Author: Antonio Pachowko

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the beautiful dwarf shrub of Santolina in containers. Santolina is often given the common name of cotton lavender, because of its vague resemblance to Lavender. Santolina is a relatively small genus of 19 species belonging to the Asteraceae (Aster) family and to the tribe Anthemidae (the Chamomile tribe).

They tend to be found all over the Western Mediterranean region. What is common with all Santolinas is that they are small, low-growing, mound-forming, evergreen bushes that look great in containers.

It is grown for both its flowers and foliage, although some are …

 

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the very fragrant and delightful shrub of Sarcococca in containers. Sarcococca is a relatively small genus of 11 flowering shrubs and plants that belong to the Buxacae (the Box) family. The genus name comes from two Greek words ‘Saix’ and ‘Kakkos’ which translates as ‘Fleshy Berry’ because of the black fruits it bears after it flowers.

They are native to eastern and South –Eastern Asia, especially to the Himalayas. They are slow-growing, evergreen plants that often only grow up to 2m high. In the spring and summer months, the shrub …

In this article, we will find out how to grow the beautiful and not-often-seen flowering shrub of Rubus in containers. We are talking about plants that are grown for their colourful stems in winter or their floral displays or their fruits.

The popular, large white-striped, Rubus cockburnianus, is not suitable to be grown in containers as the plant is simply too large and unruly.

Rubus is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants that belong to the Rosaceae (Rose) family with over 1350 species known to exist. The familiar plants in the family are raspberry, blackberries and dewberries, and …

In this article, we will discuss the familiar and useful herb plant of Rosmarinus and how to grow them in containers. Although Rosmarinus is no longer a genus recognized on its own because of taxonomic evidence and it has been moved to the larger Salvia genus.

They are small, woody, perennial shrubs and herbs that have fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and it belongs to the Lamiaceae (the Sage) family. They tend to be found in the Mediterranean areas of Europe and Asia, where it is found growing everywhere. The most common species that is found in a lot of gardens …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the heavenly-scented Romneya in containers. Romneya is a genus of two species of flowering subshrub that belong to the Papaveraceae (the Poppy) family. The genus is named after the Irish astronomer, John Thomas Romney Robinson and has the common name of Matilija poppies or Tree poppies. Romneyas are native to California and North America, which gives the idea that the plant is not totally hardy.

The two species you will find are Romneya coulteri and Romneya trichocalyx. The bluish-green leaves are deeply cut with a small fringe of hairs at the …

In this article, we will be discussing how to grow Ribes in containers. We are not talking about the blackcurrants, redcurrants, white currants or gooseberries that are grown for their edible fruits, but instead ornamental currants and decorative gooseberries that are used for the flowers that they produce.

The most popular one of these is flowering currants, which are seen in flower in early spring in gardens everywhere. Ribes are a fairly large genus of flowering shrubs that belong to the family Grossulariacae (the Saxifragales family). They are native to the colder and temperate regions of the North Hemisphere. They …

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 …