Category: Perennials
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Tropaeolum speciosum
I well remember this amazing herbaceous climber known as Flame Creeper dripping out of yew hedges in England and couldn’t wait to try it myself. So eventually seed came my way and up they came. It all seemed too easy considering the dire warnings of pundits suggesting it needs a Scottish climate to thrive! Well
Stephen Ryan
Montanoa leucantha var. arborescens
If you like plants that virtually erupt out of the ground then the Mexican tree daisies could be the plant for you! They grow in much the same way as tree Dahlias putting on metres of growth from ground level in a season so as to be as much as 4metres or more by flowering
Stephen Ryan
Beesia calthifolia
This stunning Asian woodlander is only just making its presence felt in Australia. It was first named in 1915 after Bees Nursery in England but didn’t make it into cultivation in any real way until Bleddyn Wynn-Jones and Dan Hinkley reintroduced it into Western horticulture in 1996 and am I glad they did. It has
Stephen Ryan
Chelidonium majus ‘Flore Plena’
The double flowered form of Greater Celandine is an easy going short lived perennial that will lightly self seed in any sun or semi-shaded spot with enough moisture so once you have it you will probably always have it and like me I doubt that you will be upset. Excess plants are easily pulled out.
Stephen Ryan
Calamagrostis brachytricha
Korean Feather Reed Grass is rarely seen in Australia and I have at last a small batch to sell. It is a summer growing species to 1metre or so tall with a neat clump of foliage which turns yellow before dying down in the autumn. It is how ever the fluffy flower plumes that will
Stephen Ryan
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
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
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