Hypericum aegypticum, balearicum & reptans

Hypericum have something of a reputation for being rather nondescript shrubs, suitable only for unimaginative municipal plantings. There are quite a few very choice miniatures though. Here's a couple of them.


Hypericum aegypticum
A terrific little shrub for a hot dry spot, looking perhaps more like one of the shrubby Linums than a Hypericum.

Bear in mind that it stays very small (just a few inches across) so avoid invasive companions, but otherwise ideal for a sunny raised bed or a trough with other Mediterranean sun-lovers.
My plants have come through the last two winters unprotected here in Sussex without difficulty.

1L pots ~ £6

Hypericum reptans

Another very small species, this time creeping over the ground like a thyme. The flowers though are more like the more familiar shrubby species - rich golden bowls and quite substantial for such a tiny plant.

Fully hardy and suitable for any open sunny well-drained spot with other small plants.

sold out for now

Hypericum balearicum

A choice and curious little evergreen shrubby species for a sunny sheltered site with free-draining soil. Quite hardy here so far.
10cm pots ~ £6

Please please please, may I humbly request that you check with me that the plants you require are in stock before you order? Otherwise we'll have to arrange refunds.

Thank you so much.

Buddleja lindleyana

A very striking species and not at all what you might expect a Buddleia to look like.

The rich purple flowers are tubular and have a waxy bloom to them which gives a particularly richly coloured effect and are produced over a long period in summer.
1L pots ~ £8

Salix myrtilloides Pink Tassels

Salix myrtilloides Pink Tassels, originally uploaded by peganum.

There seems to be some confusion about whether this is a form of myrtilloides or myrsinites. Either way it's a remarkable little alpine willow with shimmering mauve pink catkins in spring and periodically through the summer.
Forms a low, gnarly shrublet as many dwarf willows do, probably covering a sizeable area eventually, but not to the extent of smothering other things. I'd recommend growing it with other robust alpines like dwarf geraniums, Dryas or thymes and with small bulbs coming up through it. So far very adaptable and not bothered by drought but probably better on a moist gritty 'alpine' sort of soil, in a raised bed or rock garden.
1L pots ~ £8

Silene asterias

Silene asterias, originally uploaded by peganum.

A lovely little Bulgarian species unlike any of the other Silene in cultivation that I'm aware of. This has tiny flowers massed into thrift-like heads well above the rosettes of fresh green leaves.
The combination of vivid pink (what colour is that? carmine?) flowers in dark wine red bracts and the violet anthers is extremely striking. The foliage is good too.
In cultivation it is an easy and adaptable species suitable for any moisture retentive soil but is particularly useful for wet sites where something smaller is required.
1L pots ~ £7