Tag: Weekly HighlightsPage 2 of 3

Dahlia delight

Continuing to power up and produce fresh buds these showy, radiant Dahlia cultivars are not looking forward to the first frost. Appreciate them now and if the mood…

Early colour for autumn

The most incredible canopy of autumn colour is provided by the 12m x 12m spread of Crataegus jozana. Get under the canopy and appreciate the twisted form of…

A firebrand

A furry leaved favourite of the nursery supervisor. Holding its own in a warm corner of the back yard is Colquhounia aff. coccinea* Collected at altitude in Tibet…

The late Chestnut

Not having the stature of the ‘Conker Tree’, Aesculus hippocastanum, but with its multibranched habit and late flowering spikes Aesculus parviflora is of merit. Introduced in 1785 from…

A pastel blue for autumn

Stool this shrub, Caryopteris incana, back to a few buds in April just as growth begins and the reward at this time of year are arching shoots covered…

Autumn blues

Ceratostigma minus; a slow growing compact deciduous sub shrub from Western China. A compact package, it reaches 1.7 metres in height and slightly more in breadth. It is…

An uncommon tree

Maackia chinensis, a slow growing deciduous tree from Central and Southern China. It is tucked between the Palm House and Orchids and Cycad House where it enjoys a…

Bountiful harvest

In the Garden there are representatives of both the ‘Black Mulberry’ and the lesser grown relative the ‘White Mulberry’. With autumn comes the fruiting season and this year…

One for the sun

Reliable and bright; Echinacea purpurea appreciates a situation in full sun. Coming from the prairies of eastern North America it thrives in well drained dry soil. An herbaceous…

Mrs Popple admires her arborescent cousin

Providing exemplary late season colour are two members of the genus Fuchsia. Fuchsia ‘Mrs. Popple’ is a cultivar with upright growth covered in large red / purple pendulous…

Doff your hat

Don’t walk by. This plant deserves closer attention. Stop and admire the design of the flowers on Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’. Well deserving of the common name “Monkshood” the…

Honey for tea

In the sheltered border within the enclosed area between the tropical palm and orchid houses there is a heavy scent given off by the mass flowering of Myrceugenia…

Play money

The deciduous woody genus Dipteronia is known for its winged seeds. In the nursery is a superior form of Dipteronia sinensis. Collected in Sichuan province, China during 1997….

Glossy berries

The roots of Coriaria terminalis have a love of soil water sending sucker growth away from the woody root. Located through low altitude Asia where it grows on…

The Benmore Fernery

Nestled down in a natural gulley is the restored Victorian fernery. A stone face of immense proportion forms the south wall of the building. To the side can…

A fine reflexed Lilium

Lilium primulinum var. ochraceum native to Northern Vietnam where it was found growing on a limestone ridge above Ta Phin village at c.1000m. Thick rigid foliage set alternating…

Long shadows from prominent stamens

Another select South African plant from which Bill Burtt collected seed. The sturdy Crinum moorei has flowered for most of the month of August and looks good for…

Cool autumn mornings and distant Nerine

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 white flag as summer surrenders to autumn

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…

A gold storm heralding autumn

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…