Shrubs

David S. Stuart in his monograph on the genus wrote that ‘Lochinch’ was one of his favourite varieties. This hybrid popped up in the garden of the Earl of Stair at Lochinch in Wigtownshire, Scotland during the Second World War. Read more about Buddleja ‘Lochinch’

This species form features rich green leaves and is still enormously generous with its arching sprays of mauve flowers. Like the silver leaf form it can be kept to about 2 metres by 2 metres if cut back hard after flowering otherwise it will get much larger. Read more about Buddleja alternifolia

Huge branching heads of rich lilac pink flowers are produced late in the season on a medium sized well branched shrub. We cut it back to about 90cm in late winter or early spring. Read more about Buddleja davidii ‘Dartmoor’

Flowering here in our Dry Garden in the latter part of October, the Chinese Butterfly Bush is endemic to upper Burma and western China, including Tibet, Buddleja myriantha is evergreen with felted grey green leaves and carrying its deep mauve, fragrant flowers on upright spike Read more about Buddleja myriantha

Native to Japan and China, Deutzia scabra makes a 2-metre-tall shrub clothed in handsome foliage. Read more about Deutzia scabra ‘Candidissima’

This beautiful new Hydrangea was raised in Kyoto. The double, clear pink flowers are exquisite and last in good condition for many, many months. Whilst looking terrific in the garden it also makes a superb pot plant because of its dwarf habit. Read more about Hydrangea ‘Desire’

Bred for pots with a maximum height of just 90cm this is one of the deepest burgundy flowered Hydrangeas available for inside and out. Flowers appear in spring and continue through to April maturing to a charming dusky mulberry colour. Compact. Read more about Hydrangea ‘Magical Ruby Red’

This brilliant French bred Hydrangea has the reddest flowers of all the Hydrangea paniculata varieties. Hydrangea paniculata is a more sun tolerant species than the mop head varieties. During early summer it is crowned by heads of white flowers. Read more about Hydrangea paniculata ‘Diamant Rouge’ PBR

Silver Showers is a rounded, multi stemmed deciduous shrub with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches with mid green leaves. Read more about Philadelphus ‘Silver Showers’

Shoppers at the nursery will often decline the option of a yellow flowering shrub but we wouldn't be without them. We grow this in our dry garden where its silver leaves and whorls of yellow claw like flowers are handsome the year round. Read more about Phlomis grandiflora ‘Lloyds Variety’

Flowering from autumn to mid-spring Rosemary provides consistent bee fodder across the crucial seasons. ‘Collingwood Ingram’ was collected by its namesake in Corsica. Read more about Rosmarinus officinalis var angustissimus ‘Collingwood Ingram’

The horticultural world is the richer for the sterling work that Lyndi Garnett has done in promoting the genus, Salvia. She is always generous with her knowledge. This beautiful Salvia was raised by Lyndi who gave Lambley a plant to trial a few years or so ago. Read more about Salvia ‘Crimson Belle’

This terrific new introduction from Ball Australia was a super performer in our flower garden last season. Tall spires of white are produced over a pale green leafy plant from late spring until late autumn. Read more about Salvia longispicata x farinacea ‘White Flame’

This noble shrub was introduced into western gardens from Japan in 1879. Growing up to 3 metres tall and wide, but often less, it has strong horizontally tiered branches. White flowers are held above the foliage during mid spring. Read more about Viburnum plicatum ‘Mariesii’

This tough, sun loving shrub will quickly make a 90cm wide by 60cm tall by 90cm wide mounds of handsome, glistening, much-dissected silver leaves. Best grown in full sun ‘Powis Castle’ tolerates drought very well.

  Read more about Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’

This beautiful, drought tolerant shrub is grown as much for its handsome foliage as for its flowers, pretty though they are. In our dry climate garden, it has made an upright shrub some 400cm x 300cm. Read more about Buddleja crispa

Buddleja ‘Hot Raspberry’ is easy to grow both in the garden and in pots. It is one of a new breed of Buddlejas which are diminutive enough to find a place in even quite small gardens. Read more about Buddleja davidii ‘Hot Raspberry’

Bred for its smaller size and long pendant flowers, the bee and butterfly attracting flowers are produced from November through to April as long as spent flowers are removed.Suited to growing in pots as well as small gardens. Read more about Buddleja davidii ‘Wisteria Lane ’ PBR

This Australian raised hybrid combines the best of both parents, the weeping fragrant flowers of B. asiatica and the glorious grey foliage and yellow flowers of B. madagascariensis. Read more about Buddleja madagascariensis x asiatica ‘Wattlebird’

This could well be called Chanel Fragrance Buddleja as the scent of the flowers is redolent of the famous perfume. Read more about Buddleja salvifolia

‘Moonlight’ carries sweetly scented creamy lemon orange eyed flowers for many months from late spring into autumn. It will grow into a two metre or more, tall willowy shrub. Best planted in full sun it is drought hardy once established. Read more about Buddleja x weyeriana ‘Moonlight’

A beautiful variety of Japonica which produces double salmon pink flowers on bare branches from mid-winter well into spring. Picked stems last for weeks in water as new flowers open in a vase. Read more about Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Falconnet Charlet’

This is the pure white flowered form of the beautiful winter flowering shrub. Growing 150cm tall by as much across it produces a mass of five petalled flowers along bare black stems during late winter and early spring. Read more about Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Nivalis’

Hardy drought tolerant, frost hardy shrub which covers itself in “Wallflower Red, apricot and buff flowers ” Long grown in Australian gardens since it will grow 2 meters tall by a little less across. A light trim after flowering will keep it neat and tidy. Read more about Cytisus ‘C. E. Pearson’

A fine broom raised by the Burkwood brothers in the early part of the last century. The very dark green stems are covered by garnet red flowers during spring. A tough plant suited to dry climate gardens as it is very drought tolerant when once established. Read more about Cytisus x dallimorei ‘Burkwoodii’

A compact growing broom, sometimes sold as C. ‘Volcano’, with rich dark green leaves and dark green vertical stems. During spring and early summer C. ‘Lena’ is smothered with pea shaped flowers, ruby red and yellow. This is a fine small shrub for hot dry positions. Read more about Cytisus x dallimorei ‘Lena’

Given an Award of garden Merit by the RHS in 1969 this is an outstanding shrub with long sprays of warm yellow flowers. Tough and drought tolerant when established it has made a rounded shrub some 150cm tall by as much across in our garden. Read more about Cytisus x praecox ‘Allgold’

This evocative and charming shrub makes a beautiful and graceful late spring flowering deciduous small tree bearing large pom poms of soft pink flowers. It is happy in any sunny or lightly shaded spot which doesn’t parch in summer. 160cm x 150cm.

  Read more about Deutzia ‘Pink Pom Pom’

This beautiful little Japanese shrub smothers itself in fragrant white bells in late spring. The flowers are carried on arching branches. Best grown in a sunny spot which is watered during dry periods. Height 70-120cm width 60-120cm. Read more about Deutzia gracilis

A newly imported evergreen making a neat, tidy shrub well clothed with silver leaves. Small lemon yellow flowers are held in clusters above the foliage mound during summer and autumn. Read more about Helichrysum tianshanicum

As silver as the Australian Silver Cushion Bush, Leucophyta brownii, but much more frost hardy. A delicious smell of curry is given off by the leaves if you brush past them. Read more about Helichrysum italicum ssp. microphyllum

A superbly low-growing and spreading silver-foliaged plant, with soft silvery fine leaves. Well-branched, spreading habit with good coverage. Used as an attractive effect in perennial borders, containers and hanging baskets, as well as rock garden beds and informal hedging. Read more about Helichrysum ‘Silver Spreading’

A breakthrough in Hydrangea breeding ‘Magical Revolution’ will flower for almost half the year does very well in pots. When in flower pots can be brought inside to decorate the house. Read more about Hydrangea ‘Magical Revolution’

A beautiful variety for pot growing from Kyoto in Japan, ‘Romance’ has deep mauve blue or deep pink flowers depending on soil acidity. ‘Romance’ will flower from mid-spring until late summer. It is dwarf in growth habit making it suitable for small gardens and pots. Read more about Hydrangea ‘Romance’

‘Storm Cloud’ will carry, from late spring into summer, large mop top flower heads, blue or mauve depending on soil acidity. Acidic soil produces the bluest flowers. The bare black stems are showy in winter. Best grown in a moist well drained spot in light to medium shade. Read more about Hydrangea ‘Storm Cloud’ Obsidian Collection (TM)

‘Annabelle’ is the finest of all of the Hydrangea arborescens forms and much sought after.  It will typically sell out within weeks if not days. Read more about Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’

Still our favoured H. paniculata selection with large floral cones of the most perfect ivory white. The fertile flowers stay green throughout the season whilst the white infertile flowers age to soft pink in the autumn. Read more about Hydrangea paniculata ‘Greenspires’

H. paniculata ‘Sundae Fraise’ has grown well here even during hot summers. This French bred variety carries large creamy white flower heads. As summer progresses these heads become flushed with soft pink and slowly age to deep pink. Read more about Hydrangea paniculata ‘Sundae Fraise’ PBR

A stunning lacecap hydrangea, with frilled pink or blue blooms and rich leaf colour in autumn. Like most hydrangeas, ‘Blue Deckle’ bears pinkish flowers when grown in alkaline soil, and blue flowers when grown in acidic soil. Grows 1.25m high by a little less across. Read more about Hydrangea serrata ‘Blue Deckle’

The oakleaf Hydrangea is one of the most beautiful of all small summer flowering shrubs. The oak shaped green leaves, large and handsome, give lovely autumn tones as they change to bronze, red and burgundy. Read more about Hydrangea quercifolia

This evergreen small shrub has intricately dissected foliage which gives it a lacy fern like appearance. The new leaves are reddish and during winter the leaves turn rich oranges and purples. Read more about Nandina domestica ‘Filamentosa’

Pendent, cup shaped, intensely fragrant, creamy white flowers are carried in the leaf axils of an arching evergreen shrub. The flowers have a similar fragrance to the tuberose. Best grown in a moist well drained spot in sun or light shade. Height and width 2-3 metres. Read more about Philadelphus mexicanus

This graceful shrub grows wild from northern California through the Pacific north west to southern parts of British Columbia. It is quite adaptable in cultivation being fairly drought tolerant although growing best with a little extra irrigation during dry periods. Read more about Philadelphus lewisii

This new import is, to my mind, the most beautiful in foliage of all the Phlomis. At Lambley it has made a handsome, evergreen shrub a metre or more tall by nearly as much across in a year. Read more about Phlomis ‘Lemon Blush’

If you only grow one Phlomis this one must be at the top of your list. The large felt-like, heart shaped evergreen leaves, green above grey beneath, make a dense weed proof mound. The strong stiff 100cm stems are encircled with whorls of soft yellow hooded flowers. Read more about Phlomis russeliana

A strange and wonderful plant which could be grown for its handsome evergreen mounds of heart shaped leaves alone. The curled leaves of Phlomis samia look as though they’ve fallen off a Leunig drawing of Mr Curly’s garden. Read more about Phlomis samia

Most Phlomis we grow are shrubby but this one is a herbaceous perennial. It makes a rosette of large, dark green puckered basal leaves. During spring and early summer several stiffly vertical stems carry whorls of mauve-pink flowers. Read more about Phlomis tuberosa

Lambley imported this beautiful evergreen shrub from Olivier Filippi’s nursery in the South of France. A hybrid between P. fruticosa and P. longifolia it is one of the showiest plants in the genus. Read more about Phlomis ‘Le Sud’

A new and particularly beautiful trailing variety of Rosemary. The contrast between the rich dark green leaves and the deep violet-blue flowers is very telling. Read more about Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Irene’

An Australian bred plant, 'Blaze' has all the virtues. It makes a rounded twiggy shrub which, from late spring until winter, has a succession of short spikes of deep crimson flowers. A light trim over during winter is the only care it needs. Read more about Salvia ‘Heatwave Blaze’ PBR

Large cream flowers with the faintest blush of pink. It makes a compact shrub about 75cm tall by a little more in width and is covered in short spikes of large flowers from late spring until late autumn. The only care this Salvia needs is a light trim during winter. Read more about Salvia ‘Heatwave Glimmer’ PBR

Large deep pink flowers. 80cm x 80cm. Each variety of this series makes a compact shrub about 75cm tall by a little more wide. The whole is covered in short spikes of large flowers from late spring until late autumn. Read more about Salvia ‘Heatwave Sparkle’ PBR

Evergreen twiggy small shrub with mint scented foliage and abundant bright creamy white flowers from spring until autumn. Each variety of this series makes a compact shrub about 75cm tall by a little more wide. Read more about Salvia ‘Heatwave Flash’ PBR

This form of dusty miller was used a lot in the old carpet bedding schemes at the run down North Sea seaside towns where I holidayed as a child. Read more about Senecio cineraria ‘Cirrus’

Always abuzz with bees when flowering, this drought tolerant Germander makes a dense twiggy grey foliaged little shrublet covered in summer with masses of magenta flowers on short spikes. Read more about Teucrium marum

Viburnum x burkwoodii is a great doer in our garden and grows well even if we neglect to water it. It has made a 2.5 metres tall by 2 metres wide shrub in 25 years. During late winter it smothers itself in round heads of sweetly scented, pink budded flowers. Read more about Viburnum x burkwoodii

I first saw this thriving in the late Stuart Rattle’s garden at Musk Farm. The flowers of this beautiful form turn pink as they age. Viburnum plicatum is native to China, Japan and Taiwan. Read more about Viburnum plicatum ‘Pink Beauty’

During spring 10cm lace cap heads of flowers are produced which turn into clusters of large translucent red berries. During spring and summer the deeply lobed leaves are glossy green. During autumn they turn to brilliant shades of red and orange. Read more about Viburnum opulus ‘Notcutt’s Variety’

Viburnum awabuki is a handsome evergreen foliage plant with glossy deep green leaves 8 to 12 cm long and 2-4cm wide. It makes a good hedging or screening plant and tolerates a fair bit of shade. It is also quite drought tolerant when once established. Read more about Viburnum awabuki

This shrub has been in cultivation since Roman times: "Vitex was the Roman name for the Chaste Tree, now known botanically as Vitex agnus-castus. From classical Greek and Roman times this plant was known as an anaphrodisiac (the opposite of an aphrodisiac). Read more about Vitex agnus-castus ‘Abbeville Blue’

Widely lauded for its drought tolerance, this tall shrub with fragrant panicles of lavender blue flowers throughout the summer has been known since ancient times, and amongst other uses is reputed to have been used by monks steeped as tea to help them remain chaste. Read more about Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’