Shire Plants Blog

What a difference a year makes. This time last year we were in the middle of one of the driest years in memory, and we didn't end up having any decent rain until late autumn. This year we've had above … read more

Lotus corniculatus is one of our wonderful native perennial wildflowers from the pea family. Widespread and found in all kinds of grassy places, from lawns to downlands, roadside verges to heathlands, … read more

Lady's Bedstraw is a British native wildflower found in meadows across the country and in Europe, but now sadly much less commonly than previously. Finely cut foliage topped by myriads of tiny golden … read more

Did you know that the song Edelweiss in The Sound of Music is about a real plant? Leontopodium alpinum (Edelweiss) is an alpine from the high mountains of Europe. Its flowers and foliage are cov … read more

Chaerophyllum azoricum is very much like a tidy, well-behaved cow parsley. This rare plant heralds from the Azores Islands and makes an excellent border plant in any garden. Bees and other pollinators … read more

Now is a good time to plant perennial Wallflowers (Erysimum) for a good display of flowers this year and for several years to come. Mention perennial Wallflower and most people think of the ubiquitous … read more

Penstemons are reliable summer-flowering perennials with semi-evergreen foliage in winter and a flowering season from summer into autumn. They bring welcome colour to the garden and are loved by bees … read more

Our latest newsletter is out now. Nursery news and details of some interesting spring plants. You can view it here if you're not a subscriber. … read more

A light covering of snow at the nursery this morning. The heaviest snow just skirted us fortunately. … read more