We catch up with Betty Cox, Treasurer of the Dedham Horticultural Society.

Tell us about your garden
When my husband, Bob, and I moved to Dedham 30 years ago, the garden was mainly laid to lawn with a small veg patch.

After a few years, we decided to employ a garden designer to revamp both the front and back gardens.  We chose a theme of circles for the hard landscaping, linked together by lawn and paths.  Borders were extended for planting and a section behind the garage housed a greenhouse and a formal pond.  Some small trees were planted together with shrubs to give structure and height to the planting.

A Mount Fuji cherry is the main tree in the front garden, which gives fragrant white flowers in early Spring and in the Autumn the leaves turn to glowing hues of yellow and orange. In the back garden there is a Perrotia Persica, a Weeping Birch and a Weeping Pear, all of which are now well established. An Amelachier, which was an original tree, is one of my favourites.

The back garden is south facing and houses a patio with numerous pots. These are planted with many annuals to give colour in both the winter and spring. I love cottage garden plants so there are numerous roses, geraniums, salvias and so on.

Favourite plant?
There are many, but I am especially fond of agapanthus, pale blue, dark blue and white.  These are mainly grown in pots and when their flowers appear I know it is summer.

What’s been your biggest garden mistake?
Probably planting the wrong plant in the wrong place in the garden. Some shady loving plants planted in full sun.

Getting into the greenhouse

Betty in her garden

I have a small greenhouse with a heated propagator and I love to get in and plant up seeds and take cuttings.  I always grow tomatoes and cucumbers from seed and have a passion for growing sunflowers from the 6ft Russian Giants to the small border ones.

Summing Up
I can think of nothing more therapeutic than being out in the garden: it is good for mind, body and soul.