Growing on

All plants are grown to a suitable size to ensure survival when planted. Use is made of Air-Pots which help to develop a good root system. Automatic watering systems ensure that the plants grow at an optimal rate.

 

Growing on in Air-Pots

 

Many plants also flower for the first time in the Nursery and it is an opportunity to verify and correctly name them. Such as this lily collected in Japan, now correctly named as Lilium auratum, (yamayuri or mountain lily).

Lilium auratum

 

Collections

For the last 30 years a series of plantings have been developed to screen and shelter the Nursery.

Windbreaks have been developed using predominantly wild origin material which supports the collections in the main garden. Some contain collections such as Fraxinus, (ash trees) and Ulmus, (elm trees), genetic resource to help survive disease.

The Fraxinus are being used to develop resistance to Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (syn Chalara fraxinea) ash dieback.

The Ulmus are trees developed to be resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma ulmi, O. himal-ulmi and O. novo-ulmi) which ravaged native elms in the 1960 and ‘70s.

 

Ulmus Plinio - developing fruit

 

Fraxinus lanuginosa f. serrata - flowers

There is an extensive collection of Roses, many considered too thuggish for public display.

Rosa sericea

Over 30 species of Ribes, flowering currants create a spectacular display in spring and early summer when viewed in close up.

Ribes himalensis

Recently conservation hedges of Prumnopitys andina, (el lleuque), a threatened conifer from Chile, have been developed, taking advantage of the free draining soil and south facing site, creating an ideal microclimate for them.

Young Prumnopitys andina (showing winter damage)

 

 

Mature Prumnopitys andina hedge

A hedge of Leyland Cypress preserves over 15 clones of X Cuprocyparis leylandii (syn. Cupressocyparis leylandii) once popular as a hedging plant, but fell out of favour due to its immense potential size if left unchecked.

Hedge of X Cuprocyparis leylandii clones

 

Turf production

A large area is devoted to the production of turf. About 30% of this area goes back to the garden each year to support development and replace lawn that that is worn out by visitors.

 

Turf production