I don't really make New Year resolutions but this year I am determined to keep up writing a monthly newsletter through the year. What we try to do is grow an interesting range which is not the same as that of other liner producers (yes, really no Heuchera, no Cordylines) but that does mean that it is not easy for you to know what to choose from our offering and so the main purpose of the newsletter is to give you facts to inform your decisions.
The amount of information available on the web has expanded so greatly that you can almost always find something about a variety but is it correct? I mainly write from our experience of the plants and I can point you towards accurate information and images, but please be careful not to infringe copyright if you want to use any images for your own purposes.
Cistus x bornetianus 'Jester' is not a new plant but comes from the same breeding programme as a number of other varieties with names beginning with 'Je.....' (of which we also offer Jessabel which has purple-blotched, pink flowers). Jester bears profuse numbers of pale pink flowers and it scores over similarly coloured plants in its habit which is an attractive rounded bush with silvery leaves - not as spreading or brittle as 'Silver Pink' or as upright as 'Peggy Sammons'. The flowers are bigger than those of C. Grayswood Pink' which is a good choice for a larger planting. For more on Cistus go to the site for former NCCPG collection holder Robert Page, www.cistuspage.co.uk
Lonicera purpusii and L.p. 'Winter Beauty' are well known for perfuming the winter days (when it is not raining). New to our list is another, more delicate looking, winter flowering honeysuckle, Lonicera elisae, which has lovely hanging white tubular flowers. It is hardy and attractive in foliage through the summer also. The story of its introduction can be found on www.bluebellnursery.com.
Nymans Gardens is our nearest National Trust garden and so we are always interested in varieties that were selected there - not that they are customers because of the NT's ill-informed views on peat. Forsythia suspensa 'Nymans' is a selection with very dark first year wood which contrasts well with the large soft yellow flowers. Although it can be kept to garden size it is purported to be able to grow into a small tree - which I am setting out to prove (or not).
Our range of Figs is, I am sure, the largest in the wholesale trade. Although in the garden fruiting is not always easy to achieve they are also attractive foliage plants, fulfilling the need for large leaves. The size of leaves can be increased by annual hard stooling (but this will reduce the fruiting to nil). 'Brown Turkey' is the most popular variety as it is the most reliable to fruit (it is universally said) but 'Brunswick' is more attractive having deeply lobed leaves. 'Adam' has particularly large leaves (useful for well-endowed men), while the other varieties have different fruiting characteristics. We are very pleased to be finally offering Ficus 'Panachee' which holds its green and yellow striped fruit upright like little hot air balloons. Since the variety pre-dates hot-air balloons and is grown in France did it give the Montgolfier bothers their idea? For reliable information www.readsnursery.co.uk.
The amount of information available on the web has expanded so greatly that you can almost always find something about a variety but is it correct? I mainly write from our experience of the plants and I can point you towards accurate information and images, but please be careful not to infringe copyright if you want to use any images for your own purposes.
Cistus x bornetianus 'Jester' is not a new plant but comes from the same breeding programme as a number of other varieties with names beginning with 'Je.....' (of which we also offer Jessabel which has purple-blotched, pink flowers). Jester bears profuse numbers of pale pink flowers and it scores over similarly coloured plants in its habit which is an attractive rounded bush with silvery leaves - not as spreading or brittle as 'Silver Pink' or as upright as 'Peggy Sammons'. The flowers are bigger than those of C. Grayswood Pink' which is a good choice for a larger planting. For more on Cistus go to the site for former NCCPG collection holder Robert Page, www.cistuspage.co.uk
Lonicera purpusii and L.p. 'Winter Beauty' are well known for perfuming the winter days (when it is not raining). New to our list is another, more delicate looking, winter flowering honeysuckle, Lonicera elisae, which has lovely hanging white tubular flowers. It is hardy and attractive in foliage through the summer also. The story of its introduction can be found on www.bluebellnursery.com.
Nymans Gardens is our nearest National Trust garden and so we are always interested in varieties that were selected there - not that they are customers because of the NT's ill-informed views on peat. Forsythia suspensa 'Nymans' is a selection with very dark first year wood which contrasts well with the large soft yellow flowers. Although it can be kept to garden size it is purported to be able to grow into a small tree - which I am setting out to prove (or not).
Our range of Figs is, I am sure, the largest in the wholesale trade. Although in the garden fruiting is not always easy to achieve they are also attractive foliage plants, fulfilling the need for large leaves. The size of leaves can be increased by annual hard stooling (but this will reduce the fruiting to nil). 'Brown Turkey' is the most popular variety as it is the most reliable to fruit (it is universally said) but 'Brunswick' is more attractive having deeply lobed leaves. 'Adam' has particularly large leaves (useful for well-endowed men), while the other varieties have different fruiting characteristics. We are very pleased to be finally offering Ficus 'Panachee' which holds its green and yellow striped fruit upright like little hot air balloons. Since the variety pre-dates hot-air balloons and is grown in France did it give the Montgolfier bothers their idea? For reliable information www.readsnursery.co.uk.
Angelica 'Ebony' is a short-lived perennial that will
give a striking accent wherever its is planted. Fully herbaceous it grows to
1.5m (RHS say less) with glossy purple leaves and huge heads of pink
flowers. If purple cow-parsley is
popular with designers (which it strangely is) then this will have them falling
off their drawing-stools.
Over the years we have offered a lot of seed-raised Dierama
hybrids but their variability was such that we became too embarrassed to
continue and now only grow species from seed. To get the stronger colours we
have started propagating by division and Dierama 'Guinevere' is the
first to be a available in quantity. It is strong growing with white flowers.
'Miranda' (lilac) will be available later this year and 'Merlin' (wine red) is
coming along. We also have a new purple selection of our own.
Just room to say that Aster frikartii 'Flora's Delight' is a pink (in the right light) selection which like the better known A. f. 'Monch' is resistant to mildew.
Just room to say that Aster frikartii 'Flora's Delight' is a pink (in the right light) selection which like the better known A. f. 'Monch' is resistant to mildew.
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