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!

Merry Christmas!!!

The Christmas availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

A new Availability list

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

New Availability

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

Google Documents

Would it be use full to anyone if we presented some of our documents (Availability lists, Catalogue, Etc) in Google Docs format?

E-mail karl@jackdawsfield.co.uk or leave a comment.

thanks.

Another new list is ready!

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

Availability Lists

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

Roll up, Roll Up, get your Availability Lists Here!

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

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

If you use an RSS feed reader (Google reader,etc) or similar device (Google desktop, IGoogle, Windows vista sidebar, etc) then just click on: Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) here or at the bottom of the page and copy the address of the page you get taken to into the Subscribe section of your reader or if you are using any Google product click:

This way you ll get immediate notification of any posts we make.

Availability list updated

Things went a little smoother this week and so new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

A new availability list and a few notes

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

We are showing at the South West Regional Growers Show (October 3rd in Exeter) - if there are only a few items you want then consider collecting from there?

Although we are more than happy to receive orders for immediate delivery we realise that most of you will be now looking towards next year and, of course, we are booking 2008 orders.
We will be producing a new catalogue around the turn of the year, but don't use that as an excuse to put off starting your new order.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Catalogue

Hopefully I've fixed the problem with the catalogue download. Hope so.

Website Upgrade

Ive just finished upgrading the website. Any comments?

Fixed it!

Fixed it at last so a a new Availability list is done. Go to www.jackdawsfield.co.uk to Download it.

Glitch

Ok, we have got a glich with our web site. The availability list cannot be updated at the moment. Sorry for this, if you need a fresh copy just drop us an e-mail nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk and we will send one off to you.

Hopefully we will be back to normall soon.

A new Availability list is done.

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

A brand spanking new Availability list

Go on, go to the website now too down load it. http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/

A new Availability list is ready.

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

Phew!! a new availability list is ready.

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

A new Availability list

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

New Availability List

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

This weeks Availability List

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

New Availability list.

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

Photo's and Availability List

Comming soon Photo's by the sack load but for now a new Availability list is done. Go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it

A new Availability list is done.

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

New feature

A Search box has been added to the bottom of the page.

Notes for June part 2

More varieties of Fuchsias are appearing on the list now and we do have a handy crib sheet available. We have chosen these either because they have newly received the AGM or because they were recommended to us as a result of the RHS trial. All are ‘hardy’ varieties and it will be interesting to see over the course of time if any can challenge the supremacy of Mrs Popple, Tom Thumb and the like. We will supply 5 per variety at 50p each if you want to try new ones.

At the risk of teaching the sucking of eggs we have had a number of comments about leaf problems on Phormiums – damage starts as streaks that develop into unsightly holes. The problem is fungal, but can be largely prevented by attention to keeping the leaves as dry as possible – if you are not using sub-irrigation then make sure you water early in the day and that, under protection, there is adequate ventilation to reduce the humidity.

Over-wintering outside is risky, and under cover make sure the plants are not being dripped on. We use Octave if we think a problem might be developing.

There has been a rapid increase in the ease of plastic recycling and because we can now only use a certain amount of used pots we would prefer not to take pots back unless you find you cannot get them recycled (we can give you a good contact). However we do like to have our marketing trays returned if possible.

Note's for June Part 1

For the first time we have managed to get Phyllostachus vivax aureocaulis into production and it appears on this list. It is a spectacular bamboo, but slow to increase in terms of the size of the clump in contrast to the size and speed of growth of the individual new shoots, which grow visibly. The mature culms are glossy gold with variable green longitudinal stripes (the sulcus) and will reach 5m on a mature plant. Probably invasive, but not in the short term. The plants we despatch first will be in one litre pots with one new culm and one old one – you can expect another new shoot next spring.

We have been growing bearded Irises for a while and you will notice an increase in the range and availability through the rest of the summer. We do have a full list of descriptions and also photos of most so we can help in the selection of varieties.

It doesn’t look as if we are going to have a hot dry summer, but water conservation is something that the public are having pushed at them all the time. With this in mind it is worth pointing out that silver-leaved plants are adapted for dry conditions and we do have a good range available, including Artemisia, Lavender, Brachyglottis, some Hebes, Lotus, Ozothamnus, and Santolina. Cistus and Tamarix, and Phormiums are also all good plants to promote in this respect.

Don't miss the New Availability list!

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

Yep it's another Availability list

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

A new Availability list is ready.

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

A brand new availability list.

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

It's new Availability day!

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

Notes for May part 2

You may have noticed that we rather like Cistus and just at the moment many are producing their first flush of flower and many flowers have the wrong number of petals in this first flush. Where there should be five there are seven, eight or even nine and this can be very striking in varieties with prominently blotched petals – like Snowfire. Some of the ladanifer varieties are semi double anyway, with ruffled petals and they too are spectacular. As I have said many times in the past Cistus never look as good again as when they first come up to flower and for many varieties this is best achieved by potting under cold cover anytime from July onwards. You won’t have to cut them back and they will be perfect at the right time next year.

In recent years I have become concerned that there was no difference between what we were offering as Phormium Cream Delight and Yellow Wave, and the Cream Delight was not as I remembered it. Therefore we have restocked and now Cream Delight is more cream than yellow.

You may think that we are only just getting used to 2007 but in propagation terms we are into 2008 already. In our catalogue about one in five items are listed as ‘to order only’ and this means that it is unlikely that they will appear on the availability list; we will only set out to produce the numbers that are pre-ordered. This does not mean that they are not worthwhile plants – in fact some are overlooked gems – but we cannot grow everything and this is a way of maintaining the range without cluttering the nursery with free stock which may or may not sell. If you pride yourself on the range you offer then have another look at the catalogue and give it some thought. The cut-off dates vary immensely and it would be a nightmare to set them all out, so assume it is the end of May and get that order to us. For those of you getting this list by e-mail a list of these items is attached; for fax, internet and post recipients please ask if you would like such a list.

We are still taking orders for Clematis armandii as detailed last month.

Notes for May part 1

There are some new things on this list which I am sure you have not heard of and I will save you the effort of googling them.

Anometheca laxa is a perennial with iris-like leaves. Growing to 15cm and carries carmine star-shaped flowers on thin wiry stems. Long-lived and hardy in a sheltered spot.

Eryngium serra seems similar in description to E. pandanifolium and looks very similar at the young stage. Massed heads of spikey greeny-white flowers on stems to 2m, foliage is saw-toothed and grows in an upright rosette. Hardy.

Salvia azurea grows flower spikes to 2m and the flowers are (unsurprisingly) azure blue.the flower stems arise forma basal rosette and respond well to being cut back in early summer (the Chelsea snip). Very hardy – and naturally grows in barren ground so it is presumably drought-tolerant.

Euphorbia Excalibur is not new, but has seldom appeared on the availability list. It is an excellent foliage plant – similar to E. schillingii in habit, with long narrow leaves on stems to about 1m. Its striking feature is the red margin to the leaf and reddish stems. The colour subsides in summer but then there are long-lasting yellow flowers.

Eupatorium sordidum is a true oddity, and its habit is unlike any other of its genus that I know (if indeed it belongs in this genus). It is a very vigorous shrub with thick tomentose stems, large hairy leaves and terminal clusters of violet, slightly fragrant flowers. It hails form Mexico and is probably only just frost-tolerant so it another one for pot culture.

Somebody please buy the 40 Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum that are listed – I am fed up with them being the first item on the list. In truth it is not a robust plant – but it does have very pretty flowers in the depth of winter. Its common name of White Forsythia is not good – it is not a thug but a blushing violet. Best grown on a cane as the stems are not strong.

A new Availability list is done

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

More plants available

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

A fresh availability list is here

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

Another Availability list is ready

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

Notes and News for April 2007 Part 2

Iris japonica Variegata is relatively small variety but it makes a very showy plant as it matures with the white variegation becoming more distinct. This is another plant that would look good in a patio planter or at the front of a sunny border and it has the bonus of delicate Flowers that are just ice-blue with yellow and blue markings.

In contrast Jasminum humile Revolutum is a large growing semi-evergreen shrub (3m) with a spreading branching habit. As you would expect it has yellow flowers, borne in clusters in summer, with some fragrance. As it has green stems it would earn a place in a winter garden.

It is time to be thinking about Clematis armandii for 2008. We offer the species, plus Apple Blossom and Snowdrift and these will be ready for delivery in early March next year. Please note that we cannot hold them after we take delivery from our contract grower because they grow quickly at that time of year and become very damage-prone.
Prices will be:

20-59 £2.48
60-199 £2.42

for the price of greater quantities please give us a call. Apple Blossom will be available in restricted quantities and only those who order soon will get a share.

Buddleia lindleyana has long slender drooping tails of purple flowers that change shade with age giving the inflorescences a two-tone effect. Flowering continues form mid-summer until the frost and it as attractive to butterflies as the B.davidii types without growing so uncomfortably large.

Salix erythflexuosa is something we only grow occasionally, but it does have merits. Its wood is as golden as weeping willow but the growth can be as contorted as Corylus ‘Contorta’. Attractive in summer it really comes into its own in the winter, and it should be stooled as you would expect to keep the effect. I will tell you its demerit which is a susceptibility to anthracnose but this is easily controlled on the nursery and is seldom a problem in the ground.

I am writing this on Easter Monday – what a beautiful weekend it has been. Now we will know whether gardening has gone out of fashion or if everybody was just waiting for the weather.

Notes and News for April 2007 Part 1

Libertia ixioides is a pretty addition to the range. Like most other Libertias it has three-petaled white flowers but its leaves are a dark green with a very narrow red margin and red bases which seem to become more noticeable with time. The midrib is slightly golden, but not as much so as in L. perigrinans

Gelsemium sempervirens is flowering at the moment (under cover), and it’s common name of ‘False Jasmine’ tells you a lot about it. The flowers are deep yellow trumpets with a fragrance of primroses. It is twining climber and is frost hardy, but it will not tolerate real cold.

Leymus magellanicus (Elymus magellanicus) is an electric blue grass with leaves about ¼ “ wide and growing to 75cm (yes I know, but are you fully metricated ?). It is clump forming rather than spreading like many of its family – which includes Couch grass! Potted now they will make striking plants very soon. Likewise Calamagrostis Overdam which is attractively variegated as well as producing pretty flower spikes. Calamagrostis brachytricha has plain green leaves but the prettiest of flowers

Imperata Red Baron are emerging very strongly and should be ready by early May. It is an oddity of this plant that all the roots seem to disappear overwinter and it has to regrow a fresh batch in the spring. There is nothing quite as red as Imperata and it is a good seller through summer and into the autumn, particularly as a patio plant.

Just Camellia liners

Now in bold or May in Red

Camellia:
6 Aaron's Ruby - red large semi-double
20 Adolphe Audusson - red medium semi-double
235 Anticipation - pink large peony
60 70 Apollo - red & white large semi-double
5 Arajishi - red medium full peony
150 Ballet Queen Var. - pink large peony
20 70 Black Tie - red large formal double
30 Blood of China - red large loose peony
55 Brushfield's Yellow - white medium anemone
15 Cornish Snow - white small single in profusion
110 Debbie - pink medium full peony
20 Debutante - pale pink medium full peony
35 150 Dixie Knight - red large semi-double
50 130 Donation - pink large semi-double
35 Drama Girl - pink very large semi-double
10 110 E G Waterhouse - pale pink medium formal double
15 15 Edelweiss - white large semi-double
40 Elegant Beauty - pink large anemone
40 Elsie Jury - pale pink large peony
100 Finlandia Var. - white & red medium semi-double
15 Francis Hanger - white medium single
35 Glenn's Orbit - pink large semi-double
17 50 Golden Spangles - pink single gold splashed foliage
10 130 Grace Bunton - pale pink medium anemone
45 Grand Prix - red very large semi-double
40 Guilio Nuccio - pink very large semi-double
45 Hana fuki - pale pink medium cupped semi-double
140 Inspiration - pink medium semi-double
25 Kramers Supreme - red large peony
65 Lady Clare - pink large semi-double
40 Leonard Messel - pink large semi-double
80 Little Bit - red & white small full peony
10 Magnoliaeflora - pale pink medium semi-double
30 65 Margaret Davis - white & red large full peony
15 10 Margaret Waterhouse - pale pink medium semi-double
80 Mars - red large semi-double
15 15 Mathotiana Alba - white large formal double
30 Mathotiana Supreme - red large semi-double
110 30 Monte Carlo - pink large semi-double
5 100 Red Dandy - red medium semi-double
50 Rendezvous - red medium semi-double
20 Rosularis - white & red medium peony
5 San Dimas - red large semi-double
105 Senorita - pink large full peony
60 55 Shirobotan - white medium semi-double
80 90 Silver Anniversary - white large semi-double
75 Tiffany - pale pink very large loose peony
35 Waterlily - pink medium formal double

New Availability List

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

New Availability List

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

New Availability List

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

New Availability List

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

Notes & news for March 2007

The current availability list has probably the greatest range available at any time during the year – but if there are items, which we catalogue, that are not on this list then it is still worth enquiring.

We are offering grafted Campsis for the first time, which may seem a little odd as they are obviously more expensive. However grafted plants flower much more readily than those from cuttings; these will all flower in July/August. The logical thing to do is have some of these for summer sales and use the cheaper ones for the rest of the year. We are also grafting Corylus (in yellow and purple) and Wisterias. Watch out for Hamamelis in future years.

If you haven’t bought Camellias from us you will not know how good they are, and we can say this without bragging as we do not grow these but sell them for a friend. They are all traditional varieties from this country and will do well in our conditions; please ask for the list which currently has 50+ varieties.

We have substantially increased our range of hardy Fuchsias, but for this year we will be just supplying sample quantities so that we can jointly decide which are worth pursuing. If these push your buttons (or those of your customers) let us know and we will send you the details.

Ugni molinae ‘Flambeau’ appears for the first time. It is a small white and pink variegated shrub and would have been a Myrtus if it had appeared a few years ago. It is pretty and clearly lends itself to impulse sales and patio culture. I have some doubts as to its quality as a plant for the open garden but it could be a rising star.

Cornus capitata reappears after a year or two off. It is not for all of you, as it is a tree but only a small one. Its claim to fame is sulphur yellow flower bracts in June and July possibly to be followed by strawberry-like fruit. Older books say that it is tender, but this does not seem to be the case.

Party Dress Hellebores are double-flowered and we have more this year. Having seen them flower again they have to be worth your while trying; they certainly provoked a lot of interest at GAN. The names refer to the seed parents and the progeny does not come true as reliably as the singles do; the form of the flowers is also very variable with different numbers of whorls of petals and varying amounts of remaining stamens. Some are stunning, most are very pretty and only a few are disappointing.

Uncinia egmontiana is similar to the Uncinia rubra you are familiar with, but the leaves are glossier and more maroon than red, if it is selected carefully. We have had seed lots which gave plants that we couldn’t sell as U. egmontiana but this current batch is very impressive.

Now that we have got our bamboo production largely in house we are slowly increasing the range that we can reliably offer. We have good quantities of Phyllostachys for this year, and the Fargesias look promising. We are learning what will and what will not sell and would be interested to know what further forms you would be interested in.

Our phone system has been causing confusion because it always dials out on our fax line (891113) in order not to clutter up the phone line (891473). Those of you with CLI, or receiving calls on a mobile, or using 1471 are therefore getting the false impression that we have changed our phone number which we haven’t. By the way, we rely on cordless phones when we are out on the nursery (because we have no office staff) so you do need be patient and let the phone ring for quite a while as it is not always easy to answer promptly when your hands are not free.

Danish trolleys. We have more of these than we need, particularly during April and May, which is not such a busy time for us as it is for you. Therefore we have up to 20 trolleys
(with three or more shelves each) to hire out at a price of £3.00 per week which is less than CC charge for April/May, and without the deposit, minimum hire periods etc. etc

Finally – there is more positive thinking in the trade this year; so let us capitalise on that and make it the year that banishes the memories of the last three. Here’s to warm sunny weekends. Cheers!

New Availability List

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

Availability List 12/02/07
A new Availability list is done go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/ to Download it.

The New Catalogue is available

Hello
The 07 Catalogue is now ready to download from our website: http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

Availability List 20/12/06

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

Merry Christmas ho! ho! ho!

Depending on when you read this we hope that you have/had a restful Christmas and will be ready for the challenges of 2007. Unless you take the view that the industry is in terminal decline then things can't get any worse, can they? We are taking the view that what our customers, whether wholesale or retail, need is range so that they can offer their customers some thing other than the dull uniformity of the sheds and large chains. We don't grow huge numbers but there is plenty to choose from.
Our full catalogue, which will be posted in during January, serves a number of purposes that are not covered by the availability list. It is our full price list for the year and it shows which varieties we produce regularly and those, which we only propagate if they have been ordered.
Over the years we have built up a large collection of stock plants and in some respects these are like a back catalogue; we stock the chart items (except it runs into hundreds rather than tens), but the rest is still available - given time.
For the coming year we have reviewed our prices across the board, and although there is an underlying price increase the on most orders we have received so far has been to change the total cost very little. Do remember when looking at the prices here that the next price band up (200-499) is 2.5 % cheaper and that we give overriding discounts based on the volume of business on an annual basis (as explained in the last and the next catalogue)

I am told that that you enjoy reading my blurbs on plants and these will return in the New Year (until we get too busy, I hope). This particular back catalogue is available on our website (as Nick's blog) so impress the younger generation around you by becoming a blog-reader.
The availability list is also always there if you need a copy between our monthly sendings - it is updated at least once a week. It is also our intention to pepper the blog with pretty pictures - because we can, and what is point of this business if we don't enjoy the plants? It is at www.jackdawsfield.co.uk

We are closed until Wednesday 3rd January, although we will answer the phone if we here it, and any orders will be
Processed in rotation upon our resumption.

Availability List 17/11/06

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

Availability List + Autumn Special Offer's.

All new orders from this list for delivery this autumn will be discounted by 12.5%, subject to our being able to deliver to you economically. If your nursery is full (or your bank account empty) then please use this list in conjunction with the catalogue to compile your order for next year. We are (temporarily we hope) without the software we have used for several years to generate our availability list, and the way this issue has been compiled is not as sophisticated. Please bear with us if it has errors. To access just go to http://www.jackdawsfield.co.uk/avail.htm