 2024 brings forth a new chapter as gardens undergo a transformative journey guided by the latest trends. From the integration of nature into outdoor spaces to the tech-savvy approaches that are revolutionizing horticulture, this year's garden landscape is a canvas of innovation and sustainability. Join us as we delve into the heart of these trends and explore how they are changing the way we imagine, cultivate and experience our gardens. Step into a world where sustainability meets aesthetic expression, where technology blends with the natural, and where each garden becomes a unique testament to the creativity and conscientiousness of its caretaker. Welcome to the garden trends of 2024 – a celebration of greenery, diversity and the limitless possibilities that bloom in the outdoors.
For gardeners across the globe, English gardens are renowned. Their reputation for being the most romantic, beautifully planted and idyllic spaces a gardener could hope for has spread far and wide. But how do you define a quintessentially English garden? Say the words and the mind immediately conjures up certain images: arbours and pergolas dripping with rambling roses; herbaceous borders with sky-blue spires of delphiniums, York-stone paving and clipped yew hedges. There are some features that no self-respecting English garden should be without, the essential elements that make the country’s gardens so iconic – here are our must-haves for that dreamy English garden look.
Flowering fiesta Bright Color