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Furzey Gardens

Chris Beardshaw, explains how visitors can use the elements in the Furzey Gardens to give their own shady gardens a natural flavour.

“The beauty of thatch is that it’s a completely malleable material so the shapes and curves can all be exploited to get that flowing feel”

  • If you've got acid soil...

    If you've got acid soil...

    Rhododendron luteum is a really valuable plant. It’s early-season, and at the moment it has beautiful buttery-yellow flowers that have a knockout fragrance. Once they are over, lovely fresh foliage is revealed and then in the autumn you get great colour. For a shady, woodland garden with ericaceous soil, it’s an absolute must. The RHS has comprehensive advice on acid soil.

  • Stone staircase

    Reuse your stone

    This stone was originally a redundant wall in the Furzey Gardens, which we have relaid as tiptoe paving. There are planting spaces between the stones, so we’re putting in mosses and sedges, but if it was a hot, dry site then Mediterranean plants such as thyme and prostrate rosemary would work well. The stones are big enough not to need to be mortared in; just find some firm ground and set them in securely.

  • Timber

    Use leftover wood

    Reclaimed timber can be used for rustic arches, trellis and other informal structures. It's easily sourced from timber merchants or woodyards that have leftover timber which is normally either burned or chipped. The material can be as gnarled and lichen-covered as you want. We have used spiny oak - material from the top of the oak tree that tends to go very hard and is great for sculptural use.

  • Acer palmatum 'Katsura'

    Light shade with leaves

    You don’t have to have acid soil to grow Acer palmatum ‘Katsura’; it will grow anywhere that's not too chalky, as long as it has some protection from strong winds. Like most Japanese maples, it has a wonderful tiered habit and the light green, almost yellow leaves will light up any gloomy space.  Acers are hardworking garden plants, with bright emergent leaf growth, fine summer form and spectacular autumn colour.

  • Thatch

    Thatch your outbuildings

    Using thatch on gazebos and sheds adds real personality to the building and achieves a natural look that blends into the surroundings without danger of any ostentation. It also encourages the work of local craftsmen; a professional thatcher will construct it quickly and it will give you years of life. The beauty of thatch is that it’s a completely malleable material so the shapes and curves can all be exploited to get that flowing feel.