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Chelsea Gold: great plants from the Chelsea Flower Show 2001

© Lorraine Flanigan

As promised in last month's article, here is a rundown of the wonderful plants from the Chelsea Flower Show, 2001. Although not all of these plants won the gold medal at Chelsea, they are ones that caught my eye and that I have not seen here in Southern Ontario nurseries.

I spent a lot of time at the Hillier's exhibit. Jam-packed with lots of goodies, of all the plants clamoring for my attention, Actinidia pilosula wins hands-down. It would be a pity if this one turns out to be tender in Southern Ontario because it has all the attributes of the hardy kiwi vine, Actinidia kolomikta -- and then some. The tips of the deep, forest green leaves are brushed with gleaming white. With a smaller leaf than A. kolomikta and a milder manner, A. pilosula is a refined cousin that would be ideal for small space gardens. But don't listen to me ramble on about it, take a look and see for yourself at http://www.plantsman.com/catalogue/catal...

Also at Hiller's was the stunning Lonicera 'Sweet Sue'. Discovered on a beach in Sweden by plantsman, Roy Lancaster, this honesuckle has flowers of the palest of yellows at http://www.hilliergc.co.uk/chelsea/lonic...

The Hiller's display garden was filled with wonderful maple trees. My favourite was a small, tri-coloured one with coral-pink, cream and green leaves. Named Acer pseudoplatanus 'Esk Sunset', it would certainly make a great city garden tree, growing to about 3 metres. Known in New Zealand, I'm unable to find out just how hardy this little gem is, nor was I able to find an online photo. If any of you know of a source, please let us all know by posting a message in the discussion forum.

Don't ask me where I saw it (my head was reeling after two days of Chelsea!), but I fell in love with Clematis recta purpurea 'Velvet Night'. Hardy to Zone 3, the young leaves of this clumping perennial clematis are a wonderful, deep purple. What a bonus for a plant that's already astonishingly beautiful with its scented, white flowers that bloom in the summer and early fall. I could find no online source of plants, so maybe growing this one from seed will be the only way to grow it in the gardens of Southern Ontario.

Austin roses launched six new rose varieties, although none is available in Canada as yet - pity, 'cause I think I could make some space for one or two of these beauties in my garden. Take a look at Grace, an apricot beauty that's also fragrant à http://www.davidaustinroses.com/asp/Show... or the musky-scented Comtes de Champagne à http://www.davidaustinroses.com/asp/Show... and the semi-double sbrub rose, Corvedale à http://www.davidaustinroses.com/asp/Show...