damson £34.99
Position: full sunSoil: will tolerate most soils, except very chalky or badly drainedRate of growth: averageUltimate size on St. Julien A rootstock: 4 x 4mFlowering period: April to MayHardiness: fully hardyDamsons are a great fruit to grow if you are a novice gardener as they are hardier than its closest relative, the plum, and will cope with a wide range of soils. Merryweather is an excellent all-rounder. It is a self-fertile variety that produces larger than average fruits, which have a blue-black skin and juicy, acidic, yellow flesh. These will be ready to harvest from late August.Garden care: When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmly. Prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

damson £34.99
Position: full sunSoil: will tolerate most soils, except very chalky or badly drainedRate of growth: averageUltimate size on Pixie rootstock: 3 x 3mFlowering period: April to MayHardiness: fully hardyDamsons are a great fruit to grow if you are a novice gardener as they are hardier than its closest relative, the plum, and will cope with a wide range of soils. Merryweather is an excellent all-rounder. It is a self-fertile variety that produces larger than average fruits, which have a blue-black skin and juicy, acidic, yellow flesh. These will be ready to harvest from late August.Garden care: When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmly. Prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Cambridge gage £32.99
Position: full sunSoil: will tolerate most soils, except very chalky or badly drainedRate of growth: slow growingUltimate size on Pixie rootstock: 3 x 3m (10x10ft)Flowering period: MayFlower colour: whiteOther features: a juicy culinary or desert gage (early September)Hardiness: fully hardyReliable, heavy cropping gage that is similar to the old ‘Greengage’ variety. Single, cup-shaped white flowers appear in late spring, followed by yellow-green fruit with a superb, juicy flavour, which are ready for picking in early September. A good, vigorous grower that does set some fruit without a pollinator, though planting a late flowering plum, such as ‘Marjorie’s Seedling’ will increase cropping. The plants we sell in a 10lt pot are grafted onto St Julian rootstock and will produce a bush with an eventual height of around 6m. They are currently 1.2 – 1.5m tall and are approximately 2 years old. Greengages will generally start to produce fruit when they are 3 – 4 years old, so you may need to wait a year or two before you enjoy the harvest.Garden care: When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmly. Prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

damson £31.99
Position: full sunSoil: will tolerate most soils, except very chalky or badly drainedRate of growth: averageUltimate size on Pixie rootstock: 3 x 3mFlowering period: April to MayHardiness: fully hardyDamsons are a great fruit to grow if you are a novice gardener as they are hardier than its closest relative, the plum, and will cope with a wide range of soils. Native to the West Midlands, this small, compact tree was originally found in the local hedgerows. It is a self-fertile variety with medium sized fruits that can be cooked or baked and used in a variety of tasty recipes.Garden care: When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmly. Prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

Pride Of India £19.99
A wide-spreading tree which is better suited to a medium to large garden. Beautiful divided leaves emerge pink, turning mid-green as they mature before becoming butter-yellow in autumn. In mid- to late summer, large panicles of dainty yellow flowers appear which are followed by conspicuous bladder-like fruit.Position: full sunSoil: well-drained soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: July to AugustFlower colour: yellowOther features: a good tree for a medium to large gardenHardiness: very hardyGarden care: Requires minimal pruning. Remove any broken, diseased or crossing branches in late autumn or winter. When planting incorporate lots of well-rotted garden compost in the planting hole and stake firmlyGoes well with: Cistus x cyprius, Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii, Phlomis italica, Helianthemum ‘Wisley Primrose’,Anthemis tinctoria ‘E. C. Buxton’, Campanula persicifolia ‘TelhamBeauty’

hydrangea £19.99
Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soilRate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: July to October Flower colour: creamy-white fading to pinkOther features: the flower-heads are excellent in dried flower arrangementsHardiness: fully hardyA recently introduced cultivar of Hydrangea paniculata, which is currently making a big splash ‘on the scene’. It is unique because it has a compact habit, and almost rounded flowerheads, which appear prolifically for a long period from mid summer. It also tends to form a more branching shrub, than many of the other varieties currently available. A wonderful new plant, its creamy-white flowers often emerge with a pale pink eye, and this becomes more pronounced as the flowers mature during the summer.Garden care:To enhance flowering prune hard in early spring, cutting back the previous season’s shoots to within a few buds of the permanent, woody framework of the plant.

skimmia £14.99
Position: partial to full shadeSoil: moderately fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: August to October Flower colour: pinkish-whiteOther features: female plant producing red berriesHardiness: fully hardyWell-shaped domes of neat, evergreen foliage are topped with pretty clusters of scented, pale pink flowers from late summer. As these fade, glossy red berries will develop if there is a male Skimmia nearby. These fruits last well into winter, making this shrub a seasonal joy. It will happily grow in a pot filled with ericaceous compost on a patio or balcony, as long as it is not left to bake in full sun all day, and is kept well watered during the growing season. Alternatively, it makes a wonderful under-storey in a woodland setting, or will add structure to a mixed border.Garden care: Lightly trim after flowering, if necessary. To improve the moisture retention qualities of the soil add plenty of well-rotted compost when planting.

coral bells £8.99
Position: partial shadeSoil: fertile, moist or well-drained soilRate of growth: averageFlowering period: June to AugustHardiness: fully hardyLarge, deeply lobed, burnt orange leaves, that have richer plum central blotch and veining, are the main feature of this shade-loving perennial. A wonderful container plant, it will also look attractive as an under-storey plant on a woodland floor. Garden care: Remove tatty foliage in autumn. Lift and divide clumps every couple of years in early autumn and replant with the crown just above the surface of the soil. Apply a generous 5-7 cm (2-3 in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the crown of the plant in spring.

coneflower £7.99
Position: full sunSoil: most soils, except very dry or boggyRate of growth: average Flowering period: June to SeptemberHardiness: fully hardyThe scented flowers of this interesting cultivar open a rich golden colour and gradually take on orange tones, before finally turning red as they reach maturity. This creates a striking, multi-coloured effect on one plant. A long-flowering perennial, it will put on a wonderful display from midsummer to mid autumn and looks great dotted through a border with other hot colours. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies, and birds will flock to the seedheads.Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies in autumn or spring. In autumn cut back all dead flower stems to the ground. Coneflowers benefit from a spring or autumn mulch with well-rotted compost.