Using mostly evergreen, foliage plants is a bold choice in a garden. In this small London garden, garden designer Alasdair Cameron has ensured cohesion by using a limited palette of plants that are mostly evergreen. “In such a small space, I like to keep things simple, otherwise it gets too busy and makes the space look smaller,” says Alasdair. He has used a mainly green, white and pale-pink palette, with evergreen yew domes, tree ferns and ‘curtains’ of scented star jasmine and stauntonia for year-round interest. Although the planting spaces are relatively small, the effect is full and tranquil and, most importantly, the space works incredibly well.

Read more about evergreens

• Evergreen trees for gardens: the best to grow
• Evergreen shrubs for sun and shade
• Chelsea designer Kate Gould on how to create an evergreen garden
• A low maintenance, evergreen pot for winter

Best foliage plants

• Mind your own business (Soleirolia soleirolii) – spreading plant with tiny evergreen leaves. Can be used as ground cover, as an alternative to a lawn or in a living wall.
• Stauntonia hexaphylla – an evergreen climber with apple green leaves and small but deliciously scented flowers in early spring.
• Muehlenbeckia – a deciduous shrub with small dark green leaves. Grow as a climber or ground cover.
• Yew (Taxus baccata) – an excellent alternative to box, that can be clipped into balls and topiary.
• Hebe rakaiensis – a compact, rounded evergreen small shrub that is another great alternative to box.
• Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ – attractive shrub with pale green leaves.
• Hart’s tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) – glossy, crinkled evergreen leaves.
• Shuttlecock fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) – large fern with stunning fronds that looks especially attractive as it unfurls
• Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) – evergreen climber with star-shaped, scented flowers.
• Prostrate rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus Group) – a prostrate form of rosemary, with blue flowers in early spring.
• Tree fern (Dicksonia antarctica) – an eye catching trunk and fern-like foliage.

Here are five tips from Alasdair’s on using evergreen foliage plants in the garden.

Consider the different shades of green

Thinking of foliage plants as just ‘green’ belies the many different shades there are to play with. For example, mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia soleirolii) is a bright, almost electric green; Stauntonia hexaphylla, a favourite climber of mine, is an appley green, while Muehlenbeckia has a more brownish hue.

Consider foliage textures and proportions

When you’re using just one colour, foliage texture and proportion take on a far greater importance. I think spheres of Taxus baccata, Hebe rakaiensis and Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ look great together – the leaf sizes are similar but they provide both different shades and textures.

Make sure you have some flowers in summer

Be sure to include ferns

Ferns are great plants for a green garden and for foliage – they have so many different textures and shapes – and they are especially good when they unfurl. I love the glossy, crinkled leaves of the hart’s tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium and the shuttlecock clumps of the male fern Dryopteris filix-mas.

Think about vertical and horizontal surfaces

Think about the different planes in your garden and how to dress them. I use Trachelospermum jasminoides like a curtain of foliage, and I love the way prostrate rosemary sprawls across the tops of walls or planters. Steps can be softened by ribbons of Soleirolia soleirolii.

Here we’ve rounded up a selection of the best climbing plants, perfect for your garden. We’ve divided the list into climbers for walls, borders and vigorous examples.

Climbing plants, including favourites such as honeysuckle and jasmine, all share the successful strategy of relying on the support of other plants or objects to reach the sunlight. This obviates the need to invest much in producing supportive tissue, such as the wood in trees, and means climbing plants aren’t subject to the usual restraints on growth.

Here are the best climbing plants

How to choose a climbing plant

A climbing plant can be a wonderful addition to your garden planting, and there are plenty more out there to choose from than just the regular honeysuckle or clematis or passion flower. The way to choose your climbing plant depends a lot on the space you have and what you want your plant to be used for. Here are some tips on how to choose the best climbing plant:

• What do you want it to grow up? If you’re using your climbing plant as a screen, then you will want a vigorous climber that provides good, evergreen coverage, with hopefully flowering bonuses at some point too. If it’s something you’ll be looking out onto, make sure you pick a climber you love. They tend to dominate wherever they are.

• Do you have the right supports? A climber needs the right support, so make sure you invest in the correct plant support, or your wall, trellis or even tree is suitable for the particular climber.
• Do you have time to look after it? Lots of climbers are fussy and lots of climbers need work to prune it at the right point in the year. If you’re looking for something that you can chop once a year and then leave to do it’s own thing, consider a Clematis ‘francis rivis’ or Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’.

Luxuriant growth brings its own problems – vigour must be matched carefully to the appropriate space, and abundance restrained where necessary. If you need some climbing supports, we have rounded up our favourites,  and don’t miss our guide to pruning climbing plants like wisteria.

The best climbing plants for your garden in 2023

Climbing plants with flowers

Rhodochiton atrosanguineus

This ‘purple bell flower’ produces beautiful flowers along the length of its twining stems, and looks effective growing along horizontal twigs or branches. This climbing plant can be sown late April, or August and overwintered frost free. 2.5m AGM. RHS H2.

Jasminum nudiflorum

© Jason Ingram

This jasmine can be persuaded to adopt the semblance of a climber by training and cutting back immediately after flowering. If allowed some freedom, this winter jasmine will flower abundantly in winter and early spring. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’

A climbing plant that’s Perennial in a Mediterranean climate, it can achieve sufficient bulk here to make its presence felt from a late April sowing, without causing too much of a nuisance. Will flower until frost cuts it down. 3m. AGM. RHS H1c.

Ipomoea lobata

An intriguing member of the bindweed family, with flowers that are simultaneously an intense orange and yellow in the early bud stage, maturing to cream. Sow Spanish flag in late April and plant after all danger of frost. 3m.

Bomarea multiflora

Twining herbaceous climber, a relative of Alstroemeria, that arises from a tuber. The trailing lily may come through the winter protected by a thick mulch. Something this gorgeous deserves some effort. 6m. AGM. USDA 10a-11.

Lonicera x tellmanniana

A climbing honeysuckle lacking scent, but abundant, vivid-orange flowers offer excitement enough. Tolerates shade and may be pruned by removing flowered growth annually. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7b-10b. Don’t miss our plant profile for more honeysuckle suggestions.

Solanum laxum ‘Album’

A twining climber with abundant clusters of flowers that look fragile and fresh right up to the first frosts. Trim lateral branches to around 15cm in winter. On the tender side, so site carefully. 6m. AGM.

Evergreen climbing plants

Pileostegia viburnoides

Self-clinging, evergreen climbing plant thats shade tolerant with frothy white flowers in late summer. This climbing hydrangea has a slow rate of growth, but this makes it less work to restrain once established. 6m. USDA 8a-10b.

Climbing plants for shade

Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’

A good early flowering clematis with nodding flowers of great charm in spring. Works well in partial, deciduous shade as part of a woodland scheme. Prune lightly after flowering, if at all. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4b-9a.

Lapageria rosea

Achingly beautiful climber, but requires shade, shelter, good drainage (yet plentiful summer moisture), is slow to establish and an apparently ambrosial beacon for slugs. 7m. AGM. RHS H3, USDA 9b-11.

Parthenocissus henryana

Native to China, this Virginia climbing plant has tastefully variegated leaves that turn vibrant shades of red in the autumn. It self-clings and will tolerate the shade of a north-facing wall. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

A climbing plant that’s deciduous, but in season it completely clothes its space with large, green leaves and white, lace-cap inflorescences. Another climbing hydrangea that will cover a shady wall fast. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 4a-7b.

Schizophragma integrifolium

• Buy now from Thompson & Morgan (£35.99)

Similar to Hydrangea anomala, although you will need more patience. This climbing hyrdrangea is distinguished  by the shape and size of the sterile florets that encircle the inflorescence. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Low maintenance climbing plants

Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’

Good for lighting up dark walls without any fuss. A vigorous, self-clinging, adaptable variegated ivy climbing plant, with smart, glossy leaves tinged with white. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Ipomoea coccinea

Delicate in growth with striking scarlet flowers, this true annual is rarely seen and deserves to be grown more frequently. A climbing plant that’s straightforward from seed sown in late April and then planted out after all risk of frost is over. 6m.

Clematis ‘Prince Charles’

A prolific blue-flowered clematis, similar to Sissinghurst’s ‘Perle d’Azur’ but with slightly smaller flowers and improved resistance to powdery mildew. Cut back hard in spring and watch it go. 2.4m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. Here’s our profile on clematis montana. 

Cobaea scandens

The most vigorous of all annual climbers, and perennial in a frost-free climate. In one year, from seed, the ‘cup and saucer vine’ can cover an astonishing area with bell-shaped flowers from late summer to first frosts. 1.8m. AGM. RHS H2, USDA 9a-10b.

Fragrant climbing plants

Trachelospermum jasminoides

The scent of ‘false jasmine’ is not that similar to true jasmine, but equally powerful. The star jasmine is quite hardy, although the similar Trachelospermum asiaticum is said to be hardier. A climbing plant that’s best on a sunny wall. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 8a-11.

Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’

Vigorous rambling rose, with delicate flowers. Perfect for hoisting up a large tree. Will take time to establish itself, but once it does you will be rewarded with grace, scent and a profusion of flowers. 9m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b.

Fast growing climbing plants

Clematis ‘Alba Luxurians’

One of the most vigorous of the viticella cultivars. Cut back hard every spring, you’ll be amazed at the coverage you get over the course of one season. This climber flowers profusely July to September. 3.6m. USDA 3a-9b.

Read our expert guide to pruning clematis.

Rosa ‘Wedding Day’

The scrambling rose flowers have the agreeable quality of changing colour as they mature, from pale primrose to almost white. The different stages appear side by side in each many-headed inflorescence. 9m. USDA 7a-9b.

Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’

A tough, vigorous, climbing clematis, offering both striking flowers and seedheads over a long period. It’s tolerant of drought and extreme cold, but does best in full sun. 6m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5b-9b.

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’

Honeysuckle, with vivid colouring and a long flowering season. A vigorous and at times untidy grower; it can be kept within bounds by carefully removing flowered shoots in winter. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘Chevy Chase’

A climbing rose with a touch of opulence. The flowers are small double and crimson, with tightly clustered petals. Great in combination with the dark, glossy leaves of a mature holly, which makes a suitable host. 7m. USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘The Garland’

Trained to cover an archway, this climbing rose has always been the most arresting sight in the garden where I’ve been working for the past four years. Now it’s happily rambling on to a neighbouring yew tree. 7m.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’

Often grown in spur-pruned tiers on a wall, although if you allow it the freedom to romp into trees, this climbing plant will seek out the sunshine to flower well, and assume something of its natural character. 12m. USDA 5a-10b.

Vitis coignetiae

A vine in the more precise sense of the word: a close relative of the grape. This climber is grown for its large leaves, which turn spectacular colours in autumn. A wonderful way to enliven evergreen trees. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Clematis montana var. grandiflora

Well known for its extraordinary vigour, which makes it difficult to contain. This climbing plant’s stemmy growth can look rather untidy, especially in the winter. All will be forgiven when it flowers. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 6a-9b.

Climbing plants are a great addition to any garden as they not only provide aesthetic appeal but also offer practical benefits such as shade and privacy. With a wide range of varieties to choose from, gardeners have the opportunity to experiment with different climbers to suit their taste and requirements. Whether you have a small balcony or a large garden, there is a climbing plant that can transform your outdoor space. By selecting the right type of climbing plant and providing the right conditions for it to grow, you can create a beautiful and functional garden that is a joy to be in. So why not take the leap and add a climbing plant to your garden today!

If you’re in need of climbing supports for your climbing plants, we have rounded up the best climbing supports for 2023. Or here’s our piece on how to make your own plant supports. 

At Hermannshof, we use the German system of garden habitats to select plants according to their habitat requirements, sociability and aesthetic qualities. This is essential to achieve long-term, ecologically balanced and low-maintenance horticultural plant communities in gardens and urban green spaces. Below is my choice of plants that will be perfect for very wet soil.

Key: H = height; S = spread; C = conditions; SI = season of interest; HR = hardiness rating.

Plants for wet soil in winter

 Amosonia tabernaemontana var. Salicifolia

An attractive, clump-forming perennial, with willow-like leaves that turn from mid-green to buttery yellow, and bronze in autumn. The open clusters of star-shaped flowers are an intense metallic-blue and appear from early May. Emerges with dark, smoky-purple shoots. H 1m. S 60cm. C Moist, well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. SI May – October. HR RHS H5, USDA 3a-9b.

Aronia melanocarpa ‘Viking’

An upright, deciduous shrub with dark-green leaves that turn an intense, dark purple-red in autumn. Profuse, large clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by edible purple-black berries, much appreciated by birds. H 2-2.5m. S 1.5m. C Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. SI May – October. HR RHS H7, USDA 4a-8b.

Watch Cassian Schmidt deliver the winter lecture at the New York Botanical Garden

Camassia cusickii ‘Zwanenburg’

Intense blue, starry flowers in May, perfect for planting in swathes and weaving through damp meadows or around water. Enjoys both sun and dappled shade, so a good way to connect spaces and add rhythm. H 60-70cm. S 10cm. C Moist but well-drained chalk, loam, sand; full sun to part shade. SI May – June. HR RHS H4, USDA 6a-8b.

Camassia leichtlinii subsp. suksdorfii Caerulea Group

One of the loveliest bulbs for wildflower meadows and prairie-style plantings. Its violet-blue spikes are magical on a cool, rainy morning. Bulks up nicely. H 1m. S 50cm. C Prefers a mesic-moist soil; full sun to part shade. SI April – May. HR RHS H4, USDA 5a-9b.

Carex muskingumensis

A useful semi-evergreen grass for ground cover in light shade – either in small groups or in larger plantings. Very adaptable from winter wet to reasonably dry; also useful in semi-shaded rain gardens. Self-seeds in moister soils. Can be mowed in late winter. H 1m. S 1m. C Moist to mesic loam, clay; partial shade. SI May – October. HR RHS H4, USDA 4a-9b.

Cephalanthus occidentalis

An open-branched, deciduous shrub that’s native to damp areas along rivers in North America. Useful in retention swales and rain gardens, but thrives in normal garden soils. Compensates for coming into leaf late with scented, creamy-white flowers. H 1.5-2m. S 1.5m. C Moist to wet; full sun. SI Late summer – autumn. HR RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Eutrochium purpureum ‘Baby Joe’

This new, compact Joe-Pye weed is useful in smaller prairie plantings or borders. It starts to bloom in late July with terminal heads of pinkish-purple flowers. Native to moist prairie meadows, it adapts well to normal garden conditions. H 80cm-1m. S 60cm. C Mesic-moist, loam, clay; sun-part sun. SI Late July – September. HR RHS H7, USDA 3a-9b.

Euphorbia palustris

This clump-forming, long-lived perennial produces flowers with clusters of vibrant yellow-lime bracts in May. The fresh-green leaves often turn intense orange-yellow in autumn. Found in moist meadows, it associates well with sanguisorbas, camassias and irises. AGM. H 1m. S 90cm. C Moist but well-drained clay, loam; full sun. SI May – June. HR RHS H7, USDA 5a-10b. 72

Hemerocallis citrina

This is my favourite daylily, which I prefer to use in lush naturalistic plantings together with Lilium henryi, aconitums and thalictrums. Forms large, bushy clumps with strap-like leaves to 80cm long. The nocturnal, fragrant and elegant, star-shaped flowers with lemon-yellow sepals are produced in abundance in midsummer. AGM. H 1.5m. S 1m. C Mesic- moist, loam, clay; sun-part sun. SI July – August. HR RHS H6, USDA 3a-9b.

Iris ‘Caesar’s Brother’

A really old cultivar but for me still the best for planting designs. It is super robust and has survived for decades in a moist, meadow-style planting at Hermannshof. The deep-violet-blue flowers appear in mid-May well above the foliage, which turns a wonderful intense yellow in autumn. H 1-1.2m. S 80cm. C Mesic-moist, loam, clay; sun-part sun. SI July – August. HR RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b.

Leucanthemella serotina

A tall, robust, clump-forming perennial with toothed, dark-green leaves, which produces large, yellow-centred white daisies from September to October. It’s native to moist, tall, herb communities, and works well planted alongside moor grasses, vernonias and
Iris sibirica. AGM. H 1.8m. S 80cm. C Moist but well-drained clay, loam; full sun to light shade. SI Late summer – autumn. HR RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b.

Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’

The perfect bulb for a damp meadow garden in sun or dappled shade, where other bulbs wouldn’t survive. Great together with ferns, such as Matteuccia. With glossy, strap-like, dark-green leaves, and leafless stems bearing up to eight bell-shaped, slightly fragrant, white flowers, tipped with green. AGM. H 60-80cm. S 30cm. C Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. SI May – June. HR RHS H7, USDA 4a-8b.

Lobelia x speciosa ‘Hadspen Purple’

This is a short-lived perennial but worth using as a vertical accent, scattered through meadow-style plantings, working especially well with Sporobolus or Molinia grasses. The fantastic, bright-purple flower racemes are attractive for a long time in summer. H 80cm. S 30cm. C Mesic-moist, loam, clay; full sun. SI July – September. HR RHS H5, USDA 5a-8b.

Lythrum salicaria ‘Swirl’

Clump-forming perennial with strongly upright, branching stems to 1m tall, clad with narrow, lance-shaped leaves that turn red in autumn. Airy spikes of rich rosy-purple flowers are produced over a long period during summer. H 1m. S 40cm. C Moist, loam, clay; full sun. SI July – August. HR RHS H7, USDA 4a-9b.

Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Transparent’

A deep-rooted, deciduous, cool-season grass for various conditions. Arching mounds of strap-like foliage. Transparent, airy spikelets with greenish-purple flowers emerge in late summer, turning yellow in November. Combines well with Iris sibirica, persicarias and sanguisorbas. H 1.8m. S 60cm. C Moist loam, clay; full sun to part shade. SI August – November. HR RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b.

Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Arnhem’

A Piet Oudolf selection with tall, wiry, branched flower stalks, carrying deep rose-pink drumstick flowers in summer. This was one of the best in our trials; very floriferous and, unlike many other tall sanguisorbas, doesn’t generally flop. Cut back after flowering to prevent seedlings. H 1.8m. S 50cm. C Mesic-moist, loam, clay; full sun to part shade. SI July – August. HR RHS H7, USDA 4a-8b.

Read our guide on growing sanguisorba

Viburnum nudum Brandywine (= ‘Bulk’)

One of my favourite viburnums for woodland-edge plantings. It’s a medium-sized shrub with glossy leaves that turn wine-red in autumn. Large clusters of ornamental berries, which mature from pale-green through white, pink and blue to black, remain after the leaves have fallen. This cultivar is self-fertile. H 1.5-2m. S 1.5m. C Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. SI Late
summer – autumn. HR RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.

When Monique and Simon Gudgeon took on Pallington Lakes in rural Dorset, it was a fishery, and they had no plans to turn it into anything else. The outbuildings would be useful for Simon’s career as a sculptor, and the fishing business would generate its own income. But three and a half years later the Gudgeons waved goodbye to the fishermen forever, as Simon’s sculptures began to take up residence by water’s edge. This was a development that neither party would have predicted before Simon decided to swap storage space for the open air – and was impressed by the way his sculpture interacted with the landscape.

The prospect of landscaping 26 acres is less daunting, it could be argued, if half of the land is under water, measured out in lakes and ponds. The only part of the emerging sculpture park that Monique planned on paper was the area around the house. Beyond the estate fencing and figurative gates (made by Simon), various winding paths spread themselves out from no single point, leading to a destination that is not clear. A giant pergola draped with roses and clematis in summer, offers a further route towards the wider landscape.

Sculptures emerge along the way, rising from grasses, sitting in woodland clearings and perched in or around water. Naturally progressing as more sculptures have appeared, the garden has benefited from Monique’s experience as a horticulturist, and a shared sanguine approach to size and scale.

Curving away from the house, a grass path slowly elevates into a raised walkway, framed initially by Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Red Head’ and Lonicera ligustrina var. yunnanensis, which was cut into mounds by Jake Hobson of Niwaki. Monique was impressed by the shaping of land at Charles Jencks’s Garden of Cosmic Speculation in Scotland, and these ideas were further confirmed by a visit to the garden of Fernando Caruncho in Madrid.

“It’s my natural inclination to keep expanding,” she says. “I wanted to try these sculptural forms, and this area and situation lent itself to that.” At the end of the spiralling path, where Lonicera ligustrina var. yunnanensis gives way to L. ligustrina var. pileata ‘Moss Green’, the pruning relaxes into Caruncho-esque cushions, intended as a reflection on the Dorset Downs. Monique was further inspired by the karikomi way with shrubs from Japan: “It’s about forming a landscape, using plants.”

The drama of the planting creates an atmosphere where land art sits easily with art on the land. A willow tunnel makes a statuesque arc around a wildflower meadow, while its straight stems and pinnate leaves merge into those of bamboo, part of a collection of 500 plants brought from a previous garden. She cheerfully grows 20 types of bamboo, and about 20 different types of willow, six of which were already thriving in the watery landscape.

Having cut her teeth as a gardener first in the show gardens of Agriframes, followed by more detailed horticulture at Architectural Plants, she now volunteers once a week at the Arboretum nursery at Kew Gardens. She is used to dealing with structure, both hard and soft, and her enthusiasm for knowledge and growing experience is particularly focussed on trees.

“I know I’m going to lose a lot of ash, so I’m looking at all sorts of trees that I can replace it with,” says Monique. New trees include sweet chestnut, three dawn redwoods, three swamp maples, a cedar of Lebanon and multiple eucalyptus. They are joined by countless magnolias and Japanese acers in the sheltered woodland walk, and 460 silver birch trees in a serene glade by the water. “After oak, birch is one of the most important trees for wildlife,” says Monique. “Hundreds of species rely on it.”

Before the lakes were created in the 1970s, Pallington was part of Thomas Hardy’s ‘verdant plain’, in the Vale of the Great Dairies. “In summer they used to run the cattle through this area. In winter, because it was always flooded, they just let it go,” says Monique. She gardens for nature as much as for herself, and was keen to maintain a winter habitat for caterpillars, in an area that was already popular with butterflies.

Building a bank to protect the garden from flooding, Monique planted it with butterfly attractants, such as eupatorium and nepeta, while maintaining quantities of nettles. The couple are privileged to have the reed-fringed River Frome winding through their garden. Left to its own devices, the waterway has formed an oxbow bend, which will one day become a small island. Just the spot for a new sculpture.

Most current designers will claim an ecological component to their work, but Ron Lutsko can say with certitude that this has been a key aspect of his practice since he set up his San Francisco-based company in 1981, when such interests were viewed almost as cranky. What makes Ron’s work even more interesting is that he is steeped in the traditions of Californian garden modernism, as defined by early 20th-century figures such as Thomas Church and Garrett Eckbo. The result is that Ron’s design mingles a deep knowledge of native flora with an elegant modernity.

The garden in brief

What Surprise ‘oasis’ garden, designed by Ron Lutsko. Where California, USA. Size Half an acre. Soil Heavy clay. Climate Unpredictable winters. Hardiness zone USDA 9b.

The property

In recent years Ron has been pushing at the boundaries of what might be considered ‘a garden’ – at projects such as the Portola Residence, where a plot without boundaries segues with the surrounding grassland. But his abiding interest in the possibilities of plants means he is also eager to take up new horticultural challenges, even if the results are somewhat out of kilter with the rest of his portfolio. This is certainly the case at a half-acre garden he has designed at a private residence in the affluent suburb of Atherton, 40 miles south of San Francisco. Here, he was asked to create a ‘temperate oasis’ pool garden around a remodelled 1960s glass-walled house.

“I want my work to grow out of the place, but this is different,” Ron says. “The front of the property feels airy, open and Mediterranean, but then you come through the house and you are in this temperate-climate oasis that does not even feel like California. There’s a moment of compression at the front door, then you go from dry gravel to wet pond in just a few paces. It’s as if in one building you travel from the South of France to Switzerland.”

The concept

The concept stemmed in part from the clients’ desire to move their collection of Japanese maples and conifers from their previous garden to the new house. The existing building was remodelled by architectural firm Turnbull Griffin Haesloop, whose founder, the late William Turnbull, is celebrated for his rustic-modernist houses at Sea Ranch, Sonoma, and was a mentor to Ron as a young designer. Working closely with the architects, Ron hit upon a tripartite structure for the garden, which is a ‘flag lot’, in local real-estate jargon. This means that the long, straight entrance drive cuts through other properties, so that the garden sits in a secluded situation in woodland ‘behind’ the neighbouring houses. The three long rectangular sections are a dry-garden entrance court with a grove of white-blossomed chimonanthus trees, then the ‘oasis’ garden immediately behind the house, followed by another dry zone at the far end of the plot, slightly uphill.

The garden

“It was an old established garden, but it had been pretty much abandoned,” Ron explains. “We expanded an existing small pond and brought water right up to the house and deck.” The pool was accented with native carex (sedge) and irises (both Japanese – I. ensata – and those from the ‘Louisiana’ species group). Ron acknowledges that elements such as the maples, rocks, viewing deck and horizontal orientation give the design something of a Japanese feel, but his intention was not to create a themed garden. “There are no specific Japanese motifs,” he says, “but I do love the way the Japanese link their buildings with their landscapes. The area by the pool is very much a self-centred, introspective space. We contoured the hill behind so it forms a bowl and you find yourself in this quiet zone.”As for the maples, says Ron, “they’re like little characters emerging from the woods”.

The planting

The planting for the ‘oasis’ area incorporated a verdant understorey of hellebores, cyclamen, anemones and ferns (mainly woodwardias and maidenhairs), with a shrub layer of dwarf maples, loropetalums, daphnes and smaller species rhododendrons. The upper level comprises birch, sugar maple and cornus (mainly C. kousa), with olives at the fringes, where the garden meets the surrounding woodland of eucalyptus and live oak. The two smaller garden areas, which sandwich the house and pool garden, are more typically Californian, and less distinctive as a result.

The result

What Ron clearly relished most was creating the anomalous water garden at the heart of the property. “It is a very different garden for us,” he acknowledges. “But in a certain way I love these plants. I just embrace the whole thing and step back. I wouldn’t have done it any differently.

12 key plants to use

One of several Japanese maples that the clients brought with them from their existing collection, and which Ron has used to create focal points around the pool. 7m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b†.

Mexican bush sage is used in the dry upper garden, favoured for its drought tolerance and long flowering season (into late autumn). The small white flowers have showy purple calyces. 1.2m. AGM*. RHS H2, USDA 8a-10b.

For Ron, this “remains the best philadelphus”, with its pink flower eye, strong fragrance and generous leafiness. 1.8m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Though not generally a fan of variegated plants, Ron admits that this specimen from the clients’ collection adds character to the garden. It has showy bracts that start out white then turn pink with a white centre. 2.4m.

Deciduous clumping fern with a drooping habit. This marginal plant adds a delicacy at the edge of water. 45cm. USDA 5a-8b.

This highly aromatic lavender with deep bluish-purple flowers is used generously in the dry upper garden. 90cm. RHS H5, USDA 5a-8b.

One of several birch species used in the garden in a deliberately anomalous manner (for California). The bark colour varies, but is usually the whitest found on any birch. 12m. USDA 5a-6b.

A bushy, unvariegated cornus used for its fresh, green-and-white appeal. The flowers are followed by deep-pink fruit clusters. 7m. RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Its glossy, umberella-shaped leaves, around 50cm in width, turn red in autumn. Dies back below ground level in autumn, before new growth in spring, preceded by pale-pink flowers on tall, naked stems. 1.5m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5a-7b.

A small, succulent shrub is used in the front courtyard, its narrow, blue-green leaves turning myriad shades in the sunlight. 60cm.

Native to California, this upright fern, with dark-green, lance-shaped fronds, is used extensively by the water in this garden. 1.5m. AGM. RHS H3.

This hellebore can deal with both drought and wet shady conditions, so is an element of continuity between the oasis and the drier zones. Bears large, open clusters of nodding, pale-green flowers. 1m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-8b.

Useful Information

Find out more about Ron’s work at lutskoassociates.com

Geum National Collection holder, Sue Martin gives her tips on what to consider when growing geums.

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Top tips for growing geums

• The key to growing geums is moisture retentive soil but the pH of soil is not an issue. Sue Martin’s heavy clay soil has been enriched by years of manuring by the previous owner. Sue adds both grit and compost to the soil when planting a new area of geum and continues to mulch annually with garden compost.
• The other thing to consider is the amount of sunlight/shade. Geum rivale cultivars thrive in shady spots where they combine well with for example Pulmonaria and Helleborus. Geum coccineum cultivars enjoy partial shade but will scorch in direct sun, whereas the larger flowered – and often most popular – Geum chiloense cultivars grow well in sunshine as long as the ground in sufficiently moist.
• It is well worth dividing the plants every 3 to 4 years. This is an essential regime with the Chiloense cultivars.
• Otherwise, geums are a low maintenance plant with the advantage of evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves forming attractive groundcover all winter. Seedheads are good-looking too so the only maintenance is to remove the occasional mildewy stem at the end of the summer.
• Vine weevil need to be controlled if grown in pots.

Sue’s garden sometimes open to the public as part of the National Gardens Scheme.

Address Brickwall Nursery, 1 Brickwall Cottages, Frittenden, Kent TN17 2DH.

WHERE TO BUY:
• Sue offers a wide range of geum by mail order and plants are available at her garden open days.

Other recommended suppliers include:
• Hardy’s Cottage Plants in Hampshire
• Beeches Nursery near Saffron Walden in Essex
• Chipchase Castle Nursery, Northumberland

Gardening is shifting. Driven by a love of naturalistic planting and a desire to be sustainable and ecologically responsible, many gardeners want dynamic plantings that are micro ecosystems for wildlife as well as being beautiful. Placing importance on finding plants that grow with minimal effort, happy to jostle among dense planting; step forward weeds.

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Why weeds?

We unfairly overlook plants labelled as weeds but as I discuss in my new book, Wild about Weeds, many are beautiful and useful for garden design for the very reasons we rip them out. Described as “plants in the wrong place” people usually dislike weeds because they spread vigorously and keep coming back. But this can be a benefit; where happy, weeds burst with vitality rather than requiring life support from fertilisers and irrigation.

Thugs like ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) and green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens) – beautiful as they are – are perhaps too vigorous but there’s a middle ground of unappreciated weeds. Wall hugging yellow corydalis (Pseudofumaria lutea) and Herb robert (Geranium robertianum) flower for long periods without watering. Contributing in the way erigeron and forget-me-nots do, which are plants we’ve already forgiven for their weedy ways. While Caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyris) is just as easy to grow, fitting perfectly in tropical and foliage gardens.

Impacts on plants in a changing climate

As our climate becomes more turbulent through global warming and climate change, weeds have a lot to offer with their tough constitution. In 2018’s nine week drought, parks in south east England were a sea of brown except for native ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium) still in flower, feeding many insects. Don’t forget that ragwort is considered dangerous to cattle and horses if eaten (which is likely to happen when included by accident in dry feeds) and it’s best to be careful it doesn’t spread onto agricultural land.

We’re experiencing fewer days of frost, winters are milder, the top ten warmest years on record have occurred since 2002 and we’re seeing more extremes of drought and flooding.

Temperatures have significant effects on plants, slowing some down while helping others. A couple of decades ago Echium pininana needed winter protection, now it rarely does in sheltered spots; my own echiums self-seed by their hundreds alongside weeds in neighbouring gardens.

Many plants are weeds given the right conditions

Ricinus communis is an ornamental from the tropics of north east Africa, yet it’s a vigorous invasive weed in north America, Australia and parts of the Mediterranean. In mild areas of the UK, like coastal and urban gardens, it displays the same weed-like traits: rapid growth and self-sowing, though many compost the plants before they have the chance. Common fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, is another invasive in those regions and a rise in temperature could find the same happening here. Especially in the heat bubbles of urban areas, in which 82 per cent of us now live.

Except, we know how to control these plants easily – Ricinus can be poisonous but can’t self seed if the seed pods are removed – making them perfectly safe to grow confined to our gardens. Knowledge of plant life cycles makes any plant easily containable including weeds; unfortunately the Victorians gave Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed two centuries head start before people understood their impact on habitats. Something unlikely to happen had they been introduced in gardens today.

Understanding plants on an individual level

Plants that spread without help from us may have been classified as garden weeds in the past but are an asset for future gardens. Not all weeds are ugly, uncontrollable brutes and by understanding them, are easy to grow by restricting numbers instead of cosseting. Growing designer weeds may sound bonkers but with so much going for them, we’d be bonkers not to.

Jack Wallington’s new book Wild about Weeds: Garden Design with Rebel Plants is published by Laurence King and is out now.

Five ‘weeds’ to plant

Jack Wallington’s new book Wild about Weeds: Garden Design with Rebel Plants is published by Laurence King and is out now.

The RHS has released a list that reveals how best to mange honey fungus, one of the most frequently reported plant complaints in UK gardens.

Honey fungus usually appears at the start of autumn when honey-coloured toadstools appear, attack and kill the roots of woody and perennial plants. The disease itself is hard to eradicate, as it lives within extensive root systems underground and easily spreads, even if the infected plant has been removed.

RHS pathologists looked at more than 5,000 records of confirmed cases of honey fungus and a study into susceptibility by the University of California and have come up with a list of plants to avoid if the disease is present in your garden. The plants on the list are ranked in order from low susceptibility to moderate susceptibility and high susceptibility.

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Plants in the Myrtales order of flowering plants – including myrtle and fuchsia – and Ericales – including camellia and heather, tended to have low susceptibility. But those in the Saxifragales – such as liquidambar and witch hazels – were highly susceptible.

The advice from the RHS is that if honey fungus appears in your plot or your neighbours’ plot to consider planting things with low susceptibility to honey fungus, which will help to limit the spread of the plant.

Honey fungus has topped the RHS annual pest and disease ranking for 23 years. Warmer and drier summers have exacerbated the fungus, because stress levels of plants have increased which makes them more susceptible to attack.

Matthew Cromey, senior plant pathologist at the RHS, said: “The RHS has long advised on what plants might be best avoided if honey fungus is a known problem on your plot but this new research, for the first time, also accounts for a plant’s popularity in gardens and therefore the diseases’ likely true impact. Following the planting advice isn’t a guarantee against the disease but a sensible precautionary measure akin to practicing good plant hygiene.”

Read plants on the list below

Low susceptibility to honey fungus

• Olive
• Yew
• Laurel
• Honeysuckle
• Box
• Lavender

Moderate susceptibility to honey fungus

• Apple
• Maple
• Prunus
• Magnolia
• Rose
• Hornbeam

High susceptibility to honey fungus

• Privet
• Lilac
• Leyland Cypress
• Vibrunum
• Hawthorn
• Eleagnus

For the full list of plants on the list head to the RHS. 

Hostile climates come in many forms. Gardeners may face long snowy winters with a short spring, sub-zero temperatures when the ground freezes for months, exposed headlands or hillsides where the wind chill factor takes its toll, or garden at altitude in northern climes with a growing season measured in a few short weeks.

Nothing quenches our desire to create a garden, whatever the challenges.

The hardiness of woody plants is affected by the moisture levels in the soil, a combination of cold and water-logging proving fatal, with drier soils increasing the chance of survival. Even when cut back to the ground by cold weather, plants often re-grow from the base, particularly when they are mulched to protect them from freezing.

Herbaceous plants, which survive many weeks under a blanket of snow, dislike wet, frozen soil during dormancy, so true cold-climate plants need to be robust and tolerant of the conditions. Careful research and selection and ‘putting the ‘right plant in the right place’ is essential for success.

Here’s a list of some hardy woody plants to give you inspiration for your cold climate garden.

Autumn

Euonymus planipes

This small, deciduous tree is renowned for its rich-red autumn colour and red fruits that burst open to reveal bright-orange seeds.

Height 3m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.

Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’

Rightly regarded as one of the finest Japanese maples, its leaves turn a brilliant orange and scarlet in autumn.

Height 4m. Hardiness rating RHS H6,USDA  5b-9a.

Cladrastis kentukea

Attractive medium-sized tree with smooth, grey bark and drooping, fragrant, white flowers hanging in clusters. Brilliant-yellow autumn foliage.

Height 15m. Hardiness rating USDA 4a-8b.

Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’

One of the best maples for autumn colour, with leaves offering a multitude of hues. Can be grown as a spreading tree or shrub.

Height 5m. Hardiness rating AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.

Winter

Corylus colurna

A very symmetrical, beautifully architectural tree. The bark has corky corrugations, foliage is attractive and the nuts are edible.

Height 24m. Hardiness rating RHS H5, USDA 4a-7b.

Ilex x meserveae Blue Princess (= ‘Conapri’)

A spreading, evergreen shrub with spiny, dark blue-green leaves and red berries. There is a male form called Blue Prince (= ‘Conablu’).

Height 2.5m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, 4a-9b.

Find Ilex x meserveae Blue Princess (= ‘Conapri’) through the RHS

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii ‘Doorenbos’

A gorgeous deciduous tree, with an elegant oval crown and white trunk and branches. The bark is fresh orange when it first peels.

Height 15m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 4a-7b.

Viburnum farreri

Fragrant, white flowers burst from pink buds, on terminal and side shoots followed by coppery leaves in spring.

Height 3m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Spring

Magnolia kobus

A beautiful, large shrub or deciduous tree, excellent on all soils, including chalk. Fragrant, six-petalled, white flowers
precede pink fruits with scarlet seeds.

Height 10m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Cornus mas

This large, deciduous shrub, or small tree, has reddish-purple, autumn colour followed by masses of yellow flowers on naked branches in early spring and small glossy, red fruits in summer.

Height 5m. Hardiness rating USDA 4a-8a.

Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’

Rows of large, white, lacecap flowers appear in spring in clusters along the tiered branches of this deciduous shrub, with prominently veined, dark-green leaves.

Height 2m. Hardiness rating RHS H5, USDA 5b-9a.

Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’

A vigorous small tree, whose fragrant white flowers, measuring up to 10cm across, appear before the leaves. Even young plants will flower freely.

Height 8m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b

Viburnum furcatum

In spring this large and upright, deciduous shrub, has lacecap heads of creamy-white flowers. In autumn red berries that ripen to black complement the autumnal foliage.

Height 7m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 7a-9b.

Prunus avium ‘Plena’

One of the most beautiful native European flowering trees, with attractive bark and decked with hanging clusters of white, double flowers. Autumn colour is vibrant orange-yellow.

Height 12m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Rhododendron ‘Cunningham’s White’

This compact hybrid is one of many cold-hardy rhododendrons. The dark-green leaves, a perfect foil for mauve-pink flowers that fade to white. Tolerates slightly alkaline soils.

Height 2m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 6a-8b.

Malus ‘Evereste’

Red buds open to white flowers on this small, conical crab apple that has dark-green, slightly lobed leaves. Flowers are followed by yellow-orange fruits in autumn.

Hieght 7m. Hardiness ratings RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.

Amelanchier lamarckii

Copper-tinted, young shoots appear alongside clouds of white flowers in spring. In autumn the main draw is its fiery foliage; its dark, autumn berries are soon devoured by birds.

Height 10m. Hardiness ratings RHS H6, USDA 4a-10a.

Summer

Crataegus x lavalleei ‘Carrierei’

A dense, compact tree that is worth planting for its large, white flowers, but also provides rich, autumn colour and large, long-lasting orange berries.

Height 7m. Hardiness rating RHS H6.

Buy Crataegus x lavalleei ‘Carrierei’ from Ornamental Trees

Rhododendron luteum

Formerly known as Azalea pontica, this shrub boasts golden-yellow flowers in late spring and early summer that have a sweet, rich fragrance and offers bright, bonfire tones of autumn colour.

Height 4m. Hardiness rating RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Buy Rhododendron luteum from Thompson & Morgan

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’

Perfect for growing in pots, this glorious hydrangea has rounded clusters of white sterile flowers up to 25cm across that fade to a pale lime green.

Height 2.5m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b.

Rosa Iceberg (= ‘Korbin’)

A medium-sized rose with slightly fragrant, double, pure-white flowers that are sometimes tinged pink later in the season. It is robust, reliable and has a long flowering season.

Height 1.2m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 4a-9a.

Paeonia rockii

This aristocratic, deciduous shrub has deeply divided foliage and large, pure-white flowers up to 25cm across, with deep-purple blotches at the base. Needs space to grow.

Height 2m. Hardiness rating USDA 5a-9b.

Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’

A glorious shrub that has a dense, spreading habit. Its arching branches carry a profusion of white flowers on short spikes in mid to late spring followed by fiery autumn foliage.

Height 2.5m. Hardiness rating RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b.

Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’

A small, late-flowering, deciduous sub-shrub with white stems, grey-green leaves and large plumes of lavender-coloured tubular flowers in late summer and early autumn.

Height 1.2m. Hardiness rating  RHS H5, USDA 5a-10a.

Growing information and where to see and buy hardy cold-climate plants

Cultivation

• Create windbreaks on exposed sites to provide sheltered microclimates.
• Plant woody plants on slightly raised mounds in damp soil if you are unsure of their tolerance of waterlogging.
• Plant containerised trees and shrubs in square holes, slightly larger than the pot, then tease out the roots  before planting.
• When planting woody plants in clay soils, make the planting hole slightly larger than the rootball – too large and it fills with water and may freeze. In other conditions the hole should be three times the size of the rootball.
• Plant in spring so there is time for plants to become established before the onset of colder weather.
• Protect plants of borderline hardiness by mulching around the roots, covering with horticultural fleece, growing in a sheltered, sunny position or under glass in colder climates, or in containers to be moved indoors in winter.

Hardiness

Wherever possible, we’ve listed the hardiness ratings for plants, which give an indication of the plant’s ability to endure cold conditions. Although several countries have their own plant hardiness ratings, we use the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) scale, which assigns plants to zones from 1 (very hardy) to 13 (least hardy), and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which runs in the opposite direction from H7 (very hardy) to H1a (least hardy), and tries  to reflect the UK’s garden conditions.

You can find out more on both here.

Where to buy hardy plants

• Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery, Simsby, nr Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Derbyshire LE65 2TA
• Crocus, Nursery Court, London Road, Windlesham, Surrey GU20 6LQ
• Knoll Gardens, Stapehill Road, Hampreston, Wimborne BH21 7ND

Where to see hardy plants

• Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden, University of Tromso, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
• Drömparken, Munksundet, 745 31  Enköping, Sweden
• RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU26 3QB
• Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Jermyns Lane, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0QA

Philippa Hodkinson gardens in England’s most northerly county, Northumberland. Here she picks 15 of her favourite annuals that grow successfully in her windswept garden.

A tall-stemmed plant with purple-violet flowers, rather like a delicate thistle-head. It’s an easily grown, scented annual that makes an excellent cut flower. Best sown en masse to create a dramatic effect. 75cm.

Don’t be put off by its common name of bishop’s weed. This voguish plant is like a super-charged cow parsley, but with much bigger, more dramatic flowers. It’s nectar-rich so attracts butterflies and bees too.
1.2m.

Better known as dill, this superb annual with lime-green foliage and yellow, umbel flowers looks good with virtually any other plant. It grows easily, self-seeds readily, and you can use the aniseed-flavoured leaves in cooking.
90cm.

Sometimes called cupid’s dart, this short-lived perennial is treated like an annual in Philippa’s northern garden. The flowers resemble a pretty, lilac-blue cornflower, which means it is a favourite of flower arrangers. Has little in the way of foliage, so plant in drifts for maximum effect.
75cm.

A bright-orange, double flower, which was a favourite of Gertrude Jekyll who used it in large drifts in the garden on Lindisfarne. Simple to grow, it self-seeds gently and keeps on producing flowers if it is regularly deadheaded.
45cm.

A dark, almost-black cornflower and a stunner, but best grown in drifts and supported with wire as it has a tendency to flop. The flowers are a bee magnet and last well out of water, making it good for decorating puddings and salads.
75cm.

Although it looks quite exotic, with its glaucous blue-green foliage and droplets of dark-purple flowers, this honeywort is a truly tough character, and given dry soil and lots of sun will flower its head off for months. Flower arrangers and bees love it.
45-60cm.

A showy, tri-coloured flower that resembles a child’s drawing of a flower. Its white petals have a yellow inner halo surrounding a dark-brown centre. It also has good lacy foliage and makes a long-lasting cut flower.
75cm.

This cheery, old-fashioned annual creates a neat dome of foliage bursting with buttons of primrose-yellow flowers with a golden centre. Another favourite of Gertrude Jekyll that she planted extensively on Lindisfarne and one that Philippa wouldn’t be without.
30-45cm.

This pinkish-white flower, a cross between a daisy and a dandelion, does best in full sun where it will bloom for months. Good for containers too as it likes being kept on the dry side.
60cm.

This wild carrot has the same feathery foliage as its domesticated cousins, but grown as a biennial, and left to run to seed, it produces a beautiful flower that looks like sweet Cicely. It thrives in dryish sandy soil. Sow late summer to flower the following May-June.
1.2m.

A cottage garden favourite, this biennial has a clove-like scent, maroon-coloured leaves and an eye-catching, dark-wine-coloured flower. It will gently self-seed around your garden but is best grown fresh each year in late summer.
45-60cm.

Foxglove is the quintessential cottage garden flower. It’s a biennial that will easily self-seed – sometimes too generously – and flower for weeks especially if you remove the central flower, which encourages it to produce side shoots.
1.2m.

Words Caroline Beck

Photography Andrea Jones