The great charm of ‘The Lakeland Rose' is
to be found in the simplicity of its scented, apple-blossom blooms. In a
sometimes over-elaborate world, simple things can offer much needed relief. The
natural prettiness of ‘The Lakeland Rose' is a welcome change from the fat,
indulgent flowers often seen in today's gardens, over-ornate with their
preposterous crush of petals. In the garden we can choose to go back to
basics, and grow plants that are not so obviously the product of a stylised
world. The uncomplicated grace of simple flowers fits well into any garden,
bringing a refreshing breath of fresh air with it.
Not that ‘The Lakeland Rose' is short of
essential modern attributes such as easy-growing habit, healthy foliage and
abundant blooming. These characteristics are all linked: good resistance to
diseases of the foliage helps the plant to keep growing, and whilst it keeps
growing it can continue to produce blooms. ‘The Lakeland Rose' normally
produces two main flushes of blooms per season, once in early summer, and again
in autumn.
‘The Lakeland Rose' is at its best grown in
full sun or dappled shade. Its growth is compact but rapid; the whippy, basal
shoots grow readily to a manageable size. They are easy to train into place
against a trellis, or to fan out on a small space against a wall or fence. For
best results when training on posts or pillars, aim for a maximum height of
6ft.
Besides excelling when planted directly in
the soil, ‘The Lakeland Rose' is also an ideal rose for container gardening.
For best long-term performance, use a container at least 2ft wide by 2ft deep.
Choose a soil-base growing medium, and be sure to maintain constant moisture level
during the growing season. All roses grown in pots will benefit from regular
fertiliser applications, preferably using a product that contains the correct
trace-elements for roses, such as ‘Toprose'.
Plant of the Month
Primula Champagne will add beautiful spring
colour to any garden.
Primula
Champagne
looks superb not only in pots but also at the front of borders and rockeries. From
early spring it produces an eye catching display of beautiful pale peach
flowers with pale orange - yellow hues complimented
by gorgeous mid green leaves.
Primulas do best in neutral / slightly acid soil. They
are essentially woodlanders and like a partially shaded position and large quantities of organic
matter. They will survive on thin, alkaline soils as annual bedding
plants if you grow them in partial shade and incorporate as much
humus as possible but they will not form fat clumps.
In this case, try them in pots or the conservatory.
Primula's
like cool or even cold conditions, if you have plants indoors it is
best to place them in the conservatory or on a cool windowsill. Make sure you do not over water your plants, remove any dead flowers regularly and a regular liquid feed will help promote more flowers.
Frost
hardy, ‘Champagne'
will flower year after year, suits sun or partial shade and the approximate height and spread is 20cm x 30cm. This plant is now available in 1L pots.
Erysimum 'Bowles' Mauve'
Wallflowers are nectar rich plants, which encourage
benefical wildlife, such as ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies into the
garden. Named after plantsman E.A. Bowles, 'Bowles' Mauve is one of very few Erysimums
to have received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural
Society. This is a compact perennial wallflower with mauve to purple subtly
scented flowers, set off beautifully by the glaucous grey foliage. It is an
excellent, quick growing perennial for flower borders or patio containers.
Attractive to bees and butterflies, it can also be used in flower arranging.
It
flowers from late winter to early autumn and prefers a sunny position, sheltered
from the wind, with well drained neutral to alkaline soil. Light clipping after
flowering
will lead many to repeat flower in the autumn, some varieties
going right on till the severe frosts start. Propagate by summer or autumn
cuttings. Height and spread after 4 years 75 x 60cm (30" x 24").
This spring we have Erysimum 'Bowles' Mauve' on offer whilst
stocks last - A 2L pot is £4.99 (RRP £7.99). We will also be stocking
Erysimum 'Fragrant Sunshine' and Erysimum 'Treasure' F1 Mix. Both are compact,
branching, semi-evergreen perennials. 'Treasure'
F1 Mix has lush, green leaves and erect racemes of fragrant, yellow, red,
primrose and bronze flowers in early spring to late summer. 'Fragrant Sunshine'
has dark green, linear leaves and clusters of fragrant, bright yellow flowers
in early spring and summer.
