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What are your top ten?
Cambridgerose12
Posts: 1,134
I've put this in the wrong thread, sorry.
I often play a little game while gardening in which I try to identify my top ten plants ever grown. The list is based not just on appearance, but also on overall garden performance, which of course depends heavily on local conditions. So what works for me (on alkaline clay) may not be your cup of tea at all. Also, of course, the plant has to be something I could never envisage being without. I'd love to know what your favourites are.
Top 10, in no particular order:
Pileostegia viburnioides
Reason: Evergreen climber with red young foliage and flower buds that move from lime green through to off-white. Never outgrows its welcome, suits a north-facing wall, easy. Far more interesting than is apparent from photos etc.
Agapanthus. I can't decide on just one variety. The best I've grown have been 'Blue Moon' and 'Star Quality'.
Reason: Free of pests and diseases, beautiful in and out of flower, architectural, awe-inspiring blue flowers, easy to grow, not temperamental
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Reason: OK, I'm following the herd with the slightly peculiar 'Plant of the Century Award', but this really is a wonderful plant, which flowers for ages, improves over the years, mingles pleasingly with other plants, and doesn't really have an 'off season' like so many hardy Geraniums.
Sarcococca confusa
Reason: Glossy dark green leaves would be enough, but this shrub also has honey-scented flowers in the depths of winter, then berries which turn from green to red to black. Compact and really useful.
Melianthus major
Reason: I love its craggy blue leaves. Makes a splendid statement in any spacious, sunny border. Its flowers are the cherry on the cake. Dies away in winter so you can interplant with crocus etc.
Scilla mischtschenkoana
Reason: Tiny so can go anywhere. Flowers in bleak grey February. Amazing fountain of palest ice-blue, quite large flowers over a long period. Dies down tidily to make way for perennials. Wonderful with Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens', or with bright greens and yellows, or with pinks or... anything really.
Geranium 'Lily Lovell'
Reason: Another Geranium! But it is one I particularly love. Vivid purple flowers against bright green foliage. Copes with shade and drought and flowers for weeks, unlike other forms of Geranium phaeum.
Trachelospermum japonicum
Reason: Versatile evergreen climber. Makes a sort of natural topiary around supports, requiring clipping once a year--even I can do that--and easy to keep within bounds, as well as being self-supporting. Flowers from late April or May for several weeks, with a wonderful smell like vanilla. Best forms have glossy, light green long leaves and some of these turn brilliant red before shedding. Some can turn plum-coloured in winter cold.
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ice Crystal'
Reason: Not for its coloured flowers, like the mopheads, but for its cinnamon-coloured stems, its uniquely shaped leaves and the red autumn colour.
Ipheion 'Tessa'
Reason: In a windowbox. It flowers from December to April, has bright green strappy leaves for most of the year, but it does die down in hot summer weather. You can see I like winter-flowerers! This last one was very hard to choose--there are so many other plants I love....Other contenders might have been Miscanthus sinensis 'Ferner Osten', a Camellia, or even Cotoneaster lacteus.
I often play a little game while gardening in which I try to identify my top ten plants ever grown. The list is based not just on appearance, but also on overall garden performance, which of course depends heavily on local conditions. So what works for me (on alkaline clay) may not be your cup of tea at all. Also, of course, the plant has to be something I could never envisage being without. I'd love to know what your favourites are.
Top 10, in no particular order:
Pileostegia viburnioides
Reason: Evergreen climber with red young foliage and flower buds that move from lime green through to off-white. Never outgrows its welcome, suits a north-facing wall, easy. Far more interesting than is apparent from photos etc.
Agapanthus. I can't decide on just one variety. The best I've grown have been 'Blue Moon' and 'Star Quality'.
Reason: Free of pests and diseases, beautiful in and out of flower, architectural, awe-inspiring blue flowers, easy to grow, not temperamental
Geranium 'Rozanne'
Reason: OK, I'm following the herd with the slightly peculiar 'Plant of the Century Award', but this really is a wonderful plant, which flowers for ages, improves over the years, mingles pleasingly with other plants, and doesn't really have an 'off season' like so many hardy Geraniums.
Sarcococca confusa
Reason: Glossy dark green leaves would be enough, but this shrub also has honey-scented flowers in the depths of winter, then berries which turn from green to red to black. Compact and really useful.
Melianthus major
Reason: I love its craggy blue leaves. Makes a splendid statement in any spacious, sunny border. Its flowers are the cherry on the cake. Dies away in winter so you can interplant with crocus etc.
Scilla mischtschenkoana
Reason: Tiny so can go anywhere. Flowers in bleak grey February. Amazing fountain of palest ice-blue, quite large flowers over a long period. Dies down tidily to make way for perennials. Wonderful with Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens', or with bright greens and yellows, or with pinks or... anything really.
Geranium 'Lily Lovell'
Reason: Another Geranium! But it is one I particularly love. Vivid purple flowers against bright green foliage. Copes with shade and drought and flowers for weeks, unlike other forms of Geranium phaeum.
Trachelospermum japonicum
Reason: Versatile evergreen climber. Makes a sort of natural topiary around supports, requiring clipping once a year--even I can do that--and easy to keep within bounds, as well as being self-supporting. Flowers from late April or May for several weeks, with a wonderful smell like vanilla. Best forms have glossy, light green long leaves and some of these turn brilliant red before shedding. Some can turn plum-coloured in winter cold.
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ice Crystal'
Reason: Not for its coloured flowers, like the mopheads, but for its cinnamon-coloured stems, its uniquely shaped leaves and the red autumn colour.
Ipheion 'Tessa'
Reason: In a windowbox. It flowers from December to April, has bright green strappy leaves for most of the year, but it does die down in hot summer weather. You can see I like winter-flowerers! This last one was very hard to choose--there are so many other plants I love....Other contenders might have been Miscanthus sinensis 'Ferner Osten', a Camellia, or even Cotoneaster lacteus.
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Salvia "Blauhugel" flowers all summer, covered in bees.
Snowdrops, means spring is coming.
Daffodils, means spring is here and summer is coming.
Geranium "Rozanne", flower power and pretty colour.
Clematis, Betty Corning for the scent, Etoile Violette for the shade, and Dr Ruppel for the burst of pink.
Dahlias for the colours and long flowering time.
Brunnera "Jack Frost" for the pretty little forget-me-not flowers and the beautiful silvery leaves shining in the shade.
Violas for their pretty little faces and ease of growing.
If trees count - then Betula Jacquemontii for it's beautiful white bark and graceful dappled canopy of leaves.