Monthly Archives: September 2012

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  Ferula linkii

  Posted on September 27, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, drought tolerant, Perennials

  This amazing perennial comes from the Canary Islands and is one of the tallest of the Genus that in flower can reach 3 to 4metres tall. Its foliage comes up in winter and looks like Fennel on steroides and in fact they are commonly called Giant Fennel and where the botanical name comes from. The […]

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  Ribes speciosum

  Posted on September 19, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Deciduous, drought tolerant, Shrubs

  Flowering Currants are usually hardy shrubs and perhaps a little old fashioned in the eyes of some although the Honeyeaters seem to still love them. The above species from California is however something quite different with its spiny arching stems and pendant scarlet tubular flowers in late winter and early spring. It is drought tolerant […]

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  Jubaea chilensis

  Posted on September 18, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Edible, Trees

  The Chilean Wine Palm is endangered in the wild and rarely grown in Australia for sale. Understandably considering that the seed can take more than two years to germinate and the plants that I have at the nursery in 10″ pots are at least six years on from germination! I have done the hard work […]

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  Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’

  Posted on September 17, 2012 by stephenryan in beautiful bark, Collector Plants, Deciduous, drought tolerant, Good for cutting, Good Pot Plant, Shrubs, winter interest

  The Crazy Filbert has to be one of the best conversation piece plants you could have in your garden especially for its winter effect. It will eventually become a large shrub and its main claim to fame are the twisted contorted branches which in late winter are festooned with pale yellow catkins. No one can […]

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  Edgeworthia chrysantha

  Posted on September 13, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Deciduous, Shrubs

  The Japanese Paper Daphne as it is commonly called is a deciduous shrub to a couple of metres with clusters of scented yellow flowers with white furry outsides to the trumpet. It is a dome shaped shrub for light shade or morning sun in well drained soil and looks a treat with dark Hellebores, Trilliums […]

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  Acer palmatum dissectum ‘Orangeola’

  Posted on September 11, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Deciduous, Shrubs, Weeping plants

  Weeping maples of all sorts add beauty and an oriental look to any garden without the need to install a Japanese lantern or a statue of Buddha! Most are grafted onto standards of various heights and don’t usually grow much taller. Usually ending up like a large open umbrella. They make great tub specimens, look […]

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  Araucaria araucana

  Posted on September 7, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, conifer, Edible, evergreen, Trees

  The Monkey puzzle tree is one of the worlds most easily spotted trees with its dark prickly foliage and very symetrical form. It was well loved as a new novelty in Victorian times and seems to have recently come back into fashion. I put it down to the discovery of the Wollemi Pine which made […]

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  Chloranthus fortunei

  Posted on September 6, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Perennials, Woodlanders

  This amazing woodland perennial from China came into my collection via an importation I did years ago from Crug farm in Wales and what a great plant it is. It comes up in spring with almost black stems and leaves and as the foliage matures it turns green whilst the stems stay black. It grows […]

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  Lamium orvala

  Posted on September 2, 2012 by stephenryan in Collector Plants, Perennials, Woodlanders

  Most of us are familiar with the slightly weedy ground cover Lamiums and their close relatives and may well know them as Aluminium Plant. This species however makes neat clumps to about 30cms of rich green heavily veined leaves in the axils of which it produces Salvia like dusty deep mauve-pink flowers in spring. It […]

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