Photoblog

A Season's wish24.12.2022
I wonder if the spirit of Christmas changes from year to year, or if it's us: we get older, we gain experience, perhaps even intelligence, and we gain a different view of things that come back like a boomerang. And I must confess that I really enjoyed what I viewed this year. I had to do some shopping like everybody else before the holiday. I expected crowded parking lots and masses of shoppers buying loads of junk just to make the Season look like in a TV spot. It did not happen. Loads of junk remained untouched sitting on the shelves while customers turned to mostly useful things or little things that would make someone happy. Is it because of the credit crunch? Inflation rate? Energy crisis? Whatever it caused, something is different. And not only in stores.

Our most important holiday date is the 24th – the Christmas Day which is today. I went jogging to the city park in the afternoon because only now I have time to do what I want, and the weather was so inviting: warm and sunny. There were many people strolling down the park, alone, with a partner, families, with dogs in clothes - I never know who is walking who there... On one patch, a bunch of kids were playing floorball which must have been a planned match. Isn't it just cute to plan a friendly match for THE Christmas Day? In the kennel club there were a number of masters with their darlings (I mean the dogs), and I also met several stands with their darlings – happy customer sipping sweet punch. It was just nice that they weren't glued to the tv screen all day, and it was also nice to see that their teenage kids joined them for a holiday walk. And you know what? They were not on a leash. And even more surprisingly, they did not look like hostages. And most surprisingly … I am really NOT kidding here … they were talking with their parents!

This all really made my day. Because, let’s not lie to ourselves, Christmas is a tough holiday. Not many of us excel in the art of copying the polished smiles of happy families from the life insurance commercials and may simply end up depressed from all the pressure around. In relationships, emotions that have been bubbling under the hood for so long erupt most likely at Christmas and here we are fuming and blaming everybody else for why we are unhappy. And people who live alone become sad and feel lonely, again due to stupid media that makes them think that without a big family at the Christmas table a single individual is a pitiable outcast who deserves to be depicted in a movie or at least an advert that will show how the others will take care of him and he will be saved.

Don’t you think that everything would be much easier if we could understand, teach this to our kids, or preferably broadcast this so that everyone hears it that this period is simply a great challenge for our souls. I say ‘this period’ intentionally rather than Christmas just for the fact that the Christian custom only some 2000 years old has very little to do with what’s happening inside us at this time. Nature goes into its closing phase of hibernation and does not expect us to communicate with it. And we should respect that it is having its moment now and we should stay away from our demands. Basically, it is showing us that we should do the same – lower our senses and turn our attention to our inner selves, trying to return to square one, being solely observers and not expecting anything from ourselves. Like a reboot. Thus, we can find the gifts we have within ourselves. We can thank for them and use them in everyday life and be happy for them. Those are the real gifts that we best bestow on our beloved and everyone we encounter. Not only at Christmas.

How to do it? Hard to say, really, everyone has a different path, but anyway, I wish you to find yours and to find your true self. Because our true selves are far better than what we are manifesting now. Maybe you will want to change an old habit then, e.g., replacing a chopped down Christmas tree with a pretty bouquet! Or something else like being kinder to everyone, including yourself. That will do, how about that? 😊
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Unless you know that already, one of our specialty lines are plants that bloom outside of usual growing seasons which is now – in winter. Who from the Central European climate would expect to encounter flowers wandering the countryside in December or January? In fact, there are quite a few plants hardy enough to rise their stems and let their buds burst into flowers. Not too many, I admit, so don’t expect a scene from a vacation in Hawaii, but I am sure each one of them will bring a smile to your face when you see the brave blossoms. Sometimes they surprise us so much that we feel the need to care for them so that they don’t get killed by frost but don’t worry. Rest assured that all of them know very well when it is safe for them to bloom. Then the only thing left for us to do is to admire them and to enjoy ourselves.

In my previous post I introduced late-flowering camellias which will light up the last frost-free days of autumn. Today, with Christmas approaching, we are shifting more towards winter so I have hellebores for you. They are called Lenten roses or Christmas roses and they are definitely not new to Czech and Slovak gardens. Our grandmothers grew them here and thanks to these horticultural ancestors, sometimes you come across a completely unexpected, beautiful, and huge clump of an old hellebore plant in an old garden at a country cottage. They are evergreen perennials whose flowers come in many colours ranging from white, light green, chartreuse or even almost yellow, to pink and red shades like magenta, crimson, and maroon which can get almost black. Most of them are single but newly bred varieties also make semi-double or fully double flowers.

In the past, the choice of species and varieties was limited but there are plenty of them available in market today. They are not only new varieties of a single species, thanks to interspecific hybridization there are many strong and remarkable plants resulting from these crossings which bear the best genes of each of their parent. Among the most enthusiastic European breeders whose plants we sell are Josef Heuger from Germany (www.helleborus.de) and Ellen Akerboom from the Netherlands (www.double-ellen.nl). Their collections are beautiful and unique. In addition to the beautiful colour combinations of flowers, many of them also boast handsome foliage which is not only reliably evergreen but also beautiful and healthy, especially in winter, unlike many older varieties whose leaves show signs of exhaustion after the growing season.
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
The most common hellebore species are h. niger, usually called Christmas rose because it begins to bloom in late autumn or in early winter, and h. orientalis, often referred to as Lenten rose whose flowering season commonly begins in frost-free periods of February in zone 6. Having explained that you may have guessed by now the reason for the title of today’s post 😊. It’s because of this beautiful, white-flowered variety called Christmas Carol, which reliably starts to bloom before Christmas, and along with other white-flowered varieties it is often used in Christmas flower arrangements next to poinsettia. Come and see the other varieties that have started flowering. Our complete offer of hellebores is here.
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Merlin is one of those pretty things with handsome, healthy foliage even in winter, and blooms from December until April.
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Merlin
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Verboom Beauty
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Victoria
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Victoria
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Apricot Red Centre
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Ice Breaker Fancy
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Pink Frost
A non-traditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Pink Frost
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Elly is one of the earliest among (semi)double-flowering varieties.
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Elly
A nontraditional Christmas Carol05.12.2022
Here’s a little sneak-peek of one of our new arrivals this winter - Early Rose from the Ice N' Roses series. Soon it will be available on our website, along with 7(!) other novelties. Don’t miss out and remember there’s 15% off on all December orders! 😊
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Camellias are evergreen shrubs with beautiful, dark green, glossy leaves that, in Japan, were cultivated primarily for their utility - the leaves of some species were used to make tea (camellia sinensis - true tea) and others were used to produce all-purpose oil (camellia oleifera). Both tea and oil were also made from c. sasanqua. And I haven't mentioned the most important thing yet - they are beautiful flowering shrubs blooming either in spring (c. japonica and its hybrids) or in autumn and winter (c. sasanqua and its hybrids).

Camellias come from the subtropical and tropical climates of Asia, from where they were able to spread to milder zones with slightly cooler climate. They did not reach Europe until the beginning of the 18th century, and thanks to Dutch merchants they became a luxury item for castle gardens and wealthy manors which could afford them in respect of both the price and the location - the original species did not tolerate temperatures below -15 °C. Now you can find the largest specimens growing in the gardens of Great Britain, Spain, southern France, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Life sometimes has a strange sense of irony. What’s negative for one can turn to a positive thing for others: during severe winters in the USA between 1976 and 1978 thousands of even mature camellia specimens died because they could not withstand sudden and repeated temperature drops below -20 °C. While some considered nature too cruel, a couple of botanists spotted a few camellias which against all odds survived and continued growing and flowering. Those were used for further examination and hybridization with the aim of obtaining new and hardier varieties. The renowned pioneers were Dr. William Ackerman of Maryland and Dr. Clifford Parks of North Carolina. Others followed and now we already have a rich palette of reasonably hardy camellias which bloom not only in spring but also in autumn and those are the subject of today’s post.
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
To set the record straight at the outset, not all fall-blooming camellias belong to the c. sasanqua species, but they are guaranteed to have at least one parent with its genes. Autumn camellias are generally considered a more reliable choice for colder climates because if severe frosts come and the bushes suffer from winter damage, they will reliably regenerate and produce buds during the growing season so they will always bloom. Or almost always. I know of only 2 circumstances that can endanger them: a cold summer which will not guarantee maturation of flower buds and/or a cold beginning of autumn, perhaps also with too early frosts that will prevent the buds from opening.

But such a concurrence of negatives happens very rarely. That is why we can enjoy those beautiful flowers on lush bushes even at a time when most of the garden is already becoming dormant. On the other hand, in exceptionally warm years when summer and autumn are sunny and hot, some varieties can commence blooming as early as September and, depending on the plant age and the number of buds, continue until Christmas competing with the beauty of winter hellebores. Moreover, some autumn varieties and the vast majority of those from the c. sasanqua species are fragrant which a real bonus, do you agree? 😊
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
No matter where you have seen camellias on your journeys around the world, you have to know that their cultivation in USDA zone 6 has its own conditions, which are crucial for their survival, if you want to grow them in the ground and not just in a container which needs to be moved indoors for winter. They require a location protected from winter sunlight and wind that could harm their flower buds and burn leaves. They need acidic, moderately deep and moist soil that never remains wet, their roots might be attacked by fungi diseases in waterlogged ground. Make sure to use mycorrhizae (soil fungi), which is a godsend for this type of plant. Keep them mulched all year round. Once your camellia establishes it turns out to be the easiest and surprisingly fast-growing plant asking no maintenance. Only in dry spells watering is recommended. Pruning is possible immediately after flowering but wait until spring with autumn-blooming varieties.

View our camellia varieties here and choose your favourite or favourites - a combination of, for example, 3 shrubs where each has a different colour, habit or flowering time will definitely look great. Here is a gallery of those that are currently blooming or will bloom in the spring.
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Winter's Hope
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Winter's Fire
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Winter's Interlude
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Winter's Sunset
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Showa-no-sakae
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Adeyaka
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
April Dawn
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
c. hiemalis
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
April Blush
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Black Lace
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Betty Sette
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Fire and Ice
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Lady Vansittart
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Ice Follies
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Shintsukasa-nishiki
Camellia sasanqua - flowering queen of autumn13.11.2022
Kuro Delight
November sale01.11.2022
November sale is here with the highest discount possible - 20%. Applicable on all plants in stock, not applicable on goods to order or those that will arrive in spring. Goods have to be paid for immediately or within 3 days if paid by transfer. All plants have to be collected within one week from the date of purchase but latest November 30. Not applicable for gift vouchers. For all conditions visit our Sales and discounts page.
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Matrona
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Neon
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Globe Yellow
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Globe Yellow
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Class Act
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Crystal Pink
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Crystal Pink
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Globe Purple
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Lidakense
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Lidakense
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Mojave Jewels Ruby
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Red Cauli
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Iceberg
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Red Sparkle
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Red Sparkle
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Brillant
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Stardust
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Stardust
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
SUNSPARKLER® Dazzleberry
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Munstead Dark Red
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Munstead Dark Red
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
SEDUCTION® Green White
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
SEDUCTION® Green White
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Little Red
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Xenox
Captivating beauty of autumn stonecrop16.10.2022
Xenox
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
I'm so excited, I'll tell you why in a minute. And how are you? The weather has improved and the landscape is wearing a lot of colors with many autumn floral designs. During this period what I enjoy most is the fragrance. That's right - there are a number of unusual flowers with scented blooms in autumn. Most of our regular customers know them already, but for many of you who are new here here is a guide to them.

That's what I'm so excited about. I walk around the garden stiffing here and there and feel happy. Happy as a bee, literally, because these flowers provide plenty of bee-food late in the season.

Today's first perfume is released by a shrub called sweet olive. Its definition says that it is an evergreen shrub for zones 8 and higher, i.e., it cannot withstand less than -12 °C. There must be a mistake somewhere because I've had it for a few years now and it survived -17 °C. But time will tell. For now it is still in our trial garden in the testing phase but imagine what if it could cope with our zone 6 winters. I am thrilled to see what the future brings.

Its Latin name is osmanthus fragrans var. auranticus and, unlike most other osmathus, its evergreen leaves are entire - without spines, and in autumn it is flooded with deep orange flowers that smell like sweet oranges and tangerines. A true gem.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
These are its new leaves.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
You may recall its close relative, osmanthus fragrans var. dentatus whose new leaves are similarly coppery orange.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
And of course it has scented flowers as well. Here it is a blend of sweet lemon and lilly-of-the-valley.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
As for these super-scented flowers, don't be surprised if you don't spot them right away. In most cases, they are miniature. But their fragrance is worth a thousand lilies. Or ... maybe not a thousand, but a hundred for sure 😊 Sometimes you have to look the twigs "under the skirt" to see them. On a sunny and warm autumn day without wind you can smell their perfume from a few meters. Otherwise you will need to push your snut right through the leaves. Soooo, that's it! What a perfume, huh?

These flowerlets belong to a hybrid sweet olive called osmanthus x fortunei.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
This shrub has prickly leaves but very glossy and truly handsome.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Mexican mock orange blooms profusely for the first time in May. But some varieties re-bloom from late summer through autum, such as White Dazzler. The perfume is a mixture of orange blossom and woodland violets.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Oh, have I said that all of today's plants are evergreen? Ok, here is the extra benefit - apart from highly scented flowers they don't lose their beautiful foliage! This beauty is right in front of my office windows so I can see it everytime I am writing something to you. Brilliant inspiration 😊
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
This is what White Dazzler looks like in May. Isn't it intense!
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Evergreen silverthorn belongs among the most important fragrant shrubs of autumn. Each customer turns his head smelling something sweet passing it by. Their perfume is a blend of sweet pinks and ripe pears. Apart from the species they have colourful foliage. This is Gilt Edge.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Compacta is sivery-green like olive leaves.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Lemon Ice has deep yellow and green leaves.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Maryline foliage are banana yellow.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
This is the species with large, green leaves only, most vigorous of all evergreen silverthorns, ideal for screening.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
And the very end of today's show there is one rare species of a plant you may know: evergreen daphne tangutica. It blooms all season long and yet today it has a few tiny fragrant flower.
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Ok, one last piece - osmanthus heterophyllus. But this is the very last one for sure today :-)
Autumn perfumes09.10.2022
Indian summer01.10.2022
Have you heard the news? Indian summer is bound to come within a couple of days with temperatures rising up to 20°C or even slightly over. After a herendously cold September we do deserve a warm up.

And since there was a lot of rain the gardens are moist and ready for planting. Why don't you get to gardening this weekend or the next planting new plants that will cheer up your October days! And we have plenty of new beauties for you again :-) What do you think about the heather?
Indian summer01.10.2022
Indian summer01.10.2022
blue is good! bluebeard
Indian summer01.10.2022
STEPHI caryopteris
Indian summer01.10.2022
Thetis caryopteris
Indian summer30.09.2022
new Joe Pye weed EUPHORIA RUBY
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
New stock11.09.2022
new11.09.2022
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Have you ever wondered how we would perceive the world if we didn't live on the surface of this planet with so much light? And that the beauty (and, paradoxically, the ugliness, too) of everything that surrounds us is determined by the amount of light falling onto (and reflecting from) the objects of our attention? Sure, we all know it from elementary school physics. But seriously - have you ever realized that only thanks to the sun and its light we can see all the beauty in our gardens?

Truly, there wasn't much sun today. Yet there was a calm low light which made flowers look differently. Sometimes deeper in colour and raindrops on their petals made them look rather poetic. Now roses are taking on its last breath and begin their ultimate show for the end of the blooming season. I spent quite some time looking closely at their fragrant centres, trying to count the petals just for fun, and differentiate various shades of one colour. Just one example – do you know how many pinks exist? A lot! If you want, come and look at some of them and count for yourself 😊
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Abracadabra
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Ashram
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Augusta Luise
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Bajazzo
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Baronne de Rotschild
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Black Baccara
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Candlelight
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Carmen Würth
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Crown Princess Margaretta
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Emilien Guillot
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Europeana
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Gertrude Jekyll
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Ghita
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Golden Showers
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Gräfin Diana
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Jubilée du Prince de Monaco
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Lambada
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Nostalgie
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Orangerie
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Palais Biron
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Pierre Cardin
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Schloss Eutin
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Rhapsody In Blue
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Winchester Cathedral
Tribute to roses28.08.2022
Young Lycidas
Blooming time - red hot poker14.08.2022
Torch lily or red hot poker
Blooming time - red hot poker14.08.2022
Blooming time - red hot poker14.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Japanese pagoda tree10.08.2022
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Montbretia is a beautiful and rather exotic looking tuberous perennials which are still often and fortunately erroneously considered too tender for our climate (USDA zone 6). Many gardeners even dig them out for the winter just like gladiolus, for example. All wrong. This beauty is luckily very hardy and easy to grow which we enthusiastically confirm despite its origins in South-East Africa. They grow here without any extra effort and are perfectly hardy down to at least -27 °C. The number of registered varieties is incredible - over 300 and keeps increasing. They come in warm shades of yellow, red, orange, and their combinations.

If you like what you see check our current availability or watch our last year's video we made to promote them.

The variety in this picture is the earliest, and thanks to its vibrant fiery red colour of flowers it was called Lucifer.
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
George Davidson
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Carmine Brilliant
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Columbus
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Red King
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
And if if like those which are not currently available don't pani, there will be plenty of more during late summer.

Constance
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Paul's Best Yellow
Blooming time - montbretias01.08.2022
Blooming time24.07.2022
This year's addition to the amazing coneflower series SunSeekers® is Tequila Sunrise. The plants are bred by Innoflora BV and marketed by Gootjes AllPlant BV from the Netherlands. The first part consists of varieties whose patent names begin with Apecss- and comprises of plants with single flowers of remarkably rich colours. While the second part of the series with patent names beginning with Ipecss- breaks through with a completely new and innovative design of semi-double flowers which recall gerbera and dahlia rather than a coneflower. The first and hugely successful variety was SunSeekers Salmon and was awarded Gold Medal by KVBC at Plantarium Exhibition 2018.
Blooming time24.07.2022
Blooming time24.07.2022
Blooming time16.07.2022
Leuchtfeuer mop hydrangea placed in full sun except for the hottest midday hours performs extraordinarily well with profuse watering
Blooming time16.07.2022
Blooming time16.07.2022
and another impertinence - sun-loving Strong Annabelle sevenbark hydrangea trialled in full shade and you know what? no problems whatsover!
Blooming time16.07.2022
Blooming time16.07.2022
Blooming time14.07.2022
Millenium ornamental onion
Blooming time14.07.2022
Blooming time14.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Flowering catalpas and chitalpas belong among my top favourite flowering trees. They are profuse summer bloomers and the flowers are slightly exotic. Each variety has different leaves on canopies offering a pleasant, not very dark shade.
Blooming time07.07.2022
Indian bean tree - the species
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Purpurea
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Aurea
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Summer Bells® chitalpa
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time07.07.2022
Blooming time30.06.2022
Zagreb tickseed glows like sunshine and withstands everything. Honestly. Promise.
Blooming time30.06.2022
KUDOS™ Mandarin is orange like orange. But no, like mandarins!
Blooming time30.06.2022
An stonecrop you simply must admire - SPOT ON™ Deep Rose.
Blooming time30.06.2022
PINK ICE™ candytuft.
Blooming time28.06.2022
Aren't the astilbes gorgeous? After a heavy rain they drank a lot and are now showing their best.
Blooming time25.06.2022
A lot of you already know Portugal laurel from our range of evergreen and hedging plants. But not many realize that they bloom just like any other cherry laurels, only more than a month later, and the inflorescence is a bit more elegant. And flowering tree forms are amazing, do you agree?
Blooming time25.06.2022
Blooming time25.06.2022
Butterfly bushes are considered a hallmark of high summer season. Though a few varieties are early like those from the Miss series. Miss Violet has been blooming for at least two weeks now and smells beautiful.
Blooming time25.06.2022
Blooming time25.06.2022
Novelty: lychnis Hill Grounds .
Blooming time25.06.2022
Novelty: heliopsis Funky Spinner®
Blooming time25.06.2022
Wild Swan is a unique anemone hybrid with flowers from June until October.
Blooming time25.06.2022
Vesuvius is another lychnis novelty with flowers like hot magma.
Blooming time25.06.2022
And there also are a few images from last moths, like this gorgeous Charles Burgess peony.
Blooming time25.06.2022
And my top favourite broom - winged broom
Blooming time25.06.2022
And you will surely understand that I cannot miss out on avens - Totally Tangerine.
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
What are the tree canopies here for, right? If not for laying oneself down under one of them, enjoying the beauty of their leaves. As in case of this Purpurea Indian bean tree with a profusion of garnet mirrors (newly emerging foliage).
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
Or do you prefer ligher foliage? Why now - Aurea Indian bean tree.
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
They are not blooming yet but when they do they will be beautiful like this.
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
Or should you rather go for finer foliage try Imperialis common alder. Its leaves are the finest feather we have.
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
Among trees with colourful foliage today the winner is ... Purpurea Tricolor beech!
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
Look at its gorgeous leaves when it emerges in spring.
Are you hot? Lie down under a tree.19.06.2022
And even with mature foliage which lacks pink margins it is hard to miss in a landscape.
New video about rhododendrons - A visit to H. Hachmann05.06.2022
We travelled to North Germany to the famous rhododendron nursery of Mr. Hachmann from whom we have been buying the most beautiful varieties for our garden centre for many years. Believe me, what we saw was unbelievable. We discharged 5 camera batteries so in the end, the hardest part was choosing the best shots, watch the video to see what we captured. The photos will have to wait until then, you know that phrase, don't you? :-) But if you ever decide to see their nursery in person make a trip, they will be happy to welcome you there.
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria Ikoyama-fuji
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria Shiro-kapitan
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria Showa-beni
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria sinensis
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria sinensis Alba
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria floribunda Alba
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria floribunda Multijuga
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria floribunda Rosea
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria floribunda Black Dragon (Violacea Plena)
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
wisteria frutescens Amethyst Falls
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
laburnum anagyroides
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
laburnum x watererii Vossii
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
robinia x margaretta Casque Rouge
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
robinia pseudoacacia Frisia
The racemes show30.05.2022
The racemes show30.05.2022
robinia hispida Rosea
The first of May01.05.2022
In a famous Czech song Hana Hegerová sings ‚My bathtub is full of violets’ and as I walk down my garden I have to sing ‚my lawn is full of dandelions’. I admit it’s purely my fault that I don’t use any selective herbicides so I should not be surprised that within my turf can grow anything. But hey, as soon as I mow it will be green and even again and on top of that - dandelions relate to spring, don’t they? And we can be happy that the spring has eventually arrived.

And now a little nipple for other lovers of a mighty green - have you noticed how the dandelion has adapted to your lawn? As if it knew that you would be mowed again in a week, it doesn't grow to its height of 20-30 cm that is coded in its genes, it barely makes an inch and voilà: here’s a flower. How krafty! This is evolution, folks! To do anything to reproduce.

And talking of reprodction it is May Day today, and since May is love time, I can hear cats trying to fulfil their dharma under my open bedroom windows at night. Their breeding sounds like a child whose cell phone has been confiscated by a severe parent. And I wonder what’s worse – listening to the cats doing it rather loudly but expecting that it will soon be over, or that Italian couple next door in hotel I had to put up with on one of my trips in Tuscany. They were unstoppable and louder than the cats. When I asked for a different room in the morning explaining the problem rather tactfully, the receptionist searched for something in the computer and then lifted his eyebrow with words ‘oh, I would not expect that from THIS gentleman‘… Anyway. At least the garden is quiet and shows its various shades of green. And other colours, too, let’s check them out!

This is Kiku-shidare-zakura. Japanese flowering cherry.
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
Is there anyone who doesn't like blue flowers? This is not forget-me-not, this is bugloss . In sale again from next week!
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
Pink Ice candytuft is pretty even without flowers.
The first of May01.05.2022
Burgundy Star magnolia
The first of May01.05.2022
Butterflies magnolia
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
Betty magnolia
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
My most favourite Portugal laurel: large-leaved TICO®.
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
Color Guard yucca
The first of May01.05.2022
marsh marigold
The first of May01.05.2022
Forest Flame lily-of-the-valley shrub
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
April Night sage
The first of May01.05.2022
Rollies Favourite campion
The first of May01.05.2022
Black helleborus
The first of May01.05.2022
Bonfire dwarf peach
The first of May01.05.2022
Trevi Fountain lungwort
The first of May01.05.2022
The first of May01.05.2022
J.C. Williams magnolia
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
Major temperature swings are common for continental climate and we – the inhabitants of the Old Continent – are accustomed to them. Or at least should be, like it or not. Wearing flip-flops on Monday and a bobble hat and gloves on Saturday is not really an ideal clothing plan. On the other hand, looking at the date on the calendar it may have been an All Fools’ Day joke from Him. Good job, mate, if only it was not for the icy roads!

Or was it not Him? What if it were … the politics?? I can feel a chill running up and down my spine not just when I stick my big toa into fresh snow but also remembering Nikola Tesla and one of his inventions. Allegedly he worked on a system enabling him to manipulate weather. It turned out so powerful that the powerful of his era made sure he lost all his powers, claims one theory.

I always recall brilliant Kate Bush and her song Cloudbusting which, yet inspired by a different guy – Peter Reich, speaks about a similar phenomenon: making rain, i.e., playing with weather.

Nowadays we seem to live in difficult and wild times so no wonder one is able to believe almost anything. But when it comes to spring weather, don’t get yourself be fooled. Virtually all kinds of weather within one day are typical for April weather just like stripes on a zebra, and all you can fight it with is a pair of spare mitts in your bag.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
But don’t you worry ‘bout a thing! Even though we’ve had a few inches of fresh snow overnight, the midday sun is so strong to melt it on rooftops, patios, and evergreen plants, and all that’s left is a dose of irrigation so needed after an extremely dry winter. Down with white images for now, let’s indulge in colours that the next days are promising. Either in our gardens or in pots on our garden centre shelves. The biggest news this week is that we acquired about 40 plants of geum Scarlet Tempest that was unavailable for the past two years. The plants have just arrived from the grower, they are strong and beautiful, and will be in store and online next week. Hurray! Check our website in a couple of days not to miss them out 😊.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
And one Adonis is blooming already - adonis vernalis.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
A novelty awaiting introduction on our website is Spring Bell bellflower.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
Just like an attractive series of ornamental peaches from Vietnam called TAOFLORA® in three colours.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
This little broom is buttercup winterhazel and is bursting out.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
great03.04.2022
Lilly-of-the-valley shrubs are about to bloom, too.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
And while waiting for others to bloom I like to watch the evrgreens. This is Royal Ruby leucothoe.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
The hardiest among large-leaved euonymus is Canadale Gold.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
Eskimo viburnum is also evergreen but not so densely leaved but the amount of strongly and sweetly scented flowers will make up for it.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
December Dwarf viburnum is deciduous and already blooming.
Great expectations of spring03.04.2022
And besides the flowers this is what I am looking forward to most. See you in water! :-)
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
My dears, welcome to the beginning of the new gardening season. It's the first of March today, it's freezing like hell in the morning, and the hell is also happening quite close to our border. We are going through tough times. As soon as one nonsense is over, there is another, and it is demanding not just our attention but most importantly our judgement. This is Evil. Evil is most insidious in its disguises, which have lately become increasingly sophisticated. Until recently, it pretended to protect human health, and today it disguises itself as justice and attacks our senses to awaken emotions of hatred in us, and that we are entitled to feel it. Human nature is vulnerable mainly on the emotional side, and when it shows a weak point, Evil crawls in without being noticed, and then you stare at your good friends, hearing their words of anxiety, excitement as well as judgements, and you are unaware of how and when it was born in them.

We are faced with various challenges every day now and it's always a good idea to keep calm without a need to solve it right away. Let our innermost voice speak and hear what it has to say, and only then decide how we will deal with it. Because Evil cannot be fought with its weapons. I know very well that it is not easy, believe me - I also have an account in Sberbank.

Long time ago, during an ongoing war somewhere, I no longer remember where it was then, a large radio station invited Mother Theresa for an interview so she could greet people and give them some hope. And the interviewer was so overwhelmed by what she said and her personality that in the end he could not help asking her to take part in a planned march against the war. She thanked him but turned down his offer, but added that when they organized a peace march, she would be among the first to attend. Because the more people who believe in peace, the faster it will come. And that's not a remnant of hippie philosophy, that's a fact.

And to make our thoughts happier, I have prepared some cheerful colours showing the beauty of the start of the season. They are like a balm for haunted souls promising that soon everything will swell and bloom and that the spring will commence. I admit that I sneaked a few autumn photos through there, quite deliberately, see if you can find them 😊
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Dark Diamond leucothoe
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
jasminum nudiflorum
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Sutherlandii hebe
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
James Stirling hebe
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Little Flames leucothoe
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Irish ivy
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Narihira grape holly
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Heckenblau blue holly
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Angelina stonecrop
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
CHICK CHARMS Gold Nugget houseleek
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Frilly Isabelle Lenten rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
SP Elly Lenten rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Apricot Red Centre Lenten Rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Apricot Red Spotted Lenten rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
HGC Ice n' Roses Red Lenten rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
White Dark Centre hellebore
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Conny Lenten rose
Welcome, March!01.03.2022
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Every year, an American company from New Jersey called Pantone® releases their Colour Of The Year. Nowadays, Pantone® is not just a company name, more importantly it is a globally recognized colour system used in most industries to match their colours perfectly. Their experts follow trends and, given the importance of colours, carefully mix the dyes in order to achieve a new shade that will match the atmosphere of the year that’s ending, and at the same time will motivate for the coming year.

Most would probably say that the basic colour palette, which is currently divided into 16 colours, is sufficient and will also include colours that many do not consider important or perhaps recognizable. Have you ever tried to talk to some men about apricot, peach, or salmon? Poor thing. That’s exactly what I mean. After all, the colour spectrum given by the refraction of light on Earth is set and nothing should surprise us. But here come the nuances in the transitions between the basic colours that will sometimes give birth to a fantastic colour shade.

I must admit that this year's colour got me. The colour for 2022 is so beautiful that I want to give it some space even here. It is called Very Peri, its number is 17-3938 (don't try ti dial it - no one will pick up) and it is a soft shade of violet with a warm undertone of red. And since the advertised Colour Of The Year sets a fashion trend for many industries, let's not be surprised if growers supply us with plants with many flowers in Very Peri this year. What if we overtake them 😊 and show some tips yet before that season starts? Come and have a sneak peek ...
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Takion Blue bellflower
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Filigree Light Blue bellflower
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Mini Mahogany bugle
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Mrs. Cholmondeley clematis
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Lacey Blue Russian sage
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Blue Spire Russian sage
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Blue Shades Balkan anemone
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Samantha bellflower
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Neptune Cuban catmint
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Purrsian Blue catmint
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Bowles' Variety periwinkle
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
beachhead iris
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Purple Parasols Stoke's aster
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Misayo clematis
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Purple Rain Jacob's ladder
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Hidcote lavender
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
empress tree
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Sup'Blue Rose-of-Sharon
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Sterling Silver bluebeard
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
Butterfly Blue small scabious
Colour of the year 2022 - VERY PERI02.02.2022
So what do you think? Don't worry about currently unavailable plants. Perennials are usually released by the growers just before flowering, and some seasonal shrubs as well. And obviously due to limited garden centre capacity we cannot stock everything.

So Very Peri it is. On the other hand, I realize that some of you might not be fond of violet shades. You know what? Don't worry the slightest bit. We have so many plants to offer in so many colors that you will definitely find your favourite. Either in our garden center or on our webshop where we already advertise goods for the spring season. Don't wait much longer and reserve your beauties on time 😊!

By the way, this beauty is Perosa Japanese skimmia. And the other beauty is Denisa :-)
January quiz is over. We have winners!01.02.2022
My dears,

The results of the January quiz are here. We are very happy to see so many of you involved and we hope you had fun. I appreciate all the daredevils from the first round, which would have been difficult even for me if I had not had those trees in my garden 😊 Anyway, we have one winner also in the first round which is great news. On the other hand, I was surprised at how few of you took part in the easiest - third round. Here are the correct answers:

01 pinus sylvestris
02 Betula pendula 'Laciniata'
03 Catalpa x erubescens 'Purpurea'
04 Pterocarya fraxinifolia
05 Heptacodium miconioides
06 Prunus serrulata
07 Cedrus libani
08 Liriodendron tulipifera
09 Metasequoia glyptostroboides
10 Carpinus betulus 'Pyramidalis' ('Fastigiata')
11 Quercus frainetto
12 Prunus lusitanica
13 Pinus nigra ssp. nigra
14 Populus deltoides 'Purple Tower'
15 Larix kaempferi 'Diana'
16 Cryptomeria japonica 'Cristata'
17 Quercus ilex
18 Liquidambar styraciflua
19 Campsis radicans
20 Gleditsia triacanthos

And here are the winners:

Round One
- Hana Kopecká – 6 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 5000 Kč

Round Two
- Šárka Jeřábková – 19 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 3000 Kč
- Jana Valentová – 17 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 3000 Kč
- Martina Trejtnarová – 15 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 3000 Kč

Round Three
- Blanka Wichtová – 20 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 1000 Kč
- Hana Vaňková – 20 correct names – receives a gift voucher for 1000 Kč

Congratulations and we look forward to seeing you again next time!
January quiz - second clue revealed - 3rd round25.01.2022
According to the number of correct answers in the second round of our January quiz it is clear that it was much easier than the first one. And now, here's the second clue for the third round which is easy peazy lemon squeezy: just match the correct plant names with the image numbers. We used to play games like that in nursery schools, remember? 😊😊😊

Betula pendula 'Laciniata'
Campsis radicans
Carpinus betulus 'Pyramidalis' ('Fastigiata')
Catalpa x erubescens 'Purpurea'
Cedrus libani
Cryptomeria japonica 'Cristata'
Gleditsia triacanthos
Heptacodium miconioides
Larix kaempferi 'Diana'
Liquidambar styraciflua
Liriodendron tulipifera
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Pinus nigra ssp. nigra
pinus sylvestris
Populus deltoides 'Purple Tower'
Prunus lusitanica
Prunus serrulata
Pterocarya fraxinifolia
Quercus frainetto
Quercus ilex
January quiz - first clue revealed - 2nd round20.01.2022
My dears, I am taking a bow before all of you who risked it and sent in your replies to the toughest round of our January quiz. And believe me I know it WAS tough. Respect! The quiz is still ongoing so I cannot tell you much, perhaps just a little bit: all of you have guessed correctly No. 20. On the other hand, the pine trees were a tough call for most. Telling the right species just by the bark ... I know 😊 Now the clues (inset pictures with leaves/flowers) for the second round are revealed so try to have a go, it's way too easier this time, believe me 😊
January quiz08.01.2022
Let me greet you in early January and wish us all a good year 2022. Yes, it's me, with an ice-cream in the middle of winter because it's really warm. 15 °C on New Year's eve, isn't that freaky?! And why am I embracing the post? Practising. And I am telling you what for.

Last weekend I was strolling down my garden that was bathing in sun, and I simply couldn't get enough of it. I was overwhelmed by the patterns, textures, and colours of the bark on the tree trunks. I felt like those who go to the woods hugging the trees to recharge themselves. You know what? I don’t blame them. I felt a similar sort of satisfaction. Touching a stout tree trunk, feeling its energy as the mysterious fabric of life flows up and down under its bark is simply amazing. Some trees have lived here with me for almost 20 years, others are younger, but all in one is beautiful. When I got tired of hugging and touching, I fetched my camera because I got an idea.

How about a little exercise of your grey or rather green matter in the middle of winter? Wake up your resting brain cells from hibernation with a new quiz! This time it is a tree challenge. Can you tell a tree just by its bark? We shall see in a jiffy but have no worries, there are 3 rounds in our tournament easing down a bit with time.

Here are the rules:

1. We will display 20 photos of tree trunks with numbers and your task is to give their correct names in Latin. Just bear in mind that the trees are of a different age and girth, so they were zoomed in or out differently.

2. The quiz starts on January 9, 2022.

3. The first round will end on January 20, 2022, at midnight.

4. One of you who will correctly identify at least 10 trees by both the genus and the species name in the first round, will get 1 voucher for CZK 10,000 to spend in our garden centres. If the first round yields more correct answers we will draw lots for only one winner.

5. Those of you to correctly identify at least 5 trees by family name will get a chance to win a voucher worth CZK 5,000. We will choose 3 competitors with the highest number of correct answers.

6. The second round will be easier, because on January 21, 2022 we will release the first clue. Pictures will be enriched with an inset of a detail of leaves or flowers.

7. It should be much easier, so we require at least 10 correct answers to shortlist you, and the 3 with the best score will receive a voucher for CZK 3,000. If there's a lot, we'll draw.

8. The third round will be the simplest: on January 26, 2022 we will reveal the names of all the trees and your task will be to assign names to the photo numbers.

9. To be shortlisted in the third round we require at least 10 correct answers and the 3 with the best score will receive a voucher for CZK 1,000. If there's a lot, we'll draw.

10. The competition ends at midnight on January 31, 2022, and on February 1, 2022 we will announce the winners.

11. SAFRO s.r.o. employees or their family members cannot participate in the competition.

12. Send your answers exclusively by e-mail to the address zahrada (at) safro.cz.

Hey, will you have a go? If so, I keep my fingers crossed and wish you success. And the others can at least enjoy the beauty of the photographs. Finally, one more note -

Good luck! 😊
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LARGE PLANTS over 150 cmspecimens, screening and hedging shrubs

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