Marchantshardyplants.co.uk2

The treasured heirloom referred to sits on my desk by my side as I write on the computer. I've just plucked it off the bookshelf where it sits in position number one in chronological order, our very first plant catalogue. Why treasured? Because, unless any of you happened to keep it, it is I imagine the only one of its kind. I would hate to lose it. With a tan and dark chestnut brown cover, it's thinness is noticeable as is the thinness of its contents (!) but its bold styling set the theme for catalogues that were to follow: the striking cryptic logo for example – plant or animal? We teasingly left the guessing to you knowing ourselves it was in fact the Laughton Buckle. The full catalogue set now encompasses 18 if you include the one you are holding. Together, the girth of these small volumes covers no significant width on the shelf but for me represents half a horticultural life time's experience of growing plants, propagating them and trying to understand how to use them in the garden.
The philosophy of that task remains unchanged but as the world changes at great speed about us the need to streamline our business becomes more apparent and necessary. Paper copies of our catalogue were once fundamental to our business – advertising and information under one skin. This position has changed considerably due to internet access and our own catalogue can be easily viewed or downloaded online in a Pdf file format. It is on this basis we will no longer be mailing Marchant's catalogue to our customers each spring.
Not all is lost however. A paper copy of the plant catalogue with its usual pithy and entertaining comments will be made available on the nursery, albeit with a simplified cover. Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy you can do so via the catalogue request site on our Lastly: the contents of that thin first Marchants catalogue? The total amounted to about 220 plants, a number of which we still grow. And this catalogue? Bulging at the seams with a grand 613 plants on offer. Now that's progress! We really look forward to offering you a warm welcome over the coming gardening year.
Graham Gough
Marchants Hardy Plants

The Nursery
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ
Marchants Hardy Plants is one of the country's leading small nurseries. The range of handsome herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses we grow is as varied as you will find and suited As virtually all of our plants are home grown it is not possible to have all of them to both contemporary and traditional gardens alike.
ready at any one time. This is particularly true at the beginning of the season. We pride ourselves on the fact that virtually all plants offered for sale are propagated at the To avoid disappointment, please note that plants marked with an asterisk (i. e.*) Nursery and most can be seen growing in the garden too. We also grow many plants in numbers may not become available until Mid-May, or even later in some cases. If you are too small to warrant an appearance in this list so we hope a visit to Marchants will always making a long journey, do please phone in advance to check availability.
prove stimulating.
Our plants are grown in various pot sizes to suit the plant. Through the season plants are sometimes potted on. We therefore reserve the right to change prices accordingly.
ACAENA microphylla ‘Kupferteppich'. An indomitable but controllable, creeping
New Zealand Burr with atrractive bronze-purple foliage carried on wiry stems. 10cm Wednesday 16th March until Saturday 22nd October. *ACANTHUS mollis ‘Rue Ledan'. An extremely beautiful white flowered form,
Wednesday to Saturday inclusive 9.30 am – 5.30 pm. apparently the result of a dog's regularly cocked leg on the type plant. My own We like to enjoy lunch between 1.00 and 2.00pm Other times strictly by appointment only.
experiments in the garden with this technique have proved fruitless so far. Full sun. 2m. £5.60 We require 3 days notice for the collection of orders.
The Nursery does not provide a mail order service.
ACIS autumnalis. An oddball Snowflake, tiny white lampshades on dark stems in
autumn. Pure charm. 10cm. The Garden
A. nicaeense. Same size as above, also white but spring flowering. A delight which
The garden at Marchants after 17 years of development begins to show signs of maturity. Our needs our help – its survival is threatened where it grows in S. E. France. 10cm. trees in particular have gained a solidity which makes for a marvellous internal backdrop to the other diverse range of plants we grow. However, it is the broad landscape of the Sussex Weald ACONITUM. The stately Monkshoods for the little input they demand of us offer rich
and range of Southdowns 3 miles distant which has provided us with sustaining inspiration. By rewards in return. The following embrace the colour variation we find among them and From selecting and experimenting with plants and plantings expressive of a more naturalistic style, also provide the last rich toned flowers of the gardening year. we have aimed to create a garden which melds with the timeless beauty of the remarkable vista A. x cammarum grandiflorum album. Valued for its fresh green foliage, for its neutral
colour and for its flowering season too, at its best through mid July. 1m. A. carmichaelii ‘Arendsii'. A meritorious old hybrid (1945) from Germany, still holding
Opening times and garden entrance fees
its own in the late summer border with its bold upright spikes of blue, helmet-like Wednesday 11th May – Saturday 22nd October 9.30am to 5.30pm. flowers. 1.8m.
Please note: Nursery opening date (Wed. 16th March) is not the same as Garden opening date.
A. c. var. wilsonii. The last to flower with handsome spikes of rich, violet-blue hooded
Other times, strictly by appointment.
flowers. Marvellous in association with tawny coloured Heleniums. Flowers of this colour and quality are worth their weight in gold. 2m. Children under 16 – Free of charge. A. fukutomei. This Taiwanese sp. bristles with good health having boldy cut foliage,
and branched spikes of large hooded denim blue flowers in summer. A Crug Farm Organised Garden visits
collection I believe. Seed raised. 1m+ Visits from Societies, Gardening Clubs, Private Parties, etc are warmly welcomed and we have A.‘Stainless Steel'. From Holland, the spikes of muted grey-blue flowers of this notable
space for parking large coaches, cars, etc. A visit to Marchants can also be combined with one recent introduction have turned more than a few eyes. 1.5m. of several fine gardens in the area making for a rewarding day out. For further details contact AGAPANTHUS. No plants match the African Lily in the floral pageant. Flowering from
mid-summer, their flower heads come mainly in the blue and violet-purple spectrum, not Marchants Hardy Plants, forgetting white, with heights varying between 30cm and 150cm. It is old hat to think 2, Marchants Cottages, Mill Lane, Laughton, of them as plants for pots only. They respond best when given hearty soil in full sun East Sussex, BN8 6AJ Tel/Fax: 01323 811737 where they should reward one with flowers for many years. However do consider when planting their dislike for being overshadowed by aggressive neighbours. The following are hardy, trouble free, and tough as old boots and are propagated the old fashioned way, From that is from seed and by division. A.‘Bressingham Blue'. An old timer of A. inapertus persuasion. Small heads of intense,
deep blue flowers. 70cm.
A. ‘Cedric Morris'. This plant (named after the painter) always stood out in the stock
My deep thanks to Helen, Lucy and Paul for all their hard work, support and good ideas through beds at Raveningham Hall, a fine upstanding plant, free flowering with good white last year and to Hannah, the new gal on the block, who tells us she's thoroughly enjoying herself! flowers. It remains uncommon. 90cm AGAPANTHUS ‘Cheney's Lane'. An exceptionally strong growing, free flowering
ALLIUM senescens subsp. montanum. Humble maybe, but extremely valuable for its
pale blue form selected by Four Seasons Nursery. 1.25m.
neat foliage and late heads of lavender-mauve flowers in September. 20cm. A. ‘Findlay's Blue'. Slender arching 1m stems support handsome rich blue,
A. ‘Summer Beauty'. A distinct and strong growing form of A. senescens with larger
campanulate flowers. A plant I first came across at Powis Castle and given to me by heads of flowers and broader foliage than is usual. eccentric Head Gardener, Jimmy Hancock.
A. ‘Flore Pleno'. Balloon like, striped buds pop open to reveal many petalled, large
ALSTROEMERIA aurantiaca ‘Orange'. Plants offered have been raised from seed
double flowers. A rare curiosity. 40cm. from our own selected A. aurantiaca seedling, a strong plant of good Jaffa orange A. inapertus. The true species characterised by its small heads of drooping tubular
colour. Hopefully these youngsters will follow suit. 80cm+. flowers, mid blue in this form. Divisions. 1m.
A. ligtu var. ligtu. The species from which the better known A. x ligtu hybrids were
A. inapertus albus. The beautiful and rare white form of the above. 90cm.
raised. Small lily-like flowers are a glowing coppery-pink, beautifully marked in the From *A. ex. Keith Wiley. A short free flowering Agapanthus with widely flared, pale milky-
blue flowers. 40cm. *A.‘Mars'. Carmine with a smidgen of brown and with bold yellow splashes to the
*A.‘Kew White'. A tough, dependable plant acquired from Great Dixter who received it
topmost petals. 1m. via Kew. Handsome broad leaves and pristine white flowers with dark anthers. 75cm. A. psittacina. A Brazillian exotic with narrow trumpet flowers in crimson tipped with
A. ‘Lady Moore'. Forming tight clumps this is reckoned to be one of the best short
apple green, the interior decorated with dark guidelines in preparation for an insects white forms. Small head's of flowers. 45cm. ball. Mulch in winter. 60cm. A. ‘Lilliput'. A very old short selection of African Lily with small heads of bright blue
*A. ‘Red Elf'. Large glowing carmine flowers are born in a seeming non-stop
flowers. Great for border front or pots alike. 40cm. display for months. It belongs at the border front and will survive bitter winters A. ‘Marchants Best Blue Seedlings'. Strong flowering sized plants raised from our
best darkest hybrids. Colour a little unpredictable but should knock the ubiquitous ‘Headbourne Hybrids' into a cocked hat. ALTHAEA cannabina. From a tight rootstock, twiggy stems grow to 1.8m or more
*A. ‘Marchant's Cobalt Cracker'. The sheer brilliance of the blue of this our own
supporting through summer 2cm wide palest pink hollyhock like flowers backed by introduction stops most people in their tracks. Need we say more. 70cm. green calyces. Charming and easy given good drainage. *A. ‘Marchant's Midnight Blue'. Another Marchant's selection and an improvement
we think on the following. Marginally taller, it also possesses rich blue flowers that AMSONIA are in the family of Apoycynaceae (as if you didn't know) and are among
are more conspicuously flared. A classy candidate for the border front. 45cm.
our favourite perennials. Subtle, understated (C. Lloyd's least favourite words) long A. ‘Midnight Blue'. An old and now legendary variety from the Slieve Donard Nursery
lived and easy to grow (not on pure chalk, alas) they are good mixers and will rub bearing heads of intense, deep blue tubular flowers in July/August. 40cm. shoulders with all manner of plants including grasses. The following are all strictly A. ‘Marchant's Indigo Night'. Selected in 2008 and offered for the first time. The
flowers heads are not large but are a very dark, rich blue and at 60cm in height an A. hubrichtii. This is the narrowest leaved Amsonia making a fine, season long foliage
impeccable size for narrow borders or pots alike.
plant and invariably colours well in autumn. Small, starry china blue flowers emerge A. ‘Oddball'. Short(40cm) and with unobtrusive narrow foliage, small heads of mid-
from deeper buds. A first class, long lived plant. 60cm.
blue flowers and a free flowering habit. Like a pale scion of A. ‘Lilliput', its scale A. h. ex ‘Ernst Pagels'. Seedlings of this tremendously vigorous form to flower this
perfect for border front/pots.
May/June. Lucky dip. 80cm+.
A. ‘Palmer's White'. Rescued from the garden of Washfield Nursery, this handsome
A. illustris. This has broad, willow shaped leaves which also colour well and typical
white form was originally raised from seed given by Lewis Palmer of Headbourne starry flowers in pale turquoise blue. A martyr to drought as are they all. 90cm. Worthy, Hampshire, famed for its Agapanthus. 90cm. A. orientalis. Awash with small starry slatey-blue flowers (not unlike the Periwinkles)
A. ‘Quink Drops'. Our own superb A. inapertus hybrid selected for the intensity and
displayed on willowy leaved stems through early summer. An exercise in richness of its slightly pendulous flowers. Stands out in an Agapanthus crowd (if that understatement but always admired. 40cm.
is the right collective noun). 1.2m.
A. orientalis. Turkish Form. A more recent wild collection of this Turkish endemic. A
solid looking plant with paler flowers than the above but much longer flowering. A *AGASTACHE rugosa. A Korean herb with sweet aromatic foliage and numerous
few to offer.
slender spikes of violet-blue flowers. In its quiet way, it always impresses us. 45cm. A. tabernaemontana var. salicifolia. Dark stems support broader leaves than the above
but the typical small flowers are pale blue with a hint of turquoise. 60cm. ALCHEMILLA venosa. A plant I've grown for 30 years and enjoy to this day. In effect
a smaller version of the ubiquitous A. mollis. *ANAPHALIS yedoensis. An ‘Everlasting' and a stalwart of the herbaceous border.
Silver underlined leaves and a generous display of starry white flowers with yellow ALLIUM calamischon haemostictum. A curio for sink, pot or rock garden the small
centres from July onwards. 60cm. tissue paper-like white flowers are spotted with tiny red dots. Their scent is not heaven ANEMONE. The following are the late summer/autumn flowering branch of this
A. nutans. A little seen N. American species noted for its handsome broad foliage and
extremely versatile Genus. They are mainstream plants known to all and once settled spheres of tightly clustered lilac-pink flowers. require little attention. We hope to offer the following from mid-summer. *A. hupehensis, A. hupehensis var japonica ‘Bodnant Burgundy', A. h. var.j. ‘China ASTER ageratiodes ‘Ezo Murasaki'. Small purple flowers, pleasingly late, combined
Pink', A x hybrida ‘Geante des Blanches', A x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert'. with mildew resistance make for a tough, easy going Japanese aster. 60cm.
Anemone nemorosa ‘Parlez Vous'. A strong growing Wood Anemone with large
*A. amellus ‘Forncett Flourish'.Violet flowers with pronounced yellow eye. Selected
chalice-like silvery lavender-blue flowers, superb with dark hellebores. 15cm. some years ago by Four seasons nursery but still bouncing with good health. 40cm.
A. n. virescens. A beautiful curiosity the flowers having metamorphosised into a loose
*A. a. ‘Framfieldii'. An elegant hybrid, not dissimilar to the following but a slightly
ruff of bright green bracts. 15cm. paler violet. Sept/Oct. 40cm.
Anemone pavonina. The brilliantly coloured Peacock Anemone which can show
*A. a. ‘Violet Queen'. An old cultivar selected by Karl Forster and which remains
variation as we hope these seedlings will prove. 25cm. unchallenged. Large, rich violet flowers in Sept/Oct. 40cm. *A. cordifolius ‘Chieftan'. A useful tall, upright aster (1.5m) producing clouds of small
ANEMONELLA. Charming North American woodlanders with thalictrum-like foliage
and delicate anemone-like flowers to match. They are quite demanding requiring A. (Eurybia) divaricatus. We appear to be in the minority in loving this humble plant.
humus rich soil in partial shade. The following is propagated from divisions of a lovely Wiry black stems support a shower of small narrow rayed, white daisies. Gertrude seedling selected here several years ago.
Jeckyl liked it too – so there! 40cm. A. thalictroides ‘Spring Nymph'. Semi-double palest pink. 10cm.
A. ericoides ‘Blue Star'. Myriad, lavender blue flowers with pale yellow centres over
wiry growth in October. Charming. 40-50cm.
Please note. We will also have other unnamed clones for sale this spring. Please ask.
*A. e. ‘Snow Flurry'. A benign green carpet of prostrate foliage eventually erupts in
October into a dazzling display of tiny white blossoms, a late bonus for bees and ANTHEMIS. Most possess finely cut fresh-green or grey-green foliage. Their daisy
humans alike. 10cm flowers in varying shades of yellow and white give colour over a tremendously long *A. e. ‘Yvette Richardson'. With its fresh green foliage, pale lavender–blue flowers and
season. All they require is full sun and reasonable drainage. compact habit, this is a super plant for the border front. 40cm. A. ‘Susanna Mitchell'. A large cream flowered beauty, more mounding than the above
*A x frikartii ‘Mönch'. With a little aid from pea sticks this is arguably the finest Aster
with the attribute of good silvery foliage. for elegance and flower power giving a succession of clear lavender-blue flowers A. tinctoria ‘Cally Cream'. A much praised selection with kind to the eye cream
from mid-summer onwards. 75cm.
flowers throughout summer. 70cm.
A. ‘Ice Cool Pink'. Our own clump forming selection bursts into great sprays of 2cm
A. t. ‘Sauce Hollandaise'. The palest flowered of the Anthemis with cream-yellow
wide pale bue-pink flowers in September. 1m+ flowers. Serve with Alchemilla or Salvia for a delicious border treat. 60cm.
*A. ‘Kylie'. A beautiful small flowered cultivar bearing swags of pale pink flowers.
Deemed worthy of an AGM in 1990 yet still little known. 70cm.
ARTEMISIA lactiflora. ‘Elfenbein'. A great form from the continent with munificent
A. lateriflorus ‘Lady in Black'. In full sun the leaves take on a suave purple-black hue.
branched heads of ivory white flowers in late summer. Definitely the one for size The small flowers are white with attractive rosy stamens, carried in huge numbers on conscious gardeners. 1.5m. a network of short lateral branches. 120-150cm. A. l. ‘Prince'. As above, but altogether denser in its habit. 40cm.
ARUM italicum ‘Tiny'. A rare marbled leaf form growing no taller than 20cm.
*A. ‘Little Carlow'. Wiry stems struggle to support the sheer weight and number of
Particularly good amongst winter/spring bulbs. Summer dormant. large, lavender-blue flowers, a colour particularly enhanced by the autumn light. ARUNCUS x ‘Horatio'. A super hybrid from doyen nurseryman, Ernst Pagels. Graceful
*A. novae-angliae ‘Marina Wolkonsky'. Dark, sumptuous large violet-purple flowers.
tapering cream plumes on reddish-bronze stems held above intricately cut foliage Wonderful in bud too.A must have.1.3m.
A. novi-belgii ‘Blue Eyes'. Semi-double flowers, a good blue. Always draws favourable
comments from customers. 1.2m.
ASARUM splendens. Chinese Wild Ginger. Not a true ginger but possessing ginger
A. ‘Orpheus'. An old cultivar noted for its dark stems and good sized mid-violet
smelling roots. The striking silver mottled leaves shield clandestine, large, weird flowers. 1m+.
chocolate- purple and white flowers, alas, not enhanced by a chocolate scent. 15cm. A.‘Pixie Dark Eye'. Covers itself in small wine-purple, yellow eyed daisies. Quite
unlike any of our other Asters. 50cm. ASPHODELINE taurica. Dainty display of airy, pale yellow lily-like flowers on
*A. ‘Prairie Purple'. A Better behaved clump former whose self supporting wiry stems
spikes over grassy rosettes of glaucous foliage through summer. Sun and drainage a bear swags of single, large dusky purple daisies. 1.5m.
*A. pyrenaeus ‘Lutetia'. Valued for its sprays of large, pale lavender flowers held on
branched stems throughout the autumn. 50cm. ASTER. Our gardens would be dull things indeed without the contribution of these
*A. turbinellus. Dark willowy stems, clad with glaucous green leaves, erupt in October
colourful and for the most part, easily managed plants. The following all display a good into a display of small lavender-blue flowers. 150cm. resistance to mildew. Please note that many of our Asters will not become available until From A. turbinellus hybrid. The unruly, arching habit of this tough hybrid with its dainty
pale violet-blue flowers is a delight. A great favourite here, it is allowed to cavort with Nepetas, Penstemons and Geraniums. 120cm.
*ASTRANTIA major ‘Buckland'. The pale green ruff of bracts and rosy pink stamens
CAMPANULA lactiflora ‘Dixter Presence'. Christopher Lloyd's own selection which
make for a flower of great beauty. An old clone now that can still hold its head high. we acquired from the great man himself. Large, profuse bell flowers of mid-blue are carried in open heads. 1.4m. A. ‘Canneman'. Originally a Dutch seed strain, the plants offered are divisions of
C. l. ‘Marchant's Nimbus'. This is a pretty white flowered form and like the others, a
a fine, large greyish-green flowered form, stained with reddish-purple. A hearty dependable perennial. 120cm grower, flowering for weeks in early summer. C. l. ‘Platinum'. An alluring combination of silvery-grey flowers with pewter sepals. A
A. ‘Dark Seedling'. Good dark ruby Astrantias come 10 a penny these days. These are
beautiful plant. 1.4m. divisions of our own selection. 40cm. C. l. ‘Pritchard's Variety'. An old, virtuous, trouble free form, reckoned to be the
A.‘Roma'. Piet Oudolf's selection and a terrific plant it is. The large flowers are rose-
darkest form in this group, a good mid violet-blue. 1.2m. pink and the plant shows great vigour bearing a good repeat crop of flowers, partic- C. ‘Sarastro'. A selection from the continent, packing in a punch with its large, glossy
ularly so when young. 60cm. violet-blue bells. Self supporting. 60cm. A. ‘Ruby Wedding'. Disliking being in pots these divisions of the true clone will be
made available through the spring. Richest of ruby-red flowers over a long season. CANNA indica. A fresh green, lush and leafy plant with terminal spikes of small red
A. ‘White Seedling'. The slightest hint of pink in an otherwise white flower of good
and yellow flowers in this form. Give your Prairie patch a shock. The rhizomes need to be harvested and winter cosseted. ATHYRIUM filix femina minutissimum. At 20cm this is a relatively small fern, its
CARDAMINE waldsteinii. A Yugoslavian woodland species whose clusters of pristine
feathery, broad lance shaped fronds forming a particularly neat clump. Deciduous. white flowers set of the tiny dots of dark anthers to a tee. 10cm. A. nipponicum var. pictum. The elegant and beautiful Japanese Painted Fern in shades
of grey, silver and dusky purple. Needs shelter and good soil to give of its best. We CENOLOPHIUM denudatum. Short of a better description, let's call this Parsley on
offer divisions of a very fine form. Speed. Good ferny foliage, refined white flowers and a sympathetic candidate for more A. n. var. p. ‘Marchants Selection'. A selection we made from spore raised plants. A
relaxed plantings. 1m. notch sharper in detail than the above and arguably a little more silvery. Divisions. CENTAUREA bella. A neat border front plant with silvery evergreen cut foliage and a
BAPTISIA australis. ‘Purple Smoke'. A striking and highly spoken of introduction
generous summer display of lilac-pink flowers. 30cm. from the States. As above but with distinct dusky purple flowers. Needs bags of summer C. ‘Blewit'. A C. montana hybrid originating in Turkey with splendid large lilac-blue
sunshine to flower well. 80cm. ‘Cornflowers'. Sprints about in a forgivable sort of way. 30cm.
C. simplicicaulis. As C. bella but a notch smaller in all its parts. A very pretty front
BERGENIA ciliata. Lusty, large oval leaves the texture of a 5 day old unshaven chin
make for a bold foliage statement. Loses its foliage during the winter and flowers in spring without leaves too. 30cm. *CHAEROPHYLUM hirsutum roseum. A highly effective lilac-pink Cow Parsley
B. stracheyi alba. In contrast to the above this form has very neat, small leaves and
relative and as one famous garden writer puts it ‘– few plants can hold a candle to it in in Spring produces dumpy 15cm spikes of white flowers that fade to palest pink. *CHAMAENERION angustifolium ‘Album'. The ethereal white flowers of ‘Rose-Bay
BRUNNERA macrophylla ‘Silver Seedling'. There are no end of silver leaved
Willow-herb' always draw favourable comments unlike its terror striking running roots. selections. Ours is jolly nice too. One of the prettiest of pale blue late spring flowering Whatever – Bon courage! 1.5m *C. a. ‘Stahl Rose'. The prettiest form of Rose-Bay Willow-herb we think, pale pink
with crimson calyxes. Exquisite – but like the above, how it runs. BUXUS ‘Memorial'. A neat, small and slow growing Box used by the War Graves
*C. dodonaei. A humble, small growing and non invasive Willow-herb with pale green
Commission and resistant it seems to you know what. 70cm eventually. foliage and pret ily shaped rose pink flowers. We've always had a soft spot for it. 30cm. £5.00 *CALAMINTHA nepeta ‘Blue Cloud'. Summer droughts it would seem sort out the
CHRYSANTHEMUM. Useful plants for the cutting garden or border alike.
men from the boys. This flowers unabashed for months on end oblivious to the parched *C. ‘Cottage Apricot'. Single flowers, a beautiful shade for autumn of apricot-orange
soil in which it grows. A great bee puller too. 30cm. fading to an apricot-pink. 70cm. C. n. ‘White Seedling'. A dainty white flowered form selected from seedlings of the
C. ‘Emperor of China'. A legendary plant, the pink quilled double flowers and
burnished red foliage culminating in a rich and late display in November. 80cm.
*C. ‘Old White Variety'. Bob Brown informs us this was introduced by E. H. Wilson
*CAMPANULA ‘Crystal'. A brilliant newcomer from Avondale Nursery. A hybrid
which is hard to believe. Elegant and airy, the small flowers burst from apricot buds (with associated vigour), fulsome bells of palest amethyst open from purple washed and are more ivory than white. 80cm buds. Any half decent soil in full sun. 50cm. CLEMATIS x diversifolia var. hendersonii. Typical large mid violet-blue flowers can
DAHLIA x coccinea. We have several coccinea hybrid parents planted in the garden
festoon this plant – if you grow it well that is. With its naturally lax habit it may require from which we collect seed. These vary from tall, short, from red through to orange. some gentle trussing up. 80cm. The seedlings will also vary but we've yet to see a dull one among them. *C. viticella. A climber, we offer seed grown plants raised from a beautiful nodding,
*DAHLIA merkii. A refined Mexican species with good cut foliage, small lilac flowers
small purple flowered parent plant grown by a friend. May prove variable but easy to and central boss of yellow stamens. Blooms throughout summer and is capable of grow and particularly dainty. 2m+. being hardy. 1m+. CONVALLARIA ‘Hardwick Hall'. A vigorous Lily of the Valley with larger flowers
DIANTHUS arenarius. Forms a grey prickly asphalt like bun of foliage, covering itself
than most and good broad foliage. Long grown at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire. 30cm. in heavily fringed white scented flowers in summer. 20cm. D. carthusianorum. The form we offer is not as tall as some forms we have seen, but
CORYDALIS solida var. solida ‘George Baker'. A legendary plant from the woodland
owns the same grassy foliage and dazzling bursts of brilliant magenta pink flowers floor of Transsylvania. This tuberous form has glowing deep coral pink flowers and likes a half shaded spot in the garden. 15cm. D. deltoides ‘Leuchtfunk'. Saturated crimson flowers, like splashes of blood over a mat
of deep green foliage. COSMOS x Dahlia ex ‘Mexican Black'. The parent plant possesses chocolaty purple-
D. ex ‘Tatra Fragrance'. Seedlings of a striking patterned and scented form from the
red flowers whereas these flowering sized seedlings will tend to vary. Looks more a Tatra Mountains. These should flower from early summer onwards. Dahlia than a Cosmos. DIASCIA ‘Emma'. Narrow leaved suckering clumps and a profusion of dusky deep
CROCOSMIA. We can think of no better way to enliven the late summer border than
pink flowers- exactly what we expect of these marvellous, hardy plants. 30cm. to use these dazzling performers. They love moisture (not boggy) and lots of sunshine to From D. personata ‘Hopleys'. A remarkable newcomer holding itself, literally, head and
perform well, and need dividing every now and then to keep them in good fettle. shoulders above its kin with its lofty, upright habit. Typical horned mid-pink flowers C. ‘Castle Ward Late'. An elegant old hybrid with relexed narrow segments in orange
for months and months. South Africa. 60cm. and light red over bold ribbed foliage. 80cm *C. ‘Gerbe D'or'. Bronze foliage acts as a great backdrop to pale orange flowers. A
DICTAMNUS albus. The resinous, aromatic Dittany of Crete in its orchid like,
reliable, hearty grower. 70cm.
glistening white form. Slow we find but worth the wait and once settled a long lived *C. ‘Hellfire'. Bordering on a true red, this is the best Crocosmia to have come our way
plant. 90cm eventually. in years. 90cm.
D. albus purpureus. The equally beautiful mauve-purple form. Raised from our very
*C. ‘Lucifer'. Aptly named devilish red flowers partner superb ribbed foliage.
Ubiquitous but oozes class. 1.5m.
D. caucasicus. Back in our list having proved itself such a good plant over the years.
*C. masoniorum ‘Dixter Flame'. C. Lloyd's offering, pure scarlet, broad ribbed leaves
The Caucasian form of Burning Bush at 1.25m is a stately perennial, handsome in and an accommodating 70cm.
both flower (purple-pink) and seed. A slow plant only suited to patient gardeners. C. m. ‘Rowallane Yellow'. No bending required as the solid yellow flowers are upward
facing. Handsome broad foliage too. 90cm.
DIERAMA ex ‘Tiny Bells'. Strong plants raised from seed which should produce
C. paniculata ‘Cally Grey Leaf'. A terrific foliage plant selected by collector Michael
dusky pink thimble sized bells over tough, rush like foliage. At 30cm a dramatic change Wickenden, the pale green broad leaves being strongly ribbed. Small orange flowers from the following. are a minor bonus. 1m+ .
D. pulcherrimum. ‘Venus' Fishing Rod'. Rosy lilac-mauve bells, sometimes paler, are
*C. ‘Paul's Best Yellow'. The substantial rounded golden-yellow flowers go hand in
elegantly held on wand like arching stems. Hearty, retentive soil gives best results. 1.5m. £5.00 hand with a plant of strong constitution. 60cm.
We also hope to have available in summer seedlings of a much darker pink form. *C. ‘Queen Alexandra'. Elegant, nodding Erythronium like orange blooms enhanced
by a dash of crimson in the throat. 80cm. *DIGITALIS ferruginea. Baggy pale caramel flowers with a pouting lip. Dark sentinel
spikes in winter. 1m+. CYCLAMEN coum Pewter Leaf Group. The form we offer has good silvery leaves
*D. parviflora. A notably different Foxglove whose basal leaves give rise to spikes of
and purple magenta flowers in winter. small, narrow tawny-brown flowers. 60cm. C. hederifolium. The classic Ivy leaved Cyclamen, a martyr in dry shade.
*ECHINACEA. The cone flowers of North America are not only valued for the healing
CYNARA carduncellus. Cardoon. Plants offered are raised from a handsome cut
properties of the oil they contain but for their tremendous garden value too. The broad silver leaved form that arose here, probably inheriting C. c. Chelsea Physic blood but ray petals of mauve-crimson are mostly declined, thereby accentuating the glowing fortunately, without the spines! 2m. central cone of bronze-orange. They require good hearty soil and are not always easy. C. scolymus ‘Argenteuil'. The florets are best cut young when small with no ‘choke'
E. purpurea. Strong flowering sized seedlings from our best largest flowered forms.
and then make very good summer eating. The silvery, cut foliage is a great asset to the vegetable garden. Prefers drainage.
*E. p. ex ‘White Swan'. Strong Seedlings (which should come true) will be offered
from summer onwards. *ECHINACEA p. ‘Rubinstern'. We'll hopefully have divisions of this splendid large
*ERIGERON ‘Dignity'. Large, aster like flowers with elegant narrow ray petals. Good
flowered form ready in summer. for the border front. Pale violet. 30cm . *ERIGERON ‘Quakeress'. The narrow lilac-pink ray petals make for a dainty flower.
*ECHINOPS bannaticus ‘Blue Globe'. A coarse plant in leaf maybe but worth
An old hybrid yet to be superseded. 60cm. growing for the blue insect attracting globes alone. At 1.2m, the tallest globe thistle in *E. ‘Schneewittchen'. In effect a white version of the above and a plant we particularly
enjoy here for its simple style and long flowering season. 50cm. *E. ‘Blue Pearl'. An uncommon form with paler flowers than the latter, a good mid-
blue in fact. 90cm. ERYNGIUM. The Eryngos, with their well designed defense mechanisms, are a prickly
bunch of characters but make with both their flowers and their foliage striking garden EPIMEDIUM. Did you know these plants are members of the Berberis family? Look
plants. What's more, they're not difficult to please, given sun and reasonable drainage. closely at their flowers and foliage you'll see the connection. Not too difficult to please, In cultivation they are divided between species from Europe and South America, plus they require humus rich soil and a dose of shade. Their new foliage is often beautifully the odd hybrid. If you don't grow them, why not give them a try. tinted and their Columbine like flowers beguile all those who encounter them. Some of E. bourgatii. Seedlings from a form with particularly deep metallic blue flower heads
the following are offered in small numbers this year. and bracts. In the wild it grows in poor, stony soil. 60cm. E. ‘Artic Wings'. Blackthorn Nursery's scintillating latisepalum hybrid in pristine white.
*E. x oliveranum. An old E. alpinum hybrid, now hard to find, both stems and spiny
E. ‘Bieke'. Masses of spidery lemon yellow flowers. 30cm.
bracted flowers being cobalt blue. 60cm. E. ‘Egret'. One of the best of the new hybrids from the continent with fat white sepals
*E. planum. Rather an unfortunate name for such a good garden plant. Always provides
and an underskirt of clean yellow petals.
a reliable and dazzling display of its small silvery blue flowers. 1m+.
E. fargesii ‘Pink Constellation'. Starry lilac-pink flowers with a purple underskirt and
*E x zabellii. These are basically E. alpinum hybrids. Most are exceptional with steely
particularly elegant slender toothed foliage. 30cm.
blue ruff-like bracts but they are not always easy to grow well preferring we think E. grandiflorum ‘Freya'. A beautiful E.g. nanum hybrid, now quite rare with purple
good drainage but not dryness. Time allowing, we hope to offer strong plants from flowers and paler spurs. 20cm.
summer onwards of the following drawn from our collection: ‘Amethyst', ‘Cobalt E. g.‘Feya Mk11' A re-selection of the above and a strong, healthy plant it is. 20cm.
Star', ‘Forncett Ultra', ‘Jos Eijking', ‘Jewel', etc.
E. g. ‘La Rocaille'. Ivory white suffused with palest celadon green, long spurred
flowers. 35cm.
EUCOMIS. The following are among the most commented on plants in the garden
E. g. ‘Lilafee'. Dark tinted new leaves act as a harmonious foil to the dainty violet-
at Marchants. Their exotic look belies their dogged hardiness. We have yet to lose a purple flowers. 25cm. plant to cold but have noticed a complete dislike of being shouldered out by expansive E. g. ‘Marchant's Sulphur Queen'. Selected from a batch of hand pollinated seedlings,
neighbours. Worth cosseting, our plants get a thick mulch of compost to see them safely From the long spurred flowers are quite large and in a gentle sulphur yellow tone. First through the winter. time offered. 20cm.
E. bicolor. A slightly comical plant whose spike bears a profusion of thick textured,
E. g. ‘Nanum'. This gem with its neat white flowers and striking copper-purple rimmed
purple piped, pale celadon green flowers under a leafy hat not unlike a Pineapple's. new foliage at 10cm is the smallest Epimedium we grow. Lacking a little vigour we The fleshy foliage is purple spotted when young. 40cm also offer the following: E. ‘Jamie Compton'. Purchased from Great Dixter in 2010 I can find no reference to
E.g. nanum hybrid No 2. As above but with a more pronounced mark to the leaf
this plant. Bronze hued throughout it is a fine upstanding fellow.
margin. 15cm.
E. ex ‘John Treasure'. This form has a particularly good purple hue to the leaves, stems
E. g. ‘Rose Queen'. Inappropriately named, the large spurred flowers of this strong
and flowers. Grow this well and you'll have something to boast about. 45cm. growing form are actually a fine crimson-purple. 25cm. E. ‘Sparkling Burgundy'. The terrific strap like succulent leaves are deep matt purple,
E. g. ‘White Queen'. A large flowered pure white form, yet to bettered. This, the true
a tone shared by the flowering stems and flowers, albeit a little diluted. A remarkable plant, is said to be becoming rare. 30cm.
plant. 1m. in flower.
E. ‘King Prawn'. A cross between E. wushanense and E. latisepalum from the fanatical
E. ‘Sparkling Burgundy Seedlings'. Flowering sized plants are offered. Why not throw
Epimedium stable of Desirable Plants in Devon. The colour of the flowers resembles the dice and try one of the children.
part cooked prawns, hard though that might be to imagine.
E. ‘Marchant's Twin Set'. Our own pukka seedling with tubby bicoloured flowers of
*EUPATORIUM ligustrinum. Not a shrub that flamboyantly announces itself, but
crimson–purple and lilac pink. 20cm.
highly effective none-the-less. Its good evergreen foliage, structure and fluffy white E. ‘Amber Freckles'. Pale yellow ground colour to the flower overlaid with amber-rose
flower heads in late summer beautifully partners Asters and late flowering grasses. 2m. £6.00 freckles. Our new offering.
E. purpureum maculatum album. We hope to have plants available of this uncommon
E. x perralchicum ‘Frohnleiten'. Airy racemes of unspurred lemon yellow flowers
white form for sale. 2m+. in spring. The handsome evergreen leaves remain unblemished throughout winter, E. p. m. ‘Orchard Dene'. Stood out in the Wisley trials with its huge heads of showy
making it an altogether classy garden plant. 35cm.
flowers and dark stems and deservedly awarded an AGM. E. versicolor sulphureum. Handsome evergreen foliage, copper and crimson tinted in
E. p. m. ‘Riesenschirm'. Stately, stout purple stems rise to 2m + climaxing in a display
winter. This should be removed in February to freely enjoy the clean yellow flowers of dusky rose-purple domed flowers heads. A metropolis for all manner of insects in in spring. 40cms. EUPATORIUM rugosum ‘Chocolate'. Snakeroot. Striking black-purple foliage and
are typical F. magellanica colour but with notably long stamens. Brazil. One to take domed heads of white flowers in autumn. An asset on all accounts for any fertile home in the hatchback perhaps? Boom, boom.
border in full sun. 1.5m. *Fuchsia m.‘Hawkshead'. An elegant, hardy Fuchsia with white flowers, the petals
tipped with a hint of a tint of green. 75cm EUPHORBIA. Given reasonable drainage the Spurges are easy to please and give
*F. m. ‘Lady Bacon'. This bears finer foliage than most and an unusual combination of
us all that we should expect of a plant. Do however be cautious of the white sap they ivory and purple-lilac flowers. 60cm.
exude when torn or damaged. It can burn skin badly. *F. m. var. pumila. A short fellow festooning itself with pert red and purple flowers
*E. cornigera. A clumping Himalayan spurge whose leaves are punctuated by a
through late summer/autumn. 60cm.
striking white mid-rib. The relatively small flowering heads ars typically acid F. m. thompsonii. Wonderful in its full glory in late summer. The slender red and
purple flowers held on arching stems associate beautifully with blue Agapanthus. *E. donii. Received from Great Dixter this shares the typical flowers of the following
but differs in having extremely slender, red margined leaves. 1.2m+ F. microphylla. A sweety-pie possessing the smallest leaves and flowers (bright
E. donii ‘Amjillasa'. A very handsome Kew collection from Nepal with large, chrome
shocking pink) of those we grow. 60cm.
yellow flower bracts. Seed raised plants are offered. 1m+ E. epithymoides ‘Midas'. Not difficult to imagine the bracts and flowers of this
GALEGA x hartlandii alba. Handsome clumps of pale green pinnate foliage carry
brilliant spring flowering plant having been touched by King Midas' hand and dense spikes of scented flowers for weeks. Unassailably tough. 180cm. consequently turned to Gold. 45cm. *E. ‘Excalibur'. A fine thing with its slender silver mid ribbed foliage and cheering
*GAURA lindheimeri. Wand like stems airily display delicate white flowers from pink
chrome yellow flowers through high summer. 120cm.
buds, seemingly borne by the thousand through summer/autumn. Entrancing here in a E. ex ‘Excalibur'. Strong plants raised from seed of the above. Lucky dip.
duet with Miscanthus ‘Kleine Fontane'. 120cm. FERULA communis ssp. glauca. A spectacular fennel climaxing (after 3 years) in a
GERANIUM. It's easy to fall for a Cranesbill, don't you think? Most gardeners have
towering display of yellow ochre flowers in umbels on anything but ‘umble' 3.5m high, so you'd be in denial if you hadn't at some point had a flirt with them. But it is the fat, glaucous stems. Breathtaking against a blue summer sky. hackneyed catchphrase ‘good ground cover' which chills me, conjuring up a vision F. tingitana ‘Cedric Morris'. An extremely handsome fennel with lacquered filigree
of their amorphous, weed suppressing blankets and smothering in the process our foliage and domed yellow flower heads on 2.5m+ stems. Wow! enthusiasm too. In their favour, both colours and length of season are a boon and most are a doddle to grow. The answer to this conundrum is simple. Use them sparingly. *FICUS ‘Black Ischia'. This variety is slow with us but bears medium sized purple
G. ‘Blue Cloud'. Pleasing cut foliage and not too rampant growth, combined with pale
fruits which, when fully ripened by sun, are lusciously sweet. Prolific. A generous gift silvery-blue flowers through most of the summer. A superb garden plant. 45cm. from confirmed Fig Pig Christopher Lloyd. G. ‘Brookside'. We find this a less vigorous plant than some of the blues, but it more
*F. ‘Reculver'. Very vigourous with handsome bold lobed foliage. Purple flattish fruits
than compensates with the size, colour and sheer quality of its flowers. 40cm. of good flavour but less regularly born than the above. 5m+ *G. cinereum subcaulescens. Eye shattering magenta pink flowers over small green
scalloped leaves in early summer. 15cm.
FILIPENDULA vulgaris ‘Multiplex'. Over cut, carrot like basal foliage, flower stems
G. clarkei ‘Kasmir White'. In spite of its age remains a superlative Cranesill. Large,
carry creamy-white clouds of tiny double flowers. A charming plant of Cottage Garden white with mushroom-pink veining. 30cm.
character. 45cm. G. ‘Dilys'. A low growing G. sanguineum hybrid of great merit, dishing out a supply of
purple-magenta flowers summer long. 30cm.
*FOENICULUM vulgare ‘Smokey'. Bronze Fennel. A good deep bronze seed strain
G. ‘Khan'. A G. sanguineum hybrid with huge, deep bright pink flowers. One of the
with a marked bloom to the young stems. very best. 30cm. G. macrorrhizum ‘Whiteness'. Purists will be pleased to hear there is no hint of white
FUCHSIA. You may gather from the following list that we are rather fond of Fuchsias,
at all in this plant.
particularly when they are as hardy and long flowering as the following. Best pruned G. ‘Nimbus'. Produces masses of pale violet-blue flowers over handsome cut foliage
for most of the season. 50cm. F. ‘Floriade'. Brought back from the U. S. by us in 2005 this hardy, erect Fuchsia has
G. ‘Orion'. A super hybrid from Holland with enormous violet-blue salvers. Stands
since graced our garden admirably with its aubergine-purple and carmine flowers apart in a Geranium crowd. 50cm. through late summer/autumn. 1m+ *G. ‘Patricia'. A G. psilostemon hybrid, possessing all the brilliant radiance of that
F. glazoviana. Forms an attractive, distinct lush mound and bears slender deep cerise
plants magenta flowers. They are however larger. This together with its short stature pink sepalled flowers with purple corollas. 35cm make this a first rate plant. 60cm. F. m. ‘Globosa'. Bought some years ago under this name, it has proved itself a
G. phaeum ‘Lisa'. Sulphur yellow and white zonal leaf markings in early spring make
dependable, hardy magellanica with quite fat red and purple flowers. 90cm.
for a distinct, eye catching plant. Flowers are typically violet-purple. 60cm *F. hatschbachii. We are struck by the svelte elegance of this Fuchsia's Willow/
G. p. ‘Marchants Ghost' Our own chance seedling with ‘ghostly' pale grey-lavender
Sarcococca like foliage, not usually a commented on asset in this genus. The flowers flowers the texture of satin. Always admired. 60cm.
*GERANIUM pratense ‘Southease Celestial'. Wonderful huge cupped salvers of
GYPSOPHILA repens ‘Rosenschlier'. A spreading ‘Babies Breath' covering itself in a From
luminescent lavender-blue. A chance seedling from Adrian Orchard of Southease hazy mist of tiny pale pink double blossoms through mid summer. Plants – lucky devil! 60cm.
*G. pratense violaceum. The double form of the meadow Cranesbill, its button sized
HEDYCHIUM coccineum ‘Tara'. With tropical-looking, slim-line Canna like leaves
violet flowers impeccably proportioned. 1m.
and spikes of orange orchid like blooms in September this award winning Himalayan *G. sanguineum album. The Bloody Cranesbil bled dry in its pristine white form. 30cm.
Ginger brings a touch of the exotic to the border. 2m+. Protect with a mulch in winter. G. s. var. striatum. A not so Bloody Cranesbill, its large rounded pale pink flowers
H. densiflorum ‘Assam Orange'. A hardy, leafy Ginger whose spikes of orange flowers
studding the low mound of cut foliage through summer. 10cm. add a touch of exoticism to the late summer border. 90cm. G. ‘Sirak'. One of the best hybrids to have appeared from the continent, producing
H. spicatum. Tibet. We grow this medicinal herb for its exotic foliage and for its spikes
masses of notched, large lilac-pink flowers over a dense clump of foliage. 45cm. of yellow flower which are followed by cheering red fruits perched in orange lined G. sylvaticum ‘Amy Doncaster'. Had the pleasure (long ago) of acquiring and naming
seed pods. It has proved hardy, has grown to 70cm and prefers,we think, a little this plant after its' collector. Not the largest flowered in this group but the best coloured – a rich violet blue. 75cm. G. wallichianum. From Edinburgh's Botanic Garden, the pale luminous silvery-blue
HELENIUM. The species Sneezeweeds are native to America but in Nurserymen's
flowers of this form show us something of the variation we can expect of a species hands have been selected for decades. They are among the easiest grown and richest group. An enthusiastic scrambler to 60cm or more.
coloured herbaceous perennials of summer and autumn. H. ‘Die Blonde'. Boss and flower an unadulterated bright yellow. Very cheering. 180cm
GEUM. It's flattering when you find a plant that does well for you. The Geums are one
H. ‘Dunkle Pracht'. Deep rust-red flowers. Good to have this back in our list. 120cms.
of our trump cards, breezing through the winter in our sticky clay. That said, any well H. ‘Fiesta'. A cheering bi-colour, with dusky red centre and golden yellow petal edge.
structured soil other than dust dry will accommodate them. If they start to ‘go back' Strong and reliable.
they're telling you they need dividing. H. ‘Flammendes Käthchen'. Predominantly rusty-red with streaking and undertones of
G. ‘Apricot Sundae'. Occurred here as a lucky sport of G.‘Pink Frills'. Its full, wavy
edged flowers are coloured pale apricot flesh cum pink. 20cm. H. ‘Lambada'. A very rich mahogony come reddish-brown. A corker. 1.5m.
G. ‘Bell Bank'. Raised by Geoffrey Smith (what happened to him?) many years ago.
H. ‘Ring of Fire'. From Holland, the flowers are reddish brown made more striking
Large, telling copper-pink hanging flowers seemingly form a troupe of suspended with a central and outer zone of yellow. Upright, free flowering (Sept/Oct.) and tutus. 40cm.
superb in warmer autumns. 1.2m G. ‘Dawn'. Flowers freely enough, soft yellow with apricot orange tints. From Geum
H. ‘Rubinzwerg'. Rich, deep mahogany-red flowers over a long season on a plant of
collection holder Sue Martin.
short stature make this a valuable addition to the range. 75cm. G. ‘Herterton Primrose'. Immensely impressive, the pale lemon flowers are well
H. ‘Ruby Thuesday'. A sweet little thing with deep ruby flowers, particularly pert when
displayed above neat foliage, and the plant has a refined look, a word not commonly used in association with Geums. 15cm H. ‘Sahin's Early Flowerer'. Fantastic long display of large flowers, a mixture of burnt
G. ‘Lemon Meringue'. I will be ribbed for this name but why not name something
orange and ochre yellow. 1.2m.
after your favourite pud. H. ‘Septemberfuchs'. Late flowering, with tawny red-brown flowers, a lovely colour to
G. ‘Lisanne' A strong selection from the continent with bold, large yel ow flowers. 40 cm.
enrich the autumn border. 180cm. G. ‘Marmalade'. Pleasing copper-orange flowers, – a painterly colour many gardeners
sadly choose to ignore. 30cm. HELIANTHEMUM ‘Henfield Brilliant'. Blazing vermillion red.
GLADIOLUS papilio. S. Africa. A melange of celadon green, slatey grey lilac and
*HELIANTHUS giganteus ‘Shiela's Sunshine'. A whopper (2.5m+) with pale sulphur
dusky rose pink suffuse the hooded flowers creating a plant of remarkably restrained yellow daisies through autumn. beauty. Not for everyone I guess. 60cm. H. ‘Carine'. Bred in Belgium this daisies' assets are its short height (1.2m), its sizeable From
G. tristis. Small flared scented primrose yellow flowers. A far cry from the gross
cream-yellow flowers and its solid constitution. A joy through Sept.-Oct. flowers bred for the cut flower trade. A favourite here. Very few this year. H. ‘Lemon Queen'. Helianthus are generally speaking coarse plants. This variety is
redeemed by the quality and generosity of its autumn crop of large pale lemon *GLAUCIUM flavum fulvum. The Horned Poppy in its pale tomato red form with
handsome silvery rosettes – good the year round. 45cm. H. orgyalis. A beefier version of the following and referred to in the plantfinder under
G. flavum. The yellow form found on our coastline though this originates from Scicily,
that plant. The large lemon yellow flowers are carried on dark stems but still no plant seed collected on a beach picnic. 45cm for shrinking violets. 1.5m+. *H. salicifolius. A towering, willowy fine leaved foliage plant whose airy display of
*GLYCYRRHIZA yunnanensis. A highly decorative herbaceous Chinese liquorice,
golden yellow flowers brings the daisy season to a close in early October. We are the orb-like brown burred seed heads the size of overlarge golf balls are scattered on told ours is a good form. 2.5m. sturdy stems. A remarkable sight in autumn/winter. Sun + drainage. 2m+. HEMEROCALLIS. We are unabashedly fond of Daylilies. These indestructible border
HOSTA. Having been shaken to the mid-ribs by the Hosta boom, my enthusiasm for
perennials will with little fussing give years of pleasure. The tragedy is they have these ubiquitous plants still remains a little tepid. That said, used discriminately and become so grossly vulgarised in breeder's hands. Fortunately, virtually all the following From particularly in pots (where slugs can be kept at bay) they can be very effective. species and stylish old cultivars pre-date such immodest, brazen treatment. H. ‘Cally Atom'. Cally Garden's fine selection with blue toned, dense heart shaped
H. altissima. A tall species (150cm) with elegant, night scented, fluted lemon-yellow
leaves and fat flowers on chunky 25cm stems. A delight. H. ‘Devon Green'. No razzmatazz with this one. Rather: simple, elegant, deep bottle
H. ‘Corky'. Zestful, lemon yellow flowers from mahogany buds. Never disappoints.
green shining leaves.Very satisfying. 40cm H. japonica grandiflora. Revels in full sun, which encourages the production of huge
H. citrina. Possesses all the grace you'd expect of a species daylily. Pale lemon-yellow
white, deliciously fragrant flowers. Refreshing pale green foliage. Excellent in pots. narrow trumpet flowers. 70cm.
H. ‘Krossa Regal'. Arguably the finest blue Hosta available. Makes a large sculpted
H. ‘Crimsom Pirate'. A classic spider type with narrow segments brilliantly coloured
burning red with a complimentary yellow throat. Raised in 1951, still here and utterly H. rectifolia ‘Junka'. A rare species, this selection (named after a Japanese gardener at
Wisley) is rarer still. We seem to be the only Nursery growing it. Plain green leaves *H. fulva rosea. A mystery that this plant should have become so rare in cultivation.
and copious violet flowers. Its simplicity belies its worth as a good garden plant H. Eminent nurseryman Amos Perry charged a princely 25/- for it in the 1930's and used ‘Thumbnail'. Lilliputian in scale, the name refers to the leaf size. Pleasant pale violet it to raise some of the first pink Daylilies. The flower segments possess a beautiful flowers on 20cm stems maintain the symmetry. line and are a seductive shade of copper-pink. 75cm.
H. venusta variegata. A little charmer with neatly variegated cream and green leaves
*H. ‘G's Orange'. Raised at Marchants and settling well, the flowers are more an
and abundant pale violet flowers. Becoming rare. 15cms. amber-orange. Super with purple flowering plants. 45cm+ The following is a sport of the above having occurred here and has so far remained H. ‘Laughton Tower'. Thinking the horticultural world short of a new Daylily or two,
stable. Being small probably best grown in pots.
I successfully bred this fellow. At 1.5 m + high, it looks down on its overblown Sport 1. Neatly shaped small elliptic green leaves have a clean central zone of cream
American peers in a very haughty and satisfactory manner. By the way – the small variegation. Very smart.
fluted flowers are apricot-orange. H. ‘Laughton Tower MK11'. As above, slightly shorter, but with more mahogony-
IRIS. No Iris flower could be described as long lasting but at least they make up for it
brown tinted flowers. by being fabulously flamboyant and are often produced in large numbers, albeit for a H. ‘Lemon Peel'. It may be gilding the Daylily to have another pale yellow offering but
this slim petalled variety, like the others, is extremely kind to the eye. 70cm I. x ‘Berlin Tiger'. From Tamberg, the great Berlin breeder comes this pseudacorus
H. ‘Pinnochio'. A species look-a-like, pale yellow, delicate to look at yet easy to grow.
hybrid. Its heavy brownish- purple veining creates a flower of mustard yellow come We seem to be the only nursery this side of Mars growing this plant.
brown colouring. A vigorous plant for good soil.
H. ‘Red Precious'. An old English cultivar which deserves to be much better known
I. chrysographes. Like a debutante butterfly, sleek in black evening wear, this form is
with flared, flame red flowers, ochre yellow on their reverse. At 45cm, perfect for the as dark as you will find. Fleeting but worth it for its sheer quality. 60cm.
I. lactea. The narrow green glaucous leaves make for a fine foliage plant. Forming
H. species (? cultivar). Bought from a reputable Nursery under the name of H.
dense clumps the April/May borne flowers are pale milky-blue. 40cm. ‘Hyperion' which it clearly isn't! The soft orange-yellow flowers are born long into late summer and meld well with crimson Persicarias. 1m.
The following forms of Iris sibirica flourish in full light on our heavy clay soil and are H. ‘Stafford'. Large mahogany-red flowers of ravishing quality. An exemplary old
capable of growing in shallow water too. hybrid which still holds its own in the Daylily stakes. 120 – 150cm. I. s. ‘Butter and Sugar'. Flowers of good substance in an eye-catching combination of
H. ‘Stoplight'. A large flowered spider, airy enough not to be blowsy. Carmine red with
butter yellow and white. 60cm chartreuse and yellow throat. After initial scepticism on my part it is time for me to I. s. ‘Colin's Pale Blue'. Sky-blue with just a hint of grey in the colour. 75cm. A few to
eat my socks. Pass the salt please.80cm I. s. ‘Perry's Blue'. Beautifully proportioned small flowers a subtle shade of pale
HEUCHERA sanguinea ‘Alba'. Received a hard won AGM in trials yet is rarely
Cambridge blue. A very old selection but remains a favourite here. 60cms.
met with. Why? Its plain green leaves perhaps. This is a wonderful plant whose ivory I. s. ‘Prussian Blue'. Incredible, saturated deep blue flowers, a rare colour in this group.
flowers age with remarkable grace, a feature not normally noted in white flowered The German breeder Herr Tamberg received an AGM for it in 2003 and rightly so. plants. Early summer onwards. 60cm H. s. ‘Margaret's Pink'. Pink with green foliage may seem a little old fashioned but
I. s. ‘Southcombe White'. Pallid white flowers, not large, with ghostly grey veining.
named after our dear late friend, Lady Fitzwalter, a very up to date woman and from whom its was received. I. s. ‘Summer Sky'. A graceful slim-line flower, like a dancer on points, lavender blue
H. villosum ‘Autumn Bride'. The bold hairy foliage of this striking plant catches folk
with just the right amount of yellow for perfect balance. 90cm.
out. In August myriad white flowers appear on lofty spikes. ‘Oh it's a Heuchera'– all I. s.‘Tropic Night'. Intense violet-blue with a pale zone on the haft of the falls. 90cm
is well with folk again. 1m. IRIS s. ‘Welfenprinz'. Another award winner ( AGM) of Tamberg's with ruffled lemon From
*LOBELIA tupa. A classy, eye catching plant with pale, sage-green leaves and dark
yel ow fal s and creamy standards (the sticky up bits). Posh name, posh plant. 70cm.
stems terminating in a spike of claw shaped cherry red flowers. Needs retentive soil and some shelter but worth every effort to grow well. 120cm. KALIMERIS incisa. The plant we grow under this name is uncommon, clumping,
has serrated leaves and is decked with pretty medium sized ice blue flowers through *LUPINUS variicolor. Beautiful silky foliage up to 1.5m across peppered with
summer. Suffers neglect with nonchalance. 60cm bicoloured flowers, mauve and pale yellow. Worth growing for its foliage alone. K. mongolica. Also Little known – a tough, clumping plant, its display of large
pale lavender-blue daisy like flowers off the blocks in late summer. The need for LYCHNIS coronaria. This, the more commonly seen form, is far from ordinary. The
supporting pea sticks its only vice. 1.2m retina blasting colour of the purple-magenta flowers is almost without parallel in the flower repertoire. KNIPHOFIA. The ‘Red Hot Pokers' are anything but these days, coming in a much
L. coronaria. Wild collection. This wild collected form bears vivid shocking pink
wider range than hitherto – from pale cream to bright yellow, pale coral to burnt toffee. flowers and is noticeably paler than the above. 60cm. Their vertical spikes can provide a dramatic feature in any border, given sun and L. c. alba. The pure white form for those who wish not to be shocked.
drainage and what's more, are hardy to boot. K. ‘Bees Sunset'. Sturdy bronze coloured stems make a harmonious contrast to the
*LYTHRUM salicaria ‘Blush'. The soft pink flowers of this form are a good antidote
clear orange flowers. 1m. to the richer coloured forms, such as the following. 60cm K. ‘Green Jade'. A lofty poker bearing slender spikes of Ivory flowers from bright
L. s.‘Zigeunerblut'. Vivid magenta-purple flower spikes. A Gypsy with blood this
green buds. 120cm colour would be in serious need of a transfusion. 90cm. *K. ‘Ice Queen'. Similar to K. ‘Percy's Pride' but a little earlier to flower with us.
L. virgatum. The branched stems of this widespread European and Asian species carry
K. ‘Painted Lady'. Noted for the long and slender flower spikes. Orange with hints of
myriad small, deep lilac-pink flowers for weeks in mid-summer. Has a quality that becomes addictive to use and associates well with grasses too. 90cm. K. ‘Percy's Pride'. As good in bud as in flower – lime-green opening to pale yellow
spikes of good substance. September. 75cm MAIANTHEMUM (Smilacina) racemosum. In foliage, similar to Solomon's Seal to
*K. rooperi. The last to flower (Oct.), a showy species with ovoid (oval) heads of
which it is related. However, this American woodlander differs in producing from fresh, bright orange flowers from green buds. Needs a little shelter. 90cm+ apple green buds, a froth of tiny white scented flowers in branched spikes. 75cm. K. ‘Sunningdale Yellow'. Clear yellow with a smidgen of ochre. First poker off the
blocks in June. AGM. Classy. 90cm. MENTHA spicata ‘Tashkent'. Very sweet and very pepperminty. Quite the best mint
K. ‘Tawny King'. Beacon-like orange-amber and cream flowers from tawny buds born
on deep bronze stems. A cracking plant. 80cm K. thomsonii var thomsonii. Well spaced, narrow spikes of soft orange flowers.
MOLOPOSPERMUM peloponnesiacum. A rather sophisticated perennial umbellifer
Prominent among Kniphofia due to its very long flowering season. 120cm.
with sharply etched fernlike foliage. The yellowish heads of flowers and handsome K. ‘Timothy'. A mid-season variety with slender spikes of beautifully toned amber-pink
seeds are carried on stout 120cm stems. flowers. 80cm.
K. ‘Wol's Red Seedling'. Produces fine, well shaped spikes of deep coral red flowers.
MONARDA didyama ‘Jacob Cline'. A Bee Balm with a difference – no mildew.
Strange that it missed an AGM in the Wisley trials.
Simples. The crown of large red flowers is surrounded by a flattering collar of purple stained bracts. A great introduction from the States. 80cm. *LEUCANTHEMELLA serotina. The Hungarian Daisy survives with glee here,
muscling its way through our unforgiving clay and rewarding us with a brilliant late NERINE bowdenii alba. White flowers from blush pink buds. A rare and beautiful
display of gay white daisies. 2m. plant which is perfectly hardy. N. b. ‘Marnie Rogerson'. Palest pink with a hint of shrimp in the colour. A scarce plant
*LIGUSTICUM lucidum. The fresh green filigree foliage is handsome alone. The
but easy to please. white domed flowers in may-june come as a generous bonus. 60cm+. N. b. ‘Pink Waveline'. Selected from the following, the candy-pink flowers possess a
pronounced wavy edge. *LINARIA ‘Peachy'. An excellent new hybrid Toadflax whose Snapdragon-like pale
N. b. Seedlings. Raised from seed of the choice N. b. welsii, the small, rich pink
yellow flowers are highlighted with soft pink. Suited well to chalk or free draining crystalline flowers are nearly always crimped. Now large plants. NEPETA. The Catmints – and we love them just as much as they do.
LOBELIA ‘Dark Crusader'. Brooding, saturated crimson-maroon flowers and richly
*N. kubanica. A leafy Caucasian species bearing clusters of large violet-blue flowers
purple stained young foliage. 70cm held in dark calyces. New to us, it came highly recommended and is a plant for full *L. laxiflora var. angustifolia. A curious species from Arizona looking vaguely
sun or partial shade. 80cm+.
Penstemon like in leaf, but with cheering bright red tubular flowers, yellow in the N. nuda. Upright growth and a subtle misty display of tiny grey-lavender flowers for
throat. Full sun. 75cm. £5.20 weeks. Fans of strong colour will no doubt pass it by. 1.2m.
NEPETA. racemosa ‘Walkers Low'. A Tomcat of a Catmint with a vigour to match.
PERSICARIA. Whilst the foliage of the following could not be described as being
Deep lavender-blue flowers. 60cm. refined, their flower shape, colour range and extraordinary length of flowering season *N. ‘Upright Form'. A synonym perhaps of N. ‘Joanna Reed's Upright Form', it
lift them, for us, onto a very high level. They also partner a wide range of grasses. remains a cracking plant. Yes, upright and easily a match for the great N. ‘Walkers We have gathered a number of newcomers from the continent and offer several below. Low' above. A gift from a Belgian chum. 90cm.
P. amplexicaulis ‘Alba'. The exception to the rule in providing cool white flower
OMPHALODES cappadocica ‘Cherry Ingram'. In good soil this semi-evergreen will
P. a. ‘Fine Pink'. Slender spikes, a tad darker than ‘Rosea' below and thereby fills a
reward you with hundreds of brightest blue ‘Forget-me-not' flowers for weeks. 30cm. £5.20 useful niche.
P. a. ‘Firedance'. Thin tapers of resonant carmine-red over fresh green foliage through
ORIGANUM laevigatum ‘Hopleys'. Small glaucous leaves on branched wiry stems
summer and autumn. A sharp eyed Oudolf selection. 120cm. support a plethora of rosy-purple flowers. A Bee-puller par excellence. 45cm. P. a. ‘Jo & Guido's Form'. An uncommon form, neither red nor pink and with a
*O. vulgare ‘Marchants Seedling'. A seedling selected by us for its good constitution
distinct hint of salmon in the colour. 1m with us but probably taller in damp soil.
and vigour. The mauve –pink flowers will have Tortoiseshell butterflies queuing to P. a. ‘Lage Zaailing'. Another Dutch selection from Hans Kramer, translating (I
get into your garden! 40cm. believe) as ‘short seedling'and at 75cm, short it is. Light rose-red spikes.
P. a. ‘October Pink'. From Coen Jansen comes this good mid-pink, its season starts
PAPAVER somniferum album. Brought back from India (grown as an opiate crop) the
however in July with us. Sussex air perhaps. 90cm glorious tissue paper textured flowers are huge and brilliant white. An annual, it should *P. a. var. pendula. Possesses a grace which most Persicarias in this group lack but
seed about. Per packet of seed £2.50 equally long flowering The drooping flowers are a distinct purple-magenta, the more so in cooler, wetter weather. 60cm.
PARAHEBE ‘Snow Clouds'. The spreading mound of tough evergreen leaves is
*P. a. ‘Rosea'. Upright spikes of small, pale pink flowers held in crimson calyces
overlaid for months with a non-stop crop of brilliant white, pink-purple eyed flowers. creating for weeks a charming two toned effect. Partners Panicum and Miscanthus superbly. 120cm. *P. a.‘Summer Dance'. Another less frequently seen Oudolf selection coming in rose-
PASITHEA caerulea. Roughly speaking, a Chilean bulbous type plant with wide
grassy leaves and starry flowers on branched stems, as near Gentian blue as you can *P. a. ‘Taurus'. A classy Bressingham Gardens introduction, the spikes of vibrant ruby-
get. An real eye-catcher which appears to be hardy. 60cm+. red flowers are the darkest and richest of those we grow. 120cm P. bistorta ‘Hohe Tatra'. The many flowered spikes of flowers are held on stiff stems
PELARGONIUM. Who could fail to be endeared by these charming subjects,
and have the look of an orchid about them. 40cm.
flowering plants par excellence for potwork, each with highly individual scented leaves. P. dshawachischwilii. Yes, unpronounceable but its 17 syllables add up to a virtual
Don't kid yourself they are hardy as they're not and will need cosseting against winter's From lookalike of the following albeit earlier flowering and smaller. A striking plant.
*P. polymorpha. A robust but, most importantly, non invasive ‘knotweed' with a
P. ‘Attar of Roses'. Perhaps the best scented foliage of them all making it excellent for
serious flowering intent, the creamy-white plumes produced unabated from June to culinary use.
Oct/Nov. Dusky rose seed heads are a bonus. 2m+. P. ‘Capri'. A leafy scented mass of pale green foliage spattered through summer with
chiselled pale red flowers.
PHLOMIS russeliana. Bold plush leaves, pale sage green and whorls of typical yellow
P. graveolens. Pleasing crimped foliage whose scent is almost a match for ‘Attar'
hooded flowers in tiers make for a pleasing bold plant. The seed heads are of great above. Small pink flowers are a minor bonus.
winter interest too. 120cm. P. ‘Lord Bute'. Classic old variety, black-purple with paler purple edge. Fab.
P. ‘Old Spice'. Small menthe scented scalloped leaves, pale silver-green and dinky
PHLOX paniculata. Phlox paniculata provides us with some of the most useful mid
white flowers for months. to late summer flowering perennial plants, their colour spectrum ranging from white, P. ‘Sanguineum'. We now have a name and a few plants to spare of this, our most
vicious pinks (as used by the late Christopher Lloyd) to soothing lilac. But it is their commented on Pelargonium.
scent, pungent and spicy, lingering in the air on hot, listless days that quintessentially P. ‘Wooton's Unique'. Small cut scented green leaves and bright, light scarlet flowers
captures the mood of high summer. We hope to offer among others the following forms, From with 2 black zones.
available from June onwards. *P. sidoides. Velvety scalloped silvery leaves, the dark violet-purple flowers, though
P. ‘Burgii', ‘David', ‘Hesperis',‘Kirchenfurst','Konigin der Nacht', ‘Marchant's small, make a resonant statement. Very attractive and almost hardy. Darkest', ‘Marchant's Lilac', ‘Mount Fuji', P. paniculata, P. pan. alba, ‘Princess Sturdza', ‘Uspekh', ‘Utopia', ‘Veg Plot Pink', ‘Veg Plot White', etc.
*PEROVSKIA atriplicifolia ‘Blue Spire'. In a well drained soil the spires of small
lavender-blue flowers make a fine vertical accent. Invaluable for its late flowering PLATYCODON grandiflorus apoyama albus. Pearly white Campanula like flowers
open from seamed and inflated buds, irresistible to pop. At 15cm, a small plant for so sizeable a name. POLYGONATUM curvistylum. Those among you more familiar with green/white
PRIMULA auricula ‘Glenelg'. Red, green and mealy white. Must be the colours of
‘Solomons Seal' will be enthralled by this Himalayan species. From the axils of the someone's National Flag. narrow leaves hang small mauve flowers in clusters. 35cm. P. a. ‘Old Mustard'. Deliciously scented, mustard-yellow flowers with a large powdery
P. lasianthum. A gift from plantsman extraordinaire Dan Hinkley, his own Japanese
white eye. Uncommon. 15cm. collection with remarkable purple stripes suffusing the newly unfurling leaves. Small P. a. ‘Old Red Elvet'. A gorgeous old show variety – velvety deep crimson red with a
creamy, celadon tipped flowers follow. Rare. 30cm. large mealy white eye. 15cm. P. multiflorum ramosissimum. Collected in the wilds of Belgium I believe, the small
flowers of this oddball are held on lateral branched stems. The bronze caste stems PULMONARIA. So often disparagingly labelled as good groundcover, Lungworts are
and leaves in early spring are a remarkable bonus. 60cm. worth much more and should stimulate our gardening imaginations to use them more P. roseum (aff). SBQE 1310. A diminutive Solomon's Seal from China noted for its
creatively.Their flowers herald the spring and their bristly boldly patterened leaves are sweetly scented tubular rose pink flowers . A gem, but better grown and appreciated also at their best then but, surprisingly, in the autumn too.We hope the following will in a pot we find. 10cm. prove the point. P. ‘Silver Striped'. A distinct and rare form of P. falcatum with a reasonably clean
P. ‘Blue Ensign'. Large flowers, vivid deep blue over unspotted, bottle green foliage.
silvery stripe to the centre of each slender leaf. A collector's item. 15cm. The finest blue Lungwort.
P. ‘Cotton Cool'. A bold and vigorous newcomer from the States with platinum, spear
POLYPODIUM. The polypodies are really great garden plants, easy to grow and
shaped leaves over 30 cm long. The blue and pink flowers are nothing to boast about. requiring only half-decent soil in semi-shade to prosper. The new fronds emerge in late From summer, and retain a remarkable freshness throughout the autumn and winter months. £6.00 P. ‘Marchant's Spotted Dick'. Chiselled deep green spear shaped leaves overlayed with
P. australe. The Southern Polypody is a no thrills and spills fern with a simple and
both large and small silvery spots. Clusters of small violet blue flowers and foliage beautiful clarity of outline. Collected by us in the Languedoc where it thrived among point to P. longifolia parentage.
rocky terrain. 20cm.
P. ‘Roy Davidson'. Inheriting the narrow spotted leaves of its parent, the clusters of
P. cambricum ‘Cambricum'. An old, persistent clone with splendid architecturally
narrow flowers are clear Spode blue. 30cm.
detailed fronds.
P. c.‘Oakleyae'. The segments are closely stacked together in this form giving the frond
PULSATILLA vulgaris rubra Strong flowering sized seedlings from our wonderful
a dense and well structured appearance. Very beautiful. 30cm. burgundy red form. Sun and good drainage must. 25cm. P. c. pulcherrimum ‘Dwarf Form'. Equally good but a tad shorter than the other
forms we grow.
REHMANNIA piasezkii. Chinese Foxglove. An uncommon plant, its huge pink tubular
P. c.‘Richard Kayse'. Discovered in 1668, surely the oldest plant in our list. The pinnae
flowers carried on overburdened 60cm stems. Its runs a little and probably best enjoys are distinctly pointed in this sterile form which is claimed to be one of the most beautiful. 30cm.
P. c. ‘Whilharris'. Generally shaggier in its appearance, the lobes of the large 35cm
RODGERSIA. It is hard to beat the bold architectural statement a clump of well
long fronds are also deeply cut, each vaguely resembling a small Christmas tree. grown Rodgersia makes in the garden. However, careful attention needs to be paid P. glycyrrhiza. Bold bi-pinnatifid fronds whose classic, simple line could not be
to the moisture retention of the soil and in the historically drier southeast you may improved upon. The root apparently tastes of liquorice. 45cm. occasionally need to resort to watering to prevent your plants taking on the look of P. x mantoniae ‘Cornubiense'. A classic hybrid fern. Elegant bipinnatifid fronds taper
potato crisps.
to a fine point but produce irregular fronds too. Like all Polypodies, needs time to R. aesculifolia aff. SSSE 306. Sechuan, China. The beauty of the pale sulphur-yellow
show its true character. 30cm buds really caught our attention last year as did the panicles of scented white flowers which followed. Divisions. 1m+.
POLYSTICHUM setiferum ‘Acutilobum'. A sharply etched fern, the 60cm long
R. a. ‘Kupfermond'. From Germany and selected for its short stature but does require
ladder-like fronds being no wider than 80mm. A form of P. setiferum and therefore deluxe soil to flower (pink) well. I believe the name means Copper Moon. *R. p.‘Cally Salmon'. Striking spikes of bright salmon pink flowers ageing typically to
*P. s. plumosum divisilobum. The fronds of the Soft Shield Fern gently curve and are From
a weathered red when in seed. 1m. made up of closely tiered pinnae, the whole resembling a wacky designer cushion. R. podophylla. Ample palmate leaves emerge in spring strikingly bronze flushed,
*P. setiferum ‘Pulcherrimum Bevis'. We hope to offer divisions (not wayward micro- From
eventually turning green but retaining their beauty until autumn. 90cm. props) of this blindingly good form of the Soft Shield Fern. ROSCOEA x beesiana. An uncommon hybrid and whilst old, retains its vigour. June
*POTENTILLA ‘Flamenco'. Rich mahogany-red flowers. If only there were more of
flowering, the lower petals of the pale yellow flowers become purple streaked. Good soil and a little shade suits. P. thurberi ‘Monarch's Velvet'. Deep madder red flowers with a black-maroon eye,
R. cautleoides ‘Kew Beauty'. A tremendously vigorous form with large, primrose
the size of a ten-penny piece. Ever gaining a fan club. 50cm. yellow flowers. 45cm. RUDBECKIA. Stalwarts of the herbaceous border and like wily politicians will go on
SALVIA microphylla ‘Cerro Potosi'. Large carmine pink flowers and remarkable
and on for years with little encouragement. blackcurrant scented foliage. Makes a lusty plant. 50cm. *R. fulgida ‘Goldsturm'. The mind boggles as to how Susan received her black eyes.
*S. m. ‘Pink Blush'. A remarkable plant on account of its hardiness, length of season
Perhaps staring at her namesake for too long for this is a bold yellow. In fact, yokes of and the shock value of its, well, shocking pink flowers. 45cm.
free-range eggs spring to mind. Whilst brazen, it remains a peerless plant. 90cm. *S. m. ‘Marchant's Chalk White'. More ivory than white. Our own seedling raised
*R. ‘Herbstsonne'. The large bright yellow drooping petals and central green cone make
surprisingly from the brilliantly coloured S. ‘Cerro Potosi' above and equally long for a plant of enormous quality. Tangos beautifully with Salvia uliginosa through the flowering. 40cm. S. ‘Nachtvlinder'. The name is Dutch meaning Night Moth. Very appropriate really
R. laciniata. An elegant plant bearing graceful clear yellow daisies with green coned
given it is perhaps the darkest flower colour you'll find in this group – a dark night centres on 2m stems. Both foliage and the persistent seed heads are handsome too. R. maxima. Quirky leaves like coarse silver spinach, sport stiff stems carrying equally
S. stolonefera. The deep green foliage of this Mexican sage is deeply ribbed while the
quirky snooty flowers, bright Yellow with chocolate brown cone. A great profile plant large tubular flowers are a startling bright orange. Said to prefer a modicum of shade. offering bird fodder too. 60cm R. subtomentosa. A notch softer in colour than some of the former and gentler therefore
S. x sylvestris ‘Blauhügel'. The value of this group of salvias cannot be over stressed,
on the eye. The central cone resembles a maroon button. 120cm. providing color over a long period. The flowers of this dependably good, short form R. s. ‘Henry Eilers'. Having first seen this in Bavaria, thought it a must have. The
are lavender-blue. 40cm.
petals are clear yellow and quilled, giving the plant a deft lightness. Flowers through S. ‘Trelawney'. A microphylla type verging towards a lovely shade of coral pink.
August-Sept. but made need a pea stick or two. 1.5m.
S. uliginosa. Wand-like stems carry clear sky-blue flowers, not large but freely produced
R. triloba. A chirpy late flowering fellow, its brassy yellow, black eyed flowers suited
over a very long season. We find it impossible to tire of this plant but beware – it is perfectly to the October light. Not long lived buts seeds adequately. 1m+ rampant if it likes you. *S. verticillata ‘Hannay's Blue'. The small flowers, in truth more lilac-mauve
*SALIX eleagnos. Narrow silver-backed leaves give this shapely shrub the appropriate
than blue, are born in whorls on 45cm stems. A pleasing plant for front of stage name of ‘Rosemary-leaved Willow'. Given space, it will make a great contribution in any reasonable soil and needs little pruning. 3m+. *S. v. ‘Purple Rain'. A Piet Oudolf selection made some years ago, yet still difficult
*S. purpurea ‘Nancy Saunders'. A remarkably elegant form of the purple Osier, its
to hold a candle to. If deadheaded regularly, continues with a display of its purple slender blue-grey leaves adding considerably to the effect. Small grey catkins in Feb.- From flower spikes for weeks on end. 45cm.
SANGUISORBA. The Burnets are among the rising stars of the Horticultural stage.
SALVIA. Like human beings, the ubiquitous Sage comes in all shapes and sizes, and
Needless to say, we find them exemplary used in association with grasses and we are also like humans, some are noticeably fussier and more demanding than others. They are always adding new varieties to our list. Please note that plants marked with an asterisk truly worthy plants, giving us a spread of colourful flowers throughout summer. There (*) will not become available until May. should be a plant here to suit every taste. *S. ‘Blackthorn'. An inspiring newcomer to our list. Fuzzy, pink and upright and
S. ‘African Sky'. A new hybrid from New Zealand bearing small two toned lavender
admired by all. 1.5m.
blue flowers over a remarkably long season. Good for border or pot alike. Its *S. ‘Burr Blanc'. We spotted this saucy white seedling here amongst a batch of
hardiness is being trialled. 60cm.
seedlings in 2004 and it has performed very well in the garden even in drought years. *S. atrocyanea. Bolivia/Argentina. A leafy autumn Sage whose large blue-violet flowers
Quite unlike other white forms, the flowers emerge from celadon green buds and are clasped in persistent purple stained bracts. Deciduous but hardy. 1m+ retain a fresh appearance for weeks on end. 120cm.
S. x ‘Christine Yeo'. A hardy stalwart hybrid sage covering itself in small purple flowers
S. canadensis. Taller than the following but with similar airy white spikes. 1.6m
S. canadensis hybrid. Probably a species, this is our own name for this short S.
S. glutinosa. Known as ‘Jupiter's Distaff', this sticky Sage has coarse basal leaves, pale
Canadensis look alike. Upright spikes of white flowers for weeks, holding its yellow flowers and is described in one eminent book as ‘Useful for rough places'. structure and seed heads well. 1.2m. Small wonder it does well in our soil. 1m. *S. ‘Cangshan Cranberry'. We so value this super plant for its Sept-Nov. display of
*S. greggii.‘Stormy Pink'. A newish cultivar with large, warm tinted pale rose pink
dusky red flowers on self supporting, upright stems. A Dan Hinkley collection from flowers throughout summer. 45cm. Yunnan Province, China in 1996. 2m+.
*S. guaranitica ‘Blue Enigma'. Magnificent royal blue flowers from mid-summer until
S. menziesii. Conspicuous maroon burrs, the largest and first to flower in mid-summer.
frosts. We find this the most reliably perennial form and it requires no staking. 150cm. Always admired by customers unfamiliar with this genus, the best recommendation S. heldreichiana. Apparently a Turkish species. It seems quite distinct with deeply
lobed sage like leaves and provides a very good show of fair sized pale blue flowers *S. ‘Nettlesworth Wand'. A towering new hybrid (‘Cangshan Cranberry' x ‘Korean
through summer. 35cm. Snow) whose 2.2m stems launch a profuse display of long windsock shaped dusky S. x jamensis ‘Silas Dyson'. Glorious deep wine red flowers with fat lobes for months
rose burrs through autumn. Ta Vicki & Nigel.
on end. Makes a semi-shrubby mound, a little brittle when young. 1m+. SANGUISORBA obtusa. The plant in question has particularly beautiful grey foliage From
*SERRATULA seaonei. A modest, little known plant which makes its unassuming
and may be the form known as S. o. ‘Chatto'. 45cm.
entry late in the season with fuzzy pale violet aster like flowers over deeply cut foliage. *S. officinalis ‘Arnhem'. The burrs of this lanky burnet hover like a swarm of small
raspberries on wiry, branched stems, holding their colour for weeks. A great favourite here during summer. 2m. SILPHIUM perfoliatum. A rough and ready N. American yellow daisy cultivated
S. off. Dark Form. Pretty much the darkest form we offer, with very dark maroon
since 1766 so some folk must like it including Dixter. 1.8m burrs. Described by the late G. S. Thomas as ‘A leafy, weedy plant'. Tut, tut Mr T. SISYRINCHIUM idahoense bellum ‘Pale Form' Large flowers a most beautiful
S. off. ex Marina Christopher. We've never had a name for this form (which we raise
shade of grey-blue. 15cms. from seed and therefore a little variable). The fat burrs are dark maroon and at their S. ‘Marchant's Seedling'.This short dark violet seedling occurred on one of our raised
best through September.
beds and has pleasantly stood the test of time. 5cm. S. off. ‘Pink Tanna'. Despite being in a muddle in the trade, this remains a good plant
producing a copious crop of palest pink burrs in summer. Im *SOLIDAGO caesia. The golden-yellow flowers of this attractive Golden Rod are
*S. off. ‘Pink Tanna – Form 2'. Longer and more slender burrs than the above. A very
carried on dark, branched stems. At 45cm a valuable plant for a late display at the good plant. 1m.
*S. off ‘Red Thunder'. One of the shortest and most respectably behaved burnets, the
S. rugosa ‘Firecracker'. A great descriptive name, the slender spikes of golden yellow
bottle green pinnate foliage and dusky maroon flowers atop wiry stems remain in flowers make a bright display among our tall grasses in the autumn. 1.2m. good fettle for many weeks. 40cm. *S. ‘Sanguine Dwarf'. Hard to believe, this was a seedling raised here from S.
SPHAERALCEA incana ‘Sourup'. A hardy erect sub shrub invariably nipped by
‘Arnhem'. At 35cm, very cute.
winter cold whose pale sage green leaves are in harmony with its soft orange mallow *S. sp. CDC 262. Thimble sized dark maroon burrs spaciously arranged on a rigging of
flowers produced all summer. 1.25m+. wiry stems. Worthy of a design award. 60cm. *S. tenuifolia ‘Korean Snow'. A handsome and robust form from Korea, the strong
STACHYS monieri ‘Hummelo'. An Ernst Pagels selection producing neat spikes of
stems topped with cascades of white tassle-like flowers long into the autumn. 2m.
lilac-purple flowers in mid-summer. 60cm. S. t. ‘Rosea'. Divisions are offered for the first time since bringing this plant back from
S. officinalis alba. This is a seed raised batch, but effectively a white form of the above
Holland in 1997. 1.8m and likewise a pert plant for the border front. S. off. ‘Marchant's Pink'. This good deep pink seedling cropped up in a batch of
SAXIFRAGA geum ‘Dixter Form'. A charming, small ‘London Pride', whose neat
seedlings of the above and belongs to the border front battalion. rounded leaves form pert green rosettes. A mist of tiny white flowers in early summer S. off. ‘Rosea'. An easy to please rose-pink form, which has never grown taller than
completes the picture. Uncommon. 20cm. 30cm with us and also sits very happily at the border's edge. S. x urbium ‘Miss Chambers Pink Pride'. A London Pride of impeccable merit and far
from old hat, chosen for its strong constitution and size of flower. 30cm SUCCISA pratensis. Dainty lavender-blue, Scabious like flowers held on 90cm spikes
over evergreen basal clumps. Completely dependable and a cocktail bar for tortoiseshell From *SCABIOSA columbaria var. ochroleuca. Pale yellow flowers are held on a tracery
butterflies in Sept/Oct. of wiry stems through the summer. A very beautiful plant when well grown. Revels in *TANACETUM corymbosum. ‘Festtafel'. An highly effective Marguerite, with
Pyrethrum like silver–green leaves and flat corymbs of small white flowers. 90cm. SCHIZOSTYLIS coccinea.‘Good White'. Or as near as with the faintest touch of pink
in the flower upon opening. THALICTRUM aquilegifolium ‘Small Thundercloud'. A corker of a plant, T.
aquilegifolium in miniature. Creates considerably more than a storm in a tea cup with SELINUM tenuifolium. From the Himalayas, this refined Umbellifer is like a vastly
its generous clouds of purple flowers. 40cm. superior ‘Queen Anne's Lace'. The fresh green lacy foliage is crowned in June with flat T. ‘Black Stockings'. Euphemistically named, the flower stems are in fact purple and
umbels of white flowers supported on stout, ribbed stems. 120cm. support, as is usual, a fuzz of rosy-purple flowers. 1.2m T. delavayi. W. China. The small, nodding rosy lilac flowers with their prominent
SEMPERVIVUM. We've enjoyed gathering a small collection of Houseleeks over
stamens provide an entrancing display on their tracery of wiry stems in summer. A the years, and of course lovely pots in which to grow them. Kids seem to love them as refined plant in every respect. 1.5m. much as we do. We hope to have the following for sale. *T. delavayi ‘Album'. An exquisite beauty with small cupped, virgin white flowers
S. ‘Blue Boy', S. ciliosum x grandiflorum, S. ‘Irazu', S. marmoreum brunneifolium, held en masse on wiry stems in summer. A plant for your very best soil. S. nevadense hirtellum, S. ‘Rubin', S.‘Spiders Lair', S. ‘Stuffed Olive', S. tectorum *T. ‘Elin'. Vigorous and imposing hybrid ( T. flavum glaucum x T. rochebruneanum)
glaucum, etc.

TRITONIA disticha subsp. rubrolucens. A Crocosmia relative (corm) its sweet
VERONICASTRUM sibiricum. ‘Kobaltkaars'. From Dutch nurseryman friend Hans
strawberry pink lily-like flowers suspended on wiry stems through September. Hardy. Kramer, bearing mid-violet coloured spikes 1.25m V. v. ex ‘KobaltKaars'. A random offering of seedlings of the above.
V. virginicum album. The beautiful white form, buff-pink in bud, and difficult to hold
TROPAEOLUM polyphyllum. A bizarre Nasturtium with sprawling mounds of silver
a candle to. 120cm. foliage and yellow flowers. Desirable but infrequently seen. 10cm. V. v. ‘Adoration'. A newish Oudolf selection and new to us too. Reports are very good.
Rosy-lilac. 1.5m.
TULBAGHIA ‘Cosmic' One of many new cultivars coming to the market place. This
V. v. ‘Erika'. A form which has settled down well with us. The flowers are pale rose
is vigorous with lilac flowers and contrasting corona of golden yellow. 50cm. pink. Raised by eminent nurseryman, Ernst Pagels. 120cm. T. ‘Fairy Star'. T. cominsii x violacea gives us this dainty narrow leaved plant. The
V. v. ‘Lavendelturm'. A very vigorous and tall form with large airy tapers of pale
clusters of pale lilac-mauve flowers are carried on 30cm stems for months. lavender-lilac flowers and remarkably good chestnut-brown seed heads in early T. ‘Harry Hay'. Given to me by legendary Harry Hay it seems appropriate to name
it after him. A form of T. violacea it carries large lilac-mauve flowers with a pale V. v. ‘Pointed Finger'. For those among you who misbehaved at school, the angle
purple corona and is quite distinct. 45cm. the flower spikes assume will remind you of a long forgotten but all too familiar T. ‘Hazel'. The clusters of flowers are a curious combination of dirty pink with a
experience. ‘Gough! – Headmaster!' Lavender-blue. 100cm.
yellow tipped brown corona. Much nicer than my lack lustre description suggests. T. violacea ‘Alba'. Simply put, the white form and as with the other forms, long
ZEPHYRANTHES ‘La Bufa Rosa'. A large flowered crocus-like plant from South
flowering and virtually vice free. America, white flushed pink, never better than when enjoyed in a pot. 10cm T. v. ‘White Drooper'. Picked up ‘en route' we've noticed the flower's tendency to
droop, the result of a long pedicel no less. It makes for a dainty plant. T. violacea ‘Fine Form'. A very strong, prodigious flowering form of this South
African Allium relative with larger umbels of lilac-mauve flowers than is usually seen. Perfectly hardy. 60cm. We will also be offering offer 2 new varieties (available this summer). As they await names they are not yet listed here but do please ask for details if you are interested.
VERBASCUM pheoniceum ‘Violetta'. Airy spikes of large rich purple flowers more
than compensate for the lack lustre basal rosettes. Seeds freely when happy. 60cm. *VERBENA bonariensis. Erect, skeletal Giacometti like stems bear clusters of tiny
lavender-purple flowers through summer and autumn. Its transparent structure is beautiful in winter too. 150-180cm. V. hastata. Erect stems terminate in a branched candelabra arrangement of tiny purple
*V. h. alba. The less often encountered white form. 75cm.
V. h. rosea. Hopefully, we shall have plants available of this delightful pink form in
early summer. 90cms. V. ‘La France'. The ambitious stems of this bedding type verbena will gladly weave
themselves to great effect through neighbours. Domed heads of bright lilac-mauve flowers throughout summer/autumn. 45cm. *VERNONIA crinita. ‘Iron Root'. So called because of its brutishly tough roots. A late
perennial which should be better known. Leafy 1.8m+ stems are topped in Sept/Oct. with a display of small crimson-purple aster like flowers. VERONICASTRUM. The following list is arguably one of the best in the country.
We love these classic American Prairie plants. Their bold, erect outline match them perfectly to planting with grasses. What's more, they are long lived and for the most part, very easy to please. Flowering from June. *CHASMANTHIUM latifolium. The intriguing flat flowers of Wood Oats are green
on opening and persist in winter when they become copper flushed. Admire them in the The grasses revolution of the last 20 years has seen the introduction of many new garden or better still, pick them for the house. varieties but has also importantly prompted a reconsideration of their uses with the result that grasses are now being employed in a much more creative way by gardeners CHIONOCHLOA rubra. Only when this plant had increased in girth here did we
and garden designers alike. They have become an essential part of the English gardening realise it was alive! The fine copper coloured leaves form handsome dense tussocks. vernacular and regardless of their fashion status and prominence in garden magazines Effective in the border or pots. features (and despite one prominent garden writer commenting to me five years ago that grasses had probably had their day) in all probability, they are here to stay. DESCHAMPSIA cespitosa ‘Tautrager'. New to us from the continent it grows to
In the wild they are pioneer plants, surviving in open spaces where, wind pollinated, 90cm and has proved to be a strong upstanding plant. Effective both singly and in drifts. £5.35 they grow in lean soils with little competition from other plants Their requirements in D. flexuosa ‘Tatra Gold'. Forms low, tufted mounds of narrow foliage, a lively gold-
the garden are also easily met but the light provided by sunshine, particularly when green through winter and spring. 25cm low cast, is one of the most important ingredients of all. The striking of light and its refraction through the seemingly delicate flower heads and seed heads of many grasses ERAGROSTIS curvula. S&SH 10. Far superior to the form we have been offering, by
creates an effect that few other plants can match.
mid-summer the flowering stems knit together into a billowing airy mass which persists Grasses are very much part of our own vocabulary at Marchants, making an important long into the winter months. 90cm. connection between the garden and the landscape beyond. They are seen at their best between July and October so why not pay us a visit to see how we use them and to *HAKONECHLOA macra. The fresh, plain green leaves of this form make a
discover the remarkable beauty they can bring to a garden.
welcome contrast to the ubiquitous variegated form. LUZULA sylvatica aureomarginata. The cream leaf margins of the Wood Rush make
for a refined plant, made even better when topped by a haze of reddish brown flowers in IMPORTANT
early summer. 40cm. Many of our grasses are propagated in spring and will not become available until the end of May/early June. They are marked with an asterisk, i.e. * MELICA uniflora f. albida. The Wood Melick creeps about benignly, its spikelets
spangled with tiny bead like white flowers. Understated and utterly charming. 40cm. *ANDROPOGON gerardii. A classic Prairie grass grown for its blue-green foliage and
MISCANTHUS. My conversion to this Genus happened many years ago on a visit
upright habit. The flowers are loosely described as looking like turkeys feet. Get you! to Ernst Pagels' Nursery in North Germany where he had spent many years selecting seedlings. The result of his work has provided us with some of the finest autumn flowering grasses available today. This also accounts for the large number of German BRIZA media var. limouzii . This Quaking/Totter Grass always steals hearts with its
names one battles to get ones tongue around. insect-like rustling, dark flowers on wiry stems. 45cm. Flowering at the same time as Pampas Grass, they do not suffer the same unfortunate suburban connotation and are much easier to accommodate in mixed borders. Their CALAMAGROSTIS x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster'. The vertical thrust of this plant,
beauty lasts long into the winter, as long that is as their bleached stems are able to resist together with the bleached biscuit pallor of the spent flowers and stems provides a the vagaries of winter's inclement weather. Flowering on their annual growth, Jan/Feb. unique and highly effective feature from summer onwards. 180cm. heralds the start of the shearing season when they are carefully cut back (we use a C. x a.‘Overdam'. Finely variegated leaves form a bold clump and in spring are attrac-
hedgetrimmer here) to 15cm or so before the new seasons growth begins.
tively tinted with pink. The spent flowers are as effective as the above. 1.8m. Miscanthus nepalensis. This possesses the most beautiful flowers of any Miscanthus,
C. varia. Possesses all the attributes of the above. However, the flowers of this species
small fountain-like tresses of braded gold silk. We struggle with it in cold winters but are held on graceful, arching stems. 60cm. many find it quite easy. 120cm M. sinensis ‘Adagio'. At 1.2m this American selection has proved to be the shortest in
CAREX elata aurea. Bowles's Golden Sedge demands retentive soil to prosper. Quite
our collection and is thus ideal for the smaller garden. Makes a tight, narrow leaved brilliant in its golden foliage effect, the flowers in contrast are almost black. 45cm clump and covers itself in silvery buff, thin plumes.
*C. muskingumensis ‘Little Titch'. The Palm Sedge in its smallest form, a fuzz of
M. s. ‘Beth Chatto'. The last Miscanthus from Ernst Pagels, nostalgically named after
fresh greenery for the border front. 15cm. his dear friend. The very fine leaves arching at their tips and narrow light brown *C. m. ‘Oehme'. A striking form with a swish golden band to the edge of the leaf.
flowers make for an elegant grass. 1.5m+ M. ‘China'. Like the following, one of the darkest, but just a notch later. 1.5m
C. species ex KYOTO. A fresh green ‘designery' looking sedge with good potential
M. s. ‘Dixieland'. A classy variegated, American selection. A refreshing addition.
from Dutch colleague Coen Jansen. What's good enough for Coen and Kyoto is good M. s. ‘Ferne Osten'. An early display of dark purple flowers held well above narrow
enough for us so hopefully you too. 40cm? leaves, continues thereafter over a long season. A great favourite here. 1.5m.to any *MISCANTHUS s. ‘Ghana'. A distinct narrow habit, upright brown flowers and superb
The following forms (ssp. caerulea) require the same cultural conditions as the above but reddish, purple-brown autumn colour make this a real winner. 150cm.
are much shorter in growth. *M. s. ‘Grosse Fontäne'. The 2.5m stems support great arching silvery-buff flower
MOLINIA c. c. ‘Dauerstrahl'. Guilt leads me to confess this grass suffered neglect here
plumes, always a great sight. AGM for years. A reappraisal followed replanting and last summer few were the days when *M. s. ‘Heiku'. An uncommon selection from the stable of Ernst Pagels. 2m.
its soft arching beauty wasn't appreciated at the border front. 70cm.
M. s. ‘Kleine Fontäne'. Drooping flower heads in shimmering pink. This is indeed a very
M. c. c. ‘Dark Defender'. Marina Christopher's recent selection has proved itself a real
beautiful ‘Small Fountain'. 120cm. AGM.
star, the dark bronze heads unusually persisting well into winter. 90cm.
M. s. ‘Malepartus'. The stir this plant caused when it arrived from Germany continues
M. c. c. ‘Heidebraut'. As ethereal as the following but at 1.2m just a notch taller.
to this day. Dramatic, upright spikes of purple flowers in bold contrast to the broad, M. c. c. ‘Moorhexe'. At 1m and with wispy panicles this is a useful intermediary between
arching leaves. The foliage takes on glorious amber/apricot tints in late autumn. 180cm.
the short and tall Molinias. M. s. ‘Morning Light'. This justly popular Japanese selection possesses extremely narrow
M. c. c. ‘Poul Petersen'. This is Piet Oudolf's choice for planting ‘en masse'. Who am I
variegated foliage, which to the eye, registers as a pale silver-green. Not normally noted for its flowering display, it remains a peerless accent plant. 150cm. AGM.
M. s.‘Professor Richard Hansen'. Another Ernst Pagels selection, with upright foliage
*ORYZOPSIS milliacea. From evergreen tufts erupt filament-like flower stems arranged
and sentinel, silvery flower plumes held on lithe stems well above the leaves. 2.75m. umbrella spoke fashion from the base in descending size, tier upon tier creating an elegant, *M. s. ‘Rosi'. A very handsome newcomer from Germany, bolt upright and with a dark,
airy effect. Almost unmatched for beauty in winter. 45cm. smouldering look about it. Fine autumn colour comes as a bonus. 2m+.
*M. s. ‘Rotfuchs'. Deep rust-red narrow plumes, fading to a bleached charcoal-purple.
PANICUM. The ‘Switch Grasses' of North America are a valuable addition to our flower
borders. Strictly clump forming and trouble free, they erupt in September/October into a *M. s. ‘Rotsilber'. A handsome selection, the strict, upright stems terminate in a fantastic
shower of tiny reddish-purple, bead like flowers. At the same time, the foliage assumes display of reddish-purple croziers, equally beautiful when they fade to grey-silver. crimson-purple hues, contributing greatly to the general effect. P. amarum ‘Dewey Blue'. Differs from the following selections in being paler in both leaf
M. s. ‘Sarabande'. Extremely fine elegant leaves form an erect column, erupting in
and flower colour and with a more arching habit. We love it. 120cm.
September in a display of copper-gold plumes. An American selection. 180cm. P. v. ‘Dallas Blues'. Excellent broad blue green leaves, making it a foliage plant of due
M. s. ‘Silberspinne'. The vertical thrust of elegant narrow leaves and upright flower heads
merit. The flowers are nothing to boast about. 2m+.
of brown-purple make this selection one of the finest. Splendid winter structure. 180cm.
P. v. ‘Heavy Metal Mk 2'. A seedling of ‘Heavy Metal' which has grown stronger than its
M. s. ‘Silver Sceptre'. Bolt upright with arguably the finest foliage among Miscanthus of
parent with us but with all the attributes, particularly the grey foliage.
medium height making it a particularly good grass for statement making. Marvellous in P. v. ‘North Wind'. We so enjoy this plant with its strong vertical habit, forming a green
flower too. A lucky Marchants seedling. 1.8m.
column in the border. Good bronze and copper tints in autumn too. Flowers? Hmm-ask M. s. ‘Yakushima Dwarf'. Extremely productive, casting up masses of golden plumes.
another question. 120cm. Its narrow foliage, compact habit and beautiful shape, lends it to punctuation planting. *P. v. ‘Red Cloud'. Impressive sized panicles of ruby red flowers. A handsome
Classy. 120cm eventually.
newcomer. 120cm.
P. v. ‘Rubrum'. An old variety, but one which performs very well with us, flowering
MOLINIA. The following are without exception among the most atmospheric of grasses.
profusely and with superb autumn leaf colour. 1m. Arising from non-invasive clumps, their erect stems bear in summer slender spikes of P. v. ‘Shenandoah'. Particularly dark red flowers in this form and characteristic red
black-purple or brown/tan flowers. Their transparent nature makes them ideal candidates staining to the foliage also. 1m.
for the border front, enabling the eye to pass through to vistas beyond. To cap it all, their P. v. strictum. Bolt upright with a particularly airy flowering inflorescence. We love it!
bright, bleached stems make a strikingly beautiful addition to the late autumn/early winter From P. v. ‘Warrior'. Produces a great misty head of ruby flower spikelets that remain attractive
Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea ‘Bergfreund'. Tiny bead like flowers in silvery brown
in winter long after their colour has been sapped. 120cm. create a floral mist and are at their most entrancing when suspended with droplets of water PENNISETUM. The Fountain or Feather Grasses might better be called the Animal tail
M. c. a. ‘Cordoba'. Upright thrusting stems and dense spikelets of purple-brown flowers.
Grasses, their flowers mimicking in a cute sort of way Squirrel, Rabbit, Lamb, Deer, even Impressive. 2m.
Rat. We think them versatile and easy to grow but drainage is important and in harsh M. c. a. ‘Fontäne'. An appropriate name given the fountain like nature of this plants
winters 1 or 2 may quake. They are grown for their spectacular flowers, less so for their arching stems. 2m+.
M. c. a. ‘Karl Foerster'. Handsome purple flower infloresence. The perfect choice for a
*P. alopecuroides ‘Black Beauty'. A selected clone of the following with spectacular
one man show at the border front! 180cm. Highly recommended. dark, busby-like flowers in autumn. Admired by all. 90cm. This and the following M. c. a. ‘Transparent'. Only a pedant would argue about the differences between this and
forms of P. alopecuroides enjoy moist, not dry soil. M. ‘Bergfreund'. They are both highly effective garden plants. P. ex ‘Black Beauty'. Seedlings of the above. We've hardly noticed a difference between

PENNISETUM a.‘Herbstzauber'. Looking like an obese pincushion, and softer toned
than the above, the brown bottlebrush flowers of this fine German selection always draw positive comments. 50cm. P. macrourum. Unequivocally one of the most interesting grasses we grow. The
flowers, not unlike cream-white pipe cleaners, are held aloft on stiff 180cm stems. Our collection of Snowdrops at Marchants has grown considerably over the years: Need we say more. gifts from friends, purchases from the increasing number of snowdrop catalogues *P. orientale. Beth Chatto's description ‘– pink and mauve caterpillars on wiry stems'
and sales together with promising seedlings which have occurred here, the result takes some beating. A beautiful grass when grown well and holds its own against the following newer introductions. Loves chalk. 45cm.
of winter bee activity.
P. o. ‘Fairy Tails'. An American selection which has performed well in the garden here.
Each year in early February we hold a week end sale of snowdrops drawn from Bolt upright , it is the last of the orientales to come into flower with us. 75cm.
our collection, normally offering up to 40 or more different varieties, some rare, P. o. ‘Karley Rose'. A much vaunted new introduction bearing dusky pink feathery
others less so with prices varying accordingly. Therefore we offer plants for the flower plumes for several months. A good doer, coping well with Marchant's clay. beginner, collector and connoisseur alike.
If you would like details of our snowdrop sales do keep an eye to ‘Graham's P. o. ‘Shogun'. Similar to the above but taller and better able to hold itself well. 1m.
Blog' on our website www.marchantshardyplants.co.uk through January or
*P. thunbergii ‘Red Buttons'. A newish fountain grass with conspicuous, big bug sized
better still, fill in a request for a snowdrop availability list on the appropriate copper-red flowers through summer. Has proved hardy here. 90cm. web page. By using this latter method you will find your way onto our snowdrop *P. villosum. Spectacular long display of huge white Caterpillar-like flowers,
mailing list and will be informed of future snowdrop events at Marchants.
irresistible to kids (and adults too!). Hardy here but doesn't get its annual haircut in until spring. 50cm. *SPOROBOLUS heterolepis. The grass Piet Oudolf uses so well en masse not only
for its looks but scent too – crushed coriander. Ours is the strong Pensthorpe Wildfowl Park form. Hopefully available in summer. 60cm. STIPA capillata. An airy-fairy thing, over fine clumps of foliage its silvery hair-like
awns create a delicately woven gauze. 70cm. S. gigantea. Like a giant Oat, whose flowers in some lights so shimmer with gold, they From
might seem to be fed by some mysterious electricity supply. Divisions. 2m+. S. g. ‘Gold Fontäne'. A German selection. Our parent plant performs very well here
normally producing a copious number of flowering stems. For us, the foliage is noticeably compact. A plea for carry bags and strong boxes
We spend many hours collecting boxes from a number of sources for you to take your plants home safely in. It is an enormous help therefore if you can provide your own boxes or bags and moreover a sure way of becoming a favourite customer. Many thanks for your consideration Marchants
Hardy Plants To Ripe
How to find us
The nursery is situated 300m south of the B2124, a half-mile east of Laughton village in Mill Lane (formerly Ripe Road). The Nursery car park is situated 60m past our cottage on the right hand side of the road.
Please note: Satnavs, Tom Toms, etc. have a nasty habit of delivering traffic a ½ mile
south of our true location. Please try to follow the directions above and treat your device with suspicion! Design: Bert Wheeler Printed by Brighton Print Centre

Source: http://www.marchantshardyplants.co.uk/Marchants-Hardy-Plants-Catalogue.pdf