Page 11 - HGS Suburb News 143 - Summer 2020

Adapt or Die

Dominant: So, is it this overriding optimism bringing up your family or forging development every time! You could say parched understorey. So on the hottest
Salix Integra ‘HakuroNishik’ that keeps us from downing tools? your career? No longer physically that I’ve adapted to change a tad too day of 2019 we dug it out and replaced
What do those most celebrated gardens capable? Horticulture just not your readily perhaps, embraced it in fact! it with a multi stemmed white birch
have that keep us revisiting them year thing? Then you need to adapt to your These days, anything that starts to sapling. The amount of light and
after year? The ability to adapt. If you own circumstances. If you don’t wish to look a bit off colour is OUT. space created has transformed the
listen to any head gardener, from employ a gardener then keep it simple. One of the first shrubs we planted entire garden. The ground cover is
Trebar in the South to Scone Palace in Evergreens, lawn or paved terrace; when we moved into our house in thriving. Chances are in about 10 years’
the North, they always talk of the doesn’t have to be boring, there are 1997 was a lollipop pruned viburnum time we’ll be pruning the birch but,
need to update planting schemes some stunning low maintenance plants tinus Eve Price. Twenty odd years later oh, it will have been worth it. And as
whilst still maintaining the core spirit out there. In my opinion the only way saw it towering to six metres. We soon as this summer moves into
of its original design. Boil this down to to tend a garden successfully is to topiary pruned into a cone shape. autumn our salix integra Hakuru
our own more modest plots and you enjoy it. But be realistic. If you know About four years ago it started to die Nishiki will receive the very same
will come to realise that, rather than you are only going to have a couple of back from its base, so I skirt pruned it, treatment. What was once a dainty
aiming for some static perfection, the hours at the weekend don’t go all high exposing its trunk up to about 5ft from little standard now has an 8ft canopy
joy is in its evolution. maintenance exotic! If you live on the ground level, creating a brand-new that requires pruning half a dozen
y dear, late lamented 106-year-old You start with a blank canvas. So edge of a wood, overlooked by a dense planting opportunity for attractive times a year just to stay the same! I
M friend Ethel swore by the adage you plant a couple of trees for stature, tree canopy, don’t go all American ground cover. Trouble is, it wouldn’t rather fancy replacing it with a
adapt or die; in fact, I would go as far as surround them with shrubs for year prairie. And here’s the thing: How stop growing. The more we pruned it, feathered amelanchia lamarckii…
to say that her ability to adapt was partly round structure, create an understory many times have I been asked to create the more it grew, overshadowing the CAROLINE BROOME
responsible for her longevity. Well, as of perennials for seasonal colour. a garden for year-round interest, with Before: Towering Vinurnum After: Multistemmed Birch
in life, so it is in the garden. Within five years the tree canopies an attractive array of shrubs and
Unlike home decorating, plant have extended, the shrubs have flowers that is relatively maintenance
décor does not stay the same until you doubled in size, all but obliterating the free? Sorry folks, it doesn’t exist!
redecorate a decade later! A carefully etiolated perennials beneath. Where Think about it: you wouldn’t expect to
designed mixed border is likely to once there was full sun there is now renovate your home and then never
reach its peak after about three years dense shade, spreading roots have have to carry out cleaning and
then, well frankly, it’s downhill all the sucked all the moisture out of the soil, maintenance, would you?
way. Plants have a really annoying nothing flowers any more. Time to It’s probably no surprise to you, readers,
habit of either growing like Topsy or adapt. In an ideal world you will have that I’ve chosen the high maintenance
dying like Camille, after that, often been pruning, lifting and dividing after route for my own garden. A definite case
the one resulting in the other. When I the first couple of years to keep ahead of do as I say, not do as I do. I will quite
asked my great friend Diane, doyenne of the game, but in the words of John happily cram in far too many perennials
of the Suburb garden, why, when we Lennon, “life is what happens to you per square metre knowing full well I’ll
spend half the time moaning that the when you’re busy making other plans”. have to lift and divide half of them within
garden doesn’t do as its told, do we love First of all, decide if you want to be a year or two as they’ve outgrown their
it so much, she replied sagely, “We are custodian of your own garden or would allotted space, but I must have them,
ever hopeful of creating perfection.” rather hire someone in. Too busy you see! Instant impact over organic
THE GARDEN GIRLS, 79 CHURCH LANE, EAST FINCHLEY, N2 0TH. M:07757 016287, T: 020 8444 2329, EMAIL: C.BROOME.GARDENGIRL@GMAIL.COM. LONDON GARDENS SOCIETY: BEST SMALL BACK GARDEN 2016, 2017 & 2018

Hampstead Garden Suburb Horticultural Society An apple a day

first ever virtual show I and held at Hampstead Garden
n a letter dated 2 March 1909, on a winter’s evening, and I know the

along with some sugar and a drench
website. If we couldn’t hold the Suburb’s Virtual Museum, Dame comfort that comes of eating it hot,
real flower show as usual, why Henrietta Barnett is offering an of cream... I know how the nuts
not have a virtual show that apple tree to a new tenant of taken in conjunction with winter
anyone could enter on a non- the Suburb. She writes “I know apples, cider and doughnuts, make
competitive basis and display it is not usual to present tenants old people’s tales and old jokes sound
the results on the blogspot? with gifts, but if you think well fresh and crisp and enchanting.”
With no previous experience, to accept, then you will, I feel MARK TWAIN
it was a bit of a challenge for the sure, do so in the spirit in which
small committee working on it the gifts are offered, and because
to draw up rules that would work it is necessary that we should all
and make it fun to enter. There work together to make our
were 17 classes, all but one of Suburb really a Garden one.”
which had entries. 75 photos (https://hgsheritage.org.uk/Detail/
were submitted in both the adult objects/HGSHS18.)
and junior categories. The two The fact that so many have
rose classes were the most popular survived is a testament to her
with the class for the (delicious) vision. It does however cause a
Bara Brith tea bread following from our strange lockdown glut of apple. Perhaps you could
close behind. reality and hope against hope send suburbnews@hgsra.uk your
ampstead Garden Suburb A few weeks before, member- On a wet weekend in February, that the Autumn Show might favourite apple recipe, ready for
H Horticultural Society’s very ship secretary David Broome long before the lockdown, take place on 5 September. But the autumn harvest.
first flower show was held on had created hortsoc.blogspot. streams of adults and children if not, watch out for a virtual MARIE-CHRISTINE O’CALLAGHAN
Central Square in 1909. So in com where members could post had collected potatoes and bags Autumn show. We did it once;
2020 could we let Covid-19 do photographs of their gardens or for a competition to see who we can do it again, even better. “I know the look of an apple that is
what only the Second World War any other horticultural news or could grow the most from a MARJORIE HARRIS roasting and sizzling on the hearth
had managed to achieve for five gardening questions they wished single potato in a bag, and who
years – stop the annual Summer to share, keep up to date with would have the heaviest crop
show going on? The answer was the society’s activities and also by 13 June, the scheduled date Suburb rainfall
a resounding ‘no’. find a direct link to the society’s of the Summer Flower Show.
Now, the judging for this eather again! We’re always more fun. There have again been These might be cold, or a little
competition would have to be Wtalking about it, aren’t we? more ‘red sky at night’ evenings, scary, but to see the very tall
Four Seasons virtual too, so the entrants That’s what the English (or, to be with one particularly spectacular poplar tree with its leaves blown
around in the high wind and
more politically correct, as usual, sunset in late June. There have
emptied out their own bags at
GARDEN MAINTENANCE home, photographed, counted in the west, the British) are also been fascinating larger pinkish sun is wonderful compensation.
and weighed their potatoes and known for. However, just at the clouds – more to the south east So, yes, rain would be welcome
 Weekly or fortnightly maintenance contract  Garden clearance sent in their pictures to David moment the weather as a topic than, as usual, in the west. but, for anyone shielding, being
 Lawn care (mowing, turfing, fertilisation etc.)  Planting Broome in time for the virtual of conversation, has been rather Then, there have also been in quarantine, or just able to go
 Weed killing & treatment  Hedge trimming, tree works show. In the adult group, William superseded by coronavirus. This gales or, perhaps more accurately, outside, it’s good to be dry!
 Patio cleaning  All general garden services Glendinning grew a massive 32 is a pity as the weather is certainly fresh winds gusting to gale force. DIANA IWI FROM MEADWAY
We offer a professional, reliable service with 10 years of potatoes from his original one
experience at an affordable price. Call Roland or leave a message in a bag, while Kate Bailey’s 18
for a free quote. potatoes were the heaviest at
 07584 574520  fourseasonsgarden@hotmail.com 514g. The Junior winner, Alex
Cattini, harvested an amazing
25 potatoes and shared the
I specialise in all domestic and prize for heaviest crop at 400g
commercial carpentry with his twin, Charlie Cattini.
to the highest possible standards Nothing can beat the real
flower shows in the Free Church
Professional decorating services Hall, with the scent of lovely
also managed with over 10 years flowers, displays of home-grown
of excellence fruit and vegetables and the
sight of people sitting together We’ll bring your dream garden to life
Call now for a free quotation in the small hall over tea and
home-made cake, enjoying the Our professional team with seven years experience specialises in all types of garden Naomi
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proved to be a positive distraction
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