Gooseberry ‘Invicta’
Ribes uva-crispa 'Invicta' Common name: Gooseberry 'Invicta' For me this is one of the best gooseberries for reliable crops and trouble-free growth. It also has a decent flavour, especially when left until the fruit are fully ripe and have taken on a jewel-like translucency that makes them appear [...]
Fritillaria meleagris
Fritillaria meleagris Common name: Snake's head fritillary It's hard to describe the colour and pattern on the petals of these beautiful flowers which grow 'wild' in a few meadowland locations in the UK. And the luminosity of the blooms on a sunny spring day makes them appear [...]
Prunus ‘Cot ‘n’ Candy’ (Aprium series)
Prunus 'Cot 'n' Candy' (Aprium series) Common name: Hybrid apricot plum This hybrid between an apricot and a plum makes a smallish, but spreading tree with chunky, reddish-black branches that are clothed with pale pink blossoms in March. The green apricot-like foliage casts a pleasant dappled shade in [...]
Pulmonaria angustifolia ‘Azurea’
Pulmonaria angustifolia 'Azurea' Common name: Lungwort I first remember seeing this form of the lungwort at Beth Chatto’s garden in Essex when we visited as horticultural students from nearby Writtle College. It was then planted in an inspiring combo with Spirea ‘Gold flame’. The latter had been cut [...]
Variegated, or not variegated: that is the question
A walk around any garden centre at this time of year will reveal a number of variegated, evergreen shrubs and perennials that catch the eye. And on a recent trip to my branch of a national outlet, this Rhododendron 'Molten Gold' (above) did just that, though I'm not [...]
Helleborus foetidus
Helleborus foetidus Common name: Stinking hellebore The unappealing common name of this plant refers to the strong, pungent smell given off by the leaves when they are crushed. However the dark-green foliage is deeply and narrowly lobed making it a worthwhile and attractive addition to the garden all [...]
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