Fantastic annual climber usually available from July, will flower until first major frosts can be overwintered in a greenhouse.
Extremely beautiful rapid growing climber that starts flowering in June and continues until killed by frost. Delightful parasol-shaped fuchsia pink calyx with black/purple to crimson 2½in flowers within. Sunny pergolas, porches, walls. Flowers mid summer to autumn.
Likes full sun.
Plant of the month for December is Viburnum Bodnantense Dawn, characterised by its numerous and densely packed clusters of rose, pink or blush white flowers. It flowers in winter, from October through to March depending on how cold the winter is. Harder pruning will keep it compact.
This hardy plant likes full sun or partial shade, and is fairly easy to look after.
Preferred soil type is well-drained/light, moist. Grows to a height of around 300cm with a 200cm spread.
Cotinus is also known as ‘smoke bush’ – shapely rounded shrubs or small trees, looking good in summer and autumn.
Known and loved for their incendiary change of leaf colour in autumn to an increasingly brilliant orange-red. In summer they are found in green and purple-leafed forms, both of which are covered with a smoky haze of soft open flower plumes.
They can tolerate a variety of positions in your garden, from full sun, to partial shade, and even some of the more shaded spots. They are hardy and can be planted in well drained/light, acidic or chalky/alkaline soils.
They grow to a height of around 600cm with a 400cm spread.
Schizostylis, or Kaffir lilies, are great additions to any late season borders. They produce beautiful copper red flowers that start the day weighed down by dewdrops and as the day progresses open up to face the midday sun. They are perfectly suited to the mixture of seasons we often see at this time of year; cold mornings, a burst of summer by midday, then slipping back to autumn later on.
Schizostylis is a hardy plant that likes full sun and a moist, but well drained soil. Suitable soil types are: Sandy/Light or Chalky/Alkaline. It will grow to a height of around 60cm with a spread of about 30cm.
Stiff upright stems with copper/orange and pale pink flowers that grow out from clumps of sword-shaped mid-green leaves. It can also provide a nice supply of cut-flowers for use indoors.
