February

Geranium phaeum ‘Samobor’ has considerable charm, with luxurious, deep maroon-black flowers which are held high on upright slender stems in late spring to early summer. This beautiful and useful hardy geranium is loved for its amazing deeply scalloped foliage with beautiful dark markings

Introduced in 2008, Gaura lindheimeri 'Summer Breeze' has now been made available in seed form. A hardier, more robust variety, long blooming and floriferous, it produces open, willowy, vase-shaped plants, with long graceful stems that suspend numerous little, dainty, butterfly shaped flowers at their tips.

Gaura lindheimeri 'Sparkle White' is a stunning hardy perennial. A Winner of the Fleuroselect Gold Medal, this bushy, clump forming variety has a neat, compact habit and produces a flurry of dazzling white, starry blooms on graceful slender stems from early summer right through to autumn.

Gaura 'Cool Breeze' is a stunning new variety that is now available from seed. It produces a flurry of dazzling pure white, starry blooms on graceful slender stems. They have pale green stamens and buds instead of the usual pink. A first year flowering perennial, very easy to grow it will bloom in around 14 weeks from an early sowing.

Galega officinalis is an ancient ornamental plant that produces a delightful natural effect in the garden. The plants have handsome foliage and they errupt in spring to produce countless sprays of fragrant lavender-blue flower spikes, each with mini-sweet pea shaped flowers.

Diminutive Festuca glauca makes a tight mound of steely blue, needle-like blades and is one of the most tactile of the evergreen grasses. Planted as a specimen or in swathes across a garden, the colour is so unexpected it can't help but catch the eye.

One of the grandest of plants, Euphorbia characias 'Wulfenii' has upright stems clothed with whorls of fleshy, mat grey-green leaves that lend the whole plant a textural quality that is unparalleled. From March to June the plants are topped with intense chartreuse-green flowers'.

Wonderfully ornamental, Eucalyptus pulverulenta 'baby blue' is the silver dollar of florists worldwide. The elliptical, aromatic, blue-green leaves are stacked along lengthy, multi-branched stems. This cultivar of bridal bouquets and garlands, the bluish grey of its foliage makes it a wild card for floral arrangements.

Eucalyptus parvifolia is an extremely versatile variety that makes a wonderful bouquet addition. It can be grown as an annual from seed if started early, each shrub-sized plant produces loads of stems that are perfect for flower arranging and can also be dried for later use.

Eucalyptus gunnii 'Silver Drop' is a wonderful fragrant foliage in high demand in the cut flower trade. Bred especially to provide small round, blue-green leaves that are better for fine floral work. Use it as filler in mixed bouquets where they add interesting colour, texture and aroma.

Eucalyptus citriodora is a beautiful, fast growing species with sword shaped leaves that have an amazing citrus fragrance when crushed. the essential oils mainly consist of 80-90% citronella - at outdoor events a lush garland of eucalyptus helps keep insects at bay.

Currently one of the most desirable floristic materials, popularised by social media influencers, Eucalyptus cinerea has fragrant, blue-grey, round leaves that have remarkable durability and remain in good condition for weeks after cutting. The stems can be seen hanging in steaming showers where their fragrance can truly be appreciated.

What spring garden would be complete without a bed of delightful, sweet-scented Wallflowers, harbingers of warmer weather to come? Erysimum cheiri, formerly Cheiranthus cheiri 'Ivory-White' is a fabulous form. A compact variety with a bushy habit which is ideal as an underplanting to tulips and other spring bulbs.

Erysimum ‘Fire King' is another old and tried variety, with striking, flame-like, glowing orange-scarlet flowers. They are especially valuable because they bloom in the period between primroses and summer annuals and will supply the household with an abundance of cut flowers for many weeks.

‘Fair Lady Mixed' is a classic tried and trusted variety. Reliably hardy, this uniform mixture blooms in a wide range of colours, both pastels and bright colours and includes the more unusual dusky-pink shades. Marvelous, fragrant and floriferous, they are extremely easy to grow and very rewarding.

Wallflower ‘Cloth of Gold' is a favorite with gardeners, each plant wears a cloak of the finest gold and the large golden-yellow flowers are filled with a sweet fragrance, from mid-spring and throughout summer. They are a perfect foil for daffodils and many other spring bulbs.

This old English cottage plant is making a comeback, and no wonder. The astonishing, velvety Wallflower 'Blood Red' with deep crimson-red flowers is a favourite with gardeners. They are ideal for borders and edging, they could also be used in large containers….and of course, walls!

Erysimum cheiri 'Sugar Rush F1' is a versatile and hardy biennial that stands out for its striking, jewel-like hues and for its repeat blooming cycle in both autumn and spring​. In a mix of sweetly scented vibrant shades, they can be in flower as little as 9 weeks from sowing. The perfect addition to autumn and winter gardening.