Along with a brick plinth in the front garden, this mounted stone sink is one of the few garden features to have carried through from Cedric Morris’s time. We have archive photos of coffee being enjoyed in this south-facing corner by Benton End art students, along with Cedric relaxing, sunk in a deckchair, potted succulents dotted around him. Surrounded by brick walls on two sides, it is a real sun trap and creates baking conditions for plants during the hottest summer days.
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How to achieve the look
Container and composition
As the sink is only a few centimetres deep, I’ve cambered up the central area, and added a handful of whole Suffolk White bricks to gain extra soil depth. The houseleeks make mounds as they multiply around themselves;. Their rosette form is as pleasing to the eye as a flower. Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Cedric Morris’ has flat paddle-like leaves, which look as though they are dusted in flour, and are particularly striking when placed next to the purple-leaved aeoniums. The absolute star is Aeonium davidbramwellii, which can grow a large leaf rosette of more than 30cm diameter. A handful of Pelargonium australe add flickers of pure-white flowers and felted, dark-green foliage.
Cultivation and care
This old sink has only one hole in a corner, so it’s essential that it slightly slopes down to that end to drain perfectly, and has a large crock in place, covering the hole. A free-draining growing medium of loam-based potting soil blended with sharp sand is ideal, both the loam and sand will retain enough moisture so frequent watering isn’t required. As a topping mulch I’ve used crushed aggregate of varying sizes. This is decidedly a summer exhibit, as most of these plants won’t cope with UK winters. Currently, we don’t have a heated greenhouse at Benton End, so the aeoniums are overwintered on a windowsill in the house, while the hardier elements can get through in the unheated greenhouse, as long as they are kept dry.
Plants
- Pelargonium australe An easy long-flowering species. 15cm x 30cm. RHS H2, USDA 10a-11.
- Echeveria secunda Glaucous-grey rosettes. 10cm x 15cm. RHS H2, USDA 9a-12.
- Sempervivum ‘Virgil’ A hardy element with attractive bluish purple leaves. 10cm x 20cm.
- Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Cedric Morris’ With red edges and farina on the leaves. 30cm x 40cm.
- Aeonium ciliatum Naturally branching grey-green rosettes with a red edge. 30cm x 25cm. USDA 9a-12.
- Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ Leaves turn deep maroon with increased summer light levels. 40cm x 50cm. AGM*. RHS H1C, USDA 9b-12.
- Crassula sarcocaulis Known as the bonsai crassula. A small-leaved shrublet with tiny pink flowers. 50cm x 50cm. RHS H3, USDA 8a-11.
- Aeonium davidbramwellii Huge grey-leaved rosette with red tinges. 50cm x 30cm. RHS H1C, USDA 9b-12.