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Romantic Plants

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.

A good place to start is the Royal Horticultural Society's Plantfinder. This annually published volume is the definitive guide to named varieties and nurseries who supply them. Of course some names are more popular than others, our search for Claire brought up many entries, while our search for Jamie returned only seven, Searching for the name Ann bought up over 9 pages of results!

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 if you can. 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 has the plant you want and will be open when you visit.

If it is a particularly rare or special plant you want, then Plant Heritage (known as the National Council for the Conservation of Plants & Gardens (NCCPG), 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.

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!

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