The selection that’s in the spotlight this month as Garden Plant of the Month consists of three eye-catching stars in the range of hardy perennials. They’re
Tag: flowers
June garden plant of the month: Rose
Roses are undoubtedly the Queen of Flowers. With an incredible variety of shapes, colours and scents, garden roses are an essential plant in the garden. Enjoying the setting sun, sultry heat and the fabulous rose display on a lovely summer evening is the ultimate pleasure of roses in the garden! Who wouldn’t want that? The Garden Plant of the Month for June can provide it!
To suit every taste
The range of garden roses is incredibly large and can be different from the roses we know as cut flowers. There are many colours, scents and flower shapes, as well as various styles and growth habits. Bush roses, climbing roses, standard roses, espalier roses and ground-covering roses are common. Every garden rose has its own characteristics and can be used in many places in the garden. In the soil, in containers on the balcony or patio, or against a wall or fence.
Care
A couple of simple tips will keep garden roses healthy and beautiful.
- It’s important that they are placed in full sun with at least 6 hours of sunlight.
- Regularly water the plant when it’s been dry for a while outdoors, particularly if it’s just been planted in the soil or in a pot.
- Give the plants special rose fertiliser in the spring to ensure that they keep flowering profusely for a long time and remain healthy.
- Garden roses are generally very hardy when they are planted in the soil. In pots it’s best to provide winter protection with jute or bubble wrap.
- The best period for pruning is the end of February or beginning of March. It can also be done later, and the roses will then bloom later. It’s not a good idea to prune earlier, because young shoots can then be damaged by night frosts and the plant is more prone to fungal infections such as blackspot and mildew.
- Pruning depends on the type. Bush and standard roses should be cut back to 10 – 15cm above the soil or the trunk. For climbing roses, look particularly at the shape and height that the plant should grow to.
- Don’t be afraid to prune roses vigorously; the plants will produce new shoots and will then flower profusely in the spring and summer.
Pruning tips
Pruning is very important for roses. It helps them to grow well, produce many flowers and remain young and healthy.
More information about roses and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk
May’s Garden Plant of the Month: Woodland Sage
WOODLAND SAGE
A delight in your garden
One unusual feature is that Woodland Sage is one of the few garden plants with square stems. Honeybees, butterflies and dragonflies also love the plant because of its high nectar production so it’s safe to say that the Garden Plant of the Month for May is a blessing to your garden!
Woodland Sage is a member of the Salvia plant family that includes over 900 species. Unlike other varieties, this variant is a feast for the eyes rather than the stomach but is perfect for idyllic garden displays as the purple plumes sway elegantly in the wind.
More information, care tips and images of Woodland Sage can be found at Flowercouncil.co.uk.
April garden plant of the month: Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
For an instant injection of summer
Ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes and pots, and it also does very well in borders amongst other ground covering plants. Wherever you place them, their colourful trumpets perform a summer samba that lasts well into the autumn. Continue reading April garden plant of the month: Million Bells (Calibrachoa)
Plant of the Month: Azalea
A flowering Azalea is a source of endless delight. March is an excellent month to place your Azalea in the garden so that you can enjoy a truly explosive cascade of flowers from May onwards. Meet the Garden Plant of the Month for March! Continue reading Plant of the Month: Azalea
February Plant of the Month: Snowball (Viburnum)
Even when it’s not snowing, Viburnum brings snowballs to the garden – and if it does freeze, this garden plant stays green and brings an early spring-like invigoration into a garden lover’s garden!
Snowball is a diverse family of shrubs. There are species that remain green in winter, and semi-evergreen varieties and species that shed all their leaves. As compensation, they do grow sprays of white and pink flowers on the bare branches between November and March. Those flowers have a fabulous fragrance and are very frost-resistant: a spectacular combination.
Generally speaking, the later the shrub blooms, the larger the flowers will become. Snowball also either has a second flowering in the autumn or will produce lovely red, blue or black berries at that time of year. With foliage that also changes colour beautifully in autumn, this garden bloomer has something special to offer in every season.
More information about Snowball and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk.
You can find out about all our other plant-related categories on Flowercouncil.co.uk.
Plant of the month: Blue conifers
Blue conifers stands proud as the Garden Plant of the Month in January, and will also be in the spotlight all month on Thejoyofplants.co.uk. Continue reading Plant of the month: Blue conifers
Season of Magic at Blackhall St Columba’s
Edinburgh Floral Art Club
‘Season of Magic’ with Linda Souter
Friday 6 November at 2pm
Blackhall St Columba’s Church
September plant of the month: Heather
Heather heralds the arrival of Autumn
Heather: Nectar in the Autumn
In September, the summer flowers in the garden and on our terraces have peaked so now it’s heather’s time in the spotlight. Heather begins to flower in September and is a source of luscious late summer colour, and for this reason, it is Thejoyofplants.co.uk‘s Garden Plant of the Month of September.
Carpet
Heather (Calluna vulgaris) is a European classic and is native to the coastal areas of Western Europe, Great Britain and Ireland, as well as being one of Scotland’s most prolific plants. It grows in beautiful long shoots with shingled leaves and small symmetrical flowers. Its purple and pink flowers have a slightly weathered appearance and that gives both the plants and the countryside a tough and natural look. In the garden, the plants provide a hardy carpet that give a calm and authentic effect whilst in pots, heather becomes a robust eye-catcher.
Nectar
Heather will flower from September to early November. The flowers contain an abundance of nectar which enables the bees to have a quick restock before winter begins, thereby providing us with a plentiful supply of their delicious heather honey.
Pure Nature
Heather is a perennial plant that can survive 30-40 years in the wild. It is a little higher and less dense than other types of heath and this gives it a strong and natural appearance. In the wild, the purple and pink flowers create beautiful landscapes. In the garden, heather has the same effect, providing a wonderful contrast to the other green and variegated leaves, with its foliage deepening and intensifying as the year progresses.
Heathers are incredibly versatile and look fantastic in pots and rockeries, as well as providing stunning ground cover alongside flowering perennials and grasses in your flowerbeds.
Care Tips
- Heather loves the light – The more light it gets, the more beautiful the leaves.
- It is a natural survivor and can tolerate very little care and poor soil, but it does prefer well-drained, acidic conditions.
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Heather can be planted at any time of the year, provided the soil is not frozen, and should be pruned every year after flowering.
Interesting Facts
- The scientific name for heather is “Calluna vulgaris”. “Calluna” originates from the Greek word “kallune” which means “to clean” or “to brush” as the twigs were historically used to make brooms.
– Heather provides a great flavouring agent for beer, wine and tea – cheers!
– Heather is used in many cosmetics such as shampoos, lotions, bubble baths and perfumes.
– And finally, in the plant world, Heather symbolizes admiration and good luck!
Plant of the Month: Hebe
Here’s to the Hebe
Fancy giving your summer garden or terrace a boost? The Hebe is definitely the plant for you as it will introduce some sensational colour back into your garden. The Hebe, named after the Greek Goddess of Youth who served nectar and ambrosia to the gods, is deliciously versatile and is also incredibly popular, with gardeners and butterflies alike!
For this reason, Thejoyofplants.co.uk Garden Plant for the Month of August is the Hebe.
Cheerful butterflies
The Hebe is the ideal candidate to cover any dull spots in your summer garden and it will replace them with some much needed colour and vitality. The Hebe’s heavenly blooms will also keep your garden looking richer all the way through the summer months and well into October, enticing butterflies from far and wide to sample their stunning array of nectar filled flowers.
Plant with effect
The evergreen Hebe has numerous different species and their wide range of colourful flowers and decorative leaves will all add a great atmosphere and vivacity to your garden. You can create all kinds of interesting looks with Hebes – Why don’t you combine some white-flowered, shiny leaved Hebes with some paniculata hydrangeas in metallic containers to give that expensive, luxurious feel to your garden, or, if you would prefer to go for the untamed, wild effect, try planting a mixture of blue, violet and deep green Hebes into a variety of wooden pots and weathered containers.
Stay Green
Hebes are wonderfully easy to grow and maintain and they will thrive in most soil types. Their supreme versatility means that they can be planted almost anywhere, in containers, borders, and rockeries, and they will also grow in both sunny and shady areas. But most importantly of all, the enchanting evergreen Hebe will create interest and colour in your garden all year round.
