I Wish To Purchase Some Large Perennials Suitable For A Pool Border

hello dawsonsaunt,
i have always found crocus sound in their delivery.
dave

www.crocus.co.uk

Hi Dave, thanks for this. I looked at their site earlier funnily enough - nice to know they are reliable. Been looking at ebay but you have to be careful at they are charging about £5 (including delivery) but the plants are tiny - in 3 inch pots.

I have used a supplier in Cornwall for many years - www.burncoose.co.uk

How about a Bull Rush!! and the Whie Arum Lily (Zantadechia) But there again, How big is the pond? perhaps I am going a bit wild.

Thanks Andrew - I'll take a look at Burncoose, thanks.
Telme: Bull rushes .... lol. they are 'the bane of my life' - I've never set one but they came of their own accord. I have hundreds of them, ha ha. The pond isnt small - its 50 metres long! I've kept the bullrushes in the corners but want some nice big plants for the front and the island in the middle. I have a White Arum Lily but it wasnt happy on the water's edge, we are on clay and I dont think the soil is free draining enough so its on a temporary bed for now.

What fun you're going to have with this project! Good luck with it. Larch Cottage Nurseries are good - not cheap, though.

Astilbes like to be near water and are really lovely plants. Not huge, but would still look nice.

Iris' are great by a pond and my favourite, Lobelia Cardinalis.

Sorry, you asked about suppliers, doh! Still, you might want some flowers, lol.

Hello Spritz - thanks for your good wishes. I think the fun has gone out of it now :( Not much fun manually removing bull rushes that tower above you that really take some pulling out. The problem I have is that some moist loving plant also like free draining soil which I dont have but I do want to get some nice, big perennials around the edge. I'll take a look at Larch Cottage Nurseries, thank you.

Hello Llew, I love Astilbes Llew and I've tried these but they get a bit swamped by the grass, I have irises though and they are fine. I'll take a look at Lobelia Cardinalis, thank you.

Rodgersias (tabularis and bronze beauty) are a good buy, large leaves in different shapes and colours. Ligularias (dentana and rocket) love these conditions, they have nice large leaves plus yellow flowers. Tetrapanax papyrifer is a nice large leafed specimen, or a musa basjoo and of course the pond giant gunnera manicata.

Woo Hoo, its very exciting, thanks for your suggestions Andrea. I know what Ligularias is and I have Gunnera but not the others, I'll look them up. So now I know where to purchase from and what to get - think I need to borrow husband's credit card, lol. Thanks so much everyone.

A good place to look for large specimens is
http://www.architecturalplants.com/plants.html?list=big_leaves

Thanks Andrea :)

Oh yes. Andrea's ligularia dentata is a great suggestion.

I have one (NOT near a pond) and I have to keep watering it. It has the most fabulous big leaves, Dawn.

I've just google imaged Ligularia and it looks great - need to do a list now. I think I'll need to dig a big hole when setting the plants and fill with some nice compost to give them a good start. Thanks

I know this isn't on line but we have Stapley Water Gardens and Bridgemere here were Staffordshire/Cheshire and Shropshire meet. Both within a few miles of each other and just up the A50 from you. Both have display gardens featuring pools planted up beautifully. I've got to admit I buy seeds and small anuals online but would think twice about buying shrubs and perenniels. But good luck anyway.

Hello Akela - I visited Stapley Water Gardens about 15 years ago, thanks for reminding me and thanks for your advice.

This looks like something you would like to buy, Podophyllum pleianthemum, a large leafed specimen.
I have a good source which I use occasionally. They are Long Acre Plants

http://www.plantsforshade.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

They specialise in plants for shade, but all the plants have different requirements and some will tolerate sun and need waterlogged or boggy soil. The Rodgersias are on there. I tend to click on the perennials sections and just scan through the whole lot looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions. Only £7 delivery (£13 for me cause I live on the Isle of Wight :(

Hello Andrea,
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I've looked at Podophyllum pleianthemum and it sounds great. I'll visit Long Acre Plants, thank you so much 4 the lead. I've placed an order for Rodgersias from Crocus and a few others from Crocus.

I don't use Crocus. They are a huge company but refuse to deliver the Isle of Wight, that's pants!!! They said their contracted courier won't go there. They could use other methods but customer services weren't bothered in helping

That's mean of them Andrea :( Well, they must be losing quite a bit of business - your's especially. :)

I have had some good plants from Gardening Express who go by coates5569 on ebay .I recently bought one of their baby wisteria plants and it does seem to have buds.
The gardening express site is worth a look.

Thanks Arlene, I'll take a look. I have actually ordered 4 plants from Crocus - they had what I wanted whereas some of the other companies just had 1 of 2.
Still waiting for it though .... they did say up to 2 weeks for delivery to be fair. Hopefully soon I'll have some giant perennials!