Plant Inspirations
April 2007 ~ Big Blooms for Small Spaces
Let’s start with the dwarf varieties. Perfect for pots and containers, these will flower year after year with only a small amount of basic attention. If your soil is acidic, either dwarf or bigger shrubs will thrive in the ground. To find out, get a testing kit from the garden centre, ask neighbours or simply look at the kind of garden plants that seem to do well in the locality – magnolia, pieris or heathers are indicators of an acid soil. Many rhodos are evergreens and these offer the added benefit of green foliage during the winter.
Potted dwarf rhodos are perfect for people who have to
move house frequently as well as making an impressive gift – unlike a
bouquet of flowers, they last for years! They’re also great if your outside
space is restricted to a patio or even a doorstep. They’re a great way into
gardening – looking after them is easy and removing the dead blooms after
flowering, a little bit of pruning plus feeding and adding compost early in
spring will give a sense of fulfilment and
help to build confidence.
If
you’re buying plants that aren’t already potted, make sure you pick up
ericaceous compost (for acid-loving plants), put stones or broken crocks in
the bottom of the pots to aid drainage and water regularly until plants are
established.
If you’re making a shopping list, some possibilities to include might be ‘Blue Tit’. This bears grey-blue flowers and makes a great choice for a rock garden. Another attractive choice is Baden-Baden with its cherry-red flowers. Each of these are compact evergreens and won’t exceed 1 - 1.5m in height and spread. For exceptionally free-flowering varieties, go for ‘Scarlet Wonder’ which bears bright red flowers in mid-spring and reaches 1.2 - 2m in height and spread. ‘Shamrock’ is a little star at only 75cm fully grown. It’s very hardy, tolerates sun and drought and bears pale yellow flowers in profusion in early to mid-spring. ‘Moerheim’ is even smaller at only 60cm. Flowers are violet-blue and profuse in mid-spring. Another very hardy little shrub, it is happiest in full-sun.
If you thought it was too late to enjoy a fabulous flower-filled garden or patio this spring, then check out the options from rhodos and prepare to be surprised.
Newington Nurseries, a haven for plant lovers, on the A329, Newington, nr. Stadhampton, Oxon