Retail plants
A guide to species and cultivars of popular plants for retail in garden centres, with supplier's tips on how to use and sell them.
Hardy Plant Focus: Crab apple (Malus) — star billing for showy fruits
Crab apples should have star billing in their own right because they often give them one more season of interest and provide nourishment for birds and other wildlife in autumn and winter.
Hardy Plant Focus: Magnolia — large-flowered hybrids for the garden
This is a genus that contains unarguably some of the most beautiful shrubs and trees, in terms of both flowers and fragrance, that we are blessed with being able to grow in our temperate UK climate.
Dahlia
Dahlias are back in fashion, come in a multitude of shades and offer retailers a double hit, writes Sally Drury.
Rubus idaeus
The health benefits of raspberries make these very popular plants an ideal choice for retailers, according to Sally Drury.
Tulipa
Tulips offer a vast variety of flower colours from February through to May and command attention, says Sally Drury
Digitalis
Foxgloves are easy to grow and produce tall spikes of flowers that are magnets for pollinators, writes Sally Drury.
Magnolia
Good pictorial labelling and effective use of point-of-sale material is crucial for these showy flowers, says Sally Drury.
Cornus
This diverse and ornamental genus presents opportunities for retailers as well as landscapers, writes Sally Drury.
Malus
An abundance of spring blossom ensures flowering crab apple trees’ reputation as jewels of the landscape, notes Sally Drury.
Malus domestica
Apple trees’ wide variety of fruit and splendid flower displays should appeal to new gardeners, Sally Drury suggests.
Late-flowering Clematis
With stunning displays lasting until late autumn, now is an ideal time to promote these colourful gems, Sally Drury advises.
Dwarf Narcissus
These well-loved flowers can help to sustain passion for growing that built up during lockdown, Sally Drury suggests.
Colchicum
These autumn wonders produce colourful flowers that make for a sensational display, says Sally Drury.
Hebe
These plants are enjoyed for their dense spikes, panicles or racemes of flowers and for their foliage, writes Sally Drury.
Dianthus
A impressive variety of shapes and shades makes these plants popular in the garden as well as for floristry, writes Sally Drury.
Zonal pelargoniums
These essential plants for a showstopping border or container bear vibrant flowers all through summer, writes Sally Drury.
Alstroemeria
These exotic flowers are easy to grow and produce dazzling displays in borders and patio containers, writes Sally Drury.
Summer-flowering bulbs
September-to-October is an accepted part of the gardening year for bulb planting, and many of these are for the heralds of spring — the crocus, the narcissi or the tulip.
Heuchera
Year-round colour and neat clumps of foliage make these perennials very marketable, says Miranda Kimberley.
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas are beautiful shrubs that grace many gardens in the UK. They are easy to grow and can provide a variety of flower head shapes and colours.
Spathiphyllum
The air-purifying ability of the peace lily has been widely marketed to generate more sales, Miranda Kimberley reports.
Carex
Evergreen grasses and sedges provide year-round structure and move with the wind, Miranda Kimberley writes.
Disporum
These elegant woodland plants produce leafy green stems and bell-shaped flowers, says Miranda Kimberley.
Tradescantia
These unfussy plants offer a welcome splash of colour in the garden or as a houseplant, writes Miranda Kimberley.
Trollius
With their papery blooms, these popular perennials are a welcome addition to borders, says Miranda Kimberley.
Rodgersia
These versatile plants are described as 'bombproof' and 'wonderfully unfussy', Miranda Kimberley finds.
Verbascum
Fantastic spikes of flowers bring height, structure and colour to the garden border, writes Miranda Kimberley.
Agapanthus
These exotic plants are easy to grow and a great addition to any garden in pots, beds or borders, says Miranda Kimberley.
Potentilla
These easy-to-grow plants provide a vibrant set of flower colours from hots to pastels, writes Miranda Kimberley.
Nemesia
With their bright blooms and nice petals these plants look like a bedding version of orchids, says Miranda Kimberley.
Senecio
This diverse genus offers varieties that work well inside as well as outdoors in many sizes, says Miranda Kimberley.
Anemone
These uncomplicated plants produce beautiful flowers for most of the growing season, says Miranda Kimberley.
Helleborus
Customers keep coming back for these strong plants that offer colour when it is most needed, writes Miranda Kimberley.
Gaura
These robust plants can repeat flower from April to October and nice foliage adds interest, says Miranda Kimberley.
Aster
Brightening up gardens in autumn, these daisies are seen as a gem in the gardener's arsenal, writes Miranda Kimberley.
Astrantia
Customers can be confident that these hardy, easy-to-grow plants will return the following year, Miranda Kimberley finds.
