News and events about White House Farm, Maurice Foster’s garden and arboretum in Kent, England
Welcome to the eighth White House Farm biennial newsletter, for Friends of White House Farm. This comes to you as an email twice yearly if you subscribe here.
NEWS
We have finished clearing the diseased ash, the last area of development in the wood. This sheltered spot is now ready for planting with soil having benefitted from many years of leaf mold, with a humid microclimate, cool in summer, protective in winter. Magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons and other rarities that are now growable thanks to our milder winters are waiting in the greenhouse….in this situation growth rates should be good. Altogether it makes a very exciting opportunity to extend our collection of rare and desirable plants.
Maurice has completed a year of writing blogs, gradually sharing his experience of growing certain plants over fifty years – which cultivars, varieties or species are best, and why, etc. Sign up to receive them automatically by subscribing to the blog at the bottom of this page (‘About’); or just check back monthly to see what’s next.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Our upcoming WHF Open Days are on Sunday March 29th, April 12th, May 31st, and June 14th. On May 31st and June 14th we’ll include a pruning demonstration on Deutzia and Philadelphus – ie spring flowering shrubs, pruned immediately after flowering to encourage and shape next year’s display.
A WHF Open Day is an informal visit to the garden, wood and arboretum, with Q & A and discussion over coffee in the morning around a seasonally-appropriate genus or topic, often with specimens to study or practical demonstrations, and a summing up ‘plant of the day’ over tea in the afternoon. This gives a chance to learn the history, range, and current questions about a group of plants with a mix of horticultural experts and amateur gardeners in an informal setting. More info, and booking, here. Donations gratefully accepted. Rare plants from WHF will also be available for purchase on the day – all proceeds go to the Foundation to pay for its maintenance.
On Saturday May 16th we will host the International Oak Society.
On Saturday July 4th we will host a Trees and Shrubs Online/International Dendrology Society Study Day on Carpinus (Hornbeam).
Groups are welcome to request to visit at other times: please just enquire about your desired dates and times at whitehousefarmarb@gmail.com.
As always, If you’d like to request to visit, propose events at WHF, or find out more about our Volunteers and their weekly Afternoon Gardening Teas, get in touch!
OPEN DAY March 29th – nominal focus on early asiatic Magnolias (but camellias will be at their best then too). See Maurice’s blogs ‘The Majesty of Magnolia campbellii‘ and ‘Go East Young Man’ – the Magnolia campbellii Mollicomata Group’ . Read Charles Quest-Ritson’s article in Country Life last year about our magnolias.
OPEN DAY April 12th – Mid-range Magnolias and Camellias will be at their peak but we’ll also discuss Melliodendron and Staphylea varieties. See Maurice’s blog on Melliodendron and his articles Melliodendron xylocarpum – a new star and ‘Always the Bridesmaid: overlooked members of the genus Staphylea’.
OPEN DAY May 31st – with a focus on hardy hybrid and late species rhododendrons – but with so much more on show (Wisteria, Deutzia, Peonies, late Magnolias, shrub rose species, early Philadelphus, Azaleas, Japanese Hydrangea serratas…) See Maurice’s article on hardy hybrid rhododendrons ‘The Old Contemptibles Hold the Line’, recently translated into German (!).
OPEN DAY June 14th – midsummer scent at its peak, with discussion around the genus Philadelphus, and the Hydrangea serrata walk (Maurice’s colourful compact hybrids) in full bloom, as well as climbing roses, and shrub roses. See The Variety and Versatility of Philadelphus, a recent blog.
White House Farm Garden and Arboretum 