Our hard graft with Wisteria's pays dividends

This is the eleventh year we have grafted Wisterias; the range has been increasing all the time, and will continue to do so. Because young plants may not flower this genus has become very mixed in the trade, with even the most "reputable"  sources supplying wrongly named plants. We have flowered all the stock plants that we use and we are as sure as we can be that we are supplying uniform batches, but naming them is still a problem. In general we have followed Peter Vader's book, but some names have been changed since that was written. There are three principal species; the earliest to flower is W. sinensis - identified by twining anti-clockwise. Early flowering is good in that the flowers are borne on leafless plants but it does increase the risk of frost damage. W. brachybotrys is next to flower and has short racemes with intensely coloured flowers. The latest is W. floribunda and the flowers can easily be hidden by the opening foliage - so these are best on a pergola where the flowers will hang down under the canopy rather than against a wall. I am attaching a cribsheet which gives the important features of each variety and this will continue to be updated and available on our website

As a young plant Euonymus fortunei Silver Queen is somewhat similar to Emerald Gaiety but if planted next to a wall it behaves as a wall shrub and we have one that is over three metres tall - growing in amongst an Akebia for support. Many people expect it to be an upright form of E. japonicus but that is correctly called 'Macrophyllus Albus'.

There a number of forms of Akebia quinata which have names that suggest they are cream- flowered but I don't know if they are actually all the same. Ours has cream petals and a purple-red centre, and smells a little chocolatey. There is a completely white form which we don't yet grow

Lonicera caerulea Honeyberry  is one form of L.caerulea of which I think we will be seeing a lot more. It flowers as the leaves open and then bears edible bluish fruits in summer. Rather trendy at the moment but perhaps its popularity will be as fleeting as that of the Goji Berry. We also offer a a wild-collected form simply known as L. caerulea edulis (formerly listed as L.edulis). Both grow to 1.5m.  Another trendy fruit-bearing plant is Ugni molinae which only grows to 80cm and the fruits are small and red, tasting not entirely unlike strawberries. Apparently they can be made into jam but it would as tedious as doing so with wild bilberries.    

Blepharocalyx cruikshankii is an evergreen shrub in the myrtle family with attractive bronzy young growth and white flowers that are slightly scented. It has had the varietal name 'Heaven Scent appended to it but that is not a valid name (and it is misleading). Makes a 15m tree in the wild but as it has not fully hardy that is unlikely here. Tolerant of seaside conditions.

On the other hand Euonymus hamiltonianus is completely hardy forming a large shrub to 3m at least. It has wings on the stems that make the stems appear squarish and is grown for its pink and red fruits and autumn colour. There are a number of selections which we are working on

Two good attributes for the genus come together in Philadelphus Mexican Jewel in that it is a small-leaved and only grows to 1.5m and its fragrant flowers have purple centres. Although they are small there are plenty of them to make a show. The best images I can find are at www.panglobalplants.com.

It is not true that Loropetalum ch.v. rubrum Fire Dance is hardy as I have seen claimed but the species is rated at Z8 which means that it will survive some winters. It has dark red foliage all through the year and bears pink strap-like flowers in the spring. Can be grown to advantage as a standard.  Naturally a woodland plant it should prefer some shade but grows happily in full sun on the  nursery

We have been surprised at the winter tolerance of Osteospermum Lady Leitrim which has come through a cold winter and then a wet one planted in a difficult piece of ground. The large daisy flowers are essentially white although they have a darker reverse to the petal and are sometimes tinged pink. O. jacundum (pink flowers) planted next to it did not thrive and we have yet to test O. Snow Pixie.

Resolutions

I don't really make New Year resolutions but this year I am determined to keep up writing a monthly newsletter through the year. What we try to do is grow an interesting range which is not the same as that of other liner producers (yes, really no Heuchera, no Cordylines) but that does mean that it is not easy for you to know what to choose from our offering and so the main purpose of the newsletter is to give you facts to inform your decisions.
The amount of information available on the web has expanded so greatly that you can almost always find something about a variety but is it correct? I mainly write from our experience of the plants and I can point you towards accurate information and images, but please be careful not to infringe copyright if you want to use any images for your own purposes.


Cistus x bornetianus 'Jester' is not a new plant but comes from the same breeding programme as a number of other varieties with names beginning with 'Je.....' (of which we also offer Jessabel which has purple-blotched, pink flowers). Jester bears profuse numbers of pale pink flowers and it scores over similarly coloured plants in its habit which is an attractive rounded bush with silvery leaves - not as spreading or brittle as 'Silver Pink' or as upright as 'Peggy Sammons'. The flowers are bigger than those of C. Grayswood Pink' which is a good choice for a larger planting. For more on Cistus go to the site for former NCCPG collection holder Robert Page, www.cistuspage.co.uk

Lonicera purpusii and L.p. 'Winter Beauty' are well known for perfuming the winter days (when it is not raining). New to our list is another, more delicate looking, winter flowering honeysuckle, Lonicera elisae, which has lovely hanging white tubular flowers. It is hardy and attractive in foliage through the summer also. The story of its introduction can be found on www.bluebellnursery.com.

Nymans Gardens is our nearest National Trust garden and so we are always interested in varieties that were selected there - not that they are customers because of the NT's ill-informed views on peat.  Forsythia suspensa 'Nymans' is a selection with very dark first year wood which contrasts well with the large soft yellow flowers. Although it can be kept to garden size it is purported to be able to grow into a small tree - which I am setting out to prove (or not).

Our range of Figs is, I am sure, the largest in the wholesale trade. Although in the garden fruiting is not always easy to achieve they are also attractive foliage plants, fulfilling the need for large leaves. The size of leaves can be increased by annual hard stooling (but this will reduce the fruiting to nil). 'Brown Turkey' is the most popular variety as it is the most reliable to fruit (it is universally said) but 'Brunswick' is more attractive having deeply lobed leaves. 'Adam' has particularly large leaves (useful for well-endowed men), while the other varieties have different fruiting characteristics. We are very pleased to be finally offering Ficus 'Panachee' which holds its green and yellow striped fruit upright like little hot air balloons. Since the variety pre-dates hot-air balloons and is grown in France did it give the Montgolfier bothers their idea? For reliable information www.readsnursery.co.uk.

Angelica 'Ebony' is a short-lived perennial that will give a striking accent wherever its is planted. Fully herbaceous it grows to 1.5m (RHS say less) with glossy purple leaves and huge heads of pink flowers.  If purple cow-parsley is popular with designers (which it strangely is) then this will have them falling off their drawing-stools.

Over the years we have offered a lot of seed-raised Dierama hybrids but their variability was such that we became too embarrassed to continue and now only grow species from seed. To get the stronger colours we have started propagating by division and Dierama 'Guinevere' is the first to be a available in quantity. It is strong growing with white flowers. 'Miranda' (lilac) will be available later this year and 'Merlin' (wine red) is coming along. We also have a new purple selection of our own.

Just room to say that Aster frikartii 'Flora's Delight' is a pink (in the right light) selection which like the better known A. f. 'Monch' is resistant to mildew.

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.

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

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