A riot of colour under one roof
The marquees at the 2012 RHS Show Cardiff house an array of colourful and exotic plants.
Phil Clayton Features Editor of The Garden
Thursday, April 19, 2012
This year's RHS Show Cardiff has an array of exciting and exotic plants on show. Here are some of the intriguing specimens that feature in the marquees.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Night Rider’ shown by Trehane Nurseries of Dorset, is a compact, slow growing camellia, producing masses of unusual, small dark red blooms, from mid to late spring. The young foliage is also attractively tinted red as it emerges. Ideal for a small garden or container, grown in ericaceous compost.
Primula auricula Lockyer’s strain were developed by auricula specialists W&S Lockyer of Surrey. These seed raised plants are available in a wide range of flower colours and are well suited to growing outside, proving tough and easy to grow in borders.
Clematis ‘Fragrant Oberon’ fills the display of Priorswood Clematis of Hertfordshire with delicious scent. It is an evergreen plant, hailing originally from New Zealand, with fern-like foliage and masses of small greenish-cream flowers. It is compact and slow growing, climbing to around 1.2 m (4ft) and needs a position in sun and well drained soil. Provide protection from severe frost – plants also grow well containers.
Clematis ‘Brunette’, also shown by Priorswood Clematis is another superb, early flowering climber to look out for. The blackcurrant–purple, nodding blooms appear in profusion above divided fresh green foliage, and appear between April and June. Easily grown in sun or light shade it will scramble to 3.6m (12ft).
Lessertia montana is an exciting plant from originally from South Africa, with divided silver-grey foliage and clusters of dramatic, pea-like soft red flowers. It is hardy to around -6c if grown in a sunny, well drained position, or grown in a container and kept overwinter in a cold glasshouse. Look for it on the stand of Trewidden Nursery, Cornwall.
Tulipa ‘Exotic Emperor’ is a striking and rather unusual selection worth looking out for, on the display of Avon Bulbs of Somerset. It has ivory-green flowers with conspicuous pointed sepals. The blooms are particularly appealing as they open and slowly fade as they age. Said to be a good, long lived selection increasing in the garden over time.
Primula maximowiczii can be seen on the stand of Harperley Hall Farm Nurseries of Durham. This refined alpine species produces slender stems to around 30 cm(1ft) tall, topped by bell shaped brick red flowers in spring and the plant enjoys a moist but well drained position. Plants are usually seed raised and so may vary in flower colour.