Category: Shade tolerant
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Anopterus glandulosus
This stunning evergreen shrub is a native of the cool forests of Tasmania and it usually surprises those that don’t know it as it looks more at home amongst Rhododendrons and azaleas than with Bottle brushes and Eucalyptus. This plant will slowly grow to 2 to 3 metres and has rich deep green serrated leaves
Stephen Ryan
Rubus thibetanus
The ghost bramble isn’t for every gardener but quite a few plants I grow would fit under the same title. After all not every body wants a prickly suckering shrub but having said that how many of your have a Rugosa Rose? This plant will make a cluster of arching stems to about 1.5metres tall
Stephen Ryan
Pileostegia viburnoides
The name may not be familiar but it is a plant of great merit in the garden. It is evergreen with long leathery leaves. It is a self clinging climber that can grow to the top of almost any support and then stop. It has honey scented heads of fluffy flowers in summer and it
Stephen Ryan
Ficaria verna ‘Aurantiaca Group’
This small winter growing tuberous perennial was until recently known as Ranunculus ficaria ‘Cupreus’ if you are wondering! It comes up with its green leaves that are marbled with grey and centrally blotched which bronze in mid winter and quite soon after it produces its soft orange buttercups that will continue to erupt until the first warm
Stephen Ryan
Trillium luteum
Of all the woodland plants that one could grow this Genus must be the creme del a creme with their stunning flowers and wonderful foliage and I guess the only down side is the remarkably slow growth rate of most of them!! This is the first time after about 15 years of having this particular
Stephen Ryan
Haloragis erecta ‘Wellington Bronze’
At this time of year when the last autumn leaves are shedding I start to notice some of the more subtle plants around the garden and this is definitely one of them. It is an evergreen perennial or sub-shrub grown basically for its pretty chocolate foliage. The flowers are small and the same colour as
Stephen Ryan
x Mahoberberis aquisargentii
We can never have enough tough shade tolerant shrubs that can also take it dry and with this in mind I imported this bizarre cross between Mahonia aquifolia and Berberis sargentii in 2003, so I thought it about time I promoted it! It will grow to about 1.5metres each way with stems erupting from ground
Stephen Ryan
Viburnum henryi
The Genus Viburnum is a remarkable one with a huge diversity of uses and features. In fact you could have a whole garden made up of nothing but and it would be interesting and exciting, with evergreen and deciduous, some with scent,some with berries, some with autumn colour, some with tiered branches or round ground
Stephen Ryan
Rubus rugosus
There are blackberries and there are blackberries! I spend a lot of time destroying the weedy ones and almost no time tending this handsome beastie. It has long arching canes so needs a fence or other support to tie it back to and the oldest canes need removing every couple of years otherwise it couldn’t
Stephen Ryan
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Middle Gully Gold’
This form of Columbine or Granny Bonnet if you prefer is one that I have selected and it now makes a telling feature in my home garden. Like all other forms of A. vulgaris it is as easy as pie to grow but is also promiscuous so that it will come truer from seed if
Stephen Ryan