A plant snob? Moi?
The article mentions the three phases of gardening And I began to wonder what phase could I be in? I'm certainly past the "plant any thing I've been given and be grateful"stage. Even if it has acid yellow flowers and tries to stage a coup d'etat in the border.
And I must admit to going through a very snobby phase of compiling a wish list based on the show gardens at Chelsea. Thankfully common sense and finance dictated that I move on from there. Dicksonia Antartica, ( Dairmuid Gavin) Melianthus Major ( Chris beardshaw) and Cirsium Rivulare (Who could forget seeing them in the Piet Oudolf/Arne Maynard Show gardens a few years back?) are reminders of that time.
Anna Pavord's article was written in 1997 and she named Cerinthe major purpurescens her plant of the year. It has been grown faithfully in our garden from seed every year for almost as long. If I had a £1 for every time a visitor asked what it was and carefully scribbled down the name or better still got me to do it, I would be on the way to buying a cloud tree or two (see Tom Stuart Smith's Best in Show Garden at Chelsea in 2008).
So I must be in the third phase (well, just about) Plants that find a place in our garden do so for several reasons:
• They must have interesting flowers (preferably single for bees and butterflies) and foliage
• Spread gently or form clumps in a sedate fashion
• Suit the conditions (apart from the above mentioned Dicksonia and Melianthus Major which get the necessary TLC)
• Fits in with the general planting scheme, in terms of size, colour and structure.
I do know there are some plants that I don't like and some styles of gardening that don't appeal. In the first instance Aucuba japonica Spotted Laurel springs to mind, even as some gardeners try to persuade us of its finer points! Pop over and see what Chris at Garden Thinnings has to say about it.
I'll give my Melianthus a cautious hug, on your behalf shall I? I covet the Cerinthe but am afraid it might prove invasive.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your Melos thus will be big with flowers! I am envious. The cerinthe is grown from seed every year. But it never seems to self seed which is a shame.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, where does that put me, I like my spotted laurel which was one of the few shrubs that was in the garden when we arrived. It is great for flower arranging and only needs clipping once a year to keep it to size, wouldn't be without it !
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who also loves spotted laurel and keeps threatening to buy us one! There are as many plants and gardens are there are gardeners. It's just not for me.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I should think about myself... Hmmm... I made several wish lists but never followed them. I still like to plant what people give me. I try to follow the rules of the third stage. So, where am I? In between? As for the Melianthus Major, I planted one last spring. I am curious if it'll survive our wet winter.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article! It made me look at my own gardening style!
I'm a weed person. Probably not a sound basis for snobbery but there are certainly some I like better than others.
ReplyDeleteLucy
I like to plant what people gi. me too, unless it's spotted laurel (sorry Pauline).
ReplyDeleteLucy, there's a great saying and I can't remember who by that weeds are nature's grafitti. I like that.
Thought provoking. I make lists of plant combinations I like, and of plants I come across in people's gardens (or blogs) that are new to me and that appeal. I will always try to find room for something someone gives me, but it may stay in a pot for years if it doesn't "fit". I love having plants that friends or family have given to me, and have accommodated a horrid fuchsia because FIL loves it and I love him. But I think I am in phase 3. And I hate spotted laurel...
ReplyDeleteGood article. I must be a 'ultra cheapskate' gardener - I plant what i'm given or grow my own from seed. I refuse to pay £10 for a perennial.
ReplyDeleteI would rather grow my own too Kelli. It's much more satisfying if not instant gratification. I wonder what the mark up is on a perennial costing £10?
ReplyDelete