Category: Plants in containers

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the cottage favourite of Astrantia in containers. Astrantia is a genus of herbaceous perennials that belong to the Apiaceae family (the celery family). It is found throughout Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, but not found in the Colder Northern parts. Astrantia is a small genus, where only 11 species are known to exist and most are not seen in the garden, especially in the UK. It has the common name of Masterwort but it can be sold as Melancholy Gentleman or Hattie’s Pincushion.

This is a perennial for the shade. In …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the not often seen but still colourful bulb of Brimeura in containers. Brimeura is a bulb-forming perennial plant that belongs to the Asparagacaea (the Asparagus) family, where 3 species are known to exist. The Dutch hyacinths you will find everywhere but not the Spanish ones. It can be said to be the showier than the Dutch Hyacinth and flowers later.

Brimeura is generally found growing in South-East Europe and on certain islands in the West Mediterranean. It is believed it gets its name after the 17th century Netherland botanist Marie de …

In this article, we will discover how to grow the tender perennial of Calandrinia in containers. Calandrinias are a large group of flowering plants that include 100 species of annuals and perennials. The flowers are noted for the colourful trumpet-like or daisy-like blooms that are produced in summer that often come in shades of red, purple and white.  The plants are often naturally found in North, South and Central America, along with Australia. It has also been introduced to New Zealand, South Africa, Asia and Europe.

The plant when not in flower is nothing special as it has a basal …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the not often seen Baptisia in containers. Baptisia is actually a member of the Legume (Pea family), where blue pea-like flowers are produced in summer. These are followed by black seed pods.

This herbaceous perennial is often seen as an inferior plant to the often grown cousin of Lupine. It is a native woodland and grassland plant found in Eastern and Southern North America where 26 species are known to exist. The ones you are likely to find in garden centres and online are based on Baptisia australis.

The leaves are …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the tender perennial of Browallia in containers. Browallia was formally sold many years ago as a houseplant but people started to grow them as a half-hardy annual bedding plant. It is a small genus of seven flowering plants, where most are annuals or short-lived perennials that belong to the nightshade family, Named after the Swedish botanist Johan Browall.

They are found in North America, Mexico and South America and are not naturally found in the UK as demonstrated by very few gardeners growing them. This does not mean you should not …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the annual or tender perennial plant of Arctotis in containers. Arctotis belongs to the family Asteraceae, where up to 20 species are known to exist. It is native to areas in South Africa, where it grows on stony slopes. Its common name is African or Cape Daisy and typical of plants from this region. The plants have daisy-like composite flowers that tend to close in late afternoons or on cloudy days.

True plant breeding has created a number of cultivars for use in the garden that tends to stay open for …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the unusual perennial Asclepias in containers.  There are tender species but also hardy ones, which are recommended to be grown in the UK. It has the common name Milkweed because of the milky latex substance that can cause heart attacks, especially if the cells are damaged and the plant is consumed. Saying that there are insects, such as the Monarch butterfly who feed on the leaves and on the nectar the flowers produce. In fact, the larvae are host plants for these butterflies and use them for their survival.

It is …

In this article, we will be discussing how to grow the clump-forming herbaceous perennial of Aruncus in containers. It is hard to believe but it is actually a member of the rose family. It is a small group of species, where the botanists cannot agree if one or four species exist.

The recognised species is Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard), whilst Aruncus aethusifolius, Aruncus gombalanus and Aruncus sylvestris are not recognised by all botanists. They are native to woodland areas in the Northern hemisphere in cold areas.

They are noted for looking like a giant Astilbe but instead, they produce feathery …

In this article, we will discuss how to grow the dainty perennial of Armeria in containers. This is a plant that belongs to the Plumbaginaceae family the plumbago family, where over a hundred species are known to exist. Most are naturally found growing in the Mediterranean, with one species  A. maritima found naturally growing in coastal regions of Ireland and Cornwall.

The plant looks great mixed with other plants and bulbs in a container, where the grassy-like evergreen leaves are densely packed into hummocks. Above the sea of leaves, dainty round clusters of pink/lavender/white pompon–like flowers are borne on top …

In this article, we will discover how to grow Arisarum in containers. In a previous article, we discussed how to grow Arisaema in containers, a member of the Arum family, but now we turn our attention to another member –Arisarum. This is a plant that is native to the Mediterranean regions, especially east of the Caucasus and West of this area.

It is a rhizomatous hardy perennial that produces the typical arrow-shaped, glossy and long green leaves often found with plants in the Arum family. It is grown for the novelty factor because the flowers that appear in spring- …