New products at Crocus
by Sarah - March 29th, 2014.Filed under: Crocus, New Products.
Crocus has these new items today
Lilium martagon var. albiflorum (turkscap lily bulbs) £9.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: May to June Flower colour: white Other features: will tolerate chalky soil Hardiness: fully hardy Bulb Size: 14/16 In early to midsummer, tall, upright spikes bearing up to 20 nodding turkscap flowers are produced above whorls of dark green leaves. Thriving in most soils including chalk, it is an ideal shrub for naturalising in open woodland or meadows. The flowers white flowers are flecked with rusty red spots and are highly scented, but somewhat pungent. Garden care: Lilies can be planted at any time from early autumn, to mid-spring. Planting in autumn often helps them settle in and become better established before they start to put on their new spring growth, but spring planting is a better option if your soil is heavy and wet during winter. Choose a sunny spot, preferably where the plant receives a little light shade at its base, and plant each bulb 15-20cm (6-8in) deep in a well-drained soil, enriched with well-rotted organic matter or leaf mould. Space them at approximately 30cm (12″) intervals and provide support before the flowers appear. Deadhead the faded blooms promptly and cut the dead stems back to ground level at the end of autumn.
Deschampsia flexuosa (wavy hair grass) £8.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: dry to moist, acid soil Rate of Growth: average Flowering period: June and July Flowers: bronze-purple Hardiness: fully hardy Beautiful, bronze-purple flower spikes, which catch even the lightest breeze, top the mounds of striking, bluish green leaves from early to midsummer. This is an eye-catching and ornamental, evergreen grass that is perfect for the front of the border in either full sun or lightly dappled shade. For the best results plant it in acid 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.
Iris ‘Dreaming Yellow’ (Siberian iris) £8.99
Creamy yellow flowers fading to white at the edges. Harmful if eaten
Myrrhis odorata (sweet cicely) £7.99
Position: full sun or light dappled shade Soil: fertile, moist but well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to June Flower colour: white Other features: the leaves provide sweetness when cooked with fruit Hardiness: fully hardy A hardy, aromatic herbaceous plant with bright green, deeply cut leaves that are further enhanced by the appearance of great, flat-topped clusters of tiny, white flowers in summer. These flowers ripen to produce shiny, dark brown fruits that are widely used in herbal medicine. The fern-like leaves are flecked with white and have a delicate aniseed flavour. They are often added to fruit dishes to reduce the acidity. The thick tap root can also be eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable. Garden care: Divide plants in spring or autumn. It self-seeds freely so dead-head regularly if you do not want more to come.
Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) £7.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to August Flower colour: yellow Other features: edible leaves can be used for fish dishes and sauces Hardiness: fully hardy Fine clouds of feathery, bright green leaves, which have a sweet aniseed flavour, are crowned with flat-topped, sulphur- yellow flower-heads in mid- to late summer. As these fade, aromatic seedheads develop. Fennel is the perfect centre-piece for a sunny herb garden. It is also an invaluable border plant where the foliage will provide a delicate foil, against which the flowers of herbaceous plants and bulbs can be seen to great effect. 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 flower heads to prevent it from self-seeding.