Gardening in Great Britain: borders, lawns and the English tradition

The country where gardening is a religion

Great Britain is the motherland of modern gardening. From the Chelsea Flower Show to the RHS gardens, from Cotswold cottage gardens to Beth Chatto's wild gardens — nowhere on earth is horticultural culture so deeply rooted, so celebrated and so seriously pursued.

The climate is temperate oceanic: mild winters, cool summers and rain — a great deal of rain. Hardiness zones range from 7a in the Scottish Highlands to 9b in sheltered corners of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The Gulf Stream makes the west coast surprisingly mild; in the garden of Tresco Abbey, palms and subtropical plants flourish.

Soil: the foundation

South-east England

Chalk clay (Weald) and limestone (Chilterns) dominate. Good for beech hedging, box, lavender and rose borders. The soil dries quickly in summer — mulching is crucial.

Central England and the Midlands

Fertile loam, the heart of English horticulture. This is where the famous borders of Hidcote and Sissinghurst bloom.

Wales and the west

Acid soil from high rainfall. Rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and ferns feel at home here. The wettest gardens in Britain lie in the Lake District.

Scotland

Shorter growing season, cold winters in the Highlands. But the east coast (Aberdeenshire) is drier than expected. Crathes Castle proves that spectacular borders are possible even at 57 degrees north.

British plant classics

The herbaceous border

The mixed perennial border is the pride of every British garden. Delphiniums as blue pillars at the back. Lupins in every colour. Geranium Rozanne as ground cover. Echinacea and Rudbeckia for autumn colour. Ornamental grasses (Stipa, Miscanthus) for movement.

Roses and climbers

David Austin roses are Britain's gift to the rose world: fragrant, full and romantic. Pair them with clematis for double flowering on the same pergola. Wisteria along a Georgian facade is the quintessential British garden image.

The lawn

The British are obsessed with lawns. The striped lawn — mown with a cylinder mower for those characteristic stripes — is an art form. Mow weekly to one inch during the season. Use a moss treatment in spring. And yes, it rains enough that you never need to water.

Hedges

Yew (Taxus) is the quintessential British hedge: dark green, dense and a perfect backdrop for borders. Beech retains its brown leaves in winter. Privet is fast and cheap but demands frequent clipping.

Seasonal rhythm

March to April: Cut back ornamental grasses. Feed borders. Sow annuals. Plant dahlias and gladioli as the soil warms.

May to June: The great show begins. Translate Chelsea Flower Show inspiration into your own garden. After the last frost (mid-May in the south, early June in Scotland) plant summer-flowering annuals.

July to August: Deadhead, water during dry spells, enjoy. This is the season of open gardens — visit as many as possible through the National Garden Scheme.

September to October: Plant spring bulbs. Move and divide perennials. Start hedge planting.

November to February: Prune roses and fruit trees. Plan your borders on paper. Order from the nursery.

The power of microclimate

British gardeners are masters at exploiting microclimates. A south-facing wall can be a full hardiness zone warmer than the rest of the garden. Sheltered London courtyards harbour banana plants and olive trees. In Cornwall, exotic species grow that you would normally find only in Portugal.

Experiment with your own microclimate. Find the warmest and coldest spots by observing where frost melts first. And upload your garden at gardenworld.app to see which design makes the most of your British garden — rain and all.