I love this site
Its a new house with a new garden so I love experimenting i haven't a clue what I am doing bit I enjoy doing it!!
daisy fingers
Seaton Carew
"Neat dark-green foliage throughout the year and clusters of ivory-white stamens in winter on this highly fragrant small shrub - excellent in containers near doorways"
Its a new house with a new garden so I love experimenting i haven't a clue what I am doing bit I enjoy doing it!!
daisy fingers
Seaton Carew
I've had this for 18 months and it still hasn't reached 30cm tall which is a disappointment. However it is Feb 5th & covered in berries and flowers and emitting a very strong vanilla scent which was its purpose. I grow it in a planter in 100% full shade behind a 2m high gate so nothing much is going to grow quickly there. The smell hits you when you open the gate and is impossible to miss. Certainly overpowers the scent of an oily old motorcycle stood next to it. I guess it will be attractive when full grown but it's the scent that makes this a top plant. The only thing I can compare it to is Dregea Sinensis in relation to aroma. That plant rocks too (and grows far more quickly)
Idlehands
London
Bought this for some permanent greenery in a mixed border under a weeping willow. Doing well despite the lack of rain this summer and competition for light and water.
Eema
Cheshire
A good healthy plant, rather small, but it will grow well. Best to cheer up January/ February time...
ag52
cambridge
I am looking forward to seeing this plant flower.Growing well now, but did have trouble getting it started. Have put it in a pot of compost to give it a boost.I dont expect it to suddenly flower but I am a patient gardener.
arty gardener
West Midlands
Plant is very small and slow growing so will take some years to be of good use as bee forage.
Mimknight
South Wales
This little plant takes me by surprise when it is looking fairly boring as a small evergreen and then bursts into fragrance with its insignificant flowers. Then in winter it has suddenly developed interesting berries. It is very slow growing although my heavy clay is a challenge for many plants.
Hopeful Hazel
Milton Keynes
This is a hardy healthy plant which I clip lightly into shape after it has flowered and it forms a dense glossy mound shape. On this, in late winter early spring, it has sweet very fragrant small white flowers and then black berries. Never sad or sorrynot eaten by slugs or snails, It grows in partial shade and makes a smart structural accent at the end of a border. Love this plant which I have now had for about 10 years.
Cally
Buckinhamshire
I've purchased a lot of plants from Crocus and to be honest I can't remember if I purchased our Sarcococca confuse from you or not but I thought it was worth writing a review on the plant and I will be buying more from you as soon as they're back in stock and am confident the quality will be as good as everything else we have purchased. We have a north facing front garden and an area within it that never gets any sun at all, not even in the height of summer when the sun is at its highest. It was in that spot we planted some of these plants and all I can say is that they are thriving. They look fantastic all year, have grown very well and are now nicely hedged and smell amazing all through the winter. They really are the perfect plants for the spot. I should add that as the area in question is also up against two walls it can also get dry but this doesn't seem to matter to the plants. We will definitely be getting some more for other tricky shady areas.
Jason
Cambridgeshire
100.0
Silvanian
Hello, These can be grown in John Innes No 2 compost, and should be kept well watered. This does contain some nutreients, but usually only enough for 6 week or so, so after that you will need to feed them with a good general purpose fertiliser, following the manufacturers instructions on the bottle/packet.
Helen
mrsD
Hello, There are a couple of things that could be the cause of this yellowing. It may be that it needs to go into a larger pot with some fresh compost, or it might need another feed. I am not sure what you have used previously, but some fertilisers need to be applied at regular intervals. I would also make sure that you are feeding it with the right thing, and I would recommend a good balanced fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 or Growmore. Unfortunately now though it is getting a little late for feeding as you do not wait to encourage lots of soft new growth before the frosts, so it may have to wait until spring next year.
Helen
Carrots
Hello, It has to be said that this is not the fastest growing plant in the world, so you do need patience - and unfortunately, lifting and moving it may have slowed it down even further.
Helen
Rachel
Hello there Yes you can plant and prune this plant to create a hedge, - I would plant at 30cm intervals. How fast it will grow is hard to say as many external factors can affect the growth of a plant, such as how much water it has, or the nutrients etc. but it is quite slow growing normally. Hope this helps.
hedgehunter
Hello, To create a nice, dense hedge, these should be planted at 30cm intervals. I hope this helps,
Helen
Josee Mallet
Hello Josee, It is always difficult to give a definitive answer to the shade issue, but looking at the Shady Pink border, the most shade tolerant plants include Anemone hupehensis Hadspen Abundance, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium and Dryopteris erythrosora. If you click on the following link it will take you to all our shade-loving shrubs http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/plcid.1/vid.11/ and for the shade -loving perennials http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/plcid.2/vid.11/ Of the plants you have listed, the Prunus, Helleborus foetidus, Kniphofia and Crocosmia will be OK as long as there is more sun than shade. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
Susan Chipchase
Hello Sue, This does sound like a pretty inhospitable situation, so you will need some tough plants - here are your best options. Cotoneaster horiontalis http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cotoneaster-horizontalis-/classid.1028/ Cotoneaster dammeri http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/cotoneaster-dammeri-/classid.1021/ Sarcococca confusa http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.sarcococca/ Viburnum davidii http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/viburnum-davidii-/classid.8067/ Aucuba (which can be cut back hard when necessary) http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.aucuba/ Skimmia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.skimmia/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
Part Timer
Hello Stuart, I'm afraid all plants will need to be kept well watered, especially when they are newly planted, or are confined to a pot. The Berberis (like the box) is certainly one of the tougher plants, but it is deciduous, so won't look great in winter. Alternatively, you could opt for any of the following, but we only sell the smaller sizes listed on the site. Sarcococca confusa http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/sarcococca-confusa-/classid.4367/ Skimmia http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.skimmia/ Viburnum davidii http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/viburnum-davidii-/classid.8067/ I hope this gives you a few ideas. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
Yvonne Gowers
Hello Yvonne, There are many things that might be suitable - here are some of the best Sarcococca confusa http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/sarcococca-confusa-/classid.4367/ Choisya ternata http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/choisya-ternata-/classid.825/ Lavandula http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.lavandula/ Daphne http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/daphne-odora-aureomarginata/classid.3751/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
Jackie Kerr
Hello There, These plants are fully hardy so can be planted out at any time of the year as long as the ground isn't frozen. The ideal time for planting however is spring or autumn. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
Hello, I have just taken delivery today of my last order,-a Sarococca and 2 x Erigeron karvinskianus. Can I check with you where they have been stored to date? Have they been kept outside or in an unheated green house etc... I am trying to ascertain whether I can keep them outside until planting now? It is only February and there is still ice and snow forecast here in the next week or so. Thanks
Jackie Kerr
Hello There, These plants have been grown outside and as they are fully hardy they should be planted out as soon as the ground is not frozen. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
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