The only surviving member of an ancient species of tree, Ginkgo biloba is often referred to as a living fossil with some preserved specimens dating back 270 million years! Thought to have been extinct, it was rediscovered in China in the late 17th Century and soon distributed around the world in both urban and rural gardens and streets. Also known as the Maidenhair Tree, for gardeners, Ginkgo is possibly one of the most attractive and useful trees that you can plant in your garden with its attractive roughly conical shape and fan-shaped leaves which turn yellow in autumn. The distinctive, deciduous leaves of Ginkgo biloba give a hint at its ancient heritage being very basic in structure. The curious frilled lobes resemble a duck's foot and take on buttery tones in the autumn before fallen suddenly - often within a few days. A tree that enjoys full sunshine and most soil types, Ginkgo is easy to grow and can even be grown in a pot on your patio or balcony. They adapt well to a restricted root system and are extremely resistant to pruning, so our growers have been able to create this beautiful standard plant with its ball of foliage - testament to their resilience. Ginkgo 'Mariken' is more of a recent introduction to the family and is one of the best Ginkgoes for a large container having a very slow rate of growth. Gingkoes are dioecious in that there are both male and female plants. As well as its stunning autumn colour, older female Ginkgo trees may produce large, sunshine-coloured fruits in warm summers. These have a distinctive aroma and, along with the leaves, are often used in traditional Chinese medicine - indeed if you search the internet, you'll see endless reference to supplements and anecdotal health benefits ranging from memory cures to a longer life. While the health claims may remain unproven, something that we do know is that Ginkgo absorbs pollutants, with a number of studies proving that they are great at absorbing Carbon and other nasties from the air, making them a favourite of town planners for fighting urban pollution with the potential to improve local air quality. Supplied as an established standard plant in a 3L pot, ready for planting out or potting on.
An unusual variety of viburnum, the delightful, pink-flushed buds of 'Eskimo' open from mid spring to reveal pure white flowers in dense, snowball-shaped, mophead clusters. These contrast beautifully with the semi-evergreen leaves that clothe the plants for most of the year. Lightly fragrant when in bloom, the compact size of this pretty garden shrub makes it an ideal candidate for containers so that you can move it around your garden or patio to fully enjoy its scent. The gorgeous blooms are followed by red fruits that gradually turn black and the glossy, dark green will transition through red, orange and yellow in a kaleidoscope of colour in the autumn giving you months of garden interest. Eskimo makes a truly spectacular addition to your garden and will more than earn its keep! Fashioned by our expert growers into a beautiful standard tree with a lollipop head, Eskimo is ideal in sunny beds and borders where it will create a striking feature tree. Perfect for pots on your patio, it's incredibly easy to care for - prune to size just once a year in early spring, they are also totally winter hardy anywhere in the UK! Fully deserving its coveted RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can be sure that this viburnum is a proven garden performer, guaranteed to be suitable for UK gardeners at every level of experience. You can therefore plant this in the garden with confidence, for stunning displays for many years to come. Supplied as an established standard plant in a 3L pot, ready for immediate planting.
If you're looking for something truly fabulous and exotic, 'Oiseau Blue' could well be it! In your garden or on your patio, this standard lollipop from tree comes into its own when it bursts into flower with its bright blue, maroon centred blooms that can be up to 8cm across in late summer. Despite looking very exotic, they are very tough and hardy indeed. You can therefore plant this in the garden with confidence, for stunning displays for many years to come. Grow it in a warm, sunny spot for the longest lasting and biggest displays - they can be hungry feeders, so give them plenty of feed as they come back into leaf and set buds. Supplied as an established plant in a 19cm pot.
This popular miniature standard rose has been massively popular for nearly two decades now, and is much more reliable and floriferous than ever before. The White Standard Rose makes an ideal addition to the patio planted in your best container, or as a feature in garden borders. Trim as required to create the shape you prefer. Choose from a ?Full? Standard - supplied with a stem length of 40cm for a commanding presence in your garden, or the brand new ?Half? Standard - supplied with a stem length of 20cm and perfect when added to our stylish Patio Pot as shown. Supplied as bare root plants.