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.

Your Garden in Spring

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.