RHS Garden Wisley

Exclusive Christmas launch at Wisley Plant Centre

Wisley Plant Centre — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:18:00 GMT

Last night we hosted our ‘Make Christmas Special’ Christmas launch evening, where we greeted more than 350 invited guests with glasses of wine and mince pies.

The place looked stunning, with many seasonal plants, decorations and novel gifts for sale. Our team created an inspirational display of Christmas front doors and gardens to demonstrate traditional, modern and cottage styles. They wouldn’t have looked out of place at Chelsea!

Our sought after prize draw for the evening went to Mary Humphreys who wins £100 to spend with us at a time of her choosing.

If you’re interested in coming to this event next year please email Tina at wisleyplantcentre@rhs.org.uk and she’ll put your name on the list.

More about Wisley Plant Centre

Quick! Get to the Glasshouse at Wisley to see the Peruvian daffodil

Jim Gardiner — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:46:00 GMT

You have just a few days to enjoy the beautiful, yellow, fragrant Peruvian daffodil. It isn't common in cultivation, and this is the best I have ever seen this rarity flower, so I extend my congratulations to the team in Glass.

Sloe, sloe, quick quick sloe………

Wisley Plant Centre — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:48:00 GMT

. . . . it’s the time of year to plant your hedging. We have bundles of hedging plants which must be planted now, while they are dormant. They are field grown, lifted and bundled for your convenience, and they must be planted out immediately before they spring into life. Autumn is the best time as the soil is moist and it promotes root growth so your hedge gets off to a flying start.

This year we are proud to have in our range a mixed native bundle, ideal for making a natural looking hedge that is great for attracting wildlife.

We also have bundles of Prunus spinosa – the plant that gives you those juicy black sloes for making sloe gin with. [Fill a bottle with pricked sloes, add some sugar and fill up with gin. Allow to permeate for a few months, turning daily.]

Here’s what we have available:

Description		Retail Price
CARPINUS BETULUS (HORNBEAM, 10 PLANTS)		£25.00
CORNUS SANGUINEA (DOGWOOD, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
CORYLUS AVELLANA (HAZEL, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
CRATAEGUS MONOGYNA (HAWTHORN, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
EUONYMUS EUROPAEUS (SPINDLE, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
FAGUS SYLVATICA (GREEN BEECH, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
FAGUS SYLVATICA PURPUREA (COPPER BEECH, 5 PLANTS) +		£25.00
HEDGING MIXED (NATIVE BUNDLE, 10 PLANTS) *		£19.99
LIGUSTRUM OVALIFOLIUM (PRIVET, 10 PLANTS)		£25.00
LIGUSTRUM VULGARE (PRIVET, 10 PLANTS)		£25.00
LONICERA NITIDA (SHRUB HONEYSUCKLE, 5 PLANTS) +		£12.99
PRUNUS SPINOSA (BLACKTHORN, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
ROSA RUGOSA (RAMANAS ROSE, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
ROSA RUGOSA ALBA (WHITE RAMANAS ROSE, 10 PLANTS)		£19.99
VIBURNUM OPULUS (GUELDER ROSE, 10 PLANTS)		£25.00

+ Note, bundle contains five plants
* The mixed hedging bundle includes Acer campestre (Field Maple) x 2, Cornus sanguinea (Common Dogwood) x 1, Corylus avellana (Hazel) x 2, Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn) x 3, Euonymus europaeus (Spindle) x 1, Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn / Sloe).

When planting your hedge try adding a packet of mycorrhizal fungi to the roots to improve establishment. For more information on rootgrow http://www.plantworksuk.co.uk/rootgrow_information.php

For more information about Wisley Plant Centre please click here.

Late autumn tidy up at Wisley

Jim Gardiner — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:16:00 GMT

In last week's sunny weather, and this week's chill, the garden teams have been busy tidying the place ready for the cold season to come.

RHS Garden Wisley wins Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at South East Tourism Awards

Jim Gardiner — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:19:00 GMT

I am delighted to share with you the news that RHS Garden Wisley has won ‘Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ at the Tourism Awards South East 2009. Staff and volunteers are thrilled with the decision, which was announced at a celebratory Awards Dinner hosted by Gyles Brandreth at The Wentworth Club on Thursday 22 October.

Wisley Bonfire and spectacular autumn colour at Wisley this week

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:39:00 GMT

At the beginning of this week we had some glorious sunshine, and great crowds at our incredibly successful (and enjoyable) Taste of Autumn festival. Next week we have a host of half term activities plus something fun for Hallowe'en to look forward to, and the final week for submitting entries to the RHS photographic competition. Wisley could inspire you for this...

Our famous Nyssa sylvatica 'Wisley Bonfire' takes centre stage on Seven Acres. Here, it is set off by the pink berries of a Sorbus, with butter-yellow leaves on a birch tree behind it, and the Liquidambar styraciflua just beginning to colour up on the left. Over the next few weeks this tree will turn deep red and look stunning, and you might spot more of them around the garden, especially over in the Arboretum.

Last chance to take a prize winning picture

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:09:00 GMT

With the autumn colours coming through, and harvests being gathered, you might just be inspired to take a stunning snap, and be in with the chance of winning £1,000 in the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual Photographic Competition.

South African botanical treasures at Wisley

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:10:00 GMT

We are enjoying the autumn so far at Wisley. Fruits, flowers and veg are in evidence all over the Garden, and the leaves are starting to turn. We're looking forward to our Taste of Autumn Festival next week, 16-19th October, with great anticipation - it's been a fantastic event over the last few years, and this year it has an exciting new format. Can't wait!!

Creative, colourful and convenient

Wisley Plant Centre — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:27:00 GMT

Are these the first words to spring to mind when you think of conifers? Yes! Because conifers are a wonderful way of adding colour, shape and style to your garden.

They’re easy to grow and visually stunning. Many change colour during the year so you can have fabulous splashes of orange, blue or purple in autumn or winter just when it's needed.

Come and see our large selection of conifers. Small, slow-growing, medium sized or giant, they are incredibly versatile – some are perfect for growing on patios and balconies, others are great for giving height to borders. The Cryptomeria japonica ‘Rasen-sugi’ rising out of my small fern bed gives an almost prehistoric look with its braided curls of twisted green foliage lit up against the strong, red bark of its narrow trunk. Or you can try a pair of formal Cupressus sempervirens either side of a door for an arresting, stately look.

If you’d like to see conifers in situ, visit the Pinetum, Rock Garden and Conifer Lawn at the RHS Garden, Wisley and then come in to us (through the gate in the Mixed Borders) and see what we can offer you. Alternatively, come through our main entrance, there’s no charge. And as National Conifer Week runs from 3-11 October, we’ll have lots of special stock to inspire you to garden with conifers.

Please click Wisley Plant Centre for more information about us.

Plants for Bugs at Wisley: autumn update.

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:35:00 GMT

Through the Pinetum and into Howard's Field late summer and autumn colour is coming into its own. Our heather beds are doing well, and there are carpets of beautiful pink and white Cyclamen hederifolium. And right at the end is the Plants for Bugs site, being overseen by Helen Bostock on of the RHS Horticultural Advisors. Further to the initial blog posted earlier this summer, this is her latest update.

Smiling sunflowers: colour on the Trials Field in September.

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:47:00 GMT

Flowers continue to take centre stage in September at Wisley. If you've not been down recently, this is the perfect time to stroll around the Trials Field to enjoy a myriad of colour.

Find fine flavour and colour in early autumn at Wisley

Jim Gardiner — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:28:00 GMT

Colourful flowers and tempting vegetables, plus an orchard full of fruit and the promise of autumn leaf colour to come - Wisley is looking wonderful this month. The Glasshouse is brimming with begonias amongst an outstanding display of temperate and tropical plants. Our brand new Visitor Guide and map, 'An Edible Autumn' is now available, and highlights some of the plants around the garden at this time of year that smell good, taste great or have delicious sounding names.

September at Wisley: stimulation for your mind and garden.

Jim Gardiner — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:05:00 GMT

It's your last chance to book a place on our Perennial Seeding Workshop on Thursday 10th September. This promises to be a fantastic day for learning how to create your own perennial prairie meadow, much like ours on the western side of the Glasshouse that has looked wonderful for much of the summer. See my earlier blogs for more information or click here for more information and call 0845 612 1253.

Sculpture, fun and the ultimate in recycling at Wisley

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:37:00 GMT

Our Wild at Wisley children's play area opened recently, and this week we've installed the new sign. It was skillfully carved by Kirsty Summerhayes who works in the Fruit and Trials department, from wood from a fallen oak tree in the garden. Wood is the major theme here, and Paul Sivell has carved a snail, an old man of the woods, dragons and more, similarly from Wisley trees. In fact all the materials for this area have been locally sourced, making it the ultimate in recycling to produce plenty of fun.

How to mow and how to sow a meadow

Jim Gardiner — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:26:00 GMT

What a beautiful day it is today. Glorious sun and blue sky, and Wisley looks fantastic. I think the sunflowers on the Trials Field would agree, maybe thinking they're in Tuscany... if sunflowers could think!