I have just come across a photograph in the current issue of the National Trust Magazine of planting at the National Trust's Stourhead. A whole host of tulips is grown in longish grass there (you may need to renew them every year as tulips can be temperamental in grass), but what is really unusual is the black and white planting scheme. We've had plenty of white gardens since Vita Sackville-West was at Sissinghurst and black plants are fashionable. But this monochrome mixture is not one I've seen before. The tulips are Queen of the Night and Maureen growing at random, probably one third black and the rest white. It looks extremely elegant. For a closer look, go to Stourhead for yourself (check when tulips are doing their stuff on 01747 841 152). The secret, say the gardeners, is to balance the fertiliser carefully ? too much will just encourage the grass. Come to think of it, the black and white monochrome look could be pushed further into the season ? black and white bearded irises, balck bamboo beside silver birch trunks and bulls blod dark beetroot leaves beside the white stems of chard. If you would like Mrs Danvers' advice, send your questions to mrsdanvers@ipcmedia.com.
-
You can’t always rely on the Great British summer — but you can rely on its watchesBritish watchmakers have excelled themselves in recent months — releasing bright and beautiful timepieces that you'll want on your wrist through summer, and beyond.
-
Simon Jenkins: 50 years of saving Britain's buildings, from triumphs and disasters to the great country house we bought for £1In 1975, a new organisation was set up with the express aim of saving Britain's most beautiful and historic buildings from the wrecking ball. How has SAVE fared in the 50 years since then far? Simon Jenkins — who was involved as a trustee right from the very start — looks back on half a century of successes... and one or two painful failures.
