In Short, order now.

In common with most other young plant producers we have reduced our production levels in response to the increasingly unpredictable nature of the trade. We no longer use a rented nursery and this means that we are having to grow in smaller batches but, where we can, more of them in a season and we hope that this will keep our availability list as wide-ranging as ever, but it may mean that you cannot assume that particular plants will be available at all times of year. So, if you want it, order it while it is there.

 However what we we have not done is reduce the range we grow as we firmly believe that there is still a good demand for a wide range of plants - but the way they reach the gardener is changing. Destination and chain garden centres are not where a range is found and nor is it where the interested gardener looks for the plants they want. It is to you, our customers that they come and we will do what we can to keep offering you something different. Popularity of particular plants waxes and wanes and some that were once popular are now only of minor interest while others become the new must-have. We have no more idea than anyone else which they will be, but we are sure that the way to commercial oblivion is to follow the crowd.

If you are placing and order can you please let us know hen you would like the first delivery - it can make a difference to how e allocate to batches and it helps us to plan.

To find the latest copy of our availability list click here http://bit.ly/13KIFzp

Special offer and a new availability list

A new availability list is up and:

For the next six weeks we are offering 15% discount on all new orders received and delivered, subject to the following conditions.

1. The minimum quantity for this offer to apply in full is 400 plants. If you want a lesser quantity we will quote.

2. Delivery will be charged thus: £25 for one trolley (or part trolley), £40 for two trolleys and £50 for three or more trolleys.

3. COD and collection discounts still apply but annual order value does not.

The list is not edited for items that are not ready now, so please do take note of the 'Available' column

Wisteria hysteria

The brand new availability list is showing some Wisterias available but there may well be other varieties when we have finished grading after having done the major despatch (Very soon). Please ask if Wisterias are your desire at the moment. nick@jackdawsfield.co.uk 

June??

It's June, June already. Thats amazing and shocking. Perhaps i'm getting old?? Right then its June so we need to get you to take a look at this glorious new availability list we have, really its fabulous and just released so all the juicy hot stuffs still waiting to be snapped up. Soon it will be Christmas (Well soon ish), don't leave it too late. http://bit.ly/13KIFzp

Chelsea week

Whether on tv, social media or actually at the show, if you see anything you like at Chelsea have a look at our current availability list, we may well have it ready and waiting for you right now. http://bit.ly/13KIFzp

A short long weekend

After the bank holiday, the dust settles and our minds turn to space..... Ok now you've thought about space, lets fill it. A new shiny copy of the new shiny availability list is ready and waiting for you at http://bit.ly/13KIFzp 

Whatever the weather.

The weather is going for four seasons in one hour at the moment but nevermind our availability list has such a wide range of plants that whatever season you're gonna convince yourself we're in there will be something interesting to match. http://bit.ly/13KIFzp

Here's too sunny days and cool nights

Perhaps a little less cool at nights would be nice but the weathers got the right idea, Show the weather its doing the right thing by ordering from our new availability list. Remember if the weather goes bad it means you just didn't order enough.

Availability lists should always come the day after a blog post, don't you think?

Availability lists should always come the day after a blog post, don't you think? Snap it up We also still have a few stock plans available.

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.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Its a gloriously sunny day here in Sussex, so if its nice where you are grab a copy of our new availability list and plonk yourself somewhere sunny with a tall glass of something you fancy and enjoy.

Surplus Stock plants

Rather later and shorter than usual our surplus stock plant list. As always these are priced to clear and therefore we do have to consider the delivery cost. It will generally be fine if we are already delivering to you with our own transport.

Another great weekend.

Another great weekend, and for many a return to hand watering. Make it more exciting, water something interesting. for lots of ideas see our availability list.

Keeping intruders out or encouraging Brimstones in.

Heptacodium miconoides is  a hardy vigorous large shrub which can also be grown as a small tree. It has fragrant panicles of white flowers, similar to Clethra, in late summer which are followed by persistent reddish sepals.  As a tree it will reach 6m, but it can be contained by pruning.

Rhamnus alaternus 'Argenteovariegata' is also a hardy shrub, although it gives the impression of being tender. Strikingly white variegated it makes a dense shrub to about 3m, doing better when it has some shelter from the wind - by a hedge or wall or simply other plants. Flowers are insignificant but occasionally small red berries are carried, supposedly turning to black.  Tolerant of clipping, but not hard pruning. It has very little in common with Rhamnus frangula 'Asplenifolia' which has among the most cut leaves of any garden plants, giving a lovely textural contrast. It has reliable golden autumn colour and as a form of a native plant it a food plant for Brimstone butterflies. To 3m.

It won't be long before Ribes speciosum is in flower, when its small pendulous red flowers often cause it to be thought to be a Fuchsia. It is a auckering, semi-evergreen that needs support and thrives against a wall reaching up to 5m. On the nursery it needs some winter protection but once planted is hardy enough to survive for many years. It is very prickly and has dense growth so could be used as a form of intruder discouragement by growing it around windows. Tolerant of clipping and hard pruning.

In similar vein Rosa banksiae 'Lutea' is a plant that can be killed by temperatures below about -10C when in pots but seems hardier in the ground. Much sought after, it is a deciduous, thornless climber with clusters of small, double, primrose yellow flowers in late spring/summer. How big does it grow? The RHS sys 8-12 metres but I know of a specimen that is considerably taller than that covering four storeys of a stately home which also demonstrates that is hardy. We have propagated from this specimen and are testing it for hardiness in case it is a different clone. The unfortunately named Rosa banksiae var. banksiae is the white form.

We planted Ostespermum Lady Leitrim in the autumn of 2011 and it has survived the cold of one winter and the wet of the next so it does seem to be tough. It has large, white (sometimes pink-tinged) daisy flowers that open and close with the sun. Pink Osteospermum jacundum has not survived, but it is a lovely, and popular, plant.

Evil Weevils

Although I am not qualified to advise about the use of pesticides I would like to explain the current situation on vine weevil control and what we are doing to make sure we are supplying non-infested plants and what you can do to keep them that way. Two things are certain; vine-weevils have not gone away and we will never again have a golden bullet that will control them easily.  Regulatory issues mean that Vinil will not be coming back and the  current restrictions on neo-nicotinoids mean that there is very little choice and no product that will work all year round outside. We use Met-52 and as we grow everything under protection the compost temperatures will remain high enough to work throughout the period when eggs may be hatching. As yet we have seen no larvae but that could because we have been clear for so long and there is the possibility that a problem could develop. Therefore we watch for adults, or the signs that they are around and spraying to control them is an option.  We also check the crops for larvae. In the event of finding any then we will have to resort to nematode treatment and unfortunately this is going to become more of a regular procedure if you are growing outside. Met 52 does not last more than one season, and nor does the remaining permitted neonicotinoid, so you cannot rely on the compost volume of the liner still having vine-weevil killing contents and as eggs are laid close to the main stem this is the danger area. Using Met-52 in your compost will not be a sufficient control if you have adults present and some additional treatment will be necessary. And, by the way, if you think that this is an untenable situation and somebody will have to sort it, you are wrong. Government and regulators do no give a tinker's cuss about the viability or survival of ornamental horticulture. I shall now get down from my hobby horse and write something nice about plants for tomorrow.

How was that for you?

What a lovely weekend, particularly in contrast to what we have been through. I hope you are busy and we look forward to receiving your orders, and to help you along we have our what a great weekend updated availability list.

The First Law

I just finished reading the First law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, Its really good if you like that sort of thing. The availability list on the other hand is always excellent and a new one is out now. Find it here 

I swear I saw some blue in the sky over the weekend.

Is there just a small feeling that we are past the worst? Cross fingers and grab the new Availability list http://bit.ly/13KIFzp

Just dont look out the window.

Settle down, read our new availability list and dream of better times.

You can't blame me. I deliberately didn't say that this year can't be as bad as last year, because I said it last year and I was wrong!

Dichroa febrifuga looks extremely like a Hydrangea macrophylla in leaf, habit and flower. However its USP is that it always has blue flowers and these can be followed by blue berries. It is semi-evergreen but the leaves turn bronze/gold through the winter. The downside is that is not hardy - surviving outside in only the most favoured of sites (which have been rare in previous two winters). Therefore it is best suited to patio culture with winter protection.

Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' needs no introduction as a garden plant, but it is not the easiest of plants to grow. We pot in a less acid compost and they seem happier under light shade (20% netting is what we use). They are ridiculously prone to root-rotting Phytoptheras and whatever measures are adequate for most of what you grow more care is needed with Daphnes. If you can keep the conditions exactly correct and unchanging then there will be no problem but if they get too dry or too wet, or one then the other, the roots will start to rot. The aerial parts of the plant will yellow and although they can survive like this for a long time they won't grow again. We are now successfully overcoming this by drenching with Subdue at critical times - particularly before we start picking from the batch. There are other agents available but do consider using something to keep them healthy, unless you always can keep them unstressed.

Eleutherococcus sieboldii Variegatus is a hardy deciduous, suckering shrub. Its variegated leaves are particularly bright when they first appear fading a little as they mature. The stems are slightly spiny and can eventually reach 2.5m but 1.5m is more normal. Flowers are not significant. It has been known under a variety of names but Acanthopanax sieboldii Variegatus is probably the most well known.

Unlike Eleutheroccus Holodiscus discolor  is grown for its flower but it is another completely hardy shrub. It grows as dense multi-stemmed plant to 2m and has small oak-like leaves. The flowers are creamy white plumes, like Astilbe, carried in late spring.   Tolerant of hard-pruning.

Chimonanthus praecox  is another hardy, flowering shrub which is just finishing flowering here. Commonly known as Wintersweet the yellow waxy flowers are reasonably showy but the scent is what it is grown for, although the still conditions necessary for it to be at its most noticeable have been missing this year.  There are named forms but they are slow from cuttings so we raise the species from seed.  It is said that it needs a good summer to encourage flowering but our experience is that once a plant starts flowering it will do so every year regardless of the summer (which is just as well). 

Not everything we grow is reliably hardy, but our gardens would be the poorer if we did not try and grow things that are on the edge. Australasian plants can come from colder climate than we experience here, but it will be drier. Also Phytopthera cinnamoni which is one our most common root-rotting pathogens does not naturally occur in Australia and the flora has no resistance to it. Therefore the secret of success is to keep them dry on the nursery and recommend well-drained planting positions. We offer a good range of evergreen labiate shrubs - mint bushes - mostly Prostanthera but also Westringia. The most well known are P. cuneata which is small-growing with slightly lilac flowers and P. rotundifolia with lilac flowers and we have a variant of this. P.r. Rosea which is a pinker shade of lilac. Then there is P. Poorinda Ballerina with larger pale pink flowers, while P. Poorinda Petite (small leaves, not small plant) has strongly coloured lilac/purple flowers as does P. 'Mint Royale' ^TM.  P. 'Badja Peak'  also has purple flowers and is particularly floriferous.  P. ovalifolia Variegata is white variegated with small leaves and lilac flowers though it does not flower as readily as the rest. Westringia 'Wynabbie Gem' has more leathery, narrow leaves and pale lilac flowers. From similar habitats is Kunzea 'Badja Carpet', a low-growing myrtle with typical white flowers and small leaves.

Itea 'Henry's Garnet' has two seasons of interest. In summer it has long panicles of white flowers and then it has red autumn colour. It is hardy and will grow to 2m. Unlike I. illicifolia it is not difficult as a nursery plant.

Zauschnerias are small but vigorous grey-leaved shrubs with  bright red tubular flowers. Z. 'Ed Carmen' has wider leaves while Z. 'Dublin' has more showy flowers. These are Californian in origin but can overwinter here in a well-drained position.

Look out for our surplus stock plant list - coming soon.