Karen Platt's Blog

I love silver plants, silver shimmers all year round. Allow it to harmonise plantings and act as a go between colours that are clashing.

I've chosen to highlight Celmisia this week. These alpines are beautiful with their often spiky leaves. They look great even without flowers. They grow well in pots with attention to drainage. Celmisia spectabilis has broad leaves but they are silvery on the underside and quite green on top. However, many Celmisias have very narrow and truly silvered foliage.

If you love silver plants, take a look at Silver Lining, the most comprehensive book on the subject that describes 2400 silver plants. You can buy a copy here.

Words and images copyright 2013 Karen Platt.

There are just 136 days to the autumn flower show at Malvern, but today I am looking back at the spring show, which has just ended. I've done just about all the garden shows, some every year for years, but to be honest I was getting just a little bored with crowds, wheelie trolleys and seeing the same old displays. So this spring, I thought I'd go to the Malvern Spring Show because I have never done it before and I was in need of something that would satisfy my plant lust.

I had a fantastic day, despite the weather, which really was not with me. That's what the floral marquee is for, and I always head there first anyway, hungry for plants. So I made my beeline for the floral marquee and thoroughly enjoyed myself - the outstanding displays for me were the lilies, tulips (Bloms bulbs), alliums (Warmenhoven) and hostas (Bowden hostas). There were lots of gold medals. It is so cheering to see so much colour everywhere. The colours, fragrances and sheer beauty of dazzling displays was stupendous. I wasn't disappointed, it was worth every minute of the 5 hour round travelling trip.

Next, and for this you must visit on Saturday, I headed to the Alpine Garden Society Show held in one of the Halls. Wow, I used to go to this at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show, and they have not shown there for a few years, so it was sheer delight to be able to admire some of the plant world's most exquisite plants grown to perfection. Fabulous display with lots of plants, much appreciated.

The only downside, apart from the weather, was the catering - poor choice, long queues and over-priced food that just didn't make the grade. The same can be said of most of the flower shows, unfortunately.

There's a free shuttle from Great Malvern train station and guys were great - especially the driver in the minibus with the hat, who was truly entertaining in the nicest possible way. The plants were knockout and I loved the space in the floral marquee. Lots of stands outside for everything a gardener could need from little garden rooms the price of a small modest car to fleeces, which were needed on the day. The Country Living exhibit housed fantastic makes as did some of the other halls plus foods, botanical art and lots more. So hats off to the organisers and to the tremendous nurseries who make this show a winner. I know the hard work that goes on 'behind scenes' as I have exhibited before. It's much easier being a visitor. These non-London shows have reasonable ticket prices and you avoid the huge crowds associated with Chelsea, so they are well worth a visit to stock up your garden and get great ideas.

The Malvern Garden Show is held twice a year at the Three Counties Showground. The next show is the autumn show from 28-29th September 2013. Tickets are 15.00 GBP and there is a 2.00 GBP booking fee on transactions online or you can call 01684 584924. For more information visit

http://www.threecounties.co.uk/malvernautumn/

Words and images copyright Karen Platt 2013

If one plant is the must have in summer, it has to be the rose; symbol of eternal romance. Orange roses are symbolic of friendship too. They are perfect for a place to socialise and can form part of an outdoor entertaining area or a formal garden. I know some gardeners shun orange, red and yellow, but there are peachy and apricot roses too that are worth seeking out. In fact roses exist in all orange hues from a mere touch to deep saturated orange. Be bold and daring with colour and combine your orange roses with purple. For those who like to be conservative, mingle with yellow.

I love this joyous colour and it really does suit roses. I love climbers on swags, ramblers around doors, hybrid teas in the border in informal plantings. Don't crowd the roots of roses, they are shallow rooting plants and you don't want to be digging around the crowns. I like to buy bareroot roses in November and heel them in if the weather is bad. One of the hottest debates in the world of gardening is do you bury the union or not? Burying the union stabilises your plant. Don't bury it too deep. Prepare your soil well too. Divas, are they? I'm not sure I could live without roses. Prune well and your rose could last a long, long time. They are one of the longest living plants that give so much in the way of flowers. Isn't something that gives so much, worth a little extra effort?

Words and images Karen Platt copyright 2013.

I didn't schedule my first trip to Sewerby, I was stuck in Bridlington for a while with nothing to do and was told there was a house and garden. So I went. I've been quite a few times since.

It's one of those places where the house could perhaps do with an influx of cash. Yet it still has faded grandeur and is very interesting. The Grade 1 listed Georgian House sits in 50 acres of landscaped park right on the sea front just around two miles from Bridlington.

The house contains a permanent exhibition of memorabilia of the aviator, Amy Johnson. Amy made her first solo flight after just sixteen hours' tuition. She was also one of the first women in Britain to obtain a ground engineer's licence. She completed many record breaking flights. During the war her aircraft crashed into the Thames estuary and her body was never recovered. The exhibit has occupied the first floor since 1959. Three rooms have been restored, the Swinton and Halifax rooms and the Orangery.

There are several garden areas including the 'Old English Garden', the woodland walk, The Sensory and Rose Garden, the Walled Garden and more. Flowers and shrubs are contained by neatly clipped low box hedges and interspersed with topiary. The high walls offer shelter and are covered in roses and hydrangeas. It's a pleasant mix of formal and informal planting. This garden is very colourful. A small nursery sells plants. If you time it right, you'll see a splendid Dracunculus vulgaris in flower.

The feature of the Sensory and Rose garden is a statue of Pandora and there are lovely twisted topiaries too. One of the most memorable features of Sewerby is the Araucarias. There are picnic areas, a cafe, a zoo and much more. The house often has art exhibitions. You can get here from Bridlington on foot enjoying the sea views or you can catch the seaside 'train'. It's a bit of a bumpy ride!

Words and images copyright Karen Platt 2013.

If you love gardens, why not buy my book Lifestyle Gardening here

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/sewerby/index2.html

The Beauty of Trees by Michael Jordan, hardback published by Quercus. ISBN978-1-78087-326-8, price 20.00 available from www.quercusbooks.co.uk

The beautiful photograph on the front cover of this book is very eye-catching. Once inside you won't be disappointed either. The photography is superb and shows of the real beauty of trees. Trees have a prominent place in nature and their beauty is often overlooked. This book works on many levels - it can be used as a glorious coffee table book if one wants to simply admire the photos. On a deeper level if offers information on the trees. The book looks at 100 trees and tells the story of man's relationship with trees throughout history. There is a list of common names. On each profile you also get the botanical name, an overview, description, and an information panel giving dimensions and indicating where the plant originated. This is accompanied by a small image, usually showing a close up of the foliage or sometimes the fruits. Highly recommended.

Buy this book now

Papaver Red Poppies

The epitome of red plants in summer must surely be the poppies. I love poppies and daring red suits them to perfection. Of course, they have their association with the men that lost their lives in the war for Poppy Day, but fields of poppies never make me think of blood. More a warm glow, a dash of bright colour and joy.

Immortalized by artists, red field poppies are a less frequent sight than when I was young, owing to pesticides. A field of poppies is a breathtaking sight especially under a blue summer sky. The field poppy is Papaver rhoeas. The poppy normally chosen to grace our gardens is Papaver somniferum - the annual with large flowers in single or double form. Must say I personally prefer the singles, more graceful and yet they have more impact than all those fussy petals found on doubles. I never knew this but it is the milky latex that contains the opiates found in opium and codeine. Poppies sometimes have a black blotch of thumbprint at the base of each petal. The seed heads themselves are very decorative.

I don't have a photo but Mecomopsis puniceus - the red Himalayan poppy is very choice.

Wherever you plant them, they will catch the eye - that's why people hate red in gardens - it is so noticeable. I love red.

Whatever your favourite colour, take a look at my garden books on colour here

Words and images Karen Platt 2013

Haddon Hall lies just outside Bakewell in Derbyshire. Parts of the house date from the 12th century and overlook the River Wye. It is a fine example of a fortified medieval manor house that has a fascinating history and is beautifully preserved. It was restored in the 1920s by the 9th Duke and Duchess of Rutland. Guided tours are usually available but you can stroll through the house on your own - it is very interesting. The house opens approximately one month before the garden.

The Elizabethan terraced gardens are romantic, full of roses, lavender and clematis. The gardens are open from May to September and extra terraces are open on some dates. Since I visited, the Fountain Terrace was re-planted by garden designer Arne Maynard in 2011 with pinks and purples. The Bowling Terrace is being re-planted with an Elizabethan knot garden.

For more information, visit

http://www.haddonhall.co.uk

If you love looking at or visiting gardens, get your copy of Lifestyle Gardening here

A fabulous guide to garden styles from backyard to landscape design. Discover over 220 landscaping ideas from gardens around the world. Garden design ideas and inspiration for all gardeners. Over 375 sumptuous garden photographs. Over 200 typical plants for garden styles. Key principles of garden design and garden supplies from around the world.

Green, the everywhere colour that's happy to be part of the background. Bring it to the fore with fabulous green flowers and lush foliage. One plant fulfills the criteria and that's Euphorbia. This genus is one the largest and diverse in the plant kingdom. With their incredible chartreuse bracts, these plants are eye-catching. Some are studded with little flowers in red or even close to black, they look like little black diamonds. I think the word that describes them best is handsome. The foliage can be blue-green, have hints of red or be varying shades of green and offers an almost instantaneous, desirable, lush Mediterranean look.  Be aware that some Euphorbias are weedy, so choose with care. E. characias can become leggy with bare basal stems. You can cut it back hard in summer, but when around five years old the plant is already losing its stamina. Take softwood cuttings or allow seedlings to grow in situ. The other essential information to know about these plants is the milky sap that can cause irritation. If cutting, wear long gloves and protect your face too, in fact protect any exposed skin. The sap was once used as a purgative, and this resulted in the common name spurge. Some plants are also very large, so give them space. They mix well in borders and many are hardy. There are also succulent euphorbias.

These are easy to grow plants that give so much. Grow in a sheltered site away from strong winds. Most do best in fertile soil in sun. Cut deciduous types back in autumn. Take cuttings every other year to ensure a continuous supply of strong healthy plants.

Love green flowers? Discover over 1,000 green flowers and over 500 choice green foliage plants in the first comprehensive book on the subject here

Words and images copyright Karen Platt 2013

Private Edens by Jack Staub, hardback published by GibbsSmith. ISBN 978-1-4236-2108-9, price 35.00 GBP available from www.gibbs-smith.com and in the UK from pguk

I really enjoyed this book. You can visit twenty one privately owned US gardens form the comfort of your armchair. The gardens are in Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Each beautiful garden has a story to tell. Visit a chunk of paradise here on earth as you are guided around each garden with stunning photography. This is a journey, you'll never forget but one you can repeat ad infinitum. You'll find memorable plant palettes, garden features and plenty of ideas. The variety of gardens is key to this book and they have been chosen well. The writer himself owns an historic farm. The photographer, Rob Cardillo brings his expertise to provide fantastic photography - some of the best garden photography I have seen. Words and images combine to produce an exceptional piece of work looking at some of the best private gardens in the USA. Highly recommended.

Buy this book now

I always mark the start of my gardening year with the beautiful Harrogate Spring Flower Show. This year is no exception. The show starts Thursday 25 April and runs until Sunday.

You'll find leading plant nurseries with first class horticultural displays and plants to buy. Garden design, floral art, crafts, food marquee, sundries and much more. There is a record number of gardens at this spring show. The floral club celebrates Beatlemania. Find out how to build a recycled greenhouse from plastic bottles. Come for inspiration, colour, ideas, and to stock up on your garden plants. You could easily spend all day browsing and buying. There is food on site, but my advice would be to eat in Harrogate if you have not brought a picnic. The show is easily

Doors open at 9.30 - 5.30, tickets are 16.50 GBP each. Make an advance booking for the autumn show with a reduction available here.