Tag: plants

Garden plant of the month: Spruce

spruce0

We have long known the Spruce is the most popular Christmas tree. With its fine, slightly prickly needles it takes pride of place in many a living room. But the Spruce is also a popular evergreen conifer in the garden. Its attractive shape means that the Garden Plant of the Month for December can shape the whole look of the garden combined with other shrubs and conifers.

From big to small! 
The Spruce (Picea) is a hardy needle conifer that ranges in size from 50cm up to 50m. For those that produce cones, these will hang at the ends of the branches. This garden plant is often supplied without roots, and therefore needs to be placed on a wooden cross or metal stand. Increasingly we are seeing Christmas trees with rootballs and even miniature Spruces with an attractive conical form – Picea glauca ‘Conica’. The decorative value is determined by the arrangement of the branches bearing the needles (actually the leaves) and the tree’s shape. By placing the spruce in water, you can help prevent needle shed. The Spruce definitely shapes the look of a garden so it’s a good idea to plant a solitary tree which has room to grow.

Caring for the Spruce
Follow a couple of simple tips to keep the Spruce healthy and looking its best. Plant in a damp, moderately nutrient-rich, somewhat acidic soil –  the Spruce can tolerate both shade and full sun.

Replanting a Spruce with roots in the garden requires some care. When buying the Spruce, check that there is a sufficiently large rootball at the bottom of the tree, and preferably place the tree on a Christmas tree stand containing water and shrub food. Because the plants have been standing indoors in the warmth for three weeks, the transition outdoors is not always easy. A frost-free period is therefore important in order to allow the plant to root properly in the garden. Caring for miniature Christmas trees in the home is often much easier as long as you water the plant regularly and place it in a light spot. The cooler the spot, the longer the plant will continue to flourish.

Spruce pruning tips
With most Spruces, particularly the dwarf varieties, there’s no need to prune. If a larger Spruce is getting too big or too bare, prune the plant ideally in spring (April, May). Use ordinary hedge clippers for this and snip a few centimetres off the ends of the branches. This will keep the shape nicely symmetrical and bulk out the spindles.

More information about Spruce and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk.

spruce1

September’s Garden Plant of the Month: Fountain grass

Garden Plant of the Month for September: Fountain grass

grass1

Grasses are popular in the garden, particularly fountain grass. With its elongated leaves and flowering plumes, the Garden Plant of the Month for September looks fabulous in the garden or on the balcony. The curving and upward lines of this grass species are attractive to look at in both summer and winter. Fountain grass comes in multiple varieties, with shorter and longer plumes that can look great in your garden.

Attractive dark plumes

Fountain grass (Pennisetum) is a member of the big family of ornamental grasses. Fountain grass is also called foxtail grass. When you see the plant with its attractive dark plumes, you can understand where these names come from. The plant originates from Australia and East Asia. The brownish, cylindrical inflorescences can reach a length of 25 cm and flower from July to September. The plant’s waving plumes are particularly elegant in summer, but they are also decorative in winter when they’re covered in snow. Fountain grass is a pollen-forming grass species with long, elegant, flat leaves from which the plumes emerge. The Latin word Pennisetum is a combination of the words ‘penna’ (= feather) and ‘seta’ (= pig’s hair) and refers to these inflorescences.

Caring for fountain grass

Your fountain grass will remain healthy and attractive by following a couple of simple tips. The plant likes a sunny spot in the garden, but can also do well in partial shade. Make sure that the soil doesn’t dry out, particularly during lengthy periods of drought. However, the plant doesn’t like to have its roots wet all the time either. Although the plant is hardy, it can do with a bit of protection during a hard and extended period of frost. Leave exhausted plumes and leaves on the plant in the autumn and winter to act as protection, and only remove them in early spring (March). New leaves will then form, and plenty of new ‘brushes’ will grow in the summer.

Pruning tip for fountain grass

To ensure an attractive plant again in spring, it’s a good idea to cut the plant back to 20 cm above the ground after the winter at the start of March. It will then have provided its own protection through the winter with leaves and old plumes, and can start growing and freshly blooming again.

More information about fountain grass and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk

 

August’s garden plant of the month: Buddleia

GPOTM-August-2016-Butterfly-Bush_04-HR

There are few plants that attract butterflies like the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia). With its long plumes of flowers in fabulous colours, the Butterfly Bush is a real treasure in the garden. This garden plant also blooms up until early autumn, so keeps the garden looking colourful for longer.

A fantastic display of colour on and around the plant

The Butterfly Bush or Buddleia is an eye-catching deciduous shrub that flowers from July to October. The range of Butterfly Bushes is extensive, with fascinating colours in white, blue, pink or lilac. The size of the flowers range from 10 to 30cm, whilst the height varies from 0.50cm to over 4m! It’s handy to know this before planting in the garden.

One thing that all varieties have in common is that – as the name suggests – they all attract colourful butterflies, which are drawn by the flowers’ honey fragrance. Who doesn’t want butterflies in their garden? It provides the ultimate ‘garden feeling’ for both adults and children. Butterfly Bushes can be planted either in the soil or in pots and containers.

Care

A couple of simple tips will keep the Butterfly Bush healthy and beautiful:

  • It’s important that the plant is placed in the sunshine in partial shade – the Butterfly Bush likes the heat.
  • Place the plant in well-drained, moist soil and water it regularly.
  • Give the plants extra fertiliser in the spring to ensure that they keep flowering profusely for a long time and remain healthy.
  • If wilted flowers are removed, new flowers may form after 3-4 weeks, keeping the plant looking elegant for even longer.
  • Butterfly Bush is generally very hardy if it’s pruned at the right time. If it’s pruned too early in winter, the branches can freeze.

Pruning tips

  • It’s very important to cut back the Butterfly Bush. It helps it to grow well, produce many flowers and remain young and healthy. If the plant cannot be pruned, it can deprive other plants of sunshine. The branches can be quite chunky, so use good pruning shears or a wooden saw.
  • The best period for pruning is the end of February or beginning of March. It’s not a good idea to prune earlier than this because the branches can then freeze.
  • Tall varieties should be pruned back to knee height. The shorter varieties can be cut back even further. Don’t be afraid to prune Butterfly Bush vigorously; the plant will produce new shoots and will then bloom profusely in the spring and summer.
More information about Butterfly Bush and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk

Garden Plant of the Month: Panicle Hydrangea

GPOTM-July-panicle-hydrangea_01-HR

The panicle hydrangea has become one of the most popular garden plants. The plant immediately evokes old rustic farmhouses, where long rows of flowering hydrangeas stand alongside water. One unusual type of hydrangea is the panicle hydrangea – this flowers with a plume-shaped spray. White and pink varieties, which develop their colour as the flowering season progresses, are a particular treasure in the garden.

The panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) is the lesser-known of the ‘ordinary’ hydrangea you are familiar with. The panicle hydrangea is a strongly deciduous shrub with elegant, plume-shaped sprays which are 15-30cm long.  It stands out in any garden, blooms lavishly and is also insect-friendly. The plant combines perfectly with other garden plants, and can be planted both in the soil and in pots on a balcony or patio.

With many panicle hydrangeas the colour of the flower develops during the flowering period from July to September, providing a constant surprise in the garden. Some varieties are also offered as standards.

Caring for panicle hydrangeas 
Panicle hydrangeas can be kept healthy and will flower again every year if you follow a couple of simple tips:

  • The panicle hydrangea likes a spot in full sunlight or partial shade, and likes a humus-rich, acid, moist soil.
  • 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.
  •  Unlike all other hydrangeas, the panicle hydrangea can also cope with a somewhat drier soil.
  • Give the plants special hydrangea fertiliser immediately after pruning to ensure that they keep flowering profusely for a long time and remain healthy.

Pruning tips for panicle hydrangea 
Pruning is very important for the panicle hydrangea. It ensures that new flowers develop on the plant every year, and keeps it young and healthy.

  • The best period for pruning is February – March.
  • By leaving the exhausted flowers on the plant in the autumn and winter, you can allow snow, frost or dew to create fantastic silhouettes.

The panicle hydrangea blooms every year on new branches which grow out of the plant after pruning so you can happily cut them back to 10-20cm above the ground every winter. This will also keep the plant more compact, and in the summer it will flower fabulously with large, heavy plume-shaped sprays. Pruning the plant higher up (e.g. to 60 cm) will give lighter plumes.

More information about pancile hydrangeas and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk

Garden Plant of the Month
In July the panicle hydrangea takes centre stage as Garden Plant of the Month. ‘Garden Plant of the Month’ is an initiative from Thejoyofplants.co.uk. Thejoyofplants.co.uk asks growers and horticultural specialists from the floriculture sector to select a garden plant every month with the aim of inspiring and enthusing.

June garden plant of the month: Rose

rose2

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.

rose1

More information about roses and other garden plants can be found at Thejoyofplants.co.uk

 

 

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!

snowbakk

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.

snowball1

October plant of the month: bay laurel

laurel4

More than a green leaf

The bay laurel, “laurus noblis”, is also commonly known as a bay tree, sweet bay, true laurel and Grecian laurel.  It is a superbly fragrant evergreen tree/shrub that originates in the Mediterranean region and its glossy green leaves can be clipped into stunning shapes to add dignity to your doorsteps and panache to your patios.  The bay tree is also incredibly easy to grow and October is the ideal month to give it a place in your garden which is why the bay tree is Thejoyofplants.co.uk‘s Garden Plant of the Month of October.

Leaf, flower and berry

Glossy green, stately shape: Laurus nobilis lives up to its name. The strongest feature of the bay tree is its dark green, pointed oval leaves.  In May, it produces cream-coloured flowers and in autumn it produces glossy black oval fruit.  If you leave the bay tree to its own devices, it can grow up to 40 metres tall and will look strong and ruggedly beautiful, however it is more commonly used in topiary and can be clipped into a variety of wonderful shapes.

Flavour

The bay leaf adds extra flavour to many different dishes such as goulashes, stews, soups, casseroles, marinades and pickling juices and is also a great addition to a Bloody Mary!

Interesting Facts

Historically, the bay tree has been used as both an antiseptic and a digestive and it has also been placed in food jars to deter weevils.

Mice are not bay tree fans so scatter bay leaves in your pantry to deter these furry visitors from your home.

Oil from bay leaves is used in massage products to relieve arthritis and rheumatism and in aromatherapy to treat high blood pressure and earache.

The laurel symbolises high status, prosperity and fame and in Christianity it also symbolised the resurrection of Christ.

Easy

You do not require green fingers to grow the bay tree – indeed, under ideal conditions, it can live for as long as a hundred years. The bay will thrive in containers, particularly if it is watered regularly and placed in a sheltered, sunny or partially shaded position.  Feed your plants every two weeks during May and June and ideally re-pot every two years in the spring.  Bay trees can withstand cold temperatures but frosts and extreme cold will damage them so they should be covered when the mercury drops or put in your garage or any other frost-free outbuilding.