Hardy Plant Society

Malvern Spring Gardening Show - Worcestershire Group
Plant List

All plants were supplied by Cotswold Garden Flowers

Shade Loving plants (Rhomboid shaped bed 1.3m by 1.0m)

Stipa arundinacea Position: full sun or partial shade, moderately fertile, medium to light, well-drained soil, fast-growing, June to September, frost hardy (needs winter protection). One of the best and most versatile evergreen grasses, this will thrive in sun or shade, and glows shades of copper, gold and bronze in the autumn, hence its common name, Pheasant’s TailGrass. It has a soft, arching habit, so plant it among shrubs for textural contrast, or in a mixed or herbaceous border.
Digitalis purpurea ‘Albiflora’ This native European woodland plant appears in many guises, some dwarf and others very tall, with flowers in shades of creamy white flowers.These blooms are attractive to bees. It is a popular biennial for shaded places, perennial if the flower stems are cut back promptly to prevent seeding. Otherwise plants seed themselves freely, and the seedlings can be transplanted if they are in the way. It is handsome and easy if watered well in dry weather, and looks spectacular at the back of a border.
Campanula persicifolia ‘Azure Beauty’ - ice deep blue flower-in-a-flower loose double May-Jul and later, 75cm. Rebloomer.
Thalictrum ichangense A dwarf amongst the genus with Aquilegia-like foliage and long lasting pale lilac flowers/ Woodland plant
Matteuccia struthiopteris - Ostrich feather fern. Vase-shaped habit 60cm. Any site but shade preferred. Older higher fronds do not spread, so remove stolons when young to stop later spread (if wanted). Good cut foliage. NOT a lime-hater
Pulmonaria ‘Blake’s Siver’ – Large pink flowers open and stay the same colour without ny blueing uniform grey-sliver foliage 30cm. Tough and easy. A new pulmonaria from June Blake’s garden in the Wicklow Mountains.
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’ Compact form, large opalescent pale blue flowers the colour and shape of plastic bath caps Mar-May, good silver-spotted dark green leaves, 25cm.
Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’ AGM Persicaria can be annuals, herbaceous or evergreen perennials or sub-shrubs with simple leaves and small bell-shaped white or pink flowers in long-lasting spikes or panicles.‘Superba’ is a vigorous clump-forming herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennial to 90cm in height, with strongly veined, finely pointed ovate leaves and dense spikes of small light pink flowers. Cultivation - Ideal for a moist soil although it can tolerate some dryness. Copes in full sun or partial shade.
Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Clementine Blue’ Open upward facing violet blue. Tolerates full sun in moist soil
Carex elata ‘Knightshayes’ Yellow leaves all summer without the green edge of C.elata ‘Aurea’, 45cm. Rich half shade.
Ajuga incise ‘Frosted Jade’ Most un-ajuga-like. Improbable and uncharacteristic incised grey foliage with cream white edges, blue flowers, deciduous socm Shade
Hosta ‘Devon Green’ - Devon Green is a clump-forming, herbaceous perennial. It has large, shiny, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves with conspicuous veins and spires of lilac flowers in late summer.
Lunaria annua ‘Albifora’ Called honesty or annual honesty in English, is a tall (height about 1 m), hairy-stemmed biennial plant native to the Balkans and south west Asia, and naturalized throughout Europe, North America, and parts of Asia. It has large, pointed oval leaves with marked serrations. The common name “honesty” arose in the 16th century, and it may be due to the translucent seed-pods which are like flattened pea-pods and borne on the plant through winter.
Stachys byzantina ‘Limelight’ Cool pale lime green leaves to lighten any shady place Easy. Lovely with primroses and Tanacetum vulgare ‘Isla Gold’ from NZ.
Hosta ‘Great Expectations’ Thick puckered leaves, blue-green margins w/variegated center of chartreuse/ yellow/ white, color varies w/season & light levels, white flowers just above foliage level, slow growing, high impact, part-full shade, 20-27" tall, 29-47" wide, Drought tolerant.
Hypericum ‘Golden Beacon’ A very distinctive form of St John’s Wort with bright golden yellow foliage. Clusters of the classic yellow flowers add to the attractions during the summer. Plant in moist well drained soil. Full sun / Partial shade. Hardy.
Rheum australe Reddish spear-shaped leaves, red veins, greeny-white flowers May, 60cm. Easy even dry shade when established. (R.emodi). From the Indian Himalaya.
Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine’ Just like a normal bleeding heart but the flowers are deep red, the stems dark and the foliage flushed red. Flowers Mar-Jun, herbaceous 85cm. Synonym Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Valentine’. Canadian origin.
Bergenia ‘Simply Sweet’ Delightful pert heads of white flowers with baby-pink flushed petals Mar-May, good shiny deep red winter foliage 35cm.

Sun loving plants (Square bed 1.0m by 1.0m)

Eremurus zenaide JCA Rather disappointing spaced-out peachy flowers each petal with a broad green midstripe and bright orange anthers from pale green stems May-Jun, 1m. Collected by Janis Ruksans near Dzhalalabad, Uzbekistan.
Achillea ‘Moonshine’ Can be mat-forming or upright perennials, mostly herbaceous, with sometimes aromatic, pinnately divided or simple and toothed leaves and flattened clusters of small, daisy-like flower-heads- ‘Moonshine‘ is an herbaceous perennial to 60cm in height, with feathery grey-green foliage and erect, leafy stems bearing flat heads of small, light yellow flowers – Cultivation An open sunny position in a moist but well-drained soil is best, but it will tolerate most situations apart from heavy, wet clay in winter
Heucherella ‘Sunspot‘ Bright yellow leaves with blood-red central markings, pink flowers Apr-Jun and later, 25cm. A notorious dier! Plant Breeders Rights in Europe - unlicensed propagation for resale prohibited.
Dicentra spectabilis ‘Goldheart‘ Top of Form Lady in the bath, Dutchman‘s breeches, Bleeding heart. New shoots in spring are a dazzling bronze-yellow but will only remain yellow if kept in shady position. A very hardy plant with dark pink flowers Fully hardy- Plant can withstand temperatures down to -15°C (5°F) - early frosts can damage young growth.
Anenome palmata Up facing soft yellow flowers Apr- Jun ( Nov) 25cm Easy SW Europe
Chronochola rubra An evergreen grass forming a dense tussock with slender, red-tinted leaves and flowering stems to 1.5m, bearing elegant lax panicles of small, awned spikelets in late summer
Heuchera ‘Pinot Gris’ Features - Foliage Interest. Deadheading not necessary. Drought tolerant. Native to North America. Ghostly apricot-ginger foliage with red-pink veining matures with red shading in inter. Heads of white flowers May – Sept. Plant needs partial to full sun.
Saxifraga stolonifera ‘Maroon Beauty’ A perennial flowering plant known by several common names, as well as strawberry saxifrage.
Dictamnus albus var. Purpureus Scented purple flowers Jun-Jul, 60cm. Easy. (Burning bush.) Synonym D.fraxinella. An herbaceous perennial to 90cm in height, with aromatic, pinnate foliage and erect spikes of veined, rosy-purple flowers with prominent stamens
Centaurea montana ‘Purple Heart’ A rhizomatous perennial with simple or lobed leaves, hairy beneath, and blue flower-heads 5cm across, reddish in the centre, from late spring to summer. Cultivation- Best grown in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade, needs staking
Nepeta (Catmint) A traditional sunny border plant, large and very hardy in this outstanding variety, sometimes called N. gigantea. It has grey-green foliage, covered all summer in masses of short spikes of lavender -like flowers which attract lots of bees. Once established, the plant is fairly drought-tolerant. The foliage is very aromatic and, when crushed or bruised, releases a strong lemony scent, hence the popularity of the plant for edging paths.
Euphorbia ‘Velvet Ruby’ Attractive green and light red leaves, delicate branching glaucous/red bracts Apr- Jun 45cm . Yellow green flowers in spring and summer, semi evergreen. All parts of plant are toxic if ingested. Sap may cause skin irritation.
Pulsatilla vulgaris ‘Rode Klokke’ Pasque flowers have deeply cut feathery foliage, topped by large, bell shaped flowers. These are followed by fluffy silver seed heads in summer. There are about 30 deciduous species, native to mountain grassland and stony slopes in Europe, North America and Asia, but only one is common in gardens. Full sun and well-drained soil is ideal. Winter wet and root disturbance are not tolerated
Iris ‘Hello Darkness’ (TB) (H4) 2003 Vigorous, spreading plant. Foliage to 720 x 40mm, erect and glaucous. Flower stems to 1030mm, erect and straight. To nine large well proportioned flowers per stem. Standards 108 x 75mm, cupped, arching, obovate, velvety to wrinkled, with large pleats extending in from edge, near violet blue .Rhizomes like to be baked in the sun
Helichrysum ‘White Barn’ Nice neat densely white-felted long-leaved foliage, neat sub-shrub 50cm. Simply superb but particularly good with purple heucheras and orange flowers. Even dry half (?full) shade.
Erodium X Kolbianum Agenta-white flowers lined and blotched with magenta-black Apr-Aug, highly dissected silvered foliage, neat 20cm.
Melittis melissophyllum ‘Royal Velvet’ Common name: the Bastard Balm. The name of the genus Melittis, derives from a Greek words Melissa or Melitta, meaning "honey bee" and refers to the properties of flowers of attracting these insects. ‘Royal Velvet Distinction‘ has dark green leaves The central lobe of the lower lip of the flower of ‘Royal Velvet Distinction‘ is purple when freshly

 

Display Pots
Woodland Dappled shade – damp open compost with leafmould added.	Trillium ‘Sessile’ Maianthemum bifolium ‘Kamtschaticum’ Dryopteris erythrosora
Dry Will tolerate full sun – dry open compost with grit added.	Stipa tennuissima Sempervivum ‘Virgil’ Saxifrage Ozothamnus selago
Boggy Moist/wet compost do not allow to dry out. Will tolerate full sun but roots must remain cool and wet.	Podophyllum versipelle ‘Spotty Dog’ Zantedeschia aethiopica ‘Crowborough’ AGM Ligularia osiris ‘Fantaisie’
Part Shade Free draining compost will tolerate shade but needs high levels of light.	Euphorbia Heuchera ‘Volcano’ Thalictrum
Bee friendly Will attract both bumble bees ( foxgloves ) and honey bees. Must have some sun during the day.	Campanula takesimania Aquilegia ‘June Balkes White Double Strain’ Scabiosa columbaria ‘Irish Perpetual Flowering’ Digitalis purpurea

We also have more photos of the stand and seed sowing demonstration.