Wednesday 9 December 2020

Aechmea recurvata recurvata

Aechmea recurvata 
Another near-hardy bromeliad – definitely hardy to a few degrees below zero, planted in a very free-drained bed as you would Fascicularia, or mounted on a branch or wall as an epiphyte. 
Aechmea recurvata
The small rosettes are green and produce dense stemless inflorescences of vivid pink and purple, surrounded by red tinted leaves. 
£10


Sunday 1 November 2020

Iris versicolor x pseudacorus Regal Surprise

Iris Regal Surprise

This is a perfect combination of the two parents, with the striking violet and white bicolor of one and the ease adaptability of the latter - though without it's rampant tendencies. It doesn't set seed either so won't take over other parts of the garden.
Iris Regal Surprise
Suitable for any wet site - from the pond's edge to damp soil in sun or part shade. I don't know why it's so rarely seen.
Fresh lifted rhizomes £8 each





Asclepias exaltata

Asclepias exaltata
To my mind one of the best new things I've come across, and I have no idea why I so rarely sell any. Although the flowers are not vividly showy they are exquisitely crafted in jade and ivory and dangle elegantly on long filaments from the tips of the 2ft stems. 
Asclepias exaltata
Completely frost hardy and easy to please on any fertile retentive soil in sun or part shade.
£9


Wednesday 28 October 2020

Ribes laurifolium

Ribes laurifolium
Another winter flowering shrub and one of my favourites. Nothing like the blackcurrants to which it is related, this is a low, gnarly, rather picturesque evergreen, producing dangling trails of pale greenish yellow flowers from red bracts in earliest spring. 
Ribes laurifolium Amy Doncaster
Easy-going but probably best with some shade from deciduous trees and shrubs. Grow Cyclamen and Scillas through it. 

Male and female plants are available.
Ribes laurifolium Amy Doncaster (male)
The common male form is known, confusingly, as Amy Doncaster and has more rounded open flowers
£14




Ribes laurifolium female
The female form has denser clusters of flowers with conspicuous bracts. Black berries are occasionally produced
£14



Tuesday 27 October 2020

Deutzia hookeriana

Deutzia hookeriana

I used to think Deutzias were a rather boring group of shrubs but the cognoscenti know different. It's a surprisingly varied genus and many of them are exquisite in flower. 

Deutzia hookeriana
Hookeriana is one of the best with almost unbelievably finely crafted sugar pink flowers in neat rounded heads in late spring. The overall shape and foliage are also good. Like most Deutzia, and easy adaptable plant. 
£15



Desmodium (Ototropis) callianthum

Desmodium callianthum

A seldom-seen scrambling shrub with subtly variegated clover-like foliage (2 or 3 shades of green) and rich pink pea flowers. 

Desmodium callianthum

Either grow it among other shrubs so it can scramble about among them, or, if you feel motivated, train it against a wall. Either way it makes a very welcome splash of colour in late summer and autumn

£15




Wednesday 27 May 2020

Fuchsias


Fuchsia magellanica Arauco
Fuchsia magellanica arauco
An absolutely exquisite, possibly naturally occurring, form of this popular shrub - always attracts attention with it's finely crafted purple white and pink flowers and neat dark green foliage. It can make a large shrub in time but, like most Fuchsias, responds well to pruning.
Fuchsia magellanica arauco
This is less drought tolerant than other Fuchsia - not good in small containers and definitely most at home in cool moist conditions.
Fuchsia magellanica Lady Bacon, left, and arauco
nb. the variety Lady Bacon (left) is very similar and they can be hard to tell apart, but seen together, Arauco is definitely the more refined plant with better colours, and smaller leaves and flowers. I grow both but I would always recommend Arauco. It just has that certain something that even people who don't generally go for Fuchsias can appreciate.
£10




Fuchsia Lady Boothby
Fuchsia Lady Boothby
I'm not generally a fan of hybrid Fuchsias but I'm always very drawn to this one for the rich dusky tone of its narrow red and purple flowers. The leaves are also dark tinted with red veins.
Fuchsia Lady Boothbye
This is a semi-climbing plant that can be tied in on a wall or better, allowed to scramble through other shrubs. Very hardy
£10


Fuchsia aff. regia Grey leaf
Fuchsia cf. regia grey leaf
Grown from AGS exchange seed as regia - the overall effect (semi-climbing) and the elegant flowers are typical regia, but the leaves are narrower and often somewhat grey-tinted. 
Fuchsia regia
Hardy and easy - ideal for adorning early-flowering shrubs that have finished for the summer.
£10


Tuesday 26 May 2020

Akebia longeracemosa

Akebia longeracemosa
An excellent smaller species - vigorous but not overwhelming - almost evergreen and with remarkable flowers. These, as is usual for the family, consist of smaller male flowers below and larger female flowers above, but in this case the male flowers are in  a long dangling raceme (hence the name) and the whole inflorescence is a dusky maroon.
Akebia longeracemosa
Very hardy and easy in a wide variety of situations
Sold out - more next summer

Sunday 26 April 2020

Colocasia gaoligongensis

Colocasia gaoligongensis
The Southeast Asian taros (Colocasia species) are very popular right now for subtropical plantings, with their huge tropical looking aroid leaves - often dark and beautifully textured. In this case the leaves are up to about 2ft across, a soft matt green and heavily marked black toward the centre. Yellow arum flowers appear in summer.
Colocasia gaoligongensis
Like many subtropicals (Canna, Dahlia etc), some of them are surviving the winters outdoors in the UK these days but very few are reliably hardy. This is where gaoligongensis comes in. Under good conditions (damp and warm in the summer) it's a vigorous big exotic herbaceous perennial. It will grow in drier conditions but the leaves will be smaller. It also does well in my shallow pond.
Colocasia gaoligongensis
Here at least, it seems remarkably easy - running around on stolons and potentially filling a large area. Grow it with other big vigorous perennials - nothing too small and delicate, in sun or part shade.
Plants are lifted from the ground for despatch
£15

Epimedium grandiflorum nanum hybrid

Epimedium grandiflorum nanum 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.
Epimedium grandiflorum nanum hybrid
Its a bit bigger than nanum - about 5ins high but more vigorous and easy to keep. In every other respect it seems identical.
Epimedium grandiflorum nanum hybrid
It is still slow to increase though so I'll only ever have a few small plants to sell.
£8



Tuesday 14 April 2020

Ornithogalum reverchonii

Ornithogalum reverchonii
A choice species from Spain and Morocco with pure white flowers and long grey leaves. More demanding than most European species – needing excellent drainage and some protection from the worst of the weather, but not at all weedy.
£8



Iris attica

Iris attica
A soft yellow form of this exquisite miniature bearded Iris.
Needs a well-drained soil in full sun with other small plants.
£8



Friday 27 March 2020

Ranunculus alpestris

Ranunculus alpestris
A true alpine with rounded deep green leaves and good white flowers. Much easier than many alpine Ranunculus – even here in Sussex where most suffer from the relatively hot dry climate.
Ranunculus alpestris
An easy hardy plant for raised beds among rocks.
£6




Wednesday 18 March 2020

Saxifraga aff. hirsuta

Saxifraga hirsuta
Not totally sure about the identity of this plant. It closely resembles the Irish endemic S.hirsuta, which is very like the familiar London Pride types but with matt green, somewhat fuzzy foliage and sprays of small white flowers. What is unusual in this form, and which I don’t see mentioned in any references to hirsuta is the wine-red undersides to the leaves which are a subtle but distinct enhancement.
Saxifraga hirsuta
As easy to grow as its relatives and especially nice in dry shade.
£6