If you want to grow something different, then this is the plant for you! The Yellow Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gillesii), is a bushy shrub with a profusion of snapdragon-like flowers dripping with orange-red tassels. Caesalpinia goes by several other names, including the Desert Bird of Paradise and Crimson Threadflower - which give a hint to its drought tolerance and beautiful flowers. The yellow flowers reach around 2.5cm (1in) and are extended further, sometimes by as much as 7.5cm (3in), by the showy stamens which are produced on erect stems 15-30 (6-12in) long. The blooms are a favourite with humming birds in its native South America. Rarely sold or grown in the UK, Martin discovered it on a Spanish Nursery on a trip there recently, and bought all we were allowed to. With fine feathery foliage, like an Acacia, this bird of paradise (which incidentally is not related to the Strelitzia), is borderline hardy in the UK, so we advise protecting from frost in winter. Grow it in large pots in a sunny position, and enjoy its amazing flower displays in late summer. Caesaplinia easy to care for and generally problem free - plants under glass may need a restrictive prune after the first flush of flowers.
Snowdrops In The Green - the guaranteed way to succeed with these early spring flowering beauties! The earliest and bravest of all flowering Spring bulbs, the delicate snowdrop with its tiny white petals and green-tinged centres bursts in bloom when the weather is at its very harshest. While all around it lies decidedly dormant, this cheery, fresh-faced little fellow brightens the gloomiest of looking gardens. Difficult to grow from just the dry bulbs found in garden centres, the best way to ensure success is to plant Snowdrops while they are still in leaf otherwise known as in the green. The soil surrounding the bulbs contains a special fungus encouraging a strong and vigorous new root system. By planting in this way you can look forward to a stunning display in your garden from the very first season!
Snowdrops In The Green - the guaranteed way to succeed with these early spring flowering beauties! The earliest and bravest of all flowering Spring bulbs, the delicate snowdrop with its tiny white petals and green-tinged centres bursts in bloom when the weather is at its very harshest. While all around it lies decidedly dormant, this cheery, fresh-faced little fellow brightens the gloomiest of looking gardens. These beautiful 'Double-flowered' snowdrops take the snowdrop to the next level - inside of the flower head, you'll find another, smaller, delicate flower creating ruffles of pure white petals with pale green details. Difficult to grow from just the dry bulbs found in garden centres, the best way to ensure success is to plant Snowdrops while they are still in leaf otherwise known as in the green. The soil surrounding the bulbs contains a special fungus encouraging a strong and vigorous new root system. By planting in this way you can look forward to a stunning display in your garden from the very first season!
The perfect patio shrub in softest powder pink, Lavatera 'Barnsley Baby' has taken the huge flower power of its vigorous cousins, and focussed it all on a much smaller and naturally compact form. It is very very easy to grow, very tough and robust in rain and shine, and in summer produces lovely candyfloss-pink flower displays that smother the plant, as the strings of buds open from bottom to top of each and every stem. Perfect in 20-30cm patio pots, simply keep watered and fed monthly, and cut back once a year before new growth starts - a very low maintenance but high reward plant indeed. Supplied as an establishedplant in a 9cm pot, ready for plantin out. Grows to 1.5m, flowers July to September.
A native of British meadows and fields, this gardeners' favourite is loved by butterflies & bees. Relive childhood memories of golden fields of corn, peppered with the bright blue cornflowers and the gentle hum of busy pollinators on a bright summer's day. Quick and easy to grow, this colourful British favourite is ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Also known as Batchelors Buttons, 'Blue Ball', is a showy annual is a slender, dainty plant with sky-blue flowers. Perfect for punctuating wild gardens or meadows with colour. Ideal too to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A hardy annual, cornflowers will grow and flower in the same year (or the following year if sown late in the year). Excellent as a cut flower, you can add a bunch to a vase or use them in mixed bouquets. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in). Sow outdoors, March-May or August-October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers July - September. Supplied as a pack of approx. 180 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild.
True to its name, this giant among sunflowers is one of the tallest you can grow, with huge, long-lasting daisy-shaped blooms measuring up to 60cm (24in) across and reaching a height of up to 360cm (144in). Having the best record-breaking potential, this heirloom variety is the obvious choice for nurturing children's interest in gardening as well as for indulging your competitive streak - even if just to impress the neighbours as the enormous flowers stand tall well above fence height! Originating in North and South America, sunflowers were worshipped by the ancient Incas as a symbol of their sun god. They reached Europe by the sixteenth century, since when they have been grown in abundance by generations of gardeners and commercial growers for their impressive proportions as well as their highly nutritious seeds and oil. Capable of bringing a touch of sunshine to your garden even when days are dull, they are brimming with optimism and the joys of summer. With enormous dark hearts fringed by glorious bright yellow petals, the flowers soak up the sun and redistribute its goodness in the form of large seeds, which you can roast and eat as a snack, scatter over salads or use in your baking - but don't forget to save some for the birds! When the flowers have reached their peak, hang them up to dry naturally and they will provide a welcome autumn and winter buffet for our feathered friends. However tall they grow, the sturdy, slightly prickly upright stems shouldn't need staking, even in exposed positions, although for peace of mind you may want to provide some support, particularly if you are growing for a competition. The immature flowerheads will follow the sun through the day but once the petals have opened, the flowers will remain facing one direction Supplied as a packet of 25 (approx.) seeds ready to sow indoors or outdoors. For best results, sow the seeds outdoors, directly into their flowering position, to allow the roots to establish firmly with uninterrupted growth. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with well-draining soil. If necessary, add plenty of well-rotted manure or compost to the ground before planting. Sow from March to May either indoors for planting out in June to July, or outdoors directly into their growing position. These hardy annuals will flower from June to September, in the same year as sowing.
There's nothing more iconic than a beautiful rose in summer and these half standard roses are AMAZING value for money! These expertly grown half standards will produce an abundant display of classic, fragrant blooms all summer long, filling the air with their perfume and adding colourful blooms to your garden for many years - a truly worthwhile investment. Also known as Tree Roses, they are the perfect way to add height and style to your patio, decking or balcony where a single bush makes a dramatic feature and a pair will dress a door or gateway to perfection. By carefully 'top grafting' the flowering variety onto a vigorous, straight stem of rootstock, our specialist growers have brought you a unique rose bush that will perform well in its first year, with guaranteed results. It takes 3 years to produces these gems - they are supplied as bare root bushes ready to be planted immediately upon receipt, supplied approx. 70cm tall with bushy heads.
A native of British meadows and fields, this gardeners' favourite is loved by butterflies & bees. Relive childhood memories of golden fields of corn, peppered with the bright blue cornflowers and the gentle hum of busy pollinators on a bright summer's day. Quick and easy to grow, this colourful British favourite is ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Also known as Batchelors Buttons, this showy annual is a slender, dainty plant with sky-blue flowers. Perfect for punctuating wild gardens or meadows with colour. Ideal too to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! A hardy annual, cornflowers will grow and flower in the same year (or the following year if sown late in the year). Excellent as a cut flower, you can add a bunch to a vase or use them in mixed bouquets. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in) Sow outdoors, March-May or August-October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers July - September. Supplied as a pack of 70 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild.
Velvet trumpets of pinky purple make this woodland native a must-have for wildlife gardens. Becoming rarer in the wild, foxgloves make very striking garden plants. Their beautifully dappled blooms attract pollinating insects and are a favourite of our native bumble bees. Quick and easy to grow, digitalis is ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. Known commonly as foxgloves, this architectural plant will punctuate borders with spires of bloom. Perfect for filling wild gardens or meadows with colour, they'll self-seed with abandon! A hardy biennial, plants will grow a rosette of bright green, furry leaves in the first year, and produce a magnificent spike of spotted trumpets in their second year. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in) Sow outdoors, April-July, directly where they are to flower. Flowers May - July Supplied as a pack of 900 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild CAUTION: Toxic if eaten.
Commonly known as the Flanders Poppy or Field Poppy, this iconic flower has become a symbol of remembrance throughout Europe. With its instantly recognisable, delicate bright red flowers poppies are perfect for creating meadows of bloom that make an ideal habitat for native UK wildlife. Quick and easy to grow, poppies are ideal for naturalising and will attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects into your garden. Perfect for filling wild gardens or meadows with colour, they'll self-seed with abandon to create spectacular drifts! A hardy annual, poppies will grow and flower in the same year (or the following year if sown late in the year). An ideal way to get kids interested in gardening or for time-strapped gardeners who want results without the effort! Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 60cm (24in) Sow outdoors, March to May or August to October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers June to October Supplied as a pack of 900 seeds. Native grown seed not taken from the wild
A native of damp meadows, grassland and roadsides, Ragged Robin is enjoying a comeback thanks to its popularity with garden designers. Seen at all of the major flower shows, this little native plant has become a garden must-have almost overnight! Recommended by the RHS as a plant that attracts wildlife pollinators, Lychnis is quick and easy to grow, and is ideal for naturalising - attracting bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects into your garden. With its clusters of star-shaped, deep rose-pink flowers, Ragged Robin is perfect for filling wild gardens or meadows with colour, and being a hardy perennial, will return to your garden year after year. Never before has it been so important to protect pollinators such as bees, and this wildflower is ideal to encourage them into your garden. Bees are invaluable for pollinating a whole range of plants and especially useful for kitchen gardens to enable the formation of many fruits and vegetables. Take a look at our bee book for more details on these fascinating insects. Growing to 40cm (16in) sow indoors March to May or outdoors March to May and September to October, directly where they are to flower. Flowers the year after sowing May to June. Supplied as a pack of 225 seeds, Native grown seed not taken from the wild.
This Yellow Water Lily pond plant kit makes a fantastic gift idea and contains everything that you need to grow a beautiful floating pond plant to create a stunning display. We include everything that you need to add colour and interest to your pond. A complete growing kit, simply add the soil into the special planting basket, add the plant, cover with gravel and your Water Lily is ready to add to your pond. The quick and easy way to grow and display a beautiful yellow water lily, this kit has everything you need, including the planting basket. Growing to around 10cm tall x 150cm wide, this fully hardy lily flowers will fill your pond with blooms from June to September. An unusual waterlily, Nymphaea chromotella produces large (15-20cm, 6-8in) purple-marbled floating leaves, and cupped light yellow flowers 15cm (6in) across, with a central crown of orange stamens.An excellent choice for a wildlife pond, when fully established, this water lily provides shade and shelter for fish and other aquatic wildlife. Additionally, the plants will help reduce the occurrence of blooms of algae, supressing blanket weed and other pond nasties, while at the same time improving the oxygen content. Kit includes a yellow water lily (Nymphaea chromotella) planting basket, top quality aquatic soil and decorative gravel.