If you want to create a garden fit for a King, there are only three plants you need to kick things off, and the best part is they each will only set you back less than £10
King Charles’ gardens at Highgrove House have been under the monarch’s dutiful care for decades, and draw many visitors each year for their delicate beauty.
The King has always had a core role in the design of his gardens, and is well known for his love of the outdoors – and for using sustainable growing methods to create beautiful green spaces. Since taking the throne he has also turned his eye to the gardens at Sandringham, creating a new climate-friendly topiary garden in his Norfolk residence.
As many keen gardeners know, this time of year is a great moment to get planting, and if you’re looking to take your own green space to the next level and fill it with plants fit for a member of the Royal Family, then you should take note of these three recommendations from one of his gardeners.
Jack Stooks, who is a member of the Highgrove Estate team, explained to Fabulous his top three plant recommendations for people looking to take things up a notch in their garden design, while remaining on a budget of course.
When designing your garden, it’s important to consider different plants for different levels, to ensure no space is wasted – particularly if you have a smaller outside space. The royal gardener explains that if you are looking to add some height to your planting, then his first port of call would always be a clematis.
“I always recommend for height you want like a clematis which are really really good. The Montana Clematis – they normally like either pinks or whites – and once you’ve got them and they go up and over a wall or a fence, they do amazingly and they just keep coming year after year after year.”
These stunning climbers won’t set you back much either, with Jack explaining at the top end they sell for about £10, but you can often snap a good bargain on these and get them even cheaper if you keep a keen eye out the next time you’re doing a shop at the supermarket.
The royal gardener’s second recommendation is the Hydrangea Annabelle. This variety is a little bit less fussy than other hydrangeas when it comes to the soil it needs. Most hydrangeas need ericaceous soil, but this one can be planted happily in any kind – and it produces a gorgeous display of voluminous, dome-shaped white flowers.
Jack also recommends this one because it’s a great way to spread the gardening love, “What that tends to do is it tends to just increase in size and get bigger and bigger and bigger and you can actually start chopping bits off it and having plants from the parent. And then you can say to somebody ‘Oh I love your plant’ you can say ‘Here’s the baby’ and you can pass it on to your family and friends.” So this one isn’t just budget-friendly for your own garden, it will also save you some money on gifts down the road.
Jack’s final recommendation is a staple of British gardens, and for good reason: lavender. Hardy, colourful, and bringing a delicious scent to your garden, this plant is absolutely beloved by pollinators and will help attract much-needed wildlife to your green space.
This is a great place to start for a novice gardener too, because lavender is pretty low maintenance, Jack explains: “It doesn’t need much watering, it doesn’t need too much in the way of care. And if you get them in the right spot – not too wet a spot, but a good sunny position – they’ll do really well for you year after year.”
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