New products at Crocus
by Sarah - August 2nd, 2013.Filed under: Crocus, New Products.
Crocus has these new items today
Hydrangea macrophylla (Flair&Flavours) Blueberry Cheesecake (‘MAK20’) (hydrangea) £19.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to October Other features: contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies; the flower-heads make excellent dried flower arrangements Hardiness: fully hardy The lacecap-like flowers can appear on both old and new stems, so it is possible to have a continuous supply of bloom from early summer to late autumn on this new, compact form. Like most of the hydrangeas, the flower colour responds to the soils pH, so they will be blue in acidic conditions and pink in neutral or alkaline soils. If you want lots of colour throughout the summer, then you should put this deciduous shrub at the top of your wishlist. Garden care:To enhance flowering prune in spring, cutting back the flowered stems to a strong pair of buds below each flower-head. Once established, remove a quarter to a third of the old shoots to the base of the plant.
Heuchera villosa ‘Palace Purple’ (coral bells) £8.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist or well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to August Hardiness: fully hardy Airy sprays of tiny, salmon pink summer flowers appear on wiry stems above neat mounds of large, shiny, almost metallic, dark burgundy leaves. A popular heuchera, this variety is grown mainly for its distinctive foliage, and it looks particularly effective planted in large drifts and contrasted with other foliage plants. It is semi-evergreen and makes an eyecatching front-of-border plant, ideally in dappled shade. Garden care: Heucheras do not like dry soil. 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.
Tulipa ‘Blue Ribbon’ (triumph tulip bulbs) £5.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: April Flower colour: deep plum Other features: excellent cut-flowers Hardiness: fully hardy Bulb size: 12/14 A classically shaped, deep plum (not blue) coloured tulip which fades to lilac around the edges of the petals. Being a triumph tulip it is robust and has long lived flowers. Plant it up densely into pots so you can move it to a prominent spot on the patio when they are at their best. Garden care: In September to December plant bulbs 15-20cm deep and 10-15cm apart in fertile, well-drained soil. Alternatively, allow 7-9 bulbs per 30cm sq. After flowering dead-head and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser each week for the first month. Once the foliage has died down naturally lift the bulbs and store in a cool greenhouse.
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Peter Stuyvesant’ (garden hyacinth bulbs) £4.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: any well-drained, moderately fertile soil (for container-grown bulbs use two parts John Innes No2 compost to one part sharp grit) Rate of growth: average Flowering period: April and May Flower colour: blue Other features: all parts of the plant may cause a mild stomach upset if ingested; contact with the bulbs may cause skin irritation Hardiness: fully hardy Bulb size:16/17 These beautiful hyacinths make a fabulously fragrant patio display with spring-flowering pansies and bulbs. Alternatively plant them into your borders to create a colourful spring bedding display. Garden care: Pot up and bring indoors if you want them to flower in January, otherwise plant 15cm deep and 10cm apart in a bright spot. For safety reasons always use gloves when handling these bulbs.