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Carpinus betulus, or European Hornbeam, is a large, deciduous tree with a fluted grey trunk and very appealing, dense, oval to rounded crown. The leaves are ovate, serrated and ribbed, dark green in summer, coppery yellow in autumn. They remain on branches long into winter. Flowers appear in separate male and female catkins before the leaves, in spring, and are followed by winged nuts. European Hornbeam is a low maintenance and easy to grow plant. It is satisfied with any type of soil, but prefers fertile, dry to moist, well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It is generally disease-free and pest free. It can tolerate drought. Carpinus betulus is an excellent tree and a nice addition to any garden. It is great as a specimen plant or in a group. Because of its tolerance to pruning, it is perfect for hedges and privacy screens.

Gleditsia triacanthos Sunburst is a medium-sized, deciduous tree with a pyramidal, light, open, spreading crown and shiny, smooth, thornless, slightly arching, reddish to olive brown branches. The leaves are small, pinnate, feathery, golden yellow when sprouting, lime green in summer, and bright yellow in autumn. The clusters of white-yellow flowers bloom in May and June. There are no fruits, it’s a fruitless cultivar. Gleditsia triacanthos Sunburst is not a demanding plant and can grow in any type of soil, from heavy clay to limestone, as long as the soil is well-drained. It prefers full sun to partial shade and can withstand some wind exposure and urban pollution. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning. Generally, disease-free. Gleditsia triacanthos Sunburst is one of the most popular yellow-leaved ornamental trees. It is perfect as a specimen tree or accent plant in any garden. Since it is resistant to air pollution, great choice for urban areas – avenues, streets and city parks.

Sorbus pseudohupehensis 'Pink Pagoda’ is a compact, medium-sized, deciduous tree of columnar habit, with pinnate, blue-green leaves, vivid red in autumn. Profusion of tiny, creamy-white flowers bloom in spring and are followed by bright pink berries in autumn, persisting on bare branches throughout winter. Chinese Mountain Ash ‘Pink Pagoda’ thrives in moderately fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soils, but can adapt to a wide range of soil types. Once established, tolerant of drought. It is resistant to frost and wind, and tolerant of exposed conditions, coastal conditions, and air pollution. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require regular pruning. Sorbus pseudohupehensis 'Pink Pagoda’ is a lovely and tough ornamental tree perfect as a specimen plant in small informal, cottage, coastal, and urban gardens. Great for beds and borders, as well as informal hedges and screens. Excellent as a street tree. Suitable for growing in containers on patios or roof gardens.

Cercis chinensis 'Shirobana,' commonly referred to as Chinese Redbud 'Shirobana,' is an exceptional and eye-catching ornamental tree that can grace British gardens and landscapes with its unique and captivating features. Originally hailing from China, this cultivar has garnered international acclaim for its remarkable characteristics.

One of the most remarkable attributes of 'Shirobana' is its blossoms. During the spring season, prior to the emergence of its leaves, this tree adorns itself with a profusion of delicate, butterfly-like flowers. What sets it apart is its ability to produce different-colored blossoms on the same tree simultaneously, creating a spectacular display of colour variation that is truly enchanting.

The name 'Shirobana' translates to "white flower," underscoring the tree's ability to produce these stunning pale blooms alongside the usual pink and lavender ones. This unique trait makes 'Shirobana' particularly desirable for garden enthusiasts seeking to introduce an element of whimsy and diversity to their outdoor spaces.

The foliage of 'Shirobana' typically takes on a heart-shaped form and exhibits a medium green hue, serving as a splendid backdrop to the lavish spring blossoms. As the leaves mature, they may acquire a glossy sheen, adding to the tree's visual appeal. This deciduous tree usually reaches a height of around 3 to 4 meters and forms an elegant, gracefully-rounded canopy.

Maintaining Cercis chinensis 'Shirobana' in the UK is relatively straightforward. It thrives in well-drained soil and prefers a location that receives ample sunlight or partial shade. Ensuring adequate watering during dry spells and regular mulching to conserve moisture are key to its overall health and vitality. Pruning requirements are typically minimal, primarily focused on shaping the tree or removing any dead or overcrowded branches.

One of the advantages of 'Shirobana' is its notable resistance to common pests and diseases, contributing to its low-maintenance nature. Additionally, it exhibits adaptability to various soil types, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of garden settings.

In conclusion, Cercis chinensis 'Shirobana' is an extraordinary ornamental tree that can bring a sense of wonder and diversity to British gardens. Its multi-coloured spring blossoms, heart-shaped leaves, and manageable size make it an enchanting addition to landscapes, providing an opportunity for gardeners to experience the ever-changing palette of nature. Whether used as a focal point or to infuse charm into garden borders, 'Shirobana' is certain to captivate the hearts of those who encounter its mesmerizing beauty.

Prunus domestica 'Violet Reine Claude' (often spelled Regina Claudia) is a traditional European plum cultivar celebrated for its rich flavour, attractive appearance, and versatility in the kitchen. Belonging to the Reine Claude group of greengages, this variety is distinguished by its deep violet to dusky purple skin and sweet, golden-green flesh. The fruits are medium-sized, round, and slightly flattened, with a firm yet juicy texture, making them ideal for fresh eating, cooking, and preserving.

This cultivar thrives best in temperate climates, requiring a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil to produce its best crop. It flowers in early to mid-spring, offering delicate white blossoms that are not only ornamental but also attractive to pollinators such as bees. As it is partially self-fertile, it can bear fruit on its own but benefits from cross-pollination with another plum variety to increase yield.

'Violet Reine Claude' plums typically ripen in late summer, usually around August in the UK. The tree is moderately vigorous and tends to form a rounded crown with age, making it suitable for both larger gardens and smaller orchards. Pruning in late winter helps maintain shape and encourages healthy fruit production.

This variety is valued for its balanced sweetness and fine aroma, which make it particularly prized in desserts, jams, and tarts. When fully ripe, the fruit offers a melt-in-the-mouth quality and is often considered among the finest-flavoured of European plums.

Resilient to most common plum diseases when properly cared for, Prunus domestica 'Violet Reine Claude' remains a cherished choice for those seeking heritage flavour and ornamental charm in one elegant tree.

Picea glauca 'Sander's Blue', commonly known as 'Sander's Blue' White Spruce, is a stunning dwarf conifer prized for its vibrant blue-green needles that add a colorful accent to any garden space. This cultivar exhibits a compact, pyramidal form, making it an excellent choice for smaller landscapes or as a focal point in a larger garden arrangement.

Typically reaching an ultimate height of 10 to 12 feet, with a spread of 4 to 5 feet, 'Sander's Blue' White Spruce grows slowly, which makes it manageable and suitable for residential gardens without the worry of overwhelming the space. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, moist soil. Hardy and adaptable, this spruce tolerates cold climates well, making it a versatile choice for various garden zones.

Gardeners often use 'Sander's Blue' as a specimen plant due to its distinctive color and structured form. It also fits beautifully into rock gardens, urban gardens, and even as part of a conifer collection, where its unique hue can be fully appreciated against contrasting greenery.

Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' is a vigorous, slow-growing deciduous shrub with a pendulous, weeping habit. Feathery, deeply dissected, lobed, dark purple leaves, become crimson red in autumn. Its inconspicuous, purple-red flowers bloom in April and May and are followed by winged nuts. It can grow in every soil type, except chalk. Thrives best in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils. Although it prefers partial shade, it tolerates full sun very well. If planted on dry locations, the foliage colour may be less intense. Easy to care for. It requires very little pruning. Lack of soil moisture or excessive exposure can cause leaf scorch. Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare' is perfect as a focal point in a small garden. It looks stunning when planted by the pond because of the waterfall effect of its pendulous habit. It is also easily grown in containers and suitable for roof gardens or patio gardens.

Pinus mugo 'Klostergrun', commonly known as Dwarf Mountain Pine, is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with a compact and rounded form. It is a cultivar of the species Pinus mugo, which is native to the mountainous regions of central and southern Europe. 'Klostergrun' is a popular cultivar due to its attractive bluish-green needles and low-maintenance requirements. The needles are short, stiff, and grow in pairs, giving the plant a dense and bushy appearance. The plant typically reaches a height and width of 2-3 feet, making it an excellent choice for rock gardens, slopes, and small landscapes. In the spring, Dwarf Mountain Pine produces small, cylindrical cones that mature to a dark brown color by autumn. The cones persist on the plant for several years, adding an interesting textural element to the plant's appearance.

Pinus leucodermis 'Irish Bell', also known as dwarf Bosnian pine, is a superb choice for gardeners seeking a slow-growing, structured evergreen with year-round appeal. Its compact, upright, and broadly pyramidal form reaches about 3 to 4 feet in 10 years, making it ideal for small gardens, foundation plantings, or as a standout specimen in conifer collections. The plant features dense tufts of dark green needles with white fascicle sheaths that add a subtle sparkle and visual texture throughout the seasons.

This cultivar thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and is hardy. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is fairly drought-tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance and versatile addition to a wide range of garden designs—from rock gardens to formal landscapes.

'Irish Bell' provides strong architectural form and year-round color, contrasting beautifully with flowering perennials, broadleaf evergreens, or deciduous shrubs. Its neat growth habit requires little to no pruning, and it resists most pests and diseases. With its manageable size, unique texture, and striking color, Pinus leu 'Irish Bell' enhances both traditional and modern garden spaces with elegance and resilience.

Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' Std is a large, deciduous tree with neat, pyramidal, semi-opened crown and smooth, grey bark, not fissured and corky as the species. Its deeply-lobed, maple-like leaves are glossy green and turn golden-yellow, orange, and scarlet red, then burgundy and deep purple, in autumn. Small, inconspicuous flowers are followed by interesting, hard, spiny, rounded, capsules, gum balls, that remain on branches throughout winter. Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' Std is an adaptable to various conditions, but prefers nutrient-rich, fertile, slightly acidic, moist, and well-drained soils, in full sun. It is very resilient, tolerant of drought, heat, salt, urban pollution, even flooding. Generally, pest-free and disease-free. Liquidambar styraciflua 'Worplesdon' Std, with its beautiful autumn foliage, is a stunning ornamental tree, perfect as a specimen plant or a shade tree in large informal, cottage, coastal, and urban gardens. It is suitable for streets and urban areas but fruit litter may become a problem.

Pot grown from seed at Arundel Arboretum.

Sorbus aucuparia, or European Mountain Ash, is a vigorous, deciduous tree with oval, upright habit when young, rounded when mature and pinnate, serrated, dark green leaves, yellow, red, and purple in autumn. Flat-topped clusters of small, white flowers bloom in late spring and are followed by a profusion of bright orange-red berries. Attractive to birds and bees. European Mountain Ash prefers moderately fertile, humus-rich, slightly acidic, moist, well-drained soils, but is adaptable to various soil conditions, even poor and dry. It thrives in full sun to partial shade. It is resistant to frost and can withstand wind and short floods. Doesn’t like hot and humid summers. Very easy to grow, tolerant of urban pollution and exposed areas. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning. Sorbus aucuparia is an attractive ornamental tree, perfect for cool northern climates. Great for cottage, wildlife, and urban gardens. Excellent as a street tree. Suitable for growing in containers on patios and roof gardens.

Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’, or Irish Yew, is a medium-sized, evergreen shrub of narrowly columnar habit when young, broadly conical as it matures, with dense, closed crown, and leathery, needle-like dark green leaves. Inconspicuous flowers are followed by red, berry-like fruits. Irish Yew ‘Fastigata’ grows best in evenly moist, fertile, sandy, loamy, well-drained soils in full sun or partial shade, but it can adapt to a wide range of soils, except poorly-drained. It is resistant to frost and wind. Tolerant of full shade, exposed positions, and urban pollution. It doesn’t like temperature extremes, and need protection from harsh winter winds. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning, but can be trimmed if needed. Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata’ is a stunning ornamental plant, ideal for providing beauty and structure in formal gardens. Great for urban, coastal and industrial areas. Perfect as a specimen or accent plant. Excellent for foundation plantings, hedges and screens. Suitable for growing in containers on patios and roof gardens.

Morus nigra trained as a mature four-branched espalier is an outstanding choice for gardens where space, productivity, and ornamental structure are important. Its carefully trained horizontal framework creates a formal architectural feature that looks superb against sunny walls, fences, or boundary lines. This elegant form allows gardeners to enjoy a traditionally broad-growing mulberry in a far smaller footprint, making it especially suitable for compact gardens, courtyards, and kitchen garden settings.

The tree carries attractive heart-shaped leaves that provide fresh summer greenery, while its rich purple-black fruits ripen in late summer. These sweet, aromatic berries are highly prized for fresh eating, preserves, and culinary use. In autumn, the foliage may develop warm seasonal tones before leaf fall, while the bare branch structure adds winter interest.

Morus nigra thrives best in a warm, sunny, sheltered position with fertile, well-drained soil. A south or west-facing wall is ideal, helping fruit ripen fully and protecting young growth from colder weather. Once established, it is hardy and long-lived, requiring only periodic pruning to maintain its espalier shape and encourage fruiting wood.

Perfect for decorative edible gardens, formal layouts, and smaller spaces, this mature espalier mulberry offers beauty, character, and generous harvests for many years.

Pear - Conference (Pyrus communis) is a compact, deciduous, fruiting tree with strong, upright branches and oval, green leaves. Fragrant, small white flowers are blooming in spring and are followed by tasty, juicy, sweet, pale green with brown patches pears in autumn. The fruit is pyriform if cross-pollinated and banana-shaped if self-pollinated. Pear – Beth grows best in neutral, moist, well-drained soil, in full sun, but can adapt to various types of soils, except too dump and rocky. It can withstand frost, but needs to be sheltered from harsh winds. Late frosts may damage flower buds. Generally, pest-free. Attractive to butterflies and birds. Self-pollinated fruit is seedless. Pear - Conference is one of the most well-known dessert pears. This variety brings reliable, regular, and abundant crop of juicy fruit of good quality and sweet flavour. It is suitable for all training forms. Great for informal, cottage, and wildlife gardens. Perfect as a specimen plant.

Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’, or Eder ‘Eva’, is a large, upright, deciduous shrub with deeply dissected, lacy, dark purple, almost black, leaves, rich red in autumn, and flattened panicles of tiny, lemon-scented, white to pale pink flowers in summer, followed by edible, purple-black berries in early autumn. Attractive to birds and bees. Elder 'Eva' tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers medium to wet, moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soils. It grows best in full sun, but can withstand partial shade. Low maintenance, but unpruned plants can become unattractive in appearance. Adaptable to coastal and urban conditions. Tough and resilient plant. Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’, with its unusual foliage, and attractive flowers and edible berries, is an excellent landscape plant. It is perfect as an accent shrub or background plant in informal, cottage, urban, and coastal gardens. Great for shrub borders and informal hedges and screens. Suitable for growing in containers.

Pinus mugo 'Ophir' is a dwarf cultivar of the mountain pine, Pinus mugo. It is a slow-growing, coniferous evergreen shrub that typically reaches a height of 2-3 feet and a spread of 4-5 feet at maturity. Its compact and rounded form, with bright golden-yellow foliage, makes it an excellent choice for rock gardens, container plantings, and low borders. The needles of Pinus mugo 'Ophir' are short and twisted, measuring about 1-2 inches long. They emerge in spring as a vibrant golden-yellow colour, which gradually fades to a soft green in summer. The bark of the plant is a dark brown color with a slightly rough texture, adding to its ornamental value. This cultivar is very hardy and can withstand harsh winter conditions, making it an ideal choice for cold climates. It prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soils that are slightly acidic. Once established, it is drought tolerant and requires minimal maintenance.

An elegant, dwarf, compact, coniferous, evergreen shrub of rounded habit, with long, soft green needles, and small, ovoid, green to brown cones in autumn. A result of a controlled crossbreeding of Pinus nigra and Pinus densiflora. Pinus 'Marie Bregeon' can tolerate a wide range of soils, but prefers fertile, neutral to acidic, loamy or sandy, well-drained soils in full sun. Once established, it is resistant to drought. It can withstand coastal conditions and is suitable for coastal areas. Extremely resistant to frost, tolerant of exposed positions and urban pollution. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require pruning.

Dwarf Pinus 'Marie Bregeon' is an exceptional, little shrub that naturally forms a neat, rounded shape, without any pruning. It is ideal for coastal and rock gardens, surrounded by stones or pebbles, but also suitable for informal, cottage, and urban gardens. Great as a focal point or accent plant in small gardens. Excellent for growing in containers.

Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a medium-sized, bushy, dense, winter-flowering, evergreen shrub with leathery, broadly oval, dark green leaves, and cluster of small, starry, white flowers opening form deep pink buds and blooming from December to March. Flowers are followed by ornamental, glossy, dark blue berries. Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ can adapt to a wide range of soil conditions, but thrives in fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soils. Very adaptable, it can grow in full sun, partial shade, and even full shade. Once established, it is resistant to drought. It can withstand wind, exposed positions, and coastal conditions. Low maintenance plant, doesn’t require much pruning. Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a tough, beautiful, winter-flowering plant, great for cottage, urban, and coastal gardens. Excellent for brightening shady garden corners or bare winter gardens. Perfect for shrub borders, informal hedges and screens, and foundation plantings. Good as a specimen or accent plant.

Clematis armandi 'Snowdrift' is a robust and elegant evergreen climber, perfect for adding vertical interest to gardens and outdoor spaces. When trained on a cane, this charming plant showcases glossy, dark green foliage that provides year-round appeal. In early spring, 'Snowdrift' bursts into bloom with an abundance of pure white, star-shaped flowers that emit a delicate, sweet fragrance. The cascading blooms create a breathtaking display, attracting pollinators and adding a fresh, clean aesthetic to trellises, pergolas, or decorative canes. This climber thrives in well-drained soil and enjoys a sunny to partially shaded position. Its vigorous growth, combined with low maintenance requirements, makes 'Snowdrift' an ideal choice for enhancing gardens, patios, or any outdoor living area with beauty and fragrance.

Arbutus unedo multi-stem is an evergreen, ornamental, multi-stem, capriciously growing shrub or small tree with glossy, leathery, mid-green foliage. It is very unusual and stunning all year round. Clusters of fragrant, bell-shaped, white flowers bloom from autumn to mid-winter. Round, yellow fruits appear in winter and slowly become ripe in the next 12 months, gradually turning red. They are still on the tree when new flowers show up in autumn. A grey-brown bark peels, revealing cinnamon-colored inner bark. Arbutus unedo multi-stem grows slowly in a multi-stem form. It can grow in all kinds of soils and climate conditions, but prefers acidic, moist and well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It is tolerant to drought, disease-free and pest-free. Very resilient. This unusual, colorful and very attractive plant is perfect as a specimen plant, great for shrub borders, hedges, coastal gardens, and for growing in containers.