Standing sentinel to the last days of autumn sunshine is Kniphofia linearifolia. This strong-growing member of the genus is native to southern and eastern Africa, where it has…
Eucryphia moorei produces attractive four-petalled white flowers. In the centre are a multitude of soft paintbrush bristle stamens. The flower is produced on the current season’s growth. From…
Phytolacca acinosa has thick, almost succulent stems. It grows strongly to 1.8 metres with lanceolate leaves. A mass of growth that wilts to mush when the frost arrives….
Celastrus orbiculatus, again from Japan, but found throughout N.E.Asia. This climbing deciduous member of the family Celastraceae can be seen twisting around the external glasshouse support frame, providing…
Mid October traditionally sees the start of the autumn colour. Until now a few trees have turned, notably Aesculus and Betula providing the traditional sound of walking and…
From Central Asia and the Himalayas Malus pumila is a diverse species; the domestic or sweet apple as it is known or paradise apple in France. Full of…
Amaryllis belladonna is a fine flowering bulb from Temperate South Africa. The purple shaded flower stalk grows rapidly to 0.5m from established bulbs. These prefer a well drained…
The autumn colours are developing in the Garden with an increasing presence. One of the regular performers is Cercidiphyllum japonicum, a multi-branched small tree native to China and…
Salvia confertiflora is a woody perennial with ridged angular stems. The leaves, soft and felt-like to the touch, are held opposite on the stem. This native of Brazil…
As the days shorten and the lawns are laden with dew so the South African bulbous perennial Nerine bowdenii shows its flowers. As regular as clockwork the sudden…
The group of Anenome x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ on the edge of the Herbaceous Border is full of white petalled flowers at the moment, taking the inevitable early…
Amongst the tallest growing herbaceous plants is Rudbeckia ‘Herbstsonne’, also known in the trade by the English translation, ‘Autumn Sun’. This old cultivar is really only suited to…
Take a look at the semi-tender perennials in the borders to the south of the Glasshouses Front Range. In one corner is the grey-leaved Salvia discolor, a woody…
Definitively formed and with no regard for spatial awareness the stamens on Clerodendrum trichotomum var. fargesii are a delight to observe. The red flower buds (calyx) are segmented…
Itea ilicifolia an expansive evergreen shrub collected by Ernest Wilson in Hubei Province at the relatively low altitude of 300 – 900 metres. Initially not thought to be…
This August to date we have had 172.2mm of rain. The average August rainfall in Edinburgh over the past 18 years is 54.9mm. The wettest day was Tuesday…
A member of the family Sapindaceae, native to C. and W. China laden with seed capsules, Dipteronia sinensis is a deciduous small tree found in Gansu and Sichuan…
The difference in flower shape arrived at through selection and breeding is well illustrated by comparing Hydrangea paniculata and the cultivar Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ where the panicles can…