Talking Dirty

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 LIST

Brugmansia × candida 'Shredded White Fantasy'

Iresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima'

Begonia 'Richmondensis'

Begonia grandis

Prunus 'Tai-haku'

Bupleurum fruticosum

Amsonia

Ceratostigma willmottianum

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Petunia exserta

Salvia 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 LIST

Rosa 'Climbing Pompon de Paris'

Rosa 'Guy de Savoy'

Rosa 'La Rose de Petit Prince'

Rosa 'American Pillar'

Solanum crispum 'Glasnevin'

Clematis 'Tie Dye'

Fuchsia arborescens

Fuchsia procumbens

Plumbago auriculata

Zantedeschia 'Kiwi Blush'

Phygelius capensis

Kniphofia rufa

Punica granatum 'Flore Plena'

Salvia 'Tropicolor Sunrise'

Salvia 'Amistad'

Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

Abelia chinensis

Erigeron annuus

Tagetes 'Cinnabar' (Dixter Strain)

Laurus nobilis 'Aurea'

Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush'

Dianthus 'Chomley Farran'

Lathyrus odoratus 'Henry Eckford'

Echium vulgare

Dianthus carthusianorum

Lonicera 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 LIST

Clianthus puniceus ‘Kākā King’

Lachenalia rubida

Fuchsia 'Wapenveld's Bloei'

Tropaeolum majus 'Hermine Grashoff'

Tropaeolum majus 'Margaret Long'

Tropaeolum majus 'Darjeeling Gold' syn 'Darjeeling Double'

Phlebodium aureum 'Davana'

Viola hederacea

Carex buchananii

Galanthus plicatus 'Wandlebury Ring'

Iris unguicularis

Iris lazica

Narcissus '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 LIST

Anemone pavonina

Agave montana

Daphne bholua ‘Spring Beauty‘

Punica granatum var. Nana

Cordyline australis 'Charlie Boy'

Galanthus plicatus 'Three Ships'

Galanthus 'S. Arnott'

Arum pictum

Arum maculatum

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Monksilver'

Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger'

Lagerstroemia indica

Weigela ‘Wings of Fire'

Euphorbia mellifera

Iris unguicularis

Iris unguicularis 'Peloponnese Snow'

Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt'

Fascicularia bicolor

Dicksonia Antarctica

Viola hederacea

Begonia luxurians

Ilex aquilifolium ‘Nellie R Stevens’

Cyclamen persicum 'Dragon Deep Blue'

Plumbago auriculata

Bomarea 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 Out

PLANT LIST

Brugmansia 'Shredded White Fantasy'

Brugmansia × candida 'Grand Marnier'

Tagetes ex 'Cinnabar' Great Dixter form

Ageratum petiolatum

Tropaeolum majus 'Empress of India'

Lobelia tupa

Salvia regla

Salvia involucrata 'Bethellii'

Salvia involucrata 'Mulberry Jam'

Salvia involucrata 'Joan'

Salvia 'Tropicolor Sunrise'

Solanum laxum 'Crech ar Pape'

Catalpa fargesii

Begonia sutherlandii

Begonia sutherlandii 'Saunders' Legacy'

Cuphea 'David Verity'

Cuphea llavea

Lotus berthelotii

Salvia oxyphora

Chrysanthemum '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 LIST

Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Sugar Stars'

Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Crème Brûlée'

Dahlia coccinea var. palmeri

Tagetes 'Cinnabar'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'

Ageratum petiolatum

Eutrochium maculatum syn. Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum

Clerodendrum bungei

Cleome spinosa

Crinum moorei

Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight'

Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush'

Oxalis vulcanicola 'Plum Crazy'

Iresine herbstii

Iresine herbstii 'Aureoreticulata'

Tithonia rotundifolia

Clematis addisonii

Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides

Bomarea 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 LIST

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillère' 

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'

Hydrangea 'Runaway Bride'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Foxtail'

Lantana camara

Ficus carica 'White Ischia'

Plumbago auriculata

Leonotis leonurus

Fuchsia 'Delta's Sara'

Fuchsia procumbens

Tagetes patula 'Konstance'

Erythrina crista-galli

Punica granatum

Malus transitoria

Salvia 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 Out

PLANT LIST

Eucomis pole-evansii

Eucomis pole-evansii 'Dark Desire'

Rosa x beanii

Verbascum roripifolium

Iris tectorum

Berkheya radula

Berkheya purpurea

Puya × berteroniana

Beschorneria yuccoides

Agave montana

Phoenix canariensis

Podophyllum 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 LIST

Tulipa 'Yellow Crown'

Narcissus 'Painted Desert'

Narcissus 'Irish Linen'

Tropaeolum smithii

Piptanthus laburnifolius syn. Piptanthus nepalensis

Bupleurum fruticosum

Pelargonium 'Dark Secret'

Malus hupehensis

Paulownia tomentosa

Paulownia fortunei 'Fast Blue' ('Minfast')

Smyrnium perfoliatum

Melanoselinum decipiens

Echium pininana

Echium 'Candyfloss'

Nemophila menziesii

Primula 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 LIST

Magnolia 'Vulcan'

Magnolia sieboldii

Delosperma

Cyrtanthus elatus syn. Vallota speciosa

Watsonia

Sparaxis tricolor

Hippeastrum

Tigridia pavonia

Podranea ricasoliana

Abutilon 'Fool's Gold'

Clianthus puniceus

Helichrysum petiolare

Fremontodendron californicum

Tithonia rotundifolia

Coleus scutellarioides 'Burgundy Wedding Train'

Coleus scutellarioides 'Pink Chaos'

Mirabilis jalapa

Anagallis monellii 'Skylover'

Quercus suber

Lobelia 'Kathleen Mallard'

Primula allionii ‘Broadwell Oliver’

Chionodoxa luciliae syn. Scilla luciliae

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii

Ixia

Moraea huttonii