Cotinus coggygria Golden Spirit ('Ancot') (PBR)
smoke bush
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately-fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: July to September
- Hardiness: fully hardy
This award-winning smoke bush has stunning, golden-yellow round leaves that turn coral, orange and red in autumn. In July and August, a haze of fluffy, smoke-like plumes of green flowers appear. This fairly new variety is an excellent specimen plant for a sunny spot. The leaves become an intense tran translucent gold the more sun the plant receives. - Garden care: In late winter or early spring remove any misplaced, diseased or crossing branches. Alternatively, to produce larger leaves, cut the stems back hard to within two or three buds of the base in early spring. After pruning apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant.
Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin'
photinia
Fabulous evergreen with red young foliage
Akebia quinata
chocolate vine
A pretty climber with fragrant flowers
Passiflora Eden ('Hil Pas Eden') (PBR)
passion flower
A vivid purple passion flower
Phormium 'Sundowner'
New Zealand flax
Strappy leaves with all the colours of the sunset
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'
blood grass (syn. Red Baron)
Mid-green leaves turn blood red
Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla 'Eva' (PBR)
black elder (syn. Black Lace)
A striking plant with dramatic almost black, dissected foliage
How to control diseases
Prevention is better than cure with diseases in the garden so keep your plants growing as strongly as possible – allowing them to fight off infections naturally. A weak plant is much more likely to fall prey than a good,...
Read full articleHoney fungus
Symptoms There are different symptoms which point to honey fungus, some or all of them may be present at one time. Also, death can take years or be virtually instantaneous with plants being suddenly stopped in their tracks, half-opened leaves just...
Read full articleMarch pruning of trees, shrubs and climbers
Use the following notes as a guide when pruning trees, shrubs and climbers in your garden during the month of March. I’ve included timely advice on Abeliophyllum, Artemesia, Brachyglottis, Brunfelsia, Buddleja, Ceanothus, Clematis, Colutea, Cotinus, Daphne, Eccremocarpus, Elsholtzia, ...
Read full article