MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024	NATURAL & MAGICAL
£4.99 September 2024 Issue No.102
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We all want to do our bit for the
environment, in all walks of life, from the
simple acts of recycling empty bottles
and switching off lights to grander gestures such as
driving electric cars or using solar panels. Anything
we can do can make a difference.
The garden is a place where we can do a great
deal of good; after all, just growing plants helps
insects and helps to clean up the atmosphere. And
that’s before we begin to think about the benefits of
growing our own food rather than buying it from a
supermarket! But there is always more we can do, and
in this issue of Modern Gardens we have oodles of
ways to help all of us become greener gardeners.
We have great ideas on sustainability, planet-
friendly paving, inspiring eco-plots, cute buys that
will help garden wildlife, brilliant upcycling wheezes
and lots more! And don’t forget our usual array of
terrific reader gardens that are packed with brilliant
design tricks that you can use in your plot too!
The important thing is that going green shouldn’t
feel like a chore - on social media there are a few too
many gardening accounts that preach what people
should and shouldn’t do. In our opinion that’s entirely
up to you, but we hope that our ideas will encourage
people to try something different, and have some
fun in the process!
Finally summer arrived across the country, and
there have been some wonderfully warm days and
evenings to spend outside. It’s just a shame that it
took its time and June was a complete write-off!
But if the forecasters are to be believed then we
may have a spell of warm weather for a while yet, so
we will have plenty of time to enjoy our gardens. If
you’re looking for something different, we have some
great ideas to help you host a pizza party in this issue
- what could be better?
It’s a packed issue with all of your favourite features,
including great offers for money off plants - here’s to
the sunshine sticking around for as long as possible!
fours joyfully,
The. Afodern, gardens Теам
Share feelgood green moments in
your plot! You can email us at
moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk
and find us on
n Facebook Modern Gardens Magazine
0 Instagram @ModernGardens
moderngardensmagazine.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS
MONTH...
Garden makeovers
“We re soaking up nature
in the city”
Savvy design and planting have turned
a London plot into a leafy oasis.
“Life is magical by the
rainwater pona ’
With flattery flybys and deck dining,
this is a people and planet pleaser.
“It’s where I heal, breathe
& grow"
This nature-rich sanctuary is the secret
to making a life and a living.
Ask the designer
Your problem garden solved.
I’m in the garden
Take a peek over the garden fence
at this basic-but-brilliant plot.
Our garden crush
It’s where we’d like to be this month!
Simple projects
Slay with clay!
Whip old terracotta pots out the shed
and turn them into garden highlights.
Pick up a picnic
Take your blanket banquet to a new
level of yummy with a spread of blooms.
Pocket pond
This creature-friendly feature is sure
to make a big splash with wildlife.
• Home sweet home
Upcycle a log slice and give insects a
place to rest with this cute critter crib.
May the forest be with you
How to add more veggies, herbs and
fruit into any sized space.
Outdoor living
Fiona’s patch
Share the ioy of wringing out the last
precious drops from sunny days.
Selina’s garden style
Embrace the dynamic florals trend
with these styling ideas and buys.
A perfect match for late-summer days.
Untoppable pizza party
Host a delicious alfresco feast that
guests with amore!
4 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Easy ways to keep your
plot looking good.
'T&CS APPLY - JUST PAY POSTAGE
Sow these fluttery
delights now!
Lots of lovely stuff to
make me moments in
the garden even better.
Over to you,,.
Q Q&A
Got a question about your
garden? We’ve got the answer.
Buddleja
We’re sharing the love.
Makes & moments
You share your garden highlights.
О Colour-pop spheres
Save money on alliums!
Get more of what you love
without spending a fortune with
a Modern Gardens Subscription.
Add a delicious spread of blooms
to your picnic this weekend.
Easy ideas ";
Earthy pleasures
What to buy, make and do this month.
Mediterranean refresh
Nail this trend in your outside space.
Rooting for a more
sustainable space
Make your plot kinder to the planet.
Go green in style
Discover the latest eco-kind designer
plots with ideas to pinch for your own.
Dig deeper into soil
Uncover a new-found happiness for
you and your plants.
Turn trash into treasure
Funk up your junk with this creative
upcycling inspiration.
Q What to do in your garden
Keep your plot looking good this month.
All the berry best bits
Grow your own jostaberries for a tart,
sweet and tangy treat.
Best buys
Blooming lovely
Beautiful plants ready to buy now.
Walk the green talk
Planet-friendly sustainable paving.
Welcome wildlife
10 top nature-kind buys.
Treat your garden to...
Sow-now seeds with cut-out care
guides to keep them alive.

SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 5

EASY IDEAS
SUNFLOWER SWITCH UP
Characterised by their towering height and huge, looming faces
typically lined up and swaying in a row, the classic sunflower may
not appeal to the masses. However, by opting for dwarf sunflowers
and displaying them in a less predictable style, heads will still
be turned - but this time in admiration. Pose just a few dwarf
sunflowers in a simple glass jar with a clutch of foraged wild flowers
for a glorious, not garish, arrangement.
Undercover
alfresco chef
With the onslaught of chillier days and
drizzly weather on the horizon, keeping
the summer staple that is the Great
British Barbecue out in the garden and
at the ready may seem foolish. But this
simple shelter could be a game changer.
It’ll protect the chef - and the food -
from the elements and is just the right
size to make an impact without taking up
too much space. Better still, it’s pleasing
to the eye and can moonlight as a shelter
for a bar, bench or bistro set or even just
screen or zone a space. Ashton BBQ
Shelter, £399 dunelm.com
◄ comfort zone
For all-out comfort when
you’re having a ‘me
moment’ on the garden
sofa. Sanderson Kasuri
Indoor/Outdoor Cushion,
Blue, £45 johnlewis.com
◄ SAVE THE SEEDS!
Get free plants for next year
by collecting seeds from your
garden now, popping them
in paper bags and storing in
this charming tin until spring.
British Meadow Seed Storage
Tin, £24.95 annabeljames.co.uk
► FROM SEEDS TO С°СКТД|
SANGRIAS
Sow the contents of this kit near Л
your outdoor drinks station ready to
pluck to pep up cocktails. Cocktail
Herb Seed Kit, £10
oliverbonas.com
te; ◄add
* ZING TO
YOUR PATIO...
... with a citrus fruit
tree. Surprisingly
easy to maintain
and a cheery colour
blast to boot. Lionel
Citrus Calamondin,
£55/7O-8Ocm
patchplants.com
◄work
r OF ART
Add practicality as
I well as prettiness to your
garden. Mabel Indoor/
Outdoor Side Table, £168
anthropologie.co.uk ’
▲ NATURE SPOT
Sit and savour nature’s late-
summer display before the
season tails off. Bodhi Sassano
Lounge Chair with Footstool,
£199.95 houseofisabella.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 7
ASIAN PEARS
These fibre-rich fruits, also known as Nashi pears, have a similar shape
and texture to an apple but yep, you guessed it, taste like (extra sweet
and juicy) pears. They’re hard to find in shops, but (phew!) easy to
grow yourself. Buy a barerooted one (such as ‘Kumoi’ Asian Pear Tree,
from £36/120-150cm rootsplants.co.uk'), dig a wide hole and plant in
a sunny spot. It may be a year until your first fruits emerge, but their
deliciousness will reward your patience. They do bruise easily though,
so wrap them individually in kitchen roll before storing.
PHOTO: JONATHAN BUCKLEY
◄ purple gain
Scatter now and no doubt you’ll forget all
about them... until a stunning display sprouts
up come summer! Poppies for a Cottage
Garden Mix, £1.95/500 seeds sarahraven.com
◄ PLAY THE
NAME GAME
Label new plants,
herbs and flowers
now to remind
yourself what they
are later! Plant
► Label Set, £4.99
amazon.co.uk
◄ DIVIDE CLUMPS
OF PERENNIALS
Ease them out gently
with a small fork to
protect roots; divide
with a soil cutter. Royal
Botanical Garden
Weed Fork, £16.99
johnlewis.com and Hand
Weeder Tool, £11.95
amazon.co.uk
◄ SLIM WINS
When it comes to fiddly garden chores,
snug-fitting gloves will serve you more
sensibly than regular ones that can
hinder nimbleness. Verve Nylon Mango
Gardening Gloves, £2.50 diy.com
INSTAGRAM
INSPIRATION
This month, we re following the delightful
Otesslovesflowers. Just as her account
name suggests, her name’s Tess and she
loves flowers! (As well as the coast, nature
and ceramics.) Team these passions with an
eye for a good photo, masterful styling and
a Cornish backdrop and you have a joyful
curation of posts that are covetable yet
achievable - we love her musings and her
appreciation of life, too.
I Give bees
I a hand
It may look like a fairy godmother’s
wand, but this curious tool really
is magic. Just swish it from one
flower to the next and piff-puff-
poof! Pollen is spread, lightening
the bees workload and pollinating
your garden in one. Pollination
Wand, £4.99 cotswoldtrading.com
8 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
| Af^le t vanilla
I tart tartin.
: Make the most of apples in this heavenly
; French classic. Serves 5-6
\ YOU WILL NEED
: ❖ 50g butter, cubed
:	50g soft brown sugar
=	4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored
i & quartered
; "I' 1 vanilla pod, halved
: sfc 1/4 lemon, juice only
j ❖ 320g all butter puff pastry sheet
I WHAT TO DO
: 1 Fry the butter, sugar and apples,
: rounded side down, in a frying pan.
: Scrape in the vanilla seeds, add the
; lemon juice. Cook on a low heat for
: 15 mins. Leave to cool completely.
; 2 Preheat oven to 22OC. Place the
: pastry sheet over the pan top leaving
i 2cm excess all round. Tuck this excess
: down the sides of the pan and bake for
: 15-20 mins until golden and puffed up.
: 3 Remove from oven and cool for
5 mins. Hold a large plate on top of the
; pan and flip over so the tart transfers
: onto the plate, pastry side down. Serve
: with a dollop of whipped cream.
► SWEET
MOTIFS
Coat with
paint or
annotate
and varnish
them and use to pep
up pots. Gardening
Wooden Embellishments,
£3.30/45 hobbycraft.co.uk
▲ BACK-UP PLAN
These seat pads are extra long, with glorious
designs and handles for hanging. Roll them
up for bolster cushions! Printed Seat Mats,
£55 each grahamandgreen.co.uk
MAKE IT!
EASY IDEAS
can
: YUM
|: SCRUM!
3 OUTDOOR FLOOR LAMPS
Lighting outdoors is vital - make a statement with a floor-standing lamp.
▼ BASKET CASE
Newgarden Santorini LED Floor Lamp
Indoor/Outdoor, £212.36 lights.co.uk
► ALL WHITE ON
THE NIGHT
Pacific Grey Metal
Outdoor Floor Lamp,
£150 next.co.uk
◄ HALO EFFECT
Niza 165 Cherry Bulb
Cordless Outdoor
Floor/Wall Lamp,
£299 johnlewis.com
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 9
EASY IDEAS
OUICK •
MAKE! i

W For easy	.
of Flora IiieogiliFjJ
Floral birch, taas
Add these beautiful and practical discs
to a display of wild flowers. Makes 8
YOU WILL HEED
8 x wooden birch discs, 6cm x 2cm:
DKBT Discs, £7.59/24 amazon.co.uk
Leftover exterior paint & paintbrush
$ 8 x small bunches wild flowers
❖ Mod Podge Matte Finish,
£5.3O/236ml hobbycraft.co.uk
❖ Fine tip pen, string/twine & scissors
8 glass bottles of similar size
WHAT TO DO
1	If your discs don’t have holes, use a
screwdriver to add them. Paint one side
white and leave to dry.
2	Stick a flower on each disc using Mod
Podge, scripting its name alongside it.
Once dry, seal with Mod Podge.
3	Thread string through the disc hole
and tie around the bottle neck. Fill with
water and add a flower bunch.
3 OF THE BEST CUTE
COASTAL BUYS
▼ CONCH CALLING
Shell Vase, £14.99
tkmaxx.com
Oh we do like to be beside the seaside...
and we like to bring a touch of it home
► CATCH OF THE
DAY
Beachcomber -
Fish Planter £32.50
stonethecrowsretail.co. uk
A TOP CLAW
M&S Set of 2 Napkin Rings,
£10 marksandspencer.com
RAIN ON MY PARADE!
This swish waterbutt appeals
to our eco and fashion
senses. It’s roomy but not
imposing, with a grate to
protect the water from
leaves and animals, plus
a smart brass tap! Classic
Water Butt 100L Carbon,
£220 gardentrading.co.uk
▼ TOP GEAR
There’s everything you
need in this little kit to
give your tools a lot
of TLC. Garden Tool
Maintenance Gift Set,
£23.99 gardeninggifts.co.uk
◄ BRING ON
THE BRISTLES
Invest in a small
but mighty brush
to scrub up shabby
pots in a few swift
swipes. Loofco
Garden’s Brush,
£5.50 andkeep.com
► pitstop
Fill with sand and use to deposit your
tools in to minimise mud build up and
rust during a days’ gardening. 6l_ Metal
Crab Bucket, £6 moolikeamonkey.co.uk
10 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
We leave the
place buzzin*
4^	%
Over 11,000 species protected?
Must be World Land Trust
EASY IDEAS
and contemporary look. Set of 3
Jute Round Woven Straw Wall
Decorations, £48 laredoute.co.uk
When it comes to accessories, such
as bowls and lanterns, choose a select
few and keep them simple and neutral.
▲ LAYER UP
Mix up patterns in
a cushion pile with
Eye-catching, frayed
basket light pendants
are the epitome of
rustic style (and,
handily, very on trend!).
Rhys Dated Palm
Suspension, £60
rowabi.com
Pyramid Lantern, £40 jobnlewis.com
Л^лгбеггдиедк
refresh
greys and ecrus. 100%
Cotton Stripe Cushion
with Fringe, £23
bhs.co.uk; Global
Diamond Cushion
Cover, £10
dunelm.com; Grey
Textured Hoxton Large
Geometric Cushion,
£14 next.co.uk; Leno
Striped Fringed
Cushion Cover, £48
laredoute.co.uk
Mediterranean style is
characterised by terracotta,
warm wood and soft
furnishings in earthy shades.
This reimagining of it is
lighter, brighter and cleaner,
swapping out the terracotta
for shades of grey and the
warm wood for whitewashed
cane while weaving in heaps
of natural materials. An
oversized, patterned rug
has traditional earthy shades
while trailing greenery and
imperfect accessories create
a relaxed, holiday feel.
Nomad Xanthos Rug, from
£195 weavergreen.co.uk

◄ LEAVES APLENTY
Real or faux, plants typical of
the Med are a must. By keeping
the backdrop pale, the natural
beauty of trailing greenery will be
Alupssuc Artificial Olive
Tree, from £49.99 amazon.co.uk
▼ TERRACOTTA TOUCH
> It wouldn’t feel like the Med
without terracotta! But go for
objects
the paler side.
This planter’s В
on-trend ridging V
gives a modem twist.
Otterton Planter, from
£40 gardentrading.co.uk
▲ STORE & ORDER
Store throws, books and
other holiday paraphernalia
in woven bags or baskets -
you want it to feel relaxed
but not messy! Set of 2
Tufted Storage Baskets,
£26 dunelm.com
▲ MAKING
WAVES
A desert-hued rug
nods to classic Med
style. Maze Nomad
Aztec Indoor/
Outdoor Rug, £92.82
houseofisabella.co.uk
▼ BEACHY FEEL
Look to pale wooden or light cane
furniture that features organic
lines and timeworn touches for
a beachy, weathered style. The
Island Two Seater Natural White,
£795 floandjoe.co.uk
12 MODER J SARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
ASHWOOD
NURSERIES
Traditional nursery established in
1967, specialists in hellebores,
cyclamen, salvias, hydrangeas,
snowdrops, hepaticas, lewisias,
auriculas, dwarf conifers & more...
• Beautiful Plants, Garden Shop
and Nursery
•	Tea Room and Gift Shop
•	5 star Mail Order Service to UK
Located in South Staffordshire on
the border of the West Midlands
Special Events
Mail Order Service to Mainland UK
Quality plants and more direct to your doorstep
We offer top quality plants, gifts and garden essentials,
hand-picked, carefully packed and swiftly despatched to
ensure that your order arrives in perfect condition.
Easy online ordering and we aim to provide a friendly,
personal service with expert advice always on hand.
Johns (garden Charity Open Days
Open Every Saturday this Summer & Autumn*
1Oam - 4pm | Entrance £7.50 each (’weather permitting)
Visit our website for full details of our events
Ashwood Lower Lane,
Kingswinford, West Mids DY6 OAE
Visit our website for opening hours
Tel: 01384 401996
ASHWOODNURSERIES.COM

и
и
TOP QUALITY BULBS FOR SPRING FLOWERING
100 FREE Double Snowdrops with £50 spend on bulbs
	25	50	100	500
Galanthus Single Snowdrops	£3.75	£6.50	£10.75	£52.50
Galanthus Double Snowdrops	£5.25	£9.00	£16.00	£75.00
Eranthus Cillicia	£6.00	£10.50	£18.50	£85.00
Cultivated English Bluebells	£5.75	£10.00	£17.50	£80.00
Narcissus Tete Deluxe	£6.50	£12.50	£20.00	
Narcissus Tete a Tete	£5.00	£8.50	£15.00	£70.00
Narcissus Tete Thalia	£9.00	£15.00	£25.00	
Narcissus Pheasants Eye	£9.00	£15.00	£25.00	
Narcissus Collection 25 of each Baby Moon /Hawera/Yellow Sailboat/Elka			£20.00	
Iris Dutch / Iris Mixed	£3.00	£5.00	£9.00	£42.50
Fritillaria Meleagris Snakeshead	£5.00	£8.50	£16.00	£75.00
Blue Collection 20 of each Blanda Blue/Muscari Armenicum/Pushkina/ Chiniodoxa Blue/Scilla Blue			£12.50	
Ranunculas Pack 5 colours White/Red/Pink			£14.50	
Large Flowering Crocus Mixed Colours Blue/Striped/Purple/White no yellow		£7.50	£14.00	£65.00
Large Flowering Crocus Yellow	£6.00	£10.00	£18.00	£80.00
Garden Tulips Mixed Colours	£5.50	£10.00	£18.00	£80.00
Primula Vulgaris Wild Primrose Plug	5 for 6.50	10 for 12.00
Primula Veris Cowslip	5 for 6.50	10 for 12.00
Many more varieties on our website • All bulbs are flowering size including free ones
V/SA
Please order online if possible as our tel lines are very busy
Delivery is £4.50 UK mainland, Islands and Highlands £7.50
Payment with order please, Tel or email essential for safe delivt
inib^gfuTbpiil^|co?uRi
Eurobulbs 314, Smeetb Rd, Marshland St James, Wi


Cambs PEI4 8EP
Зк>мим loveiu
IN SEPTEMBER
Try our pick of the most beautiful plants you can buy now
breather all through
summer and into
autumn. Height 50cm
& Spread 40cm.
ashridgetrees.co. uk
ENCHANTED VELVET
FLAM E ’ £5999cm pot
Luxuriate in the velvety, deep red
blooms of this rudbeckia, right up
until the first frosts. Height 60cm
& Spread 45cm. buyplants.co.uk
3
BONNY
black-eyed
---------"TP*--
Susans
HERBSTSONNE’
£899 9an pot
For bright and cheery late
autumn colour, these large,
golden, daisy-like flowers are
hard to beat. Height 2m &
Spread 90cm. crocus.co.uk
EDELWEISS BLOSSOM
OF SNOW’<£650IL pot
It’s a wonder that leontopodium exists after
Three plants forfloralfireworks
it almost became extinct, in part due to the
success of The Sound of Mu sid.
Fans of the film headed
it to the mountains to pick
J edelweiss, which has since
л been made a protected
’. - species. ‘Blossom of Snow’
flowers twice a year, in summer
and again in autumn. Its large,
white, starry flowers look dreamy
with their silvery foliage and will
bring a touch of the Alps to your
garden. Its low maintenance
and supremely hardy - it
is from the mountains
after all! Height 45cm
& Spread 60cm.
barnesnurseries. co. и к
Г One
of our
favourite
things
RED BISTORT
FAT DOMINO
Newbie ‘Fat Domino’ has
BOWDEN LILY ISABEL
Rejuvenate a tired border
with an explosion of colour
YELLOW OX EYE
Bold and brilliant Telekia
speciosa adds a dash of
yellow at the back of the
border through summer and
into autumn. Height 2m &
Spread Im. hardysplants.co.uk
bigger and fatter flowers
than most persicaria. Height
90cm & Spread 75cm.
claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk
from this new variety of
nerine. Height 60cm
& Spread 20cm.
bethchatto.co.uk
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK. VISIONS
GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
BEST BUYS
SAVOURING
SUMMER
Our gardens fade fast in late summer; rich
autumnal hues begin to nudge out the prettier,
summery shades. If, like us, you’re not quite
ready for that inevitable shift, it’s time to seek
out those plants that keep your patio looking
lovely and summery! Waiting in the wings for
their moment are the divine, daisy-like asters
in lovely pink and purple tones. Pop one in
a wicker basket and all thoughts of autumn
will be banished immediately! They flower till
October and are super tough, so will perform
again for you next year.
How to keep your potted aster happy
Choose a container that’s around 2-3 times
bigger than its current pot. Half fill your
container with free-draining, peat-free
compost such as John Innes No.2 (£5/1OL
diy.com), place the plant in the pot at the
same depth as previously planted and backfill
around the plant, firming in gently. Water well
and continue watering regularly throughout
the growing season. A spot in full sun or partial
shade is ideal. In spring, feed with a general
fertiliser (£7.89/lkg elixirgardensupplies.co.uk)
and top with a layer of organic matter to help
conserve moisture during the hotter months.
TPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 15

A A
J I
ASTER WOOD’S
PURPLE’
A petite clump of foliage
and glowing, purple-
blue daisies make this
variety of Aster dumosus
a top choice for a
pot. Height & Spread
40cm. £5.95/1 L pot
proctorsnursery.co. uk
What on earth is the concept
of ‘provenance, you may
well ask! Well, put simply,
it is about everything that
you use or put in your garden, no matter
how small. It’s all about knowing the story
behind those products - where they come
from, how they’re made, and how they
get to you. It’s about making sure they re
eco-friendly, ethically produced and that
there is proper honesty and transparency
about their origins.
This mindset can really change the way
you choose and use your plants, materials
and all your other gardening goodies.
Here’s what you need to know to get you
started on the learning curve and help
create a greener future.
‘И/kite £>ar\o
NEVERENDING MEDLEY
A lovely mix of flowering plants
including salvia, nepeta and astrantia
was in the Sue Ryder Grief Kind Garden
designed by Katherine Holland at this
year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. These
plants are all fab sustainable choices as
they come back year after year.
EASY IDEAS
NURTURE
NATIVE PLANTS
These are the ones that have naturally adapted to the local
climate and soil conditions over time rather than being
introduced from different parts of the world. While not all
are originally from the UK, they’ve adapted and become
what we call ‘native’ plants. They’re super easy to maintain
since they’ve specifically adapted to their surroundings, which
means less watering, fewer fertilisers and minimal pest control.
Plus, they’re fantastic for wildlife, offering food and shelter for
pollinators and other creatures. They’re also a crucial source of
pollen, helping pollinators such as bees and butterflies thrive.

❖ FOXGLOVE
Seen growing wild everywhere including
along roadsides, these will also do well in your
garden. Sow seeds outside, in dappled shade,
May-July, and they’ll flower the following
year. Height 1.5m Spread 45cm. Wild
foxglove, £2.49/2,900 seeds suttons.co.uk
* SNAKE’S HEAD FRITILLARY
With pretty pendant-shaped flowers
that look like fairy skirts, these were once
abundant in the UK. Choose a sunny to
lightly shaded spot and the bulbs should
flower year after year without any need for
digging up and storing. Height 2O-3Ocm
Spread 5-10cm. Fritillaria meleagris ‘Mix’,
£5.80/20 bulbs farmergracy.co.uk
* LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY
Aren’t the tiny bell blooms just the prettiest
things! Their diminutive size is more than
made up with the wonderful fragrance they
release during May. At their best when
planted in full or partial shade. Height &
Spread 25cm. £9.99/9cm pot primrose.co.uk
* COMMON HONEYSUCKLE
Lonicera periclymenum is the only native
UK honeysuckle. It’s beautiful to look
at and has a heady scent, particularly in
the evenings and at night. The berries
and leaves are toxic, so be mindful
when planting. Height 7m Spread 1.5m.
£13.95/2l_ pot habitataid.co.uk
❖ WILD PRIMROSE
We love this because it’s so undemanding,
it’s happy in almost any soil and any part-
shade, part-sun spot and its sunny yellow
flowers really lift a dull spring garden.
Height 30cm Spread 20cm. £12/3 young
plants hayloft.co.uk
* FORGET-ME-NOT
MON AMIE BLUE’
The gorgeous blue flowers of this little
lovely appear in spring and create frothy
clouds in beds and also pots. Grow in a
sunny or shady spot on its own or among
taller tulips and other spring faves. Height
& Spread 30cm. £14.95/15 seedlings
sarahraven.com
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 17
HONOUR
HERITAGE
VEGGIES
Also known as heirloom
varieties, these are the classic
veggies, packed with unique
flavour and an interesting
history, that your grandparents
might have grown. Unlike the
modern hybrids, most of these
are pollinated by insects, birds,
wind or other natural means,
rather than hand pollinated.
This means you can save the
seeds and grow them year
after year, and they’ll stay true
to type. They’re a great way
to keep a bit of gardening
history alive, help preserve
genetic diversity and allow
you to enjoy some truly
special homegrown produce.
* TASTY
TOMATOES
There are hundreds
of varieties to choose
from in all shapes, colours and
sizes. Check when buying seeds
right credentials. Try the tomato
Artisan Bumble Bee’ Mix, which
features purple-striped with green,
pink with yellow colouration and
golden yellow with orange stripes.
£2.99/10 seeds suttons.co.uk
* RADISH
EASTER EGG
These are vibrant
and crunchy and
vary from mild to
hot. Eat whole or
slice into salads.
Sow seeds outdoors
March-September
every few weeks
for a constant
supply. £3.64/200
seeds from Garden
Friends Shop on
ebay.co.uk
* BEETROOT
‘CHIOGGIA
Originating from
Italy, this beet is also
called candy stripe’
due to its pink and
white rings. Sow the
seeds in warm soil
from March to July
and feast on the
crop from June to
October. ‘Tonda
Di Chioggia’,
55p/5O seeds
seedstosow.co.uk
* CARROT
BLACK
NEBULA
This is the darkest
colour of carrot to
be found, with long,
tapering roots and
keeping its colour
after cooking. If
you’re limited for
space they’ll also
do well in
containers. £1.99/
300 seeds thompson
-morgan.com
AUBERGINE
BLACK
BEAUTY
These glossy,
near-black fruits
love warmth,
shelter and sun
so make sure you
start the seeds
off indoors in a
large container
and keep them
in the warmth.
£2.95/20 seeds
shegrowsveg.com
CAULIFLOWER
ROMANESCO’
This alien-like
cauliflower has
lime-green,
pyramid-shaped
heads. Sow them
outdoors from
March to May
and pick them in
autumn. They also
grow really well in
cool temperatures.
£2.39/190 seeds
organiccatalogue.com
SQUASH
PATTY PAN
CUSTARD
WHITE’
Cute as a button
and really tasty,
especially roasted,
sow these in May
and 12 weeks later
they’ll be ready
to be picked. The
flowers are edible
too. £1.69/5 seeds
ethicalorganic
seeds.co.uk
18 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
MAKE CRITTER CONTROL COUNT
Let’s talk about keeping those pesky little
nasties away from your plants the natural
and organic way. First, bring in the good
guys like ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies.
These little heroes love snacking on aphids
and other bugs, and you can attract them by
planting flowers like marigolds, nasturtiums
and yarrow. Companion planting is another
nifty hack. Think of it as matchmaking for
plants. For example, garlic or chives near your
EASY IDEAS
roses can scare off aphids, and basil planted
with tomatoes keeps whitefly at bay.
Got a spray bottle? Mix some water and
mild liquid soap and say bye-bye to soft-
bodied insects, their eggs and larvae. Add
in some vegetable oil and crushed garlic
to ward off slugs, or swap in cold-pressed
neem oil (Pure Organic Neem Oil, £16.50/ll_
thenaturalgardener.co.uk) to repel a whole
horde of damaging insects.
▲ METAL SEED TRAYS
Made from galvanised steel,
these should last a lifetime.
Galvanised Tray with 24 grow
pods, £44.99 crocus.co.uk
DITCH THE
PLASTIC
Or at least buy products that have
been made from sustainable or
recycled materials. There are plenty
of options at affordable prices to help
you on your way. If you’ve already got a
load of spare plastic pots then use them
(again and again) for growing seeds
or seedlings. If you don t have any
plastic pots because you’ve taken them
to a pot recycling point instead, buy
biodegradable wood fibre, bamboo or
coir pots. Try the Rubberised Certified
Organic Coir Seedling Pots, £4.95/5
pack thewildlifecommunity.co. uk
▲ SLATE plant labels
An environmentally-friendly
material, slate has a simple and
efficient production process
and can be reused or recycled.
Nicola Spring Slate Plant
Marker Labels, £10/6 rinkit.com
▲ COMPOSTABLE
GARDEN WASTE BAGS
Produced from waste wood pulp
and trimmings from the timber
industry, four trees are planted
for every tree harvested. Eco
Living Compostable Garden
Waste Bags, £6.50/5 bags
peacewiththewild.co.uk
HAND-MADE TRUG
Made in a workshop in
East Sussex by a family-run
business since 1899, this
traditional garden basket is
formed from locally coppiced
sweet chestnut and willow
boards. Garden Trug No.3
(L36cm x W20cm), £60
truggery.co.uk
▲ RECYCLED CANS
The Green Basics Watering
Can 10L Living Black is made
from 100% recycled plastic
via sustainable production
methods. £23.99/l0L
capacity elho.com
► UK TOOLS
Pedigree Garden tools
have FSC-certified and
sustainable ash handles
and long-life stainless-steel &
heads. Hand Trowel, £13.20 .
pedigreegarden.co. uk
FAVOUR
GROWN-AT-
HOME FRUITS
Did you know that Edward I is credited
with encouraging the cultivation of
raspberries throughout England in the
13th century? And that the juicy and
delicious fig has been grown in the
UK since Roman times? Or there’s the
bilberry, slightly smaller than the more
common blueberry and best cooked
into sweet treats such as jams and pies.
All these juicy and delicious fruits are
well worth a try to grow in large
pots or a bed.
BILBERRY
£11.99/1.5-2L pot
iacksonsnurseries.co. и к
RASPBERRY
RUBY BEAUTY’
E16.99/3L pot
ashridgetrees.co.uk
FIG BROWN
TURKEY’
E16/2L pot
rootsplants.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 19


LOOK FOR
MAKE-A-
DIFFERENCE
MATERIALS
Provenance is at the heart of simple yet
stunning The Climate-Forward Garden
designed by Melanie Hick which won
Silver Gilt at this year’s RHS Hampton
Court Palace Garden Festival, with its
ground screws used instead of CO2-
emitting concrete to secure the boundary
fence to the earth, gravel as a mulch
to keep in water and allow rain to soak
away, reclaimed timber, and insect habitat
built into the fencing. Even if you can’t
get your hands on all the eco-friendly
materials you’d like, try to source pavers,
sleepers, decking and other garden stuff
locally, and reuse concrete slabs, stones,
bricks and cobbles from recycling centres
salvage yards or online Freecycle sites.
Your local builders should be able to show
you the provenance on the product labels
too. If you’re after something a bit more
exotic, like Indian sandstone, try sourcing
from ethical importers that are part of the
Ethical Trade Initiative (ethicaltrade.org)
YOUR OWN
COMPOST
Compost is like nature’s magic potion
for your garden. It’s packed with * в
nutrients that feed your plants, acts as
the perfect fertiliser, and even works_
as organic mulch and a soil booster, в
Making your own compost is super-^
rewarding and eco-friendly. Plus, it lets
you recycle all that garden and kitchen
waste into something your plants will I
love. Use garden clippings and kitchen
scraps, let it sit for about 18 months, <
and voila! Fresh, homemade compost1
ready to work wonders in your garden.
THE BIG ONE
This beast takes up to
38OL of organic and
kitchen waste, has a
large lid to make it
easy to fill, and the flap
at the bottom ensures
simple removal of the
compost. WFX Utility
380 Plastic Compost
Bin, £70.50
wayfair.co.uk


◄ USEFUL UNDERGROUND
No need to keep an eye on your
composter - just dig a hole and
bury this in the ground! Verve
Composter 10L, £20 diy.com
► SPACESAVER
Suitable for tiny plots
including balconies, this
bag has a strap and buckle
for secure closure and
two openings, one to put
your waste in and another
to take out the compost.
BACSAC Composter Bag
40l_, £68 bloomling.uk
► wormy
WONDER
After three months
of feeding the worms
you’ll have lots of lovely
rich quality compost.
Wiggly Urbalive Worm
Composter Wormery
20L Unit Starter
Pack, with 500g of
composting worms, £196
wigglywigglers.co.uk m
20 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
WATER WISELY
By combining rainwater collection with
a drip irrigation system or connected
hose, you’re really stepping up your
sustainability game. Rainwater is better
than mains water as it’s not chlorinated.
You’re also cutting down on water
bills and making sure every drop goes
where it’s needed. Rainwater harvesting
Qis efficient, eco-friendly and just plain
smart. Your plants will thrive, your
garden will look amazing and you’ll feel
great knowing you’re doing your bit for
the environment. So, buy a waterbutt,
set up that drip system or attach a hose,
and watch your garden flourish.
UPGRADE
YOUR LAWN
While they can look nice, lawns are
^water-guzzlers and don’t offer up
much in terms of sustainability. You
don’t have to get rid of it all but you >
can replace parts of it with no-mow *
areas planted with something more
eco-friendly. These low-level plants
are total game-changers.
WHITE CLOVER
Tough and drought-resistant, this stays
green even when other plants might be
struggling. It fixes nitrogen in the soil,
which means it naturally fertilises itself
and any plants nearby. And the tiny white
flowers are a magnet for bees and other
pollinators. Keep in shape with a mow every
few weeks. CLOVER ECO: Clover Lawn
Seed, Height & Spread 50cm, £22.5O/2kg
(covers approx 70m2) thegrasspeople.com
EASY IDEAS
CREEPING THYME
Both practical and
pretty, creeping thyme is
super tough, can handle
lots of walking on, and has
gorgeous purple flowers in
summer. Plus, it releases a lovely
thyme scent when trodden on.
Trim any uneven or overgrown
patches with shears. Height
10cm Spread 50cm. £11.25/5
compost block-grown plants
victoriananursery.co.uk
CHAMOMILE
This little beauty is perfect for low-traffic
areas and pretty low-maintenance too. Just
give it a trim with shears now and then,
and it’s good to go. Treneague Chamomile
Plants, Height 10cm Spread 30cm, £4.99/3
seedlings ashridgetrees.co.uk
plastic waste a new lease
of life. And don’t forget
second-hand treasures. With
a little TLC, like a fresh coat
of paint or new cushions,
you can transform these
finds into unique pieces that
are good for the planet and
your wallet.
with
This _____________________
comes from responsibly
managed forests. Next*
consider all-weather,
rattan made from recycled
polyethylene. It’s super
durable and you’re giving
STYLE IT WITH LOVE
Look for wooden pieces
SC certification.
abel means the wood
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 21
A bold vision and love of plants
were what it took to transform
this overgrown London garden.
Having just knocked through the
ground floor living area, the owners knew
the rear garden would be on full view, so
they called in Paul Duffy, Peter Robinson
and Andrew Nicol of GRDN Design
(grdndesign.co.ult) to realise their plans.
“The clients wanted the garden to be the
focal point as soon as you came through the
door,” says Paul. There was also the matter
of linking the outdoor studio to the rest of
the house, along with a few other requests.
TIME FOR A REDESIGN
Overgrown shrubs and a tired lawn
dominated the long, narrow garden with
the wood-clad studio parked at the far
end. While there were some stunning and
impressively mature plants in the borders,
there was no structure or clear design to the
garden, and most of the owners’ wishlist was
not being met. “We were trying to provide
a space to have a glass of wine, but also
with an element of a journey, with stopping
spaces through to a destination,” Paul says.
22 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024

} GARDEN MAKEOVER

Г Check
out our
sustainable
paring best buy
on p27
^AKPLN PLAN
LOCATION Queens Park, London
LOOK Modern
SITE Size 44m2 Faces North-west
Soil London clay with sandy loam
topsoil added
OUR BUDGET
Hard landscaping £5,000
Soft landscaping £3,000
Water feature £1,500
Lighting £1,500 Labour £8,000
TOTAL: £19,000
HOW LONG IT TOOK
Site clearance & hard landscaping
2 weeks 3 days
Lighting & irrigation 2 days
Water feature & bench seat 2 days
Topsoil, planting & mulching 3 days
TOTAL: 31/2 WEEKS
“It wasn’t a complex brief, but it was an
extensive one catering to all those needs.”
Ditching the lawn was an easy decision.
“A lot of the most interesting gardens don’t
have lawns,” says Paul. “They have planting
and a relationship between hard and soft
spaces. Here, it was about trying to get that
balance of hard and soft, while keeping it
very natural too.”
Freeing up the central area of the plot
enabled Paul more space for the longed-for
design features, including somewhere to sit,
a water feature and plenty of planting.
DESIGN DETAILS
A meandering and informal path now links
the back of the house with the rear studio.
Layered with plenty of touch-me planting
and tactile surfaces, it’s a garden that invites
you to explore and enjoy.
Back-to-basics concrete paving has
been laid across the width of the garden,
interspersed with ribbons of planting and
staggered edges, so the densely planted
borders merge with the hard landscaping.
The owners chose concrete paving as
they liked the finish, and to emphasise the
ultra-modern look, the plank-shaped slabs
were set corner-to-corner in a neat stack
bond. Nearer the house, 800mm x 400mm
slabs are laid in a stretcher bond to lead the
eye out and into the garden and to create a
roomy seating area.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 23
r You can go 1
green with style
too with oar
designer tips,
L seepSO
ч"
ADREAM-COME-TRUE
spot for switching off and
enjoying some quiet time.
THIS SLEEPER SEAT,
reclaimed from a Danish
harbour, doubles as a
space divider.
Today the view down the
garden is thoughtfully layered  A
with horizontal bands of lush	*
green planting, a narrow water - л
trough and a rustic sleeper
bench. Jutting in from both
sides of the garden, this subtly
guides the eye in a zigzag to the
studio beyond, punctuated by designer
features on the way.

FEATURE: JILL MORGAN. PHOTOS: ALISTER THORPE.
DESIGN: GRDNDESIGN.CO.UK
To bring a dash of drama and movement
into the garden, Paul and his team
constructed a crisp, rectangular rill from
sheet steel. Painted black and sunk into the
ground, surrounded by creeping mind-your-
own-business, it reflects the surrounding
planting and sky above. “It’s about half a
metre in depth,” Paul says. “The owners
wanted to use the large pebble, which was
already in the garden, so we drilled a hole
through it to create a trickle fountain.”
5ЛЖТ O?EAS
:!< STAGGER EDGES
of paving and borders for
a seamless mix.
❖ TRICK THE EYE
into thinking your plot is
wider than it isoy laying plank
paving across the garden.
❖ TUCK CREEPING
ground cover plants in paving
gaps to soften the look and
increase biodiversity.
Stretching across the garden near the
studio is a hefty timber bench. A reclaimed
sleeper from a Danish harbour wall, it sits
neatly upon concrete feet to raise it above
the ground. Its worn surface, shaped by
water over time, has a fascinating pitted
grain that echoes the garden’s new pared-
back, organic look. “It fitted really well with
the aesthetic and feel of the garden,” Paul
says. “We had to get it through the house,
though. Luckily, it was a direct route. We
rolled it through on scaffolding poles as it
was so heavy.”
PLANTING PERFECTION
Although surrounded by houses, the garden
feels quite private thanks to the existing
shrubs and trees along each side. Mature
and varied, they had become entangled and
overgrown, but Peter and his team could
instantly see they were a huge bonus. “We
always try to work with established plants,”
he says. “They can really give a garden that
maturity from day one.”
Three spectacular acers were retained,
one perfectly framing the garden studio
with its red-purple foliage, the deep tones
reflected in the colour of the steel pool.
Elsewhere the aim was to opt for lush,
leafy ground cover with touches of white
and purple. “We didn’t want the garden to
just be in bloom from May to August, so
we aimed to get a balance of evergreen
species,” says Paul.
Stately ferns, swooshing grasses such
as Japanese forest grass and statement
leaf shapes belonging to Fatsia japonica,
Japanese spurge and rodgersia ‘Superba’
create depth and year-round interest. “We
were trying to achieve different tones,
textures and forms,” explains Paul.
Between the pavers, Irish moss and mind-
your-own-business hug the ground and
soften the overall look. “Mind-your-own-
business does really well in little gaps,” adds
Paul. “It’s even taken itself into the bench at
the back, naturalising elements like that.”
SOOTHING RETREAT
The finished garden has lost none of the
privacy and green outlook, but has gained
structure, texture and personality. It is a
careful blend of functional modern features,
with luscious planting and space to relax and
soak up nature. The clients are thrilled with
their outdoor space: “The garden is the focal
point of our home and truly everything we
had dreamed of.”
24 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
GARDEN MAKEOVER
A TRICKLE FOUNTAIN
trough adds movement and is
a hit with wildlife.
VIEWEE!
The bifolds
frame this
modern
masterpiece
perfectly.
TACTILE & TIMELESS,
a mix of lush foliage and
weathered timber creates an
immersive woodland feel.
OH MY! OFFICE
We wish this stylish
garden was ours!
They’re not the only ones either,
as the garden was the overall winner
in the 2021 Pro Landscaper ‘small
project BIG IMPACT’ Awards.
Summing up this project, Paul feels
a key element was building on the
mature trees and shrubs that were
already there. “You have to give stuff
the room to get established and
grow. It’s particularly lovely in winter,”
he says, “especially seeing crisp
white snow sitting on the foliage.”
Mind-your-own-business
Japanese forest grass
Fatsia japonica
Soft shield fern
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 25
др GARDENA
Reach new heights with the
GARDENA StarCut pruning lopper
Experience effortless tree pruning with the lightweight and
easy-to-use GARDENA StarCut pruning lopper. Safely cut
branches up to 6.5 meters high while keeping both feet firmly
on the ground. Its powerful integrated gear transmission and
tiltable cutting head make even the toughest branches a
breeze to cut. The StarCut lopper comes with a handy hook,
allowing you to safely pull down cut branches to the ground.
Transform your tree care routine with ease and precision!
To find out more, head to www.gardena.com/uk
kgtung erfpf.
сот/гец^
I v.

SUSTAINABLE PAVING
4*
Old. Tov/и- HOO Evolve
Concrete 'Paviry,
gg Around. Z/o/m2
brwtsi<M£.coM.
* BEST BUYS
particular our paving choices for paths,
patios and hard standing areas. Among the
worst offenders are concrete-based paving
products, also sold as reconstituted stone.
Many use cement to bind the aggregates
and sand, and cement production is one of
the most energy-intensive manufacturing
processes. In addition, it also gives off a
cocktail of air pollutants including dioxins,
dust and hydrocarbons.
After water, concrete is the most widely
used substance on the planet! Taking into
account all stages of production, concrete
is thought to be responsible for 4-8%
of the world’s CO2 emissions, although
apparently this is 1.5% in the UK due to our
better processes. It also sucks up almost
10% of the world’s industrial water use.
Among materials, only coal, oil and gas are
a greater source of greenhouse gases.
Around 900g of CO2 are emitted in
the production of ikg of cement, although
some is reabsorbed when concrete is
exposed to air. Bricks add 250g/kg and 1m2
of stone patio adds around 47.5kg of CO2,
but this does depend on the stone.
There are currently a few concrete
paving products that are more eco-friendly
than others. The carbon footprint of
Bradstone’s ECO range, for instance,
We’re all quite rightly being
encouraged to go greener,
reducing our household
inputs and waste, using
green power sources, installing heat
pumps and solar panels and the like.
And we re rethinking our garden inputs
too - reducing or eliminating pesticides,
going peat free, not using petrol-powered
machinery and concentrating on drought-
resistant plants to reduce how much water
we liberally splash around the garden.
The next step is considering our
choice of hard landscaping materials and
their impact on the environment, and in
-- .
has been reduced by more than 20% and
ECO Evolve by 35% compared to its similar
products. This has been achieved by making
improvements in manufacturing and the mix
used. Deco-Pak’s Eco Smooth Paving has
85% of its content derived from sustainable
resources and 87% of its material is sourced
within 45 miles of production.
Where possible, consider replacing
concrete paving with natural stone or wood.
For paths, go for natural or recycled materials
such as bark, recycled glass chips, crushed
bricks and other recycled aggregates. Even
gravel creates its own problems when it’s
strip-mined from seabeds, destroying marine
habitats. Try recycled ceramic gravel instead.
So, what should we be thinking about
before going ahead and laying that new
planet-friendly path, patio or driveway?
SHOP & BUY LOCALLY
Choose products that are not only
made locally, but also use locally sourced
materials. Any material that is transported
from the other side of the world will have
a higher carbon footprint than one that’s
manufactured locally. Indian sandstone is
popular, thanks to its quality and competitive
price, but it’s possible that it has been quarried
by poorly cared for migrants and children.
The local eco-credentials are also usually
poor, with the manufacturing responsible for
polluting water and other pollution. If you
want Indian sandstone or Chinese slate, ask
your supplier if the importers are signed up
to the Ethical Trade Initiative (ETI). Not only
does locally mined natural stone have a lower
carbon footprint, it’s more likely to blend into
the local landscape too.
REUSE & RECYCLE
Reusing materials has to be one of the best
ways forward because the majority of the
carbon footprint has been used and also
because reuse prevents materials from
ending up in landfill. While garden centres
are unlikely to sell second-hand paving,
there are other options. Check out your local
waste recovery centres, recycling and reclaim
yards. You can also try local online Freecycle
communities and selling sites such as Etsy,
Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree.
Some concrete mixes use recycled
aggregates to replace the cement, which
would otherwise be sent to landfill. This
includes pulverised fuel ash and ground
granulated blast furnace slag. Similarly, there
are some paving slabs and blocks that are
made from recycled, ground-up stone in
addition to other aggregates.
GO NATURAL
Natural stone is one of the most sustainable
materials, especially hard-wearing types such
as slate, granite and dense sandstones, and
particularly when sourced locally. It is quarried
from the ground using extraction processes
that are low on toxic chemicals, acetone,
silicon and glues. But you still need to ensure
that it is quarried in a sustainable fashion.
Natural stone is also easy to reuse and
recycle. Porcelain slabs are man-made, but
they use a mixture of clay and sand.
CHECK CREDENTIALS
Before choosing a material, check its
sustainability credentials, which the supplier
should clearly indicate and be willing to
disclose. Apparently, the UK is leading
the world in environmental standards in
hard landscaping materials. Marshalls,
for example, was the first UK heavy-side
materials company to join the UN Global
Compact - the world’s largest citizenship
and sustainability initiative. And Deco-Pak
now sources more efficiently from UK
quarries and uses modern, more eco-friendly
quarrying methods and equipment.
PERMEABLE PAVING
Eco-paving is not all about the carbon
footprint. Large expanses of paving are
wildlife deserts and reflect heat, increasing
air temperatures. And solid surfaces don’t
allow rainwater to drain, adding to risks from
waterlogging, flooding and flash floods.
Where possible, consider permeable paving.
This allows surface water to pass through and
into the ground below, reducing the risk of
flooding and overloading drains.
CELLULAR CHOICES
These open cells are made from recycled
plastic or sometimes concrete, filled with a
permeable aggregate such as gravel or soil
and then grass seed is sown into it. They
make the surface suitable for vehicles and
prevent it turning into a muddy mess.
28 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
ж
BEST BUYS
► WINNING
IN THE RAIN
Super-strong,
with surface
water passing ~
through into
the ground
below - no
additional
drainage is
required with
the Drivesett
Tegula Priora,
£64.44/m2
marshalls.co.uk
▼ GO TO TOWN
Timeless, tough, undemanding when it
comes to maintenance and environmentally-
conscious... Old Town ECO Concrete
Paving, around £68/m2 bradstone.com

▼ GO GROOVY
Made from responsibly
sourced concrete, the
weathered look makes it seem
like they’ve always been there,
while the smooth edges add
a modern feel. Aged Riven
ECO Concrete Paving,
around £46/m2 bradstone.com
A BUFF UP
Check out the eco-credentials
on this! Deco-Рак Eco Smooth
Paving in Buff, £6.99/450mm x
450mm deco-pak.co.uk
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 29
sustainable planters, garden designers are
really stepping up their green credentials
without compromising on style.
The ideas we’ve rounded up here are
so easy to do, especially things such as
adding a no-mow strip to your lawn or
This year’s hottest new garden
designs are packed with eco-
friendly features. From squeezing
in extra pollinator-friendly
plants to conserving rainwater, creating
insect-friendly screens and choosing
choosing drought-resilient plants over
water-guzzling ones. So if you like the
idea of hopping on the eco trend, as well
as boosting biodiversity in your garden to
bring in more wildlife, then take a peek at
these designs.
DESIGN
iscover.
хрипим
the latest ECO-KIND designer
I * . I *** '*'V- . I г
th ideas to pinch tor your own
30 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
EASY IDEAS
STRIPE SAVIOURS
Green up patios, paths and other
hardscaping by mixing in smart strips
of planting. A great way to show off
foliage and blooms, these patches
of green will also attract pollinators
and garden birds - nature’s very own
pest-control squad - to boost your
plot’s biodiversity. This is also a smart
solution for allowing excess rainwater
to soak away quickly, minimising
run-off from hard paving that can
contribute to localised flooding. Take
a tip from the experts at Ivy and White
(ivyandwhite.com) and plant rows of
the same mat-forming ground cover.
Sedums (some of which are now
known as hylotelephium, and are also
referred to as stonecrop) are a great
year-round choice for a sunny spot.
Other options include ground-hugging
houseleeks with their neat leaf rosettes
in shades of lime, dark green and
claret, pink or white flowering creeping
thyme or dwarf hebe for its slightly
looser and taller foliage.
A HOT LITTLE NUMBERS
Match planting choices to the changing climate to reduce the chore
of watering and create less plant stress. Choose robust varieties that
suit sun-trapped corners and won’t mind lack of rain or infrequent
watering. Many drought-resistant varieties are used to restricted
root growth so they’re ideal for containers too. You can get up close
and personal with their interesting texture and sprawling habits.
Designer Lucy Mitchell (lalalandscapes.co.uk) showed this beautifully
in her mgr Changing Tides Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show
2024. Shrubs and small trees, including Scots pine ‘Watered’ and
common hawthorn, are upright and striking in matching ribbed
planters, while Kentish ragstone boulders have been planted up with
shallow-rooted and ever-resilient stonecrop and thrift.
PHOTO: RHS/TIM SANDAL	PHOTO: RHS/TIM SANDALL. DESIGN: LUCY MITCHELL
A EATS ON REPEAT
Vertical living walls have taken the edible growing world by storm
in recent years. They’re a game changer for food crops in balconies
or small yards. Use space efficiently with tiered planting, combining
trailing and cascading crops such as strawberries, tomatoes and
cucumbers with climbing beans, peas and squash. Mix in cut-and-
come-again salad leaves and herbs for fresh produce for months.
There are plenty of living wall systems to choose from such as
planting pockets, stacked planters and plantable modules, but this
system by Conal Studio (conalstudio.com) at RHS Flower Show
Tatton Park 2023 is fantastic. Composite planters made of recycled
waste brick suspended within steel frames have a cool on-trend
industrial feel. Mixed in with bug boxes and pockets of companion
planting, it’s a highly efficient, slimline eco-growing system.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 31
PHOTO: SARAH CUTTLE. DESIGN: TOM MASSEY
► BREAK the mould
Put eco credentials at the heart of your
garden with fun-to-make hyper-tufa
containers. A hardwearing and sustainable
material, it can be made at home with
minimal materials to create stunning,
textured planters, steps and even water
troughs, as seen in The Ecotherapy
Garden designed by Tom Bannister
(tombannisterstudio.com) for RHS Chelsea
Flower Show 2024. Made from a mix of
Perlite, cement and sustainable coconut coir,
simply add water, combine and push into a
mould to create a 5-10cm thick layer. Leave
for 24 hours before carefully removing the
mould and leaving to air dry, undisturbed,
for two or three weeks. Once completely
dried, the results are surprisingly durable,
yet lightweight. Drill drainage holes where
required and fill with compost and grit
before planting up.
RAIN, RAIN,
COME AGAIN
With the great British weather
proving as unpredictable as
ever, it makes sense to conserve
as much rainwater as possible.
Rather than simply collecting and
storing it, why not turn rainwater
into a pride-of-place design
feature? Here, in The RSPCA
Garden designed by Martyn
Wilson (wilsongardendesign.co.uk)
for RHS Chelsea Flower Show
2023, a Corten-steel planter is
filled, using rain chains, with run-
off water from a shed roof. Simple
but oh-so effective, it adds a
sensory touch to a lush, shady
corner. Rain chains (or kusari-
toi, to give them their Japanese
name) are not only way more
attractive than plastic downpipes,
but they also help to slow down
the process of collecting the
water while creating a restful vibe.
Rain chains can be anything
from lengths of basic steel links to
ornate bells and buckets. Check
out guttercentre.co.uk for ideas.
hibernation spot, it can support a wide range
of beneficial insects and even tiny mammals
such as wood mice and voles. Start by
stacking the wider logs, using a rubber
mallet to make sure each log sits flush with
its neighbour, before infilling the gaps with
the smaller sawn-off sections.
Check out luxunique.co.uk modular
Corten-steel log stores for a speedy build
or try their modular raised bed system for
a more bespoke design.
▲ LOG-ICAL THINKING
Introduce a nature-friendly sculpture with
a decorative log feature. This striking RHS
Resilient Garden - Supported by ACO by
Tom Massey (tommassey.co.uk) for RHS
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival
2023 uses a Corten-steel frame that is
stacked with cut logs. Creating a fascinating
abstract surface to gaze on as well as a
handy way to divide up your plot, it’s also
an irresistible postcode for mini beasts and
pollinators. Providing shelter and a cosy
Salvia кгмогозл
32
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PHOTO: GAP PHOTOS/SUZIE GIBBONS - FAIRLIGHT END.
CORTEN STEEL MODERN DESIGN: IAN KITSON
A MEADOW MOMENTS
Forget Love Island, this year’s hottest
summer coupling has to be native grasses
and meadow flowers. There’s hardly a
designer garden that’s without swathes of
these tall, swaying stems and floaty flowers
planted in a meadow strip. Bring the idea
to your outside space but with a designer
edge by concentrating the look in key areas.
The secret is to plant in a mass and create
contrast with hardscaping, as shown in this
multi-level garden by Ian Kitson
(iankitson.corn). A carefully maintained
lawn drops down a retaining Corten-steel
clad wall to an intimate, lower seating area
filled with wispy ox-eye daisies, buttercups,
plantain and meadow grasses. Requiring
very little attention, these native plants
naturally dry and self-seed freely, before
dying back then reappearing the following
spring. Weathered timber boards create an
informal path through the plants.
Revamp a sunny seating area with a
meadow seed mix. Try Garden Meadow,
£15/100 seedball.co.uk
EPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 33
OUTDOOR LIVING
tOM <,
IPATCH
I’m wringing out the last precious drops from sunny
garden days, says FIONA CUMBERPATCH
Ч4 SepWer
PHOTOS: FIONA CUMBERPATCH
S After such a cold start to the
season, Гт not ready to let go
4^ of summer yet. There’s still so
much to be enjoyed.
I planted my dahlias in larger pots this
year and they’ve grown taller than ever, after
an early, fierce battle with slugs and snails.
I used all sorts of natural methods to try
to protect them from the slimy onslaught,
including Slug Gone Wool Pellets, garlic
spray, slathering the tops of my containers
with Vaseline mixed with salt and, out of
desperation, setting beer traps - slugs are
attracted to the
malty smell of ale,
which is placed in
a shallow container
and embedded in
the soil.
Only about half of
my dahlias survived,
but I’m especially
appreciative of
the ones that made it, with their colourful,
shaggy tops in burgundy, cerise and an
almost neon pink. I loved Blue Diamond
Garden Centre’s National Trust dahlia
Ткете лее pleititj of
simple pleasures to
celebrate к Mt| plot
this Month
will help the stem to put its energy into
forming new roots.
I will slide it into a pot of fresh compost,
mist with water, cover, and place in a
warm spot, out of direct sunlight. Keeping
the soil moist but not soggy, it should take
2-4 weeks for little roots to form, which of
course mean that a new plant is on the way
for next year.
When my flowers do start to fade, 111
keep a close eye so I’m ready to collect the
seeds for sowing next spring. I wait for a
dry day in late September and go around
the garden with
a small pot for
each different
plant. Poppies
are the easiest to
gather, simply by
shaking out their
dry pepper-pot
heads, but I have
collected morning
glory ‘Star of Yelta’, nigella and the cute
little daisy flowers of erigeron, which have
beautiful fluffy seeds, like a tiny powder puff
at the end of each stalk.
selection (bluediamond.gg), which had the
colour varieties I prefer, so I’ve made a note
to order those again next year.
I usually grow lots of zinnias, but again,
the slugs made short work of them. Cosmos
and pelargoniums saved the day, and I’m
loving cosmos ‘Bright Lights’ for its fizzy
orange petals and feathery foliage. I pick
up pelargoniums whenever I can, because I
know I can bring them inside before the first
frosts and keep them going for next year.
For a few extra free plants, I’m going to
try taking a pelargonium cutting while it’s still
warm and bright outside. This is a first for
me, but it should just be a matter of taking
a favourite plant, looking at the stem to find
a leaf joint, then making a cutting about
5-1 Ocm long. Removing all but 2-3 leaves
I’ll seal each variety in a brown envelope,
label it and store in a tin in my dresser
drawer. If there are too many for my small
garden, I’ll gift them to gardening friends.
Last year, I swapped some seeds for a bag
of apples from a neighbour’s tree. The result
was a delicious fruit crumble with an oat and
almond topping, a September
favourite to celebrate the
simple pleasures that our
gardens never fail to deliver.

Fiona
0 Instagram @fionacumberpatch
blog fionacumberpatch.com
•painty frtvour’rte AaWias
34 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
A truly beautiful, eye-catching African Lily with striking bicolour flowers.
Large round clusters of white trumpet shaped flowers with a rich royal blue at the base, standing tall on sturdy stems.
Excellent for cut flower displays to enjoy indoors, lasting up to two weeks in a vase. A stunning border plant which is eye-
catching planted in groups or grow in your favourite containers as a feature on your patio or by a door. Flowering prolifically
from July to September, Agapanthus Twister adds a new dimension to your garden as the elegant flowers form huge globes
that sit upon vibrant, green, semi-evergreen strappy foliage. Delivered to your door within 7 days in 9cm pots which need to
be planted on arrival into well-drained soil in full sun. Being a hardy perennial, this African beauty will grow outside all year
without winter protection, reaching a height of 80cm and spreading to 60cm.
IT'S EASY TO ORDER
QUOTE HAMG
OR SEARCH ONLINE
ONLINE:	ORDER LINE: POST:
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First name:
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Please Send	Item Code	Price	Qty	Total
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1
With fluttery flybys, deck dining and lazy-day toe dipping,
this WILDLIFE HAVEN is a people and planet pleaser!
Paula Siqueira and Andrew Durham’s
creative vision was all-important
when they first viewed their new
London home. As a photographer
and visual merchandiser respectively, they
have an eye for style that proved particularly
handy when it came to the rear garden. “It
was so overgrown that the garden looked
much smaller than it actually was,” says
Paula. “A massive 4m tall ivy wall stretched
a couple of metres out into the garden
and several pine trees and a couple of
giant cordylines made it so shadowy it was
impossible for any low vegetation to grow.
But it wasn’t just the plants that had taken
over the garden as there were also two
adjacent ponds taking up more than
a quarter of the garden area.”
Add in a tired lawn and a heady mix of
crazy paving and cement pavement slabs,
and it was enough to put off most buyers,
but not Paula and Andrew. “From day one
we felt the garden had a good feel to it.
The sheer size of it, in a neighbourhood
where 4m x 8m back gardens are the norm,
plus the vastness of water and greenery felt
magical,” says Andrew.
CLEAR GOALS
After calling in specialists to cut back trees
and reduce the great wall of ivy, the couple
spent two months pulling together their
ideas. Inspired by Beth Chatto’s gravel
garden (bethchatto.co.ul<), the naturalistic
planting from Queen Elizabeth Olympic
Park in London and Paula’s native Cerrado
36 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
-
Welcome
wildlife into
your garden
too, turn to
POLLINATOR FAVES
verbena and salvia dazzle
in a sunny border.
74M
OUK	‘PLAN
LOCATION London
LOOK Naturalistic gravel garden
SITE Size 203m2
Faces West Soil Stony London clay
Aunt finzi «4
FEATURE: JILL MORGAN. PHOTOS; PAULA SIQUEIRA
in Brazil - an area known for its beautiful
gnarled trees and stony waterfalls - the
plan was to create a restful, nature-rich
garden. “We wanted the garden to be
low-maintenance, drought tolerant and
nature-friendly with informal planting,”
says Paula. “We were also keen to reuse or
work with what was already here, not only
because of budget restrictions but also to
avoid unnecessary waste.”
Including strong focal points in the long
and narrow garden was vital, but it was key
GARDEN MAKEOVER
............г..

OUR BUDGET
Tree removal £1,350 Gravel, mulch &
Scottish Highland pebbles £914
Railway sleepers £400 Large pond
revamp plus filtration £1,000
Planting £3,000 Corten Steel olive
tree pot £720 Fence paint £200
Large deck £7,000 Small deck £250
TOTAL: £14,834
HOW LONG IT TOOK
Tree removal 5 days Site clearance
2 months Laying gravel 2 months
Railway sleeper path 6 days Pond &
installing filtration system 3 months
Planting 3 weeks plus ongoing
TOTAL: 10 MONTHS
(OVER TWO YEARS)
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 37
ЖГTTAs
TO STEAJ-
* REUSE & RECYCLE
what you already have.
* COLLECT RAINWATER
and use it around the garden
instead of tap water.
❖ FILTER PONDS
NATURALLY using
sandbags, sharp sand and
aquatic plants.
for these to be carefully placed. “We wanted
a feeling of mystery with some peek-
throughs to what’s happening further down,”
says Paula.
There was also the issue of the two rather
large ponds to deal with. The decision
was made to keep the larger one and fill
in the other, a handy way to get rid of the
unwanted concrete and crazy paving.
HERO GRAVEL
Excited to get started, the couple put the
garden renovation ahead of any work on the
house. Once the site was cleared, the first
job was to put down a thick layer of gravel
mulch throughout the space into which
drought-tolerant plants could be planted.
“We believe the gravel is the key factor to a
truly low-maintenance garden,” says Paula.
“Besides the water retention, it also serves as
a weed barrier, which means we have to do
hardly any weeding.”
Gravel is permeable, cheaper than paving
and it can also help with filtering pond water
and encouraging healthy plant growth by
minimising water loss and preventing weeds
from sprouting. “What we didn’t anticipate
г assessing what was
available in terms of
natural filtration then
RAILWAY SLEEPERS
create a timeworn path
through the shingle where
'j  sun-loving plants are left
’ to creep and scatter seeds
Oi where they please.
was the fact that the gravel
doesn’t stop our much-loved
self-sowing plants,” says Paula.
“It seems to encourage those
that can throw out their roots in
dry soil - a win-win all round.”
In total, there were 15 tonnes
of gravel and sharp sand to
barrow from the front to the
back garden. “It still horrifies
us the amount of work
involved,” says Andrew. “Was
it worth it? Yes!”
Wooden railway sleepers
were laid in two stages to
weave a pathway from the
rear deck to the far end of the
garden. Planting followed and
Paula and Andrew knew exactly what they
wanted. “It needed to be low-maintenance
with a high proportion of drought-tolerant
species,” explains Andrew. “For these
reasons, added to the fact that we
wanted a naturalistic look, we
decided to work exclusively with
plants that come back year
after year.”
The garden has a good
balance of structural
shrubs and trees,
alongside a diverse
selection of flowering ^|Г nV'
plants and ornamental
grasses. These are boosted
by the surprise appearance
of self-sowers such as verbena,
stipa, deschampsia (tussock grass),
euphorbia, salvia, thyme, yarrow and
learning how to implement it.
sedum. “They never fail to surprise us with
the new combinations of forms and textures
they create,” says Paula.
WILDLIFE WINNER
Revamping the pond was a big task, and
a gradual project due to work and budget
restrictions. Three months were spent
“The previous owner had filled the pond
exclusively for the sale of the house and
there was no filtration system in place,”
explains Paula. “That meant the pond was
full of decaying matter, very smelly and a
breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes.”
The couple wanted to turn their patch
into a wildlife haven and knew they wanted
THE TREE-
TACKLING
JW it
SURGEONS
are called in
to clear the
giant pines.
Mission let
much-needed
light into the
garden’ begins!
WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Time to fill
the smaller pond with waste paving.
and it’s a go for the 15 tonnes of gravel!
THE WEED-BANISHING fabric is laid,
38 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
rainfall water comes via the roofs of the
four adjacent houses, down the drainpipe
and into the pond. “Filtration is provided
by a pump alongside the plants and gravel
bed we introduced, and others that found
their way in, making the pond 100% wildlife
friendly,” says Andrew.
Deciding on pond plants was trial and
error, mainly due to the fluctuating water
levels from using only rainwater. “We
favoured plants that could survive both
during winter and rainy months, and drought
tolerant during dry summers.”
Worth the effort and perseverance, the
pond with its two neighbouring timber
decks is a favourite spot for both Paula
and Andrew, plus the cats Ziggy and Yoko.
Designed to mimic a floating platform, it
gives the house serious country-cabin vibes.
It’s also cleverly built to cover the crazy
paving inherited from the previous owners.
“We knew we wanted to have a deck near
the house that we’d use for eating, hanging
out and lounging,” says Paula.
“In spring and summer, the pond takes
on a life of its own and it’s magical to
witness the daily maiden flights of dozens
of dragonflies and the bats flying by at dusk.
We love skimming our feet over the water
while eating on the deck. The early evening
sun during summer backlights the garden
and makes everything magical.”
г
A GENIUS SANDBAG WALL, pump and sharp
sand area naturally filter the pond water.
0
ARE WE
THERE YET?
It’s been quite
the journey, but
now it’s finally
time for the
plants to go in
and the finishing
touches to
be added.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 39
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BATH BEAUTY
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40 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
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A BIRD BUFFET BLISS
Terracotta pots aren’t just for plants. They’re
versatile and can be used for all sorts of
projects including a simple, elegant bird
feeder. All you’ll need to make this super-
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foraged branch or broom handle and some
glue. Drill a few little drainage holes in the
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bearing in mind you’ll need around 4cm
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WHAT IT COST
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TOTAL: £2.99
42 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
SIMPLE PROJECTS
WHAT IT COST
TOTAL FREE
◄ HEDGEHOG
HANGOUT
Nestled into gravel or placed
on bricks or logs under
bushy plants, a larger pot
can become new digs for
prickly guests. Place it in a
quiet corner, facing south or
west, where it will get sunlight
during the day, but also shade
when the day is at its hottest.
Surround with logs, line the
floor and partially fill with
dry leaves or straw for cosy
comfort. Don t completely fill
it, as hedgehogs like to find
their own materials.
WHAT IT COST
Masking tape, £2.50 wickes.co.uk
Galvanised garden wire, £3.5O/2Om
wickes.co.uk
TOTAL: £6

A GO WITH THE GLOW
Who’d have thought a dead tree branch
with some old terracotta pot lanterns could
look so good? Drilling holes in unglazed
terracotta pots for the lights to shine
through is a doddle. The secret to success
is to soak the pots in water overnight to
make the terracotta less brittle. Then
put one or two layers of masking tape
over where you want to make the holes.
Support the pot on a horizontal block of
wood underneath the drilling zone. Use a
slow drill speed at first to make some small
holes using masonry drill bits, then make
the holes larger as necessary. Make two
holes opposite each other in each rim, then
thread pieces of wire through to create a
loop and secure firmly. Place a tealight in
the base then hang from the branch.
EPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 43
◄ TOWER TRIUMPH
A feature within a feature, elevate
ponds to new heights of loveliness
with an easy-peasy pot tower or two.
First decide how tall you are going
to make your tower and work out the
length of plastic pipe you’ll need to
insert through the centre. It should be
long enough to thread on all the pots,
plus you need to take into account the
depth of the water. Most pot drainage
holes measure 15mm wide, but the
diameter of the pipe needs to measure
the size of your pots so that there’s
a reasonably tight fit, especially with
regard to the bottom pot.
Set the pole upright into a base of
concrete, made from quick-setting
cement placed in a plastic tub or
similar mould. Leave overnight to fully
set, lower slowly into the pond and
start threading on the pots, alternating
with the bottom one upside down,
followed by the correct way up.
WHAT IT COST
Plastic pipe, £5.88/3m screwfix.com
Rapid setting ready mixed cement,
£5.20/2.5kg wickes.co.uk
TOTAL: FROM £11.08
BER 2 0 2'
A^D E
&ell heather
SIMPLE PROJECTS
TRY THIS!
V
use змлиег povs as '
feet to raise planters"
off tke jrounJ. to -
improve Irainaae
A WINNING HOOK-UP
Perfect for filling a bare spot or just
adding some extra eye-level interest, this
hanging display is a great use of those
cobweb-covered terracotta pots you’ve
got in your shed.
Give the pots a scrub and wash using
warm water and washing up liquid. Rinse
and leave to dry. Add compost and your
chosen plants. Measure the length of
twine needed - remember you’ll need
to tie two knots and make a loop over
whatever sturdy structure you’re hanging
from. Using a slim bamboo cane or
similar, make a hole in the middle of the
plant and thread the twine through until
it comes out of the drainage hole. Make
a knot towards the end of the twine and
tie around your support, which could be
made of short pieces of wood, sturdy
twigs or trimmed bamboo canes. Repeat
for the second pot. Give the plants a
thorough watering. Then hang.
A FASHION A FOUNTAIN
This self-contained water feature will
bring the relaxing sound of trickling water
wherever it is. Thanks to solar-powered
fountains, there’s no tricky or expensive
mains electricity to install, either. Just make
sure the solar panel is placed in a sunny spot.
Dig a hole to house the reservoir, making
sure it is level using a spirit level. Fill the
reservoir with water and place the pond
pump inside. Thread the pump outlet
through the base of the bowl and fill the
bowl with pebbles. Stack three pots on top
of each other over the fountain outlet. That’s
it - now enjoy!
WHAT IT COST
Peat-free ericaceous compost:
£6.99/2 5 L dobbies.com
Polypropylene garden twine:
£8.29/240m amazon.co.uk
TOTAL: £15.28
WHAT IT COST
Round pebble pool reservoir:
Pisces, £36.95 diy.com
Solar fountain: SE 360,
£29.99 powerbee.co.uk
Suburban Stone Polar White
Pebbles, £10/20kg wickes.co.uk
TOTAL: £76.94
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 45
Trending
now
An abundance of florals
ensures ongoing summer as
we shift into September. Add
perennial echinaceas, heleniums
or rudbeckias, which are full of
flowers now and will return ,
L again next year. J
September is fantastic for
gorgeous, dynamic flowers.
Some of my favourites are
blooming right now including
zinnias, dahlias and cosmos.
I always feel a slight shift in the garden
come September; the flowers seem bigger,
bolder and more confident somehow. Perhaps
it’s the colour palette of rich pinks heading into
dark burgundy combined with sunny yellows,
pops of orange and highlights of peachy pink
tones that evoke this sense of change. I’m
not sure, but I’m certainly savouring these last
sunny days and picking handfuls of blooms
from our garden daily.
A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of
visiting the amazingly colourful late summer
gardens at Aston Pottery (astonpottery.co.uk).
Some friends took us while we were staying
with them near Oxfordshire. It’s a lovely
working pottery with a fantastic shop and
cafe serving homemade quiche and cakes
and a garden you can wander around freely.
Each year the small team at Aston grow
over 8,000 plants from seeds or cuttings to
make their colourful displays in their various
borders. The florals are dynamic en masse
and a complete joy to see. It’s well worth
visiting if you can.
I cannot focus on dynamic floral style
without mentioning Sarah Raven
(sarahraven.com). You can visit her garden at
Perch Hill Farm, East Sussex, during an open
day. It’s a feast of florals, and I’ve been lucky
to visit a few times, including during the dahlia
display, which is this time of year. I enjoyed
the Sarah Raven stand at this year’s RHS
Chelsea Flower Show too. It was a little slice
of her garden brought to London. Check
out the Sarah Raven dahlia collections... the
colours are bold and beautiful!

Raise ike poppij bar
Inspired by flowers and nature,
this collab between table linen
brand By Hope and floral artist
Lucy Wayne (lucywayne.com)
is beautiful. Lucy’s delicately
painted poppies have been
transferred onto the finest
stonewashed linens (from £18
each byhope.co.uk). A great way
to add dynamic florals to your
outside dining space; complete
the look with matching napkins.


GO FOR A POTTER
If you’ve ever fancied growing colourful bold
flowers from seed, visit the garden at Aston
Pottery in Oxfordshire. It’s full of inspiration and
shows what can be done with a few packets of
seeds. Visit this month if you can, it’s beautiful!
46 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
OUTDOOR LIVING
Instagram
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p Showstopper stand
l^^Prie (1ГтУ highlights at RHS Chelsea ^g£*. ’
«S? Flower Show was the Sarah Raven stand. 'Ф\
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garden came to the showground. The stand t
was a reclaimed wood hut surrounded by f
bold blooms in reds, pinks and orange hues
<>coop up SOMC
colourful С0ЦСЗ
EckiMcezts соме Ьдск every
цедг. For a ^uick, stijlisk, eAsilij
Moved. pop of colour, place t^our
нем/ plant in. a basket and keep
it v/ell Watered. until ijou W.
а моге perManent syot for it
to be planted in. tke jround as
ахЬимп. аууг oacb.es.
Pinc er up the pink
Malope trifida 1 utcan was one of the plants
used on the Sarah Raven stand at the RHS
Chelsea Flower Show. It 's a beauty with vivid
green eyes at the centres and bold magenta-
pink petals. Buy seeds now, sow immediately,
then wait for these blooms to appear next
summer. £1.95/70 seeds sarahraven.com
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 47
TURE-RICH SA
.	в.	м ; -о

Tr^omiMae^-tuu
Wasted ih±o SU
Ahhhhhh - taking a virtual stroll
around Stephanie’s modern
cottage garden on Instagram,
we instantly feel calmer and
more relaxed. With the bifolds open,
curtains blowing in the breeze, she takes
us on a pleasure-filled journey through the
highlights - catching a few zzzzzs in her
hammock, walking in flip-flops through
the wildflower meadow, slow cooking in
her alfresco Forno wood oven, the spring
scent of the apple blossom, girly gatherings
enjoying hot chocolate and marshmallows,
later summer impromptu barbecues with
friends, and relaxing in the dip tank pool, so
secluded that no cozzies are required! It’s
everything she wished for and more, and it’s
definitely got us inspired.
As well as a heavenly makeover,
Stephanie’s dream to improve her work-
life balance and indulge her passion for
gardening has also come to fruition. In May
2023 she left behind a career as a design
consultant for oak-framed buildings and set
up a small seasonal plant business from the
newly transformed garden. After investing in
a modern polycarbonate polytunnel, raised
beds, a huge steel workbench and tons of
plug plants, and despite nursing a broken
arm, she opened the garden gates to the
public and the adventure began.
Now, instead of packing up her briefcase
and jumping in the car to travel the country
every day, Stephanie’s new morning ritual
consists of wandering round the garden,
cuppa in hand, before a more relaxed
workday begins. Stephanie explains: “After
years of working hard for other people I
re-evaluated and decided that my love
of gardening and like-minded people is
what makes me happy. I came up with the
idea of opening the garden to the public
from May till September, giving amateur
gardeners the chance to buy beautiful and
interesting perennials.” Stephanie also sells
homegrown flowers, bouquets and wreaths,
and gardening workshops are run from
her former home office. Find out more on
Instagram @thecasualgardenerco.
NEW BEGINNINGS
Having fallen in love with the cottage
three years ago, Stephanie and her partner
Phil, European manager of an aerospace
company, were keen to get started on
the garden glow-up. The vision was for
an indoor/outdoor living experience
with interlinking zones; an extension of
their cottage. “We wanted to be able to
walk through the back gates and feel our
endorphins explode,” shares Stephanie.
“Being surrounded by swishy planting with
lots of greenery was important to create a
secluded feeling. And as lovers of alfresco
dining, an outdoor covered kitchen dining
area and all year round structure was a
must-have. We’d always fancied a long rill
water feature, and a dip tank too.
“Gathering around a big firepit with the
woodland behind as if we were camping
was also the dream. Taking some me time
swinging in a hammock immersed among
a wildflower meadow was definitely up
there. Plus, it needed to be a secure space
for our bouncy Labrador Sid and his friends
to run wild in without worrying.”
Despite having completed a few
successful garden makeovers in her time,
Stephanie knew this time she needed
some help! “Aubrey Hoad ley from AH
Design Studio was the perfect person,” she
enthuses. “When he presented the concept
video I actually cried with joy; it was as if
he had got inside my head and read my
mind. Myself, Phil and my brother worked
tirelessly over 18 months to complete the
transformation; however, we did get friends
FEATURE: ANGELA KENNY. PHOTOS: STEPHANIE LARKINSON
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 49
in to help install the home office, who were
duly rewarded with some much-needed
beers and a barbecue!”
MAMMOTH MISSION
The garden office, which was to be separate
from the house, was the first priority. Inspired
by rural farm buildings, corrugated texture
and lean-to roofs, Stephanie found a
company who offered a bespoke, supply-
only service. She says: “The office is made
from structural insulated panels, so usable
all year round, with double glazed black
aluminium picture windows and double
doors. We decided to leave the internal
oriented strand boards unplastered as they
add such warmth, and we clad the outside
with black Onduline, which is cost effective
and created the look we were after.”
Next up was the mammoth task of
clearing the site; hiring diggers, wacker
plates, concrete cutters and many skips.
“We dug out the top foot of soil full of
weeds and replaced it with a quality top soil
ЧУ	"PLAN
LOCATION The Coowolds
LOOK Modern cottage
SITE Size ’/s acre Faces South west
Soil Clay
MY BUDGET
Garden designer £4,000 Planting
£10,000 Electrics £7,500 Office
£20,000 Kitchen/diner £7,000
Patio £2,300 DIY water feature £350
Dip tank £1,200 Gabion & Cotswold
stone raised bed £1,300 Larch decking
£1,200 Greenhouses £2,000
TOTAL: APPROX £57,000
HOW LONG IT TOOK
TOTAL: 18 MONTHS
and manure in the planting areas,” Stephanie
tells us. “The perimeter fencing adjacent to
a neighbouring equestrian centre and at the
bottom of the garden needed replacing and
spraying black so we hired a spray gun and
Phil spent days completing three coats per
panel, 30 in total. He found the best method
was to balance two panels splayed together
in a triangle shape. The garden was covered
in what looked like 15 pig sties!”
HARD AT IT!
When it was time to add the hardscaping,
the couple started with an L-shaped
Cotswold stone-filled gabion bed nearest
the cottage’s bifolding doors. “We wanted
to create planting up close and personal to
the house,” Stephanie elaborates. “We dug
a trench for the foundations, filled it with
hardcore then assembled the bespoke-sized
flatpack gabions. We’ve filled it with cornus,
grasses and heleniums; it looks beautiful.”
Further out into the plot, a large
sandstone patio was laid. “This is where
we wanted the comfy outdoor sofas and
chairs to be, a kind of enclosed living room
vibe cocooned by hornbeam hedging,”
Stephanie says. “We then recycled four
round 3.5m posts that were cut into the
paving corners to add height and festoons.”
When it came to building the 6m x 6m
covered outdoor kitchen diner, it took four
men to lift the 6m front horizontal oak beam
into position. “We needed to ensure the
roof wouldn’t sag as I didn’t want a central
post at the front open elevation,” explains
Stephanie. “The sub frame for the walls
was built using pressure-treated softwood
then clad with waney edged larch, and
the roof and rear elevation were covered
with corrugated tin. The internal floor was
finished with larch decking.”
It now houses a Forno oven, and mesh
pendant lights hang over Phil’s DIY scaffold
board table. “Its perfect for seating 12 at our
alfresco dinners,” enthuses Stephanie. “And
we use the oven all the time to cook joints
of meat and casseroles and it also acts as
a fireplace in winter; it’s a stunning feature.
We re such a social couple and adore
entertaining so its the perfect place for get
togethers with friends to enjoy good food
and wine in a lovely setting.”
A firepit was constructed using leftover
Cotswold stone and benches from leftover
timber. “Toasting marshmallows with friends
and keeping cosy with bonfires in the colder
months is a real treat,” smiles Stephanie.
Thinking caps on for a budget-friendly
water feature, they decided to recycle some
sleepers. “We found an old manhole cover
that was perfect to create the letterbox
waterfall,” Stephanie imparts. “And a black
liner and black dye create lovely reflections
and keep algae at bay.”
5Л4АКГ tPEAS
TOSTEAL
* TURN SALVAGE
yard finds into garden features.
❖ ADD EASY CARE
ornamental grasses for
structure and height.
^EDGE GABIONS
with Cotswold stone then fill
with rubble to reduce costs.
Other additions include a dip tank, a
converted aluminium cattle feeder that
Stephanie calls the ‘posh paddling pool’,
three industrial-sized waterbutts, and a
main electric supply was laid throughout
the space to power the uplighters, festoons
and pendant lights. “Living next door to
an equestrian centre is wonderful but we
wanted to block the view of the horse
trailers so I also designed some bespoke 3m
timber screens, built by Phil and my brother.”
PLANT HEAVEN
Creating the wildflower meadow was easier
said than done. “It was hard labour and
took four long days!” exclaims Stephanie.
“We had to hire rotavators, seed spreaders
and a digger, adding a fine sand mix to the
stony soil for additional drainage. Once the
ground was ready we spread a mix of native
perennial and grass seed, watering daily for
the first month or so.
“Maintenance wise, we add yellow rattle
seed in August which helps suppress grass
growth but it’s a slow process; mowing the
meadow in spring and again in autumn
keeps the perennial roots strong. We
love this area though; it’s such a haven for
butterflies and bees.”
As for the rest of the planting, it includes
16 mature trees, among them silver birch,
cherry blossom, crab apples and weeping
willow. Japanese forest grass is mixed
among miscanthus ‘Kleine Fontane’, Stipa
tenuissima and a mix of vibrant contrasting
perennials for colour, texture and wildness.
“Verbena bonariensis is a favourite with its
almost iridescent purple that adds height
and transparency, and the bees love it. I also
added verbena ‘Bampton’ with gorgeous
plum leaves and a prolific self seeder.”
A tree fern, bamboos and trachycarpus
surround the dip tank for a tropical feel.
“The garden now brings us so much joy,”
Stephanie beams. “It’s our private place
where we can just be or dance around the
firepit naked with the music blasting from
the Sonos sound system if we feel like it
- the horses don’t mind, honest!”
50 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
DIY MASTERY
turned old sleepers and
a manhole cover into a
water feature with rill.
Turn trash
into treasure
iny our plot
too, see p56
OFFICIALLY
the nicest office
we’ve ever seen!
WORK, REST & PLAY
Frienzls, fitMilij, pets
WHEN LIFE
gets ruff, the
garden makes
everything better
- so says Sid!
SLOW-COOKED
lamb is a outdoor
kitchen speciality. Yum!
THE POLYTUNNEL
where all the growing
magic happens.
UPCYCLEWIN!
We love these copper
water-tank planters.


Discover what’s going on in your beds, and uncover a
NEW-FOUND HAPPINESS for you and your plants
WHAT’S YOUR TYPE?
Clay will easily roll into a sausage
shape, chalky will be stony and won’t
mould together, sandy feels grainy
and crumbly and will trickle between
your fingers, silty is smooth and when
rolled won’t stay in a ball, and loam is
the ideal as it’s made up of clay, sand
and silt. It rolls easily into a soft ball.
Also use a pH testing kit as the acidity
will affect the plant type you can grow
and how to manage your soil.
SEIZE THE CLAY!
This is full of nutrients and
holds on to water, which
means less watering! But
it can become heavy
and waterlogged. Fix
the problem by digging
in plenty of organic
compost or well-rotted
manure to help improve
drainage. Plants such as
hydrangeas, especially
the paniculata variety, are
very happy in this type of
soil as they love to have
their heads in the sun and
their feet in damp shade.
Hostas and hellebores are
also good clay-soil lovers.
1....................
FEATURE: JULES BARTON-BRECK. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK. THEJOYOFPLANTS.CO.UK
CELEBRATE CHALK
Not one of the easiest soils to work with
as it’s stony and low in nutrients, chalk
definitely needs some extras such as
fertiliser to get the best out of it. The good
thing is that beautiful poppies, lilacs and
clematis thrive in it.
f^ive sand.
л kapina kand
Tkis is perfect {or jrov/i>y
no-effort lovelies suck as
buzUleja and ^iiterrAneAK
kerbs like lavender and.
rosewrij, because it’s lijkt
and drains av!a\\ v/ater easily,
^fov/ever it can. olrtj out very
fast and tkerefore lack soue
nutrients, so add in. soue
ost as a boost.)

Ferntastic silt
Silty soil holds on to water,
which is why ferns flourish
in it, as long as it’s in a
shady spot. Dig in organic
compost so it doesn’t get
too stuck together and
unmanageable!
52 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
EASY IDEAS
BOOSTERS TO BEFRIEND
These ready-to-go boosters are
just the companions your soil
needs to perk it up. Cover the soil
with strulch, which is made from
straw that’s been chopped and
treated with a mineral preservative
to preventweeds, help retain
moisture and deter slugs. Add
biochar, which is a form of
charcoal, to sandy and silty soils to
help them hold on to water, and
mix into compost to super-charge
it with nutrients. Composted bark
is clay soil’s must-have as it helps
to break up the clods.
COMPOSTED
BARK
E19.99/7OL
amazon.co.uk
Word io ike v/tse
Now you’ve unearthed the basics, it’s time
to take your soil skills to the next level...
TA-DA TOPPINGS
Covering the top layer with pebbles or slate
chips not only looks good but helps prevent
annoying weeds popping up. It also reduces
water evaporation, which is exactly what you
need for sandy soils.
Lore that loam
CLEVER COMBOS
If you mix deep-rooters such as
lupins, which break up compacted
soil and bring nutrients to the surface,
alongside shallow rooters like alyssum,
which help protect the soil surface
from erosion, you’re onto a win-win
situation - getting great soil without
any extra help from you!
Thank your lucky stars if
you have this gold-star
soil. It’s perfect for almost
anything and it only needs
some organic compost
dug in occasionally.
fir !"» T“’f
SPILL THE TEA!
Grow comfrey to make a tea (not for
drinking!) that will add key nutrients such as
phosphorus and potassium to your soil. Add
chopped leaves to a bucket of water (around
1 kg for 1SL water) cover and leave for 2-4
weeks. Strain the smelly brown liquid, add to
a can, dilute with water until it resembles weak
tea and apply to soil weekly or fortnightly
March-September. Comfrey ‘Booking 14’,
£9.99/1 bareroot plant dobies.co.uk
Mi/c 50M-C into int sou

SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 53
Take your blanket banquet to a new level of yummy with a
delicious SPREAD OF BLOOMS says JANE SCOTT
Picnics, I love them! I really wanted
one for my birthday in June, but the
weather decided otherwise. So I’m
embracing September; the weather
folk say it’ll be warm and dry enough to sit
outside. I’m packing up my old blue basket
and I’ve found a blanket-sized patch of grass
just outside the back door! In your own
backyard you can take whatever you fancy.
And of course that will include flowers!
Using an upcycled mini fruit crate, I’ve
designed a portable picnic arrangement -
very natural looking, with in-season flowers
from late summer into early autumn.
Hydrangeas and sunflowers are focal
superstars. I picked hazel, spotted laurel and
some seedheads for their gorgeous shades
of green. It’s easy; the most time-consuming
part was choosing the crate paint colour!
'Заке
I chose: 3 sunflowers (stem length 25-30cm),
2 hydrangeas (25cm), 2 snapdragons (50cm),
1 stock (40cm), 3 golden rods (45cm),
3 allium seedheads (40cm), 1 poppy seedhead
(40cm), 2 honesty seedheads (25cm), 6 hazel
(50cm), 4 eucalyptus (50cm), 4 spotted laurel
(30cm) and 2 lonicera (30cm).
Assembling all my equipment first, I just
knew this little fruit crate would make a
brilliant flower container. I dug out a large
Tupperware tub and checked it would fit in
the crate. I laid out my collection of tester
paint pots, paintbrush, chickenwire (30cm x
30cm), scissors and twine.
PHOTOS: SIMON SMITH
I love this cute little fruit crate. Originally it
was filled with grapes but I’ve given it a new
lease of life with flowers. I decided a lick of
paint would make it look swish for my picnic.
I made little tester swatches of paint, which
really helped me make my colour decision. It
just had to be the Sunflower yellow.
Having placed the tub into the crate, I
placed the folded chickenwire into the tub.
I gently pushed it down to make sure it was
secure. I then tied the tub with twine just like
gift wrapping a present. This helps to hold
everything in place. I then filled the tub with
water and began to add my foliage.
I kept adding foliage for a lovely lush, green
base. The different heights help to give
it a naturally wild look. The leaves should
eventually hide the tub and chickenwire. I
then added my flowers. As with the foliage,
I cut them to different lengths just like they
would grow in the garden.
54 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
warm and dr

FEATURE: SARAH WILSON. PHOTOS: ALAMY. GAP PHOTOS. SHUTTERSTOCK. SARAH WILSON
 ' ' .« *- t ‘
.	- -’Л-S*
TREASURE
SWING OPEN
NEW DOORS
FOR OLD TOOLS
We knew those old
tools kicking around in
the shed would come
in handy one day!
A local metalworker
will have a field
day giving them a
makeover and turning
them into something
special. You may not
want something as
elaborate as a gate
but any rusty tools
can become a garden
feature of some kind
- we like the idea of
a windchime too.
Make haste with old waste and let
your creativity RUN WILD with
this upcycling inspiration
FILL YOUR
BOOTS
If your old boots
have sprung a
leak, don’t put
them on the scrap
heap. Instead, turn
them into a quirky
planter. They’ll
work especially
well if they’ve got
a handy loop on
the back as you
can hang them on
a nail to jazz up a
fence. Just pop
a potted plant
inside and you
don’t even have
to fill the boot
with compost.
56 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
SUPPORT SYSTEM
Anything from old walking
EASY IDEAS
WOODEN WONDER
Painted in soft, muted shades with a
pretty tumble of flowers and foliage
trailing from it, this upcycled pallet is
a work of art. Create three planting
‘troughs’ or ‘pockets’ from the sections
of wood that form the base. To do this
you will need three extra pieces of pallet
wood nailed on to create the boxed in
areas you’re going to plant. Then line
each trough with thick black plastic. Old
compost bags are ideal for this.
PALLET PLEASER
Hands up who gets excited
when they see a pile of pallets
up for grabs in a skip! There
are so many ways you can use
them in the garden, including
as compost bins and wall
planters. This one is the icing
on the cake though. Who knew
that five simple pallets stacked
up, screwed together and
paired with some old drawers
and spindles, could make such
an eye-catching piece?
KEYS TO SUCCESS
Claim an old office keyboard and
put it to work in your garden. First
strip off the keys by sliding a bent
paperclip underneath each one
and using light force to pry each
of them off. Next snip a hole in
a tennis ball, insert a stake into it
and superglue the keys onto it.
sticks and tent poles to rustic
looking wooden broom
handles can be fashioned into
supports to prop up plants.
___'WolvulttS
~>lu&
SIDESHOW
If you find a barrel on its last legs,
turn it on its side and make a
planter. Pack the inside with some
crocks and free-draining compost
Add plants of your choice (we used
houseleeks) and some stones or
pebbles as the finishing touch.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 57

BOWLED OVER
Old enamel bowls
can easily be turned
into attractive
planters. As they
don’t have holes
in the bottom, try
adding a good layer
of crocks and gravel
then planting up
with shallow-rooted
succulents such as
a mix of different
coloured sedums
that only need a
little water.
SCREEN TIME
This is a fun idea to use up
odd planks of wood left
over from DIY projects or
old fence or shed panels,
as seen in the RHS Britain
in Bloom 60th Anniversary:
Gardening for People and
Planet garden designed by
Jon and James Wheatley at
RHS Hampton Court Palace
Garden Festival 2024.
TILE RESTYLE
Redundant roof tiles
can be used to create
boutique insect hotels like
this one at this year’s RHS
Hampton Court Palace
Garden Festival. Layer
them up with bricks and
sections of drainage pipes
to create a habitat bugs will
love and you II boost the
biodiversity in your garden
in no time. Just be sure to
plant plenty of pollinator-
friendly plants nearby.
DRAW OUT YOUR CHEST
If the drawers are made of wood you will
need some form of treatment to protect
them before they can be used outside, such
as varnish or outdoor paint. You’ll also need
to line them with thick plastic to prevent rot.
Then all you need do is add a decorative
finishing touch (for flower stencils try
hobbycraft.co.ult) and some pretty plants.
YOU CAN BREW IT!
We love this super easy and cute idea of
recycling coffee pods to start seeds off ir
FREEWHEELING
An old bike wheel + sturdy cane supports
= a quirky frame for plants to scramble up.
If you don’t have one or two of your own,
some bike repair shops are happy to give
them away.
PHOTO: RHS SARAH CUTTLE. FLOOD RE: THE FLOOD RESILIENT GARDEN.
DESIGNED BY NAOMI SLADE AND DR ED BARSLEY. SPONSORED BY FLOODRE
EASY IDEAS
BRANCH OUT
Fences come in all
types of timber,
but these chunky
moss-covered
birch branches
are particularly
lovely, as seen in the
Moss Magic Garden
designed by Bea Tann	_______
at RHS Hampton Court '"
Palace Garden Festival 2024.
Leaving gaps between the timbers slows down the wind,
and adds privacy without being a solid barrier. This helps to
give the illusion of space in a garden by creating ‘rooms.’
THINKTANKS
The trend for incorporating old galvanised water
tanks into gardens is as popular as ever, with
• designers using them to create beautiful water
features and planters. This is a great way of giving
old water tanks, for example those surplus after loft
• conversions, a new lease of life. Adding spouts or rain
chains like this design makes the idea even more eco-
friendly, as rainwater is captured for use in the garden.
HIGH WIRE
ACTS
Wire baskets can
be repurposed into
shelves to show off
your collection of
plants in terracotta
pots for that
vintage feel. Plus
it’s a useful way of
storing terracotta
pots when they’re
not in use. It’s really
easy to fix them up
using a few screws
or nails and you can
switch your plant
display according
to the season.
BIN-GO!
Turn an old galvanised bin into a
prize planter by drilling a few holes
in the base for drainage, adding
plenty of polystyrene bricks’ so
you don’t have so much to fill,
then top with compost and plants.
A STEP IN
THE HEIGHT
DIRECTION
Old wooden
stepladders are
just the thing for
showing off a
selection of plants
so think twice
before heading
to the tip with
them. Find a
sheltered corner
where you can
leave them up
and they won’t
be in the way to
create a rustic-
looking display
stand for
plants to work
the modern
country
cottage vibe.

SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 59
Keep your shrubbery in shape with the LHT50 -
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Impressive run time
A full charge will give you up to 60 minutes of
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the battery pack is interchangeable between
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I was pleasantly surprised as to how light
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OUTDOOR LIVING
Grapefruit
Makes enough for 4
SEPTEMBER TIPPLE
When life gives you lemons and
grapefruits, make the mos
delicious lemonade! Tasting just
like a comforting homemade
lemonade but with a delicious twist, it's not
groundbreaking, it's not fussy and it's not
difficult to make but it is the perfect match for
deliciously warm September days.
Adjust the sweetness or tartness based on
your preferences by adding more sugar or a
bit more lemon juice. It’s easily scaled up for
larger gatherings and, as day turns to night, it’s
the perfect tangy partner for a cheeky vodka.
YOU WILL NEED
2 large grapefruits
3 lemons
100g caster sugar
Ice cubes
750ml cold water
Grapefruit & lime slices,
to garnish
Drink
anyone?
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTCl STOCKFOOD
WHAT TO DO
Juice the grapefruits and lemons.
Pour the juice through a sieve
into a large jug. You should have
about 250ml of juice.
Add the sugar to the juice and
stir until dissolved.
4 Add ice and cold water to the
jug and stir to combine.
Garnish with slices of grapefruit
and lime.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 61
tflflfrV CALL 01858 438884 & QUOTE BKAA
t/ULU lUlllty visitgreatmagazines.co.uk/moderngardens
The Modern Gardens Team
GET MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE WITH
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«ala	Ш	Wbs aa taii^a ж	.
A

Crisp up hedges
A potter in the kite-summer sun neatening up straggly hedges
will keep them a manageable size and looking tip-top over
winter. Lightly trim evergreens such as laurel, privet, yew; box
and leyland cypress. Follow with a slow-release fertiliser to
help keep them healthy. Deciduous hedges that
lose their leaves in autumn or winter, such as
beech and hornbeam, can also be cut. Use a
hedgetri miner or hand shears, depending
on the size of your hedge.
64 MODERN
GO BAREROOT
Many shrubs, trees and
perennials can be planted
as bareroots, delivered
after they stop growing in
winter with no soil around
the roots. They’re cheaper
than potted plants and
easily found online. Order
now for late autumn or
winter delivery.
Scatter
sweetpeas
Sweet peas are
tough cookies and
seeds sown now will
survive winter to give
early Howers next
year. Add to deep
containers of
multi-purpose
compost with two
seeds per pot. Sow
at twice the depth
of the seed and then
water w ell.
SQUIRREL AWAY HERBS
Pick the leaves of herbs such as mint, lemon verbena, thyme and
oregano and the ripe seedheads of dill and fennel for drying so
you have a plentiful supply for winter dishes. Gather on a dry day
when the sun has had a chance to evaporate any dew from the
plants. Bunch together leafy herbs, tie with twine and hang in a
warm and dry place for a couple of weeks. Give the seedheads a
shake onto a piece of white paper to make sifting the seeds easier.
Store the dried leaves and seeds in separate airtight containers.
CJcak Ratios ahA v/tik a
stiff brusk; v^tsk v/itk soapij v^iter,
Aive, AKoiker stiff brusk, tkat rinse
Phntnew
perennials
Who doesn’t want more plants
that reliably bloom year after year
with very little effort? With the soil
warm and new plants unlikely to
be stressed by extreme heat, this
month is a great time to add new
perennials to fill gaps. Not only will
they settle in quickly but they can
also add late colour if late-flowerers
such as Liriope muscari (pictured)
are chosen. Thoroughly soak the
base of the plant after planting and
repeat if there’s no rain in the first
week after planting.
RAKEY RAKEY LAWN
Clear plant debris from lawns with a spring-
tined rake and use a hollow-tined aerator
at 10-15cm intervals to avoid compaction.
Brush lawn dressing into the holes and find
an autumn fertiliser high in phosphates and
potassium. Lawn edgers give a neat finish.
If it’s been dry, wait for rain before starting.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 65
Choose the right bin.
Wooden slatted ones offer
better air circulation. Or make
one from pallets and wire.
Add fresh garden waste - a
3:1 ratio of browns (woody
prunings & sawdust) to greens
(grass clippings & weeds).
ENJOY
SEEDHEADS
Their intricate shapes provide
structure and a touch of
frost further enhances their
delicate beauty. So hold off
on the secateurs and enjoy
their fading glory. They also
provide wildlife with focxl and
shelter. Insects, larvae and eggs
might be harboured in hollow
standing steins and papery seed
cases, while plant stems help to
protect soil from winter storms.
One of the biggest enjoyments
is the sight of birds ekingout
seeds with their beaks to access
this nutritious source of food.
Sunflower heads can lx* hung up
for an easy-access buffet.
STEP-BY-STEP
START COMPOSTING
Recycle your garden waste into
homemade compost.
Ttiij tjour ponJ.
Its important not to allow plant debris
to build up in a pond because it leads to
problems with algae and blanket weed.
As plants start to die back and leaves fall,
now’s a good time to freshen up your pond
to keep it nice and healthy. Scoop out any
floating leaves with a net. To prevent
further leaves from falling into the water, put
netting over the surface. Secure it around
the edge with metal pegs or stones.
Cover to keep the rain out
and the contents warm. Use
as a fine brown crumbly soil
improver in about 18 months.
PHOTOS; SHUTTERSTOCK. ALAMY. NEIL HEPWORTH
Lift and stir the contents with
a garden fork from time to
time. This introduces air to
help along decomposition.
66 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
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Make
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dais CREATURE-FRIENDLYxfeatureis sure
Making sure there’s room for your watertight
oval tub and metal bucket, decide on the
spot where you want to site your pond.
YOU WILL NEED
Upcycled clean, oval-shaped
galvanised metal container, or try
amazon.co.uk £27.99
Upcycled clean, round galvanised
steel bucket, or try amazon.co.uk £7.95
'I' Sharp sand: £3.5O/large bag
wickes.co.uk
Leftover bricks, or try wickes.co.uk
£1.50 each
❖ Foraged logs
Horticultural washed gravel:
£6/9kg homebase.co.uk
Aquatic plants grown in aquatic
planting baskets & aquatic compost:
try Planted 18cm Mixed Basket,
£39.99 crocus.co.uk
FEATURE: SARAH WILSON. ANGELA KENNY. PHOTOS. GAP PHOTOS
Dig out the soil, making sure the base of
each hole is level for your containers to sit
on. Insert each one into the ground.
Use foraged logs or branches to landscape
around your sunken containers to give your
pond a more naturalistic appearance.
Add aquatic plants in baskets to the oval
container. Add gravel to the tops to hold the
compost in place. Plant up the bucket too.
With containers in place, use sand to mark
out around each so you know where to dig
when you move them out of the way.
Set bricks in the bottom of the oval
container to act as risers for aquatic plants.
Fill the bucket container with compost.
Fill the pond with water and water the
bucket plants. Tap water is fine for pond
plants, but rainwater is better. Refill regularly.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 69
Get the garden of your dreams
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BEST BUYS
...
Hey presto I
, POPPIES^
Paper-thin petals flutter on a breeze and
radiate a MAGICAL GLOW in the summer sun
_	» v. a! . .’ A .JW	w
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY,
GAP PHOTOS/ELKE BORKOWSKI/STEPHEN STUDD
«I
H	”1
I '
eralding the arrival of summer



1
4 '
4
Sow-now
seeds
Heralding the arrival of summer
with their brilliant blooms, it’s
hard to resist the allure of a
poppy! They’re the perfect
match for grasses and perennials, and
alongside roses or lavenders they lend your
garden a romantic and carefree charm
from June right through to September.
For a natural wildflower garden look,
sow a mix of poppy seeds or make a
dramatic statement by sowing a single
colour en masse. They’re amazingly
diverse with some coming back year after
year, while others, the annuals, will flower
for just one season.	ЖГ’
Colours range from vivid tropical
shades to paired-back but equally as
lovely pastel hues and their sizes vary
from the petite Iceland poppy (Papaver
nudicaule) at around 45cm to the towering
Oriental poppy (Papaver orientate)
reaching 120cm. The blooms themselves
can be endearingly simple or frilly and
flamboyant! Despite their delicate looks,
poppies are both easy to grow from seed
and surprisingly tough cookies.
SEPTEMBER 2024
MODERN GARDENS 71
How to make your new plants happy
* HOW TO sow
Sow between the end of August and
October in moderately rich, well-drained
soil. Choose a sunny spot, weed the area
and rake to break down larger lumps of
soil and to remove any stones. Scatter seeds
thinly and press them lightly into the soil
with the back of a rake but do not cover
them, since they need some light to sprout.
Water with a gentle mist spray so that the
tiny seeds don’t wash away. Depending
on the variety, soil condition and growing
temperatures, your poppies will sprout in
around 7-30 days. Keep the soil moist
during this time.
* KEEP THEM ALIVE
Since slugs and snails can consume your
seedlings in the blink of an eye, apply a
deterrent (try Slug Less, E9.99/5L
crocus.co.ulc) around your poppy patch
after sowing. Water once a week during
dry spells. Be careful not to overdo it as this
encourages quick growth and leggy plants
that have a lot more stem than leaf. They’ll
easily flop in wind and rain and will have
fewer flowers. If you put a finger in the soil
and it is damp, hold off on watering.
к* j *.
* HELP THEM THRIVE
Annual poppies that only flower for
one year won’t benefit greatly from
deadheading. The perennial varieties that
come back each year can be cut back to
the ground after flowering, and this will
encourage new growth and perhaps more
flowers later in the summer. After a few
years the centre of the plants may die. It’s
easy to give them a new lease of life by
dividing them in late summer or spring.
Simply prise them from the ground
using a garden hand fork and divide
into several smaller pieces, throwing
away any dead bits. Replant as soon as
possible and water.
* WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
If you don’t want them to scatter their
seeds, remove the seed pods using
secateurs before they ripen. To harvest
seed pods, cut the stems as the pods turn
light brown, tie the stems together with an
elastic band and hang them somewhere
dry. After 1-2 weeks, break open the seed
pods and store the seeds in a jar for up to
two years. Once annual poppies have gone
to seed, pull up the plants and pop them in
your green bin. Others can be cut back to
ground level in autumn.
м. tru


I %tb’s Vom is “»aiV411^ T
I 12 J/50 crocus.^

^ood. to ккоу/
To help cut poppies last for up
to five days in a vase, burn the
last couple of centimetres of the
cut stem all around for about 30
seconds, finishing by burning the
very tip of the flower stem. Place
immediately in a water-filled vase.
72 MODE]
ARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK. GAP PHOTOS/ROB WHITWORTH/NOVA PHOTO GRAPHIK
BEST BUYS
bow-шш.
seeds
Garden-tn-awaseA
$ &>№>li(Lt ajaci^
cOstrozka Zham mix
njoy the flower
PERFECT-FOR-CUTTING spires
borders. They take up little space, so
are perfect for mixing and mingling in
a smaller border, surrounded by lower
growing plants. Once you have these
charming blooms in your garden
you’ll never want to be without and,
luckily for us, they are one of the
easiest cut flowers to grow!
delphiniums are perennial so will
come back year after year, while |
larkspurs (Consolida) are annual, so
will only survive for one year.
A staple of traditional cottage
gardens, larkspur spires rise gracefully
to Im tall, adding indispensable
height to contemporary mixed
ft	ove delphiniums? Then you’
I	adore larkspur! Their tall
1	spires, with blue, violet, rose
^^^and white blooms resemble
a smaller version of a delphinium,
to which they are closely related.
Both are often referred to as the
same common name larkspur,’ but
How to make your new plants happy
* HOW TO sow
From an autumn sowing, larkspur has time
to get its roots established, so come spring
it’s ready to romp away and will flower early
the following year. The key to getting the
seeds to sprout in autumn is to pop the
unopened seed packet in a plastic bag in
the freezer for a week before sowing.
This cold period (a process called cold
stratification) is needed before they will
even consider springing to life. If you sow
the seeds in autumn without popping them
in the freezer first, the British winter will
provide the necessary cold period before
they sprout in spring, but these plants will
not be as vigorous.
Thoroughly weed and water the bed
before scattering the prepared seeds and
covering them with about 5mm of soil
or compost. Keep moist until they have
sprouted in about 14 to 21 days. For healthier
plants, thin out the seedlings to around
20cm apart once they have reached around
5cm high. If they get too big before thinning
out, the roots will be more established so
they are harder to pull out and will cause
more disturbance to those that are being
left in the ground.
* KEEP THEM ALIVE
Larkspurs aren’t too fussy, but lighter, well-
draining soil produces the best results as
they struggle in soil that is too wet in the
winter. Add compost and grit to heavier
soils to help improve drainage and prevent
soggy winter soil - simply use around a
ARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
•,siJc«We!^5/75^
‘Pink ,
Perfection?
blooms are open on a stem. Make
sure you avoid putting them near
ripening fruit as the ethylene gas the
fruit produces will have the flowers
keeling over much quicker!
handful of grit for every litre of compost.
They are happiest in full sun if the soil
remains moist, so water them once or twice
a week if there isn’t much rain.
* HELP THEM THRIVE
Add a layer of peat-free compost
(Miracle Gro, E7.5O/5OL wickes.co.uk)
around the plant in early spring to help
keep in moisture and reduce watering
needs. They may need staking, especially
in windier spots. Simply push a bamboo
cane into the soil next to the plant
and tie the stem to a cane. Feed
every month until the blooms open
with a general-purpose fertiliser (£7.49/1 L
elixirgardensupplies.co.uk). Deadheading
will keep them flowering for longer - just
use a pair of secateurs to snip back to
above the developing side shoots.
7 7 crocus.co.uk
* WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Larkspurs are annual so they will only
flower for one summer, but they’re very
good at scattering their own seed for
next year’s blooms. Towards the end of
summer, leave some of the dead flowers
so they can develop seedheads. After the
seed pods open and drop their seeds, you
can pull up the plants as they won’t grow
again. Somehow, seeds that fall in place
always produce the best plants!

stocksMtJ	seeks
--------°с^аЩгеек.сон
tfood to ккоу/
Pick for a vase when one third of the
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, VISIONS
BEST BUYS
ithout it!
We love bee balm for its vibrant
blooms with show-stopper style!
Whether you call it bee balm,
bergamot or monarda, this *3**
plant should be your go-to plant for rich jewel
tones - think bright scarlets, pinks and purples
- from midsummer to autumn. But it’s not just
about looks - in folklore the leaves were used
to soothe bee stings, which is how it got the
name ‘bee balm.
These days it’s usually grown to attract bees *
and butterflies. The shaggy flowers and minty
leaves are both edible and can be used to brew
a fab medicinal tea. We can’t think of a better
way to enjoy a healthy brew than sitting amidst
a bejewelled bee balm haven that’s buzzing
with life! With so many lovely colours and
heights, ranging from 30cm to 1.2m, there’s
bound to be a variety of bee bal
make you wonder how you ever
bees v^itk Ml й
BER 2024
How to make your new plants happy
* HOW TO sow
In August and September, sow directly
where they are to flower. Start by raking
the soil to break up any bigger lumps
and remove any stones. Sow the seeds
approximately half a centimetre deep and
keep soil moist until seedlings begin to
sprout in around 3-4 weeks. Once they’re
large enough to handle, at around 5cm tall,
gently pull out any seedlings that are too
close together - 30cm between them is
ideal. The remaining seedlings will have all
the space and light to grow into strong and
healthy plants and we all know what that
means - maximum flowers!
* KEEP THEM ALIVE
Choose the right spot in your garden - full
sun with some afternoon shade is ideal.
Bee balm will thank you for adding a few
handfuls of peat-free compost (Miracle
Gro, £7.5O/5OL wickes.co.uk) to your soil
before sowing. If you have heavy, clay
soil, improve the drainage by adding a
handful of horticultural grit too (Vitax,
£4.99/5kg rhsplants.co.uk). Water weekly
during dry spells to help them settle in.
* HELP THEM THRIVE
In early spring, pinch off the topmost part
of tender new growth to just above a set
of leaves. This helps the plant to grow new
stems and branches, so you’ll have a bushier
plant with more flowers. Deadheading will
encourage constant flowering from early
summer until autumn. Bee balm is prone to
powdery mildew, a common fungal disease
that will make your plants look like they’re
sprinkled with talc! Common causes are
Scarlet

poor air circulation and intermittent stress
from lack of water. For better air circulation,
allow enough space between plants and
avoid planting in sheltered spots such as
against fences and walls. Drought stress
can be prevented with regular watering
during dry periods and adding a layer of
peat-free compost around the plant to
help keep the soil moist.
* WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Bee balm is perennial, so will come back
every year. Leave it be in winter as birds
will enjoy the seedheads, and the old
stems will protect the plant from the worst
of the cold. In spring, cut the dead stems
down to the ground using secateurs as
soon as you see any new growth starting
to appear. Every three years, dig it up,
remove the woody centre, break off clumps
of the newer shoots and roots, and replant.
This will give the plant a new lease of
life, and help to prevent overcrowding, a
common cause of powdery mildew.



) ^ood. to Iwotf
Bee balm loves a Chelsea Chop’, so
called because it’s usually done in May
when the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
is held. Cut back the plant by about a
third using secateurs, to keep it a more
manageable size and stop it flopping.
SIMPLE PROJECT
• gbtare. ijour r ‘
upcijclin^ with. LCS
OK 1к^Л4ПШ or
tip »
YOU WILL NEED
Log piece: if you haven’t
already got one, try ebay.co.uk, £30
Black waterproof marker: Sharpie,
£3.50 wickes.co.uk
Drill & drill bits, various sizes
Exterior wood paint & paintbrush:
Cuprinol Tester Pots x 2, £2 each
wickes.co.uk
WHAT TO DO
1 Draw your chosen design on the
log slice using the marker.
2 Drill holes of various sizes and
depth at a slightly downwards angle
in your log slice.
3 Paint your chosen design onto
the log slice.


HELP!
GOT A QUESTION? We’ve got the
answer, whether it’s about a problem
plant, a tricky spot or a product you need
I want to add more cat-friendly plants to niy
garden. Wliat do they like?
Bouua Bur к email
It is well known that cats love to roll on nepeta - which after all is
commonly known as catnip. After that it is probably down to your
cat’s personal preference! Some have been known to like calendula
and echinacea, and even eat them as they are said to settle their
stomachs. Hyssop, rosemary and parsley are others that cats may
like - all have distinct scents that may appeal to individual animals -
but nothing excites a cat quite like catnip!
Can I plant out an apple tree I grew from
a seed? Josh, age 6, email
Josh, how wonderful to see that you’re
growing plants at such an early age. Keep it up,
as the gardening industry needs keen people
like you to maintain its future.
You have certainly taken great care of it, and
it looks a very healthy tree, and big enough to
plant in the garden. The best way to check is
to turn it upside down and carefully remove
the pot. If the compost is more or less filled
with roots, then it’s ready. If there are few roots
and lots of free compost, leave it a little longer.
In many respects, autumn
planting is often better for
trees. Planting now means you
will have to spend a lot of time
and attention carefully watering
it so that the soil and roots don’t
dry out. As for the main stem,
as it grows it will naturally
thicken. To help it thicken and
strengthen further, when you
plant it, only stake the bottom
third or quarter of the trunk,
using two ties. Leaving the top
unsupported will produce a
better tree. However, fruit trees
grown from a seed are unlikely
to produce fruit, or good
quality fruit, but you may be
lucky. You’ll still be able to enjoy
the beautiful blossom in spring.
MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBE
Is it worth investing in a greenhouse?
Gemma Spriggs, email
A greenhouse is well worthwhile if you wish to grow fantastic tomatoes and cucumbers.
It will also give you the scope to start off other vegetables early indoors before planting
them outside. If you can add a small heater as well then you can extend your growing
season. Buy your greenhouse in autumn and site it in a sunny position. In early spring
you can sow the vegetables you like in seed trays for planting out when frosts have gone.
During summer and autumn you can grow tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in a warm
environment for a bumper crop.
COMPILED BY SIMON CANEY. PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK
78
2024
Can I grow a wisteria in a pot?
Susan Mason, Newcastle

Yes, and it is a good idea where space
i and/or open soil is limited, such as in a
courtyard garden. The pot can still be sited
in the usual way against a wall.
It will need a firm stake for several years
until it has built up a free-standing trunk.
Be prepared to water and feed it regularly.
It will flower best in full sun, although will
J grow quite happily in light shade, just
without quite so many flowers.
Do I need to prune my Japanese maple?
Philippa Evans, Cardiff'
Acers don’t need much by way of pruning although a little trim occasionally to perfect
their shape does no harm. Sometimes Japanese maples, or acers, can produce extra
long shoots that threaten to become misshapen and it’s then that they should be pruned,
although this should be done in winter. Simply snip them off using secateurs.
Should I put tree leaves in the compost bin?
John Roberts, email
A good question because it would seem to be an
obvious thing to do, wouldn’t it? However, it is not
advisable if you have a lot of tree leaves - they rot
down more slowly than other garden waste and can
cause a blockage in your bin. It’s much better to keep
them separately, either in a dedicated cage of chicken
wire or even just large bin liners with holes in the bottom.
After a year or 18 months, they’ll have produced wonderful leaf
mould, which can go on your garden to help improve the soil quality and texture.
JUST ASK! Want some design inspiration or got a garden question you d
like answered? Get in touch, including a picture if you have one, by email at
moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk
< OVER TO YOU
.................................—•«
^MODERN I
(□ardens
CONTACT US
Address: Modern Gardens, Bauer Media, Media House,
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Email: moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk
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SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 79
ASK.THE
Got a problem?Meye got the solution!
We want to redesign our garden and make it
sustainable but also want it to look pretty with
lots of low-effort plants. What can you suggest?
Amy Jarvis, Bristol
Sorting out your garden to make it
sustainable can sound like a lot of hard work
and not much fun! But actually it’s a really
easy ideal to achieve and will leave you
with a plot that exists harmoniously with
nature rather than against it. Also called
permaculture, it’s about working out which
plants are best for your soil, climate and
available water resource and, once done,
you’ll need to do less garden-у stuff and can
spend more time enjoying it. From damp
shady spots to dry arid places, there’s a
solution for every type of garden.
NATURALISTIC VIBE
“My clients were keen to have a naturalistic
feel with the planting taking the focus along
with subtle, different areas for entertaining
and relaxing,” says garden designer David
Dixon at Greenvision Garden Design Ltd
(^greenvision-garden-design.co.uk).
They had gathered images of what they
liked, most of which were dry gravel gardens,
so the first thing David did was establish the
condition of the soil before going ahead.
“Luckily for them it was perfect!” he adds.
“And along with the right type of soil was the
fact the garden had access to south-facing
sun most of the day, making it even drier.”
Running with this theme, David was
keen to make sure the materials he used
would tie in with the eco-friendly passive
house exterior retrofit (PassivHaus,
energysavingtrust.org.uk) the clients had
done to increase the energy efficiency of
their old house.
CLEVER PLANTING
“Off the back doors we laid a curved deck
made from durable yellow Balau hardwood,
which will silver over time and match the wall
cladding,” explains David.
Sweeping paths were laid to link all the
areas, using gravel to help keep down the
budget and carbon footprint. The circular
sunken area in the centre of the space,
complete with Corten steel firepit, was
designed so the seating is level with the
surrounding ground. With the combination
of tall planting, this makes the spot secluded
and a little bit wild.
Towards the back of the garden is a moon
arch covered in rambling roses and with a
mirror attached. “The mirror was placed at
just the right angle to reflect the adjacent
planting and give the illusion there was an
opening into another area,” says David.
Also at the back of the garden and under
a shade sail is a dining table and cooking
station, which is reached by a winding gravel
path bordered by wafty plants on both sides.
Drifts of drought-tolerant grasses such as
Stipa tenuissima are nestled among a soft
David Dixon, Garden Designer
“paving a sustainable garden. loesnlt Mean млилмд!
planting. t[ere} just a xeJ IvtlTkour sessions a i^ear
ieaikeaiing дна pruning vAll keep tkiiys in. ckeck”
Work 4“	.
A-f«ay fW
» J*'
but impactful colour palette of flowering
plants such as purple salvia ‘Caradonna’,
zingy lime-green Euphorbia wulfenii, pinky
eryngiums and geraniums to create a
naturalistic feel.
80 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
JH...U.1LLLU.
GARDEN MAKEOVER
Get the look
о о ш
> °
* the secret ytnLen’ heipd?
YELLOW BALAU TIMBER DECKING
From £11.99, L122O x Wl45mm uk-timber.co.uk
FIRE BOWL Corten Steel Garden Fire
Bowl £133/Dia60cm worm.co.uk
MOON GATE DAKOTA FIELDS
W200cm x D38cm D Metal Garden Arch in
Black, £179.99 wayfair.co.uk
OUTDOOR MIRROR Primrose
Acrylic Non Shatter Outdoor Wall Mounted
Rectangular Silver Illusion Mirror, Hl80cm x
Wl20cm, £150.99 diy.com
STI PA TENUISSIMA £7.99/3 x 7cm pots
jparkers.co.uk
SALVIA CARADONNA’ £12.95/3 x 9cm
pots sarahraven.com
7 EUPHORBIA WULFENII £8.99/9cm pot
waitrosegarden.com

GOT A GARDEN PROBLEM?
Tell us about it, send a picture of your
plot and well select the best for expert
design inspiration! Email us at
moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk
О 0
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 81
GARDEN
screen.
* Myfavourite area is... the
square brick patio in the middle. I made it
last summer out of reclaimed bricks from a
boundary wall that had to be knocked down
on the east side. The wall would probably
have been built by the builder’s apprentices
when the house was built, around 1890,
and it’s great that these bricks still have a
purpose in the garden today.
*Л/т inspiration is... the
instinct to want to grow things. I grew
up on a farm and have always felt a
strong connection to the outdoors and
the changing seasons. When we lived
in a flat in London with a tiny balcony I
was still lugging bags of
	*“ compost up in the lift so
we could grow things.
My gttrdCll is... a long rectangular
terraced garden, 55m x 11m. We moved
here in 2020 and about a third of it was
concreted, with buddlejas growing through
the cracks. There was also the foundation
of what we think was an old air-raid shelter.
I suspect that most of the garden was a car
park at one point because the soil contains
an insane amount of gravel. I just started
clearing the garden with a fork and a spade,
bit by bit, then started laying a path along
the main route we were taking from the
front of the garden to the back, and
planting up the cleared bits as I went.
я low sun.
ctnirepiece
* I share my garden with..
my wife Ngozi and my three sons,
Malachi (5) Zachary (4) and Isaiah (2).
* My best garden moment
WCIS... the day we got the keys to the
house. Our previous garden was a tiny
courtyard so seeing the potential of this
place was an amazing feeling, even though
at the time the self-sown buddlejas were so
out of control that you couldn’t see out of
the kitchen window, and there was rubbish
everywhere. The feeling of having a new
garden to look after is a special one.
* I use my garden for... spending
time with the children. I say that the garden
is their playground and their school all-in-
one. It’s amazing how strong the urge is for
a two year old to harvest a green strawberry
- and to tread on a tulip, even stronger!
We also use it for relaxing at weekends,
barbecues and hosting social events.
Iovim plants мгдп
I don-'t Iwe to КЗНКДЕЗт'ЯЫ
spend. all swAwer
v/ateriiy, or v/orrij 1‘’Ф:
about a babysitter	,
when. I’m aday
82 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
'Toin^^rwore
brillunoe
 I A'SS.
Verbena bonariensis
....
brick patio is v/kere I
sit <*>d cwoq tke birJsoM sowd.trдек
1	—-
~ GARDEN MAKEOVER
I’ve learned to relap
anl embrace. ike v/ilel,
диД it’s been, buzzing
with, w/idlrfe all suMver
* My current obsession is...
soft fruit! Few edible plants give so much
for so little effort, and there is a permanence
about them that makes harvesting
something of an annual ritual. We freeze
a lot of currants, gooseberries and cherries
from the garden and it’s so good to be able
to dip into the freezer and bring out a bag of
homegrown goodness mid-winter.
* My best buy is... a pair of ARS
snips - unlike a lot of garden snips they are
sharp enough to use for quite a few pruning
jobs as well as for deadheading. They are
much lighter than secateurs so I find them
easy to use. I have many roses to deadhead
so a light tool prevents a lot of strain.
* My favourite plant is. .. rose
‘Vanessa Bell’. It has a strong scent, flowers
early, is very healthy, has few thorns, can
tolerate quite a bit of shade, grows well in
pots and has very graceful flowers that are
perfectly poised. The lemon-yellow colour is
subtle yet somehow sophisticated. You can
restrict its height by cutting it back at the
end of winter.
* My latest project is... digging
up more lawn to grow more food. I sowed
a small lawn in the main part early on but it
has been replaced by a bigger grassed area
closer to the house for the children to play
on, so this one has been made redundant.
* My top tip is... enjoy what you’re
doing rather than worrying about what
hasn’t been done or something that didn’t
work out. For me, those negative
thoughts belong to the world that I’m
trying to escape from by being in the
garden. Just enjoy being out there
and doing what you’re doing rather
than stressing about weeds, pests
or mistakes.
И/et- диЛ. dri^-toler^
Euphorbia Martini looks as if
it’s LtKzW frow outer space.
Kost УдМе$5Д
£>eJI’ is wij
all-twe favourite.
*П hat my garden
means to me... it allows me
to get ‘back to basics’ in life. I’ve done
all the work without using power tools,
weedkiller, pesticides or artificial fertilisers.
I understand that it’s not feasible for
everyone, but I’m a great believer in the
process being more satisfying if you’ve
done the gardening by hand. You observe
far more while you’re doing the work and
build a closer connection to nature and
the space that you’re tending. It’s also
great exercise! It’s the polar opposite to
the world of staring at screens that we call
‘progress’ but which in many ways can
make our lives poorer. Жвх - ж
Rose cRoalk 3?дк!’ wd сломим
‘hov/les’s l^auve vlariv. up tke
garden. vb\.en- tke v/eatker Jioesn^t!
❖ Greg’s new book The
30-Minute Gardener is
published by Timber Press.
GET IN TOUCH
Tell us all about your garden by emailing
moderngardens@bauermedia. co. и к
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 83
EUROPEAN
LEADERS
in both watering
and hand loots
GARDENING TOOLS FROM
(.AltltEVi
AUTUMN TOP PICKS
Rebecca
► GARDENA STARCUT
TELESCOPIC PRUNING
LOPPER 410 PLUS £119.99
I Reach new heights with the
GARDENA StarCut Pruning Lopper
410 Plus. It makes pruning tree
branches up to 6m high quicker,
easier and safer than ever before;
this high-quality lopper features
precision ground blades for a clean,
healthy cut. The tiltable head allows
you to reach even the most awkward
branches, and with the integrated
hook, you can drag the cut branches
safely to the ground. With a powerful
gear transmission you can tackle
tough branches with ease. With
a 25-year warranty, you can rest
assured the Starcut pruning lopper
will be with you season after season.
▼ GARDENA COMBISYSTEM
FAN RAKE XXL £30
This large rake is perfect for quick
and efficient leaf collection and can
be split in two, acting as large claws to
help you collect and dispose of fallen
debris. As part of the GARDENA
CombiSystem, you can connect a range
of garden tools to the CombiSystem
pole for a quick, reliable connection.
▼ GARDENA LEAF AND GRASS
COLLECTOR £130
As we welcome the sight of the beautiful red and golden
leaves of autumn, we don’t always welcome the sight of
them on our lawns. Leaving fallen leaves on your grass
can starve your lawn of oxygen and essential nutrients,
so it’s important to clear them away. Now, thanks to the
GARDENA Leaf and Grass Collector you can clear your
lawn in no time. The super-quiet and efficient leaf and
grass collector makes clearing your lawn, dare we say, fun?
With an extra large and easy-to-empty collection bag,
you can say goodbye to hours of time and effort raking.
◄ GARDENA PLANTING AND
SOIL GLOVES £9.99
A good quality pair of gardening gloves is
every passionate gardener’s best friend.
GARDENAs range of planting and soil
gloves are comfortable, breathable and
practical. The nitrate coating on the palm of
the gloves makes them moisture resistant,
and the clever mobile touch function means
you can skip your gardening playlist, or use
your phone as much as you like without
having to take your gloves off - handy!
► GARDENA SUPERCUT
ALL PURPOSE BYPASS
SECATEURS £16.99	\
Perfect for cutting flowers, green wood
and young shoots the GARDENA
Bypass Secateurs are made with high
quality precision ground blades - for
a clean, healthy cut. With a cutting
diameter of 20mm, the Bypass principle
allows the blades to glide past each other.
The ergonomically designed fibreglass
reinforced handle makes the secateurs
comfortable and practical to use. The
single hand locking feature allows you to
safely store your secateurs. The secateurs
come with a 25-year warranty.
84 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
▲ GARDENA 5L PRESSURE SPRAYER
COMFORT £35
Perfect for easy plant care, the GARDENA 5L Pressure Sprayer is
perfect for watering and spraying fertiliser and pesticides. With an
extra large opening and included nylon filter you can easily fill and
strain your own homemade organic brews. The extra fine spray
nozzle gently cares for your plants. The 5L pressure sprayer also
features a large, ergonomically designed pump handle and foot
rest for comfortable use, and with an included back strap you can
move freely around your garden.
) ADVERTISING FEATURE
▼ GARDENA BULB PLANTER £9.99
Autumn is the perfect time to get ahead of the gardening
game and plant spring bulbs for a burst of vibrant colours
the following season. Planting bulbs has never been simpler
thanks to the GARDENA Bulb Planter. Simply insert it into
the soil, twist and remove, pop your bulb in the hole, then
use the handy release mechanism in the bulb planter to put
the soil back into place. It really is that simple!

▲ GARDENA WEED PULLER
£39.99
Want to remove weeds without the use of
harsh chemicals? The GARDENA Weed
Puller makes the dreaded weeding chore
easier than ever. Using patented narrow
blades, simply inset the weed puller over
the weed, twist, pull and release, and voila
- the weed is gone, with minimal damage
to the lawn or soil!
◄ GARDENA CLEAN SYSTEM
£PRICESVARY
The new and improved modular system makes your
autumn tidy easy and efficient. It’s connected directly
to your garden hose, with various cleaning heads and
attachments available for cleaning all types of garden
surfaces such as decking, patios, windows and even your
car! Made with high-quality materials you can experience
effortlessly beautiful cleaning results, perfect for
preparing your garden for the winter months.
▼ GARDENA NATURECUT HEDGE CLIPPERS £37.99
These hedge clippers make light work of cutting back hedges. With precision ground,
wave cut blades they ensure a clean, healthy cut, which is also perfect when cutting larger
areas. The wooden handles are made with FSC-certified wood and are specially designed
so they are comfortable in your hands. The NatureCut hedge clippers also feature soft
plastic shock absorbers to protect your arms and wrists, plus an integrated branch cutter
for larger branches. As with all GARDENA cutting tools, they come with an
outstanding 25-year warranty.
Find out more about the GARDENA
range at gardena.com
Follow gardena_.uk on Instagram
and GARDENA.UK on Facebook
for more tips and garden inspiration
ФGARDENA
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 85
86 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
OUTDOOR LIVING
and that will tell you all you need to know
about how popular pizza parties actually
are, with themes including PJs & Pizza,
Italian Disco & Pizza, NYE Pizza Party...
#ain’tnopartylikeapizzaparty!
Why? Because many of us simply love
pizza, and it is so quick and easy to make.
Once you’ve got your outdoor pizza oven
up to the recommended 450C, it can
take as little as 60 seconds to turn your
As one of the most popular
party foods, why wouldn’t we
dedicate a whole event to these
cheese-tastic creations?! Just
take a quick squiz at TikTok and Insta
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 87
decorated dough into a golden, bubbling
wheel of deliciousness.
It’s also easy to customise pizza to suit
any requests from your guests. Maybe they
prefer the Roman-style vibe of a crisp base
and thin crust. Some will no doubt prefer
a puffy Neapolitan edge, while others like
a thicker, softer Sicilian-style base. Plus
pizza is very simple to cater for any dietary
requirements such as vegan, gluten-free,
dairy-free and so on.
Pizza also lets you get onboard with all
the latest foodie fashions in a no-fuss way.
Celebrate the eating trend of farm-to-fork
by topping your pizza with veggies straight
from your garden or local farmers’ market.
Channel the clubstaurant’ vibe by getting
a friend to DJ while you chew. Add West
African okra or fried plantains to your pizza
bases in a nod to 2024 s breakout cuisine. Or
just go full Gen Z and drizzle honey spiced
with chilli over your finished pizza. Want a
slice of the action? Read on...
PRIME PICKS
The real key to throwing a relaxed, full-of-
joy pizza party is choosing the right pizza
oven for your space and having a few
practice runs to get up to speed before you
unleash your creations on your guests. The
first thing to consider is size. Pizza ovens
range from small to whopper and because
they get very hot, you need to think about
positioning them on a heat-proof base, with
room to move around them easily. This is
even more important if you’re going for a
wood-fired option, as these ovens need to
be regularly fed with fuel.
Smaller ovens don’t take up much space
and they’re often portable, so you can store
them inside in winter. If you choose a larger
oven you can fit a larger pizza inside, which
is of course great for parties. Something else
to consider is the need to elevate your pizza
oven, so you don’t have to keep crouching
and bending down as you cook.
The second thing to think about is fuel
source. Gas-fired pizza ovens are easier to
light (especially on a windy day). Although
this option needs more attention, people
love the smoky scent. But be aware that in
an oven that cooks pizzas fast, there isn’t
time to infuse much woodsy flavour into
your cooking. The fuel source will also have
an impact on the final thing (apart from
price) that you will need to consider when
you’re making a choice of pizza oven: how
easy it is to clean. With wood, there’s ash.
With gas, there’s not.
BELLS & WHISTLES
Along with the oven, there are a few
accessories worth investing in. Just as with
a barbecue, it’s wise to buy a pair of fire-
resistant gloves (especially when tending
a wood fire). But there are two big must-
haves for you to think about and these are
the pizza peel and the turning peel.
6 еаау-цгогс herbgforphxa perfection
It’ll be love at first bite with a scattering of these...
OREGANO
If you’re from southern Italy,
this is the pizza herb.
It has a strong,
peppery, earthy
flavour that
gives a kick to
tomato sauce
and pairs well
with pretty
much every
vegetable.
BASIL
Scatter
fresh
basil
leaves on
top of any
tomato-
based pizza for
a fresh, grassy, aromatic
zing. It goes particularly
well with garlic, nuts and
mozzarella.
THYME
A little sprinkling of
sweet, woody thyme
goes a long way, so be
sure to use it
sparingly. It’s
good with
tomatoes
and
milder
cheeses
such as
ricotta.
PARSLEY
Chop
parsley as
a garnish *
for any
pizza
creation
that is heavy
on red onion,
garlic, paprika,
cumin, blue
cheese, ricotta,
or seafood.
88 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
OUTDOOR LIVING
TRY THIS!
ZPust ipur pizza peelWitk Artj <
• sevohn^o stop tke J.oujk»^
;tic|cin^ to its surface. Everzlure
^izza Peel instainless steeL
, ИМз5 pettier, co.uk
CAN YOU TOP THESE?
Pizza lends itself to almost any
food. Toronto chef Kaoru Ohsada
introduced sushi pizza to the
world. Glasgow’s Dave Gannon
created the curriza, the naan-bread
based curry pizza. And Sweden’s
Peter Lo came up with the kebab
pizza, a homage to roasted meat.
5 hot-shot
pizza ovens
The compact dual-fuel ।
Pi Pizza Oven can run
on wood or gas. Perfect
for smaller pizzas and
smaller gardens. £399.99
solostove.com
The pizza peel is the paddle that you rest
the pizza on and use for sliding it on and
off the pizza stone. A turning peel is a nifty
little tool that you can use to nudge the
pizza round as it cooks, so that you get an
even bake (rather than one side chewy and
one side crisp). In some ovens it will need
turning every 20-30 seconds.
Another useful gizmo is an infrared
thermometer. These gun-shaped gadgets
use a laser to check the temperature of your
pizza stone, which needs to be properly
heated before the dough goes anywhere
near it. If you’re doing multiple pizzas, check
the heat of the pizza stone every time you
use it, because it may have cooled down as
you turned your last pizza and pulled it out
of the oven.
Pizza oven bought and cooking times
perfected, all your pizza party needs is good
friends and some Mediterranean sunshine.
Buon appetito!
A small, portable dual-
fuel option with clever,
heat-resistant handles
- Ooni Karu 12G
Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven,
£379 uk.ooni.com
For style and high
performance, try the
well-insulated and
super-easy-to-use
Gozney Roccbox,
£399 amazon.co.uk
SAGE
If oregano is the herb of
choice in the south of
Italy then piney,
woody sage is
the favourite
for northern	i
Italian cooks.	r
I t’s pe rfec t wi th
mushrooms and	J
meat, and is the ‘
go-to herb if your
favourite pizza cheese
is Cheddar.
ROSEMARY
This has a strong, sweet, astringent
flavour. Finely chop and add to your
homemade tomato sauce or infuse it
in oil and add a
post-cooking
drizzle to к'ЧхА/ 5	4 v ,
pizzas к w	\ /
topped	/
with meats,
roast
vegetables *
mozzarella.
The Witt Etna
Rotante has a
one-of-a-kind
rotating pizza
stone that delivers
a deliciously
even bake. £699
amazon.co.uk
The VonHaus
Outdoor Pizza
Oven runs on wood
pellets and scores
on price. £149.99
vonhaus.com
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 89
OUTDOOR LIVING
◄ Gozney Pizza
Oven Infrared
Thermometer, £39
johnlewis.co.uk
Ooni Heat-
Resistant
Pizza Oven
Gloves, £30
johnlewis.com
► Oven Brush, £25
thestonebakeovencompany.co. и к
Ewco yefferori рхгд
Spoil yourself with this classic pepperoni pizza
with a twist. It is easy to make and your guests
will keep coming back for more.
Makes 8 slices
YOU WILL NEED
1 batch pizza dough
50g fresh ricotta
50g fresh mozzarella
❖ 8 slices Spanish lomo curado (smoky, spicy
cured pork loin)
10 slices pepperoni sausage
2 tbsp green pesto
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
WHAT TO DO
1	Preheat the oven at the highest level until
the stone reaches 400+ degrees.
2	Roll out the pizza dough in the shape you
prefer. Add the ricotta to the dough, leaving a
1cm gap from the edge of the pizza. Add the
mozzarella, breaking it into smaller pieces and
scattering over the pizza. Evenly scatter over
the pepperoni slices.
3	When the oven is ready, transfer your pizza
onto the peel and place it in the middle of the
oven. Bake for approximately 2 mins, while
making sure to rotate the dough a quarter
every 30 seconds.
4	Take the pizza out of the oven, and add
the pesto and fresh rosemary, then transfer to
a cutting board. Drizzle with a little olive oil
before serving.
5	top tools
to turn pro...
Up your pizza game with these accessories.
▼ Lakeland Pizza
Turning Peel, £24.99
lakeland.co.uk
45DJ
Lakeland Perforated Pizza
Peel, £34.99 lakeland.co.uk
TIP Serve with a djj^ijl
Izzasaueejor t
additional tomato taste

90 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
OVER TO YOU
Love your
L
EJA
FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTO: ALAMY
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 91
Given the moniker of ‘butterfly
bush’, it’s unsurprising that
buddlejas’ nectar-rich flowers
are total butterfly magnets!
Other pollinators are equally drawn to their
delicious honey scent, transforming the
abundant blooms into a mesmerising,
real-life animation.
There are around 100 different species
of buddleja, primarily introduced to the UK
during the 20th century. The most popular
species, Buddleja davidii, was introduced
at Kew Gardens in 1896. It was Swedish
botanist Carl Linnaeus who named the
species buddleja after Adam Buddle,
an 18th-century English botanist. While
botanical Latin dictates the spelling should
be buddleia, both spellings are widely used!
Its lesser-known nickname, ‘bombsite
bush’, refers to its uncanny ability to thrive
in the toughest environments, including
war-torn lands. Following World War
II, buddleja sprang to life amid piles of
debris and is considered a symbol of new
beginnings. However, its uncanny ability to
germinate in the unlikeliest of places has
given it a reputation for being a nuisance.
Defra estimates that buddleja control
costs the British economy £961,000 each
year. This is largely due to its tendency to
germinate in crumbling brickwork, causing
damage to old buildings and requiring
clearance from railway lines.
But don’t let this put you off growing
buddleja - it’s beautiful and incredibly
beneficial to our wildlife! It can easily
be controlled in our gardens, with
deadheading after flowering or cutting
back during the winter. New varieties
have turned this unruly shrub into a more
garden-friendly plant; colours are vibrant,
they bloom for longer and they fit perfectly
in smaller gardens or even containers.
There’s really no reason not to enjoy
these unshakable plants as much as our
ever-so-important pollinators do.
MAKES MOMENTS
YOUR REWARD*
Maureen wins two grab
bags each with 100 seed
balls worth £15 each from
seedball.co.uk
Growing, making, upcycling or 1PLYENJOYIJ .
We love to see what you’re up to in your gardens, and who with!
COMPILED BY ANGELA KENNY. *FOR FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS. VISIT WWW.BAUERLEGAL.CO UK/COMPETITION-TERMS.HTML
My garden has been over 30
years in the making. My idea
was to create a Japanese-
style courtyard. I made raised
beds out of old decking then
added a frame of bamboo
roll, an outdoor canvas of a
waterfall, Japanese forest
grass and a few ornaments.
The shed roof got a wild
meadow planted on top
and a few more ornaments
plus mirrors completed
the effect. The best bit of
the garden is at the very
back where I have tree ferns,
bamboos and maples. It is
peaceful and calm and I love
it. I also have a wildlife pond
with frogs and newts.
Maureen Davies, email
ж/Й?
Tkc Ылск fences really
colours poy
table. Trac^ale, Facebook


Share your makes & moments with us...
You can email us at moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk
and find us at moderngardensmagazine.co.uk
n Facebook Modern Gardens Magazine
0 Instagram @ModernGardens
hreW реи/
My beautiful
new bench is
finished. Ils
such a good
place to sit
with a morning
brew. Samantha
Prophett,
Facebook
Homemade happiness
Onr north facing garden was
just stones when we moved
here in 2019. My five-year-old
granddaughter, Sophie, and
1 love sowing seeds, popping
bulbs in pots, filling bird
feeders and watching wildlife.
Barbara McKenna, Facebook
92 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
busies
I don l have a
garden but I have
an allotment which
is a combination
of vegetables and
flowers. It has
lovely barked paths
so Doris can do
zoomies. She sits on
my lap and watches
the birds and insects
buzxingpast.
Jackie Glynn, email
Intensive care
As a retired nurse it makes
sense to regulate plantJluid
intake this way, particularly
useful when away overnight!
Wendy Mayne, email
Bar ginspiration!
My ‘Gin-a bar'(my
name is Gina) that I
built against a fence
pane! a few years
ago. Hhen notin use
as a bar I have my
herb containers on it.
Gina Welsh,
Facebook
OVER TO YOU
#10
GREEN
minutes
Share the Joy!
Search #10greenminutes on Facebook and
share your in-the-garden moments with our
happy tribe of modern gardeners...
My strawberries have gone
berserk! Two hours later.
I'd picked 5kg. I'm so happy,
as were the neighbours who
I shared them with.
Liane Lesley, Facebook
>ve A 10-Minute potter in. tke
j^rieK vs/itk the сдмегд.
btata/ie'Zjdijjte 3rowX
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 93
open space, you’ll have to do a lot less
work. Instead of fighting nature you II be
working with it
By choosing a diverse range of plants
from all the different layers of nature that
are well suited to your climate and have
edible fruit, flowers, leaves, stems, roots or
seeds, you can create your own version of
When you imagine a thriving
food garden what do you
see? Tidy rows of plants?
The lettuce here, all in
a row, the tomatoes over there, and
between each plant bare soil kept free of
weeds? Each type of plant is set off in its
own little place, never to mix?
Now head out to a natural area and
look around. Instead of the sections in a
traditional vegetable garden, you II find
trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials,
small ground covers and vines all
growing together. If you look at nature
when designing your garden, mixing up
different plant types and filling in all the
BIG PROJECT
Lush layers
There are eight plant forms that create a layered
edible garden.
❖	CANOPY TREES are the big
ones reaching over 12m. They
make up the biggest, most
dominant layer of your garden.
Work with any you already have,
then consider varieties such as
a walnut tree so that you can
harvest the nuts.
❖	SUBCANOPY TREES are
a little smaller, often growing in
nature at the edge of woodlands.
Consider adding mulberry, hazel,
quince or apple trees for the
blossom and fruit they offer.
❖	SHRUBS are small, multi-
stemmed, woody plants that make
up a useful, low-maintenance part
of your layered edible garden.
Try blueberries, raspberries or
currant bushes.
*	HERBACEOUS
PERENNIALS are plants that die
back to the ground each year, then
put up fresh new growth from
the soil the following season.
Vegetable garden favourites
include garlic chives, lemon
verbena, cardoon and asparagus.
‘b CLIMBERS use other plants
and structures for support. They
grow up walls, arbours, trees and
trellises. Try runner beans, hops
or grapes for some climbing and
vining options.
ANNUALS germinate, grow,
set seeds, then die, all in one year.
Annuals are fast growers that fill in
quickly. This is where traditional
vegetable garden favourites come
in, like tomatoes, courgettes and
peppers, as well as cabbage and
kale, and leafy greens like spinach
and mizuna.
❖	GROUND COVER
consists of small, low-growing
plants that shield soil from heat
and erosion and produce edible
fruit and a habitat for native
insects. Try thyme, nasturtium and
wild strawberries.
* RHIZOSPHERE/ROOT
CROPS are made up of plants
that produce edible parts like
tubers or bulbs underground.
Consider carrots, parsnips and
radish for this section of your
layered garden.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 95
MANY COMMON WEEDS
are edible, delicious and look
pretty too. This common purslane
is a favourite salad ingredient.
THIS CORNER
of a layered edible
garden has plants from
five layers of the forest
garden. A hops vine on
the climber layer; roses
on the shrub layer; hostas
and sage on the perennial
layer; kale, chard and
violas on the annual layer
and violets on the ground
cover layer.
FEATURE: CHRISTINA CHUNG. PHOTOS: ANDREW JONES/GARDEN EXPOSURES. JUDY WHITE/GARDEN PHOTOS. SHUTTERSTOCK. CHRISTINA CHUNG
a natural landscape. Your new layered edible
landscape can also be beautiful, a place
where you can relax, have fun with your
family or entertain friends.
My first big success with this growing
style was the apple/creeping thyme bed I
created in my front garden. An apple tree is
a great addition to any garden. The flowers
are beautiful and of course the fruit that
comes later is delicious.
As I laid out my garden, I found that there
was so much space under and around that
tree to grow other things. I filled in the layers
with dwarf blueberries. Strawberries brought
flowers in the spring and still more fruit,
while the creeping thymes that flowered in
shades of pink-mauve spread to cover the

WHETHER YOU GROW
in a small urban backyard
or on acres in the country,
layered food gardens are for
you. This garden is growing
annual edibles beneath the
‘skirt’ of an old grape vine.
ground. I added
quick-growing kale,
mustard and Swiss
chard to fill in any
gaps and provide a
harvest of nutritious
greens. The planting
was as beautiful as
you could wish from
a front-yard garden and produced so much
food. It looked nothing like a traditional
vegetable garden but it maximised the
space’s productivity.
A big part of the flexibility and
adaptability of the layered garden comes
from the plant choices. The key factor in
designing and creating a layered edible
garden is you. Your life,
your tastes, your family and
friends, your hobbies. You can
even design a layered garden
in a cluster of containers
on a balcony. This style of
gardening is all about making
a space that works for you
on every level. There is no
one correct way to make a
layered garden. Rather, it is a
flexible set of concepts and
techniques you can use to
create the perfect space for
you and your life.
WHY CHOOSE
A VERTICALLY
LAYERED GARDEN?
No matter what the size of
the area you have to work
with, there are many reasons
why you should turn your
garden space into a layered
edible garden. These include
practicalities such as using
space more effectively.
We all wish we had more
EVEN SHADY PLACES
in the landscape can support a
whole range of edible plants.
There are broccoli, strawberry
and chervil plants growing
beneath this pear tree.
space to garden in, but often our garden
design keeps us from using what we have
to its maximum potential. The traditional
home garden design has different areas
designated for different uses and food-
producing spaces are often tucked away
out of sight. The goals of beauty and food
production are not mutually exclusive,
though. You can do both at once, and in
the same area.
The other way we can waste space in
our gardens is by leaving some of the area
unnecessarily empty because we aren’t
working with all the different plant layers.
Fortunately, this is fixable! You can take
any garden and use small trees, shrubs,
herbaceous perennials and climbing vines
to fill in and create more interest and beauty
as well as add something edible to the mix.
Each layer that you add can maximise use of
your space and help you to get more out
of your existing garden.
96 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
% BIG PROJECT
COVERING EXPOSED SOIL
with edible plants like these chives
means fewer weeds and less
maintenance, especially if they are
perennials that return to the garden
year after year.
TRY THIS!
tMetker in. оке pot or jrov/tK^
tkew septraielij tkeKjroupin^


Like any garden, the first step to
making a layered forest garden is
taking stock of what you already have
and putting it down on paper so you
can start coming up with ideas on how
to improve it.
Measuring everything out then
looking down at your space will give
you a different perspective. You
may be surprised how much space is
being taken up by an old, overgrown
hedge that you don’t like much
anyway. Or you might notice that the
side yard between your house and
your neighbours is bigger than you
thought and could be turned into an
exciting section of the garden.
Once you have your bird’s-eye
view of the garden created on
paper, it can also help unlock your
creativity and open up different ways
to create a garden. In the real world,
rearranging a garden takes time and
a lot of hard work. On paper, you can
remove a tree or add a new path with
a few strokes of an eraser or pencil.
That freedom can help you come up
with exciting ideas.
In addition to making one big
site plan, you might want to create
smaller, more detailed plans for areas
with a lot of planting. One plan can
be a big overall view, while another
might be just the area around the
house, a large raised bed, or a densely
planted border.
Next, make a list of all the plants
that you already have on the site, from
big trees to lawn areas, marking their
locations. If you’re not sure what each
plant is, try a plant identification app.
One approach is to break your
dream project down into a series
of smaller parts. Look at your plan,
prioritise your projects, and take it
step by step. Perhaps your first task
will be planting an amelanchier tree,
with beautiful flowers and delicious
fruit, to shade the sitting area that you
don’t use because it’s too hot.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 97
BIG PROJECT
The benefits ofgrowing
food in layers
There are lots of reasons why it makes sense to cultivate a forest
garden but we’ve focused on a couple of the main ones here.
BIODIVERSITY BOOST
Filling in all the empty spaces and
layers of your garden with plants
is not just good for you. Adding j
less common species to your 
garden will radically increase
the biodiversity of your local
ecosystem. Plant diversity in
your garden also supports insect 1
diversity. When you get a little
more creative by adding new
plants each one of these additions
supports new insects that enrich your
local ecosystem. And a rich, diverse
ecosystem of insects means lots of food for
local songbirds and so on up the food chain.
Your layered edible garden will be feeding
you, but also the whole natural world that
lives around and with you.
UNDISTURBED SOIL
Digging and planting annual crops each
year disrupts the soil, and many traditional
vegetable gardens rely on annual tilling to
control weeds. Growing mostly perennial
crops and planting densely in layers will
keep the soil covered undisturbed. This
kind of minimal soil disturbance mimics
how nature works. The soil tends to stay
КЕЗ A BROAD SELECTION
of flowering edible and non-
edible plants translates to a
greater diversity of pollinators.
put, except for
small disruptions
by burrowing animals and the occasional
extreme event like a tree falling or floods.
Following nature’s model is always a first
good step, and there are a couple reasons
why this is great for you as a gardener.
The first is the organic matter you find in
natural soil. Leaves, stems and roots slowly
decompose and are mixed in by worms
and other life in the soil. As the material
decomposes, they become humus, an
integral part of your soil (not to be confused
with the dip hummus). This rich layer of
INCLUDE FRUIT
in the mix like this
pretty dwarf apple tree.
humus acts like a sponge, holding moisture
in the soil through dry spells. So, if you’re
looking for that desirable “moist, well-
drained soil” you’ve heard of, organic matter
is the key. And the key to keeping it in the
soil? Reducing soil disturbance.
Secondly, soil disturbance can also lead
to problems with weeds. Every time you dig
the soil new seeds are exposed, creating a
new crop of weeds to deal with. Reducing
soil disturbance means those weed seeds
stay safely dormant underground.
Often we think
of insects in
the garden as
problems to be
avoided, but
in fact the vast
majority of insects
cause no problems
or are even
beneficial in some
way. Supporting
Honey bees are the most famous
pollinating bee, but there are literally
thousands of other species of bees
large and small that pollinate flowers.
Many people are afraid of their
stings, but when they’re out visiting
flowers, they’ll ignore you.
a diverse world of
insects will make
your garden more
beautiful, and
learning about
them can enrich
your gardening
experience.
◄ BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
Though the caterpillars of immature
butterflies and moths do eat holes in plant
leaves, that is a small price to pay to see
their beautiful adult stages. Caterpillars are
also a critically important food source for
songbirds. Adding more diversity of plants
can level up your butterfly game as well.
AWASPS^
A few species can be aggressive. But
there are many more wasps visiting
your garden than you realise, and
most of them do not sting, are great
pollinators and like to eat aphids and
other pests. Growing nectar plants
in the garden for the adult wasps will
keep them around to control insect
pests before they get out of hand.
Adapted extract
from The Layered
Edible Garden by
Christina Chung
(£22, Quarto).
▼ BEETLES
A couple of species like
Japanese beetles and
cucumber beetles are plant
pests, but many others are
great garden inhabitants.
Some have a voracious
appetite for garden pests like
slugs. Take a closer look at
the glossy, colourful backs of
beetles and you will discover
how beautiful they are.
98 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
1 Garden designer wins to be quids in
Budget brainwave plant displays
Savvy shopping for girls and guys
that just wanna have fun-ds!
Tricks and treats for a creepy cocktail party
PLUS
SHOESTRING!
- THRIFTY BUT
THRILLING GARDEN
TRANSFORMATIONS
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 99
FEATURE: GEOFF HODGE.
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK. GAP PHOTOS/BENEDIKT DITTLI
There is only one type
of jostaberry so picking
our fave is easy! E8.95/2L
pot chrisbowers.co.uk
OUR FAVOURITES TO TRY
All the berry ЯР.
BEST BITS!
Tart, sweet & tangy, the flavourful
JOSTABERRY is a juicy mash-up
of some of our favourite fruits
A glorious cross between a
blackcurrant and two gooseberries
- the North American coastal
black gooseberry and the
European gooseberry to be exact - the
jostaberry (Ribes nidigrolaria) always gets our
tastebuds in a quiver. The ripe fruit is a glossy
deep purple, almost black, tasting similar
to gooseberry with a hint of blackcurrant
and grape. And being the size of a small
gooseberry, and sweet enough to eat raw
straight from the bush, grabbing some to
snack on fresh from the garden is a must.
You can also add them to salads, cereals
and desserts, cook them in sweet or savoury
dishes and preserves or bag them up and put
them into the freezer.
Jostaberry plants are self-fertile, meaning
they’ll pollinate themselves without the need
for a second plant to help them on their way,
so you’ll probably only need one plant as the
bushes produce a good batch of fruit that is
ready for picking in July or August. The gift
that keeps on giving, you’ll reap their best
rewards from their second year, when they’ll
dish up to 4-5kg of fruit after giving you
pretty small purple flowers in late spring.
This plant will grow to around 1.8m high
and wide as a freestanding bush. If you’re
short on space, train it against a wall or in a
container to keep growth more manageable.
It prefers rich, fertile soil and sun, but will
do well in partial shade, if it gets sun for half
the day. In colder regions, use a wrapping of
horticultural fleece whenever late frosts are
forecast to protect the flowers.
The fruit is much easier to pick than
gooseberries since the plants have no
spines. Pick berries individually when they
are a dark reddish-black, usually in late July/
early August. Unlike gooseberries, they
are resistant to American powdery mildew
disease. Apart from the usual watering
and feeding, especially when in flower and
fruiting, and mulching, you’ll get the biggest
and best fruit gluts by pruning each year
in winter. An open framework of upright
stems works best. New stems emerge from
the base of the plant and around half of
the oldest, less productive ones or those
growing at odd angles should be cut out just
above ground level. You can also cut out the
tips of the stems to keep the plant to a size
where it’s easy to reach the fruit.
100 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
EASY IDEAS
TRYTHISIf^
;ltlu ptckeJ berries
HOW TO GROW
Jostaberries are happiest in large
containers in a sunny spot.
YOU WILL NEED
❖	Jostaberry plant
Bucket of water & broken pot
pieces (crocks)
sfc 40cm wooden barrel planter:
£49.99 rhsplants.co.uk
<	John Innes No3 Compost:
£7.99/28L marshallsgarden.com
Watering can with rose
<	Controlled-release plant food:
Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub
Continuous Release, £9/900g
homebase.co.uk
WHAT TO DO
Place the jostaberry plant, still in its
plastic pot, in a bucket of water for
15-20 mins before planting.
Place a flat stone, piece of broken
terracotta pot or similar over each
drainage hole in the wooden barrel.
Start filling the pot with compost,
lightly firming as you go, until when
you place the jostaberry’s plastic pot
on it, the top is 2.5cm below the rim.
Remove the plant pot and unravel
any long roots going around the
rootball, stand on the compost, and fill
around with more compost, firming as
you go, to cover the rootball.
Water well with a full can, and
thoroughly whenever the compost
starts to dry out.
In spring, give your plant a feed
using a controlled-release plant food.
Plant this collection
now
SPRING COLOUR
ring a spring pick-me-up to your
garden with this bumper pack
of mixed bulbs. This collection
will be ready to spring up in bare
winter soil, dispelling gloom and bringing
your garden back to life. Easy to grow,
they’re ready to be popped into pots or
flowerbeds now. Many can also be used as
beautiful cut flowers.
You’ll receive 100 mixed bulbs: a mix
of Ixiolirion tartarica (15 bulbs) for
a frenzy of pale to deep blue
trumpets carried on upright
stems May to July,
Height 30cm Spread
10cm; ray of sunshine
Allium moly (50 bulbs)
which produces dense
clusters of bright
yellow, star-shaped
flowers from late spring
onwards, Height 15cm
Spread 5cm; Puschkinia
libanotica (20 bulbs) for
elegant gleaming white
blooms in dense
clusters, each brightly
striped with pale blue,
March-April, Height
15cm Spread 10cm;
and crocus ‘Barr s
Purple’ (15 bulbs) whose
early-as-Feb soft purple
flowers have contrasting
orange stamens, Height 10cm
Spread 5cm.
❖ To claim your free
100 Mixed Spring
Bulbs, visit
thompson-morgan.
com/TM-MGRso,
quote product code
KF9976FFP paying
£5.95 postage.
L'4
Puschkinia libanotica
Crocus'Barrs Purple’
-
102 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
READER OFFER
MORE SAVINGS
Bringon the trumpets
Miniature daffodils narcissus
‘Tete-a-Tete will brighten even the
dullest of spring days. Easy to grow
and reaching only 15cm high, they’re
great for adding to pots and dotting
around your patio. To order*:
* 25 bulbs for £10.99, save £3.
product code 45649
❖ 50 bulbs for £16.99, save £10.99.
product code KC8588
Scoop up some “Berries and Cream
Make your spring bulb display stand out from the
crowd with hyacinth ‘Berries and Cream Mixture’.
This spectacular mix creates a harmonious blend
of rose, violet, pink and pale lavender, instead of the
usual shades of blue and purple.
It’s perfect for filling beds, borders
and containers with a riot of spring
blooms and that characteristic,
heady, hyacinth fragrance. Height
25cm Spread: 8cm. To order*
❖ 8 bulbs for £9.99, save £2.
product code 45528
❖ 16 bulbs for £16.99, save £6.99,
product code KB5928
Pump up the pom-poms
Pop these bargain allium ‘Purple Sensation’ bulbs in
the ground now and come next summer, your pots or
borders will be bursting with glorious globes of violet-blue
starry flowers that measure up to
8cm across. These are followed by
skeletal seedheads for a spectacular
autumn display outdoors, or cut
for an indoor vase. Height 90cm
Spread 10cm. To order*
❖ 15 bulbs for £9.99, save£1,
product code KC1069
❖ 30 bulbs for £17.99, save £3.99,
product code KF4669
HOWTO ORDER
GO ONLINE
thompson-morgan.com/TM_lVlGR50
‘POSTAGE IS £5.95 PER ORDER (NOT PER ITEM)
T&Cs Orders despatched from September 2024 onwards and will be acknowledged with a dispatch date in
writing, by letter or email. If. in the event of unprecedented demand this offer is oversubscribed, we reserve
the right to send suitable substitutes. Your contract for supply of goods is with Thompson & Morgan. Poplar
Lane.lpswich, IP8 3BU. Terms & Conditions available upon request. All offers are subject to availability.
Images for illustration purposes only. Savings are based on multiples of the cheapest pack sizes. UK only.
Regretfully we are unable to ship live plants to the following postcode areas: HS. IV41-IV56. KW15-KW17,
РАЗД, PA41-48, PA6O-PA78. PASO, PH40-PH44, TR21-TR24, ZEt-ZEs. We are unable to dispatch seeds or
plants to EU countries and Northern Ireland. Offer closes September 30.2024.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 103
-POPPING
SPHERES
OF JOY
These EASY-GROW blooms
will punch the air with happiness
wherever they’re plantec
With lots of small, perfectly formed,
star-shaped flowers, each of these alliums
is like an explosion, some big, some small,
at the top of tall leafless stems. Hard to
beat for amazing tones and striking shapes, the
gorgeous globes or oval-shaped heads are brilliant for
adding structure in borders or pots. Grown from bulbs,
plant them now and they’ll flower next May to
August, and come back for another show every year.
Like most early-flowering bulbs, the green leaves
are low down on the plant and they do all the hard
work to feed the bulb before the flowers burst open.
This makes alliums super-easy to use anywhere in the
garden as they can be popped into gaps among other
plants. They mix readily with lots of different flowers,
hovering above next-door neighbours like pretty
pom-poms. Visiting bees and butterflies will love
them, bringing your garden alive in more ways than one.
In a pot, alliums work well on their own but they are
also good companions for other flowers, bringing a bolt
of vivid colour and keeping their lollipop shapes much
later into the year. When winter arrives and the plants
die back, the spherical dried flowerheads will still look
attractive in the garden, or they can be cut to fill a vase
for a table or windowsill indoors.
Order the Ultimate Allium Mix of 50 bulbs now for
£20, or double up for just £10 more and get 100 for £30,
saving £10. Each collection of 50 includes 5 Allium
cristophii, 5 Allium nigrum, 10 Allium hollandicum, 10
Allium oreophilum, 10 Allium cowan ii and 10 Allium
sphaerocephalon. Supplied as bulbs, delivery in
September. To order*:
Ultimate Allium Collection x 50 for £20, product
code KO3598
❖ Ultimate Allium Collection x 100 for £30, save £10.
product code KO837O
Visit hayloft.co.uk/ROMG or call 01386 426 245,
quoting offer code ROMG and the relevant product
code/s, paying £4.95 postage.
Allium cristophi
л Allium nigrum
Allium hollandicum
Allium oreophilum
Allium cowanii
104 MODERN GARDENS SEPTEMBER 2024
> READER OFFER
MORE SAVINGS
Summer ain't over yet!
Keep those sunshine vibes going from July right
through to October with this super-saver anemone
collection. They’ll come back year after year, their
large, showy blooms popping up above semi-evergreen foliage,
and pollinators love them too. Untroubled by pests, they’ll
thrive in almost any soil. ‘Queen Charlotte’ will give you oodles
of large pink cup-shaped blooms, Height 1.5m, Spread 60cm.
‘Pamina’ has dark pink, semi-double blooms with bright yellow
stamens, Height & Spread 1m. Meanwhile, ‘Frilly Knickers’ has
semi-double blooms with crisp white, ruffled petals with light
violet tints, Height 60cm, Spread 45cm. Supplied as 9cm pots,
delivery in 7 days. To order*
‘Queen Charlotte’ x 1 for £14, product code K03014
‘Pamina’ x 1 for £10, product code K23588
❖ ‘Frilly Knickers’ x 1 for £15, product code K213O3
❖ Anemone Collections x 3 (l of each) for £24, save £15,
product code KO5162
‘Queen Charlotte
Frilly Knickers
HOW TO ORDER
GO ONLINE
hayloft.co.uk/ROMG
*CALL
01386 426 245 quoting code RO MG then
the relevant product code/s.
*Postage is £4.95 per order (not per item)
T&Cs Your contract for supply of goods is with Hayloft, Manor Farm, Pensham,
Worcs WR103HB. Full T&Cs available on request. All items are subject to
availability. Images for illustration purposes only. All orders will receive an order
acknowledgement. Occasionally the advertised delivery date may change, however,
this will be clearly stated on your order confirmation. Offer available to UK addresses
only. Reader offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions or
discounts. Offer closes September 30,2024.
SEPTEMBER 2024 MODERN GARDENS 105
GARDEN MAKEOVER
OUR GARDEN JSH
We’d be diving in then pondering whether to chill on the deck
or in the pool house if this LUSH SWIM POND was ours
here are the everyday kind of
garden swimming pools, which we
lust after if only we had the budget
and the time for maintenance, then
round. The other joy of them is that you
can include aquatic plants and even certain
types of marine life so you can, quite literally,
swim with the fish.
there are swim ponds that switch up a back
garden by several notches, and which we
This idyllic garden designed by Fi Boyle
better option. “They quickly realised how
perfect it would be. Together with the new
bespoke pool house, it blends in beautifully
with the wider landscape,” says Fi.
lust after even more!
An ornamental body of water that
uses pond filtration technology so it
(fiboylegardendesign.corn) is set in the
The sunken rectangular pool has
doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals or
beautiful Wiltshire countryside. It’s south-
west facing, so it captures the best of the
sun throughout the day. “I was briefed by
underwater retaining walls built around it to
chlorine, swim ponds like this are virtually
maintenance-free and can be used all year
my clients to create a future-proof space
that they and their growing children could
enjoy and which would cater for their
ever-changing needs,” explains Fi. “The
whole family are keen swimmers and like to
spend a lot of time outdoors with friends
and family, so it was important that the new
garden design included a water element.”
JUMP IN!
The clients originally thought a traditional
swimming pool would be fine until Fi
suggested that a natural swim pond and all
the benefits that come with it might be a
create a natural-looking shape. There are
large rocks and boulders in these ‘wild’ areas
of water and a host of aquatic plants that
help maintain the eco-friendly credentials.
SIT BACK & RELAX
Set on one side of the pool is a ‘floating’
deck, which is the ideal spot for relaxation
while admiring the curving mounds of the
wildflower turf on the other side. This is
filled with native flowers that come back
and bloom year after year without any
human help. The whole garden has beech
hedge boundaries that are softened by
the inclusion of lots of different heights
and types of trees to give the space shape,
structure and form all year round. Pure bliss!



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