Category: Horticulture

Dangerous practice

by gardenspast123, posted in Flowers, Foliage, Horticulture, Perennial

In recent years, I became keen on wearing gloves. Often, unless it was partcularly thorny (Pyrancantha) or prickly (Berberis) I didn’t bother as a younger gardener. It’s so very necessary though. Alot of plants emit an irritant sap and more. No-one’s suggesting you voluntarily ingest anything toxic but may remain on your hands – you can inadvertently infect yourself. Rose thorns equally dangerous, can give you blood poisoning, it’s really not so difficult. There are many dangerous plants but to provide you with a few.

Digitalis purpurea (Common foxglove) – beautiful colours from purples, whites and reds. The common foxglove self seeds and reproduces. D. illumination ‘Ruby’ a pink hybrid – does not seed but offers an effective food source for insects. The hybrids that are crossed for resilience are usually sterile although hardy to adverse conditions. (D. x vallini). A easy plant in a herbaceous mixed border with delphiniums, monarda and rudbeckia. It prefers a sunny aspect offering foliage and flowers in summer. It is resilient in an exposed site but can be supported if needed.

Ricinus (Castor Oil) – very attractive leaves and flowers. This plant needs full sun and relatively hardy. It’s a fast growing evergreen, sought in red and green. It will flower in late summer. Very dramatic leaves and flowers, just very dangerous.

Euphorbia (Spurge) It’s worth mentioning poinsettias are part of this group. Secretes an irritant and dangerous to swallow. It likes full sun and prolific in growth. E. characias is the variety we see alot and provides blue/foliage aswell as yellow flowers. A variegated E. x Martini (Ascot Rainbow) can be sought too. It is a shame Euphorbia is so invasive, once in situ can be difficult to control. Very attractive too, but precautions are necessary.

Dandelions – a weed but does possess an irritant sap. The leaves can be eaten and is known to have detoxifying benefits. Having said this, ingested in large quantities can be quite damaging due to their high alkalinity.

Laburnum x waterei – A beautiful specimen tree offering scented flora in early summer providing a canopy of colour. Breathtaking to see, but all parts of the plant are toxic. The pea – like flowers can look edible to an discerning eye (animals and children). It prefers full sun. A very robust and versatile tree. A decidious choice but provides foliage and flowers up until autumn.

Aconitum nappellus (Monkshead) offers deep violet and white (‘Gletschereis’) hooded blooms in summer. (A. ‘Gletschereis’ doesn’t tend to self seed). An effective herbaceous perennial. It needs a sunny spot but will tolerate some shade. The soil, however, needs substance – it must be humus rich and fertile.

Taxus baccata (Yew) – dwarf varieties can be sought although usually used a hedging / topiary plant. It responds well to heavy pruning (unlike conifers) Part of the plant has been used in the production of tamoxifen although it nevertheless quite dangerous. It is an evergreen. It’s hardy. It’s an effective architectural plant that can be shaped. It likes full sun, partial sun, no sun. You just don’t want to swallow it.

Fake Fruit

Featured by gardenspast123, posted in Flowers, Foliage, Fruit, Horticulture

Although their names assume a fruit, some of these plants don’t produce any. The ones that do provide effective blossom in the early months and a food source at autumn time.

Mock Orange – Philadelphus – a highly scented large shrub / small tree. It prefers a full sun aspect; good soil too. It flowers in spring although has no leaves in dormancy so only seasonally interesting. The soil needs to have substance but be free draining. It does not tolerate being soaked either.

Mexican Orange Blossom – Choisya – A spring flowering shrub. Different varieties have varying leaves of shape and colour. ‘Sundance’ light green and ‘Aztec Pearl’ dark, narrow and pinnate in shape. This is a shrub that will tolerate some shade and offers spring flowers that are heavily scented. Both attractive foliage and flora. It’s an evergreen, so all year provides colour.

Ornamental Cherry Blossom – Prunus serrulata – an upright tree that is quick to establish. It flowers in spring although has no fragrance. A full sun aspect is preferred. Though its decidious (leaves fall off), this tree provides the biggest of white flora in May.

The Japanese Apricot – Beni chidori – Prunus mume – a highly scented specimen offering flowers late winter into spring. It flowers when there are no leaves. It does fruit in summer, but you wouldn’t eat them voluntarily – good for wildlife though. A sheltered site is preferred so exposed areas are not ideal.  This tree needs full sun; the soil free draining too.

Prunus incisa ‘frilly frock’ – a smaller variety with white flowers early in spring. Its habit is weeping and suited to a smaller space. It prefers sun but will tolerate some shade. As long as it’s in well drained soil, it accepts most medias.

Pyrus salcifolia ‘pendula’ – its flowers offer attractive white blooms in mid spring, autumn fruit and interesting opaque / frosted leaves. It bears no edible fruit although there is a yield. No fragrance to speak of either. It needs full sun to effectively perform.

Malus baccata – crab apple – offers highly scented flowers for beneficial insects and berries for birds. It’s very resilient and can withstand a poor environment, an exposed location and little maintenance.

Malus spectabilis – a chinese flowering apple blossom – will offer flowers early spring, fruit early autumn. Its flowers attract beneficial insects.

Silver Shades

by gardenspast123, posted in Flowers, Foliage, Horticulture, Perennial, Shrubs

One colour can become so striking when offset against silver foliage. If the plant produces a flower, that’s a bonus. But purely for their leaves, these plants are effective.

Perovskia atriplicifolia – (Russian sage) ‘Blue spire’. This plant is ideal in a sunny position in well drained soil. It is highly scented too. It will flower through summer into early autumn.

Lavendula – Lavender offers attractive foliage, flowers and scent. French and English both look different in characteristics. French Lavender is inclined to a lime based soil that has plenty of air circulating around. It doesn’t bode well in compact, clay based medium. English Lavender similarly likes a free draining, light soil and neither keen on sitting in moisture.

Cineraria (senecio) a compact sub shrub. Adds a neutral tone to contrast with stronger colours. A bedding accompaniment more than anything. These can propagated by seed / bought in plugs. These are only really for one year bought in bloom and then discarded as opposed to a perennial.

Stachys byzantina (Lambs Ears) ‘Silver Carpet’ – this plant offers texture and colour to an herbaceous border. It prefers dry conditions and will not tolerate being over watered. It is a hardy evergreen, can cope in exposed conditions. It’s a foliage plant so there are no flowers.

Caryopteris (Blue beard) – a mid to late summer perennial shrub. There are various kinds but there is a silver green ‘Blue mist’. Its performance largely depends on how much light it gets, so a full sun position is recommended.

Helichrysum italicum (Curry plant) – as you would expect a highly scented shrub. It prefers to be in a sheltered position but generally resilient to most conditions. It doesn’t like being wet, so well drained soil is advisable.

Juniperus horizontalis ‘squamata’ or ‘Blue Chip’. An effective source of ground cover. The plant needs little maintenance although the aspect should be in full sun. The soil can be sandy, but not poor. It does prefer a degree of fertility. A very hardy, resilient shrub.

Alpines/Succulents

by gardenspast123, posted in Foliage, Horticulture, Perennial, Soil, Succulents

If you are looking for a hardy, low maintenance and drought tolerant scheme, it’s worth mentioning these plants. Succulents have fleshy leaves since they’re cabable of storing their own water. Alpines can often survive in poor, sandy, free draining soil with no humus matter. A downfall of both these plants is to overwater them. They will not tolerate being doused and root rot can follow.

These plants can often be incorporated in rockeries and require almost no support or very little attention.

Aubretia a good ground cover plant. Grows often in cracks of walls with little soil. It has a trailing habit and needs to be in full sun. It can cope in very dry conditions. It flowers in spring, attracting beneficial insects and encouraging bio diversity.

Aurinia saxatilis a clump forming perennial which provides golden flowers from spring to early summer. It is very hardy and can cope well in an exposed position. It does require full sun, not a fan of shade. The soil, however, needs to have a little substance and not be totally barren.

Saxifraga flowers in early to mid summer and requires a sunny aspect. The plant can tolerate most types of soil, although well drained and moist. This ideally on the chalky side too. It welcomes some shade in the height of summer. The consistency needs some substance.

Antirrhinum sempervirens (snapdragon) an evergreen suited to a rocky, poor environment. It flowers in mid to late summer. It needs sun but a little shelter too.

Arabis, a succulent that provides foliage all year round. It flowers in spring to summer. A versatile evergreen, it needs well drained soil with sun. However, the aspect can be sheltered or exposed.

Sempervivum (Houseleeks) offer flowers in summer and attractive leaves all year round. A fleshy, hardy succulent needing light but very tolerant of sandy, free draining soil.

Aizoaceae, a general term for the whole family, but carpet weed / ice plants are its common names. Aptenia cordifolia (Heart leaf ice plant – there is a variegated one too) or Lampranthus coccineus (hardy) / spectabilis (trailing), Delosperma is another. The trailing variety can be quite invasive. It can offer effective ground cover with its mat forming, spreading habit.

Sedums (Stonecrop) are particularly suited to poor soil and can withstand prolonged periods with little moisture. They do need sun however, so not a plant for a shady corner. The species can flower pink, white and yellow flora. The commonest is pink but there are many. The plant acts as an effective pollinator and attracts beneficial insects.

Variegated Plants

by gardenspast123, posted in Flowers, Foliage, Grass, Hedges, Horticulture

To achieve consistent interest in your space throughout the year, an easy method would be to incorporate variegated foliage. All year round, you will be provided with beautiful leaves, flowers as a bonus and offering a hardy canvas for bulbs, perennials and bedding.

Hebe – Hebes flower between summer and autumn – purple / blues mostly. The aspect is not particularly important although Hebes don’t like prevailing winds or exposed areas. The wind damages the foliage. The plant needs some shade but sheltered is the key. It is not a terribly hardy plant, may need a degree of protection in severe conditions. It’s suited to a container, so be moved to an insulated / coveted wall if need be. Cut back dead, diseased and damaged after frosts.

A particularly interesting Miscanthus ‘zebrinus’ (Zebra Grass) – it provides colour (green / yellow to pink and silver) throughout the year; textural qualities in winter too. The pruning is only necessary in spring, highly ornamental in all seasons. As a Miscanthus, it “whistles in the wind”, which adds a quirkiness to the garden. The new growth will start to emerge from the crown, this will indicate the grass is ready for pruning.

Aucuba japonica ‘crotonfolia’ – (Spotted Laurel). The spots, a result of a “friendly virus – “the mosaic” – it doesn’t harm the plant in any way and simply mutates its leaves. In the event of the plant reverting, cut the green out. It produces berries after the height of summer through to the next season. It is a very robust specimen. Good in all soils, aspects and conditions especially polluted air which makes it popular in urbanised areas or those with a high traffic content. No pruning, just unecessary / unwanted growth.

Other Bamboo / Sedges – Hakonechla macra / Carex variegata / Pleioblastus fortunei (Bamboo, sedges and grasses) – related but very different in habit. Most the pruning is in spring but some die back in winter. Hakonechla is mound forming, stays relatively compact but decidious. Carex everillo, Acorus is evergreen and Pleioblastus fortunei is too. There are different species, growth habits, sizes for varying purposes. These too in a variety of colours. Pennistemon (not typically recognised as a sedge/grass) are tolerant to moderate frosts and although do like full sun, can tolerate partial shade. These plants do prefer well drained soil and not in a waterlogged environment.

Euonymous fortunei – ” Emerald ‘n Gold”. A hardy staple evergreen, there is a cream variety too. ‘Silver Queen’. Good with adverse conditions. (Poor soil, light and water). These plants can be used as groundcover – an embankment or difficult location (very good as a weed suppressant). The plant does revert to its green state, you need to cut this unwanted foliage out to retain its variegation.”Colouratus” is the ground cover variety as a few others. The leaves turn a pinkish tinge if provided with full sun in autumn. The plant is very low maintenance, can cope with almost any soil without water or nutrients. It requires almost no pruning save unwanted growth.

Eleagnus ebbengeii offers the most eyecatching combination with their silver – green foliage mixed with Photinia as an evergreen hedge.  The plant is tolerant of little water, a drying atmosphere – so coastal areas, salt laden winds are fine. What Eleagnus don’t tolerate is the cold, so an exposed position is ok but with a good degree of sun.