Gaura - like dancing butterflies

Gaura
Onagraceae

This is a genus of annuals, biennials and perennials. They produce tall, flexible stems, topped with spires of delicate white, pink or red flowers, giving the plant an airy appearance.
To succced with the beautiful plants they require fertile soil with good drainage.
do not cut them back for the winter and in April cut to the ground do not pull out thinking they are dead. They are herbaceous and reappear from ground level.

Gaura lindheimeri "Chiffon"

Gaura lindheimeri

Gaura lindheimeri "RosyJane"

Gaura lindheimeri "Ruby Ruby"

This variety was our first breeding selection which we now use as bloodline for other varieties. It is a good arching variety with good flowering season, and is of medium height. The soft pink colour makes it ideal for planting in mixed borders with grasses or perennials.







The G.lindheimeri specie has been used as the backbone of a lot of breeding. It is possible to grow this from seed, but as with all seed grown plants there is some variability which is a trait that breeders like to use as you never know what will appear.
An excellent garden plant for borders or containers.



                                  
                                                
Onto our first colour breakthrough the wonderful picotee edged Rosyjane. The usual colour for these plants is a solid flower colour. This plant has raised the profile of Gaura as good garden worthy plants.
Excellent as a stand alone planting or in mixed borders or containers, it is a tall variety. Now available worldwide.





Following on from Rosyjane we then produced this lovely, deep ruby coloured flowering variety with purple foliage, Ruby Ruby.
As growers of perennials we prefer elegant plants to squat dwarf varieties and Ruby Ruby is a smaller form but still has the elegance and beauty of the swaying flower stems.

 

 

 

 

Our newest Breeding to be launched at Chelsea Flower Show 2014 Look out for this beauty available May 2014.

 

 

 

 

Gaura lindheimeri "Freefolk Rosy"

Another rarely offered specie is G.sinuta which is amazingly tall and upright in habit. This form is again pure white and flowers continuously all summer. It makes large clumps and does come true from seed.
We are using this bloodline for some of our other breeding to get good tall upright varieties which have different flower colour.

Gaura sinuata

Verbascum summer spikes

Verbascum hybrids
Scrophulariaceae

Mullein produce tall flower spikes during early or mid-summer. Recently, many new varieties have been bred, giving a wide range of colours including white, yellow, gold, tan, purple, pink and red.
There are about 300 species of annuals, biennials and short-lived perennials, native mainly to Europe and Turkey, where they grow on poor, dry soils or recently disturbed ground.

   

Verbascum (Cotswold Group) "Cotswold Beauty" AGM

Verbascum (Cotswold Group) "Gainsborough" AG

Verbascum have a bad reputation if they are the large grey leaved biennials which can become a nuisance if allowed to seed around. Most hybrids that are perennial are also sterile so division or root cuttings are the way to multiply them.
Cotswold beauty has green leaves and can tolerate part shade.

Verbascum "Freefolk Yellow"

Verbascum "Hardy's Gold"

Gainsborough has grey green leaves and is a variety that prefers a sunny aspect with free draining soil. If you want re-blooming then cut off the first flowers early.
This is a very beautiful pale yellow variety that looks superb planted with grasses.









Freefolk yellow is one of our own selections with much larger individual flowers than its parent chaixii.



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Hardy's Gold is a selection from phoeniceum hybrids and as such is a short lived perennial.
The phoeniceum hybrids are a seed selection and are many biennial to short lived perennial, they have large flowers on short stems 45-60cm maximum.







Verbascum chaixii album is a variety that is perennial and will also seed true to type. It can be grown in most gardens in any position.
Kynaston on the other-hand is a grey leaved perennial form from the sandy soils of Formby, Lancashire. A very statuesque plant.

Verbascum chaixii Album

Verbascum "Kynaston"

Paeonia a few flambyount flowers!

Paeonia lactiflora and hybrids
Paeoniaceae

Peonies are elegant perennials, with flowers available in a wide range of types and colours, from a basic single bloom, to fully double varieties with over 100 petals per flower.                                   
There are up to 45 herbaceous and shrubby species, mainly native to Europe and Asia, although two unique species only grow in northwestern America.

Most herbaceous cultivars grow best in full sun, with well-drained soil, although some prefer a degree of shade and requirements of the species may vary..

Paeonia lactiflora "Bowl of Beauty"

Paeonia "Coral Charm"

Paeonia "Clare de Lune"

Bowl of Beauty is one of the anemone centred types with larger outer ring of petals and the wonderful centre. This form is highly scented.

Paeonia lactiflora "Dinner Plate"

Paeonia lactiflora "Doreen"

Paeonia lactiflora "Elsa Sass"

If you want something with a slightly different colour than Coral Charm will do it. These are large blooms and it is advisable to stake them.










Of the single hybrids Clare de Lune has to be one of the best. It starts off with creamy/yellow buds opening to cream/white with a large yellow centre. This is always a show stopper.







If my food always looked as yummy as this Dinner Plate I don't think there would be any complaints. A good slightly later flowering form.








This is quite a tall single flowered form which is free flowering. It is definitely bright and flamboyant.











There are a few varieties like Elsa Sass which have splodges of contrasting colour on the petals. they look a little bit like raspberry split ice cream?








Mother's choice is a very highly scented variety and makes a good present for Mother's day.

Paeonia lactiflora "Mother's Choice"

 Paeonia lactiflora "Duchesse de Nemours"

Some expensive beauties.....

Paeonia Itoh Hybrids

These are a cross between the tree paeony and herbaceous paeony.
The plants carry the most exquisite large blooms on a much more compact shrub. The new growth will start either from ground level each spring or from low down on the old wood. So pruning occurs in the spring to the buds visible.

Paeonia Lemon Dream"

Paeonia "Shining Light"

Paeonia "Cora Louise"

Paeonia "Hillary"

Paeonia "Bartzella'

Paeonia "Copper Kettle"

Paeonia "Scarlet Heaven"

The RHS did an excellent article on these amazing Paeonia crosses explaining the breeding and when the first varieties were produced, I will not plagiarize it but ask you to search it out on their website.
Why are they so expensive you may ask. It is all to do with the time and effort that goes into both the breeding and subsequent growing of the plants.
Although once planted in the garden they are quite an easy plant to grow and look after, it is the nurturing of them in their first years that takes time. Most plants will be in their fifth year of growth by the time they get to being saleable.

This group of Paeonia are certainly worth every penny.


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A little shade is good

VERONICA gentianoides
Plantaginaceae

Veronica gentianoides Dark Form

Veronica gentianoides "Tissington White"

Veronica gentianoides x intermedia

These very floriferous spring flowers have basal leaf clumps that are semi- evergreen. They are naturally from edge of woodland species liking soils with a high humus content and semi shade. Split clumps regularly to avoid the centre of the plant dying out.
This dark blue form has much narrower  very dark green leaves in comparison to any of the other varieties.


 The variety "Tissington White" was launched and named by Hardy's in 1991. This form has large mid green leaves and the individual florets are nearly twice the size of any other variety. It is very pale blue with dark blue anthers and blue veining to the petals. It originated in Derbyshire.






This form is one of the few that can be seed raised however there can be quite a bit of difference in the seedlings. Once you have a good form I advise vegetative propagation to keep the true clone. This is often misnamed as "Tissington White" but its flowers are smaller and bluer. It also is the last of the varieties to flower being 2 weeks later than most.



You may not notice it, but there is a perfume from these plants if only slight but enough for the early pollinators to notice. The dark form is the strongest and this is also the earliest to bloom.
Good ground cover plants in part shade.

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Shade loving plants some to start with..

Polygonatum - Asparagaceae
Common name- Solomons Seal
Solomon’s Seal is a genus of woodland perennials, which can be either clump-forming or ground-covering. They produce clusters of green-white, hanging flowers beneath their arching stems, followed by blue, black or red berries.

Polygonatum commutatum

Polygonatum x hybridum "Striatum"

Polygonatum multiflorum

"Striatum" is often mislabelled as variegatum and conversely p.falcatum variegatum is misapplied to this variety. True stratum has this cream striated variegation to its leaves. The falcatum variegated form only has a cream line around the edge of the leaf.







There are many other Polygonatum varieties available but these are the most widely available due to being the easiest to establish in British gardens.







Maianthemum (Formerly Smilacina) - Aspargaceae

These are hardy plants that make excellent ground cover in a shady spot. They are also grown for their clusters of tiny, scented flowers and subsequent berries.

Maianthemum stellatum

This small woodland plant makes excellent ground cover. The small star-like flowers contrast well with the mid green glossy leaves. Unlike a lot of the other varieties the perfume is insignificant.

Mainathemum racemosum

This is the most highly perfumed form of these plants and makes wonderful clumps in humus rich woodland. Once the clumps are well established division in autumn is the best way of propagating them.
Many other choice varieties are available but you will have to search these out.
There is a hybrid form being sold under the label racemosum and it does not have the reliability of flower or plant strength of the true form. As it starts to grow you can see the leaf and stem structure is not as robust.





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Glorious Geums

Geum- Rosaceae
Common name -Avens sometimes water-avens

Avens produce large quantities of flowers in late spring and early summer. The colour range is usually limited to shades of yellow, orange or red.
About 50 species are to be found around the world, in the cooler regions of Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and New Zealand. Most species are found on moist, fertile soil in meadows or woodland, but some originate in open areas with poorer soil.
Most varieties prefer a humus-rich soil, although some are happier with better drainage. Sun is ideal for many, and increases flowering, although most will tolerate some shade.

Geum "Bellbank" has some of the largest flowers.

Geums have become popular in the last few years with many being offered as garden worthy plants.
There are many hybrids available the smaller growing forms tend to be hybrids of rivale or the water-avens.

Geum "Hannays" -Formerly Hannays double

These wonderfully dynamic plants are easy to grow in most garden conditions being incredibly tolerant.
This beautiful variety was bred by the wonderful nursery nursery in Bath called Hannay's. They do not exist any-more but were a must visit nursery in the 1980's as they had such an unusual collection of plants.

Geum trifolium an interesting specie

Geum "Lisanne" our newest one to the collection

Of the specie forms some are really not at all interesting for the gardener.
However this little gem is.
Triflorum has lovely nodding flower buds and the most amazing seedheads. The foliage is very divided and almost fernlike in appearance. this plant does not get very large and enjoys a sunny site.

Geum "Mango Lassi" so neat

Geum "Pink Frills"

Geum "Redwings"
 

Geum "Totally Tangerine" the Best!

I was very fortunate to be able to do a swap for this lovely Geum with the propagator Coen Jansen. A lady in his village in Holland gave him plant material, which he propagated and it was named after her daughter. I do like the plant world as people will swap material to other interested people.

Geum "Lemon Drops"

"Mango Lassi" is a compact growing form with a slightly differing habit. It produces neat clumps and the flowers are on wiry stems with the flower-heads gazing up to the sky.










"Pink Frills" has as near pink as is possible large blooms with the petal edges being indented giving that frilly appearance.









"Redwings" is one of the larger growing hybrids that is more of a mid summer flowering variety. The flower stems are at least 60cm but do have an arching habit. Most gardeners will find they have to prop the flowers up on this variety.













Geum "Totally Tangerine" this is the start of some really good breeding.
This is a cracking plant that starts to flower in late spring at about 40cm and continues to re-bloom throughout the year until probably November and beyond by which time it will be 180cm high.
This is in my top 5 plants.






Lemon drops is another spring flower and has delicate lemon flowers with bronze buds and sepals giving a good contrast.







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Granny's Bonnets?

Good old garden favourite with everyone, except after a few years of self seeding!!
Aquilegia are an easy plant for anyone to grow but dead-heading is essential to prevent a takeover situation and promiscuity on a large scale!!

Aquilegia 'Hensoll Harebell'

Aquilegia 'McKanna Hybrids'

Aquilegia buergeriana 'Calimero'

So who would not enjoy all the variations in size both of the flowers and plants. The jolly colour variations, along with the double varieties as well.

Some come with long spurs, or spurless.

Aquilegia 'Greenapples'

Aquilegia chrysantha 'Yellow Queen'

Aquilegia 'Nora Barlow'

Aquilegia 'Ruby Port'

Aquilegia 'William Guiness'

If you do not want to be overrun by young plants do deadhead by cutting off old flower stems before they get dry and brown. this way you will remove all the seed which tends to have a 100% germination rate!!




Old plants are possible to lift and split if you are wanting to keep true varieties. This is best done in autumn if you are on light soils or early spring on heavier soils..
There are alpine varieties which grow only 15-20cm both high and wide which prefer free draining soil and a sunny site. Aquilegia alpina, Aquilegia buergeriana 'Calimero' are just two such plants.
Most of the other varieties are 45-60cm flowering height with a spread about 45cm. These will tolerate part shade and the seedlings will grow anywhere they have not read the book??