To celebrate the new and exclusive products, Bakker Spalding is offering readers of Mature Times free P&P when purchasing the ‘Pompon Dahlias Mixed’ – http://www.spaldingbulb.co.uk/product/pompon-dahlias-mixed/
Just use the order code JN when ordering online or over the phone to redeem this offer.
Amongst the new and exclusive plants, Bakker Spalding has announced the launch of the first hosta to ever flower yellow, ‘Miracle Lemony’. Alongside the new yellow hosta, Bakker Spalding has also launched a new and unusual fuchsia with edible sweet berries, the ‘Fuchsia Censation’.
Adrian Nind, Managing Director, Bakker Spalding Garden Company, expects the new plants to be very popular: “This gorgeous variety of hosta is the very first to flower yellow – such an exciting development in what is an extremely popular plant. Originating in the Orient and brought to Europe in the 1700s, there are over 2,500 cultivars of hosta with a huge variety in leaf shape, size, colour and texture – but this is the first time anyone has been able to offer a variety with yellow flowers.
Fuchsia Censation in flower
“Fuchsias are also incredibly eye-catching, but we know that gardeners love them because they’re so undemanding and low-maintenance – they thrive pretty much anywhere. Our new fuchsia is self-pollinating and evergreen so it’ll look good all year round. During flowering season (May-October), it really is spectacular.”
As well as flowering with yellow blooms, Miracle Lemony has decorative leaves with attractive, wavy edges. Best planted in a spot with light to medium shade, hostas are a great plant for filling in borders. The plants will fully mature in four to eight years and in spite of their almost tropical look, hostas are robust plants.
For best results with the exclusive hosta, follow these tips:
- Be sure to plant yellow hostas in an area which receives at least two hours of sun a day to keep them from darkening or losing their colour
- Yellow hostas draw attention because of their brightness and unique colour, so place them where you want to draw focus
- Place yellow hostas in front of dark green or blue plants to add more depth to a flowerbed
Priced at £9.99 each, visit the Bakker Spalding website to purchase your hosta ‘Miracle Lemony’ – www.spaldingbulb.co.uk/product/hosta-miracle-lemony-
In contrast, the Fuchsia Censation ‘Juice Berry’ has lots of striking pink or purple blooms in hanging clusters and sweet blueberry-like berries.
Best planted in a sunny spot or with semi-shade, the shrub has an upright growing habit and can grow up to 1.5m high in five years.
It is great for beds, borders, pots and planters with a plethora of blooms that hang in clusters and provide a bright splash of colour.
Late summer is a good time to harvest fuchsia berries. Pick them when they are soft and squishy and be sure to use them promptly as they do not keep well. You can make jams, juices or syrup from them and they are delicious added to plain yoghurt.
Why not try this recipe for Fuchsia Berry Jam?
Ingredients
1 lb. sugar
2 tbsp apple juice (from a carton)
Juice of 1 medium sized lemon
1½ lb. ripe fuchsia berries, washed (if you don’t have enough fuchsia berries, you can top them up with ripe blueberries)
Method
Mix the sugar, apple juice and lemon juice together in a large saucepan.
Place over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolved.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature
Add the berries gently into the mixture, ensuring the berries are not broken too much.
Bring the mixture slowly to a boil.
Boil until the mixture will set when dropped onto a plate.
Seal in heated jars.
Priced at £8.95 for three, the Fuchsia Censation ‘Juice Berry’ is supplied in a nursery pot. Visit the Bakker Spalding website to purchase your plant – http://www.spaldingbulb.co.uk/product/fuchsia-censation-juice-berry-/
Remember your free P&P when purchasing the ‘Pompon Dahlias Mixed’ which you can have by using the code JN when ordering online or over the phone.
