One of the nation's favourite early spring plants, Camellias are, when given the right conditions, very straightforward and problem free. Providing fabulous displays of flowers when almost every other plant is still asleep for winter, they're ideal for giving a bold splash of colour when the garden is quite drab - plus they're fabulous in pots where they can be moved to any part of your garden. The key to success with Camellias is they need acidic soils - like Rhododendrons. This means they can easily be grown in pots in ericaceous composts, and provided they are fed with specialist ericaceous feed, will provide many years of colour and interest. They are evergreen, and their neat, shiny tough leaves will provide a backdrop to other plants all year. Flower buds start swelling late the previous summer, and keep getting bigger all autumn and winter, until they burst open in early spring. The flowers can be caught by frosts when they are opening, but the buds are generally fine, and the plant is 100% hardy and tough. Supplied as one red-flowered plant, 20-40cm tall and in bud.
Made specifically for acid loving ericaceous plants to give create healthy strong plants with beautiful flowers and strong roots.
One of the most valuable garden shrubs in winter, Camellias flower when just about everything else is dormant. 'Volunteer' doesn't disappoint with its exquisite, large, double flowers in soft pink with a paler edge As the flowers age their colour deepens but the tips of the petals remain light, creating a beautifully contrasting two-tone effect. The fantastic and joyful display begins in January and continues into March, just when you need an uplifting splash of bold colour in you garden. Camellias need acidic soils - like Rhododendrons, so they should be grown in ericaceous compost. They are evergreen, and their neat, shiny tough leaves will provide a backdrop to other plants all year. Flower buds start swelling late the previous summer, and keep getting bigger all autumn and winter until they explode into colour. Supplied as an established plant in a 13cm. .
Grown your own tea with these fabulous easy-care plants. The 'Tea Plant' is a striking evergreen shrub whose leaves can be picked and added to the teapot to make up your own cuppa. Come autumn they're covered in beautiful, white flowers which have a delightful scent - an added bonus if planted in a pot near the house. Camellia sinensis produces fresh new leaves in spring which are the best leaves to pick for your teapot, although you can experiment with drying the leaves for a more traditional brew. Supplied in 15cm pots, these tea plants are ideal when grown in a container but can also be planted in the flower border among your favourite perennials as the Camellia's dark evergreen leaves highlight flower colour superbly. Care of your tea plant care is very straight forward; Water plants frequently during the first two years - generally two or three times per week during the summer, using rainwater whenever possible. Your plant will be dormant during the winter months, but in spring it will burst into life and you can start picking the freshest young leaves. You will be able to pick a few leaves in the first year, so that you can try making your very own tea - although it's best to limit yourself for the first 2-3 years of growth so that your tea plant will establish to become a bigger plant with more fresh leaves in the following years. Prune back to 3 to 4 feet every few years to keep the plant bushy and producing fresh leaves. Traditionally, the uppermost leaves two and leaf bud on each stem are picked although you may want to try with some of the older leaves or even stems and see how the flavour varies. Protect plants from cold, dry winds and early morning sun and water in dry weather to prevent bud drop. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser in mid-spring and again in June, plus mulch annually with shredded bark or well-rotted leaf mould. Protect container-grown tea plants in winter by wrapping with bubble wrap or hessian. For the first 2 or 3 years during the winter, we suggest either bringing your plant indoors or protecting it from prolonged or sharp frosts with horticultural fleece.
A concentrated liquid plant food designed for acid loving plants including azalea, camellia, rhododendron, berberis, magnolia, heather, hydrangea, pieris, raspberries, skimmia and blueberries. New formulation with Humifirst, a bio-stimulant which is extremely rich in organic matter. Contributes the perfect balance of essential nutrients. Rich in sequestered iron which helps prevent yellowing on the leaves of ericaceous plants.1 litre bottle of concentrated liquid plant food which makes 180 litres.CAUTION: Please read all instructions carefully before handling, storing or opening, and take care when lifting heavy objects.
This easy-to-grow fruiting climber performs well on a sunny patio or border and even better in the greenhouse, producing heavy crops of mini melon fruits tasting of cucumber with a twist of lime! For maximum fruit production, stop main stems at 2.4m (8ft) and trim back all side shoots to 45cm (18).