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Tempting Texture --- Wood Aster also known as Eurybia divaricata | Wood Asters have such a tempting texture. They are covered in masses of frothy little daisy like white flowers with brownish centres right through from June to October. These Wood Asters put on a fantastic summer long show for us. --- Did you know? We grow our Wood Asters successfully in a sunny spot, but they actually love partial shade too making them great for a shady border. |
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Robust and Reliable --- Thrift also known as Armeria, Sea Pink, Marsh Daisy, Lady’s Pincushion | Thrift is such a popular little plant. No wonder it has so many names! It is really tough and great for coastal and rock gardens. Look for compact mounds of narrow strap like leaves topped with long stalks of cup shaped pink or white flowers. --- Did you know? Thrift thrives in full sun and dry conditions but can also cope with harsh windy wet weather too. It is great for coastal gardens. |
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Fabulous Fragrance --- Nepeta also known as Catnip or Catmint | Nepeta is an amazing plant for summer long flowers. The leaves are really aromatic when gently crushed. Look out for masses of deep violet to lilac blue flowers. Nepeta loves full sun but also part shade. We know our Nepeta is called ‘Walkers Low’ as it is quite low growing. If you want a bigger bolder plant then choose ‘Six Hills Giant’. --- Did you know? Cats find the fragrance of Nepeta irresistible. You will often spot cats rolling ecstatically in amongst the plants so not one to choose if you are not a cat lover! |
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Wildlife Welcomer --- Santolina also known as Cotton Lavender | Santolina is an unusual shrub with grey white foliage that smells aromatic when gently crushed. The flowers are really eye catching, like little yellow buttons that bob in the breeze. Santolina is extremely attractive to pollinators. Santolina comes in different sizes. Ours is large but there are more compact varieties available to suit smaller spaces. --- Did you know? Santolina is a Mediterranean plant that thrives in full sun and dry conditions. |
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Wildlife Welcomer --- Strawberries also known as Fragaria vesca or wild strawberries | Strawberries can be spotted in the Summer cascading over the walls of our Cotoneaster bed. They have green lobed leaves with wavy edges. In the Spring our strawberries have beautiful pinky red flowers with golden yellow centres. In the Summer they produce small heart shaped juicy delicious fruits full of teeny seeds. Birds, slugs and snails love to eat them. --- Did you know? Strawberry plants usually have white flowers with yellow centres. Strawberries with red and pink flowers are called hybrids. They have been bred especially for the unusual flower colour and have small but very sweet fruits. |
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Wildlife Welcomer --- Valerian also known as Centranthus | Valerian flowers from July to October. It has tall fleshy stems and pretty elongated heart shaped blue grey leaves, topped with small clusters of little red flowers. Our Valerian is deep red (Centranthus rubra) but it also grows in white (Centranthus ruber ‘Albus’) --- Did you know? Valerian self seeds very freely so needs to be kept under control. It will cope with poor dry soil so often is seen growing in cracks in walls. |
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Wildlife Welcomer --- Alchemilla Mollis also known as Lady’s Mantle | Alchemilla is a very useful garden plant. It has impressive scalloped bright green foliage. The leaves look fantastic after rain showers as they have a waxy coating to repel water. The raindrops sit twinkling on the leaves, as do morning dewdrops. From June right through to September Alchemilla produces mounds of frothy pale yellow flowers on slender stems. --- Did you know? Folklore suggests that the water collected from Alchemilla leaves after a morning dew had magical healing properties. Alchemilla mollis has a Royal Horticultural Society Award for Garden Merit (AGM). |
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Seasonal Showstoppers --- Cotoneaster also known as Rockspray | Cotoneasters are definitely showstoppers. They are evergreen or semi evergreen with small deep green leaves. Our Cotoneaster takes the form of a small weeping tree. In June look out for the clusters of creamy white flowers. The flowers are followed in Autumn by brilliant berries much loved by birds. Our berries are bright red but berries can also be golden yellow. --- Did you know? Cotoneaster berries are toxic and should not be eaten. Cotoneaster is available in several different forms. Some Cotoneaster can be trained to growing up walls. The branches create an intricate criss-cross pattern. There is also a Cotoneaster named ‘Horizontalis’ that is excellent for growing as ground cover. It can be invasive though so grow it carefully. |
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Seasonal Showstoppers --- Aquelegia also known as Columbine or Granny’s Bonnet | Aquelegia are wonderful plants for brightening up Spring. They are really easy to grow as they self-seed prolifically to create a lovely informal effect. Look for rosettes of scalloped grey tinged or pale green leaves with very tall flower stalks topped with unusual rounded flowers with long spurs. Our Aquelegia are a beautiful pinky purple but Aqulegia grow in many colours including pinks, blues, white, yellow, lemon and very deep purple with single or double flowers. --- Did you know? Aquelegia make lovely cut flowers. However they don’t like very dry summers and don’t like to dry out. The flowers look like little mop caps or ‘bonnets’. |
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Beautiful Bulbs --- Muscari also known as Grape Hyacinth | Muscari are sweet little Spring flowering bulbs. Look for low growing, deep green narrow leaves with tiny bunches of bright blue flowers that look like little grapes. They are really good for attracting early pollinators. Once planted they need no care and will happily spread until you may decide you have too many! Muscari flowers also grow in pale blue, pink, deep purple and in amazing faded and variegated shades. --- Did you know? Muscari pollen is especially attractive to the hairy footed flower bee. |
You will find Crab Apple Tree bed adjacent to Cotoneaster Bed.
Disclaimer
Our plants are grown for ornamental purposes only. We do not advise touching or ingesting any parts of the plants on the Duns Flowerbed Trail. Many plants can be an irritant or toxic when smelt, ingested or touched. All the ‘Did you know?’ information about alternative plant use is provided for educational interest only.