Eight years ago, Peter Korn and Julia Andersson moved to their current house in southern Sweden, where they have created not only a beautiful home but also a nursery, Klinta Trädgård, that provides plants for their numerous public planting projects. These commissions, as with much of their home garden, are planted in pure sand, and Peter has become well known as a pioneer of this approach, which offers a range of benefits such as less watering, staking and weeding. "Think of a hot sandy beach," says Peter. "The surface can be so hot that you can't walk on it, but dig in your toes and a few centimetres down it is always cool and moist." Plants access this limited moisture by producing larger root networks and although there is an abundance of mycorrhizae in sand, the relative lack of available nutrients means that plants don't grow as lushly - hence less need for staking. Helianthus salicifolius, for example, gets so tall on regular soil that it inevitably flops, whereas in sand it remains erect at a more manageable two metres high. This slower - but harder growth - means short-lived plants often persist for years, and in many cases plants literally develop a thicker skin' meaning they are less susceptible to pests such as aphids and in turn the diseases that are spread through these pests.
However, plants first grown in conventional potting compost often struggle to establish in sand. As Peter and Julia's number of public commissions increased, they needed more sand-grown plants, which wouldn't suffer this 'transplant shock. Moving to Klinta offered the opportunity to expand the nursery and for garden and nursery to work together symbiotically, with the various borders acting as a source of propagation material for the nursery, and the nursery returning a steady stream of plants. As Peter explains, "the nursery allows the garden to exist.
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
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Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Gardens Illustrated.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Field of Dreams - The naturalistic gem Hans Gieszen has created in former meadowlands near Utrecht in the Netherlands is the culmination of a lifelong passion
Ever since his mother gave him seeds as a small boy, gardening has been a passion for Hans Gieszen. He is completely self-taught, relying on garden visits and books for instruction, with one book in particular, Dream Plants for the Natural Garden by Henk Gerritsen and Piet Oudolf, influencing his style. “It was fascinating,” says Hans, remembering his first encounter with the book. “All those photos – pictures with mists and these tall and low plants and grasses. I realised I couldn’t do it in my small garden, but I kept dreaming and reading about it.”
WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
This superb tour of the world's botanical gardens highlights their vital role in saving the planet's flora, says Claire Masset
THE FEMININE TOUCH?
Does your garden have masculine or feminine style, and does it even matter? Head gardener Benjamin Pope unpicks gardening's gender stereotypes
'If you emulate nature, you're on to a winner'
Gardener, television presenter and author Carol Klein talks about her new book, the books she loves, her current challenges and what she's up to next
FRIENDLY ADVICE
When tasked with creating a garden for her friends, designer Neive Tierney found the project came with challenges - not least the need to include a wheelchair ramp and squeeze in a saltwater swimming pool
Passing the baton
The celebrated nursery and garden at Marchants Hardy Plants in East Sussex is now being managed by a new team, who continue to inspire visitors with innovative planting
My sweet gourd
Clark Lawrence, an American living in the heart of Italy's pumpkin province, loves growing different cultivars of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for their sweet flavours and fabulous looks
ANDY JASPER
The new CEO of the Eden Project on his excitement about a new chapter, the legacy he's left at the National Trust and his joy at heading home to Cornwall
Bedding in
In just under nine years, the owners of Arvensis Nursery in Wiltshire have created a mature garden that displays their high-quality perennials
Late summer dreams
From cool pastels and foliage to hot colours, designer Jo Thompson creates three stylish container combinations for autumn