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English or cottage gardens (and by extension a Shakespeare Garden) are not just suitable for cooler, moist climates. Many of the plants mentioned in Shakespeare’s works are widely distributed around the world and are not necessarily native to Britain.
Obviously there are Shakespeare Gardens in England but other countries have them as well, including The Shakespeare Herb Garden at the Sacred Heart School in Sapporo, Japan and The Jardin du Shakespeare in the Bois de Bologne, Paris. There are quite a few Shakespeare Gardens in the U.S. The nearest ones are at CU in Boulder as part of the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and at The Denver Botanic Gardens.
The first one I visited was in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. A short walk along a pathway brings you to the entrance which is made of brick pillars connected with a wrought iron arch and gates. The garden is surrounded by a wrought iron fence and has a central path, which leads to a curved wall. On this wall are plaques listing the portions of Shakespeare’s works that mention the plants that have been used in this garden. Other Shakespeare Gardens are at The Huntington Library in Pasadena, and in New York City’s Central Park.
A Shakespeare Garden can comprise herbs, perennials, annuals, shrubs and/or trees. Some are only herb gardens, while others contain only flowers and shrubs. Mainly it depends upon preference and available space.
Shakespeare used more than 175 plants in his writings, so you have a lot to choose from. The following lists contain the commonly named plants in Shakespeare’s works followed by varieties that are appropriate for our area.
If you are starting from scratch and don’t have any trees to form the backbone of the garden, you can choose from the following: aspen; birch ~ Rocky Mountain or Water Birch Betula occidentalis; elder ~ American Elder Sambucus canadensis; various hawthorns; Gambel’s oak Quercus gambelii or English oak Quercus robur; and willow ~ Bluestem Salix irrorata, Purple osier S. purpurea and pussywillow S. discolor. Fruit trees are also a great addition to the Shakespeare Garden of which we have many varieties: apple, apricot, cherry, peach, pear, plum, and the flowering quince vine Chaenomeles lagenaria.
Among shrubs to choose from: Korean boxwood Buxus koreana; honeysuckle ~ Blueleaf Lonicera korolkowi ‘Zabels’; dogwood, mentioned as dogberry ~ Redstem dogwood Cornus sericea; various pines; yew ~ Hick yew Taxus media Hicks, and Japanese spreading yew Taxus cuspidata densiformis.
The number of perennials is vast. Commonly known perennials include: calendula ~ Calendula officinalis; columbine ~ Rocky Mountain columbine Aquilegia caerulea and other hybrids; daisy ~ English daisy Bellis perennis; flax ~ perennial flax Linum perenne; hyssop ~ Anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum and Hyssopus officinalis; mallows ~ Rose Mallow Hibiscus moscheutos, and purple poppy mallow Callirhoe involucrata; monkshood Aconitum napellus; pansy ~ Tufted pansy Viola cornata; pinks~ Maiden pink Dianthus deltoides, and Cottage pink Dianthus plumarius; various poppies; and of course roses ~ so many varieties, so little time.
There are some plants with names that catch the eye: Honeystalks ~ Clover Trifolium pratense; Cuckoo flower ~ Buttercup; Flower de luce ~ Fleur de Lis or Iris, bearded iris Iris germanica and Siberian iris Iris siberica; Gillyvor ~ carnation Dianthus sp.; insane root (?); Lady smock ~ Lady's mantle perhaps? Alchemilla mollis; Lark’s heels ~ Larkspur; Love-in-idleness ~ Pansy; Mandragora or mandrake ~ genus Mandragora, originally used as a narcotic, but found to be poisonous; Marybuds ~ marigolds.
Some herbs can be treated as perennials in Colorado, others will not survive our winter and must be replanted each year, so choose with this in mind: bay, burnet, chamomile, caraway, fennel, ginger, herb of grace (rue), lavender, marjoram, mint, parsley rosemary, saffron, savory, and thyme.
A complete list of Shakespeare’s plants can be found on the web at www.main.nc.us/yancey. This list is attributed to “The Plant-Lore and Garden-Craft of Shakespeare” by Henry N. Ellacombe. W. Satchell and Company, London, 1884.
For further information, refer to the following Fact Sheets: #7.418 - Small deciduous trees for privacy and color; #7.419 - Large deciduous trees; #7.415 - Deciduous shrubs for home grounds; #7.405 Herbaceous perennials; and #7.237 - Edible flowers.
Q: Which trees would grow well as wind breaks on the north and west sides of our house? We want ones we won’t have to water.
A: Evergreens work well as wind breaks because they retain their foliage all winter. Consider the site, soil drainage, and space available when preparing to select and plant trees. Evergreens are not all the same in their moisture needs, as some are considered low, some medium, and some high moisture users. Plant trees with similar needs together. Remember that all trees will require additional moisture for the first couple of years before the root system gets established. Before you make this investment, refer to Fact Sheet #7.403 - Evergreen trees. This gives selection, planting and maintenance guidelines, as well as a list of trees, their needs, size, and type-specific information.
Q: We’re going to put a gazebo in our back yard this summer. There are some trees, and shrubs in a perennial border nearby. Will they be ok during our work?
A: You could have some problems, but if you take precautions they may be avoided. Root systems could be affected because the root zone extends horizontally from the tree for a distance of about 2-3 times the tree’s height. Avoid soil compaction as much as possible because this will affect oxygen getting to the roots. Be careful not to injure any nearby plants with equipment or supplies. And be aware that changing the grade by fill or lowering can affect an entire area’s plantings.
Q: What should I consider when planning a perennial garden?
A: There are many things to consider including location, design,
sun and wind, soil type and quality, maintenance and water requirements
among others. Site selection is probably the first thing to consider, and
along with that the space available. During this phase also consider how
much time you will have for maintenance, and how much water you will have
available for irrigation. The plants will need more water when first planted
and during their first year until established.
If you have problems with cats using your garden as a litter box, try spreading citrus peelings, such as lemon and orange around. Another trick that seems to work is to plant marigolds around the flower and vegetable beds. Cats don’t appear to like th smell of the citrus and marigolds.
Carry a bucket with a half cup of bleach in a gallon of water around your garden when pruning and deadheading. You can dip your tools in the water to help prevent the spread of disease in your plants.
An old golf bag and cart makes a handy mobile tool carrier. It’s easy to pull around and one can carry long-handled tools in the bag, hand tools in the pockets and watering cans on the handle.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
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