{"title":"Drought-Tolerant Plants for UK Gardens","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter this year's record-dry summer, more UK gardeners are choosing plants that can shrug it off. Our drought-tolerant range is hand-picked to cope with long dry spells once established — lavenders, salvias, ornamental grasses, and resilient native hedging — all despatched UK-wide.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"bravo-spindle-plants-euonymus-japonicus","title":"Bravo Japanese Spindle Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBravo Japanese Spindle Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Bravo' evergreen in all but the harshest winters. Variegated leaves with green centres and pale-yellow cream margins. Grows on the coast, poor soil, chalk. To 3.5m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all our evergreen and native \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/euonymus-plants-spindle\"\u003eEuonymus varieties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvergreen in all but the harshest Northern winters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVariegated green \u0026amp; cream leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrows on the coast, poor soil, chalk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo 3.5m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Euonymus japonicus Bravo\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny well drained soil in sun or partial shade. Drought tolerant when established. Good for exposed coastal locations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's hardy and evergreen pretty much throughout Britain, but in a harsher than average Scottish winter it might drop its leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with any variegated plant, prune out pure green-leaved stems if and when they appear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Bravo Spindle\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ehedge: \u003c\/strong\u003e3 plants per metre, 33 centimetres apart, is ideal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe species is native to Japan and the Eastern coast of Asia.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54992625074502,"sku":"EUONJAPBRA-2L","price":12.98,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54992625107270,"sku":"EUONJAPBRA-P9","price":7.96,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/euonymus-bravo-leaves.jpg?v=1755634395"},{"product_id":"paloma-blanca-spindle-plants-euonymus-japonicus","title":"Paloma Blanca Japanese Spindle Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWhite Candle Japanese Spindle Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA charming little shrub for ground cover, edging borders, or patio pots, the showy white new shoots and leaves could be mistaken for flowers from a distance. Evergreen in all but the harshest winters. To 75m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all our evergreen and native \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/euonymus-plants-spindle\"\u003eEuonymus varieties\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll of our hedge plants are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the pots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew leaves are creamy white, maturing to deep green by the end of the summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrows on the coast, poor soil, chalk\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo 75m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Euonymus japonicus Paloma Blanca\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny well drained soil in sun or partial shade. Drought tolerant when established. Good for exposed coastal locations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's hardy and evergreen pretty much throughout Britain, but in a harsher than average Scottish winter it might drop its leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with any variegated plant, prune out pure green-leaved stems if and when they appear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing an evergreen \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpindle\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ehedge: \u003c\/strong\u003e3 plants per metre, 33 centimetres apart, is ideal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe species is native to Japan and the Eastern coast of Asia. This cultivar was bred by Van Lankveld nursery in Elsendorp, Holland, registration code Lankveld03.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePaloma blanca\u003c\/em\u003e means \"white dove\" in Spanish, but for reasons best known to a marketing department somewhere, it is often labelled \"white candle\" in the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54992632742214,"sku":"EUONJAPPALBL-2L","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/white-candle-japanese-spindle-leaves-1.jpg?v=1755634855"},{"product_id":"common-whitebeam-trees-sorbus-aria","title":"Common Whitebeam Trees, Large","description":"\u003ch2\u003eCommon Whitebeam Trees, Large Standards\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe common \u003cstrong\u003eWhitebeam\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eSorbus aria\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a fairly compact, native tree that keeps a nice rounded, upright shape without any attention, spreading a little (as we all do) when they get older. In early spring the new leaves that burst from the buds have a fuzzy white tomentose covering, giving the tree the appearance of being in flower from a distance. These fine hairs remain on the bottom surface of the leaves, hence the name and this is a characteristic of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/rowan-whitebeam-trees-sorbus\"\u003eWhitebeam varieties in our range\u003c\/a\u003e. The foliage is well structured and quite rigid, pointing upwards slightly to expose their undersides, creating a shifting silver lining as the leaves flutter in the breeze - \"the sudden-lighted whitebeam\", as the poet George Meredith described it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen flat, circular clusters of creamy white flowers appear in late spring maturing by the end of summer into glossy green berries. These flush red in September and attract a variety of garden birds. When the leaves are still green, the berries look very decorative against them and make a good addition to a flower arrangement.In autumn the foliage colours nicely and the berries provide continuing interest. Rounded off with grey, fissured bark with a reddish tinge on new growth \u003cstrong\u003eWhitebeam\u003c\/strong\u003e is one the best all-rounders in the UK. In the wild, it's usually found on chalky sites where it's very \u003cstrong\u003edrought resistant\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our variety of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003elarge trees\u003c\/a\u003e or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Common Whitebeam\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny site with drainage will do, but like all members of the Sorbus family, Common Whitebeam is happiest on chalky or other alkaline ground. They're fully hardy, happy on the coast and exposed windy sites - all round a very useful tree. Like most trees, it does establish faster on fertile soil, so it's always a good idea to mix in plenty of well-rotted manure and or compost when planting. A mature Whitebeam tree will reach about \u003cstrong\u003e15 metres, 50 feet\u003c\/strong\u003e and grows pretty fast, reaching its full height in 30-40 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the past, hungry country folk would blet and eat the fruit, but we can't recommend it: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/wild-service-trees-sorbus-torminalis\"\u003eSobus torminalis\u003c\/a\u003e, on the other hand, is one of our most interesting native fruit. A much more useful trait of the Whitebeam tree is its extremely hard wood, which was once the timber of choice for machines like watermills.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow Standard Trees are Measured:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll the plants in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003eornamental trees section\u003c\/a\u003e are graded as standardss, which means that they're measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level (basically, their trunk's waist measurement). They aren't measured by their height, which will vary. So, a 6\/8 standard has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8 centimetres and an 8\/10 standard has a trunk 8-10 centimetres around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height. Most standards are between 2 - 3.5 metres tall, but this is just an average - all trees are different... These are the biggest size that you can order: but for mass plantings, you can also buy smaller, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/whitebeam-sapling-plants-sorbus-aria\"\u003esapling Whitebeam trees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 6\/8cm Girth","offer_id":54999147577670,"sku":"SORBARIST-6\/8","price":119.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 8\/10cm Girth","offer_id":54999147610438,"sku":"SORBARIST-8\/10","price":159.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/whitebeam-mature-tree.jpg?v=1756734427"},{"product_id":"hidcote-english-lavender-plants","title":"Hidcote Blue Lavender Plants","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hidcote\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep purple-blue — the darkest of the classic English lavenders\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen, aromatic, narrow silver-grey leaves\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45–60cm (18–24in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45–75cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e July to August, roughly two weeks after Munstead\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScent:\u003c\/strong\u003e Strong, classic English lavender. Probably best for drying and bags\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fully hardy throughout the UK\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — first awarded 1932, reconfirmed 2002\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduced:\u003c\/strong\u003e Selected at Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire, by Major Lawrence Johnston\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants (P9, 2L and 5L available depending on season)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e From late April onwards when soil is warming. May is safer in the North\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e From April\/May, weather dependent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHidcote Lavender: The One Everyone Knows\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a reason Hidcote is the bestselling lavender in the country. The colour is deeper and richer than any other English lavender, a true imperial purple-blue that you notice from the other side of your garden. The flower spikes are taller and more upright than \u003ca href=\"\/products\/munstead-lavender-hedging-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eMunstead's\u003c\/a\u003e, giving a hedge or border that characteristic look — a low wall of silver foliage with purple spears standing to attention above it. The scent is strong, the bees love it, and the flowers dry beautifully for bags and bunches. If you have never grown lavender before but want the one you've seen in photographs of English gardens, this is it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHidcote flowers a couple of weeks later than Munstead, which is worth knowing if you're planting both — you get a longer season using them together, the paler blue opening first and the darker purple following on. It is fully hardy in the UK and will put up with (actually prefers) poor soil and handles exposed sites and coastal winds without complaint. Left unpruned it will eventually look like a bad centre parting, as all lavenders can, but an annual trim after flowering keeps it tight for years. (My eldest half-sister who was a great gardener bought her Hidcote from Ashridge in 2004 and it was still going strong and looking good when she died more than 10 years later - Ed.) The RHS has given it an Award of Garden Merit twice — in 1932 and again in 2002 — which says something about a plant that has been around for the best part of a century and still more than holds its own against all the newer introductions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe American Who Made English Gardens\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHidcote takes its name from Hidcote Manor Garden, near Chipping Campden in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds. The garden was created from bare fields starting in 1907 by Major Lawrence Johnston; one of the more unlikely figures in English horticulture. Born in Paris in 1871 to a wealthy American family, educated at Trinity College Cambridge, he became a naturalised British citizen, fought in the Boer War and both World Wars, and also spent forty years turning a windswept hilltop into what is now one of the most visited gardens in England. Johnston was a passionate plant collector who sponsored expeditions to China and South America, but his real genius was in design: the garden at Hidcote is laid out as a series of \"rooms\" divided by hedges, each one with a different character. It was the first garden-only property the National Trust accepted, in 1948, and the \"outdoor room\" idea that Johnston pioneered is now so widely used that we forget someone had to invent it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe lavender that carries the Hidcote name was one of Johnston's own selections from the garden — chosen for the depth of its colour and the compactness of its habit. It was awarded its first RHS AGM in 1932, when garden lavenders were far less numerous than they are now. Nearly a century later, with dozens of newer cultivars to compete against, it is still great.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting Companions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHidcote's deep purple is strong enough to anchor almost any planting combination. For a two-tone lavender hedge, alternate it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pink-rosea-english-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRosea\u003c\/a\u003e — the pale pink against the dark purple is a classic. Plant it in front of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/grosso-dutch-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGrosso\u003c\/a\u003e for a stepped effect, with the taller Dutch lavender's longer spikes rising behind. For a white-and-purple combination in a contemporary border, pair it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/edelweiss-white-dutch-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEdelweiss\u003c\/a\u003e. Beyond lavender, Hidcote sits beautifully with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rosemary-plants-rosmarinus-officinalis\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003erosemary\u003c\/a\u003e, with catmint tumbling at its feet, with old roses above it, or with nothing at all — a simple line of Hidcote along a warm stone path is hard to improve on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Use Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYour Hidcote lavender is grown here and sent to you when planting conditions are right. We deliver by next-day courier, and your plants come with our guarantee and friendly advice if you need it from real people in Somerset. Have a look at our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/english-lavandula-angustifolia-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEnglish lavender\u003c\/a\u003e collection or browse all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender plants\u003c\/a\u003e. We also hold a Feefo Platinum Service Award — which means a lot of our customers are happy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the best lavender for hedging in the UK?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn balance, probably Hidcote. It has the strongest colour contrast, holds its shape well with annual pruning, and is completely hardy. Planted at three per metre (33cm apart) you will have a solid hedge by the end of the first summer if you start with 2L pots, or by the second summer with P9s. More detail in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/how-to-grow-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender growing guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Havana lavender better than Hidcote?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey are very similar. \u003ca href=\"\/p\/lavender-plants\/havana-angustifolia\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHavana\u003c\/a\u003e is a newer Dutch-bred variety that has flowers of the same colour, at the same time, to about the same height. Some growers say its winter foliage stays neater. Both have the RHS AGM. Havana is fractionally more compact but here on the nursery we think Hidcote's summer foliage has the edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow Hidcote lavender in a pot?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course - all lavender does well in containers. Use a pot at least 30cm across with good drainage holes and a gritty, loam-based compost. Don't overfeed it — lavender flowers better when it's hungry. Full advice in our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/how-to-grow-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender growing guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow long does Hidcote lavender last?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA well-pruned Hidcote will look good for eight to ten years, sometimes longer on very free-draining soil. After that, plants tend to get woody and thin at the base. However when replacement time comes you can simply plant new plants where your old ones were - no worries about replant disease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes Hidcote lavender need full sun?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt needs as much sun as you can give it. A south-facing or west-facing position is ideal. In anything less than about six hours of direct sun, the flowers will be fewer, the colour less intense, and the plant more inclined to splay open. If your only available spot is partly shaded, you will get a plant that survives but never quite looks the way you hoped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen should I prune Hidcote lavender?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA light shape in early spring — late February to March — then a proper trim after flowering in late August or September. Our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/how-cut-back-lavender-plants-august-september\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender pruning guide\u003c\/a\u003e has the detail.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999210197318,"sku":"LAVAANGHID-P9","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54999210262854,"sku":"LAVAANGHID-2L","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 5 Litre Pot","offer_id":54999210230086,"sku":"LAVAANGHID-5L","price":29.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 30 x P9 Pots","offer_id":54999210295622,"sku":"LAVAANGHI-30 x p9","price":106.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 100 x P9 Pots","offer_id":54999210328390,"sku":"LAVAANGHI-100 x P9","price":345.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 7.5 Litre Pot","offer_id":56751617638726,"sku":"LAVAANGHID-7.5L","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/hidcote-lavender-plants-5-litre.jpg?v=1755634474"},{"product_id":"ralph-shugert-periwinkle-plants-vinca-minor","title":"Ralph Shugert Periwinkle Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eRalph Shugert Periwinkle Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Ralph Shugert Periwinkle' this violet blue flowering variety has a narrow cream margin around its leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/ground-cover-plants\"\u003eground cover plants\u003c\/a\u003e, or all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003eshrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eViolet-blue flowers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVariegated evergreen.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlowering: April-September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight x Spread: 20cm x 60cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTough, trample resistant ground cover \u0026amp; informal edging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrives in the shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnpalatable to rabbits \u0026amp; deer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Ralph Shugert Periwinkles\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for any well-drained soil, it prefers an element of shade to full sun, and will flourish less quickly in full shade which is ideal if you don't want it to spread too far. Mature plants in the shade are moderately drought tolerant, but they're shallow rooted and sensitive to drying out when young for their first couple of years, until they get big enough to shade the soil well by themselves so water them diligently during that time. Mature ones in full sun will need some watering during dry summer spells.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir roots aren't aggressive enough to be considered really invasive, but left unchecked, the stems tend to grow through and slowly smother small plants. It grows up to about 30cm high so only place in areas where there are taller plants than that.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999308468550,"sku":"SHRUVINMRAS-p9","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/ralph-shugert-periwinkle-flowers.jpg?v=1755466816"},{"product_id":"red-horse-chestnut-trees-aesculus-briottii","title":"Red Horse Chestnut Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eRed Horse Chestnut Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eRed Horse Chestnut\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eAesculus carnea Briottii\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a beautiful large tree (but smaller than a normal conker) and its flowers are red, pink and orange tutti-frutti coloured cones that contrast well with the handsome, dark green leaves. \u003cbr\u003eIt's a round headed tree that is ideal for avenue planting, reaching a height of about 15-20 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/large-garden-parkland-trees\"\u003elarge trees\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Red Horse Chestnut trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 15-20m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Specimen, parkland, avenue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Red, pink and orange flowers in May\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Red Horse Chestnut Trees\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey'll grow in any well drained soil, but aren't recommended for especially dry locations in the sense that they're quite drought tolerant as long as they're growing in fertile soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAesculus carnea Briottii is a hybrid of the European \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/horse-chestnut-conker-trees-aesculus-hippocastanum\"\u003eCommon Horse Chestnut\u003c\/a\u003e and an American chestnut known as Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia. To the best of our knowledge, it was bred in France in 1858.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey typically will not flower for up to about four or five years after planting, perhaps longer in less than ideal conditions, so do not be concerned about that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandard trees\u003c\/strong\u003e are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species. \u003cbr\u003eSo, a 6\/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8\/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height. \u003cbr\u003eOn average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 6\/8cm Girth","offer_id":54999311286598,"sku":"AESCCARBRST-6\/8","price":119.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 8\/10cm Girth","offer_id":54999311319366,"sku":"AESCCARBRST-8\/10","price":159.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/red-horse-chestnut-tree-aesculus-carnea-briottii-2a.jpg?v=1755634707"},{"product_id":"red-oak-trees-quercus-rubra","title":"Red Oak Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eRed Oak Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe\u003cstrong\u003e Red Oak tree\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eQuercus rubra\u003c\/strong\u003e, is a magnificent ornamental specimen, growing rapidly on fertile, sunny sites. Mature trees tend to grow into a broad, irregular lollipop shape, with a clear trunk of about 8-10 metres, topped by a wide, rounded canopy. Quercus rubra's blood-red autumn colour is second to none and the pale new leaves are a good counterpoint in spring. \u003cbr\u003eThey can reach a height of about 20-28 metres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy younger \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/red-oak-sapling-plants-quercus-rubra\"\u003eRed Oak saplings\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/oak-trees-quercus\"\u003eOak tree varieties\u003c\/a\u003e, or all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-trees-big-standards\"\u003etrees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Oak trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: 20-28m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrange-red or scarlet Autumn colour (best on a fertile, sunny site)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Oaks\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey thrive best and produce the most wonderful Autumn colour on fertile soil in a sunny location, but in general aren't fussy and will grow anywhere with decent drainage and over half a day of sun. \u003cbr\u003eIt's hardy, wind-resistant, and suitable for roadside planting in polluted areas. Drought tolerant when well established.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is native to the East Coast of North America, up to Nova Scotia, and was introduced to Europe and Britain in the 1720's. It is a good timber tree for quality indoor furniture and structural elements of houses, though it isn't used much for outdoor items because the open grain isn't very water-resistant. It makes good firewood. Pigs and deer will eat the acorns. \u003cbr\u003eThis tree's maximum height is not certain: almost all the old Red Oak trees in America were felled by the settlers, leaving only the really gnarled, misshapen trees that weren't useful for timber. One of the biggest specimens in the UK was at Cowdray Park in Sussex, measured at 34 metres tall 1984.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOld botanical Names:\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eQuercus borealis, Quercus digitata. \u003cbr\u003eOther Common Names:\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003eRed Oak, Champion Oak, Northern Red Oak\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandard trees\u003c\/strong\u003e are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species. \u003cbr\u003eSo, a 6\/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8\/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height. \u003cbr\u003eOn average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 6\/8cm Girth","offer_id":54999312924998,"sku":"QUERRUBST-6\/8","price":89.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/red-oak-mature-tree-autumn.jpg?v=1755634710"},{"product_id":"rosyjane-gaura-plants-oenothera-lindheimeri","title":"Rosy Jane Gaura Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eRosy Jane Gaura Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe deep pink buds open to white flowers with a pink edge and a lovely long season from May to Autumn. To 90cm x 60cm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for the front of border, and containers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/perennial-plants\"\u003eperennial plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeciduous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStar shaped, white flowers with pink margins.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlooms May-October\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardiness H4\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo 90cm x 60cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Gaura Rosy Jane\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey prefer full sun, but will tolerate light shade without affecting the flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey thrive on any well drained soil: like many other plants that are drought tolerant, they still need consistent moisture during the growing season to flower at full capacity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts plant breeders' rights registration code Harrosy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGaura is the old classification, the official genus name is now Oenothera.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999319511366,"sku":"PEREGAUROJ-p9","price":6.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/rosy-jane-gaura-flowers.jpg?v=1755466818"},{"product_id":"sheerwater-seedling-rowan-trees-sorbus-aucuparia","title":"Sheerwater Seedling Rowan Trees","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSheerwater Seedling Rowan Trees\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSorbus aucuparia Sheerwater Seedling\u003c\/strong\u003e is a small but vigorous native Rowan with a long season of decorative value, naturally forming a neat oval crown without pruning. \u003cbr\u003eClumps of small white flowers that look furry from a distance appear in May: bees love them. By late summer, these develop into large bunches of brilliant red-orange berries which become a major food source for birds, especially blackbirds and thrushes. \u003cbr\u003eIt has an excellent autumn finale. By October, the leaves are turning into a rich mass of colour with the shiny berries drawing all the greens, yellows and blazing reds into one visual feast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for the smaller garden, it can reach a height of about 10 metres, or approximately 4 metres as a half standard, and no more than 4-5 wide when fully mature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStandard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/mountain-ash-rowan-sapling-plants-sorbus-aucuparia\"\u003enative Mountain Ash saplings\u003c\/a\u003e. \u003cbr\u003eBrowse all of our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/rowan-whitebeam-trees-sorbus\"\u003evarieties of Rowan \/ Mountain Ash trees\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDelivery season:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rowan trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing a size:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: Upright and compact to 10m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite flowers. Bright red berries. Great autumn colour.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well drained, dislikes heavy clay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Specimen, small garden, large container, avenue, urban\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBareroot delivery only: November-March\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Sheerwater Seedling Rowans\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAny well drained soil, thrives on poor soil in full sun or partial shade. Happy on chalk, dislikes heavy clay. Drought tolerant when established. Suitable for large containers designed for trees. Very tolerant of pollution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf the birds don't get them first, the berries can be cooked, usually into jelly, although we recommend \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/edulis-rowan-trees-sorbus-aucuparia\"\u003eEdulis\u003c\/a\u003e for its sweeter fruit if you plan to harvest them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis variety was found beside a stream in Sheerwater near Woking. Rowland Jackman (1902-1976), manager of Jackman Nursery, brought it to market around 1950. Jackman's were one of the top clematis breeders in the mid 1800's, producing the C. x jackmanii hybrids, which now have close to a hundred cultivars, including Barbara Jackman, which Rowland bred for his wife.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRowans are native to Britain and northern Europe. They were revered by ancient Scottish tribes, who called the rowan the Lady of the Mountain and it was taboo to cut them down for firewood. This was out of both awe and practical concerns: they can grow on barren, rocky mountain peaks where no other British trees will survive and the berries were an essential source of vitamin C. Some historians believe that the red lines on a kilt symbolise Rowan berries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandard trees\u003c\/strong\u003e are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species.\u003cbr\u003eSo, a 6\/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8\/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height.\u003cbr\u003eOn average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Bareroot \/ 200\/250cm","offer_id":54999356277062,"sku":"SORBAUCSHSEST-200\/250","price":79.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 6\/8cm Girth","offer_id":54999356211526,"sku":"SORBAUCSHESEST-6\/8","price":89.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Bareroot \/ 8\/10cm Girth","offer_id":54999356244294,"sku":"SORBAUCSHESEST-8\/10","price":159.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 12L","offer_id":56264719335750,"sku":"SORBAUCSHESEST-12L","price":89.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/sheerwater-seedling-rowan-berries-autumn-2.jpg?v=1755634758"},{"product_id":"sweet-box-plants-sarcococca-confusa","title":"Sweet Box Hedge Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSweet Box Hedge Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Sweet Box' this slow-growing, low maintenance, shade-tolerant evergreen winter-flowering shrub is a great all-rounder and fantastic for problem areas of the garden, or the shrub layer of woodland planting schemes. It has long, glossy, dark green leaves that clip fairly well into a low ornamental hedge up to about 1 metre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe flowers in winter are small, white, and partially hidden by the leaves, but their strong, sweet, vanilla scent is a joy around the garden at a time when there isn't much else going on. If you don't clip them off, these mature into beautiful black fruit nestled at the base of the dark leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eView our selection of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/evergreen-hedging-plants\"\u003eevergreen hedging\u003c\/a\u003e, or our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003egarden shrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSweet Box bushes are \u003cstrong\u003eonly delivered pot-grown\u003c\/strong\u003e, year round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: Slow growing to 2m (best kept under 1m as a hedge)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: Any well drained. Great for dry and damp shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Low evergreen hedging, urban or as a bush in a more informal garden\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Small, vanilla scented, white flowers in Dec-Feb\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAcceptable alternative to Buxus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePot grown delivery only\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Sweet Box\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExceptionally shade-tolerant, it'll grow (slowly) in an alley with no direct sun at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for any well-drained soil, it's drought tolerant when established, especially if you work in plenty of organic matter before planting and mulch in spring. It's a bit more demanding in full sun, where it needs shelter from the wind, and a consistently moist soil; the leaves will be more yellow than the deep green they're in shade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTrim after flowering, in late Winter or early Spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing a Sweet Box hedge: \u003c\/strong\u003ePlant at 5 per metre, 20cm apart, in a single row for an immediate hedge. If you aren't in a hurry, plant at 3 per metre and in a few years the root suckers will fill it up nicely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese are fabulous features in any garden and are ideal for winter gardens. They're excellent used in the same way you would use standard box hedging to define borders and edges. TV presenter and gardener Monty Don uses box to create a clear space around a climbing vegetable such as a runner bean, squash or pea planted around a sturdy frame. You could also plant sweet peas in the middle of a box-defined square, just making sure you have space to climb or reach over the hedge to pick them. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/hydrangea-plants\"\u003eHydrangeas\u003c\/a\u003e would make an excellent backdrop to the hedge allowed to grow to its full height and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/snowdrop-bulbs\"\u003esnowdrops\u003c\/a\u003e would look fabulous underneath in winter, and help define the white flowers of the box. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/ornamental-grass-plants\"\u003eOrnamental grasses\u003c\/a\u003e also look good paired with box, softening the rigidity of a topiary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNative to China and the Himalayas, it is also known as Christmas box, and is in the same family as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/box-hedge-plants-buxus-sempervirens\"\u003eBuxus, Common Box\u003c\/a\u003e. It is popular with flower arrangers in winter, as it brings a lovely fragrance into the house\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54999436132678,"sku":"SARCCON-2L","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/sweet-box-flowers-sarcococca-confusa-1.jpg?v=1755543230"},{"product_id":"vera-dutch-lavender-plants","title":"Vera Dutch Lavender Plants","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vera\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lavandula × intermedia (Dutch lavender \/ Lavandin)\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour:\u003c\/strong\u003e Violet-blue — softer and more washed-out than Grosso, closer to a faded denim\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFoliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Evergreen, aromatic, broad silvery-grey leaves — noticeably wider than other lavenders\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Around 110cm (44in)\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90–100cm\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e July to August, roughly three weeks after English lavenders\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScent:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sweet for a Lavandin, with less camphor than Grosso — closer to English lavender in character but still not quite the same\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fully hardy throughout the UK\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduced:\u003c\/strong\u003e One of the oldest Lavandin cultivars, grown commercially in Provence since at least the 1930s\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants (P9 \u0026amp; 2L available depending on season)\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e From late April in the south. May is safer in northern and exposed gardens\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e From April\/May, weather dependent\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eVera: A Small Name for the Tallest Lavender\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVera is the big one. At around 110cm when established, she is taller than any other lavender in our range, including \u003ca href=\"\/products\/grosso-dutch-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGrosso\u003c\/a\u003e, and has a presence in the garden that compact English varieties simply cannot match. The flower spikes are long and loose, held on stems that rise well above a broad mound of silvery foliage, and the whole plant has a wild, slightly unkempt character that looks more like something you would find on a hillside in the Drôme than in a tidy suburban border. That is either its great appeal or a reason to choose something else altogether as this is not a lavender for the tidy garden.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scent is interesting. Vera's sweeter and less camphor-heavy than Grosso's, and before Grosso came along in the 1970s, Vera was the main commercial Lavandin grown across southern France. Some growers still prefer its fragrance. Unfortunately, the lower yields per hectare did Vera in commercially. In a garden, though, oil yield is not something we Brits worry about. What you get is a tall, structural lavender with a scent that sits somewhere between the sweetness of English lavender and the punch of modern Lavandins. By the way plants this tall can look a bit leggy in their first year. Vera is no exception, but give it two seasons and a good August prune, and it fills out properly.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Original Lavandin\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVera has a claim to being the oldest named Lavandin cultivar. The word \"vera\" means \"true\" in Latin, and for decades, this was simply what people meant when they said \"Lavandin\" — the true one, the original natural hybrid between English lavender and Spike lavender. It was growing in the fields around Grasse and the Vaucluse long before anyone thought to select improved varieties. When Pierre Grosso found his famous seedlings in 1972, it was Vera (along with an even older cultivar called Abrialis) that they replaced. Vera lost the yield battle, but it never disappeared entirely. Small distillers in Provence still grow it for what they consider a more refined oil, and it persists in old gardens across the south of France where nobody has bothered to dig it up — which, for a plant, is about the best compliment there is.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting Companions\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA row of \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hidcote-english-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHidcote\u003c\/a\u003e along the front of a border with Vera rising behind it gives you a stepped wall of lavender — deep purple at knee height, softer violet-blue at waist height. The colour contrast works well, and you get the English lavender flowering first before Vera picks up the display in mid-July. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rosemary-plants-rosmarinus-officinalis\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eRosemary\u003c\/a\u003e is an obvious neighbour, reaching a similar height and sharing the same appetite for sun and sharp drainage. Stipa gigantea or tall Verbena bonariensis planted alongside will lean into Vera's wild, naturalistic character. If you want a tall white Lavandin to alternate with, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/edelweiss-white-dutch-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEdelweiss\u003c\/a\u003e is the one, though it tops out about 30cm shorter — so expect a gentle slope rather than a level hedge line.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Trust Ashridge?\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYour Vera lavender is grown right here in the UK and dispatched when soil temperatures are right for planting. We deliver by next-day courier, every plant is guaranteed, and the gardeners in our Somerset office are always available if you need advice — real people who actually pick up the phone. Have a look at our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender collection\u003c\/a\u003e or browse the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/dutch-lavandin-lavandula-intermedia-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDutch lavender\u003c\/a\u003e range specifically. We are also a Which? Best Buy (sounds a bit smug?).\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/garden-plants\/how-to-grow-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eguide to growing lavender\u003c\/a\u003e covers the full picture. These are the questions we hear most about Vera.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the difference between English and French lavender?\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnglish lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the hardy, sweet-scented sub-species that includes Hidcote and Munstead. French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) has those distinctive \"ears\" on top of each flower head and needs more shelter — it can struggle through a wet British winter. Vera is neither. It is a Lavandin (Lavandula × intermedia), a natural hybrid between English lavender and Spike lavender, giving it the hardiness of the English parent with the size and vigour of the wild Mediterranean one.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich lavender smells the strongest?\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrosso, without question, if you mean raw scent intensity. Vera's fragrance is noticeable but mellower — sweeter, with less of the camphor kick that Lavandins are known for. Some noses prefer it. If you want the strongest scent from the smallest space, though, Grosso or even Hidcote (which packs a lot of fragrance into a compact plant) will outperform Vera on a per-stem basis. Vera's advantage is volume. A lot of stems on a big plant adds up.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCan lavender grow in clay soil?\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith effort, sometimes. Lavender needs drainage above almost everything else, and heavy clay holds water around the roots in winter, which is usually what kills it. If your soil is clay, dig in plenty of grit — not a polite handful, but enough to change the texture of the planting hole. Raised beds or mounding the soil up 15–20cm also helps. On truly waterlogged clay, we would steer you towards something that actually enjoys wet feet. Lavender does not.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant Vera for a hedge?\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbout 60cm (two feet) apart. Vera is the widest lavender we sell, so it needs more room than English varieties, which go in at 33cm spacing. Even at 60cm you will have a filled-in hedge by the second or third summer from 2L plants. The result is tall, loose and informal rather than crisp and clipped — more of a lavender wall than a tidy box-style hedge. Accept that and it is magnificent.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs lavender deer-resistant?\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePretty much. Deer tend to avoid aromatic plants, and lavender's essential oils make it unappealing to most browsing animals. We have never had a customer report deer damage on any lavender variety, Vera included. Rabbits are pretty much the same, but they might occasionally nibble a young plant.\n\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999494459718,"sku":"LAVAINTVE-P9","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54999494492486,"sku":"LAVAINTVE-3L","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":54999494525254,"sku":"LAVAINTVE-2L","price":11.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/vera-lavender-flowers-1.jpg?v=1755543246"},{"product_id":"walkers-low-catmint-plants-nepeta-faasenii","title":"Walker's Low Catmint Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWalker's Low Catmint Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Walker' long flowering, easy to grow, ideal beside right paths where you will tread on stray stems and brush past the leaves, releasing their aroma.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/perennial-plants\"\u003eperennial plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Mauve flower spikes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlowering: June-September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFoliage: silvery green and aromatic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight x Spread: 60cm x 60cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePosition: full sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSoil: moist but well-drained\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Award of Garden Merit\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cottage-garden classic that's most at home in a sunny border or gravel garden. To thrive it needs a warm spot in moist, well-drained soil, although it'll cope with light, dappled shade. Dig in some well-rotted garden compost when planting – in all but heavy clay – and keep well watered until established. Once it's settled in, it's pretty drought resistant. It might need a bit of brushwood for support towards mid-spring - put your sticks in before the plant gets too large and unwieldy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrune back after the first flowering in June to keep the shape neat, and to encourage more flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA tried-and-tested planting of roses (pale or dark pink work wonderfully) with nepeta is a timeless classic. Or combine with other sun-loving perennials such as Eryngiums, Campanulas, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/lambs-ear-plants-stachys-byzantina\"\u003eStachys\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/lavender-plants\"\u003eLavender\u003c\/a\u003e for a glorious drought-tolerant south-facing border in cool blues and silvers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's thought that the name Nepeta comes from the Latin for various aromatic plants that included catmint. It may have been named after the city of Nepeta (now known as Nepi), north of Rome, recognized before the rise of Rome as the centre of Etruscan civilisation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999501996358,"sku":"PERENEPWALO-P9","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/walkers-low-catmint-flowers-with-bee.jpg?v=1757942695"},{"product_id":"whirling-butterflies-gaura-plants-oenothera-lindheimeri","title":"Whirling Butterflies Gaura Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWhirling Butterflies Gaura Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGaura add wonderful texture to gardens with their airy arrangement of dancing flowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn full bloom, these four-petaled flowers create a stunning whirligig effect of butterflies fluttering about the plant's reddish stems and attract pollinators too (including hummingbirds, where available). The deep pink buds open to white flowers which last through from May to Autumn. To 75cm x 50cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our full range of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/perennial-plants\"\u003eperennial plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeciduous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStar shaped, white flowers with long anthers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlooms May-September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardiness H4\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFull Sun\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTo 75cm x 50cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeer and rabbit resistant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRHS Plants for Pollinators\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Gaura Whirling Butterflies\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike many plants with a long tap root, they're drought tolerant and love well-drained soil in full sun, which keeps their stems upright and blooming well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey like consistent moisture during the growing season to flower at full capacity, but soggy winter conditions may cause root rot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut them back once per year, after their first flowering wave to encourage more flowers further.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClassic cottage garden fare, with a more contemporary prairie scheme appeal as well. Since this variety is quite small, they also work in containers - go for a Great Dixter style pot display by planting singly in one pot alongside other similarly planted containers. Perfect companion plants for these are those suit similar sunny conditions: try pairing with phlox, peonies, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/salvia-plants-ornamental-sage\"\u003esalvias\u003c\/a\u003e, eryngium, echinacea, lime green nicotiana, reed grass and star-shaped dahlias.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGaura is the old classification, the official genus name is now Oenothera. They are in the Onagraceae family, cousins of Fuchsias and Evening Primroses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey hail from the Americas.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999503831366,"sku":"PEREGAUWHB-p9","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 2 Litre","offer_id":56795824750918,"sku":"PEREGAUWHB-2L","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 5 Litre","offer_id":56819967656262,"sku":"PEREGAUWHB-5L","price":25.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"Potted \/ 7.5 Litre","offer_id":56819982008646,"sku":"PEREGAUWHB-7.5L","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/5-litre-potted-gaura-whirling-butterflies.webp?v=1781608444"},{"product_id":"white-periwinkle-plants-vinca-minor-alba","title":"White Periwinkle Plants","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWhite Periwinkle Plants\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVinca 'Alba' is similar in bloom to the other lovely white periwinkle Vinca 'Gertrude Jekyll'. However, it flowers a little earlier, in early as opposed to mid-spring, and continues blooming until early summer. It's a minor miracle in that it's great for shady areas. It creates long shoots which produce small ovate, evergreen leaves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse our other \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/ground-cover-plants\"\u003eground cover plants\u003c\/a\u003e, or all of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/garden-shrubs\"\u003eshrubs\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhite flowers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvergreen leaves.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlowering: March-Apr\/May\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight x Spread: 15 x 50cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTough, trample resistant ground cover \u0026amp; informal edging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrives in the shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnpalatable to rabbits \u0026amp; deer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Vinca minor Alba\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for any well-drained soil, it prefers an element of shade to full sun, and will flourish less quickly in full shade which is ideal if you don't want it to spread too far. Mature plants in the shade are moderately drought tolerant, but they're shallow rooted and sensitive to drying out when young for their first couple of years, until they get big enough to shade the soil well by themselves so water them diligently during that time. Mature ones in full sun will need some watering during dry summer spells.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir roots aren't aggressive enough to be considered really invasive, but left unchecked, the stems tend to grow through and slowly smother small plants. It grows up to about 30cm high so only place in areas where there are taller plants than that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVinca 'Alba' is less prone to spreading than some of its cousins, but it's still an excellent choice for groundcover in that difficult shady spot and looks lovely with its attractive white flowers. Grow alongside hedges and trees and with hardy ferns such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/shaggy-wood-fern-plants-dryopteris-atrata\"\u003edryopteris\u003c\/a\u003e. They also pair well with hellebores and hostas, and are excellent at covering up dead foliage. The colour always adds an illusion of light to shady areas so pair with other white flowering plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the French Revolution was raging in Europe, the great English poet William Wordsworth penned his poem \"Lines Written in Early Spring\" which he published in \u003cem\u003eLyrical Ballads\u003c\/em\u003e, a volume of poetry which he put together with his friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge. The poem ponders the beauty of nature and misery of mankind, and how we wreak havoc on each other. In it, the periwinkle shines as a natural glory:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\"I heard a thousand blended notes, \u003cbr\u003eWhile in a grove I sate reclined, \u003cbr\u003eIn that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts \u003cbr\u003eBring sad thoughts to the mind.\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003eTo her fair works did Nature link \u003cbr\u003eThe human soul that through me ran; \u003cbr\u003eAnd much it grieved my heart to think \u003cbr\u003eWhat man has made of man.\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003eThrough primrose tufts, in that green bower, \u003cbr\u003eThe periwinkle trailed its wreaths; \u003cbr\u003eAnd btis my faith that every flower \u003cbr\u003eEnjoys the air it breathes...\"\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":54999505797446,"sku":"SHRUVINCALB-p9","price":5.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/vinca-alba-small-white-periwinkle-flowers.jpg?v=1755543250"},{"product_id":"yellow-wall-virginia-creeper-plants","title":"Yellow Wall Virginia Creeper","description":"\u003ch2\u003eYellow Wall Virginia Creeper\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet your house aglow this autumn with sunny shades of \u003cstrong\u003eParthenocissus quinquefolia Yellow Wall\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Virginia creeper with alternative late-season colouring. It's perfectly named - instead of red, the chartreuse green summer foliage matures into bright golden yellow hues, lightening up the garden at a time of year when you need it.\u003cbr\u003eWe also have plain \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/virginia-creeper-plants-parthenocissus-quinquefolia\"\u003eVirginia Creeper\u003c\/a\u003e and the closely related \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/chinese-creeper-plants-parthenocissus-henryana\"\u003eChinese Creeper\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003eBrowse all our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/climbing-plants\"\u003eclimbers\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYellow Wall's attractive five-lobed leaves are joined by tiny white-green flowers in summer and blue-black fruit if it's been hot. This creeper is \u003cstrong\u003eself-supporting\u003c\/strong\u003e, holding onto walls with tendrils tipped with adhesive pads. If you want to cover up a wall or fence quickly, it's a great choice, and it's effective ground cover too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse: Self-supporting Climber or Ground Cover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeaf Colour: Chartreuse green in summer, yellow in autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHeight: Vigorous to 15m x 8m.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlowering: June to July.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColour: Inconspicuous, greenish-white.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScent: None.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFruit: Blue-black.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHardy, deciduous.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVery easy to grow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Parthenocissus quinquefolia Yellow Wall\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis creeper gets huge fast, up to 15m with a spread of 8m after 5-10 years, so be sure you have the space for it. It cannot damage sound structures, but be forewarned that if you want to remove it in the future, it can take paint off in the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt'll tolerate all fertile, well-drained soil types, full shade to full sun and any exposure and aspect; you'll get the best autumn colour in the shade. If you live in one of the drier areas of the country near the coast, it can withstand salt-laden winds and is drought-tolerant when established. It's also hardy in an average winter (RHS H4, -5C to -10C).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf allowed to grow up trees, it can damage them with its sheer weight and shade them out, so remove a chunk of it every year to keep it under control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVirginia Creepers all have extensive root systems, making them a chore to get rid of once mature and spread over an area (this quality also makes them good as ground cover). The Royal Horticultural Society advises gardeners to take great care with planting, management and disposing of waste plant material, which may root elsewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePruning in early winter is important, especially around gutters, or vulnerable wooden window frames and roofs to prevent the plant from getting out of hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Design Ideas\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vine can be used as a shading plant for buildings to help keep them cool in summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe golden leaves form a wonderful backdrop for the late summer garden, especially when contrasting shrubs and herbaceous perennials are planted in front of it. Think purple-leaved Cotinus coggygria, asters, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/products\/little-gold-star-rudbeckia-fulgida-plants\"\u003eRudbeckia \u003c\/a\u003eand Echinacea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey're good in the wildlife garden, as the berries are a winter food source for birds, and an old tangle of vines provides good nesting sites.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistory \u0026amp; Trivia\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYellow Wall was bred by renowned Polish clematis and climber specialist Szczepan MarczyEski in 2011. His plants are known for their tough, easy-going nature and disease resistance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may find it listed as Vitis quinquefolia, Vitis being a vine, as it's a member of the grape family. Other common names include Victoria creeper, five-leaved ivy or five-finger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's native to eastern and central North America, eastern Mexico and Guatemala.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParthenocissus comes from the Greek for 'virgin ivy' but it's not closely related to the true ivies (Hedera). Quinquefolia translates as 'five-leaved'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sap contains needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate which can cause irritation to some people's skin. Likewise, the berries contain oxalic acid which is toxic to humans.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ 3 Litre","offer_id":54999513661766,"sku":"PARTQUIYELWA-3L","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/yellow-wall-virginia-creeper-leaves-1.jpg?v=1755543263"},{"product_id":"mixed-english-lavender-plants-hedge-pack","title":"Mixed Lavender Hedge Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003eA ready-made colour scheme for a low lavender hedge: six plants, three classic colours, all from proven garden varieties. About two metres of finished hedge if you plant at the standard three-per-metre spacing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMixed English Lavender Hedge Pack: Three Colours, One Hedge\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery pack is a balanced blend of blue, pink, and white English lavenders. We choose the exact names, not you, and the selection shifts a little with what's growing best at the nursery in any given season. You can expect to find \u003ca href=\"\/products\/hidcote-english-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eHidcote\u003c\/a\u003e or Munstead for the deep purple-blue, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/loddon-pink-english-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLoddon Pink\u003c\/a\u003e or Rosea for the pink, and Arctic Snow or \u003ca href=\"\/products\/edelweiss-white-dutch-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEdelweiss\u003c\/a\u003e for the white. Whatever the mix on the day, every plant is a hardy proven variety that should go on flowering for ten years or more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy a Mixed Hedge Reads Better than a Single Variety\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA long block of one lavender variety reads, frankly, like a furniture catalogue. Three colours alternated give the line rhythm: the eye moves along it instead of glazing over. The flower spikes don't all rise at exactly the same height, the silvery-grey foliage holds the whole thing together visually in winter, and the bee traffic is more interesting because different bees prefer different colours. We grow a six-plant mixed run in front of the office and it's been the best lavender we've planted, despite having no business being so.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePlanting Companions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor the front of the hedge, low Mediterranean herbs work beautifully: \u003ca href=\"\/products\/rosemary-plants-rosmarinus-officinalis\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003erosemary\u003c\/a\u003e, thyme, and creeping savory all share lavender's love of poor, well-drained soil and full sun. Catmint (Nepeta) is the classic skirt for a lavender hedge if you want something softer at the base. Behind the hedge almost any rose works; the silvery foliage flatters everything from soft creams to deep crimsons. Stipa tenuissima, the long-haired feather grass, gives a contemporary alternative to catmint and reads well against the lavender's vertical flower spikes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYour lavender plants are grown here and dispatched only when planting conditions are right. We deliver by next-day courier, and your plants come with our guarantee and friendly advice if you need it from real people in Somerset. Have a look at our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/english-lavandula-angustifolia-lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEnglish lavender\u003c\/a\u003e collection or browse all our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender plants\u003c\/a\u003e. We are a Which? Best Plant Supplier, not that we like to go on about it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich lavenders come in the mixed hedge pack?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach pack is a balanced blend of three classic colours: a deep purple-blue, a soft pink, and a clean white. We select which variety fills each slot from what's flowering and growing best at the nursery. Typically Hidcote or Munstead for the blue, Loddon Pink or Rosea for the pink, and Arctic Snow or Edelweiss for the white. You don't choose; we do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow far apart should I plant lavender for a hedge?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant lavenders at three per metre, about 33cm apart in a single row. The six-plant pack gives you roughly two metres of hedge; the 36-plant pack gives you about twelve metres. Alternate the colours along the line so the same colour never sits next to itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill all the lavenders in the pack flower together?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of them will, but not exactly. Munstead-type lavenders open about a fortnight earlier than Hidcote-types, so the hedge often starts with a wave of blue, then catches up over June and into July. Pink and white varieties tend to bloom alongside the Hidcote-types. The hedge looks at its fullest in mid-July when everything is in flower at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen is the best time to plant a lavender hedge in the UK?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant from late April onwards when the soil is warming. May is safer in the North. Lavender hates being planted into cold wet ground; it sulks for months and sometimes never recovers. There's no rush. Plants set out in May or even June will romp away and catch up with anything planted earlier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs a mixed lavender hedge good for bees?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMixed lavender hedges are exceptional for bees and other pollinators. Lavandula angustifolia is on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list, and a six-metre run in three colours will be working from June until late August. Different bee species favour different flower forms, so the mix attracts a slightly wider range of visitors than a single-variety hedge would.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"6 x P9 Pots","offer_id":55003556315462,"sku":"LAVAHEDGE3-PK","price":23.65,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"36 x P9 Pots","offer_id":55003556348230,"sku":"LAVAHEDGE3-36PK","price":123.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/mixed-lavender-collection-pink-white-blue.jpg?v=1755543124"},{"product_id":"achillea-love-parade-plants","title":"Achillea Love Parade","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Love Parade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Achillea millefolium 'Love Parade'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Herbaceous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pale pink flat-headed corymbs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60cm (2ft)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60cm (2ft)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e June–August\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fully Hardy (H7)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut back after flowering for a second flush; cut to ground in autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring or early summer, in well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring and summer. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAchillea millefolium 'Love Parade' is a pale pink yarrow with flat-headed flower corymbs over feathery grey-green foliage, reaching 60cm in flower. It blooms from June through August, tolerates poor dry soil and drought once established, and is one of the better pink millefoliums for holding its colour without fading to white in the sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eLove Parade: Yarrow That Stays Pink\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAchillea millefolium cultivars vary a good deal in colour stability — some start pink and quickly bleach to near-white in warm weather. Love Parade holds its pale pink rather better than most, which is the main reason to choose it over the straight species. The flower heads are the characteristic flat-topped corymbs of yarrow, appearing from June, and each one is composed of dozens of tiny individual florets that are excellent for pollinators — bees work them for weeks. The foliage is the finely divided, fern-like grey-green that gives yarrow its common name (Achillea is native to Britain and the feathery leaves were supposedly used to staunch wounds). Cut the spent flower heads off once they fade and you will generally get a second, smaller flush in late summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYarrow is one of the most drought-tolerant border perennials available. Once established, Love Parade asks for almost nothing — poor, well-drained soil, full sun, and the occasional haircut. Heavy, rich, or wet soils produce lush growth and floppy stems; poor soil keeps it compact and upright. It spreads steadily by rhizomes and can be divided every three or four years to maintain vigour and to increase stock. For naturalistic or low-maintenance plantings it is hard to fault.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompanions for Love Parade\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYarrow belongs in the naturalistic border — the prairie or meadow style — where its flat flower-heads create a horizontal layer that contrasts with upright or airy forms. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/centaurea-montana-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCentaurea montana\u003c\/a\u003e flowers earlier in May and June with rich blue thistle-like flowers, and the two planted together give successive waves of colour through summer. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/echinacea-white-swan-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEchinacea White Swan\u003c\/a\u003e follows later in July and August with daisy forms that complement the flat achillea heads. For a strongly pink-and-blue combination, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/caradonna-salvia-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCaradonna salvia\u003c\/a\u003e makes an excellent vertical spike against the horizontal achillea plate. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender collection\u003c\/a\u003e offers the same sun-and-drought requirements and silver foliage that sets off the pale pink.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe use peat-free compost and biological pest controls throughout. Achillea is among the most generous and unfussy perennials you can plant — we stock it with confidence in almost any sunny spot. Every plant is guaranteed. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/perennial-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eperennial range\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes Achillea Love Parade spread?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, steadily, by underground rhizomes. This is generally useful for filling gaps in a border, and the plant rarely becomes a problem. Divide every three to four years in spring to keep it vigorous and to prevent the centre of the clump becoming woody and bare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow Achillea Love Parade in clay soil?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt copes with clay if the drainage is reasonable, but it does best in free-draining or even poor soil. Heavy clay that stays wet in winter leads to root rot and short-lived plants. If your clay is heavy, plant on a slight mound or incorporate grit at planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy are my achillea flowers fading to white?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll pink achillea millefolium cultivars fade to some degree in full sun and high temperatures — it is in the nature of the pigment. Love Parade holds its colour better than many, but some fading in midsummer is normal. Cut the faded heads off promptly and the new flush tends to come in a cleaner pink in cooler late-summer conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the difference between Achillea Love Parade and Summer Pastels?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLove Parade is a single-colour selection — pale pink. Summer Pastels is a seed-raised mix producing plants in a range of pastel colours including pink, salmon, lilac, cream, and yellow. Love Parade gives you a consistent pure-pink planting; Summer Pastels gives you a mixed palette with natural variation across the clump.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs achillea good for bees?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — yarrow is one of the best perennials for pollinators. The flat corymbs provide landing platforms for a wide range of bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. Each individual flower head is composed of dozens of small florets, providing substantial quantities of nectar over a long season.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56371951960390,"sku":"PEREACHMILLOPA-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/close-up-achillea-flowers.webp?v=1776341604"},{"product_id":"achillea-summer-pastels-plants","title":"Achillea Summer Pastels","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Summer Pastels\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Achillea millefolium 'Summer Pastels'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Herbaceous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mixed pastels — pink, salmon, lilac, cream, yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60cm (2ft)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45cm (18in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e June–August\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fully Hardy (H7)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut back after flowering for a second flush; cut to ground in autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring or early summer, in well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring and summer. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAchillea millefolium 'Summer Pastels' is a seed-raised yarrow producing flat-headed flower corymbs in a soft mixed palette — pink, salmon, lilac, cream, and pale yellow — over feathery grey-green foliage at about 60cm. The colour mix varies from plant to plant, which is part of the appeal for naturalistic planting schemes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSummer Pastels: A Mixed Palette That Plants Itself\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSummer Pastels is not a fixed variety in the way a vegetatively propagated cultivar is — it is a seed-raised selection bred for soft, muted colours, and the individual plants in a batch will differ from one another. Some will be pale pink, others cream or lilac, a few a warm salmon. This is not inconsistency; it is the point. Planted as a group of three or five, Summer Pastels gives you the kind of naturally varied, softly harmonious colour that takes skill to achieve with single-colour varieties, without any effort at all on your part. The flat corymbs appear from June and run into August, and are outstanding for pollinators. Cut back after the first flush for a second, smaller wave in September.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike all achillea millefolium cultivars, Summer Pastels is drought-tolerant, fully hardy, and happiest in full sun on well-drained or even poor soil. Rich soil produces floppy, over-vigorous growth and diminished flowering. It spreads steadily by rhizomes and can be divided every few years. For a meadow-style border, a gravel garden, or a low-maintenance sunny bed, it is one of the most reliable perennials available at any price.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompanions for Summer Pastels\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe soft mixed palette of Summer Pastels works particularly well in naturalistic combinations. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/centaurea-montana-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCentaurea montana\u003c\/a\u003e adds blue earlier in the season and its cut-and-come-again habit means it is still producing flowers when Summer Pastels comes into bloom. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-love-parade-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eLove Parade\u003c\/a\u003e, the single-colour pale pink, makes a coherent pairing that bridges the single-variety and mixed-planting approaches. For vertical contrast, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/caradonna-salvia-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCaradonna salvia\u003c\/a\u003e provides deep violet spikes that sit beautifully behind the horizontal achillea plates. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ornamental-grass-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eornamental grasses\u003c\/a\u003e are excellent companions in a naturalistic scheme — their movement and transparency contrast with the solid flat flower heads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe use peat-free compost and biological pest controls. Summer Pastels is a reliably generous performer — the sort of plant that rewards minimal attention and works in almost any sunny position with reasonable drainage. Every plant is guaranteed. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/perennial-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eperennial collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill Achillea Summer Pastels be the same colour each year?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach individual plant will return in the same colour it flowered the first year — the variation is between plants, not between years. Self-sown seedlings, however, will vary and may differ from the parent plant. If you want a consistent single colour, choose a named selection like Love Parade instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow Achillea Summer Pastels in a gravel garden?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — gravel gardens with sharp drainage and full sun are ideal. The drought tolerance, low-maintenance habit, and naturalistic mixed palette make Summer Pastels very well suited to gravel planting. It combines well with sedums, salvias, and ornamental grasses in this context.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I get a second flush of flowers from Achillea Summer Pastels?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCut the spent flower stems back to a pair of healthy leaves about halfway down immediately after the first flush fades — usually in late July or early August. New buds form at the leaf axils and a second, smaller flush appears in September. Don't leave the faded heads on the plant as they slow this process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow long does Achillea Summer Pastels live?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral years, with some variation depending on soil conditions. On well-drained poor soil it tends to be longer-lived than on rich, heavy ground. Divide the clumps every three or four years in spring — dig up the whole clump, discard the woody centre, and replant the outer portions. This also provides new plants to extend the planting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Achillea Summer Pastels good for cutting?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. Cut stems when the corymbs are fully open, condition in deep water overnight, and they last well in a vase — typically ten days to two weeks. The flat heads also dry very well: cut them at peak and hang upside down in a warm, airy spot. The colours fade somewhat on drying but remain attractive.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56371952255302,"sku":"PEREACHMILSUPA-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/achillea-flowers-in-pastel-colours.webp?v=1776342043"},{"product_id":"centaurea-montana-plants","title":"Centaurea montana","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e (straight species)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Centaurea montana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Herbaceous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rich blue with spidery petals and purple centre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50cm (20in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 60cm (2ft)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e May–July, and again September if cut back\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fully Hardy (H7)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cut back hard after first flush for a second flowering in autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring or autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring and summer. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCentaurea montana is a perennial cornflower with large, rich blue flowers in May and June — a deeper, truer blue than most blue perennials — over silver-grey foliage at about 50cm. Cut back hard after the first flush and it flowers again in September. Fully hardy, tolerates poor soil, and invaluable for early summer colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCentaurea montana: An Honest Blue\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe perennial cornflower opens in May, sometimes earlier, and the blue it produces is one of the more honest blues in the garden — not indigo-purple like some salvias, not washed-out blue-mauve like many campanulas, but a clear, saturated cornflower blue with contrasting purple-red inner florets. The flowers are large for a centaurea, each one a good 5–6cm across with the characteristic spidery, fringed petals of the genus. They are excellent for cutting, and pollinators — bumblebees particularly — find them irresistible from the moment they open. The foliage is silver-grey and woolly, making a good ground-level presence even when the plant is not in flower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCut back hard to the base once the first flush fades — this is important — and you will get a second flowering in September. This makes Centaurea montana more generous in its season than its relatively brief initial flower period suggests. The genus name comes from the centaur Chiron of Greek mythology, who was said to have used the cornflower to heal a poisoned arrow wound — which perhaps tells you something about the confidence people have always had in this plant's effectiveness, if not its pharmacological credentials. It spreads gently by rhizomes and self-seeds in a well-mannered way that is easy to manage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompanions for Centaurea montana\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe blue of Centaurea montana sets off warm and pale colours particularly well. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-love-parade-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAchillea Love Parade\u003c\/a\u003e in pale pink flowers at the same time in June, and the two planted together give a classic blue-and-pink combination at similar heights. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-summer-pastels-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAchillea Summer Pastels\u003c\/a\u003e introduces a mixed palette of creams and salmons alongside the centaurea blue. For height contrast behind, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/delphinium-black-knight-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eDelphinium Black Knight\u003c\/a\u003e continues the blue theme at 150cm from June onwards, creating a blue palette at different levels. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/lavender-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003elavender collection\u003c\/a\u003e shares the same sun and drainage requirements and flowers slightly later, carrying the silver-and-blue combination into August.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe use peat-free compost and biological pest controls. Centaurea montana is one of those plants that earns its place in the border every year without any fuss — a reliable perennial for early summer colour that cuts well and brings in the bees. Every plant is guaranteed. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/perennial-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eperennial collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWill Centaurea montana flower twice?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, if you cut it back hard after the first flush in June or July. Cut the whole plant down to within a few centimetres of the ground — don't be timid about it — and you should get a second flowering in September. Without cutting back, the plant uses its energy setting seed and the second flush either doesn't materialise or is very thin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Centaurea montana the same as the annual cornflower?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a close relative but a different plant. The annual cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) is smaller-flowered, shorter-lived, and grows from seed each year. Centaurea montana is a perennial — it comes back each year from the same rootstock, reaches a larger size, and has substantially bigger individual flowers. Both are blue, both attract pollinators, but they belong to different growing systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes Centaurea montana spread?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes, gently, by short rhizomes and self-seeding. Neither is aggressive. In most borders the spread is useful for filling gaps, and unwanted seedlings pull up easily. If you are growing it in a controlled formal setting, deadhead after the first flush (before cutting back for the second) to reduce seeding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan Centaurea montana grow in poor soil?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt prefers it. Rich, heavy soil leads to floppy stems and reduced flowering. Well-drained, ordinary to poor soil in full sun is the sweet spot. It is particularly good in chalk and limestone gardens, gravel gardens, and anywhere that drains freely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Centaurea montana good for pollinators?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcellent. The deep, fringed flowers are particularly attractive to bumblebees, which work them intensively from May. It also attracts butterflies and various beetle species. The early flowering season (May onwards) makes it useful at a time when many other perennials have not yet opened.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56371955171654,"sku":"PERECENMON-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/close-up-of-centaurea-montana-flower.webp?v=1776414724"},{"product_id":"echinacea-pow-wow-wild-berry-plants","title":"Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pow Wow Wild Berry\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Echinacea purpurea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Herbaceous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower:\u003c\/strong\u003e Deep rose-purple with orange-brown cone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50cm (20in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45cm (18in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e July–September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fairly Hardy (H5)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Leave seedheads through winter for birds and structure; cut back in spring\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants, grown on by us in Somerset from licensed young plants. Peat-free compost.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring, in full sun with well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring and summer. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEchinacea purpurea 'Pow Wow Wild Berry' is a compact coneflower reaching 50cm, with deep rose-purple petals swept back from a prominent orange-brown central cone, flowering from July to September. Drought tolerant once established, outstanding for pollinators, and compact enough for pots and smaller borders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePow Wow Wild Berry: Coneflowers at the Right Scale\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEchinacea purpurea — the purple coneflower — is native to the prairies and open woodlands of North America, where it grows in full sun in well-drained, sometimes poor soil. The Pow Wow series was developed for garden use at a more compact scale than many coneflowers, and Wild Berry gives you the deep rose-purple end of the palette — not quite red, not quite pink, but a rich saturated colour that has real depth in late summer sunlight. The prominent orange-brown cone is the characteristic echinacea feature, rising in the centre of the swept-back petals and providing structure and interest long after the petals have faded. Leave the cones through winter — they are attractive under frost and finches work them for seed from November through to February.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA note on hardiness: Echinacea purpurea is rated H5 by the RHS, which means it is reliably hardy throughout most of the UK but may struggle in the coldest, wettest winters. The roots dislike waterlogged conditions more than frost — drainage is the critical factor. Plant in free-draining soil, give it full sun, and in most UK gardens it will come back year after year without protection. Once established, it is genuinely drought-tolerant. The genus name comes from the Greek \"echinos\" — hedgehog — for the spiny appearance of the cone, which is more apt than it might seem up close.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompanions for Pow Wow Wild Berry\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEchinacea belongs in the late summer border, where companions should share the season and complement its prairie character. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/echinacea-white-swan-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEchinacea White Swan\u003c\/a\u003e provides a white equivalent at slightly larger scale — the two planted together give a naturalistic pink-and-white combination through July and August. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-love-parade-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAchillea Love Parade\u003c\/a\u003e contributes flat pink heads through June and July that lead into the coneflower season. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-summer-pastels-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAchillea Summer Pastels\u003c\/a\u003e extends the naturalistic mixed palette alongside. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ornamental-grass-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eornamental grasses\u003c\/a\u003e are classic prairie companions — their movement and transparency against the solid coneflower heads is one of the more effective late summer combinations available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe use peat-free compost and biological pest controls. Echinacea is one of the most valuable late-summer perennials for pollinators and for cut flowers, and Pow Wow Wild Berry's compact height makes it accessible in gardens where larger coneflowers would be too imposing. Every plant is guaranteed. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/perennial-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eperennial collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry hardy in the UK?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes in most of the UK — it is rated H5 (hardy to around -15°C), which covers the vast majority of British gardens. In very cold exposed positions in northern Scotland or on high ground, mulch the crown in late autumn with bark or straw to provide extra insurance. The bigger risk is waterlogged soil in winter rather than cold: always plant in well-drained ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs echinacea the same as the herbal remedy?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe herbal immune-support supplement is derived from echinacea — primarily Echinacea purpurea, which is the species we sell. The medicinal properties come from extracts of the root, leaves, and flowers. Growing echinacea in the garden and processing it for medicinal use at home are two quite different things; the plants in the garden are valuable primarily as ornamentals and for pollinators.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eShould I leave echinacea seedheads over winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes. The seedheads are ornamental in their own right — attractive under frost and valuable as a food source for finches and other seedeating birds from late autumn through winter. Cut them back in early spring before new growth appears rather than in autumn. This is one of the few perennials where \"do nothing in autumn\" is genuinely the right advice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I grow Echinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry in a pot?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — its compact height at 50cm makes it one of the more practical coneflowers for containers. Use a pot at least 30cm in diameter with excellent drainage (add extra grit to compost), position in full sun, and water through the growing season. It may be shorter-lived in a pot than in the ground but will perform well in its first two or three years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy didn't my echinacea come back after winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost certainly waterlogging. Echinacea purpurea is reliably perennial in well-drained soil but the crown rots in wet conditions over winter. If this has happened, check the drainage before replanting. Raised beds, gravel gardens, and free-draining sandy or chalky soils are ideal; heavy clay that sits wet is the problem.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56371957399878,"sku":"PEREECHPURPOWOWIBE-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/large-echinacea-plant-pink-flowers.webp?v=1776337526"},{"product_id":"echinacea-white-swan-plants","title":"Echinacea White Swan","description":"\u003cul class=\"pdp-specs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eVariety:\u003c\/strong\u003e White Swan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Herbaceous perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlower:\u003c\/strong\u003e White petals with orange-brown cone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 80cm (2½ft)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45cm (18in)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlowering:\u003c\/strong\u003e July–September\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fairly Hardy (H5)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePruning:\u003c\/strong\u003e Leave seedheads through winter for birds; cut back in spring\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRHS AGM:\u003c\/strong\u003e No\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSold as:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pot-grown plants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant outdoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring, in full sun with well-drained soil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDelivered:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring and summer. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/collect-your-order-from-castle-cary\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eCollection from Castle Cary\u003c\/a\u003e also available.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEchinacea purpurea 'White Swan' is a white coneflower with drooping white petals around a prominent orange-brown cone, reaching 80cm from July to September. Larger and more upright than Pow Wow Wild Berry, it is one of the most reliable and widely grown white echinacea — easy to establish, drought tolerant, and excellent for late summer colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhite Swan: The White Coneflower That Actually Works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhite echinaceas have a patchy reputation — some of the newer white and near-white hybrids are less reliably perennial than the straight purple species, more expensive, and in some cases notably short-lived. White Swan is the exception: a straight selection of Echinacea purpurea that has been grown successfully in British gardens for decades and is as robustly perennial as the coloured forms. The white petals droop slightly from the prominent orange-brown cone — characteristic of the species — giving the flower a slightly reflexed form that is more elegant and less blunt than the flat-petalled coneflower shape. At 80cm it is taller than Pow Wow Wild Berry and has more presence in a border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhite Swan is one of those plants that earns more appreciation in the garden than it gets in the catalogue. A group of three in full flower in August, with the white petals catching whatever light is available, provides a brightness in the late summer border that yellow and orange cannot match. The seedheads develop the same spiny texture as all echinacea cones and are equally attractive to finches through winter. Like all Echinacea purpurea, it is H5 — hardy in most UK gardens with good drainage, but not recommended for heavy wet clay without amendment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCompanions for White Swan\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhite Swan flowers in July through September — peak late summer — and its companions should acknowledge this season. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/echinacea-pow-wow-wild-berry-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eEchinacea Pow Wow Wild Berry\u003c\/a\u003e at 50cm in deep rose-purple is the natural pairing — different height, complementary colour, identical season and conditions. For an earlier-starting companion at the same white tone, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/anemone-snow-angel-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAnemone Snow Angel\u003c\/a\u003e takes over in August just as echinacea reaches its peak, extending white through to October. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/achillea-summer-pastels-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eAchillea Summer Pastels\u003c\/a\u003e fills the June and July gap with flat mixed-colour heads at a complementary height. The \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/ornamental-grass-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eornamental grasses\u003c\/a\u003e complete the naturalistic prairie picture behind and between the coneflowers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhy Ashridge?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWe use peat-free compost and biological pest controls. White Swan is the white echinacea we stock with genuine confidence — none of the reliability concerns that attach to some newer white hybrids, and an established garden track record that the more exotic selections lack. Every plant is guaranteed. See the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/perennial-plants\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eperennial collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Echinacea White Swan easy to grow?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — it is one of the more reliable white echinaceas, without the relative fragility of some newer white and cream hybrid selections. Give it full sun and well-drained soil, and it will establish reliably and return year after year. The main requirement is drainage; in wet heavy clay, amend with grit or plant on a slight mound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is the difference between Echinacea White Swan and Pow Wow Wild Berry?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHeight and colour. White Swan reaches 80cm with white petals; Pow Wow Wild Berry reaches 50cm with deep rose-purple petals. Both are Echinacea purpurea selections with the same orange-brown central cone, the same late summer season, and the same cultural requirements. They pair naturally together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes Echinacea White Swan attract butterflies?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — the flat-topped, accessible flower form is attractive to a range of butterflies, including peacock, comma, small tortoiseshell, and various skipper species. The long flowering season from July to September coincides with peak butterfly activity in most UK gardens. Bumblebees work the flowers intensively, and the seedheads attract finches through winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCan I cut Echinacea White Swan for vases?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — it is a good cut flower. Cut when the petals are just beginning to open, condition in deep water overnight, and it will last ten days to two weeks in a vase. The orange-brown cone is part of the appeal in an arrangement — it adds a warm accent that complements the white petals rather than clashing with them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow do I get Echinacea White Swan to spread?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDivision in spring, every three or four years, is the most reliable method. Dig up the whole clump, split into sections with a spade, and replant immediately. Echinacea can also be raised from seed, though seed-raised plants may vary in colour — White Swan seedlings are usually white or near-white but not guaranteed. Leave a few heads to set seed if you want a naturalising colony.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56371958645062,"sku":"PEREECHPURWHSW-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/echinacea-white-swan-flowers.webp?v=1776753770"},{"product_id":"scabiosa-butterfly-blue","title":"Scabiosa Butterfly Blue","description":"","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56482206941510,"sku":"PERESCABBUTTBLUE-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/scabiosa-flower-butterfly-blue.webp?v=1777986285"},{"product_id":"thalictrum-del-splendide-white","title":"Thalictrum del Splendide White","description":"","brand":"Ashridge Nurseries","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9","offer_id":56482213101894,"sku":"PERETHALSPLEWHIT-P9","price":7.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/thalictrum-del-splendide-white-flowers.webp?v=1777971382"},{"product_id":"lychnis-petite-jenny","title":"Lychnis Petite Jenny","description":"\u003cp\u003eLychnis Petite Jenny Plants\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ashridge","offers":[{"title":"Potted \/ P9 (9cm Pot)","offer_id":56505537823046,"sku":"LYCHPETJEN-p9","price":5.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/files\/pink-lychnis-flowers.webp?v=1777987288"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0947\/0351\/8022\/collections\/drought_tolerant_lavender_salvia_grass_800px.webp?v=1788857971","url":"https:\/\/www.ashridgetrees.co.uk\/collections\/drought-tolerant-plants-for-uk-gardens.oembed?page=2","provider":"Ashridge Nurseries","version":"1.0","type":"link"}