Spring is approaching

How a border design begins: pen, paper and planting inspiration

Spring is approaching. The signs are everywhere in the gardens at Betley Court. The snowdrops have emerged in profusion, and they will be followed soon by the daffodils (the first tête-a-têtes are bursting to open already), then the bluebells in April. Leaves buds on the deciduous trees are tightly wrapped and ready to unfurl as the days get longer and warmer. 

Narcissus Tete-a-Tete, always the first daffodil to show its face

We started planning work on the formal borders of the parterre this week. There are the routine tasks; lawn repairs, edging, thinning out the more invasive of the self-sown plants (I refuse to use the word ‘weed’).  I need to set aside an afternoon and prepare a schedule of quantities of material, and then a scheme of works, make sure we order everything we need, and have the manpower to undertake the tasks. Not exciting, but necessary.

One aspect that is exciting is been working on planting designs for the borders. We’re maintaining the border layout that appeared sometime between 1909 and 1925, however we have no firm idea what planting scheme existed, if there ever was one. We have glimpses of what the borders looked like during World War II. There’s a postcard of recuperating servicemen taking part in horticultural therapy, hulking lawn rollers around. The beds seem to be arranged as rose beds, quite typical for the time, and quite a luxury – perhaps the fact Betley Court boasted its very own walled kitchen garden saved the roses from being dug up as part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign!

Servicemen in the gardens c. 1940

When Professor and Doctor Brown moved in to Betley Court in 1979, they had been fortunate in that Captain Fletcher-Twemlow had kept on his Head Gardener, a Mr Percy Mullinor, to keep the lawns at the front of the house in shape. Mr Charlie Simpson, the gardener the Brown’s had employed at their previous home in Madeley, followed the Browns over to Betley. My abiding memory of Charlie was of him keeping order in the gardens, armed with little more than ancient Dutch hoe, and unending patience.  The family archives (a bit of grand description for the series of plastic boxes that hold the photographic collection of the family) contains yellowing pictures of events the Brown’s hosted; a May Day festival, complete with Morris Men, and numerous family weddings and welcoming parties. These photos reveal the borders c. 1980s, boasted an eclectic selection of bright perennials and hardy annuals (blousey poppies, crocosmia, irises, fuchsias, to name a few) with rose bushes and bedding plants dotted in between.

Some years ago (perhaps 2012), in keeping with the Arts & Crafts era the flowerbeds came into being, I began planting box hedging and topiary shapes (Buxus sempervirens). This is to give the beds some sort of form and structure all year round. As so many of the family gatherings happen during the Christmas holidays, the symmetrical pattern of evergreens gives interest, even when flowers are scarce, or when there is a blanket of snow. And of course, the topiary patterns can be viewed from the ‘high status’ rooms that overlook the lawn. Or at least they will, once they’ve matured a bit.

Establishing them has been not easy task. The soil here is thin, free-draining and sandy. We have an enthusiastic and growing rabbit population to compete with too. Our handymen will attest to the vast quantities of leaf mould we ask them to make from the approximately 4 tonnes of deciduous leaves raked from the paths every autumn. This makes a fine mulch that keeps our worms and soil bacteria very happy, although one unexpected side effect is that the increased worm population does tend to draw the moles in!

Pots and pots, tulips, daffodils, crocuses

I’m currently working on a planting plan for the flowers that will fill the flower beds, making pragmatic decisions, choosing perennials over bedding plants. Rugged plants, good ‘do-ers’. Our plants are sourced locally – grown ‘hard’ in a nursery in North Staffordshire, they are generally more successful than plants ferried in from hot houses in Holland that are available at many garden centres. I’ve got other interesting specimens growing in the polytunnel on my allotment, including a lovely thistle-like plant called Miss Willmott’s Ghost (Eryngium gigantium) that I was give by a grower at last year’s RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park. It’s an interesting architectural plant with silver-white cones and silver bracts. Insects love it (another consideration, when choosing plants). Its going to be full steam ahead once it gets a little warmer.  I can’t wait!