STEPHEN'S BLOG
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Acer ‘Esk Flamingo’
Talk about a plant that does something all year round! This maple that was apparently discovered in New Zealand has so much going for it I feel the nead to take it season by season. In spring its spear head shaped leaves emerge and are white and pink mottled, interestingly the foliage becomes more variegated
Stephen Ryan
Clematis ‘Mrs. Robert Brydon’
I love and collect clematis of all sorts as their generally light airy habit makes them ideal to grow up and over other plants without swamping the host and giving two shows in the place where I would normally have only one. A heavy winter prune will keep nearly all of them in order. This
Stephen Ryan
Ruscus aculeatus Hermaphrodite form
As much as it might be a bit indelicate to talk of sex there isn’t any choice when talking of the butcher’s brooms. Usually both male and female forms need to be present if the girl one are to get the stunning long lasting berries stuck in the middle of the leaf like phyllodes. So
Stephen Ryan
Smyrnium perfoliatum
This is one of the best self seeding biennials for semi-shade bar none in my humble opinion! It grows to about 60cms tall at flowering and to the uninitiated it could be a Euphorbia with its limy-yellow bracts surrounding the flowers. However those that look closely will realise that it is in fact Apiaceae (in
Stephen Ryan
Uvularia grandiflora
This has to be one of the most elegant of woodland perennials and the common name of Merry Bells almost says it all, just as well the common name wasn’t derived from its botanic one as it was named after the flap of skin that hangs down the back of your mouth, Hardly romantic! It
Stephen Ryan
Saruma henryi
This lovely woodland perennial is rarely seen in nurseries in Australia and I have a nice batch just potted into 6″ pots at $18.50 so don’t miss out. It grows to about 40cms. tall and has furry heart shaped leaves that are a feature on their own, but when it flowers its three petalled yellow
Stephen Ryan
Osmanthus fortunei
This has to be one of the great perfumed shrubs and tough as they come. It flowers in the autumn and the tiny white blossoms perfume the surrounds with what I think is the scent of ripe apricots! The foliage is rich green and somewhat holly like in the plants youth but as it ages
Stephen Ryan
Jovellana violacea
This is a much neglected evergreen soft wooded shrub from South America that could find a place in any moist semi-shaded spot in your garden. It grows to about 1metre tall and will in time make a small suckering clump. It produces its mauve, purple spotted and yellow tongued flowers in clusters during the early
Stephen Ryan
Cyclamen repandum
My favourite species is probably the one that is in flower at the moment! And C. repandum is just coming out as the spring approaches and so is my favourite at the moment. Its flowers are usually a strong carmine pink with long elegant curled petals and the perfume is divine, although it is best
Stephen Ryan
Viburnum sargentii ‘Onondago’
I love this Genus, there is so much that Viburnums can do in the garden. Some are evergreen with bold foliage, some deciduous with great autumn colour, some are grown for scent or berries, branch structure or of course stunning showy flowers. If you collected the whole Genus it is so diverse that it wouldn’t
Stephen Ryan