naturalising the margins
It has been a mild Autumn, one that has seen the seasonal shift more reluctant than normal. Now in December the trees are running their final leg, the branches slowly stripped of the golden hues that not long ago ran rife through the woodland. We have been busy planting bulbs this November, a satisfying process that will become a seasonal affair and a layer that will enhance the garden and provide it with a sense of age, a slow and methodical task but one we will undertake with enthusiasm.
We were reluctant to plant up the ornamental beds alongside the house with too many bulbs this year as we prefer to allow a full season before developing the scheme. Though there have been a few favourites such as Camassia leichtlinii, Allium atropurpureum and Lilium martagon that have slipped through the net, a treat for next year. We are fond of bulbs, a quick flourish and a momentary change, its a chance to provide a flush of intensity but one that doesn’t tussle with the overall course of the planting scheme, rather complementing it before the next phase begins.
Lilium Martagon ‘Pink Morning’
Over the past few months the focus has been on the route between the bridge and the entrance to the house, a section of the garden that has been designed with a light touch, mimicking the natural land that surrounds it. The introduction of simple lawn spaces allowed this approach to feel pared back, not necessarily all for sitting and certainly not cut to an inch of its life but rich and diverse patchworks that will naturalise the fringes and provide a familiar, comfortable character. It feels right to layer areas of grass with bulbs, embroidering a tapestry of colour from Autumn through to Spring with flowers that enhance what remains an already important texture and an openness in a garden. There is nothing more delightful than seeing flowers push through the grass, dainty and beautifully bijou.
Mowing the species rich lawn after enjoying the Clover’s time in flower.
The route from the bridge.
A combination of Crocus, Iris, Galanthus, Fritalaria, Narcissus and Tulipa are part of our first phase, its a bottomless pit when it comes to varieties but we have stuck to a collection of favourites before we venture further afield next year. Apart from a scattering throughout the lawn spaces and under the trees we decided to plant up some pots, its an opportunity to experience the detail of the plants up close before they get the nod to become part of the fabric.
Dave & Indi planting bulbs.
fritillaria meleagris.
It is important to note that bulbs need the time to die back naturally before mowing their foliage, allowing them the time to re-absorb the nutrients for next years display. It’s best to leave them for a minimum of 6 weeks after flowering. For us this isn’t an issue as we enjoy a more unkempt and relaxed garden, though we have been conscious of our bulb placement, focusing more predominantly on the banks and under trees. Uninterrupted spots that can afford to be left. Alongside the pathways have been planted with earlier flowering bulbs such as Crocus and Galanthus as these can afford to be mown earlier if we decide. It will be something we will document and going forwards repeat if we feel it has worked.
First phase selection of bulbs.