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Fuchsia
'Claire de lune'
orange
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Bunches of Flowers have traditionally been
used as a declaration of love for hundreds
of years. However they are somewhat short
lived. So how about something more permanent.
A tree or shrub will last for years, and
in some cases may even outlive you!
What
could be more romantic than having a tree
or rose that shares your name. Or names!
If you're getting married, a Plant that
shares your name could be the thing to celebrate
your wedding day years down the line, and
remind you of that happy celebration of
your love.
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Fuchsia
'Claire de lune' orange/pink
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A good place
to start is the Royal Horticultural Society's Plantfinder.
This annually published volume is also available online
at http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp and
is the definitive guide to named varieties and nurseries
who supply them. It is also available as a Windows CD-ROM
and as a annually published book, see your local library
if you don’t want to buy a copy.
Of course
some names are more popular than others, our search
for Claire brought up many entries, while our search
for Jamie returned only four, Searching for the name
Ann bought up eight pages of results!
And if you
have a particularly unusual name, well there's always
nicknames and variations to try; Jim, James and Jimmy
brought up extra hits, and then there's middle names
and surnames.
Choosing
A Plant
Choosing a plant (Or plants) in this way requires a
certain amount of consideration. Some plants that share
your name may be wholly unsuitable for your garden,
depending on it's size, aspect, and soil. It's worth
finding out what these are, as an ill chosen plant will
not flourish, and this brings no joy. Once you have
short listed suitable pants for your garden; you can
start to look in more detail at their various points
of merit.
Points
to Consider
You may
wish to consider the following points, the final size
of the plant, its speed of growth, the colour, scent,
and texture of flowers and leaves if applicable. Once
you've finalised your choices, you will need to find
a supplier. The PlantFinder lists nurseries, and depending
on the species, your chosen plant may be more widely
available at Garden Centres. However it is worth contacting
smaller nurseries for their personal advice, and they
can tell you whether a plant will do well in your area,
and answer any other questions you may have.
Research
If possible
do a little research before making a final decision...
Putting the botanical name (that is its scientific name
, made up of a Genus, species, and sometimes Cultivar
as in Geranium (Genus) (Species) Ann Folkard) Cultivar.
Cultivar stands for Cultivated Variety!) into a search
engine such as www.google.com will usually result in
a wealth of info for that particular plant. and usually
give more than enough information for your needs! Web
sites found using this method are frequently written
by specialists who have a passion for that particular
plant!
Buying
the Plant
If possible
visit the nursery Or supplier if you are inexperienced
in gardening. It is far better to pick your own plant,
than to mail order. Plants as with most living things,
don't respond well to Royal Mail! If your chosen plant
is relatively rare, you may have to rely on the post
however. If you do visit, it is worth checking to make
sure that the nursery
Small nurseries
have limited staff and facilities and therefore often
have a limited period when they are open to the public,
if in doubt ask. Many nurseries do now have at least
a basic web site (some are very, very detailed) and
if they do, a search from somewhere such as Google,
for the name of the nursery may find it.
If it is
a particularly rare Or special plant you want, then
the National Council for the Conservation of Plants
and Gardens (Registered Charity No.1004009 See http://nccpg.org.uk Or Email
membership@nccpg.org.uk)
may be able to help. Its members (and similar groups
the world over) strive to maintain groups of plants
from extinction from our gardens, and may have material
Or plants available which is not available commercially.
There are local NCCPG groups across the country and
joining is a good way to meet other keen plants people
in your area!
Some points
to look out for when shopping for plants:
Pests
and Diseases
Weeds in
the pot can be a sign that the plant may be pot bound
and have been standing around too long. It is perfect
acceptable to lift a plant out of its pot to inspect
the roots. After all its half of the plant! Would you
by a car without checking the tyres for damage and the
underside for rust.
Once you
get your plant home, you will of course need to plant
it. You will probably (hopefully) have chosen a site
first! Stand the plant in its site and position it to
its 'best' side. Of course tree and roses are often
bought in the winter when dormant. In this case it's
really up to you how you position them, trees don't
have to be planted at 90 degrees to the ground, and
bulbs can usually be planted slightly deeper than recommended.
The main thing is not to plant in extremes of weather,
Not too hot, cold, windy, wet Or dry! An cloudy overcast
day is best.
Planting
It's impossible
to say the best way to do this as plants requirements
vary hugely. It suffices to say that a good supplier
should be happy to give advice when you buy the plant,
and offer after care advice.
Aftercare. Plants need light, warmth and water. You
may have to also restrict competition from other plants
(weeding!). If its a tree, climber Or shrub, it may
need training Or pruning.
Finally:
Enjoy!
After you've
spent your hard earned time and money your plant should
repay you. And don't just stop at one, look at the rest
of the garden, and how you use it. A idea I saw over
Christmas was lavender bushes lit by fairy lights, their
silvery foliage reflecting the light.
What could
be more romantic than a drink under the stars, reminded
by your named plant, of your love for your partner!
And if
the ‘new rock and roll’ leaves you cold, and
you want something a little more cosmic, to remember
your love by, you could always name a star after them...
intrigued??? Watch this space!
Hemerocallis 'Stafford' Daylily
Perennial,
Hardy, Red flowers, Height: 90cm, Spread: 75cm.
