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Key for symbols
new in 2008	grass	shade
liked by bees	likes boggy areas	semi-shade
ready in July	likes troughs	happy anywhere
bulb	sun

Plant list for this page Click on a genus to go straight to that position on the page

CALAMAGROSTIS	CIRSIUM
CALTHA	CLEMATIS
CAMASSIA	CONVOLVULUS
CAMPANULA	COREOPSIS
CARDAMINE	CORYDALIS
CAREX	COSMOS
CATANANCHE	COTONEASTER
CEPHALARIA	COTULA
CERATOSTIGMA	CREPIS
CERINTHE	CROCOSMIA
CHAMAECYPARIS	CROCUS
CHAMAEMELUM	CYCLAMEN
CHAMERION	CYMBALARIA
CHRYSANTHEMUM	CYNARA
CHRYSOGONUM

CALAMAGROSTIS

X ACUTIFLORA ‘KARL FOERSTER’
Upright dark green grassy leaves, loose panicles of slightly fluffy flowers form a dramatic statement to the back of the border, in summer. 1.8 m

CALTHA

PALUSTRIS ‘FLORE PLENO’
The double, golden yellow marsh marigold. Ideal for in a pond or bog garden; bright and cheery, in April and May. 45 cm

CAMASSIA

Wonderfully easy bulbs especially if in slightly moisture retentive soils. We never seem to grow enough. Sell on sight!

LEICHTLINII ssp. LEICHTLINII
(syn. C. LEICH.‘ALBA’)
Tall spikes of creamy white flowers in late May. 1 m

LEICHTLINII ‘SEMIPLENA’
Semi double cream flowers. Gradually opening up the stems in late May and June. 1 m

Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii caerulea group

LEICHTLINII
ssp. SUKSDORFII CAERULEA GROUP
What a mouthful! Tall blue flower spikes in May. 1 m

QUAMASH ‘BLUE MELODY’
A shorter Camassia with cream outer margins to the leaves and spikes of blue flowers in late May to June.
30 cm

QUAMASH ‘ORION’
Dark blue flower spikes on short stems, in May. 30 cm

CAMPANULA

A beautiful and varied genus with varieties to suit all gardens, from the very small to the much larger. Some, if happy, will run rather, so note the individual descriptions below! They seem to do best in not too dry a soil, and thrive in sun or semi-shade.

‘COVADONGA’
This reminds me of a wild Harebell. Wiry stems with nodding blue bell flowers, from mid to late summer. Gently spreading. 15 cm

GARGANICA ‘DICKSON’S GOLD’
Unusual golden leaved Campanula. Starry blue flowers in spring and summer. Probably best not to be in too hot a spot; it might scorch the leaves. 10 cm

GLOMERATA ‘CAROLINE’
Rounded heads of lilac-pink bell flowers on strong stems, in summer. Spreads well. Good for sun or shade. 45 cm

LACTIFLORA 'LODDON ANNA'
A wonderfully bushy plant with palish pink bell flowers on all the stems, for weeks from early summer. 1 m

Campanula lactiflora 'Pritchard's Variety'

LACTIFLORA ‘PRICHARD’S VARIETY’
A wonderful bushy plant with good blue bell flowers on all the stems, for weeks from early summer. 1 m

OCHROLEUCA
Rarely seen, this Campanula is a delight. It has creamy coloured bell flowers above a gently spreading base of leaves, from mid to late summer. 30 cm

PERSICIFOLIA var. PLANIFLORA ALBA
Basal rosettes of dark green, slightly crinkly leaves, with short upright stems of white bell flowers. 12 cm

CAMPANULA

PORTENSCHLAGIANA ‘RESHOLDT’S VARIETY’
Enchanting plant, very long flowering period on and off throughout the year. Purple-blue flowers. Seems much more compact than the straight species. 10 cm

PYRAMIDALIS
Chimney Bellflower. Short-lived perennial, best grown as a biennial, with rosettes of light-green leaves. Tall leafy stems of pyramidal, cup-shaped, fragrant, light blue or white flowers. Often self-seeds. 1.8 m

CARDAMINE

QUINQUEFOLIA
Lilac flowers with attractive cut foliage, early spring. Dies down in early summer. 40 cm

CAREX

Carex are a group of mostly evergreen sedges, forming attractive clumps all year round. They prefer a moisture retentive soil; although we find that they will also tolerate drier ones. They can be trimmed back in spring and any dead or tatty foliage removed.

COMANS BRONZE
For the real sedge enthusiasts amongst you. It might look dead to some, but the rusty brown leaves look good contrasting with other coloured grasses. 45 cm

ELATA ‘AUREA’
‘Bowles’ golden sedge’. Found originally in the Norfolk Broads. Does best in really damp soil. Golden leaves with a thin outer edging of green. Semi-evergreen.
40 cm

FLAGELLIFERA
Olive green foliage fading to an orangey tinge on the outer edge of the clump. The flowers are at the end of long whip-like threads (hence its name?). Evergreen.
45 cm

‘ICE DANCE’
Much neater than some of the other variegated Carex. Evergreen. We are discovering that it does like to creep outwards, not clump forming. 60 cm

Carex

OSHIMENSIS 'EVERGOLD'
Creamy, golden sedge with green outer margins. Evergreen. 30 cm

TESTACEA
Ochre-olive green foliage. Evergreen. 60 cm

CATANANCHE

CAERULEA
Clumps of slightly hairy grassy leaves, sending up wiry stems of lavender blue daisy flowers for weeks in summer. Attractive seed heads. 75 cm

CAERULEA ‘ALBA’
The white flowered form of the above. The petals are suffused with blue as they age – very attractive. 60 cm

CEPHALARIA

GIGANTEA
Giant yellow scabious. Primrose yellow flowers, May to July. Makes a good clump for the back of the border. Strong, upright flowering stems. No staking necessary. 1.6 m

CERATOSTIGMA

PLUMBAGINOIDES
A spreading carpet of foliage which turns orange and red in autumn. Gentian-blue flowers in late summer. Disappears underground for the winter. 15 cm

CERINTHE

MAJOR ‘PURPURASCENS’
Only an annual; but what an annual! Nodding flowers with surrounding bracts, almost metallic purple-blue. Reminds me of a very unusual borage. Flowers most of the summer, just remember to collect the seeds! 45 cm

CHAMAECYPARIS

OBTUSA ‘NANA AUREA’
Hinoki Cypress. A very slow-growing evergreen conifer of open, irregular growth habit and pendulus golden yellow foliage. 60 cm

CHAMAEMELUM

NOBILE ‘FLORE PLENO’
(syn. ANTHEMIS NOBILIS ‘FLORE PLENA’)
Double-flowered chamomile. Flat mat of green scented leaves with double white ‘pom pom’ flowers in midsummer. 15 cm

CHAMERION

ANGUSTIFOLIUM ‘ALBUM’
(syn. EPILOBIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM var. ALBUM)
Willowherb family. Worth growing this plant as it has beautiful tall stems of white flowers for a long period through summer. Fluffy white seeds. Spreads by underground runners. Invasive. 1.1 m

ANGUSTIFOLIUM ‘STAHL ROSE’
(syn. EPILOBIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM ‘STAHL ROSE’)
A wonderful pink version of the above. (No, nothing like ordinary rosebay willowherb!) Almost candy pink flowers with reddish sepals. Will run just like C. ang. album. 1.1 m

CHRYSANTHEMUM

An herbaceous group of plants which provide a lovely show of flowers late in the summer. The following are hardy.

‘MEI-KYO’
Double-pink button flowers from late October onwards. 60 cm

‘RUMPELSTILZCHEN’
Rusty-red, semi-double flowers from September until late autumn. 75 cm

‘TAPESTRY ROSE’
This single flowered chrysanth is a lovely shade of rich pink. As with all the chrysanths it flowers for weeks in autumn, unless we get an exceptionally early and hard frost. 75 cm

CHRYSOGONUM

VIRGINIANUM
A valuable plant for shade. Sprawling branches of slightly coarse green leaves with bright yellow flowers, spring until autumn. Does not seem to mind if the soil is dry or damp. 20 cm

CIRSIUM

RIVULARE ‘ATROPURPUREUM’
Looks like a thistle until the flowers come out in May and June… then it looks like a crimson flowered thistle! Rather an ‘in’ plant at the moment. 1.2 m

CLEMATIS

CAMPANIFLORA
We have this plant at the entrance to the nursery, and it is much commented on from July, when the dainty little nodding heads of pale lavender flowers cover it all over. Also has attractive mace-like seed heads. 3 m

INTEGRIFOLIA
Herbaceous clematis with very distinctive nodding, slightly twisted petals of steel blue in summer.
Watch for slug attack in the spring with the fresh new growth. 45 cm

CONVOLVULUS

ALTHAEOIDES
Finely dissected silver foliage with pretty pink flowers all summer. If the roots can grow under paving or rocks in a sheltered spot it should come through most winters. Spreader. 10 cm, or 2 m if allowed to climb

COREOPSIS

VERTICILLATA ‘ZAGREB’
Pointed golden yellow daisy flowers from July onwards, on sturdy stems, covered in thin, dark green leaves.
30 cm

CORYDALIS

The fumitory family is valued for both their delicate flowers and leaves. They are good in shady situations and most will seed themselves happily.

‘SPINNERS’
Delicately divided foliage with purple buds opening to turquoise flowers in late spring. Clumps up well. 30 cm

COSMOS

ATROSANGUINEUS
Chocolate scented, crimson flowers from July, for months. Plant it six inches deep and mulch in winter. We have had ours for over two years in the garden. If you do not want to risk it, grow it in a pot and dry off inside in the winter. Does not come up until mid May, so don’t think you have lost it. 60 cm

COTONEASTER

CONGESTUS 'NANUS'
A carpeting shrub with small evergreen foliage. Our form seems to rarely flower or fruit, but is wonderfully ground-hugging, and slow spreading. 15 cm

COTULA

HISPIDA
Very fine silver foliage forms a low mat, covered in yellow button flowers on slender stalks, in late summer. 10 cm

CREPIS

INCANA
Rosettes of leaves covered with a mass of pink dandelion flowers, for months in summer. 15 cm

CROCOSMIA

Crocosmias are wonderful late summer flowering bulbous plants. They like a good, rich soil which does not get too dry, especially in the summer. If we have a mild winter and they start shooting early, it might be wise to protect the emerging shoots with a light mulch.

X CROCOSMIIFLORA ‘COLETON FISHACRE’
(syn. C. 'GOLDEN FLEECE')
Arching stems, with loose spikes of yellow flowers in late summer. 60 cm

CROCOSMIA

X CROCOSMIIFLORA ‘EMILY MCKENZIE’
Arching, loosely branched spikes of large and flared burnt-orange flowers with dark reddy-brown markings in the centre, in late summer. 60 cm

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora 'Star of the East'

X CROCOSMIIFLORA ‘STAR OF THE EAST’
Gently arching stems of loosely branched, large, starry pure orange flowers, in late summer, early autumn. 60 cm

‘LUCIFER’
Arching stems of scarlet flowers during the second half of summer. A must for the flame border. 1.1 m

‘MISTRAL’
Loosely branched, arching stems of glowing orange-red flowers in late summer, early autumn. 1 m

CROCUS

CHRYSANTHUS ‘BLUE PEARL’
Lavender blue flowers, paler in the centre, during early spring. 10 cm

CHRYSANTHUS ‘CREAM BEAUTY’
Shapely, creamy goblet flowers in February or March. Seems sturdy even in inclement weather. 7 cm

Crocus olivieri ssp.balansae 'Zwanenburg'

OLIVIERI ssp. BALANSAE ‘ZWANENBURG’
Fragrant flowers of deep orange, feathered purplish-bronze, with deep yellow insides, from February to March. Suitable for a trough. 5 cm

TOMMASINIANUS var. ROSEUS
A lovely shade of pink, for February. 7 cm

CYCLAMEN

The cyclamen we grow all prefer a woodland situation i.e. under deciduous trees and shrubs, in a humus-rich soil. They should be planted at the depth they are in the pots.

COUM
The winter-flowering cyclamen. Grown from seed, so varying shades, mainly pink, from December to March. 10 cm

CYMBALARIA

PALLIDA
A creeping mass of scallop-shaped shiny green leaves, covered in a mass of lilac and white flowers from spring until autumn.
Invasive. 5 cm

CYNARA

CARDUNCULUS
‘Ornamental globe artichoke’. Magnificent plant, large silver-grey deeply-divided leaves. Large blue-purple thistle flowers from August onwards. 1.8 m

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