Get your garden out

[andy]

So this is “work”. Preston Rockery on the A23 as you go into Brighton.
I’ve been head gardener here for nearly 25 years now and it’s the biggest municipal rockery in the UK.
Built between 1934 and 1936, 1,350 tons of limestone was brought in by train from Cheddar Gorge
I’m extremely lucky that I have total control over what’s planted although council funds are very limited. I have to therefore grow stuff myself in the building (the chalet) which has a propagation bench with artificial lights and under soil heating cables.
Absolutely love it. I’m the only full time member of staff and rely on a lovely team of volunteers plus people doing community service to help me.

 

[shangman]

So this is “work”. Preston Rockery on the A23 as you go into Brighton.
I’ve been head gardener here for nearly 25 years now and it’s the biggest municipal rockery in the UK.
Built between 1934 and 1936, 1,350 tons of limestone was brought in by train from Cheddar Gorge
I’m extremely lucky that I have total control over what’s planted although council funds are very limited. I have to therefore grow stuff myself in the building (the chalet) which has a propagation bench with artificial lights and under soil heating cables.
Absolutely love it. I’m the only full time member of staff and rely on a lovely team of volunteers plus people doing community service to help me.

Very nice, what a great job!! What are some of your favourite plants in the garden? I'm building a gravel garden and a dry stone gabion wall with room for planting on top in a very sunny area this year, so would love to know!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I'm building a gravel garden and a dry stone gabion wall with room for planting on top in a very sunny area this year, so would love to know!

Have a look at <"Sheffield University">, they've done a lot with "green roofs" <"The Green Roof Centre">.

There are also sand / gravel Gardens at Beth Chatto's (former) House <"Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden - Beth Chatto Gardens">, at Kew <"Kew - Parched: 50 plants that thrive and survive in a dry garden from Summerfield Books"> and the AGS Garden at Pershore <"The AGS Garden at Pershore - Alpine Garden Society">. There are loads of pictures in this links <"Barbican | Nigel Dunnett">

<"Origanum spp">. are really good. This is O. laevigatum. I'd be very much looking at <"Mediterranean bulbs and plants"> and particularly "Lamiaceae".

<"Improving a lawn for insects">

..... And a close-up. The other plants are a mixture of native (Ononis repens, Geranium pratense, Hypericum perforatum etc) and ornamental (Parahebe, Stipa, Dianthus etc). I just thin the more enthusiastic ones when they get out of control, but I don't really do any gardening, it is what's grown over the years.

cheers Darrel

 

[andy]

Very nice, what a great job!! What are some of your favourite plants in the garden? I'm building a gravel garden and a dry stone gabion wall with room for planting on top in a very sunny area this year, so would love to know!

Because the garden is so large (2.5 acres) and right next to the A23 into Brighton, most people only get to see the garden from the road (busses, coach trips, cars, pedestrians etc)
Therefore I have to plant accordingly. Large drifts of bright colours are my thing using a mix of small shrubs, sub shrubs, grasses and, my favourites, herbaceous perennials.
Most small alpines would get lost or trampled on.
Love Phlox, Helenium, Echinacea, Persicaria, Rudbeckia, Aster, Salvias, Kniphofia, Agapanthus, Solidago, Iris, Penstemon and others
I also have Aubretia, Alyssum, Iberis, Rock roses plus a mix of dwarf conifers