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The Laurus nobilis is a handsome evergreen shrub or small tree. It features aromatic waxy green leaves, which are often used in cookery. Small clusters of creamy yellow flowers appear in early summer. The ‘Bay Laurel’ is perfect for screening; it is also used as part of herb garden or alongside roses to add structure to a border. This Laurel has been cultivated since the beginning of recorded history and was a key symbol of mythological history too. The Greek and Roman scholars are always depicted as wearing a wreath on the head which is made from bay leaves.Soil: any free drainingPosition: full sun, partial shadeHardiness: half-hardy, needs sheltering from strong windsEventual height/spread after 20 years: 4-5m/3mSold in a 3 litre pot.
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Water holding clay pebbles for use around any plant. Honeycomb cores absorb and release water. Ideal as an attractive mulch on any indoor or outdoor potted plant.Stand houseplants on a wet layer of hydroleca to create a moist micro-climate. Use on greenhouse benches to increase humidity. Mix with compost to reduce weight of pot plants on balconies/roof gardens.
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With its parrot-red, glossy young foliage, and large, rounded heads of ivory flowers, this dwarf variety of the versatile evergreen shrub was introduced relatively recently and will be a winner for small gardens. It colours up best in full sun, and will usually only flower in sunny conditions, although it makes a handsome background evergreen shrub in partial shade, too. It can cope with hard pruning, so can be trimmed to form an informal hedge or clipped into strong shapes. The flowers appear in mid and late spring, and are sometimes followed by spherical red fruit. In frost-prone areas, train as a wall shrub against a south or west-facing wall.Position: full sun or partial shadeSoil: any fertile, well-drained neutral to alkaline soilRate of growth: average to fast growingFlowering period: April to MayHardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection in cold areas)Sold in a 2 litre pot.