Benefit of experience

Working with the soil conditions found over much of Essex can yield some rewarding results. Tim Carter, a horticulturalist at Noak Hill near Romford, has used his experience to widen the range of plants available for the county’s gardens

- Debbie Thomson

Essex gardeners, used to the heavy clay soils typical of the county, will be interested to learn about a local grower who has made a career out of understanding plants that don’t just survive, but thrive on the heavy and wet, or alternatively hard-baked, clay conditions in which many of us garden. Tim Carter, has his home, garden and business all on one site at Long House Plants at Noak Hill, a delightfully rural setting, ten minutes from both Romford and Brentwood, and just inside the M25.

Collector, propagator, designer, nurseryman, gardener, landscaper, lecturer and artist: the list of Tim’s skills is impressive and in partnership with his wife Jean who, in addition, takes responsibility for photographing the collection, a successful business has materialised. Key to this success is the level of effort and attention to detail which goes into it.

While visitors can enjoy the garden at Long House Plants as a creative work in itself, they would be missing the hard work demanded of the garden and the part it plays in propelling the business. Tim constantly seeks out plants that can flourish in the soil conditions – conditions that can vary within the garden itself – as well as experimenting with plant combinations and the way the light affects them. Light, whether it be from the sun in midsummer or midwinter, makes a big difference. Similarly, a border will look very different early in the morning, seeming to change colour just a few hours later as the sun moves around the garden. Having worked in this space for over 15 years, Tim has identified key moments in the year when, subject to the weather, certain plants of the garden will radiate light and colour, such as a group of cornus when viewed from the back of the house for just a few days each February.