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Oregon Grape Seed
Mahonia aquifolium£5.00 inc. VATOregon Grape is a small evergreen shrub with spikey pinnate leaves with 5 to 13 leaflets which often turn red in winter. Its rich yellow flowers open in early spring borne on racemes which are in clusters. The autumn berries are a black-blue colour. Can be grown successfully as a low informal but protective hedge, prune after flowering
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Portugese Laurel Seed
Prunus lusitanicaPrice range: £5.00 through £10.00 inc. VATA large evergreen shrub or small tree. Dark green leaves with reddish stalks are augmented by small white flowers borne on racemes in early summer. The fruits are small and red gradually turning dark purple. It is tolerant of chalk soils. Can be pruned into shape to make a formal or informal hedge.
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Privet Seed
Ligustrum vulgare£5.00 inc. VATThis Privet forms a medium sized semi evergreen shrub with dark green lance shaped leaves. The small off-white flowers appear in summer and are followed by long clusters of conspicuous round black fruits in the autumn. This should not be confused with the hedging Privet, (Ligustrum ovalifolium), although they can be used for the same purposes.
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Red / European Dogwood Seed
Cornus sanguinea£5.00 inc. VATThe European Dogwood is a deciduous shrub with red flushed stems that give colour in winter. The leaves give a rich purple autumn colour. Makes a thick, informal barrier, although it can be pruned – taking one third of the branches out at the base each year. This encourages new, red stems to grow from the stool. This is the European version of Cornus alba
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Rugosa / Ramanas Rose
Rosa rugosa£5.00 inc. VATRugosa rose is a strong growing deciduous shrub which flowers throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The purplish single flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips up to 3cm across. Makes a prickly but decorative barrier and will take pruning or trimming regularly. Rose-hip syrup is an excellent source of vitamin C and used to be given to babies during the war.
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Rugosa / Ramanas Rose (red) Seed
Rosa rugosa rubra£5.00 inc. VATRugosa roses are strong growing deciduous shrubs which flower throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The scented, wine crimson single flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips over 3cm across. Makes a prickly but decorative barrier that can be pruned or trimmed to the required height. Rose-hip syrup was given to babies during the war as a source of vitamin C.
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Rugosa Rose(white) Seed
Rosa rugosa alba£5.00 inc. VATThe Rugosa rose(white) is a strong growing deciduous shrub which flowers throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The white single scented flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips up to 3cm across. This form is exceptionally free fruiting.
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Sea Buckthorn Seed
Hippophae rhamnoides£5.00 inc. VATSea Buckthorn is a first rate deciduous shrub or small tree for coastal, salt laden areas. It has narrow silvery leaves and in winter has a show of orange berries which birds find inedible. The berries can be made into jams and jellies and oil from the leaves and berries may offer numerous health benefits. High in vitamin C. For berries to develop both male and female plants need to cultivated. Grow a few seedlings to guarantee this. Not planted enough in gardens!
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Shadbush or Snowy Mespilus Seed
Amelanchier lamarckiiPrice range: £5.00 through £31.50 inc. VATShadbush or Snowy Mespilus makes a large suckering shrub or small tree. It has an impressive white blossom which creates purple fruits, favoured by blackbirds at the end of the season. Golden autumn colour. The tree can be compact and makes an excellent choice for a small garden, but also good in a mixed hedgerow.
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Sitka Spruce Seed
Picea sitchensisPrice range: £5.00 through £15.00 inc. VATSitka Spruce is probably one of the most important species of conifer from an economic viewpoint. It thrives on damp sites and poor soils. Used extensively for timber and pulp production, but also can be used for Christmas trees. Picture shows an enormous tree in the Benmore Botanic Gardens, near Dunoon(www.rbge.org.uk/visit/benmore-botanic-garden). Sitka can be used as a relaxed hedge – just chop out the leader and it will bush out to make a prickly barrier.
Not for forestry purposes.
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Small Leaved Gum Seed
Eucalyptus parvula£15.00 inc. VATAn exceptionally hardy medium sized tree with an attractive peeling grey bark and willowy foliage. It produces small narrow blue-green leaves and its foliage is commonly used for flower arranging. This species makes an excellent specimen tree although it can be coppiced to good effect.
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Snowberry Seed
Symphoricarpos albus / albaPrice range: £5.00 through £10.00 inc. VATThe Snowberry is a strong growing deciduous shrub which can form dense thickets especially in hedgerows. The leaves are elliptical and up to 8cm long. Tiny pink flowers appear in the early summer followed by snowberries in the autumn that look like glistening white marbles on the branches. Is happy to be left alone or it can be trimmed/pruned heavily if necessary. Tough and tolerant. Poisonous if ingested
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Spindle Tree Seed
Euonymus europaeus£6.50 inc. VATSpindle is a vigorous deciduous shrub or small multi-stemmed tree. It gives an outstandingly brilliant autumn display of red seed capsules. The capsules open to reveal spectacular bright orange seeds. It grows especially well on chalky soils and its wood was used for making spindles for spinning and tool handles. The berries are poisonous and incredibly bitter tasting.
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Spreading Cotoneaster Seed
Cotoneaster divaricatus£5.00 inc. VATThis Spreading Cotoneaster is rangey medium sized deciduous shrub with a most reliable foliage and fruiting habit. The berries which arise from rosy red flowers are themselves a deep ruby red colour. Makes a low informal hedge and can be pruned.
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St. Julien Plum Seed
Prunus domestic instititaPrice range: £7.00 through £15.00 inc. VATThe St Julien plum is mostly used as a dwarfing rootstock for other varieties of plum. White flowers very early in spring, variable plum fruit in late summer. Flowers are good for pollinating insects and the fruit is eaten by birds (and wasps). Makes a useful and productive addition to a wild hedgerow since it can be trimmed lightly.
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Sycamore Seed
Acer pseudoplatanus£5.00 inc. VATSycamore is a large well known deciduous tree. It is well suited to exposed situations on all soil types. It has dark green leaves and mustard yellow, insect friendly flowers which develop into double winged seeds in autumn. Having lost Elm and now possibly Ash, the Sycamore is a notable tree in the landscape, offering shelter from all weathers. Thumbnail pic is the famous Sycamore in the middle of Hadrian’s Wall, near Hexham, from the film ‘Robin Hood Prince of Thieves’
Not for forestry purposes.
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Thornless Rose Seed
Rosa inermis£5.00 inc. VATThe Thornless Rose makes a medium sized climbing or lax-growing shrub. An easy to grow rose with lightly fragranced, simple, pink-red flowers 5cm in diameter in summer. It is a thornless selection of the Dog Rose, often used for rootstock work or for informal hedging. Some red hips are produced in the late summer and autumn.
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Wayfaring Tree Seed
Viburnum lantana£7.00 inc. VATThe Wayfaring Tree is a large native, deciduous shrub often seen in hedgerows. The ovate leaves and young shoots are covered with a dense tomentum or down. Leaves sometimes turn a dark crimson in autumn. The cream flowers appear in late spring and are followed by oblong fruits that mature from red to black.
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Western Red Cedar Seed
Thuja plicataPrice range: £5.00 through £16.50 inc. VATWestern Red Cedar is a large fast growing tree with shredding bark and spreading branches. The leaves are bright glossy green forming an excellent hedge which clips well. Foliage is aromatic. Trees are grown commercially for cutting into planks for cladding and fencing and shingles. The timber is very resinous so doesn’t rot.
pic courtesy of Baummapper, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
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White Cedar Seed
Thuja occidentalisPrice range: £5.00 through £10.00 inc. VATThis is an extremely hardy evergreen forming a medium sized columnar tree or hedge. It has spreading branches that curve upwards at the tip with dark green upper surface foliage; the lower surface being a light yellow. Foliage smells of cooked apples with spices. Brought over from America in about 1540.
pic courtesy of Dan Keck from Ohio, CC0, (public domain)via Wikimedia Commons
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