Spring Bulbs & Plants

Crocus tommasinianus 'Ruby Giant' is a splendid little herald of spring, opening early with rich purple cups that soften elegantly to a paler base. Tucked into short grass, threaded beneath deciduous shrubs, or arranged in pots by the front door, it lends a quietly luxurious lift just when the garden most needs it.

A dependable tommasinianus crocus, it settles in happily and, in time, forms pleasing drifts—ideal for naturalistic planting where you’d like the display to feel effortless and established.

• Colour: Purple with softer, paler base tones
• Best use: Naturalising in lawns & meadows, under shrubs, or in pots and containers
• Flowering: February to March
• Growing skill: Easy

Crocus 'Mixed Colours' is a cheerful species crocus blend for early spring colour, bringing purple, white, yellow and soft mixed tones to lawns, pots, borders and gravel gardens.

Plant the corms in autumn and they will settle quickly into free-draining soil. Their short, bright flowers are valuable for early pollinators and look especially good planted in generous groups where they can naturalise over time.

Crocus 'Jeanne d'Arc' is a quietly elegant early-spring crocus, prized for its generously sized, goblet-shaped blooms in crisp white, gently shaded with purple at the base. Each flower is finished with vivid orange, delicately frilled stigmas—an exquisite detail at the very start of the season.

Plant the corms in autumn for a refined display in pots, borders and rockeries, or let them drift naturally through grass for a fresh, meadow-like look. Fully hardy and pleasingly straightforward, it returns year after year, building into neat clumps over time.

Crocus chrysanthus 'Blue Pearl' is a beautifully refined early crocus, opening in cool pearl-blue tones with a crisp, pale centre. Small in stature yet wonderfully effective, it is just the thing for threading through lawns, skimming the front of borders, or finishing a pot display with a calm, considered flourish.

Plant in autumn and allow the corms to settle; by late winter into early spring, this little classic brings a fresh lift when the garden most appreciates it. Particularly charming when planted in generous drifts for a natural, unforced look.

• Colour: White with pale blue-lilac
• Flower shape: Cup Shaped
• Best for: Naturalising in grass, rock gardens, containers, and the front of borders
• Pollinator friendly: Yes
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy

The ultimate red Oriental Poppy, 'Beauty of Livermere' is a truly magnificent and dramatic perennial that commands attention. It produces enormous, single, bowl-shaped flowers, up to 20cm (8 inches) across, with huge, silky petals of the most intense, pure, blood-red. The sheer vibrancy and size of the blooms are breathtaking. At the base of each petal is a large, jet-black blotch, which creates a bold and dramatic central eye. This is contrasted beautifully by a boss of purplish-black stamens. The flowers are held high on strong, bristly stems above a substantial clump of coarse, hairy, grey-green leaves. It puts on its unforgettable, flamboyant display in early summer before entering its summer dormancy. For a splash of pure, unadulterated drama, no other poppy can compare.

A tough, resilient, and charming evergreen perennial, Thrift or Sea Pink is a familiar sight in coastal areas. 'Splendens' is a particularly fine selection, forming neat, dense, tussock-like cushions of fine, grassy, deep green foliage. From late spring into early summer, these tidy mounds are topped by a profusion of slender, leafless stems, each carrying a perfect, globe-shaped flower head. The flowers are a vibrant, deep rose-pink and are held well above the foliage, creating a delightful 'drumstick' effect. This plant is incredibly tolerant of salt spray, wind, and poor, sandy soils, making it an essential plant for coastal gardens. It is also perfect for rockeries, gravel gardens, or for edging a sunny, well-drained border, where it will provide long-lasting colour with minimal fuss.