Plant Guide

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Shrub

rosa-topsy-turvy

Rosa 'Topsy Turvy'

Floribunda rose with deep green leaves down to the ground, flowering throughout the season with mildly fragrant, bi-coloured flowers. Dark red young foliage. Bright scarlet-red, semi-double flowers with a white reverse, 10 cm across. They open in an unusual pinwheel fashion. 

Registration name: Rosa 'WEKcocbeb'. Bred by Tom Carruth (USA) from a cross between Rosa 'Countess Celeste' and Rosa 'Betty Boop'.

Prefers a position in full sun and any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season. Prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Striking rose with an informal, 'happy' appearance. Can be grown as a standard or a bush, in groups or as a single specimen in beds and borders. Good for cutting.

rosa-tropical-skies

Rosa 'Tropical Skies'

Medium to tall hybrid tea rose, repeat-flowering with large, mildly fragrant blooms and glossy, mid to dark green foliage. Perfectly shaped flowers in a brilliant blend of yellow, red, and pink.

Registration name: Rosa INTerdays. Bred by G. Peter Ilsink (The Netherlands).

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring, and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season, and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Beautifully formed flowers in bright and cheery colours on a strong upright growing plant. Suitable for cutting and for  flower display in beds and borders as a single specimen or in groups. 

rosa-valencia

Rosa 'Valencia'

Hybrid tea rose with a bushy upright habit, glossy dark green foliage, and flowering in flushes throughout the season. Fragrant flowers, about 9-12 cm across, mostly solitary, in creamy apricot and old gold colours.

Registration name: Rosa 'KOReklia'. Bred by W. Kordes & Sons (Germany, 1989). Also known as Rosa 'New Valencia'.

Prefers a sunny position in any well-drained soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Very disease resistant.

Exquisitely shaped flowers in an attractive blend of peach, apricot, cream and copper. Excellent choice for flower display in beds or borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Combine with blue or pale purple flowering plants. Superb cut flower with strong straight stems.

rosa-waimarie

Rosa 'Waimarie'

Hybrid tea rose, flowering in flushes throughout the season with large semi-rosette shaped flowers and mid to dark green foliage. Stems and young leaves flushed with dark red. Fragrant, mauve pink flowers. 

Registration name: Rosa 'MATtwai'. Bred by Bob Matthews (New Zealand). Named after a restored paddle steamer in Wanganui (New Zealand).

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Lovely full blooms with a wonderful fragrance. Can be grown as a standard or shrub in beds and borders. Excellent cut flower.

rosa-wise-woman

Rosa 'Wise Woman'

Hybrid tea rose with glossy mid green foliage and double baby pink flowers emerging from darker pink flower buds. Mild fragrance.

Registration name: Rosa 'MATtwom'. Bred by Bob Matthews (New Zealand). Named to commemorate the centenary of midwifery.

Plant in full or partial sun, in any well-draining soil with a generous amount of organic matter. Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Dead-head during the flowering season and prune in winter. Good disease resistance.

Strong and healthy rose with pretty pink flowers for beds or borders, as a single specimen or in groups. Can be grown as a standard or a bush rose. Good for picking.

rosa-gallica-versicolor

Rosa gallica 'Versicolor'

One of the best known old garden roses (unknown breeder, 1500s or earlier). Matte green foliage. Flowering for about three weeks in late spring or early summer with fragrant, semi-double, pale pink flowers with fuchsia-pink stripes. The flowers are semi-double with a diameter of about 7 cm.

Also known as Rosa gallica var. officinalis 'Versicolor', Rosa gallica var. versicolor, Rosa gallica var. variegata, Rosa gallica 'Variegata', and Rosa mundi.

Prefers a sunny position in any well-draining soil that contains a generous amount of organic material Fertilise in early spring and again in early summer. Good disease resistance, but may get aphids. Prune after flowering.

Delightful shrub rose with striking, moderately scented flowers. Great for a sunny border, on its own, in groups, or as an informal hedge.

Salvia leucantha

Salvia leucantha

Mexican bush sage; velvet sage

Shrub white, woolly stems and narrow, dull green, wrinkled leaves. Very free-flowering with spikes of violet purple flowers during summer and autumn. Cut back to near ground level in winter to keep the plant bushy. Native to Mexico and tropical America.

sophora-molloyi-dragons-gold

Sophora molloyi 'Dragons Gold'

Stephens Island kowhai

Evergreen, low-growing, spreading shrub to 1.5-2 m with golden yellow flowers during winter. Attracts nectra-feeding birds.Tubular flowers, 3-5 cm long, appear well before flowers of other commmonly grown kowhais. Pinnately compound leaves with small leaflets.

The common name for New Zealand Sophora species is kowhai. Sophora molloyi occurs naturally in dry, exposed headlands around the southern part of the North Island of New Zealand. 'Dragons Gold' is a selection developed by Terry Hatch of Joy Plants, Pukekohe, New Zealand, and originated from seedlings grown from seed obtained from Sophora molloyi on Stephens Island. The selection was named 'Dragons Gold' in reference to the tuatara population on Stephens Island.

Prefers a sunny or partially shaded position in any free-draining soil. Grows somewhat slower in poor soils. Tolerates exposed sites, coastal conditions and medium frosts (hardy throughout New Zealand). Drought tolerant once established. Trim after flowering to maintain a tidy habit. Can be trained as a standard. Suitable for hedging purposes, but fewer flowers will be produced with regular trimming. Keep an eye out for caterpillars. Insecticide applications may be necessary to prevent the Kowhai moth caterpillar from defoliating the plant.

 

teucrium-fruticans

Teucrium fruticans

shrubby germander, bush germander

Evergreen shrub with grey-green foliage, pale lilac-blue flowers, and a somwhat angular branching pattern. Native to Spain, Portugal, Italy and north Africa. Stems and undersides of leaves are covered with tiny white hairs giving the plant a silvery-grey overall appearance. Leaves are ovate to lance-shaped, 2-3 cm long. The pale lilac-blue flowers are two-lipped, and 2.5 cm long.

Prefers a sunny position in well-drained soil. Tolerates poor soils, dry conditions, and moderate frosts. Suitable for coastal plantings. Prune to keep compact or to create a specific shape.

Mainly grown for its attractive silvery colour. If you are particularly interested in a good display of flowers then the cultivar 'Azureum' with a much stronger colour contrast between flowers and foliage is a better choice. This cultivar combines well with other blue-flowering shrubs. The flowers of Teucrium fruticans itself fit in better with purple colour schemes.

teucrium-fruticans-azureum

Teucrium fruticans 'Azureum'

Evergreen shrub with grey-green foliage and blue flowers. Stems and undersides of leaves are covered with dense white hairs, giving the plant a silvery grey overall appearance. Leaves are ovate to lance-shaped, 2-3 cm long. Azure blue, two-lipped flowers, 2.5 cm long, mainly during summer. Teucrium fruticans (shrubby germander, bush germander) itself is native to Spain, Portugal, Italy and North Africa, and has pale lilac flowers.

Prefers a sunny position in well-drained soil. Tolerates poor soils, dry conditions and medium frosts. Suitable for coastal plantings. 

Mainly grown for its attractive silvery colour, which forms a beautiful contrast with the deep blue flowers. Can be pruned to any shape. A regular prune is a good idea since otherwise growth is somewhat lax, and its young foliage looks better than the older leaves.

 

viburnum-japonicum

Viburnum japonicum

Japanese viburnum

Rounded evergreen shrub, native to Japan and Taiwan. Glossy green, leathery, ovate leaves in opposite pairs, 9-14 cm long and 6-9 cm wide. Leaves have prominent veins and a slightly serrated edge. Foliage may turn partially red during winter in cold climates. Flat clusters of mildly fragrant, creamy white flowers, 7-12 cm across, during spring. Shiny red berries in autumn and persisting through winter. Viburnum japonicum is not self-fertile and needs another plant of the same species nearby to produce fruit.

Prefers a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade and any moist, well-draining soil. Not suitable for areas with poor, dry soils. Tolerates moderate frosts. Since Viburnum japonicum is a naturally bushy plant, pruning is usually not required other than to develop a good shape or maintain a well-furnished hedge.

Ideal for use as a screen or hedge. Great filler in shrub borders for flower and fruit display. 

 

viburnum-opulus

Viburnum opulus 'Roseum'

(European or common) snowball tree or bush, Guelder rose

Vigorous deciduous shrub with tall, arching branches, flowering profusely during spring with snowball-like flower clusters. Maple-like leaves with toothed and three-lobed margins, mid green, turning yellow or reddish purple in autumn. Flower clusters are 6-8 cm wide, greenish cream initially, changing to pure white, and finally pale pink.

Synonym: Viburnum opulus 'Sterile'

Viburnum opulus is native to Europe, northern Africa and central Asia. Its flower clusters consist of an outer ring of sterile flowers with conspicuous petals, surrounding a centre of tiny fertile flowers. Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' flower clusters consist entirely of sterile flowers, which is why this plant does not produce fruit, whereas on plants of the parent species the flowers are followed by red fruits.

Prefers a position in full sun or part shade and well-drained soil. Tolerates a wide range of soil types. Generally survives (but not thrives) in shade, or in wet and dry soils. Prune as needed straight after flowering. If the shrub becomes too overcrowded, you can thin it out by cutting back about one-third of the oldest branches to near ground level. Prone to aphids. Frost hardy.

A magnificent sight when in flower during spring with fluffy snowball-like flower clusters hanging at the ends of the arching branches.