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There is an aspect of gardening where man can do what nature cannot - that
is, to make the best of plant associations. Imagine a Japanese Arisaema
growing alongside a British Orchid.....or a North American Erythronium
in the company of a Chinese Primula.....and so on.
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ADONIS Three particularly nice species
for the peat garden whose flowers come well before the foliage and make
excellent subjects for underplanting the dwarf shrubs. A.amurensis
from Japan is very early and has greeny-yellow flowers with fine dissected
foliage. The plant is variable and there are also colour forms of orange,
and white. A.amurensis flora plena
is a double form with yellow cup-shaped flowers. A.vernalis
(The spring Adonis) is from Europe and is described as "the best of all".
It is another early flowering species with low golden cups up to 50mm wide
which smother the ground in March and April. A.brevistyla,
from the Himalayas is a very close second in beauty to A.vernalis.
It has deep blue buds which emerge into the largest white chalices with
a steely-blue reverse. Very variable, but it is worth seeking out the best
forms.
ANEMONE
ANEMONELLA The "Rue Anemone" is a monotypic genus endemic to North America. The type, A.thalictroides, has white flowers 12mm across and a bronzy-mauve coloured foliage. There are a number of forms available including pinks, greens, semi-double whites and double pinks. You pay your money-you take your choice...but all worth growing in the peat bed. Beware of smothering by larger subjects. ARISAEMA From the dwarf A.sikokianum (15cm) to those too large for even the largest peat bed, you either love or hate these aroids. From large leaves, emerge white spathes with incredibly complex markings of pink, green, brown and purple....(unfortunately not all on the same spathe). Those suitable for the Peat Garden include. Aa.sikokianum (white),candidissimum (pink), ringens (green) and triphylla (green, heavily striped). ASTILBE This marvellous genus of summer flowering perennials has a few species of dwarf habit which, in my opinion, far outclass their larger garden cousins. Two of the best and both incidentally from Japan, are A.glaberrima saxatilis, with astonishingly dark bronze-green, finely cut foliage and plumes of the palest pink and cream flowers which rarely exceed 15cm in height and A.simplicifolia which is larger in all its parts but still beautifully proportioned. Ideal for that damper spot in the peat garden and much needed late-summer flowering CORTUSA C.matthiola, a member of the primulaceae, is another plant which appreciates a damp spot in the peat bed and is another which, if well suited will provide a spectacular summer display of pendant, purple primrose-like flowers on 15cm stems, above a mass of ruffled green leaves. Difficult but not impossible in the peat bed. CORYDALIS
CYCLAMEN
CYPRIPEDIUM Although many of the lady's slipper orchids are endangered, there are a number of institutions, nurseries and private individuals who have mastered the science of growing these beautiful plants from seed, to the extent that not only are they becoming readily available through the trade but many are being re-introduced to their natural habitats. Early summer flowering and of immense beauty and elegance, the cypripediums will thrive in any leafy, well drained soil. If you can find nursery grown stock. Ones to try are C.calceolus (Europe), C.japonicum (Japan) and C.kentuckiense (N.America).
DACTYLORHIZA If the Cypripediums are elegant,
then the Dacs
DODECATHEON
ERYTHRONIUM
FRITILLARIA More members of the Lily family (and still more to come) which will naturalise readily in the leafy conditions.It is possible that all species will tolerate the leafy, peaty conditions of the peat bed but those that definitely appreciate it and will happily multiply are:-F.camschatcencis, which is 20-30cm high and has 1-3 pendulous bells of the deepest purple, almost black, colouring. A late flowerer, usually in early to mid summer. It is however variable, so seek out the darkest forms. F.meleagris, the snakes-head fritillary, from Europe, is a little taller and has purple and white chequered flowers. There are white forms of meleagris and variations between the two. Flowers in late spring. F.pallidiflora from Siberia is one of the best for form and ease of cultivation. It has small round, bell-shaped flowers of pure brilliant yellow. GALAX G.aphylla
(urceolata) is an evergreen requiring light shade and a leafy soil.The
beauty of this plant lies in its large glossy green leaves which turn to
bronze in autumn. racemes of small white flowers in mid-summer.
HACQUETIA Hacquetia (or Dondia) epipactis is a native of Eastern Europe and is one of the earliest plants to flower in the peat garden. A real harbinger of spring, the inconspicuous flowers of the brightest yellow, are overlapped by green bracts which appear like large green flowers, smothering the ground. The flowers are followed by large trefoil leaves. A most unusual but accommodating, umbellifer. HYLOMECON
JEFFERSONIA Members of the Berberidaceae, but very similar to Anemonellas and enjoying pretty much the same conditions. From N.America, J.diphylla is the larger of the two species most often grown, reaching a height of 10 cmc. It has bilobal leaves and solitary white flowers upto 25 mm wide. J.dubia is even more desirable with large, pale blue flowers and glossy hepatica-like leaves of a mauve-purple. A real gem. LILIUM
MECONOPSIS
NOMOCHARIS
POLYGALA Many species of the milkwort would be out of place in the peat garden but an exception is P.chamaebuxus and its forms 'Rhodoptera' and 'Purpurea'.A low growing woody plant with lots of colour from its bi-coloured flowers of cream/yellow and cream/purple. Very prolific flowerer. PRIMULA
SANGUINARIA The Canadian Bloodroot...Sanguinaria canadensis and what a superb peat bed plant.From the rootstock come large grey-green leaves which envelop the flower buds until the buds explode into pure white, deliciously wide chalices. The form 'grandiflora' (or 'flora plena, as it is sometimes called) has double flowers and is equally floriferous but, in my opinion, not quite as enchanting. SHORTIA
TRIENTALIS A rambling perennial of the Primula family, ideal for growing through the not-so-dwarf Rhododendrons and shrubs in the peatgarden. The leaves are arranged in whorls from which emerge white or pink starry flowers in summer.T.borealis from N.america and T.europaea are the commonly grown species, the former being slightly larger in all its parts. Pretty. TRILLIUM
UVULARIA And finally another member of
the Liliaceae to end with.U.grandiflora from N.America and its smaller
relative U.perfoliata (are they really different species?) are excellent
plants for a cool spot in good leafy soil. They have perfoliate leaves
of a lime-green hue and many lemon-yellow, campanulate flowers, which hang
their heads in a submissive pose. Another good plant for late spring/early
summer colour. Uvularia sessilifolia is more open in growth pattern, smaller
in height, more slender and delicate in appearance with smaller more twisted
blooms in a straw-yellow.
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PHOTOGRAPHS ACCOMPANYING THE TEXT
Meconopsis sheldonii
Arisaema amurense
Cypripedium kentuckiense Erythronium japonicum
All other photographs © Alan Grainger 1998 My sincere thanks to Linda, Hannelotte, Noriaki and Cliff for allowing me to use their lovely photographs to accompany this article. |
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I am indebted to Charlie, not only for his excellent article and
photographs but also for freely imparting both his knowledge and his spare
plants to me over the past fifteen years or so.
The Peat Garden by Alan Grainger Nurseries supplying plants
mentioned in the text
Photographs © as acknowledged Design and Graphics © The Alpine Garden 2001 |
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Charlie Johnson is a name synonymous with the cultivation and propagation
of plants for the peat garden. He gardens on a 1 acre site in West Yorkshire
and welcomes visitors by appointment to his Waincliffe Garden Nursery.
(You can obtain details by sending an e-mail to me).
The wood anemones are a perfect
foil for the dwarf rhododendrons, coming into flower just at the right
time. A.caerulea,
from the Southern Altai is small and has equally small but light blue flowers
a-plenty. Fine dissected foliage is an added bonus. A.nemerosa
'Robinsoniana'is
another blue but with much larger flowers on 20cm stems and flowers throughout
May and June. A.narcissiflorum
is a lovely plant with softly dissected foliage, large, white, bowl-shaped
flowers of the purest white with a shell-pink reverse. Upto 30cm.
Take your pick ! Many of the
woodland species are ideally suited to the peat garden. They require a
well-nourished peaty soil in light shade. I could extol their virtues forever
but I don't have the time. C.ambigua
from (where else ?) Japan and C.solida
from Europe will provide some of the best forms of foliage and flower variation.
Carefully selected forms can take you from white, through pink, through
purple to blue and back again, with every shade in-between. C.cashmeriana
is a gem, although difficult and many of the newer introductions from Eastern
Europe and China are going to be the jewels of the future. If every peat
garden should have a Rhododendron, then it should certainly be accompanied
by a Corydalis. (For
more information on this genus, I refer you to the excellent monograph
"Corydalis" by Liden & Zetterlund published by AGS Publications and
to the list of nurseries which accompanies these two articles)
C.hederifolium....autumn
flowering, ivy-leaved cyclamen with pink to deep red flowers and dull green
leaves with silver markings...will add late colour to the peat bed and
will multiply readily given the right conditions of good leafy soil and
light shade.
are statuesque. They flourish in the peat garden putting up their spikes
of white, pink, lilac and purple flowers, throughout the summer. Appreciating
a damp position, these marsh orchids can be diminutive(D.incarnata
ssp coccinea..upto 6cm) to majestic (D.majalis....upto
90cm) and almost all species will excel in the peat garden.
The
emblem of the 
Members
of the Liliaceae and an excellent addition to the peat garden as underplantings
for the dwarf shrubs. These pendulous lilies with white, yellow pink and purple
flowers have large ovate leaves, many being heavily marbled. E.californicum
(white, 30cm), E.dens-canis
(purple, 15cm) E.revolutum
(pink, 15cm) and E.tolumnense
(yellow, 30cm) and E.japonicum (pink,
30cm) are just a selection of the many beautiful species available. There
are a number of equally desirable hybrids. Once planted, they resent disturbance.
Large
palmate leaves of bright green followed by masses of lilac-pink flowers
in summer make this Japanese "poppy"G.palmatum,
an outstanding addition to any peat garden. Around 20cm tall and much wider,
so needs plenty of room.
A perennial Japanese plant, Hylomecon
japonicum,
brings masses of colour to the peat garden in early spring. Large yellow
poppy-like flowers sit atop the light green pinnate foliage. 30cm high.
Depending
upon the scale and size of your peat bed, you can grow almost any lily
you like. They are so widely grown and loved that I need not go into detail
here but suffice to say that my particular favourite for the peat garden
is L.rubellum,
from Japan and a joy to behold with its large pink flowers and bright green
leaves. A must for growing under the taller Rhododendrons.
A
genus of stately plants par-excellence, many much too tall for all but
the largest peat gardens but without doubt essential for both foliage and
flower characteristics. Many of the Meconopsis are not truly perennial
but come readily from seed. Ones to grow are M.grandis
( a true perennial) with golden foliage and large blue flowers, M.punicea,
a stunning plant with drooping, almost lily-like petals of the deepest
red, M.xSheldonii,
one of the best blues (see photo) and for a change of colour, try M.dhwojii
with large yellow blooms.The latter is monocarpic, so save those seeds.
I could not hope to adequately
describe the beauty of these aristocrats of the Lily family. In early summer,
N.farreri
with its large pendant flowers of lilac through pink is the gem of the
race but it can be tall (90cm). N.aperta
which is overall a little smaller at 60cm has deep pink flowers with maroon
markings. N.pardanthina,
another tall but elegant plant has rose-pink, pendulous but flat, flowers
and N.oxypetala,
which is one of the smallest species at 15-20cm has solitary deep yellow-flowers.
If you can obtain them, grow them all. They are a sheer delight.
Certainly the vast majority of
asiatic primulas will do well in the peat bed, preferring a lime-free soil
with plenty of humus that never dries out. There are so many to choose
from that it is purely a matter of choice and taste. If you can accomodate
their requirements of a good, leafy, well-nourished peaty soil and if you
can get hold of the plants, then try P.aureata,
a real gem with heavily farinosed leaves and large white flowers with a
deep-yellow eye, P.gracilipes,
small tight rosettes and masses of frilly, pink flowers and P.bhutanica
with the most gorgeous sky-blue flowers. Some of these asiatic primulas
go back to a resting bud in winter and may need some overhead protection
to prevent them from rotting.
Outstandingly beautiful plants
for the peat bed, requiring
shade and moisture at all times. S.galacifolia
from N.America has large bronzy leaves ( similar to the genus Galax) and
funnel-shaped white flowers which flush pink on ageing. S.uniflora
and its forms 'Grandiflora'
and 'Kantoense'
from Japan are amongst the most outstanding alpine plants of all. Thick,
glossy, round foliage and large open funnels of white, tinged with pink
which have frilled edges to the petals. S.soldanelloides
has smaller but equally as attractive foliage and masses of pink, soldanella
like, fringed bells. All have foliage which acquire the most beautiful
red and bronze autumn tints. Difficult to obtain and difficult to cultivate
but worth trading your right arm for.
The best companion plants for
the peat garden. There are those far more knowledgeable than I on this
genus, especially in the USA, and I would be loathe to offer cultural advice
on Trilliums but given a good, deep, rich leafy soil and the occasional
(liquid) feed, they will give of their best, year after year. From the
tiny T.pusilum v. pusilum
to the large, clump forming T.grandiflorum,
I have yet to see a trillium that I didn't like. Among my own particular
favourites are Tt nivale,
rivale
and catesbei.
