The delightful Myrteola nummularia is a hardy evergreen, prostrate shrub forming a thick mat typically only about 10cm high. Native of The Andes of southern Chile, south-west Argentina, Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands, it is often associated with Empetrum rubrum, Gaultheria mucronata and Blechnum penna-marina. The hardiest member of the Myrteaceae, it was […]
Author: Steve Harper
Lobelia bridgesii
The beautiful pink-flowered Lobelia bridgesii is one of five currently recognised species of lobelia native to Chile, four of which are cultivated to varying degrees in the U.K. The name commemorates Englishman Thomas Bridges who arrived in Valparaíso, Chile in 1828 and during the following twenty seven years collected herbarium specimens, plants and seeds, many […]
Latua pubiflora
This interesting and unusual semi-deciduous late winter and early spring flowering shrub is a monotypic, narrow endemic of Chile found scattered in the coastal cordilleras and Chiloé. It was first collected by William Lobb on Chiloé in 1848 during his second trip for the nursery of Veitch and Sons, but it failed to make it […]
Thursday 14th April – ‘The journeys and plant collections of William Lobb’
On Thursday 14th April Mark will be presenting an illustrated talk ‘The journeys and plant collections of William Lobb’ for Plant Heritage Shrewsbury Group at The Priory School, Longden Road, Shrewsbury SY3 9EE. The talk begins at 7:30pm, with refreshments being offered from 7:15pm. A selection of the plants highlighted in the talk, together with […]
A walk through some Irish gardens
Take a stroll through five iconic gardens in the south-east of Ireland that could form the basis of a gardens visit to the region, looking at their history, development and present standing. […]
Smaller trees and the modern garden
As the size of gardens continues to reduce and the function of the garden changes, we take a look at a selection of trees more suitable for today’s more confined planting areas. […]
The year round shrub garden
Taking a look, season by season, at a selection of less commonly grown shrubs along with a number of familiar favourites for all sizes and style of garden. […]
The travels and discoveries of Père Armand David
Follow the exploits and legacy of the French Lazarist missionary and naturalist extraordinaire, who left his own indelible mark as well as helping to pave the way for subsequent plant collectors in China. […]
The journeys and plant collections of William Lobb
Following the trail of William Lobb who between 1840 and 1860 undertook four plant collecting trips for the nursery of Messrs Veitch & Sons, introducing an extensive range and number of what are now established garden plants today. […]
Notable gardens of Cornwall and the south west of England
An overview of a dozen varied but significant gardens of the horticulturally rich counties of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. […]