Victorian Gardening in the 21st Century. Part One

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We live in a Victorian house so it makes sense to consider what the Victorians grew when adding plants to the garden. They were keen gardeners and a lot of what is in my garden can trace its way back to the mid 19th century and before. In this first blog you will recognise most of them.

My first choice is Dianthus Barbatus. In Victorian times the narrow leaved variety was called Sweet John and the broader leaved one Sweet William. It is a biennial which prefers non acidic soil but is not overly fussy about that. It also likes moist but well drained sites. Too much water can lead to the leaves going yellow. Dead heading, feeding with a 10:10:10 fertiliser every 8 weeks and a good watering once a week should encourage your plants to flower from spring through to the first frosts. Leave the last heads on and they will self seed. It seems to be relatively disease free and green fly etc don’t bother with it. An extra bonus is the wide range of colours and the clove like fragrance. It even comes in different heights from 12" to 18"

My next choice is the perennial sweet pea Lathyrus latifolius. The Victorians often allowed this to sprawl over a bed or sometimes provided a support to allow it to cling on by long tendrils. It hates being moved and can take a couple of seasons to stop sulking and give you the kind of show which makes it a hit with gardeners. It is a good cut flower but unfortunately it is not scented. It is a bright pink colour and I also have Blushing Bride, a white with pink blush. The RHS Plant finder give details of nurseries supplying both of these and another 9 varieties. It flowers throughout the summer. It is at its best in my garden between early July and the end of August. It attracts bumble bees which pollinate it and butterflies drink nectar from it.

Lathyrus latifolius

Lathyrus latifolius “Blushing Bride”

My next choice Honeysuckle is not quite a climber as it does need to be tied in to keep it tidy. There were approximately 100 varieties of honeysuckle available to the Victorians. Their heady perfume guarantees them a welcome whether you want to clothe a pillar or cover a wall. Provide some support and you can keep this lovely shrub happy in most situations.

When out for a country stroll you will smell this first one before you see it. Lonicera periclymenum

Lonicera Japonica Halliana has strongly scented distinctive yellow and white flowers

Lonicera Japonica Aureoreticulata has evergreen oval leaves with gold variegation and the fragrant small yellow flowers tend to hide amonst the foliage.

Victorians loved flowering cherries more for the flowers and foliage than for the fruit so i had to have one. I chose Prunus Amanagawa. It is a column of pale pink semi double blossom in April and May. The new leaves are bronze gold coloured and it will grow to up to 8m by 4m in diameter if allowed to. I know everybody and their auntie probably has one and it fell out of popularity because of that in the last few years but it is a wonderful sight to see when it is in flower.

Clematis Jackmanii was raised by Mr George Jackman in 1858. Many of the early hybrids were introduced around that period. It is deep purple and was used both as a climber and to train along convex hoops at the front of a border. It was late summer flowering and it was only pruned when it became straggly or the flowers started to be smaller or it was not producing as many of them. The plant was cut down to 18" in January. In February the soil was scraped back and off the roots and a new mulch of rich compost was introduced to encourage the plant. A hole would be dug about 2’ out from the base of the plant approximately 2’ deep and 1’ wide and filled with a similar mixture.

Deutzia was known as a tender plant in Victorian times. There are now around 60 genus of the species of shrubs from the hydrangea family. It is deciduous or may be semi evergreen in warmer areas. It is a native to eastern and central Asia, Central America and Europe. It is a graceful arching shrub which bears its white, pink or reddish flowers in long panicles in late spring and early summer. It can grow up to 4m in height and it will grow in the poorest soil. Mine was grown from a cutting from a friends garden in Wiltshire.

• 6 Oct, 2011
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