New products at Crocus
by Sarah - December 23rd, 2009.Filed under: Crocus, New Products.
Crocus just added these new products
paeony / peony £19.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: fertile, moisture-retentive yet well-drainedRate of growth: averageFlowering period: May to JuneHardiness: fully hardyPrized for their blowsy, glamorous blooms and glossy, deeply cut foliage, peonies are held in deep affection by many gardeners, despite their short flowering season and vulnerability to peony wilt in damp weather. It’s easy to see why. From the promise of early spring, when their red, mottled shoots push through bare earth and the handsome foliage unfurls, to early summer, when the huge flowers burst open from spherical red buds, peonies exert a fascination that few can resist. ‘Buckeye Belle; has fragrant, deep red semi-double flowers from early to mid summer and dark green leaves. This lovely, early-flowering peony will thrive in full sun or partial shade. Fill the bare ground around the peony with spring bulbs to prolong the season of interest. Garden care: Deadhead after flowering. In early spring apply a top-dressing of a balanced slow release fertiliser around the base of the plant and mulch well with well rotted garden compost or manure. If the plant shows signs of collapse or the leaves become spotty, this may be a symptom of peony botrytis. Remove affected leaves immediately. In autumn, cut off all foliage and dispose of it to prevent reinfection the following spring.
woody-original-soft-tie £19.99
A multi-purpose, strong plant tie on a roll that’s kind to the plant as well as your hands. Made from wire covered with a durable, flexible covering, it’s quick and easy to use and is ideal for tying up twiggy shoots without damaging the bark. It’s a good choice for securing plants susceptible to wind damage.
joesph-bentley-stainless-steel-potting-scoop £10.99
This is what every gardener wants and needs! This potting scoop is an incredibly useful tool in the potting shed. It is made from stainless steel with an ash handle. The whole thing measures about 38cm with a generous 11cm wide by 7cm deep scoop.
angelica £9.99
Position: full or partial shadeSoil: deep, moist, fertile, loamy soilRate of growth: average Flowering period: August and SeptemberHardiness: fully hardyA stunning, architectural plant that adds height and drama to a border. Dome-shaped heads of plum-purple flowers appear on red-tinted stems in August and September and it has pretty, deeply cut leaves. Try it at the back of a sunny, herbaceous or mixed border, where the flowerheads will attract bees. It performs best in moist, fertile soil. This plant is monocarpic, so dies back after setting seed. Garden care: To prevent the plant from self-seeding, deadhead after flowering. Even if you leave the seedheads, it tends not to self seed as freely as other angelicas, so needs to be replaced regularly.
feather reed grass £9.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: dry or wet, well-drained soilRate of growth: fast growingFlowering period: early summer to autumnHardiness: fully hardyA stiff, erect habit is the defining feature of this grass, named after the famous German plantsman who introduced it to the public in the 1950s. Plant it en masse to form a feathery screen, or in small groups to add height and definition to a perennial border. It also looks good planted next to buildings. This is one of the earliest perennial grasses to get going, with shoots appearing in early spring, followed by flowers that are green first, then fade to buff.Garden care: Very low maintenance, it simply needs to be cut down to the ground in February. Don’t be tempted to chop it earlier, as its wheat-coloured stems add drama and strong winter presence to the garden.
clematis (group 1) £8.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: fertile, well-drained, neutral soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: April to MayFlower colour: pinkOther features: silvery seedheadsHardiness: fully hardySumptuous, double, candyfloss-pink, early spring flowers with creamy-yellow centres, followed by silvery, seedheads retained throughout the summer. This clematis looks lovely scrambling through a strong tree or shrub. Ideal for a north-facing site, it’s also known as the downy clematis since the new shoots are covered with down.Garden care: No routine pruning is necessary. If the spread of the plant needs to be restricted prune immediately after flowering, cutting back overlong shoots to healthy buds. Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser and a mulch of well-rotted garden compost around the base of the plant in early spring.
flowering rush £7.99
Position: full sunDepth of water: 3 – 25cmRate of growth: average Flowering period:June to AugustHardiness: fully hardyA beautiful flowering rush that looks great planted in bold swathes at the edges of the pond, but will also grow in reliably moist soil in bog and marsh gadens. The upright, needle-like foliage will help create vertical interest, and throughout the summer tall stems are topped with large, cup-shaped clusters of star-shaped, white flowers.Garden Care: Divide every couple of years to prevent overcrowding and keep the plants flowering well.
miss willmott’s ghost £7.99
Position: full sunSoil: dry, well-drained, poor to moderately fertile soilRate of growth: average Flowering period: June and AugustHardiness: fully hardyEasily recognised by their ruff of spiky bracts surrounding a prominent , cone-like centre of tiny flowers, sea hollies make a bold statement in a sunny border or gravel garden. This variety is also known as ‘Miss Wilmott’s Ghost’, after the nineteenth-century gardener, Ellen Wilmott, who liked to secretly scatter seeds of the plant in other people’s gardens. The name could equally apply to the plant’s appearance, with its ruff of large, prickly, steely-grey bracts that shine a ghostly silver in the sun. The marbled, heart-shaped foliage is attractive too, and shown off to best effect planted in gravel. Or try this eryngium in bold clumps among grasses. Eryngiums are also perfect for use in dried flower arrangements. This variety is biennial, but self-seeds freely.Garden care: This eryngium looks tatty after flowering, so cut it to the ground in autumn. Lift and divide large colonies in spring.
tufted hair grass £6.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soilRate of growth: average to fast-growingFlowering period: June to August Flower colour: bright silvery yellowHardiness: fully hardy The neat, densly tufted evergreen foliage makes this a perfect grass for the wildflower meadow. The dainty silver-tinted, purple spikelets appear like clouds in summer, and are a real feature well into the autumn. These are easy and reliable plants that will tolerate some shade.Garden care: Remove the faded flower-heads in late winter before new growth appears. In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance