Good plant #107 - Sciadopitys Verticillata

This is a very striking evergreen and slow growing columnar conifer. I was literally stopped in my tracks by the leaves which look like fireworks exploding. You can buy lots of different varieties of this, including golden coloured ones. There are smaller varieties which can be grown in pots too.

It prefers moist but well drained soil and will tolerate sunny and part shaded sites.

You should refrain from pruning as it is very slow to regenerate.

You can take cuttings in autumn.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #106 - Begonia Semperflorens 'Ascot Bronze White'

This tender plant is useful for filling gaps in the summer months. It produces many flowers against a highly contrasting bronze foliage.

In my experience it grows almost anywhere and in any soil. Fertilize ( every two to three weeks) and water regularly for optimum performance.

It lasts only one season but is so cheap it is worth buying every year.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #105 - Lonicera Periclymenum 'Graham Thomas'

This is a heavily scented deciduous honeysuckle that has a long flowering season. The flowers start off white-ish but then turn more yellowy.

Honeysuckles grow best in part shaded sites and moist well-drained soils with a robust framework to twine and climb up. Once flowering is over, this honeysuckle benefits from pruning back to strong new-ish growth.

You can take cuttings in late summer.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Build a pergola the easy way

You will need the following materials:

• Enough treated wooden trellis to meet your desired size for the ‘roof’
• 4no. 4” x 4” lengths of treated wood cut to your desired height (plus a foot to go underground) for the posts
• 4no. screws
• A plank of wood at least as long as your desired length for the pergola
• Two sticks of wood exactly 18” long
• Rubble (e.g. broken bricks)
• Just add water ready mix concrete
• A spirit level

Then just follow these steps:

1. Dig four holes for the upright posts, spaced to fit the size of the trellis roof
2. Level the bottom of holes to the correct depth using the plank of wood, two sticks and a spirit level
3. Put the first post in its hole, shore it up with a little rubble and level it vertically as best you can
4. Put the second post in its hole, shore it up with a little rubble and level it vertically as best you can
5. Horizontally level posts one and two using the plank on top of the posts and the spirit level, checking the spacing for the trellis roof as you go
6. When you are satisfied with the first and second posts’ horizontal and vertical levels and spacing for the trellis roof, carefully pour enough water then dry concrete mix around the post to fill the hole except for a couple of inches below ground level
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for the third and fourth posts
8. Screw the wooden trellis to the top of posts once the concrete is set
9. Paint or stain as required
10. Add climbing plants and enjoy!

The key to this project is diligently checking and refining the horizontal and vertical levels and carefully spacing the posts for the trellis roof.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #104 - Cotinus Coggygria 'Royal Purple'

This deciduous shrub is a gardener's favourite. Why? It creates great contrast in a border and can be pruned to suit the space you have available.

It's also known as a smoke bush because its pink-ish flowers have a feathery appearance which looks smoky.

I suggest pruning this hard back (remove crossing branches and down to two buds per stem) in early spring to encourage really vibrant foliage. Like most shrubs it loves a 2-3 inch mulch of rich compost round the base in early spring.

This plant does best in moist but well drained soil. It'll thrive in full sun and part shaded sites.

Cuttings can be taken in late summer and early autumn.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #103 - Oenothera Biennis

Also known as the common evening primrose, this tall hardy biennial is worth the wait from seed. A succession of large scented flowers are produced on tall stems in the summer and autumn. It is a classic cottage garden plant and looks equally at home in prairie or meadow planting scheme.

It likes sun or part shade and likes any well drained soil. As it's a tall plant it's best kept in sheltered spot otherwise you will need to stake it.

It will self seed. Seeds are best planted in early summer. In the first growing season low-growing rosettes will form. The following year the tall flower stems shoot up.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #102 - Molinia Caerulea 'Variegata'

This is an elegant hardy perennial low-ish growing grass. This plant forms a lovely tuft of striped leaves followed by erect purple tinted flower heads above the tuft. A great one for the front of the border and can be planted in a large group. It maintains its colour well into the winter until the first really cold spell.

Remove all the previous year's growth in early spring and feed with a general purpose soluble fertilizer when the new shoots appear.

It prefers fertile well-drained soil and a sunny position but will tolerate a little shade.

You can divide it in spring soon after the new shoots begin to appear.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #101 - Physocarpus Opulifolious 'Centre Glow'

This shrub certainly has wow factor foliage. Its foliage is almost two-tone as it emerges then goes a very dark red. It also produces pink-tinged white flowers but the foliage on its own makes this deciduous shrub a winner.

You can treat this as a flowering shrub, in which case you have to prune straight after flowering has finished. Alternatively if you cut back to almost the ground in spring you can treat it as foliage shrub.

It likes a sunny site a will tolerate any well drained soil.

You can propagate by cuttings in summer.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #100 - Papaver Somniferum 'Lilac Pom Pom'

I came across this annual opium poppy variety by pure fluke. My brother-in-law felled some conifers and turned over the soil beneath them and hey presto a huge swathe of lilac coloured poppies came up. He gave me some seeds.

Originally, I thought it was a variety called purple peony but was wrong. This is a truely floriferous and huge annual poppy that you grow from seed.

It will grow and seed itself everywhere although it prefers full sun and well drained soil. Just remove the young seedlings you don't want and or move them to where you want them. Do this carefully as they seem to resent root disturbance.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #99 - Lilium Asiatic 'Blackout'

This is an amazing and tall asiatic lily. It is very reliable and will produce more flowers year on year. It likes any well-drained soil in a sunny spot. To encourage flowers and bulbs to grow and split I feed with a general purpose soluble fertilizer in spring.

I remove seed pods straight after each flower dies, so the plant's energy is not wasted on making ripe seeds.

To propagate simply lift, split and replant large bulbs in late autumn/ winter. When you lift a lily you can tell whether its ready to split because it looks like two or more bulbs.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #98 - Crataegus Laevigata Plena

This is floriferous deciduous small-ish ornamental hawthorn tree grown for its abundance of double flowers. There's a pink version of this too (Rosea).

If you live in Manchester, hawthorns are found everywhere. You often see them as you drive down the motorway along with cow parsley. They look gorgeous together. It produces berries in autumn too.

You can plant them almost anywhere in almost any soil except for very boggy soil.

Propagation is notoriously tricky. If you use the seeds they don't always come true or even germinate. The only other way is grafting onto established root stock in late winter/ early spring. If you want more, I suggest buying more.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #97 - Campanula Poscharskyana

This is the vigorous blue flowering plant you see growing in stone/ brick walls with cracks and and in crevices on paths.

It likes free draining soil and a sunny-ish site but will grow virtually anywhere. If you want to grow it to cascade down a wall, plant it towards the top/ on the top of the wall in some fertile soil (to get it off to a good start) and its roots will then find the moisture and nutrient in the cracks. It will not take long to cascade down.

This plant will self seed. You can also divide it in spring.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #96 - Podophyllum Versipelle 'Spotty Dotty'

This has to be one the best perennial foliage plants for moist shady areas. This is a fairly recent variety of Podophyllum. Although it produces flowers, it's mainly grown for the foliage.

This plant needs a fair bit of shade and moist soil.

It can be divided in spring just as the new growth pops through the soil.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page

Good plant #95 - Sambucus Nigra f. Porphyrophylla 'Thundercloud'

This is a tremendous elder. It has many seasons of interest. In spring its beautiful acer-like red foliage appears. This is followed by flowers starting from the the awkward May/ Early June gap and going on well into summer. It then produces dark purple fruit.

Add to this, it will grow in almost any soil and in sunny and part shaded sites. This is one great plant. In full sun you get redder leaf colour.

You can trim this as much or as little as you like. However, if left unpruned it can grow to 6ft plus and spread even more. I trim back to almost the ground in early spring.

You can take cuttings in spring and autumn.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page

Good plant #94 - Pleioblastus Viridistriatus 'Dwarf Greenstripe'

This is a low growing ground cover bamboo with striking foliage. It looks great mixed in with bluey-green foliage plants like Festuca Glauca or Juniperus Squatamata 'Blue Star'. It is great for growing in a pot.

It can spread quite widely albeit slowly. It's not like some spreading bamboos which completely take over. If you want to restrict it spreading, plant it in a pot in the soil.

I cut it back to ground in early spring before the new growth starts.

It prefers moist-ish well-drained soil and a sunny but sheltered spot. However, I have grown this on very dry soil. Its foliage can be ruined if there is too much wind exposure.

You can divide this in spring just as the new shoots start to appear.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #93 - Buddleia Alternifolia

This buddleia does not seem as popular as the many davidii varieties yet this is an incredibly handsome species. It is a large flowering shrub and in my opinion looks the best in and out of flower compared to other species and varieties. This is mainly due to its weeping habit.

It is not fussy where it is planted and will tolerate most soil - even fairly infertile dry soil.

To get the best out of this shrub, prune out about a third of the old wood after flowering.

You can take cuttings in summer.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #92 - Woodwardia Fimbriata

This is a tall, arching and bright green fern that is perfect for a moist shady border. Although it is evergreen, I remove the old fronds in spring and feed it with a general purpose fertilizer. This encourages many large lush fronds.

It must have moist soil and shade. It doesn't like clayey soils though, so add plenty of compost and grit to the planting hole if you have heavy clay.

You can divide this fern in spring just as fronds have just started unfurling.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #91 - Geranium Oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink'

This is an incredibly vigorous and tough geranium. It produces masses of flowers on shapely domes of almost shiny green foliage. Every cottage garden should have a swathe of this. If you cut this back to the ground after the first flush of flowers, it will usually flower again before the summer's out. It looks great with pink and white foxgloves.

It will thrive almost anywhere, even in dark dry spots and in almost any well drained soil. I would not put this in too fertile soil as it tends to get too leggy.

This plant can be divided in spring and will self seed.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #90 - Hieracium Aurantiacum

This native wild flower produces its bright orange flowers throughout the summer. Many people treat this plant as a weed.

It prefers well drained soil and will do best in a sunny-ish position.

This plant propagates itself by runners and seed.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #89 - Leucanthemum Vulgare

My favourite short-lived perennial weed. It's hard not like the look of this native plant. It's the classic daisy. You will see it growing all over the place. Looks great in meadow or prairie planting schemes.

It prefers sun and will send up more flowers in a moderately fertile soil compared to poor soil.

The plant's biggest downside is it self seeds prolifically. Remove the flower heads unless you want your whole garden covered by this plant.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #88 - Scabiosa Caucasica 'Perfecta Alba''

An stunning perennial plant once established. It produces large flowers on tall stems and will keep producing them all summer if you dead head. Unusually, the young leaves are very different from the older leaves.

This plant loves a sunny site and any well drained soil.

This plant benefits from propagating by division in spring about every three years.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #87 - Coreopsis Tinctoria 'Golden Crown'

This is a great hardy annual plant for a meadow or late flowering border. It flowers late in the summer and will go on to first frost.

It'll grow in almost any soil. It prefers a sunny position and is fairly drought tolerant.

It will self seed or you can collect the seeds.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #86 - Chamaecyparis Thyoides 'Top Point'

This is a perfectly formed dwarf evergreen conifer. It is slow growing and makes a nice compact cone of its own accord. It only grows to about four to five feet. Its leaves turn a sort of purple in the winter months. The new growth in spring and early summer is bright green and contrasts the older foliage. It is an ideal conifer for a pot - it just needs a good soak in very long dry or windy spells, even in winter.

Carefully chosen dwarf and small-sized conifers add structure to a garden throughout the year. Conical shaped ones are not as prone to snow damage because of their shape.

It prefers moist well-drained soil but will tolerate spells of drought. It prefers a sunny-ish position but will tolerate all but the shadiest aspect.

Cuttings can be taken in late summer.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Make a small stone effect planter

You will need an old container (e.g. tupperware), cement, sieved peat-based multi-purpose compost,builders sand, pva glue, water and PPE (waterproof gloves, mask and eye protection).

• Put your PPE on (seriously the cement dust and mixture can cause harm)
• Drill 1/2 inch drainage hole(s) in bottom of the container
• Paint the PVA on the container and let it dry
• Mix the DRY cement, sieved peat-based multi-purpose compost and builders sand in a bucket in equal proportions
• Add water until you get a stiff dough texture to make a 'mud pie'
• Apply the mud pie about 1/2 inch thickness to the container using your hands to squeeze it on - don't cover the drainage hole(s)
• Cure undercover/ indoors for four days to a week (in cool conditions ideally)

If the weather is very warm and dry, you can use a fine spray of water every day or so during the curing process.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #85 - Erigeron 'Sea Breeze'

This was the first plant I scrounged. I took a cutting from a garden in Anglesey North Wales where it grows for fun right on the sea shore. The flowers last for ages and it will tumble a spread beautifully. Lovely bluey green foliage too.

It will look great in a pot on a patio or as part of an alpine scheme. In the photo, it is growing with a variegated Molinia Caerulea herbaceous perennial grass - a striking combination.

It loves an sunny well-drained soil. It thrives in poor and fertile soils. The leaves can get frost damaged. Just remove the everything except for the new growth at the base of the plant in early spring.

It will self seed all over the place if you let it. You can divide it once new shoots start to appear in early spring.

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #84 - Cortaderia Selloana 'Pumila'

This is an evergreen(ish) compact pampas grass. It produces masses of seed heads on tall stems which will last right through the winter.

I cut this hard back (dead leaves, old seed heads and stems and green leaves) in early spring. This makes the plant look tidier. Some people just remove the dead leaves and old seed head stems - it's your choice.

It thrives in a sunny spot and well-drained soil.

I feed it with a soluble general purpose fertilizer in late spring.

You can propagate it by division. This involves carefully hacking through the tussock with a sharp small-teeth saw/ large kitchen knife. I do this immediately after cutting hard back in early spring .

For more good plants and gardening tips click here: http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/ and check out the archive at the bottom of the page.

Good plant #83 - Oxalis Crassipes 'Rosea'

There are many people who would consider this plant as a hideous weed that should not be cultivated. I disagree. This beautiful mound forming herbaceous perennial has clover-like leaves and produces a mass of pink flowers. Both the leaves and flowers close at night.

It will grow almost anywhere. It prefers some moisture but will grow on the driest of the dry soils e.g at the foot of hedges. It prefers a shadyish site but will tolerate full sun. This plant is as tough as they come.

It will self seed unless you remove the faded flowers. You can divide it up whenever you feel like it but it's best dividing in spring when you see the new shoots. If you cut it hard back after the first flush of flowers you will get a fresh mound of leaves and more flowers again in autumn sometimes.

Use the 'SEARCH THIS BLOG' function (right), look at the archive at the very bottom of the page, or click here for more good plants and gardening tips:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/

Good plant #82 - Geranium 'Blue Blood'

This is one of the best perennial geraniums you can get. It flowers profusely, almost all at once. Like a lot of geraniums if you cut it right back after the first flush of flowers, it may flower again towards the end of summer/ early autumn. Give it a feed of soluble general purpose fertilizer and this helps it along.

This plant will tolerate all but the boggiest of soils and prefers sun. However it will also perform in part shady sites.

Use the 'SEARCH THIS BLOG' function (right), look at the archive at the very bottom of the page, or click here for more good plants and gardening tips:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/

Good plant #81 - Briza Maxima

Most people are trying get annual grass out of their borders. This is one that's worth having in it. It has such a beautiful seed head and compliments flowers perfectly. I grew this through a Jasione Laevis 'Blue Light' one year and together they looked stunning in flower and as they both faded.

This plant likes a well-drained soil and a sunny site but will cope with some shade.

Collect and store the seed heads to sow the following year. It will self seed too.

Use the 'SEARCH THIS BLOG' function (right), look at the archive at the very bottom of the page, or click here for more good plants and gardening tips:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/

Good plant #80 - Rhododendron 'Baden Baden'

Rhododendrons usually take up a lot of space. They have their place mainly in bigish gardens where they can grow to their full potential. This dwarf variety is very compact and very floriferous in early spring. It even tries to flower again sometimes in autumn.

This plant does best in a shadyish spot but will perform almost anywhere provided it has acidic soil. To guarantee the soil is acidic use ericaceous compost in the planting hole and feed in the autumn and early spring with ericaceous general purpose fertilizer.

Cuttings can be taken two to three months after flowering.

Use the 'SEARCH THIS BLOG' function (right), look at the archive at the very bottom of the page, or click here for more good plants and gardening tips:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/

Where to buy plants

I have found that plant sellers tend to get their new 'fresher' stock ready for punters on Saturday late on Friday. In order to ensure you get the best specimens, go last thing on Friday night or very early Saturday morning.

DIY stores

The main advantage of DIY stores is the cheap price. The main disadvantage is they have a very limited choice.

Garden Centres

The main advantage of garden centres is they often have a broader choice. The main disadvantage is they are more expensive usually.

Plant Nurseries

The main advantage of nurseries is the cheap price and quality of specimens. The main disadvantage is they often have a limited choice.

Buying online

The main advantage is that the choice is virtually limitless. The main disadvantage is you don’t get to see what you’re buying.

Scrounging

You can scrounge cuttings and seedlings from friends and family and if you’re cheeky, you can take cuttings from plants from anywhere ;^)

Use the 'SEARCH THIS BLOG' function (right) or click here for more good plants and gardening tips:http://greenshootsgardeningandhorticulture.blogspot.com/