26 THE ENGLISH GARDEN SEPTEMBER 2019
the house because they were so badly
a ected by blight, but it has made
a huge di erence.” All the box does
look healthy and it’s hard to believe
blight has ever been a problem here.
Through the arch in the hedge and
conveniently close to the kitchen,
four large raised beds provide an
abundance of vegetables and flowers
for cutting. A central path leads
between them to a gravel garden
designed by Alex that was originally planned
as another cutting garden. Helen, however, is
increasingly filling it with salvias that thrive in this
hot spot. “We’ve done an experiment with Salvia
‘Amistad’ this year,” says Helen. “We leave it in all
year and it gets so tall, so this year we have given it
the Chelsea chop to see if that works better.”
Beyond the formal planting, the orchard is where
Helen grows apples, plums and pears, as well as a
quince, a medlar, an apricot and an almond. “Years
ago I did a fruit growing course with Monty Don
and he said I would never get fruit trees to grow here
because it’s too windy – yet here they are.” A white
metal gate leads through to the field planted with
sinuous hedges of hornbeam that are designed to
echo the distant Downs. O to one side is the Jardin
Plume-inspired meadow with its grid of grasses,
which incorporates a variety of garden landforms,
including the Birch Maze and the Snail Mound,
from which you can look down on the meadow.
Working in a garden
with so many di erent
areas that demand such a
lot of attention, how does
Helen prioritise? Is she very
disciplined about the tasks
she intends to do? Helen’s
response is a very definite
no... “And I’m also very
naughty because I have a
bad habit of going out in my
good clothes and shoes and before I know it I find
myself in the middle of a border!” True gardeners
will recognise a worthwhile sacrifice. ■Malthouse Farm, Streat Lane, Streat, Hassocks
BN6 8SA. Opens for the National Garden Scheme
on Sunday 18 and Wednesday 21 August, 2-5.30pm
and from 16 July to 30 September by arrangement.
Tel: 01273 890356; ngs.org.ukTop left The box parterre
features glass sculpture
by David Jackson.
Top right Towering
sunflowers and Tithonia
rotundifolia add a sense
of colourful height at
the back of the border.
Above Orange ‘Autumn
Lustre’ is one of Alex
Bell’s favourite dahlias.