Category Archives: Bog plants

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  Canna ‘The Red Centre’

  Posted on December 8, 2017 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  This Australian bred Canna hybrid is possibly the best red one in existence with its huge rounded bright red flowers with a very fine gold edge to the petals. It has bright green paddle like leaves and grows only to about 1 to 1.5 metres tall. It was bred by Mrs. Reis in Queensland now […]

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  Persicaria virginiana var. filiformis ‘Painters Palette’

  Posted on September 2, 2017 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Perennials, self seeds, shade tolerant

  This isn’t a plant for the timid gardener so I obviously love it! In the non variegated form it is a North American native and worth growing for its green leaves with a red-brown chevron about half way. It also produces spikes of tiny white flowers from deep pink buds at the end of the […]

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  Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’

  Posted on July 23, 2017 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, winter interest

  If you are looking for a plant that will be a talking point and entertain children of all ages this could be the one for you! It is a clump forming evergreen rush that is grown for its stems which corkscrew in a most endearing way, each with a different amount of twirl so as […]

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  Eryngium pandanifolia

  Posted on March 22, 2016 by stephenryan in autumn colour, Bog plants, Collector Plants, evergreen, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Perennials, self seeds, winter interest

  The Genus of Sea Hollies contains a fair few that seem to have little visually in common with Holly and this one from South America proves the point. It is an evergreen perennial with long strappy leaves to 1.5metres long with fine sharp spines along the edges so that dead leaf removal needs to be […]

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  Canna compacta

  Posted on February 11, 2016 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  There is something softer and more subtle about the species Cannas compared to the vast majority of Hybrid ones. Not that I necessarily want subtle when I want a Canna! This one if you except it as a species (some authorities don’t) grows to about a metre tall and has classic green leaves over topped […]

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  Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’

  Posted on January 17, 2016 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  This is a stunning perennial to about 1metre each way that will get to full size in the one growing season. The main point is the foliage which is a dark plum colour with silvery V shaped patterns on each leaf. It does flower and these are an added bonus in the autumn as these […]

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  Canna ‘Brolga Dance’

  Posted on November 27, 2015 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  I have again fallen in love with Cannas and don’t expect to have a minor fling again. They were once those things planted in mixed colours in round beds in public parks, oh how awful! But used singly as feature plants in a sunny moist border or by or in a pond they truly come […]

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  Canna glauca

  Posted on February 14, 2015 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  I have grown to love cannas over the years although one has to say that seeing them in beds of mixed colours with nothing to soften them can be off putting, think council bedding. These statuesque plants should be used as features amongst other things such as ornamental grasses et.al. Canna glauca could be said […]

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  Salix cuprea ‘Pendula’

  Posted on February 1, 2014 by stephenryan in autumn colour, beautiful bark, Bog plants, Deciduous, Trees, Weeping plants, winter interest

  It is a shame that the Australian weed assessment people decided to ban almost the whole willow Genus instead of doing the assessments one at a time as many benign species are now banned. Was it expediency or worse “the more you ban the more important your job is seen to be!” One willow that has […]

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  Canna ‘Paperwhite’

  Posted on January 26, 2014 by stephenryan in Bog plants, Collector Plants, Foliage plants, Good for cutting, Good Pot Plant, Perennials

  I love Canna Lilies, They are tough given water, tropical looking and a great vertical accent plant. Shame that so many people used them so badly over the years in huge undiluted blobs (you know who you are!). A friend from Queensland, Frank Hogan, has been selecting new forms and protecting heritage clones for years […]

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