Stunning succulents arranged on a stone basin adorned with moss-like lichen, a creation of James Horner from Benton End.
In the heart of Benton End, the home of renowned artist Cedric Morris, a unique garden setup thrives around a sun trap sink area. This garden, characterised by a combination of succulents and heat-loving plants, is a testament to Morris's love for botanical beauty and his ability to adapt plants to hot, baking conditions.
The key plant composition in this garden includes:
- Houseleeks (Sempervivum species): These plants form attractive mounds and rosettes that spread around the shallow sink, visually resembling flowers.
- Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Cedric Morris’: A succulent with flat, paddle-like leaves that appear dusted with flour, providing a soft, pale texture. This variety, specifically cultivated by Morris, has red edges and farina on the leaves, and grows to approximately 30cm x 40cm in size.
- Aeoniums, especially Aeonium davidbramwellii: Large, striking rosettes of more than 30 cm diameter, some with purple leaves that contrast beautifully with the Cotyledon. Another notable Aeonium in this setup is Aeonium 'Zwartkop', whose leaves turn deep maroon with increased summer light levels, and grows to approximately 40cm x 50cm in size.
- Pelargonium australe: Adds flickers of pure-white flowers and felted dark-green foliage, providing floral highlights and textural contrast.
- Echeveria secunda: With its glaucous-grey rosettes, this succulent adds a touch of coolness to the vibrant mix, growing to approximately 10cm x 15cm in size.
- Aeonium ciliatum: This succulent boasts naturally branching grey-green rosettes with a red edge, growing to approximately 30cm x 25cm in size.
To replicate this garden setup, focus on a dry, well-drained soil environment. The growing medium at Benton End is a blend of loam-based potting soil and sharp sand. The central soil area is cambered and a handful of Suffolk White bricks are added to increase soil depth inside the shallow sink.
It's important to note that this garden thrives in the very warm, sheltered "sun trap" microclimate created by the enclosure of brick walls on two sides. This setup is a summer one as most plants won't cope with UK winters. However, a hardy element like Sempervivum 'Virgil' with attractive bluish purple leaves, grows to approximately 10cm x 20cm in size and can provide year-round interest.
Another interesting plant is the Crassula sarcocaulis, known as the bonsai crassula, a small-leaved shrublet with tiny pink flowers, growing to approximately 50cm x 50cm in size.
To maintain the garden, ensure the growing medium retains enough moisture to avoid frequent watering, but drains well to prevent waterlogging. A crock is placed over the hole in the sink to aid drainage.
By following this guide, you can create a garden that echoes the distinctive sun trap sink garden at Benton End, capturing both its botanical character and microclimate adaptation.
- The sun trap sink area in Cedric Morris's garden features a unique combination of plants, such as Houseleeks, Pelargonium australe, Echeveria secunda, Aeoniums, and Sempervivum species, which collectively form an appealing landscape in home-and-garden settings.
- Garden features like Aeonium davidbramwellii, Aeonium 'Zwartkop', and Aeonium ciliatum, characterize Morris's garden with their large, striking rosettes and diverse visually appealing colors.
- The exotic plants in Morris's garden, such as Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Cedric Morris’ and Crassula sarcocaulis, contribute to the garden's distinct lifestyle appeal and bring their own botanical beauty to the sphere of gardening.
- By replicating the growing conditions at Benton End, including a dry, well-drained soil environment and a microclimate created by enclosed brick walls, you can establish a garden rich in plants that thrive in this setting, transforming your home-and-garden into a botanical paradise year-round.
