Spiraea morrisonicola

An exquisite little gem of a plant – no more than 4-5 ins tall making a tiny rounded shrublet. In most respects this is just a very tiny version of S.japonica, and yet every part is perfectly formed – the dense rose-pink flower heads and the rounded, sea-green leaves. The new growth is soft purple. 

On top of all this it seems to be hardy and adaptable even on my rather messy alpine bed – as long as it doesn’t get swamped by rough neighbours. Absolutely perfect, but very slow - hence the price.
£12

Hypericum aegypticum

A terrific small shrub, looking more like a tiny shrubby Linum than a Hypericum – the flowers are a soft pale yellow, more or less funnel-shaped, and set among tiny grey leaves. 

Hardy here for many years in a sunny dry spot. Exquisite.
£8

Yet More Plants...

I've been aware for a long time that there are some plants on the nursery that never feature on the website, either because they're not as new and exciting as others, or because I never have many of them, or in some cases because the photos I have are not great - so I never get around to posting them here. So I've decided to post them all in one big post.

Clematis songarica

A low straggling almost shrubby species producing lots of small white flowers in summer. Grows well in well-drained sunny sites. Small foliage. Fully hardy. 

Large pots, £15

Epimedium grandiflorum nanum Marchant's hybrid

Some of you may know that Epimedium grandiflorum nanum is an exquisite miniature form of this popular species where the new foliage is fresh green, less than an inch across, and broadly edged in maroon, and the milky white flowers, despite the tiny size of the plant, are normal size. The whole thing is only a couple of inches tall. 

Sadly it also has a reputation for being difficult to keep - I've had it and lost it twice. This is why I was so pleased when I came across this at Marchant's Hardy Plants a few years ago. Its a bit bigger than nanum - about 5ins high but more vigorous and easy to keep. In every other respect it seems identical. It is still slow to increase though so I'll only ever have a few small plants to sell.

£12

Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis

A striking tall perennial in the pea family with attractive pinnate leaves and dense heads of violet flowers in summer – like mauve clover heads. The main effect though is in autumn and winter when the russet red stems and bristly seed heads stand over 6ft tall. 

Completely weather-proof - an excellent feature in the winter border. Very hardy and adaptable.

£12

Keiskea japonica

Plants that flower late into autumn are always worth having and there are a number of late season Lamiaceae (mint family) from eastern Asia that are far too little grown in the UK. Colquhounia, Leucosceptrum, Elscholzia and Rostrinucula are three that I grow, and this is another. 

Keiskea are from Japan and make attractive bushy herbaceous perennials to about 4ft tall with spikes of palest pink flowers in October. Adaptable and completely hardy. Now apparently included in Collinsonia

£16

Klasea bulgarica

A wonderful tall Centaurea-type plant growing to well over head height with glossy serrated leaves and clear white flower heads. Fabulous among low-growing plants in full sun on any well-drained soil.

£12

Leucosceptrum canum

A remarkable Buddleja-like shrub from the foothills of the Himalayas, where it is quite common and widespread. The foliage is soft and broad and pale and the flowers, which are produced very late in the year, are slender creamy white bottlebrushes. 

The combination is rather striking and unusual. Best with some shelter and not too dry here - the way you might grow Colquhounia.

£16

Lonicera hispidula

The Californian Pink Honeysuckle - ideal for drier, sunnier or shady conditions, where a lot of the more familiar types tend to get mildew. The foliage is rounded and somewhat fuzzy and, in the population from which these seeds were collected (thanks again Dennis), somewhat marked with irregular maroon-black splotches, especially when young and in winter. The pink flowers are held in dense heads in summer and may be followed by red berries.

£18

Even More Plants...

Lunaria rediviva

A perennial relative of the popular annual honesty with pale blue flowers and oval seed pods. Very pretty and long-lived.

£8

Mirabilis longiflora

A glorious night-scented species - the fragrance redolent of tropical evenings. (The very long-tubed white flowers are typical of plants pollinated by moths.) A low spreading perennial with rather sticky green foliage. 

I originally assumed it would need a dry winter but it is hardy and vigorous in the border at the nursery. In colder, wetter climates it would also be fabulous in a big terracotta pot on the patio, right next to where you sit of an evening, where you can enjoy the scent with your prosecco and BBQ.

£12

Penthorum sedoides

An unusual N.American perennial related to Sedum, mostly seen as a marginal/aquatic but adaptable. 

Leafy stems to about 10ins high, with creamy flowers in late summer. The main attraction is when the plants turn vivid golds, oranges and reds in autumn.

£8

Pycnanthemum muticum

Another North American that certainly deserves to be better known. Forms colonies of upright stems with fresh green rounded leaves ultimately developing an almost Euphorbia-like inflorescence of tiny white flowers subtended by silvery white bracts. At this stage the whole plant has a pale silvery sheen. Not invasive. Has a lovely fresh peppermint fragrance too and can be used in the same way. Any soil.

£8

Salix bockii

A very unusual willow for its summer/autumn flowering - the catkins are chalk white up to 2ins long on long slender branches covered in small oval grey green leaves. Frankly it looks nothing like a willow, but is an adaptable small to medium shrub suitable for any not-too-dry soils in sun or semi shade.

£18

Salix subopposita

A low-growing but vigorous shrub grown for the masses of fresh yellow catkins in early spring. An excellent ground-cover for heavy and sodden soils.

£12

Scopolia carniolica

Glossy dark maroon bells, pale inside, appear with the young foliage in early spring. A woodlander.

Large pots, £12

Sophora flavescens

A herbaceous species from China with pale yellow, somewhat monk's-hood like flowers on slender stems over elegant pinnate foliage. A cool airy alternative to Baptisia and Thermopsis. Fully hardy.

£12

Tradescantia bracteata

If, like me, you tend to prefer wild or natural-looking plants over cultivars, I think this wild spiderwort is likely to appeal to you. It's a much more graceful, slender plant than we are used to, with pale green grassy foliage and soft purple flowers over a long period in summer. Just as adaptable as the commonly cultivated types, and one of the few plants that really grow almost anywhere, dry or wet, sunny or shady.

£8

Wulfenia baldaccii

A lovely and understated alpine with rosettes of broad, fresh green leaves and one-sided spikes of rich violet flowers. Best in a sunny spot – not too dry. 

£8

Wyethia angustifolia

Narrow Leaf Mule’s Ears. Wyethias are a bit of an enigma - they're magnificent in the alpine meadows of western North America - compact members of the sunflower fraternity with rosettes of bold foliage and big yellow or white flowers in spring. I've raised Wyethia angustifolia, elata, helenioides and helianthoides from seeds successfully. 

Helenioides is still with me in a raised bed - producing it's pale mullein-like leaves every spring but not flowering, while angustifolia has multiplied well and produces its golden flowers sometimes. It's the least exciting of them but rare in cultivation and would probably perform better with more water in spring. Fully hardy - full sun.

£12

Dianthus superbus

Much more informal and grassy than most pinks but with exquisite and quite large pale filigree flowers in late spring/early summer. The ragged and finely marked flowers are worth looking at closely and are heavily fragrant. 

A superb and rarely seen ‘old fashioned’ cottage garden plant, not at all garish or artificial looking. I have white and pink forms available. 

£8

Cynara cardunculus flavescens

A choice, compact (but still substantial) form of an invariably impressive species – only about 5ft tall and about the same across. 

The leaves are very pale and deeply cut, and edged with conspicuous yellowish spines. The flower heads are also very spiky – the involucres are stained with black and the flower filaments are electric blue. Vicious but wonderful.

£15

Arums

Arum nigrum Zadar CEH.524

A horrendously stinky species with rounded glossy black spathes in summer, held low among the broad green leaves. 

Very good in dry shade. Long-lived and not invasive. For those who like this sort of thing – this is the sort of thing they like. Or for people you don't like, hide it under a deciduous shrub - they'll never work out where the stench is coming from.
£12

Arum elongatum RS.274/87

A compact species with narrow curved spathes close to the ground - green outside, dark within. Narrow plain green leaves. 

Slow but hardy here in a sunny well-drained spot.

£18