With the importation of more exotic plants and an increasingly ostentatious approach, gardening was all about the show not harmonisingwith nature. It wasn't until the late 19th century that more naturalistic planting once again became fashionable. Plants And Planting Trees were also a popular feature, providing shade when sitting outdoors. Trees with bright leaves, or “weeping” species, were often planted. For the wealthier families, more exotic trees could be cultivated in the conservatory or greenhouse. Petunias, particularly in white and purple, were widely used in suburban gardens and if you know how to deadhead petunias you can prolong the blooms.

Walking around the country estates managed by the National Trust and English Heritage these gardens exist is all their glory to be enjoyed in this busy world today to give a moment of peaceful escapism. Modern cast stone ornaments from original designs are ideal and very affordable adornments. To reflect the romantic mood a scantily clad maiden or goddess might be appropriate, or two lovers embracing. Larger collections of trees were displayed in arboretums, while shrubs were a common means of defining property lines, marking paths and hiding fences. Mixed species of shrubs would also frame doorways and bay windows.

Few 12-year-olds would rise through the ranks to Head Gardener, but ambitious gardeners might start advertising their availability for Head Gardener jobs by the time they were 30, as Matthew did. Head Gardener at Stagenhoe Park Try including different types of pelargoniums in your garden, which you can propagate from each year. Use them in pots along a garden wall, or as a garden table centrepiece, for instance,' recommends Rosie. The Victorians loved their gardens and many of the flowers, shrubs and trees that are common today were actually discovered during the Victorian era. Owners loved nothing more than illustrating their wealth or how well-travelled they were than by filling the gardens of their Victorian homes with colourful species garnered from all corners of the globe. The history of Victorian garden design Flower gardens and beds were a favorite of classic Victorian-era gardeners. Two very different design styles emerged. Exotic plant collections gathered from all corners of the world. Typical Victorian plants for gardens might include the Monkey Puzzle, Douglas fir, Monterey pine or redwood trees; wisteria, jasmine, ferns, lilies, rhododendrons and magnolias which were extremely popular; these all capture the essence of the period and anchor the garden to the era of the house.

After a year or so, Matthew might have started work in the kitchen garden or glass house, progressing to an ‘improver’ by age 17 or 18. Improvers were ‘upwardly mobile young gardeners’ who learnt while practising. [2] Improvers lived beside ‘journeymen’ (gardeners in their 20s who travelled to develop their skills further) in a bothy, which were sometimes set into the walls of walled gardens. They were expected to remain single. After a long, hard day’s work, came evening study – everything from botany, etymology, plant physiology and trigonometry, to plant breeding and the cultivation of flowers, fruit and vegetables, some of which had never been grown in the UK before. Fantastic Victorian townhouse garden. Trees include ginkgo, Chusan palm, a Tulip tree, the monkey puzzle. Rowallane Garden, County Down This garden was not opened for the common man because the queen was not in favor of it. But after the control went over the government, the garden was opened for the common man. This garden has a great collection of rhododendrons. The people of the Victorian period have a passion for the exotic plants.It is now an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to plant or grow Japanese knotweed. Special measures are needed to dispose of it. Want to find out more about Victorian gardens?

Climbing and rambling roses decorated arches and other structures to spectacular romantic effect. With the surge of ardour in a secluded arbour with the air permeated with heady scent, the Victorian lady might have been fortunate to escape with her virtue intact. Be careful though, biting into a sweet and juicy Egremont Russet might give any fit young man ideas of foraging for further forbidden fruit. Ever since Coade stone was formulated in the late 18th century, affordable cast stone ornamentshave decorated our gardens, and the Victorians took full advantage of any new technology. There was a special attraction for the rare plants. There were some popular gardeners who belonged to the Victorian period. These gardeners follow the natural style of growing the gardens. This style is followed even today.In the Victorian era, from 1837 to 1901, gardening became a pastime that could be enjoyed by the masses. An increase in population led to more middle-class families moving to the suburbs, while new technology made gardening easier, and more diverse plants boosted interest. Gardening became a status symbol of the industrial revolution. Advances in science resulted inthe hybridization of plants and the introduction of new cultivars, and the rose was one of the main beneficiaries. Matthew Balls was born on 23 March 1817 at Gaynes Hall, West Perry, Cambridgeshire, to Henry and Ann Balls, who were both servants. Henry was a gardener, as was Matthew’s grandfather. Matthew married Elizabeth Flint on 30 July 1842 in Godmanchester. They subsequently moved to Hertfordshire, where he was appointed Head Gardener at Stagenhoe Park by the time he was 30, but what happened in between? How did he rise to such an illustrious post, leading a team of up to 20 gardeners? Rising Through the Ranks