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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.

More blog posts by scotsgran

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Comments

 

Fascinating blog... thank you :o)

6 Oct, 2011

 

Thank you TT. I thought i had better do this as a series as there are so many of the plants which were around in Victorian times. It takes a lot of time to gather all the information together but I was surprised at some of my findings.

6 Oct, 2011

 

Yes, I think this type of blog is better as a series...
easier to digest the information if it is given in smaller blogs... looking forward to more over the winter :o)

6 Oct, 2011

 

Thankyou Scotsgran, the blog made very interesting reading and I look forward to the next one....

6 Oct, 2011

 

Yes, thank you.
Love the variagated evergreen honeysuckle.

6 Oct, 2011

 

That's a lovely blog, Scotsgran. I feel now that I want one of ALL of those plants, and quite a lot of the Sweet William. I have never seen them here, so I shall have to try growing them from seed. We used to have an enormous deutzia in our Cheshire garden, and I loved it, so maybe that's another thing for the shopping list on my next visit.

6 Oct, 2011

 

Lovely S.gran. interesting blog and I too look forward to the next one! Hurry up now!! Lol. I have just planted some seed from Lathyrus, hope they grow next year!

6 Oct, 2011

 

Very interesting blog.

6 Oct, 2011

 

Lovely:)

6 Oct, 2011

 

Interesting ...

6 Oct, 2011

 

I think I must be a gossip at heart because i love to learn about all the plants in the garden. Knowing their secrets gives me a lot of pleasure.
I know this garden was far more utilitarian in Victorian times because they did not have the space we have. A wide drive led round the house to the stable and carriage room used to house the ministers pony and trap. The church was still standing in the front garden when we moved here and we knocked it down when we took it over three years later having agreed to do that because it was so unsafe.

6 Oct, 2011

 

Thanks for a very interesting blog. Sweet Wms are one of my very favourite flowers. I have tried the peas but never had them to grow, I'll have to give them another go.
So many plants to remind me of poeople. The Jackmanii Clematis reminds me of my gran (paternal). She once bought one for me many years ago.
Honeysuckle reminds me of my mam. We always had to stop along a country road if she saw some, so that she could smell it lol.

7 Oct, 2011

 

I always see my garden as full of friends, like you having been given gifts or just remembering how someone admired a plant. i think everybody stops to smell the honeysuckle because it is right there by their noses. I think you prompted this blog by showing your grandmothers geranium. It got me thinking about my plants.

7 Oct, 2011

 

Oh I'm glad I inspired you :o))

7 Oct, 2011

 

So am I. i have had a lot of fun researching the history of these plants. If any one knows more I hope they will tell me because the great value of the site is that we are all in it together helping one another and hopefully being inspired to share our gardening knowledge for the greater good. In fact the more i learn the more I realise how litle I know.

7 Oct, 2011

 

Your garden is so full of interest, I am envious. It must be a great source of satisfaction to you.

7 Oct, 2011

 

Oh don't be Somhairle. I have had the time to do it in the past but am struggling a bit at the moment. Between the weather and the need for a complete overhaul due to circumstances outwith our control I would gladly walk away at times. However I do appreciate that what i have had over the past 38 years is a blank canvas to do with what i would. I also appreciate all the help and support i have had on GOY from some fairly brilliant gardeners and some very generous people. Being able to say what i plan to do then hear others suggesting something i would never have considered is wonderful. It is refreshing to have thousands of resident gardeners in my living room at the click of a button. The family feel I'm the expert and are happy to act as labourers as and when, but bow out of making any decisions. I have also met a few fellow GOYers at Gardening Scotland and at a garden where i worked as a volunteer. My grandchildren and I went to a Yellow Book open day at Spritzhenrys garden and met another couple of Goyers. You will soon get in to the swing of it all and find it is a good club to be a member of.

7 Oct, 2011

 

Very interesting Blog SG I thoroughly enjoyed my read, thankyou...x

8 Oct, 2011

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