East Ruston Old Vicarage September 2026

Alan Gray and Thordis Fridriksson return with a look at the plants causing a sensation at East Ruston Old Vicarage this September, after a long and droughty summer. PLANT LISTBrugmansia × candida 'Shredded White Fantasy'Iresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima'Begonia 'Richmondensis'Begonia grandisPrunus 'Tai-haku'Bupleurum fruticosumAmsoniaCeratostigma willmottianumCeratostigma plumbaginoidesPetunia exsertaSalvia involucrata 'Bethellii'Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus 'Cosmopolitan'Tragopogon balcanicus

With apologies for long absence, Alan Gray and Thordis return for more planty joy - with some 'Show and Tell' of what's looking great at East Ruston Old Vicarage at the moment!PLANT LISTRosa 'Climbing Pompon de Paris'Rosa 'Guy de Savoy'Rosa 'La Rose de Petit Prince'Rosa 'American Pillar'Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'Clematis 'Tie Dye'Fuchsia arborescensFuchsia procumbensPlumbago auriculataZantedeschia 'Kiwi Blush'Phygelius capensisKniphofia rufaPunica granatum 'Flore Plena'Salvia 'Tropicolor Sunrise'Salvia 'Amistad'Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'Abelia chinensisErigeron annuusTagetes 'Cinnabar' (Dixter Strain)Laurus nobilis 'Aurea'Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush'Dianthus 'Chomley Farran'Lathyrus odoratus 'Henry Eckford'Echium vulgareDianthus carthusianorumLonicera etrusca 'Michael Rosse'

A new year and plenty to talk about. Join Alan Gray as he takes you and Thordis on a 'wander' through the plants wowing at East Ruston Old Vicarage this month. PLANT LISTClianthus puniceus ‘Kākā King’Lachenalia rubidaFuchsia 'Wapenveld's Bloei'Tropaeolum majus 'Hermine Grashoff'Tropaeolum majus 'Margaret Long'Tropaeolum majus 'Darjeeling Gold' syn 'Darjeeling Double'Phlebodium aureum 'Davana'Viola hederaceaCarex buchananiiGalanthus plicatus 'Wandlebury Ring'Iris unguicularisIris lazicaNarcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation'Narcissus 'Pueblo'Prunus mume 'Beni-chidori'Malva arborea 'Variegata'Salix alba var. vitellina 'Britzensis'Arum 'Hungarian Rhapsody'Galanthus 'Wasp'Galanthus 'Glimmer of Gold'Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece'Galanthus 'Primrose Warburg'

It's been a little while. Thank you for your patience.Alan and Thordis wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2026.PLANT LISTAnemone pavoninaAgave montanaDaphne bholua ‘Spring Beauty‘Punica granatum var. NanaCordyline australis 'Charlie Boy'Galanthus plicatus 'Three Ships'Galanthus 'S. Arnott'Arum pictumArum maculatumArum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Monksilver'Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger'Lagerstroemia indicaWeigela ‘Wings of Fire'Euphorbia melliferaIris unguicularisIris unguicularis 'Peloponnese Snow'Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt'Fascicularia bicolorDicksonia AntarcticaViola hederaceaBegonia luxuriansIlex aquilifolium ‘Nellie R Stevens’Cyclamen persicum 'Dragon Deep Blue'Plumbago auriculataBomarea caldasii

September already and East Ruston Old Vicarage is as bursting with colour as you might expect! Alan Gray brings just a few favourites for Show and Tell, while Thordis is FLOMO*ing over a very 'Alan' container she spotted on holiday!*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing OutPLANT LISTBrugmansia 'Shredded White Fantasy'Brugmansia × candida 'Grand Marnier'Tagetes ex 'Cinnabar' Great Dixter formAgeratum petiolatumTropaeolum majus 'Empress of India'Lobelia tupaSalvia reglaSalvia involucrata 'Bethellii'Salvia involucrata 'Mulberry Jam'Salvia involucrata 'Joan'Salvia 'Tropicolor Sunrise'Solanum laxum 'Crech ar Pape'Catalpa fargesiiBegonia sutherlandiiBegonia sutherlandii 'Saunders' Legacy'Cuphea 'David Verity'Cuphea llaveaLotus berthelotiiSalvia oxyphoraChrysanthemum 'Julia Peterson'

This month Alan Gray has come along with an arm full of Show and Tell, from his container-planting stalwarts to an eye-catching Crinum! I bet you'll be ooh-ing and aah-ing as much as his Talking Dirty co-presenter Thordis.PLANT LISTPhlox drummondii grandiflora 'Sugar Stars'Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Crème Brûlée'Dahlia coccinea var. palmeriTagetes 'Cinnabar'Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'Ageratum petiolatumEutrochium maculatum syn. Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatumClerodendrum bungeiCleome spinosaCrinum moorei Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight'Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush'Oxalis vulcanicola 'Plum Crazy'Iresine herbstiiIresine herbstii 'Aureoreticulata'Tithonia rotundifoliaClematis addisoniiPseudogynoxys chenopodioidesBomarea multiflora syn. Bomarea caldasii

From gap-fillers to planting for climate change, here's a meander through Alan Gray's latest escapades at East Ruston Old Vicarage, alongside his Talking Dirty co-presenter Thordis.PLANT LISTHydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillère' Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'Hydrangea 'Runaway Bride'Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'Amaranthus cruentus 'Foxtail'Lantana camaraFicus carica 'White Ischia'Plumbago auriculataLeonotis leonurusFuchsia 'Delta's Sara'Fuchsia procumbensTagetes patula 'Konstance'Erythrina crista-galliPunica granatumMalus transitoriaSalvia darcyi

Nearly the end of June already, past the Summer solstice and plenty to talk about at East Ruston Old Vicarage, particularly Alan Gray's latest planty purchases from their summer plant fair! Get ready to have some FLOMO*!*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing OutPLANT LISTEucomis pole-evansiiEucomis pole-evansii 'Dark Desire'Rosa x beaniiVerbascum roripifoliumIris tectorumBerkheya radulaBerkheya purpureaPuya × berteronianaBeschorneria yuccoidesAgave montanaPhoenix canariensisPodophyllum versipelle 'Spotty Dotty'Abutilon 'Red Tiger'Desmodium yunnanense

No rain, but lots of other things to put smiles on our faces at East Ruston Old Vicarage, from the last of the Daffodils to punchy Pelargoniums and fab Foxglove trees!PLANT LISTTulipa 'Yellow Crown'Narcissus 'Painted Desert'Narcissus 'Irish Linen'Tropaeolum smithiiPiptanthus laburnifolius syn. Piptanthus nepalensisBupleurum fruticosumPelargonium 'Dark Secret'Malus hupehensisPaulownia tomentosaPaulownia fortunei 'Fast Blue' ('Minfast')Smyrnium perfoliatumMelanoselinum decipiensEchium pininanaEchium 'Candyfloss'Nemophila menziesiiPrimula auricula ‘Swanton Cuckoo’

What weather we've had! As you can imagine there's plenty to talk about at East Ruston Old Vicarage, including an exciting new planting project for Alan Gray...PLANT LISTMagnolia 'Vulcan'Magnolia sieboldiiDelospermaCyrtanthus elatus syn. Vallota speciosaWatsoniaSparaxis tricolorHippeastrumTigridia pavoniaPodranea ricasolianaAbutilon 'Fool's Gold'Clianthus puniceusHelichrysum petiolareFremontodendron californicumTithonia rotundifoliaColeus scutellarioides 'Burgundy Wedding Train'Coleus scutellarioides 'Pink Chaos'Mirabilis jalapaAnagallis monellii 'Skylover'Quercus suberLobelia 'Kathleen Mallard'Primula allionii ‘Broadwell Oliver’Chionodoxa luciliae syn. Scilla luciliaeEuphorbia characias subsp. wulfeniiIxiaMoraea huttonii