Season's Hints and Tips

Top Plants For Spring Interest

Ceanothus

Excellent evergreen shrub for a sunny site.  Varieties in a range of heights for different parts of the border.  Varieties include:-

C. Thyrsiflorus 'repens' - A low growing, mound forming variety that produces generous quantities of Cambridge Blue flowers in Spring.
C. Griseus 'Yankee Point' - This is a compact, medium sized shrub with dark, glossy, evergreen leaves and deep blue flowers.
C. Italian Skies - A vigorous shrub with densely branched small dark Green leaves and deep Blue flowers in late Spring.

Pieris

A splendid shrub which enjoys similar conditions to Rhododendrons and Azaleas, they are also good subjects for pots and tubs.  Grow in ericaceous compost.  Varieties include:-

P. 'Forest Flame' - A superb, leaves start red then fade through pink to white, then green.  Flowers are white in large drooping panicles.
P. 'Flaming Silver' - A sport of Forest Flame with variegated leaves.
P. 'Little Heath' - A dwarf, compact variety with small variegated leaves.  It flowers sparsely, but can be free flowering if grown in a position with good light.

Chaenomeles

Chaenomeles can be grown against a wall or in an open border.  An adaptable medium-sized shrub, it will grow in sun or shade.  Varieties include:-

C. Geisha Girl - Apricot Peach flowers.
C. Nivalis - Pure white flowers.
C. Fire Dance - Red flowers.

Acer Palmetum

Deciduous shrubs or small trees grown for their colour and shape of their foliage, they need some protection from early morning sun and cold winds in Spring.  Varieties include:-

Acer P. Dissectum - Finely cut green leaves turn red in Autumn.
Acer P. Bloodgard - Leaves are very deep reddish-purple, turning red in Autumn.
Acer P. Garnet - Finely cut garner red leaves
Acer P. Sango Kaku - Grown for its coral red young stems in Winter.

Choisya

This evergreen shrub makes an excellent rounded bush.  The main flowering is in May, then occasionally throughout the Summer.  Varieties include:-

C. Ternata - A medium-sized shrub with dark evergreen leaves that are aromatic when crushed.  Flowers are white and sweetly scented.
C. Ternata Sundance - A striking small to medium-sized shrub with bright yellow young foliage.
C. Aztec Pearl - A small shrub whose leaves are divided into 3-5 bright green leaflets.  Scented white flowers are borne profusely in late Spring.

Magnolias

Grown for their striking flowers on barewood in Spring, they make an excellent feature plant for any garden.  Varieties include:-

M. Stellata - White fragrant, many petalled flowers in mid-Spring.
M. Soulangeana - Most popular variey with many tulip-shaped flowers in mid Spring.  There are also many excelloent clones of this variety, including M. Rustica Rubra and M. Soulangeana Purpurea.
M. Lilliflora Nigra - Tulip shaped flowers, purple on the outside and cream on the inside.