insideKENT Magazine Issue 96 - March 2020 | Page 115
HOME+GARDEN
THE PASSIONATE GARDENER AND
THE SPRINGTIME
GARDEN
LORRAINE ICKE, OWNER OF THE PASSIONATE GARDENER IN WEST PECKHAM,
REALLY IS PASSIONATE. HER BUSINESS EMPLOYS AROUND 13 GARDENERS
(CALLED PASSIONELLAS), ALONG WITH LORRAINE HERSELF AND HER PARTNER
DIPU. NOT ONLY DO THEY DESIGN AND CREATE THE MOST MAGNIFICENT
OUTDOOR SPACES USING ENTIRELY ORGANIC METHODS, BUT THEY ALSO HELP
PEOPLE TO MANAGE AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN GARDENS ONCE THE
INITIAL WORK IS DONE. THEY MAKE GARDENERS OUT OF EVERYONE AND
SPREAD A LOT OF HAPPINESS DOING SO.
insideKENT SPOKE TO LORRAINE ABOUT HER BUSINESS AND HER LOVE OF
SPRINGTIME GARDENS AND NATURE IN GENERAL.
Whilst the benefit of wintry months is that there are
no weeds, it can also mean that people tend to stay
indoors a lot rather than tend to their gardens. And
just because there are no weeds that doesn’t mean
you shouldn’t get outside and enjoy the fresh air,
even if you’re just turning over soil or preparing the
garden for the springtime. It’s not only the garden
that benefits; you do too. It’s so good for you to get
out even if it’s just for an hour a day – it increases
your wellbeing significantly. It will make you feel
happy, and in the darker months that’s important.
Now that March has arrived, that hard winter’s work
will stand you in good stead. But it’s not too late if
you have left the garden to its own devices; you can
always set things right again.
The first job to do when springtime comes is to get
the weeding done. From having no weeds at all in
the winter, you’ll suddenly find that they’ve all
decided to make an appearance come March
time. The good news is, as long as we haven’t had
too cold a winter and the ground is soft, those
weeds will pluck out easily. It might be cold on your
knees though!
You might think this is crazy, but I still plant tulip
bulbs at this time of year. You can get them so
cheaply, and putting them in now is absolutely fine.
I’ve just put 2,000 tulip bulbs in and I had some of
our guests help out [Lorraine and Dipu also run
Samsara, a holistic retreat for wellbeing that includes
yoga. Not only that, but they have a shepherds
hut in their grounds where people can stay entirely
off grid for as long as they need]. Putting bulbs in
late just means that the flowers will be staggered –
they’ll come up when they’re ready rather than at
the ‘right time’. Next year they will all catch up with
each other and be back on track. Really you can
plant them whenever you want, as long as it's after
the first frost.
If your garden is looking a little bleak after winter,
there is one plant which gives such utter joy and
that’s the hellebore, otherwise known as the
Christmas rose. If you want them in your home, just
cut them right by the stem and put them in a bowl
of water with candles rather than in a vase. I’ve also
planted alliums which flower in May. These are
great plants because the bees love them, and the big
ones can grow bigger than a four year old child!
115