Journal

Growing, Gardening and Seasonal Recipes

Garden Notes

Ornamental grasses, sedges and rushes really do come into their own in late autumn and winter, looking magical in the low evening light or with a light dusting of morning frost. There are grasses suited to every part of the garden and they come in many shapes, sizes and colours.

Rather than the static forms of strong colour created by traditional flowering perennials, grasses offer subtlety of line and texture. They add structure, a sensory element and a quiet sound/presence in the garden while offering a certain intimacy in your space.

Their immediate quality is their luminosity and the way they catch the light within their seedheads and flowers. They also have a transparency which allows you to view other plants and features beyond. Their colours change with the seasons and they shift and move in the slightest breeze. They offer benefits to wildlife too so grow in borders, gravel gardens and containers.

Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’ (illustrated) is a clump forming perennial grass to 60cm in height, with arching, linear leaves and hairy, narrow silvery rose-pink panicles, 10-14cm in length, like soft bottle-brushes. Pennisetum can be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous grasses, either clump forming or spreading in habit. They are relatively easy to grow and maintain.

Rushes and sedges such as Acorus, Carex, Cyperus, Juncus and Luzula share similar qualities to grasses.

Our favourite variegated ornamental grasses include Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’, Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’.

We also recommend the following grasses: Small (60cm and under), Stipa tenuissima, Briza maxima and Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’. Medium grasses (60-90cm), Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ and Panicum virgatum ‘Rubrum’. Tall recommendations (over 90cm) include Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, Pennisetum macrourum and Helictotrichon sempervirens. Grasses suitable for screening include Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea. There are a variety of grasses suitable for moist soils as well as shade, namely Acorus and Carex respectively. Festuca glauca, Helictotrichon sempervirens and Stipa gigantea are all drought tolerant.

Ornamental grasses, sedges and rushes have few cultural requirements and are ideal for low maintenance gardens. Given suitable conditions they will add a further dimension to your planting scheme with minimum attention.

Siting and Soil: Grasses generally grow best in full sun, although a few require partial shade. They tolerate a wide range of soil types and pH but perform well in drier, less fertile soils. Sedges are tolerant of full sun but prefer partial shade and require damper, more fertile soils than grasses. They have a preference for alkaline or acid soils. Rushes are suited to full sun or partial shade. The soil should be moist and most need a low pH.

Planting: Early spring is the best time to plant. Add grit or pea shingle to clay soils to improve drainage. Add plenty of organic matter prior to planting sedges and rushes as they prefer more moisture.

Watering and Feeding: Grasses usually thrive with little attention and watering is only required in the first growing season. Mulch with gravel or organic matter each spring to reduce water loss. Add a balanced fertiliser each spring if the site is impoverished. Larger grasses such as miscanthus and pampas grass will benefit from a spring feed. Sedges and rushes also require a spring feed, mulch and a good watering.

Trimming: Grasses require an annual tidy up to maintain form and shape. For semi evergreens and evergreens, remove any old leaves and stems in late winter. For deciduous types, cut back previous year’s foliage to near ground level in the spring. Use secateurs removing each of last year’s stems individually avoiding any emerging new shoots. Use shears if the clump is too large but leave about 10cm of the old stems to avoid cutting through new growth. ‘Chop and Drop’ the old stems on your border as a surface mulch, which helps to retain moisture, controls weeds and again encourages wildlife.

General Autumn Tasks

Bulbs in full flower during this season, include colchicum, crinum, Crocus speciosus, cyclamen, dahlia, gladiolus, oriental lilies, Nerine bowdenii. Annuals to look out for include, helianthus and Oenothera biennis. Perennials at their best include aster, chrysanthemums, Eupatorium purpureum, helianthus, cosmos, inula, ligularia, penstemon, salvia, thalictrum, Verbena bonariensis, kniphofia, Liriope spicata and Sedum spectibile. Shrubs in full flower include erica, fuchsia, hydrangea, callicarpa, celastrus, cotoneaster, Euonymus europaeus, ilex, pyracantha, Elaeagnus pungens, skimmia, and Viburnum farreri. Trees at their best include Aesculus hippocastanum, betula, fraxinus, robinia, acer, Carpinus betulus, crataegus, Fagus sylvatica, malus, Prunus sargentii, Prunus x subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’, stuartia, and sorbus. Climbers such the late flowering clematis, ‘Gipsy ‘Queen’, ‘Etoile Violette’, ‘Perle d’Azur’, ‘Ville de Lyon’, C. jackmanii, C. flammula, C. durandii and C. viticella are at their best over the season. Also, Jasminum officinale, parthenocissus, vitis and pyracantha.

Lawns should be cut weekly. Water well into early autumn, giving your borders a really good soak once a week, if permissible. Keep your lawn edges trimmed. Early autumn is a great time to sow grass seed. The ground is still warm and the morning dew after cooler nights will keep the seed moist. It should grow well and quickly, establishing healthy roots before winter. You should have a perfect lawn by next spring. In October, raise the blades on your mower and resist the temptation to cut the grass too short. Try and leave it 2.5 cm high/long over winter. This season, spike over established lawns to aerate them and top dress them with a mixture of compost and sand.

Install water butts and position them under downpipes to make the most of any rainfall. Provide water throughout the season for small mammals such as hedgehogs to drink and bathe. Keep it topped up and clean, regularly replacing it.

Scrub paths and patios to prevent them from becoming slippery with algae.

Check newly planted shrubs for wind-rock. Stamp down the surrounding soil so their roots can get a firm grip. A single, angled stake is suitable for most young trees. Allow the tree to flex slightly in the wind which will strengthen the trunk.

Retain food sources for birds. Leave seedheads on sedums, teasels, thistles and sunflowers. Uncut herbaceous borders also provide shelter for small mammals and invertebrates.

Remove any rose leaves that have black spot and get rid of any fallen leaves from the ground.

Plant an autumn container but ensure your containers do not dry out this month. Plant spring bulbs by the end of September. Lilies should be planted by the end of October and tulips in November. Lift any dahlias by the end of October or before any frosts, cut off the top growth and store in a dry, frost-free place over winter.

Keep mulching your borders to retain as much moisture as possible this season. Add any existing leaf mould. It makes a superb mulch. Boost plant growth. Start applying home-made fertilisers, such as those made from comfrey and nettle steeped in water, to plants in need of a boost. These mild fertilisers can provide a free, eco-friendly way to improve plant health. Again, mulch wherever you can. Mushroom compost is excellent, so are home-made compost and grass cuttings with fallen leaves mixed with them.

Remove any persistent blanketweed from ponds, twirl it out with a stick or rake and place in a bucket. Ensure all creatures are able to crawl back into the water. Create a shady area for amphibians to shelter from the sun. Piles of logs and woody pruning will provide habitat for common frogs and toads.

Tend to plants in your greenhouse. Remove faded leaves and flowers on plants such as fuchsias and pelargoniums. Monitor the temperature within the greenhouse and ensure ventilation too. This will reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Clip virginia creeper back from windows and haul out of gutters.

Repair jobs on fences, trellises and boundary walls should be carried out in winter when climbers and wall shrubs are dormant and can be easily taken down from their supports.

Overhaul water pumps used for fountains and waterfalls by the end of the season. Remove submersible pumps and store them safely.

Specific Autumn Tasks

Flowers

• Early Autumn/September:
• Annuals such as poppies, calendula, Larkspur, limnanthes, love-in-a-mist, clarkia and cornflower will make an early show next year if they are sown outside now where you want them to flower. Protect them with netting and leave any unnecessary thinning until next year.
• Start planting daffodil bulbs which look better in large groups.
• Cut off and dry seedheads from leeks, alliums, honesty and opium poppies and hang them upside down to dry for winter decoration.
• House plants require less food and water as growth slows down for winter.
• Clear out summer bedding to make way for autumn plantings of wallflowers, sweet williams and tulips.
• Replace Michaelmas daisies with Aster x frikartii if they are affected by mildew.
• Biennials and perennials grown from seed can be planted out in their permanent positions.
• Bring in house plants which have been outside and remove any dead and damaged leaves. Check for any pests and disease.
• Clear out ragged old flower heads of climbing hydrangea, making the cut where the stem joins the main branch.
• Mid Autumn/October:
• Continue to plant daffodils, scattering bonemeal into the planting holes. Use a long handed bulb planter for ease.
• Puschkinia and Anemone blanda will naturalise successfully and should be planted now.
• Finish planting spring bedding such as wallflowers, polyanthus and forget-me-nots.
• Plant Martagon lilies. Plant the bulbs about 10cm deep and 23cm apart on a sprinkle of sharp sand to deter underground slugs. Mulch in spring with compost or leaf mould.
• Check the ties on wall shrubs and climbers as October is a particularly bad month for gales.
• Leave dahlias and begonias in the ground as long as possible before lifting. Tubers do most of their growing in the short days of autumn.
• Plant window boxes with winter pansies or bulbs such as low-growing crocus or irises. Variegated ivies are great gap-fillers for winter months.
• Late Autumn/November:
• Plant tulips at the beginning of the month.
• Keep indoor bulbs well watered. The compost should be just damp.
• Pile dry leaves on top of agapanthus and nerines for insulation.
• Continue to cut down stems of late summer perennials such as Michaelmas daisies, golden rod and perennial verbascum.
• Plant new roses while growth is still dormant.
• Pick fallen leaves from rockeries where they may smother and rot alpine plants underneath. Top up the stone chipping around rock plants to improve drainage.
• Protect plants which are prone to frost damage such as hardy fuchsia, California tree poppy and solanum. Mulch around the plants with chipped bark, straw and leaves to insulate the roots.

In The Kitchen Garden

Vegetables

• Early Autumn/September:
• Plant Japanese onions now for an early crop next summer.
• Sow spinach to overwinter and provide an early crop in April.
• Lift potatoes and store them away from the light.
• Clear runner beans and French beans from the vegetable plot.
• Mid Autumn/October:
• Lift maincrop carrots.
• Continue to sow special winter hardy lettuce in a greenhouse.
• Late Autumn/November:
• Plant garlic at the beginning of the month.
• Sow a row of early peas such as ‘Douce Provence’.
• Try an early row of broad beans in warmer parts of the country.
• Harvest leeks and parsnips.
• Lift and store beetroot and celeriac.

Fruit

• Early Autumn/September:
• Wall trained trees of peaches and nectarines will need pruning and tie in the new shoots to replace the old fruited shoots. Cut out entirely any shoots that grow straight out of the front of the tree at right angles.
• Mid Autumn/October:
• Pick apple and pears and store them somewhere dark and slightly damp between 2-5 degrees centigrade.
• Late Autumn/November:
• Prune apple and pear trees after leaf fall. Cut out all dead, diseased or damaged branches and prune other growth selectively to eliminate crossing or rubbing branches.
• Plant gooseberries, setting the bushes 1.5m apart.

Seasonal Recipes

Gazpacho with Runner Bean Tempura and Pickled Coriander Seeds

INGREDIENTS:

For the pickled coriander seeds

25ml white wine vinegar

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp coriander seeds

For the gazpacho

1kg tomatoes

200g cucumber peeled and deseeded

2 tsp capers

2 garlic cloves

1 red chilli deseeded

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar

For the runner bean tempura

200ml ice-cold sparkling water

150ml vegetable oil

100g runner beans stringed, cut in half, then sliced lengthways (discarding tough beans from inside)

90g plain flour

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ egg beaten

METHOD:

To make the pickled coriander seeds, put the vinegars in a small pan with the sugar and 25ml water. Bring to the boil, drop in the coriander seeds, turn off the heat and leave to infuse.

To peel the tomatoes, lightly score a cross in the top of each one, place in a large bowl and cover with boiling water for 1 min. Drain and peel. Cut each one into quarters and use a knife to scrape away the seeds. Don’t discard what you remove – sieve out the seeds and use the juice in the next step.

Blitz the tomatoes, cucumber, capers, garlic, chilli and 2 tsp sea salt in a food processor. Pour into a bowl and chill for a couple of hours for the flavours to blend, then add the olive oil and stir. Add 1 tbsp of the sherry vinegar and taste. If it needs more to bring out the flavours, then add another tbsp. Divide between bowls and chill the soup while you make the runner bean tempura.

Pour the vegetable oil into a high-sided saucepan and set over a medium heat to get up to temperature (about 180C) while you make the batter.

To make the batter, put the flour, a pinch of salt and the cumin seeds in a bowl and stir. Add the beaten egg, then pour in the water. Gently stir the mixture, taking care not to over-mix it – a few lumps help give tempura its texture. Test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a little bit of batter. It should bubble and float to the top. If it browns immediately, reduce the heat.

Mix the runner beans into the batter and then fry in batches, removing with a slotted spoon once they’re crisp, golden and just starting to brown. Drain on kitchen paper and season. Top each bowl of soup with some crispy runner beans, and spoon over a little of the drained, pickled coriander seeds.

Feta and Peach Couscous

INGREDIENTS:

3 ripe peaches

35g mixed seeds

150g vegetarian feta

1 x 100g pack lemon and garlic couscous

METHOD:

De-stone and quarter the peaches. Put in a roasting tin with the seeds, chunks of feta and drizzle over 3 tbsp olive oil. Bake for 12-15 mins at 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook the couscous following pack instructions. Toss the couscous with the roasted peach mixture and season to taste before serving.

Strawberry Tart

INGREDIENTS:

125g unsalted butter softened slightly

85g icing sugar

1  egg

200g plain flour plus extra for dusting

100g strawberry jam

500g strawberries (small hulled, large sliced)

2 tbsp apricot jam

For the crème pâtissière

50g butter, cubed and softened

300ml milk

150ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla cream

3 egg yolks

60g caster sugar

3½ tbsp cornflour

METHOD:

Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth, but not fluffy. Mix in the egg until combined, then add the flour. Bring together with your hands to form a dough. Wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

Dust a surface with flour and roll out the pastry to a 26cm circle (or 3cm bigger than your tin). Line a 23cm fluted tart tin with the pastry, leaving an overhang. Prick the base with a fork to stop any air bubbles forming. Chill for 30 mins.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line the pastry case with a scrunched up sheet of baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the parchment and beans and bake for 15-20 mins more until crisp and golden. Leave in the tin to cool.

To make the crème pâtissière, heat the milk, cream and vanilla in a pan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring up to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the yolks and sugar in a bowl for 3 mins until pale, then stir in the cornflour until combined. Pour a quarter of the hot cream over the egg mix, whisking continuously, then pour the warm egg mix into the pan with the rest of the cream. Stir over a low-medium heat for 5-8 mins until the crème pâtissière thickens. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 15 mins, whisking occasionally. Gradually whisk in the butter until smooth, cover and put in the fridge until needed.

Beat the strawberry jam to loosen it, then spread over the bottom of the pastry case. Put the crème pâtissière into a piping bag and pipe in a spiral on top of the jam. Arrange the strawberries on top in a pattern. Heat the apricot jam in a small pan with 1 tbsp water until warm. Whisk to loosen the jam, then leave to cool slightly. Brush over the top of the strawberries.