Growing
Plant These 19 Fantastic Flowers In September Says Master Horticulturist Dan Ori
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Common Daisy 2) Crocus 3) Thomson’s Aster 4) California Poppy 5) Wild Daffodil 6) Common Chamomile 7) Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’ 8) Heart’s Ease 9) Sicilian Honey Garlic 10) Crown Daisy 11) Ludlow’s Tree Peony 12) Orpine 13) Common Marigold 14) False Bishop’s Weed 15) Love-In-A-Mist 16) Cornflower 17) Wishbone Flower 18) Garden Forget-Me-Not 19) Red-Hot Poker The beginning of autumn is a great time for planting out spring-flowering bulbs before the first frosts arrive. It is also a time when plants can be started out indoors for a head start in the following year’s growing season. And with summer warmth often extending in September in recent years, planting out at this time can often be a great excuse to make the most of your garden in the relative warmth, before a colder climate sets in to close out the year. The good news is that there are still many flowering plants you can introduce at this time of year – whether you are looking for immediate blooms or those that will arrive in the new year. 1) Common Daisy BOTANICAL NAME: Bellis perennis HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: white, pink and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer For a burst of white and pink blooms in the spring and autumn, September is a great time to plant your daisies. Bellis perennis is a fully hardy, easy-to-grow perennial that looks best when planted with other wildflowers in a meadow garden scheme. When planted out, they will require little to no maintenance, making them a great choice for gardeners with less time to tend to their flowers after planting. 2) Crocus BOTANICAL NAME: crocus HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: perennial bulb FLOWERS: varies FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring Crocus is a popular perennial bulb that can suit a variety of garden displays, such as rock or gravel gardens, beds or borders or container displays. There are lots of varieties of crocus that are suitable for planting in September, but ‘Snow Bunting’ is definitely one of my favourites, as its milky-white flowers make for a beautiful display when they bloom in spring. Make sure you plant your crocus bulbs in a spot where they will receive plenty of sun! 3) Thomson’s Aster BOTANICAL NAME: Aster thomsonii HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: blue and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Thomson’s aster is a stunning cultivar that can be planted out in September from seeds sown in spring for immediate autumn flowering. Once planted, it will produce beautiful purple or blue flowers with frilly, narrow petals and creamy pink centres on tall stems every summer. Asters are a great plant for bees and other pollinators and would therefore make an excellent addition to a wildlife garden. 4) California Poppy BOTANICAL NAME: Eschscholzia californica HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: orange, red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Commonly grown as an annual here in the UK, the Californian poppy is often planted in spring, but will actually produce bigger, more impressive blooms when grown from September – although it might be trickier. If sowing California poppies in the autumn, it is best to do so in pots indoors, as this is a frost-tender plant that might not grow well from seed if sown straight into the ground over winter. However, if grown correctly, you will be rewarded with beautiful blooms come spring that will make the whole process worth the effort! 5) Wild Daffodil BOTANICAL NAME: Narcissus pseudonarcissus HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: perennial bulb FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Daffodils are popular spring-flowering bulbs that are ideal for planting in September. You can grow daffodils in flower beds or containers and they work great when planted alongside other spring-flowering bulbs in a lasagne bulb scheme. These perennials are easy to grow and ideal for novice gardeners or for those who prefer planting low-maintenance displays. 6) Common Chamomile BOTANICAL NAME: Anthemis nobilis HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial herb FLOWERS: white and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Another plant that can also be sown in spring, chamomile is also suitable for autumn planting for flowers that will appear the following summer. These daisy-like perennials look great in cottage garden displays or when used as ground cover in flower beds or borders. 7) Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’ BOTANICAL NAME: Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Delft Blue’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 PLANT TYPE: bulb / perennial FLOWERS: blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring For winter blooms that can last well into late spring, ‘Delft Blue’ bulbs can be planted out directly into the ground in September. These half-hardy perennials will need some help over winter, so I’d recommend placing a thin layer of mulch over the soil after planting. Plant hyacinths in flower beds or borders or in container displays with other perennial bulbs. 8) Heart’s Ease BOTANICAL NAME: Viola tricolor HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial / biennial FLOWERS: cream, purple and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn A garden favourite, ‘Heart’s Ease’ is great for autumn planting. These plants are easy to care for and will look great in a variety of places in your garden displays. I like planting my Violas in a small rock garden with other dainty perennials for a lovely burst of colour. “If you are looking for a plant to grow in containers or hanging baskets that will transition you from summer into winter, there is no better plant than a Viola in my opinion,” says Master Horticulturist Dan Ori. “Just keep pinching off any spent flowers and you will easily have blooms from September to March.” 9) Sicilian Honey Garlic BOTANICAL NAME: Nectaroscordum siculum HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: perennial bulb FLOWERS: cream, pink and green FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer No doubt my favourite bulbous plant on this list, Sicilian Honey Garlic should be planted in September for flowers the following summer. With beautiful bell-shaped flowers growing from tall stems in the summer that reach up to 1.5m in height, this is definitely a bulb worth planting in your garden. Nectaroscordum siculum works well in a perennial border or meadow planting scheme as it is very low-maintenance and requires little care once planted out. 10) Crown Daisy BOTANICAL NAME: Chrysanthemum coronarium HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer Crown Daisy is a unique annual that is usually planted in September for blooms in the spring and summer months. To guarantee its survival over the winter months I would advise growing it indoors until the following spring. It produces lovely daisy-like flowers that usually come in shades of yellow and the stems they grow from can reach up to 1m in height. Suitable for a range of garden displays, make sure that you plant this flower in a site where it will receive lots of sun. 11) Ludlow’s Tree Peony BOTANICAL NAME: Paeonia ludlowii HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: shrub FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Ludlow’s Tree Peony is a medium-sized shrub that produces frilly yellow flowers in the spring. Best planted in September, this shrub looks great in flower beds and borders and can be used to underplant larger shrubs for a bushy finish. The lovely sunny flowers can also be harvested and used for cut flower displays in your home. 12) Orpine BOTANICAL NAME: Sedum telephium HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Producing flowers the following summer that last until the first frosts in autumn, Sedum telephium, also known as ‘Orpine’, should be planted in September in a site that receives a lot of sun. This plant is extremely easy to grow and can be used in a variety of garden schemes, but I think it works best in flower beds with other flowering perennial plants. 13) Common Marigold BOTANICAL NAME: Calendula officinalis HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: annual / biennial FLOWERS: orange FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Grown as an annual or biennial, the common marigold bears beautiful orange flowers that resemble daisies. Like many of the plants on this list, when planted in September, it will produce flowers the following summer and autumn. Marigolds look great when planted in container displays with other annuals and are commonly used as a trap companion plant. 14) False Bishop’s Weed BOTANICAL NAME: Ammi majus HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Ammi majus, or ‘False Bishop’s Weed’, is commonplace in many UK gardens, which is no doubt in part thanks to the ease of its cultivation. When sown in September, Ammi majus will flower the following June, producing beautiful umbels of creamy-white flowers. 15) Love-In-A-Mist BOTANICAL NAME: Nigella damascena HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer A frost-tender annual, ‘Love-In-A-Mist’ can be planted in September but will need to be cared for carefully so as to avoid damage to the seedlings during the cooler months of the year. However, I think the wonderful frilly blue flowers are worth the effort, as you will be rewarded with lots of fascinating-looking flowers in the summertime. 16) Cornflower BOTANICAL NAME: Centaurea cyanus HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer Another blue-flowering annual, Cornflowers are best planted in autumn for flowers that last from spring well into summer. Make sure that the spot you choose for planting gets plenty of sun, as Cornflowers don’t grow as well in the shade. Great for wildflower meadows and herbaceous borders, the flowers and their long stems can also be cut and used for indoor displays. 17) Wishbone Flower BOTANICAL NAME: Torenia fournieri HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: purple, yellow, pink and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn Wishbone Flowers are unique annuals that flower from spring through to autumn when planted out in September. Their trumpet-shaped blooms are often curled at the edges, which stand out against their light green foliage. They are great for bees and butterflies and come in a range of colours from dark purples to pure white. 18) Garden Forget-Me-Not BOTANICAL NAME: Myosotis sylvatica HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: spring / summer FLOWERING SEASON(S): blue A cottage garden classic, Forget-Me-Nots are perennials that are planted in September for tiny flowers that appear as soon as spring. The beautiful star-shaped blue blooms grow in masses and bring a lovely colour to garden displays. This perennial is also beloved by pollinators – so why not give it a try if you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for plant that will help the wildlife in your area? 19) Red-Hot Poker BOTANICAL NAME: Kniphofia uvaria HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: orange and red FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn To finish this list I had to pick one of the most dramatic flowering perennials. Kniphofia uvaria, more commonly referred to as the ‘Red Hot Poker Plant’, can be planted in autumn in full sun for long-lasting, odd-shaped blooms that start the following summer. If you’re looking for a plant that will add a serious amount of colour to your displays, then this is most definitely the one for you.
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Planting Any Of These 13 Native Hedging Plants Can Be A HUGE Boost To Local Wildlife
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Common Hawthorn 2) Blackthorn 3) Common Alder 4) Common Beech 5) Hazel 6) Common Holly 7) Bird Cherry 8) Common Gorse 9) Common Dogwood 10) Common Hornbeam 11) Dog Rose 12) Crab Apple 13) Common Yew What About Box? References Native plant species are renowned as an important source of food and shelter for local wildlife. This includes birds and pollinators, which have developed alongside native species for thousands of years in the UK’s unique climate.1 They each have common properties which lend themselves to benefitting the local environment: A propensity to flower and/or produce edible fruit for wildlife (such as berries) A tendency to grow to a large size – offering shelter to birds, insects and other wildlife Their longevity – most are fully hardy perennials that will offer benefits year-after-year For these reasons, planting native shrubs is, in my opinion, one of the most beneficial changes gardeners can make for their local environment. Here are thirteen of my favourite hedging shrubs, each with its own special properties, that are all native to the UK – 1) Common Hawthorn BOTANICAL NAME: Crataegus monogyna HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: cream and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring If an all-rounder award is given to a British hedging shrub, Hawthorn probably gets the nod. It is so dense and thorny that it makes a top security barrier. Next, it attracts and supports numerous species of birds, butterflies and bees, bringing joy to your garden. During spring, Hawthorns are bedecked with charming creamy-pink blossoms which are even sweetly scented, whilst in autumn, glossy red berries and orange-golden leaves add further colour. “If I could only choose one native hedging plant then I would opt for Hawthorn,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “A good dense hedge but also with attractive flowers in early summer and berries in autumn. It’s very popular with pollinators and birds, they hum with life.” 2) Blackthorn BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus spinosa HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Blackthorn’s dense growth and spiny stems make it another excellent choice for a security barrier. Although it has other merits, the most attractive thing about it is the stunning explosion of white blossom it displays early in the spring before the foliage has emerged. These pretty white flowers draw numerous bees and butterflies as well. Over summer and autumn, Blackthorn is adorned with deep blue berries and these too bring in their own share of birds and small wildlife to your garden. 3) Common Alder BOTANICAL NAME: Alnus glutinosa HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: brown FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Alder hedging can tolerate poor and waterlogged soil, so it is heaven-sent for those who are struggling to grow a hedge in their neck of the woods. Its foliage, consisting of brilliant green rounded leaves, is a refuge for small birds, moths and a variety of insect life. Alder hedging provides a rustic sort of decor that changes with the seasons. Purple-brown buds, dangling catkins and small cones, all in one hedge! 4) Common Beech BOTANICAL NAME: Fagus sylvatica HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: green FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Beech is commonly thought of as a tall tree, which it is, but it is also grown as a hedge. After autumn, this shrub holds on to its dead russet foliage so tightly that it stays put clear into spring. Spring is also when the loveliest of leaves emerge that are elliptic to oval with symmetric veins as if embossed and of a delicate, summery, light green hue. This plant has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 5) Hazel BOTANICAL NAME: Corylus avellana HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring In spring, Hazel displays delightful foliage made up of light and bright green, crinkly leaves, rounded with wavy margins. Darkening as the seasons progress, in mid-autumn they adopt tones of yellow and orange. Also in autumn, the hedge bears nuts for you to snack on in winter – if you can beat the squirrels to them! It is in that bleak midwinter that this hedge produces furry yellow catkins, taking them into spring. 6) Common Holly BOTANICAL NAME: Ilex aquifolium HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer This hedge is adorned with pretty little white flowers over spring and summer. As for those familiar glossy deep green leaves, toothed and spiny, they are present all year round. Across autumn and winter, you’ll get those equally familiar spanking red berries. Cut off a cluster with some foliage to bring in some Christmas cheer! Another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 7) Bird Cherry BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus padus HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Featuring intensely green foliage, Bird Cherry also features intense whites and blacks! By mid-spring, this hedge is loaded with an abundance of small intensely white flowers from which waft a delicious nutty scent. Then, in late summer, the blossoms transform into purplish berries which turn intensely black. Those flowers pull in pollinators, whilst the berries draw in birds and mammals. 8) Common Gorse BOTANICAL NAME: Ulex europaeus HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring Evergreen and flaunting thorns and spines as foliage, diminutive Gorse is at least an impenetrable security barrier. Also, it grows well in virtually any type of soil, including poor soil and in coastal regions. It is much appreciated for its small pea-like flowers; these are bright mustard-yellow and release an unusual and distinctive coconut-like scent. These start in late winter and continue into early summer. 9) Common Dogwood BOTANICAL NAME: Cornus sanguinea HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Clusters of pretty white flowers emerge in late spring and last into summer, bringing many a colourful butterfly to your Dogwood hedge. And, when these transform into black-coloured berries in autumn, you’ll see even more birds, including robins and thrushes. This is a deciduous hedge, but the height of colour interest comes in winter, as after the copper-orange leaves are shed, your Dogwood hedge will be a tangle of bare stems that glow blazing red! 10) Common Hornbeam BOTANICAL NAME: Carpinus betulus HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: green FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Heavy ridging and symmetric venation mark Hornbeam’s distinctive foliage. These serrated leaves are a shimmering yellowish-green and put an autumn show when they glow in yellow and copper shades. The greenish catkins span late spring to early autumn, and when they turn into fruit, they draw in an abundance of birds and small wildlife. Finally, deciduous Hornbeam doesn’t become bare – it hangs on to most of its leaves through winter! This shrub has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 11) Dog Rose BOTANICAL NAME: Rosa canina HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: pink and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer A Dog Rose hedge will reward you with flowers that rival the blooms of some flowering plants. A good 5cm across, the salver-shaped flowers are gradated in white and pastel pink with a sunny centre. They have a mild scent and draw in many pollinators. The blooms are seen during most of the summer and are followed by decorative bright red rose hips, which attract an astonishing array of even more decorative and colourful birds. As ornamental hedging, Dog Rose is unbeatable. 12) Crab Apple BOTANICAL NAME: Malus sylvestris HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: pink and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Crab Apple may not be thought of as a hedging shrub but it is, and what’s more, it is a dual-valued play. The nicely ovate leaves are a deep, gleaming tone of green. Over much of spring, this hedge adorns itself with innumerable light, delicate, pink-flushed blossoms, which is the decorative value. Then, in late autumn, as you admire the glowing orange foliage, Crab Apple hedging proves its utilitarian value; little tart apples to pick and make applesauce, pies and wine with! 13) Common Yew BOTANICAL NAME: Taxus baccata HARDINESS RATING: H7 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Way back when, an English country estate would not be considered complete without Yew hedging. The very narrow, almost needle-like, leaves are a saturated shade of green and grow very densely, causing the hedge as a whole to appear to be a dark green wall. Fairly easy to maintain and amenable to shaping, evergreen Yew makes a fantastic boundary wall, topiary or sculpture. An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. What About Box? You might be wondering why a shrub synonymous with hedging did not make our cut. Box, or Buxus, is sadly being ravaged in the UK. Box blight and box tree caterpillar are the primary diseases that are devastating Box and outright killing these hedges, defeating gardeners’ valiant rearguard actions. Therefore, until horticulturists and manufacturers succeed in turning the tide, I cannot recommend Box. References 1. ‘UK native’ plants and fungi. (2022, June 28). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved July 6, 2023, from https://growwild.kew.org/blog/uk-native-plants-and-fungi
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23 Exotic And Unusual Plants To Consider Growing In Your Greenhouse
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Bougainvillea 2) Kumquat 3) Night-Blooming Jasmine 4) Citrus reticulata ‘Kinnow’ 5) Arabian Jasmine 6) Many-Flowered Jasmine 7) Frangipani 8) Yellow Sage 9) Orange Clock Vine 10) Blue Trumpet Vine 11) Chinese Hibiscus 12) Pineapple 13) Tomato 14) Red-Hot Cat’s Tail 15) Pseuderanthemum carruthersii 16) Sensitive Plant 17) Glory Tree 18) Blue Vine 19) Golden Dewdrop 20) Melon ‘Galia’ 21) Cucamelon 22) Egyptian Water Lily 23) Green Ebony Tree You can use your greenhouse to grow the most beautiful and exotic plants that are far too tender to grow in the UK without one. Before we proceed further on this thought, a word to the wise. Simply putting tender plants inside a greenhouse is no guarantee of success, as tropical and sub-tropical plants have their own diverse requirements when it comes to soil, sun, shade, watering and humidity. Therefore, I strongly advise you to choose a few plants and then educate yourself on how to go about growing those. My aim with this list is to introduce you to fantastic plants, many of them exotic, that you may have heard or read about, and, I hope, a few that are entirely new to you. None of them have a hardiness rating any greater than H2 and all are tropical or sub-tropical in origin, requiring a greenhouse to grow with a high degree of success, to ensure proper flowering and a reasonable lifespan. 1) Bougainvillea HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergeen FLOWERS: varies FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer A large climber, this plant does not need any special care once it gets of the ground except, of course, protection from low temperatures. Established shrubs are even drought-resistant. In a hobbyist greenhouse, grow it in a very large container and it will produce those brilliantly coloured bracts year round. 2) Kumquat BOTANICAL NAME(S): Citrus kinokuni / Fortunella margarita HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer FRUITING SEASON(S): summer / autumn These small citrusy fruits are rather like oranges but about the size of a large berry and, like berries but unlike oranges, they are not peeled – but they taste more like oranges than berries! You can grow this little tree in a pot or in open ground. Either way, you’ll get pretty sweetly-scented flowers and tangy-sweet fruit for several months of the year. This is an RHS AGM winner. 3) Night-Blooming Jasmine BOTANICAL NAME: Cestrum nocturnum HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: green, cream and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / winter FRUITING SEASON(S): autumn Although this is a sprawling, much-branched shrub that can grow to over 3m, Night-Blooming Jasmine grows easily in pots. You’ll be charmed to see its little flowers open at twilight and last until daybreak. They are small, pure white and trumpet-like, making quite a contrast with the flappy leaves. These tiny little flowers have a wonderfully sweet, heady perfume. 4) Citrus reticulata ‘Kinnow’ HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring FRUITING SEASON(S): autumn / winter / spring An orange similar to Mandarins, the ‘Kinnow’ fruit is deliciously tangy with a touch of sweetness. This cultivar is prolific and bears very fragrant white blossoms and produces copious amounts of vibrant orange fruit for most of the year. If your greenhouse is large enough, root it in open ground. 5) Arabian Jasmine BOTANICAL NAME: Jasminum sambac HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer An evergreen shrub that makes a tidy bush, Arabian Jasmine also produces flowers that open in the evening and last for but a night. The little pure white blooms are borne in profusion and they are so fragrant that the air is scented to a few feet from the bush. A recipient of the RHS AGM. 6) Many-Flowered Jasmine BOTANICAL NAME: Jasminum polyanthum HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring If planted in a big pot, Many-Flowered Jasmine will happily adopt the habit of a sprawling bush, showing off its deep green compound leaves. It deserves its name because in blooming season, this plant simply covers itself in tubular star-shaped white flowers borne in big clusters. The flowers have a sweet fragrance and are in bloom from late winter onward. Another winner of the RHS AGM. 7) Frangipani BOTANICAL NAME: Plumeria rubra HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: yellow and pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn A naturally even and fine-branched small tree with a ringed and knobbly type of quasi-bark, Frangipani has deep green oblong leaves that are observably turgid. It produces very many salver-shaped, sometimes bowl-shaped, 8cm flowers with 5 overlapping petals. They are white with a yellow blaze or in shades of pink and exude a sweet fragrance. An RHS AGM recipient. 8) Yellow Sage BOTANICAL NAME: Lantana camara HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn A very woody shrub, often awkwardly-branched, Lantana camara has deep green rough-textured foliage that has a bracing, fresh, clove-musk scent. Its flowers are in the form of semi-rounded terminal clusters with numerous florets. As each cluster displays many tones of a single colour in shades of white, almond, and cream, the effect is delightfully unique. 9) Orange Clock Vine BOTANICAL NAME: Thunbergia gregorii HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: orange FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Orange Clock Vine is an evergreen twining vine. Its foliage is of an intense brilliant green shade. All through summer it produces copious numbers of salver-shaped flowers up to 4cm wide. They are of a unique orange colour; a light yet saturated amber-orange tone. In view of this plant’s agreeable dimensions, it is easily grown in a large pot. Another RHS AGM recipient. 10) Blue Trumpet Vine BOTANICAL NAME: Thunbergia grandiflora HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: blue and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer A strong evergreen climber, Bengal Clock Vine has many twining stems. The semi-cordate leaves are a brilliant shade of green and in the summer, the plant produces a profusion of flowers. These exotic blooms are not so much trumpet-shaped as bowl-shaped and are seen in hues ranging from lilac through slate blue to purple, all with a yellow throat. This plant has received an Award of Garden Merit from the RHS. 11) Chinese Hibiscus BOTANICAL NAME: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: orange, white, red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer An evergreen with a bushy, tidy form, Chinese Hibiscus produces very large but delicate-looking flowers with ruffled and frilly petals and prominent stamens. Colours include red and magenta, but also pastel pink and mellow orange. Variegated cultivars are worth growing for the foliage alone. It is unevenly mottled and speckled in green, cream and white with pink bleeds. 12) Pineapple BOTANICAL NAME: Ananas comosus HARDINESS RATING: H1A FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: purple and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Bring a bit of Hawaii to your chilly corner in the Midlands by growing Pineapples. In a greenhouse, you can plant them in open ground where they’ll be larger than when grown in large pots. Another greenhouse bonus – no need to lug around big pots for overwintering! “In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, gardeners used dung and tanner bark to heat glasshouse beds to grow pineapples,” shares Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “Today a greenhouse heater can save on labour but would still make your home-grown pineapple a costly endeavour!” This tangy-sweet fruit simply bursts with its unique rich flavour when whole and fresh, even more so when juiced. 13) Tomato BOTANICAL NAME: Solanum lycopersicum HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergeen FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer FRUITING SEASON(S): summer Of course, you can grow tomatoes as annuals in your garden, but if you have a greenhouse, you can grow this much-loved veggie (okay, fruit) how it grows in Central America – as a perennial. An optimal variety will produce copious fruit for several years. You could actually try several varieties and see which is the best-performing perennial. 14) Red-Hot Cat’s Tail BOTANICAL NAME: Acalypha hispida HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: red FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn / winter Acalypha hispida is a little woody shrub and its story has to begin with its foliage, for it has textbook leaves. They are medium in size and are best described as ovate-elliptic-acuminate, finely serrated and of a lush green shade. Up and down the plant range, its unusual flowers, which are curving, pendent, fuzzy, furry catkins of a vibrant red hue, are typically 15-25cm long. A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit. 15) Pseuderanthemum carruthersii HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer From the South Pacific, Pseuderanthemum carruthersii is a good-sized evergreen shrub of open habit. It has brilliant light green ovate leaves which often display yellow marbled venation. It produces the prettiest of little blooms in terminal clusters. Somewhat like tiny propellers, the petals are often askew. They are snowy white with a magenta-maroon throat and medial freckles. 16) Sensitive Plant BOTANICAL NAME: Mimosa pudica HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: pink and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Possibly the shyest member of the plant kingdom, this plant has bright green pinnate leaves. Depending on how you touch them, all the pinnate leaves close inward in unison or opposing pairs close in succession. The wispy flower is unique and attention-grabbing, as it is globular with radiating stiffish filaments. The colour ranges from pastel pink to light purple. This plant is a short-lived evergreen. 17) Glory Tree BOTANICAL NAME: Clerodendrum splendens HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: red FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Clerodendrum splendens has a slender woody stem with many twining branches that can attain great heights, but the overall size can be controlled in a container. It has dark leaves that are ovate-to-rounded and somewhat wavy. In summer, it bursts into a spectacular bloom with countless little five-petalled flowers with long, curved stamens. The hue ranges from fiery orange to vivid scarlet. This plant has an RHS AGM. 18) Blue Vine BOTANICAL NAME: Clitoria ternatea HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: blue and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Blue Vine is a scrambling type of evergreen that would work very well in a container. Its elliptic leaves are that perfect shade of leafy green. The habit of this plant gives it a semi-dense, cushiony look. Its beautiful flowers are laterally symmetric with a hood above and vary from purple to blue with a creamy centre. The petals exhibit a type of narrow parallel ribbing. 19) Golden Dewdrop BOTANICAL NAME: Duranta erecta HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: blue and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer A robust evergreen shrub with arcing stems and elliptic-ovate leaves of a soothing summery green, Duranta erecta grows very well in pots. Although its main blooming season is late spring and summer, it blooms on and off year round. The small flowers occur as drooping terminal clusters, sometimes thick and frothy. The tones range from a gentle lavender to deep violet, often with lighter edging. 20) Melon ‘Galia’ BOTANICAL NAME: Cucumis melo ‘Galia’ HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: deciduous FRUITING SEASON(S): summer Classed as a twining climber, ‘Galia’ is more like a trailing vine and will happily sprawl on the ground. Although it is difficult to grow in the UK, with a greenhouse you’re all set! It is worth noting that there are very many cultivars of Cucumis melo, but the one suggested has large round fruit with white flesh flushed yellowish-green and is very sweet and juicy. 21) Cucamelon BOTANICAL NAME: Melothria scabra HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer FRUITING SEASON(S): summer / autumn An interesting deciduous perennial that climbs with tendrils, Cucamelon is even more intriguing for its fruit. During summer, it produces little yellow flowers which start forming into fruit by late summer. These are oval to oblong with creamy spots on a green ground. Only about 4cm long, these succulent and tangy cucumber-like treats are perfect with martinis. 22) Egyptian Water Lily BOTANICAL NAME: Nymphaea lotus HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: white and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn If you can set up a little pool in your greenhouse, you could grow one of the rarest flowers in UK gardens: Lotus. Its foliage floats on the water and these lily pads are crinkly, circular and dark green. Conversely, the flowers are typically white with a central yellow bud with pink variants available. These bowl-shaped, star-like flowers which open at dusk, are huge and grow to be up to 20-25cm. 23) Green Ebony Tree BOTANICAL NAME: Jacaranda mimosifolia HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: blue and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer Though Jacaranda mimosifolia can easily grow to 15m tall, it can be grown in a large container and pruned for size. Its compound pinnate leaves are of a marvellous light, summery green shade. The sensuous 5cm wide trumpet-shaped flowers occur in thick panicles and come in numerous shades of blue, purple and violet.
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It's Not Always About Flowers - Here's 76 Leafy Plants For Every Garden
IN THIS GUIDE Trees & Shrubs Climbers, Vines & Wall Shrubs Bamboos Ornamental Grasses & Sedges Ferns Herbaceous Perennial Foliage Plants A beautiful garden is not all about flowers. Foliage plants can create a lush and leafy space to delight the eye and there are many options to choose from. They might be used in a richly biodiverse garden filled with plenty of native, wildlife-friendly species, or they might be used to create a more exotic, tropical feel. Many of the greatest foliage plants are excellent for use in shady spots, though there are also plenty of options for sunnier areas. Creating a lush and leafy feel in your garden does not need to follow a particular scheme and you can use a huge range of different types of plants to create gardens with very different looks and atmospheres. If you want a lush and leafy feel, the key thing to remember is that you should create layered planting schemes with trees, shrubs, perhaps some bamboo and ornamental grasses, as well as a range of varied under-storey plants. By choosing the right plants for the right places and aiming for as much biodiversity as possible, you can create a stunning garden even when there are not many flowers in sight. While it can also be a good idea to include flowering plants for pollinators, keeping the focus on foliage when it comes to aesthetics can help you achieve a rich, luscious look. We share 76 excellent foliage plants for your garden. They are by no means the only options, but they could give you a good place to start when planting your own lush and leafy planting scheme. Trees & Shrubs Trees and shrubs can often be essential for creating an abundant, lush look in your garden, and the species that you choose will set the tone for the rest of the design. There are two different strategies which can work very well when creating a lush and leafy look with plenty of plants prized for their foliage. Foliage Planting Schemes With Native Trees & Shrubs The first strategy involves creating a woodland or forest garden feel by including plenty of native tree and shrub species. In a woodland garden, these species are chosen to create a more natural environment, while a forest garden mimics a natural ecosystem but includes plenty of edible or otherwise useful plants. In both of these types of gardens, choosing plants to maximise the number of beneficial interactions between the plants, wildlife and other system elements is key. Of course, many flowering plants can also be included within such a scheme, but the foliage of the different trees and shrubs certainly contributes significantly to the overall feel. Remember, foliage plants do not always simply have to be a sea of green. Many foliage plants also have leaves which change colour or come in a range of arresting hues. To increase a sense of lushness and leafiness, trees and shrubs cannot just be grown as stand-alone specimens, but can also help create a sense of abundance, peace, privacy and enclosure as part of mixed hedgerows or borders. UK native trees (many of which can also be used in lush and leafy hedgerows) include these species: 1) Alder 2) Birch 3) Hornbeam 4) Hazel 5) Hawthorn 6) Spindle 7) Beech 8) Holly 9) Apple 10) Pine 11) Oak 12) Willow 13) Elderberry 14) Ash 15) Yew 16) Elm Many of these native trees are prized not only for their yields and other benefits, but also for their attractive foliage over the summer months, in the case of deciduous species, or, in the case of evergreens, year-round. Combining both types of native species in your garden is a good choice for those who want to wow with varied foliage plants. The static year-round green of evergreens is best spiced up with the changing hues of deciduous plants. Exotic, Jungle-Like Planting Schemes The second strategy is to aim for a more exotic look by choosing a range of large-leaved and dramatic non-native foliage plants. While such schemes may not have as much value for our native wildlife, this is another way to achieve a lush and leafy look in your garden. More exotic species for a lush and leafy jungle-like look include: 17) Banana 18) Catalpa 19) Japanese Aralia 20) Fig 21) Maidenhair 22) Palm 23) Magnolia 24) Empress 25) Tetrapanax 26) Mahonia Of course, you do not necessarily have to go for either idea exclusively. You might decide to combine both native and non-native species to create your dream garden, with a range of varied foliage plants combined in unique and interesting ways. Climbers, Vines & Wall Shrubs If you want to create a lush and leafy look in your garden, then you will not want to be left with bare walls or fences. If you are not creating a hedgerow around a garden boundary, it is a good idea to consider adding climbers, vines or wall shrubs to dress bare surfaces. Some interesting climbers and wall shrubs which are good foliage plants include: 27) Climbing Hydrangea 28) Winter Creeper 29) Ivy 30) Maidenhair Vine 31) Virginia Creeper Choosing these and other climbers and wall shrubs, especially evergreen climbers, can give your garden that lush and leafy feel right through the winter months. Bamboos Beyond trees and shrubs, there are also plenty of other dramatic and architectural foliage plants to consider for your lush and leafy spaces. One important category of plants that you may wish to consider is bamboo. Bamboo can suit a range of different situations and grow quickly to create mature and lush planting schemes. Some are largely ornamental, but many also provide edible yields. Using different bamboo can, again, create very different styles in your garden. Bamboos can work well in forest garden schemes alongside some native species, or in a more exotic style garden design. Some bamboo to consider growing in a UK garden include: 32) Bambusa 33) Chimonobambusa 34) Chusquea 35) Fargesia 36) Indocalamus 37) Phyllostachys 38) Pleioblastus 39) Pseudosasa 40) Shibataea 41) Thamnocalamus Some bamboo can also be grown in containers to bring a lush, leafy look and architectural drama to a patio or decked area. Ornamental Grasses & Sedges Another key category of foliage plants to consider for a garden are ornamental grasses and sedges. These plants can add architectural structure to beds, borders or containers and come in many different sizes, varying greatly in colour and form. Some examples include: 42) Reedgrass 43) Palm Sedge 44) Pampas 45) Deschampsia 46) Fescue 47) Hakone 48) Silvergrass 49) Molinia 50) Fountaingrass 51) Stipa Ornamental grasses provide great movement and sound in breezes, breaking up and softening dense and foliage-heavy planting schemes. They can provide contrast and interest when combined with plants in other categories in this list. When planting up a bed, it is good to have areas of softness. Bright colours and flowers need areas of green to make the whole collection of plants digestible for the eye. Clumps of grasses provide this, like negative space in an artwork. Ferns Ferns are also often invaluable in a foliage-rich garden design, with many being the perfect choices for a shady spot. As with all the other categories, there are plenty of different options to choose from, and ferns can vary considerably in their appearance, creating variety in a foliage plant planting scheme. Some ferns to consider for UK gardens include: 52) Maidenhair Spleenwort 53) Blechnum 54) Dickinsonia 55) Diplazium 56) Wood Fern 57) Ostrich Fern 58) Nephrolepis 59) Osmunda 60) Polypodies 61) Shield Fern Ferns can be combined with lots of foliage plants from other categories or with one another to create fern gardens or ferneries – perhaps in a stump garden or stumpery in a suitable spot. Herbaceous Perennial Foliage Plants Herbaceous perennial plants also provide interest in a lush and leafy garden where foliage is the main attraction. Many are perfect for shade gardens, alongside ferns and other shade-tolerant plants. Even though they often flower, their large and varied leaves make their foliage the real star of the show. Just a few of the many options to consider which are famed for their foliage are: 62) Wild Ginger 63) Bergenia 64) Brunnera 65) Caladium 66) Canna 67) Taro 68) Colewort 69) Cynara 70) Coral Bells 71) Heucherella 72) Hosta 73) Leopard Plant 74) Pachysandra 75) Coltsfoot 76) Rhubarb There are, of course, many more plants with wonderfully varied and interesting foliage to consider, but I hope that this guide has given you a good place to start.
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12 Edible Climbing Plants For Fences With Kitchen Gardener Stephanie Hafferty
IN THIS GUIDE Annual Climbers 1) Squashes, Pumpkins & Cucumbers 2) Climbing Beans 3) Garden Peas 4) Hyacinth Beans 5) Nasturtiums Perennial Climbers 6) Hardy Kiwi ‘Issai’ 7) Potato Beans 8) Hops 9) Blue Passion Flower 10) Fruiting Currants 11) Berries 12) Grapes ‘Brant’ Whenever we are choosing plants for our gardens, it is important to choose the right plants for the right places. We need to think about which plants will thrive in our particular gardens, in the environmental conditions that we and nature provide in a particular spot. When choosing climbing plants for fences, the decision-making process should be no different. There are also other things, of course, that we should bear in mind when choosing climbing plants for any situation. For one thing, we need to consider whether or not the fence in question is tall and sturdy enough to support the growth of the climbers or vines we are considering. Secondly, we should think about what else a particular climber for a fence might be able to provide to us. We should think about what we want the plant to achieve in the garden and also, potentially, what yields it might provide. Personally, when I pick climbing plants to grace a fence, I often think first about edible options – because when we choose a climbing plant that can provide edible yields, we can have a productive garden as well as a beautiful one. “I love to grow edibles and grow a huge range of different edible plants from salad leaves to fruit trees,” shares Stephanie Hafferty, an Organic Gardener and Author. “My favourite is always whatever is the new taste that week, such as the first peas in spring or the first taste of a fresh raspberry pulled from the garden.” To help you create your own edible garden paradise, here are some edible climbing plants to consider. You can also paint the fence in between your plantings! Annual Climbers First of all, if you have a fence and are looking for climbing plants that will be welcome additions to your garden during the summer months, looking at annual climbers may be a good idea. These will all thrive in a sunny spot, so a south-facing fence could be ideal for their growth. They will not last more than a single season in your garden but can add a lot and provide you with a prodigious quantity of food. Choosing annuals for summer growing against a sunny fence can be a good idea if the fence is not particularly sturdy or would not be suitable for more vigorous and bigger perennial plants, which cover it constantly year in and year out. 1) Squashes, Pumpkins & Cucumbers BOTANICAL NAME: Cucurbita spp. HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERS: yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer First of all you might consider the numerous squash, pumpkin and cucumber options within the Cucurbitaceae plant family. There are many edible options that you might grow on supports against a fence and this can be one great way to make the most of every inch of space in your garden for sustainable food production. With certain fences, the fence itself might be the support structure for these annual climbers. In other cases, you might affix support wires or trellis structures to the fence to support the plants. In either case, these plants can look good and be productive when cared for correctly in your garden, but do bear in mind that fruit can be very heavy. 2) Climbing Beans BOTANICAL NAME: Phaseolus ssp. HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERS: purple, white, red, yellow and pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Another option that could be great for a sunny fence is climbing beans. There is a wide range of different climbing beans in the Phaseolus genus that you might consider, including many cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris. You might also consider growing runner beans (P. coccineus), which is another great and very productive option for UK gardens that can also be extremely attractive, producing scarlet flowers over the summer months. 3) Garden Peas BOTANICAL NAME: Pisum sativum HARDINESS RATING: H2 FLOWERS: white, pink or purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Another annual climbing plant you might consider placing up against a sunny fence is the common garden pea. Peas can be grown up a fence or a trellis structure and will grasp on with tendrils to support themselves. If you have never grown your own peas before, then you will be amazed by just how sweet they can be when you pick them straight from your garden. 4) Hyacinth Beans BOTANICAL NAME: Lablab purpureus HARDINESS RATING: H1C FLOWERS: purple and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Another edible climber which is ornamental and productive is the hyacinth bean. This is a perennial climber, but it is tender and is therefore commonly grown as a summer annual in cooler climates like here in the British Isles. It produces pea-like flowers amid dark green leaves which are followed by edible green pods that are often flushed with a purplish hue. Fast-growing and twining, it will grow well in full sun on a sheltered south or west-facing fence, in moist but well-drained soil. 5) Nasturtiums BOTANICAL NAME: Tropaeolum spp. HARDINESS RATING: H2-H5 FLOWERS: orange, red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Another annual climber with great edible potential is the nasturtium. The plant has edible leaves and flowers which are great in salads. The flower buds can also be used like capers. Choose a nasturtium and you can enjoy blooms to pick within the garden space for a long period over the growing season. There are several different nasturtiums that will climb happily against a fence. Perennial Climbers Of course, if you do not wish to sow climbers anew each year to cover your fence or if the site is a little too shaded for annual production, then there are plenty of perennial climbers that you might consider. Make sure that your fence is well-constructed and sturdy enough for the plants in question when choosing a perennial. Perennial plants will come back each year and are a sustainable choice. In the right spot, these plants can also potentially provide you with a lot of food, as well as cover a fence in your garden. Here are some edible perennial climbers for fences that you might consider. 6) Hardy Kiwi ‘Issai’ BOTANICAL NAME: Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer The hardy kiwi is an attractive deciduous climber which can work well in a sheltered and sunny position, providing fruits and visual appeal when grown against a fence. A compact and self-fertile option (meaning that you do not need to grow both male and female plants), ‘Issai’ is a great choice for UK gardens. This plant grows best in fertile and moist but well-drained soil, which is neutral to acidic, in full sun and with shelter from the winds. 7) Potato Beans BOTANICAL NAME: Apios americana HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERS: red and brown FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn This is another interesting perennial edible climber to consider. It is the tubers of the plant that are edible, forming below the slender vines with scented flowers borne in the late summer and autumn. The flowers are pea-like in form and reddish-brown in colour. Grow these climbers, which can reach over 2.5m in height, in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. They are H6 hardy and should come back each year over a number of seasons. “Do not confuse this plant with the potato vine, Solanum laxum or Solanum jasminoides, which are poisonous,” says Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish. 8) Hops BOTANICAL NAME: Humulus lupulus HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERS: green and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer This is another interesting herbaceous climbing plant to consider for a fence. It will die back to the ground each winter but grow tall again the following year. This vigorous climber can grow very tall in the right location and is traditionally used in making beer. Grow hops in moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade on a fence with a south or west-facing aspect. The location should be sheltered and care should be taken that the soil does not dry out too much, especially in a sunnier spot. 9) Blue Passion Flower BOTANICAL NAME: Passiflora caerulea HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERS: blue, white and purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Blue passionflowers can, in the right location (which is mild and sheltered enough), be an evergreen, retaining their leaves year-round. However, it will require a very mild location here and will lose its leaves in many parts of the country if not moved undercover in winter. The flowers are dramatic and look wonderful against a sunny fence in many gardens, and there is also the added bonus of edible fruits if all goes well. 10) Fruiting Currants BOTANICAL NAME: Ribes spp. HARDINESS RATING: H5-H6 FLOWERS: yellow, green, pink and red FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring Another option that you might not have considered is that, rather than growing an edible climber on a fence, you might be able to train fruit bushes up and against it. If you are looking for fruit bushes then some of your best options are in the Ribes family. You might grow red or white currants, blackcurrants or gooseberries. “I would recommend the Jostaberry, which has impressively sized fruit, with the best qualities of both blackcurrants and gooseberries,” shares Peter. These can all be great options for covering a fence, as well as great options for a food-producing garden. 11) Berries BOTANICAL NAME: Rubus spp. HARDINESS RATING: H5-H6 FLOWERS: yellow, white and pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer Other marvellous soft fruits to grow in your garden are, of course, those in the Rubus genus, especially raspberries, blackberries and hybrid berries like boysenberries or tayberries. “Personally, I find tayberries to have the best taste and a vigorous habit,” Peter says. These cane fruits might also be trained to grow against a fence in your garden. There are plenty of great cultivars to consider, including thornless varieties, and a sturdy and strong enough fence with support wires could be sufficient to support the weight of these large and productive plants. 12) Grapes ‘Brant’ BOTANICAL NAME: Vitis ‘Brant’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERS: green FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Last but certainly not least, you should not overlook one of the most obvious edible vines – grapes. There are grape varieties that can grow outside in the UK and you might potentially train the variety ‘Brant’ to grow up a sturdy fence in a garden. Of course, if you’re growing grapes up a fence, you will need to make sure that it is in as mild, sheltered and sunny a spot as possible, with fertile and moist yet free-draining soil conditions. There are many other climbing plants for fences, depending on what type of fence we are talking about and where it is located. However, considering edible options could be a good place to begin to offer something extra in the garden.
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Sweet Violets And Alpine Heath - These 17 Plants Are Perfect For Winter Hanging Baskets
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Sweet Violet 2) Alpine Heath 3) Common Ivy 4) Christmas Cactus 5) African Violet 6) Poinsettia 7) Long-Stemmed Basket Plant 8) Creeping Cotoneaster ‘Queen Of Carpets’ 9) Rock Daisy 10) Striped-Flowered Wood Sorrel 11) Verbena ‘Margaret’s Memory’ 12) Rattlesnake Crassula 13) Small-Leaf Spiderwort 14) Silver-Inch Plant 15) Kalanchoe ‘Tessa’ 16) Common Winter Cactus 17) Coleus When the landscape is all grey and the plants are all gone except for the evergreens, surely it is not possible to partake in the pleasure of cheerful flowers trailing from a hanging basket? Colourful summer hanging baskets are a dime a dozen, but plants that will light up a hanging basket during winter are few and far between. Nonetheless, here is a tidy little assortment for you to choose a couple from. We have hardy perennials to hang out the front and tender evergreens to display in the living room. All entries have winter interest, be it through their foliage, flowers or berries, and all are suitable for hanging baskets or larger hanging containers. We’re sure these winter hanging baskets will add to the good cheer during the festive season and, perhaps more importantly, continue the good cheer into the dark January days. 1) Sweet Violet BOTANICAL NAME: Viola odorata HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: blue, white or purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring SUITED FOR: Outdoors What’s a hang-and-forget evergreen perennial growing to only 10cm wide and 40cm in height which puts on a delightful floral show in winter? Winter-flowering violets offer a delightful option and the mother species’ royal purple flowers are even sweetly scented. ‘Königin Charlotte’ and ‘D’Udine’ form mounds of shiny leaves and their blooms are also fragrant, with the former cultivar’s being a deep purple and the latter’s a mauve. The flowers of ‘Universal Plus’ are unscented, but they make up for it by flowering through most of the winter and spring, coming in a crayon box of colours. Gardening expert Dan Ori shares, that although perennial, they are normally treated like annuals (used for 6 months) as leaves can become spotty and stems leggy.: “Violas will have varieties marketed for summer and winter, there is no botanical difference between them, you will normally find the Violas marketed in summer have lighter more pastel shades.” 2) Alpine Heath BOTANICAL NAME: Erica carnea HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: pink, purple or white FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring SUITED FOR: OUTDOORS Among the British-native heathers, a few bear colourful winter flowers and have a trailing mat-forming habit, allowing them to be housed in hanging containers. As they are hardy evergreens, they bring a touch of those rugged but romantic moors and heaths to your front porch all year round. ‘Queen of Spain’ is only 15cm wide and 30cm tall and bears small urn-shaped flowers of a rich pink hue in sprays, with the blooms spanning throughout winter and spring. ‘Rubra’ has the same dimensions and type of flowers with a change in hue, this being deep pink to red. ‘Aurea’ produces long-lasting tiny dark bells from January into May and also flaunts foliage colours during this time. 3) Common Ivy BOTANICAL NAME: Hedera helix HARDINESS RATING: H5 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: green or yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): autumn SUITED FOR: Outdoors / Indoors Perhaps you wouldn’t think that that massive climber that effortlessly goes up tall buildings is a hanging basket plant? Well, it very much is – it just depends on the cultivar. Three that are fantastic for year-round trouble-free charm even when grown in shade are ‘White Knight’, ‘Wonder’ and ‘Dyinnii’. AGM-winner ‘White Knight’ is a trailing type with deeply-lobed white and green leaves. ‘Wonder’ is a trailing-climbing type that grows to 1-2m tall and has airy foliage, consisting of rounded leaves. ‘Dyinnii’, a bushy-trailing type, rises to only 20cm and its leaves are so deeply lobed that they appear star-shaped. 4) Christmas Cactus BOTANICAL NAME: Schlumbergera × buckleyi HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: red or pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter SUITED FOR: Indoors A very tender evergreen, the aptly-named Christmas Cactus is a great flowering favourite during the winter months. An AGM-winner, Christmas Cactus has shiny green stems composed of flattish segments with wavy borders. These cascade beautifully from a basket. During winter, the stem tips produce a shower of blooms about 7.5cm long, which have a flower-in-flower effect. The flowers’ colours range from bright pink to deep red. 5) African Violet BOTANICAL NAME: Streptocarpus ionanthus HARDINESS RATING: H1A FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: purple or blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Not to be confused with European Violet, African Violet is a fully tender plant and is nothing like its European counterpart. However, it is a fantastic hanging basket play for winter, as well as spring, summer and autumn! Growing to only 10cm tall, it has large, semi-rounded, greyish-green evergreen leaves. These leaves look like trays for charming, dainty, cup-shaped flowers that are borne in tight clusters. They occur in bright tones of pink, purple and blue with a small yellow eye. About 2.5cm wide, these flowers are very long-lasting and you can even enjoy them all year round. 6) Poinsettia BOTANICAL NAME: Euphorbia pulcherrima HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: semi-evergreen FLOWERS: red or yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Poinsettia is perfect for a hanging container in the UK. It will provide year-round foliage in a warm spot indoors, bursting into colour in winter. Though it has small bright yellow flowers, these occur in the middle of big, leaf-like bracts and it is these bracts that are the star attraction. They are plentiful and of a vermilion-to-red hue. As a result, the plant turns into a spreading, tumbling mass of warm, flaming colour during the height of winter. 7) Long-Stemmed Basket Plant BOTANICAL NAME: Aeschynanthus longicaulis HARDINESS RATING: H1A FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: orange or red FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Long-Stemmed Basket Plant’s hardiness rating is H1A, yet it has received the RHS’s AGM so this tropical plant must have some merit when growing in the UK. It is an evergreen with a trailing habit that has pendulous stems that grow up to 1m. The evergreen lanceolate leaves have a stripy surface in green and yellow. In late summer, it starts producing clusters of flowers which last into winter. These 5cm blooms are tubular and usually a bright orange, but the patterned foliage competes with them for attention. 8) Creeping Cotoneaster ‘Queen Of Carpets’ BOTANICAL NAME: Cotoneaster procumbens ‘Queen of Carpets’ HARDINESS RATING: H6 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUITED FOR: Outdoors A hardy evergreen that can be kept indoors or outdoors, ‘Queen of Carpets’ forms an evergreen mat of glossy silvery-green leaves that trail along red stems. At only 30cm with a spread of up to 1.5m, it is perfectly sized for a hanging basket. This RHS AGM winner is a real low-care option. It bears tiny white flowers from summer into early autumn and then is followed by colourful winter interest, where the blooms turn into red berries that add ornamental value from mid-autumn through to winter. 9) Rock Daisy BOTANICAL NAME: Brachyscome multifida HARDINESS RATING: H3 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: purple, pink or white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Outdoors (in the right conditions) Only about 40cm with a spreading habit, the very versatile Brachyscome multifida is as suitable for hanging baskets as for garden bedding. This half-hardy evergreen has dense emerald-green foliage that is deeply cut and almost needle-like. It produces small flowers in profusion starting from late summer. These continue through late autumn and, in favourable positions, into winter. The 2-2.5cm wide flowers are disk-shaped and daisy-like, range in colour from pink to purple and sport a yellow centre. 10) Striped-Flowered Wood Sorrel BOTANICAL NAME: Oxalis versicolor HARDINESS RATING: H3 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: red or white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Indoors A half-hardy deciduous perennial, Oxalis versicolor has won the RHS’s AGM. It has a bushy, clumping habit, grows to only about 8cm and displays charming foliage, which is composed of bright green spear-like leaflets. It starts to flower in late summer and continues well into winter. The little flowers are as pretty as they are unusual, as they are conical in shape with the petals arranged in a whorl. They are white with curving red margins on the outer surfaces of the overlapping petals, producing a twirling effect. 11) Verbena ‘Margaret’s Memory’ BOTANICAL NAME: Verbena ‘Margaret’s Memory’ HARDINESS RATING: H4 FOLIAGE: deciduous FLOWERS: pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Outdoors Well known for its summertime inflorescences, Verbena manages to post one entry on our list, as ‘Margaret’s Memory’ blooms in the wrong season but has just the right height and spreading habit for a hanging container. This semi-evergreen has heavily serrated leaves of rich, deep green. It produces the standard, Verbena florets in rounded flower heads that are of a blush pink hue. This cultivar has a tremendously long blooming season, starting from late spring and continuing until the end of autumn and, often enough, carrying on into winter. 12) Rattlesnake Crassula BOTANICAL NAME: Crassula barklyi HARDINESS RATING: H2 FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Plunk AGM-recipient Crassula barklyi into a hanging basket and you’re sure to find a winter-flowering winner. This is a spreading, clump-forming succulent evergreen with a spread of 30-40cm. C. barklyi’s tiny white flowers may appear throughout winter. 13) Small-Leaf Spiderwort BOTANICAL NAME: Tradescantia fluminensis HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Tender Spiderworts are trailing evergreens and have two AGM-winning cultivars that have year-round foliage and flower interest ‘Aurea’ and ‘Quicksilver’. Their habit and heights of, respectively, only 10cm by 20cm, make them ideal for hanging baskets. ‘Aurea’ has thick elliptic leaves that are longitudinally striped in green and yellow in varying balances and ‘Quicksilver’ plays the same sharp trick, but in rich green and white. Both these elegant cultivars produce clusters of little white flowers all year round. 14) Silver-Inch Plant BOTANICAL NAME: Tradescantia zebrina HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: pink or purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Indoors Tender Silver-Inch Plants are also trailing evergreens, among which are two AGM-winning cultivars and these too have year-round foliage and flower interest. Both Silver-Inch Plant and its cultivar ‘Quadricolor’ at only about 15cm are also ideal for hanging baskets. Both have thick, ovate-to-lanceolate leaves. The species plant’s leaves have two broad white stripes on a greyish-green background with deep purple undersides, while the leaves of the ‘Quadricolor’ cultivar are boldly striped in greyish-green, cream and maroon. Both these stylish plants produce pink-purple flowers year-round, including in winter. 15) Kalanchoe ‘Tessa’ BOTANICAL NAME: Kalanchoe ‘Tessa’ HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: orange or red FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring SUITED FOR: Indoors With their pendulous habits, Kalanchoe varieties are perfect for hanging baskets, but they do not offer winter colour except for one cultivar – ‘Tessa’. It grows to only about 30cm and its drooping stems carry leaves with some year-round interest, as they are edged in bright red. It is a very understanding evergreen because it flowers prolifically just when you need it the most – during the height of winter and into spring. The little tubular blooms are borne in panicles and are about 2cm long, of a warm, glowing, reddish-orange colour. 16) Common Winter Cactus BOTANICAL NAME: Schlumbergera truncata HARDINESS RATING: H1B FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: purple, red or pink FLOWERING SEASON(S): autumn / winter SUITED FOR: Indoors This plant is only technically a cactus as it has no thorns to speak of. The glossy green stems, composed of flattened segments, emerge upright, arc and then become pendulous, tumbling nicely off a hanging basket. It starts to produce lovely tropical flowers in mid-late autumn and these continue into the winter. These long-lasting blooms are 7-8cm long and occur in pinks, reds and purples. 17) Coleus BOTANICAL NAME: Coleus scutellarioides HARDINESS RATING: H1C FOLIAGE: evergreen FLOWERS: blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn SUITED FOR: Indoors Finally, there’s Coleus, which produces colour explosions of foliage that make them popular all over the world. The smaller bushy types are fantastic for hanging containers and can decorate the portico in summer and the drawing room in winter. ‘Lord Falmouth’, ‘Wisley Tapestry’ and ‘Winsome’, all AGM winners, are precisely the right types in habit and size and offer striking colours. The first has cordate leaves with green edging which enclose maroon centres. The second has irregular and deeply lobed leaves with a central crimson splash with maroon veining, surrounded by yellow and green borders. The third has serrated leaves that are bright red at the centres, rich green at the edges and have variable bright yellow zones. You don’t have to grow a single type of plant in a hanging basket. As long as the soil requirements and environmental needs are similar enough, you can mix and match. Give it a shot and perhaps you’ll come up with a one-of-a-kind combination that will have your guests amazed at your hanging basket skills!
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18 Fantastic Flowers To Plant In June
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Garden Nasturtium 2) Cosmea 3) Hyacinth Bean 4) Common Foxglove 5) Poached Egg Flower 6) Jasmine Tobacco 7) Sunflower 8) Blue Eryngo 9) Dyer’s Tickseed 10) Orange Daylily 11) Cardinal Flower 12) Primrose Candelabra Hybrids 13) False Bishop’s Weed 14) Blanketflower 15) Dahlia 16) Greater Masterwort 17) African Marigold 18) Christmas Rose Unsure of what flowers to plant in June? Well, look no further, as this guide contains eighteen different flowering plants for you to plant in the month of June for stunning colour throughout the rest of summer. “I’d say my favourite month in the garden is perhaps June, because I’ve done all the long, hard, intensive work of preparing the garden for the season,” shares Sunil Patel from 13 Broom Acres. “I’ve cleared the borders, pruned, set out the patio pots and sowed the seeds. June is when I can let go, sit back on a lounger in the sunshine and let the garden reach its flowering peak. “It brings flowering mock oranges, delphiniums, roses, early herbaceous perennials; there’s so much to see in June that it can almost be overwhelming.” If you’re like Sunil and finished with planting but you’re looking for a small addition to your garden, you’re in luck. Annuals are commonly planted out in the early summer months, so they feature heavily on this list, but there are also some great perennial options to choose from if you’re looking for a more permanent fixture in your garden displays. 1) Garden Nasturtium BOTANICAL NAME: Tropaeolum majus HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: annual / climber FLOWERS: red, orange and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn My first pick is a cottage garden classic that is beloved by gardeners in the UK. Garden nasturtiums can be planted out directly in June and can start flowering as early as August of the same year, producing gorgeous, fiery blooms that will give your displays a burst of colour. Grown as an annual, this plant has a climbing or trailing habit and will look best when it is planted somewhere that it can spread freely. This is also a wonderful companion plant for vegetables, so if you have your own patch for growing, try adding nasturtiums in between your crops. 2) Cosmea BOTANICAL NAME: Cosmos bipinnatus HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: pink and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Another frost-tender annual, cosmea produces dainty pink and white blooms that grow on stems up to 2 metres tall in the late summer and autumn. These plants are easy to grow from seed, as long as they are grown in a site where they will receive full sun, and can be planted out in June for autumn blooms. Cosmos are a great plant for pollinators, so if you’re looking for annuals that will benefit the wildlife near you, this is a great pick. “If your plants are tall when planting, cutting back by a third encourages them to bush out and produce a mound of blooms,” shares Horticultural Consultant Peter Lickorish. 3) Hyacinth Bean BOTANICAL NAME: Lablab purpureus HARDINESS RATING: H1C PLANT TYPE: perennial / climber FLOWERS: purple and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn A unique perennial, Lablab purpureus bears white and purple pea-like blooms from August when planted in June. More commonly referred to as the hyacinth bean, this climbing perennial should be grown indoors in the UK for the majority of the year, as any cold weather will damage the plant, especially if sown directly into the ground. If you still want to enjoy these blooms in your garden the following year, I’d recommend planting hyacinth beans in pots so you can easily move them to a warmer location after the summer months. 4) Common Foxglove BOTANICAL NAME: Digitalis purpurea HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: biennial FLOWERS: purple FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Foxglove is a popular flower for wildlife gardens, as bees and butterflies love the beautiful, tubular purple flowers they share in the late summer months. Provided you are not growing from seed, you can plant foxglove in June for flowers that will appear the same year in most locations. If you’re growing them from seed, you will need to wait until the following year for them to flower, due to their two-year lifecycle. I personally think this biennial looks wonderful when planted out in a wildflower meadow with other low-maintenance flowering plants. 5) Poached Egg Flower BOTANICAL NAME: Limnanthes douglasii HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: white and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn One of my favourite annuals on this list, the poached egg flower is a hardy annual that produces bowl-shaped flowers with white tips and a yellow centre. When grown in full sun, Limnanthes douglasii produces flowers from late summer right up until the first frosts. Plant this annual in your flower borders or beds or in mixed annual container displays for beautiful results. “If combined with lots of other plants, keep it near the front of a bed to let this diminutive plant shine,” suggests Peter. “Once sown, it may freely self-seed to form a frothy ground-cover carpet.” 6) Jasmine Tobacco BOTANICAL NAME: Nicotiana alata HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: pink, green and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Beloved by pollinators, jasmine tobacco produces beautifully scented star-shaped blooms from August when sown in June. This plant can reach up to 1.5m in height and is best grown in a sheltered position where it can be protected from strong winds. A short-lived perennial, you can use jasmine tobacco as a bedding plant or your flower borders or beds. 7) Sunflower BOTANICAL NAME: Helianthus annuus HARDINESS RATING: H4 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: brown and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer June is not too late to plant sunflower seeds in your garden. In fact, it’s a great time to do it, as any cold weather should have completely passed! Growing up to a huge 4m in height (if sown early enough) I think sunflowers look best planted in a garden border or against a wall. Make sure you are correctly supporting your sunflowers so that there is no risk of their stems getting damaged – this is one of the most common ways in which sunflowers can fail to flower. 8) Blue Eryngo BOTANICAL NAME: Eryngium planum HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: blue FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn With unusual blue stems, spiky silvery leaves and clusters of tiny flowers that are surrounded by blue spiny bracts, blue eryngo is a great choice for the avant-garde gardener. This perennial will flower from August when planted out in June and can produce impressive blooms year after year. Blue eryngo needs to be planted in a sheltered position where it will receive full sun, and will look great in a traditional cottage garden planting scheme. “One of my favourite things about this plant is that it’s one of few plants which can be propagated by root cuttings in winter,” shares Peter. “Young plants produced this way may be ready for life in the big wide border by June.” 9) Dyer’s Tickseed BOTANICAL NAME: Coreopsis tinctoria HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Dyer’s tickseed is an annual that produces lovely red and yellow flowers in the late summer and autumn when planted out in June. It is a great choice for pollinators and wildlife-friendly gardens and also for growing in a wildflower meadow, as it is a relatively unfussy plant. You can also make use of the cut flowers in displays around your home, but I’d recommend letting them grow naturally so the bees can make use of them whilst they are in flower. 10) Orange Daylily BOTANICAL NAME: Hemerocallis fulva HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: orange and red FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Daylilies are great for June planting as they can become fully established over the winter months and then produce beautiful flowers the following summer. The orange daylily is no exception to this and will grow happily in most conditions year-round. This unfussy perennial will look great when planted with other perennials in a flower bed or can also be used for cottage garden planting. 11) Cardinal Flower BOTANICAL NAME: Lobelia cardinalis HARDINESS RATING: H3 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: red FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Cardinal flowers are one of my favourite plants for autumn flowering, as their deep red blooms look stunning against the fading autumn foliage of many other plants. However, they can be difficult to grow in a garden, since they love poorly-drained, loamy soil and will not grow well if these conditions are not met. So, if you have a pond or a patch of soil in your garden that tends to get waterlogged, these beautiful perennials will help to brighten those spaces. “Though they love moisture in summer, too much winter wet can kill these garden divas off, so consider lifting and potting over winter,” Peter advises. 12) Primrose Candelabra Hybrids BOTANICAL NAME: Primula Candelabra hybrids HARDINESS RATING: H5 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: varies FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer Producing small flowers in a range of different colours from bright orange to creamy yellow, candelabra primula hybrids are great for planting out in June for flowers the following spring. Preferring moist, acidic soil with a mix of clay or loam, these flowers are perfect if you are growing in garden soil that has an acidic pH. 13) False Bishop’s Weed BOTANICAL NAME: Ammi majus HARDINESS RATING: H6 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Ammi majus, often referred to as ‘false bishop’s weed’, is a hardy annual that produces lovely clusters of white flowers in the summer after planting. I love this plant – it is relatively unfussy about its conditions and its flowering umbels bring a bright, airy look to flower beds. Try growing Ammi majus from seed in a wildflower meadow display with other annuals for a beautiful summer-flowering spectacle. 14) Blanketflower BOTANICAL NAME: Gaillardia HARDINESS RATING: H4 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: red and yellow FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn Gaillardia is a lovely perennial that has frilly, daisy-like red and yellow flowers that can be seen as early as September when planted in June. As a half-hardy plant, you might need to keep an eye on these perennials over the cooler months of the year, and they will benefit from protective measures such as a layer of mulch placed around their stems in the winter. 15) Dahlia BOTANICAL NAME: dahlia HARDINESS RATING: varies PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: varies FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer Dahlias are stunning herbaceous perennials that are commonly grown for their showy flowers that bloom throughout the summer. There are cultivars in a multitude of colours and there are so many brilliant varieties that I couldn’t pick just one for this list. If you’re interested in planting dahlias in June, try ‘Waltzing Mathilda’, ‘Café au Lait’ or ‘Arabian Night’ for flowers that will not only delight you and your visitors, but the former will be adored by local pollinators too! 16) Greater Masterwort BOTANICAL NAME: Astrantia major HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: pink, green and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer The greater masterwort produces lots of tiny pink and white bracts that look like petals, creating bundles of flower-like heads that grow from stems that are usually around 60cm tall. If planted in June, this will give this perennial time to develop over autumn and winter so it can burst into colour the following year. Given its tolerance of light shade, you can use this plant to underplant large shrubs or other flowers – including on the edge of garden beds and herbaceous borders. 17) African Marigold BOTANICAL NAME: Tagetes erecta HARDINESS RATING: H2 PLANT TYPE: annual FLOWERS: yellow, orange and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn A frost-tender annual, the African marigold produces glorious double flowers that can be orange, white or yellow in colour. An easy-to-care-for plant once established, these blooms are suited to cottage gardens or for their own potted displays. Marigolds are often used as companion plants because of their ability to attract and ‘trap’ pest species in the garden. However, I’d recommend growing these plants next to paths or doorways so you can enjoy their fragrant flowers and foliage during their flowering season. 18) Christmas Rose BOTANICAL NAME: Helleborus niger HARDINESS RATING: H7 PLANT TYPE: perennial FLOWERS: pink and white FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring A seasonal classic to conclude these June-planting flowers, the Christmas rose is a delightful, fully hardy perennial that can be planted in early summer for flowers in the following winter. Producing gorgeous bowl-shaped flowers with white petals tinged in pink, Helleborus niger needs to be grown in part shade in a sheltered location. Try growing this plant underneath large shrubs or in flower borders with other shade-loving perennials.
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10 Wonderful White Flowering Trees For Blockbuster Garden Displays
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Robinia pseudoacacia 2) Aesculus californica 3) Crataegus monogyna 4) Catalpa bignonioides 5) Syringa reticulata 6) Cornus kousa 7) Malus sylvestris 8) Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’ 9) Cercis canadensis f. alba ‘Royal White’ 10) Prunus × yedoensis ‘Somei-Yoshino’ References Trees with white flowers are an unmistakable focal point of any garden. Depending on the type of tree and its surroundings, it can evoke emotions of elegance, drama or romance. It’s no surprise then, that by planting one of the following trees from the list of recommendations I’ve compiled, you can bring some blockbuster beauty into your garden. When selecting a tree, be mindful of its dimensions when mature, its environmental requirements and how it will integrate with your existing display. If you get these criteria right, you are bound to have a magnificent head-turner in your space. 1) Robinia pseudoacacia COMMON NAME(S): black locust / false acacia HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer EXPECTED SIZE: 20-30m in height, 10-20m spread Despite the unpleasant connotations of its name, the Black Locust tree is a beauty to behold. A native of North America, it has been naturalised in the UK for almost 4 centuries and copes well with our temperate climate, bringing stately grace through its clusters of white flowers in May and June, which are a magnet to bees.1 Later, in autumn, its seed pods will also draw in hummingbirds. It can grow to anywhere between 10-30m tall, though vigorous pruning will keep it in check if need be. However, it does boast a prodigious growth rate, leading some to classify it as a weed outside of its home environment. You should also be aware that its branches can bear sharp bracts that are capable of tearing clothes. “This tree has a tendency to die back and drop branches, so it is best to not plant it near a path or seating area,” shares Horticultural Consultant Dan Ori. 2) Aesculus californica COMMON NAME(S): california buckeye HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer EXPECTED SIZE: 8-12m in height, 10-18m spread This medium-sized tree shouldn’t exceed more than 12m in height and can resemble a shrub due to its growth habits. As such, it’s the perfect choice for slightly smaller spots which are simply in need of filling out. The flowers, which burst forth every spring and last all the way through summer, are robust conical creations that are largely white in colour, but with yellow throats that turn pink later in the season. California Buckeye trees also bear conkers and fruit. 3) Crataegus monogyna COMMON NAME(S): common hawthorn / hedgerow thorn HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring EXPECTED SIZE: 4-8m in height, 4-8m spread Hawthorns are another medium-sized specimen, with the common hawthorn reaching a slightly smaller height than the Californian Buckeye. Their flowers are daintier in their dimensions, with a profusion of small white blossoms appearing in spring and giving way to red berries in the summertime. These splashes of colour, alongside the fact that the foliage on a Hawthorn tree often begins life as a reddish-brown before maturing to green, make it ideal for adding extra tones to your garden’s palette. Like the Black Locust, it can also have spiny branches, so take care when handling it or passing nearby, and be on the lookout for signs of powdery mildew since Hawthorns are highly susceptible to this disease. 4) Catalpa bignonioides COMMON NAME(S): indian bean tree / catawba HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer EXPECTED SIZE: 10-18m in height, 6-12m spread The Indian Bean Tree goes by many names, including the common Catalpa and the Southern Cigar tree. Whatever you call it, it’s an impressive specimen which can grow nearly as wide as its height – up to almost 20m at full maturity in optimum conditions. The tree is remarkable for its heart-shaped foliage and its trumpet-like blooms, which won’t blossom for the first six or seven years after planting, but should appear regularly thereafter. They’re mostly white but do have yellow and pink ornamental colourings at their epicentre. As they like to spread their limbs and because the petals and seedpods are prone to falling to the ground, it is advisable to plant them away from buildings and walkways. 5) Syringa reticulata COMMON NAME(S): japanese tree lilac HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer EXPECTED SIZE: 6-8m in height, 4-6m spread One tree which is good for lining pathways is the Japanese Tree Lilac. In my experience, this tree never exceeds 10m in height, but it’s an obedient creature and can be easily kept in line if you wish to restrict its growth further. It also provides good density, making it an ideal screening option. The panicles of soft, feathery flowers appear in May and ooze an exquisite aroma, which is another string to its bow. These blossoms are complemented by the dark green foliage behind them which, along with its attractive bark and olive tree-like dimensions, makes it a highly sought-after specimen. 6) Cornus kousa COMMON NAME(S): kousa / Szechuan strawberry HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer EXPECTED SIZE: 4-8m in height, 4-8m spread Kousa Dogwood is another tree of relatively modest dimensions, rarely surpassing 10m in height. It also has eye-catching architecture, with its slender trunk suddenly giving way to a profusion of tangled branches, making it resemble a bouquet of flowers or a collection of balloons. Its aesthetic qualities are at their most powerful in the summer months when the delicate flowerheads, composed of interestingly shaped white petals, cover its foliage at will. It is disease resistant and hardy in most climates but, like others on this list, can be susceptible to powdery mildew. 7) Malus sylvestris COMMON NAME(S): crab apple / wild crab HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring EXPECTED SIZE: 8-12m in height, 4-8m spread Crab apples are a diverse species, with cultivars available in a range of sizes and shades. That means those gardeners in search of one which produces white flowers should have no trouble in satisfying their requirements, regardless of the space available to them. For the best results, select one which doesn’t succumb to disease easily. Whichever specific Crab apple you opt for, you’ll be richly rewarded with a sturdy tree that offers an intriguing triangular shape and a strong blooming habit. As an added bonus, it also produces fruit which lasts through the year up to winter and will be a welcome source of sustenance for birds once the weather turns. 8) Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’ COMMON NAME(S): Natchez crape HARDINESS RATING: H3 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn EXPECTED SIZE: 4-8m in height, 4-8m spread This Lagerstroemia was specifically engineered to be more resistant to powdery mildew in the US, with its name a nod to the indigenous tribes in the area of its provenance.2 It will handle UK temperatures just fine, but be aware that it may not flower strongly in weaker summers. Having said that, even a barren blooming season is not a cause for despair with a Natchez Crape. That’s because it’s lauded for its fine architectural shape, textured bark and, best of all, the stunning collage of colours it runs through in the autumn months. If the flowers blossom, so be it, but they’re not the be-all and end-all for this smaller option. 9) Cercis canadensis f. alba ‘Royal White’ COMMON NAME(S): white-flowered eastern redbud ‘royal white’ HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring EXPECTED SIZE: 4-8m in height, 4-8m spread Another option on the smaller side, the ‘Royal White’ Redbud doesn’t usually grow past 8m, though it might reach that height in a surprisingly short time due to its vigorous growth habit. Its pleasing architectural shape is reminiscent of a vase, which is apt because of the gorgeousness of the flowers it bears. Interestingly, ‘Royal White’ Redbuds don’t bear flowers and foliage at the same time. This means that when in bloom, its delicate white blossoms will completely cover its spindly branches, giving it a truly unique appearance. Later, when these have faded, they’ll be replaced by heart-shaped leaves that are just as easy on the eyes. 10) Prunus × yedoensis ‘Somei-Yoshino’ COMMON NAME(S): Yoshino cherry / Japanese flowering cherry HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring EXPECTED SIZE: 5-10m in height, 5-10m spread Yoshino is a species of Japanese Cherry Blossom which is everything you could want and more in a tree of this kind. It’s a knockout addition to any garden, with its foliage starting life with red hues that soften to green, whilst its flowers appear before many of its counterparts in March or April. The subtle almond fragrance they exude completes the package. Yoshino Cherry Trees normally grow to about 10m in height and spread and they aren’t fussy about the type of soil you give them or the diseases which try to bring them down. They do, however, demand at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day, so make sure your specimen is planted in an appropriate location. References 1. Robinia pseudoacacia. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30034699-2 2. Gilman, E., & Watson, D. (1993, November). Lagerstroemia x ‘Natchez.’ US Forest Service. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/lagxe.pdf
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20 Exceptional Evergreen Climbers With Options For Every Garden
IN THIS GUIDE 1) Akebia quinata 2) Ceanothus americanus 3) Clematis armandii 4) C. cirrhosa 5) Cotoneaster 6) Euonymus fortunei 7) Garrya elliptica 8) Hedera colchica 9) H. helix 10) Holboellia latifolia 11) Hydrangea seemannii 12) Lonicera henryi var. subcoriacea 13) L. japonica 14) Muehlenbeckia complexa 15) Passiflora caerulea 16) Pileostegia viburnoides 17) Pyracantha 18) Solanum crispum 19) Stauntonia hexaphylla 20) Trachelospermum jasminoides References If you are looking for an evergreen climber for your garden then look no further, because I’ve compiled a list of 20 great options for you to consider. While not every option will necessarily suit every garden, situation and aspect, you should find something that will suit your needs below. 1) Akebia quinata COMMON NAME(S): chocolate vine / akebia HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH This rather unusual climber, also known as the chocolate vine, could be an evergreen climber option for warmer and more sheltered gardens in the British Isles. The exotic reddish-maroon flowers have a spicy fragrance and are most colourful when grown in a location in full sun. If the summer is particularly warm, then after the flowers can come large, sausage-shaped fruits. These fruits are edible, though with a rather insipid taste.1 The soft young shoots of the plants are also edible and are used in salads.2 2) Ceanothus americanus COMMON NAME(S): Indian tea / mountain sweet / wild snowball HARDINESS RATING: H7 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: sand or loam; any pH With stunning blue flowers that are occasionally pink or white, C. americanus offers several evergreen options for your garden. Though these are wall shrubs rather than climbers, they look wonderful trained against a wall or fence. There are options which bloom in spring, summer or autumn. One option, for example, is the AGM-winning variety ‘Cascade’, which, like other ceanothus, has beautiful blooms and looks lovely against a sunny and sheltered south-facing wall or fence. 3) Clematis armandii COMMON NAME(S): armand clematis HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring SUNLIGHT: full sun SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; alkaline to neutral pH This large and vigorous evergreen climber is a clematis with star-like creamy flowers borne in the spring from March to April. These blooms have an almond-like fragrance. This is another option that will do well in full sun in a sheltered spot out of drying winds. This climber will also do best in a position with a south or west-facing aspect, in moist but well-drained soil. It can grow around 5m tall with a spread of around 3m once it reaches maturity if it is happy in the location in which it is positioned. 4) C. cirrhosa COMMON NAME(S): evergreen clematis HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring SUNLIGHT: full sun SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, loam, sand; any pH This clematis is also evergreen and grows to around 3m tall with a spread of up to 2.5m. The flowers it produces in late winter and early spring are around 6.5cm across and are a creamy yellow shade, sometimes with red mottles inside. These are then followed by silky seed heads that are also extremely ornamental. This is another climber that prefers a position in full sun, with a south or west-facing aspect. It will flower best in a position that is as warm and sheltered as possible. In colder areas, it might also be grown in a container and overwintered undercover. 5) Cotoneaster COMMON NAME(S): cotoneaster HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH Though cotoneasters are not truly climbers, a number of species can be coaxed to cover walls or fences and can look lovely when pinned into place and enticed to do so. C. horizontalis is the species that is most commonly used for this purpose, but this can be an invasive plant, so opting for a different cotoneaster could be a better choice. For example, you might consider the AGM awarded C. conspicuus ‘Decorus’, also known as the Tibetan cotoneaster, which is also suitable as a wall shrub. “Cotoneaster looks great trained vertically and forms a tight structure with its branches,” shares Colin Skelly, a Horticultural Consultant. “They may lose most of their leaves by the end of the winter but will quickly return in spring. “Their flowers are a valuable resource for pollinators early in the season but its red berries are also popular with birds in autumn.” 6) Euonymus fortunei COMMON NAME(S): spindle / winter creeper HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH These extremely popular evergreen shrubs are climbing if planted against a wall and are a popular choice for year-round colour and appeal in UK gardens. There are several different cultivars to choose from, including popular variegated varieties such as ‘Emerald Gaiety’ and ‘Silver Queen’. Plant these Euonymus in full sun or, better yet, partial shade, in moist but well-drained soil and you will find they make an excellent foliage plant year-round and nicely cover a wall or fence. 7) Garrya elliptica COMMON NAME(S): silk tassel bush / fever bush HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): winter / spring SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH Also known as the silk tassel bush, this is an impressive wall shrub or small tree that can grow to 4.5m tall in milder gardens. The leaves are a dark green on top and felted grey underneath. Long, greyish-green catkins appear in January and February, bringing interest early in the year. Plant this against a wall with any aspect, in full sun or partial shade. However, make sure that the soil is well-drained, as even though it is unfussy about certain things, this plant cannot cope with waterlogged soil. 8) Hedera colchica COMMON NAME(S): Persian ivy HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): autumn / winter SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH Persian ivy is a self-clinging climber that is extremely vigorous and can spread over a large area. It has dark green leathery leaves that are up to 20cm in length and small yellowish-green flowers that are followed by black berries. This type of ivy can grow in a range of conditions, but will thrive especially in a humus-rich and fertile alkaline soil. It can be a versatile option, growing well in anything from full sun to deep shade. Just make sure that you grow it in a place where it will not damage the materials on which it grows. 9) H. helix COMMON NAME(S): common ivy / ivory / bindwood HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): autumn SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH Another ivy, of course, is common ivy, also known as English ivy. This is another vigorous and self-clinging climber with glossy evergreen leaves. Often, those leaves have pale, white veins and they may also have autumn colour or variegation. Once mature, plants can cover extremely large areas and bushy, non-clinging branches will be produced, which have diamond leaves and flower clusters of greenish-yellow flowers that are followed by autumn berries. 10) Holboellia latifolia COMMON NAME(S): broad-leaved sausage vine HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH A more unusual and perhaps less familiar evergreen climber is the broad-leaved sausage vine. Vigorous and quick when climbing over walls or fences with its glossy green leaves, sometimes tinged purple-bronze in new growth, it can produce fragrant flowers in spring. The flowers are made up of greenish-white males and purplish females, all with an elongated sausage-like shape. This can be grown on a wall with any aspect, even in the deep, cool shade, but they will not produce flowers successfully without some sun. 11) Hydrangea seemannii COMMON NAME(S): seemann’s hydrangea HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: clay, loam, sand; any pH A woody evergreen wall shrub with aerial roots and thick, leathery leaves around 15cm long, this climbing hydrangea bears attractive white flowers and bracts with domed heads in the summer. Though these climbers will tolerate only a few degrees of frost, they can cope in many UK gardens, as long as the soil is well-drained and has plenty of well-rotted organic matter. 12) Lonicera henryi var. subcoriacea COMMON NAME(S): Henry’s honeysuckle HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH This vigorous honeysuckle can grow up to 8 metres long. It has dark green lanceolate leaves and red and yellow tubular flowers which are borne in the summer months and are followed by black berries. It will grow in full sun but will do best in partial shade when it is provided with an east, north or west-facing aspect. This climber requires fertile and well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. 13) L. japonica COMMON NAME(S): Japanese honeysuckle / gold and silver flower HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: clay or loam; any pH Another evergreen honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle is even more vigorous and large, growing to around 10m in height. It has dark green leaves up to around 8cm long and bears its blooms over a long period from spring to late summer. The flowers are very fragrant, white, ageing to yellow and purple flushed, and are followed by bluish-black ornamental berries. Again, this climber grows best in part shade, but can tolerate full sun as long as the soil is moist but free-draining and fertile. 14) Muehlenbeckia complexa COMMON NAME(S): necklace vine / Australian ivy HARDINESS RATING: H3 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, loam, sand; any pH Also known as ‘Necklace Vine’ or ‘Australian Maidenhair Vine’, this climber has small evergreen leaves that it can keep year-round in a suitably mild and sheltered position. Creating dense tangles of slender, wiry stems, the plant can spread up to 3m wide. Grow this climber in full sun or light shade with shelter from cold winds in moist but well-drained soil. This plant is H3 hardy, so is really only an option for year-round growing in a mild or a coastal part of the UK. 15) Passiflora caerulea COMMON NAME(S): blue passion flower / blue crown HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, loam, sand; any pH Another option for milder gardens, or to bring undercover to overwinter indoors, is the blue passion flower. This is a very quick-growing and vigorous climber and care is required, as it may be too vigorous and even invasive in some locations. However, it is not only a dramatic and impressive ornamental with summer flowers but also bears edible fruits thereafter, so it could be well worth considering. It may only be semi-evergreen in some locations but can be fully so in milder areas. 16) Pileostegia viburnoides COMMON NAME(S): climbing hydrangea HARDINESS RATING: H5 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SUNLIGHT: any SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH This is a slow-growing, self-clinging climber that can eventually reach 8m in height with a spread of 1.5m. It has narrow, oval leaves that are around 15cm long and bears panicles of small, white flowers in summer and into autumn. This is a versatile evergreen climber that can grow in full shade, partial shade or full sun. It can grow on a wall which has any aspect, as long as it does not get very cold and the soil is fertile and well-drained. 17) Pyracantha COMMON NAME(S): firethorn HARDINESS RATING: H6 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: all soil types; any pH Pyracanthas can often make excellent evergreen wall shrubs to cover a wall or fence. They are well known for their pretty flowers and for the attractive red, orange or yellow berries they bear throughout autumn and winter. Pyracantha wall shrubs can be great choices for cities as they are tolerant of pollution. They work well in full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained fertile soil. 18) Solanum crispum COMMON NAME(S): potato tree HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn SUNLIGHT: full sun SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, clay, sand; alkaline to neutral pH This climbing shrub can also be evergreen or semi-evergreen in milder areas, though will lose its leaves in colder gardens. Large and vigorous, it has ovate leaves and fragrant purple flowers with yellow at the centre that are borne in summer in large, open clusters. This wall shrub will do best in moist but well-drained soil that has an alkaline or neutral pH. Grow it in full sun with shelter from cold and drying winds. An east or south-facing aspect is best. 19) Stauntonia hexaphylla COMMON NAME(S): stauntonia vine HARDINESS RATING: H3 FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, loam, sand; any pH Stauntonias are vigorous evergreen climbers that can also work well in milder UK gardens. This option bears fragrant pink flowers that are 2cm long, which can sometimes be followed by edible purplish fruits that grow to around 5cm across. Grow this climber in any aspect, in full sun or partial shade. Ensure the soil it grows in is well-drained and place it in a sheltered position that is as mild as possible, as this option is only H3 hardy. 20) Trachelospermum jasminoides COMMON NAME(S): star jasmine / Chinese ivy HARDINESS RATING: H4 FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer SUNLIGHT: full sun / part shade SOIL REQUIREMENTS: chalk, loam, sand; any pH Last but certainly not least, you might consider star jasmine. This evergreen climber is a favourite for milder gardens and also for conservatory or greenhouse cultivation, with dark green leaves that turn bronze in winter and white fragrant flowers that are borne from mid to late summer. It should be grown in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade, with shelter and protection from cold, drying winds, or indoors in full light out of the direct sun. The options above are, of course, not your only choice, but if you are looking for evergreen climbers, then checking out those listed above is a great place to start. References 1. Akebia quinata. (n.d.). North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/akebia-quinata/ 2. Akebia quinata. (n.d.-b). The Agroforestry Research Trust. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/product/akebia-quinata/
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