The Professional Gardeners’ Guild Three Years Traineeship in Horticultural Practices

HORTICULTURAL DIARY on Osborne House by Giulio Veronese

Period of traineeship 2011 – 2014

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© Giulio Veronese Printed: April 2014, 1 Highgrove Cottages. All photographs and pictures used in this report are by Giulio Veronese.

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[…] and I, partly forester, partly builder,

partly farmer and partly gardener, expect to be a good deal upon my legs

and in the open air.

Prince Albert

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Contents Diary October November December January February March April May June July August

9 21 41 56 72 87

106 115 137 148 165

Appendices

Acknowledgments 203

Ten and a Half Months at Osborne House Osborne House Family Tree Bedding Schemes (2012) Spring Bedding Summer Bedding Walled Garden Annual Bed (West Block) Machinery Vibration Information Osborne House Key Dates Plant List

183 185 187 187 189 191 193 194 197

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October Monday 17th October Cloudy day with sunny intervals. Some light rain at the end of the afternoon. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Working on the new spring bedding in the Top Terraces, particularly in the diamond beds and the smaller beds. Stages are: 1) measurement and design, 2) soil preparation, 3) planting, 4) tidying up. For the measurements bamboo sticks, trowels and feet are used. All the measurements are double-checked and also the visual alignments. Trowel is without doubt the most important tool for bedding. It is used for taking the measurements between the plants and/or the edges and has to be handled with confidence and speed. After having set the planting scheme, we crumble and level the soil with spades and then plant pansies (Viola tricolor hortensis) and standard bays (Laurus nobilis). The bays comes from our nursery, the pansies have been bought in plugs. Varieties are “Autumn Blaze”, Orange Blotch”, “Primrose”. Today I have a first, crash course on the use of the trowel. I am also told that, as a rule of thumb, it is better to plant bedding plants deeper rather than higher. This is for giving them more stability, especially in exposed areas, such as certain corners of the Top Terrace. Observations: In the afternoon I have an induction on the use of the English Heritage Daily Vibration Log Book. This is a personal record of the number of vibrations while using machinery, any member of the team being allowed to reach 400 max points per day. All the machineries have an inventory number and are checked and tested for vibration yearly. To record the vibration is important in order to minimize the risk of the Vibration white finger (also known as hand-arm vibration syndrome or dead finger), which is an industrial injury triggered by continuous use of vibrating hand-held machinery. This is a disorder that affects nerves, joints, muscles, blood vessels or connective tissues of the hand and forearm: Tingling 'whiteness' or numbness in the fingers (blood vessels and nerves affected): This may not be noticeable at the end of a working day, and in mild cases may affect only the tips of the fingers. As the condition becomes more severe, the whole finger down to the knuckles may become white. Feeling may also be lost. Fingers change colour (blood vessels affected): With continued exposure the person may suffer periodic attacks in which the fingers change colour when exposed to the cold. Initially the fingers rapidly become pale and feeling is lost. This phase is followed by an intense red flush (sometimes preceded by a dusky bluish phase) signaling the return of blood circulation to the fingers and is usually accompanied by uncomfortable throbbing. Loss of manual dexterity (nerves and muscles affected): In more severe forms, attacks may occur frequently in cold weather, not only at work, but during leisure activities, such as gardening, car washing or even watching outdoor sports and may last up to an hour causing considerable pain and loss of manual dexterity and reduced grip strength. In extreme cases, the sufferer may lose fingers. The effects are cumulative. When symptoms first appear, they may disappear after a short time. If exposure to vibration continues over months or years, the symptoms can worsen and become permanent.

English Heritage Daily Vibration Log Book cover and inside page

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Tuesday 18th October Cloudy, windy. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 9.0 mls. Practical: First part of the morning (up the visitors opening time), I use the a wheeled leaf collector all along the Main Avenue, in order to clear and make presentable the road for the public. We work in team of two, the first using a wheeled leaf blower and the second following with the leaf collector and clearing the leaves that remained on the floor. Both the machinery are Billy Goat made. Then I join the rest of the team and continue the planting of the new spring bedding in the Top Terrace. First of all we need to dig out some of the plants from the previous planting scheme (summer bedding). They are Salvia farinacea “White”, Coleus “Scarlet Ribbon” and Iresine brillantissima. Then we can plant the wallflowers (Erysimum sp.), which have been just delivered this morning. Observations: I keep a nice Solenostemon specimen from the crop down of the Top Terrace beds and pot it up for my bedroom at home. Solenostemon is a genus of perennial plants in the Lamiaceae family, native to tropical Africa, Asia, Australia, the East Indies, the Malay Archipelago, and the Philippines. It is commonly known as painted nettle or flame nettle. In the UK it can be grown outside as a half-hardy annual or as an indoor plant. The variously shaped leaves of these popular bedding plants typically combine several colors, such as chartreuse, rust, cream, purple-black, white and red (somewhat resembling the unrelated Caladium). Some cultivars sport almost all of these colors combined. The darker the red in the leaf, the more sun the plant will tolerate. Coleus blooms in summer, but the blue to white nettle-like flowers are unremarkable and tend to detract visually from the impact of the foliage. Solenostemon is commonly known in the garden as Coleus, a name which derives from an earlier classification under the genus name Coleus, which is currently treated as two: with species included in either the genus Solenostemon or in another genus, Plectranthus. Most of the cultivars are derived from Solenostemon scutellarioides. New cultivars with varieties of colors are constantly being made. The following hybrid cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. “Crimson Ruffles” , “Lord Falmouth”, “Picturatus”, “Pineapple Beauty”, “Pineapplette”, “Royal Scot”, “Walter Turner”, “Wisley Tapestry”.

Delivered stock of wallflowers

Solenostemon

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Wednesday 19th October Sunny and bright. Few clouds. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today we receive a huge delivery of flowering bulbs (over 40.000) for the formal bedding in the terraces. Possible leftovers will be planted in other areas within the Pleasure Grounds (e.g. magnolia bed, beds around the lodge, etc). The delivery consists basically in varieties of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Tulipa cultivars are “Ballerina”, “West Point”, “Mona Lisa”, “Olympic Flame”, “Apeldoorn Elite”, “William of Orange”, “Lilyfire”, “Cistula”, “David Teniers”, “Queen of Marvel”. Narcissus cultivars are “St. Patrick’s Day”, “Carbineer”, “Pencrebar”, “Grande Soleil d’Or”. Only a single variety of Hyacinthus is used. This is “City of Haarlem”. Remarkably, they all are old varieties, in accordance with the historic way of bedding at Osborne House. In the afternoon I work with Nigel by the Lodge. We dig out Agapanthus africanus, trim back Teucrium lucidrys, plant pansies and hyacinths in the beds around the Lodge. Teucrium x lucidrys (Hedge Germander) is a new entry for me and indeed quite a remarkable plant. It was introduced at Osborne House by the previous head gardener Debs Goodenough and is now still used as for low hedges around the Lodge and along some borders in the Pleasure Grounds. Teucrium x lucidrys is a cross between Wall Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) and Sage-leaved Germander (Teucrium lucidum) and like all hybrids can only be propagated by cuttings. Hedge Germander is slightly higher and more upright than Wall Germander and has darker and glossier leaves and brighter flowers. Ideal for a Mediterranean-type garden or kitchen garden featuring drought-resistant plants, it needs a sunny, sheltered site and tolerates poor soil conditions. Cut back after flowering to stop it getting straggly. Observations: Alen tell me about the constant use we do of Bidens ferulifolia, a pretty, yellow-flowering plant with a pendant habit. In Osborne, we often combine Bidens ferulifolia with the violet-flowering Verbena rigida. The jointing of these two plants really gives a striking effect. Having the same type of creeping habit, Tradescantia pallida is another plant good for breaking the lines in hard landscaping situation. I am also told on the Victorian passion for plants with broad foliage, such as many ferns and exotics. This fashion is still reflected in the plantings at Osborne House. I become aware that the irrigation is carried out both manually and automatically overnight, depending to the areas and the weather conditions. I also get familiarized with the composting process: there are three different skips in the main yard, each one for different type of rubbish (compostable stuff, woody bits and wood chips, things to burn). Nigel tells me about his love for the autumn season and also teaches me the English expressions “ground work” and “sow for rib” and their meaning. He also teaches me a better way to propagate by division, using to forks instead than one spade as I used to do. This system is especially good for rhizomatous plants and runners, as avoid harming too much the root system. Finally at home, in the evening I find out and translate the célèbre Wordshorth’s poem about daffodils “I wandered lonely as a cloud”.

Teucrium lucidrys

Bidens ferulifolia

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Thursday 20th October Nice, sunny day. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Undertaking the bulb planting of the smaller beds in the top terraces for the all day. We plant Tulipa “Ballerina” and Hyacinthus “Carabinier”. It’s a real back-breaking experience but a real satisfaction as well to see many of the bulbs planted in the beds. Observations: Today I have a first induction about the John Deere tractor daily routine maintenance. I am also told where all the thermometers are and about the greenhouse duties in springtime and summer. At the end of the day I have a chat about squirrels in the UK. The red squirrel is classed as a native species to the UK. On the other hand, the grey squirrel is an invasive non-native species in the UK, introduced to at various locations since the 19th Century. They were first introduced in 1876 by the Victorians, who regarded the grey squirrel as an exotic species. The spread of grey squirrels is the main threat to red squirrel survival and the main reason for their catastrophic decline in Britain. Grey squirrels compete more successfully than red squirrels for food and habitat, they are larger and more robust, and can digest seeds with high tannin content, such as acorns, more efficiently. This means grey squirrels can access a more abundant food supply than red squirrels. As a result, the arrival of grey squirrels in an area occupied by red squirrels tends to cause reduced red squirrel breeding and survival rates leading to a gradual decline in their numbers. Grey squirrels can also carry squirrelpox virus (SQPV), which causes severe clinical disease and mortality in red squirrels without causing any symptoms in the grey carriers. Red squirrel habitats are now confined in Scotland, certain regions in Northern Wales and in the Isle of Wight.

One of the two John Deere small tractors at Osborne House

Min Max Thermometer in the nursery

Change of red squirrel distribution in the UK since 1945 (internet database)

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Friday 21st October Another bright and sunny day. My first week in Osborne has gone without a drop of rain. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Graveling the vases in the upper and lower terraces and also generously watering them. I use Cornish grit, which is highly ornamental as well as good for suppressing weeds. After lunch Alen brings me up to the Flag Tower, so that I can have an overlook of the gardens and surroundings. This is a good opportunity to see the state of the bedding, which is now not too far from being finished. In the afternoon I move to the Pleasure Grounds and so carry on digging throughout the magnolia beds. The planting of the circular magnolia beds will follow straight forward the one in the Terraces, as we are going to use here the plants and bulbs which will remain from the main bedding. Observations: While working on the magnolia beds, I can appreciate the selection of the perennials in the herbaceous border of the Pleasure Grounds just outside the Walled Garden. Their flowering is gone now but I can still recognise Romneya coulteri (Tree Poppy), Macleaya cordata (Plume Poppy), Echium pininana (Tree Echium), Buddleia davidii (Butterfly Tree), Buddleia globosa, Penstemon sp. Phil tells me that penstemons are plants very easy to propagate. They respond very well to soft-wood cuttings. We speak about Crinum x powellii, which is an exotic-looking plant not too often seen in the British gardens. This is a cross between Crinum bulbispermum (Orange River Lily) and Crinum moorei (Natal Lily). It has large fragrant bell-shaped flowers that are pale pink and held aloft on scapes that can be as much as 1.5m tall. It’s foliage is lush and exuberant, with long strap-like leaves that can cover a large area as the plant clumps. It is hardier than it is often given credit for and should be left undisturbed with a thick mulch. In the wild, the two parent species usually grow with the long necks of their elongated bulb protruding above the surface and this is the usual advice for planting them, however, it does not hurt them to be planted a little deeper and this is useful winter protection along with a generous mulch in late autumn. Both parent species tend to grow in damper, wetter soils along the edges of rivers and in the margins of swamps and bogs. This is a habitat that tends to match the British weather and plants respond well to damper patches and regular watering in the summer months. To ensure the bulbs don’t rot, however, it’s sensible to bed them in a little sharp sand or grit. They enjoy full sun, plenty of space to expand into and a good rich soil that has enough depth for its large bulbs to thrive in. Slugs and snails are not be deterred by the toxic alkaloids in the leaves and the most critical time is just as the new leaves are emerging. A little time taken to keep them under control pays dividends and gives the plants a chance to establish. As the season progresses the large clumps of foliage tend to harbor the pesky mollusks and regular patrols during wet weather are a good idea. Nigel defines Crinum as a “nest for slugs” and I can see why, when looking through the leaves.

Crinum x powellii flowers and bulb

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Monday 24th October Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today it’s my first time ever planting bulbs of daffodils in a British garden. I’m felling quite excited because I can feel this is quite an emblematic moment in the process of becoming a professional gardener. We also plant garden varieties of Cheiranthus allionii (wallflowers), such as “Scarlet Bedder”, “Golden Bedder”, “Ivory White”, and “Fire King”. They all are old-fashioned, Victorian cultivars.

Wallflower “Scarlet Bedder”

Wallflower “Golden Bedder”

Wallflower “Ivory White”

Wallflower “Fire King”

Imagines from internet database Observations: The wallflowers in the terraces are Cheiranthus and not Erysimum as I first thought. Erysimum is a genus that includes about 180 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. The genus Cheiranthus is sometimes included herein whole or in part. Erysimum has recently ascribed to a monogeneric cruciferous tribe, Erysimeae. The commonly known Obedient Plant in the Pleasure Grounds is Physostegia virginiana. It has sometimes referred as False Dragonhead. Unfortunately flowers are just past now but the seed caps still respond “obediently” when twisted by hands. Lime trees are widely planted throughout Osborne House avenues. However, many of my colleagues seem whinging about this rather untidy tree, which leaves a big amount of leaves, twigs and branches on the floor in this time of the here and constantly shooting new sprouts from the base of the trunk during the growing season. A new suggestion for planting is the association between Muscari neglectum and Crocus species and cultivars. Finally, I had some berry from the Strawberry Trees (Arbutus unedo) around the Pleasure Grounds. As an Italian, I’m quite familiar already with this plant but it’s the first time for me trying the fruits. This plant flower and fruit contemporarily. Other things are ready in the Walled Garden (carrots, chards and shallots). So, at the end of the day, even if I’m still waiting for my first wage, I have no reasons to complain at all.

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Daffodil bulbs

Arbutus unedo fruits Tuesday 25th October Cloudy with sunny spells and some light drizzles. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 10.0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the bedding work in the Upper and Lower Terrace. In the first part of the morning I dig out seven brugmansias (Brugmansia knightii). Then I cultivate the beds by single digging and prepare them for the planting stage. Procedure consists in turning right over the soil with a spade, crumbling the soil on the surface, always by using a spade, cleaning the stony edge of the beds with the brush, and finilly raking out through the beds and collecting the rubbish. I can clearly appreciate what huge difference makes to follow these steps at any time: if you clean the edge before raking around, the beds look presentable and the rain can possibly finish washing up. Then I need measure the centre of the beds. I use bamboo canes and footprints as guidelines. I plant in the right in the center one standard holly (Ilex aquifolium) for each bed. Observations: I come to know that the only base dressing feed we use in the beds and borders at Osborne House, is blood fish and bone meal (only for summer bedding, if necessary). BFB is a traditional fertiliser that is still favoured by many gardeners and, because it is produced from natural ingredients, is 100% organic. It provides all the three major nutrients needed for strong, healthy plants. Nitrogen encourages growth and rich green foliage; slow release phosphate promotes vigorous root development and the potash element helps improve flower colour and the ripening of fruit and vegetables. BFB can be applied prior to sowing or planting and as required throughout the growing season. Apart from BFB, only the compost we produce ourselves is used to fertilize and improve the beds and borders soil at Osborne House.

Blood Fish and Bone organic fertiliser

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Wednesday 26th October Few showers in the morning, drier later. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 19.0 mls. Practical: Digging out cannas from the terraces and potting them in 60 litre pots for storage in the polytunnel. In the afternoon I work for the first time in the Osborne House potting shed, preparing some cuttings of Salvia ssp., Pelargonium “White Boar” and Myrtus communis. I take semi-ripe cuttings, choosing healthy material that is free of pests and diseases and remove it with sharp, clean tools. It should be a better practice to take these cutting in the morning to avoid wilting. First I select the cuttings from this season’s growth and remove them using sharp secateurs. Then I prepare the cuttings by trimming them to 10-15cm in length, cutting just below a leaf node. Next, remove the lowest leaves and the soft tips. There are usually about four leaves remaining. I take several heel cutting (where the cutting is pulled away with a piece of stem), especially for the salvias which take very well this type of cutting. Then I insert the cuttings into suitably-sized containers filled with cuttings compost – 50 per cent free-draining potting compost mixed with 50 per cent sharp sand or perlite. I water well and allow draining. Finally I place the container of cuttings in the lower greenhouse, by the heated propagator. I don’t use plastic bags or other storing facilities, as pot the cuttings up straight after. There is also no need to use any hormone rooting powder, as all these plants take cuttings very well.

Pelargonium “White Boar”

Salvia heel cutting Observations: Myrtle (Myrtus communis) is a very important plant at Osborne House. It is in fact a royal favourite, as every royal bouquet since 1840 has featured its fluffy white flowers. Prince Albert's grandmother gave Queen Victoria a posy of myrtle during a visit to Gotha (as in the former royal family surname, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha). Then she planted the myrtle from her bouquet in her garden at Osborne House and a sprig has been sent from this garden to royal brides ever since. Myrtus, with the common name myrtle, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. It is the type genus of the family Myrtaceae. The Myrtus genus has only two species: Myrtus communis (the common myrtle), native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe, and Myrtus nivellei (Saharan myrtle) native to North Africa. Myrtus communis is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 metres tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five petals and sepals, and numerous stamens. Petals usually are white. The flower is pollinated by insects. The fruit is a round berry containing several seeds, most commonly blue-black in colour. A variety with yellow-amber berries is also present. The seeds are dispersed by birds that eat the berries. Myrtus communis is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant for use as a shrub in gardens and parks. It is often used as a hedge plant, with its small leaves shearing cleanly. When trimmed less frequently, it has numerous flowers in late summer. It requires a long hot summer to produce its flowers, and protection from winter frosts. The species and the subspecies M. communis spp. tarentina have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Head Gardener Toby Beasley and the Victorian myrtle

Myrtus communis berries Thursday 27th October Gloomy, some showers. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 17.0 mls. Practical: Second day working in the Potting Shed. Jen and I transplant carry out some potting up of Pelargonium cv., Fuchsia cv., Tibouchina urvilleana, Euryops pectinatus (Golden Daisy Bush). I become aware that the two spans of Iron House (the long lead-on greenhouse enclosed in the Walled Garden) are dedicated for the separate cultivation of tender plants from South America and Africa respectively. We try to stay within this order, even if this is not always possible. In such respect, Jen tells me that salvia species are mostly from Mexico, while pelargoniums are from South Africa.

Iron House, first span: display of plants from South America

Iron House, second span: display of plants from Africa

Observations: Jens introduces me to Tibouchina urivilleana. The several common names (Glory Bush, Pleroma, Lasiandra, Purple Glory Tree, Pricenss Flower), well indicate the striking beauty of this plant. This is a species of flowering plant in the family Melastomataceae, native to Brazil. Growing to 3–6 m tall by 2–3 m wide, it is a sprawling evergreen shrub with longitudinally veined, dark green hairy leaves. Clusters of brilliant purple flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, with black stamens, are borne throughout summer and autumn. The specific epithet urvilleana commemorates the 19th century French explorer and botanist Jules Dumont d'Urville. With a minimum temperature of 3 °C, it does require some winter protection, and in temperate areas is often grown in a conservatory. However, it can also be grown outside in a sunny, sheltered spot. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Beautiful Tibouchina urivilleana growing in her own climate (internet database) Friday 28th October Bright in the morning, dull in the afternoon. Dry Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 2.0 mls. Practical: Leaf clearance of the Main Avenue for the first part of the morning. We work in a team of two, with the combined use of wheeled vacuum and blower. The vacuum goes first and sucks the most of the leaves along the edges of the concrete road. The pedestrian blower follows and finish off the job, giving a neat and tidy appearance to the paved avenue. We also use a rake to ease the job, especially throughout the depressions of the path, where the floor is more likely to be still wet and the leaves tend to rot down. After the leaf clearance, we are back to the Terraces for the bedding. We need to dig over some beds and prepare them for the actual plating. I follow the usual steps: first I spade in all the way along the borders, only by making a “slit” with the spade, then dig the perimeters and finally dig progressively the center of the beds, always walking behind. In the afternoon I have an introduction about the use of the turf-float (or turf lifter). Just like the edging shears, this is to me one those quintessentially British garden tools, which aren’t commonly used in Italy as well as in the rest of the Continent.

Wheeled leaf blower Billy Goat

Old-fashioned turf float (or turf lifter)

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Observations: There is a remarkable, green mat around the crossroad in the Pleasure Grounds. This is Pachysandra terminalis (common names Japanese Pachysandra, Japanese Spurge), a species of flowering plant in the Buxaceae family, native to Japan, Korea and China. It is a slow-growing, spreading evergreen perennial growing to 10 cm tall by 60 cm broad, with alternate, simple, glossy leaves, and creeping stems. The leaves may yellow in winter. When growing in a spreading mass of many plants, a dense carpet is formed. The flowers are white, borne above the foliage. In temperate Northern Hemisphere sites they appear late in the month of March and throughout the month of April. The plant is very cold hardy. The specific epithet terminalis means “ending”, and refers to the clusters of leaves which appear at the end of the short stems. Pachysandra terminalis is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use as a massed groundcover, low grouped element, or accent plant in the ground. It is a suitable lower plant for container gardening, and shaded or “northside” window boxes. It takes about three years to establish a solid groundcover in suitable climates, when new plantings are spaced 15–30 cm apart. It spreads by new plants sprouting from the spreading root system. The plant prefers a moist and well-drained soil that is both acidic and rich. A humus amended loam (acidic pH) soil, with regular organic fertilizer applications and watering-rainfall is optimal. However, the plant is tolerant of neutral to slightly alkaline pH soils, and to periodic dryness, especially in humid and non-arid climates. It can be propagated by dividing and transplanting clumps, by rooting stem cuttings, or by removing plantlets that have grown through the spread of roots from the main plant. Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, of which “Variegata” has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Pachysandra terminalis foliage

Pachysandra terminalis flower (internet database) Monday 31st October White cloudy, mild. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max16 °C. Rainfalls: 3.1 mls. Practical: Scarifying and mowing the small piece of lawn next the Pavilion Terrace. I use a petrol rotary mower Hayter Harrier 48BBC. I work with Phil who tell me that, in order to have a luxury lawn, you should scarify monthly in spring and in summer and consistently reduce the treatment later in autumn and winter. However, scarifying is mainly influenced by grass type; this is going to dictate whether or not the lawn is going to need scaryfing or dethatching. In the instance, a mainly rye grass lawn will need doing at some time, while an ornamental or so-called “luxury lawn” full of the fine fescue grasses, need a gardener who do love scarifying. Raking is the other technique, greatly influenced by the amount of moss that grows in the lawn. This is more important in wet, shady conditions or perhaps on a clay soil. When mowing, it is also important to rotate the way of cutting in order to aerate the lawn and keep the soil light. Today I cut the grass in diagonal stripes.

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Scarifying the lawn

Rotary mower Hayter Harrier Observations: While walking back to the gardeners’ yard, I notice and appreciate a nice specimen of Fatsia japonica completely invaded by pollinators. This is because the plant was in a sunny spot at the moment we observed it. Plants which attract wildlife work better when in warmer positions. This fatsia is now playing an important role in the garden as there are no many plants in flowers now to support wildlife activities. Other plants are Mentha, Origanum and Viburnum species, Calluna vulgaris (common heather) and Hedera helix (ivy). Ivy in particularly, even if loathed by some, it is in fact one of the few plants for bees that aid survival of the late foragers. The pollination of ivy then allows berries to develop, thus feeding a number of birds over the winter months, as well as providing excellent shelter. Research has shown that trees with ivy growing up them accommodate more wildlife than those without. Instead of assuming that all ivy must be cut away, it is better to be pragmatic about it. Investigate first whether it is really causing any damage. Most healthy trees can withstand at least some ivy growth before being cut back.

Fatsia japonica

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November Tuesday 1st November Very variable weather today. Bright, mild with some showers. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 1.2 mls. Practical: Cutting back Zantedeschia aethiopica in the beds by the entrance of the Cafeteria. Zantedeschia is the well known Arum Lily and it’s important in Osborne because was one of Albert’s favorite plants. I cut the stems right down to the ground, so giving a nice and tidy appearance to the beds. After the Arum lilies, I keep working in the Lower Terrace. Together with Nigel, I dig the camellia beds and also incorporate and fork in some well-rotted compost.

Zantedeschia aethiopica at Osborne House...

…and in its native regions in Africa (internet database) Observations: Zantedeschia aethiopica (common names Calla Lily, Arum Lily) is a species in the family Araceae. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant, evergreen where rainfall and temperature are adequate, deciduous where there is a dry season. Its preferred habitat is in streams and ponds or on the banks. It grows to 0.6–1 m tall, with large clumps of broad, arrow shaped dark green leaves up to 45 cm long. The inflorescences are large, produced in spring, summer and autumn, with a pure white spathe up to 25 cm and a yellow spadix up to 90 mm long. It is native to southern and east Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Madeira. It has been known to European horticulture since at least the 1660s and is one of the world's most iconic and widely known plants. Carl Linnaeus described it in 1753 as Calla aethiopica and it has been commonly known as the calla lily ever since. The species epithet aethiopica refers to the fact that it is native to Africa. In 1826 Sprengel transferred it to a new genus which he called Zantedeschia. According to Cythna Letty (1973), the name was probably given in honour of Giovanni Zantedeschi, an Italian botanist who lived in the early 19th century. It has become naturalised in Australia, particularly in Western Australia where it occurs in areas with high periodical water tables and sandy soils, and has been classified as a toxic weed and pest. Zantedeschia aethiopica contains calcium oxalate, and ingestion of the raw plant may cause a severe burning sensation and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat; stomach pain and diarrhea may occur.

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Wednesday 2nd November Overcast and rainy. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 4.0 mls. Practical: Keep going with the digging and feeding of the camellia beds in the Lower Terrace. Observations: after the striking Fatsia observed on Monday, I ask Phil and Nigel (who are beekeepers) to tell me about plants attractive for the wildlife, especially bees. They tell me that important periods for the bees are the beginning of springtime and the end of autumn. After having covered the winter period on Monday, today we go through the other seasons of the bees’ year. In late winter and early spring, due to variations in climate and conditions, flowering times may differ from region to region, and this may also affect foraging, as well as the distribution of different bee species. This is why this time of the year is so critical for the wildlife. For example, Italian strains of honey bees will forage on crocus flowers, but in very cool weather, may be deterred from foraging in the first place. Bumblebees, on the other hand, with their furry coats, can be found foraging on cooler days. In fact, bumblebees are increasingly being seen to forage during the cool winter months, meaning that late and early flowering plants are vital for them. During the spring and summer, all types of bees (and other pollinating insects) are rearing their broods. A typical honey bee colony may consist of around 50,000 to 60,000 workers, as well as larvae to feed. Bumblebee colonies may be fragile - fewer than half survive, and solitary bees are in need of undisturbed nesting sites, as food is gathered for storing in egg cells to feed newly developing larvae. Plenty of bee friendly plants are therefore vital during the spring and summer to ensure survival of the colony. During the late summer and autumn, the late-summer flowering plants will continue to feed late developing broods, as well as those bees that have already developed into working adults. The controversial Himalayan balsam (Impatiens balsamifera) is adored by pollinators for the ample nectar it provides. It is thought that it may be invasive, but please see my page about native versus non native plants for further information. On the other hand, Scorpion Weed (Phacelia ssp.) is also not native to the UK, but many do enjoy growing it in the garden. It also attracts bees and other pollinators. Also Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower), Solidago virgaurea (European Goldenrod), Lavandula ssp. (Lavender) and Scabiosa ssp. (Scabious) are all great bee attracting plants.

Some good bee-plants (internet database)

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Thursday 3rd November Overcast and very wet. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 14.0 mls. Practical: Undertaking the maintenance of the eastern herbaceous border outside the Walled Garden. It’s mainly about cutting down and tiding up, with some deadheading as well. Most of the flowers are now gone and the long herbaceous borders look quite bare now. I look after Solidago and Hemerocallis (Goldenrods) cultivars, Dierama pulcherrimum (Angel’s Fishing Rod), Anaphalis margaritacea (Western Pearl Everlasting; it has variegated leaves and white, tiny blossom) and Gaillarda aristata (Blanket Flower), which looks like a Rudbeckia of some sort and apparently is a very good plant for drying flowers. Observations: Anaphalis margaritacea (commonly known as the Western Pearly Everlasting) is a new, interesting plant. This is, is a flowering perennial plant in the Asteraceae family. Since it is the only North American species it is often simply called pearly everlasting in the United States and Canada. It is common throughout North America excepting states that border the Gulf of Mexico. However, it is also native to Asia and has been widely introduced in Europe. It grows erect up to heights of about 1.2 meters and has narrow, alternate leaves. One salient feature is that the undersides of the leaves are covered in tiny hairs, giving them a wooly feel and appearance. The stems are dry and brittle. The flower is small and whitish to yellowish and grows in a corymb inflorescence. The more conspicuous part of the inflorescence is the numerous white bracts that surround the actual flowers. It prefers dry, sunny climates, although it is hardy to temperatures well below freezing. The leaves and young plants are edible when cooked. Grows well in the perennial border when mixed with brightly colored flowers. Also effective in dry meadows or prairies, native plantings and wildflower gardens. The dried stalks with their pearly-white heads are attractive in floral arrangements. The pure white flower is commonly used in dried flower arrangements.

Anaphalis margaritacea Friday 4th November White cloud with sunny spells. Dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 32.0 mls. Practical: Taking care of Phoenix canariensis specimens displayed in the Terraces. Stages are the following: first pull out the plants from the vases, then cut down the weaker-dead branches, reduce the root ball, re-pot the plant in plastic containers and move them in the nursery for overwintering. In the afternoon, I go for a plant-identification walk with the Toby throughout the gardens. Today we are looking for plants having autumn interest.

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Plant identification Walk – Autumn Interest

Genus Species cv. /var. Family Common name Carpinus betulus Betulaceae Hornbeam Castanea sativa Fagaceae Sweet Chestnut Clethra barbinervis Clethraceae Japanese Clethra Cryptomeria japonica “Elegans” Cupressaceae Japanese Cedar Davidia involucrata Nyssaceae Handkerchief Tree Euonymus alatus Celastraceae Fagus sylvatica Fagaceae Beech Ginkgo biloba Ginkgoaceae Maidenhair Tree Liquidambar styraciflua Altingiaceae Sweet Gum Liriodendron tulipifera Magnoliaceae Tulip Tree Nyssa sylvatica Nyssaceae Tupelo Parrotia persica Hamamelidaceae Persian Ironwood Pseudolarix amabilis Pinaceae Golden Larch Quercus palustris Fagaceae Pin Oak Tilia x euchlora Malvaceae Lime

Observations: During the plant ident with Toby I have the opportunity to admire many remarkable trees and shrubs, but my attention is peaked when I see Nyssa sylvatica in the Memorial Arboretum. Nyssa sylvatica, commonly known as black tupelo, tupelo or black gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from New England and southern Ontario south to central Florida and eastern Texas, as well as Mexico. Nyssa sylvatica's genus name (Nyssa) refers to a Greek water nymph; the species epithetsylvatica refers to its woodland habitat. The species' common name tupelo is of Native American origin, coming from the Creek words ito “tree” and opilwa “swamp”; it was in use by the mid-18th century. While these trees are often known as simply “tupelo”, the fuller name black tupelo helps distinguish it from the other species of the tupelo genus, some of which have overlapping ranges, such aswater tupelo (N. aquatica) and swamp tupelo (N. biflora). The name “tupelo” is used primarily in the South America; northward and in Appalachia, the tree is more commonly called the black gum or the sour gum, although no part of the plant is particularly gummy. Both of these names contrast it with a different tree species with a broadly overlapping range, the sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), which does produce an aromatic resin. Nyssa sylvatica is a small, slow-growing deciduos tree of elegant, broadly conical habit. Ovate leaves to 15cm in length turn brilliant red and yellow in autumn. Flowers and fruits are inconspicuous. Nyssa sylvatica is cultivated as an ornamental tree in parks and large gardens, where it is often used as a specimen or shade tree. The tree is best when grown in sheltered but not crowded positions, developing a pyramidal shape in youth, and spreading with age. The stem rises to the summit of the tree in one tapering unbroken shaft, the branches come out at right angles to the trunk and either extend horizontally or droop a little, making a long-narrow, cone-like head. The leaves are short-petioled and so have little individual motion, but the branches sway as a whole. The spray is fine and abundant and lies horizontally so that the foliage arrangement is not unlike that of the beech (Fagus). Its often spectacular autumnal coloring, with intense reds to purples, is highly valued in landscape settings. It is the most fiery and brilliant of the “brilliant group” that includes maple, dogwood, sassafras, andsweet gum, as well as various species of tupelo.

Nyssa sylvatica

Pseudolarix amabilis

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Monday 7th November Overcast, humid. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Working around the private service road rear to the house and also the borders nearby. I strip off ivies, rake up leaves, and pick up branches and twigs. I also cut the leggier and lowest bits of shrubs and tree in order to open the view and give balance to the borders. I use mainly secateurs, loppers, wire and landscape rakes. We work intensively in a team of four, but still this is a something-in-nothing job, as the borders are overgrown and quite neglected in places and ideally need to be re-landscaped and re-planted. Observations: Nearby the contractors shed I notice Olearia x haastii (Daisy Bush). Flowers are gone now, but it is still a nice, well-structured shrub. Other plants in this woodland area (which is close to the public) are Berberis stenophylla, B. darwinii, B. julianae and few different cultivars of hollies. These all are quite thorny, nasty plants to deal with and I think that they could be suitable choices for car parks or public spaces in ordero to discourage trespassing. Back home in the evening, I focus my attention on the Berberis genus and species. Berberis is a genus of about 450-500 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from 1-5 meter tall with thorny shoots, found throughout the temperate and subtropical regions of the world (apart from Autralia). Species diversity is greatest in South America, Africa and Asia; Europe has a few species, and North America two. The most well-known Berberis species is the so-called European barberry, Berberis vulgaris, common in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. The genus Berberis is characterized by dimorphic shoots, with long shoots which form the structure of the plant, and short shoots only 1–2 mm long. The leaves on long shoots are non-photosynthetic, developed into three-spined thorns 3–30 mm long; the bud in the axil of each thorn-leaf then develops a short shoot with several normal, photosynthetic leaves. These leaves are 1–10 cm long, simple, and either entire, or with spiny margins. The flowers are produced singly or in racemes of up to 20 on a single flower-head. They are yellow or orange, 3–6 mm long, with six sepals and six petals in alternating whorls of three. The fruit is a small berry 5–15 mm long, ripening red or dark blue, often with a pink or violet waxy surface bloom; in some species, they may be either long and narrow, but are spherical in other species.

Berberis darwinii

Berberis stenophylla

Berberis julianae

Some authors regard the compound-leaved species as a separate genus, Mahonia. Mahonia and Berberis sensu stricto are best regarded as one genus. There are no consistent differences between the two groups other than the compound leaves, and studies suggest that the simple-leaved group is very likely polyphyletic.

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Thursday 8th November Gloomy day. Some drizzle. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 1.0 mls. Practical: Raking and tiding up throughout the Pleasure Grounds for the first part of the morning. We prepare the garden in the window time between 8 and 10, just by the time of the first tea break for us and the opening time to the public. In the last part of the morning and then in the afternoon, I keep on planting wall flowers in the Lower and Upper Terraces. Observations: Interesting Phil’s speech about the differences in double-paged leaves plants, such as Eleagnus, Populus, Salix, Magnolia ssp. One blade is smooth, the other is abrasive, or, technically, pubescent. Pubescent is a surface feature that can be found on many organs of a plant and means that the organ is covered with pubescence, or short, dense, soft downy hairs. Plants often turn to the wind the abrasive site in order to loss moisture when windy. It’s like the human sweating. After some evening research, I then find out that this feature is technically called indumentums. In biology, an indumentum (Latin, literally: “garment”) is a covering of trichomes (fine “hairs”) on a plant.

In plants, indumentum types include: pubescent, hirsute, pilose, villous, tomentose, stellate, scabrous, scurfy. The indumentum on plants can have a wide variety of functions, including as anchorage in climbing plants (e.g., Galium aparine), in transpiration control, the reflection of solar radiation, increasing water-repellency (e.g., in the aquatic fern Salvinia), in protection against insect predation, and in the trapping of insects (Drosera, Nepenthes, Stylosanthes). The use of an indumentum on insects can also be pollen-related, as on bees, sensory like whiskers, or for varied other uses including adhesion and poison. In the woodland borders I notice an invasive climbing plant, bearing deep-red berries and climbing up to 4 meters. This is Tamus communis (syn. Dioscorea communis) commonly known as black bryony. This is a nasty thing indeed. This is a climbing herbaceous plant growing to 2–4 m tall, with twining stems. The leaves are spirally arranged, heart-shaped, up to 10 cm long and 8 cm broad, with a petiole up to 5 cm long. It is dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The flowers are individually inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, 3–6 mm diameter, with six petals; the male flowers produced in slender 5–10 cm racemes, the female flowers in shorter clusters. The fruit is a bright red berry, 1 cm diameter. Its fairly large tuber is, like the rest of the plant, poisonous. Tamus communis is a native spontaneous species widespread throughout Europe, northwestAfrica and western Asia. It is a typical plant of the underwood, from the sea to the mountains, usually in dense woods, but it can also be found in meadows and hedges. All components of the black bryony plant, including the tubers, are poisonous due to saponin content. Therefore, it is not typically used internally; however, it has been used as a poultice for bruises and inflamed joints. It has been suggested that black bryony be used topically with caution, due to a tendency for the plant to cause painful blisters. Studies have isolated calcium oxalate deposits and histamines in the berry juice and rhizomes, which may contribute to skin irritation and contact dermatitis associated with black bryony.

Tamus communis

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Wednesday 9th November Bright and mild, dry. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 2.0 mls. Practical: Carrying out the bedding work in the Terraces. A diversion is offered in the last part of the morning by the visit the Compost Area with Alen. In this large area next to the bordering fields we keep many different heaps: staff for compost, things to burn, wood chipping, logs and stumps, ex-turf and top soil. Things we use for compost are mainly cuttings, woody branches and twigs, grass, weedings, horse dung, hay. We don’t separate green and brown compost, but process them together. The compost heaps are processed twice a year with a shredder, and then turned with tractor with attached a bucket big enough to effectively rotate the composting heap. Things we burn are magnolia, palm and phormium leaves, rose cuttings, any fruits likely to be diseased, every bits of plants we now are invasive here (Tamus communis, Calystegia sepium, etc). I become also aware that the temperature of composting heap has to be recorded. The ideal compost temperature is between 65/70 C° at centre, and this heat will kill weed seeds and steilise the compost. However to maintain a good temperature in periods of cold and therefore sustain the process at work, it is a good practice to insulate the heap. Old carpet on the top and bales of straw or corrugated iron around the sides work well - but don't completely block the airflow. In the summer compost should take as little as 12 weeks to make, but in winter it takes longer. A mature compost should be dark brown, friable and should smell like good soil. Observations: The so-called CN ratio is chemically the key of the process. This is the correct balance between carbon and nitrogen (CN) and must be maintained in the heap. Many plants (particularly older ones) have a lot of carbon in them and micro-organisms need nitrogen to break it down. This can be added in many forms as an 'activator' layer when you build your compost heap. Animal manure (horse, pig, poultry), bone and fish meal and manufactured products (e.g. from seaweed) make excellent activators. If you live in a town or you have acid material in the heap a layer of lime can help neutralise this. Some gardeners recommend layers of garden soil to “innoculate” the heap with the right micro-organisms, but it is advisable don't overdo this. Other high N additives include a layer of nettles, comfrey or straw.

Newly concreted Compost Area

Thermometer

Reed Bed

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Thursday 10th November Cloudy but mild; turning brighter in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 0.2 mls. Practical: Undertaking bulb planting in the Lower and Upper Terraces. Observations: Today I notice the beautiful Clematis armandii in the Lower Terrace. It was first introduced to England in 1900 by the great plant hunter Ernest Wilson who originally discovered it in China. Clematis armandii is a large, vigorous evergreen climber with leathery, dark glossy green trifoliate leaves up to 15cm long. Single fragrant creamy-white flowers 5-6cm across with creamy stamens, in clusters in early to mid spring. It is a good clematis for a warm south or south-west facing wall with protection from cold winds. Grow in any fertile, well-drained soil. Plant with the crown 5-8 cm deep to encourage shoots to grow from below ground level. Keep the base shaded and cool by the careful positioning of plants or a layer of pebbles or flat stones. Clematis armandii is a really good plant, capable to brighten up the garden in early spring with its fragrant white flowers, scented like hawthorn.

Clematis armandii

Friday 11th November Humid and foggy in the morning, brighter and milder later. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Working down to the woods by the Swiss Cottage. In team of three, we collect and move to the yard some coppiced branches which volunteer have pailed up in the woods during the last week. This material is going to be used over the year for different jobs in the gardens (staking, whig wams, etc) and comes from ash maple (Acer negundo) and hazelnut (Corylus avellana). In the afternoon I move to the Pleasure Grounds for general leaf and twigs clearance.

Coppiced hazel

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Monday 14th November Foggy, turning brighter later. Some cold dampness is expected later this week. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: General tiding up by the POQ (the public entrance next to the car park). For the last part of the day, I cage together with Nigel the magnolia beds in the Pleasure Grounds. We use wire mesh, stretching it all the way around the four circular beds. This is done for protecting the plants from the pests. In the matter of fact, I become aware that we had problems last years with rabbit activity and damage. Observations: This morning in the garden I notice some very remarkable specimens of Lobelia tupa and Escallonia bifida. In the evening I focus on Escallonia bifida, (commonly known as White Escallonia or Cloven Gum Box), which attracted my attention due its fragrant leaves. This is a bushy, upright, evergreen shrub with glossy, oval to spoon-shaped, dark green leaves and, in late summer and autumn, panicles of white, tubular flowers with spreading petals. Its synonymous name, E. montevidensis, gives a clue to its origin in South America and it was awarded the prestigious Royal Horticultural Society’s “Award of Garden” in 1915. To best thrive it needs a full sunlight position, and to be protected from cold winds. Often used as hedging or screening, it can also be grown up a wall or trellis, or in flowerbeds or borders. Although it is frost tender, it’s relatively simple to grow and as long as sheltered, requires little on-going care. Being from South America, dry weather does not worry them. There are more than 50 varieties of Escallonia grown, although some are harder to find than others. “Hedge with an Edge” is a low-growing, pink-flowered shrub, ideal for bordering paths. This is also sold under the name Escallonia “Pink Pixie”. The range of Escallonia with the first part of the name “Donard” is also an intersting choice. All these are pink flowering and, as with all Escallonia, are evergreen. They make an excellent clipped hedge or just a specimen accent plant. All the listed species and variety are suitable for coastal, cottage garden, flower borders and beds, hedging and screens or as a low maintenance or Mediterranean climate plant. This is indeed a good, useful plant. This evening I also start a private research on Taxus genus and its propagation, in order to write an essay for my father, who wants to propagate some yews for his garden via cuttings. This is a good opportunity for learning something about a very important plant for the Italian gardens and also for practicing my mother tongue!

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Escallonia bifida habit, leaves and bark

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Tuesday 15th November Bright but chilly. Dry. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Working with Nigel by the Entrance Lodge. We plant here some of the bulbs as well as plants in plugs, which remain from the main planting of the Terraces. In the afternoon we carry on and complete the border maintenance of the POQ area. Observations: I ask to Nigel about his favorite gardens. He admires Highgrove, the Prince of Wales garden in the Cotswolds, where things are done in an organic way. In the instance, sheep and cattle are used for “mowing” and sowing and seeding. Different breeds do the job in different ways. In these days I can admire Garrya elliptica in many private gardens. This is a species of flowering plant in the family Garryaceae, native to the coastal ranges of California and southern Oregon and is commonly known as coast silk-tassel, silk tassel bush or wavyleaf silktassel. It is an erect, bushy, evergreen shrub reaching a height of 2–5 meter. It has a multi-furcate branching structure yielding an almost spherical form. The height averages is 3 m in the wild. Like others of its genus, G. elliptica has opposite leaves with a tough leathery feel, glossy green on top, but paler and duller on the underside. The dioecious flowers are concentrated in inflorescences which cascade downward as aments of 4–6 cm in length. While it manifests separate male and female plants, the pendant malecatkins are much showier and are grey-green and up to 30 cm long; the female ones are shorter and silver-grey. Although the flowers bloom in late winter and early spring, dried bracts remain on the plant well into summer as light gray decorations. The unique characteristics of Garrya elliptica are its waxy convex leaves with wavy leaf margins, coupled with dense individual hairs on the leaf undersides that are scarcely distinguishable with a hand lens. Garrya elliptica is appealing as an ornamental plant with a neat growing habit, and is widely used for landscape purposes. It is a low-maintenance plant that thrives in a range of locations, but is typically seen growing against a wall, or as a windbreak in coastal areas. Cultivars include “Evie” and “James Roof”, which has catkins up to 30 cm in length.

Garrya eliptica

Garrya eliptica flower bud

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Wednesday 16th November Gloomy day but still mild and dry. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today we need to prepare some holes for bulb planting in the meadows around the house. Later on today, school classes have to stick the bulbs in these holes we are preparing. The bulbs supposed to go in are pale-yellow coloured, small native daffodils really good for landscaping purposes. We work quite hard in a team of four (Reese, Phil, Adrian and I). We use only spades, in the way of cutting and lifting segments of turf, pokets underneath which the bulbs will be planted. In the afternoon, I join Jannet for collection greeneries the forthcoming Christmas Fair. I have the opportuny to see for the first time the Pit House. This is an artificial pool at the top of a small hill in the woods between the Pleasure Grounds and the House lawns. It is all surrounded by a belt of native trees and shrubs and used to be the place where fishes where kept for the kitchen. Observations: Flicking through the Horticulture week an interesting focus about Stipa genus, which is described as a must-have garden design plant. Stipa is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the Poaceae family, subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae. Stipa are tufted, clump-forming grass species that are native to temperate and warm temperate regions of the world. Their leaves are linear, pleated, and rolled, and their flowers are feathery, bristly, or flattened. Many species are important forage crops. Several species such as Stipa brachytricha, S. arundinacea, S. splendens, S. calamagrostis, S. gigantea and S. pulchra are used as ornamental plants. One species, esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima), is used for crafts and extensively inpaper making.

Stipa tenuissima

Stipa gigantea

Stipa arundinacea

Stipa calamagrostis

(internet database)

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Thursday 17th November Bright, mild, dry. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Border maintenance and general horticultural maintenance of the Lower Terrace beds as well as the perennial borders just lower down. It’s mainly about cutting down herbaceous plants now gone over. The main, most time-consuming task is to reduce the foliage of Phormium tenax and also to cut off some of the last-year’s flowering stems. Observations: I can observe a large patch of weed in the perennial border. This is Aegopodium podagraria, the notoriously known Ground Elder (but also Herb Gerald, Bishop’s Weed, Goutweed and Snow-in.the-Mountain). This is a perennial plant in the carrot family (Apiaceae) that grows in shady places. The name “ground elder” comes from the superficial similarity of its leaves and flowers to those of elder (Sambucus), which is unrelated. It is the type species of the genus Aegopodium. This species is native to Eurasia, and has been introduced around the world as an ornamental plant, where it occasionally poses an ecological threat as an invasive exotic plant. Seed dispersal and seedling establishment is typically limited by shading, and new establishments from seed are restricted to disturbed areas. However, Aegopodium podagraria readily spreads over large areas of ground by underground rhizomes. Once established, the plants are highly competitive, also in shaded environments, and can reduce the diversity of ground cover, and prevent the establishment of tree and shrub seedlings. Because of its limited seed dispersal ability, short-livedseed bank and seedling recruitment, the primary vector for dispersal to new areas are human plantings as an ornamental, medicinal or vegetable plant, as well as by accidentally spreading rhizomes by dumping of garden waste. It spreads rapidly under favorable growing conditions. Nigel suggests an organic way of control which consists in planting garden bulbs where the weed is present. Then, by digging out from the ground the bulbs as well as the invasive rhizomes, try to gradually reduce the problem over the years. Noticing a new nice thistle: Echinops ritro, in the perennial border along the lower terraces. This is in the family Asteraceae, native to southern central and southeastern Europe, and western Asia. It is a compact, bushy herbaceous perennial thistle, growing to 60 cm tall, with broad prickly leaves and bearing globes of steel-blue flowers 2.5 cm - 4.5 cm in diameter, in late summer. The Flowers grow on silvery, brached, leafy stems. Echinops ritro and the E. ritro subsp. ruthenicus have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Phormium tenax

Echinops ritro

Aegopodium podagraria

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Friday 18th November Mild, bright, dry. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Mowing the Upper and Lower Terraces. I work in team with Phil, using two Hayter Harrier mowers, at level 4 to the ground. This is the cut-height suitable for the autumn and winter seasons (level 3 is for spring and summer). Observations: Phil used to work in a the golf course next to here. So we spend some time discussing about mowing the main differences and tools involved in mowing garden lawns and golf greens. While doing so, we notice the big lawn slitter of the contractors’ team in action in the main lawn next to the house. The tools which are used for changing a golf hole are pictured below and from left to right are: hole changing board, screwdriver for small position indicator flag, curved hole trimming scissors, hole puller, cup setter and hole changer. After the hole is removed with the hole puller, the new position for the hole is selected; the position should be free from pitchmarks and not near an old hole location. There are no strict guidelines for locating a hole, but it should be a reasonable distance from the edge of the green and not near any slopes. The board is then placed over the selected position, before the cutter is set on top of it and the blades knocked into the ground to a pre determined level so that the plug removed fits perfectly into the old hole and comes flush to the surface of the green. Once this has been done the hole is trimmed before the cup is inserted and pushed in with the setter to ensure it is the regulation 1 inch below the surface. Then the positional flag is located to show the flag location on the green from a distance and the job is done. Setting hole positions varies according to the time of year and type of competition being played; over summer various positions are rotated and depending on which competition is coming up and whether a certain position is being “saved” for a particular event. Positions are rotated to ensure previous locations are rested and allowed to recover. Attention is also payd ensure that we have a balance of positions over the course as a whole; a balance of difficulty of positions as well as variety of locations, i.e. left/right, front/back. Winter golf is a little different, where different areas of greens are used from the summer, in order to allow them to recover where possible. In bad weather, it is also a good practice to favour using the front of the greens for hole locations so as to have less traffic and wear on the main part of the green.

Lawn slitter

Tools for changing a golf hole (internet database)

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Monday 21st November Foggy and moist but still not cold. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Hedge trimming in the Gardeners’ Yard and also in the Pleasure Grounds borders. I work in team with Reese. We look after the trimming of brad-leaved shrubs, such as bay (Laurus nobilis), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), New Zealand broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis). Because of the type of foliage, we don’t use hedge trimmers. We use use secateurs and loppers, which will allow us to achieve a better, tider effect.

Prunus laurocerasus

Griselinia littoralis Observations: Scattered in the borders are stems of Lilium tigrinum “Splendens”. These are a legacy from one of the previous head gardener. Clematis vitalba (the commonly known Old Man’s Beard) is also present in the East-facing border of the Pleasure Grounds, climbing over the wall of the kitchen garden. This is a native, invasive climber thriving in chalky soils. Clematis vitalba is a perennial, deciduous, woody vine. The compound leaves are in groups of five, sometimes displaying coarse serrations. It blooms in late summer, producing small white flowers. The flowers and seed heads make clematis easily identifiable at this time of the year. The seed heads remain visible through the winter. Clematis invades moist forests, especially along river banks and near urban areas. A vine that grows up to 100 ft. long, it can climb and smother tall trees by cutting off the light they need for photosynthesis. Clematis in trees will die if the vines are cut near the base of the tree and the roots are removed. Dispose of the plants where they will not be able to re-establish themselves and do not cultivate any clematis unless sure it is a non-invasive variety. Pull or dig clematis plants out by the roots. In the United States Clematis vitalba is a major weed. Aaron Duzik of the Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District was recently awarded a grant to treat clematis. The result of some of this work in the dead vines is apparently noticible in trees along Highway 101 to the north of the bridge in Yachats. Clematis has also invaded the coastal forest near Devil’s Churn in the Cape Perpetua scenic area.

Clematis vitalba (Old Man’s Beard) plant and seed head

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Tuesday 22nd November Foggy but still bright. Dry. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: General horticultural maintenance in the Pleasure Grounds borders. I focus on cropping down large patches of Hemerocallis cultivars. In the afternoon I fell down a medium-sized bay tree with Reese. For the last part of the day, I join Toby for my second ident-tour throughout the gardens. Our walk is about plants having winter interest.

Genus Species cv. / var. Family Common name Callicarpa bodinieri Lamiaceae Bodinier’s Beautyberry Danae racemosa Asparagaceae Alexandrian Laurel Ruscus aculeatus Asparagaceae Butchers Broom Ilex aquilofium Aquifoliaceae Holly Ilex verticillata Aquifoliaceae Winterberry Ilex perado subsp. perado Aquifoliaceae Madeiran Holly Ilex x koehneana Aquifoliaceae Koehne or Chestnut Holly Viburnum tinus Adoxaceae Laurustinus Liriope muscari Asparagaceae Lilytuft Arbutus unedo Ericaceae Killarney, Strawberry Tree Salvia bethellii “Hadspen” Lamiaceae Roseleaf Sage Salvia leucantha Lamiaceae Mexican Bush Sage Salvia splendens “Van-Houttei” Lamiaceae Scarlet Sage Salvia cacalifolia Lamiaceae Blue Vine Sage Escallonia resinosa Escalloniaceae Curry Scented Escallonia

Observations: Toby inspires me with his knowledge and litterily floods me with horticultural facts and information: the use of bracken (especially from Pteridium species) for overwinter tender plants and also as a mulch; the connection between red berries and wild life; the diversity of Mexican climate and flora and its importance for salvia species; salvia flowers always come double-lipped: the upper lip is erect and hooded, the lower one id double-toothed and more spread; the characteristic clump of berries as one of the key for identifying hollies; Magnolia as really ancient plants, pollinated by beetles. One of the facts that attract my attention is Toby’s mention on cladode plants, in reference of Ruscus aculeatus. In botany, cladode is a flattened organ arising from the stem of a plant. These often replace the leaves in photosynthetic function, as leaves in such plants are typically reduced to scales. Phylloclade is a type of cladode, a flattened stem that has limited extension growth and resembles a leaf. Of the cultivated examples, the tapeworm plant Muehlenbeckia platyclados (family Polygonaceae) has the most conspicuous leaves. The phyllocladous woody species of Phyllanthus (family Euphorbiaceae) are other, strikingly similar dicotyledonous examples. Among monocotyledons, several genera with cladodes are widely cultivated. Species of Asparagus generally have needle-like cladodes, although in some species of asparagus they can be flattened (like in Myrsiphyllum). The closely related family Ruscaceae (eight species), including Ruscus aculeatus (Butcher’s Broom), R. hypoglossum (Caesar’s Lurel) and Danae racemosa (Alexandrian Laurel) and Semele androgyna (Climbing Butcher’s Broom), has cladodes that appear to form flowrs on leaves but in reality have flowers produced from nodes. Finally, most genera of cladode-producing plants occur in the cactus family (Cactaceae).

Danae racemosa

Ruscus aculeatus

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Wednesday 23rd November Initially foggy, then brighter. Still dry. Temperatures: min 1°C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Pruning throughout the rhododendron beds. Alan gives me concise lowdown about how hard pruning is managed here for re-landscape the beds over the years. This is what he calls the five-year rhododendron pruning plan, where individual sections are basically undertaken over the years in order to open the views and also give light to the plants, while gradually reducing the height of the beds and giving them a good balance. Alan shows me what it was already done in the previous years and I can appreciate straight forward the result of a single-pruning instead than a multiple-pruning management. Observations: Hellebores are looking good in these days in the herbaceous borders. I can admire the beautiful Helleborus orientalis which is to me nicer than H. niger. In the evening I carry out some research on the genus and its species. As it is currently described, the genus Helleborus contains seventeen species of evergreen or herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. However, many subspecies and a few forms are recognized. As variation is the rule, two individuals of a species can be distinctly different in the color and size of the flower, as well as in the dissection and serration of the leaves. Most hellebores are native to mountainous regions of Europe, in open oak and beech woodlands, scrub, and meadows. These areas are characterized by limestone bedrock and calcareous, humus-rich soils. The center of distribution is the Balkan region of the former Yugoslavia, south along the eastern Adriatic to Greece and Turkey. One species, alone, is found far to the east in China. Hellebores are widely grown in gardens for decorative purposes. They are particularly valued by gardeners for their winter and early spring flowering period; the plants are surprisingly frost-resistant and many are evergreen.

Helleborus orientalis

In horticulture, two groups can be distinguished: caulent species (with leaves on their flowering stems) and acaulescent or stemless species (with basal leaves and no true leaves on their flower stalks). Caulent species are Helleborus argutifolius, H. foetidus, H. lividus and H. versicarius. Acaulescent species are H. atrorubens, H. croaticus, H. cyclophyllus, H. dumetorum, H. abbuzzicus, H. liguricus, H. boconei, H. multifidus (and subspecies), H. odorus, H. purpurascens, H. thibetanus, H. torquatus, H. viridis (Green Hellebore), H. niger (Christmas Rose or Black Hellebore) and H. orientalis (Lenten rose, Lenten Hellebore, Oriental Hellebore). Most of the Lenten Helleores in garden are now considered to be H. x hybridus. Hybridising (deliberate and accidental) between H. orientalis and several other closely related species and subspecies has vastly improved the colour-range of the flowers, which now extends from slate grey, near-black, deep purple and plum, through rich red and pinks to yellow, white and green.

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Thursday 24th November Chilly, bright, dry. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Hard pruning the native shrubs next the Pit House. We work in them of three (Phil, Reese and I). I use the secateurs and loppers for the broader-foliage plants (such as Prunus laurocerasus). I clear then the area by sticking all the cutting material on the tractor. This cutted, wooden material will be chipped in the next days in the compost area. Friday 25th November White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 4°C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.9 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is leaf collecting with Billy Goat vacuum throughout the Main Avenue. I also discuss for the first time with Jen about my personal project to establish and maintain an annual bed in the Walled Garden. I become aware about many key things, such as the need to order annuals from the catalogues, the difference in cultivation between hardy and half-hardy annuals, the possibility to use some perennials from Osborne nurseries or to receive some of plants in “plugs”. I see the previous plans of the trainees of the past years and their didactic panels which are kept in the stables. I also have a survey within the greenhouses to see which perennials can be suitable for my purpose. I will be givena rather large bed to layout and maintain, 16 by 21 meter. This bed is expected to be planted mainly with annuals and and its best throughout the summer. It is desirable to choose old-fashioned species and varieties, as the Walled Garden beds and borders are very connected with the history of Osborne House and both layout and planting was made in the respect of the original, historical schemes. I need to focus on a theme, and the first idea of mine is about “Plants named after the Victorians”.

Plants named after the Victorians, the first idea for the annuals bed in the Walled Garden.

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Monday 28th November Grey cloud, showery. Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.6 mls. Practical: Working with Jen in the greenhouses. We clear the Iron House from many indoor plants of the latest display. We trow away many (inexpensive) indoor plants, such as Dracaena marginata, Chlorophytum comosum “Variegatum”, Spathiphyllum “Chopin” (Peace Lily), Chamaedorea elegans, Aloe striata and Codiaeum variegatum (Garden Croton). Some intresting plants I can notice here this morning are: Lamphrantus (syn. Delosperma cooperi, Mesembryanthemum cooperi), Helichrysum petiolare (displayed in pots with Brugmansia) and Tradescantia pallida. Observations: While weelbarrowing to the compost heap several indoor plants, I wonder if there is among them some able to puriy air for my bedroom in West-Cowes. I got interest in these days on air-filtering plants, after having bought B.C. Wolverton’s book “How to Grow Fresh Air”. This research was designed to create a breathable environment for a NASA lunar habitat, and scientist Wolverton discovered that houseplants are the best filters of common pollutants such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. Hundreds of these poisonous chemicals can be released by furniture, carpets, and building material, and then trapped by closed ventilation systems, leading to the host of respiratory and allergic reactions now called Sick Building Syndrome. The book lists 50 plants as accessible and trouble-free as the tulip and the Boston fern, and includes many beautiful but commonly found varieties not generally thought of as indoor plants. Each plant is also rated for its effectiveness in removing pollutants, and its ease of growth and maintenance. Genus and species Family Common Genus and species Family Common Chrysalidocarpus lutescens Arecaceae Areca Palm Philodendron

oxycardium Araceae Heart-Leaf

Philodendron Rhapis excelsa Arecaceae Lady Palm Sanseveria trifasciata Agavaceae Snake Plant Chamaedorea seifrizii Arecaceae Bamboo Palm Dieffenbachia camilla Araceae Dumb Cane Ficus robusta Moraceae Rubber Plant Philodendron

domesticum Araceae Elephant Ear

Philodendron Dracaena deremensis “Janet Craig”

Agavaceae Dracaena “Janet Craig”

Araucaria heterophylla Pinaceae Norfolk Island Pine

Heldera helix Araliaceae Ivy Homalomena wallisii Araceae King of Hearts Phoenix roebelenii Aracaceae Dwarf Date

Palm Maranta leuconeura

“Kerchoveana” Marantaceae Prayer Plant

Ficus macleilandii “Alii” Moraceae Ficus “Alii” Musa cavendishii Musaceae Dwarf Banana Nephrolepis exaltata “Bostoniensis”

Polypodiaceae Boston Fern Schlumbergera bridgesii Cactaceae Christmas Cactus

Spathiphyllum sp. Araceae Peace Lily Cissus rhobifolia “Ellen Danika”

Vitaceae Oakleaf Ivy

Dracaena fragrans “Massangeana”

Agavaceae Corn Plant Liriope spicata Liliaceae Lily Turf

Epipremnum aureum Araceae Golden Photos

Dendrobium sp. Orchideaceae Dendrobium Orchid

Nephrolepis obliterata Polypodiaceae Kimberly Queen

Chlorophytum comosum “Vittatum”

Liliaceae Spider Plant

Chrysamthemum morifolium Compositae Florist’s Mum

Aglaonema crispum “Silver Queen”

Araceae Chinese Evergreen

Gerbera jamesonii Compositae Gerbera Daisy

Anthurium andraeanum Araceae Anthurium

Dracaena deremensis “Warneckei”

Agavaceae Dracaena “Warneckei”

Codiaeum variegatum pictum

Euphorbiaceae Croton

Dracaena marginata Agavaceae Dragon Tree Euphorbia pulcherrima Euphorbiaceae Poinsettia Philodendron erubescens Araceae Red Emerald

Philodendron Rhododendron simsii

“Compacta” Ericaceae Dwarf Azalea

Syngonium podophyllum Araceae Syngonium Calathea makoyana Marantaceae Peacock Plant Dieffenbachia “Exotica Compacta”

Araceae Dumb Cane Aloe barbadensis Liliaceae Aloe Vera

Chamaedorea elegans Arecaceae Parlor Palm Cyclamen persicum Primulaceae Cyclamen Ficus benjamina Moraceae Weeping Fig Aechmea fasciata Bromeliaceae Urn Plant Brassaia actinophylla Araliaceae Schefflera Tulipa gesneriana Liliaceae Tulip Begonia semperflorens Begoniaceae Wax Begonia Phalenopsis sp. Orchideaceae Moth Orchid Philodendron selloum Araceae Lacy Tree

Philodendron Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Crassulaceae Kalanchoe

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Dracaena marginata

Chlorophytum comosum

Spathiphyllum “Chopin”

Aloe striata

Chamaedorea elegans

Codiaeum variegatum

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Tuesday 29th November Windy, a bit cloudy. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 6.0 mls. Practical: Making a bonfire with Reese in the Compost Area. We need to burn non-compostable material, such as magnolia and cordyline leaves, some rotted timber and other plant material which has been possibly contaminated by pests and diseases. I have a go with the John Deere tractor with frontloader attached. Wednesday 30th November Rainy, white cloud. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 7.2 mls. Practical: First part of the morning is spent with Jen potting up cuttings of Cupressus funebris. I can appreciate how some of them took nicely in since September 2010, when were cut. Other cuttings still present the callous, which means they are not ready for potting up yet, but can be successful though. Unfortunately a good percentace of the cutting material has been rotted. We spend the last part of the morning tiding up the potting shed and preparing everything for the flowering arrangement course which will take place tomorrow here. Second part of the morning is with Reese, clearing the compost area and also baking some jacked potatoes under the ashes of the bonfire we did the day before. In the afternoon I work in the Pleasure Grounds, always in team with Reese. We dig out a mature Magnolia stellata specimen, by using spades, mattock and shawels. Observations: In the borders I can notice some interesting plants, such as Hamamelis x intermedia, Sisyrinchium and Eryngium species as well as Campsis radicans (the hardy Bignonia). Witch hazels in particular look fantastic this time of the year. Hamamelis × intermedia (hybrid witch hazel) is a species of flowering plant in the familyHamamelidaceae. It is a hybrid of garden origin between H. japonica and H. mollis. Its Latin name refers to its intermediate appearance between those two species. This is a deciduous shrub growing to 4 m tall and wide, with zig-zagging stems and alternate, simple leaves 15 cm long, which turn yellow in autumn. The yellow, orange or red flowers with twisted petals appear on bare stems in midwinter through early spring. Numerous cultivars have been developed, many of them prized as garden subjects. The following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: “Angelity”, “Arnold Promise”, “Barmstedt Gold”, “Diane”, “Jelena” and “Pallida” (which is probably one of the most remarkable). Hamamelis virginiana is the one which flowers in autumn rather than in winter.

Hamamelis x intermedia

Hamamelis x intermedia flower buds

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December Thursday 1st December White cloud, then heavy rainy. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 6.1 mls. Practical: The day starts with the whole garden team in the visitor carpark testing the new-entry of our machinery park, a second-hand Manitou MLA628. It has instantly renamed the “Big Red”, for a rather obvious reason. After testing it, the gardeners’ team is back to their regular work and I join Reese in the Pleasure Grounds border for finishing the digging out of the now unwanted magnolia tree. Also I carry out some pruning of a Prunus laurocerasus hedge by using loppers and secateurs. We have to stop before half four because of the pouring rain in the last part of the afternoon. Thus, I join Jen in the nurseries and do some general clearing and tidying up. Observations: Manitou MLA628 is a telehandler with powershifht telescopic forklift system. It has been purchased for been used in the compost area and turning the compost. In the long term, this will allow us to save a great deal of money from the hiring of heavy machinery and also contractors. Toby expects to amortise the investiment in about three years. A telescopic handler, or telehandler, is a machine widely used in agriculture and industry. It is similar in appearance and function to a forklift but is more a crane than forklift, with the increased versatility of a single telescopic boom that can extend forwards and upwards from the vehicle. On the end of the boom the operator can fit one of several attachments, such as a bucket, pallet forks, muck grab, or winch. In agriculture the most common attachment for a tele-handler is a bucket or bucket grab, the most common application being to move loads to and from places unreachable for a “conventional machine” which in this case is a wheeled loader or backhoe loadal. For example, telehandlers have the ability to reach directly into a high-sided trailer or hopper. The latter application would otherwise require a loading ramp, conveyor, or similar. The advantage of the telehandler is also its biggest limitation: as the boom extends or raises while bearing a load, it acts as a lever and causes the vehicle to become increasingly unstable, despite counterweights in the rear. This means that the lifting capacity quickly decreases as the working radius (distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load) increases.

Manitou MLA628, the “Big Red”

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Friday 2nd December Overcast, dry. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 12.2 mls. Practical: The first part of the morning is spent finishing the trimming of the Prunus laurocerasus. Meanwhile in the Potting Shed a course of wreath making is taking place. In the afternoon I am back to the Pleasure Grounds for trimming the Prunus laurocerasus. Observations: After several days working on Punus laurocerasus, tonight I decide it’s the time to investigate the genus a bit deeper. Prunus laurocerasus, also known as cherry laurel, common laurel and sometimes English laurel in North America, is an evergreen species of cherry (Prunus), native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia and southeastern Europe, from Albania and Bulgaria east throughTurkey to the Caucasus Mountains and northern Iran. The common names of P. laurocerasus refer to the similarity of foliage and appearance to bay laurel (Laurus nobilis, the true laurel, in the Lauraceae family), and like the bay laurel, Prunus laurocerasus was used for making laurel wreaths, but the two plants are unrelated. It is not to be confused with its American relative Prunus caroliniana, which is also called cherry laurel. Prunus laurocerasus is an evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree, growing to 5 to 15 metres tall, rarely to 18 metres, with a trunk up to 60cm broad. The leaves are dark green, leathery, shiny, with a finely serrated margin. The leaves can have the scent of almonds when crushed. The flower buds appear in early spring and open in early summer in erect racemes of 30–40 flowers, each flower 1cm across, with five creamy-white petals and numerous yellowish stamens. The fruit is a small cherry 1–2cm broad, turning black when ripe in early autumn. Prunus laurocerasus is a widely cultivated ornamental plant, used for planting in gardens and parks in temperate regions worldwide. It is often used for hedges, as a screening plant, and as a massedlandscape plant. Most cultivars are tough shrubs that can cope with difficult growing conditions, including shaded and dry conditions, and which respond well to pruning. Over 40 cultivars have been selected, including “Aureovariegata” (variegated, leaves with a yellow margin), “Magnifolia” (vigorous, with great leaves up to 30-cm wide and 11-cm broad), “Otto Luyken” (named after Otto Luyken, half-dwarf, with small leaves 10-cm wide and 2–3-cm broad) and “Zabeliana” (selected for winter cold tolerance). The cultivar “Otto Luyken” has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Prunus laurocerasus flowers and fruits

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Monday 5th December White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Down to the Compost Area making another bonfire with Reese. Unfortunately this time isn’t as windy as the time before, so we have to use backpack blowers and nevertheless the result is not the same. Observations: I get interest in identifying conifers. Conifer is a Latin word, a compound word of conus and ferre (to bear), meaning the one that bears (a) cone(s). The conifers are in the division Pinophyta, also known as division Coniferophyta or Coniferae. They all are gymnosperms, cone-bearing seed plants with vascular tissue. All extant conifers are woody plants, the great majority being trees with just a few being shrubs. The division Pinophyta contains approximately eight families, 68 genera, and 630 living species. The conifers are an ancient group, with a fossil record extending back about 300 million years to the Paleozoic in the late Carboniferous period. Even many of the modern genera are recognizable from fossils 60–120 million years old. Although the total number of species is relatively small, conifers are of immense ecological importance. They are the dominant plants over huge areas of land, most notably the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere, but also in similar cool climates in mountains further south. Boreal conifers have many wintertime adaptations. The narrow conical shape of northern conifers, and their downward-drooping limbs help them shed snow. Many of them seasonally alter their biochemistry to make them more resistant to freezing, called “hardening”.

Phylogeny of the Pinophyta, based on genetic analysis by Farjon (2003), Quinn & Price (2003) and Price (2003)

(internet database)

While tropical rainforests have morebiodiversity and turnover, the immense conifer forests of the world represent the largest terrestrialcarbon sink, i.e. where carbon from atmospheric CO2 is bound as organic compounds. Conifers are also of great economic value, primarily for timber and paper production. The wood of conifers is known as softwood.

Genus Family Key Features Abies Pinaceae Single needles to the branches

Needles generally blunt and medium length Mature cones upright, disintegrating when ripe Twigs are smooth and fairly thick

Picea Pinaceae Single needles to the branches Needles are generally sharp and short (no handshake!) Mature cones pendulous, staying intact when ripe Twigs are rough with little pegs (pulvini) and fairly thin

Pinus Pinaceae Needles are bundled (fascicles) Spiral growth of branches, needles and cones

Cedrus Pinaceae Needles in densely clustered in spiral Pseutotsuga Pinaceae Needles often blunt, soft, medium (2-4 cm)

Mature cones pendulous; long bracts Twigs are fairly smooth and thin

Tsuga Pinaceae Needles often blunt, soft, medium (1-2 cm) Mature cones pendulous and small Twigs are fairly smooth and slender

Taxus Taxaceae Needles flat, dark green, medium (1-4 cm) Juniper Cupressaceae Scale-like needles

Fleshy seed cone Cupressus Cupressaceae Metasequoia Cupressaceae Chamaecyparis Cupressaceae Scale-like needles Ginkgo Ginkgoaceae

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Tuesday 6th December Bright and dry. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 8 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record of the temperature in the greenhouses and also rainfalls. Then I go collecting cuttings and greeneries for winter wreath making with Jen. We gather several parts of pine (Pinus nigra), yew (Taxus baccata), fir (Abies fraseri), holly (Ilex aquifolium) and viburnum (Viburnum cultivar). In the last part of the morning up to last tea break, I mark with sand the patches in my annual bed. I try to experiment two different ideas, the first being based on plain squares, the other on the V&A logo. Jen makes an interesting suggestion about the way to fill a squared small bed only by using two plants (of the same height). They can effectively combined together by mixing them in the center and then gradually separate them by displaying individually at the opposite edges. In the afternoon I rake up leaves and also spread well-rotted garden compost throughout the perennial borders of the Pleasure Grounds.

Marking with sand the plots in the annuals bed

The sketch of the second concept for my annual bed: theme is now about colour temperatures

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Wednesday 7th December Mild, bright day with some clouds at midday. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 1.1 mls. Practical: Carrying on covering with new compost the herbaceous borders in the Pleasure Grounds. We work in team of three (Reese, Alan and I), using the tractor and trailer, wheelbarrows, shavels and rakes. A good composting is vitally important for these borders and make a difference already in terms of presentation and aestethic. The borders between the Gardeners’ Yard and the Pleasure Grounds are hedged with Aucuba japonica (Spotted Laurel). This is a very good plant, useful for damp partial to deep shade. It is also valued for its ability to thrive in the most difficult of garden environments, dry shade. It will copes with pollution and salt-laden coastal winds. It is often seen as an informal hedge, but may also be grown indoors as a houseplant. Aucuba japonica is a very popular plant since the 19th century, when became widely cultivated as the “gold plant”. In the borders I can also notice a beautiful specimen of Ribes sanguineum and an unusual, very large-leaved Hydrangea.

Aucuba japonica

Observations: I get interest in firs after having collected several samples for the winter wreath making of yesterday. There is confusion in their identification, as they are quite similar to spruce (Picea) and pine (Pinus) tree. Some of the most popular choices for Christmas trees belong to the fir genus (Abies). The most common fir trees used are the balsam fir, Fraser fir, noble fir and Nordmann fir. The fir trees can be identified by the place where the needle attaches to the branch, which looks like a suction cup. The soft needles are attached to what looks like a suction cup on the branch. Unlike the pulvini of the spruce trees, they detach cleanly from the branch without leaving a peg behind. The needles also aren't formed into fascicles like the pine trees. The fir tree cones are also softer than other coniferous trees and come apart at the end of the season to spread their seeds. They also grow upwards instead of hanging down. As happens with common names sometimes, the name Douglas fir is a misnomer. The genus for that tree is Pseudotsuga, which translates out to fake (Pseudo) hemlock (Tsuga), meaning that this tree is not a true fir. In the vening I focus my attention on twelve species of fir trees to investigate a bit deeper.

Botanical Name Common Name Native USDA Zones Tall

Abies balsamea Balsam Fir North America 3-8 40-90 Abies fraseri Fraser Fir Eastern United States 4-7 30-60 Abies grandis Grand Fir Northern California and

the Pacific Northwest to 6 100-300

Abies spectabilis Himalayan Fir Afghanistan, India, China, Nepal

7-9 to 100

Abies koreana Korean Fir South Korea 5-7 15-30 Abies procera Noble Fir West Oregon, Washington,

California 5-8 to 240

Abies nordmanniana Nordmann Fir Caucasus 4-6 40-100 Abies magnifica Red Fir Southwest California and

Oregon 6-8 to 200

Abies alba Silver Fir Southern and central Europe

4-8 130-200

Abies pinsapo Spanish Fir Spain and Morocco 6-8 25-100 Abies lasiocarpa Rocky

Mountain Fir Western North America 5-8 60-100

Abies concolor Concolor Fir Western North America 3-7 30-80

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Thursday 8th December Windy, white clouds. Few showers. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I clearing the floor underneath a Magnolia grandiflora in the Pleasure Grounds and also pick up the leaves throughout lawns and paths. In the afternoon we compost the beds and borders in team of three. I also tidy up with secateurs and loppers the overgrown bed next to the yard-entrance. Last part of the working day I join Jen who needs some help in clearing the Iron House from the previous display. By using a tall ladder, we move many pot off the shelves but the job needs to be completed tomorrow. Observations: While clearing the Iron House in the afternoon, I notice a new, interesting plant. This is Plectranthus verticillatus. It is commonly known as Swedish ivy, Swedish Begonia or Whorled Plectranthus and is in the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae). The plant has glossy, green, round leaves, which show a deep purple color in the center sometimes. This deep purple can also be found on the plant stems and on the underside of leaves. The upright racemes appear white, pale violet or pale pink and can sprout sporadically throughout the year. Plectranthus verticillatus is a tender, robust plant doing well in indirect sunlight, mostly cultivated as hanging house plant. In frost-free areas it is also found as groundcover in gardens or sprouting down walls. It can break hard-landscape lines nicely. It likes to stay moist and it also responds well to pruning. It can easily be rooted with cuttings and its vulnerability is low; but a weak plant can be infested with spider mite. The name Swedish ivy is deceptive: The plant is not thigmotropic (meaning it does not cling to walls with the roots when it grows) and it is not closely related to the genus of Ivy (Hedera). It’s not even from Sweden as is actually native to southern Africa where it occurs in the Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, the Northern Provinces and southern Mozambique.

It is found naturalized in El Salvador, Honduras, the Leeward Islands, the Venezuela Antilles, the Windward Islands, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Hawaii as well as south-east Queensland and coastal areas of New South Wales in Australia.

Plectranthus verticillatus

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Friday 9th December Overcast, rainy. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 6.2 mls. Practical: Finishing clearing the Iron house from the previous display with Jen. We throw away specimens of Bidens ferulifolia and Discia species. We keep and cut down Pelargonium cultivars and species, as well as Oxalis triangularis “Atropurpurea” and Euryops pectinatus. Observations: Oxalis triangularis “Atropurpurea” is a good indoor plant indeed. It is highly popular as a pot plant and known as Love Plant and Purple Shamrock. This is a variety of Oxalis which is the Oxalidaceae family. The full botanical name is Oxalis triangularis subsp. papilionacea “Atropurpurea”. Blooms normally display as a colour very similar to electric lavender. When mature, blooms are roughly 0.8 cm in diameter.The mature flowers take a Single form, with an approximate petal count of 5. Leaves usually appear in palatinate purple and dark magenta colour. This variety is an ornamental that typically grows as an annual or short-lived perennial. It requires bright or direct sunlight supplemented with a cool indoor temperature of ~15 degrees celsius. It can tolerate higher indoor temperatures but will go into dormancy prematurely and/or begin to take on a “tired” appearance if temperatures go above 27 degrees celsius for prolonged periods of time. Use average potting soil with good drainage and allow the surface soil to dry out between waterings. Mature plants are cut back to the soil every 3–5 years in early summer or during the dormancy period. Young plants are cut back to the soil every year in early summer or during the dormancy period, until they reach maturity. Oxalis triangularis “Atropurpurea” grows from bulbs, and its propagation is done by division of the bulbs. Like other bulbs, the oxalis go through dormancy periods on a regular basis; at the end of such period, the bulbs can be unearthed, sidebulbs cut and replanted in appropriate soil, where they will grow into new plants. The leaves of Oxalis triangularis move in response to light levels, opening in high ambient light (in the day) and closing at low light levels (at night). This movement is not due togrowth and is instead powered by changes in turgor pressure in cells at the base of the leaf. It is an example of photonasty.

Oxalis triangularis “Atropurpurea”

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Monday 12th December Bright, mild day. Few showers. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 10.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is record the temperatures and rainfall. Then I carry on the clearing the Iron House. I cut down Pelargonium cultivars and Aloe arborescens. A new plant I notice today here is Anigozanthos flavii (commonly known as Kangoroo Paw). After lunch I speak with Toby about my personal project for the annual bed. My first idea is not realistic, I need to go back to the drawing board and change the original plan. As usual, Toby gives me many interesting suggestions, which follows:

� Different sizes are to considerer when aiming to a correct balance of the border: the more the group of plants is height, the more must be also wide.

� Being aware about the very variable heights of Tagetes species and variety present rather variable heights: it’s important to be aware of that, when using them in the border.

� Meconopsis are not suitable for the climate of the Isle of Wight; they thrive in damp, rainy conditions, in the instance Scotland presents a good climate for cultivating mecanopsis species and cultivars.

� Lewisia is also a not suitable genus for my bed; it performs better in the rock garden, above all hanged vertically on dry walls or crevices.

� Then I tip on hot and cold (or pastel-shade) colours; the formers look better in brighter countries, the latter in nordic coutries and landscapes.

� Echinops species are quite attractive thistles, but unfortunately perennial, so unsuitable for my bed. � Myosotis are also not suitable for my display; like most of primulas they flower in springtime and not in

summer, as expected for my bed. For the last part of the day I join the guys in the Pleasure Grounds for some border maintenance and mulching with well-rotted garden compost. Observations: In the evening I spend some time researching information on Anigozanthos flavii, which really attracted my attention in the morning. Anigozanthos flavidus is a species of plant found in Southwest Australia. It is member of the Haemodoraceae family. It is commonly known as the tall, yellow, or evergreen, kangaroo paw. The specific epithet, flavidus, refers to the yellow flowers of this plant. A member of the genus Anigozanthus that has an evergreen clump of strap-like leaves, up to 1 metre long and 0.2 m wide, growing from an underground rhizome around 0.5 m in diameter. The rhizome allows the species to regenerate after drought or fire. Each plant may produce over 350 flowers, on up to 10 long stems, these appear during the summer of the region. Pollen is distributed by birds as they plunge into the flowers to reach the nectaries. Flowers are frequently yellow and green, but may present in shades of red, pink, orange, or brown. It is found along roadsides, along creeks, and in forests and swamps, and other unshaded winterwet habitat. Anigozanthos flavidus hybridises with other members of the genus, and is used in the development of cultivars. It is a hardy plant, tolerant of a wide range of soil types and condition, which may live for around 30 years in a garden. It is a striking and easily-grown perennial for frost-free or nearly frost-free climates, and some of its artificial hybrids provide good cut-flowers. The species is particularly suited to cultivation due to its natural resistance to disease and insect attack. It is propagated from seed or sections of the rhizome.

Anigozanthos flavidus

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Tuesday 13th December Very unpredictable weather. Gusty winds and heavy rain last night. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 48 mls. Practical: Border maintenance with Nigel by the herbaceous borders next the POQ. It’s mainly about raking, spot weeding, leaf clearance and hoeing. We use extensively border forks and spades, secateurs, rakes (both landscape-type and fan-shaped), Dutch hoes, buckets and whellbarrows. We load all the rubbish on the trailer, in order to untip it in the Compost Area later. Observations: I see a group of volunteers in the messroom trying to identify a sample from the garden of one of them. This sample presents quite attractive foliage and allegedely comes from an herbaceous, medium-sized shrub. After many attempts, we find out this is Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon”, a beautiful foliage perennial in the Polygoneaceae family. Pointy heart-shaped leaves are medium green with a silvery V-shaped marking, and a bronze centre. Plants are mounding, bearing sprays of tiny white flowers in late summer. An excellent foliage plant in the border, and especially good in tubs or mixed containers. The gorgeous bronze to plum shades of the leaves blends well with nearly anything. In cold winter climates this plant is well worth growing as a foliage accent, treating it as an annual or wintering indoors in pots.

Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon”

Wednesday 14th December White cloud with sunny spells. Drizzly. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 7 °C. Rainfalls: 6 mls. Practical: Carrying on the border maintenance with Nigel. We rake up leaves and do some border maintenance by the herbaceous border by the POQ first and then under the lower terrace. We also cut down Phormium leaves. While doing the job, I have a chat about Nigel about the difference in between the words twigs, branches and limbs in the English language. It’s impressive to notice how this language can be specific and that there are words for everything. No wonder English is recognised as the language with most words! Observations: I notice Euonymus europaeus (Spindle Berry) by the private service road. It bears now berries and gives some interest to the woodland border. This is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the family Celastraceae, native to much of Europe, where it inhabits the edges of forest, hedges and gentle slopes, tending to thrive on nutrient-rich, chalky and salt-poor soils.

Euonymus europaeus

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Thursday 15th December Quite nippy, but bright. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 7 °C. Rainfalls: 3.4 mls. Practical: In the morning I stay in the messroom, redesigning my annual bed plan and try to focus on hardy or half-hardy annuals from the catalogues. In the afternoon, I’m back to the work in the Terraces, helping Nigel picking up Cordyline australis leaves from the floor and edging the beds. Cordyline australis has a very long tradition in Victorian gardens but recently has become a choice and popular plant for coastal and city planting too, thanks to its exotic, palm-like appearance. Young plants are often used in bedding and container displays. Tender species make good house or conservatory plants. Cordylines are woody-stemmed, evergreen shrubs grown for their attractive foliage in shades of green, bronze, purple. They naturally and gradually loose the older leaves giving the plants palm-like appearance. Cordyline australis is not fully hardy, but more mature specimens usually survive winter outdoors in milder regions or urban areas. However, it is advisable to plant it in a sunny, sheltered position and fertile well-drained soil.

Cordyline australis

The definitive annual bed plan, theme on “Colours Temperatures”

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Definitive plant list of the annual bed in the Walled Garden (west block)

Cold Border Warm Border

Botanical Name Family Botanical Name Family

Cineraria maritima “Cyrrus” Asteraceae Salvia coccinea Lamiaceae Limonium sinuatum Plumbaginaceae Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity” Asteraceae Ageratum houstoniuanum “Blue Mink” Asteraceae Coreopsis basalis “Golden Crown” Asteraceae Cerinthe majus purpurascens Boraginaceae Mina lobata Convolvulaceae Linum usitatissimum Linaceae Helianthus annuus “Autumn Time” Asteraceae Agrostis nebulosa Poaceae Rudbeckia hirta “Prairie Sun” Asteraceae Ammi majus Apiaceae Tropaeolum majus “Alaska” (mix) Tropaeolaceae Ipomea tricolor “Heavenly Blue” Convolvulaceae Antirrhinum nanum “Peaches & Cream” Plantaginaceae Centaurea cyanus “Blue Ball” Asteraceae Capsicum annuum “Medusa” Solanaceae Centaurea cyanus “Black Ball” Asteraceae Lathyrus odorosus “America” Fabaceae Schizopetalon walkeri Brassicaceae Celosia cristata Amaranthaceae Lagurus ovatus Poaceae Agrostemma githago Caryophyllaceae Verbena bonariensis Verbenaceae Carthamus tinctorius Asteraceae Nicotiana alata “Lime Green” Solanaceae Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” Nyctaginaceae Brugmansia knightii Solanaceae Cosmos bipinnatus “Pied Piper Red” Lathyrus Scabiosa atropurpurea “Chat Noir” Dipsacaceae Canna indica Cannaceae Alyssum maritimum “Carpet of Snow” Brassicaceae Amaranthus caudatus Amaranthaceae Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple” Euphorbiaceae Cosmos bipinnatus “Gloria” Asteraceae Delphinum consolida “Moody Blues” Ranunculaceae Tropaeolum peregrinum Tropaeolaceae Salvia farinacea “Reference” Lamiaceae Clarkia elegans “Apple Blossom” Onagraceae Panicum elegans “Frosted Explosion” Poaceae Tithonia rotundifolia “Fiesta del Sol” Asteraceae Nigella damaescena “Miss Jekyll” Ranunculaceae Cleome spinosa (Mix) Cleomaceae Gypsophila elegans “Covent Garden” Caryophillaceae Antirrhinum majus “Monarch” (Mix) Plantaginaceae Helianthus annuus “Italian White” Asteraceae Amaranthus “Tricolor Splendens Perfecta” Amaranthaceae Helianthus annuus “Chianti” Asteraceae Allium schoenoprasum Amaryllidaceae Moluccella laevis Lamiaceae Tropaeolum majus “Salmon Baby” Tropaeolaceae Ageratum houstonianum “Dondo White” Asteraceae Gazania rigens “Red Stripes” Asteraceae Ageratum houstonianum “Blue Horizon” Asteraceae Tagetes tenuifolia “Lemon Gem” Asteraceae Ocimum basilicum “Purple” Lamiaceae Tagetes patula “Solan” Asteraceae Pennisetum glaucum “Purple Majesty” Poaceae Silene colorata “Pink Pirouette” Caryophyllaceae Convolvulus cneorum Convolvulaceae Capsicum annuum “Black Pearl” Solanaceae Brachycome iberidifolia “Brachy Blue” Asteraceae Beta vulgaris “Charlotte” Amaranthaceae

Please see also appendix: Walled Garden Annual Bed (West Block). Friday 16th December Bright and dry. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 8 °C. Rainfalls: 24.0 mls. Practical: Today is a special day because is the last day with the whole team present before the break-up for the Christmas holidays. We finishe earlier and enjoy Phil-delivered fish and chips in the messroom before to go to the pub for few beers. During the half-working day, I am busy with some leaf clearance down to the Main Avenue. I work in team with Nigel and Reese. We use vaccum cleaner, wheeled blower, tractor and trailer.

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Monday 19th December Overcast, showery. Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 1 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I work in the Walled Garden, cutting down to ground level the previous-year Ricinus communis, which is now going over. The morning spent in the Walled Garden is also an opportunity for discussing with Jen about the layout and plants’ selection for my annual bed. In the afternoon I finish the leaf clearance in the lawns and paths of the Pleasure Grounds. Observations: The plant of the day is certenly Leonotis nepetifolia. , the so-called Lion’s Tail Plant. This is displayed in the south-facing border of the Walled Garden and is a perennial orange flowering plant, unfortunately not suitable for my bedding because it flowers too late in the season. Leonotis nepetifolia is a dramatic, easy-to-grow plant that grabs attention in every garden. This is one of my favorite bizarre flowers. The exotic, round flower clusters are 2-3 inches across, and stack themselves every 8-12 inches along tall stems, giving the appearance of an “alien car antenna”, according with one of ours volunteers. The plant grows quickly to about 6 to 8 feet tall if left unpruned. This is a terrific background or accent plant, adding a bold splash of color anywhere you need it. The rich orange flower tubes that emerge are furry, which of course explains the common name. The heart-shaped leaves resemble those of catnip, hence the species name nepetifolia. Lion's Tail is very easy to grow. It's an evergreen perennial if protected from frost (zones 9-10). In colder areas, you can grow it in a pot and bring it indoors over the winter. Or just grow it as an annual each spring, saving the seed in the winter. It prefers full sun to a half-day of sun. It's drought-tolerant once established, although it looks best with occasional watering and feeding. It can bloom throughout the year in mild-winter areas. Apparently, in Africa, where it originates, the flowers are smoked for a mild euphoric effect. Also the dried foliage has psychoactive properties and is used as a legal substitute for marijuana. They are mildly narcotic and have many medicinal properties. Leonotis nepetifolia is related to L. leonurus. The most noticeable difference between the two is the leaf shape. L. nepetifolia leaves are cordate with serrated edges, except the top pair which are lanceolate with serrated edges, as pictured in taxonomy box. The leaves are all lanceolate with serrated edges on L. leonurus. Finally, Leonotis nepetifolia and also L. leonurus are favourites of hummingbirds and butterflies.

Leonotis nepetifolia

Leonotis nepetifolia flower

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Tuesday 20th December Grey cloud, rainy. Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 8 °C. Rainfalls: 9.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I work in the greenhouses and nurseries. I first store in the polytunnel for the next week Alchemilla mollis and Verbena bonariensis (some of them are also going to be used for my annual bed). Then I look after several Canna and Pelargonium cultivars as well as Strelitzia reginae, deadheading and removing dead leaves. Observations: Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle) is an herbaceous perennial plant native to southern Europe and grown throughout the world as an ornamental garden plant. It grows 30 to 45 cm tall, with leaves that are palmately veined, with a scalloped and serrated margin. The chartreuse yellow flowers are held in dense clusters above the foliage. This plant, together with a similar but dwarf variety, A. erythropoda, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. According to some accounts, Lady's Mantle has been used for centuries as an herbal remedy. According to other authorities it has never been used medicinally, but has been confused with two species that have a history of medicinal use: A. alpina (Alpine lady's mantle) and A. xanthoclora.

Alchemilla mollis

The plant is often grown as a ground cover, and is especially valued for the leaves in wet weather, as the water beads and sparkles on the leaves. This is due to the remarkable dewetting properties of the leaves, whereby the contact force between the water and the leaf is so disfavoured that a thin layer of air penetrates the solid-liquid interface. These beads of water were considered by alchemists to be the purest form of water. They utilised this water in their quest to turn base metal into gold. Hence the name Alchemilla. The plant self-seeds freely, and can become invasive. Wednesday 21st December White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 10.5 mls. Practical: From today up to the end of the week it’s only Nigel and I. I’m in charge for the daily basis in the nurseries and greenhouses. So, a first thing in the morning, I take record of the temperatures and the rainfalls. Then Nigel and I undertake the mulching of some perennial borders in the Pleasure Grounds. In the next few days up to the end of the week we aim to finish the long perennial border which links the area by the Walled Garden to the Main Road at the front of the House. We mulch with some well-rotted garden compost, spreading a thick layer (about 3 inches) all over the border. For this job, we use the tractor and trailer, wheelbarrows, shavels and landscape rakes.

Temperatures and rainfalls chart

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Thursday 22nd December White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.4 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. For the first part of the morning I water the greenhouses and nurseries. Then Nigel and I keep going mulching the long perennial border in the Pleasure Grounds. Observations: Since my very first day at Osborne House, I’ve been particularly attracted to Liriope muscari, which we grow in two large clumps in the woodland borders between the gate of the gardeners’ yeard and the Pleasure Grounds. Liriope muscari is a species of low, herbaceous flowering plants from East Asia. Common names in English include big blue lilyturf, lilyturf, border grass, and monkey grass. It is a perennial with grass-like evergreen foliage and lilac-purple flowers which produce single-seeded berries on a spike in the fall. It is an understory plant in China, Japan, and Korea occurring in shady forests at elevations of 3 to 4,5 ft. It is a tufted, grass-like perennial which typically grows 30–45 cm tall and features clumps of strap-like, arching, glossy, dark green leaves to 1.3 cm. Clumps slowly expand by short stolons to a width of about 30 cm, but plants do not spread aggressively. Roots are fibrous, often with terminal tubers. The small, showy flower occur on erect spikes with tiered whorls of dense, white to violet-purple flowers rising above the leaves in late summer. Flowers resemble those of grape hyacinth (Muscari), which is the origin of the species name. Flowers develop into blackish berries which often persist into winter. Lilyturf is deer resistant. There is considerable variation in leaf color and size among a number of recognized cultivars. Distinguishing species in the genus Liriope is difficult at best, and mistaken identity occurs in commercial nurseries. Lilyturf is distinguished from creeping lilyturf ( Liriope spicata), the other most common species in the genus, by its fibrous root system (in contrast to the rhizomatous root system of creeping lilyturf), its more prominent flower spike extending above the leaves (creeping lilyturf has a shorter spike more within leaves), and its generally wider and longer leaves when compared to creeping lilyturf. The plant is difficult to reproduce from seed due to several factors. The fruit's pulp containsphenolic compounds which inhibit germination, and thus needs to be removed to promote germination. In addition, seeds have a morphological dormancy because embryo is not fully developed when fruit ripen; a period of warm stratification is required to complete maturation. Lastly, the seeds do not store well. Cleaned seeds can be sown outdoors after the fruit ripen in early fall, recognizing that germination will be slow the following spring. Rapid germination can be promoted by warm, moist stratification of cleaned seed under dark conditions for 8 weeks at 25 degrees C for optimum germination. Stratified seeds can be started indoors or in a heated greenhouse during the dormant season or they may be sown outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Lilyturf is easily reproduced by dividing the root mass. The optimum time to do this is during the dormant season before onset of new growth. Plants produced by division are identical to the mother plant; thus cultivar traits will be retained.

Liriope muscari

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Friday 23rd December Overcast, dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. For the first part of the morning I water the contained plants in the the greenhouses and nurseries. I finish all the watering before ten, which give me time for brushing away the water on the floor in the greenhouses and also for having an inspection of the Walled Garden before tea breack. From the second part of the morning onwards, as the mulching in the Pleasure Grouds is now completed, I stay in the Potting Shed, tyding up the benches, as well scrubbing, washing and storing the several terracotta pots. I store them underneath the working benches, trying to optimize the room available. I also store outside the plastic pots in the small attic outside the Pit House.

Potting Shed at Osborne House

Remarkable detail of the vent opening sysyem in the Iron House of the Walled Garden

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January Wednesday 4th January White cloud with sunny spells. Dry. Windy. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 16.0 mls. Practical: Back to the working routine after the Christmas holiday in Italy. First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I water the greenhouses and nurseries. In the second part of the morning I mulch the beds in the Walled Garden before the rotavating with the tractor next week. That will incorporate the well-rotted garden compost I’m spreading now on the surface of the beds to the ground. I wheelbarrow the compost from the yard and then spread it evenly on the ground surface. Tools I use are a wheelbarrow, shovel and a landscape rake. Observations: In the afternoon I have an interesting chat with Jen on Abutilon and Helicrysum species. Abutilon is in Malvaceae family and is found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. At Osborne House we grow Abutilon megapotamicum, which is one of the hardiest choices and a good performer for display in greenhouses. Abutilon megapotamicum is a graceful shrub comes from dry mountain valleys in Brazil and is best grown against a warm wall with shelter from cold winds and frost. Slender stems are hung with showy, lantern-shaped flowers that appear over a long season. It is also an ideal plant for a cool conservatory or for growing in a tub that can be brought under cover in winter. They are easily propagated from summer cuttings, and this a wise insurance against winter damage, especially since the shrubs can be short-lived. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Helicrysum is in the Asteraceae family and occurs in Africa (mainly South Africa), Madagascar, Eurasia and Australasia. At Osborne we grow H. petiolare in containers in the Walled Garden. Helichrysum petiolare, known as licorice or liquorice plant, silver bush everlasting flower,trailing dusty miller and kooigoed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, nativeto South Africa and introduced to Portugal and the United States of America. Helichrysum petiolare is a herbaceous perennial, a mound-forming evergreen shrub growing to 50 cm tall by 2 m or more, with woolly grey-green leaves and dull white flowerheads in late summer (but not if grown as an annual in cooler climates). It is cultivated for its foliage effect and as groundcover. This plant prefers sun to part-shade with well drained soil, being susceptible to root rot and is hardy to zones 9-11. The foliage has a faint licorice aroma. Numerous cultivars have been developed, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: H. petiolare, “Goring Silver”, “Limelight”, “Variegatum”.

Helicrysum petiolare

Abutilon megaponticum

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Thursday 5th January Clear sky, windy ~60mph Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0.9 mls. Practical: Carrying on wheelbarrowing and spreading compost in the Walled Garden. In the afternoon I undertake the winter pruning roses in the Pleasure Ground with Nigel. This is my first time to hardprune roses in a British garden and I’m quite excited. We have many roses to prune, both in the Walled Garden and in the pergola of the Lower Terrace and the job is going to take a few weeks at least. Observations: I notice a new bulbous plant with white flowers, which is very similar to snowdrop (but botanically not related to it). This is Leucojum vernum (Spring Snowflake), common name not to be confounded with the Daisy Bush (Olearia x haastii) or Snow in Summer (Cerastium tormentosum). Leucojum genus is closely related with Acis species. The snowflakes are native to central and southern Europe, from the Pyrenées to Romania and western Russia, but they have been introduced and have naturalized in many other areas, including the east coast of North America. They have narrow, strap-like, dark green leaves. The flowers are small and bell-shaped, white with a green (or occasionally yellow) spot at the end of each tepal. They have a slight fragrance. Leucojum vernum (Spring snowflake) normally grows 15-20 cm tall, though it may reach up to 35 cm. It flowers one or two weeks later than the snowdrops, i.e., from mid-February to March, as soon as the snow melts in its wild habitat. Two varieties are known: L. vernum var. vernum with green spots on its tepals, and L. vernum var. carpathicum, which originates from the eastern part of its natural range, a larger plant with yellowish spots on its tepals; “vagneri” from Hungary is a robust variant of var. vernum, often with two flowers per stem. Leucojum aestivum (Summer snowflake) has a wider natural range, taking in Europe (including the British Isles), southwest Asia and northernIran, and growing in wetter habitats including damp woodland, riversides and swamps. Despite its common name it flowers from April to May, though later than the Spring Snowflake. It is a taller plant than Leucojum vernum, growing to around 60 cm, but its flowers are smaller and are carried in an umbel of between three and seven. Its fleshy seed pods are inflated, allowing them to be dispersed by flood water. Leucojum aestivum subsp. pulchellum is native to the western Mediterranean Basin and is smaller (about 20 cm). It flowers 2 weeks earlier, from mid-March.

Leucojum vernum

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Friday 6th January Very bright and mild. Not a single cloud in the sky. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: I finish covering and spreading the well-rotted garden compost on my annual bed. In the afternoon I join Nigel for hardpruning the climbing roses on the Pleasure Grounds walls. I follow Nigel’s instruction, familiarizing with this job which will take at least a couple of weeks. Observations: While mulching, I get out from the ground some tubers of runner beans (Phaeseolus coccineus, P. multiflorus). Runner beans are not to be confounded with everlasting or sweet peas, which are in Lathyrus genus. I’m still considering using cultivars of sweet peas for my annual bed, perhaps as a spare choice. Phaseolus coccineus, known as runner bean, scarlet runner bean, or multiflora bean, is a plant in the Fabaceae family. It differs from the common bean (P. vulgaris) in several respects: the cotyledons stay in the ground during germination, and the plant is a perennial wine with tuberous roots (though it is usually treated as an annual). This species originated from the mountains of Central America. Most varieties have red flowers and multicolored seeds (though some have white flowers and white seeds), and they are often grown as ornamental plants. The vine can grow to two meters or more in length. The green pods are edible whole before they become fibrous, and the seeds can be used fresh or as dried beans. The starchy roots are still eaten by Central American Indians. In the UK, the flowers are often ignored, or treated as an attractive bonus to cultivating the plant for the beans, whereas in the US the scarlet runner is widely grown for its attractive flowers by people who would never think of eating it. The flower is known as a favourite of Hummingbirds. A variety named Judión de la Granja producing large, white, edible beans is cultivated in San Ildefonso, Spain. It is the basis of a Segovian regional dish also named Judiones de la Granja, in which the beans are mixed with pig's ears, pig's trotters and chorizo, amongst other ingredients. Phaseolus coccineus subsp. darwinianus is a cultivated subspecies of P. coccineus, it is commonly referred to as the botil bean in Mexico. Good varieties are: “White Apollo” AGM: The long, smooth fleshy pods crop over a long season and are excellent quality. “St George” AGM: A heavy cropping, semi-stringless bean, with bi-coloured red and white flowers. “Hestia”: This is a new dwarf runner bean, ideal for containers, only growing to about 45cm, but still producing high quality, delicious beans. As it is short it can be netted against bird attack.

Runner beans tubers

Illustration of runner bean (internet database)

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Monday 9th January Sunny and dry but chilly. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Pruning climbers and shrubs in the east-facing border outside the Walled Garden. We work in team of two: Nigel on the cerry picker and me on the ground. It is compulsory to work in at least two people when operating the mobile, elevated working platform. Nigel tells me that they used to use the ladder since a few years ago, but now (especially because the new health and safety legislation on working on heights) they prefer to use the cherry picker whenever it’s possible. We prune Hydrangea petiolaris, Magnolia grandiflora, Actinidia kolomikta. Today we don’t do the roses, as they are more time consuming and need some special extra care. However, we are able to finish the majority of all the other climbing perennials.

The Nifty lift (mobile elevated working platform)

Hydrangea petioralis old wood

H. petioralis seed head

Sarcococca confusa inflorescence Observations: In these days the characteristic fragrance of Sarcococca confusa is spreading throughout the borders of the Pleasure Grounds. Sarcococca confusa (sweet box) is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae, probably native to western China. It is an evergreen shrub growing to 2 m tall by 1 m broad, with glossy green ovate leaves and honey-scented white flowers in winter, followed by glossy black spherical fruits, 5 mm in diameter. Sarcococca confusa is a very adaptable and reliable shrub that is easily grown in many situations, including dense shade with very dry soil. It will however grow in full sun, even though the foliage appears to "bleach" a little. The soil should be kept damp if grown in sun or part shade. The shrub is midwinter flowering with a delightful sweet scent. The small black berries are eaten by birds which disperse the seeds. Best planted at the front of a border or path edge, but also performing well in cointener or for clipped hedges. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Smaller than S. confusa is S. ruscifolia var. chinensis, which has flowers all the way up the stem, followed by red berries. Perhaps the most desirable of all the sarcococcas is S. hookeriana var. digyna, which has narrow, pointed leaves that make it look very graceful. If a touch of purple is desired, there is a similar form with a reddish stem (called “Purple Stem”). Smallest of all the sweet boxes is the species called humilis. This might be the one to choose if a replacement for box edging is needed.

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Tuesday 10th January Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Pruning and training the roses in the east-facing border of the Pleasure Grounds. The first step is untying the entire previous-year framework. Then we need to choose the desired material, replacing the old wood with the new, younger, healthier shoors. We keep only the main shoots and cut the sideshoots, in order to have a nice and neat framework. Nigel tells me about the three Ds the gardener needs to look after when doing rose pruning. These stand deseased, damages and dead material. They all need to go, first thing, when choosing the material. Another golden rule is do not cross the branches, avoiding them to rub eachother and also damages and deseases. A good tip is to tide up the shoots from the leaves before to do the final cuts. That gives a better vision and selection of the shoots which will be trained over the wall. To train the shoots not back the trailing lines, is also a good practice. This will avoid shoot rubbing and also make the job easier the next year, when the entire structure will be untied again. A good practice is to cut as closer as possible to the new selected branches or buds. Little or nothing wood menas less possibility for the plant to get ill. After having selected and clean all the good material, we start tie the shoots on the training line, by using an horticultural string. We bending the branches in the way to have a more arching / horizontal habit then the previous year, as this will lead (in theory) more sap to the individual shoots and, consequentely, more flowers and fruits.

Rose pruning in the Pleasure Grounds borders Observations: Nigel tells me about the meaning of horticulture and the several different types and areas of interest that this discipline embraces. Horticulture is the discipline that deals with the science, technology, and business involved in intensive plant cultivation for human use. It is practiced from the individual level in a garden up to the activities of a multinational corporation. It is very diverse in its activities, incorporating plants for food and non-food crops. It also includes related services in plant conservation, landscape restoration, landscape and garden design/construction/maintenance, arboriculture, horticultural therapy, and much more. According to some accounts, horticulture involves nine areas of study, which can be grouped into two broad sections – ornamentals and edibles: 1) Arboriculture is the study of, and the selection, planting, care, and removal of, individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants. 2) Turf management includes all aspects of the production and maintenance of turf grass for sports, leisure use or amenity use. 3) Floriculture includes the production and marketing of floral crops. 4) Landscape horticulture includes the production, marketing and maintenance of landscape plants. 5) Olericulture includes the production and marketing of vegetables. 6) Pomology includes the production and marketing of pome fruits. 7) Viticulture includes the production and marketing of grapes. 8) Oenology includes all aspects of wine and winemaking. 9) Postharvest physiology involves maintaining the quality of and preventing the spoilage of plants and animals.

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Observations: This evening I investigate two beautiful flowering plants successfully displayed at Oborne House’s borders and nurseries. These are Argyranthemum frutescens and Edgeworthia chrysantha Argyranthemum frutescens, also known as Marguerite daisy, Paris daisy or Summersong Primrose, is an ornamental perennial known for its flowers. It is native to the Canary Islands in Macaronesia. It is often mistaken for Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum) or Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium). Originally included in the genus Chrysanthemum, this marguerite daisy is a short-lived, tender perennial or subshrub that produces daisy-like white flowers with yellow center disks on bushy plants growing 2-3 feet tall and as wide. Blooms throughout the summer, but may slow down considerably dependinding the heat. Pink, yellow and white cultivars, some with double flowers and/or blue green foliage, are available. Deeply cut, dark green leaves are aromatic when bruised. Pruning, pinching and deadheading help to maintain the shrub's shape and encourage repeat blooming. Argyranthemum frutescens is often refered as a forb. A forb (sometimes spelled phorb) is a herbaceous flowering plant that is not a graminoid (grasses, sedges and rushes). The term is used in biology and in vegetation ecology, especially in relation tograsslands and understory. “Forb” is derived from the Greek φορβή (phorbḗ), “pasture” or “fodder”. The spelling “phorb” is sometimes used, and in older usage this sometimes includes graminids and other plants currently not regarded as forbs. In addition to its use in ecology, the term “forb” may be used for subdividing popular guides to wildflowers, distinguishing them from other categories such as grasses, sedges, shrubs, and trees. Some examples of forbs are clover, sunflower, cannabis and milkweed. Edgeworthia chrysantha (Oriental Paperbush, Knot Bush, Mitsumata) is a woody perennial in the Thymeliaceae family, native to south west China, Nepal and Japan. This is a medium-sized deciduous shrub, about 5ft by 5ft tall, with papery, cinnamon-coloured bark: one of the plant's synonyms, E. papyrifera, celebrates the use of this bark in the manufacture of high-quality paper for Japanese banknotes. It also has incredibly flexible young stems that can, literally, be tied in knots. Its crowning glory is the clusters of fragrant, tubular yellow flowers, borne in spherical heads and covered in silky white hairs that make them look frosted when in bud. The flowering period extends from February to April. Heavily fragrant flowers are a common adaptation of plants that need to entice the few pollinating insects around in the colder months and E. chrysantha does not disappoint either insect or gardener. E. chrysantha is the only commonly cultivated plant from a tiny genus of just three species, related to daphnes. The generic name commemorates Michael Pakenham Edgeworth, one of those redoubtable Victorian amateur botanists who combined colonial service with a passion for plant hunting. He collected E. chrysantha in the Himalayas while in the service of the East India Company and it was introduced to British gardeners in the mid-1800s. The species name chrysantha derives from the Greek xrus meaning “golden” and enteron meaning “guts”, with reference to the golden centre of the flowers. Moist but well-drained humus-rich, loamy soil (the Holy Grail of garden soils!) is what Edgeworthia chrysantha needs. It also needs a fairly sheltered spot. If these requirements are met it can be grown in gardens where winter frosts are common. At Rosemoor, the RHS Garden in Devon, a couple of specimens are doing very nicely in the gully underpass connecting the two halves of the garden. Here they have just the right amount of shelter, despite being in a notorious frost pocket. A south- or west-facing wall will also suit, although regular irrigation will be necessary in hotter positions. Where hard frosts are not a problem E. chrysantha can be grown at the edge of a woodland garden or in a mixed border. Improving the soil with leaf litter, grit and garden compost is vital. If growing it outdoors isn’t viable, it is happy in a cool greenhouse with regular watering and a monthly feed of liquid fertiliser during the growing season.

Argyranthemum frutescens

Edgeworthia chrysantha in February

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Wednesday 11th January White cloud with sunny spells. Dry. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Spreading well-rotted compost throughout the linear beds of the Walled Garden. I work in team with Jen, wheelbarrowing the mulch from the trailer just outside the Walled Garden to the individual beds. In the afternoon I keep on pruning and training the roses with Nigel in the Pleasure Grounds. Observations: While working in the Walled Garden this morning I notice some terracotta pots in the beds. I ask Jen about them and she tells me they are traditional Victorian rhubarb forcers. Rhubarb forcers are bell shaped pots with a lid covered opening at the top. Used to cover rhubarb to limit photosynthesis, they encouraging the plant to grow early in the season and also to produce blanched stems. The pots are placed over two to three year old rhubarb crowns during winter or very early spring. Once shoots appear the lid is taken off, causing them to grow towards the light. Around 18 inches high and 14 inches wide without the lid, they are traditionally made of terracotta but can be as simple as an upside down plastic bucket. Jen also tells me about the so-called Rhubarb Triangle, a large area of intensive production of rhubarb in Yorkshire. The location of the “triangle” is sometimes described as the triangular area formed between the three cities of Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, (the green triangle of the map), other sources of information give the points of the triangle as Leeds, Morley and Wakefield, (the blue triangle on the map). However, the largest area of rhubarb cultivation falls outside of both of these “triangles”. The rhubarb is more accurately the triangular area of land between Morley, Wakefield and Rothwell (the red triangle on the map). The village of Carlton is apparently the hub of Yorkshire growing, with suggestions recently that it change its name to Rhubarb. The capital city of the Rhubarb Triangles is Wakefield, where an annual rhubarb festival draws visitors from around the country. West Yorkshire once produced 90% of the world's winter forced rhubarb from the forcing sheds that were common across the fields in the area. It is grown by only 12 producers in West Yorkshire in damp, dark sheds, and harvested by candelight in mid-winter. After years of petitioning its producers have been granted Protected Designation of Origin status by the European Commission. Yorkshire Rhubarb is the 41st British product to get the legal protection afforded to more famous specialities such as Cornish clotted cream and Stilton. Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is considered far superior to the outdoor variety found all over the country.

Old-fashioned, Victorian rhubarb forces

The Rhubarb Triangle (Leeds-Bradford-Wakefield) (internet database)

Traditional forced rhubarb farm in Leeds (internet database)

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Thursday 12th January White cloud, spells of sun. Mild. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today we finish the rose pruning in the Pleasure Grounds. Then we move along the border, training and tiding up the Passiflora caerulea. Passiflora caerulea (Blue Passion Flower) is a vigorous, deciduousor semi-evergreen tendril vine native to South America (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil). It is capable of growing to 15–20 m high where supporting trees are available. The leaves are alternate, palmately five-lobed like a spread hand (sometimes three or seven lobes), 10–18 cm long and wide. The base of each leaf has a flagellate-twining tendril 5–10 cm long, which twines around supporting vegetation to hold the plant up. The flower is very complex, about 10 cm in diameter, with the five sepals and petals similar in appearance, whitish in colour, surmounted by a corona of blue or violet filaments, then five greenish-yellow stamensand three purple stigmas. The fruit is an oval orange-yellow berry 6 cm long by 4 cm in diameter, containing numerous seeds; it is eaten, and the seeds spread by mammals and birds. It is edible to humans, but bland in flavour. In tropical climates, it will flower all year round. P. caerulea is widely cultivated as a wall-climber or as groundcover. In milder temperate areas it can be grown outside, and can become invasive, the twining shoots constantly appearing unless eradicated. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. A number of cultivars have been produced from the species: “Chinensis” (corona filaments paler blue), “Constance Elliott” (was raised by Kucombe and Prince in Exeter, Great Britain. It has pure white, fragrant flowers; not as free-flowering as many other clones), “Grandiflora” (flowers to 20 cm in diameter), “Hartwiesiana” (flowers white), “Regnellii” (very long corona filaments).

Passiflora caerulea Observations: In the afternoon I have an interesting chat with Nigel about honeybees. Nigel is a keen beekeeper and very knowledgeable in wild life. We discuss about the life cycle of the honeybees and I discover that this depends greatly on their social structure. Unlike a bumble bee colony or a paper wasp colony, the life of a honey bee colony is perennial. There are three castes of honey bees: queens, which produce eggs; workers, which are all non-reproducing females; and drones (males), which only duty is to find and mate with a queen. The queen lays eggs singly in cells of the comb. Larvae hatch from eggs in three to four days. They are then fed by worker bees and develop through several stages in the cells. Cells are capped by worker bees when the larva pupates. Queens and drones are larger than workers and so require larger cells to develop. A colony may typically consist of tens of thousands of individuals.

The three casts of honey bees (internet database)

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Friday 13th January First touch of frost of the year. Sky is still clear but temperatures are turned down and so today is chilly. Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Undertaking climber pruning all along the south-facing wall of the Pleasure Ground. I am still in team with Nigel, and we are still using the Nifty Lift, our static elevated working platform. Today we prune climbing roses around the Walled Garden gate and also clear a Solanum jasminoides “Alba” whihch is trained agaist the wall. Observations: Solanum jasminoides “Alba” is still anonymous this time of the year but, according to Nigel, it will be a pagoda of white flowers in summer. The Chilean Potato Vine has slightly fragrant, 2.5cm white flowers, each with a central yellow beak, throughout mid to late summer. Its wiry stems need tying to wires or trellis for support, and bear small, semi-evergreen leaves which are thinner and more delicate-looking than those of Solanum crispum. It is a much more tender plant than the latter, and in areas with cold winters is best grown inside a conservatory. Plants can also be grown in large containers and trained up an obelisk, for standing outside in summer and moving under cover in winter. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit. The RHS recommends its use as twining climber against a sunny wall. Other useful plants for this condition are Actinidia kolomikta, Humulus lupus “Aureus”, Passiflora caerulea, Vitis coignetiae and Wisteria. I also notice in a border some specimens of Clethra barbinervis, which are still anonymous now but will be glorious in late summer to autumn.

Solanum jasminoides “Alba” in June

Monday 16th January Still bright and chilly. Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 7 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: After two weeks of climbers pruning in the Pleasure Grounds, this week I’ll focus on my annual bed, trying to define the layout and the plant list for it. As first thing in the morning, I record the temperatures and the rainfalls. The I have a talk with both Toby and Jen about my annual bed display. I have some interesting suggestion for the use of specific plants in the two borders I’m designing. Then I move outside and start preparing mine as well as Jen’s beds for the actual planting in the Walled Garden. It’s about tilth preparation. I use a border fork and a landscape rake in order to break up the soil and obtain a nice, crumbly structure which allow me to sow the seeds in the best possible root environment. This preparating “ground-work” is extremely important and has to be done properly. It keeps me busy up to the end of the working day.

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Going through catalogues for the annual bed Tuesday 17th January White cloud, nippy, dry. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 6 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Trimming hellebores in the perennial beds of the Pleasure Grounds. Alen gives me a lection about cleaning hellebores when introducing me the job. It’s important to leave this planets folling down naturally, as the new buds are grown from the bases of the felled leaves. There are some steps to follow when cleaning up hellebores on this time of the year. The first important point is to do it as soon as the snow melts from them (or last frosts are gone). If you wait, it is much more difficult to remove the faded leaves without cutting off buds or flowers. Another good reason to clean up the hellebores as early as possible is to prevent slug and sowbug damage. Inevitably, over the winter, crud ends up on the crown of the hellebore. During the cutting back, I pull all those wood chips, leaves and sundry crud away from the buds, thereby depriving the wee nasties of a place to hide. The easiest way to start cutting back is with the top most stems. This is the most perilous part of the procedure for the plants. It’s easy, even for an experienced gardener, to inadvertently cut off a bud along with a stem. I urge you not rush the cutting; take time to make careful cuts. While it might be tempting to leave some unmarred foliage, it is better to remove it all at this time. The plant might look a little bare at first, but will grow healthier during the next months. When I finish the cleaning-up, I can start mulching with fresh compost in between the trimmed hellebores.

Cleaning-up hellebores

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Wednesday 18th December Grey and quite miserable. Some drizzle. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I mark the different planting sections of my annual bed by using sand. This is a quite satisfying job, as give me an immediate vision of the areas I drew on paper and also a better understanding of their size and requirements. In the afternoon I stay in the Potting Shed, looking through the catalogues to make a count on the amount of seeds I need. Observations: Going through catalogues I realise how important will be to think in terms of hardy and half-hardy annuals. Horticulturally speacking, these two groups have very different requirements and it is advisable for the gardener to plan in advance their use. Hardy plants can be sowed directly in the groud, while half-hardy plants need to be started in the greenhouses and then moved outside when the conditions permit that. As a natural consequence of that, half-hardies require more attention and time. In the evening I also go through the definition of hardiness. This describes the ability of plants to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness. Hardiness of plants is defined by their native extent's geographic location: longitude, latitude and elevation. These attributes are often simplified to a hardiness zone. Intemperate latitudes, the term most often describes resistance to cold, or "cold-hardiness," and is generally measured by the lowest temperature a plant can withstand. Hardiness of a plant is usually divided into two categories: tender, and hardy. Some sources also use the erroneous terms "Half-hardy" or "Fully hardy". Tender plants are those killed by freezing temperatures, while hardy plants survive freezing—at least down to certain temperatures, depending on the plant. "Half-hardy" is a term used sometimes in horticulture to describe bedding plants which are sown in heat in winter or early spring, and planted outside after all danger of frost has passed. "Fully hardy" usually refers to plants being classified under the Royal Horticultural Society classifications, and can often cause confusion to those not using this method. Thursday 19th January It’s supposed to be rainy today. Gloomy start, but the sky remains clear and the weather dry. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 1.1 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I finish marking the remaining plots in my annual bed. In the afternoon I join Nigel, Phil and Reese for woodchipping in the Pleasure Ground. Observations: Jen says to me: grey foliage is generally adapted for standing sunny, warm conditions. This is a plants’ stategy to adapt severe heat and warm climates. The grey or silver colour is not actually the result of a colour pigment, but is a covering of fine, usually white, hairs. These tiny hairs reduce wind velocity across the leaf surface, thereby insulating the plant against moisture loss. Many plants with soft grey leaves originate in drier climates, such as Australia or the Mediterranean, where this leaf surface modification helps them to survive. Therefore, plants like lavender and the silver leaf emu bush don’t like to grow in wet or humid conditions. Jen points to me Cineraria maritima as a good example of this adaption strategy. Cineraria is native to coastal, warm environments, where it’s vital for the plant to reflect the strong sunlight.

Cineraria maritima

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Friday 20th January Still incredibly mild (double fingers temperatures). Sky is blue and clouds-clear. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 1.0 mls. Practical: I spend the first part of the morning planting out few new plants with Toby. These are Zenobia pulverulenta, Mahonia nervosa, Illicium henryi, Berberis candidula, Kalmia angustifolia f. rubra. We plant them along the edges of some of the perennial borders in the Pleasure Grounds. We use spades, forks and occasionally secateurs for cutting off the dead or damaged material. We don’t feed the plants, which are all hardy and not prone to pests and deseases. In the afternoon I move to the Lower Terrace, joining Nigel and Phil. I cut down to the ground level the Boston ferns (Nephrolepsis exaltata) in the borders nearby the Cafeteria. I only use my secateurs, paying special attention don’t damage the ferns’ cronws.

Planting hardy shrubs in the Pleasure Grounds

Observations: In the evening I carry out some research on the hardy shrubs I planted with Toby this morning. Zenobia pulverulenta (Honeycup) This is the sole species in the genus Zenobia, in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is native to the Southeastern United States, in North Carolina, South Carolina, andVirginia. Zenobia pulverulenta is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub growing to 0.5-1.8 m tall. The leavesare spirally arranged, ovate to elliptic, 2-7 cm long. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, 12 mm long and 10 mm broad, and sweetly scented. The fruit is a dry five-valved capsule. Mahonia nervosa (Dwarf Oregon-Grape, Cascade Oregon-Grape, or Dull Oregon-Grape). This is a flowering plant native to the northwest coast of North America from southernBritish Columbia south to central California, with an isolated population inland in northern Idaho. It is especially common in second growth, Douglas-fir or western redcedar forests, making use of those pools of sunlight that intermittently reach the ground. The plant was collected by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition to the West before being described for science in 1813. It is an evergreen shrub with short vertical stems, mostly under 30 cm, while the leaves reach higher, rarely up to 2 m tall. The leaves are compound, with 9-19 leaflets; each leaflet is strongly toothed, reminiscent of holly, and somewhat shiny, but less so than tall Oregon-grape. The flowers and fruit are like those of other Oregon-grapes, and are equally bitter-tasting. Illicium henryi (Henry Anise Tree) This species from China has a nice combination of evergreen foliage, dense pyramidal form and shade-tolerance. Illicium henryii is even more tolerant of shade than other Illicium, with glossy, dark-green 6-8" leaves growing close together, even in deep shade. The star-petaled flowers range from pink to deep-crimson and bloom in spring. Leaves are anise-scented and deer-resistant. While it loves shade, our magnificent specimen is 15' tall in full sun. An outstanding, maintenance-free specimen or privacy screen. Berberis candidula (Pale Leaf Barberry) This is a species endemic to the provinces of Hubei and Sichuan in southern China. The plant is a compact, evergreen shrub up to 1 m tall with small oblong narrow leaves. Leaves are glossy dark green with a white underside. Bright yellow flowers with egg shaped blue-purple fruits. Kalmia angustifolia f. rubra (Sheep Laurel) A mound-forming shrub with dark green leaves and clusters of pretty, bowl-shaped, deep red flowers in early summer. Max Height 60cm. Max Spread 1.5m. Flowers June to July. Partial Shade. Hardy. Harmful if eaten. Back-fill with soil mixed with peat substitute and a suitable fertiliser.

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Monday 23rd January White clouds, spells of sun. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Down by the Compost Area with Reese for making a bonefire. Today se have some gentle wind, which help us in letting the fire go. We pail up to logs as we go, in order to feed the flames. I learn from Reese that it’s better to place the firewood in the same way when making a bonefire. Observations: A new plant I notice this afternoon in one of the island beds in the Pleasure Ground is Hedychium gardnerianum. This is not in flower now but still has some interest because the attractive, broad foliage. Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger, Ginger Lily) is native to the Himalayas in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It grows to 8 ft tall with long, bright green leaves clasping the tall stems. The very fragrant pale yellow and red flowers are held in dense spikes above the foliage. They appear towards the end of summer. Hedychium gardnerianum is the most widely cultivated Hedychium species as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. It prefers a warm tropical climate, although it can thrive in sub-tropical and temperate regions by tolerating light, infrequent frosts. However, the plant is a serious invasive species in certain areas. It is known as “wild kahili ginger” and is listed as a weed of concern on conservation land in New Zealand, Hawaii and the Azores. It has been recognized as one of “The World’s 100 Worst Invasive Alien Species” by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group. Removal of flower heads before they set seed, and onitoring spread of the rhizomes will enable Hedychium gardnerianum to be managed in cooler temperate climates such as in the United Kingdom. In tropical or sub-tropical climates however, Hedychium gardnerianum can quickly colonise untended areas. Its sticky seeds are easily spread by birds and roaming mammals, while rhizomes crowd out native seedlings by forming dense mats.

Hedychium gardnerianum in its own climate (internet database)

Tuesday 24th January Grey cloud, rainy. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 1.3 mls. Practical: A course on the safe use of the woodchipper is taking place today in the messroom for the whole team.

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Wednesday 25th January Cloudy, gloomy but still mild temperature. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 10.3 mls. Practical: Mulching the long, linear beds in the Walled Garden. We use well-rotted garden compost. Observations: I notice some new interesting plants in the north-facing border of the Walled Garden. These are Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern, Flowering Fern) and Epimedium pinnatum subsp. colchicum. Epimedium pinnatum subsp. colchicum (Colchian Barrenwort) is a perennial groundcover in the family Berberidiaceae. Found growing wild in north-east Turkey, it forms clumps of tough, spiny, evergreen foliage. In mid- to late spring, it produces almost saucer-shaped, bright yellow flowers small dark red central petals. It makes a tough plant that is easy to grow. According to Jen, this is somehow a “stupid” plant, as it tends to have flowers underneath the foliage, so it requires some maintenance. Epimediums have been popular in Japan for many years but are now beginning to increase in popularity with UK gardeners. They are generally hardy and enjoy a spot in dappled shade with moist, well-drained soil and regular mulching with garden compost or leaf mould. For the best foliage, cut back old leaves in spring before new foliage appears.

Epimedium pinnatum foliage

Osmonda regalis in spring Thursday 26th January White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 5.1 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I carry on spreading compost in the Walled Garden linear beds. Observations: I have a chat with Jen on Kniphofia genus. She thinks that it performs better if planted in clumps rather then in rows. She also tells me that some species have the “stupid habit” to get rotten in the bottom of the spikes just when going in bloom. Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily, Knofflers or Poker Plant) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, that includes 70 or more species native to Africa. Herbaceous species and hybrids have narrow, grass-like leaves 10–100 cm long, while perennial species have broader, strap-shaped foliage up to 1.5 m long. All plants produce spikes of upright, brightly colored flowers well above the foliage, in shades of red, orange and yellow, often bicoloured. The flowers produce copious nectar while blooming and are attractive to bees. The Kniphofia genus is named after Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, an 18th-century German physician and botanist.

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Field of kniphofias in Western Cape (internet database)

Kniphofia flower (internet database)

Friday 27th January Sunny but with a nippy start. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 8 °C. Rainfalls: 1.0 mls. Practical: Today I work alone, looking after two island bed in the Pleasure Ground. It’s about general maintenance, and I cayy out raking, edging, hoeing, weeding; also trimming hellebores. I try to tyde up the area as well as to give more balance to the planting, by cutting some of the branches and opening the views within the borders. Observations: New plant I notice today is Grevillea rosmarinifolia. Grevillea rosmarinifolia is in the Proteaceae family and usually occurs as a small to medium, shrub to 0.3–2 meters high. The leaves resemble rosemary - narrow-linear, stiff with sharp points and curled-under margins, 0.8-3.8 cm long and 0.7–3 mm wide. G. rosmarinifolia produces clusters of red or pink flowers from winter to spring. The flowers are rich in nectar and attract nectarivorous insects and birds. It is native to New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, and has naturalised in South Australia. G. rosmarinifolia prefers full sun. It is a good performer in the British gardens, as it is frost and drought tolerant. Grevillea rosmarinifolia is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use in gardens and drought tolerant landscaping.

Grevillea rosmarinifolia

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Monday 30th January Gloomy day. Showers in the morning. Temperatures are gradually dropping down. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 5 °C. Rainfalls: 2.0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Today I need to prepare the labels for my annual bed. Each label has to give information on the Latin name of the plants and their year of introduction in the UK. I use the RHS Dictionary (edition 1974) for finding out the years of introduction. Then I plant straight out the first things, i.e. hardy perennials from Osborne House nurseries. This is quite an exciting moment for me. I plant out Verbena bonariensis, Convolvulus cneorum and Allium schoenoprasum. Observations: When moving the perennials to my annual bed, I notice few little jellish balls in some of the alchemilla pots. Jen tells me that these are actually snails eggs. She also tells me that snails eggs are actually edible and chefs throughout Europe are now rediscovering the delicacy, known as “white caviar”. Apparently already stocked in tiny cans by Harrods, the tiny pearl-like eggs have been used in banquets for wealthy Romans, Egyptians and Greeks for centuries. Tuesday 31st January Frost last night and still chilly in the morning, even if bright. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 5 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today I join Reese and Nigel cutting down and logging wood in the woodlands. We work on specimens of Prunus laurocerasus, Quercus ilex, Viburnum tinus. While the guys saw the trees and the shrubs, I stay on the main road, processing the timber with the woodchipper. Observations: Noticing a massive tree with a huge trunk. This is a Cupressus macrocarpa, the commonly kwnon Monterrey Cypress, and native to the Central Coast of California. This is a coniferous evergreen tree, which often becomes irregular and flat-topped as a result of the strong winds that are typical of its native area. It grows to heights of up to 40 m in perfect growing conditions, and its trunk diameter can reach 2.5 m. The foliage grows in dense sprays which are bright green in color and release a deep lemony aroma when crushed. The leaves are scale-like, 2–5 mm long, and produced on rounded (not flattened) shoots. The seed cones are globose to oblong, 20–40 mm long, with 6–14 scales, green at first, maturing brown about 20–24 months after pollination. The pollen cones are 3–5 mm long, and release their pollen in late winter or early spring. It has been widely reported that individual C. macrocarpa trees may be up to 2,000 years old, but this is disputed by botanists, and the longest-lived report based on physical evidence is of a tree 284 years old. Interestingly, along with other New Worl Cupressus species, it has recently been transferred to the genus Hesperocyparis, on genetic evidence that the New World Cupressus are not very closely related to the Old World Cupressus species.

Cupressus macrocarpa

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February Wednesday 1st February Colder but bright, dry. Temperatures: min 0 °C / max 3 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today I work in the woodland borders around the Pit House. We work in team of four (Nigel, Phil, Reese and I) in order to reduce the shrubbery here. Nigel and Reese fall small trees and overgrown shrubs by using both the chainsaw and loppers. Phil and I drag the cutted material down to the road, where we woodchip straight to the trailer. This is a good opportunity to use the woodchipper in preparation for the assessment. Phil is happy to give me some tipe how to use the machinery properly and in accordance with the health and safety legislation. Thursday 2nd February Cold, bright. Last night in Ferrara, my hometown in Italy, they had a big snowfall. Temperatures: min -2 °C / max 3 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record temperatures and rainfalls. Then I carry on with the labeling for my annual bed. I stay in the Iron House. That’s quite a nice job, as I stay in a heated environement, while outside it’s quite chilly. Then watering the greenhouses. Jen tells me that, as a rule of thumb, pelargoniums don’t need much watering. They are happy if maintained on the dry side. Observations: Strelitzia reginae is still in flower and makes a real show in the nursery. This is a monocotyledonous flowering plant indigenous to South Africa, commonly known as Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise. The plant grows to 2 m tall, with large, strong leaves 25–70 cm long and 10–30 cm broad, produced on petioles up to 1 m long. The leaves are evergreen and arranged in two ranks, making a fan-shaped crown. The flowers stand above the foliage at the tips of long stalks. The hard, beak-like sheath from which the flower emerges is termed the spathe. This is placed perpendicular to the stem, which gives it the appearance of a bird's head and beak; it makes a durable perch for holding the sunbirds which pollinate the flowers. The flowers, which emerge one at a time from the spathe, consist of three brilliant orange sepals and three purplish-blue petals. Two of the blue petals are joined together to form an arrow-like nectary. When the sunbirds sit to drink the nectar, the petals open to cover their feet in pollen. Strelitzia reginae was first introduced into Britain in 1773 by Sir Joseph Banks, then the unofficial director of the Royal Gardens at Kew. He named the exotic-looking plant Strelitzia in honour of Queen Charlotte, wife of George III and Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who lived at Kew for many years.

Strelitzia reginae

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Friday 3rd February Clear, bright sky but cold weather indeed. Temperatures: min -3 °C / max 1 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to read and record the temperatures and waterfalls. Then I finish the labeling for my annual bed in the Iron House. I also sow few more seeds for my annual bed straight in the ground. In the afternoon I carry out some wood chipping around the Pit House working in a team of four. From last tea break to the end of the day I spread salt all over the parking area as there is risk of snow for the week-end. I use a push-on multipurpose salt and grit spreader. This has a non corrosive hopper, rustproof poly construction. However, when back to the tool shed, I spend some time spraying an anti-corrosion product.

Pedestrian salt spreader Observations: After lunch I have an inspection tour with Phil around the nurseries. He says me that Abutilon species generally need good watering (“a good drink” as he literally says). He also points me out some species of lantana, plant he recently sow during his Christmas holiday in Malesia. In the Osborne House nurseries we grow Lantana camara, which is a nice tener perennial, suitable for cointeners or as a conservatory plant. This is an ornamental cultivated plant in Verbenaceae family and is native to the American tropics (the exact native range including Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, Central America, Venezuela and Colombia). It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many tropical and sub-tropical areas. It has become naturalized in tropical and warm regions worldwide. In the Kenyan highlands it grows in many areas that receive even minimal amounts of rainfall. It can be seen in the wild and along footpaths, deserted fields, and farms. West Indian Lantana has been naturalized in the United States, particularly in the Atlantic coastal plains, from Florida to Georgia, where the climate is close to its native climate, with high heat and humidity. It is used as a bedding plant in Souther Italy, where performs quite beautifully. Lantana camara is not affected by pests or disease, has low water requirements, and is tolerant of extreme heat. It is attractive to butterflies, and is used in butterfly gardens in the United States. The wild species may have short, hooked prickles, but cultivars have been bred with small, herbaceous stems. A nice cultivar is “Bandana”.

Seed sowing under cover

Lantana camara (internet database)

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Monday 6th February Gloomy day but dry and not too cold. We had no snow in the week-end, as it was expected. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 4 °C. Rainfalls: 1.8 mls. Practical: Undertaking some border maintenance and general tidy-up in the Pleasure Grounds area. Jobs involved are leaf and twigs clearance, hand weeding, carefully reducing overgrown shrubs. Observations: I become aware that sheep sorrel is called in that way, as it brings the sheep face on the leaf. Today sheep sorrel appears to be quite a nuisance for me, as the root system is not easy to eradicate from the ground by hands. It is essential the patient use of the hand fork. Latin name of the sheep sorrel is Rumex acetosella. The plant and its several subspicies are common perennial weeds. It has green arrowhead-shaped leaves and red-tinted deeply ridged stems, and it sprouts from an aggressive and spreading rhizome. The flowers emerge from a tall, upright stem. Female flowers are maroon in color with apex of the stem, which develop into the red fruits (achenes). Rumex acetosella is widely considered to be a hard-to-control noxious weed due to its spreading rhizome. Blueberry farmers are familiar with the weed because it thrives in the same conditions under which blueberries are cultivated. It is commonly considered by farmers as a liming indicator plant. Rumex acetosella is edible and there are several uses in the preparation of food including a garnish, a tart flavoring agent, a salad green, and a curdling agent for cheese. The leaves have a lemony, tangy or nicely tart flavor.

Rumex acetosella Tuesday 7th February Gloomy, dry. Temperatures: min 0 °C / max 6 °C. Rainfalls: 0.2 mls. Practical: Turfing all around two diamond beds of the Upper Terrace with Phil. This is a very fiddly job. It takes time and skills to get done properly. We use a number of turfing tools, such as turf floater, halfmoons, edging sheers and rakes for leveling. We use some sandy soil which is comes from the compost area and is made from the previous year’s turfs. Those old turfs are left upside-down (in order to kill the grass more quickly) and uncovered outside. A year later, a nice, very light soil is obtained. This is a fantastic growing medium for seeds or cuttings and also for turfing job, like today’s. When the new turfs are placed we do the edging and also fill the gaps in between with some soil, in order to allow better rooting and give a nicer presentation.

Turning old turf in compost

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Wednesday 8th February Sunny, dry. Temperatures: min -3 °C / max 4 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Collecting branches, twigs and leaves of lime trees in the Pleasure Grounds. For the second part of the morning I jump into a historic guided tour throughout the gardens, leaded by Toby. This is a very good opportunity to listen my head gardener speaking on the tree collection at Osborne House. The Arboretum shows clearly the interest of Albert for foreign plants and also his Italian influence from the Grand Tour. He established links with Kew Botanic Gardens in London and the already big and comprehensive collection of plants there. Toby shows us Cedrus libani, formerly called Wellingtonia. Apparently it has become quite rare trees in the wilderness, mainly because it tends to get snow and wind which can knacker it out. The Georgians were keen in planting of native trees and species. Historically, it’s only after the battle of Trafalgar that started a new fashion of collecting plants from other regions of the world. Carrying on our tour we come across a beautiful specimen of Pinus nigra. This is native of Austria and Northern Italy and is quite useful for timber. Pinus radiata (Monterrey Pine) is a familiar sight near the coasts of Cornwall and Devon and the rounded spreading outline of older trees adds much to the local scene, particularly in winter, standing head and shoulders above other trees. Its distinctive large cones in clusters of three to five persist on the branches for many years. The density of the crown is attributable to bearing long needles in bunches of three. A strong feature is the deeply fissured bark on older stems. Monterrey is a peninsula in California, with quite distinctive climate conditions. Always from Monterrey is Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterrey Cypress). The Arboretum of Osborne House has a majestic specimen of Monterrey Cypress. The native range of the species was confined to two small relict populations, at Cypress Point in Pebble Beach and at Point Lobos near Carmel, California. Interestly, Monterey cypress is one of the parents of the fast growing cultivated hybrid Leyland cypress (Cupressus × leylandii), the other parent being Nootka cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis). The Tilia x europea (lime trees) specimens planted in rows along the Main Avenue used to be boundary markers in the Georgian times. Nowadays new elm trees cultivars are available on the market; they are resistant to the notorious elm Dutch disease. Then we are shown the beautiful Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), another very good timber tree. In nature, it presents the same way of propagation of the yew, i.e. via adventitious roots. This habit is noticeable in tendency of the plant to grow in a progression of rings from the mother plants. Then we notice the characteristic twining bark of Castanea sativa (Sweet Chestnut). There is also a Champion Quercus suber at Osborne, in the avenue between the House and the Pleasure Grounds. Going down to the beach we come across Quercus canariensis (a semi-evergreen oak) and Quercus sughera x turkeii. Quercus cerris is the Turkey Oak.

Toby Beasley

Cupressus macrocarpa

Quercus suber

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Thursday 9th February Cold, gloomy but still dry. Temperatures: min 0 °C / max 1 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today I am having a theoretic lection first and then some practice too about winter pruning of apples and pears, trained as espaliers; apple tree being Malus domestica and pear tree Pyrus communis. When the plant is first established it’s important to prune back the leader (i.e. the main branch) at the height of the first lines. The year after, when repeating the pruning of the leader, remember to cut alternatively in the opposite way, in order to keep a straighter shape. It is also advisable to let grow the lateral branches obliquely upwards rather than downwards. This should encourage the stream of the sap up to the end of the branches. Only at the second year of growth, tie them horizontally to the lines. The leader should be cut every winter, during the shaping of the espalier. Only when the desired height is reached, the leader is kept and maintained. Better to use both strings and rougher hessian for tying the main branches and the smaller ones. Substitute the weakest strings. You should tie about every feet distance. The main target is to promote the growth of a nice, productive spur. It’s a good practice to hold in the hand the spur and see how it looks with or without the branches likely to be pruned. Obviously remove all the dead, damaged or diseased wood.

Winter pruning of apple and pear espaliers in the Walled Garden Observations: Fruit trees are grown in a variety of shapes, sometimes to please the eye but mainly to encourage fruit production. The form or shape of fruit trees can be manipulated by pruning and training. Shaping and promoting a particular tree form is done to establish the plant in a particular situation under certain environmental conditions, to increase fruit yield, and to enhance fruit quality. A pyramid shape enables trees to be planted closer together. An open bowl or cup form helps sunlight penetrate the canopy, thus encouraging a high fruit yield whilst keeping the tree short and accessible for harvesting. Cordons, espaliers and fans offer opportunities for growing trees two dimensionally against walls or fences, or they can be trained to function as barriers. Some fruit tree forms require training by tying the branches to the required form. Most require pruning to retain the desired structure. However, not all types of fruit tree are suitable for all forms; apple and pears do well as cordons and espaliers, for example, whereas cherries are more suited to the fan form.

Types of training of top-fruit trees (internet database)

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Friday 10th February White clud with sunny spells. Dry. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 3 °C. Rainfalls: 0.6 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to read and record the temperatures and waterfalls. Then I work on my annual bed, planting straight ouside in the bed the ornamental peppers and the cinerarias, which I kept in the coldframes for acclimatizing during the last week. After that, I carry out some more winter pruning on the apple espaliers, following the same principles and practices of yesterday. In the afternoon I join Jen for mulching with compost the linear beds in the Walled Garden. While wheelbarrowing the compost, I can notice that some of paths of the Walled Garden have been covered with some nice woodchip. That material comes from our compost area and really gives a nice aspect to the paths in between the beds. Observations: Iris foetidissima is in flower now in the Walled Garden. I came across this plant during my previous experience as a volunteer at Stowe Landscape Gardens. Iris foetidissima (Stinking Iris, Gladdon, Gladwin Iris, Roast-beef Plant, Stinking Gladwin), is a species of Iris found in open woodland, hedgebanks and sea-cliffs. Its natural range is Western Europe, including England south of Durham and also Ireland, and from France south and east to N. Africa, Italy and Greece. Its flowers are usually of a dull, leaden-blue colour, or dull buff-yellow tinged with blue; the capsules, which remain attached to the plant throughout the winter, are 5–8 cm long; and the seeds scarlet. It is known as “stinking” because some people find the smell of its leaves unpleasant when crushed or bruised, an odour that has been described as “beefy”. This plant is cultivated in gardens in the temperate zones. Both the species and its cultivar “Variegata” have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Iris foetidissima Iris foetidissima is one of the two Iris species native to Britain, the other being Iris pseudacorus, commonly known as yellow flag, yellow iris or water flag. Iris pseudacorus is also native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet, meaning "false acorus," refers to the similarity of its leaves to those of Acorus calamus, as they have a prominently veined mid-rib and sword-like shape. Large I. pseudacorus stands in western Scotland form a very important feeding and breeding habitat for the endangered Corn Crake. It grows best in very wet conditions, and is often common in wetlands, where it tolerates submersion, low pH, and anoxic soils. The plant spreads quickly, by both rhizome and water-dispersed seed. It fills a similar niche to that of Typha and often grows with it, though usually in shallower water.

Iris pseudacorus (internet database)

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Monday 13th February White cloudy but incredibly mild considering the season. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 6 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the winter pruning on the apple espaliers. Observations: After a few days winter pruning, it’s now time for making a point on spur pruning or “spurring”. Apples and pears bear fruit on stubby growth, called spurs, which form on three to five year-old wood. Though most trees put on spurs naturally, some are shy about it and need a little coaxing. Known as spur pruning, this technique is best for young trees that already have good shape. Spur pruning is done on maiden shoots only – those that are one-year-old and unflowered. Clip off the tips of these maidens, leaving just four buds. In summer, this twig will grow both flowers and woody shoots.

Spur pruning on apple trees

Tuesday 14th February Very mild (no frost overnight). White cloud, sunny spells. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Turfing around the beds in the Upper Terrace. I work in team of three, with Nigel and Phil. We do the turfing around the beds which have just been stell edged. The first step is always layering with nice, light loam. Then I can put another thinner layer of fine, sandy soil. Having prepared in such this way the ground, then I am ready for proceeding and lay the turf on it. A good practice is to fill with sand in between of the new turfs. This is a real sign of quality and good horticultural practices. It helps to join them better and gives a neater presentation. Reassuming, the procedure is: layering with sandy soil, stretching turfs, press firmly them on the floor, cutting the edges with the edging sheers, going along with the halfmoon in order to permit well-rooting, filling the space in between the turfs with sand, water the turfs at the end. Tools used are: halfmoon, turf floater, edging sheers, small landscape rake (not the fan shaped one), and wheelbarrows. Observations: When walking back home after work, I notice a nice, unusual winter flowering shrub in a front garden on the road. I take a picture of it and, after asking in an on-line garden forum, I discover this is Abeliophyllum distichum (the white forsythia). A. distichum is a scrambling deciduous shrub with slender branches bearing dark green leaves and racemes of forsythia-like, fragrant white or pale pink flowers 1cm across. Due its scent, it’s good to plant it near a pathway or entrance. Ideal for adding early interest to the shrub border, it is also perfect for training into a fan-shape against a warm, sunny house wall. Abeliophyllum is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the olive family, Oleaceae. It is endemic to Korea, where it is endangered in the wild, occurring at only seven sites.

Abeliophyllum distichum

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Wednesday 15th February Mild, bright. Still no trace of snow. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Undertaking some horticultural maintenance in the Lower Terrace beds. We work in team of three. It’s mainly about weeding, edging, hoeing and raking the camellia beds. In the second part of the morning I have a refresh about woodchipping in order to be ready for the assessment next week. In the afternoon I keep going with the turfing of the bed in the Upper Terrace with Phil. Observations: Working on the borders, I notice the characteristic fragrance of two winter flowering shrubs. These are Daphne odora and Daphne laureola.

Daphne odora

Daphne laureola Daphne (from Greek ∆άφνη, meaning “laurel”) is a genus of between 50 and 95 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs in the family Thymelaeaceae, native to Asia, Europe and North Africa. They are noted for their scented flowers and poisonous berries. The leaves are undivided, mostly arranged alternately (although opposite in D. genkwa). The flowers lack petals and have four (rarely five) petaloid sepals, tubular at the base with free lobes at the apex. The flowers are grouped, either in clusters in the leaf axils towards the end of the stems or in terminal heads. They range in colour from greenish-yellow to white, bright pink and purple; most of the evergreen species have greenish flowers, while the deciduous species tend to have pink flowers. Many species flower in late winter or very early spring. The fruits are one-seeded drupes, which in some species are fleshy and berry-like, in others dry and leathery. Daphne odora is native to Japan and China. It is an evergreen shrub, grown for its very fragrant, fleshy, pale-pink, tubular flowers, each with 4 spreading lobes, and for its glossy foliage. It rarely fruits, producing red berries after flowering. Plants are not long lived, senescing within 8 to 10 years. The cultivar “Aureomarginata” has yellow edged leaves, and is hardier and more suitable to cultivation than the plain-leaved forms. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Daphne laureola is native range covers much of Europe and extends to Algeria, Morocco and the Azores. With Daphne mezereum it is one of two species of Daphne native to Britain, both of which have a strong preference for alkaline soils and are most commonly found in limestone areas. This is an evergreen with yellowish green flowers borne very early in the spring and black berries, which are poisonous to humans but not to birds, present from late summer. All parts of the plants are poisonous. The sap is known to cause skin rashes on contact. Thursday 16th February White cloud. Nearly double-fingers temperatures. Sunny in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Turfing the two diamond beds and one circle bed in the Upper Terrace.

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Friday 17th February Bright, mild, dry. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Border maintenance in the Pleasure Grounds. This involves leaf collecting, edging, weeding, general tidying up. Observations: Today I notice two new weeds. These are Stellaria media and Senecio jacobaea. Stellaria media (chickweed) is a cool-season annual plant native to Europe, which is often eaten bychickens. It is sometimes called common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants called chickweed. Other common names include chickenwort, craches, maruns, winterweed. The plant germinates in fall or late winter, then forms large mats of foliage. Flowers are small and white, followed quickly by the seed pods. This plant flowers and sets seed at the same time. Stellaria media is widespread in North America and Europe. There are several closely related plants referred to as chickweed, but which lack the culinary properties of plants in the genus Stellaria. Plants in the genus Cerastium are very similar in appearance to Stellaria and are in the same family (Carophyllaceae). Stellaria media can be easily distinguished from all other members of this family by examining the stems. Stellaria has fine hairs on only one side of the stem in a single band. Other members of the family Carophyllaceae which resemble Stellaria have hairs uniformly covering the entire stem.

Stellaria media

Senecio jacobaea Senecio jacobaea (syn. Jacobaea vulgaris) is a very common wild flower in the family Asteraceaethat is native to northern Eurasia, usually in dry, open places, and has also been widely distributed as a weed elsewhere. It’s commonly known as Ragwort. In the western US it is generally known as Tansy Ragwort, or "Tansy", though its resemblance to the truetansy is superficial. The plant is generally considered to be biennial but it has the tendency to exhibit perennial properties under certain cultural conditions (such as when subjected to repeated grazing or mowing). Ragwort can be found along road sides and waste grounds, and grows in all cool and high rainfall areas. It is native to the Eurasian continent. In Europe it is widely spread, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. In Britain and Ireland it is listed as a weed. In the USA it has been introduced, and is present mainly in the North West and North East. It also grows in South America, in Africa in the north, and on the Asian continent in India and Siberia. It is widespread weed in New Zealand and Australia. In many Australian states ragwort has been declared a noxious weed. This status requires landholders to remove it from their property, by law. The same applies to New Zealand where farmers sometimes bring in helicopters to spray their farms if the ragwort is too widespread. However, in the UK, where the plant is native, Ragwort provides a home and food source to at least 77 insect species. Thirty of these species of invertebrate use Ragwort exclusively as their food source and there are another 22 species where Ragwort forms a significant part of their diet.

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Monday 20th February Bright, mild, dry. Temperatures: min -2 °C / max 7 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Back to the Walled Garden for fruit pruning on the apple espaliers. In the afternoon Phil gives to Janet and me another refresh in wood chipping procedures in view of the assessment on Wednesday. Tuesday 21st February Shrove Tuesday. White clouds, mild. Temperatures: min -1 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the fruit pruning in the Walled Garden. Observations: Centaurea montana is the plant which Jen pot on just out the Long House. Centaurea Montana (perennial cornflower, mountain cornflower, bachelor’s button) is a species of Centaurea endemic to Europe. It is widespread and common in the more southerly mountain ranges of Europe, but is rarer in the north. It escapes from gardens readily, and has thereby become established in the British Isles, Scandinavia and North America. C. montana grows in meadows and open woodland in the upper montane and sub-alpine zones, in basicareas. It grows to 30–70 centimetres tall, and flowers mainly from May to August. C. montana may be distinguished from other Centaurea species in the region by its usually entire leaves, and the blue-purple colour of the outermost ray florets. It may be distinguished from the cornflower, C. cyanus, by having a single (rarely up to three) flower heads, and by its being perennial, whereas the cornflower has many flower heads and is annual. The closely related C. triumfettii has more narrowly winged stems, narrower leaves and grows in rockier areas. Centaurea montana grows in gardens where it grows best in sunny positions. It tolerates some light shade. Since the plant is evergreen it can use the light in winter and early spring when deciduoustrees and shrubs have no leaves. It tolerates deciduous shade better than evergreen shade and prepares to flower while deciduous plants are bare. Therefore it can flower reasonably well in light deciduous shade. If the plant is dug up a new plant can eventually regenerate from small pieces of root left in the soil. Centaurea montana grows well in soils varying from light sand to heavy clay. The plant also grows well in acid, neutral or very alkaline soils. It tolerates drought but cannot tolerate waterlogged conditions. This plant is inedible; however, it is a popular medicinal plant in Central Europe.

Centaurea Montana foliage

Centaurea montana flower (internet database)

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Wednesday 22nd February Ash Wednesday. Same weather of yesterday: white clouds and mild. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Tying and training stone fruit trees against the wall in the Walled Garden. These so-called stone fruit trees (apricots, plums, etc.) not need to be pruned in winter because of a disease (silver leaf) they can get in this time of the year, in the UK. I don’t know if it’s the same in Italy too. The I sow seeds of Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” in my annual bed. Like Cineraria and the ornamental peppers, they are half-hardiy and can be sowed earlier. In the afternoon I have my text in woodchipping. I pass the practical and theorical assessment and now hold a NPTC Level 2 Certificate in Woodchip Operations.

Sowing seeds in drills

Trained plum tree (Est-facing border of the Walled Garden) Observations: In the evening I do some research on silver leaf disease. Silver leaf is a fungal disease of the wood and leaves of some trees, especially plums, apples, apricots and cherries, but also hawthorns, roses, poplars, rhododendrons and laburnum. The fungus (Chondrostereum purpureum) infects the wood through wounds and causes a silvering of the leaves followed by death of the branch. Since the fungus produces most of its infectious spores in autumn and winter, it is advisable to prune susceptible plants in summer. Not only are there fewer spores at this season but pruning wounds, the main point of entry for the spores, heal more quickly. Binding, wrapping or painting pruning cuts is not longer recommended. The best thing is to let them heal naturally. However, where silver leaf is a recurring problem, painting wounds of susceptible trees might be the less harmful option.

Silver leaf damage (internet database)

Chondrostereum purpureum (internet database)

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Thursday 23rd February Windy and grey start of the day. Very bright later in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 3.0 mls. Practical: Today I clear the perennial borders in the private drive between the House and the Pleasure Grounds. We work in team of three: Phil, Reese and I. While two of us cut and process the wood in the chipper, the other one stay in their sight on the near junction, monitoring the traffic on the road. We swop the job as we go, but to be the banksman on a crossroad is probably the most boring job of my life. However it will give me a sense of professionalism and awareness of the health and safety procedures. Observations: I notice Oemleria cerasiformis cultivated in a private garden of East Cowes. This is a shrub commonly known as osoberry or Indian plum, and is the sole species in its genus. Native to the Pacific coast and ranges of North America, it is among the first plants to leaf out and flowers early in the spring. It reaches a height of 1.5–5 m and has lance-shaped leaves 5–12 cm long. The plants are dioecious; male and female flowers occur on different plants. The flowers are whitish-green, bell-shaped, often appear in late winter before the leaves, and are about 1 cm across. The fruits are edible but bitter-tasting and resemble small plums which are dark blue when ripe. The twig is slender, green turning to reddish brown, pith chambered, conspicuous orange lenticles. Bark is smooth, reddish brown to dark gray.

Oemleria cerasiformis

Friday 24th February Always double-fingers temperatures. White clouds. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Woodchipping, sawing, hard-pruning and clearing in the Woodland Garden. I work on several specimens of Viburnum tinus, Griselinia littoralis, Prunus laurocerasus, Ilex aquifolium. At the end of the working session, I use the blower for clearing the path.

Griselinia littoralis

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Observations: Griselinia littoralis, commonly known as Kapuka or New Zealand Broadleaf, is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree growing up to 20 m tall, though generally 4–8 m particularly in coastal exposure. It is native to New Zealand, where it typically grows in coastal locations (Latin littoralis means “growing by the sea”). It is widely cultivated both in New Zealand and in other areas with mild oceanic climates such as the south coast of Great Britain, where it is valued for its tolerance of salt carried on sea gales, and thus often grown as a hedge or screen. The leaves are alternate, leathery, glossy yellow-green above, paler and matte below, 6–14 cm long, oval with a smooth margin. The flowers are borne on 2–5 cm long panicles, each panicle with 50-100 individual flowers, each flower 3–4 mm across, greenish-yellow with five sepalsand stamens but no petals. The fruit is a small blackish berry. Griselinia littoralis is an excellent shrub: very fast growing, able to stand salt-laden winds but not completely frost hardy. The species and its variegated cultivar “Variegata” have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. G. littoralis “Variegata” is a popular form for landscaping. Its leathery leaves are green and grey-green, with blotched or zoned white variegations. It can grow up to 3m in height with a spread of up to 2m. Other good cultivars are: G. littoralis “Bantry Bay” features green, leathery leaves that produce a cream-coloured central splash. Inconspicuous flowers are borne. It can grow up to 3m in height with a spread of up to 2m. G. littoralis “Brodick Gold” has variegated, oval leaves that produce a cream-coloured central splash and green edges. It originated as a sport of 'Variegata' in the gardens of Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran. This variety is tender in the UK, but suitable for maritime exposure. It can grow up to 3m in height. G. littoralis “Dixon's Cream” is widely regarded as being one of the best variegated forms of Griselinia, producing leaves with splashes of creamy white colour. The foliage is dense and is liable to revert to all-green shoots that should be cut out when seen. A little less hardy than the species, it is best grown against a warm sheltered wall and should be covered with fleece for winter protection when temperatures drop below -5 C. G. littoralis “Green Jewel” is similar to “Variegata” but has paler foliage with creamy-yellow edges. G. littoralis “Luscombe's Gold” first occurred as a sport of “Variegata” in Luscombe's Nursery in Torquay in 1970, but it is not currently available. G. lucida is a handsome, tender species that is sometimes grown as a conservatory plant. It will form an erect, branching shrub and can reach up to 4m in height. It is not currently grown in commercial numbers. Monday 27th February Mild with some spells of sun. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 10 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First part of the morning up to tea break, leaf clearance on the Main Avenue. I operate the vacuum Billy Goat along the road, Reese following with the wheeled blower. After the first tea break a risk assessment procedure course for the whole team takes place in the messroom. We all have a look at the new risk assessment forms. In the afternoon I go down to the Swiss Cottage, joining Ade there. We mulch with woodchip the long herbaceous border between the access gate and the woodlands gate.

Risk assessment procedure course

Mulching by the Swiss Cottage

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Tuesday 28th February White cloud, still no rain. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Edging in the Pleasure Grounds. I do the borders and paths all the way down the south-facing wall of the Walled Garden. I prepare the edging by clearing the gravel off from the edges. The gravel tends to cumulate by the edges of the paths because of the use of the tractor and trailer on it and also the visitors. This first clearing job is done by using a Dutch hoe. Then I do the actual edging, section by section. Once the edging is done, I rake through and collect the cuttings. Also I spot weed the worst. At the end of the working day I pot up my own parsley seedlings (Petroselinum sativum) in medium-sized pots and move them in the coldframes for acclimatizing. I got twelve nice plants of parsley which will keep in my backgarden for cooking.

Parsley seedlings

Observations: I notice pots of Vestia foetida outside the greenhouse. These are leftovers which have been grown from seeds and now given away to the volunteers. Vestia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae containing the single species Vestia foetida (syn. V. lycioides). Its common name is Chilean box thorn. It is native to Chile. Growing to 2 m tall by 1.5 m broad, it is an evergreen shrub with glossy green leaves. In spring and summer it bears tubular yellow flowers to 3 cm long, with prominent stamens. The specific epithet foetida refers to the unpleasant smell of the foliage when crushed. Although frost-hardy, the plant requires some protection from winter wind. Vestia foetida is a good choice for city and courtyard gardens, coastal, cottage / informal garden, flower borders and beds, wall-side borders or as patio or container plant. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. I also find in the potting shed an old label of Drimys lanceolata (syn. Tasmania lanceolata). This plant, commonly known as the Mountain Pepper (Aus), or Cornish Pepper Leaf (UK), is a shrub native to woodlands and cool temperate rainforest of south-eastern Australia. Jen tells me it’s now not displayed at Osborne House because too modern.

Vestia foetida

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Wednesday 29th February White cloudy, dry. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the edging throughout the Pleasure Grounds.

Edging shears

Edged border Observations: I find a baby Lunaria annua (Honesty) while weeding along the borders. I pot it up in a plastic pot and take home for my backgarden. Lunaria annua, called honesty or annual honesty in English, is a species of flowering plant native to the Balkans and south west Asia, and naturalized throughout the temperate world. It is an annual or biennial growing to 90 cm tall by 30 cm broad, with large, coarse, pointed oval leaves with marked serrations. In spring and summer it bears terminal racemes of white or violet flowers, followed by showy, light brown, translucent, disc-shaped seedpods (silicles) the skin of which falls off to release the seeds, revealing a central membrane which is white with a silvery sheen, 3–8 cm in diameter; they persist on the plant through winter. Lunaria annua is easy to grow from seed. It is usually grown as a biennial, being sown one year to flower the next. It is suitable for cultivation in a shady or dappled area, or in a wildflower garden, and the flowers and dried seedpods are often seen in flower arrangements. Numerous varieties and cultivars are available, of which the white-flowered L. annua var. albiflora has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The Latin name lunaria means “moon-shaped” and refers to the shape and appearance of the seedpods. The common name “honesty” arose in the 16th century, and may also relate to the translucence of the seedpods. In South East Asia, it is called the “money plant” and in the United States it is commonly known as “silver dollars” or “Chinese coins” because its seedpods have the appearance of silvery coins. For the same reason, in French it is known as monnaie du pape (“Pope’s money”). In Denmark it is known as judaspenge and in Dutch-speaking countries as judaspenning (“Coins of Judas”), an allusion to the story of Judas Iscariot and the thirty pieces of silver he was paid for betraying Christ.

Lunaria annua foliage, flowers and seed pots (internet database)

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March Thursday 1st March Very foggy start. Then nice and sunny later. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the edging throughout the Pleasure Ground. Friday 2nd March Foggy, then sunny. At the end of the day grey again. Temperatures: min 3°C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Clearing a long perennial border between the Pleasure Grounds and the Main Avenue. This project is going to take a few days, as the border is quite large and the ivy colonized the area over the last two years, after some heavy snowfalls and the consequent lost off the original shrubbery. It’s mainly about pulling out ivies and also reducing the overgrown native shrubs. This is just the first step of the on-going project, which will continue over the next few years and involve the re-landscaping and re-planting of the border. I work in team with Phil and Reese. We use spades, forks, landscape rakes and the mattock for pulling out dead or unwanted stumps. Observations: Given the fact that I have to work among ivy for the next few days, I carry out some research on the plant in the evening. Hedera helix (common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or just ivy) is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae, native to most of Europe and western Asia. A rampant, clinging evergreenvine, it is a familiar sight in gardens, waste spaces, on house walls, tree trunks and in wild areas across its native habitat. It is labeled as an invasive species in a number of areas where it has been introduced. Horticulturally, ivy is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. Within its native range, the species is greatly valued for attracting wildlife. The flowers are visited by over 70 species of nectar-feeding insects, and the berries eaten by at least 16 species of birds. The foliage provides dense evergreen shelter, and is also browsed by deer. The species can become a nuisance in gardens, rapidly colonising hedges, trees and borders if not kept in check. It can even invade neglected lawns. Over 30 cultivars have been selected for such traits as yellow, white, variegated (e.g. “Glacier”), and/or deeply lobed leaves (e.g. “Sagittifolia”), purple stems, and slow, dwarfed growth. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: “Angularis aurea”, “Caecilia”, “Congesta”, “Duckfoot”, “Glacier”, “Goldchild”, “Mand’'s Crested”, “Midas Touch”, “Parsley Crested”, “Spetchley”.

Hedera helix foliage and fruits

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Monday 5th March Sunny, dry. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 12.5 mls. Practical: Carrying on clearing the perennial border from the ivy. Always working in team of three of us. Observations: Noticing in the same border Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort). This is a low growing shrub spreads rapidly, suppressing weeds and providing a colorful floral display from June to September. It will flourish under trees and on dry banks and its large, buttercup-like flowers are a familiar sight. Reese tells me this is a useful work-horse in the garden, so I carry out some researches in the evening. Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering, stoloniferous or sarmentose, perennial herb indigenous to Europe. It has been introduced to many temperate areas of the world and grows wild in many meadows. The herb's common name comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St John's day, 24 June. The genus name Hypericum is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture), in reference to the plant's traditional use in warding off evil by hanging plants over a religious icon in the house during St John's day. The species name perforatum refers to the presence of small oil glands in the leaves that look like windows, which can be seen when they are held against the light. St John's wort is a perennial plant with extensive, creeping rhizomes. Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section, and can grow to 1 m high. It has opposing, stalkless, narrow, oblong leaves that are 12 mm long or slightly larger. The leaves are yellow-green in color, with transparent dots throughout the tissue and occasionally with a few black dots on the lower surface. Leaves exhibit obvious translucent dots when held up to the light, giving them a ‘perforated’ appearance, hence the plant's Latin name. Its flower measures up to 2.5 cm across, have five petals, and are colored bright yellow with conspicuous black dots. The flowers appear in broad cymes at the ends of the upper branches, between late spring and early to mid summer. The sepals are pointed, with glandular dots in the tissue. There are many stamens, which are united at the base into three bundles. The pollen grains are ellipsoidal. When flower buds (not the flowers themselves) or seed pods are crushed, a reddish/purple liquid is produced.

Hypericum perforatum

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Tuesday 6th March Sunny, dry. Temperatures: min 0 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on clearing the border from the ivy in the Pleausure Grounds. Observations: I notice a beautiful specimen of Euonymus alatus Euonymus alatus, known variously as winged spindle, winged euonymus or burning bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. This deciduous shrub grows to 2.5 metres tall, often wider than tall. The stems are notable for their four corky ridges or “wings”. The word alatus (or alata, used formerly) is Latin for “winged”, in reference to the winged branches. These unique structures develop from a cork cambium deposited in longitudinal grooves in the twigs’ first year, unlike similar wings in other plants. The leaves are 2–7 centimetres long and 1–4 centimetres broad, ovate-elliptic, with an acute apex. The flowers are greenish, borne over a long period in the spring. The fruit is a red arilenclosed by a four-lobed pink, yellow or orange capsule. The common name “burning bush” comes from the bright red fall color. It is a popular ornamental plant in gardens and parks due to its bright pink or orange fruit and attractive fall color. The species and the cultivar “Compactus” have both gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Eupnymus alatus Wednesday 7th March Windy, grey in the morning. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 8 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Carrying on clearing the perennial border from the ivy in the Pleausure Grounds. I also pole sawing tall branches of lime tree in the same area, in order to open the view through the border. I saw down few stumps of cherry laurel by using a folding pruning saw. In the afternoon it’s finally a change of scenery. I take the edging sheers and go down to the Main Avenue, doing the edges around the crossroad near the POQ.

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Thursday 8th March Chilly start but bright day. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 2.5 mls. Practical: Fouth day in a row keep pulling out the ivy in the Pleasure Grounds’ border. In the afternoon the PGG traineeship administrator John Humpris comes over, so I have the opportunity for a break, as well as for discussing my position and also how things are getting on for me at Osborne House. John and I have a tour through the gardens, which gives us the opportunity to speak about my next year’s placement. John suggests Ashridge Estate, a historic property owned by the National Trust. This is a very appealing garden to work in, but I express to John my desire to work in a British botanic garden. The stroll within the gardens is also a plant identification test. John asks me many plants (especially shrubs) and I’m able to identify most of them apart, annoyingly, Ribes speciosum, the so-called fuchsia flowered gooseberry, which I confuse with some sort of fuchsia. Observations: I mixed up Ribes speciosum this afternoon, so carry out some research in the evening about this plant (in order to be prepared next time!). Ribes speciosum is a species of gooseberry with elongate, red flowers that resemble those offuchsia; its common name is fuchsia-flowered gooseberry. It is native to central and southern California and Baja California, where it grows in the scrub and chaparral of the coastal mountain ranges. Ribes speciosum is a spreading shrub which can reach 3 metres in maximum height, its stems coated in bristles with three long spines at each stem node. The leathery leaves are shallowly divided into several lobes and are mostly hairless, the upper surfaces dark green and shiny. The inflorescence is a solitary flower or raceme of up to four flowers. The flower is a tube made up of the gland-studded scarlet sepals with the four red petals inside. The red stamens and stigmasprotrude far from the mouth of the flower, measuring up to 4 centimeters long each. The fruit is a red-orange berry about a centimeter long which is covered densely in glandular bristles. Ribes speciosum is cultivated as an ornamental plant for use in drought-tolerant, native plant, andwildlife gardens. It prefers dappled to bright light, in dry gardens and under oaks. The plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Ribes speciosum

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Friday 9th March White cloudy, dry. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Mowing two long pieces of lawn in the Pleasure Grounds, by the eagles’ statues. Nigel gives me all the instruction for the job. Here are his suggestions on the safe use of the lawn mower: - Height must usually be 3 or 4 in this time of the year. Today is the first spring cut, so you keep height 4. - When starting mowing, have the inner flower bed at your right hand side. This makes the job easier. - Obviously disconnect the sparkplug when job is finished. - Always have a quick inspection of the ground before start: remove any twigs or stones. - A good trick is to focus a point in front of you and follow it while mowing, in order to go as straight as possible. - When you have a tricky lawn which presents odd or winding sides, it’s a good thing start by following the straighter side. It makes the cut more natural and presentable. - During the season, alternate the stripes ways. This is good for the healthy of the lawn. - Re-doing the stripes it’s important in order to define them better and for longer time. Observations: Tonight I get a bit more into lawn mowers and their safe use in horticulture.

Types of Lawn Mowers Motorized lawn mower types 1) Rotary push lawn mower: As far as I know, there has never been a successful design of a manually powered rotary mower, they are always motorized in some way, powered either by gas, petrol or electrically. The rotary mowers are powerful and well adapted to lawns with weeds and dandelions. They are quite heavy to push, but usually come with motorized wheels (self-propelled). 2) Push reel mowers (cylinder): The reel (cylinder) lawn mower has vertical wheels that brush up and cuts the grass. The cutting mechanism can be non-contact or contact, depending on the model. The reel mower comes in many variants and can be manual, or motorized (electric, petrol). The reel mower typically gives a very neat and even cut, but they sometimes have difficulties cutting long straws or weed. They are normally quiet, relatively cheap and easy to maintain. 3) Riding mowers (ride-on mowers): Instead of walking with the machine, these mowers have a seat and the operator controls and steers the machine while riding it. Suitable for larger lawns with not too many trees or other obstacles on the lawn. 4) Zero-turn lawn mower: These machines are constructed for easy maneuverability around obstacles and confined spaces, having a zero turning radius. They are often quite large and expensive. 5) Tractor lawn mowers: This machine is built as a small tractor with a mower mounted between the front and rear wheel axes. A lawn tractor can easily be equipped with e.g carts or aerators, some even with snowplow blades, so they are more versatile than the riding mower. And usually more expensive. Electric lawn mowers 1) Electric mowers: An electric mower are inexpensive to operate and relatively easy to maintain. Most of the machines described above today come in electric models, either corded or cordless. They are well worth considering as a quiet and eco-friendly choice. Other types 1) Robotic lawn mowers: Robotic mowers are small robots that mow the lawn on their own. It automatically visits its loading station when the battery is going low, there are also solar hybrid models. The robot covers an area within electric perimeter wires buried in the ground. Robotic mowers are quiet, safe, non-polluting, and give an even and good trim to your lawn. Still rather pricy. 2) Hover mowers: These mowers are motorized with a rotary blade, but they have no wheels. Instead, they are 'floating' above the ground on a cushin of air - hovering. They are especially useful for steep hills or slopes, where regular mowers would slip or even be dangerous to use. What should you do before using a power lawn mower? Training Read, understand, and follow the manufacturer's operating manual. Ensure your supervisor has fully trained you on how to operate the mower. Your supervisor should demonstrate how to use the mower, and observe you working with it until satisfied that you can operate it safely. Know the controls and how to stop the machine quickly.

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Personal Protective Equipment Wear long pants, close-fitting clothes and non-slip safety toe footwear (no bare feet, sandals or sneakers!) Wear hearing and eye protection. Portable music players are not recommended since they can be a distraction to the operator. Preparing the area Check the yard before mowing - clear the work area of rocks, bottles and debris that might be thrown by the blades. Keep people (especially children) and pets away from the work area. A mower can hurl objects in any direction. Do not mow wet grass (walking on wet grass is a slipping hazard for you and more likely to cause the mower to clog). Preparing the mower Inspect the mower prior to starting. Make certain that the blade is sharp and secured. Replace thin or worn blades. Make sure the blade stopping controls are effective. Adjust as necessary. Make sure that shields and other guards, such as the rear drag shield and the discharge deflector, are in place and working properly. Adjust wheel height before starting mower. Turn off the engine before adding fuel. Fill the engine when it is cool, not while it is still hot after it has been used. Use a funnel to prevent spillage on the engine. Fuel up outdoors, then wipe up all spills. Do not smoke when refueling! Restart engine at least 8 metres (25 feet) from where you refueled to avoid igniting vapours. Store gasoline safely - outside and away from any heat source. If using an electric lawn mower, use the recommended grounded extension cord, and follow the applicable electrical safety procedures described in Powered Hand Tools - Basic Safety for Electric Tools. What should you do when using a power lawn mower? Start the lawn mower outdoors. If your electric mower isn't labeled "double insulated," never plug it into anything but a grounded (3-prong) outlet. Use a ground fault interrupter (GFI) for additional safety. Set mower at the highest cutting level when operating on rough ground. Always push the mower in a forward direction. Watch for hidden hazards such as holes, roots, drain pipes and insect nests. Cut the throttle to idle and make sure the mower will not roll when stopping to pick up debris. Proceed slowly into tall, heavy grass to avoid choking the mower or stalling the motor. Use caution around low hanging branches and shrubs. Operate a "push" mower standing up straight, not bent over. Do not pull the mower toward you (or your feet). Mow across slopes. Your feet are less likely to slide under the mower and the mower cannot roll back. (This method is opposite from operating riding lawn mowers that are driven straight and down inclines.) Shut off mower, ensuring the blade has stopped rotating, and disconnect the spark plug wire (or disconnect an electric lawn mower) before tipping the mower by the handle to expose the underside for maintenance. Stop the lawn mower immediately if the blade hits any hard object, inspect the blade, and make the necessary repairs before using the mower again. Keep hands away from the blades. Use a stick to unclog or remove grass from the mower (after you have turned off the mower). Turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths, roads, or other areas. Mow away from the power cord if using an electric powered lawn mower. Disconnect electric lawn mowers or turn off gas-powered mowers immediately after use. Take frequent rest breaks, especially on hot days. What should you avoid when using a power lawn mower? Do not reach under machine. Disconnect the spark plug wire before sharpening, replacing and cleaning the blade or any part of the mower. Do not leave a running mower unattended. Do not touch hot motor parts. Do not spray cold water on a hot engine. Do not fuel the mower while the engine is running or when engine is hot. Do not lift or tilt the mower while it is running. Do not leave blades rotating motor running when crossing a gravelled area. Do not run mower over stones or hard objects like pipes, rocks or sidewalk edges. Do not remove the grass catcher or unclog the chute while the motor is running. Do not point the discharge chute at people, animals, buildings, windows or glass doors.

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Monday 12th March Foggy the first part of the morning, brighter later. Dry with some light showers. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: General horticultural maintenance by the POQ cafeteria. We work in team of four. I trim down a Myrtus communis (Common Myrtle). Also I pick up leaves through the borders and the hedges, and the Cordyline australis leaves on the floor. Observations: Acacia dealbata is the gorgeous mimosa I sow yesterday in a private garden in West Cowes. Acacia dealbata (known as silver wattle, blue wattle or, improperly, mimosa) is a species of Acacia, native to southeastern Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory and widely introduced in Mediterranean, warm temperate, and highland tropical landscapes. It is a fast growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 30 m tall, typically a pioneer species after fire. The leaves are bipinnate, glaucous blue-green to silvery grey, 1–12 cm (occasionally to 17 cm) long and 1–11 cm broad, with 6–30 pairs of pinnae, each pinna divided into 10–68 pairs of leaflets; the leaflets are 0.7–6 mm long and 0.4–1 mm broad. The flowers are produced in large racemoseinflorescences made up of numerous smaller globose bright yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers. The fruit is a flattened pod 2–11.5 cm long and 6–14 mm broad, containing severalseeds. Trees generally do not live longer than 30 to 40 years, after which in the wild they aresucceeded by other species where bushfires are excluded. In moist mountain areas, white lichens can almost cover the bark, which may contribute to the descriptor “silver”. Acacia dealbata is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in warm temperate regions of the world, and isnaturalised in some areas, including Sochi (Black Sea coast of Russia), The Crimean peninsula (Russia), southwestern Western Australia, southeastern South Australia, Norfolk Island, the Mediterranean region from Portugal to Greece and Morocco to Israel,California, Madagascar, southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe), the highlands of southern India, south-western China and Chile. It does not survive prolonged frost. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The flowers and tip shoots are harvested for use as cut flowers, when it is known by florist trade as “mimosa”. In Italy, Albania, Russia and Georgia the flowers are also frequently given to women on International Women's Day. The essence of the flowers, called “cassie” or “opopanax”, is used in perfumes. The leaves are sometimes used in Indian chutney. In South Africa, the species is a Category 1 weed in the Western Cape (requiring eradication) and Category 2 weed (requiring control outside plantation areas) elsewhere. In New Zealand the Department of Conservation class it as an environmental weed. It has been analyzed as containing less than 0.02% alkaloids. It is known to contain enanthic acid, palmic aldehyde, anisic acid, enanthic acid, acetic acid, and phenols.

Acacia dealbata

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Tuesday 13th March Really foggy and damp, dry. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0.6 mls. Practical: Carrying on the general maintenance by the POQ cafeteria. I prune hard back several Fuchsia cultivars. Observations: While walking to the messroom for tea break, I notice Escallonia rubra “Crimson Spire” in one of the borders nearby the POQ entrance. Escallonia rubra “Crimson Spire” is an evergreen shrub and a strong grower, making a perfect hedge. If Escallonia Crimson Spire is left alone, it will form a beautiful shrub with large dark green leaves and bright crimson flowers growing up to 2 metres. It has glossy green leaves and beautiful five petalled deep pink blooms that appear throughout the summer months. Often used for hedging and screening, it’s a bushy plant that does need to be sheltered from cold and drying winds. It also requires a full sunlight location to best thrive. The flowers, though small, contrast wonderfully against the foliage, making for a stunning display during the best months of the year. It is not fussy at all. It will thrive in any soil type (including chalk and clay) that is both moist and well-drained. Happy in sun or partial shade, it has a slight preference for a sheltered spot but this is not essential. It also grows well in coastal areas. Maintenancewise, an annual trim in late autumn to keep its shape is all that’s really required. Given that it is one of the fastest growing hedging plants, it’s best not to neglect this simple task. Versatility: Escallonia Macrantha (Rubra) is not just a pretty face. Striking enough to make a specimen plant to be proud of, its dense growth offers excellent privacy should you require your hedge to double up as a screen. Finally, I find a quotation from Virginia Woolf’s 1922 novel, Jacob’s Room (a character study of its eponymous hero), giving a rare, if brief, literary mention to the Escallonia: “Behind them, again, was the grey-green garden, and among the pear-shaped leaves of the escallonia fishing-boats seemed caught and suspended…”

Escallonia rubra “Crimson Spire” Escallonia genus (Escalloniaceae) presents about 40-50 species of flowering plants, mostly evergreen shrubs (rarely small trees), native to South America. Widely cultivated and commonly used as a hedging plant, especially in coastal areas, escallonia grows about 30 cm per year, reaching 1.5–3 m in height, with arching branches of small, oval, glossy green leaves. Flowering from June to October, it has masses of small pink or crimson flowers, with a honey fragrance. It is best grown in full sun with some shelter. Some varieties are not fully hardy in all areas of the UK.

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Wednesday 14th March White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 9 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning it’s recording the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I Work in the Potting Shed, potting up some of the plants for the display in my annual bed. I pot up Mirabilis jalapa, ornamental peppers and cinerarias. Then I move allthe new trays and pots are now in the Ali House. Things I need to remember when potting up plants are: - To be efficient: in one go fill many pots and then pull out more than only one seedling at time. Push firmly the soil in the pots. - To handle the plants from the leaves raher than form the stems is a good rule, but not always valid. It’s advisable to estimate the individual seedlings and look if it’s better to grab it from soil, leaves, etc. - When doing the potting mix, use some feed, such as osmocote (when I first sowed the seeds in trays, that wasn’t necessary). - When not much room is at disposal in the greenhouse, it’s advisable to have a rough exstimation about the number of plants are needed before to proceed with the potting up. In this way, it’s possible to use only the number of plants which is actually needed and leave in the seed trays the others for a little while. - When potting in plugs respect the right size considering the size of the seedling. Plants thrive when a natural cyrcle is reproduct (i.e. periods of wet and dry conditions). This is true even if, as a rule, a seedling needs a lot of watering. If using plugs which are too big or too small, this natural process can’t be stimulated.

Potting up chillies

Adding Osmocote in the potting mix Observations: Osmocote is a time-release fertilizer manufactured by the Osmocote company. The inorganic fertilizer is formed into pellets and coated with a resin that breaks down with time, temperature and moisture. The goal is to have a little fertilizer released continuously throughout the growing season. Some artists use Osmocote in the soil. Some have commented that the fertilizer breaks down too quickly in hot, humid summers when there is a lot of rainfall. A special formulation is available for acid-loving plants.

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Thursday 15th March Really misty (all most ghostly) but still warm. Turning sunnier in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the potting-up for my annual bed in the Potting Shed. I pot up Rudbeckia hirta “Prairie Sun”, Salvia “Reference”, Antirrhinum “Monarch” and A. “Peaches and Cream” and follow the same procedure I’ve done yesterday. In the agernoon I weed my bed in the Walled Garden. There are colonies of goosefoot herb (Chenopodium album) and also some seedlings of Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium). While spot weeding, I find some interesting plants to pot up and keep for my back garden. These are Centaurea montana, Angelica archangelica, Beta vulgaris (beetroot) and two mysterious bulbous plants. Observations: In the evening I do some research on the new weeds I’m dealing with in the Walled Garden in these days: Epilobium angustifolium and Chenopodium album. Epilobium angustifolium, commonly known in Britain as Rosebay Willowherb (but also as Fireweed in North America and Great Willow-herb in some parts of Canada), is aperennial herbaceous plant in the willowherb family Onagraceae. It is native throughout the temperate of Northern Hemisphere, including large parts of the boreal forests. This weed is often abundant in wet calcareous to slightly acidic soils in open fields, pastures, and particularly burned-over lands; Its tendency to quickly colonize open areas with little competition, such as sites of forest fires and forest clearings, makes it a clear example of a pioneer species. Plants grow and flower as long as there is open space and plenty of light. Nigel tells me an interesting anecdocte on rosebay willow herb. Apparently it self seeds happily along the railway road: this is because the movement of the train which provides perfect propagation conditions for the light seeds, so creating long pinky rows all the way along the railway roads. Chenopodium album is a fast-growing weedy annual plant in the genus Chenopodium. Though cultivated in some regions, the plant is elsewhere considered a weed. Common names include lamb’s quarters, melde, goosefoot and fat-hen, though the latter two are also applied to other species of the genus Chenopodium, for which reason it is often distinguished as white goosefoot. Its native range is obscure due to extensive cultivation, but includes most of Europe, from where Linnaeus described the species in 1753. Plants native in eastern Asia are included under C. album, but often differ from European specimens. It is widely introduced elsewhere, e.g. Africa, Australasia, North America, and Oceania, and now occurs almost everywhere in soils rich in nitrogen, especially on wasteland. Chenopodium album is cultivated as a grain or vegetable crop (such as in lieu of spinach), as well as animal feed in Asia and Africa, whereas in Europe and North America, it is commonly regarded as a weed in places such as potato fields. The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a leaf vegetable, either steamed in its entirety, or cooked like spinach, but should be eaten in moderation due to high levels of oxalic acid. Each plant produces tens of thousands of black seeds. These are high in protein, vitamin A, calcium, phosphorus, andpotassium. Quinoa, a closely related species, is grown specifically for its seeds.

Epilobium angustifolium

Chenopodium album

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Friday 16th March Still grey and dry. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Raking up twigs and leaves in a lawn section in the Pleasure Grounds. The material is mostly from the historic lime tree specimen which border the Main Avenue with the Pleasure Grounds. I also prepare two tree pits for a new young tree to plant here. To prepare a tree pit is quite an important step when planting a tree. The pit should be at least 1 meter of diameter for young trees, enlarged later. It is a good practice to use the half moon whith a string attached to the handle, in order to obtain a nice circle around the tree stem. If those tools are not available, it is possible to measure the quadrants by treads and then shape a circle. A good pit around a planted tree is important because it allows better weed control, feeding and watering for the plant. After having been planted, the tree needs to establish and find a symbiotic relation with the ground and the climate around. There are many potential killers threatening the health of young plants, such as perennial weeds and soil compaction. By prepating an adeguate three pit, it’s possible to avoid damages. It’s also important to remember that often a three don’t die immediately, but resists for a certain number of years before. In Osborne House gardens, we cover the three pits with a layer of woodchipping, which gives a better finish and helps keeping the moisture in the soil as weel as controlling the weeds.

Creating a pit around a just planted tree in the Pleasure Grounds

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Observations: At the end of the working day, I stay a bit longer in the potting shed, and pot up my own plants (mainly hot peppers and basil). I also notice a nice flowering plant in the Long House when moving my plants to their new position. Ipheion uniflorum “Charlotte Bishop” is a tender bulb from Argentina and Uruguay, which dusky pink flowers which appear early in the year. Flowers are six petaled, star-shaped, sweetly fragrant and with grass-like foliage that smells like garlic when crushed. For somebody this is a strange plant because it often flowers at times of the year when wouldn’t be expected; then it partly dies back for a spell and then it will flower again. It's a lovely plant and has some character. About 15cm high at most. The bulbs multiply nicely. It’s a great bulb for edges of borders, plant layering and lawn art. “Charlotte Bishop” has proved to be one of the far most reliable in its genus’ cultivars. Hardy, in so much as it will stand up to quite low temperatures, but the roots dislike being too wet, so place it well in the garden.

My own chillies and basils; just potted-up

Ipheion uniflorum “Charlotte Bishop” Monday 19th March We had a touch of frost tonight. It’s a sunny, bright, warm day, anyway. Temperatures: min 0 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0.5 mls. Practical: Mulching with compost in the Pleasure Grounds borders. Observations: Phil tells me about the hedge trimming regulations in the UK for the wildlife. These are applied mostly to the hedgerows in the countryside, but also to gardens and parks hedges. It should be avoided trimming hedgerows between 1 March and 31 July, the main nesting season for birds. Exemptions apply if the hedgerow overhangs a public highway or public footpath, or if it obstructs the view of drivers. It is best to leave trimming until the end of winter, but where it is impossible to get on the field at this time, trimming can be brought forward to early winter. Ground cover at the hedge base should be retained over winter for ground-nesting birds. It should also be noted that over-management – or trimming a hedge too severely – can have a detrimental effect on conservation. In general, taller, bushier hedgerows provide more wildlife potential than smaller, thinner hedges. If conditions are such that you need to trim hedges when berries are still present, only the hedge sides should be trimmed, as this will leave some fruit. A summary of the Hedgerow Regulations is contained in the Defra leaflet “Hedgerow Regulations: Your Question Answered”. More detailed guidance is contained in “The Hedgerows Regulations 1997: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice”.

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Tuesday 20th March White cloudy. Temperatures: min 2 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: For the first part of the day I take part to a training day on “Health and Safety Matters”. All Osborne House staff is attending the course, which covers important matters, such as emergency planning, security and general overview, fire extinguischer training and fire evacuation procedures. In the afternoon I’m back to my horticultural duties, and move my own basil and hot peppers in the Ali House. I also sow more seeds for plants of my annual bed. These are Moluccella laevis, Brachyscome iberidifolia “Brachy Blue” and Tithonia rotundifolia “Fiesta del Sol”.

Demonstration on the use of the fire extinguisher

Seeds of Brachyscome iberidifolia “Brachy Blue” Observations: The practical demonstation on the use of the fire extinguisher is particularly interesting. Before using the fire extinguisher, be sure to read the instructions before it's too late. Although there are many different types of fire extinguishers, all of them operate in a similar manner. A typical fire extinguisher contains 10 seconds of extinguishing power. This could be less if it has already been partially discharged. Always read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher beforehand and become familiarized with its parts. It is highly recommended by fire prevention experts that you get hands-on training before operating a fire extinguisher. Most local fire departments offer this service. Once the fire is out, don't walk away! Watch the area for a few minutes in case it re-ignites. Recharge the extinguisher immediately after use. Use acronym PASS as a quick reference: 1) Pull the Pin at the top of the extinguisher. The pin releases a locking mechanism and will allow you to discharge the extinguisher. 2) Aim at the base of the fire, not the flames. This is important - in order to put out the fire, you must extinguish the fuel. 3) Squeeze the lever slowly. This will release the extinguishing agent in the extinguisher. If the handle is released, the discharge will stop. 4) Sweep from side to side. Using a sweeping motion, move the fire extinguisher back and forth until the fire is completely out. Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away, and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish. Be sure to read the instructions on your fire extinguisher - different fire extinguishers recommend operating them from different distances. Remember: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames!!!!

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Wednesday 21st March Bright but damp. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thins in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I work in the Potting Shed, sowing seed of Celosia cristata, Tagetes tenuifloia “Lemon Gem”, Nicotiana “Lime Green”, Nicotiana langsdorfii, Ageratum houstonianum “Dondo White”. All these plants are for my annual bed in Walled Garden. In the afternoon I help Jen setting up the summer display of the Iron House. We place here Kalanchoe cultivars, Sansevieria trifasciata “Laurentii” and other indoor plants. We divide Sansevieria specimens with spade rather than using two forks. In the point of fact, spades can be better solutions when dividing rhizomatous plants.

Planning the summer display of the Iron House Observations: I quite enjoy working with the mother-in-law plant, so I carry out some evening research on the genus and its species. Sansevieria is a genus of about 70 species of flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae. It is often included in the genus Dracaena. There is great variation within the genus, and species range from succulent desert plants such as Sansevieria pinguicula to thinner leafed tropical plants such as Sansevieria trifasciata. The leaves of Sansevieria are typically arranged in a rosette around the growing point, although some species are distichous. There is great variation in foliage form within the genus. All species can be divided into one of two basic categories based on their leaves: hard leaved and soft leaved species. Typically, hard leaved Sansevieria originate from arid climates, while the soft leaved species originate from tropical and subtropical regions. Sansevieria trifasciata is native to tropical West Africa from Nigeria east to the Congo. It is an evergreen perennial forming dense stands, spreading by way of its creepingrhizome, which is sometimes above ground, sometimes underground. Its stiff leaves grow vertically from a basal rosette. Mature leaves are dark green with light gray-green cross-banding. The specific epithet trifasciata means “three bundles”. RHS AGM for the variety S. trifasciata var. laurentii and the cultivar “Bantel's Sensation”.

Sansevieria trifasciata “Laurentii”

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Thursday 22nd March Today I’m in London attending the annual seminar of the London Gardens Network. The study day is set in the wonderful scenery of Chelsea Physic Garden and the theme of the seminar is “The Value of Conservation Management Plans”. The lecturers discuss the concept from the most different angles, expressing it of wellness at its best. The orators speaks on Conservation Management Plans from different angles, such as the importance of CMPs from a horticultural perspective, the new legislation regarding water management, the threats to plant conservation from pests and diseases and the conservation value on trees. In caring for, or managing change in, historic parks, gardens and other landscapes, there are often many features, historic layers and diverse interests like biodiversity to consider as well as the business and economic viability of the property whether it is a home, agricultural estate, public park, hotel or visitor attraction. Conservation management plans have been developed as tools to help pull together an understanding of what matters and why, and how to conserve and manage it. From this informed basis, plans are then used to develop programmes of repair, restoration or to draw up proposals for change. Conservation management plans do not need to be lengthy documents but large and complex historic parks and gardens may require a range of research and survey information. The best plans are structured to meet the needs of the specific property and designed to be used as every day and valued reference documents by the staff managing the site. Often expert consultants need to be brought in to help prepare a plan but it is essential that the property team are closely involved and help shape the plan. Thought needs to be given to the sort of plan you need, how to develop it and your budget. Various organisations have published guidance on preparing plans. The English Heritage shows a particular attention: an overview of conservation management planning is given in English Heritage’s handbook The Management & Maintenance of Historic Parks, Gardens & Landscapes edited by John Watkins and Tom Wright, 2007 (Francis Lincoln Ltd). English Heritage’s Conservation Principles provide a framework for guidance on policies for repair, intervention, restoration, new work and alteration and enabling development. Detailed advice on researching historic parks and gardens is published in David Lambert, Peter Goodchild and Judith Robert’s 2006 Parks and Gardens. A Researcher’s Guide to Sources for Designed Landscapes published by Landscape Design Trust and sponsored by English Heritage. At the end of seminar, we have a walk around Chelsea Physic Garden with the head gardener Nick Bailey. Acer griseum is a new plant for me. This is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree, reaching 6–9 m tall and 5–6 m wide, with a trunk up to 70 cm in diameter. The bark is smooth, shiny orange-red, peeling in thin, papery layers; it may become fissured in old trees. The shoots are densely downy at first, this wearing off by the second or third year and the bark exfoliating by the third or fourth year. Acer griseum was introduced to cultivation in Europe in 1901 by Ernest Henry Wilson for theVeitch Nurseries, and to North America shortly after. It is one of many species of maples widely grown as ornamental plants in temperate regions. It is admired for its decorative exfoliatingbark, translucent pieces of which often stay attached to the branches until worn away. It also has spectacular autumn foliage which can include red, orange and pink tones. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's AGM. Recent attempts have been made to acquire new seed stock from wild populations in China because it is believed that the current gene pool of cultivated specimens is very small.Propagation of Acer griseum is somewhat difficult as seeds have the same parthenocarpictendencies as those of Acer maximowiczianum.

Attending the London Gardens Network Seminar

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Monday 26th March It’s a good start of the week: bright, mild day. We definitely need some rain now. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning it’s to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I’m busy moving seedling trays from the Pit House to the Long House, before carrying on sowing seeds of Beta vulgaris “Charlotte”, Ipomea tricolor “Heavenly Blue”, Amaranthus tricolor “Splendens Perfecta” and Scabiosa atropurpurea “Chat Noir”.

Ipomea tricolor “Heavenly Blue”

Beta vulgaris “Charlotte” Observations: One of the volunteers of the Walled Garden tells me about tagetes as good companion plants for carrots or potatoes. In the point of fact, cabbage white butterfly are attracted to their host plant by smell and planting rows of tagetes is effective in masking the smell and reducing cabbage moth damage. A secretion from the roots of the Mexican tagetes deters eelworms and potatoes and tomatoes are left alone. Tagetes are also said to kill couch grass, and certainly this is a far prettier solution than the ubiquitous sprays. Tagetes and calendula marigolds planted near tomatoes and roses will reduce aphid attack as the marigolds will attract the hoverflies that are voracious eaters of these pests. Catalogues often distinguish among Calendula, Mexican and French marigolds. Tagetes lucida is Mexican marigold. It is used as a medicinal plant and as a culinary herb. The leaves have a tarragon-like flavor, with hints ofanise, and it has entered the nursery trade in North America as a tarragon substitute. Tagetes patula is French marigold but is native to the Americas (highlands of central Mexico) with several naturalised populations around the world. It is an annual plant, flowering from July to October. Used mainly as an edging plant on herbaceous borders, it is a low-growing plant with flowers of blended red and yellow in most varieties. French marigolds are commonly planted in butterfly gardens as a nectar source.

Companion planting with French Marigold (internet database)

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Tuesday 27th March Bright, sunny. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning it’s to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Today I sow all the rest of half-hardy plants for my annual bed. Only Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple” is left now. I’ll wait a few weeks more for it, as this is a very fast growing plant and can be sow quite late. Jen tells me that Ricinus will catch with the other planting and then grow taller in a surprisingly short period after sowing. I sow Ocimum basilicum “Purple”, Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity”, Cosmos bipinnatus “Gloria”, Cosmos bipinnatus “Pied Piper Red” and Clarkia elegans “Apple Blossom”. The Pit House is literally packed with seed trays both for my display and Jen’s and in the last part of the day we move some of them in the Long House.

Cosmos seeds Observations: it’s a critical time in the nurseries in this time of the year. In the matter of fact, it’s still too cold for moving the plants outside, but the room outside is rapidly filling up because the plants for the Walled Garden as well as for the bedding in the Terraces. In these conditions it’s vitally important to keep the spaces tide and clean and save room as more as we can. Jen also tells me about the importance of hardening off plants in the greenhouse management. Plants raised indoors or in a greenhouse need to be acclimatised to cooler temperatures, lower humidity and increased air movement for about two to three weeks before they are planted outdoors. This “toughening up” process is known as hardening off. Young plants bought from nurseries or grown from seed or cuttings at home for summer display outdoors when the weather improves often need to be hardened off. Hardening off allows plants to adapt from being in a protected, stable environment to changeable, harsher outdoor conditions. If suddenly placed outside, the shock can severely check a plant's growth. Although plants usually recover eventually, hardening off is thought to be preferable to a sudden shock. The effect of hardening off is to thicken and alter the plant's leaf structure and increase leaf waxiness. It ensures new growth is sturdy although growth will be much slower than in the greenhouse. But be warned: hardening off does not make frost-sensitive plants hardy. Typically hardening off takes two to three weeks, but the warmer the initial growing conditions, the longer the hardening off period. Hardy plants acclimatise faster than half-hardy or tender kinds. To be on the safe side, do not plant out tender plants before the date of the last frost which is usually late spring in the south of England, later in the north and Scotland. All plants are hardened off in gradual stages. Plants raised in heated glasshouses and on windowsills should go first into a cold glasshouse if available. When moving plants out of propagator it is best to do so on an overcast dull day as this will help reduce wilting. After two weeks in these cooler conditions, plants should be moved into a well-ventilated cold frame. If you don't have a greenhouse, move plants into a cold frame, with the lid open slightly during the days of the first week and closed at night. Gradually raise the lid during the next fortnight until removing it entirely prior to planting. A cloche may be used but this does not give as much frost protection as a coldframe. If there are no specialist facilities available, place plants in a sheltered position in front of a south-facing wall or hedge and cover with two layers of fleece to prevent sun scorch and temperature shock. For the first week, leave outside during the day, but bring in at night. In the second week reduce to one layer of fleece. Towards the end of the fortnight remove the fleece during the day. If the weather is suitable leave the plants outside at night but ensure they are covered. Towards the end of the third week leave them uncovered before planting out. Covering with an old curtain or extra fleece can protect from sudden sharp night frosts that occassionally occur in late spring.

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Wednesday 28th March Last night was chilly but today is really nice and warm. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning it’s to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I’m back to my annual bed. I mark with sand the individual planting patches and then make a count of the approximate amount of plants I need for them. I also have a double check about the seeds order. Almost everything is alright. There are anyway few problems though. - A good, well-performing Lathyrus ovatus (Sweet Pea) for the warm border has not been choosen yet. The old-faschioned variety “America” could be a good solution. - Matthiola bicornis “Night Scented” is not available from the nursery supplier and I need a replacement. - The delivery of Cleome spinosa “Pink Queen” was confused with C. spinosa “White Queen”. I can mix White Queen with Violet and Cherry coloured ones, so it shouldn’t be a problem. For the last part of the day I sow the last packet of half-hardies outdoor, i.e. Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity”. Observations: In these days I’m planting an awful lot of Cosmos cultivars seeds. Toby is a great fan of this plant, which he describes as a very “good-performing” annual for bedding schemes. So this evening I carry out some research on the genus Cosmos. The genus contains about 20–26 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Cosmos is native to scrub and meadowland in Mexico where most of the species occur, Florida and the southern United States, Arizona, Central America, and to South America in the north to Paraguay in the south. It is also widespread over the high eastern plains of South Africa, where it was introduced via contaminated horsefeed imported from Mexico during the Boer War. Cosmos are herbaceous perennial plants growing 0.3–2 m tall in ideal climatic conditions. The leaves are simple, pinnate, or bipinnate, and arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are produced in a capitulum with a ring of broad ray florets and a center of disc florets; flower color is very variable between the different species. The genus includes several ornamental plants popular in gardens. Numerous hybrids and cultivars have been selected and named. Unlike comparable annuals such as annual chrysanthemums, cosmos will not burn up by the end of August in a hot British summer and so although the intensity of their display may be less, they will flower until well into the autumn. There are two main types of cosmos that are grown from seed, those derived from C. bipinnatus and those developed from C. sulphurous. The bipinnatus types are raised either as hardy or half-hardy annuals. They are not fussy as to soil and any reasonable conditions in full sun suits them well. The taller types may need shelter from strong winds as they make bulky plants and can be blown over; alternatively they can be staked when approaching full size. Ensuring they don't get parched is a help and dead heading not only improves the appearance, especially of the whites, but helps promote further flowering. The sulphurous types can be treated in the same way as the bipinnatus varieties but are less successful when sown outside - raising them in the greenhouse is definitely preferable and with a germination temperature of 21C. The sulphurous types are a little fussier and thrive in the hottest, sunniest spots you can find. In cold, windy beds and in wet soil they are less than successful. There are also the perennial Cosmos atrosanguineus, which cannot be raised from seed. They have a tuberous root system and can survive for years with a little loving care. Thursday 29th March Sunny, bright. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today I’m back working outdoor. I carry out some edging and spot hand weeding in the Lodge House garden and also all around the Main House.

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Friday 30th March A bit cooler than the previous days, but still dry and sunny. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 19 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the edging of the beds and borders in the Upper Terrace. Observations: In these days in the gardens I can notice some nice wild anemones. At Osborne we have Anemone blanda and Anemone nemorosa, the former being blue-flowering and native to Southern Europe, the latter native and white flowering. Anemone blanda (common names Grecian windflower or winter windflower) is a species offlowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to southeastern Europe, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. It is an herbaceous tuberous perennial, it grows to 15 cm tall and broad. It is valued for its daisy-like flowers which appear in early spring, a time when little else is in flower. The flowers are an intense shade of purple blue, but are also available in shades of pink and white. It grows in any well-drained soil which dries out in summer; hence it is often used for underplanting deciduous trees which provide the necessary conditions. It rapidly colonises any favoured location. The dark green foliage dies down in summer. This plant and its cultivar A. blanda var. rosea “Radar” have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. The specific epithet blanda means "mild" or "charming". Anemone nemorosa is native to Europe. Common names include wood anemone, windflower, and smell fox, an allusion to the musky smell of the leaves. It grows to 5–15 centimetres tall. The genus Anemone contains about 120 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to the temperate zones. It is closely related to Pulsatilla (Pasque flower) and Hepatica.

Anemone blanda

Anemone nemorosa

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April Monday 2nd April Temperatures: min 1 °C / max 11 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Border maintenance in the Pleasure Grounds. It’s mostly about weeding, edging, deadheading of the herbaceous borders. I work in team with Jannet, using Dutch hoe, hand fork, rakes, spades, secateurs and edging sheers. Observations: There is an interessing ensemble of cosmopolitan weeds in the borders now. It’s important to remove them before they get in flower and spread their seeds on the ground. Just this morning I can see and identify Cardamine irsuta (hairy bittercress), Cerastium holosteoides (common mouse-ear chickweed), Veronica filiformis (Slender Speedweel), Hedera helix (Common Ivy) and Epilobium angustifolium (Rosebay Willowherb).

Veronica filiformis

Cardamine irsuta (left), and Cerastium holosteoides (right) Observations: I’m attracted to the nice slender speedwell (Veronica filiformis) This was introduced to Britain from Turkey and the Caucasus during the early 19th century. It was much grown as a rock plant until gardeners realised how invasive it could be. It is now widely naturalised in many parts of the country and is a common and troublesome lawn weed. Slender speedwell is a low-growing plant with bright blue, long-stemmed flowers early in the year, usually March to May. It is low-growing and can form dense patches in a lawn. Several other species of speedwell are also invasive and can be a weed in lawns and borders. Speedwells are pretty, blue-flowered perennials that look attractive in a flower-rich lawn. However, their ability to root quickly, even from small sections, means they can quickly get out of hand in both lawns and borders. Germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys) is a stronger growing, coarser species than V. filiformis, flowering March to August. It is native in grassland, open woodland and hedgerows throughout the British Isles. It is usually troublesome in less frequently mown grass but can adapt to, and survive under, close mowing. Ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) and thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) are occasionally troublesome in lawns or borders, the former favouring shadier situations, the latter moister conditions.

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Tuesday 3rd April Sunny, bright, dry. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: I keep going doing horticultural maintenance of the borders in the Pleasure Grounds. Always workin in team with Jannet. There are some beautiful plants up here now, such as Paeonia delavayi, Dracunculus vulgaris, Stipa gigantea, Phlomis fruticosa and Macleaya cordata. Observations: This evening I choose to focus my attention on two plants I sow in the south-facing herbaceous border this morning. They are Ceanothus dentatus and Phlomis fruticosa. Ceanothus dentatus is a species of shrub in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae, commonly known as sandscrub ceanothus. It is endemic to California, where it is known only from the Central Coastand its Coast Ranges. It grows in coastal hills, bluffs, and canyons. This shrub produces a highly branched, spreading stem up to about 1.5 meters tall. The evergreen leaves are alternately arranged and often borne in clusters. Each is under 2 centimeters long, toothed along the edges, wavy and turned under along the margins to appear somewhat ruffled. They are hairy and covered in tiny glandular bumps, the upper surfaces dark shiny green and the undersides paler. The inflorescence is a small cluster of many bright blue flowers. The fruit is a lobed, crested capsule about 4 millimeters wide. Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem sage) is a species of flowering plant of the Lamiaceae family, native to Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and regions of the former Yugoslavia. It is a small evergreen shrub, up to 1 m tall by 1.5 m wide. The sage-like, aromatic leaves are oval, 2-4 inches long, wrinkled, grey-green with white undersides, and covered with fine hairs. Light yellow, tubular flowers, 3 cm in length, grow in whorls of 20 in short spikes in summer. The specific epithet fruticosa means "shrubby". Phlomis fruticosa is popular as an ornamental plant, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. As a garden escape, it has naturalised in parts of South West England.

Ceanothus dentatus

Phlomis fruticosa

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Wednesday 4th March to Wednesday 18th April Expedition to the Taurus Mountains, Turkey with the Alpine Garden Society and the Merlin Trust. See separate report or visit: http://www.merlin-trust.org.uk/Assets/reports/2012/569%20Giulio%20Veronese.pdf

Plant hunting the Taurus Mountains, Turkey

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Monday 23th April Torrential rain. During the last two weeks it was really, really wet. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 9.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I need to catch up with my plants for the annual bedding. I can notice and appreciate the progresses of my seedling in the greenhouses. All the plants are growing quite happily so far. Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple” has been sown by Jen during my absence. I start my practical tasks by pinching out seedlings of Tagete patula “Solan”, Tagete tenuifolia “Lemon Gem”, Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” and Cineraria maritima “Cirrus”. I carry out the pinching out by hand, which is a suitable way for tender, herbaceous stems. In the afternoon I do some spot weeding within my annual bed, which really need that. Unfortunately I have to stop after a while because of the wet weather. Before to leave the garden, I pick up some basil leaves from the nursery plants for making an authentic Italian pesto tonight! Observations: Pinching out is the removal of the growing tip of a plant (with finger and thumb) to encourage the production of sideshoots or the formation of flower buds. This technique is also known as “stopping”. Bedding and basket plants are popular throughout the world for their long and colourful flowering periods. Plants you see in these displays will almost certainly have been pinched out to improve their performance. Plants naturally put their energy into growing tall stems to outcompete their neighbours, but in the garden this results in leggy plants with fewer flowers. Pinching out the stem tips of your young plants will prevent this happening, and encourage the buds lower down on the stems to produce side shoots. This creates a bushier plant with lots more flowers. Some of the most popular bedding plants and tender perennials which benefit from being pinched out are petunias, fuchsias, dahlias, pelargonioums, antirrhinums, marigolds and sweet peas. Pinching must be done properly and should not be performed on more mature plants, woody shrubs or trees. When trees are “tipped” this is called “topping” and can be seriously detrimental to your plant.

Pinching out on sweet peas

Here’s how to pinch (or tip) properly: Once your young plant has formed a few pairs of leaves on a stem, it is ready to be pinched. Plants grow buds at the base of each leaf, just above the point where the leaf connects to the stem. This is called a node. The stem between each pair of leaves on a plant is called the internode. To stimulate these buds to open and form new branches, remove the growth just above the leaves. While you want to remove as much of the internode as possible when pinching, it is important not to damage the tender buds growing at the base of the leaves or they will not grow properly after you finish your pinching work. Use your fingernails or a small tool like a micro-snip for this kind of fine, delicate pruning. Once you have pinched your plant to remove the top growth, the remaining buds will be stimulated to begin growing. Within a few days, you should see new the remaining buds begin to open and form new stems. Eventually, those new stems will form new leaves with buds at their bases. Once these new stems have a few pairs of leaves, you may repeat the pinching process on them, which will force those branches to bush out even more. When pinching plants multiple times, avoid pinching branches below a point where you have already pinched. And, once your plant is sufficiently bushy, stop pinching flowering plants like Fuchsia so the flowers will form. Edible herbs like basil are best harvested via pinching, which encourages new edible growth and discourages flowers and seeds. When flowers and seeds form, their growth may inhibit further production of the tasty herbal leaves.

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Tuesday 24th April Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 19.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I spend the day in the Walled Garden spot weeding my annual bed, which really needs some urgent maintenance because of my absence for two weeks. By the end of the working day, I get some instruction and preparational training from Jen on the greenhouse routine duties, in prevision of my turn this Saturday. Observations: Today I received my PGG Membership pack. My placement is confirmed so from today I’m official a PGG member. In the front cover of the pack is a picture of a plant, resembling the PGG logo. I find out this is Chaenomeles japonica. Chaenomeles japonica is a species of Japanese Quince. It is a thorny deciduous shrub that is commonly cultivated. It is shorter than another commonly cultivated species C. speciosa, growing to only about 1 m in height. It is best known for its colorful spring flowers of red, white, pink or multi. It produces apple-shaped fruit that are a golden-yellow color containing red-brown seeds. The fruit is edible but hard, and not as well known for its jelly and pie making as its cousin Cydonia. Joseph Banks introduced the shrub as Pyrus japonica at the end of the 18th century. It was a native of China, but had been cultivated for years in Japan, where is also popularly grown in bonsai. Chaenomeles japonica arrived here almost a century later. It grew wild in Japan and was introduced to this country by a Bristol nursery, W Maule & Son. It is small and suckering, less useful in the garden than the descendants of C. speciosa, but it does have very pretty round, scented, orange fruit to follow the scarlet flowers. Crosses between speciosa and japonica are grouped under C. x superba. Early Victorians were mad about japonicas and grew them as standards, which might be worth trying in pots. They tend now to be used as wall shrubs or open bushes and are particularly useful for those who cannot grow camellias. And their early flowers are one of the first glamorous treats of spring. The named speciosa variety “Moerloosei” is sometimes called “Apple Blossom”. It has large white flowers that are coral pink in bud and they open a couple of months sooner than any apple tree. “Nivalis” is a good white speciosa, best seen against a dark hedge or a brick wall. Both of these are large. On a wall they will reach 6ft fast and in the open they make big spreading bushes. The hybrids between speciosa and japonica are more biddable. The best forms have the brilliance of their japonica parent. “Rowallane” has been around since the early years of the last century and it is still a first-class plant with big bright-red flowers. “Crimson and Gold” is a darker red with a gold middle. It is inclined to sucker but makes a good hedge. If you like orange tones try the Victorian “Knap Hill Scarlet” which is more of a flame red. Gardeners who dislike strong colours may prefer the greenish “Lemon and Lime”. All Chaenomeles have fruit in autumn. Not many it is true, but you can make jam from them if you are so inclined. Alice Coates in Garden Shrubs and their Histories describes a tea party during the First World War for which the Rev J J Jacob made jelly from six different varieties of Chaenomeles speciosa. The best pot was pronounced as good as guava jelly from the West Indies.

Chaenomeles japonica (internet database)

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Wednesday 25th April Torrential rain. Hail about midday. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 32 mls. Practical: Temperature duties first. Then I carry out the watering of all the greenhouses and the cold frames. I also get familiarized in rolling up the blinds of the glasses of the Iron House. This week-end I’m on watering duty in the greenhouses. Jen gives me some new instructions about the tasks I will need to carry out. I obviously have to record the temperatures and rainfalls, then it will be maily about watering and damping down the greenhouses. It is also important to leave the greenhouses’ doors opened for a while, in order to aerate the environment. In the afternoon I take part in a training day course in the Main House. This is about how to receive the visitors in the English Heritage properties. Thursday 26th April Cloudy. Few showers. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 14 °C. Rainfalls: 30 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I do the watering of all the greenhouses as well as the cold frames. In the afternoon I make a selection among the seeds of hardy plants to sow next week. I create two groups to sow gradually during the next two weeks. Last part of the working day is spent finishing the weeding throughout my annual bed in the Walled Garden. Observations: I dig out a plant of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) which was growing as a weed in my annual bed and stick it in a pot in my back garden. Lettuce is an annual plant of the aster or sunflower family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable, but sometimes for its stem and seeds. Lettuce's native range spreads from the Mediterranean to Siberia, although it has been transported to almost all areas of the world. Plants generally have a height and spread of 15 to 30 cm. Depending on the variety and time of year, lettuce generally lives 65–130 days from planting to harvesting. Because lettuce that flowers (through the process known as "bolting") becomes bitter and unsaleable, plants grown for consumption are rarely allowed to grow to maturity. Like other members of the tribe Cichorieae, lettuce inflorescences (also known as flower heads or capitula) are composed of multiple florets, each with a modified calyx called a pappus (which becomes the feathery "parachute" of the fruit), a corolla of five petals fused into a ligule or strap, and the reproductive parts. These include fused anthers that form a tube which surrounds a style and bipartite stigma. The domestication of lettuce over the centuries has resulted in several changes through selective breeding: delayed bolting, larger seeds, larger leaves and heads, better taste and texture, a lower latex content, and different leaf shapes and colors. Work in these areas continues through the present day.

Trasplanted bed of lettuce in a grennhouse (internet database)

Mature inflorescence in fruit

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Friday 27th April Showers with few spells of sun. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 15 °C. Rainfalls: 9.5 mls. Practical: Greenhouse routine first, i.e. taking the temperatures and rainfalls records, opening the Walled Garden doors, checking the humidity of the individual pots. Then I sow hardy seeds straight outdoor in my annual bed. I plant Nigella damaescena “Miss Jekyll”, Linum usitatissimum, Agrostis nebulosa, Silene colorata “Pink Pirouette”. Observations: I pop down to the Swiss Cottage in the afternoon and in the woodlands nearby I can see tousends and tousends of bluebells. This is a good opportunity for learning something about them! Latin for bluebell is Hyacinthoides non-scripta. This is a bulbous perennial plant, found in Atlantic areas from north-western Spain to the British Isles, and also frequently used as a garden plant. In spring, H. non-scripta produces a nodding, one-sided inflorescence of 5–12 tubular, sweet-scented violet–blue flowers, with strongly recurved tepals, and 3–6 long, linear, basal leaves. H. non-scripta is particularly associated with ancient woodland where it may dominate the understorey to produce carpets of violet–blue flowers in "bluebell woods", but also occurs in more open habitats in western regions. It is protected under UK law, and in some other parts of its range. Bluebells are widely planted as garden plants, either among trees or in herbaceous borders. They flower at the same time as hyacinths, daffodils and some tulips. Their ability to reproduce vegetatively using runners, however, means that they can spread rapidly, and may need to be controlled as weeds. A related species, H. hispanica has also been introduced to the British Isles and hybridizes with H. non-scripta to produce intermediates known as H. × massartiana. Interestingly, The bluebell may be regarded as the United Kingdom's “favourite flower”, and a stylised bluebell is used as the logo for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.

Bluebells fiels down to the woodlands by the Swis Cottage

Saturday 28th April Grey, miserable. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 6.5 mls. Practical: Today I’m on greenhouse duties. At the end of the working day, I spend two hours potting up my own basils and chillies for my back garden.

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Monday 30th April Bright and dry but windy. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 24.0 mls. Practical: Digging two holes for planting new trees in the Memorial Arboretum. I work in team with Reese. We use spades, forks, wheelbarrows and a wooden board for the soil we dig out. We incorporate and fork in well-rotted garden manure in the soil. After lunch everything is ready for planting and the whole garden team is involved. We plant a nice specimen of Abies grandis. Then I join Nigel in the Upper Terrace for the last part of the day. We carry out the horticultural maintenance of two beds (edging and hand weeding). Observations: Abies grandis (Grand Fir, Giant Fir, Lowland White Fir, Great Silver Fir, Western White Fir,Vancouver Fir, or Oregon Fir) is a fir native to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California of North America, occurring at altitudes of sea level to 1,800 m. It is a major constituent of the Grand Fir / Douglas Fir Ecoregion of the Cascade Range. Abies grandis is a large evergreenconiferous tree growing to 40–70 m (exceptionally 80 m) tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m. Theleaves are needle-like, flattened, 3–6 cm long and 2 mm wide by 0.5 mm thick, glossy dark green above, and with two green-white bands of stomata below, and slightly notched at the tip. The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they all lie in two more-or-less flat ranks on either side of the shoot. On the lower leaf surface, two green-white bands of stomata are prominent. The base of each leaf is twisted a variable amount so that the leaves are nearly coplanar. Different length leaves, but all lined up in a flat plane, is a useful way to quickly distinguish this species. The cones are 6–12 cm long and 3.5–4.5 cm broad, with about 100-150 scales; the scale bracts are short, and hidden in the closed cone. The winged seeds are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 6 months after pollination. There are two varieties, probably better treated at subspecies rank though not yet formally published. First variety is Abies grandis var. grandis (Coast Grand Fir). Coastal lowland forests, at sea level to 900 m altitude, from Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia, Canada, south to Sonoma County, California, United States. A large, very fast-growing tree to 70 m tall. Foliage strongly flattened on all shoots. Cones slightly narrower (mostly less than 4 cm broad), with thinner, fairly flexible scales. Tolerates winter temperaturesdown to about -25° to -30°C; growth on good sites may exceed 1.5 m per year when young. Second variety is Abies grandis var. idahoensis (Interior Grand Fir). Interior forests, at (600–) 900–1800 m altitude, on the east slope of the Cascades in Washington and northern Oregon and in theRocky Mountains from southeast British Columbia south to central Idaho, northeast Oregonand western Montana. A smaller, slow-growing tree to 40–45 m tall. Foliage not strongly flattened on all shoots, the leaves often raised above the shoot, particularly on upper crown shoots. Cones slightly stouter (mostly over 4 cm broad), with thicker, slightly woody scales. Tolerates winter temperatures down to about -40°C; growth on good sites not exceeding 0.6 m per year even when young. Grand Fir is very closely related to White Fir (Abies concolor), with the interior variety idahoensis particularly similar to the western forms of White Fir from western Oregon and California, intergrading with it where they meet in the Cascades of central Oregon. The inner bark of the grand fir was used by some Plateau Indian tribes for treating colds and fever. The foliage has an attractive, citrus-like scent, and is sometimes used for Christmas decorations in the United States, including Christmas trees. It is also planted as an ornamental tree in large parks. The lumber is non-resinous and fine textured. In the North American logging industry, the Grand Fir is often referred to as Hem Fir, with Hem Fir being a blanket term that can be applied to a number of species with interchangeable types of wood (specifically the California Red Fir, the Noble Fir, Pacific Silver Fir, White Fir, and Western Hemlock). Grand Fir is often shipped along with these other species. It can also referred to as White Fir lumber, an umbrella term also referring to Abies amabilis, Abies concolor, and Abies magnifica. Lumber from the Grand Fir is considered a softwood. As such, it is used for paper making, packing crates, and construction. Hem-Fir is frequently used for framing, and is able to meet thebuilding code span requirements of numerous construction projects. As a Hem Fir, the trunk of the Grand Fir is considered slightly below the “Douglas Fir-Larch” species combination in strength, and stronger than the “Douglas Fir-South” and “Spruce-Pine-Fir (South)” species combos (both umbrella terms for a number of species with similar wood). Because it is nearly as strong as Douglas Fir-Larch, it often meets the structural load-bearing requirements for framing in residential, light commercial, and heavy construction. Excluding Douglas Fir-Larch, Hem Fir's modulus of elasticity value as a stiffness factor in floor systems is stronger than all other Western species combinations.

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Planting Abies grandis in the Memorial Arboretum

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May Tuesday 1st May Cloudy and rainy. Brighter in the afternoon. Today I go to Wrest Park in Bedfordshire with my head gardener Toby Beasley. This is a recently acquired English Heritage property and Toby has to go there for a meeting with the other head gardeners of the English Heritage. Once he finished his meeting, we enjoy a stroll through the vast historic landscape, huge walled garden and the French-style mansion. We also visit the recently restored Italian and Rose Gardens. That drizzly day I basically learn two things. First of all, how instructive it is to visit a garden in the company of a head gardener. Secondly, where a head gardener actually put his preference attending meetings or getting his boots muddy in a British garden.

Archer Pavillon

English Landscape Garden at Wrest Park Wrest Park has an early eighteenth-century garden, spread over 92 acres, which was probably originally laid out by George London and Henry Wise for Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, then modified by Lancelot “Capability” Brown in a more informal landscape style. The park is divided by a wide gravel central walk, continued as a long canal that leads to a Baroque style pavilion designed by Thomas Archer and completed in 1711. Boundary canals were altered to take the more natural shape by Capability Brown who worked there between 1758–60, and who also ringed the central formal area with a canal and woodland. The gardens and garden houses were mapped by John Rocquein 1735. During the later 18th and 19th centuries, the Bath House, an orangery and marble fountains were added. In the autumn of 2007 English Heritage announced that the Wolfson Foundation has pledged up to £400,000 towards the restoration of a number of the key features of the Wrest Park estate including the mansion's formal entrance area, the garden statuary, railings and gates decoration and altering the height of the carriage drive. In the next phases the lakes and canals will be restored.

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Wednesday 2nd May Murky start of the day. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 0.2 mls. Practical: Edging throughout the beds and paths of the Pleasure Ground. Observations: It’s beautiful to see the Ceanothus dentatus in bloom in the borders of the Pleasure Grounds. It’s just a glory. No that nice it to see the lily beetle infesting the lilies nearby. The red or scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) has become the lily growers’ nemesis. Both the adults and larvae can defoliate lilies (Lilium and Cardiocrinum) and fritillaries (Fritillaria). Adults are 8mm long, bright red with a black head and legs. Eggs are 1mm long and orange-red, found in groups on the underside of lily and fritillary leaves. Larvae have orange bodies with black heads but are normally covered with their own slimy black excrement. The fully grown larvae are 8-10mm long. The pupal stage is in the soil. The beetle became established in Surrey in 1939 and it remained confined to south east England until the late 1980s. By the end of 2011 it had become widespread in England and Wales and was spreading in Scotland and Northern Ireland, it is also beginning to spread in the Republic of Ireland. Adult lily beetles emerge from overwintering sites from late March to May. They feed and lay eggs on the underside of leaves of host plants from late April until early September. The eggs hatch after approximately a week. The larvae can be found feeding on the foliage between May and the end of September. After about two weeks, when the larvae are fully grown, they pupate in the soil. Two to three weeks later new adults emerge. Despite claims in some literature, the lily beetle has only one generation a year. The beetles overwinter as adults in sheltered places, often in the soil but not necessarily.

Ceanothus dentatus

Lilly beetles

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Thursday 3rd May Sprinkles. Gloomy weather. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 4.2 mls. Practical: This morning Nigel gives me a first official introduction on the use of the tractor and trailer. He points out some very interesting points, such as: - General, daily over-check will cover the conditions of tires, bolts and nuts, air filter, oil and water level, conditions and functioning of the lights, leakages and obvious malfunctions. - The fuel tank should ideally be refueled at the end of the working day, due to have less water vapour in the engine. - When the machinery is not in use, it’s a good practice to release the bucket down on the ground. This will give a break to the hydraulic system and maintain them through the time. In the afternoon I’m back to the Pleasure Grounds for some more edging and hand weeding. Observations: I notice the beautiful Euphorbia mellifera while edging throughout the borders of the Pleasure Grounds. Euphorbia mellifera (honey spurge, canary spurge syn. Tithymalus melliferus) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae, native to Madeira. The Latin specific epithet mellifera means “producing honey”, referring to the love of bees for this plant. This is a magnificent, large euphorbia that really makes a dramatic statement in the garden. It has stiff stems strung with whorls of bright green leaves with a white stripe down the centre and topped in spring, with small, honey-scented, bronze-tinted flowers. This evergreen shrub is grown as much for its foliage as its deliciously scented flowers and will thrive in a sheltered, sunny spot. It forms a natural dome shape, and gives structure and an architectural quality to the garden. Or try it as part of an exotic scheme; the luminous-green leaves look great with large-leafed plants. Like all euphorbias, this plant contains a milky-white sap, which oozes out of the stems when cut. This can be a skin irritant and is very harmful to the eyes. Gloves should be worn when pruning. In autumn cut back the faded flower stems, avoiding new ones. Remove unwanted seedlings each spring as part of routine border maintenance. Euphorbia mellifera has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Rhododendron in bloom in the Pleasure Grounds

Euphorbia mellifera in the Pleasure Grounds borders

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Friday 4th May Bright, warm. A bit colder in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Horticultural maintenance in the Lower Terrace (edging, weeding, hoeing). Observations: At the end of the working day I pop up to the Walled Garden and ask Jen to tell me something about rhubarb and how to choose good stalks. Leaves are poisonous but good material for mulching. At Osborne House we cultivate “Victoria” (a classic allotment favourite, good for forcing) and “Prince Albert” (an early variety with good long stalks, not as tall as “Victoria”). Before to leave the gardens, I also collect some nettle buds for making a risotto tonight. Common nettle or stinging nettle is Urtica dioica, an herbaceous perennial native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America. It is the best-known member of the nettle genus Urtica. The species is divided into six subspecies, five of which have many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on the leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals. The plant has a long history of use as a medicine, as a food source and as a source of fibre. Urtica dioica has a flavour similar to spinach and cucumber when cooked and is rich in vitamins A, C, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium. Nettle can be used in a variety of recipes, such as polenta, pesto and purée and risotto. Nettle soup is a common use of the plant, particularly in Northern and Eastern Europe.

Rheum rhabarbarum “Victoria”

Brassica oleracea fields bordering the gardens at Osborne

Urtica dioica joung buds

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Monday 7th May White cloud, showery. Temperatures: min 4 °C / max 12 °C. Rainfalls: 1.0 mls. Practical: Edging the borders in the Pleasure Grounds. I edge the borders alongside the Walled Garden as well as the opposite borders and the Magnolia beds. I also pull out the tulip bulbs from the previous year’s planting. Observations: Actinidia kolomikta in the Pleasure Grounds borders starts to look interesting. The tips of the leaves are coloring in pinky white tinges.

Actinidia kolomikta is a species of flowering plant in the family Actinidiaceae, native to temperate mixed forests of the Russian Far East, Korea, Japan and China (Eastern Asiatic Region).

The plant is a very long-lived, deciduous woody scrambling vine and creeper, which ultimately grows to 8–10 m. It is the hardiest species in the genus Actinidia, at least down to about −40 °C in winter, albeit somewhat susceptible to late spring frosts.

Actinidia kolomikta is an ornamental plant for gardens and a houseplant. The plant was collected by Charles Maries in Sapporo, on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, in 1878, and sent to his patrons, Veitch Nurseries, who introduced it into Western horticulture. Actinidia kolomikta is cultivated in cold temperate regions as an ornamental plant, largely for the striking random variegation in pink and white of some its leaves but also because of the relatively small kiwi fruit-like delicious berries it produces. There are a number of named cultivars bred for the latter purpose in Russia and Poland, though it takes years for a plant to start yielding, and because A. kolomikta is dioecious a male pollenizer plant is required for the wild vines and most of the cultivars. The plant is attractive to cats, which find it more attractive than catnip or valerian and can severely damage the vine. An early propagator in Boston found all his pots of the newly introduced plant bitten to stubs in his greenhouse, before his cat was discovered to be the culprit.

Actinidia kolomikta has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. At the end of the working day I stop observing a bit Edgeworthia chrysantha. Its smooth branches are extremely pliable and I spend some time bending them and testing their resistence.

Actinidia kolomikta

Edgeworthia chrysantha

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Tuesday 8th May Warmer and a bit brighter than the previous days. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 6.0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I’m with Jen for arranging the flower display in the House. After lunch up I join a walking tour leaded by my head gardener Toby Beasley. The theme of the tour is about on “Spring Colours” at Osborne House. Toby first gives us a short introduction about the history of the Estate. Then we admire a fantastic Rhododendron specimen now in full bloom. This is an original from Albert’s planting. He used to have plants from Kew, so this Rhododendron could be from there. We first visit the Walled Garden. This is just about 1 acre. Loudoun, a famous Victorian, once said that a good head gardener should be able to provide food for 9 people in 1 acre. The Walled Garden was one of the few relics to survive from the house that stood on the site before. In fact the door to the Garden was the door into the previous house. “The walled Garden dates from the 1770s except for an extra six feet on the South and West walls that were extended in 1849,” explains Toby who was working at Osborne in 2000 when the Walled Gardens began to be restored to their former glory. “The fruit trees here are my favourite,” says Toby. “I planted them when I was here before (Jan 2000 – Sept 2002), when it was being set up. The Walled Garden was my job and a lot of the results are from work I did years ago. The fruit trees in the Walled Garden are all trained, either in a fan, espalier or rider shape. “The rider is the more Victorian style of planting,” said Toby of the tall-stemmed trees on the walls that are trained in an espalier style at the tops. “These pockmarks in the wall are because prior to the use of wire they would have used the rag and nail method to train the trees,” explains Toby pointing out the many holes like machine gun fire in the walls. “A rag would be looped around a branch, a nail put through it and then bashed into the wall. “The Victorians believed that if you stunted the tap root it would help stunt the tree above, so we found a great lump of slate under the place where we planted the figs.” The fruit trees here include apples, pears, plums (Victoria variety of course), peaches, nectarines, figs, a lemon, an orange and an olive. Now is the time to see them in flower in their fans and riders against the walls and the neat espaliers following the paths, but the other planting in the Walled Garden is at its best in July. Archways across pathways in the Garden have a V and A entwined for the Royal couple. “We’ve just replanted them with Reine Victoria, a double pink flower and an old fashioned bourbon rose that is highly scented,” says Toby. “In fact all the roses in here are highly scented.” The same letters feature on large terracotta pots at the corner of the beds and even the rhubarb variety planted in the ‘checkerboard’ beds is either ‘Victoria’ or ‘Albert’ variety. The southern half of the Walled Garden is herbaceous and designer Rupert Golby has created a special effect with plants that grow through one another. “We didn’t have information for a proper restoration of the Walled Garden, but the designs were done by the Contemporary Heritage Gardens Scheme,” says Toby. On the northern wall of the garden sit the two glass houses and the potting shed is through a door in the wall between them, which would have been here in Victoria’s time. One houses a large pelargonium collection and other South African plants as one of Victoria’s daughters collected them. The original wooden glass houses have thick slate shelving on the walls and hefty iron winding mechanisms for the lights. And in the potting shed lovely terracotta pots sit on the shelves waiting to be filled.

Head Gardener Toby Beasley giving a guided tour of the gardens

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Our walk brings us to the Memorial Tree Planting Area where we can admire specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum, Pinus radiata (Monterrey Pine, planted in 1852). “Victoria and Albert were given a Wellingtonia each,” explains Toby. “Albert chose to plant his here next to the Walled Garden, where he thought the growing conditions would be more favourable, and Victoria planted hers outside a window where she would see it. But both trees are now around the same height.” The terraces are our final destination. The Pavilion Terrace looks wonderful now and Toby tells us that here was supposed to be the best bedding and views, because the windows of Victoria’s room was facing this here. The so-called Ribbon Bedding scheme was and still is used in the Pavilion Terrace. “We have a red, yellow and white theme in the terraces for the spring gardening,” he says of the gardens in front of the house. “It takes five of us five weeks to plant the whole terrace. The terraces were the first part of the garden to be restored in the mid 90s and we put them back as they would have been using historical photos and archeological remains,” he explains. Albert apparently likened the view from the terraces down to the beach to that of the Bay of Naples. “When he wanted to be very private he would come by train to Gosport and then take a boat to the beach,” says Toby. “And it was the first place that Victoria swam in the sea. The bathing machine she used is down at the Swiss Cottage.” In the afternoon I joining Jen and together we undertake some weeding in the Walled Garden’s beds and borders. I have also a look to the progression of the seedlings in the Pit House and decide to give same air to my beetroots seedlings which start to look squashed under the glass sheets over the seed trays. Jen and I also build wig wham and other structures for supporting climbers in my annual bed. We only use hazel sticks. By the end of the day we erect and place in my annual bed three new wig wham (Mina lobata “Exotic Love”). Two wig wham and one row Ipomea tricolor “Heavenly Blue”. One long row (Sweet peas) Lathyrus odorosus “America”.

Walled Garden gate and a trained pear tree on the east-facing border

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Wednesday 9th May Same drizzle but still nice and warm. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 2.0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rain falls. Then I carry on the construction of the wig whams in the Walled Garden. I erect other three wig whams for Tropaeolum peregrinum, always by using hazel material and horticultural string. I also move pots of Sybilum marianum and Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” outside the cold frames, for acclimatizing. Room is now available in the cold frames, so I can my own basils and chilies there. After lunch, I keep going moving plants from the Ali House to the cold frames, in order to clear and organize room in the greenhouses.

Building of wig whams and other structures for climbers in the annual bed of the Walled Garden Observations: The chilies I grew over the last couple of months are now mature and ready to be enjoyed. It’s a big number of them though, so I give some to my colleagues and to the volunteers. Considering the amount of chilies I have grown, I think it is worth to carry out some botanical (and culinary) research on the plant. Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum native to southern North America and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The species encompasses a wide variety of shapes and sizes of peppers, both mild and hot, ranging from bell peppers to chili peppers. Cultivars are descended from the wild American bird pepper still found in warmer regions of the Americas. In the past some woody forms of this species have been called C. frutescens, but the features that were used to distinguish those forms appear in many populations of C. annuum and there is no consistently recognizable C. frutescens species. Although the species name annuum means “annual” (from the Latin annus “year”), the plant is not an annual and in the absence of winter frosts can survive several seasons and grow into a large perennial shrub. The single flowers are an off-white (sometimes purplish) color while the stem is densely branched and up to 60 centimetres tall. The fruit is a berry and may be green, yellow or red when ripe.[7] While the species can tolerate most climates, C. annuum is especially productive in warm and dry climates. The species is a source of popular sweet peppers and hot chilis with numerous varieties cultivated all around the world. In British English, the sweet varieties are called red or green peppers and the hot varieties chillies, whereas in Australian and Indian English the name capsicum is commonly used for bell peppers exclusively and chilli is often used to encompass the hotter varieties. Americans call the sweet types "peppers" and the hot ones "chili peppers" or "chilies" (sometimes spelled "chiles"). Sweet peppers are very often used as a bulking agent in ready-made meals and take-away food, because they are cheap, have a strong flavor, and are colorful. Foods containing peppers, especially chili peppers, often have a strong aftertaste due to the presence of capsinoids in peppers. Capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers, creates a burning sensation once ingested, which can last for several hours after ingestion.

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Thursday 10th May Dull and miserable. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 33.0 mls. Practical: Edging and weeding in the Pleasure Grounds. I’m getting familiarized with the use of the tractor and trailer and use them continuously in the afternoon. For the last part of the day I pot on the delivered Coleus in the Potting Shed.

Pavilion Terrace

Pleasure Grounds

Observations: Jannet’s advice: try rhubarb with Sweet Cecily (Myrrhis odorata). I do some research on the plant in the evening. Myrrhis odorata is in the family Apiaceae and is native to Central Europe. It is the sole species in the genus Myrrhis. It is a tall herbaceous perennial plant, depending on circumstances growing to 2 m tall. The leaves are finely divided, feathery, up to 50 cm long. The flowers are white, about 2–4 mm across, produced in large umbels. Its leaves are sometimes used as a herb, either raw or cooked, with a rather strong taste reminiscent of anise. Leaves may be harvested from early spring to early fall; they are best used raw, as they lose most of their scent and flavor when dried. They have long been used as a natural sweetener, a bit like the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant; suitable for diabetics, sweet cicely leaves sweeten salad dressings, omelets, soups, stews, and cabbage dishes. Added to recipes with tart fruits, sweet cicely leaves reduce the fruits’ acidity; they also make a nice natural sweetener in whipped cream and puddings. Harvested at the green unripe stage, the sweet, nutty-textured fruits are good added whole in fruit salads and chopped to vanilla ice cream. Ripe, they are good added to pies. They constitute one of the flavorings of chartreuse liqueur. Taproots are edible, too. Thick, brown, and sometimes branching, they possess a fragrant white flesh; they may be peeled, sliced, and served raw with vinaigrette, or steamed and buttered like carrots or parsnips. Myrrhis odorata it is used mainly in Germany and Scandinavia.

Myrrhis odorata (internet database)

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Friday 11th May Finally nice and bright. Cloudier later. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 9.0 mls. Practical: Keep going edging and weeding throughout the Pleasure Grounds paths and borders. I also drive consistently the tractor and trailer from the Pleasure Grounds to the Compost Area and then back to the sheds. Observations: Looking through the Performance and Development Review (PDR) scheme with my supervisor, Alen. In the English Heritage properties this is probably the most important document for the employers. This form should be used to help the employed to discuss and agree the objectives. It provides a record of the ongoing development and the performance against objectives and EH Behaviors through the year. The final column of the PDR is to record how the objectives were met. “Fully” is the explicit target of mine.

The Lower Terraces Monday 14th May Sunny, bright for the first part of the day. Wet later. Temperatures: min 7 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rain falls. Then I sow straight in the ground seeds of hardy plants for my annual bed. I do Cerienthe majus purpurascens, Carthamnus tinctorius “Goldtuft”, Gypsophila elegans “Covent Garden”, Tropaeolum majus “Alaska”, T. majus “Salmon Baby” and Amaranthus caudatus. In the afternoon I carry on with the potting up of the Coleus plants which have been delivered in plugs. It’s three of us potting on (Jen, Jannet and I) and we do two different varieties. The yellow-leaved Coleus “Pineapple Beauty”, as well as the purple-leaved Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”. We use a generic garden compost (type John Innes no.2) but not osmocote or any other fertiliser as these plants will be treated as annual for the summer bedding in the Terraces.

Delivered plugs of Coleus to pot on

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Tuesday 15th May Bright with some showers at the end of the day. Temperatures: min 5 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 3.0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rain falls. Then I carry on the sowing out of the hardies in my annual bed. I sow seeds of Helianthus annuus “Autumn Time”, Lagurus ovatus, Coreopsis basalis “Golden Crown”, Alyssum maritimum “Carpet of Snow”, Centaurea cyanus “Black Ball” and Centaurea cyanus “Blue Ball”. I also carry out some spot weeding and find and keep for my own garden seedlings of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), as well as of some oniony things (probably Allium schoenoprasum, i.e. chives). I pot the best ones on in 1 litre plastic pots and bring them home.

Labeling the annual bed

Cold frames Observations: After having investigate Capsicum annuum (chili plant) a few days ago, tonight I do some research on Solanum tuberosum (potato plant), which is a closely related plant. Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm high, depending on variety, the culms dying back after flowering. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens. In general, the tubers of varieties with white flowers have white skins, while those of varieties with colored flowers tend to have pinkish skins. Potatoes are cross-pollinated mostly by insects, including bumblebees, which carry pollen from other potato plants, but a substantial amount of self-fertilizing occurs as well. Tubers form in response to decreasing day length, although this tendency has been minimized in commercial varieties. After potato plants flower, some varieties produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing up to 300 true seeds. Potato fruit contains large amounts of the toxic alkaloid solanine and is therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true seed" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. By finely chopping the fruit and soaking it in water, the seeds separate from the flesh by sinking to the bottom after about a day (the remnants of the fruit float). Any potato variety can also be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers, cut to include at least one or two eyes, or also by cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Some commercial potato varieties do not produce seeds at all (they bear imperfect flowers) and are propagated only from tuber pieces. Confusingly, these tubers or tuber pieces are called "seed potatoes," because the potato itself functions as "seed". The potato was first domesticated in the region of modern-day southern Peru and extreme northwestern Bolivia between 8000 and 5000 BC. It has since spread around the world and become a staple crop in many countries. According to conservative estimates, the introduction of the potato was responsible for a quarter of the growth in Old World population and urbanization between 1700 and 1900. Following the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century. The staple was subsequently conveyed by European mariners to territories and ports throughout the world. The potato was slow to be adopted by distrustful European farmers, but soon enough it became an important food staple and field crop that played a major role in the European 19th century population boom.

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Wednesday 16th May Sunny and warm. Dry. Temperatures: min 3 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing this morning is recording the temperatures and rainfall. Then I sow straight out the last hardies, which are Helianthus annuus “Chianti”, Helianthus annuus “Italian White” and Delphinum consolida “Moody Blues”. I also start planting out some of the half hardy seedlings, such as Cineraria maritima “Cirrus”, Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow”, Nicotiana alata “Lime Green” and Anthyrrinum majus “Monarch” (Mixed). Observations: Noticing a weed, Symphytum officinale (Comfrey) which is really a nasty thing and almost impossible to weed by hands. Like Mare Tail Equisetum arvense and Bind Weed, Calystegia sepium this is a very pernicious weed, difficult to control. We spray on these weeds. I also notice some ornamental plants which are now performing very well in the Walled Garden borders. They are Origanum rotundifolium (which I thought was a Fuchsia species) and Crambe maritima (Sea Kale). Origanum rotundifolium (Round-Leaved Oregano) is a semi-evergreen shrub in the family Lamiaceae, native to Turkey, Armenia and Georgia. It is a small woody-based perennial or subshrub growing to 10–30 cm tall by 30 cm wide. During summer, the plant is almost covered in light pink flowers with large, dominating apple-green bracts, gathered in nodding clusters. The foliage is an attractive shade of blue-grey, rounded or slightly heart-shaped, and very aromatic. It's an ideal choice for a warm, well-drained rock garden or alpine trough, or in a gravel scree garden, and excellent in pans under glass. Once established, plants dislike disturbance. This plant is used as a culinary herb, as an ornamental plant in herb gardens and as groundcover in sunny, well-drained situations. It prefers alkaline soil, and dislikes winter wetness. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Crambe maritima (common name sea kale, seakale or crambe) is a species of halophytic flowering plant in the genus Crambe of the family Brassicaceae, that grows wild along the coasts of Europe, from the North Atlantic to the Black Sea. Growing to 75 cm tall by 60 cm wide, it is a mound-forming, spreading perennial. It has large fleshy glaucous collard-like leaves and abundant white flowers. The seeds come one each in globular pods. The plant is cultivated both as an ornamental plant and as a vegetable, related to the cabbage. Along the coast of England, where it is commonly found above high tide mark on shingle beaches, local people heaped loose shingle around the naturally occurring root crowns in springtime, thus blanching the emerging shoots. By the early 18th century it had become established as a garden vegetable, but its height of popularity was the early 19th century when sea kale appeared in Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book of 1809, and it was served at the Prince Regent's Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The shoots are served like asparagus: steamed, with either a béchamel sauce or melted butter, salt and pepper. It is apt to get bruised or damaged in transport and should be eaten very soon after cutting, this may explain its subsequent decline in popularity. However, given a rich, deep and sandy soil, it is easy to propagate and grow on from root cuttings available from specialist nurseries. Blanching may be achieved by covering it with opaque material or using a deep, loose and dry mulch. As an ornamental garden plant, C. maritima has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Origanum rotundifolium

Crambe maritima

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Thursday 17th May Still bright and sunny. Temperatures: min 6 °C / max 19 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I carry on sowing and planting out my hardies and half-hardies. Today I plant Beta vulgaris “Charlotte”, Molucella laevis, Schizopetalon walkeri, Limonium sinuatum “Midnight Blue” and Cosmos bipinnatus “Pied Paper Red”. Steps to observe when planting out the seedlings are the followings: - Rake up the debris, spot weed the obvious weeds (especially perennials); - Dig and fork through where the soil is gravely or too compacted (this may be required along and outer the edges, where same visitors can tread); - Level the soil and make it even; - When a nice, workable tilth is achieved, it’s possible to plant out the seedlings, label the group and water it.

Progressions in my annual bed in the Walled Garden Observations: Interesting plants in the front border of the Pleasure Grounds in these days are Viburnum buddleifolium and Crinodendron hookerianum. Viburnum buddleifolium is a fully hardy perennial evergreen shrub, commonly known as Wooly Viburnum or Buddleia Leaf Viburnum. It’s a, medium sized, upright, vase shaped shrub, usually growing taller than wide and comes from China. Lanceolate leaves are velvety with a gray felted underside. Buds are also pubescent and the emerging shoots are covered with a star-like down. White flowers emerge in May from pink buds. The flowers are arranged in a cymose corymb inflorescence. Yellow anthers are quite prominent, rising above the funnel shaved flowers. ½" fruits are oval, red at first, then changing to black. It grows well in semi-shade and direct sun, and prefers medium levels of water. It grows in soils ranging from a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. It is adapted to clay loam, loam, loamy sand, peat, sandy clay, sandy clay loam and sandy loam soils. It’s useful for attracting bees and can be successfully displayed in borders, flowering shrub, low maintenance and woodland margin. Crinodendron hookerianum is known as the Lantern Tree. This is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is endemic to Chile, where grows near streams and in very humid and shady places. It measures up to 8 metres tall and 30 centimeters in diameter, ash color. The leaves are alternate, with toothed edge and lanceolate shaped with acuteapex, petiolate, 4–7 cm long and 0.7-1.8 wide, dark green above and hairy whitish green below. The flowers are hermaphrodite, solitary and axillary, pinkish to red. Pedicels about 3–6 cm long, the calyxis formed by 5 fused sepals green colored, the bell-shaped corolla made up by 5 free petals which end in 3 teeth, 15-18 stamen, with the style longer than the stamen. The fruit is a capsule with 3 to 5 valves. The seeds are roundish. It is perfect for a partially shady woodland garden with humus-rich acid soil. Initially slow-growing, in cold areas it's best grown in a cool greenhouse or conservatory to minimise the risk of frost damage to the young flower buds.

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Viburnum buddleifolium

Crinodendron hookerianum Friday 18th May White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is recording the temperatures and rainfall. Then I sow out another group of hardies in my annual bed. I do seeds of Mina lobata “Exotic Love”, Lathyrus ovatus “America”, Pennisetum glaucum “Purple Majesty” and Gazania rigens “Red Stripe”. Observations: This afternoon I notice Callistephus chinensis in Jen’s annual bed in the Walled Garden. So I look the RHS Encyclopedia and find out that Callistephus is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family of Asteraceae. Its common names include China aster and annual aster. It is native to China, and it is cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant, being a really a well-performing annual. It is a naturalized species in some areas in Europe, outside of its native range. Callistephus chinensis is an annual or biennial herb with one erect, mostly unbranched stem growing 20 to 100 centimeters tall. The alternately arranged leaves vary in shape or size. The basal leaves usually fall away before flowering. Leaves around the middle of the stem are a few centimeters long and are borne on winged petioles. The blades have serrated edges. Leaves toward the top may have smooth edges. The large solitary flower head grows at the top of the stem and sometimes on branches. The head is lined with layers of phyllaries, those in the outer layer large and leaflike, measuring up to 3 centimeters long. The inner layer can be purple-tinged. Cultivated varieties can have ray florets in most any color, including red, pink, blue, purple, and white. They are up to 3.5 centimeters long. There are many yellow disc florets in the center. The fruit is a rough-textured, glandular, purple-mottled cypsela that turns gray with age.

Callistephus chinensis (internet database)

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Monday 21st May Warm and sunny. Dry. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 17 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is recording the temperatures and rainfall. Then I carry out the planting out of the half hardies of my annual bed. Today I finish Gazania rigens “Red Stripe” and undertake Cosmos bipinnatus “Gloria”, Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity”, Rudbeckia hirta “Prairie Sun”, Panicum elegans “Frosted Explosion” and Tithonia rotundifolia “Fiesta del Sol”.

Crowns and delivered plugs for the summer bedding of the Lower and Upper Terraces Observations: Also having a look through the Cannas, in order to choose the right variety for my display. In the nurseries of Osborne House we keep cultivars of Canna indica and C. speciosa, the former being generally taller and with bigger flowers than the latter. Canna indica is a native of the Caribbean and tropical Americas that is also widely cultivated as a garden plant. It is a perennial growing to between 0.5 m and 2.5 m, depending on the variety. It is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are hermaphrodite. Canna speciosa is native of the tropical Americas and was introduced to England from South America in 1820. Speciosa means “showy”. It is a perennial growing to 2m. It is hardy to zone 10 and is frost tender. In the north latitudes it is in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen in October. The plant bears heads of striking, bi-colored hermaphrodite flowers with scarlet petals and a conspicuous contrasting yellow throat. Canna is a genus of nineteen species of flowering plants. The closest living relations to cannas are the other plant families of the order Zingiberales, that is the Zingiberaceae (gingers), Musaceae (bananas), Marantaceae, Heliconiaceae, Strelitziaceae, etc. Canna is the only genus in the family Cannaceae. The genus is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the New World, from the southern United States (southern South Carolina west to southern Texas) and south to northern Argentina.

Canna cultivars in the polytunnel

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Tuesday 22nd May Even warmer and brigher than the previous days. After several funny weeks, the weather is now finally turn into a milder, sprig-like conditions. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 22 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Undertaking the bedding of the diamond beds in the Upper Terraces. First of all I load some palms in the trailer, with Reese. These plants have to be potted in the vases all along the Upper Terrace. Before to move to the Terraces we set up some wooden tables for suspending two, just arrived steel crowns. These crowns are going to be silver-painted in the next few days and then displayed in the Upper Terraces for the Jubilee bedding. Finally, we are ready for moving to the bedding duties. We first dig and level two diamond beds, which have been stripped out last week. Then we find the center of them by using canes. Once the center is marked we can place the standard hollies right in the middle of the composition. For the remaining part of the day I strip off old wall flowers, daffodils and tulips in the Lower Terraces.

Planting the standard hollies in the diamond beds of the Upper Terrace Observations: In the south side of my annual bed I have problems with Equisetum arvense, which is a tough perennial weed very difficult to get rid of. Equisetum arvense, the field horsetail or common horsetail, is an herbaceous perennial plant, native throughout the arctic and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. It has separate sterile non-reproductive and fertile spore-bearing stems, growing from a perennial underground rhizomatous stem system. The fertile stems are produced in early spring and are non-photosynthetic, while the green sterile stems start to grow after the fertile stems have wilted, and persist through the summer until the first autumn frosts. Field horsetail is widely distributed in the UK in meadows, gardens and on wasteland. It grows strongly on arable and grassland but is a particular problem in fruit and other perennial crops, and in nursery stock. Field horsetail is a common garden weed. It flourishes on damp soil. Horsetail has the ability to accumulate gold in its tissues as well as cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. The accumulation of silica deposits in the stems gives them a rough, abrasive texture. Extracts of field horsetail make an effective fungicide and have been used to treat blackspot on roses and rust in mint. It has herbal uses too. The plant is toxic to sheep, cattle and horses being poisonous in both the green state and dried in hay. The related marsh horsetail (E. palustre), a weed of wet, low-lying grassland, is also poisonous to livestock. Horsetail is difficult to control by cultivation because new stems regenerate from rhizome fragments and from tubers. Black plastic sheeting has been found to kill or suppress rhizomes in the upper layers of soil however, the emerging vegetative stems can penetrate some woven polypropylene mulches. Horsetail can survive periods of flooding and burning but may be sensitive to water stress in drought conditions, especially in competition with other plants. Control measures on arable land include soil drainage, liming, deep cultivation, improvements in soil texture and persistent cutting of vegetative and spore bearing shoots. In grass, regular mowing over a period of years may eliminate horsetail.

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Wednesday 23rd May Sunny and bright. Dry. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Keep going the bedding of the diamond beds in the Upper Terrace. We work in team of three, planting Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum”. We also carry out the dead-heading the tulips in here. For the last part of the day I plant out Canna x generalis “Shenandoah” in my annual bed. This is a pink-flowering, tall variety with deeply purpled-leaves. I chose this variety of Canna because I believe it will match nicely with the colour scheme of the border. Observations: After a few days of researches, I finally find out that the aster-like white flowering alpine plant in my back garden in Cerastium tomentosum (Snow in Summer). Cerastium tomentosum is an herbaceous flowering plant and a member of the carnation family. It is generally distinguished from other species of its genus by “tomentose” or felty foliage. It is a low, spreading perennial native to alpine regions of Europe. The stems & leaves are silvery-grey, whilst the flowers are star-like, white & about 15mm across. Not surprisingly, C. tomentosum flowers in summer, but may also bloom at other times of the year. It has proven popular as a cultivated ornamental and can be found in gardens the world over. C. tomentosum is an indestructible choice for difficult sites, but be sure to plant this where its spreading habit will not become a problem. Beautiful spilling over rock walls or on steep sunny slopes, used as a lawn substitute. Also grows well in tubs or mixed containers. Easily divided in spring or fall. Plants should be clipped hard or mowed to a couple of inches after blooming to maintain a tidy habit. The other previously unknown shrubby plant in my back garden is Weigelia florida. Plant taxonomy classifies weigela bushes (sometimes misspelled weigelia) as Weigela florida. Weigela florida is a deciduous flowering shrub, indigenous to Asia and can be grown in planting zones 4-8. Many weigela cultivars exist, including “Wine and Roses”, “Midnight Wine” and “Variegata”. Except where explicitly stated otherwise, I deal only with the old-time Weigela florida in this introduction. Weigela bushes grow to a height of 6-10 feet with a similar spread. Their arching branches produce pink, white or red flowers in late spring to early summer. The flowers of these shrubs are trumpet-shaped, and their color may be more intense when they first bloom. These bushes make good foundation plants and can serve as specimens in late spring, when they blossom. In addition to being effective at attracting hummingbirds, they are also plants that attract butterflies. Weigela bushes are old-time favorites, albeit on a tier or two below lilacs and azaleas and rhododendrons in name recognition. These shrubs took a back seat for a while in popularity, until new cultivars fueled the comeback that they are presently enjoying.

Cerastium tormentosum

Weigelia florida

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Thursday 24th May Always warm, but not so sunny as it was at the begin of the week. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 29 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today I’m back to the Walled Garden and the greenshouses. As first thing in the morning take records of the temperatures and rain falls. Then I plant out eight mature specimens of Brugmansia knightii in my annual bed. Together with Jen, I decide that it’s time for potting on the five specimens of Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple” we have in the Long House. Then, from last tea break to the end of the working day, I hand weed the Ipomea patch, that really needs some care. Observations: Two visitors ask me about a nice white-flowering plant displayed in the North-facing border of the Walled Garden. This is Smilacina racemosa.

Smilacina racemosa in the Walled Garden Smilacina racemosa (syn. Maianthemum racemosum, Vagnera racemosa) is a woodland herbaceous perennial native to North America. It’s commonly known as treacleberry, false Solomon's seal, Solomon's plume or false spikenard. It is a common, widespread plant known from every US state except Hawaii, and from every Canadian province and territory except Nunavut, as well as from Mexico. Maianthemum racemosum grows to 50–90 cm tall, with alternate, oblong-lanceolate leaves 7–15 cm long and 3–6 cm broad. The flowers are produced on a 10–15 cm panicle, each flower with six white tepals 3–6 mm long blooming in late spring. The plants produce green fruits that are round and turn red in late summer. It spreads by cylindrical rhizomes up to 0.3 m long Maianthemum racemosum grows in bicoastal habitats in North America up to elevations of 7 ft. The most robust and profuse occurrences of this plant are typically found in partial shade and deep, moist, soft soils. In the western part of North America an example typical habitat would be in a shaded ravine or riparian corridor with common understory associates of Dryopteris arguta, Trillium ovatum and Adiantum jordanii. The plant, like the closely related Polygonatum (Solomon's seal), is suitable for cultivation in moist, humus-rich soil in a woodland setting or in dappled shade.

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Friday 25th May Still sunny and bright. Dry. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 30 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is recording the temperatures and rainfall. Then I plant out Salvia coccinea, Salvia farinacea “Reference”, Ageratum houstonianum “Blue Horizon” and Ageratum houstonianum “Dondo White”. In the Walled Garden the ground is still damp underneath but we do need now some rain now, as it has been too dry over the last few weeks. In addition of that, the irrigation system is not working properly at the moment. Tomorrow is expected nice, sunny weather, so I take some chards and rhubarbs to plant in my back garden. Monday 28th May Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Maintenance by the POQ for the first part of the morning. This is mostly about hand-weeding, dead-heading and blowing. In the afternoon I undertake some working of the new bedding in the Terraces. I strip off wall flowers and white forget-me-not in the Lower Terrace, also cultivate the ground for the actual planting next week. Observations: Cistus x purpureus are in flower now by the POQ gate. Cistus x purpureus, a renowned hybrid of uncertain parentage, is perennially surprising and one of the most appealing. The ground colour is cerise rather than rose-pink, and at the heart of each flower is a crimson stain as though some reveller had upset a glass of Burgundy into it. It grows into dense, rounded bushes which reach only 3-4ft tall, even on the gravelly soil where it is happiest. For they do insist on efficient soil drainage. On ground that lies wet for much of the winter, they languish and give up easily if fierce frost gets to them. Garden cistuses are a loose-living lot and no one is quite sure of the parentage of most of the garden hybrids which are preferred to the natural species. While some attempts have been made by plant breeders to arrange liaisons, some of the most successful marriages have occurred naturally in the wild. Plant cistus bushes only in the sunniest positions, where they will not be overhung by the branches of trees. But also ensure they are in the shelter of sunny walls or fences in colder areas. These shrubs last for perhaps only five or six seasons. But to provide replacements, take cuttings from the young shoots at this time and they root readily in gritty compost. They soon become plants which are big enough to put out the following spring. Do not allow them to become root-bound in their pots. Never try to prune cistus bushes harshly - cutting into old wood can result in them dying. Shear them gently year-by-year after flowering if they appear to be getting too bulky, but make the decision to replace them soon.

Cistus x purpureus

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Tuesday 29th May Sunny and dry. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 26 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Keep going the bedding of the Lower Terrace. Today we dig and level the two camellia beds. We feed the soil with some well-rotted garden compost and also incorporate swell gel, which will help keeping the moisture in the ground. After the ground work, we lay the Coleus pots on the floor, in order to have a reference and be able to estimate the planting. After that we carry out some general edging, weeding, and ordinary maintenance throughout the beds within the Lower Terrace. We need to leave the gardens in tip-top conditions by Friday, as the team is off next Monday and Tuesday for the Jubilee bank-holiday week-end.

Planting Coleus in the camellia beds of the Lower Terrace

Swell gel Observations: It’s my first time using Swell Gel and Alan gives me the packet of the product as well as his personal lowdown. Swell Gel is a free-flowing granular material, that is simply mixed with the growing media or soil. When irriation or rainfall occurs, the Swell Gel granules are activated and expand into thousands of self-contained “reservoirs”, each absorbing hundreds of times their own weight and water. The developing plant roots quicky grow right into, and though, these reservoirs, thus gaining access to almost 100% of the stored water. The stored moisture is only released to the plant as and when it is needed, thus reducing the risk of over watering. Drying out and water loss are greatly reduced, and watering frequencies are cut up 75%.

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Wednesday 30th May Fog in the first part of the morning. Then sunny and white coudy. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Edging and weeding top and Lower Terraces. Also weeding and edging the yew pits all along the John Brown’s Walk.

Undertaking the summer bedding in the Upper Terrace Observations: We are using Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum” as a edging plant in the bedding of the Upper Terrace. Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum” (commonly known spider plant, airplane plant or hen-and-chickens), is a flowering perennial herb, with has fleshy, tuberous roots. It is native to tropical and southern Africa, but has become naturalized in other parts of the world, including western Australia. It has a cream and green broad leafed appearance, and is often seen used as a house plant, but ideal for edging and some background bedding situations, in a tub or basket during summer and can be used for shaggy foliage, particularly for 3D works. The inflorescences carry plantlets at the tips of their branches, which eventually droop and touch the soil, developing adventitious roots. The stems (scapes) of the inflorescence are called “stolons” in some sources, but this term is more correctly used for stems which do not bear flowers, and have roots at the nodes. C. comosum “Vittatum” is the other popular cultivar. It has mid-green leaves with a broad central white stripe. It is often sold in hanging baskets to display the plantlets. The long stems are white.

Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum”

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Thursday 31st May Humid and cloudy. Still double-fingers temperatures, anyway. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the maintenance of the yew pits along the John Brown’s Walk. In the afternoon I move to the Walled Garden, planting out Capsicum annum “Purple Flash” and Capsicum annum “Medusa”, the former in the cold border, the latter in the warm border. These ornamental chilies look at the moment really nice and wealthy. They are specific choices of mine and I’d really like them to perform nicely in the annual bed over the last few months. Observations: Situated in the John Brown Walk at the East side of Osborne House, it’s the John Brown Memorial Seat was erected in memory of John Brown, Queen Victoria's outside attendant. The wording on the seat says:

John Brown

8th Dec 1826 27th March 1883 A truer nobler trustier heart more loving

and more loyal never beat within a human breast.

Byron John Brown (8 December 1826 – 27 March 1883) was a Scottish personal servant and favourite of Queen Victoria for many years. He was appreciated by many (including the Queen) for his competence and companionship, and resented by others for his influence and informal manner. The exact nature of his relationship with Victoria was the subject of great speculation by contemporaries, and continues to be controversial today. Perhaps the most compelling evidence of the depth of Victoria and Brown's relationship comes from the pen of the Queen herself. A recently discovered letter written by Victoria shortly after Brown's death, to Viscount Cranbrook, reveals the true extent of the loss: “Perhaps never in history was there so strong and true an attachment, so warm and loving a friendship between the sovereign and servant ... Strength of character as well as power of frame – the most fearless uprightness, kindness, sense of justice, honesty, independence and unselfishness combined with a tender, warm heart ... made him one of the most remarkable men. The Queen feels that life for the second time is become most trying and sad to bear deprived of all she so needs ... the blow has fallen too heavily not to be very heavily felt...”

John Brown’s Walk

John Brown Memorial Seat

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June Friday 1st June But grey but still dry and warm. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Leaf clearance and collecting throughout the Main Avenue. I also carry out some general maintenance within my annual bed (brushing, edging, hoeing and weeding).

Diamond Jubilee bedding in the Pavilion Terrace Saturday 2nd June to Sunday 10th June Back to Italy for summer holidays.

My beloved garden in Ferrara, Italy

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Monday 11th June Pouring rain at midday. Grey and miserable the rest of the day. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 5.5 mls. Practical: I’m back to Osborne today and as first thing I need to catch up with the things that happened during my absence, especially in my annual bed in the Walled Garden. It has been very wet here over the last week and I could see that last evening in my back garden, where chilies are struggling and basil is latterly under slugs and snails attack. As first thing in the morning I look after the perennial borders between the POQ and the crossroads. Here I carry out some edging, weeding, hoeing and general horticultural maintenance. Observations: I find a nice unknown herb, growing as a weed in the perennial border by the POQ. This is Melissa officinalis, commonly known as lemon balm or balm mint and not to be confused with bee balm (which is genus Monarda), is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to center-southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It grows to 70–150 cm tall. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint. During summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, hence the genus name Melissa (Greek for “honey bee”). In North America, Melissa officinalis has escaped cultivation and spread into the wild. Lemon balm grows in clumps and spreads vegetatively as well as by seed. In mild temperate zones, the stems of the plant die off at the start of the winter, but shoot up again in spring. Lemon Balm grows vigorously and should not be planted where it will spread into other plantings. Melissa officinalis may be the “honey-leaf” (µελισσόφυλλον) mentioned by Theophrastus. It was in the herbal garden of John Gerard, 1596. There are many cultivars of Melissa officinalis, such as: M. officinalis “Citronella”, “Lemonella”, “Quedlinburger”, “Lime”, “Variegata”, “Aurea”. Lemon balm is one of those plants with a long history of medicinal and culinary use. It is often used as a flavouring in ice cream and herbal teas, both hot and iced, often in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. It is also frequently paired with fruit dishes or candies. It can be used in fish dishes and is the key ingredient in lemon balm pesto. It has been suggested that it might be a better, healthier preservative than beta hydroxy acid in sausages. Lemon balm produces an essential oil that is one of the most expensive to buy; production costs are high because yields are low. Although the lemon scent can be replicated using cheaper citrus and lemongrass essential oils, pure lemon balm essential oil is valued for its properties in aromatherapy where it is considered to be uplifting and calming, and in skincare as an anti-inflammatory.

Melissa officinalis

Pavilion Terrace

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Tuesday 12th June Really, really wet. Torrential rain till 11.00 a.m. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 13 °C. Rainfalls: 56.0 mls. Practical: Pot work in the Lower Terrace. I plant out in the vases young plants of Lobelia “Fountain Sapphire”, Petunia “Blue”, Pelargonium “Mrs Pollock” and Helichrysum petiolare “Gold”. Then I dig out bulbs of the previous year’s planting from the beds in the Lower Terrace. I keep the daffodils in the grounds and throw away the tulips. This is because the former are good keepers and we can sell them in the shop, while the latter are no so well-performing the next years. We just throw them in the compost heap. After having dug out as many as possible bulbs from the beds (impossible to find all of them! What will re-grow will be dead-headed and then dig out with the next stripping off), we clear and level the ground within the beds. We don’t aim here to obtain fine tilth, but really a nice, presentable even ground ready to be planted with young plants in pots. Observations: I notice a nice yellow-flowering weed in the terraces’ paths. This is Calceolaria mexicana (Slipper Flower). Calceolaria mexicana is a strong, multi-branching plant approximately 30 cm high. It has bright little yellow lemon-drop flowers evenly spaced throughout the fresh green foliage. It blooms from mid-Summer through mid-Fall, truly lighting up the shade. It really has an uncommon colour for a shade plant and re-seeds reliably. In cultivation, sow outdoors in April-May, or earlier indoors. Calceolaria genus is in the Calceolariaceae family, sometimes classified in Scrophulariaceae by some authors. This genus consists of about 388 species of shrubs, lianas and herbs, and the geographical range extends from Patagonia to central Mexico, with its distribution centre in Andean region. Calceolaria species have usually yellow or orange flowers, which can have red or purple spots. Calceolariaceae family is in the order Lamiales that has been recently segregated from Scrophulariaceae. The family includes three genera, Calceolaria, Porodittia and Jovellana, but analysis suggests that the monotypic Porodittia should be placed within Calceolaria. Recent molecular phylogenies that included Calceolaria have shown not only that this genus does not belong in Scrophulariaceae (or any of the numerous families recently segregated from Scrophulariaceae) but also that it is the sister clade to the majority of the other families of the Lamiales. Morphological and chemical characters also support the separation of Calceolariaceae from Scrophulariaceae and other Lamiales. Some recent studies have supported a sister-group relationship between Calceolariaceae and Gesneriaceae.

Pot work in the Lower Terrace

Calceolaria mexicana

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Wednesday 13th June Drier but still dull and miserable. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 16 °C. Rainfalls: 5.5 mls. Practical: Despite the grim weather, we have to carry on the jobs for the summer bedding in the Terraces. After the stripping off last week, the next stage now is the digging and raking of the beds. We have time for undertaking some planting too. Together with Reese, I plant specimens of Zantedeschia aethiopica in the circular beds of the Lower Terrace. We also move and temporarily plant three beautiful specimens of Phormium tenax “Sundown” in the heeling area, where we keep the hardy spare plants for future use. Today we have a visit of the English Heritage head gardeners. They have a tour whit Toby throughout the gardens and at the end of it they show a real admiration for our work.

Planting Zantedeschia aethiopica in the Lower Terrace

Phormium tenax in the heeling area Observations: In these days I can see the beautiful Buddleja globosa in bloom in a border of the Pleasure Grounds, as well as by the Swiss Cottage. Buddleja globosa, also known as the orange ball buddleja, is a species of flowering plant endemic to Chile and Argentina, where it grows in dry and moist forest, from sea level to 2,000 m. This is a large shrub to 5 m tall, with grey fissured bark. The young branches are sub-quadrangular and tormentose, bearing sessile or subsessile lanceolate or elliptic leaves. The deep-yellow to orange leafy-bracted inflorescence comprise globose heads, heavily honey-scented. In common with many New World Buddlejaceae species, B. globosa is dioecious: although the flowers appear hermaphrodite in having both male and female parts, only the anthers or pistils are functional in a single plant.

Buddleja globosa

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Thursday 14th June Finally a sunny and bright day. Temperatures: min 8 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 0.1 mls. Practical: Today I’m back working in the Walled Garden. First thing is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I have a look to the state of my annual bed. Despite the dull weather we had, things are doing well in it. All the patches are looking good. Next week I’ll plant out the Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple”, which are the last plants to go down. I carry out several different tasks such as tying the climbers to the canes, spot weeding, hoeing and – last but not least – pulling out and potting on some chives for my back garden. Observations: There are many plants flowering beautifully in the Walled Garden at this time of the year. In these days in particular Allium christophii and Echium pininana are a real glory.

Amy annual bed in the Walled Garden

Allium christophii Allium christophii is commonly known as Star of Persia or Persian Onion. This is plant species native to Southwest Asia, grown as an ornamental bulbous plant in many parts of the world. It is a member of the Allioideae subfamily of the Amaryllidaceae. It grows to 60 cm and is cultivated in gardens for its large showy (umbels) of silvery pink star-shaped flowers, 20–25 cm in diameter, which appear in early summer. The flowers have a metallic sheen and are followed by attractive fruiting clusters. The faded flowerheads hold up well in the border and are useful for dried flower arrangements. Perfect for a sunny site, dotted in small groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear. The plant has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Allium christophii “Globemaster” is a good cultivar. This is the biggest and many think the best Allium yet. It gets its size from its parent, but the florets are packed more densely, creating an imposing and brilliantly colored globe.

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Friday 15th June to Sunday 17th June Today I am off work for a visit at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, where I have an interview for discussing the next year’s placement. The present PGG trainee, Sam Hawthorne, is my Cicerone throughout the gardens and introduce me to the staff and the different sections of the botanic garden. Today it’s only a short visit but the impression is indelible. To work in the famous Great Greenhouse (the world largest single span greenhouse) is just a dream for every horticulturalist.

The Great Glasshouse at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales Monday 18th June Bright and breezy. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 15.0 mls. Practical: Back to Osborne House routine and the bedding work in the Lower terrace. I dig out the standard boxes from the previous year’s bedding scheme. Then I carry out some edging, soil cultivation and ordinary maintenance (pulling out bulbs, clearing and leveling the soil surface, making the rims around the beds presentable, etc). In the afternoon I prune the standing roses in the narrow borders of the Lower Terrace. I stool them down up to about three feet (old wood), having care to cut away all the dead, diseased and damaged material.

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Tuesday 19th June Sunny and bright but still not so warm as it used to be three weeks ago. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the bedding work in the Terraces. The summer bedding is now not far to be completed. We might finish it by the end of the next week. At the end of the working day, I water the new-planted dahlias in the Pavilion Terrace, which were suffering for the heath and gasping for a good drink. Observations: While weeding in the Terraces, I come across a nice salmon-coloured flowering, prostrate weed. I key it out by using a flora book in the messroom and it results to be Anagallis arvensis (commonly known as Scarlet Pimpirnel). Anagallis arvensis is a low-growing annual plant, its native range being Europe and Western and North Africa. The species has been distributed widely by humans, either deliberately as an ornamental flower or accidentally. A. arvensis is now naturalised almost worldwide, with a range that encompasses the Americas, Central and East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Malesia, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and Southern Africa. Although traditionally included in the family Primulaceae, the genus Anagallis is now considered to be better placed within the related family Myrsinaceae.

Anagallis arvensis

In the point of fact, Primulaceae is now expanded in the APG III system, to include Myrsinaceae, thus Anagallis is in Primulaceae sensu lato. Anagallis arvensis has weak sprawling stems growing to about 50 cm long, which bear bright green ovate sessile leaves in opposite pairs. The small orange, red or blue flowers are produced in the leaf axils from spring to autumn. The petal margins are somewhat crenate and have small glandular hairs. Blue-flowered plants (A. arvensis forma azurea) are common in some areas, such as the Mediterranean region, and should not be confused with the related Blue pimpernel, Anagallis foemina, sometimes ssp. foemina. In 2007, a molecular phylogenetic study showed that Anagallis foemina is more closely related to Anagallis monelli than to Anagallis arvensis, and should be treated as a separate species. Scarlet pimpernel flowers are open only when the sun shines. This common European plant is generally considered a weed and is an indicator of light soils. Wednesday 20th June Sunny, warm. Temperatures: min 9 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the bedding of the Pavilion Terrace. This is mainly about planting but we also have to spend some time in watering the plants as the weather as been quite dry over the last two weeks. In team of three we plant four circular borders with Amaranthus caudatus, Bidens ferulifolia, Plectranthus, Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”, Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum”and Bidens ferulifolia. By the end of the day we finish the summer bedding of the Top Terrace. Only few beds and some vases in the Lower Terrace have to been done.

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Observations: In these days I’m coming across quite regularly to the two UK native Euphorbia species, Euphorbia helioscopia and E. lathyris. They aren’t very ornamental and are considered weeds in the British gardens. Euphorbia helioscopia (Sun Spurge) is a species of spurge native to most of Europe, northern Africa, and eastward through most of Asia. Other old folk names include wart spurge, umbrella milkweed and “madwoman’s milk”. It is an annual plant growing in arable land and disturbed ground. It grows to 10–50 cm tall, with a single, erect, hairless stem, branching toward the top. The leaves are oval, broadest near the tip, 1.5–3 cm long, with a finely toothed margin. The flowers are small, yellow-green, with two to five basal bracts similar to the leaves but yellower; flowering lasts from mid spring to late summer. It is highly poisonous. Active ingredients are extracted from it for use in pharmaceutical industry. It is also a plant used in the Chinese traditional medicine. Euphorbia lathyris (Caper Spurge, Paper Spurge and Mole Plant) is a species of spurge native to southern Europe (France, Italy, Greece, and possibly southern England), northwest Africa, and eastward through southwest Asia to western China. It is an erect biennial (occasionally annual) plant growing up to 1.5 m tall, with a glaucous blue-green stem. The leaves are arranged in decussate opposite pairs, and are lanceolate, 5–15 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad, glaucous blue-green with a waxy texture and pale greenish-white midrib and veins. The flowers are green to yellow-green, 4 mm diameter, with no petals. The seeds are green ripening brown or grey, produced in globular clusters 13–17 mm diameter of three seeds compressed together. All parts of the plant, including the seeds and roots are poisonous. Handling may cause skin irritation as the plant produces latex. While poisonous to humans and most livestock, goats sometimes eat it and are immune to the toxin. However, the toxin can be passed through the goat's milk. Away from its native range, it is widely naturalised in many regions, where it is often considered an invasive weed. It grows in partial shade to full sun in USDA zones 5–9. Interestingly, Euphorbia lathyris is sold by some nurseries as it is believed to repel moles. It is used in folk medicine as a poison, antiseptic, and a purgative. It is used as a folk remedy for cancer, corns, and warts.

Euphorbia helioscopia

Euphorbia lathyris

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Thursday 21st June Horrible weather. Grizzly and wet. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 24.5 mls. Practical: Back to the Walled Garden and greenhousing jobs. First thing in the morning is to record the temperatures and the rainfalls. Then I hand weed the cannas in pots in the polytunnel. After that I pot on Salvia, Lobelia and Chlorophytum for the vases display in the Walled Garden. For the last part of the day I can concentrate on my annual bed, undertaking the last group of plants which still needs to be planted outside. These are five precious specimens of Ricinus communis “New Zealand”. This is a fabulous new Ricinus with deep maroon to purple metallic leaves, stems and fruit. It’s a new cultivar, so shouldn’t be displayed in the Walled Garden, but I insisted for it, as it will give a wow-effect to the cold border in my annual bed. Unfortunately the sowing didn’t succeed very well and the majority of the seeds didn’t take (I later discovered that this cultivar needs a little more heat than others to germinate). I only have five plants for a quite large patch.

The five specimens of Ricinus communis “New Zealand Purple”

Wednesday 22nd June to Tuesday 26th June Holiday time on the Isle of Wight (Music Festival, Abramo, Football Euros).

Happy days on the Isle of Wight

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Wednesday 27th June Foggy in the morning, then showery later. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Taking care of an island bed in the main lawn of the Pleasure Grounds. It’s horticultural maintenance with different tasks involved, such as weeding, edging, pruning and hoeing. I also spend some time in cutting back Camassia leichtlinii stems and foliage, which are now going gradually going over.

Camassia leichtlinii (internet database) Observations: Camassia leichtlinii (commonly known as Great Camas) is a bulbous plant native to North America, with broader leaves than other species of this genus, that bears many star-shaped blue or whitish flowers. It was named in honour of Maximilian Leichtlin (1831-1910) of Baden Baden. He was a keen grower and hybridiser of bulbous plants, and corresponded regularly with Kew botanist J.G. Baker, often exchanging plants with the Gardens. It is the tallest of the six species within the genus Camassia, and one of the best bulbs for naturalising in long grass. It has star-shaped flowers, which open in the afternoon and are creamy-white, pale green, blue or purplish, and can be double. There are two subspecies: C. leichtlinii subsp. leichtlinii which usually has white flowers, and C. leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii, which has blue or purplish flowers. The cultivar C. leichtlinii “Lady Eva Price” is named after the wife of Sir Henry Price, who was the owner of Wakehurst Place in the 1960s. It is a particularly attractive form of C. leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii. The only problem with naturalizing camassias in grass is that the leaves are slow to die down in summer, which makes mowing difficult, especially as grasses grow vigorously in the moist, heavy soil that camassias like. However, if you have an area where the bulb leaves can be allowed to die down naturally, you can create a very charming display, especially since they will readily increase. Otherwise, grow them in borders in sun or light shade. The bulbs should be planted in early autumn, at least 4in deep and about 6in apart, in humus-rich soil which retains its moisture without becoming waterlogged in winter. In very cold areas, the soil should be mulched to protect the bulbs in late autumn. Water them freely in dry summers. Camassias can be propagated by removing the offsets that have formed round the main bulbs and replanting them individually; do this in summer when they are dormant. Alternatively, sow collected seed in a tray when it is ripe in summer and put in a cold frame. Plant the bulb against a background that will allow the pale flowers to stand out. Suitable shrubs include Berberis thunbergii “Rose Glow” (a good foil because the leaves are purple, splashed pink and white); Photinia x fraseri “Red Robin” (blood-red young leaves); and Choisya ternata (Mexican orange blossom). In borders, camassias associate well, in light shade, with forget-me-nots, Dicentra spectabilis (bleeding hearts), Lunaria rediviva, Leucojum aestivum (spring snowflake) and Polygonatum x hybridum (Solomon's seal), and in sun with early-flowering geraniums and aquilegias. If naturalised in a meadow, they look good with buttercups, cowslips and the late-flowering pheasant's eye (Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus).

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Thursday 28th June Sunny spells and white clouds. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the maintenance in the island beds. Hand weeding calceolaria, common thistle and other perennials, both by using a hand trowel and the Dutch hoe. We are setting the gardens in tip-top conditions for the visit of the Duke of Gloucester next Tuesday. Friday 29th June Breezy, white clouds. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 30 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the border maintenance of the two island beds in the Pleasure Grounds. The editing for the interpretation panel of my annual bed is now ready. Both Toby and I agreed with the graphic and the wording. The new laminated panel should be ready in a few weeks time and then exposed by the annual bed in the Walled Garden.

Interpretation panel of my annual bed in the Walled Garden

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July Monday 2nd July Dull and miserable. Continuous drizzle. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 0.5 mls. Practical: Clearing all along the Main Avenue and the other secondary roads in view of the visit of the Duke of Gloucester (now renamed DOG) tomorrow. We use wheeled blowers, back-pack blowers, rakes and loppers for cutting off some overgrown branches. I constantly use the tractor and trailer up and down the Compost Area. Observations: In the perennial border Lychnis coronaria “Alba” is now in bloom. This is a superb plant for a sunny border. A clump-forming perennial but often grown as a biennial as it is short lived but does seed itself. The silver woolly leaves are a pleasant backdrop to the bright magenta flowers which appear in late summer. Leaves and flowers provide excellent color and contrast to perennial borders, wild gardens, cottage gardens or meadows. It may be used as an accent or specimen plant. If flower stems are cut back after bloom, the remaining silver-gray, basal foliage can serve as an interesting ground cover (in somewhat the same manner as stachys) for the remainder of the growing season. It can tolerate most well-drained soils but produces the best leaf colour in dry soil. The specific name coronaria means “used for garlands”. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM). Good design is given by mixing the white “Alba” with the startling, bright red L. coronaria atrosanguinea. They both look good in combination with Verbascum “Cotswold Queen” and Eryngium x oliverianum.

Lychnis coronaria “Alba”

Lychnis coronaria atrosanguinea Lychnis is a genus of 15-25 species of flowering plants in the Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. The genus is closely related to (and sometimes included in) Silene, differing in the flowers having five styles (three in Silene), the seed capsule having five teeth (six in Silene), and in the sticky stems of Lychnis. Common names include "campion" (shared with Silene) and "catchfly", the latter name based on the sticky stems.

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Tuesday 3rd July Another grizzly day. Continuous drizzle, like yesterday. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 21.0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the border maintenance in the South-facing border of the Pleasure Grounds. Observations: Echium pininana looks wonderful in these days in the warm borders of Osborne House. Echium pininana (commonly known as Tree Echium, Pine Echium and Giant Viper's Bugloss) is a herbaceous perennial, native to La Palma in the Canary Island and is now cultivated in gardens of Britain and Ireland. Its native habitat is laurel forests, where it is now endangered through habitat loss. E. pininana is a biennial or triennial, showing little more than leaf in the first year, but subsequently produces a dense, 4 meters high (potentially) flower spike that carries a dense mass of leaves and small blue flowers. The recommendation is that the plant is suited for the southern maritime counties of England. There are, however, reports of successful cultivation in the English Midlands and Yorkshire, albeit in favourable locations. Specimens are also grown in Dublin gardens and in the Irish National Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin. Although E. pininana is half-hardy in Britain and Ireland, it will self-seed to form clusters of plants, and it's suggested that by natural selection a hardier variety will emerge. The plant also grows readily in North Wales where it seeds really widely. It is bi- or even triennial and most vulnerable to frosts in its first year. Because of its large leaves when partly grown, it is also very susceptible to wind damage. Hence a sheltered garden position is essential. Echium is a quite large genus (about 60 recognised species) with annuals or biennials to perennial, woody plants, of which many have most ornamental, sometimes impressively tall flower stalks. In contrast to their mostly perennial, woody Canary relatives, the species offered here are mostly biennials from Central Europe and the Mediterranean. In the first year they make a basal leaf rosette out of which a sometimes quite tall flower stalk emerges in summer the second year. All require a very well drained, preferably sandy or stony soil in a sunny spot.

South facing border of the Pleasure Grounds

Echium pininana in bloom

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Wednesday 4th July Very variable day. Some sunny spells about midday, then showers in the late afternoon. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 14.5 mls. Practical: Hedge trimming along the Main Avenue. I work in team with Phil and Reese. We swop the jobs, doing the trimming and the clearing in turns. We have the privilege to look after an authentic Victorian hedge with old specimens of cherry laurel, Portuguese laurel, holly and viburnum.

View of the house from the Valley Path

Hedge trimming the Victorian hedge Thursday 5th July White clouds, dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 4.9 mls. Practical: Edging and weeding the beds and paths in the Lower Terrace. I work in team with Nigel. Observations: Mitraria coccinea is in flower now in a border of the Pleasure Grounds. Mitraria coccinea is a gorgeous, rare species from Chile with brilliant red flowers with the texture of velvet. The curvaceous blooms remind me of a woman's dress. The Chileans think it looks like a little bottle, so they call it “Botellita”. The velvety, 1½ inch flowers appear singly, in pairs, or in threes all over the plant. This is a very hard-to-find plant, and rarely seen in plant sales or nurseries. Mitraria is an evergreen perennial in the Gesneriaceae family, making it a cousin of African Violets. This is the only species in the genus Mitraria, and it's found only in the cool rainforests of Chile. It is both a creeping and climbing plant. It can climb several feet up a fence or trellis, and it will creep along the ground for 4 to 6 feet, although it may be pruned to any size. It is perfect for a hanging planter, where its lush foliage and vibrant blooms can be admired up close. The plant flowers throughout most of the year for me, with the heaviest show from spring through autumn. It is happiest in temperatures below 85 degrees with nights that are cool, and might not thrive if temperatures consistently get above that. When conditions are suitable for growing Fuchsia or Clivia, an attempt should also be done to grow Mitraria. It may be grown indoors in a cool room too.

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Mitraria coccinea Friday 6th July Another gloomy but dry day. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Back to the hedge trimming all along the main drive. In the afternoon I join Jen for greenhousing jobs and also maintenance of my annual bed in the Walled Garden. I need to do some weeding in both the cold and warm borders of the annual bed, as I’ve been busy with the summer bedding in the Terraces over the last two weeks. Observations: At the working end of the day I take ten minutes for a short walk within the Walled Garden. Things are getting now in full bloom and that’s a real achievement and a great satisfaction for the me and the team. The canal beds display beautifully different specimens of Macleaya cordata, Angelica arcangelica and Rheum rhabarbarum.

Macleaya cordata

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Macleaya cordata (syn. Bocconia cordata ), commonly known as the Plume Poppy, is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae, which is used ornamentally. It is native to China and Japan. It is a large herbaceous perennial growing to 2.5 m tall by 1 m or more wide, with olive green leaves and airy panicles of buff-white flowers in summer. Macleaya cordata is a striking architectural plant, with tall upright stems and attractive grey to olive-green, lacy foliage. In summer, the stems are topped by long airy sprays of buff white flowers. Plants are slow to get going and often barely grow in their first season but, once established, they can spread quite rapidly. It self-seeds readily and can be invasive, so in cultivation requires space. It is a popular subject for flower arranging. If space permits, plants look best when allowed to develop freely into large clumps, especially when used as a feature in the same way as pampas grass. It looks particularly good with Pennisetum macrourum and Nicotiana langsdorffii. M. × kewensis, bred at Kew Gardens, is a hybrid of M. cordata and M. microcarpa. The cultivar “Flamingo” has pink tinged flowers, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Monday 9th July Sunny and dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 5.5 mls. Practical: For the first part of the morning it’s border maintenance by the POQ. We have some real problem with the bind weed, which is infesting the perennial borders by the entrance gate. In the afternoon we move to the rhododendron borders in the Pleasure Grounds. Here we carry out some general border maintenance, such as spot weeding, edging, hoeing, etc. Observations: In the island bed across the rhododendron border Embothrium coccineum (Chilean Fire Bush) is now in flower. Embothrium coccineum is a small evergreen tree in the family Proteaceae. It grows in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. It produces deep red flowers (occasionally pale yellow) which group in clusters; blooming occurs in spring. The fruit is a dry follicle, with about 10 seeds inside. It grows 4–15 m tall and can reach 50 cm in diameter. The bark is dark grey with light spots. Its wood is light pink in color, and being very soft but durable, is used for spoons, kitchen vessels and another craft articles. It is grown as an ornamental in Great Britain and the United States, and as far north as the Faroe Islands at 62° North latitude! The plant was introduced to Europe by William Lobb during his plant collecting expedition to the Valdivian temperate rain forests in 1845–1848. It was described by Kew Gardens as: “Perhaps no tree cultivated in the open air in the British Isles gives so striking and brilliant a display as this does”. It is pollinated by both hummingbirds and insects in its natural range.

Embothrium coccineum

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Tuesday 10th July Mild, white clouds. Showery. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 26 °C. Rainfalls: 0.4 mls. Practical: From today to the end of the week I’m down by the Swiss Cottage. Ade gives me a small project of maintenance and partly re-landscape of a border between the cottage and the entrance path. I trim a low, large hedge of Cotoneaster x horizontalis, remove dead stumps from a hidden corner of the border, cutting overgrown shrubs and small trees. I also do all the edges and spot weed among the proper planting.

Swiss Cottage at Osborne House

The royal children’s wheelbarrow store Observations: Alcea rosea (common Hollyhock) is displayed at the end of the border near the Swiss Cottage. This is an ornamental plant in the Malvaceae family, which was imported into Europe from southwestern China during, or possibly before, the 15th century. William Turner, an herbalist of the time, gave it the name “Holyoke” from which the English name derives. Alcea rosea is variously described as a biennial (having a two-year life cycle), as an annual, or as a short-lived perennial. It frequently self-sows, which may create a perception that the plants are perennial. The plant may flower during its first year when sown early. It will grow in a wide range of soils, and can easily reach a height of about 2.4 m. The flowers are a range of colours from white to dark red, including pink, yellow and orange. Different colours prefer different soils. The darker red variety seems to favour sandy soils, while the lighter colour seems to favour clay soils. The plants are easily grown from seed, and readily self-seed. However, tender plants, whether young from seed or from old stock, may be wiped out by slugs and snails. The foliage is subject to attack from rust (Puccinia malvacearum), which may be treated with fungicides. Commercial growers have reported that some closely related species (Alcea rugosa and Alcea ficifolia) are resistant to this fungus.

Alcea rosea

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Wednesday 11th July Reasonably bright and warm. Showery. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 7.5 mls. Practical: Carrying on the border maintenance and re-landscape by the Swiss Cottage. I dig our roots of Eupatorium purpureum and Carex pendula. These plants are infesting one of the ends of the border and squashing down the desired planting, above all Alcea rosea. Carex pendula is a very easily self-seeding plant. It used to be a big problem in this border but it has been almost completely removed over the last years. I also reduce two big specimens of Buddleja globosa, by using both the loppers and the secateurs. At the end of the day I remove from the soil a big specimen of Arctium lappa (greater burdock) with its taproot and bring it home for some culinary experiments. Arctium lappa is native to the temperate regions of the old world, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, and from the British Isles through Russia, and the Middle East to China and Japan, including India. It is naturalized almost everywhere and is usually found in disturbed areas, especially in soil rich in nitrogen. It is commonly cultivated in Japan where it gives its name to a particular construction technique, burdock piling.

Burdock taproot

Observations: Eupatorium purpureum (syn. Eutrochium purpureum) is a herbaceous perennial plant native to northwest, eastern and central North America. Common names are kidney-root, sweets scented Joe-pie weed, gravel root, or trumpet weed. E. Purpureum is a clump forming plant that grows to 1.5 to 2.5 meters tall and about 1.2 meters wide. Plants are found in full sun to part shade in moisture retentive to wet soils. Stems are upright, thick, round, and purple, with whorls of leaves at each node. As the plant begins to bloom the stems often bend downward under the weight of the flowers. The leaves grow to 30 cm long and have a somewhat wrinkled texture. The purplish colored flowers are produced in large loose, convex shaped compound corymbi-form arrays. Plants bloom mid to late summer and attract much activity from insects that feed on the nectar produced by the flowers. This species hybridizes readily with other species of Eutrochium and where this species and those species overlap in distribution the resulting plants can be difficult to resolve to a specific taxon. There are two varieties that differ in the pubescence of the stems and foliage, but many more have been proposed in the past, thought most authorities now accept that this is a variable species and population variations integrate.

Eupatorium purpureum flowers and roots

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Thursday 12th July Beautiful start of the day. Not a single cloud in the sky. Few showers in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 8.0 mls. Practical: Carrying on my shrub border maintenance by the Swiss. I undertake a different section of the long border and prune another specimen of Buddleja globosa, trim Berberis, clear and reduce Fuchsia and dig out some more dead stumps. In the afternoon I edge and weed the square pits of the Ilex collection. I use the half-moon, hand fork, edging sheers. The last finish is done by covering each pit with a thin layer of woodchips. Observations: Another job is to remove from the border some Heuchera cultivars that have been attached by larvae of vine weevil. Vine weevil is an insect pest that infests a wide range of ornamental plants and fruits, especially those grown in containers. Plants growing in pots or other containers, outdoors or under cover, can be severely damaged by vine weevil grubs. Plants growing in the open ground are less susceptible, although the grubs can kill strawberries, primulas, polyanthus, Sedum, Heuchera and young yew plants. It is one of the most common and devastating garden pests. The adult weevils eat plant leaves during spring and summer, but it is the grubs that cause the most damage over autumn and winter when they feed on plant roots, causing wilting, and often plant death. Control is difficult but not impossible. On mild spring or summer evenings inspect plants and walls by torchlight and pick off the adult weevils. Shake shrubs over an upturned umbrella to dislodge and collect more. In greenhouses, look under pots or on the underside of staging benches where the beetles hide during the day. Trap adults with sticky barriers, such as Agralan Insect Barrier Glue, placed around pots or on greenhouse staging. Also try to encourage natural enemies. Vine weevils and their grubs are eaten by a variety of predators such as birds, frogs, toads, shrews, hedgehogs and predatory ground beetles. A biological control of the larvae is available as a microscopic pathogenic nematode (Steinernema kraussei) available from suppliers of biological controls. Apply in August or early September when the soil temperature is warm enough for the nematode to be effective (5-20ºC) and before the vine weevil grubs have grown large enough to cause serious damage. Another nematode, Heterorhabditis megidis, is also available but is more temperature-dependent (12-20ºC). Both nematodes can also be applied to garden soil, but give poor results in dry or heavy soils. They work best in open potting composts, such as peat or coir. Nematodes can be used safely on all edible and ornamental plants. Ornamental plants grown in containers can be treated with acetamiprid (Scotts Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer) or thiacloprid (Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2) as a liquid drench applied to the compost. These insecticides give protection against the grubs for up to two and four months respectively; treatment in mid- to late summer will control the young larvae and prevent damage occurring later in the autumn to spring period. Neither product can be used to treat edible plants or ornamental plants growing in open soil.

Wine Weevil Larvae (internet database)

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Friday 13th July Sunny and dry. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 24 mls. Practical: Today I finish off the maintenance and re-landscaping of the border by the Swiss Cottage. I plant out young plants of Heuchera cultivars and Agapanthus africanus. I use a border spade and prepare holes at the end of the border where Eupatorium purpureum used to be till the beginning of this week. Then I plant Agapanthus at the bottom of the border and Heuchera in two small clumps on the edge of it. In the first part of the afternoon I finish the edging and mulching of the pits of the Ilex collection. Finally, for the last hour, I collect raspberries along the soft-fruit beds in front of the Swiss Cottage. This is a quite pleasant job and a good way for completing my week in the Swiss Cottage with Ade.

Rubus idaeus Observations: I come back home with a wicker basket full of raspberries. I decide to make both a culinary as well as a horticultural in-depth analysis on the plant and its fruits. Many of the most important modern commercial red raspberry cultivars derive from hybrids between R. idaeus and R. strigosus. Some botanists consider the Eurasian and American red raspberries all belong to a single, circumboreal species, Rubus idaeus, with the European plants then classified as either R. idaeus subsp. idaeus or R. idaeus var. idaeus, and the native North American red raspberries classified as either R. idaeus subsp. strigosus, or R. idaeus var. strigosus. Recent breeding has resulted in cultivars that are thornless and more strongly upright, not needing staking. Various kinds of raspberries can be cultivated from hardiness zones 3 to 9. Raspberries are traditionally planted in the winter as dormant canes, although planting of tender, plug plants produced by tissue culture has become much more common. A specialized production system called “long cane production” involves growing canes for a year in a northern climate such as Scotland or Oregon or Washington, where the chilling requirement for proper bud break is attained, or attained earlier than the ultimate place of planting. These canes are then dug, roots and all, to be replanted in warmer climates such as Spain, where they quickly flower and produce a very early season crop. Plants are typically planted 2-6 per m in fertile, well drained soil; raspberries are usually planted in raised beds/ridges, if there is any question about root rot problems. Raspberries are very vigorous and can be locally invasive. They propagate using basal shoots (also known as suckers), extended underground shoots that develop roots and individual plants. They can sucker new canes some distance from the main plant. For this reason, raspberries spread well, and can take over gardens if left unchecked. Raspberries are often propagated using cuttings, and will root readily in moist soil conditions. Using cuttings preserves the genotype of the parent, and is the preferred method of propagation when making large plantings. The fruit is harvested when it comes off the torus/receptacle easily and has turned a deep color (red, black, purple, or golden yellow, depending on the species and cultivar). This is when the fruits are ripest and sweetest. Excess fruit can be made into raspberry jam or frozen.

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Monday 16th July Still grey and miserable after a very wet week-end. Few showers. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 22 °C. Rainfalls: 1.3 mls. Practical: Down to the beach with Nigel for picking up rubbish along the coast line. We have the opportunity for looking the works of the contractors for the next opening of the beach. After lunch, after some border maintenance in the Pleasure Grounds, we need to stop because of the wet weather. So I spend the last part of the day in the Potting Shed, tiding up the terracotta pots and bundling the hazel sticks and bamboo canes. In the evening I send to the Merlin Trust Committee my travel report on the expedition to Turkey. I spent the whole week-end in finishing off this work (and a couple of all-nighters too), and hope to have a good feedback on it. Tuesday 17th July White cloud with sunny spells. Dry. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 18 °C. Rainfalls: 5.6 mls. Practical: Strimming throughout the gardens. I work in team with Reese and we do the strips of grass John Brown’s Walk and beside the POQ shop in the morning. In the afternoon we move to the Compost Area for strimming all around the boundary fence. At the end of the day Reese gives me an induction in the safe use and maintenance of the strimming in the shed.

Read the Manual - the most obvious, the most boring and the most often avoided, this is the best way to ensure you know everything about your machine and do not miss any important factors. It will help you keep the machine in good working order, reducing the risk of mistakes or mishaps and it will also contain safety advice and specific information on the machine's installed or attachable safety devices. Double Check - strimmers will have an obvious shutoff button, and sometimes an emergency stop button. Ensure you are familiar with each of these and make sure they are functioning correctly. The manual will give instructions on how often to check these functions. Protective Clothing - wear goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris and cut grass. Not only will it reduce the risk of eye-damage but it will mean you won't be squinting as you use the device, meaning your vision will be better. Ear guards will be required to protect from the considerable sound produced. Gloves for good grip and some form of ankle covering. Steel capped boots are a good idea, and some kind of protective legwear would not go amiss and would protect against accidental injury. Communication - ensure that everyone around you realises how to behave when you are using the strimmer and that they are aware you will not be able to hear them. Agree on a hand-signal for stop beforehand, so that they can ask you to shut the machine off without stepping too close. Cord - ensure you have enough cord to comfortably guide the strimmer around the garden edge, but do not allow it to trail or loop. You do not want to accidentally strim over the cord, creating potential for electrocution hazards. Petrol - ensure you've filled the strimmer with petrol before you use it each time, avoiding the machine spluttering and failing on you, at which point you'd have to wait for it to cool down before adding more gasoline. You must not refuel a hot or active tank. Stance - do not use the strimmer above ground level, and do not overreach. Maintain your balance and footing at all times and the risk of accident will be greatly reduced. Clear The Area - all it requires before you start is a quick walk over the area you will be strimming, to remove any pieces of rock of plastic items that would damage the blades and get kicked back at you when strimming. Adjust The Harness - do this before you turn the strimmer on, getting it into the right position for your working stance. If you do not do this, you will become uncomfortable very fast when using the strimmer and would create unnecessary reasons to be turning it off and on to readjust. Spark Plug - disconnect this when the equipment is left unattended. Check the manual for more instructions relating to this. Transport Securely - ensure that when you're transporting the strimmer you've secured in a sensible position in your car or truck, to avoid the possibility of petrol leakage.

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Wednesday 18th July White cloud with sunny spells. Mild, dry weather. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 26 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Hedge trimming along the work path in front of the messroom and office. We do the sides first by using two standard hedge trimmers and then the top with the cherry picker a long-reach hedge trimmer.

Trimmed hedges of the gardeners’ yard

Bird’s eye view of the Walled Garden. In the foreground, my annual bed Observations: Before to leave Osborne House after work, I take some beetroots and bring them with me back home for my back garden. Beetroot is Beta vulgaris, an herbaceous biennial or, rarely, perennial plant with leafy stems. Beta vulgaris is in the Chenopodiaceae family which is now included in Amaranthaceae family. It has numerous cultivated varieties, the most well known of which is the root vegetable known as the beetroot or garden beet. However, other cultivated varieties include the leaf vegetable chard, as well as the root vegetable sugar beet, which is important in the production of table sugar, and mangelwurzel, which is a fodder crop. More precisely, beetroot is any of the cultivated varieties of Beta vulgaris grown for their edible taproots, especially B. vulgaris subsp. conditiva.

Beetroots in my back garden

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Thursday 19th July Generally mild, sunny spells. Few showers midday. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 0.8 mls. Practical: Today I’m back to the Swiss Cottage for finishing the last week’s tasks. First I finish the planting out of the Agapanthus. Then I finish the edging, weeding and mulching of the Ilex row. After lunch I join Ade, doing the hoeing and edging of the vegetables plots in front of the Swiss cottage. Last part of the day is spent collecting raspberries in the soft-fruit beds. Friday 20th July Bright, warm, dry. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today is my last day working by the Swiss cottage. I finish the maintenance by the vegetable plots and undertake the tying up of the runner beans. Observations: While going back to the messroom, I see a new shrubby plant in flower in one of the borders of the Pleasure Grounds. This is Desfontainia spinosa. Desfontainia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants placed currently in the family Columelliaceae, though formerly in Gentianaceae or a family of its own, Desfontainiaceae. Its single, very variable, species, Desfontainia spinosa (Chilean holly), is a native of rainforests and mountain slopes in southern Central America and South America, occurring from Costa Rica in the north to certain islands of Tierra del Fuego (shared by Chile and Argentina) in the extreme South, being present also in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The uses include medicinal / hallucinogenic purposes, a natural dye and as an ornamental evergreen shrub. In cultivation, it will grow slowly (in 10–20 years) to some 2.5m in height and width, but, in the wild, it can also take the form of a small tree and reach around 4m.It has glossy dark green, holly-like leaves, and waxy red tubular flowers, often with yellow tips, and reaching 4 cm in length. The fruit is a greenish-yellow berry circa 1.5 cm in diameter and contains around 44 glistening, coffee-brown seeds. It is a calcifuge (i.e. requires a lime-free environment) and will thrive in wetter conditions in the wild than it is sometimes given credit for in the horticultural literature, occurring as it does in bogs and swamps. It is usually a terrestrial plant, but can also grow as an epiphyte. It is hardy to −5 °C, and requires winter protection in areas with significant frosts. The genus was named for the French botanist, René Louiche Desfontaines and was introduced into cultivation in Europe by William Lobb in 1843. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Desfontainia spinosa

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Monday 23rd July After a sunny, summery week-end, it remains dry and warm. Temperatures should soar next days. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: With Phil by the Swiss Cottage, flattening the level of the ground near the gate for the beach. Ground level was muddy because of the rain in the last two months. Rest of the day is spent in border maintenance in the Pleasure Grounds. Observations: Beautiful to see Dicentra spectabilis in flower in the gardens in these days.

Dicentra spectabilis Dicentra spectabilis (syn. Lamprocapnos spectabilis) is commonly known as bleeding heart and is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae, native to Siberia, northern China, Korea and Japan. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus Lamprocapnos, but is still widely referenced in the UK under its old name Dicentra spectabilis. It is valued in gardens and in floristry for its heart-shaped pink and white flowers, borne in spring. Other common names include “Dutchman's breeches”, “lyre flower” and “lady-in-a-bath”. Growing to 120 cm tall by 45 cm wide, L. spectabilis is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with 3-lobed compound leaves on fleshy green to pink stems. The arching horizontal racemes of up to 20 pendent flowers are borne in spring and early summer. The outer petals are bright fuchsia-pink, while the inner ones are white. The flowers strikingly resemble the conventional heart shape, with a droplet beneath - hence the common name. A spring ephemeral, the plant frequently dies down to its fibrous roots in summer. First plants specimens were introduced into England in the 1840s from Japan by the Scottish botanist and plant hunter Robert Fortune. There is also a legend from Japan which tells a story of how the bleeding heart flower came to be. In the story, a young man tried win the love of a young lady. He did this by giving a pair of rabbits (which are the first two petals of the flower), a pair of slippers (which are the next two petals of the flower), and finally a pair of earrings (which are the last two petals of the flower) to the girl. She continued to reject his affections, and, heart-broken, he pierced his heart with his sword (the middle part of the flower) which caused the bleeding heart. In a moist and cool climate, it will grow in full sun, but in warmer and drier climates it requires some shade. Aphids, slugs and snails sometimes feed on the leaves. Clumps of Dicentra remain compact for many years and do not need dividing. They have brittle roots which are easily damaged when disturbed. Root cuttings should be taken in spring. Seeds with whitish elaiosomes are borne in long pods. They must be sown while fresh. Division should be done in the late fall (autumn) or early spring. Several cultivars have been selected. The pure white-flowered “Alba”, somewhat more robust than the species, is a popular cultivars, while “Gold Heart”, introduced from Hadspen Garden, England, in 1997, has yellow leaves. The species spectabilis and the cultivar “Alba” have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Tuesday 24th July Nice and warm. Dry. Pollen level high. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is pot work in the Pavilion Terrace. Together with Reese I put Cordyline plants (Dracaena indivisa, actually) in the vases along the balcony. We finish off the job by adding a layer of compost and gravel. This is the usual treatment for potting of the vases in the Terraces. Then we move to Main Lawn boundary paths, sawpoling some oak trees having branches pendant on the paths. I constantly drive the tractor and trailer up and down the Compost Area. In the afternoon we undertake the clearing, weeding and leveling of a gravel path and maintenance by the Old Reception. Observations: Weigelia florida in my back garden is still in bloom. This is a really long-flowering plant indeed. Wednesday 25th July Still dry and warm. Not a single cloud in the sky. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to take record of the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I move the water tank down to the Lower Terrace, where I start watering the vases both in the Lower and Upper terraces. I park the tractor with the water tank hitched on it and then I walk up and down the individual vases with a watering can. I empty to full watering cans for each vase. In the afternoon the all team go down to the beach, and help to move some furniture in view of the forthcoming opening to the public. Observations: Jannet collect a tiny yellow wild flower in the lawn by the Valley Path on the way up. We look in a wild flower book in the messroom and we find this is Galium verum. Galium verum (commonly known as lady’s bedstraw or yellow bedstraw) is an herbaceous perennial plant of the family Rubiaceae, native to Europe and Asia. It is a low scrambling plant, with the stems growing to 60–120 cm long, frequently rooting where they touch the ground. The leaves are 1–3 cm long and 2 millimeters broad, shiny dark green, hairy underneath, borne in whorls of 8–12. The flowers are 2–3 mm in diameter, yellow, and produced in dense clusters. This species is sometimes confused with Galium odoratum a species with traditional culinary uses. In the past the dried plants were used to stuff mattresses, as the coumarin scent of the plants acts as a flea killer. The flowers were also used to coagulate milk in cheese manufacture and, in Gloucestershire, to colour the cheese Double Gloucester. The plant is also used to make red madder-like and yellow dyes.

Galium verum

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Thursday 26th July Warm and sunny. Ground now begins to be really dry and dusty. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 31 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Back to greenhousing and works in the Walled Garden. As first thing in the morning I record the temperatures and the rainfalls. Then I spend the whole day doing maintenance of my annual bed. I hand weed and hoe throughout the individual patches, tie the climbers on the wig wham and move small groups of plants for filling the gaps. Observations: All most all plants are performing well. I’m fairly happy about the bedding. Unfortunately the season is late as we are not having a real summer, the weather having been too dry and overcast so far. Nasturtiums are not too showy and suffering a little bit; annoyingly I have lost some of them on the edge with the path, because of the trampling of some of the visitors. Amaranthus caudatus are also quite small. The hope is to have a late summer, which will keep the annual bed longer.

The façade of Osborne House Friday 27th to Sunday 29th July Birthday in my hometown Ferrara, Italy.

Historic walls of Ferrara

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Monday 30th July Dry, bright. Some nice breeze in the air. Temperatures: min 10 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Border maintenance by the POQ. We work in a team of four of us (Alan, Phil, Reese and I). First I do all the edges and some spot weeding. Then we focus on the Cistus border which is badly infested by bindweed. The worst thing is that the plant is already in flower and so spreading its seeds on the floor. We try to do the best as we can, but eventually this border has to be sprayed. In the afternoon I am back to the Walled Garden for finishing the weeding in my annual bed. Observations: Chenopodium bonus-henricus, commonly known as Good-King-Henry, grows now in Jen’s annual bed as a proper ornamental plant for display. Chenopodium bonus-henricus is a species of goosefoot which is native to much of central and southern Europe. Good King Henry has been grown as a vegetable in cottage gardens for hundreds of years, although this dual-purpose vegetable is now rarely grown and the species is more often considered a weed. It is an annual or perennial plant growing up to 400–800 mm tall. The leaves are 50–100 mm long and broad, triangular to diamond-shaped, with a pair of broad pointed lobes near the base, with a slightly waxy, succulent texture. The flowers are produced in a tall, nearly leafless spike 100–300 mm long; each flower is very small, green, with five sepals. The seeds are reddish-green, also very small. It should be planted in a fertile, sunny spot which is free from perennial weeds. Seeds should be sown in April in drills 1 cm deep and 5 cm apart. The seedlings should then be thinned to 10–20 cm. The plants should be regularly weeded and well watered. Typically, very little is produced in the first season. Good King Henry does not respond well to transplantation. The foliage can be cut in autumn, and a mulch, such as leaf mould or well-rotted compost applied to the plot. Cropping can begin in spring. Some of the new shoots can be cut as they appear (usually from mid spring to early summer) and cooked like asparagus. All cutting should then cease so that shoots are allowed to develop. The succulent triangular leaves may be harvested a few at a time until the end of August and cooked like spinach.

Weeding bindweed

Chenopodium bonus-henricus

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Tuesday 31st July Dull, drizzle. Getting better later in the day. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 2.0 mls. Practical: Carrying on beds and borders maintenance down to the Lower Terrace. This is mostly about edging, hoeing and weeding. I work in team with Nigel. We also do the deadheading the Zantedeschia aethiopica by the restaurant entrance. I question Nigel the reason why we are carrying out a more accurate than usual weeding throughout the recently planted beds and borders. He responds that a golden rule in horticulture is to be particularly fussy when doing a job for the first time in the season. The first time is the more important. When the bed is not established and the plants are still small and weak, it’s advisable to weed more accurately than usual, in order to give the plants a good start and have a more successful bedding later in the season.

Deadheading Zantedeschia aethiopica

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August Wednesday 1st August White cloud and breezy. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: In the first part of the morning I have an introduction on the ride-on mower, John Deere X595. Nigel tells me the basis and then gives me the bit of lawn near the magnolia bed to cut. It takes a bit to find a confidence with the machinery, but by the first tea break I’m able to finish the lawn and park the ride-on in the shed. Nigel points out that it’s advisable to keep the flower borders on the left of the machinery while mowing; this is because of the position of the collector tube – aspiring tube is on the right side. It is also a good practice don’t turn too tight or overcomplicate the maneuvers while mowing, otherwise yellow marks can be left on the grass. For the second part of the morning I do the edging of the Lower Terrace, always working in team with Nigel. In the afternoon we do the stalking and tying up of Dahlia “White Aster” and Dahlia coccinea palmeri in the Pavilion Terrace. The hazel stakes have been prepared in advance from the woodlands volunteers; a slit was applied on the top end, possibly by using a billhook. The opening was then secured by tying around with medium gage wire. This system will allow to drive the containing strings in order to cage the dahlias nicely and effectively.

John Deere X595 on the Pleasure Grounds’ lawns

Freshly mowed lawn in the Pleasure Grounds

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PRE-OPERATIONAL SAFETY CHECKS Ensure all safety devices, guards, switches, and shields are fitted, secure and functional. Ensure that seat belt, if fitted, is in sound condition. Ensure cutting blades are secure and in good condition. Ensure that any pneumatic and hydraulic mechanisms are in sound condition. Ensure that all electrical switches (including dead mans switch if fitted) are functioning. Faulty equipment must not be used. Report suspect machinery immediately. OPERATIONAL SAFETY CHECKS Never carry passengers. Be sure the transmission is out of gear and the mower blade clutch disengaged before starting. Keep clear of moving machine parts. Drive at speed slow enough to keep control over unexpected hazards. Travel up/down slopes rather than across taking extra care when ascending/descending steep slopes. Use 150 as the maximum to attempt to mow. Take extreme caution when refuelling to prevent spilling fuel onto hot engine or exhaust. Before making adjustments bring the machine to a complete standstill and isolate. Be aware of the potential for ejected material and ensure that no person or animal is endangered when operating the equipment. STOPPING THE RIDE ON MOWER Park on even ground. Stop the ride on mower and shift the gear selector to park position. Raise and secure the cutting blades. Lock the parking brake. Stop the engine and remove the keys. HOUSEKEEPING Clean away any foreign material and debris from in and around engine and catcher parts. Keep the work area or implement shed in a clean and tidy condition. POTENTIAL HAZARDS Rapidly rotating cutting blades Noise Eye injuries Ejected material and flying debris

Staking dahlias in the Pavilion Terrace

Caging system with wire and string

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Thursday 2nd August Very variable weather. White cloud, some drizzle, sunny spells. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 26 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Mowing different sections in the Estate. I always use a pedestrian, petrol-powered, rotary mower. I do the heather lawns in the front of the Estate, John Brown’s Walk, the strips of lawn along the herbaceous borders down the Lower Terrace and finally the Quadrangle (which is the lawn underneath the big magnolia in between the wings of the main house).

Mowing the lawns in the Pleasure Grounds and John Brown’s Walk Observations: In these days in the Lower Terrace as well as in some of the pots displayed in the Walled Garden I can notice beautiful specimens of Helichrysum petiolare “Gold”. Helichrysum petiolare (commonly known as Liquorice Plant) is one of the best known and the most commonly used members of this genus which consists of about 245 species and is found throughout South Africa. This is a soft, vigorous shrub, which grows 0.5m - 1m by 1m. The dense, aromatic foliage consists of roundish leaves which are covered with silver-grey hairs. Tiny creamy-white flowers make up abundant flowerheads on long stalks which add to the decorative effect of this plant in midsummer. The cultivar H. petiolare “Gold” has stunningly beautiful golden yellow foliage that will quickly cascades down the sides of baskets and containers. This superb foliage filler adds a real contrast to any planting scheme whatever the colour throughout summer and early autumn. It takes some shade but best in full. Other widely cultivated cultivars within the species are “Goring Silver”, “Limelight” and “Variegatum”. They all were awarded with the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Helichrysum petiolare “Gold”

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Friday 3rd August Again a very variable weather. Few showers and sunny spells. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Back to greenhousing jobs in the morning. First thing is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I do the watering and damping down of the greenhouses and nurseries. I open the Walled Garden’s gates and public greenhouses and water all the terracotta pots in the Walled Garden, by using a big watering tank as well as can. In the afternoon I start the summer pruning in the Walled Garden. Together with Jen, I do the apple and pear espliers. Summer pruning is not as important and fiddly as the winter pruning, but has to be done properly in order to give the plant a nice appearance over the season. We cut off all the leggy, spindly branches down to the second, third bud, so preparing the ground for the spurring next winter.

View of the Walled Garden

Summer bedding in the Upper Terrace Observations: Felicia amelloides “Variegata” matches beautifully with Helichrysum petiolare “Gold” in the beds of the Lower Terrace. Felicia amelloides “Variegata” really catches the eye wherever it is planted, with its striking sky-blue and sunny yellow flower heads, held well above the leaves. South Africa has been blessed with many felicias, several of which make excellent garden plants. This species is one of the best. Apart from its beauty, this plant has many advantages. It is hardy, fast growing, long-flowering and long-lived, more or less frost- and wind-resistant, needs only moderate water and little care. It is also readily available from nurseries. As blue is a difficult colour to get into a garden, this is definitely a plant that will draw attention. Felicia amelloides “Variegata” is usually a perennial, evergreen shrublet, about 0.3-0.6 x 0.5 m but it can be up to 1 m high. It is densely branched and frequently has dark reddish stems. The plant often feels like fine sandpaper because of tiny, stiff hairs on the stems and leaves. The leaves are opposite and more or less elliptical, dark green above and light green below. Unlike many daisies, the flowers do not close at night.

Felicia amelloides “Variegata”

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Monday 6th August Funny weather because of the low pressure which creates unusual turbulence. Sunny spells and chilly winds. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Finishing the maintenance by the POQ, working on the Pleasure Ground’s side. Some corners of the border here are quite damp and shady, and the ivy tends to take over the space. I strip off the ivy from trees trunks, trying to eradicate the roots from the ground. In the second part of the morning I pop down to the Walled Garden for tying up on the wig whams Tropaeolum peregrinum, which really needs some training before it’s too late. In the afternoon I join Nigel for some edging the Lower Terrace. On the way up to the sheds, I have a chat with Nigel about the ways to keep an allotment and also how to store and cook some vegetables. Nigel tells me about some new interesting techniques and recipes, such as blanching, rocket pesto and nesting Brassicaceae for the white butterfly. Observations: Tropaeolum peregrinum is starting to say something in my annual bed. Unfortunately it is still late because of the poor summer we’re having, but some tiny flowers are appearing though. Tropaeolum peregrinum (canary creeper, canarybird flower, canarybird vine, or canary nasturtium) is a species of Tropaeolum native to western South America in Peru and Ecuador.

It is a climbing plant growing to 2.5 m high by scrambling over other vegetation. The leaves are 2–5 cm diameter, palmately lobed with three to seven (mostly five) lobes; they are subpeltate, with the petiole attached within the leaf (not at the edge), though near the edge. The flowers are 2–4 cm diameter, with five frilled petals, bright pale yellow (canary-coloured, hence the English name), often with red spots at the base of the petals, eight stamens, and a 12 mm nectar spur at the rear. It is widely grown as an ornamental plant in many parts of the world. Sow in spring 6mm deep in John Innes Seed Compost. Make sure that the compost is moist but not wet and seal in a polythene bag until after germination which usually takes 10-15 days at 13-18C. They can also be sown 6mm deep where they are to flower in late spring. Transplant when large enough to handle into 8cm pots, and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 23cm apart in a sunny spot on light well drained soil.

Tropaeolum peregrinum (internet database)

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Tuesday 7th August A bit chilly today. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 1.5 mls. Practical: First part of the morning I do the greenhouses duties (i.e. recording temperatures and rainfalls, watering, damping down). After that I join Nigel and together we finish the horticultural maintenance in the Lower Terrace. Mowing, edging and weeding have been carried out over the last two weeks, so now it’s the case to titivate the beds and borders as well as to start thinking about the trimming and topiary of the Valley Path. That will be done next week and I’ll be involved in the project. Today we deadhead Agapathus africanus and Crinum x powellii. We also keep some of the best flowering stems for flower arrangement of the Cafeteria in the Lower Terrace. Then we pinch off Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” and Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”, always in the Lower Terrace. We use the secateurs for this job. Before to leave the Terraces and head back to the sheds, Nigel and I a look on the terraces: Salvias aren’t looking very good this year. They need sunnier weather. On the other hand, plants like Bidens ferulifolia and Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum” are performing really well. Observations: When going back to the Terraces after lunch, I notice a new plant now in flower in the perennial borders by the eagles gate. This is Bupleurum rotundifolium “Griffithii” (commonly known as hare’s ear or throw-wax), a hardy shrub in the family Umbelliferae. Bupleurum rotundifolium “Griffithii” is an excellent foliage plant with flowers that are green and Euphorbia-like and leaves that are like that of Eucalyptus. The fine umbels of bright yellow flowers, which also resemble those of Alchemilla, are born on repeatedly branching sprays. According to the literature, the plant grows no more than 60cm tall with a spread of 30cm, but the specimen we cultivate at Osborne is far larger than that. Bupleurum rotundifolium “Griffithii” looks striking when set against orange calendulas and other bright flowers. It is a mouthful to say, but the plant self seeds like mad so you will get it year after year and the nice foliage and flowers will go nicely with every flower in the border. Germination can be erratic but it is worth sowing as they contrast well with other flowers and are great bouquet fillers. Bupleurum is a very large genus, represented by 185 to 195 species. While not a completely new plant to cultivation, this interesting but sadly underused cultivar is currently being heavily promoted by the florist trade in Europe. I also find out that this is quite a new cultivar, so I’m a bit surprised to see it in the borders of Osborne House.

Nigel preparing flowers for the House

Bupleurum rotundifolum “Griffithii”

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Wednesday 8th August Rainy in the first part of the morning. Murky and muggy. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 5.3 mls. Practical: Greenhouse duties in the first part of the day. This is about watering and damping down the greenhouses as well as the nurseries, opening the Walled Garden’s gates and recording the temperatures and rainfalls. I also do the watering of the terracotta pots of the Walled Garden, by moving the big water tank in the Potting Shed and then move around the garden with a watering can. After first tea break, I finish the pinching off the Coleus cultivars in the Lower Terrace. In the afternoon I’m busy carrying out general horticultural maintenance in the herbaceous borders between the Valley Path and the Lower Terrace. It’s interesting while working to speak with Nigel about honeybees, bumblebees, hornets and wasps and their habits. He’s very knowledgeable on the matter and plenty of useful, horticulturally-related information on the wildlife. Observations: While doing the watering of the Walled Garden’s pots this morning, I notice Saponaria officinalis in flower by the western gate. Saponaria officinalis is a common perennial plant from the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), commonly known as soapwort, bouncing-bet, crow soap, wild sweet William, and soapweed. It is native range extends throughout Europe to western Siberia. It grows in cool places at low or moderate elevations under hedgerows and along the shoulders of roadways. The plants possesses leafy, unbranched stems (often tinged with red). It grows in patches, attaining a height of 70 cm. The broad, lanceolate, sessile leaves are opposite and between 4 and 12 cm long. Its sweetly scented flowers are radially symmetrical and pink, or sometimes white. Each of the five flatpetals has two small scales in the throat of the corolla. They are about 2.5 cm wide. They are arranged in dense, terminal clusters on the main stem and its branches. The long tubular calyx has five pointed red teeth. The individual flowers open in the evening, and stay open for about three days. They produce a stronger scent at night and supplement nectar production during the night. The flowers are protandrous: on the second night of blooming, the pollen is released, and the stigma develops to its final position by the third night. Much of the seed production comes from self-pollination. In the northern hemisphere Saponaria officinalis blooms from May to September; in the southern hemisphere from October to March. The scientific name Saponaria is derived from the Latin sapo (stem sapon-) meaning “soap”, which, like its common name, refers to its utility in cleaning. From this same Latin word is derived the name of the toxic substance saponin, contained in the roots at levels up to 20 percent when the plant is flowering (Indian soapnuts contain only 15 percent). It produces lather when in contact with water. The epithet officinalis indicates its medicinal functions. As its common name implies, it can be used as a very gentle soap, usually in dilute solution. It has historically been used to clean delicate or unique textiles; it has been hypothesized that the plant was used to treat the Shroud of Turin.

Saponaria officinalis

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Thursday 9th August Nice and warm. Dry. Temperatures: min 12 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 3.0 mls. Practical: Using the pedestrian mower in the morning. I do the heather bed, the herbaceous border down the Lower Terrace, John Browns’ Walk, the strip of lawn next to the shop and the Quadrangle. For the last part of the day I join Nigel and together we look after the herbaceous border we started yesterday. We work progressively throughout the length of the border, tidying up leaves of Phormium tenax “Purpureum”, cutting back Dicentra spectabilis and pulling out patches of bindweed. While working among the plants, we discover a field mouse’s nest in between a patch of Bergenia cordifolia.

Mown lawns around the estate

Horse and carriage by the house Observations: The find of a mouse nest between Bergenia cordifolia is the occasion for me to do some research on the plant. Bergenias are indeed one of the season’s most valuable plants - not only for their richly coloured, bold, architectural foliage on a manageable scale - but for their value as foils for other winter plants and for their own spring flowers. Most bergenias are evergreen perennials with leathery rounded leaves up to 30cm across that rise from a stout, iris-like rootstock. Some make tight clumps while others develop a more open habit. The rounded boldness of their leaves is attractive all year and associates well with both the feathery foliage of ferns and slender iris leaves. Then, as cooler weather sets in, the leaves may develop rich winter colouring - maroon, crimson, bronze and even beetroot red. Many reveal this colouring on the backs of the leaves, the best also flaunt it on the front. The exact shade may vary from year to year and at different stages of the winter, but the best are always impressive. And while some are tinted for much of the year, cooler weather usually sees a general enrichment of tone and the most impressive start to colour up. Early bulbs are ideal partners. Set around clump-forming bergenias and slip among the roots of those with a more open habit. Plant both bulbs and bergenias at the same time in the autumn, or use a slender bulb trowel to slip bulbs in among established bergenias.

Bergenia cordifolia

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Friday 10th August Foggy in the first part of the morning, brighter later. Dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: In the morning undertaking the mowing of the Main Lawn in the Pleasure Grounds. I use the Ride-on Rotary Mower in combination with a tractor and trailer for the grass cuttings to go to the Compost Area. In the afternoon I’m with Nigel and Phil for finishing the maintenance of the herbaceous border between the Valley Path and the Pavilion Terrace. Observations: At the end of the working day it’s interesting to see Nigel taking some cuttings in the potting shed and keeping them in a plastic bag where he sprinkle some water and blow some air in it, before to close the bag. He explains me that he just created a “mini-greenhouse” where the moisture will stay and give good conditions for the cuttings before the actual planting this evening.

Taking cuttings Monday 13th August Sunny, warm day. Few showers in the afternoon. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0.5 mls. Practical: Summer pruning apple espaliers in the Walled Garden. I pay particular attention in leaving the upper wire of the (not yet fully shaped) espaliers with a bit more buds on it. I leave five buds instead than two in order to encourage the growth. This will encourage the espalier to take definitive shape and cover the full length of the trellis.

Panoramic view of the annual bed in the Walled Garden

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Tuesday 14th August Cloudy start, a bit humid. Brighter later. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 9.0 mls. Practical: Same job of yesterday. Observations: Wednesday 15th August Showers on and off. Temperatures: min 17 °C / max 27 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Summer pruning in the Walled Garden in the morning. After first tea break I pot on in the nursery specimens of Ipomea batatas, Coleus, Diascia personata and Lamphrantus. These plants will be displayed in the Iron House: Ipomea and Coleus in the South America span, Diascia and Lamphrantus in the Africa span. Together with Jen, I move outside the plants of the old display, so clearing some room for the next display. We cut the moved plants down to the ground level and we move them to the Long House for overwintering.

Diascia personata

Ipomea batatas

Lampranthus Observations: I am particularly attracted to the gentle tinge of Diascia flowers. Diascia personata is a perennial from the Eastern Cape and hardier than the annual forms. It will survive most winters given a sunny position and well-drained soil. Its hardiness equates roughly to the dahlia and "insurance" cuttings should be taken in early summer, in case of a hard winter. Sometimes another plant, the similarly upright D. rigescens, is mistaken for D. personata and the flowers are a similar colour. They are, however, significantly different: D. rigescens is shorter, between 1-2ft and the foliage a duller blue-green. It has less stature. Diascias are sun-loving plants, but enjoy fertile rather than dry, poor soil. The cushion-forming types can get straggly so cut them back in late April and late August to keep them compact. Hardiness can be a problem, but many will survive winter in well-drained soil. Cuttings can be taken between May and September. However, if you want to keep cuttings through the winter take them in the first half of summer so that a good root system is developed. It is a good practice to containerise Diascia personata, but it has to be a substantial pot to balance the height of the plant. The ruby-pink flowers are excellent with dark blue agapanthus, purple dahlias or fluffy pennisetums. The common name of Diascia is “twinspur” and this refers to two spurs found at the back of the flower. The closely related genera Alonsoa and Nemesia look similar, but have more spurs - often these are longer.

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Thursday 16th August Cloudy but mild. Showers. Temperatures: min 15 °C / max 22 °C. Rainfalls: 5.5 mls. Practical: First thing in the morning is to take record of the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I carry out the summer pruning, following the same technique of the previous days. In the afternoon I put the organic pests control in the Iron House and Long House. This morning we just received a dispatch of Sygenta bioline, from Essex. Following the five species of predatory insects we use in the greenhouses of Osborne House:

Latin name Common name Pest Chrysoperla carnea common lacewing Aphid Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mite Spidermite Encarsia formosa white fly parasite White fly Aphidius ervi Parasitoid wasp Aphids Amblyseius cucumeris Predatory mite Thrips and tarsonemids

Chrysoperla carnea (common lacewing)

Phytoseiulus persimilis (predatory mite) Friday 17th August Cloudy start, brighter later. Temperatures: min 17 °C / max 25 °C. Rainfalls: 9.0 mls. Practical: First thing is to record the temperatures and rainfalls. Then I carry out some more fruit pruning of the apple espalier in the Walled Garden. In the afternoon I water, damp down, aerate and clear all the greenhouses and nurseries. Observations: Clethra barbinervis is in flower now one of the perennial borders of the Pleasure Grounds. Clethra barbinervis is a species of flowering plant in the genus Clethra of the family Clethraceae, native to the far east, from eastern China to Japan. It is an upright shrub growing to 3 meters, with dark green leaves 5 cm long, and racemes of small, fragrant, white flowers 15 cm long in late summer and autumn. Mature specimens have attractive peeling bark. Though hardy, it requires a sheltered location in temperate regions. This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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Clethra barbinervis Saturday 18th August Nice and warm. Dry. Today I’m off to Ventnor for a visit at Ventnor Botanic Garden Ventnor Botanic Garden lies in the remarkable microclimate at the heart of the famous “Undercliff”. This unique garden is protected from the cold northerly winds by chalk downs. Indeed, it holds the warmth from its southerly aspect so well that, combined with the moderating influence of the sea, frost is rarely known. When frost does occur it is usually of short duration and not great severity. With an average rainfall of 28 inches its climate is more akin to the Mediterranean. This enables a wide variety of plants considered too tender for much of mainland Britain to be grown. The Garden is unrivalled for its collections of subtropical plants grown unprotected out of doors.

The reception building and cafeteria

Sundial

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Monday 20th August It looks like a fairly dry week. Cloudy start, brighter later on. Temperatures: min 17 °C / max 28 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Doing horticultural maintenance of the borders by the POQ. This is about clearing the floor from Cordyline leaves, pulling out bindweed roots and growths, deadheading Agapanthus. I also do the edges and some spot weeding throughout the edges of the borders and the paths. For the second part of the morning Nigel and I move to the Upper Terrace for some maintenance there. We do all the edges and some weeding too. In the afternoon I’m always with Nigel. We weed throughout the diamond beds of the Upper Terraces and do the edges as well. I water Bidens ferulifolia on the crown display. The weather has been very dry over the last few days, so I give the plants a very good drink. I use the lance and hosepipe for the job. Observations: Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (commonly known in the UK Montbretia) is the tuberous plant I sow last week-end cultivated and displayed around the tropical house of Ventnor Botanic Garden. Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora is a vigorous and spreading perennial which grows from bulblike corms that are about 1 in diameter. New corms are continually produced on short underground stolons rapidly forming large and dense clumps of pale green straplike leaves 2-3 in long and 1-2 in wide. Montbretia graces the summer with showy red, orange or yellow funnel-shaped flowers on slender, arching, zigzag spikes. Each flower is about 2 in across and the nodding cluster can be several inches long. Montbretia dies back to the ground in winter only to regrow from its circular, flattened, corms in spring. As cut flowers Montbretia will last two full weeks in a vase. Buds open one after another starting from the bottom and working up. The bottom-most flowers drop off tidily as they are spent. Taking the blooms for arrangements induces further blooming all summer, from July to first frost in autumn. If summer gets too droughty or if summer blooms are permitted to go to seed, it will die back sooner. Leaves should not be trimmed until they are definitely dying back. Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora is a garden hybrid of C. aurea and C. pottsii, first bred by Victor Lemoine in 1880. Both of the parent species, and all 7 species of Crocosmia are originally from South Africa where they grow in moist grasslands.

Good cultivars within C. × crocosmiiflora include “George Davidson” (yellow), “His Majesty” (flowers large, orange), “Jackanapes” (flowers orange-red, inner lobes golden yellow), “Meteor” (orange yellow) and “Solfatare” (yellow flowers with bronze foliage). Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora is considered an invasive plant in New Zealand and is common on roadsides in the northern parts of the West Coast of the South Island. The Department of Conservation classes it as an environmental weed.

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora

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Tuesday 21st August A bit clouder and colder than the last days. Temperatures: min 14 °C / max 26 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Carrying on the maintenance of the beds of the Upper and Pavilion Terraces. I do some more watering, edging and weeding. I also collect the leaves of Cordyline australis which are lying on the floor. Yucca gloriosa specimens in the triangle beds in the Upper Terrace needs now pruning. The flowering stems are gone and we remove them now. When pruning succulents such as Yucca gloriosa it’s important to remember don’t prune their leaves or flowering stems when it’s too wet. This is because the rain water could entry the tissue and kills the plants. During the growing season, the sap will also come out, damaging the plants. Yucca gloriosa (common name Spanish dagger) is an evergreen shrub in the family Asparagaceae, native to the southeastern USA, from North Carolina to Florida and Alabama. It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental and reportedly has become established in the wild in France, Italy, Turkey, Central and Southern America. It was in big fashion during the Victorian time.

Yucca gloriosa Wednesday 22nd August Bright and warm. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: In the morning I mow with the ride-on the Main Lawn in the Pleasure Grounds. In the afternoon I am involved in the project of trimming the cone bays along the Valley Path, down the Lower Terrace. Nigel gives me his lowdown for a proper, professional-looking topiary trimming. - First step: clipping with the edging sheers the base of the plant; there is a way to handle the tool properly which allow a better cut. - Second step: trimming the middle part of the plant with the hedge trimmer (also using the ladder). - Third step: finishing the top of the cone, again with the sheers correctly handled (this time in the opposite way than before). - Fourth step: finishing off the job by using the secateurs; when doing topiary, especially on yew, it’s also a good practice to squash the trimmed plant with a bamboo stick or similar, in order to see if there are any missing twigs. - Finally, it’s really, really important to maintain the tree pits, whenever possible; they can be used as guides for having a perfect circle in the bottom.

Hedge trimming the cone bays

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Thursday 23rd August Nice and warm day. Temperatures: min 11 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: Today is probably my last day looking after my annual bed in the Walled Garden. I carry out some general horticultural maintenance (i.e. spot weeding and watering, tying the climbers, dead heading). I also spend some time before lunch for taking the definitive pictures of the annual bed. Toby comes in the afternoon and gives me his feedback on the border. He is happy with the general result. He also says that in his opinion the cold border is more effective and performing better in this setting. In this northern European country is difficult to achieve a compelling effect by using warm-coloured plants. This is mainly due the weak sun-light which can’t empathies the tropical, bright colours. In addition, because of the dreadful summer we’re having, most plats in the bed should be taller and in full bloom at this time of the year to be taller at this time of the year.

View of the warm border

Cold border

Interpretation panel Friday 24th August White cloud, dry. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0 mls. Practical: I spend the working day in the Main House, joining Jen and her group of volunteers for some flower arranging. For the last part of the morning I join Reese, helping him moving some vases to the marquees in the Central Lawn for the wedding’s display this week-end. In the afternoon I carry out some dead heading in the canal beds of the Walled Garden with Jen.

Flower arrangement in the Main House

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Monday 27th August Grey cloud, showery. Off to work for bank holiday week-end. Tuesday 28th August Miserable weather over the holyday week-end. Today better but still cold. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 23 °C. Rainfalls: 9.0 mls. Practical: Undertaking the pruning of the climbing roses in the pergola of the Lower Terraces. Nigel gives me an induction on climbing rose pruning and tying. Good things to remember are the following. - the prune the outer-facing buds is really a thing to remember only for bushy, standard roses; it’s not relevant for climbing or rambling ones. - Nigel suggests me to prune back to the first or second bud, even if in the books you’ll find indicated fourth or fifth bud. Roses will grow and flower effectively even with that rather severe pruning. - Bulbs can be good companion plants for low bushy roses, in order to have a longer period of flowering interest in the bed. Wednesday 29th August Windy and colder than yesterday. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 24 °C. Rainfalls: 0.2 mls. Practical: Carrying on rose pruning by the pergola in the Lower Terrace. We manage to finish two pillars in all their length. The third pillar is on its way. We train and tie 4/5 branches for each of the two covered sides of the square pillars. Unfortunately we need to stop in the afternoon because of the wet weather. We head back to the Potting Shed for some potting on and staking of trees.

Rose pruning in the Pergola of the Lower Terraces

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Thursday 30th August Cloudy with spells. Temperatures: min 13 °C / max 21 °C. Rainfalls: 8.0 mls. Practical: Today is my last PGG traineeship day working in the gardens of Osborne House. It’s a mixture of sadness and excitement for the next adventure in Wales. I spend the day working with Jen in the Walled Garden and discussing our respective plans, ideas and dreams for the future. We do the deadheading of the canal beds.

Central paths and arches in the Walled Garden at Osborne House

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183

Ten and a half months at Osborne House Seasonal jobs Special occurrences Personal projects Oct.

mild dry

borders maintenance (stripping off, cutting down, tiding up) leaves blowing and collecting

terraces spring bedding

Nov.

mild dry

borders maintenance (stripping off, cutting down, tiding up) leaves blowing and collecting edge trimming and pruning bonfire making collecting greeneries for Christmas

spring bedding in the terraces

annual bedding (designing) identification walk: plants of autumn interest

Dec.

mild dry no frosts

border maintenance (mulching, stripping off, cutting down) leaves blowing and collecting storing plants indoors collecting greeneries for Christmas

introducing the “Big Red” (new Manitou MLA628 tractor)

annual bedding (designing, sand marking, seeds ordering)

Jan.

mild few frosts

borders maintenance (mulching) winter pruning: climbing roses raking up leaves and twigs woodchipping others (bonfires making, planting out, turfing)

new metal edges in the terraces

annual bedding (labeling, plating out the hardies) identification walk: plants of winter interest

Feb.

finally cold

borders maintenance (mulching, edging) winter pruning (apples espaliers) woodchipping raking up leaves and twigs others (turfing, salting)

concreting the compost area installing reed bed risk assessment procedure course

annual bedding (planting hardies out, sowing the hardies) woodchipping certificate visit at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens historic guided tour

Mar.

dull, showery

borders maintenance (mulching) raking up leaves and twigs displaying the glasshouse

Health and Safety training day

annual bedding (potting on the halfhardies, sowing the hardies) conference “the value of conservation management plans” Chelsea Physic Garden visit

Apr.

wet borders maintenance (edging, weeding, deadheading) woodland jobs

EH Behavior training day course

AGS trip to Turkey annual bedding (first weeding, pinching out the halfhardies in the nurseries, sowing hardies)

May

dull start bright later

borders maintenance (edging, weeding, hoeing) greenhousing (potting on) others (tree pitting, plating out)

terraces summer bedding (stripping off, digging, plants ordering) interim PDR meeting

annual bedding (building wig whams, hardening off seedlings, planting out ha, hha, perennials) visit a Wrest Park walking tour “spring colours”

June

really wet

borders maintenance greenhousing (watering, potting on, organic pests control)

terraces summer bedding (planting) Duke of Gloucester visit

second PGG year interview and visit at National Botanic Gardens of Wales summer holidays in Italy

July

dull hedge trimming strimming mowing flower arrangements

terraces summer bedding (finishing off, vases, pinching off) Osborne beach opening

annual bedding (tying climbers, staking, weeding) one week at the Swiss Cottage (tree pitting, allotment maintenance, bordering)

Aug.

variable summer pruning (apples espaliers, roses pergola) greenhousing (watering, potting on, organic pests control) mowing trimming topiaries

final PDR meeting annual bedding (tying climbers, weeding) getting ready for growing my own vegetables

184

Osborne House Family Tree

Alan Hickey

Garden Supervisor

(Osborne House)

TERRACES

PLEASURE GROUNDS

MACHINERY

TRAINING

Nigel Brown

(Senior Gardener)

Phil Brown

(Gardener)

Reese Toogood

(Gardener)

Janet Beasley (Part-time

Gardener)

Giulio Veronese

(PGG trainee)

185

Toby Beasley

Head Gardener

Alan Hickey

Garden Supervisor

(Osborne House)

WALLED GARDEN

GREENHOUSES

VOLUNTEERS

Jen Mcintosh

(Senior Gardener)

SWISS COTTAGE

WOODLAND VOLUNTEERS

Adrian Wright

(Senior Gardener)

Charlotte Lock

Garden Supervisor

(Carisbrooke Castle)

SWISS COTTAGE

WOODLAND VOLUNTEERS

Adrian Wright

(Senior Gardener)

186

187

Osborne House Bedding Schemes 2012 Osborne Spring Bedding 2012 Pavilion and Upper Terraces Colour scheme: orange / yellow / cream / white Location Planting Num.

per bed Pos.

in bed Total

4 x large beds Laurus nobilis [standard] Cheiranthus cheiri “Golden Bedder” Tulipa “Bellona” Narcissus “Carbineer” Viola tricolor hortensis “Orange Blotch”

1 300 250 150 150

centre centre centre 2 rows edge

4 1200 1000 600 600

8 x medium beds Ilex aquifolium “Argentea Marginata” Cheiranthus cheiri “Fire King” Tulipa “West Point” Narcissus “St. Patrick’s Day” Viola tricolor hortensis “Primrose” [edge]

1 275 200 125 70

centre centre centre 1 row

8 2200 1600 1000 560

4 x medium beds Ilex aquifolium “Argentea Marginata” Viola tricolor hortensis “Primrose” Tulipa “Mona Lisa” Viola tricolor hortensis “Orange Blotch” [edge] Hyacinthus “City of Haarlem” [outer edge]

1 275 300 75 75

centre centre 1 row 1 row

4 1100 1200 300 300

12 x small beds Cheiranthus cheiri “Ivory White” Tulipa “Ballerina” Narcissus “Carbineer” Viola tricolor hortensis “Orange Blotch” [edge]

200 150 120 60

centre centre centre 1 row

2400 1800 1440 720

2 x round beds Laurus nobilis [diamond shape] Cheiranthus cheiri “Scarlet Bedder” [diamond shape] Tulipa “Apeldoorn Elite” Narcissus “St. Patrick’s Day” Viola tricolor hortensis “Autumn Blaze” [outer area] Tulipa “Olympic Flame”

1 250 250 200 300 250

centre centre centre outer outer

2 500 500 400 600 500

8 x diamond beds Boxus sempervirens Cheiranthus cheiri “Scarlet Bedder” Tulipa “Apeldoorn Elite” Narcissus “St. Patrick’s Day” Viola tricolor hortensis “Autumn Blaze” Tulipa “Olympic Flame”

1 20 20 20 175 150

centre centre centre main main

8 160 160 160 1400 1200

23 x vases (Top Terrace)

Viola tricolor hortensis “Orange Blotch” Narcissus “Pencrebar”

12 10

276 230

tazza Cheiranthus cheiri “Golden Bedder” Tulipa “Ballerina” Narcissus “Carbineer” Hyacinthus “City of Haarlem”

25 25 20 12

edge

100 100 80 50

188

Osborne Spring Bedding 2012 Lower Terraces Colour scheme: orange / yellow / cream / white Location Planting Num.

per bed Pos.

in bed Total

4 x square beds Cheiranthus cheiri “Golden Bedder” Tulipa “Apeldoorn Elite” Narcissus “Carbineer” Viola tricolor hortensis “Primrose” Tulipa “William of Orange” [outside edge]

175 175 150 225 75

centre centre centre outside 1 row

700 700 600 900 300

palm bed centre Cheiranthus cheiri “Primrose Bedder” Tulipa “Lilyfire” Narcissus “Carbineer” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba” Tulipa “William of Orange”

200 200 125 225 75

centre centre centre 3 rows 1 row

200 200 125 225 75

4 x palm beds Trachycarpus fortunei [centre] Cheiranthus cheiri “Primerose Bedder” Tulipa “Lilyfire” Narcissus “Carbineer” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba” [outside] Tulipa “William of Orange” [edge]

1 225 225 150 225 75

centre centre centre 3 rows 1 row

4 900 900 600 900 300

Camellia beds large, large

Cheiranthus cheiri “Fire King” Tulipa “Cistula” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba”

300 300 100

3 rows

1 row

300 300 100

Camellia beds large, small

Cheiranthus cheiri “Fire King” Tulipa “Cistula” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba”

300 300 100

3 rows

1 row

300 300 100

Camellia beds small, large

Cheiranthus cheiri “Fire King” Tulipa “Cistula” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba”

200 200 100

2 rows

1 row

200 200 100

Camellia beds small, small

Cheiranthus cheiri “Fire King” Tulipa “Cistula” Myosotis scorpoides “Alba”

200 200 90

2 rows

1 row

200 200 100

15 x vases Viola tricolor hortensis “Primrose” Tulipa “William of Orange” Narcissus “Pencrebar”

12 8 10

192 96 160

2 x magnolia beds

Bellis “Rubella” Tulipa “David Teniers” Narcissus “Grande Soleil D’Or”

200 200 100

400 400 200

2 x magnolia beds

Bellis “Rubella” Tulipa “Queen of Marvel” Narcissus “Grande Soleil D’Or”

200 200 100

400 400 200

189

Osborne Summer Bedding 2012 Pavilion and Upper Terraces Dedicated to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Colour scheme: red/yellow/blue/white (from the Royal Standard) Location Planting Num.

per bed Pos.

in bed Total

4 x square beds Ricinus carmencita “Red” Dahlia coccinea palmeri Salvia coccinea “Lady in Red” Bidens ferulifolia Agapanthus

1 2

225 150 40

centre centre centre 2 rows

4 8

900 600 160

12 x medium beds

Dahlia “White Aster” Zantedeschia aethiopica Salvia patens Pelargoniums “Mrs Pollock”

1 3/4 150 130

centre c. dots centre 2 edge rows

12 48

1800 1560

4 x medium beds

12 x small beds Dahlia coccinea palmeri Canna “Richard Wallis” Salvia coccinea “Lady in Red” Agapanthus Bidens ferulifolia

1 2/3 100 25 60

c. dot centre 1 row 1 edge row

12 28

1200 300 720

2 x round beds [basket with ironwork crown] Amaranthus caudatus Bidens ferulifolia Plectranthus [top wooden tier] Canna “Reine Charlotte” Zantedeschia aethiopica Amaranthus caudatus Bidens ferulifolia [bottom bed area] Salvia coccinea “Forest Fire” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain” Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum”

8 30 30 6 12 25 50

120 210 75

centre centre

edge

2/3 row 1 edge row

16 60 60

12 24 50 100

240 420 150

8 x diamond beds Ilex aquifolium “Argentea Marginata” [standard] Salvia coccinea “Forest Fire” Coleus “Juliette Quartermain” Chlorophytum elatum “Variegatum”

1 20 100 50

centre centre

1 edge row

8 160 800 400

20 x large vases Phoenix canariensis Bidens ferulifolia

1 4

20 80

Tazza Ricinus communis Salvia coccinea Agapanthus Bidens ferulifolia

1 12 4 12

edge

4 48 16 48

190

Osborne Summer Bedding 2012 Lower Terrace Dedicated to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Colour scheme: red/yellow/blue/white (from the Royal Standard) Location Planting Num.

per bed Pos.

in bed Total

4 x square beds [diamond petalled flower shape] Canna “Roi Humbert” Salvia farinacea “White” Felicia amelloides “Variegated”

1 or 3 200 200

centre petals

backgr.

4 or 12

800 800

palm bed center Canna “Reine Charlotte” Zantedschia aethiopica Agapanthus Salvia coccinea “Lady in Red” [Triangles x 16, in 5 rows] Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”

4 4 8 60

192 120

c. ring c. ring c. ring 1/2 row

triangle triangle

4 4 8 60

192 120

4 x palm beds Canna “Reine Charlotte” Zantedschia aethiopica Agapanthus Salvia coccinea “Lady in Red” Coleus “Pineapple Beauty”

3 8 or 16

12 200 150

centre centre centre

2 edge rows

12 32 or 64

48 800 600

camellia beds large, large

[triangle pattern] Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”

250 250

5 rows 5 rows

250 250

camellia beds large, small

[triangle pattern] Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”

250 250

5 rows 5 rows

250 250

camellia beds small, large

[triangle pattern] Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”

200 200

4 rows 4 rows

200 200

camellia beds small, small

[triangle pattern] Coleus “Pineapple Beauty” Coleus “Juliet Quartermain”

180 180

4 rows 4 rows

180 180

23 x small vases Pelargoniums “Mrs. Pollock” Petunia “Blue” Plectranthus forsteri “Marginatus” Lobelia “Fountain Sapphire”

1 6 4 4

centre 23 138 92 92

11 x bottom + 4 Pelargoniums “Mrs. Pollock” Petunia “Blue” Helichrysum petiolare “Gold” Lobelia “Fountain Sapphire”

1 6 4 4

centre 15 90 60 60

2 x magnolia bed [Phil’s Design] Canna iridiflora / Agapanthus Salvia horminium Cineraria maritima “Silver Dust”

150 95

stand. centre edge

300 190

2 x magnolia bed [Nigel’s Design] Canna iridiflora / Agapanthus Argyranthemum “Madeira Pink” Cineraria maritima “Silver Dust”

150 95

standar centre edge

300 190

191

Walled Garden Annual Bedding (West Block) “Colours Temperature” by Giulio Veronese (2012) OSBORNE HOUSE NURSERIES

Plant Notes Intro Origin Agrostemma githago One very big packet, two normal (2009) - - Allium schoenoprasum Plant as soon as possible (HA) - Native Amaranthus caudatus If more are required, Kings Seeds (chipper) 1596 Tropics Angelica archangelica Seedlings in the walled garden - Native Canna indica “Shenandoah” Plant after frost (HHA) 1570 India Brugmansia knightii Plant after frost (HHA) - Mexico Convolvulus cneorum Plant as soon as possible (HA) 1640 South.

Europe Godetia “Single” Mixed 6 packets “Sow by Jul ‘10” (Suffolk Herbs) - - Lathyrus odorosus “America” - -- Linum usitatissimum 4 packets (from 2010 harvest) - Native Nicotiana langsdorfii 4 packets (from different years) 1819 Brazil Rudbeckia “Rustic” Dwarf Mixed 4 packets “Sow by Jul 2010” (Suffolk Herbs) - - Verbena bonariensis Plant as soon as possible (HA) 1737 Brazil

Paraguay Argentina

THOMPSON & MORGAN 2012

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Antirrhinum nanum “Peaches and Cream” 23 GA1867 300 2.89 3 HHA - - Clarkia elegans “Apple Blossom” 38 GA7639 750 2.69 3 HA 1832 California Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity” 40 GA4579 40 2.99 3 HHA 1799 Mexico Helianthus annuus “Italian White” 104 GA6301 40 2.29 3 HA 1596 South/West

America Zinnia “Queen Lime” 121 GA9127 20 2.69 3 HA - -

KINGS SEEDS 2012

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Agrostis nebulosa 85 50901 150 1.15 3 HA 1834 - Alyssum maritimum “Carpet of Snow” 70 51301 900 1.10 3 HA 1722 SouthEurope

West Asia Brachycome iberidifolia “Brachy Blue” 73 54601 250 1.85 4 HHA 1843 Australia Carthamnus tinctorius “Goldtuft” 75 56001 45 1.80 5 HA 1551 Egypt Cerienthe majus purpurascens 75 56402 12 1.95 7 HHA 1596 SouthFrance

Switzerland Cineraria maritima “Cirrus” 77 56704 150 1.65 3 HHA - SouthEurope Cosmos bipinnatus “Pied Piper Red” 79 58103 100 1.25 3 HHA 1799 Mexico Gazania rigens “Red Stripe” 83 61904 30 2.00 5 HHA 1755 Unknown Gypsophila elegans “Covent Garden” 84 63101 1350 1.10 3 HA 1825 Crimea Lagurus ovatus 85 63001 500 1.10 3 HA - Native Mina lobata “Exotic Love” 94 68325 20 1.65 3 HHA 1842 Mexico Moluccella laevis 73 54501 200 1.25 3 HHA 1852 Syria Nigella damaescena “Miss Jekyll” 97 69301 500 1.10 3 HA 1570 SouthEurope Pennisetum glaucum “Purple Majesty” 94 68150 10 2.75 3 HHA - - Silene colorata “Pink Pirouette” 106 73903 250 2.25 3 HA 1819 Morocco Tagetes patula “Solan” 93 67633 30 1.45 5 HHA - - Tithonia rotundifolia “Fiesta del Sol” 122 75225 50 1.45 3 HHA 1733 Mexico

S. America Tropaeolum peregrinum 74 55551 25 1.25 3 HHA 1810 NewGraneda

192

DT. BROWN 2012

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Beta vulgaris “Charlotte” 25 14678 125 1.39 3 HA 1548 SouthEurope Centaurea cyanus “Black Ball” 106 16427 250 1.29 5 HA - Native Centaurea cyanus “Blue Ball” 106 11900 500 1.29 3 HA - Native Delphinum consolida “Moody Blues” 111 19824 200 1.49 4 HA - - Helianthus annuus “Chianti” 120 11930 20 1.79 3 HA 1596 W.S. USA Helianthus annuus “Autumn time” 120 13582 30 1.59 4 HA 1596 W.S. USA Lobelia erinus “Cristal Palace” 112 10359 2000 0.99 3 HHA 1752 Cape of

Good Hope Ipomea tricolor “Heavenly blue” 114 11342 50 1.49 4 HHA - - Matthiola bicornis “Night Scented” 120 14641 2000 0.99 3 HA - Greece Nicotiana alata “Lime Green” 115 11809 1000 1.29 3 HHA 1829 N. America Ocium basilicum “Purple” 28 20653 300 1.09 3 HHA 1548 East India Rudbeckia hirta “Praire Sun” 119 15068 30 1.99 4 HHA - - Tagetes tenuifolia “Lemon Gem” 113 13138 35 2.99 4 HHA - - Tropaeolum majus “Salmon baby” 115 19833 25 1.49 4 HA - - Tropaeolum majus “Alaska” Mixed 115 19830 25 1.39 4 HA 1686 Peru

CHILTERN SEEDS 2012

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Ageratum houstonianum “Dondo white” 10 63W - 2.80 HHA 1822 Mexico Ageratum houstonianum “Blue Horizon” 10 63J - 1.70 HHA 1822 Mexico Ammi majus 15 85C - 1.99 HA - Old World Amaranthus tricolor “Splendens Perfecta” 14 84K - 1.79 HHA - - Antirrhinum majus “Monarch” Mixed 19 107W - 1.80 HHA - - Celosia cristata Tall Variety Mixed 299B - 1.70 HHA 1570 Asia Cleome spinosa “Cherry” 58 366F - 1.68 HHA - West India Cleome spinosa “Violet” 58 366K - 1.68 HHA - West India Cleome spinosa “Rose” 58 366W - 1.68 HHA - West India Coreopsis basalis “Golden Crown” 385F - 2.10 HA - - Cosmos bipinnatus “Gloria” 397Q - 2.34 HHA - - Limonium sinuatum “Midnight Blue” 133 811G - 1.87 HHA - Mediterran.

Regions Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” 145 880H - 2.16 HHA - - Ricinus communis“New Zealand Purple” 180 1114K - 3.45 HHA - America

Tropical Salvia coccinea 183 1136A - 2.10 HHA 1772 S. America Salvia farinacea “Reference” 183 1136H - 3.35 HHA 1847 Texas Scabiosa atropurpurea “Chat Noir” 187 1148C - 2.84 HHA 1629 East India Schizopetalon walkeri 189 1150B - 2.58 HHA 1822 Chili

MR FOTHERGILL’S

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Panicum elegans “Frosted explosion” 16245 25 2.45 3 HA - - NICKY’S NURSERY

Plant Pag Code Seeds £ Pack H Intro Origin Capsicum annum “Purple Flash” web FS-

CA003 8 2.80 HHA 1548 India

Capsicum annum “Medusa” web FS-CA022

8 2.95 HHA 1548 India

193

Machinery Vibration Information Inventory Number Machine Points per Minute 52 John Deere Tractor/Loader n/a 53 John Deere Tractor/Loader n/a 66 Woodchipper n/a 67 Mewp n/a 7 Cylinder Mower – Dennis 1 8 Cylinder Mower – Ransomes 2 9 Cylinder Mower – Ransomes 1 10 Rotary Mower – Hayter Ranger 53 1 11 Rotary Mower – Hayter Harrier 48BBC 1 14 Rotary Mower – Hayter Harrier 48BBC 1 15 Rotary Mower – Hayter Harrier 48PRO 1 16 Ride on Rotary Mower – John Deere X595 15 per hour 17 Rotary Mower – John Deere 1 55 Rotary Mower – Hayter Harrier 48BBC 1 56 Rotary Mower – Hayter Harrier 48BBC 1 18 Mulch Mower – Snapper 3 19 Mulch Mower – Snapper 1 20 Strimmer – Kubota D430 1 21 Strimmer – Stihl FS450 1 22 Strimmer – Stihl FS450 1 25 Power Unit 3 57 Hedgetrimmer – Stihl (Battery) 1 58 Hedgetrimmer – Stihl HS81 1 59 Hedgetrimmer – Stihl HS81RC 1 26 Chainsaw – Stihl MS250L 3 27 Chainsaw – Jonsered 1 60 Chainsaw – Stihl MS280C 1 61 Chainsaw – Stihl MS280C 1 62 Telescopic Pole Pruner 5 29 Vacuum – Billy Goat n/a 30 Vacuum – Billy Goat 1 31 Leaf Blower – Bobcat 3 33 Leaf Blower – Billy Goat 1 34 Backpack blower – Stihl n/a 35 Cultivator – Kubota 5 37 Scarifiere – Sisis 2 38 Aerator - Sisis 2

194

Osborne House Key Dates 1845: Purchase of Old Osborne House. Jun. 1845: Foundation stone of Pavilion laid. Sep. 1846: Pavilion occupied. 1848: Demolition of Old Osborne House; household wing completed. 1851: Main wing completed. 1855: Swiss Cottage given to royal children. 1859-60: New stable block built. Dec. 1861: Death of the Prince Consort. 1862: Swiss Cottage museum opened. 1880: Chapel (Victoria Hall) built. 1890-91: Durbar wing built. Jan. 1901: Death of Queen Victoria. 1902: Osborne House given to the nation. 1903: Royal Naval College Osborne established. 1904: Edward VII Convalescent Home opened; part of Osborne House opened to the public. 1921: Closure of Royal Naval College. 1954: Private apartments opened to the public. 1989: Nursery suite opened to the public. 1993: Commencement of Osborne Estate Repair and Restoration Project. 2000: Table decker’s room and Walled Garden opened to the public. Closure of Edward VII Convalescent Home. 2001: Durbar Room restoration and exhibition. 2004: Opening of the Lower Terrace to the public.

195

196

197

Plant List Abeliophyllum distichum Abies alba A. balsamea A. concolor A. fraseri A. grandis A. koreana A. lasiocarpa A. magnifica A. nordmanniana A. pinsapo A. procera A. spectabilis Abutilon megapotamicum Acacia dealbata Acer griseum A. maximowiczianum Acis Acorus calamus Actinidia kolomikta Adiantum jordanii Aegopodium podagraria Agapanthus africanus Ageratum houstonianum “Blue Horizon” A. houstonianum “Dondo White” Agrostis nebulosa Alcea ficifolia A. rosea A. rugosa Alchemilla alpina A. erythropoda A. mollis A. xanthoclora Allium christophii A. schoenoprasum Aloe arborescens A. striata Alyssum maritimum “Carpet of Snow” Amaranthus caudatus A. tricolor “Splendens Perfecta” Anagallis arvensis A. arvensis f. azurea A. foemina A. monelli Anaphalis margaritacea Anemone blanda A. nemorosa Angelica archangelica Anigozanthos flavidus Antirrhinum “Monarch” A. majus “Monarch” (Mixed) A. “Peaches and Cream” Arbutus unedo Arctium lappa Argyranthemum frutescens Aucuba japonica Berberis candidula

B. darwinii B. julianae B. stenophylla B. thunbergii “Rose Glow” Be. vulgaris Bergenia cordifolia Beta vulgaris Beta vulgaris “Charlotte” Bidens ferulifolia Brachyscome iberidifolia “Brachy Blue” Brassica oleracea Brugmansia knightii Buddleja davidii B. globosa Bupleurum rotundifolium “Griffithii” Caladium Calceolaria mexicana Callicarpa bodinieri Callistephus chinensis Calluna vulgaris Calystegia sepium Camassia leichtlinii Campsis radicans Canna indica C. speciosa C. x generalis “Shenandoah” Capsicum annum C. annum “Purple Flash” C. annum “Medusa” C. frutescens Cardamine irsuta Carex pendula Carpinus betulus Carthamnus tinctorius “Goldtuft” Castanea sativa Ceanothus dentatus Cedrus libani Celosia cristata Centaurea cyanus C. cyanus “Black Ball” C. cyanus “Blue Ball” C. montana C. triumfettii Cerastium holosteoides C. tomentosum Cerienthe majus purpurascens Chaenomeles japonica Chamaedorea elegans Cheiranthus Chenopodium album Chenopodium bonus-henricus Chlorophytum comosum “Variegatum” C. elatum “Variegatum” Choisya ternata Chrysanthemum x morifolium Cineraria maritima “Cirrus” Cistus x purpureus

198

Clarkia elegans “Apple Blossom” Clematis armandii C. vitalba Cleome spinosa “Pink Queen” C. spinosa “White Queen” Clethra barbinervis Codiaeum variegatum Coleus “Juliet Quartermain” C. “Pineapple Beauty” C. “Scarlet Ribbon” Convolvulus cneorum Cordyline australis Coreopsis basalis “Golden Crown” Cosmos atrosanguineus Cosmos bipinnatus “Antiquity” C. bipinnatus “Gloria” C. bipinnatus “Pied Piper Red” C. sulphurous Cotoneaster x horizontalis Crambe maritima Crinodendron hookerianum Crinum bulbispermum C. moorei C. x powellii Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora C. aurea C. pottsii Cryptomeria japonica “Elegans” Cupressus funebris. C. macrocarpa Dahlia “White Aster” Dahlia coccinea palmeri Danae racemosa Daphne genkwa D. laureola D. mezereum D. odora Davidia involucrata Delosperma cooperi Delphinum consolida “Moody Blues” Diascia personata D. rigens Dicentra spectabilis Dierama pulcherrimum Dioscorea communis Dracaena indivisa Dracaena marginata Dracunculus vulgaris Drimys lanceolata Dryopteris arguta Echinops ritro E. ritro subsp. ruthenicus Echium pininana Edgeworthia chrysantha Eleagnus Epilobium angustifolium Epimedium pinnatum subsp. colchicum Equisetum arvense E. palustre Eryngium

Erysimum sp. Escallonia bifida E. montevidensis E. resinosa E. rubra “Crimson Spire” Euonymus europaeus Eupatorium purpureum Euphorbia helioscopica E. lathyris E. mellifera Euryops pectinatus Fagus sylvatica Felicia amelloides “Variegata” Gaillarda aristata Galium verum Garrya eliptica G. eliptica “Evie” G. eliptica “James Roof”, Gazania rigens “Red Stripe” Ginkgo biloba Grevillea rosmarinifolia Griselinia littoralis G. littoralis “Variegata” G. lucida G. maritima Gypsophila elegans “Covent Garden” Hamamelis virginiana H. x intermedia Hedera helix Hedychium gardnerianum Helianthus annuus “Autumn Time” H. annuus “Chianti” H. annuus “Italian White” Helichrysum petiolare H. petiolare “Gold” Helleborus niger H. orientalis Hemerocallis Hesperocyparis Heuchera Humulus lupus “Aureus” Hyacinthoides non-scripta H. hispanica H. × massartiana Hyacinthus “City of Haarlem” Hydrangea petiolaris Hypericum perforatum Ilex aquifolium I. perado subsp. perado I. verticillata I. x koehneana Illicium henryi Impatiens balsamifera Ipheion uniflorum “Charlotte Bishop” Ipomea batatas I. tricolor “Heavenly Blue” Iresine brillantissima Iris foetidissima I. pseudacorus

Kalanchoe

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Kalmia angustifolia f. rubra Kniphofia Lactuca sativa Lagurus ovatus Lamphrantus Lantana camara Lathyrus L. odorosus “America” L. ovatus “America” Laurus nobilis Lavandula Leonotis leonurus L. nepetifolia Leucanthemum x superbum Leucojum aestivum L. vernum Lewisia Lilium tigrinum “Splendens” Limonium sinuatum “Midnight Blue” Linum usitatissimum Liquidambar styraciflua Liriodendron tulipifera Liriope muscari L. spicata Lobelia “Fountain Sapphire” L. tupa Lunaria annua L. annua var. albiflora L. rediviva Lychnis coronaria “Alba” L. coronaria “Atrosanguinea”. Macleaya cordata M. microcarpa M. × kewensis Magnolia M. grandiflora M. stellata Mahonia nervosa Malus domestica Matthiola bicornis “Night Scented” Meconopsis Mentha Mesembryanthemum cooperi Mina lobata “Exotic Love” Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” Myosotis Myrrhis odorata Myrtus communis M. communis subsp. tarentina Myrtus nivellei Mhyrris odorata Mirabilis jalapa “Red Glow” Mitraria coccinea Molucella laevis Muehlenbeckia platyclados Muscari neglectum Myrsiphyllum Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus N. pseudonarcissus “St. Patrick’s Day”

“Carbineer” “Fire King” “Golden Bedder” “Ivory White” “Pencrebar” “Grande Soleil d’Or” “Scarlet Bedder” Nigella damaescena “Miss Jekyll” Nephrolepsis exaltata Nicotiana alata “Lime Green” N. langsdorfii Nyssa aquatica N. biflora N. sylvestris Ocimum basilicum O. basilicum “Purple” Olearia x haastii Origanum Osmunda regalis Oxalis triangularis “Atropurpurea” Pachysandra terminalis P. terminalis “Variegata” Paeonia delavayi Panicum elegans “Frosted Explosion” Parrotia persica Passiflora caerulea Pelargonium “Mrs Pollock” P. “White Boar” Pennisetum glaucum “Purple Majesty” Penstemon Persicaria microcephala “Red Dragon” Petroselinum sativum Petunia “Blue” Phacelia Phaeseolus coccineus P. multiflorus Phlomis fruticosa Phoenix canariensis Phormium tenax P. tenax “Purpureum” Photinia x fraseri “Red Robin” Physostegia virginiana Pinus nigra P. radiata Plectranthus P. verticillatus Populus Prunus caroliniana P. laurocerasus Pseudolarix amabilis Pseudotsuga Pteridium Pyrus communis Quercus canariensis Q. cerris Q. palustris Q. suber Rheum rhabarbarum R. rhabarbarum “Victoria” Ribes speciosum

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Ricinus communis R. communis “New Zealand Purple” Romneya coulteri Rubus idaeus subsp. strigosus Rudbeckia R. hirta “Prairie Sun” Rumex acetosella Ruscus aculeatus R. hypoglossum Salix Salvia bethellii “Hadspen” S. cacalifolia S. coccinea S. farinacea “Reference” S. farinacea “White” S. leucantha S. splendens “Van-Houttei” Sansevieria pinguicula S. trifasciata var. laurentii S. trifasciata “Bantel's Sensation” Saponaria officinalis Scabiosa S. atropurpurea “Chat Noir” Schizopetalon walkeri Semele androgyna Senecio jacobaea Silene colorata “Pink Pirouette” Sisyrinchium Solanum crispum S. tuberosum S. jasminoides “Alba” Solenostemon Solenostemon scutellarioides Solidago S. virgaurea Spathiphyllum “Chopin” Stellaria media Stevia rebaudiana Stipa S. arundinacea S. brachytricha S. calamagrostis S. gigantea S. pulchra S. splendens S. tenacissima S. tenuissima Strelitzia reginae Sybilum marianum

Symphytum officinale Tagetes lucida T. patula T. patula “Solan” T. tenuifolia “Lemon Gem” Tamus communis Taxus baccata Teucrium chamaedrys T. lucidum T. x lucidrys Thuja plicata Tibouchina urvilleana Tilia x euchlora T. x europea Tithonia rotundifolia “Fiesta del Sol” Tradescantia pallida Trillium ovatum Tropaeolum majus “Alaska” T. majus “Salmon Baby” T. peregrinum Tulipa “Ballerina” “West Point” “Mona Lisa” “Olympic Flame” “Apeldoorn Elite” “William of Orange” “Lilyfire” “Cistula” “David Teniers” “Queen of Marvel” Typha Verbena bonariensis V. rigida Veronica chamaedrys V. filiformis V. hederifolia V. serpyllifolia Vestia foetida Viburnum V. buddleifolium V. tinus Viola tricolor hortensis Vitis coignetiae Urtica dioica Weigelia florida Yucca gloriosa Zantedeschia aethiopica Zenobia pulverulenta

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Acknowledgments My year working at Osborne House and the consequent preparation of this report has depended heavily on the help and support of a great people and organizations. My debts to the PGG Traineeship and the RHS Bursaries are obvious and unrepayable. I would also like to thank the Merlin Trust and Garden Alpine Society. Without their generous assistance, traveling to Turkey and climbing the Taurus Mountains would not have been possible. Thanks also go to… John, for the handshake. Toby, for sharing a passion for local beers. Janet, for the rhubarb cake recipe. Charlotte, for appreciating the cake. Alen, for taking that desktop in his stride. Nigel, for the exemplar definition of amenity. Jen, for The Old Man and the Sea. Adrian, for the unique way to say pampepato. Phil, for at least a couple of new interesting words. Reese, for sincerely supporting Newcastle United. Susanna, for a day-out in Sainsbury’s. Andrea, for supporting my gardener equipment. Ruggero, for the twentieth gram. Abramo, for being present at Pirlo’s penalty. China, for the Homeric patience. Ian, for the fishing knots and gears. Kate, for one whole year of saucepans. Jenny, for wordsmithing.