Sissinghurst Head Gardener Shares Key Autumn Gardening Tasks

The iconic Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, a beloved creation of Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson, is offering a unique opportunity to learn from its head gardener, Troy Scott-Smith. A new course from Create Academy, ‘The Art of Gardening at Sissinghurst,’ provides unprecedented access to the garden’s secrets and expert techniques.

Autumn Gardening Priorities

With a total runtime of 10 hours and 56 lessons divided into three parts, the course delves into seasonal gardening, teaching participants how to build dynamic displays using annuals, biennials, and perennials. Scott-Smith emphasizes the importance of timing tasks and plant combinations to replicate the garden’s distinctive charm.

Key Autumn Tasks

Scott-Smith highlights lifting and dividing perennials as a crucial autumn task. He explains that the soil’s warmth and moisture create ideal conditions for replanting, particularly for plants that are underperforming or flowering poorly. The process involves carefully lifting the clump, breaking it into palm-sized pieces, and replanting into enriched soil. He advises delaying this process on heavy clay soils until early spring.

Propagation Opportunities

Autumn is also an excellent time for plant propagation. Scott-Smith demonstrates the Sissinghurst method for taking cuttings, specifically tip cuttings from tender plants like salvias. He recommends taking only a few cuttings per plant to ensure successful propagation.

Sharing the Joy of Gardening

“Gardening has given me so much joy over the years, and I’d love to share some of that joy with you, giving you the confidence to give gardening a go,” says Scott-Smith. This course offers a valuable introduction to the techniques that maintain the beauty and longevity of this celebrated garden.