NCCPG Plant Fairs

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If you see one of these events advertised locally, go to it. Small, specialist nurseries, often with rare or unusual plants are there, and prices are generally quite good. This is an excellent way of picking up bargains while supporting these businesses who are up against the big, multi-national Garden Centres with their bedding and limited range of shrubs and perennials.

Today I travelled fifty miles to Longstock Park Nursery in Hampshire for a large event – there must have been at least thirty stalls there with a mouth-watering selection of trees, shrubs, climbers, perennials, alpines and vegetable plants. These are my purchases:

Arisaema sikokianum – a choice Cobra Lily. The flower consists of a deep purple spathe and white spadix

Campanula trachelium (three of) – our native nettle-leaved bellflower. I am slowly building up a colony of these in my rose garden – they flower in July/August and will take shade so are useful at that time of year for lighting up a dark spot

Chrysanthemum ‘Nantyderry Sunshine’ – a hardy chrsyanth, three feet tall, with yellow flowers in October

Dodcatheon dentatum (three of) – smaller brother of D.meadia, growing about half as tall but with less fleshy leaves and white flowers

Libertia ‘Taupo Blaze’ – perennial for a moist soil in sun with spiky, coloured foliage

Pellaea rotundifolia – a tolerant little fern for a sheltered spot. It will take some sun and a less-than-damp soil

Now that’s MY sort of shopping!

• 4 May, 2009
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