Category: Collector Plants
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Persicaria microcephala ‘Red Dragon’
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
Stephen Ryan
Desfontainia spinosa
I love the flora from South America and having had the chance to visit Peru, Argentina and Chile over the years has only stimulated this interest. I have however been growing this evergreen shrub for about 35 years and never loose interest in it. The leaves could easily be mistaken for those of a holly
Stephen Ryan
Chionanthus retusus
This small genus is usually represented in horticulture by the American species C. virginicus and the Chinese one that is the topic of this blog. However both are worth growing and for sale at the moment in 15cm. pots for $28.50. Both are large deciduous shrubs or small trees that can reach 4 to 5 metres and
Stephen Ryan
Aucuba chinensis
I love plants with bold gutsy foliage particularly if they grow well in the shade and this evergreen shrub which obviously hails from China certainly does. It will grow to about 3metres tall and has glossy heavily veined leaves that can get to about 30cms. long and that at least for the time being is
Stephen Ryan
Canna ‘Brolga Dance’
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
Stephen Ryan
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
This Genus commonly called St. Johns Wort is far better than its common name might suggest. The specific cultivar I’m talking about was a self sown seedling at the famous garden of Hidcote in England and is obviously worth having if Lawrence Johnston said so! This is a hardy evergreen shrub to 1.5 metres each
Stephen Ryan
Hydrangea scandens ssp. liukiuensis
One hell of a name for a small deciduous shrub from Yakushima in Japan at least I hope that is what I am growing under this name! However what ever it is I am growing it is certainly a Hydrangea and one that we should all be growing in our gardens. It is deciduous and
Stephen Ryan
Halleria lucida
Attractive and interesting multipurpose evergreen shrubs are not that easy to find hence the proliferation of such abominations as the James Stirling Pittosporum grown in the thousands to annoy good gardeners everywhere. Were I looking for a quick growing shrub to 4 metres or so to hide my strange behaviour from them next door I
Stephen Ryan
Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’
I love a tropical look in the garden even though I come from less than tropical Mt. Macedon! And this plant really floats my boat. It is not only cold hardy but grows well in dry shade to boot, what more could you want? Well it will also do well in a pot and makes
Stephen Ryan
Disanthus cercidifolius
Of all the autumn colouring plants I have grown this would have to be one of my favourites, albeit quite a prima donna. It requires a cool aspect and a moist acidic soil to do well which probably means you need to live at Mt. Macedon or a similar climate to even grow it. But
Stephen Ryan