Beth Chatto was a garden pioneer. Her influential approach transformed the way we think about choosing plants for the conditions in our gardens and the climate.
Beth was obsessed with the weather and rainfall in particular. She kept accurate weekly rainfall records starting in the 1950s (something we continue to do today at Beth Chatto Gardens), and was ahead of her time in searching for a sustainable way to garden in the face of challenging climate conditions.
SOIL PREP
When asked about planting, Beth would often say that it’s no good scraping out a tiny hole and expecting your plant to thrive. You must give a plant the best you can offer, which means improving the soil. The addition of organic material to any type is key in encouraging it to come alive – it improves the water-holding capacity of dry, sandy soils and helps break up heavier clay soils. Try bagged compost or manure, or spent mushroom compost is an ideal choice.
PLANTING
Root growth is more important than top growth when it comes to establishing plants in their new home. To aid this, many plants are best cut back or lightly pruned immediately after planting.
MULCHING
Beth soon learned that leaving bare soil uncovered after planting led to soils drying out too quickly, as well as allowing weed growth. Mulching traps in moisture and provides a physical barrier against weed growth. Mulch options include gravel, bark chip, straw and compost. Rougher mulches such as bark and gravel help deter slugs and snails.
WATERING
If you want to try the no-watering regime, as we do in our Gravel Garden, it’s vitally important to make sure the plants are moist when planting. Immerse the plant pot in a bucket of water until it stops bubbling. Once planted, water it in well by ‘puddling in’ – not just a quick sprinkle, but enough water to create a puddle around the plant. Let it drain and do it again. Then mulch as above.
CUTTING BACK
A favourite quote of Beth’s was: ‘Use secateurs, not the hosepipe’. By this she meant that in times of drought it is more sensible to cut plants back and reduce the stress rather than throw buckets of water at them. Many herbaceous perennial plants, such as catmints or hardy geraniums, can be cut back to the ground after flowering in June or July. Shrubs such as cistus can be pruned after flowering, some quite hard. All this takes away top growth, reducing the plants’ need for water.
CORRECT PLANTS
Take time to understand which areas in your garden are dry sun traps or dry shade or wet shade. Armed with this knowledge, selecting plants becomes much clearer. Pick the right plant for the conditions you have.
