Sissinghurst

  It’s a difficult balance to strike in twenty-first-century Britain, but I think there’s room for greater softness and abundance without a threat to either plants or people.

  No reader of this book will be in any doubt about how much Vita loved her borders to be packed. She hated the sight of too much mulch, criticising Edwardian rose gardens with their ‘savagely pruned roses of uniform height, with bare ground in between, liberally disfigured by mulches of unsightly and unsavoury manure’.

  There’s no doubt that many people expect a tidier world now than in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. You can see that from our countryside, which many of us expect to be maintained almost to the level of a golf green – lane edges mown, hedges clipped, brambles cut from our footpaths – but it’s even truer of our gardens opened to the public.

  So there’s pressure for things to be just-so and, interestingly, Nigel liked it kept very tidy too. He encouraged changes to the outside of the garden – removing the piggery and garage to the west of the Priest’s House – to make the place feel more ‘presentable’ as you arrived. In the garden, he loved the roses dead-headed almost every day, the paths swept and the yews all precisely clipped and tidy. The gardeners – all three generations of them since Vita’s day – are in agreement with him about this, but maybe it’s now time for this to change a little – to soften and relax.

  In his book Tony Lord says, ‘to most garden visitors in the late fifties, Sissinghurst seemed more free and more romantic than ever. But professional horticulturalists who remember it from this time recall that the garden seemed to have reached the point at which excessive freedom and informality were about to give way to chaotic ugliness and, before long, oblivion.’ The whole point of the Sissinghurst garden is that it should and could meld a love and understanding of plants with a profoundly romantic sense of beauty. The two things are – and need to be – the same. An enchanting garden like Sissinghurst is, I would say, at its most beautiful at precisely the point where its informality is about to tip over into chaos. I am with Vita and her desire for sprezzatura – a studied nonchalance, a balance of formality of structure with informality of planting.

  The aim of this book has been to paint that picture – of the garden as it was at its most perfect moment. ‘We have done our best,’ Vita wrote to Harold nine months before she died, ‘and made a garden where none was.’

  Vita and Rollo, her Alsatian, in 1956. Her writing room on the first floor of the Tower is behind her.

  SOURCES

  Vita’s gardening boots on a chair in the Brew House, 1962.

  VITA SACKVILLE-WEST:

  In Your Garden (Michael Joseph), 1951

  In Your Garden Again (Michael Joseph), 1953

  More for Your Garden (Michael Joseph), 1955

  Even More for Your Garden (Michael Joseph), 1958

  Some Flowers (Cobden-Sanderson), 1937

  Country Notes (Michael Joseph), 1939

  Royal Horticultural Journal, 1953

  Country Life, 28 August, 4 and 11 Sept 1942

  Graham Stewart Thomas, The Old Shrub Roses, 1955. Foreword by Vita

  HAROLD NICOLSON:

  Diary 27 September 1933

  Letter to Vita, August 1940

  OTHER SOURCES:

  Jane Brown, Vita’s Other World: A Gardening Biography of Vita Sackville-West (Penguin), 1987

  Edward Bunyard, Old Garden Roses (Graham Thomas)

  Peter Coates, Great Gardens of the World (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), 1963. Introduction by Harold Nicolson

  Tony Lord, Gardening at Sissinghurst (Frances Lincoln), 1995

  William Robinson, The English Flower Garden (Bloomsbury Gardening Classics), 1998

  William Robinson, The Wild Garden (Timber Press), 2010

  Anne Scott-James, Sissinghurst: The Making of a Garden (Michael Joseph), 1975

  PICTURE CREDITS

  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here: © Adam Nicolson.

  here: © Linda Clifford.

  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here: © Jonathan Buckley.

  here: © Getty Images.

  here: Taken by Bryan & Norman Westwood for Vita’s Country Notes.

  here, here: © Vita Sackville West.

  here, here, here, here, here: © Edwin Smith/RIBA Library Photographs Collection.

  here, here, here, here: © Edwin Smith.

  here: © Country Life.

  here: © Edwin Smith from Sissinghurst, The Making of a Garden (Michael Joseph).

  here, here, here, here, here: © A. E. Henson.

  here: © Edwin Smith, from In Your Garden (Oxenwood Press Ltd).

  here: © Valerie Finnis/RHS Lindley Library.

  COLOUR PICTURE CAPTIONS

  PLATE SECTION 1

  Lady With a Red Hat by William Strang, 1918. (© William Strang (1859–1921). / Art Gallery and Museum, Kelvingrove, Glasgow, Scotland / © Culture and Sport Glasgow (Museums) / The Bridgeman Art Library)

  A view from the top of the Tower in June, looking over the Purple Border and out to the farm beyond. (Jonathan Buckley)

  A view from the top of the Tower in June, looking over the Purple Border and out to the farm beyond. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The yew Rondel and Rose Garden, just coming into flower, seen from the attic room in the south wing. (Stephen Orr)

  The yew Rondel and Rose Garden, just coming into flower, seen from the attic room in the south wing. (Stephen Orr)

  The Spring Garden in April, still planted much as Harold designed it in the 1930s. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The Spring Garden in April, still planted much as Harold designed it in the 1930s. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The Sissinghurst Castle Rose – ‘Rose des Maures’. (Jonathan Buckley)

  PLATE SECTION 2

  Harold’s Yew walk – the backbone of the garden at Sissinghurst, planted soon after they arrived. (Stephen Orr)

  Looking through the Rose Garden towards the Yew Walk and the Tower at dawn. (Stephen Orr)

  Looking through the Rose Garden towards the Yew Walk and the Tower at dawn. (Stephen Orr)

  The Bacchante statue at the top of the Lime Walk, in late May, with the pleached limes in full leaf. (Stephen Orr)

  The Bacchante statue at the top of the Lime Walk, in late May, with the pleached limes in full leaf. (Stephen Orr)

  The Nuttery, planted around 1900, long before Vita and Harold arrived. Much later, Graham Stewart Thomas worked with head gardeners Pam and Sybille to design the tapestry of spring flowers that carpets the Nuttery floor. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The Nuttery, planted around 1900, long before Vita and Harold arrived. Much later, Graham Stewart Thomas worked with head gardeners Pam and Sybille to design the tapestry of spring flowers that carpets the Nuttery floor. (Jonathan Buckley)

  A view from the Tower over the White Garden, in mid-June, with Rosa mulliganii in full flower. (Jonathan Buckley)

  PLATE SECTION 3

  The Rose Garden coming into full flower in early June. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The Irish sentinel yews, in the Cottage Garden at dawn, in late May. (Stephen Orr)

  The Irish sentinel yews, in the Cottage Garden at dawn, in late May. (Stephen Orr)

  The Purple Border in June with many of Vita’s favourites – Rosa moyesii, Geranium psilostemon and Clematis durandii – in flower. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The White Garden with Rosa ‘Iceberg’ billowing out of the formal b
ox parterre. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The moat wall with corydalis and perennial wallflower, Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’, frothing from below to meet the white wisteria Vita planted above it. (Jonathan Buckley)

  The moat wall with corydalis and perennial wallflower, Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’, frothing from below to meet the white wisteria Vita planted above it. (Jonathan Buckley)

  A cobalt blue vase filled with spring blossom and euphorbias on the lapis lazuli table in the Big Room. Arrangement by Sarah Raven. Photograph by Pia Tryde. (Courtesy of Frances Lincoln publishers)

  INDEX OF PLANTS, SHRUBS AND TREES

  The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.

  abelia

  A. triflora

  abutilon

  A. megapotamicum

  acacia (Robinia)

  R. hispida (rose acacia)

  R. kelseyi

  R. pseudoacacia (false acacia)

  Acacia dealbata (mimosa)

  acaena

  A. Buchananii

  A. microphylla

  Acidenthera murieliae

  aconites (Eranthis)

  E. hyemalis (winter aconite)

  E. tubergenii

  actinidia

  A. kolomikta

  agapanthus

  akebia

  A. quinata

  A. trifoliata

  alder

  allium

  A. albo-pilosum

  A. azureum

  A. christophii

  A. cyaneum

  A. hollandicum

  A. rosenbachianum

  A. schubertii

  ‘Purple Sensation’

  almonds

  Alpine forget-me-not (Myosotis rupicola)

  Alpine poppy

  alstroemeria

  Ligtu Hybrids

  A. aurantiaca

  A. haemantha

  ‘Elvira’

  ‘Friendship’

  alyssum ‘Violet Queen’

  Amaryllidaceae

  amaryllis

  A. belladonna (belladonna lily)

  Ampelopsis heterophylla (porcelain berry vine)

  anemone

  A. alleni

  A. apennina

  A. blanda

  A. coronarias (poppy anemone)

  A. fulgens

  A. nemerosa

  A. pulsatilla

  A. robinsoniana

  ‘The Bride’

  ‘Cristina’

  ‘de Caen’

  ‘Hollandia’

  ‘Mr Fokker’

  ‘St Bavo’

  ‘St Brigid’

  ‘Sylphide’

  apple trees

  Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)

  arcotis

  ‘Mahogany’

  ‘Flame’

  Arenaria balearica

  argyranthemums

  Armeria caespitosa (little thrift)

  artemisia

  ash

  aster

  A. amellus

  aubretia

  auricula

  A. farina

  ‘Argus’

  autumn-flowering cherry, see Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’

  azalea

  azara

  A. microphylla

  A. petiolaris

  balsam poplar (Populus)

  P. balsamifera

  P. candicans

  P. trichocarpa

  barberry

  bay

  beech

  begonia

  belladonna lily, see Amaryllis belladonna

  bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis)

  berberis

  B. thunbergii

  bignonia, see campsis

  billbergia

  B. nutans

  B. zebrina

  birch

  Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata)

  bladder sennas, see coluteas

  bluebells

  bouvardia

  B. angustifolia

  B. humboldtii

  B. jasminiflora

  B. longiflora

  B. triphylla

  ‘Bridal Wealth’

  box

  buttercups

  calceolaria

  calicarpa

  Californian poppy

  camellias

  ‘Alba Simplex’

  ‘Donation’

  campsis (bignonia)

  C. grandiflora

  C. radicans

  ‘Mme Galen’

  Canterbury bell

  Caprifoliaceae

  Cardiocrinum giganteum (giant Himalayan lily)

  carnations

  ‘Chabaud’

  ‘Compact Dwarf’

  ‘Enfant de Nice’

  ceanothus

  cedar

  celastrus

  C. orbiculatus

  Chaenomeles

  cherry

  autumn-flowering, see Prunus subhirtella autumnali

  Japanese

  Morello

  chestnut

  Chinese bell-flower (Platycodon grandiflorum)

  chrysanthemums

  Korean varieties

  ‘Crimson Bride’

  ‘Lilac Time’

  ‘Primrose Day’

  ‘Red Letter Day’

  ‘Wedding Day’

  cistus

  Clematis

  late-flowering viticellas

  C. alpina

  C. flammula

  C. jackmanii

  C. montana

  ‘Perle d’Azur’

  Cobaea pringlei

  Cobaea scandens (cups-and-saucers)

  cobnuts

  columbines

  coluteas

  C. arborescens

  C. media

  corylopsis

  C. pauciflora

  C. spicata

  coronilla

  C. emerus

  C. glauca

  corydalis

  cotoneaster

  C. rugosa henryii

  cotton-lavender

  Cotula squalida

  crab apples

  crinums

  crocus

  C. ancyrensis

  C. chrysanthus

  C. sieberi

  C. susianus

  C. suterianus

  C. tomasinianus

  ‘A. Bowles’

  ‘Advance’

  ‘Imperati’

  ‘Jamie’

  ‘Moonlight’

  ‘P. Bowles’

  ‘Snow Bunting’

  ‘Spring Beauty’

  ‘Warley White’

  cyclamen

  C. balearicum

  C. coum

  C. europaeum

  C. ibericum

  C. neapolitanum

  C. persica (Persian cyclamen)

  C. repandum

  Cyrtanthus elatus (Scarborough lily

  Cytisus battandieri

  dahlias

  daisies

  ‘Bellis Dresden China’

  see also Felicia; Gerbera jamesonii

  daphne

  D. bholua

  D. collina

  D. retusa

  D. tangutica

  delphinium

  D. macrocentrum

  ‘Black Knight’

  deutzia

  D. gracilis rosea

  D. pulchra

  D. scabra ‘Pride of Rochester’

  Dictamnus fraxinella (burning bush, or dittany)

  dill (Anethum graveolens)

  dipelta

  D. floribunda

  dogwood

  eglantine

  eremurus (foxtail lily)

  E. robustus

  ericaceae

  Erinus alpinus

  euonymus

  euphorbia

  E. marginata (snow-on-the-mountain)

&
nbsp; felicia

  F. amelloides (blue daisy)

  F. bergeriana (kingfisher daisy)

  figs

  filberts

  forget-me-nots

  foxgloves

  fritillaries (Fritillaria)

  F. imperialis (Crown Imperial)

  F. meleagris (meadow or snakeshead fritillary)

  fuchsia

  F. gracilis

  F. magellanica riccartonii

  F. magellanica thompsonii

  ‘Margaret’

  ‘Mme Cornelissen’

  ‘Mrs Popple’

  gardenias

  Garrya elliptica

  gazania

  gentians (Gentiana)

  G. sino-ornata

  geraniums

  ivy-leaved

  gerbera

  G. jamesonii (Transvaal daisy)

  ‘Chateau’

  gladioli

  Acidanthera (G. callianthus)

  G. colvillei ‘The Bride’

  G. papilio (butterfly gladiolus)

  G. primulinus

  grape hyacinths (Muscari azureus)

  gypsophila

  G. fratensis

  halesia

  H. carolina

  H. monticola

  hamamelis (witch hazel)

  H. japonica

  H. mollis

  H. vernalis

  H. virginiana

  ‘Aphrodite’

  ‘Aurora’

  ‘Dishi’

  hawthorn

  hazel

  Helichrysum

  hellebore (Helleborus)

  H. argutifolius (Corsican hellebore)

  H. niger (Christmas rose)

  H. orientalis (Lenten rose)

  Hermodactylus tuberosa (widow iris)

  hibiscus

  H. syriacus

  hoheria

  H. lyallii

  holly

  hollyhocks

  honeysuckle

  hops

  hornbeam

  Humea elegans (incense plant)

  hyacinths

  Roman

  see also grape hyacinths

  hydrangea

  H. aspera

  H. aspera ‘Kawakamü’

  H. hortensis

  H. paniculata

  H. paniculata ‘Limelight’

  H. paniculata grandiflora

  H. paniculata sargentii