IMPORTANT NOTE: At times, especially during the summer, plants may be cut back or pinched out if they are too far advanced to ship whole. This encourages annuals and biennials to produce extra flowering stems, so no bad thing! Perennials will establish well for next year, but may or may not flower this year, depending on species. In some instances top growth may be woody or sparce (e.g. Anthemis tinctoria), but don't worry, the plants are perfectly healthy and will soon produce fresh foliage! Please contact me if you would like to enquire about specific plants.
NCG 001
Acanthus spinosus
Bear's Britches
Dynamic - good in shade!
This stately, dramatic plant is happiest in full sun, but will also tolerate deep shade. Very useful cut flower, both fresh and dried. The flower spikes, with white blooms with purple bracts, appear above deeply divided dark green foliage.
Sometimes confused with campanula, to which it is related, this plant is more delicate. It has nodding bells in a lovely soft shade of violet-blue, borne on straight stems with dark-green toothed foliage.
NOTE: The plants have a rather scrambling root system and are difficult to split tidily.…
Creeping bugle is a low-growing, evergreen plant that is useful to provide ground cover or to grow between paving stones. It produces spikes of rich blue/purple flowers in Spring, above dark, sometimes almost black, foliage.
A most attractive climbing vine that lends interest to the garden throughout most of the year. Pretty flowers, interesting foliage and striking lilac-skinned fruit, which are edible. The fruits are ripe when they split to revel their glistening white pulp, studded with shiny black seeds (which are also edible, so…
Deepest, deepest red-purple - as close to black as you can get! Although strictly speaking a perennial, this very popular cottage garden plant is best treated as a biennial, particularly since it can be susceptible to rust. These are very tall plants and some support is recommended.
Beautiful giant orbs of lilac flowers are followed by exquisite spherical seed heads and are wonderful for dried flower arrangements. The dried stems are very weak; the solution is to very carefully push a slender woody stem (I use willow) or heavy wire down the stem, preferably while it is…
The perfect choice for hot and dry conditions, this beautiful allium looks wonderful planted in drifts. The umbels of rich, purple flowers are 3 inches across and borne on strong, upright stems.
Flowers in a range of colours, from white through warm yellows, oranges and reds to shades of pink, on strong, straight stems with glossy foliage. Prefers soil that is not too limey.
This vine-like plant is attractive in all respects, but particularly for its stunningly coloured berries, which range from soft blue-green through turquoise to purple. It grows vigorously in the right conditions. Positioning on a sheltered south-facing wall in poorish soil and restricting root growth gives the best environment for reliable…
This spectacular, spring-flowering anemone is a Mediterranean species with dark-green leaves and bright, cup-shaped blooms in pink, purple or red, usually with a white eye. It is happiest in a sunny position in free-draining soil, either towards the front of a border, in containers or naturalised in grass.
This exquisite woodland plant is native to the Japanese island of Honshu and seed is rarely found for sale, so don't miss out! The delicate, waxy flowers, which are very pale lilac, with darker tips to the central petals, open from attractive, spherical buds and are borne on wiry stems…
Unusual chocolate-brown petals with contrasting yellow-green stamens make this little aquilegia a stunning addition to the garden. Works well at front of border of in rockeries. Highly recommended!
Known both as A. 'Magpie' and A. 'William Guinness', this striking variety has deep red-purple (almost black) sepals and spurs and white-edged 'blades' - the modified petals at the centre of the flower.
A mixture of single, double and ruffled plants or seeds in a variety of colours - dark-purple, blue, white and pink. I'm also offering packets containing seeds from specific plants, but there may be some cross-pollination.
Note: Plants, when offered, may be bare-rooted, depending on season.
This dainty little aster does best in part shade, but will tolerate a sunny position. The pale lavender flowers appear in abundance on wiry stems with small, narrow leaves. The plant is rather lax in habit, so if nearby plants fail to support it, staking is recommended. Unlike many asters,…
The delicate, pale blue, nodding bells of this pretty bulbous plant are fragrant and much loved by butterflies. Although the common name refers to it as a hyacinth, it is in fact only distantly related. NOTE: Not to be confused with the Spanish bluebell, which is a thug and…
Clusters of deep-blue bell-shaped flowers on straight stems from early summer. A very pretty plant, but spreads by underground runners and can be rather invasive, so position carefully.
Note: Bare-rooted plants, when on offer, may look a little untidy, particularly early in the year. Don't worry - they will establish…
A tall, stately campanula, pale blue/lilac or white. Makes a dynamic statement at the back of the border and is also lovely cut flower if you can bear to remove it from the garden! Masses of blooms on stems up to 2m high. Much in demand by visitors to the…