Bushel boxes

Any of you lucky enough to far enough away from us to have received orders packed in bushel boxes on pallets should google “bushel boxes” and see just how mad people can be. If you burnt them you will be cross!

robinssalvias.com/

If you want something to while away a dark afternoon in the winter try www.robinssalvias.com. It is a well illustrated mine of information about a group of plants we want to grow more of. If you have no web access then I can’t help you with this one, but I am curious as to how you now cope with the world without this tool (or prop).  

Colocasia ‘Black Magic'

I really should write about something truly hardy at this time of year but I won’t. Colocasia ‘Black Magic' needs to be treated like Cannas or Dahlias but it is a stunning plant in the summer with huge black leaves. www.hardytropicals.co.uk/Aroids/Colocasia/Colocasia_Black%20Magic.php. The species is cultivated for its edible roots so there’s a fall back position.

Holboellias & Stautonia

I have never been quite so confused as when trying to ascertain whether we had our Holboellias and Stautonia correctly named. When I realised the books not only contradicted each other but themselves I gave up; I think we are correct. All (H. latifolia, H.coriacea and S. hexaphylla) are Z9, vigorous, twining climbers with large waxy, white flowers with an overpowering fragrance. The unisexual flowers may be flushed green or purple or may indeed be purple if they are the other sex, and are borne on either the upper or lower parts of the plant, accordingly. Whatever, sometimes you get two-inch long blue fruits that are edible. 

A Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all our readers.

A Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all our readers. 

Miscanthus ‘Etincelle’

I mentioned before, in passing, Miscanthus ‘Etincelle’ as being a new, golden-banded variety and it has since shown one claim to fame in that it flowers freely which the other banded varieties do not in my experience. 

Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’

Sambucus racemosa ‘Sutherland Gold’ is a real improvement on S. r. ‘Plumosa Aurea’ (which we no longer grow). Both are vigorous, soft, golden-leaved shrubs but ‘Sutherland Gold’ has much more finely divided foliage, and, most importantly, will not scorch in hot sun. It will grow anywhere (well, it is an elder), including shade, and is tolerant of hard pruning when necessary.

Dodonea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ & Olearia macrodonta

Dodonea viscosa  ‘Purpurea’ is hardy for many of you (Z9) and wind tolerant, including salt wind. It is a vigorous evergreen shrub (or even a small tree) with long purplish leaves, inconspicuous flowers followed by attractive, hop-like, pink capsules. Also salt-wind tolerant is Olearia macrodonta which has large, grey, leathery toothed leaves and can be used to make an informal hedge or windbreak. It is a Z8 which means that it is unlikely to succumb to a modern English winter. If you have lost (tut, tut) the hardiness rating cribsheet it is on the website or I can send you a fresh one. 

Stipa ‘Wind Whispers

Stipa ‘Wind Whispers’ is not another marketing name for Stipa tenuissima but a subspecies which is slightly different. It is slightly less smooth to the touch and will grow to 36” while S. tenuissima will never make more than 24”, so it could more suitable for some situations. (By the way if anybody is offering you Stipa tenuissima ‘Pony Tails’ ask them if they are propagating a selected form by division. If they are not, what they are offering is Stipa tenuissima and that is it. Pony Tails is the common name)

New Catalogue

Our new catalogue will be sent out early in the New Year and that shows most of what we are planning to grow next year. There are things in the catalogue that will never appear on the availability list (because they are very popular or so unpopular that we never actually propagate them) and things will appear on the availability list that aren’t in the catalogue. That is just the way it for us, but it does mean that you cannot use just one or the other if you want to take full advantage of the range we offer. 

Communication over the holidays

We are closed for two weeks from after Friday 19^th – starting again on Monday January 5^th, but we will be checking e-mail and fax and making sure that any orders received can be dealt with in rotation when we resume. We don’t have an answering machine on the telephone, so if you want to phone in an order you may or may not get an answer through this period.

The Christmas Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Website fixes

A number of fixes have been completed on our web site www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

These include fixing the bugs that stopped the downloading of availability lists for some people .

All should be well now so if you've had a problem in the past give it another go, it will work now ;)

Availability updates

A updated Availability list is ready
A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Next Availability list is ready

A new Availability list is done. Go tohttp://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mailnick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Anisodonta x hypomadara

Anisodonta x hypomadara is an attractive hybrid with larger, more intensely coloured and veined flowers than those of A. It is vigorous when well fed, but like Cistus it will still grow and flower in poor soil as long as this is well-drained, and it will also prove more hardy if grown hard with some shelter.

Viburnum tinus ‘Israel’

Viburnum tinus ‘Israel’ is a distinct form which offers a change from the more well known types The leaves are larger and glossier than the other varieties and it grows more vigorously, but most importantly it flowers very late – with the flower buds not appearing until early spring (as long as you don’t prune it at the wrong time). Although we seem to have forgotten it in recent years the roots of Viburnum tinus in containers are not tolerant of much freezing, as they are thick and fleshy, so be aware of the potential for damage should there be a proper cold spell this winter. Once in the ground this ceases to be a problem.

Availability List time

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Olearia virgata var. lineata “Dartonii”

Olearia virgata var. lineata “Dartonii” suffers with its name, but is a worthwhile plant. It is a vigorous, with fine, silvery foliage and would be good at the back of a border to set off brightly coloured flowers. It is tolerant of hard pruning so won’t get too big. A good alternative to Salix exigua – it has the silveriness without being a willow. Completely hardy and clay tolerant.

Piptanthus nepalensis

Piptanthus nepalensis (formerly P. laburnifolius) makes a large shrub, and although it is traditionally regarded as slightly tender ours are grown from seed from a garden in Yorkshire so it certainly justifies the classification of Z8. It is semi-evergreen, with large yellow laburnum like flowers in spring and large trifoliate leaves. Can be grown as a single stem or multi-stemmed – which our current batch will have to be as they have been pruned. Being leguminous it needs good drainage and is best with some shelter from wind.

Caryopteris incana-yellow foliaged varieties

Caryopteris incana ‘Sunshine Blue’ is probably the best yet of the yellow foliaged varieties. It is a deeper yellow than ‘Worcester Gold’, the flowers are bright blue rather than pale blue because it is a C. incana (rather than C. x clandonensis) and for the same reason it should be hardier, although neither should suffer in well-drained soil – but they don’t thrive on our heavy clay. The other new golden Caryopteris (C. ‘Hint of Gold’) seems to be less golden than ‘Sunshine Blue’. Both are subject to PVR. I am going to do a Caryopteris cribsheet before next spring.

Euphorbia griffithii

Euphorbia griffithii types are always popular with their showy flowers in spring, red foliage through the summer and golden autumn colour. Although they are all similar, there are differences in nursery performance and garden worthiness. E.g. ‘King’s Caple’ (named after the village where it comes from) is taller and bushier than the standard ‘Fireglow’, and the flower heads are larger, better coloured and earlier. E.g. ‘Wickstead’ has darker foliage (like ‘Dixter’ which will we grow again one day, if we can find clean stock) so the contrast between the flowers and foliage is very striking.

Watsonia pillansi

Watsonia pillansi is an iris-like plant with tall stems of slightly drooping, red, funnel-shaped flowers. It is hardy to Z7.

Delospermas

Delospermas are low growing South African plants with thick fleshy leaves, and long-lasting daisy type flowers in summer. D. cooperi has purple/red flowers, is a sub-shrub hardy to Z6; and is known as the Trailing or Hardy Ice Plant while D. sutherlandii is a non-woody perennial, hardy only to Z9 and has violet-pink flowers.

Passiflora

You will see that we have a number of new Passiflora and there will be more. Like our Fuchsia expansion not all the varieties will prove worth growing, but we are looking for varieties with healthy foliage, good coloured flowers and hardiness. There will be a full cribsheet in time, but for the moment suffice it to know that ‘Simply Red’ is named after the band and not the colour of its flowers. What a stupid use of a good name.

Availability

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability list

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

FAQ - When is the best time to order for next year?

Q. When is the best time to order for next year?
A. As soon as you can. I could write reams about this but those five words are succinct.

FAQ - Why does my backorder include items that have already been delivered?

Q. Why does my backorder include items that have already been delivered?
A. Because we have mistakenly sent you the ‘Order Confirmation’ rather than the ‘Back Order Confirmation’ (which one you have is written at the top of every page). Contact us for the correct printout.

Panicum Shenandoah

Panicum Shenandoah is an excellent variety and will still make a saleable plant this year. The foliage is glaucous blue and as the summer goes on this becomes progressively more marked with red and purple, before the whole lot finally dies down for the winter. They will also flower and Panicums make very good dried flower heads – very open airy flowers.

Hellebore orientalis

We are having to change our sources of Hellebore orientalis and there are, and will be more, interesting new strains and, for the first time, vegetatively propagated varieties. Hellebores are notoriously difficult to micropropagate, hence the price of H. ori ‘Swirling Skirts’. I can’t find a good picture of this, but a poor one I found shows broad outer petals with many shorter inner petals, all in clear white with red spotting. It could be lovely. H. ori ‘Metallic Blue’ will be like our previous ‘Smokey Purple’. H. ori. ‘Double Queen Mixed’ derives from Elizabeths Strangman’s breeding work and is said to flower 100% double. I am a little dubious of this claim (because of the company who is making it), but we may yet be happily surprised.

Miscanthus

The new crop of Miscanthus is starting to appear on the list and one good newcomer is M. ‘Hinjo’. This is one of many smaller varieties with golden bands (like the larger Zebrinus) and this one looks a distinct improvement on some of the older forms (like Punktchen) which were slow to colour up and not very striking when they had. Hinjo also has the advantage of not being patented. We also have another banded variety called ‘Etincelle’ about which I know nothing as yet, except it means ‘spark’

Olea europea

Olea europea is variably hardy depending on its origin. Ours are cutting raised from stock which originated from a tree that has thrived in Shropshire for many decades, so I think we can be confident of giving it a Z8 if not a Z7 which means ours are not only a lot cheaper than the Italian specimens but also a lot hardier. Olives won’t fruit (yet and arguably) in this country but it is an attractive tree with a Mediterranean look about it.

Isoplexis canariensis

Isoplexis canariensis also (See yesterday's post) doesn’t look hardy, and this time you would be more correct, only Z9. It is a sub-shrub with strongly vertical flower spikes, where the individual flowers are orangey-brown and reminiscent of Acanthus. Very architectural.

Availability list - ready now

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Paradisea lusitanicum

From the same regions as yesturdays post comes another perennial, Paradisea lusitanicum , also hardy although it doesn’t look it, but deciduous. The tall flower spikes bear lots of white, funnel-shaped flowers and are very pretty in early summer – just gone over and I didn’t get a picture.

Asphodeline lutea

Asphodeline lutea (ass-foe-de-line) is a hardy perennial, Z7, from the mountains of Southern Europe. It has evergreen, strappy leaves and the flower stems grow to 1.3m bearing numerous pale yellow flowers in early summer. Asphodel of mythology was the undying flower that grew in the Elysian fields, so that’ll be useful.

Vitis coignetiae ‘Sunningdale’

Vitis coignetiae ‘Sunningdale’ is a selection of the species that, I think, is superior in all respects to the other clone we grow and in time it will displace it. However the moment it is still in short supply, as it is more difficult to propagate. The leaves are more noticeably serrate and, when young, not only have a reddish hue but the veins are raised giving an attractive texture. Most importantly the autumn colour is reliable, long -lasting and bright scarlet; the original plant from which these derive grew over a silver birch in the propagating yard at Sunningdale Nurseries and it was stunning.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Download difficulties

We have had reports that our downloads page on the website is misbehaving! If this is the case for you please drop us an e-mail as the exact cause is being a little elusive. karl@jackdawsfield.co.uk

Thanks

What is it?

Short notes on items we have only have a few of:

• Dianella nigra has narrower, more upright leaves than D. tasmanica or caerulea but is most distinguished by the showy bright red bases to the rosettes. Flowers and fruit are similar to the others
• Euphorbia characias ‘Portugese Velvet’ is a compact form with soft, almost furry leaves. Good sized flower heads typical of the species.
• Caryopteris clandonensis ‘Ferndown’ is a variety which should be grown in the mix of Caryopteris varieties, as it starts flowering about six weeks after most of the other varieties, thus greatly extending the flowering season.
• The name of Rhus ambigua would not lead one to expect a climber with lobed and trifoliate leaves (not unlike the young growth of Lonicera japonica types). It forms aerial roots, so presumably has self-clinging ability and is noted for its scarlet autumn colour.
• Eccremocarpus scaber is really an annual climber, but it does perenniate and I have seen a thickly woody plant in flower in January. However, even so, it is not long-lived, but in the garden this often goes unnoticed as it freely self seeds. The form we have at the moment has red flowers.

Availability lists

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done each week.

Cistus Blushing Peggy Sammons

Cistus Blushing Peggy Sammons has flowers of an indescribable and un-photographable shade of pink. I am not sure I like it, but what a colour. Like all the sports of Peggy Sammons it is relatively upright with greyish foliage, and like all Cistus flowers best in poor conditions, as long as it well drained. On our heavy soil most Cistus are short-lived but it appears that Cistus ladanifer types are more able to cope in these conditions which is odd given where they originate from. They could be worth promoting if you are selling in an area with clay soil.

Echium pinniana

Echium pinniana is not a plant that is widely seen outside Cornwall and is generally thought of as biennial, but it is perennial and thrives here in West Sussex (at Nymans). The stems that flower do die off but the rootstock and some stems overwinter. The flower stems can reach 5m or more and carry innumerable small blue.

Helleborus

We still have some liners of double Hellebores (H. Party Dress Hybrids) available and a good proportion of these will flower this winter if potted into a one litre under shade. They are not as true to colour as the singles and the forms vary greatly but few are disappointing. There are a few pics on the website www.jackdawsfield.co.uk. The plugs (of which we have a greater colour range) will not flower this winter.
We also have good liners of H. sternii Blackthorn Strain which have variously marbled leaves and should bear heads of pink flowers this winter. We still obtain these from Blackthorn nursery and the plants are distinctly more showy from H.sternii which does not appear to be true of some continental supplies. These would fill a two or three litre without difficulty

Lonicera tragophylla

Lonicera tragophylla is the most beautiful of climbing honeysuckles, but it does grow and flower better in some shade, and, if you have the option, a weaker potting mix is a good idea. It is difficult to propagate and needs to sell at a premium price.

Cantua buxifolia

Cantua buxifolia is known as the ‘Sacred Flower of the Incas (or of the Andes)’ so you now know where it comes from and may fairly deduce that it is only marginally hardy (Z9). However giving it the protection it needs is worth the effort as it has the most spectacular tubular red flowers more than 2” long; at least it should have, but the form we have at the moment has white flowers with a yellow tube. Equally nice, but not what we were expecting, so if you have the red-flowering form we would like obtain some stock.

Dieramas

If you are using our plants for immediate sale then we can supply reasonable numbers of Dieramas which are in flower. Currently it is D.riparia and D. mossii which are the most colourful, both are the ‘standard’ deep pink and stand about 1m overall.

Primary colours an update.

I knew my musings on genera which have pure-coloured flowers in all three primary colours would produce an informed response. One customer scored with Primula, Meconopsis and Corydalis (google ‘red corydalis’ under images if you are sceptical), and two pointed out that Penstemon pinnifolius has pure yellow flowers. Nobody, however, has identified the Vinca http://jackdawsfield.blogspot.com/2008/04/help-vinca-major.html

Availability

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it or e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and ask to be sent one automatically as soon as a new list is done.

Also a new Highlights sheet is also at www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/down.html

Cordyline Southern Splendour

Two pictures of a new pink Cordyline - Southern Splendour.

It is priced on the availability list but this is negotiable forlarge quantities. At the moment there are several thousand available. We look forward to hearing from you.

Availability time!!!

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

New Availability list ready

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Availability time again.

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Why do I not get through on the phone to you when I use 1471 (or return your call on a mobile)

A. Our phone system dials out on our fax number (01403 891113) in order to reduce the chances of the phone number (two lines on 01403 891473) being engaged. It hasn’t been a big problem so far this year but it does make a difference when things are busy. We have just modified the phone layout as well, so that we are not so dependent on our cordless extension. This can only handle one call at a time, so a second call can go unanswered, but this shouldn’t now happen except in very rare circumstances.

Clematis

Clematis armandii, C. a. ‘Apple Blossom’and C. a. ‘Snowdrift’ can still be booked for delivery in April 2009. £2.30 for 200+, £2.35 for 60-199 and £2.40 for 20-59.

Bearded irises

We are thoroughly enjoying the flowering of our stock plants of bearded irises – such a range of colours and forms with the benefit of scent. You may have missed the boat for this year’s flowering, but there is plenty of time to grow some for next year! We will have a complete set of images should you need them. Is there a group of plants that have the full range of colour including the three pure primary colours? Irises don’t do pure red: roses, dahlias and tulips don’t do pure blue (despite claims to the contrary), penstemons don’t do yellow. No prize offered but correspondence welcome.

Viburnum

For years I believed that the Viburnum x bodnantense varieties were an improvement on their parents but experience here doesn’t bear that out. V. farreri flowers from October right through the winter and its flowers are fragrant, plentiful and frost resistant. Although it could eventually become enormous it responds well to hard pruning keeping a narrowly erect form that will fit in a small space.

Salix babylonica ‘Annularis’

Salix babylonica ‘Annularis’ is a curious plant, which people want to touch, and then, hopefully, buy as its leaves are curled like rams horns. It will make a tree, but is best if cut down hard every year, which also reduces the chances of anthracnose affecting it, although it is not particularly prone. It is a willow, so will grow anywhere that its not dry.

Coronilla glauca Citrina

We have grown Coronilla glauca Citrina for a long time, but because those customers who have tried it tend to come back for a lot more we have struggled to produce enough for it to appear on the availability list. There are two particular reasons why it is popular; firstly it is very seldom not in flower at least in the nursery situation where it grows continuously. Secondly the flowers are a delightful lemon yellow set against slightly sage green foliage. Being leguminous it resents poor drainage, but does not need fertile soil to flourish. Rated as Z9 so it needs some protection from the winter in colder parts of the country.

New Availability list

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Help!!! Vinca major?

Click on the Pic for a larger view











We have a very good Vinca, which are going to propagate but we don’t know what it is. It is probably a form of V. major but the flower is more violet than blue, it only grows to about 20cm and the leaves are smaller than most forms of Vinca major. It is not V.m ‘Oxyloba’ (syn ‘Dartington Star’) because the leaves petals are too broad and not pointed; and I don’t think it is ‘Jason Hill’ which I don’t know, but which is supposed to have broad but pointed petals which ours has not. Can anyone help? nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk

New Availability

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Stock plants for sale

• 20 Lonicera tragophylla 7.5 litre Heavily furnished on a 75 cm cane, £5.00 will carry flower
• 3 Solanum rantonetti 20 litre £4.00
• Hydrangeas 20/25 lt Very heavy plants £5.00

5 Ami Pasquier

15 Geoffrey Chadbund

15 Nigra
there will be more varieties

FAQ - What is the white deposit on the leaves of your plants

Q. What is the white deposit on the leaves of your plants?
A. It is primarily Thiram (Thianosan) which is a broad-spectrum fungicide that has the very useful side-effect of killing (or preventing) moss, liverwort and general green gunge. Because we water all our crops from underneath the deposits do not get washed off and although in the growing season the plants tend to shed the deposits as the leaves grow this does not happen in the winter or with the oldest leaves. If you are using overhead irrigation the deposits will quickly disappear.

FAQ - What colour is Hellebore Guttatus x Cosmos?

Q. What colour is Hellebore Guttatus x Cosmos?
A. It is white with heavy dark red spotting. I wouldn’t blame anyone for selling it as ‘White Spotted’

Can I have your opinions please?

Can I have your opinions please? We carry on the traditional business practice of not showing prices on our delivery notes because that is the traditional way of doing things. However I know that some customers would find it more convenient if the prices were shown, which we can easily do, but we will have to do the same for everyone (or we’ll get it wrong sometimes). Prices or not prices – do you mind one way or the other?
nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk

Lathyrus nervosus

Lathyrus nervosus (Lord Anson’s Pea) is a rare, perennial sweet pea, which has blue flowers in early summer. Unfortunately it is not fragrant but the colour is very striking and will scramble over other plants. Its degree of perennialness has been a matter of debate, but it is now officially perennial (according to something I read and trusted); however I doubt it would survive in cold wet soil, but only in that much vaunted well-drained fertile soil in full sun. It is desirable and sought after.

Hardy Fuchsias

As you will see we have greatly extended the range of hardy Fuchsias we grow and of the 20 or so we added last year the majority are still in the running and some have become favourites with some customers. If you want to try some new varieties we will supply one of each as samples free of charge, or five of each at 50p per plant. We have a cribsheet available by post, fax, e-mail or on the website.

Hedychium gardnerianum

Hedychium gardnerianum ‘St. Martins’ is a Ginger Lily, which has clumps of broad green foliage not unlike that of Cannas. It looks exotic and tender but in fact the rootstock is hardy in most parts of this country (Z8), but a generous mulch is recommended. The fragrant yellow flowers, with orange filaments appear in late summer although plants that have been overwinted under protection will flower earlier. These are supplied with a generic colour label.

Euonymus alatus

In accordance with our normal way of working we are never satisfied with offering juts one variety of something so we have three forms of Euonymus alatus. All are easily grown , trouble-free deciduous shrubs with attractive, fine foliage that turns shocking pink and red in the autumn. The curiosity of them is the corky wings that grow along the length of the stems- hence the name, which means winged. The species grows slowly to two or more metres high and wide while ‘Compactus’ only reaches about half that size as does ‘Apterus’ which, even more curiously, lacks the wings ( so its name is Euonymus with wings ‘Without Wings’)

Amsonia tabernaemontana

We are offering the perennial Amsonia tabernaemontana for the first time. This is a larger ‘Blue Star’ than A. orientalis growing to 90cm height and spread rather than 45cm. It bears the same starry pale blue flowers in early summer and has reliable golden autumn colour. It is very hardy (Z3), tolerant of a wide range of soils and will grow in sun or partial shade. Ours are cutting raised (not seed), so batches will be uniform.

Clematis

We are now booking orders for Clematis armandii, C. a. ‘Apple Blossom’ and C. a. ‘Snowdrift’ for 2009. Please do forward order these – they will not appear on the availability list so if you don’t order during the next couple of months you won’t get them. Do it now, otherwise you will forget. Prices, as this year, £2.30 for 200+, £2.35 for 60-199 and £2.40 for 20-59.

Availability list and Highlights

a new Availability list and new Highlights, all available from www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

Availability List time

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Labels

We have been hoarding (since 2000) some stick-in labels that were mis-supplied for our TEC B452 printer. They are 25 x 140 mm, 4up, narrow edge leading, in rolls of 1000 and we have 20 rolls. They don’t work in our machine because ours recognizes a black line to know where each sheet of four starts but these have a hole instead, which our machine doesn’t believe in. Free if you can use them.

Embothrium lanceolatum

Embothrium lanceolatum appears again on the list. Do not bother with this unless you are prepared to give them a compost they can survive in – which means one with very little fertiliser, particularly phosphate. We have more information (www.jackdawsfield.co.uk).

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Abutilon

Abutilon x suntense (from cuttings) is lilac-flowered while the Abutilon vitifolium ex-white is, as it suggests, from seed and will mostly flower white, although some may be lilac. Both are medium-sized shrubs, which flower from early summer until there is frost, with felted leaves. The flowers are widely open, trumpet shaped, about 10cm across, (not the bell-type of many abutilons).

Links!

Our website brings us in a number of enquiries that we are unable (or unwilling) to fulfil. Therefore we are inviting you to have links on our site that will enable web-surfers to find a supplier for the lines we supply to you. If you want to be linked please let us have your details with a brief (even pithy) description of what you do e.g ‘retail sales by mail order and from nursery’ or ‘ wholesale only – cash and carry available’ or ‘……..’ (I was going to write something rude about ladies-that-lunch-and-do-design but I won’t).

Dianella caerulea

Dianella caerulea (picture on www.jackdawsfield.co.uk) has glossy strap-like leaves making a clump to about 90cm. Its flowers are blue with prominent yellow anthers, borne in erect panicles, and these can be followed by blue berries. Again it is Z9, but experience in this country suggests that it thrives in sheltered places – e.g. the base of a wall. This species is smaller in ultimate size than the similar D. tasmanica but seems equally vigorous as a young plant.

Surplus stock plants

We have a few surplus stock plants to clear:
Lonicera tragophylla (picture on www.jackdawsfield.co.uk), substantial plants in 7.5 litres. Will flower on the ends of the new growth, £5.00 each.
Trachelospermum asiaticum, 15 litre pots - very bushy but cut back so not immediately impressive, but caned in a larger pot they will make some good specimens by the autumn. £4.00 each, 20 available.
Solanum rantonetti 20 litres - not much structure but big plants. £4.00 each, 3 available

Furcraea longaeva & Arundos

Furcraea longaeva is a yucca-like plant which, on tall stems (up to 12m in the wild, but 2m here),
bears white flowers that turn into bulbils and develop into plantlets. It is a fascinating plant with a good story to sell it but it has two drawbacks; it isn’t really hardy (Z9, H3) and it doesn’t flower readily – in fact if anybody can tell me what it needs to induce flowering I would be grateful. There is a picture on www.jackdawsfield.co.uk , taken at Wisley last year, growing in containers.
In the same garden at Wisley there were Arundos in pots which is probably the best way of growing them in the garden. The species is green, Variegata is white variegated and Versicolor (as we call it) is cream variegated. All are vigorous, water-loving, grasses growing to 3m or more with broad leaves, but not generally flowering in this country. The species is a weed of waterways even in northern France so they should survive here. If the roots are under water it will of course protect them from frost.

Euphorbia characias

We have both sub-species of Euphorbia characias available, i.e. ssp. wulfenii and ssp. characias. There are many named varieties of both subspecies, which should be (but aren’t always) grown from cuttings, but with many of them this is not easy to do on any scale. Consequently we offer these two from seed and although there will be a little variation all will produce strong upright plants which will flower early next spring. The main difference between the subspecies is in the colour of the nectaries; ssp wulfenii has yellow, long-horned nectaries while ssp. characias has red or dark nectaries with short horns. If you don’t know which bits are the nectaries in a Euphorbia flower it doesn’t matter – the difference is whether the flower is all yellow or yellow with darker bits. This particular batch of ssp. characias has red stems whereas ssp wulfenii has green.

New Availability List

Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to download it

New Data sheet for Embothriums

Theres a new data sheet available for Embothriums go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/to download it.

New Pic's

New pic's are available. just go to our experimental image archive http://picasaweb.google.com/jackdawsfield

Availability List

A new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Availability list

Another new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.

Dierama's are done

The Dierama data sheet is up loaded, it's available on www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

Not just a new availability list

A new availability list is available today.
A new Wisteria data sheet has joined the Fuchsia data sheet and the Diarama's to follow shortly. all on www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

Experimental Galleries

I am experimenting with how to bring you some of our vast archive of photo's. The Galleries I have set up only have a few pic's of Hellebore's at the moment but if successful more will follow.

Cheer up with downloads

Back at http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ we've added a new page just to take care of all those downloads we offer. Now consolidated in one spot you can get a copy of the Catalogue, Availability lists, Highlight's, and data sheets about some of our stock. Currently I've put up a data sheet about Fuchsia's and there will be more to follow just pop over and click on Downloads.

Notes for February Part 2

Verbena corymbosa is known (supposedly) as ‘Perennial Heliotrope’, which comes from the fact that it is fragrant and has long dense flower heads in violet/mauve. Only growing to 0.5m it is easier to accommodate than V. bonariensis, which is not to say that the latter is not worth finding the space for. We also have V. rigida and all three are strong overwintered plants.

Viburnum plicatum Shasta is superior to both Lanarth and Mariesii in my opinion. The flowers are held beautifully in tiers and are a glistening white. Curiously thay are followed by red mini-berries which never seem to develop properly but add an extra level of interest.

Yucca aloifolia is hardy to possibly as low as zero Fahrenheit (USDA 7) and is easy to grow, plus being adaptable as to its final position, being tolerant of some shade. Leaves are broad, it can grow as a branched plant and ultimately has large white flowers tinged purple or green. See http://www.yuccaagavaceae.com/ under ‘recognised species’ for a lovely picture.

Acacia dealbata is flowering now – we have strong plants so that you can be sure not to miss out on the demand next time around, and although we have only a few left now what about Coronilla glauca for strong winter flowering (there will be more later). I have seen plants in February completely covered in bright yellow flowers. The first time I saw one I wondered how a Potentilla could be flowering in winter. Also for this time of year is Chaenomeles Pink Lady (book for may delivery) which flowers through the worst of the weather, weeks (and even months) ahead of other varieties.

And here’s to some lovely spring weather – just around the corner.

Notes for February Part 1

The new crop of Wisterias appear on our new availability list – we have just grafted them and they will be ready for May despatch in a one litre pot. Potted under protection they will make saleable plants for next spring. We have concentrated on the two most popular varieties:
Macrobotrys has long pale blue flowers which can reach over 1m, while
Black Dragon is double and most effective as the buds open when the effect is very intense violet.
We also have other shades of lilac and blue, plus pinks and white as well. Ask for the full cribsheet if you want to know more or download it from our website http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ where it will appear shortly.

We also graft Campsis (Mme Galen, red, and Flava, yellow) which may seem perverse when they are quicker, easier and cheaper to grow form cuttings. However as take our scion wood form flowering plants the result is young plants that flower in the first year (unlike cutting raised) on the ends of the new growth in mid-summer, thus giving a good sales opportunity.

We have a ridiculously wide range of Dieramas available and without exception they are charming in flower, although unfortunately shy to start flowering. The trick is to grow some to flowering size and use this as living labels to sell younger ones. Again a cribsheet will shortly be available on request or on line. They can be grown outside in summer but I think they need protection from winter wet without which they will not survive the cold, but don’t dry them out too much as they can go dormant.

Another aid available is a hardiness chart linking minimum temperatures, USDA hardiness zones and RHS AGM hardiness ratings. As our winters change many plants rated as hardy to –5o C (USDA Zone 9, RHS H3) are proving hardy over a much wider area and its is a shame not to try some. I will be using USDA numbers with reference to plants that are new to our list.

We have an extensive range of Bearded Irises available and in addition to those listed we have the following available in one litre pots (trays of 8) at £1.25 each. At this size they are almost certain to flower.
95 Vonnies Wedding Iris – classic pale blue, tall.
50 Pink Lavender – mauve pink lavender self, tall ( I didn’t coin that phrase).
130 English Cottage – violet plicata on white, medium, repeat flowering, tall.
170 Dancer’s Veil – ruffled white with violet-blue markings.
171 Azap – cobalt blue – short.

Another new availability list

Another new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.

2008 Catalogue, Ready right now

The brand new 2008 Catalogue is NOW available, Just go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to download it.

Get it whilst it's hot!!!!!!!!!

New Availability list

Another new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.

PS. New Catalogue is just a short time away..............

Another new Availability list is done.

Another new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.

The first 08 Availability list. (1st revision)

A new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.


Revised and re realeased minus errors!