HOME + GARDEN
MEET THE GARDENER CONT .
What ’ s your favourite part of the garden ?
The gardens I am lucky to work in are so diverse that it is very hard to pick any one part , however , with my background in wildlife conservation , I hold a particular fondness for areas where the natural landscape and wildlife mingles with the more formal horticultural setting ; meadows , orchards and hedgerows in particular . Despite this , seeing the vegetable garden at Sissinghurst bursting with produce in summer , in neatly laid out rows , with beautiful companion plants adding colour and vibrancy has got to be a highlight .
What ’ s the best time of year for visitors to see the garden ?
With four gardens , it would be remiss of me not to mention each . At Lamb House , we put on a good spring display of tulips and wallflowers , however later in summer the dahlias start to come into their own , and the little veg patch is looking great . At the Sissinghurst veg garden , late summer is probably the point where the plot looks best ; full to bursting with an array of produce , and the edible flowers and companion planting giving a great display . Smallhythe is a summer garden , with the rose garden being in its cottage garden glory in June . Lastly , Stoneacre offers a great spring display , however currently this occurs before we open , but in late summer the deep greens of the surrounding trees and the dense foliage of the shrubs gives the garden a magical lost world feel .
Describe your typical day ?
My days are incredibly varied , being involved as I am with four very different gardens . But they often begin with a walk around whichever garden I am working at , taking in what might be the key jobs for the day . I try to have a plan , but with so many variables , being reactive is very important . Once the volunteers arrive , we begin work in earnest , sometimes working as a big group to carry out a large scale job such as mulching , other times scattering to see to the myriad smaller jobs than need doing to keep the garden looking its best .
What ’ s your biggest achievement as a gardener ?
I have been on a wild journey of discovery and learning since becoming a gardener for the National Trust , so for me , the level of knowledge , experience and understanding I have now , compared to what I knew as a rookie , nearly five years ago , is my biggest achievement .
Do you have a favourite plant / tree ?
Hazel – Corylus . Particularly when it is managed through coppicing every 5-7 years , hazel is a fantastic tree for gardeners , providing plant supports in the shape of pea sticks , as well as long straight poles , it is incredibly useful to have a hazel or two in the garden . Add to this its value to native wildlife and it ticks all the boxes for me .
What ’ s the one plant / tree everyone should have in their garden ?
Foxgloves – Digitalis purpurea . They are utterly beautiful , they work in nearly every setting , they are incredibly structural , and they self-seed like mad so you rarely have to pay for them !
Perhaps more so than all of the above however , they are fantastic for bees - in particular bumble bees , whose lazy flight and deep droning buzz is part of the experience of gardening in summer for me .
What ’ s your favourite season in the garden ?
For me it ' s early spring when we see the days starting to get longer and every now and again you get one of those glorious mornings of pale sunshine and light mist preceding a day of clear blue skies and unexpected warmth , with the birds starting to sing and the buds starting to burst .
nationaltrust . org . uk / sissinghurst-castle-garden nationaltrust . org . uk / smallhythe-place nationaltrust . org . uk / lamb-house nationaltrust . org . uk / stoneacre
SissinghurstNT
168