Container Plants and Gardening

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the unusual shrub of Rhaphiolepsis in containers. Rhaphiolepsis is a genus of 15 species of evergreen shrubs that belong to the Rosaceae (the Rose) family. It is native to warm regions and subtropics of East and Southern Asia, Japan, Korea, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

It is closely related to Eriobotrya, so close that the two genera have been hybridised to produce a hybrid Eriobotrya deflexa x Rhaphiolepsis indica, the Coppertone Loquat. The common name comes about due to its close relation to Crataegus, the Hawthorn, which has been transferred to some …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow Dasiphora, especially Dasiphora fruticosa (syn. Potentilla fruticosa) in containers. Dasiphora is a genus of ten species of shrubs that belong to the Rosaceae (the rose) family, which are native to Asia. Dasiphora fruticosa in particularly once belong to Potentilla, a genus of 300 species, but it is now separated. Potentilla is a confusing genus as so many species have been moved in and out of the family. It was found that Dasiphora and Potentilla are distinctive enough not to belong to the same family. Dasiphora fruticosa is often found in cool, …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the distinctive shrub of Phlomis in containers. Phlomis is a relatively large genus of 100 species of herbaceous perennials, subshrubs and shrubs belonging to the Lamiaceae (the mint or Sage or Deadnettle) family. It is a plant that is native to areas of the Mediterranean, Central Asia and China.

The name is derived from the Greek word meaning ‘Flame’. The shrub is grown for its distinctive foliage as well as the attractive blooms it produces. The 30cm to 2m tall shrub is comprised of green-grey leaves that are opposite, with each …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the prolific flowering shrub of Phygelius in containers. Phygelius, which has the common name of Cape Fuchsia or Cape Figwort, is a flowering shrub of two species that belong to the Scrophulariaceae (the Figwort) family. As the common name implies it comes from South Africa, where it grows on wet slopes and banks.

Although it is an evergreen shrub it cannot take frosts, but this should not put you off if you treat it as a border perennial by cutting off all stems in spring and allowing new ones to grow …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the unusual shrub of Ozothamnus in containers. Ozothamnus is a genus of around 50 shrubs that were once classed as belonging to Helichrysum, but no more. Ozothamnus itself belong to the family Asteraceae (the Asters), which is a huge family of different genii of plants, including shrubs.

They are native to Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. Although 50 species exist, you will only find two species often sold here in the UK. These are Ozothamnus ledifolius and Ozothamnus rosmarinifolius. They share so many features that are common with Helichrysums such …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the beautiful and prolific flowering shrub of Perovskia in containers. It used to belong to its own genus of Perovskia, but as with a lot of plants with DNA analysis. It has moved to the Salvia genus, where 8 species are known to exist.

The common species used to be called Perovskia atriplicifolia which has been renamed Salvia youngii.

The shrubs are naturally found growing in Southwest and central Asia. It is a member of the Salvia (the Sage) family but is given a subgenus within this family. It is officially …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the pretty shrub of Olearia in containers. Olearia, which has the common name of daisy bush, is a genus that belongs to the largest flowering plant of the Asteraceae (the Aster) family, where 180 species are known to exist. Olearias are native to Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand and include shrubs, herbaceous plants and small trees.

They all bear the familiar daisy-like flower heads often seen in members of the Aster family. Olearias are shrubs that either is small or high. The leaves are nothing to write home about as …

In this article, we will discover how to grow Myrtus in containers, a popular English shrub. Myrtus, which has the common name of Myrtle, is a flowering shrub that belongs to its own family of Myrtaceae, It has been grown in English gardens since the 16th century, where sprays of blooms have been used in Victorian bride’s bouquet.

The genus itself was described for the first time by the famous Swedish Botanist of Linnaeus in 1753. Myrtus is a funny old genus, where at one time or other, 600 species have been proposed. The problem is that a lot of …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the unusual shrub of Leucothoe in containers. Leucothoes are attractive shrubs of 10 species that belong to the Ericaceae (the Erica or Heath) family.  It has an unusual common name of dog hobble for some unknown reason. What makes it suitable to grow in containers, is that they are relatively short, only growing up to 2m tall.

The genus is split up into species that are deciduous or species that are evergreen, made up of leaves that are glossy and oblong-lanceolate. Some species and varieties have 2cm short leaves, which in …