Disporum - Eryngium (excluding Epimedium and Ericas of South Africa)

Disporum
A genus of luscious Solomon's Seal relatives, for moist humusy shade.

Disporum cantoniense
Clumps of strong, upright, olive green stems with little clusters of long, bell shaped flowers in late spring. We offer several forms of this variable species, all lovely:
Disporum cantoniense B&L 12512 £5
Flowers the same sombre purple all over; a shade lower growing.
Disporum cantoniense DJHC 98485 £5
A taller form, said to approach 2m when well established, with a bambooish air. Distinct in foliage. Few.
Disporum cantoniense 'Green Giant' £5.50
A Dan Hinckley selection. Tall, again, with an olive cast to the foliage.
Disporum cantoniense 'Aureovariegata' £4
Not a jazzy variegation, but a subtle two-tone green which when viewed from any distance gives the plant a different shade again.
Disporum cantoniense 'Night Heron' £5.50
Purple leaved selection from Heronswood.
Disporum maculatum £4
A branchy little plant with rough, rounded leaves and spotted cream flowers. One of the North American species (from old-growth woods in the south east) sometimes placed in Prosartes. We've grown it for 15 years before having enough to offer.
Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis Polydactyla' £4
The form of the male fern frond is transformed by the pinnae becoming extremely narrow, giving it a skeletal look. It is however very stiff, so the shape is weatherproof and has an interesting raspy feel.
Dryopteris wallichiana AGM £6
Upstanding fronds with a dark-scaly rachis unfurl like tarantula legs. Deciduous.
Echeveria 'Black Prince' £4
Dark rosettes 20cm across. Orange-red flowers in autumn. Needs some winter protection.
Echeveria secunda var. glauca £4
Good sized, really glaucous rosettes with nicely contrasting orange and yellow flowers. Protection again.
Echinacea Pixie Meadow Brite £4
Bright pink daisies on a short (50cm) bushy plant. Floriferous, not brittle, and seems to want to live. Full sun, excellent drainage and a reasonable level of fertility are to be recommended. An outlandish 3 way hybrid. But the name! Only in America...
Ellisiophyllum pinnatum BSWJ 197 £5
A pretty little woodlander ground cover plant, with pinnately lobed leaves and plenty of small white flowers in summer.
Eomecon chionantha £4
Poppy of the Dawn. Translucent white flowers of great, if fleeting beauty; grey foliage. It runs wild and free in a shady bed, even on heavy ground, popping up at intervals. Great if you value serendipity, not if you prefer regimented formality.

Epimedium - click here

Epipactis 'Frankfurt' £8
A selected clone of the Sabine grex, E. gigantea x E. veratrifolia. A freely running hybrid, with spikes to 40cm of reddish pink flowers with yellow on the lip. Humusy, reasonably moist soil. Very rarely offered.
Equisetum 'Bandit' £5
Impressively banded horsetail, each internode with a dark green and at best almost luminous light yellow-green section. Dense clumping, of the hyemale persuasion. 60cm. Said to be from Japan, altho' I've heard of similar forms in Latvia. Blame that Sharman for the punny name.
Equisetum camtschatcense £5
A densely clumping horsetail, with medium thickness, leafless stems to 1m. Wet ground, hardy here. Probably a form of hyemale.
Eragrostis curvula SH10 £4.50
A particularly nice form of a variable South African grass with light, airy 1.5m flower heads. Not hardy in the coldest areas.
Eragrostis curvula 'Totnes Burgundy' £4
Our own introduction, now getting lots of good press in Britain and the US. Long, arching stems of steely grey flowers in summer, as in the type. The mature leaves are dark wine red from midway. Best in a sunny, well-drained site or large pot. It always looks best against gravel, wood, stone or silver foliage, not against green or earth. Surprisingly hardy if well drained.

Ericas of South Africa - click here

Erigeron pumilis £4
I'm not an Erigeron fan, but this one is irresistible. Nodding buds open upright to loads of wild daisy sized pale pink, yellow centred heads on 60cm stems in early summer. Bulks up freely and seems perennial with us.
Eryngium bourgatii Graham Stuart Thomas's selection £4
Spiny, curly, grey leaves veined white. Blue flowers on wiry stems to 50cm. Lovely in leaf and flower. For a well drained sunny spot.