The Dragon's Garden

By Nichola Selley & Kei Little (Kingston Maurward College horticulture students). Would you like to see dragons in your garden?

The Dragon's Garden offers ideas about how to attract endangered and beneficial amphibians and reptiles, our real-life 'dragons'.

The garden has been researched and designed by the National Diploma in Horticulture students from Kingston Maurward College, Dorset.

Features in the garden show visitors how to encourage the presence of these animals and are transferable to any garden setting. Examples include the pond, the dry stone wall, the wood pile and the compost heap. All these elements provide breeding grounds, sites for hibernation as well as protection and shade.

The choice of plants reflects the use of cultivated relatives of wild varieties that are more size-appropriate, non-invasive and easily available for a gardening enthusiast. It is an appealing, manageable design which can easily be replicated and established in a typical garden setting.

Representatives from the Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust are on hand to answer any questions about these fascinating creatures.

Plants list

Click any of the plant name links below to learn more.

Marginal Aquatics
Acorus calamus
Iris ensata
Iris versicolor 'Gerald Darby'
Lythrum salicaria 'Blush'
L.salicaria 'Feuerkerze'

Waterlillies
Nymphaea 'Attraction'
N.'Norma Gedye'
N.'Gladstoniana'

Bog Plants
Astilbe chinesis var pumila
Equisetum hyemale
Eriophorum angustifolium
Gunnera manicata  
Erica cincera 'Forest fire'
Erica 'Foxi nana'
Erica 'Jacquline E.Griffiths
Erica 'Alberts Gold'
Erica 'Helios'
Erica cincera 'Eva Gold'
Hosta fortune 'Minuteman'
Hosta 'Francee'
Hosta sieboldiana 'Blue Angel'
Hosta 'Wide Brim'
Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'
Juncus effusus spiralis
Primula vialli (syn. P.littoniana)
Scirpus zebrinus
Typha minima

Trees
Betula utilis 'Jacqmontii'
Acer palmatum 'Atropurperea'

Tiered Area and walls
Carex bucananii
Delosperma cooperi
Lavender 'Munstead'
Lavendula stoechas 'Alexandra'
Ophiopogon nigra
Sedum 'Coca cola'
Sedum 'Ruby Glow'
Sedum cappa blanca
Sedum populifolium
Sedum ussuriense 'Vera Jameson'
Semperviren 'Rubin'
Semperviren 'Starshine'
Thymus pulegoides 'Aureus'
T.caespititus
T.serpyllum 'Pink Chinz'
T. herpa barona (Caraway thyme)
T. Archers gold
T. Creeping red
T. Silver Posie

Borders and Climbers
Clematis 'Natascha'
Lavendula angustifolia 'Miss Katherine'
Lavendula stoechas 'Alexandra'
Liatris spicata
Lonicera 'Graham Thomas'
Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue Spire'
Ribes 'Ben Tirran'
Trachelospermum jasminoides
Veronica ulsta 'Blue Dwarf'