Category: Collector Plants
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Mespilus germanica
The Medlar is a favourite small deciduous tree which has heaps going for it. Its spring blossom is stunning and usually later to come than most fruit trees. The fruit stays on the tree for a good long time and always creates interest with those that don’t know it. If the fruit is allowed to
Stephen Ryan
Clematis montana ‘Marjorie’
This is a rarely grown form of one of the most loved hardy deciduous clematis species. It varies from the wild form in being a little more restrained in habit making it ideal over arches and such like, its new foliage is quite bronzed and the flowers area lovely mix of white and soft salmon
Stephen Ryan
Cupressus cashmeriana
One of the worlds most elegant conifers with a conical habit and soft grey weeping foliage. It will quickly grow to 10metres in any well drained sunny site that is sheltered from strong prevailing winds as these tend to make to tree one sided. It is a botanical oddity as since it was first discribed
Stephen Ryan
Elegia capensis
The South African Thatching Rush is a truly spectacular foliage plant. Its fluffy stems grow to about 1.5metres and are elegant adornments to the garden or as cut foliage which lasts and lasts in water. It loves a damp site and is obviously ideal next to a pond but unlike so many bog plants it
Stephen Ryan
Tropaeolum tricolorum
This cute as a button herbaceous perennial winter growing climber always gets a response from those that don’t know it. It is simple to grow in sun or semi-shade as long as the potato like tubers are kept dry in summer. I usually pot grow it so that it can spend the summer in the
Stephen Ryan
Bystropogon canariensis
This is an evergreen shrub funnily enough from the Canary Islands with small grey-green leaves with a Pennyroyal scent so plant it near where you walk so as to brush past it. It is however for its masses of fluffy grey flowers produced almost throughout the summer and autumn that you would chiefly grow it.
Stephen Ryan
Oxalis furcillata
No not all Oxalis are weeds and that is only to be expected from a Genus of over 800 species and I have a passion for them and have so far over 25 different species and forms mainly from South Africa and a few from South America in the collection. Most of my South African
Stephen Ryan
Arum, palaestinum
This is a very hardy winter growing tuberous plant from the Middle East with handsome bright green foliage and large burgundy-black flowers in early spring. The flowers smell of manure for the first day or so making it an ideal practical joke plant (just smell the lily!). I use it in my perennial border for
Stephen Ryan
Cydonia sinensis
This was until recently known as Pseudocydonia sinensis or the mock Chinese quince and it has to be the best small tree that one could have! It has attractive pink blossom in late spring that in summer become large egg shaped yellow -green fruit which can be used for jelly or as I found out
Stephen Ryan
Trachelospermum jasminoides ‘Tricolor’
This amazing ground cover form of star jasmine which is usually a climbing plant is ideal as a slow growing plant for a small spot in semi- shade where it will light up the area with its pink and white variegated foliage. I have one in the garden that has been there 10 years or
Stephen Ryan