Garden And Gardener

Everything for the Gardener and their Garden

Price reductions at Crocus

by Sarah - December 26th, 2014.
Filed under: Crocus, Price Reductions.

Reduced price on items today at Crocus

Centaurea cyanus (cornflower)

Centaurea cyanus (cornflower) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun Soil: well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: hardy annual Piercing, bright blue flowers with ruffled petals and violet-blue centres appear from early to late summer among lance-shaped, mid-green leaves. Once a common sight in cornfields, this lovely annual is perfect for naturalising in a sunny wildflower meadow and is a magnet for butterflies and bees. The flower petals are edible and have a clove-like taste. Garden care: Wild flowers prefer poor soils, so do not apply fertiliser. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn, cut the faded flowerheads down to the ground and compost the dead stems. Sow: March-May or September – October Flowering: July – August-September or May -July Approximate quantity: 100 seeds.

Glebionis segetum (corn marigold (syn. Chrysanthemum segetum ))

Glebionis segetum (corn marigold (syn. Chrysanthemum segetum )) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun Soil: well-drained, moderately fertile, neutral to acidic soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: yellow Hardiness: fully hardy Beautiful, yellow, daisy-like flowers appear in profusion on long, branching stems over a long period throughout the summer. Once a familiar sight in cornfields, they put on a magical display, especially when planted in large numbers. Perfect for naturalising in a sunny wildflower garden or herbaceous border, the flowers make pretty additions to the vase, but are also a valuable source of nectar for pollinators. Garden care: Sow directly onto a bed with freely draining soil that is not too nutrient-rich. Rake over the bed to break up any clumps and scatter the seeds before raking them in. Tamp down gently and water well until they start to grow. Thin out to 30cm intervals and keep the bed free of weeds until the plants have become established. Deadheading regularly will help to prolong the flowering season. Sow: March – April or August – October Flowering: June – September Approximate quantity: 30 seeds

Primula veris (cowslip)

Primula veris (cowslip) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average Flower colour: deep yellow Other features: mid-green leaves from mid to late spring Hardiness: fully hardy Drooping clusters of scented, deep yellow flowers emerge from rosettes of mid-green leaves from mid to late spring. With the reduction of old pastureland colonies of this lovely once-common native wildflower are decreasing. Cowslips are perfect for a wildflower garden on moist soil, so why not help to reverse this trend? Garden care: Generally, problem-free but do ensure that the ground remains moist, especially where the plant is growing in full sun. Sow: March – October Flowering: March -June Approximate quantity: 500 seeds.

Filipendula ulmaria (meadowsweet)

Filipendula ulmaria (meadowsweet) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moderately-fertile, leafy, moist but well-drained soil . It also tolerates boggy conditions. Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy A familiar sight on the banks of streams or wet ditches, our native meadowsweet is a vigorous, easy-to-grow plant that’s ideal for boggy areas of the garden or beside water. Handsome, deeply veined leaflets are held on arching stems, top ped with fluffy sprays, up to 25cm across, of creamy-white flowers in summer. T he plant forms clumps of upright growth, but will self seed freely in the the ri ght spot. Garden care: Do not let plants dry out as they may become susceptible to powdery mildew. To control their tendency to seed everywhere, remove the fa ded flowers before they set seed. Sow: March-October Flowering: July – August Approximate quantity: 400 seeds.

Oenothera biennis (evening primrose)

Oenothera biennis (evening primrose) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun Soil: poor to moderately-fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Hardiness: fully hardy Evening primroses are prized for their ephemeral flowers that open at night and fade by dawn, and for their delicate fragrance that fills the air at dusk. The bowl-shaped, pale yellow flowers which appear on tall spikes from June to September seem to glow as the light fades and age to dark golden-yellow. They are happiest in a sunny, well-drained border or wildlife garden, and as the name suggests, are biennial. The flowers are an important source of nectar for bees and other insects and the seeds are used commerically for making evening primrose oil. Garden care: Protect the young foliage from slug damage using beer traps or environmentally-friendly slug pellets. Sow: March-October Flowering: July-August Approximate quantity: 500 seeds

Dipsacus fullonum (teasel)

Dipsacus fullonum (teasel) was £1.49 now £1.24
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moderately fertile soil Rate of growth: average Flower colour: rosy-purple or white Other features: the seedheads are highly attractive to goldfinches; excellent for use in dried flower arrangements Hardiness: fully hardy This charming native teasel is perfect for a sunny wildflower border since the rosy-purple thistle-like flowers and ripening seedheads are a magnet for bees and goldfinches. By choosing these seeds you can help Landlife to protect existing wildflower areas and develop new sites where wildflowers can grow. Garden care: Gather flower-heads for use in dried flower arrangements from mid to late-summer before the seedheads begin to ripen. Sow: March – October Flowering: June – August Approximate quantity: 120 seeds.

Briza media (common quaking grass)

Briza media (common quaking grass) was £8.99 now £5.99
Position: full sun or light shade Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May-June Hardiness: fully hardy A mat-forming evergreen grass with purplish tinted, blue-green leaves. Throughout summer, locket-shaped, green-purple flowers, which fade to buff, hang from wiry branches. Their flowers are excellent for drying. Garden care: Collect the seed before it disperses to use the following year. Dig out dead plants in early spring.

Geranium sanguineum (bloody cranesbill)

Geranium sanguineum (bloody cranesbill) was £7.99 now £5.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil or ericaceous compost Rate of growth: average to fast growing Flowering period: May to June Hardiness: fully hardy In May through to June, this geranium is smothered with cheerful, cup-shaped mag enta flowers with white centres and distinctive veins. Thriving in full sun or partial shade, it forms low hummocks of deeply cut, shiny, dark green leaves, i deal for suppressing weeds at the front of the border. It occurs naturally on a cid soils, but will flourish in most fertile, well drained soils. Garden care: In midsummer rejuvenate plants that are beginning to look jaded, by removing old flowered stems and leaves. Lift and divide large colonies in spring.

Tiarella 'Spring Symphony' (PBR) (foam flower)

Tiarella ‘Spring Symphony’ (PBR) (foam flower) was £9.99 now £7.99
Position: partial or deep shade Soil: cool, moist, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: May to July Flower colour: creamy-white Hardiness: fully hardy Attractive, deeply lobed leaves with a small dark blotch in the centre, make a great carpet of foliage throughout the summer. In late spring, slender stems rise up and hold spikes of tiny star-shaped, blush white flowers. This is a brilliant plant for covering the ground in a shady spot – plant it in large numbers for best effect. Garden care: Removing the faded blooms regularly will prolong flowering and encourage more to come. Cut back and compost the spent flower stems in autumn and apply a dry mulch around the crown of the plant to protect against frost damage