Small Gardens

Mulberry tree

Black mulberry produces delicious plump black juicy edible fruit. White mulberry produces leaves for silkworms to eat. Both species have hard heavy golden brown timber used for marquetry, inlay work a...[more]

Rowan Mountain Ash tree

A native species seen at its best amongst the acid rocky uplands of the north and in Wales. Its display of golden leaves and bunches of radiant scarlet berries on a fine October day is a memorable sig...[more]

Whitebeam tree

A fairly compact bushy European tree which is also native to south-east England. It can usually be found growing naturally on lime rich soils especially chalk. The broad oval white backed leaves are v...[more]

Wild Cherry: Gean

This self sterile, suckering cherry extends naturally from Britain to the Crimea. There is some doubt about the exact origin. Such a useful plant was clearly spread artificially in the unrecorded past...[more]

Barberry

All species of berberis have needle sharp spines usually in threes but in some forms clusters of up to 7. They form good hedges but the lax stems become untidy if not clipped regularly. Most have yell...[more]

Burnet Rose

A British heathland and coastal rose which suckers strongly and creates dense ground cover. The 50-100cm stems have spiny bristles. White flowers are produced in mid summer followed by purplish-black ...[more]

Crab Apple

A hardy tree to 10 metres tall often with spiny shoots, pinkish blossom and yellowish green to russet 2-3cm round apples. It is often confused with M.domestica which is larger, not spiny and has vario...[more]

Field Rose

A weak stemmed rose that spreads widely but seldom exceeds 1.5 metres in height. The flowers are white 3-5cm across followed by red globose hips. It is native to southern Britain....[more]

Laurel

Sometimes called Cherry laurel (which is unfortunate as the berries are poisonous to humans) this familiar evergreen reaches 10 metres in height and spreads widely. It has been extensively planted for...[more]

Privet

This British native privet should not be confused with the oriental species used in town gardens. It is only semi-evergreen and produces a straggling open bush up to 5 metres tall. Usually it will hav...[more]

Ramanas Rose

The ramanas rose will succeed in most soils but prefers light well drained, tolerates coastal conditions, suckers freely, flowers are white or pink, hips are large and orange/red in colour.

Shrub Honeysuckle

This urban hedging plant has a place in some woodland situations. It is dense and evergreen and may be clipped to any size. Since its introduction from China in 1908 it has become universally popular ...[more]

Snowberry

Snowberry has been planted on sporting estates ever since its introduction from America in 1879. It spreads alarmingly and soon creates a tough ticket of wiry stems. Pheasants in particular love the s...[more]

Spindleberry

A branchy shrub or small tree with tough leathery leaves and exquisite pink and orange fruits. It prefers lime rich soils and an open hedgerow or woodland edge situation. Once established it provides ...[more]

Wayfaring Tree

This 6 metre deciduous shrub is a native species in Southern England and Wales. It prefers lime-rich soils along woodland edges. It is extremely tough. The pliable coppiced shoots were once prized by ...[more]