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.