THE desire for things novel and innovative is as strong in the world of gardening as it is in the world of fashion. Garden centres rely on finding new and tempting varieties to keep customers coming back to buy more plants. Even the most humble garden plants have been the subject of breeding programmes aimed at producing bigger, bolder and more colourful blooms.
A couple of decades ago, many gardeners were captivated by the range of coneflowers —Echinacea—that started to emerge onto the market. After being available only as a muddy pink or a dirty white, here were cultivars with orange, yellow, bright red and sparkling white flowers. We all rushed out to acquire these wonderful new plants, but disenchantment quickly set in as we discovered that many of the plants were tempera- mental weaklings that expired after a few seasons. Most gardeners know that tried-andtested varieties—‘good doers’, as nursery- woman Beth Chatto used to call them—are probably best for our gardens, but new temptations can prove irresistible.
Plant breeders have now turned their attention to another unassuming plant—baptisia. As are echinaceas, these are plants of the American prairies, but, unlike their cousins, baptisia are tough, undemanding plants and their robust traits are ensuring that the new hybrids will be long-lasting and not in need of mollycoddling. These are plants that are fast becoming the next generation of good doers.
Denne historien er fra August 16, 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 August 16, 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
