Shire Plants Blog

Quaking Grass

Quaking Grass

Quaking Grass is a British native grass which is sadly less common than it once was. It is found across the country and, like most native plants, it has different 'common' names in different areas.For example, on the Isle of Wight, it is known as Wig...
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Lady's Bedstraw

Lady's Bedstraw

This is Galium verum, a native wildflower found in meadows and along roadsides. As ever with native plants it has many wonderful common names, including Lady's Bedstraw, Gold Dust, Robin Run the Hedge, Halfsmart, Pretty Mugget, Strawbed and Wild Rose...
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Dispatching orders as usual

Dispatching orders as usual

Happy New Year to all our customers. We continue to dispatch orders as usual, with our couriers collecting from us and delivering to you in a contactless manner. We send plants out all year around, with only snow or fully frozen pots causing us to pa...
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Know anyone with an overgrown garden?

Know anyone with an overgrown garden?

We have been contacted by a production company who are producing a new gardening show for Channel 5 and they have asked us to share this information. It may be useful for a neighbour or relative whose garden has got out of hand!
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Slug Acrobatics

Slug Acrobatics

This slug is hanging from the polytunnel roof by an approx 4' long 'string' of its own slime. I'm told it's a mating ritual, although this guy has been left hangin' by the lady slugs.
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Dianthus Monty Allwood

Dianthus Monty Allwood

I had to cut these flowers off Dianthus 'Monty Allwood' while taking cuttings. They're beautiful and the scent is heavenly. No vases at the nursery so a plastic cup will have to do! Plants coming soon!
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Fox and Cubs

Fox and Cubs

This wonderful plant is called Fox and Cubs because of the dual appearance of bronzy-orange open flowers (the fox) alongside red-brown flower buds (the cubs). Tall stems hold the flowers above neat rosettes of dark green foliage from June to Septembe...
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Cornflowers

Cornflowers

Really enjoying the cornflowers at the moment. Here we have the blue Centaurea montana, plus the less common 'Purple Heart', 'Black Sprite' and my favourite, the wonderful creamy yellow 'Sulphurea'.
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Yarrow

Yarrow

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) was collected by children during the First World War and sent to the front line to be used as a herb to stop bleeding and heal wounds. It has long been used as an antiseptic, even before people understood what that was. ...
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Thank You

Thank You

Thank you to all our customers who are keeping us busy! Parcels from this batch are heading as far north as Inverness and as far south as the Isle of White. Our courier observes social distancing rules at all times and it is very helpful if you note ...
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State of Play at the Nursery

State of Play at the Nursery

We are very grateful to all our customers for their continued support during a time that is difficult for everyone. We are continuing to process orders and we have increased the number of days we dispatch orders each week from one to four to keep up ...
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Viola sororia 'Freckles'

Viola sororia 'Freckles'

Viola sororia 'Freckles' has just started flowering so I've taken a photo to update the details on the website. I just love these flowers. The sororia violas are great because they start flowering just as the odorata type (our native violas) are tail...
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Perennial Wallflowers

Perennial Wallflowers

This beauty is Erysimum 'Pastel Patchwork' and we are currently propagating it in order to add it to our range later in the year. We have a growing range of perennial wallflowers, including a number of very rare cultivars. These wonderful plants last...
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Rainy Day, new propagating bench

Rainy Day, new propagating bench

Non-stop rain today (for a change!), so it was a good day to build a new heated propagating bench under glass. As we grow everything we sell ourselves, we take a lot of cuttings and sow a lot of seeds and this is our third heated bench. They use soil...
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True Primrose

True Primrose

I potted up these primroses (Primula vulgaris) late in the autumn and they are just beginning to flower now. Although you can buy hybrid primulas of every colour under the sun these days, these true British primroses have a simple beauty that have de...
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Winter Euphorbia

Winter Euphorbia

I don't tend to think of Euphorbia as a winter plant, but this evergreen Euphorbia amagdaloides 'Purpurea' is looking spectacular right now. It's even more striking as most of the plants around it have died back and are looking gloomy. Lovely green a...
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Viola 'Dick 'o the Hills'

Viola 'Dick 'o the Hills'

This is Viola odorata 'Dick o' the Hills', a sweet violet which has just started flowering and should be flowering strongly through to late spring. I like to think it was named after a wizened old shepherd, who wandered remote hills, tending his shee...
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Common Names

Common Names

I find the 'common' names of plants fascinating. Some of our wildflowers have been loved (or sometimes hated!) for centuries and the wide range of different local names for the same plant always interests me. Take the newest addition to our range, La...
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Frost

Frost

First proper frost of autumn today. I love the way the ice gives the plants a whole new dimension, really changing the appearance of the flower beds.
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Happy Michaelmas!

Happy Michaelmas!

The 29th September, is Michaelmas, a Christian festival also known as the Feast of Saint Michael. St Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Satan and his evil ang...
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