It’s that time of year again- I’ll be at watton this weekend (8th-9th). The festive BBQ will be alight, free sausages, free mulled wine (while it lasts!) and plenty of Christmas trees.
Wreaths, cyclamen etc. all available alongside usual nursery stock.
Merry Christmas!
This year our range of autumn bedding is looking more colourful than ever.
Calluna Skyline and Viola.
Violas and pansies are just coming into flower and will be looking good throughout September and October. Supplementing the range will be a good assortment of heather, cyclamen, and various hardy, evergreen plants for structure and colour.
This is also a great time of year to plant interesting shrubs. We have grown over 300 varieties of hardy, flowering shrubs for small gardens, and here are some of my favourites for the season:
Weigela Rubidor, Nandina Lemon and Lime, and Acer Acontifolium.
Along these are an excellent, and extended range of carex grasses, heuchera, and several new varieties of hosta which should be looking great by mid spring.
As always, we have a good stock hedging and fruit, so make the most of these two months!
I look forward to seeing you, and here’s to a great upcoming season!
Max.
NOTICE:
During very hot weather the nursery will not be open. This is due to unsafe temperatures under glass .
Quiet time of year at the nursery. There is never much choice until end of August, mostly end of season annuals such as red geraniums:
Otherwise, we begin potting 250 varieties of shrubs. These will be grown at watton this year, and although they will not be fully- ready until end August, it’s still worth having a look. Lines I’m particularly looking forward to include:
Heuchera paprika,
which is one of 10 varieties we will grow.
Plus the stunning:
Clematis ‘Taiga’
And that’s just the beginning. We start planting pansies and viola soon enough, ready for what should be a FAR more colourful autumn than the rather sun- browned summer we’re enjoying!
So until then, enjoy the heat!
There are lots of plants on the nursery, however this month some lines tend to run out. Impatiens have been more popular again this year, and due to the shoddy growing conditions in April, we’ll only have the ‘Golden Picotee’ trailing begonia.
Luckily it’s a good one!
Some other lines to look out for are our CL5 perennials, grown by none other than my parents, who started the nursery 30 years ago! The plants are predictably very, very good, and I’ll be pricing them generously throughout June. Look for Lupins, Foxgloves, and even some rarities such as …
Salvia ‘Amistadt’
As a general note- if you’re looking for summer bedding, or any seasonal fare, then come to the nursery sooner rather than later. As we come towards July, things really start to run out.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Max.
This post will span April and May. I won’t spend too much time detailing interesting pieces of stock… because frankly there’s too many. This is the time of year where we are at our most FULL. If you can think of something seasonal, there’s a strong chance we’ve got it. So come by any time from mid-April to find-
*Bedding plants/Basket Plants
*Planters/Baskets
*Perennials/Alpines
*Shrubs/Trees
*1/2 oak barrels/hardwood planters
New additions can be found in the Osteospermum range. We’ve grown lots of yellow cultivars this year including the new, stunning-
‘Blushing Beauty’
Of course May will see the usual influx of Begonia species, we have an excellent ‘La paz’ series in a couple of new colours, and will be planting more of the ‘Lemon’ Illumination series in baskets-
Begonia Illumination Lemon.
A few notices-
Basket orders will only be accepted at our Bengeo site this year. It is where they are grown, and will reduce any problems in transport/logistics. Rest assured the process and quality will remain as good as always.
Delivery is unavailable until at least mid-June, when the season begins to slow. So if you need large stock transporting, then after June is your best time.
Large trees/shrubs will be the ticket for later season. I will be importing a large amount from Italy at this time, so if there’s something you’d like to see, let me know! I’ll see what I can do.
In the meantime, hope to see you! I really can’t wait for the season. Warmer weather (God willing), beautiful plants, and happy gardeners.
See you at the nursery!
Max.
The nursery is very much ignoring the ‘polar vortex.’ Weather be damned, once it’s March, we are in Spring-mode.
Edit: Having said that, in case of HEAVY snow, we’ll probably be at home hugging the radiators like everyone else.
Stock has rolled in, including but not limited to-
Some of my favourite pieces include-
Edgeworthia Chrysantha
Or- Honey bush. The fragrance is out of this world, and the structure of the shrub even in leaf is just lovely.
We’ve tried to get some more unusual, larger shrubs this year, and two of the most interesting are-
Euonymus alatus
The aptly named, ‘Burning bush’, and,
Eremophila Nivea
The ‘Emu bush’ which, if I’m honest I’m dubious about how hardy it claims to be, yet in the right spot, sheltered and warm, it would be reminiscent of a soft, delicate lavender, with much larger bell shaped flowers. One to watch out for.
That’s 3 distinct plants which I doubt you’d easily find elsewhere, and highlights a drive (this month particularly) to stock things which aren’t the usual, run-of-mill dutch imports.
One last plant to mention. I’ve wanted to stock this for years, yet the price has always stood in the way. When they arrived on the market, Paeonia ‘Itoh’ was selling at trade for roughly £90 (minimum!) for a single bare-root. Its credentials had me fascinated from the start. And interspecific cross between a ‘tree’ peony, and a herbaceous peony. Cut back each year, it boasts massive blooms, the structure and height of P. Arborescens, combined with the profusion and durability of P. suffruticosa. Well! They’re still not cheap, but we’ve finally got some.
Paeonia ‘Itoh’ Garden Treasure.
So there you have it. All these and many more are on offer in a nursery which is absolutely brimming with colour. Ignore the weather, come and have a look.
I can’t wait to show these plants off.
Seasonal opening times:
Watton: Open as normal.
Bengeo: Opening 1st March.
As of right now, things get busy on the nursery. At the growing site we start planting young plants for spring, at Watton we begin to pot bare-root hedging, trees and roses.
The stock levels are fairly low until about mid-February, when some really interesting acers arrive, such as,
Acer Japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’
….Which boasts an astounding autumn variegation. Yet the most interesting part of the small tree, for me are the flowers. Yes! they’re showy enough to warrant a mention in their own right, giving an incredibly varied interest throughout the season.
We’re also stocking far more trees this year. Native species are beginning to rally in a big way, and I expect our oaks, maples, and birch varieties (among others) to be a very popular addition.
We’re growing 7 varieties of dicentra (Goldheart being my favourite still), and the young bare-root plants of D. ‘alba’ are already promising to be a real showstopper.
Roll on Spring…
There is so much more to mention. I would advise waiting until the end of the month, or even early March for the best selection. If, however, you need to pre-order anything in quantity, or else wonder if we have that specific, hard to find, or rare plant, do send me an e-mail or pop by. I’m always happy to help.
