Downside Plant Nursery News

Magnolia – one of the most dramatic flowering shrubs in the garden

Posted in: Shrubs, Spring colour, Trees | February 24, 2016 at 10:29 , by Downside Nurseries

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The magnolia buds are beginning to swell; they must be one of the most dramatic flowering shrubs in the garden. First the hybrid Magnolia × soulangeana and the Magnolia x stellatas, pink or white blossoms on bare stems. Then the later hybrids and the lilii floras. They mostly blossom from late spring...

Plants to help bees through the winter

Posted in: Alan Titchmarsh, Alice Bowe, Bee-friendly plants, Shrubs, winter colour | February 19, 2016 at 10:33 , by Downside Nurseries

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Cornus mas - One of the bee-friendly plants at Downside Nurseries

An interesting article from Alice Bowe giving details of some of the best plants to grow to help bees during the winter months. See the Times article here Her suggested plants include: Winter clematis –Clematis cirrhosa** Mahonia – Mahonia x media Winter heather – Erica carnea Cornus mas – Cornelian...

Winter gardens and the silver birch

Posted in: Trees, winter colour | February 12, 2016 at 10:53 , by Downside Nurseries

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Winter gardens are becoming very fashionable and one of the ‘main stays’ is very often the Silver Birch with its wonderful white trunk. We have a range of sizes of jacquemontii including ‘Moonbeam’ which is especially bred for the smaller garden with its maximum height of 10m. ...

Sarococcas for delicious winter fragrance

Posted in: Joe Swift, Telegraph writer, winter colour, winter planters | February 6, 2016 at 10:27 , by Downside Nurseries

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“Sarcococcas are tough and easy to grow, and will find the garden with delicious fragrance”, writes Joe Swift in The Telegraph a couple of weeks ago. Sarcococcas are compact, evergreen shrubs, with simple, leathery leaves and tiny, fragrant creamy-white flowers in winter or spring, followed by red, purple or black...

Sowing onions, shallots, garlic and sweet peas

Posted in: Sowing, winter colour | February 2, 2016 at 17:24 , by Downside Nurseries

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We are sowing onions and shallots in the greenhouse. If you have sets, now is the time to put them out. Last year several people asked about garlic so this year we have plenty. It is out in the cold which is apparently necessary if you want it to divide...