Suffolk &amp; Cambs


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<p>Spring is sprung and that means the pressure is on to get your plot garden-party ready. But with garden centre gates still firmly locked-down, the only trolley you’ll be filling this year is online, with mail order plant shops to best route to looking-the-biz borders.</p>



<p>If you’re after something specific, check out out the Royal Horticultural Society’s free&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form" target="_blank">online plant finder</a>. It will also make plant suggestions of what and where to buy for your garden’s particular conditions, so uber-useful.</p>



<p>Most nurseries are working their wellies off, with fewer staff, and order lists longer than a long-handled cultivator, so be patient: waiting times are up to three weeks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">House plants</h2>



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<p>Never mind if you’re rubbish at them, house plants are&nbsp;<em>in</em>&nbsp;and succulents which are the most&nbsp;<em>in</em>&nbsp;of all are practically indestructible, thriving on neglect and the occasional dust down. And they’re good for your well-being. Buy from&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bloomboxclub.com/collections/succulents" target="_blank">Bloombox</a>, choose what you like or take out a subscription from £35.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Blooms</strong>&nbsp;for borders</h2>



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<p>Want reliable flowers that come back year after year?&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.hardysplants.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hardy’s Cottage Plants</a>&nbsp;have a fabulous choice and when you click on a plant, owner Rosy Hardy’s choice of companions comes up below to help your colour-scheming. Check out&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cotswoldgardenflowers.co.uk/shop/" target="_blank">Cotswold Garden Flowers</a>&nbsp;for unusual good-do’ers or&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bethchatto.co.uk/" target="_blank">Beth Chatto</a>’s online nursery in Essex if you’re after plants for shade, drought and water plants. For anyone clueless about what to plant,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/t/collections" target="_blank">Claire Austin</a>&nbsp;has helpfully created six failsafe collections, including one for&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/products/butterflies-and-bees" target="_blank">Bees &amp; Butteries</a>&nbsp;and for a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk/products/cottage-garden" target="_blank">Cottage Garden</a> vibe.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Container plants</strong></h2>



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<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.sarahraven.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Raven</a>&nbsp;is a reliable barometer of what’s cool and classy. Likewise,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://hayloft.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hayloft</a>‘s thing is unusual versions of familiar flowers, like a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://hayloft.co.uk/product/wisteria-amethyst-falls/pt130a20" target="_blank">wisteria for a pot</a>, curated collections and annuals you can’t be bothered to grow from seed as young plants, including this peachy&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://hayloft.co.uk/product/zinnia-queen-lime-red/dyp14a20" target="_blank">zinnia</a>, and easy plants for&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://hayloft.co.uk/category/for-beginners?TRE00000" target="_blank">newbies</a>.</p>



<p><strong>Looking for local?</strong> <a href="https://scotsdalegardencentre.co.uk">Scotsdale Garden Centre</a> in Great Shelford, Horningsea and Fordham are taking phone orders and from Thursday 14 May the stores have reopened with social distancing measures in place. No excuses not to get your garden looking great now! </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Roses</strong>, climbers and ramblers</h2>



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<p>It’s not summer until you’ve sniffed a lungful of the nation’s favourite flower.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.davidaustinroses.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoqmmurOc6QIVOYBQBh32LAHJEAAYASAAEgK_xvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">David Austin Roses</a>&nbsp;specialise in breeding shrub roses which don’t go down with the usual suspects of blackspot and mildew, and flower right through summer, as well as climbers, ramblers and standard types. For true old-fashioned roses, go to award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.classicroses.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Beales</a>.</p>



<p><strong>Looking for local?&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://suffolkplantcentre.co.uk/home-delivery-service/">The Suffolk Plant Centre</a> near Woodbridge have a lovely selection of roses that you can buy during lockdown as well as a whole host of perennials and exotic plants. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Grasses</strong></h2>



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<p>Chic and urban, grasses are brilliant for softening built-up spaces with their swishy – that’s a technical term – shapes. Award-winning&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.knollgardens.co.uk/" target="_blank">Knoll Gardens</a>&nbsp;sell a huge range and perennials to plant alongside. You can’t go wrong with&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.knollgardens.co.uk/product/anemanthele-lessoniana/" target="_blank">Anemanthele lessoniana</a>&nbsp;(except maybe when you try to pronounce it). This knee-high bronze grass is evergreen, and self-sows itself around the garden so you don’t have to.</p>



<p><strong>Looking for local?</strong> <a href="https://www.oasisnursery.co.uk">Oasis Nursery</a> in Willingham is operating a local delivery service and has plenty of grasses as well as shrubs, bedding plants and indoor plants to choose from. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Meadows</strong></h2>



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<p>One meadow you won’t need to mow is&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://meadowinmygarden.co.uk/" target="_blank">Meadow in My Garden</a>. Like native English meadows, but less tricky to grow, these curated seed mixes create colourful pop-ups this summer if sown now.&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://meadowinmygarden.co.uk/collections/flower-meadow-seeds/products/every-kind-of-soil" target="_blank">Every Kind of Soil Mix</a>&nbsp;is brim-full of poppies and cornflowers and sprouts in all but waterlogged soils. Just sprinkle seed on a bare patch in sun, keep it watered and it’ll do the rest. And follow&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/MeadowInGarden?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank">@MeadowinGarden</a>&nbsp;on twitter – they do fab flash sales giveaways.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Clematis</strong></h2>



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<p>Known as the Queen of Climbers, clematis are so varied there’s one for every season and situation, including a cute winter one called ‘Jingle Bells’. There’s forty-footer Clematis montana, ideal for covering an ugly outbuilding; tiddlers for arches like C. alpina; large-flowered hybrids for high summer and even an exotic evergreen to coolify your garden, C. armanii. Buy online from&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://www.floydsclimbers.co.uk/" target="_blank">Floyds Clematis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.thorncroftclematis.co.uk/" target="_blank">Thorncroft Clematis</a>&nbsp;and don’t stint on the trellis.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trees and shrubs&nbsp;</h2>



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<p>In a hurry and don’t mind splashing the cash?&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.tendercare.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tendercare</a>&nbsp;near Uxbridge specialise in mature trees, with a slow-growing&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.tendercare.co.uk/product/143761/acer-pal-bloodgood-da" target="_blank">Japanese maple</a>&nbsp;setting you back a cool £1,134 or a 5m&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.tendercare.co.uk/product/151571/magnolia-gra-galissonniere-f9" target="_blank">evergreen magnolia</a>&nbsp;closer to £2.5k.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Suppliers to Chelsea Flower show designers,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/trees/plcid.7/numitems.100/canorder.1/" target="_blank">Crocus</a>&nbsp;are a good place to start for most plants and sell 60 tree species for under £100. Or try&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.binnyplants.com/" target="_blank">Binny Plants</a>&nbsp;for more unusual species grown in peat-free compost.</p>



<p><strong>Looking for local</strong>? Head to <a href="https://www.parkhallgardencentre.co.uk">Parkhall Garden Centre&#8217;s</a> website to buy any trees during lockdown. This family-run nursery near Somersham has an extensive range of trees to choose from. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Exotics&nbsp;</h2>



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<p>With Med holidays in the rear-view mirror, dang it, we’re just going to have to pretend. One way to bring on the oasis is to plant up big whopper palms, big bamboo and wow plants in pots on your patio – known as architectural plants in the trade – from&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.palmcentre.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Palm Centre</a>. Just add tequila.</p>



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Where to buy plants online

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