APRIL is one of the busiest months for the gardeners at Cambo and one of the most satisfying as they prepare for the coming season, planting seeds, taking cuttings, mulching and planting. As you will see, the greenhouses and frames are full of seedlings and plants.
A newly created area in the garden is the American Prairie in an adjacent paddock up beyond the Potting Shed. It is one of only a handful outside America and contains 70 species grown from seed at Cambo.
WOODLANDS EDGE (1) There are many interesting spring flowers growing here – hellebores, pulmonarias and primulas weave their way between shrubs such as mahonia and two cultivars of Ribes sanguineum (flowering currant). Drifts of assorted narcissus help lighten the scene and across the path towards the burn the colchicum meadow provides a lush green carpet of contrasting textures.
CALENDAR BED (2) This steppe planting is still filling out. Mostly grown from seed, it is a diffused natural planting in a pastel colour range. The textures are just beginning to emerge as the perennials and grasses break into growth. This long season border has a focus in July-August.
Behind the long hedge of Prunus cerisifiera is the main vegetable production area for the house which means that our wonderful vegetable potager can remain unscathed. All the seeds are currently in modules in the greenhouses.
STEPPE PLANTING (3). As with the Calendar Bed the textures are just beginning to emerge in this planting which takes its inspiration from natural areas with little available summer rainfall such as the Polish and Russian Steppes or the North American short grass prairie.
THE ANNUALS (4) These beds have been planted with tulips for our Tulip Festival - 29 April to 3 May
TRADITIONAL BORDER (5) The traditional borders represent a modern reworking of traditional flower borders incorporating some traditional cottage garden flowers such as delphiniums, lupins and geraniums which are not often found in contemporary naturalistic plantings and during April we will continue to adjust the plantings.
MOIST AREA (6) To be renovated this year and a new moist area created outside the walled garden by the picnic bench.
CUT FLOWER AREA (7) This function based natural planting is based on an offset geometric layout which is designed to make picking easier, slow the visitor down and enclose them with flowers. WOODLAND BORDER (8) This border starts to awaken in early spring. The lime yellow flowers of Corylopsis pauciflora combine well with the blue of Pulmonaria angustiflolia. Also making an appearance this month is the mottled foliage of Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ and Trillium chloropetalum. These plants are supported by the shrub Garrya elliptica which has beautiful long catkins.
EARLY FLOWERING BORDER (10) The mingled style of this area is suitable for smaller gardens. Parts of this area were planted two years ago, while the remaining less hardy plants were planted last month. The aim is to create an early planting which also looks good right to the end of the season.
NATURALISTIC POTAGER & ENTRANCE BEDS (11&12) For the TULIP FESTIVAL we have planted more than 7000 bulbs in vibrant displays and the potager is very much the centrepiece of the event.
Behind the potager the Nepeta (catmint) walk is awash with bulbs – narcissus, anemones and erythroniums surround the fresh purplish leaves of peonies and the pale blue starshaped flowers are Chionodoxa. The bulbs add interest and extend the season before being covered by pale blue nepeta later in the season. Also look out for the stunning trilliums in the far right hand corner of the garden.
LATE DOUBLE BORDER (13) A habitat based planting influenced by the North American tall grass prairies, albeit a very stylised version. The plants, from moister regions of North America, are suitable for most parts of Scotland. Tulips are interplanted between permanent plants to help extend the season.
The Lilac Walk along the top wall is underplanted with spring bulbs such as muscari and anemones.
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