Primula vulgaris are low growing, perennials that form basal rosette shaped plants, made up of beautifully textured, wrinkled, obovate leaves. These small plants are generally known as primroses. Primula vulgaris are popular wild flowers; they’re often found growing in gardens, the countryside, and in urban areas across Europe. Primroses are hardy; plants will happily survive temperatures down as low as -20C (-4F), and probably lower.
Maxillaria acutifolia is a small and compact orchid species from: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Venezula, Trinidad and Tobago. From winter to springtime, mature Maxillaria acutifolia plants produce these very cute yellow-orange coloured flowers, which are fragrant and have a nice scent. The blooms are held low down at the base of the plant, underneath the leaves; however the blooms aren’t completely obscured and the flowers can be easily admired.
Hesperis matronalis is a short lived perennial or biennial that’s often known as Sweet Rocket or Dame’s Violet. These lovely plants are very easy to grow; they really are super plants to grow in your garden. Hesperis matronalis are hardy throughout the UK and they’re also drought tolerant, too. Plants will grow in any soil, apart from waterlogged soils; so avoid sowing these seeds on wet ground.
Hesperis matronalis var. albiflora is a short lived perennial or biennial plant that is often known as Sweet Rocket or Dame’s Violet. These lovely plants are very easy to grow, they’re nice things to have around. Hesperis matronalis var. albiflora plants are hardy throughout the UK and they’re also pretty drought tolerant, too. Plants will grow in any soil, apart from waterlogged soils, so avoid sowing these seed on wet ground.
Tomato ‘Irish Gardener’s Delight’ (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Irish Gardener’s Delight’) is an intermediate (cordon) tomato that produces these wonderfully glossy red fruits. These tomatoes are a bright and cheerful, pillar box red; ‘Irish Gardener’s Delight’ is a proper red tomato!
In the UK, from February to April, ‘Irish Gardener’s Delight’ tomato seeds can be sown inside a warm glasshouse, polytunnel, conservatory, or on a particularly bright and sunny windowsill.
Tomato ‘Flamingo’ (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Flamingo’) is an intermediate (cordon) tomato that produces these rather lovely mini plum tomatoes in a quaint cherry-red colour.
From February to April (in the UK), ‘Flamingo’ tomato seeds can be sown inside a warm glasshouse, polytunnel, conservatory, or on a particularly bright and sunny windowsill. When sowing tomato seeds and growing seedlings on, it’s important to be able to provide your plants with sufficient light (ideally from above), as bright light is needed to produce strong stocky plants and prevent your plants from becoming leggy.
Tomato ‘Rosella’ (Solanum lycopersicum ‘Rosella’) is an intermediate (cordon) tomato that produces these stunning burnished mahogany coloured, cherry tomatoes. Given sufficient warmth and light, ‘Rosella’ tomatoes are easily raised from seed. ‘Rosella’ tomato plants will thrive grown inside a glasshouse, polytunnel, or conservatory.
Once all risk of frost has passed, (from the end of May until the middle of June – in the UK) ‘Rosella’ tomatoes can also be grown outside in gardens or allotments, where they grow happily planted beds and borders, or in raised beds or containers.
Aerangis articulata is a miniature orchid species from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. These handsome orchids produce very decorative, pendent snow-white flowers.
This orchid species grows as an epiphyte. Epiphytic plants grow upon another plant; these orchids are not parasitic – they don’t take any nutrients or sustenance from the host plant they grow upon. Growing as an epiphyte is a useful strategy for this orchid species; Aerangis articulata plants benefit from the improved growing conditions and better air circulation that their host plants provide them with.
‘Golden Sunrise’ is a tomato cultivar that produces medium-sized, golden yellow salad (these are larger than cherry tomatoes, but smaller than beefsteaks) tomatoes. This variety is best grown as a cordon (intermediate) tomato, where the plant’s sideshoots are removed and the plant is strengthened by a strong and sturdy support system. When growing these types of tomatoes, it’s important that the cordon-trained tomato plant’s sideshoots are removed at regular intervals, so the plant’s energy is channeled towards producing more tomatoes and not just new stems and leaves.
‘Black Russian’ is a beefsteak tomato cultivar. Plants perform best when trained as a cordon (also known as an intermediate) tomato; this is easily achieved, simply by regularly removing the plant’s sideshoots and training the plant up a study support system.
Given its name, it won’t surprise you to know that ‘Black Russian’ originates from Russia, where this cultivar was reportedly grown by Russian monks.
Achillea millefolium is a herbaceous perennial that produces lovely ferny, scented foliage and large flat flower heads; each flower is made up of numerous individual florets. This is a wildflower of the UK, as well as many countries in Europe and Asia. Plants have spread further afield to colonise other countries and continents, after Achillea millefolium was used as an arable feed and escaped from gardens.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘White Supreme’ is a white flowered sweet pea that was bred by Bernard Jones and introduced in 1990. This variety is very popular with exhibition growers and is often seen in village horticultural society flower shows. A lovely sweet pea to have in the garden; Lathyrus odoratus ‘White Supreme’ plants produce white, scented flowers with a lovely perfume.
Plant Lathyrus odoratus ‘White Supreme’ in a bright and sunny position, in moist but well-drained fertile soil.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Wild Swan’ is a beautiful white flowered sweet pea that produces these very pretty frilly flowers. The blooms are large in size, with an attractive form and quite a nice scent. This is a good choice of cultivar if you desire sweet peas for cut flowers, or you’re growing for exhibition, or to enhance your summer garden.
Plant Lathyrus odoratus ‘Wild Swan’ in a sunny or partially shaded position, in any moist but well-drained soil.
Origanum onites is one of my favourite plants; its a pretty little thing with a long flowering period; plants bloom over the summer months. This is a superb plant for a wildlife garden. Origanum onites plants produce an abundance of these sweet, dainty flowers that are adored by bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and moths. Commonly known as marjoram, Origanum onites is a culinary and medicinal herb with aromatic leaves that will enhance a wide variety of culinary dishes.
Tanacetum parthenium is a useful herbaceous perennial. This is a really easy to grow, undemanding plant that flowers during the summer months. I cut my plants back heavily after their flowers fade. I usually cut my plants right back to the ground – don’t worry – this doesn’t harm the plants – they soon grow up and flower again! Plants bloom in cycles, from June until September.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Invicta’ is a Spencer sweet pea cultivar, which produces these gorgeous white coloured, frilly flowers. This sweet pea was raised by Phil Christmas, who lives near Tunbridge Wells, in Kent. Invicta is a latin word meaning undefeated, it’s the motto of Kent, a county in Southern England.
This sweet pea is a hardy, annual climber, which is easily grown and ideal for inclusion in a cut flower garden or grow Lathyrus odoratus ‘Invicta’ as a lovely decoration to enhance your summer garden.
Rosa Rhapsody in Blue = ‘Frantasia’ PBR is an award-winning rose that was bred by Frank Cowlishaw and released in 2003. This tall shrub rose produces clusters of these rather glamorous, semi-double mauve flowers; as each bloom ages, the ashy grey tones of the flowers’ petals become more prominent.
Insects can be forgotten by plant breeders, who tend to focus on double frilly flowers without any pollen; we need more roses with blooms that offer an abundance of pollen to reward our pollinators!
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Black Knight’ is an Old Fashioned sweet pea cultivar that was introduced by the renowned sweet pea breeder, Henry Eckford, in 1898. Plants produce rich maroon-purple coloured flowers. Lathyrus odoratus ‘Black Knight’ small sized flowers are borne on stems holding two, three, or four flowers; plants also produce some single flowered stems.
This is a tall, climbing sweet pea variety that grows up to around 2.4m (8ft) tall.
Rosa ‘Silas Marner’ (Ausraveloe) is an English Shrub Rose that was bred by David Austin Roses and launched in 2020. David Austin traditionally unveil their new rose introductions at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show in May, but the show was cancelled due to COVID-19, so a virtual rose launch took place instead.
This is a repeat flowering rose with pastel pink coloured flowers.
Rosa ‘The Country Parson’ (Ausclergy) is an English Shrub Rose that was bred by David Austin Roses and launched in 2020. David Austin traditionally launch their new rose introductions in May, at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, but this show was cancelled due to COVID-19, so a virtual rose launch took place instead.
This rose produces pretty flowers in a lovely golden pastel shade of yellow; as the blooms age they fade in colour and gently pass through every shade of pale yellow, until the blooms have turned a pure snow white.
