stunning climbing partners

The vertical space in the garden is not to be ignored , with many plants looking stunning soaring up the side of a building or over a large wall and with so many to choose from, doubling up on that space with some eye catching colour combinations, can look truly dramatic. Here are some combinations for late spring and early summer to consider.

Red and White, colour combination or two very vigorous climbers.

Rosa ‘Rambling Rosie’

Rosa ‘Rambling Rosie’: The red form of rambling rector, this is a rose with very big ideas, rampant and fast growing, with great disease resistance, with shiny semi-evergreen foliage. Large clusters of bright scarlet flowers are produced May/June, followed with intermittent scattered blooms though the summer and a haze of small orange hips in autumn, a dramatic rambler for a big space.

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Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’

Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’: A stunning Japanese wisteria, with white racemes of flowers produced before the leaves, so the flowers can really be seen. A very vigorous climber, for a large space. Flowering April/May

Soft pink and cobalt Blue. The ceanothus as the wall shrub needs to get established first to make a good large shrub with a dense habit for the clematis to climb up, so it dose not get smothered by the faster growing clematis, but this is a eye popping combination and worth the wait.

Clematis montana ‘Rubens’

Clematis montana ‘Rubens’: A vigorous and fast growing large climber, with purple green foliage and open soft to rose pink flowers in April/May for a large wall.

Ceanothus cascade

Ceanothus cascade: A superb wall shrub with small dark evergreen foliage, making a dense shrub up to 3m in size, even larger trained on a wall, it must have room to bulge out from the wall. A mass of small fluffy intense blue flowers April/May and a few scattered flowers latter in the summer. Ceanothus, are quite quick growing and can be tender so training it against a sheltered wall is perfect. However they are not long lived 10 year plus is an approximate life span.

Soft yellow and mauve colour combination. For an elegant colour pairing.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Domino’

Wisteria floribunda ‘Domino’: A wonderful wisteria, again a Japanese variety so the flowers appear before the leaves for maximum impact. Early flowering in April into early May, makes it a perfect climbing partner for this early flowering  banksia rose. With soft mauve tinged purple single flowers on 25cm long racemes. A large fast growing climber.

Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’

Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’: A stunning rose, which gets to huge proportions, it needs space. Amazingly healthy with semi-evergreen, dark green glossy foliage. With the added advantage of no thrones! Small double roses in soft canary yellow borne singly or in clusters appear very early in the season, April/May. A mass of small orange round hips in the autumn. A dramatic sight, when allowed the room.

Dramatic climbing partners

Top Tips: Choose climbing partners that flower at the same time or have overlapping flowering periods so that you either get a double full colour hit, or one majors and as it is fading the second  climbing partner comes into its own. All the climbing combinations I have suggested are big beasts and need a sizeable wall or a big house or side of barn to really go for it!. So baring that in mind. Strong climbing wires at 300mm intervals up the wall with screw in vine eyes every 1m are a must. I would also advise barrel strainers for tightening the wires as time goes by and they become slack. Always train climbing plants/wall shrubs on the outside of any down pipes. Use pruning not just to increase flowering, but the keep these vigorous plants in check, round window and do not let them over roofs or under eves, there lies trouble.

The WOW factor out weighs the maintenance of these wall shop stoppers. What combination will you choose for your climbing partners?

stunning ornamental pond planting

Ornamental pond plants are perfect for the geometric pond shape from formal rectangle to the perfect circle and for more formal areas of the garden. Where the pond planting needs to complement the colourful cultivated garden. They have the advantage of often being less vigorous than the native pond plants and come with variegated leaves and a whole range of colours to suit all planting situations. So here are a few to consider.

Floaters: These as the name suggests float on the surface of the water, most are deciduous, they can either be planted in baskets or straight  into the pond soil or some you literally hurl into the middle of the water and they sort themselves out.

Nymphaea ‘Pink Sensation’

Nymphaea ‘Pink Sensation’: This is a striking large water lily flowering over a long summer season with attractive leaves that open purple before turning green. Wide open pink flowers with a cluster of golden stamens. Flowers stay open into late afternoon. A must for the medium to large size pond. Water levels 1.5m approx. Full sun

Orontium aquaticum

Orontium aquaticum: The Golden Club, this is an underseal floater  has large waxy grey green leaves which are sliver under side. Narrow white flower spikes tipped with yellow florets are produced in spring. Water level 10-45cm approx. full sun.

Marginals: These plants like different depths of water on the edge of ponds from some permanently in water at quite a depth to others copping with wet and some dry conditions through the year.

Iris laevigate

Iris laevigate: Japanese water Iris, a truly elegant plant, with swords of mid green foliage and clear 3 petalled blue flowers appearing in June and a second flush in September. Water level 10cm approx. Full sun.

Zantedeschia aethiopica

Zantedeschia aethiopica: Arum Lily, this striking plant has wow facture written all over it. It is a stunning addition to the ornamental pond. Large mid green arrow shaped leaves form a dense cluster. Funnel shaped fragrant white flowers are produced throughout the summer. To help the plant survive winter frosts plant in water to a depth of 5 to 25cm approx. Full sun.

Moisture loving plants: These plants thrive in damp soil conditions at the edge of the pond, but do not want to be in water.

Astilbe x arendsii ‘fanel’

Astilbe x arendsii ‘Fanel’: A fabulous perennial planted on mass for full impacted. Deep green feather foliage with tall flower spikes of fluffy dark red flowers are bourne from July with a long flowering period and dead flower spikes add interested to the winter garden. Damp soil only full sun for best flowering results. To 75cm tall

Ligularia prewalskii

Ligularia prewalskii: A dramatic plant to add to the pond edge, with wide deeply cut dark green leaves, with tall flower spikes of yellow daisy like flowers, flowering from late summer. High 1.2 -1.8m for a moist soil in part shade.

formal pond with planting

I hope I have enthused you to plant some dramatic  and show stopping ornamental pond plants. If you want help designing a new formal pond or restoring an existing pond and redesigning and planting it, I know just the woman to help you. Give me Emily a ring 01273 470753.

Bamboo in the garden

Bamboo, is a grass and an unbelievably  useful plant, from a food souse to clothing material to scaffolding to drinking cups and furniture, it seems to have no end to uses. But as an ornamental plant it seems to be like Marmite you either love them or hate them. The love bit is easy; creating an exotic feel to your planting, quick growing, evergreen, giving lots of height without taking the amount of room a more traditional shrub would, architectural form and a good screening plant. Hate- well I think this has more to do with right plant right place, often badly placed in traditional planting looking ‘wrong’ to growing vigorous running forms of bamboo that take over the next door neighbours drive.  So here are a few to consider giving house room to.

Bamboo root barrier to prevent bamboo spreading

Top tips:- Bamboos are not to be messed with. They look fantastic in containers, but if you are brave and putting them in the garden, then even if they are described as ‘clump forming,’ I would always, always plant any bamboo contained by bamboo root barrier. Bamboo root barrier is a strong heavy duty plastic normally about 500mm wide, that you use to contain the bamboo roots to help prevent root run. But nothing is foolproof. If you are containing an existing planting, dig in around the roots of the plant about 300mm out from the outer canes/culms. If it is a new plant decide the size of bamboo clump you want, make the root barrier into the correct size circle and dig a tench, bury the root barrier  so just 30/40mm is above the surface. Follow the manufactures instructions/guidelines for installation. Now plant your new bamboo plant in the centre. Don’t go mad with the feeding of bamboo as the growth will be more vigorous, but plants like good soil which is moisture retentive a dry container will not be a happy bamboo. Bamboo barrier supplier who can advise you. www.palmcentre.co.uk

Bamboos are a woodland edge plant, often doing best in dappled shade where their leaves don’t bleached. Also this means they are not good doers in windy or exposed sites, which will leave you with an almost bare bamboo of canes but few leaves and will look very miserable.

Fargesia jiuzhaigou

Fargesia. jiuhaigou: A wonderful plant with bold upright canes/culms, starting green and on maturity go a dramatic red/purple. Dense mid green foliage. Brilliant as a screen planting, up to 3m tall. Clump forming.

Fargesia robusta ‘Pingwu’

Fargesia robusta ‘Pingwu’: Has striking canes/culms almost striped green and white. With deep lush green foliage. Reaching 3 m and above clump forming.

Fargesia rufa

Fargesia rufa: A brilliant bamboo for a container as it has a mass of canes/culms and is constantly producing shoots. The shoots are a lovely peach red colour contrasting dramaticly with the mid green foliage. Clump forming to 2m.

Phyllostachys anneosulcata ‘Spectabilis’

Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘spectabilis’: Warning, handle with care, this is a running bamboo with vigorous growth. Wonderful contained in a pot. Or if you have the room or a panda to feed will produce groves of bamboo. Must only be planted with a root barrier. Bright green foliage held on the classic yellow canes/culms with some green zigzagging on culms. Growing to 6m of taller.

Phyllostachys nigra

Phyllostachys nigra: The classic black bamboo. With dark purple all most black canes/culms that start green and get darker with maturity. The dark culms are a stunning foil to the dark green foliage. It is a slower grower and can reach 4m in height. Warning handle with care it is a runner even if a bit slower always plant with root barrier or enjoy this striking plant in a container.

Phyllostachys vivax ‘Aureocaulis’

Phyllostachys vivax ‘Aureocaulis’: This is one of the big ‘Daddys’ of the Bamboo world, reaching heights of 9m or more. It’s common name is the golden Chinese timber bamboo. Due to it’s large and strong golden canes/culms, which are indeed used for scaffolding, building and furniture. Attractive green strips appear on some of the canes when mature. Warning handle with care; very fast growing and a vigorous runner, forming large groves and  a bamboo forest tall enough to hide an elephant. I would suggest it should only ever be planted in a container where it will make a striking statement.

Bamboo used in courtyard garden

Bamboo Names; over resent years bamboos has danced their way through a multiple of horticultural names as they have been reclassified and re-grouped. This is often after older specimens in botanical collections around the world, have flowered and it has been recognised that they are  in the wrong sub group. So do not worry if you use an old name when contacting a nursery particularly if they are specialists in Bamboos they will, I am sure know the variety you are looking for.

beautiful canes

I hope I have wetted your apatite to think again about Bamboos ?

After all Pandas Love them, Can you?

Anemone in a vase

Corms often get muddled up or scooped together in gardeners minds as bulbs, they are not, they are a swollen underground storage stem, where as most bulbs are swollen leaves round a short central stem. The wonder of the corm is that plants that have developed them, allow them to have a season of dormancy perhaps when cold or very dry and then they spring into leaf and flower quickly allowing the plant to quickly complete its life cycle before the hash conditions return. So a lot of bulbs and corms come from central Asia and the middle east, so their life cycles can be completed before high summer temperatures and cold winter temperatures return.

Planting as corms and not grown plants is a cheaper option for the gardener, here are a few to consider.

Anemone blanda mix

Anemone blanda Mixed: Close in habit to the native anemone with green feathered leaves that appear with the flowers in March to April at 9 -12cm in height. The open daisy like flowers are in shades of white, cream, pink and soft blue. Semi-shade under trees or larger shrubs in a humus rich damp soil, neutral to acidic. Good for nationalising.

Anemone De caen ‘Mr Fokker’

Anemone De caen Mr Fokker: This is one of the blousy Anemones, used by florists and seen in spectacular flower arrangements. Grow in light shade, on humus rich soil which is moist, height 25-30cm tall small feathery foliage and large violet blue flowers with dramatic central black stamens in May-June.

Cyclemen cillcium

Cyclamen cilcium: A beautiful autumn flowering cyclamen, with small neat green heart shaped leaves. 5 -10cm tall. Delicate light pink flowers with a darker pink throat are produced in abundance from September to November. A semi-shady spot, from leaf mulch to the dry gravel garden.

Cyclamen coum maurice ‘Dryden’

Cyclamen coum maurice ‘Dryden’: A wonderful winter flowering cyclamen, with stunning sliver foliage, 5-10cm tall. With elegant white flowers, flowering continuously from January to March, a great addition to the winter garden. Good at naturalising in groups under trees, copes well with dry semi-shade.

Eremurus charleston

Eremurus charleston: Commonly known as foxtail lilies,these are spectacular garden plants and worth adding for a bit of wow factor. Each flower stem can contain over a 100 flowers! This variety produces a flower spike of lemon yellow flowers up to 1.30m tall. From June to July. Grow on free draining soil in full sun.

Eremurus cleoptra

Eremurus Cleopatra:  Stunning coppery rose flowers with a dark red exterior rid in mass on a flower spike from 1.25 to 1.50m tall.  June-July. Plant on well drained soil away from a windy site, in full sun. Although on a personal note I have seen Eremurus growing on mass in the grassy edges of woodland in Kyrgyzstan. So it seems they will cope with a little dappled shade.

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Columbus im Gold’

Crocosmia x crocomiiflora ‘Columbus im Gold’: A wonderful late summer perennial reaching approx 1m tall. With mid-green sword like leaves and arching flower stems of golden yellow bell like flowers held in a line along the stem. Flowering from end July-August. Most soils but not water logged. Full sun. To learn more about Crocosmia see the August 2020 Blog Crazy about Crocosmia.

I hope I have inspired you to think again about corm planting, as a cost effective way to enjoy a large variety of garden plants that flower through out the seasons.

coloured winter cornus stems

Cornus are a wonderful and versatile group of shrubs from dogwoods with specular foliage that grow on thin chalk to humus rich semi shade loving shrubs with giant white or pink brats, to statuesque small trees ideal for the small garden. There must be one to suit most gardeners tastes.

Cornus alba ‘Alba-Variegata’

Cornus alba ‘Alba-Variegata’:  A wonderful good all round shrub, 1.5m tall, with strong bright winter stems and delicates white variegation to the leaves that have good autumn colour and clusters of small white flowers in the spring give way to bunches of white berries. Truly a shrub for all seasons. Sun to semi-shade, most soils.

Cornus alba ‘Spaethii’

Cornus alba ‘Spaethii’: A larger more free growing shrub up to 1.8m, with good red stem winter colour and yellow golden variegation to the leaves. Adds a good splash of colour to a darker corner. Sun to part shade. Most soils.

Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’

Cornus contrversa ‘Variegata’: This is a truly wonderful specimen shrub small tree and should be allowed space to truly develop it’s striking habit. It is a slow grower but well worth the wait. Often called the wedding cake for it’s habit of tiered branches with delicate creamy variegated leaves. A most as a statement shrub. Sun to dappled shade most soils.

Cornus kousa var. ‘Chinensis’

Cornus kousa var. ‘Chinensi’: A lovely wide spreading shrub a bit slow but a striking addition to the garden, should be grown in a group or as a specimen shrub. Wide horizontal branches with large mid green leaves, with white brat ‘flowers’ held upright on the branches in mid summer. Humus rich soil in dappled shade, so the brats don’t burn.

Cornus kousa var. ‘Chinensis’

Cornus stolonifera ‘Flarivamea’: A fabulous dogwood, which forms a rangy shrub of up to 2m tall with brilliant green yellow winter stems and bright green foliage and good yellow autumn tints. Most soils sun to semi-shade.

Cornus stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’

Cornus sangguinea ‘Winter flame’: This shrub is all about the autumn and winter, small green leaves turn buttery yellow and remain long on the stems which vary in colour from soft yellow to fiery orange in the depth of winter when the leaves have fallen. Most soils sun. A must for the winter garden.

Cornus sanguinea ‘Winter Flame’

I hope I have inspired you to look again at Cornus and not just think of the obvious winter stems. The summer flowering varieties really to deserve to be planted more, so if you have the space and the right soil, let one of this shrubs be the focal point in your garden.

The beautiful flower’brats’ of Cornus Kousa varitites

If you want to discuss your garden project, from full garden design to planting bed design for an existing set of boarders do give me Emily a ring on 01273 470753, or fill in the form on the web site. I look forward to hearing from you.

Forsytha making a late winter splash of colour

These three shrubs add structure and colour and scent to the winter garden, weather a statement towards the back of the boarder or planted in semi-naturalist planting in long grass or under tress on a woodland walk they add an extra element to the garden in the winter and early spring season.

Fothergilla major

Forthergilla major; A slow growing shrub with a rounded habit up to 1.5m. With clusters of white scented flowers in April on the bare stems. Dramatic autumn colour with yellow, orange and deep red tints. Grow on acid humus rich soils in sun or semi-shade.

Forsytha ‘Fiesta’

Forsytha ‘Fiesta’: A compacted 1m high shrub, with cream variegated leaves and rich golden flowers in February/March, most soils but not waterlogging, Sun to semi-shade.

Forsytha ‘Weekend’

Forsytha ‘Weekend’; A good more compact form of Forsytha, at 1.5m height and spread. With bright yellow flowers February into early March.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’: A good sized medium shrub up to 2m in height with a vase shape habit. Large deeply veined mid December through to February leaves, that go a butty yellow in autumn. Small star like flowers of delicate scent in soft bronze red held on the bare stems. From December through to February. Plant in dappled shade. Slow growing in moister retentive rich humus soil with a neutral to slightly acidic ph.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’: 2m wide spreading shrub with foliage turning to hints of copper and red in the autumn. Flowers bourn on the bare stems and are bi-coloured

Hamamelis mollis ‘Pallida’

Hamamelis mollis ‘Pallida’: A Wonderful Shrub, with good statuesque habit, up to 2m in spread and height. With large sulphur yellow scented flowers bourn on bare stems in January and February. With rich golden bronze autumn colour.

I hope I have inspired you to look again at this  valuable group of shrubs to give structure to your garden and colour and scent in the depth of winter. If you want help with designing new planting plans for your garden, do give me, Emily a ring on 01273 470753 to discuss all your garden design needs.

A laden branch of Crab-Apples

If you have room to plant only one tree, then a Malus is the one to plant. There are many shapes and sizes, to suit most positions. All like a site in full sun to only dappled shade and will grow on most soils except water logged soils. These wonderful trees give interest through out the year. With spring blossom, some with colour foliage, nearly all have good autumn leaf tints and all have fruit in vary sizes and some even hold onto their fruit through out the winter months. Here are just a very few to wet your appetite.

Malus ‘Rudolph’

M. ‘Rudoph’: A small upright tree with ascending branches, makes a good street tree and is perfect for a small space. Leaves are a rich purple when young, fading to green latter in summer. Dark buds open to a rich dark pink flowers in clusters in the spring. Followed by bunches of orange-yellow fruit, held through the winter.

Malus ‘tschonocskii’

M. tschonoskii: this is a hansom medium sized tree, with an attractive shape. Blush white flowers, followed by yellow fruits. But the star turn is the rust orange autumn

Malus ‘John Downie’ the best fruits for cooking.

M.’John Downie’: This is a classic crab-apple of the old school, a medium to larger tree, with assenting branches. White to pink flowers and mid green foliage. With large conical fruit yellow blushed red. Perfect for jams, preserves and jelly making.

Malus zumi var. calocarpa ‘Goldern Hornet’

M. zumi var. calocarpa ‘Golden Hornet’: An eye catching small upright tree. Which packs a big visual punch. White flowers, great buttery yellow autumn colour and large round golden fruit held well into the winter. Perfect for a tiny courtyard garden.

Malus x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’

M. x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’: This is a wonderful crab-apple, A small mop-headed tree which produces a mass of branches in a dence crown. Masses of blush pink flowers produced in spring. Lovely yellow rust autumn tints. But the fruit are the show stopper. Clusters of large round red fruit held through the winter into early spring.

Malus scheideckerii ‘Red Jade’

M. x scheideckerii ‘Red Jade’: A lovely variety, A small tree with weeping habit, makes a great specimen tree. Blush pink and white flowers, mid green foliage and bunches of red cherry sized fruit, lasting into the winter.

Crab-apple trees planted on mass.

Often when I am asked to advise about designing small spaces, one of the first things clients will say is, I don’t have room for a tree. Yes you do, and Crab-Apples should be near the top of your list.

Geraniums are a great cover.

Geraniums are wonderful herbaceous perennials, not to be confused, with the Polygonums beloved for their striking flowers in summer bedding. They scramble, they form well ordered clumps and they carpet. They cope with very dry to slightly damp conditions, to full sun to dry shade. The variety and number to choose from is staggering. There surely must be a geranium to suit every situation in the garden as well as every gardeners taste.

Geranium cinareum ‘Ballerina’

G. cinareum ‘Ballerina’ : A good geranium for a sunny spot, it is has a compact habit and only grows to 10cm tall, it is idea for Rockies. It is free flowering from may to September with soft lilac pink flowers with distinctive red veining.

Geranium ‘Johnston’s Blue’

G. ‘Johnston’s Blue: An old favourite, large clumps of mid green foliage with deeply palamate leaves up to 35cm tall with clear blue flowers on mass from May to August, will grow in full sun to semi-shade.

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’

G. macrorrhizum ‘Album’: A superb semi-evergreen geranium for semi-shade in a dry spot. Forming dense carpets of mid green foliage, which colours an attractive red bronze in colder winter weather. Delicate papery white flowers are produced from June to July.

Geranium phaeum

Geranium ‘Phaeum’: This is a hansom tall geranium reaching 60 -80cm in height. It will cope well with dense dry shade. Its leaves have maroon blotches in the centre. Flowers of dark purple/maroon are held on tall stems. Flowering from May -July.

Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’

Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’:This is a lovely geranium for a heavier soil in full sun. Up to 75cm tall with a clump habit. Lilac-blue flowers with white/pink veining, produced on mass from June to August.

Geranium wallchianum ‘Buxton’s Variety’

Geranium wallchiannum ‘Buxton’s’: This is a truly wonderful geranium it is a Scambler, that will do well in full sun to semi-shade. It can be allowed to crawl through the bottom of shrubs. It has light green leaves with pink stems and open purple/blue flowers with a white centre and black stamens, making a striking impression where ever it pops up in the planting. It flowers from June to September.

Geraniums are a superb garden plant and a must for all gardens.

Top Tip: To get repeat flowering from your geraniums, shear off the spent flower heads after the main flowering, to get a later flush towards the end of the summer and into the start of autumn.

I hope I have inspired you to add to your geranium collection. These herbaceous perennials are very easy to grow and extremely good natured about most planting positions, they can get a bit carried away and perhaps need keeping in check particular in newly planted boarders where the shrubs are small and establishing as it it doesn’t take long for a geranium to get settled in and make it’s presence felt. Happy planting!

If you would like help planning and designing your garden, I Know a woman who can help you 1 Do give me Emily a ring to discuss your garden project. Tel;01273 470753.

Tulips-Orange, Purple, striking pink, all Jewel colours.

The Jewel Garden – through pastels out the window and think intense retina popping colour! Regal purples, claret rich reds, imperial orange, if the plants were materials for the richest clothes then they would be velvet, satin and  silk. The jewel garden should be a vassal over load of contracting colours vying for your attention. Here are some to wet your appetite

Tulipa ‘May Time’

Tulipa ‘Maytime’; A beautiful mid-height lily type tulip. Flowering mid to late April. A vivid mid-purple, with the top of the petals slightly reflexed. Free draining soli in full sun

Tulipa ‘Ballerina’

Tulipa ‘Ballerina’: A stunning eye popping bright orange Tulip, with a narrow vase shaped flower. This is a mid-season lily type tulip of 40/50cm in height. Free draining soil in full sun.

Iris ‘Black Swan’

Iris ‘Black Swan’: A tall breaded iris of 90cm/1m tall. With swords of glorious grey foliage. Rich velvety dark purple almost black flowers are produced in May. Poor well draining soil in full sun.

Agapanthus ‘Purple Cloud’

Agapanthus ‘Purple Cloud’: A dramatic dark purple flowered Agapanthus. Clumps of dark green foliage with flower spikes produced late Summer August into September, with large round flower heads made up of dark blue/purple bells. A good rich soil moisture retentive in full sun.

Crococosmia ‘Lucifer’

Crococosmia ‘Lucifer’: A vivid deep scarlet red, this crococosmia is a must for any jewel garden. A tall stand of mid-green leaves up to 1m in high. With flower stems ridding above the foliage. A succession of rich red flowers open along the top of the stems. Full sun to semi-shade. Good to poor soil.

Penstemon andenken ‘Friedrich Hahn’

Penstemon andenken ‘Friedrich Hahn’: A wonderful penstomon, flowering from July through to the end of September, making a large sprawling clump with flower spikes up to 70cm. Rich dark garnet coloured bell shaped flowers borne in clusters along the flowering stems. Make it a wonderful addition to the jewel garden. Good humus rich soil in full sun. They can be short lived and a bit tender, but are easy to take cuttings from.

The joys of the Jewel garden

Top Tip: Your jewel garden or flower boarder dose not all have to be about flower colour, think of berries and fruits and dramatic contracting purple and golden foliage, get experimental. Also there are a wide range of new Silvia varieties to  try, not all are fully hardy but with their long flowering season, they can be a major ingredient of your new jewel garden. I hope I have inspired you to get creative.

If you need help creating your Jewel Garden I know just the woman to give you a hand, contact Emily at Arcadia Garden Design on 01273 470753.

tumbling plants over a wall

Most people think of climbers when it comes to walls, but a wall can be packed with planting possibilities including, a range of creeping and scrambling plants that are just made for the dry and harsh conditions of growing on or over a wall.  Here are some to consider

Arabis ferdinardii-cobungii ‘Variegata’

Arabis ferdinandii cobungii ‘ Variegata’: This hardy vigorous alpine is a must for any wall, it makes dense carpets of low growing foliage and is smothered in tiny white flowers in late spring early summer that pack a visual punch.

Aubrieta ‘purple cascuade’

Aubrieta ‘Purple Cascade’: This is the classic wall tumbler and is very vigorous. It will spill over walls creating dense mats of semi-evergreen leaves, with vibrant open purple flowers  from late spring to early summer. A must for any sunny wall.

Campanular arvatica

Campanula arvatica: An attractive low growing campanula, that seeds readily and will happily put it’s self in lots of niches and crannies of any wall. Low clumps that spill and crawl over any wall surface, with small soft mauve flowers early summer. It will also do well in part or denser shade.

Dianthus freynii

Dianthus freynii: a delightful, low growing alpine pink with mats of evergreen grey foliage, that will creep over walls. Small pink single flowers are borne , mid summer.

Geranium saguineum lancastriense

Geranium sanguineum lancastriense: A lovely delicate small leaved geranium that crawls along the surface, perfect to flop over the edge of the wall. Clear pink flowers produced intermittently from spring to late summer, as long as it is dead headed.

Hellianthemum nummularium ‘Whisley Primrose’

Hellianthemum nummularium ‘Wisley Primrose’: This is a lovely rock rose, that produces a carpet of sliver evergreen foliage, that will cascade over any wall. Soft yellow flowers are produces in a splash of intense colour in mid summer.

Wall timbering plants add an extra splash of spring colour!

Top tips: Most the plants I have suggested, will need full sun. They will do very well in thin, free draining soil. After flowering gently shear off the dead flower heads. This is also a good time, to keep the shape of the plant in trim, particularity if there are dead or bare areas, in the mats the plants form.

I hope I have inspired you to look again, at the walls in your garden, and consider adding a splash of planting colour.

Mixed ground cover

Ground cover, is the unsung hero of all planting schemes, whether scrambling over the base of trees in a densely shady area, or hiding unsightly man hole covers in the middle of the flower bed. Crawling under shrubs and other plants from it’s most basic being a weed suppressant to a highly decorative added element to the planting scheme. Ground cover planting deserves as much thought as the main stars of the planting show. Here are a few to consider.

Vinca minor ‘Illumination’

Vinca minor ‘Ilumination’: This is a superb ‘periwinkle’ like all of the minor variates it dose not have the same thug like qualities as the major and this is a real star. A low creeping habit with dark glossy green leaves, and a striking central splash of golden variegation. With purple open flowers in early spring. Witch tolerate quite dense shade, will cope with almost all soil conditions except waterlogging.

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’

Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Album’ : A wonderful, low growing geranium with a spreading habit and easily seeds. The soft light green foliage, takes on red autumn hints when it gets cold. Soft pink buds open to white delicate flowers from mid summer, dead head to prolong flowering. Will do well in quite dark shade and dry conditions.

Euphorbia myrsinites

Euphorbia myrsinits: A lovely crawling ground cover plant for a sunny position on poor soil. Whirls of glaucous grey foliage spread low across the ground. Clusters of sulphur green flowers are borne at the end of the creeping stems. A striking plant.

Lamium maculatum ‘Sliver Beacon’

Lamium maculatatum ‘Sliver Beacon’: This is a vigorous spreading plant, growing low to the groud , it can be a thug, so only plant where it can get up a head of steam. Mid green foliage with central sliver/white variegation.. With soft pink small flowers in early spring. Will cope with dense dry shade. Most soils, accept very thin and water logged soils.

Bergenia ‘Baby Doll’

Berginia ‘Baby Doll’: A valuable ground cover plant that makes crowed dense groups up to 20cm high. Of glossy dark green leaves and flower spikes of vivid pink flowers in early spring, sun to dappled shade. Grow in a humus rich soil.

Hedra cancariensis ‘Sulphur Heart’

Hedra cancariensis ‘Sulphur heart’ ( paddy’s pride): This ivy is the “Big daddy” of  ground cover planting. Ives are not just for large walls, they do very well scrambling across the ground. With large shinning leathery leaves of mid to dark green with a strong central yellow splash and cream leaf edges, this is a dramatic ground cover to brighten any dark corner. Will tolerate even dense dry shade and most soil types accept  water logged soil.

I hope I have inspired you to look again at ground cover planting and the many plants that fill this all important niche.