Blooming July…
Posted on | July 14, 2010 | 2 Comments
EDP article for Sat 17th July
For the first time in weeks I’m not fretting about sitting in front of my computer rather than being in the garden. I have a pile of cats tightly curled up on a seat beside me in my studio at the back of the house, with the sound of gentle drizzle falling on the foliage of a rather large Giant Knotweed through open French doors that overlook the garden.
The word ‘knotweed’ usually sends a shudder through most gardeners as it is certainly a very pernicious plant indeed. Hailing from the Sakhalin Islands of northern Japan; Polygonum sachalinense, or giant knotweed, is closely related to P. cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed), and they are somewhat similar in appearance. The main difference is size; both the leaf size and overall plant size are much bigger in giant knotweed. Once established giant knotweed spreads by rhizomes and can be exceedingly invasive. Mine is growing in a fairly small area imprisoned behind a maximum security solid flint faced concrete block enclosure from which it cannot escape though I haven’t built security towers or put in an electric fence yet! Joking aside, I have to admit that I’m very fond of this herbaceous perennial as it grows to a height of 3.6m (12ft) plus each season with large leaves up to 38cm (15ins) long giving a very jungle-like feel to the garden. Visitors sometimes tell me that having it is illegal which is not the case; though I would certainly not recommend planting it. Luckily mine is well behaved and would only be removed if it managed to break out of its maximum security confinement.
Polygonum sachalinense (Giant Knotweed) imprisoned behind a thick concrete wall hidden behind a raised pool.
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) left and Polygonum sachalinense, (Giant Knotweed) right.
There is also an attractive variegated form -Fallopia japonica ‘Variegata’ which is accentuated by dark green to reddish stems with mid-green leaves splashed with yellow and pink. Although it is far less invasive than the common form – to be safe I only grow it as a containerised plant where I can admire its beauty knowing that it isn’t going to take over the garden.
Fallopia japonica 'Variegata' (Variegated Knotweed)
For the record – It is not an offence to grow giant knotweed in your garden or on your land and there is no legal requirement (unless stated in a particular contract or arrangement) to control it. Giant knotweed is not listed in the Weeds Act and is therefore not ‘notifiable’, meaning there is no need to report its presence on your land. It is an offence though to dispose of cut stems or soil containing rhizomes for instance by taking it to the tip or by putting stems or rhizomes in your green waste bin and it is certainly an offence to plant it in the wild, so be warned!
Of course there are many members of the family Polygonaceae which are completely safe to grow in the garden and far too many to mention here, so I will only mention one, also commonly known as Knotweed – Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ which grows to about 90cm (3ft) tall in full sun to dappled shade position. The leaf colouring changes from deep maroon with a silvery-white V-shaped marking in spring, to darker green with a maroon V-shape in summer. Sprays of tiny creamy-white flowers appear in clusters above the foliage in summer much loved by bees. It is a non-running and non-invasive cultivar so totally safe to grow in the garden.
Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'
Many plants are coming into full bloom and one that is flowering to perfection at the moment is a rather large Yucca glorious some 2.7m (9ft) tall with two enormous 1.2m (4ft) flower spikes, or as I have now noticed, one, as the weight of the flowers and rain caused the tallest spike to crash down taking out a large clump of Canna ‘Eisenhower’ as gravity brought it to the ground! When the rain stops I will have to try and prop it up again providing it doesn’t snap of in the process.
Yucca gloriosa flower spike laying on top of Canna 'Eisenhower' and Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
I love to walk around the garden in the rain as it is so lush and verdant with dripping leaves and the strong scent of Brugmansia in the air, in fact the whole garden is pervaded with the scent of multiple flowers and foliage in the rain, such a welcome change after so long a dry period – you can almost sense the garden sighing with relief as the gentle rains wash the dust out of the air reinvigorating all the plants.
Brugmansia 'Snowbank'
Even fairly drought tolerant shrubs like Aucuba japonica variegata the spotted Laurel has been under strain in recent weeks with floppy leaves, but know they back to normal and looking fabulous. Even plants in the Xerophytic (desert garden) are enjoying the summer rains after such a long desiccating period.
Only a few weeks ago many of the plants in the garden were several weeks late after such a hard winter, but now most have caught up and growing fast. Most traditional herbaceous borders are now going over, especially with all the heat and drought of late, but the tropicals are now powering up for a crescendo over the months to come. Here is to rain at night and warm days – well one can wish…
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2 Responses to “Blooming July…”
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July 16th, 2010 @ 7:20 pm
Hi Will,
I would like to thank you for your beautiful pictures. In my hand, there is a french magazin called “l’Ami des jardins” from 1993. Inside there is an article about Myles Challis. How he created his jungle like garden on the middle of London etc…
Mr. Challis is saying that by prunning severely Catalpa or Paulownia you can get huge leafs. What do you think about that? Did you ever use this method?
July 19th, 2010 @ 10:04 pm
Hi Oguz,
Myles Challis is a hero of mine – I remember getting his first book (The Exotic Garden) way back when in 1988. I cut my Paulonia tomentosa (Foxglove tree) down to the ground each spring which gives you leaves a foot or more across rather than the usual 6ins if let grow into a tree. I also made the change you requested… Thank you for your picture comment.