 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
This
plant index continues to grow, you can look forward to more additions
over the coming seasons.
List of some common plant names
| Plant name | Description | |||||||||||||||||||
| Dactylhoriza
Spotted Orchids 
|
These orchids are shown in a garden context, all have been bought from reputable sources, not taken from the wild. D maculata and D majalis have just been planted out having been in pots for a couple of years. D foliosa is a recent purchase but is pretty willing to clump up. The Common Spotted Orchid [top left], Adder's Grass, is quite variable in flower colour and the spotting of the leaves. The short dumpy spikes are made up of small winged and lipped flowers, which as in this cultivar can be nearly white ranging towards much deeper pinks and pale lilac. Each plant rosette of spotted leaves tends to produce one spike which reaches about 8 - 10 inches in height. These particular plants grow in quite a shaded bed in fairly dry and quite poor soil which has leaf mould added to it annually. In the wild you can see them growing in a range of different habitats from acid to alkaline, moist to dry. These orchids can be increased by division, the clumps are made up of interlocking nodes with a small number of thickish roots radiating out from each central node/bud. Most years each fork produces a sibling. Growing from seed is an experts game as the seed has to be associated with certain fungal organisms to aid germination. |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Dahlias are originally from South America, the slightly succulent foliage springing each year from a knot of tubers. They have come back over the last 10 years from their banishment from the more fashionable gardens.The advance guard was the red relatively low growing dahlia, Bishop of Llandaff [1928]. Dahlias are now recognised again for their contribution to late summer and exotic borders. According to David Stuart and James Sutherland in Plants form the Past, apart from showing, the heyday of the large dahlias in gardening circles lasted from 1815 - 1880. As you might expect from their origins they are generally tender which means the tubers have to be lifted after flowering and stored over winter if you want to keep them going reliably. In Spring they need to be potted-up and brought into growth indoors before planting out. I would generally treat Dahlias as I do other 'tender' plants and just throw away when the frost has done it's worst or leave until the spring outside to see if they do sprout again as I don't have the space to store the tubers inside].
A number of
the dahlias above came from the UK National Collection Holders -
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Dianella intermedia | Evergreen
leaves and growth similar to it's much larger phormium relatives.
Smaller and  less
stiff in form than the more often grown D.tasmanica. Sprays of insignificant yellow/green flowers followed by these lush deep blue berries [toxic]. Height 16 ins [40cm]. I grow it in a pot and take it under cover over winter. Flowers in June |
|||||||||||||||||||
Dianthus |
Dianthus
- one of my favourite scented plants! The pink shown is the native
Cheddar Pink, D gratianopolitanus, not sure if this one is scented,
the wild flower book says it is, I forgot to sniff! This one is in
captivity at the Carymoor Environmental Centre not clinging to a cliff
in Cheddar Gorge. >> See more from the Somerset Wildflower Collection at the Carymoor Environmental Centre |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Dicentra |  |
|||||||||||||||||||
| formosa
|
From
the US, enthusiastic runners in moist loose leafmould. Perennials
that die down in the winter to emerge like little chickens feet
in the spring from thick runners. Mine grow in fairly shady moistish
conditions. Will also grow in open sunny borders but perhaps not
quite so enthusiastically. |
April onwards
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
I
grow this shrub in a pot in shade where it resides alongside the
Camellias and keeps them company in ericaceous compost. It looks
like a normal mop-head Hydrangea in general leaf shape and growing
style [It is in the same family]. A native of forests in Nepal,
The Himalayas and China. The flower heads are a startling indigo
blue, the 'petals' are quite thick in |
|||||||||||||||||||
Dipelta
|
I
originally bought this as Dipelta floribunda but it does not
match the one growing in the Bath Botanic Garden which has much showier
pink and white flared flowers. The flowers on this are distinctly
narrow and yellow with a deeper yellow throat - probably D
yunannensis. The large specimen in the Bath Botanic Garden is worth looking out for if you visit [near the main pond], quite a sight when in flower. Dipelta are shrubs or small trees, flashier versions of Kolkwitzia if you like and hardy to between -15 and -20°C. The Kolkwitzia or Beauty Bush [much grown in Norway which shows it to be pretty hardy] is a somewhat underrated shrub in its own right. Dipelta and Kolkwitzia hail from China and belong to the honeysuckle [Caprifoliaceae] family. Flowering late April - June |
|||||||||||||||||||
Dregea
sinensis
|
Wattakaka
- exotic looking panicles of white and pink lightly scented flowers.
This deciduous 'woody' scrambler comes from China. Large soft green
leaves and a twining habit, bleeding  milky
sap if damaged or cut. The seed pods are like a chilli pepper in shape [right]. The flat seeds contained in the pod each come with a downy parachute. I think it looks a bit 'weedy' in it's now cramped space in my garden in the style of a [welcome] bindweed! Needs space to look it's best. Can be cut quite hard back in spring, seems to flower on the current years growth.Hardy to around -15°C. Flowering June - August [and beyond]. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Very
slow growing evergreen shrub, it's dark green leathery leaves contrast
with the fantastic ruddy stems. The leaves are very formally arranged
in whorls, the whole shrub has a gnarly open growth. I originally
bought this shrub because it was supposed to have scented flowers,
I can't really detect much of a scent from the off-white puffs.
Apparently it comes from Australia and grows quite high up in the
mountains, making up to 10m in ideal conditions. |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Dryopteris
erythrosora |
A
very ferny fern! Has airy dissected evergreen leaves, it's main claim
to fame is it's bronzy emerging foliage in late Spring. The foliage
gradually turns a lightish green. It is one of the last to change
out it's old leaves for new leaves of the 8 ferns that I currently
grow. With me it grows to about 18 - 20 ins in height. Evergreen
- new fronds in May >> More ferns |
|||||||||||||||||||
Eccremocarpus
scaber
|
This
Chilean climber is easy from seed sown in gentle heat in Spring. Good
vigorous scrambler using tendrils like a Sweet Pea. Try in amongst shrubby wall climbers. The growth is quite succulent and 'snappy' and it can be easily pulled away in places if it gets over vigorous. Overwinters in sheltered areas certainly in the not so far west South West and can be evergreen inmilder years. Flower colours - reds, oranges, yellows and cream. Flowering Summer until frost |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Eleagnus | These evergreen shrubs were more popular some years ago than it appears now. To my mind the quiet charm of Eleagnus x ebbingei with it's hard green leaves, silver reverse and scented inconspicuous flowers overrides the flashier variegated Eleagnus pungens 'Maculata' which is more often seen. Used for hedging they can also be made into small trees and clipped over fairly formally. Flowers in the Autumn |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Epimedium | The
three evergreen epimediums I have are stalwarts of the woodland bed
and nearly slug proof [young growth is vulnerable including the emerging
flower spikes] and seem fairly happy in quite shaded conditions. E x omeiense Akame is pictured flowering in late April. I have had this plant for a few years now - this is the best show I have had to date. The pale lemon flowered E chlorandrum also looks set for a good show. 
E x rubrum makes good ground cover, I cut back the old leaves totally in late March / early April to allow the small cupped dark pink and white flowers to be seen and the emerging foliage to come through strongly. I generally leave the other two alone, just tweaking off the most unsightly foliage through the year. I have tried E grandiflorum's various but to no avail apparently some Epimediums cleave more to neutral to acid soil, mine is somewhat alkaline. I also found them quite vulnerable to slug and snail attack as the new growth emerged. E wushanense Caramel also sulked and disappeared possibly too dry in the spot it was in. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Erysimum |
Wallflowers
- traditionally grown as biennials [actually short lived perennials]
- they tend to get woody and leggy over time. One of the first bee
flowers in early spring and a must also for the delicious scent. The
foliage on Blood Red is tinged deep red in colder weather.
Aurora is a lovely soft mixture of dusty pinks and apricot.
Harpur Crewe and Bloody Warrior [poss 1850's] are 'heirloom' varieties which have been 're-discovered'. Harpur Crewe has small doubled bright yellow flowers and forms compact short-lived little bushes. Bloody Warrior has large deep red doubled flowers fading to rust. Both of these need to be grown from cuttings.
Chiltern Seeds stock a range of single coloured cultivars. Bernwode Plants stock Harpur Crewe and Old Bloody Warrior |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Eschscholzia
Californian Poppy 
Inferno |
Originally
from the US especially California growing on dunes and dry grassland.
Happiest in full sun. Will often seed about, young plants will overwinter if the weather is not too severe. Carmine King - soft satiny plum purple Inferno - rich glowing orange Jersey Cream - cream June until frosts |
|||||||||||||||||||
Eucomis
/ Pineapple Plant
|
Useful
later flowering South African bulbs. This is a close up of the flower
spike on the purple leaved E comosa Sparkling Burgundy. The
lightly scented flowers are waxy and look almost artificial. I find
the foliage very floppy and ungainly when grown in pots, it may be
that my garden is slightly too shady which makes the growth more leggy.
Easy from seed although leaf colour will vary. Leaves die down in
autumn. I have also grown E autumnalis which are quite short with white flowers, they rotted off over winter in pots kept unprotected outside. They probably would have survived if kept dry. The most commonly grown is E bicolor or the Pineapple Plant, the flowers have a leafy tuft on top like the top of a pineapple. Flowering August More on growing in the UK The African Garden |
|||||||||||||||||||
Euphorbia
mellifera 
|
Not
the 'normal' sort of Euphorbia but one that in its native Madeira
and Tenerife makes a
small tree. Strongly waxy-red honey scented 'flowers' in late Spring.
Not totally hardy but remains evergreen through the winter if not hard hit by frost. Will often grow from the base again. Quite happily seeds around. On a hot day you can hear the seedpods crack and fling the seeds around. Contains milky sap when cut which may be an irritant especially when skin is exposed to sunlight . Flowering April - May |
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Ferns Asplenium scolopendrium Blechnum chilense |
||||||||||||||||||||
Ficus
carica [Fig] 
Brunswick [August] |
This
fig was originally bought from the Agatha Christie garden at Greenway
in Devon [now National Trust] where a number grow in the walled garden
there. It is proving to be somewhat vigorous, I am pruning it to ensure
a rounded canopy and to keep figs within picking range! Apparently this fig was just called 'The Fat One' and was then rechristened for Caroline of Brunswick a lady of large appetites. If the story is 'true' it would mean that this fig has been around in gardens for a long time. The fruits when fully ripe are considerably larger than Brown Turkey, the cultivar grown most commonly outside in UK gardens, and a golden green colour rather than purple green. It is perhaps less juicy and does not have such a strong 'greeness' in the flavour as Brown Turkey. The milky sap may be an irritant on skin when exposed to sunlight. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Naturalised
or a British native? Grigson suggests that it would have been mentioned
as a native plant before the 18th Century when it first specifically
appears as noted in the fields around Oxford. Primarily likes damp water meadows which are seasonally wet/dry. However has gained popularity in gardens as it seems to naturalise well in wild plantings in grass, wet or otherwise. The patch in the picture to the left was planted in lawn in October 2001. I also grow it in my shady woodland bed where the two clumps are slow to increase but do flower, growing taller  due
to reduced light levels.You can just about see from the image the
snaking appearance of the foliage as it unrolls. The checked flower
heads vary from reddish purple through to white with pale green checkering.
The foliage dies away re-emerging again in the Spring. Lily beetles
are fond of them too ..........In the Bath Botanic Gardens [right] white and purple forms are planted in a lovely wildflower meadow under Japanese Maples which come into leaf as the Fritillaries start to fade. Flowering: March - April |
||||||||||||||||||||
Fuchsia
Lye's Unique |
I
have an on off relationship with Fuchsias. I prefer the simpler flowers
like Lye's Unique. Lye's Unique dates to 1886 and is one of
a number of cultivars still in circulation bred by James
Lye, Head Gardener at Clyffe Hall, Market
Lavington in Wiltshire. A favourite hardier fuchsia is Hawkshead - small single white flowers cooled even further by green tips to the petals. Cut back in hard winters it will mostly grow away from the base again. |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Last updated June 2008 | |
|||||||||||||||||||
A
B
C
comparison
to a Hydrangea. My reference sources say it should curl up it's
toes at -5°C making it somewhat tender. 
