Tim Ingram



Tim was brought up with a keen interest in plants. His first patch was a raised rock garden as a teenager. He spent his early adulthood in academia working on plant hormones. Six months of this were spent in Tasmania where he took the opportunity to explore the wilds. Then he started a nursery at Copton Ash. He grew a wide range of plants including those from the Southern Hemisphere,  but became known for his interest in Umbellifers. He wrote a booklet on them for the HPS. Since reopening the nursery we have focussed on Alpines, perennials for drier gardens and woodland plants.


Talks

  1. -Alpines and Perennials for Dry Gardens

  2. -Alsace

  3. -Copton Ash Garden

  4. -Gardening on the Rocks

  5. -Gardens of the Czech Republic

  6. -Snowdrops and Hellebores in the Garden

  7. -Success with Seed

  8. -The Sand Bed

  9. -Under the Apple Trees

 
 

Using knowledge of gardening in the relatively dry South East and creating free draining beds to house the plants he loves, Tim shows a range of plants which have succeeded at Copton Ash.

 

Alpines and Perennials for Dry Gardens

Gardens of the Czech Republic

Following the 2nd Czech Rock Conference in May 2013, Tim went on the tour of private Gardens of members of the Czech Rock Club. Each was as individual as the owner and showed how well plants grow in this Continental Country with the cold snowy winters and hot summers. A plentiful supply of rock has allowed creation of some very naturalistic landscapes and perfect habitat for alpine plants.

Success with Seeds

Loving the excitement of growing from seed and the chance to grow something new, Tim has learnt when and how to germinate a broad spectrum of plants. He can explain the natural patterns different plants use to perpetuate and give insight in how and when to sow different seed. He takes out the myth and gives a clear path to follow. This is a detailed look at propagation of alpines and perennials from seed. Prompted originally by the HPS Booklet ‘Success with Seed’.

Sand Bed

Tim has grown plants outside in raised beds from the 1970’s. More recently he has been growing alpines and drought tolerant plants in a sand bed. As North Kent normally has a low rainfall a raised bed tends to need watering in hot summers. By digging out our soil and infilling with a coarse sandy mixture he has produced an effective site to grow certain plants. In this talk he describes the process and the plants which have grown well under these conditions.

 

Snowdrops and Hellebores in the Garden

The early spring includes many great plants with Snowdrops and Hellebores being the most collectable. Tim began growing Hellebores after aquiring some good forms from Washfield many years ago, and later from Ashwood Nursery. Hellebores are great value as the “flower” is showy for months. The snowdrop collection began with some special forms being given to him by friends and the collection grew over the years. There are other good early flowers which come out in tandem which are included briefly in this talk. Tim has now created an alternative of having a snowdrop or a Hellebore talk.

 

The Alsace

A look at The Jardin D’Altitude du Haut Chitelet in the Alsace. The East Kent Group ot the Alpine Garden Society organised a trip here in June 2015. Some other gardens and nurseries were visited along the journey.

 

Evolution of Copton Ash Garden

A tour of Copton Ash through time. Early development from a Cherry Orchard on quality brick earth soil, through the changes as it matures and areas are redeveloped. The work involved and the joy when things work. Adventures over 40 years and still going...

Gardening on the Rocks

Under the Apple Trees

Tim’s father planted apple trees at the bottom of the garden when the family first moved in to Copton Ash. 40 years on, the area under these now mature trees is planted with woodlanders. This area is Tim’s pride and joy.

 

A brief history of rock gardening. Tim was introduced to alpines as a teenager and it initiated his life long passion for plants. Tim talks about the development of rock gardening and gardens which have inspired him. He shows how this is put into practise at Copton Ash and looks at plants which thrive in sharp drainage in the hot south-east of England.

 

Pioneering American Gardeners

Tim created this talk specially for our local alpine group’s AGM. He explored great characters who gardenened and explored in America. Tim’s brush was broad but deep covering eight or nine gardeners conjoined by their fascination and discovery of plants; especially by the love of alpine plants, wild places and exploration.

 

The Woodland Anemones

Our native Anemone nemorosa lights up old woodlands in the early Spring. Selections have been raised for our gardens, which range through the whites into pinks and blues. There are also doubles and larger flower forms. Tim looks into their growth habits, takes a look at other  comparible species from across the world.

 

Snowdrops

Tim first made a snowdrop talk some years ago. It has changed and developed over time and been rewritten recently for the National Garden scheme. The trend has always been to look at the various Galanthus species we grow in our garden and ones we have seen locally. Tim takes a very personal look at these joys, flowering when most of the garden is slumbering, remembering the people behind each plant.