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Post by Juliet on Jan 22, 2007 21:41:27 GMT
Any ideas of things which can be relied upon (in Cambridge in most weather conditions!) to be in flower in April - or better still from the end of March to the end of May? We're hoping to put our house on the market in March, and I want to fill in any bare patches in the garden, &/or get some pots with things which will be in flower while people are looking round. I thought I'd go to a garden centre in March & buy plants with lots of buds, but it would help if I have some ideas of things to look for, and all the books tend to say "spring", which (especially given global warming) might mean February or June! We've got lots of spring bulbs, which will be finishing in April, and lots of summer flowers which will be starting in May, but not a lot which really looks its best at that time of year (other than the Amelanchier & the Clem early sensation, which are both in the back - the front will be pretty bare). I obviously don't want anything pink or scented or enormous, but other than that I'm open to suggestions - if it's expensive/I like it I can put it in a pot & take it with me & if it's cheap/I don't I can plant it in a gap in the border
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Post by Jonah on Jan 23, 2007 0:14:31 GMT
Hi Juliet I can't comment on the scent of these two, as I only have them on a list: Corydalis decipiens/purple February to mid April. Potentilla Nana /yellow March-May Some of those that I haven't got round to buying yet!
Garden expert lists ranunculus ficaria [I've got Brazen Hussy], brunnera, many epimediums, ajuga, nepeta mussinii, pyrethrum [you can get red!], trollius and veronica gentianoides as all flowering before the end of May. Should find forms of Daphne as well. But most of these are straight out of a book, so I'm not talking from experience.
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Post by Juliet on Jan 23, 2007 17:35:02 GMT
Thanks Jonah . I already have Trollius on my list, and Daphne is scented, but I'll look up the others.
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Post by andy on Jan 23, 2007 17:52:21 GMT
Helianthemums, aubretia and arabis, allysum saxatile, saxifrage. You might be able to get primroses, pansies, forget me knots and even pot grown wallflowers in garden centres.
Many of the larger alpines will also be in flower around that time.
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Post by Plocket on Jan 23, 2007 18:54:34 GMT
It won't actually be in flower but lavender always looks pretty good and smells nice. And it does well in a pot so you could take it with you when you move. Potted azalea will probably be out then too but they aren't cheap.
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Post by Juliet on Jan 23, 2007 20:32:58 GMT
Allysum, wallflowers, & lavender are all scented, so no good for me, I'm afraid, but I'll have a look at the others - thanks. Anneliesje suggested azalea, Plocket, so I've been looking at them - I thought if I can find a white one suitable to go in a pot it will look really good & I can take it with me when we move so the cost won't matter.
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Post by Plocket on Jan 24, 2007 9:20:27 GMT
You shouldn't have a problem finding a white one Juliet - make sure you look at the pictures on the labels carefully though because some whites will have a hint of pink, while others have a hint of yellow!
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Post by Juliet on Jan 24, 2007 17:45:28 GMT
A hint of yellow is fine
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Post by Plocket on Jan 25, 2007 11:40:10 GMT
Ok here's some to look out for then: Everest and Geisha White are both white, but Geisha Orange is fairly stunning too.
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Post by Juliet on Jan 25, 2007 17:49:10 GMT
Thanks, P - I already saw Geisha orange when I was looking on websites - lovely colour - but if I'm thinking in terms of appealing to the widest possible number of people I thought white would probably be best.
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