Saturday, July 13, 2013

Exotic Hampton Court

Hampton Court Flower Show certainly lives up to its name with the majority of the plants on display very much of the flowering variety. However that doesn't mean there is limited choice for those with more of an interest in exotics or foliage. In many ways we were spoilt this year with show gardens and nursery displays catering for the tropical look.

Of the show gardens  A Valley Garden was the one that stood out from the crowd for exotic interest. Packed full of unusual plants, many of which were Crug Farm introductions this was one of my favourite gardens this year (my other favourites were less exotic so will feature in a future post no doubt). Designed by Sophie Walker,  A Valley Garden is designed as a 'pop-up' installation, to be assembled and dismantled with ease and reinstalled with different planting schemes. Construction is entirely above ground, which makes the garden ideal for use on ‘no-dig’ urban sites such as car parks.  
A Valley Garden featured many plants from Crug Farm

I loved the piercing spear of a pathway that sliced into the water, this was reminiscent of a boat pushing aside the water as it would travel along a river. When we chatted with Sophie on Monday Press Day she explained that the garden style was influenced by a trip she had taken to the Amazon, and whilst much of the plants are from elsewhere in the world the garden did have this feel.  A Valley Garden won a very well deserved Silver Gilt Medal.

In the Floral Marquee there were several specialist nurseries exhibiting exotics, here are some of the highlights.

On entering the Marquee the first display that jumped out at us was that of Fernatix and a lovely Cyathea cunninghamii.
Cyathea cunninghamii

Blechnum nudum
Cyathea cunninghamii on the left
Harveys Garden Plants sell a wide variety of plants and whilst not particularly focused on exotics as such how can one pass by Beesia calthifolia, something I have not been able to do when I have seen it previously as we now have several in the garden. I did resist this time though!Beesia calthifolia

And what else did they have.... a Sphenameris chinensis collected by Crug Farm.
Sphenameris chinensis
There were several displays of carnivorous plants, and whilst not typically associated as an exotic, these really are stunning. We have grown a number of them in the past although don't currently have any in our garden. Possibly something we should reintroduce in the future perhaps?



These were all on the display of Hampshire Carnivorous plants.

Desert to Jungle from Somerset usually have an interesting selection of plants (we have visited a few times in the past)...
Musella lasciocarpa in flower
A stunning Blechnum tabulare, probably ignored by many visitors, but one of the plant highlights for us.
A lovely display of ferns from Bentley Plants
Regulars on the show circuit are Trewidden Nursery, whose nursery we visited earlier this year.  
Leucospermum cordifolium
Leucospermum cordifolium 
Banksia grandis in flower 
Aeonium 'Logan Rock'
Various Aeoniums
Aeonium 'Cornish Tribute'
Sometimes a plant that you would not usually associate as "exotic" catches our imagination, this Campanula is 'Pink Octopus' and I can see this working well in an exotic planting scheme.

There were a number of displays of cacti, and Mark had to have a closer look...



Crassula cv. Buddah's Temple
Amulree Exotics had a big display this year called "Don’t Be Afraid Of Big Leaves And Monster Plants", which featured a number of exotics


The very architectural, leafy, and lush stand of Amulree Exotics
Note the tall, trunked specimen of Chamaerops humilis var. arborescens in the middle

Plantbase had a particularly stunning Solanum, we almost bought one, but unfortunately when we went back to the stand they had sold out.

Solanum quitoense

Whilst you would not call Hostas an exotic plant they do work well by association. This dramatic display was by Bowdens.


Todd's Botanics are another regular exhibitor at many of the RHS shows and are well known for their large Olive trees and vivid planting schemes, winning Gold again this year at Hampton Court for their display.

The big plant nursery is another we are familiar with, having purchased Ginkgo biloba varieties from them previously, they had a number of interesting Ginkgos on display, a particular favourite for us was this one.
Ginkgo biloba 'Mariken'
Fatsia japonica 'Spiders Web'
When we visit Cornwall we normally try to get to Burncoose Nursery, and they are also regulars at the shows. Their stand featured a number of unusual species as well as plenty of colour - this is a flower show after all!

Catalpa x erubescens 'purpurea'

Daphniphyllum himalayense subsp. macropodum

Pseudopanax laetus


And combining exotic and colourful quite successfully was Hart Canna...



 In the far end of the marquee was Ainsworth Displays with a fine selection of palms.


Overall there was a great selection of exotic plants, many more than just those selected here with many of the show gardens utilising exotic plants in their planting schemes as well as some of the more traditional nurseries stocking a number of exciting and unusual plants. 

Gaz :)

22 comments :

  1. What a splendid show ---ours here on the left coast pale by comparison.

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    1. Hopefully you'll get the chance to attend one of the shows here in the near future :)

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  2. My favourite is that display by Amulree it's a real credit to Simon and I am glad he won Gold. It's difficult to imagine the amount of work that he put into that lot.

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    1. Amulree stand does look superb this year Don. That Chamaerops in the middle is gorgeous!

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  3. Not only do the display gardens at the British shows exceed anything I've seen in the States, the vendor displays also put our nurseries to shame! Thanks for sharing highlights of your visit.

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    1. A pleasure Kris! It helps that most of the shows are held outdoors too :) Hope you'll get the chance to see one of the plant shows here in the near future.

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  4. I wonder if that particular Solanum would have been hardy for you guys. Here it has been sold as an unusual annual for the last couple of years.

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    1. Not that Solanum CG, it's tender here too.

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  5. Ooh, I love Solanum quitoense! I've heard that they aren't horribly difficult to grow from seed if you're a seed starting kind of person. So many wonderful plants in this post!

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    1. It is gorgeous isn't it Peter? Neither of us are 'seed people', mainly because we don't usually have enough time (nor patience) to start a lot of things from seed.

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  6. Those fern look plants are glorious looking. I'd have bunches of those if I could. :) There are lots of very unusual plants at this show. Very cool looking choices.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  7. Yes I do think you should introduce more of the carnivorous plants, mainly because I'd love to see how you use them! Also have I mentioned that Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones (Crug) are speaking in Portland next month? I am so so so excited to go! (just wish they were bringing a selection of their plants with them).

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    1. Wow that's great you will get to meet them! Say hi from us :)

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  8. What a lot of interesting and unusual plants. I will now be on the lookout for Budda's Temple. And thanks for the closer view of the tree at the center of Todd's display...is it an olive?

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    1. It is an Olive indeed Ricki, and a very fine specimen too!

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  9. What a splendid display of exotics! They are all so fascinating. I am reminded that when my boys were small we tried to grow carnivorous plants but were unsuccessful. I do have a set of botanical plates, and whenever I served dinner, they would argue over who got to eat from the Venus Fly Trap.

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    1. That sounds fun Debs! We wouldn't mind eating our dinner from botanical plates too (the more unique the plant the better!).

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  10. I really enjoyed watching Hampton Court on TV :) Carnivorous plants are something that I've never tried in my own garden but I'm fascinated by them. I just want to reach out and touch that Sphenameris - what a beauty and I really like the little erigeron daisies underneath.

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    1. Carnivorous plants are definitely worth a try Rosie, some of them are tough, hardy, and virtually self caring too planted in the right spot :)

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  11. Always interesting to hear another point of view. I hated Valley Garden, but your photo does make the most sense of it, emphasising the appearance of a prow. You did have to stand in the exact right place, at the right height, to get that, though.

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    1. We like the planting and play on perspective of this garden, and looking forward to what else the designer will come out with in the future :)

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