You might’ve spotted that I went to the RHS Malvern Spring Festival this year! With a range of unique gardens and exciting plant specimens, I was in heaven. Here’s just a slice of what I found…
Long ago, Heuchera were an obscure foliage plant. Very pretty, but only did one thing. That’s all changed with modern breeding, which gives them equal status as an incredible flowering border plant at the same time as giving a patchwork of beauty. ‘Timeless Night’ is the best so far, with black (fight me on that colour classification if you wish) leaves and popping pink flowers. Totally gorge!
Available here.
My inquisitive eye is looking at these Hosta with red in their stems, and is wondering how long it’ll be until that pigment travels up to the leaf, and gives us the first red-leaved Hosta. We can dream! but I’ll bet you £2.50 that some breeders out there are already busy breeding and selecting for just that!
Available here.
These are much better than forecourt flowers, so how about growing your own? I think the faces look like clowns, in a totally positive way of course… unless you’re scared of clowns!
Available here.
A rare selection of rockii peony, with the sexiest fragrance and gorgeous creped flower. They have such a garden presence. They’re well worth the investment, even when I tell you this one cost £120! The scent is layered like a rose, and has the feel good factor!
Available here.
Peonies only flower for like 10 days, but they’re totally worth it! Don’t forget that the spring foliage is highly decorative, and very at-home next to your tulips of all shapes and sizes! ‘Salmon Chiffon’ is kinda like a prom dress, with fruity-fragranced, blushing blooms.
Available here.
This one was new on me! Native to South America, I don’t just love its clear blue shade, but also the ‘deconstructed’ shape of the flower stems. It’s like a more relaxed Agapanthus. Tender, so needs protection, but I reckon it would look amazing against ‘Angel Wings‘!
Available here.
I don’t know why, but I am too scared to buy any Auricula. They seem so beautiful and precious, I think I am worried I would kill it! If I WAS going to buy one, I would choose this bronze beaut, ‘Forest Cappuccino’ – gosh, it’s indulgent as hell!
Available here.
Like a sexy negligee, the Primula sieboldii are less well-known than some of their glossier Primula cousins! Great for semi-shade, and blooms in the spring.
Available here.
Salvia are all the rage, still, and with good reason! This denim blue is an interesting colour break, and pairs well with the fresh green foliage, which incidentally smells of blackcurrant. As a border plant, Salvia need no introduction! Grab some today.
Available here.
Dibleys in North Wales continue to knock it out of the park with amazing Streptocarpus breeding. ‘Sphinx’ is an awesome colour, and makes a handsome houseplant – although word has it I’ll be testing it OUTSIDE this summer… Watch this space!
Available here.
I always have a soft spot for a yellow legume, and this mouthful of a plant (Tetragonolobus) is a carpeting beaut, spreading 45cm or more. Let’s see how it takes on weeds in the border with that dense mat of growth too!
If you think you love Wisteria, wait til you get to see a DOUBLE flowered type… This fantastic variety is incredibly high resolution, with the extra set of petals on each floret.
Available here.
An outstanding plant, and rumoujr has it I might get a tattoo of it soon… Aeoniums are really having their moment since they featured on BBC Gardener’s World recently. They need hardly any water, lots of light, and prefer too be left alone. Sounds like most of us tbf!
People are starting to go on about Camassia a lot recently, and with good reason. One of few plants that work equally as well in contemporary gardens as part of wild, ‘out of control’ schemes 😉
Available here.
An excellent Camellia noted for its pink, overblown button blooms and lush green foliage. It’s also quite compact at just two metres in height, so feels right at home in a pot.
Available here.
Michael has been involved with gardening and plants since he was just five years old. He is a self-professed Plant Geek, and was listed in the Sunday Times top 20 most influential people in the gardening world, thanks to his plant hunter role at Thompson & Morgan.
Michael was responsible for new plant introductions such as the Egg and Chips plant and the FuchsiaBerry and keeps busy travelling the world in search of new plants as well as lecturing worldwide, including stints in Japan. He is very active on social media – so why not give him a follow at @mr_plantgeek or Facebook – and writes a plant-focused Substack called Grow This, Not That.
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