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