Garden And Gardener

Everything for the Gardener and their Garden

Price reductions at Crocus

by Sarah - March 17th, 2014.
Filed under: Crocus, Price Reductions.

Crocus reduced the price on these items today

Ranunculus 'Purple Heart' (ranunculus bulbs)

Ranunculus ‘Purple Heart’ (ranunculus bulbs) was £2.99 now £2.49
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist but freely draining Rate of growth: average to fast Flowering period: May to June Flowering colour: deep burgundy Hardiness: fully hardy Wonderfully dramatic, the sumptuous colouring of this ranunculus will make a sublime partner for rich purples, softer pinks and fresh greens. Pretty impressive in pots or the early summer border, they also make quite long-lived additions to the vase, so I would plant more than you think you will need so you will have plenty left over for cutting. Garden care: Plant the tallon-like corms in autumn or spring 8cm deep and a similar distance apart with their ‘fingers’ facing downwards.

Lathyrus odoratus 'Karen Louise' (spencer sweet pea Karen Louise)

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Karen Louise’ (spencer sweet pea Karen Louise) was £6.99 now £3.99
These sweet peas are autumn sown and grown in root trainers to promote longer deep roots. They have been grown under a cold polythene tunnel and we will despatch them as soon as they are ready to be planted outside. (See the dates above for the estimated despatch date) Position: full sun Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: pale lavender Other features: scented flowers Hardiness: hardy annual A delightful sweet pea, which produces large sprays of pale lavender flowers on long stems throughout the summer. Ideal for exhibiting, the flowers also have a good, strong scent, so a vase filled with them will flood the room with perfume. Their soft colouring means they mix easily with other pastel shades as well as stronger pinks and purples. In our (not very scientific) sweet pea trial on the nursery, we found that the flowers of this variety were a pale lilac, but hardly had any scent at all. They were carried on 6″ stems and there were not too many left in August. All the sweet-peas in our trial produced significantly better plants when the seeds were sown in autumn rather than spring. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting hole. To make sure you keep the plants in top condition spray regularly with a fungicide as all sweet peas are prone to mildew, and feed with a high potash fertiliser, such as Tomorite for plenty of flowers. Don’t forget to keep cutting the flowers so that you get plenty more!

Lathyrus odoratus 'Painted Lady' (grandiflora sweet pea Painted Lady)

Lathyrus odoratus ‘Painted Lady’ (grandiflora sweet pea Painted Lady) was £6.99 now £3.99
These sweet peas are autumn sown and grown in root trainers to promote longer deep roots. They have been grown under a cold polythene tunnel and we will despatch them as soon as they are ready to be planted outside. (See the dates above for the estimated despatch date) Position: full sun Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: deep-pink and white Other features: very highly scented flowers Hardiness: hardy annual Intensely fragrant, deep pink and white, wavy-edged flowers appear in profusion from June to September. These beautiful, bi-coloured sweet peas are an old heritage variety from the 18th century and are still incredibly popular today. They’re ideal for training over a wigwam of bamboo canes in a sunny spot – just make sure they are planted somewhere near a seating area, window, doorway or path so you can take full advantage of their wonderfully powerful scent. All the sweet-peas in our trial produced significantly better plants when the seeds were sown in autumn rather than spring. Garden care: Incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter in the planting hole. To make sure you keep the plants in top condition spray regularly with a fungicide as all sweet peas are prone to mildew, and feed with a high potash fertiliser, such as Tomorite for plenty of flowers. Don’t forget to keep cutting the flowers so that you get plenty more!

Lavender and flower pot gift set (Lavender and flower pot gift set)

Lavender and flower pot gift set (Lavender and flower pot gift set) was £5.99 now £4.99
Always sought after for its pretty flowers, which help attract pollinators to the garden, lavender also provides scent with its flowers as well as its aromatic foliage. This kit, which comes with easy to follow instructions, comes with everything you will need to grow this popular shrub outdoors. You will receive a terracotta pot (measuring 17 x 20cm), compost and lavender ‘Munstead’ seeds. Growing Instructions: Fill 80% of the pot with compost and moisten. Scatter the seeds on the surface (saving some for a later sowing) and then cover with a very thin layer of compost and moisten again. Move the pot to a cold, shaded spot outdoors for a month or so to aid germination and then move again to a warm, sunny area in the garden. Keep well watered (but not waterlogged) at all times and if it becomes too large, plant it out in the border.

Iris 'Chantilly' (bearded iris)

Iris ‘Chantilly’ (bearded iris) was £8.99 now £6.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: well-drained, moderately fertile soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May and June Hardiness: fully hardy Frilly edged petals, which are an appealing blend of cream, yellow, pink and bronze, form well-shaped flowers that have a good scent. Wonderful for adding vertical interest to the border, its striking silhouette also provides the perfect foil for softer planting. Garden Care: Plant shallowly with the upper part of the rhizome sitting on the surface of the soil, incorporating a low nitrogen fertiliser in the planting hole. After planting remove the upper-most third of the leaves to protect against wind-rock. In exposed areas stake with bamboo canes in early spring. Divide and replant about every three years.

Euphorbia wallichii (spurge)

Euphorbia wallichii (spurge) was £8.99 now £6.99
Position: full sun Soil: moist, fertile, well-drained garden soil Rate of growth: fast growing Flowering period: May to August Flower colour: orange-yellow Other features: white-veined, dark green leaves, Hardiness: fully hardy A variable, but sturdy form that has white-veined, dark-green leaves, often with a purple-flushed edge, and bright yellow flowerheads throughout the summer. This spurge looks great in a planting scheme based on hot, vibrant colours and will prefer a spot in full sun, although it is tolerant of a little light shade. Garden care: After flowering remove the faded flower-heads. When working with spurges always wear gloves since the milky sap is poisonous and a potential skin irritant.

Ligusticum scoticum (Scotch lovage)

Ligusticum scoticum (Scotch lovage) was £7.99 now £6.99
Position: full sun or lighlty dappled shade Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: July to August Hardiness: fully hardy Christopher Bradley-Hole used this to great effect in his 2013 garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. It is a hardy perennial, with attractively divided foliage, from which dark-stained stems arise bearing pretty umbels of pink-tinged, white flowers in midsummer. These are particularly attractive to pollinating insects. Allow it drift through naturalised planting schemes, prairies and woodland edges. Garden care: The plant’s tendency to self-seed may be a problem in hot summers. If fennel is being grown exclusively for its foliage, remove the yellow flowerheads to prevent it from self-seeding. When flowers have finished them cut back to 30cm from the ground.

Agapanthus 'Loch Hope' (African lily)

Agapanthus ‘Loch Hope’ (African lily) was £9.99 now £7.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil (or John Innes no. 3 compost for containers) Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: borderline hardy (may need protection in winter) Clumps of strap-shaped grey-green foliage are topped with impressive clusters of deep blue trumpet-like blooms from midsummer to autumn. This towering hybrid form was raised at the Crown Estate in Windsor and is suitable for sunny borders and patio pots. It is also tolerant of salt-laden air, so will flourish in coastal settings. Garden care: Keep well-watered during the growing season, applying a balanced liquid fertiliser each month from spring until the plant flowers. In cold, exposed areas protect the crown of the plant with a deep, dry winter mulch.

Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldschleier' (tufted hair grass)

Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldschleier’ (tufted hair grass) was £9.99 now £7.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to August Flower colour: bright silvery yellow Hardiness: fully hardy A beautiful tuft-forming, evergreen grass that will help add structure and movement to the border. In summer the dark green leaves are topped with airy flower spikelets that turn a bright silvery yellow as they age. This airy grass looks lovely in a mixed border where it will waft hazily in the breeze. Relatively compact and easy-to-grow, it will flourish in neutral to acidic soil. Garden care: Remove the faded flower-heads in late winter before new growth appears. If the foliage has also started to look tatty at that time of the year, then this too can be cut back hard. 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.