Jason Haine Muncaster
Last updated at 14:01, Monday, 26 January 2009
'Every week of the year there's a rhododendron that's in flower'
How big is the garden at Muncaster?
There are 77 acres – some natural woodland and the bulk a managed, woodland garden. A small part of the garden is ornamental and has flower beds but there are no formal borders. The terrace is the only formal feature.
What are the garden’s main characteristics? It’s a rhododendron collectors’ garden. The rhododendrons were mostly collected in the 1920s when seed collecting was at its peak and the owners subscribed to some of the great expeditions. It’s one of only a few gardens to have a regular “plant hunting” tradition from at least the early 19th century to the present. There are hundreds of species, all fairly distinctive and most originating from the Himalaya in Tibet, China and India.
Every week of the year there’s a rhododendron in flower. For example, Rhododendron Jacksonii. It blooms in December and it’s a family tradition to have it decorating the table at Christmas dinner.
The main rhododendron season is April and May but there’s always something worth seeing at any time of year. Due to our mild coast location, rhododendrons thrive and some plants grow to an exceptional size.
What makes the garden special? It’s family run and has a family atmosphere. When I visited three years ago, a member of the family greeted me and said thank you for coming, which made it very personal. You’ll often find one of the family out planting.
How many people work in the garden?
As well as myself, there are three other gardeners, who live locally. We also have a couple of volunteers helping out in the gardens – there’s always lots to do.
Are there any big projects coming up?
We are further developing a winter garden, with interest through the season culminating in snowdrops and crocuses in the spring. The castle is opening more at Christmas and the “Darkest Muncaster” garden lighting scheme helps to extend the season. We hope to instal a labyrinth to commemorate the 800 years the family has owned the castle.
How long have you worked at Muncaster and where were you before? I came here in September 2005. For a few months before that I was maintenance manager at a local holiday park and before that I worked at the Vicarage Botanical Gardens at Carrington, near Manchester, which was developed from a brownfield site and grew mostly herbaceous plants. I was also involved in another nursery start-up when I left school and joined the Canaan Fellowship, a Christian community near Winchester. When my wife Debbie and I married we settled in Cumbria because it was halfway between her family in Co Durham and mine in Carrington. We have a two-year-old daughter, Heidi.
How did you train for your work?
I was mentored by Chris Goodman, who trained at Windsor Great Park and at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. I worked with him for 25 years at Winchester and Carrington.
What is your favourite time of the year at Muncaster? Spring but it’s also the most stressful when everything starts growing and we have to be in several places at once. Most of the propagating takes place in July. We propagate all the rhododendrons, restricting ourselves to a dozen cuttings for any one species because there are so many. The propagation programme is partly to regenerate the garden and also to provide plants for sale. It takes three years for a cutting to grow into a viable plant.
What is your favourite plant or shrub?
The first plant I grew was a pot plant, a Streptocarpus, when I was about eight. I’m also keen on trees, such as the Indian bean tree, Catalpa, which has interesting leaves, nice flowers, and seeds in long pods. When I was a teenager we camped at a site in France which had a row of these trees. Since I’ve been at Muncaster I’ve developed a tree walk.
What kind of garden do you have?
Almost none. At our home in Millom I have containers of geraniums, Busy Lizzies, a fuchsia called Heidi – things the family enjoy.
For further information and opening hours visit www.muncaster.co.uk.
First published at 11:26, Wednesday, 10 September 2008
Published by http://www.cumbrialife.co.uk
