Get the look – Leonardslee

Here, Jamie Harris, head gardener at Leonardslee, shares tips for how you can recreate a similar style in your own garden.

You can also visit Leonardslee, with your 2-for-1 card – find out more.

How would you describe the planting style of Leonardslee?

Leonardslee is one of the most important woodland gardens in England. It is dominated by mature trees and shrubs and, due to the ericaceous loam soil and renowned history when managed by the Loder family, it is predominantly focused around the likes of rhododendrons, camellias and magnolias.

Woodland gardening is a horticultural style with its origins in the eighteenth century English landscape movement. It combines informal design with spectacular, exotic plants. Some of the key features can include huge swathes of bulbs and understory planting, fantastic views and vistas, water features such as lakes and bridges, scent, shady spots and seasonal interest. The key trick is to manage it in such a way that it has a natural aesthetic but with a series of interesting plants and views that you can stumble upon as you wander through the myriad of paths.

What are your top tips for achieving a similar style at home?

Although you might think that creating a woodland garden in a domestic setting might be impossible, it's actually relatively easy to create the effect of a garden like Leonardslee on a smaller scale. A few key plants such as acers, some azalea shrubs, maybe a fern or two and a scattering of bulbs and you'll be surprised at the impact you can have. If you've got a pond and a shady corner, even better.

• Five plants for a woodland border

What are some of Leonardslee's star plants?

There are some acer trees which are perfect for a small garden but give the same 'wow' factor as those you'll find here at Leonardslee. Some of the palmatum types, such as 'Bloodgood' or 'Orange Dream', or many of the dissectum acers will suit most small spaces.

Azaleas tend to be smaller growing than some rhododendrons, but if you want to go for a true rhododendron, why not try something like 'Dopey'? It's a small yakushimanum type (with an unfortunate name!)

There are so many interesting and architectural ferns available these days and most fit easily in a small setting, but some of my favourites include the silvery purple foliage of Athyrium niponicum var. pictum 'Silver Falls' or the interesting orange tones of Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance', both of which we hope to plant on the west side of the mansion here later in the year.

To complete the effect, that just leaves the understory. You could plump for a selection of bulbs including bluebells and snowdrops, or perhaps add a selection of hellebores or primulas.

What considerations should be made when growing these plants in a home garden?

It's all about mimicking the conditions found in a woodland. All of the plants mentioned will tolerate shade but would prefer dappled to full shade. They will enjoy a nutrient-rich soil, so the addition of a good leaf mould or mulch of organic matter each year would work wonders. They would prefer a moist soil, but not one that becomes boggy. The rhododendron in particular will only tolerate an acidic, or ericaceous, soil so if you garden on chalk you may have to adapt your plant choices.

By choosing the right varieties and cultivars, you shouldn't have any problems with these plants out-growing their space. Acers are not fond of being pruned, but azaleas will respond well to even the hardest of pruning. With ferns and hellebores it's just a case of removing the spent foliage each year to allow the fresh new growth to come through.

Visit Leonardslee

Leonardslee is taking part in our 2-for-1 Garden Entry scheme 2021. Find out more about how to use your discount to visit the garden.

For more information about the gardens, visit the Leonardslee website.