Flowers and Plants

Papaver rhoeas or Flanders Poppy is the common red poppy familiar to millions as the symbol for Remembrance Day.

Japanese Anemone are beautiful plants, are very easy to grow and flower their heads off from August through to the frosts. During September they are at their best when there are few other plants around.

Many of us think of gardening as an activity that’s almost exclusively suited to spring and summer. Indeed, these are the seasons during which the weather tends to be best suited to outdoor activities, and many plants and flowers do best when planted earlier in the year. However, that doesn’t […]

Our Plant of the Month Papaver orientale or Oriental Poppy produces delicate flowers from May to July above bristly, grey-green leaves. The flower colours vary from white, through pink to red. They are a fast-growing plant and easy to grow, the pale papery flowers contrast especially well with purple foliage plants such as Heuchera.

Are you concerned about the Ash Trees near you? Ash dieback is a disease of ash trees caused by a fungus called Chalara fraxinea and can affect trees of any age and the symptoms are: Black blotches at the base of leaves before they begin to wilt Legions or spots on […]

People either love or hate grasses but at this time of year they add enormous interest to any garden; there is a huge range available adding gossamer effects, autumn colour, and winter shapes as well as a gentle rustling as the wind whips around the garden.

Hydrangeas are wonderful plants and often under rated; they flower for months right up to the frosts, they grow to a good sized shrub so are ideal for adding structure to your borders and they can be used as a cut flower too.

Plant your Red, White and Blue themed plants to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympics. Crocus.co.uk have a very patriotic planting combination available just in time for these momentous occasions. This lovely, colourful and fragrant collection consists of three Phlox paniculata for just £14.99. Even better you can buy […]

Saffron comes from the bright red stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Plant the bulbs during August in a nice sunny spot or a pot on a hot patio and they will produce lovely scented blooms during the autumn year after year.

About 10 years ago my brother, Ken, bought me a Cox’s Orange Pippin apple tree, grafted to keep it small enough for my small garden. Over the years it has basically looked after itself with little or no pruning, but each year it produces a number of apples which I […]