Tuesday, August 11, 2009
August Special offers - Shrubs - Part 2
August Special offers - Grasses + Friends and Relations
August Special offers - Grasses
August Special offers - Herbaceous Perennials
August Special offers - Climbers
August Special offers - Shrubs - Part 1
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
July Special offers - Grasses (+ Friends & Relations)
July Special offers - Herbaceous Perennials
July Special offers - Climbers
July Special offers - Shrubs - Part 2
July Special offers - Shrubs - Part 1
Availability
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.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Availability update's
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.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
More availability
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.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Super new 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.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
More availability
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.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Ends of lines and seconds
Following the retirement of one our largest customers one of our smallest has also gone, and the reason I tell you this is that they were our largest buyer of ends of lines and seconds, taking mixed job lots (all named) which they grew on for their market stall. Is this of interest to you?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Vinca difformis
We also push the boat out with Vinca difformis varieties, which are often wrongly listed as Z9, but we have never lost any here. On very cold mornings (-8 or so) the foliage goes flaccid but recovers as soon as the temperature rises. Most of the forms (except Sardoa) grow to about 40 cm in the open, but much more against a wall or with something to scramble up. There only seems to be one white form, which we grow as ‘Snowmound’ (syn ‘Alba’, ‘Greystone Form’), the type is ice-blue and ‘Jenny Pym’ is almost a pure pink (slightly bluish in some light and when you try to photograph it with film). ‘Sardoa’ is the deepest blue, particularly as the flowers open and is more vigorous with a sparser habit. All flower almost all the year round, peaking in the autumn. If they a have a fault it is that they can be invasive – at least on heavy soil. Very underused and underrated.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Trachelospermum
Friday, May 29, 2009
Phlomis
Why do we grow so many Phlomis species? Because we can and each have their claim to fame. Not all that we grow are currently available, but this is the run down. Phlomis fruticosa is the well known Jerusalem Sage, which is woody with hairy grey/green leaves and bright yellow flowers. P. chrysophylla is similar but has golden down on the young leaves which are longer and greyer. P. purpurea is very similar in leaf to P.fruticosa but has pink flowers (not purple), as does P.italica which has distinctly longer, narrower and greyer leaves than all the rest. P. russelliana is more of a perennial forming a mat of large grey leaves form which arise stems of yellow flowers of a softer shade than P. fruticosa. P. tuberosa is herbaceous, overwintering as tubers from which arise tall stems (150 cm) of deep pink flowers. P. longifolia is shrubby again, being distinct in having large dark green leaves; its bright yellow flowers are very showy. All are hardy, but can be damaged by winter wet and cold, but they do recover.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Bekheya purpurea
Bekheya purpurea is a hardy, perennial, rosette-forming thistle with the most delicate daisy-like flowers up to 8cm across, in deep pinky/lilac on stems to 80cm. Best in well-drained soil. Very prickly but very lovely.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Clematis
Clematis armandii and C. a. ‘Snowdrift’ will be available again next April for those who book them now. This is an item that we trade, and because they grow into each other and get damaged we like to have them on the nursery for as short a time as possible, which is why they are only available to order. Note that ‘Apple Blossom is not being offered any more. Prices for 2010 will be the same as this year i.e. £2.40 for 20-59, £2.35 for 60-199, £2.29 for 200-499. Please let us know your requirements as soon as possible.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Availability lists and Highlights
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. Also the highlights notes have been updated.
Vinca minor ‘Hawaii
Monday, May 18, 2009
Availability
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.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Even more availability
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.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Much more availability
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.
New offers
Ampelopsis delvaniana – similar to A. brevipedunculata but darker blue berries.
Anisodonta x hypomadara - Larger in all ways than A.capensis with veined cerise flowers.
Buddleja auriculata – leaves felted white underneath, flowers creamy white with orange centres, sweetly fragrant in autumn and winter. I thought this was an oddity in the young plants, but that is when they are supposed to flower. Z8.
Buddleia farreri – large toothed leaves, white below, velvety above. Lilac-pink flowers in spring. Z9.
Buddleja loricata – narrow grey leaves, rolled downwards. White flowers. Very hardy and a good silver.
Ceanothus ‘Tilden Park’ – small glossy green leaves, indigo blue flowers (reminds me of Italian Skies but a deeper blue)
Ceratostigma abyssinicum –more woody than the more common Cerats. Larger flowers of a beautiful deep blue. Z9
Cistus ladanifer Blanche – the varieties of C. ladanifer are confusing, particularly if you remember the nugget of information that all the purple blotching of Cistus derives from this species. And that is because not all the named forms are blotched, and Blanche is one of these. It is semi-double making a very full flower. (C.l. form sulcatus is not blotched while Pat and Paladin are; Paladin has feathered petals). To add to the confusion there is a named variety of the form sulcatus (called Bicolor) which is blotched, but fortunately we don’t grow it.
Cistus Paper Moon – papery white flowers, upright plant, Sport of Peggy Sammons.
Cytisus kewensis Niki – bright yellow flowers rather than the cream of the species.
Euryops pectinatus – grey pinnately leaved shrub with yellow daisy flowers. Very pretty. Z8.
Ficus Adam – no idea what it’s claim to fame is, but have you noticed that pictures of anybody covering themselves with a fig leaf almost invariably show a vine leaf.
Fuchsia mag Variegata – green and white variegation, typical small magellanica flower. Not such a thug as Versicolor.
Jasminum fruticans – scrambling shrub with fragrant yellow flowers.
Jasminum parkerii - (not new but reappearing). Small mound forming species with small yellow flowers with a ridiculously strong scent.
Lonicera albertii – in the same vein as L. syringantha
Lonicera caprifolium – earliest climbing honeysuckle to flower. Cream coloured and fragrant.
Lonicera involucrata – vigorous shrubby species with red and yellow flowers, around now. Needs a chainsaw to prune it.
Lonicera KR 291 – never found out the origin of this one, but is similar to L. alseuosmides.
Olearia paniculata – looks more like a large leaved Pittosporum. Never seen it flower, but said to have fragrant dull white flowers in autumn. Ultimately a small tree. Z8
Persicaria Comptons Form - Leaves are interestingly patterned. Herbaceous, but reaches 1m. Same species as ‘Painters Palette’.
Phlomis chrysophylla - The name means yellow leaves – but it is only the pubescence which is yellow and so are the flowers. Z9 (P. fruticosa is Z7).
Phlomis purpurea – isn’t purple in leaf or flower. Foliage similar to P. fruticosa but pink flowers like P. italica. Z8 as is P .italica which is hardy here.
Salvia Christine Yeo - Small purple flowers. Thin stemmed, woody plant 60cm x 60cm. Hardy.
Salvia Crete Stolze - Form of S. officinaliis but you wouldn’t cook with it as it is pungent rather than aromatic. Blue flowers now 30cm high by twice as wide.
Trachelospermum jasminoides Wilsonii - (re-appearing). I thought this was grown for is veined leaves (besides the flowers) but it also has the strange merit, for an evergreen, of turning red in autumn and then greening up again. The veining also comes and goes.
Trachelosspermum jasminoides Waterwheel - Very narrow leaves and that is all I know. Did it come from the (closed) Waterwheel Nursery?
Viburnum opulus ‘Park Harvest’ -I never have known any supposed differences between this and V.o. Aureum.
Vinca difformis Sardoa - The most blue and the biggest form of this underused species. Always in flower to some extent, peaking in the colder months. All the forms are hardy despite the books denying this. (Z9 is not true)
Vitis vinifera Spetchley Red - Shining red autumn colour and presumably fruit too.
Zauschneria californica Ed Carmen - We gave up on this species years ago because we couldn’t overcome its deathwish., but this form is ok. Rather an untidy grower with deep red trumpet flowers.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Availability
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.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Crinodendron patagua
Crinodendron patagua is not immediately recognisable as a relation of C. hookeranum, having rounder less glossy leaves, but it makes an equally attractive plant, ultimately a very small tree, and has very pretty white lantern flowers followed by white berries. Better in acid soil and can take partial shade.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Credit Card Payments
In response to the very occasional request we do now have the facility to accept payment by credit card through Google Checkout (You will need a Google account which is free). We can e-mail you an invoice which you can pay online, but we cannot accept payments over the phone, as we do not need to do so often enough to get any sort of acceptable deal from the providers.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Cortaderia richardii
Cortaderia richardii is a pampas grass except it comes from New Zealand and is less quintessentially suburban. Arching stems bear drooping heads of white flowers to 3m. Needs moisture. Z8.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Eragrostis
Eragrostis in general produce floaty masses of flowers, but some are not reliably perennial. E. spectabilis (Purple Love Grass) is a perennial, with leaves to 30cm, green in summer turning reddish in autumn before dying down. The flower plumes go to 40 cm and make a reddish-purple cloud of spikelets in late summer, the whole thing becoming tumbleweed if you let it. Full sun, drought tolerant (or not according to what you read), naturally growing on poor sandy soils. Good component for prairie planting.
Monday, April 06, 2009
***Massive increase in Availability***
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Anomatheca laxa
Anomatheca laxa is probably something we shouldn’t grow as its growth pattern doesn’t fit with anything else and it doesn’t really need potting on. However if you are selling direct to the public then this is one to sell as a P9. They are in full leaf now and will shortly start to show flower buds and the flowers are bright red and pink (except the few plants that are white). After flowering it dies back to corms for the rest of the year.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Bearded Irises
Friday, April 03, 2009
Aristotelia chilensis ‘Variegata’
Aristotelia chilensis ‘Variegata’ grows into a 3m high shrub in time, but responds well to pruning making vigorous new growth. Flowers and berries are inconspicuous but the variegation is an uneven mix of green and gold making an attractive specimen or background evergreen. It is hardy, but the old leaves are damaged by winter wind. Any soil or aspect, tolerates maritime exposure.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Helichrysum ‘Dartington’
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Sarcococcas
Sarcococcas are slow growing evergreens that have sweetly scented flowers in the winter. They grow best in shade or part shade and will grow in any soil, thriving particularly on chalky soils. S. hookeriana Digyna has long narrow matt leaves, does not produce berries reliably but is the most sweet smelling. S. confusa and S. ruscifolia (presumably ours is the form chinensis) are extremely alike with dark green, glossy, wrinkled leaves and they will berry reliably with S. confusa having black berries while S. ruscifolia ultimately has dark red berries, although they do go through a black stage. Hort Week’s recent feature was wrong on these two. On the nursery shade is essential, as with Skimmias, to avoid producing chlorotic plants.