FLORA OF KEMP TOWN ENCLOSURES

When describing the plants and borders within Kemp Town Enclosures, we must first consider the restricting elements they are up against: the thin layer of topsoil, sometimes only 60cm deep on top of solid chalk; the near drought conditions the chalk induces – water and nutrition simply drain out; and the drying salt winds which, as witnessed last summer, can destroy flowers and leaves in one night. The importance of the hedges therefore and their function as windbreaks cannot be underestimated. Without their annual pruning they would lose their vigour, becoming leggy, sparse and unmanageable.

Hedges

The species making up our hedges consist mainly of Euonymous, Elaeagnus, Olearia, Escallonia and Tamarisk. Euonymous is our favourite as it provides a dense evergreen thicket which is easy to cut; it also has bright red berries through the winter months giving it some seasonal variation. Elaeagnus has less predictable growth, and is a more painful plant to maintain due to the sharp spurs on its branches and the powdery bloom on the leaves which make it difficult to breathe when cutting. However its highly fragrant flowers redeem it somewhat in my book and the silvery leaves provide a necessary contrast to the other greens. Escallonia has a dark glossy leaf and bright pink flowers but, like Olearia, does not have the dense growth or salt tolerance of Euonymous, – making them both less effective windbreaks. Lastly the Tamarisk: often found among other hedge species because it’s a fast grower which makes it a good nurse plant. However it is not evergreen, so is bare during the winter when the worst winds are about, also it needs to be coppiced each spring to maintain any green growth lower down. This makes it somewhat labour intensive; however its beautiful feathery foliage and pink plumes make it a very attractive shrub.

Borders

A number of borders have been added or replanted in recent years. Most notably the central beds, Polly Binder, the new woodland path, ornamental grass border, and sw corner. Full descriptions to follow.

Trees

Approximately twenty new trees have been planted since the millennium – many of which now make up the arboretum. Click here for more details.

Donna Taplin Jan 2005