Plant Library

Explore our extensive archive of guides to species and cultivars of popular or useful plant genera by HortWeek's own technical editor, Sally Drury, one of the UK's leading plantswomen, Miranda Kimberley and leading plantsman Bob Askew. Featuring expert tips from supplier's on how to use or sell them.

Go direct to Landscape Plant Library
Go direct to Retail Plant Library

Salix cuttings (L to R): acutifolia ‘Blue Streak’, alba var. vitellina, daphnoides, alba var. vitellina ‘Yelverton’, irrorata and rubra ‘Eugenei’ - credit all images: Bob Askew

Salix - these wonderful willows will add colour and beauty to the garden

LANDSCAPE PLANT FOCUS

Betula - some colourful alternative birches to the usual suspects

Nepalese Orange has gorgeous rich orange bark, peeling in coppery-orange strips and prominent lenticels

Prunus Part 3 - flowering cherries for top-working

P. incisa ‘Yamadei’ AGM (H6)

Prunus Part 2 - flowering cherries for street tree planting

P. ‘Beni-yutaka’ AGM (H6) pale pink flowers close up

Prunus part 1 - flowering cherries for the garden

Asano: each deep-pink chrysanthemum flower has up to 100 pointed petals

Rowan and whitebeam (Sorbus) — kaleidoscopic colours

Sorbus caloneura: noted for particularly beautiful chocolate-red emergent spring foliage

Native trees and shrubs - part five

Ulmus glabra: wych and Scotch elm are now relatively rare in the British Isles after having been largely decimated by Dutch elm disease

Native trees and shrubs - part four

Sambucus nigra produces purplish-black berries that hang in heavy bunches are mildly poisonous if eaten raw but they are edible after cooking

Hawthorn (Crataegus) — fragrant flowers and tasty haws

Crategus schraderiana berries and foliage

Native trees and shrubs – part two

Quercus robur

Native trees and shrubs – part one

Fagus sylvatica woodland

RETAIL PLANT FOCUS

Magnolia — large-flowered hybrids for the garden

Magnolia 'Royal Purple'

Crab apple (Malus) — star billing for showy fruits

Malus transitoria

Dahlia

Dahlia 'Jomanda'

Rubus idaeus

Tulipa

Rudbeckia

Digitalis

Magnolia

Cornus

Malus

NEW PLANTS WITH GRAHAM RICE

Cosmos Apricotta

New Plants: Fleuroselect 2023

New Plants: Awards and trials

Fleuroselect: red zinnias compared in trials

New Plants: Lavender - old favourites are now improved and new options stand out

Phenomenal is good for hedges or long-stemmed cut flower - credit: Plantipp

New Plants: Brunnera - resilience and exciting introductions stoking fresh interest

Brunnera 'Alexandria' totally silvered

New Plants: Delphiniums - progress made in seed-raised and tissue-cultured series

Delphinium Centurion is among the best seed-raised series

New Plants: Buddleja - developments include a neater plant size and sterile flowers

Buzz Series, popular with home gardeners / Miss Series: tall plants that are very prolific - credit: Thompson & Morgan/ Graham Rice

New Plants: Sedges - EverColor range offers versatility and colourful foliage

Everest is the top-selling variety in the EverColor range and has green and white variegated leaves

New Plants: Philadelphus - Developments see significant extension to flowering season

Pearls of Perfume recently introduced philadelphus is the first to flower all summer long

New Plants: Rudbeckia - Spectacular plants and unique colours hitting the market

Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush'

New plants: Choisyas - Three breeders dominate the market for choisyas in Britain

Little Honey Bee has white flowers and golden leaves

New plants: Impatiens - breeding disease resistance into new Impatiens

Impatiens Beacon

LATEST ORNAMENTALS CONTENT

RHS reveals peat-free grower numbers during Four Oaks/HortWeek seminar

Dobson, Bragg, Harper, Caesar, Griffiths

This month in HortWeek history: 23 April 2022

Perennial fundraisers added to plant library

Nemesia Peaches n Cream - credit: Bransford Webbs

Frank P Matthews plants trees at National Trust Craflwyn Hall

Craflwyn

Seven latest horticulture developments

Stan Green

Free flower bulbs for schools

Anthos

B&Q launches 40 varieties and promotes 15 'digital' lavender-coloured plants

B&Q promotions including lavender, Geranium and Petunia

Jill Biden tulip launched

Jill Biden and Tulipa 'Jill Biden'

Peonies in the spotlight with Alec White

Matthew Appleby and Alec White

Deborah James rose raises £50,000

The Dame Deborah James Rose - credit: The Harkness Rose Company