Tuesday 9th March 2010 RHS Level 2 Certificate Herbaceous Perennials

Tuesday 9th March 2010

RHS Level 2 Certificate

Herbaceous Perennials




• What are herbaceous perennials

• Traditional herbaceous border and island beds

• Other uses for herbaceous perennials in gardens

• Types of rootstocks - propagation




• Pests and diseases of herbaceous perennials

• Grasses

• Seasonal Tasks



What are Hardy Herbaceous Perennials?

• A herbaceous plant refers to plants that do not become woody, except at the base or crown as it matures.

• Herbaceous plants have a lifespan of more than two years.

• Hardy are those that are able to survive freezing temperatures outdoors without protection.



Hardy Herbaceous Perennials

Hosta ‘Blue Moon’Acanthus spinosus

Sedum spectabile



Hardy Herbaceous Perennials

Crocosmia ‘Golden Fleece’

Eryngium ‘Miss Willmott's Ghost’

Helenium ‘Bressingham gold’



Traditional Herbaceous Border

• Traditionally the most common way of growing hardy herbaceous plants were grown together in long rectangular plots dating back to the Victorians era.

• These borders tended to be backed by a hedge or wall and being framed by lawn or bordered by a path.

• Plants were arranged according to height with tallest herbaceous plants at the back of the border with the shortest at the front.

• Herbaceous plants are grown in drifts and in odd-numbered groups to achieve the greatest impact.

• Personal taste and style of the garden or house can dominate the colour schemes and style.



Tradition Hardy Herbaceous Borders

Bradenham Hall, Thetford, Norfolk





Winter and Summer



Perennials in the Winter Garden



Wildlife and Herbaceous Perennials



The Decline of the Hardy Herbaceous Border

• War With the advent of World War I and World War II such labor intensive garden features hardy herbaceous border became less popular in Britain due to the shortage of labour to keep such features maintained.

• Space Movement of people to the cities where gardens where much smaller.

• Time available to garden.



Island beds• A more modern approach is more of a problem hardy

herbaceous perennials can be used to create island beds.• Alan Bloom, founder of the Blooms nursery business, created

the Dell Garden and its famous 'Island Beds' from 1955-1962. This unique garden is now world renowned for its collection of nearly 5,000 species and varieties of hardy perennials set in a park like meadow.





Prairie Planting

• This is a recent fashion that does away with lawns and beds. Instead, paths of bark or gravel wind through a dense carpet of low-maintenance perennials, through which pop occasional clumps of taller ornamental grasses and perennials.



Prairie Planting



Sources of Information

• Chatto, B. (1989) The Green Tapestry. Harper Collins, London.

• Hansen, R. and Stahl, F. (1993) Perennials and their Garden Habitats. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

• Lloyd, C (2000) Christopher Lloyd’s Garden Flowers. Timber Press, Oregon.

• Oudolf, P. and Gerritsen, H. (2003) Planting the Natural Garden. Timber Press, Cambridge.

• The Royal Horticultural Society Plant Guides Perennials. (1996) London. Dorling Kindersley.



Places to Visit

Hardy Herbaceous Perennials• Beth Chatto Gardens Elmstead Market, Colchester,

Essex. • Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley, Surrey.

Island Beds• The Bressingham Gardens, Bressingham, Diss Norfolk.

Naturalistic Hardy Herbaceous Planting • Pensthorpe Waterfowl Park, Fakenham, Norfolk.• Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley, Surrey.

Documents

Tuesday 9th March 2010 RHS Level 2 Certificate Herbaceous Perennials