Spotlight on climbers


We produce a very comprehensive range of climbers. Plants are grown in 3 litre, tall pots up single 90cm bamboo canes. The compost contains long lasting fertiliser, vine weevil control and a percentage of bark to reduce peat content. Plants are sold with descriptive labels, picture labels (where available), and cane caps included in the price. At no extra cost we can also include pre-pricing and barcodes.
Popular plants ... We stock a superb range of standard climbers, including ivy, honeysuckle, wisteria, jasmine, solanum and Virginia creeper, all at competitive prices. Good quantities are readily available throughout the year. ... or something a little different We also pride ourselves in our wide range of more unusual species, including Azara, Bottle Brush (including white), Cestrum, Holboellia, Pandorea, Ribes speciosum and Tropaeolum Ken Aslet (and occasionally speciosum!).
In 2006, look out for ... Ampelopsis Chinese Lace - Vigorous, deciduous climber with stunning autumn colour. Delicate leaves and masses of small white flowers Cestrum Cretan Purple - Tubular flowers are large, purple and subtly scented. A semi-evergreen climber Grevillea Canberra Gem and Olympic Flame - In bud January/February Humulus Golden Tasseles - One for the beer-loving gardener. A dwarf form of golden hop which produces larger than usual cones in late summer and autumn that can be used for home brewing. Plant is also ideal for growing up a trellis or obelisk. Jasmine Clotted Cream - Good stocks available. Produces masses of large, sweetly scented, creamy yellow flowers. Jasmine officinale Inverleith - Derived from wild-collected seed of Jasmine officinale in the 1930s, the plant was only recognised as a new variant 10 years ago. It is distinguished from officinale by a red colouring present throughout the plant. Flower buds are dark red and red stripes are visible on the backs of flower petals. Passiflora Eden - A new hybrid named in honour of The Eden Project in Cornwall. Mauve, purple and white flowers from June to October Sophora microphylla Sun King - We have good stocks of this, probably the best climbing wall plant produced in the last 15 years. An extremely hardy form with large yellow flowers over a long period around spring time. Also excellent for tubs, patios etc.
Sweet Peas (Lathyrus) Ten varieties available including AGM recipients Pink Pearl and White Pearl. Painted Lady - An outstanding variety with highly scented red and white flowers. The oldest sweet pea variety in existence, grown in England since the early 18th century. Everlasting (latifolius) - A hardy perennial covered with masses of red, rose and white flowers in summer	Honeysuckles (Lonicera) Up to 12 varieties available at any one time. We always enjoy good sales of honeysuckle and think one of the main reasons is because we can always offer fresh plants. We achieve this by batch potting our plants and trimming them throughout the growing season One of our best sellers from this process has been Flexosa. This popular variety has a dark red tint to the leaves and fragrant white flowers. Holder of an AGM. Among others we stock are: Lonicera henryi Copper Beauty - Superb deep-bronze colouring and rich copper-yellow flowers in summer. In stock later this year. Lonicera Maskerade - New cultivar of japonica. Fragrant pinkish white flowers in the summer with irregularly edged cream-yellow leaves similis var. delavayi - Probably the strongest scent of the hardy honeysuckles and resistant to aphids and mildew. A vigorous twinning evergreen with large, hairy leaves and large, white bowed trumpet tubes that turn yellow with age. Good stocks available for spring. tragophylla - A shade loving variety with tinted bronze foliage with purple highlights. Huge clusters of bright gold trumpets make this one of the most dramatic hardy species
Wall trained Buddleia Caned for ease of handling alternifolia Argentea - Foliage has a silvery sheen thanks to silky hairs on the leaves caryopteridifolia - Probably the hardiest of the spring flowering species. Woolly white leaves and lilac flowers Lindleyana - Good for summer impulse sales. Long, slender, curved racemes of violet-purple flowers.
Summer blooms ... Malvastrum lateritium - Spectacular, yet little-known, hardy evergreen creeper. Mallow shaped leaves and apricot flowers with a distinct yellow eye. Ideal as a patio plant. Campsis - Available all year round, grafted stocks will be in flower for summer 2006. Although more expensive, these grafted plants are perfect for impulse sales. Abelia - We have good stocks of Engleriana and the scented Triflolia, all grown up canes for easy management. Later in the season we will have the magnificent Floribunda. Awarded an AGM in 2002, this plant is covered with brilliant cherry-red tubular blooms throughout June.
Watch this space ... For sale later this year Cobaea - A sun loving Mexican climber, growing up to 6m tall and perfect for fashioning into wigwams and obelisks. Also known as 'Cups and Saucers', it has beautiful, large, bell-like flowers. We will be selling Scandens (deep velvety-blue flowers) and Alba (white). Streptosolen jamesonii - Better known as the Marmalade Bush. Tough to beat for colour and quantity, terminal clusters of multi-coloured orange flowers grow in abundance on this tender climber.
Cane policy All our climbers are grown up single 90cm bamboo canes. We believe that 3 canes are a complete waste of time with no benefit whatsoever to the end user who will be putting the plant up against a wall or fence. We challenge anyone to come up with a worthwhile reason for using 3 canes. Going round garden centres during winter time and early spring we see that in 90% of cases, plants are tied to only one of the 3 canes, making it an entirely spurious exercise. Using a single cane brings benefits not only to our customers, through reduced costs, but also to the environment.	Why doesn't my wisteria flower? We have it, the answer to your prayers, and one of your most frequently heard questions: Why isn't my wisteria flowering? The secret is in the pruning. A mature wisteria will not flower well unless it is cut back twice a year, once in November/December and again about 8 weeks after flowering. New horizontal growths should be cut back to three buds from where they leave the main stem (however long they are!), and side shoots also cut back to three buds. Followed religiously, this method should see the end of 'whippy' growth and give you a well-tempered specimen with an abundance of flowers. We also recommend feeding the plant at the same time as its winter prune with a low nitrogen fertiliser and mulching its roots with horse manure or similar.
For basic descriptions of all our climbers please follow the links from the catalogue page.

We produce a very comprehensive range of climbers.

Plants are grown in 3 litre, tall pots up single 90cm bamboo canes.

The compost contains long lasting fertiliser, vine weevil control and a percentage of bark to reduce peat content.

Plants are sold with descriptive labels, picture labels (where available), and cane caps included in the price.

At no extra cost we can also include pre-pricing and barcodes.

Popular plants ...

We stock a superb range of standard climbers, including ivy, honeysuckle, wisteria, jasmine, solanum and Virginia creeper, all at competitive prices.

Good quantities are readily available throughout the year.

... or something a little different

We also pride ourselves in our wide range of more unusual species, including Azara, Bottle Brush (including white), Cestrum, Holboellia, Pandorea, Ribes speciosum and Tropaeolum Ken Aslet (and occasionally speciosum!).

In 2006, look out for ...

Ampelopsis Chinese Lace - Vigorous, deciduous climber with stunning autumn colour. Delicate leaves and masses of small white flowers

Cestrum Cretan Purple - Tubular flowers are large, purple and subtly scented. A semi-evergreen climber

Grevillea Canberra Gem and Olympic Flame - In bud January/February

Humulus Golden Tasseles - One for the beer-loving gardener. A dwarf form of golden hop which produces larger than usual cones in late summer and autumn that can be used for home brewing. Plant is also ideal for growing up a trellis or obelisk.

Jasmine Clotted Cream - Good stocks available. Produces masses of large, sweetly scented, creamy yellow flowers.

Jasmine officinale Inverleith - Derived from wild-collected seed of Jasmine officinale in the 1930s, the plant was only recognised as a new variant 10 years ago. It is distinguished from officinale by a red colouring present throughout the plant. Flower buds are dark red and red stripes are visible on the backs of flower petals.

Passiflora Eden - A new hybrid named in honour of The Eden Project in Cornwall. Mauve, purple and white flowers from June to October SophoraSunKing

Sophora microphylla Sun King - We have good stocks of this, probably the best climbing wall plant produced in the last 15 years. An extremely hardy form with large yellow flowers over a long period around spring time. Also excellent for tubs, patios etc.

Sweet Peas (Lathyrus)

Ten varieties available including AGM recipients Pink Pearl and White Pearl.

Painted Lady - An outstanding variety with highly scented red and white flowers. The oldest sweet pea variety in existence, grown in England since the early 18th century.

Everlasting (latifolius) - A hardy perennial covered with masses of red, rose and white flowers in summer

Honeysuckles (Lonicera)

Up to 12 varieties available at any one time.

We always enjoy good sales of honeysuckle and think one of the main reasons is because we can always offer fresh plants. We achieve this by batch potting our plants and trimming them throughout the growing season

One of our best sellers from this process has been Flexosa. This popular variety has a dark red tint to the leaves and fragrant white flowers. Holder of an AGM.

Among others we stock are:

Lonicera henryi Copper Beauty - Superb deep-bronze colouring and rich copper-yellow flowers in summer. In stock later this year.

Lonicera Maskerade - New cultivar of japonica. Fragrant pinkish white flowers in the summer with irregularly edged cream-yellow leaves

similis var. delavayi - Probably the strongest scent of the hardy honeysuckles and resistant to aphids and mildew. A vigorous twinning evergreen with large, hairy leaves and large, white bowed trumpet tubes that turn yellow with age. Good stocks available for spring.

tragophylla - A shade loving variety with tinted bronze foliage with purple highlights. Huge clusters of bright gold trumpets make this one of the most dramatic hardy species

Wall trained Buddleia

Caned for ease of handling

alternifolia Argentea - Foliage has a silvery sheen thanks to silky hairs on the leaves

caryopteridifolia - Probably the hardiest of the spring flowering species. Woolly white leaves and lilac flowers

Lindleyana - Good for summer impulse sales. Long, slender, curved racemes of violet-purple flowers.

Summer blooms ...

Malvastrum lateritium - Spectacular, yet little-known, hardy evergreen creeper. Mallow shaped leaves and apricot flowers with a distinct yellow eye. Ideal as a patio plant.

Campsis - Available all year round, grafted stocks will be in flower for summer 2006. Although more expensive, these grafted plants are perfect for impulse sales.

Abelia - We have good stocks of Engleriana and the scented Triflolia, all grown up canes for easy management. Later in the season we will have the magnificent Floribunda. Awarded an AGM in 2002, this plant is covered with brilliant cherry-red tubular blooms throughout June.

Watch this space ...

For sale later this year

Cobaea - A sun loving Mexican climber, growing up to 6m tall and perfect for fashioning into wigwams and obelisks. Also known as 'Cups and Saucers', it has beautiful, large, bell-like flowers. We will be selling Scandens (deep velvety-blue flowers) and Alba (white).

Streptosolen jamesonii - Better known as the Marmalade Bush. Tough to beat for colour and quantity, terminal clusters of multi-coloured orange flowers grow in abundance on this tender climber.

Cane policy

All our climbers are grown up single 90cm bamboo canes.

We believe that 3 canes are a complete waste of time with no benefit whatsoever to the end user who will be putting the plant up against a wall or fence.

We challenge anyone to come up with a worthwhile reason for using 3 canes. Going round garden centres during winter time and early spring we see that in 90% of cases, plants are tied to only one of the 3 canes, making it an entirely spurious exercise.

Using a single cane brings benefits not only to our customers, through reduced costs, but also to the environment.

Why doesn't my wisteria flower?

We have it, the answer to your prayers, and one of your most frequently heard questions: Why isn't my wisteria flowering?

The secret is in the pruning. A mature wisteria will not flower well unless it is cut back twice a year, once in November/December and again about 8 weeks after flowering.

New horizontal growths should be cut back to three buds from where they leave the main stem (however long they are!), and side shoots also cut back to three buds.

Followed religiously, this method should see the end of 'whippy' growth and give you a well-tempered specimen with an abundance of flowers.

We also recommend feeding the plant at the same time as its winter prune with a low nitrogen fertiliser and mulching its roots with horse manure or similar.

For basic descriptions of all our climbers please follow the links from the catalogue page.

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