New plants are a wonderful way to mark the new year. It’s like a fresh start for your garden and the perfect excuse to add a new border, plant a new planter or to simply plan some new plants to fill those gaps in the border.
We have the whole year ahead of us to plan and plant, but if you want the latest new varieties and indeed the pick of the crop, it’s always good to get in early. While it’s not quite green Friday, there is something to be said for getting your plant orders in before the year runs away with it.
There are some real beauties this year, some chosen for their irresistible scent, while others offer something new and quite different. Look out for fabulous new varieties that have never been seen before, and reliable garden stalwarts that won’t let you down. We’ve got teeny tiny magnolias that can be grown in pots with the most exquisite flowers and the most flamboyant dahlias you have ever seen. Here’s a little peek at some of our favourites and there are lots more to choose from and lots more to come.
Dahlia ‘Avignon’
Dahlias are a dramatic addition to the garden borders. They are also fabulous in containers as you can move them around to suit your needs. Dahlia ‘Avignon’ is a true stunner. Perfect for cut flowers, or dead-head regularly for a continuous supply of huge flowers. The petals are curled at the edges and give a spiky appearance and the flowers are splashed with crimson and purple adding to their drama. This is such an easy plant to grow and will reward you with sumptuous blooms all through summer and right into autumn too. Look out for other dramatic dahlias that will partner this one and create a firework display in late summer.
Magnolia miniatura
You’ve seen the immense and statuesque Magnolia grandifloras with their huge flowers and stunning evergreen foliage. Now meet Magnolia minatura. As its name suggests this is a mini magnolia and it really is divine. Perfect for pots and containers this little beauty is an incredible addition to your garden. If you’ve always loved magnolias, but don’t have the space, Magnolia minatura is just for you. It has exquisite scented creamy white, open flowers in spring and small, fresh glossy green foliage. It’s the perfect gift for the gardener that’s got everything and ideal for patio gardens or even a balcony garden. There’s another compact magnolia in the stable too. Look out for Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’ which has beautiful blush pink flowers.
Digitalis ‘Dalmatian Purple’
Every garden needs a bank of foxgloves. The spires of fabulous flowers are a dramatic addition to gardens large and small. The Dalmatian foxgloves are a magnificent strain of these cottage garden favourites. Dalmatian Purple has dark spots inside the large trumpet flowers. Dalmatian White has pure white flowers with rich, dark red spots inside each flower. Both of these beauties will light up the border with spires of flowers. They are a magnet for our Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) who climbs into the large flowers with her tongue extended to reach the nectar inside. She will emerge covered in pollen and move up the flower stem to harvest the sugar rich nectar. Mix purple and white into your borders for a truly spectacular spring display.
Azalea ‘Starstyle Pink’
If you love growing plants that are a bit different, Azalea ‘Starstyle Pink’ is a fantastic choice. It doesn’t look like a ‘normal’ azalea, the flowers are filamentous, starry and absolutely divine. This variety is perfect for pots and containers and ideal for a patio garden, balcony or for a gift. It’s honestly something very special and very, very different. After eighteen years of breeding, it truly is a case of ‘A Star is Born’. The plants are literally smothered with flowers that contrast beautifully with its elegant, narrow evergreen leaves. There is also a fabulous white form available. Azalea ‘Starstyle White’ which is a spectacular form with starry white flowers. Be quick, we predict that these will sell-out fast.
Philadelphus ‘Pearls of Perfume’
Transform your garden experience by growing some fragrant plants. One of the most powerful perfumed plants you can choose is the mock orange and for something a bit different consider the form ‘Pearls of Perfume’ which neatly describes how this variety outperforms many others. ‘Pearls of Perfume’ is a compact shrub that bears masses of double pearl white flowers, all down the stem, for weeks on end and with the most exquisite scent. For a compact plant it really earns its place in the garden and as a shrub, it will perform year after year with its perfumed pearls of blossom.
