Euphorbia garden panting.

Euphorbia is a large genus of plants from woodland ground cover to desert succulents. But I will be describing a wide range of plants that will grow in a variety of conditions in Britain. There is probably a plant to suit all garden conditions and gardener tastes, here are a few to consider.

Euphorbia myrsinites

E. myrininties: A stunning creeping plant ideal for hot poor soils, reaching heights of 15cm. Long fleshy stems of small sliver grey fleshy leaves produced in a spiral. Evergreen. Fluffy heady of pea green flowers April to June. Full sun, well drained soil.

Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’

E. griffithi’Great Dixter’: This is a deciduous Euphorbia which creeps and spreads, with great wow factor. 80/90cm tall red stems with swirls of green to orange/red leaves. With clusters of orange red flowers on the end of the stems from April-June. Full sun.

Euphorbia cyparissia ‘Fens Ruby’

E. cyarissia ‘Fens Ruby’: Spreading growth of frothy foliage from deep red in the spring darkening to deep burgundy. Lime green clustered flowers April-July. Part shade to full sun, good well drained soil.

Euphorbia characias ‘Burrow Sliver’

E. subsp. Charccias ‘Burrow Sliver’: Evergreen green with white variegation leaves in whirls on 1m tall stems, needs a warm position in full sun in good soil. Clusters of sulphur green flowers produced March to May.

Euphorbia characias ‘Black Pearl’

E. subsp. Charccias ‘Black Pearl’: Evergreen with stems up to 1m tall. Whirls of green grey foliage and pea green flowers with black centres from March to May. Good soil full sun.

Euphorbia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea

Euphobia amygdaloides ‘Purpurea’: A striking plant for semi-shade. Evergreen reach 30-45cm tall. Dark red stems with red dark green whirls of leaves and pea green flower clusters from April to May. Humus rich soil.

Euphorbias can make a stunning statement in the garden

Top Tip: Euphorbias are amazing and beautiful plants that hover in the sub-shrub group. They are not long lived and can get woody and can die in a harsh winter, but seed freely, so pot up the seedlings for replacement plants. Warning- the sap is phototropic and can cause blistering particularly on sunny days. Always garden with long sleeves and trousers and gloves to prevent sap getting on our skin.

Having said all of the above these quick growers, have many merits as valuable garden plants as dramatic foliage and evergreen winter interest and the sulphur green flowers are a wonderful foil to dramatic colourful tulips and Iris. So I urge you to add these versatile plants to your garden.

Nectar factories

As gardeners we have always known this, gardens are not just for us! Each of us from the tiny city courtyard to the large acres of a country garden, know now more then ever that our gardens are part of the wildlife corridors that knit together to form a larger wildlife habitat and link to the surrounding countryside and the wider environment. So we need to feed the guests to our gardens and this all starts with the insects. Here are some good Nectar factories to add to your garden.

Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’

Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty,: A wonderful winter flowering shrub. With good nectar for insects still feeding in the mid winter months. A messy mounding habit up to 2m high. Bare stems have clusters of white cream highly scented flowers. Produced January and February and up to early March. Grow full sun to dappled shade on any well drained fertile soil.

Skimma japonica ‘Kew Green’

Skimmer japonica ‘Kew Green’: A good small shrub for a shady spot. A dense mound habit with  ever green glossy foliage. Clusters of tight flower buds, the shape of a cone cover the shrub from late winter, the white/green flowers open  late February, March, into April they are very fragrant and offer a good nectar source at  a lean time of year.  After flowering clusters of bright red berries form. A male and Female form need to be planted together to get the berries. About a meter tall. Humus rich moist soil in semi to dark shade.

Ceanothus burkwoodii

Ceanothus Burkwoodii: a mound forming medium sized shrub up to 2.5m in height. With small dark green leaves, forming a dense habit. Clouds of small puffy blue flowers are produced May into June and the insects go wild for them. A Ceanothus is a dramatic addition to a mixed planting scheme having the wow facture with the flowering on mass. Full sun good fertile soil. Please Note: Ceanothus are not long lived shrubs.

Lavendula x intermedia ‘Grosso’

Lavendula x intermedia ‘Grosso’: This is a superb lavender with long very aromatic sliver leaves forming an evergreen bush up to 70cm tall. It has very long flower stems 50/60cm tall with long generous flowers of 7/8cm in length. Bigger flowers means more nectar and more room for a crowd of insects. The flowers are also fragrant with a soft lavender colour. Produced a little latter than English lavender end of June into July and flowering on into August. The buzz over a lavender hedge is almost deafening in summer. Full sun, well draining to poor soil.

Buddieja davidii ‘Black Knight’

Buddleja davidii ‘Black Knight’: The humble Buddleja, a constant and primary colonizer of railway tracks and old building sites is not called the butterfly bush for nothing. As shrubs go the habitat is not beautiful, crowded groups of vertical stems, left to themselves would produce a shrub 3 to 4m tall and even wider. But they can be hard pruned in early spring to a 1/3 of their size so you can see the flowers as well. This is a dark purple flowering form with large long clusters of small flowers held at the end of the stem. Flowering end of June July and into August and September. Butterflies go completely mad for it and when they are in full flower butterflies of different varieties can be seen hovering to find a free flower. Best grown in full sun but can tolerate some dappled shade. Will grow in any free draining ground.

Fatsia japonica

Fatsia japonica: A striking evergreen shrub, with large palmate leaves. Reaching 2.5m or above in height. Branching flower spikes holding a cluster of creamy flowers are produced at the end of November and into December, the flowers start to open mid November to early January, The ivy bee to name one insect is a keen visitor, with Fastias positively humming at this time of year. By April into May the flowers have turned into clusters of dark black berries another food source for birds.

Top Tip: Think about all the different insects that feed on nectar not just the obvious bees. Try to make your plant choices to suit as wide a range of different insects. See if you can included nectar source plants for every month of the year in your garden or at least one for each season. The small selection I have given above, cover most of the year.

I hope I have inspired you to think about all the uses and habitats your planting choices create. If you want help redesigning a section of your garden so that can produce food for wildlife, then do please give me Emily a ring 01273 470753. I would be delighted to discuss your garden project with you.

Berginias in a garden planting.

Some may feel that Berginias, the large coarse ‘elephant ears’ of old are rather dull and boring. But with many new finer leaved varieties and  in a range of flower colours and some with leaves that turn from emerald to dusky purple in the winter. They are now a garden plant to be reckoned with and deserve their place as the evergreen edge to a boarder.

Berginia ‘Bressingham Salmon’

B. ‘Bressingham Salmon’: Emerald rounded leaves up to 25cm tall with soft salmon flowers on stems above the leaves, May to June humus rich soil in sun to semi-shade.

Bergenia cordifolia ‘Purpurea’

B. corifolia ‘Purpurea’: Large fleshy leaves to 40cm tall that turn a dark burgundy with winter cold. Striking carmine purple flowers April to May, humus rich soil sun to partial shade.

Bergenia cassifolia ‘Schmidtii’

B. cassiflora ‘Schmidtii: Evergreen 30cm tall with neat round mid green shiny leaves. Clear light pink flowers on stems rising above the flowers March to April. Humus rich soil in sun or semi-shade.

Berginia ‘Sliverlight’

B. ‘Sliver Light’: Rich evergreen round leaves clumps up to 30cm tall, with white flowers from April to May. Humus rich soil in sun to semi-shade.

B. abendglut ‘Sunningdale’

B. abendglut ‘Sunningdale’: 30cm tall evergreen with dark green red leaves. With pink to red flowers. April to June. Humus rich soil sun semi-shade.

Bergina abendglut ‘Evening glow’

B. abendglut ‘Evening Glow’: Rich green to maroon red leaves giving winter impact up to 30cm tall. Dark purple flowers on red tinged stems. Flowers April to June. Sun of semi-shade and humus rich .

These plants can define the edge and act as a green foil to other more exuberant planting but with the rich leaf colour change on some varieties in the winter and striking flowers they to can have their moment in the spot light. I hope I have inspired you to take a look at these often over looked garden plants.

Architectural plants of artichokes

Garden plants that have thistle like flowers make a striking statement, from the vivid metallic blues of sea hollys and echinops to a sweep of brown teasels on a frosty autumn morning and the gigantic Cardoon, these plants can bring a wow factor to your garden planting.

Cynara carduncalus

Cyynara cardunculus: Often thought of as the ornamental artichoke, this is a large statement plant. Producing a clump of over a 1m in diameter of large deeply toothed thistle like leaves in a striking sliver. Tall flower stems of over 2m in height produce giant blue purple thistles and flower from June to September. A great statement plant in a boarder. Plant in well draining soil in full sun.

Dipsacus fullonum

Dipsacus fullonum:The common teasel, can be a rampant treat in a wilder area of the garden. It is a biennial, forming a low crown of basal mid green leaves about the size of a small dinner plate. In the second year a flower spike reaching up to 1m in height is produced with a very prickly stem with single flowers or branches of flowers, which are light green thistles with small mauve flowers in mid summer. But this invasive thistle comes into it’s own in the autumn when it dries to a gold brown and is an important food souse for birds and other wildlife. If you have room for a wild corner in full sun, these plants make a great addition to the wild garden.

Echinops ritro ‘Veitch’s Blue’

Echinops ritro ‘Veitche’s Blue’:clumps of deeply toothed dark leaves with sliver undersides make a good back drop for early flowering herbaceous plants. Tall sliver flower stems up to 90cm produce round golf ball size thistle flowers of a vivid blue in late summer. The bees and hover flies go wide for them. Grow on a well drained soil in full sun.

Echinops sphaerocephalus ‘Arctic Glow’

Echinops sphaerocephalus ‘Artic Glow’:This is the ‘big daddy the Ecinops. Making a very large bushy clump of up to 1.5 wide. Of dense large dark green thistle like leaves with grey undersides. Multiple stems up to 2m tall produce white/sliver thistle like flowers.

Eryngium giganteum ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost’

Ergngium  giganteum: Often called ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost’, this sea holly is a prolific self seeder, so the fact that it is biennial, is not a problem. With clumps of round leaves forming a basal clump. Tall white stems up to 1m with large sliver thistle flowers. Flowers July to August. Bees love them. Grow on free draining soil in full sun. Will do well in coastal situations.

Eryngium x tripartitum

Erngium x tripartitum: Round sliver leaves make a low clump, multiple branching stems which are a striking cobalt blue, hold tiny blue  thistle flowers from July to September. Grow in free draining poor soils in full sun, will cope well with Coastal wind and sea spray.

Teasels on mass

I hope I have inspired you to look again at these more unseal and dramatic plants. If you would like help creating a coastal garden I know just the woman, give Emily a ring on 01273 470753 to discuss you planting and garden project.

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.