Let me tell you something; I have an ever-growing passion for European culture, art, history, literature, flavours, gardens and above all, beauty! In the last few years I have been travelling around this continent many times and one of my much-loved destinations has been Holland. The Dutch like give to the world a taste of their agricultural excellence and tulips are a proof of that! Originating from the Ottoman Empire, now Turkey, tulips were imported to Holland in the 16th century and they are only associated with the Dutch because of Carolus Clusius a Dutch gardener born in 1526. Clusius was head gardener at the University of Lieden in Holland, where his work in botany and medicine was well-known.

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Back in 2008, I wrote a piece here about a flurry of new crocosmias - some of which turned out not to be new at all! Now, as a result of new breeding work carried out in Oregon, we have two genuinely new crocosmias added to the 2013 RHS Plant Finder, which came out in April.

'Twilight Fairy Crimson' (above, click to enlarge) and 'Twilight Fairy Gold' (below left, click to enlarge) are both short, as crocosmias go, reaching only about 40cm, and both have the same smoky bronze foliage that makes the old favourite ‘Solfatare’ so much appreciated. So, like ‘Solfatare’, the leaves make a valuable contribution to the border tapestry long before the flowers open.

'Twilight Fairy Crimson' has rich red, flared flowers carried in branched  heads on dark stems and with that bronze tint to the foliage. The foliage of 'Twilight Fairy Gold' has more of a coppery colouring, and orange-yellow flowers open from orange buds.

Both are good towards the front of sunny borders, in mixed containers, and even as neat cut flowers. Although drought tolerant, they’re best kept moist to keep them flowering well, to help the flowers last as long as possible, and to help prevent spider mite attack.

You can order Crocosmia 'Twilight Fairy Crimson' from these RHS Plant Finder nurseries.

You can order Crocosmia  'Twilight Fairy Gold' from these RHS Plant Finder nurseries.

Other crocosmias added to the RHS Plant Finder this year are: 'Butterball', 'Eggs and Bacon', 'Sherbert Orange' and 'Suzanna'.

 

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While working on site yesterday, a very sick looking Viburnum sargentii caught our attention. It's not cold damage as other viburnums are not affected. Our plant pathologist, Liz, is going to take a look later today but has anyone any ideas? Will post shortly with her findings.

  

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Hi I am Jim Arbury and this is my first blog. I am an RHS horticultural specialist with a particular interest and experience in fruit growing. I have worked at Wisley for 30 years and so have seen the orchard and fruit gardens through many contrasting seasons. I have been involved with all aspects of fruit growing and in my own time grow vegetables and keep bees.

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As usual I promised to blog throughout the build and something happens that stops me from being able to post anything. Sadly down here in Malvern, I don't have an internet signal where I am staying and limited signal on the Showground. So I haven't been able to keep you up to date with what's been going on. The month started in quite a frantic rush, ensuring we had finished as much of the work we had on before leaving for Malvern. Plus I needed to leave the men set up and ready to continue on various jobs whilst I was away. I started the month with a few days up in Edinburgh at the Royal Botanic Gardens continuing to work on the New Garden Design Diploma. Whilst I was there we also had an open evening to introduce all the Diplomas, Short Curses and RHS courses that RBGE run. It was a an insight into what the students were looking for and I met a few of the potential students before the course starts in September! Things are moving quickly now as we finalise the information and scheduling side of things! Then it was straight down to RHS Malvern Flower Show to start building the Solar Chic Garden with Digby Stone. I can honestly say that this was the smoothest build we have ever had! There were no major concerns or traumas throughout the whole process... Well, until the wind arrived last week. It's been a great show and a really friendly environment as the family joined me on site at the Three Counties Showground. Even Frank the dog was able to accompany us during the build, and he thoroughly enjoyed coming to work every day. In fact he looked a bit miserable having to stay at home whilst the show was on. From start to finish we have really enjoyed our time at the Malvern show, and worked hard to get our Silver Medal!! The public seem to love the garden and everything about it from the beautiful Solar Granite Paving from Digby Stone, the Art Panels made by Susan Bradley, the Gaze Burvill Furniture and the Photinia Parasol Trees supplied by Brentwood Moss Nursery. So all in all, the show has been a massive success! I can't really believe how the time has flown since my last monthly update, and I have another very busy month coming up!

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I'm a big fan of galvanised tin baths.  Not obviously, as baths.  That would be silly.  Next thing you know I'd be recommending you use pipe cleaners to clean pipes.  But no, as a large ice-filled drinks cooler at a 1920s themed speakeasy party, or as a garden planter, they are perfect. In fact I've used mine for both (not simultaneously you understand).

I picked up the bath for about £30 at an antique shop, but you can also find them online.  Although not cheap, they are pretty good value when you compare them to similarly large containers

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Hi. We're Katie and Paul and we would like to ask if you're a "fan" of pelargoniums.  We work in the Propagation Department at Wisley (Katie is a trainee, Paul is a long-standing member of staff having once been a trainee but now has many years experience - you can see us in Figure 4 below). 

Fancy a bit of the Mediterranean in your life? A profusion of incredible scent and colour are on show in the Pelargonium display at Wisley. It is on for six weeks from May 4th - come now to see it at its best!
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I have decided something about sheds; it's always good to get the smallest one you can. 

I mean, don't get me wrong, you need one big enough for the things you have to store otherwise you've just put up a wooden box in the garden, and that would be silly

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Just thought I’d let you have some more facts and figures about the new RHS Plant Finder, which came out last month. In particular, news of some of the new entries in the 2013 edition, new plants available for the first time.

First of all, there are exactly 4,329 new entries. As last year, Hemerocallis show their surge in popularity with two hundred and fifty new entries, more than any other plant, with tulips following on at two hundred and eight. The next few are not surprising – Primula (178), Narcissus (148), Iris (128) and Dahlia (119).

Next on the list, in seventh place, is Brugmansia (Datura as was) with an amazing ninety eight new additions, almost all from a nursery that is also new in the Plant Finder, Naieus Exotics. Then comes Fuchsia (88) followed by another surprise – Tillandsia with seventy seven new additions. In tenth place are hellebores with fifty three new additions.

I discussed the ten new plants with the most suppliers in the 2013 Plant Finder in a recent post. But one was left out of the list because it is by some long way not a new introduction. Rose 'Madame Boll' (right, click to enlarge), listed by seven suppliers, is an old Damask Portland rose, pink and highly scented originally introduced in 1859 by the German breeder Kordes. Now it’s back.

To follow on from my earlier post abut the new plants listed by six or more suppliers, here’s the list of new entries listed by five different suppliers.
Allium 'Cameleon
Clematis Giselle ('Evipo051')
Clematis Samaritan Jo ('Evipo075)
Cornus alternifolia Golden Shadows ('Wstackman')
Crocosmia 'Twilight Fairy Crimson'
Fragaria x ananassa (strawberry) 'Buddy'
Helenium 'Hot Lava'
Helenium 'Ruby Charm'
Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis 'Soft Caress'
Nandina domestica 'Seika'

I’ll be looking some of these over the next few months, starting with Crocosmia 'Twilight Fairy Crimson and its new sister 'Twilight Fairy Gold' next time.

You can order the 2013 RHS Plant Finder from the RHS Bookshop.

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