Ivydene Gardens Mixed Borders in RHS Garden at Wisley Garden Design:
EAST BORDER of MIXED BORDERS in the Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley:
Section 4 Part 11 and
Replace bedding and perennials with Wildflower lawn edged with normal lawn to reduce gardening time to 1 hour a week

Page Menus are below the Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn photos.

Winter. Photo taken on 4 January 2013 by Heather Kavanagh

Replace bedding and perennials with wildflower lawn edged with normal lawn to reduce gardening time to 1 hour a week

Many people have little time to maintain a garden. If the above garden was created before you just bought the house with its garden or you just inherited it, then you may wish to reduce your time in the garden in the first few years by the following:-

• If the bedding and perennials are replaced with a wildflower lawn with its multi-colour of wildflowers, then maintenance time will be reduced to 1 mowing a year for that lawn.
• Keep the Clematis climber and insert a 3 inch (7.5 cms) depth of Spent Mushroom Compost or uncomposted large chips of bark as a mulch within the birch plant support system to make it easier to weed and reduce the transpiration of water from the ground through the action of wind or sun. Keeping the climber will provide a focus for you to look at from the windows in the different rooms on the ground floor.
• Surround the climber support structure with a path of ordinary lawn; which is 1 mower's cutting width and an ordinary lawn path of the same width to the same width ordinary lawn path which surrounds the enclosed Wildflower Meadow lawn or Wildflower and Perennial Turf. This ordinary lawn path is connected to the the same path material alongside the house and to the back of the garden next to that back garden hedge.
• The same depth of Spent Mushroom Compost or bark should be used as the mulch in the beds containing the evergreen shrubs, deciduous shrubs and hedge at the back and sides of this garden.
• The ordinary lawn path at the front should be 2 mower width's to allow for cleaning the adjacent house windows or gutters.
• To protect the ordinary lawn paths from becoming slippery due to you walking on it to clean windows or get to the back garden gate in the back corner on the right or the garden tool shed in the back corner on the left; you can use GR Grass Reinforcement Mesh as further detailed in the Part 18 Page.
• If you use flexible steel edging like Everedge to the normal lawn paths , then edging those paths becomes redundant and it stops the normal lawn from either mixing with the wildflower lawn or the shrub / hedge beds.
• The grass mowings - of once a fortnight from April to June can have the period between mowings extended to once every 3 weeks in July-October - can be placed under the hedge to feed it.
• When the autumn leaves from the shrubs, hedge or trees outside your garden appear on the lawn, then set the mower to its highest setting and cut the normal lawn paths once a week until the leaves stop falling. Put these mowings under the bark or spent mushroom compost mulched areas to provide those shrubs and climber with food for the next year.
• When the hedge or shrubs are pruned, put the prunings on the back path of normal lawn before chopping them up using the rotary mower whilst also mowing the grass underneath, and then mulching the hedge with the resulting cut organic material. To keep the Spent Mushroom Compost or Bark from being spread onto the path by the birds foraging for worms, I suggest that you leave the top of the edging at least 1 inch (2.5 cms) above that mulch.
• These mulches should reduce your need to water the shrubs or hedge to once in April to provide water for the growing spring and summer seasons and once again at the beginning of August to provide the shrub and hedge roots with the water to be stored by them to use in creating the spring juvenile deciduous and evergreen foliage.
• About 50% of the depth of mulch is likely to be lost within the first year and it should be topped up in March to its 3 inch depth.

Spring. Photo taken on 1 May 2013 by Heather Kavanagh

Early Summer. Photo taken on 1 July 2013 by Heather Kavanagh

Early Autumn. Photo taken on 19 September 2013 by Heather Kavanagh

Late Autumn. Photo taken on 23 November 2013 by Heather Kavanagh

"Lindum Wildflower Meadow Turf is a mix of British wildflowers and grasses designed to create a natural wildflower meadow.

A mix of 50:50 wildflowers and meadow grasses it is planted at the correct density for optimum establishment and to provide a prolonged flowering period for biodiversity and visual interest. Ideal for creating traditional wildflower meadows which complement the local habitat. Flowering height is 40-60cm.

There are 20 carefully chosen British wildflower species sown in Lindum Wildflower Meadow Turf. They have been chosen so that different plants flower at different times during the flowering season providing a dynamic and ever changing display and an important nectar source for bees, butterflies and other insects.

The grasses in the mix are all native to the British Isles and are chosen to complement the flowers and not compete with them. Their seed heads are visually attractive provide a valuable food source for birds.

The soil type that the meadow is established in will determine the type of flowers which grow best and the mixture will adapt according to the rainfall and temperature in different seasons.
If you know the soil type that you have, use:-

• Wild Flowers on Acid Soil Habitat Table,
• on Calcareous (Chalk) Soil,
• on Marine Soil,
• on Neutral Soil,

and the following plant types:-

• is a Ferns,
• is a Grass,
• is a Rush, or
• is a Sedge to add to the flower beds.

The wildflower species included in the mix are listed below with their environmental benefits. Links to their Wildflower Family Page and Flower Photo are also given :-

• Common name: Betony from Thyme Family
  Latin name: Stachys officinalis
Height: Up to 75cm
  An increasingly rare wildflower. Flourishes in semi-shade and produces nectar. Magenta flowers June to September. Particularly attractive to Speckled Yellow Butterfly.
  
   
• Common name: Common Bird’s-foot trefoil from Peaflower - Clovers Family 
Latin name: Lotus corniculatus
Height: 20-40cm
  A particular favourite of butterflies and moths. Produces yellow nectar rich flowers from May to September. Distinctive seed pods. Excellent plant for bees.
  
   
• Common name: Cat’s Ear from Catsears and Hawkbits Family 
Latin name: Hypochaeries radicata
Height: Up to 60cm
  A good nectar plant and excellent drought survivor. Yellow dandelion flowers June to October. Favourite of Feathered Footman Moth. Native of meadows and pastures, grassy dunes and waysides.
  
   
• Common name: Common vetch from Peaflower: Vetches and Peas Family
  Latin name: Vicia sativa ssp nigra
Height: 15-40cm
  Pink/purple flowers from June onwards. Very attractive to bees and the Pea Moth. An annual for sunny sites. Can be erect, trailing or scrambling. Producer of nectar.
  
   
• Common name: Cowslip from Primrose Family
Latin name: Primula veris
Height: Up to 25cm
  Yellow upright flowers April to May. Excellent source of nectar and very popular with butterflies and moths. Favours full exposure to sun. Native of meadows and pastures on basic and especially calcareous soils.
  
   
• Common name: Field geranium / Meadow Cranesbill from Geranium Family
Latin name: Geranium pratense
Height: Up to 90cm
  Native of meadows and roadsides. Bright blue flowers June to September. Good nectar plant and attractive to Brown Argus Butterfly. Flourishes in sunny sites and makes a good border plant.
  
   
• Common name: Lady’s bedstraw from Bedstraw Family 
Latin name: Gallium verum
Height: Up to 80cm
  Low growing plant spreading ground cover with yellow flowers June-August. Attracts a wide variety of butterflies and moths and smells of honey.
  
   
• Common name: Lesser knapweed from Daisy: Thistle Family
Latin name: Centaurea nigra
Height: Up to 100cm
  Mauve thistle like flowers June to September. Excellent nectar provider for bees and butterflies. Birds, especially finches like its seeds.
  
   
• Common name: Meadow Buttercup from Buttercup Family
  Latin name: Ranunculus acris
Height: Up to 50cm
  Common grassland meadow plant. Yellow flowers May to September. Rich in nectar and attractive to bees, butterflies and moths especially Flame Brocade Moth.
  
   
• Common name: Musk mallow from Mallow Family
Latin name: Malva moschata
Height: Up to 80cm
  Delicate pink mallow flowers July to September. Supplies good nectar food for butterflies and attracts Mallow moth. Native to grassy places, pastures and hedge banks. Enjoys full exposure to the sun.
  
   
• Common name: Perforate St Johns wort (Common St John's Wort) from St John's Wort Family
Latin name: Hypericum perforatum
Height: 20-50cm
  A particular favourite with bees. It bears a fruit that contains many seeds. Flowers May to September. Yellow flowers with translucent dots. Native of open woods, hedge banks and grassland. A recently re-discovered herbal remedy plant.
  
   
• Common name: Ragged robin from Pink Family
Latin name: Lychnis flos-cuculi
Height: Up to 75cm
  Bumblebees, butterflies and honey bees all enjoy the nectar it produces. Flowers May to September. Flourishes in wet areas and is a common plant of damp meadows, marshes, fens and wet woods.
  
   
• Common name: Red campion from Pink Family
Latin name: Silene dioica
Height: 30-80cm
  Attracts bumblebees and butterflies. Flowers May to July. Often found with white campion and their hybrid. A good nectar plant that enjoys shaded areas.
  
   
• Common name: Ribwort plantain from Plantain Family
Latin name: Plantago lanceolata
Height: 10-40cm
  A good plant for seed eating birds, moths and butterflies. Flowers April to August. Often found in open grassland and has brownish flowers.
  
   
• Common name: Salad burnet from Rose Family
Latin name: Sanguisorba minor
Height: Up to 50cm
  Attracts birds, bees and a variety of insects. Has distinctive leaves that when crushed smell of cucumber and be added to salads. Flowers July onwards.
  
   
• Common name: Selfheal from Thyme Family
Latin name: Prunella vulgaris
Height: 30-60cm
  Self-seeds and is an excellent nectar plant for insects. Flowers May to June. A good nectar plant. Found in lawns where constant cutting will give flowers all summer.
  
   
• Common name: Tufted vetch from Peaflower: Vetches and Peas Family
Latin name: Vicia cracca
Height: Up to 200cm
  Many birds are fond of its seeds. Flowers June to September. A good nectar plant that enjoys lots of sun. Attractive to moths and has one-sided spikes of blue flowers.
  
   
• Common name: Yarrow from Daisy: Chamomiles and Mayweeds Family
Latin name: Achillea millefolium
Height: Up to 80cm
  Attracts butterflies, moths and ladybirds. White or pink flowers. A common plant of meadows and pastures. Is drought resistant. Flowers July to October. A good nectar plant.
  
   
• Common name: Yellow rattle from Figwort: Speedwell Family
Latin name: Rhinanthus minor
  Pollinated by bumblebees. Is semi-parasitic on some grasses and is often sown in an attempt to weaken very vigorous grass growth. Flowers May to August.
  
  
  " from Lindum Turf Limited.
  
  
  
  
  
   

MIXED BORDERS in Royal Horticultural Society Garden at Wisley with my GARDEN DESIGN PAGES

Introduction

WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER WITH EARLY AND LATE AUTUMN SECTIONS OF WISLEY MIXED BORDERS
1-6 East Border
7-10 East Border
1-5 West Border
6-9 West Border

FOLIAGE COLOUR
.Black
.Blue
(o)Brown
.Bronze
(o)Green
(o)Grey
.Other
(o)Purple
(o)Red
(o)Variegated
(o)Variegated White
.Variegated Yellow
.White
.Yellow
.4 Season Colour

FLOWER COLOUR RANGE IN 71 PARTS OF MIXED BORDER DURING
May
June
July
August
September
October
November

7 Flower Colours per Month in Colour Wheel below.

Click on Black or White box in Colour of Month.

The distribution throughout the 71 parts of the Mixed Borders of each flower from the

• Permanent Herbaceous Perennials, Bedding Plants and Other Permanent Plants

split into

• Blue, White, Yellow, Unusual, Red, Orange or Pink

is in each of these Month Pages

• May, June, July, August, September, October and November

Summary of the Mixed Border Planting Design and Garden Maintenance - including in tabular form - shows the number for each single colour and combinations of colours for each of these months and whether it is from the Permanent Herbaceous Perennial (See its Index Page), Bedding Plant (See its Index Page) or Other Permanent Plant (See Index in Flower Colours per Month) plant type.

See which of the 7 flower colours have been used for each of the 71 parts during 2013 in a table of colours.

SPRING FOLIAGE COLOUR
Spr-Black
(o)-Brown
(o)-Green
(o)-Grey
Spr-Other Colour
(o)-Purple
(o)-Red
(o)-Variegated
Spr-White
Spr-Yellow
Spr-None
Spr-Multi-Colour

SUMMER FOLIAGE COLOUR
Sum-Black
(o)-Brown
(o)-Green
(o)-Grey
Sum-Other Colour
(o)-Purple
(o)-Red
(o)-Variegated
Sum-White
Sum-Yellow
Sum-None
Sum-Multi-Colour

AUTUMN FOLIAGE COLOUR
Aut-Black
Aut-Brown
(o)-Green
Aut-Grey
Aut-Other Colour
Aut-Purple
Aut-Red
(o)-Variegated
Aut-White
Aut-Yellow
Aut-None
Aut-Multi-Colour

WINTER FOLIAGE COLOUR
Win-Black
Win-Brown
(o)-Green
(o)-Grey
Win-Other Colour
(o)-Purple
Win-Red
(o)-Variegated
Win-White
Win-Yellow
Win-None
Win-Multi-Colour
 

Plant Height from Text Border

Bulb

Brown =
0-4
inches
(0-10
cms)

Blue =
4-8
inches (10-20
cms)

Green = 8-12
inches (20-30
cms)

Magenta = 12-16 inches (30-40
cms)

Red = 16-20 inches (40-50
cms)

Black = 20-24 inches (50-60
cms)

Orange = 24+
inches
(61+
cms)

Perennial

1 inch = 2.5 cms,
12" = 1 foot = 30 cms,
3 feet = 1 yard,
40 inches = 1 metre

Brown =
0-1 feet (0-30
cms)

Blue =
1-2 feet (30-60
cms)

Green =
2-3 feet (60-90
cms)

Red =
3-6 feet (90-180
cms)

Black = 6+ feet (180+
cms)

Brown =
0-1 feet (0-30
cms)

Blue =
1-3 feet (30-90
cms)

Green =
3-5 feet (90-150
cms)

Red =
5-10 feet (150-300
cms)

Black = 10+ feet (300+
cms)

Brown =
0-20 feet (0-600
cms)

Blue =
20-40 feet (600-1200
cms)

Green =
40+ feet (1200
cms)

Blue =
0-3 feet (0-90
cms)

Green =
3-10 feet (90-300
cms)

Red =
10+ feet (300+
cms)

Blue =
0-2 feet (0-60
cms)

Green =
2-6 feet (60-180
cms)

Red =
6+ feet (180+
cms)

Plant Soil Moisture from Text Background

Wet Soil

Moist Soil

Dry Soil

Click on thumbnail to add the Plant Description Page of the plant named in the Text box below that photo.
The Comments Row of that Plant Description Page details where that plant is available from.
Flowering months append the Sun Aspect in the Text Box below each Thumbnail.

Permanent Plant Name if background is yellow

Flower Colour

with link to a Design of East Border or
Design of West Border Page where that plant is located

Flowering Months

with link to each Month of that Flowering Colour Page

Height x Spread in inches (cms)

1 inch = 2.5 cms,
12" = 1 foot = 30 cms, 3 feet = 1 yard, 40 inches = 1 metre

Foliage Colour

Bedding Plant Name if background is blue

Spring

with link to that Foliage Colour in the Spring Page

Summer

with link to that Foliage Colour in the Summer Page

Autumn

with link to that Foliage Colour in the Autumn Page

Winter

with link to that Foliage Colour in the Winter Page

Alternative or Extra Plant Name if background is pink

Bamboo

Bedding

Antirrhinum 'Lavender Ribbon'

Lavender-Red

June, July, August, September, October

18 x 15
(45 x 38)

Dark Green

Dark Green

Dark Green

Bulb

Climber

Clematis 'Jackmanii'

Violet-Purple

July, August, September

168 x 36
(420 x 90)

Pale to Mid-Green

Pale to Mid-Green

Pale to Mid-Green

Conifer

Deciduous Shrub

Hibiscus syriacus 'Red Heart'

White with Red base

June, July, August

96 x 60
(240 x 150)

Lobed Dark Green

Lobed Dark Green

Lobed Dark Green

International Hibiscus Society list of registered and non-registered cultivars

Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo'

Pinkish-White

June, July, August

96 x 96
(240 x 240)

Dark Purple

ages to Green

Green

Deciduous Tree

Evergreen Perennial

Evergreen Shrub

Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin'

White

April, May

108 x 108
(270 x 270)

During the growing season all new flushes of growth are brilliant red, turning to bronze by late spring then to Dark Green

Evergreen Tree

Fern

Grass

Hedge

Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam)

Green Catkins

May

480 x 320
(1200 x 800)

Mid-Green

Mid-Green

Brown dead leaves

Brown dead leaves

Herbaceous Perennial

Crambe maritima

White

June

20-40 x 4-20
(50-100 x 10-50)

Lobed, wavy-edged Blue-Green

Lobed, wavy-edged Blue-Green

Lobed, wavy-edged Blue-Green

Monarda
'Violet Queen'

Violet-
Purple

June, July, August

36 x 15
(90 x 38)

Purple-tinged Greyish-Green

Purple-tinged Greyish-Green

Purple-tinged Greyish-Green

Sedum telephium subsp. maximum 'Gooseberry Fool'

Creamy-Green

September, October, November

24 x 18
(60 x 45)

Mid Green

Mid Green

Mid Green

Solidago
'Golden Wings'

Yellow
Plants in front grew higher than this plant, so could not photo flowers of this plant

August, September, October

60 x 32
(150 x 80)

Mid Green

Mid Green

Mid Green

Herb

Odds and Sods

Rhododendron/ Azalea /Camellia

Rose

Soft Fruit

Top Fruit

Vegetable

Wildflower

From Sarah Ravens Kitchen & Garden:-

Wildflowers - Chalk and sand, freely-drained soil mix (This link to this page is no longer available in February 2015)

A wonderfully varied self-sowing wild flower mix for thin, poor, chalky or sandy soils to give your garden or field flowers right through the year and food for the birds and bees.

To cover an area of 3m2
General Height: 60cm.
Sow: April- June

Spring into Summer Flowering

• Cowslip March – May (see photo in section above)

• Crosswort
April - June

• Common Birdsfoot Trefoil May – July (see photo in section above)

• Kidney Vetch May-July

• Lady’s Bedstraw Late May – August (see photo in section above)

• Red Clover May-October
 

• Yellow Rattle May – July (see photo in section above)

• Meadow Buttercup May – July (see photo in section above)

• Wild Mignonette May – August

Summer into Autumn Flowering

• Field Scabious June – September

• Hedge Bedstraw June – August

• Viper’s Bugloss June – September

• Meadow Cranesbill June – September

• Greater Knapweed June – August

• Salad Burnet June – September

• Common Knapweed June – September

• Wild Carrot June – September

• Wild Marjoram July – September

From Sarah Ravens Kitchen & Garden:-

Wildflowers - Clay and rich loam soil mix ( This link to this page is no longer available in February 2015 but the same details and seeds of these wildflowers are available in Sarah Raven Wild Flower Seed Mix page in February 2015.)

There are two main things I want from my wildflower meadow – to look beautiful for months not weeks, with flowers coming out and going over in succession AND to grow pollen-rich, insect friendly plants from EARLY in the year to LATE. I want my patch to be a regular and reliable food source for the birds and the bees. That’s what you’ll get with this beautiful selection of my favourite easy and reliable perennial wild flowers.

To cover an area of 3m2

General Height: 60cm.

Sow: April- June

Spring into Summer Flowering

• Cowslip March – May (see photo in section above)

• Common Birdsfoot Trefoil May – July (see photo in section above)

• Lady’s Bedstraw Late May – August (see photo in section above)

• Greater Hawkbit (Rough Hawkbit ) May – July

• Red Clover May – October (see photo in section above)

• Oxeye Daisy May – July

• Yellow Rattle May – July (see photo in section above)

• Meadow Buttercup May – July

•

Summer into Autumn Flowering

• Self Heal June – September (see photo in section above)

• Common Sorrel (Sorrel) June – September

• Tufted Vetch June – September (see photo in section above)

• Common Knapweed June – September (see photo in section above)

• Common Toadflax July – October

• Musk Mallow July – October (see photo in section above)

• Ragged Robin July – September (see photo in section above)

I do not have any photos of the Common Sorrel above, but this section states where details - if available - may be found through links to external sites for every wildflower described in my wildflower galleries.

Most of the photographs in the Wildlife Galleries were provided as 35mm slides by Christine Foord and they were photographed by the late Christine Foord and Ron Foord during 1960-1990. I then digitised these slides over a period of 3 years to produce the flower, foliage and habitat photos of 1115 Wild Flower Plants, which I inserted into the Family Pages - the family names are stated in The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers by David McClintock and R.S.R Fitter.

Each plant (297 have their own Description Pages linked from those Family pages) named in each of the 180 Wildflower Family Pages:-

• may have a link to its Plant Description Page in its Common Name in one of those Wildflower Plant Galleries
• and will have links to external sites to purchase the plant or seed in its Botanical Name,
• links to external sites for photos in its Flowering Months and
• links to external sites for habitat details in its Habitat Column.

If there is no photo or photo link try the following site:-

BioImages - Virtual Field-Guide (UK) to UK Biodiversity offers an enormous collection of photographs of wild species and natural history objects. It covers most groups of organisms with the exception of birds and other vertebrates. Species (and other taxon) web-pages also include lists of trophic relationships abstracted from published sources. These are cross-referenced under both species involved (eg the fungus and its host, or the insect and its foodplant.) Data entry is now reasonably complete for UK fungal hosts (this is now being extended to include exotic fungi on native hosts), but a lot of data remains to be entered for insect foodplants and prey. The photographs and relationships are presented to illustrate biodiversity and foodwebs, and as an aid to identification. For identification purposes the photographs should be used in conjunction with a field-guide or more specialist publication (or web-site). Hopefully, the site will provide visual confirmation of features which are described but not illustrated elsewhere - particular effort has been made to illustrate diagnostic features.

Further information may be gleaned from these reference books:-

The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers by David McClintock and R.S.R Fitter assisted by Francis Rose (ISBN 0 00 219363 9) written in 1955 with Eleventh Impression in "is designed to enable anybody to name any wild flower, grass, sedge, tree or shrub that he or she is reasonably likely to see in the British Isles".

Collins Pocket Guide to the Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns of Britain and Northern Europe by R. Fitter, A. Fitter and A. Farrer (ISBN 0 00219136 9) written in provides comprehensive coverage of all the grasses, sedges, rushes and ferns of the British Isles, North-West Europe, Scandinavia and Iceland, with 500 maps showing the areas covered by each of 500 plants.

The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe by R.Fitter, A.Fitter and M. Blamey (ISBN 0 00 219715 4 paperback 0 00 219765 0 hardback) reprinted provides comprehensive coverage of all the trees, shrubs and flowering plants growing wild in Britain and Northern Europe, together with colour illustrations and text for quick identification for each plant.

Flora of the British Isles by Clapham, Tutin and Warburg (published by Cambridge at the University Press in 1952) provides the detailed botanical information and the relevant link to the page number in this book is used by the Collins pocket guide to wild flowers by David McClintock and R.S.R. Fitter - Northern Rock-Cress CTW, p. 211 indicates that the details for Cardaminopsis petrae 'Northern Rock-cress' is on Page 211 of Flora of the British Isles.

Site design and content copyright ©February 2013. Chris Garnons-Williams.

DISCLAIMER: Links to external sites are provided as a courtesy to visitors. Ivydene Horticultural Services are not responsible for the content and/or quality of external web sites linked from this site.
 

Solution to Unemployment in Britain:-

"The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Auckland, New Zealand, have taught 3 rescue dogs to drive in an effort to encourage people to adopt and love shelter pets."

Besides the trained dogs who aid Blind People in walking, these other dogs could be trained to drive in Britain. Then, when a Blind person wishes to be driven, an unemployed person could earn their benefit by being in the front passenger seat giving directions to the dog who is doing the driving, but not to the dog who is sitting in the back seat alongside the Blind passenger.

The Blind person gets social interaction and the unemployed person - in aiding this blind person to go further than that person can walk for shopping or to visit friends - increases their self-esteem and self-worth.

The cars are maintained and operated with the dog driver during 8 hours each week by these unemployed. The running costs, cars and car parts are paid for by the local Government Employment Department.

Wildflower turf can even be laid round a lake, when the mix includes wildflowers for margins of streams and lakes:-

and the same lake 2 years later:-