March’s plant of the month

March’s plant of the month is Helleborus argutifolius or the holly-leaved hellebore. It is an evergreen perennial which grows to 1 metre tall with stout stems with spiny toothed leaves. It has bowl-shaped, nodding, pale green flowers in large open clusters. It likes a sunny or partially shaded spot in a sheltered position in moist […]

February’s plant of the month

February’s plant of the month is the humble Snowdrop. Snowdrop or Galanthus are dwarf bulbous perennials with linear or strap-shaped leaves, and solitary, often honey-scented, nodding flowers with 3 white outer tepals and 3 smaller inner ones often marked with green. They grow to approximately 20cm in height, with broad, grey-bloomed, dark green pleated leaves and solitary […]

January’s plant of the month

January’s plant of the month is Mahonia japonica – an evergreen shrub which flowers in winter (one of the few that does!). It has leathery, spiny leaves so is good to use as a barrier plant. Fragrant yellow flowers, sometimes followed by black or purple berries. It will grow to a height of 1.5m in […]

December’s plant of the month

December’s plant of the month is Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’. This is a great plant for achieving structure and colour in winter. Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ is a deciduous, upright-growing shrub with dark green leaves. It bears clusters of small white flowers in spring and early summer, followed by small white berries. It is most commonly grown […]

November’s plant of the month

It’s November and here’s our plant of the month! It’s Hylotelephium ‘Herbstfreude’ also known as Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’ (Autumn Joy). ‘Herbstfreude’ is an herbaceous perennial forming a clump to 60cm in height. It has fleshy, oblong, glaucous green leaves and large flat terminal clusters of starry flowers in early autumn. The flowers open from greenish-pink buds, […]

October’s plant of the month

October’s plant of the month is the autumn flowering crocus or Crocus speciosus.  This is a small deciduous perennial which grows from a corm.  Also known as ‘Naked Ladies’ it has linear leaves usually with a silvery central stripe, and goblet-shaped, sometimes fragrant flowers which appear in autumn. Crocus speciosus has silvery lilac-blue flowers in […]

September’s plant of the month

September’s plant of the month is Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’.  This is a fabulous plant for brightening up the garden in early autumn. It grows in sun or shade with an abundance of elegant, cup-shaped, white flowers on tall stems.  It flowers from August to October. The leaves are dark green and semi-evergreen.  Best […]

August’s plant of the month

August’s plant of the month is Crocosmia. Crocosmia are deciduous cormous perennials with erect, sword-shaped leaves and branched spikes of showy, funnel-shaped flowers in summer.  They are a perfect addition to the late summer border providing pops of hot colours in yellows, oranges and reds.  They like moist but well drained soil in full sun or […]

July’s plant of the month

July’s plant of the month is Geranium ‘Rozanne’. Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is a vigorous spreading perennial which grows to height of 60cm tall.  It has neat, dense, lobed foliage and bowl-shaped violet-blue flowers with a white centre.  It blooms throughout summer to the first frosts in the autumn.  It likes a full sun or partially shaded […]

June’s plant of the month

June’s plant of the month is Allium ‘Purple Sensation’. Allium are bulbous herbaceous perennials with linear, strap-shaped or cylindrical basal leaves and star-shaped or bell-shaped flowers in an umbel on a leafless stem. ‘Purple Sensation’ is a perennial to 90cm, with short basal leaves dying down by flowering time. Flowers are small, vivid rosy-purple, in […]