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A Touch of Ginger

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Bringing a touch of the tropics to our garden this summer are two members of the ginger family – Hedychium densiflorum “Stephen” and Cautleya spicata. The Cautleya has been crammed into a 14″ pot for three or four years. I meant to re-pot it into a much larger container this spring, but by the time I got round to it the fragile shoots were already 3″ long and looked a bit too easy to snap. Despite its confines this is the best it’s ever looked. Provided it’s fed (I use tomato food), watered regularly and protected from snails (not easy!) it looks wonderful through the summer. The text books recommend that Cautleya should be planted in rich, moist but free-draining soil in part shade or sun in a sheltered position. It is not fully hardy in cold areas, but we move the pot into an unheated cellar over winter and keep it dry, which seems to work. Cautleya hails from the Himalaya. In its natural habitat it is usually epiphytic, the thick roots from its broad rhizomes clasping the surface of trees and rocks. That I would love to see.

Much taller is Hedychium densiflorum “Stephen”. This year I planted three in large black plastic pots with the intention of plunging them in the ground at the back of the border about now. Surprise, surprise the border is already clock-a-block, so they have joined a cluster of other potted plants near the front door. My garden designer friends would be horrified, but they cheer me up. Stephen’s flowers are longer and larger than those of “Assam Orange” and a lovely combination of soft yellow and orange. On the downside the flowers seem fairly shortlived, so I hope I don’t miss those that have just started to bloom today. With a bit of care I hope to get them through the winter in a similar way to the Cautleyas and look forward to bigger and better flowers next year.



Flowers of Bhutan – Curcuma aromatica

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This curious little fella is Curcuma aromatica, or wild turmeric. We discovered it today, growing amongst the pine needles at the side of the Mo Chhu, or Mother River, a couple of miles up from Punakha’s mighty Dzong. It’s a member of the ginger family and has rhizomes with a strange fragrance and attractive deep yellow colour. Hard to miss and quite a showstopper!

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Daily Flower Candy: Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’

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Clearing our borders of tender perennials last weekend, I was surprised to see the earth scattered with what appeared to be large pomegranate seeds.  At first I thought they were escaping lily beetles, but looking up I could see they had fallen from the 8ft tall flower stems of Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’.  It seemed such a pity to be cutting down the lofty spikes, but now is the time to get these beauties out of harm’s way and into our cellar, where they will overwinter before emerging from the compost again in May.

Seeds of Hedychium 'Stephen', November 2013


Gardening Leave

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No, I haven’t quit my job or been given my marching orders, but I have taken a couple of days off to prepare the garden for our National Gardens Scheme open days this weekend. I am fastidious at the best of times, but risk turning a little bit obsessive-compulsive over the next 24 hours. Suddenly every yellowing leaf, fallen petal or stray branch has come into sharp focus and I can see flaws everywhere. Will visitors notice the horrific capsid bug damage and the dirty windows? Well, they will if they read this before coming along; the polite ones will kindly avert their eyes towards the abundant flowers.

Welcome to our jungle!

Welcome to our jungle

No garden is perfect, but in truth ours is looking about the best it ever has done. I was concerned last weekend that we may have peaked a few days too soon, but I was worrying unnecessarily. The dahlias are covered in bloom and I wonder now why I didn’t introduce them to the garden sooner. They seem very much at home in large pots. Joy of joys, the gingers, Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’, started to open yesterday, their flowers like exotic bottlebrushes, towering over my head. The scent in the garden last night was indescribably beautiful.

Hedychium 'Stephen' sparkles

Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’ sparkles

So, here we go, the final push. The weather forecast changes by the hour, but it seems we’ll miss the worst of the showers tomorrow and have a fine day on Sunday. Even at their most ravenous the snails and vine weevils can’t thwart me now. It only remains for me to wash down the paintwork, jet-wash the terrace, put up the famous yellow signs and count the float, whilst Him Indoors bakes for England. See you on the other side…..

Agapanthus africanus and Dahlia 'Amercian Dawn'

Agapanthus africanus and Dahlia ‘Amercian Dawn’


All Systems Go!

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Here at The Watch House we are steadily building up to our second annual National Gardens Scheme open weekend on August 1st and 2nd. Unlike last year, when the whole exercise was an unknown, we are approaching this year’s event with a certain amount of surety. The posters are up and the plants are in; our helpers have ‘volunteered’ and we have a growing list of supplies to shop for. The only thing we can’t predict is the weather, the single factor that will either deliver us hoards of visitors to enjoy our plants in full bloom, or cast us into a lonely, leafy shadow. In 2014 we were blessed with superb weather and welcomed 220 garden lovers from near and far, way beyond our wildest expectations.

After last weekend's heavy rain

After last weekend’s heavy rain

There have been a few changes since last year. An especially jungly corner has been cleared and replanted, and some of the trees have had their crowns lifted and canopies thinned. These tweaks have allowed more light into the main raised bed, although some of the newer plants are still establishing themselves. I am hopeful that my ‘Golden Splendour’ lilies will still be in bloom for open weekend, but coaxing the hedychiums and cannas to do their thing could be harder. Last year they came into flower on the first day we opened and attracted a lot of attention. Currently they no more that a promising mass of foliage. Our echiums have re-grouped in the ‘jungly’ corner and are less visible than last year, but the bees are still managing to find them. I am torn about removing the spectacular seed heads of Melianthus major (above, centre) which are such an unusual sight yet blocking circulation around the garden.

Digitalis sceptrum and Digitalis canariensis putting on a spectacular double act

Digitalis sceptrum and Digitalis canariensis putting on a spectacular double act this week

I reminded myself last night that I must update the plant list and garden ‘handout’ that we printed last year. It will be fascinating to reflect on the plants that have arrived and departed over the last twelve months, something I probably wouldn’t make time for otherwise. I have increased the number of gingers, adding in Hedychium coccineum ‘Tara’ and Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’. I have also been lulled into a false sense of security by two mild winters and have increased the number of Geranium maderense in pink and white. If they survive the cold months, many will flower next spring.

New garden furniture arrived this June, a reclaimed teak table surrounded by 'Air' chairs by Magis.

The Watch House garden from above in 2014

The big debate between the two of is where to serve refreshments and what to make. I’d like to give visitors a glimpse of our new garden and lay on teas there. It’s not a garden I am especially proud of at the moment, but one day it will be. It could be fun to share the start of our journey. As I write, the kitchen is a hive of activity as Him Indoors experiments with new cake recipes. It is such a hardship having to try them all out!

What we can be sure of is that we’ll meet lots of lovely people who are interested enough in gardens and gardening to pay a visit to this far corner of Kent. We promise to make you very welcome. For those of you who can’t make it, I’ll attempt to recreate the occasion on The Frustrated Gardener. You’ll miss out on the cake though ;-)

Welcome to our jungle!

Welcome to our jungle!

Open Weekend Practicalities

The garden will be open on Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd from 12-4. Entrance £3. Well behaved adults, children and dogs are very welcome. Please be mindful of the garden’s size and that at times it may become quite cramped.

There will be refreshments in the garden, but in a town like Broadstairs there are lots of options from fine dining to fish and chips so perhaps combine your visit with a stroll along the seafront and a nice lunch.

There is no car parking immediately outside the house. The carpark off the High Street is your best bet: turn in between Cooke and Co. Estate Agents and The Fireplace Company. On Sunday there is unrestricted parking on some of the surrounding streets. From the station, The Watch House is about a 7 minute walk straight down the hill towards the sea.

The address of the Watch House is 7, Thanet Road, Broadstairs, CT10 1LF. It is immediately next door to Elite Fitness Studio which is well signposted around the town.

This year I've chosen trailing white begonias and Fuchsia 'Tom West' to adorn the outdoor kitchen shelves

This year I’ve chosen trailing white begonias and Fuchsia ‘Tom West’ to adorn the outdoor kitchen shelves


The Stage is Set

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The stage is finally set for our open weekend on August 1st and 2nd. Any changes I make from now on will appear too obvious, so it’s simply a case of deadheading, sweeping and watering to maintain the status quo. The pressure is now on the cast – the dahlias, gingers, agapanthus and fuchsias – to remember their lines and put on a memorable show.

The company that makes up our seaside garden may be small, but there is always room for new cast members. I should operate a one-in, one-out policy, but this normally works out as two-in, one-out. Winter does a good casting job for me, weeding out plants that are too demanding and promoting others to lead roles, but I have become increasingly intolerant of anything that just plods along without ever shining. In a confined space, every plant needs to work doubly hard. So out has gone Dianella tasmanica, which was wonderful for a couple of years before looking dreary and unhappy for the last five. Requiring something with lance-like foliage in its place, I acquired three plants of Crocosmia ‘Hellfire’ from Madrona Nursery last weekend. Planted in our raised borders the vermillion flowers are already looking ten times better than the Tasmanian flax lily ever did, although I shall miss its evergreen foliage. Nearby, Euphorbia mellifera was simply too large for the garden, even with regular pruning (which it disliked), and its departure has made way for lots of new treasures.

Plenty of green in the garden this weekend

Plenty of green in the garden this weekend

This week I recruited three cracking new starlets from Jungle Seeds: Hedychium yunnanense, Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’ and Colocasia esculenta ‘Illustris’. They arrived in splendid condition and I was delighted to find Hedychium yunnanense blooming straight out of the box. The perfume of the flowers after nightfall is sensational: the moths are in for a treat.

Hedychium yunnanense has powerfully scented flowers

Hedychium yunnanense has powerfully scented flowers

No flowers yet on Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’, but if this cultivar is as strong a performer as ‘Stephen’ (which is currently 6ft tall and counting) then it should do well for me. I can’t wait to experience those prawn-pink flowers

Hedychium densiflorum 'Sorung' (Photo: The Exotic Plant Co.)

Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’ (Photo: The Exotic Plant Co.)

The last newbie is Colocasia esculenta ‘Illustris’, a plant with designs on stardom. Also know as taro, Colocasias are foliage plants which can end the summer with leaves 3ft long. It’s unlikely mine will reach those proportions this year, but even at 1ft long the leaves are quite stunning. They will bring new shape and texture to the row of pots near the front door. Colocasias like to be moist but not wet and have display better leaf colour in semi-shade, so regular watering will be needed.

The leaves of Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' can reach 3ft in length

The leaves of Colocasia esculenta ‘Illustris’ can reach 3ft in length

It would be nice to think I could now take my front row seat and get ready for the show, but no such luck. There are posters to put up, guest rooms to prepare and catering supplies to buy in, not to mention serving ice cream in the interval. Now that the stage is set I feel a great deal more content, let’s just hope storm and pestilence don’t bring down the curtain before it’s even been raised!

Digitalis sceptrum and Crocosmia 'Hellfire'

Digitalis sceptrum and Crocosmia ‘Hellfire’


Flowers of Bhutan – Curcuma aromatica

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This curious little fella is Curcuma aromatica, or wild turmeric. We discovered it today, growing amongst the pine needles at the side of the Mo Chhu, or Mother River, a couple of miles up from Punakha’s mighty Dzong. It’s a member of the ginger family and has rhizomes with a strange fragrance and attractive deep yellow colour. Hard to miss and quite a showstopper!

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Opening Pains

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Had we opened our seaside garden on the usual weekend, this is the scene that would have greeted our visitors. Not bad, even if I do say so myself. Instead, we spent the weekend in London, celebrating Him Indoors’ birthday and not worrying about deadheading or watering for a change. At Polegate Cottage, the garden I left behind looked very much like a set from Saving Private Ryan. In three weeks’ time this is where we will be serving teas – let’s hope the waste pipes are safely back underground by then! Alas it seems we might not have our French windows delivered in time, so those classy plywood doors will perform the role of serving hatch. We like to do things properly in Broadstairs you know. When asked by the builder if I wanted to keep “any of the good soil” he’d excavated, you can imagine my reply.

 

Polegate Cottage building site, July 2016

 

Now I have to work out how to keep the plants going so that they look just as good in three weeks’ time. Dahlias, geraniums and begonias I don’t need to worry about; they will just get better and better as summer progresses. Gingers will do as they please. Most flower once, and briefly at that, so if they are out they are out, and if they are over, there’s nothing to be done about it. Hedychium yunnanense, a ginger with beautiful green leaves and fragrant, spidery, white flowers, has clumped up a treat since I purchased it last year and has produced five spikes already. Meanwhile H. ‘Tara’ is only just throwing up new shoots and getting into its stride.

 

Hedychium yunnanense, The Watch House, July 2016

 

I love gloriosas but have never been brave enough to grow them outdoors. Their tender leaves and ruffled flowers have “eat me” written all over them. However, this year I decided to take the plunge and buy a few new tubers, which I started into growth in the greenhouse before dotting them amongst other plants in pots on the terrace. This has worked well as these twining vines are tall and slender, peeking out above the canopy and looking totally tropical. Only time will tell if they escape being devoured by hungry slugs and snails.

 

Gloriosas, The Watch House, July 2016

 

My agapanthus have produced a disappointingly low number of flower spikes this year, about half what I’d normally expect. This can only be down to lack of sunlight as they are treated to a generous dose of a special agapanthus feed every fortnight. Given the profusion of alternative flowers it hardly seems to matter and they still create a hazy galaxy of blue above all the rowdier colours.

Whatever happens it’s going to be a rather unusual and unorthodox garden opening this year. Perhaps instead of teas we should be selling bags of our “good soil”, or offering lessons in bricklaying instead of gardening tips. Either way I’m sure it’ll be a hoot!

Our garden at The Watch House will be open from 12-4 on Saturday, August 20th and Sunday, August 21st. Click here for more details on the NGS website.

 

The Watch House garden, panorama, July 2016

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The Final Countdown 

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Twelve days to go and preparation for this year’s garden opening feels like one of those bad dreams where, try as one may, one never reach the finishing line. I can usually let go of the reins a little during August, but with the opening happening at the end of the month I have to keep it looking pristine for what feels like an eternity. Gardens Illustrated could arrive on my doorstep at any given moment and I’d be ready, not a leaf or petal out of place. The Bank Holiday cannot come soon enough.

Hindrance number two (number one being the builders, who have had enough air time already) was a tummy upset. This brought down my usual cast-iron defences and exiled me to bed for the early part of last week. When one is busy it’s amazing just how disruptive a couple of days out of action can be. Feeling rough, I limped back to Broadstairs on Wednesday evening to quickly sweep up, water and inspect two very large, remote-controlled Velux windows that had been installed in the roof of our new garden room. I am not your typical gadget man but am nevertheless easily impressed by anything that has a sleek little box to control it. When the windows might be operational is anyone’s guess: November has even been mentioned, which does not bear thinking about.

 

Dahlia 'Firepot'
Dahlia ‘Firepot’

 

After another prolonged cold spring I reckon the garden is only a week behind last year. This is a help rather than a hitch. My bellwether is always Hedychium ‘Stephen’, a ginger that I ruthlessly divided this spring lest it burst out from the sides of its black plastic tubs. I now have six huge plants in place of the original three and they are in rude health, some approaching 8ft tall. All are coming into flower right now, precisely seven days later than last year. I so wish it were possible to transmit scent via the Intranet. Alas the flowers last only a few days, so they will be gone before our visitors arrive. H. yunnanense started and finished blooming in the space of a week, which is one of the drawbacks of not being at home every day to experience these fleeting events in nature’s unpredictable timetable. Next will be peach and coral H. ‘Sorung’, flowering for the first time at The Watch House.

 

Dahlia 'Darkarin' - more blanc than burgundy!
Dahlia ‘Darkarin’ – more blanc than burgundy.

 

A disappointing lack of flowers in the main border is something I have to address, but a lack of colour is more than compensated for by the pots that are slowly taking over the terrace. I was bemused to discover a new dahlia, named ‘Darkarin’, sporting pure white flowers instead of the rich burgundy blooms I was expecting. Then another opened the correct colour with a highly pronounced Mallen Streak, making me think I may have purchased a rogue tuber. It’s curious rather than pretty and will perhaps settle down, producing solid red flowers once it gets going. Him Indoors is happy as he likes white flowers and they don’t generally have a place in my summer planting schemes.

 

Still not quite what I was expecting.
Dahlia ‘Darkarin’ and friend – still not quite what I was expecting!

 

Meanwhile D. ‘Totally Tangerine’ is proving to have lots of flower power and D. ‘Mambo’ is pleasing me much more than ‘Blue Bayou’, which I find a little too heavy in the centre of the bloom.

 

Dahlia 'Mambo'
Dahlia ‘Mambo’

 

Officially the garden at Polegate Cottage was handed back to us in a usable state this weekend, although a good downpour is required to shift the dust from the surface of the paving stones. I tried, in vain, to make something of it using plants purchased for 50p from the local garden centre. I have green rather than magic fingers and am not sure anyone is going to be convinced by a load of pot-bound begonias shoved quickly into containers. Hopefully points might be awarded for trying.

 

Potted plants by the kitchen sink
Potted plants by the outdoor kitchen sink

 

I endeavour to find a positive in the most challenging of situations so I’ve suggested to Him Indoors that we theme our teas this year around construction: builders’ tea, rock buns, fruit slab and something I have just invented called an RSJ cake, which is a Victoria sponge with raspberry and strawberry jam inside. Any other suggestions to expand on this theme would be most gratefully received. And, if the lyrics of Europe’s 1986 No. 1 hit are still running through your head, all I can say is that I’m very sorry.

 

And still it grows....
And still it grows….

 

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Daily Flower Candy: Asarum delavayi ‘Giant’

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Asarum delavayi ‘Giant’*: Giant Wild Ginger, Panda face ginger

As an antidote to my post about Vita Sackville-West’s macabre ‘Box of the Dead’ earlier this week, I thought I’d share a happier tale. Regular readers will know that I often purchase plants without any real idea where I am going to plant them. It’s an addiction, and one I’m not interested in overcoming. These stateless individuals have to eek out an existence in a pot until such a time as they find their promised land, or curl up and die. One such plant is Asarum delavayi ‘Giant’, purchased last year from the lovely people at Decoy Nursery in East Sussex and consigned to the cold frame in our London garden ever since.

I had good reason for not planting it in the garden immediately: at the time Mr Fox was molesting anything that I considered remotely desirable, and I could not trust the snails not to finish the job. The cold frame felt like the safest place, and there my asarum stayed, neither growing a great deal nor showing signs of distress. It just sat there, doing nothing, looking a little bit green and dishevelled, as asarums sometimes do.

 

Asarum delavayi 'Giant', London

 

Imagine my surprise when, in need of cheering up today (I have a monstrous cold, or man flu, whichever you prefer to call it), I checked the cold frame for signs of new life and was met with two giant panda faces staring back at me. At ground level the black and white flowers might have been harder to spot, but raised at chest level they were quite a spectacle. Each was about 2 inches across; the black part rich and velvety like the material used to line jewellery boxes, and the white part ridged and furrowed like snow. I know of no other flowers quite like them – they put those of Asarum splendens in the shade. Once plants are established they can produce tens of flowers each spring. New leaves, emerging now, are large, glossy, slightly mottled and a magnet for molluscs, hence a few holes here and there.

 

Asarum delavayi 'Giant', London

 

Will I give my asarum its freedom and plant it out somewhere moist and shady? Probably not. On balance it will do better where I can protect it from snails or rain splatters and enjoy those extraordinary flowers at close quarters every spring. It does, however, deserve a proper terracotta pot, rather than a nasty black plastic one.

If you’d like to give Asarum delavayi ‘Giant’ a try in your own garden, Decoy Nursery are currently offering plants by mail order. Click here for further details.

* There does appear to be some difference in the naming of this plant, with nurseries offering similar looking asarums under the name Asarum maximum ‘Ling Ling’, ‘Panda’ and ‘Silver Panda’. Both Asarum maximum and Asarum delavayi are botanical names recognised by the RHS, so perhaps they are distinct. All are just as fabulous as one another, so who cares?

 

Asarum delavayi 'Giant', London

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Daily Flower Candy: Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’

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Ginger lilies are disgustingly straightforward to grow, which is satisfying when one considers their fabulously exotic appearance. Hardy gingers from the genus Hedychium produce lush foliage on robust stems, topped by clusters of fragrant flowers during the summer and autumn months. Ginger lilies are not thwarted by our typically cool, damp summers; these are the conditions that most species are accustomed to in the wild. In fact, too much heat or sun and the leaves will roll up to reduce water loss. All these showy plants demand is copious water (rarely a problem in the UK), a rich soil, regular feeding and a generous mulch in winter. I grow mine in large, black, plastic tubs which are slung unceremoniously in the cellar once the thick, fibrous stems turn yellow in autumn. When they are ready, they snap off effortlessly at the base, emitting a warming, gingery scent. Well rested, the rhizomes are returned to the light in April or May when thick, pink shoots start to appear, often forcing out the sides of the pot with their incredible strength.

 

 

I have refrained from adding to my collection of ginger lilies this year for fear of them taking over the entire garden. At the moment I have H. ‘Stephen’, H. ‘Tara’, H. gardnerianum, H. yunnanense and today’s subject, H. ‘Sorung’. This lovely plant was discovered by the late Edward Needham, a renowned plant collector, 7900 ft above sea level in Hongu Khola valley, Eastern Nepal. If you need help imagining what that landscape looks like, see the image below taken by Sergey Pashko.

 

 

 

Compared to H. ‘Stephen’, to which ‘Sorung’ is closely related, the flowers are more of a soft coral shade, or, if I were being vulgar, the colour of a well cooked prawn. Fortunately they smell rather more attractive than any shellfish I know, emitting that rich, intoxicating scent that many people would recognise as the Ginger Lily of Molton Brown, Jo Malone and other perfumers. The essential oil they use is derived from Hedychium spicatum, which is itself another great root-hardy ginger for gardens in the UK. I’ve not met a ginger lily yet that does not smell gorgeous …. but only after dark.

 

 

Quite why ginger lilies are not more commonly grown in the UK mystifies me. They are at least as hardy as dahlias and more tolerant of cool, wet conditions, and of shade. True, their flowering period is shorter, but I find if gingers are well cared for they produce a second flush of spikes after the first are spent. And dahlias possess no fragrance at all. Flower colours range from white through cream, yellow, orange, coral and red (belonging to the fabulously flambuoyant Hedychium greenii). Good sources of ginger lilies in the UK include Jungle Seeds and Pan Global Plants.

Now that it’s dark, I’m off into the garden to fill my lungs with pure ginger lily before bedtime: a scent for the soul and for sweet dreams. TFG.

 

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How to Grow Ornamental Gingers in UK Gardens

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Ornamental gingers – we’ve admired them whilst on holiday in tropical countries, or seen them curated in the glasshouses of botanical gardens, but how many of us have considered growing them in our own gardens? Surely gingers need more heat and sunlight than the British climate can offer? Aren’t they going to be hopelessly needy or plagued by pests and diseases? Well, I have news for you, gingers are easy to grow, and many require a lot less care and attention than you imagine.

If you don’t already grow ornamental gingers in your garden I hope that by the end of this post you’ll feel compelled to give them a try. Most gingers are easy-going, exotic-looking plants that return a lot of bang for your buck. Their demands can be summarised as regular watering and feeding, dappled shade and some winter protection; generally a deep mulch will suffice. Undisturbed in the ground they will develop into lush thickets of leafy stems, topped by colourful, highly scented flowers in late summer and autumn. Gingers are team players, working with other plants in many situations; at the back of a herbaceous border, in a large pot in a courtyard garden, as the centrepiece for summer bedding or as part of a jungly planting scheme. Five years ago I started with a single variety, Hedychium ‘Stephen’, purchased from Hardy Exotics in Cornwall. That small plant has now expanded into eight clumps, each the size of a dustbin lid. Now I have fourteen varieties of ginger and I’m adding to them all the time. I can honestly say that gingers are the amongst easiest and most rewarding plants I grow: pest free, rarely requiring staking, always a talking point and, best of all, deliciously scented like no other plant I know.

 

Gingers work well as part of collection of exotic-looking plants, as here at The Watch House

 

The ornamental ‘butterfly’ gingers, in latin Hedychium (heh-DIK-ee-um), belong to the Zingiberaceae family which also includes Zingiber officinale, the culinary ginger. They’re rhizomatous plants, growing from subterranean stems that look very similar to the ginger ‘root’ you’d buy in a supermarket. Most gingers grow 1-2m tall, producing long, plain green leaves on thick stems. They are very hard to tell apart from their foliage, although ‘Dr Moy’ and ‘Verity’ are variegated, which is a fairly unusual trait. Ginger flowers are much more diverse, varying in size, arrangement and colour. Some gingers produce a tall, candle-like inflorescence, whilst others produce a short cluster of bloom like a shaving brush. Ornamental gingers have been extensively hybridised, resulting in colours from white through yellow, apricot, orange, pink and red.

 

Hedychium ‘Verity’ has variegated foliage

 

Hedychiums come from originally from the world’s tropical and semi tropical zones. Those most suited to UK gardens grow at a high altitude and can therefore tolerate lower temperatures at night and over winter. Although the Victorians considered gingers to be tender, we are now discovering that many are not so delicate as once imagined, hailing as they do from Himalayan forests. Here lie all the clues to successful cultivation:

1) Gingers like to be moist during the growing season. Growing on the floor of mountain forests they are used to ample summer rainfall and rich soil. During the winter the weather is drier and the rhizomes are protected from the cold by a thick layer of leaf litter.

2) Gingers don’t appreciate hot, midday sun – in the forest the tree canopy provides dappled shade. Gingers enjoy sun at the beginning and end of the day, but not being exposed to the midday sun. In too much sun the leaves will roll up to prevent water loss through transpiration, and eventually they will develop dry, papery patches where they have, effectively, burned.

 

Hedychiums growing happily in a sub-tropical garden. Note the stems’ arching habit.

 

3) Gingers enjoy a sheltered position – again, being woodlanders gingers grow best in sheltered, humid conditions. Courtyards, walled gardens and spots at the base of a wall or hedge, provided they are not too dry, are ideal for them. Gingers will take some wind, but if excessive the leaves will roll, burn and occasionally become ripped and tatty.

4) Gingers like light – The days further south in the northern hemisphere are more consistent in length and are filled with longer hours of sunlight. Outdoors during a poor British summer, some gingers may struggle to gather enough steam to produce flowers before winter arrives. Some, but not all, will die down in the winter, giving them only 6-7 months to grow and flower. Warm weather, a sheltered spot and maturity will help bring flowering forward.

 

Hedychium ‘Stephen’

Ornamental Gingers through the Year

  • Buy rhizomes from reputable suppliers in April, or plants at any time during the growing season. I’ve recommended sources which I have used personally below. I’ve found gingers started from dry rhizomes much slower to establish than those purchased as growing plants.
  • Gingers can be grown in the ground or in pots. I find those grown in pots flower earlier than those in the ground, probably because they can be started into growth a little earlier in the spring, by keeping them in a warm, sheltered spot or an unheated greenhouse. (I wonder if black plastic pots absorb heat and promote an earlier growth too.) Gingers are greedy feeders, so use John Innes No.3 in pots, and add a slow release fertiliser to the surface after 6-8 weeks. If growing in the ground, add lots of rich, well-rotted organic matter from your compost bin to mimic the woodsy conditions gingers enjoy in their natural habitat. Good compost will also retain moisture. In pots I plant rhizomes so that their tops are exposed above the surface of the compost / grit. In the ground you can plant a little deeper, but the rhizomes will tend to haul themselves up over time. If growing in pots or containers, be prepared to go up a size or two each year. Ginger rhizomes are powerful and willful quickly distorting the sides of black plastic pots; they tend to decide which direction they are growing in and then grow! More often than not I am forced to cut my gingers out of their straining containers in order to divide or repot them. I would not recommend terracotta for this reason as it will likely shatter. You can cheat in the garden by plunging potted plants into a border, but you’ll need to be prepared to feed and water your plants frequently as their roots will not be able to venture far for sustenance.

 

Rhizomes freshly potted-up at the end of April at The Watch House

 

  • As soon as thick, red, pointed shoots start to emerge from the rhizomes – which can happen any time from late April to June – then you should commence watering, unless your site is very damp naturally. Gingers will flourish close to a pond or on the banks of a stream, as at Trengwainton in Cornwall. I grow 90% of my gingers in pots and stand these in a sheltered, shady passageway until they are about 3ft tall and ready to be moved into their final positions for summer.
  • Ginger rhizomes are best divided in early summer when they are in full growth, simply by slicing them up. I use a sharp bread knife. Doing it at this time allows you to see where the new stems are and the exposed cuts will heal quickly. However, take care to avoid breaking any of the shoots in the process and don’t leave this job too late in the season. Your gardening friends will cheerfully accept any excess plants as gifts, although I find it very hard to part with them.

 

Hedychium ‘Helen Dillon’

 

  • Once growing, all gingers need are food, water, dappled shade and shelter. In warm weather they grow fast, almost in front of your eyes. I apply dilute tomato food weekly to supplement a more balanced slow-release fertiliser. Pests and diseases are mercifully few. I’ve occasionally seen a snail or a cabbage white take an interest in the foliage, but damage has been minimal. Healthy plants shrug off all but the most persistent attackers. High winds and scorching sun will be your greatest enemy, so provide shelter from those.
  • Some gingers have the habit of throwing out stems at a slight angle, I suppose to help them search for light and spread their leaves to maximise photosynthesis. This arching habit becomes more pronounced in shadier spots. If you are fussy about this, you should stake your plants, although I feel this detracts from their natural grace and elegance. Hedychium ‘Tara’ and Hedychium gardnerianum are stronger and more upright varieties in my garden. In sun they will grow bolt upright to reduce the amount of light reaching their foliage. In the UK, most gingers will grow no more than 6″ in height outdoors, suiting most to a position at the back of the border.

 

Hedychium yuannense is one of the first gingers to flower in my garden

 

  • Following a warm spring, gingers might flower as early as late June, but most will bide their time until August, September or October. Try not to be too impatient, especially if your plants are young. Once flowering has begun each individual spike or cluster might flower for a week or so and, if scented, will emit a heavy, luxurious perfume at night. Some gingers will produce several flushes of flowers from the same spike over a period of days. Moths like to visit, especially those with an elongated proboscis, such as the Convolvulus Hawk Moth (Agrius convolvuli). I have not tried gingers as cut flowers – I think they look better in the garden – but I don’t imagine they would last long in a vase.
  • Once spent, there is no particular need to remove the flower spikes but this is when I stop feeding regularly. The stems on which they are held will naturally begin to decline over a period of weeks and fleshy fruits may start to appear, turning red in the late autumn. I have not attempted growing gingers from seed, but this is something I’d like to learn more about. As the first frosts approach, the foliage will start to turn yellow. At this point any gingers you want to keep growing actively overwinter should be moved into a cool greenhouse or conservatory. Those from warmer countries do not die down naturally and must be kept somewhere warm and light until spring.

 

A Convolvulus Hawk Moth visits Hedychium ‘Helen Dillon’ after dark

 

  • As the first frosts approach, the foliage of most gingers will start to turn yellow. The yellowing occurs as the plants start to pull the plant’s energy back down into the rhizome. Each dying stem will then separate quite freely from the rhizome, snapping cleanly off in a very satisfying manner: take a deep breath and fill your lungs with the fresh, gingery scent. Unflowered stems may stay green and healthy outdoors all through winter; this is certainly the case for me. Only once, in early 2018, has the temperature dropped low enough to damage any remaining top growth. No harm was done to the rhizomes.

 

Hedychium ‘Dr Moy’ has very subtle variegation

 

  • If your gingers are in pots then they can be put somewhere dark and frost-free until April. A garage, shed or cellar is fine. The rhizomes do not require any light and must not be watered. Some residual moisture in the compost is fine, but no more should be added. I do absolutely nothing to my gingers for the whole winter period, apart from checking once to ensure there’s no decay. I have yet to find any. Being greedy and vigorous, it is highly likely that the rhizomes will need repotting in a larger pot and in fresh compost every year. If simply repotting rather than dividing, I do this in April before growth begins, but do not water the plants until shoots appear.
  • In the open ground, gingers should be given a thick mulch of leaves or bark or spent compost in November. This level of protection should be completely adequate for most varieties. If you are concerned or risk averse, dig up your rhizomes and pot them in clean, dry compost for the winter. However be aware that gingers don’t relish disturbance so are better left in situ if possible. They are great companions for spring bulbs as they start into growth so late in the year.

 

Hedychium ‘Tara’ after The Beast from the East in March 2018. No lasting harm was done.

In comparison to most other plants I grow at The Watch House, hardy or tender, gingers are a breeze. They come up, do their thing and go away again. I have never killed one, nor has a pest or disease. They are always marvelled at when I open my garden, as if I have performed some small miracle. In fact I have done very little, apart from feed and water. If I had one criticism it would be that ginger flowers don’t last long. Growing several varieties and allowing them to make big clumps overcomes that issue by extending the flowering season and the number of flower spikes. The foliage alone is wonderful, providing a lush backdrop to other plants.

There are few sights as breathtaking as a clump of gingers in full bloom, and when you add the exquisite perfume on top, there’s little to rival their exotic allure. It’s not too late to buy plants this year – if they are a decent size you may even get flowers out of them – and in November you can sling them in the shed and forget about them until spring. Easier to grow than dahlias or lilies, and more remarkable than either, ornamental gingers are a must for every garden. TFG.

Gingers in My Garden

  • Hedychium ‘Anne Bishop’
  • Hedychium coccineum ‘Tara’
  • Hedychium coronarium ‘Gold Spot’
  • Hedychium densiflorum ‘Sorung’
  • Hedychium densiflorum ‘Stephen’
  • Hedychium ‘Dr Moy’
  • Hedychium gardnerianum
  • Hedychium greenii
  • Hedychium ‘Helen Dillon’
  • Hedychium ‘Luna Moth’
  • Hedychium maximum
  • Hedychium ‘Pradhan’
  • Hedychium ‘Verity’
  • Hedychium yunannense

recommended sources of ginger plants

  • Jungle Seeds – the source of over half my gingers. Sadly it seems they may cease offering ginger plants at the end of 2018, so get in there quick for top-notch plants.
  • Hardy Exotics – a plantsman’s paradise in West Cornwall. My first ginger plants came from here and I still love to visit.
  • Urban Jungle –  a great selection of gingers available via mail order.
  • Springwood Nursery – one of the most extensive collections in the UK cultivated by a very experienced grower.

 

Hedychium ‘Sorung’

 

The plants are quite hungry feeders and require a good feed and plenty of water when in full growth. If allowing dying back for the winter then should not be fed after the end of August. They must not be waterlogged over winter as this can be fatal for them, opposed to when in full growth the can almost be aquatic.

The plants will start to grow in the spring when the average soil temperature gets above ten degrees centigrade. So I plant them with spring bulbs to give me any early flush of colour and as they fade the gingers start to grow through. The gingers will continue growth until the first frosts, and then they start to pull the energy back to the rhizome. The stem will then separate quite freely when ready and will literally ‘pop off’. If in a pot then it can be put in the garden shed for the winter or if you wish to keep them going, bring into the conservatory. Do not lift the rhizome like you do to Cannas as they take at least a year to ‘settle in’ and so if you lift it is difficult for them to flower in the following year.

The ginger rhizome is best divided in the early summer when they are in full growth, simply by slicing it up. Doing it at this time, allows you to see where the new stems are and the exposed sliced area will heal quite quickly. Late slicing as the plant slows, delays healing and can allow rots to set in.

 

Autumn Spice

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The problem with owning a garden dominated by evergreens and tropicals is that I don’t really get to experience autumn colour at home. My garden morphs quickly from fabulous full summer to winter green, pretty much when I get around making it happen. This year, during one of many moments of impulse, I purchased a columnar Liquidambar named ‘Slender Silhouette’. The tree was already a decent size and has been challenging to grow in a pot. All through summer, despite being potted on twice, my Liquidambar demanded a huge amount of watering effort, not a task I wish to repeat next year. Note to self: trees are meant to grow in the ground.

I was recommended an ericaceous (acidic) compost to enhance my Liquidambar’s autumn colouration but was rewarded only with a good, strong yellow for a couple of days before the leaves fell. Since I was at work, I witnessed both events in the dark.

I stashed my newer and younger gingers in the workshop last weekend, leaving larger tubs of H. ‘Sorung’ and H. ‘Stephen’ outside. Cold weather prompts the stems to sever themselves from the rhizomes that fuelled their growth through summer. When they are ready, and not before, they snap off neatly, emitting a crisp-yet-spicy fragrance.

I am away in Cornwall this weekend so I photographed my gingers earlier this week, just as they were starting to turn yellow. They’ve never looked this good before, but therein lies the benefit of growing any plant en masse. I have stopped watering my gingers now since they are naturally going into hibernation. Next weekend I shall pop the tops off and store the rhizome-packed pots at the back of the workshop, where they will be cool and dry until April.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. TFG.

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