Todd’s Botanics does a little bit of everything – from garden design and construction to planting services, as well as lots of growing in the nursery! Specialising in drought-tolerant herbaceous and architectural plants and trees, Mark Macdonald shares the 6 plants he couldn’t be without in May.
TRACHELOSPERMUM JASMINOIDES
One of the few climbers that we grow in the nursery, this always makes me smile - even in winter, as the leaves turn a deep red colour with the cold. The small glossy green leaves at this time of year are so refreshing, and then along comes a mass of beautiful, highly scented, white flowers. Very easy to grow in a sunny spot, although it does need something to twine around (wires or trellis are ideal), and it’s nice and controllable so won’t take over the world.
ARBUTUS UNEDO
The wild strawberry tree gets its common name from the small, edible fruit it produces late in the season. While it’s certainly not grown for its crop, it does have the most wonderful coloured leaves with a great contrasting red stem, and delicious-looking cream coloured flowers that hang in great clusters. Add to this the fact that it’s an evergreen that provides much-needed structure, as well as being an understated specimen in its own right, and I don’t understand why more people don’t grow Arbutus.
AGAPANTHUS ‘PETER PAN’
May is a great time of year for flowering plants and Agapanthus never fail to make me happy. From the monstrous africanus varieties through to the dainty ‘Silver Babies’, they are such an exciting range of flowers that really do last, and so earn their space in my garden (well my wife Emma’s garden - she does the work and I just get to enjoy it!). Native to South Africa ‘Peter Pan’ grows well for us here in Essex and will do even better in London.
CITRUS TREES
Never mind May, I need these in my life all year round! The scent is just intoxicating and for me has great memories of family holidays in Portugal. Beautiful, evergreen trees with the most amazingly scented flowers and fruit as well – could we ask for anything more? (Well, someone to come and water it for us would be nice).
OLEA EUROPEA
I have to have my trusty staple of an olive tree in my line up. May brings fresh growth after the long winter wait and the new green leaves makes the older silvery/grey foliage look even more striking. Soon we will have some blossom and then fingers crossed…a crop. I can practically hear the olive barons of Tuscany quaking in their boots!
ROSEMARY OFFICINALIS
Like the Arbutus, the common rosemary is often overlooked and neglected. I think that’s why I like it so much. It keeps growing and gives a beautifully aromatic depth to the garden – and it’s up there with the citrus in the memory stakes. I always put some rosemary stems on the last of the barbecue embers; the scent while finishing off a nice cold beer is unforgettable.
You can buy Mark’s picks from the Todd’s Botanics website, or why not visit their stand (C5) at the GROW London fair in June where they will have a fabulous range of plants on show!