Shire Plants Blog

Our blog features interesting plants we've noticed recently at the nursery, news and other information. For further inspiration, we recommend looking at our Caught Our Eye page, which lists many plants that have caught our attention recently.
Siberian Fritillaries

Siberian Fritillaries

Very impressed with these Siberian Fritillaries which we haven't grown before. They are very eye-catching and also make good cut flowers. Full plant details here.
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Leapard's Bane for Spring Flowers

Leapard's Bane for Spring Flowers

Leopard's Bane (Doronicum) is one of the few daisy family members to bloom in spring, and usually manages to coincide with the last of the daffodils. It has large (2-3" diameter) flowers, held high above the foliage and is an easy-going plant, useful...
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Spring Colour

Spring Colour

There's some lovely spring colour around the nursery at the moment. We dispatch plants three days a week, via overnight courier, to addresses across Great Britain.
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Fritillaries

Fritillaries

Snake's Head Fritillary are wonderful when planted in the lawn where they do their thing before the main mowing season and can then be mown in the summer, or plant in containers on the patio. They are very good as cut flowers for the vase. The i...
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Drumstick Primula

Drumstick Primula

This 'Drumstick' Primula is Primula denticulata 'Lilac' and it's looking lovely. The flowers stand 30cm tall when established in the garden. A fantastically easy primula to grow in the border, pond edge or containers. Happy in normal to wet...
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'Forcing' or 'Bringing On' plants by Garden Centres

'Forcing' or 'Bringing On' plants by Garden Centres

A very insightful article in the latest of copy of the Royal Horticultural Society's 'The Garden' magazine about the practice employed by garden centres of 'forcing' plants and displaying them with misleading information on the labels. At best it can...
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Rare Strawberry Dates from the 1500's

Rare Strawberry Dates from the 1500's

The latest addition to our catalogue is a very interesting strawberry which was first recorded in ‘Gerard’s Herball in 1597 but then disappeared from all record. The flowers are not white, as most strawberries are, but green. The fruits also appear g...
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British Bluebells

British Bluebells

British Bluebells are steeped in tradition, myth and legend and are a joy to behold in spring. A wish made when you see the first bluebell open in spring will come true. It is said that if you turn a bluebell flower inside out without tearing it...
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In-the-green Bulbs

In-the-green Bulbs

In-the-green bulbs are available only in late winter/early spring and are the best way to introduce Bluebells and Snowdrops into the garden. They 'take' much easier than dry bulbs from a packet planted in autumn.Delivery is free for bulb-only orders....
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Potted Bulbs

Potted Bulbs

We have just added a new 'Potted Bulbs' category to the website to enable you to quickly find these wonderful plants. Potted bulbs and corms are a great way to get a quick-start with bulbs. They will flower from their first season and usually be...
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