HOME + GARDEN
MEET THE GARDENER CONT .
© National Trust Images / Rachael Warren
© National Trust Images / Stephen Robson © National Trust Images / Kirsty Gibbons
What ’ s your favourite part of the garden ?
My favourite part of the garden is the old castle courtyard . The sheltered nature of this area means we are currently able to design an exciting new sub-tropical garden . Sub-tropical gardens are my favourite type of garden : lush foliage , hot colours and dramatic structure – all things that tick my boxes !
What ’ s your least favourite part of garden design ?
Getting right those teeny tiny measurements that happen to be very important .
What ’ s the best time of year for visitors to see the garden ?
The best time of year to visit the gardens are late April , early May when the rhododendrons , azaleas and kalmias are flowering . Our rare green winged orchids also flower at that time . That said , we have a superb path network so visitors can come all year round and have a lovely walk around .
Describe your typical day .
I get up when the sun rises , always have , always will . First thing we do at work is agree a work plan for the day . We continuously have to adapt to the weather conditions and notably the soil conditions – digging waterlogged soil after a heavy night ’ s rain is not a good idea . Hopefully all the conditions are right for the work we have planned , and we get stuck in ! It ’ s so wonderful working in a large garden such as Scotney Castle because every day is different .
What ’ s your biggest achievement as a gardener ?
My biggest achievement is designing and planting a big bog garden . It was on a bank next to a large pond and the soil was totally waterlogged , perfect for bog plants ! Everyone thought it wasn ’ t possible to create a nice space with this bit of land , but I showed them just what you can do with the right plants in the right place .
I also love passing onto others a feeling of excitement . I love gardens full of drama with amazing plants you ’ ve never seen before . Sharing this always leaves me with a sense of achievement .
Do you have a favourite plant / tree ?
Where to start ? There are too many to choose from ! However , I have managed to choose my favourite four
plants ! My favourite vegetable to grow is a tomato because they taste so good when you grow them yourself ! My favourite tree is a strawberry tree because they remind me of the South of France . My favourite tropical plants are an Ethiopian banana tree and a Tetrapanaz Rex ! Oh , and also Echiums and tree ferns , that makes six , it ’ s impossible to choose just one !
What are the biggest considerations for people to consider when planning their own garden design ?
The biggest consideration is the characteristics of your land . What is your soil type ? How much sunlight is there ? Is it sheltered or exposed ? What is the drainage like i . e . where does the water go when it rains ? Knowing all these characteristics will ensure you get a design that is going to work . There ’ s nothing worse than plants dying on you .
When designing a border or flower bed , the structure is very important to me . You need a good mix of heights , shapes , and repetition ; achieving all that in a naturalistic fashion is the sign of a great garden designer .
What ’ s the one plant / tree everyone should have in their garden ?
A tomato plant because they are so tasty ! Not the easiest to grow but I would recommend everyone tries ! I really think everyone should try at some point in their lives to grow their own vegetables , even if it ' s just in pots , growing your own food leaves you with a very special feeling .
What ’ s your favourite season in the garden ?
Summer because I just adore the sun ! But there is a magical sense around autumn time which I very much enjoy .
www . nationaltrust . org . uk / scotney-castle
scotneycastleNT scotneycastle _ nt
156