Category: Collector Plants
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Pterocephalus perennis
This charming little ground hugging plant from Greece has been gracing my rock garden for many years and although I love it i have forgotten to propagate it so as to share it with others. Well I’ve done it now. It will grow about 1 metre wide in time and its grey-green foliage is attractive
Stephen Ryan
Oxalis tetraphylla ‘Iron Cross’
Yes I know that the Oxalis word is like offering someone bubonic plague but this is a truly lovely summer flowering species that i promise will make neat clumps and unless you spread the bulbs around it won’t become a problem. It grows throughout the summer and I would grow it for its bright green
Stephen Ryan
Melanoselinum decipiens
This truly stunning plant has a long history as a garden plant at Mt. Macedon where I live. Nearly all the large gardens have colonies of it and it has certainly been grown here for decades before I was born. It has always been known by local gardeners as Tree Angelica and I only got
Stephen Ryan
Uvularia sessilifolia ‘Cobblewood Gold’
This tiny little North American woodlander is so small and petite that I usually only sell it when I point it out to people so hopefully this post might encourage some of you to actually ask for it and its relative U. s.‘Variegata’ which has white edged leaves. My selection only grows to about 15cms. tall
Stephen Ryan
Schizophragma integrifolium var. fauriei
The self clinging climbers in the Hydrangea family are unique and indispensable as garden plants. What other self clinging shade tolerant showily flowering climbers that are cold tolerant are there? If you know of any let me know as I’ll won’t to grow them as well. The Genus Schizophragma only differes from true Hydrangeas in
Stephen Ryan
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