Category Archives: Plants & Seeds
Verbascum olympicum
Every garden needs a plant that shouts ‘look at me’ so a Verbascum olympicum is a worthy contender. It will tolerate conditions that other plants would find hard to thrive in, such as hot and dry borders and poor soil and will quickly grow to 2 metres tall. The felted, silver rosette of basal foliage forms a
Euonymus fortunei ‘Blondy’
Euonymus fortunei ‘Blondy’ is an attractive and low maintenance, compact, evergreen shrub for small gardens, driveways and courtyards. The leaves are two toned; golden yellow with dark green edges, which in cold periods can turn pink. Euonymus fortunei ‘Blondy’ will thrive in almost any position in the garden and they are extremely tough and durable.
Rodgersia aesculifolia
For those looking for plants for water logged borders, or for pond edges, Rodgersia aesculifolia is an attractive plant. The leaves at the base of Rodgersia look very similar to Horse Chestnut tree leaves and above them, on 2 foot long stems, are pink flushed tiny flowers in conical panicles. Clump forming, it is often
Salvia nemorosa ‘Marcus’
For effortless colour and aroma in your mixed borders Salvia nemorosa ‘Marcus’ is an ideal choice, being easy to grow and requiring little maintenance. With deep indigo coloured clumps of spiky flowers and a delightful aromatic foliage, this short and neat Salvia ‘Marcus’ is great for strong block colour at the front of your borders
Saxifraga ‘Peter Pan’
Great for beginners this marvellous little Saxifraga ‘Peter Pan’ is a delightful cushion-like plant which can tolerate some shade. In springtime it provides an abundance of small, star-shaped, pretty pink blooms, which grow over mounds of mossy-green foliage; this Saxifrage goes well in rock gardens and lives happily in wall crevices too. With an RHS
Poppy ‘Gartenzwerg’
Poppy ‘Gartenzwerg’ is a beautiful biennial that bears soft blooms in attractive shades of red and coral pink. Poppies are an ideal choice for cutting due to the upright flowers and sturdy stems; when cutting the blooms for indoor use, sear the bottom of the stems over a naked flame to seal them. This gorgeous
Phlox douglasii ‘Red Admiral’
The RHS have awarded Phlox douglasii ‘Red Admiral’ an AGM (Award of Garden Merit), and it’s easy to see why. The hardy perennial’s green foliage forms a dense mat which suppresses weeds. It is a disease resistant, versatile plant that grows vigorously while remaining compact. In the early spring, Moss Phlox bursts into bloom, producing
Phlox douglasii ‘White Admiral’
Moss Phlox are useful plants when it comes to suppressing weeds and detering pests. Phlox douglasii ‘White Admiral’ combines these practical attributes with beauty when its flowers appear in April. These pure white blooms contrast with the hardy perennial’s green foliage, creating an attractive carpet for rockeries, containers and the front of flowerbeds. Height: 15cm
Lovage
Lovage is a perennial herb with a long tradition of use in stews, soup and salads. Lovage has a distinctive, savoury flavour, somewhere between anise and celery. An unusual use for lovage is in cutting the stems and then crystallising them. The aromatic seeds of the herb are often added to savoury baked dishes. With
Ligularia dentata ‘Midnight Lady’
Ligularia dentata ‘Midnight Lady’ makes a bold statement with its giant, deep bronze architectural foliage and dark stems topped with bright golden-orange daisy flowers which seem to shine out in a shady corner, attracting masses of bees and butterflies. Ligularia loves a moist position so it’s a great plant to grow beside a pond. It
Lythrum salicaria ‘Robin’
Purple Loosestrife, or Lythrum salicaria ‘Robin’, is a hardy, easy-to-grow, perennial, perfect sunny but moist areas. Often long-flowering, Purple Loosestrife produces beautiful magenta pink blooms from late spring through to mid-summer. Lythrum plants are exotic and resilient, making the perfect addition to garden borders. Height: 90cm (36). Spread: 45cm (18).
Iris pallida ‘Variegata’
Giving height and structure to the middle of borders, Iris pallida ‘Variegata’ has classic lilac-blue flowers, that Bearded Irises are loved for. This variety of Iris also has attractive variegated foliage at the base, with cream stripes lining the leaves. A full sun position is best for this plant, which is easy to grow and
Gypsophila cerastioides
The Mouse Eared Gypsophila is surprisingly resistant to drought and tough. It produces a mass of lovely white flowers, which butterflies adore. The Mouse Eared Gypsophila is perfect for rockeries, alpine gardens, troughs and patio containers, as well as for growing in gaps in paving and walls. The delicately ‘mounded’ plants produce generous displays of
Hemerocallis ‘Atlas’
Hemerocallis ‘Atlas’ is an extremely useful Day Lily as it is a hardy evergreen which produces luxurious lemon-yellow flowers, produced in succession throughout the latter part of summer. This plant with its strap-like foliage looks wonderful in cottage gardens, on banks and in large patio pots and containers. Hemerocallis are very easy to care for
Hemerocallis ‘Crimson Pirate’
Day Lilies are very easy to care for and maintain. What’s more, they are beautiful too, with their strap-like foliage and splash of exotic flowers throughout summer. Hemerocallis ‘Crimson Pirate’, as you might expect, has brilliant red blooms which each last a day. They follow each other in succession and this hardy evergreen plant will
Hemerocallis ‘Stella in Red’
Hardy Hemerocallis are invaluable in cottage gardens and they also look stunning in pots and growing on banks. These easy plants will thrive in most positions where they will happily produce lily-like flowers throughout the summer. Day Lily ‘Stella in Red’ has ruby-red, slightly fragrant blooms which last a single day, but the flowers follow
Hyssopus officinalis
Hyssopus officinalis is an attractive low growing, evergreen, flowering hedge. Hyssop is native to the south of Europe, Middle East and Caspian Sea and looks similar to Lavender. It has electric blue flowers that look great when planted in long rows alongside garden paths or driveways, or as a low hedge in vegetable gardens. The plant
Echinacea purpurea ‘Little Magnus’
Echinacea ‘Little Magnus’ is such as easy plant to grow and care for. This particular cultivar is perfect for cottage garden borders as it’s short, compact and clothed in flowers and because it’s a hardy perennial you can look forward to the same display year after year. The deep mounded centre of the bloom is
Goniolimon collinum ‘Sea Spray’
Our Bulgarian Statice makes the ideal plant where resilience is required, for coastal or other exposed gardens. The secret is in the slow-drying properties of its delicate white flowers and weatherproof leaves, making the Bulgarian Statice almost indestructible. It will survive assaults from drought and is entirely rabbit-resistant. Height and Spread: 45cm (18).
Gynostemma pentaphyllum
The Sweet Tea Vine is a quick-growing ground-cover plant. With its pretty, shiny leaves and delicate yellow summer flowers, it’s perfect for shady locations. The flowers are followed by rich, dark fruits. Gynostemma Pentaphyllum is virtually hardy and needs to be planted in large patio containers, or sheltered corners. In summer the dramatic foliage makes
