THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY

What a fantastic SPRING we are having this year! Have you ever seen plants looking so good?

A combination of constant night temperature - and a cold period in January have set fair to produce a WONDERFUL SHOW. Here at the nursery, we are still incredibly busy, with many people in a LAST-MINUTE RUSH to get their plants in before the ground get's too dry.
Those of you who came to our SPRING OPEN DAY last Saturday - thank you very much for your kind comments on how good the nursery looked - they were very much appreciated!! Considering the weather forecast, we were incredibly lucky to have sun for most of the day - and it does make a big difference - all that hard work seems just that little bit more worthwhile!!

Attention now begins to turn towards our stand at the SUFFOLK SHOW - this will be at the end of May - and always occupies a lot of time. We have been planning and setting aside plants since the end of January - but even then, you are never actually sure what is looking good until the last moment.
On the subject of looking good - early May is LILAC TIME - and this is proving to be a good year for them - two of our favourites looking good at the moment are 'Firmanent' - with a lavender blue single flower and delicious scent - and the dwarf 'Palibin' with a reddish-pink flower. One particularly nice shrub now flowering in the 'impulse area' outside the office door is a seldom-seen shrubby Honeysuckle - LONICERA SYRINGANTHA - a delicious little plant - I often feel it would be equally home listed as a member of the Daphne family - it has small glaucous-blue leaves and the most HEAVENLY-SCENTED clusters of fresh-pink flowers. Yes, I know you have never heard of it! - most people have not - but it is one of those gems that should not be missed at this busy time in the garden.

On the tree side - the MALUS - THE CRAB APPLES - are still giving a good show. The purple-leaved varieties such as LISET and RUDOLPH are particularly good - and one of our favourites - 'VAN ESELTYNE' is just sumptous with buds like inflated hot-air balloons! Oh, and did I mention that Prunus 'SHIROFUGEN' is looking great - with long stalked clusters of soft pink flowers that hang from bronze leaves??

I think I need to stop now since I am starting to drool at the thought of all these lovely things!!
Until next time,
RICHARD

P.S. = REMEMBER THIS IS A BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - SO DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS, THE NURSERY IS CLOSED FROM SATURDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE.

AN INVITATION -JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF SPRING!!

On SATURDAY APRIL 25TH - Crown Nursery will be holding a SPECIAL OPEN DAY to CELEBRATE SPRING.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME - the day runs from 10AM -4PM - ENTRY IS FREE - there is AMPLE CAR PARKING - AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE throughout the day with proceeds going to the BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION.

SPRING - Of all the seasons, spring is the one that captures the imagination most, the colour of the new leaves and growth, the blossom on the trees, the scent of the flowers - all part of the rebirth of nature. Here at CROWN NURSERY, we are holding a special day to celebrate that new season - the nursery will be looking at it's best - and there will be many wonderful plants to see - as well as SPECIAL OFFERS on shrubs and perennials. Why not watch our DEMONSTRATIONS OF HORTICULTURAL TECHNIQUES such as cuttings and division - or go on a NURSERY TOUR covering many of the BEHIND THE SCENES production areas not normally open to the public, and including a visit to the HERITAGE ORCHARD which should be in full bloom.

Our trained staff will be on hand all day as always to give you help and advice with your plants - and there will also be an information centre relating to PESTS AND DISEASES - as well as plant-related GAMES AND PUZZLES for you to solve - with a PLACE ON A CROWN NURSERY COURSE as one of the prizes!

WHY NOT COME AND JOIN US - WE CAN CELEBRATE SPRING TOGETHER!! LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
RICHARD

A TREASURE CHEST OF FLORAL BEAUTIES!!

I do not think I have ever seen such a wonderful spring for BLOSSOM as this year.
The Nursery is a feast of FLORAL BEAUTY - just driving down from the road - everywhere you look is another colourful tree. With so many it is difficult to know where to start, but the photo on the right shows the gorgeous SNOWY MESPILUS - AMELANCHIER CANADENSIS - surely one of the most neglected trees around. A real plant for all seasons - superbly contrasting BRONZE YOUNG FOLIAGE and WHITE STARRY FLOWERS now - but following that RED BERRIES -adored by the birds - and finally STUNNING AUTUMN COLOUR -what more could a tree give??

Many of the Prunus are starting to go over now, but there are several star-performers that will keep the show going into May. If your garden is only small - then there is one of these lovelies for you - PRUNUS 'AMANOGOWA' a lovely small tree FOR A RESTRICTED SPACE. As the photo on the left shows it is another SHOWSTOPPER! As well as sumptuous blossom, this one also has FRAGRANT FLOWERS - not many of the Cherries have that - and a very UPRIGHT HABIT - so perfect for NARROW GARDENS!!

A tree that is ALWAYS OVERLOOKED is the BIRD CHERRY - PRUNUS PADUS - everybody sees the usual types in the streets - but this one has a far longer season - and also a different shaped flower too - as the picture on the right below shows - a long spike

of blossom - followed by BLACK BERRIES - loved by the birds.

As well as the normal green-leaved form, there is also a PURPLE-LEAVED VARIETY as well.

This is known as PURPLE QUEEN - and is a cracker in flower and also foliage as well - taking a bronze-tint all through the summer.

And now starting to join them are the CRAB APPLES - THE MALUS. There will be more pictures of those over the next few weeks - but the buds are just poised to start.

However, it is NOT JUST THE TREES that are at their best - a number of cracking SHRUBS - are entering their time. Everyone at the nursery is busy preparing for our SPRING OPEN DAY - only a week or so away now on SATURDAY APRIL 25TH.

Everywhere is being spruced and tidied, new stock is coming out of the tunnels daily - including one of my favourite climbers -

A fab new HONEYSUCKLE - LONICERA 'MINT CRISP' - as the photo on the right shows, it has the most delicate foliage in spring, with a SUBTLE VARIEGATION - but do not be fooled this is one of the toughest of all - and the foliage is also SEMI-EVERGREEN - and will last the season through. But surely the biggest bonus must be the SWEETLY-SCENTED FLOWERS - particularly in the evening. Got a fence or wall to cover? - plant this - you will not be disappointed!


Looking for something a little more shrubby? - why not go for the good old MEXICAN ORANGE BLOSSOM - CHOISYA TERNATA. A long-cultivated shrub - but a good-doer - reliable EVERGREEN SAGE-SCENTED FOLIAGE on a dense bush - easily pruned, but the highlight is the FRAGRANT CLUSTERS OF WHITE BLOSSOM - produced in spring and often again in the autumn.


In all honesty, there are so many floral beauties here at the nursery at the moment, that I do not have the space - or the time to list them all - so better still - WHY NOT COME AND SEE THEM FOR YOURSELF!! We would love to see you!!

Until next time,
RICHARD

HAPPY EASTER!!

Well, it's nearly that time again - EASTER! The season of

Easter bunnies - and CHOCOLATE! It also marks the

traditional START OF THE GARDENING SEASON, so there is no excuse not to get out there over the long weekend.

An incredibly busy time on the nursery at the moment - a lot of plants looking good - the shrub on the right is VIBURNUM

BURKWOODII - a semi-evergreen shrub with a a large flower and a KNOCK-OUT PERFUME - really sweet and strong. The plants outside the office door really attract attention!!

They associate so well with all the flowering trees that are looking so good at the moment. Staying on the shrub front - another cracker - and very popular is PHOTINIA 'RED ROBIN' - the photo below shows the LOVELY NEW RED SPRING GROWTH - it is a very versatile plant too - can be used as hedging - as a standard tree - or the more commonly seen shrub - what most people do not seem to realise is that it is a plant that needs regular pruning - many gardeners seem to have them as a sprawling shrub - but prune them back after the red foliage turns back to green - about May - and feed well - and you will be rewarded with a FRESH SET OF YOUNG RED FOLIAGE - and also a bushy dense plant! We prune some of our plants on the nursery two or three times a year - you could say it is like having two springs in a year!!

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY EASTER!

Until next time,

RICHARD

- DON'T FORGET - DUE TO LOCAL PLANNING RESTRICTIONS THE NURSERY WILL BE CLOSED OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND - FROM FRIDAY TO MONDAY INCLUSIVE.

It's Spring - and that means it's BLOSSOM TIME!

Among a sea of yellow daffodils and Forsythia - the trees begin their season of glory - none more so than the PRUNUS - the many flowering Cherries and Ornamental Plums. Nothing in the plant world can equal the sight of a mature Prunus in full flower - even those with only a passing interest in trees will admit they look pretty!!

Here at Crown Nursery, there are so many coming into their season - but I have picked two of my favourites -here is PRUNUS 'ACCOLADE' - if ever a tree was deserving of it's name it has got to be this one - and I think it is one of my all-time favourite trees. As the lovely shot shows - against a Suffolk blue sky - this has large clear pink flowers - adored by bees and other insects. A wide spreading habit too - and long flowering - the older wood flowers first- followed by the young stuff giving at least a fortnight of glory - brief - but not as brief as some other types! Excellent yellow and orange AUTUMN LEAF

COLOUR adds to the spectacle.

Here is a weeping cherry - PRUNUS YEDOENSIS 'PENDULA' - a mouthful of a name for a lovely plant. The pure white blossom opens from milky-white buds - truly spectacular - a waterfall of flower.

THERE IS STILL TIME TO PLANT A CONTAINER-GROWN TREE THIS SPRING - you can even plant one of these beauties in full flower!!

But get your skates on - THEY REALLY NEED TO BE IN THE GROUND BY THE END OF APRIL.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there this weekend!!

Until next time,

Richard

BOX CLEVER!

Are you looking to plant a box hedge in your garden this spring?

We have an excess of superb quality bare-root Box plants at the nursery at the moment. They are large and very well-rooted - available in bundles of ten or twelve.

Box is such a versatile plant - withstanding clipping well - and holding on to it's deep green colour all year - although relatively slow-growing, nothing else matches it for edging paths or knot gardens - or if you are really adventurous - go for a bit of topiary - and make them into a clipped shape! Nothing is impossible!

Until next time,

Richard

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED!

Our new website is now up and running - we have put a great deal of time and work into this - we think it is really cool with the pop-up Flash headers on the home page.

There may be a few teething troubles - so do give us a bit of time to iron these out - but hopefully you will agree it is very up to date and modern!!

Until next time,
Richard