Semi-dwarf

Ceanothus Madasgascar

Californian Lilac

Common Name: Californian LilacLatin Name: Ceanothus 'Madagascar'Soil: Fertile, well-drained soilPosition: Full sunFlowering period/colour: May-June/BlueHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height/spread: 1.5m/1mSpecial features: Attractive variegated evergreen foliage.The 'Madagascar' is a fantastic shrub which has colourful variegated foliage that holds all year round. The leaves have dark green centres with glowing golden green margins and they make the perfect setting for the pretty late spring flowers. The flowers appear in dense clusters all over the shrub and they are a bold blue colour which really stands out. You can plant this shrub in a sunny position and you can even train it to grow on a trellis.

Cordyline Southern Splendour

Cabbage Tree

Common Name: Cabbage TreeLatin Name: Cordyline 'Southern Splendour'Soil: Fertile, well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeHardiness: Half hardyEventual height/spread: 1m/1.5mSpecial features: Provides year-round interest with its colourful foliage.The 'Southern Splendour' is a fantastic choice for planting in a pot on a sunny patio area. This plant will make a welcome addition to your garden due to its colourful foliage which gives year-round interest. The long and gracious leaves are striped with an array of colours including purple, pink and mauve. The 'Southern Splendour' has an upright growing habit but the leaves arch over as the plant matures. This plant is half hardy as it requires some shelter from cold winds during the winter months.

Cytisus battandieri

Pineapple Broom Tree

Cytisus battandieri, also known as the Pineapple Broom tree, is a semi-evergreen tree with highly scented yellow flowers. This tree makes a fantastic specimen and it is ideal for a sensory garden. The Pineapple Broom tree gets its unusual common name from the highly-fragranced flowers: they smell like cooked pineapple and carry the most deliciously sweet scent. The flowers are a truly eye-catching feature as they are a vivid golden yellow colour and they really stand out against the foil of the green foliage. The pea-like flowers are held in dense, upright clusters and they are present during June and July. If you want to attract wildlife to your garden, the scent of the flowers is somewhat irresistible to bees and you will find them buzzing around the flowers over summer. The summer flowers are accompanied by a mass of three-lobed silvery green-grey leaves, which can hold all year round in milder winters, making this a semi-evergreen tree. The leaves have the added attraction of a 'velvety' feel to them and they really set those summer flowers off beautifully. This Cytisus has an attractive open, spreading habit and makes an ideal lawn specimen. Equally, the 'Pineapple Broom Tree' is also a great choice for a sensory garden due to its wonderfully scented flowers. You could plant this tree on either side of a walkway or entrance to really benefit from the sweet fragrance of the flowers. In terms of partner planting, we would recommend the Laburnum Vossii as the pendant clusters of the Vossii sit beautifully against the silvery foliage of the Cytisus. Common Name: Pineapple Broom TreeLatin Name: Cytisus battandieriSoil: Any well drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: June to July/Yellow, erect clusters and are pineapple scented.Hardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years: 5m/3mSpecial features: Very large pineapple scented flowers which grow in erect clusters

Magnolia grandiflora

Evergreen Magnolia Tree

The Magnolia grandiflora boasts the most beautiful, very large white flowers and glossy green foliage which holds all year round. A bold and bright tree that is perfect for adding interest in all seasons. You would be hard-pressed to find a flower as large and beautiful as this one in your average garden. The Magnolia grandiflora, also known as the 'Evergeen Magnolia', features colossal flowers, with some up to 25cm wide, which appear in late August- early September. The cup-shaped flowers have thick, creamy-white petals and really stand out. The flowers have an intense citrusy scent, with hints of lemon, which makes this the perfect choice for sensory planting. Another great feature of this tree is its very large leaves: the evergreen leaves are oblong-elliptic shaped and dark, glossy green in colour. The thick and waxy leaves often have reddish-brown hairs underneath and they offer a healthy dose of colour all year round. This tree grows to have a broad, conical shape and it’s fairly bushy, making a great screen. It looks simply stunning when paired with the Magnolia Exmouth, but if you want contrasting interest then we would recommend planting the 'Grandiflora' alongside the Photinia ‘Red Robin’ as the blushed foliage of this evergreen makes the perfect foil to the ‘Grandiflora’. Magnolia grandiflora can be trained against a wall or grown as freestanding rounded or conical large shrub or tree. Common Name: Evergreen Magnolia, Southern Magnolia, BullbayLatin Name: Magnolia grandifloraSoil: Moist, well-drained, tolerates chalkPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: August-September/WhiteHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 10 years: 3m/3m (Ultimately up to 15m but can be kept pruned.)Special features: Evergreen tree with intensely scented white flowers from mid summer to

Magnolia grandiflora Little Gem

Dwarf Evergreen Magnolia

As the common name suggests, the 'Little Gem' is a more compact variety of magnolia - yet the smaller size does not result in a compromise of its features. One of the most notable characteristics of this tree has to be the pure-white, cup-shaped flowers that appear in late summer. The flowers are fragrant and sit amongst the large and glossy dark green leaves. The leaves have rusty bronzed undersides and as this is an evergreen variety they hold on the tree all year round. This is a great choice for planting in a smaller garden and will be sure to attract a whole host of wildlife to your outdoor space too. Common Name: Dwarf MagnoliaLatin Name: Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem'Soil: Moist, well-drained, tolerates chalkPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: August-September/ WhiteHardiness: Fully hardyEventual height and spread: 4m/2.5m Special features: An evergreen magnolia that maintains a compact form - making it perfect for the smaller garden.

Photinia Pink Marble

Pink Marble Cassini

The Pink Marble Cassini, scientifically known as Photinia x fraseri ‘Pink Marble’, is a striking addition to any garden. Thriving in well-drained soil and adaptable to full sun or partial shade, it features eye-catching variegated foliage that remains attractive throughout the year.

 The ‘Cassini’ is one of the best evergreen varieties for colour as new foliage emerges vivid pink and matures to a rich green with splashes of cream.During spring, the Pink Marble Cassini produces clusters of white blossoms, adding a touch of colour to your outdoor space. With its evergreen nature, this tree maintains its variegated appearance even in the cooler months.Reaching a height of 4 metres and spreading 3 metres over 20 years, the Pink Marble Cassini offers versatility and aesthetic appeal for various landscapes. 

This tree works well as a stand-alone specimen and it can even be planted in a large pot and situated on a sunny patio.

 This is a great choice for year round interest as the ‘Pink Marble’ will add an unusual splash of colour to your garden all year round. Can be grown as a shrub, hedge or tree (when purchased in tree form).  

Add a touch of elegance to your garden with this vibrant tree. Common Name: Pink Marble CassiniLatin Name: Photinia x fraseri ‘Pink Marble’Soil: Fertile well-drained soilPosition: Full sun, Sheltered positionHardiness: Hardy, frost hardy down to -8°CFlowering period: Mid springFlowering colour: WhiteEventual height/spread: 4m/3mSpecial features: Highly unusual evergreen foliage that is green and marbled with pink and white variegation 

Photinia Red Robin

Red Robin Tree

Photinia fraseri 'Red Robin' offers year round interest with its vivid red leaves. In spring it has further interest with clusters of white flowers. A fantastic screening tree, hedge or ornamental specimen. If you want unusual foliage, the 'Red Robin' is the perfect choice. The elliptic leaves are finely serrated at their margins and fresh foliage shoots through as a brilliant red colour. The leaves mature to a dark green, but as new foliage continues to emerge red you get a real contrast of colours over the spring period. Mid-spring also sees the arrival of clusters of pretty white flowers, which add further interest. Come autumn, the leaves mature to a bronzed green, which adds great interest over the winter months.   This is a deservedly popular variety and it is largely planted for its versatility. You can plant the 'Red Robin' at the back of a border or you can use it as a screening tree. It can cope with hard pruning, so, when several are planted in a row, you get an informal hedge. You can also clip the 'Red Robin' into a particular shape. In order to get the best leaf colour and the most flowers, ensure you plant this tree in a full sun position with some shelter. Common Name: Red Robin TreeLatin Name: Photinia x fraseri 'Red Robin'Soil: Fertile well-drained soilPosition: Full sun, Sheltered positionHardiness: Hardy, frost hardy down to -8°CFlowering Period: Mid springFlowering Colour: White flowersEventual Height/Spread: 4m x 4mSpecial features: Evergreen tree with glossy bright red young growth and white flowers in spring.