Plant Library

Explore our extensive archive of guides to species and cultivars of popular or useful plant genera by HortWeek's own technical editor, Sally Drury, one of the UK's leading plantswomen, Miranda Kimberley and leading plantsman Bob Askew. Featuring expert tips from supplier's on how to use or sell them.

Go direct to Landscape Plant Library
Go direct to Retail Plant Library

Christmas trees

Christmas trees

LANDSCAPE PLANT FOCUS

Water lilies

Escarboucle

Phlox

Rosa 'Pastell' - credit all pictures: Floramedia Database

Fragrant foliage

Elsholtzia stauntonii has slender spires of lilac or pale purple from August until the end of October - credit all images: Floramedia Database)

Pyracantha

Pyracantha Soleil D'Or

Carnivorous plants

Each Dionaea muscipula plant has six or more leaves, varying from green to red, ending in a hinged trap flushed green/pink or red inside - all images: Floramedia Database

Nerine

Nerine Mansellii is one of the older hybrids in genus - credit all images: Floramedia

Cotinus

Cotinus coggygria. European smoke bush produces bright-green leaves and 20cm-long flower plumes that eventually turn a smoky grey - credit all images: Floramedia

Trees that will tolerate wet sites and waterlogging

Salix alba - credit all images (except where captioned) Floramedia

Bergenia

Eden’s Magic Giant: noted for its attractive mid-pink flowers on deep-red stems for many weeks in spring as well as large crumpled leaves - credit all images: Floramedia

Forsythia

Forsythia Spectabilis - credit all images: Floramedia Database

RETAIL PLANT FOCUS

Anemone

Anemone blanda ‘Charmer’ - credit all pictures: Floramedia Database

Fruit

Korona strawberries

Vegetable plants

Phaseolus vulgaris Hestia - runner beans are easy to grow, make a standout feature in vegetable gardens and a few varieties can even be grown in containers - credit all images: Floramedia

Fragrant white Clematis

C. × triternata ‘Rubromarginata’ has reddish-purple edges - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Flowering houseplants

Mandevilla Rosea has pink flowers with a yellow throat - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Foliage for the home office

A. Sprengeri: looks good cascading from pots - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Herbs

Herbs are ideal for retail because they smell gorgeous, taste fantastic, have medicinal properties and can be used fresh or dried and stored - credit all images: Floramedia

Echeveria

Echeveria Agavoides - credit all images: Floramedia

Skinny trees for tight spaces

Elegantissima boasts green pinnate foliage

Prunus part 1 - flowering cherries for the garden

Asano: each deep-pink chrysanthemum flower has up to 100 pointed petals

NEW PLANTS RADAR

New Plants Radar: Seven summer annuals from Selecta one

Seven summer annuals from Selecta one

New Plants Radar: Minimum effort, maximum blooms

New plants

New Plants Radar: Ball Colegrave trials

New plants

New Plants Radar: Highlights from FlowerTrials

New plants

New Plants Radar: Hot new shrubs for home gardeners

Hot new shrubs for home gardeners - credit: Sapho/Hortival Diffusion

New Plants Radar: Waterdrinker Aalsmeer

New plants

New Plants Radar: Unusual plants at IPM Essen

New plants

New Plants Radar: Plantarium Groen-Direkt 2025 selection

New plants

New Plants Radar: Looking forward to launching in 2025

Left to right: Lilia Twirl, Uno Bakari, Little Treasue; Pop, Passion Fruit, Sunfinity, Tablemate

New Plants Radar: Labisia, Dionaea, Cyclamen, Coleus, Begonia, Tillandsia and Philodendron

Left-to-right (from top): Kura Kura, Zipp, Windbell, Coleus, Begonia, Tillandsia, Philodendron - credit all images: Michael Perry

NEW PLANTS WITH GRAHAM RICE

Cosmos Apricotta

New Plants: Fleuroselect 2023

New Plants: Awards and trials

Fleuroselect: red zinnias compared in trials

New Plants: Lavender - old favourites are now improved and new options stand out

Phenomenal is good for hedges or long-stemmed cut flower - credit: Plantipp

New Plants: Brunnera - resilience and exciting introductions stoking fresh interest

Brunnera 'Alexandria' totally silvered

New Plants: Delphiniums - progress made in seed-raised and tissue-cultured series

Delphinium Centurion is among the best seed-raised series

New Plants: Buddleja - developments include a neater plant size and sterile flowers

Buzz Series, popular with home gardeners / Miss Series: tall plants that are very prolific - credit: Thompson & Morgan/ Graham Rice

New Plants: Sedges - EverColor range offers versatility and colourful foliage

Everest is the top-selling variety in the EverColor range and has green and white variegated leaves

New Plants: Philadelphus - Developments see significant extension to flowering season

Pearls of Perfume recently introduced philadelphus is the first to flower all summer long

New Plants: Rudbeckia - Spectacular plants and unique colours hitting the market

Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush'

New plants: Choisyas - Three breeders dominate the market for choisyas in Britain

Little Honey Bee has white flowers and golden leaves

New plants: Impatiens - breeding disease resistance into new Impatiens

Impatiens Beacon

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Cyclamen

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