Don’t miss our masterclass with Nigel Dunnett on how to create long-season planting schemes<\/a><\/h4><\/div><\/div>You only need to search online for images the public have posted of the Olympic Park to see how infectious and joyous Nigel Dunnett\u2019<\/a>s work can be. “I think making gardens has the potential to be one of the highest forms of art because there\u2019s a deep emotional level to what it does to us, to our wellbeing,” he says. Here’s more from his own personal space, a garden built on land that had been abandoned for 150 years.<\/p>You may also like<\/h4>- From grey to green: the initiative bringing colour to Sheffield city centre<\/a><\/li>
- The potential of roadsides for biodiversity<\/a><\/li>
- A relaxed and biodiverse garden in Wiltshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>
<\/p>
Using non natives<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Nigel has always mixed native and non-native plants in naturalistic combinations, believing the idea of prioritising natives is more of a philosophical debate rather than a scientific necessity in gardens. The key thing is to promote a high diversity of plants, and a layering of the planting to give it structure. \u201cI want to create gardens that are diverse and enrich us and wildlife,\u201d says Nigel. Every year he raises tender annuals, many from South Africa, in a small greenhouse to add to the scheme. \u201cThey bring a vitality and freshness throughout the year,\u201d he says. In this sunny spot Scabious columbaria is combined with the South African, Cape daisy, Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 .<\/p>Rain garden<\/h2>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2019\/08\/nigel_dunnett_sheffield_1474-20d429d.jpg\")
Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>At the front of the house Nigel has created a rain garden to absorb the runoff from the house roof, which is diverted from the downpipes into the garden. Planting here is slightly more formal than at the back and is in narrower, 60cm-wide beds. \u201cThese are fairly narrow beds and I wanted to create a sense of multiple layers, so I\u2019ve chosen plants that are very upright and don\u2019t make a lot of shade, which allows for the next layer to grow up successionally between them.\u201d Among the plants that can cope with wet conditions are Miscanthus<\/a> x giganteus<\/em>, which is left standing in winter for structure, Ligularia<\/em> \u2018The Rocket\u2019, Leucanthemum vulgare<\/em> and Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii<\/em> \u2018Purpurlanze\u2019.<\/p>Log piles<\/h2>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2019\/08\/nigel_dunnett_sheffield_264-32162d4.jpg\")
Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Partly inspired by the Peak District\u2019s dry-stone walls, the log piles are made up of stacked sections about 20-30cm long, with larger logs at the base so that the piles build into a curve. \u201cThey are an incredible insect habitat,\u201d says Nigel. \u201cBecause of that we get birds endlessly in and out collecting moss for nests or feeding and resting.\u201d Many of the plants, such as the Ammi majus<\/em>, Allium sphaerocephalum<\/em> and the self-seeding foxglove, Digitalis purpurea<\/a><\/em>, have colonised themselves into gaps. The logs need to be replaced as they rot down after a while, but this means that there\u2019s an incredible fungal fruiting every autumn as toadstools appear, giving the garden a whole new dimension.<\/p>Repeating Themes<\/h2>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2019\/08\/nigel_dunnett_sheffield_251-c2991fd.jpg\")
Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Several plants have been used throughout the garden to add a rhythm to the planting. In particular the accent plant Euphorbia<\/a> characias<\/em> subsp. wulfenii<\/em> has been scattered across the site to give a pace to the garden, while plants with dark foliage, such as Hylotelephium<\/em> \u2018Jos\u00e9 Aubergine\u2019 act as anchor plants to pull the design together, and add a counterpoint to the cool blues of Nepeta racemosa<\/em>. At the centre of this group bleeding heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis<\/em> \u2018Alba\u2019, is a perfect plant for this style of naturalistic planting, because after its spring flowering, its foliage fades to a beautiful yellow before disappearing so that the next layer can come up. Throughout the garden Nigel has Campanula lactiflora<\/em> \u2018Loddon Anna\u2019 for its almost flouncy lilac blooms, along with Alchemilla mollis<\/em>, which he uses almost like water, allowing it to tumble like a waterfall down the slope. Its yellow flowers contrast nicely with the colours of the annuals, such as the orange-red Arctotis x hybrida<\/em> \u2018Orange Prince\u2019, the white Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 and the blue cornflower<\/a> Centaurea cyanus<\/em>.<\/p>Accent grasses<\/h2>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2019\/08\/nigel_dunnett_sheffield_151-LAND-2fce5fd.jpg\")
Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>For Nigel naturalistic planting is less about trying to recreate planting combinations from the wild and more about combining the forms, colours and textures of plants in ways they might arrange themselves naturally. In his own garden the emphasis is on flowering plants, but he does use a few delicate and graceful grasses. \u201cGrasses are important,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I treat them as accent rather than in a scattered way in a matrix.\u201d Here the delicate sedge Carex pendula<\/em> sits alongside the carmine pink spires of the willow herb, Chamaenerion angustifolium<\/em>, and the upright feather grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019, which comes into its own in winter.<\/p>Coppiced garden<\/h2>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2019\/08\/nigel_dunnett_sheffield_LANDSCAPE-copy-2c315b2.jpg\")
Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>The woodland feel to Nigel\u2019s garden is inspired by the Kent countryside of his childhood where he would regularly roam among the ancient hedgerows and local coppiced woodland. \u201cIt was a great privilege to grow up in such an environment,\u201d he says. \u201cOne I wish every child could have. I remember being about 16 or 17 and understanding that the way I felt about beautiful, flower-rich, natural landscapes was something I never felt about a pristine garden.\u201d That spontaneous feel here is created using Stipa calamagrostis<\/em>, which floats above the log piles with Nepeta grandiflora<\/em> \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019 and delicate, lilac flowers of the Scabiosa columbaria<\/em>.<\/p> <\/p>
You may also like<\/h4>- From grey to green: the initiative bringing colour to Sheffield city centre<\/a><\/li>
- The potential of roadsides for biodiversity<\/a><\/li>
- A relaxed and biodiverse garden in Wiltshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>
<\/p>
Using non natives<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Nigel has always mixed native and non-native plants in naturalistic combinations, believing the idea of prioritising natives is more of a philosophical debate rather than a scientific necessity in gardens. The key thing is to promote a high diversity of plants, and a layering of the planting to give it structure. \u201cI want to create gardens that are diverse and enrich us and wildlife,\u201d says Nigel. Every year he raises tender annuals, many from South Africa, in a small greenhouse to add to the scheme. \u201cThey bring a vitality and freshness throughout the year,\u201d he says. In this sunny spot Scabious columbaria is combined with the South African, Cape daisy, Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 .<\/p>Rain garden<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>At the front of the house Nigel has created a rain garden to absorb the runoff from the house roof, which is diverted from the downpipes into the garden. Planting here is slightly more formal than at the back and is in narrower, 60cm-wide beds. \u201cThese are fairly narrow beds and I wanted to create a sense of multiple layers, so I\u2019ve chosen plants that are very upright and don\u2019t make a lot of shade, which allows for the next layer to grow up successionally between them.\u201d Among the plants that can cope with wet conditions are Miscanthus<\/a> x giganteus<\/em>, which is left standing in winter for structure, Ligularia<\/em> \u2018The Rocket\u2019, Leucanthemum vulgare<\/em> and Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii<\/em> \u2018Purpurlanze\u2019.<\/p>Log piles<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Partly inspired by the Peak District\u2019s dry-stone walls, the log piles are made up of stacked sections about 20-30cm long, with larger logs at the base so that the piles build into a curve. \u201cThey are an incredible insect habitat,\u201d says Nigel. \u201cBecause of that we get birds endlessly in and out collecting moss for nests or feeding and resting.\u201d Many of the plants, such as the Ammi majus<\/em>, Allium sphaerocephalum<\/em> and the self-seeding foxglove, Digitalis purpurea<\/a><\/em>, have colonised themselves into gaps. The logs need to be replaced as they rot down after a while, but this means that there\u2019s an incredible fungal fruiting every autumn as toadstools appear, giving the garden a whole new dimension.<\/p>Repeating Themes<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Several plants have been used throughout the garden to add a rhythm to the planting. In particular the accent plant Euphorbia<\/a> characias<\/em> subsp. wulfenii<\/em> has been scattered across the site to give a pace to the garden, while plants with dark foliage, such as Hylotelephium<\/em> \u2018Jos\u00e9 Aubergine\u2019 act as anchor plants to pull the design together, and add a counterpoint to the cool blues of Nepeta racemosa<\/em>. At the centre of this group bleeding heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis<\/em> \u2018Alba\u2019, is a perfect plant for this style of naturalistic planting, because after its spring flowering, its foliage fades to a beautiful yellow before disappearing so that the next layer can come up. Throughout the garden Nigel has Campanula lactiflora<\/em> \u2018Loddon Anna\u2019 for its almost flouncy lilac blooms, along with Alchemilla mollis<\/em>, which he uses almost like water, allowing it to tumble like a waterfall down the slope. Its yellow flowers contrast nicely with the colours of the annuals, such as the orange-red Arctotis x hybrida<\/em> \u2018Orange Prince\u2019, the white Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 and the blue cornflower<\/a> Centaurea cyanus<\/em>.<\/p>Accent grasses<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>For Nigel naturalistic planting is less about trying to recreate planting combinations from the wild and more about combining the forms, colours and textures of plants in ways they might arrange themselves naturally. In his own garden the emphasis is on flowering plants, but he does use a few delicate and graceful grasses. \u201cGrasses are important,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I treat them as accent rather than in a scattered way in a matrix.\u201d Here the delicate sedge Carex pendula<\/em> sits alongside the carmine pink spires of the willow herb, Chamaenerion angustifolium<\/em>, and the upright feather grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019, which comes into its own in winter.<\/p>Coppiced garden<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>The woodland feel to Nigel\u2019s garden is inspired by the Kent countryside of his childhood where he would regularly roam among the ancient hedgerows and local coppiced woodland. \u201cIt was a great privilege to grow up in such an environment,\u201d he says. \u201cOne I wish every child could have. I remember being about 16 or 17 and understanding that the way I felt about beautiful, flower-rich, natural landscapes was something I never felt about a pristine garden.\u201d That spontaneous feel here is created using Stipa calamagrostis<\/em>, which floats above the log piles with Nepeta grandiflora<\/em> \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019 and delicate, lilac flowers of the Scabiosa columbaria<\/em>.<\/p> <\/p>
<\/p>
Using non natives<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Nigel has always mixed native and non-native plants in naturalistic combinations, believing the idea of prioritising natives is more of a philosophical debate rather than a scientific necessity in gardens. The key thing is to promote a high diversity of plants, and a layering of the planting to give it structure. \u201cI want to create gardens that are diverse and enrich us and wildlife,\u201d says Nigel. Every year he raises tender annuals, many from South Africa, in a small greenhouse to add to the scheme. \u201cThey bring a vitality and freshness throughout the year,\u201d he says. In this sunny spot Scabious columbaria is combined with the South African, Cape daisy, Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 .<\/p>Rain garden<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>At the front of the house Nigel has created a rain garden to absorb the runoff from the house roof, which is diverted from the downpipes into the garden. Planting here is slightly more formal than at the back and is in narrower, 60cm-wide beds. \u201cThese are fairly narrow beds and I wanted to create a sense of multiple layers, so I\u2019ve chosen plants that are very upright and don\u2019t make a lot of shade, which allows for the next layer to grow up successionally between them.\u201d Among the plants that can cope with wet conditions are Miscanthus<\/a> x giganteus<\/em>, which is left standing in winter for structure, Ligularia<\/em> \u2018The Rocket\u2019, Leucanthemum vulgare<\/em> and Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii<\/em> \u2018Purpurlanze\u2019.<\/p>Log piles<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Partly inspired by the Peak District\u2019s dry-stone walls, the log piles are made up of stacked sections about 20-30cm long, with larger logs at the base so that the piles build into a curve. \u201cThey are an incredible insect habitat,\u201d says Nigel. \u201cBecause of that we get birds endlessly in and out collecting moss for nests or feeding and resting.\u201d Many of the plants, such as the Ammi majus<\/em>, Allium sphaerocephalum<\/em> and the self-seeding foxglove, Digitalis purpurea<\/a><\/em>, have colonised themselves into gaps. The logs need to be replaced as they rot down after a while, but this means that there\u2019s an incredible fungal fruiting every autumn as toadstools appear, giving the garden a whole new dimension.<\/p>Repeating Themes<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>Several plants have been used throughout the garden to add a rhythm to the planting. In particular the accent plant Euphorbia<\/a> characias<\/em> subsp. wulfenii<\/em> has been scattered across the site to give a pace to the garden, while plants with dark foliage, such as Hylotelephium<\/em> \u2018Jos\u00e9 Aubergine\u2019 act as anchor plants to pull the design together, and add a counterpoint to the cool blues of Nepeta racemosa<\/em>. At the centre of this group bleeding heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis<\/em> \u2018Alba\u2019, is a perfect plant for this style of naturalistic planting, because after its spring flowering, its foliage fades to a beautiful yellow before disappearing so that the next layer can come up. Throughout the garden Nigel has Campanula lactiflora<\/em> \u2018Loddon Anna\u2019 for its almost flouncy lilac blooms, along with Alchemilla mollis<\/em>, which he uses almost like water, allowing it to tumble like a waterfall down the slope. Its yellow flowers contrast nicely with the colours of the annuals, such as the orange-red Arctotis x hybrida<\/em> \u2018Orange Prince\u2019, the white Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 and the blue cornflower<\/a> Centaurea cyanus<\/em>.<\/p>Accent grasses<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>For Nigel naturalistic planting is less about trying to recreate planting combinations from the wild and more about combining the forms, colours and textures of plants in ways they might arrange themselves naturally. In his own garden the emphasis is on flowering plants, but he does use a few delicate and graceful grasses. \u201cGrasses are important,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I treat them as accent rather than in a scattered way in a matrix.\u201d Here the delicate sedge Carex pendula<\/em> sits alongside the carmine pink spires of the willow herb, Chamaenerion angustifolium<\/em>, and the upright feather grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019, which comes into its own in winter.<\/p>Coppiced garden<\/h2>Nigel Dunnett\u2019s own garden – \u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure>The woodland feel to Nigel\u2019s garden is inspired by the Kent countryside of his childhood where he would regularly roam among the ancient hedgerows and local coppiced woodland. \u201cIt was a great privilege to grow up in such an environment,\u201d he says. \u201cOne I wish every child could have. I remember being about 16 or 17 and understanding that the way I felt about beautiful, flower-rich, natural landscapes was something I never felt about a pristine garden.\u201d That spontaneous feel here is created using Stipa calamagrostis<\/em>, which floats above the log piles with Nepeta grandiflora<\/em> \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019 and delicate, lilac flowers of the Scabiosa columbaria<\/em>.<\/p> <\/p>
Nigel has always mixed native and non-native plants in naturalistic combinations, believing the idea of prioritising natives is more of a philosophical debate rather than a scientific necessity in gardens. The key thing is to promote a high diversity of plants, and a layering of the planting to give it structure. \u201cI want to create gardens that are diverse and enrich us and wildlife,\u201d says Nigel. Every year he raises tender annuals, many from South Africa, in a small greenhouse to add to the scheme. \u201cThey bring a vitality and freshness throughout the year,\u201d he says. In this sunny spot Scabious columbaria is combined with the South African, Cape daisy, Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 .<\/p> At the front of the house Nigel has created a rain garden to absorb the runoff from the house roof, which is diverted from the downpipes into the garden. Planting here is slightly more formal than at the back and is in narrower, 60cm-wide beds. \u201cThese are fairly narrow beds and I wanted to create a sense of multiple layers, so I\u2019ve chosen plants that are very upright and don\u2019t make a lot of shade, which allows for the next layer to grow up successionally between them.\u201d Among the plants that can cope with wet conditions are Miscanthus<\/a> x giganteus<\/em>, which is left standing in winter for structure, Ligularia<\/em> \u2018The Rocket\u2019, Leucanthemum vulgare<\/em> and Astilbe chinensis var. taquetii<\/em> \u2018Purpurlanze\u2019.<\/p> Partly inspired by the Peak District\u2019s dry-stone walls, the log piles are made up of stacked sections about 20-30cm long, with larger logs at the base so that the piles build into a curve. \u201cThey are an incredible insect habitat,\u201d says Nigel. \u201cBecause of that we get birds endlessly in and out collecting moss for nests or feeding and resting.\u201d Many of the plants, such as the Ammi majus<\/em>, Allium sphaerocephalum<\/em> and the self-seeding foxglove, Digitalis purpurea<\/a><\/em>, have colonised themselves into gaps. The logs need to be replaced as they rot down after a while, but this means that there\u2019s an incredible fungal fruiting every autumn as toadstools appear, giving the garden a whole new dimension.<\/p> Several plants have been used throughout the garden to add a rhythm to the planting. In particular the accent plant Euphorbia<\/a> characias<\/em> subsp. wulfenii<\/em> has been scattered across the site to give a pace to the garden, while plants with dark foliage, such as Hylotelephium<\/em> \u2018Jos\u00e9 Aubergine\u2019 act as anchor plants to pull the design together, and add a counterpoint to the cool blues of Nepeta racemosa<\/em>. At the centre of this group bleeding heart, Lamprocapnos spectabilis<\/em> \u2018Alba\u2019, is a perfect plant for this style of naturalistic planting, because after its spring flowering, its foliage fades to a beautiful yellow before disappearing so that the next layer can come up. Throughout the garden Nigel has Campanula lactiflora<\/em> \u2018Loddon Anna\u2019 for its almost flouncy lilac blooms, along with Alchemilla mollis<\/em>, which he uses almost like water, allowing it to tumble like a waterfall down the slope. Its yellow flowers contrast nicely with the colours of the annuals, such as the orange-red Arctotis x hybrida<\/em> \u2018Orange Prince\u2019, the white Arctotis fastuosa var. alba<\/em> \u2018Zulu Prince\u2019 and the blue cornflower<\/a> Centaurea cyanus<\/em>.<\/p> For Nigel naturalistic planting is less about trying to recreate planting combinations from the wild and more about combining the forms, colours and textures of plants in ways they might arrange themselves naturally. In his own garden the emphasis is on flowering plants, but he does use a few delicate and graceful grasses. \u201cGrasses are important,\u201d he says, \u201cbut I treat them as accent rather than in a scattered way in a matrix.\u201d Here the delicate sedge Carex pendula<\/em> sits alongside the carmine pink spires of the willow herb, Chamaenerion angustifolium<\/em>, and the upright feather grass Calamagrostis x acutiflora<\/em> \u2018Karl Foerster\u2019, which comes into its own in winter.<\/p> The woodland feel to Nigel\u2019s garden is inspired by the Kent countryside of his childhood where he would regularly roam among the ancient hedgerows and local coppiced woodland. \u201cIt was a great privilege to grow up in such an environment,\u201d he says. \u201cOne I wish every child could have. I remember being about 16 or 17 and understanding that the way I felt about beautiful, flower-rich, natural landscapes was something I never felt about a pristine garden.\u201d That spontaneous feel here is created using Stipa calamagrostis<\/em>, which floats above the log piles with Nepeta grandiflora<\/em> \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019 and delicate, lilac flowers of the Scabiosa columbaria<\/em>.<\/p> <\/p>Rain garden<\/h2>
Log piles<\/h2>
Repeating Themes<\/h2>
Accent grasses<\/h2>
Coppiced garden<\/h2>