Plants might offer their neighbours support: an established fruit tree makes an excellent scaffold for a climber, such as a kiwi or passion fruit. This works equally well with vegetables: in the classic Native American triplet of sweetcorn, climbing bean and squash, the sweetcorn provides the support for the climbing bean. This is only one part of the symbiosis: the bean feeds the sweetcorn and the squash by taking nitrogen from the air and releasing it through its root system, with the leaves of the squash paying the others back by suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture.
Flowering plants can make excellent companions by bringing insects to the garden that will do the crucial job of pollination. Comfrey, lavender, ivy and thyme are only a few of those that are particularly effective in this regard. Added to this, there are many positive pairings where one plant attracts the predator to another's potential pest. Basil-a classic partner to tomatoes in the kitchen-can help maximise the quality of the tomato harvest by attracting aphids away from them. This self-sacrifice can occasionally risk the ultimate end: nasturtiums grown in proximity to brassicas appeal to cabbage white butterflies more than the precious greens, which gives you the opportunity to more easily deal with them as you see fitor to live with the (often extensive) damage to the nasturtiums.
Denne historien er fra May 31, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra May 31, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
