I'm a Gertrude Jekyll Wannabe: Mistakes Beginning Gardeners Make
By the end of the summer the artimesia was duking it out with the gooseneck loosestrife. White lilies were growing up, and also sneaking out through the rocks that bordered the raised bed. Garlic chives reseeded and were popping up everywhere.White catmint was racing into the next garden. Almost the only thing in the garden not threatening to burst free was a white liatris that the rabbits kept eating. I wasn't even through my first year of gardening, and already I was buying books promising to help tame the "mature" garden. Mine wasn't exactly mature, but it was at least a pre-teen on an overdose of hormones. I had to start yet another garden, just to hold the overflow.
What this taught me was a set of principles useful to other beginners.
1. Believe the information about how large a plant will eventually grow. Fill in with annuals if naked dirt offends you.
2. Just because it says white doesn't mean it won't clash with other whites. Same for pinks, blues, greens, etc. See it in bloom before you decide it will work.
3. Before trying to imitate Gertrude Jekyll or anyone else, do your homework. Find out how big the border you want to imitate really is and don't try to imitate a 100 yard stretch in a 10' garden.
4. Don't try to grow plants that don't thrive in your area. If they insist on a cool damp climate and you don't have one, they won't give you the effect you're after.
5. Above all, don't buy a plant because it says it grows quickly. This all too often means it's invasive and in danger or becoming a weed in the flower bed.
If despite my warnings, you still want to attempt an English-style garden here are a few helpful sources.
First of all, read this book! The Harmonious Garden by Catherine Ziegler is the best book I've found to help with garden design. The author is an Englishwoman, but has been designing gardens in America for over 20 years.Read the review and then visit Timber Press to get a copy.
Robert Wright has put together a lecture detailing the principles used by Gertrude Jekyll to create her gardens.
Take a virtual tour of Newby Hall and see several different fabulous gardens. Be prepared for a long download, though.
Here's a peek at a style we'd love to attempt, if only we
Latest Articles