Forever changing seasons mean our displays are always evolving, it’s best to visit garden centres at least once in every season to get plants for interest throughout the entire year.
Spring
Examples of plants we love for the best spring blossoms.
Ribies- Flowering currant
Ribes (Flowering Currant) is a medium-sized, bushy deciduous shrub loved for its abundant showy flowers in early to mid spring, drooping clusters of small, pink to deep red flowers occur along the length of the stems.
Forsythia
The bright yellow blooms of forsythia tell us that spring is here. Older varieties are taller and best pruned after flowering to keep compact. Newer varieties are more compact for smaller gardens and easier pruning requirements.
Laburnum
Rhododendron and Azaleas
Rhododendrons have glossy leaves and bloom in late spring in shades of white, salmon, peach, pink, and purple, and often fragrant. There are so many different varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas there’s one for every landscape situation. From low-growing ground cover azaleas, that grow from 1 to 2 feet, up to plants that can grow up to 25 feet tall.
‘Rhodi’s are my absolute favourite spring-flowering shrubs, I can’t get enough of the enormous flowers and the range of colours. The strong apricots and purples are so striking on dull Autumn mornings. Love them.’ says Lauren Devonshire- General Manager at Hollybeck
Fruit and Ornamental Tree Blossom
Some of the best spring flowers bloom from the branches of cherry trees, crab apples, and Hawtorns.
Crab apples also have fantastic colour crabs in late summer which are ideal for looking after our native birds.
Dicentra - Bleeding Heart ‘Valentine’
Summer
Examples of plants we stock for summer blooms
Hibiscus
Hardy hibiscus are lovers of sun and brilliant at attracting butterflies. Blooming late in the summer they produce huge flowers in shades of red, pink, blue or white. The main hardy garden form, H. syriacus, is useful free flowering garden shrub, eventually growing to 10ft (3m) or more, but can be pruned after flowering to keep smaller if need.
Hydrangeas
Echinacea – Coneflower
Coneflower is a mid-summer bloomer flowering through till first frosts. Providing your garden with months of flowers is really is a perennial not to be missed.
There are so many different varieties with varying heights and colours, you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for your garden.
This sun lover is perfect for meadow or prairie planting schemes, and attracts all kinds of pollinators and insects into your garden.
‘I absolutely adore Echinacea's, they’re great for insects, and available in an enormous selection of heights and colours for everyone. I must have at least 20 different varieties of Echinacea in my small garden and I plan to buy another few next time we get some more in! They establish so easily and flower for such a long time you really get your monies worth.’ Danielle Birkhead- Plantarea Manager at Hollybeck
Roses
This is a vast family of plants, from climbers to ground cover.
From enormous blousy blooms to small open flowers that are great for visiting insects and bees.
There’s a colour and growth habit for every garden. Roses are sometimes classed as high-maintenance but when given lots of food they will stay happy and healthy for many years.
Lavender
Lavender is an absolute must for its wonderful fragrance, short-bushy growth habit and its wide selection of varieties and colours.
It’s a great border plant for well-drained soil and raised planters. Lavenders thrive in full sun. It’s deer and rabbit resistant and attracts butterflies and bees.
With thousands of varieties available in shades of white, pink, purple, blue and purple every garden should have at least one Lavender… or even a hedge! Munstead is traditional used to underplant standard rose bushes and compliment each other very well.
Alstroemeria
This is a vast family of plants, from climbers to ground cover.
From enormous blousy blooms to small open flowers that are great for visiting insects and bees.
There’s a colour and growth habit for every garden. Roses are sometimes classed as high-maintenance but when given lots of food they will stay happy and healthy for many years.
Callistemon
Autumn
Examples of plants we stock for autumn flowers and foliage
Kniphofia- Red Hot Poker
Known for their fiery colours these repeat flowering perennials provide fantastic upright structure to any border, mimicking the shades of autumn foliage.
Flowering from summer all the way through to autumn these perennials are striking and add interest and height to any border.
Japanese Anemones
Physalis- Chinese Lantern
These colourful autumn plants are firm favourites once the season changes, with delicate orange fruit cases that resemble tiny hanging pumpkins. They're the perfect choice if you're looking for a chic way to incorporate a Halloween theme in your home in late October.
Chinese lanterns typically flower between July and October adding a bright pop of colour to your borders.
Winter
Examples of plants we stock for tassels and berries
Cornus- Dogwood
Grown primarily for their bold colourful stems over winter these shrubs are available in many different colours, from bright lime green, to palest orange, to rich shocking reds. Cornus are attractive planted as a solo shrub but they are astounding when planted in groups. Tolerant of shade and damp these shrubs require hard early summer pruning to create the freshest boldest stem colour later that year.
Apart from Hawthorn, Cornus is out best-selling bare-root plant that we offer. You can also get a imilar effect with some Willows, which are better for boggier areas.
Edgeworthia chrysantha- Paperbush
The strong fragrance of Edgeworthia evokes springtime in the depths of winter. This deciduous, multibranched shrub drops its leaves in mid-December to reveal a bare structure of beautiful bark and flower buds. The white and yellow clusters bloom late winter to early spring, providing colour when our gardens are desperately lacking.
Winter Daphne- Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’
The stunning appearance and delightful fragrance of winter Daphne can put a stop to your out of the winter blues. This highly scented evergreen shrub with variegated leaves blooms in late winter to early spring. Plant it close to a doorway or patio so you can enjoy the rosy pinkish purple flower buds that open to light pink or white star-shape blooms.