On the latest episode of the RHS Roots podcast, Jo Whiley talks to Nigel Slater, broadcaster and renowned food writer, who shares a hugely helpful tip he once received from gardening legend Monty Don when he first started his garden – a rule he still follows decades later to ensure any plant he grows is located in the perfect place.
The principles of Monty Don's expert advice determine what to plant where, which is one of the most important factors in establishing a thriving habitat, using the conditions you have to cultivate a magnificent garden, according to light exposure and soil type.
But who knew it was between having a 'raspberry' or 'strawberry' style garden? Monty, that's who – and now Nigel Slater, who is kindly passing on his shared wisdom.
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When discussing the details of establishing his planting scheme, Nigel Slater tells Jo, "It really is such a small garden. It's the same space so many people have up and down the country, that terraced rectangular garden sort of like a shoebox, and you've got to make the most of it." Hence, choosing plants for the light and soil conditions matters all the more.
"Monty gave me a wonderful piece of advice that has stayed with me all the way through it, and I hadn't noticed this (until he said it)," he begins. "You've got two sides to this garden. There's the raspberry side and the strawberry side."
"Ok, what do you mean?" he says, jokingly to Jo, clearly requiring further clarification from Monty.
"One side is great for growing raspberries – it's shaded, it's moist, and it's quite dark. The other side is literally baking in sunshine, which is great for growing strawberries."
"Even now, when I'm buying plants, I think, where is this going to go? Which side of the garden? The dark side, the raspberry side or the strawberry side."
Which plants suit 'raspberry' and 'strawberry' gardens best
So, depending on the setting of your home, you'll be contending with a 'raspberry' north-facing garden where you'll benefit mostly from choosing the best plants for shade, such as:
- Camellia
- Sarcococca
- Epimedium
- Lesser Periwinkle
- Japanese Anemone
- Autumn Moor grass
Whereas if you're lucky enough to have a garden basking in direct sunlight (although you might need more garden shade ideas for yourself), the plants that are most likely to thrive are the sun-loving kind, which include:
- Sedum
- Lavender
- Nepeta
- Roses
- Erigeron
- Crocosmia
Indecently, wild strawberries are recommended by our experts as one of the best ground cover plants, ideal for sunny flower beds where you want maximum coverage.
"Monty's idea was to split the garden into three rooms, and of course, we had veg beds – which I love," Nigel reveals. Dividing a garden into zones has become an increasingly popular garden trend for creating designated areas for different purposes to maximise the space, from a plot for growing vegetables to a hosting area for summer entertaining.
