New products at Crocus
by Sarah - September 24th, 2009.Filed under: Crocus, New Products.
New products today at Crocus
Paper Bush £19.99
Position: full sun or light dappled shadeSoil: fertile, moist but well-drained soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: February to April Hardiness: frost hardyA native to woodlands in the Himalayas and China, this gorgeous plant is closely related to Daphne. It is most highly prized for its flowers, which appear in clusters on the tips of the bare stems, and open in late winter. They have a strong scent which will help attract the toughest, winter insects, and when in bud the covering of silky white hairs make them look as if they are covered in frost. A great plant for the winter garden, they rarely succumb to pests and diseases, but will need a sheltered spot.Garden care: They can tolerate temperatures down to -5C, but in colder areas it is best to plant them against a sunny, south facing wall. Apply a generous layer of mulch in autumn and cut away any damaged or crossing branches in early spring.
mahonia £17.99
Position: full sun to partial shadeSoil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist or well-drained soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: August to NovemberHardiness: fully hardyThis delightful new introduction has only recently become available, so we are one of the first to offer it for sale in the UK. It has the same glossy, holly-like, evergreen foliage, that you would expect to see on a Mahonia, but this compact variety produces its flowers from the end of summer and all the way through autumn. These appear innitially as elegant racemes smothered with bright orange-red buds, that open from the base of the spike to reveal cheerful yellow flowers. Once the flowers have faded, bluish-grey berries form, which contrast beautifully with the winter foliage.Garden care: Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring.
rose (shrub) £10.99
Position: full sunSoil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: July to SeptemberFlower colour: mauveHardiness: fully hardyBeautiful, large mauve flowers that are grouped in threes and fives on the stem. Named after a perfume by Christian Dior, this rose has a rich perfume that has hints of bergamot and geranium. A lovely rose for a sunny spot where it looks fabulous planted en masse.Please note : All our roses have had a summer prune to tidy them up so they will not be in flower when you receive them.Garden care: Before planting shorten thick roots to 25cm (10in) and reduce top-growth to an outward-facing bud 8-15cm (3-6in) above ground-level. Plant during a frost-free spell, incorporating well-rotted organic matter and a balanced fertiliser into the planting hole. Ensure that the ‘bud union’ (the bulge at the base of the shoots) is 2.5cm (1in) below the soil.All our roses are field grown. In October/November they are dug up and potted. However, they will not produce any new roots until spring, so don’t be surprised if the compost falls away from the roots when winter planting. Some suppliers send out ‘bare root’ plants unpotted, but we don’t as it is easier to manage them on the nursery in pots.
lily-turf £6.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, neutral to acid soilRate of growth: average to fast Flowering period: August to November Flower colour: whiteOther features: deep-green grassy foliage Hardiness: fully hardySlightly slower growing that its more commonly seen blue form, this plant is definitely worth the wait. The deep green, strap-shaped foliage forms tight, evergreen clumps from which the poker-like white flowerspikes emerge in late summer and autumn. It is a low maintenance plant, which is tolerant of shade and drought, although it will flower better if it gets a little sun. It looks great when planted in big swathes underneath trees, where little else will grow, and is especially good at controlling erosion on steep banks and slopes once it has had a chance to become established. Garden care: In spring you can lift and divide large clumps.