Garden News | July 2024
I have high hopes for July!
As we’re all well aware, summer didn’t seem to get the memo this year and June was unseasonably cool and damp, so fingers crossed that July doesn’t follow suit! There’s no better place to spend a balmy summer’s day than in a beautiful garden, and they don’t come much better than our 240 acres of Grade I listed gardens here at Leonardslee. We’re often lauded for our spring displays, and rightly so, but the summer months can be just as enjoyable here too. Whether it’s taking a shady stroll through our woodland paths, marvelling at some of our historic trees and beautiful wildlife, listening to the bird song or taking pictures of our fascinating flowering plants and stunning views, there’s something for everyone. If you’re a nature lover for instance, there is no better place for a stroll in July than down by the lakes where you’ll be able to catch the likes of dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies becoming more active as we shift into summer gear.
July is also the month when another of Leonardslee’s other feature plants stake a claim for ‘star attraction’. Although the Magnolias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias have mostly had their moments in the spotlight for this year, now it’s the turn of the Hydrangea. The Cornus, or Flowering Dogwoods if you prefer, started their floral explosion in June but should continue their display well into July too but the hydrangeas will be hot on their heels. It’s been one of the best years I’ve ever seen for flowering trees – from the Tulip Tree on the house lawn in June to the Davidia trees on Daffodil Lawn and at the bottom of Camellia Grove for instance in May, as well of course as the myriad of flowering dogwoods.
As for the Hydrangeas, we’re hoping that 2024 follows suit from last year which the best year for their floral bounty since I’ve been here at Leonardslee. A warm, wet winter has allowed most plants in the garden to get a head start without the fear of frost knocking them back and our hydrangeas look like continuing the trend. We’ve been pruning our hydrangeas slightly differently over the last two years, straying from the advised RHS method as well as our own previous experience with working with Hydrangeas, and instead only pruned them back to the top fat buds rather than down to the lowest double set as is usual. This was done back in March and April and was swiftly followed by a good organic feed and mulch. Either way, it seems to have worked – they are full of bud and some are already blooming and I can’t wait for them all to flower this year. You’ll find our Hydrangeas in many shades of pink, purple and white near the Crystal Palace entrance building, around the Rock Garden and below the Clocktower Kitchen & Courtyard for example. There are also new Hydrangea collections across the whole garden that were planted last autumn. However, these are still young plants and they seem to have been a bit hit with our errant deer population so it might take until next year before they put on their first proper show.
New plants:
Talking of new plants and planting schemes, as you wander around the top areas of the garden at the moment you’ll spot plenty of interesting new flowers and foliage to admire. Our displays around the house and in the Herbaceous Beds opposite are into their third year now and I’m really pleased at how these areas are filling out. In the borders around the Leonardslee House and Interlude restaurant for example you’ll find the likes of Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ climbing the walls, the stunning Alstromeria ‘Indian Summer’, the unusual orange foliage of Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Amber Jubliee’, the alien-like seed pods of Melianthus major as well as an array of Ricinus, Euphorbia and dwarf Rudbeckia to name but a few.
The herbaceous beds to the east of the Rock Garden really come into their own in July. Here you should look out for the giant Echium pininana spires as well as Aclepsis incarnata ‘Ice Ballet’ with their fluffy white blooms, Acanthus mollis ‘Rue Leden’, a range of unusual Eryngium and Echinops and some beautiful lime green Moluccella laevis (or Bells Of Ireland) plants that we’ve grown from seed.
Gardening Team:
One of my garden team, Dan, has also been creating some fantastic container displays around the cafes and welcome areas this year and they will be a riot of colour throughout the whole Summer so make sure you check those out too. For the first time we’re growing sweet peas this year. We’ve selected a range of complimentary colours and will regularly pick these sweetly scented flowers for display around the site such as in the Interlude bar and lounge areas.
As lovely as a British summer can be, the hot weather isn’t without its challenges for the garden team however, as watering some of our plants becomes a priority. Some plants start to wilt when the amount of water they lose through their leaves (known as transpiration) is greater than the amount they can draw in from the soil through their roots. Established trees and shrubs and long-standing perennials should have an extensive root system to tap deeper water, but any newly planted specimens, such as those mentioned earlier, will need keeping an eye on. Our pots and containers will also need regular watering as the volume of compost in them can only hold a limited amount of water.
So, as always, lots to see and do in the garden here at Leonardslee. There is something new to stumble upon somewhere every day, so get out there and explore! There will be members’ garden tours on July 1st and 17th this month so if you haven’t already been on one of these, please book up if you can.
I look forward to seeing you here during July.
Jamie Harris, Head Gardener
Dan & Sarah from our gardening team
