As any good gardener knows, September and October can be among the most glorious months of the year. But November? and Helen Andrew Ward of Norwell Nurseries are enthusiasts of this month, too. “I’m particularly keen on plants that make the coldest, darkest part of the year feel as short as possible, so there are lots here that look great late, and early, in the growing season,” says Andrew.
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The couple came to Norwell in 1994. It had always been Andrew’s dream to start a nursery, and the south-facing, sloping two-acre field set behind a row of cottages in the pretty Nottinghamshire village offered great potential, despite heavy clay soil, and brambles that needed clearing before the rewards of growing plants could be enjoyed. The site also proved to be a potent frost pocket. “In the bitter winter of 2010, we had quite a shock, enduring five nights of -18°C and one of -20°C. That’s cold enough to kill bone-hardy plants if they are growing in pots. As a result, we tell visitors that if a plant grows here it will be hardy more or less anywhere in the UK,” says Andrew.
Among their diverse selection of plants is the National Plant Collection of hardy chrysanthemums, many of the 160 or so selections peaking in nursery beds and the garden from August into autumn (depending on the cultivar), with some still flowering in the second week of December if there hasn’t been too much freezing rain.
The pair’s passion for these plants began 30 years ago, when they were given Chrysanthemum ‘Innocence’ by Helen’s mum.“Before that, I’d only known the chrysanths my grandfather grew – the big exhibition types that I found a bit inelegant,” says Andrew. “They were a hassle, as they had to be lifted because they weren’t hardy. You wouldn’t see them, as they were always covered in paper bags to protect them from earwigs. But ‘Innocence’ was a hardy chrysanth, which flowers after the asters. For most people, when the asters have finished, that’s the end of their gardening year. So to get colour into December is incredibly important.”
We tell visitors that if a plant grows here it will be hardy more or less anywhere
“They go on for so long,” says Helen. “Some of the earliest, such as double golden-yellow Chrysanthemum ‘Ruby Raynor’, start flowering in July, while others, such as ‘Innocence’ don’t get into their stride until October. There’s quite a lot of variation in the flower form – they can be single, double, pompom, short, tall. Some are beautifully scented of citrus and honey, such as ‘Folk Song’, and they make excellent cut flowers, lasting a long time in water when there is little else to cut in the garden.”
Having ordered from nurseries on the continent some cultivars not previously available in the UK, including ‘Pomegranate’ and ‘Eugens Bitterschokolade’, and by breeding their own, mostly from seedlings – a process that can take ten years – the pair eventually had enough for a National Collection. It is known as a ‘dispersed’ collection, combined with two others, curated by Judy Barker in Hertfordshire and Hill Close Gardens Trust in Warwickshire. “The idea is that if one of us has a disaster, another can provide plants again,” explains Andrew.
Helen and Andrew say that hardy chrysanthemums are best grown next to grasses (especially pennisetums and miscanthus) and autumn crocuses, such as sternbergias, which tend to flower at the same time. They point out that they need to be grown in a spot of the garden that is still in sun in November, in order to benefit pollinators: “The flowers are often covered in butterflies and bees in November, but they need the sun’s warmth.”
Helen looks after the collection. Among her favourites are Chrysanthemum ‘Capel Manor’, with yellow flowers late in the season and usefully mid-range in terms of height, around 60cm; distinctive Chrysanthemum ‘EH Wilson’, tall with its profusion of small white flowers that hold well into November; and marvellous Chrysanthemum ‘Mrs Jessie Cooper’, at 90cm, with magenta flowers that still dazzle in December. Several have been raised at Norwell: the muted, vintage-red, Chrysanthemum ‘Helen Ward’ with small pompom flowers; Chrysanthemum ‘Andrew’ with semi-double, cherry-red blooms; and dark peach, semi-double Chrysanthemum ‘Old Norwell’.
As the chrysanthemums come to the fore, many other tempting late-flowering perennials are also still going strong. Winding paths lead between beds cascading with interest: the tall white-flowered annual Erigeron annuus, with little white flowers that are borne non-stop until the first frosts, threads through dahlias, clumps of sanguisorbas, shrubby seedhead-bearing Bupleurum fruticosum and roses heavy with reddening hips. Norwell’s asters look wonderful amid the turning foliage of perennials such as Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’.
Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Transparent’ forms a shimmering veil in front of the golden heads of lofty perennial Helianthus, while in Norwell’s new sand beds, pennisetums, including tall P. macrourum and impressive P. alopecuroides ‘Red Head’, flaunt their tactile flowerheads beside plants such as pale-pink Chrysanthemum ‘Esther’ and pinky purple Erodium manescavii.
These more tender plants thrive at Norwell, despite the cold and clay soil, thanks to Andrew’s experiments with sand. Towards the top of the site (where air flows and water drains freely) he constructed brick-built, raised beds filled with gritty sand. “It’s an idea I got from Swedish plantsman Peter Korn, who grows in pure sand. Plants grow tougher and prove hardier; it’s allowed me to enjoy a much wider range of plants,” he explains. Some of the sand beds are simple mounded borders of 30cm at the centre, 20cm at the edge, and plants have done so well that Andrew plans more. “The key is to make sure roots reach underlying soil for moisture and nutrients. Look for grit sand, which has bits of gravel in it – the sort of sand that does not stain your hands if you squash it together,” he advises. “When planting (in spring or early summer when the weather has warmed), wash compost off the roots first, otherwise the plants rot in winter. It’s also important to feed in spring with a fertiliser such as Growmore.”
Even 2024’s soaking spring and summer, and parched August, did not harm the plants; salvias such as Salvia x jamensis ‘Red Velvet’, fiery Epilobium canum ‘Olbrich Silver’ and various cultivars of Oenothera lindheimeri are flourishing. Also stand-out in late season are collections of Echinacea, Erodium, Helenium and marvellous Geranium wallichianum ‘Crystal Lake’ with pale-blue, purple-veined flowers. More dainty plants also thrive, including the little Acis autumnalis with its tiny white bells. The sand beds in cool shade are home to a collection of autumn-flowering toad lilies, including Tricyrtis ‘Tojen’, with pink unspotted flowers, and diminutive T. ‘Taipei Silk’, its petals touched with blue.
Norwell Nurseries shows so well how it is possible to meet the challenge of a tricky site while also planting creatively to extend the season. Spring and summer, so often the focus of the gardening year, seem increasingly unpredictable, but frankly, what’s past is prologue; if your garden looks good in autumn, disappointments early in the season are easily forgotten.
USEFUL INFORMATION Address Norwell Nurseries, Woodhouse Road, Norwell, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG23 6JX. Tel 0163 6636337. Web norwellnurseries.co.uk Chrysanthemums are propagated for mail order in spring. See website for details of opening times and for dates of special chrysanthemum openings in November.
Norwell’s top 16 chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemum ‘Barbara Lambert’
Beautiful soft pink, anemone-centred flowers that age paler, with a rich-pink centre. A strong grower for a sunny, well-drained site. Bred at Norwell and named for Helen’s late mum. Flower size 5cm across. Height and spread: 90cm x 60cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Chelsea Physic Garden’
An exceptional selection, flowering late October into November with double red flowers and petals with coppery reverses. Excellent for sun and any soil. Flower size 5cm. 75cm x 40cm. RHS H6.
Chrysanthemum ‘Mary’
Beautiful quilled, creamy, semi-double flowers. It opens in September but carries into October and sometimes November. Grows best in a well-drained and sunny site. 70cm x 40cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Gelbe Spinne’
One of the few hardy chrysanthemum with a profusion of spider-type petals in the flower. A pale lemon colour starts in October. Needs some support but worth the effort. Flower size 7cm across. 60cm x 60cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Carmine Blush’
A lovely soft pink-carmine, single flower. Good on improved clay. The flowers open darker and age softer. Ideal for the front of a border. Flower size 4cm. 45cm x 60cm. RHS H5.
Chrysanthemum ‘Neue Kokarde’
A brilliant selection that looks more like a Gaillardia than a chrysanthemum. It has orange-red, semi-double flowers each tipped in gold. Flower size 3cm. 60cm x 40cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Ruby Mound’
Masses of ruby-red, double flowers make this a truly arresting sight in a sheltered, sunny, well-drained position. Flower size 5cm. 90cm x 60cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Rumpelstilzchen’
Double flowers with flamboyant petals in bright and rusty reds. Needs a well-drained, sunny site. Flowers
July to October. Flower size 4cm. 60cm x 80cm. RHS H5.
Chrysanthemum ‘Capel Manor’
Has creamy golden-yellow quilled double flowers in October to November. Grown for years at Capel Manor College, hence the name. Flower size 7cm. 60cm x 60cm. RHS H5.
Chrysanthemum ‘Andrew’
Bred at Norwell. It is a luscious semi-double crimson, cherry red with a contrasting golden eye. A strong grower standing well in late October. Flower size 5cm. 90cm x 80cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Helen Ward’
Raised at Norwell, with double pompom heads of dusky-coral crimson with a gold centre. Needs sun and well-drained soil. Hardy and floriferous. Flower size 4cm. 60cm x 50cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Ruby Raynor’
Multitude of rich semi-double, golden-yellow flowers. It begins to flower in July and continues through to late October. It stands well and is good for cutting. Flower size 5cm. 75cm x 80cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Picasso’
Flowers later than most pompoms, opening in October. Peachy-pink with an attractive darker centre, it needs a well-drained and sunny site. One of the Hardy Plant Society’s endangered plants, but Norwell is ensuring its survival. Flower size 4cm. 45cm x 30cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Šlapanica Eliška’
Czech cultivar introduced to UK by collection holder Judy Barker. Cerise-pink single flowers enhanced by silvery reverse to petals. Strong stems. Flower size 6cm. 75cm x 60cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Eugens Bitterschokolade’
Rare German cultivar with red buds that open to velvety, deep-red, semi-double blooms. Has a highly contrasting gold eye. Flower size 4cm. 45cm x 60cm. RHS H4.
Chrysanthemum ‘Burnt Orange’
Distinctive jagged grey-green leaves and masses of unusual and attractive spider-like, burnt-orange flowers in autumn. Cut flowers last ages in water. Flower size 6cm. 90cm x 60cm. RHS H5.