Speaking English Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-720 -- More Projects »
What's your idea of an English garden? Traditional, formal and symmetrical (figure A) or contemporary, informal and irregularly shaped (figure B)? Master gardener Paul James tours Randy Weston's English gardens in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas.
For 18 years, Weston has been cultivating a new take on an old-world landscape by blending English gardening techniques with Texas flair. "There are many styles of English gardens and obviously ours is not a formal, clipped-evergreen, topiary style," says Weston. He compares his English gardening style with that of Gertrude Jekyll, a more naturalistic approach where plants are arranged in drifts. Jekyll was England's influential 20th-century gardener who popularized the use of herbaceous borders and vivid flowers.
"A border includes almost all genre of plants," says Weston. "From shade trees, if it's a shady garden, to ornamental trees, woody shrubs, herbaceous perennials that bloom and provide foliage, ground covers and all the way to annual plants (figure C)." When choosing a style, consider your own preferences. "Refined or released, is a simple matter of taste and design," says James. "My definition is naturalistic. Make it look like it belonged." However, achieving a naturalistic look in the garden requires some planning. How much sun or shade do the plants get? Are the plants aggressive growers? Do all the plants in a grouping require the same amount of water? When a design is planned correctly, the plants will provide different bursts of color throughout the year. "Design is critical to [an English garden] because if you throw things impulsively into the ground without planning the different seasons, you'll have a garden that shows just one part of the year," says Weston.
One of the keys for planning a successful garden is choosing plants that are suitable to your climate and soil. For example, this lush Ruellia (figure D) is a Texas native, while this blue bog sage (figure E) is an adapted plant. Both flourish in the garden because they are acclimated to the region. "Select what works best for your zone, and you're on your way to growing a glorious English garden," says James.Once you determine the plants to include in the garden, plan the actual shape of the garden on paper, to scale. Then, lay out a prototype on the ground using a garden hose, and place the plants in the desired locations while still in their pots (figure F).
Leave enough space between each plant; to know how much, consult the plant's tag for its expected width at maturity. Weston features unusual plants such as this coreopsis 'Lime Rock Ruby' (figure G) to showcase its deep red color. Avoid forming busy patterns or straight lines in the design. Before placing the plants in the newly formed flowerbed, make any necessary amendments to the soil. "[Prepping the soil] is one of the most important elements of the garden because [Texas] soils are for the most part, very heavy clay soils, and if you don't amend them with some organic matter to loosen them up to give them better texture as well as add fertility, you're going to have multiple problems for the long term," says Weston.
For the soil in this project, Weston removed two to three inches of the existing soil that was contaminated with lots of Bermuda grass and weeds. Weston then added back 4" to 5" of organic compost to create a planting zone of about 10" for the new roots to spread out. Place the new plants in the ground. For dry areas like Texas, irrigation systems are a necessity. Weston also helps keep the moisture by adding one inch of shredded hardwood mulch (figure H).
Before completing your garden, don't forget to add a touch of decoration. "Garden ornamentation is becoming quite popular in English gardens near and far. Statues, arbors, gazing balls, and sculptures are nestled in among the plant life to add another element of elegance to the display," says James. And water features make another great addition to English gardens. From meditative ponds (figure I) to streams, waterfalls, and large, formal lily ponds, (figure J) water arrangements create tranquil embellishment.
Guests Randy Weston
Weston Gardens In Bloom
8101 Anglin Drive
Ft. Worth, TX 76140
Phone: 817-572-0549
Fax: 817-572-1628
URL: www.westongardens.com
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